Duluth Playoff Bound
Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 10:07 am
October 05, 2026
Tricia Takanawa
The Duluth Warriors started the season trading picks and popular players soon after general manager Mark Kierstead joined the organization. Kierstead soon dismantled what was a 100 win team and started plucking popular players and trading draft pick at an alarming rate. Many fans were up in arms as some seemed the team was primed for another playoff run regardless because of the talent the team currently had. Kierstead quickly urged fans to relax and that he would do what was best for the team always.
Of the moves made one of the biggest was trading former 1st round pick CF Tomás Flores to Aurora Borealis that allowed Duluth to get 2B Harley Schneider. The trade was looked as a wait and see who does best for each team and both players did very well. Flores recently went down with an injury for 5 months, sadly ending any more comparisons. Schneider, on the other hand, had a career year. Blasting 36 homers, knocking in 108 RBIs. He had been hot since spring training and cooled off a bit but stayed in the number 4 slot in the lineup as his contact had been great since spring training. He was voted team MVP after the regular season ended unanimously. Some other trades brought in a bunch of pitchers who helped the team win games and keep the flow moving. Duluth had a pair of 18 win players in P Julián 'Rainmaker' Thomas and P Rubén 'Hollywood' Hernández. Both players lived up to the hype and carried the pitching staff when Duluth needed it most. One pitcher after struggling with starts was moved to closer where he did an amazing job. P José 'Bullfrog' Hernández has exceeded all expectations and will keep the closer job for the foreseeable future. Posting 25 saves, 1.55 ERA, and 11K/9 innings was what heald Duluth together in the end. The playoffs are here and the roster is set Duluth has done well under Kierstead. We just have to see how far he can take the team.