Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

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Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

Post by Fat Nige » Sat Mar 28, 2020 8:20 am

Image

Spring is done, the circus heads for Wichita


Spring Training 2042 is in the books, the trucks are packed and the convoy heads for Wichita. Left behind is the final cuts that clutch their travel documents to their minor league towns. Opening Day 2042 is almost on us. April 1st will see the Aviators in Charlotte for a two-game evening set against the Cougars.

The second fortnight of spring showcased the big boys as the Aviators went 8-8 and nothing showed ]]them knocking the rust off better than projected #1 starter Lane Aldridge. In his first start of the spring on March 12th, he managed just one and a third of an innings as Calgary knocked him around to the tune of seven runs, not that he helped with three walks either, Aviators went on to lose that one 2-15. His second start he went 3.1 innings, giving up six hits, 2 runs and a more palatable 2/2 K/BB on the way to a 9-2 win over Rockville. His final spring action saw him go the full four innings as he gave up just one hit and a 2/1 K/BB in a 10-4 win over Mexico. As it was in the end, the rotation had a predictable look, only one new signing wormed their way into the five slots. James Robinson kept his place despite only making one start, he had a healthy 16/4 K/BB in 14 IP and opponents only hit 1.46 against him. Kidanu Cherono had three of his five outings as starts and like Aldridge visibly showed the rust coming off in his stats; he went the full four innings each time, giving up four hits each time, but after surrendering three runs the first start he whittled that down to zero in start number three. He also had a positive K/BB each time. Adam Simons lost out due to his high walk count of 5.5/9, but his three elite pitches will buy him a shot as the long man once the season starts. The real loser was 22-yr-old Sancho Torres who was expected to crack a rotation spot, his slider was still pretty weak leaving him with only two really decent pitches; he will now start 2042 in the Albuquerque rotation in the attempt to show that he should be the next cab off the rank.

Tony Alomar as expected will start 2042 in the stopper / closer role. His high 5.8 BB/9 was balanced by his 10.9 K/9, striking out 30 in 24.2 IP. Yann Legrand only gave up five hits in his last 10 spring outings (and three of those were in the same game) whilst Miroslav Tomanek had a 7/6 K/BB, but only gave up four runs in 13 IP; both of these will start as setup men but Tomanek will have a short rein after he allowed 31% of inherited runners to score and blew three out of seven save opportunities. Julio Garcia, after his return from the best part of a year out, got into eight games and only once got more than one batter out with his five pitch count limit. He gave up a homer in each of his first two appearances on the mound since May 7th, 2041 but finished by not allowing a hit or run in his last five appearances. He’s still got 46 days of his Rule 5 obligation left (he was selected last year 75th overall from Yellow Springs), but I probably would have wanted him up in Wichita anyway. He’ll just take it very easy for the next 2-4 weeks.

The only surprise probably in the batting line-up was 21-yr-old Matt Chambers nailing down the DH role. He hit 26 homers & 66 RBI in Double-A Columbus last year and continued to show that power in Spring Training as he hit five more homers. With an OPS of .796 it was decided that he should start the season as the DH but he had better perform, there’s quite a queue waiting for that slot. Jim Gouzzie lived up to his ‘Cadillac’ nickname and did enough to hold on to the starting SS role, Hedde Aalbers, our 2042 Rule 5 selection from Hawaii, is very versatile and will use his .311/.340/.511 slash & .852 OPS to back up second, third and short at the start of 2042. It’ll be a “Jim double-play combo” as Jim Abernathy did enough to win the starting 2B role. Hopefully he can continue his .346/.375/.442 Spring slash line when it come to the regular season. Hector Garza has spent most of his two BBA years as a backup CF despite not being great defensively at the position, but this year he doesn’t have to worry so much as he’s picked up the starting RF position, his more natural position. In the battle of what proved to be the backup right fielders the winner was Herve Billy, an average .236 hitter in Spring, but with plus-plus defence at the corners as well as being none too shabby in CF. His rival Raul Gasco is headed for Albuquerque after his spring line of .150/.227/.233 just didn’t cut it.

Third baseman Alex Ramirez is understandably back at the hot corner, but unfortunately it will be his last year there in Wichita. He’s in his contact year and I had him in nice and early to attempt to tie him up, but it was no dice. The first-year figure we couldn’t even get close to and the final years made me wince, you could pay the whole team with what he was after. Fair play to him though, he’s going to be one of the top 3B’s in the BBA, he deserves to get paid. Unfortunately, it won’t be by us, the fan interest is already pretty low and when we are forced to let an extremely popular player like Alex go, it’ll probably crash to an all time low. We can’t do anything about it though, we’ve stuck him on the trade block to see if we could get anything realistic for such a good player. Yes, we know any team that picks him up will be paying big bucks to keep him and we haven’t got the money to lighten their load, but he’s worth it – he’s going to be a real major BBA star. My initial thoughts were that people were going to lowball for him and I was quite prepared to hang on to him, give him that qualifying offer to take the draft pick. My views have changed a bit though as we have an offer that fills a few potential holes for us at minimum cost and also tucks a few dollars in the back pocket. I’m not going to jump at the first offer though, got to give the BBA time to step up and snaffle a top-10 player, but time is ticking away.
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Re: Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

Post by recte44 » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:27 am

With those pitchers, it's going to be an awfully long year in Wichita.

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Re: Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

Post by Fat Nige » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:25 am

I somehow get that feeling, but when you’ve got no money what can you do? Hiring five $1m 35-yr-old retreads to pitch wouldn’t really help either. Might as well take my beatings and keep the money to spend once I’m not so much in debt
Nigel Laverick
(former GM of El Paso Chilis #WeWereShitty) ,
Now GM Riyadh Red Crescents #WeBeNotSoNewNow #WeAreJustAsShitty


Riyadh GM since May 2046

JL Manager of the Year 2000 (Baltimore Monarchs)
Nothing since


An MBBA GM since 1995 (off & on)

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Re: Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

Post by HoosierVic » Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:19 pm

It's a marathon, not a sprint … or something like that. But Matt's right - the pitching staff is worrisome.

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Re: Spring Training, part 2 (2042-20)

Post by RonCo » Mon Mar 30, 2020 1:22 am

I kind a miss Julio Garcia.
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