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The Oakland Telegraph
4 July 2033
Sparkling form of Perez and Dundee keeps Oakland clinging onto Texas's coat tails
By Chase Inghard, playing catch-up correspondent
Starting pitchers Antonio Perez and Brad Dundee are leading the way for the A's as they chase after Texas at the top of the American League West division. Perez was in dominant form last night in Oakland's blowout 14-1 win over Cleveland, throwing 8.1 innings for just 1 earned run on 5 hits. The 23-year-old righty now has 11 wins so far this year, tied for most in the majors with former A's ace Lucio Vargas, and an impressive 2.43 ERA. His crocodile-loving colleague Dundee has 10 wins and a 3.21 ERA. "They've been brilliant", said general manager Paulie Beane. "Absolutely great. Greg Carter - not so much. Less said the better, frankly."
Last night's win moved the A's to 51-27 for the season. That's comfortably the second best record in the whole of MLB, but unfortunately still 3 games back of the Rangers, who show no sign of letting up, at least not yet.
With the trade deadline approaching at the end of the month, insiders say that Beane is negotiating with the agents of both Dundee and closer Jose Duran, whose contracts expire at the end of the season. Both are allegedly demanding high salaries, and it looks like one of Beane's trademark moves to flip an expiring contract for a younger, emerging star could be on its way. Duran leads MLB in saves again this year, with 29, so should be in demand from other clubs too daft to realise that saves are a pretty meaningless statistic, and looks to be the more expendable of the two.
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