2038.02 On A Higher Plane If you thought the Colbert contract was bad

[felipe]

The Wichita Aviators have belatedly got around to announcing their team record high free agency capture. The Aviators have thrown an average of $8 million a season over six seasons to a thirty-two year old who has relieved for most of his big league career. A player who has eclipsed over 150 innings a season in only three, who has thrown only one season of that much work since he was twenty-two years old. Last season.

"People might think I'm crazy," grinned Wichita Genius, GM Hopkins," To award a contract like this to a thirty-two year old reliever coming off of his career season...I'm sorry, I lost track of what I was saying..."

"One thing about Rin...he's got a lot of life left in his arm...hell, he's barely pitched over 1000 career innings. And based on his performance last season, I'd argue that he was horribly misused in the past as a closer and setup guy...if you squint and look sideways, that argument makes perfect sense."

Hiroyuki Rin was an all-star and third runner-up for the best reliever in 2032 for Las Vegas, and was an all-star as a starting pitcher for Edmonton in 2037. The guy owns a 4 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio and a career 3.69 FIP, (which as a starter, is actually is lower than as a relief pitcher).

Rin boasts an impressive 100mph fastball, and an excellent slider and forkball, and he makes batters get the ball dirty. He has had tremendous success as both a starter and a reliever in the major leagues.

But Rin does have an extremely low stamina, and he started all of last season in a ballpark that drastically reduces homeruns...and he's going to a ballpark that drastically inflates the homerun numbers of left-handed batters...against whom he has subpar movement. Its a monumental .5 ballpark factor swing, which could prove disastrous.

"Free agency...its a disease," grinned the Genius," Rin will be great for us...I just have to limit his home starts."