Blowing in the Wind 2056.5: Hot Start For Hurricanes With A Charm City Conquest

[aaronweiner]

https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... eam_3.html

The Jacksonville Hurricanes came closest to knocking the Charm City Jimmies out of the playoffs last year, going up 3-2 before their bats collapsed on the road in Charm City, and the city was left pondering what might have been. But the Hurricanes reloaded again in the offseason, and it's showed in the young 2056 season: Jacksonville has started 9-4, including a three-game sweep against the heavy division favorite Jimmies.

"You know they have one loss against everyone else?" said Juan Marroquin after pitching eight outstanding innings to complete the sweep. "That's a pretty darn good team we just went out there and beat."

Charm City is a juggernaut-like 9-1 against all other comers so far this year, so they ought to be just fine. However, the Hurricanes may be shedding a common misconception about the team; they were under .500 on the road last year, but so far they have gone 4-3 in early play away from The Station at CSX Field, and if they keep up that level of play there's little question they'll make it back to the playoffs again.

"We're pretty psyched about this year, more now," said cleanup hitter Donald Miller, who is second in the league in home runs in the early season with six knocks in thirteen games, and hit the three-run homer to provide most of the margin of victory in the third game of the three-game sweep. "We're winning on the road so far and handling our business here at home, and that's what we have to do to be successful."

The Hurricanes also swiped first baseman Eric Wignes off waivers from Charm City last week, which might be a big deal. Wignes, one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball, was one of the Hurricanes' targets in free agency this offseason, and he's signed to a very reasonable two-year deal at $3.5 million per year. A career .279 hitter, Wignes has hit .300 in each of the past two seasons for Atlantic City and is expected to provide some stability near the top of the order for the Hurricanes.

"We're thrilled to get a consistent veteran bat like Eric on the team," said Weiner. "To have gotten him from Charm City is a bonus, but he's the exact sort of consistent on-base threat that makes up the majority of our team; we led the league in walks last year and we're trying to do it again, and he really bolsters our lineup against lefties."

The move probably moves key offseason acquisition Pablo Lara to left field, and the team waived Taro Kudo in response to the move. If Kudo clears waivers he may be kept over Yoshitoki Goto, who still has an option year left but also can back up Manoell Whanon in center field.