Vicente Lamb, Stars Reporter
October 22, 2056
VALENCIA – The Saturn Ringers are still bad, and have recently wrapped up their now eighth sub .400 season in a row, finishing 29-47 (.382), 24 games out of first place in the Mainland Division. Offensively, the team was out to lunch, scoring a paltry 291 runs, worst in Short Season League 2. Pitching was fairly average, though some rather poor fielding hampered run prevention.
Acquired: Trade with Jacksonville, 08/26/2054
Born: Gatineau, Quebec
.302/.420/.604, 1.025 OPS, 160 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
Signature Moment: Went 4 for 4, with one home run, two doubles, a walk, and four runs scored on July 4, against the Hermosillo Naranjeros.
Davidson has just finished his second season in the Stars' minor league system. He wrecked Short Season A pitching, and looks poised to move on up to Single A in 2057. He is an above-average fielder at first base, and has decent basic skills in the outfield that suggest he maybe should get some work out in left field to increase his versatility, particularly with the logjam at first his club is dealing with. Sloan is a switch-hitter who has thus far done damage from both sides of the plate with fairly level splits. Long-term, there is some concern about his hit tool, but thus far, he looks quite good. Speed is not a part of his game, and we can leave it at that. The BBA scouting service gives him a future value of 45 at first base.
Acquired: 2054 Draft, 27th Pick in Round 13 (417th overall)
Born: Sulphur, Louisiana
3.74 ERA, 74 K, 30 BB, 82 HA, 6 HRA, 77.0 IP, 95 FIP-, 0.9 WAR
Signature Moment: Allowed 1 earned run in a five-inning start, struck out 8, walked 2, and allowed 4 hits, earning a game score of 61, against the Hermosillo Naranjeros on August 24th.
In the land of pitching non-prospects, the fringe prospect is king. Espinoza turned 19 this season, his third as a professional. Last-year's Rookie level pitcher of the year, Héctor continued his steady performance in '57. His fastball still tops out at 95 mph, with a plus curveball and sinker. He saw his walk rate go up and strikeout rate decline at the higher level of play, but he managed to work through the lousy BABIP the defense gave him (.347) to put up a solid 125 ERA+. He started only five games for the Ringers, being used mostly as long relief out of the pen, which actually gave him a lot of innings. Scouts are warming to Espinoza, giving him a 40 future value.