[Westheim]

Now, after Manny Fernandez again did not yield any fruit worth picking – no prospects worth mentioning were to be had for him in a trade – the Raccoons settled into their usual role, which meant nibbling around the fringes of the free agent market, make a scroogey trade somewhere, and in the end come up 83-79 again.

Getting even that far would require at least one more starting pitcher. Corey Mathers had auditioned finely after coming out of nowhere late in 2041, and would be the usual wing-and-prayer fifth starter that usually got axed by May. But even then, Brown, Jackson, and Moreno only made three, and we’d need four ahead of Mathers. We figured Eric Weitz a bad target to go after, despite him being the prime free agent in terms of starters. He was up there in age (33), and Scout Guy claimed to see the sands of time washing out the mortar between the bricks with him already. In the event, he signed with the Wolves in a hurry for what must have been the very first contract offer being delivered.

The next rank of free agent starters were righty Corey Booth and lefty Al Scott. They were 30 and 32, respectively, a groundballer and a flyballer, and a type A free agent and not a type A free agent. And I was not married to that #16 pick (but wouldn’t leave it to the damn Elks either, who got the Wolves’ #23 instead), but I liked Scott better overall. He was an FL veteran, pretty consistently delivering 3 BB/9 and 7 K/9, and allowing about 18 homers. His stamina was not the best, but we had lived with a couple of pitchers graded a mere 8 in stamina for a while now. If they were *good*, 8 stamina was not a problem. Isn’t that right, Cristiano. – Why would Gustaf be a 19 stamina? – Does he even pitch? – Cristiano, “runningback” is not a baseball position. – Cristiano, roll down to Dr. Padilla and get your head checked out. – Yes, maybe it was indeed banged against the bedframe too often.

(Cristiano leaves)

What?

Anyway. Scott, who won a ring with the 2035 Caps when he only made a few appearances out of the pen, looked like a pitcher right up my alley. Maybe we’d even get him relatively cheap! Cheap is good when 10% of the roster is locked up in THIS … (points at Cosmo in hospital gown, shaking while holding on to a walking frame in the middle of the room)

Scott was 6’5’’ and weighed half of Berto’s left leg, so maybe he’d even get his K/9 up with proper nutrition in Portland.

(Maud brings in a bowl with steaks for Cosmo and puts it on the table in front of him)

(Cosmo falls face first into the steak bowl)

(Cosmo doesn’t move)

+++

November 16 – The Wolves acquire SP Julian Ponce (58-47, 3.14 ERA) from the Rebels, parting with two prospects.
November 17 – The Titans send SP Aaron Howell (12-18, 3.58 ERA) to the Condors for two prospects.
November 18 – The Loggers get RF/LF Jonathan Fleming (.268, 70 HR, 252 RBI), who missed much of 2041 with injuries, from the Rebels in exchange for INF/LF Joseph Ronan (.289, 15 HR, 158 RBI) and a prospect.
November 21 – The Wolves snatch the top free agent starting pitcher on the market, ex-VAN Eric Weitz (157-107, 3.31 ERA) on a 2-yr, $7.28M contract.
November 21 – The Cyclones add former Condors CL Steve Bailey (58-62, 3.15 ERA, 307 SV) for 3-yr, $7.32M.
November 24 – The Raccoons acquire OF Tony Romero (.234, 65 HR, 292 RBI) from the Capitals for MR David Lindstrom (15-15, 3.87 ERA, 14 SV) and AAA SP Vince Burke (1-1, 4.30 ERA).
November 25 – Career Thunder 1B Danny Cruz (.276, 330 HR, 1,115 RBI) is convinced to become a Bayhawk for 2 years and $6.56M.
December 1 – Rule 5 Draft: 12 players are selected over two rounds. The Raccoons are not affected.

+++

Romero is a former Logger and two-time stolen base champion. He is defense-first, and doesn’t hit for much of an average, but is an interesting top-of-the-order option against lefty pitching. The Raccoons didn’t exactly give up a lot to get him.

Now, assuming that Manny Fernandez is fixed in leftfield (why wouldn’t he be?), and Maldonado filling in at third base, the Raccoons would have the personnel to fill the other two outfield spots with platoons: Romero and Ito from the right side, and Reyna and Nettles or Anderson from the left side. The chink in the armor here was that neither between Van Anderson and Stephon Nettles had hit anything at all last year. That had been almost 300 PA of negative WAR-batting.