Catcher Randy Bader
Bader, 26, disappointed in what could be his final season as a member of the Gamblers. Bader finished the 2046 season hitting .183/.266/.340 with 27 runs scored, 16 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 31 RBIs, 5 stolen bases in 5 attempts (1.000 success rate), and a 0.3 WAR in 294 plate appearances. Bader had his season shortened by multiple injuries, including a strained abdominal muscle in April 2046 that kept him out of action until June 4th; another instance of a strained abdominal muscle in late June that kept him out of action for a little less than a week; and a strained knee in mid-September that ended his season. Defensively, Bader committed 5 errors (.991 fielding percentage), a +0.9 zone rating, and a 35.5% caught stealing percentage. The caught stealing percentage is the second highest of his career (41.2% in 2044) and his career figure stands at 30.2%. Bader's offensive statistics were a significant drop from his 2044 season, where he finished the season hitting .210/.290/.442 with 49 runs scored, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 21 home runs, 52 RBIs, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts (.667 success rate), and a 2.0 WAR in 435 plate appearances. His slash line improved to .237/.336/.443 in 2045, though he was limited to only 366 plate appearances due to various injuries. As Bader is set to become a free agent, it doesn't sound as though the door is officially closed on a return to Atlantic City, but it will most certainly come down to the market price -- his worth on the open market should be interesting given his poor 2046 production and a well documented injury history.
Outfielder Edward Lake
Lake, 27, has struggled mightily since his breakout season in 2044, posting his second consecutive negative-WAR season. The 3rd round (93rd overall) pick of the Gamblers in the 2038 BBA Amateur Draft finished the 2046 season hitting .218/.285/.338 with 19 runs scored, 8 doubles, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 6 attempts (.500 success rate), and a -0.4 WAR in 158 plate appearances. This performance follows his breakout 2044 season where he finished the season hitting .297/.360/.553 with 63 runs scored, 25 doubles, 7 triples, 27 home runs, 82 RBIs, 6 stolen bases in 18 attempts (.333 success rate), and a 4.2 WAR in 521 plate appearances; and his poor 2045 season, where he finished the season hitting .189/.266/.389 with 33 runs scored, 11 doubles, 2 triples, 15 home runs, 43 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 7 attempts (.429 success rate), and a -1.1 WAR in 337 plate appearances. Lake's role moving forward appears to be that of a backup corner outfielder who can man center field in a pinch -- he has graded well defensively over his career at the corner outfield spots. But it's clear that if Stewart Illingworth departs in free agency, the 2046 performance of José Valentín was likely enough to supplant Lake on the Gamblers' depth chart.
Right Fielder Jose Romero
Romero, 25, had a significant dip in production during the 2046 season, which was also impacted by a strained abdominal muscle that limited Romero to just 103 games. The 1st round (6th overall) pick by the Gamblers in the 2042 BBA Amateur Draft finished the 2046 season hitting .236/.298/.452 with 53 runs scored, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 19 home runs, 55 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 3 attempts (1.000 success rate), and a 0.8 WAR in 424 plate appearances. His 2046 contrasted greatly from his rookie 2044 season where he slashed .275/.347/.533 with 40 home runs and 106 RBIs, and his breakout 2045 season where he finished the season hitting .295/.371/.601 with 118 runs scored, 37 doubles, 3 triples, 48 home runs, 131 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 4 attempts (.750 success rate), and a 5.6 WAR in 692 plate appearances. Romero's struggles can't be tied to pre or post injury from the abdominal strain suffered in May -- he struggled in May (.120/.185/.120, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 27 PAs), July (.220/.324/.559, 6 HR, 10 RBI, 69 PAs), and September (.194/.252/.280, 1 HR, 11 RBIs, 103 PAs). The Gamblers organization clearly hopes his struggles were tied to lingering effects of the injury and that a full offseason will allow Romero's mind and body to reset.
Shortstop Ewan Allman
Allman, 27, has continued to disappoint as the starting shortstop of the Gamblers, although he did post his best BBA season to date. The international free agent who signed with the Gamblers on 08/19/2035 out of England finished the 2046 season hitting .241/.318/.332 with 55 runs scored, 27 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 45 RBIs, 11 stolen bases in 17 attempts (.647 success rate), and a 0.4 WAR in 562 plate appearances. Defensively, Allman recorded 13 errors (.982 fielding percentage), a -7.6 zone rating, and a .968 defensive efficiency in 1,304 2/3 innings at shortstop. It's expected the Gamblers will explore upgrades at the position, but Allman at the very least can provide depth at every infield and outfield spot as a super utility substitute. Perhaps, he could be in the running as a starting center field option if the team moves away from current options.
