Sticking Points 2040.12: Wilson Alomar Added to 40-Man Roster as Rockville Eyes Playoffs
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:37 pm
Rockville's position in the playoffs is far from assured. The Pikemen are a meager 3 games up on Jacksonville and Charm City and the same three games behind the New Orleans Crawdads for first place, which means they could win the division, hold onto their wild card berth, or be out of the playoffs altogether. However, they're already making moves as if they're a playoff team. The Pikemen added outfielder Wilson Alomar to the 40-man roster this sim, assuring that if they do make the postseason, the likely September callup will be part of the action.
"This is one of those really tricky things," said Rockville GM Aaron Weiner. "We don't even really have a lineup spot for Wilson, but we want to make sure that if someone gets hurt, we have that kind of a bat on our bench to change the series."
Alomar has flourished this year in the minor leagues and is surely one of the top ten hitters left in the minor leagues right now. Alomar is hitting an outstanding .374 in AA Winston Salem, and currently leads the AA circuit in OPS for players above 250 plate appearances.
"Obviously he's an amazing ballplayer, but we don't know where he plays," said manager Duane Whitley. "Everyone has earned their lineup spots this year."
There has been speculation that next year Alomar will replace long-time starter Manuel Marino in the starting lineup, as the slugging first baseman is set to leave as a free agent this offseason. He was always assured to be a September callup.
"You don't keep a guy hitting .374 in the minors," Weiner said. "We don't know exactly how he'll help us this year but we know he's going to help just by being on the roster."
It is not believed that other players on the Rockville minor league roster such as Matthew Reilly or Daniel Pepper will receive callups in September as both players still have maturing to do before they are ready for the majors. Not so Alomar.
"We think he's ready," said Whitley. "I went down there to see him play last week and he's ready. He can help our team."
"This is one of those really tricky things," said Rockville GM Aaron Weiner. "We don't even really have a lineup spot for Wilson, but we want to make sure that if someone gets hurt, we have that kind of a bat on our bench to change the series."
Alomar has flourished this year in the minor leagues and is surely one of the top ten hitters left in the minor leagues right now. Alomar is hitting an outstanding .374 in AA Winston Salem, and currently leads the AA circuit in OPS for players above 250 plate appearances.
"Obviously he's an amazing ballplayer, but we don't know where he plays," said manager Duane Whitley. "Everyone has earned their lineup spots this year."
There has been speculation that next year Alomar will replace long-time starter Manuel Marino in the starting lineup, as the slugging first baseman is set to leave as a free agent this offseason. He was always assured to be a September callup.
"You don't keep a guy hitting .374 in the minors," Weiner said. "We don't know exactly how he'll help us this year but we know he's going to help just by being on the roster."
It is not believed that other players on the Rockville minor league roster such as Matthew Reilly or Daniel Pepper will receive callups in September as both players still have maturing to do before they are ready for the majors. Not so Alomar.
"We think he's ready," said Whitley. "I went down there to see him play last week and he's ready. He can help our team."