27 Jan 2048
Jerusalem, Israel
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(I actually wrote this and it got lost, so forgive me for the brief descriptions...)
Earlier, we posted a preview of the gang that will be competing for a starting pitcher role. That included, at least for those players outside the top 3:
32yo LHP Manuel Andres
31yo Pancho German
21yo P Jaypee Estancia
26yo P Wally Bowden
22yo P Ragnvard Lamm
33yo P Mateus Rabisca
21yo P Brett Vanderven
21yo P Mokichi Yamamoto
Recognizing that any or none of those outside the last 2 spots in the rotation and hone their craft in the 'pen, the bullpen is the focus here:
[ui]Closer[/u]
22yo LHP Jan Chmelyk
65 G 5-11 29 SV 4.68 ERA 1.47 WHIP +0.8
Management has gone back & forth over Jan's' role. He's a lefty that can clock 101 mph w/ a wicked curveball, but every time he's pressed into service as a setup man the team struggles in the late innings. It's almost voodoo. But, regardless, he will be in competition with the 2 pitchers below to put games in the books:
21yo LHP Adrian Kraft
55 G 4.3 6 SV 3.24 ERA 1.40 WHIP +1.2 WAR
Kraft hasn't proved himself as a closer right yet, so he's likely to begin 2048 as a setup man. He has pitched well enough to earn the shot.
21yo RHP Cyrille Santorio
(AAA) 50 G 2-5 35 SV 3.14 ERA 1.22 WHIP +0.6
Welcome to the bigs! Santorio has proved himself to be a candidate here. He definitely will occupy a setup man, we think, depending on how well he has worked in the offseason.
Midde/Long Relief will fall out of all those scrums above and we can't wait to see.
