Blowing in the Wind 2056.8: Bob Anderson Is Pitching Mad

[aaronweiner]

A star who comes out of nowhere is sometimes said to have a meteoric rise, as Bob Anderson did in 2054 when he won the Joe Gillstrom AND the Steve Nebraska, something just four pitchers have ever done: Mike Swanson, Esteban Gil, Carl McNeill, and Steve Nebraska himself. Only a handful of other players have even won both awards. But the term "meteoric rise" refers to speed, and it's often forgotten using this phrase that meteors usually fall. Thus did Bob Anderson, into the mother of all sophomore slumps.

"Every single day last year was like a personal nightmare, even while I was happy for my teammates and the fans that we made the playoffs," said Anderson, whose superb 2054 season was followed up by a 5-11, 5.36 effort that was even worse before a late season surge. "I had therapy. I saw doctors to make sure my body was okay. I worked with a private pitching coach. Eventually I thought I had it right, and then 2056 hit."

In fact, Anderson continued into 2056 even worse than the year before, with an ERA well over six going into mid-June. But suddenly, out of nowhere, Anderson has turned it around. Since giving up five runs in five innings in back to back starts, Anderson has thrown 60.1 innings of almost perfect, flawless baseball. He has - not a typo - an 1.34 ERA over that stretch, with 57 strikeouts to just 10 walks, and has gone 4-0 over that stretch, including a complete-game shutout of Charm City. Bob Anderson is pitching mad.

"Ultimately, the only thing that happened is that I had to Hulk this thing," said Anderson. "My pitching coach reminded me that even though I wasn't succeeding, I might have the best stuff in the game of baseball, and he said that I should just go out and throw it like I was mad and not try to paint the corners every time. All of a sudden I realized that I wasn't pitching mad. I wasn't angry. I didn't want it bad enough. I was relying on my brain and not my guts and passion. And it turns out the league doesn't like it when I'm angry."

Because of the terrible start, Anderson's numbers don't look like anything to write home about: 8-8, a league average ERA of 4.32. But Anderson also has 140 strikeouts in 133 innings (4th in the JL). And he has ten more starts to make his numbers look like the sort of superstar-caliber stats that we might be able to expect from Anderson.

"Just so long as I stay green," said Anderson. "From here on out, no Banner, just Hulk."

[GoldenOne]

Kyle Smallwood was the same way in 2047. Pitcher of the Month every month, easily won the Gillstrom, and finished 2nd for the Nebraska that season. He went 18-6 with a 2.94 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 249 Ks to 45 walks in 198.2 innings. 2048 and 2049 weren't so bad but by the end of 2050, he was not seen in the BBA again.

He retired in 2053.

[BaseClogger]

Kyle Smallwood was the same way in 2047. Pitcher of the Month every month, easily won the Gillstrom, and finished 2nd for the Nebraska that season. He went 18-6 with a 2.94 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 249 Ks to 45 walks in 198.2 innings. 2048 and 2049 weren't so bad but by the end of 2050, he was not seen in the BBA again.

He retired in 2053.

Doesn’t even look injury related. He simply lumped.

[Dington]

Kyle Smallwood was the same way in 2047. Pitcher of the Month every month, easily won the Gillstrom, and finished 2nd for the Nebraska that season. He went 18-6 with a 2.94 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 249 Ks to 45 walks in 198.2 innings. 2048 and 2049 weren't so bad but by the end of 2050, he was not seen in the BBA again.

He retired in 2053.

I feel for you on that one. He looked like he was gonna be great.

[aaronweiner]

What's really weird about Anderson is he hasn't lumped. He's just been terrible. Not lately though. Lately he's been amazing.

[GoldenOne]

What's really weird about Anderson is he hasn't lumped. He's just been terrible. Not lately though. Lately he's been amazing.

Maybe he was upset after his pet hamster died?