Irvine post-season PR

Irvine has been largely quiet this offseason as there just isn’t money available to make any moves. Owner Mireles was not happy about losing money last season and logically reduced the budget for this coming year making life miserable for reaching any other goals he’s put forth. Apparently, he still wants an increase in power but he isn’t willing to put up the money so power remains low…and might be even worse this year with the loss of Campos.

The Rule V draft saw only one person join the Gang Green, SP Alfredo Montalvo who will be on the pro roster all season and given spot starts as well as long man duties as the team seeks to develop him on the go. He’s a hard worker who used to be on main division rival Southern Cal’s system. Time will tell if he develops into a solid middle of the rotation pitcher – he’s gotta cut down on giving up the long ball but that will be easier to do in Irvine. In AA last year he walked 1.9 and struck out 11 over 9 innings on average. AAA was less spectacular.

Leaving the team system was a number of Irvine farmhands who didn’t factor into the future for Irvine:

3B Kyle Harrison apparently might play for St. Charles. Heaven help him…and St. Charles.

C Alberto Chavez was drafted by Fresno. Quite deplorable of them actually…he’s got a solid glove but is average at best offensively.

LF Dan Hooper was claimed by Greenville but unless Greenville needs the glove, I doubt he sticks. The ability on offense isn’t highly regarded.

Two players were signed to short term extensions in the offseason:

SS Ronnie Brown played very well down the stretch for Irvine and will likely be manning the SS role to start the season. He was signed to a two year extension at 2.2 mil per.

OF Tyler Wagner was signed to a 2 year extension as the team’s outfield continues its exodus from Irvine. He’s solid defensively and can hit but is quite streaky. Still, with Yamamato likely to leave Irvine at the end of this season after Campos left this season and a former top prospect OF was lost to a CEI concussion a couple years ago, someone was needed to fill in the gaps and he looks to be the man.

Free agent SP Teuk-chin Kim was signed to a MLC in the offseason, but he’s pretty much just AAA fodder as is veteran free agent SP Arturo Medrano who’s signed to a MLC to provide a veteran presence in AAA in case any of the young guns start moving up to AAA from A ball. It is likely that both Kawashima and Curtis make the big club this season in some form after Curtis got in a couple starts late in the season last year.

AVAILABLE:

Rookie of the Year German Perez, former Cy Young contender Ono, and lefty Frank Jackson are all being shopped if there is any interest. Perez pitched well, but the team is prepared to move on without him in the starting five as other prospects are ready to be given a shot.