The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#61 Post by Wind Dancers »

May Bounce-back
June 4, 2029
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After a very slow start to the season, the Wind Dancers rebounded in May to the tune of 16 wins and 11 losses. Despite sitting at the bottom of a hyper-competitive Rising Sun Division, Toyama is only 4 ½ games back from first place Shin Seiki AND a wild card spot. IT way too early to be talking about playoff spots, but this new look Toyama roster has given local fans plenty to hope for.

Batters
After making a few moves in the offseason, the Toyama bats had reasonably high expectations after the emergence of ‘Fudd’ Martinez and Ramiro Salinas. April was a bit slow but May has seen a few names step up. Without a top-level run producer or power hitter, the Wind Dancers rely on stringing hits together and using their quick runners to leg out extra bases whenever they can. SS Edison Terry has been the hottest bat in May hitting a solid .338 this past month from the bottom of the batting order. Terry has been hot early into this season but torn ankle ligaments during a Fargo game a week and a half ago will rule him out of action until late-June. Ivan Juarez has found his form hitting .311 in May including 11 doubles and 18 runs scored. Following a shaky 2028 season, Juarez will be key to the Wind Dancers moving forward. CF Carlos Marino had a surprisingly hot May despite a late-month concussion and poor historical numbers. The 25-year-old now has 23 RBI’s on the year (17 in May) while providing some very much needed stability in centerfield.

SS Edison Terry - 74 AB, .338/.380, 12 R, 6 2B
RF Roberto Martinez - 101 AB, .317/.405, 13 RBI, 9 SB
3B Ivan Juarez - 119 AB, .311/.369, 11 2B, 12 RBI

Pitchers
Another widely addressed weakness from last season, starting pitching has improved a bit in May. SP Francois Gosselin has, so far, recovered from his abysmal 2028 and had a 2.45 ERA in 6 starts during May. The 29-year-old tossed 31 strikeouts in 36.2 IP and gave up just 4 HR’s, a major improvement from last season’s 1.9 HR/9. Setup man David Lopez has settled into his role resulting in 13 solid innings with just 2 earned runs and 14 strikeouts. Lopez moved from West Virginia this past offseason and is in the final season of his contract. The veteran has been moved around the 7th and 8th inning but seems to have stuck in the 7th after an injury to Shinobu Takeuchi. Due to said injury, youngster Daichu Chishu has made his return to Toyama after a rough rookie year in 2028. Chishu has only been up for a week but has thrown 4.2 innings giving up just one run.

SP Francois Gosselin - 2-2, 36.2 IP, 31 Ks, 0.98 WHIP
RP David Lopez - 1-0, 13 IP, 14 Ks, 1.08 WHIP
RP Dan Ross - 0-1, 14.2 IP, 13 Ks, 0.89 WHIP

Rising Talent
The biggest moves down in the minor league system come in the form of a wave of top prospects moving up a level. RF Okakura Tomita, CF Guang Liu, SS Rodrigo Vasquez, C Fransisco Alejandrez, and SP Zenko Okada have each been moved up from AA to AAA. The five had a combined 10.4 WAR in just one month of AA ball and have each shown their abilities last season at that level. Despite some growing pains at a new level for a few, the move should create a more competitive environment for the prospects to develop. SP Okada, last season’s 7th overall pick, has immediately impressed as he has at each level. In 4 starts since his promotion, “Emperor” is 3-1 with a 3.42 ERA and 24 strikeouts. His rapid development could see him make his PEBA debut sometime next season.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#62 Post by Sandgnats »

Great job in rebuilding the Wind Dancers Dylan! You guys are moving forward nicely.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#63 Post by Wind Dancers »

Wind Dancers Deal Fudd to San Juan
November 26, 2029
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In an unsurprising manner, the Toyama Wind Dancers announced this morning the trade of Roberto ‘Fudd’ Martinez to the San Juan Coqui for pitcher Mito Nomura. After speculation last season that Fudd wanted out, he officially requested a trade at the end of the 2029 regular season in hopes of playing for a playoff contender. Despite personal success in Toyama after emerging out of the Aurora farm system, Fudd was ready to move on to bigger and brighter things instead of waiting through a Toyama rebuild. The right fielder hit .272 last season and contributed 62 RBI’s and 47 steals.

The loss of Fudd will be tough to swallow for Toyama fans, but in return they are getting an equally talented player that can help fix their pitching woes. Mito Nomura has been in the San Juan system since 2022 and flew through the ranks hitting PEBA level in 2025. Splitting much of his early PEBA between starting and bullpen work, Nomura was given his first full time starting gig last season in which ended up being a breakout year. The now 28-year-old went 17-7 in 32 starts with a 2.70 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He won’t wow you with a ton of strikeouts and his control is above average but his strength comes in keeping the ball on the ground and more importantly, in the park.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#64 Post by Wind Dancers »

Toyama Signs Two, Trades for Prospects
January 26, 2030
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Happy New Year Wind Dancers! With 2030 officially here and free agency in full motion, Toyama has been expectantly quiet. In the midst of winter, there haven’t been many moves since we saw Fudd pack his bags and head to San Juan in return for Mito Nomura. But the moves we have seen are generally positive albeit unspectacular.

On December 17th, Toyama traded away starting SS and former 4th round pick Edison Terry. Terry spent 7 seasons in the Toyama/Lupin organization and is fresh off of 2 of his career-best seasons in 2028 and 2029. The 2029 all-star moved to division rival Okinawa in exchange for some up-and-coming talent. Hong-yeol Chong, a Korean born reliever who was dominant in AA last season sporting a 1.79 ERA and striking out 67 over 60.1 innings pitched. Chong will likely get a shot in AAA this season with the Yokohama Plumbers. And the biggest return in the trade is Sa-yoor Ch’oe, a 21-year-old starting pitcher and the #59 prospect in last season's top 100 prospect rankings. “Milkman” is a workhorse-style finesse pitcher who is coming off of a breakthrough season in AA which saw him finish with a 3.57 ERA, 10.1 K/9 and an even more impressive 2.97 FIP. While he still has a bit of work to do, Ch’oe joins the ranks of the impressive Wind Dancers farm system as a highly-touted prospect.

A few weeks after the earlier trade, Toyama made its first free-agent signing of the season after some drawn-out negotiating. RP Angelo Gonzales, a Nicaraguan pitcher, joins the WinD’s for one season. Gonzales is a much-needed lefty who spent much of his career in Scotland. Despite spending most of 2029 in AAA, Gonzales has a career 3.73 ERA in the PEBA and should bring some consistency to the volatile bullpen.

Likely a direct response to the Terry trade, Toyama earlier this month brought in experienced infielder Gordon Stenger to fill in for one season. Stenger was signed by GM Krupilis during his time in Hartford and he was brought in again to fill an opening in the roster. While his offensive production isn’t great, his defense is solid and his 1-year deal gives top prospect Rodrigo Vasquez another season of development.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#65 Post by Wind Dancers »

Wind Dancers Announce Opening Day Roster
March 31, 2030
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The 2030 Toyama Wind Dancer roster has been announced for their opening series against Duluth. Coming off of a poor 2029, the Wind Dancers have some hope on the horizon in the form of a plethora of talented prospects. But while they work their way up the ranks, the WinD’s will be fighting to keep their heads above water and taking things one game at a time. After finishing spring with the best record in the PEBA, fans are hoping for a quick start to 2030. The 26-man active roster will look like this:

Outfield:
RF Okakura Ishikawa (JPN)
CF Shojiro Kotara (JPN)
LF Ramiro Salinas (USA)
OF David Trujillo (USA)

The Toyama outfield is led by star 27-year-old Ramiro Salinas who finished 2029 with 4 WAR and was impactful in most assets of the game. RF Okakura Ishikawa continues his journey across the outfield manning right field full time for the first time despite playing there every season. CF Shojiro Kotara has earned the CF position after hitting a whopping .325 in 202 plate appearances after his trade from Shin Seiki last season. But Kotara will be the most under pressure to perform as prospect Guang Liu is itching at a shot in the PEBA. Rounding out the outfield is rookie David Trujillo who was a force in AAA last season. Trujillo is highly anticipated for both his on the field play and his apparent leadership skills in the locker room.

Infield:
SS Gordon Stenger (USA)
3B Ivan Juarez (CUB)
2B Gabriel McIntyre (USA)
1B Armando Gandarilla (USA)
1B/DH Lorenzo Gonzalez (USA)
1B/DH John Pulsifer (CAN)
IF Katai Nomura (JPN)

A few fresh faces added to a similar infield as last season, Ivan Juarez being the mainstay as the Toyama fan favorite who had a resurgence season in 2029 hitting .293. Also returning is Gabriel McIntyre who has been a consistent force on defense. 1B Armando Gandarilla slots in at first and is one of the players to watch for a breakout season. After struggling to break through at Shin Seiki, Gandarilla has shown signs of life in Toyama hitting .251 for them last season AND .353 in spring training. Filling out the infield is platoon player Katai Nomura and Rule 5 pick John Pulsifer of which the latter is highly touted as a strong future asset.

Catchers:
C Hirotsugu Suzuki (JPN)
C Gordon Lowe (AUS)

With Reynaldo Garcia gone, Hirotsugu takes over full time catching duty. Never the best hitter, Suzuki hit .488 in spring with 6 HR’s and could be a decent source of pop. Gordon Lowe joins as the backup from London and has impressed defensively.

Bullpen:
CL Jo Kichida (JPN)
RP Daichi Chishu (JPN)
RP Angelo Gonzales (NIC)
RP Junzo Inagaki (JPN)
RP Hayato Kobayashi (JPN)
RP Isei Makino (JPN)
RP Shinobu Takeuchi (JPN)
RP Bob Whitaker (USA)

One of the few positives from last season, the Wind Dancers bullpen has seen significant shake-ups through the offseason. CL Jo Kichida returns for another season after taking over the highly valued closer role. Kichica was lights out in spring with a 0.96 ERA and a ridiculous 17.4 K/9. Bob Whitaker, Junzo Inagaki, and Shinobu Takeuchi each return from last season and will fill out various roles in the pen. Isei Makino returns to Toyama after leaving back in 2027. Makino was the Wind Dancers 1st round pick in the LRS back in 2018 and was welcomed back by fans after playing in the Palm Springs minor league system for 3 years. Hayato Kobayashi will get a full-time role this season after breaking through to the PEBA last season. Daichi Chishu has worked his way back from injury and has impressed in spring. Formerly expected to be a starter, Chishu has worked himself into a solid reliever and with his injury history, can’t really maintain a starter’s workload. The final new face is Angelo Gonzales, a much-needed southpaw reliever who didn’t give up a single run in Spring.

Rotation:
SP Mito Nomura (JPN)
SP Dylan McIntosh (USA)
SP Juan Cervantez (CRI)
SP Francois Gosselin (CAN)
SP Jose Castillo (DOM)

A very similar rotation returns after a poor 2029 season. The lone new face is the new “ace” Mito Nomura from San Juan. Nomura won’t strike out many batters but is a top-level groundball pitcher and put up strong numbers last season. Dylan McIntosh enters his 4th season looking to take the next step. McIntosh hasn’t pitched horribly but is often on the short end of the stick. After signing a long contract before 2029, Juan Cervantez has much to prove heading into 2030. Leaking home runs and hits was a major concern last year so he will need to refind his form from previous seasons. 8 veteran Francois Gosselin is another who needs to drastically improve. And rounding out the rotation is Jose Castillo, a consistent yet unspectacular option.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#66 Post by Wind Dancers »

Wind Dancers Buff Bullpen
July 8, 2030
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It’s been a season of surprises for the Wind Dancers who find themselves just a half-game out of a wildcard spot. The Sovereign League’s 2nd best offense has been a revelation this season bolstered by an overperforming pitching rotation. While still in “rebuild” mode, the Wind Dancers aren’t ignoring this chance at playoffs and has brought in some additional bullpen help.

RP Ron Wells has made his way to Toyama from West Virginia for a 3rd round pick. The 28-year-old was a late bloomer and is celebrating his 2nd season in the PEBA with a 2.70 ERA across 23.1 innings and an impressive 0.99 WHIP. A hard-throwing power pitcher, Wells brings some much-needed flair to a stagnant bullpen that has been the lone issue this season. Born in Richmond, this will be Wells 2nd period in Japan after being drafted by the Niihama-shi Ghosts back in 2023 before being picked up by WV in the contraction draft. Wells is the second reliever to join Toyama this summer after Tsuginori Honma came over from Canton.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#67 Post by Ghosts »

If you're acquisition of Ron Wells goes anything like your last trade giving up a 3rd round choice, he should lockdown the Shutdown Reliever of the Year award by August 2031.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#68 Post by Wind Dancers »

Wind Dancers Find Their Groove
August 26th, 2030
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It’s been a season of surprises for the Wind Dancers who find themselves just 3.5 games out of a wildcard spot. Entering the final month of the season, Wind Dancer fans can reflect on what has already been a very positive season after finishing last in the Rising Sun for the past 3 years. In fact, the Wind Dancers win total right now (73) is just six shy of their most winningest season in the last 6 seasons. With inter-divisional play coming up, anything could happen for the streaking WinD’s.

The biggest driver behind this 2030 turnaround has been a revamped offense that is 4th in the SL in runs scored, 2nd in OBP, and 5th in extra-base hits. While only really utilized against righties, DH Lorenzo Gonzalez and proven his prowess hitting a whopping .346 in 367 AB’s along with 16 HRs and 60 RBIs. But the biggest turnaround story comes from 1B Armando “Gorilla” Gandarilla who is hitting .296 with 25 HRs and 89 RBIs. Gorilla struggled to break into the Shin Seiki lineup back in 2029 leading to his move to Toyama where he finished out the year hitting alright. But 2030 has been Gorilla’s “coming of age” year with the 29-year-old taking firm hold of a starters position and quickly becoming one of the premier first basemen in the league. Another key force behind Toyama’s resurgence has been LF Ramiro Salinas. It feels like just yesterday when Footloose was playing in Yokohama, but 4 years later he has become an offensive and defensive asset, and at just 27, he has a long career ahead of him. Salinas is currently hitting .258 with a career-high 25 HRs and 74 RBIs. But his value is included elsewhere with 38 SBs while only being caught 4 times and some unmistakeable defensive stats like a +8.3 ZR and only a single error all season in Left Field.

While the bats have been a welcome surprise, nothing has been quite surprising as the Toyama pitching staff. Last season, Toyama has an ERA of 4.07, but in 2030 that has been reduced to just 3.78. While the bullpen needs some work (4.52 ERA), it’s the rotation that has completely turned its form around becoming the 3rd best rotation in the SL with a 3.36 ERA. New addition Mito Nomura has lead the line despite regressing a bit since his time in pitcher-friendly San Juan. But a 3.68 ERA doesn’t line up with his 6-11 record indicating he may have had a few unlucky outings. Dylan McIntosh is having a career-year in his 4th season with Toyama, hurling 11 wins with a 3.10 ERA and a solid 1.7 BB/9. Formerly referred to as a flop, Juan Cervantes has flipped this season on its head with 11 wins (up from 9) and a 3.02 ERA (from 4.98 last season). Cervantez has cut his HR/9 down to just 0.8 and is finally replicating his skill that showed earlier in his career.

One of the most interesting facts about this Wind Dancers team is the handful of young rookies that have stepped up and laid claim to starting positions when need be. While he couldn’t tell you what a walk is, RF David Trujillo is hitting .286 with 13 HRs in his first season, and his influence in the locker room has been the glue for this team. CF Guang Liu was called up mid-season and is hitting .272 with 10 HRs, 14 SBs, and a solid line in Centerfield. And catcher Francisco Alejandrez who was brought up in June hitting .298/.405 in 158 PAs. With more young talent on the way next season, this team could once again surprise some in 2031. But for now, their focus is on that last wildcard spot.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#69 Post by Lions »

Toyama's a nice example of how a team with no real superstars can be a contender if it has depth. That's not to say there are no stars, and maybe someone like Gorilla becomes a superstar, but right now it's just a really solid team up and down the lineup. The pitching staff is similar. Nicely done, and a great example for those of us looking to turn our fortunes around.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#70 Post by Ghosts »

The reinforcements on the way in 2031 and 2032 are scary. I think Toyoma's losing ways are in the rearview for the forseeable future.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#71 Post by Wind Dancers »

WinD’s Grab Three at End of Year Awards Ceremony
November 16th, 2030
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At the yearly end of the season award ceremony for the PEBA, The Wind Dancers have been a rare sight in the past. But after the 2030 revival season, Toyama proudly walked away with 3 All-Leather Awards. Mito Nomura (P), Ivan Juarez (3B), and Ramiro Salinas (LF) each won their respective awards after provided stellar defense for 2030. Honorable mentions include 2B Gabriel McIntyre who was high in the All-Leather voting and CF Guang Liu who finished third in voting for the Wunderkind award.

Nomura had a mixed first season since his move from San Juan last November but finished the year with a solid 3.85 ERA and a 1.042 defensive efficiency. 3B Ivan Juarez walked away with his 3rd career All-Leather award after putting up a career-high 298 assists as well as a 1.020 defensive efficiency and 3.4 zone rating. But the biggest defense performer of the year was clearly LF Ramiro Salinas. In a season where “Footloose” took the next step up, he finished the year with just 1 error across 154 games. Along with that singular error, Salinas had 371 putouts, 12 assists, 4 double plays, a whopping 10.7 zone rating, and a 1.038 defensive efficiency rating. At just 27, Salinas has developed into the franchise player Toyama fans had hoped for since he joined back in 2023.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#72 Post by Wind Dancers »

Enjoying Winter
February 15th, 2031
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As the offseason marches forward, teams around the league have been throwing around money and players to find the 25 that will wear their team’s cap to start the season. Meanwhile, in Toyama, fans and players alike have been enjoying the yearly winter festivities as the Wind Dancers have been fairly quiet in the market. The Nihonkai Takaoka Nabe a winter seafood hotpot style festival, the snow carnival wand much more has kept fans satisfied. But with Spring quickly approaching, let’s take a look at some of the new faces and new expectations for the 2031 season.

Departures
On paper, Toyama lost a handful of talented players that played a big role in last season’s success. DH Lorenzo Gonzalez, who had his breakout season last year, was traded to London for a 2nd round pick in the 2031 draft. Gonzalez was a key bat, but lack of defensive abilities and a backlog of young talent working it’s way up forced the WinD’s to cash in now. SS Gordon Stenger was released into free agency after what was his best PEBA season since 2022. The 37-year-old was also let go because of emerging young talent. SP Jose Castillo was another player who had a career-best season in 2030, but going with the pattern, was released in favor of younger talent. Castillo eventually signed for the rebranded Madison Malts as he makes his return stateside. RP Isei Makino and C Hirotsugu Suzuki were also released with the latter signing for Palm Springs. Along with those major league departures, a team record 8 players were selected in the Rule 5 Draft clearing plenty of space in AAA Yokohama.

New Faces
The Toyama minor league system continues to pay back its worth as homegrown talent makes it’s way up to the PEBA. With this rising talent, only one free agent was brought in at the PEBA level in a pivotal role. Longtime Shin Seiki relief pitcher Takahiro Takaki joined the Wind Dancers on a three-year deal worth about $23mil. Toyama has been without a legit closer since Vincente Medina back in 2027. Jo Kichida has filled in admirably but with age catching up fast, “Cracker” will move into a regular bullpen role. Takaki enters with a career of playing for two of the best teams in PEBA, SS and WV, though had been relegated to mostly a regular bullpen role.

Joining Toyama full time this season is a handful of top prospects that many will already likely know. Getting the nod at SS is Rodrigo Vasquez, the current #3 prospect in the league. Wind Dancers fans have seen this coming for a while now and “El Cid” made his short debut in September of last season. Vasquez is an all-arounder as he can hit for average, get on base, has some pop, is lightning quick, and is an elite defender that could theoretically play in any infield or outfield position. Another bat joining the WindD’s is OF Ashley Lammas, a recent 3rd round pick back in 2029. Lammas finished the season in AA in 2030 but has caught the eye of many in offseason workouts and has been tapped for a platoon role in the outfield. And the final name being brought up is another filled with much excitement, SP Zenko Okada. Despite a string of injuries over the past few seasons, “Emperor” has been mostly unstoppable when he’s on the mound, flying up the league levels very quickly. His latest showing in AAA was a 10-5 record with a 2.00 ERA before going down with shoulder inflammation. Toyama will work to manage his load to avoid future injuries but when he pitches, it’s top-notch.

Earning a Role
After a surprise start to the 2030 season, Toyama brought up a handful of young players that emerged as regular starters. Heading into 2031, many of those players have now been handed the keys to a full-time role at the club. RF David Trujillo has been a revelation for the team, quickly becoming recognized as the team’s captain in just his rookie season. Trujillo hit a solid .294 in 2030 and has laid claim to the Right Field role. CF Guang “Strider” Liu finished 3rd in voting for the SL Wunderkind Award last season after showing off his considerable talent in just 106 games. Liu has locked down centerfield and looks to become a well-known name at just 22 years old. With the trade of Lorenzo Gonzalez, former Rule 5 pick John Pulsifer will be getting a shot at DH this season after impressing many in Winter Ball workouts. The 22-year-old has looked sharp the few times he has played and could surprise many in 2031. Finally, C Fransisco Alejandrez has been given the starting catcher role after Hirotsugu Suzuki left. Alejandrez has some stiff competition in Kevin Newton working his way up the minors but for now, Alejandrez is in charge.
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#73 Post by Wind Dancers »

Wind Dancers Announce Roster for Opening Day 2031
April 6th, 2031
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A long offseason followed by the slowly building anticipation of spring has brought us to the day all baseball fans cherish, Opening Day. 2030 was a surprise season for Toyama faithful as their Wind Dancers won 88 games and were in striking distance of a wildcard spot. A mix of rookies and veteran talent culminated in that best season Toyama has had since 2024. Now with 2031 on the horizon, Toyama looks to use that same formula, but with a larger injection of young talent, to have yet another competitive season. The question remains to be seen if these young players will improve on last season, or if it will take them a bit to adjust to the rigors of the PEBA. Regardless, Opening Day is here and Toyama has 26 names suiting up for the festivities.

Outfield
The Toyama outfield looks fairly similar to 2030, with one noticeable addition. Team captain David Trujillo has laid claim to a starting role in right field and a hot spring of hitting .404 will quickly remove any doubts. “Hands” should bring some consistency to what has been a revolving door of right fielders in recent years. The man he replaced, Shojiro Kotara, will be the 4th outfielder this season giving him a time across all outfield positions. Kotara struggled at the plate last season but can always surprise with his power and defensive flexibility. Starting in CF is sophomore Guang Liu coming off of an impressive rookie season. A lack of solid defense in CF last season saw “Strider” called up early on in the season and he took full control of that spot along with hitting .272 in his 1st season. Liu can bring a little bit of everything to his games with a combination of speed, power, contact, and fielding that he can adjust to the team’s needs. And in left field, who else but Ramiro Salinas, the golden boy of the Toyama system. Despite a falling batting average last season, Salinas turned his power significantly up blasting 29 home runs, 12 more than his previous 2 seasons. 2030 saw “Footloose” claim his firstAll-Leather Award in LF as he has developed into a true 5 tool player. The final name in the outfield is youngster Ashley Lammas who will be making his debut this season. Lammas was just drafted back in 2029 with the 64th overall pick but quickly flew up the minor league ranks eventually skipping AAA and heading right to PEBA. Lammas is viewed as a straight forward style of player who can get on base, run, and field while playing a platoon role in the outfield.

RF David Trujillo
CF Guang Liu
LF Ramiro Salinas
OF Shojiro Kotara
OF Ashley Lammas

Infield
The infield is mostly unchanged, but one big name has finally made it to the bigs. El Cid has come, Rodrigo Vasquez has arrived in Toyama to start at shortstop which was left vacated by Gordon Stenger. Vasquez has been closely kept track of since signing from the Dominican Republic back in 2024. “El Cid” has quickly impressed throughout the minors and has developed into a top 5 prospect in the league. A “do-it-all” type of player, Vasquez already got a short taste of PEBA last September but will be given the reigns for 2031. To his right at third is none other than Ivan Juarez entering his 10th season with the team. Never one to be flashy, his consistent play in the leadoff role is a solid foundation to build this new team around. At second, Gabriel McIntyre reprises his role providing solid defense and some hits at the back of the order. McIntyre will look to impress this season with a team option coming up for 2032 and an increasing list of youngsters pushing him from behind.”Gorilla” returns after a career season at 1B as he looks to become one of PEBA’s premier talents. Gandarilla isn’t the best defensively but his 28 HR’s and 109 RBI’s last season was something Toyama had sorely missed for many years. Listed as a DH for the upcoming season is youngster John Pulsifer. Pulsifer was selected in the Rule 5 draft last season but was given very limited time behind Gandarilla and Lorenzo Gonzalez. But with Gonzalez sent off to London, Pulsifer has free reign of the DH role and according to coaches has developed rapidly in the offseason. The rookie will get his first full test of PEBa this year. Rounding out the infield roles is platoon infielder Katai Nomura returning for his 7th season in that role with Toyama. It’s not impossible to teach an old dog new tricks as the 34-year-old showed in the offseason playing first base, the only infield position he hadn’t regularly played.

DH John Pulsifer
SS Rodrigo Vasquez
3B Ivan Juarez
2B Gabriel McIntyre
1B Armando Gandarilla
IF Katai Nomura

Behind the Plate
The catcher spot will be one to watch over the next 2-3 season with 2 potentially elite catchers fighting for 1 position. Handed the full-time starting role this year is Fransisco Alejandrez after an incredible 65 games in PEBA last season. The 23-year-old is the first big catcher prospect to hit PEBA for Toyama and will hold down that spot at least for this season. Backing him up is C Gordon Lowe, a defense-first backstop that is also a good locker room influence. Starting the season in AAA but waiting in the wings to strike is top catching prospect Kevin Newton. Newton and Alejandrez duked it out in spring with both putting up some crazy numbers. With Alejandrez’s strength against Righties and Newton’s strength against lefties, we could see two elite catchers splitting time in a few seasons.

C Fransisco Alejandrez
C Gordon Lowe

Bullpen
Moving on to pitching, the Toyama pen was one of the few weak points last season. Some additional reinforcements were brought in at the end of 2030 and in the offseason starting with a new closer. Since Vicente Medina left, Toyama has looked for a true closer and finally got their man with Takahiro Takaki. Takaki has top-notch stuff and Toyama fans will remember him from his many years in Shin Seiki. In the setup roles are two pitchers signed midway through 2030, Ron Wells and Bob O’Higgins. Both were great last year and will fill in a dangerous back of the bullpen. Relievers Tsuginori Honma, Hayato Kobayashi, and Jo Kichida each return as middle relievers this year. Kichida was demoted from his closing role as his age begins to catch up with him. And rounding out the pen in long relief are Bob Whitaker and Daichi Chishu, two regulars who have has mixed success.

CL Takahiro Takaki
RP Ron Wells
RP Bob O’Higgins
RP Tsuginori Honma
RP Hayato Kobayashi
RP Jo Kichida
RP Bob Whitaker
RP Daichi Chishu

Rotation
And finally, the 5 starting pitchers that will lead the Wind Dancers on the mound for 2031. The current “ace”, Dylan McIntosh starts on opening day after progressing to a career season last year. McIntosh improved season over season culminating in a breakout 2030 and a promotion to the #1 starter for 2031. Behind him is SP Mito Nomura who struggled to adapt to the big bats of the SL in 2030. After recovering well to end 2030, Nomura looks to take the next step after a dominant spring. In the middle is Juan Cernatez after a significant resurgence in 2030. Formerly a number 1, Cervantez has become a reliable “low innings” starter that makes use of Toyama’s strong defense. The longest-tenured Wind Dancer in this list, Francois Gosselin is in the 4th spot in what is a make or break season for him. With a player option on the horizon and an abysmal spring, many are questioning the future of this once hopeful prospect. And rounding out the rotation is a name many have been waiting for, Zenko Okada. “Emporer” was picked 7th overall in 2028 and has been electrifying when healthy. Him being added to the roster shows Toyama’s confidence in him and his track record.

SP Dylan McIntosh
SP Mito Nomura
SP Juan Cervantes
SP Francois Gosselin
SP Zenko Okada
Dylan Krupilis
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
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1x PEBA Champion (2038)
3x Sovereign League Champion (2034, 2037, 2038)
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#74 Post by Wind Dancers »

2032 Recap
November 1, 2032
Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

A long 2032 season has come to a close in Toyama and despite setting a team-high record in the PEBA, the Wind Dancers missed out on the playoff via tiebreaker. Despite doing home early, this season will undoubtedly go down as a success across the board. Coming in with a very young roster, Toyama showed they were a competitive force even in the competitive Rising Sun division. Let’s take a look at the roster and hand out grades for the season.

DH John Pulsifer - C
The young DH matched his WAR of the previous season but wasn’t able to break out. A slight bump in power but a reduction in runs driven in left a bit of desire, but at just 24, Pulsifer still has time to step up.

RF DeWitt Barry - B
Barry was brought in to add some run production and did just that while splitting time in RF. Barry hit .271/.343 with 13 HRs and 51 RBIs in just 332 ABs and was very efficient against right handed pitchers. One of the few veterans in the lineup, reconnecting with former GM Krupilis seems to have re-energized the 33-year-old.

RF David Trujillo - B
Trujillo split time with Barry in RF and was coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered last season but picked up right where he left off. Hitting .271 with 14 HRs and 45 RBIs, the team captain had a similar season to his first in the league back in 2030.

CF Guang Liu - C+
Liu’s production took a dive this year after he struggled to recover from a fractured thumb in June. A dip in BA (.241) and SBs (25) were a letdown along with a poor performance defensively. Despite these setbacks, Liu bulked up and showed he could hit the long ball as well as improving his strikeout numbers.

LF Ramiro Salinas - B
In a contract year, “Footloose” played around his normal level but has yet to match his 2030 production while hitting 3rd at the time. At 29, Salinas is still a top LF and is in the running for a 2nd All-leather award while still being a significant offensive threat. Fortunately for Toyama fans, Salinas recently signed a 6 year, $138m contract to stay with the team.

SS Rodrigo Vasquez - A
“El Cid” had a monstrous year, more than doubling his previous WAR to 5.1. While not known for his bat, Vasquez hit a respectable .240/.322 with 15 HRs and 51 RBIs. The versatile SS also stole 40 bases, getting caught only twice, and had a +6.4 ZR in the field. Owner Dong-kyoon Yi initially wanted to upgrade at SS this year but was so happy with Vasquez improvement that he changed his mind.

3B Ivan Juarez - B
The longest-serving Toyama player has settled into his role of hitting around .258 and being a solid leadoff hitter. A horrible fractured tibia ended his season early but not before producing his best season since 2029. Juarez will have competition next year with young starlet Yoritomo Maeda on the way.

2B Sadaharu Harada - B-
Written off early by many OSA pundits, Harada had a solid first full season in Toyama. He hit .263, rarely struck out, and provided consistency at the bottom of the order. Fans will want to see a bit more on the basepaths from him, but overall it was a good year.

IF Tenshin Kudo - B+
Platoon everything Tenshin Kudo went above and beyond what a backup player is expected to do. He hit .265, played 7 defensive positions well, and was reliable when seeping up to start for injured teammates. Toyama would love to keep him, but his asking price is likely too high.

IF Hae-young Pak - B-
Pak was a solid backup in the right side of the infield and continued to excel seeing the ball (.345 OBP). No complaints about being a backup and his ability to get on base will keep him around for a while.

1B Armando Gandarilla - A
Despite a dip in batting average, Gorilla was the main source of run production in 3032 with 31 HRs and 103 RBIs. Those 31 HRs were a career-high as well as 91 runs and 5 triples. In an even more shocking turn of events, Gorilla’s defense at 1B greatly improved dropping his errors by half and quadrupling his previous Zone Rating.

C Francisco Alejandrez - A
Once again, Alejandrez has shown up as an elite offensive catcher hitting .284/.376 with 47 RBIs in 388 ABs. Alejandrez split time with rookie Kevin Newton and was used as the main option against RHP. His defense is still less than many would hope, but it’s good enough to not be a liability.

C Kevin Newton - B
After a VERY rough start to his rookie season, “Iron Heart” rebounded well and finished the season hitting .256 with 9 HRs and the backup and occasionally starter vs lefties. A young stud still developing, Newton will look to get a bit more time at the plate in 2033.

CL Takahiro Takaki - C-
A MAJOR let off this season, Takaki finished with a -0.7 WAR after tanking the first half of the season. He recovered with a 3.52 ERA and 37 saves but gave up a career-high 1.6 HR/9 and a career-low 8.0 K/9. Takaki’s contract ends next season which could see him moved to a normal BP role.

RP Daichi Chishu - B+
Once an injury-prone and volatile RP, Chishu has turned into a reliable and consistent option out of the pen. His 2.62 ERA was a career-best for a full season while also setting career-bests in walks, home runs, and WHIP. Built around an elite change-up, Chishu is a go-to in the middle innings.

Francois Gosselin - A+
If you would’ve told me last year that Gosselin would be an A+ in 2032 I’d laugh in your face. In his first year as an RP, Gosselin dominated with a .259 ERA, 13 saves, 13 holds, 11.9 K/9 and a 1.5 WAR. In his contract year, Gosselin stepped up and may now even be difficult to re-sign despite his failings as an SP.

Tsuginori Honma - F
Unfortunately, Age caught up with Honma this year which was his worst season by far. 6.54 ERA, -0.8 WAR, 2.3 HR/9, Honma was kept on the roster all season hoping things would turn around, but he will be walking into 2033 as a free agent.

Zach McDermott - A
After years of failed opportunities in the PEBA, Zach finally grabbed his chance and ran with it in 2032. In 65 IP, McDermott had a 3.05 ERA, 7.6 K/9, and a 1.4 WAR as a long reliever. His 3 pitch repertoire and starter stamina make him a key bullpen piece for the WinD’s moving forward.

Bob O’Higgins - B-
A quiet year for O’Higgins, the 38-year-old played well enough as an MR though age regression has clearly begun. He will likely move on next year but finishes his final year in Toyama with a 3.48 ERA and 64 K’s.

RP Scotty Shorland - A+
Nothing short of an elite season for Shorland as the former starter ended 2032 with a 3.3 WAR in relief. Across 83 IP Shorland had a 1.73 ERA, 112 K’s, and only gave up 3 home runs all year. This rule 5 pick has been nothing short of a revelation for the pen, a role he is content with despite wanting to be a starter.

RP Ron Wells - B
More of the same from Wells, lots of strikeouts, but leaks home runs. He’s been up and down in Toyama but is a solid MR when called upon as long as his high velocity holds up.

SP Sa-Yoor Ch’oe - A
One of three PEBA rookie pitchers to start for Toyama this year, Ch’oe finished with the highest WAR (5.4) and made his name known quickly. Finishing 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA, Ch’oe was solid across the board and fits the mould of a consistent #2-3 pitcher.

SP Alfredo Gonzales - A
“Rookie” #2 was actually a pro in Mexico for 6 years before signing a blockbuster deal to join Toyama in the offseason. Gonzales is a classic ace style of pitcher, with big strikeout numbers from 4-seam/sinker combo, great stamina, and he doesn’t leak HR’s or walks. He went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA this year and is the favorite to start opening day in 2033.

SP Daniel Hernandez - A
And the third rookie Toyama starter, Hernandez finished the year as the SL leader in win percentage of .810 or a 17-4 record. With a 2.37 ERA and 8.3 K/9, Hernandez fits in perfectly with the 3-hit rookie combo as a low-velocity pitcher who excels with offspeed pitches. With a devastating Changeup and Knuckle Curve, “El Toro” is a perfect compliment on the rotation.

SP Dylan McIntosh - B
Mr Consistent come through again this year with a 14-9 record and 3.61 ERA. Never flashy, pitches to contact, and doesn’t walk batters is his game and 2032 was no different. A 4.0 WAR was a step up from last year and McIntosh will fill in as a mid-late rotation starter next year as the most senior starter at 30 years old.

SP Zenko Okada - B
Zenko got hit with the sophomore slump this season after winning the 2031 Wunderkind Award. Fortunately, a down season consisted of a 15-11 record and 3.14 ERA. His HR numbers went up and K’s dropped but overall it was still a solid season.
Dylan Krupilis
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
Web Admin/Tech Guru

1x PEBA Champion (2038)
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Re: The Toyama Wind Dancers Blog

#75 Post by Ghosts »

The Evas and the Akira will still loom, I'm sure, but it's Toyoma that really scares the front office in Niihama. Overcoming the wealth of talent accrued here will be nearly impossible. We may just have to hope that they're collectively so good that you can't afford to keep them all.
Dan Vail
Bakersfield Bears 2028-2030
Niihama-shi Ghosts 2010, 2031-current
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