The rotation might actually be improved
The Red Crescents are well versed about going into spring thinking that the pitching staff may be better but this year they could be right. Hopefully Jose Lima and Ricardo Quadrado will once more turn out reasonable performances while new addition Romeu Tameiro looks to be at least their equal, giving Riyadh three starters capable of filling the middle of the rotation. The most exciting pitcher in camp is 2048 #1 overall draft pick Umar Doger, in 19 pro starts at Double-A & Triple-A he has yet to be tagged with a loss. He really has the chance of making history by becoming the first ever Red Crescent drafted player to make the UMEBA roster, it is all his to lose. If he performs as it is believed he can then the rest are competing for just the last slot. The most interesting could be another Rule 5 pick Angel Romero, he’s got a lot of BBA experience and last year posted 3.0 WAR in the ABA playing for appointed champions Brazzaville. 145 strikeouts in 123 IP plus an ERA of just 2.40 certainly catches the eye.
The backend of the bullpen looks certain to be remodelled, Riyadh has so far favoured a stopper as the last man but new signing Constantino Teixeira may well end up being used as a straight closer with Fernando Guerrero and popular Rule 5’er Fernando Rivera slotting in as Set-up men and doubling up as stoppers. Five others, a mixture of old & new candidates compete to fill out the bulk of the bullpen and these could be perhaps joined by others that don’t make the grade for the rotation. The Red Crescents, of course, will continue to work the markets while spring training goes on in an attempt to find that final piece, hidden in a dark corner, missed or unloved by everyone else