Boardwalk Empire - 2044.1 - Moreland Retires

[Joshua Biddle]

William Moreland Announces Retirement

The Atlantic City Gamblers announced the retirement of one player on their BBA roster - first baseman William Moreland - who has made the decision to hang up his cleats at the age of 36.

Moreland finishes his BBA career hitting .288/.365/.564 with 1,222 runs scored, 2,142 hits, 345 doubles, 13 triples, 561 home runs, 1,428 RBIs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts (.500 success rate), and a 53.6 WAR in 8,435 plate appearances (2,064 games, 1,939 starts). Moreland was drafted with the third pick of the first round of the 2024 BBA Amateur Draft by the Des Moines Kernels and spent the first nine seasons of his BBA career with the organization (2028-2036). He spent the 2037 season with the San Fernando Bears, as well as part of the 2038 season prior to being dealt to the Nashville Goats. Moreland signed with the Phoenix Talons prior to the 2039 season, spending three seasons with the organization, signing with the Gamblers for the 2042 and 2043 seasons. Moreland, a popular figure, didn't produce to a strong degree with the Gamblers; however, Moreland did provide some power off of the bench, was a strong veteran presence in the clubhouse, and helped strengthen the connection between fans and the team after years of futile performance. Moreland finished his career in Atlantic City hitting .205/.244/462 with 13 runs scored, 2 doubles, 6 home runs, 13 RBIs, and a -0.1 WAR in 83 plate appearances (39 games, 15 starts).

In terms of accolades at the BBA level, Moreland earned a Player of the Week award nine times, Batter of the Month Award five times, the 2037 BBA FL Charles Puckett Golden Bat Award at Designated Hitter, and was a six-time All-Star selection (2030, 2031, 2032, 2035, 2037, 2039).

On Moreland's retirement, general manager Joshua Biddle stated, "Obviously, William will be best known for his work with other clubs - primarily Des Moines. But we want to extend a sincere appreciation for the leadership he brought to our clubhouse. The players will no doubt miss him, and although he was here for only a few years, his presence helped to change the culture and set the team up for success. We wish him a happy retirement."