[Westheim]

It wasn’t the most exciting winter meetings session – except for that one night where everybody thought the Aces’ GM was drifting dead in the pool in the basement of the hotel, but it turned out it was a plumber from Dayton, Ohio that attended the ABL GM Look-alike winter meetings in the same hotel. He was – posthumously – awarded second place in the final of the Looking-Most-Alike contest, behind some other sore loser with black rings under his eyes and a generally scattered appearance that looked a whole lot like –

(suddenly realizes something)

I need a shave.

Anyway, a few interesting free agents resigned with their own former teams, most notably during the meetings Matt Diskin, who went back to the Pacifics for 5-yr, $17.8M. Diskin, 32, was a lock for 20 homers and a batting average north of .300, but he was also a casual defender and had played only 123 games on average in the last four seasons with a low of 84 in ’52.

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December 5 – The Indians trade SP Thomas Turpeau (34-25, 2.94 ERA) to the Stars for two prospects.
December 7 – The Falcons pick up catcher Luis Miranda (.261, 6 HR, 69 RBI) from the Canadiens in exchange for SP Andy Overy (55-55, 3.92 ERA).
December 9 – The Warriors send SP Hiroyuki Takagi (84-68, 3.70 ERA) and cash to the Buffaloes for infielder Jon Elkins (.244, 28 HR, 209 RBI) and #177 prospect LF/RF/1B Cesar Santiago.
December 9 – L.A. gets right-hander Jameson Monk (43-43, 4.78 ERA) from the Cyclones for #139 prospect OF Tony Volker.
December 10 – 26-year-old OF Mario Ceballos (.232, 13 HR, 156 RBI) returns to the CL North in a trade from the Gold Sox to the Indians in exchange for swingman Adam Foley (17-15, 4.21 ERA, 1 SV) and a prospect. Ceballos was traded to Denver from New York in the middle of 2053.
December 10 – The Titans sign 1B Larry Rodriguez (.255, 142 HR, 480 RBI) again, half a year after trying him to the Cyclones. Rodriguez, age 33, will earn $3.2M over two years.
December 11 – The Raccoons sign 35-year-old former Cyclones SP Arthur Pickett (148-94, 3.74 ERA) to a 1-yr, $1.7M contract.
December 11 – The Canadiens sign 40-year-old ex-TOP INF/LF/RF Felix Marquez (.275, 190 HR, 975 RBI) to a 1-yr, $2.44M contract.
December 16 – Portland signs 26-year-old OF Dave de Lemos (.251, 3 HR, 117 RBI) to a $550k contract for the 2054 season. De Lemos had been non-tendered by the Loggers.
December 17 – The Condors add ex-CHA/POR Victor Scott (50-46, 3.48 ERA, 8 SV) to a 2-yr, $4.32M contract. The Raccoons receive a supplemental round pick in compensation.
December 17 – 38-year-old 3B/1B Ramon Sifuentes (.282, 204 HR, 1,076 RBI) signs with the Thunder again, agreeing to $4.56M over two years. Sifuentes had been traded from the Thunder to the Buffaloes in the middle of 2053.
December 19 – The Raccoons add 26-year-old Korean import Hyun-soo Bak, a right-handed reliever, on a $350k contract.
December 22 – The Thunder acquire CF Jayden Ward (.264, 39 HR, 379 RBI) from the Miners for MR Brian Grohoski (29-33, 3.46 ERA, 60 SV) and a prospect.
December 23 – The Wolves sign ex-NAS SP Victor Mondragon (99-107, 4.17 ERA), who would not be available until at least June, for 2-yr, $5.84M.
December 23 – Former Rebels and Indians outfielder Chris Morris (.295, 91 HR, 508 RBI) signs a 3-yr, $8.76M contract with the Blue Sox.
December 26 – 29-year-old ex-SAL/BOS SP Chris Ferguson (54-74, 4.20 ERA) inks with the Buffaloes for 6-yr, $24.24M.
December 26 – Former Blue Sox and Canadiens SP Cory Ellis (49-55, 3.48 ERA) signs with the Cyclones for 4-yr, $22.02M.
December 26 – Washington signs 37-yr old ex-VAN 1B Manny Liberos (.245, 297 HR, 1,172 RBI) to a $1.66M contract for 2054.

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Yes, de Lemos sounds a bit like we’re shopping in the dented can isle, but he’s actually pretty much what we’re looking for. A right-handed, defensively capable centerfielder that will probably only get 150 at-bats anyway, and we can’t afford to fork over $2M for a backup outfielder. There were only about $2M in budget space still available at this point.

The Pickett signing completed the Raccoons’ rotation to begin the season with Brobeck in the fifth spot. Brobeck would get shifted out by the time Raffy would return, but that was at least two months and baseball-gods-know-how-many old-man injuries into the season. Still tweaking that bullpen, though…

The Titans are funny – signing Rodriguez again after trying to trade him for two years. – Maud, if Boston calls this year, we’ll not pick up the phone.

The Blue Sox tried to trade Mike Pfeifer to the Coons in exchange for a prospect or two. Pfeifer had hit .297 with 11 homers this year, but he’d replace Suzuki, still not get more than 200 at-bats, and we’d pay over $2M for the privilege, and the budget just wasn’t there for that sort of extravaganza.

Former Raccoons with new contract: the Thunder restocked their pen with Vic Flores for $600k, Raul Cornejo for $498k, and Preston Porter for $464k; the Condors signed Eddy Luna for $520k; Victor Merino joined the Miners for $770k;

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There’s also a Hall of Fame ballot out, and there’s a few people on there that we know, especially Manny Fernandez and Antonio Prieto. Yes, only one of them had even theoretical chances. And if we’re really honest, Manny doesn’t have the numbers. But I know at least one crazy hoot that’s gonna vote for him anyway!

Isn’t that right, Honeypaws?

(pets Honeypaws)