Off Topic
Note to the Faithful: Manager Mel Jenkins reminds us that "age is just a number."
Five players with hitherto no Major League playing time in 2063 have been promoted to the Des Moines roster, in time for the retrotransport Greyhound bus trip to Chicago for the four-game series on Lake Michigan. The simultaneous promotion of RP Gerald Rogers brings the number of newbies to six.
Let's start with the old guard, and they are starters.
In an attempt to guarantee a playoff spot despite an 11th-ranked starters ERA of 4.68, epitomized by Arnold Cantrell's 3-9, 5.81 record—proving Kurt correct—and with two starters, Duarte and Lufti on the newly-dubbed "very pregnant" 9-month IL, DM has called up the youthful pair Elvin Hilliard (9-6, 2.48 at AAA) and José Martínez (10-5, 3.60 AAA) from El Paso. Martinez is 37 and Hilliard is 38; the latter celebrated his birthday two weeks ago conditioning his arm by the javelin throw. Don Starr (7-3, 2.41 AAA), over from SFB, was "passed over" but—as he has no options after this year—is on standby and may see action in September.
Meantime, to keep the gods of ying-yang happy, the club has called up three batters from El Paso. First, the former MTL Blazer utility guy António Hernández, aka El Relámpago de Xochi. Listed as a second baseman on the Hounds roster, 26-y.o. Hernández is expected to "see plenty of time in the outfield" the rest of the month.
Two true rookies, as virgin as they come at the Kum & Go, 21-y.o. INF Miguel Salazar (.328-26-79 at El Paso)—said to be JR's new man crush—has been promoted and expects to see time at the hot corner, stealing some at-bats from the incumbent 22-y.o. rookie Domingo "Hometown Hero" Pinto (.270-10-28)...
And first-round 2063 draft pick, twenty-year-old OF Jon Scaife (.208-4-6) has also been called up. He is expected to platoon at DH with Ricardo Magana (.254-15-51 for DM), but with this many outfielders around, one wonders what JR's gonna do with 'em all.
This quintet's first challenge will be to help DM quell the surging Black Sox.
