"Club League Baseball" an OOTP12 story.

[TheStraightGooch]

My scout and I caught up with the guys in sunny Tijuana mexico. We looked over our reports. Our first impressions seem to have deceived us. This crew just wasn't as good as we thought.

Our Catcher, Jhonathon Salano, seems to be the exception. He's in great shape, showing some power, and playing great defense. Here is our evaluation of the possible ML players.

Here is our first evaluation.


C Jhonathon Solano: High OBP-guy. Twice selected in the expansion draft.
Last Year: .197/.266/.262 with the Fantasia. A great defender. My scout has him as an average hitter good at avoiding K's.
IRL: Solano was signed as a free-agent by the Nationals in 2006 at age 20. Currently a backup on the ML team.
2011 stats: .275/.325/.388 in AAA
Go-ahead starter, if for no other reason, we don't have anyone else.

C/1B/3B Rudy Van Heydoorn. Below-Average hitter with starter potential. Can back up at Catcher, 1st and Third.
Last Year: Struggled in A+ for the Marlins
IRL: Remarkably similar to last year.
Likely backup.

1B: Chris Morrero. Another nationals player. .277/.327/.441 at the Nats 1B. ++ power. 7 HRs in 188 at bats (League Leader had 23).
Potential franchise player. $3 Million in Abitration.
IRL: Hit .248 with the Nats last season in 169 at-bats. Returing from an injury. 2008: Marrero was the #28 prospect.
Likely starter, unless he implodes.

2B Danny Espinosa. (.248/.331/.360) with the Nationals last season. Good clubhouse guy. Strikeout machine (!). Reigning Gold Glove at 2nd.
IRL: Current starting 2B for the Nats.
Likely starter unless he implodes. Could be beat out by Shota Omine.

2B Shota Omine: "Superior Offensive player". 5-Star potential.
Last year: Was unimpressive in AAA.
Real Life: Rookie for Chiba Lotte
Will get a shot. Needs one more season in AAA. Long term solution.

INF Joseph Bonadonna: Below average offensive player. Willie-Bloomquist type. Super speedy. Twice expansion drafted.
.236/.321/.301 but stole a ton of bases starting for Nassau.
IRL: Yet to hit above A-Ball.
Likely AAA candidate.

3B John Tolisano. A below-average hitter, nothing more. Potential to be better than decent. Replacement level player.
Played with Nassau. Again, double-drafted player.
IRL: Above average-hitter for the MiLB Blue Jays.
Might make the roster.

INF/3B Paul Gran. An "off the bench' type of player. Again, has potential, but old (26).
Last year: Struggled at AA, AAA, and ML levels, hitting around .214 at each.
Real Life: AA, likely career minor league player for the Blue Jays.
Might make the roster.

SS Jack Wilson: Lacks the hitting ability to play in the majors. Gold-Glove defender. Great Clubhouse guy.
Last Year: Injured. Played part time in 2011.
IRL: A backup in Atlanta.
Likely starter. May end up platooning if he struggles.

3B Matt Dominguez: .270 player with + power and ++ gap power.
last year: hit .236 in Florida.
IRL: The former first-round pick is struggling in Florida.
Lock on the starting position.

LF Jake Smolinski: Above-Average defender with an average bat and + power. Very patient.
Last Year: Not very good at AAA New Orleans. Hit .218 but 7 homers in 110 at-bats.
Likely Starter in Left.
IRL: The former second rounder is steadily improving. At AA and moving up the ranks. Having a career year in
Jacksonville.

RF: Sang-hyuk Park. Above-Average player with plus power. Scout had him as a super-star when we drafted him. OSA agrees.
Last Year: Spent in Korean Minor League. Unspectacular for the Busan organization. Released by KIA.
A lock to start unless he reverts to playing level so far.
IRL: I don't care that much.

CF: Issac Galloway. Super-speedy below average hitter.
Last year: performed well for Nassau hitting .270. Double expansion drafted player. Surprising since he struggled in A-ball a year before.
Likely starter in Center.
IRL: Struggling in A Advanced for the Marlins.

Eury Perez: Premium talent. Right now, is speedy and can field. Later, he's supposed to be a ++ contact hitter.
Likely going back down to AAA.
Played in AA with the Nationals organization. About league average. Had a short stint in WAS.
IRL: Moving up the ranks quickly and hitting everywhere he goes. International Free Agent Singing in 2007.

RF Marcus Brisker: Not ready for the ML level. May never be able to hit.
Great fielder and really, really, fast already. Hitting needs to develop.
Double-Drafted, this time by Vancouver, where he stole a bunch of bases but only hit .204.
IRL: Struggling in A-Ball in the Toronto Organization.
Likely headed to AAA.

SP Hyun-Jin Ryu A fringe #1 starter. Pitches to contact.
Last Year: An ace in Korea for the Hanwhan Eagles
#1 starter. He only cost 15 Million!
IRL: Got a huge contract to play in Japan, agent is scott boras, before that there was talk of him being posted.

Alex Sanabia: About average slot starter. Control Issues.
Last Year: LEague average #5 starter for the Fantasia. Double Drafted. Similar stats in AAA.
IRL: Was solid for the Marlins last year.
One of two right-handers with a chance.

Darin Downs: Suitable #4 or #5 starter. A hard worker.
Last year: Double drafted. Below-Average started with 5.27 ERA for Montreal.
IRL: AAAA Starter, now with Detroit.
One of three guys guarenteed a rotation spot.

Rafael Fernandes: #3/#4 Guy. Picked up on the cheap in free agency. Control issues.
Last Year: Was a #4/#5 Starter in Korea
IRL: A reliever in Japan.
If he pitches to the reports in Spring, he'll get the fifth spot.

Yao-Hsun Yan: Decent job at the bottom of the rotation. Dependent on defense behind him.
Last year: An ace for Hiroshima with a 2.27 ERA.
IRL: Had a few good years in Japan. Out of the league.
Likely has a lock on that starting spot.

Brad Peacock: Respectable 5th Starter.
Last year: Double-Drafted. 5.21 ERA in Vancouver.
IRL: #36 Prospect. In AAA in Oakland. Having a rough time after moving to hitter-friendly PCL.
It's likely he starts sometime during this year.

CL: Charlie Lowell: Overpowering stuff, average closer, ready for ML, could be star someday.
Last Year: Double-Drafted, played in MON farm system limited at AAA was horrid.
IRL: Drafted in 2011, ironically by the marlins. Still at the low levels.
Favorite to be closer. I love this guy as he shows up in every OOTP draft and slips late in all of them.

CL: Armando 'Fungo' Aliva: A future star. Not ready for primetime yet. MR as of now.
Last Year: Discovered by Busan, played in their AAA league. Traded three times before being selected. Above average in three different systems.
IRL: Not a real player.
Has an outside shot at making the ML roster. Likely in AAA barring an injury.

MR Brandon L Allen: Could be a primetime Bullpen guy in the future. Relies on control, not stuff.
Last Year: Was picked up by Disneyland in 2012. Did not play.
IRL: Retired after two sub-par years in San Francisco
If he plays to my scout's report, he'll make the roster.

MR Cole Kimball: Fringe Major Leaguer. Control is the major issue.
Last Year: Decent in the Nationals system.
IRL: Rapidly moving through Nationals system and has 12 games with no ER at AAA.
He's about 50/50 depending on the roster.

MR Brian Broderick. Average relief prospect with upside. Problems with control
Last Year: performed well in limited action for washington.
IRL:struggled the last two years in pitcher-friendly PCL. With the Cardinals.
He'll be on the roster, question is where.

CL Toru Takahashi: Has closer potential. Above average reliever.
Last Year: Made it to AA in the Blue Jays Organization. Struggled there.
IRL: Played a year in minors in Japan.
If he plays to his reports, he will make the roster.

In the Minors:

P Holden Sprauge: Has #5 starter potential. Fringe reliever.
Last Year: Played well at AAA and at AA.
IRL Struggled in low A, high A and mid-A
60/40 chance he makes it.

P Koji Yoshioka: Fringe Major Leaguer.
Last Year: Wasn't great at AAA.
IRL Can't find anything.
Real longshot at this point.

OF Julio Morban: Below average ML starter. Could become above-average starter or a star. Defensive Liability.
Last Year: Played well at AAA. Another double-drafter, played some for Montreal ML Level, and was downright putrid.
IRL: In the mariners low system. Playing well at a young age.
We could see him as a DH/Reserve OF. Hits left-handed. I'll give him 60/40 odds.

INF Daniel Black: Fringe-Major League guy. Likely a year or two away. Average defensivly.
Last Year: Shuffled through the Florida System, topped out around A+
IRL currently moving up, hitting at AA for the marlins.
He could be the backup infielder on opening day, but the ratings would have to hold.

P Wes Mugarian: Future set-up man with possible closer stuff.
Last Year: Played for the AAA Busan team. Played like A$$.
IRL: Shafted by Cincinatti, out of baseball by 20.
If the ratings hold, and that is a big IF, then Wes has about a 50/50 chance.

P Jared West
Last Year: Was shuffled through the Nationals organization. Reached A+
IRL: Same deal, except pitched a little better.
He might be on the roster next year but now the chances are minimal.

[TheStraightGooch]

The boys impressed in Spring Training. We finished in a three-way tie for first with Vancouver and Seattle at 13-11.

Don't count us out yet.

• SP Darrin Downs (1-3, 3.57 ERA in 5 starts) managed to get the third pitching slot. He struggled early on but was lights-out the last week.
• SP Rafael Fernandez (1-1, 1.35 ERA in 5 Starts) was our fourth starter. Was brilliant this Spring.
• SP Alex Sanabia was injured. He will be out another 2-3 weeks. He'll replace either Fernandez or Peacock depending on how they perform.
• SP Brad Peacock (1-1, 2.70 ERA in 5 starts) will be the fifth starter.
• MR Brian Broderick is our closer
• MR Cole Kimball surprised early on. He beat out the odds and has earned a spot.
• MR Wes Murigan had a great spring training. He's a set up-man.
• MR Pong-Su Pak got shelled in his last appearance. He was lights-out before that. Su Pak will be a set-up man.
• C Johnathon 'Onion' Solano and C Van Heydoorn both played well. C Solano (.256 Average) will start.
• LF Jake Smolinski (.187 with 2 HRs and 7 RBIs) did just well enough to get his starting spot.
• OF/DH Julio Morban was exceptional. His defense is a$$. We'll put him in RF to start.
• OF Eury Perez [.250] and OF Issac Galloway [.152] both struggled. Perez will backup and platoon. Issac Galloway has a great glove and has a full WCB season under his belt. He'll start in Center.
• UTIL Paul Gran played well. He'll be a backup.
• INF Shota Omine was above-average. He'll start as our DH.
• 1B Chris Morrero, 3B Matt Dominguez, 2B Danny Espinosa, and SS Jack Wilson were guaranteed starting spots. Wilson impressed with his average [.300].
• SP Hyun-Jin Ryu and SP Yao-Hsun Yang were guaranteed spots.
• MR Toru Takahashi snuck onto the roster when others struggled.
• 2B Daniel Black showed enough power, and batted Left-Handed, to make the roster as a UTIL player.

• RF San-hyuk Park struggled and will start in AAA.
• CL Charlie Lowell (5.40 ERA) struggled while other relievers prospered. He'll start the year in AAA.
• INF Joseph Bonnadonna and John Tolisano were unimpressive in limited action. They were sent down to AAA.
• MR Brandon L Allen was not quite ready for primetime. He'll start in AAA.

[TheStraightGooch]

It's opening day in the WCB!
March 15th, 2013

Depth Chart - 2013

• Catcher
• Jhonathon Solano
• Rudy Van Heydoorn

• First Base
• Chris Morrero
• Shota Omine

• Second Base
• Danny Espinosa
• Daniel Black
• Shota Omine

• Third Base
• Matt Dominguez
• Paul Gran
• Daniel Black

• Shortstop
• Jack Wilson
• Daniel Black

• Left Field
• Jake Smoliski
• Eury Perez

• Center Field
• Issac Galloway
• Eury Perez

• Right Field
• Julio Morban
• Eury Perez

• Starting Pitcher
• Hyun-Jin Ryu
• Yao-Hsun Yang
• Darrin Downs
• Brad Peacock
• Rafael Fernandez

• Relief Pitcher
• Woo-Keyong Kim
• Armando Avila
• Cole Kimball
• Toru Takahashi
• Wes Murigan
• Pong Su-Pak

• Closer
• Brad Broderick

• Designated Hitter
• Shota Omine
• Paul Gran

• Disabled List
• Alex Sanabia (2-3 Weeks)

Lineup:

1. Issac Galloway
2. Julio Morbin (R)/Eury Perez (L)
3. Chris Morrero
4. Matt Dominguez
5. Shota Omine
6. Danny Espinosa
7. Jeff Smolinski
8. Jack Wilson
9. Jhonathon Solano

[TheStraightGooch]

2013 Major League Preseason Predictions:





Sawx-Giants II?

The Tokuru Raughtin Golden Eagles and the Yomuri Giants are preseason favorites in the Nippon Professional League.

The Samsung Tigers are predicted to win the KBO title.

[TheStraightGooch]

Our first match-up is against the Sapporo Lotte Orions.

The Orions were one of the founding six core teams of the CBA. The team was originally called the Chiba City Lotte Marines. They moved to Sapporo after the Nippon-Ham company announced to purchase shares in the Korean Baseball Association. The team 'threw back' to its 1980s name and color scheme upon joining WCB. They were joined by Lotte's Korean Baseball Organization Team, the Busan Lotte Gulls.


The Orions, coming off a sub-par season in the NPB, were dominant last year. A second-half surge saw them capture the CBA regular season title. They are led by CBA and NPB all-star Yuri Karakawa (9-5, 1.57 ERA in 16 Starts). The team is known for its dominant pitching.

We have a 5-game set with the Orions before heading to Disneyland.

[TheStraightGooch]

Last Preseason Thoughts
We're projected to make money this year. Our owner expects us to stick around .500. That's a best case-scenario for us.

Top Prospects:
#8 RP Armando Avilia, Age 21, ML
#11 OF Juan Espinosa, Age 18, AA
#50 OF Eury Perez, Age 20, ML

Our minor league system is ranked #8 of #12 in the WCB.

[TheStraightGooch]

Our offense is worryingly bad this year. Only one game with more than one run in our four-game series against Sapporro Lotte..

Hyun-Jin Ryu was shelled in his first start with Tijuana. The only starter who performed respectably was spot starter Brad Peacock. Our pitchers were massacred by the heavily favored Orions.

L Sapporo, 5-1
L Sapporo, 7-1
L Sapporo, 7-0
W Sapporo, 2-1





The next team we play are the Vancouver Kermode. The Kermode were one of the original expansion teams in the BBL. The Kermode were one of the original expansion teams. Vancouver, even since legalizing Marijuana, has become a major niche tourist destination. The group of owners and fans who supported the Vancouver Grizzlies were hungry for another chance at a pro franchise. The CBA provided them the opportunity.

The Kermode are a very solid defensive team. They are led by C Travis D'Arnaud, a former Blue Jays prospect, who lead the team in average last year and played solid defense. They are 2-4 and are projected to finish just ahead of us in the standings.


OF Julio Morban is your Luchadore of the series. He was 4-11 with an RBI. Morban is our only LHB so his production is needed.

[TheStraightGooch]

We stunk up the joint against Vancouver. Again, a 4-game set, and we went
1-3. The offense was morbid. Julio Morban reverted, and only Chris Morrero remains above the Mendoza Line. The pitching was solid. A ton of one-run losses so far.

L, Vancouver 3-2
W, Vancouver 3-2 (12 Innings)
L, Vancouver 2-4
L, Vancouver 0-2

MR Pong-Su Pak is your King of The Ring. He came in for 2.2 innings of middle relief registering the only win of the series. I can't find a picture of him. Our relief ERA is leading the division.

We're going to Disneyland for the next set.



This was the original mover and shaker for the league. The brass in Orange County wanted a ballclub. A good ballclub. The Fantasia are currently leading the division at 6-2. They're the most successful of the original four expansion teams. They are led by OF Marcus Knect and OF Brian Peterson. Peterson, who mans Center, had 11 home runs in 80 games last year.