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ayaghmour2 · 05-20-2023, 12:12 PM

Last one! All in all, the inaugural season of the Cuban Winter League was a success, even if the Santa Clara Stallions came short. They finished 20-22, tied for third and two games out of first, behind both the Havana Sharks and Cienfuegos Crocodiles. Not sure why no play-in game occurred, but the Havana Sharks will now take on the 25-17 Manzanillo Palms in a one game final. They won their division by three, with the Santiago Scorpions sitting at 22-20 just like the Sharks.

3B Otto Christian (#50 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941)
AA: .277/.339/.400 (106 OPS+), 519 PA, 19 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 65 RBI
CWL: .264/.384/.554 (159 OPS+), 177 PA, 2B, 14 HR, 39 RBI

It truly was a tale of two months for Otto Christian, who had a terrible December followed up by a dominant January. In those17, Otto hit a pitiful .188/.278/.297 (60 OPS+) with a double, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 8 walks, and 8 RBIs. Otto then decided to wallop in January, slashing an astronomical .339/.474/.823 (257 OPS+) in his next 18 games. Even crazier, he launched 10 homers and drove in 22 runs while walking 16 times. John Fast (11) was the only other CWL player to hit more then 10 homers total, and when you include the seven November games, Christian launched 14 and drove in 39 to go with a 163 WRC+ in 177 trips to the plate. This offensive explosion is hard to ignore, as the former 1st Rounder made a legitimate attempt to secure the starting third basemen job. Known for his power, the discipline show was impressive, as he walked 29 times while striking out in just 19 of his at bats. It's his best ratio since his last stint in C ball where he drew 76 free passes while striking out just 22 times. His 2.0 WAR in 42 games was less then a win shy of his tally in 124 AA games, and if it wasn't for Sailors starting center fielder Billy Forbes (.362, 5, 27, 10), Otto probably would've won an MVP had their been one. I wouldn't say Otto is the odds on favorite to join Forbes in FABL, but I'm much more comfortable giving him a shot then I once was. This kid has all the tools to be an All-Star and home run leader, but he's never had the drive to make it seem like a guarantee. 1947 is shaping up to be huge for him, as it could be the beginning of a highly prolific slugging career.

LHP Duke Bybee (#8 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940)
AAA: 14-6,175.1 IP, 2.05 ERA (190 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 40 BB, 100 K
CWL: 3-6, 78 IP, 3.58 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 18 BB, 46 K

He wasn't his dominant self, but there was plenty to be impressed with when watching Duke Bybee attack CWL hitters. Bybee showed he can go deep into games, topping 100 pitches in 8 of his 9 starts, including more then 150 on two occasions. His 3.58 ERA (108 ERA+) was a bit above average, but his 2.63 FIP (68 FIP-) was nearly a full run lower. He led the league in innings (78) and K/BB (2.6), was second in BB/9 (2.1), 4th in WHIP (1.22), and tied for 4th in WAR (2.5). Set to open the season as our #6 starter, Bybee pounds the strike zone, and since his pitches have wicked movement, don't expect to hit anything that isn't a mistake. His stuff is superb, his command elite, and his fastball and cutter can reach 97. The towering 6'4'' southpaw is as intimidating as a presence as you'll face, and he has the poise and confidence you need to beat the best in the world. His presence in the clubhouse is unmatched, and he'll join a very strong leadership group in Chicago. The goal for Bybee this season is 15-20 starts, as I don't want to overwork him, but he could pitch a little out of the pen in weeks we don't have many games. If any of our starters (well, not Pap of course), start to slip and he's looking good, I'll pitch him more often. But for now we will ease him into the big leagues as he gets comfortable pitching more frequently.

05-20-2023, 12:12 PM	#1103
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,133	Cuban Winter League: Week 11 Last one! All in all, the inaugural season of the Cuban Winter League was a success, even if the Santa Clara Stallions came short. They finished 20-22, tied for third and two games out of first, behind both the Havana Sharks and Cienfuegos Crocodiles. Not sure why no play-in game occurred, but the Havana Sharks will now take on the 25-17 Manzanillo Palms in a one game final. They won their division by three, with the Santiago Scorpions sitting at 22-20 just like the Sharks. 3B Otto Christian (#50 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941) AA: .277/.339/.400 (106 OPS+), 519 PA, 19 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 65 RBI CWL: .264/.384/.554 (159 OPS+), 177 PA, 2B, 14 HR, 39 RBI It truly was a tale of two months for Otto Christian, who had a terrible December followed up by a dominant January. In those17, Otto hit a pitiful .188/.278/.297 (60 OPS+) with a double, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 8 walks, and 8 RBIs. Otto then decided to wallop in January, slashing an astronomical .339/.474/.823 (257 OPS+) in his next 18 games. Even crazier, he launched 10 homers and drove in 22 runs while walking 16 times. John Fast (11) was the only other CWL player to hit more then 10 homers total, and when you include the seven November games, Christian launched 14 and drove in 39 to go with a 163 WRC+ in 177 trips to the plate. This offensive explosion is hard to ignore, as the former 1st Rounder made a legitimate attempt to secure the starting third basemen job. Known for his power, the discipline show was impressive, as he walked 29 times while striking out in just 19 of his at bats. It's his best ratio since his last stint in C ball where he drew 76 free passes while striking out just 22 times. His 2.0 WAR in 42 games was less then a win shy of his tally in 124 AA games, and if it wasn't for Sailors starting center fielder Billy Forbes (.362, 5, 27, 10), Otto probably would've won an MVP had their been one. I wouldn't say Otto is the odds on favorite to join Forbes in FABL, but I'm much more comfortable giving him a shot then I once was. This kid has all the tools to be an All-Star and home run leader, but he's never had the drive to make it seem like a guarantee. 1947 is shaping up to be huge for him, as it could be the beginning of a highly prolific slugging career. LHP Duke Bybee (#8 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940) AAA: 14-6,175.1 IP, 2.05 ERA (190 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 40 BB, 100 K CWL: 3-6, 78 IP, 3.58 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 18 BB, 46 K He wasn't his dominant self, but there was plenty to be impressed with when watching Duke Bybee attack CWL hitters. Bybee showed he can go deep into games, topping 100 pitches in 8 of his 9 starts, including more then 150 on two occasions. His 3.58 ERA (108 ERA+) was a bit above average, but his 2.63 FIP (68 FIP-) was nearly a full run lower. He led the league in innings (78) and K/BB (2.6), was second in BB/9 (2.1), 4th in WHIP (1.22), and tied for 4th in WAR (2.5). Set to open the season as our #6 starter, Bybee pounds the strike zone, and since his pitches have wicked movement, don't expect to hit anything that isn't a mistake. His stuff is superb, his command elite, and his fastball and cutter can reach 97. The towering 6'4'' southpaw is as intimidating as a presence as you'll face, and he has the poise and confidence you need to beat the best in the world. His presence in the clubhouse is unmatched, and he'll join a very strong leadership group in Chicago. The goal for Bybee this season is 15-20 starts, as I don't want to overwork him, but he could pitch a little out of the pen in weeks we don't have many games. If any of our starters (well, not Pap of course), start to slip and he's looking good, I'll pitch him more often. But for now we will ease him into the big leagues as he gets comfortable pitching more frequently.