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HOT STOVE REPORT: Nate Arndt Chooses Mechanics
The off-season is here and in preparation for the 2019 ORWBL season, we will be taking a look at all the big signings, trades, and transactions from around the league as they happen this offseason.
NEW CARLISLE - In a move that has been in the works for years, former Cy Young winner Nate Arndt will be joining forces with long-time friend Aidan Cotter as a member of the Olive Township Mechanics. The deal was announced a few days after Olive's announcement that they would be returning to the league in 2019.
The Mechanics will be the fourth team in three years for the youngest member of the Arndt dynasty. After spending his first two full seasons managing the Jet City Junkballers, Arndt disbanded the franchise and announced a three year Magic contract last summer.
However, Arndt didn't even complete half of a season with Maple City before he was shipped off to Great Lakes in a deal that shocked the league at the time. Arndt's pitching was a welcome addition for the Godfathers last season, but unfortunately Arndt posted career-low numbers at the plate.
The former Cy Young winner will look to get his hitting back on track as a Mechanic. Arndt led the league with 51 homeruns just three seasons ago, and if he can replicate that success in 2019 he should crush his previous-best marks playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark like The Garage.
For the Mechanics, this is a move that has been a long time coming. The history between Arndt and other members is rich and this should lead to an easy transition on the field. Star outfielder Garrett Ruiz even spent his first ORWBL season playing with Arndt's Junkballers, and a reunion with Ruiz was surely apart of Nate's decision.
In fact, the Mechanics franchise itself was formed as a result of fallout between manager Aidan Cotter and Arndt following the 2013 Hometown Days tournament. This created somewhat of a rivalry between Arndt's Junkballers and the Mechanics in their two seasons together in ORWBL, with the all-time mark sitting at 3-3.
That rivalry appears to be all in the past, however, as it was announced that Arndt will be the primary starting pitcher for the Mechanics.
It will surely be interesting to see how Arndt will click with the Mechanics, as Olive will need Nate to get back to his homerun-hitting days if they want to attempt to contend in a strong National League.
