July 7, 2037
Off Topic
To Las Vegas:
SP Jubal Troop (ML)
To Montreal:
SP Jesus Lopez (ML)
RP Joey Flannery (ML)
LF Jim Antolin (AA)
SP Jubal Troop (ML)
To Montreal:
SP Jesus Lopez (ML)
RP Joey Flannery (ML)
LF Jim Antolin (AA)
It certainly appears that way with the veteran lefty Troop added to the rotation mix. Suddenly a weakness just 7 days ago now looks like a potential strength. "I had another GM in the league tell me today that he didn't realize Hao Kun was our ace because we just have a bunch of #3 or #4 starters here," said Rectenwald. "I kind of figures that after you won Pitcher of the Month twice last year and once the year before that while winning 18 games and getting Nebraska Award votes he'd have a little more respect, but I get the general idea of the comment. We're steady but not top heavy. So Jubal is the big gamble here- can he be an ace?"
That's been the question throughout his career thus far. Typically, the answer lies in one number: home runs allowed. "Our home park won't exactly help him, but Montreal's place is no picnic either," explained Rectenwald.
As for the package sent to Montreal, Rectenwald expressed disappointment in losing Lopez. "I know he's had his struggles this year, but we still think he's going to have a great career," Rectenwald said. "We just wanted it to be right now, and that wasn't happening." Flannery is another pitcher like Lopez with big upside but mediocre results right now. "He's been out of options, which was limiting us, and he really needs that curveball to finish developing," said Rectenwald. "I had a sitdown with the coaching staff the other day, asking them to explain to me like I was five years old how the hell he's pitched the most innings out of all of our relievers this year and they didn't have a good answer, so I went ahead and 'Billy Beane'd' them," laughed Rectenwald. Antolin is the other prospect in the group, and while the Hustlers are extremely thin in position prospects, they felt he was a good fit in this deal. "Wishing Jimmy all the best in Montreal. He wasn't projected to be a factor for us in the next four years so he was expendable," said Rectenwald.
For Troop, the trade offers him a chance to get back to the postseason, where he's been in four of the last five years with Montreal, but has only won one game. "This feels different," said Troop. "Yeah, you don't have Kondo to carry your weight anymore," joked Rectenwald!
