[Westheim]

The Raccoons mostly concerned themselves with a selfmade scandal in January when they declared Tyler Riddle their Opening Day starter, snuffing Bobby Herrera, who had been the go-to guy for the season-opening game every year since coming over from Cuba for the 2058 season. Riddle had, however, performed better than Herrera in every tangible category the previous season, aside from games started (one fewer) and innings pitched (1.2 fewer, explained by the former item). The Agitator was not amused, but when was the Agitator ever amused? Sometimes they make it sound though like we’ve just traded peak Brownie for slightly used lawn chairs…

There was the odd offer to free agents still out there, but the Raccoons were banging against their budget cap and there was just no way we could add any more big names except through trades that would invariably make the lineup even worse.

And I say “make the lineup even worse”, implying the personnel in there is *bad*. When I look at the stats, though, and I have harped on about this numerous times this offseason, then almost everybody in there has an OPS+ of 100 or better. Except for Lonzo, though Lonzo should still get credit – in a hypothetical numbers game scenario – with bonus slugging for the bases he steals to get a real value comparison. The 29 net stolen bases (50 taken and 21 times thrown out)? Gives 57 extra points of slugging and *almost* a 100 OPS+.

Yes, Lonzo could absolutely murder an old lady in the park in brought daylight and I would defend him all the way to the gallows. This is how we do it with our favorite pets up here!

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January 1 – The Knights open the new year with the signing of former Falcons OF Kyle Fisher (.259, 32 HR, 306 RBI), promising $10.3M over four years to the 29-year-old.
January 6 – The Miners add ex-OCT SP Mike Chartrand (74-76, 4.29 ERA) on a 2-yr, $3.96M contract.
January 8 – The Indians sign ex-POR C Chris Maresh (.238, 60 HR, 320 RBI) to a $530k contract. The Raccoons receive a supplemental round pick in compensation.
January 11 – Pittsburgh fires off an $11.7M cannon to get ex-RIC CL Justin Round (37-25, 2.97 ERA, 156 SV) on a two-year deal.
January 12 – After a year with the Gold Sox, 37-year-old 3B Randy Wilken (.251, 293 HR, 1,137 RBI), who won the 2059 CL Player of the Year award with Boston, signs a 2-year, $9.44M contract with the Knights.
January 14 – The Knights are not done shopping yet, adding former Wolves SP Blake Sparks (126-117, 3.34 ERA) on a 4-year, $20.8M contract. Sparks, 33, pitched to a 6.20 ERA in 2060.
January 21 – After three years away, MR Mike Lane (41-40, 3.67 ERA, 69 SV) signs with the Raccoons for $1.7M in 2061. Lane, age 33, was with the Titans last year.
January 23 – The Crusaders add the Titans’ former right-hander SP Ryan Musgrave (54-55, 3.38 ERA) on a 4-year deal worth $27.2M.
January 23 – Sacramento signs ex-LAP CL Brad Walker (36-36, 2.95 ERA, 67 SV) to a $4.64M contract for 2061.

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Lane will cover the Sullivan absence nice enough, I think.

That leaves us with just one other Critter that got a new contract in January, and that was Juan Ojeda going to the Miners for $560k.

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2061 HALL OF FAME VOTING

In a rather unexcited news item, no players were inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2061. Along with 2058 it was the second non-existent Hall class since 2049, when a 9-year string of at least one player getting voted in started. There’s up and there’s down; the 2040s had five empty classes while inducting 11 players in total.

Full voting results:

??? SP Matt Sealock – 1st – 25.9
??? SP Mike LeMasters – 1st – 16.6
SAL C Morgan Kuhlmann – 10th – 13.0 – DROPPED
NYC C Fernando Alba – 2nd – 9.7
??? RF Juan Benavides – 2nd – 9.3
??? 2B Mario Briones – 2nd – 8.5
ATL SP Brian Buttress – 2nd – 6.9
CHA CL Josh Livingston – 3rd – 6.1
BOS SP Rich Willett – 9th – 6.1
PIT SP Roberto Pruneda – 8th – 6.1
??? SP John Kennedy – 2nd – 4.9 – DROPPED
SFB SP Kevin Nolte – 1st – 4.5 – DROPPED
VAN SP Bill McMichael – 1st – 4.5 – DROPPED
??? SP Juan Ramos – 2nd – 3.2 – DROPPED
??? CL Josh Rella – 1st – 2.8 – DROPPED
SFB 3B Ramon Sifuentes – 1st – 2.8 – DROPPED
RIC SP Zach Tubbs – 1st – 0.8 – DROPPED