2032: New Look Malts
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 1:20 pm
The Malthouse - Madison, WI: April 12th, 2032
Madison spent another busy offseason retooling the team for the future, putting a larger emphasis on correcting the imbalance on the mound while making some sacrifices and looking for low cost pieces in the field. Let’s take a look at this year’s opening day starters.
Starting Pitching:
Erik Watson: LHP, acquired from Bakersfield in the offseason, Erik is looking to take up the reins as the staff’s ace and is one of the many new additions to Madison to help bring parity to the pitching staff which now is split 7 LHP and 6 RHP. Coming off a 63-56 career record and 3.16 ERA in 6 seasons with the Bears, Watson enters 2032 with a new 5 year contract and high hopes of helping to bring Madison to its first ever playoff birth.
Atasuke Inoue: RHP, got a taste last season in Madison as he split time in AAA and the main roster, but hopes are still high on the sidearm throwing righty out of Kitami, Japan. At only 25 years of age, Atasuke has some time to solidify his spot in the rotation, and 2032 should good a long way into determining if that is true. With an impressive pitching repertoire, Atasuke will start the year with a lot of pressure to perform out of the 2 spot in the rotation this season, ahead of sophomore teammate Pete Blaquiere.
Manuel López: LHP, throwing in the 3rd year of his 4 year contract, López is looking to continue to be that calming and consistent workhorse in the rotation. López is looking to improve on his 23-25 record to start the year and build off of last season’s success.
Pete Blaquiere: RHP, like fellow sophomore Atasuke Inoue, returns to build off of his rookie season success as a stable centerpiece of the rotation. At only 23 year of age, Blaquiere has plenty of growing to still do and will benefit this year with the sure handed defense Madison has assembled in the infield yet again this season.
Ben McLaughlin: LHP, rounding out the new lefty additions to the starting rotation, McLaughlin comes from an offseason trade with Tempe that saw stud prospect Juan Rincón head to Tempe as they build out their farm in their first return season to the PEBA. McLaughlin is coming off of some impressive seasons in the WIL with hopes that his stubbornness on the mound translates well against the Sovereign League hitters.
Relievers:
Jason Baker: RHP, after a solid rookie year in 2031 as a starter, Baker is the odd man out of the rotation this year and will start the season as the primary backup and long reliever. I would not count Baker out on eventually winning back a spot in the rotation as the year goes on.
Tokutomi Sakamoto: LHP, is one of the few veterans present in the pen for Madison. Sakamoto enroced his will on hitters last year while focusing on hitting the corners and will look to do the same this season. Sakamoto made a name for himself as a starter in the WIL with Gloucester, but has enjoyed some success since coming over in 2030 to Madison (then Canton).
Donald Lesher: RHP, another pickup in the offseason, Lesher comes over from West Virginia to give another option in the pen that has shown the control necessary to limit the home runs of his opponents. Pitching coach Dan Mosley made the recommendation to pursue Lesher as he has posted an impressive 1.98 ERA when facing righties throughout his career.
Juan Gómez: LHP, returns for his 3rd season in Madison after being picked as a Rule V pick in 2029 from the Claymores. Gomez has improved with every year in the pen with the Malts and looks to continue being a trusted reliever in tough situations.
Carlos Rivas: RHP, another veteran presence in the bullpen, Rivas was a low risk low reward trade in 2031 with Arlington to provide some depth in the bullpen. As such, Rivas continues to be a solid back up option while Madison waits for Jóse Castillo and Conner ‘Black Jack’ Hurst to return from injury this year. Hurst was a solid bullpen addition in 2031, while Castillo proved to be a veteran strength on the mound before suffering a partially torn UCL which saw him miss the majority of 2031.
Marty Bernard: LHP, another offseason addition, Bernard provides another consistent lefty option out of the bullpen that was sorely lacking in 2031 and years before. Bernard brings championship experience after being a part of the 2031 San Juan Championship team. Hopes are that his experience will rub off on the Malts and help propel them to their first playoff burst.
Paco Martínez: LHP, another foreign born player finally makes his transition from the Liga Dominicana de Beisbol Invernal to PEBA where he posted a 29-89 record with a 3.43 ERA over 6 seasons as a SP with the Bani Depredadores del Peravia. Paco will transition to the pen and would only make starts in emergency situations.
Juan Castro: RHP, closer for the Malts, Castro is a perfect example of a success story out of the ABSF independent leagues. Castro, a 5x times All-Star and 2x Reliever of the Year in the Alianza Beisbol Al Sur de la Frontera made quick waves for the Malts and has locked up the Closer role for himself till his arm falls off.
Catcher:
Tony ‘Boy Scout’ Jarvis: After splitting the catcher role in his rookie season, Jarvis has been given the reins at catcher due to his relationship with the starting rotation. The former 4th round pick has a cannon for an arm behind the mound and provides surefire defense. His back up again this year will be Ellis Nock, another solid defensive option behind the plate. The pitching staff in Madison is in good hands.
First Base:
Rámon ‘Ghost’ Guzmán: Historically a 2B by trade, the ‘Ghost’ was brought in and required to learn a new position to have more opportunities to start right away for the Malts. Guzmán worked hard with Bench Coach Carlos Hernández in the offseason for a regiment to get comfortable at the new position before the season started.
Second Base:
Jesús Ochoa / Steve ‘Reflex’ Overgaag: Ochoa was the primary 2B last year with Overgaag getting a look in September. While a consistent 2B, Ochoa’s bat and range are deemed lacking, so the door is open for Overgaag to steal the role full time in 2032. Steve picked up the nickname of ‘Gag-reflex’ or ‘Reflex’ for short during Spring Training when he had a wild groundball take a funny bounce on the same day he forgot to wear his cup. Malts Spring Training practice required a 15 minute break with the infield laid out in the grass from laughing too hard at the poor rookie. Bench Coach Carlos Hernández described it as “the unluckiest bounce I’ve ever seen” when describing the pain Overgaag endured, crouched over in pain with his face all blue.
Third Base:
Marcos Sánchez: With the position not even in question, Sánchez will lead the Malts again at 3B with hopes to grow the progress the Malts have made in 2031 and help lead the team to their first playoff performance. 2031 was special for Sánchez as he hit his 300th career HR and netted his 2nd PEBA career 3+ HR game. The hope is that in the future, 3B prospect Tony Velázquez will step into the role at 3B for the Matls.
Short Stop:
Javier Torres: Torres worked himself into a favorable extension for himself after great play the second half on 2030, however he could not match those numbers last season. Torres will try to rebound this year to prove he is not a bust and is more than just a defensive SS.
Outfield:
Pablo ‘Mountain Man’ Garza: Mountain Man enters the 2032 season as the #6 ranked prospect in PEBA after a quick cup of coffee last September. Garza spent some time in the off-season Winter Ball program to really get ready for the coming year. While some time was spent trying to improve his defense this Spring, it continues to be a work in progress for the young 24 year old slugger out of Bel Aire, Kansas. Malts management is excited for the Mountain Man as his ceiling appears endless.
Zach Adderley: An outspoken and brash youngster out of Australia, Adderley continues to wow defensively and has been given the full time nod as the starting CF this season. Adderley has never been known for his bat, but if he can get on base, he will wow you with his speed and defense in the field.
Dale Sabean: Former international prospect brought up in New Jersey’s system back in 2016, Sabean has always been a solid back up but has never gotten a chance to shine, or prove his lofty potential when he first came into the league. His best season was a one year stint in the World Independent League’s Manchester Maulers (2028), now back in the IL of PEBA. Sabean was brought in on a one year stop gap contract until Madison can better fit the hole in the outfield.
Yoshihide ‘Nutso’ Inagaki: Another low cost stop gap brought in from Tempe, Nutso has a high batting IQ. While not having the best batting average, he does bring some pop to the plate but more importantly will walk at a huge rate as he led the WIL in OBP in 3 of the last 4 years. Will this eye for the ball translate to PEBA’s level of pitching talent is yet to be seen.
Utility:
José Ruíz / Moon-suk Ha: Shoring up the remainder of the utility players on the bench, Ruiz accepted a veteran minimum contract to back up the infield in Madison this year after three seasons in Aurora. While Moon-suk Ha is coming into his sophomore season with Madison as the main defensive back stop. Ha is a versatile defender with plus speed and has come as a low cost low reward asset last season.
Madison continues to inch their way season by season to try and make their first playoff appearance in franchise history. 2031 was a large step forward and the third year in a massive overhaul for the franchise, including a move from Canton to Madison. 2031 it took 91 wins in the SL to get into the playoffs, a mark Madison fell 22 games shy of last year. Can 2032's roster be enough to get them there? One can hope.
- Damson Actinon, The Malthouse: Revolving Tap
Madison spent another busy offseason retooling the team for the future, putting a larger emphasis on correcting the imbalance on the mound while making some sacrifices and looking for low cost pieces in the field. Let’s take a look at this year’s opening day starters.
Starting Pitching:
Erik Watson: LHP, acquired from Bakersfield in the offseason, Erik is looking to take up the reins as the staff’s ace and is one of the many new additions to Madison to help bring parity to the pitching staff which now is split 7 LHP and 6 RHP. Coming off a 63-56 career record and 3.16 ERA in 6 seasons with the Bears, Watson enters 2032 with a new 5 year contract and high hopes of helping to bring Madison to its first ever playoff birth.
Atasuke Inoue: RHP, got a taste last season in Madison as he split time in AAA and the main roster, but hopes are still high on the sidearm throwing righty out of Kitami, Japan. At only 25 years of age, Atasuke has some time to solidify his spot in the rotation, and 2032 should good a long way into determining if that is true. With an impressive pitching repertoire, Atasuke will start the year with a lot of pressure to perform out of the 2 spot in the rotation this season, ahead of sophomore teammate Pete Blaquiere.
Manuel López: LHP, throwing in the 3rd year of his 4 year contract, López is looking to continue to be that calming and consistent workhorse in the rotation. López is looking to improve on his 23-25 record to start the year and build off of last season’s success.
Pete Blaquiere: RHP, like fellow sophomore Atasuke Inoue, returns to build off of his rookie season success as a stable centerpiece of the rotation. At only 23 year of age, Blaquiere has plenty of growing to still do and will benefit this year with the sure handed defense Madison has assembled in the infield yet again this season.
Ben McLaughlin: LHP, rounding out the new lefty additions to the starting rotation, McLaughlin comes from an offseason trade with Tempe that saw stud prospect Juan Rincón head to Tempe as they build out their farm in their first return season to the PEBA. McLaughlin is coming off of some impressive seasons in the WIL with hopes that his stubbornness on the mound translates well against the Sovereign League hitters.
Relievers:
Jason Baker: RHP, after a solid rookie year in 2031 as a starter, Baker is the odd man out of the rotation this year and will start the season as the primary backup and long reliever. I would not count Baker out on eventually winning back a spot in the rotation as the year goes on.
Tokutomi Sakamoto: LHP, is one of the few veterans present in the pen for Madison. Sakamoto enroced his will on hitters last year while focusing on hitting the corners and will look to do the same this season. Sakamoto made a name for himself as a starter in the WIL with Gloucester, but has enjoyed some success since coming over in 2030 to Madison (then Canton).
Donald Lesher: RHP, another pickup in the offseason, Lesher comes over from West Virginia to give another option in the pen that has shown the control necessary to limit the home runs of his opponents. Pitching coach Dan Mosley made the recommendation to pursue Lesher as he has posted an impressive 1.98 ERA when facing righties throughout his career.
Juan Gómez: LHP, returns for his 3rd season in Madison after being picked as a Rule V pick in 2029 from the Claymores. Gomez has improved with every year in the pen with the Malts and looks to continue being a trusted reliever in tough situations.
Carlos Rivas: RHP, another veteran presence in the bullpen, Rivas was a low risk low reward trade in 2031 with Arlington to provide some depth in the bullpen. As such, Rivas continues to be a solid back up option while Madison waits for Jóse Castillo and Conner ‘Black Jack’ Hurst to return from injury this year. Hurst was a solid bullpen addition in 2031, while Castillo proved to be a veteran strength on the mound before suffering a partially torn UCL which saw him miss the majority of 2031.
Marty Bernard: LHP, another offseason addition, Bernard provides another consistent lefty option out of the bullpen that was sorely lacking in 2031 and years before. Bernard brings championship experience after being a part of the 2031 San Juan Championship team. Hopes are that his experience will rub off on the Malts and help propel them to their first playoff burst.
Paco Martínez: LHP, another foreign born player finally makes his transition from the Liga Dominicana de Beisbol Invernal to PEBA where he posted a 29-89 record with a 3.43 ERA over 6 seasons as a SP with the Bani Depredadores del Peravia. Paco will transition to the pen and would only make starts in emergency situations.
Juan Castro: RHP, closer for the Malts, Castro is a perfect example of a success story out of the ABSF independent leagues. Castro, a 5x times All-Star and 2x Reliever of the Year in the Alianza Beisbol Al Sur de la Frontera made quick waves for the Malts and has locked up the Closer role for himself till his arm falls off.
Catcher:
Tony ‘Boy Scout’ Jarvis: After splitting the catcher role in his rookie season, Jarvis has been given the reins at catcher due to his relationship with the starting rotation. The former 4th round pick has a cannon for an arm behind the mound and provides surefire defense. His back up again this year will be Ellis Nock, another solid defensive option behind the plate. The pitching staff in Madison is in good hands.
First Base:
Rámon ‘Ghost’ Guzmán: Historically a 2B by trade, the ‘Ghost’ was brought in and required to learn a new position to have more opportunities to start right away for the Malts. Guzmán worked hard with Bench Coach Carlos Hernández in the offseason for a regiment to get comfortable at the new position before the season started.
Second Base:
Jesús Ochoa / Steve ‘Reflex’ Overgaag: Ochoa was the primary 2B last year with Overgaag getting a look in September. While a consistent 2B, Ochoa’s bat and range are deemed lacking, so the door is open for Overgaag to steal the role full time in 2032. Steve picked up the nickname of ‘Gag-reflex’ or ‘Reflex’ for short during Spring Training when he had a wild groundball take a funny bounce on the same day he forgot to wear his cup. Malts Spring Training practice required a 15 minute break with the infield laid out in the grass from laughing too hard at the poor rookie. Bench Coach Carlos Hernández described it as “the unluckiest bounce I’ve ever seen” when describing the pain Overgaag endured, crouched over in pain with his face all blue.
Third Base:
Marcos Sánchez: With the position not even in question, Sánchez will lead the Malts again at 3B with hopes to grow the progress the Malts have made in 2031 and help lead the team to their first playoff performance. 2031 was special for Sánchez as he hit his 300th career HR and netted his 2nd PEBA career 3+ HR game. The hope is that in the future, 3B prospect Tony Velázquez will step into the role at 3B for the Matls.
Short Stop:
Javier Torres: Torres worked himself into a favorable extension for himself after great play the second half on 2030, however he could not match those numbers last season. Torres will try to rebound this year to prove he is not a bust and is more than just a defensive SS.
Outfield:
Pablo ‘Mountain Man’ Garza: Mountain Man enters the 2032 season as the #6 ranked prospect in PEBA after a quick cup of coffee last September. Garza spent some time in the off-season Winter Ball program to really get ready for the coming year. While some time was spent trying to improve his defense this Spring, it continues to be a work in progress for the young 24 year old slugger out of Bel Aire, Kansas. Malts management is excited for the Mountain Man as his ceiling appears endless.
Zach Adderley: An outspoken and brash youngster out of Australia, Adderley continues to wow defensively and has been given the full time nod as the starting CF this season. Adderley has never been known for his bat, but if he can get on base, he will wow you with his speed and defense in the field.
Dale Sabean: Former international prospect brought up in New Jersey’s system back in 2016, Sabean has always been a solid back up but has never gotten a chance to shine, or prove his lofty potential when he first came into the league. His best season was a one year stint in the World Independent League’s Manchester Maulers (2028), now back in the IL of PEBA. Sabean was brought in on a one year stop gap contract until Madison can better fit the hole in the outfield.
Yoshihide ‘Nutso’ Inagaki: Another low cost stop gap brought in from Tempe, Nutso has a high batting IQ. While not having the best batting average, he does bring some pop to the plate but more importantly will walk at a huge rate as he led the WIL in OBP in 3 of the last 4 years. Will this eye for the ball translate to PEBA’s level of pitching talent is yet to be seen.
Utility:
José Ruíz / Moon-suk Ha: Shoring up the remainder of the utility players on the bench, Ruiz accepted a veteran minimum contract to back up the infield in Madison this year after three seasons in Aurora. While Moon-suk Ha is coming into his sophomore season with Madison as the main defensive back stop. Ha is a versatile defender with plus speed and has come as a low cost low reward asset last season.
Madison continues to inch their way season by season to try and make their first playoff appearance in franchise history. 2031 was a large step forward and the third year in a massive overhaul for the franchise, including a move from Canton to Madison. 2031 it took 91 wins in the SL to get into the playoffs, a mark Madison fell 22 games shy of last year. Can 2032's roster be enough to get them there? One can hope.
- Damson Actinon, The Malthouse: Revolving Tap