2056.01 The Purge Begins: Nine Release 7 Players

[Trebro]

2056.01 The Purge Begins: Nine Release 7 Players

by Valerie Davies, for the Yellow Springs World
November 5, 2055

Yellow Springs, OH – While the 101 loss season in 2055 was a technical improvement from 2056's 102 loss season, it was still one of the worst examples of baseball local fans have had to witness at home 81 times. Therefore it is no surprise that GM Rob McMonigal announced today that they had cut ties with 7 players on the 40 man roster. Many of them had been players McMonigal tried to make work over the course of three losing seasons and just did not fit. Others were one-year not-so-wonders. While none of their salaries are significant, they take up roster space that can be used to protect players in the Rule 5 Draft or give opportunities to players at Indianapolis to see if they can perform better. It even means potentially bringing in veterans in late March or early April to fill key positions in ways that don't end up with negative WAR.

If nothing else, it signifies a change in the strategy of the front office, which is likely the most welcome news of all for Yellow Sprigs Nine fans.

Here are the players who were released:

OF Carl Maitland. International Free Agent from 2047. Maitland could not hit BBA pitching, batting .190 in 35 games, including an extended look this past September. His fielding was also negative, with career negative zone ratings in left, center, and right, totaling almost negative 24 across his baseball career. With no bat and no glove, McMonigal didn't have to think hard about this change.

OF Sean Krajancic. A 6th round pick from 2047. Krajancic had a decent 2054 at the plate (.260 average in 54 games, though with a -.4 WAR) but cratered in 2055 (.172 average, -.5 WAR in 35 games) and was negative in the field as well, with a career negative zone raging in left, center, and right. His total was negative 12.7. As with Maitland, there was no compelling reason to keep him on the roster.

OF Will Graham. A minor league free agent signing from November 2053, Graham was given the chance to start full-time in AA and lost 2 WAR, going from 1.9 to -.1. A move to protect a player from the Rule 5 draft by GM Rob McMonigal in the 2054 off-season is now a roster casualty. If Graham is willing, he may end up returning to the team.

SP/RP Benjamin Broadbent. A Round 18 selection in 2048. Broadbent killed minor league pitching but struggled at the BBA level, with a career ERA of 6.59, which would be even worse it wasn't for his few relief appearances, where the hurler fared better than his starts. It's a success story that he made it this far given his draft positions, but the end results just aren't there. This one surprised me, as I thought McMonigal might try to make him a middle reliever, as he did with fellow 2053 failed starter Reece Newsome. But I was told by many sources within the club, including a few players off the record, that Broadbent's poor attitude sealed his fate with the Nine.

IF Terry Bowlby. Brought up to Yellow Springs to back up the infield after joining the team as a minor league free agent in 2054, his only strength was at second, where the 2055 team was already deep. A 13.4 career zone rating at second, but only -15.6 at short and -1.1 at third made him a puzzling choice to serve as the team's backup, but far from the worst decision McMonigal made in crafting a rather poor team. Bowlby's BBA batting average was .196 in 60 games. Like Broadbent, his clubhouse reputation was not strong, either. More than a few players told me privately that they felt he was a locker room cancer. It should be easy to replace him, either internally or externally.

SP Bill Keefe. Signed as a minor league free agent in 2055, Keefe was brought to the main team mostly to eat innings, and he did, pitching 39 innings in 16 games, only one of which was a (bad) start. He kept the load off the back end relievers, who definitely improved as a result. But he's easily replaced for league minimum, and potentially with someone who can do better than a 1.64 WHIP and -.8 WAR. Keefe's working-class mindset made him popular with a subsection of the Nine faithful, with many inexplicably taking to social media to complain about his release and vowing to boycott the team in 2056 as a result.

OF Ismael Zumaya. Signed as a minor league free agent in 2054, Zumaya batted a tolerable-for-a-5th-outfielder .235, with a WAR of .6. But he couldn't crack .200 in 2055 in 107 games, falling to a WAR of -.6 and his fielding zone rating of -1.8 (with only right field as a positive position). His crash once BBA pitchers got his number and an $800,000 salary hit made him expendable.

"We wish all of these players well," said McMonigal in a brief statement, "but they just didn't fit what we need to do to avoid a third straight year of 100 losses. They will always be a part of the Nine family in some way, however."

More players are expected to leave via declining arbitration and when free agency opens.

[jleddy]

Keefe will be asked to mentor the young rotation in Salt Lake City this season.

We'll make sure he makes a start on the first road trip to Indianapolis next season!

[ae37jr]

I did the same thing when I took over Twin Cities. Get rid of all the dead weight, build a positive club house with a lot of fan favorite/popular players to keep the fans coming during lean years and then look for a small improvement any chance you get. Rule 5 draft is always a great resource. Draft as many Nashville players as you can.

[Trebro]

Keefe will be asked to mentor the young rotation in Salt Lake City this season.

We'll make sure he makes a start on the first road trip to Indianapolis next season!

I would have kept him if I could have stashed him in AAA. He's useful but not someone I want to start the year with.

[trmmilwwi]

Cut the dead weight for sure. Less drag.