As mentioned, while the strength of our starting lineup cannot be questioned, our depth at certain positions - 2B/3B/SS and pitcher - leaves a lot to be desired.
With just one FA signing at our disposal, this leaves us with quite the dilemma. How to best use it? There's quite a dearth of quality SP in the league, so in the end we try to lock down Roosevelt Davis. However, after drawn-out negotiations that can only be described as "fraught", we end up walking away. The only other SP we are even remotely interested in is Darltie Cooper, but he wants too much for too long and those talks never even really get off the ground.
The two players we were keen on in the Draft were Bill Byrd and Ray Dandridge, but as I mentioned they went early. Frey is a handy pickup, but still we need reinforcement in the infield and so we eventually sign this guy for 2 years at a bargain-basement $6k per.
That still leaves us with just two at 2B plus Martin Dihigo, for whom it is his least accomplished position. The big issue with Lonny Frey is he only plays 3B/SS which means he doesn't solve our immediate needs. So off I go to the trade market to do so.
After a couple false starts I strike the following deal:
TRADE 1 OF 3 (01/11/32)
3B Randy Moore and P Hank Johnson traded to Philadelphia (AL) for IF/OF Andy Reese and P Boom-Boom Beck.
I really like Randy Moore as a player, but sometimes you just have to kill your darlings, so to speak. Andy covers all of his positions plus the all-important 2B, although he is a slight step down offensively and a couple years older. Johnson for Beck is about as straight-up a trade as you can get.
We lose a couple minor leaguers in the Rule 5 Draft, OF Denny Sothern and C Merv Shea.