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Westheim · 02-27-2019, 06:21 PM

Why did the Raccoons bother with selecting a badly hitting rule 5 guy when they were otherwise trying to gobble up every left-handed ace with a pulse? Well, I dig super utilities for one, and then there were – after the Spencer trade – up to two open positions on the Opening Day roster where it came to position players; and maybe even three, because I am not exactly married to Juan Magallanes.

The Raccoons had pretty clearly given away six spots in the lineup to Abel Mora (CF), Rafael Gomez (RF or LF), World Series MVP Kevin Harenberg (1B), Tim Stalker (2B), Alberto Ramos (SS), and Elias Tovias (C). Rich Hereford, the CLCS MVP, was penciled in as swingman between 3B (vs. LHP) and the other corner outfield position (vs. RHP). Matt Nunley took the 3B assignment against righties. Pencilling in the cheap Rocha as backup catcher for the moment, Magallanes as backup outfielder, and generously Butch Gerster as backup shortstop and third baseman, that still left two spots unoccupied, including a lineup assignment for a corner outfielder against left-handed pitchers, and, well, lacking any obvious opportunities a utility position. Was Chris Baldwin going to be a threat with the bat? No. But sometimes it can be enough if you can sub for someone late or pinch-run for Harenberg.

And while I was having an offer out there to a right-handed corner outfielder at this point (a former division rival even), that utility spot was still up for contention. I just wasn’t sure I had to blow another $500k we didn’t necessarily have anymore after signing Stalker and Shumway for a combined $6.1M for ’29 on a bench job that would perhaps net 125 at-bats at most.

I hoped to get that corner outfielder during the winter meetings, but everything those served was to escalate the price and we were not drowning in cash at this point, and it was also hard to find a spot to clip a few edges.

+++

December 5 – The Loggers deal C/1B Steve Garcia (.299, 4 HR, 31 RBI) to the Knights for the #68 prospect SP Jon Bleich.
December 5 – The Crusaders get LF/RF Matt Owen (.292, 81 HR, 426 RBI) from the Rebels in exchange for three prospects.
December 5 – The Aces trade MR Alejandro Purcella (17-15, 4.80 ERA, 4 SV) to the Cyclones for 2B Nick Ronchetti (.261, 5 HR, 72 RBI).
December 7 – The Warriors sign ex-BOS MR Harry Merwin (54-62, 3.23 ERA, 302 SV) to a 2-yr, $1.5M contract.
December 8 – LF Ron Raynor (.253, 102 HR, 408 RBI) is traded along with a pile of cash from the Buffaloes to the Blue Sox in exchange for 2B Chris Rager (.223, 8 HR, 35 RBI) and prospect Matt Triolo, who has been traded three times in the last six months.

+++

There was also a Hall of Fame ballot out, although there were rather few players on it this season:

02-27-2019, 06:21 PM	#2744
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 13,921	Why did the Raccoons bother with selecting a badly hitting rule 5 guy when they were otherwise trying to gobble up every left-handed ace with a pulse? Well, I dig super utilities for one, and then there were – after the Spencer trade – up to two open positions on the Opening Day roster where it came to position players; and maybe even three, because I am not exactly married to Juan Magallanes. The Raccoons had pretty clearly given away six spots in the lineup to Abel Mora (CF), Rafael Gomez (RF or LF), World Series MVP Kevin Harenberg (1B), Tim Stalker (2B), Alberto Ramos (SS), and Elias Tovias (C). Rich Hereford, the CLCS MVP, was penciled in as swingman between 3B (vs. LHP) and the other corner outfield position (vs. RHP). Matt Nunley took the 3B assignment against righties. Pencilling in the cheap Rocha as backup catcher for the moment, Magallanes as backup outfielder, and generously Butch Gerster as backup shortstop and third baseman, that still left two spots unoccupied, including a lineup assignment for a corner outfielder against left-handed pitchers, and, well, lacking any obvious opportunities a utility position. Was Chris Baldwin going to be a threat with the bat? No. But sometimes it can be enough if you can sub for someone late or pinch-run for Harenberg. And while I was having an offer out there to a right-handed corner outfielder at this point (a former division rival even), that utility spot was still up for contention. I just wasn’t sure I had to blow another $500k we didn’t necessarily have anymore after signing Stalker and Shumway for a combined $6.1M for ’29 on a bench job that would perhaps net 125 at-bats at most. I hoped to get that corner outfielder during the winter meetings, but everything those served was to escalate the price and we were not drowning in cash at this point, and it was also hard to find a spot to clip a few edges. +++ December 5 – The Loggers deal C/1B Steve Garcia (.299, 4 HR, 31 RBI) to the Knights for the #68 prospect SP Jon Bleich. December 5 – The Crusaders get LF/RF Matt Owen (.292, 81 HR, 426 RBI) from the Rebels in exchange for three prospects. December 5 – The Aces trade MR Alejandro Purcella (17-15, 4.80 ERA, 4 SV) to the Cyclones for 2B Nick Ronchetti (.261, 5 HR, 72 RBI). December 7 – The Warriors sign ex-BOS MR Harry Merwin (54-62, 3.23 ERA, 302 SV) to a 2-yr, $1.5M contract. December 8 – LF Ron Raynor (.253, 102 HR, 408 RBI) is traded along with a pile of cash from the Buffaloes to the Blue Sox in exchange for 2B Chris Rager (.223, 8 HR, 35 RBI) and prospect Matt Triolo, who has been traded three times in the last six months. +++ There was also a Hall of Fame ballot out, although there were rather few players on it this season: Attached Images __________________ Portland Raccoons, 94 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 * 2061 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.