South Newlandian roster for the 54th World Baseball ClassicAfter six postseason trips in six Classics, the Elephants embark on their seventh voyage as the top-ranked team in baseball, following an earth-shattering 27-3 group stage record that the Elephants turned into their second appearance in a World baseball Classix Final Series. However, just like the first time, they were bested in six games. With the bulk of the core returning, and Dale Hartford-Phelps proving that South Newlandian teams can win titles, can this be the year Sofia Rasmussen proves that the baseball team can do the same?
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my runscorers: Please
Choose my lineup: as long as your changes are reasonable
Follow my pitching rotation: I’m going to state one. Please use that. Relievers, you’re way more free there.
Godmod scoring events: Yes!
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: TG or Discord in advance, please.
Eject my players: TG or Discord in advance, please; South Newlandians don’t get ejected a lot.
Godmod other events: TG or Discord in advance, please, but most likely yes
Use DH at home: Yes
Coaching staffSofia Rasmussen led the team to winning their WBC52 group, but was out of luck in a tough game 5 against Quintessence of Dust. After being fired just one season in with the Tigers, Rasmussen had an easy time proving that she can be a fantastic coach if a national team gives her a second attempt to work with; although those Quodites remain her Kryptonite.
Manager/Head Coach:
Sofia Rasmussen (SLL) (55)
Sofia Rasmussen. Many had suspected that she might be willing to take over the #3 ranked Elephants, and she was clearly the most decorated likely options. The Super-Llamanean has spent her playing days with the Svenssonfjord Dynamo and the New Llama Wizards, appeared in eight World Baseball Classics and won two of them. She later began a career in coaching, again with the Wizards and the Super-Llamanean team in World Baseball Classic 49. She managed to bring the unranked team all the way to the Round of 16. After that, she spent multiple seasons in the South Newlandian Baseball League, coaching the Masmow Dragons, and ultimately winning a championship with them. Rasmussen’s appointment falls in line with the South Newlandian and Super-Llamanean baseball organizations working closer together than ever, culminating in the LPB.
Hitting coach: Margo Jansen (SLL) (51)
In a rare move, Anthony Smith-Miller, former hitting coach of the Elephants, has joined the Tigers, while Jansen, former hitting coach of the Tigers, has joint Rasmussen. The two had previously worked together at the New Llama Wizards.
Pitching coach: Amanda Sjoberg (SLL) (68)
Sjoberg is another coach Rasmussen has worked together with before, namely at the 49th World Baseball Classic. Sjoberg will try her best to keep the South Newlandian pitching, which was the backbone of the success of the recent years, in shape.
Bench Coach: Bastian Scheller (46)
Scheller, long time bench coach of the Elephant Valley Homers, is going to replace Damian Bolton as Bench Coach. Scheller also has family in Super-Llamaland, and is known for his attention to detail.
Bullpen coach: Mohamed Felix (48)
In the very beginning of South Newlandian baseball, bullpens were a foreign concept. Over the years, the Elephants have adapted to playing actual baseball with relievers, at least for the most part. Felix is responsible for the relief pitchers, a crucial weak spot for South Newlandia in pretty much every tournament, so his squad will be important once more. Felix is also the only returning member of the WBC51 coaching squad.
1st Base Coach: Victor Matis (43)
Matis has previously been with the Kinjestad Peacocks.
3rd Base Coach: Karen Ahrmann (45)
Ahrmann had been the third base coach of the Sophie City Monarchs for years. She’s noted as being cautious on the base-paths; cautious, but save, and efficient. Outs by aggressive base-running are rare when Ahrmann’s signs are being listened too.
Starting pitchers [* denotes best (not necessarily most likely) pitch](SP1)
Ryan Hunter (30, L) (Newport Dolphins)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer, Circle Changeup*, Cutter)
Starts: MD1 v Sevendia, MD7 v Araznan
Hunter is perhaps most well-known for an incident with Midnight, the bear that used to play for Hampton Island. Since the bear charged the mound there, giving him a good scare before Midnight was shot with a tranquilizer gun. He hasn’t given out a single intentional walk since. He doesn’t really need to, either, having earned his spot as #1 on the South Newlandian team with good fastballs and an excellent changeup that just vanishes, seemingly. He’s also the best hitter among the pitchers, for when the team has to play without designated hitter; which, hopefully, rarely happens. After getting traded to the Dolphins, Hunter has been great in the LPB, including an All-Star appearance.
(SP2)
Ben Gonzalo (26, R) (Newport Dolphins)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer*, Slider, Curveball)
Starts: MD2 @ Araznan, MD6 @ Sevendia
Gonzalo is going into his fourth Classic, and it's well earned. His combination complements itself well; throwing the 4-seamer most of the time with a phenomenal curveball that completely disappears from where it was initially going. If he has to bat, he swings for the fences every single ball thrown to him, which isn’t the ideal strategy, but could go well if he ends up hitting one. Excellent play last Classic earned him the second spot in the rotation; he profits from playing with his Dolphins teammate Moore at backstop, just like Hunter does.
(SP3)
Jay Kramer (28, R) (Masmow Dragons)
(Arsenal: 2-seamer, Changeup, Slider*)
Starts: MD3 v Ethane, MD10 @ Liventia
Kramer, ace of the Masmow Dragons, is heading into his fifth World Baseball Classic. His career features multiple important run-ins with Super-Llamaland, some good, some bad – but he has played admirably in multiple seasons with Rasmussen coaching. Kramer, as one of the Dragons on the roster, surely has some extra trust from Rasmussen. Kramer usually tries to generate weak contact for the infield with a 2-seamer and a changeup that are similar, although not quite the same in velocity, and a slider that can be borderline unhittable. He’s had some troubles in high leverage early in his career, but has been working on that.
(SP4)
Maike Bookmer (28, R) (Sophie City Monarchs*)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer, Sinker*, Changeup, Slider)
Starts: MD4 @ SBI, MD8 @ Ethane
Bookmer was the first female starting pitcher in South Newlandian World Baseball Classic history. In WBC52, she pitched well enough to earn the nod again. She’s been the young ace for the Monarchs, primarily using her sinker and changeup to disrupt the timing of hitters, with a deadly four-seamer in the mix. She generates lots of weak contact, and thrives off of that, and has earned an All-Star appearance in the process.
(SP5)
Jacob Conroy (32, R) (Elephant Valley United)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer*, Curveball, Changeup, Cutter)
Starts: MD5 v Liventia, MD9 v SBI
Conroy had been the South Newlandian ace for six years. After a frankly ugly couple of seasons with the Admirals, he’s down to the back of the rotation. Still, he has a fastball that can rival that of good relievers, and works a couple good pitches off of it. Like all South Newlandian pitchers, he isn’t held to any particular pitch count, but gets pulled whenever he doesn’t have his best stuff. Sometimes, that means he goes the entire game. Even though South Newlandia uses a DH, he occasionally has to hit here or there, and like all South Newlandian pitchers, he’s quite bad at it. Returning to Elephant Valley United has seen his play improve, but the #1 spot is gone for good as Conroy keeps aging; the 32-year-old will have only so many more chances.
Bullpen(Closer)
Barnaby Butt (31, L) (Masmow Dragons)
(Arsenal: 2-seamer*, Circle Changeup, Slider)
Real pitching habits only evolved slowly with the Elephants, but they will make another step towards a usual bullpen this Classic. With Butt, the best among the relievers, the team has found a capable left handed pitcher to close out games with. Watch out for that Slider.
(Setup)
Dhruv Webber (24, L) (Malidridad Mariners)
(Arsenal: 2-seamer, Cutter, Changeup*, Curveball)
The young Mariner is a control artist – he doesn’t have blow-you-away stuff, but the location of those pitches is great. Webber's rise has been impressive - he's been great in the last two Slams and the last Classic, very impressive at his age.
(Primary1)
Abby Conrad (26, R) (Sophie City Monarchs)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer*, Cutter, Curveball, Slider)
Conrad was the first female player in the bullpen a couple of Classics ago, and she made it worth it with excellent perfomances. She definitely deserves this role, featuring a strong fastball and a great Curveball/Slider combination. She's also been an All-Star last season.
(Primary2)
Sally Rivera (25, R) (Sophie City Monarchs*)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer*, Slider, Changeup, Curveball)
Rivera has been great from the pen, having leant a lot from her teammate Emily Innis – just like Bookmer did, clearly – and earnt her spot with a fast 4-seamer and nice breaking pitches, to make for a nice pair of Monarchs in primary relief with some devastating heaters.
(Mop-up1)
Darlene Le (26, R) (Vargas City Lions)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer, Changeup, Slider, Splitter*)
Le is making her second WBC Team; the young pitcher was drafted seventh overall after finishing out college, and has joined the Vargas City Lions, where she has been pretty good. Her strikeout pitch is her splitter, a rare pitch to throw in today's game, but Le makes it work for her.
(Mop-up2)
Samuel Vaughn (21, R) (Ruditown Dachshunds)
(Arsenal: 4-seamer, Curveball, Slider*, Changeup)
Vaughn is making his WBC debut, having just been selected by the Dachshunds 14th overall. He’s got a devastating slider and enormous potential.
Fielders (starters) (fielding is based on the position here, while everything else is not)(1B)
Adam King (31, R) (Elephant Valley Homers)
(Speed: Average | Power: Very High | Contact: High | Fielding: Average)
King is definitely the biggest power threat on this team. He is definitely capable of hitting quite a few dingers without warning, but can approach a cold stretch just as quick. He can hit for contact too, if he has to, but is mostly mediocre at fielding or running fast.
(2B)
Malika Bains (27, R) (Sophie City Monarchs)
(Speed: Very High | Power: Average | Contact: High | Fielding: Very Good)
Bains has previously appeared in the International Baseball Slam, and produced admirable results. She’s extremely fast, hits for average with ease, and on top of that, has won multiple fielding awards at second base. She’s the player that can replace Igor White, the player that has started here for 4 Classics, and she proved it last Classic and by being an all-star and gold glover last season.
(3B)
Hugo Brock (25, R) (Malidridad Mariners)
(Speed: Average | Power: Low | Contact: High | Fielding: Good)
Brock is a pretty solid player at third, but nothing spectacular. He can field, he’s hitting decently, but overall, he’s not exactly the best player on this team. South Newlandia just doesn’t have many talents at third, but Brock is looking to gain the experience to become an elite player. Brock was an all-star last season, but at least partially only to ensure the Mariners representation.
(SS)
David Drum (29, R) (Newport Dolphins)
(Speed: High | Power: High | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Good)
Drum has established himself as an elite shortstop, being both a scoring threat and an excellent fielder. He does have a tendency to produce trouble in the clubhouse, though, and isnt regarded as the best team player. Despite this, having basically no weaknesses makes him a valuable starter for the Elephants.
(LF)
Daryl Dunlop (31, R) (Masmow Dragons)
(Speed: High | Power: Average | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Good)
Dunlop, another player from the Dragons, is the fastest guy on the team, and the only one to go for the steal often. He’s great at getting on base too, and his fielding skills are improving too. Going for steals of course leads to getting thrown out occasionally, too. He also was an All-Star last season.
(CF)
Shawn Zimmerman (27, S) (Elephant Valley Homers)
(Speed: High | Power: Very High | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Very Good)
Zimmerman is one of the biggest talents playing for the Elephants. The five-tool player excels at everything, and started for this team at just 18 years old. Now, five years later, he is phenomenal at getting contact, and goes for the deep ball less often then he used too. Shawn’s still got that one, too, as he proved in the WBC51 final series, hitting a bomb to walk of a game against Banija. He’ll end up on base a lot, and has the speed to get more. That also allows him to cover lots of ground defensively, making him, coupled with a strong arm, one of the best South Newlandian players. He also won a silver slugger last season.
(RF)
Fabio Ventura (33, L) (Elephant Valley Homers)
(Speed: Average | Power: High| Contact: High | Fielding: Bad)
Ventura has been the offensive star on this team since the beginning. Like most South Newlandian hitters, he goes for contact a lot, and is very good at it. He’s got speed, and although he’s not a great fielder, it’s hard to imagine he’ll ever get replaced on this team.
(C)
Brad Moore (28, R) (Newport Dolphins)
(Speed: Low | Power: High | Contact: Average | Fielding: Very Good)
Moore has been with the Dolphins the last few years, allowing him to generate a great connection to his teammate Gonzalo. He’s a solid enough catcher, and he’s up to the task of catching for this team. He’s got a little power, but otherwise, he’s not a great offensive bat; he’s very good at throwing out base-stealers, though.
(DH (RF))
Mike Larsen (28, L) (Newport Dolphins)
(Speed: High | Power: Average | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Average)
Larsen, the Designated Hitter for the team, is another Contact hitter, usually not going for power. He’s decently fast, and has among the best plate discipline of the squad. Despite that, he rarely strikes out. He plays in Right Field for the Dolphins, and could be the player to eventually replace Ventura there. He also won a silver slugger the prior season.
Bench:(C) Hugh Marquez (28, R) (New Llama Cyclones (SLL))
(Speed: Average | Power: Low | Contact: Average | Fielding: Very Good)
Marquez is a decent option to play catcher. The former Rhino has blossomed with the Cyclones after being selected 19th in the redraft.
(IF (1B)) Nicolas Perez (25, R) (Xingcheng Renaissance)
(Speed: High | Power: Very High | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Average)
Perez is one of the biggest talents for South Newlandia, a true five tool player, who’ll break into the roster sooner than later. He’s also the most likely pinch hitter.
(IF (SS)) Jack Goodson (24, R) (Malidridad Mariners)
(Speed: High | Power: Average | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Very Good)
Goodson, the first-overall pick from a few years ago, is finally braking into the WBC roster. Getting past Drum will be difficult, but he can be a defensive substitute.
(OF (RF)) Emil Hurley (23, L) (Peninsulara Kingfishers)
(Speed: Very High | Power: High | Contact: High | Fielding: Average)
Hurley is decently fast, and the most likely option to be pinch running. He's been an all-star and silver slugger for the Kingfishers.
(PH (1B)) Tiffany Grey (23, R) (Sun City Flames)
(Speed: High | Power: High | Contact: Very High | Fielding: Good)
After being selected 2nd by the Flames in the first LPB draft, Grey has blossomed into a great player, and will be a good option as a defensive substitute or pinch-hitter.
Lineups:With DH:1. Mike Larsen
2. Daryl Dunlop
3. Shawn Zimmerman
4. Adam King
5. David Drum
6. Malika Bains
7. Fabio Ventura
8. Hugo Brock
9. Brad Moore
Without DH:1. Daryl Dunlop
2. Shawn Zimmerman
3. David Drum
4. Adam King
5. Malika Bains
6. Fabio Ventura
7. Hugo Brock
8. Brad Moore
9. Pitcher
StadiumElephant Stadium (15,000)
The biggest South Newlandian baseball stadium is located in the relative South of the capital city Elephant Valley. The stadium was upgraded after the 48th WBC, and is now able to host 15000 people. All fifteen home games of WBC48 were played here, and the unranked South Newlandia won twelve of them, including all of the first ten home games. The upgraded stadium also featured knockout games in IBS12, including a semi-final; and of course, multiple play-off series at WBC52, including the South Newlandian semi-final win over Sarzonia. Domestically, this is the home of the Elephant Valley Homers.