2056 TOKYO PEARLS
Background:
The Pearls have recently come under new leadership after a controversial reign by a two-timing GM. Hopefully, this new Marc bloke can quickly put the brouhaha behind the team as the season begins.
Last season was a disappointment for Pearls fans. After championships in 2051 and 2053, the club faded to 6th place in 2055, the lowest finish ever for this franchise going back to the Manama days in the UMEBA. The lowest attendance and revenue since the early 2040's didn't help either. Maybe it's a good thing that crazy Talon guy got deported. The GBC in recent months has seen a flurry of personnel changes and quite a few new faces in front offices around the world. So how does Tokyo stack up to the new-look Consortium for 2056?
The Rotation:
The pitching overall for Tokyo appears to be a strength. Ace starter Umar Doger leads the way after a 12-10, 4 WAR season last year. He's the highest paid member of the team and deserves every penny with 5 good pitches and a sterling track record of performance and durability. Definitely BBA material. Joining Doger in the presumptive rotation will certainly be Jayin Ranjani, who had a tough campaign a year ago but is also a 23 year old lefty with upside, and exceedingly rare thing in today's GBC. After that it gets a little murky, as the Pearls lost a few arms to free agency and Markuri Siliqi is still recovering from a torn labrum. Veterans like Dean Stranaghan, Chris Wilhelm, and Don Makepeace could get looks, while Jai Redelius and Veikko Aravirta could also contribute. So there is definitely depth here.
The Bullpen:
Last season's closer and all time franchise saves leader Huang Cheng returns to finish games, and is as good as any closer in the league. Setting him up will be veteran Rolf Reinhardt, who is closer material in his own right. Also getting late inning reps will likely be guys like Filippio Ioratti, Fassil Maundu, and the aforementioned Veikko Aravirta if he doesn't make the rotation. Long relief and mop up could be ably staffed by arms such as Alonso Blanco, Brett Vanderven, and even Gernot Frece (only because he is left handed!).
The Infield:
Catching is a weak spot, but could still be adequately served by a platoon combo of lefty Ernesto Perez and righty Cris Cordero. A platoon operation would also work well at first base if desired, as Jose Ayala and Roy MacGugan can both hit for power and field the position well. Middle infield is a weak spot, with the nods likely going to glove-first 2B Quentin Favre and veteran SS Julio Colon, who gets the job merely by being the only SS available unless a change is made. Third base looks to be staffed once again by Jouo Rovanpera, who was third on the team with 26 home runs last season.
The Outfield:
A late signing in left field could pay big dividends: Nam-cheol U has great ratings and could be a steal at $2,000,000 if he lives up to them. Another decent offseason signing is RF Jesus Perez, a well-rounded hitter with a tremendous outfield arm. Center Field looks to be a carryover from last season, but that doesn't mean that the 60-rated Rafael Moreno can't repeat his 3 WAR performance from a year ago. DH'ing could be the reliable veteran Montrell Borromini, or if the Pearls go in another direction, a guy like Grant Prince could well contribute.
The Farm System:
The Pearls have a couple of big power, high ceiling prospects in RF Manchu Kim and 3B Wen Shan, but both are well into their 20's and still have work to do. Further down, 1B Najib bin Haroun, RF Callum McKay, and SP Asir Suoud look like they can be solid contributors someday. The Pearls farm system currently ranks 2nd in the GBC, but a disastrous 2055 draft could come back around to bite them at some point.
Outlook:
The Pearls are pretty much a lock to improve on last season's historically bad (for them) results. But with all the new blood in the GBC, anything can happen. If a guy like Nam-cheol U breaks out, it could make the difference between .500 and a playoff spot. Manchu Kim is a rookie who could have an impact as soon as the second half. And a 1-2 like Doger and Ranjani in the rotation is something any GBC team would kill for.
The Pearls will improve. Will they improve back into 2nd place or better? The GBC is too fluid to be sure, but 85-87 wins is a good bet if all goes according to plan.
Cherrio, chaps!
