The Lokasi Elite League

[Ruwisc]

The realignment process was a bear this season, with difficult rearrangements to be done in a few tiers. I never base anything on sporting merit - realignment is done by pure geography. All realignments for the 2024-25 offseason:

Tier 4 to Tier 3:
Air Force BC - Southern Super League to Northern Premier League

A weird one because they were promoted, but then split from who would have been their local rivals to make up the numbers. There was really no other option unfortunately.

Tier 5:
BKK Kol - Southern League One to Mideast League One

Tier 6:
Tekulroyana City - Southern League Two to Mideast League Two

Tier 7:
Awoshu United - North to Northwest
- Fori United - Prairie to Central
- Foso City - North to Prairie
- Jesters ABC - Northeast to Mideast
- Olchashe BC - Mideast to North
- Shahichika BC - Mideast to North

Tier 8:
- Ronakolo BC - Mideast to North


2024 Elite League Awards

Gold Gloves
.P Ekana Muchlap
.C Metsifu Olufapo
1B Ilye Nofetso
2B Potsomowe Shulitso
3B Meteshu Tsefufayalo
SS Chorusho Paweshono
LF Faruo Ayekrea
CF Solo Sipet
RF Laela Pysam


Silver Sluggers
.P Tusehu Wamia
.C Lakiru Shufaho
1B Fomo Tirma
2B Peche Iyikio
3B Kala Koshynae
SS Sashe Liposeli
LF Saruruso Rishisite
CF Solo Sipet
RF Rosana Pishot


Manager of the Year
Teshepo Riparchua

Every year I've covered this, it has gone to the manager of the championship team. Is there actually a voting process for this award?

Reliever of the Year
Ferufi Shonoro (18)
Teyumpu Riali (2)
Shiu Sherisupallu
Cheshore Matsef
Risei Shirae

Shonoro won the Second League version of the award last season, and now he can add this to the mantelpiece. I don't think I've even seen Sherisupallu's name before - he had a sub-2 ERA this year and won the Kepmem closer's job in September.

Pitcher of the Year
Tula Mitonone (10)
Tosolefi Loap (4)
Chasolo Latemohi (4)
Notsimi Feshasu (2)
Fekiu Wefo
Kafaki Kohopa
Pecho Tsytemoi
Sefti Merefife

Last year's vote was unanimous for Mitonone, but this was quite rightly much more close. Any of the top 5 could be argued as a winner pretty reasonably.

Most Valuable Player
Solo Sipet (16)
Fomo Tirma (4)
Rosana Pishot
Saruruso Rishisite
Peche Iyikio
Sashe Liposeli
Ilye Nofetso
Topeshe Tsaruo
Pumona Kakosuta
Oma Feputso
Lakiru Shufaho
Nukacholo Riseki


Tough to pick a winner as well, though I think I would also have voted for Sipet.

[Ruwisc]

October Transactions

October 17: Manager & GM firing day, as the offseason officially begins. Last year, five teams fired their managers, to varying degrees of improvement/nonimprovement. This year, there are three more:

• Unsurprisingly, Keleri fired manager Tsalku Katsesho. With 7 years under his belt, he has a record of 819-511, but the last few years have seen fairly steady decline down to a near-franchise-worst 9th place finish this year.

• Lamaki Fetiloa was fired by the Shunna Eagles after their 16th-place finish. Fetiloa is one of the few higher-level managers that was also a higher-level player, pitching for two teams in the EL in the late 90s.

• And after two straight relegation close scrapes, Akashemo United has let manager Sosytse Aoko go.

None of the relegated teams fired their managers, which is probably fairly rare.

Notable retiring players include Semyof OF Ilye Lilo, Tsapna 3B Arurke Timaere, and Galaxy OF Mamose Paerisuso. Many older players will try to hold on in the lower leagues, so I don't always catch their retirements unfortunately. These are the guys that are going out from the top level.

Notable contract options/opt-out decisions:

These players will remain with their current teams:

• Keleri SS Atsi Keana - 3 years, $34.6 million

• National SS/3B Anesa Mikesash - 1 year, $8.9 million

• Pasataki Galaxy SP Aro Ipo - 3 years, $22.5 million

These players will become free agents:

• National LF Chulakoyo Sapolepu - $1.3 million buyout, would have made $4.24 million in 2025

• Akashemo LF Tseiriki Tushifo - opted out, would have made $13.8 million over two years

• Amnanache SP Laotso Tirionu - declined player option. He made $10 million even in 2024.

And of course, the best players from the three relegated teams have opted out to pursue Elite League opportunities. The star prize is Sitache 1B/3B Fomo Tirma, though Sitache will also lose SS Wasi Tsewayo, CF Rolupi Shekesu, and three other hitters. Mithazni's Oma Feputso and Ofame Tsoara will get plenty of looks, and Hokrof will miss CF Myna Kylchi and most of their infield.

October 20:

An interesting trade involving a pair of EL teams. Meka trades SP Tsifanamo Misha to Cheshek, acquiring swingman Kypo Tsatupoke and all-time EL saves leader Chysho Sofiulo. Meka's #1 priority was improving the bullpen, and this only costs them about $3 million in offsetting salary. They're not gonna be able to do that much more, but I think this is a good move? Any other moves would probably have to be cost-cutting trades. For Cheshek, they do save a little money and get a nice complementary piece. Misha could go into the rotation or eat innings in the bullpen.

Managerial hirings happened through the remainder of October. All three teams in question hired first-time managers:

October 20: Keleri hires Tsiri Asi, a former low-level outfielder. Seems to be a decent managerial prospect, a little old-school but that probably works at Keleri.

October 26: Akashemo hires "Money" Chani Iyonto. Not sure what to think about him.

October 28: And finally, the Eagles hire former Air Force BC shortstop Losaka Pichake. I could talk myself into him being a relative of Eagles 3B Sawita Pichake, maybe an uncle?


The new crop of rookies was also generated at the official start of the offseason. The most promising new players in the class would be:

• As it usually seems to be, the players most ready to contribute in 2025 are starting pitchers. Sarlo Narupu is the most ready to contribute - he is a really old-school pitcher, with not much velocity but a pretty sharp curve/change combo. Ferenasi Penuere is fairly similar, just not as immediate a threat to win a PoY.

• The top position players are mostly listed at 2B for now. Yureta Tsuefo is an immediate power threat, while Tarki Noraha probably has a better long-term outlook and is more likely to stick in the middle infield rather than 1B.

• In total, 37 new players have 5-star potential. A handful have signed already in the roughly 2 weeks simmed so far, but none of those mentioned by name have done so yet.

[Ruwisc]

November 2024 Transactions

Free agency opened on November 6. Let's sift through the transaction logs and see what's going on!

• November 10: Probably the biggest free agent domino is the first one to fall - 1B Fomo Tirma has signed with Amnanache, for 8 years and $108.8 million. Tirma is still just 22 years old and is one of the nation's most steady and reliable hitters. I'm really happy that he went to Amnanache, I was worried that he would end up at Mighty Oaks or Semyof.

• November 12: RP Ketsu Sasewiraka, who had 38 saves for Mithazni in a relegated effort this season, has signed with Mighty Oaks for 4 years, $34.4 million, the last year of which is a player option. That's a lot of money for someone who isn't expected to be the closer, at least right away.

• November 13: Muni execute a swap of catchers, sending incumbent backstop Rina Kifusitu to Maputsa BC (Maputsa, KX, near Hefem) for new catcher Ati Roramomo. Despite playing last season at tier 6, Roramomo is no stranger to EL play, holding backup jobs at Amnanache (2016-19) and Westline (2022-23). Now he'll be the main guy.

• November 15: One of the first big amateur signings is 3B Emi Fifire signing with National for 5 years and $30.2 million. Fifire is a classic slugger who will only get stronger as he finishes growing up. To start, he will serve a pinch-hitting role for the two-time defending champs, it seems.

• Killitash Bayside is an EL team for the first time ever, and their first real move is to acquire CF Toyeseshi Shocheye from 2L rivals Tishmin. They had to give up one of their starting pitchers and a solid bench bat to do so, but Shocheye brings EL experience from his time with Otahel City.

• November 17: Meka traded a starting pitcher away in October, so it makes sense that they would bring one in in November. They acquire 28-year-old Kihase Myrokete from the Eagles for reliever Takipuse Tushifo.

• November 21: 3B Netomue Kilutsa, who spent the past ten seasons at Mighty Oaks, has signed with rival Keleri for 2 years, $12.8 million. Kilutsa notably will miss the first two months of the regular season, still recovering from his torn ACL at the end of June.

• November 23: One of the best free agents from outside the EL, former Wichku RF Mapisiu Pake, signs with Nokir. Pake is a pretty good athlete that would have made a great 3B if he weren't left-handed. He hit 34 homers in the 2L last season and is just 18 - he's only available to sign because Wichku was relegated.

• November 24: in a coup that puts the rest of the league on notice, Semyof signs both of the top two amateur starting pitchers on the same day. Sarlo Narupu gets 5 years, $52 million, while Ferenasi Penuere gets 4 years, $40 million. Semyof now has a rotation that rivals Keleri's in both youth and promise, with Chasolo Latemohi the elder statesman at 22 years old. They also have Ferenasi Salpe, who just finished a promising rookie season and who likewise promises that I will get him mixed up with Penuere for as long as they're teammates.

• November 25: Not to be outdone, Keleri pulls in another promising amateur SP, Sleta Tsolea, for 6 years, $30.8 million. Not a prospect on the tier of Narupu, Penuere, or Keleri's two young aces, but it looks like he will at least start the season in the rotation, as of now.

[Ruwisc]

December 2024 Transactions

Traditionally December is the month where the most signings occur. Feels right again this year!

• December 2: Rosana Pishot, fresh off finishing 3rd in the MVP race, signs with Semyof for 8 years, $99.5 million, with an opt-out after 5 years (2029). Even if his 2024 turns out to be an aberration, that's probably a fair enough price for the guy he was before that.

• December 3: Amnanache signs SS Wasi Tsewayo for 8 years, $89.2 million. Tsewayo has been relegated from the EL two years in a row, first with Aroketsil Spirits and just recently with Sitache. Looks safer this time.

• December 3: Semyof also pulls in one of the most promising young hitters, Yureta Tsuefo. Tsuefo is expected to play first base for what is shaping up to be a real contender.

• December 4: Tarki Noraha, the other most highly-rated hitting prospect I mentioned earlier, has signed with Cheshek. They have penciled him in at third base. This is a great fit for the switch-hitting infielder, who can be mentored by a group of like-minded speed demons.

• December 6: They let him get to free agency, but ultimately 1B Wia Merefife opts to return to the Galaxy on an 8-year contract worth $59.6 million. Merefife is a nice well-rounded masher who has thrived in the cleanup spot, racking up bucketfuls of RBIs for the Galaxy.

• December 11: Former Keleri closer Toe Teshelo swaps green for green, signing with Semyof for 2 years, $10.4 million. Teshelo was the 2023 Reliever of the Year winner. This is the second time his free agency has been covered, after he went from Amnanache to Keleri in the 22-23 offseason.

• December 18: CF Ofame Tsoara, formerly of Mithazni, signs with Tsapna for 8 years, $44.7 million. Tsoara was a clear second banana to Oma Feputso with Mithazni, but this is such a bargain contract that any team would be thrilled to sign it. Great deal for Tsapna, less so for Tsoara.

• December 18: collecting elite relievers like infinity stones, Semyof signs Shiu Sherisupallu from BK Kepmem for 3 years, $13.7 million. Great timing for Sherisupallu, becoming the Kepmem closer one month before reaching free agency, then signing for millions in a place where he only has to pitch the middle innings.

• December 22: Another reliable Kepmem pitcher departs for Ransu - Teshepo Tefasa has signed with Tsapna for 5 years, $45.5 million. Tefasa led the league in wins in 2023 and suffered from injuries that cost him the months of March and July in 2024. As a kid who would have grown up likely rooting for Kepmem, I was hoping Tefasa would have stayed home, but the ones and zeroes don't always think so sentimentally.

• December 22: an interesting one-for-one trade - Kepmem acquires catcher Shykim Riali from Nokir for outfielder Hekopa Ketunri. Both teams deal from a position of strength to address a position of weakness, good deal for both sides.

• December 24: CF Myna Kylchi, who played 2020-22 with Mighty Oaks and won three championships before leaving for Hokrof, will return to Mighty Oaks on a deal for 5 years, $56.3 million. Always like seeing a guy go back, especially when they would have so many options.

• December 24: National agrees to terms with catcher Nukacholo Tsoara for 5 years, $59.9 million. Tsoara is 22, and has been terrorizing the lower tiers of the pyramid for the last five years. I think he likely overtakes Chafosu Seshate and Wupu Sichi in the catching pecking order for the champs - if you're spending that kind of money, he'd better.

• December 26: Another big deal for a player whose name I haven't seen before, Amnanache signs 2B Setsinak Patshafero for 8 years and $71.2 million. Patshafero is a table-setter, bringing well-rounded offense to all fields and speed on the bases.

• The other big Mithazni free agent was 2B Oma Feputso, who has signed with Cheshek for 8 years and $123 million. Feputso is a former Gold Glover at the Second League level, and though he led the EL in strikeouts this year, he's good at everything else.

• December 29: still collecting top-tier relievers, Semyof has signed former Kupore closer Sosuo Lotechosa for 3 years and $11.6 million. Semyof will be spending about $40 million just on their bullpen this year, which feels like a lot.