[Westheim]

November 28 – That was quick! Top free agent SP Jason Brenize (161-84, 2.61 ERA) signs a 6-year, $53.8M contract with the Condors that ends his 11-year Titans career, in which he won seven Pitcher of the Year awards.
December 1 – Rule 5 Draft: 11 players are taken after being left unprotected by their old teams. The Raccoons draft left-handed MR Jorge Ruiz from the Stars.
December 1 – The Bayhawks send 2B Matthew Selep (.283, 0 HR, 22 RBI) to the Rebels for two prospects, including #59 3B Alex Hernandez.
December 3 – Veteran 1B Andy Metz (.267, 266 HR, 977 RBI) signs a $3.96M deal for 2068 with the Stars. The 36-year-old Metz spent the last six seasons with the Condors.
December 4 – New York signs ex-LVA CL Jon Dominguez (51-56, 3.22 ERA, 292 SV) to a $2.64M contract for 2068.
December 5 – The Titans get RF/INF/CF Jared Robichaud (.257, 11 HR, 75 RBI) from the Stars for the cost of catcher Lorenzo Marquez (.270, 67 HR, 287 RBI) and a prospect.
December 5 – The Raccoons sign 33-year-old ex-DAL C Chris D’Alessandro (.258, 23 HR, 192 RBI) to an $800k contract for the 2068 season.
December 6 – Ex-Condors SP Marco Clemente (119-114, 3.56 ERA, 1 SV) joins the Scorpions on a 3-year deal worth $10.32M.
December 6 – Boston adds 3B Danny Miller (.252, 67 HR, 461 RBI) in a trade with the Capitals, who receive MR Josh Atkins (20-30, 5.04 ERA, 8 SV) and a prospect for the 32-year-old Miller.
December 7 – The Thunder acquire 31-yr old LF Grant Anker (.277, 194 HR, 833 RBI) from the Scorpions in exchange for 38-yr old right-hander Bill Hernandez (101-100, 3.60 ERA, 233 SV) and a prospect, #53 CL Sean Whitten.
December 7 – The Raccoons get 32-year-old ex-CIN/CHA INF Diego Mendoza (.266, 113 HR, 585 RBI) on a $2M deal for 2068.
December 8 – Oklahoma City snatches up ex-TIJ RF/LF Matt Ewig (.257, 83 HR, 407 RBI) on a 7-year deal worth $30.28M.
December 8 – The Loggers acquire SP Brett Bebout (59-36, 3.12 ERA) from the Condors, along with $2.44M in cash, for FIVE prospects, including #135 CL Eric Fracassa, #159 SP Aaron McClair, and #181 CL Juan Arguelles.
December 8 – New York sends catcher Victor Reyna (.259, 16 HR, 177 RBI) to Cincinnati for INF Jordan Hernandez (.267, 35 HR, 336 RBI) and a prospect.
December 9 – The Thunder bring in RF/LF Roberto Soto (.303, 89 HR, 323 RBI) from the Cyclones, along with $2.7M in cash, for 1B Bum-kyoo Su (.286, 4 HR, 18 RBI) and an unranked prospect, which sounds like robbery and likely is.
December 10 – The Condors continue to be hyperactive and deal CL Matt Nelson (26-25, 3.49 ERA, 73 SV) to the Canadiens for four prospects. The key piece is #19 prospect CL Tyler Reed.
December 10 – The Indians get SP Tony Lira (43-29, 3.53 ERA) and $1.1M in cash from the Falcons for rookie OF Jonathon Barber (.254, 4 HR, 11 RBI) and a prospect.

+++

The funny bit about the Brenize signing is that the Titans get a THIRD round pick for their bothers, since the Condors’ first-rounder was protected and they had already frittered away their second-round pick with Jason Turner earlier.

And no, Diego Mendoza is not going to replace Rich Monck’s production, but maybe less bickering through more and better leadership will make the guys focus on actually bucketing the damn water out of the boat that has accumulated over the last three years. Mendoza and Duhe were traded for another just six months ago, so that’s gonna be awkward on the left side of the infield.

While the Raccoons thus successfully filled up the area around the infield, our pitching plans remained vague in general and fuzzy at the corners. We were making a 1-year offer to Alex Dominguez, ready for Opening Day or not, that almost doubled in value during the Winter Meetings without Dominguez making a move in one direction or another, and after the Winter Meetings went a bit meh in this regard also began to feel for a former division rival that was only a type-B free agent.

In the middle of December the market around Rich Monck remained rather silent. I was gonna laugh about the Brenize compensation until the out-of-control Condors would sign Monck and leave us with a fourth-round pick for compensation…

Other Raccoons with new employment: Paul Barton got 2 years and $928k from the Thunder; Tetsu Kurihara also got two years and $1.92M from the Loggers; Jim White got $690k from the Pacifics;

Finally, the Hall of Fame ballot is out.