[Westheim]

I guess you’ll know now.

+++

November 25 – The Raccoons splurge out on a 6-year, $54M contract for former Dallas CF Tyler Wharton (.329, 275 HR, 1,133 RBI), forfeiting their 2069 first-round pick to the Stars.
December 1 – Rule 5 Draft: seven players are selected from outside their teams’ 40-man rosters. The Raccoons are not affected.
December 3 – The Crusaders sign a 2-year, $8.72M contract with ex-POR SP Alex Dominguez (94-81, 3.64 ERA), which means the Raccoons receive the Crusaders’ first-round pick and a supplemental-round pick for compensation.
December 3 – New York also pays $10.6M over two years to former Cincy CL John Faughnan (29-30, 2.94 ERA, 138 SV).
December 3 – The Indians acquire SP Adam Molloy (27-25, 3.67 ERA) from the Knights in exchange for two prospects, including #147 SP Willie Castellanos.
December 4 – INF John Baxley (.270, 17 HR, 244 RBI) is returned to the Knights in a trade that sends SP Luis Briseno (39-39, 3.83 ERA) to Cincinnati. Atlanta also receives a prospect.
December 7 – The Condors trade OF Phil LeVan (.245, 21 HR, 134 RBI) and $640k in cash to the Stars for two prospects.
December 7 – Cincinnati acquires CL Ben Dickson (12-22, 4.74 ERA, 45 SV) from the Scorpions, with $660k in cash, for two prospects.

+++

(solemnly looks at a stack of three quarters next to a wrinkled dollar note) Steve from Accounting says that’s all that’s left of the budget. But you can’t say the Raccoons didn’t light a firework in November!

Oh god, if Wharton breaks a leg in April I’ll cry like a *****.

In terms of draft picks we moved up one spot in the first round, forfeiting the #19 pick to the Stars while receiving the #18 pick from the Crusaders a week later, plus the supplemental-round selection. We were in line for another one of the latter as soon as Eddy Ramirez signed somewhere.

We were in the bid for a back-end-of-rotation starter in early December, which was for the time on borrowed money from Semchez’ scouting department that he’d totally get back at some point. It was hard to find somebody with a salary that as expendable on the roster, though, so I wasn’t sure how to recoup any budget space at all. The Raccoons had ten players signed to seven figures by early December (2069 salary / total remaining commitment unless he’s a free agent after 2069):

Tyler Wharton (9M / 54M)
Carlos Fumero (4.5M / 13.5M)
Girolamo Pizzichini (4M)
Jared Duhe (3.7M / 11.1M)
Joel Starr (3.3M)
Jose Corral (3.2M / 9.6M)
J.P. Gallo (3M / 6M)
Pedro Valentin (2.3M / 9.2M)
Nick Walla (1.4M / 18.8M)
Jesse Dover (1M / 3.8M)

You’d be excused to go after Pizza as the expendable guy here, but we didn’t even half a full rotation right now, and as soon as you signed Tyler Wharton you had to look upwards. Jose Corral was coming off his best career year, so his value was probably higher than ever, but none of the remaining outfielders had the throwing arm to be the regular rightfielder – except for Wharton, who had ALWAYS been a centerfielder with ten Gold Gloves for creds.

We also still didn’t have a credible backup catcher, but for a momentary distraction from the eye-watering amount we just spent on a single set of brittle bones and mortal coils, how does this prospective lineup sound to you (bats / career slash lines)?

SS (R) Jared Duhe (.259/.369/.353)
3B (S) J.P. Gallo (.249/.349/.406)
CF (R) Tyler Wharton (.329/.406/.541)
1B (L) Joel Starr (.276/.369/.448)
RF (L) Jose Corral (.269/.356/.419)
2B (R) Carlos Fumero (.308/.338/.418)
C (L) Jake Flowe (.263/.286/.385)
LF (R) Marquise Early (.242/.319/.319) – or (L) Benito Otal (.287/.320/.468 in 38 games)

Fumero should perhaps be at/near the top, but I wouldn’t want to lead off with three right-handers against righty pitchers if I can help it.

But come on, that lineup! (points with debilitated grin) That’s exciting! Isn’t it? Isn’t it? (grins yet sillier) We’re gonna win it big in ’69, aren’t we?? (grins so hard the corners of his snout meet again above his eyes)

And look who’s on the new Hall of Fame ballot! Lonzo…!!

Maud, what do you mean, I can’t vote for him ten times?? – But I wanna…!!