2057 London Monarchs -- A Return To The Throne?

[drzachary]

When you let your mind wander to thoughts of London, several things spring to mind.

A miserable fog enveloping quaint public drinking houses, stuffed to the gills with fancy gentlemen in topcoats and monacles rubbing shoulders with ruddy-faced, ale-sodden ploughmen who reek of cheese and onion.

A gleaming red two-decker bus leading a procession of drab black taxis past the burned-out ruins of Buckingham Palace, sacked in a conflagration of rage during the Great Climate Wars of 2056.

And of course, baseball.

After winning the 2054 GBC Championship by Denny's & Marko Worldwide, the Monarchs have failed to live up to their kingly potential in subsequent seasons. Consecutive winning seasons (92 and 85) couldn't keep the princes from becoming paupers once again, as they squandered the league's top spot in the waning weeks of 2056.

Will 2057 be another bust? Or will there be another regal accession? The GBC oddsmakers certainly think so, penciling in London for a lofty 102 wins and a ten game margin over last year's champs, the Jerusalem Hebrew Hammers.

This herculean feat is possible when considering the menacing hooligans they trot out to the mound game after game.

Returning hurlers Ielemia Faletose, Jordan Knowles and Jerry Bourque -- the winner of the GBC Pitcher of the Year in 2055 -- headline a ferocious rotation known for their ability to keep the ball in the park and remain stingy with the free passes. Top to bottom, their staff boasts remarkable movement and a keen ability to induce groundballs.

Bolstering this group is a group of talented minor league callups, headlined by potential ace Rahman "Dingo" Benzai. Making the leap straight from AA, he could find soon himself at the front of the rotation. Fellow rookie "Domo" Arrighetto Laterano projects to fit right in to the London brand of crafty movement and balls struck weakly to the infield.

While their pitching is as crispy as a lovingly-browned piece of haddock from a chippy, their offense is a depressing splat of mushy, waterlogged peas.

Rare bright spots include strong performances from their outfield, chiefly their perennial star center-fielder Joshua Koka, and slugging left-fielder Taylor Barfoot. Rumor has it that Barfoot began his wild tear at the plate after opposing fans mocked his surname as "some Tolkien [expletive], sounds like you're from the bloody Shire, you [expletive] Hobbit." And the Monarchs will need a surprise contribution from their Rule V pick Archie Drabble, who hit a flaccid .141 in AAA ball last year, to charge their woeful offense.

Returning largely the same squad as last year, the Monarchs hope to benefit from the cohesion that comes with continuity, as free agents kept their distance from England's capital. Passport issues, perhaps? We asked local Monarchs fan Sir Nigel Worthingshire III about this, and he uttered words about "foreigners" which are not fit to print. The few words of Nigel's that made it past our standards committee?

"Go Monarchs, and God Bless These Kings."

[Dington]

Great job

[joshd19]

I may have to spend some PP to adjust my stadium to reflect the physical and atmospheric wreckage of the Great Climate Wars. More carbon = heavier air = pitchers' park!

[drzachary]

I may have to spend some PP to adjust my stadium to reflect the physical and atmospheric wreckage of the Great Climate Wars. More carbon = heavier air = pitchers' park!

The real impact of the ongoing Climate War is the draft class. There was a detrimental glut of talent in both leagues for a while, and Commish has been rebalancing things by generating some absolutely foul draft classes. Literal minimum ratings across the board in the GBC (and relative to the BBA, just as bad there.) I joked that all the able-bodied men are off fighting in the Climate Wars, and I guess that's worldbuilding now!

[joshd19]

I may have to spend some PP to adjust my stadium to reflect the physical and atmospheric wreckage of the Great Climate Wars. More carbon = heavier air = pitchers' park!

The real impact of the ongoing Climate War is the draft class. There was a detrimental glut of talent in both leagues for a while, and Commish has been rebalancing things by generating some absolutely foul draft classes. Literal minimum ratings across the board in the GBC (and relative to the BBA, just as bad there.) I joked that all the able-bodied men are off fighting in the Climate Wars, and I guess that's worldbuilding now!

I'm starting to put the pieces together on how guys with a 35-40 OVR are hitting 2-3 WAR given the overall talent drain. I salute the able-bodied draftees who went to battle for (against?) our great ozone layer, and I hope they return in one piece. Maybe we can have a special veteran draft...!