2033 post season review

Original illustration from sketchbook, transformed to final illo below

San Diego Hops

December, 2033

November, 2017

An-Yi Bian, 3b, San Diego Hops

The Hops’ disastrous 57-105 2033 campaign had few bright moments, and even fewer bright prospects, but there was a glimmer of hope embodied by third baseman, An-yi Bian. Bian, a quiet Taiwanese native, has begun to take a leadership role on the field, if not the clubhouse, and his simmering distaste for selfishness is rubbing off on his younger teammates.

Bian hit .259, but his on-base percentage of .367, coupled with a solid .425 slugging percentage is sure to be a major cornerstone of the Hops’ rebuilding effort. His 98 walks led the Clemente League, and was fourth overall in the ABL. His 34 doubles were right behind young centerfielder, Martin Arias’ 36, for 4^th and 3^rd respectively in the ABL. Arias ABL leading 204 hits mark the pair as batting leaders San Diego can rely on for years to come, as Bian is 24 and Arias a mere 22 years of age.

2033 was a year most San Diegans would like to forget, tied for the worst in team history, after a brief uptick in ’32. In order to return to .500 and beyond to playoffs, a lot of work is going to have to be done, but Bian and Arias are the foundation from which Hops’ management is intent on building.

PITCHING

Injuries marred the starting rotation, with Prince Papenfuss limited to just 19 starts, and Gerardo Vela just five. The two regulars who made it unscathed by injury through the season, Jim Phillips and Robinson Pedercini, were both under .500, but still flashed potential as a left-right combo in the middle of the rotation. The need is for an ace at the top of the staff, and that may be Francisco Zuñíga, or maybe dark-horses, Enrique Galván or Ryuichi Akiyama.

The bullpen is a bit shaky, with youngsters like Taylor Longbottom, John Curnew, Nick Henneberry and Kawanari Uchida getting their feet wet in the bigs. Longbottom is slated to start the ’34 campaign in the closer role barring management moves.

CATCHING

Addy de Zeeuw is the lone bright spot at the position, but that is very bright. A solid .280 hitter, with adequate defense, the former rule 5 pickup is guaranteed the starting role. His backups will be a motley mix of career minor-leaguers, but a recent trade will bring Toshio Siriashi from SoCal into the system, and he looks to be the best of a meager bunch. Ron Marshall is the interim backup solution.

INFIELD

The Hops lost Taniguchi to free agency, so look for RF Jejomar Butardo to move into the infield with what is looking like an interesting crowd in the OF. Second base is solid with veteran Akira Kato while Sean Hayward waits in the wings. Bian has been discussed at the hot corner as a once and future star. Shortstop had injury issues, but youngster Manny Rios stepped up big when Rosa succumbed to the broken kneecap. Andy Hegarty and Landon Carmichael will be in the mix soon, so the infield is looking young and fast for years to come.

OUTFIELD

Robbie Colwill, Arias, and a host of middling names like Trude, Zeller, Atilano, Moreno, Rivzi, will all vie for playing time. Colwill and Arias are bonafide stars, so the DH and RF slots are open competitions.

FUTURE

The trade with SoCal could be just the beginning this off-season. Though choosing not to participate in what has historically been a lucrative avenue for the Hops, the Rule V draft, the Hops were not too dismayed at the prospects lost, contrary to the national press. Free agent and waiver wire work is definitely in the cards.

.500 is the goal for ’34, and motto for the campaign, “Sipping Desire”, also a new featured beer at the Brew Stade, will be the phrase going forward.

Hops mid-season review

Hops Mid-Season Review

Trade Trauma and Drama

Just when things were looking bad, and then worse, and then just plain gruesome, the Hops pulled the string on three major trades, completely changing the profile of the team. The effects may not be felt for a few seasons, but management felt it was necessary.

Francisco Zúñiga, RHP (Photoshop):                from this sketch done during today's staff meeting:

First, of course, was the preface trade: Jean Claude Petit going to Maple. That was just the tip of the iceberg. After an absolutely horrific losing clump, San Diego managed to drop 17 of 18 bracketing the All-Star game. Determined to change direction, Hops' brass reached out to their fellow GMs to come up with these deals:

Kenny Allen, a vaunted closer with little to show in a Hops uniform, SP Phil Kettenring, SP Tim Gary, and SP Jose Rios, all in the minors, for 2b Bryce Rice, RP Mai Do, and OFers Jorge Moreno and Ian Riley of Jacksonville. The keys to this deal were Rice, to move, Do and Riley to add depth, and the young pitchers given up were all performing at a marginal level, though admittedly with not a lot of data.

Grade: B- [higher if the players garnered in the Rice deal pan out, and none of the three youngsters, Kettenring, Gary and Rios go on to be superstars]

Then, in quick succession three deals:

 Salah bin-Atif, SP, and the ace of the San Diego staff was dealt to Bloomington for veteran SP Loeck Jurgens, minor league pitchers, Chris Elwell, Cedric Gold, and pictured above, Francisco Zúñiga, as well as OF Jason Colaiainni. This was an economic manuever, as bin Atif, like a number of other players on the Hops roster, was not going to re-sign, nor extend their contracts. The minor league arms more or less correspond to the arms given up in the Rice deal.

Grade: B+ with our scouts very excited about Elwell's electric fastball and hammer curve.

Bryce Rice, lasted less than 24 hours in San Diego, before he was on the move to Dallas; SD picking up outfielders Antonio Carranza and Jeff "Train" Dotson, along with 2b Andy Hegarty, and reliever, Luis Castillo. All four of these young men could see significant major league time if they continue to develop, especially Dotson who is the heir apparent in LF.

Grade: A Dotson and Hegarty are closest to the bigs

Finally, former first round pick, John Watt, once thought to be the catcher of now and forever, was moved to South Carolina, where perhaps a Bomber uniform will bring out the bopper in him. In return, San Diego received Sweet Spanker, who will try to learn 1b in case Taniguchi bolts California for greener pastures, and a bullpen commodity, Ronald Stevens. If Spanker doesn't learn first, he is a fantastic outfielder, so this will be a work in progress, perhaps Jejomar Butardo moving to first sack making way for the plethora of young outfielders, Colwill, Arias and now Spanker and Dotson.

Grade: B+ or higher if Stevens bridges the bullpen into the good years coming.


 San Diego, thanks to the trades and yet more disastrous injuries, will go with a rotation of lefty Jim Phillips, then all righties-Robinson Pedercini, Juan Vasquez, fresh from his former closer role, Zúñiga, and Do. DOH

Alberto Rivera becomes the closer, though look for Alejo or Stevens in that role shortly.

Moreno is the only newcomer to break into the starting lineup, supplanting Rivzi to some degree.

Hops Pre-season 2033

Hops pre-season

and NEW UPDATE with Bonus Poem Fragment and Illustration

and Brimstone

slurvers slop

inside outside

flipside

    slip

inside strike

zone

devil wings

for arms

demon twists

nail corners

sledeption

destruption

then

triple digits

                 written August 19, and September 9, 2017, drawn, on the same days

(Salah Bin Atif, you can look it up, he hits 100 on the gun, has a changeup and splitter, and maybe more given their ridiculous rating)

San Diego made headlines by dealing its best player and a minor league throw in, for a pack of bodies, most of whom will toil in the minors this year. Jean-Claude Petit and Bobby Criss, went to South Carolina, trading coasts for two major league pitchers, Prince Papenfuss and Gerardo Vela, with a handful of minor-leaguers thrown in. This is an early indication that SD will be shedding salaries (Kato? Cassidy?) for very little in return as it earnestly attempts to rebuild.

* News Flash, Dong-soo Bruce, SP has been dealt to Bloomington for a passel of youngsters:

P Ronaldo Teves

P Gabe Loza

OF Pete Bauer

SS Jamie DeWoody

The deal came down the morning after Bruce twirled a dominating KO against Dallas. San Diego management, under pressure, says that this may not be the end of dealing and wheezing, er, wheeling.

Lineup:

Martin Arias leads off playing CF, and in his third big year season is still only 21.

Robbie Colwill, also early in his career will bat second and play LF.

Tokuhei Taniguchi has established himself as a genuine power threat at 1b.

Veteran, Nadir Rizvi hits cleanup and will be the full time DH

Akira Kato, as long as he’s a Hop, will bat fifth and try to take Petit’s place at 2b.

An-yi Bian moves into a full time position at the hot corner.

Addy de Zeeuw catches with John Watt in the wings (deepest decent position on the team)

Manuel Rios is the only real SS on the opening day roster with Rosas on the DL

The bench is a bit thin, with Hayakawa on the IF and Trude in the OF supplying the best options.

Rotation:

Salah bin Atif fronts the rotation

Newcomer, Gerardo Vela will move into the two slot after his tenure in South Carolina

Dong-soo Bruce is the swing man   Jim Phillips

Prince Percival Papenfuss and Robinson Pedercini are solid back of the rotation arms

John Curnew and Jim Phillips are options here

Bullpen:

Juan Vázquez is the closer du jour

Zong Sang and Kenny Allen are a right handed dual setup crew

Phillips (update, now moved to the rotation) and Nick Henneberry are the middle men while Abdul Fattah Arfan and Naomi Kobayashi are going long to start the season

Prospects:

London Carmichael, Jimmy Wynn and Mario Yescas are the big names amongst position players, with former one pick, Carmichael destined to be on the big league roster soon. Jon Bender, Rick Byrnes and Jose Rios are an intriguing trio on the mound in the minor league system.

Overall:

70 wins is asking a lot, but what else is new?

Hops Post-Season Review 2032

The Pickoff

Pitcher, baserunner, first
sacker
Piano, bass
drums
laying down inning's
rhythmic line

Scanned from sketchbook, background, watercolor, scanned
Adobe Photoshop

August 1983, 2017

San Diego Hops Season in Belated Review

72-90

Fourteen is a good number if it is, victories, like hovering around that number from Bin Atif with a team-leading fifteen wins, or career high single team marks, Pedercini’s and Phillips’ thirteen positive outcomes. Better yet, San Diego improved by fourteen wins to the 72 victory mark. Now, many, many teams would look askance at 14, or 72, but this is a team that in its twenty year history has broken the 80 win mark only four times, and has not reached playoffs since 2016.

So, how did this happen, and how might another fourteen wins get notched in the season to come?

Let’s see, backstop, Addy de Zeeuw blasted fourteen (14!) home runs, a career high. First-sacker, To Taniguchi maintained his stroke, hitting .295/.355/.493, falling just short of 100 rbis and blasting 24 dingers.

This guy deserves his own paragraph. Jean-Claude Petit. “Rainmaker” or “Faiseur di pluie”, as in, “I say pluie to your stupid pitches”, hit .399, but in only 89 games. However, look at some of the math: 78 rbi in 89 games…imagine a full season! His presence in the three slot for even 50 more games might mean another fourteen game rise in wins.

The hot corner featured a platoon of An-yi Bian and Motoki Hayakawa that was not only productive at the plate, 19 HR 73 rbi between them, but had a zone rating of +9 between them. Both are under thirty, which is a trend on the Hops towards youth.

Shortstop was also a platoon between the freshly signed free agent, Gerardo Rosa, and scouting discovery, Manny Ríos. Between them, a WAR of 3.0, evenly divided, gives hope for that position.

Robbie Colwill was the featured player in the mid-season review, and he led the league in hits (210) and doubles (37), as a Rule 5 draftee. His left field position hid some of his defensive deficiencies, but his arm makes up for a lot of his range issues.

One of the reasons his speed did not translate to such stellar range, is the +11.8 zone rating of center-fielder, Martin Arias. The league leader in at bats also led the league in triples (17), so yet another scouting discovery (thank you, Lorne Wadden) has made an impact in the big leagues.

Right field, ah, the misery. Jejomar Butardo dropped a century mark from a career high .320 to a career low, .215, with a miserable .337 slugging percentage. As a result, young Jason Trude was signed in the off-season, to challenge “Earthquake”.

DH Nadir Rivzi in his first year in the olive and orange, had a .286/.362/.526 slash with a career-high 88 rbi in 121 games, limited due to injury.

So, what was the problem? Injuries, depth and pitching, pitching, bullpen, relief, and more pitching. Look for SD to continue to explore options to increase production from both the mound and the bench. Just maybe, fourteen more wins is in the offing.

Hops 2032 mid season PR

Original sketch from my sketchbook:

Digitally painted version, 7-17-17

Colwill, Robbie “Hoodoo”

The Roberto Clemente League’s leading hitter is a surprising young man from England, one Robbie Colwill, known to his mates and fans as “Hoodoo”, a nickname stemming from a complex word game of banter and pun the rookie brings to each of his multitude of teams. “Why him, why now?”, many ask, and one wonders the same from this vantage.

Colwill was signed out of Clay Cross-North Wingfield’s local cricket squad at seventeen by the Jacksonville Jacks. After graduating from their International Complex, he was a part-timer, only getting into significant at bats in his second season where he vaulted through all three minor league levels. He then stagnated in their system despite some pretty decent years, never hitting lower than .280. He was never a big power hitter, and the Jacks’ looked for more substance from a corner outfielder, so Robbie was exposed to the rule 5 draft and went over to Hawaii for seventeen games last season. Although on the roster long enough to forfeit his rookie status, Hawaii decided that .212 was not the average they were after and offered him back to Jacksonville.

San Diego selected him this off-season in the Rule 5, a fruitful venue for the Hops’ organization (see Dong-Soo Bruce, Addy de Zeeuw, Tokuhei Taniguchi). At the midway point of the season, nobody could see this coming: RC league leading .346 average, .379 on base, slugging .491 with an RCL tops 26 doubles, and second in runs scored, and 31 for 32 in stolen base attempts. In the field, he has some to learn as yet, but has made only one error all season.

His feel good story covers some of the pitfalls of the ’32 campaign in the southland. Jean-Claude Petit, Taniguchi, Nadir Rivzi, and Akiro Kato have all spent significant time on the DL, with the latter trio still languishing in the trainer’s room. As a result, not only Colwill, but green youngsters like Manuel Ríos, An-yi Bian, Nori Hatsutori, Mo Hayakawa, Martin Arias, Felipe de Regt, and pitchers Taylor Longbottom and  Yoshi Nakagawa, are on the big league roster, learning to contribute, rather than on the Winter League Santa Barbara squad that their age would seem more suited.

PITCHING

Salah bin Atif, 11-5, 3.80, left off the All-Star team, but the best candidate from SD other than Colwill. The ’32 All-Stars will once again not have a Hops player on its roster. Atif is supported by some Robinson Pedercini, a free-agent signee, who has produced a solid 8-7 season, 3.62 ERA, Jim Phillips who seems to be finally finding his groove in the rotation, 6-7, 4.36, and a rotating cast of back end starters. Juan Vásquez faltered as a starter, but has taken over the closer spot after the Marés trade, and has racked up 11 saves. Though not tremendous, the pitching has shown marked improvement over the disasters of recent years. In fact, the 4.35 team ERA is the lowest in San Diego’s history if it holds, and a huge boost from the 5.71 ERA of 2031.

HITTING

Colwill leads the way, and once Petit is back (he led the league for the first three weeks of the season until he got hurt), and if Butardo and de Zeeuw come back to their norm, things should be okay. The team average of .272 is typical for the Hops, so this is a good sign. Rivzi and Taniguchi are both scheduled back in the next month, so by July, the lineup will once again be more hitterish.

FIELDING

SD is right in the middle of the pack, trending lower given the youth manager Randy England has to work with on a daily basis. Manuel Ríos has taken over the shortstop position full-time, and has been acclimating to the big leagues like a veteran. An-yi Bian has been superb at the hot corner with a +4.5 zone rating. The outfield of Colwill, Arias and Butardo has been passably fair, tending to the top middle in all defensive aspects.

FUTURE

San Diego is watching its future play out in the big leagues rather than the minors, as most of the team is under 30. In fact, only the venerable Terrence Sepkiechler, 38, in his twilight back in a Hops uniform, and Tom Cassidy, 35, are over 31 years of age. Seven big league roster members are 23 or younger. If the injured stars come back strong, San Diego could revisit the .500 mark for the first time since 2026, and might be building a strong foundation for a playoff run in ’33.

Addendum:

Since this was first written, SD went into a tailspin, but Colwill regained the batting lead. A 4-3 week has the Hops back on the right track.

2032 Hops Pre-season

Herein is the conceit:

Take a drawing of nine baseball players, done the other night. Look at the Bethesda (the Hops’ single A affiliate) roster, and choose nine guys, and name them via the pictures. I scanned the original, then worked up each image in Photoshop today. Then, each of them talk about the guys on the major league roster ahead of them, and what they think about their chances this year.

The original scan from my sketchbook:

Jesús Faundez, 1b: This Dominican scouting discovery has yet to rise above .200 in his three seasons in the Hops’ organization. Here is what he has to say:

“I think we have a lot of players on this organization. I am not sure I have had the chance to prove what I can do. I know that Taniguchi is the big leaguer in front of me, along with a couple of other guys. Taniguchi, he hits the ball hard, gets the extra base hit, and he is still pretty young, only 28. I hope to maybe get to the big club and challenge him.”

Zeke Barnes, RP: A third round pick from the 2029 draft, he had a brief taste of AA before settling in Bethesda.

“The bullpen is always an interesting spot, and I think there is always room for a lefty in the pen. I’m a specialist, and right now, there are no lefties on the big squad. Atif and Phillips are both starting, so I don’t know if that’s the best option. Alejo and Rang are my big competition in the next couple of years. I’m hoping I get noticed and go to the big club soon.”

Yuujin McCool, RP: 3^rd round in 2028, having limited success as a pro thus far.

“I think that what we do depends a lot on our work as a battery. My catcher and I have to be on the same page. On the big club, de Zeeuw and Watt, well I think they’re set for awhile. I really hope to be throwing to Watt some day, he is really, really good. I need to work on my control, so I’m throwing to Brad as much as I can, doing my side sessions and working out, getting ready for the season.”

Odell Gisler, 3b: Minor league free agent signee in ’28 from the South Carolina organization, who is starting to hit his stride with OBP and power.

“Bian is the reason I got sent down to A from Jacksonville. I just need to work hard and hope things develop. An-yi is a horse, and he’s definitely starting to show it up in the bigs. He was a number one draft pick for a reason, and at 22, man, hitting .260 his rookie year, he’s got it going. I may start taking some balls at 2b, ‘cause Hayakawa may not stick in the show. He’s still hitting around two bucks, and I might be able to show what I can do this year, and make the squad in the next year or so, or get noticed and go somewhere in need of utility and hard work.”

Tetsuo Ohayashi, CF: In the organization since ’24, but has yet to rise above Bethesda.

“Martin Arias, he can play, and then they signed Rizvi, and picked up Colwill in Rule 5. With Cassidy, and Donovan, and Butardo, the big club is pretty set with OF for some time. I’m not too sure if I’m getting the notice I need to get to that level. I try to flash leather, maybe back up OF, because Arias is the only CF showing much, maybe de Regt, but not much in CF depth.”

Bill Ottinger, 2b: Fifth round draft choice that floundered in AA, starts this year in Bethesda.

“Petit is signed for a long time, so all of us at 2b are trying to learn SS and 3b, or play some OF. That guy can freaking hit. If he’s around all season, the big club could make some noise, I think.”

George Bays, CF: Scouting discovery out of England, yet to rise above Bethesda for the organization.

“Well, outfield, it is like being a ranger. Scouting out the edges of what the game has to offer. I’m not so sure the big club has the kind of rangers they need. Cassidy is a bit long of tooth, and Jejo has yet to rise to the kind of super stardom we’ve all been told about. There is a reason they went out and got Rizvi and Colwill, you know.”

Bruce Berardi, SP: This 2^nd round pick is about to make his pro debut.

“I’ve got a shot at being in this rotation if I keep working with my coaches and catchers, just going out and grinding every day. I see a starting rotation that doesn’t have any real stars, and they’ve struggled for a lot of seasons getting that guy who they can trust in the rotation. I hope that is me down the road, a guy they can give the ball to every five days.”

Ramón Roniero, SS: Scouting discovery who has had some success, but regressed last season.

“Akiro Kato, he is getting a little older. JC Petit, he is a stud. I played with Rios back in ’30, and I could see he is a good one, and he is on the big team. I don’t know Rosa, but I need to trust in what I can do, and let the rest work itself out. If Rios, Kato or Rosa, they stumble, heck, I can maybe be ready to go.”

The San Diego Hops signed a few players to fill some obvious holes: Pedercini for the rotation, Rizvi for the outfield, Rosa for the infield. Most feel that it won’t be enough to put SD in the playoff hunt, but it will certainly be a better team than finished with 104 losses a season ago.