Pawtucket Transition

Pawtucket has long been among the top teams in the National League, and while the team gets set to pursue its record 12th straight division title, change is in the air.

A slew of core players on this team are past their prime. The numbers are still there, but the timeline for their careers is dwindling. And GM Kevin Sharkey will have some big decisions to make.

"Certainly, there are 7 or 8 guys on this team who I'd love to see retire as a Polythene. And if we can make that happen, we will do it," Sharkey said. "But part of the problem with doing that is their pricetag. They're so expensive right now that their contracts are prohibiting us from building up our minor leagues."

GMs around the league are comparing this team to the Kansas City Shuffle of season 9. The run that they had completed was historic, but there was only a year or two left before they completely hit the wall. Instead of playing out that run, they retooled on the fly, and the result was a World Series title 3 seasons later, with a completely different roster.

"I feel this team will win the division for 3 or 4 more years," Sharkey remarked. "But fans in Rhode Island are getting tired of division titles. We're turning into the Atlanta Braves of Sharkey's World, with all our wild regular season success, and stunning playoff failures. I'm not sure if this team can compete with Colorado Springs or San Francisco in the coming seasons, and if thats the case, something has to be done."

And that something is clearly getting the young talent back for the aging players on their roster.

"I expect major changes around here this season," said longtime Polythene Frank Harris, one of two Pawtucket players who have been on the roster for every regular & post season game since opening day in season 1. "I always assumed Stan [Stan Jenner] & I would retire as Polythene in the same season, and go into the Hall of Fame together in the same class. And that is still our plan, totally. But we'll see if Shark allows that to happen."

Jenner added: "If moving us for youth is whats best for the organization, then I think Frank & I would be OK with that. Ideally, we'd love to end up in the same place, but we have no control over that. But if I can go somewhere else and get a 3rd ring, I would be OK with that. I'll end up as a Polythene again someday, that much I know."

One person who is still on the younger side of 30 that many people may not have been expected to move is 3 time All-Star Enrique Infante, who feels he has never fit in in Pawtucket. "The pressure that was put on my when they acquired me a few years ago was far too great. I'm a great pitcher, but I'm not C-Ram, and that's who they wanted me to be."

The 29 year old still has as much as a decade of great baseball in front of him, but may be the first to leave town.

"My agent informed me the other day that 6 teams are already in active negotiations to acquire my services. Obviously I can't say which teams they are, but I'm excited about the fact that most are in the American League. I hate batting," Infante joked.

Two of the newer Polythene, Jay Peters and Johnnie West both say they expect to be dealt before the trade deadline. "Obviously we don't have the history in Pawtucket that some of these other guys have," West said. "You're crazy if you think the franchise will move guys like Jenner & Thomson before they'd move us. The fans would go nuts. People who get statues of them erected in their cities aren't the type of people who get moved until the last possible minute."

Speaking of Julian Thomson, what lies in store for him?

"All I know, man, is if I get moved, it better be for the biggest package out there." Never one to shy away from boasting his own skills, the 6 time all star & 5 time silver slugger acknowledged this. "Yeah, I'll run my mouth. But when you're the best player in the world at his position, and your position is the most important of all the positions in the game, besides pitcher, you can be confident that what you're saying is accurate."

To be fair, he has a point. Thomson just recently turned 30 years old. He has 8 straight 100 run seasons, 5 seasons of 40+ doubles, 5 seasons of 20+ home runs, 6 seasons of 50+ stolen bases, and over 500 career RBIs - all in only 8 seasons played, and all from the leadoff spot.

"Don't forget that I'm a complete hitter now," Thomson added, regarding the fact that he's hit over .300 each of the last 2 seasons, and finished in the Top 5 in NL MVP voting both times.

"So if they trade me, I better go to a great team. I wouldn't mind winning a few World Series titles in San Francisco or Colorado Springs. And there's a few great guys in the American League who I'd like to play for."

Other people likely on the move are LF Rod Forbes, switch-hitting RF Paul Reese, and P Buddy Dorsey.

Pitcher Charles Randall, who doesn't have a lot of gas left in the tank, doesn't think the team should be so quick to unload.

"That's a lot of talent you're all speculating about. Why move them all right now, when you can keep them together and get me another World Series ring? Hell, at least wait 'til next offseason, when I'm a free agent and likely won't be resigned by Pawtucket," he joked.

Who knows what will happen. The rumors are flying though, and a lot of teams are going to get a lot better by having their pick of talent off the Pawtucket roster.