set the channel description: Info about the New Mexico Danger organization
The ’47 Las Vegas Dons won their third Explorer League (AAA) title, first since 2032.
Albuquerque (AA) won its only title back in 2033.
Flagstaff (A) won the most recent of its three titles in 2041.
Orlando (R) won the most recent of its two titles in 2038.
1947 was a somewhat disappointing season for the Danger. Was at or near the top in most statistical categories, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Idaho who went on to win the Cup.
Ended up 17-32 in one-run games. Made several trades to try to turn that around but the trend continued for the rest of the season.
NM has the youngest AFBL roster at the moment, 26.07, with pitching that still has room for development. If SS Cisco Martinez can return healthy from his injury and develop a bit he’ll add more power to an offense that had 3 guys hit 30+ homeruns. Orlando Lopez hit over 30 as well but only 20 were with NM after coming over in trade from Ohio.
Rookie starting pitcher Les Richter is the team MVP. Went 15-4 with a 2.93 ERA. He pitched 16.2 innings in the playoffs with a 0.54 ERA and 0.64 WHIP.
SP Ron McCormick (18-8 in AAA) will probably make the team in ’48 and SP Juan Rosales who spent ’47 on the IL might get a shot.
3B Sam Raith will be invited to spring training to see if he can beat out Larry Cull and Jose Roman.
Barring injuries looks like 3B and one bench spot are the only open questions going into ST.
C Jose Mer, drafted in 2028, retired after helping the Las Vegas Dons win the ’47 AAA title. He started for the Danger from ’34 to ’37 and from ’39 to ’42. He then backed up Cordero from ’43 through the Danger’s championship season in ’46. He spent his last year on the Dons after losing the backup catcher role to Dermott Barke.
Mer was Rookie of the Year in 2034. He was a 3-time All Star, 3-time Best Fielder and 3-time Best Hitter at Position.
Looks like was a solid player in the early years. I came aboard in 2040 so I only saw the declining years. 😕
Not a bad draft for the Danger in 2047.
- Traded 1st pick (and a couple of AAA pitchers) for 2B Bob McCray who will eventually replace Sean Butler
- Traded 2nd pick and RP Andy Wright (R) for RP Andy Harris who did not perform as well as I had hoped after coming over from NY.
- 3rd pick was RP Andy Nelson who could eventually become closer for NM.
- Remaining six picks were all used on outfielders (Inges, Longley, McInnis, Cameron, Finbow and Carrol) of average potential with the hope of having a couple of them develop beyond average. Jon Longley, is a versatile defender and starts out playing 3B on Orlando. Finbow starts for Flagstaff in RF.
- Sent a 6th round pick to Texas in the Galvan for Meza deal.
- Got a 6th and a 7th pick from Ontario for Hector Martinez.
1947 was a somewhat disappointing season for the Danger. Was at or near the top in most statistical categories, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Idaho who went on to win the Cup.
Ended up 17-32 in one-run games. Made several trades to try to turn that around but the trend continued for the rest of the season.
NM has the youngest AFBL roster at the moment, 26.07, with pitching that still has room for development. If SS Cisco Martinez can return healthy from his injury and develop a bit he’ll add more power to an offense that had 3 guys hit 30+ homeruns. Orlando Lopez hit over 30 as well but only 20 were with NM after coming over in trade from Ohio.
Rookie starting pitcher Les Richter is the team MVP. Went 15-4 with a 2.93 ERA. He pitched 16.2 innings in the playoffs with a 0.54 ERA and 0.64 WHIP.
SP Ron McCormick (18-8 in AAA) will probably make the team in ’48 and SP Juan Rosales who spent ’47 on the IL might get a shot.
3B Sam Raith will be invited to spring training to see if he can beat out Larry Cull and Jose Roman.
Barring injuries looks like 3B and one bench spot are the only open questions going into ST.
Reposted stuff that I didn’t want to lose that wasn’t showing up in RC. 🤔
Orlando (R), Albuquerque (AA) and Las Vegas (AAA) have made the playoffs. In the Confederation League, Flagstaff has a one game lead, with one to play (against each other), over Spokane (WA) for the final spot in the West.
Had 12 picks, including three in 1st round. and two in 2nd round. Intention going in was to get two starters, two relievers, and a quality infielder with the first five picks. Was able to do that but was a little disappointed in the two SP I picked.
SP Dave Wray was first pick, 10th overall, listed as first baseman but immediately switch to SP. Looks to be a solid 4 or 5 eventually, but have a sense he could be more. 4-4, 3.84 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 32 BB, 81 K, 1.3 WAR with Orlando so far.
SS Gene Killy was second pick, 14th overall. Above average potential, already good rating at SS, learning to play 2B his first year with Orlando. Infield Range of 10. Hoping for him to be in the mix for middle infield position with Martinez, McCrary and Raith. Decent first year at Orlando: .250/.340/.411
RP Joe Bachleitner was next, 15th overall. If he develops will be a very good addition to the NM bullpen. Pitched in 27 games as closer for Orlando. 15 saves, 4.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 13 BB, 34 K.
In round two first selection was 17-year old RP Mike Harris, 34th overall. Expect him to be a good to very good reliever. Did not have impressive stats with Orlando, but he’s young and undeveloped. 7.45 ERA, 2.17 WHIP, 17 BB, 22 K in 19.1 innings.
Next was SP Bob Newman, 35th overall. Started six games with Orlando. 5-1, 1.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 11 BB and 54 K.
Promoted to Flagstaff mid-season where he has started 7 games, 1-2, 3.89 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 16 BB, 30 K.
For rounds three through eight plan was to fill out depth at each position, hopefully with speed and defense if nothing else.
R3: LF Stan Pratt (speed and defense)
R4: 3B Anastasio Lopez (versatile defender without speed). Placed in IC.
R8: 1B Alvare Bonfirm. Offense value only. Wanted to get at least one 1B.
Happy with the first five picks. All five have a chance to be starters. The rest of the draft was pretty blah though I liked getting C Randy Adams in the sixth.
And I think I managed to avoid picking anyone with low INT, WE or LEA. That was a somewhat strong, though secondary, goal going into draft.
From Orlando to Flagstaff
C Ron Lange (.290/.356/.507)
CF Dan Fletcher (.289/.420/.390)
2B Rob Fletcher (.280/.407/.457)
From Flagstaff to Albuquerque
LF Glenn Huggins (.311/.369/.465)
CF Bryce McInnis (.331/.416/.463)
SP Shaun O’Reilly (14-8, ERA 2.80, WHIP 1.00, 216 K 42 BB)
From Albuquerque to Las Vegas
SP Antonio Mata (11-6, 3.40 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 98 K, 81 BB). Might delay until midseason.
SP Mike Woodard (14-5, 4.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 156 K, 68 BB)
1B Remington Kean (.338/.398/.639)
3B Sam Raith (.337/.391/.526)
2B Bob McCrary (.333/.434/.517)
Player Spotlight
1B Remington Kean, of Albuquerque (AA), has 146 RBI going into the last game of the season. Single season record is 151 by Hector Garza in 2019. Kean will at least end up in second place but can tie with 5 or set the record with 6.
Kean (.338/.398/.639 with 36 2B and 44 HR) has SS Joe Fleming (.332/.418/.502), 2B Bob McCrary (.333/.434/.517) and 3B Sam Raith (.337/.391/.526) hitting in front of him.
Kean hit a HR and that was his only RBI in the final game. Ends up with 147.
Flagstaff beat Spokane to slip into the playoffs. NM better get their act together or they might be the only team in the organization to not make the playoffs. They end the season against Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
All five teams in the NM organization made it to the postseason this year. Orlando (R) and Flagstaff (A) both lost in the wildcard round. Albuquerque lost in the AA West finals. Las Vegas won the Explorer League Cup for the second straight year and NM lost in the Frontier League Championship Series to Washington.
NM 2048 Minor League Awards
Phil Schultz (Orlando R) 2048 West Most Valuable Pitcher
Shawn O’Reilly (Flagstaff A) 2048 West Most Valuable Pitcher
Mike Imes (Flagstaff A) 2048 West Reliever of the Year
Remington Kean (Albuquerque AA) 2048 West Most Valuable Hitter
Jonathon Davis (Las Vegas AAA) 2048 West Most Valuable Pitcher
Ben Wilkins (Las Vegas AAA) 2048 West Reliever of the Year
Rookie 2B Bob McCrary .333/.388/.513 in his first month starting for NM.
McCrary had a good sim and is now .390/.430/.570 and is on top of the leaderboard for AVG.
22 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .591 AVG, 1.364 OPS Last sim for McCrary
Bubba Anderson of Orlando is closing in on the Liberty League hitting streak record. Has 32 and the record is 38. If he makes it to 33 he will tie Tim Marsh (currently on Albuquerque) who had 33 in 2046.
Bubba Anderson has tied the Liberty League hitting streak record at 38. One more to break it.
Bubba Anderson set the new Liberty League hitting streak record at 39. Then it was over. He broke the record set by Steve Hale back in 2021.
All four NM minor leagues teams in the playoffs for second straight year. Once again waiting for the Danger to secure a spot. Looks like it’ll be a race with Colorado for second wild card spot.
Bob McCrary in a race with Devin Blais for best average. Would be cool if Bob could win it in his rookie year.
The Orlando Oceanics won the Liberty Cup, making it four straight years a NM organization team has won a cup.
2046: NM Danger
2047: Las Vegas Dons (AAA)
2048: Las Vegas Dons (AAA)
2049: Orlando Oceanics (R)
With NM slipping into the playoffs the organization had all five teams in the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Las Vegas came close to a three-peat this year leading 3-0 in the finals before losing four straight to Hampton Roads.
Albuquerque (AA) lost 4-3 to Evansville in the UL West League Championship Series.
Flagstaff (A) lost 4-0 to Spokane in the CL West League Championship Series.
