Thought this update better-placed here than in the pre-season section.
Plenty of action on the first day of the offseason, no rest for the wicked.
Unexpectedly, Honus Wagner voids the option over the final year of his contract with us. As much as I would love Dutchie to retire a one-club player for us, I’m not going to stump up again for the privilege. He is a HOF lock, so I’ll cover his career at that time. For now, I just wish him well, wherever he lands, and thank him for all he’s done for the Pittsburgh Pirates these past 13 years.
Eddie Plank fails to meet his vesting option and, at 37, I let him go.
Both Hans Lobert’s and Howie Camnitz’s contracts with us are done and I also make no move to retain either.
I do, however, exercise Larry Lajoie’s last year.
A bunch of managerial firings to report:
- Tom Loftus (Cubs) – it’s a cruel game this Managing caper; all the success he’s had and at the first sign of underperformance, bang bang you’re dead.
- Frank Decker (Tigers)
- Frank Selee (Yankees)
- Red Woodhead (Giants)
- Steve Pittman (Phillies)
And some stalwarts of the game are leaving it, with the biggest names Fred Glade, Jack Pfiester, Earl Moore, Sammy Strang and Kid Elberfeld.
Finally, we need to find a new hitting coach after Jason Dagel also announces his retirement. We eventually replace him with John Gilroy.