[Jiggy]

The start of the 2057 has proven that Chicago’s championship window remains wide open.

There appears to have been little let down after the Kingpins hoisted the Professional Baseball Experience Minor League (MiLPBE) World Series trophy last year. The club kicked off the current campaign with an 18-9 (.667) record after the first week of simulations, already good enough to have built itself a three-game lead in the East Division and just one game off from the best record in the league.

Continuity has been key to the Kingpins’ continued year-over-year success, and this season is no different. Of the major contributors to Chicago’s championship run, the team said goodbye only to catcher Santiago Benito.

And the first week’s simulation is proof that there will be no rebuild at the catcher’s position. There may even be an upgrade.

New catcher Gleyber Tourizz has exploded out of the gate to begin the season.

He’s batting .364 through Chicago’s first 27 games with nine home runs, 30 RBIs and has already built up a 1.6 WAR and 182 wRC+ valuation. Those are crazy levels of production for someone a player – and user – who is still assimilating to a new locker room.

“The adjustment has been really easy,” said subby500, the PBE user who controls Tourizz. “The locker room is full of a bunch of very cool people and it’s active and welcoming. Hopefully I can be a little more active as the season progresses.”

The Kingpins acquired Tourizz in a trade with the Louisville Lemurs during the offseason. Tourizz became available – and a widely pursued trade target – after subby500 stepped down as Lemurs general manager after a little over 10 seasons of service there.

“I knew a [Lemurs] rebuild was coming,” subby500 said, “and knowing my player was at the [TPE] cap I knew I was likely to be traded.”

The interest in Tourizz shown from around the league came as little surprise to subby500. However, he actually had envisioned his player suiting up for the team that has evolved into one of the Kingpins biggest rivals in recent seasons.

“Personally, my preference was to be traded to the Swifties,” subby500 said, referring to the familiar monikor given to the State College Swift Steeds. “They have an excellent managing staff and their team is great, but I [didn’t] mind really being traded to any team.”

Like most of the league, and truth be told some in the Kingpins’ own locker room, subby500 internally thought that State College was going to win last year’s World Series. They had shown themselves to be the league’s best team throughout the regular season with a star-studded lineup and fiercely competitive pitching staff. But subby500 was not terribly surprised that Chicago beat them based on the Kingpins’ own make up. And unlike the Swift Steeds, Chicago returns nearly every one to their roster from last season.

“So I wasn’t shocked when I knew I was going to Chicago, considering they were only losing their catcher and their contention window was still wide open,” subby500 said. “I was really happy to be traded to the Kingpins considering their championship aspirations.”

Tourizz has carried those championship aspirations on his shoulders through the first chunk of 2057 simulations, making a case that may be an MVP candidate this season. His 30 RBIs lead the MiLPBE and his nine home runs is second most in the league. He also ranks in the top 5 in terms of on-base percentage (.430), slugging percentage (.636), WAR (1.6), isolated power (.271), and total bases (68). His .364 batting average is second among Kingpins players, behind only mainstay and World Series hero Alyssa Jakob’s .367 average which she posted while opening the year with an incredible 21-game hit streak.

When he created Tourizz, subby500 had a particular mind toward the long ball, and now Tourizz’s build is beginning to take the form subby500 had imagined when he created the player.

“My goal for him was to be a power hitting catcher who would break the single season Lemur home run record,” subby500 said.

“He’s most definitely exceeding expectations, and I couldn’t be happier.”

subby500 gives some credit to their new locker room mates for Tourizz’s early success.

“Going into the offseason, I was hoping to deposit most of my TPE into power and eye,” subby500 said. “But a few Kingpins persuaded me to go more into contact and avoid strikeouts. I guess the advise was helpful!”

While subby500 is incredibly please with Tourizz’s personal success, he said he came into the season – and has approached Tourizz’s early career – more so with goals centered around team.

“My focus has always been to win a ring. Major or minors,” subby500 said. “I’m super happy I have a great chance to do it with the Kingpins this year. I’m really excited to see what this team can accomplish in the next few weeks.”

He also recognized how his goals meshed so well with his new locker room.

“I think the only preseason goal for Chicago was to repeat, championship or bust, right?”

If results from the first quarter of the season of the indication, he may have his best chance during this Kingpins campaign.

The club opened April with losing series against the Kansas City Hepcats and the State College Swift Steeds before rebounding and resetting with a sweep against the Louisville Lemurs who – at just 9-18 (.333 winning percentage) appear to corroborate subby500’s claim that the team is rebuilding.

So far Chicago is 13-5 in the month of May and showing no signs of slowing.

The Kingpins are a whopping 10-2 at home and are 10-3 against left-handed starters.

Time is of the essence. Considering Tourizz is in his third season in the minor leagues, he will likely be called up to the majors at season’s end.

Based on the nature of his acquisition and the likely term of his stay in Chicago, some might consider Tourizz a rental player; a for hire mercenary. It doesn’t feel that way to subby500 after the first week of simulations.

“I’m super happy to be with Chicago, even if it’s only for a season,” subby500 said. “Now that I’m here, I’m a Kingpin for life, in a way.”