35 year old ace Vic Alfonzo complained of "a strange pinching sensation" in his pitching shoulder in the 8th inning of a critical matchup against the Anaheim Anteaters. Up 2-1, Alfonzo retired Juan Candelaria before allowing a bloop single to Preston Grieve on a high changeup. However, Alfonzo did not return to the mound, instead beckoning to the dugout while gingerly massaging his throwing shoulder. Twindyan trainers immediately hurried to the mound; after a short discussion, Alfonzo exited the game. X-rays came back negative. He's expected back in 2-3 weeks; expect him to hit the disabled list soon. This will be a significant blow to the rotation; worse yet, the Twindyans were forced to bring a fatigued Pat Bowen into the game. After retiring Alexander Stowers, Bowen gave up a single up the middle to pinch-hitter Donatello Paul, followed by a 3-run shot to Stan Lambert on a hanging curve well out of the reach of Pete Skinner. Anaheim closer Rick Goodwin came in and shut the door in the 9th. That's Milwaukee's 4th loss in a row; the Gunslingers are a mere 2 games back.
Box Score
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Power Rankings: March 16
1. (2, 58-20) New York Metropolitans: Winners of 18 of their last 20 games, the Mets have established themselves as the best team in the American League. They're second in run prevention, and third in run scoring. They currently have 7 players projected to play in the All-Star game. Needless to say, they're dangerous.
2. (1, 57-21) New York Yankees: The class of the National League. Unlike the Mets, they don't possess a dynamic offense. What makes them so great is their top-tier pitchers; the Yankees' 3 best starters have ERAs of 1.07 (Towers), 2.24 (Silva), and 2.40 (Cosby). Their closer (Brian Murata) has an ERA of 1.22.
3. (5, 50-28) Minnesota Fatboys: A 6 game winning streak propels them up the rankings this week. Their offense is arguably the best in the league, but unlike the other top 5 teams in these rankings, they lack an elite pitching staff. There are rumors that the Fatboys are looking to add an ace by the deadline.
4. (3, 51-27)St. Louis Greys: John Carroll has been the rock of the rotation; he's completed nearly half (8/18) of the games he's started, and he's certainly produced (2.26 ERA). The offense is only 21st in runs scored, however. It wouldn't surprise anyone if they look to add a bat before the deadline.
5. (7, 50-28) Anaheim Anteaters: 3B Juan Candelaria (.309/.368/.633) has been a pleasant surprise, and rookie 2B Haywood Gipson looks like a legitimate ROY candidate despite his late call-up. Stan Lambert's production has been lackluster, however; a .300 OBP from a 1B won't get it done.
6. (4, 48-30) Alburquerque Isotopes: They've scored more runs than any other team in Gleeman World. One could attribute part of that to park effects, but the pitching staff has managed to be about league-average.
7. (6, 46-32) Milwaukee Twindyans: Losing 3 of their last 4 against the Anteaters drop them down here. They'll get another shot at them this Tuesday.
8. (14, 47-31) Nashville Twang: The Twang have consistently ranked lower than one may expect because of their comparatively low expected winning percentage. But thanks to their strong play (and the mediocrity of the rest of the division), every team in their division is at least 8 games back. They're a safe bet for the postseason.
9. (8, 45-33) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Thumper Neagle has to be one of the most appropriately named players in the league. Few teams could benefit more from a solid #3 starter, however; past Stump Jordan and Eugene Ramirez, the rotation has been awful.
10. (13, 44-34) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: The team can hit (.358 team OBP, .455 team SLG), but the rotation has a lot of question marks after Miguel Abreu.
11. (9, 44-34) Chicago Jayhawks: They still have a good shot at the postseason, but without Seth Adams (TJ surgery, gone for the season), the rotation looks a lot more vulnerable. If Mo Greer comes back down to earth and 39 year old Erubiel Sanchez starts showing his age, this could get ugly.
12. (10, 43-35) Iowa City Comics: Chipper Velandia is on pace to record his career worsts in batting average, OBP, and SLG. They're still only one game out of a playoff spot. If Velandia explodes in the 2nd half, the team's performance should follow.
13. (15, 42-36) Buffalo Europeans: The pitching has been excellent, but the offense has been so-so at best. For starters, they might be well-served to find an alternate to Miguel Miro.
14. (11, 41-37) Oklahoma City Twins: They've declared that they're ready to rebuild, which is strange, considering that they're just a mere 3 games out of a playoff spot. Still, GM garlogic does have some legitimate concerns that might have triggered the decision; the team is very expensive (payroll of $99.7 million), and the farm system is devoid of any real talent.
15. (17, 41-37) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: The Orangemen might not be in the Tourney this year, but the Fightin' Boeheims are still contenders. If Albie Maduro and Sting Berger can revert back to last year's form, the offense will look far more dangerous.
16. (12, 39-39) Florida Cottonmouths: The Cottonmouths have fallen on lean times; losers of 6 straight, they're now in danger of falling out of the race. Interestingly, Ray Carson is still on the big league team; pitchers with double digit ERAs don't tend to last very long.
17. (19, 39-39) Boston Red Sox: The Sox have allowed or scored at least 8 runs in 10 of their last 12 games. Such is the nature of this team; they've moved up to 6th in runs scored, but are now dead last in the league in ERA.
18. (18, 40-38) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Another team that's close enough to a playoff spot to be called contenders, but far enough where they're not seen as serious threats. They might be forced to make a move soon, whether the move is to retool and sell off their veterans, or to trade some of the future to make a serious run at the playoffs.
19. (20, 39-39) Boise Mashers: They're .500, but they're 11 games back of the divison and have a tough road ahead for the wildcard. Thus, the Mashers have recently decided to rebuild; check back next season.
20. (16, 38-40) San Antonio Sting: They've been a pleasant surprise; while they may not be serious contenders this season, they could finish 2nd in the division. The Sting have been the best team in baseball at stealing bases; they've stole 123 of them while getting caught only 15 times, for an amazing 89.1% success rate.
21. (22, 36-42) Kansas City Monarchs: Much has been made of their offseason moves; while Dale Rooney and Rob Matthews have been solid, neither have been all that great, and Ben Cox has been an abject failure. The team just hasn't hit this season; a .314 team OBP and .419 team SLG won't cut it for a contender.
22. (21, 35-43) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: The team has hit well; Brent O'Donnell (covered in the first "Where Are They Now?") has been excellent, and Lee Roundtree has been solid as well. Heck, even Troy Stern has a .347 OBP. However, the pitching has been disappointing. New face Otis Upshaw has bombed, and the rotation has an ERA well above 5.
23. (25, 33-45) Vancouver Vigilantes: All in all, it's been a pretty successful season in Vancouver. The lineup actually has some serious pop; 7 players with at least 12o at bats are slugging at least .480, and the team's 119 homers are 6th in Gleeman World.
24. (23, 34-44) Montreal Grand Orange: Their recent trade for Fred Risley is a bit perplexing; they aren't contenders, and Risley is 33 years old, having the worst season of his career, and no longer even a mediocre 2B.
25. (24, 31-47) Richmond Roustabouts: The pitching staff needs to be completely overhauled. Nick Carter is the only pitcher on the entire staff that's been significantly better than league average this season.
26. (29, 29-49) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: If the Cubs didn't already take it, their slogan could just be "wait 'till next year."
27. (31, 29-49) Los Angeles Hangars: A recent "hot streak" saw the Hangars win 8 of their last 13 games, keeping them out of the NL West cellar. Not that it's really a race to watch.
28. (28, 26-52) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: They've lost 9 of their last 10, yet they don't drop in the power rankings. The teams behind them have been that bad.
29. (26, 26-52) Santa Cruz Amigos: It's been a while since I've remembered a division winner falling this far this fast.
30. (30, 23-55) Monterrey Conquistadores: At least their expected winning percentage suggests that they might be a better team than their record indicates, unlike...
31. (32, 24-54) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: ...this team, which is actually managing to win more than expected. This team would be last, if it weren't for the extraordinary efforts by...
32. (27, 20-58) Tacoma Downpour: ...these guys. As of the PM2 sim, they've lost 15 straight. That is really hard to do.
2. (1, 57-21) New York Yankees: The class of the National League. Unlike the Mets, they don't possess a dynamic offense. What makes them so great is their top-tier pitchers; the Yankees' 3 best starters have ERAs of 1.07 (Towers), 2.24 (Silva), and 2.40 (Cosby). Their closer (Brian Murata) has an ERA of 1.22.
3. (5, 50-28) Minnesota Fatboys: A 6 game winning streak propels them up the rankings this week. Their offense is arguably the best in the league, but unlike the other top 5 teams in these rankings, they lack an elite pitching staff. There are rumors that the Fatboys are looking to add an ace by the deadline.
4. (3, 51-27)St. Louis Greys: John Carroll has been the rock of the rotation; he's completed nearly half (8/18) of the games he's started, and he's certainly produced (2.26 ERA). The offense is only 21st in runs scored, however. It wouldn't surprise anyone if they look to add a bat before the deadline.
5. (7, 50-28) Anaheim Anteaters: 3B Juan Candelaria (.309/.368/.633) has been a pleasant surprise, and rookie 2B Haywood Gipson looks like a legitimate ROY candidate despite his late call-up. Stan Lambert's production has been lackluster, however; a .300 OBP from a 1B won't get it done.
6. (4, 48-30) Alburquerque Isotopes: They've scored more runs than any other team in Gleeman World. One could attribute part of that to park effects, but the pitching staff has managed to be about league-average.
7. (6, 46-32) Milwaukee Twindyans: Losing 3 of their last 4 against the Anteaters drop them down here. They'll get another shot at them this Tuesday.
8. (14, 47-31) Nashville Twang: The Twang have consistently ranked lower than one may expect because of their comparatively low expected winning percentage. But thanks to their strong play (and the mediocrity of the rest of the division), every team in their division is at least 8 games back. They're a safe bet for the postseason.
9. (8, 45-33) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Thumper Neagle has to be one of the most appropriately named players in the league. Few teams could benefit more from a solid #3 starter, however; past Stump Jordan and Eugene Ramirez, the rotation has been awful.
10. (13, 44-34) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: The team can hit (.358 team OBP, .455 team SLG), but the rotation has a lot of question marks after Miguel Abreu.
11. (9, 44-34) Chicago Jayhawks: They still have a good shot at the postseason, but without Seth Adams (TJ surgery, gone for the season), the rotation looks a lot more vulnerable. If Mo Greer comes back down to earth and 39 year old Erubiel Sanchez starts showing his age, this could get ugly.
12. (10, 43-35) Iowa City Comics: Chipper Velandia is on pace to record his career worsts in batting average, OBP, and SLG. They're still only one game out of a playoff spot. If Velandia explodes in the 2nd half, the team's performance should follow.
13. (15, 42-36) Buffalo Europeans: The pitching has been excellent, but the offense has been so-so at best. For starters, they might be well-served to find an alternate to Miguel Miro.
14. (11, 41-37) Oklahoma City Twins: They've declared that they're ready to rebuild, which is strange, considering that they're just a mere 3 games out of a playoff spot. Still, GM garlogic does have some legitimate concerns that might have triggered the decision; the team is very expensive (payroll of $99.7 million), and the farm system is devoid of any real talent.
15. (17, 41-37) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: The Orangemen might not be in the Tourney this year, but the Fightin' Boeheims are still contenders. If Albie Maduro and Sting Berger can revert back to last year's form, the offense will look far more dangerous.
16. (12, 39-39) Florida Cottonmouths: The Cottonmouths have fallen on lean times; losers of 6 straight, they're now in danger of falling out of the race. Interestingly, Ray Carson is still on the big league team; pitchers with double digit ERAs don't tend to last very long.
17. (19, 39-39) Boston Red Sox: The Sox have allowed or scored at least 8 runs in 10 of their last 12 games. Such is the nature of this team; they've moved up to 6th in runs scored, but are now dead last in the league in ERA.
18. (18, 40-38) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Another team that's close enough to a playoff spot to be called contenders, but far enough where they're not seen as serious threats. They might be forced to make a move soon, whether the move is to retool and sell off their veterans, or to trade some of the future to make a serious run at the playoffs.
19. (20, 39-39) Boise Mashers: They're .500, but they're 11 games back of the divison and have a tough road ahead for the wildcard. Thus, the Mashers have recently decided to rebuild; check back next season.
20. (16, 38-40) San Antonio Sting: They've been a pleasant surprise; while they may not be serious contenders this season, they could finish 2nd in the division. The Sting have been the best team in baseball at stealing bases; they've stole 123 of them while getting caught only 15 times, for an amazing 89.1% success rate.
21. (22, 36-42) Kansas City Monarchs: Much has been made of their offseason moves; while Dale Rooney and Rob Matthews have been solid, neither have been all that great, and Ben Cox has been an abject failure. The team just hasn't hit this season; a .314 team OBP and .419 team SLG won't cut it for a contender.
22. (21, 35-43) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: The team has hit well; Brent O'Donnell (covered in the first "Where Are They Now?") has been excellent, and Lee Roundtree has been solid as well. Heck, even Troy Stern has a .347 OBP. However, the pitching has been disappointing. New face Otis Upshaw has bombed, and the rotation has an ERA well above 5.
23. (25, 33-45) Vancouver Vigilantes: All in all, it's been a pretty successful season in Vancouver. The lineup actually has some serious pop; 7 players with at least 12o at bats are slugging at least .480, and the team's 119 homers are 6th in Gleeman World.
24. (23, 34-44) Montreal Grand Orange: Their recent trade for Fred Risley is a bit perplexing; they aren't contenders, and Risley is 33 years old, having the worst season of his career, and no longer even a mediocre 2B.
25. (24, 31-47) Richmond Roustabouts: The pitching staff needs to be completely overhauled. Nick Carter is the only pitcher on the entire staff that's been significantly better than league average this season.
26. (29, 29-49) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: If the Cubs didn't already take it, their slogan could just be "wait 'till next year."
27. (31, 29-49) Los Angeles Hangars: A recent "hot streak" saw the Hangars win 8 of their last 13 games, keeping them out of the NL West cellar. Not that it's really a race to watch.
28. (28, 26-52) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: They've lost 9 of their last 10, yet they don't drop in the power rankings. The teams behind them have been that bad.
29. (26, 26-52) Santa Cruz Amigos: It's been a while since I've remembered a division winner falling this far this fast.
30. (30, 23-55) Monterrey Conquistadores: At least their expected winning percentage suggests that they might be a better team than their record indicates, unlike...
31. (32, 24-54) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: ...this team, which is actually managing to win more than expected. This team would be last, if it weren't for the extraordinary efforts by...
32. (27, 20-58) Tacoma Downpour: ...these guys. As of the PM2 sim, they've lost 15 straight. That is really hard to do.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Where Are They Now? #1
"Where Are They Now?" is a new series that reflects on the career accomplishments and futures of players drafted in the first round of Season 1's draft. We'll start with the first player drafted in the history of Gleeman World:
Brent O'Donnell: Drafted #1 overall by the defunct Norfolk Ironclads (now known as the Philadelphia Phenomenauts), O'Donnell was seen as the best pure hitter in the draft. He signed for slot money ($4,000,000) immediately and enjoyed a fine season, hitting posting an OPS over 1.000 over 60 games in Rookie ball as an 18 year old, fresh out of high school. New management in Philly promoted him straight to High-A at the start of Season 2; O'Donnell struggled a bit, but still managed a solid season, hitting .281/.362/.493. Despite having a season some may call disappointing, the Phenomenauts chose to promote him to AA to start Season 3; O'Donnell responded with a breakout season, clubbing 29 homers and posting an excellent .420 OBP, although inexplicably attempting (and failing) to steal a base 4 times. He's never attempted another steal since. He was rewarded with a cup of coffee at the ML level, where he struggled badly in 30 at bats. Feeling that he wasn't quite ready, the organization started him at AAA the next season; he responded by slugging .773 in 119 at bats, forcing a call up to the majors, where he continued to mash (.313/.371/.554 in 451 at bats). He followed that up with an even better sophomore season by slugging 40 points higher, matching his previous season's OBP and batting average, and playing in a career high 148 games. Just 23, he's continued to improve, bettering all of his rate stats from last season, and posting an almost 1:1 BB/K ratio. O'Donnell's defense is nothing special, despite his Gold Glove from Rookie ball. He's only an average athlete, and doesn't get good jumps on the ball. He does have a very strong arm, however, and has improved his throwing accuracy quite a bit (5 assists so far this season in RF). He's a star player, and a strong bet for the Hall of Fame in 20 years.
Brent O'Donnell: Drafted #1 overall by the defunct Norfolk Ironclads (now known as the Philadelphia Phenomenauts), O'Donnell was seen as the best pure hitter in the draft. He signed for slot money ($4,000,000) immediately and enjoyed a fine season, hitting posting an OPS over 1.000 over 60 games in Rookie ball as an 18 year old, fresh out of high school. New management in Philly promoted him straight to High-A at the start of Season 2; O'Donnell struggled a bit, but still managed a solid season, hitting .281/.362/.493. Despite having a season some may call disappointing, the Phenomenauts chose to promote him to AA to start Season 3; O'Donnell responded with a breakout season, clubbing 29 homers and posting an excellent .420 OBP, although inexplicably attempting (and failing) to steal a base 4 times. He's never attempted another steal since. He was rewarded with a cup of coffee at the ML level, where he struggled badly in 30 at bats. Feeling that he wasn't quite ready, the organization started him at AAA the next season; he responded by slugging .773 in 119 at bats, forcing a call up to the majors, where he continued to mash (.313/.371/.554 in 451 at bats). He followed that up with an even better sophomore season by slugging 40 points higher, matching his previous season's OBP and batting average, and playing in a career high 148 games. Just 23, he's continued to improve, bettering all of his rate stats from last season, and posting an almost 1:1 BB/K ratio. O'Donnell's defense is nothing special, despite his Gold Glove from Rookie ball. He's only an average athlete, and doesn't get good jumps on the ball. He does have a very strong arm, however, and has improved his throwing accuracy quite a bit (5 assists so far this season in RF). He's a star player, and a strong bet for the Hall of Fame in 20 years.
Top 10 Third Basemen
The series looking at the top players in the league at each position continues:
10. Bono Hughes, Minnesota Fatboys: After an ill-advised promotion to the majors in season 1, Hughes went back to the minors for two seasons before returning as a significantly better player. Despite that terrible early stint, he has his career line up around .275/.345/.445 thanks to very solid campaigns in seasons 4 and 5, and he's right around his career numbers this season. Hughes has mediocre contact skills, but he's good (although not great) in all four other areas on offense.
Defensively, Hughes is around average across the board, a little bit above in range and arm accuracy and a little below in arm strength. Hughes certainly isn't a star fielder, but his performance in the field the last 2.5 seasons has definitely been adequate.
9. John Hardy, New York Metropolitans: Hardy isn't a great hitter, as his career line is around .280/.350/.440. He's been better than that so far this season, posting very respectable numbers for his position. Hardy's contact and power are both so-so or worse, but he has a good batting eye and good ability against both righties and lefties.
Defensively, Hardy has an amazingly sound glove and a very accurate arm and his range is a bit above average, but his arm strength is well below average. He won the season 5 Gold Glove award with excellent numbers that included 11 + plays and 0 - plays. And while he hasn't been that strong in + plays this season, he's still done nice work with the leather.
8. Tony Cortes, Chicago Jayhawks: Cortes is struggling with the bat this season, but he's been solid throughout his career with a line around .300/.360/.470 and he's coming off consecutive seasons with a .380-plus OBP. Cortes has good contact ability, but his power and batting eye are both so-so. He's solid against lefties and very good against righties.
Cortes is well above average in all areas on defense, particularly his outstanding glove, which is to be expected of a converted middle infielder. In his first season at third base, he has a 2/0 +/- total and is playing solid defense overall.
7. Don Monroe, New York Yankees: Monroe's a very solid hitter, posting a career line around .290/.355/.500, although his power has been down a bit so far this season. Monroe has very good contact, so-so power and a solid batting eye. He's solid against righties, a bit worse against lefties.
Defensively, Monroe is above average everywhere except his arm strength, which has taken a big hit. His arm was an asset before he suffered forearm nerve irritation last season. His fielding stats have fluctuated from season to season, but he's generally at least been acceptable with the glove.
Monroe's biggest problem is his health. He's been on the DL five times in 5.5 seasons, and there's always the concern that he'll go out for an extended period and force you to scramble to find a replacement.
6. Chris Kirkland, Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Kirkland sometimes struggles to reach base a lot, but there's no doubting his power. He has a career line around .275/.330/.550 and he's been better than that so far this season. Kirkland's contact skills are mediocre, but he has very good power and a decent batting eye. He's solid against righties and pretty good against lefties.
Defensively, he's almost exactly average across the board. For some reason, however, he's really cut down on his errors the past 2.5 seasons despite the fact that his defensive skills haven't changed much and he has a solid 10/3 total for +/- plays in his career.
5. Brandon Sheffield, Vancouver Vigilantes: Sheffield is another player who doesn't have great on-base ability but has nice power. His career line is around .285/.335/.520 and he's been even better this season. Sheffield doesn't have a single weakness on offense, but he doesn't have a tremendous strength either. Just a nice, well-rounded hitter.
Defensively, Sheffield's glove and arm accuracy are still recovering from spending season 3 with the worst fielding instructor in the world. His range is above average and his arm strength is nearly average. He is having his best season with the glove, as he's made just three errors and his fielding percentage for this season is about 60 points higher than his career fielding percentage.
4. Sid Fleming, Montreal Grand Orange: Fleming's struggling a bit this seasons, but he's coming off two very nice offensive seasons and has a career line around .295/.340/.535. Fleming's batting eye is poor, but he has a very good contact/power combination. He's solid against lefties and good against righties.
Defensively, Fleming is above average across the board, well above in range, glove and arm accuracy. He's played all over the field in the majors, but he's been very good on defense when he's played third base.
3. Sting Berger, Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Berger made his big league debut in season 5, hitting .299/.355/.561 in 79 games. He's been unable to come close to matching that so far this season, but there's no reason to expect that he won't start hitting again any day. Berger's contact skills are mediocre, but he has great power, a good batting eye and he's good against both righties and lefties.
Defensively, his range is above average, his arm strength is about average and his glove and arm accuracy are both below average. He's cut down on the errors this season from his season 5 debut, and he's generally been an acceptable fielder, though certainly not great.
2. Darron Jenkins, Boston Red Sox: As with many third baseman this season, Jenkins is struggling at the plate a bit. Still, he has a career line around .310/.360/.550 and he's coming off back-to-back seasons with a .940-plus OPS. Jenkins has so-so contact and patience, but he has very good power and he's very good against righties and great against lefties.
Defensively, Jenkins has below average arm accuracy and he's above average everywhere else. He's been a fine fielder in his career, but he's not likely to ever win a Gold Glove award.
1. Ronald Garcia, Santa Cruz Amigos: Garcia is having the best season of his career at the plate, which is saying something for a player with a career line around .295/.360/.555. He has mediocre contact, but very good power and a solid batting eye. He's very good against righties and great against lefties.
Defensively, Garcia's range is a bit below average, but his arm accuracy is solid and his glove and arm strength are both above average. He's only made nine errors since the start of season 5, for a nice .980 fielding percentage during that time. His +/- total of 5/4 in his career is pretty much a wash.
10. Bono Hughes, Minnesota Fatboys: After an ill-advised promotion to the majors in season 1, Hughes went back to the minors for two seasons before returning as a significantly better player. Despite that terrible early stint, he has his career line up around .275/.345/.445 thanks to very solid campaigns in seasons 4 and 5, and he's right around his career numbers this season. Hughes has mediocre contact skills, but he's good (although not great) in all four other areas on offense.
Defensively, Hughes is around average across the board, a little bit above in range and arm accuracy and a little below in arm strength. Hughes certainly isn't a star fielder, but his performance in the field the last 2.5 seasons has definitely been adequate.
9. John Hardy, New York Metropolitans: Hardy isn't a great hitter, as his career line is around .280/.350/.440. He's been better than that so far this season, posting very respectable numbers for his position. Hardy's contact and power are both so-so or worse, but he has a good batting eye and good ability against both righties and lefties.
Defensively, Hardy has an amazingly sound glove and a very accurate arm and his range is a bit above average, but his arm strength is well below average. He won the season 5 Gold Glove award with excellent numbers that included 11 + plays and 0 - plays. And while he hasn't been that strong in + plays this season, he's still done nice work with the leather.
8. Tony Cortes, Chicago Jayhawks: Cortes is struggling with the bat this season, but he's been solid throughout his career with a line around .300/.360/.470 and he's coming off consecutive seasons with a .380-plus OBP. Cortes has good contact ability, but his power and batting eye are both so-so. He's solid against lefties and very good against righties.
Cortes is well above average in all areas on defense, particularly his outstanding glove, which is to be expected of a converted middle infielder. In his first season at third base, he has a 2/0 +/- total and is playing solid defense overall.
7. Don Monroe, New York Yankees: Monroe's a very solid hitter, posting a career line around .290/.355/.500, although his power has been down a bit so far this season. Monroe has very good contact, so-so power and a solid batting eye. He's solid against righties, a bit worse against lefties.
Defensively, Monroe is above average everywhere except his arm strength, which has taken a big hit. His arm was an asset before he suffered forearm nerve irritation last season. His fielding stats have fluctuated from season to season, but he's generally at least been acceptable with the glove.
Monroe's biggest problem is his health. He's been on the DL five times in 5.5 seasons, and there's always the concern that he'll go out for an extended period and force you to scramble to find a replacement.
6. Chris Kirkland, Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Kirkland sometimes struggles to reach base a lot, but there's no doubting his power. He has a career line around .275/.330/.550 and he's been better than that so far this season. Kirkland's contact skills are mediocre, but he has very good power and a decent batting eye. He's solid against righties and pretty good against lefties.
Defensively, he's almost exactly average across the board. For some reason, however, he's really cut down on his errors the past 2.5 seasons despite the fact that his defensive skills haven't changed much and he has a solid 10/3 total for +/- plays in his career.
5. Brandon Sheffield, Vancouver Vigilantes: Sheffield is another player who doesn't have great on-base ability but has nice power. His career line is around .285/.335/.520 and he's been even better this season. Sheffield doesn't have a single weakness on offense, but he doesn't have a tremendous strength either. Just a nice, well-rounded hitter.
Defensively, Sheffield's glove and arm accuracy are still recovering from spending season 3 with the worst fielding instructor in the world. His range is above average and his arm strength is nearly average. He is having his best season with the glove, as he's made just three errors and his fielding percentage for this season is about 60 points higher than his career fielding percentage.
4. Sid Fleming, Montreal Grand Orange: Fleming's struggling a bit this seasons, but he's coming off two very nice offensive seasons and has a career line around .295/.340/.535. Fleming's batting eye is poor, but he has a very good contact/power combination. He's solid against lefties and good against righties.
Defensively, Fleming is above average across the board, well above in range, glove and arm accuracy. He's played all over the field in the majors, but he's been very good on defense when he's played third base.
3. Sting Berger, Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Berger made his big league debut in season 5, hitting .299/.355/.561 in 79 games. He's been unable to come close to matching that so far this season, but there's no reason to expect that he won't start hitting again any day. Berger's contact skills are mediocre, but he has great power, a good batting eye and he's good against both righties and lefties.
Defensively, his range is above average, his arm strength is about average and his glove and arm accuracy are both below average. He's cut down on the errors this season from his season 5 debut, and he's generally been an acceptable fielder, though certainly not great.
2. Darron Jenkins, Boston Red Sox: As with many third baseman this season, Jenkins is struggling at the plate a bit. Still, he has a career line around .310/.360/.550 and he's coming off back-to-back seasons with a .940-plus OPS. Jenkins has so-so contact and patience, but he has very good power and he's very good against righties and great against lefties.
Defensively, Jenkins has below average arm accuracy and he's above average everywhere else. He's been a fine fielder in his career, but he's not likely to ever win a Gold Glove award.
1. Ronald Garcia, Santa Cruz Amigos: Garcia is having the best season of his career at the plate, which is saying something for a player with a career line around .295/.360/.555. He has mediocre contact, but very good power and a solid batting eye. He's very good against righties and great against lefties.
Defensively, Garcia's range is a bit below average, but his arm accuracy is solid and his glove and arm strength are both above average. He's only made nine errors since the start of season 5, for a nice .980 fielding percentage during that time. His +/- total of 5/4 in his career is pretty much a wash.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Power Rankings March 8th.
Parentheses denote last week's rankings, current record.
1. (2, 44-12) New York Yankees: Their time has come to be on top of the power rankings with Minnesota struggling this week the Yankees are on top. Their staff has a ERA of 2.37 and less than half of the league has a ERA that isn't double that it will be interesting to see what happens when or even if the staff slips up a bit.
2. (3, 39-17 ) New York Metropolitans: Yes haters this is a Frank Sinatra song, but after destroying Minnesota and having the second best record in the league we couldn't find a way to keep the New York teams out of the top 2. In the past the Mets offence has not been a strength but this season they are 3rd in the league with 332 runs scored and a top 5 team OPS.
3. (4, 37-19 ) St. Louis Greys: The good times aren't so good for the Greys lately they have dropped 4 of their last 5 including being shut out twice, but to be fair those were against the Yankees. If they want to keep this pace up they could look to upgrade their lineup they have only scored 262 runs 12th worst in the league.
4. (8, 36-20) Albuquerque Isotopes: The 'topes have won 15 of 18 which is pretty impressive. They also have the most potent offence in the league so they have that going for them too.
5. (1, 34-22) Minnesota Fatboys: After going 3 and 7 in their last 10 the Fatboys got knocked off the hill and took a little tumble down the power rankings but it's still early in the year and you can't count out the the team that has won back to back championships especially with their lineup.
6. (5, 34-22) Milwaukee Twindyans: It's not that they were worse this week it's that other teams got better the Twindyans are still the same good team they were last week they are a balanced team with a top 8 pitching staff and lineup with a star in each.
7. (6, 34-22) Anaheim Anteaters: Haywood Gipson better boost the offence because right now it's 20th in the league right now the pitching staff is carrying Anaheim and with a staff full of number 2 starters it should hold up throughout the season.
8. (9, 34-22) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Cheyenne has been a bit of surprise this year they have finished re-building and they did it well apparently and are riding a 6 game winning streak right now.
9. (7, 31-25) Chicago Jayhawks: What happened here? Most teams would be happy to be 31-25 but it got to bug Chicago that they can't seem to find the high gear that allowed them to rule the NL in the past years and with Sliva and the Yankees running away that's got to bug Chicago's owner.
10. (14, 32-24) Iowa City Comics: For a little while we thought Iowa had grown old fast but that was premature Iowa is back to their self and making a run to the top of the NL South.
11. (12, 33-23) Oklahoma City Twins: The Twins have been pretty darn good that last few seasons and relied on the pitching staff but this is getting redicualous they are 6th best in ERA and 6th worst in runs scored.
12. (10, 27-29) Florida Cottonmouths: Florida is on a 5 game losing streak currently which is going to drop you in the power rankings
13. (15, 32-24) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: The most surprising stat of the week to us was that Tampa bay is actually 5th in runs scored in the league.
14. (18, 33-23) Nashville Twang: A winning season in Nashville? It could happen this year. They are on a run right now winning 9 of their last10.
15. (11, 30-26) Buffalo Europeans: Buffalo has been really good in their last 10 games going 7-3 but they fell in the rankings because some teams had better weeks.
16. (23, 29-27) San Antonio Sting: The Sting have been the most surprising team this year expected to be one of the worst teams in the league they are actually average at least so far this year which has to be a nice surprise.
17. (13, 28-28) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: It wasn't a good week for the Boeheims who watched teams make a run while they stood still as a result they lost ground.
18. (17, 29-27) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Sioux Falls is only 5 back of Milwaukee and still in the race they just can have many bad streches because Milwaukee is pretty good.
19. (19, 29-27) Boston Red Sox: Same story different year they can't pitch but they can hit.
20. (21, 29-27) Boise Mashers: Bosie has to have Anaheim a little worried because they are only 5 back and Anaheim isn't used to competition.
21. (16, 25-31) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: After it looked promising Philly went 2 for 8 in the last 10 games to drop off the charts.
22. (20, 25-31) Kansas City Monarchs: They have a decent pitching staff but the offence ain't good for want is this now the 7th straight year?
23. (22, 24-32) Montreal Grand Orange: Losing seven in a row is not something that will keep you in a playoff race.
24. (26, 25-31) Richmond Roustabouts: They aren't terrible like some of the teams below them but there isn't much to get excited about either.
25. (24, 23-33) Vancouver Vigilantes: Beating Chicago must have felt nice but they aren't the team they used to be either.
26. (25, 19-37) Santa Cruz Amigos: The Amigos will have to look for some new friends if this keeps up.
27. (27, 18-38) Tacoma Downpour: The Pitching staff knocked half a run off it's era this week which isn't easy to do.
28. (28, 19-37) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: Actually they might be under preforming right now but that doesn't mean they are good just not this bad.
29. (30, 18-38) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: Second worst offence 5th worst pitching staff but the AAA team is good.
30. (29, 16-40) Monterrey Conquistadores: The pitching staff isn't utterly horrible it's just bad and that's the bright spot here.
31. (31, 17-39) Los Angeles Hangars: Last in the league in Era is not a easy thing to do. LA must like a challenge.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Top 10 Second Basemen
The series looking at the best players at each position continues.
10. Mikey Houston, Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: Houston had a fine rookie campaign in season 5, hitting .293/.358/.463, and he's been even better with the bat so far this season. Houston's best offensive skills are solid contact and patience. He's also equally skilled against righties and lefties, although he doesn't have very much power.
Defense is another story for Houston. His arm is poor, even for a second baseman, and his glove isn't nearly good enough yet. His range is OK, but it's certainly below average. In all, he looks like one of the worse defenders at second base, although his numbers haven't been terrible so far in the majors.
9. Javier Vizquel, Cheyenne Tackleberries: Vizquel put up very solid numbers on offense his first two seasons, but he slumped a bit in season 4 and then missed nearly all of season 5 with a torn hamstring. He's hitting OK so far in season 6, and his career line is right around .290/.345/.470, which is fine for a middle infielder. Vizquel has exceptional contact skills and he's solid everywhere else on offense except for his mediocre batting eye.
Defensively, Vizquel has a very strong arm for second because he's a failed shortstop. While his range and glove aren't good enough for shortstop, they're decent for the other side of the bag. His fielding has steadily improved since a brutal rookie season, and he's now probably right around average for the position.
8. Clarence Hampton, San Antonio Sting: Hampton struggled in his rookie year in season 2, but since then he's been good for at least an .800 OPS each season, and his career line is around .290/.350/.465. He's having the best season of his career so far in season 6. Hampton has good contact ability and he's a deadly hitter against lefties. His power and patience are both solid, and he's not terrible against righties.
Defensively, Hampton's pretty close to average. Since the beginning of season 4, when his defensive skills appear to have maxed out, he's made relatively few errors and he has a +/- total of 4/3. Hampton's biggest problem is actually his durability, which has limited him to a career high of 137 games in a season.
7. Alejandro Javier, Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Javier is struggling a bit to start this season, but even so he has a career line of around .280/.360/.510, so there's no reason to think he won't end up with very solid numbers yet again this season. The key to Javier's offensive production is good power and very good patience. His contact isn't good and he doesn't hit lefties well, but he is good against righties.
Javier isn't good on defense, but he isn't terrible either. He put up some brutal defensive numbers in seasons 2 and 3, but he's been solid since then. He may not be acceptable defensively much longer, though, as his range and arm strength are already slipping.
6. Byung-Hyun Yosida, Boston Red Sox: Yosida put up excellent numbers when he first reached the majors at the end of season 4, and while he hasn't been quite that good since, he's still a quality offensive player. For his career, Yosida has about a .300/.350/.510 line, and he's been slightly better than that so far this season. His offensive skills don't jump out at you, but his solid power and patience and great ability against lefties makes up for his mediocre contact.
Defensively, Yosida's range and glove are excellent, while his arm is merely average for the position. He'll likely never be a top-five second baseman, as he's expected to move to center field in season 7.
5. Trent Gordon, New York Metropolitans: Gordon was an excellent hitter in seasons 4 and 5, posting nearly identical seasons of .303/.385/.501 and .301/.373/.502, but he's struggled mightily so far in season 6. After failing to get above the .700 OPS mark in 41 games with Anaheim, he was traded to the Mets and has at least gotten on base at a good clip through his first couple games. Gordon's contact and batting eye are both very good and he has solid power. He's also equally good against righties and lefties.
Gordon's not so good on defense, as his range and glove are both below average and his arm is just decent. He may actually have to move to left field soon as his defense is only going to get worse as he moves past age 30.
4. Charlie Ratliff, Iowa City Comics: Ratliff was a solid hitter in three of his first four seasons, then he hit .293/.387/.500 in season 5. He's not hitting so well to start this season, but he's still got a career line around .285/.360/.450. Ratliff's success on offense comes from a good batting eye and a very good approach against both righties and lefties. His contact is decent, but he doesn't have much power.
Defensively, Ratliff's glove and range don't look great, but he has a very good arm for second base and he's fielded the position very well over the years. His career +/- total of 17/8 is very solid.
3. Mikey Bennett, Minnesota Fatboys: Bennett's not going to light things up on offense, but he gets on base at a good clip and is definitely an above average hitter for the position. In his two-plus seasons, he's put up a line around .300/.360/.450, and he's exceeding that level so far this season. Bennett has good contact, decent power and good patience, and he's equally solid against righties and lefties.
Bennett really shines on defense, where his range is good, his glove is average and his arm is great for second base. He won the Gold Glove in season 5 and while he hasn't been quite as good in the field this season, he's still an excellent defender.
2. Darron Kirkland, New York Yankees: Kirkland has moved all over the field in his career, but he's seeing most of his time at second base right now. His offense has been inconsistent, as season 3 was really the only time he lived up to expectations with the bat until this season. For his career, he's hitting around .290/.340/.520, but he has the potential to be much better. Kirkland has a very good mix of contact and power and his batting eye is decent. He's also equally good against righties and lefties.
Kirkland's range and glove are fine for second base and, as a converted shortstop, his arm is well above average for the position. While he's significantly below average when he plays shortstop, his defense is very solid at second base.
1. Bill Cameron, Albuquerque Isotopes: A no-brainer, at least until some of the elite second base prospects establish themselves in the majors. Cameron posted a .952 OPS to win the Rookie of the Year award in season 4 and he was even better with a 1.020 OPS in season 5. He's struggled to get on base this season, but he still sports a career line around .300/.360/.600. Cameron has good contact and great power, which helps him overcome a mediocre batting eye. He's also solid against both righties and lefties.
Cameron's not great on defense, as his glove and arm accuracy are both below average and his range and arm strength aren't tremendous. His only other issue is that his durability and health have limited his ability to play a full season thus far.
10. Mikey Houston, Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: Houston had a fine rookie campaign in season 5, hitting .293/.358/.463, and he's been even better with the bat so far this season. Houston's best offensive skills are solid contact and patience. He's also equally skilled against righties and lefties, although he doesn't have very much power.
Defense is another story for Houston. His arm is poor, even for a second baseman, and his glove isn't nearly good enough yet. His range is OK, but it's certainly below average. In all, he looks like one of the worse defenders at second base, although his numbers haven't been terrible so far in the majors.
9. Javier Vizquel, Cheyenne Tackleberries: Vizquel put up very solid numbers on offense his first two seasons, but he slumped a bit in season 4 and then missed nearly all of season 5 with a torn hamstring. He's hitting OK so far in season 6, and his career line is right around .290/.345/.470, which is fine for a middle infielder. Vizquel has exceptional contact skills and he's solid everywhere else on offense except for his mediocre batting eye.
Defensively, Vizquel has a very strong arm for second because he's a failed shortstop. While his range and glove aren't good enough for shortstop, they're decent for the other side of the bag. His fielding has steadily improved since a brutal rookie season, and he's now probably right around average for the position.
8. Clarence Hampton, San Antonio Sting: Hampton struggled in his rookie year in season 2, but since then he's been good for at least an .800 OPS each season, and his career line is around .290/.350/.465. He's having the best season of his career so far in season 6. Hampton has good contact ability and he's a deadly hitter against lefties. His power and patience are both solid, and he's not terrible against righties.
Defensively, Hampton's pretty close to average. Since the beginning of season 4, when his defensive skills appear to have maxed out, he's made relatively few errors and he has a +/- total of 4/3. Hampton's biggest problem is actually his durability, which has limited him to a career high of 137 games in a season.
7. Alejandro Javier, Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Javier is struggling a bit to start this season, but even so he has a career line of around .280/.360/.510, so there's no reason to think he won't end up with very solid numbers yet again this season. The key to Javier's offensive production is good power and very good patience. His contact isn't good and he doesn't hit lefties well, but he is good against righties.
Javier isn't good on defense, but he isn't terrible either. He put up some brutal defensive numbers in seasons 2 and 3, but he's been solid since then. He may not be acceptable defensively much longer, though, as his range and arm strength are already slipping.
6. Byung-Hyun Yosida, Boston Red Sox: Yosida put up excellent numbers when he first reached the majors at the end of season 4, and while he hasn't been quite that good since, he's still a quality offensive player. For his career, Yosida has about a .300/.350/.510 line, and he's been slightly better than that so far this season. His offensive skills don't jump out at you, but his solid power and patience and great ability against lefties makes up for his mediocre contact.
Defensively, Yosida's range and glove are excellent, while his arm is merely average for the position. He'll likely never be a top-five second baseman, as he's expected to move to center field in season 7.
5. Trent Gordon, New York Metropolitans: Gordon was an excellent hitter in seasons 4 and 5, posting nearly identical seasons of .303/.385/.501 and .301/.373/.502, but he's struggled mightily so far in season 6. After failing to get above the .700 OPS mark in 41 games with Anaheim, he was traded to the Mets and has at least gotten on base at a good clip through his first couple games. Gordon's contact and batting eye are both very good and he has solid power. He's also equally good against righties and lefties.
Gordon's not so good on defense, as his range and glove are both below average and his arm is just decent. He may actually have to move to left field soon as his defense is only going to get worse as he moves past age 30.
4. Charlie Ratliff, Iowa City Comics: Ratliff was a solid hitter in three of his first four seasons, then he hit .293/.387/.500 in season 5. He's not hitting so well to start this season, but he's still got a career line around .285/.360/.450. Ratliff's success on offense comes from a good batting eye and a very good approach against both righties and lefties. His contact is decent, but he doesn't have much power.
Defensively, Ratliff's glove and range don't look great, but he has a very good arm for second base and he's fielded the position very well over the years. His career +/- total of 17/8 is very solid.
3. Mikey Bennett, Minnesota Fatboys: Bennett's not going to light things up on offense, but he gets on base at a good clip and is definitely an above average hitter for the position. In his two-plus seasons, he's put up a line around .300/.360/.450, and he's exceeding that level so far this season. Bennett has good contact, decent power and good patience, and he's equally solid against righties and lefties.
Bennett really shines on defense, where his range is good, his glove is average and his arm is great for second base. He won the Gold Glove in season 5 and while he hasn't been quite as good in the field this season, he's still an excellent defender.
2. Darron Kirkland, New York Yankees: Kirkland has moved all over the field in his career, but he's seeing most of his time at second base right now. His offense has been inconsistent, as season 3 was really the only time he lived up to expectations with the bat until this season. For his career, he's hitting around .290/.340/.520, but he has the potential to be much better. Kirkland has a very good mix of contact and power and his batting eye is decent. He's also equally good against righties and lefties.
Kirkland's range and glove are fine for second base and, as a converted shortstop, his arm is well above average for the position. While he's significantly below average when he plays shortstop, his defense is very solid at second base.
1. Bill Cameron, Albuquerque Isotopes: A no-brainer, at least until some of the elite second base prospects establish themselves in the majors. Cameron posted a .952 OPS to win the Rookie of the Year award in season 4 and he was even better with a 1.020 OPS in season 5. He's struggled to get on base this season, but he still sports a career line around .300/.360/.600. Cameron has good contact and great power, which helps him overcome a mediocre batting eye. He's also solid against both righties and lefties.
Cameron's not great on defense, as his glove and arm accuracy are both below average and his range and arm strength aren't tremendous. His only other issue is that his durability and health have limited his ability to play a full season thus far.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Power Rankings: March 2, 2008
Parentheses denote last week's rankings, current record.
1. (1, 28-14) Minnesota Fatboys: They might not have the best record in the league. However, they've managed to be this good despite staff workhorse Ruben Crespo posting an ERA close to 7, thanks in no small part to an offense that has averaged an unheard-of 8 runs per game this season.
2. (2, 33-9) New York Yankees: Bernard Rhodes is hitting .404. Haywood Towers' .48 ERA leads a staff that has allowed 103 runs in 40 games. Will the team continue to play this well? Probably not. Are they for real? Even with a regression to the norm, the pitching staff looks excellent, and should keep the Yankees among the league's elite.
3. (3, 28-14) New York Metropolitans: The league's best pitching staff swaps starter Kelvin Sullivan for Trent Gordon and prospect Bip Reagan. Of course, that still leaves Gerard Tomlinson, Gary Long, and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Red Wainhouse. A staff that good combined with a talented, improved lineup will always be a major threat in the playoffs.
4. (5, 31-11) St. Louis Greys: Like the Yankees, there's no way that team ERA (2.76) is sustainable. Even so, the team should still be excellent at preventing runs; the Greys have a very solid defense that should keep the team in almost any game. The offense, however, is a bit suspect.
5. (4, 25-17) Milwaukee Twindyans: Pete Skinner and Vic Alfonzo headline a very good team that should run away with the division. One thing of note: the AAA team is 34-7. They're probably better than the last six or seven teams in this list. Just saying.
6. (6, 26-16) Anaheim Anteaters: Adding Kelvin Sullivan should make the pitching staff that much better, and swapping uber-rookie Haywood Gipson in for the departed Trent Gordon should jumpstart the sputtering offense. Considering the competition, they're about as sure of a lock to win their division as any team.
7. (8, 23-19) Chicago Jayhawks: Rookie Stu Butler is finding the big leagues to be quite a challenge; he's hitting a meager .199/.310/.329. Mo Greer has been a revelation, and the pitching staff has held up nicely, but the Jayhawks need to find a way to match last year's offensive production if they want to have any chance of catching the Yankees.
8. (10, 25-17) Albuquerque Isotopes: All-World DH Edwin Hogan is hitting .294/.407/.537. Almost any player would be proud of that kind of production; Hogan, however, is a career .360/.451/.648 hitter. Bet on him to heat up. On a different note, the Isotopes have managed to keep their staff ERA under 5 (4.88); at Isotopes Ballpark, that's quite an accomplishment.
9. (11, 25-17) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Eugene Ramirez (2.86 ERA) and Stump Jordan (2.25) have carried the team on their backs; Jay Brower (4.35) has been decent, but Juan Cortes (6.18) has stunk, and the bullpen has been atrocious. Patrick Taubensee has somehow allowed 10 homers in 27 1/3 innings. If Ramirez and Jordan falter or get hurt, this could go downhill in a hurry.
10. (7, 23-19) Florida Cottonmouths: Cy Kelly's pitching this season has been amazing; in a different way, so has Joe Harper's. The team still looks like heavy favorites to win what looks like the weakest division in the American League.
11. (16, 21-21) Buffalo Europeans: The pitching is already strong as it is (team ERA of 3.92), and with the best collection of young arms in the minors, it's only going to get better. A bat or two might make them a legitimate wild-card threat; even without a move, they should still be one of many 2nd-tier AL teams vying for a wildcard spot.
12. (12, 25-17) Oklahoma City Twins: At the time of his signing, very few of Gleeman World's GMs thought Max Leary would live up to his contract. With one year to go, it looks safe to say that the majority was wrong. Leary has posted back-to-back 240 inning seasons of sub 3 ERA ball. The offense is punchless as usual, but should they sneak into the playoffs, Leary's dominance could make the Twins a dangerous first round foe.
13. (14, 21-21) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: They're going backwards, currently losers of 3 in a row, and 8 of their last 10. Youngsters Jeremy Walker and Sting Berger have held their own, and Adam Haynes is building on last year's success. But the rest of the team needs to step up for Syracuse to have a chance.
14. (9, 23-19) Iowa City Comics: This should be a 90 win team; the Comics return the same core players from the last couple of seasons, and none have experienced any significant decline. Still, there are some warning signs, the most significant one being that they've been outscored by the opposition this season up to this point.
15. (13, 23-19) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Tampa's ambivalence towards Oswaldo Dotel's talent is puzzling, to say the least; dealt to the Jayhawks for an expensive reliever and a center fielder with a AAA ceiling, he'll be given a chance to prove his worth elsewhere. As for the actual team, Jose Morales is a pest in the best way (.398 OBP, 28 steals), Clay Gibbons leads the league in homers, and Richard Maxwell and Charlie Stevens continue to mash. They'll definitely be in the hunt.
16. (21, 22-20) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: The offseason acquisition of Lee Roundtree looks like a success right now, unlike the disappointing Houston Linden. Brent O'Donnell looks like a legitimate MVP candidate. But outside of the injured Rigo Pineda, the Phenomenauts don't have a single starting pitcher with an ERA under five and a half.
17. (20, 22-20) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Scot Rhodes is doing his best Adam Dunn impersonation (.228/.347/.557), which is useful. Derek Boone is doing what no pitcher wants to do, however; he's channeling the spirit of Mark Redman. Anyways, the team itself is a long shot to compete with the Twindyans; it's more likely that they'll finish last in the division than first (not that either's all that likely).
18. (19, 23-19) Nashville Twang: The lineup is just not that good; a declining Wiki Perez is their only impact bat. The rotation is mediocre, and certainly not much of a threat to any playoff team. With apologies to Nashville fans, I can't really get that excited about this team.
19. (15, 20-22) Boston Red Sox: One of last year's best offenses, the Sox just don't look the same this year. Yes, they've scored more than 5 runs per game, but that's not really all that impressive given the park; even worse, they're allowing almost 6 runs per game. The lineup has drawn a league-low 97 walks in 42 games. That's not going to cut it when your game plan revolves around destroying everyone else's pitching.
20. (27, 18-24) Kansas City Monarchs: Big ticket free agent Dale Rooney has been disappointing (4.88 ERA); that's pretty much been the theme of the team this year. From youthful sluggers Brandon Stewart and Tony Cela to veteran hurlers like Rooney and Ben Cox, the team is littered with disappointments. On the bright side, they've won their last 5 games; is that a sign of better things to come?
21. (18, 21-21) Boise Mashers: They've been the poster boy for consistent mediocrity. The team has never finished a season with a .500 record, but they've never won fewer than 71 games in a season. Other than Season 2's division title, they've finished 2nd every season. This season looks to be more of the same.
22. (17, 21-21) Montreal Grand Orange: Cesar Piedra and Jesus Arias are on the wrong side of the Mendoza line, and Josh Wagner is one bad game away from joining them. All three of these guys are starters, and there's nary a single impact bat to neutralize their damage to the offense. The pitching staff has a collective ERA above 5. And they're somehow .500. Something's got to give; if the line is .500, my money's definitely on the under.
23. (22, 20-22) San Antonio Sting: Apologies to Sting fans everywhere; as the worst team from Season 5, they were the default worst team in the preseason rankings. Good start not withstanding, the team's really not this talented (an expected winning % of .385). Still, this looks like the best Sting team since Season 2.
24. (30, 16-26) Vancouver Vigilantes: This team is better than their record would indicate. They have a .459 expecting winning percentage, which isn't far off from contenders such as the Devil Rays (.479) or Comics (.493). I'm not saying that they're a contender just yet, but they do have an exciting collection of offensive talent. If they can build a pitching staff around Billy Ray Perry, they might have something here.
25. (24, 16-26) Santa Cruz Amigos: They've fallen a long ways from last year. The Amigos still have star-level talent; Ronald Garcia and Dale Stewart have been great, and Francisco Pulido, Woody Perry, and John Parker have performed admirably as the team's top 3 starters. However, the lesser talents on the roster are dragging the team down, and are inexplicably still getting plenty of playing time. Without change, this team is doomed.
26. (25, 18-24) Richmond Roustabouts: Letting Pat Badilla (.333/.397/.511) go for next to nothing was a mistake. So was trading Lee Roundtree (.344/.386/.534) on the cheap. As a result, what should be a strong farm system is currently ranked as the 3rd worst in the American League.
27. (29, 13-29) Tacoma Downpour: On a 6 game losing streak right now; they'll need to win at least one against the Conquistadores in their upcoming series, because their next 10 games will be against the Twins, Yankees, and Twindyans. The defense is still bad (25 errors, tied for worst in ML), and you can't allow more than 5 runs per game with the aid of the best pitcher's park in the league and expect to win.
28. (23, 13-29) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: News flash: you can't win if you don't hit and don't pitch. The Pug Dogs are the 6th worst team at scoring runs, and the 7th worst at preventing them. It's going to be a long season. On the bright side, 3 of their 4 minor league affiliates are above .500.
29. (31, 12-30) Monterrey Conquistadores: Clayton Mack is rapidly declining, and Louis Cannon has disappointed badly. The lineup is among the worst in the league, but the pitching has been surprisingly competent, so that's something.
30. (26, 15-27) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: Garrett Kline is up for good; he's struggled a bit, but he'll be fine. The team is hitting .231/.293/.370. The team. That's Mike Matheny territory. But that's what happens when you budget less than 20 million dollars into team salary. With their farm system, though, you can be sure they'll be better next year.
31. (28, 12-30) Los Angeles Hangars: The Hangars have had by far the worst pitching staff in the league up to this point, with a team ERA of 6.20. That might fly at Coors, but it's downright inexcusable in a pitcher's park such as Dodger Stadium. The team is in need of a complete rebuild.
32. (32, 10-32) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: This pretty much sums up the whole season.
1. (1, 28-14) Minnesota Fatboys: They might not have the best record in the league. However, they've managed to be this good despite staff workhorse Ruben Crespo posting an ERA close to 7, thanks in no small part to an offense that has averaged an unheard-of 8 runs per game this season.
2. (2, 33-9) New York Yankees: Bernard Rhodes is hitting .404. Haywood Towers' .48 ERA leads a staff that has allowed 103 runs in 40 games. Will the team continue to play this well? Probably not. Are they for real? Even with a regression to the norm, the pitching staff looks excellent, and should keep the Yankees among the league's elite.
3. (3, 28-14) New York Metropolitans: The league's best pitching staff swaps starter Kelvin Sullivan for Trent Gordon and prospect Bip Reagan. Of course, that still leaves Gerard Tomlinson, Gary Long, and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Red Wainhouse. A staff that good combined with a talented, improved lineup will always be a major threat in the playoffs.
4. (5, 31-11) St. Louis Greys: Like the Yankees, there's no way that team ERA (2.76) is sustainable. Even so, the team should still be excellent at preventing runs; the Greys have a very solid defense that should keep the team in almost any game. The offense, however, is a bit suspect.
5. (4, 25-17) Milwaukee Twindyans: Pete Skinner and Vic Alfonzo headline a very good team that should run away with the division. One thing of note: the AAA team is 34-7. They're probably better than the last six or seven teams in this list. Just saying.
6. (6, 26-16) Anaheim Anteaters: Adding Kelvin Sullivan should make the pitching staff that much better, and swapping uber-rookie Haywood Gipson in for the departed Trent Gordon should jumpstart the sputtering offense. Considering the competition, they're about as sure of a lock to win their division as any team.
7. (8, 23-19) Chicago Jayhawks: Rookie Stu Butler is finding the big leagues to be quite a challenge; he's hitting a meager .199/.310/.329. Mo Greer has been a revelation, and the pitching staff has held up nicely, but the Jayhawks need to find a way to match last year's offensive production if they want to have any chance of catching the Yankees.
8. (10, 25-17) Albuquerque Isotopes: All-World DH Edwin Hogan is hitting .294/.407/.537. Almost any player would be proud of that kind of production; Hogan, however, is a career .360/.451/.648 hitter. Bet on him to heat up. On a different note, the Isotopes have managed to keep their staff ERA under 5 (4.88); at Isotopes Ballpark, that's quite an accomplishment.
9. (11, 25-17) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Eugene Ramirez (2.86 ERA) and Stump Jordan (2.25) have carried the team on their backs; Jay Brower (4.35) has been decent, but Juan Cortes (6.18) has stunk, and the bullpen has been atrocious. Patrick Taubensee has somehow allowed 10 homers in 27 1/3 innings. If Ramirez and Jordan falter or get hurt, this could go downhill in a hurry.
10. (7, 23-19) Florida Cottonmouths: Cy Kelly's pitching this season has been amazing; in a different way, so has Joe Harper's. The team still looks like heavy favorites to win what looks like the weakest division in the American League.
11. (16, 21-21) Buffalo Europeans: The pitching is already strong as it is (team ERA of 3.92), and with the best collection of young arms in the minors, it's only going to get better. A bat or two might make them a legitimate wild-card threat; even without a move, they should still be one of many 2nd-tier AL teams vying for a wildcard spot.
12. (12, 25-17) Oklahoma City Twins: At the time of his signing, very few of Gleeman World's GMs thought Max Leary would live up to his contract. With one year to go, it looks safe to say that the majority was wrong. Leary has posted back-to-back 240 inning seasons of sub 3 ERA ball. The offense is punchless as usual, but should they sneak into the playoffs, Leary's dominance could make the Twins a dangerous first round foe.
13. (14, 21-21) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: They're going backwards, currently losers of 3 in a row, and 8 of their last 10. Youngsters Jeremy Walker and Sting Berger have held their own, and Adam Haynes is building on last year's success. But the rest of the team needs to step up for Syracuse to have a chance.
14. (9, 23-19) Iowa City Comics: This should be a 90 win team; the Comics return the same core players from the last couple of seasons, and none have experienced any significant decline. Still, there are some warning signs, the most significant one being that they've been outscored by the opposition this season up to this point.
15. (13, 23-19) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Tampa's ambivalence towards Oswaldo Dotel's talent is puzzling, to say the least; dealt to the Jayhawks for an expensive reliever and a center fielder with a AAA ceiling, he'll be given a chance to prove his worth elsewhere. As for the actual team, Jose Morales is a pest in the best way (.398 OBP, 28 steals), Clay Gibbons leads the league in homers, and Richard Maxwell and Charlie Stevens continue to mash. They'll definitely be in the hunt.
16. (21, 22-20) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: The offseason acquisition of Lee Roundtree looks like a success right now, unlike the disappointing Houston Linden. Brent O'Donnell looks like a legitimate MVP candidate. But outside of the injured Rigo Pineda, the Phenomenauts don't have a single starting pitcher with an ERA under five and a half.
17. (20, 22-20) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Scot Rhodes is doing his best Adam Dunn impersonation (.228/.347/.557), which is useful. Derek Boone is doing what no pitcher wants to do, however; he's channeling the spirit of Mark Redman. Anyways, the team itself is a long shot to compete with the Twindyans; it's more likely that they'll finish last in the division than first (not that either's all that likely).
18. (19, 23-19) Nashville Twang: The lineup is just not that good; a declining Wiki Perez is their only impact bat. The rotation is mediocre, and certainly not much of a threat to any playoff team. With apologies to Nashville fans, I can't really get that excited about this team.
19. (15, 20-22) Boston Red Sox: One of last year's best offenses, the Sox just don't look the same this year. Yes, they've scored more than 5 runs per game, but that's not really all that impressive given the park; even worse, they're allowing almost 6 runs per game. The lineup has drawn a league-low 97 walks in 42 games. That's not going to cut it when your game plan revolves around destroying everyone else's pitching.
20. (27, 18-24) Kansas City Monarchs: Big ticket free agent Dale Rooney has been disappointing (4.88 ERA); that's pretty much been the theme of the team this year. From youthful sluggers Brandon Stewart and Tony Cela to veteran hurlers like Rooney and Ben Cox, the team is littered with disappointments. On the bright side, they've won their last 5 games; is that a sign of better things to come?
21. (18, 21-21) Boise Mashers: They've been the poster boy for consistent mediocrity. The team has never finished a season with a .500 record, but they've never won fewer than 71 games in a season. Other than Season 2's division title, they've finished 2nd every season. This season looks to be more of the same.
22. (17, 21-21) Montreal Grand Orange: Cesar Piedra and Jesus Arias are on the wrong side of the Mendoza line, and Josh Wagner is one bad game away from joining them. All three of these guys are starters, and there's nary a single impact bat to neutralize their damage to the offense. The pitching staff has a collective ERA above 5. And they're somehow .500. Something's got to give; if the line is .500, my money's definitely on the under.
23. (22, 20-22) San Antonio Sting: Apologies to Sting fans everywhere; as the worst team from Season 5, they were the default worst team in the preseason rankings. Good start not withstanding, the team's really not this talented (an expected winning % of .385). Still, this looks like the best Sting team since Season 2.
24. (30, 16-26) Vancouver Vigilantes: This team is better than their record would indicate. They have a .459 expecting winning percentage, which isn't far off from contenders such as the Devil Rays (.479) or Comics (.493). I'm not saying that they're a contender just yet, but they do have an exciting collection of offensive talent. If they can build a pitching staff around Billy Ray Perry, they might have something here.
25. (24, 16-26) Santa Cruz Amigos: They've fallen a long ways from last year. The Amigos still have star-level talent; Ronald Garcia and Dale Stewart have been great, and Francisco Pulido, Woody Perry, and John Parker have performed admirably as the team's top 3 starters. However, the lesser talents on the roster are dragging the team down, and are inexplicably still getting plenty of playing time. Without change, this team is doomed.
26. (25, 18-24) Richmond Roustabouts: Letting Pat Badilla (.333/.397/.511) go for next to nothing was a mistake. So was trading Lee Roundtree (.344/.386/.534) on the cheap. As a result, what should be a strong farm system is currently ranked as the 3rd worst in the American League.
27. (29, 13-29) Tacoma Downpour: On a 6 game losing streak right now; they'll need to win at least one against the Conquistadores in their upcoming series, because their next 10 games will be against the Twins, Yankees, and Twindyans. The defense is still bad (25 errors, tied for worst in ML), and you can't allow more than 5 runs per game with the aid of the best pitcher's park in the league and expect to win.
28. (23, 13-29) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: News flash: you can't win if you don't hit and don't pitch. The Pug Dogs are the 6th worst team at scoring runs, and the 7th worst at preventing them. It's going to be a long season. On the bright side, 3 of their 4 minor league affiliates are above .500.
29. (31, 12-30) Monterrey Conquistadores: Clayton Mack is rapidly declining, and Louis Cannon has disappointed badly. The lineup is among the worst in the league, but the pitching has been surprisingly competent, so that's something.
30. (26, 15-27) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: Garrett Kline is up for good; he's struggled a bit, but he'll be fine. The team is hitting .231/.293/.370. The team. That's Mike Matheny territory. But that's what happens when you budget less than 20 million dollars into team salary. With their farm system, though, you can be sure they'll be better next year.
31. (28, 12-30) Los Angeles Hangars: The Hangars have had by far the worst pitching staff in the league up to this point, with a team ERA of 6.20. That might fly at Coors, but it's downright inexcusable in a pitcher's park such as Dodger Stadium. The team is in need of a complete rebuild.
32. (32, 10-32) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: This pretty much sums up the whole season.
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