Pharaoh Moans (2046-08): The Teardown Begins

[woods]

It was never a question of if, but of when.

The Cairo Pharaohs knew they weren’t going to seriously contend in their inaugural year, and while they tried to field a competitive team, the day was always going to come when they would shift their focus to the future.

That day came today, when the Pharaohs traded starting infielder Nico Eijpe to the Athens Fighting Centaurs. Eijpe was a regular in Cairo’s lineup, but never hit as reliably as the team was hoping he would. This, paired with the emergence of Rick Chambers and Winston Abernathy as near-everyday players, made Eijpe the odd man out.

In return, Cairo received young first baseman Jae-Hyung Chi, who they are hoping will blossom into a bona fide power bat. He has showed good gap power in Rookie League, but Cairo believes there’s some home run power yet to be unlocked, as the 20-year-old has yet to fill out his 6’6” frame. He will be playing in A-ball with the Agana Admirals.

The Pharaohs also made another future-looking move, in this case one that involves rewarding a current player, as opposed to shipping him across the Mediterranean. They have agreed to terms with Johan Trojka on a three-year extension, indicating that they hope to one day build a contending team around the star pitcher.

The contract buys out Trojka’s last arbitration year, and gives the Pharaohs up to two additional years of control. He will make $6.5 million next year and $7 million the year after, with a team option for 2049 at $7 million. If Cairo picks up the option, Trojka will be in a Pharaohs uniform through his age-29 season.

These moves will likely be the first of many, as Cairo begins to evaluate its roster to determine who might play into the team’s future plans.

[Fat Nige]

It’s a permanent rush hour in Riyadh with players coming and going at all levels. Basically throwing anyone & everyone at the rosters and seeing who sticks