Trouble in Montgomery?

After three seasons of mediocre "baseball" in Jackson, the Delta Blues switched ownership and cities, becoming the Montgomery Hornets with rootgargle as their new owner.  Quickly making changes throughout the franchise, "root," as the players and coaches like to call him, not only changed the faces of the players in the locker room, but he also changed their outlook on how they would do as a team.  He traded prospects for experienced major league players, which sent shockwaves through the entire system.  Prospects knew their places in the franchise were not safe.  Veterans knew that they were expendable.  It forced everyone to play harder, and with more passion.  The entire league took notice when Babe Brooks and Louis Stevenson were both shipped to Buffalo for slugger Neil Clyburn.  Throw in some big contracts for free agents, and the phrase on the lips of everyone in Montgomery was "all-in."  

Then, catastrophe.  Going into the first round of the NL playoffs, the Hornets held the number three seed, and were the favorites in many circles, with some managers saying in interviews that they thought the Hornets had what it took to up-end the defending champs from KC.  The series started well, with Montgomery winning the opening game, but it quickly turned south when Salt Lake City took the next two, putting the Hornets back on their heels.  In the decisive game of the series, the Hornets' Tike Hernandez gave up 6 runs in the first inning before being yanked, while Clyburn was held hitless, and the Hornets fell 6-4.  

Immediately after the series, root was quoted as saying "I knew my guys weren't ready yet for the big time."  That one line sent more shockwaves through the clubhouse than any trade root pulled during the season.  

Veteran Jacob Torres was livid.  "Why am I here if they don't think I'm ready?  I'm 28-years-old, it's not like I'm going to get any bigger or stronger.  I mean what the hell?  I'm an all-star!  I've won a gold glove!"

Short-stop Chuck Sasser had a similar take on the root interview.  "I know I'm not here to hit the ball out of the park, but I know what I'm doing in the field.  I know what to do when they hit it at me.  It's not like I get freaked out just because we're in the playoffs.  I just don't get it."

All-star and silver slugger Neil Clyburn was not amused either.  A notorious hot-head, we had to edit the quote that he gave us.  "What the (expletive)?  Are you (expletive) kidding me?  I'm out there, busting my (expletive) every (expletive) game, and that (expletive) is going to get in front of some microphones and tell you guys that we're not (expletive) ready?  (expletive) him!!  He can't come down to the locker room and tell us that to our (expletive) faces?!?  He doesn't think we can handle it?!?  I'm 28 (expletive) years old!  I'm a man!"

The youngest regular starter on the team, Woodie Drew was the closest thing this reporter could find to a player who agreed with the owner.  "We do have some youth at certain positions.  I'm only 23, so I know that I still have some growing and maturing to do.  And our team has never been good before.  Most of these guys have never been to the playoffs.  I'll admit, I was a little nervous when I first got out there to sub for Chuck.  And when I got to the plate for my first at-bat, holy (expletive).  But.....come on, we're all professionals, we know what we're doing, and we don't need our owner telling us that we're not ready."

So what will be the fallout from this one little line, from one interview?  Rootgargle's contract runs through next season.  Will he still be there the following season?  Will the fans chase him out?  What if the team falls back to their days of being a .400 ball club?  Will any players demand a trade during the off-season?  Will Clyburn ever take his meds?  

-nj