[Westheim]

More pitching arrives! And we were actively engaged with several relievers, some even with names you’ll recognize, going into the new year!

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December 26 – The Crusaders keep dipping into the ex-Warriors by signing 3B Steve Dilly (.251, 168 HR, 781 RBI) to a $3.76M contract for 2065.
December 27 – 1B Belchior Fresco (.269, 152 HR, 693 RBI), who played for the Rebs and Crusaders in ’64, signs a 2-yr, $8.08M contract with the Stars.
December 28 – The Raccoons announce the addition of former Rebels SP Jeff Crowley (110-112, 4.09 ERA). The 35-year-old right-hander signs a 3-yr, $13.56M contract, the last year being a vesting option.
December 29 – The Thunder sign ex-POR SP Tyler Riddle (110-72, 2.98 ERA) to a $12M deal over two years. The Raccoons receive compensation in the form of a supplemental-round and a second-round pick held by the Thunder.
January 3 – Oklahoma adds more pitching with the addition of former Knights starter Brian Fuqua (83-92, 3.98 ERA) on a 2-yr, $12.2M contract.
January 3 – Vancouver signs up 33-yr old ex-Crusaders righty SP Ryan Musgrave (90-97, 3.70 ERA) to a 2-yr, $4.96M contract.
January 7 – For some reason, the Knights deal OF Johnny Parker (.294, 28 HR, 260 RBI) and almost $1.5M in cash to the Thunder for 1B Justin Savalli (.137, 1 HR, 5 RBI).
January 8 – Former Capitals LF/CF Cory Oldfield (.257, 98 HR, 549 RBI) signs a 2-y, $6.56M contract with Sacramento.
January 17 – The Titans lure CL Jason Rhodes (35-30, 3.02 ERA, 188 SV) away from the Crusaders with a 2-yr, $9.24M contract.

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The Thunder were the fifth-worst option to sign Riddle at that point in time, giving us the eighth pick in the second round, which had originally been held by the Crusaders, but had already changed paws twice before it got to us. Together with our preserved #19 pick and the supplemental-round pick, we could probably expect three selections inside the top 50 for the upcoming draft, and four in the top 60; there were also no type A free agents still around that would make sense on the roster, so once again I had managed to not make the pounce and instead squirrel away the acorns for more first-round disappointment.

Crowley figures to be the #4 starter behind Elling, Alba, and Nakayama. A groundballer and a steady and consistent veteran, he will certainly benefit from the improved defense on the Raccoons, and we’re expecting for some decent seasons. The vesting option required him to pitch 170 innings in 2066 to trigger. That still allows us to sneak Chance Fox in there, with a threat of Jarod Morris if he’s in the 5’s again with his ERA after four, five, six starts. Yes, I considered the rotation complete with that move. Silly me!

Kelly Konecny signed with the Gold Sox for $1.26M;

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After a 17-year career exclusively spent with the Gold Sox, infielder Ivan Villa has been elected to the Hall of Fame. The Dominican switch-hitter won a pile of accolades and awards during his career, including three Player of the Year titles, four championships, six playoff series MVP awards, and six Gold Gloves. He also smashed pitching throughout his career, winning seven home run titles in the Federal League, or half of the full seasons he played. He also led the league in RBI four times and in stolen bases once, but despite several .300 seasons never won a batting title and thus didn’t put a triple crown together. There was hardly a sensible way of pitching to him; for his career he batted .290/.318/.490 with 2,452 hits, 414 home runs, and 1,553 RBI, along with 327 stolen bases. His 48 home runs in the 2049 season are the second-highest tally in league history behind Gil Rockwell’s 2015 49-homer season, and his 149 RBI matched the ABL record set the previous year by Tylor Cecil. Villa drove in 149 runs again the year after that. The mark still stands, since matched by Tommy Pritchard in 2062.

Full voting results:

DEN 2B Ivan Villa – 1st – 95.0 – INDUCTED
SFW LF Mario Villa – 1st – 52.3
DEN 3B Ronnie Thompson – 4th – 48.1
??? LF Eddie Moreno – 2nd – 44.4
IND LF Danny Rivera – 2nd – 31.1
??? CL Mike Lynn – 2nd – 17.4
??? SS Alex Adame – 1st – 16.2
??? SP Matt Sealock – 5th – 12.9
DEN CF Sandy Castillo – 2nd – 5.8
OCT SS Ryan Cox – 4th – 5.4
WAS C Mitch Korfhage – 1st – 5.0
??? SP Bruce Mark jr. – 1st – 4.6 – DROPPED
DAL SP Dave Hils – 3rd – 4.6 – DROPPED
ATL SP Brian Buttress – 6th – 4.1 – DROPPED
RIC 1B Manny Liberos – 2nd – 3.7 – DROPPED
??? CL Trent O’Sullivan – 2nd – 2.9 – DROPPED
??? 3B Jose Rivas – 3rd – 2.9 – DROPPED
CIN 3B Jesus Burgos – 4th – 2.9 – DROPPED
VAN CL Sam Gibson – 1st – 2.5 – DROPPED
CIN CL Ross Mitchell – 2nd – 2.5 – DROPPED
??? CL David Williams – 1st – 1.7 – DROPPED
WAS SP Sean Fowler – 1st – 1.2 – DROPPED
POR SP Jason Wheatley – 3rd – 1.2 – DROPPED
VAN CL Bernardino Risso – 1st – 0.4 – DROPPED