Hello all! And welcome to the hottest new game show on the planet... Survivor: BBA Edition! On this weeks episode we check in with the Des Moines Kernels to see how their Rule 5 players are doing. Who will be sent home next? Find out in next weeks show!
1st Round - Drafted C Jesse Holman in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 1, Pick 27, 27th overall Pick) from the Charm City Jimmies.
-Holman was a career .325/.788 hitter in 394 career Triple-A games. The 26-year-old is average behind the plate but can switch hit, run well (for a catcher) and presented an opposite handed option vs. RHSP. In ST he hit .321 and made the big league club for Opening Day. He hasn't hit fairly as well since then, but he has done a good job of avoiding strikeouts as he's only been struckout three times in 34 PA.
2nd Round - Drafted SP Cody Glynn in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 2, Pick 27, 59th overall Pick) from the Nashville Bluebirds.
-Glynn is a 28-year-old RP who after years in the GBC, was in Nashville's Triple-A affiliate. In that brief minor league stint, he racked up 40 saves and finished 3rd in the RP of the year award. In ST this year, he pitched in 15 games and produced a 0.0 WAR. He's fared better in the regular season with a 0.3 WAR in just 6.1 IP.
3rd Round - Drafted SP Paul Cherry in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 3, Pick 27, 91st overall Pick) from the Boise Spuds.
-Cherry is another 28-year-old RHRP who currently finds himself on the Injured List. A career minor leaguer was once a Rule 5 draft pick before but didn't make the Opening Day roster in Boise. In ST, he was lights out: 0.77 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 0.4 WAR in 11.2 IP. In the regular season, he's only thrown in two games and has yet to give up a run.
4th Round - Drafted 1B Mun-wah Hsu in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 4, Pick 27, 123rd overall Pick) from the Rocky Mountain Oysters.
-Maybe my favorite of the Rule 5's this year, Hsu currently bats in the 5th spot of the lineup. The 30-year-old Chinese import played in the BBA briefly in 2049 and 2051. Since then, he has been stuck in the minors but after hitting .352 last year in Triple-A, he was on the Kernels radar. He's hitting .362 at the major league level through 51 PA.
5th Round - Drafted SP Carmine Boccherini in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 5, Pick 27, 155th overall Pick) from the Phoenix Talons.
-Boccherin is probably on the hot seat. The 23-year-old Italian was pitching in Double-A this time last year. While he was good in Spring Training, 0.4 WAR in 11.1 IP, that hasn't carried over. He's been rocked in two appearances, giving up 8 hits in 2.2 IP.
6th Round - Drafted SP Rafael Taboada in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 6, Pick 27, 187th overall Pick) from the Sacramento Mad Popes.
-Taboada was a bit of a surprise to some in the organization to not only be selected but to break the opening day roster. The 24-year-old reliever was a Single-A starter last year! In ST, his 1.46 ERA was nice but his 1.54 WHIP left some concerned. Through four BBA games, he's amassed 12.1 IP and a 0.3 WAR.
7th Round - Drafted SP Howard Brown in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 7, Pick 27, 219th overall Pick) from the Seattle Storm.
-Brown has struggled to stay on a team and struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. Given a chance by Des Moines, the 28-year-old moved to relief and was solid in Spring Training: 2.13 ERA in 12.2 IP. He's been roughed up in brief appearances since though, 7.20 ERA and a -0.2 WAR. He's in danger to survive.
8th Round - Drafted RP Sergio Tormes in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 8, Pick 27, 251st overall Pick) from the Twin Cities River Monsters.
-The 31-year-old Tormes got rocked in Spring Training and was sent packing. A 9.26 ERA in 12 games was enough of a sample size for the Kernels to send him back to division rival TWC.
9th Round - Drafted RP Mu'tazz bin Akram in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 9, Pick 27, 283rd overall Pick) from the Calgary Pioneers.
-Akram is a bit of a "stretch" here as a Rule 5 pick. He's actually pitched 400+ IP in the BBA just in the past six seasons. On a minor league deal this off-season, he was scooped up very late in the draft when almost no other teams were still picking. He tried to make it as a SP in Spring Training, but was roughed up. On his last look, he was moved to relief for Opening Day and has pitched OK. In 7.2 IP, 3.52 ERA, 0.78 WHIP but -0.2 WAR. He's probably in danger as well.
10th Round - Drafted LF Ed Cline in the 2056 Rule 5 Draft (Round 10, Pick 27, 315th overall Pick) from the Seattle Storm.
-This was a longshot pick and maybe just a little favor to the kid to see what the highest level is like. Cline only had a .758 OPS last year in Single-A and as a non-fielding, likely DH, that's a far cry from what's needed at the show. He hit .143 in ST and was sent home.
Tune in next week!
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