Tripoli, July 7, 2044 - When Generals owner Tariq bin Habib hired GM Mike Dunn two months ago, his short-term marching orders were simple: play .500 ball. At the time, even that goal looked bleak:
May 5 standings
A full seven games under .500, and with the organization's roster a jumble of has-beens and wanna-bes, reaching .500 seemed insurmountable, so much so that Dunn stayed in the (rather plush) Corinthia Hotel rather than rent a condo for a year. But now, two months later, and after a successful 5-2 week, the team's record stands at an even 47-47.
July 14th standings
You'd think this was enough to let Dunn unpack his suitcase, but he's far from satisfied. "You'll notice that even though we made up seven games, our Bancroft League opponents also moved ahead. So I'm not satisfied. Five hundred ball is not enough." He probably also has gotten accustomed to his swanky hotel digs.
Dunn's Tripoli digs
NOTES: The 5-2 week included two big thrillers -- first, on July 12, Libya topped Athens 8-6 before the Tripoli faithful thanks to a 3-run walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th courtesy Michael Best. Then, a day later, another walk-off, but this in the bottom of the 16th -- thanks to Morgan Hollinger's game-winning single. That game featured 15 pitchers, including seven Generals hurlers. "I'm just hoping that Fernie [starter Fernand Richard] can go seven or eight (innings), because the 'pen is exhausted," said pitching coach Rezaul Qasim. Fernand should be formidable: he's 4-2 with a 2.98 era in his last seven starts.
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