Coqui Trolled Champs In Offseason

[MikeB]

The Coqui stocked up on excess Alleghenies cargo in the offseason.

Early in December, San Juan traded picks to West Virginia for 26-year old first basemanLee Stone, who has 36 doubles and 22 home runs in 521 big league at bats. It is hoped Stone can fill a void the team had last year versus lefties at 1B/DH.

Eleven days later it poached another Allegheny off waivers - 24-year old outfielder José Cardenas, who hit .353 after a September call-up. Cardenas was likely insurance in case the team failed to signJosé Aguillera in free agency, which it did.

Also in free agency, the team signed yet another Alleghany, Henry Davis, who has slugged .439 against lefties over eight PEBA seasons. Davis, a reliable glove man at five positions, should consolidate two positions into one replacing both infielder Dmitri Hill who platooned against lefties last season and Ronald Amery who filled the utility role in the past.

“All three won rings for West Virginia last year but none had a big role, if any, in the postseason. Hopefully they are hungry to make their own mark in 2033,” added Best.

Word out of training camp is that the players have been chatting a lot about the West Virginia organization. For the veteran Davis, it’s his first chance to talk freely after having spent his PEBA career with one team.

“A lot of the talk is about the hidden dynamics of the team,” said one privy to the locker room chats. “There have been a lot of very interesting tidbits about Manager Salvador Gonzáles and the front office there.”

All three players have also won the Ambassador’s Cup with the Mansfield Mohicans (AAA), Davis in 2024 and Stone and Cardenas as teammates last year. There has been no shortage of laughs regaling stories about legendary AAA skipperJoe Randall, who has only finished out of first once since 2023 while keeping his players in fear of his wrath.

San Juan skipper Sergio Manetti, like Gonzáles and Randall, has achieved a level of success that is beyond reproach. But Manetti is a player’s manager and Davis and Stone in particular are on friendly terms with him already according to observers. Even bench coach Tae-gun Kim is a softy toward players.

Stone is also said to be pleased that, compared to Watt Powell Field, PRTC Stadium looks like a hitters’ park, especially for a right-handed power guy. Left field is 27-33 feet deeper in West Virginia and the wall along right field up to 19 feet higher.

Meanwhile, Cardenas, a native of Mexico, is also said to be happy to be playing again in a Spanish language environment. San Juan’s AAA affiliate is also in nearby Santo Domingo should he struggle in spring training.