Fired!

After 4 years on the job, Quebec City has let go of an icon.

Quebec City, CAN – The Quebec City Piglets announced today that Manager Brian Fantana has been fired after four seasons on the job.

“It is with a heavy heart that I deliver this news,” QC General Manager Pat Renaud said in a statement released this morning. “Brian Fantana is a good man, with an amazing mustache and a fashion sense to die for. Unfortunately, we as an organization simply need more than rugged good looks and assorted plaid blazers. We need championships. Mr. Fantana has failed to deliver that, and so we’ll try and find someone who will.”

Renaud was quick to point out that Fantana is a great manager, and certainly has a way with the ladies, but that regular season results can only take you so far.
“We love winning the Western Division every year, obviously” Renaud went on to say. “But I’d trade every last one of them to get our name on that plaque. You have to prioritize.”

Fantana had a bit of a checkered tenure as manager of the Piglets. Under his leadership the Piglets won the Western Division in 2007, 2008, and 2009. However, in his first year in 2006, the Piglets did not win the Western Division, the only time in their history since divisions were implemented that the Piglets have failed to do so. He led the Piglets to their first championship game appearance in 2007, where they were beaten by the 6th seeded Arlington Warriors, a team they’d beaten 10-0 only 4 weeks prior.

Inconsistency was a hallmark of the Fantana Piglets, and in the end his undoing. While the team dominated for a good part of the 2008 regular season, the team collapsed following the All-Star break, losing 4 of their last 9 games, including an 8-2 shellacking at the hands of division rival and lottery team Tokyo in week 18. The collapse proved untimely, as the Piglets would miss out on a bye by 0.5 games, leading to another first-round exit to Weymouth.

Despite a record-setting pitching staff in 2008, the Piglets pitchers all imploded in the first round of that season, costing the team what many thought to be their best shot at a title to that point. Much of the blame fell to pitching coach James Westfall, but Fantana refused to acknowledge his right hand man’s complicity in the collapse, and came into 2009 with his staff largely intact.

After dominating the entire 2009 season, the Piglets again collapsed in the playoffs. This time, it was the offense’s turn to sputter, as the team managed just 8 hits and 3 runs over the first two days, with no RBIs, or Homeruns, essentially punting 40% of the team’s potential points only two days into the contest. As the week went on and the pitching continued the losing trend, it became clear that something needed to give in Canada.

Brian Fantana could not be reached for comment.

“The guy was an icon,” team MVP Tim Lincecum said. “But they’re not too forgiving up here. You need results, or you can expect to get your walking papers.”

Lincecum’s words hang ominously over the Piglets going into the offseason. Renaud has never been afraid to shake things up, and it would seem as if the firing of Fantana is just the first step in what could be wholesale changes to the Piglets roster and managerial staff.

While Renaud has yet to name a replacement, there are many worthy candidates both inside and outside the organization. It is not yet clear if Fantana’s staff will be going with him, but inside sources say pitching coach James Westfall and team physician Dr. Kenneth Noisewater are as good as gone. Meanwhile, the same sources indicate that Bench coach Champ Kind and hitting coach Roy Hobbs appear to have the inside track to be the new manager.

Other sources, however, indicate that Renaud may just clean house entirely and start fresh. Either way, it’s sure to be a cold winter in Canada. Again.

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Tale of Two Seasons

Bridge H2O Today
By: Stevie Miller

Fifth time a charm? Bridgewater finds themselves in there fifth, yes fifth, championship series in the EHCC. It was a long and strange road to get to this point, much different than the prior year.


In the 2008 season, the Weasels dominated out of the gate, not losing a series until week 19 against Peoria. They ended up 16-3-3 that season and clinched a number one seed, first round bye in the playoffs. In the playoffs, the Weasels took down their Rakeville rivals and found themselves in the championship where they would go on and get demolished by the unstoppable Doggs. Another year, another loss in the championships.

Bridgewater’s supremacy in 2008 was long forgotten when the 09 season started. The Weasels looked like an old weak team from the get go. In the first half of the season, they went 4-6-1 getting blown out in the losses and barley sliding by in the wins. Injuries were a big part of it, but it just didn’t seem like the team had their pizzazz anymore. It seemed that the Weasels were going to miss out on the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. “It was embarrassing how we were playing, I was about to fake an injury just so I wouldn’t have to deal with this crap anymore” said Jimmy Rollins.

Owner Nastra Diggus didn’t think so highly of the team as well. Coming upon the approaching trade deadline, Diggus had some ideas and was thinking of blowing up the team. “I was thinking for the future, I didn’t think we were going to go anywhere this year and we were getting old, so I was thinking young” Diggus said. Bridgewater, which most of the core players have been together for awhile now, thought about cleaning house much like Rakeville did.

When the second half of the season started Bridgewater started looking at some younger players to trade for. That wasn’t the only thing they were doing though, they were also winning. In the first 3 games of the second half, Bridgewater won 7-3, 7-3, 9-0. There was hope again and the trade talks turned to whispers. The next week though QC came through and knocked the Weasels back down (lost 3-7) and brought the blowing up the team conversation back in. In week 16, the Weasels were on the outside looking in at the playoffs and had the trade deadline looming. “I really thought I was going to dismantle this team and start fresh, something we’re not accustomed to here” said Diggus.

By the end of the week the decision had to be made, and the team made if for Diggus. By the deadline the Weasels were crushing Weymouth and had a great shot at making the playoffs. Diggus decided he would make a run at the playoffs instead. And they did, not losing a single series from there on out and ended up going 8-1-2 in the second half of the season, scoring 7 points or more in those 8 wins. Not only did they get into the playoffs, they got the 5^th seed and almost snagged a bye for the eastern conference. “This team is filled with professionals who never give up, especially if you back is against the wall. I was just glad the rest of my team finally stepped up like I’ve been doing all year” said Weasels pitcher Chris Carpenter.

Last year the Weasels cruised into the playoffs without lifting a finger, in 2009 they had to claw and scratch their way in, with both stories ending the same way….championship series. The Weasels hope this years story turns out a little bit better than last years.

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2009 PEORIA CARDINALS POSTSEASON MEDIA GUIDE

Peoria Cardinals Media Relations Department has released its first ever Postseason Media Guide. The Cardinals are set to take on the Golden Gryphons in 2009 EHCC Semifinals.

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