April II Sim Completed

Game Date:  5/1/2022

Standings:
Adams:  Brooklyn leads Atlanta by two.
Zotti: Ohio is two ahead of Seattle and Shackamaxon
Signorino:  Antelope Valley is ahead by two over New York.

News:
New York C Fransisco Gonzalez named Player of the Week (4/18)
Maui SS Timothy Mendiolina named Player of the Week (4/25)
Shackamaxon 1B David Seibel named Batter of the Month
New York's William Connolly named Pitcher of the Month
Houston 1B Tony Brown named Newcomer of the Month

Accomplishments:
Ohio closer Pedro Ramos saved his 300th game.  He is the third player to reach that goal.
Seattle SS John Hukill hit his 500th round tripper.  That makes him the third player to reach that goal.

Significant Injuries:
Atlanta RF Jorge Gonzales strained a hamstring and will miss about four weeks.
Antelope Valley SP Thomas Brasfiield tore a labrum and is out for four months.
Antelope Valley 3B Bruce Parker tore an ankle ligament.  The star 3B won't return for about four months.
Ohio CF Zane Boreland has an intercostal strain and will miss three to four weeks.
Brooklyn RF Juan Carillo has back soreness and is out for two weeks.
Seattle is going to have to do without RP Luis Gonzalez.  He's done for the year with a torn flexor tendon.
Antelope Valley (boy, this wasn't a good sim for them injury wise) is going to miss Ronald Quijada while he recuperates for the next five weeks from a strained PCL.

Extensions signed:
Seattle: SP Christopher Hester was locked up for an additional three years for $46m, making it likely that the righty will end his career in Seattle, where it started way back in 2008.
Barstow:  1B Gregorio Marzanno, 5 yrs/$62.5m

Next sim:  Next Sunday

Shackamaxon keeps dealing

Hours after acquiring his potential replacement, the Shackamaxon Lenape have traded starter John Cooper to the Barstow Lizards. "John has been a mainstay of the Lenape rotation the past few seasons, but has become less and less comfortable with our team," said Shackamaxon GM Michael Weintraub.

"After his last start, he met with me privately and asked to be traded. We both agreed he needed a change of scenery and made the deal quickly with Barstow."

Cooper was traded with hotshot prospects IF Pedro Gonzalez and closer Alejandro Cruz in exchange for a package headed by all-world closer Gregg Fiala. "After Junior Cuomo fled in free agency this past winter," Weintraub explained, "we wanted another franchise pitcher for the ninth inning."

Fiala joins a powerhouse bullpen with Joshua Stoker, Lucas Sweeney, and veteran Dale Beene. Shackamaxon also received veteran starter Eric Thomas, farmhand Ruben Diaz, and $4m cash.

Shackamaxon/Seattle trade

Shackamaxon and Seattle have a trade to announce:

To Shackamaxon: AAA SP Ivan Gallardo and AAA 3B Ken Moore

To Seattle: Shackamaxon's 1st and 4th round picks in the 2023 draft

Cross-Continental Air Travel Posts Gains

It's good news for air carriers, as Seattle and New York agreed to a five-player, one-draft-pick trade today.  Heading east on non-stop flights for their new lives in the Big Apple are major league pitcher Seiji Masuda, top-50 pitching prospect Brian Harrington, and catching prospect Norman Bouchard.  In return, Seattle acquires AA reliever Jesús Cruz, catching prospect Steven Broadbent, and New York's second-round pick in next March's amateur draft.

Seattle Owner/GM Mack Shultz explained the Monarchs' reasoning, such as it is, to the media.  "Seiji's been a good soldier in the organization. He deserves a change to start in the major leagues, and he just wasn't going to get it here. Our rotation is too deep. We knew New York had a need in light of Jeff Shuttleworth's injury, and discussions ensued. We just worked it out from there."

In the deal, Seattle also sent away its second-best starting pitching prospect and a promising catcher. "We didn't want to deal Brian, because he has a world of promise, but we had to do what we had to do. We're excited to add a good reliever in Cruz and we're very excited about the power bat Broadbent is bringing. Everyone seems to be swimming in great young catchers, us included, but he looks to be a special talent."

Off the record, front office members in Seattle said that they were trying to reclaim the #1 team ranking for prospects. On the record though, all Shultz would say is,"In the end, we just didn't want to waste Seiji's prime as the seventh starter on our major league team. It's not fair to him."

SP Depth Heads to Barstow

Barstow has acquired SP Jamie Cruz from the Atlanta Hurricanes for 2 minor league prospects.  Needing depth in their rotation, which is pretty weak after their stud Emilio Romero, Barstow figured they had to go out and do something.  There was an original deal that also included star SS Richard Bender, but the cost was too high for Barstow and this watered down deal was agreed upon.  New Barstow GM Fred Goldfarb said, "I am slowly getting the hang of this, man this is gonna be fun!!!"

In return, Atlanta gets low level OF prospects Britt Atkinson and Jose Garcia to help rebuild its farm system and continue to aim for the future.

April I Sim Complete

Game Date:  4/16/2022

Standings:
Adams:  The Brooklyn Wolves lead by three over Hickory
Zotti:  Seattle has jumped out to a four game lead over Ohio
Signorino:  New York holds a slim one game lead over Antelope Valley

Accomplishments:
Maui's Lindsay Walker hit for the cycle (4/4)
Hickory's Aaron Hampton hit for the cycle (4/8)
Barstow RF Rufus Murray scored his 1000th run
Seattle 3B Trey Hubbard named Player of the Week (4/11)

Significant Injuries:
Antelope Valley will be without LF Alfonso Fernandez for three weeks due to a separated shoulder.
Maui's RF Pedro Martinez will miss four months with a ruptured finger tendon.
Veteran RHP Jefferey Shuttleworth tore a flexor tendon in his elbow and will miss the entire year.
New York LF Armando Cedeno tore an ankle ligament and will be out for about three weeks.
Shackamaxon SS Miguel Martinez will be on the bench for two to three weeks with a strained hamstring.

Next Sim:  Next Saturday night

Opening Day Moved To Sunday Morning

When I posted the last update, I forgot that my son has a school function this Saturday night (which I am going to attend).

Opening Day will be run on Sunday morning.

Sorry for the confusion.

Zev