Offseason Report: 1933 UA Spring Training

June 4, 1933

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The busiest baseball offseason in history continued with a flurry of activity in the weeks leading up to Opening Day. As we wrap up UA Spring Training in Amblint, we prepare to enter the final Regular Season before the new UUBO merger takes full effect in 1934.

The Delle Stars look to maintain their reign after an incredible comeback run in the 1932 Windsor Cup Playoffs to become the first team to win the Windsor Cup for a second time, winning back-to-back championships to retain ownership of the ultimate prize in Uplantic sports. The usual suspects are back this year, with the Bears, Guardians, and White Sox looking strong once again. The Owls could be poised for a breakout year and could become contenders, along with the Rivals and the Stags.

Meanwhile, NPL Spring Training is now underway in Langhorn. There’s more on the line than ever before in the NPL, as the junior league’s top four teams in terms of cumulative all-time record will be added to the senior UA next year. The new UUBO alignment will also add six NPL teams from the soon-to-be-defunct Southern League, as well as two brand new expansion teams. Presumably, we will see the unveiling of these new franchises sometime during this season, although no formal announcement has been made by league officials.

(Jump to Final UA Spring Standings)

News

November

• RH SP Stanley Quinn missed all of 1932 with a ruptured elbow ligament, but the Delle Stars seem to believe in his ability to come back strong this year, as he has re-signed with the champs for 4 years at $6.45 million per year. Aside from the elbow injury, some fans have expressed concern about Quinn’s age. He turns 35 in December. (11/27)
• The Delle Stars made another big move today, sending a pair of prospects to the Salvation Brothers in exchange for star OF Curt Lawson. Lawson had a bit of an off year at the plate in 1932, but won his first Distinguished Defender award. Lawson will be a free agent after this season. (11/28)

December

• Former Windsor Cup Final MVP Daniel Lia Yorino has chosen to sign with the Elderwood Lakers. His contract is for 3 years, earning him $4.16 million per year. Some fans are questioning the signing, but Elderwood brass is confident the 34-year old shortstop will help the team make the push for UA promotion in the short term. (12/4)
• The Carver Canaries are looking to the future with a UA promotion all but locked in for 1934. They have sent LHP Fred Wilson to the Elderwood Lakers in exchange for 18-year old LHP Jim Hill. Wilson’s lifetime ERA of 1.81 should be a boon to the Lakers, who need an impressive season to make a run at promotion to the UA for 1934. (12/6)
• After a shaky season by his standards with Platte in the UA, RH RP Gustavo Retoyes is headed back to the NPL where he dominated in ’30 and ’31. He has signed with the Wight Spiders for 2 years/$3.8 million. (12/6)
• The Salvation Brothers made another move in their rebuilding efforts, sending pitchers Vist Sek and Donald O’Quinn to the Deerborn White Sox in exchange for young 2B Kurt Lund. RHP Vist Sek has had a great career so far, and should be a fine addition to the Sox bullpen. (12/9)
• The Stars have added another veteran arm to their bullpen. Delle dealt three young prospects to the Deerborn White Sox and received 36-year old LHP Pedro Pultudos in return. Up until now, Pedro has spent his entire career in Deerborn, and has been a key part of their success. (12/11)
• Slugging LF Allen Hendrix has been dealt after reportedly asking for a trade from the Elderwood Lakers. Hendrix will head to the Wight Spiders, and the Lakers will receive young RHP prospect Marshall Lowe. (12/13)
• 3B David Holmes is headed to the NPL’s Carver Canaries after a 4-year career with the Brothers. Holmes managed to remain healthy and had a productive season for the Brothers in 1932 after missing substantial time during 1930-31 with multiple injuries. Salvation traded Holmes to Carver in exchange for young ace prospect LHP David Mujer. (12/14)
• The Northsouth Guardians have landed free agent RH RP Tony Rodier. Rodier returns to the UA after a great year with the Tiny Sea Metros in the NPL. (12/14)
• After winning back-to-back Windsor Cup championships with the Delle Stars, RH SP John Munson is headed to the Carver Canaries. Carver signed the junk hurler through the 1938 season for $5.3 million per year. With the Canaries very likely headed to the UA next season, Munson is primed to compete at the highest level. (12/23)
• The defending NPL champions have made a deal to bring star LF Vance Adegoke to their squad. The Plains City Reapers traded two young pitching prospects to the UA’s Salvation Brothers in exchange for Adegoke, who hit .290 with 51 RBIs over a career-high 376 at-bats in 1932. (12/30)

January

• The Lia Kompos Miners have sent their star LF Jesus Lia Taawa to the NPL’s Elderwood Lakers in exchange for two young prospects. Lia Taawa has been one of the Miners’ top players since the founding of the franchise in 1928 with a lifetime .252 AVG, 80 doubles, 126 HRs, and 240 RBIs over five seasons. (1/1)
• 3B Jeff Brown returns to the Salvation Brothers, where he began his career playing in 21 games in 1928. Brown came into his own as a Herder, becoming their everyday third baseman in 1930. Cherricaw sent Brown to Salvation in return for young infielder William Blakley. (1/2)
• Platte Bears SS Ralph Maxwell has signed an extension with the team. He will earn $18.9 million over the next 3 years. Maxwell said that he fielded other offers but returned to the Bears out of “loyalty to an organization that’s given [him] so much.” He has spent his entire 5-year career in Platte, helping to bring the franchise the Windsor Cup in 1930. (1/2)

February

• The Miners are cleaning house. After five seasons in Lia Kompos, everyday SS Lorenzo Adom has been traded to the NPL’s Wight Spiders. The Spiders hope Adom will help ensure they are promoted to the UA next year. The Miners will receive young infield prospect Fares Durant in return for Adom. (2/12)
• In a move being panned by experts, the Railey Rivals have traded promising 25-year old RHP Ron Englert and 23-year old 3B phenom Luis Hecini to the Northsouth Guardians. The Rivals will receive young infield prospect Ben Hayes. (2/17)
• Struggling 2B Danny Pepuyaki is part of a big trade between the Reapers and the Spiders. Pepuyaki and SS prospect Rick Pierce head to the Spiders, while Reapers receive RHP prospect Lucio Moreno and infield prospect Cipriano Lia Yorino. Despite his team winning the National Cup in 1932, Pepuyaki hit only .162. (2/27)

March

• 1931 Pitcher of the Year Matthew Huertata has signed an extension. He will return to the Deerborn White Sox for another three years to extend his contract through 1936. He will make $9.5 million per year in the deal. Huertata is 36-years old, but his dominance on the mound is unmatched, and seemingly not slowing down as he enters his sixth season with Deerborn. (3/9)

May

• UA Spring Training is officially underway in Amblint! Over the next month, teams will evaluate their talent, pare down their rosters, and take their first steps in the quest for the Windsor Cup. (5/1)
• Journeyman RH RP Len Frivo lands in Elderwood, where he had one of his best seasons in 1930. Last year, Frivo struggled upon returning to the NPL with the Metros. (5/5)
• Two-time All-Star LH RP Carter Brown has extended his contract with the Guardians through 1936. He will make $8.28 million over 3 years in the deal. Brown had a career year in 1932, his first year with Northsouth. He was 7-0 with 1.67 ERA and 98 Ks. (5/6)
• All-Star RH RP Amin Roux will remain in Delle, where he has thrived since 1928. The 2-year deal will earn Roux $8.88 million. Last season was Roux’s first All-Star appearance, and he finished the year with a career-best 0.96 ERA over 46.2 IP. (5/9)
• After this morning’s announcement, the champs bring back another big arm this afternoon: Delle re-signs LH RP Manny Rokodriguez. He will make $2.86 million over 2 seasons, through 1935. Rokodriguez is coming off of the best ERA of his career: 1.80 in 1932. (5/9)
• LF Carlos Kayra returns to the UA, signing a $5.8 million deal for 1933 with the Salvation Brothers. Kayra is healing from an elbow strain, but is expected to be ready to go for the Brothers on Opening Day. (5/13)
• The Brothers rebuild continues as they ship 4-time Distinguished Defender SS Keith Franklin to the Bears. Franklin will become a free agent after this season. The Brothers receive young OF prospect Jose Rivera in the trade. (5/14)
• Platte superstar slugger Juan Tokorres has been dealing with a foot contusion, and may have further aggravated it while working out with the team. He expects to be ready for Opening Day. (5/14)
• Free agent 1B Jack Garrett signs with the Redwood Owls. He will make $2.64 million for the 1933 season. Garrett is 36-years old, but he managed a .277 over 83 plate appearances last year. (5/16)
• CF Tom Katamori wanted to get paid, and the Guardians are going to pay him. Katamori will make $13.8 million over 3 years in his contract extension, keeping him in Northsouth through 1936. (5/16)
• Heartbreaking news, as veteran Bears LF Stan Davis has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his knee. The injury will end his season before it begins. Davis was at the top of his game in 1932, but the 36-year old’s contract will be up, leading to rumors of retirement. (5/19)
• 1928 Pitcher of the Year Rich Smith will stay in Roland through 1937! The Stags have resigned Smith for 4 years at a hefty $9.6 million per year. The lefty ace turns 34 this season, but is coming off a record-setting 0.98 WHIP, All-Star season in 1932. (5/25)
• Days after celebrating Rich Smith’s contract extension, the Stags and their fans were dealt a tough blow today as LH SP Salim Mujer is out for 1933 with a partially torn UCL. The 36-year old hurler says he is “sad, mad, all of that,” but plans to be back next year. He is signed through 1936. (5/27)
• Redwood Owls 3B Fouad Lefevre has been suffering from shoulder tendinitis, and doctors say he may take a little longer to recover than initially believed. He is likely to miss the first 1-2 weeks of the Regular Season. (5/27)
• NPL Spring Training is now underway in Langhorn! The NPL Regular Season will begin July 1. (5/27)
• Veteran RF Mike Wilson is headed to the Plains City Reapers after a middling 1932 season in Redwood. The Redwood Owls have traded him to the Reapers for young SS prospect Claudio Hernankez. (5/28)

Final UA Spring Standings:

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