[Westheim]

With the Hall of Fame voting concluded, the most interesting parts of the offseason were behind us. The Raccoons were not chasing big free agents (but maybe a small free agent or two). As pointed out, we were still having an opening in the outfield, depending on whether Wilson Rodriguez’ 2031 line (.290/.320/.420) was enough for a starter’s job. Everybody probably had a different mileage on that. With Braun a righty batter, we were in the market for another left-handed outfielder to add to the Wallace/Rodriguez mix. Between those three and another left-hander, we would be able to have two guys to counter a starting pitcher on any given day.

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January 11 – The Crusaders ink 32-yr old lefty SP Ramiro Benavides (93-54, 3.25 ERA) to a 3-year deal. The former Pacific will make $9.36M over the life of the contract.
January 11 – The Raccoons sign ex-PIT MR Jared Stone (12-18, 3.61 ERA, 13 SV). The 32-year-old righ-hander will make $550k in the 2032 season.
January 13 – The Titans pick up 32-yr old INF Edgar Gonzalez (.282, 88 HR, 551 RBI), last with the Warriors, for 4-yr, $9.12M.
January 13 – Washington’s got a new closer with ex-TIJ Erik David (39-45, 3.71 ERA, 62 SV) signing a 1-yr, $2.76M deal with the Capitals.
January 22 – The Wolves announce that outfielder Luigi Banfi (.272, 84 HR, 387 RBI), who hit .235 with 12 homers in 2031, is out for the season after tearing his rotator cuff playing catch with his eight-year-old son Luigi jr., who is now in tears and unconsolable.
January 27 – Los Angeles signs ex-NYC LF/RF Jeremy Houghtaling (.252, 143 HR, 634 RBI) to a 2-yr, $2.84M contract.
January 27 – 35-year-old veteran RF Dan Dalton (.285, 86 HR, 496 RBI) signs a 3-yr, $7.32M contract with the Warriors. Dalton spent the last few years with the Buffaloes.
January 30 – Not done, the Pacifics sign ex-WAS 2B/3B Dave Menth (.276, 205 HR, 822 RBI). The 13-year veteran, age 34, spent his entire career with the Capitals, but will join L.A. for $3.84M over two years.
January 31 – The Gold Sox add 27-year-old ex-IND 2B/SS Mario Pizano (.268, 58 HR, 327 RBI) to a 3-yr, $5.44M contract. Pizano also has 254 career steals.

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Stone was one of those run-of-the-mill right-handers. Not much stamina, but groundball tendency, which was always preferable. He had been with the Crusaders for five years at the start of his career, but had not left a lasting mark or impression on the Coons. He was mainly here to shore up the seventh inning or so. It also allowed us to forego Dave Martinez in the pen and to try to get him straightened out in a starter’s role in AAA. Rabbitt was now most likely the long man in the pen, since Nick Bates had no stamina, either.

Masked faces in new places? Only Mike Pizzo signed in January, getting $840k from the Titans.