[Westheim]

I did something in early December that was probably a mistake. We will find out in the next few years.

Graham Wasserman had cost an arm and a leg and probably more to acquire from the Stars 18 months ago (even though we managed to sneak Craig Bowen into that package), but he had gotten beaten up in AAA for two years, in 2014 even with a really advantageous BABIP. It was not so much about the two really, really rotten major league starts in September. It was the fact that he had been battered in AAA for two straight years. The overall package might have been enough for a #19 prospect ranking before the season, but I was sure that that wasn’t going to hold up anymore, and also that he was not as great a future starting pitcher as that rank would indicate would be possible.

Then there was the shortstop thing. It was impossible to find the right fit. There was Erik Janes on the Thunder, and they were principally willing to talk, but they were also really eager to talk about Cookie Carmona, and that wasn’t going to lead us anywhere nice.

I managed to combine those two issues in a trade with the Cyclones for 24-year old INF Ronnie McKnight. He was not an elite batter. He was probably going to be a decent, above average, left-handed batter. It was hard to say much, since while he had a batting average over .400 in the majors, he had been completely blocked by veterans on that team and had only gobbled up 44 at-bats over the last two seasons. But where we expected McKnight to shine was the defense. He had an elite glove at shortstop and was probably a future Gold Glover. He could also slide in at second and third base with little issue. He didn’t have experience at first, but he could do that, too, I’m sure.

McKnight had just turned 24 in November, and he would be under team control through 2020, not having accumulated close to full year of service time yet. This is not his first trade, and far from it. Originally drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Warriors, McKnight was dealt three times in 2010, including twice in a week in late July, before landing in Cincy.

This also means we’re done with Palmer Taylor, who was a left-handed bench piece. With only two right-handed batters in the starting lineup vs. right-handed pitching next year (Bednarski, Murphy; with Taylor hitting for neither), use for Taylor was limited. Walt Canning in turn got an extra life as a bench player (and probably platooning with McKnight) since he covers the left side of the infield and bats right-handed. Bergquist is also on the bench, also batting right-handed. Margolis might be the backup catcher, also batting right-handed. Seeley is still around (the Cyclones wanted him initially, but I coaxed them out of the idea) and bats left-handed, but again, one lefty bench piece is nice and well, but we don’t need two, especially with our lineup. There is still an open roster spot which could be held by Jimmy Fucito, but I might long for something more potent and less hacking-prone. A Bobby Quinn type o’ guy! That would be swell.

In a perfect world, we’d find a good defensive centerfielder, switch-hitter, pinch-running capabilities. I said it before: Cookie has great range, but sometimes he seems to have a bit of trouble picking up balls early enough, and his arm is okay, but not very strong. If we could shift him to left late in close games and bring in a Santiago Trevino caliber player – with a some form of stick.

I had Calderón compile a list of what I longed for, but the results were not to my liking. Either the players on the list were too young and too hot a prospect to be acquired (like San Fran’s Dave Garcia), or they were rule 5 picks with all the strings attached (like Oklahoma’s Eric Dennis), or they resembled Santiago Trevino TOO much.

Now having found a shortstop on the cheap, we might want to look for a qualified sixth starting pitcher that has an option to be stashed in AAA at the start of the season. We still have more than $2M to play with since the deal with the Cyclones was salary-neutral.

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December 3 – Deal between the Raccoons and Cyclones: the latter receive 24-yr old SP Graham Wasserman (0-0, 14.21 ERA), while leaving the Raccoons with 24-yr old INF Ronnie McKnight (.432, 0 HR, 7 RBI in 44 AB).
December 3 – The Bayhawks sign 35-yr old ex-CIN SP Juan Garcia (125-137, 4.44 ERA) to a 1-yr, $2.04M contract.
December 3 – The Cyclones console themselves with former Indian RF/1B Juan Ortíz (.271, 323 HR, 1,336 RBI). The 37-year old veteran signs a 2-yr, $4.16M deal.
December 4 – Elite slugger 1B Steve Butler (.322, 167 HR, 732 RBI) signs a 6-yr, $22.32M contract with the Titans where he will replace the departed Tony Ramos. Butler, 30, spent his career with the Miners so far.
December 5 – The Bayhawks pick up another former Cyclone in CL Ian Johnson (71-68, 2.34 ERA, 433 SV), who will receive $1.4M over two years.
December 6 – The Crusaders add to their bullpen; while 30-year old righty Helio Maggessi (34-27, 2.40 ERA, 119 SV) has yet to be assigned a role, he will sure contribute for his $1.66M salary for 2015.
December 7 – The Knights deal 25-yr old RF Will McIntyre (.274, 6 HR, 78 RBI) to the Bayhawks for 27-yr MR Ian Tharp (15-3, 2.72 ERA, 3 SV) and relief pitching prospect Gary Ledford, who is unranked but promising.
December 7 – Career Aces INF Howard Jones (.266, 21 HR, 309 RBI) joins the Cyclones on a 4-yr, $7.8M contract.
December 8 – Ex-BOS 1B Tony Ramos (.295, 87 HR, 642 RBI) signs a 1-yr, $770k contract with the Scorpions.
December 8 – The Titans add to their rotation with the addition of 30-yr old SP Johnny Krom (77-59, 4.01 ERA), who nevertheless struggled the last two years and has to be content with a 1-yr, $720k deal.
December 10 – As the winter meetings begin, the Loggers trade SP Gabriel Caro (65-80, 4.20 ERA) and cash(!) to the Bayhawks in exchange for three prospects, including #6 SP Chris Sinkhorn.
December 11 – The Knights trade for the Blue Sox’ SP Felipe Ramirez (31-32, 3.68 ERA), parting with 2B T.J. Hilderbrand (.253, 16 HR, 132 RBI) and a prospect.
December 11 – SP Blaine Barnard (15-10, 3.98 ERA) is sent from the Condors to the Warriors after his rookie season, with two prospects heading to Tijuana.
December 12 – 33-year old LF/RF Johnny Crum (.295, 59 HR, 438 RBI) is sent from the Knights to the Stars, with the Knights receiving two pitchers in 25-yr old MR Adam Harper (7-6, 4.19 ERA, 4 SV) and a prospect.
December 13 – The Scorpions trade SP Tim Winston (60-60, 3.83 ERA), whom they only acquired mid-season from the Rebels, and cash to the Warriors, and receive two prospects in return.
December 14 – The Loggers part with 30-yr old 1B/2B Silvestro Roncero (.282, 19 HR, 189 RBI), who is sent to the Blue Sox for 27-yr old SP Jason McDonald (14-14, 4.43 ERA).

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Tids and bits: Sergio Vega got a 2-yr, $424k deal with the Thunder (good for him!), the prospect in the Johnny Crum deal was rule 5 pick Dan Moon, Vic Flores also joined the Knights on a 1-yr, $316k deal, Tomas Castro found a $326k gig with the Stars, and the Hall of Fame ballot is out!