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The Sim: 4-2 sim: 2-1 vs. Hawaii, 2-1 vs. Long Beach - 5GB of division
The Good: Just want to applaud this makeshift bullpen. Now, a 3.72 ERA from the group isn't anything to write home about but these guys rank 32nd in the entire BBA in RP positional strength. It's a bunch of 40, 45 and 50 OVR guys somehow putting it together. They don't really strike a lot of guys out, with most hovering around six K/9 as a group. We won two games in extras, one of which was a full bullpen game and in the other two wins, the bullpen held the lead and got holds. This is the type of thing that holds in the regular season with smoke and mirrors, and then in the playoffs these 50-40 OVR RPs get absolutely destroyed when it matters.
The Bad: I gave Dave Lachance, my top prospect, two starts this week and he just doesn't seem ready. He threw a solid 5.2 IP in his second start giving up just one run, but his control just isn't there yet. In two starts he walked six batters in 10 innings. I was really counting on him emerging as the #4 SP this season and he's just not there. Still has a two+ months to improve but probably more likely he's a serious contributor next season.
The Ugly: Arnold Richmond was supposed to get his second start in the BBA career....and I flubbed up the 7-day man lineup. It kind of put us in a bind but somehow, the bullpen game worked out.
The Minors: The playoffs are still in reach for all levels but fell to 1st place in only Single-A.
Down in Short-A, OF Joris Riviere is tearing it up. The 2054 11th round pick now has a 1.179 OPS in 38 games. He's probably ready for Single-A but the season is so short I'd rather just start him there in 2057. He just got a ratings bump and looks to be at least a decent prospect.
Speaking of ratings bumps, RP Mike Young is all of a sudden a borderline top 50 prospect. I signed him as a minor league FA this time last year, almost to the day, and he has since jumped. OSA now says 13-4-8 potential, and the 23-year-old is a great strikeout guy. He's a lefty, hits 101 on the gun and throws a great fastball and slider. His intangibles are awful and if his movement doesn't improve his BBA ability is probably slim.