It'd be interesting to see a comparison between projections of that "strawman" lineup and the actual production that the Rox got last year from each lineup spot. I suspect that the projections would be better - meaning that the Rox offense should be better even without getting "lucky". Maybe HeltonFan could share his projections for these players.
Whether or not the Rox can compete is another, more complex issue since it involves pitching, defense, plus projections of what the other teams will do. Still I think that this comparison would be an interesting offseason exercise.
My own gut feeling is that, barring changes in the NL West, the Rox will have a stronger season than last year. However, whether or not they compete further into the season will partly depend on if any other team has a "fluke" year. It's been awhile since anybody in the NL West has seriously outperformed their projections, but I don't think this possibility should be ignored. Maybe the Rox do better, but are out of it by mid-August because somebody else is on their way to a 98 win season.
Rather than "will they compete", I'd rather look at whether or not the Rox will be significantly stronger. By the middle/end of next season will the Rox farm system continue to look strong - providing hope for future seasons as well? I think the answer will be yes, in which case we might well see your favorite punching bags get extensions.
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