2064.17: SFB Offseason Outlook

[BaseClogger]

9/22/2064


With only one week left in the season my attention is shifting towards the 2064-2065 offseason.

Financial
It all starts with finances. In 2063, San Fernando brought in only $113M in total revenue. This year, thanks in equal parts to Fan Interest stabilizing and Bob's method of maximizing ticket prices, I expect the Bears to rake just over $120M. After covering our expenses, this should net us a modest profit of approximately $4M. It's not enough to exceed the $20M in-game cash cap, but it means we shouldn't have to throw any PPT towards cash. Which is important because I've been less active with TN posts and podcasts this season.

The best news for 2065 as it relates to expenses is that SFB will be shedding some dead weight. Federico Linares had a $8M salary before being released in April. On the same day, Morgan Tomsett was traded to Vancouver but San Fernando retained 50% of his contract, or $2.25M. Both players will be fully off the books.

Free Agency
The team only has two impending major league free agents, Richard Balgera and Cody Glynn. With all of the pitching depth we've built up, I anticipate them both departing San Fernando.

If we expect our revenue to hold steady in 2065 around $120M, that should support a player payroll of $90M without incurring a fiscal loss. The Bears currently have about $80M of 2065 player salary commitments. We could push upwards against the $110M salary cap if we're willing to burn some cash and/or go cheaper in the draft/IFA. The problem is lots of teams have cash currently, so expensive talent on the cheap isn't really available via trade. And there haven't been many significant free agents available. The best move for us is likely to target an impact reliever.

Arbitration
Our front office team will huddle up and decide whether Manny Trujillo, MIguel Lussier, and Dallas Sly are each worth a couple million bucks to be bench players. The only one who gives me pause is Sly. Likewise, Dhrtatman Seshadri, Ben Weaver, and Edison Williams are due a couple million dollars to continue pitching out of our bullpen. Now that I lay this all out, Williams looks like an obvious non-tender.

Keith Tims was hot garbage all year but was too good of a hitter in the past to not tender him the $3.2M estimate. 2065 could be his last chance in San Fernando.

Rick Marriott is the most difficult decision. He drew no interest on the trade block despite pitching 171 innings of 3.21 ERA in 2063 and 129 innings of 4.33 ERA ball so far in 2064. He's not enough of an impact pitcher to block our youth movement. He's better out of the pen but he's not an elite pitcher there either. It just feels like a team could get their $3.6M worth out of him. Maybe another GM will come calling early in the winter.

Rule 5/40-Man Roster
This is the offseason consideration that will once again give me the most anxiety. With a full 40-man and only two departing free agents, we won't have enough space to protect our newly eligible prospects from the rule 5 draft (to say nothing of us making our own pick and continuing my hot streak). That means a few prospects running out of options could be on the waiver wire chopping block, namely: Pepe Rodriguez, Ignacio Ryder, and Susila Kartosuwiryo.

[JRamirez]

Hopefully, Rivers can provide more value (pitch better) next season for you.

[BTuck2112]

Cheers to "Bob's method of maximizing ticket prices", it helped me out as well

[BaseClogger]

Hopefully, Rivers can provide more value (pitch better) next season for you.

I'm contemplating a reliever conversion. With the ascension of Doug Pomeroy, I'm not sure he's even one of our five best starting pitchers.