Boardwalk Empire - 2043.9 - The Bad (Hitters)

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Boardwalk Empire - 2043.9 - The Bad (Hitters)

Post by Joshua Biddle » Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:10 am

Atlantic City Gamblers - The Bad (Hitters)

The following hitters disappointed in Atlantic City during the 2043 season:

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Second Baseman Keith Dean

Dean, 30, has had a bizarre career in Atlantic City, and perhaps the past two seasons are the clearest representation of this assertion. Last season, following years of mixed displays of solid contact and power, Dean put it together over the course of a full season and slashed .298/.348/.518 with a career-high 27 home runs (tied with 2040 season) and a career-high 95 RBIs. Fast forward to 2043, and Dean finished the season hitting .227/.293/.335 with 51 runs scored, 19 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs, 40 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 5 attempts (.600 success rate), and a -0.3 WAR in 543 plate appearances. Dean's 8 home runs is his lowest single season in which he served as the Gamblers primary second baseman, also posting career-lows in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and other categories. Dean suffered a pair of nagging injuries in August (back spasms, strained rib cage) and was knocked out of action for the remainder of the season on September 2nd with a fractured finger. The question that Gamblers' management and fans alike wonder is was Dean playing through pain throughout the season? Or at age 30, is this the beginning of the end for Keith?

The former first round pick has 16 million reasons to figure out the answer to this question and post a bounce back year in 2044 -- he is due $8 million in 2044, with a team option of $8 million for both the 2045 and 2046 seasons, making 2044 his last guaranteed season on his current contract. Another poor performance and the Gamblers may have to move on, and the pressure may start to build as Don Pérez continues to impress and is expected to take reps at second base for Class-AAA Brooklyn next season.

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Shortstop Ewan Allman

Allman, 24, entered the 2043 season with expectations of taking the starting shortstop gig after a solid 2042 season with Class-AAA Brooklyn (.270/.385/.378, 1.4 WAR in 481 PA). Instead, Allman disappointed, hitting .225/.290/.321 with 28 runs scored, 19 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs, 32 RBIs, 3 stolen bases in 13 attempts (.231 success rate), and a -0.4 WAR in 406 plate appearances. Allman was mediocre as a shortstop, posting a solid +3.0 zone rating and .993 defensive efficiency, but recording 14 errors (.973 fielding percentage). Allman was expected to fully supplant shortstop Sven Burel as the Gamblers' primary shortstop; however, his poor offensive performace actually allowed Burel to reclaim a significant portion of playing time based on Burel's elite-level defense. At this point, Allman's value has taken a hit, but is a versatile enough defender that he can start to work more at second base with hopes of competing for playing time versus Keith Dean, who also disappointed.

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Right Fielder / Designated Hitter José Valentín

Valentín, 23, declined considerably from the .255/.354/.506 slash line, 20 home run season in 2042. So much so, Valentín was demoted in early June, not really impressing with Class-AAA Brooklyn either (.260/.347/.446, 13 HR, 42 RBI). Valentín finished the 2043 season with Atlantic City hitting .218/.293/.381 with 20 runs scored, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, 5 stolen bases in 9 attempts (.556 success rate), and a -0.1 WAR in 167 plate appearances. Though he struggled overall, it should be noted he finished the season strong in Atlantic City, which included a .300/.447/.400 slash line with 1 home run in 38 September plate appearances; a .444/.500/.1.222 slash line with 1 home run and 3 RBIs in 10 October plate appearances; and going 1-2 with a home run in postseason play. A below average outfielder, it remains to be seen if Valentín can stick to the Gamblers' roster moving forward based on the glut of outfield talent the Gamblers currently have.

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Outfielder / Designated Hitter John Noble

Noble, 26, in his fifth season with the Gamblers, posted an OPS over 100 points lower than his best season in 2040, when he slashed .258/.327/.460 with 15 home runs in 413 plate appearances. Noble finished the 2043 season hitting .201/.306/.367 with 15 runs scored, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 17 RBIs, and a 0.1 WAR in 162 plate appearances. Noble posted decent metrics when called upon in right field, though he is average at best as a corner outfielder. Noble was given the opportunity to start several games versus left-handed pitching to counteract a left-handed heavy lineup. However, he was unable to capitalize or set himself apart as a viable threat versus lefties, finishing the 2043 season versus left-handed pitchers hitting .221/.302/.468 with 9 runs scored, 4 doubles, 5 home runs, and 10 RBIs in 86 plate appearances. With Noble being arbitration eligible, it's unclear if the Gamblers will even offer arbitration to a player who has mustered a career -1.1 WAR, and an aggregate 0.1 WAR over the past four seasons.

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Shortstop / Utility Infielder Sven Burel

Burel, 25, posted the worst offensive season of his career thus far, yet posted his best WAR in three years based on his excellent defensive work at shortstop. Burel finished the season hitting a paltry .194/.292/.320 with 38 runs scored, 11 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs, 22 RBIs, 4 stolen bases in 7 attmepts (.571 success rate), and a 1.0 WAR in 333 plate appearances. Burel's defensive metrics were dazzling at shortstop - 4 errors (.987 fielding percentage), a +8.5 zone rating, and a 1.089 defensive efficiency. As poor as Burel's offensive continues to be, he continues to remain in the conversation as a Gamblers' starter and likely become the favorite to take the full-time job back going into the 2044 season. He has proven to provide Diamond Glove caliber defense at shortstop, and without any offseason additions, that alone may be enough to salvage his job, especially given the overall strength of the offense over the past few seasons.

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Catcher Randy Bader

Bader, 23, had an impressive rookie season from a power perspective (.212/.295/.429, 23 HR, 80 RBI) last season, but provided very little of substance during the 2043 season. Prior to fracturing his finger in June, and later suffering complications that warranted season-ending surgery, Bader hit .171/.245/.309 with 12 runs scored, 9 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 7 RBIs, 4 stolen bases in 4 attempts (1.000 success rate), and a -0.2 WAR in 193 plate appearances. A solid defensive catcher, it's unlikely that his spot on the roster is in jeopardy, but catcher José Barajas emerged late in the season, posted a 2.7 WAR, and excelled in September during the absence of Juan Rivera (.389/.468/.852, 7 HR, 16 RBI).
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Re: Boardwalk Empire - 2043.9 - The Bad (Hitters)

Post by jleddy » Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:15 am

Did NOT see that comin' from Dean.
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Re: Boardwalk Empire - 2043.9 - The Bad (Hitters)

Post by RonCo » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:01 am

Will dean's fall if be one of those 1 year head scratches? Or is he done?
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