Off Topic
Haupt Gets Extra Reps
March 17, 2065: Catalina Island — There is a legend from some weird fairy tale about a weird land in which a fist baseman with the fanciful name “Wally Pipp” got a boo-boo on his finger or something, and ask his manager for a day off. Whereupon the Great Lou (Not Bayou) took over the position, and just never left.
Martinez Calls Injury
"Just a Flesh Wound,"
Promises Fast Recovery.Poor Pipp.
Bikini insiders are asking themselves if that might be the case with one Manuel Martínez, the team’s somewhat dismissed presumptive starter at third base, who is sitting out a big chunk of the end of spring training with a strained ribcage. Rumors are that Martinez will likely be bothered by the injury for some time, perhaps weeks into the season. This has created whispers that suggest the team’s top prospect at the corner, Ken Haupt, might be given the golden ticket to skip AAA and head straight to Go.
Martinez seems aware of the situation.
“I think I can play fine, but the docs are holding me back out of something they call ‘an abundance of extreme caution,'” he told a kid from Catalina High’s journalism class. The kid printed that, but suggested that he’d never heard “we’d like to see if Ken Haupt can get comfortable playing around major leaguers” called an abundance of extreme caution.
We think that kid is going to go far.
Though no one is saying the quiet part out loud, 21-year-old Haupt has been the heir apparent for some time. He’s a switch hitter with 30+ HR power, a general dislike for striking out, and a set of legs that can run. He’s a guy who fans and teammates like to be around, too. He’s no bonus baby, after all. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 2061 selection process and has worked his way past a few other guys the club regarded more highly.
Bottom line: The guy works hard.
All that said, his spring hasn’t seen him settle in particularly well. After an eye-blistering .316/.383/.584 AA season last year, Haupt sits at .192 with not a single extra-base hit in his 29 plate appearances this spring. Those kinds of numbers don’t make the baseball fairies particularly inclined to push him more magic.
“It’s on me,” said manager Kate Fiscus 2.0. “I’m here to keep the guys loose and comfortable, so I’ll double-down with Ken. I don’t think it’s anything that a little special one-on-one coaching can’t smooth over.”
In the meantime, Martinez is doing his own doubling down—focusing on nutrition and hitting the trainer’s table twice a day. “I’ll be better soon,” he said.
Weren’t those the infamous Wally Pipp’s last words?
Who remembers?
March 17, 2065: Catalina Island — There is a legend from some weird fairy tale about a weird land in which a fist baseman with the fanciful name “Wally Pipp” got a boo-boo on his finger or something, and ask his manager for a day off. Whereupon the Great Lou (Not Bayou) took over the position, and just never left.
Martinez Calls Injury
"Just a Flesh Wound,"
Promises Fast Recovery.
Bikini insiders are asking themselves if that might be the case with one Manuel Martínez, the team’s somewhat dismissed presumptive starter at third base, who is sitting out a big chunk of the end of spring training with a strained ribcage. Rumors are that Martinez will likely be bothered by the injury for some time, perhaps weeks into the season. This has created whispers that suggest the team’s top prospect at the corner, Ken Haupt, might be given the golden ticket to skip AAA and head straight to Go.
Martinez seems aware of the situation.
“I think I can play fine, but the docs are holding me back out of something they call ‘an abundance of extreme caution,'” he told a kid from Catalina High’s journalism class. The kid printed that, but suggested that he’d never heard “we’d like to see if Ken Haupt can get comfortable playing around major leaguers” called an abundance of extreme caution.
We think that kid is going to go far.
Though no one is saying the quiet part out loud, 21-year-old Haupt has been the heir apparent for some time. He’s a switch hitter with 30+ HR power, a general dislike for striking out, and a set of legs that can run. He’s a guy who fans and teammates like to be around, too. He’s no bonus baby, after all. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 2061 selection process and has worked his way past a few other guys the club regarded more highly.
Bottom line: The guy works hard.
All that said, his spring hasn’t seen him settle in particularly well. After an eye-blistering .316/.383/.584 AA season last year, Haupt sits at .192 with not a single extra-base hit in his 29 plate appearances this spring. Those kinds of numbers don’t make the baseball fairies particularly inclined to push him more magic.
“It’s on me,” said manager Kate Fiscus 2.0. “I’m here to keep the guys loose and comfortable, so I’ll double-down with Ken. I don’t think it’s anything that a little special one-on-one coaching can’t smooth over.”
In the meantime, Martinez is doing his own doubling down—focusing on nutrition and hitting the trainer’s table twice a day. “I’ll be better soon,” he said.
Weren’t those the infamous Wally Pipp’s last words?
Who remembers?
