Sticking Points 2052.1: Rockville Reporter Strike Ends...WTF?

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Sticking Points 2052.1: Rockville Reporter Strike Ends...WTF?

Post by JimSlade » Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:38 pm

After months of striking, Rockville Reporter staff, including conveniently very busy me, is back on the Pikemen beat. There's a lot to catch up on, so let's hit the highlights (aka the easy part) first. Then, we'll ask "WTF?"

Highlights
  • DH Matthew Reilly won a Silver Slugger award, leading the league in both batting average (.364) and doubles (52). That .999 OPS wasn't too shabby, either.
  • Julio Barajas and Angel Gonzalez bookended the corner OF spots, with nearly the same slash lines. The Pikemen plan of generating offense from the corner OFs and Reilly went just as planned.
  • Young closer Edward Johnson put up another strong year, with 36 saves. The bullpen was expected to be a strength of the 2051 Pikemen, and it was. However...
Lowlights
  • The bullpen was overtaxed by covering for too many less-than-quality starts (aka crappy starts). Jafar Haamid, expected to be the staff leader, instead only led the early parade to the showers. Nathaniel Davis, acquired midseason from Las Vegas, showed the most promise and earned an extension. Moderate things will be expected of the 27-year-old lefty in 2052.
  • Steady Eddie Charles Puckett, Kenny Blackwell, and Richard Wright doggy-paddled their way through mediocre seasons. Young catcher John McMuttray left no doubt about his hitting ability, but raised questions about why his position would be called "catcher." GM Jim Slade's hope that the team could outhit its shortcomings fell...short. Week to week, the team managed to stay just out of reach of .500. "It's one thing to be bad," said Slade, as the 2051 season came to a close, "but I'd take that over being not-quite-mediocre. At least when your team is bad, you're pretty sure there's only one direction left to go."
Chances are, Slade and his team will reach that goal of being outright BAD in 2052. The organization's best young talent is probably a season away from being ready. Trade possibilities are limited with yet another feeding frenzy off folded GBC franchises. And once more, the Pikemen find themselves in salary cap hell. This year's episode is the result of Slade thinking a key player had an opt-out year coming up this offseason rather than next. To cover the team's assumed talent gap, he extended veteran OF Angel Gonzalez. Now, someone's got to go - and go for under market value - or else...well, I'm not sure it's fit to print what the team might have to do with the beloved Puckett, who is holding fast to his no-trade clause.

To his credit, Slade is taking accountability for this underwhelming offseason and the long road ahead: "By all means I should be sent packing for not knowing that Reilly's opt-out takes effect after the 2052 season. But hey, who's going to replace me, some kind of artificial intelligence GM?"
BBA GM, Rockville Pikemen
Former UMEBA GM, Mumbai Metro Stars
SDMB GM, Toronto Beavers

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Re: Sticking Points 2052.1: Rockville Reporter Strike Ends...WTF?

Post by Jwalk100 » Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:59 pm

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Re: Sticking Points 2052.1: Rockville Reporter Strike Ends...WTF?

Post by CTBrewCrew » Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:54 pm

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