2037-15: Talons Rookies Struggling in Early Going

[jiminyhopkins]

Phoenix, AZ--

Going into 2037, the Talons took a bit of a risk by starting two rookies at the critical up-the-middle positions of second base and center field. Both Weaver Ripley (6/6/10/7/3 Talents) and Arturo Barron (5/8/9/6/4 Talents) are known as power hitting defensive specialists, and some even speculated that Ripley in particular might be in line for a place on the JL Rookie of the Year podium.

However, as can be expected of young players thrust into critical roles on a playoff contending team, not all has gone smoothly so far. In Ripley's case, his bat has mostly come through, as he is currently slashing .264/.335/.484 in 41 games, with 9 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and 30 runs scored. His strikeouts are elevated at 55, but that's been his profile since high school. The issue so far has been his defense in center field. Despite his otherworldly ratings across the defensive spectrum, the results haven't quite caught up to the promise just yet. Ripley currently has a -1.6 zone rating in CF, a number that will hopefully rise significantly as he accustoms to big league expectations.

As for Barron, the slick fielding second baseman has impressed greatly with his range and fielding at the keystone, turning in a +4.1 zone rating and 1.103 range factor thus far. He's been described as a natural from day one, and could end up with multiple Diamond Gloves in his future. The issue with Barron is his bat, which has underperformed even his high strikeout, marginal contact profile. Slashing a mere .196/.259/.420, the second baseman has been mired in the bottom of the batting order all season, with only his defense garnering him a positive WAR.

Talons fans can only hope that their young players continue to improve as the playoff race in the JL Sunbelt gets tighter and tighter as we approach September.

Go Talons!

[Ted]

I really like Ripley's slash line. If he keeps that up and his defense normalizes, he's a 5 win player. Neat.