Tweet
For the first time since 1987, the California Kodiaks have been crowned BLB Champions for the 2036 season. It has been a long road for a franchise that is a perpetual doormat, with the odd blip, as they've never made the playoffs more than three consecutive years, in their 59 year history.
This season saw the Kodiaks garner the fourth most wins (98) in team history, and set an all time attendance high of 3 102 676 fans through the gates. The locals grabbed an early lead, barging out to a 16-6 April, and never looked back. They battled adversity, as their leadoff man, Alex Lezama spent large chunk of time on the DL, as did top closer Ed Tesluk. Through it all, the GM's faith in the team never wavered, as they ended up winning the division by 8 games over perennial powerhouse Seattle!
The playoffs saw the Kodiaks rudely wipe out Washington in 4 games, then motor through Carolina in 5 games, only to face a tough and determined Pittsburg team in the BLB Championship series. Down 3-2, the Kodiaks gutted out a 4-3 win, behind the tireless pitching of hire gun Kevin Alston (4-0 and 5 team wins) and his 6.2 innings. With a game 7 winner take all game on the line, the Kodiaks turned to their young superstars... Alex Lezama hit a home run in his first two at bats and pitching on short rest, Tony Ramos garnered his first 8 outs by STRIKEOUT! It all came down to Ed Tesluk and he blew a 99 MPH heater by Robby Lee, who was the tying run, to capture the first title in 50 years!
Today we'll look back on how the Kodiaks were constructed. The was a definite focus on acquiring as much draft stock as possible by trading the few good players we had, focusing on college arms in the second and third rounds, being active in trades, and free agency, and getting one massively lucky break!
TRADES!
GM PaulECee made some very shrewd moves while the Kodiaks were at a low point to build the foundation of the Kodiak juggernaut.
A trade that sent Superstar Riley Thomas to Montreal netted California superb Jimmy Spargo, power bat Norm Cupp, and a bevy of picks, one that turned into Brenden Santoro.
The other big trade that sent superstar Erik Redding to Baltimore for a young prospect named Tony Ramos, and a bevy of picks that turned into, a solid two way player in Logan Jacobi, and a budding superstar in Adam 'FYB' Watson.
Other minor trades saw the GM hit on other team's lightly regarded players or prospects that happened to hit, as Playoff MVP Alex Lezama was swiped from Hartford in the Tony Solorio trade, and Zion Jackson was found wallowing in Pawtucket. Along with getting swingman CJ McVicker and a 1st for taking on a contract, and other small deals with SDR for CL Josh Robinson and SS Bing-zhang Lopan and with Pawtucket for Mike Dixon that netted a pile of first and second rounders that were used on players to fill out the bullpen, or as trade chips to move up and/or down in future drafts.
The big one happened to start the season off in 2036, as staff ace, Kevin Alston, was the subject of a heavily debated deal that saw Philadelphia receive 5 highly touted BLB prospects in return for the pitcher that would propel the Kodiaks into Championship contenders.
FREE AGENCY should be next, but we need to talk about the BIG BREAK!
Mike Morla, PaulECee's admitted man crush had four long year's left on his contract, when he decided to abruptly retire after 2034 season with a whopping 4 years and $80M left on the books. This coupled with a league wide rule change to balance the Media contracts left California with a steaming pile of cash to use on a transcendent free agent market.
In the offseason of 2035, the Kodiaks went wild and signed slugger Johnny Swope (all world superstar, and 96 home runs and 235 RBI), Dusty Scmhidl (gold glove calibre defence and team leadership, with a solid bat), and DH Josh Wright (68 home runs and 164 RBI in a mostly platoon role), and overpaid two starters in Dave Payette and Dusty Borchers that were solid, if unspectacular, over the last two seasons, and were integral in taking the heat off of a young bullpen.
DRAFT!
Due to PaulECee's trading nature, California has had a war chest of picks the last few seasons, most of what is left of the team was gathered through the draft, using Kodiak draft capital.
1st round players - 1B Ed King, SU Jayden Adams, and SU Quincey Swaney, along with the aforementioned 1sts garnered in trades.
2nd round player - RP Jaylon Simon, MR Pat Trainer, and CL Ed Tesluk
3rd round players - C Jayden Dean, MR Ed Jones, and MR Ian Rudlaff
4+ round - Jimmy Welborn (24 HR and 2.4 WAR - 7th round), Jason Bass (7th round), and Tony Chavez (4th round)
MiLC!
One player, defensive specialist, Dave Goudy, was picked up as a minor league free agent
This season saw the Kodiaks garner the fourth most wins (98) in team history, and set an all time attendance high of 3 102 676 fans through the gates. The locals grabbed an early lead, barging out to a 16-6 April, and never looked back. They battled adversity, as their leadoff man, Alex Lezama spent large chunk of time on the DL, as did top closer Ed Tesluk. Through it all, the GM's faith in the team never wavered, as they ended up winning the division by 8 games over perennial powerhouse Seattle!
The playoffs saw the Kodiaks rudely wipe out Washington in 4 games, then motor through Carolina in 5 games, only to face a tough and determined Pittsburg team in the BLB Championship series. Down 3-2, the Kodiaks gutted out a 4-3 win, behind the tireless pitching of hire gun Kevin Alston (4-0 and 5 team wins) and his 6.2 innings. With a game 7 winner take all game on the line, the Kodiaks turned to their young superstars... Alex Lezama hit a home run in his first two at bats and pitching on short rest, Tony Ramos garnered his first 8 outs by STRIKEOUT! It all came down to Ed Tesluk and he blew a 99 MPH heater by Robby Lee, who was the tying run, to capture the first title in 50 years!
Today we'll look back on how the Kodiaks were constructed. The was a definite focus on acquiring as much draft stock as possible by trading the few good players we had, focusing on college arms in the second and third rounds, being active in trades, and free agency, and getting one massively lucky break!
TRADES!
GM PaulECee made some very shrewd moves while the Kodiaks were at a low point to build the foundation of the Kodiak juggernaut.
A trade that sent Superstar Riley Thomas to Montreal netted California superb Jimmy Spargo, power bat Norm Cupp, and a bevy of picks, one that turned into Brenden Santoro.
The other big trade that sent superstar Erik Redding to Baltimore for a young prospect named Tony Ramos, and a bevy of picks that turned into, a solid two way player in Logan Jacobi, and a budding superstar in Adam 'FYB' Watson.
Other minor trades saw the GM hit on other team's lightly regarded players or prospects that happened to hit, as Playoff MVP Alex Lezama was swiped from Hartford in the Tony Solorio trade, and Zion Jackson was found wallowing in Pawtucket. Along with getting swingman CJ McVicker and a 1st for taking on a contract, and other small deals with SDR for CL Josh Robinson and SS Bing-zhang Lopan and with Pawtucket for Mike Dixon that netted a pile of first and second rounders that were used on players to fill out the bullpen, or as trade chips to move up and/or down in future drafts.
The big one happened to start the season off in 2036, as staff ace, Kevin Alston, was the subject of a heavily debated deal that saw Philadelphia receive 5 highly touted BLB prospects in return for the pitcher that would propel the Kodiaks into Championship contenders.
FREE AGENCY should be next, but we need to talk about the BIG BREAK!
Mike Morla, PaulECee's admitted man crush had four long year's left on his contract, when he decided to abruptly retire after 2034 season with a whopping 4 years and $80M left on the books. This coupled with a league wide rule change to balance the Media contracts left California with a steaming pile of cash to use on a transcendent free agent market.
In the offseason of 2035, the Kodiaks went wild and signed slugger Johnny Swope (all world superstar, and 96 home runs and 235 RBI), Dusty Scmhidl (gold glove calibre defence and team leadership, with a solid bat), and DH Josh Wright (68 home runs and 164 RBI in a mostly platoon role), and overpaid two starters in Dave Payette and Dusty Borchers that were solid, if unspectacular, over the last two seasons, and were integral in taking the heat off of a young bullpen.
DRAFT!
Due to PaulECee's trading nature, California has had a war chest of picks the last few seasons, most of what is left of the team was gathered through the draft, using Kodiak draft capital.
1st round players - 1B Ed King, SU Jayden Adams, and SU Quincey Swaney, along with the aforementioned 1sts garnered in trades.
2nd round player - RP Jaylon Simon, MR Pat Trainer, and CL Ed Tesluk
3rd round players - C Jayden Dean, MR Ed Jones, and MR Ian Rudlaff
4+ round - Jimmy Welborn (24 HR and 2.4 WAR - 7th round), Jason Bass (7th round), and Tony Chavez (4th round)
MiLC!
One player, defensive specialist, Dave Goudy, was picked up as a minor league free agent