[Westheim]

While the Raccoons tried to sign up another battery’s worth of free agent in mid-December, the Loggers had a big W for themselves with a 6-year, $24M extension for Fidel Carrera, which was probably under value for a slugging middle infielder, but surely good for the Loggers.

Beyond that battery in question, there was no money for free agents – even those two were pushing it, with only $1.8M left in the budget after cannibalizing scouting and player development to begin with, and $2.2M out in offers. It’s not that I don’t like the thought of upgrading the fifth outfield spot from a choice between Jamie Colter and George van Otterdijk, but something like that just isn’t in the budget anymore…

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December 14 – The Titans sign ex-DAL/VAN 1B Andy Metz (.268, 290 HR, 1,067 RBI) to a 2-year, $8.8M contract for the 37-year-old first baseman.
December 14 – The Thunder give a 2-yr, $12M contract to ex-Capitals CL Steve Keller (31-31, 2.98 ERA, 131 SV) who might miss the start of the 2069 season recovering from a torn flexor tendon.
December 18 – Atlanta signs former Loggers SP Brett Bebout (70-44, 3.26 ERA) to a 6-year, $48.6M contract.
December 19 – The Warriors get ex-BOS CL Cody Kleidon (40-57, 3.31 ERA, 322 SV) on a $6.8M contract for 2069.
December 21 – The same amount buys the Titans three years of former Knights outfielder Jake Evans (.257, 204 HR, 734 RBI).
December 22 – The Raccoons sign former Dallas catcher Lorenzo Marquez (.268, 71 HR, 308 RBI) on a 1-year contract worth $700k.
December 23 – As closers keep circulating, the Knights snatch ex-OCT CL Erik Swain (52-49, 2.91 ERA, 351 SV) on a 3-yr, $23.7M deal.
December 23 – Former Knights RF/LF/1B Juan Paez (.307, 50 HR, 385 RBI) signs with the Crusaders for $29.52M over six years.
December 25 – Oklahoma consoles themselves with former Knights CL Brad Fales (28-35, 3.09 ERA, 144 SV) on a $6.7M contract for one year.
December 26 – The Thunder also add ex-Aces SP Chris Monahan (51-86, 4.88 ERA) for three years and $14.78M.
December 31 – Boston snatches ex-NYC catcher David Johnson (.281, 307 HR, 1,117 RBI) for two years and $14.6M.
January 1 – The Buffaloes sign former Raccoons outfielder Eddy Ramirez (.247, 72 HR, 322 RBI) to a $1.14M deal for 2069. The Raccoons receive a supplemental-round pick in compensation.
January 8 – The Buffos also get former Condors SS Jason Turner (.247, 132 HR, 614 RBI) to return to the Federal League with a promise of $7.2M over two years.
January 11 – Sioux Falls successfully snatches INF Adam Yocum (.328, 6 HR, 451 RBI), formerly of the division rivals in Dallas, with an offer of six years and $45.6M.
January 19 – The Knights sign ex-LAP SP Ryan Musgrave (131-144, 4.02 ERA) to a 2-year, $12.8M deal.

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What the heck is it with these closer prices?? We definitely have to spend our first-rounder this year on a closer. I’m not paying a hundred grand per inning…!!

Marquez is another one of those experienced backup catchers that will hit .196 for their one season in Portland.

With compensation for Eddy Ramirez received, we will probably have another three picks in the top 50 despite forfeiting our own first-rounder, thanks to the Ramirez and Dominguez compensations. You know what, get three closers in the draft!

So where’s that fabled starting pitcher that is gonna hog our last dime and penny? Well, we’re talking about 29-year-old right-hander Francisco Tello, who only pitched in the FL so far, and the Gold Sox keep getting involved and the price keeps going up, and look, January is almost over. Maud is already ironing the red, white, and blue bunting for Opening Day.

Other Raccoons with new employment: Ramon Archuleta got all of $860k from the Baybirds; Ramon Carreno went to the Wolves for all of $590k; 40-year-old Jim White got $700k from the Pacifics; the Miners got Trent Brassfield for $1.18M;

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2069 HALL OF FAME VOTING

The Hall of Fame welcomes a new member in 2069, inducted on the fifth ballot, longtime Warriors LF Mario Villa; signed for a then-significant $610k as international free agent in 2037, Villa went on to make his debut in the majors with Sioux Falls in mid-2042. It took him two years to warm up, but by ’44 he was hitting .347 and led the league in hits, triples, and stolen bases. This began an 11-year string in which he batted at least .309 every year, but as much as .389 and took five batting titles in the FL, and despite limited power – he hit more than 15 homers only three times in his career – he also led the FL in slugging twice. He never led in steals again after ’44, but led the FL in triples and hits three times each before beginning a slow decline after ag 33. He spent his last seasons with the Crusaders, Capitals, and Miners, mostly relegated to pinch-hitting and bench duties after the complete deterioration of his always casual glove play in leftfield. Never a candidate for a Gold Glove, Villa nevertheless hit .336/.399/.489 in an 18-year career, piling up 2,667 hits including 139 triples and 166 home runs, drove in 1,158 runs, scored 1,274 runs, and stole 363 bases. He was an All Star five times, won seven Platinum Sticks, and took the 2056 World Series title with the Crusaders, his first year outside of Sioux Falls and the last year in which he was a regular lineup presence. He also was the 2054 World Series MVP in a losing effort with the Warriors.

Full voting results:

SFW LF Mario Villa – 5th – 76.9 – INDUCTED
??? RF Bill Quinteros – 2nd – 64.4
??? LF Eddie Moreno – 6th – 57.9
POR SS Lorenzo Lavorano – 1st – 48.1
DEN 3B Ronnie Thompson – 8th – 36.8
IND CL Tommy Gardner – 1st – 22.6
LAP RF Matt Diskin – 3rd – 20.5
??? SS Julio Moriel – 1st – 15.7
DEN MR Kellen Lanning – 2nd – 15.1
IND LF Danny Rivera – 6th – 13.9
??? SP Matt Sealock – 9th – 10.9
??? SP Kyle Turay – 1st – 9.8
??? SS Alex Adame – 5th – 9.2
SAC SS Chris Navarro – 2nd – 7.7
DAL LF Omar Gonzalez – 3rd – 7.7
OCT 1B David Worthington – 1st – 5.9
??? CL Mike Lynn – 6th – 5.6
??? SS Rick Price – 2nd – 5.3
??? SP Blake Sparks – 1st – 3.9 – DROPPED
??? CL Ryan Dow – 1st – 3.3 – DROPPED
IND SP Enrique Ortiz – 2nd – 2.4 – DROPPED
SAC CL Tim Moore – 1st – 2.1 – DROPPED
??? SS Ian Woodrome – 1st – 1.2 – DROPPED
NYC 1B Raul Sevilla – 1st – 0.6 – DROPPED
NYC C Aaron Kissler – 1st – 0.0 – DROPPED

It should be noted that Lonzo is still the career stolen base leader with 752 thefts. Omar Sanchez started the 2068 season just six bags behind him… and stole only one after 29 in ’67. He’s 39 now, signed a 1-year deal with the Stars for $950k, but probably not gonna get any faster, so this could still shake out either way. The next-closest active player is Dallas’ Xavier Reyes at 585, 8th all time, who took 22 in his age 33 season and hasn’t topped 40 since his Bayhawks days ended in ’62.