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General WBA Discussion / Resigning from Karachi

« on: May 01, 2017, 07:38:28 AM »

Due to circumstances in real life, I am going have to bow out of OOTP for awhile. Therefore, I am resigning as the general manager of Karachi effective immediately. I am sorry to do this on such short notice. I hope to get back into OOTP leagues sometime in the fall. Good luck to everybody in the coming season and the future.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Debuts New Minor League Uniforms

« on: February 28, 2017, 08:50:34 AM »

Karachi Debuts New Minor League Uniforms

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
February 28, 2107

Yasir Hameed, Director of Baseball Operations for Pakistan’s Atlas Group, today released pictures of the new uniforms that will be worn by players in the Karachi minor league organization. Here is the first public viewing of the new outfits.

The Faisalabad Falcons become the Faisalabad Hawks

The Gujranwala Falcons become the Gujranwala Ospreys

The Multan Falcons become the Multan Vultures

The Sargodha Falcons become the Sargodha Peregrine

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Re-Brands Minor League Teams

« on: February 22, 2017, 02:50:57 PM »

Karachi Rebrands its Minor League Teams

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
January 12, 2107

Yasir Hameed, Director of Baseball Operations for Pakistan’s Atlas Group, announced to day that the Falcons will be rebranding all of their minor league affiliates. All four affiliates will continue to be based in their current cities but will sport new logos and new nicknames. Up until today all the affiliates had the same nickname and logo as the parent Karachi Falcons.

The new arrangement will allow each individual team to be more distinguishable in the local community and will differentiate it from the parent team while keeping the overall theme of teams named after birds of prey. Some critics have suggested that the move is merely a blatant attempt to increase merchandise sales across Pakistan. A poll, however, seems to indicate the rebranding is hugely popular, especially in the cities that host a Karachi affiliate. New jerseys and caps to match the new branding will be forthcoming as we get closer to the start of the new season.

Here’s your first look at the new logos:

Faisalabad Falcons become the Faisalabad Hawks

Gujranwala Falcons become the Gujranwala Ospreys

Multan Falcons become the Multan Vultures

Sargodha Falcons become the Sargodha Peregrine

General WBA Discussion / IBL Afro-European Review (updated 12/20; 12/27; 12/31)

« on: February 17, 2017, 01:09:25 PM »

Reviewing the IBL Europe Division

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
December 16, 2106
Updated December 20, 2106 – updates in blue italics below (Black Forest & Scottish)
Updated December 27, 2106 – updates in red italics below (Rome)
Updated January 3, 2107 – updates in green italics below (Rome & Scottish)

Technically the Afro-European Division, the defection of a team from Lagos to Rome in 2105 leaves the division without an African representative. Paris is the class of the division, having won it six years running and won the IBL and WBA championship in 2105. What will happen in 2107?

Paris Fleur-de-Lis
Off its division crown, Paris lost five players to free agency and has signed nobody, but the only loss that really matters is Veniamin Ekstein who had 115 career victories for the Fleur-de-Lis over seven seasons. Losing a lifetime 2.57 ERA starter is tough to take. Ekstein won’t burn Paris during the regular season as he has signed a long-term deal in the ABL with Los Angeles. Antar Kisaya, Zuleide Rainha, and Juan-Pascal Lemon will top a rotation that will be poorer for Ekstein’s absence. Maybe Jagannathan Surendranach will come out of the bullpen to join the rotation. Sissay Dato is a top-notch closer and Balya Virenda is a quality arm, but the bullpen would miss Surendranach is he goes to the rotation. The offense is solid led by a brilliant outfield of Harsendu Dhurvasu, Gaeton Lecroix, and Rajminder Omarjeet. Shortstop Cisco Argente anchors a solid but unspectacular infield, and Paris has two more than capable catchers. It all adds up to a run on an eighth straight divisional crown.

Black Forest Foxes
The Foxes beat out Scottish for second place by one game. Off that finish, second baseman Kaleb Kabaija, center fielder Jorund Ringstad, closer Jae-hong Park, and three other players chose free agency. The team has signed outfielder Sammy Roberts, reliever Seung-kab Park. and young third baseman Wilbur Allen as replacements. Park looks like he will become the closer in a bullpen that otherwise lacks quality. The rotation is headed by superb right-hander Serhat Karpat. If Dhrtatman Nageshwar can come close to repeating his 17-4 record as a rookie, the rotation will be fine. The big names in the field are outfielder Dhritiman Sangha, outfielder Indradu Minaksi and young first baseman Bang Luo. A lot rides on over-achieving catcher Eustachio Clementi and free agent Allen at third base. There are enough question marks to make one think a second place finish is the best that could be expected.
On December 20 Black Forest announced a trade with Santo Domingo that resulted in the acquisition of third baseman Chi-seong Kim for a minor league pitching prospect. Kim, who earns more than $5.0 million a year, is more experienced at third base than Wilbur Allen, and he could also play right field. In our mind, however, the Foxes may have been better off sticking with Allen and saving the $$. Kim doesn’t appreciably upgrade the outlook for Black Forest.

Scottish Claymores
For those wondering “what the hell is a claymore?”, it is a two-edged broadsword used by Scottish Highlanders although the term also used for a type of antipersonnel mine.
One game behind Black Forest came the Scottish Claymores. They have yet to sign any free agents after losing closer Kiyomitsu Nakamura and starting pitcher Kolenka Zamoraev. While there are three or four rookies in AAA that might step up, the Scottish roster looks like it needs help. Han-wu Han, Khamurti Preetish and Jose Hernandez are solid enough starters but it thins out from there. The bullpen lacks depth. Young Shi-fu Cen may be the best reliever while Dae-je Chon is going on 36 years old. The catching crew is marginal as is the middle infield, not good omens if you prize strength up the middle. First base is ably manned by Alan Waddington (although he has yet to prove he can hit big league pitching) as is third base by Arjun Bhoola. Aziz Ahmadzai is an all-star caliber center fielder who led the league in hitting last year and Shao-zu Huang is aging but more than adequate in left. Like Black Forest, Scottish has question marks. Could both teams be out-battled for second place by someone from below?
On December 20 the Claymores signed five free agents. Second baseman Manny Martinez and relief pitcher Sergio Costello were signed to minor league contracts with signing bonuses. Both could end up on the Scottish roster. More importantly, closer Kiyomitsu Nakamura signed a three year deal that returns him to the Claymores after declaring himself a free agent. He gives Scottish a solid closer. First baseman/catcher Jose Aguila signed a five-year deal worth $41 million and will likely start behind the plate. And finally second baseman Jose Estrada signed for three years at more than $5 million per year. His .324 batting average and Aguila’s 28 home runs from last year seriously upgrade the Scottish offense. These additions make Scottish a better team than Black Forest but probably still not good enough to challenge Paris.
On December 31st Scottish added another major free agent signee to the roster in the person of third baseman Arjun Bhoola who brings experience, power, and speed to the lineup. He had a WAR over 4.0 last season with Scottish and returns to the Claymores (like Nakamura) after testing the free agent marketplace. Scottish will have a much better infield that anticipated before free agency.

Rome Generals
The Generals lost an amazing eleven players to free agency. The one that matters the most is slugging first baseman Juan Hernandez, but they will also miss relief pitcher Manny Perez and starting pitchers Andrey Danilenko and Adam Maloney. Rome has signed seven new players including left fielder Pavlusha Zakratov and starting pitchers Devin Mata, Ignacio Cuevas, and Albert Padilla. The new starters will be bottom of the rotation behind Amud Macaira and Guoncale Guala. Shi-ping Lao and young Jian-Cheng Mai are strong relievers in what looks like a very thin bullpen. Melchor Sarmietnto and Shaun Clapp backbone a good outfield. Sebaldus Seppelt is a decent catcher with some power, and shortstop Mikita Agaev anchors an infield that is woefully short of talent other than aging Beni Mokate who could play first or second. There are probably too many holes to permit a run at the division, and the Generals may not have enough to move up ahead of Scottish or Black Forest.
On December 27th Rome signed free agent third baseman Eligio Sciama who props up the undermanned infield. Sciama, an Italian who will be wildly popular with the fans in Rome, hit .329 last season and adds some serious offense punch to the lineup. Enough to move them up? – most likely not, but it tightens up the race behind Paris.
On December 30th Rome continued to improve their team by signing closer German Mejia to a five-year deal with two player options worth more than $20 million in total. Mejia, who was a starter for three years in the ABL, cemented his reputation as a closer by leading the IBL in saves last year with 43. Thus, the Generals significantly improved their bullpen, and, combined with the Sciama signing, have now significantly improved their chances of being in the hunt for a wild card spot.

London Monarchs
Only once in their history has London finished above .500, and the team finished last in 2106. Oddly London lost no one to free agency and have not signed a free agent. The team did trade Cheng-en Jiang after an abortive attempt to convert the first baseman to the outfield. The prospects acquired in return won’t help London this season. London’s pitching staff actually looks decent. Veteran starters Pei Chan and Moriz Ishemgujin were disappointing last year, but young Da-yung Jung, Yu-shu Lung, and Workneh Mitundi should all improve. If he stays injury free, Byung-sik Lim is a fine closer and Rodrigo Rojas is a solid reliever. Caseareo Carena may finally live up to potential. On offense London’s oldest player is 26, so lots of people have to live up to potential, but the potential is there. First baseman Ghanaram Tuhin and second baseman Min-zhong Au are already there. On top of their current major league roster London has a slew of pitchers and position players getting close to major league at AAA Southampton, and some of them may help this year. Look for London to definitely move out of the cellar, possibly to second place and with the right development luck to even battle for the Euro crown.

General WBA Discussion / IBL Asian Division Review (updated 1/10)

« on: February 17, 2017, 11:00:44 AM »

Reviewing the IBL Asian Division

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
December 15, 2106
Updated January 10, 2107 – updates in blue italics below (Seoul)

Just three wins separated the top four teams in the Asian Division of the International Baseball League last year. Are we in for another barnburner type season or will someone step up and outclass the rest of the division?

Brisbane Bandits
The former Tokyo Samurai begin their third season down under after having won the division for two straight years. After 103 wins and an 11-game wipeout in 2105, the Bandits regressed to 84 wins last seasons to squeak out the divisional crown by one game and eventually win the IBL title before falling to Santo Domingo in the WBA World Series. The Bandits begin 2107 without closer Jose Hernandez, catcher Xie-li Kang and first baseman Jose Aguila who respectively posted WARs of 1.7, 2.7, and 4.5. To date the Bandits have not signed any free agents to replace these key guys. That’s a lot of WAR to do without. Without Aguila at 1B, the right side of the infield is in question, especially since 35-year-old Prospero Calaa will be out of action until mid-June. Can he rebound at his age from a torn cruciate ligament? Bright young stars like Yu-zhang Chiang, Tamirat Sifiye, Gong Jiang, and Stephane Salomon litter the lineup, and Reomel Sapo is a capable catcher. The bullpen is world class even without closer Hernandez, but there are serious questions about the rotation. Reliever Imazighen Kitur should make the jump from AAA to bullpen stardom in Brisbane.

Mumbai Cobras
The Cobras finished two games back before a playoff game for second place (which they won). They have lost closer Rubem Chaby and reliever Juan Varela (combined WAR of 1.6) to free agency as well as pitcher Manny Mendoza (who won’t be missed). Andy Stone, Jose Ramirez, Da’ud bin Abbas, and Chua Chay Chan lead a strong starting rotation and Amoghadasana Ullas is a capable closer (who hopefully won’t blow eight saves like he did last year). The rest of the bullpen save for Galip Orga is decidedly ordinary. Catcher Kitana Nibo, first baseman Ahvana Subbarayud, and outfielders Victor Ledesma and Lyonya Darchiev combined for an amazing 165 home runs and 424 runs batted in last season. If young shortstop Yi-mou Fen and outfielder Tiago Celstino can overcome disappointing rookie seasons at the plate, the lineup will be formidable. Mumbai has been silent so far in the free agent market, but the team has the makings for a run at the divisional crown.

Karachi Falcons
The Falcons also finished two games behind Brisbane after leading the division by up to four games for awhile. Karachi lost even more WAR to free agency that Brisbane: gone are first baseman Konosuke Sanu, catcher Trigana Chioke, and right fielder Luis Rivera. Each had a WAR of 3.0 to 3.3. And there have been no free agent signings. Still. the Falcons have two capable catchers, and Tsadik Shukrani will produce a lot more hits albeit with less home runs. Rookie Vasantha Yudhajit takes over in right field and Cheng-en Jiang came over in a trade for prospects to take over first base. Don’t be mislead by Jiang’s negative WAR last season – he was seriously out of position as London tried to make him an outfielder. Third baseman Toshikuni Hashimoto had the highest WAR (8.0) in the IBL last season and provides great power and solid defense. Erwin Beza is a budding star in left, and if Xian-yao Nan can improve on his rookie .240 season, the outfield will be OK. The rotation’s success will probably depend on how high-profile rookies Bhuvanesh Chandak and El-Fatih Mwendapole fare. Kipchoge Kemboi vaulted to stardom last year – his 2.34 ERA and 1.0 WHIP were best in the league, and veteran Fernando Cuevas has won 29 games over two years. Myeong-hwan Lee and Kumanosuke Sato anchor a strong bullpen.

Singapore Merlions
Just one game behind Mumbai and Karachi last year, Singapore lost three negative WAR players to free agency but also quality third baseman Eligio Sciama with a solid 4.0 WAR. Inactive to date in free agency, the Merlions have some holes to plug. Casian Bejan and Gadiel bin Salman are quality young starters at the top of a rotation whose success will depend heavily on rookie Abdeljilill Abedi for overall success. Richello Montebon and Samant Tasneen round out a strong rotation. They don’t come any better as a closer than Lyonechka Emyashev but the rest of the pen except for Charles Guillot is suspect. Offensively, Singapore most reliable hitters last season were catcher Jack Playne, third baseman Hafiz Yusaf Khel, and 35-year-old outfielder Hicham Nassor. Has Nassor got anything left in the tank. For success Singapore needs Ninfa Sator to step it up from his .213 average and rookie Pin-zhen Chan to succeed in the bigs.

Seoul Crushers
It has been five years since the Crushers managed a .500+ season, and they would have to improve a ton to improve on a 56-win season last year. Seoul lost four decent players to free agency headed by quality right fielder Yasser Chaga whose quality bat will be missed. His output will be more than made up for by slugging first baseman Juan Hernandez, a free agent signee. With 180 career home runs and a lifetime BA of .302, Hernandez is a bona fide future hall of famer and will be a major force in 2107. But he will be 37 years old on opening day and a five-year deal worth $44 million with no team options seems a like a potential budget drain in the future. Hernandez will join an offense that is anchored by catcher Shinsui Kato (33 HRs), shortstop Xiao-yan Song, and young outfielders Roger Duquesne and Vasantha Saswata. Duquesne and Saswata need to improve on mid-.230 batting averages for Seoul to improve its offense. The other free agent signee, closer Jose Hernandez will give the Crushers a solid finisher to join Hamzah Walliyullah and Vasantha Saswata in the pen. The rotation, however, may be headed by Cirayu Rasiah who was 0-4 as a rookie in 2106. That’s not a healthy omen for a successful starting staff. The bullpen will be plenty busy, and a follow-up last place finish is the most likely outcome for Seoul.
On January 4th the Seoul Crushers made their third major signing of the off-season. No one in the Asian Division of the IBL has been more active. Joining closer Jose Hernandez and first baseman Juan Hernandez as member of the Crushers (both discussed above) will be 28-year old ace starting pitcher Roberto Morales. Morales has been one of the top starters in baseball for seven years and over the past three seasons has posted 53 wins against just 19 losses. He will be clearly the outstanding ace of a decidedly talent challenged staff.

General WBA Discussion / Free Agency Changes Karachi Plans

« on: February 15, 2017, 03:13:06 PM »

Three Falcon Starters Declare Free Agency

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
December 1, 2106

Foiled in their attempt to make the postseason in 2106, the Karachi Falcons have begun planning to make 2107 more successful. Alas, three Falcon starters, all considered important parts of team chemistry, have chosen to become free agents and seek employment elsewhere.

Slugging first baseman Konosuke Sanu is the first and probably most likely to be missed ex-Falcon. Sanu, who has been in the Karachi organization since the IBL was formed in 2100, has been starting first baseman for the past three seasons. He racked up 113 home runs and 288 runs batted in over that stretch and led the IBL in 2105 with 45 round trippers and 104 RBIs. On top of his hitting skills, Sanu was a superlative fielder. On a negative note, he struck out almost once in every four at-bats, and last season his WAR dropped in half from 7.5 to 3.3.. Considering his demand for more than $8.0 million a year for five years, Karachi chose to let him walk. To replace Sanu, the Falcons have already executed a major trade with the London Monarchs that will bring Cheng-en Jiang to Karachi. Three years younger than Sanu, Jiang hit .258 for London last year as the Monarchs tried rather unsuccessfully to convert him from a first baseman to an outfielder in his rookie World Baseball Association campaign. The overall second pick in 2101 amateur draft, Jiang will most likely appreciate the return to the familiar confines of first base.

Trigana Chioke has been a mainstay behind the plate for the Falcons for the past five season save for a minor league stint for part of the 2103 season. The future looked rosy for Chioke after the 2104 season in which he hit .271 with 28 home runs. Alas, his batting average faded to a dismal .190 in 2015. He rebounded slightly last year to .229 and even cut down on his strikeout ration, but his salary demands were more than Karachi management thought reasonable. The club seems quite happy to replace him in-house with backup Tsadik Shukrani. By the end of last season Shukrani had actually begun sharing the starting role with Chioke in order to get his .320 average into the lineup more often. While no one expects Shukrani to hit over .300 this season, he will certainly hit for a higher average than Chioke albeit with less potent power numbers. Down-again up-again Zelalem Luzige will now be assured a roster spot as the backup catcher after three solid seasons with Faisalabad (AAA).

29-year-old Luis Rivera has been a starter in the Karachi outfield since the team’s inception 2100. A fine defensive player with good power (he hit 32 home runs in 2104) and speed, his batting average had slipped to around .240 the last two seasons. He too wanted more money to extend than Karachi was willing to pay. His spot in right field will be inherited by rookie Vasantha Yudhajit who hit .305 last year after jumping from A ball to AAA Faisalabad. He missed three plus months of last year with a torn triceps muscle. While less accomplished in the field than Rivera, he rates out as one of the fastest guys in baseball although he needs to improve his base running skills.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Home Run Binge

« on: January 04, 2017, 12:29:05 PM »

Karachi Home Run Binge

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
July 26, 2106

Karachi led the league in home runs last year, but this year Mumbai is far and away the team leader. Nonetheless, Brisbane hurler Jean-Claude Mercier (1947) probably wanted to escape home to France after his effort against Karachi on July 21st. Mercer is 10-5 on the year with a respectable 3.58 ERA even after that game. In the first inning with one out Karachi shortstop Teh-huai Guo lofted a solo home run to left field. Mercier retired the next hitter, Konosuke Sanu, but then he walked the next two hitters. Big mistake. Luis Rivera followed up with a three-run homer to left that traveled even father than Guo’s shot. Not to be outdone, next up Xian-yao Nan went yard to right with a solo shot. Mercier staggered to the dugout after finally getting the last out.

Down 5-0, Mercier came out for the second inning, probably thinking he had weathered the worst of it. Well, no, sorry Jean-Claude. Falcon pitcher Shuncho Kan singled past second to set up a two run home run by leadoff batter Luo-lang Wang. After Guo and Sanu singled, Mercier settled down and got the next two hitters. Alas, here came Luis Rivera. Rattled, the Brisbane battery allowed Guo to score on a passed ball before Rivera lofted his second homer in an as many innings. Bye, bye, Mercier. One and two thirds innings, eight hits, and ten earned runs. Ouch. The Falcons prevailed 11-5 after Teh-huai Guo added his second solo shot home run in the fifth. We should note that Shuncho Kan picked up his 13th win of the season, the first time in seven years that he has exceeded 12 wins.

The Falcons ended a very successful week which included taking three of four from division leading Brisbane and a three game sweep of London. That put Karachi at 52-45, just half a game behind Brisbane in the division. Home runs have certainly helped in the resurgence, but even more important is the fact the pitching staff, often maligned last season, has given up the fewest runs in the IBL as well as posting the lowest WHIP and the lowest opponent batting average.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Pitching Shines

« on: December 22, 2016, 03:38:51 PM »

Karachi June Review

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
June 14, 2106

The big story of the year to date for the Karachi Falcons has been the superlative performance of three pitchers:

Shuncho Kan has been a steady but far from spectacular pitcher for the Falcons since 2100. In all six of his previous seasons he has won between 10 and 12 games, always with an ERA between 3.50 and 3.99. Not too shabby. But this years his mound performances have been lights out. After 11 starts his record stands at 9 wins, 1 loss, and his ERA is down to 2.84, all at a time when the general trend around the league has been a major uptick in hitting.

Kipchoge Kemboi was projected to become a good to very good relief pitcher who lacked the stamina to start regularly. In his rookie season in 2004 he started only 4 times in 34 appearances, and the relief role appeared to be his niche. But last season he moved into the rotation and posted a very respectable 13-10 mark with an ERA just under 4.00. Karachi management put a 95 pitch count limit on him, and that seemed to make him a more than acceptable starter. The pitch count limit remains in place for 2106. Kipchoge has started 13 times and often ends up with no decision in close games because he has retired to the clubhouse after reaching his pitch count while the game is still in contention. Still, his 7-1 record, his league-leading ERA of 1.60, and a WHIP under 1.00 indicate how valuable a starter he has become. He has been named Player-of-the-Game six times in his 13 starts.

Myeong-hwan Lee has been the Karachi closer since 2001. This year he has 17 saves in as many attempts while posting a 2-0 record and an ERA of 0.68 and a WHIP of 0.65.

In other pitching news prospect El-Fatih Mwendapole was far from terrible after eight starts, but his inconsistency and his control issues led management to send him down to Faisalabad (AAA) for more development. He could back by year end. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Mwai Mdogo was recalled and made his major league debut in the starting rotation. His first four starts have been encouraging.

In mid-June Karachi has a 33-27 record, just one game behind Brisbane in the ITL Asian Division. There is a long way to go, but hopes are high that a playoff appearance is in the future.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Team Looks Similar to Last Year

« on: December 09, 2016, 11:14:11 AM »

New Year in Karachi

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
April 19, 2106

Roster-wise, 2105 was a tumultuous year for the Karachi Falcons. New management took over and had to install a revolving door on the clubhouse to facilitate players coming and going. But by year-end there was a general level of satisfaction amongst management that the basic elements for a new era were in place. The team finished out the year with a n 82-74 mark before unfortunately losing a playoff game for the last wildcard playoff berth.

The Karachi front office, patient and confident to wait for the development of its farm system, was very quiet in the free agent market. Only one player was targeted for acquisition, and Karachi was successful in landing relief pitcher Kumanosuke Sato to bolster the bullpen for 2106. Age 34, Sato has been around the IBL since 2100 when he debuted with London after being acquired in the 55th round of the league’s inaugural draft. He became a free agent after that season and promptly signed a five year deal worth $28 million with Seoul. He declined his player option for the final year and then signed a one-year deal for $5.34 million with Rome. Rome failed to extend his contract after last season. Save for one bad year in 2103, Sato has been a solid reliever although arguably not worth in excess of $5 million per year. Karachi offered, and he accepted a much more reasonable deal (from the front office perspective) of $2.1 million per year for three years with no options or bonuses included.

The 2106 season is underway and the Falcons have started pretty well with a 7-4 mark to date. Only time will tell how improved the team might be.

Here’s how the roster shapes up for the year:

Infield
1B: Konosuke Sanu – comes off career year in which he led the IBL in runs (103), HRs (45), and RBIs (104). 4.3 WAR.
2B: Luo-lang Wang – came of age, led IBL in PAs (701), ABs (640), and triples (15). Hit very respectable .277 in a pitching dominant league. 5.5 WAR.
3B: Toshikuni Hashimoto – high priced FA did not disappoint with 37 HRs and .506 slugging percentage. 6.4 WAR
SS: Teh-huai Guo – output dropped slightly but still had respectable offensive numbers, won Gold Glove at SS for 3rd straight year. 4.8 WAR
Utility: Resit Gurânî – no offensive threat but plays superb defense at all four infield spots. Saw action in over 100 games for late inning defense.
Utility: Asad bin Jafar – unexpectedly hit .319 while substituting in both IF and OF.
1B Backup: Antinko Habibulaev – starting in RF for most of last year to get his power bat in lineup. Hit 24 HRs. Starts year in AAA but could get call-up.

Outfield
LF: Erwin Beza – mid year call-up last year earned stripes and will start in left. Still has uindiscovered power potential at age 22. 1.6 WAR.
CF: Xian-yao Nan – highly touted but failed to hit in 13 game trial last year. Must deliver for team to make a playoff run.
RF: Luis Rivera – hit 32 home runs in 2104 but tailed off dramatically last season when hampered with injuries. 7.6 WAR dropped to 2.7.
OF: Da-xia Yang – stunning speed but failed to crack .200 last season in first full year. Must do better to stick with team.
OF: Atindra Kaisch – lightly regarded by scouts but hit exceptional .280 last year in reserve role. Like Yang, has great speed.
Lurking: Vasantha Yudhajit – starts year in AAA but likely to be in starting lineup sooner rather than later. Jumped from rookie ball to AAA last year.

Catching
C: Trigana Chioke – dropped from .271 to .190 last year but still recorded a 2.4 WAR. Good power. Big rebound anticipated.
C: Tsadik Shukrani – hit .250 in 58 games, will take over if Chioke fails to deliver offensively.
C: Zelalem Luzige – another disappointment at the plate last year (.200), he starts this year at Faisalabad (AAA).

Rotation
#1: Fernando Cuevas – FA acquired last year, delivered the goods, 15-4, 3.39. Tops the rotation for now
#2: Kipchoge Kemboi – 13-10, 3.91 as rookie. Still improving. Questionable stamina for starter but seems to get the job done. Has 95 pitch limit.
#3: El-Fatih Mwendapole – Number one draft pick last year saw action at three levels and excelled in AAA (7-0, 1.17 in seven starts)
#4: Shuncho Kan – has won at least 10 games for Falcons for six straight seasons. Very comfortable at number four spot rather than number two
#5: Kuan Kuo – Only 22 and still needs to work on his repertoire. Gets his shot now.
Lurking: Bhuvanesh Chandak - #2 pick last year, moved up from rookie ball, A, and AA to Faisalabad. 14-5 overall. Expect to see him soon.

Bullpen
CL: Myeong-hwan Lee – veteran had career high 45 saves but ERA went from three years below 2.00 to 3.41. Solid perfomer.
Setup: Kumanosuke Sato – newcomer FA brings solid credentials as key setup man for Lee.
Setup: Jin-suk Kim – acquired in trade last year, rebounded from horrific start to post solid numbers.
Middle: Dermott Baldwin – 11-9, 3.12 as starter last year, but much more comfortable in the bullpen. Improves the middle relief prospects dramatically.
Middle: Rick Etheridge – Had decent enough season last year after coming over as a FA from the ABL.
Middle: Wiyoto Susanti – good enough to be setup guy last year, should be more comfortable in middle relief.
Long: Sixto Colón – will probably be confined to long relief and low leverage situations.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi's Rivera Injured - Nan Gets a Call-up

« on: September 26, 2016, 02:55:32 PM »

Nan Gets the Call

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
August 25, 2105

For the week Karachi won four and lost two, all six games happening at Muhammed Ali Jinnah Stadium. First it was a three game sweep of the Scottish Claymores and then only one win out of three close games against the best team in the IBL, the Brisbane Bandits. Luo-lang Wang led the offense for the week with 11 hits in 25 at bats (.440) including two doubles, a triple, and a home run. Konosuke Sanu continued to bash the ball and now leads the IBL in both home runs and runs batted in. Myeong-hwan Lee picked up three saves to up his total to 37, a career high for him.. Lee, Jin-suk Kim, Rick Etheridge, Wiyoto Susanti, and Johão Guioni combined for 17 relief innings without allowing a run.

On August 17th center fielder Luis Rivera partially tore his labrum and is likely out for the rest of the year. To fill his spot on the roster, the Falcons promoted 22-year-old Xian-yao Nan to take over the starting job in center. The speedster looked pretty good in his first week of big league action. He’s not quite as accomplished a fielder as Rivera, but he could be a solid offensive contributor. He’ll have to be to replace Rivera’s 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.

The Falcons picked up a game in the chase for the final wild card spot and now lead London, Mumbai, and Black Forest by a game and a half while Paris lurks three back. This week is going to be a struggle as Karachi has four games with second place Singapore and three with league powerhouse Brisbane at Brisbane. The Bandits will be without starting second baseman Prospero Calaa and starting third baseman Yu-zhang Chaing, both of whom will miss the next couple of weeks with injuries.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi in Wild Card Hunt

« on: September 24, 2016, 11:43:55 AM »

Karachi in Wild Card Hunt

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
August 17 2105

It’s been awhile since we reported. The Pakistani Government decided to shut down the Karachi Dawn for awhile for suspect reasons. But now we are back. Let’s catch up a bit.

The Falcons are amongst a whole host of teams battling for the two wild card berths. Singapore has a solid hold on the first wild card spot. Karachi is currently leading for the second spot, but London, Mumbai, and Paris are all less than two games back. It will be a fight to the finish.

On the offensive front, Konosuke Sanu leads the way with 38 home runs and 89 runs batted in. He leads the IBL in homers and is just one behind for the RBI lead. Toshikuni Hashimoto is also bashing the ball: 30 HRs and 77 TBIs. The most pleasant surprise has been the emergence of second baseman Luo-lang Wang as a solid offensive threat. He has 13 HRs along with 13 triples and 26 doubles for a nice .459 slugging percentage. His 13 triples leads the league. Finally, Erwin Beza has successfully made the jump from AAA Faisalabad and is patrolling left field as a regular.

Pitching-wise, the Falcons are not as strong as they would like to be. That said, free agent signee Fernando Cuevas is having a nice season (11-4, 3.95). And Dermott Baldwin, expected to be a reliever, has done very well in the rotation (9-5, 3.27). Closer Myeong-hwan Lee is a rock with 34 saves in 36 tries, and trade acquisition Jin-suk Kim has recovered from a horrific start to be a steady and reliable set-up man.

The biggest news we have to report is the rapid development of the team’s top two draft picks in the 2105 draft. First rounder El-Fatih Mwendapole started his professional career at Multan in Class A. He was 4-3 there with an ERA of 3.72. Promoted to AA Gujranwala, he started eight games, posting 4-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA. Promoted yet again to AAA Faisalabad, he has been lights out so far with a 4-0 record in four starts and an unbelievable ERA of 0.96. Meanwhile, second round pick Bhuvanesh Chandak started in rookie ball at Sargodha where he was 2-0 in five starts before being promoted to join Mwendapole at Multan (A). He was 3-2 there and was promoted to AA Gujranwala concurrently with Mwendapole. In AA he was 6-1 with a 2.28 ERA. Again the pair were promoted as a pair to AAA. Chandrak had a disastrous first outing with Faisalabad but has recovered nicely (3-1, 3.91). There is every possibility that these two guys will be in Karachi rotation next season. It has pretty much been decided that neither will make a major league debut this year, but expect to see them both at Spring Training in 2106.

General WBA Discussion / April Ends Well for Karachi

« on: August 28, 2016, 09:44:55 AM »

Karachi Hangs In During April

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
4 May 2105

April is behind us. The Karachi Falcons played decent baseball for the month and stand in second place in the Asian Division of the Intercontinental League of the WBA. That is good news for a team that was not expected to do that well. The Falcons have no perceivable chance to challenge for the division championship – it is almost a foregone conclusion that that honor will go to the Brisbane Bandits (née the Tokyo Samurai). The Bandits have reeled off nine in a row and twelve out of thirteen to lead the division by more than six games.

Karachi is in Brisbane today to begin a three game stand with the tough Bandits after which they travel to Paris for three and then Black Forest for three. That will mercifully end a twelve game road trip and the team will return home to play three at Muhammad Ali Jinnah Stadium before leaving town for another six road games.

Konosuke Sanu had a brilliant April. The 27-year old first baseman is hitting .284 and leads the IBL in home runs with 12 and is second in RBIs with 26. He won’t keep up that pace – it projects out to a 65 home-run 140 RBI season. – but it is nice as long as it lasts. Meanwhile, outfielder Luis Rivera leads the IBL in runs batted in with 28.

The Falcons lead the league in home runs (48) and runs (150). Alas, pitching also comes into play in deciding games, and the picture is not so pretty there. The team ranks seventh or eighth out of ten in most pitching categories. There have been a couple of real pitching standouts for the team: Starter Kipchoge Kemboi has a 4-2 record and a 0.93 WHIP. And closer Myeong-hwan Lee is a perfect ten for ten is save attempts

21-year-old outfielder Erwin Beza has started out the season on fire at Faisalabad (AAA). Chances are we will be seeing him in the line-up in Karachi soon.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Opens at Home and Then Hits the Road

« on: August 22, 2016, 02:55:44 PM »

Karachi in Second Place after Ten Games

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
13 April 2105

As Spring Training ground to a close, Karachi added another relief pitcher to its roster: Jin-suk Kim joined the Karachi bullpen after coming over in a last-minute deal with the Florida Hurricanes in which Karachi gave up prospect first baseman Ultac Shariff and prospect relief pitcher Candrabali Malavika. Kim is 30 and provides immediate help for the Falcon bullpen with his fastball and slider which he can bring in at 96-98 mph. His debut in the regular season was unfortunately a disaster – on Opening Day, April 3rd, he came in to pitch the ninth inning with the Falcons leading Rome 13-4. He faced five batters which resulted, in order, in a single, a two-run-homer, a strikeout, a single, and a double. Dermott Baldwin came on to get the final two outs in the 13-7 win. That left Kim sitting with a statistically embarrassing ERA of 108.00.

Karachi took two out of three from Rome in the three-day season-opening home stand. After that the Falcons departed on what will end up being a fourteen games in fourteen days road trip. In the first stop, Seoul, Karachi won the first two games and then dropped two for a split. In Singapore, our locals again won the first two but failed to win the final game for a sweep. Mumbai is next followed by London before the team returns home against Scotland on the 21st.

Not too surprisingly, the Falcons lead the Intercontinental League in on base percentage, home runs, runs, extra base hits, and a few other categories. Alas, they are eighth or worse in ERA, hits and runs allowed, and opponent batting average. Konosuke Sanu leads the Falcons in Home runs (4) and RBIs (11). Second baseman Luo-lang Wang has had the hottest bat – he is hitting .383 and has scored a team leading 11 times.

The most encouraging pitching performance to date has been Kipchoge Kemboi’s eight inning stint against Rome in which he gave up just four hits while fanning 10 and not allowing a walk. He won his second start as well against Singapore but was far less dominant. Perhaps the best team pitching performance was the 14-inning 4-3 win over Seoul on April 6th. Abramhu Manyam was less than overwhelming as the starter and left in the fifth trailing 3-2. Karachi tied it in the seventh and then got the winning run in the top of the 14th on an Atindra Kaisch double and a Da-xia Yang single. Neither of them had started the game. The bullpen was brilliant on this day as Sixto Colón, Wiyoto Susanti, Jin-suk Kim,
Dermott Baldwin, and Johão Guioni pitched the last nine innings allowing just 4 hits and no runs. Guioni got the win.

Bottom line: After ten games, the Falcons stand at 6-4 in second place in the Asian Division of the Intercontinental League just one half game behind Seoul. Stay tuned.

Completed Trades / Florida / Karachi

« on: August 18, 2016, 12:32:35 PM »

Karachi sends:
1B Ultac Sharif (rookie league)
RP Candrabali Malavika (rookie league)

Florida seeds:
P Jin-suk Kim (ML)

Thanks to Florida for the deal.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Dissa and Data

« on: August 17, 2016, 08:31:38 AM »

A Roster Adjustment, the Draft, and Spring Training Injuries

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
16 March 2105

In another pleasant surprise for fans of the Karachi Falcons, the World Baseball Association has reversed the waiver claim from late last season that saw pitcher Dermott Baldwin pass from the Falcons to Rio de Janeiro in the Americas League. Baldwin has returned to Karachi and will see action in the final Spring Training games. He was a very effective reliever for the Falcons last year. He will probably join Rick Etheridge as Karachi set-up men, but could possibly be given a spot in the Falcon rotation as a starter. The overall consensus is that he lacks the stamina to be a regular starter.
[FYI: the Karachi Pitching Review has been updated to include the presence of Baldwin on the roster.]

Dermott Baldwin

The WBA amateur draft is complete. It should be no surprise at all to anyone that Karachi placed the emphasis of its draft selection on pitching help. The team’s top three selections were all pitchers:

El-Fatih Mwendapole is a 22-year-old Ugandan who projects to someday be Karachi’s number one starter. Known as ‘The Mailman’, Mwendapole was the number two overall pick in the draft. He throws a fastball, a slider, and a wicked changeup, and he can bring it in at 95-97 mph. No relation to Fasilidas Mwendapole, another pitcher in the Karachi organization, El-Fatih will start his professional career at Multan in Class A.
Bhuvanesh Chandak, Karachi’s second rounder and 12th overall pick, is a year older than Mwendapole and hails from India. His pitch selection and speed mirror that of Mwendapole, and he too could someday be a number one. He will start his career at Sargodha in the Rookie League.
Tai Lu, the third round pick, is of a different sort. He projects to be a closer with his excellent fastball and curve. About to turn 22 and hailing from Vietnam, he too will begin his career at Sargodha.

Spring Training is winding toward its conclusion. Splitting nine of eighteen games to date seems reasonable enough. Karachi management feels strongly that the major goal in Spring Training is injury avoidance. So far the injury list includes new reliever Jorge Cruz suffering a strained forearm that will sideline him until June and Lukyan Enohin rupturing a finger tendon that keeps him off the roster until mid-July at earliest. Frankly, Enohin was a long shot to make the roster anyway.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Will Debut Its New Stadium on Opening Day

« on: August 16, 2016, 03:13:43 PM »

New Stadium for Falcons

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
9 March 2105

At a surprise press conference this morning, the Atlas Group executives responsible for the management of the Karachi Falcons announced that the Falcons would move into their new stadium on Opening Day, April 3rd. The new stadium was originally not scheduled to be ready until next season. Since the conglomerate Atlas Group was itself doing the construction work, it was able to significantly accelerate the process.

The new stadium will be named Muhammad Ali Jinnah Stadium in honor of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. It will feature a real grass field and a retractable roof. Fans will especially appreciate the comfortable new seats and the wide range of amenities available during games.

The team will unveil the field to fans on Fan Appreciation Day, April 2nd, one day before Opening Day. The entire team, including newcomers Toshikuni Hashimoto and Fernando Cuevas, will be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs. In a special treat for fans on that day, the Green Shirts, Pakistan’s national cricket team, will also be on hand to meet and greet Falcon boosters. Season ticket holders will be allowed to enter the stadium at noon; all fans are welcome at 13:30.

On April 3rd the Falcons will inaugurate Ali Jinnah Stadium as they face the Rome Generals who recently relocated from Lagos, Nigeria to the City of the Seven Hills. The first pitch will be thrown out by popular singer and actor, Tariq Aslam, great grandson of the legendary 21st century singer and actor, Atiuf Aslam.

Park Changes / Karachi Opens New Stadium

« on: August 16, 2016, 02:56:48 PM »

Karachi will dedicate its new stadium, Muhammad Ali Jinnah Stadium, on Opening Day. It is named for the founder of Pakistan.

Completed Trades / Rio / Karachi

« on: August 15, 2016, 09:20:32 PM »

Karachi sends $1
Rio sends P Dermott Baldwin

This is to correct an AI waiver issue

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Pitching Review

« on: August 15, 2016, 12:08:00 PM »

Karachi Pitching Outlook

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
2 March 2105

Let’s take a look at the pitching prospects for the Falcons this year:

Rotation
A pretty deplorable crew last year save for Kan, the prospects are improved this year. But there are still big holes at numbers four and five although there is some hope for an improvement as the year progresses.

Fernando Cuevas – Free agent add becomes number one starter by default; 31-year-old must produce for Karachi to improve
Kipchoge Kemboi – Potential number one, just 24 years old, joins the rotation after a solid year in the bullpen. There is a lot riding on his future.
Shuncho Kan – 28-year-old makes big money for the first time. Does he deserve it? Has been remarkably consistent for five seasons.
Fyodor Rislyakov – Here’s where it drops off dramatically. Iron man 38-year-old struggles to keep ERA under 5.00.
Emílio Roger – Veteran hangs in there but lacks the ability to be in the bigs for much longer.
Kuan Kao – When he is ready, prospects improve dramatically. He starts the year at Faisalabad, he could get called up. Potential number one is still just 21.
Abramhu Manyam – Can he be an effective number four or five? He will start in the pen but could move to rotation if (when?) Rislyakov or Roger falter.

Closer
There are no worries here if there are any leads to protect late. Myeong-hwan Lee is as good as they come. Karachi signed him to an expensive long-term deal to eliminate the chances of his opting out of his player option this season.

Bullpen
The league reversal of the abortive waiver claim of Dermott Baldwin helps a lot. Aside from him and closer Lee, the rest of the crew last year was decidedly mediocre at best. The prospects are better, especially in the setup area, but still well below average in the middle and long relief areas .

Dermott Baldwin – Returned to Karachi as bad waiver claim, he will be either a top setup man or occasional starter
Rick Etheridge – Free agent becomes the top setup man for Lee. The team is counting on him performing well.
Abramhu Manyam – May end up in the rotation as mentioned above but he could be the other setup guy if he does not.
Sixto Colón – Free agent will battle with others for a spot.
Jorge Cruz – Free agent will battle with others for a spot.
Johão Guioni – Free agent will battle with others for a spot.
Wiyoto Susanti – Free agent will battle with others for a spot.
Lukyan Enohin – Holdover will battle with others for a spot.
Quan-Van Phu - – Holdover will battle with others for a spot.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Position Player Review - 2105

« on: August 13, 2016, 10:08:59 PM »

Karachi Positional Player Outlook

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
17 February 2105

Let’s take a look at the positional player possibilities for the Falcons this year:

[1B] Konosuke Sanu comes off a fine year (.261, 37 HRs. 95 RBIs, 5.9 WAR). Strong defensively (+10.8 ZR] despite limited range and a weak arm.

Konosuke Sanu

[2B] Luo-lang Wang is highly regarded but must finally deliver offensively and defensively after a disappointing .201 year in which he missed four months with torn ankle ligaments.
[3B] Toshikuni Hashimoto improves the infield and should hit 35+ HRs and knock in 100. +12 ZR and 5.9 WAR last season with Paris.
[SS] Teh-huai Guo is a solid player offensively and defensively. Led league in hits last season and had +12 ZR. Good range, good arm, slow.
[LF] Russian Antinko Habibulaev manned 3B last season and will struggle at his new position, but he brings 20 HRs to the lineup.
[CF] Luis Rivera is +19 ZR in CF and he solidifies the outfield defense. Last year he stepped up his game and hit 32 HRs and knocked in 95 while leading the league in plate appearances. Speedy, smart base runner stole team-best 17 bases in 22 attempts. 7.6 WAR led the team.
[RF] Sami Tumaini is a weak link defensively, but he gets on base a lot. Led the league in walks last season and sported a 2.9 WAR.
[C] Trigana Chioke is strong offensively, adequate at best defensively. 5.9 WAR last year with 27 HRs and a .271 BA.
[Reserves]
[IF] With Moritz Segaar traded, backing up at 1B may be an issue. Resit Gurânî is an ideal defensive utility man as he plays every IF position (including 1B) with aplomb, but he brings little to the plate offensively. If he can match his .254 BA from last year, everyone will be delighted. Asad bin Jafar has yet to deliver on his potential and is below average defensively.
[OF] Atindra Kaisch is the best defensive option at any spot, and he is an excellent base runner and stealer who hit .274 last year. Octavian Gheara defied the experts by hitting .351 as a rookie, but that level seems very unsustainable. He is adequate defensively. Sun Gai is still around with his $7.5 million salary, but he easily cleared waivers and is unlikely to be on the roster. Although easily capable of 35 HRs, his BA the last two years was .209 and .202, and he’s a defensive liability. Be assured he will not make 530 plate appearances as that would extend his salary for another season.
[C] Zelalem Luzige could start for many teams and will be a primary pinch hitter. His defense is adequate. Tsadik Shukrani will be sitting at Faisalabad ready to help out, but he may be playing there mostly at 1B in an attempt to improve his versatility.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Off Season Moves

« on: August 13, 2016, 11:01:31 AM »

Karachi Off Season Moves

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
16 February 2105

It’s been a busy, busy off season for the Karachi Falcons. Let’s look at the new faces that will be on the field this year:

Third baseman Toshikuni Hashimoto – In what was without a doubt the biggest transaction in team history, the Falcons signed 28-year-old free agent Hashimoto to a five year deal that will pay him $15.0 million this year and $16.0 million next year. At that point Hashimoto can opt out of the rest of the contract: $17.0 million in 2107, $18.0 million in 2108, and a team option $18.0 million in 2109 with a $4.5 million buyout. He can also earn $750,000 per year should he be named hitter of the year. Hashimoto is a +12 zone-rated third baseman who can also play left or right field as well as a decent second base. He can fill in at SS or 1B in an emergency. The Falcons will count on Hashimoto to hit 35 home runs and knock in 100 while hopefully hitting around .270. He had a 6.9 WAR last season with Paris.

Tashikuni Hashimoto

Starting Pitcher Fernando Cuevas – Another free agent signee, Cuevas will shore up the Karachi starting rotation, most likely as the number one starter. He will earn $4.5 million per year for five years, the final year being a team option with the usual buyout. He averages out at a 3.0 WAR for the past three years with Santo Domingo. Back in 2100 and 2101, he led his league in losses, but has been 32-26 over the past three seasons. Hopefully his 3.82 ERA last year better represents his ability than his 5.19 from the year before.

Fernando Cuevas

Rick Etheridge – Free agent Etheridge signed a three year deal for $1.5 million per year with the Falcons, and he is expected to become the primary late inning set-up man for closer Myeong-hwan Lee. The Badger switches continents after four years with Buenos Aires where he was reasonably effective as a reliever. The infield better be ready because he is rated an extreme ground ball pitcher.

Sixto Colón, Jorge Cruz, Johão Guioni, and Wiyoto Susanti – Guioni signed a two-year deal while the other three have one-year contracts. While none of these guys are world beaters, all four are potential upgrades over last year’s bullpen crew.

Abramhu Manyam – Manyam is an expensive prospect for Karachi since they gave up highly respected first baseman Moritz Segaar to get him in a trade with Santo Domingo. That deal has been highly criticized in the media since Segaar is an established player with good offensive skills including power whereas Manyam has yet to see major league pitching action save for three games last season. Manyam could develop into a decent bottom-of-rotation starter or middle inning reliever. From Karachi’s perspective, Segaar would have seen little action behind Konosuke Sanu at first base and any upgrade in the pitching ranks made this trade acceptable while acknowledging that Santo Domingo got the better of the deal.

Owner Vacations / Karachi traveling 7/24 - 8/12

« on: July 18, 2016, 08:37:16 AM »

I am heading to Saratoga for 17 days of horse racing. I will have the my laptop, the game, and good internet most of the time. But I will have NO internet at all 7/24 - 7/26 and again 8/9 - 8/11.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Awards

« on: July 14, 2016, 12:20:32 PM »

Karachi Awards

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
30 September 2104

HITTER OF THE YEAR

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Trade Blocks and Discussions / Karachi Block - Ready to Listen

« on: July 14, 2016, 11:38:32 AM »

Karachi will be ready to make trades once the off season arrives.
Willing to talk now.

Players available
Moritz Segaar –23-year-old first baseman (2.5/3.5 stars) hit .275 this year behind Sanu who is just 26 himself. Segaar won’t get much playing time here unless Sanu gets hurt, so he’s expendable. I would like to get a similarly rated young outfielder who can hit, preferably with good corner defense. Another option would be a similarly rated number three or four starter or a solid setup bullpen guy. I’ll listen to all offers.

Tsadik Shukrani – young catcher (1.5/3.0 stars) could start or be an excellent backup for someone. He is blocked in Karachi behind Chioke and Luzige. I would like a young major-league ready three star relief pitcher with decent pitcher ratings (S/M/C) in exchange.

No one is untouchable.
Moving prospects is possible but only if I get young players in return.
I am not interested in highly paid veterans over 30 years of age.
Not interested in first basemen or catchers.
Pitching is a priority.

PM me.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Outfield and Catching

« on: July 11, 2016, 09:06:24 AM »

Karachi: Assessing the Outfield & Catching

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
15 September 2104

Dissa and Data

One week to go in the season and Karachi is dead tied with London for the second round draft pick. Heard in the dugout: “We’ll be trying to win some games; the third round pick won’t be so bad.” Karachi has won seven of their last ten.
Shuncho Kan hurled seven plus scoreless innings against Tokyo on September 12th to record his eleventh win against just three losses. He lowered his ERA to 3.09.
Karachi and Tokyo both scored three runs in the first inning on September 13th. Then it was scoreless until the eighth when Karachi got two more to win it 5-3. It was a nice win over Tokyo ace Da'ud bin Abbas. Reliever Lukyan Enohin got the win in relief of Fyodor Rislyakov

Here is the promised review of the Karachi outfield and catching roster with pitching to come in our next update

Left Field
Sun Gai has played here for most of the season. He has some power: 35 home runs last year and 22 this year, but he hit just .209 last year and .202 this year. He will be 35 in a few days, and he is most likely going to be around next season as he has a guaranteed contract for an exorbitant $7.5 million. He can pretty much kiss the $7.5 million team option for 2106 good-bye unless he improves his performance dramatically in 2105. In the future we expect Erwin Beza to take over full-time in left. A top prospect at age 21, he will probably require a full season in AAA at Faisalabad before he is ready for the show.

Center Field
Luis Rivera has the center field job locked up. He sports a +20 zone rating in center and is having an excellent power season with 30 home runs. In August he had three homers in a game against London.

Right Field
Sami Tumaini makes way too much money at $2.4 million thanks to an ill-advised two-year free agency deal offered to him by Karachi prior to the 2103 season. Karachi could release him and avoid the contract automatically renewing for 2105. But he has the best OBP on the team (over .400) and he did hit .270 with 13 home runs. He is likely to be the starter next year even with his negative zone rating. The new Karachi management really would like a better defensive option, but the alternatives for better defense have offensive liabilities.

Outfield Reserves
Atindra Kaisch and Octavian Gheara are the current reserves. They are OK defensively and marginal offensively (despite Gheara’s .353 batting average this year, a number that seems totally illusionary).

Catching
This is one spot where the Falcons seem well positioned for the future. Trigana Chioke (age 26) has excellent power, and his batting average has improved every year up to .268 this season. Further improvement is possible. Alas, he is not the defensive whiz you would like behind the plate. Also 26, Zelalem Luzige is marginally better defensively but lacks Chioke’s power. He could hit for a higher average as evidenced by his .308 this season in limited action. Tsadik Shukrani at Faisalabad looks like a slightly younger (24) mirror image of Chioke. Perhaps a trade waiting to be made?

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Infield Preview

« on: July 09, 2016, 04:41:40 PM »

Karachi: Assessing the Infield

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
8 September 2104

Two weeks to go in the season. Karachi is currently on a very uncharacteristic four-game win streak but I still firmly entrenched in last place in the IBL Asian Division. The last weeks will most likely decide who gets the second and third round picks in the next Amateur Draft. Lagos already has first pick pretty much locked up. Barring miracles, pick two will go to London or Karachi.

Karachi has done some wholesale cleansing of its roster which had been so artificially stuffed during previous management’s artificial intelligence fiasco. 24 players sporting one year contracts with major league salaries have been trimmed from the organization. They were all paid off for the remainder of the year. All of them refused minor league contract extensions; none deserved receiving a major league deal. 15 more players currently with major league contracts will remain in the organization next season with minor league contracts. All had previously been waived and designated for assignment, thus removing them from the 40-man roster.

Today we take a look at the present and the future of the Karachi infield corps:

First Base
Konosuke Sanu (age 26) is in his first full season in the major leagues. He is a solid defensive first baseman (+10.5 zone rating), albeit one without a lot of range. At the plate he has the potential to hit for a decent average while providing superior power numbers. Currently he is seond in the IBL in home runs (36) and tied for second in RBIs (91). He is hitting .265 with a club leading slugging percentage of .516. The team’s hitting coach thinks that he can evolve into a .280 hitter.
Backing up Kanu is 23-year-old Moritz Segaar who has a similar profile while perhaps a shade below him in both talent and potential. Segaar could probably start for many teams, and there is certainly the potential for a trade of one of these guys if the right opportunity arose. Alas, first basemen tend to be a dime a dozen these days.

Second Base
25-year-old Luo-lang Wang, just this week back from four months on the disabled list, currently holds the job and is projected to be the starter in 2105 (barring trade and free agency acquisitions). He is adequate defensively, but his major league history indicates that .250 is probably his batting average ceiling. Most teams hope for more production.
Down in Rookie League Sargodha there is this year’s third round draft pick, Donat Jakubczak. His defense needs work, but he has very high potential offensively both from contact and power perspectives. He will certainly progress to Class A for the start of next season and could end up in AA during the year. He is still just 19 years old.

Third Base
Antinko Habibulaev (age 30 this week) holds the hot corner job. His zone rating is negative, although massively so, and he has yet to top .250 in three major league seasons with the Falcons. He has decent power, topping 20 home runs this year for the third consecutive time, but he strikes out a lot as well. Unfortunately there is no obvious help waiting in the minors to replace him.

Shortstop
Teh-huai Guo (pictured below) has held the shortstop job for three years now. The 28-year-old is a +10 zone rating defender at short, and his batting average has improved in each of his three seasons up to .305 this season. He is inked in as the starter for the foreseeable future as there is no one on the horizon that could supplant him.

Utility
The backup infielders right now are Resit Gurânî and Asad bin Jafar. Gurânî (28) is a solid defender at all four infield positions but does not inspire or project a lot of confidence at the plate. Bin Jafar is less capable defensively although he can also fill in at the corner outfield spots. This year is his first shot at producing in the majors, and his .186 batting average doesn’t bode well for the future.

In a future issue we will look at 1) the outfield and catching, 2) the rotation, and 3) the bullpen.

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Sports New Uniforms and New Logo

« on: July 06, 2016, 07:54:10 AM »

Falcons Introduce New Logo and Uniforms

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
25 August 2104

Pakistan’s Atlas Group today introduced a new logo and new uniforms for its recently acquired baseball franchise, the Karachi Falcons. The move is seen by the media as being consistent with Atlas’s pledge to be active in promoting the team to the Karachi community. In addition, Atlas hopes that the Falcons will be adopted as Pakistan’s national team.

“The Falcons alone represent Pakistan is the World Baseball Alliance, and all of Pakistan should support the team on the international sports stage. Our goal is to bring divisional, International Baseball League, and eventually World Baseball Alliance championships home to Karachi for all the people of Pakistan to savor.”

Here are two views of the new uniforms:

General WBA Discussion / Karachi Rebuffs China; Players Sign Extensions

« on: July 04, 2016, 12:13:52 PM »

Karachi Squelches Rumors of Move to China
Two Players Sign Extensions

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
18 August 2104

Just prior to the Atlas Group purchasing the Karachi Flyers, it was rumored that the Pakistani government was coming under intense pressure from it counterparts in Beijing to facilitate the sale of the Falcons to Chinese interests in Shanghai. It seems the Chinese Communist Party bosses are quite upset that Korea, Japan, and Singapore have franchises in the Asian Division of the Intercontinental Baseball League (IBL) whereas China does not.

The Atlas Group released the following statement today:

“We cannot comment on what discussions or inquiries there might have been between the governments of Pakistan and China. We would obviously not have been privy to those discussions. However, we can unequivocally state that the Atlas Group is totally committed to keeping the Falcons franchise right where it belongs – in Karachi. We will NOT be moving.”

In the same statement, the team announced that a new team logo is being introduced, and new uniforms will be implemented as soon as League approval is forthcoming.

On a totally separate note, two Karachi players have signed contract extensions into the future:

The future status of Closer Myeong-hwan Lee (pictured below left) has been a serious concern for management and fans alike. Arguably the only superstar under contract, Lee had a player option to continue as a Falcon next season, and there had been no word whether or not he intended to exercise that option or go the free agency route. That concern is now a thing of the past. Lee has signed a five year contract extension through 2110 that converts his player option for next season into a guaranteed contract year. Lee will earn $6.7 million per year starting in 2106 with 2110 being a team option with a buyout of $1.7 million.
Pitcher Shuncho Kan (pictured below right) was eligible for free agency come the end of the season. He has been the best Falcon starter this season and has been remarkably consistent over his five-year career in Karachi. Still, the team may have substantially overpaid Kan with the granting of a three-year extension at $5.2 million per year. Kan was a fourteenth round pick in the WBA inaugural draft back in 2100.

General WBA Discussion / A New Era in Karachi

« on: July 02, 2016, 02:07:03 PM »

New Management for Karachi Falcons

by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
11 August 2104

Hopes arose in Karachi last year when the Falcons suddenly posted their first ever winning record in the Intercontinental Baseball League (IBL) of the World Baseball Association (WBA). Interest in the team rose significantly. The outlook was positive.

Then the world fell apart as it so often does in unstable Pakistan. Management abandoned the team, and control was delegated to an artificial intelligence model introduced by a strange alliance between the Karachi City Council and Pakistan's infamous Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Agency. That model has been an unmitigated disaster, and the City Council has disassociated itself from the everyday management of the team. Desperate to rid itself of an embarrassing involvement, the ISI has been looking for someone . . . anyone, really . . . to take over the struggling franchise. Officially the ISI denies ever having been involved in team operations.

Now the Karachi Falcons have been acquired by the Atlas Group, a famous Pakistani conglomerate noted for its investments in the financial and automotive industries The Falcons will represent its first venture into sports management. Atlas has appointed a management team imported from the United States and Japan that brings in significant experience in baseball operations.

In its initial press conference, the new management team stressed the need for patience and encouraged local fans to support the team immediately as it begins its quest to not only return to the ICB playoff picture next season but to challenge for supremacy in the WBA as well. The initial impetus will be to rid itself of a significant number of major league contracts. The Falcons have over 70 players signed to major league contracts in a world where a 40-man roster is both the rule and the norm. The artificial intelligence model seems to have no qualms about signing players to contracts only to waive them from the roster and sign even more players. It's easy to get them off the 40-man roster, but that does not remove the obligation to continue paying out the contracts.

About ten players have already been released after the team paid off the contract obligations. A dozen or so more have been offered (and initially rejected) minor league contracts for next season. They will fall off the books at the end of the year. And another dozen odd players on one-year deals will not be offered any type of renewal, and they too will fall into the free agency pool at season's end.

The Karachi Dawn has been designated the official news source for the team. Stay tuned here for more news as it unfolds.