Byline: Max Offen Sichtlich
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Veteran Outfielder Will Need to Find a New Home
Nov 15, 2055
Some questioned if Todd Rice could still play the game at age 36, and the bottom line is that the veteran outfielder showed he could, dropping almost 3 WAR in 585 plate appearances. Unfortunately, the two-time All0Star and one-time JL player of the year is not going to be playing in a Mad Pope uniform in 2056. Reports are that Rice visited the Basilica earlier today and turned in his key card. He spent time with the construction crew, which was already beginning to make early progress on the rebuild the stadium is going to undergo.
“He’s a casualty of the salary cap,” said Assistant GM Carlos Camacho. “We couldn’t keep both him and Don Keagle, and as you know, Keagle’s nickname is “The Cult of Camacho,” so that writing was really on the wall.
Rice had a solid year, though, augmenting a .320/.336/.426 slash in the depressive confines of the Basilica with 21 steals in 23 attempts.
“Todd is a great player,” said manager Fernando Pacheco. “Very smart. Great to have on the team. I’m sorry to see him go.” He had no input on who would play in left field next year. “”we have good baseball players. I’m sure we’ll put out a competitive team.”