Ghastly Gazette

[Ghosts]

Ghosts Win the 2036 SL Pennant

Fargo, USA - November 1, 2036

Game seven at Jurassic Park was a historic and wild affair, going 11 innings with a combined four home runs and sixteen runs scored. Starters Jerome Evans and Sang-ton Kun each gave up 3 ER, 7 H, and 2 BB as Evans went 5.0 IP and Kun 3.2. The game was close throughout, as leads were exchanged in the 2nd and 4th innings and ties were reached in the 3rd and 8th innings. It was Augusto Castaneda's solo shot off Noritada Akiyama that tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the 8th and would eventually send the game into extras. The bottom of the 9th saw the Dinos threaten rookie Dennis Sheffield, as he walked Nikolay Rusanovsky and Fernando Valdez. With one out and oft-and-currently-injured Pat Watson at the plate, Sheffield gave up a solidly hit line drive that RF Stowe was able to catch, but the runners each advanced. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Sheffield quickly fell behind to Mike Thompson, but after a foul ball, Thompson missed on two consecutive cuts to end the threat and push the game to extras. The 10th inning was uneventful, as Sheffield and Fargo's Ho-cheong Kim each retired three straight batters.

The 11th was something else entirely. Kim did not return for a third inning of work, with Ben Holman coming on in relief for the top of the frame. He got two pitches in before Gilberto Fernandez lofted a flyball over the left field wall. SS Sin singled, Stowe was beaned, and Guzman was walked as Ramos and Miguel Fernandez were retired in the meantime. With two outs, the bases loaded, and the series in the balance with a thin one-run lead, team champion Pedro Flores came to plate. Working his way to a full count, Flores connected and drove a screaming line drive into a corner of Jurassic Park. He cleared the bases with a 3-run double to give Niihama a 9-5 lead.

Feeling confident but trying not to celebrate too soon, Niihama manager Chris Harris sent Sub-Zero out to ice the game. Immediately, Mireles singled and Rusanovsky homered to cut the lead in half. A third consecutive hit was a single off the bat of likely SL Royal Raker Antonio Santos. With the tying run at the plate, Sub-Zero struck out Fernando Valdez. That brought up Pat Watson. At that point, he was 11 for 22 in the series. He was killing the Ghosts - a Ghostbuster if there ever was one. Murakami quickly jumped ahead 0-2, echoing his manager's playoff mantra ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK. While this had led to mixed results with Murakami, he fired away regardless, and Watson connected, lining a 110mph screamer toward the corner of left field. CF Jose Rivera had been moved to left field as defensive specialist Juan Ramos manned center, he raced toward the line and made a spectacular diving catch. With two out, Sub-Zero faced Jordan MacNeil. His 2-2 offering was skipped down the 3rd base line. Roberto Tall dove to his right, stabbing the grounder, twisting, and firing to first. The runner was called out on an extremely tight play. The Ghosts rushed the field despite the crowd's objections, hoisting Murakami and series MVP Steve McDonald (.400/.464/.800) into the air. The latter required the combined might of 1B Gilberto Fernandez (.400/.429/.850) and 3B Tall (.333/.381/.500), but the team's elation made the effort seem trivial.

[Sandgnats]

Congrats Dan! Great job on building out of the WIL and being patient till glory became yours.

[Ghosts]

Thanks RJ! I can hardly believe it!

[Ghosts]

Heroes of the Championship Run: Part One

Having captured the 2036 Rodriguez Cup by defeating the legendary Florida Farstriders, the Niihama fans can spend the off-season relishing their victory and savoring the heroic performances that contributed to their first championship. Here, we review these performances and highlight the heroes that made this run possible.

6. DH Sean Peters (166 OPS+) - The Ghosts DH against LHP, Peters is the definition of a role player, and he played it perfectly this postseason. The 37-year-old slugger hit 3 HR in 38 PAs and slugged .667. His performances against SS (3-6, 1 HR) and FAR (5-8, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR) were particularly spectacular, even if he struggled against FLA (0-8, 3 Ks).

5. 2B Miguel Fernandez (133 OPS+) - Headhunter went 8-24 in the Florida series, including the 2-run home run that put game 7 on ice late. His .304/.360/.506 slash for the postseason is as solid as they come for an everyday player, while his 4-5 (1 2B, 1 HR) performance in game three of the Wild Card sweep of SS won him player of the game honors.

4. C Steve McDonald (150 OPS+) - One of the streakiest hitters in PEBA, 20 Piece started the postseason very slow: he was OPSing just .422 hitting just .138 in the process. Then in games 5 and 6 of the LC series against Fargo, McDonald caught fire. He went 6-8 with 3 2Bs and a HR, raising his OPS to .807 after that series. He was awarded series MVP. Then in the FLA series, he started game one 4-4 and ended up raising his postseason OPS to .927 with walks, doubles, and a critical game seven HR.

3. OF Pedro Flores (114 OPS+) - His overall line doesn't seem so great, but Flores was the master of clutch hitting. He seemed to come up with big at bat after big at bat, with five postseason HRs and 16 BBs. His Wild Card performance (.333/.429/.833, 2 HR) set the pace for the entire postseason and earned him MVP of that series. He knocked in 4 RBI in the 9-7 game seven of the LC series and earned player of the game honors that day. A big HR in game four of the championship put the Ghosts over the edge for the 6-5 win.

2. 1B Gilberto Fernandez (174 OPS+) - The veteran slugger posted the team's highest postseason OPS+ after returning from missing weeks of late season ball. He hit 6 HRs and almost single-handedly won the Ghosts biggest heartbreaker of the run, game three of the finals. He went 3-3 with 2 HRs and 5 RBI in the 8-7 loss that could have allowed Niihama to win in 5 if not for a 6-run outburst by Florida in the 5th.

1. Jin-song Zambrano (140 OPS+) - Gigantor may not have had an amazing regular season, but this postseason he showed that the bigger the stage, the bigger his play. He won series MVP in the divisional against the SL wins-leading Toyoma Wind Dancers and against the record-setting Florida Farstriders in the finals. He solo homered game-winners in games 4 and 5 of the finals, including the unforgettable walk-off shot in game 5. Niihama fans will never forget that moment. He had 8 multiple hit performances throughout the run, and played like the star he is expected to become.

[Ghosts]

No Hangover for SL Leading Ghosts

Niihama, Japan - August 17, 2037

Almost a year after taking PEBA by storm and capturing the Rodriguez Cup in their first ever postseason appearance, the young Ghosts appear comfortable as leading contenders for the SL Pennant. While many teams suffer something of a rebound effect, crashing back to mediocrity after winning so suddenly, the Ghosts solidified their roster in the offseason and are now outperforming their 2036 season. As the end of the season draws in sight, the Ghosts are the top seed in the SL, with a thin 2 game lead over the Toyoma Wind Dancers. The Windies and the Ghosts stand comfortably ahead of the rest of the SL pack, as the next best record currently belongs to the Borealis, who are 7.5 games behind the Ghosts.

The major additions include CF Angel Franco, SP Carmelo Lamberti, and 2B Esteban Rodriguez. Each has bolstered what were already solid performances by their predecessors. 2B Rodriguez, for instance, replaces 2B Miguel Fernandez. "Headhunter" was traded to London in the offseason following his outstanding 3.0 WAR age 24 season in Niihama, where he hit .301/.364/.504 for a 131 OPS+. He has struggled in his first season in Europe, but his 2036 season is the baseline for the Rodriguez comparison. With 34 games remaining in the season, the Celestial Jaguar has accrued 4.0 WAR, made his first all star appearance, and is leading the SL in AVG at .321. He's accrued 36 SBs (80%), 15 HRs, 23 2Bs, 8 3Bs, and is posting a 144 OPS+. Even using Headhunter's excellent 2036 season as a baseline, it's easy to see why Niihama was eager to get TCJ into the lineup.

Franco replaced homespun centerfielder Jose Rivera, whom was traded to Duluth midseason and is currently serving as Pat Watson insurance to the Great Lakes hopeful Warriors. Franco started slow, but the PEBA newcomer is sporting a 135 OPS+, largely on the back of his power (60 XBHs, .510 SLG). His 3.4 WAR is excellent in his inaugural season at age 27. His predecessor, "Lippy", posted a 2.0 WAR, 105 OPS+ season in 2036. He was an integral part of the run, but clearly Franco's exceptional power places him on a tier above Rivera.

Lamberti appears to have displaced Shohei Murakami from the rotation, as Sub-Zero continues to struggle after his devastating 2033 injury. While the Ghosts still believe there is a place for Murakami in the organization, Lamberti was brought in to ensure a steady RHP was available to pair with budding star LHPs Connor Leith and Fernando Valdez. Lamberti has dropped off a bit outside the very pitcher-friendly confines of Amsterdam's Stadium Urbanus, but has still won 13 games and posted 2.6 WAR in his first season in Niihama. At age 26, his walk rate has increased, as has his HR rate and WHIP, but much of this may be attributed to a new environment and a touch of bad luck due to his .292 BABIP. Regardless, he's been a steady arm and the Ghosts have benefited from adding him, especially as they await the return of Valdez from his torn back muscle. Questions still abound as to whether Biceps can return in time for the playoffs, which is all the more reason the Ghosts are eager to capture the top seed and bypass the Wild Card round.

[Ghosts]

How the SL's Top Rotation Was Built

Niihama, Japan - 17 August, 2037

As of mid-August, 2037, the Ghosts feature the SL's best starter's ERA and FIP. In a season where ace sophomore phenom Fernando Valdez was for the season in May, that's particularly impressive. Valdez deserves mention despite his minimal contribution to the current ranking, especially given the nature of his acquisition. After being signed out of Panama for a large, $3.2M bonus in 2031 by Florida, "Biceps" struggled a bit in his rookie league debut in 2032. That offseason, the Florida front office mishandled a rostering transaction and left the incredibly talented Edgardo Trevino off their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft. After the disastrous 2032 season, the Ghosts held the top pick in not just the amateur draft, but also the Rule 5. The rare Florida mistake gifted the Ghosts Trevino, the cannon-armed prospect that was such a guaranteed success, he was nicknamed "Sureshot". Realizing the magnitude of the error, the Florida front office negotiated for the return of Trevino in good faith. "Biceps" was a better fit in Niihama's plan, as he was several years younger and a better match for their projected window of contention. The trade was nearly 1:1, though Florida also included a 4th and $4.6M cash. This background made game 7 of the 2036 Rodriguez Cup that much more remarkable, as the two faced off against one another as their team's championship chances rested on their respective young shoulders. Biceps would win the matchup, but Florida fans can rest assured that the Trevino trade was a win for both teams, as Trevino has dominated the IL since his debut.

Leading the pack now is third year starter Connor Leith with a 2.79 ERA (139+) and 3.30 FIP (85-). "Tapper" was selected 4th overall in the 2032 draft and was the Ghosts first pick in the PEBA draft during this expansion. While that might seem like a mundane acquisition, it's worth noting that the Ghosts first pick in that draft given to them was actually #9 (and it's where they selected current closer Earl "Wild Card" Lucas. The #4 pick came to them via trade with the Manchester Maulers, for All-Leather shortstop Victor Torres. Torres was ready to join PEBA in 2032 at age 23, but the Ghosts weren't anywhere near ready to win, and so they traded the WIL's top prospect (which, interestingly, translated to PEBA's #34 prospect), for the #4 pick and catcher Julio Elias. Elias is currently backing up Steve McDonald in Niihama, and has earned the respect of his pitching staff with his second ranked framing runs (FRM) of 2.8 and catcher's ERA of 3.39.

Behind Leith is the resurgent Yuji Yamashita with an impressive 3.07 ERA (126+) and 3.12 FIP (80-). A year after posting marks of 4.87 (87+) and 4.42 (107-), the turn around has been remarkable. Yamashita was considered on the cusp of losing his role in the rotation as the season began, but he earned his first all-star appearance this season, narrowly missing out on being named the SL's starter. Yuji has improved across the board, issuing fewer walks and missing more bats. It's likely that his current performance is more in tune with his real talent than last year, as well, given career stats to this point. At just age 27, Yuji finds him self starting to climb into Niihama's scant record books. He's only 2 wins from the top ten all time winners, tied for third in shutouts (4), and is 8th in Ks (609). If he can pitch anywhere near as well as he has this year, he will be hard to replace and will continue to climb ever higher in Ghosts lore. Yuji was selected #1 in the 2030 WIL draft, a rare bit of lasting legacy from the previous regime.

Carmelo Lamberti is sporting a 3.79 ERA (102+) and 3.67 FIP (94-). These numbers are a bit mundane, but Lamberti is still just 26 and is adjusting to a new continent/team. Lamberti was traded for promising SP Armando Sanchez and SP Fernando Martinez. While this cost Amsterdam a bit in the short term, it appears to be ready to pay dividends soon as Sanchez is pitching competently in AAA at age 21, ranking #91 on OSA's top 100 prospects list.

Performing similarly is third year SP Alonso Hernandez, whom has been remarkably steady in his young career (ERAs of 3.60, 3.60, and 3.68 in 2035, 36, and 37). At age 26, "Shocker" continues to look and play the part of a solid backend starter with a 4.15 FIP (107-). He is rarely overpowering, but is also rarely overpowered. His best and worst work also seems to come against Toyoma: on June 19th, he pitched 6.1 shutout innings, allowing 2 H and 1 BB while striking out 8 (GSC 76) and six days prior, he only last 1.2 innings, giving up 6 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR, with just 2 Ks (GSC . Shocker is the only other holdover from the previous regime. He was a 2029 scouting discovery out of the Dominican Republic, the third of the three heralded prospects current GM Dan Vail inherited from the otherwise bereft organization in 2031.

Last, Pedro Soliz, the newly acquired SP from Neo Tokyo, is sporting a 4.35 ERA and 4.10 FIP, although he has been markedly more effective as a Ghost(2.41 ERA, 3 GS) than he was for Neo Tokyo (4.67 ERA, 20 GS). Soliz was a deadline deal, given up for a 5th round pick and $500k cash. The 6th year pitcher served as the Akira's swingman since his age 25 debut, only producing above average results in 2035. The Ghosts have a decision to make on him as he approaches free agency, but for now they're more than pleased with his performance as a rental.

[Ghosts]

You May Not Have Heard of Santiago Aranda, That May Change

Niihama, Japan - 24 August, 2037

At the end of the 2036 season, Aranda was a 23-year-old recent AA graduate in the Arlington system. He'd performed well at A level, posting a 177 OPS+ in 188 PAs, but did not excel at AA (102 OPS+, 78 PA). His limited defense was matched with a pedestrian history of scouting reports detailing his offensive limitations. No scouting report existed to this point that described Aranda as anything beyond an organizational filler type that would likely never progress past AA.

Sometime after the close of the season, Aranda was notified by his agent that his name was being tossed about in unflattering trade talks. With his future apparently decided in Arlington, Aranda disappeared. It has been rumored that he returned to his hometown of Mato de Platano. His socials went quiet. His phone unanswered. This may have contributed to Arlington's decision to leave him off the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft. Then something odd happened. The world champion upstart Niihama-sho Ghosts selected Aranda with the 28th pick in the Rule 5 - their only selection. Representatives in Niihama confirmed that Aranda was the only player listed on their Rule 5 draft board. What is even more baffling, is that Aranda plays 3B, and while he's a switch hitter, has been known to hit better left-handed. With young star 3B Roberto Tall entrenched in his role as the left-handed 3B of the Ghosts, the redundancy is clear. He didn't fit a need. He was the only player they wanted - what on Earth did the Ghosts front office see that at least 27 other organizations didn't?

That may never be answered, but their must be a substantive answer, because when he arrived, Aranda was placed in AAA. Normally this would not be possible, but Niihama reached out to Arlington and paid them $500k in cash to fully relinquish Aranda's rights to them. A confused Arlington front office accepted the terms without hesitation. It didn't take long for Aranda to demonstrate that Niihama's interest was worthwhile. In 202 PAs at AAA, Aranda crushed, hitting .280/.428/.554. That's good for a 203 OPS+ and 3.1 WAR in 48 games.

With former top amateur draft pick John MacVurich struggling vs RHP on the season, the Ghosts promoted Aranda on June 15th. The results were nothing short of astounding: in June at PEBA level, Aranda made 31 PAs, collecting 8 hits - 3 1Bs, 3 2Bs, 2 HRs. He added 5 BBs, posting an OBP of .419 and OPS+ of 204. To date, he's amassed a 147 OPS+, less than a year after failing so hard to impress Arlington at AA that they'd given up on him.

How this is possible remains a mystery, and no one in the Ghosts Front Office is likely to provide an answer. No staff is known to have a personal connection to Costa Rica. Few players, and none of any particular note, have ties to Costa Rica within the Niihama organization, either. Regardless, something miraculous happened to young Santiago Aranda. He's shown a quickness with his hands that he never displayed anything remotely close to. His approach at the plate seems to have been reinvented overnight. Aranda, adding to the mystery, refuses to comment on any question related to his uncanny ascent. It has been rumored that the drug testing folks in PEBA have drawn a suspiciously high number of "random" tests, but not only has nothing come of them, Aranda doesn't appear overly or differently muscled.

What is clear, however, is that Aranda figured out how to hit at a level most players can only dream of, and he did so astonishingly abruptly. Short of an equally precipitous drop off, Aranda will be turning heads, and troubling SL pitching, for the foreseeable future.

[Ghosts]

Ghosts Activate Stowe, Call Up Several More

Niihama, Japan - 1 September, 2037

After taking an Akira pitch to the wrist and suffering weeks of recovery, Harold Stowe has returned. He finds his team in an advantageous position - up 3.5 games over the current second seed in the SL, the Windies. Behind them, Tempe and Aurora are tied for the DH lead, 8 games behind Toyoma, and the Evas stand a half game behind those two, the first team out of the playoffs according to current standings. Behind the Evas (by winning percentage) are the GL-leading Warriors, one game up on the Badgers.

The Ghosts have remained steadfast, and now get some extra help with the return of Stowe, and don't need to send rookie-phenom Hyo-sang Park back to AAA to accommodate the reintegration of Stowe, as his recovery coincided nicely with roster expansion. In addition to Stowe, the Ghosts added defensive specialist CF Juan Ramos back to the squad. It's unlikely he'll get many plate appearances - and the same can be said for Forrest Aldridge with the emergence of Park - but he will likely see some playing time in close games late as a defensive replacement.

Also added to the lineup is IF Moos Ippel, the heir apparent to the utility infielder job. He's also not likely to get more than a few pinch hits, but we look forward to seeing what he can do with them.

The bullpen is reinforced with the recall of Shohei Murakami, whom has pitched quite well in AAA to earn some more opportunities at the ML level after struggling mightily to open the year. The final addition to the September roster is prospect Curt "Metallica" Merrill. The young pitcher finished last season at A ball, but after a very successful season at AAA, skipping AA all together, Metallica has earned his "cup of coffee" PEBA debut.

[Ghosts]

Ghosts Clinch Rising Sun for the First Time

Niihama, Japan – 28 September, 2037

With seven games remaining on the regular season docket, the Ghosts hold an 8-game lead over Toyoma. For the first time, the Niihama-shi Ghosts have won the Rising Sun Division. Additionally, again for the first time, the Ghosts have won over 100 games. While these accomplishments may seem anti-climactic in the immediate afterglow of the 2036 PEBA championship, the truth is that most viewed the 2036 run as evidence that anything can happen in the postseason. The young, hot team can upset their perennial playoff contending rivals, the storied franchises that have dominated the postseason for decades, in any given year, but ultimately they will be set back in their place in short order. Today’s victory, however, demonstrates that the Ghosts are truly among the league’s elite.
The Wind Dancers have “stumbled” their way to a 14-10 record in September, while the Ghosts have won 18 games and own the best record in the SL in both September and the entire regular season. The Evas have also won 18, but have lost an extra game (6) in comparison while taking firm command of the final playoff spot. It appears all but certain that the Rising Sun will again send three teams to the postseason, although this year the Windies and the Evas will have to compete for the chance to upend the Ghosts.

Further, the long-missing ace of the Ghosts, Fernando Valdez, has recovered from injury and will return to action in time for the playoffs. The Ghosts are likely to be extremely limiting in his return start, but hope to take the shackles off him quickly in the postseason. At full health and closing the season hot, the Ghosts may prove formidable in the postseason once again. For now, however, they can rest easy knowing they’ve clinched the division and the top seed in the SL for the 2037 playoffs.

[Ghosts]

Leith Lost for ‘38, Org Seeks Answers Within

One week into spring training and the Ghosts have already suffered a major blow to their season aspirations. Connor Leith, the former 4th overall pick and Golden Arm candidate in 2037, was lost for the year with little hope for returning even in time for a playoff run. It feels a lot like last year when the Ghosts lost ace lefty Fernando Valdez for most of the season in May.

Rumors have run rampant about potential trades for arms, but the official stance of the organization has been that there are plenty of candidates that can flex into the rotation. Former starter Shohei Murakami may be the team’s only legitimate lefty option to start in Leith’s place. He has been eager to earn another shot at the rotation after he lost his place to the rookie Valdez after he suffered a devastating shoulder injury. He struggled last year when Valdez went down, and the team turned to Pedro Soliz as a stopgap.

The other ‘penner the team is stretching out is former top selection and Yuman Devlyn Hale. The young fireballer has been vocal about wanting to earn a spot in the rotation, and it appears he may now get his chance.

Perennial 6th man Yajirobi Matsunaga struggled and was pulled from the rotation early. He’s unlikely to see any action outside of significant injury attrition.

DH/P John MacVurich may have been given a chance at the rotation as well, but injuries to righty hitters Pedro Flores and Ramon Guzman mean his bat is more needed than his arm, at least for the time being.

[Ghosts]

Park, Franco, & Aranda Lead the Offense in Spring Training

Niihama, Japan - March 29, 2038

Just days before the start of the season, the offense is clicking, fueled by last season's freshest faces. Free agent signing Angel Franco may somehow lose his job in centerfield despite performing at an elite level. Recent first round pick Hyo-sang Park has emerged from the mysterious cocoon of Winterball looking sharper than ever, and may force the front office to start him in center despite the team's heavy investment in Franco and the high return he provided last year and so far this Spring. With Pedro Flores out for the next few weeks, both will get plenty of playing time, but who takes the lion's share of the reps in centerfield is one of the team's most fortunate problems.

Meanwhile, co-attendee Santiago Aranda seems improved, but is still slated to mainly DH behind the capable gloves and bats of Gilberto Fernandez, Ramon Guzman, and Roberto Tall. He may see some more time at 3B, but recent acquisition Rien Lewenbergh is expected to platoon with Tall this season. Aranda, for his part, is making his presence felt despite being only offered a bat. Hid 1.226 OPS leads the team, and the organization believes it's indicative of his true ability. The team expects to provide him among the most plate appearances of anyone on the team, so he will have every opportunity to hit in his first full season.

Two surprises so far this Spring are the small sample successes of long-awaited slugger Adam Ugurlu (8-17, 2 2Bs) and catcher Julio Elias (10-34, 6 2Bs, 1 HR). Elias is set to earn more PT than ever before, as his glove and game calling have earned the trust of manager Chris Harris and the entire pitching staff.

[Ghosts]

Sub-Zero Wins

Niihama, Japan - April 5, 2038

Opening Day is upon us again, and the returning division champion Ghosts are projected toward the front of the standings once again. The 5th rotation spot opened up by the loss of star Connor Leith was the subject of intense competition, but it appears that Shohei "Sub-Zero" Murakami has won the spot (at least for now). In three Spring "starts" of a max 5.0 IP, Murakami gave up 1 ER, 13 H, 0 HR, and 3 BBs in 13.1 IP, while issuing 12 Ks. He narrowly defeated setup man Devlyn Hale for the spot by pitching well to some slightly tougher competition. His spot is far from guaranteed, however, as he won that spot last season before losing it with several poor outings. He will immediately face tough competition, as he is slated to start the series against Okinawa. Hale, meanwhile, will return to pen and pitch late in games. His role is expected to expand to high leverage appearances as well, a role Geoffrey Bowman will also share.

Taking the roster positions of injured OF Pedro Flores and 1B Ramon Guzman are defensive IF specialist Sang-yeon Sin and C Carlos Mejia. Mejia is being brought on to account for Steve McDonald's switch to C/DH while the team needs an extra right-handed bat.

[Ghosts]

2039 Ghosts Lead the Rising Sun at the Deadline, Trade Away a Star

With a narrow lead over division rival Toyoma Wind Dancers at the trade deadline, the Ghosts made the surprise decision to trade star CF Angel Franco to another rival, the Shin Seiki Evas. Rumors about a Franco trade have been swirling about back channels for well over a season, but the timing of the move is challenging to accept. Just 2.5 games ahead of the red hot Wind Dancers, losing a key contributor is almost certain to cost the Ghosts what remains of their thin lead. Losing that is likely to slide them from the top seed and a round one bye to the top Wild Card spot, the #4 seed - almost assuredly costing them home field throughout the playoffs and adding an entire series to the dream of another Rodriguez Cup.

First, the return - not a single asset ready to contribute. In fact, no specific player was involved, as the exchange netted only draft picks. Granted, the haul of picks is substantial - the struggling Eva's picks in rounds 1-6 (less round 4). So, who will net Franco's at bats? It appears the rookie duo of Alan "Pepper" O'Toole and Arturo "IROC" Carolino will be the primary beneficiaries. Can the tandem reproduce Franco's combination of speed, power, and defense? Almost assuredly no. Yet, the defense was set to be primarily at LF, as Park is too talented a fielder to not play him at CF full time now that he's back from injury. Additionally, Carolino especially is no slouch defensively at LF, and so the net effect on defense should be minimal. Offensively, Franco has averaged a 127 OPS+ with 35 SBs. The base stealing is a loss as Carolino not much of a threat to steal, although O'Toole could replace a portion of it as he's stolen 52, 59, and 27 (so far) between 2037, 2038, and 2039 at various levels of play. Hitting-wise, Carolino projects as a hacky power bat with solid patience - similar to Franco - while O'Toole is a contact-first hitter with gap power. They may not immediately be able to replace Franco, but so far the difference is not incredible.

So while the major league club might not suffer horrendously, why do this? Why trade a 29-year-old star at a premium position in the middle of a contention window? Publicly, the primary motivation the front office cites in freeing budget space for extensions. The bulk of the team is moving into various late stages of arbitration, and so this tracks. Closer Earl Lucas's recent arbitration-beating one year extension is evidence that Franco's $18M salary is likely to end up in the pockets of the team's younger players.

While the financial aspect is likely real - there may be more to the trade. Specifically, the draft availability of GM Dan Vail's blue chip prospect son, Elias "Jack" Vail . With draft capital coming at an increasingly steep price, the Franco trade may be the first of several pounds of flesh the Niihama GM will sacrifice to acquire his son.

[Ghosts]

Gakidou Onryuou (A) Clinch the Baja Cali League Division

It's a banner year for the Gakidou Onryou, they have won the Baja Cali League Japanese.

"There's so much pride in our room and on our roster, anything but a division title wouldn't have been acceptable," said starting pitcher Robin Carroll. "In the playoffs we'll just have to take it one day at a time and keep battling." Carrol, a 2036 3rd round draft pick in his sophomore season with the Onryou, posted a 9-6 record with a 2.97 ERA (146 ERA+) and 3.2 WAR en route to the club's 65-61 mark, good enough for the club's 2nd Baja Cali League Japanese title.

"I'm extremely proud of my players and look forward to seeing what we can do in the postseason," said manager Judd Branch. Several players have stood out among Branch's roster, positing personal bests and impressive stats. Carrol certainly registers among that group, as does his bullpen counterpart, Eiichi Takahashi. The 9th round pick from the 2038 Amateur Draft has continued to impress in the Niihama organization after a spectacular showing for the SSA Gunslingers in '38: 1.70 ERA (271 ERA+), 0.82 WHIP, 1.9 WAR in 34 appearances. This season, Takahashi threw 70.0 innings for the Onryou (and an additional 7.1 in a brief callup to AA, where he excelled with a 166 ERA+), producing 2.5 WPA, 2.2 rWAR, and 24 shutdowns alongside his 2.96 ERA, 3.46 FIP, and 1.06 WHIP. On the offensive side, Takayuki Kobayashi led the team in most categories, hitting 20 HR and producing an 123 OPS+ and 2.8 WAR from the DH spot. 1B Denny Shirley (108 OPS+, 1.4 WAR), CF George Young (109 OPS+, 1.6 WAR), and 2B Jim Robinson (110 OPS+, 1.4 WAR) were all contributors as well.

Overall, the team appears to be greater than the sum of its parts, as it ranked 10th in runs scored, 7th in runs against, and ended the season just four games over .500 - but a division title is just that. Now it's time to see what the team can do in the NAFTA playoffs!

[Ghosts]

Game 163 Goes to the Wind Dancers

Niihama, Japan - October 3, 2039

The Rising Sun Crown has belonged to the Wind Dancers for four of the last five seasons, with the lone exception being the 2037 season belonging to the Ghosts. Niihama held a lead in the division for the vast majority of the season, but since the very slow start in April, Toyoma has worked tirelessly to supercede the Ghosts win-loss record, ultimately owning a 2.5 game edge at the onset of the final week. Niihama, however, made a valiant effort to finish the 162 game season tied with Toyoma, leading to a game 163 that would be hosted in Niihama.

The Ghosts, however, wasted an inspired, 7-inning effort from starter Fernando Valdéz, falling 2-1 to the Toyama Wind Dancers at Oikake Maze. The winner in relief was Motonobu Yoshida. He is now 4-2. The right-hander allowed no runs on no hits in 1.2 innings. The Wind Dancers raised their record to 101-62, one better than the Ghosts 100-63. The Ghosts reached the 100 win mark for the third straight season and also only the third time in franchise history.

Takeichi Kobayashi, the 28-year old right fielder, had a direct impact on the outcome. Kobayashi contributed a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning to put Toyama up, 2-1.

"The old adage is true," said Kobayashi. "Good pitching stops good hitting." Daniel Hernandez and his relief help muted the vaunted Ghosts offense, allowing just 6 hits. The only one that made a difference was John MacVurich's solo shot, his 38th of the year (a career high).

With the loss, the Ghosts will become the top Wild Card seed and play the red-hot division rival Okinawa Shisa in a 5-game series, the only one where they will have home field advantage, and they must do so without team captain and batting champion Harold Stowe and Luppe Van Dam, both injured over the course of the final week.