[ayaghmour2]

Just a quick one for the Winter Meetings, I'll probably make another post later today if I don't forget:

Team Transactions
11/30: Started off big by announcing a 7-year, $4,900 per year extension with new CF Adam Markley. The last two years are team options, and Markley will be a Charger till his mid 30s.

12/1: With the Rule-5 Draft tomorrow, I added a few minor leaguers to the 40-Man roster.

First was RHP Rico Cardoza, a relief pitcher who came over at the deadline in 1902 from Cleveland with Justin Davies for LF Javier Acevedo. A former 8th Round Pick by the Rebels in 1899, Cardoza put together an amazing season with Grand Rapids, working to a 1.81 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts in 59.2 innings out of the pen. He's got mid-to-back of the pen potential and can give you multiple innings. A durable and reliable righty, he's got plus-plus stuff, keeps the ball on the ground, and has a devastating curve. His plus-plus fastball sits in the 93-95 MPH range and he occasionally tries to fool hitters with a sub-optimal change.

Next was another acquisition from Cleveland, RF Jason Vanover who joined us in July. Another 8th Round selection, although actually by the Cyclones, we got him for Dave Pater. Vanover is a lefty who plays selite defense in right and center with elite range and a plus arm. I had him take reps in left this year as well, as I'm working on him being an indeal #4 outfielder. He's got amazing speed and is an excellent base runner with plus power. And unlike most power hitters, he does a good job of avoiding strikeotus.

I kept the Cleveland pattern going with LF/P Evan Francis who was a waiver claim in January this year. A former 5th Round selection in 1899, Francis is mainly used as an outfielder, but I feel like he's best suited as a reliever. As a hitter, he's got elite speed with elite defense in left while he's a little inexperienced in center and right. He doesn't have the best eye, but he has plus contact, power, and avoid K ability. On the mound, he has elite stuff and sits consistently in the triple digits. His lack of a quality third pitch plays him best in the pen, but he could be a late inning guy with more work. He has an elite fastball and slider with average movement and control.

This left one spot and two players worth protecting, CF Jordan Garza and RF Mike Heinemann. Instead of trying to decide between them, I decided to ship them off to Buffalo for former #1 Overall Pick Steve Hall.

Hall, 24, is a third basemen who inked a 4-year deal when he was drafted in 1902 out of Florida Atlantic. He's in the last year, making $977, but I got 55% of it retained. He's out of options, which sucks, but he's got a ton of upside, rated a 1.5/3.5*. He's an excellent defender, with plus range, elite error and arm, and plus-plus double play ability. He's elite at third and plus at short, and with experience, likely plus-plus at second. At the plate, he's got plus-plus contact and elite gap power, although he doesn't have the speed to always leg out the gappers. His home run power hasn't really developed yet, and he doesn't really have the best plate discipline. In just 77 big league at bats, he's hitting .221/.268/.351 with a homer and 7 RBI's.

The 40 was now full, but if I saw a guy I'd like in the draft, I'd easily DFA someone like Cody Hall or Danny Sanchez to make room.

12/2: I didn't take anyone in the Rule-5 draft, but lost David Gonzalez to Philly. He's a 32-year-old reliever who I signed to a minor league deal last offseason. His numbers at Grand Rapids were insane, working to a 0.93 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with 71 strikeouts and 44 saves in 68 innings, but I have no interest in protecting an aging reliever that didn't really do much in the bigs.

League Transactions
11/30: Cincinnati signed former #1 overall pick Alpo Vaarakallio to a 6-year, $2,860 per year deal with the final season a 180 innings pitched vesting option. It's a risky deal, adding an injury prone, albeit still talented, starting pitcher with a spotty track record. He finished off one of the best seasons of his career in Philly this year, going 12-4 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 128 strukeouts in 23 starts. In total, the 31-year-old is 95-97 with a 4.91 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 1,150 strikeouts in 265 games (248 starts). With his stuff already starting to decline, my guess is this deal could turn into a Cody Hall contract real fast, although at least Hall didn't sign for 6 seasons...

12/1: Philadelphia brought back LF Jim Moran on a 2-year, $2,600 per year contract. This is his second straight 2-year free agent deal with the Freedom. The 31-year-old hit just .245/.313/.504 (103 OPS+) which is much lower then his career .271/.341/.536 (116 OPS+) line. He did launch 34 homers and drive in 99 RBI's in just over 500 at bats, including his 300th career homer. It's a smart deal to bring back the durable leftfielder, who I considered signing and moving to center.

12/3: It was an uneventful Winter Meetings, but they did end with a pair of trades:

Cleveland acquired LHP Steve Esparza and RF Devin McDowell from Milwaukee for 2B Tyrese Rollins.

Esparaza, 31, was essentially "dumped" on the Cyclones as the Mustangs didn't want to pay him the $1,340 he was making this year. The lefty worked as the closer last year, saving 39 games despite a 1-8 record, 4.19 ERA, and 1.41 WHIP with 73 strikeouts in 68.2 innings. He hasn't had too much success, although an impressive 1901 with St. Louis saw him work to a 1.91 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 43 punchouts in just 28.1 innings. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season.

McDowell, 20, seems like just a throw in. He was actually a 5th Round Pick out of Cardin HS in Baltimore by us, before I sent him and Juan Vela to Milwaukee exactly one year ago for Jesse Padula. He's a bat first corner outfielder who can play a little shortstop, although his bat really isn't that great either. He's got good foot speed and range, but he won't be a threat on the bases. I expect him to be traded a year from now again!

Rollins, 23, is all Milwaukee gets. A 4th Round Pick by the Cyclones back in 1900, Rollins reached Class C ball for the first time this year, hitting .258/.320/.404 with 14 homers and 54 RBI's while striking out 109 times in 116 games. He's played more short then second, but he's better suited for second. His full sprint is more like a power walk when you're late for class, but don't really care. He's not much of a hitter either, but he's more here to get something back.

The second trade was the Lightning bolstering their pen, acquiring RHP Mike Marchini and LHP Rich Sugg from Cincy for C Bill Puche.

Marchini, 34, is a talented Iron Man who was a mainstay in the Cajuns pen from 1892-1898, but has bounced around a bunch since then. In '99 he was in St. Louis, then Newark and Pittsburgh in 1900, back to St. Louis in 1901, Boston for two years, and then Cincy last year. This will be his third stint with the Lightning for the former 2nd Round selection by the Cajuns. He's worked to a 3.57 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 686.1 UBL innings with 714 strikeouts and 99 saves. He had a solid run with the Red Hawks as a late inning setup man, going 3-5 with a 2.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts in 59 innings. He's somehow making less then Esparaza and is much better, making this deal very surprising.

Sugg, 22, also went to St. Louis, although he's not an exciting prospect. He looks like a swingman, and the lefty was a 9th Round pick in 1900 by the Red Hawks. He's got interesting stuff, throwing a plus fastball, average cut, elite change, and a sub-optimal curve. He can eat innings, keep the ball on the ground, and throw in the low 90s.

Puche, 29, must be liked by the Red Hawks more then my scout. A fringe starter, the former 6th Overall Pick by Cleveland has been used sparingly by the Lightning, hitting just .202/.329/.316 (67 OPS+...) with 6 homers and 30 RBI's in 272 at bats scattered in five seasons. He is an elite defender, possibly the best in the UBL, but he doesn't do anything at the plate except the occasionally walk and surprise home run. He's no better then Omar Atilio, my backup, who's definitely not worth an All-Star reliever.