[Westheim]

January 30 – The Raccoons reunite with right-handed MR Nate Norris (34-27, 3.80 ERA, 31 SV) for a 1-year, $1.1M contract. Norris spent the last three seasons with the Gold Sox after a previous 2-year stint with the Raccoons.
January 30 – The Bayhawks add 31-year-old MR Lazaro Ochoa (37-48, 3.92 ERA, 34 SV), a former Warrior, on a 1-yr, $2.2M deal.

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Nate Norris, now 33, makes sense as an addition. He is still a sturdy seventh-inning reliever, and maybe even better. Walks were up a bit for him in ’48, which is a weird thing for a veteran, and so I decided to overlook that problem. It’ll practically fix itself!

This was not the only pitcher getting a new contract with the Raccoons. We also managed to get a 4-year deal with Victor Merino signed that would start next season an buy out his arbitration years and two years of free agency, all at the slight cost of $5.5M total; $1M in 2050, then three instalments of $1.5M. It was a rather cheap contract for a quality pitcher that could also be turned into prospects at some point down the road.

That still left the catcher, backup infielder, and lack-of-lefty-sticks problems to fix. I was still very much looking forward to acquire Prince Gates and Omar Ramirez in a bundle from the rebuilding Crusaders where they could reunite with Alex Adame. The thing was, the Crusaders considered them (25 and 26 years old respectively) part of the shiny new bricks, not of the old shed that collapsed into itself and needed clearing.

Well, okay, they’d do the deal for Rafael de la Cruz. That sparkling 18-year-old #4 prospect that we had signed as a July free agent for $1.1M not too long ago (never mind the tax incurred…). That’s all – just that one pitcher. They’d even throw in Yataro Tanabe, 27-year-old lefty swingman for free in the deal.

But de la Cruz was up to 19/15/14 with his potential ratings at OSA, which was 1-2 points better in each category than what Pat Degenhardt gave him, and I was way too busy salivating over that. That’s Jonny Toner territory. De la Cruz, who went 8-8 with a 3.21 ERA while striking out 10.5/9 in single-A in 2048, and who was slated for a move to Ham Lake despite not turning 19 until July, was getting reviews up and down the league that were so glowing, you’d have no trouble reading a book next to him in an otherwise unlit room at 3am in the morning. He could be the next Jonny Toner (hopefully without the arm coming off at about 32) or Phil Harrington.

And for what? A lefty catcher that was not *that* amazing (and didn’t have that big a track record either), and an infielder that had an amazing glove, great base running qualities, and would superbly fit at third base if we moved Maldo to first, and who had hit .284 with 12 homers and 25 stolen bases in ’48 in his second qualifying season. Make no mistake – Prince Gates was no slouch. A former #6 pick he promised to be long term value and a pile of Gold Gloves eventually.

But how’s a strong defensive third baseman stacking up against what could be THE pitcher of the 2050s?

(turns around in the swivel chair an stares onto the muddy field of Raccoons Ballpark; nope, it hasn’t snowed in Oregon in about 20 years and it probably never will again)

(sighs)

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February 6 – The Bayhawks sign ex-NAS/VAN Ayden Cobb (82-85, 3.32 ERA) to a 3-yr, $14.88M contract.
February 9 – The Capitals add ex-LAP SP Raul Cornejo (57-63, 4.32 ERA) for $9.32M over three years.

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Other new old Critters deals: Chris Robinson jumped pennant winners with $970k from the Stars;

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Only this for my 10,000th post on the forums, like the Coons ten years in the making. I am really hung up at this trade and I can’t get unstuck.

On to 10,000 more, ever craven.