Sticking Points 2060.7: Mills Gets a Leg Up in Wildcard Race

[JimSlade]

With a month to go in the 2060 season, what's the difference between being 7 games out of the wildcard race vs 8? For rebuilding Atlantic Division teams the Brooklyn Robins and the Rockville Pikemen it was the swap of 2 young pitching prospects for a veteran starting pitcher.

The Robins, who find themselves 7 games out of a wildcard spot, decided to go for it, picking up Bill Mills, who delivered 9 quality starts for the Pikemen and who's contract had been extended into 2061. The Pikemen, 8 games back but still playing the long game, received 2 young, midlevel pitching prospects in return: sidewinder Victor Chavez, who completed his first season in Rookie ball, and third-year professional Hamid Kalhora, who grinded through his first year in short-season A-ball.

"When Brooklyn came knocking, with the intent of battling for a postseason spot" explained Rockville GM Jim Slade, "we felt obligated to give Bill a chance. He's been a stabilizing influence on our club and we were poised to bring him back next season, but we've got some young arms we'd like to see in the final month. We're rooting for Brooklyn too, another team trying to claw its way up in our division - just not when we face off this week!"

In his first start for his new team, Mills pitched 6 shutout innings for a no-decision in a game that the Robins would lose to the Charlotte Flyers. Mills is expected to face his former team when the Robins travel to Rockville. "Bill's been around," chuckled Slade, "he'll find his way to the visitors' clubhouse."

Chavez, the main arm Rockville got in the deal, is still only 17. The righthander's best pitches are projected to be a changeup and a splitter, but he's got much development ahead. "We'll see how he shakes out," said Slade. "Being a sidearm guy who relies on his finesse, maybe he makes it as a fifth starter or, more likely, he finds his way as a middle reliever. We can never have enough arms."

Kalhora's 5-pitch arsenal and potentially effective wildness profiles as the sort of effective-if-squirm-inducing middle reliever that the Rockville staff has made work. If the Rockville staff is still keeping its starters on a short leash in 5 years, fans may be seeing a lot of Kalhora in the 6th inning.

Speaking of those young and youngish arms that the club wants to see in September, Kasib Majd, the team's 2nd-round selection in the 2059 draft, will be getting his first taste of the bigs. In his second professional season, Majd proved himself capable at A, AA, and AAA ball. It's to be seen whether Majd makes his first start at Rockville this season, but the club is leaning toward starting him out in short bullpen appearances.

"We didn't see Majd coming to Dodge City let alone Rockville," Slade admitted. "The kid kept throwing strikes and getting groundballs [to the tune of a 62.7% rate in 11 AAA starts]. Let's hope our defense is ready to pick."

[lordtoffee]

I think that both of us will be happy with this trade. You got some solid pieces, and I like having Mills.

[BaseClogger]

Ya, win-win trade. Mostly inconsequential.

[JimSlade]

Ya, win-win trade. Mostly inconsequential.

Ha, but my almighty PPT count all the same!