WHIV 2056.29- The Team of Misfits

[recte44]

The 2056 Las Vegas Hustlers have a story to tell. The players who have made up this team have such varied backgrounds. Now, as the club surges towards a small percentage chance of securing the last Johnson League Wildcard, let's take a look at just what a cast of misfits these Hustlers are.

SP: Sure, you have the high priced guys (Gimsing, Einan) and the free agent signee (Payne). They were supposed to be here. Then there's the "45 potential" guy in Bret Harrell who hadn't started a game in two years and in his rookie season has become a stalwart of the Las Vegas rotation, surpassing all expectations. Even more of a misfit? Anthony "Onion" Jones, who blew out of Chicago this year (13 G, 4 GS, 10.12 ERA, 2.11 WHIP), signed with the Hustlers, worked his way back up to the BBA with solid outings for Milwaukee (4 GS, 2-2, 3.86 ERA, 1.11 WHIP). Upon joining Las Vegas he's been nothing short of a revelation (6 GS, 4-0, 2.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 1 WAR).

RP: Outside of Todd Stone and Francisco Delgado, it's another eclectic group. Vegas has tried a total of twenty-four relievers (and counting) this year. Four of the eight current relievers weren't with the team prior to this month.

Catchers: Ok, Claudio Morgan is a blue blood as a LV first rounder. His backups are an interesting bunch, though. John Stanley was castoff by the Montreal Blazers and has now been productive when put in a position to succeed (it's not top secret, he rakes lefties!). It's been eight years since Bryan Harris has been in the BBA, and though it's just a few games he's made an impact.

First Base:Ernesto Sousa, folks. Every year it's the same thing. No one signs him. Vegas waits. They ultimate sign him, and he just hits. His platoon partner of late (until getting hurt, he's probably out for the season) was Eric Jones, who hasn't been in the BBA for five years.

Second Base: Stewart Turton is not a misfit, he's a stud. But he missed most of the season. The Hustlers pieced the position together with the likes of Creegan Corney (wasn't signed until after the season started), Eugene Wolfe (another one of those patented 45 potential Hustlers youngsters), Eli Landgre (30 year old journeyman) and Bob Williams (can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag).

Third Base: Tristan "Casino" Lloyd is the real deal, and along with Morgan looks to be the leaders of the team after the veterans are gone.

Shortstop: The idea of a 36 year old GBC refugee who had never, ever been a productive regular in the BBA as your primary shortstop would frighten even the most grizzled front office men. Juan Luis Manuel has been pretty solid, though. We're as surprised as anyone. He's truly a misfit.

Left Field: Usually, the Hustlers would have Kidane Ata here. He's a bit of a misfit himself, in the fact that 39 year olds aren't supposed to be as good as he still is. But alas, the Hustlers will have to go fairly deep in the playoffs before he will be back from injury, so now here's yet another 45 potential dude in Roosevelt Davis and he's platooning with a dude who truly seems to have nine lives, the oft waived/DFA but never claimed Kenny Qasim.

Center Field: Problematic across the Brewster universe, the Hustlers first overpaid for a past his prime veteran in Jose Leyva, who flopped and was jettisoned. Then, they went to the dumpster again and found Murad Abdul-Alim. He was surprisingly productive at first, but before long had proven to be a black hole offensively, and then got injured. Off to the deep end of the dumpster, where we found The Rotting Corpse of™ Omer Dijkstra, who has been passable in center field and surprisingly resurgent at the plate.

Right Field: The great Tom Rudge is hurt, say it ain't so! How do you replace the 2055 JL Silk Award winner? How about a weird combination of Corney and Chris Thomas??? Seems about even, right?

Designated Hitter: Chris Hall is good. Really good. He's a misfit in a way that Phoenix GM (and friend of Subaru) Sean Marko told us in trade talks a couple years ago "Hall doesn't seem like your type of player, he seems more like a Phoenix kind of guy". This was based on the fact that he's a plodding slugger without a defensive position. I acknowledge that was a correct assessment at the time, but I'm very happy to have kept him. He needs a platoon partner, which was previously Qasim, but now becomes Stanley.

[jiminyhopkins]

Chris Hall is good!

But Your Mom is better!