[Westheim]

Days crept by slowly. Was it the fear of doing something dumb? The panic of doing the wrong thing? The realization, born out of experience and countless history lessons, that you'd do the wrong thing eight out of ten, and a dumb thing the other two times?

What's R.J. DeWeese doing anyway?

Nah, other team made the news as November passed into December, like the Rebels extending 2B Marco Hernandes for 5-yr, $10.6M.

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November 26 – The Indians trade 1B/LF/CF Richard Linnell (.244, 28 HR, 138 RBI) and a third-rate prospect to the Stars for LF/RF Steve Rokosky (.231, 4 HR, 19 RBI).
November 27 – The Canadiens deal LF/RF/INF Tom Fitzsimmons (.313, 3 HR, 36 RBI) to the Condors for a prospect and a minor leaguer.
November 28 – The Condors sign 34-year-old ex-TOP CL Mike Baker (89-92, 3.38 ERA, 258 SV) to a 3-yr, $3M contract.
December 1 – Rule 5 Draft: 13 players are selected over three rounds. The Raccoons are not affected.
December 1 – Former Falcons SP Jim Bryant (85-111, 4.28 ERA) is a Rebel now. The 32-year-old has signed a 3-yr, $2.13M contract.
December 4 – The Indians add a true ace in ex-DEN SP Chris Sinkhorn (125-77, 3.23 ERA), who signs a 6-yr, $20.88M deal with Indy.
December 4 – The Knights pounce on ex-TOP SP Tim Wells (70-68, 4.06 ERA) and sign him to a 3-yr, $6.84M contract.
December 4 – 39-year-old veteran ex-BOS INF Jamie Wilson (.280, 151 HR, 894 RBI) signs with the Pacifics for 2-yr, $4.88M.
December 4 – The Condors continue to add, signing ex-ATL SS Andrew Showalter (.308, 236 HR, 1,127 RBI) to a 2-yr, $5.76M contract.

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Former ex-Coons sneaking through a hole in the window into shelter: Alex Duarte got $274k from the Condors; Frank Kelly will continue to try to stay healthy ith the Rebels for $302; and the Rebels also signed Ruben Pelles for $940k for a single season; Alvin Smith was snatched up by the Loggers for 2-yr, $1.42M; old fart Mike Bednarski signed with the Capitals for $860k;

Also, the Hall of Fame ballot is out. Some names on there that made our existence a living hell for a long, long, long time.

50 years into the ABL's existence, there are two teams with no Hall of Famers to their name. One is the Wolves, the other the Aces, although for the latter the wait could be over. Oliver Torres already grabbed 73.6% of the vote last winter and looks like a pretty decent bet to make it into the Hall this year. Add to that Martin Ortíz, who is as dead certain a first-ballot choice as can be with 3,220 hits and six Player of the Year awards. I also think that Hector Garcia will make the Hall right away. A peculiar case is "Midnight" Martin. His career ended early (he was junked by 36), but his peak was *intense*. He had nine straight seasons of 5.7 WAR or more and pretty much nothing outside of that. That peak included no season with an ERA worse than 3.10; three seasons of 2.60 or better; also six straight years of 16+ wins.