May 1, 2032: The rebuilding Knights have gotten off to an unsurprisingly slow start, though their record through the season’s opening month isn’t as ghastly as the underlying stats would suggest. At 10-14, the Knights finished the month ahead of the lowly Arroyos, but within striking distance of several other clubs ahead of them in the Desert Hills division.
Early season returns show that the pitching staff, assembled mostly of low cost free agent signings, rule V picks and waiver claims, is performing far better than anticipated. Headlined by a pair of starters in Ryutaro Nakano and Rule V selection Mito Okuda, there are a few arms in the bunch that could actually make a long term contribution to the team. The coaching staff speaks glowingly of fellow rule V pickups Jason King, Scott Chalmers, and Poto Loschilosurdo, all of whom are young enough to still maintain some projection.
The offense on the other hand, has been bad. Historically bad, in many respects. The lone bright spots thus far have been 1B Gideon Canham who was acquired in a trade during the 2031 season, and RF Robert McGinnity who was also acquired in an offseason deal with Shin Seiki which saw the departure of former Knights 2B Logan Malone.
To exemplify just how terrible their offense has been thus far, the Knights are currently on pace to score 436 runs on the season, the ultimate measure of an offense’s effectiveness. That would plant them squarely in spitting distance from the PEBAs worst offense of all time, an ignominious record held by the 2028 Yuma Bulldozers who completed their campaign with 409 runs on the year.
The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
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The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
In a surprising move, the Knights have acquired Toyama Wind Dancers starting pitcher Juan Cervantes to add further depth to their rotation. Cervantes comes with a bit of a price tag as he’s due to make $11.5 million each of the next two seasons, but also a considerable track record of success.
In order to take on the salary, the Knights also acquired 20 year old OF prospect Kil Hyun Yi out of South Korea in the deal. Yi has spent his first season in the Wind Dancers organization primarily playing RF but is also said to possess the tools and range to make move to CF if the Tempe front office decides that is where he will best serve their long term interests.
Cervantes joins a rag tag group of starting pitching in Tempe who have strung together a reasonably adept performance thus far on the 2032 season, with a collective ERA of 3.80. In order to accommodate Cervantes’ arrival, the Knights are expected to now deploy a 6 man rotation as they try to separate the wheat from the chaff moving toward the future.
In order to take on the salary, the Knights also acquired 20 year old OF prospect Kil Hyun Yi out of South Korea in the deal. Yi has spent his first season in the Wind Dancers organization primarily playing RF but is also said to possess the tools and range to make move to CF if the Tempe front office decides that is where he will best serve their long term interests.
Cervantes joins a rag tag group of starting pitching in Tempe who have strung together a reasonably adept performance thus far on the 2032 season, with a collective ERA of 3.80. In order to accommodate Cervantes’ arrival, the Knights are expected to now deploy a 6 man rotation as they try to separate the wheat from the chaff moving toward the future.
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
The New Look Whitehorse Explorers
14 June 2032: The Knights overhauled their Short Season A affiliate Whitehorse Explorers today after agreeing to terms with the bulk of their draftees from the recently concluded PEBA amateur selection. In doing so the organization purged most all of the players signed in the offseason to play every day as they rebuild their minor league system following years of neglect in the WIL. Let's take a look at what the new Whitehorse roster has to offer for the prospect hounds:
Rotation
Holdovers following the draft include 19 year old prospect Juan Jaramillo and Miguel Lopez, both acquired from offseason trades made by the Knights prior to the '32 campaign. The newest additions include 1st round selection Lewis Bedser who has a smaller than ideal frame, but projects to throw three plus pitches, and has shown an ability to maintain his mid 90's velocity deep into starts. Joining Bedser will be 2nd round pick Jose Gutierrez and 3rd rounder Rupert Ketting. Tempe made a point throughout the draft of selecting starters and relievers with powerful arms and both players will be a work in progress though expect to light up radar guns in Whitehorse this season. Ketting in particular flashes an interesting skillset with the ability to touch triple digits by way of his four seam fastball, but only offers a curveball to complement his primary weapon. Tempe pitching coaches will be charged with developing Ketting's skills on the mound to a point where it makes sense to work on the development of a tertiary offering in his repetoire.
Bullpen
The completely overhauled bullpen will feature almost entirely recent selections (with the exception of lone holdover Arturo Delgado), and continue the trend of power arms who may prove to have the skillset to one day join the rotation. Highlighting this new crop of arms are 12th round pick Johnny Anderson who got off to a blazing start with the Explorers throwing 11 innings of shutout ball in spot start duty over the last week, and Javier Duran, the recent 7th round pick who also features a cannon for a right arm and has been seen to regularly hit triple digits on the home plate radar. Tempe scouts also speak highly of recent 6th and 8th round picks, a pair of lefties, in Ross McIntosh and Spencer Rumbold who have the tools to start but find themselves likely filling late inning roles and/or that of swingmen for the Explorers. McIntosh in particular was said to have been a favorite of GM Hazelwood and was selected at the beginning of day two after a nervous night of anticipation from Tempe's front office.
Catcher
In order to make way for the new arrivals, Catching prospect Leon Sanchez has been promoted to single A Calexico. Taking his place are 2nd round pick Joseph Rickart and 16th rounder Alistair Twain. Rickart flashes solid tools across the board and is said to have the mentality needed to be an every day big leaguer, but will need to hone his skills behind the plate for several years in the Tempe organization prior to consideration for a possible big league role.
Infield
The most notable addition here, and resulting change, is that Tempe's likely top offensive prospect Juan Rincon is being asked to switch from his natural position of second base, to third in order to accommodate the arrival of another 2nd round pick, Ed Lindner. With a number of quality options at 2B in the organization, the Knights front office determined that Rincon's skillset would profile best at 3B moving forward, where he also possesses an ideal frame and arm to handle the position. Still, time will tell if the defensive shift dampens the expectations on a prospect the team is desperately counting on to succeed.
Outfield
The Explorers outfield saw two new additions in 5th round pick Lynwood King and 17th round selection Steve Thronsen. To make way, the front office promoted recently acquired prospect Ken Parker to Calexico. King profiles to have plus power butmust prove that he can make consistent enough contact to be relied upon. Thronsen is likely to end up as an organizational piece but offered enough upside that the organization chose his relatively raw skillset over those of the recently released youngsters whom the team had previously signed.
The team has two recent draftees who remain unsigned as of this moment, in outfielders Allen Hernandez and Kyle Sims. Hernandez figures to join the aforementioned crew in Whitehorse once he agrees to terms following his selection in the 4th round, while Sims is likely slated for regular duty at the club's Rookie affiliate in Sejong given his recent high school graduation. While Hernandez appears to be a glove first CF, his raw tools suggest possible untapped potential and it is likely he will assume a starting role after signing.
14 June 2032: The Knights overhauled their Short Season A affiliate Whitehorse Explorers today after agreeing to terms with the bulk of their draftees from the recently concluded PEBA amateur selection. In doing so the organization purged most all of the players signed in the offseason to play every day as they rebuild their minor league system following years of neglect in the WIL. Let's take a look at what the new Whitehorse roster has to offer for the prospect hounds:
Rotation
Holdovers following the draft include 19 year old prospect Juan Jaramillo and Miguel Lopez, both acquired from offseason trades made by the Knights prior to the '32 campaign. The newest additions include 1st round selection Lewis Bedser who has a smaller than ideal frame, but projects to throw three plus pitches, and has shown an ability to maintain his mid 90's velocity deep into starts. Joining Bedser will be 2nd round pick Jose Gutierrez and 3rd rounder Rupert Ketting. Tempe made a point throughout the draft of selecting starters and relievers with powerful arms and both players will be a work in progress though expect to light up radar guns in Whitehorse this season. Ketting in particular flashes an interesting skillset with the ability to touch triple digits by way of his four seam fastball, but only offers a curveball to complement his primary weapon. Tempe pitching coaches will be charged with developing Ketting's skills on the mound to a point where it makes sense to work on the development of a tertiary offering in his repetoire.
Bullpen
The completely overhauled bullpen will feature almost entirely recent selections (with the exception of lone holdover Arturo Delgado), and continue the trend of power arms who may prove to have the skillset to one day join the rotation. Highlighting this new crop of arms are 12th round pick Johnny Anderson who got off to a blazing start with the Explorers throwing 11 innings of shutout ball in spot start duty over the last week, and Javier Duran, the recent 7th round pick who also features a cannon for a right arm and has been seen to regularly hit triple digits on the home plate radar. Tempe scouts also speak highly of recent 6th and 8th round picks, a pair of lefties, in Ross McIntosh and Spencer Rumbold who have the tools to start but find themselves likely filling late inning roles and/or that of swingmen for the Explorers. McIntosh in particular was said to have been a favorite of GM Hazelwood and was selected at the beginning of day two after a nervous night of anticipation from Tempe's front office.
Catcher
In order to make way for the new arrivals, Catching prospect Leon Sanchez has been promoted to single A Calexico. Taking his place are 2nd round pick Joseph Rickart and 16th rounder Alistair Twain. Rickart flashes solid tools across the board and is said to have the mentality needed to be an every day big leaguer, but will need to hone his skills behind the plate for several years in the Tempe organization prior to consideration for a possible big league role.
Infield
The most notable addition here, and resulting change, is that Tempe's likely top offensive prospect Juan Rincon is being asked to switch from his natural position of second base, to third in order to accommodate the arrival of another 2nd round pick, Ed Lindner. With a number of quality options at 2B in the organization, the Knights front office determined that Rincon's skillset would profile best at 3B moving forward, where he also possesses an ideal frame and arm to handle the position. Still, time will tell if the defensive shift dampens the expectations on a prospect the team is desperately counting on to succeed.
Outfield
The Explorers outfield saw two new additions in 5th round pick Lynwood King and 17th round selection Steve Thronsen. To make way, the front office promoted recently acquired prospect Ken Parker to Calexico. King profiles to have plus power butmust prove that he can make consistent enough contact to be relied upon. Thronsen is likely to end up as an organizational piece but offered enough upside that the organization chose his relatively raw skillset over those of the recently released youngsters whom the team had previously signed.
The team has two recent draftees who remain unsigned as of this moment, in outfielders Allen Hernandez and Kyle Sims. Hernandez figures to join the aforementioned crew in Whitehorse once he agrees to terms following his selection in the 4th round, while Sims is likely slated for regular duty at the club's Rookie affiliate in Sejong given his recent high school graduation. While Hernandez appears to be a glove first CF, his raw tools suggest possible untapped potential and it is likely he will assume a starting role after signing.
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
November 4, 2032: The Knights put the bow on their "inaugural return" to the PEBA finishing up a predictably awful 52-110. Surprisingly perhaps, this was only good for the third worst record in the Sovereign League as both the expansion Niihama Shii and freshly anointed Yuma Arroyos compiled worse records on the season. While the Knights are new to losing in such fashion (mostly), Yuma has made an art form of it in recent seasons and it can't come as a total surprise that the Knights managed to end the '32 campaign looking down at a fellow Desert Hills rival. Tempe will thus pick 3rd overall in next season's amateur draft and it's reasonable to assume the front office has already begun scouting prospects for next year's draft as the Knights continue their multiyear rebuild.
As we attempt to conduct a postmortem on the recently concluded bloodbath, lets take a position by position look at the current Knights and their prospects for the future as we head into the 2033 season:
Starting Pitching
Perhaps the most positive component of Tempe's current big league roster, the rotation was not only young but also reasonably sound. Aided by some stellar defensive performances in the middle infield (more on that later), this ragtag group managed to churn our a respectable performance. Fronted by opening day starter and offseason acquisition Ryutaro Nakano, the group posted a collective ERA of 4.00 and as a whole, the team surrendered a reasonable 703 runs, good for 13th in the SL this year. Nakano will be arbitration eligible this offseason and figures to find a home with the Knights again in '33 coming off a season in which he posted a pitching line of 4.22 / 179.0 / 73 (ERA/IP/K). Nakano figures to get an offer in the ballpark of $1 million this offseason and will almost certainly be counted on to deliver another league average, inning eating type of performance for the Knights. The unquestioned brightest star in Tempe's '32 rotation, midseason acquisition Juan Cervantes continued his quietly excellent career by posting a 3.04 / 156.2 / 89 line (combined). While Cervantes carries a price tag of $11.5 million into '33, it would be difficult for the Knights to find comparable value on the free agent market without busting the bank to sign a top of the rotation starter. Cervantes may also make for interesting trade bait this offseason given his relative value and one year deal. Last year's Rule V pickup Scott Chalmers turned in a very respectable performance, particularly having never received significant time above AA ball prior to '32. Churning out a 4.23 / 161.2 / 124 line on the year, Chalmers was hot and cold but finished the season on a strong note and will almost certainly keep his place in the Tempe rotation going into '33.
Stalwart Pedro Reyes stumbled down the stretch of what was otherwise looking like another fine year for the former Mexican leaguer who spent his second year with the Knights. Reyes suffered the most significant injury of his career just prior to the All Star break and struggled to regain his prior form after missing more than six weeks. All told, Reyes still posted respectable numbers on the campaign with a 4.05 / 153.1 / 61 line to go with his 16 QS. That said, Reyes's projected 2033 salary of more than $5 million will likely result in him being non-tendered by the club as the compensation almost certainly outpaces his anticipated performance.
Finishing up the rotation, surprise starter Poto Loschilosurdo, another Rule V pick from Palm Springs also made a quantum leap this year in his arrival to the big leagues. Loschilosurdo began the season handling mop up duty out of the Tempe bullpen though the aforementioned injury to Reyes forced him into the rotation and word out of the Tempe front office was that the team wanted to get an extended look at the 22 year old in order to assess his future value to the club. While the big lefty struggled at time, his jump from short season A ball to the majors was extremely impressive and a pitching line of 4.55 / 130.2 / 72 shows there is reason for optimism with Loschilosurdo. Though he may settle back into some sort of long or spot starter role with the club, Loschilosurdo was likely the most promising "prospect" on the Knights squad this year.
As we attempt to conduct a postmortem on the recently concluded bloodbath, lets take a position by position look at the current Knights and their prospects for the future as we head into the 2033 season:
Starting Pitching
Perhaps the most positive component of Tempe's current big league roster, the rotation was not only young but also reasonably sound. Aided by some stellar defensive performances in the middle infield (more on that later), this ragtag group managed to churn our a respectable performance. Fronted by opening day starter and offseason acquisition Ryutaro Nakano, the group posted a collective ERA of 4.00 and as a whole, the team surrendered a reasonable 703 runs, good for 13th in the SL this year. Nakano will be arbitration eligible this offseason and figures to find a home with the Knights again in '33 coming off a season in which he posted a pitching line of 4.22 / 179.0 / 73 (ERA/IP/K). Nakano figures to get an offer in the ballpark of $1 million this offseason and will almost certainly be counted on to deliver another league average, inning eating type of performance for the Knights. The unquestioned brightest star in Tempe's '32 rotation, midseason acquisition Juan Cervantes continued his quietly excellent career by posting a 3.04 / 156.2 / 89 line (combined). While Cervantes carries a price tag of $11.5 million into '33, it would be difficult for the Knights to find comparable value on the free agent market without busting the bank to sign a top of the rotation starter. Cervantes may also make for interesting trade bait this offseason given his relative value and one year deal. Last year's Rule V pickup Scott Chalmers turned in a very respectable performance, particularly having never received significant time above AA ball prior to '32. Churning out a 4.23 / 161.2 / 124 line on the year, Chalmers was hot and cold but finished the season on a strong note and will almost certainly keep his place in the Tempe rotation going into '33.
Stalwart Pedro Reyes stumbled down the stretch of what was otherwise looking like another fine year for the former Mexican leaguer who spent his second year with the Knights. Reyes suffered the most significant injury of his career just prior to the All Star break and struggled to regain his prior form after missing more than six weeks. All told, Reyes still posted respectable numbers on the campaign with a 4.05 / 153.1 / 61 line to go with his 16 QS. That said, Reyes's projected 2033 salary of more than $5 million will likely result in him being non-tendered by the club as the compensation almost certainly outpaces his anticipated performance.
Finishing up the rotation, surprise starter Poto Loschilosurdo, another Rule V pick from Palm Springs also made a quantum leap this year in his arrival to the big leagues. Loschilosurdo began the season handling mop up duty out of the Tempe bullpen though the aforementioned injury to Reyes forced him into the rotation and word out of the Tempe front office was that the team wanted to get an extended look at the 22 year old in order to assess his future value to the club. While the big lefty struggled at time, his jump from short season A ball to the majors was extremely impressive and a pitching line of 4.55 / 130.2 / 72 shows there is reason for optimism with Loschilosurdo. Though he may settle back into some sort of long or spot starter role with the club, Loschilosurdo was likely the most promising "prospect" on the Knights squad this year.
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
I'm really excited to see how you grow Tempe into a powerhouse given your track record with the Gnats. 
RJ Ermola
Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations
Crystal Lake Sandgnats
*2024 PEBA Champions*
Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations
Crystal Lake Sandgnats
*2024 PEBA Champions*
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
Appreciate that, RJ and I’m looking forward to it too. If anything, surprisingly, the league has only become more competitive so it’s going to be a real grind getting this group to respectability.
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
Continuing our breakdown of 2032, we move along....
Catchers/Infield
The Knights regular starter behind the plate was 2031 holdover Jared Maxwell who turned in a passable season, though has done nothing to alleviate the need for catching help in the near future. Maxwell is an average defensive catcher whom the pitching staff appears to maintain decent rapport with, but his only real asset remains his power production and 2032 saw him bash 14 homeruns. His lack of contact and atrocious plate discipline (.186 BA and 17 walks versus 100 K's on the year) probably signal a changing of the guard behind the dish before long. Maxwell's caddie this season was first year PEBA player and Rule V pickup Ernesto Herrera who turned in a pedestrian performance across 63 games and 212 AB's. Slashing .189/.241/.321 amidst his rookie campaign - coupled with the Knights lack of quality depth at the position - probably indicates that Herrera will remain in Tempe, at least into 2032. Lingering in AA for the majority of the season was waiver pickup Roger Ellison who probably offers little more upside than either of the Knights' two regulars.
First Base was almost exclusively manned by power hitter Gideon Canham who joined the Knights in 2031 by way of trade. Canham slugged his way to 17 HR's on the campaign, but his inability to put the ball in play on a consistent basis, coupled with his shoddy defense will probably keep him from earning a long term gig in Tempe. To wit, despite starting 137 games in 2032 Canham managed to post a -2.1 WAR season, among the league's worst for those qualifying for the ignominious distinction.
Second base saw Bill Starks, an offseason acquisition from the world champion West Virginia get the vast majority of the playing time in 2032. While Starks did not impress with the stick (.193/.238/.252) he did acquit himself well with the leather and garnered a handful of All-Leather votes following the campaign. Despite Starks' glovework, he will have to up his offensive game in order to hold on to a regular spot in the Tempe lineup as the Knights have several promising 2B prospects tracking through the system.
Third base played out as mostly a time share in '32 as Cipriano Barrera and team captain Min-heui Ch'oe split time throughout the year, with manager Eric Petersen attempting to ride the hot hand when possible. Barrera had a middling season and struggled with the glove at times, while also gaining some playing time at 1B, posting a .201/.256/.253 line. Ch'oe, who the front office has admitted is kept around as much for what he brings to the clubhouse as for what he does on the field, also expectedly struggled posting a .215/.262/.261 line with a meager 1 HR on the campaign. Neither of these players figures to be a long term starter for the Knights, though it's unlikely we'll see changes heading into 2033 given the lack of alternative options.
Rounding out the infield is Tempe's lone bright spot (if it can be called that) in 2032, in the person of SS Bryant Hawkins. Hawkins, acquired from Shin Seiki in the offseason was a defensive wiz for the Knights, garnering the season's All-Leather award at the tightly contested position, and provided some pop to go along with his outstanding glovework. Leading the team with 20 HR, despite a midseason injury which resulted in him missing all of May and part of April, Hawkins held down an anchor position in the lineup. While his plate discipline leaves plenty to be desired, as evidenced by his 148/19 K/BB ratio, Hawkins combination of glove and power will probably keep him the Knights lineup in '33.
Up next, Outfield and DH....
Catchers/Infield
The Knights regular starter behind the plate was 2031 holdover Jared Maxwell who turned in a passable season, though has done nothing to alleviate the need for catching help in the near future. Maxwell is an average defensive catcher whom the pitching staff appears to maintain decent rapport with, but his only real asset remains his power production and 2032 saw him bash 14 homeruns. His lack of contact and atrocious plate discipline (.186 BA and 17 walks versus 100 K's on the year) probably signal a changing of the guard behind the dish before long. Maxwell's caddie this season was first year PEBA player and Rule V pickup Ernesto Herrera who turned in a pedestrian performance across 63 games and 212 AB's. Slashing .189/.241/.321 amidst his rookie campaign - coupled with the Knights lack of quality depth at the position - probably indicates that Herrera will remain in Tempe, at least into 2032. Lingering in AA for the majority of the season was waiver pickup Roger Ellison who probably offers little more upside than either of the Knights' two regulars.
First Base was almost exclusively manned by power hitter Gideon Canham who joined the Knights in 2031 by way of trade. Canham slugged his way to 17 HR's on the campaign, but his inability to put the ball in play on a consistent basis, coupled with his shoddy defense will probably keep him from earning a long term gig in Tempe. To wit, despite starting 137 games in 2032 Canham managed to post a -2.1 WAR season, among the league's worst for those qualifying for the ignominious distinction.
Second base saw Bill Starks, an offseason acquisition from the world champion West Virginia get the vast majority of the playing time in 2032. While Starks did not impress with the stick (.193/.238/.252) he did acquit himself well with the leather and garnered a handful of All-Leather votes following the campaign. Despite Starks' glovework, he will have to up his offensive game in order to hold on to a regular spot in the Tempe lineup as the Knights have several promising 2B prospects tracking through the system.
Third base played out as mostly a time share in '32 as Cipriano Barrera and team captain Min-heui Ch'oe split time throughout the year, with manager Eric Petersen attempting to ride the hot hand when possible. Barrera had a middling season and struggled with the glove at times, while also gaining some playing time at 1B, posting a .201/.256/.253 line. Ch'oe, who the front office has admitted is kept around as much for what he brings to the clubhouse as for what he does on the field, also expectedly struggled posting a .215/.262/.261 line with a meager 1 HR on the campaign. Neither of these players figures to be a long term starter for the Knights, though it's unlikely we'll see changes heading into 2033 given the lack of alternative options.
Rounding out the infield is Tempe's lone bright spot (if it can be called that) in 2032, in the person of SS Bryant Hawkins. Hawkins, acquired from Shin Seiki in the offseason was a defensive wiz for the Knights, garnering the season's All-Leather award at the tightly contested position, and provided some pop to go along with his outstanding glovework. Leading the team with 20 HR, despite a midseason injury which resulted in him missing all of May and part of April, Hawkins held down an anchor position in the lineup. While his plate discipline leaves plenty to be desired, as evidenced by his 148/19 K/BB ratio, Hawkins combination of glove and power will probably keep him the Knights lineup in '33.
Up next, Outfield and DH....
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights
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Re: The Round Table (Returns): 2032 Season
Outfield/Designated Hitter
The Knights spent much of the early part of 2032 shuttling outfielders in and out of the lineup due to a combination of poor performance and injuries. Once the dust settled, the Knights strongest offensive group was undoubtedly in their outfield which stands to reason given that two of the three starters are due to hit the free agent market this offseason.
Another offseason acquisition from Shin Seiki, Robert McGinnity was likely the Knights top performer among options who will remain with the team heading into 2033. McGinnity played at times spectacular defense - primarily in RF for Tempe - and posted a middling line of 210/.251/.296 but also amassed 31 SB's to push him over the replacement player mark, totaling a 0.6 WAR season. McGinnity's cost controlled status and solid play in 2032 likely guarantees him a roster spot heading into the '33 season. Fellow former Eva, Bruce McGuire, was acquired in May and posted the strongest season among Knights hitters in 2032 going .222/.320/.327 with 13 HR's and 36 RBI's. McGuire's contract expires this season however and while he's not likely to come close to the $8.5 million he was previously making, it's unlikely that we'll see McGuire back with the red and black in 2033 as he figures to land a utility outfielder role with a contending club.
The best all-around performance from the team's outfielders came from Yasuhiro Nagai who was signed towards the beginning of the 2032 campaign and filled in admirably across all three outfield spots posting a very respectable .260/.281/.378 line in 129 games. Early reports indicate that the KNights have made an effort to bring Nagai back to the club in 2033, but that his agents have indicated the player is seeking a spot on a contending club as he approaches the twilight of his career. As such, the Knights will be searching for a new 4th OF/and starting CF heading into 2033.
Veteran journeyman and long-time Canton Longshoreman Pedro Castro rounded out Tempe's starting outfield in 2032, though he was underwhelming in his half-season worth of at bats with the club, posting a meager .227/.260/.309 line. While the Knights will likely seek additional offensive production from this position in the offseason, Castro still has three years of arbitration left, thus if the Knights so choose, they can negotiate a contract with him for the upcoming season.
Yasuhiko Fuji and Jun-hyuk Pak return as additional options for the Knights in 2033 as both saw some action during the recently concluded season, though neither made a strong impression with their bats. Pak, primarily a defense-first CF, is more likely to stick around simply because of his glovework, though it is possible we could see a return for both as they continue to have minor league options heading into 2033.
The designated hitter position was an unmitigated disaster for the Knights in 2032. Long time DH and fan favorite Emilio Manuel was signed by the club in the offseason to provide a high OBP and generate RBI opportunities in the middle of the Knights lineup. Needless to say, he was unsuccessful in that role as Manuel got off to a slow start and never really got going during his short stint in Tempe. Posting a .209/.309/.282 line coming off another strong season in Fargo, Manuel was a total disappointment for the Knights and does not figure to return with the club in '33. Made worse, the team acquired Francis May in an offseason trade with the Madison Malts and May struggled so badly that he was sent to AAA Chandler to start the year and never returned. While May could secure the position for the Knights in 2033 (due to a lack of better alternatives), it's just as likely he stays in Chandler given his weak offensive year that saw him post a .259/.347/.449 at the club's affiliate.
The Knights spent much of the early part of 2032 shuttling outfielders in and out of the lineup due to a combination of poor performance and injuries. Once the dust settled, the Knights strongest offensive group was undoubtedly in their outfield which stands to reason given that two of the three starters are due to hit the free agent market this offseason.
Another offseason acquisition from Shin Seiki, Robert McGinnity was likely the Knights top performer among options who will remain with the team heading into 2033. McGinnity played at times spectacular defense - primarily in RF for Tempe - and posted a middling line of 210/.251/.296 but also amassed 31 SB's to push him over the replacement player mark, totaling a 0.6 WAR season. McGinnity's cost controlled status and solid play in 2032 likely guarantees him a roster spot heading into the '33 season. Fellow former Eva, Bruce McGuire, was acquired in May and posted the strongest season among Knights hitters in 2032 going .222/.320/.327 with 13 HR's and 36 RBI's. McGuire's contract expires this season however and while he's not likely to come close to the $8.5 million he was previously making, it's unlikely that we'll see McGuire back with the red and black in 2033 as he figures to land a utility outfielder role with a contending club.
The best all-around performance from the team's outfielders came from Yasuhiro Nagai who was signed towards the beginning of the 2032 campaign and filled in admirably across all three outfield spots posting a very respectable .260/.281/.378 line in 129 games. Early reports indicate that the KNights have made an effort to bring Nagai back to the club in 2033, but that his agents have indicated the player is seeking a spot on a contending club as he approaches the twilight of his career. As such, the Knights will be searching for a new 4th OF/and starting CF heading into 2033.
Veteran journeyman and long-time Canton Longshoreman Pedro Castro rounded out Tempe's starting outfield in 2032, though he was underwhelming in his half-season worth of at bats with the club, posting a meager .227/.260/.309 line. While the Knights will likely seek additional offensive production from this position in the offseason, Castro still has three years of arbitration left, thus if the Knights so choose, they can negotiate a contract with him for the upcoming season.
Yasuhiko Fuji and Jun-hyuk Pak return as additional options for the Knights in 2033 as both saw some action during the recently concluded season, though neither made a strong impression with their bats. Pak, primarily a defense-first CF, is more likely to stick around simply because of his glovework, though it is possible we could see a return for both as they continue to have minor league options heading into 2033.
The designated hitter position was an unmitigated disaster for the Knights in 2032. Long time DH and fan favorite Emilio Manuel was signed by the club in the offseason to provide a high OBP and generate RBI opportunities in the middle of the Knights lineup. Needless to say, he was unsuccessful in that role as Manuel got off to a slow start and never really got going during his short stint in Tempe. Posting a .209/.309/.282 line coming off another strong season in Fargo, Manuel was a total disappointment for the Knights and does not figure to return with the club in '33. Made worse, the team acquired Francis May in an offseason trade with the Madison Malts and May struggled so badly that he was sent to AAA Chandler to start the year and never returned. While May could secure the position for the Knights in 2033 (due to a lack of better alternatives), it's just as likely he stays in Chandler given his weak offensive year that saw him post a .259/.347/.449 at the club's affiliate.
Brian Hazelwood - GM, Tempe Knights