TEAM EVALUATIONS: QUAKES

Team: Quakes

Conference: Patriot

Division: West

2009 Record: 67-95, 3rd Place

Typical Lineup:

1B Daniel Murphy

2B Macier Izturis/Delwyn Young

SS Yunel Escobar

3B Aramis Ramirez/Josh Fields

LF Raul Ibanez

CF Willy Taveras/Scott Podsednick

RF Garrett Anderson

C Ramon Hernandez/Nick Hundley/Chris Coste

DH Magglio Ordonez/Mike Jacobs/Jim Thome

That's a really poor lineup, especially with Taveras, Podsednick and Anderson putting the "out" in outfield.  Escobar, Ibanez and Ramirez in a limited role will be helpful, but the rest are below par.

Starting Rotation:

Ted Lilly

Justin Verlander

Ryan Dempster

A.J. Burnett

Hiroki Kuroda/Clayton Richard

Not bad at all.  In fact, quite good.  Lilly, Dempster, and Verlander are a quality trio, and the rest will fill in with average to above-average innings.

Bullpen:

Chad Durbin

Mark Lowe

Edward Mujica

Joe Smith

John Rauch

Not anything special, but not a mess by any means.  They should keep the Quakes in the game most of the time.

Closer:

LaTroy Hawkins

Hawkins had a great year last year, but didn't actually close a lot of games for the Astros, so that will limit his effectiveness in this role in Strat.  He should be decent at worst, though.

Minors:

None

Not a good sign.  Ian Desmond will be a rookie at SS this year for the Nationals, but this is one position the Quakes don't really need, as young and talented as Escobar is.

It will be a long, tough year for the Quakes as they navigate the same division as the Chuggers and Mammoths.  With that starting pitching, I expect they will do decently outside the division, but may lose 90% of their games against the beasts of the Patriot West with such a weak lineup.

Predicted Record: 77-85