Sox Scoops 46:004: Jim "Hatchet" Cox takes over as GM

[allenciox]

April, 28, 2046

Well, it didn't take long for the new GM to make his mark on the minor league rosters for the Black Sox, and he has earned a new moniker in the process.

Yesterday, the new GM flew into Chicago from his previous home in Bucharest, Romania. And he lived up to the reputation of that team's name (Impalers) by cutting thirty players from various minor league rosters, and moving another ten to the DFA list.

Some of these players had been with the organization for years, and were not taking the cuts well. One example was 27 year old
third baseman Juan de la Cruz. An import from the Dominican Republic, he entered the rookie league of the Black Sox in 1940. Since then he has moved between levels, reaching as high as AAA Carolina in 2043 before moving back to AA Beloit for the past two seasons.

"I don't know what happened," he volunteered, when he was reached and asked about the situation. "All I know is maybe they did no pick the right GM this time." "Maybe he has it out for us Dominicans," he continued.

Juan doesn't know what he might do next. "Maybe I get picked up by another BBA organization," he volunteered. "Or maybe they be a place for me in UMEBA, I don't know".

One thing that has become clear: Since many of the cut players were older players in AA and AAA, the average age for each of the teams has declined substantially, as players were promoted from lower levels to take their place. But the quality might have also fallen off in the process, and now the clubhouses in S A league Green Sox and Rookie league Aqua Sox have become ghost towns. Combining all the players from both teams wouldn't come close to fielding a single team. Asked for comment, GM Cox replied, "Well, stay tuned. We'll stock those teams over time and a number of players will be moving in once the rookie draft is complete.

We will keep watch on this new GM. He certainly knows how to make his presence felt immediately.

[RonCo]

No time like now to make the team your own!

[allenciox]

It seems to me that there are two ways to build a minor league system. One way is to build "winning" teams in the minors: get a lot of "almost-major-league" type players that have already reached their potential and will never be more than a replacement level player in the BBA. This can garner a lot of wins at the minor league level.

The other way is to staff the minors with young players that have potential aren't very good now. Train them across positions so that if/when they are ready for the majors they can perhaps have a productive career. However, this is not a way of building "winning" minor league teams.

I used to do more of the former, in the past few seasons I have moved pretty completely over to the latter.

[woods]

I'm just glad I don't have to bid against you in the UMEBA anymore for these BBA castoff players.