April 17, 2062
by Banjo Jackson
Nashville, TN
After a disappointing 2061 season, Crissy Tingle hoped to start 2062 with a bang. Unfortunately, that bang was on his elbow that caused him to miss half of spring training and start 2062 with a stint on the IL. Prior to his elbow injury, Tingle was having a good spring, slashing .306/.390/.528, so he was projected to get back on track. Luckily, he is expected to return in just a couple of weeks, but a problem awaits ahead.
When one door closes, another opens. Tingle’s injury provided an opportunity for Carter ‘Fortnite’ Cramer, who had a torrid spring with a slash line of .377/.433/.830. The switch-hitting outfielder was projected to be a superior corner outfielder, but after spending time in the development lab working on his defense, he emerged as a legitimate candidate to play CF. Cramer has made the most of his opportunity in his first two weeks slashing .418/,458/.855 with 7 HR. He’s on pace for 17.4 WAR, but will he continue playing once Tingle has recovered from his injury?
CF Carter 'Fortnite' Cramer
With a star-studded outfield featuring, Tingle, Alfonso Gonzáles, and Akeem ‘Prince’ Joffer, Cramer may still see himself on the outside looking in.
“We absolutely love what we’re seeing from Cramer,” said GM Chad Nason. “He worked hard this offseason after vowing to put down the video games and he’s very aware of his role on the team and we’ve had talks about his future. It would have been an easier decision if he struggled out of the gate, but he’s been on fire. However, Tingle is a leader on this team and his spot is secure. We don’t want Carter sitting on the bench, and he expects to be playing every day in Orlando when Tingle returns. That’s not to say we won’t see more of him later this year.”
Further clouding Cramer’s future is the contract extension Tingle just signed. Though it’s only a two year extension, Tingle looks like he will be patrolling CF for the foreseeable future. Gonzales is likely to be signed long-term, as well, so that leaves a battle between Joffer and Cramer for the final spot in the outfield. It would not be a surprise to see Joffer traded this season to make room for the budding star.
