59.23 Youth Movement Gathering Momentum in Montreal

[Bob Breum]

It seems like only yesterday when a gathering of Blazers position players resembled an AARP meeting. No team had an older core than Montreal, with a majority of their position players in their late 30s when they won the Johnson League pennant in 2057. Among the position players on that team, only third baseman Eduardo González, second baseman Miguel 'Thrillseeker' Martínez, and infield reserve Aniruddha Meenakshisundaram are still in a Blazers uniform.

Now you walk into the clubhouse and the greybeards are few and far between, as likely to be a coach as a player. The team captain, first baseman Dan 'Tangles' Wilkinson, is only 21 years old, as is outfielder Clancy Lee. Four other starters are 24 or younger. Only catcher Felipe Delgado, Meenakshisundaram, and González are over 30. None of them are signed beyond 2060.

The 2059 season saw several players graduate from rookie eligibility. 23-year-old infielder Bill Atkinson skipped AAA altogether, but soon became a fixture in the Montreal middle infield, hitting .300. 22-year-old António Hernández had only 21 games of AAA under his belt when he was summoned to patrol center field. Similarly, Lee had logged only 23 games in AAA when he was called up. Wilkinson had a cup of coffee in 2058, but lost his rookie status this season, hitting a robust .322/.380/.498.

Next season should see 24-year-old third baseman Tom 'Gauntlet' Allen exhaust his rookie eligibility after a September call-up that saw him hit .289/.333/.553. It is possible that 21-year-old first baseman Cristo Manuel may start the season with the big league club, as he has nothing left to prove in AAA.

[Knucklehead254]

Felt like we basically had the same past few years except you guys actually made the finals 🥲

[recte44]

I really screwed up that trade. Bristcoe AND Clancy Lee for Tom Miller? Yikes. Lee would be the perfect replacement for Rudge right now.