16-Dec-52 -- Jacksonville Forecast #1: Rigatoni Arrives In Jacksonsville

[pandan]

Not long after starting his new gig in Brazil, Rigatoni left the land of beautiful beaches and meats behind to return back to the USA.

Rigatoni's tenure in Sao Paolo was short, achieving a pristine 0-0 record. Very few GMs can say they've never overseen a single loss, but let's not talk about overseeing a single win.

Tuck Friar, Jacksonville Hurricanes owner, seemed to like how Rigatoni was able to fill out the coaching staff in SP in a short time, something that would need to be done in Jacksonville given the ~40% turnover throughout the minors. While Rigatoni is getting a late start with free agency on a new team, he feels that there is a lot of opportunity.

"We have the 2nd worst farm system in the league and finished 5th in our division," Rigatoni shared. "This is not a winning formula." However, Jacksonville's weak farm isn't a product of overspending and whiffing on big contracts, but rather that most of the most talented young players are already playing in the big leagues.

"Our financial situation is good. It's a blank slate -- we have a lot of flexibility to make the moves we need to rebuild the team into a contender."

While the financial situation is enviable, the team is light on assets for trade and will need to rely heavily on the draft, international scouting, and free agents to bolster its team. In addition, there have been reports of clubhouse issues in the big league club. Rigatoni declined to comment, but insiders say he's investigating the situation closely and aiming to identify the root cause.

"We're going to bring in some fresh blood into the team, both coaches and players. This is a historic franchise with a rich history. We have an opportunity to do something special. However, it's going to take some time to get there."

[Dington]

Well done!

[RT60]

Ernesto Alfonso is looking for a new home, so maybe Jax is a good fit. He sent me a text pleading with me that he will do better this season, but I still had to release him. He has a lot more singles left in him. Just not for Louisville.