SPECULATOR: Spring Training "What if"s — NL Edition

Extending last week's theme, let's run down eight pressing questions from National League camps:

What if James Loney's (1B, LA) second-half surge is sustainable?

The 2012 Baseball Forecaster dismisses the possibility: "A stepping stone? Nah, he's teased us before." To be fair, there is good reason for that point of view: Loney had a well-established track record over more than 2000 career AB; our fanalytic principles tell us not to get sucked in by a 170-AB stretch where a few errant gusts of wind were at his back. But...

  • Even though elevated h% and LD% drove the surge, it was GBs he was turning into LDs, not FBs. More balls in the air may indicate he can hold some power gains.
  • One Dodger observer points out that Loney's...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From Speculator

How much can we trust certain pitchers entering uncharted workload territory in the second half?
Jul 15 2026 3:07am
Aroldis Chapman is likely on the move, but instead of speculating on where he might go, we'll dive into potential fill-ins.
Jul 8 2026 3:07am
A retrospective look at first-half all-stars taken late in drafts, including CHW duo Miguel Vargas and Sam Antonacci.
Jul 1 2026 3:06am
They didn't do much for us in the first half, but we're speculating on some big things the rest of the way.
Jun 24 2026 3:07am
The world-renowned (kind of) #BloomBoards make their way to the Speculator. Three of them to sift through!
Jun 17 2026 3:07am

Tools