The Manama Papers, Issue 7, 2039

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The Manama Papers, Issue 7, 2039

Post by TheKenwyne » Tue Jul 30, 2019 3:40 pm

Lazy journalist posts blockbuster issue of Manama Papers! Inside: new rookies, awards galore and the Pearls' 2039 All Stars and Snubs
-Abdulwahib Al-Sakir
Beirut, Lebanon, 7/7/2039, 12:44AST

Pearls Record: 49-33, 2 Games ahead of Cairo in the division race
Run Differential: +60

After being corrupted and dragged on many of Mr. Lawton and OF Rhys Nornabell's nightly benders on this most recent road trip, I must apologise to you, my loyal readers, and to my superiors for my recent tardiness when it comes to delivering this column. Today, I will make up for it with a veritable deluge of content.

In general terms, the Pearls celebrated an excellent month of June, notching a 17-7 mark for that month and propelling themselves to the top of the Burt League standings. They currently are tied with Bucharest and Mumbai for the best mark in UMEBA. Excellent contributions from a variety of faces old and new, and the new found team spirit imprinted by Mr. Lawton and Nornabell's mandatory drinking sessions have carried the team to new heights. Two of the new additions to highlight:
  • RHP Feheen Sylvester has been plucked from the obscurity of Free Agency after bemusingly being adjudged not up to standard by Jerusalem. The young Irishman has delivered two quality starts in his first two outings for the Pearls, and at 28 with no major service time is expected to deliver many more over the years. He can also put the Jameson away at an alarming rate.
  • Due to Manama original C Jeff Melton's struggles this season, another Free Agent coup has been C Colby Stevens, who spent the first half of the season in San Antonio's system. His release early in June was a boon to the Pearls, who have watched him hit .345/.367/.552 for a .918 OPS since joining the team. Whether the right handed batter will supplant Melton behind the plate full time or just work with him in a platoon is still to be seen.
There have been the usual solid contributions from Manama's usual suspects too, on the pitching side I'll highlight LHP Gonzalo Fajardo, who continues to provide the greatest quality of starts amongst the Pearls' rotation, still sporting a 2.86 ERA on the season. From the bullpen, it's impossible to ignore the work of LHP Jose Rodriguez who's been a revelation at closer, with a 1.04 ERA and an eyepopping 439 ERA+ across 34.2 innings of work thus far this term, good for a league leading (by a mark of 7) 20 Saves. Best reliever in the league? For this reporter's unbiased beer money, yes.

As for hitters, 1B Sandro Trujillo continues to be the cream of the crop. He managed to not receive the Player/Rookie of the Month gongs for the first time in his UMEBA career for June, but his .342/.402/.616 slashline (1.016 OPS, 171 OPS+) is still far and away the best mark on the team. He also leads in Home Runs, with the much more pedestrian number of 20 - Manama has not been a power hitting team this season. Also good contributors at the plate this season have been 1B Scott Hoover (.370/.402/.588 in 30 games), OF Rhys Nornabell (.288/.353/.486 with 12 HR in 65 games), OF Damien Mayne (.247/.328/.493 with 13 HR in 56 games) and OF Travis Lara (.239/.373/.448 with 3 HR in 27 games).

1B Scott Hoover also contributed a 5-for-5 day against Istanbul on 21st June. He had 2 singles, 2 doubles and a homer as the Pearls routed the Bosphorous 10-1.

Though the present is rosey for the Pearls, the future got brighter also as the club confirmed the signings of the top two draft picks from this year's class. LHP Johan Troika, who projects to be a top of the rotation starter in UMEBA, and LHP Norman Chivers, who Manama expect to be a solid bullpen arm in a few years, have agreed on their contracts and reported to Far East Baseball League's Manilla Pirates. We watch our distant farm system with bated breath for news of these two new additions to the Pearls' family. No other draft picks have been retained, as, to quote Mr. Lawton, "they're all bloody oxygen thieves".

There have been a glut of awards given to members of the Pear's organisation since last I wrote, so here they are:

Batter of the Month, Rookie of the Month (June): OF Damien Mayne (.400, 7HR, 15RBI, 12R in June)
Player of the Week (14th-20th June): 1B Sandro Trujillo (.409, 9/22, 2HR, 3RBI for the week)
Player of the Week (28th June-4th July): OF Damien Mayne (.556, 5/9, 3HR, 6RBI for the week)

And now we come to the All Star Game. Though the Burt League picked up the win, with Pearls 2B Divinho Pedrulho, OF Armando Ojito and LHP Juan Pagan making positive contributions to the win, the rosters provided cause for controversy across the Association. Amongst the Pearls shunned was lights-out reliever LHP Jose Rodriguez, whose accolades we spoke about above. With that Caveat declared, here are the Pearls selected for the 2039 UMEBA All Star Game, with asterisks denoting the guys who received the start:

Pitchers:
LHP Gonzalo Fajardo (Starter)
LHP Tony Nelson (Starter)
LHP Juan Pagan (Reliever)

Hitters:
C Jeff Melton
1B Sandro Trujillo*
2B Divinho Pedrulho
OF Armando Ojito*
OF Rhys Nornabell

Congratulations to all of them for satisfying whatever arbitrary conditions were required to get a ticket to the game. Bribes to head office? Nah, can't be. Nornabell spends all his money on "bevvies with the boys."

Let's see if I can survive another month on the road with these lunatics. Tell my wife I love her.

***

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Re: The Manama Papers, Issue 7, 2039

Post by shoeless.db » Tue Jul 30, 2019 4:21 pm

This made me want an adult beverage.
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Re: The Manama Papers, Issue 7, 2039

Post by RonCo » Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:45 pm

Gotta root for mama and Jose Chavez.
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