Savannah Sabers

2016 Record: 81-79
Projected Record: 78-82
Key Additions: Mark McCormick (free agent), Zack Greinke (free agent), Brock Landers (free agent), Pedro Liriano (free agent), Hubie Bluege
Key Losses: Andruw Jones (free agent), Val Pasucci (ret), Carlos Beltran (free agent), Kyle Lohse (ret)

After winning 2 of the last 4 SLB World Series titles the league is seeing some decline. Last season, the Sabers fell to 81-79 and may have a harder time avoiding the basement this year. Hey, that's the price of success and flags fly forever, right? The paint is chipping, there's rust showing .... and Baltimore can't be counted on for 4th anymore. Is Savannah GM Rich Vohs up to the challenge?

Ace right-hander Phillip Humber and slugging 1B Hee Seop Choi are still Sabers, and with that in mind Savannah might be thinking they'll have one more kick at the can this season. That's justifiable - and with some cash to spend this winter Vohs signed former Saber property Mark McCormick to a 3-year deal. McCormick was dealt to Halifax in 2013 in a move that netted Savannah Sean Burroughs and a title. Zack Greinke was added this winter as was RP Brock Landers, who appeared in 50 games for Paris last season. He'll challenge Shane Mungitt for the closer spot, as Mungitt put up a 6.08 ERA with his 13 saves in 2016. Pedro Liriano jumped from Taipei to join the Sabers bullpen as well, giving Manager Lou Brown plenty of options this season.

Offensively, Vohs is hoping that new 2B Hubie Bluege can replicate his .301 batting average and 22 SB's he put up with Baltimore last year. Lastings Milledge was added to the outfield mix but he has been sprinkled with some Hee Seop Choi World Series Pixie Dusttm, he'll be no more than a pinch-runner. That's all Vohs added this winter, which seems light until you notice that Savannah quietly scored the 3rd most runs last year, featuring solid performances up and down their lineup. Choi led all Sabers with 42 HR but 10 others had at least 10 to 29 dingers. Will this year's version do as well without Carlos Beltran (.303, 29 HR) and Andruw Jones (.267, 15)? He'll need a much better season out of Albert Pujols, who makes 7M per season. A repeat of an .822 OPS with 18 bombs is unacceptable, and he'll have to provide better protection for Choi in the lineup than that.


Projected Lineup
RF Brandon Leahy
2B Mike Karros
1B Hee Seop Choi
3B Albert Pujols
LF Wily Mo Pena
SS Hubie Bluege
C Frank Coogan
CF Zach Tobin

A solid bench, which he'll need if the starters show that last year was their "career year". No horrible players here though but might be short on elite talent. GM Vohs has assembled a solid roster and wisely has over 5M left in the bank, so if the right opportunity comes along he can add an impact bat.

Projected Rotation
Phillip Humber
Mark McCormick
Zack Greinke
Lance Broadway
Don Allison

Closer
Shane Mungitt

"Dear Mr. Humber,
Please don't get hurt or this team is toast.
Sincerely, desperately,
GM Rich Vohs"
Rookie Allison had a nice enough spring to earn a spot on the big team this year. Maybe all that extra cash is going to be used in a trade for a starting pitcher? The South is going to be more bunched up in 2017 and Savannah might be a few horses short.