Anyone have a spare $18m I can borrow?

[so49as]

The following is an article for the United Baseball League (UBL- United Baseball League). I GM the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

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Juan Hernandez sits quietly at his locker. A few players are milling around, hours after the 3-0 defeat in Game 4 of the 2026 AL Division Series ending the Devil Rays' season.

"Not much left to do, but clean out the locker and say good-bye."

37 year old Hernandez put his best effort up for the Tampa fans in the 3-1 series defeat, hitting .563 in his first post season appearance. He clubbed 2 home runs and drove in 4 of the teams 11 runs. He collected half the hits in the game 4 gem by Chicago Cy Young candidate Leonard Ollis.

Sipping 12 year old single malt, Manager Dave Matranga is upbeat but dejected. "Hernandez played great. Tried to make up where we were missing. No excuses really. Sure we were down three starters, but we had injuries throughout the season and we still should have won." Starting CF and ML batting Champ Michael Loftus broke his wrist in Game 1. Loftus' 255 hits (most since George Sisler in 1920), 136 runs and 69 SB were missed. Also absent from the series were starting DH and 3000 hit club member Robert Cervantes (.263, 6, 48) and starting catcher Harry Valido (.306, 4, 44).

Matranga shakes his head. "We still should have won. We wanted Hernandez to leave a winner."

The Devil Rays advanced to the post-season for the first time in their nearly 30 years of existence, and posted a club record in team wins (89), but whether Hernandez returns for '27 remains to be seen. Matranga is gloomy about the future. "It certainly won't be the same team next year."

The 3B Tampa icon is set to become a free agent for the first time in his 15 year career. He sits in the top 10 of 15 Tampa offensive categories, has 70 more HR than his nearest competitor, and 170 more than the next active Tampa player, OF Omer Mushawar.

GM Clarke wanted to resign Hernandez, but that other player, Mushawar, came first. "We could only sign one. We had about $20m to spend, and both were asking in the $18m ballpark. Omer is 25. We had to go with youth."

Hernandez isn't bitter towards the D-Rays though. "It's just the business of the game. I'll see what offers are out there, and maybe sign with a team that has a better chance at the World Series. It's been a great run. I'm glad to have been a part of this franchise and this team this year. Omer is a fantastic player. He'll be in the Hall of Fame someday."

Clarke is grateful for Hernandez' attitude. "We'll go after him during Free Agency, that's for sure. If we can't afford him, we can't afford him, but we'll see what he's asking and go from there." Clarke smiles, "Heck, maybe he'll retire next week so we can retire his number as a Devil Ray."

Hernandez shuts the light off over his locker and heads out of the locker room one last time. His uniform over his shoulder and his bag of bats and gloves in his hands. He and Matranga, who once shared the left side of the Tampa infield share a hug, and Juan quietly slips from the room and from the Tampa stadium.


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The UBL: UBL- United Baseball League
League site: http://www.united-baseball.org/news/..._100_home.html
Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay Devil Rays Home Page

[Another Mike D]

Hopefully some dumb GM doesn't offer 10M with a 20M bonus for 900 PA.

[BMW]

I'll limit it to 850 PA.