NKOtB (kindof) Part Deux: Memphis Drillers

What Happened?: This woebegone franchise may have finally started to turn around. After 11 consecutive 4th place finishes, new owner threester combined managerial talents with the freefall of former contenders San Juan and Nashville to finish 2nd with a franchise-record 80 wins last season.

The team has been in Austin since a brief one-season stay in Mephis as the Shores under temporary ownership. While the Austin market is growing, threester has become increasingly concerned with his young players penchant for late nights on the University of Texas campus. Moreover, the move to Memphis is a direct attack on division rival Nashville's stranglehold on the Tennessee market.

The Fallout: Threester's well-documented Abba love-affair continues with the move to Memphis, allegedly the inspiration of lesser-known Abba hit, Summer Night City, which topped the charts in Ireland, Finland, and Sweden. WCM has learned that Threester is moving to Memphis is hopes of re-connecting with Frida Lyngstad, alledgely a frequent visitor to Memphis' famous Corky's BBQ.

Nashville owner drennantom is rumored to be officially protesting the move to the league office on the grounds that it violates his territorial rights. In all liklihood, he's more worried about losing Graceland as an inspiration to his team.

Drillers Tanaka mourns loss of the Bird

Jin-Chi Tanaka Austin Drillers Age: 20 B/T: S/R Born: Northborough, MA Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The Austin Drillers Jin-Chi Tanaka, the top pick in the Season 9 draft shared a hometown and a wild streak with former Tiger Rookie-of-the-Year, Mark Fidrych. Fidrych died yesterday at the age of 54. "The Bird" as Fidrych was known was killed when a truck he was working on fell on him.

Fidrych accomplished some amazing feats including throwing 24 complete games and 250 innings as a rookie in 1976 when he didn't join the team until May 15. Fidrych was a quirky Bird, working at a lightning pace with arms and legs flying everywhere. After innings, he sprinted to the dugout, eager for the next frame to begin.

Tanaka, who continues to struggle with his command at the minor league level, went 6-13 with a 5.15 ERA at AA this season. He walked 80 and struck out 178 in 160.2 IP. Scouts continue to rave about his potential, and at age 20, he has plenty of time to reach it. In the meantime, expect Tanaka to continue paying tribute to "The Bird" by sprinting to and from the mound, and working as quickly as possible.

Mamma Mia! Baseball back in Austin

National League baseball is back in the state of Texas as the franchise formerly known as the Memphis Shores has relocated to Austin. The Austin Drillers are will open play under new owner, threester this season.

Austin Drillers (NL) threester View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The Drillers are perhaps the most infamous franchise in Second City history. They play in the most successful division, with the Mexico City Bandejos and San Juan Crownrificos combining to win 6 of the 9 championships thus far. The Drillers on the other hand, have never made the playoffs, never touch .500, never finished anywhere but 4th in the NL South, and own the record for the worst season in Second City history, 13-149 in Season 8 under the deposed sonenlaw.

So why Austin? Well, few people know that Austin was orginally named Waterloo, before changing it's name to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin, sometimes called the father of Texas. As it turns out, new owner threester is an unabashed fan of Abba. His favorite Abba tune? You guessed it, Waterloo. Threester is rumored to have been romantically involved with Frida Lyngstad, one of Abba's lead vocalists. The trist was never confirmed and both threester and Lyngstad refused to comment for this story.