Without further ado, let's take a look back at the:
2060 Rockville Pikemen Record: 76-86, 6th/8 in JL Atlantic
Young hitters like Masahiko Harada and Octávio Martínez really established themselves as fixtures of the lineup. Harada hit three home runs in a game against the Boise Spuds in June, and ended up with 29 round-trippers on the season. Martínez led the team with a .504 slugging percentage. Both players were already good in '59, but this season really cemented that their performances weren't a fluke, and that both of them would be around for a long time.
A mediocre start precipitated a need to shore up the rotation, which led to Rockville trading for starting pitcher Alex Payne in May. He found a groove for the remainder of the season, going 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA for the Pikemen.
David Wade excelled as the closer, posting 42 saves and a 2.69 ERA. He won the Jason Egan Reliever Award for the Johnson League.
Those few bright spots aside, several positions were revolving doors, including first base, where veterans Cam Whitten and Manuel Salinas didn't pan out, eventually giving way to rookie Iván Alvarado.
The rotation outside of Payne and Nathaniel Davis was in continuous flux as well, as many pitchers were constantly shuttled between the rotation and bullpen. Ten different pitchers started games for the Pikemen in 2060, which is more than you'd like, given that the team steered pretty clear of injuries.
Although they made a valiant effort, it seems like "10 games under .500" was a continuous theme for the Pikemen, as they stayed pretty consistently at that mark for most of the season. From 29-39 on June 14, to 54-64 on August 9, to their final record of 76-86. At least that tells you they played solid .500 ball for most of the year!
Honestly, it was an impressive showing for a team that made no free agent signings in the off-season. Speaking as a GM who personally has made big splashes and ended up losing 100-plus games, I'm jealous of this result.
League Awards:
JL Jason Egan Reliever Award: David Wade
Most Valuable Pikeman:
2B/SS Richard Vernon, .298/.343/.375, 31 SB, 2.1 WAR
Most Valuable Strikeman:
SP Alex Payne, 17 GS, 12-3, 3.06 ERA, 2.7 WAR
Minor League Player of the Year:
OF Joshua Ackland (A / AA / AAA), .314/.366/.518, 21 HR, 71 RBI, 3.6 WAR between 3 levels
Weird Statistic of the Year:
Christian Walker achieved 26 Holds, which was the highest total for a Rockville player since Marko Efremov set the franchise record with 33 in 2034. Walker also became one of only three pitchers to achieve 100 career Holds with Rockville, joining Ron Wilson (2018-29) and Rafael Mata (2024-35).
Transaction of the Year:
Payne stabilized a shaky rotation for the Pikemen, and was probably responsible for the team winning a few more games than they otherwise would have, making it a winning trade for Rockville by that measure.May 31st , 2060: Traded 23-year old minor league RHP Tony Avila to the Charm City Jimmies, getting 34-year old LHP Alex Payne in return.
