Ray D. Enzé, NLN baseball blogger

March 4, 2021: Grand Junction, Colorado – The Aurora Borealis finished with the top mark in the Desert Hills this spring with a 15-9 record – third best overall in the PEBA, and a team that came into the spring with very few questions, heads to Tempe for Opening Day with just as few.

This year’s spring also presented us with some promising results from many of the younger players in the organization – many of whom will be highlighted in this roster breakdown.

Catcher:

Scott Vinson came into camp as the no-brainer starter who had to suck not to retain that role. Well… He sucked, hitting .177 in 79 AB – the most by any starter. The problem is, Aurora gave the bulk of the back-up playing time to Rusty Butler, whom they’d like to see take the back-up job after hitting .270 in nearly 1,000 AAA ABs, but his .200 average just doesn’t instill confidence in a team that know what they have in perennial back-up (and Aurora-native) Sergio López. Both are out of options, so someone’s looking at the DFA list. Our guess?

Starter: Vinson.
Back-up: Butler

Infield:
Josh Ligonier, who won the first base job over Miguel Salinas and Richie Norman last year to post a rookie year .266 with 18 HR and 70 RBI, easily holds on to the starters role with a .333 spring. Minor Leaguer John Dickson (26th overall selection in 2019) got the bulk of the back-up time this spring and hit a passable .245 – good enough for a ticket back to Gatineau – though he may find himself down the road in Thornton.

‘Gypsy’ John Foster, who finally had the break-out season Aurora had been waiting for, looked very sharp this spring with a .368 average and 3 HR. After his Royal Raker worthy 2020 season, he was a lock to start either way. Gabriel McIntyre, the 11th overall selection in 2018, struggled this spring in the back-up spot for Foster, managing a paltry .212 and .333 SLG. Gabe spent the 2020 season at Gatineau, so in keeping with most Borealis moves, he is likely to find himself in Thornton this season.

Also hitting in the .360’s with 3 HR was SS Nick Giles who, after a stellar rookie campaign in 2019, had a down year in 2020 and is looking to bounce back. This, and the infield as a whole, was supposed to be one of the spots where competition was expected to rear it’s head, as longtime infield incumbent José Rivera, was expected back from a near season long 2020 injury. The hiccup? Rivera fractured a finger in his throwing hand stretching a single into a double in the third spring game v. Palm Springs as the Codgers ‘Jester’ inadvertently stepped on his hand applying a late tag. Rivera is expected back in a week for extended spring training at AAA Thornton, before returning to the big club.

The benefactor of Rivera’s injury was Cristóbal Crespo, the 65^th overall selection in the 2016 draft. Crespo has had an on-again-off-again relationship with Aurora’s minor league system and last year missed significant time with injuries. He did manage to hit .250 this spring. There is some speculation that he will stick with the club as the season starts, until Rivera is ready to return.

Rounding out a superb spring by the starting infield, Mike Britt hit .346 and looks to be ready to return to the form that saw him hit 32 HR and drive in 107 in his first of what Aurora hopes is many 30/100 seasons. Splitting the playing time with the Tennessean was Jack Speed, who hit .385 and the only consolation in his demotion is that you knew it was coming before his first ABs. But, he proved to Aurora fans that the Borealis faith in him, acquiring him in a deal with San Antonio, is well put. He is expected to start the season at Thornton, where he struggled some the latter part of 2020.

Starters:
First: Ligonier
Second: Foster
Short: Giles
Third: Britt
Utility: Toro, Rivera (though Crespo will start the year here – but don’t be surprised if Aurora rewards Speed’s fine spring)

Outfield:

The Borealis ended 2020 with an outfield of River Pope, Matt Ferrell and Paul Carlisle (from left to right) with Mike Hale and Pedro Ferringo as the back-ups and Ferrigno nabbing the DH role (due to his not so stellar defensive skills). It’s hard to see that changing in 2021, though the spring did bring some surprises. Pope hit .348 and with a .423 OBP, it is likely he will continue to man the two-hole spot he had as the 2020 season closed. Carlisle hit .308 and with 9 RBI and fine defense, he is likely to stick around. Ferrell struggled (.265, 12 K), but last years runner-up in the batting title is likely to maintain his hold on CF job – for now. I say that because one-time Golden Boy Mike Hale had a monstrous spring. Hale hit .431, with 10 RBI and a team leading 6 SB – all numbers that warrant more playing time as the season dawns. To Hale’s benefit, he is the lone right-handed hitter in a primarily left-handed line-up. Ferringo managed a .286, with 4 SB himself, and will continue to manage the DH spot – though he may see some split duty with another outfielder to allow Hale the playing time.

Of note, minor leaguer Wilson Mercado continues to show promising progress as he hit .275 and as a result will continue his slow march towards the big club by moving up to Thornton this season.

Starters:
Left: Pope
Center: Ferrell
Right: Carlisle
Back-ups: Hale, Ferringo

Designated Hitter: Ferringo

Starting Rotation:

No secrets here. Provost (2.25, 16 K, 1 BB), ‘Sawmill’ (6.19, 13 K, 2 BB), ‘Zoom’ (1.69, 13 K, 6 BB), López (5.06, 16 K, 10 BB) and ‘Massacre’ (0.56, 21 K, 5 BB) will take the mound as the initial rotation. The ‘Old Men’ of the rotation, Francisco and López, may have had their struggles, but they will persist in the rotation, for now. Of note, Jiménez was equally strong last spring, but his 5 BB in 16 IP are extremely encouraging. Equally encouraging is Barker allowing 0 HR in his 16 IP, as that was a bit of a bug-a-boo for him last year. As a matter of fact, the starters allowed only 2 HR – both by López, who tends to be that way.

Closer:
No discussion here – Bryant Burris returns for his 10^th season with Aurora, and his 5^th as Opening Day closer. He followed up last years 2.39 ERA with 40 saves in 72 appearances (the 8^th season in which he topped 70) with a 3.00 spring with 6 saves, 16 K and 3 BB in 10 appearances.

Bullpen:
Let the blood bath begin. Aurora plans on breaking camp with 12 pitchers. There are 16 on the roster as of the end of spring training – 10 of which are middle relievers, four of whom must leave. Let’s do the math, shall we?

Set-up men: ‘Stork’ Holbrook – Struggled mightily, but he’ll be allowed a spring mulligan and will retain that role. Gerardo Rivera – He of the ‘Zoom’ trade got lot’s of work and was nails, with a 1.61 ERA and 19 K, 2 BB in 22 IP. ‘Sleepy’ Kuhn, inexplicably got little work to state a case, but based on a solid 2020 should stay (though, keep in mind, he does have options left).

OK? That’s three of the spots.

Junior Cook pitched mostly in relief and did very well, posting a 2.14 ERA with 32 K (never his problem) and 15 BB (always his problem) in 21 IP. He has great value as a swing-man and is likely to stay. That’s 4…

That leaves us with two spots and six pitchers left. Long-time incumbent ‘Porker’ Thompson has struggled some the past two seasons and was not very effective in his brief stints this spring with 6 R and a 10.13 ERA and .318 OAVG in 5.1 IP. He does have a very valuable option. Juan Martínez, who does not have an option, is coming off a rough 2020 in which he gave up 20 HR in relief – geez… and with 2 more this spring, coupled with 15 H in 12 IP, his days might be numbered. So far, those two spots seem open, still.

Félix Peña, who had a passable 2020, forked up 15 H and 10 R in his 9 innings this spring. Jimmy Younger, who has looked great at AAA and very hittable at the major league level, showed that this spring (20 H, 9 R, 13.2 IP). Both men lack options as well – a theme in the Aurora ‘pen that forces the teams hand.

Those four sure don’t have the feel or moving east to The Front Range, leaving only erstwhile starter Christian Murdoch and rookie John Gray as the default choices. Murdoch has struggled to find the form that made him invaluable in Aurora’s 2019 championship campaign – and his spring was marginally better than the aforementioned quartet. Like Cook, he has the benefit of being a potential swing-man out of the ‘pen.  Gray has a lot of raw skill that the coaching staff likes, and he has started to piece things together the past three seasons after a rough start after was drafted in the 4^th round in 2015. Gray does have options left, affording Aurora a little flexibility as they piece the bottom of the bullpen together. That said, his 2.60 ERA in 17.1 IP, with 10 H and 20 K does suggest he belongs in Aurora and not Thornton.

Closer: Burris
Set-up: the unconventional double lefty combo of Holbrook and Rivera
Middle Relievers: Cook, Kuhn, Murdoch and Pena

And so the Aurora Borealis embark on the PEBA’s 15^th season in search of their third title. This year’s version looks to have a feel similar to last year, where a shaking bullpen and iffy pitching in general sabotaged an otherwise promising year. The bullpen could be Keys for the Season #1-#3, so let’s pick three things not related to the ‘pen.

1. The ‘Sawmill’ re-finds it’s teeth. Francisco has been one of the most consistent pitchers in all of the PEBA since his arrival in Aurora 6 seasons ago. A return to form – an ERA under 3.30, should do the trick for Aurora.
2. Production behind the plate. The ‘Zoom’ trade placed a premium on the performance, and health, of Scott Vinson. Gone is the heir apparent, Miguel Gálvez – and his potent bat. Butler and López aren’t the offensive hopes, and the ‘new future’, Fernando Negrete, is a minimum of two seasons away. Scott? The weight of a title may rest on your sholders.
3. Can 2019+2020 = Awesomeness in 2021 for Nick Giles. 2019 was a Rakeresque season for Giles before injury railroaded him. 2020 saw Giles remain healthy, but his production drop significantly. If he can meld those two positives from the past two seasons into this one and Aurora’s shortstop will be a force to be reckoned with.

Fans… Play Ball!