with Sai and Aarav
SAI -- Welcome to Playing Pepper with Sai and Aarav. I'm your baseball-gods'-gift-to-hosting, Sai "Young" Ahuji, and with me, as always, is the bedwetting Aarav "the Mad Pope of Mumbai" Patil.
AARAV -- That was one time, and I was really drunk.
SAI -- Sure, it was.
AARAV -- I was just glad I woke up that morning with wet pants rather than the girl you woke up next to. What was her name again, Bertha?
SAI -- Ah, how about we jump right into some show segments?
HOW'S THE POPE'S CRUSADE GOING?
In the midst of an away-and-home series with the New Orleans Crawdads, the Crusaders went 2-2 in the last sim. They were unable to complete the sweep of the pesky Kernels prior to the all-star break and have taken two of three from the Crawdads with one game remaining in New Orleans. Despite the .500 sim, California fell 1.5 games behind current Pacific division leader and latest Musical Chairs winner, San Fernando, and a half game behind Valencia.
SWORDSMAN OF CHAOS
Luis Lucero walked around the clubhouse with some pep in his step the last couple days as he's hit .350 over his last four games with two homeruns. California manager, Alberto Franco, confided in an interview with our top unpaid intern, Wasim Jeffers Jr., he's looking for Lucero to help carry the club forward alongside obvious offensive leader, David Simpson. "Look, we can't just live or die off of one guy (Simpson) on the offensive side," said Franco. "Thankfully, Lucero is putting together some positive at bats and not just waiting to be walked and left on base like some of these other guys."
SLINGER OF DESTRUCTION
Marco Vitalle gets the nod this week as he's been a model of bullpen consistency on the season, posting a salty 3.22 ERA over 72 2/3 innings. In his first BBA season, he holds a 1.05 WHIP and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He boasts two elite pitches in a dominate fastball and nasty Curveball. Vitalle, who's know to many as the Big Cheese, still pretends to have a change-up, rated a three with four potential. Without officially abandoning the pitch, it allows him to live the fantasy of becoming a starting pitcher one day. According to Crusader pitching coach, Gabriel Campos, Vitalle has little chance of starting in the bigs any time soon. "Why? And have him throw only once every five days?" Said Campos. "He can whine all he wants about wishing to start, but that boy is going to pound out important innings at the tail end of games for this club for a long time."
MUSTACHE SPOTLIGHT
Baseball player by day. Pornstar by night. Dan Reed proudly wears the mustache known collectively as a "Male Cast Member #4". Why buy a car when you can ride that thing on your commute in the back of public transportation? Am I right, ladies?
Dan Reed
RIVALRY REPORT
New GM Shoeless is still looking for more team's to loathe outside of Boise. If interested or have a recommendation, please contact Shoeless via twitter @Shoeless.db.California
NOTES FROM THE MARCH
California had two representatives for the annual BBA All-Star game -- David Simpson and Miguel Ramos ... The Frick League dismantled the Johnson League, 3-0 in the game ... Simpson went 1 for 2 and Ramos did not pitch did not pitch in the summer classic ... Cuervo continues to be shopped.
RECRUITS IN TRAINING
The Crusader's second round draft pick this year, SS Thomas Kramer, was named the Horizon League Player of the Week for Rookie League affiliate, Berkeley Golden Bears, hitting .370 with four homers and seven RBI's ... Kramer is slashing .329/.353/.659 in 85 plate appearances on the season... 19-year-old third-baseman, Hector Ojeda, is making demolishing short season A pitching this summer, slashing a mean .381/.430/.619 in his first 93 plate appearances.
AARAV -- Looks like we have some guys to be excited about in our minor's lower levels. Let's hope their success doesn't get swamped.
SAI -- Just like your pajamas after a night's sleep. And, with that, we'll see you at the ballpark, Crusader fans!
