That's What Cheesehead: 37.06 - Another Lefty in the Mix

[7teen]

It was a recipe of success in 2035 that didn't exactly unfold that way in 2036. That recipe was the Wolves bringing in as many lefty pitchers as possible to neutralize the lefty power and stud hitters in the league. The Wolves used five different lefty pitchers last season after seeing their effectiveness in 2035 but it didn't translate over to 2036 as evidenced by the Wolves record and pitching numbers. Nonetheless, General Manager Chris Wilson isn't quite ready to give up on the idea as evidenced by the Wolves' latest move.

The Wolves have sent a pair of pitching prospects to Calgary in exchange for lefty starter Noonien Soong (49 - 56, 4.50 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 518 K) and $8 million in cash. "We like what Soong brings to the table" said Wilson announcing the move prior to the winter meetings. "He's not flashy or anything dominating by any means. I guess the stereotypical way to describe Noonien is he's a 'crafty' left-hander. We didn't feel the price was too much to give up plus was got some cash back from the Pioneers to help with some of our financial woes so it was a move we liked."

Soong struggled in 2036 with his first negative WAR season of his career. Prior to last season though, Noonien was a 2-3 WAR guy who provided more bang for his buck. Always known as a control guy, homeruns have always plagued Soong. In four of his big league seasons, he's allowed more homeruns than walks. "We think that can work in Madison" added Wilson. "Our park suppresses homeruns some so his ability to not walk guys may suit him well pitching at home for us. We'll have to see."

The addition of Soong will likely give the Wolves 5 lefty pitchers on their staff to start the season. Once Andy Cantrell (6/7/7 Ratings) returns from the disabled list mid-season, they'll have 6 on the staff. "It gives us a lot of flexibility with matchups" concluded Wilson. "It worked two years ago. Not so much last year. Considering we don't have the money to sign the big named guys, playing match-ups is our best option right now with pitching."

Going to Calgary in the deal are 20 year old closer prospect Jaime Torres and 19 year old Nobuo Jouda. The latter of the two being the piece the Wolves hesitated the most at giving up but figured the additional $8 million in cash made losing two former 4th round picks worth it.

[RonCo]

Madison is a perfect place for Soong. Both the park and the defense.