Neat Stuff, Post-Sim Thread: 2032, Season 26

[Borealis]

Noticed something neat from our latest sim? This is the place to post it!

Please use this thread for post-sim discussion only.

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[Borealis]

With the start of spring training, the Borealis are excited to see a few minor leaguers get a serious look this spring:

SP Brian Clark is earmarked to be in the rotation this year, filling the hole(s) left by 'Tugboat' and Esquivel. Clark has shown marked improvement every season and gauging by interest, I think he's definitely ready to make an impact.

SP Armando Batista is pitching for a rotation spot as well, though for him, things will have to break his way - including one of the three returning SP's 'disappearing'.

1B Raul Munoz looks ready to step in - with 31 homers in his way (Jose Torres coming off a career year) - forcing Aurora's hand in 2033, I'd think.

OF Gabriel Rodriguez is probably a year away - not quite there this year, but a solid spring might make a difference.

C Pedro de la Cruz, like Munoz and Rodriguez, looks to be close, and he'll definitely get some ABs and time behind the plate - but with Gutierrez and Fido, it's a hard nut to crack...

[Ghosts]

The Ghosts don't have a lot to be excited about in training camp, but the debuts of former #1 overall pick Vaughn Davidson and last year's winterball attendee, Takuji Kino, will be closely watched. A few others of interest include a handful of rule 5 selections and former greats Tugboat and Neil Maes, the latter of which is vying for what would probably be his last rotation spot. Finally, a special shout-out to our new fan favorite, Antonio Figueroa, who will finally get a full time job and a chance to shine after being repeatedly muscled out of jobs by Bakersfield stars.

[Wind Dancers]

Toyama has been fairly quiet so far but has some interesting things happening in ST this season.

- Gabriel McIntyre was traded to his former home in Aurora with the intention of 2B Sadaharu Harada taking over the 2B role. Harada was drafted 7th overall in 2030 and has torn up the minors on his way to a quick promotion last season. After hitting .272/.297 with 7 HR's in 101 plate appearances, it seems like he can at least do a job as a rookie this year. And with a stint in winter ball focusing on defense, it looks like he is ready to go.

- With Harada looking like the 2B of the future, top prospect Yoritomo Maeda will be spending some time this spring and this season at 3B as he eyes up the possibility of replacing the aging Ivan Juarez. Maeda looks like a future power hitter and is the last prospect from the Toyama "Rebuild Class" to make it to the bigs, hopefully next season.

- Duo rookie starting pitchers Daniel Hernandez and Sa-Yoor Ch'oe are slated to be in the rotation at the start of the year after dominating AAA in 2031 with a combined 25-11 record and 9 WAR. Both joined from trades in 2029, and will join Zenko Okada as Toyama's young pitching core.

- P Francois Gosselin has made the move to the pen after executing a player option in the offseason. Gosselin has struggled on the mound as a starter but could benefit the team in relief with his elite stuff.

- The battle for the catcher role is heating up. Francisco Alejandrez is fresh off of a hot year where he was one of the best hitting catchers in the league, but is a natural first baseman. Top prospect Kevin Newton dominated AAA and is a natural behind the mask but needs to topple an elite catcher. If Gandarilla wasn't so integral to scoring runs, I likely would have moved him in the offseason to make room.

[Arroyos]

Yuma appears to be starting the season with BOTH their owner and GM stuck in a mental hospital in Camarillo, California! Who will make front office decisions? Will the captain-less ship run aground? And will Slummings and Mayberry ever escape the grips of the psychiatric staff?

Don't ask me, I just write this stuff.

[Fishermen]

- I am excited to see the "tagalong piece"(don't tell him I said this about him!) of the Clotilde Casco trade, Guinn Leith, in action. After moving Brad Davis away, the 1B spot is wide open for him to get.

- Another potential 1B candidate I have is my recent winter baller, Taylor Titmus. He was with the team before my GM time so I see him as the "primordial" top prospect of my team. My recent draft picks aren't doing too well, so hopefully this man can at least make me happy about my farm.

- The thing I am definitely checking out hard in ST is the bullpen situation. I have a lot of pitchers who will be fighting for bullpen spots. I think I only have 4 "must have" for my bullpens. Others are free-for-all.

- I think I am more excited to see who I lost in Rules 5 do in the teams they are on. I had some dudes I really liked picked off(Yeah I know, I like them but not enough to put them on 40-man).

- Of course, I am happy to see all my signees warm up well in ST.

[Vic]

So, Spring Training started off the way we figured it would: not well.

Still, it was nice to see our "new" third baseman (35-year-old Michael Manley, who spent last season in London) get off to a strong start: .429/.429/.429 (not a typo). Rod Rogers and Jim Fox also posted some nice numbers, while most of their teammates ... uh ... did not.

One thing the Scottish did do these past couple of sims was dip into the free agent pool and sign some familiar names who've fallen on hard times. Among them: OF José Guillén, who spent some electric seasons with the Claymores; 3B Jack Speed, a familiar name from Coqui teams past; OF Dave Yarbrough, who spent 2030 in powder blue; and SS Kenny Morrison, a fielding whiz and batting .. uh .. chump. All of them were signed to minor league pacts that would convert to major league contracts if they're called up in the first month. Odds are against any of them making the team, but sentiment is hard to overcome - as is the siren call of seeing if any of them have even a drop of their old magic left.

The worst that could happen? We have some old friends to cheer for as the Scottish challenge Yuma in a race for the bottom ...

[Hitmen]

- I am excited to see the "tagalong piece"(don't tell him I said this about him!) of the Clotilde Casco trade, Guinn Leith, in action. After moving Brad Davis away, the 1B spot is wide open for him to get.

- Another potential 1B candidate I have is my recent winter baller, Taylor Titmus. He was with the team before my GM time so I see him as the "primordial" top prospect of my team. My recent draft picks aren't doing too well, so hopefully this man can at least make me happy about my farm.

- The thing I am definitely checking out hard in ST is the bullpen situation. I have a lot of pitchers who will be fighting for bullpen spots. I think I only have 4 "must have" for my bullpens. Others are free-for-all.

- I think I am more excited to see who I lost in Rules 5 do in the teams they are on. I had some dudes I really liked picked off(Yeah I know, I like them but not enough to put them on 40-man).

- Of course, I am happy to see all my signees warm up well in ST.

Poor Guinn! He just wants to play! Happy to see Clotilde found his way in his new home.

[Ghosts]

Vincent Powell, of recent Scottish/Florida castoff infamy, is tearing it up in ST. The 28-year-old is 6 for 21 with 5 XBHs. He may force his way onto the Ghosts roster.

Julien Michaud, gold glove caliber lefty SS/2B, is adjusting quite well to PEBA. He's reached base at a .524 clip so far.

Rule 5 picks Miguel Maldonado (OPS .857), Seishiro Kokura (OPS .738), and Pedro Marquez (OPS .697) are also enjoying success in ST.

Randy Smith, though still firmly holding on to the #1 slot in the rotation, is struggling a bit (6.00 ERA), while another older arm is excelling - Vincente Medina has not given up a run yet and may open the season with the closer's role despite being a NRI. Wil Garza is also sporting a 1.42 ERA.

P Jose Garcia just keeps surprising me - despite abysmal ratings, he just keeps succeeding no matter where I put him.

[Ghosts]

We have some old friends to cheer for as the Scottish challenge Yuma in a race for the bottom ...

You have some new friends in that race as well.

[Vic]

Don't look now, but prodigal OF José Guillén is making a strong bid to not only make the major league roster coming out of spring training, but to also grab a starting job: he's slashing .370/.471/.704 in 12 games. Dave Yarbrough, another vet more or less consigned to the trash heap, also is making some noise, slashing .286/.375/.375 as a DH against left-handed pitchers. His path to the roster is a little tougher, but not impossible. Final decisions won't be made until the end of Spring Training, but both guys seem to be making the most of their opportunities to prove they have something left in the tank.

[Borealis]

Starting with the Not So Neat - the important stuff, Brian Clark was cruising along looking good, then gets derailed with a little DTD shoulder strain, that will end his spring. He will still be clear to make his first start of the year - and his Major League debut, against Duluth in the season's second season... on the Neat Side of the ledger, FA signing Shane Willis has been hot this Spring, hitting .375 - with 4-2B and 2-3B... in true Aurora form he's already been thrown out twice trying to steal... The revolving catcher deal continues: 'Fido' is hitting .321, Domingo .097... 'Litterbug' also is looking good thus far, at .359 - and he's a perfect 4-0 on SB - so maybe he's learned a bit over the offseason...

[Fishermen]

Poor Guinn! He just wants to play! Happy to see Clotilde found his way in his new home.

I don't expect Clotilde to go crazy like last year with his 6-0 result after the mid-season trade to my team but I hope he pitches well. He's definitely one of my stories to write this season.

[Zephyrs]

Well, 7-0 is a good start.................

[Dinosaurs]

Duluth really took it to the Dinos this sim. Still holding on to first but losing 3 out of 4 to the Warriors was only saved by a trip to Yuma which resulted in a sweep. Four teams over .500 in the SL right at the moment, could be a fun season in this division again.