Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#46 Post by DrewV »

Vic--lets just say Mandy was a logistician in a former life and uses the Times to blow off steam! :lol:

Dan-go for it! I just googled a "fake twitter" app, but I suppose I could just make a real one, too...
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#47 Post by Borealis »

Warriors wrote:I just googled a "fake twitter" app...
So is that's what it's been all along, these past 2.5 years? Fake Twitter? Phew - I feel relieved...
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#48 Post by Reg »

You guys could always make an actual twitter account and join RJ and I !

My beat writer Scott Plack ( @ScottPlack ), and I am sure Howard Heskin ( @HowardHeskin1 ) of the Sandgnats will follow you if you join ! :grin:
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#49 Post by Sandgnats »

Join us! :clap:
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#50 Post by DrewV »

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Offseason Coverage:
Initial Reactions: Retirement, Budgets, and the Thrill of Philanthropy

November 7th, 2028

Only a week in to the offseason, and we've already began with the sort of Duluthian high drama we all know and love.

If you've followed the blog, you know that most of the talk about the Warriors has been in the context of a gaping, all-consuming black hole manifested in a projected $60-80 Million debt looming at the end of the season. In April, there was serious talk about the future of the club.

So, new GM Ricky McCoy sold off the team's assets; Mercer to Scotland, Lopez and Prat to Shin Seiki, Esquivel to Aurora. $25 Million asset Julian "Rainmaker" Thomas was moved to reliever to avoid a vesting requirement for the coming year. This summer, Warrior Hall announced a 3-year plan to eliminate the franchise's debt--much to the chagrin of our war-weary fanbase on the front lines against budget cuts. The utter devastation wreaked on the attendance reports reads like a Lovecraftian horror.

Then, just yesterday, owner Jason Bong took the podium in a small press conference at Warrior Hall, and alongside what can only be described as an utterly shocked Ricky McCoy, announced that the Bong family was personally donating $24.3 Million to the Duluth Warriors--that the books were balanced, and despite last year's $75 Million loss, the team was now officially in the green.

If you're a close follower of Duluth Franchise politics, the irony of the announcement could not be sweeter. Jason Bong, 53, is considered the shrewd and strategic counterpart to his departed father, Arne Bong, who founded the Warriors at the inception of PEBA. No one in the city expected a personal investment from the successful logistics magnate, who has nearly tripled the value of his father's business in the Great Lakes region. While it's safe to say the Bong family has made plenty of cash over the years from the Warriors, the investment is unprecedented in club history. Essentially, it sets the financial clock ahead three years in the rebuild process. It's a big risk for the owner, who's looking at all-time attendance lows and decreasing fan interest. The heat will be on GM Ricky McCoy to improve the team next season.

Retirements
Advancing the Duluth cause for financial stability is the departure of several old-guard players at the declining side of their career's spectrum.

  • Herb Martin, the 20th pick in 2014, had a commendable career, mainly with West Virginia. He only pitched 7 innings in relief with Duluth this season.
  • Davis Sutherland, a long-time Warrior who recently returned home, departs the Emerald Pinstripes with a career 26.8 WAR for the franchise.
  • Brian Beddel was technically released last month to make room for the Charron extension. His retirement was writing on the wall after extension talks fell through. Brian is 106-91 in his career, with a lifetime ERA of 3.77. His white-hot summer for the Warriors was a fitting swan song to an excellent career.


Conclusion

Duluth is a much different team than they were last April. Young, unproven, prone to pedestrian mistakes, and on a razor-thin budget that is just now starting to heal, arbitration and Free Agency will be especially important in determining how long the sub-.500 seasons last for the franchise. At the moment, the roster looks more like a AAA team, with team leader Eric Jacobs voiding his option year. There's almost no one left in the bullpen, with four relievers retiring and the two best--Medina and Tamura--headed for greener pastures in Free Agency. Warrior Hall will need to stretch their Free Agency budget on quite a few upgrades. We'll see how it pans out.

Amanda Scott is a Staff Writer and Senior PEBA Analyst for the Duluth Times.

Follow us on Twitter: @MandyScottDT

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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#51 Post by Vic »

Wow - wasn’t aware that Tamura was leaving. I can’t see him getting a huge payday. He’s good, but this was a down year for him, and relievers don’t usually get big free agent bucks. Interesting.
Last edited by Vic on Thu May 09, 2019 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#52 Post by DrewV »

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Eric Perkins Traded to Crystal Lake
#2 Man exchanged for prospects, late picks

November 21st, 2028

Warrior Hall confirmed this afternoon that SP Eric Perkins—the 2-man in the 2028 rotation, is headed to Division rival Crystal Lake, in exchange for AAA pitcher Beau Phillips and AA Right Fielder Jeremy Craig, along with Crystal Lake’s 6th and 7th Round Draft picks. The trade still awaits official confirmation, but has been confirmed by Warrior Hall pending the Commissioner's approval.

Perkins, with an off-average 3.88 ERA this year, was a reliable starter in the transition to three rookie front-men in the Duluth rotation. It leaves a large hole in the rotation, but does energize the Duluth farm with two contenders and two more late draft picks—which is in-line with the rebuild.

“We wish all the best for Eric,” GM Ricky McCoy told the Duluth Times over the phone, “he’ll do well in Crystal Lake and we’re not looking forward to batting against him. But in the end, this is a trade about the future—both in Beau, who shined in AAA this season, and Jeremy, who has the potential to be a valuable addition to the franchise. It gives us some talented additions to the minors.”

Perkins, up for arbitration this year, earned only $1.2 Million wearing green this season—a steal for a pitcher with his statistics. With estimates anywhere from $1.8 to 2.5 Million in arbitration, the trade adds more financial levity to the struggling franchise, which only recently escaped the red in a $97 Million loss in revenue.

While Duluth added value to its farm, neither are top 10% minor league players, and the team must now look to either signing a starter in Free Agency (a generally expensive affair) or promoting a starter from Racine—none of which have shined at the level one would hope from a AAA rotation. Promoting Phillips is probably not out of the question, as Duluth has developed a reputation of promoting prospects early. While Carter, Trujillo, and Perkins are all rated with excellent potential in PEBA, they are still developing, and the aging Kata Nakamura can’t hold down the fort alone. Earned runs may prove a throttling challenge for 2029.

As for Beau Perkins: he started 12 games in 2029, with an ERA of 2.55 and a WHIP of 1.06 in AAA Evansville. He joins a franchise flush in young starting talent, groundball pitchers, with a fastball topping at 94 mph.

Jeremy Craig, meanwhile, is a commendable gap hitter who dominated NAFTA at 1B last season. Craig was the runner-up to the 2028 NAFTA Outstanding Hitter award, and won Platinum Stick at First Base. He's slashed a commendable .284/.377/.542 at AA, which Duluth, no doubt, hopes to see continued as he progresses in the franchise. While he excels against RHPs, Craig struggled in AA against lefties and relied on well-placed doubles. He may be best suited in platoon at DH, as his defensive skills are nothing to write home about. He will likely fill a large gap at Missuaga, which saw a spree of promotions from their dugout to AAA.

Amanda Scott is a Staff Writer and Senior PEBA Analyst for the Duluth Times.

Follow us on Twitter: @MandyScottDT

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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#53 Post by DrewV »

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Offseason Updates: Long Shadow of Winter
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Free Agent


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December 13th, 2028

As hopeful Duluthians gather on the shores of Lake Superior for the annual Bentleyville Tour of Lights, a pallid glow is set on Doyle Bluth Stadium--as a holly-decked Warrior Hall buzzes with activity.

"I'd say we've had a productive offseason so far," GM Ricky McCoy told the Times in a phone interview. "The team's worked hard to replenish the bullpen, and I'll think what you'll see is a smarter and more efficient team of relievers headed into 2029."

McCoy seemed confident in the recent waiver acquisitions of Cristian Contreras and Doug Wells--though both come with their risks to the franchise.

Contreras, a 27-year-old power pitcher with a long tenure in the Minors, finished out 2028 with a 2.24 ERA for the Glendale Skyelanders (Reno's AAA affiliate). While he gives up 2.8 BB/9, he's also a strikeout machine with a 100mph fastball. His potential to start in PEBA makes him an asset to an organization that saw the mass exodus of it's bullpen last fall. With the #5 slot open in the wake of Eric Perkins, Contreras certainly seems to the the offseason leader.

Meanwhile, recent waiver acquisition Doug Wells seems more of a stopgap for Duluth--and likely a sign that they are looking away from Free Agency to plug their bullpen needs. With a devastating injury rendering Wells out for 6-7 months, he's a risky investment. He's consistently performed at AAA while failing to adjust to the PEBA jump, so the waiver claim's wisdom is yet to be confirmed.

Just days ago, Warrior Hall announced the trade of Duluth's first-round 2028 draft pick, CF Marcos Ledezma, for Yuma SP Cain Bright. Cain had a phenomenal campaign as a reliever for Yuma last year, and give the franchise valuable long relief. However, given Cain's poor 2027 performance, 2028's brilliance may be a small sample size. Only time will tell--and Ledezma put up impressive numbers in A last year.

The option execution of a (still unsigned) Eric Jacobs is still felt at Duluth--and it remains unseen if Duluth will look to the Free Agency for a Third Basemen or shuffle the current infield. Many unconfirmed rumors suggest that Warrior Hall is courting Gordon Fuller, formerly of Hartford. Perhaps Saint Nick can deliver Ricky McCoy an early yuletide gift this year.

Merry Christmas!



Amanda Scott is a Staff Writer and Senior PEBA Analyst for the Duluth Times.

Follow us on Twitter: @MandyScottDT

Last edited by DrewV on Thu May 23, 2019 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#54 Post by Borealis »

I think the Contreras signing may work out well - nice little gem you mined there!!
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#55 Post by Leones »

If Wells can stay healthy long enough to put together 50-80 innings he might put up some good numbers. Those injuries have been terrily frustrating. Hope he works out for Duluth. It'd be nice to see.
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#56 Post by DrewV »

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Winter Meetings Madness
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained in 2028 Winter Meetings



In what is probably the most monumental Winter Meetings in recent Duluth memory, the closed-door discussions throughout the weekend have at last ended, bringing with them some massive changes for the franchise—and a direction not entirely expected.

Total gained (10.8 WAR) ($33,610,00)
3B Andy Sharp (Florida)
CF Jack Flynn (Scotland)
RP Takahiro Takaki (Shin Seiki)
RP Joaquín Montoya (Yuma)
RP Steve Hott (Florida)
Florida’s 3rd Round Pick (20)
Shin Seiki’s 4th Round Pick (28)

Total Lost: (1.2 WAR) ($13,097,000)
LF Paul Dillworth
RP Jose Campos
2B John Dickson
CF Orlando Rubio
Duluth’s 5th Round Pick (1)
Duluth’s 5th Round Pick (6)
Duluth's 1st Round Pick (6)
Duluth's 3rd Round Pick (6)

GRAND TOTAL: +9.6 WAR, -$20,513,000


Duluth was expected to enter the Winter Meetings with a rebuild-oriented mindset. Although no official strategy was shared with the Times, projections showed some bullpen fills and perhaps some farm replenishment—as has been the focus for the franchise since the season’s end.

However, GM Ricky McCoy instead took a drastic sweep of the team’s draft picks, making some of the biggest waves in Asheville with the signing of IL All-Star Third Baseman 3B Andy Sharp —whose famously long contract has been weighing down Florida for ages.

“We certainly weren’t considering a Sharp trade going into the Winter Meetings,” McCoy told the Times. “But the numbers are there. He’s a consistent player with the contract length to allow for some of your younger talent—mainly our pitching—to develop to their potential. We’ve seen improvements in nearly every position in the lineup from the deadline trades last year. Our infield is fully retooled. You’re looking at a team that costs under $80 Million—and we need to balance that savings with hits.”

It was a risky move for Duluth—already strapped for cash—as the salary offset was deviated some by successful Reliever Jose Campos and Second Baseman John Dickson—both untidy expenses for the financially-racked team. If the season should disappoint once again, it’s likely Duluth will attempt to shop Sharp as a rental for the salary relief.

With noted infield improvement in 2028, McCoy hopes that Sharp—while pricy—will be the key to reinvigorating the team, which is almost completely different from opening day last year. Only David Morrisson, Gary Charron, and Carlos Galvan remain.

The addition of elite outfielder Jack Flynn from Scotland saw Orlando Rubio headed for the isles. Flynn, an elite defender with a career.277 AVG, is a notable upgrade for the team. Likewise, RP Takahiro Takaki from Shin Seiki is coming off a career-high 1.23 ERA. This gives much-needed depth to a rebuilt bullpen—and if the team can re-sign Vincente Medina, the relief situation will be a drastic improvement in Duluth. Flordia’s Steve Hott—a salary exchange for Jose Campos—isn’t expected to turn many heads. Yuma’s Joaquin Montoya excelled at AA and should shine in Medicine Hat this year as well.

It seems like the “full rebuild” discussion of last July has been curtailed—at least for a year. If Sharp and the new Duluth Warriors can’t deliver above last year, Ricky McCoy will be on the chopping block. It’s worth noting that Duluth has made improvements and many positions with less than one third of last year’s budget. With the 1st and 5th round draft picks gone, Duluth probably won’t be signing a future star in 2029.
All in all, it was a wild and unprecedented Winter Meetings in Asheville.


Amanda Scott is a Staff Writer and Senior PEBA Analyst for the Duluth Times.

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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#57 Post by Borealis »

Definitely a busy day for Duluth! The question will be: was the hard work peeling away salary in 2028 undone by bringing in Sharp & Co.?
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#58 Post by DrewV »

Certainly possible! It's only a net $12 mil swing. With all the position upgrades I'm praying for better attendance!
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#59 Post by Borealis »

Sharp should help the loss of Mercer from a ticket perspective...
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Re: Warrior Beat: Duluth Times Blog

#60 Post by DrewV »

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Exclusive Interview: KWAR's "Voice of the Warriors" Mike Madigan talks Winter Meetings with Warriors GM: Duluth, MN
(The following transcript is provided courtesy of ClearView Broadcasting and KWAR Sports).

(end of jingle) "....when the sun gets hotter, reach for Bong Water, then freshest refresher for your sons and daughters!"

Mike: Alright, we’re back talking baseball with GM Ricky McCoy. Thanks for joining us on PEBA’s official Duluth Warriors Podcast, folks. Colonel McCoy, you’re in the War Zone.

Ricky: Good to be here, Mike.

Mike: Finally! Thought you’d never come by the studio, Ricky.

Ricky: Anything to make Amanda Scott and the Times jealous.

Mike (laughter) Hey, I started out as a beat reporter. Cut her a break.

Ricky: You know, I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure she’s got my house bugged.

Mike: Well if she does, you don’t talk much there, because according to her most recent article, not even she saw the Winter Meetings trades coming.

Ricky: Well, neither did I, to be honest.

Mike: Ricky, let's get straight to it. For those of you still enjoying the bliss of ignorance, Duluth recently gave up their first-round draft pick, sixth overall, for $28 Million man Andy Sharp, Third Baseman extraordinaire. So Ricky, let's talk. You harped on “overpriced” contracts all season, and—forgive me here—rather infamously traded away anyone in Duluth who could afford a 4-door sedan.

Ricky: That’s right.

Mike: All due respect here, but it's hard to frame a galaxy where this trade makes any sense when you made every 11-year-old boy in Duluth cry all summer with your trade hammer of doom.

Ricky: It’s an operational risk, sure. But that doesn’t mean it’s ambiguous.

Mike: Do tell.

Ricky: Well for one, the salary cutting last year was about stability. We had one of the worst years in Duluth history—we’re talking record-breaking losses, and a lot of that was due to a decline in fan interest. Pair this with some bad luck, crippling injuries, and about thirty-five one-run losses, it turned into a full rout.

Mike: $97 Million in losses, yeah—I’d call that a rout.

Ricky: There were a lot of factors, but one common denominator was about seven or eight horrible signings in 2026. We're talking flat-out, "no tomorrow" bidding wars with long contracts. We decided to rip the band-aid off, rather than drag away Duluth old-timers over three or four seasons. So the strategy lent itself to and immediate, one-time drop in sales. That’s why we saw a $100 Million loss.

Mike: And you were okay with that?

Ricky: I don’t think we expected quite that drastic of a drop in ticket sales, but it seemed the better option. Hell, add up Mercer, Lopez, Pratt, Kenny, and Thomas—that’s still not $97 Million. But the fan interest was already tanked before they left. All this to say, Mike, that I don’t see the team continuing to decline in revenue. It’s a big market, and with the work we’ve been doing in advertising, we needed to maneuver a star in to take Mercer’s place.

Mike: And Sharp was, in your opinion, the answer?

Ricky: We didn’t have the Free Agency power to land an all-star, that’s no secret. But our bottom line will be safe, if we increase revenue from last year. We’ve improved almost every position from 2028, so Andy Sharp is about sealing the deal on a team folks will come out to see. That’s worth a lot more than one expensive contract—and we moved Campos’s expensive contract out to compensate.

Mike: Now, let me play the Devil’s advocate here. Say Andy—god forbid—gets injured. That’s another Victor Latham—warming the bench for $28 Million. That would be sort of a disaster, right?

Ricky: There’s always a risk on injury, but this move shows fans that Duluth can still reach out and field a star that has some serious buying value. And you’ve seen it yourself, Mike—social media exploded over Sharp, and Fan Interest is higher than it’s been since I showed up—even when we still had Mercer.

Mike: Alright, so explain the rationale behind losing your best pick—number six overall. Sort of counter-intuitive to a rebuild, yeah?

Ricky: This may surprise you, Mike, but Duluth’s not in a full rebuild. Not yet.

Mike: (skeptically) Is that right?

Ricky: Think of it this way. Our top young talent recently transitioned to the Major Leagues. Spurned by injuries—sure—but it presents a difficult situation in Duluth. Our starting squad may very well be the best in baseball in a couple years, and their team control’s on the clock. Three guys under 24 that any team would kill to have just one of. If this is about fully dismantling and rebuilding, you’re looking at these guys losing team control before we can develop draft picks into the lineup—if they even make it through the farm.

Mike: Go on.

Ricky: This is about playing the cards you have—laying the sustainability for a rebuild, not just being the next thrift shop team in PEBA. We had to decide if Carter, Mendoza and Trujillo were vanguards for the rebuild, or a central building point. We still weren’t sure when we flew down there.

Mike: So you made the decision to sell the picks there, in Asheville?

Ricky: I did. Now, if we tank this year—if we see another heartbreaking season—sure. We’ll be lucky to break even. But even then, teams will be looking for big names to carry them into October at the deadline. Ideally, we generate a financial situation to keep these guys in the program in time to merge with the rebuild.

Mike: Sounds like some 5-dimensional checkers to me, Ricky. But let’s move on. Walk us through what was going through your head when the Sharp trade came to life.

Ricky: When Ken mentioned to us that Andy Sharp was on the market, I was envious—mainly as a joke, given the option of Eric Jacobs leaving our hot corner empty, and the bidding war over Gordon Fuller. Then he arranged a meeting—and I’ll be honest, I laughed at him when he first proposed it.

Mike: What changed your mind?

Ricky: Honestly? Plain dumb intuition. I have a hunch the 2029 Warriors will perform much better than the 2028 Warriors, so I oriented on that single goal—as much as money would allow.

Mike: Well Ricky, time will tell if it was a stroke of genius or the ignorant calamity of a starstruck junior GM.

Ricky: We’ll see, Mike! We’ll see.

Mike: Pleasure to have you, Colonel McCoy. After the break, folks, we have an interview with two of Duluth’s young guns, Henry Carter and Jeffrey Mendoza. Hear what they have to say about the Warriors and what they have in store for 2029. You’re in the War Zone. Out-Music plays
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