Bakersfield's (Near) Future: Vol. 2

[Ghosts]

Continuning in our look back on the lesser-known Bears' contributors, we take a look at 3 possible future all-stars whose impact on the Bears has been immediate.

Curt Peterson: Bakersfield’s closer of the future, Peterson solidified his position in the bullpen with a sparkling 2007 campaign. Used mostly in the set-up roll, Peterson – who is just 25 – notched a 2.66 ERA in 54 appearances for the Bears. He was the model of consistency, without the ups and downs one normally expects from a young arm in the bullpen. He struck out 79 in 64 1/3 innings, and allowed just 18 walks and 3 home runs during that span. In his last ten appearances, Peterson has given up a single run, and only three walks, in eleven plus innings. Expect him to be closing out all of the Bears’ victories by no later than the Spring of 2009.

Desmond Barnes: “The Wizard”, as he is affectionately know by his teammates, also had a breakthrough 2007. He was originally placed behind Adam Harris, and relegated to mop-up duty and even a AAA stint at the beginning of the year. And with good reason: the 22 year old Barnes was clearly rattled by facing major league batters early on in the year. At the end of June his ERA was over 6.5 and it seemed that a one-way ticket to West Valley, and AAA, was in order. However, perhaps sensing that his chance to contribute to this historic 100+ win season was slipping away, Barnes came on strong in the second half. He had a phenomenal July, when he went 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA. While he has not quite been able to maintain that pace, he’s settled into being one of the best fifth starters in the league. He’s currently at 10-4 with a 4.38 ERA. Still, if his second half is any indication of his talent, he could be at the top of the Bears’ rotation by 2009, if not earlier.

Chance “Scandal” Tidwell: What can you say about “Scandal”? The scouts love him, and he appears to possess all of the tools you’d ever want in a catcher: outstanding power and above-average defense and arm. A solidly built 27 year-old Los Angeleno, he was picked up by San Antonio in the 15th round of the inaugural PEBA draft. However, Tidwell’s 2007 season was, for the most part, full of frustration and failure. Stuck in Joplin, San Antonio’s AAA affiliate, while San Antonio showcased the best catching duo in PEBA with Victor Salgardo and Manny Gonzalez, Tidwell’s season was a major disappointment. Adding to his frustration was his age: at 27 he knew he was about to cross that line from prospect to suspect. At the trading deadline, the Bears obtained him in exchange for Gerald McKnight, a solid AAA journeyman catcher, from the Calzones. While Tidwell continued his mediocre play in AAA at West Valley City, he has been pure gold since being called up to the majors on September 1. He is currently hitting .364 in 7 games with the Bears. If he can hold this up – or perform anywhere near this well – with regular action next season, the Bears will miss Russ Huber a heck of a lot less than many would have thought.

As the Bears head into the post-season, and (eventually) the off-seasons of both 2007 and 2008, the front office is going to have to make some hard choices. However, with options like these – players who play nearly as well as (or better than) this year’s dependable, high-priced veterans, while being relatively young and relatively cheap – the Bears front office is overjoyed. 2007 would not have happened if it weren’t for these unsung heros, but (perhaps even more importantly) soon enough we’ll all be talking about how critical they were to the Bears’ successes in 2008 and beyond, as well.