2057.1: Early Offseason Notes

[Rubaboo]

The smoke has barely cleared from the fireworks after the Oysters' Brewster Championship Series (BCS?) win (Boo rival, yay Frontier) but the merciless BBA calendar continues to chug along, always bringing more work to do for the masochists that run its franchises. The Aztecs submitted early season paperwork on arbitration and team options, let's dive into the more interesting decsions:

Team Options:

Only one this season and it was on team icon and current Mr. Aztec Fernando Moreno. Moreno, now 37, is coming off of a bit of a down year, including a hamstring strain in August that cost him most of the stretch run. He still managed to log a solid 2 WAR with a slightly above average bat and a solid corner OF glove. Maybe not exactly what you want for $12M but the GMs affinity for the player is old news in the league and this option was always going to get picked up. Moreno will be entering the last year of this current deal and the team will likely be looking to extend him, if the price is right of course, to make sure he stays in Aztec colors for his entire career.

Arbitration News:

The Aztecs have 9 cases current slated for arbitration. Perhaps the most interesting one belongs to Eiichi Takahashi, who is estimated to have a salary of $4.8M next season. He's been very reliable out of the pen since being a Rule 5 pick in 2048 and grabs an occasional start. His 2056 was the best season of his career statistically, making the $600k raise he's projected for seem quite modest. Can a team that has some big holes to fill in the lineup afford $5M for a bullpen arm/6th SP though? The team is reportedly still on the fence about Takahashi's future, making this worth tracking as we get closer to the arb date.

Players not receiving Arbitration offers:
OF/1B Donald Nixon - His 2056 postseason heroics notwithstanding, Nixon has been average at best in the regular season from a lineup spot that demands much more than that normally. The Aztecs reportedly will be granting Nixon free agent status and will be looking elsewhere for a replacement COF/1B/DH to fill his spot.

P Arthur Dunn - Once seen as a high ceiling up and comer, Dunn has spent the last several seasons swaying between injured and ineffective. He spent most of 2055 in AAA, and was good, but has not at all been able to bring any kind of effectiveness to the big league level. Also, that moustache. Dude. Dunn will be on the market and will perhaps be a decent reclamation project for a team without a ton of pressure to produce results in 2057.

IF Chance Wilson - Wilson, a Rule 5 pick from Rockville in 2053, has been mostly bad at the big league level. He's been very poor offensively and hasn't been able to be solid enough with the glove to be a guy you'd want in the utility role. He was panic drafted in the Rule 5 when the team had no other options for backup infield and now that his cheap seasons are done he'll be looking for work elsewhere.

[trmmilwwi]

Moreno is $153M+ of lifetime earnings well spent. Great player and love that he has done it all south of the border.