[Westheim]

Odd note #1: Remember Chris Parker, who never could get the bat into any meaningful swing as a Furball? He batted .300+ for the Pacifics both of the last two years.

Odd note #2: Upcoming free agents include Boston SP’s Jorge Chapa and Fernando Garza, career home run leader Raúl Vázquez, ancient Dale Wales and his 3,552 career hits (30 off career leader Jeffery Brown), and ex-Coons Gabby De La Rosa, Tony Vela, Albert Matthews, David Brewer, Ben O’Morrissey, Tzu-jao Ban, Stephen Buell, Chris Parker, and a truck load more.

Salary arbitration went terribly wrong. Dan Nordahl, Manuel Martinez, and Ricardo Huerta were all offered $290k. They received in that order $335k, $366k, and $375k.

Mark Thomas ($280k) and Freddy Rosa ($230k) received our offers. Gary Fifield did not get an offer, as did the four free agents including Neil Reece. In the end Neil Reece is simply washed up. This ravaged body won’t go any further. He’s plainly and simply done, and the Raccoons can not afford to carry a player that is plainly and simply done on the roster.

Now we can go and try to find out which of our more or less reliable, but now hideously overpriced right-handed relievers we want to trade for a replacement right-handed outfielder.

Offseason proper hasn’t even begun and we are already about done with spending out budget. The $400k or so we have left won’t even buy counseling for me over the next 12 months.

It may be the baseball gods’ grander plan, though. They want to suck all the fun out of managing the Raccoons so that I give up and end up packing bags at Wallbert’s.

Well they DID achieve the fun thing…