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Pickings are slim with the 18th pick. I start off the my rebuild project picking up CF Cesar Geronimo. He's not nearly developed enough to start this season so he'll have to sit in the Minors for this next season as I look forward to Free Agency and trades.
First trade I make lands me a temporary fill in at CF in 28 yr old Milt Byrnes. He's making 9 million after arbitration for the Royals which is apparently too much for them as I land him and some B level prospects for my utility infielder Tyler Smith.
I pick up elite fielding 3 star Brendan Ryan to fill the shortstop role for a package of prospects. He has a below average bat but the fielding will be everything I need.
The catcher I need is available in Free Agency. The catch is he is 41 years old. He is asking for 5.9 mil with a vesting option for a 2nd year. I offer him 7.9 each hoping he will sign quickly.
It is Day 2 of Free Agency and I have 24 million in comfortable margin and a need to win soon. Chemistry problem children have been jettisoned and I have 2 leaders in the clubhouse already. The only positive type I am missing is a prankster so I wil keep an eye out for someone who can fill that role as I fill positional needs.
I shop another of my utility infielders around and nap 35 yr old 3B Al Dark. He is the wrong side of 30 and in the last year of his contract, but he cost me very little. He's an elite fielder at third and had I gotten him 10 seasons ago I'd probably have moved him to short. The fans love him and I have about 12 million of salary room left before I start cutting into cash.
In Free Agency I find a backup SS with the captain trait who is only asking for a little over a million. I still need a couple cheap starting pitchers to fill the 4 and 5 holes and find one immediately in Jeff Sellers. He is 29 with 2 elite pitches and an above average changeup. His other ratings are nothing to write home about, but he is asking for a minor league contract so I am hoping a 2 year deal for a million each will sway him quickly. He looks like someone who can do well short term in the right environment. 28 Year old Drew Pomeranz is similar to Sellers with two elite pitches and otherwise pedestrian looking stuff. He has the high leader trait and a 9 rating for Holding runners and looks to be well worth the risk at 3 years of 3.8 mil each (last yr is a team option). For bullpen help Liam Hendriks is there asking for 4.4mil per season over 3 which is less than I previously offered him. I make the offer and cross my fingers.
Looking at my current roster, Al Dark is looking for 6 mil to extend a season. He is probably declining, but with his Defense and intangibles it is worth the risk. He'll make a great backup and clubhouse guy worst case and I should have plenty of budget room in 2 seasons.
By Dec 2nd Sellers and Pomeranz have signed and everyone else still favors my offers. The starting rotation looks set, I have 4 mil in budget room and 10 mil in cash to increase offers if anyone gets made a better deal. Liam Hendrik is resigned by December 5th and the rotation is actually starting to look pretty good for the budget. By December 16th Buck Ewing signs for the original offer. Took a bit so I expect he had some nibbles from other teams... but he will go a long way towards decreasing the number of runs allowed this season if he can hold up for just a few more months.
On the 18th Dave Anderson has signed to provide infield depth and leadership in the clubhouse. I look at the projected lineups and see my new Manager has my stud SS signing as the starter at 2B. I'd picked up a great fielder to provide depth there that he's going to start apparently. I'll allow it for now, but wil be watching it early to see if I have to force him to start the guys where I intended. Rosters look set across the board earlier than expected and the rest of this offseason will be spend checking for any late deals on the Free Agent market.
Next up will be simming to Preseason which is my personal milestone for ensuring all my staff get offered extension along with my minor league players. Newly drafted players have the opportunity to decline a minor league extension in my league so now is when I want to find out if I'll have to add them to the 40 man roster. Not as big a concern right now with only 28 players on it. With injuries set to Very Low I am tempted to reduce the 40 man roster down to 30 players but I'm afraid of how the AI might react. The last thing I want it doing is throwing prospects on waivers needlessly.
With extensions done, and no deals in Free Agency I can happily sim to the start of Spring Training and check the intial Predicted Standings and see where I stand. It seems I stand at a predicted 86-76. This doesn't mean as much as the opening day one will, but it still makes me feel good as I always expect to have at least 5 more wins then the predicted standings with how I build my teams.
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