STOCKHOLM (AP) - After 3 consecutive 100 loss seasons, Stockholm is suddenly on pace to break the franchise mark for wins in a season (a paltry 80-82 season by the Paris Patriots). That’s right laugh now, the best season in franchise history is sub .500. All signs point to that ending soon.

Let’s start with the pitching staff: Horace Scherbarth has been the man of the staff for 2 seasons, and suddenly he’s the 4th best starter on the team. Manager Ernie Banks and GM Michael Barton made it clear that they wanted this team rebuilt on pitching. Enter John Murphy, Tony Von Fricken, Joe Dawley “The Big 4” with Scherbarth and Stockholm suddenly has a very solid pitching staff. Scherbarth, Dawley, and Von Fricken are all 24, while John Murphy is 22. The number 5 starter has been tossed between Fred Forsch and Paul Sechrist. Sechrist appears to have the upper hand on the position for the long term at the age of 25. That gives the Swedes an outstanding rotation with every member 25 years old or younger.

It doesn’t matter how great your starters are if your bullpen can’t hold a lead. The Swedes bullpen has been excellent this season at holding leads. So far this season the Swedes are 10-8 in 1 run games, and 4-0 in Extra Inning games. The bullpen currently consists of Jessie Sampson, Fred Blanche, Fred Forsch, and Chris Brookens. Joining the bullpen within the next week pending approval from the league office will be Earl James from Sicily. He was just acquired in a trade this morning. More details of the trade will come later in the story. “I believe that we are well set with our pitching staff for a long time coming, we still have Bowser “Al Bowsfield” and Mike Ortiz waiting to try and crack the rotation, and Al Kauffman, and Arthur Long have shown that they can pitch out of the bullpen.” Swedes Manager Ernie Banks. “If you look at the Blizzard League right now it’s all about pitching, we don’t have the weapons that some teams have, but I think from top to bottom we are as strong as anyone”

Even looking at the Stats this year it’s obvious the Swedes have the pitching to compete, but you can’t win a game if you don’t score any runs, and that has been the Swedes downfall. Changes are on the horizon however, as previously mentioned a trade has been struck with Sicily bringing in LF Dave Meiss who will immediately replace Terry Willis as the leadoff hitter. Also coming over in the trade is catcher Larry Barnowski, no All-Star but an upgrade over current catcher Ray Ivie. CF Billy Sanchez was just recently the #2 pick in the amateur draft just signed a 6 year contract filled with incentives. Sanchez’s agent predicts his client will be roaming CF for Stockholm opening day next season. Manager Ernie Banks fails to follow up that claim, simply saying “we know he has the talent and will be a productive player, time will tell if he’s ready by opening day next year or not.” The Swedes offense has shown signs of improvement this year, and eagerly awaits the rest of the season. Free Agent 1b John Garcia is finally adjusting to a change of scenery and has seen his batting average jump 15 points in the last couple of weeks. Rookie Terry Willis has been through the league once and will only get better with more experience. The Swedes appear to be overstocked at 1b with John Garcia, and Jim Collins and are said to be taking offers on Garcia. “The key to our success in the next few season will rest solely on the development of CF Billy Sanchez, 3b Bob Picone and RF Mike Brucker” Said Banks.

We’ve got a solid top part of the order right now with Willis, Meiss, Banks, Collins, and Garcia we just can’t allow automatic out at the bottom of the order. With the speed that those youngsters’ posses I think it will put serious pressure on the defense facing Billy and Bobby at the bottom of the order. Here’s a sneak preview of the projected lineup for the Swedes on opening day of 2018...

LF Dave Meiss
2b Terry Willis
SS Ernie Banks
1b John Garcia
DH Jim Collins
C Larry Barnowski
RF Mike Brucker
3b Bob Picone
CF Billy Sanchez

And here are the projected pitching staff roles

Starters:
1. Junior Dawley
2. Tony Von Fricken
3. John Murphy
4. Horace Scherbarth
5. Paul Sechrist

LR1: Al Bowsfield
MR1: Jessie Sampson
Setup: Fred Blanche
Closer: Chris Brookens

The only players listed on the projected starting lineup over the age of 30 are: 1b John Garcia 36, Closer Chris Brookens 36, Catcher Larry Barnowksi 32, DH Jim Collins 31, LF Dave Meiss 30, SS/Manager Ernie Banks; this should allow this team plenty of time to grow together as a group and achieve the main goal since Owner Michael Barton repurchased the team of winning the Barnes, and representing the Blizzard League in the Weaver Series.