Yellow Springs Nine Announce 40 Man Roster Additions and Extensions
November 15, 2053
Yellow Springs, OH – The Yellow Springs Nine announced the following additions to their 40 man roster, effective immediately. They also included details on two contract extensions.
The additions were as follows:
SP Ken Plante. The 22 year old spent 2053 with the Class A Silver Springs Tarpons, where he refined the raw talent that scouts saw in him. While his wins and losses were not great (9-14) and his ERA looked pedestrian, the Tarpons themselves were only 50-90 as a team and Plante's BABIP was .337. His k/9 was 8.0, up from 7.1, and scouts noted his stuff and control improved under the watch of pitching coach Wilbert Lehman. He'll be moved to AA in 2054, with the potential for a September call up.
"We really like Ken," said GM McMonigal, and think he will be a solid pitcher for us. He's a little behind on the development curve in terms of his professional experience, but we have to remember he's just 22 and has time yet to full mature into the star pitcher our scouts – and I personally – think he can be."
SP Dave O'Reilly. At 25, O'Reilly is just about ready to be in the big leagues. In fact, for a brief moment in 2053, it looked like he would be. The former tenth round pick was grabbed by Boise in the Rule 5 draft, but returned during spring training. "I thought we'd lost a good player," said McMonigal. "I was really glad to get the call finding out he'd be returning to us." The right hander started the season in AA where he was 3-4 with a 3.20 ERA and a k/9 of 9.9 against a bb/9 of 2.2 A promotion to Indianapolis found his ERA jumping to 4.41, but his BABIP was .254 in AA vs .343 in AAA. And he kept his walk and strikeout numbers. With a bit of a logjam at starting pitching, but ample opportunity, O'Reilly might have to wait for his chance to shine, but the future looks good for him, either with the Nine or perhaps another team via trade.
SP Migel Dias. It's hard to believe that Dias, only 21, has been a professional for over five years, having started his career as second round draft pick in 2049. Due to his age, he was still in A ball at the start of 2053, but he overmatched his peers so strongly (3-1, 18 saves, .039 ERA) that McMonigal moved him up after 35 games. In AA, he continued to excel, sporting a 0-1 record with 5 saves in 12 games, with a 3.29 ERA. But what showed the most was his ability to keep players holding onto their bats – his k/9 in AA was an outstanding 19.1/9. That's unsustainable, but explains why McMonigal was keen on keeping him in the fold. He might stay in AA for now, but at this rate he'll be in the bigs before too long.
2B Arthur Cole. Another 22 year old, this one from the class of 2048, where he was also a second round pick. Cole plays all around the infield, but is primarily a second basemen. But it's not his glove that got him added to the 40-man. It's his prodigious bat, which slugged 26 home runs in Santa Cruz and 25 in 2052. His average increased from .233 to .272 as well, pulling the OPS into .825. The BBA is a defense-minded league, but sometimes the bat plays. And the Nine will need a successor to Dong-Po Thum when he finally retires after a Hall of Fame career. Could Cole be the one? He'd never match the glove, but perhaps its time for a change at the big league level.
Additionally, the Nine avoided arbitration, signing contracts with relief pitchers Byron Radcliffe and Tak-Keung Liao, continuing McMonigal's practice of not going to arbitration with his players.
Liao came over in the trade with Mexico City for longtime Nine closer Derrick Chaney, who sadly continued his struggles in a losing effort with his new team, the Aztecs, as they were mowed down by the Mad Popes. The 2045 second round pick is no prospect at age 28 and appeared in only 2 games for the Nine over September, giving up 2 runs in three and two-thirds innings. "You can never have too much pitching," said McMonigal, "and his increase was affordable. "We'd like to see what Tak-Keuing can do in 2054 for us. He's signed for another year at $760,000.
Radcliffe is a long-time Nine player, having started with the big league team in 2049, where he had a nice game total of 69. 2053 was rougher on him, with his ERA jumping from 2.88 to 4.00 this past season, but he kept his k/9 strong at 8.7 and reduced his walks to 2.7/9 from 4.0, his best year since 2049. His new salary is $1,880,000. "Finding a solid left handed reliever is never easy, and we were happy that Byron agreed to terms.
Next up for the Nine is the free agent market, where they have needs in the outfield, catcher, and potentially starting pitching, though as noted there are a lot of candidates there. But the biggest need is at shortstop, admitted a position of weakness in the organization.
"We have plans," said McMonigal. "You'll just have to see what they are!"
