Your 2045 Thunderbears (2045-10)

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Your 2045 Thunderbears (2045-10)

Post by Fat Nige » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:01 am

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Little hope for Thunderbears

The history of Topeka baseball has generally been a losing one, they have only had a winning record in two of their ten years of existence. In 2042 they managed a 74-66 record and came third in their division while in 2043 they set their highest wins tally, posting a 79-61 record, winning the division crown and appearing in the playoffs for the first time ever. It didn’t last long though, they lost both games against Springdale and were out in a blink of an eye. Last year they slid down to just 68 wins and fourth in the division.

This year there seems little hope for any improvement on their 2044 showing. They have a roster virtually full of the lowest kind of foot soldiers, very few would make the excitement needle flicker on most minor league scouts, the one exception being 22-yr-old shortstop Mario Garcia. He is not a real prospect by any means, but he has something. A seventh-round draft pick in 2041, this will be his second year in Topeka. Last year thanks to 100 walks he owned a .377 OBP and drove in 75 runs, as well as a good eye he can hit the gap often and is grease lightening on the bases, successfully stealing base 28 out of 30 times. If he can improve his defence at short, he might make it to the upper levels of El Paso’s farm system.

24-yr-old centre fielder Alejandro Jaquez was a third rounder in that 2041 draft and is also a confirmed base stealer but again needs to improve his defence or perhaps move to a corner OF position. Posts a positive WAR most years and has just started to get into a regular double-digit homer production but he really has to move his batting average out of that .210-.220 range. 24-yr-old John Flores, drafted in 2039 (276th overall) has had an even slower progress up the ladder and although rated 40 he has very little going for him. He did walk 64 times in 2044 and hit a .277 average but his total lack of defence limits him to a DH role, and he has yet to reach double figure homers in a season. The rest of the batters slog on through the wind, mud and snow waiting for the cut to come. 21-yr-old Clark Pierce, just up from Springfield, has elite defence at first base and is a clubhouse leader but really needs a vast improvement most other places if burger flipping isn’t to be his next job. 20-yr-old Steve Kasper, a 4th round pick in 2043, has some upside maybe; Hitting .296/.390/.471 in Springfield last year and posting 2.2 WAR hints at a brighter future perhaps, but there are holes everywhere in his game.

On the pitching front 2042 13th rounder Felix Gonzalez merits some attention with his 8 rated stuff and an elite knucklecurve, but at 25-yrs-old you can’t help but think his ship has sailed. A 3-7 record in Topeka with a 5.77 ERA last year probably points to big improvements to be made this year if he isn’t going end his pro baseball career. 22-yr-old Angel Rivas drafted in the eighth round last year is one with potential, 3-4 with eight saves and a sub-four ERA last year in Springfield gives us a little hope he could progress while 23-yr-old Spike Rivers, a 2043 16th rounder, has pretty elite stuff with a fastball & Knucklecurve to match but little movement or control on them to raise his game. A 7.46 ERA in his first season in Topeka indicates he has a lot of work to do. One of the more upside pitchers may be 19-yr-old George Goodman, drafted in the third round last year he posted an 8-1 record as a starter in rookie ball Anchorage but unless his changeup develops his future will be in the bullpen and that is where we will try him this year in his first attempt at A ball.

While there is not much star quality on show there will be effort and hopefully a few will suddenly see the light. I’m hoping for a 65-70 win season as the Thunderbears extend their losing streak.
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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