Opening Day Rosters 2043 – Outfield & DH
The outfielders look as though the starters have potential to be a solid crew, but only potential. The DH(s) could really be anything, maybe someone will really take to the role, who knows? Stats are all at the quoted level for 2042.
THE OUTFIELDERS
| Age | Batter | Pos | 2042 Level | BBA Games | G | GS | Av/OBP/SLG | OPS | H | HR | RBI | BB | WAR | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Juan Hernandez | LF | BBA | 343 | 145 | 140 | .278/.336/.457 | .793 | 153 | 13 | 65 | 49 | 2.0 | 35 |
| 24 | Juan Roman | LF | BBA | 205 | 107 | 97 | .265/.317/.492 | .808 | 97 | 18 | 57 | 19 | 1.1 | 13 |
| 26 | Francisco Mendez | CF | BBA | 332 | 42 | 42 | .216/.271/.320 | .591 | 33 | 4 | 22 | 11 | -0.3 | 1 |
| 26 | Jorge Rincon | CF | BBA | 526 | 69 | 48 | .249/.325/.341 | .666 | 46 | 0 | 17 | 21 | 0.4 | 10 |
| 29 | Luis Maldonado | RF | BBA | 1382 | 52 | 52 | .261/.353/.473 | .827 | 49 | 11 | 31 | 21 | 0.7 | 3 * |
| 24 | Hector Garza | RF | BBA | 256 | 127 | 122 | .233/.310/.401 | .711 | 111 | 13 | 47 | 44 | 0.4 | 28 |
* Only includes stats with Wichita for 2042, does not include his stats gained in 2042 while in San Fernando
Three starters and three backups on the roster, not as clearly defined as it would seem at first. Hernandez started 2042 as the starter in CF, but after he was able to slide over to the left field corner, he became a lock there and is expected to spend 2043 there too. He wasn’t that good in centre and it was a bit of a relief when we were able to pick up Francisco Mendez on the waiver wire. He was able to cover centre field while Jorge Rincon was in a complete funk. This year we will trust Rincon to start with, but Mendez will be lurking close behind ready to run on as a replacement. The big money man is Luis Maldonado in right, 53 homers and 133 RBI during 2042, unfortunately mostly for San Fernando. The Aviators’ Flight Crew fans will be very disappointed if he can’t up his performance to that which he showed for the Bears. Hector Garza, who was displaced in right by the arrival of Maldonado, is virtually as good in the field as the big money man and will be ready if Luis can’t get his bat hot. Hector also had 25 games or so as the DH in 2042, a role he will be keen to get a few 2043 AB’s. Juan Roman seems the odd one out, his LF role was taken by Hernandez, a far better outfield corner fielder, and he hasn’t really got anywhere else to go. He could perhaps get a few AB’s at DH after he hit 18 homers in 2042, but really is currently just an injury replacement.
THE DH ROLE
| Age | Batter | Pos | 2042 Level | BBA Games | G | GS | Av/OBP/SLG | OPS | H | HR | RBI | BB | WAR | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Luis Alvarez | 2B | BBA | 157 | 84 | 78 | .209/.303/.336 | .638 | 56 | 6 | 24 | 32 | -0.6 | 1 |
| 24 | Ernesto Ramirez | 3B | AA | 0 | 121 | 115 | .306/.391/.533 | .924 | 140 | 27 | 103 | 61 | 3.8 | O * |
| 24 | Hector Garza | RF | BBA | 256 | 127 | 122 | .233/.310/.401 | .711 | 111 | 13 | 47 | 44 | 0.4 | 28 |
| 24 | Juan Roman | LF | BBA | 205 | 107 | 97 | .265/.317/.492 | .808 | 97 | 18 | 57 | 19 | 1.1 | 13 |
It really will start off as DH by committee, Matt Chambers and Paul Cash, both sent to Albuquerque for 2043, proved to not be exceptional enough to warrant keeping a dedicated DH around so we will start 2043 using a pool of backups in the DH role to keep them fresh and get them extra AB’s. How that’ll work out is anyone’s guess, knowing the Aviators though, probably not very well.
I won’t embarrass the team by previewing the rotation, let’s just say three Rule 5 picks getting their first taste of the BBA, a pitcher who posted a 6-16 record with an ERA over 7.00 last year for Wichita and a 36-yr-old who posted a losing record for both Edmonton & Madison in 2042.