[Westheim]

December 8 – The Scorpions spend $4.04M for four years of services from almost 34 years old ex-IND LF/RF Al Graves (.268, 25 HR, 210 RBI).
December 10 – The Wolves deal 28-yr old left-handed MR Dan Parker (7-4, 4.86 ERA, 2 SV) to the Titans for two 24-yr old OF Jaime Crawford (.000 in 7 AB) and another prospect.
December 11 – The Titans send 3B Pedro Cruz (.215, 2 HR, 24 RBI) to the Buffaloes, netting MR Bill Dean (2-7, 3.71 ERA, 1 SV) and #47 prospect SP Jim Fortman in return.
December 11 – The Stars deal veteran reliever Kevin Wanless (37-24, 2.84 ERA, 71 SV) to the Miners for promising C Dylan Alexander (.100 in 20 AB).
December 11 – 27-year old SP Pedro Vargas (35-22, 3.84 ERA) is sent from the Falcons to the Miners, who complete the trade by sending 26-year old 3B Wes Ladd (.261, 22 HR, 197 RBI) and a prospect.
December 11 – The Thunder flip 35-yr old 1B/3B Ignacio Arreola (.243, 24 HR, 172 RBI) to the Bayhawks to get 27-yr old MR Tommy Costello (8-6, 3.50 ERA) and 2009 supplemental round pick CL Logan Sloan.
December 12 – The Crusaders acquire 28-yr old SP Ed Winn (17-18, 4.81 ERA) from the Scorpions in exchange for a second-rate prospect.
December 19 – Former Buffaloes catcher Antonio Ramirez (.241, 40 HR, 414 RBI) becomes a Bayhawk after signing a 2-yr, $1.86M contract.
December 20 – 28-year old top ranked RF/LF Ricardo Garcia (.273, 96 HR, 481 RBI) signs a 7-yr, $20.44M contract with the Titans. Garcia spent his time with the Aces so far.
December 20 – Travelling INF Nelson Chavez (.269, 59 HR, 401 RBI) hooks up with the Falcons. The 34-year old will make $580k in 2011.
December 21 – 28-year old ex-OCT LF/RF Apasyu Britton (.289, 24 HR, 323 RBI) signs a 4-yr, $3.68M deal with the Buffaloes.
December 23 – Ex-SAC SP Carlos Castro (95-107, 3.78 ERA) signs a 2-yr, $4.48M deal with the Thunder. The 33-year old right-hander is considered fragile, and also has never received a lot of run support in his career…
December 23 – The Bayhawks pick up 1B/3B Yuji Hashimoto (.296, 56 HR, 351 RBI) from the Gold Sox, parting with 2B Maxime Da Silva (.214, 8 HR, 60 RBI) and #58 prospect right-hander Gavin French.
December 26 – A long-time Logger, but most recently a Wolf, 37-year old RF/LF Bakile Hiwalani (.272, 311 HR, 1,558 RBI) signs a 2-yr, $1.66M pact with the Cyclones.
January 1 – The Cyclones merrily keep adding, signing 35-yr old 2B/SS Bartolo Hernandez (.308, 60 HR, 863 RBI) to a 1-yr, $670k contract. Hernandez was with the Bayhawks in 2010.

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Well, we weren’t quite in the market for Ricardo Garcia it seems. The worst part for the Aces is that not only will they sink further into obscurity, but they also only get a measly third-round pick for their loss, since the Titans had already blown their second-round pick for signing Tony Hamlyn. They are definitely loading up, and when I look at their roster, while they have lost most of their bullpen, the only significant other departures are infielders Mark Austin and Ken Rodgers. They are perhaps another one or two strong pieces away from being a hot bet for the division again!

Alas, they’re out of money. They are paying a broken Jorge Chapa $3.2M to pitch long relief once more in 2011. That’s more than the entire Coons bullpen will earn, and only about $1.15M less than the Raccoons’ entire rotation.

The Raccoons still stand to have two first-round picks, two supplemental round picks, and have an option for another supplemental round pick if someone picks up Ray Kelley.

Meanwhile the Takeru Sato negotiations go really poorly. We started with a 2-yr, $2.12M offer, the last year always a vesting options in the negotiations, hanging on him delivering 180 innings in 2011. The Crusaders were bidding along however, and the Thunder did for a while as well. The price is going up and up and is almost at $2.5M now.

The Thunder eventually re-signed Antonio Donis, the 2010 Pitcher of the Year, to a 2-yr, $6.32M deal. That one is interesting. First, it’s guaranteed, and second, Donis, who was short of breath even in his youth, will be 39 next June. Although, if he could win a POTY at 38, he can’t be that worn out….

I’m also working on a deal with an FL West team for a shortstop. They are rebuilding, and while the guy in question isn’t necessarily a big earner, he’s worth a promising youngster or two. My main task here is to stay out of dealing Rich Hood, really.

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And finally, David Brewer made the Hall of Fame … as an Elk. Royce Green didn’t even make another ballot, but Neil Reece will be back.