Let’s get the Off-Season Started
We had been in talks with several teams on potentially acquiring SP Val Imbert who is an above average 110+ ERA+ his first 2 seasons in Chicago. He was on a $10,000,000 contract in 2057 and will turn 30. He has a player option for 2058 for another $10,000,000 and a smart team would be trying to pick him up while I am considering dealing him. He is also willing to extend his contract for 4 seasons for a total of $10.6 million per season. His ask was more than that, but in discussing it we talked him down from $12.6 per season. It is an option that we will look at, but because we still have Aranda’s contract on the books for that 2059 season ($25 million) and we are at a loss heading into the off-season, our owner would not approve of that deal. Now since Aranda’s team option for 2059 is a 99% chance we will not exercise it, I know that we will likely be able to sign him to that deal. I’d shop him around but his injury issues the last 2 years and now the gun shy nature of several clubs who have money, there is just no chance. His deal is non-tradable unless I offer a prospect package of my young SP’s and with our payroll situation they are definitely our future, so that is not happening.
The other SP that I have begun to offer is 38-year old veteran SP Yale Hulburt who returned in June after being out for almost a year. His contract is $20 million for 2057 with a $17 million team option for 2058. Again barring something unforeseen, his team option has about a 90% chance of being declined because of our financial situation. Traverse City who is probably the biggest penny-pinching team in the whole league (Milwaukee spends less but I think they could spend more), was in discussions to pick him up. The cost was that I would retain up to 50% of the 2057 contract, and if Traverse City wants to contend they need to find pitchers and a lot of them. But they backed out of conversations and it wasn’t because of the players I asked for. Unless they plan to spend $10 million on multiple pitchers and get some quality, they will not challenge for the US title anytime soon.
Several days ago we got a message from SP Jose Cedeno and it would change a lot of things for us going into the 2057 season, both on the field and financially. The 35-year old decided to hang up his cleats after leading the league in wins this last season. To say we were shocked is an understatement as he had 5 seasons left on his deal ($27 million in 2057, and then $34 million the next 4 seasons with the last one being a team option).
Chicago’s SP Cedeno Hangs Up Cleats Early
Starting Pitcher José Cedeño, is walking away from the game he's been playing his whole life-- to fulfill yet another one of his lifelong dreams. "After an anguishing few months and a lot of sleepless nights, I've come to realize my heart just isn't in the game anymore. It's been a good run and I couldn't be more thankful to my teammates and my coach, who have supported me every step of the way." Cedeño said he has always wanted to be more involved in his church, and is intending on becoming a missionary and travelling the world to help others.
In parts of 7 big league seasons, Cedeno was 86-63 with a 4.00 ERA. He led the GLBL in wins twice in his career, but many feel he never did quite reach the potential he had. Chicago acquired him at the trade deadline in 2054 as they made their first push to the playoffs under their new GM that season.
Summary - So losing half of the 1-2 punch of Inoue and Cedeno at the top of our rotation was a major blow to what we were hoping to have for at least 1 full season. Cedeno’s retirement, while providing some major budgetary relief in future seasons, is a major blow to our chances for 2057. That means that rookie Curt Hopkins is going to have some very big shoes to fill and we are going to need a huge bounce back season from SP Yale Hulbert. It also is giving us pause on trading SP Val Imbert who is on a reasonable $10 million contract for 2057 and we had teams inquiring on him.
Since we were discussing budget and payroll so much I will attach a new salaries projection for 2057 and going forward. We still won’t be adding anything via free agency for this year, but I really don’t think we need a lot. I still think we can contend if SP John Moore, who stepped into a starters role mid-season and won 10 games can continue, but it does change our plans. It also brings back into focus a serious look at re-signing Inoue for a long term deal and trying to substantially lower that amount owed for the 2058 season.
As far as free agents go, overall I’d say it is a down crop. That said there are two international free agents that teams like Milwaukee who has all the budget space in the world and several other teams (Detroit, Windsor, Traverse City) should be jumping all over. They are
30-year-old Cuban LHSP Arturo Colomo and 28-year-old Japanese RHRP Tamasaburo Nii. Both of these guys look really good and until they find homes, I don’t expect a lot of other players to be signed. If Milwaukee could get these two and then sign a couple of other guys they would immediately become a factor. Not saying it would be enough to make the playoffs, but they would certainly be scarier than they have been the last several seasons. With a total ask of around $50+ between the two, Milwaukee is maybe the only team that could get them both.
While we would love to be in on these guys, that just isn’t possible. We can’t even be in on a guy like SP Walt Marcotte and he just wants $3,000,000 for 1 season. It’s okay not to be in on him as he is a jerk in the locker room and his production on the field isn’t worth the clubhouse drama or the $3,000,000. I wouldn’t even offer him the league minimum $507,500.
What we will probably do is try to lock in SP John Moore to a club extension of 6 years while lowering his arbitration estimates the next two seasons. Then we will take a look at both 2B John Lambert and CF Cris Luna who will both be arbitration eligible after next season. If we can save say $5-6 million per season on the arbitration estimates that will greatly help our ability to dig out of the hole and maybe even entertain the option to re-sign Inoue to a long term deal.