Tampa Bay Gators

Team: Tampa Bay Gators [ID #515]

Location: Tampa Bay, FL (Southeast)

Owner: None

Rank: #375 - Rating: 89.81

Fan Mood: 95.96

Prestige: 17

Color: Navy

Team Notes:

• Jun 25 2067: Matthew Brooks was released.
• Jun 25 2067: Diego Molina was signed as a free agent.
• May 29 2067: Larry Gavin was released.
• May 03 2067: Claudio Cabrera was released.
• Apr 25 2067: Team relinquished by JoseDRamirez14.
• Jan 13 2067: Robert Berg was selected to the national team of South Africa.
• Jan 13 2067: Ivan Kovač was selected to the national team of Croatia.
• Aug 12 2066: Team acquired by JoseDRamirez14.
• Jul 21 2066: Tony Diaz was released.
• Jul 21 2066: Darío Calderón was signed as a free agent.

League Record:

Wins: 41 Losses: 34 Pct: .547 Last10: 4-6 Streak: W1

Ave: 5.2 - 5.1 RS: 393 RA: 382 DIFF: +11 Power Index: 100.7

Cup:

Group 79 [0 | Eliminated]

Press Releases:

Mar 19 2056: Gators 2056 Roster Overview - by texasoutlaw89 on August 8th, 2022

After winning their league last year, the Gators are primed for another solid season in 2056

Catcher - Coming into the season, the Gators parted ways with aging catcher Rhett Hirch, and plan to run with a platoon of Joey Swan & Alex Nava behind the plate. Swan, a fairly light hitting catcher in his 450 career AB's over 4 seasons at the games highest level, will handle duties against RHP, and will get a chance to show if he can stick around. Nava, as in years past, will be the receiver vs LHP coming into his age 36 season.

1B - As in the previous 4 seasons, Heath Lewis will man first for the Gators. The former first rounder was a first time all star last season, and will look to build on a season in which he set career highs in homers, doubles, and RBIS, posting an .820 OPS.

2B - The lefty/righty platoon of Yasmani Acosta (vs RHP) and Jonathan Gregg (vs LHP) will round out the right side of the infield to start the 2056 season for the Gators. Acosta, posting a career high in RBI's last year, with an .805 OPS against righties, remains one of the toughest to strike out in the game, going down on strikes only 50 times in 518 AB's. Gregg will get his first shot at regular playing time, as the 23 year old has only come to the plate 313 times in the previous 2 seasons. The 2050 4th rounder struggled against lefties to the tune of a .143 average and a .415 OPS, but the Gators remain high on on due to his success in the minors, and elite glove work.

SS - The Gators, always a platoon heavy team, will deploy the same at SS to start 2056, with Bernd Klein handling RHP's, and Jose Gonzales manning SS against lefties. Klein, hailing from Switzerland, comes into his 5th season sporting a .245/.329/.379 slash line, and very solid work defensively. Gonzales, the journeyman utility player, will again take the field against lefties after putting up a .730 OPS against southpaws a year ago.

3B - Sebastian Navarro. That's all need be said. His age 34 season was his best yet. Slashing .283/.366/.556 in 2055, the Cuban product set career highs in homers, and tied his career mark in RBI's. He seems to only get better with age.

LF - The Gators will again use a platoon in LF to begin 2056, with Adrian Cooke taking the field against RHP's, and Neal McClanahan heading out to left against left handers. Cooke, who has been up and down between AAA and the majors in his past two seasons, has mashed right handers in his career, to the tune of an .811 OPS. McClanahan, on his 3rd team since 2051, is a switch hitting OF/1B, with elite on base ability, and the chance to hit for some pop every now and then.

CF - Ben Law, entering his 13th season in the big leagues, is coming off of his career best season. setting career marks in average, OBP, & OPS. At the top of the lineup, the Gators are salivating over his .431 OPS in 2055, and hope that he, like Navarro, will continue to age like fine wine.

RF - After a rocky start to the 2055 season, Andres Guajardo rebounded nicely. Posting a final slash line of .280/.370/.413. Batting behind Law, the Gators should have plenty of traffic on the basepaths.

DH - An offseason addition for the Gators, Jack Connelly will get his first opportunity at regular playing time. Connelly, as somewhat of a light hitter, does not profile as a stereotypical DH. The Gators will start the season with Connelly out of the 9 hole, and will depend on his career OBP of .370 to get on base for the top of the lineup.

Pitching - The Gators pitching staff was an absolute buzzsaw in 2055. They return their entire staff from 2055, with the lone addition being Tim Yagami. Yagami, a 32 year old Hawaiian product, posted a sub 4 FIP, but did not yield results for either of the squads he found himself on in 2055. Not having started a game since the 2050 season, he will have a chance to right the ship as the 5 starter for the Gators to begin the season.

May 29 2048: Gators Cut Ties With Former Top Prospect Rodriguez - by texasoutlaw89 on December 18th, 2020

The Gators have granted First Baseman Lorenzo Rodriguez his unconditional release. The 2041 5th rounder had risen through the ranks, and become one of the top prospects in the game. Unfortunately, Rodriguez is now a free agent, after a repeated lack of success at the games highest level.

With perennial all star Ludvig Eklund scuffling mightily to start the season, the Gaters have signed free agent Drew Newsom, in hopes of finding some consistency at first base.

Jul 16 2047: Gators Looks to Right First Half Woes - by texasoutlaw89 on October 15th, 2020

After two very successful seasons culminating in league promotions for the scrappy Shreveport based team, the 2047 season has been anything but successful. The usually reliable trio of Louie Hagen and Victor Gonzalez, who have been staples in the top 3rd of the lineup in recent years, along with Sander Buskirk, have fallen on hard times this season.

Gonzalez, who has posted an OPS over .800 in each of the past 5 seasons, has struggled to crack the dreaded Mendoza line this season, and has found himself benched on more than one occasion.

Hagen, the usually reliable run producer in the middle of the lineup, after posting 100 RBI seasons 5 out of the last 6 years, has struggled mightily to a .178 clip with runners in scoring position.

On the pitching side of things, Sander Buskirk, the back to back Cy Young Award recipient, has found himself demoted to the bullpen after starting the season 1-8, with a 5.64 ERA. When asked about the demotion, the GM said "Those numbers don't tell the whole story. His peripherals have been markedly better than the in game results. The hope is that the move to the bullpen will help him right the ship and get back on track."

The Gators have also attempted to address their stricken pitching staff with the addition of Corey Hedges and Victor Cuellar, who will join Buskirk in the bullpen for the start of the second half of the season.

The Gators and their underperforming stars will look to right the ship, as they visit the Logan Pioneers for a 5 game set starting this afternoon.

Jun 15 2028: Baby we're back! - by centerpiece on August 10th, 2016

New ownership is shaking things up!