August 8, 2057
Minneapolis, MN
Long Beach and Sacramento have finalized a blockbuster trade, with 3-time Nebraska winner, Carlos Flores heading to the Surfers in exchange for Lance Harrison and two of the team's top prospects.
A press conference is scheduled to be held prior to this evening's game against the River Monsters. Departing the team plane this morning, GM Stephen Lane made a brief statement:
Flores, a 9-time All Star, needs no introduction. In the 36-year-old southpaw, the Surfers are getting a future Hall of Fame player who is also the current leader in pitching WAR in the Frick League. With a record of 5-5, an ERA of 3.43, and 134 strikeouts over 123 innings pitched, he is probably the best starting pitcher that could have been available via trade this season.We're all-in right now. It's probably not the last move we make, but this is a statement to the rest of the league that we are serious about competing for the championship this season.
The Mad Popes also shipped out Alaric Wullenweber to Phoenix in an unanticipated sell-off following two significant injuries to key members of their lineup.
The Surfers have recently been lauded for their impressive farm system, and spent significant prospect capital to make this move. The headliner is corner infielder Bill Kuhn, a 19-year-old power hitting prospect, ranked #1 in the Surfers organization. The righty was a first round pick in 2055 and has been mashing the ball in the lower minors. Scouts currently put 7/4/9/9/6 potentials on his bat. The move signals confidence in rookie 1B Austin Nolan and leaves the team without an obvious replacement for 3B Alejandro Córdova.
In addition to Kuhn, the Surfers trade away their #4 ranked prospect, COF Tsutomo Yamauchi. The 21-year-old was also drafted in 2055, and a development success story for the Surfers, rising from an unknown 15th round selection to the #94 overall prospect in the BBA. Scouts put 7/6/8/5/7 potentials on his bat, and he's also been a menace in the low minors, most recently in Key West with Bill Kuhn.
Rounding out the return for Sacramento is starting pitcher Lance Harrison. The 37-year-old righty is in the midst of another solid season for the Surfers. He has a 4.20 ERA and 84 K's over 105 innings so far this season. Acquired before the 2056 season on a two year, $16 million contract, Harrison recently signed a team-friendly two year, $5 million contract with an additional two team options years for the same salary.
As for Flores' contract, the Surfers take on the remainder of his $9.5 million salary for 2057, a guaranteed $9.5 million for 2058, and two team options for the same AAV in 2059 and 2060. The team has reportedly released 32-year-old Jay Hodge in order to stay under the league's $120 million salary cap. Hodge, acquired from Phoenix last year, had been an abject disaster for the club. A disastrous 2056 playoff run (2 GS, 8IP, 9.00 ERA) was followed up by a 4.48 ERA in 13 starts in 2057 before an elbow injury put him on the IL for two weeks. His velocity fell off, from 93-95 in April, to 90-92 recently (he was throwing 96-98 when acquired last year), and the OOTP scouting bureau pegged his stuff rating at just 5, essentially unplayable in today's BBA.
Hodge unsurprisingly went unclaimed on waivers, and after release, the Surfers will be on the hook for the remaining ~$30 million in guaranteed salary over the next three seasons. By releasing Hodge and acquiring Flores, the team and ownership are showing a strong commitment to the fans in Long Beach that winning is more important than turning a profit.
