petrel: And true! Some stuff you can't make up 
gosensgo: I'm sure though the computer SAYS Arb 73, some of those deals will come up this year. I'm way over payroll and will have to start cutting dead weight soon.
Coach Owens: Speaking of which...er...I mean yeah! I liked preparing the Emu report. I noticed the A's had lost Tenace for 60 days and thought it'd be a fun explanation
*******
Mid April 1972
While preparing for our home opener, (Oakland swept us. B*******!) Jose Cardenal knocked on my office door. "Boss, you got a minute?"
Players don't come to me that often, not unless there's something they can't tell Bob. After all, part of his job is to liasion between them and the front office. I nodded and waved at a chair. Jose's contract wasn't up until next year. "What can I do for you?"
"I already talked to Bob about it, and he said he was okay with it but that I needed your okay. It's about Willie. I'd like to see him play."
"So would I, but I don't see where we can....No! He's not replacing you. Jose, you're one of my best players." Not something to be telling someone you'll be negotiating with next year, but by then maybe he'll forget.
"Yes, but he's Willie Mays! He can do so much for the team. For the city. For black men everywhere. Anyway, I am not saying he should replace me all the time."
"Then what...a platoon?"
"Sort of. Pat and Bill are on board with me on this. Willie plays center, and we three trade off sitting on the bench for a week or two at a time. Then Willie sits for a week or two and we start over. That way everyone gets to play most of the season."
Four players, three positions...averaged out to 121.5 games. Acceptable. "And Lou?"
"Lou is not a starter," Cardenal said flatly. His tone surprised me. Last I checked, Lou Piniella was popular with his teammates.
"Well, I'll need Pat Kelly and Bill Robinson to confirm it's okay with them. If so, then I'd say Bob can do what he thinks best for the team."
Cardenal grinned. "Gracias."
*******
Kansas City (0-0) at Oakland (0-0)
10: A close 1-1 game until the sixth when Splittorff tires, and reliever Jim York can't pitch a full inning. A's 8-1
LP: Splittorff (0-1)
11: Apparently our offense hasn't come in from spring training yet, and Blyleven gives up 4 ER in 4 IP. A's 8-0
LP: Blyleven (0-1)
*******
What a great way to begin the season! We run home to greet the BoSox.
*******
Boston (1-1) (2nd-T, -0.5g) at Kansas City (0-2) (6th, -2g)
12: Willie gets his first start, going 1 for 3 with a walk and stolen base. We triple our run production for the year, but Dierker does worse than Blyleven. Red Sox 8-2
LP: Dierker (0-1)
13: Finally our offense shows up! Unfortunately, our pitching is still MIA and this could be a very long season. Robinson leads the way going 4 for 6 with 4 RBI. Boston scores 2 in the 10th. Kelly retaliated with a solo shot, but that's not quite enough. Red Sox 10-9 (10)
LP: Hedlund (0-1), HR: Kelly (1), Robinson (1)
14: Our pitching can't catch a break as Splittorff stinks..again. Robinson and Kelly are the only ones producing for us. Red Sox 8-4
LP: Splittorff (0-2), HR: Robinson (2)
*******
Jim Ray Hart's out for about a month with a torn quadricep. He won't tell anyone how it happened, except that it was off field. Some sort of fun no doubt. Concepcion filled in for two games above, but after the trades below there's a new man in town.
*******
Gary offered me a very...interesting trade. The kind that makes you go hmm. I went over the numbers. It, frankly, blows our budget to ****...but it points out where to go if I want to dump payroll. I already knew some of the answers.
After some thought I pulled the trigger.
KC to STL:
RP Randy Wiles (62/90) [20] may be great someday. Gary's investing in the future here.
SS Dave Concepcion (83) [23] (.251 4-58 4 in 1971). Dave was filling in for Jim Ray Hart. This opens up the backup shortstop position for when Roy Smalley is ready.
1B/OF Bob Oliver (81) [29] (.199 10-35 0 in 1971). Oliver would never be happy constantly seeing Thompson in front of him. Maybe this helps his prospects.
STL to KC:
SP Mike Torrez (86) [25] (11-13 5.50 3 CG in 1971). Mike will take over the #4 role. It's time to start moving...starters.
C Joe Torre (89) [31] (.286 18-87 1 in 1971). Torre will take over behind the plate. I've admired him since before I came to KC. I expect Ellie to be upset...I can't help that. Plus, Torre can play first if Thompson can't get his act together.
On the Cards' side, Concepcion and Oliver sit on THEIR bench, while Wiles goes to C-ball.
*******
Frankly there's no reason to wait. I'd already decided I was going to get rid of two starters and Salmon. Now it's three starters: Bunker, who's fading and expensive, and now Fitzmorris and Rooker are both expendable. Torrez SHOULD be better, and I need to make room for Busby.
We need a backup third baseman, and so...
KC to MIN:
SP Jim Rooker (84) [29] (11-9 5.14 2 CG in 1971)
SP Al Fitzmorris (84) [26] (11-6 4.44 3 CG in 1971)
MIN to KC:
3B Eric Soderholm (83/93) [23] (.234 20-72 3 in 1971)
We dump $100,000 in payroll, and Minnesota pays us $90,000 for the privilege.
Soderholm goes to our bench (filling in until Hart is better.) Fitz becames their ace! Rooker goes to MR.
*******
Oakland (4-1) (1st-T, +0g) at Kansas City (0-5) (6th, -4g)
15: All our trades don't do us any good. What's wrong with our starters? I wonder if Andy is doping them again. Thompson leads our attempt going 2 for 4 with a homer. A's 10-4
LP: Blyleven (0-2), HR: Thompson (1)
16: Finally! A 4 run 8th led by Cardenal's 3-run blast allows us to inch past the division leaders. Royals 5-4
WP: York (1-0), HR: Cardenal (1)
17: It's our new starter, Mike Torrez, who puts together our first solid pitching performance of 1972! Unfortunately Blue Moon Odom is better, holding us to 3 hits in 8 innings. Soderholm had our only RBI. A's 2-1
LP: Torrez (0-2)
*******
American League West
Code:
Team W L GB
Oakland 6 2 --
Los Angeles 6 2 --
Milwaukee 4 4 2
Minnesota 4 4 2
Seattle 3 5 3
Kansas City 1 7 5
AL East: Detroit (6-2), Boston (-1g), Washington (-1.5g)
NL East: Chicago (6-2), St. Louis (-1.5g), New York (-2g)
NL West: Cincinnati (7-1), Los Angeles (-0.5g), San Francisco (-1.5g)
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Originally Posted by HoustonGM
