2013 Offseason

After another winning year, but missing the playoffs once again, we find ourselves in December and smack-dab in the middle of the off season.  Free agents have declared, arbitration has run it's course, the Rule V draft is upon us and we will break down the players who have moved on, trades and players acquired since the end of the season.


Players Lost:


C Jorge Lozano: After posting the 2nd best VORP of 50.8 ever as a member of the D-Bags, the soon-to-be 33 year old bolted for free agency.  Statistically the best season of his long career, the backstop is looking for that last big payday by hitting the open market.  Rumors have it he is looking for a 4+ year deal worth around 18 million a season.  Jersey would like to thank Jorge his 2.5 years of service and wish him luck in his search.  Jorge is a Type A free agent and Jersey would receive 2 draft picks if a team were to sign him.


SP Jose Brito:  Ace of the staff from 2013 Jose Brito pitched the best season as a full time starter in his career this past year.  Accumulating 16 wins and 178 strikeouts this 29 year old also hit free agency.  With starting pitching in high demand, bidding for his services looks to be high as he looks for a long term deal.  Brito will be missed with the D-Bags sit with a undetermined rotation as this point.  Brito, like Lozano, is also a Type-A type free agent, which will bring the D-Bags 2 draft picks if signed.


SP Hector Hernandez:  Jersey says goodbye to Hector to after just less than a season and a half in a D-Bags uniform.  Hernandez turned 32 just this past month, had a 17-16 record in his 43 starts in Jersey.  Rumors have it he also would like a lengthy contract and he also carries a type-A player tag on him with Lozano and Brito.


2B Fred Ross:  After early season injuries set him back he was regulated to AAA.  He was promoted to the big league club, but his AB's were all but taken by the progressions of prospects Antonio Ruiz and Matt Bryant.  All-in-all he was a glorified bench player in both places and saw very little AB's.  Instead of paying him arbitration the D-Bags cut him loose and let him try to find a place on another roster in free agency.

Lozano                  Brito                  Hernandez  

Trades:
Though some major moves have been discussed and may still be in the works or on the back burner, Jersey has made a few trades up to this point.


SP Carlos Garza to Vista for SP Daniel Felix:  Garza has been with the organization since the inaugural draft in 2010.  The 25 year old won 14 games in AAA and all signs point to him fighting for a shot in the Vista rotation.  In Return coming to Jersey is 19 year old Daniel Felix.  In one year of A ball, Felix posted a respectable 3.13 ERA while striking out 196 in 201 innings.  Though far off from the big club, Jersey sees his ceiling as a #3-4 starter.


RF Michael Paul, SS Jesus Diaz, LF Daniel Guerrero to Reno for SP Kenny Stanford.  After having a huge year in LA, the 2 years Paul spent in Jersey were nothing to be desired.  Instead of paying him 4.5 plus million in arb, Paul was the main piece sent to Reno.  Going with him is all around utility man Jesus Diaz, who is 24.  He doesn't handle the stick great, but has speed, plays every infield position and would make a handy bench player with a team with room.  Also going is 18 year old Daniel Guerrero, a young speedy OF with minimal power. Coming to Jersey is SP Kenny Stanford.  Stanford could be considered an innings eater, who posted an ERA of 4.92 last year. He would slide into the #4 spot in the rotation and has one year of arbitration left.


CF Bill Welshman to Indianapolis for CL Angel Pena:  Though Welshman started out great last season, his K's and injuries again bit him to bring him down.  He has tremendous speed and gold glove caliber defense, but at 27 the D-Bags gave up on this project who will hit free agency next season.  Coming to Jersey is 23 year old AA closer Angel Pena.  Pena was drafted in the 2nd round of 2012's amateur draft  out of the University of Connecticut.  In his first full season in AA he thrived, converting 41 of 44 saves, posting an ERA of 1.16, a WHIP of 0.99 and striking out 74 in 71 innings.

Stanford                     Felix                     Pena  

Free Agency and Rule V:
With the Rule V draft happening Monday night, it is uncertain if Jersey will draft or stands to lose anyone in this draft.  Going in, Jersey has 37 of 40 players on their 40 man roster, leaving room if a player or players are to be drafted.  


As for free agency, a first look over the D-Bags financials show not a lot of money if any is available at this point.  Rumors have it that Jersey is trying to slash some payroll to make room for a free agent of two but that hasn't been seen yet.  


Stayed tuned for more off season dealings, rumors and moves!


GO D-BAGS!

Jersey Shore - September 2013

September was a do or die month for the D-Bags.  They entered the month down 5 games and needed a great Sept to have a sniff at the playoffs, or so they thought.  After their best month of the season going 17-9, they ended up a staggering 8 games out of the division when it was all said and done.  Greenville hit their stride at the right time went 20-7 for the month and ran away with the division.


Players of the Month
With the team playing so well it was hard to choose just a couple of players for POTM, but here they are:


Mike "Coffin" Bryant: 9 HR, 27 RBI, .375/.425/.702. 25R. After displaying some power during the summer, we finally saw the top prospect and former first round pick break out.  He homered once every 10.5 AB, drove in 27 runs in 25 games and killed opposing pitching.  Hate to pre-mature call him a star, but it seems he is destined for big things in this league.


Milliard Cross: 5 HR, 20 RBI, .433/.520/.750.   What happened to Cross after July?  He more than doubled his HR and RBI and hit 400 over the past 2 months of the season.  He went from guy who played when someone needed a rest to starter.  By far the best month of his career


Scott Powers: 5 XBH, 19 RBI, 15 BB, .340/.427/.436, 6 SB.  After stepping his game in August, it was September that really showed why Jersey dealt the talent they did for Powers.  He was an on base machine hitting leadoff, getting on base at a .420 clip.  Look for this not to be his last time in the POTM column.


SP Hector Hernandez: 3-2, 2.12 ERA.  Hernandez's best month of the season.  4 of 5 Quality starts and one of his losses came in a great performance where he gave up 1 ER.  Hernandez is a pending FA, so this might be the last time he graces the POTM.


MR Jose Gomes: 1 Save, 13.2 IP, 21 K, 1.42 ERA, .55 WHIP.  Gomes was nearly unbelievable in September, and ask any Jersey fan and you will hear, "About time!"  After a season in which Gomes struggled  , for him, he put up his finest month by far.  One bad inning he gave up 3 of his 7 baserunners all month long.  Under the radar, the D-Bags signed Gomes to a 5 year deal.


MR Jamie "Mungo" Saenz:   1 Save, 13.2 IP, 16 K, 1.32 ERA, 1.02 WHIP.  Much like Gomes, Saenz was dominate in the late innings.  The month completed his best season so far and helped the D-Bags hold the lead in many of their winnings during September.


Roster Changes, Questions and Answers
We didn't see too many changes to the roster this month.  Sergio Rodriguez, Joe Hernandez, Edgardo Gonzalez all got a hand full of AB's during September and all showed promise. All 3 have a shot at making the active roster next season.  

Being in end of the season we will likely see a lot of change to the roster.  Several big names players have yet to sign a contract extension which would make them FA's in just weeks time.  These players include SP Jose Brito, SP Hector Hernandez and C Jorge Lozano.  Lozano had a career year and as much as everyone in Jersey would love to see him stay, he is 32 and wants a big contract and rumors have it Jersey doesn't have the money.  The same goes for Brito who was very solid this year and the loss of both Brito and Hernandez would put a big dent in the Jersey rotation.


Speculating into the future, Lozano's role can be filled by Mario Ramirez  who tore up AAA pitching this year and has shown he can hold his own against ML pitching.  The SP isn't so easy projected.  Greg Shaefer was having a good year before going down with an injury, he would be slotted to join the rotation and you have to think another SP would come via trade or free agency.  Unless there are some big moves there seem to be starters slotted at every position, which can never be considered a problem.  


The D-Bags fell 1 win short of their 2nd straight 90 season, but yet finished with their 4th straight winning season.  Maybe next year will be Jersey's first trip to the playoffs, only time will tell.  For now look forward to any moves Jersey makes during the off-season!


GO D-BAGS