Express Train: Volume 2 - Off the Rails?

[Underground]

Going into free agency London Underground General Manager Cyan Winters indicated that the team would be looking to make a splash and after several years of retooling on the flyer, the time had come for a serious playoff push. Two months later the team had invested more into player salaries than ever before under Winters and was less than $150,000 under the ownership-imposed budget of $130,000,000. Multiple all-star caliber players joined the team and the rebuilt offense looked primed to finally break out. Most of the pitching staff was returning, with stud pitcher Duane Moss poised to begin his first full season with the club. There was a hum around London and the team sold over 1,000 additional season tickets compared to last year as the fans responded to the moves being made. Players, coaches, and ownership all expressed their excitement and belief that this was the Underground team they'd all been waiting for. Then the season began.

It took nearly two weeks for the Underground to win their first game. By the time they did, an abysmal 1-6 record was their reward. While the team could only go up from there, progress was slow and success was limited. The team finished the opening month of the season at 7-15. The only thing that kept Winters from deep despair was that the IL was largely lacking for a runaway powerhouse and specifically in the Trans Atlantic Havana and San Juan were both also off to not spectacular starts. Surely then, the team would get in a groove come May and anything could happen from there....right?

A third of the way through May and the team has added just three wins to their total, while hanging six losses. Duane Moss may be the unluckiest player on the team as he sports a WAR of +0.9 and an ERA of 6.14 through his first six starts. More starters are batting below .200 than above .250 and just a single starter - Jose Aguilera - has an OBP above .300. The offense that Winters spent $36,000,000 on in free agency ranks 14th in the IL in runs scored. The DH that he extended with a 5 year, $32,550,000 contract has the lowest WAR on the team, the second lowest batting average, and the absolute worst OBP.

Caught between shock and anguish, Winters fumes. The team cannot afford to spend like this to not even put out a competitive product, and really the playoffs or bust mentality was as much financially motivated as anything else. Winters himself has not appeared publicly or issued any statements since the third week of the season, but rumors abound about what may be happening behind the scenes. Hitting coach Julien Lachance is thought to be on the hot seat and it is thought that he is unlikely to see June if things do not markedly improve soon. Longer term, some advisors have pointed to June 1st as the make or break date for whether Winters keeps the team together or begins to sell it all for scrap.

The remainder of May is laden with Trans Atlantic opponents, providing a key opportunity for London to reassert themselves. Failure to do so may see the dog walkings begin.