The Second Floor | The Hardest Part (63.06)

[mragland]

12.17.2062 GBC Winter Meetings

Grant, Alastair, and Jack were eating breakfast. The Rule 5 draft took place the day before. The Monarchs unexpectedly lost a minor league catcher, Jose Alonzo, in the second round. Catcher depth in the minors already wasn't great, and this would only make things worse. The club was also waiting for news on four of their remaining free agent targets.

Alastair was the point man for talks with player agents, and he read out loud a text he received from center fielder Mike Cox's representative. "You've got the best offer on the table right now, but Mike would like to take a few days and let things settle a bit before committing to the organization." Not the worst possible news, but it didn't improve the mood (already quiet and pensive) around the table. They knew that another GBC club, Athens, was making offers to Cox and the bidding had gone right past what Grant described as his 'comfort zone'. Plan B in center field was a topic of much discussion, and little resolution, within the front office. It had become a pain point.

In an attempt to lighten the mood around the table, Grant relayed a story told to him about someone claiming to see his old boss singing karaoke the other night. It struck Grant as highly improbable that he would even be here at the GBC meetings, let alone getting tanked and taking the stage to belt out a Peggy Lee standard. "Must have been a lookalike or something," concluded Grant.

Alastair and Jack smiled politely at the story, but it seemed to Grant that he did not succeed in bringing levity to their repast. Grant stared at his half-eaten eggs Benedict. Alastair ate his beans on toast, a breakfast choice Jack and Grant would never understand. Jack was just drinking coffee.

Alastair's phone buzzed again. He looked down at the screen, and this time he groaned audibly. "Luis Perez wants more money." In the case of Perez, the club appeared to be battling Grant's old employer, Valencia, for the services of the reliever, who Grant had hoped to plug into the closer's role. Like Cox, Perez seemed to be stringing the Monarch's along.

"I don't think he wants to play for us," concluded Grant. "Our last offer was actually more than his agent said was required to 'get the deal done'. I don't know what the Stars are offering, but we'd probably have to double it. We may actually just be bidding against ourselves at this point."

There was glum silence at the table until trio were getting up from their meal, ready to get back to work. Alastair reached into the pocket of his Monarchs warm-up jacket. "Pedarzolli," was all he said before stepping quickly away to take the call.

Grant and Jack looked at each other, and then followed quickly behind as Alastair ducked into a vacant conference room that adjoined the large dining hall. The diners that remained could hear the sound of shouting coming from the conference room a few moments later. Though it was difficult to say whether it was the sound of elation or despair, it was definitely the sound of catharsis.

[ae37jr]

I think Cox is going to be a beast in the GBC. Amin Abdul-Halim is somewhat comparable. That guy put up huge WAR numbers overseas and is less talented. He's that perfect fringe BBA guy who will be an all star there.