At one point in time (JAL 9 to about 11) Jordan Halverson was considered the league's best pitcher. Then around JAL 12 as more talent began to flow into the league, he regressed significantly at the position. In JAL 13 his production reached an all time low with analysts like Brock Johnson saying "I don't think you can win a championship with him as your ace anymore."
As a result from frustration, Halverson announced after JAL 13 he was retiring as an ace pitcher, and left the Lynx for the Rapids. In JAL 14 he was listed as the team's #2 arm, but never threw a pitch the whole season. Many people don't know however, that wasn't a coincidence...
Perhaps Halverson's confidence in his pitching abilities was more shot than he let off, because it has recently been reported that the Rapids ace, Ty Johnson, tried to get him to throw a few innings during the regular season to rest his arm, but Halverson refused.
Ultimately that decision may have cost the Rapids in the National Conference Finals, in which the Cobras started hitting Ty late in the game to win.
Despite the fact that Halverson won the fielding crown last season, the reality is that in JAL 15 the team needs him to pitch with no questions asked.
"With the amount of games played now (with new longer season format) especially in the playoffs our team needs a backup," says Ty Johnson. "I don't necessarily want him to feel like he has to, but we do need a backup and he's the best we have at this time."
Luckily for the team, Halverson says he wants to get back into it.
"I would love the opportunity to step back in and see what I can do," he says. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes and what's best for my team."
Seeing Halverson throw again will be nice, and perhaps the season off from it will have him refreshed. His style is to throw far more strikes than balls with a bit of movement, but not at raging speeds. Essentially, he avoids giving batters a free base by constantly putting the ball in the zone, but in turn that is what many people have cited as the reason he dropped off as the league has grown.
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