The Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance

Not sure why this isn't coming out but will figure it out later
BRIGHT SPOTS – San Juan improved from 2024 by winning 12 more games as the team batting average went up 31 points but the squad still fell short of a playoff berth. Injuries took their total with one week in September featuring a cast of AAA players and new signees in the starting lineup.

DH-1B Richie Norman (.299, 25 HR) was the team’s most consistent offensive performer.

Twenty-four year old OF Dean Walden proved himself. He was streaky but hard to argue with final numbers of .309, .331, .497.

It was noticeable the two times LF Flint Butler went down with injuries. The free agent signee fit in well at the top of the order hitting .290 with a .346 on-base average. His stolen base total (27 in 33 attempts) was easily a career high for the 28-year old.

To-wai Zhou (13-7, 2.91) was a leading Golden Arm candidate through July but tailed off at the end of the season.

Jorge Nunez (38 saves, 2.39) was unhittable for much of the season but did lose concentration for a stretch in July.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT – The team believed it was rich in pitching coming out of spring training but all of the youngsters- Luis Reyes, Otis Pearson, Naoki Hayashiand Jose Gomez – proved inconsistent. The first three are former PEBA first rounders while Gomez was a top 11 prospect at one point. When Nunez was not available, the pen blew as many games (11) as it saved.

FUTURE OUTLOOK – Norman is unlikely to be resigned before free agency begins as General Manager Mike Best is reluctant to commit big bucks long term to a 31-year old first baseman. The team also is not expected to submit an arbitration offer to 3B Richard Kelly. Even with those two off the books, however, the team lacks the funds to make a splash in free agency. It is likely that it will tread water for another season and try build in the draft.

Walden's a keeper.

I would add to your brights spots 2B Shigekazu Shimizu (3.6 WAR) and starter 'Hollywood' Hernández (2.77 ERA and cut that HR rate in half).

San Juan has a nice core to build around.

It's not surprise that the winners of San Juan's top minor league performer awards played for Kingston (A) in 2025. The Suns jumped out to a 43-15 start and held on to finish 84-44 before falling in the NAFTA Championship Series.

First baseman Cesar Herrera proved the most feared slugger in the league walking away with the NAFTA AWL Outstanding Hitter Award as well as MVP trophies for the Wild Card and Division Series. He also collected the Glove Wizard Award.

The 24-year old finished first in the league in home runs (37), runs batted in (118) and runs scored (83) and third in the league in average (.296). His slugging percentage (.603) was 51 points higher than anyone else in the league and his WAR (8.4) 2.8 higher.

"In one sense, he could have promoted," said Coqui GM Mike Best. "We knew he had power but we wanted to see him get his batting average up last season and with both Santurce (AA) and Kingston atop their divisions all year we thought it best to maintain consistency."

Team insiders say Herrera could be on the fast track to the PEBA if he hits well early in AA next year.

The top pitcher honor was more of a surprise. Fernando Castro had a reputation of being tardy to practice, particularly morning ones, but the light seemed to come on for him last season. The 21-year old Havana native, who was once released by the Leones after failing to show much as a teenager, emerged as the ace of Kingston's top ranked pitching staff. He walked away with the NAFTA AWL Outstanding Pitcher Award after going 13-3 with an 1.72 e.r.a. and posting close to 9-1 strikeout-walk ratio. Hitters batted just .172 against him.

[Thanks. Was counting on Shimizu to be a leadoff hitter but he was inconsistent in the role but his other charms as a player did not go unnoticed.

quote="Commish"]Walden's a keeper.

I would add to your brights spots 2B Shigekazu Shimizu (3.6 WAR) and starter 'Hollywood' Hernández (2.77 ERA and cut that HR rate in half).

San Juan has a nice core to build around.[/quote]