Alternate History Sports » North American Baseball Federation 2: 2104 Season/Playoffs

BDoof · 3/30/2024 1:18 pm

2108 Season

April:

In the second game of the season, Huron’s Adam Minke threw the 6th no-hitter in league history, and the first for Huron. Galveston’s Paolo Barreau would throw a 2-hitter the next day, showcasing why Galveston may be one of the best teams in the league. On the same day, Eureka’s Antonio Madrigal and Baton Rouge’s Patrick Moreau would throw it down in what some say is the fight of the decade, with helmets and hats flying everywhere. Even some of the coaches got involved. After the scuffle, journalists were left scratching their heads as no one could figure out what caused the incident. By the end of the month the standings would’ve been impossible to predict. Galveston, after a strong start, would be in 2nd with Baton Rouge in first thanks to an 8 game winning streak and all-around great play by their offense. While the Atlantic would see the Gryphons in second and Flamingos in first. Both teams have been exciting to watch but both are known for their huge collapses in the second half of seasons. Interestingly, Trois is below .500, will they not even get a shot at a 3-peat?
Hitters of the Month:
PC: Jake Herold, .344avg, 11HRs, 34RBIs (BR)
AC: Fernando Criado, .383, 4HRs, 24RBIs (HUR)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Nick Lambert, 4-1, 1.65ERA, 46Ks (GAL)
AC: Adam Minke, 5-1, 2.32ERA, 37Ks (HUR) (no-hitter)
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Scott Szczur, 2-0, 1.99ERA, 21Ks (DAK)
AC: Bill Clark, 3-1, 2.95ERA, 10Ks (HUR)

May:

I might be calling it a bit early, but this may be one of the most interesting playoff races in NABF history. 8 teams are above .500 plus Trois not far behind struggling with injuries. Granted it’s only 1 month into the season and anything could and will happen. In May Dakota would also make strides, overcoming Eureka for 4th in the Conference. Cheyenne would propel themselves into first, but during the final game of May, Cheyenne catcher Eric Titus would fracture his arm after a collision at home plate. Team doctors announced he will miss the rest of the season, if the beginning of last season showed anything, it was that Titus is the lifeblood of the team and they really struggle without him. While in the Atlantic Florida had pulled away, but did fall a bit at the end of the month. While Trois surprisingly is still below .500. Germantown, Huron, and Plymouth are separated by only 1.5 games for the Atlantic Wild Card spot.
Hitters of the Month:
PC: Bob Heath, .373avg, 7HRs, 31RBIs (AST)
AC: George Powers, .335avg, 7HRs, 29RBIs, 9SBs (GER)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Fritz Bresson, 5-1, 2.03ERA, 30Ks (DAK)
AC: Mike Kulbeth, 4-0, 1.74ERA, 50Ks (PLY)
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Angelo Vega, 2.93ERA in 27.2 innings (AK)
AC: Hao Huan, 2-1, 3.55ERA, 19Ks (HUR)

June:

Rome had a surprising month of June. While they are still nowhere near a playoff spot, they finished with one of the best records in the month led by outstanding performances by Tyler Kilbarger and rookie sensation Jonathon Carrethers. Carrethers was called up in mid-April but got the starting 1B job in May. Since then he has led the NABF in home runs (in that time frame). Rome also signed veteran 2B Juan Torres, who had not been signed yet. These factored into a nice month for a struggling expansion team. One of the top stories in the first half had been Baton Rouge’s surging dominance. Whatever had lit the spark beneath them decided to fiddle out in June. The Cajuns only won 4 games during the month, they now sit below .500 and out of the immediate playoff hunt. Cheyenne would deal with another injury as ace Ahmed Mathis would go down for at least a month with an elbow injury. This is the 3rd major injury, yet they still are ahead in the playoff hunt.
Hitters of the Month:
PC: Kyle Thompson, .358avg, 9HRs, 25RBIs (EUR)
AC: Joe Delli Santi, .316avg 10HRs, 31RBIs (TR)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Luis Hernández, 4-2, 2.04ERA, 28Ks (CHY)
AC: Anton Latorre, 4 Saves, 1 earned run, 28Ks in 14.2 innings (GER)
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Scott Szczur, 4-2, 4.30ERA, 28Ks (DAK) x2
AC: Philippe Lemaître, 3-0, 3.38ERA, 12Ks (TR)

July:

Galveston would truly show out in July, showing that they truly mean business this season. Normally known for their offensive power, now showcasing their pitching talent. With Nick Lambert being a potential Taylor candidate. With veteran Brian Van Winkle and young phenom Paolo Barreau working sub 3 ERAs. Plus rookie Nelson Encarnación being above average. Their youth are uniting under the motto “Launch it”, with their mascot lighting off a bottle rocket for every home run they hit. Eureka would also come under a sort of resurgence after a rough first few months. Mostly led by star Kyle Thompson finally waking up in June, as well as Taylor worthy first halves by Tillmam Tamayo and Ben Denman. Plymouth’s Mike Kulbeth would also throw a no-hitter in his first outing after the all-star break, he would set the record with 14Ks in such a performance.

Standings as of the All-Star Break
Pacific Conference:
Galveston Launch 55-34
Cheyenne Buffalo 49-39
Dakota Eagles 46-42
Eureka Redwoods 46-44
Baton Rouge Cajuns 42-48
Astoria Osprey 40-49
Alaska Avalanche 36-51

Atlantic Conference
Germantown Pretzels 51-37
Huron Gryphons 50-38
Florida Flamingos 47-42
Trois Rivieres Harfang 47-42
Plymouth Pilgrims 46-43
Rome Gladiators 35-56
Chesapeake Admirals 32-57

The Pacific Conference would win the All-Star game 4-3. With Baton Rouge’s Nick Parsons getting MVP.

Hitters of the Month:
PC: Kyle Thompson, .333avg, 10HRs, 25RBIs (EUR) x2
AC: George Powers, .319avg, 9HRs, 24RBIs (GER)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Paolo Barreau, 5-0, 3.01ERA, 21Ks (GAL)
AC: Vince Benbow, 5-0, 2.14ERA, 30Ks (GER)
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Orlando Lazzarini, .362avg, 5 extra base hits, 13 runs in 16 games (EUR)
AC: Tim Troke, 3-1, 1.16ERA, 29Ks (PLY)

August:

With 2 months left and a record number of potential playoff teams, this is a good time to go into each team. Starting with Galveston who are currently leading in the Pacific. The Launch hosts the 3rd best offense and 2nd best pitching in the Pacific. Led offensively by veterans Canio, Moran, and Brinley. A surprising lack of power amongst the squad. Instead the breakout seasons from Lambert, Barreau and a career year from Van Winkle pull the slack. Their main weakness is offensive depth and their mid-game bullpen. Cone is a great closer but the rest are risky to use. Cheyenne is currently second in the standings, 1st in pitching and 6th in offense. They are pretty much unbeatable if they have a late lead due to their incredible bullpen. But an extreme lack of offense and with injuries on both sides, it’s a wonder they’ve kept up this far. Dakota sits not far behind, led by a plethora of veterans having career years on offense. Their pitching has had many ups and downs throughout the season, and their consistency is their main weakness going into the final stretch. Tied with them are Eureka. Led by none other than Kyle Thompson and Ismael Méndez. Similar to Cheyenne they have dealt with a number of injuries this season. Including Kachmar, Sykes, Haskins, and now their ace, Tillmam Tamayo. Their main issue is depth, as outside of the aforementioned Thompson and Méndez their offense is incredibly weak this season. Pitching depth is also an issue, Denman is still elite but Cloud and Madrigal have struggled throughout the season. As for Baton Rouge, they fell off quite a bit and likely won’t have a chance.

In the Atlantic, Germantown leads it with George Powers having a career year, already matching his career home run total. Mott and Kurtz are also doing well for their age. The veteran Benbow has been a surprise this year, filling in as their ace while Dorsey recovered from an early injury. Closer Latorre has had an all-time season, he went 3 months without allowing a single run. The bullpen in general has been second to only Cheyenne. After a poor opening few months, Trois is back and ready to go all out. Currently led by a murderers row of Dubois, Delli Santi, Barthélémy, and Phelan. On the pitching side of things, Hamilton, Franco, and rookie Lemaître have been excellent. While their bullpen has been a bit of a struggle, with Patterson and Juarez having some of their worst seasons yet. Tied with the Harfang and on pace for their first ever above .500 season is Florida. The Flamingos showcase plenty of stars, including not just their big free agents but also several homegrown talents such as Beyer, Castillo, and newly promoted closer Manny Julia. To be honest, they have the least amount of holes of any team. I would say it's a lack of experience, but between López, Santa Cruz, and Jason Martin they have plenty of championship experience (with 5 total rings between them). A half game back of Florida and Trois lies Huron. In the pre-season preview I know I clowned pretty harshly on Huron, and did OOTP. But pretty much every hitter has finally put it together or at least is still contributing, as is the case with Wagoner who is having some horrible BABIP luck but is still able to lead the team in homers. Also youth Jared Myers, whom they acquired off waivers in the off-season, has been phenomenal. Near .300avg while leading the entire NABF in stolen bases. Even their pitchers are putting in work, Hodge was a Taylor contender early on, while Minke and Vedder are putting together solid years. Main weakness is they have no lock down closers. Ramírez and rookie Clark are both good but compared to every other team, easily the worst 8-9 tandem. Plymouth is the last team to talk about in the Atlantic, but that doesn’t rule them out. They are only 2 games back of Trois and Florida. Their main struggle is the stars that got them to the Atlantic Series last year (Simai, Pettaway, and Alonzo) are all struggling mightily. Simai at least put together a nice July. Instead their depth pieces (Parsons, Novak, Bentz) and rookie Justyn Cox have been pulling their offense along. Kulbeth is still easily the best pitcher in the league. With Matt Kenney a solid number 2. Dan Richard came back from injury last month and along with rookie Tim Troke have put together an insane couple of months for the back of the rotation. But their main issue is their bullpen, after a bunch of reshuffling around, they now have Phil Palmer as the closer who has a 4.44ERA. Luckily their starters and offense should be enough to give them a sizable lead late into games. With 2 months left it looks like it will be a bloodbath until the end.

Hitters of the Month:
PC: Trevor Reardon, .430avg, 5HRs, 26Runs, (DAK)
AC: Hervé Barthélémy, .324avg, 7HRs, 28RBIs (TR)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Scott Szczur, 5-1, 2.28ERA, 46Ks (DAK)
AC: Anton Latorre, 4 Saves, 1 earned run, 21Ks in 12 innings (GER) x2
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Scott Szczur, 5-1, 2.28ERA, 46Ks (DAK) x3
AC: Heath Victory, 4-0, 3.70ERA, 25Ks (GER)

September:

Eureka has fallen below .500 and likely out of the playoff hunt. Dakota sits 3.5 games behind Cheyenne at the start of the month. Germantown and Trois sit with half a game between them, while Plymouth, Florida, and Huron have 2.5 between them but sit 6 games back. Plymouth has a much easier schedule than every other team while Trois and Cheyenne both have more difficult schedules ahead of them. Riding momentum from a 6 game winning streak Dakota would surpass Cheyenne mid September. However, they would fall back after being swept by Galveston who were in the middle of a 10 game winning streak.Plymouth would go on their own 6 game winning streak but still out of reach of Trois and Germantown. Despite being well out of contention, Eureka would have a 3 game period of having 3 bench clearing brawls. 1 against Huron and 2 against Cheyenne. That has to be a record. With a week left, Trois and Germantown would clinch the playoffs, ending the hopes of Plymouth, Florida, and Huron. In good news, Florida would clinch their first winning season ever. At the same time, Dakota and Cheyenne are tied. With Dakota having to play all road games. Many Eagles players and fans were rallying over Larry Adair, a long time veteran who is likely playing in his final season. With fans traveling to their games waiving posters saying “Do it for Larry!”. Their penultimate series would be against Astoria, which they unfortunately would get swept. Despite winning their final series it wouldn’t be enough as Cheyenne would win 4 of their last 5 to get the edge. As of the conclusion of the season, Adair had not announced his decision.
Hitters of the Month:
PC: Nick Parsons, .346avg, 6HRs, 24RBIs (BR)
AC: Adam Beyer, .433avg, 28RBIs (FLA)
Pitchers of the Month:
PC: Nick Lambert, 5-0, 2.49ERA, 41Ks (GAL) x2
AC: Steven Dorsey, 5-1, 3.15ERA, 23Ks (GER)
Rookies of the Month:
PC: Talbot Boulet, .308avg, 20RBIs (AK)
AC: Philippe Lemaître, 2-0, 2.87ERA, 21Ks (TR) x2

2108 Season Standings:

2108 Stat Leaders:

Batting Average
PC: GAL Katsumi Canio .349, BR Jake Herold .338, DAK Trevor Reardon .330
AC: FLA Adam Beyer .345, TR Christian Dubois .333, TR Tom Phelan .333
Home Runs
PC: BR Jake Herold 47, EUR Kyle Thompson 46, AST Antonio Garza 34 (first time Thompson doesn’t lead his conference)
AC: TR Hervé Barthélémy 47, ROM Jonathan Carrethers 42, TR Joe Delli Santi 39 (Carrethers shatters the rookie record that was set last year)
Runs Batted In
PC: BR Jake Herold 138, EUR Kyle Thompson 129, DAK José Zarate 112
AC: TR Joe Delli Santi 145, GER George Powers 120, TR Hervé Barthélémy 116
On-Base + Slugging %
PC: BR Jake Herold 1.078, DAK Trevor Reardon .937, EUR Kyle Thompson .934
AC: TR Hervé Barthélémy 1.040, GER George Powers 1.013, FLA Adam Beyer .973
Stolen Bases
PC: GAL Katsumi Canio 75, CHY Yekuno-Amlak Mshangama 56, GAL Melvin Navarrete 56
AC: HUR Jared Myers 63, TR Jon Buckley 61, ROM Jonathan Humphrey 58
Batter WAR
PC: GAL Katsumi Canio 8.5, BR Jake Herold 7.4, GAL Ian Brinley 7.1
AC: TR Hervé Barthélémy 7.8, TR Christian Dubois 7.4, GER George Powers 7.0

ERA
PC: GAL Nick Lambert 2.70, GAL Paolo Barreau 3.26, CHY Luis Hernández 3.37
AC: PLY Mike Kulbeth 2.78, HUR Marty Hodge 2.85, CHS Keith Badey 3.08
Wins
PC: GAL Nick Lambert 20, GAL Paolo Barreau 20, CHY Luis Hernández 19
AC: GER Vince Benbow 21, FLA Rafael Santa Cruz 19, PLY Mike Kulbeth 16
Strikeouts
PC: GAL Nick Lambert 233 (triple crown), DAK Fritz Bresson 225, GAL Nelson Encarnación 220
AC: PLY Mike Kulbeth 362 (record), FLA Leon López 288, FLA Cyrille Vincent 249
Saves
PC: GAL Greg Cone 39, BR Adam Gibson 33, CHY Mike Hilger 32
AC: GER Anton Latorre 43, HUR Ivan Ramírez 35, TR Dale Patterson 34
Pitcher WAR
PC: GAL Nick Lambert 7.1, DAK Fritz Bresson 6.8, AST Andrew Redepenning 6.5
AC: PLY Mike Kulbeth 12.2 (surprisingly not the record), FLA Leon López 8.4, FLA Cyrille Vincent 7.8

BDoof · 4/13/2024 5:15 pm

2108 Playoffs

Pacific Series
v
This is Galveston’s first official playoff appearance, however, if you remember in 2101 Galveston played Cheyenne in a game 163, which sort of is like a playoff game. This time they are heavy favorites. Not just because they won 14 more games, but Cheyenne is still dealing with major injuries. C Eric Titus and 2 starters (Jose Serrano and Chris Keon). But Cheyenne also has a lot more experience having been in this situation multiple times before. Limping into the playoffs before pulling magical upsets to get a ring. It’s almost a yearly tradition in the Rockies. Galveston won the season series but with a close 11-9 record, giving extra reason for a potential new Pacific rivalry.
Game 1: CHY Ahmed Mathis (12-9, 4.00) vs GAL Nick Lambert (20-7, 2.70)
In the Launch’s first ever real playoff game, they went off for 10 runs, thanks to home runs from Moran and Caron. While Lambert holds the Buffalo to only 1 run. Taking an easy 1-0 series lead.
CHY 1 - 10 GAL

Game 2: CHY Luis Hernández 19-10, 3.37) vs GAL Rich Platte (16-15, 4.48)
Galveston would take the lead early, but Cheyenne would claw back with a clutch 2 run inning in the 8th to tie the game. But a Jose Orozco 2-run go ahead home run would close out game 2 easily for Galveston.
CHY 3 - 5 GAL

Game 3: GAL Nelson Encarnación (16-14, 3.88) vs CHY Jeffrey Simon (19-12, 3.67)
Back in the rocky mountain air would prove to be what the doctor ordered for the Buffalo. As their offense would ‘explode’ (score more than 3 runs). While the veteran Simon would dominate, giving up only 5 hits in a complete game. Simon is easily the least talked about ace amongst all the great pitchers Cheyenne has had so far. He’s really only had 2 semi-major injuries but has pitched every season and in each of the Buffalo’s playoff appearances (while all their other stars were often too injured to play). A borderline hall of famer that truly deserves more praise.
GAL 1 - 7 CHY

Game 4: GAL Paolo Barreau (20-8, 3.26) vs CHY Mike Tijerina (3-2, 3.63)
A battle of rookies (well, Barreau isn’t a rookie but this is his first full season). Barreau has been touted as one of the top prospects ever since he joined the squad in 2101. While Tijerina was a supplemental round draft pick in 2106 and has been considered a top 30 prospect since. Naturally, these prospects would have a pitching duel. Both would only allow 2 runs through 8. But the Launch manager would make a gutsy decision letting Barreau stay out for the 9th, this would prove a bad decision as Hisato Horio would hit a lead-off triple and easily be scored 2 batters later by Meyer for a walk-off win to tie the series.
GAL 2 - 3 CHY

Game 5: GAL Nick Lambert (20-7, 2.70) vs CHY Ahmed Mathis (12-9, 4.00)
Mshangama would hit a 2-run home run in the first to set the stage. The Buffalo would use their classic small-ball techniques to score 2 more later on. While their bullpen would lock things down, making a 1 run ballgame feel insurmountable.
GAL 3 - 4 CHY

Game 6: CHY Luis Hernández 19-10, 3.37) vs GAL Rich Platte (16-15, 4.48)
Back in Texas with the series on the line. Outside of Brinley, none of the Launch players truly knew what to expect. While even the banged up Buffalo had done this multiple times before. Cheyenne would score 5 in the first 3, Galveston would eventually be able to pull in 1. But once McMurphy and Hilger came in, there was nothing they could do. Going hitless in the final 3 innings. Leaving the Buffalo to go back to the Championship Series to rematch the Harfang.
CHY 5 - 4 GAL. The Buffalo win the series 4-2, Dan Harbin wins MVP.

Atlantic Series
v
The more things change, the more things stay the same. Despite 5 teams being in playoff contention going into the last month, we end up with the same 2 that have faced each other in 4 of the 8 NABF seasons. Germantown won the first matchup, which was the only one that they had home field advantage. Which they have again this time. Will it be the difference maker? The Pretzels also won the season series 12-8, with George Powers absolutely lambashing them, with an 1.178OPS and 6 home runs in those 20 games. This doesn’t faze Harfang fans who continue to believe they own the Atlantic and especially the Pretzels, who have not been able to best them since 2101.
Game 1: TR Gary Hamilton (9-6, 3.81) vs GER Steven Dorsey (9-6, 3.38)
The game would be high scoring but quite close throughout. But a 5 run 5th inning from Trois would be insurmountable for the Pretzels who would lose game 1.
TR 8 - 6 GER

Game 2: TR Jorge Franco (15-13, 3.29) vs Vince Benbow (21-7, 3.88)
Franco would dominate for the entire game, Germantown would struggle to get anything going. But were only down 3 as Reed and Latorre would lock down the final 4 innings. In the 8th, Cooper would be on base with 2 outs. Then back-to-back-to-back singles from Ammann, Huseinovic, and Kurtz would score 2 before rookie pinch hitter Jimmy Tellman would launch a 2RBI double to score both pinch runners to take the late lead. Latorre would be out again (pitched the 8th) and would not give up a base runner in either inning to tie the series.
TR 3 - 4 GER

Game 3: GER Bernie Rosado (12-13, 3.95) vs TR Tim Jackson (15-12, 4.63)
A pitching duel, which was not expected of this matchup. Trois’ only runs would come from solo home runs from Delli Santi, Barthélémy, and Lemon. While Germantown were able to generate 2 runs off of Lamm’s 2 triples. But unfortunately that was all they could muster, as the Quebec squad takes the series lead.
GER 2 - 3 TR

Game 4: GER Sean Gentry (15-12, 5.05) vs TR Julio Sánchez (10-10, 5.12)
Another strange matchup that would turn into a pitching duel as no one could muster any traction throughout the game. All the runs would score on smart base running and small ball. It would end up being the Harfang would stand atop the close game.
GER 2 - 3 TR

Game 5: GER Steven Dorsey (9-6, 3.38) vs TR Gary Hamilton (9-6, 3.81)
Germantown felt the pressure early as Harfang fans were lined out the stadium and crowded the streets 5 blocks down. The team bus would take over an hour to wade through the fans. Quebec natives Mott and Powers were heckled and had to practice in the changing room as fans were throwing debris on them prior to the game. Once the game started things only got worse, as Dorsey would load the bases and walk in a run in each of the first 2 innings. Everything culminated in an absolutely crushing defeat for the Pretzels. Fans shouting “nous possédons l'Atlantique” (we own the Atlantic) was heard throughout the entire nation as the team would soon play in their 7th straight Championship Series.
GER 4 - 12 TR. The Harfang win the series 4-1, Barthélémy winning MVP.

Championship Series

v
A rematch of last season, and the 3rd time these 2 meet in the championship. With Trois winning both previous matchups. Both teams split the season series 3-3 and feature essentially the opposite teams. Cheyenne, amazing pitching and bullpen with a weak offense. Trois with a monster of an offense but a weak pitching core. Both teams have also dealt with injuries throughout the season. But the main story would not just be the rematch, but the chance of Trois having the first ever ‘three-peat’ in the championship. The entire continent would be cheering for Cheyenne, even their rivals in Dakota, Galveston, and Eureka chimed in for support. Every game will be sold out with people on the streets just to listen to the crack of the bat.
Game 1: CHY Jeffrey Simon (19-12, 3.67) vs TR Jorge Franco (15-13, 3.29)
Both teams would score 2 early. But both pitchers would lock it down from there. Simon would come back into the 8th, giving up a lead-off double and a single. Manager Roland Griffin would keep the veteran Simon in against Andy Rico, who has struggled the last few seasons. But Rico would come out on top with a 2-run double to give the Harfang the lead and lead to their game 1 win.
CHY 2 - 4 TR

Game 2: CHY Ahmed Mathis (12-9, 4.00) vs TR Gary Hamilton (9-6, 3.81)
Barthélémy and Nickolaus would hit solo home runs, while Cheyenne would use small-ball to tie the game in the 8th. In the 9th, Trois would bring in closer Dale Patterson, who would lock down the first 2 batters, but Kevin Meyer would hit a solo home run to give Buffalo the lead. Cheyenne’s Mike Hilger would come in and strike out 2 and ground out the final out to tie up the series.
CHY 3 - 2 TR

Game 3: TR Tim Jackson (15-12, 4.63) vs CHY Luis Hernández (19-10, 3.37)
AGame 3 would be a cold and windy night, with a feels like below freezing which would cause outcry from fans and media critiquing the decision to play the game as scheduled. Perhaps due to the cold, not much offense would get going. Trois would have to resort to the Buffalo strategy of small-ball, getting 2 stolen bases and sacrifice hits to score 2, while Cheyenne could only get 1.
TR 2 - 1 CHY

Game 4: TR Julio Sánchez (10-10, 5.12) vs CHY Mike Tijerina (3-2, 3.63)
Due to some of the complaints, Game 4 would be moved up to start at 5pm rather than the usual 7pm. It would also be a slightly warmer day, which was showcased by a 3-run 1st inning from Trois. Highlighted by home runs from Dubois and Delli Santi. Cheyenne would be scoreless until the 6th when Mshangama would hit a 2-run triple. In the 7th Dan Harbin would score off of good base running after an error after 1B Delli Santi would throw an erratic ball attempting a double play. The game would go into extras, both teams switching in their closers hoping to have a quick answer. Hilger would strike out the side in the top, while Juarez would get an early out before Fraser hitting a first pitch single. Romain Larcher (Eric Titus’ replacement) would rocket a single in the gap moving Fraser to third. 3B John Hunter would walk on a full count leaving the bases loaded. Up for the Buffalo would be Hisato Horio, who seems to always be up in the clutch counts. The stress would get to Dale Patterson and would throw 4 straight balls to walk in the winning run for the Buffalo to tie the series again. The fourth straight 1-run game in this series.
TR 5 - 4 CHY

Game 5: TR Jorge Franco (15-13, 3.29) vs CHY Jeffrey Simon (19-12, 3.67)
A close, extra-inning pitching duel would follow the previous close, extra-inning pitching duel. Except this time it would go 14 innings! The longest NABF playoff game. Both teams would have to go deep into their bullpen. Cheyenne would go from Simon, to Hilger, McMurphy, then Burford who combine for 7 Gervais awards. While Harfang would go from Franco to Juarez (a very underrated closer) but then have to rely on pitchers I have not actually heard of yet. Surprisingly both teams would lock down their opponents. Cheyenne’s bullpen went 6 innings with only 1 hit. While the Harfang would go 5 with only 2 hits. Unfortunately for the Harfang, one of those hits would be a solo home run by hometown hero, Kevin Meyer. The hit goes down as the biggest play in Cheyenne history-and one of the most famous hits in NABF history.
TR 1 - 2 CHY

Game 6: CHY Ahmed Mathis (12-9, 4.00) vs TR Gary Hamilton (9-6, 3.81)
A third extra inning game? Sure, why the hell not. This is clearly shaping up to be one of the greatest Championship Series of all time. Cheyenne’s Jon Magallanes would hit a 3-run homer in the first to give them one of their rare early leads in the series. Trois would be on the back foot-eventually being behind by 1 in the bottom of the 9th. Mike Hilger would be on the mound. It wouldn’t take long for Trois to tie the game as Barthélémy would hit a lead-off home-run to send the game into extras. The Buffalo offense would be held out in the top half. Hilger would be out again in the bottom half. Some small-ball would leave runners on the corners with 1 out. Barthélémy would be up to bat again. And he would do it again! A game tying homer in the 9th and a game winner in the 10th. No one could believe what they saw.
CHY 4 - 7 TR

Game 7: CHY Luis Hernández (19-10, 3.37) vs TR Tim Jackson (15-12, 4.63)
I’m at a loss for words for this series. Every game decided by 1-run or the final out, 3 straight extra innings, and multiple all-time moments. So how about some more? Cheyenne would score 2 in the 5th. Trois would take the lead after another Barthélémy home run. In the 9th the Buffalo would tie thanks to a Sheridan double. Now into extras for the 4th time in a row. Both teams would have several men stranded in scoring positions for 3 straight innings. It wasn’t until the 13th when someone finally scored. A man named Pelfrey who came on as a replacement for the aforementioned pinch hitting Sheridan, would hit an RBI game leading double to take the lead! Fraser would score 2 more on a double of his own. Giving reliever Burford a 3-run cushion for the bottom of the 13th. Almost immediately looked to be in jeopardy. Phelan and Buckley would both get singles. But some clutch groundouts from defensive replacements Louis and L’Amour would get it down to the final out. With catcher Josh Lemon to the plate. Lemon would ground a ball to second base for an easy out. The juggernauts have finally been dethroned! The Buffalo win an absolutely insane Championship Series. The commentators and all the home Harfang fans were left speechless. During the trophy ceremony, the Buffalo would bring out the injured Serrano, Titus, and Keon to each get a touch with the trophy as the Buffalo claim their 2nd title in team history.
CHY 6 - 3 TR. The Buffalo win the series 4-3, with Barthélémy winning MVP despite being on the losing end.

BDoof · 4/20/2024 4:15 pm

2109 Halifax and Durango expansion

Well, first I would like to announce that along with this expansion I will be updating several team nameplates prior to the next season. As well as a full on jersey update for all teams (while not featuring full concepts I will be making player nameplates similar to the Dubois one in the World Cup to help visualize them). Also will be changing Trois’ to reflect the French spelling of the city (i.e.. Trois-Rivières).

Now onto the new teams. First up the Halifax Voyageurs.

In this timeline Halifax never suffered the devastating 1917 explosion disaster. Meaning it has stayed as the premier port between the Americas and Europe. Even since the arctic trade route has opened it has stayed the primary port for ships prior to leaving for their voyage. Due to this influx of money, much of the Maritimes have experienced a sort of luxury feel they never got in the real world. The main attraction is outside of Halifax called Haliwood. Basically a whole industry based around independent filmmakers. While they mostly focus on smaller scale features, they rent out their facilities to anyone with the cash. Voyageurs owner, Jonathan Hultberg, was one of the founding members of the Halifax Cult Studios, which is the largest of these studios. Despite this success, Halifax, and the Maritimes in general are one of the smallest nations in the NABF but have one of the highest GDPs (tied for 4th with Louisiana, though have much less disparity than them).

Jerseys: Home jerseys are yellow with purple pinstripes and a purple hat. The roads also feature purple pinstripes on a classic gray uniform. Both feature a purple hat. They also have ‘cream’ colored alternates with thick purple trim harkening back to some 80s designs. This one features a yellow hat with some purple piping and trim along it. Quite a unique set, just like the national team.

Notable players received in the expansion draft:
LHP Steve Francen, the 41-year old has a career 3.29ERA and 125ERA+, but spent 2108 in the minors.
3B Andy Rico, the 34-year old has one of the worst contracts in the NABF. 3 more years with $190k each. He hasn’t been a full time starter in several seasons, but has continued to be a relatively average hitter.
OF Ernest Mott, once a top prospect, has been the 4th outfielder for the last 3 years with 2108 being his first season as a starter. Played average, but is still young.
C Ryan Croston, won the Deshayes award and had signed a 5 year extension with Galveston, but they still left him available.
3B Adam Moore, a big part of Astoria’s championship run a few years ago and was rewarded with a big extension… but hasn’t performed accordingly.
RHP Jose Guerrero, a knuckleballer who has been used as a starter and a closer in Cheyenne.
SS Eric Gilbo, a disaster offensively, but one of the best fielders and speed threats (when he can get on base)

And the second team, the Durango Escorpiones (scorpions). Mexico in this timeline had a similar but quite different outcome than in real life. After gaining independence from Spain, they attempted to be quite expansionistic, but failed horribly as they lost 2 civil wars to Texas and California (both of which gained independence). A few years later they allowed the Rocky Mountains to leave without a fight. This struggle culminated with England attempting a full-scale takeover in the mid-1800s. Which succeeded, but after only a decade the English decided they didn’t care anymore and gave them back their independence. However, many in the nation wanted more regional independence and after a vicious civil war split into 4 nations. This lasted about a century until Vicente Cervantes came to power in the southwest Pacifica nation. Cervantes realized the strategic position of Mexico and was able to rally enough support to reunify the southern states and eventually even got El Norte to rejoin in a fully reunified Mexican state. Once unified, he was able to construct a massive series of canals, rivers, and railroads to finally connect the Pacific and Atlantic (through the gulf). As without the backing of the US the Panama canal was never built. This propelled Mexico into a regional superpower. After Cervantes there was a horrible power struggle between Leo Hernández and Santiago Reyes, as Hernández wanted to reunify ALL of previous Mexican states (including California, Rocky Mountains, Texas, and much of Central America as well) while Reyes wanted to continue Cervantes’ “Friend of All Nations” strategy. Hernández’ northern coalition would be squashed in a quick combined effort of various North American nations and ever since Mexico has been one of the largest regional powers in North America. With Durango being the capital as it was Cervantes’ hometown and capital of the Pacifica nation. A bit of controversy also follows the Escorpiones. Often expansion teams will garner some local collegiate talent, just as Alaska, Rome, and Halifax have done. But Durango has also grabbed several high school talent through players who essentially dodged the draft. Namely pitchers Jon Pascual and Javy Alvarez, outfielder Nick Llamas, and catcher Marco Diez. The NABF says they are looking into the situation and some experts are saying they could be fined with the potential of losing a draft pick.

Jerseys: home whites with teal sleeves and orange piping. Roads are teal with orange piping and gray pants. Alternates are similar but in orange. All feature teal hats with an orange brim.

Notable players selected in the expansion draft:
RHP Bernie Rosado. Has been at the top of Germantown’s rotation for the past 6 seasons. In which he posted a 116ERA+. Rosado has 1 year + 1 more option. He is mostly known as an inning eater.
SS Tom Helms, was the Flamingos starter for 4 years before being waived to Trois as a back-up infielder for 2108. Still has several years of control.
RHP Oscar Noriega, once a top 10 prospect but has taken more years to develop than expected, though still surprising Florida left him unprotected.
IF Justin Driscoll, has been an odd man out in Baton Rouge despite high potential early on. Still has 2 years of control.
RHP Bill Van Auken, an above average reliever throughout a long year (also was released and re-signed by Germantown 10 times last season despite never pitching for them)
RHP Jose Serrano, easily the biggest name left unprotected. While Serrano has been elite, he cannot stay healthy, with only 2 seasons above 150 innings and none over 182 innings. He also will miss several months next season.

Last edited by BDoof (4/20/2024 5:44 pm)

BDoof · 4/20/2024 6:08 pm

2108 Off-Season Summary

I’ve also introduced a Rule 5 Draft, though I will likely not highlight it during the off-season summary.

Awards:

Jean Frey Awards (silver slugger equivalent)
Pacific:
C EUR Ismael Méndez, .298/.371/.419, 9HRs, 121wRC+
1B BR Jake Herold, .338/.417/.662, 47HRs, 138RBIs, 3rd in career
2B GAL Ian Brinley, .299/.412/.492, 22HRs, 105RBIs, 4th in career
3B BR Jayden Royal, .300/.366/.442, 14HRs, 25SBs, 123wRC+, 2nd consecutive
SS AK Leland Abbott, .259/.334/.335, 21SBs, 86wRC+
LF DAK Trevor Reardon, .330/.444/.492, 39SBs, 135Runs, 158wRC+, 4th in career
CF GAL Katsumi Canio, .349/.389/.480, 75SBs, 139wRC+, 7th consecutive
RF BR Ben Black, .309/.378/.444, 12HRs, 48SBs, 124wRC+
DH AK Paul Butler, .287/.399/.467, 24HRs, 135wRC+, 3rd in career

Atlantic:
C GER Bernward Kurtz, .266/.370/.462, 14HRs, 124wRC+, 2nd in career
1B FLA Oscar Morales, .306/.408/.530, 29HRs, 112RBIs, 2nd in career
2B HUR Fernando Criado, .295/.401/.488, 20HRs, 146wRC+, 3rd in career
3B TR Christian Dubois, .333/.403/.498, 21HRs, 23SBs, 140wRC+, 2nd consecutive
SS HUR Mike McClary, .296/.360/.394, 24SBs, 109wRC+, 6th in career, 3rd consecutive
LF TR Hervé Barthélémy, .297/.411/.629, 47HRs, 116RBIs, 7th in career, 2nd consecutive
CF PLY Jonathan Parsons, .291/.372/.393, 44SBs, 112wRC+
RF FLA Adam Beyer, .345/.432/.542, 15HRs, 164wRC+, 2nd consecutive
DH GER George Powers, .309/.426/.587, 38HRs, 120RBI, 4th in career

Laurent Gervais Award (reliever award)
Pacific: GAL Greg Cone, 39 of 43 Saves, 1.57ERA, 10.4K/9, 271ERA+, 11 first place votes
CHY Mike Hilger, 32 of 36 Saves, 1.85ERA, 13.1K/9, 230ERA+, 2 first place votes
DAK Pat Dow, 29 of 33 Saves, 2.38ERA, 13.4K/9, 179ERA+, 3 first place votes

Atlantic: GER Anton Latorre, 43 of 45 Saves, 0.86ERA, 17.1K/9, 489ERA+, Unanimous, 4th Gervais of career

Dimitri Deshayes Awards (gold glove equivalent)
Pacific
P Bobby Brooks DAK
C Ryan Croston GAL
1B Bob Heath AST
2B Patrick Moreau BR
3B Jayden Royal BR 4th consecutive
SS Dean Monahan CHY 5th consecutive
LF Joseph Wallace BR 2nd in career
CF Katsumi Canio GAL 8th consecutive
RF Yekuna-Amlak Mshangama CHY 2nd consecutive

Atlantic:
P Bernie Rosado GER 3rd consecutive
C Bernward Kurtz GER 3rd consecutive
1B Ray Tolbert ROM 4th in career
2B Jason Martin FLA 4th consecutive
3B Christian Dubois TR 3rd in career
SS Douggie Clarke CHS 4th consecutive
LF Aaron Ruggiero CHS 4th consecutive
CF Gary Urbanczyk CHS 6th in career
RF Jeremy Cooper GER 3rd consecutive

Raul Hernandez Award (platinum glove award)
Pacific: CHY SS Dean Monahan, 5th consecutive award, still the only player to win multiple
Atlantic: TR C Josh Lemon, first catcher to win the award

Pedro Castaneda Award (rookie award)
Pacific: EUR Orlando Lazzarini, .344/.406/.467, 141OPS+ in 72 games, 15 first place votes
DAK Scott Szczur, 16-11, 4.06ERA, 175Ks, 105ERA+, 1 first place vote

Atlantic: PLY Masashi Miyahara, .271/.320/.371, 17SBs, 90OPS+, 9 first place votes
TR Philippe Lemaître, 10-2, 2.66ERA, 125 innings, 76Ks, 161ERA+, 7 first place votes

Matt Taylor Award (pitcher award)
Pacific:
1 GAL Nick Lambert, 20-7, 2.70ERA, 233Ks, 1.08WHIP, 157ERA+, triple crown, unanimous
2 DAK Fritz Bresson, 18-8, 3.46ERA, 225Ks, 1.31WHIP, 123ERA+
3 GAL Paolo Barreau, 20-8, 3.26ERA, 188Ks, 1.11WHIP, 130ERA+

Atlantic:
1 PLY Mike Kulbeth, 16-13, 2.78ERA, 362Ks (record), 0.97WHIP, 11.3K/BB, 153ERA+, 12.2WAR, 11 first place votes
2 GER Anton Latorre, 43 of 45 Saves, 0.86ERA, 17.1K/9, 489ERA+, won Gervais award, 5 first place votes
3 FLA Leon López, 16-11, 3.27ERA, 288Ks, 1.17WHIP, 131ERA+

Willie Baxter Award (hitter award)
Pacific:
1 BR Jake Herold, .338/.417/.662, 47HRs, 114Runs, 138RBIs, 195OPS+, 7.4WAR, 8 first place votes, 2nd in career, won the 2101 Baxter
2 GAL Katsumi Canio, .349/.389/.480, 114Runs, 222Hits, 75SBs, 139OPS+, 8.5WAR, 8 first place votes
3 GAL Ian Brinley, .299/.412/.492, 105RBI, 22HRs, 150OPS+, 7.1WAR
(1 point separated Herold and Canio)

Atlantic:
1 TR Hervé Barthélémy, .297/.411/.629, 47HRs, 113Runs, 116RBIs, 183OPS+, 7.8WAR, 12 first place votes, 2nd in career, won the 2103 Baxter
2 TR Christian Dubois, .333/.403/.498, 126Runs, 210Hits, 21HRs, 23SBs, 147OPS+, 7.4WAR, 4 first place votes
3 GER George Powers, .309/.426/.587, 38HRs, 114Runs, 120RBIs, 180OPS+, 7.0WAR

2108 Rookie Draft: (only first round)

1st Overall, Rome Gladiators select SS Nikolaus Wallauer, from Susquehanna out of high school. Scout Grade of 65.
2nd Overall, Alaska Avalanche select RHP Bryen Beckstrom, from Arctic Circle out of college.
3rd Overall, Chesapeake Admirals select CF Jake Rogers, from Virginia out of college. Scout Grade of 60.
4th Overall, Astoria Osprey select RHP Jeremy Miron, from The Dakotas out of college. Scout Grade of 60.
5th Overall, Baton Rouge Cajuns select SS Mennac Shamakani, from Georgia out of college. Scout Grade of 60.
6th Overall, Eureka Redwoods select LHP Ben Ford, from Great Lakes out of college. Scout Grade of 55.
7th Overall, Huron Gryphons select C Charlie Baldwin, from Maritimes out of high school. Scout Grade of 55.
8th Overall, Florida Flamingos select C Greg Llyod, from Quebec out of college. Scout Grade of 55.
9th Overall, Plymouth Pilgrims select CF Pete Ranes, from Louisiana out of college. Scout Grade of 50.
10th Overall, Dakota Eagles select RF Nicolas Gérard, from Quebec out of college. Scout Grade of 45.
11th Overall, Cheyenne Buffalo select UT Jason Weissman, from Rocky Mountains out of college. Scout Grade of 50.
12th Overall, Harfang de Trois-Rivières select SS Njoroge Holway, from Gabon/Georgia, out of college. Scout Grade of 45.
13th Overall, Germantown Pretzels select OF Phil Propst from Rocky Mountains out of college. Scout Grade of 50.
14th Overall, Galveston Launch select IF Ben Medina from Texas out of high school. Scout Grade of 50.
15th Overall, Escorpiones de Durango select RHP Scott Craig, from Maritimes out of high school. Scout Grade of 60.
16th Overall, Halifax Voyageurs select SS Billy Griffin from Rocky Mountains out of college. Scout Grade of 50.

2108 International Rookie Signings: (just top 7)
1B Conceição Arruda, from Brazil. Scout Grade of 60. Signs with Trois-Rivières
OF Juan Balladares, from Cuba. Scout Grade of 55. Signs with Cheyenne
C Luis Aguilera, from Dominican Republic. Scout Grade of 50. Signs with Alaska
C Kazunori Hirabayashi, from Japan. Scout Grade of 50. Signs with Plymouth
SS Eddie Martínez, from Cuba. Scout Grade of 50. Signs with Cheyenne
SS Jose Sánchez, from Colombia. Scout Grade of 50. Signs with Cheyenne
1B Xiao-yan Hsieh, from Taiwan. Scout Grade of 50. Signs with Durango

Roster Moves:
"Short List" of biggest FAs: RF Ben Black, SP Matt Kenney, and LF Trevor Reardon.

Losses: none of importance
Trades ace LHP Josh Newcomer to Germantown for #70 prospect IF Mark Murphy and unranked RHP T.J. Stevenson. Newcomer had struggled since he came to Alaska 3 seasons ago.

Biggest news in Alaska was that they would be getting a new owner already. They were bought out by Bill Murray, who was the potential owner attempting to lure a team to Juneau. Murray is one of the co-owners of the main BioSphere company, simply called BioSphere. He is known for his vast money and being extremely harsh and impatient. However, his first change (being the Newcomer trade) I say really wasn’t that bad. The team was going nowhere and they got Mark Murphy who is part of the new prototype infielder that is dominating the minor leagues. Plus a great draft with 2 good prospects acquired including 2 domestic pitchers. Still a long way to go for the Avs.

Losses: SP Jose Orozco 3.7, SP Ricky McDonald 2.4
Extends OF David Westfall, 4 years with AAV of $56k. Westfall has shown flashes but hasn’t put it all together yet.
Extends OF Dave Sharpes, 3 years with AAV of $137k. Sharpes has had a great last 2 seasons and this buys out 2 years of free agency.
Trades reliever Tyler D’Orio to Germantown for prospects RHP Eddie Castillo, RHP Manny Heredia, and OF Joey Keller, all unranked.

Not a lot to say, Asstoria is in full swing.

Losses: RF Ben Black 4.3, RP Jason Walker 0.9
Extended OF Joseph Wallace, 3 years with AAV of $168k. Wallace is a big part of the young core they built and has been the most consistent player out of them.
Extended 3B Jayden Royal, 1 year $190k. While it’s only 1 year, it shows that both are talking and may sign long term.

They saved at least 1 of their big 3 and are holding out hope for a big extension with Royal next year. What they really need is pitching, but this was a pretty lackluster pitching market this year.

Losses: none of importance

This season was so utterly disappointing there aren’t even words. Good news is it was mostly injuries and the team is still extremely young and likely can turn around… not sure if a full runback is the right call though.

Losses: LF Hisato Horio 1.0 and RHP Jose Serrano (did not play last season, 3.1WAR in 2107)
Extends SP Luis Hernández, 4 years with AAV of $90k. After a horrible start to his career, the 34-year old broke out with his best season yet.
Extends RF Yekuno-Amlak Mshangama, 5 years with AAV of $257k. The Zambian has been quite the surprise since getting a starting job as he wasn’t a highly touted prospect. But has put up some incredible seasons, posting a 122OPS+ with 2 Frey and Deshayes awards.
Signs RHP Matt Kenney, 4 years with AAV of $198k. Former 2nd overall pick, was rushed to the majors by Plymouth and struggled mightily, but over the last 2 seasons has seemingly put things together.
Extends RHP Jeffrey Simon, 4 years with AAV of $222k. Simon has been the rock in Cheyenne rotation for 8 years. 122-71 record, 3.26ERA, and 127ERA+ and likely a Buffalo for life.

Best pitcher on the market and extended several players? Another dub for the champions.

Losses: LF Trevor Reardon 6.6, IF Jose Zarate 4.4, C Mike Wautlet 1.0
Re-signs LF Trevor Reardon, 4 years with AAV of $236k. It just wouldn’t look right to see him anywhere else (though he did play the inaugural season with Huron). Currently leads the NABF in career stolen bases.
Trades IF Carlos Dominguez to Rome for 1B Ray Tolbert. Tolbert is 12 years older than Dominguez and only has 1 year of control compared to 3.

The Tolbert trade is strange since they’re supposed to be in a rebuild yet they trade for a 38-year old veteran who only has 1 year left? Veteran Larry Adair also decided not to retire, despite the huge push the team did last season. However, Adair has not been signed to any team yet.

No notable free agent signings.

Losses: CF Ryan Lowery 1.9, RP Rogelio Victoria 0.7
Trades SS Jamie Tipton to Galveston for prospects OF Jim Rivers and RHP Julio Gonzalez, both unranked.

Tipton makes room for McClean at short… but he’s just a few years younger, really don’t see a big difference there. They did suffer from many injuries last year so they are hoping for an easy runback. With extended playoffs it should be easier as well.

Losses: 1B Tyler Hammerich 1.3, CF Savion Jones 0.9

Hammerich was one of my favorite lowkey players, sucks that he is still unsigned. Many reporters in Florida say the team is waiting for 3B Royal in next year's Free Agency.

Losses: C Ryan Croston 3.0, CL Greg Cone 2.7, SS Eric Gilbo 2.5, SP Brian Van Winkle 1.8
Extends C Ryan Croston, 5 years with AAV of $112k. Croston won the starting job in Galveston shortly after arriving last season and put up his best season. 108OPS+ while being great defensively. Should be a good return on investment for the Launch. Except they left him unprotected in the expansion draft and he was selected by Halifax.
Extends SP Paolo Barreau, 6 years with AAV of $130k. Had a breakout year and is looking to be a true ace, buys out 3 years of free agency.
Extends 2B Josh Peppers, 4 years with AAV of $80k. While not a house-hold name, Peppers has had an OPS over 100 in 3 of his first 4 seasons.
Trades for SS Jamie Tipton from Eureka for 2 unranked prospects. Tipton has 1 year left on his contract.
Re-signs RHP Brian Van Winkle, 3 years with AAV of $162k. While hasn’t always been sunny in Texas, the Texan did put together a solid 2108.

They nearly lost both Croston and Peppers in the expansion draft despite extending them. I have no idea what they are thinking anymore. The Barreau signing is a huge discount, I doubt Lambert will go for that cheap. They finally tasted some success and are likely to continue that success for several seasons.

Losses: SP Bernie Rosado 3.6, SP Vince Benbow 2.2, OF Ernest Mott 1.4, RP Nick Hartle 0.9
Trades 3 unranked prospects to Astoria for reliever Tyler D’Orio. D’Orio only has 1 year guaranteed left on his contract.
Trades #70 prospects IF Mark Murphy and unranked RHP T.J. Stevenson to Alaska for LHP Josh Newcomer. Newcomer has 2 more years on his contract and has a 124ERA+ in his career.
Extends OF/DH George Powers, 5 years with AAV of $280k. Has been the face of the Pretzels franchise since the beginning. Still in the middle of his prime.

Newcomer becomes their new ace. Losing Mott sucks but they needed space in the outfield. They also signed a bunch of more relievers on top of the D’Orio trade. Definitely surprising that they’d let Rosado and Mott both be taken, but so far their GM hasn’t been wrong.

Signs CL Roberto Cruz out of Cuba from the Caribbean League to a 3 years $80k offer.
Signs 1B Rodolfo Valentín from Guatemala. The 31-year old posted a 135OPS+ in the South American League last season.

Personally I like the team that Halifax built, I know they will suck but still with many underrated and overlooked players

Losses: RF Tom Mackey 1.0
Extends RF Jeremy Richey, 5 years with AAV of $72k. While it only voids 2 years of free agency, Richey has shown great promise already.

This must be the year of the runback. Granted it was a relatively small free agent class.

Losses: SP Matt Kenney 5.0

Year of the runback. Many experts were saying they would be fine with Kenney due to the prospects of Tim Troke and Dan Richard having great, but short, seasons last year. But Richard has already been ruled out of all of 2109

Losses: CF Jonathan Humphrey 2.9, 3B Chris Bachert 2.5, 2B Juan Torres 2.1, RP Benjamin Platt 0.7
Extended SS Kyle Belew, 8 years with AAV of $94k. A huge deal, buys out several years of free agency for quite cheap. If Belew develops as he should this could go down as one of Rome’s best signings.
Trades 1B Ray Tolbert to Dakota for 2B Carlos Dominguez. Dominguez is 12 years younger and has 2 more years of control, a great trade for Rome.
Signs RF Ben Black, 6 years with AAV of $214k. While he is a Georgia native, I actually was not expecting him to sign here. Is considered the biggest free agent this year.

This may be a bit presumptuous. But if all things work out they will have an infield of Carrethers, Belew, Sparrowhawk, and Wallauer. Plus Black and Kilbarger in the outfield. Granted Sparrowhawk and Wallauer need another season or two to marinate in the minors. But the Belew contract guarantees he will be around until then. That could easily turn into the greatest infield of all time if they fully develop. If only they could actually acquire some pitching.

Losses: SP Danny Avila 1.0, RP Angelo Juarez 0.9
Extends 2-way Gary Hamilton, 5 years with AAV of $104k. So far as a 2-way he’s been quite iffy. He’s at least an above average pitcher and has shown signs of being great offensively, just hasn’t put them both together.

I’m not even going to doubt Trois’ management. 8 straight playoffs, 7 straight Championship appearances, just played in the greatest Championship Series of all time, signed the biggest International Rookie, and have won 7 of the 8 Baxter awards. They still look poised to continue their hot streak for many years.

Retirements

Last edited by BDoof (4/20/2024 7:25 pm)

Index
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» North American Baseball Federation 2: 2104 Season/Playoffs

3/30/2024 1:18 pm #41

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4/13/2024 5:15 pm #42

Re: North American Baseball Federation 2: 2104 Season/Playoffs

4/20/2024 4:15 pm #43

Re: North American Baseball Federation 2: 2104 Season/Playoffs

4/20/2024 6:08 pm #44

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