Here I am in the middle of a playoff hunt in the 2021 season in the Illowa APBA League. And somehow, I just made a trade for the 2022 season.
Just don’t tell J.A. Happ. I kinda need him down the stretch. I’m holding on to third place and need to advance to the playoffs once our 162-game schedule is completed.
Of course, it started with a text from my good friend Don Smith.
“Trade Offer, for the next 48 hours. After that we can give it more thought.
Rougned Odor for JA Happ. Let me know.”
Time was ticking for me to think about this. For a little background, I had one second baseman, Kipnis, retire and two, Wendle and Biggio, switch positions. Getting Odor who has 13 homers so far for the Yankees, would solidify the keystone position in 2022 for my Twin City Thunderchickens.
The above is “rougnedly” what his card would look like now courtesy of Steve’s APBA Card Computer.
Don knows that Happ’s 6.34 ERA this year belies his true value. He’s already shown this for his new team, the Cardinals in a few starts.
I pulled the trigger two days later. A Yankee for a Cardinal. If Odor can hold on to his 2B-8, I’ll be a happy man. By the way, that’s Don’s Marauders right behind me in fourth place. I’ll be facing Odor one more time for a nine-game series this winter before he becomes mine.
And who knows? Maybe Don and I will take each other in this year IAL World Series!