One Reason to Watch the Bottom Teams, On and Off the Field

Unlike what baseball has done to promote its own draft, the NFL had its 3-day ratings extravaganza of the NFL Draft in which the league was fed months of content merely on where someone will or won’t be playing next year.

What that league has done better than anyone else has been taking control of everyone’s eyes and event-izing absolutely everything, even things that could have been an email. During the draft, we had an announcement for an announcement of when and where the teams will be playing one another!

To further event-ize the night, there’s a plethora of broadcasts to frame each narrative- one being centered around how a player will fit on a team from an X’s and O’s standpoint (the ball-knower’s guide broadcast) and the personal, sentimental broadcast in which we learn the backstory of the individual (“has this person been motivated by a death in the family?” takes center stage).

It’s also a night where fans of teams that are likely in need of some hope have a beacon they can latch themselves onto with players that are blank slates and full of such promise and no ceilings.

Since baseball itself won’t highlight these stories at the draft, let’s take a look at the teams with the lowest current World Series odds, and like the NFL draft, we’ll have one reason to follow the team that is on-the-field and off-the-field related from an entertainment standpoint; we may be only a month into the 162-game season, but we might already be reaching for things to talk about with these teams.

Colorado Rockies

On Field: Chase Dollander

The Rockies may already be fighting off the 2024 Chicago White Sox “worst team ever” moniker the way it’s looking- they’re the worst pitching team in the league from playing at Coors, but they’re the worst HITTING team in the league and reap none of the benefits with a lineup this poor.

PHOTO: Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images

They swung for the fences in 2023 when they took Chase Dollander out of Tennessee 9th overall with the expectation that there could actually be an ace that pitches in Coors. It’s been a baptism by fire for him in his campaign thus far, with an ERA just under 8 in his several starts.

That being said, he’s 23 and a top-25 prospect that looked phenomenal in the minors in parks that, you know, weren’t played in a sandbox that elevates your ERA like a hot air balloon. His breaking balls and pitch mixes are still filthy, so at least in the Rockies’ losing ways, they’ll have a developing pitcher to watch for once.

Off the Field: “Colorado sunsets, you’ve done it again!”

A large reason why the Rockies don’t feel the need to invest in their roster and coaching staffs is because they will make billions of dollars merely by the atmosphere- it’s one of the best walking environments in picturesque Rocky Mountain Colorado with gorgeous purple uniforms and an amazing ballpark that everyone will continue to come and buy beverages at.

There are constant losing ways, and then there is the inevitable post of maybe the most beautiful skyline sunset panorama of Coors you’ve ever seen, as if to say, “We may lose every single year, but man, have you seen this view? Come to Denver!”

Chicago White Sox

On Field: The Kyle Teel countdown

There’s not much to talk yourselves into the current Chicago White Sox going forward after the worst regular season in modern history. However, as they’ve continued to tear down the talent in exchange for prospects, look out for the 2029 Southsiders! 

They did continue the teardown when they sent last year’s ace, Garrett Crochet, to Boston, where he’s been shoving, but the big chip of that deal was 23-year-old top catching prospect Kyle Teel. He’s been a man amongst boys in the minor leagues thus far, hitting for power with multiple homers in Triple-A and even had a 6-RBI game where only a triple towards the cycle was missing, so in the midst of all of the losing ways and awaiting the inevitable Luis Robert Jr. trade for more prospects, White Sox fans are on Kyle Teel countdown watch. 

Off the Field: The concession stand posts

Similarly to the Rockies, the White Sox do the exact same thing on social media posts with their outrageous campfire shake and other ridiculous concessions like the birthday cake shake this year, where they were very reluctant to post losing box scores or promoting players going back to last year but market their food at Rate Field like no other.

Losing? Not sweet. But you know what is sweet? A field-size helmet full of ice cream! (whispers please don’t look at the AL Central standings…).

Miami Marlins

On Field: Agustin Ramirez

PHOTO: Sam Navarro/Imagn Images

Despite their relative losing ways and going back and forth between making the postseason and tanking, the Miami Marlins have been a pitching development factory for seemingly the last decade, but aside from that one year Giancarlo Stanton went nuclear and won an MVP (then getting traded alongside names like Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, and others), it’s been rare to see a Marlins team with explosive hitting talent.

In has stepped slugging catcher Agustin Ramirez! He got the call-up this year after being the big trade chip in the Jazz Chisholm deal, and the Fightin Fish’s #4 overall catching prospect has done nothing but spray the ball. The Dominican power-hitting catcher had multiple extra base hits in 3 out of his first 5 games and a multi-homer game against the Mariners, and is just 23; these are MOONSHOTS, too.

Max Meyer may be the “top prospect” on-field talent the Marlins will ride for as the future. Still, with how few hitting prospects they’ve produced and held onto, Agustin could end up being the cornerstone of the offense going forward and needs to be an X-factor as they’re in another rebuild.

Off the Field: The “Can we get some life in Miami?” Paradox

We saw how baseball-crazed the crowd at the World Baseball Classic was in Miami; this part of Florida should be full of culture, flair, and lively crowds with the instruments that are allowed in the stands and people that genuinely live and breathe baseball as one of the most diverse clienteles in the majors.

From the vibrant colors and Miami nightlife, it feels like we’re constantly asking for “loanDepot Park” actually to care and have some energy and life; it’s a newer stadium and may be challenging to get to, and it certainly doesn’t help when the roster investment is short-changed, but it’s just a real shame that we’ve never seen it as a raucous environment. Maybe that will change with this young core they’re trying to build.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On Field: Oneil Cruz (third time’s the charm)

We’re taking Paul Skenes off the table here as he’s already the Cy Young favorite, Rookie of the Year, and the starter of the All-Star game last year; it’s too easy. The question about the Pirates has started and ended with whether or not they wish to invest in hitting and surround him with any sort of offensive talent that could allow them to contend.

We’ve been burned two years in a row in waiting for Oneil Cruz to arrive as an offensive cornerstone; it doesn’t help that there’s another infielding Cruz in the NL Central that has been lightyears better as a speedy freakazoid 5-tool infielder that’s also built like an NBA player in Elly De La Cruz, but Oneil has been criticized in not making adjustments thus far within his struggles.

HOWEVER, it feels as if this finally could be the year where he’s on the upward trajectory, and he’s still merely 26. He’s currently on pace for a 40-40 season, hitting for power with 4 leadoff home runs, and is the leader in stolen bases! With a unicorn build like Cruz at such a young age, you still have to talk yourself into what he could fully become at the plate if you’re a Pirates fan.

Off the Field: When Paul Skenes says ANYTHING of note

Paul Skenes, the face of the franchise, is about as mild-mannered, “I just play baseball and go home to my lovely celebrity girlfriend,” as it is in interviews. He’s also ready to win now and playing for an organization that has never spent money, and he’s aware of that. He made comments essentially alluding to the awareness that he’s in a situation comparable to an NFL QB rookie contract, where they should be spending money and contending, yet the Nutting family has cheaped out.

Skenes publicly says that the fans do care and deserve a winning team, which is earned, and it goes a long way with the fans that he’s acknowledging that they’re irate. Still, any time he says things like this, we might unfortunately be firing up the trade machine to teams that will pay him the big pay day contract he’s going to get eventually.

Washington Nationals

On Field: James Wood

Welcome to the league, emerging superstar James Wood. We talked about how, following the teardown of the 2019 roster, the Nationals did nothing but accumulate top prospects and draft picks.

With this young core all getting the call-up simultaneously and them having the #1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, the bright future Nationals are going full steam ahead, and it starts with Wood.

The 6’7 moose of a young man has hit opposite field tanks with his raw power with 9 home runs, but has also gradually gotten smarter at the plate, leading the team in on-base, and the 22-year-old left fielder hit a walkoff single and steals bases too despite his frame. It’s safe to say the outfielder hasn’t been a bad consolation prize if you’re going to lose Juan Soto.

Off the Field: Could they bring in another veteran?

Because of the young core that’s shown life and gotten reps early, the question around the Nationals this free agency was if they could be the surprise team that buys on a free agent big-name veteran to mix in on the roster and try to contend now. They stayed away from the Alonsos and Bregmans, but brought in 29-year-old Nate Lowe as a half measure, a talented veteran who was praised for his presence in Texas.

The Nationals have shown that although they’re not nearly on the same level as other teams in the division just yet, they can still throw punches. It would be truly fascinating if they decided to add in another name and buy rather than sell, despite being at the bottom of the league either before this summer deadline or this offseason, with a core of Wood, Crews, and Gore.

PHOTO: Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images