The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

Andy Morgan was not a rookie tonight. Coming up huge after the offense returned the early game favor on Tulsa. Bernal getting 0 outs in the 1st, while giving up 6. Chavez drills another homer and Hugh Collins has a huge game.

[gehrig38]

George Knox continues to make up for a bad season, this time slamming a 3 run homer with 2 outs in the 2nd, which Stan Hall proceeded to make stand. Getting 3 DP's in the games first 4 innings he struck out a season low 3 en route to a masterful 8-7-2-2-1-3 outing.
Luis Chavez drilled, what I think may be a record setting homer for Chicago.
Up 2-1 now, with 2 left in Tulsa.
In somewhat related news, the trip back to the World Series has been fruitful. Prior to the post season, we were slated to be about 2.5 million in the red. With over 10 million in post season revenue to date we are now looking at about a 2.5 million profit.

[gehrig38]

6 home runs and an outstanding job of working the matchups helped to overcome Jorge Salazars 2nd inning grand slam. After a 1st inning run Riggs and Rivera went back to back in the 2nd before the Tulsa 4 spot put us down 4-3. Game stayed that way through 5, and Pedro Salinas drilled the 1st of 2 homers to tie it up in the 6th. George Knox, Luis Chavez and Pedro Salinas homered in a span of 4 batters in the 7th to make it 8-4, where the pen ended it. Jorge Trujillo was spotty all day, and the decision to NOT send him back out after the 5th proved wise as Dave Winston got 4 outs and Randy Pennington came on with 2 on and 1 out and got the years biggest double play of Rich Alfred.
Hugh Collins was hurt, and will likely miss at least the next game before we know how badly.

[gehrig38]

Still no word on Collins. This rematch of the 2016 World Series is now headed to a 6th game.
Francisco Bernal was outstanding, allowing just a single run through 8 with Otto Hunter grabbing his 5th post season save.
Vance and Whimster were the catalyst, but not before we managed to put a scare in the Tulsa crowd with a 9th inning rally.
Series is heading back to the Windy City!

[gehrig38]

They say there's no better theater than a World Series Game 7, and we're gonna find out.
Wet weather and a jittery Andy Morgan made for an early mess that turned into a nightmare.
Tulsa battered just about everyone in the win, and my biggest issue was having to go through that much of the pen with just a game to go.

Well, this is how it's supposed to be right? Ace vs Ace, win or go home?

[gehrig38]

At the last time these two teams met for a World Series Game 7.
The wildest 9th inning of any game 7 I would bet I'll ever play. No repeat please.

[gehrig38]

......

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In all its "glory"....

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The "box"
And for the 1st time a player on the losing club is awarded the series MVP. Luis Chavez dominated this series.
Hard to fathom how this team lost 3 straight. Game 5 was the back breaker, 6 and 7 they pummeled us early and ended it fast.
Great season, and clearly Tulsa is my "Yankees" now.

[gehrig38]

And the winners are?

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ORG NEWS:
George Knox has a 2.5M option which appears to be a no-brainer, and we pick it up.

Our 2021 budget is 114 million, with 6.8 slotted for the draft. As of right now we're way over budget, by almost 15 million, and there will be some serious cutbacks to scouting and PD coming.

JOB NEWS AROUND THE LEAGUE:
Staten Island fired manager Paul Lee after his 1st full season on the job. He was let go by LA in 2019, took over late in the year and managed them to a 77-121 in his time. He made the playoffs with San Antonio (2014) and LA (2017) and is 684-694 lifetime.

Brooklyn axed manager Jose Solis after 2 seasons. Solis guided the Patriots to the playoffs 2 straight years, winning the 2014 world series, then came to Brooklyn as the bench coach before taking over in 2019. He's 340-308 lifetime.
Dayton fired manager Juilo Rivas after less than a season on the job. He took over early in the year and the club was 44-67 under him.

Michigan fired GM Jose Cedeno after just 1 year. Cedeno was the GM in Houston from 2015-2019 before coming over this past winter.

Boston axed the only manager in franchise history. Letting Carlos Castellanos go after 4 seasons at the helm. The team was 277-371 and many expected a near .500 finish this year. After their 70-92 record a change in direction has been asked for.

RUMOR MILL:
Word out of El Paso, if it's to be believed, is that the Diablos and Iron Pigs are talking around a deal that could have seismic implications.

The scuttlebutt is that owner Omar Marquis has 'demanded' change! Many were happy with the season in Chicago but apparently he's made it known he's beyond furious at the club losing 3 straight, and the World Series, and wants a personnel change now....

Stay tuned.

[gehrig38]

NOVEMBER NEWS:
11/1 Corpus Christi sends 33 year old RP Jesus Machado (35-37 65 Saves 3.22 in 537 games) to Michigan for 17 year old SP prospect Alexis Conegliano (1*) and 24 year old minor league SS Earnest Davis (1*).

11/3 Baltimore sends 21 year old OF prospect Chong-yee Lu (1.5* power hitter) to Staten Island for MR/CL 26 year old Arthur Austin (1-5 11 Saves 2.56 in 42 games).

Pittsburgh has sent 25 year old RP Tomas Gonzalez (6-4 20 Saves 2.12 70 games) to West Michigan for 20 year old C prospect Tom Berry (3.5*) and 23 year old 1B Ray Pate (1*)

IRON PIGS IN THE NEWS:
24 year old SP Roberto Martinez has agreed to terms on a 4 year 32.48M dollar deal. The club has the 4th year option held at 10.87 million. His arbitration number was north of 6 this year, and I got him for just under that in 2021, with bases of 7.8 the next 2 and the club option. If he remains healthy it's a great deal for us, and saves us money, which, when you read on, will become clear was an owner mandated event this winter....Along with the personnel change... Fan interest went to 89, for now.....

[gehrig38]

Iron Pigs, Diablos, shake it up in remarkable fashion!
Diablo General Manager John Gibson stepped to the podium with a huge grin on his face, and after the announcement it appeared clear as to why. The Diablos have shipped 22 year old 1B/DH Earl Shaw (.247-25-82, .379 OBP, 5*) 24 year old 3B Raul Miranda (.280-11-83 179 games, .373 OBP, 4.5*) 23 year old SP Terry Howell (2.5*) and 25 year old SP Dan Pallard (3.5*) to Chicago, along with their 2021 2nd round pick (49th overall, before supplemental picks).
In exchange, and meeting BOTH teams mandates, Chicago's of cutting payroll, and making personnel changes, and El Paso's 'Win Now' approach, the Diablos receive 27 year old 2B Paul Riggs, 27 year old 1B/DH Gonzalo Rios and 25 year old 3B Alberto Rivera and the Iron Pigs 2021 2nd round draft choice (53rd overall before supplemental picks).

Whew, a lot to take in. The reasons.
1) I've shaved 15.852 million off next years payroll, going from 15.3 million in the hole, to +536K as of today. That's WITH the 14+ million allocated to player dev. I obtained a 1B/DH replacement in Earl Shaw, a LH hitter, 5 years younger than Rios, with a better eye and far more pop. Miranda is a year younger than Rivera, is RH as well, a better defender (a big need) and has every ounce, if not more, of offensive upside Alberto has. Paul Riggs was the odd man out. He's become a question mark from a durability perspective, not to mention his 11+ million in salary owed next season. Combine that with our owners desire to try and sign soon to be free agent 2B Jeffrey Hudson (from our bitter rivals in Columbus) and it was clear he was going to be moved.
The 2 pitchers I got back are a bit on the older side as prospects, but both are ticketed as Tulsa insurance or possible winter meeting trade bait. The fans were extremely upset at the loss of all three players, with interest dropping to 78.

[progen]

Enjoying the heck out of this. Definitely fun and interesting to follow! I read the dynasty reports on the forums, more than I do the news in the "real" sports world.

[gehrig38]

11/12 Houston has sent 32 year old Alfredo Velazquez to Philadelphia for 3 prospects. Leonardo Figueroa (20, SP, 2*) Brady Grant (24, IF/OF, 1*) and Juan Jose Santos (20, IF, 1*). Figueroa is 24-20 with 56 career saves (20 each the past 2 seasons ) and an ERA of 3.36 in 344 career games with 517 K's in 420.2 IP. He's signed through next year at a 3.2M salary.

11/13 Columbus skipper Roberto Lopez took home FL Manager of the year honors. It was his first year as an IBL skipper after 8 seasons as a bench coach in Brooklyn, Buffalo and Columbus. In the CL Tulsa's Jonathan Wood took home his first career manager of the year after leading the Drillers to their 8th consecutive post season berth, and 2nd world series title. He's 769-527 lifetime.

Buffalo has sent 25 year old 3B Sebastiano Seletto (.284/.369 52 SB's 86 2B's in 465 games) to Corpus Christi for 27 year old Catcher Bill Hammond (.271/.358 in 114 career games) and 24 year old P prospect Chet “Cha Cha” O'Neil (2.5*).

Fresno acquired 29 year old SP Manny Ibarra from the Alaska Avalanche for Roberto Sanchez (1B/DH, 23, 2 * power bat) and Larry Davis (OF, 23, 1*, burner speed, great defender, low average potential middle of the order bat). Ibarra is 21-39 5.02 in his career. He was 6-9 3.79 in 18 starts for West Michigan last season, before being traded to Alaska.

11/14 Alaska has dealt another SP, this time 26 year old Chris Dunn, to Arizona for Duane Long (IF. 21. 3*, good speed, gold glove 2B, good 3B and SS, great eye and insane gap power) and Steven King (1B, 23, 1*, fringe minor league guy). Dunn is 0-2 2.87 in 9 games, 2 starts.

2020 LEADERS: TOTAL BASES BY A ROOKIE:
Tony Greene (DAY) 279
Jesus Becerra (LV) 268
Juilio Morin (PIT) 251
Earl Shaw (CHI) 251
Francisco Rios (SI) 249

11/21 Brooklyn has traded Closer Raymond Peters (8-6 31 Saves 2.78) to Edmonton for Carlos Zambrano (SP, 23, 1.5*) and Orlando Maldonado (OF, 21, 1.5, 75+ steal legs, switch hitting good contact bat)

11/22
Arbitration:
Pedro Garcia asked for 1.625, and we offered 1.3, player won.
Bill Jones asked for 922K, we offered 850, player won.

IBL's BIGGEST CONTRACTS:
Angelo Gomez (PIT) 23.0
Gerald Wright (DAY) 22.0
Walt Thompson (SAC) 21.4
Tim Davis (EDM) 20.4
Curt Whimster (TUL) 20.0

11/24 Ron Miller, Randy Pennington and Jake Ellison all refused arbitration, and will test free agency. Miller is the only compensation eligible player.

Ellison already has multiple offers. I am targeting Jeffrey Hudson, stud 2B from the Columbus Clippers. He's 27, hits left handed, has monster everything, contact, power, doesn't K, great eye. He was the 2017 Hank Aaron Award winner, a 6 time all star and a gold glove winner. Since becoming a full timer he's never played in less than 150 games. He's a career .300/.388/.519 hitter with 219 homers and 1189 hits, 745 RBI's in 1014 games. He's going to be looking for 20+, but I have to test it out....

11/25 Alaska and Green Bay made a rather significant trade today. Thomas Hood (.283/.414/.382 in 1024 games) who led the IBL in OBP in 2020 at .447 is headed to Green Bay. Hood is a former all star and Gold Glove winner in LF. Alaska receives 27 year old 1B/DH Arthur Fick who hit .286/.400/.502 in 133 games last year. He's a 3* hitter with huge offensive upside and no position. Green Bay also sent the Avalanche a 4.5* closing prospect in 18 year old Marc “Punchy” Shepperd, a RHP they signed out of Canada this past June.

11/28 Dayton shipped former Iron Pig Catcher Martin Ramirez to Dallas for 24 year old 1B Scott Scott (1B, 2*, great speed, decent bat) and 22 year old 3B Dave Ingram (3B, 1*, gold glove, great speed, real bad bat). Ramirez, who was slumping badly when he was dealt (.212) hit .303-2-21 after the trade.

[gehrig38]

RULE 5 DRAFT
We took no one, filling our 40 man, and lost a minor league reliever, Tom Jackson, to Pittsburgh.

12/4 Sacramento inked 35 year old Closer Eugene Simpson to a 3 year 34.5M dollar deal. Simpson has 141 career saves and a 2.63 ERA. Wow, on the same day they also signed Closer Bill Barlow to a 3 year 33.9M dollar deal. Barlow has 267 career saves and it appears Simpson is fine setting up for him in 2021.

Michigan signed 27 year old 2B Jerry “Soda” Grant to a 3 year 33M dollar deal. Grant hit .311-35-115 last season and is a career .253 hitter with 88 homers.

I've made a 6 year 105.7M dollar offer to Jeffrey Hudson, and it appears to be the best one on the table so far. I will go no further, it's a take it or leave it offer at this point.

12/5 Buffalo has signed former Michigan all star SS Fred Gill to a 6 year 107.3M dollar deal. Year 6 is a 22.4M dollar player option. The 28 year old was a 2020 all star and is a career .278/.403/.463 hitter in 692 games with 109 homers.

12/6 Jeffrey Hudson was in Chicago today to announce the signing of the largest contract in franchise history. The 27 year old MVP stands to make just over 105 million dollars for the next 6 seasons. He brings a ton of clubhouse presence as well as a potential hall of fame resume. He hit .283-38-129 last season, in 157 games. Fan interest jumped to 85!

Fresno managed to convince 28 year old SP Luis Acosta to come to California. Today he signed a 5 year 79.4M dollar free agent deal. He as 20-10 3.19 in 32 starts last season.

12/7 Alex Rodriguez found the deal he was looking for, a year late. He signed a 6 year 109M dollar deal with the Baltimore Railcats today.

12/8 And the next day the Keystone added another superstar. This time Pittsburgh signs 25 year old slugger Josh Hamilton to a 3 year 54 million dollar deal.

12/9 And the very NEXT day the Bulldogs fire another shot at the rest of the division by announcing the signing of 27 year old SP, and former Koufax award winner, Barry Zito to a 6 year 86.3M dollar deal. Zito is 89-59 3.76 in his career.

12/10 Sacramento continued to remake its pitching staff, today signing 32 year old SP Howard Crane toa 4 year 52M dollar deal. Crane was 16-7 3.48 last season, and is 78-68 lifetime.

12/13 LA announced a pair of signings today. Free agent 1B Kevin Moore agreed to terms on a 2 year 14.2M dollar deal, and they also gave SP Tommy Hobbs a 5 year 85M dollar extension. Hobbs is 111-97 3.82 in his 9 seasons with LA. He was 14-13 4.10 in 34 starts last year.

[gehrig38]

WINTER MEETINGS:
12/14 They open with a flurry of day 1 activity.
1) RP Leslie Daniels signed a 3 year 10.08M dollar deal with Arizona. He's 30-34 3.03 with 57 lifetime saves.
2) RP Donald Kelly signs a 2 year 12M dollar deal with Buffalo. 33-26 3.24 ERA with 93 Saves.
3) Pittsburgh sends 2016 RotY Vincente Elisary to Las Vegas for Travis Graham (19, OF, 2.5* huge speed decent bat guy) and Cris Zamora (22, OF, 1*, very good defender, great runner, below avg bat). Elisary was 11-17 5.04 last season and 19-24 in his 1.5 seasons with the Bulldogs. He's 69-57 4.15 in his career.
4) Michigan sent 29 year old 1B/DH Devlin Peterson to Houston (where he spent 2016-18) for 26 year old RP Adam Sanders. Peterson is a career .318 hitter in 158 games, Sanders is 14-32 5.08 in 338.1 IP.
5) Brooklyn dealt 27 year old SP Sonny Miller (35-41 4.95 career) to Green Bay for Dave Vogel (SP/MR, 19, 2*, #3 potential) and Alfredo Lopez (1B/OF, 19, 1*, top tier runner, decent bat, ok defender with immense range)
6) Houston sent 27 year old SP Dave Burbidge (10-12 5.92) to West Michigan for Carlos Gonzalez (3B, 21, 2*, outstanding defender, decent bat) and Kyle Blevins (DH, 20, 1*, not a prospect).
7) In the Roughriders 3rd deal of the day they sent 27 year old OF Carl Welch (.305-0-24 in 51 games, 190 AB's, likely top of the order bat, reserve OF) and Gerald Buckley (SP, 18, .5*) to Fresno for 26 year old SP Cordell Bond. Bond is 7-11 with 2 Saves and a 4.24 ERA in 41 games, 19 starts over 172 IP with 78 K's and 66 BB's.
8) We've dealt from strength, mainly our SP depth, and managed a coup in my opinion. Send SP Eric Arnold (38-18 sub 3 ERA last 3 years in AAA) and super utility man Vincius Montaury and our 2021 4th round draft choice to Boston for 20 year old 4.5* Catching prospect Alex Vela (outstanding runner for a catcher, above avg defender, cannon for an arm with a HUGE bat) and 4.5* OF prospect Ramon Castro (another HUGE bat), and Boston's 2021 3rd rounder. Castro was the Tulsa Driller 2016 1st rounder, Avela was signed out of Cuba.

12/15 DAY 2
1) Fresno signed former Brooklyn 3B Casey York to a 2 year deal. The 33 year old will make 20M over the 2 years and is a .266 career hitter with 98 HR's.
2) El Paso opened the checkbook for former MVP Angelo Gomez, today signing the 32 year old OF to a 4 year 71.6M dollar deal. Gomez is a career .309 hitter with 289 HR's.
3) Houston made it's 4th deal in 2 days. Today sending SP Felipe Torres (10-13 4.87 last year) to Las Vegas for Jud Lambert (IF, 20, 3*, huge runner, plays all 4 IF spots, 2B is his best, and top of the order bat with 0 pop).
4) And then they turned around and made their 5th trade. Sending P Julio Perez (60-55 5.05 career) and Kazuhiko Yamauchi (1B/DH, 18, projectible bat, 1*) to Alaska for 1B Ed Thomas. Thomas is a career .276 hitter with 206 HR's and 686 RBI's in 958 games. He is eligible for free agency at years end.

12/17 DAY 4
1) Baltimore continues to rebuild, today grabbing young superstar Edgar Nava from San Antonio for an elite young arm in 25 year old Mike Warner and 19 year old Olezka Leschenya (whom they just acquired from Baltimore 2 weeks ago). Nava is a career .331/.398/.438 hitter in 393 games with 58 2B's 23 3B's and 14 homers. He's k'd just 57 times to 154 walks and stolen 28-48 bases. He is slated to hit 2nd, ahead of newly signed 3B Alex Rodriguez. Warner has a monster arm, and will be part of a newer and younger Silver Star bullpen.

[gehrig38]

Someone in the media overheard a conversation from the Owners meetings and rumors are rampant about IBL expansion. Word has it there are going to be 2 new clubs introduced for the 2021 IBL season, along with some, very minimal, realignment?

True?

[gehrig38]

For GREAT logo's for team named
1) Sharks
2) Warriors
3) Hurricanes

Those are the three names leaked so far, have some stuff but looking for top notch logo's if anyone knows any.

[gehrig38]

12/18 Winter Meetings Close, announcements...

Houston, Tulsa, swap stars.
Houston has sent original Roughrider Caden Haynes and 20 year old OF Mark Whitley to Tulsa for 29 year old Ramon Cano. Cano is a career .262/.346/.490 hitter with 178 HR's, 102 SB's and 496 RBI's in 864 games. He's got 2 years and 21M left on his contract. Haynes, a 3 time all star, 2 time Gold Glove winner in left field, is a career .286/.373/.509 hitter with 264 HR's and 168 SB's in 1300 games, all with El Paso. The 32 year old has 4 years and 70.8M left on his 6 year deal. Whitley was drafted in 2019, by Dallas in round 5, failed to sign and was selected by El Paso in the 2nd round last year. He won the GG in the NYP league for RF.