Phoenix Rising

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felipe
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Phoenix Rising

Post by felipe » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:33 pm

It looks like its a bad time to enter the same division as Phoenix. Their team is solid, young, and ever improving.

After six shit years of existence, the Talon look playoff ready.

Behind the plate the Talon lead with twenty-nine year old Andres Martinez. He really hit his stride as a BBA star last season in his third full year; look for the 30 homerun man to improve on that total in 2035.

Martinez has a new backstop partner in 2035, as his three year partner, Ramon Rios, continues to languish in free agency. Twenty-six year old, Craig Jensen, was released by New Orleans last August and seems to have landed the backup role in Phoenix. Basebal is a funny game...

The infield is pretty much the same; Jack Hankey continues to spell Al Gordon at first base - as capable a pair as any in the league. Double paly combo, Manuel Martinez and Beast Young return a year older more seasoned, and familiar. Last years third baseman is today's backup infielder, as Joe Pike hits the pine, and rookie Brendan Kerndl looks set to assume hot corner duties.

I would highly doubt that there's many better infields around the league...not that I bothered looking or anything. Regardless, what a great collection of good young players!

The outfield is awesome too.

Centerfield is roamed by young stud, Thad Meyer, and sophmore right-fielder Bartolo Ortiz looks set to build on his excellent rookie campaign in 2034. Even left fielder, Domenic Wyatt, can whale the tar out of the ball. I'm assuming that rookie Duck Marin will get a metric shit ton of at bats too. And designated hitter, Toxin Deortez, is a manimal.

What a great lineup!

No weaknesses here!

The Talon gave up a lot of runs last year though, finishing mid pack among JL pitching.

They return starters, Bob Corrigan, Rob Snyder, Jose Trujillo, and Ignacio Rodriguez. They lost
Piano Legs Villegas in the expansion draft to the Wichita Aviators. They will try to replace the star with youngsters Salvador Gonzales or Cesar Aguilar; neither who are all that good.

Its basically a two man rotation and a cluster mix of fertilizer.

Their bullpen is led by returning closer, Vodak Batiski, who doesn't suvck. Setting him up is an eclectic mix of releivers, led by Adrian Garcia. It may sound harsh, but they are hardly overpowering as a group.

Looking at this staff, that lineup must have been instrumental in keeping down the runs against. Or simply put, it may have been a happy outcome of playing in the weak sister JL Southern.

They should have found a couple of pitchers this winter...as the guys in the farm don't look like they're ready until 2036 at the earliest.

Its such a great lineup, in spite of their putrid pitching, I'm gonna predict an 87 win season.

Although wins will come at a much higher premium in 2035, when they play in the best division in all of baseball, the Sun Belt; its a long way from the crummy JL Southern. The Sun Belt is the home of the mighty Wichita Aviators and others we have forgotten about.

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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by usnspecialist » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:43 pm

Manuel Martinez, the key return in the trade that sent Feliciano Rafael and Abdelwahab Kamade in the other direction!!!
Last edited by usnspecialist on Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by usnspecialist » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:44 pm

in all seriousness about Martinez, i have to admit he has turned out a LOT better than i thought he ever would. He was a pure throw-in for me, and maybe Sean saw something in him that i didnt because i didnt think twice about giving him up.
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Havana Sugar Kings/San Fernando Bears: 32-50 (1608-1481)
Des Moines Kernels: 52-

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FL Champion- 36, 37
JL Southern- 34
FL Pacific- 37, 39
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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by jiminyhopkins » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:52 pm

usnspecialist wrote:Manuel Martinez, the key return in the trade that sent Feliciano Rafaeland Abdelwahab Kamade in the other direction!!!
Yeah, who was that other guy we got? LOL*

*LOL = Lots of Lumps
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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by usnspecialist » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:57 pm

jiminyhopkins wrote:
usnspecialist wrote:Manuel Martinez, the key return in the trade that sent Feliciano Rafaeland Abdelwahab Kamade in the other direction!!!
Yeah, who was that other guy we got? LOL*

*LOL = Lots of Lumps
that has to be one of the most brutal post-trade situations in recent history.
Randy Weigand

Havana Sugar Kings/San Fernando Bears: 32-50 (1608-1481)
Des Moines Kernels: 52-

League Champion- 34
JL Champion- 34
FL Champion- 36, 37
JL Southern- 34
FL Pacific- 37, 39
Wild Card- 33, 35, 36, 40, 43

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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by Ted » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:58 pm

usnspecialist wrote:
jiminyhopkins wrote:
usnspecialist wrote:Manuel Martinez, the key return in the trade that sent Feliciano Rafaeland Abdelwahab Kamade in the other direction!!!
Yeah, who was that other guy we got? LOL*

*LOL = Lots of Lumps
that has to be one of the most brutal post-trade situations in recent history.
I disagree. I think we see this all the time in the vet for prospects deals. It's why I don't make them. This is certainly a bad one, but I'd bet more than half of these deals end up this way.
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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by usnspecialist » Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:14 pm

a lot of them end up badly, but at least you usually get something out of the guy first. Ignacio had one OK year and then went out for the year and has been terrible ever since. When i traded him (before 2032 season) he was just turning 29 and was 12/7/9. At the start of 2034 he was still a 10/7/9, which is down a bit but still workable. 15 months later he is an an incredible 6/6/7 at 32 years old. I know he had an arm injury in 2033, but for a pitcher who should still be in the backend of his prime, that is absolutely brutal.
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Havana Sugar Kings/San Fernando Bears: 32-50 (1608-1481)
Des Moines Kernels: 52-

League Champion- 34
JL Champion- 34
FL Champion- 36, 37
JL Southern- 34
FL Pacific- 37, 39
Wild Card- 33, 35, 36, 40, 43

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Re: Phoenix Rising

Post by jiminyhopkins » Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:23 pm

Hard to defend this one but look at I-Rods ratings at the time of the deal. We thought he was the ace that would put us on the map. Feliciano Rafael was the #73 prospect and injury prone, with a torn labrum in his recent past. Only later did he bump to 10 stuff.

As for Abdelwahab, in our news release we said that he had peaked as a player and would be unlikely to surpass the 3 war of his rookie year (he hasn't). And I really thought Martinez would be a passable replacement for him in time. You know what they say about hindsight but at the time I was thrilled to get what I felt was the highest rated pitcher in the game. But thems the breaks. And that's baseball.
GM, 2051 and 2053 JL 4TH WILDCARD Phoenix Talons (2029-??), BBA
CARETAKER GM, 2053 GBC CHAMPION Tokyo Pearls (2053 - 2056)
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