The Morning After the Game 6 Loss
That was a very bitter defeat in both game 5 and especially game 6. We had been so good all season in 1-run games and we just couldn’t pull it out. Felt so sure there was going to be a game #7 after Osborn launched what looked like his 3rd homer of the game.
But time to turn the page and move forward. We won our first North of the Border title and made the Fall Classic for the 2nd straight year. Before revenue sharing we made around $5 million but after revenue share we will show a small loss as our cash in bank went from $16 million to $13 million. I’m sure that will be something that comes up in my discussion with “Junior” (team owner Gregory Bocquet Jr.). We will see what type of mood he is in then.
We have 3 players up for arbitration. The no-brainer is RP Larry Stott. He appeared in 47 games as a set up man this season and closed with a hot streak of 44 games and 0.99 ERA. He will move back to his spot as the 8th inning guy next season. We will try and negotiate a new deal with him, but might let the arbitration process play out and then go for an extension and buy out his last arb year. This year he shared setup duties most of the season with veteran Ken Shannon who was good for the first 100 games of the season, but faltered in the last portion and the GLBL Classic. Shannon will be back with a $4.2 million dollar salary, but we will likely try to move him.
Corner OF/2B Samuel Amsden is our second player in arbitration. He looks like a $2.5 million deal for next year. He’s a switch-hitter who has excellent defensive value in the corners. He didn’t show much power this season, but did hit well and I like his flexibility as a pinch hitter. We just need to decide if we want to go through arbitration with him, or look to deal him, or let him try free agency and sign him for perhaps a bit less. We have a lot of good young OF’s who are or close to ready so he might be expendable.
The final arbitration eligible player is OF Jim Harris. Who you might ask? Harris (32) was signed as insurance and for his stand up comedy routine that tends to keep a clubhouse loose. After spending most of the season at AAA on a minor league deal, he came up at roster expansion shortly after that 8 game losing streak in early August. Whether he helped on the field on the field was minimal but the clubhouse was laughing a lot down the stretch. He’s out of options and his arbitration number is $1.2 million. The money isn’t bad but I’m not sure there is a roster spot for him. We will probably decline arbitration and let him test free agency where we might approach him again on a minor league pact with perhaps an option.
We have a slew of free agents, including LHSP Cliff Simpson, switch hitting 1B Miguel Toledo, OF Jose Gomez, RP Matsusuke Yoshida, SP Augusto Gonzalez, RP Kevin McAskill, and SS/IF Simon Lefevre. We would like to bring Simpson back potentially but he wants 4 years and $45 million and we are more inclined to go 2-3 years and $30 million or less. He will be a rare pitcher on the free agent market as he looks like only 1 of 2 LHSP’s worth any value that will be out there. We will be in discussions depending on our budget and how much I want to push Junior’s buttons on profit. I wanted to talk to OF Jose Gomez but since we didn’t do an extension before the end of the season he wants to test the market. He’s a solid switch-hitter who is very good in the corners and solid in CF. Two things I like, a switch-hitter and solid defender in CF. Few haven’t made decisions on RP’s Yoshida and McAskill. I’m considering offering Yoshida a deal especially if we move Shannon. We are looking at the 43-year-old McAskill who pitched well after acquiring him from Traverse City, but wants 2 years and I’d rather play it year to year. Free Agents Lefevre, Gonzalez and Toledo will be allowed to test free agency.
Also minor league free agents OF Doug Deschamps, OF Karl van de Linde, P Steve Tait, and David Peppin will also be allowed to test the market.
Just after the Fall Classic I received calls from 2B Walker Dunse (34) and C Sean White’s (31) respective agents. They are both declining their player options. We will see what they say and could do a sign and trade deals potentially but they both might be over estimating their financial value.
So there is a lot of work to do in preparation for my meeting with Junior and plan for next season. We are definitely in a window right now so I feel strongly that we need to make smart moves and spend our money wisely.
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Below are the final standings and numbers by league for the 55 season.
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