Tag: Clete Boyer

TWIWBL 24.12: Mid-Season Reviews – Miami Cuban Giants

On March 11, 2022

Summary

Miami is probably the worst team in the league. Not much else to say.

What’s Gone Right

José Can You See. José Canseco has been their best player … even with a SLG just under .500.

The Starters. Actually, the Cuban Giants rotation has been decent, especially up front with Camilo Pascual and Tommy Bridges. Add in the surprising performances from Roenis Elías and José Méndez, and there are some reasons for optimism if they could just score some runs.

The Callups. In addition to Elias, Marcelino López has been strong on the hill, and both C Alan Ashby and IF Gary Sheffield have made an impact. Add to that 2B Pete Runnels, picked up off the waiver wire, and the team has done well adding parts throughout the first half.

What’s Gone Wrong

The Offense. Canseco is the only regular with an OPS over .800. That just hurts.

1B/3B/DH. The trio of Will Clark, Manny Machado, and Jim Thome were supposed to provide heart-of-the-order threats for Miami. Instead–despite combining for a respectable 31 homeruns–that trio has struggled to do much else offensively, with OPS within 30 points of .700.

Injuries. Talk about a team that can’t really handle them. Martín Dihigo, Rube Waddell, Ramón Martínez, Carlos Morán and Paul Molitor (plus some others) have all spent significant time on the DL.

Key Storylines

The question is how much they can sell off.

Trading Outlook

SELLING.

And likely to be in the same mode for a few years. This organization needs talent, top to bottom.

There are some useful parts here: on the mound, Clay Condrey, Don Newcombe, and especially Bridges and Waddell.

AAA Shuttle

See above–it’s actually been OK, especially with the pickup of Runnels.

Midseason Changes

Elias and Méndez join the rotation.

Awards

All Stars: José Canseco (RF).

Offensive MVP: José Canseco (OF)
Pitching MVP: Camilo Pascual (SP)

Down on the Farm

AAA: Orlando Rays

Next to the Show: RP Sandy Consuegra, P Steve Brown, 1B Carlos Peña, OF Tony González.

Prospects: Ah, if only …

Projects: 3B Willie Kamm (23), 2B Tony Taylor (24), RP Steve Brown (27), 1B Carlos Peña (32), OF José Tartabull (25).

Suspects: SS Julio Lugo (30), C Clyde Sukeforth (36), OF Gee Walker (36), P Bobby Locke (30), RP Ryoto Igarashi (33).

AA: Havana Industriales

Prospects: RP Glenn Spencer (22), SS Zoilo Versalles (19), C Harry Danning (23), SP George Lauzerique (21).

Projects: Jorge Rubio (21), Big Jeff Pfeffer (26), Clete Boyer (18), 2B Tito Fuentes (26).

Suspects: 1B Julio Becquer (27), 2B Luis Castillo (24).

Season Preview: Miami Cuban Giants

By mknn

On August 21, 2020

In Team News

This team is a bit of a conundrum. If all goes well, there is a lot of talent here, but they could also be quite mediocre. A lot depends on whether Eustaquio Pedroso can really emerge as a front-of-the-rotation starter behind Rube Waddell. Aroldis Chapman is lights out in the bullpen, and the offense should be respectable, although it’s hard to find a truly standout talent at this point.

Final Roster

SP: Rube Waddell, Eustaquio Pedroso, Ramon Martinez, Camilo Pascual, Tommy Bridges.
RP: Dontrelle Willis & Don Newcombe; Ed Bauta & Ryota Igarashi; Sandy Conseugra & Bill Landrum; Aroldis Chapman.

C: John Munyan; Charlie Bennett
1B: Joe Adcock
2B: Cookie Rojas; Martin Dihigo
3B: Manny Machado
SS: Robin Yount
LF: Tony Gonzalez & Ryan Braun
CF: Jose Cardenal
RF: Jose Canseco; Alejandro Oms
DH: Yonder Alonso

Notes

As expected, Jose Mendez heads to AAA to try to develop his immense potential … Tommy Bridges and Dontrelle Willis were neck-and-neck for the final rotation slot, with Bridges veteran status giving him the edge over the 24 year old Willis … John Munyan and defensive whiz Charlie Bennett will split the duties at C, with Bennett’s glove edging out Andy Ashby‘s utility as a switch hitter … the final cut was quite complicated: 17 year old Martin Dihigo is a defensive whiz across the spectrum and Alejandro Oms provides that same ability in the OF. But neither really hit all that well, although Oms certainly has the tools to do so. Still, they allow the Cuban Giants such flexibility that keeping them is highly attractive. That makes the choice boil down to Ryan Braun and Willie Kamm. Kamm’s roller coaster of a Spring–from the hottest player in the league to a deathly cold finish–sends him off to the minors … Jose Canseco, Oms, and Yonder Alonso form a platoon trio, with Alonso playing v LHP and Oms v RHP and Canseco moving between RF and DH.

1B Joe Adcock is winding down his career at 38 and SP Tommy Bridges at 36 is no spring chicken. At the other end is Dihigo at 17 and 2 SP–Eustaquio Pedroso and Ramon Martinez–at 21.

Mendez should be the 1st starter recalled from AAA, while Gary Sheffield, Yasiel Puig, and Evan Longoria are also all waiting there for their opportunity. At AA, the brightest lights are a pair of 2B, 18 year old Clete Boyer and 24 year old Tony Taylor.