2049-3 They Got Rid of the Wrong DH

[indiansfan]

They Got Rid of the Wrong DH

After the Pioneers traded for Larry Stinson before the 2049 season the team had too many bodies and not enough at bats at the DH spot. With Stinson taking over first base, Tim Battle would move to DH. However, where did that leave long time DH Matt Normore? On the bench. Added to the mix was Tony Horton, who excelled in AAA, but was looking at looking at his 4th year there. So what did the team do?

In 2048, Battle got most of the at bats, while Normore was relegated to being primarily a pinch hitter. Horton got to spend his 4th season at AAA without even a September call up. Battle hit .296 with 26 homers and Normore played out his contract hitting .327. Once again Calgary got into the playoffs and went home promptly lost in the first round.

While the team always loved what Normore could do with the bat, they weren’t going to pay him millions to pinch hit and so he went into free agency. Mexico City signed Normore, never good when a rival signs your former star, and Horton would finally get some big league at bats in 2049. Battle would return as the primary DH and all would be right with the world.

Well the season is over for Calgary. Mexico City is still playing (except when it rains. GET A DOME. You see while the Pioneers didn’t make the post season the Aztecs locked down the top wild card spot. Following in the proud Calgary tradition, Mexico City got routed in the first round. But hey, they made it. Who was one of their top performers? Well none other than former Pioneer Matt Normore and his $2.5 million budget salary.

Normore started 157 games for the Aztecs, hit .317 with 49 doubles and 18 home runs, 2 short of his career high. He scored 94 runs, drove in 80 and swiped 48 bases, double his previous season best. The only bad news for the team is that he is likely to opt out of his contract and look for a bigger payday for next season. Maybe Calgary will correct it’s mistake.

So what was the DH situation in Calgary this year. Tim Battle, making $5.4 million, had his worst season as a pro and lost his starting job. He hit .232 with 9 home runs. Yep, 9. He posted a juvenile .637 OPS. The team kept him and let Normore go, because they valued Battle’s ability to hit home runs. Well Normore hit twice as many and his OPS was more than 200 points higher. Horton got his shot too and even worse hitting .181. What is it with Calgary and right handed hitting first base power hitters! The echo of Bryan Gill rings loudly.

So who ended up getting most of the DH at bats the final portion of the season? Rule 5 outfielder Fred Madden is who. Madden hit .330, hit a bunch of doubles and posted an OPS over .900. Hmm, sounds like some guy playing in Mexico City, except that guy also can hit home runs. Oh and while Normore is a coaches dream, Madden was a clubhouse nightmare.

Battle’s contract moves up to $7 million this season, Madden and the chip on his shoulder will probably be back as well. Will Horton get his 3rd shot in Calgary to hit on the right side of .200? Sharing a name with one of the GM’s childhood heroes shouldn’t play a role in making the roster, but hey this is Calgary so who knows. And this time next year Mexico City will be in the playoffs, Normore will be racking up hits somewhere and the Pioneers will be able to book their November trips to the beach because their season will once again be over.