November 26, 1928
The UA Winter Meetings were held November 14-17 in Plains City, Huggins. The front offices of all 12 teams and a plethora of free agents gathered to negotiate for the upcoming 1929 season. Here are the biggest signings and trades from before, during, and after the Winter Meetings.
- SP Matt Mercer signs a 5-year deal with the Prissley Trail Blazers. He bounced around several touring teams before joining the UA for 1929. He is known for his off-putting demeanor. (11/3)
- 2B Victor Thabet signs an 8-year contract with the Redwood Owls. The length of the deal is surprising to many, as Thabet is a talented, yet notoriously selfish and lazy player. If the Owls can reign in his personality, he will be a contributor. (11/8)
- 3B Hichem Colle signs a 7-year deal with the Lia Kompos Miners. He has been out of baseball for 3 years, since wandering away from the Lake Woodlyn Woodies touring team in Plains City. He was the standout star of the team, but was notorious for absences and tardiness. (11/9)
- SP Gabriel Moldonado signs with the Prissley Trail Blazers. He is a well-known baseball veteran. He leaves his role as player/manager of the Eastern Riders touring team. (11/12)
- Veteran touring ball SP Vincent Hodges signs with Cherricaw. He reportedly declined an offer from his hometown White Sox due to personal differences with their general manager, Tom Anderson. (11/14)
- SP Ron Rivera signs with the Delle Stars. Rivera was the top pitcher on the Long Pines Travelers. The Bears offered him a contract in 1928, but he declined. (11/15)
- The Redwood Owls sign legendary Milner’s Baseball Kings star outfielder Jorge Akil. Akil grew up in the rural northern D’Aeko town of Min’tes’ki. Legend has it he ran away with a traveling team called the Termina Beavers at age 15, and worked washing uniforms, tending to field maintenance and handbill advertising. He was eventually allowed to practice and warm up with the team, but never made into a game, until his skills during drills caught the eye of a Kings scout five years later. He was invited to a tryout with the Kings, a much more prestigious and wealthy club. The story goes that he hit six homeruns in a row, the other way, to the deepest part of left center and was hired as a player that day. He was advertised as “The Walloping Lefty from Min’tes’ki.” (11/17)
- The Prissley Trail Blazers add another tough arm to their starting rotation with SP Jeff Rogers from the South Carrol Coyotes. (11/19)
- The Cherricaw Herders pick up another tough arm of their own to keep up in the East as they add SP Kip McCarty to their rotation. (11/22)
- Salvation Brothers trade 19-year old top-prospect P Dan Tutuo to Prissley in exchange for veteran LF Mark Dutertre and young prospect P Kevin Griffin. (11/25)
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