The Hawaii Tropics 2062 BBA Season was an unexpected success with the team in contention for the Pacific Division Crown until Game 163 against the Sacramento Mad Popes. The Trops lost that game and finished the season at 94-69 with a spot in the Geohegan Round against the Des Moines Kernels. Hawaii dispatched the Kernels 3 game to 1 but then had to face the juggernaut Nashville Bluebirds in the Doubleday Series. The Tropics played the Bluebirds well dragging the series to six games before falling to Nashville 4-2.
Starting Pitching-
The Tropics kicked off the season with Kinzo Iwamoto, Niegloslaw Woywitka, Jose Ordonez, Gerardo Rea and Semih Gurani. This lasted until May 17th when Ordonez went down with a partially torn UCL that will sideline him for 11 months after just 9 starts. Hawaii Manager Rich Kerr and GM Jim Walker came to the decision to move Martin ‘Lumps’ Garcia to the rotation. The move paid off as the Garcia responded by making 24 starts and throwing 122 innings while going 9-7 as a starter. The next rough patch was the fall off by veteran starter Gerardo Rea. Rea was given a long leash by team management but couldn’t get on track and was moved to the bullpen after another abysmal start on July 30th. He would make just two more starts the rest of the season. Rule 5 pick Reynaldo Trinidad was tasked with picking up the slack. He made 8 starts but struggled in that role with an ERA north of 7.00 in those starts. Trops Manager Rich Kerr tried a one-off experiment with Gheorghe Sollomovici making a start. That worked but didn’t as he just made it through 3 innings before needing relief and Kerr moved him back to the ‘pen where he was comfortable.
The Trops depended on Kinzo Iwamoto, Niegloslaw Woywitka and Semih Gurani heavily. They combined to go 42-25 with 97 starts and pitched 527+ innings.
The Bullpen-
The Trops used a two-headed stopper role with Gheorghe Sollomovici and Utkan Gocek. Sollomovici made 77 appearances out of the ‘pen throwinh 100+ innings and saving 13 games in 17 opportunities. Gocek made 62 appearances and threw 73.1 innings with 20 saves in 22 opportunities.
Bob Westbrooks was the setup man making 53 appearances and pitched 44.1 innings making 6 saves in 8 opportunities. Westbrooks will probably be used next season as a 3rd stopper.
Jesus Rios made 50 appearances in his final season. He pitched 76 innings and posted a 3.20 ERA. Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta has settled into his relief role making 43 appearances and throwing 63 innings. He posted a career low 3.14 ERA but did struggle with the long ball at times.
The rest of the bullpen was hit or miss as Marty Pearce and Cale Cote struggled in their 1st season.
Position Players-
Jeff Appleton and Enrique Mendoza shared catching duties with Mendoza getting the bulk of the starts. Mendoza started 116 games slashing .242/.329/.360 with 8 homers and 52 RBI while scoring 50 runs. He posted a 2.5 WAR and a 2.5 ZR behind the plate. Appleton made 58 startrs with 4 homers 21 RBI, scored 20 runs with a 0.3 WAR and a 0.7 ZR.
John Harris has been called an all glove first baseman but he produced enough offense to stay on the field. He made 130 starts hitting 18 homers and drove in 81 runs while scoring 73. He put up just 0.7 WAR and a -0.6 ZR at first. Should’ve been better there.
Carlos Shumann began the season at second base making 59 starts there before SS Julian Rivera went down with a season ending injury. Schumann moved to short where he excelled. At second, he posted a 3.1 ZR while turning 38 double plays while making five errors. Mitch Wareham shifted from third to second and made 74 starts there. He posted a 2.4 ZR and turned 37 double plays and seven errors.
The Trops called up third baseman Jorge Dodd to play third and Carlos Antunez backed him up at third and Harris at first. Dodd began the season strong but faded by September. He finished the season slashing .240/.290/.405 with 12 homers and 35 RBI.
Mitch Wareham slashed .265/.325/.392 with 14 homers, 59 RBI and scored 90 runs. He posted a 2.78 WAR with a below average 96 wRC+. Schumann took some time to settle into short but took to it and thrived. He slashed .284/.296/.431 with 9 homers, 68 RBI and scored 81 runs while posting a 3.07 WAR with a 93 wRC+.
The outfield was patrolled by LF Eric Owens, CF Carlos Sanchez and RF Vincente Mendez. Owens led this group in his 1st full BBA season. He slashed .279/.340/.566 with 39 homers and 133 RBI while scoring 103 runs. He put up a 5.05 WAR and a 140 wRC+.
Carlos Sanchez had an up season with a 3.62 WAR and incredible defense in center. He made everyone forget about long time Trops CF Angelo Lucchesi. Sanchez hit 16 homers with 80 RBI and scored 81 runs while slashing .272/.331/.749.
Vincente Mendez put up 2.93 WAR in right for Hawaii with 14 homers and 76 RBI. He scored 81 runs and stole 40 bases while slashing .274/.315/.421 while posting a 97 wRC+.
The Trops have some work to do in the off season with Woywitka possibly opting out, Iwamoto leaving in free agency and the retirement of Jesus Rios. Hawaii will be in the market for SP and 2B in the winter with 31 million in cap space to spend.
