43.03 Dangerfield

[shoeless.db]

January 1, 2043

"You've been listening to the BBA Today -- a podcast that covers the Brewster Baseball Association every day. Music is Bold Stateme..."

Shoeless gritted his teeth as he powered down the bluetooth speaker on his night stand.

"Who the hell do those idiots think they are?" He said to himself. His dog whimpered in response from his pet bed. "I know, Donk, I shouldn't let those SOBs get to me, but they keep yammering on and on about how Sacramento is on the down swing. According to those morons, we've been on the downswing since I took over four years ago, and, if memory serves, we dismantled the Nine pretty handily in the playoffs this past October."

Donk whimpered again, stood up, circled several times on his bed, and nuzzled himself deep into his pet bed.

"I should probably sleep it off, too," Shoeless said, but his mind was already racing.

As general manager, he worked tirelessly to improve the team the last several years but still relied heavily on the aging pitchers on the roster, like Luis Gracia, Miguel Ramos, and Cisco Morales. The veterans were still pitching strong, though, despite what the scouts were pretending to see. Plus, the offense was no longer dependent on facing right-handed pitchers in a ballpark catering to power left-handed bats. He'd transformed the team under his self-styled Turning of the Screws^TM philosophy -- constant pressure on the opposing team utilizing speed, defense, and quality at bats. And, truthfully, with a big hit here or there in the team's three one-run losses in the Cartwright, they could have taken down eventual Landis champion, Louisville.

But, cap space was tight this offseason, leaving very little room to sign any of the middling free agents available. Many of the role-type free agents Sacramento needed were lost to the now cash-happy UMEBA, anyway. The only addition made to this point was a Rule 5 center-fielder nicked from Mexico City, Juan Murillo. Shoeless hoped Murillo's elite level defense in center would pay dividends when facing left-handed pitching.

"If he can hit .240, I'll be happy," He said mostly to himself. "The guy is as athletic as they come. But, damn it, we need something more. I need to make a couple more moves. Who to call, Donk? Who to call?"

Donk wiggled slightly and let out a fart.

"Good point, Donk. Not one of those disrespecting imbeciles on that podcast."

[7teen]

Haha nice work!!

Down with the Heartland and the imbeciles!

[RonCo]

Heartland and the imbiciles is a garage band from Scott country Indiana. That's my story, anyway.

[HoosierVic]

Lorenzen’s available!

[shoeless.db]

Lorenzen’s available!

I wish I could downvote a comment.

[HoosierVic]

No respect. No respect at all ...