The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[Vlach]

Just wanted to thank you for your story - i am in the midst of reading it, and loving the amount of detail and work you put into it! It inspired me - together with Orcins - to start my own soon!

Andreas

[gehrig38]

IBL CAREER LEADERS: STRIKEOUTS
Walt Thompson (-) 2298
Chris O'Slattery (BAL) 2191
Ramon Roa (BAL) 1860
Jesus Romano (NY) 1845
Colin Durham (BOS) 1837

Notes on moves, trades, signings.
Wrights deal with Boston is really a 1 year 12.2M dollar deal, with a 15M dollar player option for '24.

You may remember Nick Powell, went 19-6 3.95 in 2019, and became the 1st pitcher in IBL history to throw 2 no-hitters in 1 season, the 2nd the leagues first ever perfect game. He moved into the closers role last season and had a fantastic year. That contract is really 2 years, with a 4.6M team option on year 3 (750K buyout).

[gehrig38]

Still quite a few bigger ticket guys out there.

[gehrig38]

Former Iron Pigs find homes.
Monster deal for Gerardo Zamora considering the timing. Tunstall is one of the IBL's premier sluggers, heading into, or actually already in the twilight.

The Morgan deal is a 2 year 9.9M, with a 135 game vesting option for year 3 at 5.4. Steal for that on and off the field presence. He's still an outstanding corner defender and still has monster pop.

[gehrig38]

..

[hfield007]

Does Baltimore have a legitimate chance with all of their moves to contend for the division now? Interested to see their whole team compared to what Boston has.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Much much nicer with the new graphics. I like it!!

[js1519]

I've finally read this all the way from beginning to this point and this is a great dynasty. Can't wait for more. It has encouraged me to finally do one of my own. Keep it up!

[gehrig38]

Originally Posted by hfield007

Does Baltimore have a legitimate chance with all of their moves to contend for the division now? Interested to see their whole team compared to what Boston has.

Going to wait for camp to end, in case of any serious injuries, and then I'll give you an in depth look at both clubs
Boston's roster has been altered, and it feels like significantly.

[gehrig38]

3/2 Hawaii makes a fantastic move, getting a guy that went 15-3 last year for 2 years and less than 7M.

3/5 And then they make a pretty significant deal, Sandoval was a 1st rounder and former top 25 prospect who can rake and play outstanding D at 3rd. They did give up something, Maclean is a very good bullpen arm and Griffin is a potential 5 star bat at 1B.

3/6 New York lost SP Time Hudson for 6-7 months with an undisclosed shoulder injury. Their ace as 17-9 4.49 in 35 starts last year. Pittsburgh will be without SP Sergio Maldonado for the 2023 season. The 27 year old (13-9 5.52 '22) had shoulder surgery today.

More of a 'when' than an 'if', Boston extended the contract of closer Jake Ellison for 3 years, and Arizona inked star Christian Wilkins to a monster 6 year 108M dollar extension.

3/7 Newly signed RP Sib van Bodegraven (SAC) will miss the next year after undergoing major elbow surgery.

3/9 Monster extension for 28 year old Tomas angel of Arizona. 96M over 6 years. He led the league in 3B's and runs scored last season. Has played in 323 of 324 games the past 2 years.

Halfway through camp and the Iron Pigs are 12-0 so far in ST. San Antonio's 10-2, no one else with 9 wins. Only newsy item to report is Michigan's Mario Martinez somehow has 23 RBI's in 12 games?

[gehrig38]

ESPN cameras caught sight of Chicago Iron Pigs front office personnel leaving the home of 26 year old right hander Gabriel Pimentel this afternoon. The righty is a free agent for the 1st time in his career and recently fired his agents over a dispute that has led to him remaining 'on the market' halfway through camp.
Pimentel was the 1st round pick (4th overall) of the Phoenix Greyhounds (now Arizona Rattlers) in 2014 out of Wilde Lake HS in Columbia, MD. He was the IBL's #1 ranked prospect in 2016. He's 54-48 4.52 in his 138 start career, with 860 K's and a mind boggling 698 BB's in 925.2 IP.
Chicago did not return phone calls nor emails asking about this 'meeting'.

[gehrig38]

I've always felt bad for people put in 'win or else' situations in baseball, once you get to the post season so many things you cannot control, can happen. But now I'm that guy, win or else.
If I am allowed to have the biggest budget and biggest payroll, but must win the world series, I'm doing it right. Pimentel was eager to sign and eager to pitch, it's the only explanation for a 26 year old of that talent agreeing to what is basically a 4 year 25M dollar deal, with a 9M club option on the 5th year.
He's anyone else's 1 or 2. Yes he has command issues and can walk the park, but we are going to slide him into our 5 slot and let him manage that awhile. If he stays healthy (and that's actually not a small if) he's worth twice this contract. If things go south and we don't win it, and we are forced to move payroll, this is yet another contract that's incredibly team friendly and will be easy to move should it come to that.
The move allowed me to also move McKinley and get back a younger arm, and a guy that can absolutely contribute if need be in 27 year old Ralph Bass.

[Gern44]

"Village Idiot"!... Gotta love it! Here's hoping he wins 12-14 games in that 5th spot for ya.

[gehrig38]

Injury bug hit, seemed to land square in CF. Dennis Ash will open the season in CF, as he wants to but likely wasn't if Collins had stayed healthy.

It took 17 games before the Iron Pigs dropped a spring training contest and that only happened because the pen, and defense, gave up 3 unearned runs in the bottom of the 9th to Providence.

3/22 Top prospect CF Willard Battle hurt his elbow and is likely out a month.

Baltimore's new Closer Julio Gonzales suffered a serious tear of his hamstring, and will miss at least 3 months.

3/23 Hugh Collins strained a hamstring, he's out 3-4 weeks.

[gehrig38]

And a peek at your question about Baltimore and Boston. Enormous turnover for the Colts, and to me the biggest question concerning any team with that much turnover is if they have a manager AND a clubhouse presence to make it work. Add to that turnover the fact the one of the WAR +'s they signed was Pat Kelley, their division rivals co-ace. Signing Watkins became an even bigger sign with Gonzalez going down in spring training.

[gehrig38]

And some statistics from around the league. Going to go back and check but I'm guessing Mario Martinez blew away any sort of ST record for RBI's. His 10 homers were not bad either. FYI he's a former 2nd round pick of West Michigan out of Houston College in 2019. Was dealt that winter to LA in the Vincente Soto trade. LA traded him to Sacramento in January of 2021 for SP David Powell, and Sacramento dealt him to Michigan in January of 2022 for 1B Jose Martinez.

[gehrig38]

Nothing really alarming or awesome on either end. The injuries to Battle and Collins are certainly softened with Ash's presence and Cannon as well.

[gehrig38]

John Overhill was out of options and squeezed out of a roster spot by Hamlyn. Both can play around the IF, both are good defenders, Hamlyn is a threat on the bases and did well last year.
Managed to turn Overhill and Lindner into a very good OF prospect out of Pittsburgh. Villarreal was the Bulldogs supplemental pick in 2019 out of Marion Lakeview Christian HS in Indiana (32nd overall) and ranked as the #90 prospect last season. A very good corner defender already, and a ++ base stealer and runner, his bad is a 1-2 hole left handed bat if he stays on course.

The Colts add another arm down in the pen, and it's nice to see Alejandrez grab a 1 year deal in San Jose.

[gehrig38]

Not really a surprise, what isn't in this message for the viewing public is the follow on message of "And if you don't win...."

[gehrig38]

Swagat remains the #1 prospect, and is a 19 year old in his second AAA season. 5 of the top 25 prospects, with our #1 from last year coming in at 17. Ellis is in Denison to start the year, not expecting him there long, Hidalgo is ready in AAA, just letting him season a bit more, refine his control. Casas? I'm hoping for some insane power numbers out of him, and a regime change at closer with his mentor's 415 saves helping the kid along.