Aloha Ka Punahou 2004.01
Team Goals for 2004? None named.
McGraw finally out; Reyes looks for #400
Team offering Winona in any deal for Gosselaar
The $14m man, Tug, er Tim McGraw was finally ousted. Al Hoot, who inherited the
monster contract, let the long-time Tropic go for free agency.
"We didn't offer him arbitration," said Hawaii Tropics team spokesperson Stitch Lilo,
"we were afraid he might take it."
McGraw, was willing to sign at $7m for two years; that wasn't low enough. Now
that the 36-year-old (he will turn 37 in May) infielder is without a job, he is asking
around $2m a year. "Damned nuisance," said Hoot. McGraw is 15 rbis short of 1200.
Tim Scott, 37, was also not re-signed. Scott turned in horrendous numbers in 2003
after a great come back year in 2002. "A million saved on Scott is a million applied
elsewhere," Hoot said. Whether that applies to younger players, stadium maintenance,
or grand luaus. Dow Jones, 34, was also let go.
Swing year?
"Hell, I don't even know what that means," Hoot said. "We tried a strategy last year
that got hijacked by injuries. Now with Tug, er Tim, gone, and our home run numbers
down, I dunno what to expect."
"Youth," answered Lilo. "Youth, youth, and more youth."
Justin Hausman, 26; Pat Sims, 26; and the re-cycled and revamped Jeff Mueller, 25, are
expected to have significant playing time in the infield.
Sims has developed a fan club, called The Sims, mostly due to his daring-do glove work;
(he won the 2003 RHML Glove Wizard at shortstop before being called up; he also won
the award in 2002.) His dramatic 12th inning grand slam at Valencia in late September
didn't hurt his following.
Robb Wells, 32, is still a solid hitter but a victim of the youth movement.
Liao Kuan, last year's JL runner up in both home runs and total bases, is a lock at 26.
"After Liao, we've got Davis, 26, and then the old guys: Sad Sam Jones and Doyle
Aastrom, both 30." There is always the possibility that Mark Paul Gosselaar, 29, could
provide significant playing time. "But we could also discover water on Pluto."
"We'll even throw in [team treasurer] Wai-nona Raider [aka Winona Ryder] if someone
takes the Gosse," said Lilo. "I guess she'll be the gander."
Reyes to belt 400 in 2004?
Hurley Reyes, the soul of the team since his arrival in 2001, is 29 shy of 400 career home
runs. He hit 29 last season.
"I figure I can do it if I stay healthy," said Reyes, who leads the local charity, the Aloha
Kids and has become a darling of O'ahu. Reyes HR/AB was higher last year than in 2002.
He missed two weeks last April with a sprained ankle. Nevertheless he grabbed his 3rd JL
Diamond Glove Award in 4 years, last season throwing out a career-high 47.6% runners
attempting to steal.
