[FuzzyRussianHat]

There were three free agents who got eight-year deals worth more than $300 million in the offseason. The highest of these was RF Kadhiri Sassou, who was a West African Baseball MVP in 2035 with Libreville. The 29-year old Nigerian righty stayed in WAB on an eight-year, $322,500,000 deal with Nouakchott. This made Sassau the second-highest paid player in WAB behind only Douala’s Ram Lengani, whose $374,500,000 deal is the second-biggest in the world.

Former Merida LF Kenneth Armstrong had a lot of attention as he interested the market at only age 25 coming off an 8.4 WAR, 51 homer season. The Jamaican left CABA for Major League Baseball on an eight-year, $312 million deal with Chicago. Another big move to MLB came from LF James Pham, who had won a Southeast Asian League MVP with Colombo in 2035. The 27-year old Vietnamese righty moved to San Francisco at $304 million over eight years.

Four-time American Association MVP Alair White left Vancouver after an eight-year run and ended up with San Diego on a seven-year, $245,500,000 deal. He and SS Paulo Constancia were the two batters rated as five-star players on the market. Constancia left Havana on a seven-year, $283 million deal with MLB’s Houston.

Another CABA stud who left for MLB was 1B Alton Reinoso, the reigning Mexican League MVP with Tijuana and a three-time MVP. The 31-year old Nicaraguan lefty joined Baltimore at six years and $186 million. The reigning Indian League MVP R.C. Gutta left his hometown club Patna and came to Cleveland with the 31-year old LF joining at $135,600,000 over five years.

Some famous names were also on the move late in their career. 42-year old Grenadan 3B Jamel Forsyth remains in MLB after a three-year run with Houston on a one-year, $44 million deal with Grand Rapids. Six-time Japan League MVP Masanori Fukuoka moved on after15 seasons with Niigata, as the 37-year old LF inked a two-year deal with Hiroshima. A fractured ankle kept him out most of the prior season.

Five-time Southern Cone League MVP Paco Amorim joined La Paz for a two-year deal after an epic 20-year run with Arequipa. Six-time APB MVP James Yuwono joined for two years with Batam, which will be his fourth team. He was most recently with Medan and Bandung, but had become a star with Pekanbaru. With a good season, Yuwono could crack the world top 100 for WAR. And veteran 1B Yossoupha Diop signed for one year with Yaounde at age 42 as he chases a number of big statistical milestones in WAB.



The biggest name on the pitching free agent list was Mohammed Otu, winner of three straight Pitcher of the Year awards in WAB for Accra. He made the jump to MLB with Charlotte at $154,800,000 over six years. The biggest overall deal for a pitcher was Japan’s Atsuo Sugaya, twice the WARlord with Sendai. The 29-year old left for Hamamatsu at $266 million over seven years. The other big new deal was SP Tommy Nunn, who ultimately returned to Brooklyn after testing the market for a month. The 32-year old got a new six-year, $237,500,000 deal with the Dodgers. Two-time Bolivar League POTY Orlando Cepeda left for America on a five-year, $146,800,000 deal.

By star rating, Ghebrezgiabhier Alemayehu was the lone five-star pitcher on the market, but the 35-year old was coming off a torn labrum. Reigning Baseball Grand Champion Kampala gave him a shot on a two-year deal in hopes the two-time POTY could return to form.