The Kraken Release 2005.02: Aguilar honored, honors Carolina

[cheekimonk]

The Kraken Release
December 1, 2004
Charlotte, NC
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There is much that remains to be said regarding the Carolina Kraken's disastrous 2004 campaign. But there is nothing wrong with starting on a high note - a bittersweet high note, but a high note all the same. On September 11th the Kraken played their last Saturday home game of 2004. Visiting the cellar-dwelling, aimless, and listless Kraken were the even more cellar-dwelling Atlantic City Gamblers. Yet attendance that night at Carolina Field was more than 5 times greater than the previous Saturday when the eventual Frick League Atlantic champion Buffalo Bison were in town. The reason for the spike was obvious and undeniable: former Kraken left-fielder Manuel Aguilar.

A recognition event for one of the original franchises in the MBWBA, having been in existence since 1973, would be expected to focus on a player that had excelled for a significant portion of the program's history. On this night, however, the Kraken were honoring a former player who's career stats will always comprise just two full seasons at the major league level to go with one full season in Double-A and a season of getting his feet wet in 2001 that was split between AA, AAA, and the bigs. But this player - Manuel Aguilar, of course - was being honored for what was, is, and might be for a very long time the consensus best season offensively in the history of the league. On Saturday, September 11th, 2004, the Carolina Kraken honored Aguilar by retiring his #10 in return for one magnificent 2003 season that even now has numbers that just don't look real: .413 AVG, .457 OBP, .749 SLG, 1.206 OPS, 50 HR, 159 RBI, 137 runs, +13.7 WAR, 141.0 VORP, and a K/BB ratio of .339 made possible by the fact that in 157 games and 678 plate appearances Aguilar struck out a total of 19 times.

Of course, this story has a tragic end from the perspective of Aguilar's career. Two days before the end of Spring Training for what was set to be his encore performance, Aguilar suffered a torn labrum that ended his playing days. During the ceremony, Aguilar said he was grateful to the city of Charlotte, to Kraken management, and to GM Ben Teague for believing enough in a 25-year-old drafted just three years prior out of college to put a starting position in the major leagues in his hands from Day 1 of the 2002 season. "All of you have honored me so much, before and after my injury," Aguilar said at the podium, "when I was only able to do my job for such a short time. Not only will I always be grateful, I will always hope for the opportunity to give back whatever I can. The Kraken organization and you fans, you are my second family and I will always hold you in my hearts."

Today, GM Ben Teague held a press conference that revealed a surprise. "Today," Teague said, "the Carolina Kraken are announcing the hiring of Manuel Aguilar as the hitting coach for our Rookie League affiliate Aurora Bullfrogs. It is with no disrespect to the many elite hitters I have known when I say that Manuel demonstrated a knowledge of the art of hitting greater than some players that have been around the game for 10 or 20 years. Not only that, before he burst onto the national stage in Charlotte, Manuel showed a super-human understanding of what to do to prepare his skills and advance his game through our minor leagues. Every coach that was assigned to teach him, every one, came to me and apologized because there was nothing they knew that Aguilar didn't know better...or in an improved way. It's for that reason that we are ecstatic to put our young hitters under the tutelage of Coach Aguilar."

[Al-Hoot]

Great, great, great write up.

One which I wouldn't want to detract from by asking: he can't play but he can coach?

[cheekimonk]

Great, great, great write up.

One which I wouldn't want to detract from by asking: he can't play but he can coach?

Dammit! Sorry, Al...forgot to add that team officials noticed this year that in addition to invoices from First Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte for Aguilar's rehab, they had also been receiving charges from an unnamed company for "alternative/holistic therapy." The address doesn't even list a state and zip code...it just lists "Degobah".

I feel ok turning my rookies over to Manuel...though we did have to discuss that once he signs on with the organization he can't be walking around publicly in his bathrobe.