2063.03: Trades and Reasoning (part two)

[shoeless.db]

After relieving the Robins organization of the troublesome Nothard contract, I set my sights on trading (or giving away) the other two highly paid ballplayers on the squad.

TRADE TWO -- SENDING OUR BEST OUTFIELDER TO A CRUDDY CASINO

The first, outfielder Wilson Prieto, had three remaining contract years set for $12.2m per year, a price far too high for a financially strapped team, albeit for a solid player. Prieto was used in CF for Brooklyn the past several seasons despite a slow first step and a leftfielder's range (7). It gave me hives thinking of writing his name down in CF this coming season, and his salary was far too high for a good left fielder. He had to go.

Thankfully, the Gamblers organization pounced at the chance to use him at his more natural position and sent a note strapped to a seagull (the breed of which was no longer recognizable due to the nefarious nature of the Atlantic City underbelly and their thugs). In return, we (not sure why I'm using the plural here as I had to "promote" last year's Robin's manager Wilford Coffey to my Assistant General Manager as I didn't want to fire him and have to fill the vacant AGM position. He's now the league's highest paid AGM on the league's lowest revenue generating team, but ... he's just an awful manager to have for a team trying to become something different) asked for and received the BBA equivalent of $1 in two AAAA arms with possible upside. Maybe we could have received more, but I'm a firm believer in ripping the damn band-aid off and dealing with the scab underneath.

Brooklyn Robins send:
CF Wilson Prieto (ML)

Atlantic City Gamblers send:
SP Johnny Carr
SP Maxwell Godin

TRADE THREE -- HANDING OUR FANS A GLASS OF LONG BEACH WATER

Now begins the trades requiring a bit more explanation. On the surface, Emilio Morales, Jr. seems like he should have stayed and played in a new Cobble Hill jersey. He's extremely popular, his elite power could have kept us close in ballgames, and his $12m salary this coming season is followed by a $12m player option he'd never have signed. Again, I'll use the band-aid metaphor. Our fan interest did crash to 36 from 44 with these first three trades, and I'm guessing six of those eight points in drop were from the loss of Morales, Jr. But that drop was coming this offseason or next. I chose to deal with it now. The $12m in savings for doing so pushed the decision into the "no-brainer" camp for me.

In return, we received another BBA equivalent of $1 in an AAAA arm and a 22-year-old defensive-minded outfielder who already has Captain status.

Brooklyn Robins send:
1B Emilio Morales, Jr. (ML)

Long Beach Surfers send:
RP Félix Vázquez (AAA)
CF Alberto Anaya (S A)

With the two trades, we saved the team $24.2m next season and $12.2m for each of the following two seasons. That's $48.6m for two very good players but also about what I'll likely spend on salaries the next two seasons combined.

Band-aid --- RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

[Jwalk100]

Some nice payroll reductions for pitchers that keep the ball in the park. Sneaky good trades.