Off Topic
Martinez Strained Rib Cage Opens Door
August 1, 2057: Portland – “I’m sorry it had to come because someone else got hurt,” Napoleon Mellott said as he packed his bags to head to Portland, where the Bikini Krill will play the Lumberjacks this evening. “But that’s how it is in this business. I’m excited to try to help the club win some games.”
In this case, “someone else” is Manuel Martinez, the Bikini Krill’s utility infielder, who has been diagnosed with a strained rib cage and sent to the IL for what will likely be an extended stay.
Mellot, who recently was the Rupert Horn Memorial League All-Star game’s MVP, and listed as the league’s #31 prospect, is expected to be slotted into directly into the team’s second base slot, which will move Run-ming Gui over to his more natural position at third base. It’s an interesting conundrum for the team, since Mellot’s glove is barely functional, and second base is an important defensive position. His bat, though, projects to be well beyond league average for the position.
“At this point of the season, we’re excited to get a chance to see how he’ll do,” said manager Richard Lawson. “We were planning on bringing him up a little earlier, but he had a little issue with his neck, so that delayed things a little.”
The move will likely push both Mufreed Hamal and Wilson Andrade into fulltime bench roles. Andrade’s implosion this year has been often reported on in these pages. Hamal’s trial as a platoon third-baseman, however, has been no more successful. If Mellott can be a net positive at second, then the move of Gui back to third should do nothing but help.
While others are focused on Mellott’s specifics, Forever Land Sports Network Anchor Misty Morgan was looking at the big picture. “With the recent call-ups of outfielder Leonard Jackson and catcher Pedro Jiménez, Mellot is the third member of the club’s upper minor leagues to get a shot at the bigs this season. Everyone expects a few more to come along soon. So there’s a lot of interesting things going on for Bikini fans to check out over the last two months on the atoll.”
In this case, “someone else” is Manuel Martinez, the Bikini Krill’s utility infielder, who has been diagnosed with a strained rib cage and sent to the IL for what will likely be an extended stay.
Mellot, who recently was the Rupert Horn Memorial League All-Star game’s MVP, and listed as the league’s #31 prospect, is expected to be slotted into directly into the team’s second base slot, which will move Run-ming Gui over to his more natural position at third base. It’s an interesting conundrum for the team, since Mellot’s glove is barely functional, and second base is an important defensive position. His bat, though, projects to be well beyond league average for the position.
“At this point of the season, we’re excited to get a chance to see how he’ll do,” said manager Richard Lawson. “We were planning on bringing him up a little earlier, but he had a little issue with his neck, so that delayed things a little.”
The move will likely push both Mufreed Hamal and Wilson Andrade into fulltime bench roles. Andrade’s implosion this year has been often reported on in these pages. Hamal’s trial as a platoon third-baseman, however, has been no more successful. If Mellott can be a net positive at second, then the move of Gui back to third should do nothing but help.
While others are focused on Mellott’s specifics, Forever Land Sports Network Anchor Misty Morgan was looking at the big picture. “With the recent call-ups of outfielder Leonard Jackson and catcher Pedro Jiménez, Mellot is the third member of the club’s upper minor leagues to get a shot at the bigs this season. Everyone expects a few more to come along soon. So there’s a lot of interesting things going on for Bikini fans to check out over the last two months on the atoll.”
