Big Ol'Country Breakfast. The two-time World Series Champs.
Five years ago, Sam celebrated the first JLB World Series, and —
Wait. What's that? I'm getting word that it was only two years ago.
Oh, Covid, how you have warped time.
But last year, to win it, it really cost him. He went all in, sending the farm and a boat-load of picks out to win. That farm included selling Bobby Witt, Julio Rodriguez and Jack Leiter to name a few.
Still, the team is projected to put up some great numbers without the young future stars, and Breakfast should be a hefty meal for everyone, or at least, that's what we think on the outside.
"It’s funny because everyone seems to like my team more than I do," Sam said, being modest. "This team has a ton to prove in my eyes. The potential is there, but major changes will be needed to get this team where it needs to go."
I guess maybe he's right. It is easy to look at Trea Turner, Francisco Lindor, Anthony Rendon, Brandon Lowe and JD Martinez and think he's in good shape, but end of the day, he doesn't have a single 100-RBI bat projected, and only three 30 home run bats.
That said, Dylan Carlson and Jeremy Pena provide hope for some more offense than what is projected, and all of the aforementioned stars can out-perform their projections.
Even if they don't, pitching could be the key for Breakfast.
His rotations appears to be stronger with Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, Zack Wheeler, Luis Castillo and Trevor Rogers leading the way, but then again, there are some red flags — literally — on the roster, including one on the guy who won’t be allowed to pitch in Toronto, but that's assuming Chris Sale returns healthy. Other questions include: Is Castillo truly back? How about Shane who didn’t pitch much in 2021?
"A few great questions in here," Sam said. "A lot of my pitching is slowed beyond the traditional short spring. Bieber is one of the guys. I’m anxious to see. Major risk, major potential reward."
He also may like what he gets out of Mitch Keller, who apparently added a sweeping slider that dropped some jaws in camp, and that could be the difference maker for him actually living up to his top Pirates pitching prospect status that he once held.
If the pitching does come together, we could be talking about a third World Series in four years and a repeat champ. That said, he'll have to fend off the growing AL monster, Main Line Gamblers. Are you afraid, Sam?
"Afraid isn't the word I would use to describe my feelings about the Gamblers," Sam said. "He’s back on the radar. It's a powerful radar that might just be picking up Julio Rodriguez."
The Gamblers are only on the radar now because everyone is 0-0-0. That will change quickly; however, I've said it in other previews, I don't think the separation this year is going to be quite what it was last year.
"It's a grind, but I think the league in general will be more of a grind in both divisions this year," Sam said. "Only one automatic berth to the playoffs (Steaks) - for the rest it's going to be a battle."
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