San Diego mid-season PR 2035

Hops mid-season review

San Diego needs to go 20-17 to better its 2034 record of 67-95, and that is a tall order. What is clearly a rebuilding effort has been an injury-marred disaster on many counts. Young players brought up too soon, veterans in the tank, pitchers unable to find a strike zone, altogether make for a team that has many fans not even bothering to check box scores.

Positives

The two rule 5 acquisitions, Gohta Yamashiro, 6-9 in 20 starts, 4.56 ERA, and Jimmy Shumaker, 20 appearances and three emergency starts, 0-3, 5.43, have been thrust into prominent roles due to the plethora of arm woes besetting the Hops’ pitching staff (Teves, Pedercini, Givens, Henneberry, Curnew, Uchida, Jurgens, Zuniga, Alejo all with DL time).

Martin Arias, still only 23, is third in the division hitting, at .328. and in the top five in the ABL in hits, doubles and triples. He is a steady fixture atop the Hops’ batting order.

An-Yi Bian, though down from his All-Star ’34 season, still leads the team in HR, and is a great glove at the hot corner. He too is still part of the future at 25.

Akira Kato, the grizzled elder statesman, still has something in the tank, hitting .296 with nearly 300 AB. At 36, he is in the last year of his contract, and will be moving on by all indications.

Jim Phillips, at 31, has finally found the consistency long awaited, and the southpaw leads the staff with a 9-9, 4.41 ERA over his 25 starts.

Negatives

Landon Carmichael is getting his first long look in the big leagues, and is overmatched so far, just shy of the .200 mark. The good news, is his glove is not feeling the effects, as he has only made two errors while showing extraordinary range at SS.

Amad Kuram is fading at catcher, and his .200 hitting means more time for Addy De Zeeuw, who is also showing signs of a career on its backside.

Pitching in general is just plain bad. The rotating cast of assembled arms is simply not getting the job done.

Outlook

Worse than ever, and the cupboard is looking somewhat bare in the minors. Of the eleven top pitching prospects, only Joe Starring has an ERA under four. Hitters are faring not much better, with Sal Marroquin, 1b, having some success in AAA, and Mario Yescas, showing hitting and pop, and may be the RF of the future now in AAA. Reynaldo Canseco is also waiting in the wings in AAA, but he is blocked at the major league level by Bian.

Akira Kato turns two, proving that age isn't always everything

Pre-Season PR, Hops 2035

Hops pre-season PR

March 11, 2018

April 4, 2035

As the 2035 season dawns, the Hops are guardedly optimistic. The 2034 campaign featured a ten game improvement, up to 67 wins, so a similar improvement might mean a brush with .500. A lot of changes are in store for the upcoming season, while some featured stars remain.

First, a fond farewell to Nadir Rivzi and Jorge Moreno, two aging stars who are still awaiting a team to sign them. A spring training trade brings two young Rule 5 pitchers to the roster, Gohta Yamashiro and Jimmy Shumaker, along with their new first baseman, Camden Mansel, a proven ABL slugger. Waived just this week are four pitchers with pro experience, Bob Fleury, Gerardo Vela, Rolando Teves and Roberto Mejia.

Amad Kuram moves into the starting lineup at catcher, also coming over in trade, and in the same deal, Rico Madrigal, the infielder, makes the Opening Day roster.

ROTATION:

Francisco Zuñiga, is the newly christened ace, after eleven starts at the end of a forgettable season. Hopefully his injury woes are behind him. Behind him are veteran, Robinson Pedercini (pictured), then three southpaws, Jim Phillips, Nick Henneberry and Pedro Alejo. Henneberry hasn’t been a regular starter since 2031 in AA. Like Henneberry, Alejo’s repertoire features a devastating changeup.

BULLPEN:

Mitzusuku Koyama had twenty decisions, 10-10, to go with 28 saves, so he’s the closer. Satoshi Yamada makes his big league debut in a setup role along with Kawanari Uchida, also a rookie with three big-league innings. Jeff Hodge is the lone veteran lefty in the pen, though he’s only 28. The aforementioned two Rule 5 kids round out the relievers.

CATCHER:

Amad Kuram is a great backstop, but is perhaps well past his prime as a hitter. Addy de Zeeuw is still going to get a lot of playing time. Ron Marshall waits in the wings.

INFIELD:

Mansel has 172 career dingers, and brings a veteran presence to the team. He’s backed up by the mad Romanian, Alexandru Curticapeanu, who bashed 21 homers in ’34. Ross Bullmore, Madrigal, and veteran, Akira Kato, Manuel Rios and Gerardo Rosa are the choices in the middle infield. An-yi Bian is the All-Star third baseman, and biggest star of this crew. Motoki Hayakawa is out of options as a corner infielder.

OUTFIELD:

The strength of the team is the dynamic duo of Robbie Colwill and Martin Arias. Jejomar Butardo will try to get another decent year in his eleventh big-league campaign. Tobias Zieler made the team out of spring training after two cups of coffee, and may let his bat do some serious talking.

OUTLOOK:

.500 is the goal, while keeping eyes open to continue to make improvements. Names like Landon Carmichael, Salvatore Marraquin, Jimmy Wynn and Mario Yescas could see time as position players, while pitchers, Jon Bender, Ids Haasjes, and Ryuichi Akiyama, a former number one choice, are moving up in the minors.

San Diego Hops 2034 mid-season PR

San Diego Hops mid-season PR

August 21, 2034

 (January 2018)

Pedro Alejo, 6-5, 225

Scan from sketchbook, January 12, 2018

This will be the basis of a more complete digital illustration, and more polished poem

No question in the minds of even the most optimistic Hops’ fans that this would be a rebuilding year, particularly after the first couple of months of the season. However, amidst the gloom engendered by a less than adequate pitching staff, there are some positive stories that wind their vines through the San Diego experience.

10-9 record in August, after an 11-11 July, meaning that the almost 20 under .500 record came in the early months of the season, and it may just be on the verge of righting itself. In that stretch, pitching improved a great deal, while hitting remains the strength of the team.

PITCHING

Jim Phillips, at 9-12, has the best record amongst starters. His ERA has dropped from 5.70 to 5.02 in a three game win streak. He also has a six game win streak this season, so hopefully he might make his way back to .500, and drop below 5.00 on the ERA side. Of course, his 12 losses rank him in the top ten league wide in the negative.

The rest of the rotation has been fairly hideous, or just plain broken or injured. John Curnew, 4-8, 5.17, Robinson Pedercini, out another month with hamstring issues, 6-10, 5.07, Alberto Rivera, 8-9, 5.90, Francisco Zúñiga, torn elbow tendon, on the 60 day DL, 3-5, 4.42, Prince Papenfuss, unclaimed after a waiver wire stint, 1-6, 8.82, Loeck Jurgens, 3-3, 6.13, and a few others, most notably, Ronaldo Teves, also on the 60 day DL, who only lasted 13 innings before tearing an elbow ligament.

In the bullpen, Mitsuzuka Koyama has been a pleasant surprise, going 8-6 with 21 saves, and a 3.03 ERA in his first year in the southland. Jeff Hodge carries a 3.25 ERA in over thirty innings. Rookie, Bruce Berardi has shown some flair in his four debut appearances. Taylor Longbottom has a lot of potential, but his 2-5 record and 6.61 ERA has led to more time in Coronado in AAA, than in San Diego. Naomi Kobayashi has picked up some wins in garbage time, and his inflated ERA of 5 plus is a result of five of his 24 games.

There might be some help in the minors, Fleury, Rodriguez, Akiyama, and Morgan are all in AAA ready for a shot. Ricky Alvarado and Jon Bender, are further away, while in the 22 under league, watch for Antonio Rios.

HITTING

The bats for San Diego continue to be their plus point. Ranking second in the RCL in hitting, OPS, third in runs, show that the stick side of the game is in good hands. Led by CF Martin Arias; .328, 3b An-yi Bian; .320 and Robby Colwill; .311, the trio ranks in the top ten in the league. Arias has 169 hits, Bian leads the team with 19 HRs and 73 RBIs, while Colwill is steady, and has swiped 21 bases.

Other contributors include new 1b Alexandru Curticapeanu, 18 HRs and 68 RBIs, and about to come off the DL, veteran Akira Kato, who at 35 is holding down the DH position with aplomb. Also showing some spunk at the plate is youngster, 2b Ross Bullmore, C Addy de Zeeuw, thriving in a platoon role with vet Ricardo Corte, infielders Manuel Rios and Sean Hayward, and an occasional blow from Motoki Hayakawa.

Disappointing seasons are coming from Lorenzo Atilano, Gerardo Rosa, Nadir Rizvi, Jejomar Butardo, and Jorge Moreno. All are over thirty, but it is hoped they are not quite done yet. If they are, watch for more time in the near future for the likes of Andy Hegarty, Tobias Zeiler, Sweet Spanker, London Carmichael, and Jamie DeWoody.

Names to watch in the future include C Ron Marshall, OF Jason Trude, OF Jeff Dotson, OF Antonio Carranza and potential future star, OF Mario Yescas.