Team Tag: So Cal Republic, The Wild Card

by Gary Altman

This mid-year report card is on the So Cal Republic, who sit in fourth place at 38-38 in the highly competitive Bobby Cox Division inside the Roberto Clemente League. The Republic find themselves 11 games behind division leader and powerhouse Seattle but only eight games behind in the Wild Card. Quite frankly, the Republic are the wild card in the wild card race. However, just a quick look at their minor league system tells me that they could have ten players—yup, TEN PLAYERS—that are possibly ABL ready right now. If So Cal can somehow can cut the gap in half by mid-August, don’t be surprised if you see some of the arms now being groomed in Triple-A making a guest appearance in 2013.

When you say that a team has already surpassed their win total from just a year ago (34), one of two things pop into your head: they’re doing really well this year, or they did really poorly last year. Well, in this instance, both statements are true. But the resurrection of the So Cal franchise shouldn’t come as much of a shock to anyone, considering all three of their minor league teams went to the playoffs in 2012, with the Double-A Riverside Redbulls winning the Championship.

No review of SoCal would be doing it justice if their minor league system, ranked first overall, wasn’t included, or even mentioned.

Only two players who were mainstays in the lineup for SoCal are there today (Bob “Crazy Train” Osborn and Jeffrey “Robin” Hensley). The game doesn’t account for DH’s, where that would be the third player, Alfredo “Batman” Yanez.

So Cal’s Starting Pitching

Pedro López

Pedro Lopez (8-5, 3.09). Acquired via free agency, his sole purpose is to bridge the ABL-AAA span. A starter converted from being a reliever by So Cal. Last year, he went 1-1 with 4 saves and a 1.49 ERA. Projected to win 17 games, he would be considered an excellent starter, especially in the hitter friendly parks of the RCL.

John Holt

John Holt (6-4, 4.23). Last year with Eureka, was used almost exclusively in the bullpen and is another conversion to the starting rotation, appearing in 15 games, all starts. His ERA is over a run less than last season. Consider Holt another bridge to 2014.

Dave McNuir

Dave “Loki” McNuir (3-3, 1.81). Comes with quite the resume. Suffered his first professional loss on May 23 of this year vs. Montreal (Montreal won 4-3). In 2012, with the Championship RedBull team, McNuir went 11-0 with a 1.67 ERA in 102 IP. Starting the season in Triple-A after returning from an elbow strain, McNuir went 8-0 in 9 starts and to the tune of a 2.12 ERA, which prompted his promotion to The Show. So far in six starts and decisions we see a mediocre record, but he has an exceptional ERA, which means he’s pitched in some very tough luck. Won the April 2013 KSL Pitcher of the Month Award and was a 2012 Double-A All Star Selection.

Ronald Appleby

Ronald Appleby (5-6, 5.38). Split time last year between So Cal and Triple-A. In Triple-A he was used exclusively as a starter, then upon his call up started just 3 of his 10 appearances. This year has been just as bumpy for the 25 year old. He is a possibly casualty if SoCal dips into Triple-A, and so is ...

Júlio Martínez (1-0, 11.25). Martínez started 2013 making the club out of spring training as a reliever. After getting hammered in a couple of appearances, he was shipped out, only to return to ABL as a starter. In his last start he got beat up, only going 1 inning. Still has a way to go to reach his full potential: he is only 26 and throws the ball pretty hard.

Triple-A Indian Wells Aeropostales

Cliff Clark

Cliff “Clark Bar” Clark (12-1, 1.98). In 2012 went 15-8 with a 2.73 ERA in Double-A. Threw 198 innings and whiffed 199. This year in 109 IP, Clark has 103 K’s and a WHIP of 1.02. He’ll replace one of the current starters next season.

Gabriel
Gutiérrez

Gabriel “Gotti” Gutiérrez (4-1, 2.83). Started 2013 by being returned to Double-A where he only went 7-0, 2.14 ERA. The tipping point was the 0.86 WHIP that prompted his call-up. Just another starter that could make the big club next April.

Luis “Topper” López (7-2, 3.67). So Cal management is taking Lopez's development very slowly. In 2012, Lopez went a ridiculous 19-4 and a 2.59 ERA. This year he started out at Triple-A and is projected to remain there and pile up 15 wins for the season. Another arm for April?

Joe Huff

Joe “Puff N” Huff (1-2, 2.42, 13 Saves). Got the call up to start the season but stumbled out of the box and found himself at Triple-A. Huff is just 21 years old and a closer in the making. Last year in Double-A, Huff went 9-1, with 44 Saves and a 1.37 ERA. Add in 101 Ks in 69 IP and you have a very dominant closer.

Joe “Psych” Ward (1-1 1.09, 3 Saves). Okay, this is getting redundant already. Last season at Double-A, Ward was 7-2, 1.63 and 7 saves. He must have gotten the 7 saves when Huff pitched the 2 or 3 previous days. Is it any wonder the Riverbulls won their Championship? 97 K’s in 72 IP last season, and he already has 28 in 24 innings this season. Ward's WHIP, ERA, BB’s, K/9, are all better than last season, and he’s only 22.

So Cal's Bullpen

Jack English

Jack English (14 Saves, 2.02, 13.12 K/9). The Republic Closer. Just 25 years old, he has saved 14 games with an amazing 52 K’s in just 35 Innings! Won the Triple-A Cy Young Award in 2012,with a 7-3 record, 1.14 ERA and 40 saves—striking out 100 in 71 innings to boot. He has already reached his full potential.

Stanley Richard

Stanley “Big” Richard (2-2, 2.68). Another “Big”-time reliever for The Republic. Spent the entire 2012 season honing his skill set in Triple-A, and he’s now at the show. Just 24 years old, he has struck out 53 in 50 IP. Going to be a big piece for SoCal in the years to come.

Nelson Taylor

Nelson “Blue Collar” Taylor (0-0, 2.13). A 23-year-old homegrown talent from the inaugural draft. Pitched great in 2012 for the Champion Bulldogs in Double-A. Started off this season being promoted to Triple-A, and when “Blue Collar” was cranking there, So Cal had no choice but to elevate him. So far in 12 innings, Taylor has a save and a WHIP sitting at 0.87. Add 11 K’s to that and So Cal has some serious gas at the back end of the bullpen.

Pedro Pacheco

Pedro Pacheco (2-0, 2.88). 21 years old, and the So Cal scout rescued Pacheco from the Dominican Republic. He’s one of the big reasons that So Cal is where they are. After a very brief Triple-A career (5 G, 6 IP), Pacheco was called up. 27 K’s in 25 IP with a stellar ERA of 2.88. Throwing at 94-96 MPH he’s almost topping out in all relevant pitching categories. What a stud. What a find!

Chip Sawyer

Chip Sawyer (1-1 3.65). Made the jump from Single-A ball last year to the ABL. Taken with the 96th overall pick in the inaugural draft, Sawyer has pitched quite well. With, pardon the pun, the arms in the wings that So Cal has, Sawyer will be a casualty of the renaissance.

Rusty Bell

Rusty Bell (0-1, 6.89) – Acquired in the inaugural draft in the 107th Round, he made the ABL out of spring training. He was sent down May 27th, where he pitched well enough in Triple-A to be recalled June 17th. At 28 years old Bell is a remarkable story if he doesn’t do another thing in the ABL.

Jesse Hawkins (0-1, 5.09). Another back end reliever for the Republic. Split time between Triple-A and So Cal both this season and last season. He pitched better last season at Triple-A, but better this season in SoCal. Still has a bit of ways to go to reach his full potential.

So Cal's Catchers

Lloyd Bray

Lloyd Bray (3 HR, 21 RBI, .234). Gets the bulk of the workload. 30 years old and an average defender.

So Cal's Infielders

Pete McCormick

Pete McCormick (3 HR, 29 RBI, .287). Plays first base and was a Rule-V draft selection. McCormick does a lot of things well and fits the SoCal model very nicely (young, cheap talent).

Charles
McConnell

Charles McConnell (9 HR, 50 RBI, .288) Splits time with McCormick and Lewis. An offensive force for sure. A free agent signing from Death Valley, where he hit 14-60-.308 last year. Not a very good defensive player though.

Steve Lewis (1 HR, 6 RBI, .294) A waiver claim from Nottinghamshire, he's an above-average offensive player but definitely not a long term solution for a championship team.

Jeff Davis

Jeff Davis (0 HR, 6 RBI, .227). An above-average defender at a key position. Had a cup of coffe” last season. After hitting .317 in Triple-A, Davis got the call. Just needs to have a little more consistency at the plate and could be around for several years.

Vincent Miller (AAA). Was up for just 9 AB's this season with So Cal, but is hitting .291 at Triple-A. Could see another call-up if So Cal stays close in the race.

Jeffrey Hensley

Jeffrey “Robin” Hensley (14 HR, 52 RBI, .365). The backbone of the Republic infield, both in the field and at the plate. Last season banged out 200 hits, and the 27  year old is on pace to surpass that by September 1st. Needs only 4 more home runs to pass last year's total, and he has a better lineup surrounding him. Signed through the 2017 season.

So Cal's Outfielders

Alfredo Yánez

Alfredo “Batman” Yánez (17 HR, 65 RBI, .389). A middle-of-the-order slugger who has plenty of youth and plenty of records to break. Fell short of 30 HR’s last season (27), but he’s well on his way to go past that number this season. Will have two consecutive seasons over 100 RBI’s, and could go over 200 hits for the second year in a row. Overall, Batman is poised to eclipse all of last year’s numbers, and those were pretty good.

Willis Parks

Willis Parks (8 HR, 36 RBI, .308). A free agent pickup after his release from Eureka. Parks, 32, has just been a hitting machine. He’ll take a walk, and he has the ability to steal bases. Has already surpassed his home run total from a year ago, and will probably pass his double total within a month.

Bob Osborn

Bob “Crazy Train” Osborn (8 HR, 45 RBI, .243). After reviewing Parks and Yánez, Osborn seems like a waste, but Crazy Train brings stability to CF as well as the threat of a stolen base. He’s progressed very nicely through the farm system, making stops in 2012 at Double-A, Triple-A, and So Cal before making So Cal out of Spring Training. Projected to knock in 96 and steal 49 bases. Not bad for a third outfielder.

Rich Fraser

Rich Fraser (6 HR, 27 RBI, .276). Had an okay season last year at both Triple-A and So Cal. This year So Cal took notice of the damage Fraser was doing at Triple-A (7 HR, 18 RBI, .471) and Fraser forged a spot on the big club. He’s had 156 AB’s, and his numbers are marginally better than they were the season before. A steady hand and you pretty much know what you’re going to get from Fraser, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Ramón Guzmán

Ramón Guzmán (AAA: 18 HR, 64 RBI, .266). Being groomed and will probably be yet another Rookie of the Year Candidate for 2014. Guzmán has been nurtured, and last year at Double-A Guzman hit 31 bombs, 90 RBI’s and hit for an .829 OPS.

Summary

The Republic have a few holes they need to plug. Their pitching, in the hitting rich ballparks of the Roberto Clemente League, will give them a competitive edge. With what they have coming, if they can plug those holes, they will go from a 34 win team into Championship Team within 3 seasons. They are that good.

One final note. I didn’t look at any level below Triple-A, but they did draft starter Cohen “Thor” Brouillette first overall (who is toiling in Double-A with some mediocre numbers) and they traded for the enigma known as Joe “Crayon” Frost. Both players are young and should eventually have it click and take off. With all the other young talent around the league overachieving and absolutely dominating, there is some frustration with the lack of dominance of these two players.