Boardwalk Empire - 2035.16 - Protection List Announced

[Joshua Biddle]

Atlantic City Gamblers Announce Protection List

On the eve of the BBA Expansion Draft that will finally populate the expansion Wichita Aviators and Boise Spuds rosters with players, the Atlantic City Gamblers formally announced their protection list of nineteen players via press release. As a refresher to fans regarding the rules of the expansion draft, players with less than three years of service time are auto-protected and each BBA team can potentially lose a maximum of three players.

Protection List

Left-handed starting pitcher Dan Cannon (10/6/8 Ratings, 12 - 12, 4.76 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 215 K)
Right-handed starting pitcher / relief pitcher Jarod Wilson (7/5/9 Ratings, 4 - 8, 5.47 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 97 K)
Right-handed starting pitcher Javier Venegas (9/5/8 Ratings, 10 - 7, 4.74 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 138 K)
Left-handed starting pitcher George Isaza (7/6/5 Ratings, 7 - 13, 4.79 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 109 K)
Left-handed starting pitcher Francisco Barrera (7/6/7 Ratings, 6 - 3, 3.91 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 47 K [AAA])
Right-handed relief pitcher Afalawas Erevu (10/6/5 Ratings, 4 - 5, 4.87 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 71 K)
Right-handed relief pitcher Tomokazu Harada (8/6/7 Ratings, 5 - 6, 4.29 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 71 K [AAA])
Right-handed relief pitcher Ignacio Martinez (10/5/5 Ratings, 4 - 2, 13 Saves, 6.94 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 36 K)
Catcher Honorio Queixada (5/5/8/6/4 Ratings, .221/.280/.393, 5 HR, 15 RBI)
Catcher Joaquin Camacho (8/7/4/4/9 Ratings, .298/.332/.443, 11 HR, 57 RBI)
First baseman / designated hitter Adrian Salazar (8/7/8/6/7 Ratings, .248/.305/.432, 20 HR, 70 RBI)
First baseman / designated hitter Gustavo Aguilera (8/8/8/5/7 Ratings, .223/.276/.439, 23 HR, 62 RBI)
First baseman / designated hitter Enrique Gómez (7/8/7/6/6 Ratings, .315/.392/.603, 11 HR, 30 RBI)
Second baseman Derrek Kennedy (7/7/7/4/7 Ratings, .275/.305/.449, 22 HR, 72 RBI)
Third baseman Bucky Dornster (7/6/6/8/7 Ratings, .275/.370/.454, 23 HR, 78 RBI)
Shortstop Jose Vela (6/7/4/3/8 Ratings, .237/.268/.310, 5 HR, 40 RBI)
Outfielder Stanley R. Perimutter (7/6/8/6/7 Ratings, .257/.339/.474, 30 HR, 108 RBI)
Outfielder Ricardo Hernández (5/6/8/8/6 Ratings, .261/.382/.474, 32 HR, 83 RBI)
Designated hitter Glenn Gorman (6/7/9/8/4 Ratings, .238/.339/.527, 36 HR, 90 RBI)

There weren’t too many surprises on the Gamblers’ protection list. Core players left-handed starting pitcher Dan Cannon, third baseman Bucky Dornster, outfielder Ricardo Hernández, and designated hitter Glenn Gorman, along with strong supporting players in catcher Joaquin Camacho, outfielder Stanley R. Perimutter, and 2B Derrek Kennedy were absolutely expected to be protected. There were rumblings in Atlantic City as to whether Camacho would be protected after receiving a $6.5 million salary figure via arbitration, but if he is to be moved as some rumors suggest, it will clearly be for compensation based on the decision to protect him. First baseman Adrian Salazar and 1B Enrique Gómez both were protected - Salazar disappointed during the 2034 season, but scouts believe he figured things out following his demotion to Class-AAA late last season, and his subsequent improved performance upon his return to the majors. Gomez’s production certainly forced the team’s hand into protecting him, and he is in decent position to make the Gamblers’ roster again entering the 2035 season. Despite a negative WAR for 2034, his second consecutive season of declining WAR, shortstop Jose Vela was protected and it appears he will be given every chance to keep the starting shortstop gig for 2035. Despite their struggles in 2034, Javier Venegas and Jarod Wilson were protected and look to be a part of the team’s future. Wilson may return to the bullpen full-time in 2035 after a poor season working primarily in the starting rotation. Venegas has amazing stuff, but has been prone to giving up the long ball. Catcher Honorio Queixada looks poised to maintain the backup role for now and could have an expanded role in the future, providing a bat with power and a strong arm behind the plate.

It is alleged that there was internal strife regarding which starting pitcher to protect between southpaws George Isaza and Kazumori Sato. Isaza finished the 2034 season 7-13 with a 4.79 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, a 3.92 FIP, a .269 OAVG, a .317 BABIP, a .348 QS%, 109 strikeouts, and a 2.5 WAR in 141 innings pitched (23 starts). Sato finished the 2034 season 9-8 with a 5.39 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP, a 5.22 FIP, a .294 OAVG, a .308 BABIP, a .385 QS%, a .000 IRS% (6 IR), 1 hold, 117 strikeouts, and a -1.3 WAR in 168 2/3 innings pitched (34 appearances, 26 starts). The Gamblers’ front office ultimately opted to protect Isaza over Sato, who will be one of the more attractive unprotected players in the Gamblers organization.

The remainder of the protected players are young players - left-handed starting pitcher Francisco Barrera, right-handed relief pitcher Afalawas Erevu, right-handed relief pitcher Tomokazu Harada, right-handed relief pitcher Ignacio Martinez, and first baseman / designated hitter Gustavo Aguilera. Erevu had a down year in his first full season in the BBA, but his electric stuff is enough to propel him to the top of the conversation when it comes to the Gamblers’ closer of the future. The future may be 2035 as a matter of fact. Harada has spent chunks of the past two seasons with the Gamblers, though he spent the majority of both seasons at Class-AAA Brooklyn. Harada spent some time in the starting rotation at Class-AAA Brooklyn as an experiment with poor results; it’s likely he’ll be given a shot in the bullpen for the Gamblers to start the 2035 season. Prospects left-handed Francisco Barrera, right-handed relief pitcher Ignacio Martinez, and first baseman / designated hitter Gustavo Aguilera are all exciting prospects that will figure into the team’s future if they continue properly developing.

Perhaps the best player left exposed for the expansion draft was first baseman / designated hitter José Vázquez. Vázquez had a very good season for Class-AAA Brooklyn, finishing the season hitting .280/.340/.613 with 56 runs scored, 20 doubles, 1 triple, 30 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a 0.9 WAR in 336 at-bats. In 358 2/3 innings at first base, Vazquez recorded 11 errors (.973 fielding percentage), a 10.09 range factor, a -9.0 zone rating, and a .790 defensive efficiency; and in 267 1/3 innings in left field, Vazquez recorded 3 errors (.948 fielding percentage), a 1.85 range factor, a -10.6 zone rating, and a .777 defensive efficiency. Although surprising a talent of his caliber was unprotected, it isn’t a shock in the grand scheme simply because of the glut of talent the Gamblers’ organization has at the first base / designated hitter slots.