Whose paying for what?!?

 Jessica Fletcher  - contributing reporter

Season 48 is the year Cobbfather owners paid for the Atlanta Expos. So far ekoontz has maneuvered 10 trades with 9 different owner, that's nearly 30% of the league that he' traded with. He's whittled down to a pedestrian $21.3M payroll. But the kicker is, his trade partners are covering $13M of that salary. Let's break down his deals

Deal 1: He turned soft (putting it mildly) hitting defensive stud AAA shortstop prospect for his starting backstop, Jared Hafner on Rookie 1 contract.

Deal 2: Turned back of the rotation starter Gary Merchan (Arb1 - $1.2M) into backup catcher and fantastic pitch caller Bob Kiermaier (Rookie 2 contract), SuB Peter Zheng (Rookie 2 contract), and closer Buddy Gibson (Rookie 2 contract). 

Deal 3: Dealt quality starting pitching prospect Joe Madson (A+ Prospect - side note: 80 pitch quality 4-seam FB but velocity is 32, WIS if fun!) into starting DH Bruce Latham (Rookie 2 contract) and SuB Gabby Lunsford (Rookie 3 contract).

Deal 6: Traded pitching prospect Archie Easley (AA Prospect) for Sub Al Cubillan (Rookie 3 contract)

Deal 7: SuB Farmer Swanner , SuA prospect Gregory Dawkins (AAA Prospect on Rookie 1 contract), and starting prospect Wally Saberhagen for back end starter Ben Nicolino (Rookie 1 contract). - Not likely to have an impact this season. 

Deal 4, 5, 8, 9, & 10: Dealt away defensive and lefty hitting specialist Wayne Brow (AA Prospect), power hitting third baseman Grayson Lowry (AA Prospect), DH Gregor Diaz (A- Prospect), & Alfonso James (AAA Prospect), mid to late rotation starting prospect Corey Simmons (AA Prospect), SS Kenny Jacquez (4/$38M) and 2B Andy McLaughlin (Arb 1 - $1.6M) for $13M, Ace JC Wall (5/$40M) and potential ace prospect Damaso Ethier (AA Prospect). We might be talking about this group of deals in a few seasons. A three man playoff rotation of Wall, Gross, and Ethier sounds pretty amazing. 

Let's take a look at where owners are spending their money by position. Bonus money not included. 

Catcher - 

1. $7M - Fritz Butcher - Helena
2. $5.9M - Jeff Newfield - Austin
3. $5.4M - Marshall Van Ostrand - Colorado
4. $5.3M - Omar Acevedo - New York
5. $5.1M - Mike Walls - Washington DC

First Base

1. $20M - Alex Tarraga - Buffalo
2. $9.4M - Keith Halter - Columbus
3. $7.3M - Eduardo Ambriz - Pittsburgh
4. $7.1M - Gregory Treinen - Cincinnati
5. $7.1M - Eduardo Figureoa - New York

Second Base

1. $10M - Geronimo Nunez - Salt Lake City
2. $9M - Harry Padilla - New York
3. $8.8M - Chan Ho Jiang - Scranton
4. $8M - Clyde Spivey - Montreal
5. $7.5M - Bey Combs - San Juan

Shortstop

1. $20M - Cyrus May - Colorado Springs
2. $20M - Francisco Bonilla - El Paso
3. $9.5M - Helena
4. $8M - Al Rosario - Montreal
5. $6.5M - Malachi Bootcheck - Scranton

Third Base

1. $16M - Carl Marthinson - Scranton
2. $11.8M - Juan Siqueiros - Austin
3. $10M - Edgardo Melendez - Dover
4. $9.3M - Victor Nunez - Helena
5. $8.5M - Del Bailey - Santa Fe

Leftfield

1. $9.3M - Yoervis Colome - New York
2. $8.9M - Yoenis Portillo - Buffalo
3. $8M - Renato Martinez - Huntington
4. $7.5M - Vin Melhuse - Helena
5. $7.2M - Yohan Mairena - Salt Lake City

Center Field

1. $13.5M - Carmen Buller - Santa Fe
2. $10M - Anibal Castillo - Columbus
3. $7.5M - Forrest Kelly - Austin
4. $7.3M - Don Stubbs - Colorado Springs
5. $7.2M - Luis Carrasco - Santa Fe

Right Field

1. $19M - Felipe Benitez - New York
2. $13.3M - Lee Schlitter - Salt Lake City
3. $8.9M - Doug Cornelius - Ottawa
4. $7.5M - Al Martinez - Helena
5. $7.5M - Richie Barkley - OKC

Starting Pitcher

1. $20M - Louis Conley - New York
2. $20M - Samuel Ramirez - San Juan
3. $20M - Yovani Parraz - Pittsburgh
4. $20M - Gerald Kojima - Montreal
5. $18M - Koyie Ward - Huntington

Relief Pitcher

1. $12.2M - Rickey Kohn - Pittsburgh
2. $11.8M - Taylor McKay - Chicago
3. $8M - Christopher Romero - Washington DC
4. $7.5M - Eric Hampton - OKC
5. $7.3M - David Grichuk - Helena

S48 Initial Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Initial rankings of the 48th season are in! Vegas, set your odds! Will OKC claim their 4th straight NL Title? Buffalo is going for its 8th straight division title. Santa Fe is won the tie breaker last year but still claimed its 6th straight division title. Cincinnati has claimed 6 straight, and New York has claimed 9 straight, can they sweep a decade straight? After moving Tampa Bay to El Paso and selling off parts, we might have seen the end of 7 straight division titles. Jackson's low payroll could be primed to claim it this year. Who are your surprises? 

Meet the Owner - aenima

  Catherine Trammell - Contributing Reporter

Catherine Trammell: Good morning once again Cobbfather faithful! The season is officially in full swing but we wanted to take a chance to meet another new owner, aenima. Why don't you give us a little run down of your ownership history. Tell us how your 26 seasons in ULB have been going. Appears throughout your 116 seasons of ownership, you've made the playoffs nearly 60% of the time and have won 7 World Series rings. That's quite impressive. 

aenima: I've spent most of my time in HBD in 2 worlds ULB and Robinson. Most of the other worlds I've been in were either owner swaps or taking over abandoned teams. ULB has been my favorite team. I took over a team with big contracts and old players and within a couple seasons started a run of 20 straight playoff appearances 5 trips to the WS unfortunately only 1 title.

CT: Hard hitting questions first! Americans want to know why shun them and move the franchise to Canada? We all know Trenton isn't the best city. Or the friendliest, or cleanest, or smartest, or...you get the point. But Canada? 

A: I grew up outside of Buffalo and still have family in the area. Spent a lot of time as a kid crossing the border into Canada and going to buy beer at 18. There was already a franchise in Buffalo so took the next closest city.

CT: Well I guess a regular Canadian is better than a French Canadian, so at least it wasn't Toronto. Aside from shunning Americans, tell us a little about your ownership style. Do you have a favorite part of building a franchise? 

A: I build teams in different ways it really depends on what the last owner left me. I don't tank so for me it's always how do you take what is already there and make it a winner. I'm not a huge fan of the max contracts although I will overspend on 1 guy if it will put me over the top. I try to build for the playoffs not necessarily to have the best regular season record. Most of my WS appearances came as a wild card.

CT: Fans always like a good underdog story of the Wildcard team pushing their way through the playoffs! Any thoughts on the condition Ploppie left the team? Is El Paso going to be a rival to Ottawa? 

A: Ploppie wasn't here long so not sure what the strategy was. Looks like he was hovering around .500 the entire time. If I don't have a team that can win it all I don't spend big $$ to stay mediocre. We shall see which of us gets to the WS 1st

CT: That explains the three Free Agent signings you made this year. I'm sure your pitchers will appreciate the 1/$2.8M signing of Cutter Brantley behind the plate and defensive Shortstops Joe Garland and Omar Guerrero (former 2x SS Gold Glove winner). What do you think has been your best move in this young season?    

A: Best move so far has been to try and cut salary and get some prospects back. Don't have a favorite move yet. Still have some more to move but we'll see how the season goes. Look for me around the trade deadline.

CT: We'll be sure to keep an eye on your O Faces! It was fun to see the off-season trades of former Fireman of the Year, Eric Pride; starter Doc Cortes; set-up man Gabby Lunsford, DH Bruce Latham, and Bill Dixon from the plate. Which team is the NL North do you see as your biggest competition?

A: North looks close over the last 3 seasons. Probably be a dog fight until the end.

CT: All that might have changed, had Alex Tarraga signed with Scranton. Your franchise hasn't faired well since Season 27, what do you hope to change in the coming years?

A: I'm going to build a sustainable franchise in the next few seasons. I like to keep the guys through the arb years and then have replacements ready when they hit that 3rd year and are pricey. I need to build up the minors a little more at every level for that to happen.

CT: Well Ploppie does like to trade prospects! Who did Ottawa want to see enshrined into the Hall this season?

A: I'm new to the world and just went with the consensus from the established owners. There's no context for new owners and HBD stats are often skewed towards the IB/DH/LF type players.

CT: Agreed with the skew, but think my counterpart Eli Cash does a good job covering would/should be Hall of Famers on our blog. What about the infamous Dizzy Leonard not making the Hall?

A: As for Dizzy, from the outside he looks like he had a few very good seasons but was a middle of the road starter the rest of the time. Kind of reminds me of Bartolo Colon. I'm a Tigers fan too so maybe Frank Tanana comp

CT: Wonder who the better hitter is, Bartolo or Dizzy. Would you rather a perfect game but miss the playoffs or have a ERA above 5 and pitch in the world series?

A: The goal is to win the WS. I'll take pitching in the WS over any single game accomplishment.

CT: Eye on the prize I see. Any final thoughts for our readers? 

A: This seems like a fun world and looking forward to building something here. I love the blog. Used to be every world had one now none of them do. It's part of the reason I jumped in this world

Coach this!

  Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Overpaid old men who can't give up the game, aka the Coach. Let's just straight in by creating tiers of our ML coaching staffs. 

Joe McCarthy tier - This is the best of the best. 

• Philadelphia Harpers

Tony LaRussa tier

• Houston Space Cowboys
• Atlanta Expos
• Jackson Flaxon-Waxon
• New Orleans Old Fashioneds
• Salt Lake City Tabernacles

Joe Torre tier

• Anaheim Diablos
• Vancouver Canucks
• Pittsburg Yinzers
• Cincinnati Dragons
• Los Angels Summers

Bobby Cox tier

• Boston Massacre
• Washington DC Nationals
• Colorado Springs From My Lions
• Ottawa O Faces
• Oklahoma City Barons
• San Juan Fudds
• Milwaukee Metronomes

Joe Maddon tier

• Colorado Cab Blast
• Columbus Corgis
• Austin Son's of Odin
• Huntington Tropics
• Dover Hazmats
• Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates
• Wichita Aeros

AJ Hinch tier

• Scranton Hammers
• Helena Hot Dogs
• Chicago Gunslingers
• Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII
• New York Empire

Do they even have a coaching staff tier

• El Paso Ploppies

Looking Franchise wide, here are the top 5 hitting, pitching, and bench coach staffs. A lot of the bottom tier ML franchise have some great coaching staffs in their minor league system in hopes to coach up those prospects and get them ML ready. Without further ado:

Top 5 Hitting Coaching Staff (includes minor leagues)

1. Pittsburgh Yinzers
2. Anaheim Diablos
3. New Orleans Old Fashioneds
4. Columbus Corgis
5. Atlanta Expos

Top 5 Pitching Coaching Staff (includes minor leagues)

1. Philadelphia Harpers
2. New Orleans Old Fashioneds
3. Chicago Gunslingers
4. Ottawa O Faces
5. Columbus Corgis

Top 5 Bench Coaching Staff (includes minor leagues)

1. Los Angeles Summers
2. Atlanta Expos
3. San Juan Fudds
4. Philadelphia Harpers
5. New Orleans Old Fashioneds

Time for the Hall - Part 2

 Eli Cash - contributing reporter

For a refresher for those new voters, be sure to skim past articles; particularly the primer for a detailed explanation of the three scoring system we use. As a quick reminder, a sure thing for a hitter is 60/130/500, for a starter its 60/130/420 and for a reliever (who doesn't use the Test Score) is 130/250. You'll see them highlighted in blue below. 

Players ranked by Monitor score

Armando Merced - received Eli Cash's vote

Merced sat strong at 11 votes last year, but still 6 short of enshrinement. The scores don't lie, Merced ranks above 9 other Cobbfather HoF pitchers and just below Chris Pendleton. 

Stat Chasers: 3000+ K, 270 W, 5 seasons of 18+ W, 6 of 200+ K and 6 sub 3.00 ERA seasons. 

Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, 3x World Series rings

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Don Sutton, Catfish Hunter, Early Wynn

Braeden Abercrombie

When a pitcher top 3000 K with 9 sub 3.00 ERA seasons you know he's been dominant. Cash wouldn't be surprised to see more votes for him this season, but will it cost Merced or others their enshrinement? 

Stat Chasers: 3000+ K, 4 seasons of 18+ W, 8 of 200+ K, 9 sub 3.00 ERA seasons. 

Trophy Chasers: 6x All Star, 1x Cy Young, 1x World Series ring

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Bert Blyleven, Mike Mussina, Jack Morris

Midre Tavarez

His comps aren't the best, but he did get more votes last season. We covered how similar he is to Merced in last season's Hall recap if you'd like to jump over for a quick read. 

Stat Chasers: 270+ W, 5 seasons with 18+ W, 5 sub 3.00 ERA seasons. 

Trophy Chasers: 6x All Star, 2 World Series rings, 1x No Hitter

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Jose Mesa, Tommy John, Ron Guidry

Players ranked by Monitor score

Al Balentien

I wouldn't blame you for continuing to push for Balentien for the Hall, as 13 current Cobbfather HoFers rank below Balentien's 179 Monitor score. Nearly topped 500 saves - ranking #3 all time on the saves list. 

Stat Chasers: 8 seasons of 40+ SV, 6 of sub 3.00 ERA

Trophy Chasers: 8x All Star, 5x Fireman of the Year, 1x World Series ring

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Tom Glavine, Gaylord Perry, Jim Palmer

Tomo Hayashi - received Eli Cash's vote

In the prime of his career while many owners would have used him as a closer, jake72 had him pitching every other game. In fact in Season 36 he pitched in over half of that season's game (86). On the low end he could have averaged 40 saves those 9 saves; which would have given him 705 saves. But a strong bullpen is a strong bullpen. Similar to Balentien, outranks 13 current Cobbfather Hall of Famers. 

Stat Chasers: Pitched to the tune of 13 sub 3.00 ERA seasons (5 were sub 2.00). Even though he didn't close during his prime, he still managed 8 seasons of 30+ SVs.

Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, 1x Fireman of the Year, 2x World Series ring

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Gaylord Perry, John Smoltz, Trevor Hoffman

Yeico Miranda

Received Eli's vote last year but the emergence of Hayashi on the ballet, Miranda will have to wait. Similar to Hayashi, he spent 4 early seasons being used in 40% of the seasons games rather than closing, though he picked up a few saves those seasons. 

Stat Chasers: 13 sub 3.00 ERA seasons (6 were sub 2.00), 6 easons of 30+ SV

Trophy Chasers: 10x All Star, 2x Fireman of the Year, 1x RotY, 1x World Series Ring

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Don Sutton, Ed Walsh, Tommy Bond

Eduardo Jose

Stat Chasers: 6 seasons of sub 3.00 ERA, 10 seasons of 30+ SV (3 were 40+)

Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, 2x Fireman of the Year

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Catfish HUnter, Rollie Fingers, Andy Pettitte 

Artie Stone

Stat Chasers: 5 seasons of sub 3.00 ERA, 5 seasons of 30+ SV (3 were 40+)

Trophy Chasers: 6x All Stair

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Jose Mesa, David Cone, Joe Nathan

There you go folks, S48 possible Hall of Famers. Let's see if anyone gets in this year!

VOTE HERE

Time for the Hall - Part 1

 Eli Cash - contributing reporter

I could be mistaken but I believe this is the last year, last chance, last hurrah for the Dizzy 'My First Name is a Nickname' Leonard.  Will he get the 17 votes needs to be inducted? He fell 14 votes shy each of the last two years. If not, he's always got the Hall of Dizzy Leonard to fall back on. 

For a refresher for those new voters, be sure to skim past articles; particularly the primer for a detailed explanation of the three scoring system we use. As a quick reminder, a sure thing for a hitter is 60/130/500, for a starter its 60/130/420 and for a reliever (who doesn't use the Test Score) is 130/250. You'll see them highlighted in blue below. 

Last year Amrando Merced led all votes with 11 and he hopes to gain those 6 more required for enshrinement. Raul Galvez is shortly behind and only needs 7 additional votes to make it in. Good luck to both players. Alright, let's take a look at the Position Players. 

Players ranked by Monitor score

Raul Galvez - received Eli Cash's vote

In his 2nd year

Stat Chasers: 2 HR shy of 600. 12 seasons with 100+ RBI. 12 with 30+ HR (6 were 40+), 2500+ H

Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 6x All-Star, 2x World Series ring (CF)

Season averages: 150 H, 35 HR, 13SB, 92 R, 100 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Roberto Alomar

Edinson Hernandez - received Eli Cash's vote

Saw a slight improvement from his first year on the ballet, but still needs 12 more votes. One of few players to walk more than they struck out and with his speed that caused a lot of issues for the fielding team. Fantastic lead-off hitter that often times would find himself in scoring position either by a double or a single and a stolen base. 

Stat Chasers: 1 SB shy of 600, 2nd all time in 2Bs, 13 seasons with 100+ R, 6 with 30+ HR (once with 40+), 14 seasons with 35+ 2Bs (3 were 45+) - no other HoF comes even close, 2500+ H, 400+ HR, 500+ 2B

Trophy Chasers: RotY, 7x All Star, 2x World Series rings (RF)

Season averages: 172 H, 27 HR, 40 SB, 117 R, 86 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Paul Molitor, Kirby Puckett, Ernie Banks

Don Sparks

Donny Sparky is definitely a candidate and I wouldn't question if voters wanted him in. But his low Test score and the other players eligible might just ruin his chances. He slipped from 5 to 2 votes last year. 

Low Test & Cash Score

Stat Chasers: 7 seasons with 100+ R, 7 with 100+ RBI, 10 with 30+ HR(3 were 40+), 2500+ H, 500+ HR

Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 2x Gold Glove 1B, 2x All Star, RotY, 2x World Series rings (1B/LF)

Season averages: 158 H, 32 HR, 17 SB, 90 R, 98 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Billy Hamilton, Jim Thome, Dave Winfield

Dennis Jefferies

Fell 12 HR shy of 500 which seems to be a theme - just shy overall. 

Low Test & Cash Score

Stat Chasers: 8 seasons with 100+ RBI, 9 seasons with 30+ HR (5 were 40+)

Trophy Chasers: 1x MVP, 5x All Star, 1x World Series ring (1B)

Season averages: 145 H, 33 HR, 0 SB, 79 R, 96 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Don Mattingly, Bernie Williams, Edgar Martinez

Wiki Unamuno - received Eli Cash's vote

In his first year he nabbed 6 votes, just 11 more and he's in. If he doesn't make the Hall, it will be because of his limited number of seasons played. But the ones he did play, he was great as you can tell by the 542 Cash points a season. His average seasons ranks up there above Edinson Hernandez, but the counting stats just aren't quite there. Imagine having a 30 HR / 40 SB / 40 2B threat at the top of your lineup in his prime. 

Stat Chasers: Feel just shy of 2500 H by 59, 500+ 2B, .300+ career AVG, 11 seasons with 100+ R, 7 with 100+ RBI, 9 with 35+ 2B (4 were 40+), 4 seasons 30+ HR

Trophy Chasers: 6x All Star, 1x World Series ring (RF)

Season averages: 188 H, 26 HR, 36 SB, 118 R, 99 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Gary Carter, Ozzie Smith, Edgar Martinez

Wandy Guillen

No current Cobbfather Hall of Fame position player has a Monitor score lower for Wandy or the names below him. Surprising to see him above .300 for his career when he only averaged 160 hits a season - only played more than 145 games a season 3 times. 

Low Monitor & Cash Score

Stat Chasers: .300+ career AVG, 9 seasons with 100+ R, 12x greater than .300 AVG. 

Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, RoyT, 1x World Series ring (2B)

Season averages: 159 H, 13 HR, 41 SB, 111 R, 62 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Sam Rice, Orlando Cepeda, Ted Simmons

Haywood Swan

Biggest decline in voting that this writer has seen. Down from 10 votes in S46 to only 3 votes last year. Not saying voters got it wrong, just stating facts. I'm with the voters on this one, he's close but not there. Least amount of seasons played for any current Hall of Famer, though also has one of the higher OPSs. 

Low Test and Monitor Score

Stat Chasers: 9 seasons with 100+ R, 8 with 100+ RBI, 8 with 30+ HR (4 were 40+), 

Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 7x All Star

Season averages: 150 H, 32 HR, 22 SB, 104 R, 97 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Jeff Kent, Barry Larkin, Andre Dawson

Ernie McEnerney

Wandy Guillen was the better 2B, but similar to Swan, both lost votes last year. McEnerney also struck out a ton. 

Low Monitor & Cash Score

Stat Chasers: 10 seasons with 30+ HR, 500 HR

Trophy Chasers: 2x All Star, 1x Gold Glove (2B)

Season averages: 157 H, 28 HR, 17 SB, 87 R, 87 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Earle Combs, Pee Wee Reese, Roger Connor

Dorssys Tatis

Low on all three tests but some how managed 4 votes last year. 

Stat Chasers: 7 seasons with 100+ RBI, 12 with 30+  HR (3 were 40+), 2500+ H, 500+ HR

Trophy Chasers: RotY

Season averages: 141 H, 31 HR, 0 SB, 77 R, 90 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Scott Rolen, Lance Berkman, Bobby Abreu

Benny Franco

We don't have a Catcher elected to the Hall of Fame yet, at least not one that spent the majority of his years behind the plate. 

Low Monitor & Cash Score

Stat Chasers: 6 seasons with 100+ RBI

Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, 1x World Series Ring (1B)

Season averages: 141 H, 28 HR, 1 SB, 73 R, 88 RBI

MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Joe Torre, Jorge Posada, Tim Raines

Had Alex Tarraga decided to retire instead of running for another 5 years to Buffalo, his Test Score would be 49, Monitor Score 252, and his Cash Score 601! He is on the sure path to first ballet Hall of Fame in just 9.5 seasons that he's played. Most players need 16-17 seasons to accrue those numbers.  

VOTE HERE

Part Two coming tomorrow for pitchers...

Nothing free about Free Agency

 Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

Here we are at the end of the Free Agency period and you are probably left wondering where all of your money went. Did you spend it wisely, did you make the right decisions, will you be waiving the players you signed this time next year? Is Tarraga worth $30M this season? Will Koyie Ward be traded before his first regular season game in a Tropics uniform? 

Let's look at the big spenders since Arbitration. 

1. Oklahoma City Barons - $28.5M
2. Chicago Gunslingers - $26.7M
3. Washington DC Nationals - $25.7M
4. Buffalo Bisons - $25.1M
5. Salt Lake City Tabernacles - $24.6M
6. Pittsburg Yinzers - $23.7M
7. Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII - $22.5M
8. New York Empire - $20.2M
9. Huntington Tropics - $18.3M
10. Helena Hot Dogs - $17.2M

Let's check out the current payrolls and remaining budget. That might give us a hint on who is looking to spend big in the International market this season. ($ values listed in Millions)

Tarraga Watch - The Sequel

 Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

The sequal to Tarraga Watch. Can this one live up to the hype of the original? 

We've had a little movement the past day, let's cut straight to it and check it out. 

1. Scranton - still sitting strong with $41M. 
2. Philadelphia - $39M - won't commit. 
3. New York - $34M - Cleared two of his three signings last off season via waiver wire and now has the room to chase after AT. Will it sway Tarraga's opinion, knowing New York has the best hitting coach in the game today? 
4. Buffalo - $31M - cleared some room and now they can offer the max deal to their former 1B. Will the home team be able to make him the corner stone of their franchise? Did Tarraga like it in Buffalo? At least it's not Canada, but close.  
5. Houston - $30M - rebuild

AT signing soon!

Tarraga Watch

   Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

Tarraga watch begins! 

As Major League free agents begin to sign, all Cobbfather fans have their eyes set to Alex Tarraga. If he's going to get that max offer, which team is it going to be that gives it to him and where do we stand with budgets?

1. Scranton - still sitting strong with $41M. 
2. Philadelphia - $39M but rebuilding doesn't equal spending $30M on a 1B. Almost 3x the rest of his payroll
3. Los Angeles - $30M - 
4. Houston - $30M - Another rebuilding team, I'd cross them off the list just like Philly. 
5. Buffalo - $28M - They may not have the max offer left but don't discount home field advantage. 

The surprise team is in the AL East, they have been clearing payroll like nobody's business. Soon their free up a total of $34M in payroll, just enough to max out the deal and really make Alex think about where he wants to play. One thing is for sure, Keith Halter has his fingers crossed for the AL team to sign him. 

Every penny

  Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

A little late, and maybe a dollar short; but let's take a look at the numbers post-arbitration. Let's see who is ready to bank in Free Agency. But first, the top 5 spenders in arbitration (includes claims, promotions, etc) are:

1. Washington DC Nations - $35.6M
2. San Juan Fudds - $31.9M
3. Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates - $30.6M
4. Salt Lake City Tabernacles - $28.2M
5. Oklahoma City Baron - 26.4M

And for the list. Sorted by highest payroll. 

TARRAGA SIGHTING!

Many Cobbfather fans flocked to local Ace Hardware in Buffalo where Tarraga was seen in the lubber section. The latest debate amongst the owners is: will he or won't he receive at least 5 yr / $110M? And secondly, why wouldn't every team be in on him. Now if I believe owners as much as I believe Scott Boras. Alex 'A.T.' Tarraga is the top player in the league, maybe even All Time. Three straight MVPs, 6 in 7 years; you couldn't ask for more. But as one owner brought up, not everyone can afford that max contract. Let's take a quick look at those who can, though don't be surprised if another team sneaks in there and nabs him. All bets are off with Tarraga - except for the bets on the type of season he'll have. 

1. Scranton Hammers - $41M remaining - Currently has 25 yr old #3 hitter Arismendy Butera manning first base. He doesn't have the glove to move around, but do they sign the stud hitter and move him to a corner outfield spot? 
2. Philadelphia Harpers - $39M - Are they happy with Wade DeJean at first? But more importantly would they rather save the money to sign another Orlando Lopez (last year's $27.6M signing) in IFA this season? Are they even ready to compete, would Tarraga sign with a non-competitor? 
3. Los Angeles Summers - $37M - After suffering through the years of bad contracts handed out by the infamous Joey; does the new owner look to make an impact his first year in? 
4. Washington DC Nationals - $34M - Supposedly looking to move Ordomar Bolivar (1B) due to phlsfan "bringing in another guy with trying to improve on def(ense)". Yeah, and the Texas Rangers were really bidding against a mystery team for Alex Rodriguez. Sure Scott Boras! 
5. Salt Lake City Tabernacles - $34M - They have challenged OKC for the division the last few seasons, could this be what they need to push them over the top? Could they fit both Omar Gonzales and Alex Tarraga in the same lineup? Imagine home runs leaving Franklin Covey Field. Good luck visiting pitchers! But after claiming Lee Schlitter off waivers from NY Empire earlier this off-season, dare they make another big move? Might require them to move Chuck Brinson to save LF for Tarraga. Last year Brinson hit 36 HR with a .284 average. I'd take it and his $5.2M per contract through Season 51. Maybe SLC could improve some of their pitching.
6. Vancouver Canucks - $32M - The third NL West team on the list, I guess everybody is getting tired of OKC sitting at the top of the division. Though rumor has it that Tarraga doesn't want to play America's past time north of the border, but they do have the space and the need as they do not currently have a 1B on their ML roster. 
7. Chicago Gunslingers - $31M - Has the needs in their lineup, easy to move Collin Price to the bench. I say go sign him Chicago!!!
8. Houston Space Cowboys - $30M - Definite rebuilding team that would normally look to sign that big time IFA. But adding Tarraga would more than double his current payroll. 
9. Mystery Team - less than $30M but transfers money to surprise everyone. 

Money - Root of All Evil?

  Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

After paying off the Commish (for the new owners - feel free to send some Tim Horton's and maple syrup his way), the Umpires, and the Hall of Fame voters trying to get Dizzy Leonard in; what else are you going to do with your $185M? How many millions will you leave on the table at the end of the season? How many million will you transfer to the international signings? Will anybody top the record $51M spent on prospects by New York Empire owner alexng688 back in Season 36? Do you plan to spend more on prospects than former Tampa Bay Deplorables owner, sermonauthor did last year at a cool, $1M? What about more than the highest payroll spent by Santa Fe Sur Riders VIII owner Pokeysan did in Season 42, at $144M?

Here's a look at the payrolls pre-arbitration (listed by budget remaining - pre trades)

It's About Location!

Richard Castle - Contributing Reporter

Movin' On Up

Let's quickly cover many of the teams that have moved this offseason. 

NL Moves
Trenton > Ottawa
Augusta > Montreal (same owner)
Florida > New Orleans (same owner)
Honolulu > Salt Lake City (same owner)
Arizona > Los Angeles

AL Moves
Iowa City > Wichita  (same owner)
Tampa Bay > El Paso
Charlotte > Huntington
Tucson > Colorado (same owner)

Lots of moving parts, let's check out the latest map

Average Factors

If your a free agent flyball pitcher you best stay out of the AL North and go find a sweet home in the NL West; not only is that division slightly more stingy against Home Runs than the AL East but they also don't have to face the DH. The NL North appears to be the most neutral division to play in. 

Meet the Owner - Golden Bear

 Catherine Trammell - Contributing Reporter

Catherine Trammel: Good morning Cobbfather fans! Earlier this off-season the Anaheim west coast bombers were purchased by Golden Bear. Anaheim fans will be excited as he plans to keep them in the city. Many fans feared a move south of the border. And why not, we've already have two teams move out of the US, choosing to pack their bags for Canada. I say again....Can-a-duh. The international players are likely scrambling for who is going to sign them, especially those from the Dominican Republic. Anaheim's previous owner signed 70 international players over the last 5 years, 41 of whom were from DR. But alas they have a new owner, let's give everyone a chance to meet him. Welcome Golden Bear! Give us a little history about your ownership history. We hope to see you around for at least the next 29 seasons like you spent with the Texas Rangers in Robert E McCabe. 

GB: I danced around worlds for a few seasons before settling down with Texas in McCabe league. Man did I not know what I was doing for awhile, but I think I've got it figured out a bit now. I had a few sustained seasons of decent success with a World Series appearance, but it was mainly a reclamation project. I really like building with youth. 

CT: There you have it, another a member of the Last Game Casualty Society. Can you share a few interesting facts about Golden Bear, is it real gold or Fool's Gold? What does he do outside of owning the Anaheim Diablos?

GB: It's definitely fool's gold. I'm a golf fan, and his (Jack Nicklaus) nickname allowed for a play on my actual name, so it worked out. Outside of WIS, I'm a labor and employment lawyer, so this is a very entertaining aspect of my life. I'm married with two kids, two dogs, and 4 chickens. I married a country girl, so the animals were inevitable. Other than that, I spend most of my time hanging out with the family and coaching the kids in their different sports teams. 

CT: What interested you in purchasing this team, and why choose to stay in Anaheim?

GB: I liked that Anaheim had a history of some early draft picks and good prospects. I'm not a fan of big contracts, so a young good core was a huge selling point. Plus, it wasn't a current contender that I could screw up! I like Anaheim's park, so it seemed like a good spot to stay in. I can definitely be bribed into a future relocation though!

CT: I hear Canada offers their owners free Tim Horton's. What was your first impression of the league and your AL West competitors? Colorado Springs is going to be a hard one to get past. They are coming off their winningest season in franchise history only to lose Game 7 of the World Series. Guess they are another member of the Last Game Casualty Society. 

GB: I like the engagement of all the owners in the World Chat and the blog. It seems like a great set of owners that make staying here long term very enjoyable. The AL West will be tough, but I think we can make our mark in the next 2-3 seasons if it all pans out. 

CT: The next 2-3 seasons shouldn't be too difficult with that young core left behind. What are your thoughts on your lineup? Shea Crowe (S44 #7 pick), and Bonk Burnett (S45 #1 pick)? Do you think we'll see Mallex Borenstein (S46 #8 pick) or Tom Hines (S47 #9 pick) called up this season? 

GB: I think the lineup has great potential and is almost ready to fully rock. It's hard to find anything not to like about Crowe. He's just a stud. I'm also a big fan of Burnett. Borenstein has a good shot of making the team this year since he's in an area of need. I think Hines has the bat to make an impact, but he needs more ABs in the minors before he come sup. I'm wary of making huge jumps so quickly. Either way, the youth on this team is amazing!

CT: What's the owner's game plan, will you plan to open the pocketbooks or remain on a tight budget?

GB: I'll probably take a mixed approach. The team needs another SP in the mold of a 3 and could use some relief pitching. Hitting wise, the youth should form the core for the next few seasons, but not everyone is ready to fill that role. I think we will see if some pitching deals make sense and maybe add a bat or two along the way. However I want to make sure I've got enough money to take a shot on a big time IFA if the opportunity presents itself. 

CT: Good luck in IFA, that price seems to be rising every season. Last season the team ended ranked #19, where do you expect to be ranked by the end of next season?

GB: I would expect us somewhere in the 10-15 range, but I am not going to go all out this season. If I can acquire a better long term group at the cost of maybe not winning as much this season, so be it. I'm thinking the real hope is to be top 5 in 2-3 seasons with a young core of awesomeness. 

CT: Sounds like a new team name, Young Core of Awesomeness! I'm sure the fans will be thrilled. Last question on everyone's mind. Where do you stand on Dizzy Leonard's Hall bid? Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame?

GB:  No Hall of Dizzy from this owner. Sure, he eclipsed 3k strikeouts, but the other stats just don't get home over the line for me. Then again, I'm a harsh critic so please school me as you see fit. 

CT: There you have it folks, no Hall of Fame for Dizzy Leonard. The new owner has spoken! I hear Eli Cash has spent a little more time with Jill Bames this offseason, so I expect a new article from the team just before Hall of Fame voting starts this year. So stay tuned for that, and watch out for these Diablos in the next 2-3 years; they are out to prove themselves.