2012 Banner Year for Cabo San Lucas

After an 88 win season but finishing a couple games out of the mix for the WC, the Toreros of Cabo San Lucas new it was a lost season.  They just had too many injuries.  The OF was decimated.  Major injuries to 4 starting pitchers.  A long injury to their 1st overall pick Dave Carlisle.  The used 11 different players in the OF over the course of the season.  The season could have been worse, but it could have been so much better.  They had a great core of players, with the majority of the team coming back they knew 2016 could be special.

What started with an 18-9 record in April, finished with an overall record of 94-68 and a division title.  The injuries came, but weren't nearly as severe or often.  The addition of slugger Kieran Simmons payed major dividends.  All around great hitting, above average pitching, the Toreros finished with the #1 seed in the TML and the 2nd best record in baseball behind only the Seattle Sasquatch.  

Hitter of the Year

Dave Carlisle

This was a tough decision.  With 3 players amassing 50+ VORP, offense was clicking this year in Cabo.  But the Hitter of the Year for Cabo this year  goes to CF Dave Carlisle.  Carlisle was the team's first overall selection in the inaugural draft and after being limited to only 83 games due to injury last year, he showed the league what he was capable of this year.  He led the TML in batting average hitting at a .365 clip, while amassing 103 walks for an astounding .469 OBP.  He hit 46 doubles, scored 119 runs, piling up 7.3 WAR and 73.5 VORP which both lead the team. His WAR was only 2nd in the TML to Mike Burgeron of Eureka.  Carlisle added 18 SB, and proved he is a premier leadoff man and table setter in the ABL.

Runner Up:

Dan Smith 

For the 2nd straight Dan Smith put up a very strong campaign hitting out of the 3 hole in the Cabo lineup. While his average and power were down from last season, he finished very strong with 20 HR, 131 RBI and a triple slash of .326/.375/.518.  He had his 2nd straight 200 hit season and lead the TML in doubles with 56.  His 131 RBI also led the league.  The VORP of 52.7 he finished with was 2nd on the team only behind Carlisle.

Pitcher of the Year

Charles Luce

In 34 starts Charles Luce produced a record of 16-10 while leading all starters on the Toreros with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  In 219 IP, Luce struck out 173 batters and produced an ERA+ of 144 which far surpassed the 110 he put up last year in 21 starts.  In the offseason Luce signed a 4 year extensions which will most likely keep him throughout the rest of his career.  

Runner Up:

Wilfred Brooks

Brooks became the first Torero pitcher to record 20+ wins winning 21 this year and finished only behind Maurice Gould in that category.  His ERA was 2nd on the team only to Luce, ending with 3.62. which was nearly .75 points lower than a season ago.  He struck out 195 batters in 236.1 innings and had an ERA+ of 124.  With Luce and Brooks going strong Cabo has a chance against any team in the ABL.

Newcomer of the Year

Kieran Simmons

With not too many players to choose from this was an obvious choice.  After a horrid start to the season in San Fransisco, the Earthquakes placed Simmons on waivers in mid May.  Cabo put in a claim and was award Simmons on May 13th. Simmons had a great last season hitting 36 HR, 123 RBI while hitting .300.  His numbers in first month and a half were nothing close to that.  Part of the reason for being waived was the contract Simmons carried.  Last season he signed a 5 year deal worth $25 million dollars that Cabo would now be responsible for.  Simmons came out of the gate hot for Cabo hitting .343 in May with 5 HR.  That would be his best month but finished the season with 26 HR, 98 RBI and hit .283 in 123 games with Cabo.  Simmons gave Cabo the RH power bat they were looking for and a perfect compliment to the left handed hitting Smith.

Rookie of the Year

Pepe Lopez

It's not often you see a 33 year old get a Rookie of the Year award in any sport, but that's just what we have here with SP Pepe Lopez.  He entered into the ABL this year from Cuba and was signed by Cabo before the season on a 4 year $16 million dollar contract.  He was the #4 starter on opening day and would hold that position until late in the season when he would get injured with a foot injury.  In his rookie year, he started 28 games, going 11-6 posting a respectable ERA of 4.2 in 165 innings.  He won 2 starts in every month except August and was a valuable commodity, especially when Edward Griffith went down with a season ending injury in May.  

As a team Cabo finished 1st in the league in many batting categories including batting average (.289), OBP (.354), OPS  (.786), Runs (867) and K's (811).

On the pitching end of things while they were 5th in ERA, their starters finished 3rd (4.08), 2nd in HR allowed and 2nd in walks.  

The stats and regular season show success but we start a new season now.  Cabo will start a 7 game playoff series with the Eureka Hornets with Cabo getting home field advantage.