Aurora Storialis - The Borealis Blog

[Borealis]

JR - The Other JR, Now a Codger
Ray D. Enzé, NLN baseball blogger

April 9, 2040: Palm Springs, California – It was 27-years of PEBA baseball before the team founded by John Rodriguez - one-time owner and PEBA Commissioner, had a 'John' Rodriguez suit up and play for the Aurora Borealis. Now, four years later, the team is JR-less.

This morning, before the team plane arrived at Palm Springs International Airport, Aurora GM Will Topham announced that the team has traded utility infielder Juan Rodriguez to the Codgers in exchange for a rookie league starting pitcher.

Rodriguez was originally an international find out of Cuba by the Neo-Tokyo Akira, whom Aurora acquired in trade in June of 2034 in exchange for Roy Duke and a 5th round pick. Duke - who was originally with West Virginia and is famous as being Aurora's first ever Rule 5 pick, served the utility role excellently - if not very well offensively. Come the '34 season and out of options, Aurora made the deal with Neo-Tokyo for the similarly talented Rodriguez who had options available. Ironically, Duke currently plays for Palm Springs AAA team in Provo.

Rodriguez was not the most offensive player, either, but played outstanding defense - mostly at 2B and 3B - but also spelling Aleman at short at times. He had his most productive season last year, hitting a career high .286 - and posting a 0.8 WAR - not bad for a back-up infielder. Aurora's acquisition of Juan Carlos Gutierrez (who came along with Yuma's 2nd round pick and a $20M contract) created a roster crunch more crunchier than it was expected to. Like his predecessor, JR was out of options and needed to pass through waivers to remain with the Borealis - that was when Palm Springs knocked on the door with an offer for a trade for a player that was headed to the Desert portion of the Desert Hills.

It's worth noting that the other options for Aurora to fill that last, utility spot on the roster - Gijsbert Verboven and Fernando Rodriguez, both had options left for the year and was sent back to Thornton - and after a week of AAA play have both hit 2 HR and are hitting over .400.

Coming to Aurora is 20-year old Miguel Longoria, a 2036 scouting find out of Columbia. The scouts like his movement that he get's out of his four-pitch repertoire - fastball, sinker and splitter which are above average, and an outstanding curve; they worry about his control. He keeps the ball down - and is averaging over 50% on G/F. He spent his first pro year at Lana'i City (SA) as a reliever, though last year he was demoted to Rookie ball Asmara, where he started 19 games with meh numbers.

The left-hander, whom Topham described as the best in Palm Springs system that was worth bringing up, has been described as 'moody and lazy' by a number of folks I know in the Codger organization. Then again, with some luck - maybe more than some, Longoria could be a above average arm - and allows Aurora to perhaps draft one less pitcher with their 8-picks in the first three rounds of this years draft.

Considering that JR wasn't sticking around, Aurora at least was able to make the most of the loss.

[Borealis]

It's Kinda Close?
Ray D. Enzé, NLN baseball blogger

April 16, 2040: Reno, Nevada – After an opening week of 4-, 1-run games and a 2-run game (and Aurora sitting 3-2), the team hit the road for a three-city trip and continued the trend - 2-, 1-run games and 3-, 2-run games, before they played something other than a 'winning or tying run on deck' kind of game. But the end result was a 1-5 week - ending with a 5-game losing streak, with Aurora sitting 5th in the Desert Hills, 4-7, and just a game ahead of Bakersfield - whom they have already lost twice to. There are four teams in the SL with a 4-9 record, so Aurora sits with the second worse record in the league.

It's early. Sure. We get that. 'It's a small sample size', as early season apologists like to say. Yet, one glance at the team stats sheet tells a glaring and troublesome - and frightening story: Aurora is 14th in AVE and 14th in OAVG; they are 15th in OPS, R, 13th in H and dead last in HR - no shocker their, but 11-games in and they have only 4 (we won't even point out that 'Matchbox already has 2 for the Ghosts). The team ERA is 10th - and the starters are 15th!! Unheard of, and it's only the bullpen, with the 2nd best ERA that has Aurora at 10th as a team and somehow, miraculously, allowed the third fewest runs and 4th fewest hits? How does that even add up? The teams has the 14th worst OAG (and BABIP), yet they've allowed the 4th fewest hits? And 3rd fewest runs? AND - already thieve surrendered 13 HR and have struck out the 13th fewest batters.

At least the hitters aren't striking out and they are 3rd in SB.

Something needs to change - and perhaps that will simply be the calendar.

Aurora did win one game this past week - the first game, against the much improved Codgers and the ace - James McCoy - who allowed 10 H and 4 R over 5.1 IP, as Aurora scored a run in each of the first three innings, and held on. Meanwhile, Brenden Clymo allowed just a pair of solo homers - both to former-Badger Claudio Perez. Rocky Kowalski had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI's, Raul Munoz had a pair of hits and a pair of runs, and Masamichi Daikawa also joined the 2-hit club and drove in one. 'Machete' picked up his third save. Shigochiyo Yamaguchi was dominant in game 2, holding Aurora to 4-hits, striking out 5 over 7-shut out innings. Aurora starter Armando Batista struggled with his control, walking four, and allowing a 3rd inning 2-run homer to Claudio Perez - again, sealing the Borealis' fate in this game. The good news was Xisto Tamayo and Martin Gutierrez each going 1.1 IP and allowing just a hit - though Tamayo's came off the bat of his first batter, and allowed a run to score. Angel Silva hit his 1st homer of the year to prevent the shut-out. Game 3 with the Codgers was a wild one as Brian Clark and Takashi Yamamoto fooled few (though in fairness, Takashi struck out 8 ) - each giving up 5 R in a game that saw Claudio Perez go deep yet again - TWICE - for his 5th homer of the series. Could that be a record? Aurora matched that with 3-2B and 3-3B - Stewart Arundale having a double and two triples - his 76th career double that puts him at 19th all-time (Shane Willis has 170) - and inches him ever closer to the team record of 82, set by Teddy Loeztsch (fun fact, in his brief, 3-year stay with Aurora, Willis hit 44). The game see-sawed back and forth as Aurora had the early lead - Palm Springs tied it, Aurora took the lead with the Codgers instantly jumping ahead, the Borealis then had their turn to tie - before Barry Rodriguez blew the game in the 8th. Arandales three-hits inched his average up to .480 - he scored 3 and drove in 2.

The trip to Kzoo made the road trip even uglier when Henry Cluett couldn't get out of the first inning, allowing 6-runs and recording 1-out - with Francisco Rodriguez and Ernie Jordan both homering in the inning. Aurora was never able to overcome that start - despite Tamayo, Martin Gutierrez and 'Hyena' combining for 8.2-innings of 2-hit ball. And Aurora certainly had their chances - scoring for off Tetsu Suzuki, who lasted into the 7th, but allowed 4-runs. Hideki Nishikawa was 5-5 and drove in four - thanks to a bases loaded double in the 3rd - but Macias and Kowalski failed to extend the threat as Aurora would lose 6-4. Jung Yi was outstanding in game 2 - as was Martin Hernandez - Yi pitching 7-innings and allowing just 4 H and a run - while Hernandez went 8 and allowed a pair of runs off 5-hits - Raul Munoz' 2-out, bases loaded single bringing home what felt like the winning runs - until Rodriguez, Barry allowed a 2-run, 8th inning homer to Rodriguez, Francisco, tying the game and sending Yi home with nothing to show for his efforts - aside from a work-out. Then in the 10th it was Hector Gutierrez' turn to blow a game, allowing a 2-out, 2-run homer to Dae-su Hwa for the walk-off win. Insult was added to injury as the Badgers completed the sweep with a 1-hitter - a Lan Qing single in the 5th, as Juan Lopez was masterful in striking out 9. Once more it was the long-ball that did Aurora in - as Brenden Clymo gave up 4-run in the 2nd, which included a Alonso Aguilar 2-run homer. Bright Spot? Rafael Ruiz pitched 1.2-innings and allowed 2 H, no runs and struck out 3.

For those of you keeping score at home, that was 1 HR for Aurora and 11 HR for Palm Springs and Kzoo. Aurora had 14-total XBH in the six games.

We lamented at the top the team standing in numerous statistical places, so time for the finger pointing - Macias (.143), Kowalski (.148), Aleman (.167), Ortega (.174) - all under the Mendoza Line - and significantly so. Newton is at .211 and Munoz is hitting .229. Only 'Litterbug' is off to an outstanding start - 12-30, 4-2B, 2-3B, with Diakawa hitting .310 and Silva .275. Nishikawa checks in at .263, but erase that 5-5 game and he's at .151. One has to hope that this is a small sample size, and the tide will turn towards the norm, but one has to ask where the power will come from? The pressure on Macias and Kowalski to provide what this club has needed for well too long is immense.

On the pitching side, things wouldn't be so desperate feeling if Clark and Cluett had not allowed 10- and 9-runs, respectively. Combined they have thrown 14.1 IP in 4 GS, allowed 30 H, 4 HR, 19 R, walked 5 and struck out 3.

What's on Tap
Aurora arrives at Washoe Field to take on the Zephyrs before heading back to Northern Lights for another series with the Badgers. Both teams sit at .500 (Reno 6-6, Kzoo 7-7) - with the Borealis hoping to continue to play well v. Reno while they look to play more inspired ball against the Codgers.

[Borealis]

Win Streak Follows Pit Stop in Last
Ray D. Enzé, NLN baseball blogger

April 30, 2040: Aurora, Colorado – It was an unsettling feeling, no matter the time of year, but when the standings settled after the games of the 22nd and 23rd, the Aurora Borealis found themselves in last place - finishing their weekend series with Kalamazoo with a loss (on an otherwise 'better' 3-3 week) to stand 7-10 - half a game behind 5th place Bakersfield and 3.5 GB of 1st place Tempe. Granted, it's early - with only 17-games played, but it was how the team ended up there that was disconcerting for the fans.

After an April 16th 1-0 shut-out win over Reno (Armando Batista, 7.1 IP, 5 H for the win) - Aurora's fourth straight win over the Zephyrs, the club got, well... clubbed the next two nights at Washoe Field - losing by a combined 15-3 score. They seemed to right the ship as they took on the Badges for the 2nd weekend in a row (after being swept at Portage Park last weekend), with Jung Yi and Clymo keeping the damage to a reasonable sum as Aurora won the first two 7-3 and 6-3, before Batista surrendered three solo homers in the first 5-innings for a tough 4-3 loss, preventing a 'revenge sweep. Despite a decent week, Bakersfield swept Duluth at YUM! for a 4-2 week, moving ahead of Aurora on the following Monday with a win over Niihama.

The frustrating part of that week was that the club did hit the ball decently - a .286 team average, but the hits tended to be concentrated. But Jose Aleman was 10-17 and JCG 5-12, as he made a case for more playing time - especially with Ruben Ortega posting a 1-12 and Rocky Kowalski 3-17. The week also saw Hideki Nishikawa pick up the pace - 8-21 and ditto Diakawa, at 5-16. Pedro Macias hit his first homer in a 5-18 effort. Of note, Stewart Arundale, who had a hot first two weeks, slipped to 4-18.

The most disturbing trend lies on the pitching side as Starters Brian Clark and Henry Cluett continued to struggle. After allowing 2 HR and 6-runs scored in just 1/3 of an inning against Kzoo, he allowed 7 R (6 ER) in 1.2 IP against Reno in a 10-2 loss. 'Slug' has yet to go deeper than an out in the 5th, and his four runs allowed to Reno in a 5-1 loss were the fewest he'd allowed all year (he gave up 5 in his other two starts) - leading to the usual move of his benching in his next start. Fortunately, Yi, Batista and Clymo have been decent - Yi has looked great, and the bullpen has been mostly good - and yet, Aurora awoke on Tuesday the 23rd with the Crystal Lake 'Gnats coming to town.

Suddenly the bats came alive - maybe it was the specter of sitting in last place that served as a wake-up call, of perhaps it was the rivalry that has spanned the decades of PEBA baseball, but the bats came out swinging behind rookie Xisto Tamayo, making his first major league starts, allowing just a run on 5 H and just 1 BB - the young Brazilian's Achilles heel. Nishikawa, Macias and Qing all had a pair of hits, 'Litterbug' and Silva a pair of RBI in a 6-3 win that had 'Machete' earn his 6th save. Aurora came out the next night and jumped right on the 'Gnats again, with Henry Cluett, perhaps taking a hint from Clark's benching, pitching into the 8th and allowing 3-runs on 6-hits. Aurora provided him with a plethora of hits and runs - Macias was 4-5, 'Smitty' and Munoz 3-5 - with Nishikawa with his 2nd HR of the year, and Aleman was 3-5 with 3-runs scored as Aurora would bring home an 11-4 win. Yi would complete the sweep with a 3-0 win as he went 7-innings and allowed 2 H (walked 3), dropping his four-start ERA to 1.04 and up his record to 3-0.

Kalamazoo came around for the third straight weekend - in a bizarre scheduling quirk as the teams have finished their season series, with Aurora winning a pair of tight, 1-run games, before losing (ending a 5-game win streak) 2-0 in the series finale - giving the Badgers a 5-4 series win. Image a series ending in April coming to roost in September as a tie-breaker. It could happen... But that's jumping way-way too far ahead of ourselves.

In beating the Badgers in game 1, Brenden Clymo - who has faced his old team in each to the weekend series, had his best and longest of the three, giving up 5 H and 2 R over 7 IP as Aurora came back twice from 1-run deficits to win the game, 4-3, thanks to a 3-run 8th of Juan Lopez, who clearly showed fatigue, but whom the Badgers couldn't get out fast enough. Consecutive hits - a Qing single, Daikawa and Arundale doubles and Nishikawa and Silva singles plated three for the win. 'Werewolf' got the win in relief and Gutierrez earned his 8th save - tied for third in the SL. Batista was outstanding in game 2, with 8-innings of 4-hit, 5 K ball, lowing his ERA to 2.12. Mark Newton had a 1-out double in the first, Macias had an RBI single with 2-outs - and that was it. Badgers managed just the four hits off Armando, and Aurora managed just one more hit in the game off former-Allegheny Cheh Zhang (7.2 IP. 3 H, 1 R, but 6 BB).

Game 3 would sound much like game 2 - as Dad-su HWA hit a 2-run homer in the 1st off Tamayo (the first he's allowed) - and that was it, while John Ross and the 'Gnat 'pen shut-out the Borealis on 9-hits - despite two lead-off doubles - including the 9th, where Aleman was at 3rd with no outs and Aurora couldn't bring him home. Tamayo's effort - 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 4 K and no walks was once more impressive and encouraging - and dare I say problematic for the veteran Brian Clark?

The 5-game win streak and 6-1 week did much to shift the Borealis out of last, and tied for third with Reno, 3 GB of Tempe, half-a-game behind Yuma and half-a-game ahead of Palm Springs as the top five of the division are closer than any other division in the PEBA.

Coming off a 5-15 week, with 3-2B, Arundale continues to lead the club with a .333 average, while the hot bat Jose Aleman is toting (7-17, 2-2B last week) has his average up to .329, and Nishikawa sits at .312 with 4-2B and a pair of homers. Juan Carlos Gutierrez has just a lone double as far as XBH are concerned, but he is hitting .255 - despite a tough week, and with Ortega hitting .158 and rookie Mark Newton at .211, either JCG sees more time on the field, or something is going to have to give. Gijsbert Verboven is hitting .354 with 10-2B, a 3B and 5 HR at AAA and Fernando Rodriguez is at .350 with 11-2B, 2-3B and 3 HR - with dying for a shot - not to mention SS Robert Godefroy, who is hitting .292 with 4 HR.

Aurora is sporting some odd statistical anomalies this early season - 3rd in AVE, 5th on OBP, 15th in runs, dead last in HR (a grand total of 8 ) - making that 13th in OPS; fewest strikeouts, fewest walks and most steals. Go figure. They are putting the ball in play, they are getting on base - they just can't drive home the runs. The starting pitching has the 12th best (worst?) ERA - thanks in a large part to Clark and Cluett - as mentioned above, but the bullpen is once more doing it's job and is tied for first at 2.15. The staff has allowed the 6th lowest OAVG and 2nd fewest runs and hits - and 3rd fewest HR. Where the offense doesn't walk and doesn't strikeout, the pitchers aren't walking anyone (best in the SL - YAY), but aren't striking out many, either (13th best, uncharacteristically for this club).

One could argue, if the pitching continues, with improvements by the 'C Brothers', and the offense starts find a few more gaps - and even a few more deeper shots, this club has the ability to perform better than their first three weeks suggested.

What's on Tap
As April comes to a close and May begins a part of the calendar the Borealis traditionally play well in, it is the improved Codgers coming to Northern Lights four a four-game set and then the Borealis head back to the Central Valley to take on Bakersfield for three. It'll be Cluett, Yi, Clymo and Batista against the Codgers, then Tamayo, Cluett and Yi throwing in Bakersfield.