2007 was a season of great expectations for the Sioux. However, this writer can attest that not all dreams come true. Vermont ran into the Red Robbins buzz saw in the form of the Dallas Fort Worth Spurs. No hard feelings though, DFW was the better team and we congratulate them on their 2007 NASBL World Series Championship.
Now, the Sioux must look forward - and the future ain't pretty. Vermont returns only 4 starting pitchers - and calling anyone after John Lackey a "starter" is a stretch. Not available to toe the rubber this year in the 1st inning for the Sioux are converted
Things didn't get better for most of the everyday players. Other than Jorge "Ponce de Leon" Posada, the rest of the regulars experienced a decrease in production. Gone are the range "1s" for Derek Jeter and Ryan Zimmerman, gone from the roster is long time Sioux CF Mark Kotsay and gone is Albert Pujols' stash of "Vitamin B".
In pursuit of their 1st NASBL title, the Sioux traded their 1st round draft choice to acquire the aforementioned injured Josh Johnson (8-3, 3.72 in reg. season, but disappointing in playoffs) and Brian Giles, who produced a respectable .360 OBP while patrolling RF but whose age may find him on the unemployment line come NASBL cut down day.
The result is an aging team with diminishing skills and no 1st round pick. Carlos Delgado is likely to join the ranks of "former Sioux players" as the team will try to get younger. Don't get us wrong, Carlos still has some pop, but he may be of more use to a team in the position to make some noise in the playoffs.
Achieving 93 wins again seems all but impossible. 85 seems like a more appropriate target. Hopefully that's enough to contend for a playoff spot, but it probably ain't.
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