Torn Tendon Mars a Surprisingly Strong but Ultimately Meaningless Black Sox Spring
Chicago, March 31, 2051 - It was the best of times, it was the knockwurst of times for the Black Sox during their just-concluded 2051 Spring Training. Let's take a look:
The good: The Front Office signed a mega deal with aging slugger Fernando Castillo, signalling that the team fully intended to contend in '51.
The bad: It turns out he was signed because the team owner Vinnie Vitale mistakenly thought Castillo was Italian.
Mustache Men: Castillo, Torres and bin Adnan
The bad: In his second Spring Training game, Castillo tore his achilles tendon, knocking him out for five months and potentially more. So far his $21 million salary this year brought the team four spring at bats.
The good: Young 2B prospect Scott Torres, in his first ST invite, hit .306 and had an OPS of 1.003, slugging 7 HR and 15 RBI, leading the club in all those categories. As a result, he is the team's starting second baseman.
The bad: Torres has toiled in the minors for five long seasons since being drafted in 2046 by Jacksonville in the third round, and in those five seasons he has barely hit above .200. There is no reason to believe his ST numbers are anything but a mirage, yet the club has handed him the starting job at second. "We'll give Scott a chance, he earned it this spring," said GM Mike Dunn.
The good: Another youngster making his spring debut was 23-year old SP Malik bin Adnan, and he also wowed the crowds: in 18 innings pitched over five starts, bin Adnan tallied a 1.00 ERA, an ERA+ of 398, and nearly 11 Ks per nine. All of which was sufficient to earn him a spot as the team's fourth starter. "Like Scotty, Malik earned this shot. He says he's ready. So we'll see," said Dunn.
The bad: bin Adnan has never pitched above AA, with a decent but not spectacular results for the Beloit Blue Sox in 2050: a 4.03 ERA in 29 starts. Whether he is truly ready for big league batters is truly a question mark.
The good: The Black Sox scored runs in bunches this spring, and the pitching was equally solid. The result was a surprising 22-8 record, the second best ST record in the Brewster.
The bad: No one has to tell you that spring training records are meaningless. By June they're forgotten. This team has missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, and their big FA signing is likely to be out the entire year. There is a reason that Vegas' over/under for this club is 78. I'll take the under.
