Among the most consistent franchises in JLB history, the Gamblers made their 10th postseason appearance in 11 years last season.
Unfortunately, as has been the case since 2012, the playoff runs have fallen short of the World Series.
Still, he is there year in and year out, and just getting there means you have a chance.
The preseason poll has the Gamblers getting yet another chance in 2019, and for that to happen, a few things have to happen: Willson Contreras and Marcell Ozuna both need to bounce back from a miserable 2018, a right fielder needs to emerge, and the pitching staff needs to have a healthy season.
PITCHING DEPTH
Yu Darvish and Stephen Strasburg, as keepers, are pivotal to the success in 2019, and injuries have been their constant bugaboos.
Parker did a nice job of filling in around them with starters like JA Happ, Sonny Gray, Zack Godley and Jacob Junis, and I would imagine two of the four will turn out to be mainstays throughout the season.
But when you compare this staff to the two juggernauts in the AL, Strasburg and Darvish have to be in the mix all season long.
Their success combined with what we expect from Justin Verlander and the high hopes for guys like Luis Castillo and Nick Pivetta, would give Parker a chance to match up against Breakfast and Crox.
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
Parker spent the entire offseason trying to sure up his outfield and he went into the draft needing a right fielder.
He had Alex Verdugo and Franmil Reyes as keepers, but both are part-time players at this time and cannot be counted on.
He drafted Randal Grichuk, who has his hot and very cold moments throughout the season. I can say with great certainty that Grichuk will play for at least three JLB teams this year and it will not be because of trades.
So, that leaves the Gamblers with a hole.
The rest of the offense is in pretty damn good shape, but to me, this RF hole is the one thing separating him from the two teams that finished ahead of him in the poll.
BOGGY NIGHTS
I didn't catch how great of a season Xander Bogaerts had in Boston last year. He hit 23 homers and drove in 103 runs while batting .288. In comparison, Bogaerts went 10/62/.273 with 58 more at-bats the prior year.
It was quick the leap for him.
If he can do that again, added with the strong season Parker should get from Jean Segura, the Gamblers could be looking at the key to his next playoff run.
The other key could be Edwin Encarnación. Projected to have 29 homers and 94 RBIs, he could be one of the steals of the draft. He fell to pick 8 in the third round which is quite astonishing for a player who has driven in 100-plus RBIs in four straight seasons.
Maybe we're down on his chances in Seattle this season, but I don't think we should be.
I wanted to draft him, but I had other needs and a completely full lineup of bats.
Still, shame on me and others for letting him drop so far. May we all be reminded of it as he takes the parrot for a trot around the bases some 30 times this summer.
It was quick the leap for him.
If he can do that again, added with the strong season Parker should get from Jean Segura, the Gamblers could be looking at the key to his next playoff run.
The other key could be Edwin Encarnación. Projected to have 29 homers and 94 RBIs, he could be one of the steals of the draft. He fell to pick 8 in the third round which is quite astonishing for a player who has driven in 100-plus RBIs in four straight seasons.
Maybe we're down on his chances in Seattle this season, but I don't think we should be.
I wanted to draft him, but I had other needs and a completely full lineup of bats.
Still, shame on me and others for letting him drop so far. May we all be reminded of it as he takes the parrot for a trot around the bases some 30 times this summer.
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