Slugger Shavings 2058.6 - Checking in with Gary Grant

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"I can't believe I am here! I thought I did well my first year, and can't wait to show the fans what I can do next season." So sayeth Gary Grant, Louisville's rookie first baseman. Grant was an unheralded prospect originally picked by Des Moines in the 9th round of the 2052 draft, but after failing to sign with them, he entered the 2055 draft and was picked in the first round (8th overall) by San Antonio. A year later, he was traded to Louisville along with Anadrutta Sangawar in exchange for the frustrating Antonio Baldez. Baldez has proven to be equally frustrating for his subsequent teams, so in hindsight, the trade appears to have been a good one for the Sluggers.

With the retirement of Semei Kwakou, who had converted to first base in the final years of his career, the Sluggers had a gaping hole at first. With finances and the team's rebuilding status not making a free agent pickup practical, GM BP decided to accelerate Grant's development and brought him up to start the 2058 season in Louisville after just spending one season in AAA Missouri. Ideally, another year in AAA would have been in the cards for the 23-year old Grant, but Grant proved he was worthy of promotion.

In 2058, Grant helped the Sluggers score runs, something that the team had no trouble doing (preventing runs by the other team was another story). He hit .264/27/90 with an impressive 24 doubles. He had a respectable WAR of 1.3, though he still has a lot of work to do defensively. The team brass expects Grant to cut down on his 134 strikeouts and hit for higher average and power next season. Grant knows he has to improve defensively if he wants to lock down first base given the likely fast rise of 2058 first-round pick Jose Barrera, a player who appears to be a future fixture in Louisville.

"I can play first, I can play DH, I can play wherever they want as long as I am on the team," says Grant. "This team is going places and I can't wait to be a part of it. There's no relegation in this league, right?"