NABO48 w/ MLBPA ... Updated for '26

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Looking at the pitching staff and lineups, starting to put pieces of the puzzle into their places ... and RP Brash and SP Zimmerman are the two pitchers on the "outside looking in", and I doubt either will accept a demotion. To be fair to both men, I shopped them as a package deal.

San Diego had the most interesting offer. They also really like it when I trade them lefty SP, like Jordan Montgomery last year ... and they surged into the postseason.

Done Deal

Could develop into a quality 4th OF or platoon piece.

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Alright, taking a look at the major free agent signings, in chronological order ...

... here's the 1st 5.

34M/y for 4y for the CYA candidate.

AAV of 34M/6y

After trading for Mookie Betts, New York continues to make a big splash with signing Yordan Alvarez, 41M/8y

32M per, on a 3 year deal.

23.8M/6y

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The next 5, 6-10

Monterrey signs another big SP free agent, 29.4M/6y

20.4M/5y

15.6M/7y

30.5M/7y

23.2M/5y

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22M/4y

16.2M/3y

25M/3y for a closer on a middle of the road team?

New York continues to spend, adding thump in the Big Apple.

Buehler waited patiently and ends up with a 17.2M/4y contract.

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... and last, but probably not least ...



... Montreal, looking to return to the World Series signs RF Kyle Tucker, after a down year for King Tuck.

A strong candidate for a bounce-back, MVP type season, signed with Vancouver for just 12.5M/5y.

Every team in NABO, including the St Louis Shires, will likely be shaking their head wondering why they didn't "kick the tires" on a Tucker deal.

So much for the "high financial ambition" thing.

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Looking at the 5 teams that lost the most over the '25 offseason.

Starting worst to uh worster ...

44.

Lost 2 major players Smith and Adell, did not replace them with much.in

45.

Lost 2 SP in Buehler and Cobb

46.

Well they tried replacing lost players looking through everyone else's trash, let's see how that works.

47.

Looks like the starting rotation was decimated.

48.

Losing almost a net -20 WAR, wow.

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The top 10 "Winners" of '25 NABO Offseason

10.

Freeman heads a trio of good position player signing in Phoenix.

9.

Minimal losses in Minnesota, fill some gaps with some nice pickups.

8.

Not a lot of big names signed in San Antonio, but not a big loss either.

7.

Losing SP Suarez is offset by signing 4 above average players.

6.

The most active team in the offseason, adding some star power and net gain of 8 WAR

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5.

Looking to repeat as division champs, and go further in the playoffs, Portland signs some key upgrades, +11

4.

3 big upgrades, no major losses.

3.

acquired 4 major producers/upgrades, lose 1. I'm a bears fan ... we celebrate winning in the offseason, it's all we got. Let's hope this goes differently.

2.

Monterrey is not playing around, just acquired a trio of SP that could nearly win a playoff series on their own. The Monsters make a huge push to dominate a tough division.

1.

With rival StL being active in the market to push for the division, Windy City goes all in on 4 player upgrades to merge with MVP Bobby Witt Jr and Nolan 50-HR bat Nolan Gorman. Of course they did.

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DC Looks to ride the arm of SP Crochet and Mike Trout to take a tough division.

MVP Julio Rodriguez looks to lead MON back to the World Series in '26.

Carolina won the division on tie breakers in a 3-way tie in '25. They look to make it decisive in '26.

Orlando adds big FA Will Smith in hopes of toppling ;25 champ Santo Domingo.

Julio Rodriguez looks to defend his MVP crown.

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Portland looks to defend their division title, loading up in the '25 offseason.

2 pitching dominant teams, SD and LA look to turn the division into a 2-team race.

Windy City went all out in the '25 offseason to take control of the division, led by reigning MVP Bobby Witt Jr and 50-HR bat, Nolan Gorman.

St Louis, also active in the '25 offseason, looks to pitch their way into the playoffs.

Monterrey loaded up in the offseason to dominate the West's toughest division.

Monterrey boasts 4 of the top 10 starting pitchers in the West, as well as, MVP candidate, Elly De la Cruz.

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[1] Webb 1 ER, 6 IP. BP 3.0 IP, 0 R. Barosa go ahead double in the 7th.

[2] Nola 3 ER, 6.2 IP. Luken Baker and J.Sanchez Back to Back HR for NEB in 1st.

[3] Scherzer 6IP 0 R. BP 5 IP 0 R. Armado Alvarez walk off single in 11th.

[4] Musgrove, 6 ER 2.1 IP, trailing 8-2, StL scores 6 in the 5th. KC's Gary Sanchez walk off single off Enright.

[5] Bello, 5 ER in 4 IP. Ian Anderson and M. Barnes shutout StL.

[6] Webb 8 ER, 1.1 IP. KC 6 doubles.

[7] Nola 4 ER, 6 IP at WIS. Trailing 4-1, Ortiz hit 2-run HR in 7th.

[8] Bello 2 ER, 7.0 IP. Nathan Church 3-3 vs SEA.

[9] Webb 7 shutout innings, Phillips closes the door. SS Joey Ortiz, 2 SF.

[10] Nola 3 ER, 5.1 IP.

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Okay folks, I think I've made a huge rookie mistake. Like many players, the first thing I do when taking GM control is to sign quality coaches for the various levels of the organization .... 3-5y deals and then forget about it until renewal time. I try not to hoard all of the best coaches, and I won't poach them from other teams.

This is my pitching coach, obviously not ML quality.

1. I'm hoping that replacing him, along with the defensive/strategy upgrades, turns this starting rotation around.

2. If the new pitching coach does turn things around, I'll be both (a) pleased and (2) a little annoyed that a coach, at the ML level, could make such a change.

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All the noise made by divisional teams in the offseason, and Baltimore find themself at the top of the division again.

The defending East champs find themselves dominating again in '26.

Carolina climbs back on top in a division that may just require playing above .500 to win the division.

Once again, Santo Domingo is running the division.