San Diego Fire Sale

June 7, 2024

Fire Sale in San Diego

The financially strapped San Diego Hops, struggling to remain at .500 amidst a four game losing streak, announced a trade with Cox Division rival, Duke City, sending starting catcher Antonio Rójas to the Danger for C Tangles Calderon, prospect pitcher, 20 year old, Zong-yuan Sang and 1.5 million dollars.

“We were going to lose Antonio to free agency at the end of the season, and despite our nice start, we must think of the future. Calderon is under our control for a number of years, and Sang is a legitimate bullpen prospect, an area we see a weakness on our big league club. The cash was important, as we can’t sign any of our players to an extension at the moment.”

Fans didn’t like the message from Assistant GM, Richard Black, but the communication is clear, San Diego is going to change. Still rumored to be on the block are starting pitchers Tad Kato and Kaz Kanno, both with ERAs over 6.5, and slugger Justin Davis. Davis looks to be the most desirable, with a lifetime slash mark of .293/.381/.450 including 66 round trippers. He suffered the travails of minor league life in 2023, serving time in both Jacksonville and Coronado before ending the year in the Brew Stade.

“My job is to see the ball, and hit the ball. I’ve been traded once before (2017, as part of the seven player Ortiz deal), so maybe it is time for me to seek new horizons. Whatever they tell me to do, I’ll do it. I proved that last season when I rode those buses, so I can do it again. If it means waiting it out until the off-season, and free agency, well, that may be my fate.”

Davis is seen as a quiet leader in a clubhouse that has generally been low-key, but it remains to be seen how cohesive the group will be in the future.

Goldi Lebel, a team leader, had this to say, “I know sometimes Tony (Antonio) and me had some trouble, he was the starting catcher when I came up, but I only wish him the best. I’m looking forward to working with Tangles, Phil Smith, and hope Cairns is back soon. Heck, Smith has two batting titles, seems I could learn a lot.”

Also rumored to be on the trading block are OFers Badry Makaev, Sergio Aragón, Daniel López, and Bill Turner. “Not many teams are interested in our outfielders, except for Butardo, but he is off limits,” said Black. “We are committed to a future that includes both hitting and pitching without sacrificing defense, or our good, young talent in the minor leagues.”

Some reading between the lines says that the Hops would consider offers for minor league pitchers, Tex Sweet, Kendrick Dobson, You-liang Rang, Daniel Wilson, and Alonso Esquivel, if a team would take on some of the expiring big league players’ contracts.