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Changes afoot for 1994 and beyond!  Due to the fact that real life is a huge time suck, and the fact that as a Federal employee I’m busy looking for another job as my current status is completely unknown and I want to be prepared, AND due to the fact that the formatting of this article causes the Commish fits, this year we go to a streamlined version of the Draft Review!  What’s changing?  If you need stats, go to baseball-reference.com; everything and anything you want is there.  What’s improving?  GM Vays demands analysis, so he gets more analysis!   I will orient the review toward a dive into not only a judgement of the player himself but also his fit with the team in question.  What’s not changing?  The “Fun Facts” in the “Did you know?” section.  Hard to believe, but I swear all of these Fun Facts are true.

One note – Peter is going to complain that the analysis “will not do.”  Unfortunately, this draft was not exactly full of much of anything, except relief pitchers, but even they were not super amazing.  It’s difficult to critique someone’s pick if A) they covered an area their team needed, and B) they did it by picking pretty much the best player out there at that position.  In future drafts, when there is more quality and more choice, my guess is I’ll be able to be more critical with comments like “should have picked Player B instead” and the like.  If there’s no viable guy available, I cannot and won’t criticize someone for making the best of a bad situation.


1. CLE – SS Alex Rodriguez 

GM Qualls landed the Barons the best offensive player in the 1994 draft, and a guy who could be a franchise player for the next decade, in addition to then insulting said player when he was being obnoxious (see below).  That’s a twofer I’ll take any day.  Is there development risk?  Of course, but the dude is a potential 8/10/3 in CON/POW/K.  And while A-Rod is not a Trammell, Ozzie or Yount in the field, he can easily play 2B/3B as well.  With the Barons rebuilding AND building a new stadium, this pick is a no-brainer, and, assuming he develops, gives the Barons what should be one of the premier middle IFs in the League, to go along with a quietly impressive OF crew that Qualls has assembled in Darren Lewis, the glove man, Jeffrey Hammonds, Jim Edmonds and Cliff Floyd in the wings.  Give this team a C and 3B, and another starter or two, and watch out.  I’d buy this pick for $10!

Did You Know?
• Only player in the “modern era” to play at the ML level at age 18.
• One of five MLB players in the 40/40 club. 
• Suspended for 211 games in 2013 for PEDs; HOF candidacy stalled and it appears he won’t make it. 
• FUN FACT:  In pre-draft interviews, A-Rod demanded that MAN pick him because he wanted to be in NY so he could follow in the footsteps of his idol, 2B Craig “C-Rob” Robinson; A-Rod went further and stated “I’ll play anywhere but Cleveland”. 
• FUNNER FACT:  GM Charlie Qualls, upon hearing of Rodriguez’s whining, interview bombed A-Rod by standing just a bit off center and behind him and gesticulating wildly at his naughty bits, all the while yelling “I got your rod right here, asshole!”
• FUNNEST FACT:  Just think at how great the chemistry in the Barons’ clubhouse is gonna be.
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2. CLE – SP Ismael Valdez 

Wait!  The top TWO picks in this weak draft year?  GM Qualls outdid himself this year, nabbing not only the best offensive player but also the best starting pitcher in Valdez, who is not even 21 and nearly fully developed and a potential 23!  The Barons rotation isn’t the strongest from top to bottom, but it is deceivingly solid, and the addition of Valdez only adds to the intrigue, as Qualls is somehow always able to get his rotation to play above their heads.  Assuming the new stadium is also a pitchers’ park, teams should not waltz into Cleveland thinking that they’ll clean up.  Definitely buying this pick for $15!  

Wait!  I hear the train a-comin’!   It’s rolling ‘round the bend!  Swoop!  Swoop!  That’s right.  The Swoop Train is in town.  How Charlie managed to get both these players is beyond me, and anytime one lands the best offensive and pitching prospect, you have to give that manager the coveted Swoop Train award.  Hell, I think I have to send two trains – one for each pick.  

Did You Know?

• Was previously known as Ismael Valdes.

• Was nicknamed “The Rocket”

• FUN FACT:  Before being known as Ismael Valdes, went by the moniker “Call Me Ismael”

• FUNNER FACT:  Favorite author is Herman Melville.

• FUNNEST FACT:  Ghost wrote “Call Me Maybe” for Carly Rae Jepsen.

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3. BOS – SP Jon Lieber 

GM Mark “Wallace and Gromit” Waller, after initially attempting to trade this pick, decided he would take a leap of faith with Lieber.  How drafting a 7/6/10 SP that’s only 23 is a leap of faith is beyond this reporter.  BOS already has a lineup that can mash:  Knobby, Daniels, Sosa, Piazza, Thome – oh, my!  Pitchers are what this team needs, so the addition of Lieber immediately puts BOS in the running in the East, which is a noticeably weaker division than the West.  BOS can now throw Lieber, Bert and Hentgen at you.  Buying for $5 dollars, that’s how much I like this pick. 

Did You Know?

• Known for working fast; complete games for him often lasted only two hours.

• In May 2001, shut out the Reds on 78 pitches.

• Big Mac states Lieber had the best slider he’d ever seen. 

• FUN FACT: Unbeknownst to nearly everyone, is Justin Bieber’s father; Bieber uses a stage name because he didn’t want anyone to beliebe that that he was riding his famous father’s coattails.  

• FUNNER FACT:  Favorite Bieber song is “I’m the One”.

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4. SEA – SP Joey Hamilton

Seattle’s rotation is comprised of decent pitchers, some of whom are aging, and some who are converted RPs, so to grab a guy like Hamilton is a godsend.  Joey H. has the potential to be the ace of this team and, with his solid stuff, could be one of the best starters in the league.  Excellent pick by GM Tucker, so buying for a dollar. 

Did You Know?

• Drafted by the Orioles but decided to pitch for Georgia Southern.  

• Was drafted by the Padres, but GM Joe McIlvaine stated they never would have taken him had they known that Hamilton’s agent was Scott Boras. 

• FUN FACT:  Favorite place to vacation is Bora Bora (Boras tried to buy the island and re-name it to Boras Boras, but the local population wouldn’t see because Boras is too much the asshole). 

• FUNNER FACT:  Favorite movie is Tora! Tora! Tora!

• FUNNEST FACT: Favorite song is “Tora! Tora! Tora!” by Depeche Mode.  

• BESTEST FUNNEST FACT:  My guess is that no one offhand has any idea what the movie or song is about.

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5. LA – 3B Jeff Cirillo

Who keeps trading LA these high picks?  Stop it!  Right now!  I’ll have you know I’m filing a cease-and-desist order with somebody regarding all these picks going to LA.  Arguably the second best offensive player in the draft, Cirillo was nabbed by GM Peter “Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty” Vays, who has been on a mission to find the Outlaws a 3B, and appears to have done so.  Cirillo is a high contact hitter who has an impressive glove as well.  The only question is what LA will do with Cory “he wears his sunglasses at night” Snyder?  Wait – I got it.  LA will trade Snyder for an absurd amount of picks in 1995.  Buying this pick.   

Did You Know?

• Shares the record with John Wehner for most games at 3B without an error.

• In June 2004, became Randy Johnson’s 4,000 K.  

• Partner in Pacific Baseball Ventures that owns the Walla Walla Sweets and Yakima Valley Pippins, a wood-bat league in in the West Coast League. 

• FUN FACT (that’s true!):  a pippin is a crisp tart apple having usually yellow or greenish-yellow skin strongly flushed with red and used especially for cooking.

• FUNNER FACT (that’s true!):  This league looks pretty awesome – search it up and check it out.

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 6. KEY – SP William Van Landingham

GM Doug Aiton is always seeking to keep things fresh, and that is what he’s done with this fantastic pick.  Although VL did not do much in real life (Sean had him, too, in MicroLeague), the dude is 7/8/6 with three fully developed and awesome pitchers.  KEY is hiding a very intriguing rotation with Banksy, Reuter, Henry, Sele and Neagle.  With the offense still a work in progress, the addition of a qualified starter like VL is hard to argue with this pick – but I’ll try.  KEY is also hiding OF Tim Salmon, but Jerome Walton and Reggie Sanders have not exactly been tearing it up.  Thus, OF Garret Anderson could have been the play here, but again, with SPs so highly valued, it’s hard to not buy this pick with a guy that’s a 21 with pitches 8/9/7 and 8 stamina. 

Did You Know?

• Apparently is known more for his name than his pitching feats 

  • Debate still raging over whether he or Jarrod Saltalamacchia have the longest surname in the ML – issue is if the space in Van Landingham’s name is to be counted or not.

  • In 1995, faced OF Todd Hollandsworth and established longest combined pitcher-batter name since 1957.

  • In 1996, started against SP Jason Isringhausen, to again set the record for longest combined starting pitcher name.  

• FUN FACT (that’s true!):  This beat reporter would have liked to see VL pitch against Mel Ott.

•  FUNNER FACT (that’s true!):  Or even Ed Ott.
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7. SF – LF Garret Anderson

Everyone was shocked when “Non-existent GM” of SF picked the defensive marvel in Anderson.  Actually, no one was shocked.  The Spiders have a great OF in Bernie Williams in CF and Bosley in LF, but RF with Aldrete is a bit suspect, so the addition of Anderson should immediately help.  Having a defensive wiz in a pitchers’ park means it will be tough to squeeze out hits in SF.  Now, as to being shocked, fans were shocked by one thing, and that was the fact that DET GM Sean Holloway made the pick on behalf of SF as the team has gone through a rash of GMs lately.  The Commish asked Holloway to step in after the latest guy, who accepted SF’s GM role but immediately suffered a calamitous boating accident and was forced to resign ten minutes later after being appointed.  Surprisingly, Holloway seems to have made a solid pick.  Holloway didn’t stick around to comment, though, instead yelling “This was no boat accident!” before heading out to inform the Coast Guard.

Did You Know?

• Fantastic three-sport star in HS in baseball, football and basketball.

• • FUN FACT: Watched the Matrix and now has recurring nightmares and flashbacks whenever he sees Hugo Weaving.
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8. ATL – C Charles Johnson

GM Chaney has the best pitchers in the world, so what else would a team want?  A bitching catcher that plays awesome defense and should hopefully add even more wins to the ledger via his ability to handle said pitching staff.  Johnson isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but remember that with the Hilltoppers' staff, that team does not have to score many runs to win.  With Manny coming online and a staff for the ages, watch out.  ATL is the rising team in the West that will soon start knocking on the big boys’ doors.  Oh, and don’t even think about running on ATL.  Excellent pick!

Did You Know?

• Known for his defensive prowess; winner of four GG.

• 1st round draft pick twice, once by Montreal when he was in HS and once by Florida coming out of college.

• Cousin of the Crime Dog; nephew of Terry McGriff.

• FUN FACT: Cousin, twice removed, of ex-NFLer Keyshawn Johnson.  

• FUNNER FACT:  Once lived near current ULer Howard Johnson.  

• FUNNEST FACT:  Grandmother is rumored to have been Lyndon B. Johnson’s mistress.

• UNFUN FACT: "Twice Removed" is the name of Dickie Thon's next cinematic endeavor.
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9. FLO  – RP Armando Benitez

What is GM Jo Lima up to?  With a staff that performed better than expected last year, he wasn’t looking for another starter.  Instead he turned to the pen, where he already has Stan Belinda and Steve “Holy crap!” Karsay, the power pair that are a nasty 1-2 from the pen and a power pop duo called Belinda "Mad About You" Karsay.  Adding the best RP in this year’s draft should ease any fears of FLO’s starters seeing performance degradation.  Some still may doubt FLO’s rotation outside of Moose and Shane “Come back!” Reynolds, but I wouldn’t recommend that.  But if one is still worried, how does Benitez, Belinda and Karsay sound?  One can never get enough BBK!  Buying this all the way. 

Did You Know?

• Had amazing stuff, but his control and propensity to allow baserunners was the bane of his career, as it resulted in frequent trades as the baserunners made most teams very nervous.  

• 2001 NL Rolaids Relief and NL Reliever of the Year; career 289 SVs.

• Only living player (three deceased) with a share of the record for most career RBIs (2) without ever reaching base.  

• FUN FACT:  BBK’s latest single “Big Jim Slade Has Got It Made!” due for release on Opening Day!

• FUNNER FACT (that’s true!):  Kentucky Fried Movie is one of the greatest cinematic productions of all time.
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10. MON – SP Chan Ho Park

This dude doesn’t give up HRs all the time, so don’t let the below fool you.  With a potential 8/7/6 and SIX pitches, GM Gryka has immediately improved his starting rotation, which is exactly where the V's need some help.  Park is young, so Gryka will hope that he develops, but methinks that Park may get a start earlier rather than later, especially if MON’s offense is able to score some runs.  Gryka could have taken Dreifort, but with both Dreifort and Park not developed, this is a six-and-one-half dozen choice, so I’ll buy this pick, as MON needed an SP regardless of which one they got.

Did You Know?

• First South Korean in MLB.

• In 1999, gave up two grand slams to Fernando Tatis – in the same inning.

• In 2001, gave up HR #71 and #72 to Barry Bonds.  

• FUN FACT:  When he first arrived in the US, fell in love with tater tots; now refuses to eat them because their name reminds him of Fernando Tatis.  

• FUNNER FACT:  Has switched to Five Guys’ French Fries.
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11. HAV - RP Darren Dreifort 

Warning to the UL:  GM Lance Mueller is back, and he’s pissed.  Mueller, who has wowed the UL with strategic approaches to near-perfection in the past, has been quiet for some time.  Now we know he was just biding his time while he assembles a team that can – and will – compete this year in the West despite the West being brutally difficult.  Mueller improved his offense and now has a lineup that can bang with the best of them.  As such, HAV needed to up its rotation, and that’s what it did with the addition of Dreifort.  The guy is a potential 23 with devastating stuff.  If he develops, HAV could have one of the best pitchers in the UL.  Great pick.

Did You Know?

• Scott Boras still sucks; somehow he convinced the Dodgers to sign Dreifort to a 5-year $57M contract over which Dreifort went 9-15 and only managed to pitch in three of those seasons due to injuries.

• The Dodgers are idiots.  

• FUN FACT (that’s true!):  GM Mueller has a perfect voice for radio, and he often is the PA announcer at Havana home games. 

• UNFUN FACT: GM Mueller also has a perfect face for radio.
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12. WAS – C Mike Lieberthal

WAS GM Jason Gudim has to make numerous astute moves if he wants to extricate the Mons from their current predicament of finishing near the bottom and carrying many players with pricey, long-term contracts.  While doing that, he also has holes to fill.  With Dickie Thon in TOR, Gudim will have to do the hole filling himself, and he’s off to a good start with Lieberthal.  Current WAS C Dave Engle turns 94 next year, and back-up Scott Hemond is batting .202 lifetime.  Gudim knows this will not do, and with Lieberthal, he addresses a glaring team need.  Lieberthal has a ways to go to develop, but it would be hard for me to find a better guy to draft or better fit with WAS at this point. 

Did You Know?

• All-time Phillies leader in games caught at 1,139.

• Had a fan group at Veterans Stadium called Lieby’s Lil’ Ladies.  

• FUN FACT: Whenever Jon Lieber is in town, Lieber takes the piss out of Lieberthal by asking him why there’s a fan club for him (Lieber) instead of Lieberthal.  

• FUNNER FACT:  Favorite Justin Bieberthal song is “Beauty and a Beat”; Lieberthal is a big Nicki Minaj fan.
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13. TOR – LF Rusty Greer

There are some things in the UL that are just standard:  LA asking for a 3rd round pick in every deal no matter what, GM Lima drafting a pitcher in the 1st round, and TOR GM Dr. Clemons drafting an OF.  This year is no different, as Clemons scoops up Greer with his pick.  Greer, while not exactly a great fielder, should be able to keep the vaunted TOR offense going with his high contact approach to hitting.  With Raul Mondesi, Juan Gonzalez, and now Greer, this pick seems to mean that Clemons will be looking to move his established OFs in Shelby and Burks, due to a cap crunch, so watch for some player movement this season.  I like the pick considering what the Dr. is trying to do. 

Did You Know?

• Only MLB player from the University of Montevallo (Alabama).  

• FUN FACT:  an automobile enthusiast, has his own podcast focused on repairs called “Cars with Rusty Gear”.  

• UNFUN FACT: 2nd best Rusty of all-time (22.4 WAR) behind Rusty "Le Grande Orange" Staub (45.8) WAR. Well ahead of Rusty Kuntz (-0.9)
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14.   LA – SP Jose Lima

I don’t think in all my years of covering the UL that I’ve ever seen this.  LA GM Peter Vays has managed to snag an SP with decent stuff and high control who also is the GM for the Florida Flamingos.  It’s unclear how Lima will manage the Flammies while simultaneously pitching for the Queens Kings in the LA organization, but he does seem determined.  Stated Lima: “With all the sucking that is occurring in this league, and watching how SPs with decent ratings then seemingly have said ratings fall off a cliff, I decided that I could pitch as well as these bums.  And besides, my agent, Scott Boras, has assured me that he will get me a blinging Darren Dreifort-type deal, so I can take the money I’m making at LA and plow it back into improvements in my staff at FLO”.  I have to say that this approach is brilliant, but I still don’t understand how Lima can be in two places at once.  As for the pick itself, a potential 20 in this draft means I cannot argue with it at all, and LA pockets another insurance policy for when injuries hit. 

Did You Know?

• Once performed the national anthem before a Dodgers game and led a band that performed at team functions.  

• FUN FACT:  likes to correct reporters and state that is name is pronounced with a long I sound, and then gives the grief the next time he sees them and they say his name wrong.  

• FUNNER FACT:  Boras has reportedly bought Lima a Tardis so he can both manage FLO and pitch for LA.  

• Not so fun fact:  the actual guy died of a heart attack at 37 in 2010.
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15. DET – RP Hector Carrasco

Carrasco, a potential 7/9/6 with five pitches, was arguable the second best RP in this year’s draft, and with Detroit’s lineup stable, GM Holloway looked to shore up his pen, which last year caused some consternation with the number of blown saves.  Adding a nearly fully-developed fireballer like Carrasco you’d think would help, but we’ll see.  Holloway got the best he could for his money, so now we wait to see if Hector can perform.   

Did You Know?

• Gave up Cal Ripken’s 3,000th hit.

• Ended his career playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish.  

• FUN FACT (that’s true!): was property of two expansion teams – the Marlins and the Diamondbacks – but played for neither of them, and then ended up as a Nationals player for that team’s first year in MLB in 2005.

• UNFUN FACT: Name rhymes with Vector Fiasco.
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16. DEN – CF Brian Hunter

The Commish got a defensive monster that can play all three OF positions, and play them damn well.  There is concern about Hunter’s ability to get on base, but if the Commish is able to build a team with offensive firepower in other places, Hunter’s potential lack of offense may not be too troubling, as he’s a regular Hoover vacuum out in CF.  Not sure who else DEN would have taken that could impact his team as significantly as Hunter, so buying this pick. 

Did You Know?

• In 1998, went 0-13 in a doubleheader, tying the record set by Hobe Ferris of the Boston Americans in 1905.

• Was a terror on the basepaths and excellent fielder but had trouble getting on base.       

• FUN FACT:  Friends in high school said the same thing about him regarding girls.
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17. DEN – RP Dave “Thank You” Veres “Much”

Veres is yet another interesting case.  At 27, he’s older than most rookies but not as old as fellow RP Billy Taylor.  With four pitches, he’s also a potential 22, and he’s nearly fully developed.  DEN, which has Norm Charlton as its closer, could use help in the pen, and Veres should be able to immediately step in and have an impact, so I really like this pick for them. 

Did You Know?

• Played in the Little League Series of 1978 for Torrejon Air Base.  

• FUN FACT (that’s true!):  The Commish had Veres on one of his MicroLeague teams in the mid-90s. (Editor's note: probably the Kalispell Blackfeet or Nashville Twang.)

• FUNNER FACT:  Good friend with DET SP Jason Bere; when their very large families get together, no one no one knows where the Beres end and the Veres start.

• UNFUN FACT: Grew up on the prairies, Zodiac sign is Aries, favorite fruit is berries,  favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry's.
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18. WAS – RP Bryce Florie

And yet another RP, and yet another intriguing player.  Florie is an EXGB with three pitches and a potential 20.  In the Mons’ pitcher park, that could translate into really good numbers for Florie.  With Washington’s pen looking for a closer/stopper type, Florie should give Gudim a guy that can be counted on in the late innings.  I’d buy that for a dollar!

Did You Know?

• Got crushed by a line drive when playing for Boston in 2000 that hurt him severely and effectively ended his career.  

• FACT:  I’m old now; I don’t want to see anyone hurt, so I’ll simply say I’m glad he’s still around; this to me was comparable to the Clint Malarchuk incident in that Florie very easily could have died.

In the past, teams have “won” the draft.  But in 1994, GM Charlie Qualls of the Cleveland Barons not only won the draft; he obliterated it and every team around him for miles.  Before the draft lottery was held, I debated if there was a franchise player in the draft.  After a couple days, I decided there were TWO:  A-Rod and Ismael Valdez.  And Cleveland got BOTH of them.  That’s winning a draft.  In a typical year, if a team got one player of this caliber, a GM likely wouldn’t even care about their remaining picks.  And then we have the Barons this year.  

To celebrate, let’s all sing along to the sound of the Folsom Prison Blues.  We will hear how and why Charlie went with Ismael and A-Rod, and if you’ve been reading the Circuit Clouts, you’ll know that A-Rod disparaged Cleveland in some pre-draft interviews, and that this may have been the deciding factor in Qualls’ decision to take A-Rod and not SP Jon Lieber.  Vengeful?  Yes.  Worth it?  Most likely.  We then discuss one issue that may prove challenging to Cleveland, that being its reduced salary cap.  But with stars like this (and a new stadium coming soon), Qualls believes he’ll be ok.  Finally, we end with Qualls wondering what could have been had he been able to snag Lieber as well.  Now go find the live version at Folsom Prison and sing along!  

Hello, I'm Charlie Qualls

I hear the train a comin', it's rollin’ round the bend
And I ain't seen a starter like this since I don't know when
I'm stuck on Ismael Valdez; this time I can’t be wrong
With his quality of pitches he’ll make batters groan

If I had any “maybes”, my scouts all told me “Son
we’ve never seen a guy like him; yeah, he is the one”
So I got a man named ARod just to watch him cry
When I heard that bastard moanin’, I knew his ass was mine

I bet there's GMs drinking and stumbling in a bar
They're probably thinking “salaries” and that I went too far
Well I know my cap is bummin’; I know guys can't be free
But with them I’ll keep on provin'
That fans will compensate me

Well, if they gave me just one more pick
If that Lieber guy was mine
I bet it’d move the team up and stop this long decline
Far from lottery draft picks, that's where I want to stay
And I'd win that damn World Series by beating Peter Vays

Let’s take a quick look at the winners and losers of UL 1993 Free Agency!  For that matter, did any team win?  Did anyone lose?  And even more of an interesting question is did any team look like it won but in fact lost via a frenzied signing of old, broken-down players now only good for waxing poetic on times past?  Regardless, we can all be amazed at how much we were paying some guys via their initial contracts compared to what these same scrubs are asking for in FA.  

Atlanta

Well, it seems to me that GM Chaney completely missed the boat this year, losing out on SPs Joe “My head hurts” Magrane and Jose “Ponce” DeLeon.  Imagine the Hilltoppers rotation had he added these two!  Alas, instead of having a rotation for the ages, ATL has to settle for the rotation of the decade.  Chaney is in search of offense, so adding Bob Horner and Gary Carter should help – especially Horner.  The Fat Boy still has it in him, and Chaney will be looking to Horner to add to his 622 career HRs.  Chaney also added SP Ed Whitson, so no one should think that the #5 in that rotation will be weak.  Along with trading for Wade Boggs, these offseason moves should help ATL fight for a playoff spot.  

Boston

The Feds, still rebuilding, are looking for pitching, and that’s what they got.  SPs Mike Scott and Frank “Mark loved me in WAS” Viola both had success early in their careers but have fallen off a bit since those scintillating times.  Boston’s park isn’t exactly pitcher-friendly, so it could be a crapshoot as to how the duo will fare.  And while Scott is solid, at 38, one wonders if Wallerburgers should have saved some money and spent it on other players or simply attempted to grow the Feds’ cash reserves.  BUT……..if the two perform, BOS’s rotation should perform better in 1994.  

Brooklyn

With oodles of cap space, and a burning desire to win the WS this year, GM Widholm went out and signed the best SS in FA, and one of the best in the UL for that matter, in Robin Yount, while also adding a potential slugger in OF Glenallen “Sean had this guy in MicroLeague” Hill.  He followed that up with RP Orosco, a guy that has the ratings but never performed up to them, and defensive wiz Craig “Sean had this guy, too” Grebeck.  If Yount and Hill live up to expectations, the ‘Bas should easily be the favorites in the East.  

Chicago

Ok, so Chicago signed four guys that I didn’t even know were still in the League, so we’ll go with the Music Man using this FA and offseason to filling remaining slots while the rest of the team gears up to defend its WS crown.  Dickie Thon, the man whose dickie never rests, has yet another film opening on April 1st, so buy your tickets now for “Filling Her Remaining Slots”, a love story about a CEO looking for some able-bodied men to complete her construction company’s work crew.  

Cleveland

The Barons are STILL quietly biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce, just like the Red Baron would!  Just when that exactly will be is unknown.  With a new stadium rumored to be in the works, and with two lottery picks in 1994, Cleveland could try to make a run for it now.  However, it seems the more sensible play may be to let guys like Hammonds, Edmonds and Floyd cook longer, along with anyone they pick up from the 1994 draft.  GM Qualls did pick up a number of guys in FA, but they are more for filling in those darn holes than for adding that one stud that will put the team over the top.  The most interesting item was that the Barons added two Pedros – SP Pedro “Sean had this guy, too” Astacio and RP Pedro A. Martinez.  Qualls, responding to my inquiry as to why he was signing so many Pedros, replied “apparently there’s a Pedrophile amongst our scouts”.

Denver

The 14ers, in the midst of a patented Commish rebuild, signed a bunch of players that will help the Commish field a team while at the same time reducing costs and likely setting the scene for the team to not exactly be a powerhouse.  However, that’s not the goal for this year, and the Commish has signed players that could start/platoon this year and yet still have a role to play in 1995, the year when DEN has 37 picks in the draft.  Thus, while this year’s crop of FA signings for DEN may not wow the casual observer, Smith is setting DEN up for 1995 and beyond.  The most interesting signing was CF Marquis “Tim had this guy in MicroLeague” Grissom.  

Detroit

Insiders at the club, while publicly declaring that there were no FAs that interested the organization, explained anonymously that GM Holloway threw a barnburner of a party.  To say that the party was “off the hook” would be an understatement, as these sources stated that the shindig lasted several months, which culminated in Holloway missing all the FA Rounds.  Oh, dear!  Get ready for a bumpy year in the Motor City; who knows what moves this guy may pull next.  

Florida

A vastly improved team had a vastly improved season.  What, pray tell, may put the Pink Birds over the top and into the playoffs?  Hey!  This sounds like you’re repeating yourself!  The Flammies signed nearly every FA there is (26 total), as GM Lima has been engaged in offseason culling as the team.  Now with some big-time talent who demand big-time contracts, the team is nearing its cap.  Some of Lima’s signings are just filler, but watch for these three guys, as how they perform could significantly impact where FLO ends up:  OF Chili Davis, RP Barry Jones, and SP Jaime Moyer.  With FLO’s pitcher’s park, both Jones and Moyer could be the final pieces to FLO making the playoffs.

Havana

GM Mueller, who’s been more and more active in the trade and FA markets, signed seven, with the ones to watch being SP Bob Tewksbury, SS Scott Fletcher, and RP Lee Smith.  Tewks, a 19, could be a steal for what Mueller is paying, while Fletcher gives Havana a sure-handed SS that should complement Whitaker at 2B.  Smith, long a staple for LA, replaces Gene Nelson, so Mueller will be banking on Smith to perform as he has in the past.  Will this be enough to get in the playoffs?  The jury is still out.  

Keystone

GM Aiton, still waiting for some of his players to develop, was rather quiet in FA, but his signings are intriguing.  SP/RP Steve Olin should bolster the pen, while 3B Kevin “Sean had this guy” Mitchell is a definite help for the Starlings’ offense.  The team did improve – at least on paper – but we’ll see if these signings, along with new draft picks, are enough to get the team to competing for the playoffs.    

LA

GM Vays immediately solved the problem of losing Magrane, signing likely the 3rd best SP in the market in Don Robinson.  Although Robinson turns 74 in June of this year, he has shown no signs of slowing down, and his performance could be critical if one of the starters in front of him falters.  Vays also managed to find a starting RF in Vince Coleman on the cheap, and he added RP Carlos Diaz, who had a stellar season in 1993.  Are these players enough to help LA get past Chicago?  I’m not certain I would go as far as to say that’s a certainty, but anytime you can sign three players that will play on a regular basis, that’s a good FA season.    

Manhattan

Fans are still attempting to sort out what happened at the end of 1993 to the Gray Sox.  Signing SP Jose DeLeon, one would think, has to be a good thing.  DeLeon, the Spiders’ ace for years, joins the Sox with a career 3.32 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, and he should instantly help the Sox rotation.  GM Holthaus also added CF Otis Nixon, who will go to straight into the starting lineup as well.  Nixon is a sure-handed fielder that should only increase the team’s defensive abilities.  With the margins so thin in the East, these two signings could very well ensure the Sox make the playoffs and don’t suffer another last minute collapse.  

Montreal

Gryka has been at the Griffins party as well, but he remained way more sober than GM Holloway.  Gryka’s signings, though, are more for filling slots and holes than attempting to find his team another stud.    

St. Louis

With the signing of SP Joe Magrane and C Rick Gedman, GM Reed officially wins FA.  The Maroons, in need of pitching, land the arguably best SP in the market, and now have a clear ace to build around.  Gedman, known as the “Washington Monument” for how he has stood tall in WAS for years, gives Reed arguably the best catcher in the League.  

Maroons fans, hoping against hope that Reed finds a way to get the team past CHI and LA, were overjoyed at the signings.  Fans met both Magrane and Gedman at the airport when they arrived.  Some fans, in Star Wars regalia, were holding signs that read “Return of the Gedi!”  Others, knowing that the catcher is a big Samuel Beckett fan, held signs that read “Waiting for Gedot!”.  

At a presser, Reed explained that while he’s happy to have signed Magrane and Gedman, it wasn’t that easy.  “Geddy really was playing hardball with us when negotiating,” stated Reed.  “He talked about how he remembers his time in St. Louis spending summers riding his grandfather’s boat on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.  And he said that he was so excited to be able to do that, but that he didn’t have a boat.  Thus, he stipulated that we had to buy him a Red Barchetta and have it registered with the name ‘Geddy Lee’ after said grandfather.  Boy, does that guy drive a hard bargain.”  

Enough to get STL past LA and CHI?  Hmmm…..me thinks Reed will be busy with some trades, so this very well could let the Maroons challenge the West juggernauts AND say ahead of a surging HAV and ATL.  

San Francisco

The SF GM showed up to the Griffins party!  Then left the party about 10 minutes later, leaving interim GM Darrell Evans to fill some holes as the Spiders desperately search for a permanent replacement.  

Seattle

With the Rainiers facing a budget crisis, GM Tucker wisely spent his money on filling holes.  

Toronto

GM Clemons fell a player or two short of advancing the PBs, but being so close to the salary cap, Clemons is hamstrung as to what he can do.  The PBs paid attention to their staff, adding SP McCaskill, which gives the PBs a 5th, while Nelson the RP could shore up the pen assuming he performs better for TOR than he did for HAV.  Enough to get to the playoffs?  Very likely.  Enough to win the WS?  Not sold on that one yet.  

Washington

GM Gudim continues to rebuild by adding solid players in FA in 1B Will Clark, OF Greenwell, RP Cruz, C Engle and RP Boever.  While these guys may not have a long-term future with the team, they can at the very least man their positions while Gudim seeks more permanent solutions, like the deal he just pulled with ATL to land OF Ray Lankford, a bunch of picks and some cash.  Not exciting signings, save for the Thrill, but that’s not where WAS is at currently, so well done.