Sticking Points 2044.3: Palacios, Diaz Depart

[aaronweiner]

Lorenzo Palacios and Pedro Diaz are two of the very small number of Pikemen who were left from the last Rockville championship team. They were also two consistent starters in 2043. Now they are both in the Frick League. Diaz signed one of the biggest contracts of the offseason with Seattle, and Palacios signed a multi-year deal with San Fernando.

"We knew we couldn't afford to pay either of them, and sometimes the business of baseball is a hard one," said GM Aaron Weiner. "It was a mutual decision by us and Lorenzo for him to opt out, and Pedro deserves to get paid - he's a great ballplayer. We're going to miss both players."

Palacios had been another marker of the team since they started the run: he was the team's second and actually last Joe Gillstrom Award winner after Mario Guerrer. While the Pikemen have had a number of incredible rookies since then, Palacios was their second Gillstrom in three years (and now Brooklyn catcher Francisco Flores could have made three) and gave the team the reputation as a team that produced phenoms.

"For me to be up a year after I was drafted, for me to win the Joe Gillstrom and have had such an incredible run with this team...it's amazing to think about," said Palacios. "We knew that they couldn't afford to sign me and still keep the pitching staff together, and I knew if it was me or Dan Cannon I'd be looking for work. But I love this franchise and I hope I'll get a chance to face them in a Landis, just to say hi to everyone."

Diaz, on the other hand, was drafted by the Pikemen and deserves every dollar of his payday. The 2036 first rounder led the JL in stolen bases last year and just quietly went about his business of outstanding fielding, running the bases, and solid contact hitting.

"When I replaced Chip Puckett they told me I'd be with the franchise as long as they could afford me," said Diaz. "It looks to me like that day is today. I'm grateful to the Pikemen for giving me an opportunity and I look forward to living up to my deal in Seattle."

No lineup members of the Pikemen are left from their 2037 Landis Memorial Series win, and only three players are left, and you know who they are: Dempster, Cannon, and Martin. Next year that number will likely dwindle to two. But the Pikemen just went to the Landis last year, so maybe they're starting a new tradition.

"We're still a really good ballclub," said Dempster. "We've seen a lot of new faces but the front office always seems to figure it out."

Replacing Palacios will likely be Matthew Reilly, who was excellent last year in half a season and outplayed Palacios. Replacing Diaz at shortstop will be superstar Daniel Pepper, which moves Bing-de Zhao to second base and creates a situation at first base.