What Happens In Vegas (WHIV) is running a series of One on One Interviews with members of the Hustlers this month. In this edition, we sit down with Hustlers manager and Brewster Hall of Fame catcher Riley Hinson.
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RH: It's my pleasure.
WHIV: Let's get down to it. You recently clinched a playoff berth. Would you say the season has been a success?
RH: Anytime you make the playoffs a season can be considered a success. Ultimately, it comes down to championships here in Vegas. Both Mr. Rectenwald and our fan base make that clear on a regular basis.
WHIV: That being said, you've had your share of disappointments, wouldn't you say?
RH: Absolutely. The last two seasons have been crushing, for sure. We can't dwell on the close calls though, we have to keep moving forward.
WHIV: Most teams would be happy with making two straight Landis Memorial Series. Are you saying you're not happy with that?
RH: Hell no. We play the game for one prevailing reason, and that's to win championships.
WHIV: You're certainly in position to be in play for one this season.
RH: This is one of my favorite teams in my managerial career. Every single piece of adversity has been met head on. This is a great group.
WHIV: You mentioned adversity, and I'm sure the injuries have been the biggest source of adversity, correct?
RH: Injuries are part of the game, but yes, it's been a challenge that we've met with flying colors.
WHIV: It started in Spring, when Roberto Martinez (3 - 2, 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 33 K) went down for what ultimately ended up being a bit more than half of the season. You and the staff were pretty excited about him going into camp, how did you end up compensating for his loss?
RH: Roberto was so good last season after we picked him up, we were confident that he'd be a big part of our success this year. In fact, if you can remember this far back, we had planned to move him into our rotation full time and move Jesus Ramos (15 - 4, 4.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 134 K) back to the bullpen. Jesus stepped up big time this year, even though he's struggled of late.
WHIV: Do you think the increased workload has been a factor in his September struggles (9.95 ERA in 3 starts)?
RH: Perhaps. It's not like he hasn't pitched innings before. He pitched 170+ innings in 2027, and 150+ in 2029. Sure, the last two years he was under 100 each year, but he pitched in a lot of games. We will, however, give him a breather down the stretch here as we begin our playoff prep.
WHIV: Left Field has been interesting this year. You had Daniel Labrie, Jr. out there most of last year, and he left in free agency, and that gave Captain Joyride (.275/.343/.393, 5 HR, 32 RBI) the opportunity to reclaim his spot. Then when Joyride missed time with injury, it gave Tom Mott (.333/.375/.600, 2 HR, 6 RBI) a chance to shine. Now, after Joyride missed time with injury, it looks like Mott is getting the lions share of playing time out there. How do you see this shaking out?
RH: Our depth is one of the biggest reasons we have been able to sustain success from year to year and overcome injuries and player losses. Left field is a perfect example. Captain has been outstanding this year. To his credit he didn't pout the last couple of seasons when he was primarily in the minors. We all love the way he plays, and what he brings to the team with his defense and speed. Tom is a different player, more of a run producer profile. Right now Tom is bringing a bit more to the table overall offensively, and we're going with the hot hand. That could change, it's nothing against Captain at all.
WHIV: Your bullpen has gone through quite a transformation throughout this season, with only three members of the current mix remaining from the Opening Day roster. With all the moving parts, it has to be a bit challenging for a manager. Could you talk a little about that?
RH: It hasn't been as hard as you might think. Our teams have always constantly evolved- that's a fact of life when you work for Rectenwald. (laughs) Seriously though, he never rests if there's an opportunity to improve part of the team, whether it was due to injury or performance. We've had issues with both, of course the biggest being Tony Henry (1 - 3, 2.12 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 32 K) going down and throwing a wrench into the pecking order. Christopher (Stoller, pitching coach) has done a great job with the youngsters like Mauro Valentin (1 - 2, 3.76 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 70 K) and Fernando Castillo (3 - 2, 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 19 K). We found some guys on the scrapheap in Skip Stewart (1 - 2, 4.20 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 18 K) and Juliano Fallardo (1 - 0, 4.50 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 11 K) who have pitched in. The trades have really bolstered the pen, there's not a manager in the league who wouldn't be thrilled about being handed Joey Budding (3 - 6, 3.67 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 65 K) and Hiroyuki Rin (5 - 7, 3.72 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 72 K) during the season. Through all of the chaos there's been Augusto Cruz (3 - 3, 2.68 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 45 K) who gets such little fanfare, but the guy has been the rock of our bullpen for years now. Now we're 2nd in the Johnson League in Bullpen ERA. That's not a small accomplishment given where we started.
WHIV: Along with Rin you picked up the winningest active pitcher in the Brewster in Mingo Boone (6 - 9, 4.90 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 94 K). How has he fit in so far?
RH: I know a lot of people were excited when we picked him up off his name alone. That's understandable. I know a lot of folks have been upset with how he's pitched for us so far (7 GS, 1-2, 6.45 ERA, 1.54 WHIP). Bear in mind Mingo is a 38 year old fella who is going to be a gamer even though he's not the pitcher he was even a year ago. That's ok. We're happy to have him.
WHIV: A lot of insiders were shocked that Rectenwald signed him to an extension recently. Were you?
RH: Not at all. I asked him to. He can still help us next season, and the 2033 year is a vesting option which I love; it means if he pitches well he earns another year.
WHIV: I've heard a lot of scouts say Boone is best suited for the bullpen now. Do you think there's any validity to that?
RH: They said the same thing about Ramos, didn't they? Don't be absurd. He's never pitched in relief in a 485 game career. He can still start and be successful doing it.
WHIV: It's interesting that you have not only the pitcher who is tops in career wins in Boone, you have the guy right behind him in Gary Estes (14 - 6, 4.15 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 131 K) . He's 36 years old and still battling. Can he keep it up?
RH: I don't put anything past Gary. For all we know he could pitch another five years and hit 300 wins. When we lost him after 2027 I was publicly angry about it. To Rectenwald's credit, he fixed his mistake a year later. It's no coincedence that we went to two straight Landis' with Gary back.
WHIV: Is Sam Romero (22 - 2, 3.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 205 K) the best pitcher in baseball right now?
RH: I'd like to see someone better. For my money, there's not another pitcher I'd want instead of Sam.
WHIV: We did a poll of readers last week and asked who is the face of the Hustlers. Estes got strong support as expected, but the runaway winner was Alfredo Martinez (.291/.416/.613, 42 HR, 104 RBI) . Martinez is one of the best players in the league, hands down, so that's understandable. Do you think that Martinez overshadows Gervasio Ridder (.356/.415/.624, 36 HR, 125 RBI) and Hank Brewer (.312/.395/.542, 24 HR, 104 RBI) in the public eye?
RH: That's a bit of an asinine question. Alfredo, Gervasio and Hank could care less about who's more popular or well known. I do get where you're coming from to an extent, though. Do I think Gervasio and Hank deserve more reknown? Of course I do. How many teams in the league would they be the best player on, hands down?
WHIV: It's a rhetorical question, I know, but I'd say more than half for sure. Then there are guys like Jack Gulliver (.316/.383/.521, 26 HR, 95 RBI) , Alex Ramirez (.285/.335/.396, 5 HR, 51 RBI) , Alfredo Bermudez (.303/.366/.495, 23 HR, 87 RBI) and Juan Sweetworld (.296/.349/.560, 25 HR, 74 RBI) who are all more than just good players. Do you consider yourself blessed?
RH: (Chuckles). Having all these guys has made me an amazing manager. What Bermudez is doing this year is incredible. Ramirez has been a sparkplug for us ever since we got him a few years back. I think the bounce back season that Juan is having out in center field has been more than a little under the radar.
WHIV: The trade of Ernesto Chavez was supposed to open up shortstop for Edgardo Pagan (.228/.290/.348, 4 HR, 21 RBI) . He hasn't hit, so instead it's created an opening for Barney Everhart (.309/.365/.494, 7 HR, 31 RBI) at third base, with Bermudez playing shortstop and Ramirez switching to second base. This guy was a college pitcher just a few years ago, and now he's starting for a Landis contending team. How did that happen?
RH: Barney is just a natural born hitter. He's had to work extremely hard to become a decent third baseman, and he's at the point now where I feel pretty good with him out there. I think Alex is actually better suited to second base anyhow, and though Bermudez isn't a natural shortstop, he's been solid there.
WHIV: What's the weakness on this team that you need to fix before the playoffs?
RH: It's just tinkering right now, particularly with our platoon options against lefties. Gabriel Flores (.202/.263/.240, 0 HR, 5 RBI) was supposed to be the solution there, he just hasn't been able to get going. Felipe Diaz (.204/.277/.331, 6 HR, 20 RBI) has struggled throughout the season. Because of that, we're taking a look at Vicente Marin (.149/.184/.234, 0 HR, 1 RBI) in September.
WHIV: Wasn't he released by Indy this year after batting something like .097? How does that help?
RH: One man's trash is another man's treasure. He's been here before (down the stretch in 2028). Once we picked him up he was man enough to report to the minors and he showed that he's not done yet (.387/.441/.919/1.361, 9 HR, 15 RBI in 20 G, 62 AB for AAA Milwaukee). I have to give a lot of credit to Rectenwald here again- like I said before, he's never satisfied. He spends a lot of time scouring far and wide for any player that might be able to contribute in any way at any level of the organization.
WHIV: You're 65 years old and wrapping up your eleventh year as the Hustlers manager, following thirteen years working your way up through the minors and as bench coach after a Hall of Fame career. Why keep doing it?
RH: I love the game, I love this organization. I've been part of this organization since 1984, when I was just 17 years old. This has been my home for almost fifty years (between the end of his playing career and the start of his coaching career Hinson was in the Hustlers front office). What else am I going to do, sit around and watch the clouds roll by? I've got some years left.
WHIV: I know there's a lot of your former teammates in the system coaching right now, and you're probably going to have a lot of say on who eventually succeeds you. Well...who's it going to be?
RH: Depends on how long I'm here, I suppose. If I retired tomorrow (bench coach) Donald Noboru would be a no-brainer. If I stick around for a while it'll be someone younger, and there's plenty of great options. Keep your eye on the two "rookies": Edward Allen and Melvin Sims . Both of them will be back in the big leagues as a manager someday.
WHIV: Thank you so much for your time today, Riley. Best of luck as you go to the playoffs!
RH: It's my pleasure. Go Hustlers!
