52.11 Monarch McMusings 5: Exit, Stage Left Even

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52.11 Monarch McMusings 5: Exit, Stage Left Even

Post by Trebro » Sun Nov 06, 2022 2:27 pm

Notes from GM's Desk:

This has been a rather eventful past three weeks for me, even if the team on the field hasn't shown it. How did they manage to go 2-5 three consecutive weeks? That's absolutely absurd. So was the group of fans who circled the stadium throwing a ticker tape parade for 100 losses. But then again, at least they care. Which is more than I can say for owner Yahyah Talal. I've been trying to reach him for over a month now, and no contact. I really need his help to get to the bottom of the location of the team.

Yes, that's still going on. I tried talking to the league officials about it, who noted that it was definitely an error. Apparently their solution to handle it involves extensive writing, not just about the problem, but about the team itself.

"How does that help anything?" I asked.

"In this economy, words mean more than cash."

Fair.

So I sat down to do just what they asked, while watching the team go through some frustrating times. No matter how many adjustments I instructed Sandcastle to make, we kept getting the same results. There's just no team cohesion. If Guillen has a big day, the pitching falls apart. If the pitching holds, we can't score more than four runs. Lately, the whole team is under-performing. While our initial games when I got here were close, they're starting to lose games 8-2 and 8-1. Not even close.

Now Sandcastle would tell me that's partly my fault. Or actually, entirely my fault. I've been making him play utility guy Javier Garcia alongside Cannell at first, and anytime our star first baseman is out o the lineup, we'll struggle a bit. I also directed him to play Peter Burell as often as possible, because Reshetkov isn't coming back. Burrell has shown some promise, even fielding third better (positive zone rating vs negative zone rating) but he's apparently got zero power in the bigs. Not sure he can handle the hot corner full time. Now I grant Hapmet Zorlu has been a disaster, but now we know he's a disaster. Unless you really, really need a walk. Kid's got one hell of an eye (8 walks to 7 hits).

On the pitching side, I feel like I've got the team in a better place, even if the results aren't always showing it. Dae-Su Im, Don, Thomas, and Mansur bin Fath are all rotation improvements. Jordan Knolwes getting hurt made it harder down the stretch, but I feel good about the starting pitching. The bullpen is a different story, but that's not unusual for teams these days. I think landing one strong starting pitcher in the off-season would make a big difference.

But of course, none of that matters to me. Not anymore.

I had the league on hold when I got The Call.

"Is this Rob McMonigal?"

"Speaking,"

"This is Bo Jordon, of the Yellow Springs Nine. How would you feel about returning to the States?"
I looked around my office. I thought about how much work there was still to do in London. I thought about how proud I would be to make them a champion-level team again. But then I thought about the absentee owner. The lack of fans. That inane reporter who looked like a damned muppet. The fact that an opportunity like this might never come my way again. A chance to show that I really could handle things at the top level. There may be many baseball leagues, but there's only one Brewster.

I hung up on the league.

"I would love nothing more, sir. The season here is almost - "

"I need you now."

I hesitated. I didn't like the idea of quitting with four games to go. But there was only one answer, really.

"I'm on my way."


On the To-Do List:

• Pack.
Rob McMonigal
Yellow Springs Nine Sep 2052 - ????

London Monarchs Aug 2052 - Sep 2052

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Re: 52.11 Monarch McMusings 5: Exit, Stage Left Even

Post by Jwalk100 » Sun Nov 06, 2022 9:46 pm

Nice ending!

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Re: 52.11 Monarch McMusings 5: Exit, Stage Left Even

Post by Trebro » Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:55 pm

Jwalk100 wrote:
Sun Nov 06, 2022 9:46 pm
Nice ending!
Thank you! I obviously had more I planned on doing, but given I need to get going on how I'm going to craft my TN for the Nine, I wanted to find a way to close out that felt like it made sense. I didn't want to just switch over.

There's definitely some good threads here if anyone dares take on London again soon!
Rob McMonigal
Yellow Springs Nine Sep 2052 - ????

London Monarchs Aug 2052 - Sep 2052

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