EDMONTON (AP) - If there's no joy in Mudville, then there's certainly less in Edmonton. After back to back Roehm Championships, the Orcas fell from grace last year with an 85-77 record and coming in forth. Most of the starting lineup is gone as veterans Kris Kotsopalous, Jake Reed, Isaac Wyndorff, Luis Budnick, Alex Gonzales are all on new teams. All-Timer Pete Alexander wants to add his name to the list.

"I'm just done," commented Alexander in a recent press conference. "It's been great, don't get me wrong. The fans, the management, the coaches have all been wonderful. But, I'd like to win it all. This team is going a bit younger and I'm not."

It will be difficult to let go of a great pitcher who posted 132 wins on a horrid team when he first started, as his 88 losses can attest. But a life time 2.16 ERA, 2000+ innings pitched, with only 1700 hits and 118 walks allowed. Don't forget his 2000+ strikeouts and 211 of his 286 game starts were quality ones.

But, where will his new home be? Peter Gammons of ESPN reports that he will probably go to one of the front running teams in the Lockwood Division. "Edmonton has already taken every scrap of young talent from Long Beach, and I don't see him going to anyone in the Barnes Division. Cairo is still young enough that they don't need a veteran ace, Tokyo has too many arms as it is, and Stockholm doens't have the minor league talent it would take to pry Pete loose." Although, Gammon adds later that it's difficult to predict who is in the hunt for the Polanski Division Title, and Amity's Milo Lockwood, Argentina's Charlie Rodriguez, or Honolulu's Jim Shamsky would all be of interest to the Orcas.

Good luck Pete, wherever you may go. We all hope you can win that ring that has eluded the Orca franchise after such an amazing comeback. As Mel Ott was missed, you will be too. Your number will assuredly be next to his in the rafters of the SeaDome when you hang up your cleats.