36 year old star closer Rick Goodwin is done for the season. Coming in the 9th inning of last night's PM2 sim, Goodwin retired the first two batters he faced. On the first pitch to Lonny Mendoza, Goodwin "heard something in his elbow pop." Trainers rushed out to the field, Goodwin was pulled, and Kevin Lee came in to finish the game off. Doctors found a large tear in an elbow ligament; he's scheduled for Tommy John surgery on the 22nd. Sources say he should be back by Opening Day, although at this point, nothing is certain. Goodwin has had a history of injury problems; just last year, he ended his season early with a partially torn labrum. Goodwin signed a two year deal with the Anteaters at the beginning of the season for 2 years and $8.8 million. Early reports indicate that Trevor Peterson is the favorite to inherit the closer position from Goodwin, although it's possible that they may seek a trade instead.
Boxscore
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
A look at AL offense
With season 5's league-leading offense way off pace in season 6, some questions have arisen about whether offense is down in general in the American League.
Through 83 games, the answer is no. Last season's AL team's averaged 5.25 runs per game. This season, they're averaging a nearly identical 5.21 runs per game.
Those runs are, however, being distributed very differently. Six teams are on pace to score at least 65 runs fewer than they did last season and six others are on pace to score at least 55 more runs than a season ago.
The offenses going backward with the projected number of runs they'll lose:
Boston -167
Montreal -163
Santa Cruz -89
Los Angeles -79
Syracuse -73
Florida -68
And the offenses that are improving:
Albuquerque +124
Nashville +100
Cheyenne +92
N.Y. Mets +79
Minnesota +63
San Antonio +58
The offense that's been the steadiest from season 5 to season 6 is Philadelphia's, which is on pace to score just four runs fewer than a season ago.
Through 83 games, the answer is no. Last season's AL team's averaged 5.25 runs per game. This season, they're averaging a nearly identical 5.21 runs per game.
Those runs are, however, being distributed very differently. Six teams are on pace to score at least 65 runs fewer than they did last season and six others are on pace to score at least 55 more runs than a season ago.
The offenses going backward with the projected number of runs they'll lose:
Boston -167
Montreal -163
Santa Cruz -89
Los Angeles -79
Syracuse -73
Florida -68
And the offenses that are improving:
Albuquerque +124
Nashville +100
Cheyenne +92
N.Y. Mets +79
Minnesota +63
San Antonio +58
The offense that's been the steadiest from season 5 to season 6 is Philadelphia's, which is on pace to score just four runs fewer than a season ago.
Mid-Season Review: Mets
Now that we are at the mid-season point, and having just read the breaking news item below, I thought I'd share a mid-season review on the Mets team to date. And what better way to do it, that to create awards out of it:
The "We expected good things, but not THIS good" AWARD:
Geoffery Bates: Batting .337/.395/.645 is very good, but doing it while playing half ones games at Shea is exceptional. With 9.62 RC/27 and 89 RBI in 79 games, Bates has elevated his game to a previously unheard of level in this borough, and is paying huge dividends for GM sickchangeup.
The "Thank God you are back and healthy" AWARD:
Red Wainhouse: "The House" is back, and so is his Cy Young form. 11-1 in 19 starts, 7 1/3 innings per start, .208/.265/.306 against and a 2.04 ERA. Life is good for Red, who is almost certainly going to have his once criticized $15 million option picked up by the team next year.
The "Time for GM sickchangeup to stop sucking his own ...." AWARD:
Trent Gordon: What does a good GM get in exchange for one of the brighest up and coming pitchers in the game in a pitching bonkers trade market? How about a LF batting .258/.322/.375 who's bill is coming due next year? Genius! While GM sickchangeup did secure a phenomenal CF prospect for the next generation of Mets, no one in NY particulary gives a crap about some kid called Bip right now.
The "If this guy really got his shit together, y'all are in trouble" AWARD:
Gerald Tomlinson: Once regarded as the best pitching prospect in the game (about 1 week into season 1, everyone saw him as projected to be 100 overall, which seemed to impress everyone at the time), Tomlinson has disappointed to some extent in his first 3 years, despite arriving in the bigs at the tender age of 21. But this year he's delivering 8 innings per game, a .224/.292/.369 against line and a 3.20 ERA, going 12-4 through 18 games. A lucky hot streak, or a sign of things to come?
The "I'm reminding you of what could have been" AWARD:
Don Masato: Could Kelvin Sullivan have been the central piece in a deal for "The Don"? Given the volatility of the ownership team in Chicago, famous for once having waived half it's team on a whim, a well timed offer could have ensured the Metropolitan faithful of a 1-2 punch as good as any in the history of Gleeman World. Until Masato chokes in the playoffs once more at least!
The "We expected good things, but not THIS good" AWARD:
Geoffery Bates: Batting .337/.395/.645 is very good, but doing it while playing half ones games at Shea is exceptional. With 9.62 RC/27 and 89 RBI in 79 games, Bates has elevated his game to a previously unheard of level in this borough, and is paying huge dividends for GM sickchangeup.
The "Thank God you are back and healthy" AWARD:
Red Wainhouse: "The House" is back, and so is his Cy Young form. 11-1 in 19 starts, 7 1/3 innings per start, .208/.265/.306 against and a 2.04 ERA. Life is good for Red, who is almost certainly going to have his once criticized $15 million option picked up by the team next year.
The "Time for GM sickchangeup to stop sucking his own ...." AWARD:
Trent Gordon: What does a good GM get in exchange for one of the brighest up and coming pitchers in the game in a pitching bonkers trade market? How about a LF batting .258/.322/.375 who's bill is coming due next year? Genius! While GM sickchangeup did secure a phenomenal CF prospect for the next generation of Mets, no one in NY particulary gives a crap about some kid called Bip right now.
The "If this guy really got his shit together, y'all are in trouble" AWARD:
Gerald Tomlinson: Once regarded as the best pitching prospect in the game (about 1 week into season 1, everyone saw him as projected to be 100 overall, which seemed to impress everyone at the time), Tomlinson has disappointed to some extent in his first 3 years, despite arriving in the bigs at the tender age of 21. But this year he's delivering 8 innings per game, a .224/.292/.369 against line and a 3.20 ERA, going 12-4 through 18 games. A lucky hot streak, or a sign of things to come?
The "I'm reminding you of what could have been" AWARD:
Don Masato: Could Kelvin Sullivan have been the central piece in a deal for "The Don"? Given the volatility of the ownership team in Chicago, famous for once having waived half it's team on a whim, a well timed offer could have ensured the Metropolitan faithful of a 1-2 punch as good as any in the history of Gleeman World. Until Masato chokes in the playoffs once more at least!
Breaking News: March 18, 2008
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
Box Score
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.
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