"The Ifs."
It seems like we're always talking about the "ifs" with the Boiled Nuts, but this year looks a little different than others because some of the "ifs" in 2021 look very intriguing to me.
Andres Gimenez has impressed Terry Francona all spring and he's been so good he sent Amed Rosario to the outfield. Teoscar Hernandez had a great 2020 and the question is, can he do it over 162 in 2021?
Willy Adames has one last chance to keep Wander Franco in Triple A, can he do it?
Andrew Benintendi has a new start in Kansas City, can he return to his star form?
Gregory Polanco has shown flashes of potential, can he put it together?
Hunter Dozier was a costly trade acquisition who faltered in 2020, can he regain the level he played in 2019?
As you can see, there are a lot of "ifs" on this team, but I'll say it again, I like their chances, particularly Gimenez and Benintendi. Butter also has his favorites here.
"Dozier and Polanco are both familiar names within the Boiled Nutz organization," he said. "Both have been rostered by the Nutz multiple times. Both are roller coasters of sorts through the season, but both have the potential for decent numbers. Polanco could be auditioning for a new home, I don’t see his time in the 'Burgh lasting too much longer since we are all for certain to see the selling continue as they keep working on their youth movement. The potential of landing on a winning team could drive El Coffee to put up big numbers this season. Benny is my other guy that I think could be in the running for bounce back player of the year. New surroundings could also help him out, and he appears to be protected in that Royals lineup, but he needs to stay healthy."
Maybe all of these players playing for Charleston will help, too.
Everything is fresh for the Nutz.
That includes a new starter in Joe Musgrove, who will look to join Casey Mize and the young up-and-comers here.
"And I have a good feeling about Taillon as the No. 3 starter in that Yankees rotation," he said. "I’m banking on a few former Buccos in my rotation seeing bounce back seasons, or simply better results due to better surroundings. And I see that being just the case for Jameson and Joe! Mize looks good, he will be in the rotation and as long as he can work on his control he will develop into the ace that Detroit and the Nuts are expecting him to be. Kopech starting from the pen doesn’t worry me. I think it will be good for him to ramp up on innings and stretch out a bit, and was already expecting him to be on an innings count this season since he hasn’t pitched since 2018. Patino going to the minors isn’t what I was hoping for, I was hoping he’d start out of the pen like Kopech. But he will be a front of the rotation guy in Tampa very soon!!!"
And let's not forget about the pitcher who could make all the difference.
He just also happens to be a bat who could make a difference, too.
And this is where the "ifs" all come together.
If Shohei Ohtani can pitch as well as he has shown in the past and then mix in a solid power bat in between starts, the Nutz may have themselves the winning formula in 2021.
"I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again... I Love Ohtani!" Butter said, adding, "Slammers have knocked on my door more times than I can remember asking on Ohtani, and every time I gush about how he’s going to come along and he will be a strong two way guy, and Slammers would downplay him and say he’s only going to be a bat, and I should just trade him... not those words exactly but you definitely put on your best JV used car salesman act a few times! But there’s a reason I’ve never put Ohtani out there on the block. He can hit AND throw."
Umm. I'd like to see the transcripts on those conversations? I have a feeling Butter was ... well ... let's just say headed to work when trying to recall what I said about Ohtani. I have to pay money to unlock the Slack archives past March 4, so it's not worth the money to prove, so I'll let him enjoy this moment and think he's right.
Ohtani is the key for me because I do believe he'll hit on at least two of those "ifs" from above, and more importantly, I think he has an All-Star third baseman in Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Defensively, he's potentially the third best in the League on Opening Day. He's that good at the hot corner. Offensively, there's some more to tap into there and I easily think he could out-do his projections of .282/15 HRs/51 RBIs/66 runs/10 SBs.
"He is the face of the organization," Butter said. "Just as he is in real life with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hayes is the real deal. The kid can hit, has speed and has a glove, which for fantasy purposes doesn’t mean diddly, but it keeps his bat in the lineup. But when you watch him play is there any question as to why Moran would honestly ever take playing time from Hayes? He’s hitting .432 this spring, and yes I know it’s just spring training, but he could be in the talks for NLROY when we come to the end of what may be an otherwise miserable season for the Buccos."
I can't wait to downplay him in trade offers.
You like that? You see what I did there? I thought that was a good joke to end it.
Wait, what? Oh, I've gone and ruined it now by pointing it out.
Dammit.
I should've just left it on a high note.
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