The Around the Horn League (AtHoL)

[luckymann]

Bit of a rough start in the AtHoL for the Beantown Boys. Maybe this will help get them back on track.

[luckymann]

Manny Mota off to B'more.

"Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon... Manny Mota... Mota... Mota"

Jim Murray, Los Angeles sportswriter, once wrote that you could wake Manny up at 2 AM, hand him a toothpick, throw an aspirin tablet toward him, and he would hit it for a line drive single to right. - SABR Bullpen

[luckymann]

After watching our on-field performances slide far enough for long enough, I pull the trigger on a deal I've been dithering over for some time.



We lack leadership, for one thing and Zeke is a leader of men. I've mentioned on here numerous times my concerns about our lack of LHB, and he solves that issue as well. I wish he were quicker, but he has some base path savvy to compensate for said sluggishness.



We only had to give up three guys who didn't fit into our longer-term plans, so I'm unsure why I held off for so long from making this happen.

[luckymann]

This was Zarilla's debut with us, in front of the home fans no less. The franchise's first slam is his forever. Let's hope it augurs well for the future.

[luckymann]

This was game number two for us from our new recruit. Tried to source how many times this feat has been achieved IRL, without luck. But I doubt it would be many.

[luckymann]

A peach from McMurtry...

[luckymann]

With Josh, Dode Paskert and Matt Olson as their meat I'm surprised Atlanta are barely breaking 500. Look for some improvement in them, methinks.

[luckymann]

Leo D doing it at both ends.




Speaker, Rollins, Wright - 31-47? Something's rotten in Indy.

[luckymann]

Mo-vin' on up...

[luckymann]

Not that Livan was threatening to win the CYA or anything, but he's our #2 and was going pretty well. This injury leaves our pitching, it is fair to say, in tatters.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Perhaps the proverbial straw for the Commission that precipitated the action described above.



It's easy to understand their concern. Check out the full list of players currently on the sidelines, despite the low injury setting.

[luckymann]

The wheels have well and truly fallen off our rickety little bus, with long-term injuries and poor form the spanners that have loosened those lugnuts. The Band title already seems out of reach and we'll really have to turn things around just to contend for one of the Wild Card spots. At this point I'll be happy if we can finish at 500 or better, I'm afraid.

Lots of news already so I'll just post the team profile and results from our 11-15 June for now and update more fully a bit further down the track.

[luckymann]

He has struggled so far in his rookie season, this might be the catalyst for a reversal.

[luckymann]

... is getting quite ridiculous...

[luckymann]

Wouldn't mind a good slug of their Kool-Aid...

[luckymann]

This one will sting for a while.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

With our struggles stubbornly persistent, I decide to shake things up a bit...



It had become clear we needed an upgrade in the rotation, with Buchholz the obvious choice to go. But it is tough swinging deals in this league, especially with it in its formative stages with so few players, and takes a lot of work to nut out a trade that makes your club better and gets you remotely the sort of player you need without selling the farm.

That's what this trade is. Meet Joe Page. No HOFer I don't think, but definitely the upgrade we were seeking.



And in the end on top of Buchholz it only cost us a low pick and a guy I really didn't see in our L/T plans.

Willians was handy because he gave us backup at catcher and played 1B, where we are a bit thin. But the switch of Willy Aybar from one corner to the other seems to be working OK and made Willians - a slow, slappy GIDP machine - expendable. We'll bring up 1B / OF Dane Iorg for his first action.

[luckymann]

The Cardiac Kids are at it again as the pen nearly blows another one...