It has been a week since the whiplash inducing start to free agency, but now we see our next big signings of the offseason. It was nice to be able to catch our breath and decompress after the frenetic first day, but it is good to see the roster moves continue.
 Captain/Commissioner/Carl Coffee never stops recruiting - that is likely the itch that made him take control of a team again. He is rumored to have put offers on the table with many players around the league, both veterans and rookies. Details of the deal for Belgian to acquire Josh Nagorski and Nick Braden, who Coffee refers to as the N & N boys, did not start to leak out until late Tuesday afternoon (10/8). And the deal came together fast. By 7 PM the terms had been finalized and approved by league HQ.Nagorski and Nick will join Coffee, David Buhr, Jason Matt, Douglas Wesserling, and rookies Stephen Farkas and Travis Strojny on the now (for now) complete Belgian roster, which commands 17 stars. Josh Ratliff was dropped in order to make room in the eight-man clubhouse. Both N & N boys bring solid bats to the lineup, Nagorski provides a bit more power, while Nick adds a nice arm to a rotation in need of it. Coffee heralded the impact of the signings on facebook, "Josh and Nick have been apart of WSEM since the beginning, and both won a title with Git R' Done in 2011. They bring experience and offensive production the team desperately needs." |
 Ever since the signing of Dennis Pearson on October 1st, there has been scuttlebutt around the Holy Balls' camp involving both Braden names. Nick was a key part of the clubhouse in 2013 and came through in the clutch on a few occasions. However, the lure of Dylan's bat in the lineup is hard to look past. Also, some degree of discretion and tact is called for when dealing with brothers. Captain Paquin and his team appeared to be taking a patient, "wait and see" approach to the matter - not ready to make a hasty decision one way or the other that would effect the franchise's future.Well, Belgian's quick action on Tuesday afternoon took care of the "see" part, making the "wait" pretty much unnecessary. Just 36 minutes after the Belgian announcement, the Balls made one of their own: "This just in.... Balls announce the signing of stud hitter...wait for it... Dylan Braden!" The reunion of the fabled D & D boys along with Paquin, Chris Lewis, and Brandon Corbett puts the Balls at 17 stars in 5 players. With 4 stars to play with and a second big bat now added to the lineup, rumors seem to indicate the Balls are looking at both rookie and veteran arms to fill their sixth and final roster spot. |
