OUT & OUTS
The Blue Jays franchise changes hands.
Marv Grissom of Texas is the only MLB Manager fired this time around, but Stan Musial is not retained as Astros skipper - then replaced by Sandy Koufax!
ROSTER MOVES
The long-overdue rebuild definitely begins in earnest from this point, with some set to go this year and more in '83. We've done everything we possible could to get a title these past three years without managing to do so and the time has come to take some necessary steps backward in order to hopefully move forward in a sustained way a few years down the track. We should start getting some help from the Draft with our IRL avatar "enjoying" a fairly lean spell the next few years, but we're ready to make some tough decisions to try and work in conjunction with the young guys we hope to get from the rookie influx.
We exercise Rich Gossage's final contract year and it will be his final one at this club, for now at least. We send Victor Cruz to arb and non-tender Gary Alexander and Mitchell Page.
Lou Marone, Rennie Stennett and both Derrel and Gorman Thomas all walk.
Around the clubs, the following extension of note were signed:
Bob Horner (Braves) 4/7340
Ron Oester (Cardinals) 4/3620
Glenn Hubbard (Braves) 3/3050
Lonnie Smith (Tigers) 4/3758
Julio Cruz (Twins) 4/2610
Floyd Bannister (Angels) 3/3900
Willie Aikens (White Sox) 4/7120
UL Washington (Cubs) 3/2080
Bobby Grich (Angels) 5/12200
SIM ACCURACY
*Ignore the SB figure, I often bump it up in the LTMs if I feel it's too low.
HANGIN' THEM UP
A massive surprise with Pete Rose calling it quits well in advance of his IRL career, which never seemed to end and then ended horribly. He's just one of a few guys who are good chances of some C-Town love in a few years time, although it must be said none are an absolute lock, not even our own departing legend, in whose honour our club retires #6. He has joined the club in a coaching role and will serve as my Assistant GM next year then move to the Hitting Coach role the following year when our incumbent retires.
