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Rakeville Times Sports Page
By STAFF / Rakeville Times
Grab Your Bats
By Hernadez Firstname, Pensacola Post (EHP)
The equipment arrived Monday. Rich Garces and his front office staff came a day later. Even the coaching staff, led by Troy O’Leary was a day early, all excited to repeat the results of the most successful regular season in franchise history.
“All we need now are the players,” said Garces, after downing a whole box of donuts.
This season is shaping up to be a big one for the team from Rakeville, and Garces may be the key. Just days after coming aboard, the chubby Mexican traded for Andruw Jones and Michael Young. Both are the final pieces in what Garces claims is the best lineup in the EHCC.
“From top to bottom, we have the best players on the field,” said Garces. He admitted there are still some question marks, but he pointed out that the risks for his players are far lower than some of the other teams out there.
In the absence of Reed, some think the pitching staff has taken a hit, but Garces is quick to dismiss it.
“We had the best pitching staff in the league last year,” said Garces. “They are all coming back this season. What is not to like?”
Unfortunately for Rakeville fans, that rotation has taken a few hits in the last few days, with Chris Capuano and Scott Baker, two young hurlers, traded away. With many of the top teams dealing for pitchers, the Rockets may find themselves behind the ball come opening day.
“A lot of people said Quebec had a better rotation last year,” said Justin Fuller, team pitching coach. “This year it is Las Vegas and Weymouth. Truth is, you don’t know until the end of the season who is really the best because anything can happen.”
Team officials also announced Humberto Quintero, Omar Quintanilla and Rick Ankiel have been invited to spring training.
Rakeville Times Projected 20-man Roster
Offense
C – Joe Mauer
1b – David Ortiz
2b – Chase Utley
3b – Miguel Cabrera
SS – Michael Young
OF – Barry Bonds
OF – Andruw Jones
Vernon Wells
Juan Pierre
Nomar Garciaparra
Omar Quintanilla
Humberto Quintero
Pitching
Pedro Martinez
Roy Oswalt
Josh Beckett
A.J. Burnett
Felix Hernandez
Javier Vazquez
Matt Morris
Rodrigo Lopez
Rick Ankiel
Eddie Guardado
Jason Isringhausen
Fernando Rodney
Confirmed
Expected (by Rakeville Times staff)
On the bubble
The Leader of Men
By Aviator McShadeless
Some believed Troy O’Leary was a joke. When he was signed in 2005 by Jack Reed, some thought the old man had lost his touch. Months later, O’Leary and the Rockets shocked the EHCC, rattling off 13 wins in a row and finishing first in the regular season.
"We have had our eye on Troy for a while now," said Jack Reed about O’Leary when he hired him in December of 2004. "He was an excellent manager up in Bye. We are glad to have him aboard and hope he can get this franchise back on the winning path."
And that he did, only in a most unconventional manner. Never big with statistics or scouting, O’Leary relies on a player’s shoes to gain insight on their abilities.
“Never do you allow one lace to overlap the other more than it is overlapped itself,” said O’Leary in an interview with EHSPN Radio.
Others think O’Leary’s success is a fluke, and this season will prove him to be a fraud.
“The man has no perception of what is going on in the field,” said Troy Ramintale, a writer for the Stackerville Cannon. “His credentials are as weak as his coaching. Bye Week didn’t have any players. How can you coach a team with no players?”
Despite the criticism, the Rockets front office still supports their man.
“His credentials are he coached one of the worst teams in the league,” said Rusty Greer, the team’s minor league director. “He had no players, yet still got earned a tie against Quebec City in 2004. He also coached a non-playoff team and turned them into the one of the best in the league. Those are his credentials. Without him, I don’t know where we would be as a franchise.”
O’Leary will be under the gun this season, as the eyes of Rakeville will be focused on every move he makes.
“Last year was all a blur,” said Javier Vasquez. “We were winning games we never expected to win. It was just fun. There was no pressure. No one thought we could do what we did, so every week was the week we were going to fall off the horse.”
“This year will be different,” he said. “We are one of the teams in the hunt, and everyone knows it, including the players and the fans.”
How O’Leary will handle the pressure is everyone’s concern. Never in his entire baseball career have people expected good to come from him.
Fortunately for the grounded manager, he knows exactly what he and his team faces.
“There are enemies everywhere,” he said. “I have security guards posted around the clock.”
Travel Journal: Azerbajan
By Jack Reed, Rakeville Rockets Director of Baseball Operations
The city of Baku sits on an isolated peninsula reaching out into the Black Sea.
It seems I have been reaching lately. Not one of the kids I’ve looked at are ballplayers.
The Black Sea League, similar to the Cape Cod League in the states, features many of the top Azerbajan players. They play at Baku stadium, a beautiful Cold War structure made entirely of cement. Even the bases are made of cement.
Rali Dojajdo is the best shortstop in the league, and probably the only EHCC-caliber player in the country. He turned down a scholarship to Duke so he could lead his team into the World Baseball Classic. When Azerbajan wasn’t selected to play, he quit baseball.
Fortunately, he and his BSL coach were close, and when he told him I was coming, Dojajdo put a uniform on and drove out to the field as quickly as he could.
I found my seat. With spring training only a few days away, I would need to get this guy on a flight right away. The team took the field, and Dojajdo ran out to short with his glove on the wrong hand. “He is a lefty…” I muttered to myself.
The first ball hit his way, he played seamlessly, firing it over to first base. Next ball in the hole, he dove for. He hopped, spun and threw another bullet to first. As good as he was, there was no way he could play shortstop at a professional level. In between innings I went down to the dugout and got the coach’s attention.
“Any way you can him play the outfield for a few innings?” I asked. The coach’s face turned pale.
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “He doesn’t… take well to the outfield.”
“Thanks,” I said, ignoring his odd reaction.
In Dojajdo’s two at bats, he was 1 for 2. Both were searing line drives. In the fifth innings, the coach moved him to centerfield.
Dojajdo paced back and forth, barely focused on the game. One ball was hit to the left fielder and he didn’t even react. Finally, someone hit the ball to him. Instead of running after it, Dojajdo just sat down on the grass. The right fielder ran over and heaved the ball back to the infield, then went to check on Dojajdo who was crying.
“I’m a shortstop,” he screamed.
I was still considering signing him until he pulled off his pants and pooed in the outfield. That was my breaking point. I grabbed a hot dog and left.
Greys Get A Grand
Senior forward Julie Jesso scored her 1,000th point last night. While that isn’t a great feat for a college player, she is the first to do it from the foul line … Read more
Shanning Finishes In Last
Olympic athlete and Rakeville resident Collie Shanning finished the cross-country skiing event with the worst time, but the Slovakian native was still excited. “I am slow as fuck, but I did it for my country,” … Read more
The Rakeville Times Sports Staff has been very busy lately, helping the city get ready for Nomar Garciaparra Day. The annual celebration is best known for its free giveaways, with this year's items being the best ever: Dodger-Blue groin bandages, and replica Mexican Sombreros (made in California).
