UMEBA First Round Draft ReviewRamblings and Rumblings, Issue 2, 2042 Season
I was taken in by @aaronweiner’s impressive first round draft article for the BBA and I wanted to do something like that for the UMEBA draft. I’m certain of only a few things and one of those is that this piece will certainly not be as well written as Aaron’s, but I’ll give it my best shot. The UMEBA seems underserved for league features, partly for the fewer franchises in the league and partly because it is a lower league than the BBA, but I hope to fill in some blanks. I will focus on the first round here, and hopefully a later feature with other picks.
There were some standout players at the top of the UMEBA draft, so let us get on with the analysis.
1. 2B Bernie Young, Kuwait City - Young seems to be steady across the board and an everyday player is what the Kuwait City franchise needs. Young doesn’t look like he will be a standout in any one area, but projects to be a solid performer with no real weaknesses; something you can say about very few players at any level, but especially a young prospect. Young’s fielding prowess at such a young age has already gained admirers among UMEBA scouts and seems far ahead of most prospects.
2. RP Quon Chien, Athens - We could look back in ten years and realize that Chien was the class of the draft. Nearly everything about Chien screams success. From some UMEBA observers, it was not expected that a reliever would be drafted so high in the first round, but then again, looking at Chien’s fastball and slider and the command he has already at just 16 years of age, it looks just right. Combine that with the fact that Chien has shown to be a hard worker and the sky's the limit for this young reliever.
3. LF Zhong-yi Law, Baghdad - While this guy may have some character issues, his talent looks undeniable. He’s a corner outfielder, able to play either and has a first baseman’s glove in his equipment bag as well which adds to his versatility. Offensively, the guy doesn’t seem to have many weaknesses, feasting on the pitching at the Melbourne baseball academy. There are questions about his intelligence and work ethic, but whatever - he’s tearing the cover off the ball right now, hitting .355 at the baseball academy. In the field, he looks like he will be a reliable fielder as well. This guy seems destined to be a power hitter who won’t strike out a lot, and that sounds like a future UMEBA all-star one day.
4. SS Matthew Hewat, Mumbai - This guy looks like he could be a future all-star as well. Already, defensively, Hewat would fit into the big leagues. He’s skilled both in the infield and outfield and his versatility will be valuable. But I am ignoring Hewat’s hitting, and he looks like he is going to be a guy who puts the bat on the ball often, but rarely strikes out. I’m not sure how high of an average he’ll hit, and I’m unsure that he’ll be challenging for many batting titles in the UMEBA, but a .280 average sounds possible with a high on base percentage.
5. SP Joy-shan Weng, Cairo - This guy has refined his junk balls, as he already has a decent sinker and curve which has mystified teenagers. Scouts see him maturing and only getting better though they wonder about his control. He’s issued nine walks in 24 innings at the Oceania baseball academy in Melbourne, and that’s been concerning. But everything else, whether you’re looking at his advanced ground ball rate, his ability to hold runners and his already wicked movement on his pitchers, Weng could be a future ace.
6. LF Anthony Fuller, Manama - This young 6’5’’ power hitting corner outfielder fits the bill as a future cleanup hitter in a productive lineup. Ok, fine, he may strike out a bit and he won’t make contact always, but when he connects, he’s going to hit some bombs in the upper deck. His skills defensively are a bit unclear. While he may benefit from some time at designated hitter, he should be able to play the corner outfield spots suitably which will keep him in the lineup and thus make him quite valuable.
7. 1B Brody Bond, Beirut - The Cedars’s first pick in the draft was a very good one. Most league observers felt that Bond should have been selected a few spots higher. It is likely that general managers of other teams may have shied away from the talented hitter seeing as his future looks to be at first base or DH. The youngster has power to all fields and makes contact often. Currently at his Sydney, Australia high school, he’s got 37 hits and 10 of them are long balls. He should make quick work of single A ball and rise up the ranks in the Beirut organization as a professional hitter who should be a longtime fixture. A guy who will hit .300, or close to it, at midnight. You can’t have enough of those kinds of players.
8. SP Clancy Moles, Jerusalem - The second starting pitcher taken in the first round, and Moles seems like a good one, already. Scouts have already pointed out his wicked slider and cutter even at just 16 years old. They also like his heat which has already been seen topping out at 95 mph on the radar gun. But scouts also like his personality in that he’s not a greedy sumbitch. If he can keep improving and make the successful transition to the UMEBA minors, he could be an ace in short order.
9. RP Austin Albertson, Istanbul - Albertson, even as a young guy, has already perplexed hitters with his fastball-changeup combo. He doesn’t seem to have pinpoint control, but is slated to start off as a reliever right away in the minors. Could he be Istanbul’s closer of the future? There are a lot of steps are between the minors and the lukewarm bright lights and patchy grass of the UMEBA. Some might say it is a risk taking a reliever in the first round. But with this guy's tools and a faithful general manager overseeing his progress, Albertson could make the UMEBA big time and make a difference there sooner than most think.
10. SS Quintin Trewartha, Bucharest - Trewartha’s praises have been sung far and wide in the middle east with his slick glove and renowned work habits, taking grounders at all hours of the day. He could fill in as a utility infielder on any UMEBA roster tomorrow, that is how good of a glove he has on the left side of the infield at third and short. He’s been so loyal to his team in the past, he’s been more than willing to fill in at outfield and has worked hard to be decent there too. Quintin likely won’t ever win a batting title, but you can be sure he’ll spend extra time in the batting cage and help his team there too.
I will try to focus on some interesting players in the second round and beyond going further in a later edition of Ramblings and Rumblings.
