A look at the draft classes of the eight teams in the AL South and West divisions, plus Washington.
AL South
Nashville Twang
First round: No. 10 pick Tony Pascual looks like a star, as he has the potential to play excellent defense in center field and his projected top-notch patience combined with solid ability in every other offensive area should make him a nice offensive threat. The key will be his ability to stay healthy, which is a big concern. Julian Santos (pick No. 20 as FA compensation) has the potential to be a nice starter with outstanding control, OK splits and a nice array of pitches. And 33rd overall pick Mac Garcia is a top-15 talent who fell because of signability issues. He projects to be an excellent reliever with very good control, an excellent sinker and two other useful pitches. He'll be very tough on righties and solid against lefties. Of Nashville's four first round/supplement picks, only Clint Scarsone (subpar control and splits and unimpressive pitches) was a whiff.
Grade: A
Other picks: It's a good thing the Twang picked up three excellent prospects before the second round, because they didn't get anybody with ML potential from then on. Second-rounder Arnold Hamilton has good enough potential pitches, but his control and splits will drag him down. Same for third-rounder Hanley Watson. Nashville's fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round picks all have good projected control but don't bring anything else to the table.
Grade: D
Florida Cottonmouths
First round: The Cottonmouths didn't pick until No. 72 overall after losing their first-round pick when they signed Izzy Richard, who has been an OK but certainly not spectacular reliever.
Grade: F
Other picks: Florida's first three picks (Pepe DeSoto, Don Vanguri, Andy Peavy) all appear to have the same potential: backup third baseman/corner outfielder in the majors. None of them appears likely to hit well enough to stick in the starting lineup, but at least they do have a shot at reaching the majors.
Grade: C-
San Antonio Sting
First round: With their third consecutive No. 1 overall pick (and it appears their last for quite some time), the Sting selected their third consecutive elite position prospect. Tony Guerrero may have the best bat of the three as he has an outstanding projected contact/power combination and a good batting eye. He should be solid against righties and a terror against lefties. However, unlike Ronald Levrault and Jin-Chi Choi, Guerrero is a serious health risk. If he can avoid a major injury that sets back his development, he should become a multi-time All-Star and maybe even MVP. But that's an if you'd rather avoid with a No. 1 pick if possible.
Grade: A-
Other picks: Second-round pick Greg Webster has a bat that's nearly as good as Guerrero's, and he'll mash whether he catches or DHs. The problem is that he's not durable enough to provide more than 300 or so at-bats once he's developed, so San Antonio will need to have somebody who can share a position with him. Third-round pick Todd Howard looks more like a minor league rotation workhorse than a ML prospect, and reliever Vernon Hodges is probably too wild to succeed in the majors.
Grade: B
Richmond Roustabouts
First round: No. 3 overall pick Vic Martinez is an excellent prospect, but he doesn't appear to be quite as good as Nashville's Pascual, who went seven spots later. Martinez projects to be a very nice defender in center field or at second base, but he doesn't have the excellent eye Pascual has to offset the fact that he doesn't have great potential in either contact or power. He does have the potential to do quite well against righties. And while his health is a concern, it's not as big a concern as Pascual's. It looks like supplemental pick Freddy Rudolph isn't going to sign, which hurts this class. Still, it was probably a decent gamble using the No. 37 pick on somebody who may have projected to be a mid-rotation starter if he'd signed.
Grade: B
Other picks: Second-rounder Ross Riley could develop into a solid backup infielder, but he probably won't hit enough to start in the majors. Nobody else looks that intriguing, and Richmond hasn't signed three of its seven picks in the first six rounds (including Rudolph).
Grade: D+
AL West
Albuquerque Isotopes
First round: The Isotopes lost their first round pick to free agent compensation but picked up a supplemental pick (No. 42 overall) and used it on Willie Sanchez, who has great attributes and big flaws. A catcher, his arm accuracy is going to be a problem that may ultimately force him to DH. He may also struggle against right-handed pitching, but he'll be outstanding against lefties as he has a solid contact/power combination and a great potential batting eye. His other issue is that his health isn't great. He could be anywhere from a complete bust to an All-Star catcher.
Grade: B-
Other picks: Second-round pick Reginald Kelton is an intriguing DH for an organization that doesn't really need any more DHs. He has a nice projected contact/power combination and the potential to beat up on lefties. His patience isn't going to be great and he'll only be decent against righties. Third-round pick Jed Howington has the potential to be a decent reliever as he's got solid projections across the board. Fifth-round pick Luther Robinson is a long-shot to be effective in the majors, but he has a little potential.
Grade: B+
Cheyenne Tackleberries
First round: The Tackleberries will eventually need to decide whether they want him to be a good defensive left fielder or a poor defensive second baseman, but either way Felix McDowell will be a valuable player. The only area on offense in which he's not very good is his ability against lefties, and he's at least decent there. Getting a player of his caliber at No. 13 overall is the upside of taking a chance on a player whose signability is questionable.
Grade: A
Other picks: Second-round pick Sal Fryman may be able to make it to the majors, but he's going to struggle against lefties and he's not great against righties either. Still, excellent control may give him a shot. Chipper Murray could become a defensive replacement catcher in the majors, and there are worse players you could find in the sixth round. Nobody else has ML potential.
Grade: C-
Los Angeles Hangars
First round: The Hangars haven't been able to sign their first-round pick and his high demands may prevent them from ever doing so. If he signs, this grade can obviously change. Fortunately, Los Angeles did have two supplemental picks and used them well. Chris Martin projects to have outstanding control and a phenomenal changeup to go with two other decent pitches. He'll be very tough on righties and decent against lefties. He's a potential ace and should be a good No. 3 starter at a minimum. Craig Murphy isn't going to be able to carry a heavy workload in the bullpen, but his near-perfect projected control and three potential plus pitches should allow him to be effective when he does pitch.
Grade: C+ (losing the No. 12 overall pick hurts a lot)
Other picks: Second-round pick Wilt Blair has a chance to be a back-end starter, but not a great chance, and the same is true for third-rounder J.D. Goldberg. Fourth-rounder Ross Lofton could be a usable reliever, but even if he is he'll only be able to pitch 50-60 innings.
Grade: C+
Santa Cruz Amigos
First round: No. 24 overall pick Jamie Jackson is likely a wasted pick because of his low splits and unspectacular pitches, but there's an outside chance he could be decent. Supplemental pick Byung-Hyun Martin (46th overall) isn't going to be a star but he has solid potential across the board on offense and is a very good value at this point of the draft.
Grade: C
Other picks: Second-rounder Kelvim Takada has the potential to play somewhere in the infield against lefties, but his usefulness is limited by his lack of range and he may struggle to stay healthy. Nobody else seems likely to make any impact in the majors.
Grade: C-
NL East
Washington D.C. Bureaucrats
First round: With the No. 2 overall pick, the Bureaucrats picked up one of the two true potential aces in this draft in Garrett Lorraine. Lorraine projects to have excellent control, two outstanding pitches and equally strong performance against righties and lefties. The two concerns are that his health and durability are both on the low side, so he'll need good training to help him avoid injury and he may occasionally need an extra off day even in a five-man rotation.
Grade: A
Other picks: Second-rounder Bum Spehr has the potential to be a solid reliever, with very good control, a nice group of pitches and decent splits. Third-rounder Alex Patterson has a chance to develop into a big league starting pitcher, but it's a long-shot. And fourth-rounder Louie Mieses could turn into a pinch-hitter or spot starter against righties thanks to his power, but it's more likely that his terrible contact and mediocre patience will keep him in the minors.
Grade: B+
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Draft Recap: AL North, AL East
AL North
Minnesota Fatboys:
First Round: Bob Flaherty at #27 looks like a very strong pick. He projects to play an excellent 2B, and should also be able to play a fair CF. At the plate, Flaherty has a broad skill set, projecting as adequate to good at everything but excelling at nothing, although his power deserves note. Supplemental pick Brandon Roberts is a relief workhorse that excels against righties and holds his own against lefties. However, his 2nd pitch projects to be pretty average, and he lacks a third pitch. Nashville's Mac Garcia, picked 2 slots earlier, looks much better, although (obviously) Minnesota never had a shot at him, to be fair.
Grade: B+
Other picks: Horace Faulkner should start someday, despite the high offensive standards for 1B. It's unlikely to ever happen with the Fatboys, though; he probably has to be traded to get a shot. Mule Liverman and Rabbit Hackman are likely to find themselves on someone's bench in the future, and Joel Brown was a nice late-round find. Nothing special, but there's value here.
Grade: B+
Buffalo Europeans
First Round: Denny Abercrombie's bat and glove are both strong for his position (LF); he should make a couple of All-Star games in his prime. He signed for well over slot (4.66 mil), however, which is probably why supplemental pick Kevin North hasn't been signed. Even so, North lacks the power or plate discipline to start at 1B, and his glove isn't good enough to play anywhere else. Abercrombie is definitely talented, but getting nothing out of a supplemental pick hurts.
Grade: B-
Other picks: Buffalo's 2nd and 3rd round picks are unsigned, and 4th rounder Maximo Thomas is fringy, even as a bench player. There's nothing else of note here; no one else deserves to make an ML squad by merit. If Buffalo signs either their 2nd or 3rd round picks, this grade would rise. As it stands, however, this is as ugly as it gets.
Grade: F
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims:
First Round: Thurman Pearson's bat won't be anything special, even for a 2B. His range is also lacking for someone who mans the keystone; if he can't play 2B, he's a bench player. Either way, he's not likely to have a long ML career; once his range and speed slip, he'll be out of a job. With the 21st pick, they could have done better.
Grade: D+
Other picks: Mitch Boudreau is good enough to start at 1B against lefties; he's not bad against righties, but one should be able to find someone better, given the abundance of 1B with excellent bats. Trevor Dunston might find his way to an ML bench as a pinch hitter and occasional fill-in at 1B against RHP. As a catch-and-throw guy that can start against LHP without killing you at the plate, you can do worse than Tony Wall. You could probably do better, too, but he's a strong pick for a 5th rounder.
Grade: B
Montreal Grand Orange:
First Round: Ray Lyons at #15 looks solid, if unspectacular. He looks like a Juan Pierre-type with a better arm: great contact skills, little power, very good speed and baserunning ability, and a solid glove in CF. You'd like to see someone with more star potential this early in the draft, but CF is a shallow position in Gleeman World.
Grade: C+
Other picks: Montreal's 2nd rounder priced himself out of the Grand Orange's budget. 3rd rounder Norman Greene will make a great pinch runner, and should hit ably against LHP, albeit without power. His range at 2B is excellent, but his glovework is questionable. The next 4 picks made little sense; all of them are minor-league rotation workhorses with little to no ML potential.
Grade: D+
AL East
New York Metropolitans:
First Round: Donnie Mottola has little upside; his middling stuff and struggles against LH hitters should relegate him to long-relief duty at the ML level. Granted, this is the 31st pick of the draft, but there were better players available. Ted Roberts and Javy Gomez, picked 36th and 40th respectively, both look like better bets to succeed at the ML level.
Grade: C
Other picks: Strangely, the Mets' first 11 picks were all pitchers. What really kills them is that past 2nd rounder Britt Gardner, who looks like a capable long relief option in the future, no one else projects as a legitimate ML player. Due to their late draft position, they're partially, but not entirely, excused.
Grade: C-
Boston Red Sox:
First Round: He may be stretched as a starter, but Jim Gonzales could be a great high-leverage reliever. He has excellent command, thrives against RH hitters without giving up much to lefties, and throws a mean sinker, helping him keep the ball in the ballpark. He's also already 21; he should move relatively quickly. Given the Sox's biggest team need (credible pitching, duh), this is a very good pick.
Grade: A-
Other picks: Otto Harriger and Octavio Wilfredo are both good defense-first catchers that can hit lefties well enough to merit some playing time. David Olivares is a credible long-relief option and a nice find in the 3rd round. Samuel DeJean probably can't hit enough to start at the ML level, and might not hit enough for even a bench role, but is still an interesting enough player to give a shot in the 7th round. Jeromy Robinson's control and GB rate will probably work against him at the ML level; he'll only be able to make it work in the most forgiving of circumstances. All in all, though, a very nice mix of talent.
Grade: A-
Philadelphia Phenomenauts:
First Round: Rafael Diaz projects to have very good stamina and control, and should be very good against righties. However, he doesn't do nearly as well against lefties, doesn't have an out pitch, and lacks the durability to eat that many innings. He's a decent pitcher, and should slot in comfortably as the #3 or #4 pitcher on a team. However, for the #9 overall pick, that feels a bit disappointing.
Grade: C-
Other picks: There's not a whole lot to look at; out of their 2nd to 10th rounders, only two players (the 2nd and 6th rounders) signed. Paul Black throws two fastballs that both grade as plus pitches, and mixes in a usable changeup. He also has a rubber arm; he should be able to give the Phenomenauts 100+ innings in relief. Clem Moran projects to be your classic Quad-A player, with a bat that just isn't good enough to play at 3B, and too little range to ever escape his fate as a 4-corners guy.
Grade: C
Pittsburgh Pug Dogs:
First Round: Wolf Lockhart can hit for both average and power, doesn't have a significant platoon split, and is very durable. Defensively, he positions himself well and gets good jumps on the ball, making up for his lack of speed. His glovework projects to be playable, if not particularly good. His arm is certainly strong enough to make the throw from the hole. Now for the bad news: his throws from SS have been described as "Dalkowskian," and his batting eye conjures up memories of Pudge Rodriguez (Detroit edition). The jury's out on whether this is going to be a successful player or not; a risky #9 pick.
Grade: C+
Other picks: Daniel Franco looks more like an innings eater at AAA than a true ML pitcher; for a second rounder, that's not very impressive. Julio Mercado looks like a bench player for life; he cost well over slot (nearly $3 million), making the pick look a bit frivolous. No one else projects as a major leaguer.
Grade: C-
Minnesota Fatboys:
First Round: Bob Flaherty at #27 looks like a very strong pick. He projects to play an excellent 2B, and should also be able to play a fair CF. At the plate, Flaherty has a broad skill set, projecting as adequate to good at everything but excelling at nothing, although his power deserves note. Supplemental pick Brandon Roberts is a relief workhorse that excels against righties and holds his own against lefties. However, his 2nd pitch projects to be pretty average, and he lacks a third pitch. Nashville's Mac Garcia, picked 2 slots earlier, looks much better, although (obviously) Minnesota never had a shot at him, to be fair.
Grade: B+
Other picks: Horace Faulkner should start someday, despite the high offensive standards for 1B. It's unlikely to ever happen with the Fatboys, though; he probably has to be traded to get a shot. Mule Liverman and Rabbit Hackman are likely to find themselves on someone's bench in the future, and Joel Brown was a nice late-round find. Nothing special, but there's value here.
Grade: B+
Buffalo Europeans
First Round: Denny Abercrombie's bat and glove are both strong for his position (LF); he should make a couple of All-Star games in his prime. He signed for well over slot (4.66 mil), however, which is probably why supplemental pick Kevin North hasn't been signed. Even so, North lacks the power or plate discipline to start at 1B, and his glove isn't good enough to play anywhere else. Abercrombie is definitely talented, but getting nothing out of a supplemental pick hurts.
Grade: B-
Other picks: Buffalo's 2nd and 3rd round picks are unsigned, and 4th rounder Maximo Thomas is fringy, even as a bench player. There's nothing else of note here; no one else deserves to make an ML squad by merit. If Buffalo signs either their 2nd or 3rd round picks, this grade would rise. As it stands, however, this is as ugly as it gets.
Grade: F
Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims:
First Round: Thurman Pearson's bat won't be anything special, even for a 2B. His range is also lacking for someone who mans the keystone; if he can't play 2B, he's a bench player. Either way, he's not likely to have a long ML career; once his range and speed slip, he'll be out of a job. With the 21st pick, they could have done better.
Grade: D+
Other picks: Mitch Boudreau is good enough to start at 1B against lefties; he's not bad against righties, but one should be able to find someone better, given the abundance of 1B with excellent bats. Trevor Dunston might find his way to an ML bench as a pinch hitter and occasional fill-in at 1B against RHP. As a catch-and-throw guy that can start against LHP without killing you at the plate, you can do worse than Tony Wall. You could probably do better, too, but he's a strong pick for a 5th rounder.
Grade: B
Montreal Grand Orange:
First Round: Ray Lyons at #15 looks solid, if unspectacular. He looks like a Juan Pierre-type with a better arm: great contact skills, little power, very good speed and baserunning ability, and a solid glove in CF. You'd like to see someone with more star potential this early in the draft, but CF is a shallow position in Gleeman World.
Grade: C+
Other picks: Montreal's 2nd rounder priced himself out of the Grand Orange's budget. 3rd rounder Norman Greene will make a great pinch runner, and should hit ably against LHP, albeit without power. His range at 2B is excellent, but his glovework is questionable. The next 4 picks made little sense; all of them are minor-league rotation workhorses with little to no ML potential.
Grade: D+
AL East
New York Metropolitans:
First Round: Donnie Mottola has little upside; his middling stuff and struggles against LH hitters should relegate him to long-relief duty at the ML level. Granted, this is the 31st pick of the draft, but there were better players available. Ted Roberts and Javy Gomez, picked 36th and 40th respectively, both look like better bets to succeed at the ML level.
Grade: C
Other picks: Strangely, the Mets' first 11 picks were all pitchers. What really kills them is that past 2nd rounder Britt Gardner, who looks like a capable long relief option in the future, no one else projects as a legitimate ML player. Due to their late draft position, they're partially, but not entirely, excused.
Grade: C-
Boston Red Sox:
First Round: He may be stretched as a starter, but Jim Gonzales could be a great high-leverage reliever. He has excellent command, thrives against RH hitters without giving up much to lefties, and throws a mean sinker, helping him keep the ball in the ballpark. He's also already 21; he should move relatively quickly. Given the Sox's biggest team need (credible pitching, duh), this is a very good pick.
Grade: A-
Other picks: Otto Harriger and Octavio Wilfredo are both good defense-first catchers that can hit lefties well enough to merit some playing time. David Olivares is a credible long-relief option and a nice find in the 3rd round. Samuel DeJean probably can't hit enough to start at the ML level, and might not hit enough for even a bench role, but is still an interesting enough player to give a shot in the 7th round. Jeromy Robinson's control and GB rate will probably work against him at the ML level; he'll only be able to make it work in the most forgiving of circumstances. All in all, though, a very nice mix of talent.
Grade: A-
Philadelphia Phenomenauts:
First Round: Rafael Diaz projects to have very good stamina and control, and should be very good against righties. However, he doesn't do nearly as well against lefties, doesn't have an out pitch, and lacks the durability to eat that many innings. He's a decent pitcher, and should slot in comfortably as the #3 or #4 pitcher on a team. However, for the #9 overall pick, that feels a bit disappointing.
Grade: C-
Other picks: There's not a whole lot to look at; out of their 2nd to 10th rounders, only two players (the 2nd and 6th rounders) signed. Paul Black throws two fastballs that both grade as plus pitches, and mixes in a usable changeup. He also has a rubber arm; he should be able to give the Phenomenauts 100+ innings in relief. Clem Moran projects to be your classic Quad-A player, with a bat that just isn't good enough to play at 3B, and too little range to ever escape his fate as a 4-corners guy.
Grade: C
Pittsburgh Pug Dogs:
First Round: Wolf Lockhart can hit for both average and power, doesn't have a significant platoon split, and is very durable. Defensively, he positions himself well and gets good jumps on the ball, making up for his lack of speed. His glovework projects to be playable, if not particularly good. His arm is certainly strong enough to make the throw from the hole. Now for the bad news: his throws from SS have been described as "Dalkowskian," and his batting eye conjures up memories of Pudge Rodriguez (Detroit edition). The jury's out on whether this is going to be a successful player or not; a risky #9 pick.
Grade: C+
Other picks: Daniel Franco looks more like an innings eater at AAA than a true ML pitcher; for a second rounder, that's not very impressive. Julio Mercado looks like a bench player for life; he cost well over slot (nearly $3 million), making the pick look a bit frivolous. No one else projects as a major leaguer.
Grade: C-
Power Rankings
1. (1, 68-25) New York Metropolitans: Red Wainhouse has bounced back nicely with a 1.92 era so far this season. That injury had to have the Mets worried Red has proved so far he's back and better than ever.
2. (2, 68-25) New York Yankees: For the second week in a row it's New York and New York on the top of the power rankings and it's for the same reasons pitching and more pitching but in the past the Yankees haven't had a big time masher and now they do in Bernard Rhodes.
3. (3, 58-35) Minnesota Fatboys: Max Leary gives Minnesota 2 legit shut down Aces in their rotation along with Cliff Becker. One of the two is probably past their prime and the other just entering his.
4. (5, 61-32) Anaheim Anteaters: Anaheim has been a model of how to turn a bad situation in to a good one in a short amount of time. Their pitching staff in deep and while there isn't a real true ace they don't have a starting pitching I would consider worse than number 3 either.
5. (4, 57-36)St. Louis Greys: Since being called up Vladimir Pichardo hasn't exactly been the monster at the plate he was considered with a .758 OPS but he's still the 4th best hitter on the Greys and there is a lot of projection left in his bat.
6. (6, 57-36) Albuquerque Isotopes: Normally a 4.80 ERA wouldn't be a good thing but it's good enough for the 'Topes because they can flat out hit leading the league in Runs scored by 24 over Minnesota.
7. (8, 55-38) Nashville Twang: The Twang are on pace to win 96 games after losing 89 last season which would be a huge turn around. That would also set a team record for wins in a season.
8. (11, 54-39) Chicago Jayhawks: I remember when when the Jayhawks were as feared as a Tiger in the jungle now it's more like that cat that hisses at you when you walk past.
9. (10, 54-34) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: As the trade dead line nears it doesn't take much to figure out what Tampa Bay needs with a 5.10 team era they need pitching bad.
10. (7, 51-42) Milwaukee Twindyans: They actually were knocked out of first place for a couple of games last week and were as many as 2 games back before a four game winning streak put them back on top but Milwaukee is not as safe as they would like to be.
11. (12, 52-41) Iowa City Comics: As usual Ed has mixed and matched until his found something that worked and is 7-3 in his last 10 just two games out of a playoff spot with plenty of time left.
12. (9, 53-40) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Now that Cheyenne is in a race will they make a bold move to spark and run into the playoffs? The biggest need I see is pitching but is there any left on the market?
13. (13, 49-44) Buffalo Europeans: Buffalo has the sixth best run prevention in the league so they are one of the few fringe contenders that actually has pitching.
14. (18, 49-44) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: For a short time Sioux Falls was atop the NL North and that has to be encouraging. In my opinion though their ability to reach the playoffs is more likely to be determined by whether Milwaukee lets them in then Sioux Falls making it in.
15. (17, 48-45) Boston Red Sox: Boston is just a game back of the playoffs and they made a move to pick up some more pitching which they always seem to need.
16. (16, 47-46) Florida Cottonmouths: If you told me that Florida would be tied with the next team after the All-star break before the season I wouldn't have believed you.
17. (20, 47-48) San Antonio Sting: But thanks to a quick to the point rebuilding job it has just as much to do with how good San Antonio has been as how far Florida has fallen.
18. (15, 46-47) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Thanks to the fact that after the division leaders in the AL there isn't really a elite team Syracuse is still in the race despite going 3-7 in the last ten.
19. (19, 47-46) Boise Mashers: But Boise almost is 7 games back of the WC this late in the season isn't easy to overcome and Boise has been making noise about selling not buying as we near the trade deadline.
20. (14, 47-46) Oklahoma City Twins: The rebuilding process has defiantly started in OKC as Max Leary is gone and OKC is 3 and 7 in the last 10.
21. (22, 42-51) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: There is still hope for Philly, which you usually can’t say this far, down the list but they are only six back of the WC. Personally I'm rooting for you Philly.
22. (21, 43-50) Kansas City Monarchs: It's been disappointing in KC but at least Dale Rooney is back and he's been doing better as of late his Era is down to 3.82. What makes it more frustrating is the despite scoring 25 more runs than giving up and having a higher Expected winning % than Sioux Falls KC is still 7 games under .500.
23. (25, 40-53) Richmond Roustabouts: Hey someone has to have the worst Whip in the league at 1.57 in case you didn't know that's you Richmond.
24. (24, 37-56) Montreal Grand Orange: They have lost their last 10 in a row man that went south fast didn't it?
25. (23, 36-57) Vancouver Vigilantes: They have won just two of their last ten games and have once again taken their spot at the bottom of the NL North.
26. (28, 34-59) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: For being this low on the list a 5.18 era isn't bad, but when your era starts with a five that's never good either is it?
27. (27, 34-59) Los Angeles Hangars: LA isn't actually at the bottom of the AL West and that is thanks to....
28. (29, 34-59) Santa Cruz Amigos: Remember who won the AL West last year? It was these guys ... we think.
29. (26, 34-59) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: Andy Page can't be really living up to the expectations Washington had for him but it's just his first year and as the team improves so should he.
30. (30, 33-60) Monterrey Conquistadores: At least Monterrey is equally bad at home (18-32) as they are on the road (15-28).
31. (31, 30-63) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: Remember when we thought Colorado would never leave the 32nd spot well now they have been out of it for 2 weeks in a row.
32. (32, 24-69) Tacoma Downpour: Think about this for a second as good as the Yankees and Mets have been this season that's how bad Tacoma has been. Yeah that bad.
2. (2, 68-25) New York Yankees: For the second week in a row it's New York and New York on the top of the power rankings and it's for the same reasons pitching and more pitching but in the past the Yankees haven't had a big time masher and now they do in Bernard Rhodes.
3. (3, 58-35) Minnesota Fatboys: Max Leary gives Minnesota 2 legit shut down Aces in their rotation along with Cliff Becker. One of the two is probably past their prime and the other just entering his.
4. (5, 61-32) Anaheim Anteaters: Anaheim has been a model of how to turn a bad situation in to a good one in a short amount of time. Their pitching staff in deep and while there isn't a real true ace they don't have a starting pitching I would consider worse than number 3 either.
5. (4, 57-36)St. Louis Greys: Since being called up Vladimir Pichardo hasn't exactly been the monster at the plate he was considered with a .758 OPS but he's still the 4th best hitter on the Greys and there is a lot of projection left in his bat.
6. (6, 57-36) Albuquerque Isotopes: Normally a 4.80 ERA wouldn't be a good thing but it's good enough for the 'Topes because they can flat out hit leading the league in Runs scored by 24 over Minnesota.
7. (8, 55-38) Nashville Twang: The Twang are on pace to win 96 games after losing 89 last season which would be a huge turn around. That would also set a team record for wins in a season.
8. (11, 54-39) Chicago Jayhawks: I remember when when the Jayhawks were as feared as a Tiger in the jungle now it's more like that cat that hisses at you when you walk past.
9. (10, 54-34) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: As the trade dead line nears it doesn't take much to figure out what Tampa Bay needs with a 5.10 team era they need pitching bad.
10. (7, 51-42) Milwaukee Twindyans: They actually were knocked out of first place for a couple of games last week and were as many as 2 games back before a four game winning streak put them back on top but Milwaukee is not as safe as they would like to be.
11. (12, 52-41) Iowa City Comics: As usual Ed has mixed and matched until his found something that worked and is 7-3 in his last 10 just two games out of a playoff spot with plenty of time left.
12. (9, 53-40) Cheyenne Tackleberries: Now that Cheyenne is in a race will they make a bold move to spark and run into the playoffs? The biggest need I see is pitching but is there any left on the market?
13. (13, 49-44) Buffalo Europeans: Buffalo has the sixth best run prevention in the league so they are one of the few fringe contenders that actually has pitching.
14. (18, 49-44) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: For a short time Sioux Falls was atop the NL North and that has to be encouraging. In my opinion though their ability to reach the playoffs is more likely to be determined by whether Milwaukee lets them in then Sioux Falls making it in.
15. (17, 48-45) Boston Red Sox: Boston is just a game back of the playoffs and they made a move to pick up some more pitching which they always seem to need.
16. (16, 47-46) Florida Cottonmouths: If you told me that Florida would be tied with the next team after the All-star break before the season I wouldn't have believed you.
17. (20, 47-48) San Antonio Sting: But thanks to a quick to the point rebuilding job it has just as much to do with how good San Antonio has been as how far Florida has fallen.
18. (15, 46-47) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: Thanks to the fact that after the division leaders in the AL there isn't really a elite team Syracuse is still in the race despite going 3-7 in the last ten.
19. (19, 47-46) Boise Mashers: But Boise almost is 7 games back of the WC this late in the season isn't easy to overcome and Boise has been making noise about selling not buying as we near the trade deadline.
20. (14, 47-46) Oklahoma City Twins: The rebuilding process has defiantly started in OKC as Max Leary is gone and OKC is 3 and 7 in the last 10.
21. (22, 42-51) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: There is still hope for Philly, which you usually can’t say this far, down the list but they are only six back of the WC. Personally I'm rooting for you Philly.
22. (21, 43-50) Kansas City Monarchs: It's been disappointing in KC but at least Dale Rooney is back and he's been doing better as of late his Era is down to 3.82. What makes it more frustrating is the despite scoring 25 more runs than giving up and having a higher Expected winning % than Sioux Falls KC is still 7 games under .500.
23. (25, 40-53) Richmond Roustabouts: Hey someone has to have the worst Whip in the league at 1.57 in case you didn't know that's you Richmond.
24. (24, 37-56) Montreal Grand Orange: They have lost their last 10 in a row man that went south fast didn't it?
25. (23, 36-57) Vancouver Vigilantes: They have won just two of their last ten games and have once again taken their spot at the bottom of the NL North.
26. (28, 34-59) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: For being this low on the list a 5.18 era isn't bad, but when your era starts with a five that's never good either is it?
27. (27, 34-59) Los Angeles Hangars: LA isn't actually at the bottom of the AL West and that is thanks to....
28. (29, 34-59) Santa Cruz Amigos: Remember who won the AL West last year? It was these guys ... we think.
29. (26, 34-59) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: Andy Page can't be really living up to the expectations Washington had for him but it's just his first year and as the team improves so should he.
30. (30, 33-60) Monterrey Conquistadores: At least Monterrey is equally bad at home (18-32) as they are on the road (15-28).
31. (31, 30-63) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: Remember when we thought Colorado would never leave the 32nd spot well now they have been out of it for 2 weeks in a row.
32. (32, 24-69) Tacoma Downpour: Think about this for a second as good as the Yankees and Mets have been this season that's how bad Tacoma has been. Yeah that bad.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Where Are They Now? #2
Dennis Cohen: Drafted 2nd in the inaugural draft by the Boise Mashers, he was immediately assigned to their Low-A affiliate, mildly surprising considering Cohen was an 18-year old kid just out of high school. Despite his age, Cohen pitched very well, posting an ERA of 3.31 and striking out a batter an inning through just over 80 innings (combined between Low-A and High-A). Cohen started off Season 2 at High-A, but Boise aggressively pushed him all the way to AAA by the end of the season. It wasn't without merit; Cohen posted ERAs in the low 3's at High A and AA before putting up a very respectable 3.86 ERA at AAA as a 19 year old. However, Cohen was shut down near the end of the season with elbow tendinitis. Perhaps on a related note, Cohen dealt with on-field adversity at the pro level for the first time during his 3rd season; playing at AAA for the entire season, his ERA ballooned to 5.35, and his K/9 rate dropped from close to 9 to something around 6.40. Not surprisingly, Cohen repeated AAA the following year; his K rate dropped even further, but he halved his home run rate, dropping his ERA under 4. Cohen was called up to the big club during midseason; he responded by giving the Mashers 120 very solid innings. Cohen's first full season at the ML level was a similar success. His ERA stayed under 4 again, and he allowed just 16 homers in 174 innings, due to his good command and heavy sinker. However, Cohen was shut down towards the end of the season again; arthroscopic surgery revealed substantial damage in his elbow stemming from Season 2's injury. The injury appears to have taken a toll on Cohen this season; his ERA is close to 7, and hitters are crushing him to the tune of .339/.404/.563. Just 23, Cohen is much too good to not rebound. The injury bug is always going to be a factor, but if Cohen can avoid any more catastrophic injuries, he should deliver as a solid #2 or #3 pitcher for the next decade or so.
Breaking News: March 20, 2008
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
Boxscore
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!
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