Northern League Baseball: A humorously depressing look 50 years into the future...

[Nunyer]

Taking a look at the next opponent...




History
Direct decendent of the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers were one of the Final Eight teams left standing when the MLB folded in 2033. The team assets and trademarks were then sold to Rafael Alvarado, who had made a small fortune turning abandoned, decaying Detroit neighborhoods into urban farms. They were renamed as the Machine and started playing independent baseball in 2034. Alvarado eventually invested in a new, smaller ballpark on the site of the original Tiger Stadium, with the downtown land of Comerica Park being too valuable for baseball use. Comerica Park was sold and demolished in 2035, the location is currently the headquarters for the automotive division of GM-IBM-GE-Arby's Corp Inc.

Best Player
1B Johnny “Crackhead” Murphy / 33 years old – With 2,125 hits and 579 home runs in ten seasons, Murphy is easily the most dominant hitter in the history of the NLB. Not merely a power threat, Murphy has stolen over 400 bases in his career with a .341 lifetime average. Murphy is one of only three NLB players to earn over $2 million annually. Earned his nickname in college when an aluminum bat juggling stunt went wrong resulting in 23 scalp stiches.

Best Pitcher
CL Osamu ‘Nugget’ Inoue / 26 years old – With longtime Detroit ace Hubert Gardner lost to free agency over the offseason, the most dominant arm on the staff is closer Inoue. In four seasons as the full time closer for Columbus, Nugget averaged 40 saves per year while striking out batters at a pace of over 10 per nine innings. He signed a two year, $2 million contract with the Machine in the offseason.

Outlook
The starting pitching is pedestrian at best, but a strong lineup and bullpen hope to make up the difference. Detroit has made the playoffs three straight seasons, winning it all in 2050. Ownership will spend the money and the team is committed to win now. Which is good, because their minor league system is fairly weak.

Minor League Affiliates
Flint Bucks (AAA)
Iron Mountain Miners (AA)
Mt.Pleasant Kegs (SA)

[Nunyer]

Results

Game 1

Detroit 10 - Columbus 2
Pretty much ugly from the start... "The Workout" Lee was shaky early and eventually gave up 12 hits and 5 runs over five innings. Things did not get any better after that.

Game 2

Detroit 3 - Columbus 2
Johnny Murphy hits two solo home runs and a wild pitch combined with an error doom the Hot Dogs to another loss. I am cursed.

Game 3

Detroit 6 - Columbus 4
Murphy hits another home run, Carroll gives up 6 ER in less than four innings of work. Columbus continues to bat well under .200 as a team... 2-9 in dead last... I want to set myself on fire.

[Nunyer]

That was an ugly three game set... I got the feeling that Lerma was pissed when we last talked on the phone, with our record at 2-6. Now that he's back in town and we're 2-9... well, there is no doubt. He's pissed. He was trying to fire people that he had already fired two seasons prior. It wasn't pretty. Mothballs and I eventually calmed him down... poured him a scotch and got him a limo to the golf course... Then the phone rang, it was the league office.

My first trade had been approved! It was just like losing my virginity, except with less crying. The Brooklyn Biohazard had recently lost their starting RF for a month to injury... they called us back and took Georges Geoffrey off our hands! In return, we received Triple A pitching prospect Bill McMartin. Getting out from three more years of that awful contract is a relief... even if we didn't really get a whole lot in return. Mothballs response was "who the **** did we get?"

McMartin has a strange story. Originally discovered five years ago in the frozen tundra of Surrey, British Columbia, McMartin signed with Pittsburgh, then quit before the season began and went home to Canada. Four years later, riding a majestic dog sled from the Great White North, McMartin returned and signed a minor league deal with Brooklyn. He proceeded to start 46 games in the minors over the next two years, logging a record of 18-14 with an ERA of 4.96. While he is hardly a top-tier prospect, he is a prospect. Thanks to Drew Lee straining his forearm against Detroit, McMartin will get a taste of the NLB rather quickly... The starters in our farm system are about as useful as bumps on a pickle, so McMartin will take the open spot in the rotation. (for the record, I have no clue where Surrey, BC is actually located. It could be a nice, quaint farming town... or maybe a trendy, metropolitan suburb of Vancouver... but for my purposes, it's the frozen tundra)

Next up are the Grand Rapids Mammoths... Starting the season with a record of 6-7, they come to Columbus tomorrow to kick off a three game series.

[Nunyer]

History
Founded in 1977 as the Seattle Mariners. Shortly after the initial breakup of the MLB in 2022, the Mariners tried to cut it in the new Southwest based league. However, their travel woes were still apparent, as they were not much closer on average to the new Mexican based teams then they were to teams on the eastern seaboard. After losing money for three seasons, the Mariners ceased operations in 2025. While ownership wrestled with various lawsuits from creditors, primary owner Raymond O’Day moved the team to his home town of Grand Rapids. He renamed the team the Mammoths (all of that hallowed Mariner history up in smoke, but I kid Seattle fans...). The Mammoths started play in 2028 and bounced between various regional leagues until the formation of the NLB in 2042. The team is still owned by the O’Day family and is now considered a cherished Grand Rapids institution.

Best Player
2B Ed Banks / 31 years old – A wily veteran of nine NLB seasons, Banks is a career .283 hitter who can go for 20+ home runs when healthy. While he has underperformed for the Mammoths since coming over from Brooklyn three seasons ago, many around the league think he can return to form that made him a six time All-Star

Best Pitcher
SP Jeremy Ellison / 37 years old – Despite a somewhat misleading 9-21 record last season, Ellison can still bring the heat as he enters his 11th season in the league. With a career ERA of 3.85 and still capable of striking out 200 batters while eating up over 250 innings, Ellison will need to pitch well for a team that lost 198 games the last two seasons.

Outlook
The Mammoths have a decent pitching staff but need to find a way to get runs on the scoreboard. They are in one of the smallest markets in the league and generally don’t spend a lot of money. The farm system has some decent pitchers that may have to be used to get some positional prospects.

Minor League Affiliates
Traverse City Acorns (AAA)
Lansing Capitals (AA)
Green Bay Gazelles (SA)

[Nunyer]

Results

Game 1

Prior to the game, CF Moreno was optioned to the Triple A Springfield Isotopes. The contract of CF Bill Thomas was purchased from Springfield. Moreno was 5 for 44 (.114) prior to his demotion.

Grand Rapids 6 - Columbus 9
Jose Aurelio blows the first save opportunity of the year for the Hot Dogs, not that this really says much, seeing the Hot Dogs have had hardly any save opportunities to begin with.... But Jeffrey Young shows why he's the alpha dog in Columbus, hitting a walk-off, three run homer in the bottom of the 11th.

Game 2

Grand Rapids 2 - Columbus 8
Lorenzo Rodriguez gives up one earned run over six innings to earn his first victory and improve to 1-2 on the season. Former utility infielder Bill Norie goes three for four and raises his average to .343. After a cold stretch, Barry "Condor" Summers gets two hits and two RBIs.

Game 3

Grand Rapids 8 - Columbus 5
The terrifying two game win streak, that had the rest of the league crapping their pants in fear, has come to an end. Newly acquired prospect Billy McMartin at times looked sharp, but ultimately surrendered four earned runs in five innings.



GM Journal
Would have liked to have seen a better debut from McMartin, but I guess I can't complain. Taking two out of three is something to be proud of at this point. We worked our way out of dead last. At four wins and ten losses, we are a half game ahead of Buffalo... I guess that's something... something ****ty, but something.

[Orcin]

This dynasty style is a great way for the reader to learn the league right along with you. I like it!

You're still getting to know the Frankfurters from the Sausages. I think Mothballs may be more hinderance then help, but he sure is entertaining.

Re: Jeremy Ellison... you have to be pretty good to lose twenty games.

[Nunyer]

Originally Posted by Orcin

This dynasty style is a great way for the reader to learn the league right along with you. I like it!

You're still getting to know the Frankfurters from the Sausages. I think Mothballs may be more hinderance then help, but he sure is entertaining.

Re: Jeremy Ellison... you have to be pretty good to lose twenty games.

Yea, it was tough finding a bright spot on the Grand Rapids pitching staff... they are not that good... Well, compared to my Hot Dogs, everybody looks good... But that's a whole different ball of wax.

I'm starting to wonder about Mothballs as well... His abilities seem pretty good, and he tells me that we should have at least a respectable top half of the lineup... But we're batting .195 through 14 games with a grand total of five home runs. He's been spot on so far about our starting pitching... that does stink... 5.93 ERA...

I'm going to play out the month of April, then take a good hard look at the roster and see if anything can be done. If nothing else, I can hopefully dump some contracts and start lining up some budget room for November.

[Nunyer]

GM Journal - April 19th, 2052

Just got done with a nice long chat with our manager, Cody Summers. Good guy, legend around these parts... He was the scrappy, undersized second baseman who delivered the game winning double to win the 2030 World Series for the Cleveland Indians... Hasn't paid for a beer in Ohio ever since. He's as frustrated as I am and realizes that there are no prospects riding in to offer immediate help. Hitting coach Mike Holley has been put on notice, this performance is not acceptable.

Made some more roster moves, Steve Walton was released and is currently working full time as Benny Byproduct. He hasn't officially retired and said he would consider playing again if a team offers him a deal, but I don't see that happening. To take his place on the roster, I brought up reliever Craig Hayden. He's a hard throwing left hander who gives us a long relief presence that we've lacked so far... And with our starters putting up ERA's that would embarrass a beer league softball player, we need some long relief.

Bill Thomas has not provided any immediate help in CF compared to the demoted Moreno. He's 2-for-13, but has stolen a couple of bases. Moreno well be back with the big club soon enough, we just don't have any other options. Let's just hope he gets his head out of his ass during his time with the Isotopes.

Other general managers from around the league are already probably ignoring my calls when they see my number on the caller ID, but I'm not giving up. Currently, I'm scouring the upcoming free agent class, trying to find some financially strapped teams that might part with a guy they can no longer afford. The fatal flaw in my strategy is that I'll have to part with the few promising prospects in the system... but we can't keep getting Lerma sent out on drunken trips to the golf course forever... well, maybe we can... But most likely he's going to want to see some improvement right away.

Watching the team bus pull away now from my office window... Godspeed you underachieving dolts... It's the first extended road trip of the season... First stop is the Windy City...

[mirrf]

Originally Posted by Nunyer

Prior to the game, CF Moreno was optioned to the Triple A Springfield Isotopes.

D'oh!

[Nunyer]

History
Baseball in Chicago had a tough run in the 2020s. The White Sox quietly ceased operations as part of the four team MLB contraction of 2027. The Cubs, well they were the Cubs, they continued to lose... or play really good and then whiz it down their legs at the last minute in the most heart crushing ways imaginable. They held on to the bitter end, being one of the final eight teams in the swang song MLB 2033 season. The team was then sold to a group from El Paso and moved. Proving once again that God hates Cubs fans, the El Paso Cubs almost immediately went on to win four SWHABA* Championships in the late 2030s.
SWHABA = SouthWest Hispanic American Baseball Association. My goofy acronym/name for the west coast/Mexico league.

Historic Wrigley Field had fallen somewhat into disrepair after the Cubs left town. Eventually evil developers wanted to demolish the park and build a combination parking lot / Starbucks / WalMart... and some demolition actually took place. It was sort of like the plot of "Breakin' 2: Electric Bugaloo", except with slightly more breakdancing. After some small, but vehement, public protests... The Chicago Fire Dept Pension Fund stepped in, purchased what was left of the ballpark and bought an NLB expansion franchise for the 2042 season. The Chicago Fire was born. Most of the seating surrounding the infield was saved, as well as the historic ivy covered wall in left field... but much of the area behind CF/RF and along the right foul line was lost to development... but damn, it's one really nice Starbucks/parking lot.

Best Player
CF Michael Carter / 27 years old - Injuries have stolen a few seasons from the talented CF, but when in the lineup he's about as dangerous as anyone in the league. He batted .295 last season while hammering out 41 long balls and swiping 32 bases. A fan favorite in the Second City, Carter is under contract for five more seasons.

Best Pitcher
SP Roberto "Cracker" Ramos / 28 years old - A former fireballing left hander, multiple injuries limited Ramos to only 37 starts over his first three seasons. Since then, he has been slowly returning to form. Last year he finished with 14 wins and an ERA of 3.02 along with notching 206 strikeouts in 271 innings of work.

Outlook
Chicago has a patient and generous ownership group in the form of the pension board. They have shown they will invest in the team. Last season, they faltered badly down the stretch. They only won three of their last ten games and barely missed a wild card berth. The Fire have been inconsistent so far in 2052, with eight wins against nine loses.

[Nunyer]

Results

Game 1

Columbus 7 - Chicago 2
Big Stud Vega continues to be the lone bright spot in the rotation. The big lefty works into the seventh inning, only surrendering two solo home runs on seven hits. Garland Schneider delivered the final eight outs without surrendering a run. Michael "No Nickname" Jackson broke out of his awful slump to go 2-for-4 with 3 RBI. Veteran RHP Jon Barnett had a rough start for the Fire, leaving the game in the fifth inning after allowing five earned runs.

Game 2

Columbus 7 - Chicago 4
Evan Carroll earned his 2nd victory of the season and lowered his massive ERA down to 7.50 with just under six innings of work. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits and four walks. Carroll did not record a strikeout. For the second straight game, the Hot Dogs chased an opposing starter in under five innings. Ismael Martinez takes the loss for the Fire, although two errors led to four unearned runs and certainly didn't help his cause. Don "Tricky" Nixon was the big bat today for Columbus, delivering his first long ball of the season, a massive three run shot in the 2nd inning. Chicago has now dropped four straight to fall to 8-11 on the season. The Dogs improve to 6-10.

Game 3

Columbus 2 - Chicago 7
Derrick "Rusty" Koontz throws 132 pitches in a complete game victory for the Fire, ending their four game skid. Rusty struck out ten Hot Dogs, only giving up a two-run homer to second baseman Armando Castilho. Ben Childs takes the loss for his first decision of the season. The veteran right hander gave up three home runs, including an inside the parker from 2B Ben Parker.

After the game, CF Bill Thomas was optioned down to Triple A Springfield, CF Mauro Moreno was recalled and will be with the team tomorrow when they open a three game set in New York against the Bronx Zoo. Thomas had only two hits in 21 at-bats (.095) in five games for Columbus.

[Nunyer]

GM Journal - Monday, April 22nd

Moreno was sulking and not doing much in his week at Springfield... But if I'm going to get no production out of CF, it might as well be with the guy that has at least done something before at this level.

I've been talking quite a bit with Oscar McBride, the GM for the Washington Colonials. That team is the saddest sack of a sad sack franchise in the league. Nobody in Washington cares about baseball, and those that do tend to be fans of Baltimore or Richmond. The team bleeds money every year and they've been trying to move since pretty much day one. Kansas City has shown interest, but the rest of the owners will block a move that far away from the rest of the league.

They have a few solid upcoming free agents that no way in hell will they be able to resign. I mainly have my eye on SP Rich Audley. He's not a world beater, dependable middle of the rotation type, but he would instantly be our #2 behind Big Stud. At 28 years old, he could warrant an extension that shouldn't be outrageously expensive. Unfortunately, McBride isn't stupid... and he knows that Audley is the best starter likely to see the trade market. He knows he'll get a nice return at the deadline. His asking price as of now is four prospects, including the two highest ranked in our system.

Man, decision making sucks sometimes. For now, I'm going to hold off. The prospects that Washington wants are in the OF and face roadblocks to make our big league club, but they might have more trade value elsewhere.

[Nunyer]

History
The Yankees were already in trouble before the collapse of the MLB in 2033. Decades of rampant overspending finally caught up to the team after they handed a 10 year, $343 million dollar extension to a 47 year old Alex Rodriguez in 2023. Creditors hounded the team until the bitter end and they were quietly broken up and sold off in bankruptcy court in 2035. The Bronx Zoo had originally formed as a minor league team, the Long Island Gorillas, in 2019 and moved to Yankee Stadium in 2042 for the start of the NLB. The massive stadium seats far fewer fans then it did in it's heyday, with the entire upper deck having been stipped of seating and converted into residential lofts and office space.

Best Player
CF Jonathan Harris / 30 years old - The current toast of New York nightlife, Harris is in his 10th season with the Zoo. A fierce contact hitter who can cover amazing amounts of ground in center, Harris is a seven time all-star with five CF Gold Gloves. He should also reach 2,000 career hits sometime in 2053. Jonathan is signed for two seasons at just under two million dollar per year.

Best Pitcher
SP Mike "U.L." Washington / 26 years old - Hard throwing right hander with wide assortment of sinking fastballs and forkballs. Washington was originally drafted as a SS prospect by the Detroit Machine, he did not sign, enrolling instead at the University of Cincinnati where he converted full time to pitching. Opposing batters have hit under .200 against U.L. for the last three seasons.

Outlook
The Zoo are currently the little brothers in the Big Apple, playing second fiddle to the Brooklyn Biohazard. Although neither team has enjoyed any real success in the NLB. Bronx has developed a formidable lineup, but pitching has let them down so far in 2052. They currently sit at 10-10, four games behind division leading Philly.

[Nunyer]

Results

Game 1

Columbus 6 - Bronx 1
Every dog has it's day, even the blind squirrel finds a nut... and occasionally Lorenzo Rodriguez will throw a complete game gem. The veteran righty improved his record to 2-2 against the Zoo in the Bronx and lowered his ERA to an almost respectable 4.78. Rodriguez threw 124 pitches, giving up only five hits while striking out three hitters. Mauro Moreno responded well in his first game back from demotion, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base. Rookie Jose Garcia continues to force his way into the lineup. Seeing game time at both SS and 1B this season, Garcia went 3-for-5 and is hitting .375 for the season. Veteran infielders Alberto Vazquez and Edmund Warren appear to have been buried deep on the Hot Dogs bench and rumors are that the club is shopping around both players.

Editor's Note: Breaking character here... I am going to have to play the next two games of this series later.. Stupid boss actually expecting me to do work on a Friday afternoon... the nerve!

[Nunyer]

Game 2

Columbus 3 - Bronx 6
In his second career NLB start, rookie Bill McMartin battled for seven innings, but ultimately gave up two long balls and four earned runs in a losing effort. His record drops to 0-2. The Zoo's DH, Mike Douglas, tagged McMartin for both of the home runs. Garland Schneider was smacked around in one inning of relief, surrendering two earned runs on three hits.

Game 3

Columbus 14 - Bronx 6
Big Stud Vega gave up three runs in the 1st inning and then gave up three more runs in the second (two unearned) and it appeared as if the route was on. However, the Hot Dogs batters had other ideas. In a performance for the ages, Barry "Condor" Summers hit three home runs off three different Bronx pitchers! His box score for the day: 3-for-6, 3 HR, 9 RBI. Mauro Moreno added a solo long ball of his own and Columbus stormed back for the 14-6 victory. Vega settled in nicely after the 2nd inning, pitching four scoreless innings to improve his record to 3-1.

After a slow start, the Hot Dogs have won six of their last nine games. 2B Alberto Vazquez left the game late with an apparent hamstring injury. He is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, the team has not yet placed him on the disabled list but is expected to do so before their next game against Brooklyn in two days. The most likely replacement candidate is LF Michael "Not the Fat Filmmaker" Moore, who is hitting .368 in Triple A.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by Nunyer

The most likely replacement candidate is LF Michael "Not the Fat Filmmaker" Moore, who is hitting .368 in Triple A.

Ok, now seriously... I think you are making these nicknames up. There's no way the game assigned that nickname.

[Nunyer]

Originally Posted by Orcin

Ok, now seriously... I think you are making these nicknames up. There's no way the game assigned that nickname.

I haven't actually gone in and given him that nickname yet, but I am considering it... "Not the Fat Filmmaker steals his 2nd base of the afternoon!"

[Nunyer]

---------------
From: Summers, Cody (cody.summers@columbushotdogs.com
Date: Thursday, April 25th 2052
Subject: Vazquez injury
---------------

Hey Boss,

We have already discussed some of the guys around here that don't fit into our long term plans, and I believe we agree that Vazquez is one of the guys we could survive without. I love the guy's bat, and I think he's been returning to form the last 7-10 days or so. But the guy is a butcher with the glove. Looking at these weak starters, I gotta give them all the help up the middle that I can... and a stone handed 2B just can't happen. I need my DH spots for other guys as well.

I know he's only got a hammy tweak, and can probably play by early next week, but let's send him to the 15 day DL. I want Moore up here. Felix Gonzalez is 3-for-33 and is completely off his game. We can't do anything with him, he's out of options, so I need a worthwhile 4th OF. I'd rather not see Vazquez back in my dugout, you got about two weeks to make something happen.

Thanks,
Summers

This email is confidential, proprietary property of the Columbus Hot Dogs Baseball Club. The contents contained herein are for the sole use of it's employees and authorized blah blah does anybody even read these things? Four score and seven years ago, friday friday, getting down on friday. Here's a little story about a man named Jed. Luke, I am your father!
-----------------

Everybody agrees... Vazquez is the next to go. He's got a backloaded contract that will slowly get more painful, eventually reaching $1.3m in the fourth and final season. I've discussed the situation with Lerma, he didn't seem to remember the guy... "Oh damn, yea... I think Foster and I were in the middle of a pretty wicked weekend PCP bender when we signed him. That guy was a crap GM, but damn he could party like a Sheen! Anyways, what were we talking about? Oh yea, get rid of him if Summers don't want him."

Well, the only team in the league that needs help at 2B and also will take on the contract are the Richmond Riptide. Their offer at this point is basically a washed up 30 year old minor league reliever... essentially they'll take Vazquez off our hands and take on the contract... but we get nothing in return. They have a middling starter in triple A that might give us some depth, but I need to see how much the pot will need to be sweetened to make him part of the Vazquez deal.

I'm happy with the apparent turnaround. Turns out our hitting coach introduced this radical new technique known as "batting practice" or "BP" for short. If we keeping taking two out of three from the mediocre teams in the league, we might just turn this thing around.

[Nunyer]

The Weiner Bus scoots across to a neighboring borough....



History
Originally founded in Canada as an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1986. They eventually moved and became the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2001. The team was renamed Biohazard in 2035 after large amounts of toxic waste were found oozing from the outfield grass. The team played in neighboring Queens for two seasons as their ballpark was decontaminated. The Biohazard have had no real success in their history with NLB, but the team has become the "lovable losers" among most NY baseball fans.

Best Player
1B Bob "Groucho" Davis / 30 years old - Became very wealthy after lending his likeness to a fast food chain where he was an investor. "Groucho's Goulash" is now the 3rd most popular Hungarian themed fast food chain in the NY/NJ market, with 141 locations. Bob is a notoriously patient hitter, drawing more walks than strikeouts in his career. He averages .280 with roughly 25-30 home runs per season during his nine year career in Brooklyn.

Best Pitcher
SP Alberto "Pinto Beans" Delgardo / 22 years old - One of the best young hurlers in the game, Delgardo appeared in only nine minor league games prior to making his NLB debut at the age of 19. He has steadily improved each season, winning 15 games and striking out 262 hitters in 224 innings of work last season. Unfortunately, Pinto Beans recently suffered an elbow injury that will keep him sidelined until approximately mid-season.

Outlook
Brooklyn is off to a solid start in 2052, with a record of 13-8, two games back of the division lead. Their lineup has been ice cold, hitting only .209 so far this season. The pitching staff has picked up the slack, allowing the 3rd fewest runs in the league.

Minor League Affiliates
Hackensack Bulls (AAA)
Queens Quake (AA)
Montpelier Foresters (SA)

[Nunyer]

Game 1

Columbus 4 - Brooklyn 5
One of the few bright spots for the Hot Dogs so far has been the bullpen, but that was not the case Friday night in Brooklyn. With the game tied 4-4, Reliever Garland Schneider walked the leadoff man in the bottom of the ninth. Scott "Wildcat" Thompson, who has not given up an earned run in 10 innings of work this season, promptly surrendered back-to-back singles to give the Biohazard the victory. Columbus starter Evan Carroll struggled all night, only a strong breeze blowing in from center field kept a number of big flies from going yard. Matt Bison struck out 10 hitters in eight innings of work but did not factor in the decision.

GM Journal

I'm going to designate Carroll for assignment. His fastball was topping out at 87 mph, on almost any other, less windy, day he would have been blasted for at least four home runs. Drew "The Workout" Lee has been awful in his two starts this year, but he's eligible to come off the DL and I have to give him a shot at redemption. It's starting to get real ugly here with our rotation... I just might have to get back in touch with Richmond and try to pry that mediocre triple A starter away from them.... Throwing prospects to the wolves is looking better than continuing to trot out some of these bums.

Garland Schneider has also been pretty awful. I knew he was the weak link in the pen, but an ERA approaching 8.00 with opponents hitting him at a .302 clip just ain't gonna cut it. He's had some bad luck, with a BABIP of .357, but I'm starting to understand why he's with his fourth team in the last four seaons... and why Philly left him exposed in last year's Rule 5 draft. I'd like to say he's on a short leash as well, but I got nobody on the farm to replace him.