Hold My Log - 57.36 - Rosales traded to Long Beach

[7teen]

Amidst a contract dispute and the liklihood he wasn't going to return to Portland next season, Lumberacks management decided this week to trade Patrick Rosales to Long Beach. Rosales had spent the last 6 season as a part of the Lumberjacks bullpen after being drafted as a starting pitcher by the organization in the 13th round of the 2045 draft. After a failed stint as a starter in the farm system, the Lumberjacks brass convinced Rosales to convert to a reliever which aided his ability to have a career in the BBA.

Rosales was having a solid season for Portland before being sent to the Surfers. Portland manager Mons Raider was using Rosales as a stopper which has allowed Patrick to rack up over 70 innings in relief this season. Prior to the trade, he was on pace to set career highs in innings pitched, strikeouts, and WAR with the club.

"We hate to lose Patrick and didn't necessarily want to trade him" commented Portland GM Chris Wilson, "but he wasn't interested in talking an extension with us. And at this point, since we probably aren't a legitimate contender for a post-season spot right now, we felt it was best to cut our losses and make sure we get something in return that we can use next season or in the future."

Coming over to Portland from Long Beach in the trade are two relievers. 27 year old Lewis Norman will likely be Rosales' immediate replacement in the pen. Norman has bounced around the league and was signed as a minor league free agent this off-season by Long Beach. Since 2051, he's spent time with Des Moines, Las Vegas, and Long Beach before settling in Portland. He was out of the league all together in 2056. In his BBA career, Norman is 25-15 with 19 saves and a 4.09 ERA and 1.2 career WAR.

"Norman is a serviceable middle reliever" commented Wilson. "He's not an all-star. He's not a guy we're going to put at the end of games. But he's a guy who can eat some 5th, 6th, 7th innings for us."

Also coming in the trade is Trofimoff Ishimov. Ishi is a 19 year old southpaw most recently drafted by Long Beach in the 5th round of the 2057 draft. The Russian arm has some weak areas, most notably with control and velocity, but he'll be a depth piece to the Portland farm that the organization will keep an eye on to see if he can bump and mature into a possible BBA arm down the road.

[Lane]

Ishimov should be good. Personally i don't get too hing up on control for RPs. Plus with the outside shot at a big velo increase makes him a SP convert candidate.