(Niihama City, November 20th, 2018) — Sources tell Ghost Town that stud gaijin corner infielder António “Tony-san” Coronado will not be offered a contract extension, thus depriving the Ghosts of one of their biggest bats.

“Its a numbers game,” says our source, who asked for anonymity.  “We can only field four gaijin, and we need space for Manny.”

Manny is Manuel Arroyo, the 21-year old Mexican pitching prospect.  Despite an off year in ’18 with the AAA Namuko Puckmen, Ghost front office staffers feel Arroyo is ready for a regular gig in the bigs in ’19.  “Manny had an outstanding (AAA) season in ’17,” says the source, “and were it not for the gaijin logjam, he’d have been in the Ghosts rotation this past season.”

Arroyo brings a fastball that tops out at 99 MPH, as well as four other quality pitches: slider, changeup, sinker and a nasty forkball.  And despite mediocre ERA and WHIP this past season, he notched 187 strikeouts in 162 innings.  He does, though, walk a lot of batters.  “We’re hoping he can improve his control,” said the source.  “A trip to Winter Ball may be in the offing.”

The likely promotion of Arroyo could give the Ghosts what they’ve been lacking the past two years: a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter.  Baring injuries, the ’19 rotation figures to be Kata Nakamura, Juan Quezada, Hiroyasu Hirano, Iwane Sato and Arroyo.  “This plan eliminates the need for us to sign another big ticket free agent for the starting rotation, and then we can devote that money to a position player.”  A Japanese position player, of course.

Still, replacing Coronado’s bat will not be an easy task.  He lead the Ghosts in average in 2018 (.314) and was third on the teams in homeruns (24) and RBI (93).  In short, he was vital to the team’s offensive production.  He was also very popular among fans, notable in a city that does not readily embrace foreigners, resulting in his nickname “Tony-san.”  (That popularity increased after Coronado tried to learn Japanese upon his arrival in ’15, resulting in hilarious gaffes as he tried to answer reporters’ questions).

But there are other reasons for the Ghosts not to tender an extension beyond his gaijinosity.  As a juuki, Coronado must be offered one-and-a-half times his current salary ($9M) to be extended even for one year.  That would come to $13.5 million, a hefty number for a guy who’s turning 36.

And there’s the likelihood that he won’t take just a one-year extension.  Sources with both the team and the player say Coronado is asking for a four-year deal at about $20 million per year.  Obviously that’s a negotiating ploy, but it would make finding a middle ground unlikely.

So we are about to say sayonara to Tony-san, one of the best free agent signings in the Ghosts’ short history.  The team inked him to a 3-year, $27 million dollar contract in 2015 after six years with the Gloucester Fisherman in PEBA, then was extended for ’18 as a juuki at the same $9M annual salary.  Coronado’s Ghosts totals: a .306 average, 67 HR, 342 RBI, and a total of 14.5 wins above replacement for those four years.  Moreover, he proved quite durable, averaging about 130 games per season.

“Tony-san?  Gone?” exclaimed fellow Ghosts gaijin Jason Guillén when informed of his teammate’s likely departure.  “What the—”  The remainder of his outburst is not fit for a family blog like Ghost Town.  Tony-san himself could not be reached for comment.

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