THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#91 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
Wind Dancers to Spruce Up the Castle


December 10, 2023: Last season saw the historic rebranding of the franchise previously known under their corporate umbrella as the Lupin Cliff Hangers convert to the more traditional Toyama Wind Dancers. They combined this with a 2,000 seat addition to their ballpark, that included a few extra amenities. The team then went out and made it all the way to the post-season for the first time since merging with the global PEBA.

We won’t talk about their performance in those playoffs, because we’re now in the post season, and the team is prepping for the winter meetings and all that entails. That means this is the season for optimism, and there are many reasons for such optimism to be running rampant.

Among those reasons was the announcement this morning that the baseball club in Toyama is planning to add an additional 3,000 seats to their ballpark, and again upgrade several areas to provide for fan comfort and convenience.

“Our fans are the greatest fans in baseball,” said Mia Finn, one of the team’s latest spokesmodels, as she and co-spokesmodel Yosuki “Dash” Yamada (apparently hired to appeal more to the female gender) unveiled the architectural plans. “Everyone on in the organization believes this is true.” The plans include two decks of extra seats, split evenly along the right and left field area, with phone and electronics charges built into several key locations. In addition, Mr. Yamada modeled a version of disposable poncho that will be placed under each seat in case of rain. “Some teams put a roof over their field, but the Wind Dancers prefer to say ‘Let it Rain!,” Ms. Finn exclaimed. They also announced that in the case of a rain delay, the new tradition will be to play “Singing in the Rain,” and use a Fan Cam to capture the best Gene Kelly impersonation. The winner will receive free tickets to another game, and a guest appearance on the “Do Strange Stuff Until We Choke Laughing” reality TV show that everyone is so hot on right now.

The modifications would result in a total seating capacity of 55,000 fans per game, and represents the end of the initial phase of rebuilding that GM Ron Collins promised to work for when he first took the team over from previous GM Jim Konopka.

She read a prepared statement from owner Paul Walker and GM Ron Collins which said they were proud to be able to make these improvements on the team’s ledger. “Ron has built a financial juggernaut,” said Walker, “and I’m proud to be able to funnel $2.1M back into the community. We intend to use local contractors all the way.” It is, perhaps, newsworthy to note that Walker has been relatively quiet when it comes to speaking about the club as a whole since well before the rebranding effort.

Team accountants suggest that the $2.1M will come from the $13.1M that Walker apparently pocketed from the team’s performance last year. Amid difficulties being seen across several of the more established clubs in the PEBA, and rumors of some teams sucking at an empty cash teat so hard that they may fold, this is fantastic news for Toyama fans overall. Add to it the mega-media rights package the league recently signed, and it feels like one of those “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” kind of things.

“It’s a great design,” said the team’s 32-year-old shortstop, Shiro Adachi, whose presence in town for the unveiling sparked rumors that he and the club were in negotiations for an extension on his contract. “I don’t have anything to say about that except that I love the idea of playing more games in from of the Toyama fans. They have made this team what it is.”
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#92 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
Gómez Contemplates Pen
Image
Future Fireman?
December 25, 2023: Toyama—Friends of Toyama AAA pitcher Carlos Gómez say that the hurler is considering asking the team to move him to the bullpen. Despite a painful 6-14 record, the 25-year-old threw an effective 3.83 ERA and a league average FIP last season in Yamauchi. However, he seems to see the writing is on the wall when he looks up to the big leagues.

“He wants to pitch in the majors,” one contact close to Gómez told us over a glass of beer or two. “But the Wind Dancers are obviously stacked there already (Watanabe, Lewis, Hashimoto, Takeuchi, and Courtney appear entrenched for the next season or two), and he sees (Francois) Gosselin and (lefty Ken) Thompson are probably ahead of him in the pecking order right now—and if John Gillard gets up to AAA this season, that’s three.” Time is most certainly ticking for the Cuban and his 96 MPH fastball and its limited movement.

Gómez came to the organization during the team’s blitz of talent out of the Mexican league in mid-2022, and pitched well in AA (3.46 ERA) over the last half of the year, though again, he struggled with a 2-4 record. The issue in his case doesn’t seem to be pure stamina so much as the overall quality of his repertoire doesn’t let him get through the order more than two times at best. Gómez has always taken considerable pride in being a starter, but it seems that AAA pitching coach Kimi Hoshino had a sit-down with Gómez at the end of this season and made a strong suggestion that he consider the bullpen if he wanted to go farther.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#93 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers

Contraction Draft Sees Wind-Ds Reacquire Shortstop of the Future
Image
Inventive fielder Edison Terry is back in the Dancer fold

December 26, 2023: The day after the dust cleared on the PEBA Winter Meetings and Contraction Process, Wind Dancer fans took a look around and saw a face that, despite a little more mileage, looked familiar.

With their first selection of the process (which they held in the back of a smokey bar sometime after the actual process) the team tagged Edison Terry, a rangy 22 year-old shortstop from Jacksonville, Florida. This name should be a bit familiar because Terry was the Wind Dancer's 4th round selection in the 2022 draft class, but was later included in the deal that brought right fielder Ivan Rosa to the Dancers last off-season. He is well known as a defensive mastercrafter, with some saying he's even better than young Yujiro Endo, who took the role with the big club late last season, and is expected to begin the season there. The issue, however, is that pretty much everyone is certain Endo cannot hit, including Endo's mother.

“I was terribly excited to see that Edison was available to us,” said the current parent club manager Hirotada Suzuki. I wasn’t here when he was traded, but I’ve seen him play and the coaches who were here have a high temperature for him.”

After struggling with the stick a bit in Osakasayama, Terry’s bat came in big-time this past season as he hit .332/.385/.460 in 493 plate appearances in the Hitmen’s Hoboken team (A-ball). His glove, which has always left observers salivating, was again brilliant. Given the Wind Dancer’s need for a complete shortstop, there is already some buzz about bringing Terry straight to the big league team. “I think we’ll wait to see what the spring brings,” Suzuki said.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#94 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
Contraction Draft Brings Youthful Salinas

Image
Ramiro Salinas: Not Punked

December 26, 2023: Chicago-born Ramiro Salinas received one of those curve balls life can throw you today when he learned that the Toyama Wind Dancers made him their second selection in the Protracted and Supplemental PEBA/WIL Contraction Draft. Salinas, a 20-year-old outfielder who was originally with the Marseilles franchise, was woken up by a reporter to tell him the news.

“Is this a joke?’ he said. “Am I being punked?”

Having been an interested party, he had seen to video of Toyama GM Ron Collins going off the deep end, but had gone to bed that night with the understanding that his contract still belonged to the European ball club, and that he was likely to be playing overseas. That will, of course, still be true—however, it will be a different sea. He is used to change, however. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft by the Gloucester franchise, then saw that team move overseas in a PEBA reshuffle. He was rated the league’s #97 prospect last spring, but a strained quadriceps set him out of action for five weeks.

The selection was interesting given news of the team’s plans for reworking their ballpark. Salinas is a toolsy kind of talent, a RHB with some pop that projects more as line drives into the gaps than in towering homers. Given that he’s also got 40-50 stolen base speed, one would think he would be tailor made for the kind of park the club is envisioning—or is that visa versa? Is is possible the Dancer front office dropped a $7M renovation project onto the books just to get the field ready for Salinas time?

Well … stranger things have happened around this team, so we won’t suggest one way or the other.

Despite a couple years as a pro, Ramiro is still a bit on the raw side, but the Dancers think he’ll be just fine. Early projections are for him to play left field, likely at the A-ball level for a short while just to get a handle on where he really.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#95 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
PROSPECT WATCH 2024
#25-#21

For the last couple year's we've been swiping the Longshoreman's basic format of reviewing their minor leaguers. Despite certain sectors of the public decrying our unmitigated gall at heisting intellectual property (hey, only steal from the best, we say in response), it's been working pretty well. Given that, we figure now is not the time to grow a conscience. In order to appease the naysayers, however, this year we'll switch it up a little and start from the bottom and work our way to the top.

[Note: We're also doing this countdown-style because the folk who run the tabloid that our publisher just bought out says that this is a great way to increase tension. We're not sold on this, but we do think it interesting that they got the scoop on the story of Prince Harry having kinky conversation with an alien from Tau Ceti, so maybe they are onto something.]

We'll start by noting a few guys who are no longer on the list.

Seeing that pitcher 26 year-old Bill Courtney, last year's #1, is making major waves with the Wind Dancers, we figure he aged out and graduated out. Likewise, third-baseman Iván Juárez was last year's #2 prospect, but he played with the bigs well enough to be third in the league's ROY voting. Yeah, he's 24, so we could keep him on the list, but he's not a prospect anymore--he's a player.

Sotatsu Hirano (#6 last year) and Sotaro Kimura (#22) had mediocre seasons after being called up, and fell off the list--though truthfully, Hirano probably belongs back on it somewhere...this leads us to our all around thinking about the group as a whole.

The Toyama/Lupin minor leagues have been an organization in constant transit. In the early days the club had a handful of guys who might make an impact, and entire squads of future couch salesmen. Then, the past year or two, Toyama's had a much deeper collection of impact players, a small zone of some interest, and then that vast wasteland of lottery ticket suckitude. After a pair of seasons of solid funding and under a new scouting director, the club has graduated some of its impact guys and hence has a smaller collection of obvious impacters. It does, however, have a collection of players that stretch out to the horizon that all appear to have some merit, and who, with a nip here or a tuck there, might just have real careers.

Hence the Hirano problem.

A final notable removal was closer Shihei Matsubara, who at 25 is in AAA and is probably ready to pitch in the majors. He was #25 last year, but fell out this year despite posting 27 saves and a 4.31 ERA. The guy has a 99 MPH fastball and a curve that can be breathtaking. The problem is that for years and years the club;s #1 pick in the 2019 draft has also let the curve ball hang a bit too often (12 homers in 56 IP last year is not a pleasant concept, and doesn't translate to success at the parent club level). So right now, Mats is also a victim of the Hirano prolem, and finds himself sitting in the "others to watch category.

Anyway ... there's that.

On with the review, starting with:

#25 2B Yoshiaga Endo (21) - Key 2023 Numbers: .259/.289/.351, +9.5 ZR(A)
Last Year: #24

Yoshiaga is the second Endo that fans refer to in their conversation of an Endo and Endo DP combination, the first being, of course, rookie SS Yujiro Endo. Both are known as slick glove/slim bat kinds of players--guys Japanese fans love to win with. Yosiaga was promoted to A ball, and had a pretty nice little year that included 21 steals, 18 doubles, 3 triples, and six homers. He still has that spectacular glove. If that pop translates at AA and he can find some plate discipline, perhaps the fan's dreams of Endo-to-Endo-to-someone not named Endo will come true.

2024 Plan: Endo will be the starter in AA.
Top End Projection: All-Leather 2B who can steal a base
Most Likely Outcome: If he can hit AA pitching we'll get excited. Until then ... well ... let's just wait.
Concerns: The classic issue of can he hit.


#24 C Jonatahn Bell (19) - Key 2023 Numbers: .311/.359/.462, 2 HR, (SSA)
Last Year: Not rated

As one of the better defensive catchers in the organization, Bell has a lot of backers. As a guy who doesn't project to hit with a lot of power, he has his detractors. All you can say for sure is that last season was a solid bounce-back after struggling in his 18 year-old season (which, admittedly, is not unusual...high schoolers often take a year to settle out). Critics out there, specifically including the official OSA sanctioning committee, say he will never hit. This season should at least quell those comments a little bit, and the fact that he's a switchie might help him a bit.

2024 Plan: Finish the year at A-ball
Top End Projection: All-Star
Most Likely Outcome: Solid player, steady 3-4 WAR kind of guy
Concerns: Lack of power may limit his value.


#23 RHP Takaaki Matsui (26) - Key 2023 Numbers: 2-5, 3.80 ERA, 3.59 FIP (AAA)
Last Year: #23

While some wrote Matsui off after an atrocious 2022, insiders stuck by him and were rewarded with a pretty solid 2023. Given that he is now 26 years old we would normally remove him from the prospect list, but those same baseball insiders are now buzzing about how the kid from Noshiro has really seemed to have taken to the program. Some of those guys are even suggesting he might compete for a spot on the active roster this spring. We'll believe that when we see it, but we've learned not to doubt too heavily.

2024 Plan: Expect Matsui will find time in Toyama as an injury replacement.
Top End Projection: Solid member of a very good bullpen
Most Likely Outcome: Solid member of a decent bullpen
Concerns: Fastball and curve are PEBA quality, but that slider remained hittable.


#22 RHP Alexander Cooke (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 5-3, 32 Saves, 2.92 ERA, 3.26 FIP (AA)
Last Year: #16

Is it possible to NOT like Alexander Cooke? With four seasons in the organization, the guy has proven that he knows the game, supports his team mates, and works his ... uh ... patooty off. And, yeah, despite his slip from #16 to #22 on our list, we like him quite a bit. His leftiness is a major asset, of course, and the fact that he's kept his fastball in the mid 90s bodes well.

2024 Plan: AAA, maybe a late-season call up
Top End Projection: Semi-elite closer
Most Likely Outcome: Solid reliever, spot set-up guy
Concerns: Everything points to success ... except ... well ... it would be nice to see the repertoire fill in a bit more, you know, add a bit of movement to the fastball, make the slider a touch more "slidey." Otherwise, we wonder if PEBA hitters will find him a bit less challenging than the AA guys.


#21 CF Noriyuki Matsui (25) - Key 2023 Numbers: .134/.171/.164, +3.5 ZR (36 PEBA games) +4.9 ZR (39 AAA games)
Last Year: #20

In last season's review, we asked Matsui's slump was just a slump. This year, he proved it wasn't. He did not hit in his call up as an injury replacement, and he didn't hit in AAA as a starter. What he did, however, was field. His play in spring training brought pitchers to watch from from miles around and had them leaving the park with smiles absolutely pasted on their faces. His time with the big club as John Martin's injury replacement was no different. The guy flashes serious glove.

But, you know, the chicks ... they don't dig the glove so much if you don't win, and it's damned hard to win when you hit .134.

And that's all a shame. I mean, man ... the kid has enough speed to steal 35-40 bases if he gets 500 at bats, and that's without hitting a bit. If he lays down a .350 OBP, he might steal 80. You've already heard about the glove. And in the clubhouse there are few players as liked as Matsui is.

Fingers crossed guys, fingers crossed.

2024 Plan: Rumors say he'll start in PEBA. We don't believe the rumors.
Top End Projection: All Leather CF who can dink enough and run enough to stay on a team.
Most Likely Outcome: You can't look at that offense and see a PEBA player.
Concerns: One has to wonder if he has a family business to fall back on.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#96 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
PROSPECT WATCH 2024
#20-#16

Onward and upwards, we say...or in this case, onward and downwards.


#20 1B Junior Rogers (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 19 HR, 70 RBI, .305/.384/.478, 3.7 WAR (AA)
Last Year: #21

Junior Rogers has always hit baseballs, so it wasn't surprising at all to see him turn in an .862 OPS. Except for a brief stint in A-Ball, Rogers has hit over .310 everywhere he's been. And he can run a little, too. He stole 14 bases again this year. Again. He's got gap power, and this year added 19 homers to his scorecard. All this is good.

He is still, however, not your classic "take 'em deep" kind of hitter most teams look for at first base. On the other hand, the Toyama's front office is re-sculpting their home park to accentuate the line drive--which is, only like Rogers' best buddy. Add this to the fact that the team has made no bones about the fact that they need a right handed hitting first baseman to supplement lefties Roberto Cisneros and Hirotsugu Tenno, and you see he's got a target rich environment. The dominoes have never really been lined up for Rogers in the past. People, including scouts, have always down-played his accomplishments. "Too little," they say. "Not enough pop." But maybe, just maybe, the stars are aligning for him ... just this once.

2024 Plan: AAA wia possible call up?
Top End Projection: Quietly productive first baseman
Most Likely Outcome: Lack of a position forces him to the utility role or part time DH
Concerns: Looks like he could get lost in the shuffle.


#19 1B José Romero (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 21 HR, 85 RBI, .270/.326/.454, (AAA)
Last Year: #12

Romero has a less than stellar season in 2023. Fair, sure, but not the breakout that the team was expecting. As a result, at 24 he takes a fairly serious step back in our ratings. Not that we don't like him. And not that we don't care. The guy has a sweet glove for a first baseman, and it would be neat-o all the way around if he catches fire again and blasts 54 doubles and 36 homers like he did in 2021. But the fact is that his power numbers have dropped each year as he's progressed, which is not a trend that scouts tend to either miss or discount, and instead tend to suggest might be because the kid has a slider-sized hole in his swing that pitchers at the AA and AAA level have started to exploit.

We'll see, though. Dude's only 24.

2024 Plan: AAA, possible call-up
Top End Projection: Solid player, steady 3-4 WAR guy, occasional pop.
Most Likely Outcome: Solid player, steady 3-4 WAR guy, occasional pop.
Concerns: Lack of power may limit his value.


#18 3B Marcox David (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 21 HR, 86 RBI, .274/.348/.486, +13.9 ZR (AA)
Last Year: #5

Marcox David is a Brazilian with a huge smile. He's also been giving scouts fits because he's got a streaky bat and a brilliant glove at third base. He burst upon the scene when he was named the organization's minor league hitter of the year last season, and the truth is that while this season was a small step-back from a raw numbers standpoint, it wasn't a huge step back and it came after jumping levels.

So, what gives? why the drop from #5 to #18?

The right answer might be "ya got me." But the truth is that David hit a period this year that scouts have been warning about. He absolutely destroyed AA pitching for the first two months he was up, posting a .900+ OPS, but then the league caught up to him. June and July were his worst two months as a professional. Of course, he came back and posted one of the best August's on record (8 homers, 38 RBI, 1.064 OPS). So, yeah ... who the heck knows what's up with that.

2024 Plan: AAA, possible September call-up if Juarez falters
Top End Projection: All Star/All Leather third baseman.
Most Likely Outcome: Great defender, streaky hitter
Concerns: Were the depths of last summer a real problem?


#17 RHP Roberto Garcia (22) - Key 2023 Numbers: 10-6, 2.83 ERA (A)
Last Year: Not Rated

Since being selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, Garcia has been a winner. At 6'6", 240, he's a big right-hander with 98 MPH stuff and a sharp fastball/slider/change arsenal that, when it's on, has been nearly unhittable. Fact is, it's been on a lot, too. The team's scouts are getting excited about the idea of Garcia's presumptive promotion to AA because they want to see what the young man from San Juan will do against stiffer competition and in a ballpark that doesn't play to his strengths.

2024 Plan: AA
Top End Projection: #3-#4 Starter on a good staff
Most Likely Outcome: #4-#5 Starter on a good staff
Concerns: Team insiders want to see his change up come in a bit stronger this year.


#16 RHP Henry Cluett (16) - Key 2023 Numbers: None
Last Year: Not in organization

Cluett came to the team late last year, quietly signing an international minor league contract and being shipped to the team's international complex. Admittedly, we've seen spotty results from this kind of thing, and it's hard to get caught all up in a kid whose fastball can barely break glass, but the fact is that everyone who sees Cluett comes away saying he's going to be great. They say he's going to keep the ball down, and he's already hitting corners that veterans only dream about. They say that since he doesn't throw hard, his motion should keep him going deep into games. Bullpen saver, they whisper.

All we can say to that is, "Sign us up."

2024 Plan: Work in the international complex
Top End Projection: Top end starter
Most Likely Outcome: Seriously? He's 16.
Concerns: What happens when his girlfriend breaks up with him via YouTube
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#97 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
PROSPECT WATCH 2024
#15-#11

Moving toward the mystical #11


#15 SS Yujiro Endo (25) - Key 2023 Numbers: .226/.250/.365, 11 SB, +3.2 ZR (PEBA)
Last Year: #18

In only a brief stint with the big league club, he showed fans what the buzz has been in the field. They guy is silky slick, and has range like it's a James Bond gizmo. He also proved that he has not yet learned to hit. That may not matter to the big club, though, as rumors are that every pitcher on the staff has gone to GM Ron Collins and said that if Endo isn't playing shortstop behind them there will be hell to pay.

It's a bit of a tough spot, really. But if you've got to be in a tough spot, you might as well be in one with one of the most elegant fielders of your time. Given the overall dearth of short stops in the league, it should all work out somehow.

2024 Plan: Start at Toyama
Top End Projection: All Leather shortstop who can scratch out a little offense.
Most Likely Outcome: All Leather shortstop who flat-out can't hit
Concerns: I think we've seen what we've got.


#14 OF Pedro Alvarez (17) - Key 2023 Numbers: .258/.331/.364 (SSA)
Last Year: #14

I don't know.

I mean, we've heard it all before from the kiddie corps. Best hitter since Morimoto. Can chase 'em down in the outfield. Run like a butterfly, slide like a bee. Or whatever. Pedro Alvarez was given a bicketload of cash to sign a contract, and now he's in Osakasayama trying to prove why. Fine. We heard you last year, and tagged him with a #14. And, okay, the kid had a nice August, but everyone we hear is saying he can't play center field, and that a good change up has him swinging like Yosemite Sam.

He's 17. Fair enough. A very rich 17, though. And, yeah, he managed 18 doubles and 4 homers before he got his driver's license. But we're gonna wait another year before we start getting too caught up in the gusto.

2024 Plan: Another dose of SSA
Top End Projection: All Star Center Fielder.
Most Likely Outcome: Solid LEFT FIELDER
Concerns: Lack of power may limit his value.


#13 OF Trevor Tully (19) - Key 2023 Numbers: 18 2B, 3 HR, .290/.386/.392 (SSA)
Last Year: #13

Tully remains a bit of an enigma. He turned in his third-straight solid season at the SSA level, he second since coming to the Toyama organization as part of the deal that sent Adrian Fuentes to San Antonio. All good, right? But, no, the fact is that everyone expected Tully to explode in 2023, and all they got was more of the same. Solid. Enough to sugget promotion. But not the beastly level that everyone wanted to see.

It was apparently enough to get a hitting coach canned, and enough to keep the team's baseball people from getting all fussy the way they can at times.

Us? Well, we'll just leave him at #13 again, and see what happens.

2024 Plan: Tully will start at A-ball
Top End Projection: All Star DH
Most Likely Outcome: Still too early to call
Concerns: Can he hit a real curve ball?


#12 LHP Éric Huot (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: 2-4, 2.80 ERA (AAA)
Last Year: #11

Ignoring the very brief and uninspiring September call-up he received, Huot's 22 year old season was pretty much exactly what the doctor ordered. A solid performance that leaves him ready to take the next steps. Scouts want him to add to his curve ball. He currently stands as one of many solid options out of the pen for Toyama, but the fact that he's left handed gives him a leg up on some of the competition.

2024 Plan: Another full year in AAA to work on the repertoire.
Top End Projection: Top-end bullpen guy
Most Likely Outcome: A guy who throws reliable innings
Concerns: In a stocked staff at the parent club, will he have a place?


#11 LHP Toru Rin (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: 2-1, 3 saves, 0.96 ERA, 2.53 FIP
Last Year: Not rated

In 2019, Toru Rin tore his rotator cuff. He was in high school. Two months later, the Toyama organization drafted him in the 7th round of the draft. 7th rounders with rotator cuff surgery have a bit of a hill to climb, but Rin has been climbing it like a bulldog without a Sherpa. he struggled for two seasons in SSA, but then dropped a 2.53 ERA on 2021 hitters, striking out 82 batters in 67 innings. That was enough to get our attention, and we named "him one to watch" last year.

So, we hope you watched ... because holy crud was Toru Rin good this season. 93 innings, 110 Ks, and a 0.96 ERA in 72 games games. Two years ago, his FIP was an eye-popping 2.93. This year he stuck that landing to the tune of a 2.35 FIP.

You think the team might promote him to AA this year?

2024 Plan: Yeah, we think so too. He might end up in AAA before it's all over.
Top End Projection: Elite reliever
Most Likely Outcome: In all seriousness, we're rooting for him like mad ... but we have to see what he does in AA before we get too deep into this.
Concerns: Rin has shown the ability to throw the long ball.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
Sandgnats
All-Star
All-Star
Posts: 1648
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 5:52 pm
Location: Spokane, Washington State, United States of America

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#98 Post by Sandgnats »

Well done. You guys have given me great ideas on how to follow my Sandbox system.
RJ Ermola
Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations
Crystal Lake Sandgnats

*2024 PEBA Champions*
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#99 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
PROSPECT WATCH 2024
#10-#6

TIme to get serious and break into the top 10


#10 RF Ramiro Salinas (20) - Key 2023 Numbers: .195/.256/.333, 8 SB (AA)
Last Year: Not in organization

The bottom line here is that Ramiro Salinas has gotten ths far, 10th on the Top Wind Dancer prospect list, on aura and reputation alone. The Marseilles organization obviously rushed him, playing him at AA as a 19 year old (where he crashed and burned). But he's an ex-first round selection with a compact swing and enough speed on the basepaths to make you blink. The Wind Dancers are getting the reputation as a team that can develop players. We'll see.

2024 Plan: A-ball
Top End Projection: Top 5 Left Fielder
Most Likely Outcome: Solid Left Fielder
Concerns: He has to do somethine on the actual field.


#8 SHB C Renaldo Garcia (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 11 HR, 41 RBI, .290/.395/.513 (AAA)
Last Year: #14

The switch hitting Garcia finished the season with 21 homers and 76 RBI between his 116 games at AA and AAA. He's a bit of a strange hitter in that he's not a real contact guy, but he can draw a walk--a factor than suggests he should be able to add value with his bat even when he's not hitting. Defensively, he's considered above average. He was signed to a contract out of the Mexican league two seasons ago as the #15 prospect in that league. He's the reason that the team's baseball people have been reluctant to give current catcher Yejiro Kojima a longer term contract.

2024 Plan: Left-handed platoon hitter at the parent club
Top End Projection: Solid starter
Most Likely Outcome: Solid starter
Concerns: Garcia's "swing hard, you might hit something" approach may not translate to the bigs.


#8 RHP Mike Miller (22) - Key 2023 Numbers: 13-3, 2.29 ERA, 154 K/145.2 IP, 2.93 FIP (SSA)
Last Year: #13

We're not really sure why, but when baseball people talk about top Toyama's best pitching prospects, they rarely talk much about Mike Miller. I mean, the guy went 13-1 with a 2.41 ERA in 2022, and followed that up with a 13-6, 2.29 ERA this year. He throws 98 miles an hour and has a big league Fastball/Changeup/slider triple. He strikes out more than 9 a game. What's not to like? Oh, sure, there are some questions on the kid's make-up, they say he dogs it a bit. They say he's not as dedicated as some of his team mates. THey say he's a little wild both on the mound and off.

Life it tough, you know?

2024 Plan: AA
Top End Projection: Upper half of a good rotation
Most Likely Outcome: Lower half of a good rotation
Concerns: Can he prove the naysayers wrong?


#7 RHP Tsuginori Yamamoto (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: 2-1, 36 Saves, 0.61 ERA, 67K/17BB/59 IP, 2.19 FIP (A)
Last Year: #11

6'2", 205 pounds. 96 MPH. Four major pitches. Off the charts from a personality standpoint. How did this guy slip to the third round in 2022? We're not sure about that, but the bottom line is that he's been ptiching light's out innings ever since arriving in the Wind dancer organization. Every scout in the organization buzzes about him.

2024 Plan: Yamamoto will start in AA, look for him to wind up in AAA before the year is out.
Top End Projection: Elite reliever, takes over for Raul Cruz in a couple years and becomes a local legend
Most Likely Outcome: Solid bullpen guy, able to close
Concerns: Everything is very good, but nothing is beyond brilliant


#6 LHB SS Edison Terry (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: 8 HR, 63 RBI, .332/.385/.460, 11 SB (A)
Last Year: Not in organization

Terry was considered the short stop of the future when he was traded to New Jersey, and he's considered the shortstop of the future now that he's back. Scouts think his glove is as good or even better than Endo's, and his bat is clearly superior. Some are saying he should go straight to Toyama, but we figure he will ...

2024 Plan: Start in AAA, and be ready to model a Dancer uniform before the season's over.
Top End Projection: If the bat translates, he's an All Star
Most Likely Outcome: All-Leather glove, adequat bat.
Concerns: Can he hit lefties?
Last edited by roncollins on Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#100 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
PROSPECT WATCH 2024
#5-#1

Dare we say, here are the Final Five! (with a high five to the women of the US gymnastics team).


#5 RHP John GIllard (20) - Key 2023 Numbers: 5-3, 3.39 ERA, 66K/63IP (AA)
Last Year: #7

To some, John Gillard was a bit of a "meh" when he came to the organization at 18 and as a part of the deal that sent Adrien Fuentes to San Antonio. He had turned in a vanilla 6-12, 4.67 season in the Calzones' A-ball team, after all, and no one was talking about him. But the 6'7" Canadian with the five pitch arsenal has done nothing but turn heads since arriving.

He went 12-5 last season (scattered between AA and A Ball), and 162 strikeouts vs. only 36 walks. Yes, it was against young competition, but the kid is only 20 years old himself.

There are still detractors, of course. Beyond Markus Hancock himself, there may not be a perfect pitcher. But the dark side of Gillard's coin says that he spreads himself too thin--that he would be better off if he focused on three pitches rather than throw all five. And some say he can't throw deep innings, this despite the fact that the team keeps their younger players on tight 90 pitch limits, and sometimes even throw them in six-man rotations.

But the fact is that he's been nothing short of awesome since arrivng. So we're moved him up from #18 to #5.

2024 Plan: If he starts in AA again, he'll be in AAA before long
Top End Projection: Top of a good rotation
Most Likely Outcome: Bottom of a good rotation, or elite reliever
Concerns: Being a high K pitcher, he has struggled to get out of the sixth inning


#4 LHP Ken Thompson (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: 11-5, 2.88 ERA, 158/27 K/BB (AA)
Last Year: #8

By now, any real concerns raised by Thompson's first season in professional baseball is long-gone. He was, after all, named the team's minor league Pitcher of the Year for his 2023 performance. He dropped a 4 WAR season in 28 starts, and has thrown in post season play both of his last two years. He's 20-11 over the past two seasons. The teams he's on win, and he's a big part of that.

Pitching coaches like him because he keeps the ball down. Catchers love him because he can throw the four pitches pretty well, and team mates like him because he works hard enough and doesn't harsh their buzz. Having just turned 23, we're certain that he'll get his last seasoning season in AAA--at least to start the season.

2024 Plan: AAA, possibly ready for a September call-up
Top End Projection: #2 starter
Most Likely Outcome: #2 starter
Concerns: Where will Toyama put him? Is he trade bait?


#3 CF Donald Allen (23) - Key 2023 Numbers: .278/.329/.366, +9.1 ZR (77 games AAA)
Last Year: #4

As the team's #1 pick in 2022, Allen was supposed to rocket through the organization and start in center field this past year. Instead, Plan B had to be enacted, and the club hired John Martin to handle the duties for a season. Now is the time, though. The team let Martin walk rather than drop big dimes on him, and has committed to putting Allen out there to see what he can do.

Defensively, Allen is a guy who sneaks up on you. He's not flashy like Matsui is, and he's not particularly speedy. But he's smooth, and he's efficient. Team members say he takes the best routes to the ball of anyone they've ever seen--never takes a misstep.

Offensively, he's been comfortable against right handed pitching, but has a tendency to bail against lefties. It seems that the team would like to see him grow into a lead off hitter to replace Escobido at the top of the order, and he'll have to make some adjustments there to make that happen on a daily basis. There's also enough concern about Allen's running style that the team's front office has asked him to go to winter ball to work on stealing bases and picking up prompts on the base paths.

2024 Plan: Start in Toyama
Top End Projection: All Star, All Leather CF
Most Likely Outcome: Solid, top 6 CF
Concerns: Will he hit lefties well enough to play full time.


#2 3B Héctor Morales (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 7 HR, 25 RBI, .274/.391/.452 (56 games in AAA)
Last Year: #9

In 2022, Morales hit 9 doubles and 15 homers in 58 games in a park that favors pitchers. In 2023 he hit 37 doubles and 26 homers in 129 games split between the two. This is nothing new. He's been thumping baseballs since he was names the #37 prospect in the Mexican League as a just-turned 18 year old back in 2017. At 5'8", however, that surprised a lot of folks, but not Morales, who has made no secret of his love of the long ball, and whose swing is long and loopy and drives hitting coaches batty.

Morales does have problems, mind you. Defensively he's no sure thing. Just okay. I mean, he makes the basic plays you think he ought to make, and he'll get his shirt dirty while the ball scoots into the outfield. And offensively, that swing is a do or don't proposition. Let's face it, if the cat gets 600 plate appearances, he's a gonna strike out upward of 200 times. Some folks wonder if his call-up to the bigs last season to play 1B means that he'll see time there, which makes some sense given that young Ivan Juarez is ahead of him at third base. Others think a deal might be in the offering.

We'll see what happens.

2024 Plan: Dent the walls in AAA
Top End Projection: Slugging third baseman, occasionaly All Star
Most Likely Outcome: Slugging thirdbaseman
Concerns: Will he hit for any average against PEBA pitching


#1 RHP François Gosselin (24) - Key 2023 Numbers: 10-7, 3.29, 177K/37BB, 175 IP
Last Year: #3

This is the season Gosselin is supposed to make the team's investment of their 2022 Rule 5 pick pay off. After getting kicked around by Shin Seiki's left handed hitters as a 22-year-old, Gosselin retreated to AAA last year, and turned in a solid season. Better, however, was news that his repertoire deepened, and he learned a bit more how to pitch. Despite a shaky call-up in September, the club says he's ready. They talk about his makeup and his dedication, and they say he'll follow through with his off-season conditioning because that's just how the kid is.

And we think they are probably right.

The more interesting question, though, is this: what is he ready for?

Our guess is that he won't crack the starting rotation. To do that he would have to set either Takeuchi or Courtney down, and we're not sure the team is ready to do that (though some say Takeuchi would be an exquisite guy to have in the bullpen if he would take the "demotion"). So this says that Gosselin probably winds up in the bullpen--where he won't close over the record breaking Raul "Iron Fist" Cruz, but where he might find himself slid into the setup role. Of course, the team has able veteran Davis Sutherland in that kind of a situation, too. So maybe he takes on Victor Morgan's role or Chad Miller's role. But those guys are pretty danged good too, you know?

It's a heck of a problem to have, eh?

2024 Plan: Throw a bunch of innings at Toyama.
Top End Projection: #2/#3 starter in a good rotation
Most Likely Outcome: Elite reliever
Concerns: None.
Last edited by roncollins on Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#101 Post by roncollins »

A BUNCH MORE TO WATCH:

The team has several more interesting players who might be on these lists over the next few seasons. The are:


SP Sotatsu Hirano 25
SP Carlos Gómez 25
CL Shihei Matsubara 25
SP Sotaro Kimura 23
MR Ryan Brown 24
MR Carlos Pabtojas 24
MR Alejandro Chavez 23
SP Orlando Ramirez 21
SP Felipe Moran 22
MR Pat Cluff 21
MR Ron Thompson 22
SP Akira Hayagawa 19
SP Pablo Jimenez 21
SP Charles Goodhew 19
MR Yoo-ngan "Czy"Situ 19


2B Xavier Reyes 23
LF Hector Alaniz 24
CF Douglas Moon 23
C Shihei Sugahara 25
C Blake Nelson 23
1B Mike Patrick 23
3B Jacob Gallagher 23
LF Hugh Howell 23
C Nariaki Tenno 21
C Eric Cameron 19
3B Octavio Mason 20
LF Randy Muttart 19
CF Scott Drew 19
2B Carlos Campos 17
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#102 Post by roncollins »

Sandgnats wrote:Well done. You guys have given me great ideas on how to follow my Sandbox system.
Thanks! It's always fun to do a spin through the minors. They are the root of all hope.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
User avatar
Leones
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2579
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:42 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#103 Post by Leones »

Quite a tome. It's like the PEBA version of 'Baseball Digest' Nice work putting all that together. (This thunder is good we must 'borrow' it)
Patrick Hildreth
- La leña roja tarde pero llega

Image
User avatar
Sandgnats
All-Star
All-Star
Posts: 1648
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 5:52 pm
Location: Spokane, Washington State, United States of America

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#104 Post by Sandgnats »

Bravo! Love the minor league dance party.
RJ Ermola
Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations
Crystal Lake Sandgnats

*2024 PEBA Champions*
User avatar
roncollins
Hall of Famer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 2777
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: THE DANCE CARD - Community Blog of the Toyama Wind Dance

#105 Post by roncollins »

_*_*_ THE DANCE CARD _*_*_
A Blog of the Toyama Wind Dancers
Dancers Struggling Through Injury Fest

July 1,2024: Toyama – Don’t look now, but the Toyama Wind Dancers are … slowly … but … surely … making their way back into the mix of things in the Rising Sun Division.

“It’s a tough situation,” said Manager Hirotada Suzuki, “but the guys understand that it’s really just about going out there and making things happen in the moment. Do the right thing now, and things can come together.”

Tough situation, is a misnomer.

The Dancers lost rotation ace Akira Watanabe for the year (and maybe longer) to a torn flexor in early May. All-Star second baseman Jose Escobido broke his elbow a couple days later, and will be out at least two more months. Superstar outfielder Ivan Rosa broke his foot and was out 5 weeks before returning last sim. Hard-thumping first baseman Pablo Prado suffered a high ankle sprain and has been out for a month. Young shortstop Edison Terry was up for only a few games when a herniated disc sat him down for three weeks.

And that doesn’t even get to the eight players the franchise currently has on its minor league DL.

“It’s a weird season,” said trainer Yosai Yoshida.

Yet, the team is 7-3 in its last ten games, and still lingering in third place, only 3.5 games out of the division lead. They have a big series with Shin Seiki coming up.

What’s happened, you ask? Well…

“The guys are stepping up,” said GM Ron Collins.

Indeed.

Guys like the team’s All-Star center fielder Donald Allen, who was advertised as an immediate answer for the club’s #8 problem back in 2022 when he was drafted with the Dancer’s #1 pick, but who struggled at times in a season and half at the minor league level before being inserted into the lineup on Opening Day. Allen is hitting .366/./403/.466 out of the lead-off slot, with 15 doubles and 11 steals. His +7.6 ZR in center field has the baseball guys pretty happy about him.

And Roberto Cisneros is back, too. After a tepid 2022, team insiders were worried about whether he would ever recover to form prior to the horrendous injury that cost him most of 2022. But Cisneros is ripping both RHP and LHP this year, feasting to the score of a .343/.385/.415 slash.

Captain Shiro Adachi has stepped into second base and produced a PEBA career high 103 OPS+ while providing above average defense, pairing with super glove Yujiro Endo up the middle to provide one of the better double play combinations in the division.

Second year starter at 3B, Ivan Juarez, at 25, continues to mature into a solid player. His .309/.423/.398 slash comes with 17 doubles, and is just what the doctor ordered in the leadoff spot against LHP.

On the mound, well, let’s just say there are a few guys enjoying the pitcher friendlier confines of the Castle. Clayton Lewis (7-4, 2.28), Tadamassa Hashimoto (6-2, 2.47), and a resurgent Shinobu Takeuchi (4-3, 2.93) have all posted sub 3.00 ERA, and lefty Bill Courtney (9-6, 3.78) has had solid moments. The club is probably hoping for more from Davis Sutherland than 70ish pitchers per outing, and may choose to go to Francois Gosselin, or one of its AAA stars in John Gillard of Ken Thompson.

Raul Cruz has continued to dominate in the late innings, but admittedly, the bullpen has been shaky on the whole.

“We’re looking at options,” Collins said.

In the meantime, watch this space for hopefully good things to come.
Ron Collins
GM - Toyama Wind Dancers
2020 Neo-Tokyo Cup Champions
_______________________________________________________________
Post Reply

Return to “Toyama Wind Dancers”