Neat Stuff, Post-Sim Thread: 2039, Season 33

[Warriors]

At 37 years old, Bartolo Mora continues to be a threat at bat and on the bases. Recently he notched SB number 50 for the season, the 8th season in which he has reached the 50 SB mark.

Mora now has 701 career SBs, which ranks 7th in PEBA history. Next season, he should be able to surpass Jose Aguilera at 738, but unfortunately the top five are still adding to their career totals.

Nevertheless, given the number of thefts and an 83% success rate, Mora must be considered one of the more feared SB threats in the history of PEBA.

[Trendsetters]

The NEAT: Not much neat this week. I guess a few Neat items were my Rookie League team winning their division and making it to the playoffs. My SA team in Anchorage and my A Ball team in Ensenada also made the playoffs which bodes well for my rebuilding effort and development. Winning helps players develop. Anchorage had a first round bye

Not so NEAT: The Trendsetters finished 58-104, my worst record since taking over (Yeah, I know its only my second season) Sean and another guest (possibly Evan) had an interesting discussion on rebuilding and how rebuilding teams run the danger of tanking their fan interest and budget so badly while rebuilding that when your prospects do develop you have no money to pay them or add needed FA. Bridgetown did go to the playoffs in Rookie and in a best-of-5 series against Aruba they dominated in Games one and two and took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth, just an out away from a series win. The Flying Fish proceeded to give up a two out, bottom-of-the-ninth Grand Slam and lose 4-3 and dropped the next two as well to be eliminated. It was a great season for the rookie league club, but a disappointing finish.

Pitching was the main villain for the PEBA team. They finished last in hits allowed, opponents batting average and home runs allowed and the defense did not help much either having the worst zone rating in the league. All issues to fix in the offseason.

Looking forward to the offseason and the all the activity and possibilities and good luck to all playoff teams.

[Borealis]

Although a fairly strong finish may qualify as Neat, two youngsters of note:

Martin Gutierrez - after a shaky 5 appearances last season, Martin appeared in 36 games this year and made 17 starts in place go 'Slug' and then supplanting Jung Yi as he failed to do the job. Martin was 7-6 with a 3.14 ERA with 88 K in 123 IP. He real fault that has followed him through the system has been his walks - 47 of them.

Mark Newton - made his debut at the September 1 roster expansion and he didn't disappoint, hitting .298 in extended playing time (25 GS). He had 8-2B and a triple (after 35 and 8 at AAA). He stole 9 bases and was caught 3 times (70 and 30 at AAA). Mark is a decent 1B, but would be hard pressed to force Munoz out of that spot, and though he has some history at SS - that's just not his bag, so 'Señor Siesta' will be learning 3B during the next spring with the hopes that some winter ball and spring reps will teach him enough to move Macias to DH.

[JayA]

The Mexicali Schmoes just went the entire playoffs in A and only lost one game total. Onward and upward!

[Warriors]

Definitely neat was this entire season. Winning the Great Lakes Division and then besting the Apollos in the first round of the playoffs was way beyond expectations. Even though we were trounced in the second round, it was neat participating. Rene Padilla delivered on the big stage by shutting down the Zephyrs in our only win. Fans should expect more excellence from him in future seasons.

On a personal note, it was neat competing against Tempe in my first PEBA playoff series. Tempe was my home for 16 of the 29 years I lived in the Valley of the Sun with the remaining years spent in Scottsdale and other neighboring cities.

[Shisa]

Since every $ counts in OKA, file this on the neat side.

All the Arb players we were negotiating with accepted 1 year deals below estimated arb value. Hurrah!

[Borealis]

Since every $ counts in OKA, file this on the neat side.

All the Arb players we were negotiating with accepted 1 year deals below estimated arb value. Hurrah!

Yay!

Aurora avoided arbitration with contracts going out to Kichida, Icharia and, most importantly, Jose Aleman - who signed a 3-year guaranteed, 5-year max deal.

Both catchers have turned their phones off, so they look like they are going to the Grand Arbiter...

[Trendsetters]

Withdrew three. Have an offer out they should accept to one, and one who won't negotiate.

[Calzones]

Neat: Jorge Berrios signed with San Antonio! He'll cost a pretty penny up front, but by the time our contention window is in full swing, his contract will be much more manageable. We also signed Antonio Mesegue, who should help whip the locker room into shape.

[Arroyos]

As soon as those of us in Yuma can get our heads around this, we will organize a league-wide memorial service for our former owner, Taffy Slummings. Here's the news, in case you missed it:

The Yuma Arroyos are heavy-hearted and hurting today. The club announced today at a press conference held at Salt Lick Stadium that its owner Taffy Slummings had passed away, finally succumbing to a lengthy illness. The team's general manager released funeral arrangements and also announced the new owner. David Slummings is the new Yuma Arroyos head man. According to the local media he has a reputation for being financially economizer and unmerciful in temperament.


The Arroyos (the name Slummings chose) are looking forward to meeting Slummings' son, David, and discussing plans for the club's continued survival in the PEBAverse. News of the forthcoming memorial service and subsequent changes within the Yuma Front Office will be announced shortly. Meanwhile, we are simply saddened by our loss. Taffy, as most of you know, has been under house arrest for the alleged killing of former Yuma ballplayer and manager David Goode. Since Goode's body has never been found, the case against Slummings remained circumstantial and he was allowed to reside at home, with limited visitors and excursions beyond his apartment only for very special events (Opening Day and doctor's visits being just about all) and only when accompanied by an officer. His office in Salt Lick Stadium has remained empty since his return from Camarillo State Hospital with former Yuma GM Bob Swanfeld.

[Borealis]

A sad day indeed...

[Underground]

Neat: My lone free agent target finally signed, Bruce Schneider. With CLOGGER gone my thought is to move Rocky Nichols to DH and figured I could improve quite a bit defensively in the process. Even if 1B isn't the most important defensive position, an improvement is an improvement and Schneider's more than twice the defensive talent that Nichols is. Schneider with his 9 speed/9 stealing should also help me to replace Chavvaria on the basepaths, providing me with a regular 30+ SB threat. He's not your prototypical power hitting 1B but he should be able to get on base a ton (career .340 OBP) and provide a threat once there, and even without CLOGGER I still have enough power in my lineup to drive him in. Very happy about this signing, especially since I got him for less than $2m a year on average.

Not neat: As mentioned in Slack, devastating sim in terms of injury and my bullpen for 2040. Just two weeks away from being cleared, Masuhiro Abe suffered a setback to his torn labrum that will require him to go under the knife again. Expected recovery goes from 2 weeks to TWELVE MONTHS, meaning he will miss all of the 2040 season. I was planning on having him as a lynchpin piece to my bullpen and so this is most unwelcome news. Additionally, one imagines that two consecutive labrum surgeries less than a year a part is probably a harbinger of a pretty serious ratings decline once he finally does come back. At just 22 and already a proven PEBA talent, it's quite sad that this could dramatically stunt what his PEBA career could be, if not end it entirely.

Additionally, many weeks into free agency I now find myself having to try and find a good RP on a market that has already seen most of them scooped up, so I am both spending money I didn't want to spend and getting back less quality than I'd like. Not great!

[Evas]

Neat: Getting close to finishing off the last couple roster spots. Landing UIF Xi-ku Sung in he rule 5 should be a big help in with depth and flexibility. Also moving some prospects that were blocked for guys who might be future fits is neat. Really looking forward to seeing how my CP rewards shake out. 3B Mendez (SA) could be an exciting prospect if his glove gets a good pop in WB.

Not Neat: Free Agency continues to be a drag. Ridiculous demands dragging out into the new year. Hopefully this gets improved in OOTP25.