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Ichiro is a one-year hole in production, assuming no bounceback (and no extension/re-signing). Then we'll have 18 million more dollars to pursue improvements with, assuming Catricala can't Ibanez his way to production in this lineup.
Ryan is a bit of a hole but with a good glove he still helps the team - and Franklin is on the way to add a plus bat (and hopefully-adequate glove) to fix the problem.
Jaso was already added under the assumption that he's more his 2010 season than his 2011 one (something I believe).
Which leaves 3B and CF as our only 2011 positions under 105 OPS+ by the end of the year (and that 105 was Smoak, who will almost assuredly improve that the coming season). If you think Seager can be a player who can hit like Izturis (that same 105 OPS+ from 2011 OR like his 90 OPS+ previously) then what are you worried about?
Guti either needs to become old Guti again or he needs to be replaced. Maybe Wells can do that, maybe not, but either way a solution to that problem needs to present itself. RIP Halman, we do miss you, on the field and off.
But if Smoak, Carp, and Ackley are who I think they are then we're not that far off with Fielder in the fold. Both the Angels and the Rangers have 2 sub-90ish OPS+ positions, with the Rangers also struggling with Moreland and needing an 85 OPS+ catcher to help out Napoli as well.
We're in the conversation still. And assuming our rotation by the end of 2012 is Felix/Pineda/Hultzen/Paxton, I would be afraid of the potential of that bunch of arms especially with some of the younger top-shelf arms climbing closer to the bigs.
We're not gonna be fielding a team that will dominate Texas and the Angels...but we can certainly field one to challenge for the playoffs every year. It may not feel like it since we've been pathetic for so long it feels natural...
But we really can. Jack just needs to DO it. Finish turning over the black holes to get decent production. 1B, 2B, DH and LF should be good, and catcher might be decently solved. 3B and SS should be shortly as well.
RF and CF are our problem children, as we have players there who either will be gone shortly or should be if they can't produce. But having problems or question marks doesn't eliminate you from contention.
No way am I folding my tent and going home at this point, and the Ms better not either.
~G