[Westheim]

The main attraction around Portland was signing extensions with the arbitration cases as October ended. Matt Walters signed an extension for $1.15M, Tanizaki got $1.1M, and Ivan Ornelas somehow amounted to $825k. Kyle Brobeck would get $870k for … whatever it was he was doing here.

But the most buzz was about Trent Brassfield, who signed a long-term extension with the Raccoons, who certainly had dosh to spare now. The new deal was for eight years, eliminating him as a salary arbitration or free agency case for the foreseeable future, and probably indicated that the Raccoons wanted to hold on to at least one or two players that could loosely be described as assets. Brassfield would make $1.5M next season, get a $500k raise twice after, and then make $3.25M annually for the last five years of the contract, with the last two years being team options – certainly not a terrible deal for team!

Nothing else really happened, which wasn’t too surprising around a team that had little of trade value left. But of course we couldn’t enter the offseason without being creamed. First, Seisaku Taki became a type-A free agent after finishing the year with the Loggers, which had I known that would have kept me from trading him so freely. Second, of course the Raccoons emerged from the four-way tie for two protected draft picks with the #13 pick. Because why would they get anything else?

Maud. Phone. League office. (breathes heavily)

The saving grace? There’s a few interesting international free agents from Cuba and Asia, and the Coons entered the offseason with near-infinite cash to throw around. On the first proper day after the free agency date, we had just over $21M in payroll for ’58, and almost $21M in budget room.

+++

October 24 – The Capitals acquire LF/RF Matt Cox (.253, 120 HR, 502 RBI) from the Thunder for 33-yr old C Tony Alvarez (.221, 5 HR, 83 RBI), who barely featured in the majors for two years, and a prospect.
October 24 – The Thunder also ship out RF/CF Will Buras (.268, 10 HR, 79 RBI) to the Scorpions for two prospects. The package includes #28 prospect SP Victor Lopez.
October 29 – Richmond acquires OF Jason Light (.245, 10 HR, 41 RBI) from the Capitals. The 27-year-old comes with a prospect and costs the Capitals veteran C Henry Howie (.250, 126 HR, 555 RBI).
October 31 – Sacramento picks up 3B Leo Arguello (.287, 3 HR, 161 RBI) from Dallas, where #90 prospect SP Keith Trail is headed.
November 2 – First baseman Eddie de la Roca (.258, 28 HR, 102 RBI) is sent from the Thunder to the Buffaloes in exchange for #47 prospect C Steve Preston.
November 10 – The Canadiens flip 1B/SS Mike London (.281, 6 HR, 28 RBI) to the Capitals for a prospect.

+++

2057 ABL AWARDS

Players of the Year: NAS INF Nick Nye (.337, 32 HR, 110 RBI) and CHA RF/LF Danny Ceballos (.341, 18 HR, 84 RBI)
Pitchers of the Year: SAC SP Mike McCaffrey (16-7, 1.63 ERA) and NYC SP Ben Seiter (21-8, 2.79 ERA)
Rookies of the Year: NAS C David Johnson (.243, 23 HR, 78 RBI) and TIJ OF Bobby Fish (.297, 6 HR, 35 RBI)
Relievers of the Year: SAC CL Justin Round (8-6, 2.57 ERA, 39 SV) and POR CL Matt Walters (2-4, 2.04 ERA, 39 SV)
Platinum Sticks (FL): P CIN Cory Ellis – C TOP Matt McLaren – 1B LAP Chris Rice – 2B DEN Ivan Villa – 3B TOP Alex de los Santos – SS NAS Nick Nye – LF WAS Dan Martin – CF SAL Noah Caswell – RF RIC Willie Sanchez
Platinum Sticks (CL): P NYC Ben Seiter – C CHA Luis Miranda – 1B SFB Pat Fowler – 2B SFB Armando Montoya – 3B LVA Alex Alfaro – SS VAN Rick Price – LF MIL Perry Pigman – CF VAN Damian Moreno – RF CHA Danny Ceballos
Gold Gloves (FL): P WAS Troy Ratliff – C DEN Andre Monroe – 1B SAL Belchior Fresco – 2B LAP Jesse Sweeney – 3B PIT Victor Corrales – SS TOP Jesus Nunez – LF SAC Omar Gonzalez – CF SAL Noah Caswell – RF SAL Jason Monson
Gold Gloves (CL): P LVA Josh Wilson – C TIJ Nick Samuel – 1B TIJ Harry Ramsay – 2B NYC Omar Sanchez – 3B ATL Doug Triplett – SS IND Dan Mullen – LF CHA Kyle Fisher – CF CHA Jayden Ward – RF IND Will McIntyre