San Antonio Sentinels USBL

[LocalRock]

To begin my career as a General Manager, I am taking my talents over to San Antonio with the Sentinels organization. San Antonio has been a team mired in mediocrity in their existence. Since entering the USBL in 1956 as the Seattle Rainiers, the Sentinels have made the postseason just 5 times, with zero championships to show for it. They relocated from Seattle prior to the 2009 season, after being sold to current owner Chance Green. Since the move, the team has not finished above .500, with their best season being 2009 at 77-77. Their most recent postseason appearance was in 2005 as a wildcard team, finishing 84-70, and were eliminated in the NBLCS by the Dallas Stars 4 games to 1.

Now, before I get any further into the team, I'd like to catch everybody up on the 2012 season for the USBL. I'll be giving a rundown of each of the other 27 teams according to the Power Rankings at the end of the year:

28. Detroit Motors (58-96, 5th in ABL Central, 30 GB)- The Detroit Motors finished the year with the worst record in the USBL, at just 58-96. This was actually the first time in the team's 65 year history that they have finished with 90 or more losses. Detroit has historically been one of the best organization's, with 18 playoff appearances and 6 World Series titles, good enough for 5th and 2nd respectively. The last few years, however, have been anything but for Detroit, as they have not finished above .500 since the 2006 season when they went 80-74, good for third in the Central. Fear not, Motors fans, as they enter the offseason with the 7th ranked farm system in baseball, headlined by number one overall prospect Mike Diaz, a 21 year old right handed pitcher. Diaz has struggled in his 3 minor league seasons, never posting an ERA below 4.4, but he has four 75 potential rated pitches, as well as 80 potential Stuff. Last season offensively they were led by 30 year old 1B Oscar Reyes, who won the ABL batting title with a .360 average, along with a .390 on base and .553 slugging. He also led the league in doubles with 52, hit 18 homers and drove in 92 runs. Reyes was rewarded for his play with the 2012 ABL MVP Award, the first of his career. On the pitching side, Detroit was led by 31 year old righty Randy Clark, who was actually a part of our organization during the 2011 season, before we dealt him to Philadelphia at the deadline (more on that trade later). In the offseason, Clark signed a 5 year, $44.8 million contract with the Motors. This season, he went 9-11 and put up a 3.83 ERA in 178.2 innings (31 starts), striking out 162 batters.

27. Milwaukee Hops (62-92 4th in ABL Central, 26 GB) - The Milwaukee Hops were one of four teams that were part of the league's 1963 expansion, and are arguably the worst team of what is already a weak expansion class. With just 4 playoff appearances in 49 seasons (their last coming in 1997), and no rings to show for it, the Hops have been a very bad organization. This is a team lacking much star power, or power in general for that matter, as they finished 12th in the ABL with just 129 home runs. Their best player, Jeff Dale, had a down year last year for sure, hitting just .257/.349/.442 with 19 homers and 66 RBIs. The previous two seasons, however, he had put up an .898 OPS and .964 OPS respectively, and walked a league leading 113 times in 2011. The Hops enter the offseason with the 16th ranked farm system, led by 21 year old AAA starter Dan St. Pierre.

26. San Antonio Sentinels

25. Kansas City Cougars (65-89 4th in NBL Central, 43 GB) - It was a disappointing season for Kansas City, a team that had not finished below second in their division since 2004. It's definitely hard being in a division with the Dallas Stars, who you'll read about in a bit, but Kansas City has been good over the last few years as well. Three straight playoff appearances from 2007 to 2009, along with back-to-back World Series championships in '07 and '08. KC was led by 23 year old second baseman Alex Zepeda, who put up a .339/.363/.540 slash line in 110 games, as well as 15 home runs and 71 RBIs. Zepeda also stole 17 bases and was caught 10 times. Pitching wise, they were led by 31 year old lefty Scott Hall, who put up a 3.58 ERA in 30 starts (193.1 innings), striking out 151 and walking just 28. He led the league in BB/9 in 5 of the last 7 seasons.

24. New York Titans (65-89 5th in NBL East, 25 GB) - The Titans entered the league in 1972, and for the first 28 years of existence, did not sniff the postseason. Once they tasted it in 2000, however, they never looked back. New York has made the playoffs 8 times in the last 13 seasons, and finished below .500 just three times in that span. Unfortunately, in those 8 playoff trips, they are yet to bring home a trophy. Last year, New York was one of the worst offensive teams in baseball, finishing bottom 4 in all the major offensive categories except home runs (11th). The Titans enter the offseason with the 5th highest budget ($112 million), and about $50 in budget space, so I highly expect them to spend big in free agency, especially seeing as they have the lowest ranked farm system in baseball. Their top player was 27 year old right hander Kevin Carter, who was 8-13 with a 3.85 ERA in 31 starts (193.1 innings), with a league leading 229 strikeouts.

23. St. Louis Archers (66-88 4th in ABL West, 28 GB) - Another team with great offensive struggles, the Archers did not have a batter hit above .270, with 26 year old RF Leonardo Gutierrez leading the team at .263. They placed 14th in every major offensive category except home runs (6th). The only bright spot for St. Louis, is they had four 20 home runs players, along with three very solid starters, led by 26 year old Jason Kelly, who is going to be a superstar soon. He went 7-8 with a 2.93 ERA in 18 starts (122.2 innings) in an injury shortened season, along with 136 strikeouts and a WHIP of just 1.05. 3 star overall with 5 star potential, we will certainly see this kid win at least one Pitcher of the Year award by the time his career is over.

22. Indianapolis Racers (69-85 3rd in NBL Central, 39 GB) - Another year, another bad season for a fairly young Racers' organization. Since entering the league in 1989, they have more 100 loss seasons (2) than playoff appearances (1). This year marked their 10th consecutive season under .500, and their 14th season since their last (and only) playoff appearance. This is not a team without hope, however, as they enter the offseason with the number 8 ranked farm system in baseball, headlined by the number 4 overall prospect in the game, SP Josh Reisdorf. They also have the 2009 NBL MVP in 31 year old right fielder D.J. Cavanaugh, who has hit at least 30 home runs in 3 of the last 4 seasons. It also doesn't help having the Dallas Stars' dynasty running their division for the greater part of the last 1.5 decades.

21. Washington Senators (72-82 4th in ABL East, 15 GB) - Coming off a season where they made their first postseason appearance since 1985 and won 91 games, the Senators had high hopes for their 2012 season. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, as their offense struggled to break out of the bottom 5 in the league. Another member of that 1963 expansion, the Senators took 19 years to finally reach the postseason, doing so for the first time in '82, and after 4 consecutive appearances that resulted in their only World Series title in '85, they entered the dark ages again until 2011. This is a team lacking in budget space and lacking in star power, with the loss of their key contributor, two-way stay Nick Milden, to free agency (Portland). They do have the 9th ranked minor league system, so in a few years expect to see Washington making another run at things.

20. Pittsburgh 57's (70-84 5th in ABL East, 17 GB) - Yes, before you ask, they are named after Heinz 57 sauce. The saucy team was part of the league's first expansion in 1955, and for their first 3 years were the laughing stock, losing 100 games in 2 of those 3 years, and not finishing above .500 until 1964. The organization reached its peak in the late '70's and early '80's, reaching the playoffs in '77, '78, '80, and '81, winning titles in both '78 and '80. They went on another run of 5 postseason appearances from 2003-2008, but no rings to show for it, and have not finished above 4th in the East since. Last season they had a top 7 offense in all of baseball, but an absolutely terrible pitching staff (bottom 5 in the ABL in all major categories) led to their downfall. On the bright side, their lone top-100 prospect is 23 year old pitcher Alex Hernandez, who projects as a middle of the rotation starter next year, and they have 23 year old starter Lance Perelli, who is shaping up to be one of the top players in baseball next season, as he's put up a 2.98 ERA in 193 innings across 2 seasons. If they get some help from their system next year, don't be shocked if the 57's make a run at a wildcard spot.

19. San Diego Surf (74-80 3rd in NBL West, 9 GB) - The Surf were another member of the 1963 expansion class, and boy do they live up to that class's name. Just 6 playoff appearances with no titles to show for it, and no 90 win seasons since 1985, the Surf have been a disappointment to many. They have more 100 loss seasons (3) than 90 win seasons (1), and all three 100 loss seasons were in a row ('96-'98). They haven't finished above third in the division since 1991, when they had their last playoff appearance, winning the West at 87-67. They've been on the uptick over the last 5 years, however, steadily improving their record to where they sit now. This is a team without too many big names, but a bunch of really solid ballplayers, and couple that with the number 2 ranked farm system in baseball, they should continue that progress over the next few years. Will it be enough to dethrone the San Francisco Seals from the top of the division, who knows, but having 5 top 100 prospects can't hurt.

18. Cleveland Chargers (73-81 3rd in ABL Central, 15 GB) - The fourth and final team from the 1963 expansion class, and arguably the most successful, Cleveland enters the offseason with the 2nd smallest budget, and smallest payroll in the USBL. Historically a low budget team, Cleveland has not let that stop them in the past, most recently in 2006, when they won 89 games and brought home a World Series trophy with a bottom-10 payroll. To get back to winning, however, they'll need to fix up a pitching staff that was bottom-3 in the USBL last year, and lacks any talent whatsoever. Their offense is loaded, filled with star names such as RF Jeremy Hagg, SS Ted Graves, and rookie LF Bill Pasch. LF Steve Danis, who hit .318/.349/.461 with 9 HRs and 54 RBIs, along with 21 stolen bags, enters free agency, so we'll see if they can bring him back to keep that offense alive. Their farm system ranks 6th, but has very little pitching depth. Let's see if GM Nate Hamilton has any tricks up his sleeve to get them back to the promised land.

17. Boston Rebels (77-77 3rd in NBL East, 13 GB) - This is another team with a very impressive offense, held back by lackluster pitching. The number one ranked bullpen ERA was limited due to having the 10th ranked starter ERA in the NBL, and being last in pitching WAR. This team had three .320 or better hitters, with 24 year old 1B Mitch Silverman leading the league in average, slugging %, and OPS. Not to mention he hit 38 home runs and drove in 117 runs along with 41 doubles in just his second year of big league ball en route to the NBL MVP award. This team has a young core, with 24 year old 1B/DH Jim Yoder and 27 year old CF Robbie Flores also leading the way for this team offensively. The pitching side was lead by wins leader and ERA runner up Vinny Escamilla, who went 17-4 with a 2.16 ERA in 181.1 innings (31 starts). The 32 year old was actually a member of our organization for the first 10 years of his big league career, before signing a 4 year $32 million contract with Boston after the 2011 season.

16. Phoenix Rattlers (73-81 4th in NBL West, 10 GB) - Phoenix entered the USBL as part of the 1988 expansion along with Indianapolis. Since then, they have appeared in the postseason 6 times, but are still looking for their first ring. The Rattlers were a very average team across the board, ranking middle of the road both offensively and pitching wise. Their star player is easily 2B Gabe Vasquez, who won the NBL MVP in 2010 with the New York Titans, while hitting .358/.415/591 with 32 HRs, 111 RBIs, and 36 SBs to just 5 caught stealing. This year was more of the same for Vasquez, as he hit .310/.366/.525 with 27 homers and 100 runs driven in and 37 stolen bags to just 5 caught stealing, good enough for his 5th consecutive all star appearance, 8th overall. Phoenix enters the offseason with the 5th ranked farm system, headlined by the number 3 overall prospect, 23 year old righty Chad Duyck, who debuted this year and put up a 3.89 ERA in 118 innings of work. He features three 70-grade pitches and a weaker changeup, with fastball velo averaging between 97-99 MPH.

15. California Bears (75-79 2nd in NBL West, 8 GB) - California began their history as the team to beat. One of the original 12 member franchises, the Bears made the postseason 10 times in the first 17 years, winning 5 World Series titles, and continued to make the postseason at an impressive rate after that (8 in the next 13 years for 18 in 30 overall). Since that 1977 playoff berth, however, they have been stuck in mediocrity, reaching the postseason just 3 more times since then, with no titles. They entered this year with the number one payroll off of a 103 win season that ended in a first round exit at the hands of San Francisco. Something just didn't click from the jump offensively, and they hovered around .500 all year long despite a top-5 in the USBL pitching staff. Led on offense by big names such as 24 year old LF Margo Boyer, 30 year old SS Jake Bickmeyer, and 2006 NBL MVP 1B Antonio Fuentes, if California can piece things together like they did in 2011, they should make life hell for us in this division.

14. Florida Makos (72-82 4th in NBL East, 18 GB) - Historically one of the not so good teams in the league, Florida really does not give me much to comment on. Middle of the road team with no real stars and the 18th ranked farm system, the Makos are a team stuck in organization purgatory. I don't think they're bad enough where a rebuild is needed, and yet, they don't seem close to competing for a playoff spot. The Makos have made the postseason 8 times in their 65 year history, with 3 titles to their name, including back-to-back titles in 1988 and 1989, and World Series appearances in 1990 and 1992. Unfortunately, they have not had that same luck, with no playoff appearances since 1997, and just 3 winning seasons since then as well. They just brought in rookie GM Scott Staton, so maybe things will turn around for this team.

13. Minnesota Wolves (82-72 2nd in ABL Central, 6 GB) - Ah, yes, finally a team with a winning record. One of the best teams historically, Minnesota is tied with California for the most playoff appearances with 21. They also have the third highest winning percentage, at .531, behind just California and Portland (began in 2005). The Wolves have finished either 1st or 2nd in their division 9 of the last 11 seasons, and have made the playoffs in 4 of those, their latest coming in 2010. Minnesota was held back by a bottom-10 offense, that had zero .300 hitters this year. The only thing they did right was hit dingers, blasting 179 of them, with 5 20+ HR players. Entering the offseason with the 27th ranked farm system in baseball, the Wolves have work to do if they want to compete for a playoff spot next year.

12. Oakland Pirates (81-73 2nd in ABL West, 13 GB) - Oakland entered the league in 1980 as part of the 1979 expansion class, along with the Montreal Maples. They were immediately outshined by Montreal, and lost 107 games in just their second season. In fact, they did not make their first playoff appearance until just last year, when they went 82-72 and won the division. That year was magical for Oakland, as they swept their way past the 2009 champion Chicago Wind Sox in the Division Series, then swept Montreal as well in the LCS. Unfortunately, the storybook season ended like those previous two series, as they were swept by Dallas in the World Series. Pitching wise, Oakland was led by 3 former top-20 prospects who are all under 25 and under contract for the foreseeable future, the top of whom being 23 year old lefty Alex "Future" Orazco. Orazco's nickname appears to be true, as he grades out with a 70 overall cutter, 80 overall curveball, and 75 overall changeup. His debut season was certainly disappointing, and that's even an understatement, as he put up a 5.64 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP in 111.2 innings split between starting and relief. Don't count him out yet, however, as I believe he's just getting started. Offensively, they were led by the number 5 overall pick in the 2006 draft, RF Marc DeLorme, who hit .321/.418/.509 in his age 27 season, along with 18 HRs, 87 RBIs, and 83 walks. DeLorme also won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award this season.

11. Colorado Gold Sox (77-77 3rd in ABL West, 17 GB) - I was a little surprised by Colorado finishing ranked this high, as they strike me a lot like Florida. Middling team with not much really to comment on, so I'll tell you guys a little about their 4th ranked farm system. This is one of the teams I think will make a run at the World Series in the next 5 years, as they enter with 4 top-50 guys, and the number 51 ranked prospect as well. Headlined by the 14th overall prospect, 17 year old catcher Roberto Sanchez, who signed $2.8 million contract out of the Dominican Republic last summer, and also the third overall pick in the 2012 USBL Draft, right hander Elijah Edwards. Edwards struggled in his time in Double-A last year, but should reach the big leagues within a year or two, and will provide immediate help to their rotation. Sanchez is yet to play an inning of professional baseball yet, as he is working at their International Complex.

10. San Francisco Seals (83-71 1st in NBL West, 8 GA) - Our first division winner, the Seals made it 5 consecutive playoff berths for them, and 4 division titles in 5 years. Clearly the team to beat in our division at the moment. They have met Dallas in the LCS each of the last 3 seasons, winning in 2010 to advance to the World Series, but losing the previous 2, all three ended 4 games to 2. 13 playoff appearances, 5 titles since their 1956 debut, and back-to-back World Series appearances in 2009 and 2010, they've been the best out west lately. Their pitching staff was top-5 in the league last year, and that was while missing one of the best in the game, 30 year old Victor Vela. Vela won at least 15 games each year from 2009-2011, setting his high at 18 in 2011, and also struck out 200+ in both 2009 and 2010. Shoulder inflammation shut him down for 4 months in May, and he missed all but the final month of the season. With him back at full strength next year, I expect them to be the top team in the West once again.

9. Philadelphia Liberty (87-67 1st in ABL East, 2.5 GA) - The Liberty won the tough ABL East for the fourth time in 5 years last year, but their season fizzled out in the LCS as they got swept by division rival New York Empire. Offensively, they were led by 35 year old RF Nick Ross and 36 year old 3B Harrison Harper. Team ace Jacob Cole, who put up a 2.84 ERA, is 37 years old, so it's safe to say this is an aging team. May need to bust out the wheelchairs soon for these guys. Pair that with the 25th ranked farm system in baseball, and you have a recipe for disaster. Still would much rather be them than us though. Even if the future looks bleak for them, it's always sunny in Philadelphia (I'm sorry, I had to).

8. Nashville Blues (85-69 2nd in NBL West, 23 GB) - If I was Nashville I'd be pissed. They joined the league in 2005, and were immediately thrown to the tigers in a division with Dallas, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. Since then, Dallas and KC have combined for 5 World Series titles and 6 World Series appearances. Yikes. Now, Nashville finally achieves a winning record, only for Dallas to win 108 games and sweep them in the Division Series. This season was a huge success for Nashville, however, as it established them as a competitor in the NBL, and superstars such as LF Jonathan Harper 23 year old catcher Christian Hudson. Nashville enters the offseason with the top ranked farm system in baseball, so they are by far in one of the best positions among teams in the USBL for the future as well as the present. Oh, forgot to mention, they have one the greatest names of all time on their team: Shannon "Liquidator" Butterfield, who also happens to be an absolute beast. He hit .304/.358/.528 with 37 homers and 108 RBIs along with 22 stolen bags.

7. Baltimore Barons (83-71 2nd in NBL East, 7 GB) - Not too sure why these guys are ranked above teams like Philadelphia and Nashville when they couldn't even secure a playoff spot, but hey, I guess that's why I'm a GM and not a ranker, huh. They were led by 2B Tim Mason, who made his first All Star game and finished fourth in the NBL in average (.325). Really not much else to comment on their season. Historically, they were a lot like California, winning 3 out of the first 7 World Series titles, including a 3 of 4 stretch. They also made the postseason in 16 of the first 22 seasons. Lately, however, they've been all over the map in a very random NBL East, finishing in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in at least one year each in the last decade.

6. Montreal Maples (84-71 3rd in ABL East, 3.5 GB) - Another disappointing year for the boys up north, as they fell just a play-in game short of a postseason berth for just the second time since their 102 win 1984 season. One of the best expansion starts in history, they won 99, 91, and 102 games in their 3rd, 4th, and 5th years in the league before falling off the face of the Earth until 2011. 2011 they finished a game out of the division, last year a game out of the wildcard. Maybe 2013 will be their year. Offensively they were led by 1B/DH Greg Welliver, who led the ABL with 43 home runs. Next year, expect 25 year old starter Manny Arana to lead the way for their pitching staff, as he had his season cut short this year due to a partially torn labrum, but should be fully recovered by Spring Training.

5. New York Empire (85-70 2nd in ABL East, 2.5 GB) - The Empire have been one of the teams to beat in the highly competitive ABL East, finishing top-2 in 8 of the last 13 years, including a title in 2000. This year, they came up just two wins short of another ring, losing out to Dallas 4 games to 2. A top-5 pitching staff in the league, they were lead by ABL wins, ERA, and WHIP leader Bobby Cruz, who put up a 2.61 in 196.1 innings (30 starts) along with 17 wins and a 1.03 WHIP. He also struck out 164 batters. Offensively they were led by 1B Mike Gilstrap, who hit .325/.372/.465 with 8 HRs and 51 RBIs, along with 21 stolen bags.

4. Chicago Wind Sox (88-66 1st in ABL Central, 6 GA) - The 2009 World Series Champions had their season cut short after a disappointing loss to Philadelphia in the Division Series. The Wind Sox boasted a top-3 pitching staff, headlined by 6'8 25 year old starter Josh Denman, who put up a 2.97 ERA in 176 innings (30 starts). Denman was assisted by a bullpen that was 2nd in baseball with a 2.93 ERA, and had one of the best closers in the game, Ron Vogler, who finished third in saves with 36. They did not have an amazing offense, with nobody hitting above .290, and just one 20 home run batter, but elite pitching was what brought them back to the postseason for the 4th time in the last 6 seasons.

3. Atlanta Attack (90-64 1st in NBL East, 7 GA) - The best offense in baseball hit a league leading 194 home runs en route to an NBL East title this year. The Attack have long been one of the more mediocre teams in the league. It took 21 years before they made the postseason, and they have made the postseason just twice since 1997. Things have turned around for this franchise, however, as after back-to-back berths, they appear to be the team to beat next season in the East. The big question, however, is if they can bring back the USBL leader in home runs, Armando Gracia. Gracia hit 45 home runs and drove in a league leading 121 runs this year, but his contract expired, and he is free to sign wherever he pleases. The Attack may decide to spend money on pitching, however, as they had a bottom-10 staff this year, and while they can recover from losing Gracia, continuing to have poor pitching will certainly do them in.

2. Portland Loggers (94-60 1st in ABL West, 13 GA) - Yes, they were part of the 2004 expansion. No, they have not finished below third in the division. Yes, they have made the playoffs 6 times in 8 seasons. What a start to a franchise Portland has had. While it certainly doesn't hurt being in a division with Oakland, Colorado, and St. Louis, they've been very well run and have proven to be amongst the league's very best. They lead the league in runs scored and allowed this year, and have one of the best pitchers in the game in John Barker. The 25 year old lefty posted a 2.66 ERA with 133 strikeouts in an injury shortened season where he pitched just 128.1 innings. While not overpowering (his fastball tops out in the low 90s), his movement and control are elite, allowing him to get a lot of swings and misses. They also had the league leader in stolen bases, Nick Tilden, who swiped 42 bags at 30 years old.

1. Dallas Stars (108-46 1st in NBL Central, 23 GA) - Finally, the 2012 USBL Champions, the best of the best, the Dallas Stars. Dallas won a league record 108 games en route to their 5th World Series title of the century (2001, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012). With the best rotation in baseball, topped by Danny Acevedo, Joe McHale, and Gordie Koenig, Dallas is showing no signs of slowing down in the near future. Their offense is actually not very impressive, but with the 2nd highest budget and the highest payroll, I see no reason why they can't spend a little and improve it at least a little. Dallas is everybody's team to beat this upcoming season. They're on a streak of 11 playoff appearances in 12 years, and have won the Central in all but two of those years.

[LocalRock]

Last season was more of the same for San Antonio, finishing the year as the worst team in the NBL, and the second worst in baseball by just a game, at 59-95. The team’s top offensive player was 27 year old LF Jonathon Singleton, who hit .299/.351/.886 with 36 HRs and 100 RBIs, good for a 3.7 WAR, tops on the team by 1.1 wins. The team’s top pitcher was 24 year old starter Jose Ramirez, who posted a 3.70 ERA in 187.1 IP (31 starts). He also struck out 197 batters with just 80 walks. Ramirez is definitely the player to watch on this team, as he grades out as a 5 star potential according to my head scout, Rick Gumaer.

MEET THE STAFF:
Manager: Our manager last season was Jonathan Callaghan (50 years old). Prior to taking the job here in the middle of the 2011 campaign, Callaghan was the first base coach for the Kansas City Cougars from 2006-2010, during which they made three trips to the postseason (2007-2009), and won back-to-back World Series titles in ‘07 and ‘08. So far in San Antonio, Jonathan has a 99-147 record. I don’t know if I want to keep him around for next year, especially with 3 years on his contract. He appears to be fairly well liked in the clubhouse, so that gives him bonus points, but I do think it’s best to get a new face in the clubhouse for next year.

Ass. GM: Our Assistant GM Dan Gander took over as GM at the same time Callaghan took over as manager in 2011. Gander oversaw an abysmal season last year and was demoted to my assistant by Mr. Green. I don’t think I’m going to keep him around either.

Scouting Director: Rick Gumaer has been around this organization a while. He took over as Head Scouting Director in 2002 when they were still in Seattle. He has seen the lows of the past decade, and the brief high of the playoff run in 2005. With just a year left on his deal, I’m going to hold onto him and evaluate his performance over the course of next season.

Team Trainer: Simon Wilson has been the team’s trainer since 2006 and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon. Though he struggles with preventing Back and other non-Arm injuries, he is very good at rehabbing said injuries and getting players back on the field. His fatigue recovery is also known as legendary around the league. With 2 years left on his deal, I don’t plan on making a change here, and will reevaluate at the end of the 2014 season.

FARM SYSTEM: We currently have the 3rd ranked Minor League System in baseball, with 5 prospects ranked on the USBL Top-100 list:
LF Tanner Westphal (9 overall) - Selected as the second overall pick in the 2012 First Year Player Draft from UC Riverside, the 23 year old Westphal played in just 11 minor league games last season, 1 in Puerto Rico in the Summer League where he got just one plate appearance, and 10 at Single-A Burbank. With Burbank he went 9-29 with 1 2B, 1 3B, and 1 HR, with 2 runs driven in. He also walked 7 times and K’d 5 times. He also added a stolen base. Rick rates Tanner as a 3 star currently with 4 star potential, giving him 55/70 Contact, 70/70 Gap Power, 60/65 Home Run Power, 50/50 Eye, and 55/70 Avoid K’s, with 70 Speed and average defensive ratings. Westphal will begin the 2013 season most likely at Double-A Kalamazoo, with hopes to have him in the majors by 2014 at the latest.
2B John Walzer (32 overall) - The 14th overall pick in 2009 out of Don Bosco Prep, Walzer tore up the Puerto Rican Summer League in 2010 and 2011. He hit .364 in 2010 with just an .884 OPS due to very low power numbers (10 doubles and 4 HRs in 53 games), which I assume is why they kept him there in 2011. Boy did he change that, knocking 17 home runs, 20 doubles, and a triple in 64 games, raising his SLG to .653. His average stayed high at .347, and earned himself an offseason promotion to Burbank. Last year in Burbank, he continued smoking the ball, hitting .352/.420/1.019 with 19 HRs, 88 RBIs, and 36 doubles in 94 games. He only struck out 61 times in 392 at bats. Walzer is currently rated as a 2 star with 3 star potential, though that is certainly being dragged down by his piss-poor defensive ratings (he committed 30 errors in 2011). Walzer still has developing to do, and at 21 he certainly has time, but his offensive numbers so far give me a lot of hope that he can be a solid DH for us in the next few years. He will begin the 2013 season at Double-A most likely.
LF Tony Kurtz (40 overall) - Tony Kurtz was acquired in July of 2011 in a trade with the Philadelphia Liberty that brought over two other prospects. The 21 year old began this year in Kalamazoo, but after a hot start (he went 14-34 with 2 HRs and 11 RBis), he was promoted to Triple-A Newark after just 8 games. Another 8 games passed and he found himself making his USBL debut for the Sentinels. Kurtz appeared in 77 games making 47 starts, and hit .279/.316/.800 in his time. He also had 10 HRs and drove in 32 runs. The main concern for him is the strikeouts, he K’d 66 times in 215 at bats, while walking just 9 times. Kurtz will have a shot to earn his keep during Spring Training, though I expect we’ll begin him in Newark so he can get his footing, before bringing him back up.
SP Dan Schmitz (48 overall) - The oldest of the 5 on this list, Schmitz was the 10th overall pick in the 2011 USBL draft out of Mansfield University. He never really played in the minors, appearing in just one game with Burbank, and one with Newark, for a grand total of 11 minor league innings. He debuted last year, and appeared in 40 games, starting twice. In 60.1 total innings, Schmitz had a 4.77 ERA, giving up 69 hits for a .294 BAA. He struck out 48 batters and walked 27. Not an amazing stat line from the 24 year old. He also suffered a major injury. In mid-June he was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis, which kept him out of commission for two and a half months. Schmitz will almost certainly begin the year in Triple-A, as Rick believes he has some more development to do, and judging by his numbers and lack of minor league time, I agree.
1B Roberto Galvan (53 overall) - The 21 year old grandson of Baltimore Barons legend Alvin Galvan, Roberto was the 18th overall pick out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy in 2010. He has quickly climbed the ranks of our organization, and led all of professional baseball with 63 home runs (HOLY **** LOL) in his time split between Burbank (90 games, 57 HRs) and Kalamazoo (6 games, 6 HRs). The strikeouts with him are a big concern, striking out 105 times in 281 at bats, but when you’re hitting 63 homers I can look past that. I’m going to start Galvan at Double-A to see if his HR total is a fluke, or if we have the next Babe Ruth on our hands. He did hit 23 in 64 games in the Summer League in 2011, so maybe he is just about to be the greatest slugger ever. Easily the prospect I’m most excited about.

MEET THE OWNER:
68 year old Chance Green purchased the Seattle Rainiers at the conclusion of the 2008 USBL season and promptly relocated the team to San Antonio and rebranded them as the Sentinels. In his 4 years as owner, the team is averaging 67.5 wins and 86.5 losses per season, and have been getting progressively worse each year. Luckily for us, he is very Lenient and Charitable, but his main priority is Profit, which this team has not been able to make lately.

Goals issued:
Achieve a Winning Record: Not gonna happen lol
Improve our Runs Scored: We were 12th in the NBL with 622, should be able to make this work.
Extend 36 year old LF Andy Milner: Not sure if this will happen, he made $9.4 million last year and appeared in 104 games (92 starts), and is very injury prone. He is one of the most popular players on the team, however, and still a solid ballplayer, so if he is willing to come down from 9.4 we’ll give it a shot.
Increase Attendance from 17,617 to 24,000 by 2015: Should be able to pull this off, attendance will improve with quality of play
Increase Profit and end with $10.5 million by 2017 (current projected balance is -$18.7 million): I appreciate him giving me 5 years on this because this team hasn’t finished in the green since 2006. Gotta get people in the ballpark and into the win column.
Build up team to reach the Playoffs by 2015: Hopefully can do this but no promises. Gotta change the culture in San Antonio and hopefully don’t get fired before then.

[BirdWatcher]

I really enjoyed reading these first two posts and will be happily following along.

In my fictional universe the ballclub in San Antonio (called the Keys) is the current powerhouse, so I will be hoping for you that your Sentinels can rise to this level under your leadership.
Having such a highly rated farm system is a great start. I look forward to seeing if John Walzer can be the offensive force in the USBL that it looks like he is capable of being and also find myself wondering if he might be able to shift to first base at some point. Then again, not sure there will be an opening there if Roberto Galvan improves his approach at the plate in terms of selectivity a bit. (By the way, I love that you have identified him as the grandson of a former player in the league. In my fictional league I have a process by which I identify relatives of current players who will enter the league in the future and I love this kind of storyline in a fictional league.)

I will be also keeping an eye on those dismal Detroit Motors with some hope for their future given their respectable farm system. And of course, as a longtime Coloradan, I have to follow the Gold Sox also.

I hope to be reading about the USBL here long into the future and good luck with those Sentinels!

[LocalRock]

Originally Posted by BirdWatcher

I really enjoyed reading these first two posts and will be happily following along.

In my fictional universe the ballclub in San Antonio (called the Keys) is the current powerhouse, so I will be hoping for you that your Sentinels can rise to this level under your leadership.
Having such a highly rated farm system is a great start. I look forward to seeing if John Walzer can be the offensive force in the USBL that it looks like he is capable of being and also find myself wondering if he might be able to shift to first base at some point. Then again, not sure there will be an opening there if Roberto Galvan improves his approach at the plate in terms of selectivity a bit. (By the way, I love that you have identified him as the grandson of a former player in the league. In my fictional league I have a process by which I identify relatives of current players who will enter the league in the future and I love this kind of storyline in a fictional league.)

I will be also keeping an eye on those dismal Detroit Motors with some hope for their future given their respectable farm system. And of course, as a longtime Coloradan, I have to follow the Gold Sox also.

I hope to be reading about the USBL here long into the future and good luck with those Sentinels!

Appreciate the support! It's going to be difficult, especially in this division, but I think I can pull it off.

Roberto's grandfather Alvin was one of the early greats in the USBL, playing his entire 17 year career with the Baltimore Barons, winning 3 MVPs and 2 World Series rings, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975 with 97% of the vote. He also hit 455 home runs (8th all time) with 2,371 hits (27th all time) with a career WAR of 70.2, which ranks 15th all time.

I really enjoyed following the 65 years of simming and Alvin was one of the players I grew attached to during his career, and was sad when he retired. Really hoping Roberto can become even half the player his grandfather was.

[LocalRock]

Finally…the 2012/2013 San Antonio Sentinels offseason is underway as we advance to Day 1. Important to remember: We have a $41 million budget currently, and about $11 million remaining, though not much cash available for extensions/free agents. Have a feeling this first offseason will be rough.

The first offseason decisions I’ve made are letting pending Free Agent C Richard Allmon walk without offering him Arbitration to receive compensation. He was our fourth highest player last season at $1.2 million, and with such a small budget, we need all the money we can get. Allmon was our backup catcher, is a poor hitter and fielder, and is entering his age 32 season. Goodbye Rich. I’ve also decided we’re probably letting backup 1B Nick Christensen leave without offering arbitration. Nick, like Allmon, is old (entering age 33 season) and made $1.2 million last year. He also missed all but 12 games with an injury, and is a very poor fielder. We don’t need a DH as Jonathan Singleton already fills that role.

An attempt to negotiate with Andy Milner has gotten shut down as he is not in the mood. We’ll check back in a bit.

November 6 - As my first major action as GM of the San Antonio Sentinels, I have fired manager Jonathan Callaghan after one and a half seasons with the club. My top manager options:

Justin Olson - Managed the San Diego Surf from 1994-1996 with little success, but then led Baltimore to three playoff appearances and two World Series titles from 1999-2004. Also managed the Mobile Green Wave of the independent Southern League in the early 90’s, and San Antonio's PRSL team the past three years.

Danny George - Managed Milwaukee’s PRSL squad from 2005-2007, then their Single-A squad from 2008-2012. Only two losing records in those 8 years and 3 playoff appearances in Single-A.

Ivico Blasevic - Managed Florida’s Single-A team from 2002-2004, then Minnesota’s PRSL team from 2008-2011.

[LocalRock]

November:
Nov. 9 - Due to having no money available to bring in major league free agents, I have signed most of our arbitration eligible players to one year extensions equal to what they were asking. This included signing 1B Justin Caldwell to a $5.6 million deal. Caldwell was our only other bright spot on offense besides Singleton, slashing .291/.344/.450 with 21 HRs and 86 RBIs batting primarily in the 3 hole. Since coming up to the bigs in 2006, Caldwell has been a fan favorite and a key contributor to this club, posting a career average of .303 with 101 home runs, not to mention a career OPS of .837.

I have also went ahead and placed three players on the trade block: 31 year old 2B Dan Schuster who is very poor offensively (61 OPS+, .256 OBP with a 22.7 SO%) but is has a solid glove and decent speed, 28 year old SS Edgar Soto, who is even worse offensively (48 OPS+, .253 OBP with a 23.6 SO% but has a very good glove, and 32 year old CF Nathan Gille, who is the best offensive player of the three (66 OPS+ and a .276 OBP) and also is a good fielder who has plus speed.

My hope is we are able to get minor league depth out of one or two of these guys so we can experiment with some new middle infielders this year. The production from there right now is beyond pitiful.

Nov. 13 - Justin Olson has officially signed to be the next manager of the San Antonio Sentinels with a 4 year deal paying $510,000 annually.

Nov. 19 - RF Brian Bedford wants my help to raise money for the community. I wish I could, but we have literally no money to work with. Sending money could help bring in fans, though. I just can’t. We’re way too deep in the red. I hope he understands.

Nov. 20 - We have completed our first trade, sending 19 year old pitcher Pat Geissler to Boston in exchange for 23 year old SS Simon Hoover. Hoover spent 2012 in AA, and hit .304/.361/.815 in 72 games, 69 starts. He also had 3 HRs, 24 doubles, and 4 triples, along with 13 stolen bases. While not the greatest fielder, he will hopefully add some pop to our lackluster lineup within the next 2 seasons. Losing Geissler won't make me lose too much sleep, as we have fairly good pitching depth coming up, not to mention a future ace at the big league level in Ramirez.

Fans are reportedly not pleased with the team's "stinginess" after we refused to assist Bedford in his mission, especially considering our “high” ticket prices of $18.50. This is off to a hot start.

Things have certainly dried up in the offseason so far as we continue to progress with things.

[LocalRock]

December
Dec. 28 - We are currently in discussions with the Dallas Stars to move 28 year old 1B Enrique Aquayo for a pitching prospect.

Dec. 30 - Andy Milner has officially signed with Portland on a 3 year/$16.5 million deal meaning I have failed my first goal as GM of the Sentinels. We knew this was going to happen. On to the next.

Dec. 31 - Rick came back from a trip to Venezuela with an absolute gem. 16 year old third baseman Miguel Fabroni with 3.5 star Potential. He looks to be an above average hitter with a good eye and pitch selection. He also currently has a very good arm with decent range. Hopefully after a year or two in our International Complex he is ready to go to Puerto Rico and test against other professionals.

January
Jan. 2 - Hall of Fame results came in today, two players were inducted:

LF Juan Aviles (1st year, 86.9%) - Aviles played 17 total seasons, from 1991-2007, playing with the Atlanta Attack in 1991-1998, 2002-2003, and 2007. He also spent time with St. Louis (1999-2000), San Diego (2001, 2005), the New York Empire (2004), and the New York Titans (2006). Aviles won two MVP awards in 1996 and 1999, along with making 9 All Star games and winning 6 Silver Sluggers. 1996 was a season to remember for Aviles, however. Entering September of 1995, Aviles appeared set to set the home run record, having hit 44 so far with a month to play. Just a few days in, however, he fractured his finger, and did not appear in another game that season. The next season he kept an even hotter pace, smashing the record by the middle of July, and continuing his torrid pace to the end of the season. He finished the year with 70 home runs and another league record 178 runs driven in. He also lead the league in hits (215), batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.764) and OPS (1.159). Truly a historic season, and arguably the greatest offensive season in the history of the USBL. He would go on to hit 40+ homers in each of the next 4 years, to make it 6 seasons in a row with 40 or more home runs. He also would surpass his .354 mark in 1999, hitting .379 that year. He finished his career as a .312/.358/.578 hitter with 488 career HRs, 2,274 hits, and just one RBI short of 1,500, ending at 1,499. An amazing career for Juan Aviles.

SP Mike Aliff (3rd year 77.9%) - Mike Aliff played 17 seasons in the USBL, from 1989-2005, all with the St. Louis Archers. Aliff was a three time Pitcher of the Year winner, accomplishing that in 1994, 1998, and 1999, while also appearing in 8 All Star games. 1998 was certainly his best season, in which he ended with a 20-6 record and a 2.68 ERA with an 0.98 WHIP. He struck out 155 in that season. Aliff would win one World Series in 1996, and ended his career with 207 wins and an ERA of 3.35. He also had 2,217 career strikeouts and pitched 200+ innings in 12 seasons. It was a stellar career for Aliff and he deserves this honor.

Jan. 8 - We have officially traded 1B Enrique Aguayo and 34 year old minor league CF Jim Schott to Dallas for 25 year old minor league SP Gabe Fisher. The move adds pitching depth to our minor league system, and moves an aging player who was essentially locked out of a roster spot now and in the future. Fisher looks to potentially grab a spot in our bullpen during Spring Training, or will begin the Triple-A season as a starter.


February
Feb. 21 - Mr. Green has decided to drop our budget from $41 million to $40 million. Doesn’t change much, just why. Wonder what he wants that extra million for…

[LocalRock]

February
Feb. 21 - Mr. Green has decided to drop our budget from $41 million to $40 million. Doesn’t change much, just why. Wonder what he wants that extra million for…

Spring Training
Mar. 21 - Spring Training begins with a 4-3 loss in extras to Dallas. Beaumont gave up 2 runs on 3 hits with 3 walks and a K in 4 innings.

Apr 3 - We finally suffered our first major injury. Backup 1B Chris Belz is out 6 weeks with a torn hamstring. This means that 32 year old Vic Tift may be able to earn a spot on our opening day roster with good play.

Apr. 9 - With 12 days of Spring Training left, some updates on our players:
- LF Tony Kurtz is raking, with a .383/.442/.787 slash line in 52 PAs with 5 homers and 13 RBIs. The only issue I see is 15 K’s already, which is certainly high.
- Petzke has also began hitting well, with a .333/.400/.500 slash line and a HR with an RBI.
- CF Dave Ebey, who debuted last season and squirmed his way onto the top-100 prospect list, has hit 5 homers in 36 ABs this spring.
- Bobby Bowen and Mike Joyce are appearing to be our two catchers to start the year. Peter’s gonna have to show us some real good hitting to make up for his 25 grade defense.
- Last year’s number 2 starter Taylor Martinez has been hit hard, allowing 10 runs in 11 innings so far.
- Carlos Ortiz is showing us exactly why he’s going to be our number two guy this year, as he’s given up just one run and 9 hits so far with 6 K’s in 12 innings of work.

[LocalRock]

Finally figured out attachments lol

[LocalRock]

Apr 12 - Fringe starter Trent Beaumont suffered an oblique strain that has him DtD for a week. I’m going ahead and shutting him down for the spring, hopefully in a week or two we can have him ready to go either here or in Newark.

Apr 15 - SS Edgar Soto diagnosed with elbow inflammation that will keep him out of action for at least 3 weeks. Veteran Eric Raia will now be able to keep a roster spot.

Apr 17 - Our final Spring Training game ends in a 3-0 victory over Nashville, led by Taylor Martinez. Opening Day is in 3 days at home against the New York Titans.

Before I get to the regular season, I’d like to highlight some of our best and worst players this spring:
Good:
- Bobby Bowen won the starting catcher job with a .687 OPS along with very solid defense.
- Paul Baker continued to reach base at a high clip for us, putting up a .423 OBP with 22 hits in 63 ABs. The issue with him was certainly driving the ball, as he had just 3 extra base hits (all doubles) for a .397 SLG.
- Tony Kurtz was Spring Training MVP for the Sentinels, as he slashed .353/.436/.735 with 6 HRs and 16 RBIs. He also walked 10 times. The only issue was, as mentioned earlier, strikeouts, as he had 21 in 78 PAs.
- Carlos Ortiz put up an 0.56 ERA in 16 innings while striking out 9 and allowing just 11 baserunners (7 hits, 4 walks). He definitely earned that 2 role, hopefully showing that he will bounce back from his rough 2012 campaign.
- Top reliever Andres Lopes allowed 3 runs in 12.1 innings, while punching out 15 batters and walking 3 and allowing 11 hits.

Bad:
- Martinez allowed 10 runs in 15.1 innings. He also gave up 16 hits and walked 5.
- 23 year old closer Dave Stalker, who for some reason debuted last year after spending 2011 in Single-A Burlington, gave up 13 runs in 12.1 innings on 16 hits with 12 walks. He had an opponent BA of .314. Clearly not even close to being ready, and he’ll start the year in Triple-A.
- Caldwell struggled, goin 10-50 with 3 walks and 1 HR. He also struck out 7 times. Not a great spring from one of our best offensive players.

Major moves I made at the end of Spring Training:
- Westphal has been sent to Double-A to start the year, though I hope to see him in Triple-A very soon.
- Gabe Fisher was sent to Triple-A
- RF Chris Percy was sent to Triple-A

[LocalRock]

On to the regular season finally...

For the season I will be watching one game per series and giving a quick scouting report of the team we will be facing prior to each one. After every month I'll update on league standings. I'll also make sure to mention any major events around the league as they happen...

And now... your 2012 San Antonio Sentinels Opening Day roster:

[LocalRock]

April
4/20 - 4/21 vs NYT:

The Titans enter this year off a disappointing 2012 campaign which saw them finish 65-89, last in the NBL East, 25 games behind division winning Atlanta. A very pitching-heavy ball club, their top-5 players according to Rick are all pitchers, 4 of 5 being from the bullpen. For Opening Day we will face 28 year old Bill Heredia, who went 9-11 with a 4.27 ERA last year in 158 innings (27 starts). He also only struck out 100 batters for the Titans. This is his third full big league season.

Our Opening Day starter is 24 year old Jose Ramirez, who we’re hoping can continue to improve after a solid 2012 season, and become the ace we know he can be. The Opening Day lineup:

[LocalRock]

Welcome to Sentinels baseball everybody! I’m excited and I hope you are as well!

First inning went 1-2-3 for Ramirez with 2 K’s. Great start. Our first inning at the dish Bedford reached on an E6 then we were set down 1-2-3.

4 K’s through 2 for Ramirez now.

New York takes a 2-0 lead on a 2 out 2 run shot by Travis Woolever.

And we are hitless through 3…

Caldwell picks up our first hit, a single up the middle!

Paul Baker lined into left field for a double! Three runs score! 3-2 Sentinels!

Lawrence Badger up the middle for an RBI single for New York in the 5th. 3 all now.

Pichinte hits a solo shot to right-center here in the 6th. New York back on top 4-3 and finally Olson pulls Ramirez after 5.1. I don’t know why he left him in so long, he was at 100 pitches when he gave up the solo shot. Dan Schmitz up now. Ramirez leaves with 8 strikeouts, 8 hits allowed, and 2 walks to go with the 4 runs.

At the 7th inning stretch, San Antonio down 4-3 with just 2 hits so far. Bats gotta wake up in the final third of this one.

Bobby Bowen double to left drives in Ebey from 1st and ties it at 4 in the bottom of the 7th!


Chris Collins in to pitch the 8th for us.

1-2-3 go Singleton, Kurtz, and Caldwell. To the ninth, tied at 4.

Lopes comes in to keep it where it’s at and give us a chance to win it in the bottom. New York picks up back-to-back singles but a popout and ground ball double play end the rally. We could walk it off in my first game as GM…

We can’t capitalize on a 1 out single by Baker. To extras we go today. Lopes remains in the game.

1-2-3 go the Titans. Top of our order due up

Petzke led off with a walk and Singleton just ripped a double to left. 2nd and 3rd with Kurtz up.

BASE HIT LEFT FIELD! SENTINELS WALK IT OFF IN THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE LOCALROCK ERA! WELCOME BACK BASEBALL!!!

[BirdWatcher]

Originally Posted by LocalRock

February
Feb. 21 - Mr. Green has decided to drop our budget from $41 million to $40 million. Doesn’t change much, just why. Wonder what he wants that extra million for…

I suspect he wanted to punish you just a little for failing to re-sign Milner.

Nice dramatic walk-off win on Opening Day. Hope that bodes well for the Sentinels' season.

[LocalRock]

4/21: L 5-8 (1-1) - Ortiz gave up 4 runs on 12 hits and a walk over 6 but Greg Doyle came in and gave up 4 while only recording 2 outs in the 7th. Petzke hit our first homer of the year in the first and Singleton hit one in the 5th.

4/22 - 4/24 @PHX:
Our first divisional games of the year, Phoenix enters the series off a 2 game sweep of Baltimore, including a shutout yesterday. Their offense only mustered 2 hits in that one and just a single run, so maybe our guys can pick up a win or two here.

4/22: A rough game as the offense never really got going and Grande got hit hard early. Couple that with 4 errors by our defense and that’s a recipe for disaster. Kurtz drove in our only runs in the 4th with a two run shot, but between Grande, our bullpen, and the defense, we allowed 8 runs to come in. Final: 8-2 loss. (1-2)

4/23: Martinez started out doing okay, but got hit hard in the fifth and couldn’t finish out the innings. In all he gave up 7 runs on 9 hits with 4 walks and just 2 K’s. The offense once again could only put up 2 runs and didn’t get close to winning this one. Final: 9-2 loss (1-3)

4/24: Collins made the start today filling in for Greg Doyle who had come on in relief two nights ago and dominated. 6.2 innings with just 1 earned run allowed. He gave up 9 hits and struck out 3. The bats turned on early, putting up 2 and 4 in the 3rd and 4th innings respectively. The bottom of our order was the ones doing the damage, with Schuster, Baker, Ebey, and Joyce going a combined 7-14 with 1 walk and HRs by Ebey and Joyce. Singleton continued his early season struggles going 0-5 and dropping his average to .136. Final: 9-4 win (2-3).

[LocalRock]

4/25-4/26 @ BAL (2-3):
After getting swept in the opening series by Phoenix, Baltimore went to take 2 of 3 from Atlanta, outscoring the Attack 12-5 in the final 2 games of the series. Game 1 we’ll see our ace Jose Ramirez try to bounce back from a shaky Opening Day start.

4/25: Ramirez’s first 3 innings go well, allowing just one hit and striking out 4. Top fourth we get a bases loaded single from Paul Baker to drive in 2. 2-0 San Antonio. Fast forward to the top of the fifth, two outs, runners on 2nd and 3rd, Tony Kurtz goes opposite field deep to right and over the wall. Three run shot extends our lead to 5-0. Baltimore pulls Weyant after 5 runs given up and 6 walks. Rough outing for him today. Ramirez gets into trouble in the fifth after allowing a couple hits and a hit batter, then gives up two RBI singles then a grand salami to the three hole Casilla. Just like that it’s 6-5 Baltimore. Davalos into the game and immedietely gives up a 403 foot bomb to the cleanup man Rodewald. We’re able to tack on a run in the 7th with 3 straight base knocks, but after a questionable decision to have Kurtz bunt with runners on 1st and 2nd, the next two are retired on strikes and we enter the stretch down 7-6. Unfortunately, we’re unable to score in the final two innings and fall to 2-4 on the year. (2-4)

4/26: Ortiz’s second start of the year is atrocious, as a 5 run first inning for Baltimore gave them a big lead and they never looked back. He only lasted 4 innings and struck out 2. The offense only picked up one run on 6 hits, the lone run being a solo shot by Bowen in the fifth. Final: 6-1 loss (2-5)

4/27-4/29 vs SF (5-2):
Second divisional series of the year against the 5-2 Seals who are tied with Phoenix for first.

4/27: A 3rd inning leadoff double by Baker is followed two batter later by an RBI double by Bedford to give us an early 1-0 lead. Greg Doyle got the start today for us and so far through 4 he’s been looking solid. Usually whenever I say this our guy ends up getting lit up soon after, so hopefully this doesn’t happen. He’s allowed just 1 hit through 4 though, with 1 walk and 2 K’s. A leadoff double by Baker followed by 2 singles puts us up 2-0. Doyle continues his strong outing, going 6.2 giving up just a single hit and a walk, and no runs. We hang on to win this one 2-0. Finally a dominant pitching performance. (3-5)

4/28: Grande goes 6 strong in this one giving up 6 hits and 4 walks, no runs with 4 strikeouts. Petzke is clearly our Player of the Game, driving in 3 runs on 3 hits, including a 2 run shot in the 7th. Singleton goes 1-4 and keeps his average at .135 this year. Very disappointing start for his so far, may have to talk to Olsen about moving him down in the order for a few games. Another good pitching performance by the bottom of our rotation. Love to see it. Final: 4-1 win (4-5).

4/29: Power Rankings came out today and we were ranked 16th, not too shabby for a bottom 3 squad last year. Hopefully we can keep it up.

There it is folks. Our first sweep with the Sentinels, as Martinez goes 5 innings giving up 2 runs and striking out 8. Singleton had an RBI double in a 1-4 affair and Caldwell went 2-4 with a 2 run shot. Very good game from the Sentinels as we win 5-3 and move to 5-5 on the season. (5-5)

During today’s game Paul Baker suffered a knee contusion and is expected to be Day-to-Day for the next 5 days. Rough to lose him for our offense, but hopefully he’s back soon.

[LocalRock]

4/30 - 5/2 @ FLO (3-7):
Florida enters this series off getting swept by Phoenix in 3. In the series, they only mustered a single run in each of the games. They rank last in all major offensive categories and average 2.7 runs per game. They have scored one run in 4 of their last 5 and that fifth game they score two in. With the top of our rotation coming up, we should be able to win at least 2 games.

4/30: Not a great outing from Ramirez as his rough start to the year continues. A first inning grand slam gave Florida a 4-0 lead and they never gave it up. 5 innings, 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, 5 K’s for our ace. A Dave Ebey home run in the 6th gave us our lone run as we fall 6-1. (5-6)

With the month of April complete, we wrap up the happenings in the rest of the league. After an 0-2 start, the Empire have rattled off 9 straight for a USBL best record of 9-2. Portland is the only other team with 9 wins at the moment. On the flip side, the worst record in the league belongs to the Milwaukee Hops, as they side at 2-9. As for our Sentinels, we sit at 5-6, no thanks to the top of our rotation, as Ramirez and Ortiz have combined for an 0-3 record with 22 earned runs allowed in 24.1 innings. On offense, Jonathan Singleton continues to struggle, as he is now just 6-45 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 3 walks. Our top hitters are currently Paul Baker and Brain Bedford, who are 13-36 with 5 RBIs, a walk, and just one strikeout, and 13-37 with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts respectively. With Baker's injury we've seen Eric Raia get some play time.

The rest of the league's standings and leaders are:

[LocalRock]

Triple-A and Double-A Opening Day is today as our Newark Aztecs face Florida's AAA squad, the Virginia Beach Tides. The Kalamazoo Clowns will be facing Chicago's AA squad, the Lansing Loons. Our AAA and AA rosters are:

[LocalRock]

5/1: A beautiful start from Ortiz as he holds Florida to just 2 runs on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks in 7 innings of work. The bullpen was a different story, however, with Collins and Lopes combining for 4 runs on 5 hits and a walk in 2.2 innings of work. The offense hit their ace Sonny Mendez for 4 runs on 9 hits, with Singleton picking up 2 of those hits, and Ebey going 3-4 with a solo shot in the fifth. Final: 6-5 loss in 10. (5-7)

5/2: Our second shutout of the year comes from the same unlikely source. Greg Doyle picks up his second shutout in his second start, this time making it 8 innings and striking out 6 Florida hitters. Our two runs come on a Kurtz RBI single and a Paul baker solo shot in the ninth. Hopefully Ramirez and Ortiz can figure out whatever Doyle’s doing. Final: 2-0 win. (6-7)

The First Year Player Draft pool was released today, along with the OSA Mock Draft. We are projected to select 23 year old TCU senior CF Shaun Johnson 2nd overall. Johnson enters the draft as one of the more pro-ready ballplayers, as he is already a top-tier fielder with a good bat and elite speed. During his senior season, Johnson hit .293/.374/.543 with 9 HRs and 38 RBIs. He stole 34 bases during his 47 games. My target with that pick is either Johnson, or if he’s available, the man projected to go number one overall: 22 year old Fresno State junior 2B Sam O’Masta. O’Masta is really the only better prospect than Johnson that won’t take 4+ years to develop. He grades out as a better hitter who can hit for power (.331/.423/.705 with 16 HRs and 12 doubles), who is an above average fielder and can run a bit too. While not the fastest (he only has 40 grade speed), O’Masta did steal 25 bags during his junior season. If anything changes I’ll update, but the pick for now is between these two ballplayers.

We also have our first day off of the year and have a transaction at the big league level. With SS Edgar Soto ready to be activated from the IL, we have designated Dan Schuster for assignment. Schuster was hitting .190/.271/.190 in 49 PAs (42 ABs). We have also placed Trent Beaumont back on the 15-day Triple-A IL.

5/4 - 5/6 vs KC (7-6)
We enter a series against the 7-6 Cougars who hold a top-5 offense in the NBL, and are fresh off a 3 game sweep of the Rattlers, in which they scored 19 runs. As a team with subpar pitching, we’re going to need this offense to find a way to turn it on so we don’t fall further below .500. That’ll be tough, as KC has the 5th ranked Starters’ ERA in the NBL. Their bullpen, on the other hand, has not been as good, posting a 5.05 ERA, good for 13th in the NBL. That is a full run worse than ours, and we are 11th in the NBL in that category. They are led offensively by superstar 23 year old 2B Alex Zepeda, who is tearing up the league early with 21 hits in 46 at bats, 9 of those for extra bases (1 HR).

5/4: Oscar Grande on the mound for us today, and he gets off to a hot start, retiring the first 6 down in order, striking out the sides in the second. The offense, on the other hand, strands the bases loaded in the first then goes down 1-2-3 in the second. Fast forward to the bottom of the fourth, where we lead off with a double by Caldwell, a Singleton single (hah), then an Ebey double to put us on top 1-0. Grande, on the other hand, keeps on rolling, with now 5 shutout innings allowing just 1 hit and 5 K’s. This would not last through the sixth, as after surrendering two one-out walks but retiring the next man, Grande left a pitch over the plate to Zepeda and the Cougars went up 3-1 with one swing of the bat. They would put up two more runs in the eighth off of reliever Dan Schmitz, and one more in the ninth off of Doug Morgans. Meanwhile, our offense would not threaten the rest of the afternoon, and we fall to Kansas City 6-1. (6-8)

Due to an injury to AAA starter Jon Bowton that will keep him sidelined for up to 2 weeks, we have promoted 23 year old starter Jonathan Krebs to AAA and 24 year old reliever Kyle Delaney to AA

5/5: Make that 4 consecutive solid starting pitching performances, as Taylor Martinez this time goes 7 innings allowing just a single run on 7 hits while striking out 2. Nathan Gille had the best game of his career, mashing two solo home runs as the Sentinels went on to win 2-1. (7-8)

5/6: Well Ramirez wakes up and has a decent outing finally. He lasts 7 innings while giving up just 3 runs on 3 hits with 2 walks. He also struck out 7 Cougars tonight. The offense, on the other hand, remains ice cold. We scratch across just one run on an RBU double by Tony Kurtz as Singleton keeps his average at just a measly .145 through our first 16 games. Our only bright spot on offense remains to be Paul Baker, who is slashing .352/.397/.519 so far. We have scored just 6 runs in out last 4 games, and 12 in our last 6. Seems like when our pitching is on our offense is cold and vice-versa. Anyways, on to Dallas. Final: 3-1 loss. (7-9).

In other Sentinel news, we have traded 2B Dan Schuster to Phoenix for 25 year old minor league second baseman George Johnson, though we are almost certainly going to play him at first. Rick sees Johnson as a below average hitter who can run like the wind. Last year in AAA he hit .284/.360/.383 with 2 HRs and 29 SBs to just 5 caught, though he is just 4-24 hitting and 1-4 stealing through his first 6 games this year. Johnson will be placed in AAA and is there at least until Roberto Galvan is able to come up and take over first in Newark.

[LocalRock]

The Evil Empire: The New York Empire extended their winning streak to 14 games with a 7-0 win over Minnesota, completing their fifth consecutive series sweep. They move to a league best 14-2 on the young season. Superstar RF Ryan Ballard, who entered the season at 502 home runs for his career, just 52 homers short of the league record, has been on a tear, with 7 home runs already and an OPS of 1.010. Though he more than likely will not break it this year, next year we will have a new home run king of the USBL. The Empire are also first in the entire ABL in every major offensive category, as well as boasting the top bullpen in terms of ERA, and arguably a top-5 in the league rotation. The Empire are for sure an early season favorite to win it all this year.

World Series Hangover?: The reigning champs’ slow season continued with a 7-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Phoenix Rattlers. This made it 4 losses in 5 games for Dallas as they fall to 6-10, last in the NBL Central. While it is early and the Stars almost certainly will turn it around, you’ve got to be concerned if you’re General Manager Wade Ramos, as the team has the lowest batting average in the NBL at .224. The Stars’ next 3 series come against San Antonio, San Francisco, and Florida, with the Sentinels and Makos having below average pitching staffs, Florida’s being bottom-3 in the league. If there’s a time to turn things around, its right now.

Running Away with Things: The Portland Loggers’ win streak of 9 was snapped with a 5-2 loss to Oakland, but things are nothing but sunny for the youngest team in the USBL. They sit with the second best record in the league at 13-3, and are a league best 5 games ahead of second place St. Louis (8-8). The Loggers have been led by elite starting pitching, having 3 starters below a 2 ERA, with all of them being below 4. It also helps having an offense that ranks top-5 in all major statistical categories thus far. With series coming up against the 6-10 Gold Sox and 5-11 Wolves, expect that division lead to grow even more over the next week.