2060.37 Busted? Nine Send Down Two #1s

[Trebro]

Busted? Nine Send Down Two #1s

by Valerie Davies, for the Yellow Springs World

In a disappointing but not unexpected move, the Yellow Springs Nine announced today that they had optioned two former number one draft picks back to Indianapolis. It has to be a crushingly embarrassing admission of failure for GM Rob McMonigal, who selected both players with high hopes for their futures.

The 2060 season already hasn't been good for the Nine or their general manager. With potential playoff expectations, albeit as a bit of a long shot, the team stumbled out of the gate with huge failures from DH Tom Rudge (now released), OF Arvin Duggan (now released), closer Micheal Dixon (as many blown saves as preserved leads), and key acquisition Majd bin Nawaf (on pace for less WAR than the other man in the trade, Cesar Aybar). And I haven't even started on the overall struggles of the pitching staff more broadly.

All of those problems would be hard to overcome, but effectively losing two more roster spots to poor performing young players who aren't measuring up to major league standards is just a killer.

It was probably expected that catcher Jim Kantor wouldn't be able to make things work. An up-down minor league history didn't instill anyone with confidence, but I think McMonigal had to see what he had in his first-ever pick. Turns out, it wasn't much. Kantor only played in 18 games, batting just .207 with an OPS of .751, thanks mostly to 7 of his 12 hits going for extra bases. When he connected, it was pretty good. But with negative framing and a 5.52 catcher ERA (though that stat is a bit misleading at times), he simply doesn't appear to be a regular in waiting, or even a backup. (Recall he hit .194 in 10 games last season.)

Felix Abernathy, an infielder, was a bit of a surprise to find on the transaction list. He had a potentially promising future, doing well in a September call up in 2057 (1 WAR in just 20 games!), but he scuffled a bit with the bat in 2058, batting just .238 (albeit with 13 home runs and good defense) before an injury basically ended his season. He hasn't been the same since, either with a bat or a glove. 2059 found him with 19 home runs but a .200 average since he only had 71 other hits, resulting in an OPS+ of 67. In 2060, he hasn't even been able to reach the so-called Mendoza line, named for a fictional baseball player in a 1970s show about the game. He's now a negative defender at third, barely average at second, and manager Bill Inkster hasn't even considered trying him at short.

These two players with formerly bright futures are being sent down and could end up released at the end of the season.

Along with GM McMonigal, if I'm being honest. While others have been saying McMonigal needs to go for a long time now, using ludicrous exaggerations, bad, cherry-picked facts, and inane mantras, even I am starting to question why owner Bo Jordan hasn't made a switch.

Perhaps this will be the moment. I don't know. Sometimes it seems like BBA GMs have lifetime contracts regardless of their success or failures.

Either way, it's a sad story for these young men, fans of the Nine, and for McMonigal himself. Perhaps all three need a fresh start.

[jiminyhopkins]

I understand a GM spot in Tokyo is available...

[Trebro]

I understand a GM spot in Tokyo is available...

I've said time and time again that I should be relegated like a failing football team!

[Dington]

Might wanna check the WAR comps on bin Nawaf and Aybar again.

[Trebro]

Might wanna check the WAR comps on bin Nawaf and Aybar again.

I'm running a little behind. This is circa the All-Star break.