[Westheim]

As February was running out of days, there was still a type A free agent left over on the market. 30-yr-old right-hander Alberto Molina had posted consecutive losing seasons, but you had to suspect the Buffaloes in general to have a hoof in dropping to those. His ERA had twice been roughly four. He was not an overwhelming pitcher, his control wasn’t very good, and while the price of free agents invariably sagged as the new season was drawing up, I still didn’t feel like chasing after a type A free agent, given that the Raccoons needed all the draft picks that they could get … and they had received none whatsoever from their own free agency departures.

Frank Kelly was also still on the market, but also still out of action after Tommy John, yet still was hoping for someone to shell out the big bucks.

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March 9 – The Titans snatch up ex-TOP SP Alberto Molina (102-90, 3.54 ERA) on a 4-yr, $10.72M contract.
March 12 – The Loggers trade 38-yr-old RF/1B Tom Reese (.258, 234 HR, 1,145 RBI) and cash to the Buffaloes in exchange for 29-yr-old MR Luis Calderon (19-21, 4.72 ERA, 11 SV) and a prospect.
March 21 – Veteran southpaw reliever Mike Stank (26-50, 3.46 ERA, 133 SV), formerly with the Bayhawks, signs a $570k with the Pacifics.

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Jose Gutierrez signed a $296k deal with the Rebels – by the way, it’s been 14 years since he was a Raccoon, but once a Raccoon, always a Raccoon. He once managed to appear in 104 games for the Wolves in a season, while actually only making the starting lineup four times. The Buffaloes dug out Pat Slayton from somewhere and paid him $296k for the 2023 season. Slayton has seen so much, he’s got a grey moustache by now. Also, the Condors added A.J. Bartels for $304k.