- Greg Shelley
- Apr 3, 2023
- 5 min read
Opening Weekend of the 2023 MLB season is in the books and the hot takes on rosters and early performances are already flying around in RDBL circles. It's far too early to make any conclusions about the 2023 season from four games of data, but that didn't stop us from trying.
Here are six Period One overreactions across the league:
The Stacks are the Best Team in the RDBL
The Alamo Short Stacks had an ideal first four days of the season, leading the RDBL his hitting, average, steals and on-base percentage while all six starters produced 19 or more points in their debut. Period 1 featured a pair of starts against the Oakland Athletics and one start against the Chicago Cubs, two offenses expected to rank among the worst in the league this season. The starting rotation should get a stiffer test in Period 2 with a pair of starts against the Toronto Blue Jays and one against the St. Louis Cardinals who possess two of the best lineups in baseball.
The Stacks also feature a pair of Angels starters in Tyler Anderson and Patrick Sandoval who make up two parts of their six-man rotation, limiting both to just one start per week. While both pitched well in Period 1, their upside on a weekly basis is limited over the course of the season with the extra day of rest which GM Greg Shelley will have to work around.
Verdict: It's way too early to declare the Stacks the best team in the RDBL, but the overall roster looks stronger than it did a season ago as they remain the favorites in the East Bay Division.
The Maulers are the Favorites in the Masters Division
GM Chris Ferraro was expected to dive all-in on a roster full of injured stars but instead forked over $120 to aces Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo, making 2023 a very interesting year to follow. The club raced out to the Masters Division lead and entering Period 2 in 2nd place overall while pacing the RDBL in pitcher scoring with a 0.97 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 37.0 innings, allowing just 17 hits over that span.
Their 232.5 total points comes with a 0-for-29 from Alex Bregman, Anthony Rendon and Nelson Cruz (who was released Sunday night). leaving more room for growth on offense.
Verdict: The Maulers will ultimately be passed by the Spokane Fightin' Fish, but that doesn't mean they can't stay in the hunt. Expect Ferraro to be extremely aggressive with 2-start opportunities and ride the hot hand at the back of their rotation, allowing the club to stay in the hunt this summer provided their offense can perform at a league-average level.
The Devils Are All Hit, No Pitch
The Devils enter Period 2 sharing the league-lead in hitting points with 139.5 after slashing .314/.385/.474 with Wander Franco looking the part of a potential MVP candidate while Yoan Moncada has rediscovered his hitting stroke. While the offense was expected to be elite, their pitching group has produced a 4.86 ERA and 1.56 WHIP through 33 1/3 appearances and six starts.
As we noted in their Glass Half Empty outlook, the pitching group will need to keep pace with this elite offense if the Devils are going to return to the Playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Verdict: Overreaction, but the early results have the Devils Front Office on alert for Waiver additions on the pitching front.
The Hops and Ducks Offenses Stink
The Meinert Hops and Burlingame Blue Ducks have managed just 56.5 and 59.0 points at the plate so far while hitting a league-low .203. Each hit their first home runs of the season on Sunday but still sit as the only clubs with slugging percentages below .300.
The Hops are awaiting the return of Jorge Polanco from the IL with Jake Cronenworth, Kyle Farmer, CJ Abrams, Gavin Sheets, Luis Rengifo and Estuery Ruiz combining to go 3-for-46 in Period 1.
The Ducks lost Auction addition Luis Urias for two months following a hamstring injury while Brandon Drury, Javier Baez, Kolten Wong, Alek Thomas, Kyle Schwarber and Dan Vogelbach combined to go 3-for-46 in the opening week.
Verdict: Without a return set for Polanco and the injury to Urias, both offenses look less than stable and will need to lean on their pitching staffs to stay in the hunt while being active on the Waiver Wire for help.
The Grapes Pitching Staff is Cooked
The Grapes suffered through every Front Office's worst nightmare as they posted a 8.35 ERA an 2.29 WHIP over 18 1/3 innings, entering Period 2 with -29.0 points. The group has been depleted with both Luis Severino (lat) and Daniel Bard (anxiety) hitting the IL while James Karinchak and $1 Auction grab Spencer Turnbull combined for -44.0 points.
With Brady Singer and Jon Gray set to debut Monday and Turnbull unlikely to see the mound any time soon, the Grapes are hopeful for a steadier Period 2 as they look to move into positive ground and keep pace with an offense that currently ranks sixth in the RDBL.
Verdict: The Severino injury really knocked the club's depth, but the savvy addition of Hayden Wesneski in the Reserve Draft should give them another arm to count on starting in Period 2. The rotation is a big concern overall, but expect a turnaround this week as well as some lockdown work from closer Ryan Helsley.
The Falcons Need More Arms
The Maltese Falcons took a calculated risk, leveraging $40 in cap space on Carlos Rodon who held an early-May timeframe to return from a forearm injury that was barking late in camp. Given the strength of the rotation entering the year, the move was logical, but Robbie Ray's left flexor strain could place him on the shelf for a significant time putting more pressure on the remaining group to come through. That wasn't the case in Period 1 as the staff produced a 7.66 ERA and 1.88 WHIP for -14.0 total points, despite five scoreless innings and 25.0 points from Period 1 Waiver Claim Jhony Brito.
Shintaro Fujinami got the first shot at replacing Rodon and rewarded the Falcons with a -31.0 point start, allowing eight earned in 2 1/3 innings. That will force two more Waiver Claims into the spotlight as Seth Lugo and Tylor Megill get their crack in Period 2 to earn stable rotation spots until Rodon and Ray return.
Verdict: With two injured arms on the starting staff, GM Gary Falzon and Assistant GM Erik Nielsen will be forced to be creative, but don't expect more stinkers from Zack Wheeler while Seranthony Dominguez's -24.0 debacle was largely responsible for the poor overall numbers. Nestor Cortes and Freddy Peralta should right the ship starting Monday as they make their 2023 debuts. While arms will continue to be a waiver priority, expect the Falcons pitching staff to improve and help an offense that ranks 4th in scoring with a .289/.362/.434 line in Period 1.
