Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter
Building off last year's articles of how teams were built, we'll take a look at the New York Empire who have been a top team in the league and winners of the AL East the last 10 seasons. With a big time payroll, let's take a look how this year's team was exactly put together. The Empire are built for the regular season, often times leading the league in wins but always seem to struggle to win playoff series. Starting with their first division title back in Season 39, they are 7-10 with two World Series appearances. But since their last World Series appearance in Season 42, they are 2-6. This year so far has been no different, they are sitting on a 10 game lead above the #2 team in the AL and home field advantage throughout. They own a 14 game lead on the top NL team, so maybe this is their year!
The Empire hold a league leading 221 run differential, one of 5 teams above 100. Their pitching staff is second in strikes outs, 5th in earned runs, 4th in home runs against, 4th in OAV, and 5th in ERA. While their bats are first in runs, 4th in home runs, and 4th in OBP. Their defense has been getting it done too, 8th in plus plays, first in (fewest) negative plays, and 6th in fewest errors.
- Finances - 9 straight seasons (32-40) he kept payroll down below $50M, allowing the extra bump in Prospect spending. 5 of those seasons he was below $30M (2 seasons below $20M). 5 straight seasons he was able to spend more than $45M on prospects. But that was seasons ago, let's see how many of those names remain. During those rebuild years, for the Rule 4, they focused practically solely on teenage kids out of High School in the early rounds.
- The Good (starters as of writing)
- Harry Padilla (2B) - Harry signed a $26.7M international deal during Season 39 and after a single arbitration year, signed an extension during Season 46 to the tune of 4/36 that ends after this season. Given NY's spending and Padilla's performance, hitting .296 with 19 HRs and 55 SBs in the leadoff spot, alexng6888 will look to resign him before he actually reaches free agency.
- Felipe Benitez (RF) - A Free Agent signing prior to last season. Has 3/54 left on his deal.
- Yoervis Colome (LF) - Colome comes to the Empire as an International Free Agent signing during Season 40 and cost alex a cool $32M. At only 27 years old, he still has a good bit left in the tank and becomes a free agent after next season when he finishes a 3/27.9 deal signed back in Season 48.
- Eduardo Figureoa (1B) - A Season 39 trade with the Helena Hot Dogs for Luis Banuelos and Jeff Newfield; oddly enough as of this season both of those guys are playing for the Chicago Gunslingers now.
- Jon Everett (3B) - Signed a S47 for 5/34 deal that has him part of the Empire through S51; his age 36 season. Could we see another 1 or 2 year out of him?
- Omar Acevedo (C) - Acevedo came to New York as a S44 free agent 5/26.5 deal and followed that up last offseason with a one year extension worth 3.8M. Still getting starts and having a career year at the plate, hitting .300 so far this season; we'll see if Alex brings him back for another year.
- Enrique Mateo (CF) - Mateo came to the Empire during a Season 38 spending spree on International talent for $650k. At 30 years old, he's just now making his ML debut this season.
- Ramiro Tarraga (SS) - Making a sweet $2,800,014 this season as part of his second time through arbitration. Tarraga joined the Empire way back in Season 38 via trade with Ernie Scheffer, sending Dave Reaves to Washington DC Franchise (then Florida Sharks - second to last time they had a winning record).
- Butch Clevenger (DH) - First round pick of the final "rebuild" season. Drafted at pick #26 out of West High School in Sioux City, Iowa. This 27 yr old still has one more year of arbitration left before he's eligible for free agency.
- Vin Prieto (DH) - Joined the Empire the same season as Colome, Season 40 but Prieto was drafted in the Rule 4 draft at pick #3 after a 53-109 finish to Season 39. Probably to no one's surprise, the Empire then went 90-72 in Season 40 and have won at least 100 games every season since. Spent quite a few seasons in the minors and will finally reach arbitration next off-season.
- The Bad (bench)
- Nerio Cameron (2B) - The young 2B was signed as a bench role player this season on a 1 year, $950k deal. Nice deal for Nerio considering he's only played 38 games this year.
- Forrest Hughes (3B) - A Free Agent signing this past offseason on a one year - $820k deal. Considering he's a safety net backup that's logged 39 ABs with some defensive replacements at 3B (50 innings), that's a decent signing.
- Herman Hines (SS) - Hines has been with NY since being drafted 15th overall in Season 33. At this point he's a role-player and only hitting .217 this season and is wrapping up the final year of a 3/16.5 he signed back in Season 47.
- The Ugly (injuries)
- None
- The Mound
- Magglio Exposito (SP1) - A Season 32 IFA signing for $29.6M, becomes a Free Agent once his 2/16.4 contract expires after this season. Considering he has the second lowest ERA of his career this season, many will likely look to sign him up for his age 36 season.
- Louis Conley (SP2) - This one gets fun, he was drafted in Season 36 as the top over all pick after an abysmal 48-114 season. But he was traded to Montreal (then Augusta) during Season 45 for much of the year before becoming a free agent and returning home to NY on a 5/100 deal that keeps him there through his age 32 season next year. How close will he get to another max deal?
- Jiovanni Poole (SP3) - Acquired in a Season 43 deal with Salt Lake City (then Honolulu) a year after he was drafted #5 overall. Also acquired Juan Carlos Calixte (C) in the deal, but he is still in AAA ball. Players going the opposite way include Ben Curtis (current C at ML level for Salt Lake City), Forrest Kelly who signed a S48 offseason deal with Austin, and Octavio Castillo who left Honolulu to sign with Santa Fe in Season 47.
- Del Alvarez (SP4) - Acquired in the Season 45 trade with Montreal (then Augusta - same owner) along with Walt Hall (who had 2 good seasons in NYC) for Louis Conley. It's gotta irk Montreal to see Alvarez and Conley pitching together.
- Bernie Tavarez (SP5) - Speaking of those early rebuild years, Tavarez signed with the Empire has an international free agent back in Season 37 for $10.7M and after his third time through arbitration will potentially be a free agent this coming season as a 31 yr old. 20 game winner in Season 48 and owns a 3.90 career ERA.
- Torii Waters (LRA) - 15 seasons in Cobbfather but only his second year with the Empire. Waters becomes a free agent after this season after signing a 2/5.3 deal last year. Given some of his regression this season, our bets is Waters retires.
- Wilfredo Santiago (LRA) - Wilfredo has been with the Empire for nearly 10 years after signing an IFA deal during Season 35 for $10.9M. His 4/21.6 deal expires after this season. Will he get a full 10th season with the Empire?
- Glynn Haas (SuA) - Another Season 49 signing who hasn't logged too many innings this year; appearing in 35 games for 39 innings thus far. Signed a 3/16.8 deal.
- Radhamas Machado (SuA) - Season 41 IFA signing for $24M. Has one more arbitration year remaining before he becomes a free agent. Signing a $6.07M Arb 2 deal, you have to wonder how much a third year will cost New York or if they will be able to sign an extension with him.
- Rafael Marquez (SuA) - Would you be surprised if I told you he signed with New York as an IFA in Season 42? Signed for an easy $6M, just goes to show you don't need to spend $20M+ for an ML level talent oversees.
- Jung Nishioka (SuB) - Another cheap IFA signing by alex in Season 39 for $3.5M. Give his usage, we don't think we'll see him as part of the Empire for much longer once he reaches a year into arbitration.
- Noe Tejera (SuB) - Yet another international signing from the Empire back in Season 38, needing only $900k to head to New York. This season was his third time through arbitration, so we'll see where he ends up next.
Given the financials we shouldn't be surprised about the number of International Free Agents they've signed, but I can't blame the players; New York City has its perks. Where this stud of a team doesn't look for talent? Rule 5 draft or the Waiver Wire, let's leave those players for weaker teams! Running total - for this purpose we will note how the player was first acquired by the team.
- 6 players acquired via Free Agency
- 5 players acquired via Rule 4 Draft
- 0 players acquired via Rule 5 Draft
- 10 players acquired via International Free Agency
- 4 players acquired via Trade.
- 0 players claimed of Waivers