The Brewster

TIME IN YELLOW SPRINGS LIKELY OVER

October 6, 2046: YELLOW SPRINGS – A bit over a week ago, Carlos Pineda went to the mound and pitched a brilliant 2-hit 8 innings against the Omaha Cyclones, walking one and striking out 8 with only 95 pitches. It was as masterful an outing as any other, and had the club and its fans knowing they were going to have to find a way to shell out some big bucks to extend the elite leftie.

A week later, the Cyclones drilled Pineda for five runs in just over an inning, and left him with an elbow that some have to wonder might be better declared as minced meat. Dr. Julian Carmona later announced what everyone was concerned about—that Pineda has suffered a torn flexor and will be out essentially all of 2047. Package it up with the shoulder issue that shut him down in 2043 and a rotator cuff injury a year later, and you’ve got your answer as to whether the team will bring him back.

“It’s difficult timing for Carlos,” said GM Ron Collins. “And, to be honest, we’d rather have the problem he was giving us earlier. We’ll address his contract in a day or two, after the emotions have faded a little, and we’ll see what kind of arrangement we can manage.”

Most insiders say that’s GM speak for Pineda is gone unless he’ll sign for pennies on the dollar..

“I can’t see the team signing him now,” said Nine broadcaster Melissa Lester. “Maybe late in the free agency cycle, after he’s tested the waters, something might happen. But I can’t see it in the P&L statement. If I were betting Brewster bucks I’d say he’s going to have to sit out a year od sign a deal with a team willing to take a flier on an empty year in hopes that he can catch the lightning again.”


FANS DISTRAUGHT

News of the injury spread through the fanbase with predictable result. Pineda had burst on the scene as a young phenom at age 20, and in his now-seven seasons with the team has posted some of the most scintillating numbers in the league. His 71-20 (.780) record is the best in franchise history. His 3.38 ERA puts him on the franchise leaderboard, just ahead of Hall of Fame candidate Carlos Valle. It all added up to a feeling among fans that they understood why the team wouldn't sign him, but would still punish the team with a lack of interest if he signs somewhere else. "Screw this team," said one poster under the pseudonym "From-Not-Titletown."

It’s hard to imagine where Pineda and the team might be without what amounts to a lost season and a half to those first two injuries. Originally considered a durable kid with good mechanics to back that up, the team babied him to a greater degree last season, before leaving him free to start on routine basis in 2046, albeit on a pitch count that had him through more than 100 pitches only three times this season, two of those seeing him at 101 and the third at 102.

“He’s proof that there’s no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to pitchers and injuries,” said Hardball in the Weeds analyst Gayle Combs. “There’s no reason to think this was coming.”

“I’m disappointed,” Pineda said through his agent. “But I’ve been here before. I’ll be back.”