Bomb Brisas 2055.6: Decisions Loom

[cheekimonk]

Bomb Brisas
30 June 2055
Buenos Aires, Argentina
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New GM Ben Teague faces an extra layer of difficulty to the already steep learning curve of the organization and goals.

It just so happens that the contracts of 18 ML or high-minors players are expiring at the end of the 2055 season. It could be the result of a very old roster at the top level with the 40-man averaging 29.6 yo. A very few seem determined to stay, but the anticipation is certainly building over Teague's first offseason in Argentina. Most of the defections are key pieces of how the team operates currently.

CF Joshua Koka; $10m - 76 G, 5 2B, 8 HR, 25 RBI, .233/.312/.328, 2 SB, +0.1 WAR: Make no mistake in saying that Koka's was way below his standard this season. But now the team will have to replace an 8/10/8 defensive CF and a player with a career slash of .286/.355/.493.

DH Bert Cleaver; $5m - 81 G, 19 2B, 10 HR, 44 RBI, .238/.266/.394, +0.7 WAR: Cleaver is just a masher. He also plays very solid 3B recording a PCT/ZR/EFF of .994/+4.7/1.035 and has locked down the hot corner for the last few seasons.

SP Alberto Castaneda (yep, that's the 3 highest paid players...hold my beer); $2.0m - 17 GS, 3-6, 3.15 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, +1.3 WAR: Castaneda is the team's ace and it's not clear how Buenos Aeris goes about replacing his contributions.

SP José Castro (that's the top 4); $1.7m - 22 G, 9 GS, 3-7, 1 SV, 7.33 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, +0.1 WAR: He's had a down year, too, but losing a player with a career ERA of 4.29 and 1.37 WHIP is just hard.

SS Miguel De La Cruz (5 and going); $1.5m - 79 G, 10 2B, 1 HR, 24 RBI, .235/.282/.291, 9 SB, +0.3 WAR: All these guys are having down seasons, too, which affects their trade value. Oof. The Brisas are going to find it very difficult to replace Miguel's 8/10/10/10 rated defense at SS.

SP Aurelio Pérez (yes, after a break of a player with 2 years left on his deal this is 6 of 6 eligible players taking flight); $1.0m - 23 G, 1-2, 7 SV, 5.22 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, +0.3 WAR: Pérez had a down year as well, but it's getting close to the case that the Brisas will have to completely construct a rotation and late-game relief from nothing.

The remainder of the players are on minimum deals and want to test FA:
SP David bin Adnan; $400k - 11 GS, 4-4, 1.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, +1.5 WAR
CL Alfonso Castillo; $500k - 32 G, 3-4, 13 SV, 7.68 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, -0.7 WAR
3B Francisco Cortéz; $400k - 52 G, 2 SB, 4 HR, 18 RBI, .221/.288/.329, 5 SB, +0.2 WAR
LF Boyd Farrell; $400k - 66 G, 7 2B, 2 HR, 23 RBI, .238/.297/.312, 6 SB, -0.4 WAR
2B Manny Gutiérrez; $300k - 49 G, 4 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .237/.287/.309, 3 SB, -0.4 WAR