Offseason Update: Meteors send catcher but get another, swap 3Bs with Singapore

[Bob_Meteors]

PARIS, France: The Melbourne Meteors' catcher is Itri Jela. He hit .273 with 27 HRs last year. The Meteors don't need a catcher. So it should come as little surprise to passionate fans that tonight, they acquired star catcher Édouard Renaud from the Paris Fleur-de-Lis.

The Meteors gave up outfield prospect Wei-quo Lee, as well as shortstop prospects Candradipa Indrani and Asita Davuluri, in the deal. They also received $5 million in cash, to partially offset the cost of Renaud's $7m contract. This deal seems pretty fair, but the question that has analysts baffled is: Why did they do it?

Will Jela and Renaud split time at the catcher position? This seems like an expensive deal for a backup, so we expect Renaud will see at least some playing time. It seems unlikely that Jela will become the backup, so the only option left seems to be a platoon. Details to come.

EDIT: The Meteors have just finalized a trade sending their starting third baseman Aparahnaka Manjusha and pitching prospect Bartold Hultermans to the Singapore Merlions. In exchange, they receive third baseman Yoshimasa Kimura and a second round pick.

This deal seems to benefit the Meteors. Kimura is about as good as Manjusha, and the same age (only 25), giving him some room to develop and improve. Hultermans was drafted in the third round of the 2109 draft, so the Meteors actually got a better pick in return.

EDIT: The Meteors have just finalized a deal with the Northwest Emeralds. They send star catcher Itri Jela to the Emeralds, receiving pitcher Alfred Reeves, catcher Gennarino DaVinci, and a second-round pick. This makes clear the reason for the confusing Renaud trade. It seems that that deal was made in response to this deal with Northwest, which had been brewing for days. Renaud will become the Meteors' catcher, with DaVinci as backup. Reeves will fit into their rotation... somewhere.

For now, it seems that the Meteors' rotation has Kvana Datar, Abdeljilil Abedi, Imre Maxa, and Janardan Shreerang, along with Reeves. Their bullpen, however, is packed. There's not space to go into it here, and it has been chronicled in many other Times articles, but the Meteors have at least 14 pitchers who deserve a role in the rotation or bullpen, and only 11 to 12 spots. Tough decisions will need to be made.
Phil Crater

[APMP]

Nah Melbourne just upgraded at 1B

[claphamsa]

or not...

[Bob_Meteors]

Bump cuz I edited it twice.