2038.07 On A Higher Plane Rule V madness

[felipe]

The Wichita Aviators went into the Rule V draft with nine open spots on their forty man roster, so they proceeded to try and fill them all.

The results were somewhat predictable, as a wave of trash flowed through the open Aviator clubhouse door; the retreating wave removed most of the trash immediately...but some of the scum remained at the high water mark.

Nine players came, and only three remained after the first day in Wichita; still, it was a nice way for all of them to earn some frequent flier points.

The three that remain, (at least temporarily) are:

Twenty-six year old outfielder, Jack Bullock, looks like the most likely to stay long term for the Aviators. He hits well against left-handers, and can field reasonably well, plus he's an original expansion draft pick by the Aviators, and he's signed to a minor league deal, which translates into the major league minimum. Bullock was grifted from Brooklyn.

Twenty-nine year old, career minor league catcher, Andrew van Antwerpen has a 50/50 chance to stick as the Aviators back up catcher. He doesn't have many redeeming qualities, but he can get on base reliably...plus, he's on a major league minimum contract. He's likely only in Wichita until the Genius pulls the trigger on signing one of the remaining free agent catchers. Antwerpen has been borrowed from Nashville.

Twenty-one year old corner outfielder, Jose Espinosa, is still on the Aviators roster, which is strange because the Aviators already have four other, better, left handed batting outfielders already. Espinosa is intriguing because he is near his potentials already, but his potentials keep bumping. The gamble will be to either keep him, and hope he eclipses what the Aviators have currently, or to let him go back to the minors and develop normally...for Seattle. If the Aviators decide to keep him, will keeping him, curtail his steadily bumping development?