Bear Down, Bear Up - 63.05

[neugey]

In an effort to turn things around after a rough July, Thunder Bears GM Mike Bauer made a series of moves aimed at getting Moscow headed in a better direction.

The first order of business was to demote backstop C Bing-De Pao, who has been struggling to hit his own weight—or anyone else's, really—as evidenced by his recent .091 average in AAA. Pao’s defense is suspect, and with offense supposedly his calling card, he’ll need to turn things around soon or Bauer may choose to move on.

Replacing him on the major league roster from AAA is Stan Ward, who is off to a solid start, hitting .500 in limited action. If he continues to produce, he has a good shot at sticking in the majors in 2064.

Pitching injuries have sidelined Moscow veteran relievers Shimpei Ono and Jalil bin Mu'awiyah. The duo had already been struggling in 2063 and will now be replaced by 38-year-old former starter Hani Goddard. Goddard had been pitching in AAA and was nearly a casualty of the youth movement, but Bauer decided that now wasn’t the time to bring up younger arms. As a result, Goddard has a bit more time to prove himself in 2063.

With Ono and Mu'awiyah now on the IL, a spot opened up for recently signed super-utility man Doug Kindle to join the big-league club. This fills a need, as the team has been struggling to make ideal substitutions in both the infield and outfield. Kindle’s arrival should improve manager Brayden Bonaddio’s in-game flexibility and, hopefully, put an end to situations like recently placing a third baseman or catcher in center field to cover for an injured CF Safwan bin Kedar, who’s been dealing with nagging injuries.

An unexpected change in the pitching roles has also taken place. Newly appointed starter Leo "Free Bird" Hill has been underwhelming in the rotation and requested a move to the bullpen. Bauer agreed and decided to promote Rule V pitcher Ubbe Bakboord into the rotation. Bakboord isn’t going to overpower hitters, but he has the know-how to eat innings and help the team endure this difficult season.

Moscow continues to fight through a dismal campaign just a year after being crowned 2062 champs. If these moves don’t spark a turnaround, this could go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in BBA or GBC history.