2024 Early Going

Hops On the Vine

Opening weeks:

While hope often springs eternal, particularly amongst the sun, suds and surf crowd of southern California, it usually has brevity around its local nine. This season, the Hops are off to one of their best starts ever, and have fans smacking their IPA laden lips with delight. The 18-13 record puts them squarely in the early running with the perennially talented Montreal club, and just a nose ahead of the newly relocated Waco contingent.

Leading the charge is very talented southpaw, Mal Tosewell. His 5-0 record is a testimony to his skill, though his 4.19 ERA is a tad north of what one expects from the fireballer. The pitching staff has been hit with injuries to two of its rotation, both Rólon and Cheung expected to miss the season, but has hung together with spot starts from the bullpen, Downing, Dieguez and Ortiz all notching a start in the last ten days. The bullpen has been on the precipice, either falling off (Moore, three blown saves), or holding on for dear life (rookie Kasakya, and veteran “Crime Spree” Downing, five holds each). The bullpen ERA of 4.34 is middle of the pack, and salvaged a ravaged starting corps that has posted a 6.43 ERA in the first 29 games. It is hoped that Joe Barrett’s return from the DL will help stabilize the pen, though a career ERA of 5.19 in ten seasons makes for wishful thinking.

The real reason behind the Hops’ success are the men with bats in their hands. The Hops are wielding the lumber with aplomb, leading the league with a .328 average, .490 slugging percentage and .870 OPS, while their 213 runs and 377 hits also top the Clemente League. The free-wheeling sluggers have paid the price, also nearly leading the league in strikeouts with 225 thus far.

Individually, two-time batting champ, Kyle Reader was among the league leaders, hitting .446 when he succumbed to injury, but he is expected back in a week or so. In his absence, Ricardo Romo has come into his own at the plate, with a scorching slash line, .363/.403/.605/1.008., placing him amongst the top ten in most categories, including a league-leading 32 runs scored. Also off to great starts, as expected, Terrence Sepkiechler, .333/.394/.492, and Justin Davis, .358/.429/.569, each with eleven doubles just off the leader’s pace (ex-Hop, Dan Savage). The Hops always have a hard-hitting outfield, and 2024 early returns also include Tom Cassidy, chipping in fourteen EBH including seven circuit knocks, and 28 runs ranking him in the top five in that category, two-time All-Star, Carlos Avila, warming up with a .290 average and ten EBH, and recent callup, Daniel López, merely cracking the bat at a .600 clip at 9-19 in his first half-dozen games back with the big club. Moving out from behind the plate to occasionally roam center-field, is Goldi “Titan” Lebel, who has started three times in the outfield, to go with his seven starts at short, and sixteen behind the plate. It is hoped that his diversity will lead to a fresher fall, as catching has taken its toll on his bat over time. Thus far, his .284 average and .368 on base, look to be credible evidence that he is enjoying his diversity.

With Lebel moving around, there has been more room for veteran, António Rojas, to start as the lead catcher. He has responded with a solid .286 average with 15 clutch RBIs. Morgan Cairns is finally getting a chance for an extended stay with the big club, and his clubhouse presence and camaraderie with the pitching staff has not gone unnoticed.

As noted, Sepkiechler has long been the anchor of the Hops’ infield, but some new names are emerging as part of the fast start, including Carlos Gamboa, who in his soph season is hitting .370 in the early going. Perhaps sensing an opening at the second base position, there is hot competition, as he is joined there by youngster, Gerard Leeder, who at only 21, is opening eyes with a .296 average, and only two errors in 29 starts at short and second, Roberto Afilhado, .326 while starting at both first and second, while on track to have his longest stay in the bigs, which has infected vet, “Crayon” Frost, who has chipped in with a .400 average in part-time play.

Down on the farm, or just east of San Diego, the Coronado Phantoms, AAA affiliate is also off to a fast start, with a 19-14 record to lead their league. Veteran Badry Makaev is making noise with the bat as usual, hitting .412 with a 1.158 OPS, joined by youngster on the charge, Jejomar Butardo, .325/.456/.926, and Randall Parks, .340/.443/1.093 with 8 HRs, and Edgardo Gomez, .310 with power aplenty. Infielder, Paul Miller who made his SD debut in ’23, is also hitting at a .353 clip, making scouts consider a move west to the big club. Young, Alonso Esquivel, may make his Hops debut this season, and already has ten saves.

AA Jacksonville is also leading their league at 20-11. Watch for names like Yin-tou Lew, who in the SD international tradition, is off to a 4-1, 1.85 start in 39 innings. 27 year old Keith Rogers has never quite lived up to his potential, but may have found something in the Mississippi delta, and is also 4-1. Jeff Barraclough has never gone beyond AA, but his 9 HRs this season give him over 80 in his minor league career.

To complete the trifecta, Bethesda, the Maryland A league squad, is also leading the league with a 21-12 mark. Here are youngsters making a name for themselves, such as Susumu Yamamoto, a slugging 1b, with a .393/.472/1.128 slash, and along with 3b Waqar Kharoti, .339/.445/.949, lead the team in hitting. A name to remember is Juan Vásquez, who can hit 100 mph, and owns a 4-2 mark in his second season as a pro.

(Picture for this post to follow, traveling in Berlin with one of my sons, so hard to take the time to draw digitally without my setup)