Contributed by Buster Spork
Recently we got to know one of the two new franchises in the WPBL, the Striking Miners....aka "Idaho's Worst Baseball Team". It feels only fair that we explore the other new team to league this year, the Gillette Bison. Let's take a look at how the Bison came to the league, where they're at now, and what they expect of their future.
It all starts with new owner Ty Fish. Deciding to bring a franchise to Wyoming was a bold move as it's the first WPBL team to establish itself in that region. When speaking to Miners' owner Bryn Rourke about why he decided to bring a second franchise to Idaho, he provided me with a research-based response that truly demonstrated both a knowledge of the area's profit-potential and a passion for the region. I asked Ty Fish the same question, expecting the same level of insight about why he decided to bring a team to Wyoming. He gave me this answer: "Pretty much just threw a dart at the map and picked the closest town of the right size". This is the moment when Buster Spork fell in love with the Bison. That's exactly the type of impulsive decision-making that I love to see. This is a team that's going places.
The Bison have burst onto the scene as a playoff contender in a Mainland Division that is wide open. Maybe "burst onto the scene" isn't the right phrase here...how about "have played slightly below average baseball which for an expansion team is actually pretty good and somehow their sub .500 record has them in playoff contention". The Old-Timers and the Truckers look like locks for the 1-2 spots, but the third wildcard spot is there for the taking and the Bison very much remain in the conversation for it. While 28-35 isn't necessarily anything to write home about, it's keeping them alive in regards to hopes of the postseason. I asked Ty Fish what he expects for this season and this is what he had to say: "The plan remains the same even when in the wild card fight this season: building for the future and collecting as many prospects as possible. I'll always put the best team I can out there, but I'll trade away the stars for prospects". While one might think that whoever emerges as the 3-seed in the Mainland Division this year will have a hard time keeping up with Elko or Pocatello, you just never know. Regardless, a playoff appearance in their debut year would certainly be seen as a success for the Bison in their infancy and do a lot to drum up support from a new fanbase.
In the locker room one player has emerged as the leader of this team. Marcos Ortiz is winning the hearts of Gillette fans and putting up great numbers in his debut season for the Bison . Ty Fish knows he's found a gem, "Marcos Ortiz has been our best player by far this season, killer combo of OBP and power". Currently sitting on a .300 average and a 2.5 WAR, he's the real deal. An all-star in his first season and a legitimate candidate for rookie of the year, he clearly has a bright future in the league. The question looming over the entire franchise is if Fish wants to build a team around Ortiz or sell him off in an effort to accrue assets for the future. Only time will tell.
The Mainland Division is already having quite an interesting first season. Elko and Pocatello are clear top dogs for the time being. The remaining four teams, who are all within two games of one another, have now been put in an intriguing position: Should they fight for a playoff spot, which will excite the fanbase and increase popularity even though they're likely to get steamrolled by the Truckers or the Old-Timers in the first round? Should they forget about the playoffs and tear down their team in an effort to build up prospects and draft picks so they can build a future powerhouse? Should they try to get the best of both worlds and pull off something in between? It seems Ty Fish could choose any of the above, it's going to be interesting over the next couple years to see which direction the Bison head towards. Regardless, it seems like they're in great hands.
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