Outlaws pitcher is outbound

On Monday (Aug. 22), on the heels of a six-game losing streak and sitting 14 1/2 games out of first place, the Chico Outlaws lost ace pitcher Jason Stevenson to the San Francisco Giants.

Stevenson was nothing short of brilliant in his 64.1 innings this season. He posted an 8-0 record and an impressive 1.68 ERA, striking out 76 batters in the process. He will finish out this season with the Giants’ Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies.

Days earlier, the North American Baseball League announced it was shortening its season and beginning the playoffs a week early. The Outlaws didn’t make the playoffs cut.

According to the league, the stuttering economy has crippled its member teams. Last week, one of them, the Na Koa Ikaika of Maui, called it quits ahead of schedule after the Lake County Fielders of Illinois canceled a trip to the island for Maui’s final home series.