2045 record: 62-102
2045 recap: The Hebrew Hammers were actually worse last season than their record would indicate, with an expected W-L of 56-108. There were a lot of exciting parts, but they didn’t form a coherent picture when you put them together. Center fielder Jim Lorenzen was a nightly highlight reel. Adam Backhouse led the UMEBA with 52 home runs. León Torres was also a welcome addition to the offense, hitting to a .859 OPS after his call-up, but his defense was so bad, he cost the team -0.7 WAR when it was all said and done. On the pitching side, the bullpen had a few bright spots, like Justin Sutherland, who led the Burt in saves. Joaquín Romano wasn’t good, but he somehow finished with a 10-1 win-loss record. All these guys will be back this season to deliver something that we probably shouldn’t call an “encore”.
2046 outlook: There are a few immediate changes we can look forward to, starting with the promotion of former #1 overall draft pick Gary Goodchild. Goodchild has been lights-out at every level through the minors, even striking out 301 batters on his way to a 9-WAR season in AAA last year, so his UMEBA debut is as close to a sure thing as you’ll find.
The Hammers also signed star pitcher Mateus Rabisca, who pitched well for Athens last season but was hampered by back spasms. If he can stay healthy, he will join Goodchild at the top of Jerusalem’s rotation, forming quite a formidable 1-2 punch.
Hsuang-Tsung Xú will also be back for his sophomore season, after getting roughed up a bit his rookie year. He has a killer five-pitch arsenal, which if he can learn how to deploy in the majors, can put him in the running for Pitcher of the Year. And let’s not forget he’s only 20.
In the bullpen, Sutherland is the definition of a guy who gets the job done, Oginga Coujoe is one of the best in the game at inducing ground balls, and Romano, well, there’s not much to say about him except that he throws the ball very hard. But with these three guys and all the distinctly different looks they give you, it’ll be a hard time facing this team in the late innings.
On the offensive side, Backhouse will be moving to first base, where he’s actually pretty decent, so their defense should improve based on that alone. They also signed outfielder José Figueroa away from the BBA this winter, another defensive-minded move, but one which also gives them a very solid middle-of-the-order bat to provide Backhouse with some protection.
Another guy the Hammers stole from the BBA is middle infielder Richard Drouin. He’ll play shortstop, a position he hasn’t played full-time since his rookie year, but he’s got the glove for it and the natural athletic ability. He’s also an excellent contact hitter, and he and Lorenzen will be the main guys tasked with getting in scoring position so that Backhouse and company can drive them in.
Throughout the lineup, Jerusalem has done a very nice job of balancing lefties and righties, so you can’t get comfortable against these guys. And that’s not to mention the three switch-hitters they have in their starting lineup, including catcher Baden Dutton, who might be the best catcher in the Burt league, so he deserves a mention in this article.
Jerusalem has the #2 ranked farm system in the UMEBA, and their top prospects should start paying dividends very soon. Mokichi Yamamoto, Isaac Emmott, and Leon Ludeman are all names you might see wearing a Hebrew Hammers jersey in ’46. It will all depend on what the standings say midway through the season — if they need the extra help to push them over the top, they’ll have it waiting in the wings.
2046 prediction: 86-76. Goodchild is exactly what his name says he is, and the Hebrew Hammers finally start to reap the benefits of what they’ve been building down on the farm.
2046 Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers Preview
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2046 Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers Preview
Woody Donahue
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Boise Spuds (2047-2054)
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Vic Caleca UMEBA TN of the Year 2046
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Re: 2046 Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers Preview
Nice preview. I expect the Hammers to be a surprise upstart in '46.
Mike Dunn
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Re: 2046 Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers Preview
I always root for the hammers....my UMEBA roots & only championship
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Re: 2046 Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers Preview
Yep, I also project a possible playoff appearance for Jerusalem this year, and, as Mumbai proved last year, if you can get to the playoffs, anything can happen.
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