“We are a lot better team than we’re playing like right now,” said manager Shoiab Kardar, who was hired this offseason when Farri Agymah decided to not return to the Zombies. “I blame myself a little bit, but we just need to start stepping up when it counts.”
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The Zombies are not just third in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed, but advanced numbers show that these standings are based in reality. The Zombies are near the top of the league in wins above replacement both hitting and pitching, and they are producing well across the board, even stealing bases this season. Three of their hitters are in the top ten in WAR, Bob Anderson has been the sort of Steve Nebraska-level pitcher that the team has been looking for him to be this year.
Jacksonville has atypically also had a problem in the bullpen this year, as 2059 Jason Egan Award winner Clarence Moore has been far below his usual outstanding self this year. Moore has blown two of his six save opportunities and has three losses already in the young season, and the usually reliable righty is putting up ghastly numbers against right handed hitting this year. Even despite Moore’s 8.38 ERA, overall, the bullpen has been good, with the third best ERA in the JL, but Moore has destabilized the unit somewhat.
“It’s been a little bit hard to deal with this,” said Moore. “I’m used to not having to worry about it, but this year, for some reason, I just can’t get my stuff right.”
Also not helping is Terry Cole’s falloff. Cole struggled badly in the first half of last season before turning it on strongly down the stretch, but scouts noticed that he had lost a little batspeed this offseason and his numbers on the field are far from where the team needs them to be. And Billy McKay hasn’t been productive for the Zombies after missing much of last year with a knee injury
“Terry’s got some things to work through, but we’re hoping he turns it around soon,” said hitting coach Sixto Gutierrez. “We love the guy. And Billy is still working his way back from that knee last year.”
It’s hard to know what Jacksonville will do to plug those holes, but they have cap space and opportunity. Regardless, the team has been playing well on the field, and the hope is that they will improve going forward.
“We’ve got a really good team here, said third baseman Pepe Aragon, who has gone full-blown superstar in 2061. “We just need to get some dubs.”