[ArquimedezPozo]

11/20: Donovan Bryant traded to Pittsburgh for minor leaguers
The Pittsburgh Crawfords, buyers? Who thought we’d ever see that, and yet the club just solved one of its biggest problems - power - by trading for the final year of someone who hit 43 homers in D1 last season. Bryant is in his prime, but his contract runs out after 2039. Pittsburgh is banking on him giving them enough to win a weak D4 West and move up into D3, their original Division. They gave up a few decent MiL arms, though only one, Steve Greiss, who is projected as anything more than a replacement level guy; Greiss could be a solid bullpen arm for the Bears.

11/23: RF Alex Rivera, 33 (PHX) - Signed by Philadelphia Athletics, 5 years, $41.5 mil
Philadelphia dumped a bunch of players at the deadline last year, but is now spending mid-range money on a 33 year old RF who had a great ⅔ of a season last year, missing the rest with injury. It doesn’t seem to make a ton of sense, unless they’re just trying to avoid relegation, but that doesn’t square with a firesale in July.

11/23: CL Xavier Mayes, 32 (STL) - signed by Sacramento Solons, 3 years, $17.7 mil
Mayes won Reliever of the Year in 2038 with a stellar campaign for St. Louis, and has cashed in, with a three-year deal with the Solons. Mayes will be an upgrade over departing closer Devon Owens. Sacramento already had a deep pen, and Mayes make it that much better.

11/23: SP Ian Weaver, 34 (MEM) - Signed by Ft. Worth Cats, 4 years, $44.8 mil
Ft. Worth thinks they can complete a quick rebuild here, on the strength of young players like Jesse Moeller, and adding a frontline starter like Weaver should help them move up in the D2 West. With Vancouver facing some changes, the Conference could be up for grabs, and Ft. Worth was a champion just two seasons ago; this is a great move.

11/23: SP Willie Rodriguez, 30 (CIN) - Signed by New York Giants, 6 years, $85 mil
Now HERE’s a big splash. Rodriguez is second only to Razo as the big starting pitching value on the market, and New York - which had and will have a booming offense, but which struggled with pitching this year - will now have a devastating 1-2 punch in Rodriguez and John Sayre. This one move makes them an overwhelming favorite to repeat in the D1 East.

11/24: 1B John Witherspoon, 34 (VAN) - Signed by Monterrey Industriales, 4 years, $41.8 mil
Witherspoon serves as some insurance if Greg Allen departs, but should ring warning bells for Monterrey’s two 1B/DH candidates, 24 year olds Nelson Abad and Wade Zook, who were both disappointing this season. This will certainly be Witherspoon’s last major contract, as he cashes in on his big power numbers; Monterrey should be at least a little concerned about age and reversion catching up here.

11/24: Chris Griebe traded to St. Louis for minor leaguers
St. Louis just acquired a major piece of last year’s D3 best offense: LF Chris Griebe, who has led D3 in steals for five straight seasons and hit .303/.360/.489 with 20 homers for Salt Lake last year. In return, they get a solid CF prospect with good defensive potential (though more likely at one of the corners long-term), which opens up room for prospect Bob Shea. St. Louis, meanwhile, gets one of the game’s best leadoff guys, someone who can table set for an offense that lacked a spark last year.

WINTER MEETINGS BEGIN

11/25: 2B Dustin Jennings, 35 (BOS) - Signed by Baltimore Terrapins, 3 years, $33 mil
The Terrapins just robbed Boston of their starting 2B as Jennings, who was a one year rental for Boston, will come to the Conference rival as a shortstop. That gives Baltimore an excellent up-the-middle combo in Jennings and MVP Omar Juarez, and likely also provides insurance in case Juarez needs to shift to first down the line. Jennings is a strong defender, but his offense has been slipping, and at his age it’s not clear whether it will come back, so this deal has been met with some skepticism as well.

11/25: Corey Spry traded to Baltimore Terrapins for minor leaguers
This is a stunning deal, and an absolutely devastating one for Washington, who appear to have been fleeced here. Spry is an excellent second-tier pitcher who won an admittedly out of nowhere Pitcher of the Year in D4 this year and projects to at least make for a solid #2 in D2. In exchange, Washington got two mid-range pitching prospects. Spry might qualify for free agency this year, but it’s hard to believe Washington couldn’t have gotten better for a defending Pitcher of the Year. This makes Baltimore, meanwhile, even more of a favorite to repeat and rejoin Division 1.

11/25: SS Matt Galante, 29 (SEA) - re-signed by Seattle Steelheads, 7 years, $88.7 mil
The richest contract handed out yet this offseason goes to Galante, who declined an extension last offseason and cashed in on a career year. Galante is beloved in Seattle, and ownership decided to invest in his all-around skill: Galante is good at everything, though maybe not great at anything. This contract might hurt by the end of it, but he’s a franchise guy and the move is understandable.

11/26: RF Greg Allen, 30 (MRY) - signed by Seattle Steelheads for 5 years, $60.5 mil
Add Allen to a lineup that already features Mike Hood, Roger Alvarado, Frank Gonzales, and Adam Haney, and hang on for a wild ride. Allen had a career year last year, and Seattle is banking that it was for real. If it was, that would give Seattle another major power threat, though it’s worth noting that now their three biggest hitters - Allen, Alvarado, and Hood - all hit from the left side.

11/26: SP Jose Fernandez, 37 (SLC) - signed by Seattle Steelheads for 3 years, $20.7 mil
In addition to adding Allen, Seattle is building out a rotation behind Jeff Baltimore (and Razo, if he re-signs). Fernandez is getting up there, but had a solid year for Salt Lake and should be able to give Seattle some solid innings in support of a booming offense.

11/26: 1B Jon Clawson, 36 (TMP) - signed by Philadelphia Athletics for 2 years, $17 mil
Clawson is an interesting pickup for Philly on relatively small money. His best days as a hitter are behind him, and he’s likely a full-time DH at this point, but he’s got a great batting eye and some pop. It’s notable that Tampa, his hometown team, didn’t make as much of an effort to re-sign him though.

11/28: SP Chris Schwinger, 34 (FTW) - signed by Cincinnati Tigers for 4 years, $27.6 mil
He’s far from a replacement for Willie Rodriguez, but Schwinger should help fill the hole the ace left somewhat, especially with a move down to D4. Schwinger has a great arsenal with five good pitches (including a nasty curveball) and he keeps the ball on the ground. It’s a good pickup to keep Cincinnati in the race without breaking the bank.

WINTER MEETINGS END

Free Agents Still Available:
SP Hector Razo, 34, Seattle Steelheads
SP Mat Riddle, 31, Vancouver Mounties
LF Tony Hines, 30, Vancouver Mounties
CF Corey Stoute, 29, Miami Amigos
CL Pat Pipkin, 33, St. Paul Saints
SP Rich Buxkemper, Vancouver Mounties
CL Bob Paul, 40, Phoenix Firebirds
1B Nate Madden, 37, Salt Lake Gulls
RF Aaron Felton, 37, Tijuana Potros