Season Preview: Osaka Ronin

2017 Record: 72-88, 3rd in Far East
Key Additions: 1B Prince Fielder
Key Losses: SP Roy Halladay, SP Johan Santana, C Tony Montana, 3B Chest Rockwell
2018 Prediction: 70-90

The Ronin were absolutely one of the worst teams in SLB for the first half of last season before a surge made things uncomfortable for the Kwaan and Bushido. With some major losses to the pitching staff and lineup, it remains to be seen if GM Tom Hey can capitalize on the second-half success of 2017 and snare a playoff spot. Osaka has had three straight 3rd place finishes - nothing to brag about when you have Taipei in your division.
Last season saw the typical Ronin squad - power hitting, ridiculous in their home park, and equally silly pitching numbers. That 5.77 ERA was the worst in SLB and their 352 bombs were tops. Same old story. So will this years team be any different? Or will it be more of the same - no fun to play against but your team, if decent, will take the series? Gone are pitchers Halladay and Santana, who led the Ronin with the only ERA's under 5 and they're replaced with rookie Bobby Ojeda Jr. and a Rule 5 pick, Carlton Smith. This doesn't look promising, as even long-time Hey favourite Ben Sheets had a 6.15 mark and is now 38 years old.
All of those homeruns didn't even give Osaka the run scoring lead last season, they were in the group (everyone was behind Paris) with San Juan, London and Halifax. Winning homerun derby's doesn't translate to wins and now Rockwell and his 54 bombs, as well as Montana and his 69 shots, have left for greener pastures. What's the Ronin's answer? Prince Fielder. And I'm not mocking it, as Fielder has long wanted to move to Osaka where his skills are perfectly suited. As Fielder himself noted, "I didn't lose weight, I didn't change anything this offseason. They didn't sign me to pinch-run, they signed me to jog around the bases. I'm hitting 75 this year no doubt. I wish I played my whole career here."

Batting Order v RHP
3B Paul Matthew
RF Rueben Brown
1B Prince Fielder
LF Dave Peppers
C Elmer Kennedy
CF Jack Schalk
2B Juan Thomas
SS Mike Henderson

There's some speed on the bench with CF J Kimm and LF J Kemp, and more power with C R Doumit, veteran IF C Utley and CF K Lipton. Matthew can't hit enough to leadoff however, and the Ronin will be relying on solo shots to win games. If they're going to follow this philosophy, why not get a 3B that can jack them out too?

Pitching Rotation: Ben Sheets, Bobby Ojeda Jr, Carlton Smith, Christopher Lambert, Ryan Anderson
Closer: Brock Landers

I guess if you're not committed to putting a winning team out there, at least make it entertaining. It doesn't even look like Tom Hey cares at this point, as that's the sorriest excuse for a pitching staff I've seen - counting expansion teams as well. Run totals for Osaka and their opposition will be high this year, homerun records might fall (with the usual, "yeah but he did that in Osaka" caveat) and while they might make things difficult, they won't be in the playoffs. Hey left about 30M on the table, so maybe he'll show enough interest to trade for a big-ticket pitcher or three.