Jersey Active at Deadline; Makes 2 Trades

Mixed in with a whirlwind of deadline trades, the Jersey Shore D-Bags were active and finished deals with both the Baffin Island Beavers and the Chicago Machine.  Not that it comes at a surprise, but GM Josh Swain isn't known throughout the BSA community for his wheeling and dealing.

The biggest name brought in is 3 time Gold Glover and and former All Star, Catcher Bryan Sandstrom.  The California born and longtime Maui Tropic, comes over from Chicago where he spend the last 3.5 seasons after signing a 5 year deal in the winter of 2019.  At 35 years old, Sandstrom doesn't seem to be slowing down and was having the best year he has had at the plate since coming to Chicago, while still posting a positive WAR behind the plate and throwing out near 40% runners trying to steal on him.  He definitely adds to the Jersey Shore catching situation which has mainly featured 2nd year player Owen Carter as their starter.  As a rookie Carter split time with now departed Fernando Ramos, but now with Ramos gone and Carter given the full time duties his numbers have dropped across the board.  Jersey is hoping they can find a medium between Sandstrom and Carter, though both seem to prefer hitting against left-handed pitching.  Either way Sandstrom should provide a boost for Jersey on both sides of the ball.

Departing to Chicago is a pair of players, the first most notably is 3B Fabrice Brodeur.  Brodeur, a former Jersey Shore 1st round pick, turned 30 years old this past offseason and has another year left on his contract.  He did win the Gold Glove at third base last year and where he had primarily played this year as well.  What helped make him available was the acquisition of Gerardo Escobedo in the offseason as well as the emergence of rookie Ricardo Gonzalez.  Brodeur should slide right into Chicago's lineup.  Also going to Chicago is 22 year old CF Adrian Prouse.  Prouse was discovered by Jersey scouts in Australia during the 2018 season and is spending his 7th season in the minor leagues.  Once heralded a Top 100 prospect, Prouse has speed and plus power and projects as a corner OF.  If his 2022 numbers in AA have anything to say about his future, he might be a good one.  He finished the season hitting .286/.414/.521 with 29 HR and 89 RBI.

Jersey Shore also shipped off 22 year old AAA starting pitcher Jose Bamuelos to Baffin Island for a trio of players.  Bamuelos was originally drafted by San Francisco in 2016 in the 3rd round but failed to sign.  Jersey signed him as a free agent after he went undrafted the following season.  He spent parts of 4 seasons in A ball, before being promoted in 2022 where he would go 14-10 with a 4.80 ERA last season.   This year he is 7-7 in 24 starts while maintaining 10 K/9, but finding control will be make or break for him.

Coming to Jersey were the following 3 players: 2B Orlando Bruno, RF Pat Zimmerman and RF Mark Wells.  Bruno was drafted in the supplemental first round and 38th overall by Baffin in 2020 and has played in the majors in every season since.  He is a plus contact hitter with above average defense and blazing speed.  It's unknown if he will join Jersey or head to Tuscaloosa after struggling with the bat so far this year.

Pat Zimmerman was originally drafted by the Orlando Calrissian in the 6th round of the same 2020 draft and spent 3 years in their minor league system before being traded to Baffin Island just last month in exchange for catcher Yaichiro Sugahara.  Zimmerman also has blazing speed with above contact and decent gap power as well as raw power potential.  He profiles to be an average fielder at best, but his bat should carry him.

Mark Wells was originally selected by the Calrissian in the 2020 draft but he failed to sign and headed to college where he could play one year at Oklahoma before becoming a 2nd round selection and 50th overall pick by the Madison Bombers in the 2021 draft.  He would spend the entire 2022 season playing for Madison's A ball affiliate where he played decent.  In a surprise move Wells made the Madison roster this past Spring and has started 79 games for the Bombers this year with less than desired results.  His .211/.269/.374 line with 8 HR and 31 RBI to go with a historically bad -24.9 ZR has produced a -3.0 WAR this year.  Jersey Shore will send him to AA Gainesville where hopefully he can regain his stroke and improve on his fielding.  Overall though, Jersey receives 3 players who all project to have MLB potential for Bamuelos.

Though some blockbuster trades were discussed, not a whole lot will change for Jersey Shore.  Look for Sandstrom to be in the Jersey Shore starting lineup this week. Rumors have it that he will wear number 26.

GO D-BAGS  

Dodd Clubs HR # 300; Joins Elite Group

At age 29, Dave Dodd has a lot of accolades already to his name.  He is a 4-time All Star, 3-time Gold Glover, 2 time MVP and a Triple Crown Winner.  He has also played in 2 World Series and has 3, 20+ game hit streaks to his name.  On July 20th in St. Louis he added his name to a list only 16 names long as he joined the 300 HR club.  He is the youngest member by 3 years and 200 days, next to Manny Copriviza who sits with 412 HR.  He teammate and the only person he is behind on the Jersey Shore HR list, Mike Bryant, hit his 300th, 3 weeks after his 33rd birthday.  That just shows where he is ranks all time, and it's looking pretty good.

His 300th HR came on a warm down in St. Louis in a game that Jersey would eventually lose 7-6.  2nd year flame thrower John Allan had just taken the mound after Mike Bryant's solo HR off of Dae-hyun Mae sent him to the showers.  Dodd met Allan's fastball with a deep blast to straight away CF which easily cleared the 10 foot wall, 405 feet away from home plate.  The shot was estimated at 431 feet and for a short while gave the D-Bags a tie with St. Louis at 6 apiece.  To go with Dodd's 300th HR, he is rapidly approaching 1500 hits and 1000 RBI, both which should be reached next season and probably before his 30th birthday.

Dodd, who signed a 4 year contract in 2019, has his contract expire next year and if anyone had to guess it will probably be one of the richest the BSA has ever seen, at least from a positional player.  With Mike Bryant's 26M dollar option next year is the last on his contract, there should be money to keep Dodd in Jersey Shore, but regardless he is on pace to be one of the best sluggers the BSA has ever seen.