Portland Raccoons (ABL)

[pgjocki]

Originally Posted by Westheim

You don't sound like you'd be into a Bill Balaski shirt for 25% off. (waves off Maud) How about a Sabre uni for 40%... make that 50% off?

I'd love to wear a Raccoon's shirt and the thought of having to explain that I follow a grown man from Germany playing a computer baseball game only makes it better.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

I'd love to wear a Raccoon's shirt and the thought of having to explain that I follow a grown man from Germany playing a computer baseball game only makes it better.

If I had any skills in graphics design...

I actually made a Raccoons shirt after they won their first-ever pennant, but it looked terrible then and never really fit either. Which is the best Raccoons metaphor I can even think of.

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2040 ABL PLAYOFFS

The 64th edition of the ABL playoff bonanza had the 105-57 Vancouver Canadiens as the top seed in the whole endeavor. The Canadiens had dominated the CL North for the entire year and had in the end won it by 19 games. They had come tops in runs scored and runs allowed with a staggering run differential of +277. They had the best rotation, the second-best pen, the second-most home runs, the third-best defense… The only thing they didn’t do at an above-average rate at least was stealing bases, but it wasn’t like that lack of thievery had cost them the playoffs. They would however not have their best package available for the postseason with both 2B Dan Schneller and CL Josh Boles out for the season. Jerry Outram, who won the batting title and led the team with 21 homers and 93 RBI returned just in time for the CLCS, though. They had four more hitters with double-digits home runs, and even lacking mid-season acquisition Schneller still had six batters hitting .272 or better in their lineup. Their rotation was entirely right-handed and led by Matt Sealock (22-6, 2.46 ERA). They thought it prudent to move left-hander Alexander Lewis (7-5, 2.72 ERA, 8 SV) to the closer’s role for the playoffs.

Opposing them were the #2 seed, the 95-67 Knights, who clinched the division in the final week of the season. Second to the Canadiens in both runs scored and runs allowed, their run differential was half Vancouver’s at +139. They had the best pen and the second-best defense, but lacked in home run power and their rotation was not overwhelming, although Brad Santry (21-7, 2.74 ERA) had been joined by Ryan Bedrosian (13-5, 2.34 ERA) mid-season for a true 1-2 punch. However, on a team that had nobody with more than 13 home runs to begin with, injuries had really taken an axe to both the lineup and the back half of the rotation. Jesus Matos and Evan Martin were both missing from the lineup, Brad Ledford was still day-to-day, and in David Farris, Jimmy Driver, and Jon Pereira they had lost three starting options that each might conceivably make more sense than Carlos Jimenez (4-5, 4.73 ERA).

The two playoffs teams in the Federal League had wound up tied at 94-68, with the FL West’s Salem Wolves getting the nod over the Topeka Buffaloes for home field advantage in the FLCS. The Wolves had come fourth in runs scored and first in runs allowed with a +139 run differential, but there were some big asterisks to that rotation that had technically finished second in ERA, but with both Phil Harrington (15-4, 2.24 ERA), who was merely the greatest active pitcher in the game, and Andy Jimenes (9-10, 3.62 ERA) on the DL well into the 2041 season, their back half of the rotation also featured unsightly ERA’s and their leader was now Joe Dishon (17-10, 2.99 ERA). At least the lineup had all the key pieces intact, with Jose Rivera (.326, 26 HR, 113 RBI) and Morgan Kuhlmann (.260, 24 HR, 91 RBI) leading the charge. Almost everybody in the lineup had home run power (minus .304 hitter Armando Herrera) and the team had come third in circuit blasts.

The Buffaloes were more balanced in their approach, third in runs scored and runs allowed, with only a +97 run differential, but not without crippling injuries (1B Chris Delagrange, their home run and RBI leader). Topeka was more about OBP and stealing bases than raw power, ranking second in each of the former categories and sixth in the latter in the FL. Their rotation was not overwhelming, though. Ricardo Ordas (14-10, 3.59 ERA) had led the team in ERA, and nobody had won more games than Miguel Alvarado (16-8, 4.09 ERA). The pen was really sturdy though, only missing two middle relief guys in Jon Bleich and Jeff Cunningham that had turned out to be replaceable.

+++

Among participating teams the Buffaloes had the most playoff appearances with now 11 October tournaments, but had never won a championship, same as the Knights, who were in their 8th postseason (and their first since ’24). The Wolves were in the playoffs for the 7th time with one title (1989), while the Canadiens had their ninth playoff ticket punched with three titles (1982, 1984, 2038).

The Knights had beaten the Canadiens in seven games in their only prior CLCS meeting in 1986. The Wolves had beaten the Buffaloes in six games when the two had met in the FLCS in 2004, the only time that had happened.

The only potential World Series rematch was of the 2038 series that the Canadiens had won over the Wolves.

Pundits liked the thought of that Raccoonless Pacific Northwest matchup happening again, giving the Wolves good odds against the Buffaloes, while the Canadiens were considered wildly superior to the Knights. One sports network bobblehead went as far as to bet his nine-year-old’s asthma inhaler on the Canadiens.

+++

2040 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

ATL @ VAN … 6-1 … (Knights lead 1-0) … ATL Adam Horner 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI; ATL Brad Santry 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, W (1-0) and 1-3, 2 RBI;

TOP @ SAL … 18-1 … (Buffaloes lead 1-0) … TOP Ed Haertling 4-6, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; TOP Bob Mancini 3-4, BB, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; TOP Derek Baskins 3-5, BB, 3B, 3 RBI; TOP Felipe Marquez 4-5, BB, HR, 4 RBI; TOP J.P. Angeletti 3-6, 2 RBI; TOP Miguel Alvarado 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0);
ATL @ VAN … 4-7 … (series tied 1-1) … ATL Adam Horner 1-2, BB, HR, RBI; VAN Ryan Phillips 3-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI;

Not a typo. The Buffaloes plate 13 runs in the fifth inning alone, destroying not only starter Joe Dishon (0-1, 10.80 ERA), but also Jose Santamaria, Matt Brost, and Guillermo Lastra. The last three combine for two outs and 12 runs conceded, all earned.

TOP @ SAL … 3-6 … (series tied 1-1) … TOP Ed Haertling 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; TOP Felipe Marquez 2-3, BB, RBI; SAL Alex Castillo 2-4, RBI; SAL Jeremy Camden 2-4, 2B, RBI;

VAN @ ATL … 2-3 … (Knights lead 2-1) … ATL Adam Horner 1-4, HR, 3 RBI; ATL Chris Lulay 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, W (1-0);

The game remains scoreless into the bottom of the eighth before Adam Horner breaks the ice and the spirit of Mike Mihalik (0-1, 3.38 ERA), only for closer Rico Sanchez putting three runners aboard with a hit batter (Glenn Sprague) and walks to Timóteo Clemente and Ryan Phillips and nobody out. The Canadiens are held to a run-scoring groundout and a run-scoring wild pitch after that, though, with the tying run stranded on third base.

SAL @ TOP … 3-15 … (Buffaloes lead 2-1) … SAL Tim Stackhouse 2-3, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; TOP J.P. Angeletti 3-6, 3B, 2 RBI; TOP Felipe Marquez 4-5, BB, 2B, RBI; TOP David Alvardo 2-4, 3 RBI; TOP Ed Haertling 2-5, 3B, 4 RBI;
VAN @ ATL … 0-3 … (Knights lead 3-1) … ATL Luis Inoa 3-4, 3B, 2B; ATL Ryan Holmes (PH) 1-1, HR, RBI; ATL Carlos Jimenez 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, W (1-0);

No, the Wolves don’t know what’s up, either. Nor do the Buffos. Or the Canadiens.

SAL @ TOP … 4-5 (11) … (Buffaloes lead 3-1) …
VAN @ ATL … 2-9 … (Knights win 4-1) … VAN Aaron Foss 2-4, HR, RBI; ATL Luis Inoa 4-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; ATL Brad Santry 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (2-0);



SAL @ TOP … 4-0 … (Buffaloes lead 3-2) … SAL Brad Jenkins 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; SAL Alex Castillo 2-3, HR, RBI; SAL Joe Dishon 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, W (1-1);

TOP @ SAL … 8-14 … (series tied 3-3) … TOP Derek Baskins 3-5, HR, 3B, 3 RBI; TOP Felipe Marquez 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; TOP Ron Miller jr. 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; SAL Brad Jenkins 2-4, BB, 3B, 2 RBI; SAL Morgan Kuhlmann 3-3, 2 BB, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; SAL Jose Rivera 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI;

Never mind that Salem almost dawdles away a 7-1 lead after two innings, they managed to force a do-or-die Game 7.

TOP @ SAL … 2-5 … (Wolves win 4-3) … TOP Marshall Greer 2-3, BB; TOP Ed Haertling 2-4, 2 RBI; SAL Tim Stackhouse 2-3, BB, HR, RBI; SAL Dan Dalton (PH) 1-1, RBI;

43-year-old Dan Dalton, who had 70 AB in the regular season, slaps home the game-winning RBI off Miguel Alvarado (1-1, 4.50 ERA) in the sixth inning as the Wolves rally out of an early 2-0 hole behind Juan Garcia (1-1, 7.59 ERA) to put the Wolves into the World Series.

And we’re totally sure little Timmy will get a new inhaler in due time.

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2040 WORLD SERIES

The still seriously depleted Knights made their second-ever World Series by noisily upsetting the towering Canadiens, but at least got Jimmy Driver (11-11, 3.61 ERA) back into the rotation. They might have a slight edge over the Knights due to a lefty-tilting lineup while both teams had three right-handed and one left-handed starter lined up, while the Wolves’ lineup was more balanced. While they were very similar in runs scored and runs allowed, the Knights were the OBP-oriented team, while the Wolves had more raw power. Defense favored the Knights, even though both teams had finished second in their respective league.

The Knights, who had never won a World Series game in their existence, became the country’s favorites in the run-up to Game 1 in Atlanta, when the national TV carrier showed a piece about twin brothers, now 72-year-old pensioners, from Georgia who had lost their tickets to Game 4 in 1986 in a terrible accident when the tickets were left in the pants their mother put into the washing machine the day before the game. At the time, while devastated, they simply resolved to just buy tickets again for the next Knights appearance in the World Series.

Well, it only took them a lifetime of waiting, but they were in the seats for the series opener!

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SAL @ ATL … 3-2 (12) … (Wolves lead 1-0) … SAL Armando Herrera 3-5; SAL Troy Greenway 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; ATL Joe Crim 3-6, HR, 2 RBI; ATL Alex Majano 2-2;

Mid-season acquisition Troy Greenway takes Atlanta’s Matt May deep in the top of the 12th to claim victory in the series opener.

SAL @ ATL … 5-1 … (Wolves lead 2-0) … SAL Troy Greenway 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; SAL Tim Stackhouse 2-3, 2 2B; SAL Justin Roberts 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0) and 2-4;

ATL @ SAL … 2-3 (10) … (Wolves lead 3-0) … ATL Adam Horner 2-4; SAL Brad Jenkins 2-3, 2 BB, 3B, RBI; SAL Armando Herrera 2-3;

The Knights, now 0-7 in the World Series in their existence, can’t get the offense going and there is not much time left.

ATL @ SAL … 2-4 … (Wolves win 4-0) … ATL Bill Moore (PH) 2-2, 2B; ATL Mario Guadalupe 2-4, BB, RBI; SAL Armando Herrera 2-3, RBI; SAL Jose Castro 2-3, BB, HR, RBI;

The Knights lead 2-1 early and into the eighth inning where a failure to replace Chris Lulay (1-1, 2.25 ERA) leads to three solo home runs. Morgan Kuhlmann ties the game, Jose Castro hits the go-ahead blast, and Tim Stackhouse puts the cherry on top, all in four batters.

2040 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
Salem Wolves
(2nd title)

[UltimateAverageGuy]

Offseason time!

[Westheim]

I wish there was a way to thank you for this.

[DD Martin]

Lol that was great, did you get that from a Mariners fan?

[Westheim]

The offseason began with Nick Valdes cruelly slashing the budget from $41M, which had been good enough for 12th in the league last year, to $39M this time around, barely 15th among the 24 teams. Great, Nick, don’t give me ANYTHING to work with…!

The top five in the league would be the Capitals ($54M), Blue Sox ($53M), damn Elks ($52M), Titans ($49.5M), and champions Wolves ($47.5M), making the Raccoons the paupers of the Pacific Northwest.

At the bottom end were the Thunder ($35M), Gold Sox ($33.5M), Loggers ($32M), Rebels ($29M), and Indians ($26M). The remaining CL North team, the Crusaders, ranked t-17th with a $37M budget.

The average budget was $40.45M, up a whopping $750k from 2040. The median budget amounted to $40M, half a million up from last year. Yeah, yeah only the Critters are getting choked.

Unlike most years, personnel decisions were made right at the start of the offseason. One decision was made for us, with 38-year-old Mauricio Garavito getting the hint and retiring after an 18-year career as lefty reliever. He appeared in 891 games and pitched to a 3.44 ERA with a 40-42 record and 17 saves. He struck out 559 batters in 786 innings. Most of this came with the Raccoons, who claimed him off waivers from the Bayhawks in ’29, with San Francisco having used him in 87 games across parts of seven seasons (including having him face a single batter in his age 21 season, who walked).

There were also two contract options to decide upon for the team, but the decisions had been made a long time ago. Bernie Chavez would stay for ’41. Jermaine Campbell would not, getting the $600k buyout rather than the now-outlandish $2.6M rate for ’41. The savings of $2M were coincidentally exactly what Bernie would now make in the new season. His buyout had been $300k.

Campbell thus went on the list of free agents-to-be, where he joined three other players [full unaltered table below]: Raffaello Sabre, Kyle Dominy (still injured), and Ed Hooge. The two pitchers were compensation-eligible, with Dominy (though still hurting) a type B (much to my surprise) and Sabre even a type A free agent. Both were wished the best of luck, got an arbitration offer to secure the draft picks, and other than that were told to pack their **** and go.

Hoogey was not compensation-eligible, so the question was whether he’d fit into the team going forwards as a 31-year-old casual defender (at all three outfield positions at least) with a league-average lefty stick. The lefty stick was a thing – his splits were stark, and Manny Fernandez (who may or may not be traded), Balaski, and Nettles were all lefty bats as well. And yes, common decency demands that we have to talk about Bill Balaski as a major leaguer worth considering now, given that he got over 250 PA for a 100 OPS+ last year even though he hadn’t been mentioned once since being taken #61 in the 2034 draft.

There were another nine players that were arbitration eligible. This included the already-mentioned Nettles, as well as a curious case in super utility Matt Kilgallen, who was however a righty batter, and – paradoxically perhaps – was thus of interest to us right now. The other position players included our pair of catchers, who made $1.72M between them in ’40 and wouldn’t get any cheaper. Their estimates combined for more than $2M.

Pitching-wise we had strange surprise Ian Wilson, a grab bag of relievers in Chuck Jones, David Lindstrom, and Juan Zabala, as well as colossal bust Jared Ottinger on the list. The latter walked 6.1/9 in mostly relief in AAA this year and got ravaged for 11 runs in 6 innings in two spot starts in Portland. There was no point in pretending anymore – Ottie’s career was finished and he would not get another offer.

Wilson would definitely get an offer and we’d also keep the other relievers. We would need a pitcher via the market for sure this offseason, and one would probably not cut it given that Sal Lozano, Nelson Fonseca, and Angelo Montano – in whatever order you’d rank them – would be our options 4 through 6 for starting pitchers behind Bernie, Nels, and *Ian Wilson*.

Also, we didn’t have a closer to speak of, and then the lineup was kinda good and kinda wasn’t, and to be entirely honest, I didn’t know whether to trade away more stuff for prospects or whether we could squeeze out a wannabe contender that doesn’t get laughed at or dropped 10 games out by May.

Chad, what do *you* think?

(Chad in the full costume starts a naughty dance)

[Westheim]

Teams at big crossroads had to put extra work into assessing player personnel – this was one of those winters where restocking and tearing it to the ground were equally unappealing and the latter beckoned as being the smarter move going forwards. But there was something to be said of taking proper stock of what was *actually* in the system and where the team might be in two, three years, realistically.

Hence, here comes an assessment of all the important players in the organization. This will include all players on the 40-man roster as of October 20, excluding the four pitchers that are not going to be resigned for one reason or another: Raffaello Sabre, Kyle Dominy (for compensation), and Jermaine Campbell and Jared Ottinger (for reasons of GET OUT!!); but also including potentially unprotected players in AAA that might work as fillers (heaven knows there is a lot more crummy pitching from where Francisco Pena came from), all ranked prospects and some that are not yet ranked but might soon be, and maybe the oddball longshot on top of that. Players will be listed with their age as of 2041 Opening Day, their 2040 production at each level (excluding rehab assignments), service time, and remaining contract value.

This is tremendous work, too, and we’ll only have the pitchers today.

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STARTING PITCHERS – literally anything even semi-feasible to start games other then in the most dire straights and with the enemy at the gates, that is

(A) (P#17) Jose Arias, 19 (4-3, 3.43 ERA, 8 SV @ A)
Rather expensive left-hander from the 2038 IFA period that didn’t look half bad for an 18-year-old in Aumsville until he tore his rotator cuff. Good potential with a fastball, change, forkball mix and a meh slider. Decent stamina, average control. Lightyears away of course and whether he can hold that #17 rank among prospects is doubtful.

(AA) (P#127) Vince Burke, 24 (6-13, 4.44 ERA @ AA)
How much longer will the 2037 first-rounder be a ranked prospect? He’s on the clock for sure. His BB/9 keeps climbing even though he’s been living in Ham Lake for three years, and can’t put it all together. Probably no longer somebody to count on…

(ML) Bernie Chavez, 32 (9-10, 3.87 ERA) – 9.032 – 1-yr @ $2M
Never became that ace, only became good. Fine control, good stuff with three strong pitches, and might be better with some actual defense behind him. Homers galore, though. We wish we could keep him forever, but it’s just not feasible, because if Sabre’s a type A, Bernie will be too a year from now.

(AAA/40) Jose de Leon, 24 (0-2, 11.00 ERA @ ML; 0-2, 2.74 ERA, 1 SV @ AAA) – 0.082 – minimum
Prototypical right-hander with three eh pitches and really bad control. Has put up 6+ BB/9 ever since getting out of AA ball. Lost only four games this year because he needed nerve decompression surgery after a total of 10 appearances.

(ML) Nelson Fonseca, 27 (1-2, 6.83 ERA @ ML; 9-9, 3.89 ERA @ AAA) – 0.082 – minimum
Posted superficially good K/BB values with almost three whiffs to a walk, while being undone by a .360 BABIP. His voluminous minor league numbers hint at a 3:1 K/BB not being in the cards in a bigger sample size (he only tossed 27.2 innings for Portland). Throws hard (100 is possible), but baseballs tend to get hit far (1.3 HR/9). Five pitches, most of which are not worth writing home about.

(AAA/40) Cory Lambert, 26 (2-1, 7.20 ERA @ ML; 3-4, 5.33 ERA @ AAA) – 0.017 – minimum
This right-hander provided less depth than advertised. Four pitches, all meh, little movement (10 HR in 92.2 total innings), and he also doesn’t like being told that he sucks, which is a real issue…

(ML) Sal Lozano, 28 (2-6, 4.84 ERA @ ML, 1-4, 2.94 ERA, 3 SV @ AAA) – 0.077 – team control @ $300k
Left-hander signed out of Cuba and initially squeezed out to the Alley Cats. He is generally misplaced in the rotation due to low stamina, although he at least as three non-trash pitches. Control is lacking though and he struck out only 34 batters in 67 innings in the majors. Sounds like the pitcher that you’d rather have mopping up after an actual starter has already been blown out.

(AAA) (P#114) Corey Mathers, 22 (4-9, 4.67 ERA @ AAA; 5-6, 3.15 ERA @ AA)
The usual control quirks notwithstanding, Mathers, who was the #20 pick in the 2039 draft, showed some good stuff with a fine mix of four pitches. He does not have to go on the 40-man yet, but he could be an interesting option as 2041 develops, especially as a fast riser reaching AAA just a year after getting drafted.

(ML) Angelo Montano, 23 (5-8, 5.63 @ ML; 6-6, 4.50 ERA @ AAA) – 0.099 – minimum
Oh boy. This southpaw once taken on for $235k as July IFA barely dodged posting negative WAR (not all Coons starters did…), but he was knocked around relentlessly (if he wasn’t shutting out the Indians). He walked more than he struck out, but he also had a .346 BABIP occurring behind him, which doesn’t lend itself to success stories. He might end up in the rotation by sheer necessity, but panic would be his constant companion.

(ML) Nelson Moreno, 22 (6-7, 3.52 ERA @ ML; 6-3, 2.82 ERA @ AAA) – 0.116 – minimum
Golden boy was kept out of so many trades that he just has to become an All Star and pitch the Raccoons to a couple of rings. He has time to get there for sure, given that he arrived at the tender age of 21 and before being pencilled in (the original plan was a September debut, but that was before injuries overcame the Raccoons, who also went with OTTINGER to begin with). Struck out a modest 5.8/9, twice as many as he walked, and gave up a fair 12 homers in 143 innings in the majors. The prediction for him is a 16/12/17 rating, which would put him into the elite category in the league for sure. Also has plenty of stamina and knows how to keep the ball on the ground. At one point he might even get a decent infield to work with. Definitely a keeper.

(INT) (P#62) Tony Negrete, 18)
Scheduled to start in Aumsville next year. Fastball, change, splitter all with high potential, but control could be a problem. He’s so far away from the majors he’s no closer to donning the brown shirt than a backgammon player.

(A) (P#64) Victor Merino, 20 (1-5, 6.85 ERA @ AA; 6-10, 3.78 ERA @ A)
The big fish in the 2039 July IFA class. His first go didn’t really work out in Ham Lake, but he’ll go back there after finishing the year with Aumsville. Finesse guy with better breaking pitches than a ho-hum 90mph fastball that tends to get taken deep, but he could become a beast with a great defensive infield behind him… in about ’44.

(AAA/40) Ernesto Rivera, 31 (12-13, 3.40 ERA @ AAA) – 0.006 – minimum
Subtle signs you’re not up to snuff: the Raccoons went through THIS season and never picked your number even once. Two-and-a-half pitches, ill control. Also a career 67.50 ERA in the majors from all of 0.2 innings that didn’t go very well.

(ML) Ian Wilson, 33 (5-5, 3.11 ERA) – 4.046 – arbitration estimate @ $490k
Walked as many as he struck out, had double his Salem ERA in Portland, and started more games for the Raccoons (11) than he did in any prior season, and did we mention he’s gonna be 33 and is still arbitration eligible? There are tremendous holes around Wilson, who also has short stamina, genuinely poor control, and about ten other red flags, and is currently pencilled in as the Coons’ #3 starter in 2041.

(AA) (P#38) Jason Wheatley, 20 (10-13, 4.48 ERA @ AA)
Part of the Bedrosian bounty, Wheatley suffered from control and BABIP issues, but is projected to shake off the control and will maybe get good defenders at some point in his life. Five pitches, three of them good, and high movement and decent control make him something to look forward to around 2043.

RELIEF PITCHERS – anything not remotely fitting the generous starter conditions…

(M) Brent Clark, 26 (3-7, 4.11 ERA, 8 SV) – 1.077 – minimum
Did rather well as a random left-hander in the pen, but not so much as a closer after the Raccoons resorted to close by committee once more with the season in the bin. Put up 5.8 walks per nine innings, which is undeniably too much. His cutter sits at 90, which isn’t a lot, with a nice curve, a meh slider, and a crappy changeup in addition to that. Would even have the stamina to start, but with the poor control and six bombs allowed in 57 innings, a rate making Bernie jealous, is probably also not the answer to the question of who will save us from Ian Wilson being the #3 starter.

(ML) Chuck Jones, 28 (5-3, 3.33 ERA, 6 SV) – 3.105 – arbitration estimate @ $367k
Very good, but situational left-handed reliever with stark splits. Fastball/slider, but control is only good against lefty batters. He walked 21 (against 57 K) in his first year in Portland, 14 of those being right-handers despite a conscious effort to keep him away from those. Still a keeper even for a good team.

(AA) Steven Johnston, 21 (3-0, 6.35 ERA @ AA)
Second-rounder in this year’s draft and billed as closing prospect. Walked everything with legs after getting dropped straight into Ham Lake. It can only get better for him, but he is probably not a short-term solution for Portland…

(ML) David Lindstrom, 28 (4-0, 2.64 ERA, 6 SV @ ML; 2-3, 4.32 ERA, 2 SV @ AAA) – 3.133 – arbitration estimate @ $420k
Very much a right-handed version of Chuck Jones, but not quite as lop-sided with the splits, but with a tendency to have it fly away against his 93mph fastball and a slider that sometimes just sits there, begging to be drilled. Was a waiver claim, too.

(ML) Francisco Pena, 27 (5-1, 4.54 ERA @ ML; 2-1, 3.22 ERA, 23 SV @ AAA) – 1.043 – minimum
Has ridden the elevator between here and St. Pete so often in the last four years he’s on a first-name basis with every flight attendant in the country. Fastball, curve, lack of control. Scouting report says he’s a flyball pitcher, but he’s not worse than the average right-handed Joe. Of course the average right-handed Joe doesn’t walk two guys first…

(ML) Alex Ramirez, 32 (5-4, 2.17 ERA, 6 SV) – 1.000 – team control @ $700k
Cuban import, did generally well, although he walked more batters (4.5/9) than we’d like. Cutter/curve. And probably has peaked already and is declining sooner rather than later.

(AA) Josh Rella, 24 (2-3, 2.80 ERA, 30 SV @ AA)
Infielder converted to reliever, Rella did pretty fine with a 96mph fastball and a slider. Move to AAA is due.

(AAA) Travis Sims, 28 (0-1, 9.95 ERA @ ML; 4-3, 5.56 ERA, 1 SV) – 1.164 – minimum
No, I don’t know why we keep feeding the sickest kit in the litter, either. 91mph fastball (mostly straight), splitter. Bad control to the tune of 7.3 BB/9 in St. Pete. Best not to look too deep into the major league numbers. Has been a terrible fill-in for the Raccoons for five straight years. Decent bet that this 10th-rounder from 10 drafts ago will somehow find his way onto the 2041 roster too.

(ML) Ryan van Campenhout, 23 (0-0, 10.22 ERA @ ML; 0-0, 1.98 ERA @ AAA) – 0.050 – minimum
Undercooked right-handed guy with poor control and little variation on a dead-straight fastball that surprisingly got pummeled relentlessly…

(AAA) Chris Womble, 26 (3-4, 5.19 ERA, 6 SV @ AAA; 1-1, 1.76 ERA, 2 SV @ AA)
Actually made the Coons’ pen as a transient non-solution (6.43 ERA) for 10 games in ’38, and has since walked himself off the roster. He issued seven free passes per nine innings with his 91mph fastball and a decent curve in St. Pete this year, and Ham Lake wasn’t that much better. Also is a lazy bum.

(ML) Juan Zabala, 32 (3-1, 2.04, 2 SV) – 3.100 – arbitration estimate @ $350k
Another 30-something that will be under team control for yet a while, and also another waiver claim during the wretched summer. Has three pitches – cutter, curve, change – and made a spot start for the Raccoons, but has so little stamina that he’s just not a permanent option.

[Westheim]

Turns out, the Raccoons also have position players. Some good, some not so good, some definitely overdue to take accounting classes.

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CATCHERS

(INT) (P#174) C/1B Ruben Gonzalez, 19
Is said to be very smart, but can also be observed to not be a very good defensive catcher. Power potential is something that is thrown around in the conversation here.

(ML) C Jeff Kilmer, 28 (.269, 16 HR, 61 RBI) – 4.076 – arbitration estimate @ $1.15M
While unremarkable behind the plate, Kilmer’s .801 OPS in 2040 was his worst in the last three years after a completely dire first season in Portland in ’37, but he hit 16 home runs in 320 at-bats, which should count for something. Some of the apparent success doubtlessly comes from facing mostly left-handed pitching in a weird platoon with Tony Morales, although his splits are almost negligible.

(ML) C Chris Lancaster, 28 (.300, 0 HR, 0 RBI @ ML; .200, 0 HR, 2 RBI @ AAA) – 0.063 - minimum
Largely forgettable dime-a-dozen AAA backstop that didn’t even get into the lineup with the Alley Cats. Not even shining defensively.

(ML) C Tony Morales, 26 (.264, 14 HR, 58 RBI) – 5.115 – arbitration estimate @ $900k
The best defensive option the Raccoons used in the majors this year, Tony Morales is still rather young for somebody who debuted in ’35. However, while he has somewhat improved his power swing over the years, the 14 homers in ’40 being a career high, he’s virtually always been a .270 hitter (not that that’s a bad thing). Hasn’t been particularly close to an .800 OPS in his career, and whether or not the Raccoons should trade him for something else is an ongoing debate with the bobbleheads on sports talk radio.

(INT) (P#171) C Jose Ortiz, 20
No idea why he’s ranked, to be honest. Looks like a clumsy catcher with a weak arm and not much in the stick to me.

(AAA) C Erik Wheeler, 28 (.198, 2 HR, 24 RBI @ AAA) – 0.076 – minimum
This fair defensive catcher was a waiver claim from the damn Elks a few years back and appeared in one (1) game for the Raccoons in 2038, batting 1-for-3. He appeared in three (3) games for the damn Elks before that, batting 1-for-3. Why isn’t anybody giving this .333 hitter a chance?? Might be that he’s reliably hitting nothing whatsoever in AAA, where he’s made his home for the last five years.

INFIELDERS

(ML) 1B Oliver Anderson, 27 (.261, 2 HR, 24 RBI @ ML; .273, 0 HR, 12 RBI @ AAA) – 1.121 – minimum
Only one of many first baseman that beg the question what the **** we’re actually doing here. Decent defender for a first-sacker, but when has a Gold Glover at first ever won you a title? Hit a paltry .649 OPS with the Critters, displaying a complete lack of power. Doesn’t strike out much at all, but also never walks, and somehow was almost the best we could do at first for the last couple of seasons (barring Maldonado appearances).

(AA) 1B Ricardo Bejarano, 22 (.217, 0 HR, 0 RBI @ AA; .275, 7 HR, 52 RBI @ A)
Cost less than a 2033 Hyunsung electric lawnmower in the 2035 July IFA period, and has become a prototypical first baseman with bad defense and no speed, except for a switch-hitting bat with negligible power. Scouts seem to like him, though.

(ML) 2B Jose Brito, 26 (.346, 3 HR, 21 RBI @ ML; .275, 2 HR, 9 RBI @ AAA) – 0.160 – minimum
Nobody knows quite why Brito hit .346/.377/.492 over 199 PA with the Critters this year, and there was certainly nothing in his prior appearances that prepared us for the experience. A .396 BABIP goes some way to explain the phenomenon, though. At his heart he’s a good-natured singles-slapping second baseman that is also not very mobile and hurts his team with an easily visible lack of range.

(AAA) 2B Arturo Carreno, 21 (.227, 2 HR, 45 RBI @ AAA)
Hot but so far unranked prospect Arturo, a $60k investment in July 2036, broke his elbow just before the minor league season ended, so we’re tempted to find out how that ****** him up for life. Gold Glove level defense (but with a modest arm to keep him from playing short), high contact, great eye, thunderous speed, even a tiny bit of power. ETA is hard to discern, depending on how mending that elbow works out and whether or not the Raccoons go ka-ching on Cosmo Trevino for prospects, but he might well be ready and banging on the door next year.

(ML) INF Jon Caskey, 27 (.231, 3 HR, 8 RBI @ML; .203, 5 HR, 33 RBI @ AAA) – 1.123 – minimum
One of those ho-hum infielders. Caskey’s best defensive position is third base, but he also fills the middle positions adequately well. Too many holes in his swing to get anything out of his bat, though. He was one of a pile of Raccoons to post an OPS around .600 in ’40; .610 to be precise.

(INT) INF Mario Coto, 19
Has gotten some love from the scouts recently and will go to single-A to start the year. Middle infielder with quick but clumsy paws, and a bat that could contain some power under life fire.

(AAA) 1B Art Goetz, 25 (.256, 9 HR, 30 RBI @ AAA; .216, 5 HR, 17 RBI @ AA)
In case you thought we didn’t have any other successless first basemen… This 2036 third-rounder is actually a base stealing machine and has a keen eye. That doesn’t mean he won’t still miss, grossly. Solid power potential has always been on his scouting report and has to show up at any minute now. Any minute now.

(ML) SS Tony Hunter, 28 (.237, 5 HR, 41 RBI) – 2.075 – minimum
Elite level defensive shortstop, quick hindpaws to steal bases, and a season derailed by injuries and a .272 BABIP. Has *some* power, but not enough to overcome bad luck in the OPS column, where he ended up at .670… Definitely a keeper, though, especially at that price.

(ML) UT Matt Kilgallen, 29 (.262, 5 HR, 23 RBI) – 4.008 – arbitration estimate @ $472k
Yes, Kilgallen was on the roster the entire season. Yes, I promise. His only claim to fame is his super utility status, though, and that currently right-handed batters are a bit of a commodity for us. Not even a league-average hitter, though, no matter how hard you squint. Can steal bases, but will kill you with strikeouts in key spots.

(ML) 2B Nick Lando, 25 (.212, 0 HR, 3 RBI @ ML; .186, 0 HR, 4 RBI @ AAA; .220, 0 HR, 2 RBI @ AA) – 0.035 – minimum
See Brito, Jose, who does everything Lando does, about as well. Lando just didn’t get the BABIP luck. His only memorable quality is speed. The third-rounder is power-starved to epic proportions – hitting just seven dingers in over 2,000 professional at-bats.

(AAA) INF Steve Nickas, 27 (.147, 0 HR, 2 RBI @ ML; .262, 0 HR, 21 RBI @ AAA) – 2.006 – minimum
Frequent fill-in Nickas remains an excellent defender with no batting prowess whatsoever.

(ML) 3B Alberto Ramos, 35 (.286, 0 HR, 45 RBI) – 15.041 – 1 year @ $600k
By now a fluffy 255 pounds, Berto is a defensive detriment to his team no matter where you put him, but everybody loves him and he’s here for cheap. Amazingly, he can still build up any sort of speed with that massive *** of his, and stole another 19 bases for 657 total in his career (4th all-time behind Trevino, 64 behind career leader Pablo Sanchez). His bat slaps singles (he has not homered since *2034*), and he also draws his walks, which got him back into the leadoff spot after occasionally meandering at the bottom of the order in recent years. But that was before we ended up with a season’s worth of at-bats from the Oliver Andersons of the world at first base and other positions…

(AA) (P#39) 3B/2B Quadir Randle, 23 (.198, 5 HR, 34 RBI @ AA
For a top 50 prospect, Randle is hitting surprisingly little in Ham Lake. There *was* a .259 BABIP in play, but he *also* struck out 114 times in 409 at-bats this season, raising the alarm about whether we’ll actually ever get anything back from the 2039 trade of Bryce Sparkes to the Caps. Good defender at third base.

(AA) 1B Jason Robinson, 21 (.128, 2 HR, 5 RBI @ AAA; .273, 8 HR, 48 RBI @ AA)
Another third-rounder (2037) with alleged power potential, keen eye and base stealing prowess that only made it to St. Pete at the end because of a rash of injuries in September, and where he promptly broke a paw into a million tiny pieces. Those paws, even when not in a splint, are clumsy and he’s just not a good defender, either. Will start the season in Ham Lake again, for the third straight year.

(ML) 1B Damian Salazar, 25 (.214, 1 HR, 11 RBI @ ML; .314, 10 HR, 32 RBI @ AAA) – 0.091 – minimum
He definitely hit a bit in AAA (for the very first time), but that didn’t translate into anything in the majors but a .533 OPS and almost half a WUR – win under replacement. I only wonder who we’d replace him with. Maud? … Cost only $22k in the July IFA bidding many years ago and is probably best no longer bothered with.

(ML) 2B/3B Enrique Trevino, 33 (.313, 0 HR, 39 RBI) – 14.000 – 2 years @ $7.6M (includes player option)
OBP and base-stealing machine (3rd in career stolen bases, just one sack behind Guillermo Obando and 57 behind Pablo Sanchez), and while he mostly slaps singles he is still a constant threat on the bases and can create havoc in pitcher’s minds. His defense was never exceptional and has continued to slip; he cost the Raccoons three quarters of a win in the field in 2040, which was one quarter of what his stick was worth. Definitely an option to be traded this winter.

(AA) (P#13) INF Matt Waters, 20 (.239, 0 HR, 10 RBI @ AA; .256, 3 HR, 29 RBI @ A)
Part of the Bedrosian trade that might yet work out for us. Might shift to second base eventually where he might be a plus defender rather than a middling shortstop. People also say that in addition to speed and contact he also has strong power potential, but we have to see anything of that yet. In any case, definitely at least two full years away from the majors.

OUTFIELDERS

(ML) LF/RF Bill Balaski, 26 (.274, 6 HR, 30 RBI @ ML; .303, 8 HR, 45 RBI @ AAA) – 0.078 – minimum
Nobody quite saw this second-rounder (2034) coming after languishing in AAA for years without success. Marries pedestrian defense with a somewhat steady stick. Might hit 15 homers in a full season (oh god, please, no). He is a tough strikeout, able to battle pitchers with two strikes for extended periods with a K rate under 10% in 237 at-bats.

(AAA) (P#14) LF/RF Sandy Casaus, 24 (.211, 1 HR, 23 RBI @ AAA; .260, 4 HR, 25 RBI @ AA)
Acquired from the Wolves in the Troy Greenway deal, Casaus played for five different minor league teams (including Aumsville by accident) in 2040, and didn’t pile up more than 170 AB with any of them, making it hard to gauge his actual production. He for sure hit 12 homers for the Wolves’ AA team in ’39, and even better potential is promised in that regard. He’s however also a 24-year-old casual defender that likes to play video games on Gobble rather than studying data for the next day’s starter.

(AAA/40) OF Alex Castro, 30 (.188, 0 HR, 1 RBI @ ML; .237, 5 HR, 36 RBI @ AAA) – 0.063 – minimum
Right-handed batter, plays all outfield positions fairly well, good speed and strong base stealing… just can’t hit a lick. Ever.

(ML) 3B/2B/LF Jay de Wit, 24 (.114, 0 HR, 2 RBI @ ML; .294, 6 HR, 35 RBI @ AAA) – 0.040 – minimum
Aruba’s finest (and first major leaguer in any 40-year-old lady’s life) was one of the major WTF stories of 2040, because he couldn’t hit any baseball thrown by a major league pitcher. Basic contact ability was witnessed in the minors, though, although he’s impatient and probably partially blind, because he literally never walks. Also no speed, and his defense is marginal. How did he even get *45* at-bats??

(ML) OF Manny Fernandez, 31 (.280, 17 HR, 105 RBI) – 7.132 – 4 years @ $10M (last year is a team option)
Won the precious RBI title in the Continental League this season in a year where nobody else seemed wanting to drive any runner in, especially on this team. Well established as an extra-base and base-stealing threat, although he hasn’t come even close to the .326 clip of his MVP season in 2036 ever again. Strong defender on the corners, but habitually parked in leftfield in deference to stronger-armed outfielders being on the team at all times. Definitely in the trade bait discussion.

(ML) LF/CF Jordan Gonzalez, 24 (.286, 1 HR, 4 RBI @ ML; .272, 3 HR, 39 RBI @ AAA; .278, 3 HR, 23 RBI @ AA) – 0.015 – minimum
Arrived late, didn’t do anything that would get him on the Instantly Reprehensible list, either. Defense and speed are there, but in the long run the bat isn’t likely to be more than a singles poker. He, as a sixth-rounder, was stuck in AA since late ’35 for good reasons.

(ML) OF Ed Hooge, 31 (.249, 7 HR, 36 RBI) – 6.010 – free agent
Does everything Manny does, only a bit worse. It was enough for a backup gig on the Critters for most of the 2030s, though. Is included despite impending free agency because we haven’t made up our mind yet, and because he’d be a solid option as a league-average lefty bat (though with stark splits) that can play all three outfield positions reasonably well, and probably even a cheap one.

(ML) UT Jesus Maldonado, 27 (.324, 13 HR, 54 RBI) – 4.134 – 5 years @ $10.4M
Now here’s a baseball player! Never mind the 2037 World Series MVP bow, he *really* broke out offensively in 2040, hitting for an .880 OPS when his previous career-best in a full season had been .744. All the tools are there, although he’s not going to win either a homer or a stolen base title. He might win a Gold Glove at some point if we could finally leave him in ONE position for the year. He has appeared in more than 61 games at any position only twice in his career (which started in ’35), and it’s not for routine crippling injuries. He has logged roundabout 1,000 innings or more (992 at short, but you get the gist) at three different positions already, and in the solid hundreds at two more.

(ML) OF Stephon Nettles, 26 (.305, 0 HR, 23 RBI) – 3.104 – arbitration estimate @ $350k
Had a solid start after coming over from the Blue Sox before suffering a season-ending broken elbow in May, which sucked for everybody involved. Strong defender (including centerfield), base stealer, with a singles bat. He was drafted in 2035 and has *five* professional home runs.

(AA) 2B/LF/CF Ben Southall, 22 (.222, 5 HR, 13 RBI @ AA)
Was injured quite a lot this season; sixth-rounder three years back, great agility with a weak throwing arm, and a shortstop’s bat, which sounds like the perfect mix for a team insisting on playing a 255-pound fuzzball with no lateral movement at third base.

(AA) OF Matt Sowden, 20 (.205, 0 HR, 2 RBI @ AA; .270, 7 HR, 48 RBI @ A)
Third-rounder from the 2038 draft, showed a tiny bit of power this year, but mostly has been striking out. Scouts are loving him for reasons I’ll have to find out. Definitely a strong base stealer, though. If he ever reaches base.

+++

Are we any wiser now?

Or are we just more depressed?

[Westheim]

Today for the first time in the offseason, we’ll actually press “next day”. EXCITEMENT. =)

+++

And it didn’t take long for something to move.

+++

October 21 – The Warriors send OF/1B Matt Kinder (.281, 22 HR, 110 RBI) to the Rebels for OF Tyler Mantooth (.281, 2 HR, 10 RBI).
October 23 – The Warriors also trade 38-year-old veteran outfielder Tom Dunlap (.297, 150 HR, 769 RBI) to the Capitals for two prospects.
October 24 – The Raccoons pick up the last contract year of the Aces’ 33-year-old 1B Doug Levis (.258, 158 HR, 566 RBI) in exchange for INF Jon Caskey (.239, 5 HR, 20 RBI).
October 28 – The Condors pick up SP Tommy Kubik (53-63, 4.00 ERA) from the Rebels, along with cash, for two prospects, including #92 SP Omar Lara.

+++

Alright, attempt #527 to find a first baseman worth the hassle. Levis was the Rookie of the Year in 2033, which was seven years and just as many organizations ago. He was a late bloomer and now has blossomed into 250 pounds of blob, probably giving the Raccoons the fattest corner infielders on the planet. His defense is bad and largely bolstered by many balls hitting him straight in the gut due to his wide girth. He was never a great contact hitter, but he does have power. He hit 35 homers in ’39 (in Dallas…), and 13 homers in ’40 (but in only 276 AB).

Levis costs $2.36M before becoming a free agent after the 2041 season and the Aces were essentially giving him away for charity. They would have taken almost every scrub you can name for him, and some you can’t, f.e. 2039 10th-rounder Justin Fuller. Now, such specific requests for low-round longshots always make me suspicious, so no way they’d get a crummy righty projected to die in Aumsville. The Raccoons *do* have some money to spend, so that was not the problem – you saw in the rundown that we’re hardly having any commitments worth retelling. In fact, Levis slots in with the fourth-biggest guaranteed commitment on the roster despite being a 1-year rental, behind Maldonado ($10.4M), Fernandez ($7.5M), and Cosmo Trevino ($3.8M plus another player option for $3.8M).

Does that mean we’re going for it? Not really. It just stops the slow bleed at first base by putting an actual hitter there.

We then played around with our pair of catchers for a bit, and right now nobody seemed to keen to trade for either one of them. Well, it’s not like we were hell-bent on breaking that pair up and they wouldn’t get a new contract, either. Remember, we’re not broke despite having the budget slashed – we’re just riddled with holes. The backstop position wasn’t one of them. Both got contract offers; while Kilmer – *probably* the better hitter among the two of them – was eager for a multi-year deal, Morales – who was in his last year of team control in ’41 despite being younger – had his googly black eyes set on free agency next winter and wouldn’t sign a multi-year deal.

Contract renewals then began to dribble in. Matt Kilgallen signed for $450k. Stephon Nettles and Chuck Jones each settled for $350k. Nettles for sure had his value depressed by the broken elbow.

During awards season we also signed the extensions with Tony Morales ($900k) and Ian Wilson ($475k), future #3 starter unless I can help it. The big one was Jeff Kilmer, who signed for 6 years and $11M, starting at $1.3M and $1.7M in ’41 and ’42, respectively before paying him $2M flat for another four years each. The last year was a team option.

Juan Zabala ($360k) and David Lindstrom ($400k) also signed 1-year deals eventually.

Jared Ottinger was not made an offer.

+++

2040 ABL AWARDS

Players of the Year: CIN 1B Jamie King (.347, 33 HR, 95 RBI) and VAN OF Jerry Outram (.338, 21 HR, 93 RBI)
Pitchers of the Year: SAL SP Phil Harrington (15-4, 2.24 ERA) and VAN SP Matt Sealock (22-6, 2.46 ERA)
Rookies of the Year: DAL OF Tylor Cecil (.282, 5 HR, 52 RBI) and VAN OF Aaron Foss (.288, 6 HR, 64 RBI)
Relivers of the Year: SAL CL Chris Henry (5-7, 2.07 ERA, 47 SV) and OCT CL Wyatt Hamill (4-3, 2.19 ERA, 37 SV)
Platinum Sticks (FL): P CIN Chris Turner – C SAL Morgan Kuhlmann – 1B CIN Jamie King – 2B SFW Mario Colon – 3B WAS Rich Falzone – SS TOP Bob Mancini – LF NAS Sean Ashley – CF CIN Jayden Lockwood – RF RIC Joe Ritchey
Platinum Sticks (CL): VAN P Mike Mihalik – C VAN Timóteo Clemente – 1B SFB Salvador Ayala – 2B VAN Dan Schneller – 3B CHA Jose Farfan – SS MIL Ted Del Vecchio – LF BOS Willie Vega – CF VAN Jerry Outram – RF TIJ Willie Ojeda
Gold Gloves (FL): P SFW Tony Galligher – C DAL Pacio Torreo – 1B RIC Manny Liberos – 2B SFW Mario Colon – 3B SAC Paul Laughren – SS NAS Billy Bouldin – LF SAC Mike Preble – CF SAL Armando Herrera – RF NAS Jon Sullivan
Gold Gloves (CL): P LVA Willie Gallardo – C IND Elliott Thompson – 1B ATL Jose Garcia – 2B BOS Mike Toney – 3B MIL Jared Paul – SS LVA Chris O’Keefe – LF VAN Aaron Foss – CF OCT Carlos Vega – RF VAN Ryan Phillips

Nausea.

[Westheim]

To make everything better, Nick Valdes hung around the offices quite a bit during November, treading on everybody’s nerves. Foremost, he unveiled his plans for change. He had ordered a creative think tank to conceive an update of the Raccoons’ brand identity, which was where I got even more nauseous than when the damn Elks swept the three most important awards the Continental League had to offer… you know, besides the actual pennant … (snickers)

During the executive meeting with Cristiano, Slappy, Maud, Chad, and me, Valdes revealed the sweeping changes that had been thought up for the team. First, he announced that the Raccoons’ raccoon mascot would be ditched in favor of three Asian-looking cartoon characters of to me uncertain provenance. One looked like a cow and was named Thunder. The other looked like a wicked mix of seagull and cat and was named Vixen. And the third one was just a human-sized baseball with tiny arms and a big red L on the front, named Bob. While Chad visibly fought tears under the mascot head, I dared to opine that none of these things appeared to have anything to do, even remotely, with the *Raccoons*. Valdes implored that I had to think in 2040s terms. We were in the 2040s and it was time that I, too, arrived there!

And by the way, the moniker Raccoons would be gone, too, replaced by the Portland Tambourines. Maud dropped that she liked the sound of tambourines, and I hissed first at her, then at Valdes, when he added that the ballpark would be restyled to look like an XXXXL fast food joint in a corporate deal with Captain Waffles’ House of Dough (which immediately had a pair of 500-pound corner infielders burst through the door to Maud’s room trying to get some of that dough…).

To which I replied that none of this made ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER. Valdes pointed out that he used the $2M he had slashed from the budget to get the brand concept, so it had to be great, at which point I tried to strangle him, but Cristiano restrained me (although I almost pulled him out of his wheelchair lunging for Valdes’ neck), and instead got rid of him by other means, dropping initially inconspicuous notes around the office that there might be a Fountain of Youth after all, in the deepest jungles of the Congo. Valdes made the connection after some not so subtle hints, then departed at once, leaving us to do baseball things while hoping he’d be beaten to death with a crude stick by screeching mountain gorillas.

While Maud and Steve from Accounting dug in to track down all the plans kicked into action already to rebrand the team and cancelled them one by one, in baseball terms, little happened in the first days of November, with the free agency deadline fast approaching. We made a move to sign Ed Hooge to an extension, but only for one year and not for three as Hoogey wanted. No agreement was reached, and Hoogey would depart as a free agent, without compensation.

No nasty surprises occurred during the arbitration hearings, which Raffaello Sabre and Kyle Dominy declined to attend. There are however A LOT of compensation-eligible free agents out there this year. Normally it’s roundabout a dozen or slightly over. This year it’s 18 and of those 10 are starting pitchers, so our type A compensation will probably be the #98 pick surrendered by the Vancouver Hobgoblins in ******* February.

A few players also obtained minor league free agency, two of which (Erik Wheeler, Chris Womble) were named in the organizational “talent” rundowns earlier.

The international free agents that were washed onto the market contained a Japanese rightfielder that looked highly interesting to me. Rikuto Ito was only 24 years old, batted righty, could in theory play all three positions, and had significant power potential with a keen eye. His contact abilities were not quite as warmly written about by scout guy. He also demanded seven figures right away, annually. We could call him Rick for convenience. He’s from Hiroshima? – Maud, can we call him Hiroshima’s glowing prodigy, or what that somehow be rude? – Ah-hah. – O-hum. – I see. – I’ll think of something else.

I guess then no glow-in-the-dark bobblehead, either, huh? – Maud, I don’t like the look you’re giving me.

And then I got bogged down in trying to get a pitching improvement on board. I had fancied the Crusaders’ Julian Ponce for a while, and he – … What is it, Cristiano? – You fancy him, too? – Well, he’s a good pitcher. – Yes, he throws it really hard. … Anyway. The Crusaders were looking for prospects, and I was not looking to shift ours. The thing was not getting Ponce; the problem was keeping the Crusaders out of our cookie jar. There was a really complicated 5-player deal on the table for Ponce and another pitcher while shifting our biggest 2041 contract (demonstratively covers his snout with his paw) … a catcher and crushed-in-AA Quadir Randle to New York, plus lots of cash. The Crusaders were however hell-bent on another prospect in addition to Randle, and not just any old prospect. Make it a top 50 one.

What were we even doing?? Chasing the damn Elks, who finished 21 games ahead?? Sounded absurd.

+++

November 18 – The Titans acquire 26-year-old SP Philip Wise (26-36, 4.91 ERA) form the Rebels in exchange for #36 prospect SP J.J. Hendrix.
November 21 – The Pacifics sign ex-TOP C David Alvardo (.237, 65 HR, 362 RBI) to a 5-year, $18.6M contract.
November 24 – The Falcons send SP Rafael Pedraza (54-62, 3.64 ERA) and seven figures in cash to the Cyclones for two prospects.
November 25 – Cincinnati also adds longtime fierce division rival, ex-PIT 1B Danny Santillano (.332, 387 HR, 1,456 RBI). The 34-year-old lefty slugger signs for 2 years and $9.68M.
November 25 – The Wolves ink ex-POR/ATL SP Ryan Bedrosian (76-55, 3.57 ERA) for a huge 7-year, $34.44M contract.
November 27 – The Warriors also sign a division rival’s type A free agent, adding ex-SAL CL Chris Henry (58-75, 3.08 ERA, 348 SV) for three years and $7.2M.

[Westheim]

The Raccoons waited for their time to pounce in the run up to the Winter Meetings. The time came when Maud brought cookies one day – oh boy, did they pounce. Even the plate had some bite marks on it, while not a crumb was left over of the cookies.

Okay, who bit my paw??

+++

November 28 – The Raccoons sign 24-year-old Japanese international free agent OF Rikuto Ito to a 3-yr, $4.2M contract.
November 29 – The Crusaders acquire LF Jason Zimmerman (.220, 3 HR, 26 RBI) from the Indians for right-hander Orlando Altreche (2-1, 2.90 ERA, 1 SV) and a prospect.
December 1 – Rule 5 draft: 15 players are drafted in total. The Raccoons lose INF/CF Steve Lapinski to the Warriors and SP Vince Burke to the Buffaloes.

+++

Not sure at all how that contract rating will play out in the majors. Worst case, Ito will platoon with Balaski in rightfield, although he doesn’t have that much of an arm, either. Or just dumped onto the Alley Cats to see what they can do with the chump.

Lapinski was a defensive shortstop type that his league average at AAA last year. He was the sixth-rounder in 2036 and will be 26 in April. Burke, you may recall, was a first-round pick only three years ago. Since then he’s gotten stuck in Ham Lake with ERA and BB/9 *increasing* year after year. It’s not coming together for him at all. He is 24, and the Raccoons preferred to protect infielders Art Goetz and Quadir Randle over him while leaving one spot open on the 40-man roster. We then would have used that to draft right-hander Larry Thompson, 23, in the actual draft, a closing prospect, but the Rebs got to him first.

Funny thing: the Thunder signed Jermaine Campbell for $580k. Oklahoma thus pays Campbell less money to pitch for them than the Raccoons paid him to NOT pitch for them.

Other ex-Raccoons with new contracts? Jesse Stedham signed with the Thunder for 2-yr, $2.64M; the Warriors gave 2-yr, $772k to Jose Alaniz;

[Westheim]

The winter meetings began with a stab in the back by the spineless Crusaders, who traded the pitcher I had been after to the Rebs instead. I yelled across the hall of the hotel and shook my fist, promising the Crusaders’ GM the most bitter revenge he could imagine, which left several onlookers puzzled and confused.

+++

December 3 – The Crusaders send SP Julian Ponce (47-34, 3.05 ERA) to the Rebels, along with a pitching prospect, for C Fernando Alba (.317, 36 HR, 140 RBI) and some AAA pitcher.
December 3 – New York also moves LF/CF Chris Russell (.279, 82 HR, 511 RBI) to the Falcons for the return of LF/RF/1B Graciano Salto (.260, 233 HR, 954 RBI), now 37 years old, and a prospect.
December 4 – Former Loggers SP Joe Feltman (69-69, 4.07 ERA) lands a 7-yr, $26.04M deal with the Pacifics.
December 4 – The Crusaders keep dismantling with CL Manny Vasquez (18-14, 4.14 ERA, 32 SV) being sent to the Wolves for a prospect.
December 4 – The Capitals get 32-yr old SP Matt Peterson (66-79, 4.34 ERA) from the Miners for C Giampolo Petroni (.313, 4 HR, 21 RBI), a rookie in 2040, and a prospect.
December 4 – The Canadiens pick up left-handed MR Ryan McConnell (2-5, 4.97 ERA) for the #86 prospect, CL Ricardo Marquez, who is sent to the Condors.
December 4 – Tijuana sends INF Bob Nelson (.236, 10 HR, 48 RBI) to the Falcons for two prospects.
December 6 – The Knights pull off a stunner with a trade for Cincy’s 1B Jamie King (.311, 68 HR, 233 RBI), the current Federal League Player of the Year, parting with MR Matt May (17-14, 3.30 ERA, 41 SV) and an unranked prospect … and nothing else.
December 6 – The Condors add veteran 3B/2B Nick Rozenboom (.273, 152 HR, 679 RBI) on a 2-yr, $3.32M contract. The 36-year-old was with the Cyclones last season.
December 7 – The Titans send LF/RF John Davis (.265, 5 HR, 92 RBI) to the Pacifics for C Andy Graham (.277, 10 HR, 100 RBI). Both players are 27 years old.
December 9 – The Crusaders secure 30-yr old right-hander CL Josh Livingston (37-32, 3.25 ERA, 84 SV) on a 3-yr, $7.52M contract.

+++

The Loggers got merely a third-round pick from the Pacifics for the loss of Joe Feltman. L.A. had a protected first-round pick and had already given their second-round pick to the Buffaloes. How are the Loggers always getting the worst deal…?

Oh well.

At least they’re getting SOME deal.

The Raccoons got no deals on their pursuits of another starting pitcher. They didn’t get Aaron Howell from the Titans, probably undervalued and wasting in the pen, but the Titans were asking for ALL the prospects.

The Raccoons also didn’t get the return of Gilberto Rendon, who was a free agent and probably the best offer out there that was tied to a pick forfeiture, 36 years old or not. And while Rendon was only seeking a 1-year deal, the price on that escalated from $2M to $3.6M during the winter meetings, at which point the Raccoons had to drop out of the bidding war because it was getting a tad too insane even for us.

With the winter meetings over, we still have Ian Wilson pitching in the #3 hole of the rotation, and we still have about 17 first or second basemen that we don’t exactly dig, and none of which can play defense (anymore). Good times.

[Westheim]

Apologies for the lack of pace in this offseason. It is one of the more frustrating ones and I reached the point where I no longer knew myself how to proceed with them buggers….

+++

With the winter meetings gone by, the only additions the Raccoons had made so far in the offseason were the other half to their corner infield sumo duo and a pretty expensive Japanese lottery ticket, and neither of them would help the pitching staff in the slightest. All attempts to sign a starting pitcher or get one in a trade had failed. Ian Wilson as of December 9 was STILL the third-best thing in the mix… Ironically, this was with considerable dosh to spend – but spending $3.6M on Gilberto Rendon would have been a tad much…

+++

December 11 – The Canadiens sign 40-year-old SS/3B Guillermo Obando (.287, 38 HR, 978 RBI) to a 1-yr, $1.34M contract.
December 13 – The Crusaders deal catcher Juan Herrera (.256, 114 HR, 500 RBI) to the Scorpions for MR Mike Gutierrez (10-12, 4.81 ERA, 13 SV) and a prospect.
December 14 – The Aces take on 36-year-old ex-Thunder SP Brian Frain (123-115, 3.63 ERA, 4 SV) on a 2-yr, $6.88M contract.
December 16 – The Raccoons acquire left-handed SP Josh Brown (35-25, 3.59 ERA) from the Crusaders for four prospects: #39 AA 3B/2B Quadir Randle, AA 1B Jason Robinson, AA SP Matt Seltzer, and A C Jose Ortiz.
December 17 – Los Angeles adds former Capitals closer Jesse Allison (34-32, 4.37 ERA, 58 SV) for $7.08M over three years.
December 17 – The Stars shell out $2.44M over two years for ex-BOS CL Mike Hugh (51-52, 3.33 ERA, 207 SV).
December 21 – 41-year-old experienced pitcher Jose Lerma (260-236, 3.44 ERA) inks a $3M deal for a Condors gig in ’41.

+++

There’s little left of the Crusaders, who ditched 18 players by the time of the Brown trade, and they might easily lose 100 games, while Josh Brown is not the starting pitcher we wanted off them (that one ended up on the Rebs), it’s maybe the one we deserved, unwilling to part with the good stuff in the system.

The lefty Brown, 28 by Opening Day, is a four-year player in the majors, and a regular starter since the second half of ’38. He has a groundball tendency, but isn’t afraid to give up the occasional long blast with any of his five pitches [not shown: a 10-rated knuckle curve]. He’s a nice guy. But he’s not Julian Ponce.

(Brown looks already miffed)

The package sent to New York includes many players, including two AA position players that looked more dubious as it all went along. Quadir Randle was highly ranked, but had hit .198 in Ham Lake this year. He had been the return in the Bryce Sparkes trade to the Caps in ’39. Jason Robinson and Matt Seltzer had both been picked in the 2037 draft, in the third and 11th round, respectively. OSA *hated* Robinson and Seltzer, well, had been picked in the 11th round. Ortiz had been named as one of the young catchers in the international complex, but we had at least one other promising catcher of his age (Ruben Gonzalez), so we were trading away quantity. None of the four players poses an immediate Hall of Fame risk. Was it worth all the agony so far?

That slipped Ian Wilson to #4 and Angelo Montano or Sal Lozano or some other bum to #5. The 2040 season started with a bum (Jared Ottinger, since disowned) in the #5 hole and we all know how well that went.

At around the same time that the Raccoons signed off on the Brown trade, half the type A free agents had gone, but Raffaello Sabre hadn’t. The glut of starting pitching in the free agent class probably didn’t help – ALL the type A free agents left over by Christmas were pitchers. That was also one popular explanation how the price for Gilberto Rendon – good, but not great, and also pretty senior at this point – could go up and up and up; there was just no loss of a draft pick attached to him. Of course, Sabre sitting there unsigned made me queasy. I woke up at night, screaming, having dreamt that the Pacifics had signed Sabre, giving the Raccoons a fourth-round pick in return.

+++

December 22 – Right-handed SP Bill Quintero (93-116, 3.98 ERA) signs a 4-yr, $14.96M contract with the Gold Sox. The 31-year-old spent the last season-and-a-half with the Condors.
December 23 – The Warriors sign ex-LAP/RIC SP Keith Black (79-80, 3.77 ERA) to a 4-yr, $16.16M contract.
December 25 – The Raccoons ink ex-TOP SP Drew Johnson (80-73, 3.93 ERA, 2 SV), who already pitched for them for part of the 2039 season, to a $600k contract.
December 27 – Portland adds 30-yr old OF/1B Miguel Reyna (.256, 50 HR, 356 RBI) from the Bayhawks in exchange for SP Nelson Fonseca (1-3, 6.63 ERA) and 1B Oliver Anderson (.272, 3 HR, 47 RBI).
December 28 – Ex-VAN OF Ryan Phillips (.262, 81 HR, 417 RBI) settles for a 1-yr, $2.08M offer from the Condors.
December 29 – Tijuana also lands ex-SFB SP Gilberto Rendon (136-124, 3.87 ERA) for 1-yr, $3.24M.

+++

Gilberto! You lied to me!! I thought you had a $3.6M offer!!

(gasps!)

Anybody remember Drew Johnson? Not sure why nobody went after that guy. He was very grateful to be offered a pittance for his services at all.

Then there is that Bayhawks trade. Superficially pointless, it trades two players out of options and with no prospect to make the Opening Day roster for one player out of options (with some salary obligations) that created a glut of outfielders on the roster that would need sorting out. Anderson was a nice defensive first baseman, which was the worst description for a baseball player. He couldn’t hit anything worth writing home about. Reyna was also left-handed, creating an alternative to rest Doug Levis just the same. Reyna, who was due almost $3M for the next two years that originally the damn Elks had promised to him, was also one of the unluckiest bastards in baseball, hitting for a career .282 BABIP. That’s over 3,000 at-bats’ worth of bad luck.

PERFECT GUY FOR THE COONS.

Of course the last thing we needed was another lefty-hitting outfielder, but for starters we cleaned house just before the end of the year and reassigned AAA caliber hitters’ talent that had been up in September and had no hope to make the April roster back to St. Pete. These included Damian Salazar (who had hit .214), Nick Lando (hitting .212), Jordan Gonzalez (who had landed six hits in about as many attempts), and Jay de Wit (Aruba’s finest!).

Former Raccoons with new employers: Ed Hooge signed a $1.02M deal with the Warriors for the 2041 season; Sioux Falls also got Ross Sibley for $362k; Dave Myers joined the Buffos for $650k;

[DD Martin]

There is a small but vocal group that has gathered outside the plush offices of the Portland Raccoons. They have made signs and are chanting for the team to bring back one of the boys.......”Bring Back Sabre.....Bring Back Sabre”

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by DD Martin

There is a small but vocal group that has gathered outside the plush offices of the Portland Raccoons. They have made signs and are chanting for the team to bring back one of the boys.......”Bring Back Sabre.....Bring Back Sabre”

Well, if the people don't want the thrill of the GM getting a #18-or-so pick and turning it into a spectacular flameout (or the #108 pick for even less than that), then I guess we have to send Cristiano down with an upside-down Coons hat in his lap to collect a small tithe towards that $24M good ol' Raffaello is rumored to be getting.

[Westheim]

(stands in the middle of the office with Maud, both looking at the ceiling, staring at seven orange paw prints in the middle of the ceiling)

No, Maud, I have no idea. – Yes, but why are the paw prints only in the middle of the ceiling? – Oh, wait-wait-wait… I think I know who it was! I bet it was Cristiano!

Maud, why are you looking at me like this??

+++

January 4 – The Capitals sign 32-year-old former Raccoons SP Raffaello Sabre (96-86, 3.58 ERA) to a 5-yr, $22M contract. The Raccoons receive the Capitals’ #17 pick and a pick in the supplemental round for compensation.
January 12 – The Miners ink ex-NAS SP Donovan Mason (65-45, 3.49 ERA, 29 SV) to a 2-yr, $4.72M contract.
January 29 – Dallas picks up former Loggers hurler Alfredo Vargas (126-112, 4.22 ERA, 1 SV) for two years and $6.08M.
January 29 – Los Angeles signs former Scorpion 1B/LF Alvin Zuazo (.281, 54 HR, 342 RBI) for 2-yr, $6.68M.

+++

The #17 pick was the second-best (after the Loggers’ #13 pick) available pick that had not already changed hands this offseason. Given that there were two fourth-round picks on offer if Sabre would have joined the Warriors or Pacifics, we got out of this one plenty fine!

Please, Maud, stop sobbing. We all liked Sabre. – I also liked Sabre! – Because I didn’t like him to the tune of $4.4M per season.

Seriously - $4.4M per year make Sabre a top 10 earner in the league (tied for 10th with Jimmy Driver). He’s less than a full season away from a full pension and hasn’t even won 100 major league games yet – how good a pitcher can he actually be??

That Vargas deal? That’s the second third-round pick the Loggers get for their departures. Some teams always get the very worst deal. The Raccoons are lucky in that regard – they only get the very worst deal on days ending in Y.

We also had some abortive talks with free agent closer option Gualter Cymbron, who thought he merited a 6-year deal. We didn’t give a 5-year deal to Sabre, so we’ll give six to a second-rate closer, sure…

As far as other former Raccoons were concerned, Elijah Williams got only $374k from the Caps;

+++

2041 HALL OF FAME VOTING

No players were elected to the Hall of Fame this year. It is the second year in a row that no player has reached the 75% threshold for induction, and the third time since the Hall of Fame voting process replaced the Secret Ninja Committee in 2004 that the Hall received no new players in consecutive years. This most recently happened in 2030-31, then following a 4-year span in which four players were inducted every year. Only seven players have been inducted in the last seven years.

Full voting results with voting percentage and the number of times the player has been on the ballot:

CIN 3B Eddie Moreno – 6th – 66.7
MIL SP Chris Sinkhorn – 3rd – 47.0
SFW SS Jamie Wilson – 6th – 34.6
??? CL Jarrod Morrison – 9th – 26.5
PIT C J.J. Henley – 1st – 24.8
??? SP Ian Van Meter – 9th – 20.9
SFW C Mike Thompson – 1st – 15.4
??? SP Ernest Green – 8th – 9.0
TOP CL Mike Baker – 4th – 6.8
NAS C Pat Walston – 10th – 6.4 – DROPPED
PIT MR Nick Salinas – 1st. – 6.4
CHA 1B Pat Fowlkes – 1st – 6.4
WAS SP Eric Williams – 2nd – 3.4 – DROPPED
IND 1B Jon Gonzalez – 1st – 2.1 – DROPPED
BOS C Keith Leonard – 3rd – 1.3 – DROPPED
LAP LF Terry Kopp – 1st – 1.3 – DROPPED
NYC SP Mike Rutkowski – 2nd – 1.3 – DROPPED
IND RF Cesar Martinez – 2nd – 1.3 – DROPPED
??? SP Carlos Marron – 1st – 0.4 – DROPPED
WAS RF Tsuneyoshi Tachibana – 1st – 0.0 – DROPPED

There is no surefire Hall of Famer on nxt year’s entry list, either. But I’m sure we’ll elect some old bum eventually…

For now, I’m going home though. Goodnight, Maud. Goodnight, Slappy. Goodnight, Cristiano.

(obliviously walks past Cristiano, who is cleaning apricot marmalade off a plastic paw shape at the end of a six-foot stick)

[DD Martin]

At least you got the 1st round pick and another in the supplement for Sabre. That deal he signed with the Caps doesn't sound to team friendly especially in a year or two.

[Westheim]

As the end was nearing on an offseason that had not given the team anything nice except for the small fact that a certain starting pitcher had not signed with the Los Angeles Beach Bums, all things were slowly settling into place – like that one run of wallpaper right next to the door to Maud’s room was settling on the floor.

Maud, I don’t think you can just glue it back on. – Maud, it didn’t hold up the last three times you glued it back on. – I don’t *know it better*, or *all*, I am just a keen observer. – (ducks under a sharply thrown brush with glue on it) – We should talk about that right arm of yours, Maud!

There was the point where you had to realize that you wouldn’t find a semi-ace to go with Bernie Chavez and Nelson Moreno, nor a closer for reasonable conditions. The Raccoons reacted by making Alex Ramirez the closer, settled for Ian Wilson in the rotation, and accepted that the season would probably have them smooch the .500 mark again. Unless it got worse than that.

Maud, have you tried to nail the wallpaper back on? – It’s alright. I’ll be quiet.

There was a spot at the back end of the bullpen that was still available unless we insisted on going with one between Angelo Montano, Francisco Pena, or Ryan van Campenhout. Montano was better served going back to the Alley Cats in a starter’s role, and van Campenhout had been beyond ridiculous in 2040. That left Pena, a career scum with 4.70 ERA and almost five walks per nine innings, which was bad for a left-hander, and unacceptable for a right-hander. The Raccoons exchanged him and Sal Lozano, another fringe guy, in a February trade for a renowned foulmouthed hothead that could throw a 100 with his right flap.

+++

February 1 – The Raccoons acquire 27-yr old CL Damon DeOrio (11-11, 3.84 ERA, 68 SV) from the Aces for two other relievers, Sal Lozano (2-6, 4.84 ERA) and Francisco Pena (7-3, 4.70 ERA, 1 SV).
February 8 – The Titans snatch ex-LVA SP Jesus Rodarte (64-55, 3.67 ERA) on a 3-year deal worth $11M.
February 8 – The Capitals trade OF/1B Scott Martin (.290, 55 HR, 288 RBI) to the Condors, along with cash, for the remains of 37-yr old left-hander Tony Gallardo (23-47, 4.41 ERA, 1 SV) and a prospect.
February 18 – The Pacifics sign former Buffaloes hurler CL Domingo Murillo (31-39, 3.81 ERA) to a 3-yr, $7.5M contract.

+++

Our new problem kid reacted to news of being traded here by telling a reporter in Vegas “******* ****!! I don’t even know whether I can ******* gamble up there with a ******* ***** on my leg!! Don’t hold your ******* microphone so close to my nose, or I’ll punch you in the ******* ******, you son of a ********* ***********!!”

All will be well.

He’s the closer now, by the way. If he wasn’t he’d be *really* toxic. Don’t know why the Aces were basically trading him for a grilled sandwich. Can’t imagine, at all.

Since we traded away Lozano, who had been pencilled in for low-key bullpen duties, there was still a spot in the pen available. Meanwhile it was also getting mid-February and while there was a potential reclamation project out there in Kyle Dominy that we might just pull back in if he didn’t float, there were consistent rumors about him conversing with teams, and he was worth another compensation pick after all.

+++

March 28 – The Wolves ink ex-POR SP Kyle Dominy (103-105, 3.66 ERA, 3 SV) to a 3-yr, $7.2M contract. The Raccoons receive a supplemental round pick for compensation.

+++

And yet, somehow, it looks like Angelo Montano might make the Opening Day roster after all. The Raccoons have an offer out there to a right-handed reliever, a proven veteran™, but it’s Opening Day’s Eve and he hasn’t signed yet. Thunder, Cyclones, others are apparently also after the guy. That leaves a spot open for a long man, we opine. Maybe he’ll be whisked off before the first game – the Raccoons don’t play on Monday.

Other former Raccoons getting a change of scenery: Danny Monge signed a $860k deal with the Stars; for $740k Jimmy Wallace signed up for a second tour of duty with the Titans; Alex Majano gets $432k form the Caps;

[Westheim]

2041 PORTLAND RACCOONS – Opening Day Roster (first set in parenthesis shows 2040 stats, second set career stats; players with an * are off season acquisitions):

SP Bernie Chavez, 32, B:R, T:R (9-10, 3.87 ERA | 98-91, 3.71 ERA, 1 SV) – 94mph, curve, slider, and the tendency to hang something from time to time; by now you know full well what to expect of Bernie Chavez, an ERA somewhere between not-good-enough and oh-dear-it-keeps-growing, 50 walks, 150 strikeouts, and 20+ balls disappearing into a sea of reaching arms. Bernie is also the only remnant of 2040 Opening Day’s rotation, and in his final contract year.
SP Nelson Moreno, 22, B:R, T:R (6-7, 3.52 ERA | 6-7, 3.52 ERA) – the most anticipated pitching prospect in some years arrived ahead of schedule due to injuries and other complications, and by and large did pretty fine. Heater (98) and knuckle curve are awesome, still working on the third and fourth pitch, and under live fire. The sky’s the limit for this Venezuelan gem.
SP Josh Brown *, 28, B:L, T:L (14-8, 3.67 ERA | 35-25, 3.59 ERA) – acquired from the Crusaders, Brown has a rich mix of pitches to keep hitters guessing, and them guessing wrong is a key part to success for him, because his 93mph fastball alone is not too overwhelming. Keeps it on the ground; whether that helps him with the arthritic infield defense the Raccoons have lined up remains to be seen.
SP Drew Johnson *, 33, B:S, T:R (7-8, 3.59 ERA | 80-73, 3.93 ERA, 2 SV) – returns after already spending most of 2039 with the Raccoons. The free agent acquisition has a reputation for throwing hard and praying that it doesn’t get hit.
SP Ian Wilson, 33, B:R, T:L (5-5, 3.11 ERA | 15-9, 3.25 ERA, 1 SV) – the career nothing arrived in Portland in the deadline deal that disposed of Scott Daiker (who?), and was plonked into the rotation for *mild* success. His overall package is underwhelming, though, and we wonder how much longer than last year’s oh-shucks-fifth-starter (Jared Ottinger) he’ll last.

LR Angelo Montano, 23, B:L, T:L (5-8, 5.63 ERA | 5-8, 5.63 ERA) – this wildly underdone rookie did not have a good time in 2040, nor had anyone watching him. Pressed into service in the rotation he had more walks than strikeouts, and more beatings than shutouts (but he did have one!). Would not have made the roster, but the Raccoons are still on the phone with a free agent reliever…
MR Chuck Jones, 29, B:L, T:L (5-3, 3.33 ERA, 6 SV | 11-8, 3.31 ERA, 8 SV) – this southpaw should be kept away from right-hadned bats, which his previous employers, the Scorpions, decidedly didn’t do. Very good numbers against lefty bats for Jones, who throws 92 and keeps it on the ground.
MR David Lindstrom, 28, B:R, T:R (4-0, 2.64 ERA, 6 SV | 9-12, 3.59 ERA, 13 SV) – for a ho-hum righty claimed off waivers by Dallas in June, Lindstrom did phenomenally. Yes, it’s a low bar, and yes, the Raccoons were desperate for basic competence. That was what they got. Basic competence.
MR Juan Zabala, 32, B:R, T:R (3-1, 2.04 ERA, 2 SV | 7-7, 3.90 ERA, 4 SV) – right-hander with basic competence that was claimed off waivers from some other icky FL West team last summer, and yes, we also have trouble keeping him and Lindstrom apart.
SU Brent Clark, 26, B:L, T:L (3-7, 4.11 ERA, 8 SV | 4-7, 3.83 ERA, 8 SV) – the fifth-rounder (2036) was one of the more pleasant surprises of 2039 (there weren’t many). Good stuff, could use better control. After sending away Rico Sanchez, Clark was anointed closer in 2040, exploded, and sent the Raccoons back to square one in their bullpen stratagem.
SU Alex Ramirez, 32, B:R, T:R (5-4, 2.17 ERA, 6 SV | 5-4, 2.17 ERA, 6 SV) – was a 31-year-old rookie from Cuba and seemed to be doing strong until he came apart late in the season. Nevertheless would have been the new closer if not for a late-winter trade.
CL Damon DeOrio *, 27, B:S, T:R (6-3, 3.55 ERA, 38 SV | 11-11, 3.84 ERA, 68 SV) – acquired from the Aces, this foulmouthed fireballer is expected to end the Raccoons’ ninth-inning woes. New year, new closer, y’know? Struck out 10.1/9 in 2040 with Vegas, and we just hope that he ends the parade of walk-walk-boom chumps we’ve emploxed in the role for the last few years. Else it could get *really* ugly…

C Jeff Kilmer, 29, B:R, T:R (.269, 16 HR, 61 RBI | .272, 46 HR, 200 RBI) – now here was a kid that we were happy for not having drowned in a barrel when it looked like that was all that could end his misery anymore. Unfortunately he didn’t build on that .949 OPS season from ’39 and instead merely posted his third .800+ season in a row. None of those were qualifying seasons, given the liberal time-sharing agreement with Tony Morales behind the dish, which sees both of them contend roughly half the games.
C Tony Morales, 26, B:L, T:R (.264, 14 HR, 58 RBI | .268, 58 HR, 302 RBI) – keeps turning in just slightly above average seasons, and whenever he looks like he’s about to break out, he gets hurt. Unlike Kilmer, he has never reached the .800 OPS mark despite almost never facing a southpaw, and he probably never will reach it despite upping his homer totals every year.

1B Doug Levis *, 34, B:R, T:R (.261, 13 HR, 46 RBI | .258, 158 HR, 566 RBI) – picked up on the cheap from the Aces for the last year of his contract, Levis is an immobile slugger coming off a difficult season split between two forsaken teams. He hit 35 homers in a full year in Dallas only two years ago, so it’s not outrageous to firmly believe in him hitting three dingers by June and then breaking a tailbone or something…
2B/3B/SS Enrique Trevino, 33, B:S, T:R (.313, 0 HR, 39 RBI | .321, 41 HR, 824 RBI) – Will the Berto-Cosmo double squeeze at the top of the order enter the record books as a great success? No. Success means that you win ANYTHING at some point. Aged defender, but still has that great on base presence and ideally suited for the #2 hole, with Berto already at second base in the best of all scenarios … IF both of them can lay off the DL, which hasn’t worked for either of them for a long time…
SS Tony Hunter, 28, B:S, T:R (.237, 5 HR, 41 RBI | .248, 13 HR, 110 RBI) – slick shortstop acquired from the Gold Sox in a trade, replacing Elijah Williams, who was getting older and slower and less rangier. Was expected to be an alternate to the squirly 1-2 poke we have employed, but didn’t hit much of anything and then disappeared onto the DL.
3B Alberto Ramos, 35, B:L, T:R (.286, 0 HR, 45 RBI | .300, 20 HR, 638 RBI) – while he remains a formidable OBP force, Bero hasn’t hit a home run since ’34, and hasn’t been a 100 OPS+ hitter after ’35. He is by now no longer able to steal bases at will and also can’t handle any position on the diamond anymore. I blame that fat lard *** of his. In fact, it’s admirable that he can still walk with that rotund upper body. Final contract year, and probably final year in baseball, too. Should make a curious Hall of Fame case by the end of the decade. If he can lay off the DL, he should reach 2,400 hits this season and he is a top 5 base stealer of all time.
1B/CF/2B/LF/SS Matt Kilgallen, 29, B:R, T:R (.262, 5 HR, 23 RBI | .260, 9 HR, 153 RBI) – quirky super utility player which I like to have on the roster, who can cover multiple positions adequately. Was on the roster the entire 2040 season, we swear, but you are excused for not noticing him even once.

LF/RF/CF Manny Fernandez, 31, B:L, T:L (.280, 17 HR, 105 RBI | .288, 110 HR, 651 RBI) – as close to a 5-tool player as the Raccoons could ever find, especially in a draft. 2036 Player of the Year! Also won an RBI title in 2040, which totally saved our season (not). A trade for sterling prospects did not materialize this winter, so we’ll see what happens by July. In any case, he’s under contract until 2044, yet readily available for the right price.
CF/RF/3B/SS/LF/1B Jesus Maldonado, 27, B:R, T:R (.324, 13 HR, 54 RBI | .281, 39 HR, 274 RBI) – It’s hard to forget this one: .411/.431/.571 and a 2037 World Series MVP award while playing on the losing team. If you can get THAT together, you must at least make it to the All Star Game at some point, don’t you? So far no luck for Maldonado in that regard, but at least he is now a regular above-average hitter and hit for an .880 OPS in ‘40. Very versatile, which is his undoing, since he could probably win a Gold Glove in centerfield if he wasn’t plugging holes elsewhere all the time. This year there isn’t even a hole for him to plug – he’s just adding to the outfield glut of our own making.
RF/CF/LF Stephon Nettles, 26, B:L, T:R (.305, 0 HR, 23 RBI | .268, 1 HR, 78 RBI) – very good defensive centerfielder who is hitting in a light fashion, but somebody’s gotta bat eighth, right? Was one of the positive surprises of 2040… for 47 games, after which his arm came off. Since Manny and Maldo are set for the outfield, it’s a 4-player scrum for the last spot on the grass, and Nettles doesn’t look like he’s got the nose in the wind.
LF/RF/CF/1B Miguel Reyna *, 30, B:L, T:L (.219, 3 HR, 23 RBI | .256, 50 HR, 356 RBI) – Nicaraguan left-hander that was picked up from the Bayhawks and didn’t merit his $1.48M/year contract he signed with the damn Elks before ’39. The Raccoons have now two years of that and no position to play him at.
LF/RF Bill Balaski, 26, B:L, T:L (.274, 6 HR, 30 RBI | .274, 6 HR, 30 RBI) – pedestrian corner outfielder, defensively, was called up from the minors in the summer and seamlessly took over Brad Ledford’s usual stat line, but while starting. He won’t start now (unless injuries take everything else apart), but he sure put himself on the map with 63 solid games in his rookie season.
RF/LF/CF Rikuto Ito *, 24, B:R, T:R (no stats) – in hindsight, the early addition of Japanese import Ito was probably not a great move, and guaranteeing him $1.4M for three years each was even less so. Best case is he’s a righty version of Bill Balaski. Worst case is he hits .120 in under 40 attempts in April and will never be heard from again.

On disabled list: Nobody.

Otherwise unavailable: Nobody.

Other roster movement:
2B Jose Brito, 26, B:R, T:R (.346, 3 HR, 21 RBI | .301, 6 HR, 34 RBI) – waived and DFA’ed; meager defender that never performs in AAA and somehow abuses small sample sizes to look vaguely competent whenever the Raccoons have a hole at second base to plug.

Everybody not mentioned by now has already been waived or reassigned during the offseason.

OPENING DAY LINEUP:

It’s not a *bad* little lineup! (The holes in the pitching staff are likely much greater)

Vs. RHP: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – CF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Levis – C Morales – RF Nettles (Balaski, Reyna) – SS Hunter – P
(Vs. LHP: SS Hunter – 2B Trevino – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 1B Levis – RF Ito – CF Nettles (Reyna) – P)

Kilmer will also get some starts against right-handers. Kilgallen can also sub for Berto against lefties, keeping Maldo in center and reducing the lefty bats to one (Manny). Kilgallen and Maldonado are the defensive replacements for Berto (with lots of options to plug center in lieu of Maldo), and Reyna gets added to the list for Levis. Reyna can slide into the lineup for Levis against righties to add another left-handed bat.

Also, both middle infielders are switch-hitters, so it’s not like it’s gonna be easy for opposing pitchers.

OFF SEASON CHANGES:

The Raccoons came 16th in offseason gains according to the crowd worshipping WAR (which is a useless stat, at least whenever it doesn’t suit my argument). The team never made up the 6 WAR it shed from losing two starters (Sabre, Dominy), and the best acquisition was the Brown trade with the Crusaders that left New York with lots of lottery tickets and the Coons with the second-best option from the Crusaders roster after Julian Ponce got away. The other trades were allegedly all almost even in WAR, and our two free agency additions didn’t exactly provide the swing vote. We ended up with -3.4 WAR for the winter.

At least we turned an infielder glut into an outfielder glut. Yay us.

Top 5: Stars (+7.2), Pacifics (+6.4), Titans (+6.1), Warriors (+5.6), Capitals (+4.2)
Bottom 5: Cyclones (-5.7), Buffaloes (-6.6), Rebels (-6.6), Falcons (-7.4), Loggers (-8.4)

PREDICTION TIME:

Last year’s prediction acknowledged that the Raccoons would not compete and would fall well short, and they surely didn’t disappoint in that regard. The guess was 87 wins (which was +3), but that injuries could well derail them to 90 losses, which didn’t happen, despite plenty of injuries. The pitching was a mess, and given how our pitching staff is built around waiver claims and second comings of half-season surprises, it will probably remain a mess. If 2042 Opening Day starter Nelson Moreno goes something like 15-8 with a low-3 ERA in his sophomore season, that’s probably already the main success…

The Raccoons will not compete. They will be 10 games out by June for sure, and they might trade Manny Fernandez for prospects at the same point. Or Bernie. Or Cosmo. Or all of them. Or none of them. In the end, they probably end up with another “oh man…” season and with 82 wins.

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:

Last year in fourth place, the Raccoons upgraded to the top-rated farm system in the league! This despite shedding three of their nine ranked prospects from last year. #8 Nelson Moreno graduated to the majors (you may have heard of him). #39 Quadir Randle was offloaded on the Crusaders (and dropped 30 spots) in the deal for Josh Brown, and #127 Vince Burke had thrown up so many red flags in the minors that he was left unprotected and taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Buffos, who have yet to give him back.

10th (new) – AAA LF/RF Sandy Casaus, 24 – 2033 scouting discovery by Wolves, acquired from Wolves for Troy Greenway
12th (+50) – A SP Tony Negrete, 18 – 2038 international free agent signed by Raccoons
15th (new) – AA INF Matt Waters, 20 – 2039 first-round pick by Knights, acquired from Knights with Jason Wheatley for Ryan Bedrosian, Rico Sanchez, Brad Ledford, Willie Morales
26th (new) – AA SP Jason Wheatley, 20 – 2038 supplemental round pick by Knights, acquired from Knights with Matt Waters for Ryan Bedrosian, Rico Sanchez, Brad Ledford, Willie Morales
31st (-14) – A SP Jose Arias, 19 – 2038 international free agent signed by Raccoons
45th (+19) – A SP Victor Merino, 19 – 2039 international free agent signed by Raccoons

62nd (new) – AA SP Adam Capone, 21 – 2040 first-round pick by Raccoons
71st (+103) – A C Ruben Gonzalez, 19 – 2038 international free agent by Raccoons
81st (new) – AAA MR Josh Rella, 24 – 2039 fourth-round pick by Raccoons
87th (new) – A INF Mario Coto, 19 – 2038 international free agent signed by Raccoons

106th (+8) – AAA SP Corey Mathers, 22 – 2039 first-round pick by Raccoons
155th (new) – AAA MR Zack Kelly, 25 – 2035 fourth-round pick by Raccoons (was a Rule 5 pick by Scorpions in 2038, but was returned)

That is 12 ranked players, of which 10 are in the top 100, and a whole half-dozen in the top 50!

The only player ranked in 2040 that was not ranked this year, but still in the system was #171 C Jose Ortiz, who graduated to single-A with Ruben Gonzalez for this season, where they will steal at-bats from another.

The top 10 overall prospects this year are:

1st (+4) – RIC ML LF/RF Pablo Gonzalez, 21
2nd (new) – NYC AAA SP Paul Paris, 22
3rd (new) – LAP AA LF/RF Billy Slingluff, 23
4th (-3) – NAS AA 1B Alejandro Ramos, 21
5th (-2) – SFB AA SP Kevin Nolte, 20

6th (+1) – SFW AA LF/RF Mario Villa, 20
7th (+2) – CHA AAA SP Emmanuel Lizarraga, 23
8th (+13) – DEN A INF Ivan Villa, 19
9th (+14) – DAL AA SP Chris Davis, 20
10th (+4) – POR AAA LF/RF Sandy Casaus, 24

Note: I redid this last bit here from before, which always looked ugly and lazy. The difference with Casaus here is that he was the #14 prospect last year, so is a +4 in this list, but he was not in the Coons system last April, so counts as “new” in the list of only our own farm.

Last year’s #2, Eddie Moreno, graduated to the majors mid-season and hit .280 with 13 homers for Sacramento while only turning 22. The #4 rank, Pacifics righty Kevin Clendenen, spent some quality time in their pen (5.95 ERA) and was reassigned to AAA to start this season. He is no longer eligible for exceeding rookie limitations (service time).

Next: first pitch.

[DD Martin]

Good luck on the season. I’m going under the 82 wins at my bookie in Vegas. Hope I’m wrong