Talon Talk 1997.6 GM Hopkins a Genius

[felipe]

Its still early days yet, but forgive GM Hopkins for the smug look on his face.

"Everyone laughed at me when I made that McKinley Washington trade,"he scoffs,"But who's laughing now?"

GM Hopkins' bizarre decision to call-up 35 year old AAA journeyman Calvin Schiraldi (acquired in the Washington trade) and install him as Washington's direct replacement, (as Phoenix closer), had a lot of people around the MBBA shaking their heads in disbelief. But early returns suggest that maybe, GM Hopkins might know what he's doing.

"Its a fluke,"disgruntled Phoenix fan Gumdrop was heard to mutter,"The guy shuffles his deck every two weeks, throwing guys in and out of the order, in and out of the rotation, in and out of AAA, in and out of Phoenix. Most of the time he fails spectacularly - look at what he's gotten out of this talented team - nothing, that's what. This is the two week exception that proves the rule, that essentially he's clueless. Mark my words, in two more weeks when Schiraldi reverts back to the crap pile he's always been, Hopkins will panic and send him down to AAA. And that'll be the last we ever hear of the bum. And then Hopkins'll come crawling back to the Gumdrop - expecting me to bail him out."

Calvin Schiradli has appeared in 6 games for the Talon since the blockbuster trade, and has racked up a win and four saves in 6 and a third innings with a minuscule 1.42 ERA - edging Washington himself in a direct head to head comparison (Washington, 6 apps, 2 saves, 7 innings, 1.29 ERA). The two will get a chance to go head to head in two days time when Greenville arrives in Phoenix for a three game set.

Gumdrop has not covered himself in glory since the deal, making 8 appearances for the Talon, racking up a win, a loss, and a save over 5 and two thirds inning with an awful 14.30 ERA.

The early returns from Phoenix's other big deal are a little less appealing. Phoenix has struggled all season to find some quality starters, and have had to watch helplessly as former Talon, JP Morgan, newly installed as a Des Moines starter, has pitched 17 innings over two starts for the Kernels, allowing only 1 run. The return on Morgan has been decent, with Timothy Hughes being stellar in four brief appearances from the Talon pen, (2.2 innings, 0 ER), and Isaac Douglass (4 for 8, perfect D in 8 pinch-hitting appearances), but having already gone through 11 different starters in 1997, one has to wonder why GM Hopkins never tried Morgan out in the rotation.

The other big splash from July, was the Talon's free agent pick up David Cone. The thirty-four year-old righty has yet to pick up a win for the Talon in his four starts, (0-3, 3.81 ERA), but has come through with 28 and a third innings of solid pitching.

[lchronister]

I'm glad to see Schiraldi working out for you (at least until we face each other), but I'm still going to predict I come out on top of this trade at the end of the year. Three years down the road, on the other hand....

Oh, and McKinley would like to point out his superior WHIP (0.86 to 0.95) and ERA+ (356 to 322) despite a worse BABIP (.313 to .167)