Slayers Find Free Agent Success

After years of trying to find success in the free agent market and often times getting pushed aside for the major players, the Slayers finally had the success they have looked for.

They claimed quite a few good quality players and while they had no chance on Beardcutter, perhaps one of the 5 best SP in the SGCBL, the team did improve their offense and pitching with their acquisitions.

CF Lumtina Elvawen will help what was a bottom 5 offense last season. She'll play CF full time in all likelihood and will play very good defense and has ability on the basepaths as well. She appears to be a threat in most phases of the offense.

SS Ghoulslobberer plays atrocious defense at either position (he also knows 3B), however, he knows how to hit and how to get on base. He is a career .303 hitter and has a .398 OBP in his career. He has thrice scored 90 or more runs.

RF Gorond Gollilas may see playing time, but will probably do most of his work as a pinch hitter or a platoon player. Veteran Sebur Silverhead will likely be called on for a pinch hitter or defensive replacement considering his glove would be welcome in place of Foxburr or Ghoulslobberer in the late innings.

Offense was definitely a focus in the offseason, but some good pitchers have come out of the market as well. Primarily relievers, helping perhaps the second biggest weakness of the team.

Kimra Elraith, a female elven reliever, will try to make herself more welcome in Minas Morgul. Reliever "Nuclear" Giantslammer was the first player brought in. Ownership commented bring in his experience with winning it all to help the other players aspire to greatness. He also has some untapped ability to handle right-handed batters, or so the team hopes.

Pitchers Ringarm and Goldcrusher rounded out the team's acquisitions in the 5-day period. They both will also have roles in the bullpen.

Things will be interesting to see what happens when the team's SP prospects become ready as well as the ace closer prospect Niara Smoothflower become ready. The team will have more pitching that it will know what to do with and some hard decisions will need to be made.

But for now, the team looks much improved in terms of talent and would appear to have done a lot to help their weaknesses this offseason. With the rule 5 draft still to come as well as still possibilities for trades there could be more moves to come should favorable situations arise.

For the first time in years, fans have a reason to dare to be optimistic about the coming season.

Posted at February 11, 2005 11:23 PM | more from Minas Morgul