2062.09 - Letter from Bobby "Fang" Sherman to Cousin Ennis (dated 06/25/2062)

[R.Umali]

Ennis,

Good man. I'm writing to you from Concourse C in O'Hare. Delay going to Sacramento. I'm going to meet up with the Black Sox there and either start against the Mad Popes or against the Lumberjacks. Or they might stick me in the bullpen which would suck but I have a feeling I'm going to get a start or two. Or three or four. Rocky was evasive about it - typical these days. You wonder who's running the ship? All's I know is that he's finding himself atop a winning ball club for once and it's a very precarious situation. To say the least.

I hate to think about the business side of baseball but I've also not heard word one about any extension. From my vantage, the writing's on the wall. I hit free agency next year and there's two rookies on the staff. They got Tony Radtke in my spot and he's holding his own (3-2 after 9 starts).

Then they got another rookie, Orlando Rubio. He can start easy but he's a lefty and Rock loves bringing in the lefties to set up the closer. This year that's either this other rookie Razvan Chilom and this older guy Gary Powers who they plucked from the GBC.

You put him, Tony, with me and Stevie Bodine and you got four former number 1 picks on the staff. And only 1 with a career winning record - Radtke with his 3-2. That's telling you something. What it's anybody's guess.

My shoulder feels good. At the very least, Padmesh gave me the all clear. I hit 100 innings last year and I'm at 43 between Chicago and Rockford this year. I should be good to go for the rest of the season. I just hope it's all with Chicago - esp. if this is just them showcasing me for trades. There's a month to go before the deadline and I can't help thinking that if I'm not hearing any extension talk that I might be hearing some trade talk in a few weeks. But if Rocky guides this team to a winning record, you better believe I want to be there if that happens.

What's good is that they're sending me up with Marcos Echevarria, who caught my last two starts at Rockford. Good guy. Great hitter. Clobbered two home runs on my last start. And I struck out 8 in 5 that game, too.

Speaking of dude, I have to go find him. He's having a celebratory drink at a bar. He's only 25 but he acts like this is his first call up.

Say high to auntie for me. Hope you are holding down in the GP.

Later,

Fang
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To make space for Bobby "Fang" Sherman and Marcos Echevarria, the Black Sox DFA'd 35 year old reliever Juan Cruz and sent 27 year old catcher Dale Olds down to Rockford. The Black Sox are 40-38 after Sim 12.