By Steve Youngblood, Fargo Gazette

September 8, 2012: Canton, Ohio – The Fargo Dinosaurs season will once again end in disappointment, as the team has recently completed a selloff of players not under contract for next season.  General Manager Cristian Shofar completed a trade with the Bakersfield Bears on August 25^th, sending them left fielder Cal Edwards and the remainder of his contract for a couple of minor league pitchers.  This trade followed a previous move made in July that brought in reliever Mark Wood from the Yuma Bulldozers along with another minor league pitching prospect for a couple A-ball outfielders. 

These moves mark an effort towards building the pitching depth within the organization.  This season, for the first time since the team’s inception, it was the pitching that let them down instead of the offense.  Amid stellar seasons from ace Javier Encarnación and Armando Gallegos, the team suffered a major blow from the season-ending injury of Anastasio Juárez, who tore his UCL.  Juárez underwent Tommy John surgery that will keep him out a total of 12-13 months.  The injury occurred July 16^th, meaning that he likely won’t be back until after the All-Star break next season, if at all.  Juárez was enjoying an excellent season, posting a 3.22 ERA in 119.1 innings pitched.  Both Gallegos and Juárez were signed prior to this season to team-friendly contract extensions that bought out their arbitration years along with a couple years of free agency.

In addition to the loss of Juárez, the team’s bullpen has required a major overhaul as the season has progressed, and this has been indicative of the pitching problems faced this season.  Wood has stepped into the setup role and has helped to stabilize the pen, while closer Raúl Pinto has done the same in his role after struggling earlier in the season with an ERA over 5.  Shofar will be assigned with building a better bullpen for next season if the team is going to contend.  Both Wood and Pinto look to be set in their roles, though Wood was being used as a starter in Yuma prior to the trade (and in fact made the All-Star game for his performance this season).  There is hope that Willie Thompson and Lúcio Cisneros can step into the middle relief roles and handle the step-down in pressure.  Rookies Zach McDaniel, Tim Trent and Chris Houston will battle for spots along with any players acquired this offseason.  For the time being, these players will get a chance to show what they can do over the last month of the season and – hopefully in regards to the veterans – show some consistency in the backend of the bullpen.

The rotation will have its question marks as the team enters this offseason.  The “Big 3” will be dwindled down to the “Big 2” for most of next season.  Look for a move – either through free agency or trade – to bring in a veteran to step into Juárez’s spot.  Rotation stalwart Danny Bentley has struggled since partially tearing his labrum in 2011.  He was bounced down to AAA, then recently recalled to be given another chance to audition for a spot next season.  He has struggled this season with an ERA over 5 and a losing record (6-8).  He will still be under team control for next season if they choose to sign him or let him go to arbitration.  There have been rumors that the team may move him to the bullpen, but this was before the loss of Juárez.

Rookie Pablo Cisneros has given the team some hope that the 22-year-old will grab one of the rotation spots for next season.  Splitting time between the bullpen and rotation this season, Cisneros has a 3.69 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.  A strong month of September could help cement that spot in the rotation for the Cuban-born prospect.