2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

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2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

Post by Lane » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:42 pm

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2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

GM Fred Holmes (Since 2016)
Fred has taken the Barnstormers to the playoffs 7 times, with one LMS appearance.

Fun Fact: Prior to expansion and realignment, Omaha was a member of the Johnson League Midwest.

Franchise Facts:

Playoff Appearances: 23

Landis Memorial Series Appearances: 2

Landis Memorial Series Wins: 0

2031 Results
74-88 5th FLH

Offseason Summary

Key Losses

RP Steve Russell
RP Kenny Hill

Key Additions

C Sam Adams (5/5/9/6/3 Ratings)
RP Walt Cantrell (7/7/8 Ratings)
2B Mario Garcia (8/6/1/2/10 Ratings)


Quick Hit

The Frick League Heartland is a tough place to be. In 2030, the Louisville Sluggers won a hundred something games, and in '31 the Yellow Springs Nine won exactly 100. Madison came on real strong in '31 on the strength of their high contact high speed play. Des Moines, Indy and Twin Cities have all made moves to improve this offseason. According to OOTP, Omaha improved by more than any division rival, and in fact, they rate them as 3rd in the BBA for WAR added in the offseason. Will it be enough for a playoff berth? Let's find out.
2028 Predicted Starters

Catcher

From 2031 to 2032, the Barnstormers catching situation has been improved by addition and by subtraction. In partial playing time last year, Bob Burke (now retired) was somehow worth -1.2 WAR. Free Agent signing Sam Adams (5/5/9/6/3 Ratings), 31 year old right handed masher was worth 3.5 WAR. That's nearly 5 wins right there, and we haven't even mentioned that Adams only cost OMA $7MM with two team options after 2032. Adams may be past the peak he had in Brooklyn, but he bounced back nicely in '31 after a poor showing in 2030. We expect him to at least match last years production, and he'll be well worth the investment.

In combination with Gilberto Romo (5/6/4/7/7 Ratings), the Barnstormers look to have a solid foundation behind the dish.

First Base

Jose Estrada (9/7/10/3/9 Ratings) (1B/OF) saw the bulk of the time here last year, and without another obvious 1B on the roster, we have to imagine that he will do the same in 2032. After showing flashes of his promise since his 2029 debut, Estrada truly broke out last year, hitting .313/.369/.634 with 55 HR. At just 23 years old, the lefty (rated 10/7/11/3/9 vs RHP) should have a great shot at repeating that line. Personally, I would find a 1B and keep Estrada's bat in the OF, but regardless of where he plays, he is an elite offensive force.

Second Base

Thirty-four year old Juan Pablo (7/7/6/6/8 Ratings) has been a steady force in the Omaha lineup since 2020, and while he appears to be slowing down into his mid-thirties, he's still a valuable ballplayer. His steady hands inspire confidence in the pitchers that he plays behind, and as a switch hitter, opposing pitchers are never comfortable when he steps into the box. Fred wouldn't complain if Pablo posted another 2.2 WAR season, but it's not unheard of for middle infielders to catch a second wind into their mid to late 30s, so we'll hold on to hope for a return to stardom.

If he does falter (and to give him a few days off), the Barnstormers can turn to Chet Quintero (6/6/3/4/7 Ratings) or recent FA acquisition Mario Garcia (8/6/1/2/10 Ratings).

Third Base

Over at the hot corner, Jorge Castellanos (8/6/3/3/9 Ratings) enters his eleventh season with Omaha. Known best for his cannon-like throws from foul territory beyond third base, he provides a steady offensive presence at the plate as well. He won't hit many home runs, and he should probably stop pretending like he knows how to steal, but .305/.331/.433 with a +15.6 ZR at third is a great asset.

Backing him up is ALfredo Velazquez, 23, who lacks range but has steady hands and a more powerful bat.

Shortstop

Valentin Colon (8/7/3/4/9 Ratings), 30, can play all over the infield, but will likely see a lot of time at SS in 2032. He's not the best defender, but he won't kill ya, and his league-average bat certainly plays well there. He's another Omaha lifer, been with the big team since 2022.

Harvey Specter (6/4/2/6/6 Ratings) will back him up, and is another guy that can play all over.

Outfield Corners

Masaaki Uchida (5/6/3/3/9 Ratings) and Armando Castaneda (8/7/2/5/10 Ratings) remain from the 2031 squad and look to be two of the better options on the current roster. Youngster Manuel Jimenez (5/6/9/6/6 Ratings) looks to be a kid that Omaha should take a chance on, especially given his 9 rated power, something that is sorely lacking on this contact-oriented squad.

Ralph Benson (8/8/1/8/6 Ratings) shouldn't really step foot in the outfield and will likely just DH, but I suppose we should list him here as an option.

And of course Estrada is still there, just dying to play right field if the Barnstormers pick up a real first baseman. (Fred, ask me about Roberto Perez (7/7/7/6/7 Ratings) or Raymond Aguilera(6/6/7/6/5 Ratings))

Center Field

Center field is one of the more interesting positions, as top prospect Rhett Lawson (7/7/5/5/8 Ratings) appears to be nearly ready to contribute in the bigs. He was, however, removed from the Spring Training roster, and it appears that the Barnstormers are letting Lawson get a little more time in at AAA.

In the meantime, it looks like Roy Lynn (7/6/3/4/8 Ratings) will take another turn for 2032. He's a fine player, but not the impact player that Lawson appears to be. We have to imagine that Rhett makes an appearance at some point this season.

Offensive Summary

The Barnstormers sure love to keep guys around long term. We don't mean that in a negative way, either. The guys that they have, though ageing, are still effective. The lineup is sorely lacking in power, with just Estrada, Jimenez and Adams having better than 6 POW as far as the starters go. If they were to plug the hole at first, this team could be a solid pitching staff away from a wild card berth. Do they have what it takes? Let's see.

Starting Pitchers

Righty Enrique Gomez (9/8/9 Ratings) leads the staff in Omaha, and what a leader he is. A Barnstormer since 2022, he rebounded nicely from a down 2030 to post a 138 ERA+ in 2031. At 32 years of age, he should have at least a couple more years of excellent pitching in him, and he's the kind of pitcher that would sit 1 or 2 in every staff in the BBA.

Jose Trujillo (10/8/5 Ratings), the man with the stuff should take the second spot. The former Rule 5 pick broke out in a big way in 2031, posting a 143 ERA+. Currently dealing with a sore elbow he'll miss a couple of weeks, and though he deals with some control issues, he's an excellent number two starter.

Youngster Scotty Pendleton debuted last year with 4 starts at a bit under league average rates. We expect much better from him this season, and wouldn't be surprised at a 4+ WAR season. You could do worse in the three hole.

Numbers 4 and 5 could go any way, but it looks like Mark Totten (7/7/8 Ratings) is a sure bet to be in one of the spots. He's coming off the best season of his career, and if he could repeat that, he would be one of the better 4th starters in the league.

Finally, Cris Rios (9/7/5 Ratings) appears to be ready to take a spot in the rotation. His 100 MPH fastball dominated AAA last year, and his stuff should allow him to be effective in the BBA. It might take him a year or two to settle in, but he would be an excellent fifth starter.


Relief Corps

Carlos Medina (10/7/6 Ratings), Maxence Mace (7/8/8 Ratings), Anastasio Lopez (8/6/9 Ratings), Jose Gutierrez (7/7/8 Ratings), Wil Aviles (8/7/8 Ratings), Martin Beaufort (7/7/5 Ratings), Ramon Balderas (8/7/8 Ratings), Martin Bacardi (8/7/6 Ratings) make for an acceptable bullpen. With starters that are below average to average in stamina, personally I would like to see some upgrades in the pen. As is, the bullpen looks to be average to bottom third in the league

Pitching Summary

The starting staff is promising, with an enviable mix of elite veterans at the top filled out with projectable youngsters. The bullpen leaves some to be desired but should hold more wins than they blow.

Summary

Omaha is in a tough spot, as mentioned, being in the Frick League Heartland. I think there's room for improvement on this squad, and I think it should be addressed sooner rather than later. I would get the payroll up to max to get this team as competitive as possible before the infield and top of the rotation age out. Is it possible to overtake YS or LOU? Probably not. But the WC could be within reach, and I don't think it's out of the question that the team could compete for it this year.

Prediction

83-79, 4th FLH, in the running for the 4th Wild Card spot.
Stephen Lane
Vice Commissioner / Historian
General Manager, Long Beach Surfers
Since 2026

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Re: 2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

Post by RonCo » Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:58 pm

Omaha always seems to get a bunch out of their guys. I like that a lot.
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Re: 2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

Post by Rubaboo » Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:21 pm

Good write-up, thanks Stephen. I'm in an interesting spot right now considering my division mates and the fact that my core is aging with some key rookies needing to jump in and contribute. I'd love to make a move for a big bat and for an actual SS. The stamina of my starters is concerning. Rios had an 8 before he got hurt last season, lumped to a 4 during the offseason. Ick. Lawson will be with the big club to start the season, Jimenez will not for now but may get a shot later on if I need the offensive injection. Despite the uphill battle, I'm excited for 2032.
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Re: 2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

Post by Spiccoli » Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:42 am

Who wouldn't be an Estrada fan.

The guy loves chili dogs...
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Re: 2032 Omaha Barnstormers Preview

Post by RonCo » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:30 am

Rios might bounce back some. Chavez got a point of his stamina back this off season after taking a post-injury drop.
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