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cochrane · 06-03-2007, 05:22 AM

Part Three: The Inaugural Season (1988)

4th Place: Fresno Suns (18-36, 13.0 GB)

The city-owned Suns were never in it to begin with, unfortunately. They would finish the season thirteen games back in the league. The teams batting average was .232 and their starting rotation gave up way too many runs to contend for a playoff spot in the first year (team ERA: 5.87). While the team's performance seemed disappointing to many in the league, the city celebrated its team with a two-day fan festival following the end of the season. The first of many, the city's mayor promised. Among the stars of the team were catcher Bartolo Moreno, who led the club in batting average, home runs, and RBIs (.307, 8 HR, 28 RBI), and reliever Eric Robertson, who in thirteen appearances, carried an ERA of 2.95 and struck out nine through eighteen and third innings. Although those numbers seem paltry when compared to the rest of the league, on a team where runs and holding opposing runners were at a premium, these two were the "stars" of the team. In the offseason, Fresno would trade Robertson to Sacramento in exchange for shortstop Carl Burkholder. Only time will tell on how this trade affects the Suns' offensive landscape. On the fan front, a major rivalry formed with Chico, as both are cities along California State Route 99. Chico won the season series by an overwhelming 14 games, including two three-game sweeps. In spite of the teams' last place finish, the team's financials were promising, with the season ticket holders filling all available vacancies by the end of the year.

3rd Place: San Jose Bombers (29-25, 2.0 GB)

A mere game shy of tying for a playoff spot, San Jose did not do poorly in its first season of existence. The Bombers gave the Grizzlies and the Pioneers a run for their money, led by ace starter (and 1988 Westphalen Medal winner) Toshiki Hirayama (8-2, 1.70 ERA, 155 K) and shortstop Ramon Gallardo (.317, 9 HR, 49 RBI). Hirayama threw a record 7 complete games and 1 complete game shutout, winning eight of the twelve games he started for the team. He was atop the short list of Westphalen Medal candidates from the end of April to the end of the season, eventually winning the inaugural award for outstanding achievement in pitching for the Golden State Baseball League. During the year, the Bombers developed a rivalry with the Grizzlies, as they met many times during the season. Sacramento fans made the road trip down to San Jose to see their home team play, and in turn, entered a hostile environment as the Bombers swept the Grizzlies. The season series resulted in 7 wins for the Grizzlies, and 11 wins for the Bombers. Admittedly, it seemed that Sacramento fans liked to venture to other parks to follow their team around the state, and rivalries formed along with Chico and Fresno. The league began talks with the city of San Jose to further expand San Jose Municipal Stadium to sixteen thousand seats, but the zoning issues on the land surrounding the ballpark must be addressed during the general election as a city measure to repurpose that land for the Bombers. Given the outstanding performance and the race for a playoff spot capturing a lot of regional attention in the media, the city seemed a lot more receptive to accommodating the Bombers than it had when the league was still on paper. Measure F is reportedly gaining support among voters, and looks to pass with a minor majority in November. On the financial side, season ticket ownership is up five percent.

2nd Place: Sacramento Grizzlies (30-24, 1.0 GB)

No one could ever doubt the veracity of the Grizzlies' fans. Calling themselves "Grizzly Nation," they would follow their home team to Chico, San Jose, and Fresno without fail. In fact, the fact that many of these fans followed the Sacramento team around the state proved to be a financial boon for the other teams, as the empty seats prior to the game were invariably filled by a seat of red-white ballcaps, shirts, and jerseys. The second-place Sacramento team stunned the new league with brilliant hitting and pitching. Shortshop Billy 'Million Dollar' Smith was the team's leader in batting average (.333), home runs (17), and RBIs (59). Starter Artie Reese struck out 46 and ended the regular season with a 2.45 ERA, winning three of his ten starts. He was particularly effective during the playoffs, with eight innings pitched and six strikeouts for the one game he appeared in as a starter. The Grizzlies won that game by one run. Sacramento also took home two of the Golden Glove awards, at shortshop and left field. On the home front, their new ballpark was still under construction when the regular season began play, but Raley Field was completed in time for the playoffs. The Grizzlies took advantage of the extra seating as they moved out of the Sacramento State ballpark to the twelve thousand seat field. Season tickets for the next season are reportedly a tough ticket to get, and a majority of the spring training bookings in San Jose are also filled by Sacramento fans, looking to get away for a two-week vacation next May.

1st Place: Chico Pioneers (31-23)

The Pioneers began the season with the best record in the league, winning five games in a row, including a three-game sweep of the Fresno Suns. The strong start carried Chico through to the end of the season, as they took the league pennant away from the Sacramento Grizzlies by a single game. The Pioneers ended up taking four of the season-end awards, including the Holbeck Medal for Most Valuable Player, which went to center-fielder Jose "Clang" Cota (.356, 15 HR, 45 RBI). "Clang" was named so, after eight of his fifteen home runs ended up striking the foul pole in right field, resulting in a very loud noise. Cota led the team in all three categories, while his pitching counterpart, starter Rob "Animal" Alleyne led the Pioneers in wins, ERA, and strikeouts (7 wins, 1.35 ERA, and 76 strikeouts). Alleyne's nickname came from the fact that he wore his brown hair shaggy and long, with a full beard to match. Both players were recognized in the year-end celebration once the team made the playoffs and faced the Grizzlies in a best-of-five contest. Along with their rivals in Sacramento and Fresno, the Pioneers were well-received by their fans, however, the two lawyers who owned the team found issues in trying to resolve the lease dispute with the city of Chico. According to the initial agreement, the lease on Nettleton Field could be renewed by the team at the end of the 1988 season, but the city wanted to renegotiate the terms as the fans of the team ended up trashing the collegiate-level ballpark after every game and the workload proved to be too much for the cleaning crew hired by the city as part of the first year contract. Under the terms of the second year's agreement, the team would need to cover the cost of the cleaning of the ballpark after every game, and the ballpark would be inspected by the city to ensure compliance. Failure to comply would result in the lease being terminated by the city, which caused a major problem in the team's finances. Thus, the campaign for a dedicated event facility for the Pioneers began, but the city council has not yet approved the motion to place a measure on the ballot in November. The owners are contemplating a move to another city, preferably one closer to the Los Angeles area.

Playoffs: Sacramento over Chico, 3 games to 0.

Code:

Final Standings

Team            	W	L	PCT	GB	
Chico Pioneers  	31	23	.574	-	
Sacramento Grizzlies	30	24	.556	1.0	
San Jose Bombers	29	25	.537	2.0	
Fresno Suns     	18	36	.333	13.0

Wild Card
Team            	W	L	PCT	GB
Sacramento Grizzlies	30	24	.556	-
San Jose Bombers	29	25	.537	1.0
Fresno Suns     	18	36	.333	12.0

Season End Awards:

CF J. Cota of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Holbeck Medal.
SP T. Hirayama of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Westphalen Medal.
C A. Palmer of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Rookie of the Year.
SP R. Alleyne of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at P.
C M. Arruda of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at C.
1B P. Crittenden of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 1B.
2B A. López of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 2B.
3B G. Whittier of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 3B.
SS B. Smith of the Sacramento Grizzlies honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at SS.
LF G. Aguilera of the Sacramento Grizzlies honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at LF.
CF A. Daniels of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at CF.
RF A. García of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at RF.

NEXT: Offseason Movements for 1988-1989.

06-03-2007, 05:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
cochrane Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 172	Part Three: The Inaugural Season (1988) 4th Place: Fresno Suns (18-36, 13.0 GB) The city-owned Suns were never in it to begin with, unfortunately. They would finish the season thirteen games back in the league. The teams batting average was .232 and their starting rotation gave up way too many runs to contend for a playoff spot in the first year (team ERA: 5.87). While the team's performance seemed disappointing to many in the league, the city celebrated its team with a two-day fan festival following the end of the season. The first of many, the city's mayor promised. Among the stars of the team were catcher Bartolo Moreno, who led the club in batting average, home runs, and RBIs (.307, 8 HR, 28 RBI), and reliever Eric Robertson, who in thirteen appearances, carried an ERA of 2.95 and struck out nine through eighteen and third innings. Although those numbers seem paltry when compared to the rest of the league, on a team where runs and holding opposing runners were at a premium, these two were the "stars" of the team. In the offseason, Fresno would trade Robertson to Sacramento in exchange for shortstop Carl Burkholder. Only time will tell on how this trade affects the Suns' offensive landscape. On the fan front, a major rivalry formed with Chico, as both are cities along California State Route 99. Chico won the season series by an overwhelming 14 games, including two three-game sweeps. In spite of the teams' last place finish, the team's financials were promising, with the season ticket holders filling all available vacancies by the end of the year. 3rd Place: San Jose Bombers (29-25, 2.0 GB) A mere game shy of tying for a playoff spot, San Jose did not do poorly in its first season of existence. The Bombers gave the Grizzlies and the Pioneers a run for their money, led by ace starter (and 1988 Westphalen Medal winner) Toshiki Hirayama (8-2, 1.70 ERA, 155 K) and shortstop Ramon Gallardo (.317, 9 HR, 49 RBI). Hirayama threw a record 7 complete games and 1 complete game shutout, winning eight of the twelve games he started for the team. He was atop the short list of Westphalen Medal candidates from the end of April to the end of the season, eventually winning the inaugural award for outstanding achievement in pitching for the Golden State Baseball League. During the year, the Bombers developed a rivalry with the Grizzlies, as they met many times during the season. Sacramento fans made the road trip down to San Jose to see their home team play, and in turn, entered a hostile environment as the Bombers swept the Grizzlies. The season series resulted in 7 wins for the Grizzlies, and 11 wins for the Bombers. Admittedly, it seemed that Sacramento fans liked to venture to other parks to follow their team around the state, and rivalries formed along with Chico and Fresno. The league began talks with the city of San Jose to further expand San Jose Municipal Stadium to sixteen thousand seats, but the zoning issues on the land surrounding the ballpark must be addressed during the general election as a city measure to repurpose that land for the Bombers. Given the outstanding performance and the race for a playoff spot capturing a lot of regional attention in the media, the city seemed a lot more receptive to accommodating the Bombers than it had when the league was still on paper. Measure F is reportedly gaining support among voters, and looks to pass with a minor majority in November. On the financial side, season ticket ownership is up five percent. 2nd Place: Sacramento Grizzlies (30-24, 1.0 GB) No one could ever doubt the veracity of the Grizzlies' fans. Calling themselves "Grizzly Nation," they would follow their home team to Chico, San Jose, and Fresno without fail. In fact, the fact that many of these fans followed the Sacramento team around the state proved to be a financial boon for the other teams, as the empty seats prior to the game were invariably filled by a seat of red-white ballcaps, shirts, and jerseys. The second-place Sacramento team stunned the new league with brilliant hitting and pitching. Shortshop Billy 'Million Dollar' Smith was the team's leader in batting average (.333), home runs (17), and RBIs (59). Starter Artie Reese struck out 46 and ended the regular season with a 2.45 ERA, winning three of his ten starts. He was particularly effective during the playoffs, with eight innings pitched and six strikeouts for the one game he appeared in as a starter. The Grizzlies won that game by one run. Sacramento also took home two of the Golden Glove awards, at shortshop and left field. On the home front, their new ballpark was still under construction when the regular season began play, but Raley Field was completed in time for the playoffs. The Grizzlies took advantage of the extra seating as they moved out of the Sacramento State ballpark to the twelve thousand seat field. Season tickets for the next season are reportedly a tough ticket to get, and a majority of the spring training bookings in San Jose are also filled by Sacramento fans, looking to get away for a two-week vacation next May. 1st Place: Chico Pioneers (31-23) The Pioneers began the season with the best record in the league, winning five games in a row, including a three-game sweep of the Fresno Suns. The strong start carried Chico through to the end of the season, as they took the league pennant away from the Sacramento Grizzlies by a single game. The Pioneers ended up taking four of the season-end awards, including the Holbeck Medal for Most Valuable Player, which went to center-fielder Jose "Clang" Cota (.356, 15 HR, 45 RBI). "Clang" was named so, after eight of his fifteen home runs ended up striking the foul pole in right field, resulting in a very loud noise. Cota led the team in all three categories, while his pitching counterpart, starter Rob "Animal" Alleyne led the Pioneers in wins, ERA, and strikeouts (7 wins, 1.35 ERA, and 76 strikeouts). Alleyne's nickname came from the fact that he wore his brown hair shaggy and long, with a full beard to match. Both players were recognized in the year-end celebration once the team made the playoffs and faced the Grizzlies in a best-of-five contest. Along with their rivals in Sacramento and Fresno, the Pioneers were well-received by their fans, however, the two lawyers who owned the team found issues in trying to resolve the lease dispute with the city of Chico. According to the initial agreement, the lease on Nettleton Field could be renewed by the team at the end of the 1988 season, but the city wanted to renegotiate the terms as the fans of the team ended up trashing the collegiate-level ballpark after every game and the workload proved to be too much for the cleaning crew hired by the city as part of the first year contract. Under the terms of the second year's agreement, the team would need to cover the cost of the cleaning of the ballpark after every game, and the ballpark would be inspected by the city to ensure compliance. Failure to comply would result in the lease being terminated by the city, which caused a major problem in the team's finances. Thus, the campaign for a dedicated event facility for the Pioneers began, but the city council has not yet approved the motion to place a measure on the ballot in November. The owners are contemplating a move to another city, preferably one closer to the Los Angeles area. Playoffs: Sacramento over Chico, 3 games to 0. Code: Final Standings Team W L PCT GB Chico Pioneers 31 23 .574 - Sacramento Grizzlies 30 24 .556 1.0 San Jose Bombers 29 25 .537 2.0 Fresno Suns 18 36 .333 13.0 Wild Card Team W L PCT GB Sacramento Grizzlies 30 24 .556 - San Jose Bombers 29 25 .537 1.0 Fresno Suns 18 36 .333 12.0 Season End Awards: CF J. Cota of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Holbeck Medal. SP T. Hirayama of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Westphalen Medal. C A. Palmer of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Rookie of the Year. SP R. Alleyne of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at P. C M. Arruda of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at C. 1B P. Crittenden of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 1B. 2B A. López of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 2B. 3B G. Whittier of the Fresno Suns honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at 3B. SS B. Smith of the Sacramento Grizzlies honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at SS. LF G. Aguilera of the Sacramento Grizzlies honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at LF. CF A. Daniels of the San Jose Bombers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at CF. RF A. García of the Chico Pioneers honored: Wins the 1988 GSBL L1 Golden Glove Award at RF. NEXT: Offseason Movements for 1988-1989. __________________ Dyansty Threads Golden State Baseball League (1988) [Current] I've Got a Giant Attitude (2007) [Current] Hope Station Giants (2130, Science-Fiction) [Defunct] Online Leagues I'm retired from online leagues. Sorry. Last edited by cochrane : 06-03-2007 at 05:23 AM.