1989 Debut Thread

[Matt]

Might as well kick it off!

SP Doug Gallagher

Gallagher was acquired from Indy last year via trade and spent the remaining time in Batavia's AAA system. He is an unknown factor but has good stuff and movement and we're hoping for the best.

2B Juan Jose Nava

Nava was picked up last season in a trade with Dallas and improved enough over the course of the year and spring training to get a shot. He's still not at his potential so we expect him to struggle, but hopefully improve in the process.

SS Jermaine Ednams

The #32 prospect in the BLB gets the call and will start at short stop. Another young player with room to grow we hope the added playing time in the BLB helps, not hurts, his progression into the starter we believe he can be.


Combine these three with C May, 1B De Jesus, 3B Crockett, RF Cobb, and LF Barnes (all who didn't play a full season last year) and you will really need your Batavia media guide when they are in the field!

[Delandis]

Thank you Matt. I was hoping we did this early this year, I like to look through this thread and look at players.

Well we are promoting:



Loren Wallace

Wallace was recently named the #4 prospect in the BLB and although he doesn't have a lot of time in the minors (I may be pushing him up early), my scout, OOTP, and everyone else thinks he's ready so look here's to hoping he doesn't choke.

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't have any first timers to the show... but Tad Jackson, my new 3B only played in 21 games last year.

Tad Jackson - 3B



1988 stats:

AAA - .270/.397/.405/.802, 98 BB's, 42 2B's, 13 SB
BLB - .303/.403/.424/.827 11 BB's, 3 SB in just 66 AB's

[Pat]

Wes Emerson - SP


Rule V Draft choice formerly of the Los Alamos Farm System. Only 20 starts beyond Double-A, but the 27-year-old is fully developed and will start the year as the #5 starter.

In Spring Training, Emerson was arguably, my best starter. Four starts, 3-0, 16 IP, 2 ER, 9 K, 7 BB, 1.13 ERA.

[BradZ]

There’s a lot of new faces in Philly this season and several will be making their BLB debuts this year.



Tex McLerlan - C - He’ll get the starting nod at the catcher position. I know spring training stats don’t mean anything, but I think for young players it can give a slight indication of whether or not they are somewhat ready to make the jump. Big Tex led the Freedom in RBI for ST with 15 and drew an impressive 12 walks in 84 plate appearances.



Raul Carbajal - SS - We’re expecting good things out of Carbajal this year. Our infield defense is vastly improved this year simply due to his addition, which allows us to move 1988 Glove Wizard SS Geoff Scott to his more natural defensive position at 2B. Solid defense up the middle should really help our pitching staff which has been assembled to take advantage of that strong infield defense.


Raul Velez - OF - Surprise Rule V pick. I didn’t think there was any way he would slip all the way down to us in the draft, but he definitely fills a role as a 4th/5th OFer and may play his way into a more substantial role if he shows the kind of talent we think he has.


Doug “Light” Miles - SP - Recently bumped to the #9 spot on the top prospect list. We’ll try to take it easy with him and we’re not expecting smooth sailing throughout, but we are definitely excited to see what he can do this year while he’s getting a year’s worth of experience under his belt.

[Jistic]

Will be interested to see how old Tex does.

[Carlos]

Last year, Julian Murillo was the first to get a promotion and went 7-4, 3.76 ERA in 115 IP. Now, three more arms follow him to the BLB in 1989.


SP Donnie Greene
Former 1986 draft pick of the Philadelphia Freedom.
Acquired in the 1988 offseason along with Nathan MacOwl and three minor leaguers in exchange for 1B Joe Seagarra.
Currently ranked #60 in the Top 100 Prospects List and has been on that list since 1987.
#3 Prospect in Denver
Last season, finished 18-4, 2.67 ERA, 189 K over 175.1 IP splitting time in AA and AAA (11-1, 3.12 ERA over 98 IP in AAA).


SP Don McDonald
Former 1986 6th Round Pick of the Denver Bulls
Currently Unranked in Top 100 Prospect List (never ranked)
#13 Prospect in Denver
Last season finished 10-5, 2.22 ERA, 174 K, 158.1 IP all in AAA
Started career as a reliever collecting 21 Saves and a 2.77 ERA with 68 K in 52 IP in 1987 playing in AA Oklahoma.


SP Jared Williamson
10th Pick in the 1985 Draft by the Denver Bulls
Currently Ranked #62 Prospect in BLB (Joined List in 1987 at #75)
#4 Prospect in Denver
Last year went 16-6, 2.07 ERA with 193 K in 178.2 IP between AA and AAA (9-2, 2.47 ERA, 105 K, 94.2 IP in AAA)
Career minor league record (1985-1988) of 35-31, 2.53 ERA, 511 K in 582.2 IP, 1.09 WHIP.

[Gyrodork]

CL - Yushiro Uchida
Could contend for Last Call Relief award (if we give him enough save opportunities). Drafted #1 in '86, his main objective now is to help me forget about losing Godzilla.


MR - Jody Griffin
Selected 5 rounds after his buddy Uchida, Griffin will start out as my set-up man. Should be our best 8th & 9th inning bullpen combo since Kraft/Bell (before Bell decided to SUCK!)


1B - Curt Knight
Will probably only start against Lefties initially, but that could change as the season wears on. My scout says he's "a cleanup hitter in the making". From his lips to God's ears...

This post has reminded me...I REALLY need new uniforms for my AAA team.

[Spectre]

DH- Joe Rojas

Rojas was obtained in a 1986 trade that sent Troy Sisk to the Maine Guides. Rojas flew under the radar the first few seasons in Mississippi but broke out last season when he hit over .300 at both AA and AAA with 16 homeruns and 85 RBI. He is only 21 and was recently named the #17 prospect in BLB. Rojas plays a competent first base but Jared Kirby is already entrenched there so he will start off as the team's DH. He doesn't have a ton of pressure in a lineup anchored by Curt Dodson, Jared Kirby, Vittorio Samarano, and Wilton Harcourt. He could definitely contend for the DL New Brew if he stays healthy.

[Jake]

SP Alex Rivas

Rivas easily won a job in the Slammer rotation with his two starts in ST, not allowing an earned run and only 3 hits in 8 IP. Rivas was drafted as a reliever but quickly showed our lower level managers and pitching coaches he was capable of the switch to the rotation. In 24 starts between AA and AAA last year, Rivas went 14-4 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.



OF Stu McGee

McGee was brought over in a pre Rule V draft trade with Wilmington over the offseason with the hopes that he could be an admirable 4th OF with Syracuse. After an impressive spring training, McGee has earned the opening day start in LF over veteran Joe Cuevas, who will move around between DH and the OF. Speedy and solid in both the field and at the place, McGee hit .340 in 53 ST ABs.

[Spear]

MR - Vic Waggoner

Waggoner won the lefty specialist role in the Davenport bullpen. The 24 year old from Arcadia, California has spent the past three seasons in AAA Portland. He has pitched in 166.2 innings and compiled a 2.86 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 147 strike outs. Originally drafted out of high school in 1983, many are baffled on why Waggoner hasn't received at least a September call up, but the team's need was filled by aging veteran Clancy Weir. With Weir and Tsunayoshi Sato leaving the Brawlers through free agency, Waggoner will get his shot in '89.

[Clay]

Two rookies made the Virginia Colonials Opening Day 1989 Roster. Both were thought very highly of late last year and were the odds on favorites to make the team. Neither dissappointed.


Sammy Scott (MR)
Still thought to be a possible Closer of the future in Virginia, Sammy Scott, the 1986 9th Round pick of the Colonials, had a solid Spring Training. Though he started a little slowly, in his final 10 appearances, he issued just one free pass while striking out 11. He also held his opponents scoreless in 9 of his final 10 outings. The 24 year old right-hander will slide into the Bullpen as the team's #3 right-handed reliever.


Doug MacPherson (IF)
A 3rd Round pick in 1985, MacPherson joins the big club as a left-sided specialist utility infielder and right handed stick. He'll be the primary backup to both Dale O'Hegarty (SS) and Vincent (Nino), while Cristian Martinez, who struggled definsively on the left-side, will handle 2B and be the left-handed compliment on the bench. MacPherson strength is in his patience and ability to get on-base. He showed a great eye in Spring Training and may be used in a 1-2 pinch hitting/running punch with speedster Van Adel in late innings.

[Delandis]

Juan Jose Garcia (SP)


Due to the injury of Tommy Lang and the 2nd consecutive year of underachievement by 2nd year reliever, Raul Reyes, we have another promotion to the bigs. This week will find AAA Annapolis starting pitcher, Juan Jose Garcia getting a call-up to the bigs.

Garcia was our 2nd round pick in 1985 and my 2nd pick as a new GM. Garcia was expected to be something special from the day he was chosen. A big injury in 1987 threatened to derail his eventual promotion to the BLB, but determinedly, Garcia returned in '88 focused and throwing over 120 innings at a respectable 2.82 ERA.

Garcia will get his first major league start against California on Monday, 5/1.

[Pat]

Injuries? Yes. Panic? Maybe. Justified? We'll see.


Clint Johnston (SS) - #28 BLB Prospect
Johnston is going to be really, really good. Is he ready? Well, OSA thinks he is "possibly ready." He has wanted to play in the majors since last season. His ratings still have a ways to go, but the kid won't turn 21 for two weeks. A 2nd-round pick in 1986, Johnston is a slick fielder and deadly on the base paths. My scout has his overall potential as "a star." He will start immediately in-place of the injured R.A. Grounds.


Ivan Garcia (SP) - #6 BLB Prospect
Originally brought up as a closer, Garcia (acquired in the McEvoy trade) was moved to a starter upon arrival with the D.C. organization. Equip with 101 MPH fastball, Garcia has been dominating the Triple-A ranks. 53 K in 42 IP. While I do need help in the bullpen, I'm going to let Garcia continue his run as a starter.


Kunitaro Ozawa (RP)
Ozawa is a control pitcher. He won't strikeout a lot of guys but he has a lot of movement on his pitches. Hopefully he can help fill the void left by Grant Lewis.

[Clay]

Ivan Olivio (SP/MR)
Baseball America #57/Organization #6
Ivan Olivio, who came over in the Vernon Simmonds deal, actually made his debut two weeks ago. After being hit hard in his early starts, management has made the decision to move the youngster to the Bullpen for a little more seasoning. He's expected to get one more start before being moved to the pen full time. A move back to AAA Detroit may be in the cards later in the season if the Colonials make a move for a Vet BP arm.


Arlen Spencer (SP)
Organization #9
Arlen Spencer was the 5th overall pick in 1984 and, sadly, never really lived up to high expectations early in his minor league career. As a raw 18 year old, it took him over 3 seasons in A ball to start to put it all together. After a jump to AA in late '87 and a full season there in '88, he took the bump to AAA just a few weeks ago. Pitching coaches on all levels see him as fully developed. One scout said, "He is what he is at this point. Soft tosser. Throws stikes. Gets a lot of grounds balls." Spencer comes up to try his luck in the #5 spot.