2015 Reviews, Outlooks for All of MLB's Non-Playoff Teams
From the train wreck in the nation's capital to the onslaught of injuries at AT&T Park, the 2015 MLB season just didn't go to plan for the likes of the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants.
With the campaign all but over, now is the perfect time to go back and review what went wrong and, in some cases, what went right for all of baseball's non-playoff teams.
The conclusion of the season is also an ideal moment to look ahead at all the biggest decisions facing these teams in the winter, to check in on each club's most pressing need for 2016 and to figure out how they all can climb back into contention.
For many of the teams on this list, the first step in that process is determining just who exactly will be managing their squad in 2016.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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The Year in Review
With the Arizona Diamondbacks posting a 78-83 record, manager Chip Hale is looking like a shrewd hire in the desert. Hale deserves plenty of credit for the D-backs' return to respectability, but so too does the club's offense.
The unheralded but always productive Paul Goldschmidt has anchored the lineup, while A.J. Pollock (39 doubles and 38 steals) and David Peralta (.893 OPS) have produced breakout seasons. Pollock's year has been especially noteworthy, as he's posted the ninth-best WAR (6.4) in the bigs, per FanGraphs.
The Offseason Outlook
While the offense has clicked, the D-backs' pitching staff remains a work in progress. Adding a veteran starter to lead the rotation would make a lot of sense for an Arizona squad that has the potential to earn a wild-card spot in 2016. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the D-backs have already shown a "strong interest" in inking free-agent to-be Mike Leake.
Atlanta Braves
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The Year in Review
The Atlanta Braves haven't been able to buy a run in 2015.
The club ranks last in baseball in that department (565), which means the Braves have scored 323 fewer times than the Toronto Blue Jays who top the charts.
That offensive futility has carried Atlanta to the third-worst record in the majors. On the positive side, that awful mark means the Braves are on track to pick third in the MLB draft next June.
The Offseason Outlook
Don't count on the Braves to be big players on the free-agent front this winter.
With the organization's focus clearly trained on 2017, when the club will move into its new park, this offseason isn't about adding players who will make a significant impact on the upcoming campaign.
Instead, it's about continuing to stockpile pieces for 2017 and beyond. John Coppolella, who was recently installed as the new general manager, will be in charge of carrying out that plan.
According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, President of Baseball Operations John Hart described Coppolella as an "outside-the-box thinker." One thing is for certain. It will take a ton of creativity from Coppolella as he embarks upon the process of reviving the floundering offense.
Baltimore Orioles
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The Year in Review
An ugly 1-11 stretch at the end of August wrecked the Baltimore Orioles' chances of securing a wild-card spot and taking part in postseason baseball. While the campaign was a disappointment for the team, third baseman Manny Machado and first baseman Chris Davis both posted monster seasons for the O's.
Machado has done it all for Baltimore, cracking 35 home runs, swiping 20 bases and playing characteristically smooth defense at third. Davis has gone yard 45 times—more than any other player in the majors—and set himself up perfectly to cash in on the free-agent front.
The Offseason Outlook
There's about to be a ton of turnover at Camden Yards. Take a look at the list of prominent players who are set to become free agents:
- Davis
- Gerardo Parra
- Matt Wieters
- Wei-Yin Chen
- Darren O'Day
- Steve Pearce
Based on 2015 performance, Davis is the player the Orioles can least afford to lose. At the same time, based on 2015 performance, Davis is the player who will be the most difficult and the most expensive to retain.
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Boston Red Sox
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The Year in Review
The Boston Red Sox's rising core of position players has provided plenty of reason for optimism.
While the likes of Travis Shaw, Rusney Castillo, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brock Holt have all stood out, Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts have been the brightest stars of all. Per FanGraphs, Betts and Bogaerts rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in terms of WAR among all Red Sox players.
The Offseason Outlook
While the lineup is in good shape heading into 2016, the rotation definitely needs some help. This season, the group has posted the seventh-worst ERA in the majors. But it's not just the starting staff that new President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski will have to rebuild. As the Red Sox close out 2015, the relief crew is lugging around the fifth-worst ERA in baseball.
Cincinnati Reds
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The Year in Review
Aside from the brilliance of Joey Votto, there haven't been many bright spots for the Cincinnati Reds.
In the second half, the veteran first baseman is sporting an absurd .536 OBP and recently tied the club record by reaching base in 48 consecutive contests.
"I don't care," Votto told C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer when asked about the significance of that accomplishment. Votto's indifference was likely due to the fact that the slumping Reds recently tumbled through a 13-game losing streak and have piled up the second most losses in baseball.
The Offseason Outlook
Like so many other non-playoff clubs, the Reds need help in the starting rotation.
After trading away free-agents to-be Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake, Cincinnati went on to start rookie pitchers in 64 consecutive games. Playing in a stacked division that includes the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs, there's just no way the Reds can afford to go with so many inexperienced arms again in 2016.
Chicago White Sox
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The Year in Review
After an aggressive offseason, the offense let the Chicago White Sox down in a major way. The club has scored the fewest runs of any squad in the AL and has also connected on the fewest home runs.
As for the South Siders arms, Jeff Samardzija has proved to be a major dud in his walk year. The veteran right-hander has run up a 4.96 ERA and given up 29 bombs, which is tied for the most among AL starters.
The Offseason Outlook
The changes are already starting for the White Sox. As Doug Padilla of ESPN.com reported, the team has parted ways with bench coach Rick Parent but will bring back skipper Robin Ventura in 2016. One familiar face who won't be taking over for Parent is Ozzie Guillen, Chicago's former manager.
“I don't know if you've heard it from me yet, but you've certainly heard it from others in this organization: Ozzie Guillen belongs somewhere in the big leagues managing,” GM Rick Hahn explained, per Padilla.
Aside from finding a new No. 2 for Ventura, upgrades will be needed in the infield. As a team, the White Sox ranked last in OPS at second and third base and No. 25 at shortstop.
Cleveland Indians
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The Year in Review
The story of the season for the Cleveland Indians has been the rise of Francisco Lindor.
The 21-year-old shortstop arrived at Progressive Field in the middle of June, but he took off once the second half began.
In 72 games since the All-Star break, Lindor is swinging at a clip of .350 while posting a .942 OPS. The Tribe's late charge for a wild-card spot came up short, but Lindor's big second half might just be enough for the switch-hitter to steal the AL Rookie of the Year Award away from Carlos Correa.
The Offseason Outlook
Heading into the winter, the most pressing needs for Cleveland will be to shore up center field and the hot corner.
This season, the club's center fielders have combined to hit just seven home runs and rank No. 25 in OPS. Meanwhile, third base has been a black hole for the AL Central squad. The players who have patrolled that spot are last in OBP, and second-to-last in average and OPS.
Colorado Rockies
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The Year in Review
Even with the Colorado Rockies on track to finish in last place for the fourth time in five seasons, there are some positives to take away from 2015.
The play of Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez is right at the top of that list. The third baseman and the right fielder both reached the 40-home run plateau, which makes them the first teammates to do so in the same season since Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome accomplished that feat for the Chicago White Sox way back in 2006, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Arenado and CarGo are far from the only Rockies who enjoyed strong seasons at the plate, as the team leads the NL in runs, slugging percentage and OPS. The problem is that Colorado's pitching staff hasn't been able to stop the opposition from getting on the board.
The Offseason Outlook
In terms of ERA, Colorado's rotation was the lousiest in baseball. In 2015, the crew has run up an alarmingly bad 5.27 ERA and allowed the opposition to swing at a clip of .290.
The Rockies have talented young starters like Jon Gray and Jeff Hoffman who are on the verge of making their mark in the bigs. But if the team is going to avoid yet another last-place finish in 2016, the front office has no choice but to import an impact starter or two via trade or the free-agent front.
Detroit Tigers
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The Year in Review
Thanks to a subpar pitching staff (and some unfortunate injuries), the Detroit Tigers went from first to worst in 2015.
The pen clocks in at No. 27 in ERA, while the rotation ranks No. 28 in that department. With the team's pitching in shambles, it was easy to miss the bounce-back season turned in by Justin Verlander. The righty recorded a 3.38 ERA, which was his lowest mark since back in 2012.
“You can look at a bunch of numbers that are exponentially better than last year,” Verlander said, per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. “You never want to talk about injuries, but I told you guys that I didn’t feel right at all. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to pitch healthy in a while.”
Verlander's return to health and form is a welcome sign in Motown, as the vet is owed $28 million in each of the next four seasons and has a $22 million vesting option for 2020.
The Offseason Outlook
The Tigers need to add as many arms as possible—both to the rotation and to the relief corps. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports suggested Detroit "could take a look" at Aroldis Chapman, the electric closer of the Cincinnati Reds. The Cuban, who has produced a 1.63 ERA, would be an ideal fit at Comerica Park, where the ninth inning has long been a source of frustration.
Miami Marlins
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The Year in Review
The Miami Marlins couldn't catch a break on the health front in 2015.
From Jose Fernandez to Giancarlo Stanton to Henderson Alvarez to Dee Gordon and Adeiny Hechavarria, nearly every prominent member of the squad has missed time this season. But even with all those health woes, the Fish have shown promise down the stretch under the guidance of interim manager Dan Jennings, climbing into third place in the NL East.
The Offseason Outlook
For the Marlins, the central storyline of the offseason is figuring out how the team's leadership will look in 2016.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Jennings wants to remain as the team's skipper, but the brass is already interviewing managerial candidates. That could make for a strange situation if Jennings ends up returning to the front office and overseeing a manager he didn't select.
Milwaukee Brewers
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The Year in Review
A lot went wrong for a Milwaukee Brewers team that never had a chance in the loaded NL Central following a dismal 7-18 start to the campaign.
The fundamental issue for the underwhelming Brew Crew has been the inability of the team's starters to string together quality outings. This season the group ranks No. 27 in the majors in ERA (4.79).
The Offseason Outlook
For new GM David Stearns, priority No. 1 will be revamping that unimpressive rotation. Trading from an area of strength would be one way to go about accomplishing that goal. As Jon Heyman of CBS Sports noted, the presence of top prospect Orlando Arcia means the club has the option to make shortstop Jean Segura available on the trade block.
Minnesota Twins
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The Year in Review
Under the guidance of rookie skipper Paul Molitor—who has likely earned himself some AL Manager of the Year votes—the Minnesota Twins have been one of the biggest surprises of 2015. The Twins entered the season as non-factors in the postseason conversation, but the upstart club defied expectations in a big way.
"All the critics, all the analysts, all the sabermetrics, everything you can name said the Twins were going to be in last place," outfielder Torii Hunter told Brian Hall of the Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports). "You're wrong. We did a great job. I give it a B-plus."
The future looks awfully bright for the Twins, but it remains to be seen what it holds for the 40-year-old Hunter, who has yet to decide if he'll play in 2016.
The Offseason Outlook
From Miguel Sano to Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton, the Twins have an array of high-upside young position players to go along with established vets like Brian Dozier and Trevor Plouffe. Ideally, Minnesota's brain trust will add another established starter to the top of the rotation, as the club looks to make the jump from wild-card contender to actual postseason participant in 2016.
Oakland Athletics
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The Year in Review
The bright spots have been few and far between for the last-place Oakland Athletics.
Center fielder Billy Burns and catcher Stephen Vogt have been among the position players who have earned roles for 2016 based on their performance, but no one was a brighter star than Sonny Gray. The 25-year-old right-hander earned his first All-Star honor over the summer and is set to end the 2015 season with the third-best ERA in the AL.
The Offseason Outlook
Vice president and GM Billy Beane has plenty of tasks to accomplish this winter if the team hopes to have any chance of competing in 2016. The outfield could use reinforcements, and the bullpen, which ranks last in the AL in ERA, needs to be completely overhauled.
Then there's the Billy Butler conundrum. The veteran designated hitter owns a .716 OPS in his first year at the O.co Coliseum, and he's owed slightly more than $23 million over the next two seasons.
Philadelphia Phillies
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The Year in Review
As was expected entering the year, the Philadelphia Phillies have been the worst team in baseball. But even with the club sporting a 62-99 record, it hasn't been all bad at Citizens Bank Park, as the team has uncovered some keepers for the future.
Maikel Franco, who owns an .840 OPS and who has tallied 14 home runs, stands out among the team's crop of rising position players. As for the arms, 2014 first-round pick Aaron Nola is already holding his own (3.59 ERA in 13 starts) on the big league stage.
The Offseason Outlook
Incoming team president Andy MacPhail is going to be one busy executive as he embarks upon the task of rebuilding the Phillies.
Before that project can get fully underway, MacPhail needs to tab a new GM. According to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News, MacPhail's plan is to have his guy in place by the end of October. As Lawrence noted, the next GM is expected to have a "strong background in analytics."
San Francisco Giants
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The Year in Review
Injuries—especially to All-Star Joe Panik and team leader Hunter Pence—dented the San Francisco Giants' chances of defending the team's World Series title.
But it's not just health that was to blame for the NL West squad missing out on the postseason. Aside from staff ace Madison Bumgarner, the Giants didn't have a single starter the team could count on to deliver quality outings on a consistent basis.
The Offseason Outlook
Bolstering the rotation is at the top of the organization's offseason to-do list. Just ask manager Bruce Bochy.
"I think it"s fair to say we"ll be looking at starting pitching," Bochy explained, per Chris Haft of MLB.com.
With Mike Leake, Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong all set for free agency, Tim Hudson slated to retire and Matt Cain not looking 100 percent in his limited time on the mound, there's going to be a lot of turnover on the staff. One thing is for certain—the front office needs to find a true No. 2 starter to slot into the rotation behind Bumgarner.
San Diego Padres
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The Year in Review
After a whirlwind offseason, 2015 just didn't go to script for the fourth-place San Diego Padres.
No player better embodied the disappointment than Matt Kemp, who endured an ugly start to his tenure with the Pads and who ended his debut season with a .443 slugging percentage and a .755 OPS. One encouraging sign for San Diego is that Kemp was significantly more productive in the second half, posting an .868 OPS following the Midsummer Classic.
The Offseason Outlook
The struggles of 2015 mean interim skipper Pat Murphy is likely on the way out, according to Bleacher Report's Scott Miller. If the club does dismiss Murphy, GM A.J. Preller needs to get the hire right, as the next manager would be San Diego's third in less than a calendar year.
Seattle Mariners
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The Year in Review
Worse-than-expected pitching doomed the Seattle Mariners to a bummer of a season in 2015. The pen, which had been so good in 2014, has been particularly poor. As a group, the M's relievers rank No. 25 in the majors in ERA.
Without question, the two most productive Mariners in 2015 have been outfielder Franklin Gutierrez and masher Nelson Cruz. Gutierrez, who didn't even play in the majors in 2014, has logged a .988 OPS in 58 contests. Cruz has earned every penny of his $14.25 million salary, slugging a career-high 44 home runs.
The Offseason Outlook
One of the first tasks for new GM Jerry Dipoto will be to decide whether to keep Lloyd McClendon on board at Safeco Field. Right now, McClendon appears to be far from a lock to return to the dugout for a third season in Seattle. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, "rival executives are convinced" that Dipoto will bring in Tim Bogar to replace McClendon.
Tampa Bay Rays
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The Year in Review
Owners of an 79-82 mark, the Tampa Bay Rays are the best fourth-place team in baseball. With the Rays hanging out toward the bottom of the standings in the East, it's easy to miss the brilliant individual seasons guys such as Kevin Kiermaier and Chris Archer have posted.
While playing center field, Kiermaier has saved Tampa Bay 41 runs, which is 16 more than the next-closest player, according to the calculations of FanGraphs. Meanwhile, Archer has quietly ripped off one of the more impressive seasons in the AL, tallying a 3.26 ERA and piling up 249 punchouts.
The Offseason Outlook
As the Rays aim to improve upon a likely fourth-place finish, the biggest need will be to revamp the floundering offense. In manager Kevin Cash's first year at the helm, Tampa Ray ranks second-to-last in the AL in runs. The catching position has been particularly dicey, as Rays backstops are hitting .198.
Washington Nationals
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The Year in Review
There's no other way to put it—the season has been a total mess for the Washington Nationals.
No scene better illustrated the debacle in the nation's capital than when Jonathan Papelbon attempted to choke out Bryce Harper—the face of the franchise and the best player in the game—in the Nats' dugout.
Now is no time for excuses, but it's certainly worth noting that injuries to the likes of Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Denard Span all played a key role in the demise of the preseason World Series favorites.
The Offseason Outlook
GM Mike Rizzo has a lot of work to do this offseason.
The exec has to dump Papelbon, and he has to decide what to do with free-agents to-be such as Span, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Ian Desmond.
Plus, Rizzo will have to find a suitable replacement for much-maligned manager Matt Williams, who is on the verge of getting his "pink slip," per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com. All salary information courtesy of Cot's Baseball Contracts on BaseballProspectus.com.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.
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