The Hawaii Tropics had a flurry of retirements coming out in the news beginning with RP Jesus Rios telling the team that he will not be returning and retiring at the end of the season. Sources within the team leaked that Rios’s agent, Sleigh Z. Bagh, had approached Hawaii GM Jim Walker about an extension for his client weeks before.
Walker was asked about the ask and said, “Ask Mr. Bagh.”
We contacted the offices of Sleigh Z. Bagh, and they can’t comment at this time because Bagh is on vacation.
The next bit of news came when Hawaii Manager Rich Kerr dropped his paperwork with the league and the team to retire effective immediately.
Kerr took the reins of the team in the 2055 season after the late season firing of Alonso Alonso. Kerr stopped the losing streak in 2055 and led the team to the playoffs after finishing the season 21-16 after a 4-14 slump before the Alonso firing. His 1st full season in Hawaii saw the team begin to fall off to a string of middling to bad finishes from 2056 to 2061. He finally led the Trops back to the playoffs this last season posting a 94-69 record and losing out to Sacramento in the Pacific.
Hawaii GM Jim Walker said, “I’m considering whether to hire from within the organization or from without. Stay tuned.”
And finally, news came from the league office that former Tropics and current Portland Lumberjacks starter Alaric Wullenweber had retired at the age of 42. He is the BBA career leader in starts at 681, #2 in wins at 302 (80 behind Steve Nebraska), #2 to Nebraska in IP at 4395 and #2 in strikeouts at 4421.
He was 118-63 in Hawaii with a 3.32 ERA in 240 starts with 10 CG in 1576 innings while striking out 1917 batters. He will join Marquis Futon and Roy Hobbs, Jr. in the Hawaii Lei of Honor.
Jim Walker said, “Wullenweber will be enshrined with some other retired Tropics players that we’ve overlooked.”
