"The Dude" is quite the name.
The fact that Jason McGuirk — many of you probably just scratched your head and asked, "Who?" — came into this League and picked a team name that would lead to him being called the Dude is quite serendipitous.
He has done nothing but win since joining the JLB, posting winning seasons in six straight years. The playoffs have never eluded him and he has a World Series title under his belt.
He has seasons of 259, 260 and 262 wins, all ranking in the top-10 all-time single-season performances.
His .565 franchise winning percentage is only second to the Cheese Steaks' stupid .580 winning percentage.
So, it's no wonder why he is once again the man to beat in the NL.
Last year didn't end the way he wanted it to, and he'll get to exact his revenge on Breakfast in Week 1.
That matchup will feature a bolstered starting rotation that now includes Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer — as if he needed the help — as they join Dylan Cease, Alek Manoah, Zac Gallen, Luis Garcia and Jordan Montgomery.
For me — and I'm sure I speak for everyone else in the League — I look at those starters and I'm filled with fear.
What does the Dude feel when looking at it?
"A sense of relief," Dude said, while laughing out loud on paper (we can only assume it was a devilish chuckle bellowing from deep within, the kind of which is usually followed with the statement, "The world is mine!"). "But really, I think it’ll create less situations for risky (there’s that word) streams that can blow up your ratios. Having that solid six, seven guys going each week feels great on paper. We’ll see how it plays out!"
Yeah, we will.
I'm sure it will play out to be about another 250-some wins, as long as the offense comes through.
Rafael Devers and Yordan Alvarez will lead that group, along with Mookie Betts and George Springer.
Still, that left the Dude going into the draft without a shortstop and first baseman.
"Yeah, definitely unconventional," the Dude admitted. "Shortstop is so deep the Dude figured we’d be able to draft a guy or two to platoon there. Nico was the logical get there in the Dude’s opinion, man. Walker had a nice second half. He doesn’t have to be a world beater, just hit some homers and we’ll be happy. Mondesi lol. The Dude wanted Royce Lewis tbh but Crox scooped him up. Mondesi is a complete wild card but what else do the Sox have? Once healthy (lol), he should play everyday and be given the chance to show off that speed once again."
We will definitely be in a world of trouble if Mondesi gets healthy. That would provide a nice boost in steals for the Dude.
But even without that boost from Mondesi, he's going to get a bump from new everyday left fielder Corbin Carroll. The ROY candidate got a taste of the majors last year, and he's projected to do some damage on the basepaths this year with 12 triples and 29 steals.
I'm not too sure where Fantrax gets its projections, so we'll take a peek at the Fangraphs grouping of projections and we see 7-to-9 triples and 19-to-22 stolen bases. That sounds a little more human.
But if he is super human, watch out. The Dude will find himself in a great position to buy in July, and with some top prospects like Robert Hassell, James Wood and Noelvi Marte, to name a few, he should be the man to land the big fish at the deadline.
"Oh, yeah," the Dude said. "This is for sure an all-in year for the Dude after the laundering via the Choo Express. If Max and JV (Kate’s JV not Steaks!) stay relatively healthy this season, the Dude should be a buying position come July and those minors you named will be targets for retooling teams."
The confidence. The boldness. The comedy.
He is without a doubt, "The Dude."
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