New Stars Taking Control
The Yellow Springs Nine is generally a club that wins through exploiting the full reaches of their roster. Need an example: “The goal is to have 27 positions contributing positively,” said Bill Inkster this past spring training. And a scan down the rosters suggests that ought to be the case this year. The club is sitting at 63-34, and solidly in the catbird seat of the Heartland division as we sit in mid July. Mission accomplished, right?
Well, not so fast.
While the club is getting some help from several side-players (like rookie 2B Sergio Martinez, and second catcher Pablo Alaniz), the fact is that this team, perhaps more than most Nine squads, is being driving by the top of the charts. Guys like veterans Aaron Stone (whose 14 homers and 143 wRC+ put him in the All-Star game for the third time) and Lucas McNeill (who, at 33 looks to register another 5 WAR season on his way to an interesting Hall of Fame discussion). Rookie Juan Lopez is silencing critics at second base by dropping a solid .343 wOBA.
THUM, PENA TAKING OVER?
But to see the true nature of the team’s offense is to see transition. And while you could include the youthful Lopez in this discussion, to understand that transition is to understand shortstop Luis Pena and third baseman Dong-po Thum—both of whom have grabbed hold of the team in ways that make the future look like it’s going to be theirs.
"Dong-po is a guy who changes the game," said McNeill recently. "He does just about everything you could ask a guy to do, I mean he doesn't homer a tone, but he hit one to win the All-Star game, and he leads the league in doubles and triples. He steals bases, and makes plays out there at third that are just not human to make. It's a lot of fun to watch him."
Now that the native of China has grown more comfortable with the United States, he's grown into interacting with the fans, too--driving sales of his #5 Jersey sky high.
“We’ve seen the Nine work these transitions before,” said freelance analyst Gayle Combs. “From the De Castillo/Jackson/McQuade era, to the Padilla/Thomas timespan YS9 has been able to change parts out while keeping the wheels rolling, but this pair—along with what Juan Lopez is doing—may well be the best of all those sets.”
