[Westheim]

January started slow for the Raccoons until the Bayhawks signed Juan Sanchez to a 1-year deal worth just $590k, and for that we received our supplemental round pick that would in fact be the #26 pick, since neither the Warriors nor the Scorpions, both picking ahead of the Raccoons in the usual order for the 2067 draft, would get a compensation pick from any source. So yeah, it sucked for Sanchez to take a 89% pay cut, but at least we were getting a #26 pick out of it!

By the middle of January there were somehow seven type A free agents still on the market, as talent was slow to clear this winter. That still didn’t mean the Raccoons would get involved. It wasn’t like they were suddenly free and wouldn’t cost a draft pick anymore…

Throughout the month we still tried to swing a trade for more prospects with the three assets that were still around and not on minimum contracts (Nakayama, Starr, Monck); but nothing was coming together, unless we wanted to take on an even bigger balloon of a contract. We even ended up offering Ramon Lopez eventually, but he didn’t get any takers at all.

Since we were not going to shed a part like Nick Walla, that pretty much told us that our offseason was over, besides chasing the odd piece like Ryan de Jong, whose price kept escalating to – for a reliever – dizzying heights throughout the month, and we eventually reached 2 years, $3.5M, at which point Steve from Accounting told me in no uncertain terms, this much and no more.

De Jong is from Walla Walla East, Steve? – (Steve nods) – Does that imply that there’s a Walla Walla West? – (Steve shrugs) – I wonder whether there would be a Walla Walla West, Washington, Waterworks there, then? – (Steve raises an eyebrow) – Steve, why is Nick Walla not from Walla Walla, Washington? – (Steve opens mouth, closes mouth, and then buggers out)

How are we going to piece the roster back together if we can’t get these questions answered…?

+++

January 2 – The Loggers acquire SP Jose Lugo (45-46, 3.36 ERA) from the Falcons in exchange for 1B Dave Robles (.265, 213 HR, 937 RBI) and a prospect.
January 8 – Former Wolves outfielder Javier Acuna (.265, 76 HR, 369 RBI) signs a 4-year, $26.9M contract with the Knights.
January 21 – Boston adds the division rival Indians’ former closer, Cody Kleidon (28-50, 3.29 ERA, 253 SV), on a 2-yr, $13.1M contract.
January 21 – The Buffaloes sign ex-WAS 1B Pedro Parada (.284, 61 HR, 415 RBI) to a 2-yr, $6.16M deal.
January 22 – Atlanta snatched ex-WAS CL Elijah LaBat (26-34, 3.45 ERA, 126 SV), who signs a $19.8M contract running for three years.
January 24 – Catcher Vinny Atencio (.287, 67 HR, 289 RBI) is sent from the Indians to the Blue Sox in exchange for infielder Wil Mejia (.285, 49 HR, 362 RBI) an a prospect, #194 INF/LF/RF Wayne Steidley.
January 25 – New York signs a 2-year contract worth $8.3M with former Wolves 3B/RF Eric Frasher (.246, 165 RBI, 639 RBI).
January 26 – The Titans get another high-profile pitcher, ex-OCT SP Tyler Riddle (143-85, 2.98 ERA). The 35-year-old signs a nice 2-year, $13.8M deal.

+++

I can report that Tommy Branch, who played half of last year with the Coons, landed with the Stingers for $670k. That was about as much as happened in the wider vicinity of this franchise in all of January.

Ryan de Jong is still out there.

So is Walla Walla.

+++

2067 HALL OF FAME VOTING

The Hall of Fame would have to make do without a big ceremony this year, as no player was elected to the holy shrine from this year’s ballot of options. Below the detailed voting results with year of eligibility and vote share:

SFW LF Mario Villa – 3rd – 53.8
??? LF Eddie Moreno – 4th – 46.6
DEN 3B Ronnie Thompson – 6th – 34.8
LAP RF Matt Diskin – 1st – 30.1
IND LF Danny Rivera – 4th – 24.4
DAL LF Omar Gonzalez – 1st – 17.2
??? CL Mike Lynn – 4th – 14.7
??? CL David Hardaway – 1st – 14.0
??? SP Matt Sealock – 7th – 11.1
??? SS Alex Adame – 3rd – 8.6
LVA C Kevin Weese – 2nd – 6.5
TIJ C Jon Mittleider – 1st – 5.4
OCT SS Ryan Cox – 6th – 5.0
??? 3B Randy Wilken – 1st – 4.7 – DROPPED
LAP SP Jim Reynolds – 1st – 3.9 – DROPPED
SAC 1B Steve Wyatt – 2nd – 3.9 – DROPPED
MIL SP Angelo Munoz – 1st – 3.2 – DROPPED
DEN CF Sandy Castillo – 4th – 3.2 – DROPPED
??? SP Kennedy Adkins – 2nd – 2.2 – DROPPED
CHA SP Andy Overy – 1st – 1.4 – DROPPED