The Outlaw Chronicles 2039-9 What A Disappointment
Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2019 5:22 pm
High Hopes Dashed
If you could sum up the Outlaws season in two words they would probably be "Choke Job". What was well on it's way to becoming a nice year in San Antonio has been reduced to expletives laden bitter disappointment. Sitting 12 games over .500 at the end of July with a 60-48 record, the proverbial wheels didn't just come off, they exploded off the car careened into oncoming traffic and was responsible for a 12 hour traffic jam on I-10. The Outlaws closed out 2039 going 20-33, and 9-16 in September, to miss the playoffs and have everyone in Texas looking for a shrink.
There could be numerous fingers pointed at this debacle, but all of them must rest on the Outlaws pitching staff. San Antonio ranked in the bottom third of the league in every pitching category. Team ERA was 4.96, Starters ERA was 4.99 and the Pen was 4.90. We had more Hits Allowed (866) than Runs Scored (847), gave away almost 600 bases (577 BOB) and looked as if we had Stevie Wonder, Ronnie Milsap and Ray Charles playing defense (-39.9 Zone Rating). There hasn't been this much choking since the making of Deep Throat in 1972.
A break down will, unfortunately, focus squarely on the two unlikeliest candidates heading into the season, Aki Kondo and Yrrigs Carpenter. The Ace of the staff, Kondo, ended the year with a 4.44 ERA, up from a 3.99 ERA in 2038. When you look at his stats there is nothing that jumps out at you as being crazy, they are almost mirror images of 2038. Carpenter on the other hand was an absolute mess. His ERA DOUBLED from 2.70 in 2038 to 5.59. His K's were down, his Walks were up and he allowed twice as many longballs. This guy went from Steve Nebraska Award winner to bum over night.
Then you throw in the rest of the starter, Jorge Alvares made a valiant return from TJ surgery but was obviously still gun shy with his motion. Jose Olivas, who everyone thought would take a step forward in 2039, actually took a step back raising his ERA a full run from 2038. Luis Pina did a commendable job as the 5th starter but he is starting to look more like a Long Reliver/Emergency Starter type.
The only bright spot was the promotion of #1 prospect Ricardo Rivera. Rivera was called in an effort to save the season and sneak into the playoffs, and Rivera did everything in his power going 3-1 in 5 starts with a 1.14 ERA and 24 k's against 11 bob's but the die had already been cast. And the pen wasn't any better with multiple relievers having career worst years.
It was a damn shame to waste what has been the best offensive output for the Outlaws in years. The teams finished 5th in Runs Scored, 3rd in BA, 6th in OBP, HR's and SB's. Another great year fromMark White, the continued growth of Tony Hernandez, and the emergence of VValentin Fritasand Lucio Cuellar was a pleasure to behold, and throw in the resurgence of C Antonio Tobias and the stage was set for a potentially deep run into October.
But alas, all we can do now is sit back, drink fine single malt Scotch and wonder what in the holy hell happened to our season.
If you could sum up the Outlaws season in two words they would probably be "Choke Job". What was well on it's way to becoming a nice year in San Antonio has been reduced to expletives laden bitter disappointment. Sitting 12 games over .500 at the end of July with a 60-48 record, the proverbial wheels didn't just come off, they exploded off the car careened into oncoming traffic and was responsible for a 12 hour traffic jam on I-10. The Outlaws closed out 2039 going 20-33, and 9-16 in September, to miss the playoffs and have everyone in Texas looking for a shrink.
There could be numerous fingers pointed at this debacle, but all of them must rest on the Outlaws pitching staff. San Antonio ranked in the bottom third of the league in every pitching category. Team ERA was 4.96, Starters ERA was 4.99 and the Pen was 4.90. We had more Hits Allowed (866) than Runs Scored (847), gave away almost 600 bases (577 BOB) and looked as if we had Stevie Wonder, Ronnie Milsap and Ray Charles playing defense (-39.9 Zone Rating). There hasn't been this much choking since the making of Deep Throat in 1972.
A break down will, unfortunately, focus squarely on the two unlikeliest candidates heading into the season, Aki Kondo and Yrrigs Carpenter. The Ace of the staff, Kondo, ended the year with a 4.44 ERA, up from a 3.99 ERA in 2038. When you look at his stats there is nothing that jumps out at you as being crazy, they are almost mirror images of 2038. Carpenter on the other hand was an absolute mess. His ERA DOUBLED from 2.70 in 2038 to 5.59. His K's were down, his Walks were up and he allowed twice as many longballs. This guy went from Steve Nebraska Award winner to bum over night.
Then you throw in the rest of the starter, Jorge Alvares made a valiant return from TJ surgery but was obviously still gun shy with his motion. Jose Olivas, who everyone thought would take a step forward in 2039, actually took a step back raising his ERA a full run from 2038. Luis Pina did a commendable job as the 5th starter but he is starting to look more like a Long Reliver/Emergency Starter type.
The only bright spot was the promotion of #1 prospect Ricardo Rivera. Rivera was called in an effort to save the season and sneak into the playoffs, and Rivera did everything in his power going 3-1 in 5 starts with a 1.14 ERA and 24 k's against 11 bob's but the die had already been cast. And the pen wasn't any better with multiple relievers having career worst years.
It was a damn shame to waste what has been the best offensive output for the Outlaws in years. The teams finished 5th in Runs Scored, 3rd in BA, 6th in OBP, HR's and SB's. Another great year fromMark White, the continued growth of Tony Hernandez, and the emergence of VValentin Fritasand Lucio Cuellar was a pleasure to behold, and throw in the resurgence of C Antonio Tobias and the stage was set for a potentially deep run into October.
But alas, all we can do now is sit back, drink fine single malt Scotch and wonder what in the holy hell happened to our season.
