C-Notes 2043.05 - AO is Royalty

[GoldenOne]

They said it couldnt be done. They said it wouldnt last. They said they were intrigued but wanted to see more.

Now they are saying, "Wow," and talking about how they need a life coach because they make horrible decisions.

Cougars SP Adergazoz "AO" Ouakili is picking up where he left off last season. AO's conversion from a highly effective bullpen arm to a starting pitcher last season was panned by many as a flash in the pan. AO, with his 4-rated stamina, went 10-12 with 6 saves for the woeful Cougars. He had 171 strikeouts in 156.2 innings to go along with his 4.65 ERA. Cougars' Management had AO on a pitch count of 85 pitches but also had a quick-hook plan in place in case AO were to get tired too quickly.

So far this season, AO's pitch count has been bumped up to 90 pitches in the hopes of not having to go as deep into Charlotte's sub-par bullpen. The quick-hook remains though, especially with AO's fluctuations in his stamina ratings. Either way, none of it seems to be bothering AO. In his first three starts this season, he has gone 5.1, 7.0, and 7.0 innings. His record of 1-0 is more a reflection of the bullpen's lack of helping him out as his numbers surely do not show a problem - 15 hits, an ERA of 1.89, 16 strikeouts and 0.0 walks for a 0.78 WHIP. All this on the road against Atlantic powerhouses of Rockville and New Orleans and a home game against an Atlantic City team that won 90 games last season.

The feather-in-the-cap for the Cougars.....AO signed a 3-year extension before the season began for a total of $16M, in an era when starting pitchers of less than AO's caliber make far more than $16M a season. We look forward to seeing more from AO this season.