[Westheim]

February 9 – The Condors add veteran 1B/2B Cordell Atkins for 2-yr, $738k. Atkins has 1,526 career hits. The 34-year old spent the last six years in Topeka after seven years in Charlotte.
February 10 – 37-year old Alfonso Aranda receives a 1-yr, $432 contract from the Indians. Aranda has 2,285 career hits, which ranks him 2nd on the all-time leaderboard, 206 knocks behind Claudio Rojas.
February 10 – Denver signs CL Juan Miranda, who has 288 career saves, for 3-yr, $720k. Miranda, 32, has an career ERA of 3.12, but was much below that the last few years.
February 10 – The Warriors ink CL Pedro Durán, 30, for 1-yr, $472k. Durán has 130 career saves at age 30, but didn’t become a closer until 1987.
February 10 – After four years in Tijuana, 31-year old 1B/2B Juan Valentín returns to Boston, signing a 3-yr, $1.56M deal. He is .282 with 70 HR and 584 RBI in his career.
February 17 – SP/MR Manuel Garza, 29, returns to Salem after one year in Indy, signing a 1-yr, $466k contract. Garza is 42-41 with a 3.54 ERA in his career.
February 22 – 33-yr old SP Jorge Mora (117-122, 3.70 ERA) signs with the Crusaders, going to make $812k over two years. Mora spent the last three-and-some years in Tijuana. His best years came in the early 80s with the Falcons.
February 23 – I don’t get it: the Blue Sox trade OF Gabriel Cruz (.303, 225 HR, 945 RBI) to the Rebels for MR Tony Simpson (3.67 ERA in his career) and prospect C Thomas Mason. Cruz was traded to Nashville from the Stars one year ago, contributing to the Stars crashing by over 30 games last season.

What’s going on here with Gabriel Cruz?? That guy is an AMAZING power hitter (in this league)!! He’s getting trade for trash for the second winter in a row!! I can’t believe it!!

Cruz has not been rated higher than 3.5 stars by any of the scouts we went through the last years. Nathan Bruce gave him five stars back in 1984. Cruz has it ALL! He’s a massive power hitter, hits for a .290 average every year, he has very good defense for a 220lbs guy, and can even steal double-digit bases (once, in 1983; he’s however stolen six or more EVERY year in the big leagues!).

Listen, you GM’s! If nobody wants him, I’ll take him gladly!!

Yes, I am a bit enraged.

It’s March 1. Few valuable pieces remain on the market. “Mauler” Correa has gone unsigned so far, as has SP Carlos Guillén, the only guy to no-hit the Coons, and SP Dragoljub Djukic, who won the World Series with the Wolves last year, although they lost his start. Ed Parrell is another member of that team without a home so far. MR Robbie Dadswell, a second cousin of Sam Dadswell from Canada and an international free agent this year, is also unsigned. A few other names include Jeffery Utter, Virgil Arnold, Melvin Greene, and John Harris. All have hurt us at one point or another, you may remember them, and if you don’t, it’s no leg break either.

Anybody remember 1B Hoyt Cook? He who hit .300 in 250 AB with the Coons one year and then, when he became the 1B starter, exploded to hit .193? That year we got Matt Workman up. Hoyt is 35 now and has not played in the Bigs since 1986, and he’s on the trading block. He hit 69 dingers for the Aces’ AAA affiliate in Monmouth over the last three years. I consider trading Tetsu Osanai for him.

No, no, I don’t! Continue breathing, everybody! =)