Byline: Max Offen Sichtlich
Off Topic
King, Ayala, Thomas Set for 2057
June 17, 2056
While the team has seemed to be on autopilot for a bit now, the Sacramento front office broke the status quo to announce the extensions of starter Joe King and bullpen aces Augusto Ayala and Clint Thomas. The deals avoid arbitration hearings, and run both King and Ayala to the end of their arbitration seasons.
As befitting his status, King’s deal was the sweetest, scoring the lefty $9.2M in a year that has seen his record drop to 5-7 and his ERA soar to 4.94.
“With luck, maybe this deal will buck up his psyche,” said assistant GM Carlos Camacho. “Clearly he needs to bounce back to be worth that kind of grub, but we trust in the Joker.”
Ayala (1-1, 4 SV, 3.14) will make $2.4M, Thomas (4-1, 1 SV, 2.47) will see $1.45M.
Fan reaction was mostly positive, but also unimpressed. “Of course these guys would be resigned, right? said Felicity Hampton, a manager of “Home Plate,” a restaurant just outside the Basilica. “What kind of idiot would let them walk?”