Big Decision, Big Money
As I continued to watch both Duluth and Toledo continue to sign and sign guys things were getting a little tense in the office. I went to the owner and said look if you give me a little more money than the $178 million we can definitely match Toledo step for step. But they are playing with a $190 million dollar budget and it is showing.
Mr. Bocquet Jr. - You have ways of making money available. I see that you raised our scouting and development budgets up to $10 million and $15 million. They were a combined $18.75 million last year.
Me - But sir we have some talent in our minor leagues and I do dare divert resources from development. Those players are our future and we have probably our future starting rotation down there developing. We get those guys developed and we won’t have to spend big on free agent starting pitchers.
Mr Bocquet Jr - I like that last part you just said, but here is the deal and these words do not leave this room. You seem to think this is all about winning a championship and while that is nice if it comes along, that is not my primary goal. I have given you marching orders to at least play 500 ball. Last year we played 604 ball and you have been 500+ in every season you have been here. I am fine with that sort of return on the field, but…..I want this club to be profitable. I mean extremely profitable and some of these signings you’re asking about are going to cost big bucks. I am not interested in ballplayers making more money than I do in this club and right now, you have multiple that are…..
Me - The franchise is worth more money than ever before.
Mr Bocquet Jr. - I am well aware of the valuations of the club and how much it has increased since my father passed away. But valuations are not cold hard cash and cash in king. So there will be no increase in the budget. Are we clear?
Me - Yes sir. I will do what I can to make sure we get in the playoffs and make that playoff money, but I understand your desire for the club.
So with that I got no increase in budget to compete with Toledo’s wild spending. Duluth is spending too but it is more measured and reserved, but I anticipate they will be picking up some bargains. Right now there appear to only be really 3 clubs that have done much of anything signing wise, well 4 if you count the huge haul of minor league contracts Thunder Bay just signed. It appears the Caribou who are unable to spend anymore money on free agents are now signing every veteran who isn’t falling apart but likely on the downside of their careers to minor league deals. They signed a whopping 29 veteran players to those deals as they look for depth to cover themselves in case of injury.
Despite Mr. Bocquet’s bluster, I turned around and made a splash.
Last Year MVP Signs with Chicago
LF Robert “Rodeo” LeRoy Inks $157 Million Deal over 6 Years
As speculation mounted into the morning, rumors over a final agreement between Robert Leroy and Chicago became a reality, with the star opting for a $157,000,000 deal over 6 years.
Leroy has a career .295 batting average with a .356 OBP. He has hit 203 homers, driven in 686 runs and scored 576 runs since he came into the league. Last season was LeRoy’s finest when he hit 332/400/973 with 26 home runs and 88 RBI’s. He was good for a North of the Border leading 4.9 WAR last season and took home the Canadian Lake Superior MVP Award.
When asked GM Martin stated that LeRoy would be a big addition to our lineup and he has a great supporting cast around him. We are driven to win the GLBL Championship and once again bring home the pennant to these deserving fans.
Reaction around town
The fans are buzzing with the excitement that Robert LeRoy is coming to Chicago. Season ticket numbers took a big jump and individual game ticket pre-sales also increased significantly. On one local podcast the reaction was that signing LeRoy to good along with 3B Arnaud, 1B Osborn, DH Aranda (when he returns), RF Ashley along with C Duran and 2B Lambert, Chicago has a winning formula if their pitching returns healthy and stays injury free this season. And from the sound of things from those that know, Chicago had better make its 3rd straight GLBL Fall Classic or there could be some serious consequences for the GM and front office staff.
Right now the Opening Day Lineup looks like this
2B John Lambert
RF Tom Stone
1B Reagan Osborn
LF Robert LeRoy
DH Jim Ashley
3B Thomas Arnaud
C Juan Duran
CF Cris Luna
SS Pablo Farrulla
*Note Stone is in for the injured Jose Aranda who will likely join the club after several weeks during the regular season. At that time Jim Ashley will move back to RF and Aranda will assume his DH role.
Now the question is are the Architects done?
Some say they are kicking the tires on several players and could be talking one last big time free agent. Who that is, no one in the organization is saying. Many feel that the club is about tapped out of spending resources. Time will tell