[jamus23]

Denver Divided as Mounts Deals Big Names
1/30/2071
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

Denver fans were stunned when they heard the news that young outfielders Harold Willems and Bryan Corner were dealt in two separate deals today. Willems, who batted .288 with 36 HR and 112 RBI last season, was traded to Charlotte in a multi-player deal, the primary object of which was pitcher Carmelo Fort. Meanwhile, Corner, who hit .303 with 31 stolen bases a year ago, was moved to Buffalo in exchange for two pitching prospects, Edgar Molina and Robert McNatt. General Manager John Mounts said that while both Willems and Corner were extremely talented, the trade was necessary due to a combination of a crowded outfield, payroll limitations, and a severe lack of pitching in the organization. “Fort gives us a very capable starting pitcher, who can start right away. Molina and McNatt are further away, certainly, but they both have a lot of talent. I wish Harold and Bryan the best of luck with their new organizations.” Team leader John Dear said that he was very unhappy to see Willems and Corner get traded. “I hope that there is a plan in place. I chose to stay here because I thought things were going to turn around, but I’m not sure how trading away some of your better players will help.”


Deadline Dealing? Why Wait?
7/14/2071
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

Although it’s not quite the trade deadline yet, Denver GM John Mounts jumped into the fray today with a series of trades involving five other teams (Sacramento, Buffalo, Washington, Portland, and Green Bay) and a whopping total of 24 players. Leaving the Denver organization are, among others, first baseman Fidel Sanchez, pitching prospect Edgar Molina (who had been acquired in an offseason deal), power-hitting outfielder Bill Ruckman, pitcher Richard Leiser, and outfielder Ryouichi Koan. The player John Mounts was most excited about acquiring was second baseman Mark Francis: “This guy is a legit power hitter. With regular playing time, 30 or 40 HRs is a very real possibility.” Francis was both excited and unsure about coming to Denver. "Well, I'm glad for the opportunity to see regular playing time. Playing behind an All-Star like Oscar Guadalupe, I had only about 60 AB so far this year. I'd like the chance to prove myself as an every day player. On the other hand, Sacramento is a great organization, and I know that Denver has had their troubles in recent years. I guess all I can hope for is that maybe I can help turn things around there."

Both Mounts and manager John Wilkerson were very positive towards outfielder Estanis Jimenez, catcher Matthew Cendejas, and infielder Melchor Nieves, who were also acquired in the deals. “What we like about these three,” Wilkerson said, “is their very good plate awareness. These guys will work the count and wear down opposing pitchers, and when they get the right pitch, all three have the ability to hit one out on occasion. This lineup needs more table-setters for Dear, Bolling, and now Francis, to drive in.” When asked if Cendejas would be replacing the struggling Roberto Garcia in the lineup, Wilkerson said: “Not necessarily. Both catchers are pretty good players, and it’s good to have a nice tandem behind the plate. Catcher is a very tough position to play- and I should know: I couldn‘t hack it there!- and it’s not good to have one guy get worn down. Garcia will be fine.”

John Mounts was also asked what the presence of two capable starting catchers meant for hotshot catching prospect Lee Chappel, currently tearing up AA. Mounts replied: “These things will work themselves out. You can never have too much talent. Chappel’s only 20 right now; there is plenty of time to figure things out.” Mounts also agreed that the trades of outfielders Ruckman and Koan were definitely an indication that prospect Alexis Vazquez was getting close to being brought up to the majors. “No doubt about it. He’s a very talented young kid. He’s been very impressive at AA and we‘ve brought him up to AAA now. I don’t expect to bring him up to the majors this season, but next season is certainly a possibility.”

Designated Hitter John Dear had this to say about the transactions: “It’s hard to tell what all of this will mean for the team. I guess we’ll just have to wait until the dust settles. But with all the trades that have been going on, both before this season began and now, you really have to wonder about things. I mean... if these guys are getting traded, anybody could get traded...”

Wait 'Till Next Year Guys
11/6/2071
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

The clubhouse was quiet as another disappointing season came to a close. Denver lost over 100 games again this season, over half of which came in front of the home crowd. With rumors swirling about both GM John Mounts’ and manager John Wilkerson’s job security, Wilkerson could only offer this as a defense: “Look, this is tough, no question. You lose this many games.... of course there are going to be rumors. I can‘t worry about that. What I’ve got to worry about is getting these guys to play to their full potential game in and game out. There’s talent here, and a lot of it. But some of these guys are still growing. They’ll get better. The team will get better. When you lose 100 games, it seems absurd to say that the team is close to winning, but we are close. I truly believe that. There are some very good ballplayers here.” Wilkerson also added, “Remember, this is a tough division, too. You’ve got three teams that won 90 games in Tucson, Green Bay, and Grand Rapids. You’ve got some of the elite hitters in the league like Bolden, Baeza, Burdick, and Britt Reid, and some of best pitchers around, like O’Brien, Grear, Carbajal, and Kenzo. Not to make excuses, but as talented as we might be, there are a bunch of other teams out there with great talent as well. But don’t worry. We are closing that gap. The record might not show it yet, but we’re getting there.”

Owner Benjamin Middlebrook did his best to quell the rumors about Mounts and Wilkerson, saying, "While I'm certainly disappointed with the last two seasons, I have complete confidence in the ability of my GM and my coaches to right this ship. They know what they are doing. These rumors are just that, rumors."

In other news, rookie 1B Ellis “Frenchy” Bolling was named the American League Rookie of the Year after batting .289 with 24 HR and 89 RBI. Bolling said that he was honored to win the award, but that he knew that he still had a long ways to go as a hitter. He also said that he hoped he wouldn’t have the same fate as the last Denver player to win the award: Harold Willems, who was traded before this season began. “I like it here in Denver. Hopefully, I can play my whole career here,” he said. Bolling declined to comment when asked about the origins of his nickname.