Now we really are Gambling (2004 season wrap)
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:55 pm
22nd November 2004
And so the 2004 season slipped to an end. The Gamblers swept the Kraken 4-0 in the final series of the season but remained two games back of them in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 67-95 record. That was seven games worse off than 2003 although that was mainly due to a disastrous start to the opening months when they crashed to a 27-54 record before the GM was sacked. Nigel Laverick came in and steadied the ship with the team going 40-41 the rest of the way, he is quoted as “This is only my second ever fourth place finish as a GM in ten seasons, and boy! This lot aren’t as bad as the ’96 Barnstormers! I pledge myself now to making sure the 2005 Gamblers don’t embarrass Atlantic City again.”
Success Stories: Fredrick Simon’s seven year $45.5m contract, handed out by the last GM, had the MBWBA tongues wagging and it probably will become an albatross round the Gamblers neck by the turn of the decade but Fredrick hit back at his critics and fully justified his contract in 2004. His .332, 25 homers and 93 RBI led the team in each category and all were career marks for a player with six years experience now in the MBBA. Brian Jennings’ rookie season didn’t produce the power that former first basemen have, only five balls went over the fence but his slash line of .299/.376/.396 hinted at more to come. Alfredo Méndez made second base his own in the second half of the season and in his sophomore season finished runner-up to Simon in average, homers and RBI’s. his defence was sound at second but management would like to see his eight errors reduced.
The Rotation … The 2004 rotation was a complete mess. Only two who finished in the rotation started over 12 games and although they tied for 13 wins only David Crocker had a winning record. Many were tried, Herman Mitchell claimed off waivers from Long Beach could be interesting in 2005 as could Nick Machiavelli who started 2004 as a closer and finished in the rotation. Stephen Young made a good impression upon his call-up from Triple-A Brooklyn slipping into the closers role but he too could follow ‘the Machiavelli route’. Mike Williams has just got a mega rise through arbitration but will have to knuckle down and live up to his press reviews better than his 2004 effort if he’s not to become another one of those ‘promised so much but delivered so little’ prospects.
The future … ?
If the rotation comes together in 2005 you could see the Gamblers move up at least one place in 2005 but in all reality this is a long term project. The farm system is in need of a major, major, overhaul if it is to produce players of MBBA standard and good drafting is needed to start that rework. At the moment ATC have money to spare and are expected to be major players in the of-season free agent market but success cannot be built on a few expensive, over-priced, thirtysomethings and the money will soon run out when a few long-term $5-10m contracts build up.
And so the 2004 season slipped to an end. The Gamblers swept the Kraken 4-0 in the final series of the season but remained two games back of them in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 67-95 record. That was seven games worse off than 2003 although that was mainly due to a disastrous start to the opening months when they crashed to a 27-54 record before the GM was sacked. Nigel Laverick came in and steadied the ship with the team going 40-41 the rest of the way, he is quoted as “This is only my second ever fourth place finish as a GM in ten seasons, and boy! This lot aren’t as bad as the ’96 Barnstormers! I pledge myself now to making sure the 2005 Gamblers don’t embarrass Atlantic City again.”
Success Stories: Fredrick Simon’s seven year $45.5m contract, handed out by the last GM, had the MBWBA tongues wagging and it probably will become an albatross round the Gamblers neck by the turn of the decade but Fredrick hit back at his critics and fully justified his contract in 2004. His .332, 25 homers and 93 RBI led the team in each category and all were career marks for a player with six years experience now in the MBBA. Brian Jennings’ rookie season didn’t produce the power that former first basemen have, only five balls went over the fence but his slash line of .299/.376/.396 hinted at more to come. Alfredo Méndez made second base his own in the second half of the season and in his sophomore season finished runner-up to Simon in average, homers and RBI’s. his defence was sound at second but management would like to see his eight errors reduced.
The Rotation … The 2004 rotation was a complete mess. Only two who finished in the rotation started over 12 games and although they tied for 13 wins only David Crocker had a winning record. Many were tried, Herman Mitchell claimed off waivers from Long Beach could be interesting in 2005 as could Nick Machiavelli who started 2004 as a closer and finished in the rotation. Stephen Young made a good impression upon his call-up from Triple-A Brooklyn slipping into the closers role but he too could follow ‘the Machiavelli route’. Mike Williams has just got a mega rise through arbitration but will have to knuckle down and live up to his press reviews better than his 2004 effort if he’s not to become another one of those ‘promised so much but delivered so little’ prospects.
The future … ?
If the rotation comes together in 2005 you could see the Gamblers move up at least one place in 2005 but in all reality this is a long term project. The farm system is in need of a major, major, overhaul if it is to produce players of MBBA standard and good drafting is needed to start that rework. At the moment ATC have money to spare and are expected to be major players in the of-season free agent market but success cannot be built on a few expensive, over-priced, thirtysomethings and the money will soon run out when a few long-term $5-10m contracts build up.