Farm Report: A Look at the 2053 Alomogordo Road Runners
by Nes Lessman, Yellow Springs Journal
December 1, 2053
As all eyes start moving into 2054, my devoted gardeners look to me to comment on the 2053 minor league teams for the Yellow Springs Nine. Here's my notes for you on the only team to make the playoffs, the Road Runners.
The Road Runners finished 43-25, with much of the team being filled out by players drafted by new GM Rob McMonigal. They ran out of gas in the first round, getting bounced, but it was a positive step forward for a team whose minors are pretty bereft. They were top 5 in the league in all offensive categories except base running, including second in OPS, home runs, and Batter WAR. They were middle of the road in pitching but their defense had a zone rating of 14.9, good for 4th. It was a team with a lot of positives. Let's look into those positives, shall we?
Starting Pitching:
6 players took the majority of the starts, with only second year player Paul Duval struggling in the role. However, his FIP (4.38) to ERA (6.12) shows that the defensive issues plaguing many minor league teams (not just the ones in the 9 Organization) has a significant effect on some pitching stats. Still, he's likely to stay in rookie ball in 2054, and probably isn't on a major league track.
The best starters were Nobuhiko Kokura(a scouting discovery) and somewhat surprisingly, Marc Holtby (8th round pick in the 2053 draft). Neither has guaranteed future starter stamped on them (Holtby's reputation is that he has no stamina, and yet he was easily going into the 7th and 8th innings of games in 2053), but they both came in with ERAs of of 2.97 and 2.98. At 19, Kokura will likely stay in rookie ball another year to work on his control, as he walked 3.9 per nine on a K rate of only 5.1 per nine. Those are numbers that will potentially haunt him as the players he faces mature and improve. Holtby, at 21, is likely headed for short-A time in 54. He also has better overalls stats, with a walk ate of 1.1 and a strikeout set of 8.7 per nine. Holtby's 6 pitch arsenal serves him extremely well and his leadership skills will help the Short A team.
Erik Johnson is the other starter likely on the move. Like Holtby, he's 21, and while his ERA was just okay at 4.18, his FIP was 2,18! He also has monster strikeout potential, with a k/9 of 10.4, which was second on the team. Scouts think he's headed for a life in the bullpen, and if he's able to keep that changeup as nasty as it looks now, he could have a very solid career as a setup man or potentially even a closer, if starting doesn't work out.
At 17, Ryan Edwards and Bill Beals will return to the Road Runners in 2054. Both draft picks in 2053, their strong initial numbers mean the scouting team this year did some good work.
Bullpen:
Steve Frakes had a .31 ERA in 28 and 2/3 innings. The 10th round pick was the end of the story in almost every game he got involved in, with 9 saves, 2 holds, and 2 wins, blowing only 1 save all season. But the playoffs were different, with the pressure getting to Frakes and dropping his first chance badly (3 runs on 3 hits in 1/3 of an inning). However, that doesn't change the amazing stats he built up, which should get the 21 year old a promotion to Short A in 2054.
It's hard to believe Paul Hartman is just 18, as he's been in rookie ball for 3 years now. A second round pick in 2051, he hasn't seen a lot of use (99 innings in 35 games, 12 of them starts), though his stats 2.55 ERA, 101Ks, WHIP of 1.09 indicate he's not a bad player, just being overlooked. A promotion might be in order to see what the Nine have in him.
Starting Players:
C Jim Kantor was the Nine's first round pick for a reason. He had an amazing first year for the organization, batting .303 with an OPS of .977, including 15 HR to lead the team. He was third in hits (60), fourth in doubles (10), first in RBIs (52), third in runs (35), and even walks (28). The fifteen dingers was good for second in all of rookie ball, too, and RBIs was fourth, as was his OPS. The glove side is a bit more complicated. He threw out an eye-popping 50.7% of the runners trying to steal on him, and his catcher ERA was 3.80. But his framing rate was negative 1.8. Still, if he can keep the bat going, he's going to be the Nine's catcher of the future.
While Kantor was the big news, the biggest surprise was likely SS Jeremiah Rivers, a ninth round pick who's looking like a steal, which is appropriate because he swiped 20 bags in 2053, Rivers' WAR was 3.4, leading the team (ahead of Kantor's 3.2). His nice hits total of 69 had a lot to do with it, as did a .289 batting average and being one of the few top defenders on a team that finished 12th in defensive efficiency. His range was set at 5.58, his rating at 7.3 and efficiency of 1.073. Will he be a one-year wonder or a hidden draft gem? 2054 and a promotion to Short A should tell the tale.
None of the other starters look like mandatory move ups to my eye, though that may change depending on need and what the team drafts in 2054. Alfonso Pineda was a good pickup off the indie league circuit after he went undrafted, hitting .319 but with no power at the first base position. IF/OF Sergio Torres had a solid year overall, batting .283, but 4th round pick didn't stand out enough in my opinion. 2B Richard Grant is a player to watch. Released by Vancouver mid-year, the Nine picked him up to improve team defense and he hit .289 while providing a 5.81 range on the other side of Rivers. That helped the team nail down first place, keep the pitchers from having so many baserunners, and could give him a chance to show what he can do in a full year.
Overall, this rookie team was solid, if not spectacular, took the "win all across the board" mantra to heart and has a few players like Kantor and maybe Rivers who can actually get up to the majors and play a key role. But it's early yet, so hopes shouldn't be too high. Still, in a down year for the main team, seeing the youngsters do well had to be a highlight for a fanbase no longer used to losing.
