Byline: Max Offen Sichtlich
Off Topic
Another Solid Season. Ho-hum.
September 8, 2055
As they have for 20 of the past 24 seasons, the Bismark Churchills made it to post-season baseball. Unfortunately, after taking the first game in the interior Series with the Reno Aces, our fine players succumbed to defeat, losing by the wide margins of 8-3 and … ouch … 14-1.
In the end, it was a nice little run, made by a team with a few interesting pieces, but no real superstar prospects. Sure, there were the three amigo starters in Ronald Jones, Richard Graves, and Rob Shelton (who someone says are the teams #3, #4, and #5 prospects). And they were all good for Bismark, recording a combined 35-11 record, but no one is suggesting any of them will be the next Ricardo Diaz, and Shelton is now on the shelf with a bad labrum. Never good. Lorazon Serrano (#13 on the list) was 10-6, too, and the bullpen was third best in the AA-ball world. So the team was pitching heavy.
Offensively there was 23-year-old outfielder Jason Theis, and there was everyone else.
Theis clubbed 15 homers and stole 15 bases on his way to a .349/.394/.525, 4.5 WAR season that has raised his profile from not being on the team’s top prospect list at all to not being on the team’s top prospect list at all. Give him a year at AAA, maybe, and see what you get.
Higher profile guys here include Ángel Cabrera (2.7 WAR) at first base and Nelson Dyer (1.5 WAR) in the outfield. Second baseman Charlie Bragg hit .266 in 203 AB while on his way to Black Hills. Joe Jackson hit .302 in 53 AB before taking the same route. Infielder Josh Jowers had a few interesting bits, and DH Rich Robinson probably raised his stake a bit.
But, really, time will tell on all these guys, and time can be a harsh judge.
For now, Bismark fans should be pleased to have seen some post-season baseball, though after a quarter century of it, perhaps it gets to be old hat?
