short hop
stretch
loose enough
spin adjustment
tricky
infield
scoop
Tokuhei Taniguchi, 1b San Diego Hops (Photoshop and Painter, Dec. 2017)-corrected version! The original is LH, so I did some fancy rotation work in Painter to get his big right hand without a glove…
Maybe because it’s age, what with Bill Atteberry turning 65
and me turning 63 this Thursday, Dec. 22, or maybe it was just a case of best
player available for the holes in the lineup, but the Hops approach to this
season looks a lot like a veteran’s paradise.
The Hops’ lineup for 2030 has undergone some dramatic
changes since the offseason, without the benefit of any trading, which Hops’
management claims is due to unexplained phenomena. Speaking of phenomenal
transactions, Jean-Claude Petit, Goldi Lebel, Ken Abbot, and Addy de Zeeuw all
added via contraction draft, free agent signing or Rule 5 draft, so a mute
trading season nonetheless led to four upgrades in the daily nine.
Heck, that might mean a record approaching .500? 2029, ten
under .500, but a 14 win improvement. Upgrade four positions, significantly,
and .500 is not an unseemly goal.
Starting Pitching
The crux of the problem, yet no attention in the off-season.
Why the confidence? Juan Vásquez, the designated ace of the staff, is only 27,
and seems to have corralled some of his significant talent. Salah bin Atif, the
lefty, is 26, and improved by nearly two points in ERA while throwing 100 more
innings than the season prior. At 6-6, and 4.24 ERA, “Skates” will be an
interesting story to play out. Jim Phillips, another southpaw, was excellent in
a September cameo, and looks to be a 30 game starter, and is a mere 25. Gonzalo
Diéguez, is the grizzled vet at 29. Expect a solid, if uneventful, campaign.
Vying for starter five are Naomi Kobayashi, and the grand old man, José
“Smooth” Ramos.
Bullpen
Son Mai improved 16 saves in 2029, and has secured the
closer role, with a team friendly contract.
Setting him up, lefty, Ajdir Kasakya, sporting a 1.64 ERA
from the ’29 season, and righty Zong-yuan Sang, who lowered his ERA three
points to 2.59 in ’29. Yo Watanabe seems poised to take a middle relief role,
or sneak into the rotation, and like Phillips, a result of the ’28 blockbuster
trade with Duke City. Kendrick Dobson, Abdul-Fattah Arfan, Dong-soo Bruce and
Ernesto López are all in the mix.
C
Addy de Zeeuw, the switch-hitting, 25 year old, Rule 5 pick,
has won the SD starting job. This will be 3rd his major league
season, having reached the bigs for two cups of coffee for two other clubs.
1b
Tokuhei Taniguchi took possession of 1b, and in his
sophomore season, playing every game, and socking 34 HRs and 104 RBI, on top of
a .300/.340/.505 slash at only 26.
2b
Jean-Claude Petit, first pick for Diablo in the compression
draft, brings a superlative batsman and banner glove work, and is signed for
six more years, when he’ll only be 32.
3b
Who would have thought the name of SD’s hot corner guard
would be Ken Abbot? After a rancorous free agent breakup, the two sides seemed
to have settled differences amiably, and Abbot , of the .300/double digit home
run, capabilities, coupled with glove wizardry, and one senses something might
be going on in San Diego.
SS
Akira Kato cracked 22 homeruns in only 135 games, and brings
a good eye on both sides of the ball to ’30.
LF
After a year away from the SoCal confines, Tom Cassidy
returned in glory, smashing 27 HRs while clubbing at a .288 clip. At 33, if
things go south, he might be trade bait.
CF
Goldi Lebel was a star in SD for many years, and is somehow
back and bringing one of the biggest upgrades to the Hops/ defense. Even at 33,
he is producing, and will hit out of the 9 hole.
RF
Jejomar Butardo is hoping for a bounce-back 162, after
hitting .246 in ’29. Afield, he is still a three-time gold glove winner,
including the last two seasons.
DH
Clinton Miller, has seemed to find a home in SD after a
nomadic career. Solid contribution, perhaps ready for an upgrade.
Bench
Hae-nim Kim was last season’s starter behind the plate, and
he’s ready to step in if Addy falters. Motoki Hayakawa is odds on favorite to
make the bigs as a utility player. Yoshi Nishimura is also in the infield mix.
Ricardo Romo and Daniel Lopez return, and perhaps Jason Donovan makes the
roster.
Futures
Martin Árias is ripping up the Winter League, and the
scouting find is only 18. An-yi Bian, 20 year old, 2029 first round pick, had a
very nice debut starting in AA with an .830 OPS. Another international signee
to watch is Manuel Rios.
Pitching is a little thin, with Jacksonville’s Nakagawa closest
to the bigs. Wilson and Rivera in AAA may have peaked. 16 year old Jose
Rodriguez, signed on an international agreement, is 4-2 in the Winter League,
with a 2.83 ERA in six starts and six relief appearances.
Hops could win 82. If they win 84, it would be the highest
win total in ten years.
