Game Date: Jun 4th, 2066
Biloxi Thresher Sharks
Team: Biloxi Thresher Sharks [ID #356] 
Location: Biloxi, MS (South)
League: V.15 - East
Owner:
JV-Tosshin
[since November 11th 2020 | last seen October 02nd 2024]
Manager: Edgar Kwiatkowski
Ballpark: Molineux
Rank: #223 - Rating: 110.57
Fan Mood: 108.85
Prestige: 20
Color: Red & Black
Team Notes:
• Jan 13 2066: Mats Kallenberg was selected to the national team of Sweden.• Jan 13 2066: Young Jin was selected to the national team of South Korea.
• Jan 13 2066: Pieter Mulder was selected to the national team of South Africa.
• Jan 13 2066: Antoni Kaczka was selected to the national team of Poland.
• Jan 13 2066: Kuryba Shimkus was selected to the national team of Lithuania.
• Jan 13 2066: Sebastian Conway was selected to the national team of Great Britain.
• Jan 13 2066: Eric Graf was selected to the national team of Germany.
• Nov 02 2065: Gaspar Cortez was named the Rookie Pitcher of the Year.
• Jun 27 2065: Norman Knight was claimed off of waivers.
• Mar 08 2065: Santiago Silva was released.
League Record:
Wins: 26 Losses: 21 Pct: .553 Last10: 3-7 Streak: L1Ave: 4.6 - 3.8 RS: 214 RA: 177 DIFF: +37 Power Index: 104.3
Cup:
Group 109 [1 | Eliminated]Press Releases:
Sep 08 2065: T-Sharks devour Dolphins, secure crucial sweep - by JV-Tosshin on August 15th, 2024In a series that manager Kwiatkowski had said could easily become season-deciding, the Biloxi Thresher Sharks swept the Palm Beach Dolphins in 3 games at Molyneux, extending their lead at the top of the table to 6½ games with 36 left to play.
Helped by strong performances by the starting pitching, the Sharks held off late rallies by the Dolphins twice before coming back themselves in the 3rd game's 8th inning to take a lead and secure a 2-game swing in the standings.
In the process, closer Ned "the Shed" Dennison earned 3 saves, taking him 3 clear atop the saves table.
Biloxi now has the 2nd, 3rd and 4th pitcher by wins, 1st by saves, 2nd in innings pitched, 1st and 3rd in strikeouts (1st by a margin of nearly 50), 1st in complete games, 2nd in shutouts, 1st, 3rd and 9th in ERA and 1st, 2nd and 5th in WHIP.
Two Biloxi pitchers sit atop the POTG table at 9 each. As Pitching Coach Lenny Tanner put it: "At this stage, I think the only way we don't get a Cy Young is if they split between them and let someone else in!"
Nov 02 2061: Ow - by JV-Tosshin on October 27th, 2023
Biloxi held a season autopsy today, and what can be said other than "ugly, ill-timed and lethargic".
The pitching struggled a bit more than last season, to be expected against stronger opposition, but largely played well enough. Biloxi even finished with a positive run differential. Barely.
So why 8 games under 500? Spectacularly poor timing in when runs were scored. Blowout wins and squeaker losses. An offense that was anything but clutch and which, quite frankly played very poorly.
After manager Edgar Kwiatkowski took the reins last season, the hope was that he could find some kind of offense in the squad somewhere. Instead, the offense has continued to play second fiddle, and when the pitching couldn't shut down as much as last season, it was probably doomed from the start.
Kwiatkowski has been extended into next year, but he will be on a very short leash.
Jul 05 2060: Jin goes closest to Perfecto - by JV-Tosshin on July 9th, 2023
In Biloxi's 2nd game against Sioux City, Korean hotshot Young Jin went closer than anyone ever to a perfect game for the Gulf Coast team.
Jin was perfect to 7.2 innings, when a single broke the perfect game up. At that point, Jin was pulled from the game, a decision manager Edgar Kwiatkowski later explained was due to injury concerns.
Jin sadly did not get to record a win through his efforts. Biloxi, leading by 1-0 heading into the top of the 9th, sent out closer Ned Dennison, who had not allowed a run all season. Dennison blew his first save, however, letting Sioux City score 2 on 3 hits.
Dennison was saved by a late offensive burst, and Biloxi walked off the game 3-2, giving the closer his first win of the season, but Dennison seemed understandably peeved after the game that he hadn't been able to hold onto the team shutout and maintain his perfect record on the season.
Nevertheless, the win means Biloxi keeps pace with Des Moines, though still 5 games back.
May 12 2060: Melvin gets 1000th RBI - by JV-Tosshin on June 25th, 2023
In his 19th year with Biloxi, appearing as a pinch hitter as he has done most of this season, Hector Melvin, beloved veteran of the Thresher Sharks and the last remaining player from before current ownership took over, reached his 1000th RBI.
Having entered the game in the 7th inning and struck out, Melvin went to the plate in the top 9th with men on the corners and no one out, and proceeded to ground into a fielder's choice.
As shortstop Hank McKenna was thrown out at 2nd and Melvin hustled in to be safe at 1st, breaking up the double play, backup 3rd baseman Alonzo Ramos trotted home from 3rd, padding Biloxi's lead to 8-3 and giving Melvin his milestone.
An emotional Melvin said after the game: "It's... Well, it's hard to believe, really. I did not ever think back 20 years ago when I was drafted by this team that I would still be here, and to think I made it to 1000... I... Wow, yeah. It's pretty amazing. Something to tell the grandkids for sure."
Hector Melvin was drafted directly out of high school in the 3rd round of the 2041 draft and grew up in Zachary, Louisiana, barely an hour away from Molineux stadium in Biloxi. He also operates a seafood restaurant on the city shoreline, and to celebrate the achievement, the restaurant will have half price on its signature crayfish soup next weekend.
Aug 09 2059: Hess ousted as manager; Kwiatkowski takes reins - by JV-Tosshin on May 3rd, 2023
The T-Sharks caused a bit of a stir today as they announced suddenly that they had parted way with manager Joey Hess in the middle of a pennant chase.
Ownership has been very tight-lipped about the reason for Hess' ouster, and Hess was praised roundly for his handling of Biloxi's prized pitching staff. In the absence of explanation, rumors are swirling of a loss of respect in the clubhouse.
Anonymous comments from minor leagues in the Biloxi system also hint at mangements disappointment with Hess' handling of player development as an underlying cause.
Hess' replacement as Manager will be longtime hitting coach Edgar Kwiatkowski, taking the reins in his 8th year with the club. Kwiatkowski, who had hinted at a wish to possibly leave and manage a club of his own after this season, is a marked departure from typical Biloxi coaching. The California native is a noted offensive tactician. The previous three Biloxi managers, McRae, Rios and Hess, have all been way more focused on defense and pitching.
At an impromptu press conference, Kwiatkowski declined to comment on all rumors, and promised fans of the Gulf Coast club that the team's vaunted defense would not suffer under him, while also promising better development of player hitting.
"I can assure you that I can and will handle the defense as well as anyone. I may have been the hitting coach, but I do know my way around the bases in more ways than one," said the 49-year old. "And as a former scout, I promise I will look to bring the best of all our talented players."
Questioned on whether he could promise the same commitment to team pitching as the last 10 years' managers, Kwiatkowski said: "I admit I never pitched myself, and I have never made any assertions to the contrary. But we have a good staff around the team, and I trust them to assist me where I know I may be lacking. I cannot guarantee anything, of course, but we need to look at the numbers. This time has been elite in defense and pitching, but severely disappointing in team offense. A slight regression in defense and pitching is okay if we can improve our offensive numbers. More entertaining for the fans anyway."
Following Hess' departure, 3rd base coach Evan Hibbard has taken over as hitting coach. Pitching coach Omar Quintanilla has shifted to 3rd base, to be replaced by former assistant Stuart Conley, who joins the coaching team full time.