June 9th, 2046 by Omar Khayyam
"Sato, Sato, Sato"
When you root for a new team it takes everyone a while to figure out who their favourite players are and who the franchise players are. It was never in doubt though for the Japanese expatriates who always gather in the first baseline seats incessantly chanting “Sato, Sato, Sato” all game. A lot of them have followed Masaki Sato throughout his seven year BBA career. They flood our site and forums with their “Sato is God”, “Sato is Riyadh”, “Sato is the face of Riyadh” posts and now it seems that GM Laverick agrees with them. Our fans worries were that Sato is a greedy player, that lives for money and given that he holds an opt-out for the end of 2046 and a player option as well could quite possibly mean that 2046 would be his only season in the colours of the Red Crescents. Today the news broke that our new GM had been thinking along those lines, and not wanting to lose the one decent player Riyadh has, has tied him up for a further three years with a contract extension worth $17.5 million. It is true that it does not stop him using his opt-out to gain even more money and that many UMEBA clubs will be tapping him up on the quiet to try to get to still use his opt-out, but now with that brand-new contract in his back pocket it seems that the case to stay in Riyadh for him has just got stronger.
Another person that could become a Riyadh hero is young Alba Gallino, the world’s only professional baseball player from the Vatican City, Yesterday he made his pro debut in the Chinese Baseball League against Hong Kong and produced an amazing performance. Having given up three hits and a walk in his first two innings of work he then gave up nothing until the bottom of the ninth when he allowed his fourth hit. None of his hits or the walk allowed the Bombardiers to score and so the game headed into extras still scoreless. One out into the tenth Alba got the hook as so unfortunately got no credit for his 9.1 innings of four baseball, he also struck out seven batters. The new fans of his in the Vatican City will certainly remember that debut as will The Red Rooters, The scouts might not predict anything more that an “emergency backup” role for Alba, but we have faith, we know that he is blessed by the Pope himself, he will wear red in Riyadh.
It was an eventful start to the Chinese Baseball League for the franchise as on the eve of Opening Day they dispensed with the services of the Chinese Taipei Manager, pitching & hitting coaches and appointed manager Mika’il bin Samman, pitching coach Eugene Fleming and hitting coach Ted Chatfield . The club believe they are the best staff they can get at the time to lead the CTBC forward at this time. It is important to GM Laverick that we can give the best tuition we can to our young rookies. In CTBC’s opening four games so far they have won two and lost two, both wins coming in extra innings.by a single run, while both losses were by two runs, all games in Hong Kong.