*Reminder: There are no defensive requirements for 1B/DH.
20. Reginald Kelton
Albuquerque Isotopes
Bats: S
24 years old, AAA
Drafted (College SR) in the 2nd round (66th overall, Season 6)
Kelton is your classic "professional hitter." He has good, but unremarkable power, which he makes up for with plus contact skills and an outstanding approach against left-handers. He's quite solid against righties as well, but durability issues will mean that he'll see the bulk of his time against southpaws, as he should be. He could stand to be more selective at the plate. Definitely a DH; you don't want him playing defense anywhere.
19. Mitch Boudreau
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
Bats: R
22 years old, High A
Drafted (College SO) in the 2nd round (67th overall, Season 6)
Picked immediately after Kelton, who's probably the better hitter of the two. Boudreau, like Kelton, is great at making contact, and has more raw power, but his doesn't have the same pretty line drive swing that Kelton has. Boudreau is good against lefties, but can struggle at times against top-flight right-handed pitching. He does have a decent batting eye, and plays an adequate 1B. He also has fewer questions surrounding his durability than Kelton.
18. Tony Jordan
San Juan Rincons
Bats: S
18 years old, Low A
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (72nd overall, Season 8)
Jordan is your classic take n' rake slugger. Similar to players like Jack Cust or Adam Dunn, Jordan has plus-plus power and draws boatloads of walks, but he'll always have trouble making contact (struck out 46 times in 160 at bats so far at Low A). He struggles against lefties, but he'll be able to take the larger half of a platoon at either 1B, where his glovework is shaky, or DH.
17. Cristian Stevenson
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
Bats: R
19 years old, Low A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (11th overall, Season 7)
Eerily similar to Mitch Boudreau, Stevenson has more raw power and better contact skills, but worse plate discipline. The rest of the scouting report is almost identical to Boudreau: better against lefties than righties, adequate D at 1B, not the prettiest line-drive swing. On the plus side, Stevenson is much more durable than Boudreau, and has a clean bill of health.
16. Coco Montgomery
New York Yankees
Bats: R
20 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (43rd overall, Season 6)
Montgomery uppercuts a bit at the plate; as a result, he has very good power, but doesn't hit as many line drives as he'd like, resulting in lower batting averages. He's a fair contact hitter. His greatest asset as a hitter is his discipline; he's walked 168 times in just over 1000 minor league at bats. No platoon split. His defense is questionable, to say the least; he's not very mobile around the bag, and "stabs" at the ball, rather than letting it come to him.
15. Horace Faulkner
Minnesota Fatboys
Bats: L
22 years old, High A
Drafted (College SO) in the 2nd round (62nd overall, Season 6)
Faulkner's a solid, if not boring, hitter. Good contact, good power, good batting eye, but none of these skills really stand out from his peers. He does seem to see right handed pitching significantly better than southpaw pitching. His defense isn't horrible, but he'll never win a Gold Glove. A nice, if unremarkable ballplayer.
14. Slim Gutierrez
St. Louis Greys
Bats: R
23 years old, AAA
Drafted (College SO) in the 1st round (39th overall, Season 5)
Gutierrez projects to have less power than any other player on this list. However, he makes up for that with excellent plate discipline, very good contact skills, and a smooth line drive stroke. The end product is roughly similar to Conor Jackson. He prefers hitting against lefties, although he can hit righties as well. His defense is adequate. Gutierrez is also very durable, able to play almost every day and never getting injured.
13. Bob Crawford
Minnesota Fatboys
Bats: R
24 years old, AAA
Drafted (College FR) in the 2nd round (45th overall, Season 3)
Crawford is an excellent hitter. Great contact skills, outstanding power, and a very good batting eye, Crawford pretty much does it all at the plate. He's excellent against lefties, and doesn't give back too much against righties. However, he'll be hard-pressed to find a defensive position where he doesn't hurt the team. His glovework at 1B is almost passable, but his footwork around the bag is terrible. He does have a decent arm, but his pitch calling isn't good enough to play at the ML level.
12. Trent Atkins
Albuquerque Isotopes
Bats: R
20 years old, Low A
Drafted (College FR) in the 1st round (41st overall, Season 7)
Atkins has excellent power and a pretty good batting eye, as well as above-average contact skills for a power hitter. He's not a particularly good line drive hitter, which he's working on improving with Isotope hitting coaches. Atkins is fairly rangy for a 1B; he might make a fringy LF, but don't count on a change anytime soon.
11. Will Gwynn
New York Yankees
Bats: R
21 years old, High A
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (41st overall, Season 5)
Gwynn as a hitter is built in the same mold as Cristian Stevenson and Mitch Boudreau, with great contact ability and power, a preference of hitting left-handed pitching, and serviceable plate discipline. However, he does have a better swing than either of the aforementioned players; he should be able to hit for the highest average among them. His defense at 1B is nondescript, although he does have a surprisingly good arm for a 1B. Health is a major concern; Gwynn went down with an injury shortly after the Red Sox agreed to deal him to the Yankees; he'll be moved again after he fully recovers.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Top Ten Catching Prospects
*Reminder: Catchers must project to at least 40 PC. No base for arm strength/accuracy.
10. Keith Green
Vancouver Vigilantes
21 years old, AA
Bats: S
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (50th overall, Season 5)
On a pure talent level, Green clearly deserves to rank higher than this. His offensive game has no holes, and his arm is among the best in the minors among catchers. However, Green is notorious for wearing out quickly over the course of the season. He's unlikely to see more than 300 plate appearances in a season without a drop in productivity.
9. Al Sierra
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
19 years old, High A
Bats: S
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (33rd overall, Season 7)
He'll never be a star, but Sierra's the definition of a solid regular. He has a strong, if slightly inaccurate arm, and is an adequate pitch caller (though no great shakes). As a hitter, he doesn't have any plus tools, but grades out as at least average in every aspect. And while Green may be the superior talent, Sierra has the durability to play the vast majority of his team's games. That certainly has value.
8. Earl Duffy
Los Angeles Hangars
19 years old, Low A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (58th overall, Season 7)
Outside of his uncanny ability to pound southpaws, Duffy is very much a nondescript catching prospect. He's a very good contact hitter with decent power and no particular weakness against righties, although he can be a bit of a free swinger. Defensively, he's about as vanilla as can be: average arm, so-so accuracy, and a rep as an agreeable pitch caller. He does get high marks for his work ethic.
7. Bo Allen
Tacoma Downpour
18 years old, unsigned
Bats: L
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (51st overall, Season 8)
Allen profiles a lot like Bobby Abreu at the plate, except with better contact skills: great plate discipline, good power, and a knack for driving the ball into the gaps. No one questions whether the bat will play at the ML level. However, he does have some holes in his game. Allen struggles with his release point on his throws, often causing them to sail well over the intended target. Pitchers have also had a problem with his pitch calling in the past; it's not clear right now whether he'll stick at the position, or be forced to play as a DH. He also has durability issues. Allen is unsigned as of this entry.
*Edit: Allen chose not to sign, electing to go to college instead.
6. Greg Webster
San Antonio Sting
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (47th overall, Season 6)
Webster, like Green, has major durability issues; he's unlikely to make it through more than half of his team's games. However, on a pure talent level, he's up there with the elite players on this list. His arm is both accurate and strong, although he's merely okay at calling pitches. He truly excels at the plate; his approach is equally solid against both righties and lefties, and he possesses both plus power and contact skills. He can also take a walk.
5. Willie Sanchez
Albuquerque Isotopes
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (42nd overall, Season 6)
Depending on how much you value pitch calling, this ranking might seem absurdly high, or not high enough. Elyria Christian's baseball coach, former Red Sock/Yankee great Jalal Parnell (took over after Season 4, coached Sanchez during his senior year while still technically a free agent), calls Sanchez "a true student of the game" and "one of the most intelligent catchers I've ever met." Sanchez is also a capable hitter, with good contact skills, 20+ homer pop, and a discerning batting eye. He's also excellent against lefties, but seems to struggle to pick the ball up against right-handers, which hurts his value significantly. He also generates natural tail on his throws, which is great for a pitcher, but a real problem when he misses 2nd base by 10 feet.
4. Charlie Horton
Oklahoma City Twins
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (College SO) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 8)
Horton doesn't have elite power, but possesses pure baseball skills, making excellent contact, driving the ball into the gaps indiscriminately against righties and lefties, and drawing his share of walks. Pitchers are usually satisfied with his pitch calling, but his arm is a bit questionable at the position. It appears that the Twins may have already given up on him playing catcher, choosing to DH him in the minors.
3. Wilt Knotts
Tacoma Downpour
20 years old, AA
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (32nd overall, Season 6)
Knotts scores a perfect 80 on the scouting scale for raw power. Because of this, pitchers tend to nibble against him, which plays to Knott's strength, since he also possesses an outstanding batting eye. He also makes surprisingly good contact for a slugger, and kills lefties. He's even surprisingly mobile for his position. However, Knotts doesn't drive the ball quite as consistently against right-handers, which keeps him from being as valuable as the players listed above him. His defense is also questionable; he throws an inordinate number of balls off-target, and isn't always on the same page as his pitching staff. Durability might pose a small issue, although he should be able to play an average of 4-5 games a week.
2. Chili Easley
Washington DC Bureaucrats
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 5)
Easley's skill set as a hitter is similar to Bo Allen's, with better contact skills. Easley coaxes walks with excellent discipline and a knack for fouling off tough pitches. He has decent (but not great) power, hits well against either-handed pitchers, and never strikes out. His hallmark as a catcher is his arm strength; he should be able to keep the running game under control at the ML level. What sets Easley apart from the other catchers below him is his durability; Easley can be counted on to play every single day.
1. Livan Guzman
Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Signed as an international FA ($18M, Season 6)
The only international free agent in the top 10, and a hell of a player. He hits righties and lefties equally well, is incredibly patient, and always puts the bat on the ball, like Easley. Guzman also has plus power, adding an extra dimension to his game that Easley doesn't have. He's never had trouble throwing runners out, and works well with a pitching staff. If there's any flaw to his game, he's an absolutely terrible baserunner, occasionally running himself into comically ridiculous outs a la Manny Ramirez. Like Manny, though, his talents make this seem more like an idiosyncracy than an actual blemish.
10. Keith Green
Vancouver Vigilantes
21 years old, AA
Bats: S
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (50th overall, Season 5)
On a pure talent level, Green clearly deserves to rank higher than this. His offensive game has no holes, and his arm is among the best in the minors among catchers. However, Green is notorious for wearing out quickly over the course of the season. He's unlikely to see more than 300 plate appearances in a season without a drop in productivity.
9. Al Sierra
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
19 years old, High A
Bats: S
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (33rd overall, Season 7)
He'll never be a star, but Sierra's the definition of a solid regular. He has a strong, if slightly inaccurate arm, and is an adequate pitch caller (though no great shakes). As a hitter, he doesn't have any plus tools, but grades out as at least average in every aspect. And while Green may be the superior talent, Sierra has the durability to play the vast majority of his team's games. That certainly has value.
8. Earl Duffy
Los Angeles Hangars
19 years old, Low A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (58th overall, Season 7)
Outside of his uncanny ability to pound southpaws, Duffy is very much a nondescript catching prospect. He's a very good contact hitter with decent power and no particular weakness against righties, although he can be a bit of a free swinger. Defensively, he's about as vanilla as can be: average arm, so-so accuracy, and a rep as an agreeable pitch caller. He does get high marks for his work ethic.
7. Bo Allen
Tacoma Downpour
18 years old, unsigned
Bats: L
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (51st overall, Season 8)
Allen profiles a lot like Bobby Abreu at the plate, except with better contact skills: great plate discipline, good power, and a knack for driving the ball into the gaps. No one questions whether the bat will play at the ML level. However, he does have some holes in his game. Allen struggles with his release point on his throws, often causing them to sail well over the intended target. Pitchers have also had a problem with his pitch calling in the past; it's not clear right now whether he'll stick at the position, or be forced to play as a DH. He also has durability issues. Allen is unsigned as of this entry.
*Edit: Allen chose not to sign, electing to go to college instead.
6. Greg Webster
San Antonio Sting
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 2nd round (47th overall, Season 6)
Webster, like Green, has major durability issues; he's unlikely to make it through more than half of his team's games. However, on a pure talent level, he's up there with the elite players on this list. His arm is both accurate and strong, although he's merely okay at calling pitches. He truly excels at the plate; his approach is equally solid against both righties and lefties, and he possesses both plus power and contact skills. He can also take a walk.
5. Willie Sanchez
Albuquerque Isotopes
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (42nd overall, Season 6)
Depending on how much you value pitch calling, this ranking might seem absurdly high, or not high enough. Elyria Christian's baseball coach, former Red Sock/Yankee great Jalal Parnell (took over after Season 4, coached Sanchez during his senior year while still technically a free agent), calls Sanchez "a true student of the game" and "one of the most intelligent catchers I've ever met." Sanchez is also a capable hitter, with good contact skills, 20+ homer pop, and a discerning batting eye. He's also excellent against lefties, but seems to struggle to pick the ball up against right-handers, which hurts his value significantly. He also generates natural tail on his throws, which is great for a pitcher, but a real problem when he misses 2nd base by 10 feet.
4. Charlie Horton
Oklahoma City Twins
20 years old, High A
Bats: R
Drafted (College SO) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 8)
Horton doesn't have elite power, but possesses pure baseball skills, making excellent contact, driving the ball into the gaps indiscriminately against righties and lefties, and drawing his share of walks. Pitchers are usually satisfied with his pitch calling, but his arm is a bit questionable at the position. It appears that the Twins may have already given up on him playing catcher, choosing to DH him in the minors.
3. Wilt Knotts
Tacoma Downpour
20 years old, AA
Bats: R
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (32nd overall, Season 6)
Knotts scores a perfect 80 on the scouting scale for raw power. Because of this, pitchers tend to nibble against him, which plays to Knott's strength, since he also possesses an outstanding batting eye. He also makes surprisingly good contact for a slugger, and kills lefties. He's even surprisingly mobile for his position. However, Knotts doesn't drive the ball quite as consistently against right-handers, which keeps him from being as valuable as the players listed above him. His defense is also questionable; he throws an inordinate number of balls off-target, and isn't always on the same page as his pitching staff. Durability might pose a small issue, although he should be able to play an average of 4-5 games a week.
2. Chili Easley
Washington DC Bureaucrats
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Drafted (HS) in the 1st round (8th overall, Season 5)
Easley's skill set as a hitter is similar to Bo Allen's, with better contact skills. Easley coaxes walks with excellent discipline and a knack for fouling off tough pitches. He has decent (but not great) power, hits well against either-handed pitchers, and never strikes out. His hallmark as a catcher is his arm strength; he should be able to keep the running game under control at the ML level. What sets Easley apart from the other catchers below him is his durability; Easley can be counted on to play every single day.
1. Livan Guzman
Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Bats: R
21 years old, AA
Signed as an international FA ($18M, Season 6)
The only international free agent in the top 10, and a hell of a player. He hits righties and lefties equally well, is incredibly patient, and always puts the bat on the ball, like Easley. Guzman also has plus power, adding an extra dimension to his game that Easley doesn't have. He's never had trouble throwing runners out, and works well with a pitching staff. If there's any flaw to his game, he's an absolutely terrible baserunner, occasionally running himself into comically ridiculous outs a la Manny Ramirez. Like Manny, though, his talents make this seem more like an idiosyncracy than an actual blemish.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Franchise Rankings: Season 8
After seven seasons, Gleeman World has seen three teams win the World Series, seven teams make the World Series, 24 teams make the playoffs and 12 teams feature at least one MVP or Cy Young winner.
So where did your franchise stack up heading into Season 8? It's time to find out.
32. Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Average season: 65-97
Best season: 76-86 (Season 7)
Worst season: 54-108 (Seasons 5 and 6)
Playoff appearances: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Goose Hayes in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The Washington franchise featured three GMs in three seasons before themoff02 took over and provided stability. After six consecutive seasons with at least 90 losses (including back-to-back 108-loss seasons), the Bureaucrats won a franchise-best 76 games in Season 7 and seem poised to vacate the bottom spot on this list in Season 8.
31. Tacoma Down Pour
Average season: 66-96
Best season: 75-87 (Season 1)
Worst season: 51-111 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: Another franchise that is being guided by its fourth GM, the Tacoma franchise was ravaged by inattentiveness before GM mrauseo took over. It is more than a little surprising that the franchise that employed infamous fielding instructor Julio Telemaco three times has somehow won more Gold Glove awards than 25 of the other 31 franchises.
30. Montreal Grand Orange
Average season: 67-95
Best season: 81-81 (Season 5)
Worst season: 46-116 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The former Rochester Rochester (no, it's not a typo) Red Wings made steady improvement from that Season 1 disaster before GM bosoxx05 left after Season 3. The team dipped slightly in new GM sdedalus' first season before rebounding with its first non-losing year in Season 5. Unfortunately, the Grand Orange haven't been able to keep the momentum going, winning just 130 games combined the past two seasons.
29. Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Average season: 68-94
Best season: 80-82 (Season 6)
Worst season: 56-106 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: GM cademord took over in Season 2 and moved the team from Norfolk to Philadelphia. After three straight 95-plus loss seasons, the Phenomenauts went 71-91 in consecutive seasons before winning 80 games in Season 6. Apparently a team on the rise to respectability, something went horribly wrong and Philadelphia fell by 24 wins in Season 7.
28. Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Average season: 66-96
Best season: 92-70 (Season 1)
Worst season: 48-114 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 1 and 3)
Division titles: 2
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: After a very solid first season as the Honolulu Islanders, the franchise moved to Colorado when GM bhole1980 took over for Season 2. The Silver Stars did make the playoffs again in Season 3, but it was with a 73-89 record in an embarrassing NL West. The franchise has lost 100-plus games three times and became the third franchise to fail to win 50 games in a season in Season 7.
27. San Antonio Sting
Average season: 69-93
Best season: 83-79 (Season 1)
Worst season: 54-108 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 0
MVPs: 1 (Toby Joseph in Season 1)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Pedro Mendoza in Season 6)
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The Sting were respectable the first two seasons, even contending for a playoff spot while featuring the MVP in Season 1, before losing 100-plus games three seasons in a row. The good news is that the team has been competitive the last two seasons and now the top-notch prospects they picked up while losing all those games are ready to start contributing.
26. Vancouver Vigilantes
Average season: 71-91
Best season: 86-76 (Season 1)
Worst season: 62-100 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The former Montreal Meurtrier were one of the better third-place teams you'll see in Season 1, and they won 80 games again the following season. Then GM twinsjunkie left, new GM scottie 3234 moved the team to the other side of Canada and the franchise has lost at least 90 games every season since. Season 7 was the best effort for the Vigilantes, giving hope that better times could be on the way.
25. Cheyenne Tackleberries
Average season: 74-88
Best season: 80-82 (Season 6)
Worst season: 60-102 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The franchise, run by GM scottlaz since Season 2, has never had a winning season, but it's also only had one season with 90 or more losses. The Tackleberries looked to be improving when they won 80 games in Season 6 and held first place in the NL West for much of the first half of Season 7, but a second-half swoon did them in.
24. Las Vegas Armijos
Average season: 73-89
Best season: 90-72 (Season 5)
Worst season: 57-105 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 3 and 5)
Division titles: 1 (Season 5)
Series wins: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Pedro Bennett in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: Over his four seasons in charge of the San Francisco Seals, GM popcultist built the team from a 99-loss joke to a playoff contender. When he left, GM bosoxx05 (formerly in charge of the Rochester Rochester Red Wings) moved the team to Santa Cruz and took advantage of popcultist's good work with 90 wins and a division title in Season 5. Then the Amigos had an epic collapse, declining by 33 wins. When bosoxx05 left again, new GM eliason did a good job of testing free agency without crippling his team with any bad, long-term contracts.
23. Monterrey Conquistadores
Average season: 75-87
Best season: 94-68 (Season 1)
Worst season: 62-100 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 1)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 6
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: This is the only franchise in Gleeman World to see its win total go in the same direction each and every season. The Atlanta Georgia Gamblers won 94 games and the division in Season 1 and dipped to 89 wins in GM jdforman's final season. New GM evelandz23 took the team to Mexico and won 83 games in Season 3, and since then it's been 67, 66, 64 and finally 62.
22. Ottawa Otters
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 87-75 (Season 2)
Worst season: 71-91 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 2
Gold Glovers: 6
Comment: This is by far the best franchise without a playoff appearance. The franchise has won 80-plus games four times and never lost 90 games until GM therickgwb took over for longtime Kansas City Monarchs GM sche0707 and moved the team to Madison. New GM parnold1 will have to decide if this historically mediocre franchise is just a couple free agents/trades away from contending or if it needs a complete rebuild.
21. Boise Mashers
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 89-73 (Season 7)
Worst season: 71-91 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 2)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Luis Cairo in Season 3)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 0
Comment: Aside from an 80-win division title in Season 2, the Mashers have finished second in the NL West every season. But GM mutineer has Boise on the right track, as the team has improved from 75 to 83 to 89 wins over the past three seasons, missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker in Season 7.
20. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 93-69 (Season 6)
Worst season: 66-96 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 6)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 4
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: After barely finishing above .500 in Season 1, the franchise endured four consecutive losing seasons. But former GM koop1975 did a good job stockpiling assets during that stretch and won the AL South in Season 6 before declining a bit in Season 7. He left a quality big league team and a strong farm system for new GM sl__72.
19. Richmond Roustabouts
Average season: 77-85
Best season: 90-72 (Season 1)
Worst season: 60-102 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 1, 2 and 4)
Division titles: 1 (Season 4)
Series wins: 3
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: Former Charlotte GM mike8791 started with a good team and got two playoff appearances before it declined to 76 wins in Season 3. After he left, GM mattwithanh moved the team to Richmond and the Roustabouts bounced back for a .500 season that was somehow good enough for the AL South title. The next two seasons saw a combined 200 losses, but the franchise nearly made the playoffs in Season 7 and seems to be back on the right track.
18. Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 88-74 (Season 5)
Worst season: 73-89 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 1)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 1
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Domingo Lee in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: Syracuse has been like a pendulum, swinging back and forth and never going too far in either direction. The Fighting Boeheims have had three winning seasons, three losing seasons and one .500 season. After making the playoffs in Seasons 1, Syracuse has come very close in two other seasons but couldn't quite get in. If they fall just short again, GM jmileskey has announced he may step down after the season.
17. Pittsburgh Pug Dogs
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 92-70 (Season 4)
Worst season: 66-96 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 2 and 4)
Division titles: 1 (Season 2)
Series wins: 0
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Louis Lyon in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: This franchise was one of the better teams over the first four seasons, winning 90-plus games in two of those campaigns. Former Indianapolis GM djramey prevented the New York Mets from winning all seven division titles by taking the Season 2 title (although that doesn't make up for the Wainhouse debacle that offseason). GM calolson took over following Season 3, moved the team to Pittsburgh and got them back to the playoffs. After 90-plus loss efforts in Seasons 5 and 6, the Pug Dogs will have to show that last season's 80-82 record was real progress and not just a fluke.
16. Buffalo Europeans
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 102-60 (Season 7)
Worst season: 65-97 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The Europeans weren't very good at all for the first three seasons, then they started making their climb. They've set franchise records for wins each of the past four seasons, making the playoffs in the past two. In Season 7, GM nealphd's club gave the Minnesota Fatboys a run for their money before settling for a 102-win wild card spot. That ended up being costly, as Buffalo had to play in the opening round of the playoffs and lost to Florida.
15. Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Average season: 83-79
Best season: 92-70 (Season 1)
Worst season: 73-89 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 1 and 4)
Division titles: 2
Series wins: 0
Cy Young winners: 1 (Grover Rowand in Season 2)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Scot Rhodes in Season 6)
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Larry Piatt in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 6
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: Sioux Falls is the best franchise that hasn't won a playoff series yet. The Gunslingers have had four winning seasons and they've only one fewer than 77 games once. After back-to-back losing campaigns in Seasons 5 and 6, they rebounded with 86 wins in Season 7 and are a definite threat in Season 8 to a Milwaukee team that's aging in a few key spots.
14. Anaheim Anteaters
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 107-55 (Season 7)
Worst season: 41-121 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 4
Playoff series wins: 3
Pennants: 1 (Season 4)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Lonny Colome in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: In season 3, GM baseballers took over a team that had just won 100 games ... over two seasons. He took that joke of a team improved its win total every season, and now the Anteaters are among the elite franchises. Only two things keep the team from being higher on this list. First, the franchise holds the record for most losses in a season, which earns it demerits even though it was a long time ago. Second, since making a surprise run to the World Series in Season 4, Anaheim hasn't won a single playoff series.
13. Boston Red Sox
Average season: 83-79
Best season: 89-73 (Season 5)
Worst season: 76-86 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Playoff series wins: 5
MVPs: 3 (Matt Governale in Seasons 2 and 5, Bryan Beckett in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 12
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: The Red Sox have never won 90 games, but they're very good at doing just enough to make the playoffs. Boston has gone into the final weekend of the season without a playoff spot locked up four seasons in a row, and has found a way to get in each time. The problem for the Red Sox has been that as good as all those awards show their position players have been, that's how bad their pitchers have been over the years.
12. Oklahoma City Twins
Average season: 85-77
Best season: 92-70 (Seasons 1, 3 and 4)
Worst season: 67-95 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 6
Rookies of the Year: 3 (Max Pascual in Season 1, Philip Neal in Season 4 and Lance Lara in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 6
Comment: For the first four seasons, Oklahoma City was a consistently good but not great team. The Twins won 92 games in three of those seasons and 89 in the other one. And although they never won their division, they made the most of their playoff appearances by winning a league-record six series as the lower seed. Since blowing up the team in Season 5, however, they've gotten progressively worse and don't appear to be particularly close to regaining their spot as a regular postseason contender.
11. San Juan Rincons
Average season: 87-75
Best season: 98-64 (Season 7)
Worst season: 75-87 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 3
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 0
Comment: The Rincons have enjoyed both more and less success than you might expect from their franchise. Despite being the only team in Gleeman World to never have an end-of-season award winner of any sort, the franchise averaged the 10th-most wins per season over the first seven. Yet they never won their division and only made the playoffs three times thanks in part to playing in one of the consistently toughest divisions in the league.
10. St. Louis Greys
Average season: 87-75
Best season: 98-64 (Season 2)
Worst season: 72-90 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 2, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 3
Series wins: 2
Cy Young winners: 1 (John Carroll in Season 3)
Silver Sluggers: 7
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: St. Louis was one of two franchises fortunate to start with both an excellent starting pitcher and an excellent center fielder. The Greys rode that combination to a nice first three seasons, making the playoffs once. When the CF started to show his age, they traded him and rebuilt for a season before coming back as even better contender.
9. Iowa City Comics
Average season: 89-73
Best season: 96-66 (Seasons 4 and 5)
Worst season: 78-84 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 3, 4, 5 and 7)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 3, 4 and 5)
Series wins: 1
MVPs: 2 (Chipper Velandia in Seasons 5 and 7)
Silver Sluggers: 7
Gold Glovers: 8
Comment: Since they've only won one postseason series, the Comics sometimes fly under the radar when thinking of the dominant teams in Gleeman World. But from Season 2 through Season 7, Iowa City made the playoffs four times, missed by a game once and by three games the other time.
8. Florida Cottonmouths
Average season: 88-74
Best season: 95-67 (Season 1)
Worst season: 84-78 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 5 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7)
Division titles: 5
Series wins: 4
Cy Young winners: 1 (Ismael Molina in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 2
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: The Cottonmouths have averaged one fewer win per season than the Comics, but they've taken advantage of one of the weaker divisions to claim five AL South titles. They've also made some noise in the postseason, coming within a win of the Season 1 World Series. The problem for Florida, as shown by the lack of Silver Sluggers, has generally been finding enough offense to support a good pitching staff.
7. Albuquerque Isotopes
Average season: 91-71
Best season: 107-55 (Season 4)
Worst season: 81-81 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 5 (Seasons 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 4, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 2
MVPs: 2 (Edwin Hogan in Seasons 3 and 4)
Cy Young winners: 1 (Billy Ray Prince in Season 7)
Rookies of the Year: 3 (Eric Hollins in Season 3, Bill Cameron in Season 4 and Joel Croushore in Season 7)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (Jayson Ellis in Season 3 and Tim Stark in Season 4)
Silver Sluggers: 10
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: After playing about .500 ball for the first two seasons, the Isotopes turned into one of the best teams in the league and have made the playoffs every season since. In fact, Albuquerque is easily the best franchise to never reach the World Series, coming closest with an ALCS appearance in their 107-win Season 4 campaign. Albuquerque is also the only franchise to feature at least one winner of every end-of-season award.
6. Los Angeles Hangars
Average season: 84-78
Best season: 107-55 (Season 2)
Worst season: 66-96 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 1, 2 and 3)
Division titles: 3
Series wins: 5
AL pennants: 1 (Season 1)
World Series titles: 1
Cy Young winners: 2 (Kevin Shumaker in Season 1 and Miguel Torres in Season 2)
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Will Jackson in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: Los Angeles was the best franchise in the league the first two seasons, winning 100-plus games each season and claiming one championship. After winning 94 games in Season 3, however, the Hangars began a streak of four straight losing seasons and counting.
5. Milwaukee Twindyans
Average season: 94-68
Best season: 104-58 (Season 6)
Worst season: 85-77 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 5 (Seasons 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 7
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 1 and 5)
Comment: Milwaukee has been the quietest of the three two-time NL champions, never posting the best-record in the league and only getting a first-round bye twice. But the Twindyans have been a handful in the postseason, winning two pennants and reaching the NLCS a third time. Unfortunately, it looks like the window may be starting to close as some of the players who have helped make Milwaukee so formidable are getting up there in years.
4. Chicago Jayhawks
Average season: 96-66
Best season: 114-48 (Season 5)
Worst season: 61-101 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 1, 4 and 5)
Series wins: 8
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 2 and 3)
MVPs: 2 (Bryan Beckett in Seasons 1 and 6)
Cy Young winners: 3 (Don Masato in Seasons 1 and 5, Grover Rowand in Season 4)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (Omar Benitez in Season 1, Sergio Reid in Season 6)
Silver Sluggers: 9
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: The Jayhawks have had an interesting history, as their two World Series appearances came in seasons in which they won the wild card, while they only even made the NLCS in one of their three 100-win seasons. The only reason Chicago is fourth on this list instead of third is because GM thorku blew up a 100-win team after Season 6 and lost 101 games the next season, the worst season for any team in the top 13 on this list.
3. New York Yankees
Average season: 97-65
Best season: 108-54 (Season 6)
Worst season: 85-77 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 4 (Seasons 2, 3, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 5
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Cy Young winners: 2 (Haywood Towers in Seasons 6 and 7)
Firemen of the Year: 4 (Brian Murata in Seasons 2, 3, 4 and 7)
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: The Yankees only won 85 games in Season 1, but they've won at least 96 games every season since. They've also come the closest of any NL team to winning the World Series, needing just three outs to claim the Season 6 title. New York's back-to-back World Series appearances stand in stark contrast to their early postseason fortunes, as the team lost its first three playoff series before winning the play-in series in Season 5.
2. Minnesota Fatboys
Average season: 101-61
Best season: 111-51 (Seasons 4 and 6)
Worst season: 91-71 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 7
Division titles: 7
Series wins: 8
AL pennants: 2 (Seasons 4 and 5)
World Series titles: 2
MVPs: 1 (Toby Joseph in Season 6)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Jumbo Rijo in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 10
Gold Glovers: 9
Comment: It says a lot about the top team on this list that the Fatboys are only No. 2. Minnesota is the only team to win its division every season so far and the only team to win at least 90 games every season. If it's any consolation, it's that the Fatboys are much better situated for the future than the top team, and they may get their turn at the top in time.
1. New York Metropolitans
Average season: 102-60
Best season: 117-45 (Season 6)
Worst season: 89-73 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 7
Division titles: 6 (Seasons 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 14
AL pennants: 4 (Seasons 2, 3, 6 and 7)
World Series titles: 4
Cy Young winners: 3 (Red Wainhouse in Seasons 3, 4 and 6)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Gary Long in Season 1)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (J.D. Jackson in Seasons 1 and 6)
Silver Sluggers: 4
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: The Mets have won more than half of the league's World Series, they have the league's best average season and best single season, and they've posted the most 100-win seasons (5). If you can boast those accomplishments, there's a pretty big gap between you and the second-best franchise no matter how good that franchise has been.
So where did your franchise stack up heading into Season 8? It's time to find out.
32. Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
Average season: 65-97
Best season: 76-86 (Season 7)
Worst season: 54-108 (Seasons 5 and 6)
Playoff appearances: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Goose Hayes in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The Washington franchise featured three GMs in three seasons before themoff02 took over and provided stability. After six consecutive seasons with at least 90 losses (including back-to-back 108-loss seasons), the Bureaucrats won a franchise-best 76 games in Season 7 and seem poised to vacate the bottom spot on this list in Season 8.
31. Tacoma Down Pour
Average season: 66-96
Best season: 75-87 (Season 1)
Worst season: 51-111 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: Another franchise that is being guided by its fourth GM, the Tacoma franchise was ravaged by inattentiveness before GM mrauseo took over. It is more than a little surprising that the franchise that employed infamous fielding instructor Julio Telemaco three times has somehow won more Gold Glove awards than 25 of the other 31 franchises.
30. Montreal Grand Orange
Average season: 67-95
Best season: 81-81 (Season 5)
Worst season: 46-116 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The former Rochester Rochester (no, it's not a typo) Red Wings made steady improvement from that Season 1 disaster before GM bosoxx05 left after Season 3. The team dipped slightly in new GM sdedalus' first season before rebounding with its first non-losing year in Season 5. Unfortunately, the Grand Orange haven't been able to keep the momentum going, winning just 130 games combined the past two seasons.
29. Philadelphia Phenomenauts
Average season: 68-94
Best season: 80-82 (Season 6)
Worst season: 56-106 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: GM cademord took over in Season 2 and moved the team from Norfolk to Philadelphia. After three straight 95-plus loss seasons, the Phenomenauts went 71-91 in consecutive seasons before winning 80 games in Season 6. Apparently a team on the rise to respectability, something went horribly wrong and Philadelphia fell by 24 wins in Season 7.
28. Colorado Springs Silver Stars
Average season: 66-96
Best season: 92-70 (Season 1)
Worst season: 48-114 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 1 and 3)
Division titles: 2
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: After a very solid first season as the Honolulu Islanders, the franchise moved to Colorado when GM bhole1980 took over for Season 2. The Silver Stars did make the playoffs again in Season 3, but it was with a 73-89 record in an embarrassing NL West. The franchise has lost 100-plus games three times and became the third franchise to fail to win 50 games in a season in Season 7.
27. San Antonio Sting
Average season: 69-93
Best season: 83-79 (Season 1)
Worst season: 54-108 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 0
MVPs: 1 (Toby Joseph in Season 1)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Pedro Mendoza in Season 6)
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The Sting were respectable the first two seasons, even contending for a playoff spot while featuring the MVP in Season 1, before losing 100-plus games three seasons in a row. The good news is that the team has been competitive the last two seasons and now the top-notch prospects they picked up while losing all those games are ready to start contributing.
26. Vancouver Vigilantes
Average season: 71-91
Best season: 86-76 (Season 1)
Worst season: 62-100 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The former Montreal Meurtrier were one of the better third-place teams you'll see in Season 1, and they won 80 games again the following season. Then GM twinsjunkie left, new GM scottie 3234 moved the team to the other side of Canada and the franchise has lost at least 90 games every season since. Season 7 was the best effort for the Vigilantes, giving hope that better times could be on the way.
25. Cheyenne Tackleberries
Average season: 74-88
Best season: 80-82 (Season 6)
Worst season: 60-102 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 3
Comment: The franchise, run by GM scottlaz since Season 2, has never had a winning season, but it's also only had one season with 90 or more losses. The Tackleberries looked to be improving when they won 80 games in Season 6 and held first place in the NL West for much of the first half of Season 7, but a second-half swoon did them in.
24. Las Vegas Armijos
Average season: 73-89
Best season: 90-72 (Season 5)
Worst season: 57-105 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 3 and 5)
Division titles: 1 (Season 5)
Series wins: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Pedro Bennett in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: Over his four seasons in charge of the San Francisco Seals, GM popcultist built the team from a 99-loss joke to a playoff contender. When he left, GM bosoxx05 (formerly in charge of the Rochester Rochester Red Wings) moved the team to Santa Cruz and took advantage of popcultist's good work with 90 wins and a division title in Season 5. Then the Amigos had an epic collapse, declining by 33 wins. When bosoxx05 left again, new GM eliason did a good job of testing free agency without crippling his team with any bad, long-term contracts.
23. Monterrey Conquistadores
Average season: 75-87
Best season: 94-68 (Season 1)
Worst season: 62-100 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 1)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 6
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: This is the only franchise in Gleeman World to see its win total go in the same direction each and every season. The Atlanta Georgia Gamblers won 94 games and the division in Season 1 and dipped to 89 wins in GM jdforman's final season. New GM evelandz23 took the team to Mexico and won 83 games in Season 3, and since then it's been 67, 66, 64 and finally 62.
22. Ottawa Otters
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 87-75 (Season 2)
Worst season: 71-91 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 0
Silver Sluggers: 2
Gold Glovers: 6
Comment: This is by far the best franchise without a playoff appearance. The franchise has won 80-plus games four times and never lost 90 games until GM therickgwb took over for longtime Kansas City Monarchs GM sche0707 and moved the team to Madison. New GM parnold1 will have to decide if this historically mediocre franchise is just a couple free agents/trades away from contending or if it needs a complete rebuild.
21. Boise Mashers
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 89-73 (Season 7)
Worst season: 71-91 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 2)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Luis Cairo in Season 3)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 0
Comment: Aside from an 80-win division title in Season 2, the Mashers have finished second in the NL West every season. But GM mutineer has Boise on the right track, as the team has improved from 75 to 83 to 89 wins over the past three seasons, missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker in Season 7.
20. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 93-69 (Season 6)
Worst season: 66-96 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 6)
Division titles: 1
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 4
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: After barely finishing above .500 in Season 1, the franchise endured four consecutive losing seasons. But former GM koop1975 did a good job stockpiling assets during that stretch and won the AL South in Season 6 before declining a bit in Season 7. He left a quality big league team and a strong farm system for new GM sl__72.
19. Richmond Roustabouts
Average season: 77-85
Best season: 90-72 (Season 1)
Worst season: 60-102 (Season 5)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 1, 2 and 4)
Division titles: 1 (Season 4)
Series wins: 3
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: Former Charlotte GM mike8791 started with a good team and got two playoff appearances before it declined to 76 wins in Season 3. After he left, GM mattwithanh moved the team to Richmond and the Roustabouts bounced back for a .500 season that was somehow good enough for the AL South title. The next two seasons saw a combined 200 losses, but the franchise nearly made the playoffs in Season 7 and seems to be back on the right track.
18. Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 88-74 (Season 5)
Worst season: 73-89 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 1 (Season 1)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 1
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Domingo Lee in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: Syracuse has been like a pendulum, swinging back and forth and never going too far in either direction. The Fighting Boeheims have had three winning seasons, three losing seasons and one .500 season. After making the playoffs in Seasons 1, Syracuse has come very close in two other seasons but couldn't quite get in. If they fall just short again, GM jmileskey has announced he may step down after the season.
17. Pittsburgh Pug Dogs
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 92-70 (Season 4)
Worst season: 66-96 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 2 and 4)
Division titles: 1 (Season 2)
Series wins: 0
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Louis Lyon in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: This franchise was one of the better teams over the first four seasons, winning 90-plus games in two of those campaigns. Former Indianapolis GM djramey prevented the New York Mets from winning all seven division titles by taking the Season 2 title (although that doesn't make up for the Wainhouse debacle that offseason). GM calolson took over following Season 3, moved the team to Pittsburgh and got them back to the playoffs. After 90-plus loss efforts in Seasons 5 and 6, the Pug Dogs will have to show that last season's 80-82 record was real progress and not just a fluke.
16. Buffalo Europeans
Average season: 80-82
Best season: 102-60 (Season 7)
Worst season: 65-97 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 0
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: The Europeans weren't very good at all for the first three seasons, then they started making their climb. They've set franchise records for wins each of the past four seasons, making the playoffs in the past two. In Season 7, GM nealphd's club gave the Minnesota Fatboys a run for their money before settling for a 102-win wild card spot. That ended up being costly, as Buffalo had to play in the opening round of the playoffs and lost to Florida.
15. Sioux Falls Gunslingers
Average season: 83-79
Best season: 92-70 (Season 1)
Worst season: 73-89 (Season 3)
Playoff appearances: 2 (Seasons 1 and 4)
Division titles: 2
Series wins: 0
Cy Young winners: 1 (Grover Rowand in Season 2)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Scot Rhodes in Season 6)
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Larry Piatt in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 6
Gold Glovers: 1
Comment: Sioux Falls is the best franchise that hasn't won a playoff series yet. The Gunslingers have had four winning seasons and they've only one fewer than 77 games once. After back-to-back losing campaigns in Seasons 5 and 6, they rebounded with 86 wins in Season 7 and are a definite threat in Season 8 to a Milwaukee team that's aging in a few key spots.
14. Anaheim Anteaters
Average season: 79-83
Best season: 107-55 (Season 7)
Worst season: 41-121 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 4
Playoff series wins: 3
Pennants: 1 (Season 4)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Lonny Colome in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: In season 3, GM baseballers took over a team that had just won 100 games ... over two seasons. He took that joke of a team improved its win total every season, and now the Anteaters are among the elite franchises. Only two things keep the team from being higher on this list. First, the franchise holds the record for most losses in a season, which earns it demerits even though it was a long time ago. Second, since making a surprise run to the World Series in Season 4, Anaheim hasn't won a single playoff series.
13. Boston Red Sox
Average season: 83-79
Best season: 89-73 (Season 5)
Worst season: 76-86 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Playoff series wins: 5
MVPs: 3 (Matt Governale in Seasons 2 and 5, Bryan Beckett in Season 7)
Silver Sluggers: 12
Gold Glovers: 4
Comment: The Red Sox have never won 90 games, but they're very good at doing just enough to make the playoffs. Boston has gone into the final weekend of the season without a playoff spot locked up four seasons in a row, and has found a way to get in each time. The problem for the Red Sox has been that as good as all those awards show their position players have been, that's how bad their pitchers have been over the years.
12. Oklahoma City Twins
Average season: 85-77
Best season: 92-70 (Seasons 1, 3 and 4)
Worst season: 67-95 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 6
Rookies of the Year: 3 (Max Pascual in Season 1, Philip Neal in Season 4 and Lance Lara in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 1
Gold Glovers: 6
Comment: For the first four seasons, Oklahoma City was a consistently good but not great team. The Twins won 92 games in three of those seasons and 89 in the other one. And although they never won their division, they made the most of their playoff appearances by winning a league-record six series as the lower seed. Since blowing up the team in Season 5, however, they've gotten progressively worse and don't appear to be particularly close to regaining their spot as a regular postseason contender.
11. San Juan Rincons
Average season: 87-75
Best season: 98-64 (Season 7)
Worst season: 75-87 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 0
Series wins: 3
Silver Sluggers: 0
Gold Glovers: 0
Comment: The Rincons have enjoyed both more and less success than you might expect from their franchise. Despite being the only team in Gleeman World to never have an end-of-season award winner of any sort, the franchise averaged the 10th-most wins per season over the first seven. Yet they never won their division and only made the playoffs three times thanks in part to playing in one of the consistently toughest divisions in the league.
10. St. Louis Greys
Average season: 87-75
Best season: 98-64 (Season 2)
Worst season: 72-90 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 2, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 3
Series wins: 2
Cy Young winners: 1 (John Carroll in Season 3)
Silver Sluggers: 7
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: St. Louis was one of two franchises fortunate to start with both an excellent starting pitcher and an excellent center fielder. The Greys rode that combination to a nice first three seasons, making the playoffs once. When the CF started to show his age, they traded him and rebuilt for a season before coming back as even better contender.
9. Iowa City Comics
Average season: 89-73
Best season: 96-66 (Seasons 4 and 5)
Worst season: 78-84 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 4 (Seasons 3, 4, 5 and 7)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 3, 4 and 5)
Series wins: 1
MVPs: 2 (Chipper Velandia in Seasons 5 and 7)
Silver Sluggers: 7
Gold Glovers: 8
Comment: Since they've only won one postseason series, the Comics sometimes fly under the radar when thinking of the dominant teams in Gleeman World. But from Season 2 through Season 7, Iowa City made the playoffs four times, missed by a game once and by three games the other time.
8. Florida Cottonmouths
Average season: 88-74
Best season: 95-67 (Season 1)
Worst season: 84-78 (Season 6)
Playoff appearances: 5 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7)
Division titles: 5
Series wins: 4
Cy Young winners: 1 (Ismael Molina in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 2
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: The Cottonmouths have averaged one fewer win per season than the Comics, but they've taken advantage of one of the weaker divisions to claim five AL South titles. They've also made some noise in the postseason, coming within a win of the Season 1 World Series. The problem for Florida, as shown by the lack of Silver Sluggers, has generally been finding enough offense to support a good pitching staff.
7. Albuquerque Isotopes
Average season: 91-71
Best season: 107-55 (Season 4)
Worst season: 81-81 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 5 (Seasons 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 4, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 2
MVPs: 2 (Edwin Hogan in Seasons 3 and 4)
Cy Young winners: 1 (Billy Ray Prince in Season 7)
Rookies of the Year: 3 (Eric Hollins in Season 3, Bill Cameron in Season 4 and Joel Croushore in Season 7)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (Jayson Ellis in Season 3 and Tim Stark in Season 4)
Silver Sluggers: 10
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: After playing about .500 ball for the first two seasons, the Isotopes turned into one of the best teams in the league and have made the playoffs every season since. In fact, Albuquerque is easily the best franchise to never reach the World Series, coming closest with an ALCS appearance in their 107-win Season 4 campaign. Albuquerque is also the only franchise to feature at least one winner of every end-of-season award.
6. Los Angeles Hangars
Average season: 84-78
Best season: 107-55 (Season 2)
Worst season: 66-96 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Playoff appearances: 3 (Seasons 1, 2 and 3)
Division titles: 3
Series wins: 5
AL pennants: 1 (Season 1)
World Series titles: 1
Cy Young winners: 2 (Kevin Shumaker in Season 1 and Miguel Torres in Season 2)
Firemen of the Year: 1 (Will Jackson in Season 2)
Silver Sluggers: 5
Gold Glovers: 5
Comment: Los Angeles was the best franchise in the league the first two seasons, winning 100-plus games each season and claiming one championship. After winning 94 games in Season 3, however, the Hangars began a streak of four straight losing seasons and counting.
5. Milwaukee Twindyans
Average season: 94-68
Best season: 104-58 (Season 6)
Worst season: 85-77 (Season 4)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 5 (Seasons 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 7
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 1 and 5)
Comment: Milwaukee has been the quietest of the three two-time NL champions, never posting the best-record in the league and only getting a first-round bye twice. But the Twindyans have been a handful in the postseason, winning two pennants and reaching the NLCS a third time. Unfortunately, it looks like the window may be starting to close as some of the players who have helped make Milwaukee so formidable are getting up there in years.
4. Chicago Jayhawks
Average season: 96-66
Best season: 114-48 (Season 5)
Worst season: 61-101 (Season 7)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Division titles: 3 (Seasons 1, 4 and 5)
Series wins: 8
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 2 and 3)
MVPs: 2 (Bryan Beckett in Seasons 1 and 6)
Cy Young winners: 3 (Don Masato in Seasons 1 and 5, Grover Rowand in Season 4)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (Omar Benitez in Season 1, Sergio Reid in Season 6)
Silver Sluggers: 9
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: The Jayhawks have had an interesting history, as their two World Series appearances came in seasons in which they won the wild card, while they only even made the NLCS in one of their three 100-win seasons. The only reason Chicago is fourth on this list instead of third is because GM thorku blew up a 100-win team after Season 6 and lost 101 games the next season, the worst season for any team in the top 13 on this list.
3. New York Yankees
Average season: 97-65
Best season: 108-54 (Season 6)
Worst season: 85-77 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 6 (Seasons 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Division titles: 4 (Seasons 2, 3, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 5
NL pennants: 2 (Seasons 6 and 7)
Cy Young winners: 2 (Haywood Towers in Seasons 6 and 7)
Firemen of the Year: 4 (Brian Murata in Seasons 2, 3, 4 and 7)
Silver Sluggers: 3
Gold Glovers: 2
Comment: The Yankees only won 85 games in Season 1, but they've won at least 96 games every season since. They've also come the closest of any NL team to winning the World Series, needing just three outs to claim the Season 6 title. New York's back-to-back World Series appearances stand in stark contrast to their early postseason fortunes, as the team lost its first three playoff series before winning the play-in series in Season 5.
2. Minnesota Fatboys
Average season: 101-61
Best season: 111-51 (Seasons 4 and 6)
Worst season: 91-71 (Season 1)
Playoff appearances: 7
Division titles: 7
Series wins: 8
AL pennants: 2 (Seasons 4 and 5)
World Series titles: 2
MVPs: 1 (Toby Joseph in Season 6)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Jumbo Rijo in Season 5)
Silver Sluggers: 10
Gold Glovers: 9
Comment: It says a lot about the top team on this list that the Fatboys are only No. 2. Minnesota is the only team to win its division every season so far and the only team to win at least 90 games every season. If it's any consolation, it's that the Fatboys are much better situated for the future than the top team, and they may get their turn at the top in time.
1. New York Metropolitans
Average season: 102-60
Best season: 117-45 (Season 6)
Worst season: 89-73 (Season 2)
Playoff appearances: 7
Division titles: 6 (Seasons 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Series wins: 14
AL pennants: 4 (Seasons 2, 3, 6 and 7)
World Series titles: 4
Cy Young winners: 3 (Red Wainhouse in Seasons 3, 4 and 6)
Rookies of the Year: 1 (Gary Long in Season 1)
Firemen of the Year: 2 (J.D. Jackson in Seasons 1 and 6)
Silver Sluggers: 4
Gold Glovers: 7
Comment: The Mets have won more than half of the league's World Series, they have the league's best average season and best single season, and they've posted the most 100-win seasons (5). If you can boast those accomplishments, there's a pretty big gap between you and the second-best franchise no matter how good that franchise has been.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
AL West Season 8 Draft Recap
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First pick: Twenty five players were off the board before the ‘Topes made their first selection: righthander Charles Baez from Drexel Hill, Penn. Baez has a pro pitcher’s body at 6-foot-5, 192 pounds and he uses his height to his advantage, getting good downward movement on a sinker that sits around 90-92 mph and runs in on righties. He uses a tight, 12-6 curveball when he needs a strikeout, but prefers to use the sinker and let hitters get themselves out. That comes in handy, as his stamina isn’t the best. His control is fringy for the big leagues and, if he can stay healthy, he projects as a back-of-the-rotation guy.
Grade: C
Other picks: Taken 41st-overall, supplemental first-round selection Robert Reilly actually projects better than Baez. Plus, he’s a lefty and is two years younger. Reilly projects to have outstanding control and will be great against lefties. He has very clean mechanics and shows exceptional feel for a slider that has good tilt—a rarity for a player coming out of high school. Over his first 27.2 innings in rookie ball, Reilly has fanned 33 and walked just six, posting an ERA of 1.63. This was a steal—great compensation for losing Lenny Smith, as Reilly will end up being a better pitcher. Second-round selection Leo Pierre basically has one tool: power. He has a good eye, but struggles to make contact and doesn’t offer much value in the field or on the basepaths. Fourth-round pick Justin Thurman is a second baseman from Puerto Rico and could be interesting. He has good range, but his hands are a little hard and he struggles turning the double play. But he’s a good contact hitter that is especially good against lefties and he’s an above-average baserunner, meaning he’ll probably end up as a solid bench player. Fourth-round choise Bernard Diaz was another good value pick. Although his range projects to be a little short to play up the middle, he could play solid defense at third base or either of the corner outfield positions. He’s great against lefties, meaning he could end up on the short-side of a platoon or as a solid bench player. Not a star, but a very solid role player that many teams would happily trade their fourth-round pick for. Fifth-round pick Dean Grissom has quality stuff, but doesn’t have a clue where it’s going. His lack of control will keep him from being an effective big leaguer. Alejandro Franco, the team’s 10th-rounder, is an excellent defender behind the plate, which is always nice to have around. While the first pick was a little uninspiring, the Isotopes made up for it with some shrewd selections in the following rounds.
Grade: B+
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First pick: For the fifth-consecutive year, the Tackleberries used their first pick on a position player. This time around the franchise had the 12th-overall selection and chose shortstop Jim Kydd out of a high school in Kalkaska, Mich. Kydd is a true five-tool talent that broke several of Al Iglesias’ state high school records.
Grade: A
Other picks: Second-round pick Cesar Mercedes became Cheyenne’s highest-drafted pitcher since Juan Cortes was chosen ninth-overall back in season three. Mercedes is a stumpy southpaw from South Dakota, but he’s an absolute workhorse. He doesn’t have great control and gets touched up by righties quite a bit, but if he can’t pitch his way in to the back of a rotation, he’ll be a solid long reliever. After Mercedes, the team continued to take pitchers off the board. The Tackleberries haven’t signed third-round choice Guy Bolden, who will likely head to Wichita State, but fourth-round pick Gary Glanville is an 18-year-old southpaw from Thatcher, Ariz. Like Mercedes, Glanville’s best-case scenario is probably at the back of a rotation, but even then he comes up a little short. None of the other selections project to be more than organizational players. Interestingly, Stuart Stahl's younger brother, Jade, was selected in the 14th round. If it weren’t for his last name, however, he’d probably be working at Home Depot right now. Cheyenne’s scouts must like guys with stripper names, as the Tackleberries also drafted a guy named Peaches…
Grade: D+
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First pick: With the seventh-overall selection, the Hangers chose outfielder Shannon Perez out of high school in Panama City Beach, Fla. Perez is 6-feet tall and he bats and throws left-handed. The Hangars have Perez currently playing center field, but he’s stretched there and projects better in left. He has a rare combination of power and speed, but struggles with contact and against southpaws.
Grade: B
Other picks: With their second pick, Los Angeles popped college closer Napoleon Mullins. Ironically, the undersized lefthander is from Frenchtown, NJ. He doesn’t have a big-time fastball and struggled to stay healthy during his collegiate career. While the Hangars are trying him out in the rotation, Nappy projects as an above-average bullpen arm that gets plenty of groundballs thanks to an exceptional splitter. Third-rounder Stretch Petersen is a switch-hitting outfielder that swings from his heels. He could be a decent option off the bench, but probably won’t hit enough to play everyday. Fourth-round pick, lefthanded starter Roy Morton, could help win a AAA title someday and the team’s fifth-round selection, left fielder Tom West has not been signed. Third baseman Troy Huff, the team’s sixth-round selection has good power, but below-average splits mean he tops out as a bench bat, at best. Overall, it was a pretty underwhelming group for a team that spent the fourth-most on scouting.
Grade: C
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First pick: After going 58-104 last year, the Armijos had the third-overall pick in this year’s draft. But, after losing Pedro Bennett to free agency, Las Vegas was in really good shape with three first round choices and four out of the top 50 picks. The Armijos used their first choice on junior college first baseman Walt Lambert. The 19-year-old left-handed hitter projects to be a middle-of-the-order threat, similar to Fatboys’ all-star Toby Joseph. Lambert will hit, but better options were available.
Grade: B+
Other picks: High School righthander Marty Reilly went 25th overall has good stamina and control, along with a fastball that he can get up to 98 mph. His secondary stuff lags behind and he sometimes struggles against lefties, but with his great makeup and health, he should be an above-average ML starter. With their third selection in the first round, Las Vegas nabbed Luis Alvarez out of high school in Diamond Bar, Calif. Alvarez played shortstop in high school and the Armijos are letting him play off the position, but he’s stretched defensively at short and profiles better at the hot corner. Hitting from the left side, Alvarez has a good eye and above-average speed, but the bat is a little soft—maybe too soft for a regular third baseman. Las Vegas used their second-round pick (48th overall) on left fielder Walt Pearson, a high-schooler from Valley Center, Calif. Pearson doesn’t project to hit for much power, but the switch-hitter has good contact ability and can hit both lefties and righties. With great contact ability and speed, fourth-round pick Phil Putnam, a prep second baseman out of Ohio, could end up being a solid bench player. Sixth-round choice Timothy Thornton can hit lefties and can covers more ground in center field than anyone in the draft. One would think that a team with three first round picks would invest a little more in scouting, but the Armijos were in the middle of the pack. While better options were available, Las Vegas ended up with a good crop.
Grade: B+
Monday, September 22, 2008
AL South Draft Review
Florida Cottonmouths
First Round: Hank Haynes went 21st to Florida, signing for slot money. A nice big slugger out of HS, he has no true weakness as a hitter and one can easily foresee him appearing in a few All-Star games. While limited to 1B, possibly LF, on defense, the bat easily makes up for any lack of positional flexibility. Very sound pick at 21st.
Grade: B+
The Rest: With the 66th pick, Florida managed to tab Mo Cook, a well-rounded 21 year old catcher. With possible 30 HR power and a nice batting eye, he has a great offensive game to go with solid defense behind the plate. Great pick at 66, with the only concern being the pace of his development given his age and current ability. The next two picks to sign came in the 4th and 5th rounds, Peter Paulson and Andre Barry. While Paulson is a distinctly unexciting 1B with only average power, Barry combines a great defensive game behind the plate with a high upside bat that could produce fireworks, but will likely frustrate due to extreme inconsistency. It's also apparent that Floria are still in negotiations with 3rd rounder Mickey Nixon, a solid line drive hitting 1B who could certainly have some kind of future in the majors.
Overall a draft with only 3 or 4 probably major leaguers, which could be disappointing. That said, by getting great value in the 1st and 2nd rounds, Florida should be satisfied with the results.
Overall grade: C (give it a + if Nixon signs)
Richmond Roustabouts
First Round: Although I first confused him for one of the Three Musketeers, Artie Bergeron is the guy Richmond picked up with the 18th overall pick this year. A big, tough lefty with a rubber arm, Bergeron should be able to give innings by the boatload at every level. Whether those innings will be worth anything is another question. While slightly above average in every department, the majors isn't a very forgiving place for guys who just 'get by'. Another concern is his current ability as a 22 year old. He needs to hit his ceiling to settle as a mid-to-bottom of the rotation guy. If he doesn't, this pick has no value. Big risk.
Grade: D
The Rest:
Pitching was the theme here, with only one position player drafted before the 8th. Andres Lee was that guy, and he can potentially be pretty useful. Good range, with a great glove and arm for CF, he should have no problem settling in as a regular as long as his bat can get to average. With good speed on the bases, an average OBP with little power should be enough to get him a spot at the bottom of the lineup. Not bad for a 3rd rounder. Charlie Wells went in the 2nd, and could be a more effective starter than Bergeron. Another college senior, another lefty, Wells has better control but could struggle against right handers. We'll see in time. With not much more than a series of career minor leaguers and defensive replacements, a fairly shallow draft for Richmond topped by 3 possible starters. The risk involved makes it a bad one overall I'm afraid.
Overall Grade: D
San Antonio Sting
First Round: Possibly the steal of the draft, Jimmie Peters fell to San Antonio at 14, taking is time to sign. A devastating hitter with huge power potential, Peters could feasibly be challenging for MVP awards in a few seasons time. If his defense scrubs up to the point that he can play decent 2B, then he becomes even more valuable. The bottom line though, is that wherever he plays in the field, he'll be a fearsome bat for years to come. Superb pick.
Grade: A
The Rest: Pretty disappointing. 2nd rounder Darrell Brown looks like he could be a decent all-round catch, for 90 games a year. Felix Smith, taken in the 3rd might get on a bench one day, at best. Ollie Damon, a 12th rounder probably has the best chance of any pitcher of making the majors. 2%? That might be generous. Peters bumps the draft grade hugely, but if not for him, it would be pretty dire.
Grade: B-
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
First Round: The wonderfully named Lazy Rigney is the guy that Tampa took in the first. Very capable as a COF, Rigney should be a doubles machine once he peaks, with decent 20 HR power and a good BA. Not the most durable, nor exactly what you'd call an effort guy or a team leader, Rigney's a solid enough pick and should have a very solid career.
Grade: C+
The Rest: Not much to talk about here, with only 3 other guys signed. William McKain, taken in the 3rd, will hit a lot of singles and steal some bases. Whether he'll ever walk or knock one out (of the ballpark, perverts) remains to be seen. Worth noting is that should Bubba Wigginton sign, Tampa Bay will also have found themselves a gem in the supp. round. Combining great CF play, a good set of all-round batting tools and smart baserunning, Wigginton's status has a huge effect on this draft class. Similarly, 3rd rounder Kiki Armas could turn out to be a solid all-round 3B should he sign.
Overall: D- (with a large degree of upward mobility)
Final Word: San Antonio walks away with the best pick of the AL South in Peters, while Florida does a good job of addressing need and bringing in some capable bats. Tampa could equal Florida's tandem of two quality picks at the top of the draft if they manage to sign Wigginton. Richmond's draft looks riskier right now but if they get two ML starters out of it, then no one will question the quality of their class.
First Round: Hank Haynes went 21st to Florida, signing for slot money. A nice big slugger out of HS, he has no true weakness as a hitter and one can easily foresee him appearing in a few All-Star games. While limited to 1B, possibly LF, on defense, the bat easily makes up for any lack of positional flexibility. Very sound pick at 21st.
Grade: B+
The Rest: With the 66th pick, Florida managed to tab Mo Cook, a well-rounded 21 year old catcher. With possible 30 HR power and a nice batting eye, he has a great offensive game to go with solid defense behind the plate. Great pick at 66, with the only concern being the pace of his development given his age and current ability. The next two picks to sign came in the 4th and 5th rounds, Peter Paulson and Andre Barry. While Paulson is a distinctly unexciting 1B with only average power, Barry combines a great defensive game behind the plate with a high upside bat that could produce fireworks, but will likely frustrate due to extreme inconsistency. It's also apparent that Floria are still in negotiations with 3rd rounder Mickey Nixon, a solid line drive hitting 1B who could certainly have some kind of future in the majors.
Overall a draft with only 3 or 4 probably major leaguers, which could be disappointing. That said, by getting great value in the 1st and 2nd rounds, Florida should be satisfied with the results.
Overall grade: C (give it a + if Nixon signs)
Richmond Roustabouts
First Round: Although I first confused him for one of the Three Musketeers, Artie Bergeron is the guy Richmond picked up with the 18th overall pick this year. A big, tough lefty with a rubber arm, Bergeron should be able to give innings by the boatload at every level. Whether those innings will be worth anything is another question. While slightly above average in every department, the majors isn't a very forgiving place for guys who just 'get by'. Another concern is his current ability as a 22 year old. He needs to hit his ceiling to settle as a mid-to-bottom of the rotation guy. If he doesn't, this pick has no value. Big risk.
Grade: D
The Rest:
Pitching was the theme here, with only one position player drafted before the 8th. Andres Lee was that guy, and he can potentially be pretty useful. Good range, with a great glove and arm for CF, he should have no problem settling in as a regular as long as his bat can get to average. With good speed on the bases, an average OBP with little power should be enough to get him a spot at the bottom of the lineup. Not bad for a 3rd rounder. Charlie Wells went in the 2nd, and could be a more effective starter than Bergeron. Another college senior, another lefty, Wells has better control but could struggle against right handers. We'll see in time. With not much more than a series of career minor leaguers and defensive replacements, a fairly shallow draft for Richmond topped by 3 possible starters. The risk involved makes it a bad one overall I'm afraid.
Overall Grade: D
San Antonio Sting
First Round: Possibly the steal of the draft, Jimmie Peters fell to San Antonio at 14, taking is time to sign. A devastating hitter with huge power potential, Peters could feasibly be challenging for MVP awards in a few seasons time. If his defense scrubs up to the point that he can play decent 2B, then he becomes even more valuable. The bottom line though, is that wherever he plays in the field, he'll be a fearsome bat for years to come. Superb pick.
Grade: A
The Rest: Pretty disappointing. 2nd rounder Darrell Brown looks like he could be a decent all-round catch, for 90 games a year. Felix Smith, taken in the 3rd might get on a bench one day, at best. Ollie Damon, a 12th rounder probably has the best chance of any pitcher of making the majors. 2%? That might be generous. Peters bumps the draft grade hugely, but if not for him, it would be pretty dire.
Grade: B-
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
First Round: The wonderfully named Lazy Rigney is the guy that Tampa took in the first. Very capable as a COF, Rigney should be a doubles machine once he peaks, with decent 20 HR power and a good BA. Not the most durable, nor exactly what you'd call an effort guy or a team leader, Rigney's a solid enough pick and should have a very solid career.
Grade: C+
The Rest: Not much to talk about here, with only 3 other guys signed. William McKain, taken in the 3rd, will hit a lot of singles and steal some bases. Whether he'll ever walk or knock one out (of the ballpark, perverts) remains to be seen. Worth noting is that should Bubba Wigginton sign, Tampa Bay will also have found themselves a gem in the supp. round. Combining great CF play, a good set of all-round batting tools and smart baserunning, Wigginton's status has a huge effect on this draft class. Similarly, 3rd rounder Kiki Armas could turn out to be a solid all-round 3B should he sign.
Overall: D- (with a large degree of upward mobility)
Final Word: San Antonio walks away with the best pick of the AL South in Peters, while Florida does a good job of addressing need and bringing in some capable bats. Tampa could equal Florida's tandem of two quality picks at the top of the draft if they manage to sign Wigginton. Richmond's draft looks riskier right now but if they get two ML starters out of it, then no one will question the quality of their class.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Defensive Parameters for Prospect Lists
NOTE: These are my tentative guidelines in separating players by position for the upcoming prospect lists. Some of them may seem arbitrary, but the ratings thresholds appear to match up relatively well with my perceptions of what the player should be playing. If anyone has a problem with my "cut-off" system, feel free to either leave a comment or tradechat me. The first list should be published within a week, sooner if I have enough free time. Once the first list is published, I'll try to publish a new one every day (this should create 11 lists in 11 days, culminating in what will probably be a "Top 25 Most Valuable Prospects" list at the end).
*Catchers must project to a minimum of 40 PC. No arm strength/accuracy base.
*No defensive requirements for 1B/DH.
*Second basemen must project to at least 70 range AND 65 glove (both within 10 points of "average," as suggested by HBD's GM window). Arm strength/accuracy does not have a base. 2B are moved to CF rankings if glove + accuracy are at least 165.
*Shortstops must project to at least 75 range and 80 glove. Additionally, glove + arm must be at least 160.
*Third basemen must project within 5 points of each defensive rating's recommendations:
RNG of at least 60
GLV " 65
AS " 70
AA " 65
*Left fielders must project within 10 points of each defensive rating's recommendations:
RNG of at least 45
GLV " 45
AS " 40
AA " 40
*Right-handed CFs: Range + Glove of at least 165
Left-handed CFs: Range + Glove of at least 160
This is just to account for the fact that defensively-challenged RH CFs may move over to 2B. LH CFs do not have that option, so playing a weaker defensive player at CF may make more sense should that player be left-handed.
No base for arm strength/arm accuracy.
*Right fielders must project within 10 points of each defensive rating's recommendations:
RNG of at least 55
GLV " 40
AS " 60
AA " 55
*Starting Pitchers:
If Stamina is greater or equal to 60 but less than 70, then DUR > 20
If Stamina is greater or equal to 70 but less than 80, then DUR > 15
If Stamina is greater or equal to 80, then DUR > 12
*Relief Pitchers: All leftovers that don't qualify as starting pitchers are relievers.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Tacoma: Inks Rincon
Today, the Tacoma downpour inked international prospect Vic Rincon.
Rincon, a lefthanded short reliever, may not have the stuff to closer but should be a quality left handed reliever. Rincon signed for XXX on the back of a strong sinker/slider combo.
Rincon joins fellow lefty shortman Ismael Pimentel as international signee's headed toward Tacoma. Both relievers, fill a void in the upper minor relief, which Tacoma projects as a weakness for their projected season 10 playoff push. Rincon and Pimentel should help address those weaknesses.
Rincon, a lefthanded short reliever, may not have the stuff to closer but should be a quality left handed reliever. Rincon signed for XXX on the back of a strong sinker/slider combo.
Rincon joins fellow lefty shortman Ismael Pimentel as international signee's headed toward Tacoma. Both relievers, fill a void in the upper minor relief, which Tacoma projects as a weakness for their projected season 10 playoff push. Rincon and Pimentel should help address those weaknesses.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Beckett drives in 1,000th run
Boston Red Sox center fielder Bryan Beckett became the fifth player in Gleeman World history to reach 1,000 RBI in his career during Boston's 5-1 win over San Juan on Saturday.
Beckett hit a two-run triple as part of a four-run third inning to reach the milestone. He joins teammate Matt Governale as the only players to reach the 1,000 mark in his career in both runs and RBI.
"It's a nice accomplishment, but individual achievements aren't what's important," Beckett said. "I've won MVPs, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, but no title. What I'm after is a World Series, and I'm just hoping we get another chance this season."
The reigning AL MVP, Beckett is having another banner season, hitting .326 with 26 homers and 67 RBI while succeeding on 22 of 25 stolen base attempts.
Beckett hit a two-run triple as part of a four-run third inning to reach the milestone. He joins teammate Matt Governale as the only players to reach the 1,000 mark in his career in both runs and RBI.
"It's a nice accomplishment, but individual achievements aren't what's important," Beckett said. "I've won MVPs, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, but no title. What I'm after is a World Series, and I'm just hoping we get another chance this season."
The reigning AL MVP, Beckett is having another banner season, hitting .326 with 26 homers and 67 RBI while succeeding on 22 of 25 stolen base attempts.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Two players join 1,000-run club
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims center fielder Nigel Whang and Boston Red Sox first baseman Matt Governale became the second and third players to score 1,000 runs in their careers this week.
Whang reached the milestone Wednesday night when he scored the only run in Syracuse's 1-0 win over Ottawa.
He walked with one out in the fifth, stole second and scored on Sting Berger's single.
"We had a tough start to the season, but we're finally starting to get back on track," Whang said. "It's nice to reach that kind of milestone, but it means even more that it came in a win and was a run we had to have. It would have been tough if we couldn't score any runs for Adam (Haynes) after how well he pitched."
Governale joined Whang and teammate Bryan Beckett on Friday in a 5-2 loss to Washington, D.C.
Governale walked with one out in the eighth, moved to third on a Darron Jenkins single and scored on a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Hector Soto.
"I'm getting tired of all these milestones coming in losses," Governale said. "It'd be nice just once to get to enjoy it."
Whang reached the milestone Wednesday night when he scored the only run in Syracuse's 1-0 win over Ottawa.
He walked with one out in the fifth, stole second and scored on Sting Berger's single.
"We had a tough start to the season, but we're finally starting to get back on track," Whang said. "It's nice to reach that kind of milestone, but it means even more that it came in a win and was a run we had to have. It would have been tough if we couldn't score any runs for Adam (Haynes) after how well he pitched."
Governale joined Whang and teammate Bryan Beckett on Friday in a 5-2 loss to Washington, D.C.
Governale walked with one out in the eighth, moved to third on a Darron Jenkins single and scored on a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Hector Soto.
"I'm getting tired of all these milestones coming in losses," Governale said. "It'd be nice just once to get to enjoy it."
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Joseph drives in milestone run
Minnesota Fatboys slugger Toby Joseph became the fourth player to reach 1,000 RBI for his career when he knocked in four runs during Minnesota's 9-6 win over Vancouver on Thursday.
Joseph hit a three-run homer in the first inning to get the milestone RBI out of the way quickly. He then added an RBI single in the second to give him 1,003 RBI for his career.
"It's a good feeling when you reach these numbers and it gives you a chance to reflect on your career," Joseph said. "This has been a fun season with my 1,500th hit, 1,000th RBI and I should hit my 300th home run sometime soon."
Joseph is the only player with 1,000 RBI who hasn't already passed the 300-homer mark. In fact, the other three — Matt Governale, Chipper Velandia and Hector Santos — all have at least 375 homers.
Joseph hit a three-run homer in the first inning to get the milestone RBI out of the way quickly. He then added an RBI single in the second to give him 1,003 RBI for his career.
"It's a good feeling when you reach these numbers and it gives you a chance to reflect on your career," Joseph said. "This has been a fun season with my 1,500th hit, 1,000th RBI and I should hit my 300th home run sometime soon."
Joseph is the only player with 1,000 RBI who hasn't already passed the 300-homer mark. In fact, the other three — Matt Governale, Chipper Velandia and Hector Santos — all have at least 375 homers.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Velandia joins 400-homer club
Iowa City Comics slugger Chipper Velandia became the second player in Gleeman World history to reach 400 home runs for his career during the Comic's 9-1 win over Tacoma on Sunday.
Velandia hit a solo homer with one out in the seventh, then came up again in the eighth and crushed a two-run homer to right field to reach the milestone.
"As long as we're winning games, that's all that matters to me," Velandia said. "The home runs are just going to come naturally, so I don't worry about them."
Velandia has 16 homers so far this season, putting him on pace for "only" 51 homers after hitting 71 a season ago. He trails only Boston's Matt Governale (414) on the career list.
Velandia hit a solo homer with one out in the seventh, then came up again in the eighth and crushed a two-run homer to right field to reach the milestone.
"As long as we're winning games, that's all that matters to me," Velandia said. "The home runs are just going to come naturally, so I don't worry about them."
Velandia has 16 homers so far this season, putting him on pace for "only" 51 homers after hitting 71 a season ago. He trails only Boston's Matt Governale (414) on the career list.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Morales first to 500 steals
Richmond Roustabouts speedster Jose Morales stole his 500th career base during the Roustabouts' 8-5 win over Las Vegas on Thursday.
Morales hit a two-run single with two outs in the second inning, then stole second base for his 18th theft of the season.
"I'm good at two things: getting on base and running," Morales said. "I know I don't have a lot of power, so that's how I get my extra bases. A single or a walk, then steal second, maybe third, and it's just as good."
The all-time stolen base leader has only been thrown out 80 times in his career, for a success rate of 86.2 percent. He has stolen at least 49 bases every season, and he set the single-season record with 118 in Season 6.
"I'm getting a little older and I'm not as fast as I used to be, but I can still get the job done," he said. "I just have to be a little smarter and pick the right spots."
Morales hit a two-run single with two outs in the second inning, then stole second base for his 18th theft of the season.
"I'm good at two things: getting on base and running," Morales said. "I know I don't have a lot of power, so that's how I get my extra bases. A single or a walk, then steal second, maybe third, and it's just as good."
The all-time stolen base leader has only been thrown out 80 times in his career, for a success rate of 86.2 percent. He has stolen at least 49 bases every season, and he set the single-season record with 118 in Season 6.
"I'm getting a little older and I'm not as fast as I used to be, but I can still get the job done," he said. "I just have to be a little smarter and pick the right spots."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Joseph second to 1,500 hits
Minnesota Fatboys first baseman Toby Joseph joined Bernard Rhodes as the only players with 1,500 career hits during the Fatboys' 7-5 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Joseph went 2-for-4 in the game, picking up the milestone hit with an RBI double in the first inning. A career .334 hitter, Joseph is actually off to a slow start, hitting .314 with only five homers and 23 RBI. He was hitting just .265 before beginning his current nine-game hitting streak, during which he is 15-for-33.
"It's nice to be on a roll again and get that number out of the way," Joseph said. "I felt like I was pressing a bit earlier this season, but now I feel good and I'm a lot more relaxed at the plate."
Joseph only had 523 hits after his first three seasons, but he's picked up the pace considerably since then. He racked up 930 hits in his first four full seasons in Minnesota, including an even 500 in just the last two.
Joseph went 2-for-4 in the game, picking up the milestone hit with an RBI double in the first inning. A career .334 hitter, Joseph is actually off to a slow start, hitting .314 with only five homers and 23 RBI. He was hitting just .265 before beginning his current nine-game hitting streak, during which he is 15-for-33.
"It's nice to be on a roll again and get that number out of the way," Joseph said. "I felt like I was pressing a bit earlier this season, but now I feel good and I'm a lot more relaxed at the plate."
Joseph only had 523 hits after his first three seasons, but he's picked up the pace considerably since then. He racked up 930 hits in his first four full seasons in Minnesota, including an even 500 in just the last two.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Velandia knocks in 1,000th run
Iowa City Comics slugger Chipper Velandia became the third player to drive in 1,000 runs in his career during the Comics' 8-2 win over Ottawa on Tuesday.
Velandia hit a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to give Iowa City a 6-0 lead. The two-time MVP is hitting .364 with 11 homers and 38 RBI after his milestone game.
"It's no big deal," Velandia said of the mark. "Maybe I'll want the ball when I get to 2,000, but whoever caught it can keep this one. I'm only 27, so this ain't gonna be the last time I do something impressive."
Velandia, the only player to hit 70-plus homers two times, has driven in at least 140 runs in four of his seven seasons, with a high of 181 in Season 5, which set the single-season record at the time.
Velandia hit a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to give Iowa City a 6-0 lead. The two-time MVP is hitting .364 with 11 homers and 38 RBI after his milestone game.
"It's no big deal," Velandia said of the mark. "Maybe I'll want the ball when I get to 2,000, but whoever caught it can keep this one. I'm only 27, so this ain't gonna be the last time I do something impressive."
Velandia, the only player to hit 70-plus homers two times, has driven in at least 140 runs in four of his seven seasons, with a high of 181 in Season 5, which set the single-season record at the time.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Byrd joins 250-save club
Florida Cottonmouths closer Philip Byrd became the second pitcher in Gleeman World history to record 250 career saves by pitching two scoreless innings in Florida's 6-5 win over Las Vegas on Monday.
The milestone save was one of the toughest you'll ever see, as Byrd entered the game in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out with his team up just one run. He recorded a 5-2-3 double play and a strikeout to escape without a single run scoring, then got another double play in the ninth to work around a leadoff single.
"You'd rather come in at the beginning of an inning and get to work with the bases empty, but sometimes it doesn't work out like that," Byrd said. "In a situation like that, you just try to make good pitches and hope to limit the damage. Getting the double play was huge, because then the infield can move back and you don't have to worry about being too perfect."
A six-time All-Star, Byrd is 6-for-8 in save opportunities this season with a 1.72 ERA in 15.2 innings. He has saved between 32 and 39 games every season and has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in every season except one (Season 5).
"I've been very fortunate to mostly stay healthy in my career, and I've been on good teams that have helped me succeed," Byrd said. "It's nice to get to a milestone like that, because I've always been proud of being consistent and helping the club every season."
The milestone save was one of the toughest you'll ever see, as Byrd entered the game in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out with his team up just one run. He recorded a 5-2-3 double play and a strikeout to escape without a single run scoring, then got another double play in the ninth to work around a leadoff single.
"You'd rather come in at the beginning of an inning and get to work with the bases empty, but sometimes it doesn't work out like that," Byrd said. "In a situation like that, you just try to make good pitches and hope to limit the damage. Getting the double play was huge, because then the infield can move back and you don't have to worry about being too perfect."
A six-time All-Star, Byrd is 6-for-8 in save opportunities this season with a 1.72 ERA in 15.2 innings. He has saved between 32 and 39 games every season and has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in every season except one (Season 5).
"I've been very fortunate to mostly stay healthy in my career, and I've been on good teams that have helped me succeed," Byrd said. "It's nice to get to a milestone like that, because I've always been proud of being consistent and helping the club every season."
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