Tater Talk (2048-06): "Star Sprout" Award Announced at Spuds' Team Banquet

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Tater Talk (2048-06): "Star Sprout" Award Announced at Spuds' Team Banquet

Post by woods » Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:13 pm

Image The Boise Spuds treat their minor league players differently than the rest of the league, which is to say they treat them like human beings.

After the minor league season ends, the Spuds’ organization invites all of its players to a banquet so large that they have to rent out the Boise Centre, the biggest convention hall in Boise. The players are rewarded for their hard work all season with a Michelin Star-caliber five-course dinner, which Boise hires some of the city’s top chefs to prepare. Along with wine from the Eagle Foothills, live music, and an awards show, it’s a night the players look forward to all year.

The highlight of the night is the announcement of the “Star Sprout” award winner, which is given to Boise’s minor league player of the year. It’s a much-coveted award, because it’s so elusive. To receive it, a player has to be deemed the best out of not just the 27 players on his own team, but all 200 players in the Spuds’ organization.

Winning the Star Sprout award truly puts a player among the team’s elite. Félix Román won it in 2039. Ricardo Ruíz in 2040. Dennis French probably should have won it in 2036, but in a controversial move it was given to Pedro Díaz instead. French is still mad about that to this day.

It is also tradition for the Star Sprout winner to present the award at the following year’s banquet. However, last season’s honoree, Clinton Tyler, is no longer with the organization, having been traded to Valencia in August. So, on this night, presenting duties were taken over by P.J. Atkins, manager of Boise’s A-ball affiliate, the Tulsa Ginzels.

There were quite a few hopefuls in attendance, a couple of them Atkins’ own players. “Now, I don’t want to be a homer,” he began, as an excited hush fell over the crowd, “but I had a couple of guys in Tulsa this year who are certainly deserving of this award.”

He may have been referring to David Simpson, the slugging first baseman, or to staff ace Toshi Kubo. But this comment was promptly met with a chorus of jeers from the Rookie League tables, where they believed their closer Ray Johnston to be the top candidate for the award.

Atkins tried to bring some order to the room. “Okay, okay, calm down everyone. It’s not my decision anyway,” he said as he pulled out an official-looking envelope branded with Boise’s logo. “Let’s see what management says.”

He took out a folded piece of paper. “The winner of the Star Sprout award for 2048, is… Brian Ioneki!”

Cheers erupted from the Double-A tables as Ioneki stood up and approached the stage to accept his award, a trophy in the shape of a potato plant.

Ioneki finished the season with a 3.02 ERA in 28 games as a starting pitcher for the Weymouth Irish. He threw 160.2 innings and boasted a 9-10 record. This was his first full season in Boise’s organization, as he came over at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Gerardo López to Vancouver.

“Not at all!” he responded when asked afterwards if he was expecting to win. “It wasn’t even on my radar. I was just here tonight to have a good time with my teammates. I had no idea that I’d be leaving with, uh, this thing.” He looked quizzically at the strange potato trophy, not sure what to make of it.

“I’m honored that the organization believes in me, though. I’ll use this as extra motivation to hopefully reach the bigs next year.”
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Re: Tater Talk (2048-06): "Star Sprout" Award Announced at Spuds' Team Banquet

Post by Dington » Mon Oct 25, 2021 3:11 pm

Psh. And you expect a French reunion after that snub.
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