The Battle for the Desert Hills

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Ghosts
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The Battle for the Desert Hills

#1 Post by Ghosts »

Kings of the Dusty Hill
A flurry of trades May and June trades preceded a quiet deadline in Bakersfield, and the on the results so far on the field have been more of the same: a never-ending Royal Rumble for the Desert Hills crown. The season started in an uproar, loudest from Yuma, as the Bulldozers forgot they were supposed to lose and stormed out to an early season lead. The Bears then briefly took over, but before long the upstart Codgers started what would be a three way dust-up that has lasted from May into September. Dirt has been tasted. Noses have been bloodied. Still, there is no clear champion in what has been perhaps PEBA’s hardest fought division so far this year. Despite Aurora’s furious July ascent to the lead in which they went 18-8 and Palm Springs’ undeniable persistence, the Bakersfield Bears are clinging on to a half game lead. The Codgers and the Borealis, though just a breath behind in the standings, are currently on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. The SL’s 80-win team list consists of two members from the Great Lakes and two from the Rising Sun, leaving the three teams beating each other’s lights out in the Desert Hills vying for one playoff spot.

Mid-season Madness

In the midst of such an epic divisional struggle, the Bears front office has been working feverishly to tread water near the top of the division while also building toward a future that will likely not include their stalwart ace, Neil Maes. Neither side has reported any meaningful discussions on an extension, likely a sign that none are coming. The Bears have already spent big on extending their breakout star catcher, Steve McDonald, with a five year, $110M contract and retained Jarrod Ricks on a team friendly deal that most considered highly unlikely prior to the struggles Ricks has faced most of the year. A bevvy of other changes have taken place in Bakersfield. Key losses include star former closer Nakagawa and setup man Bob O’Higgins (both shipped to Scotland), RP Juan Ochoa, SP Martin Ramirez, RF Bruce McGuire, LF Mark St. John, and 2B Bryan Cleveland. That Bakersfield would opt to dismantle its league leading bullpen in the midst of a tight division race is curious, but both Nakagawa and O’Higgins were set to be free agents and Ochoa’s departure was instrumental in acquiring all-star Geoff Lawson from Duluth. The details of that trade remain hazy, but it was announced during the 2029 all-star game in Fargo in which Lawson was pitching. Duluth GM Ricky McCoy, fresh on the heels of two massive trades with Bakersfield, was spotted in a Fargo Shenanigans with Bakersfield GM Dan Vail during the midseason classic when a YouTube video in which a visibly intoxicated Ochoa responded to challenges from bystanders regarding his throwing accuracy by hurling cans of Natural Light at a neighborhood stop sign went viral. The video captured three impressive strikes from distance while the diminutive Ochoa declared himself “Dios Dorado” before a passing truck took a pitch high and outside. The video appeared to have opposite effects on the two GMs.

While Vail sent a treasure trove of picks and prospects to McCoy preceding that deal, those previous deals also included acquisitions that will shape Bakersfield for years to come including RPs Vincente Medina and Geoff Lawson, the immensely versatile OF Jack Flynn, and perhaps most importantly two highly touted young starters in Henry Carter and Jeffrey Mendoza. “Cold Smoke” and “Jetstream” appear poised to anchor the Bears rotation for years to come, but the dividends they will pay in 2029 appear limited. The two have combined for just 12 appearances as they have each spent time refining their approaches in West Valley AAA, but with the recent September call-up of Henry Carter it appears a potential playoff rotation remains entirely unsettled.

Outside of the Duluth trades, Bakersfield made several additional moves, both high profile and under-the-radar. Their biggest headline of the year may have been the acquisition of CF Raul Ortega from San Antonio. The slick-fielding Ortega has improved his offensive production to since coming to Bakersfield, but the team is still waiting to see him breakout as they believe he can. His arrival allowed fan favorite Antonio Figueroa to eventually slide over to right field in a platoon with Jack Flynn that has resulted in a dramatically improved look for the Bears’ outfield defense. The offensive results have been less appealing. Less splashy were the trades that brought 2B Marvin Miller and OF/DH Dave Yarbrough to town. Both have contributed nicely since their arrival, particularly Miller, whose 118 OPS+ is a welcome addition to the infield.

September Outlook
Bakersfield has shuffled its roster dramatically and figures to continue to do so as rosters expand this week. Anticipated call-ups may provide additional rest opportunities for several veterans and include many of the prospects that have failed to stick the landing onto the Bears 25-man roster such as 1B Clyde Stinton, 2B Ramon Guzman, and IF Alfonso Reyna. Reserve arms expected to bolster the Bears bullpen options include RPs Kawano, Bryan, and Marquis. The Borealis appear to have fewer options in reserve stashed in Thorton, but it’s possible that they will call upon Jesus Solis to provide their veteran stars a bit more rest. The Codgers have a number of capable players in Provo that might find their way to Palm Springs including pitchers Makino, Nakano, and Suzuki as well as outfielders Sakei or Allen and infielders Liston or Thompson.

The Bears enjoy a strength of schedule advantage over Palm Springs for the remainder of the season as Palm Springs must play two series each against Crystal Lake and Neo Tokyo as well as hosting a series against Fargo. The Bears toughest remaining series include one each against Okinawa and Aurora at home and a series in Shin Seiki. That series against Aurora might yet prove critical, as despite enjoying a 5.5 game lead over Aurora, the Bears are fully aware that Aurora’s schedule appears easier than their own. Aurora must play only one other team with a winning record for the rest of the season as they launch a three game series at Crystal Lake today. The Bears will have to shake off the stink of losing three straight to Crystal Lake by a combined four runs and root for the enemy of their longtime enemy.
Dan Vail
Bakersfield Bears 2028-2030
Niihama-shi Ghosts 2010, 2031-current
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