Cleveland, Ohio - November 21st, 2029:
Money is flowing in Canton as the offseason is underway in the Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance. $96.5 million to be exact.
Is it smart management, good timing, or something else?
2029 saw Canton with a hefty $129.8 million payroll with stars such as catcher Ryan Lambert and All-Star/All-Leather winner Harry Hutchins accounting for the ballooned payroll that fielded a 63-99 record for the year. Not much to get excited about after finishing 20 games worse than the previous year's tie of the franchise best 3rd place finish in the division and second best franchise record of 83-79.
Is this smart management which lead to the freeing up of so much money, with hopes of a renewed push in the 2030 season? One insider hypothesizes that first year GM Michael Czosnyka threw in the towel in April after multiple confrontations with long time owner William Marsten IV. One could look at the acquisition of one time Golden Arm winner Leonard Carver as the start of the end of the Longshoremen. The exodus continued with 10 more trades of anything not bolted down within Svab Memorial. I'm told some furniture and team equipment can be found on Ebay and Craigslist still today being sold with strange accounts. These trades did result in a much needed restocking effort of the farm system however. So the verdict is still out; but we will be soon publishing the notes provided to us from our insider to let you decide.
Is this all just good timing? Canton has 5 players that are arbitration eligible this offseason; previously making ~$8 million in 2029. Early reports are that only one player still fits the plans of the GM and Assistant GM (Hoshi Shimizu) going forward. 6 pending free agents accounted for ~$73 million in 2029. Once again only one player is reported to have received a qualifying offer. Another additional ~$28 million comes off the books with Leonard Carver and David López. So it's very plausible that Canton and rookie GM Czosnyka fell into the right situation at the right time, choosing a hard stance in beginning a rebuild rather than overpay underperforming and aging veterans.
Or is something else going on entirely? Pending free agent Bill Carter and recently resigned Jimmy Younger are opening a family dinner named "Carter and Younger's", despite rumors of both players frequenting Jack Cleveland Casino and seen leaving in tears throughout the 2029 season. Other pending free agents have been reported buying new homes for family members amongst other more exotic and expensive toys for the offseason. There are also the recent rumors that William Marsten was seen recently meeting with Gloucester Fisherman owner, Wendell Hart, about new investment possibilities in a questionable real estate market. Marsten has been spotted with Hart visiting Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey, and Gloucester looking at land for both residential and commercial investment opportunities.
Hart provided only that the short term and long term health of the ballclub is his only concern with these new ventures and he expects to reinvest his earnings back into Gloucester. Can the same be said for Marsten?
More to follow as details are known.
- Damson Actinon, Canton Port Times