2015 Chattanooga Lookouts Roster Preview

Chattanooga Lookouts win exhibition game vs Chatt State 8-0.

Buxton, Hicks, Walker Drive in 2 RBI Each

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150407&content_id=116871690&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t498&sid=t498

To me the most interesting question mark is Alex Wimmers. He had >10K/9 last year as a reliever. He gave up a few to many hits and walks but seemed to settle down in the second half after his promotion to AA. This will be his second year after TJ surgery so I'm excited to see how it goes. While he is old for the league age-wise he only has 140 IP below AA.

I could be wrong, but I believe that the Southern League still has a split season... a first half champion and a 2nd half champion.  No doubt the Lookouts will contend for the first half title in the North Division. Second half will depend on how much upheaval there is with the roster via promotions,etc...

Yup I believe so...kind of half-kidding with that comment assuming guys should get moved around from that team. But still, should be a fun team to watch!

I think that's a lot of assumptions. We don't know. I don't know that Buxton woudl be better than Schafer right now. In fact, I don't think that would be the case right away. A big K guy like Sano who is just coming off of a missed season? I don't think he'd be better than Plouffe in 2015. Berrios? Meyer? Will they be better than Pelfrey and Nolasco? Probably. But not necessarily in 2015. 

 

Double-A is a TOUGH level. AAA is tough too. Let them go through the steps. Rosario hit .237 in AA last year and he hit .230-something in the spring... I don't think he'd be better than SChafer right now.

 

Of course, I believe they will be better, but not yet. 

We don't know.  No doubt about that.  My statement was based on the course of the next year.

But I think you are underestimating how low the bar is in certain instances.  Like Jordan Schafer. He has had 1,225 at bats across six years and has racked up an OPS of .621.  The consensus top 1-2 prospect in the game who is sitting in AA should be able to exceed that production right now.  If he can't exceed that production, he is wildly over-rated.

Plouffe vs. Sano.  The last three years tells me Plouffe is a .250, 15-20 HR, 40-50 BB guy.  His OPS should be around .700 to .750 (career .722).   I think Sano would hit .230 and likely end up with more HR's and BB's given his profile, so I think his OPS ends up higher than Plouffe's.  Defensively,  no doubt Plouffe is better. 

And I think you will see over the course of the year, 1-2 starters from AAA bump guys off the rotation and 2-4 bullpen guys as well. 

Chattanooga Lookouts win exhibition game vs Chatt State 8-0.

Buxton, Hicks, Walker Drive in 2 RBI Each

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150407&content_id=116871690&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t498&sid=t498

This year is not going to be fair. This is essentially an all-star team.

I agree with "Expectmorepayless"

The Lookouts first series against Tampa AA is a contest of Organizational Top Prospects.  Both teams are loaded.

As people talk about chemistry and this team winning the FSL title - Understand that of the possible starting 9 (counting the DH & not counting the pitcher): Polanco; Buxton; Sano; Michael; Gonzales (DH);  - Possibly 5 were not on that team.  When you look at the starting pitchers (Berrios; Duffy; Peavy; Wimmers) - Only Baxendale was on that team for the championship.  When you look at the bullpen - Only 3 - Burdi; Z. Jones; and Johnson were on that FSL Championship team.  

There are still a lot of new faces.  Dougie baseball can't just mail it in.  They will be challenged!

The schedule is a little odd in that the Lookouts only play half a dozen home games in April. It's going to be May before Chatt fans really get to know these guys (they do have a ton of home games in May, including home weekend series on 4 of 5 weekends in May).

I think the Southern League is one of the few (if not the only one) leagues above the A levels that do a split season. I do like the split for minor league teams because of the high roster turnover.

I also really like the Southern League's practice of scheduling pretty much all 5-game series. Would think that would give you a really good feel for how you match up with each opponent. You face 5 starters every series and I would guess the players don't mind spending perhaps a few less hours on buses (unless a lot of games are commuter series games). 

Seriously thinking one of those weekends in May would be a really good time to make that 11 hour drive to Chattanooga.

I've got the May 2nd game in mind myself. 

To me the most interesting question mark is Alex Wimmers. He had >10K/9 last year as a reliever. He gave up a few to many hits and walks but seemed to settle down in the second half after his promotion to AA. This will be his second year after TJ surgery so I'm excited to see how it goes. While he is old for the league age-wise he only has 140 IP below AA.

If Wimmers can stay healthy, I think he could jump into the top 20 Twins prospects again with a strong season. The system can "add" depth from within (if that makes sense) with some of these guys like Wimmers, Salcedo, Corey Williams, J.T. Chargois, and Luke Bard.

The schedule is a little odd in that the Lookouts only play half a dozen home games in April. It's going to be May before Chatt fans really get to know these guys (they do have a ton of home games in May, including home weekend series on 4 of 5 weekends in May).

 

I think the Southern League is one of the few (if not the only one) leagues above the A levels that do a split season. I do like the split for minor league teams because of the high roster turnover.

 

I also really like the Southern League's practice of scheduling pretty much all 5-game series. Would think that would give you a really good feel for how you match up with each opponent. You face 5 starters every series and I would guess the players don't mind spending perhaps a few less hours on buses (unless a lot of games are commuter series games). 

 

Seriously thinking one of those weekends in May would be a really good time to make that 11 hour drive to Chattanooga.

SD, it appears from your profile pic that you pulled a Benjamin Button.

Difference being that Benjamin Button got better looking as he got younger, whereas SD gets uglier as he gets older.

Hey now!

That picture is cut from the "staff holiday picture" at the time I was a "real" sportswriter for the Webster City (IA) Daily Freeman-Journal!

And I just like to remember when I had hair on the top of my head.

Apparently Kepler was sent down to Fort Myers. 

 

The Lookouts will roll with the outfield of Harrison, Buxton, Walker. 

Pretty sure that it's routine for teams to assign players who open the season on the DL to the roster of the level for which they last played the season before. In Kepler's case, that's Fort Myers. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he's even physically on-site in Chattanooga if it's anticipated that he'll be activated shortly.

It's interesting that they do 5 game series. 

 

It's not like these teams are spread way out. The longest drive is probably Jackson, MS to Jacksonville, FL, which is about 8 hours.

I like how they do the schedule, do you like it or not?

Apparently Kepler was sent down to Fort Myers. 

 

The Lookouts will roll with the outfield of Harrison, Buxton, Walker. 

Pretty sure that it's routine for teams to assign players who open the season on the DL to the roster of the level for which they last played the season before. In Kepler's case, that's Fort Myers. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he's even physically on-site in Chattanooga if it's anticipated that he'll be activated shortly.

 Bryan Haar has started on DL for Ft Myers so Kepler was sent down to get to 25 players on Chattanooga, per Ft Myers Miracle radio