Meet the 2012 Bears’ Playoff Roster
- In 2011, Aurora beat Bakersfield three games to two in the Division Series.
- In 2009, Aurora beat Bakersfield three games to one in the Division Series.
- In 2008, Bakersfield beat Aurora three games to none in the Division Series.
Perhaps it is Bakersfield’s turn to even the series. However, Aurora will surely be the heavy favorite coming in with the best record in the PEBA. The Bears believe their playoff roster features a stronger pitching staff than in years past:
1. Simon Yates
Yates has been with the club for three seasons, but this year the Bears finally realized that he was best used as a starter. Despite his lack of stamina, with the emergence of a young bullpen, the Bears were willing to give him a shot and were rewarded with a 13-5 record, a 2.05 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. His VORP of 49.3 is a good indicator of a solid season, but his opponents SLG% of .274 (RHB) and .212 (LHB) speaks volumes when compared to the top pitchers in the PEBA.
2. Pedro “Rival” Barrón
Barrón’s numbers dropped statistically from last year, but you can’t really complain with a record of 17-2 and a league-leading .895 winning percentage. After a horrible post-season last year, the Bears rested Pedro a little more this year with hopes for a more successful playoff performance. He had some minor nagging injuries but is healthy and ready for the playoffs.
3. Tetsuo Okazaki
Okazaki was a quiet free agent acquisition who has had a dream season for the Bears. He was selected to be a member of the 2012 SL All-Star team and finished the year with a 16-5 record, 2.23 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 61.9 VORP. His 82% quality starts percentage was tops in the SL.
4. Roberto Alonso
Alonso had a solid year with a 12-9 record, 3.14 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. His 38.6 VORP also displays a respectable year.
5. Desmond Barnes
Desmond is the only original Bear selected in the Inaugural Draft that is still on the roster besides star players Pat Lilly and Curt Peterson. Even though he has been on the team for six years, he is only 27 years old and actually had his best season this year with his 33.7 VORP.
6. José “Stool” Díaz
Díaz is part of the three “Nasty Boys” along with Enrico Rosado and Samuel Davidson. At 26, this former 1st round pick should be in his prime and ready to showcase his skills in his first post-season.
7. Enrico Rosado
Enrico was elected to the All-Star game as a middle reliever. He led the SL with 25 holds and his 1.46 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 10 saves as a setup man, justifying his All-Star status.
8. Samuel Davidson
Davidson did not have an All-Star season this year like he did in 2011. He pitched worse than the previous two seasons but he still had 20 holds. He should be a major cog in the bullpen in the playoffs.
9. Curt Peterson
An original Bear, Peterson has been a solid contributor for six years. Since he became the primary closer in 2009, he has been as solid and reliable as any closer in the PEBA.
10. Sadao Ichihara
Ichihara bounced back from a poor 2011 to put together a great 2012 season. He is one of the hottest Bears pitchers going into the playoffs.
11. Roy Whitfield
Whitfield has had a solid season but is not considered to be a major contributor for the playoffs.
12. Howard Good
If Howard is pitching, then things are not “Good” in the “Bake”. Good and his 5.09 ERA should only pitch if there is a pitching meltdown which requires someone to fill some innings.
Those are the 12 pitchers who will be on the playoff roster. With a SL-leading 3.18 ERA for starting pitchers, Bakersfield is happy with its staff. Here are the 13 hitters that will be on the roster:
1. Pat Lilly
The cornerstone of the franchise and arguably one of the best players in the history of the PEBA. He only was able to play in 135 games this year, which lowered his stats, but he still posted a 79.1 VORP. That mark is the lowest of his career but still second-best in the SL this year. His 113.5 VORP in the inaugural 2007 campaign remains the gold standard that is unlikely to ever be beaten (although last season, he did have a 105 VORP in only 112 games). Lilly led the SL with 136 walks, which had a lot to do with his SL-leading .466 OBP. He also had a SL-leading TAVG of 1.206 and was 2nd in OPS and RC/27. Pat has not been a great post-season player and is looking forward to redeeming himself this year.
2. Jude Pew
Jude is certainly not the same player he was before the serious shoulder injury that ended his 2009 season. Over the past two seasons, Jude managed to get elected to All-Star teams and was a top slugger, hitting 40 and 41 home runs, but even his power has decreased, as he only hit 24 this year. However, Jude has historically been a good playoff performer for the Bears, hitting 7 home runs and 14 RBI while batting .351 in 15 playoff appearances.
3. Cal Edwards
Edwards is new, late addition to the 2012 Bears. He has not played well since joining the team and has “bust” written all over him, but he has had tremendous success in the post-season over his career and has the ability to contribute. He is batting .000 in his last six games. That is either a sign that he is in a serious slump or just due for a hit.
4. John Lee
John is a rookie injury replacement for one of the Bears best and steadiest players, Claudio Córdova. The injury to Claudio is devastating and this is a huge downgrade for the Bears’ offense. Lee is a solid prospect that is probably not ready for the big league and definitely not ready for a stage like this, but anything can happen.
5. Jack Wallace
Wallace is another rookie OF that is probably not ready for prime time. He hit .196 this season and has really fallen apart lately, only hitting .040 in the last nine games. He is due to break out.
6. Artie Marsh
After a slow start, Artie finished the year with respectable 184 hits, 103 runs and 31 stolen bases. His defense is really his biggest attribute. The Bears committed to Artie with a five-year extension.
7. Carlos Guerera
Fortunately for the Bears, Carlos did not experience a sophomore slump, as he followed his 2011 Wunderkind season with another excellent campaign, hitting .307 with 20 home runs and 84 RBI in 141 games. He had a 58.3 VORP. Not only has he been solid offensively, but his defense has been unbelievable.
8. Brian O’Donnell
Brian has had a great year. At 35, he is an older, savvy veteran, but he still has some wheels, as he stole 25 stolen bases. He also has some post-season experience and is looking forward to the playoffs.
9. Miguel Salinas
Salinas is the third rookie on the playoff roster. As with the other two, expectations are low, but Salinas has been one of the better hitters in AAA the last two years and the Bears could not keep him down on the farm any longer.
10. Josh Emery
Emery led the Bears with 31 home runs and 108 RBI this year. He also led the team with 107 strikeouts. Emery is famous for his lack of loyalty and leadership ability and was the only star player to not give a speech at the team’s recent pep rally at a local fine dining establishment.
11. Hayden Walters
Hayden has been a great utility man willing to player whatever position is necessary as he performed well at four positions this season. He is another player that is not counted on to deliver this post-season, but he could surprise.
12. Gabriel Camacho
Camacho had a good season defensively but a mediocre season at the plate. He has not been a great post-season player.
13. Chance Tidwell
As the backup catcher, Tidwell has played just as well as the starter. Chance is in his 6th year with the Bears, and although he was not an original Bears draft pick, he is as much of a Bear as anyone.
Aurora’s starting pitchers are more than capable, but the Bears are hoping that they will not dominate as they have in years past. Aurora’s offense is what really scares the Bears. If the games are low-scoring affairs, the Bears may have a chance. If the Aurora bats put up the big numbers that they are accustomed to, it could be a short and painful series for Bakersfield. Regardless, it will be another chapter of the history of this rivalry.