Collusion Day Winners and Losers
Minutes, seconds maybe after the first pitch of a wonderful CBA season the league and fans were buzzing as they should be. A whirlwind season and Chicago’s quest to repeat were ended by the buzz saw that is the Detroit Motors. But what was for sure jubilation for Motors players and fans quickly turned into a little disappointment on the part of their whiz kid general manager Joey Brumme, as he learned minutes later that he lost out on the Ben Perez sweepstakes. A sweepstakes that it appears he wasn’t aware was going on. But this was not the only move that was made on that fateful night so lets take a look back and do what we always do. Pick some winners and losers WAY too soon. Kicking of your Collusion Day 2023 coverage.
Cincinnati sends:
RF Matt Breen (CBA)
SP Orlando Orozco (DEV-A)
2024 4th Round Draft Pick
Sacramento sends:
SP Antonio Espejo (SWL)
2024 1st Round Draft Pick
Initial Reaction: Looks to be a questionable move on the part of Sacramento, a first round pick and a highly coveted prospect around the league for what has been a draft bust in Orozco and only a 2 career WAR player in Breen with a throw in 4th rounder.
Deep Dive: This is a win now move for Sacramento. Their pick is at 24 overall so they shouldn’t be missing out on a first year impact player. Espejo is only 17 and GM Ryan Davis is looking to move his Golden Bears into the top flight this upcoming year. With that in mind moving a 17 year old starting pitcher won’t hurt them this year. Orozco is an interesting case, taken at 16 Overall by Cincy he was put directly into use at the RES level where he posted a 5.99 ERA in 19 starts, his BABIP was .350 so he wasn’t getting much help. Despite this he was a 1.1 WAR player. I believe he will find a more patient hand in Sac town. I expect him to split time this year between DEV A and RES and be ready for the show in 2 years time. But Jerry you said this is a win now move. It is because of one guy, Matt Breen. Sacramento has had one of the best staffs in the league, not necessarily talent wise but they are consistent, they play in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in the league and it shows. Their problem is that after star man Buzzy “The Potato Baron” Rodriguez and ‘Vapor Lock” Delgado they don’t hit much. Breen looks to be their everday DH with the retirement of Tommy Mawyer. With improvement in stats across the board from one year to the next Breen helped the Royals gain promotion and if he can stay healthy he may be able to get the Golden Bears there too.
Short term winner: Sacramento
Long Term Winner: Sacramento (pending the draft and development of Espejo vs Orozco and promotion battle this year)
Cincinnati Sends:
C Jordan ‘Cowboy’ Olguin (CBA)
RP Troy Pye (RES)
2025 3rd round pick
$50k
Los Angeles Sends:
C Chris Carlisle (SWL)
RP Luis ‘Gator’ Aguilera (RES)
SP Jason Harper (SWL)
2024 first round pick
2024 second round pick (Atlanta)
Initial Reaction: Did Cincy get promoted or relegated, for a team that looks to be in a fight to stay at the top selling two rather large contributers in Breen and Olguin is kind of a head scratcher.
Deep Dive: Olguin will be 32 to start next season, he only played in 82 games this so I think this is a case of Cincy smartly selling high on their former star man. This gives Los Angeles instant credibility at the catcher position but maybe more importantly a face for a billboard with higher level experience. Troy Pye could be a fantastic starter if he learned another pitch, he is the quintessential AAAA player in that he was very good at the highest level of the minors but bad in the show. He could be a valuable arm out of a pen where he could go multiple innings or multiple days in a row. Coming back for those guys 50k and a 3rd rounder is what looks like could be quite the haul. First is Chris Carlisle at only 19 he doesn’t look to be much more than minor league or fringe major league backup. Who is going to catch for Cincy you ask? 21 year old Danny Guerrero will get the nod, after playing fantastic to start the season at the RES he got the call and filled in more than adequately in Olguin’s hiatus on the DL. Next is Luis “Gator Aguilera. Aquired by LA in the move for Orlando Burgueno and Kamar Alston. With a velocity topping out at 97 with some nasty cutting action Aguilera had a much better season at the RES level for LA and looks like he could contribute to a good bullpen very soon. Jason Harper has knockout stuff and hits 98 consistently the issue is he doesn’t know where the ball is going once it leaves his hand, unless he can figure that out don’t expect him in the show very soon. Where Cincy nails it home is when they acquire a third pick in the first round and another in the Top 60.
Short Term Winner: LA
Long Term Winner: Cincy
Midwest Plainsmen sends:
CF John Belinksy
Florida sends:
2024 2nd Round Pick
Initial Reaction: That’s a steal for Florida
Deep Dive: Belinsky is a rare free swinger with a high average. He can put his bat on any ball he likes. His happy zone is nose to toes but for him it works. Don’t let the -.5 WAR fool he was forced to play out of position last season in center field for the Plainsman where he had a -23.8 ZR. Just cause he technically can play there doesn’t mean he should. With the regressions of both Jayden Morrissette and Nelson Santana, look for it to be a revolving door between the three of them at the corner outfield and DH spots. With known interest around the league for Belinsky the fact that all it took is a second round pick confirms the initial reaction, this is a steal.
Short Term and Long Term Winner: Florida
Philadelphia sends:
DH Jay McFarland (CBA)
Iowa sends:
2024 3rd round pick
Initial Reaction: Who?
Deep Dive: We have a guy nick named “Mac Daddy” and I didn’t know about it?! That being said after taking a look Jay hit 46 bombs in the inaugural season. Pair that with his 212 K’s and hes your proverbial free swinging DH, if he makes contact you can kiss it good bye but that’s quite a big “if”. His numbers should improve against slightly weaker pitching in the bronze league. A third round pick seems fair for him.
Short Term and Long Term Winner: It’ s a Wash
DC Sends:
Song-i Kim (YA or JWL)
Chicago Sends:
2025 1st Round Pick
Initial Reaction: Chicago sent what for who?!
Deep Dive: Don’t know if anyone’s looked lately but DC has stacked the farm with pitching, with guys like Aaron Hannah, Matt Eldred, Omar Luna, Jeff Dunham etc. Kim is just a drop in the bucket. At 17 years old by the time he is ready those guys will be in their prime so space in the rotation will be at a premium. Chicago’s first rounder is a glorified second rounder if we are honest so this all depends on perception. If Kim turns into a contributor then this may be a good move for Chicago. If he doesn’t we can just view him as a draft bust.
Short Term Winner: DC
Long Term Winner: Depends on development of Kim and whoever that draft pick turns out to be.
Sacramento Sends:
SP Tom Wood (SWL)
4th round pick (via SBBC)
Carolina sends:
RP Nigel Berry (BL)
Initial Reaction: Good move by Sac keeping Berry after loan.
Deep Dive: As much as I love to gush over Sacramento’s ability to pitch their biggest hole is in the back end of the bullpen. They shored this up short term last year by acquiring Berry on loan. He was fantastic for them posting a 12.8 K/9 and a 2.35 ERA in 69 innings with the club. A top priority was getting him permanently and with this move they did just that. Giving up Wood hurts but with the ballpark they play in mediocre pitchers tend to look a lot better. The move is good for Carolina as they get a draft pick and a pitcher who can help them get back into the Silver league down the road. Really a win win.
Short Term Winner: Sacramento
Long Term Winner: Carolina
SD sends:
Adam Duhamel CBA
Kevin Simmons DEV-A
2nd Round Pick
Los Angeles Chilis send:
Andres Perales CBA
Joe Tuzzio SWL
Initial Reaction: There is a lot of potential switching places here.
Deep Dive: Duhamel can be a plus pitcher and mid rotation guy on most staffs. The issue is his attitude clashes with teammates coaches and fans marred his past so lets see if he can work past that under the bright lights of LA but don’t bet on that. Simmons looks like he can be an everyday center fielder and top of the lineup hitter. His combination of contact and ability to hit gaps makes every single towards the gap a potential double. Going back to SD is Perales and Tuzzio. Perales is one of the fastest players I’ve everseen which is odd for a first baseman he is a whiz in the field and the opposite of Duhamel in the clubhouse. The only issue is he doesn’t hit, which in the CBA means at first base you don’t play. Maybe a move to a corner outfield spot is in his future. The other piece is the most interesting in this whole trade and that’s Tuzzio. At only 18 he has absolutely raked at the YA level he is in line for a promotion but kudos to LA for not rushing him along. I’m excited to see him against pitching at each of the other levels as he grows.
Short Term Winner: Los Angeles
Long Term Winner: San Diego
Miami sends:
1B Juan Alejo (CBA)
2025 1st round pick
SP Jose Moran (RES)
San Diego sends:
SP Harry Galbraith (CBA)
Initial Reaction: Woah, wait, what, Why?!
Deep Dive: Juan Alejo just hits. Not where you thought I was going huh. He had a 28 game hit streak in the inaugural season and hasn’t really slowed down. The thing is I have no idea why he hits he just does and there is no reason he won’t continue to. A first round pick from Miami next year is a crapshoot until we know how they matchup to SL teams day in and day out. Jose Moran looks to be a bottom of the rotation guy and you can never have to much starting pitching. This brings me to what Miami is receiving and his name is Harry Galbraith. He only had two bad starts all year in the top flight a shellacking at the hands of GLC where he didn’t get out of the second inning and when the Detroit Motors got into the fourth inning of a tie game in the championship series and went, single, double, single, 3 run shot and the game was for all intensive purposes over. It will be interesting to see how a 23 year old in a new place on a totally new team reacts after that. All fans of the CBA hope he comes back better than ever but only time will tell. It’s a gamble on the part of Miami but the pairing of Paddock and Galbraith makes all silver league teams very unhappy and will for a couple years as they claw their way up.
Short Term Winner: Miami
Long Term Winner: Miami (Dependent on where that 2025 pick turns out to be)
DC Sends:
Ben Perez (BL)
Mike Frantz (SWL)
Bobby Stevens (SWL)
Mexico City Sends:
Orlando Burgueno (DEV-A)
Rogelio Hernandez (DEV-A)
Lorenzo Garcia (DEV-A)
Salvatore Gutierrez (INT)
Antonio Garcia (INT)
2025 2nd Round Pick
Initial Reaction: COLLUSION
Deep Dive: Orlando Burgueno was treated almost as throw in with Kamar Alston last year. It seems like only after that was he recognized as the top prospect he was, with the potential to be a top 5 hitter in the league down the road. The issue was Burgueno wasn’t a top person outside the foul lines and to Mexico City boss Alex Romero that matters. They have been looking for the right package for him for months and think they got it in Ben Perez. Perez pitched all of 10.1 innings this year before tearing a ligament in his elbow. But with how dominant he was the year before and with Mexico City’s league leading defense behind him the sky should be the limit for Mr. Perez. Also included in the deal was Mike Frantz. Interchangable at short and 3B look for Frantz to pressure for the 3B everyday spot in the next few years. With short locked up by Andy Popour and if Frantz develops at third those two along with Kyle Baker and Ryan Wright could be mainstays in the infield for a long time. Bobby Stevens also came over he looks to be all bat and no glove so it will be interesting to see how mexico city will try to work him into the fold eventually. Along with Burgueno went Rogelio Hernandez MEX’s top draft pick a year ago. Looks like he can be an impact starter shortly and pairs nicely with DC’s young cast of starters. Lorenzo Garcia could help in a solid pen down the road as a potential 7th and 8th inning guy. Gutierrez is an international find who has yet to play at any level. Antonio Garcia is as well. The 2025 round pick may turn out to be little more than a third rounder if Perez carries the Chupacabras as they hope he will.
Short Term Winner: Mexico City
Long Term Winner: DC (As long as Burgueno turns into what he is supposed to be)
Big Winner of Collusion Day: Sacramento Golden Bears. Picking up two impact players in positions of need for a team that should be in a fight for promotion this season. I think these two moves put them over the top.
Big Loser of Collusion Day: Anyone who didn’t know it was going on.