This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#76 Post by Fishermen »

I’m glad someone else is benching players already. I always think I get too impatient with my players and change the lineup too soon but at least I know someone else has got a short a fuse as me lol. I’ve just benched my 1B and my #3 starter (or at least I would have done if I hadn’t of had two injuries to my rotation as soon as I sent him to the pen
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#77 Post by Sandgnats »

Claymores wrote:Poor Klein - although you’ve gotta admire his willingness to lead the team from the bench!
He's a true leader, but I think his time is ending. At this point he couldn't hit a little leaguer left handed pitcher. I am hoping to bring him back as a coach once he retires. His leadership makes a noticeable difference in my team's performance.
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#78 Post by Sandgnats »

Harpoon wrote:I’m glad someone else is benching players already. I always think I get too impatient with my players and change the lineup too soon but at least I know someone else has got a short a fuse as me lol. I’ve just benched my 1B and my #3 starter (or at least I would have done if I hadn’t of had two injuries to my rotation as soon as I sent him to the pen
;-D
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#79 Post by KenH »

Ine seems to have righted the ship! Very good last 10 games for the veteran mercenary :)
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#80 Post by Sandgnats »

Featherheads wrote:Ine seems to have righted the ship! Very good last 10 games for the veteran mercenary :)
Until his blown save against Yuma today... :angry-cussingblack:
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#81 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Gnats Say Good Bye to Jim 'Bizzare' Klein (28/10)
By: Stephanie Dole
August 15, 2028 at 11:00 PM CST
Few player are more revered around the league than Jim Klein current president of the PEBA Player's Union. Crystal Lake fans were sad to hear that Klein had been waived and claimed by Canton to make way for 2B Larry Frawley and 2B Marvin Miller that were called up this season. With Klein batting at .170 this season at 33 going on 34 years old the writing was on the wall with Crystal Lake in a retooling midway during 2028.

Klein was a 1st round, number 2 pick by Yuma out of the Indiana Big Daddies in 2016 and quickly proved his worth of the $6.5 million dollar signing bonus tendered by Yuma. He was selected to the All-star game and won the gold glove award for Short-A during his first year of professional ball. He was then acquired in the 2016 off-season by Crystal Lake via trade with Yuma and would remain with the Gnats' organization for the next 11 years. Klein is second all time in games played by Crystal Lake players at 1130, only 17 games short of Eduardo 'Pappy' Molina. If not for breaking his hand in 2023, Klein would hold that record. Klein is the longest tenured Gnat at 10 years.

Klein quickly rose through the Gnats' minor league system and was first called up to PEBA in 2018 where he batted .305 in 20 games. Klein then anchored second base as the Gnats' field general through the present date with a career on-base percentage of .357 posting a career high 72 walks in the Gnats Championship Season of 2024. Klein would only be selected to the All-star game one time in 2021 and won the All-Leather award in 2019. He was the 2026 Wild Card MVP, but his greatest accomplishment was winning the PEBA Championship in 2024.

The Union City, New Jersey native and his wife established the Klein Scholarship fund for minority youth in his local Union City and also established the Walks for Meals event every year in Crystal Lake that supported the local Meals on Wheels foundation in suburban Chicago. Klein was elected PEBA Player's Union President for a 5 year term that concludes at the end of this season. As president elect Klein was heavily involved in the past media deal which helped give PEBA players a "larger share of the pie," as he was quoted.

Gnats will always remember his walk-up song "How Bizarre". (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2cMG33mWVY)

Please see the Crystal Lake Herald today for the full page thank you letter from Jim Klein headlined "Thank you for the time of my life."
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#82 Post by Borealis »

"It's making me crazy"... Is that his feelings about his time in Crystal Lake?

I wish there was a way to see a players career numbers against specific teams...
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#83 Post by Sandgnats »

hahaha

Yeah in-game those splits are only current season unfortunately.
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#84 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Gnats Re-Sign All But One Arbitration Eligible Player (28/11)
By: Stephanie Dole
October 28, 2028 at 11:00 AM CST
With the PEBA playoffs still in full swing, the Gnats have resigned 6 arbitration eligible players to one-year extensions avoiding salary arbitration with a few notable names including star-catcher Tony Parker.

With Parker entering his first arbitration year, the payoff was inevitable with the star catcher posting incredible stats once again for the 3rd consecutive year with career high numbers including a .279 batting average, .369 on base percentage and slugging .527 with an OPS of .896 and WAR of 7.2. Where Parker lacks in defensive production he more than makes up with offensive prowess. Parker's 29 home runs ranked second on the team tied with Ray Kimball. As an integral part of the team, Parker was convinced to sign a $9,835,000 payday - a deserving jump from his league minimum salary. 2 more years of team control remain on Parker's existing contract.

The Gnats also avoided arbitration with reliever Kyle Weaver. After a couple years of being optioned back and forth with various clubs, Weaver earned a spot in the active roster this season posting another solid performance over 50.2 innings pitched with a respectable 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and and 21 walks. Weaver's agent announced that his client accepted a $1.1 million tender which is an increase over his 2028 salary of $950k.

Lastly, the Gnats reached a deal with third basemen, Ed Brown, a player that struggled with a less than average performance this season based on year's past career high performance. Brown's pedestrian .228/.293/.320 earned him an modest increase from 2028's $5.1 million to a 2029 salary of $5.7 million. Because of injury time this season, the Gnats still retain 2 years of team control with Brown.
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#85 Post by Borealis »

I remember what it was like to have money to sign your arby guys early... sigh... those were the days...
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#86 Post by DrewV »

Also envious. Couldn't extend half my guys even if I had the cash. It appears the muggy MN summer doesn't suit them...
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#87 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Opening Day 2028 Roster (29/1)
By: Stephanie Dole
April 2, 2029 at 05:00 AM CST
The Gnats have announced their 26 man active roster and opening day roster for 2029. After winning the last 7 games of Spring Training, the Gnats feel ready to go and are anxious to compete for the Great Lakes Division this season.

Starting Pitching:
1. Jim MacCowan
2. Dean McNeil
3. To-wai Zhou
4. Tony Cuellar
5. Eric Perkins
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SP Jim 'Nitro' MacCowan
For the second time in his career Jim 'Nitro' MacCowan will get the call for an opening day start for the home opening against Reno. Nitro topped the team with the most consistent performance again with 13 wins, 3.24 ERA and allowing only 1.4 BB per 9 innings in 2028. Dean McNeil, rebounded in 2028 from a pedestrian 2027 lowering his walks per game signifigantly. To-wai Zhou and Tony 'Mr. Nice Guy' Cuellar (hero of 2024) and new comer Eric Perkins will round out the rotation.

Bullpen:

CL: Joshua Hall
Setup/Closer: Kyle Weaver
Setup: Jonathan Francis
Long Relief/Emerg: Jon Browning
R Specialist: Edgar Merriam
L Specialist: Alexander Cooke
L Specialist: Nolan Kuhn
L Specialist: Eijiro Nakagawa
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CL Joshua Hall
Familiar faces and new comers will fill the bullpen this season. Joshua Hall will start the season as closer for the first time. He looks to rebound to his 2027 form where he blew only 2 saves of 33 opportunities that season after 5 blown saves in 34 last season. Kyle Weaver's strong performance last season has solidified his role as the next back-end reliever as well.

Outfield:
LF: Jorge Jiménez
CF: Bob Blanchard
RF: Clarence Carpenter
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RF Clarence Carpenter
The Gnats outfield will begin 2029 with all new faces compared to the start of 2028. Mid 2028 season acquisitions Jorge Jiménez and Clarence Carpenter will continue to start in left and right field. Bob Blanchard will get the nod for center field after being the utility guy in the outfield last season. Rule 5 draft pick George Wilson will be back up in the outfield.

Infield:
1st: António Vega
2nd: Gareth Bugler
SS: Hikaru Arai
3rd: Ed Brown
C: Tony Parker
DH: Ray Kimball
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2B Gareth Bugler
Power bat star Antonio Vega will continue start full time at first base looking to best his 38 home run number from last season. Ed Brown will be at 3rd and star "catcher" Tony Parker behind the plate. Ray Kimball enters his 11th PEBA season at DH. Most notably Gareth Bugler will start for the first month and a half of the season at second base until the rumored trade of Hai-Liang Choe is processed on May 16th per PEBA contract rules.

Bench:
IF: Larry Frawley
C: Allen Wells

Larry Frawley will provide bench leadership in the absence of Jim Klein this season. Allen Wells will be back up catcher as well as catcher in defensive situations. Wells is a significant upgrade from last years back up to Parker. Rumor is that Marvin Miller is on the roster, but on his way out to Canton.


Go Gnats!
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#88 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Minor League Players of The Year (29/2)
By: Stephanie Dole
October 21, 2029 at 05:00 PM CST
CL Minor League Hitter of the Year
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LF Nelson Hernández
Nelson was drafted in the 2021 first-year player draft (Round 9, Pick 2, 269th overall pick) by the Tempe Knights out of East Rutherford HS Cavaliers. from Long Beach, MS. He signed a minor league contract with the Crystal Lake Sandgnats organization on 02/20/2028. This season he was selected to the 2029 Great Northern League All-Star Game, won the 2029 GNL AA PCAL Platinum Stick Award at LF and Finished 3rd in 2029 GNL AA PCAL Outstanding Hitter Award voting. His stats for the season were .265/.312/.476/.788 with 28 HRs.

CL Minor League Pitcher of the Year
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SP Freddie Wearmouth
Freddy signed a minor league contract out of England with the Crystal Lake Sandgnats organization in 2024 and remained in the International Complex until 2028. This season he was selected to the 2029 Surf and Snow Amalgamation All-Star Game but his season was shortened on 08/07/2029 with a Strained forearm that cost him 4 weeks. He came back from injury on 9/13/29 and posted 2 wins in a row while only giving up 4 hits in 18.1 innings pitched during the the last 3 games of the season. Of 45.1 innings pitched his ERA was .60 with a record of 4-1 and 6 saves. WHIP was .68 and his FIP 1.47. Opposing batting average against him was .103.
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#89 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Minor League Players of The Year (29/3)
By: Stephanie Dole
November 1, 2029 at 05:45 PM CST
Gnats Resign Tony Parker
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C Tony Parker
The Gnats announced a 1-year $15,180,000.00 deal with "catcher" Tony Parker today. With some arbitration estimates in the neighborhood of $20 plus million, the Gnats were glad to reach an agreement.

Last season Parker hit .268/.334/.549/.883 with a career high 42 homes runs and 1 stolen base courtesy of Clarence Carpenter. Parker allowed 6 passed balls in 2029 with a negative -1 ZR and 9 errors. Tony has one more year of arbitration eligibility until becoming a free agent with 4 years and 112 days of PEBA service time.

"Just happy to get this over with," stated Parker. "Clarence makes me look good, so we're going out for scotch and cigars tonight."
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Re: This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

#90 Post by Sandgnats »

This Team Bites: Blog of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats

Gnats Off to Hot Start to 2030 Season (30/1)
By: Stephanie Dole
April 30, 2030 at 11:45 PM CST

The Gnats are off to a hot start for the first month of the 2030 season posting 22 wins and 5 losses for April to pull 2 games ahead of rival Fargo in the Great Lakes Division. Leading the way statistically batting for the month was star Clarence Carpenter batting .370/.382/.471/.853 with 19 steals. Tony Parker and Gabe Moran are off again to hot starts with 5 home runs each for the month. Rookie Joe Arnold is also off to a hot start posting a record of 5-0 with a complete game shut out on April 22th against Okinawa. His ERA and WHIP are 1.18 and .61 respectively. Javier Jimenez has notched 10 saves and allowed 0 runs as closer.

Most impressive this month was a record of 4-3 against the Shin Seiki Evas. Signs of good things to come possibly this season.
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