[Bub13]

With about 10-12 million to spend, and a few holes to fill, I decide to take an aggressive approach to free agency, with my eye already on several available players who, I think (hope, really) will be bargain pick ups. To wit, I need to...

...rebuild the bullpen. I will bring in at least five new pitchers to compete for spots in camp;
...OF depth. At second glance, I'm not sure Ian McGowan is ready for prime time in center, and we're thin in MLB-caliber depth;
...the usual raft of AAA (or AAAA) players, especially as most of my AAA pitching staff left via free agency.

Kicking things off, we claim RP Aldo Gouweleeuw off waivers from Minnesota. We signed him as a minor league free agent in 2034, then traded him to the Twins in '36 as part of the six-player deal centering on 2B Phil Clarke (to MIN) and SP Tom DiFranco (to us). He's pitched 24 games for Minny the last two years, but hasn't shown much besides strikeout power. We sign him to a 750K contract right away, as he's an upcoming free agent.

Next, we let a number of guys who were fixtures in Hawaii last year walk via free agency. Most noteworthy is OF Chris Wiggins, who hit .300 in 543 AB (but still had a WAR under 1) but had become a liability in the field, and was too expensive at $13M. Relievers Aaron Glass (2.97 ERA and 26 SV), Jay Yates (6.27, 2), and Ken Powers (5.51, 0) also left. Backup OF Tom Rifkind was also let go.

At the Winter Meetings, I made three trades, all bringing in more pitching help. First, we pick up RHP Luis Cortez (and a draft pick) from New Orleans for 1B/DH Nate Hullinger. At first glance, this looks surprising, given Hullinger's 50-HR output from 2039. But in 2040 he was pretty awful, managing just 18 HR and a .248 AVG, was limited in the field, and my scouts tell me he's lost some speed off his swing. I decided not to keep two guys on the roster who can only play first or DH (along with Dunklee), so Hullinger was packed off to the world champs. In Cortez we get a guy without dominant stuff, but with excellent movement and control, and a strong groundball slant. He's 26, makes 800K, and has made 16 appearances for the Zephyrs since 2039.

Second, we grab RHP Frank Soto from the Dodgers, in exchange for 2B Kevin Collins and RHP Cory Taylor. Another reliever who will get a chance at his first real (just 6 innings in his career so far) MLB job. The primary purpose for this trade was to rid ourselves of Collins' 6.7M albatross contract. He's a good hitter (.324 in 2610 career AB) but a disaster in the field. Taylor is very similar to Soto, but at 4.2M, much more expensive (Soto will make 500K). Even if Soto bombs out, dumping 10.5M worth of stale contracts off on the rich-kid Dodgers makes this worth it.

Finally, we make a futures trade, sending off high-intangible prospects OF Noah Fontenot and IF Ervin Negron for RHP Nelson Mendez, from Richmond. Mendez is 21, pitched in A ball last year, and will be there again in 2041. With his intangibles, he could develop into a decent-enough starter one day. One day...

We also manage to pluck four players from the free agent wires. To wit:
...Korean RHP Jin-Song Yee, a high-stuff fastball/slider reliever. He'll make 3.2M, so he's not cheap, but the kind of guy we need to take a chance on after last year's bullpen nightmare.
...We also bring back RHP Steve Miller, who made 133 appearances for us in '37 and '38. Like Yee, he's a strikeout pitcher who should keep the ball down. He'll make 1.2M.
...One more! Long-time closer Jeff Tanner is rescued from Austin, where he had 218 saves over six seasons. Another high-stuff groundballer, and also a righty. Captain material, which we need. He'll likely be a setup guy to start the season, and will make 2.8M.
...Finally, we take a chance on former Montreal CF Andy Sanchez. Good fielder, cannon arm, and has decent speed and baserunning. (That will make my owner happy.) He's 30, has played ten seasons already in the bigs, and had a down year in 2040 (.265, but led the NL with 48 doubles). He'll make 5M for the next five seasons, but with a team option after 2043. Is also a Fan Favorite.

So, when the dust settles by the New Year, we've added six pitchers and an outfielder.

......

Elsewhere, a lot of money gets tossed around during free agency, and not just by the usually-spendthrift Dodgers:
...Detroit re-signs stud 24-year-old RF Roberto Rivera for 53.5M over five years. Oddly, they also add closer Alex Castaneda for 28M over three years, despite already having Wilhelm-winning closer Ramon Sanabria.
...the Dodgers drop 140M (over seven years) on power-hitting, and injury-prone, OF Bill Duce, luring him away from the Braves.
...Richmond throws 128.6M over six years on Montreal pitcher Rafael Maldonado. Probably a great signing.
...LA signs yet another closer (this makes maybe a dozen over the last three years), Josh Werner, for 10.5M per for three seasons. They also add former Toronto closer Miguel Trevino for 3.8M on the same day. Then they sign former Mets 2B Danny Baca for 18.8M over five years.
...not done yet, the Dodgers sign starting pitcher Gabe Delfin away from the Mets for 12.5M over seven years. And later add four more pitchers for a combined 22M per season.
...San Diego grabs former Islander catcher Austin Collins for 14.3M per for four years.
...other big deals include Cincy getting OF Pete Howarth (10.6M), Washington with SP Ernie Brereton (11.8M), and Portland getting SP Mike Michalowski (11.2M).

FUN FACT: The Dodgers added $92M to their payroll this off-season; that amount by itself would give them the 21st highest payroll in baseball. (All that, and they've added just 2.8 WAR to last season's roster.)

FUN FUN FACT: Defending champs New Orleans have the next-to-lowest payroll, at $60.6M. (The highest? The Dodgers, duh: $208M)

Overall, Washington has had the best off-season, according to MLB, gaining 13.4 WAR. They've added a starting C, 2B, SS, OF, and two starting pitchers, while losing only two players who earned more than 1.0 WAR last season. On the flip side, Montreal (-17.2) and Atlanta (-16.1) lost the most this winter. The Expos gained a backup catcher, but at the cost of a top flight SP (Maldonado), their starting C and CF, and another SP. Atlanta added a so-so closer, but said goodbye to their best hitter (CF Duce), best SP (Michalowski), a backup C, and two other SP.