C O N T R A C T   R E N E W A L S   P R E V I E W

The Jansen-Stephens trade momentarily bloated Kaplan's payroll in D.C., but also afforded him the greatest flexibility this offseason ($32.3 million expiring) as UL franchises contend for the first time with league-mandated payroll ceilings.  The deal frees up a mega-contract one year early, allowing the Mons to more easily renew franchise man Willie Mays (currently at $8.25M).  Elsewhere, Mantle should remain the franchise man in Boston, even if the franchise does not, St. Louis will happily double up slugger Dick Kokos, and Louisville at long last bids adieu to colossal wash-up Maurice McDermott.
  

W E S T   D I V I S I O N

E A S T   D I V I S I O N

  Louisville Colonels
    Mark Allen

   Brooklyn Superbas
    Glen Reed

I'll Be Back:  1B Bill 'Moose' Skowron ($1.0M)
Batting after Hank Aaron in the power-packed Colonels lineup, Moose has matched Hammer RBI for RBI over the past three seasons.  On pace for career highs in hits, HR, RBI, and OPS, Moose is emerging as All-Star material.
Start to Pack: SP Maurice McDermott ($7.5M)
If you haven't read about Moe McDermott lately, it's because the Colonels' 'franchise man' has moved to AAA Pittsburgh on a permanent basis since 1955.  While sucking $52.5 million out of the Louisville coffers over the past seven years, the fifth overall pick in the 1951 Initial Draft managed to win 20 career UL games in 79 starts, which works out to $2.6 million per win.  At 28, Moe is young enough to have a 'second' career, but wherever he ends up, he should expect to have a zero sliced off his paycheck.
 

I'll Be Back: MR Duke Maas ($500k)
The other (unknown) half of the Mossi-Maas trade, Duke Maas has emerged as one of the top two relievers in Brooklyn this year.  His 2.45 ERA is a sliver worse than Jackie Collum's, and his 10.1 Ratio is second only to Gene Conley on the entire staff.  Closer of the future?
Start to Pack: 2B Connie Ryan ($2.18M)
Picture this:  You are 37.  You are batting .149.  You have driven in one run in 47 AB.  You are eating up the sixth largest salary on the club.  Do the math, Connie Ryan.

   St. Louis Maroons
    Tim Smith

   Washington Monuments
     Jay Kaplan

I'll Be Back: RF Dick Kokos ($868k)
The biggest no-brainer of this year's renewal class, Kokos has always hit with power and walked a lot, but now that his batting average is over .250, his production is borderline Ruthian.  Despite missing two months to injury, he leads the club in home runs, and he is averaging just under and RBI per game.
Start to Pack: SP Sam Zoldak ($3.8M)
Sad Sam's dominant season last year (18-5, 2.58, 2nd in ERA and WHIP) was probably his swan song.  At 37, Zoldak -- a Cy Young winner in 1951 -- is a shadow of his former self.  
 

I'll Be Back: CF Willie Mays ($8.25M)
It was always inconceivable that Jay Kaplan would cut franchise man Willie Mays loose.  The first player ever drafted into the league has been a mainstay of the Monuments lineup for seven years.  But it took some financial finagling -- namely the shifting of Larry Jansen's mega contract to St. Louis -- to open the door to Mays' return.
Start to Pack: SS Vern Stephens ($8.5M)
Stephens was probably never worth $8 million, even in his prime.  His best year (1952), his OPS was just .864.  However, Junior was a three-time All-Star at shortstop.  His move to Washington was a purely financial decision.  He will likely rival Moe McDermott as one of the deepest pay cuts this offseason.
 

   Chicago Colts
    Lance Mueller

   Detroit Sound
    Sean Holloway

I'll Be Back: CF Bill Virdon ($1.0M)
The Colts' first round pick in 1955, Virdon has yet to replicate his rookie magic at the plate (.294-7-35, 53 runs), but he will.  In the meantime, he ranks among the very best defensive center fielders in the game.
Start to Pack: SP Early Wynn ($4.4M)
Even demotion to AAA Cincinnati couldn't prevent Wynn's ERA from growing for a fourth straight season.  Wynn was fourth in wynns in 1951 (19-8, 4.30), which ironically turned out to be his only wynning season.
 

I'll Be Back: SP Pedro Ramos ($1.1M)
Ramos rivals Kokos as the biggest no-brainer of the renewal crop.  The 22-year-old Cuban has 20 wins with a month yet to play, meriting consideration for this year's Cy Young Award.  He has compressed about three years' worth of improvement into a single year.
Start to Pack: 1B Ferris 'Burrhead' Fain ($6.48M)
If GM Sean Holloway could shoot Clem Labine, he would.  In the meantime, the next best thing will be watching the door hit Ferris Fain's overpaid ass on the way out of the Sound clubhouse.  "Burrhead" has earned nearly $13 million over the last two seasons, for which he has produced a .228 average and 36 RBIs a year.
 

   San Francisco Spiders
    John Nellis

   New York Gothams
    Shawn Martin

I'll Be Back: 3B Ken Boyer ($1.2M)
The Spiders' first ever rookie pick, Boyer was apparently forged in the same mold as 'Puddin Head' Jones.  A second-year third-sacker with some pop in his bat and good leather, Boyer has 34 extra-base hits and 42 stolen bases, while turning a league-high 24 double plays.
Start to Pack: SS Solly Hemus ($2.4M)
Batting and OBPs at five-year lows and subpar fielding make Hemus a liability but on the field and on the ledger sheet.  Still has a role to play somewhere, but probably not at his current salary level.
 

I'll Be Back: LF Irv Noren ($2.6M), SP Frank Lary ($1.0M)
Noren is the franchise.  The rangy outfielder with good speed is a former Gold Glove and All-Star (both in 1954) who has amassed six of seven seasons batting .299 or better, averaging 88 runs per year the last three seasons.
Start to Pack: SS Roy McMillan ($776k)
The are no real out-and-out stinkers in this year's Gothams renewal class.  But time may have run out for this perennial minor leaguer who has yet to break out of AA ball.  McMillan is a solid glove man, but he's taken up permanent residence in Richmond (AA) since 1954, and he's only hitting .249 there.
 

    Los Angeles Outlaws
     Chris McCreight

   Boston Beacons
    Charlie Qualls

I'll Be Back: ???
Money is so tight in Tinseltown that it might be a clean sweep of all 15 expirees to leave room for the Reentry market, a stark reality made slightly more palatable by Roberto Clemente's poor season.
Start to Pack: 3B Willie Jones ($2.55M)
The hardest departure to swallow will be that of Willie Jones, a key offensive leader throughout the Outlaws' first three seasons.  'Puddin Head' has three Gold Gloves, drove in 107 runs in 1955, and was a UL All-Star last year.
 

I'll Be Back: CF Mickey Mantle ($6.25M), SP Larry Jackson ($1.0M)
Despite a severely slumpy season truncated by injury, how can you not renew the Mick, who won the MVP in 1953 at age 20?  At 24, he is a sure bet to have more good seasons than bad, and a safe bet to have some super ones.
Start to Pack: 1B Earl Torgeson ($2.93M)
Mathews and Maris have stolen his left-sided thunder, his power numbers are down, and Frank Torre is emerging at the first-sacker of the future.