10/03/2017 Tuesday 4:00pm
Written by Tricia Takanawa
-------------------------- ------------------Cleaning out the Car
As the season comes to close in the
LRS most teams are getting ready for the playoffs. Some are in the hunt for the playoffs,
as others frankly have no chance.
The Steel Dragons are one of those teams. So GM
Kierstead as well as most management held a
meeting on what is to come. The room was dimly lit, with hint of
Cuban cigar smell. Those were being handed out by one of the assistants.
“We have much to celebrate” Kierstead had said. He was very much true in that statement. The Steel Dragons were close to making
a
profit this season as well as break the record attendance. Over 4,000 more fans per game then last year showed up to the games.
Sure the tickets were priced fairly and adequate for the area, as well for a losing team. Kierstead stood and passed out some paperwork for the
staff to look at. Some looked surprised and other lowered their heads in sadness. When I got the paper myself it was clear the team was
getting the junk out of the trunk. They had a ton of dead weight and players asking for too much to return the next season.
Some of the names listed were.
RF
Tara Kudo - 11.5 mil asking 2 years 7.5 mil per. Have been in talks won’t budge on contract talks, Thinks he is worth that much…
His popularity will be missed and fans will greatly be affected. As we don't see him coming back.
P
Arthur Gardener - Contract drops to league min; Told him 5 wins a season is not worth it, States that he will get railed in PEBA and
needs to stay in the LRS. I said maybe another team would pick him up, not us and not for 1 year.
SS
Jun'ichi Kawamura - Finally had a injury free season, wants 5.1 mil, When we sat down I told him don’t even ask your not coming back.
No hard feeling but at 36 years old you would need to at least hit .300 and pop more then 1 out of the yard. He understood and thought
maybe retirement unless he lands with another team. Won’t let the baseball
bug leave his tight grip.
RF
Shannon Davis - We laughed it up for a bit and knew he had an ok season. But he understood that his age and that fact that he is stull
unknown in Japan is unbelievable. I told him those season in Evas should have put him on the map. He hit 38 homers once… He feels like a
no one and knows we can’t pay him 3.6 mil this season.
2B
Hayden Walters - Hit over .300 this year, sadly he is gaijin and for 1.3 mil we can find a Japanese batter for his position. Was one of
his best year yet since the 2015 season. Damn wish he were Japanese. But again asking too much and won’t budge.
CF
Michael Williams - No idea what happened to him to the kid. He was speechless about his season. Mentioned he could not even hit a
dang softball if he wanted to. He lost the pep in his step and his bat all in one season. Has been degrading over the past few years and the
damn kid have yet to hit his prime. He knew then eh was not going to be back next season. I wished him luck and demoted him. He denied
his demotion and told him I would just waive him…
The
Call Me Maybe Club
LF
Sotaro Chikafuji – Old man still had it, but won’t know for sure if he can continue for another season or two. 2.1 mil is a lot to ask for a
36 going on 37 year old. He was happy where he is at and the younger guys look up to him. Have to see at end of year.
P
Katsuhiko 'Reality Check' Rin – Reality is he failed us. But he did sell some t-shirts. His 1.8 mil asking price won’t cover the shirts he would
sell next year though. Might not have been his fault though as the manager did start him 2 games… I signed him as a MR not a starter…Need
more time on this.
It was well over an hour until we had covered that list. The gaijin issues won’t be there for sure next year and with the salary cut Kuwana will
have plenty to play with and fill some major holes. Next time we will cover the financial report.
P 
P 
P 
P 
2B 
SS 
C 
CF 
