Washington Boozehounds 2012 Preview

After Washington's depressing early exit in the first round of the playoffs, this team has much to prove in 2012. Fortunately, the core is back but with only a few major changes:

• Adam Wainwright was lost for the year prior to the season.



• Joe Mauer is injured and will only be available for about half the season.

Offseason: With the Wainwright and Mauer problems in mind, Washington traded Wilson Ramos and Ben Zobrist to Napa in a multiplayer deal for Alexi Ogando, Tyler Clippard, and COL #1. Wait! That doesn't help the Mauer situation! No, but it virtually solves the Wainwright problem while also bolstering the bullpen and bringing a versatile pick that can be used to fill another hole. Minor moves included shedding several useful SPs for draft picks, and acquiring some pretty serious bullpen help in Mariano Rivera and Eric O'Flaherty.

Draft: Going into the draft WAS was looking for the following pieces:

• Complementary catcher for Mauer.



• Part-time 3B to make up for Ryan Zimmerman's injury and AB shortage.



• 1st rate SP -- aren't we all!



• Lefty-bashing OF to spell Matt Joyce.

So without many serious needs, each pick was an evaluation of whether or not future value or current need was greater. Picks made for future value included Devin Mesoraco, Zach Britton, Nathan Eovaldi, Alex White, Reid Brignac, and a variety of speculative pitchers like CM Wang, Felipe Paulino, Dustin McGowan, and Craig Breslow. Parts of my rotation are aging a bit and will need to be replaced soon (e.g. Tim Hudson, Ted Lilly, and Chris Carpenter) and Ogando may be headed back to the bullpen.

Picks for current value included Alfredo Aceves, Matt Downs, Jason Bourgeois, Rod Barajas, and Drew Sutton.

Finally, there are the combo picks (future plus present) of Lonnie Chisenhall, Dayan Viciedo, and AJ Ellis.

Starting Rotation: Pretty solid if not spectacular with Tim Hudson, Chris Carpenter, Y. Gallardo, Ogando, and Lilly. Aceves will see spot duty to augment inning shortages.

Bullpen: This is pretty scary. RHs: Salas, Chris Perez, Clippard, and Mariano Rivera. LHs: Glen Perkins and Eric O'Flaherty. When Chris Perez is your mop-up guy, the opposition may be in trouble in the late innings.

Catcher: Mauer is back for a solid half season with Barajas and Ellis backing him up against LH pitching. Mesoraco is pretty good insurance against another Mauer injury.

Infield: Here's where the Boozehounds are unparallelled: Zimmerman, Tulowitzki, Cano, and Teixeira are all top fielders and hitters at their position. Matt Downs (hitting) and Alberto Gonzalez (glove) were drafted to provide backup.

Outfield: Still a strength with Willingham, Victorino, Carlos Gonzalez, and Matt Joyce. Bourgeois joins as a platoon mate for Joyce and late inning SB threat.

Intangibles: Here's where Washington made the biggest upgrade! With SOM still believing that Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia is playing like a league-average stadium, the Boozehounds moved to Coors Field which will now be known as "The Drunk Tank". This will take massive advantage of our hitters' high BP HR numbers and play into our superb fielding and low pitching BP numbers. This change will have more positive effect on the team than nay player addition. Looking at Willingham's card numbers, he could hit 40 HRs at home.

Summary: With Reno and Brighton taking small steps backwards, Washington appears to be the class of the National League again, but we need to avoid the first round playoff jinx that has caught us in the short series the last two out of three seasons. Each game will be more of a challenge though with up-and-comers like Nassau, Mackinaw, and Delaware Valley; and the always well-managed Oahu and Edgewater teams. Gone are the days of 80 easy wins in the NL.

Prediction: In the words of Mr. T as Clubber Lang: "PAIN" for the rest of the NL at the Boozehounds new band box of a stadium. Have your bullpens rested when you come to town. It's hard to predict the personnel changes that will occur mid-season with the savvy NL GMs, but I feel confident saying that right now Washington looks the best on paper in the NL.