Boardwalk Empire - 2048.4 - Class-A Retirees

[Joshua Biddle]

Gamblers Announce Class-A Retirements

The Atlantic City Gamblers have officially announced the retirement of three players who spent time with Class-A Long Island - right-handed relief pitcher Jeff Whitney, right-handed relief pitcher Gabriel Valdez, and right-handed relief pitcher Nathaniel Jones.

Whitney, 33, was drafted with the 8th pick in the 5th round (145th overall) in the 2033 BBA Amateur Draft by the Havana Sugar Kings (now San Fernando Bears). Whitney joined the Gamblers organization via a minor league contract signed on 1/16/2044, spending time with Class-AAA Brooklyn, Class-AA Trenton, and Class-A Long Island. Whitney's best season with the Gamblers organization as measured by WAR was his 2045 season with Class-AAA Brooklyn, where he finished the season 2-5 with 3 saves in 4 attempts (.750 save percentage), a 2.64 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, a 2.74 FIP, a .240 opponents' average, a .659 opponents' OPS, 64 strikeouts, and a 1.6 WAR in 71 2/3 innings pitched (37 appearances). Whitney's performance started to slip in 2046 with Class-AAA Brooklyn (0-2, 4.76 ERA, 1.59 WHIP), but he returned to Class-AAA Brooklyn to start the 2047 season, recording an 0-1 record with a 4.96 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 5.12 FIP, .273 opponents' average, .793 opponents' OPS, 15 strikeouts, and a -0.3 WAR in 16 1/3 innings pitched (9 appearances). His poor performance resulted in a demotion to Class-A Long Island, where he pitched to a 0.00 ERA / 0.60 WHIP / 4.09 FIP in limited action (3 1/3 innings pitched), but was released on 6/23/2047 to free up a roster spot.

Valdez, 24, was drafted by the Gamblers with the 12th pick in the 19th round (623rd overall) in the 2045 BBA Amateur Draft, spending time with Class-Short Season A Bogota and Class-A Long Island in limited action. The most action he had in a single campaign was 16 innings pitched with Class-A Long Island in 2046, finishing the season 0-1 with a 8.44 ERA, a 2.19 WHIP, a 6.96 FIP, a .348 opponents' average, a 1.078 opponents' OPS, 14 strikeouts, and a -0.4 WAR in 8 appearances. He finished 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 4.80 FIP in 18 2/3 career innings with Class-Short Season A Bogota, but his 2046 season seemed to sour his future prospects with the Gamblers organization, He finished the 2047 season with Class-A Long Island 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, and 2.89 FIP in 3 2/3 innings pitched (1 appearance), but was released by the Gamblers on 5/5/2047.

Jones, 25, was drafted by the Gamblers with the 6th pick in the 12th round (397th overall) in the 2042 BBA Amateur Draft, spending time with Rookie Class Albany, Class-Short Season A Bogota, and Class-A Long Island. Jones actually had a fairly successful minor league career within the Gamblers organization entering the 2047 season -- he finished the 2044 season with Rookie Class Albany 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 4.36 FIP; the 2045 season with Class-Short Season A Bogota 1-1 with 1 save, a 3.93 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 3.11 FIP; and the 2046 season with Class-Short Season A Bogota 0-1 with a 2.32 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and a 3.52 FIP. However, his 2047 season with Class-A Long Island was a total struggle and resulted in his first negative-WAR season; he finished the 2047 season 0-1 with a 5.35 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, a 6.14 FIP, a .238 opponents' average, a .869 opponents' OPS, 35 strikeouts, and a -0.7 WAR in 35 1/3 innings pitched (13 appearances). The Gamblers released Jones on 8/4/2047.