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: 3rd 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 2nd 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.
