2063.06: Bears Find Places to Stuff Loose Change

[BaseClogger]

1/26/2063


SFB Takes Wagner & Prospects from CHR

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Traded $1 in cash to the Cobble Hill Robins, getting 35-year old DH Eric Wagner, 16-year old minor league 1B António Saucedo, and 22-year old minor league RHP António Bailey in return.

Ever since it was announced the development budget maximum and annual stadium fees were being reduced, San Fernando has been looking for a place to invest the extra $10M in operating budget. In return for assuming Wagner's $2.6M contract, the Bears essentially get to sign one extra IFA (Saucedo) without it counting towards their IFA limit while picking up a lotto ticket (Bailey). Too bad Saucedo now has to play rookie ball this season as a 17 year-old. I think he's the fourth first base prospect we've taken off of Shoeless's hands this offseason. Good thing we don't draft that position.

We've been looking for a left-handed bench bat to use as a pinch-hitter and mix in at DH. Looks like Wagner will get the first shot to claim that role. And while he's been passed around this offseason like an STD it's not like he's a useless hitter--Wagner had a 114 wRC+ in 2062. It doesn't hurt he can pinch run, either.


SFB Signs Four International Amateur Free Agents

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Signed international amateur CF Abdul-Razzaq bin Ahmed out of Afghanistan to a minor league contract with a $450,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur CF Yi-mou Miao out of Taiwan to a minor league contract with a $2,750,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur SS Valentin Jalea out of Romania to a minor league contract with a $550,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur RF Bahir bin Zahid out of Afghanistan to a minor league contract with a $550,000 signing bonus.

'Mouth' Miao is the prize here and we think we got the 60 POT talent at a discount compared to the other available IFAs. He's a switch-hitter, a good athlete who is strong defensively, and has some loud tools on offense. The rest are decent+ bodies to throw into the international complex and hope something happens. Jalea stands out a bit more than the other two since he's a premium defender up-the-middle.

This makes for $4.3M of spend against the ceiling of $4.75M so we could sign another player at a lesser bonus amount and stay under. TBD whether the right guy is available at that price after the vultures peruse the scraps over the next couple of sims. Our major IFA efforts are finished.