2061.20 Even Greene-r Pastures: Former GBC Star Traded to Charm City

[Trebro]

Even Greene-r Pastures: Former GBC Star Traded to Charm City

by Valerie Davies, for the Yellow Springs World

With the trade deadline looming, the Yellow Springs Nine made only one move, which was a bit surprising given several of their expiring contracts, most notably Rolf Reinhardt, who surely could have helped a contender for a small prospect. However, at least the team was able to flip another of its minor-league signings (after Greg Jackson to Long Beach) into some hopefully useful players when the team is faring better in the standings.

Greene, who did not exactly set the world on fire in his BBA debut with a .235 batting average, 18 home runs, 56 RBIs, .780OPS, and a WAR of .4 in 100 games, is headed out to the Charm City Jimmies along with $500,000 cash in exchange for right handed pitcher Bryant St. John and catcher Cecil Durdle.

St. John, 27, is on his third organization this year. Starting the season with the team that drafted him late in the first round in 2050, the Nashville Bluebirds, he was traded after a lackluster seventh season with the perpetual Heartland Division Champions to Charm City, where he performed far better in a limited sample size of eight games. He was used sparingly but got two rings with the Bluebirds, where he finished with a career record of 9-3 with 9 saves in 133 games and an ERA of 3.44. The Bluebirds have a glut of talent seemingly everywhere so when St. John wasn't doing well (8.38 ERA in 15 games), he was shipped out.

While he did well with the Jimmies (3.72 ERA in 8 games) and has some good peripherals (a great work ethic and a killer sinker/splitter combo with a mediocre change up to keep batters honest, they were willing to part with him to the Nine, where he immediately becomes one of the team's better relievers. (The Nine are woeful there, finding themselves 16th.) He's also got the ability to be kept affordably for a few years via arbitration if the Nine so choose.

Durdle is interesting. He's by no means amazing as a catcher (scouts can't decide if he's decidedly average), but he immediately provides an upgrade in waiting for the Nine, who likely will have to start all over at the position in 2062, since Jim Kantor not only can't hit his weight, he can't catch, either, and Jose Mendoza makes Kantor look like Jesus Rodriguez in his prime. Durdle was batting .265 with an OPS+ of 106, making him a veritable offensive giant by comparison. His catching skills are just middling, but if they can remain at his AAA level of slightly positive framing and zone rating, the Nine at the very least have a backup catcher.

It's not a bad haul for a rental with limited use, and GM Rob McMonigal or whomever is impersonating him right now got about the best deal he/she could.

I got a chance to talk to Greene as he was packing up. Was this season what he'd hoped for?

"Obviously not," said the man who owns over 150 home runs more than his closest peer in the GBC. "I knew it would be tough, but honestly, the difference is pretty high. I thought based on my time in Indy that I'd kill it up here. Turned out, not so much."

Did he regret moving to the BBA?

"Not one bit. I got my chance and now I'm hopefully riding it into a Brewster Championship. No regrets, Valerie."

I asked one final question: Will he go back to the GBC next season? He stiffened, almost insulted.

"Would you go back to your college newspaper?"

Point granted. One thing is for sure: The Nine aren't going anywhere fast, but at least they're trying to keep adding parts and pieces. What those pieces do in the seasons to come remains to be seen.

[BaseClogger]

I've always liked St. John. Durdle is filler.