Off Topic
A Sucking Sound Somewhere Far Out In the Ocean
THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND MOST OF THESE GUYS
April 13, 2065: FOREVERLAND, TIKI HUT 1— After having an amazing time looking back on that 2057 draft class, I admit it was with some glee that I rolled up my sleeves and said “all right, let’s see what happened to 2058!”
Oh hell no.
Player by player I filled out the chart, and player by player I felt the curse that was 2058 grow as cold as Davy Jones’ Locker. There is, it seems, the horrendous sucking sound that comes when you scan the Bikini 2058 draft class. It is not a process you want to put your youngsters through.
Here’s the chart:
The Ugliest and the Ugly:
Three players were released rather than pay to get them to Class-R camp. Two more got their black streak of death across the chart after only a stint in Ogden. Three more still, got trips to Port au Prince Class Short-A, but that’s as far as the boat went for them. We traded Bian Phelps (17th round), but he’s buried in the YS9 AA level, and might as well be gone. Sotashi Kobayashi made it to full-season ball, but was done after Class-AA
The One What Got Away:
We also traded Ernesto Morales (5th Round) to Rosenblatt for Agatone Louganis. Morales is a real BBA reliever. Louganis has helped us less than we’d hoped, but at least he was something.
The Big Fish … Looking the Wrong Way Through the Telescope:
I took a fairly big gamble and took 20-year-old “center fielder” Fernando Bushy early in the first round. I considered him to be a lower risk because he was pretty developed, but a middling ceiling because his non-power ratings were not thrilling. He could field a bit, though, and even at an 8-range, he was supposed to be out centerfielder of the near-future. His intangibles were off the chart. When he bumped a point of range in the development lab, I was whistling Do-dah all day long.
Alas, Bushey’s treasure chest was filled with fool’s gold.
He dropped range, and he never hit, and his power wasn’t what it looked like it would be. He was relegated first to 5th outfielder duties, and was non-tendered when his arbitration number got too high. He’s still out there, though. Somewhere. Last I heard he was diving an air-car shuttle, and trying his hand at country music.
The Big Fish That Remains:
One name on the list does make one’s scan come to a halt, and that’s starting pitcher José Guevara (3rd round). Drafted with 20/30 ratings, Guevara has grown steadily to his current 50/60 tag, and is making what is effectively his debut on the atoll this season. The jury is out, but he’s 1-0 in two starts. It’s looking pretty okay.
Much Ado About Nothing?
That leaves seven players still in the scrum of the system. One, 1b Burt Nesmith (2nd Round) appears to be nearing his pink slip. Another, Felipe Valentín (4th Round), is still showing a glimmer of hope, and is getting a trial in the rotation at Class-AA.
The rest: Zhongh-yan Chen (7), Tomiji Suitani (8), John Backus (9), Min-Had Mac (10), and Miguel Torres (13), are all approaching the middle-20s, and smell a lot like fish that have been left on the dock to rot.
Overall Thoughts: At the end of the day, the bottom line is that the Bikini 2058 draft has yielded two real major leaguers, so that’s good. Unfortunately, one of them plays for another team now. That said, if Guevara becomes a true stud, perhaps that redeems the sad saga of Fernando Bushey.
THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND MOST OF THESE GUYS
April 13, 2065: FOREVERLAND, TIKI HUT 1— After having an amazing time looking back on that 2057 draft class, I admit it was with some glee that I rolled up my sleeves and said “all right, let’s see what happened to 2058!”
Oh hell no.
Player by player I filled out the chart, and player by player I felt the curse that was 2058 grow as cold as Davy Jones’ Locker. There is, it seems, the horrendous sucking sound that comes when you scan the Bikini 2058 draft class. It is not a process you want to put your youngsters through.
Here’s the chart:
The Ugliest and the Ugly:
Three players were released rather than pay to get them to Class-R camp. Two more got their black streak of death across the chart after only a stint in Ogden. Three more still, got trips to Port au Prince Class Short-A, but that’s as far as the boat went for them. We traded Bian Phelps (17th round), but he’s buried in the YS9 AA level, and might as well be gone. Sotashi Kobayashi made it to full-season ball, but was done after Class-AA
The One What Got Away:
We also traded Ernesto Morales (5th Round) to Rosenblatt for Agatone Louganis. Morales is a real BBA reliever. Louganis has helped us less than we’d hoped, but at least he was something.
The Big Fish … Looking the Wrong Way Through the Telescope:
I took a fairly big gamble and took 20-year-old “center fielder” Fernando Bushy early in the first round. I considered him to be a lower risk because he was pretty developed, but a middling ceiling because his non-power ratings were not thrilling. He could field a bit, though, and even at an 8-range, he was supposed to be out centerfielder of the near-future. His intangibles were off the chart. When he bumped a point of range in the development lab, I was whistling Do-dah all day long.
Alas, Bushey’s treasure chest was filled with fool’s gold.
He dropped range, and he never hit, and his power wasn’t what it looked like it would be. He was relegated first to 5th outfielder duties, and was non-tendered when his arbitration number got too high. He’s still out there, though. Somewhere. Last I heard he was diving an air-car shuttle, and trying his hand at country music.
The Big Fish That Remains:
One name on the list does make one’s scan come to a halt, and that’s starting pitcher José Guevara (3rd round). Drafted with 20/30 ratings, Guevara has grown steadily to his current 50/60 tag, and is making what is effectively his debut on the atoll this season. The jury is out, but he’s 1-0 in two starts. It’s looking pretty okay.
Much Ado About Nothing?
That leaves seven players still in the scrum of the system. One, 1b Burt Nesmith (2nd Round) appears to be nearing his pink slip. Another, Felipe Valentín (4th Round), is still showing a glimmer of hope, and is getting a trial in the rotation at Class-AA.
The rest: Zhongh-yan Chen (7), Tomiji Suitani (8), John Backus (9), Min-Had Mac (10), and Miguel Torres (13), are all approaching the middle-20s, and smell a lot like fish that have been left on the dock to rot.
Overall Thoughts: At the end of the day, the bottom line is that the Bikini 2058 draft has yielded two real major leaguers, so that’s good. Unfortunately, one of them plays for another team now. That said, if Guevara becomes a true stud, perhaps that redeems the sad saga of Fernando Bushey.
