EDMONTON (AP) - The 2022 Season brings with it many changes for the Edmonton Orcas. Shortstop Dan Stroud became the first player to start and end his career with the franchise. His clubhouse leadership and intellect for the game will translate nicely as the team has moved him into the front office.

The team bid farewell to long time head coach Robin Yount. “Thirteen years is a long time for anyone to be in any position really,” said Yount at his retirement news conference. “It was fun, it was thrilling, but it is time for me to move on.” Yount’s start was worst all time as a Manager, as the team posted 18 and 17 wins its first two seasons. But, after development and money, he brought the team to respectability from 2015-2018, where the Orcas repeated as Roehm Divisional Champions, but never made it to the Weaver Series.

Pete Alexander was named the new head coach of the Edmonton Orcas to replace Yount. After a brief discussion with the Long Beach Lobsters, an agreement was cordially made. After the announcement, owner Ken Paplanus said, “(GM J.J. Wurz) flew out to see the pitcher when he went down with that awful injury last season. Clearly there is some bond there and, as Mike Castro steadfastly remains our head coach, it was not a problem to let Pete go.” Wurz had nothing but praise for his Roehm division rival. “It was great that Ken agreed to release Pete Alexander from his contract. He was our first star in Edmonton, we have always had a great respect for the man, and the trade was both business and personal, so he could win his ring.”

Free Agency saw John Lantz leave the SeaDome for warmer climates as the Jamaica Rastafarians signed him to a one year deal with incentives. His departure clears the way for rookie second baseman Pete “Double” Duser, so nicknamed by his AAA Otter teammates because he set the franchise record in doubles during his first season in Ottowa. Duser is slated to lead off for the Orcas this season.

Coming to the team via Free Agency are pitcher Al Mooty, formerly of Chernobyl, and outfielder Lewis Robert Wilson, better known as Hack, who played for his first five seasons in the Planet-X Galactic League. Mooty was a starter for the Mutants there, but the lefty sinkerballer is expected to fill a big hole in Edmonton’s bull pen. Hack Wilson signed a lucrative deal with the Orcas and was immediately plugged into the cleanup spot.

The rest of the cast remains the same though. Valdes, Herman, Brett, Aspromonte, and Jones are the same starting pitchers. Danny Irwin, last years big free agent signing, is the closer. Quintanar, Estrada, and Temple are the big bats around Wilson. Youngsters Shorty Devlin, Luigi Lombardi, and Arthur Reinbach return to their positions with hopes to be in the race until the bitter end.