Pitching Problematic for Edmonton (Hoppy Endings, pre Sim 10) [PP:2056.10]

[neugey]

With a BBA-worst 18-40 record and pitching performances that are causing many fans to turn their head away if not cover their eyes outright, Edmonton is grasping for solutions. But management is questioning the number of moves that should be made and wishes to avoid an overreaction to the horrid first two months of the season.

“We have to continue to stick with it,” explains GM Mike Bauer. “The pitching has been uncharacteristically poor. But we feel as an organization there will be some positive regression coming. Our ace Mahad Einan has only had one season in his career this bad, and that was in 2048 in the GBC. He’s a much more experienced pitcher now and we don’t see a pitcher with his track record finishing the year with a 6.30 ERA.”

“The pitching staff as a whole has been getting quite unlucky with the longball,” continued Bauer. “Only Brooklyn and Portland have given up more so far. But that statistic contradicts our park tendencies. We feel the homers will settle down soon and our pitchers will find some rhythm in the summer months.”

The lousy pitching numbers are spoiling some fine efforts by Edmonton in the hitting department. While not hitting like his old title-winning days, “Scooter” Collins is certainly holding his own with a .296 average and 7 homers. Third baseman Ray Hoskins is putting together a sturdy .318/.374/.486 and rewarding the hope Edmonton displayed when they traded for him in 2051. The raw left-handed power of young outfielders Dean Procter and Matthew Woods is giving the team an element of danger vs right-handed pitching they haven’t shown in quite some time. Best of all, DH Gonzalez Martinez is back on his A-game after a meager 2055. The veteran is pacing the Jackrabbits with a .332 average, 16 homers and 46 RBI in the middle of the lineup.

But despite the cries from fans and critics, Edmonton will stay the course and is not preparing a fire sale.

“Why do such a thing? Our payroll is already below $100 million,” stated Bauer. “I don’t see the upshot of stripping the payroll in half and going down to the Chicago level. We’re gonna stick with it.”

One person not dismayed with the losing in Edmonton is owner Jim Leonard. Despite the record, he insists his team is still in a “Win Now!” mode and he is “satisfied” with the performance of the Jackrabbits at this point. Some are bewildered by the owner’s remarks, but BBA insider Lem Piker Sr. offered his explanation.

“Leonard is a curious fellow,” said Piker. “I’m not a psychologist, but we’ve seen at times in the past when things get bad a BBA owner might live in the past as a defense mechanism, losing touch with reality. I guess when your team spends the last four days of May giving up more than 10 runs in each game, you survive however you can and denial is an option. I don’t judge.”

[BaseClogger]

I made a rookie mistake of selling Hoskins when I had financial issues in my first season. I've been watching intently to see if he can stick defensively at 3B or hit enough to play 1B.