Boardwalk Empire - 2043.7 - 2043 Season in Review

[Joshua Biddle]

Gamblers Finish 2043 Season 87-75, Win Playoff Series

The Atlantic City Gamblers finished the 2043 season 87-75 (.537), recording their second consecutive season with a winning record, and ending their streak of six consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. The Gamblers finished in 4th place of 8 teams in the Johnson League Atlantic Division, 9 1/2 games back of the division winning Charm City Jimmies, and earned a playoff appearance by winning the fourth and final wildcard.

The Gamblers were once again strong offensively, finishing the season 6th in on-base percentage (.317), 3rd in slugging percentage (.450), 3rd in OPS (.766), 4th in runs scored (753), tied for 2nd in extra-base hits (565), 1st in home runs (246), 1st in walks (410), and 1st in baserunning (+12.3). The team, of course, was sparked by center fielder Juan Rivera (.322/.411/.666, 48 HR), who continues to smash the ball, get on base, and be an irritant to opponents. Rivera went down with a hip strain on 9/1, and despite the lack of his production, the Gamblers toughed it out as a team and sustained as well as they could to sneak into the playoffs. Twenty-four year old left fielder / designated hitter Stewart Illingworth (.285/.347/.561, 41 HR, 108 RBI) and first baseman António Martínez (.275/.330/.543, 44 HR, 114 RBI) also remained strong contributors as they continue to shine in their young careers.

Pitching was still a bit of a struggle for the Gamblers in terms of team totals, although there were also marked gains compared to past seasons. The Gamblers finished the season 8th in ERA (3.93), 9th in starters' ERA (4.17), 6th in bullpen ERA (3.48), and 9th in opponent's average. Defensively, the Gamblers ranked 6th in defensive efficiency (.710) and 9th in zone rating (+2.9). Leonardo González (6-5, 1.47 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) was a standout in his first year as a Gambler out of the bullpen, and rookie closer Carlos Flores (11-3, 3.43 ERA, 0.96 WHIP) showed excellent stuff, though he needs to improve upon his seven blown saves. Ace Kevin Morales (7-9, 3.36 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) missed time, but was strong both before and after the injury, and 23-year old right-handed starter Augusto Morán (8-11, 4.00 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) made significant strides from last season.

The Gamblers were strong in the Geoghegan Series, winning the series against the Edmonton Jackrabbits with a strong 3-1 series win. But the Johnson League Atlantic winning Charm City Jimmies proved too much, winning the series and eliminating the Gamblers in a seven-game thriller. The Gamblers held a 3-1 lead, but the bottom fell out of both the Gamblers' offense and pitching as they would collapse and fail to close the deal.

All in all, a significant improvement from what we've seen in Atlantic City in recent years, and building off of some of the strides taken last year. Despite this, it doesn't quite eliminate the disappointment felt by the Atlantic City fan base to have their season end in that fashion.

[RonCo]

Another sneaky good season in ATC.