March 31, 2054
Yellow Springs, OH – The Yellow Springs Nine released their official 27 man roster for the start of the 2054 season. These are the pitchers going north.
STARTING ROTATION:
LHP Mathis Gerard. 2053's YSN Pitcher of the year, the 27 year old is poised to lead the rotation, despite his young age. He's into his fifth season as a starter for the team, with 113 starts under his belt. A career 4.07 ERA, 37 wins, and 492 strikeouts makes him a solid, consistent member of any rotation.
RHP Sergio Herrera. Originally a starter for the Nine in his rookie year of 2048, Herrera moved into the bullpen the following year, and only got the change to be a regular starter again under GM Rob McMonigal, where he began 29 games before bowing out to allow others to see if they were ready to play in September. While his 4.59 ERA as a starter was nothing flashy, he was 7-8 on a losing team with a 1.42 WHIP. Slotting into the second starting role due to McMonigal's strict rotation, he's going to have to prove he belongs there, with multiple young players knocking at the door.
RHP Takehide Gertrudes. At just 30, Gertrudes has a chance to be a long-standing star of the Nine rotation, after coming in on a 6 year, 58 million dollar deal after two successful years in Long Beach. Like the others so far, Gertrudes is more of a solid player than a superstar ace, giving his team 170 or more innings each year with an ERA around 4.00 and a WAR in the 2.5 to 3.5 range. In the offensive-minded BBA, those are figures that will always give the team a chance to win.
LHP David Lee. Now in his 12th year with the Nine, 2053 was a year Lee would prefer to forget from start to finish, with career lows in wins (8), ERA (5.12), walks (61), WHIP (1.44) and WAR (1.2) since he became a rotation regular in 2044. He did notch his 150th victory, but was removed from the rotation early and started only 26 games, also a non-rookie career low. Rumors abounded that he would be shipped out in the off-season, but his poor numbers and 15 million dollar contract drew little offers. Once a potential lock to end his career in Ohio, Lee may be moving elsewhere, either by trade or by not executing his option that expires after the season.
RHP Alejandro Morin. Morin pitched more innings in 2053 that he ever had in his professional career during his 9-11 rookie season, eventually moving into the bullpen to rest his arm, where he thrived, notching a save. His ERA was brutal at 5.54, due primarily to giving up 80 free paces and then 33 home runs. The Nine opted to leave him in the rotation, but he'll have to prove his worth to avoid moving back into the pen, or perhaps even back to Indianapolis.
BULLPEN:
LHP Slawomir Trzcinski. In his 6th season with the Nine, the southpaw has really come into his own, sporting an ERA of 1.94 and 2.87 the past two years, with 9 saves in 2053. His k/9 of 9.0 was his second best of his career, and he was rewarded with a 1.92 million dollar contract extension in the off-season. He's considered to be one of the rising stars of the pitching staff.
RHP Philippe Dumont. Dumont started last season in Indianapolis due to having options available, and struggled, but GM McMonigal brought him on mid-season to great success, as the 27 year old pitched to a 3.65 ERA in 26 games. He'll start the year helping to close out close games, with his 1.14 WHIP being a big part of why he's being trusted.
RHP Adamnan Maryadi. Like Dumont, Maryadi began at AAA so that others without options could be given a chance and quickly worked his way back to the main team, pitching 38.1 innings in 25 games with a 3.52 ERA and a k/9 of 8. He's now well established on the team.
RHP Gerald Rogers. Concentrating on his cut fastball and slider, plus adding some velocity put Rogers in place to close out big games, with former closer Chaney struggling all year and eventually traded. He had a 7-3 record with 8 saves, but his 4.16 ERA, 1.47 whip, and 35 walks pushed the 25 year back into middle relief as the season wore on. Still, his numbers were a significant improvement on 2052 and he looks to be locking down a spot in the pen.
RHP Gunawan Pakpahan. Players look up to this 29 year old, but his results will need to pick up to remain with the team long-term. A 3.96 ERA in 2053 masked a problem with walks, with a bb/9 rate of 4.3 after only 2.7 in 2052. A 1.42 WHIP puts him at replacement level, but the potentially improved defense should help him.
LHP Reece Newsome. This decision, moving the 26 year old former first round draft pick (in 2049) from the rotation, where he'd been for the entirety of 2053, into the bullpen as a middle reliever, won't be without controversy. But after going 9-14 with a 4.71 ERA and a league-leading 39 home runs, the team is trying a different tack with the player, known to be highly adaptable. He'll serve as good insurance if any of the existing starters struggle or get hurt, and the team's left handed options were limited for relief work. Time will tell if this is a temporary move or if they look to groom Newsome for late relief.
RHP David Petit. Which David Petit will show up in 2054? The 2052 version that looked poised to take over a middle relief role, with a 3.83 ERA and 1.32 WHIP or the 2053 disaster that led to the firing of the pitching coach, a season that saw him with a 6.85 ERA and 1.57 WHIP? Outstanding stuff got him through to the opening day roster, but continued failures in low-pressure situations likely would make him the first pitcher replaced in 2054.
RHP Chris Lacey. Lacey made the team as the long reliever, not so much off great spring stats as much as being out of options and an amazing 2053 season at Indianapolis, where he had 22 saves as the team's primary closer, with a 2.33 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He'll be given a chance to move into a larger role as the season goes on, depending on how those above him do.
