Slugger Shavings 2057.5 - A Legend Retires
Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:28 pm
Well, not that much of a surprise I guess, but Louisville Slugger legend Semei Kwakou has finally called it a career. Despite only getting through the first year in his recently signed four year/6.5M contract, Kwakou was ready. "I don't need the money," he admitted. "I was really just playing to get my 3,500th hit and had already decided to hang it up once I got it."
Kwakou burst on the scene after being drafted 14th overall by the Sluggers in 2037. He rocketed his way up to Louisville at age 19, winning Newcomer of the Year, Silver Slugger Trophy, and the Golden Bat Award. The beast hit .347/47/141 with a 7.7 WAR that year, his best season other than his .362/48/150 with 7.9 WAR 2042 season.
He was a seven-time all-star, two-time champion, three-time playoff series MVP, five-time silver slugger winner, while also playing a decent right field. His hall of fame metrics are sure to make him a first ballot shoo-in. He finished with 3,514 hits, a 3.13 lifetime BA, 642 HR, and 2022 RBI.
On a personal note, when I took over Louisville right before their playoff series in 2051, I was happy to have a player of his caliber, though admittedly I was not a fan of his six-year/159M contract that he signed the prior offseason. That contract was fine when Kwakou helped get the team back to the playoffs in 2053 and 2054, but he trended down each year of that contract leaving me with few options. By 2055 and 2056, he was not the same player, and the team struggled as a result. His struggles even prompted me to see if a switch to 1B would help since I had better corner outfielders that needed to play. I went back and forth on whether to extend him after his monster contract ended in 2056, and finally decided it would be good for the league to have Kwakou play out his career in Louisville. Though he was rather annoying that year by refusing to talk to me until the very end of the year, I am glad to have done the extension and kept him a Slugger for life. I regret he did not stick it out more and try to get the all-time hits record, but selfishly that is okay with me. I have a prospect that looks ready to take over 1B in April.
Kwakou burst on the scene after being drafted 14th overall by the Sluggers in 2037. He rocketed his way up to Louisville at age 19, winning Newcomer of the Year, Silver Slugger Trophy, and the Golden Bat Award. The beast hit .347/47/141 with a 7.7 WAR that year, his best season other than his .362/48/150 with 7.9 WAR 2042 season.
He was a seven-time all-star, two-time champion, three-time playoff series MVP, five-time silver slugger winner, while also playing a decent right field. His hall of fame metrics are sure to make him a first ballot shoo-in. He finished with 3,514 hits, a 3.13 lifetime BA, 642 HR, and 2022 RBI.
On a personal note, when I took over Louisville right before their playoff series in 2051, I was happy to have a player of his caliber, though admittedly I was not a fan of his six-year/159M contract that he signed the prior offseason. That contract was fine when Kwakou helped get the team back to the playoffs in 2053 and 2054, but he trended down each year of that contract leaving me with few options. By 2055 and 2056, he was not the same player, and the team struggled as a result. His struggles even prompted me to see if a switch to 1B would help since I had better corner outfielders that needed to play. I went back and forth on whether to extend him after his monster contract ended in 2056, and finally decided it would be good for the league to have Kwakou play out his career in Louisville. Though he was rather annoying that year by refusing to talk to me until the very end of the year, I am glad to have done the extension and kept him a Slugger for life. I regret he did not stick it out more and try to get the all-time hits record, but selfishly that is okay with me. I have a prospect that looks ready to take over 1B in April.