By Hamish Campbell
The Edinburgh News
July 1, 2029
The Scottish Claymores addressed their most glaring weakness this month through an aggressive trade with Bakersfield that already has paid some dividends.
As the season progressed, it became clear that Scotland’s bullpen wasn’t strong enough to support a playoff drive. In fact, by virtually every statistical measure, it was one of the worst three ‘pens in the Imperial League.
“That clearly wasn’t going to get it done,” said Malcolm Wilkes, Imperial League columnist for PEBA Weekly. “The problem is that Scotland has an OK - but no better - starting rotation that needs competent relief help to win games. That wasn’t happening, and you saw the Claymores starting to sputter.”
As the team lost game after game to West Virginia and Florida, with pitchers like Mauro Rocha and Orlando Moyagetting gashed again and again, it was clear management would need to do something.
What they did has some observers shaking their heads and wondering if GM Vic Caleca is mortgaging the future of the team for a quick fix: Scotland traded its first, third and fifth round picks in next season’s draft to Bakersfield for two highly-regarded relievers.
The Claymores received Sadakuno Nakagawa and Bob O’Higgins, plus $7 million to offset their salaries and fit them into the team budget.
Both pitchers have performed admirably since joining the Claymores – Nakagawa has appeared in 6 games with 7.1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 5 Ks, and O’Higgins has appeared in 6 games with 7.0 IP, 1 R, a 1.29 ERA, and 7 Ks.
Sources close to the front office say management already has offered extensions to them both.
The team definitely perked up over the last week, taking 2 of 3 games from Kentucky and then sweeping 3 from division rival San Juan to move back into second place in the Trans Atlantic Division, 9 games behind streaking Havana.
“I don’t know if this puts them even with Havana, but it at least stops the bleeding,” Wilkes said. “You can’t say they have the worst bullpen in the IL, anymore.”
Top Hitter
José Escobido, 2B: .270/.333/.381, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, .714 OPS
Top Pitcher
Ken Fisher, CL: 8 G, 7.2 IP, 1 HA, 0 R, 1 W, 5 SV
News and Notes
Scotland released RP Mauro Rocha on July 2 after the veteran cleared waivers and then refused assignment to AAA Aberdeen. Rocha, who joined the Claymores in 2027 when he was claimed off waivers from West Virginia, had struggled this season, going 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA. He was moved to make room for Sadakuno Nakagawa and Bob O’Higgins, the new relievers acquired by trade from Bakersfield … Orlando Moya (2-2, 7.62 ERA) was demoted to Aberdeen in a related move, also to make room for the newcomers … Two high-profile Claymores suffered significant injuries within the past few weeks: LF José Guillén (.258/.323/.480, 15 HRs and 50 RBIs) will be sidelined for 6 weeks with a strained hamstring, and SP Roger Keller (3-3, 2.64 ERA) will be out for the next 7 weeks, also with a strained hamstring.
IL Trans Atlantic Division Standings
As of the morning of July 2, 2029
|Team...........|W | L | W % |GB |RD |
|Havana|.......|55|27|.671| -- |+100|
|Scotland|.....|45|35|.563| 9.0|+55|
|San Juan......|43|38|.531|11.5|-01|
|Amsterdam..|42|39|.519|12.5|-08|
|London........|34|46|.425|20.0|-37|
Fresh From the Farm
AAA Aberdeen went 7-8 over the past couple of weeks, to bring its record to 40-40 on the season. The Golden Sands are in a three-way tie for first with Camaguey and Eindhoven in the AML Europe and Islands Division … RP Andrew Blowey and RF Will Nelson were selected to represent Aberdeen at the GBB All-Star game on June 12. Nelson was 0-1 with 2 walks, while Blowey pitched 1 innings, allowed no hits or runs and struck out a batter … AA Inverness went 9-7 over the past few weeks to bring its record to 47-32, good for first place in the ATAL Euro-Caribbean Division. The Highlanders have a 0.5 game lead over Port-au-Prince … Inverness sent four players to the Great Northern League All-Star Game on June 12: SP Jorge García, SP Edward Moore, CF Dale Cooper, and RF Marcos Uribe. Garcia took the loss in the 13-inning affair, as the Pacific Alliance beat the Atlantic Alliance 5-4. Garcia yielded a walk-off homer to Roberto Yanez of the Lavel Islanders to lead off the bottom of the 13th. Uribe went 0-2, while Cooper had a single in 4 plate plate appearances. Moore pitched one scoreless inning, walking 2 and striking out 1 … Single-A Govan has gone 9-8 since June 11, bringing its record to 32-36. The Shipbuilders are in 4th place, 13.5 games behind AWL Intercontinental Division leader Utrecht … SP Andrew Smith was Govan’s lone representative to the NAFTA All-Star game on June 19. Smith pitched 1 inning, giving up 2 hits, one of them a 2-run homer in the 4th inning … Short Season affiliate Maui has gone 7-10 since its season began on June 14. The Mahi-Mahi are in 5th place in the HL Archipelago Division, 9 games behind Lana’i City … CF Jiro Murase has been hot, going 8-21 in his last 5 games for a .381 BA with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs.
