Maple finished the year with a horrible 8-21 record thanks to a poor divisional record especially versus the Billy Martin champs - San Francisco. We will have to match up better vs them next season if we hope to make it back to the post season.
This has been our worst season ever and we are glad it is finally over. There are some exciting things ahead as we prepare for Season #7. I'm excited about my bullpen, my OF and my future at 1B & 3B. I will need some of that high priced International talent to pay off in order to build a stable and dominant rotation. Maple for the first time also reached the #2 spot in the top minor leagues system report. The likes of Manny "BLITZ" Palma CL, William "CANNON" Lee 1B, Gary Bennett 3B, Rob "TANGLES" Young SP and Subaru "EXPERT" Kishita SP are waiting in the wings to reach the ABL and hopefully their potential will be reached. We also have high hopes for Michale Knaus 1B, Yoshiaga Ueno SP, Nathan Owens MR, Brad Thomas OF, Brooks Petersen OF (DL), Martin Petersen OF, Floyd Lowery OF and a few others in the bullpen in A ball. The list of prospects is by far the largest we have ever seen in our organization. We need Jesus Ramirez and his blazing fastball to light up again as he had a horrible season in Maple this past year. He finished the year in AAA and did well in his last few starts.
In post season action, AAA Astoria and AA Sandy Springs lost in the first round of the playoffs. Astoria lost 4-1 to Chicago (Jacksonville Farm team) and Sandy Springs lost to 4-2 to Phoenix (Jacksonville Farm team).
Decisions Decisions Decisions...
Billy Greer has begun contracts extension talks with Maple. Maple is likely going to offer him a 1 year deal to hopefully avoid arbitration. Billy deserves a contract for the way he came on late last season especially with his power stroke. One of the challenges we have as an organization is that Billy isn't a youngster anymore and there are plenty of talented younger players that might have more potential to take his spot. For that reason we will play it year by year with Billy and as long as he produces he will be wearing a Maple jersey. We believe through his agent that Billy will sign a 1 year deal that will pay him $4.5M this season with no incentives and a guarantee to start.
The foundation of the Maple organization namely; OF Frank Powers, OF Anthony Lewis and 1B Vic Jennings (acquired from Las Vegas) all most likely will not be offered a contract this year making them free agents. Also likely heading to free agency is SP Chet Carver (acquired from Mile High) who pitched his way back to the big leagues late last year and injury recovering SP Aaron Nelson.
Should be another exciting off season in the ABL!
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