[Jiggy]

Winter has been a season of change in Chicago. The Kingpins had little time to seek answers to what happened in 2055 before facing arguable more daunting questions about what comes next in 2056.

Chicago finished 57-51, ten games behind the State College Swift Steeds in the East Division. Though the record was third best in the Professional Baseball Experience Minor League (MiLPBE), it was a disappointment and significant step back from the 2054 season when the Kingpins won the East Division with a 62-46 record.

After a 24-9 start skyrocketed Chicago into first place by the end of May, a slow developing collapse began in June and continued all the way through the first round of the postseason, where the Kingpins were unmercifully swept three games to none by the Louisville Lemurs, who entered the playoffs with just at 52-56 overall record.

Entering the 2055 season, the front office and lineup alike had set their sights on an East Division championship and another shot at competing for the World Series. So what went wrong in the Windy City? How did a team with such a rich winning tradition, confidence, and high expectations fall so short of them?

Looking solely at the numbers, it seems it was the offense – one that boasted a great deal of continuity from the 2054 season – that ultimately lacked the consistency needed to stop the slide that began in June.

Chicago batters collectively hit .279 on the year, good for just sixth out of ten MiLPBE teams. They ranked seventh in slugging percentage, eighth in home runs and ninth in stolen bases. And maybe most telling, they struck out a league most 568 times.

On the flip side, Kingpins pitching was among the league’s best, giving up the league’s second-fewest runs, trailing only the World Series champion Kansas City Hepcats. Based on earned run average, Chicago had the second best starting pitching in the league and the third best bullpen. Lack of steady run support mitigated the impact of the Kingpins’ ability to hold opposing offenses at bay.

Now the Kingpins head into yet another Opening Day tinged with disappointment from the year prior. Some might say the taste left from 2055 is even more bitter than previous seasons considering how long Chicago’s struggles lasted.

The Kingpins will look for answers to their offensive woes and for ways to maintain the quality of pitching that at least kept them treading water and preserved the postseason berth that seemed elemental in May but became questionable over the summer. But they will have to do so without pivotal pieces in both the lineup and rotation that had helped fuel the team’s 2054 success and helped preserve its place in the postseason during the tumult of last season.

Key Departures

SP James Daly

The Kingpins’ ace and rotation anchor moves on to the major leagues for the 2056 season. Daly led the Kingpins essentially every statistical category as the lead starter last season and ranked fourth in total strikeouts among minor leaguers with 105 on the year. It’s unclear which returning starter will take up Daly’s mantle as ace. Key candidates include returners Jolene Mydog and Ragnar Lothbrok, but it will take several simulations to assess the true quality of Chicago’s best long-inning arms.

SS Randy Fasttrack

Chicago’s best infield defender will suit up for the MiLPBE’s Puerto Rico Ranas next season. Fasttrack hit .312 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs adding an potent middle-of-the-order bat to the slick middle-infield defense, so his absence alone leaves multiple holes in the Kingpins’ roster.

1B Luigi Lanikai

The Kingpins big-bat slugger and key run producer is also getting called up to the major leagues for Season 40. LLanikai hit .305 with 19 home runs and 81 RBIs, fourth most in the minors, while batting cleanup for the Kingpins all of last season. For a team that struggled to find offensive consitency, this loss is particularly painful. Chicago will have to find another bat capable of shoring up the middle of its lineup card to remain a mid-tier offensive team in 2056.

Key Returners

RP Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss

Girlboss wrapped up 2055 with a league-low 2.38 ERA. As the club’s stopper, she was called upon in high leverage situations and delivered 13 saves. As the club’s best bullpen arm, she was called upon often, racking up 69 strikeouts in 90.2 innings of usage. Girlboss will once again be the stopper for the Kingpins, and unless the offense surprises, may find herself in even more low-margin, high leverage situations in 2056.

C Santiago Benito

Benito is one of the best-hitting catchers in the MiLPBE. A season ago he batted .320, notching 130 hits in 406 at bats, including 10 home runs and 60 RBIs. Chicago may need even more out of Benito this season, which is a tall ask.

OF Alyssa Jakob

Jakob was a Swiss army knife of sorts, doing a little bit of everything for Chicago a season ago. They finished 2055 as a .305 hitter with 11 homers and 47 RBIs last season. Offensively that was good for a 116 wRC+. Defensively, Jakob also boasted a +11.1 zone rating and a 1.023 defensive efficiency.

Hopes to Develop

SP Casey Shaffer

Shaffer led all MiLPBE rookies with a 1.39 WHIP. The left hander returns for a second season in Chicago. The Kingpins will need him to pitch deeper into contests this season and serve as more of an anchor to maintain its statistical position of among the best staffs in the MiLPBE. If he can stretch his stamina and enhance his control, he could challenge for a front-end rotation spot.

IF Otijjomyzarc Kove

Kove manned second base last season, but may slot to short after the departure of Fasttrack. With Fasstrack, Kove provided a strong double-play producing middle infield. He will need to expand his range and learn the rhythms of his new middle infield mate to keep turning two this season. Offensively, Kove had a fairly productive 2055 season batting in the bottom third of the Kingpins order. He hit .267 with 42 RBIs in 404 logged at bats. He will need to continue developing at the plate as he will likely be required to move up to the middle of the order and will be looked upon for even more run production this season.

OF Bartholomew Brown

The speedy center fielder swiped 23 bases in 2055, but his inability to get on base hindered his impact. Brown had just a .279 on base percentage, batting a measly .225 for the year. Despite struggling to make good contact for much of the season, Brown showed that when he does he can be a real threat, leading the MiLPBE with six triples. Brown will need to develop a more keen eye, improved plate discipline, and an ability to make solid contact to grow the dynamics of the Kingpins’ offense.

New Arrivals

SS Theo Allard

The switch-hitting shortstop was a first-round draft selection this year. Known for working counts and finding ways to get on base as an amateur, those skills could provide a significant boon to a lineup that will be a work-in-progress reinvention this season. Allard boasts great range in the infield, but his double-play prowess has been questioned.

RP Ruggsy Witdaheelys

A control freak reliever, Witdaheelys can pinpoint pitches and has great movement, particularly with his circle change, which he relies on as his primary out-producer. It’s unclear precisely where Chicago’s other first-round selection will slot in the Kingpins’ bullpen, but productive outs will be a commodity, particularly with questions surrounding the starting rotation.

1B Pedro Blanco

Taken in the second round of the MiLPBE draft, Blanco is contact-hitting first baseman who will fill the roster spot left by Lanikai’s departure. Blanco has been excellent at avoiding strikeouts and finding gaps when putting balls in play as an amateur, and the Kingpins hope that translates to continued success in the minor leagues.