The following Atlantic City Gamblers hitters were good performers during the 2048 season:
Catcher Octávio 'Dog House' Moreno
Moreno, 27, was the Gamblers' big ticket free agent acquisition during the 2046-2047 offeseason, agreeing to a four-year, $87.5 million contract with the team. After slashing a disappointing .260/.308/.435 with a 2.2 WAR in his first season with the organization, Moreno delivered performance more commiserate with the contract during the 2048 season which included a gain of just shy of 100 points of OPS (.743 vs .842). Moreno finished the 2048 season hitting .298/.361/.481 with 54 runs scored, 29 doubles, 2 triples, 17 home runs, 59 RBIs, 1 stolen base in 1 attempt (1.000 success rate), and a 4.4 WAR in 510 plate appearances (129 games / 125 starts). Moreno ranked fifth in the BBA in caught stealing percentage (39.4%), but on the downside, was second in the BBA in errors for a catcher (15). That said, Moreno did a great job behind the plate with a very young pitching staff, helping elevate the team's pitching and guiding them to their first playoff appearance in years. Moreno's 4.4 WAR total was the second-highest of his nine-year BBA career; his highest single-season total was 5.7 during the 2046 season with the San Antonio Outlaws.
First baseman Carlomaria 'Short Circuit' Donadoni
Donadoni, 27, was the Gamblers' big-ticket free agent acquisition this past offseason, agreeing to a six-year, $98 million contract with the team. Signed to bring offensive production and defensive stability at first base -- while also allowing Cinema Jones to shift back to the outfield -- Donadoni did exactly that. Donadoni finished the 2048 season hitting .284/.341/.492 with 76 runs scored, 37 doubles, 1 triple, 29 home runs, 88 RBIs, 1 stolen base in 1 attempt (1.000 success rate), and a 3.5 WAR in 667 plate appearances (161 games / 157 starts). Though his 3.5 WAR total was a decline compared to his past three seasons (2045 - 5.6; 2046 - 3.6; 2047 - 4.2), the Gamblers haven't had a 3+ WAR performance at first base since António Martínez in 2043, a year where Martínez was below average defensively. Defensively, Donadoni ranked 5th in the BBA / 3rd in the Johnson League in zone rating (+2.4), and posted a 1.000 defensive efficiency, displaying above average performance. In addition to his solid overall performance on the field, Donadoni was a popular presence in the Gamblers' clubhouse and with the local media -- the laid back personality frequently spent extra time answering questions to the media and spent considerable time with fans before the game signing autographs.
Right fielder José Romero
Romero, 27, had a great recovery during the 2048 season and performed well after underperforming during the 2047 season. Romero, a former 6th pick in the 1st round of the 2042 BBA Amateur Draft, finished the 2048 season hitting .274/.333/.504 with 77 runs scored, 30 doubles, 2 triples, 32 home runs, 107 RBIs, 9 stolen bases in 11 attempts (.818 success rate), and a 3.4 WAR in 621 plate appearances (152 games / 148 starts). Romero's 2048 WAR matched his rookie 2044 season WAR, but was a decrease from his 2045 season's 5.6 WAR performance. That said, his past two seasons of work had brought into question whether he was a flash in the pan. He finished the 2046 season hitting .236/.298/.452 with 19 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a 0.7 WAR in 424 plate appearances; and the 2047 season hitting .239/.293/.409 with 22 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a -0.4 WAR in 652 plate appearances. Romero missed significant time during the 2046 season due to an abdominal strain, leaving some to wonder if the injury carried over into 2047 and helped create a negative-WAR season. But his 2048 season seems to have eased concerns with his long-term prognosis, jumping over 130 points of OPS. His +2.0 zone rating, .991 defensive efficiency, and 12 outfield assists also displayed adequate performance in right field. Entering his final arbitration-eligible offseason, the Gamblers will have a difficult decision following the 2049 season about whether the team will look to lock him up long term or allow him to hit the free agent market.
