After last year's record seven all-stars, only three Bruins made the mid-summer classic this year:
catcherman22 warrior009 SmilingGoats
A couple minor deals have been made to try to improve the struggling bullpen, but nothing of significance. Let's break down our TGCT heroes performance at the half-way point.
Victor Lane VctryLnSprts - Victor is dominating...when he's healthy. Unfortunately, there hasn't been alot of that this season as Lane is struggling to stay off the IL. Lane has appeared in only 38 of the team's 89 games this season, with a concussion, torn thumb ligament, back tightness, and now bone spurs keeping him out of the lineup until at least August. Things are still looking bright for the young star, but some are concerned the injuries are really racking up. In 38 games, Lane is seeing the ball well when in the lineup, hitting .346 with 7HR and 18RBI so far.
Jack Reed sire0329 - Reed is showing signs of the shortstop the Bruins were hoping he would develop into. Jack's hitting numbers continue to remain modest, but he's slowly turning into one of the premier defensive shortstops in the league, where he finished second in all-star shortstop voting, but getting the snub for the game. Bruins fans are hoping this continues well into next year, where he may be looking at an extension. Jack is currently hitting .237 with 8HR and 38RBI where he has been filling in as a leadoff man for the injured Lane for most of the season.
Drew Kaleta warrior009 - Drew made the All-Star game yet again and continues to play well. Projected numbers a bit below last year's campaign, but still a solid year so far for Kaleta. He continues to be vital in his role in the Big 3 and he has continued to stay healthy, a big plus. Drew is hitting .267 with 20HR and 46RBI at the break.
Dan Blanton catcherman22 - The reigning MVP is looking great yet again this season, with another all-star game appearance. Projections show him having another great season, yet numbers well below his MVP year. Still, Blanton is the heart of the offence for the Bruins, and that 2023 player option seems to be all the city can talk about. Many restaurants are letting him eat for free in their desperate "Yes you can, Dan" program, much like what Toronto did with Kawhi Leonard back in 2019. Dan is hitting .281 with 25HR and 58RBI this year so far.
Dom Nader TheDominator273 - Dom had a bruised collarbone that kept him out of the lineup for a couple weeks early in the season, but is back and playing well and putting up "Big 3 Numbers". But again, like the other two, they are having their lowest production seasons to date. The Bruins need Dom to be one of the premier hot-corner players after signing him long-term, so a decrease in output is not what they were hoping for. Dom was also the only one of the Big 3 not to make the all-star game. Dom is currently hitting .286 with 12HR and 49 RBI
Marc Foley seamount4life - Marc is impressing in his first season with the Bruins, making spectacular play after play in CF, which is what fans come to expect from the 3x Gold Glove winner. On top of that, he is having one of his best offensive seasons of his NABL career and already matching his stolen base numbers from last year already halfway through the season. Many fans are walking around the city with busted zippers, a strange fashion trend to honor their favorite center fielder nicknamed "Zipper Shrapnel". Foley is hitting .281 with 5HR and 39RBI
Tim Owens Tim - This looks to be the breakout year for the youngster, who is having a big year compared to last year. He has already almost matched his offensive stat totals from last year only halfway through the season and leads the team in RBI at the half way point. With another year at minimum salary for Owens, the Bruins are sitting pretty with this youngster. Owens is hitting .264 with 20HR and 60RBI this season.
Scott Doyley Doyley - Time is slowly running out for this aging vet. After a monster 2021 season, Doyley has really struggled in 2022, and appears to be a shadow of himself causing him to slip deep down in the batting order. What looked like a potential extension after last season, the Bruins may be looking to dump Doyley in the next couple weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Doyley is currently hitting .212 with 8HR and 36RBI.
Ben Page b101 - Ben is having another tough year at the plate, and not doing much behind it either, struggling to get anything going at the catching position. However, Page is a fan favorite and an elite catcher is extremely hard to come by, so don't be surprised if Page is back behind the plate in Vancouver in 2023. Page is hitting .188 with 6HR and 24RBI
Jeff Reese SmilingGoats - Jeff made it back to the all-star game as the only pitcher for the Bruins. Don't let his so-so record fool you, Reese is having another great season after being locked up to his massive deal in the offseason, so fans are hoping he continues to pitch well as Vancouver's ace well into the future. Reese is one of the most popular players in the league and is starting to celebrate strikeouts with the "Goat trot", a new dance moves that the fans do with him after every strikeout. It's weird. Reese currently has an 8-5 record with a 2.34ERA
Shaun Trayys Trayys - Trayys continues to be dominant, but always seems to be in Reese's shadow, and rumour has it, it is causing some tension between him and Jeff in the clubhouse. Trayys is currently #2 in the rotation, but many believe that Reese and Trayys are 1a and 1b. Despite his "fragile" injury proneness, Trayys has continued to stay healthy, but many believe it is just a matter of time. Trayys currently has a 10-4 record with a 2.76ERA
Dwain Sponseller @coasterroyalty - Dwain is having a career year as the #3 starter (of course, in the last year of his deal) forcing the Bruins to make a big decision on him in the offseason. Early negotiations have started and some have reported the two sides aren't that far off on an extension, so time will tell. Sponseller currently has an 11-5 record with a 2.82ERA
Matt Lazell fuzion - After moving from team to team over the last few years, Matt seems to be enjoying Vancouver as he is having by far his best season to date. Lazell has some leverage and his pushing the team to sign him to an extension to keep his family grounded in one place for once. However, the two parties are a bit far apart on a deal, so Lazell's potential greed may have him being shown the door yet again at the end of the year. Lazell currently has an 8-3 record with a 3.38ERA
Geoff Browne gdog - It seems to be a bounce back year for the elite closer, after a bit of a shaky season last year. Browne has stayed healthy, and is showing again why he is almost a guarantee when he is out there late in the game. Geoff has a player option next year, and it is looking like Geoff will be looking for more money, so his future with the Bruins after this year is unclear. Geoff currently has a 1.52ERA with 22SV this year.
Updates for traded away players will be given in the 2022 end of season report.
Go Bruins!
