2040 ended much like the previous few seasons have in the Twin Cities, another season, another sub .500 finish. Being a River Monster fan lately is much like being a Detroit Lions fan. They get your hopes up every off-season but find new ways to break your heart by the end of it. The franchise looked like they might to make some runs starting in 2034. They came so close to making the playoffs in 2034 and again in 2036, losing TWO, count ‘em TWO game 163! That’s heartbreak fellas, but they did bounce back in 2037 making their 3rd playoff appearance in franchise history but ended up losing to California in the playoffs.
It’s been an uphill fight since then. With 3 straight losing seasons culminating in 2040 with the franchise’s first 100+ loss season. Coming into the league in 2029 (along with Edmonton) the two franchise will always be compared to one another. Even though the River Monsters had a better overall W/L % (through 2039), over Edmonton; the Jackrabbits have that elusive Landis cup in their case back in Edmonton, and just completed a season where they dominated their conference with a 100+ win season. Both just add to the pressure to win now in the Twin Cities.
Enough about the past, this is about the future and the 2041 season, no where to go but up right?
Just to add another wrinkle to this story, the River Monsters Assistant GM Brock Howell retired in November of 2040 forcing the club to scramble to find a replacement in 50-year-old unproven Assistant GM – Jose Torres from Ft. Bragg, NC. (OOOH-RAH!). Let’s hope he can help restore the wining ways with GM Piccoli.
Key Additions:
FA Signing
- LF - Pedro Garza to a 2-year contract worth a total of $7,600,000. (with an opt out after 1 year) A 26-year-old 2nd round pick of Montreal in 2031, he a solid BBA LF with a cannon for an arm (10/10). However, he’s got limited range – posting a meager -2.0 ZR in LF. He only played in 17 games for SFB in 2040. Thus the hesitation on a longer term deal IMO. This deal makes financial sense for the club.
- SS - Guillermo Fuentes from the Vancouver Mounties.
- SS - Juan Luis Manuel from the Des Moines Kernels.
Key Losses:
On a 100 loss club its hard to say who is valuable. However, of all the departures, I feel this one will be felt the most.
- C - Sang-duk Sim – A 28yo 5x All Star, Golden Bat Award Winning C, with above average defensive skills (9/10) rating. Sim played with this club since 2035, playing a total of 734 games as their general on the field. His +12.5 ZR rating loss will be felt by this club is this analyst’s position. TWC had the cap room if they wanted to retain him, but just didn’t feel he was worth the 10M he received from Phoenix. I agree. Now that leaves 31yo Jorge Rios and 23yo Parker Davenport (AAA last season – 75 potential) to replace him this season. I see Rios getting the majority of the starts to begin the season, and this club works in the youngster by the All-Star break, and if all goes well they have their C for next 10 years in TWC and the fans say “Sang-duk” who?
Based on the minimal moves over the off-season (minimal FA activity and some Rule 5 signings), the continuing shedding of payroll from a team high of 107M in 2038, down to 94M last season, (reducing that negative cash balance). It seems to me this GM knows the River Monsters are a few years away from competing again, and there isn’t a need to get that $$$ free agent to put them over the top yet. Overall it looks as if GM Scott Piccoli is staying the course and not having a knee jerk reaction to do a total tear-down and rebuild. I like his style.
2041 Projected Record: 73-89. (+14)
