Hopped on Baseball

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Spring Training in San Diego: 2027

Ken Abbott, 3b

San Diego Hops

Pre-season 2027

San Diego enjoyed only its second .500 season in the last seven, and notched its best record since 2019. The 83 wins tied for the second best record in franchise history, so fans rightfully are more optimistic than recent seasons. As spring pints are quaffed, Hops stalwarts are looking with interest at this year’s outlook.

Rotation: Jeff Kimball was the lone off-season trade acquisition, coming over from Eureka in exchange for reliever Javier Galindo, and OF prospect Will Trenholm. Kimball will likely start the season in the rotation, (but is now on the disabled list until at least May), joining Lorenzo Pueblo, 15-9 in ’26, 200 inning eater, Mal Tosewell, 11-11, Jose Ramos, 11-9 and waiver claimer, Kyoji Mizutani. Veterans, Walt Lawson, Francisco Rolon and Chris Hastings, wait in the wings should there be an opening. Pueblo was the ace in 2026, but there are hopes that another star emerges from the host of .500 pitchers.

Bullpen: Ajdir Kasakya rose to the closer role, and nailed down 29 saves to go with a 9-7 record. With confidence gained from his increased presence in the ninth inning, he looks to be the breakout pitcher for the Hops in ’27. Jesus Ramirez and Cipriano Sousa are the right-left setup combo, and have ample bodies, if not talent, with the likes of Barnes, bin Atif, Dieguez, etc. waiting in the wings.

Catcher: Easily the weakest position in the San Diego system, though major leaguers, John Calderon and Manny Fernandez are seasoned big league ballplayers. AA prospect, Hae-nim Kim is the highest rated catcher in the system, but has an attitude that needs adjusting if he’s going to make a big league impact.

1b: Kyle Reader spends most of his time at the corner sack, but can also play the outfield. With Reader and his .344 career average, and two-time batting champion, entrenched, San Diego can afford to wait on prospects Tokuhei Taniguchi and Susumu Yamamoto. Jejomar Butardo will also see some time at 1b, as well as the hot corner, DH and outfield.

2b: Gerard Leeder continued to blossom into a star at the keystone for the Hops. While starting 150 games, the slick middle-infielder cut down his strikeout total by 20%, and for the second straight season, scored over 100 runs. Carlos Gamboa backs him up in veteran fashion.

SS: San-Pan Chio emerged as the Hops’ starting SS in ’26. He displayed surprising alacrity with the stick, hitting .311 and garnering an .867 OPS. With 88 starts at the six hole, Chio fielded well above average, committing only nine errors. Tae-Kyun Hong looks not quite ready for the bigs, and it is hoped he can spend ’27 in AAA.

3b: Ken Abbott gives veteran solidity to the hot corner, and is hoping to continue anchoring the position for years to come. A product of a deal with South Carolina in ’24, Abbott has been consistent, but it is hoped he can drive home more runs in ’27. Paul Miller backs up 3b, and can play 2b and SS.

OF: Tom Cassidy is poised to make his first All-Star appearance, given his continuing improvement over the last three seasons. He starts in LF, while it is a rotating cast in the rest of the outfield. RF will most likely be Jejo Butardo, spelled by Ricardo Romo and Dan Lopez who both also play LF. The only true CF is Xavier Encarnación, who hit a paltry .193 in ’26. That opened the door for aging vet, Stan Cheslin, who started 40 times in CF to the dismay of the Hops’ pitching staff. Daniel Lopez was even worse, so watch for experimentation in CF this spring. Carl Questi and Jaen Rossell are both years away from producing in CF for SD, so like the catching position, this is one to watch deal-wise, in coming months.

Though picked to finish above .500, San Diego is not poised to contend unless the C/CF/rotation questions are answered.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

San Diego at One Third=Even

San Diego Hops
June 8, 2026
29-30, 16 GB, Fifth Place

San Diego made some cost-cutting moves that have led to a lack-lustre opening to the 2026 campaign.

The offseason pre-Christmas gift, featured this blockbuster:

Followed by:

Meaning former first overall pick, Goldi Lebel, long considered the anchor of the franchise was gone, and veteran Stan Cheslin and a number of seeming journeymen had joined the Hops contingent. How has that paid off for San Diego? The answer is mixed, at best.

Catcher: Grade=B
With Lebel not an option, Manny Fernandez, obtained in the Lebel deal, has stepped in to the tune of a .261 average, but more important, has handled a fragile minded pitching staff. Five-time All-Star, 37 year old, Phillip Smith, is playing out his career string as his backup. In the minors, South Korean import, Hae-Nim Kim is showing promise in AA, while the AAA duo of "Tangles" Calderon, and Ekansa Sathiamoorthy has stalled short of the majors.

First Base: Grade=A
Kyle Reader seems to mellow with age, but like a fine wine, or barrel-aged porter, keeps getting better. His .360 average stands fourth in the division, and he looks to be headed to his fifth All-Star game. He is spelled by former phenom, Jejomar Butardo, whose sheen has dimmed somewhat at only 23. Susumu Yamamoto, a 2nd round pick in '23, has 10 homers, destined to top his career high of 14 in AAA Coronado.

Second Base: Grade=B+
Gerard "Mastodon" Leeder is the captain of the team at 23, and is gaining momentum towards a career topping season. Although he led the league in the unenviable category of strikeouts at 244, he is on course for under 200 this year while increasing his OBP from .320 to .380. He continues to look like the fielder that won a Gold Glove in '25. The only other potential keystone mainstay in the system, is injured infielder, Paul Miller, with no prospect in the minors.

Third Base: Grade=B-
Ken Abbott, veteran from the trade with South Carolina, has been a solid, if unspectacular, addition, with a slash line in '26 of .301/.361/.433. His lack of power, parallel to Reader at the other infield corner, means the San Diego offense relies almost exclusively on its outfield for the long ball. Paul Miller backs up adequately, but little depth in the system leads to the overall downgrade from B to B-. Butardo is having a two-week tryout while Abbott is on the DL.

Shortstop: Grade=C
Paul Miller has been playing out of position here, then hurt his back and is out until September. San-Pao Chio will have an opportunity to warrant his international signing back in 2018 as a 17 year old Taiwanese import. "Racetrack" Hong, a waiver pickup, has been brought up as a backup for now. In the minors, Aanand Selvam, is looking to be the first Bangladeshi major leaguer.

Outfield: Grade=B
Left field: Tom Cassidy is in his fourth season as a Hops starter, and may be heading to his first All-Star appearance. An early power surge has him at 14 dingers, leading the team, and until recently ranking high in the division. He is on course for 200 hits for the first time in his career. Ricardo Romo is an adequate backup, and has been part of a modest DH group including Butardo and Stan Cheslin. No corner outfielders of note are clamoring for attention in the minors.
Center field: Two time All Star, Carlos Avila, is in severe decline, batting only .190 in AAA after manning CF the last few seasons in San Diego. No outfielder has stepped up at the major league level, with waiver pickup Xavier Encarnacion the latest attempt until he landed on the DL this week. Another waiver claim, Julio Ruiz has been called up to shore up defense, but this is a huge weakness for SD. It is hoped that nineteen year old International signee, Jayden Rossell, from England, will be the future answer, but he just got moved from A to AA, and is the youngest member of the Jacksonville squad.
Right field: Stan Cheslin has nine Gold Gloves, and at 32 still has gas in the tank as evidenced by his .314/.397/.568 slash line. He did not look good in CF, so the move to RF should pay dividends for a San Diego team looking for answers on both offense and defense. His backup, Daniel Lopez, slides into the DH position and is mashing at a .300 clip. As mentioned, beyond Butardo, nothing looks promising as a power-in-waiting option for the Hops.

Bullpen: Grade=C+ to B
One of the multiple Achilles heels of the San Diego team, the bullpen is showing signs of hope as the Hops have concentrated on pitching during its last few drafts. South African, Ajdir Kasakya, a fastball-slider slinging southpaw, has been moved into the closer role, and has responded well after replacing aging veteran, Ed Downing, no doubt in his last season with SD after a venerable twelve season run. His 222 career saves promise to be a San Diego record far into the next decade. Cipriano Sousa brings a 100 mph heater to the mound, and he seems to finally have harnessed his command. Jesus Ramirez has also contributed. Down on the farm, Zong-yuan Sang, Abdul-Fattah Arfan, Gonzalo Dieguez, Fu Po Eng, Javier Galindo, Shiro Hatsutori and Jeff Hodge are all clamoring for attention, and many will see major league action this season or next.

Starting Pitching:=B-
Hope springs eternal in the southland, maybe this year will be the nectar of an Imperial IPA, or at least a rotation that can stand up to the rigors of the big leagues. Lo, this year's Speakeasy Blind Tiger is exquisite, but the rotation?
Erstwhile ace, Mal Tosewell, has shrugged off yet another long injury in '25, and is in good form with a 6-4 record, 2:1 K to BB ration and a presentable 3.76 ERA. José Ramos has moved out of the bullpen into the rotation, and after his last start, a shutout, he sports a 5-1 record with a 3.80 ERA. Along with his three saves, he has been the key player in the Lebel trade, paying off better than expected. This is the opposite result from the other starter coming to SD in the trade, as Walt Lawson has the worst ERA of his career at 6.48, and a dismal 1-7 record. He has been exiled to the back of the pen. Chris Hastings, part of the South Carolina trade, has also been put in detention with an ERA that has soared above the seven level. Lorenzo Pueblo has been maddeningly inconsistent, but does have a 3-1 record in his last five starts bringing his ERA down from 6.69 to 5.38. If this continues, he becomes a valuable commodity. The biggest surprise is lefty, Jorge Ortiz. Last season, a 5-12 7.02 ERA would never lead pundits to think he would be entering June with a 7-1 record and a meagre 2.82 ERA. Those are the numbers equivalent to an All Star consideration. Rookie, Kendrick Dobson, got called up to the rotation and promptly got hurt. It remains to be seen if his four pitch array translates to the bigs.
In the minors, Juan Vasquez is the number one prospect, having risen through the ranks from his International signing at 17. He features a 100 mph fastball with aggressive tilt, and is in the process of harnessing secondary pitches. He is currently the #10 prospect in the ABL. Dan Wilson, Gonzalo Dieguez, Salah bin Atif, Russell Numbers, Larry Barnes, and Francisco Rolon are all pitchers with potential major league credentials.

Overall, thanks to plentiful pints of IPA, San Diego is positive about its future. It only needs a shortstop, a center-fielder and a catcher, only this time in three different bodies rather than the one that Goldi Lebel possessed.

Hops Even at One Third: June 2026

Followed by:

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Dismal San Diego year: 2025 in Review

Kendrick Dobson made six relief appearances in San Diego rookie debut, posting a 5.40 ERA, typical of the mound antics for the Hops this last season.

San Diego Hops 2025 in Review

Welcome to a year in the tank. The Hops regressed badly from 82-80 in ’23, followed by a 75 win campaign in ’24, ’25 proved to be a disaster, as the loss record nearly reached the century mark. The number of issues plaguing the team continue to grow, and management has conceded that some of the team may need to be moved for a youth movement. Most notable among the names being floated are Goldi Lebel and Carlos Avila.

Despite the abysmal pitching (11^th in the league in both starters and the bullpen, posting ERAs nearing 6.00) and inadequate hitting (10^th in runs scored), fans came out in droves. San Diegans found enough to do at the ballpark to the tune of over 45,000 per game, a rise of nearly 12% over 2024. That was the bright spot. Now the granularity:

• Ed Downing lost his closer role enroute to a 3-10 record and a 5.99 ERA

• Jorge Ortíz lost 12 with only 5 wins, and an ERA on the north side of 7.00

• James Thompson, thought to be big league caliber, went 2-11 in his rookie campaign before being sent back to Coronado

• Mal Tosewell came back from an injury shortened 2024 to win only 12, while losing the same amount with a 4.38 ERA, the best of the starters, but not the ace level fans got used to in 2022 and ‘23.

• Bill Baker, the ace of the staff in ’24, never found his groove and went 2-5 with a 7.75 ERA, over two points higher than ‘24

• Another rookie, Chris Hastings, went 6-11 in 22 starts and a dozen relief appearances

Clearly, pitching is on the agenda for the off-season. On the offensive side, there are a number of performances worth noting:

• Morgan Cairns got the bulk of the starts behind the plate, starting over 100 games for the first time in his career at 33. Pitchers liked him, but it is unclear how long SD can languish with his limited offense.

• Goldi Lebel, who had been the primary catcher in ’22 and ’23, continued the switch to SS full-time with excellent results, starting 152 games while hitting a solid .282. However, with a slugging percentage of .309, Goldi doesn’t represent a power threat whatsoever. Rumors abound that the former overall number one draft pick could be wearing a different uniform in ’26.

• Kyle Reader started 100 games at 1b and hit .339 with a .400 OBP, but was hurt for a third of the year. Buddah Stalin filled in and reached career highs in every batting category. His 15 homers were a pleasant surprise, as he had 11 total in his minor and major league career. Stalin, like Cairns, is over 30, so is not a long-term solution.

• Ken Abbott led the Hops in many major hitting categories, as the transplant obtained in trade from South Carolina, proved worthy. Abbott needs more support in the order if the Hops are to move up in the standings.

• Tom Cassidy had the best year of his career, leading the team with 28 HRs, and 91 RBIs, while hitting .284. However, his defensive lapses in CF hurt the team. He will very likely move to a corner OF slot in ’26.

• Jejomar Butardo missed a couple of months with a bad back, but when healthy, the lone youngster in the crowded Hops OF corps, hit well, .276/.354/.448 with 17 HRs. Finding a spot defensively will be the task for ’26, as he is best in RF, but adequate at 1b and 3b.

• Ricardo Romo was the main LFer, but like his neighbor, Cassidy, proved somewhat immobile as an OFer. His hitting was adequate, if unspectacular, with 23 HRs and 75 RBIs, both down a bit from his peak years.

• Gerard Leeder started 158 games at 2b, and hit leadoff almost all season. He led the league in strikeouts with 244, not the kind of statistic one desires for a table setter. His defense was great, so plans are to drop him in the order to take advantage of his pop (27 Doubles, 9 Triples and 24 HRs).

• Paul Miller DHed most of the year, and the clubhouse found a new leader, but needs yet another spot for him defensively. He can play 2^nd or 3^rd, and might move to 2b if Leeder moves to SS should Lebel get traded. Miller is also trade bait, but is not gaining a lot of interest thus far.

• Two-time all star, Carlos Avila, had career lows in every offensive category. He too might change clubs, but his contract is a bit on the pricey side for a 30 year old, suddenly, part-time player.

• Another odd-man out in the Hops OF was Daniel López, who managed 105 hits with a dozen round-trippers.

• Carlos Gamboa was more than adequate as a utility infielder, hitting .390 in 100 at bats.

Summary:

Too many outfielders, not enough pitching and a leadoff hitter with 244 Ks is not a formula for success. The best prospects are still two years away from the big leagues, so one must think San Diego is going to make some deals, and hope to build a better cash reserve for years to come.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Hop to it, the rebuilding process begins

San Diego has had some recent success, but not enough for a playoff spot, and now as the 2025 season gets underway, the Hops must look closely at the process of rebuilding. The first step was to reduce ticket prices in order to encourage more fans to attend picturesque BrewStade. Projections are good that this will increase financial stability and perhaps avoid tragedies like the departure of perennial all-star, Terrence Sepkiechler to free agency.

Catcher:
Phillip Smith, 36, is signed for another year, and will share platoon duties with 33 year old, Morgan Cairns. Lefty swinging Smith had a surprising good year, while Cairns is a bit of a drop offensively, but shows good pitcher handling acumen. Goldi Lebel is still available as a catcher, but the star is likely to spend more time in CF or SS, if he is not dealt.

Infield:
1b: Buddah Stalin is having a great spring, while Kyle Reader is expected to be the starter coming off another great hitting year, smacking a robust .337, though without much power. Jejomar Batardo, currently on the injured list, can also spell these two at 1b. No sure-fire prospects are coming up in the minors, though Robert Afilhado and Joe Calhoun have been decent in cup-of-coffee appearances.

2b: Carlos Gamboa, who will also play SS, Walt Carter and Gerard Leeder are the incumbents, with hopes that Leeder realizes his four star potential. At 22, he has a bright future, but has yet to hit above .247 in his two stints on a big league roster. Paul Miller, one of the possible 3b, is also passable at the keystone.

3b: Ken Abbott has the job to lose, with Paul Miller in the wings. Waqar Kharoti is an interesting story in AA. He has the most raw power of the prospects down on the farm.

SS: Goldi Lebel, or Gamboa, will be here, as San-pao Chio and Tae-kyun Hong continue to mature. Lebel is equally adept in CF or C, so whatever the disposition of gloves, his will be utilized.

OF:

Daniel Lopez, pictured here in a Coronado Phantom AAA uniform, is expected to carry a heavier load with Jejomar Batardo on the DL. He will be in RF, with Carlos Avila in CF as long as his body will allow him, or super glove, and hitter, Goldi Lebel. Ricardo Romo emerged as a star in LF, as did Tom Cassidy, who looks to be odd man out in the crowded outfield. Badry Makaev, Julio Ruiz, Randall Parks and Ron Acker are all trying to break into the picture, with Sergio Aragon on the outside looking in. This is the group that will be on trading blocks as the season unfolds.

Pitching:
Mal Tosewell is back after missing most of 2024 to injury. He is 47-14 in his four year career, but two of those seasons were seriously curtailed by injuries. After Mal, it looks interesting, and this is where San Diego needs to add some star power. Rounding out the rotation are Francisco Rolon, also coming off injury, Jin-song Cheung, also coming off injury, and Bill Baker. Fighting for the five spot will be Lorenzo Pueblo, Tad Kato, Jorge Ortiz and Chris Hastings.

The bullpen has had its moments, mostly down, in the last few years. Closer Ed Downing has lost his job to Bob Moore who responded with 37 saves for a down team. Adjir Kasakya got some rookie of the year votes, and whoever doesn't make the rotation will be expected to fill out the pen.

Overall prospectus:
Lucky to reach .500, and no doubt will trade a big name or two in order to improve its infield and pitching.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

San Diego Fire Sale

June 7, 2024

Fire Sale in San Diego

The financially strapped San Diego Hops, struggling to remain at .500 amidst a four game losing streak, announced a trade with Cox Division rival, Duke City, sending starting catcher Antonio Rójas to the Danger for C Tangles Calderon, prospect pitcher, 20 year old, Zong-yuan Sang and 1.5 million dollars.

“We were going to lose Antonio to free agency at the end of the season, and despite our nice start, we must think of the future. Calderon is under our control for a number of years, and Sang is a legitimate bullpen prospect, an area we see a weakness on our big league club. The cash was important, as we can’t sign any of our players to an extension at the moment.”

Fans didn’t like the message from Assistant GM, Richard Black, but the communication is clear, San Diego is going to change. Still rumored to be on the block are starting pitchers Tad Kato and Kaz Kanno, both with ERAs over 6.5, and slugger Justin Davis. Davis looks to be the most desirable, with a lifetime slash mark of .293/.381/.450 including 66 round trippers. He suffered the travails of minor league life in 2023, serving time in both Jacksonville and Coronado before ending the year in the Brew Stade.

“My job is to see the ball, and hit the ball. I’ve been traded once before (2017, as part of the seven player Ortiz deal), so maybe it is time for me to seek new horizons. Whatever they tell me to do, I’ll do it. I proved that last season when I rode those buses, so I can do it again. If it means waiting it out until the off-season, and free agency, well, that may be my fate.”

Davis is seen as a quiet leader in a clubhouse that has generally been low-key, but it remains to be seen how cohesive the group will be in the future.

Goldi Lebel, a team leader, had this to say, “I know sometimes Tony (Antonio) and me had some trouble, he was the starting catcher when I came up, but I only wish him the best. I’m looking forward to working with Tangles, Phil Smith, and hope Cairns is back soon. Heck, Smith has two batting titles, seems I could learn a lot.”

Also rumored to be on the trading block are OFers Badry Makaev, Sergio Aragón, Daniel López, and Bill Turner. “Not many teams are interested in our outfielders, except for Butardo, but he is off limits,” said Black. “We are committed to a future that includes both hitting and pitching without sacrificing defense, or our good, young talent in the minor leagues.”

Some reading between the lines says that the Hops would consider offers for minor league pitchers, Tex Sweet, Kendrick Dobson, You-liang Rang, Daniel Wilson, and Alonso Esquivel, if a team would take on some of the expiring big league players’ contracts.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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)