Highest Salaries: Season 7

10. John Carroll: $10,000,000

John Carroll St. Louis Greys Age: 27 B/T: R/R Born: Eclectic, AL Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The 27 year old 5th year pro, and former Cy-Young award winner, signed a franchise friendly $50mm, 5 year deal last offseason, giving him financial security at 26, while allowing the franchise to buy out his first three years of free agency.

He threw 279.1 innings with a 2.87 ERA in the first year of the deal, and is heading for a similar IP count total this year with an ERA of 3.66. Needless to say, this is a contract every team wishes they had.

7. Bryan Beckett (tied): $10,500,000

Bryan Beckett Boston Red Sox Age: 31 B/T: R/R Born: Lovejoy, GA Position(s): CF/CIF/2B/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The 2 time MVP, 6 time All-Star and 5 time GG CF (and counting) signed a 5 year, $52.5mm deal following his first year in arbitration, a deal that also bought out his first three years of free-agency.

Now in his 4th year, Beckett continues to be one of the very best position players in the league - and is worth every penny of his salary. One of only 3 position players to make the list, he is tied with all three for highest paid position player in the majors this year.

7. Fritz Rushford (tied): $10,500,000

Fritz Rushford Anaheim Anteaters Age: 34 B/T: L/L Born: Toledo, OH Position(s): LF/RF View Hardball Dynasty Profile

A 3 time MVP as a CF, Fritz Rushford signed a 2 year, $10.5mm a year deal after being traded from St. Louis to Anaheim, apparently giving his new home town team the ol' "home town team discount".

And despite losing a step or two in the OF (he has now transitioned to LF), and losing a little power due to age, he still remains an OBP monster, putting up a .440 OBP this season after 412 at bats. Hard to argue the value of this contract, as he was once again selected for the All-Star game in Season 7.

7. Nigel Wang (tied): $10,500,000

Nigel Whang Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims Age: 32 B/T: L/L Born: Seoul, KR Position(s): CF/1B/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

While he doesn't have the pedigree suited for "highest paid position player in the World", this 32 year old, 4 time All-Star and 3 time Silver Slugger had the distinct advantage of actually making it to proper free-agency due to some unanticipated salary complications in Minnesota.

And cash in he did, signing a deal that will escalate to $12.5mm in his 33 and 34 year old seasons, before collecting what will very likely be a buy-out at the age of 35. Which isn't to say he's disappointed, cause he hasn't - posting the 2nd highest OBP of his career while manning an almost error free CF.

6. Rigo Pineda: $10,815,000

Rigo Pineda Philadelphia Phenomenauts Age: 31 B/T: S/R Born: Hatillo Palma, DO Position(s): P (SP4) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

As far as pedigree goes, Pineda might just have less of it than anyone else on this list, but he's also required the least amount of investment to date. Going year by year in arbitration, and on his way (presumably) towards free-agency, Pineda never required a multi-year deal from his team, all while pitching in a hitter friendly park.

Now in his walk year, Pineda has produced what amounts to a slightly minus year for him posting a 4.94 ERA in 138.1 innings. Philly is certainly hoping for a draft pick or two for their troubles, which they might just get given the scarcity of SP FA talent most years.

5. Andres Silva: $10,987,512

Andres Silva New York Yankees Age: 38 B/T: R/R Born: Bauta, CU Position(s): P (LRA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Owner of probably the most discussed and/or controversial contract of anyone on this list, Andres Silva is another player that TILTed the house via FA after his former owner screwed things up in the off-season and let him walk.

Unfortunately it seems he's also taken a dip in performance posting a season total career worst 4.46 ERA at the tender age of 38, with another 3 years (2 guaranteed) on his contract after this one. The feather in the Yankee cap? That 13-5 post-season record hasn't gone away.

4. "The Don" Masato: $11,000,000

Don Masato Boston Red Sox Age: 31 B/T: S/L Born: Okinawa, JP Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The Don in entering the final year of a 5 year, $55mm contract he signed before even entering year 1 of his arbitration. And before you get your hopes up, he's already off the market, as Boston ownership made him (in all likelyhood) not for this list going forward with a well structured $26mm, 3 year extension.

While the 2 time Cy Young winner struggled in his first go around the AL, he seems to have righted the ship a little bit the second time around, as he fights to get his team into the post-season. There is little doubt every GM would pay this man $11mm to pitch for their team.

3. Dale Rooney: $12,000,000

Dale Rooney Madison Mifflin Street Boys Age: 37 B/T: L/L Born: Jesup, IA Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

As far as pitching record goes, Rooney doesn't deserve to be this high, but free-agency treated him well, giving him a backloaded contract that pays his $12mm this year, and $13mm next (with a team option possible on that $13mm). While his GM is no longer around to enjoy the 3 year, $33mm extension, he was likely swayed into the deal by the concept of bringing home a once lost treasure that he had traded away seasons earlier.

And while season 1 of the contract paid off great dividends, year 2 has produced an ERA of 4.62 to date, the second worst on record for the 37 year old South Paw from Jesup, Iowa. Only time will tell if the Mifflin Street Boys bring him back for a final hurrah at the age of 38.

2. Red Wainhouse: $15,000,000

Red Wainhouse New York Metropolitans Age: 35 B/T: R/R Born: Ellington, MO Position(s): P (SP3) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

It's hard to argue with 3 Cy Youngs and 2 World Championships in 4 seasons thus far, but there is clearly a large step up from #3 on the list to #2. Still, Wainhouse erases any questions about his value with a great 11-4, 2.71 ERA postseason record, highlighted by a 4-0 Season 6 campaign that led to the teams third trophy.

Now entering his final year, Wainhouse is as good as ever, posting a career second best 2.79 ERA in going 16-2 thus far. The cherry on the top? He's not long for this list as he's giving a hometown discount and signing a 3 year, $8mm a year deal in the offseason.

1. Max Leary: $20,000,000

Max Leary Minnesota Fatboys Age: 36 B/T: S/R Born: El Reno, OK Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

It's slightly ironic that a GM known for frugality traded for, and paid for, the player with the highest single year total ever possible in Gleeman World: the unprecedented, and never to be topped $20mm single year payout.

And speaking of payout, Leary delivered almost immediately as the team captured it's second world title with him at the helm (although admittedly his performance wasnt great). And much like his compatriot in New York, Leary is probably not long for this list either as his demands should fall short of $8mm/year.

Power Rankings: Week 5, Season 7

Parentheses denote previous week's ranking (Week 1, sorry for the long lay-off), current record.

1. (1, 67-29) New York Metropolitans: The Mets have ranked as the top team in the World 7 consecutive times. This year, one of the main reasons for their success has been Gerald Tomlinson's maturation from a homer-prone #2 to a legitimate ace. He's allowed .733 HR/9 this year, much better than his career ML rate of 1.135 HR/9. The change has resulted in Tomlinson lopping more than half a run off of his ERA.

2. (2, 65-31) Minnesota Fatboys: Owners of the world's best team run differential, they've scored an astounding 6.49 runs per game. Only Milwaukee has averaged even as many as 6. Surprisingly, though, they only had 3 All-Stars this season (LF Trey Fonville, SS Pat Badilla, and P Max Leary). Not particularly meaningful, but certainly unexpected.

3. (7, 64-32) Buffalo Europeans: The surprise team of the year. Projected to win 83 games (and miss the playoffs), the Europeans are only 19 wins away with 66 left to play. Needless to say, the prediction was off. Clay Young (1.97 ERA, 14-1 record) has been lights-out this season, and the lineup is slugging .475, 35 points better than last year.

4. (5, 60-36) Anaheim Anteaters: Byung-Hyun Yosida's season looks like an unmitigated disaster, but many of the other regulars are enjoying strong seasons. Fritz Rushford, now a LF, has bounced back nicely, and Richard Maxwell has played superbly. Both have OPS'ed over 1.000. The pitching and defense has fared very well; the team is 3rd in Gleeman World at run prevention, and has allowed a measly 5 unearned runs all year long, thanks to a World-low 21 errors.

5. (6, 58-38) New York Yankees: The Yankees possess the 3rd best record in the NL, but sit in 2nd place in their division, thanks to the surprising Devil Rays. With the Yankees, it's always been about pitching and defense first; the team leads everyone in run prevention. Bernard Rhodes is making a strong play at the NL MVP (1.116 OPS) as well. It's worth mentioning that the Andres Silva contract may become a problem; after an outstanding Season 6, he's posted an ERA close to 5 this season. He's also 38 years old, and while this may be a fluke season, Silva's best years are clearly behind him.

6. (3, 57-39) Milwaukee Twindyans: The Twindyans have absolutely crushed the ball this season. They've hit better than two homers per game, a rate that easily tops the World. It's been a group effort, too; Pete Skinner, Dennis Nelson, Hector Santos, and Ted Simpson combine for 116 home runs between them, and five others have hit at least 9. The pitching hasn't been as good, however; offseason acquisition Sergio Reid has tanked (7.38 ERA), and no one in the rotation outside of Vic Alfonzo has pitched well.

7. (4, 55-41) Albuquerque Isotopes: Is there any position player/pitcher combo playing better than Edwin Hogan/Billy Ray Prince? The former is making a Chipper Jones-like run at .400, hitting .392 after 96 games en route to his umpteeth batting title, while the latter possesses a 2.08 ERA, 2nd in Gleeman World behind the sizzling Clay Young.

8. (22, 59-37) Tampa Bay Devil Rays: They're ranked behind three teams with inferior W/L records, mainly because of their run differential; they've outscored the opposition by a paltry 7 runs this season. Still, they're also 22 games over .500, and they were a playoff team last year. Look for the Yankees to pass them up soon, and the Devil Rays to comfortably waltz into the playoffs as the 5th seed.

9. (20, 52-44) St. Louis Greys: Hurry back, Louie Dispenza. Since losing him to injury, the Greys have lost 12 of 18, and hold a slim 2 game lead on the Iowa City Comics. The team has improved dramatically from last year offensively, especially in the power department. The team is slugging .456, 48 points better than it was last season.

10. (16, 55-41) Florida Cottonmouths: Despite being outscored this season, they've managed to go 14 games above .500, putting them atop a mediocre division. There are rumors that the Cottonmouths are shopping Ismael Molina for prospects, despite the fact that they're likely to make the playoffs.

11. (8, 53-43) Boise Mashers: The aptly named Mashers are 6th in the league in SLG%. They've also been much better on the road (33-20) than at home (20-23), although it's hard to tell if this means anything, or if it's just statistical variance. They look like the favorites to win the 2nd NL Wildcard spot.

12. (10, 51-45) Boston Red Sox: The busiest team in the offseason finds themselves in a similar situation, fighting for a wildcard spot. Bryan Beckett has played as well as one can expect from him, but the rotation has been a mess. Don Masato and Miguel Torres have both been disappointing, and Charles Brow's Jose Lima impression landed him in mop-up duty. One can only wonder if pitching well in Fenway is even possible.

13. (11, 50-46) Syracuse Fightin' Boeheims: The team that's no longer Fuckin' Around (TM) is still on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in. On one hand, Tommy Liverman has been outstanding, and for the most part, the pitching has been a strength. On the other hand, there have been way too many at bats and innings wasted on guys playing well below replacement-level, hurting the team's overall performance.

14. (9, 50-46) Iowa City Comics: The Comics have pitched very well (7th in run prevention), but are just above .500 thanks to the third-worst team OBP (.312) in Gleeman World. Most of this is because of low batting averages; out of everyday players, Chipper Velandia is hitting .301, and Charlie Ratliff is hitting .286. No other regular has a BA over .262, and Giomar Mercado and Miguel Jose are creeping dangerously close to the Mendoza Line. Still, they're just 2 games out of the division lead.

15. (17, 51-45) Nashville Twang: They might have one of the worst bullpens you will ever see; the closer has a 7.56 ERA, and only one reliever has an ERA better than league average (Raymond Shea, 4.39). They have an above-average offense, and their top 3 starters have been anywhere from good to serviceable, so there's that. They might compete anyways, but a couple of moves could go a long way in making a legitimate run possible.

16. (14, 52-44) Sioux Falls Gunslingers: Scot Rhodes is a beast, but guys like A.J. Cora, Francisco Olivares, Ron Wall, and Andy Helton have really dragged the team down, combining for about 700 at-bats of awfulness. The pitching has been more successful; the bullpen is a strength, and Nick Roosevelt is enjoying a career season.

17. (15, 49-47) Richmond Roustabouts: One of four approximately average teams (by run differential) in the division. They've gotten on base as well as almost anyone; their .353 team OBP ranks 3rd in Gleeman World, behind perennial powerhouses (Fatboys, Mets). Of course, they have a team ERA north of 5, and they don't have all that much power (116 HR's, 24th in Gleeman World), which explains their record.

18. (23, 47-49) Pittsburgh Pug Dogs: Expected to be terrible, the Pug Dogs have instead managed respectability. This is in no small part due to their pitching staff; the rotation has been very good, and Louis Lyon is having the season of his life, with a 1.49 ERA as the team's closer. Now if they could only hit...

19. (12, 46-50) Cheyenne Tackleberries: The Tackleberries swing at almost anything; in 96 games, they've drawn a mere 242 walks, worst in the World. Yet they've managed an offense that's a respectable 16th in runs scored by hitting for power instead. This team would likely contend with ace Stump Jordan in the fold. Unfortunately, he's done for the season (Tommy John surgery). So are the Tackleberries.

20. (26, 44-52) San Antonio Sting: The pitching is abysmal (5.29 ERA), and the defense is just as bad, allowing 50 unearned runs to score. At the least, the Sting have hit pretty well, led by catcher Josh Wagner, hitting .319/.426/.522, and waiver claim Alexander Gibbs, slugging .565 with 29 HRs.

21. (18, 42-54) Washington D.C. Bureaucrats: The big league club is much better than it had been in the past; they're already just 12 wins away from last year's total. Still, the best is yet to come, several very good young pitchers and position players are stationed at AAA right now. They should all be ready for The Show by Season 8.

22. (21, 43-53) Vancouver Vigilantes: Winning 4 straight got them out of the NL North cellar. The offense is largely a one-man show this year; Douglas Coleridge's .935 OPS is tops on the team by a longshot. No other regular has an OPS above .800. Meanwhile, Billy Ray Perry is channeling the Dodger version of Odalis Perez; he's alternating good seasons in even numbered years (Seasons 4, 6) with bad seasons in odd years (Seasons 5,7).

23. (30, 40-56) Monterrey Conquistadores: They've won 9 of their last 11 games, improving their record from ghastly to just poor. They have a stable of mediocrity in the rotation; every pitcher there has an ERA between 4.7 and 5.4. Nobody's terrible, but no one there is actually good, either. At the very least, Pablo Garces is young enough to improve, and Lance Acosta looks like the real thing.

24. (27, 41-55) Montreal Grand Orange: The Grand Orange actually have some good hitters; their 513 runs scored ranks them 10th in the World. However, they have no idea how to stop the other team from scoring; they're dead last in the AL in run prevention, allowing more than 6 runs per game.

25. (13, 41-55) Madison Street Mifflin Boys: They've hit rock bottom, losing 14 of their last 16 games, and falling into the division cellar. Keith Fleming's ERA has risen dramatically for the 3rd consecutive season; after a stellar Season 5, where he posted a 3.10 ERA, he's recorded a 4.42 in Season 6, and a 6.45 so far in Season 7. That's a disturbing trend.

26. (31, 38-58) Los Angeles Hangars: They'd likely be ranked lower if it weren't for Charlie Stevens and his sizzling bat. Hitting .372 on the season in Dodger Stadium is no small feat. Of course, no other regular has an OPS within shouting distance of Stevens' .975. And the pitching...blech.

27. (19, 40-56) Oklahoma City Twins: Look past the almost-acceptable looking 4.92 ERA; AT&T Bricktown Ballpark is a pitcher's haven. The Twins are going with an unorthodox 3-man rotation, it seems, with several spot starters. It hasn't really worked; none of the starters have an ERA better than 4.50, which still wouldn't be considered good at all in that ballpark. Of course, the team's clearly in a full-scale rebuilding mode; only Danny Ransom (read story below to learn more about him) and Dave Starr are over the age of 27.

28. (24, 37-59) Chicago Jayhawks: As recently as last year, the Jayhawks had one of the best pitching staffs in the league. Then Don Masato, Seth Adams, and the entire bullpen left. The new 'Hawks have been a disaster; they've allowed 596 runs, worst in Gleeman World. Of course, with a player payroll of under 20 million dollars, expectations are about as low as can be.

29. (29, 35-61) Las Vegas Armijos: The team itself is bad, but what's equally concerning is that there's no help in the farm system. The Armijos have the 50th and 77th best prospects in the AL. One (Clark Murphy) is a 26 year old SuB in the majors, with a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings. The other (Byung-Hyun Martin) is a RF with a so-so bat and shaky glove. This team needs to retool for the long run, and soon.

30. (25, 33-63) Tacoma Downpour: Not that it matters, but Sammy Rodriguez has to be one of the worst pitchers in the majors today. A career 6.37 ERA in over 460 AAA innings, Rodriguez has almost 90 career innings in the bigs as a long reliever, with an ERA of 6.19 in the most pitcher-friendly park in the majors. I'd write something about the big league team, but there's really not much to add.

31. (28, 31-65) Philadelphia Phenomenauts: A complete tear-down. When it became apparent that the team wasn't going anywhere, the Phenomenaut front office decided to throw in the towel, trading away young homegrown star Brent O'Donnell and quality veterans Lee Roundtree and Rickey Dixon. The team has predictably fallen apart.

32. (32, 30-66) Colorado Springs Silver Stars: The offense is epically bad. They've averaged 3.44 runs per game. To put that into perspective, the Tacoma Downpour have scored 4.15 runs per game, and they play in the most severe pitchers park in the World. The next worst offense would be either the Phenomenauts or Pug Dogs, both averaging 4.49 runs per game. Both teams are a full run better than the Silver Stars. The acquisition of Rickey Dixon helps, but that's like trying to seal off a colander with a piece of scotch tape; it's not nearly enough.

Irish eyes are smilin'

Danny Ransom may be the feel good story of the year so far.

Hardball Dynasty's

Danny Ransom

This 35 year old rookie is in his 13th pro season, and this is his first at the major league level, has, spent the last 6 seasons pitching in AAA for the Milwaukee franchise. After being unappreciated by the team who scouted him and signed him out of Ireland, he was snatch up in the Rule 5 draft by the OKC Twins. Now he has pitched so well he is being promoted to closer.

As a groundball-type and control-type pitcherh e should continue to shine with his sinker and excellent split fastball as his out pitch.

So long as Geritol is not a banned substance he should have a couple of good years in him.

Many promotions are planned around this rare player from Killorglin, Ireland. In the first home game after the All-Star break, vs Iowa, he will have his own bobblehead day. One lucky fan will find a 4 leaf clover on his bobblehead and win a years supply of Guinness Stout.

On the last home stand of the season the OKC Twins will have a free Shillelagh (bat) Day.

I guess the luck of the Irish has helped the Twins marketing department.

Don't Print That:
What the public doesn't know is that the OKC GM did not realize the age of Ransom when he was drafted so he was offered back to Mil, luckily it was declined.

Analysis of defense

A recent chat world discussion of what an average defensive center fielder looks like piqued the interest of Richmond GM mattwithanh, so he went and found out. He sent me the information, and I thought it was so neat that I decided to do the same for each of the other seven positions.

So in this article, you'll see the average defensive ratings at each position based on the players who play that position regularly (there's no set innings total to determine that, because some time passed between Matt researching CFs and me finishing my research with RFs). You'll also see whose combined fielding ratings (range and glove) are the best and worst compared to league average and whose combined arm ratings (strength and accuracy) are the best and worst compared to league average.

This is obviously only a snapshot look at each position. Some players have gotten injured or replaced since Matt and I did this research, and there have probably been some ratings changes as well.

Catcher

HBD recommendations: 10 range, 30 glove, 75 arm strength, 75 arm accuracy, 50 pitch calling
Gleeman World average: 11 range, 28 glove, 70 arm strength, 69 arm accuracy, 65 pitch calling
(Teams not included: Sioux Falls, Vancouver)

Best fielders:
Will Carter, BOI +20
Dave Starr, OKC +15
Bernie Guerrero, MIN +10
Joey Robinson, LA +9
Richard Maxwell, LAA +6
Howard Riley, CHI +6
George Ramsay, MNT +6
J.D. Pettyjohn, STL +6

Worst fielders:
Ernest Crawford, FLA -10
Neil Byrne, MIL -9
Nigel Juden, CSP -8
Derek Reynolds, NAS -8
Miguel Alou, BUF -7

Best arms:
Dave Starr, OKC +19
Kelvim Lyons, NYY +14
Josh Wagner, SA +13
Richard Maxwell, LAA +12
Howard Riley, CHI +12
Sammy Franco, PHI +12

Worst arms:
Matthew Prior, MON -24
Giomar Mercado, IA -18
Neil Byrne, MIL -16
Miguel Alou, BUF -15
Tomas Alvarado, PIT -15

Best pitch callers:
Will Carter, BOI +25
Dave Starr, OKC +25
Howard Riley, CHI +25
Giomar Mercado, IA +8
George Ramsay, MNT +8
Ernest Crawford, FLA +8

Worst pitch callers:
Olmedo Park, TB -18
Matthew Prior, MON -17
Josh Wagner, SA -15
Derek Reynolds, NAS -13
Lawrence Bryne, LV -10

First base

HBD recommendations: 40 range, 40 glove, 40 arm strength, 40 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 41 range, 41 glove, 45 arm strength, 45 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Monterrey, Oklahoma City)

Best fielders:
Darrel Stern, NAS +49
Mark Allensworth, SYR +40
Felipe Nunez, MON +20
Hector Perez, CHI +17
Luis Cervantes, RIC +15

Worst fielders:
Ted Simpson, MIL -49
Raymond Speaker, TAC -38
Paul Kirby, NYY -25
Dave Coles, CHY -18
Rico Rojas, CSP -16

Best arms:
Raymond Speaker, TAC +49
Mark Allensworth, SYR +46
Ted Simpson, MIL +39
Felipe Nunez, MON +36
Hector Perez, CHI +13

Worst arms:
Gregory Clark, STL -25
Paul Kirby, NYY -24
Jesus Reynoso, LAA -23
Yamil Trinidad, PIT -23
Rico Rojas, CSP -21

Second base

HBD recommendations: 80 range, 75 glove, 55 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 77 range, 71 glove, 61 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: St. Louis, Tacoma, Vancouver)

Best fielders:
Daniel Jefferson, NYY +30
Jose Guerrero, BOS +16
Gus Howard, MIL +10
Mikey Bennett, MIN +10
Clarence Hampton, SA +10

Worst fielders:
Marlon Martin, BUF -19
Micah Moehler, FLA -9
R.J. Granados, NAS -9
Woody Cortes, MNT -8
Al Johnson, MON -7
David Taylor, SXF -7
Darrin Murphy, SYR -7
Magglio Martin, TB -7

Best arms:
Jose Guerrero, BOS +57
Daniel Jefferson, NYY +50
Mikey Bennett, MIN +38
Javier Vizquel, CHI +38
Gus Howard, MIL +35

Worst arms:
Woody Cortes, MNT -23
Maron Martin, BUF -21
Darrin Murphy, SYR -19
Brandon Stewart, MAD -18
Geoff Forest, OK -17
Maggio Martin, TB -14 (He doesn't quite make the bottom five, but he deserves recognition because he's a lefty playing second base)

Third base

HBD recommendations: 65 range, 70 glove, 75 arm strength, 70 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 69 range, 72 glove, 73 arm strength, 71 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: IA, PHI)

Best fielders:
Omar Trevino, ALB +28
Juan Lima, SA +27
Al Clinton, RIC +18
Sparky Weaver, MIL +17
Bobby Hurst, PIT +13

Worst fielders:
Chili Hutton, MAD -21
Tuck Price, TAC -20
Junior Gray, FLA -17
Mario Daniels, MON -17
Larry Womack, MNT -15

Best arms:
Raul Rivera, LA +26
Omar Trevino, ALB +21
Louie Dispenza, STL +20
Sparky Weaver, MIL +19
Al Clinton, RIC +11

Worst arms:
Vance Phillips, NYM -30
Juan Lima, SA -23
Chili Hutton, MAD -19
Luis Cairo, BOI -11
Mario Daniels, MON -10
Matty Johnson, OK -10
Tuck Price, TAC -10

Shortstops

HBD recommendations: 80 range, 85 glove, 85 arm strength, 85 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 85 range, 83 glove, 88 arm strength, 84 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Nashville, Tacoma, Washington)

Best fielders:
Dusty Zoltan, NYY +19
Andy Weaver, TB +19
Benito Ramirez, NYM +13
Oscar Sugawara, SYR +13
Parker Faulk, IA +10

Worst fielders:
Vinny Fitzgerald, MAD -19
Luis Uribe, BUF -9
Gene Tessmer, CHI -9
Cesar Piedra, MON -6
Preston Webb, SXF -6
Vladimir Pichardo, STL -6

Best arms:
Hoss Bennett, CHY +19
Phil Chang, BOS +18
Bo Brown, FLA +16
Oscar Sugawara, SYR +15
Benny Byrne, LAA +13
Dusty Zoltan, NYY +13

Worst arms:
Glen Harvey, LA -19
Dale Stewart, LA -17
Luis Uribe, BUF -15
Cesar Piedra, MON -15
Luis Lopez, MIL -11

Left field

HBD recommendations: 55 range, 55 glove, 50 arm strength, 50 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 60 range, 55 glove, 54 arm strength, 55 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Boston, Cheyenne, Montreal, Oklahoma City, Washington)

Best fielders:
Fritz Rushford, LAA +51
Butch Cintron, ALB +47
Joseph Wang, VAN +37
Benji Fernandez, BUF +26
Bud Jones, MAD +21

Worst fielders:
Chris Hall, CSP -36
Bernard Rhodes, NYY -31
Jon Stowers, BOI -20
Dave Rupe, LA -15
P.J. Wilson, PHI -15

Best arms:
Hector Hernandez, SYR +34
Ramon Martin, NYM +29
Pedro Pulido, STL +27
Bud Jones, MAD +22
Clayton Mack, MNT +20

Worst arms:
Chris Hall, CSP -28
Bernard Rhodes, NYY -24
Jordan Hutch, NAS -18
Kareem Duckworth, SA -16
Mark Sakamoto, CHI -13
Chad Moss, FLA -13

Center field

HBD recommendations: 85 range, 85 glove, 60 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 84 range, 82 glove, 62 arm strength, 66 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Oklahoma City, Tacoma)

Best fielders:
Ivan Glynn, ALB +29
Bryan Beckett, BOS +25
Pete Skinner, MIL +8
Ricardo Rincon, IA +7
Galahad Casey, RIC +7

Worst fielders:
Jim Brown, BUF -14
Daryl Morgan, LA -13
Sid Fleming, MON -10
Dan Ojala, CHY -10
Yogi Ingram, VAN -10

Best arms:
Adam Stanley, PHI +37
Sid Fleming, MON +35
Tony Cortes, BOI +34
Dan Ojala, CHY +30
Taylor Smith, NYM +26

Worst arms:
Eduardo Castillo, LV -29
Del Garcia, MIN -25
Jim Brown, BUF -20
Galahad Casey, RIC -20
Nelson Kieschnick, SA -19

Right fielders

HBD recommendations: 65 range, 50 glove, 70 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 66 range, 58 glove, 68 arm strength, 63 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Iowa City, Nashville, New York Yankees, Oklahoma City)

Best fielders:
William Martin, ALB +52
Eli Beltre, CHY +36
Vic Gardel, BOS +26
Bronson Ritz, STL +18
Bono Hughes, TB +15

Worst fielders:
Scott Watkins, LV -22
Bob Dickey, RIC -20
Carlos Carreras, SXF -20
Brent O'Donnell, SA -19
Alexander Stowers, LAA -16

Best arms:
Eli Beltre, CHY +30
Bronson Ritz, STL +17
Bono Hughes, TB +16
Brent O'Donnell, SA +14
Brooks Zaun, TAC +14

Worst arms:
Archie Rizzuto, PIT -39
Nash McCartin, CHI -23
Carlos Carreras, SXF -19
William Martin, ALB -16
Vic Gardel, BOS -12

The Definitive Trade History of the Minnesota Fatboys: Part One

Much has been made about the trade history of the Minnesota Fatboys, and their celebrity General Manager, Aaron Gleeman. The league’s founder, and the connector that brought this entire league together, many suspect that owners in the league have been so happy to simply deal with the legendary owner, that they’ve conceded far more in trade negotiations than they would if they were dealing with the other GMs in the league.

It’s time to separate fact from fiction. We’ve asked GMs and talent scouts around the league to dissect the many dealings of the Minnesota Fatboys. The following is a breakdown of every trade in Gleeman World history. It’s finally time to determine whether the grumblings of GMs around the league have been deserved, or simply sour grapes.

(See disclaimer below)

SEASON ONE

THE TRADE: Graham Duffy, C (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) for Clarence Arnold, SS (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: This trade is firmly in the Fatboys favor. Duffy came to the Fatboys and immediately began contributing as an above average backstop at the Major League level. He spent the first three seasons hitting .305, with an OPS of .853. Arnold came to Tampa Bay and immediately was sent to AA. He hit for a decent average, but never managed to play more than 74 games in a injury-riddled minor league career.

WINNER: Fatboys. Any time you trade a Punching Judy minor leaguer with zero power potential (literally) for an above average hitter at a premium position at the Major League level, you’ve got a clear winner.

THE TRADE: Jumbo Rijo, C/1B, (Iowa City Comics) for Chris Parnell, 3B/COF Joe Gray, RP, and J.D. Kieschnick SP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Easily one of the worst trades in league history. With multiple offers still on the table, the Comics parted with the elite hitting prospect in the game. Hitting above .350 with 30 HRs between High A and AA before being shipped to Minnesota, he continued to put up historic numbers throughout the minor leagues as he glacially traveled through the Fatboys farm system. In his two-plus big league seasons, he’s hit .305, smashed 160 homeruns, and had an OPS of 1.029, along with winning both the Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger. Parnell came to Iowa City, and immediately contributed 39 home runs and 105 RBI in his first full season with the Comics, but since then has never had an OPS over .800 or a batting average over .252. Joe Gray was the second piece of the trade for the Comics, armed with mediocre stamina, control, splits, and pitches, he toiled in the minors for the Comics maxing out at AAA before leaving via free agency. Kieschnick, who buy the numbers looked to be a promising starting pitcher candidate after posting a 12-2 record in AAA with a WHIP of 1.08 and a ERA of 2.44 before the trade came over and posted an ERA double of that for the Comics AAA, before getting promoted anyway at the end of the season and having some success in his call up. Those numbers were never duplicated though, and after 67 starts at the major league level, he posted a .500 record, a 4.65 ERA, and is sitting in his home of Derby, Kansas waiting for a team to call and coaching the pitchers at his alma mater.

WINNER: Fatboys. I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to call this one anything but an absolute flogging. Giving up one of the best hitters in the game, who is still making league minimum, the Comics got an average-plus 3Ber, a mediocre SP that they let walk, and a minor league lifer. They’d have been better off asking for a massage table and the team bus.

THE TRADE: Albert Hughes, OF (Syracuse) for Christopher Hines, P, (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Two low-profile players exchanged with little or no results for either team. Hughes, a good glove, no hit kind of player, spent a couple years in AAA for the Fatboys. Hines, spent some years in the Syracuse bullpen, putting up good numbers early in his career, before his below average pitches caught up with him.

WINNER: A minor victory for the Fighting B’s, but the Fatboys did spin Hughes for something else, so we’ll see how that turned out later.

THE TRADE: Eddie Mackowiak, RP (Tampa Bay) for Edgardo James, RP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Another puzzling deal for Tampa Bay. They give up Mackowiak, who immediately stepped into an important spot in the Fatboys bullpen, for James, a beyond mediocre starting pitching “prospect” who immediately posted his first of five consecutive seasons of 5+ ERA throughout the Devil Rays farm system. While Mackowiak was expensive in season one ($4.4 million), trading a legit bullpen arm, for a guy who literally had nothing redeeming about him other than being a potential organ donor, makes little to no sense.

WINNER: Fatboys. Does Aaron buy Frymaster breakfast the next morning?

THE TRADE: Darren Harris, RP, Troy Smith, RP (Indianapolis Clowns) for Louis Lyon, RP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: The clowns traded for their potential closer of the future, and they have to feel like they never quite got what they were looking for out of Lyon. After two-plus mediocre years in AAA, the Clowns pulled Lyon up and he turned that into a good 32 innings, pitching with his signature low WHIP and this time keeping his ERA in line with it, at 3.03. When ownership sent the team to Pittsburgh, Lyon saw his numbers creep up, but he’s had a respectable career as a reliever. Like everybody else, Harris spent a long time in the minors before finally staying in the bigs for seasons 5, 6, and 7. His career ERA of 4.23 is a shade higher than Lyon’s. Troy Smith spent his first three seasons in the minors before finally getting his shot in season four. He had a bloated 5.32 ERA in season four, and while he rallied in season five, he ballooned in season six before being traded to Nashville.

WINNER: Draw. I can’t give anyone a win for this trade, although you could make the argument for both sides. It’s kind of like deciding who makes a better pair of black jeans, Levi’s or Wrangler. In the end, their still black, and unless you’re The Boss, you shouldn’t be wearing them.

THE TRADE: Jamie Chang, RP and David Cora, 1B (Indianapolis Clowns) for Juan Gonzales, SP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Cora spent the first three-plus seasons of his career in the Fatboys farm system, putting up near identical years at AA twice with about 20 HRs and 100 RBI and OPS hovering around .850. Called up in season 4, He’s been a good bench bat on one of the deepest benches in the bigs, hitting .306 with 36 HRs and a very good .893 OPS in 191 games over bits of four seasons. Chang, who looked like the prized piece of the trade, ended up bizarrely retiring, possibly upset at the prehistoric pace of moving up through the Fatboys farm system. He even went through the ridiculous process of getting all his statistics removed from his player card, so I was forced to make up that he went back to Japan to work for Nintendo developing Wii Baseball. Which turned out pretty cool, so at least he wasn’t a complete waste. Gonzales lasted one season in Indy, never starting a game and throwing 70 innings out of the pen before signing a nice FA deal with Albuquerque the next season.

WINNER: Slight win for Fatboys. With Chang taking his ball and going home, Cora for Gonzales seems pretty much about even, but letting him walk makes it a win for the Fatboys.

THE TRADE: Darwin Stocker, RF, Turk Bunning, RP, and Esteban Manzanillo, SS (Kansas City Monarchs) for Theodore Presley, LF, P.J. Davis, RP, and Glenallen Oliver, RP (Kansas City Monarchs)

THE SKINNY: Theodore Presley started season one in the bigs and proceeded to defecate all over himself, to the tune of a .225 average and .682 OPS. He spent some time in the bigs in season two as well, but spent his last two seasons in the minors before calling it a career. Davis spent season one as a closer, but blew about a third of his save opportunities. He was shipped out after the season in another trade. Oliver played three uninspired seasons before retiring with an ERA a shade beneath 5.00. Meanwhile, Stocker has been manning the outfield for the Fatboys since the middle of Season 3, after getting a taste of the bigs for the final 28 games in Season 2. He’s been an All-Star caliber RF, being named to the squad and winning the Silver Slugger in season 4. He’s a 25-30 HR guy with excellent base stealing skills. A very good to great player. Bunning spent seasons 2-5 with the Fatboys, throwing both out of the pen and as a spot starter for the Fatboys, with just about average results. His ERA fluctuated, but he was a decent performer for league minimum. Manzanillo was an everyday player for his first three seasons with the Fatboys, playing both 2B and SS. He hit .270 with a very good glove and arm as an everyday player.

WINNER: Fatboys in a drubbing. Getting two everyday, young, cheap players and another average reliever for a brutal bench player, a closer that was shipped out of town the next year, and a mediocre reliever is worse than dropping twenty bucks to buy that blonde and her friends a top shelf vodka drink and having them wiggle away and dance with that douche bag in an Ed Hardy shirt. You just lost beer money, pride, and any hope for the future. Kevin McHale would be proud.

THE TRADE: Zach Tyner, RP, and Javier Picasso, P, (Rochester Rochester Redwings) for Harry Matos, RP, and James Nixon, CF (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Tyner’s decent minor league numbers never translated to the bigs, with the exception of his Season 3 ERA of 3.31. His ERA ballooned into the sevens before he was sent to the minors and retired after season 4. Picasso spent Season One in the bigs starting 31 games for the Fatboys, and posting a nice 13-7 record to go along with a good 4.11 ERA. He started 20 games in season two and his ERA ballooned up a run, and spent Season 3 in the pen before he retired. Matos was making $1.8 million and contributed a 11 run ERA before being cut loose. Nixon got nearly 500 Abs for the RRR’s and only hit .239 and made $2.9 million for his troubles. The good news was that he was one of the first guys to wear sweet sunglasses.

WINNER: Fatboys. Dumping nearly $5 million in salaries and getting two guys who played is always a good move. That said, pretty much a standard salary dump for Team Tubby.

THE TRADE: Placido Campos, 2B, Terry Prince, P, and Nick Teut, IF (Clowns) for Ken Ramirez, SP, Wilt Ruffin, P, Victor Lawrence, SP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Campos has been playing the hot corner since Season One, although spent time in AAA in seasons 1, 2, and 5. He’s a .763 career OPS guy in the majors, and has played in over 100 games in the show only once in his career. Prince got stuck in a logjam of pitching, had injury problems, but still had some nice years in AAA and a good ten starts in the bigs before he was traded to the Isotopes. Teut spent games at nearly every position on the diamond hitting a shade under .290 for the first four seasons of his career. Ramirez was a bad starter for his first two seasons in the bigs, posting ugly numbers across the board. He played four seasons before being cut-off and is still looking for work. Ruffin’s career mirrors Ramirez, only with slightly better results and some time riding buses in AAA, before being cut. Lawrence looked to be the prize of this trade, with great ratings, but still hasn’t broken through with a great season in the bigs. He’s only 25, so we’ll see how he does, but with ratings like that, it’s going to be a very spendy proposition to see if he every becomes that pitcher.
WINNER: Fatboys. Quite an appropriate name for the team from Indy…

SEASON TWO

THE TRADE: Andres Moreno, RP, Julian Martin, SP, and Bono Hughes, 3B, for Chili Rogers, RF/3B

THE SKINNY: After ripping 62 bombs in Season One, the Fatboys put Chili Davis on the market and pulled in 3 young players. Moreno started 18 times in AAA and posted an ERA just under 4. He was shipped out to San Antonio midway through season 3. Martin had a very good year in AA and a slow start in AAA before getting sent to the Isotopes in Season 3 as well. Hughes spent two years mashing in the minors before getting a chance to play everyday in Season 4. He averaged around 25 HRs and 90 RBI before being sent to Tampa Bay this season.

WINNER: INCOMPLETE. Rogers is one of the great sluggers of the league, but seeing what became of the talented trio will determine whether this was a good trade or not. (That said, it's hard to think that the Fatboys couldn't have used an extra 57, 56, 71, 64, and 55 home runs. Maybe this is a Fatboys loss... )

SEASON THREE

THE TRADE: Toby Joseph, 1B (San Antonio Sting) for Rich D'Amico, LF, Andres Moreno, RP, and Dave Peterson, SP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Gleeman spun one piece of the Rogers trade for Toby Joseph, who’s a two-time MVP. He’s won a Silver Slugger and a Golden Glove, and even managed to not get demoted by the Fatboys, so that’s really saying something. With a lifetime OPS over 1.000, and almost twice as many walks as strikeouts, he’s one of the games elite. D’Amico came to the Sting and was placed in AA, and got his first break in the bigs a season later. He’s still bouncing back and forth from the minors, and cleared waivers this season. In 611 MLB ABs, he’s only hit 6 HRs. Moreno’s best work for the Sting came a few seasons back, and he’s been a mediocre reliever since the trade. Peterson spent most of his time in the minors, but in his 20 big league starts he gave up 27 HR, a slugging percentage of .551, and an ERA of 7.33.

WINNER: I’m not sure what the Spurs got here, but they’d have been better off with Herpes or the Clap. Brutal deal for them.

THE TRADE: Joey Ward, SP, Rob Tracy, IF, and Herman Grace, IF (Albuquerque Isotopes) for Terry Prince, P, and Julian Martin, SP (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: The Fatboys move two pieces that they acquired, one in the Chili Davis trade and the other in the Season One trade with the Clowns, for Ward, who now starts for the Fatboys, Tracy, a light hitting infielder, and Grace, a once promising prospect who still hasn’t gotten on track.

WINNER: MEH… A lot of these guys kept on moving, so there isn’t much to judge, but the Isotopes sure didn’t win this one.

THE TRADE: Dale Rooney, SP and $4,500,000 (Monarchs) for Justin Hughes, OF/1B (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Hughes had two nice seasons in High A, with a ridiculous 162 RBI in his repeat year, and started off hot in AA when he was traded for Rooney, who started out a hard-luck 2-6 before being traded. He went 9-2 with a 3.77 ERA for the Fatboys, filling their need for a true ace, and not costing them a penny that season. He threw well until Season 5, when his ERA ballooned up.

WINNER: Fatboys. Until Hughes does anything big, and with his current ratings it doesn’t look like it will ever happen, picking up an Ace in midseason and getting his salary paid for and only giving up a B-list prospect for it, that’s good work. Hopefully Kansas City picked up some NBC Sports swag for all the good work.

THE TRADE: Benji Fernandez, IF/OF, and Albert Hughes, IF/OF, (Oklahoma City Twins) for Alex Sano, P (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: After spending his age 21 season in High A putting up nice numbers with a good OBP, the Twins somehow thought those numbers meant Benji Fernandez was ready to go straight to the big leagues. He had a nice first season in the show, hitting .291 and stealing 53 bags, before floundering to a .233 season the very next. Playing mostly at 2B, he’s had a nice .374 OBP and stolen 216 bases now into his fifth season in the bigs. Also good, considering that of his 189 pounds, he wears about 30 of it in his face. Hughes played three years in the bigs, playing in about 135 games for three seasons. He was one of the leagues least valuable offensive players in his time there, putting up a Tyner-esque .281 slugging and a .605 career OPS. Sano has been a garbage man for the Fatboys the past couple years, taking good minor league numbers, and posting average MLB numbers in 113 innings.

WINNER: Twins. Even if they might have mismanaged Fernandez’s career and cost themselves millions of salary, and might lose out on his best years because he’s eligible for free-agency, they gave up a guy who primarily has been working mop up duty for a good base stealing position player. As Charlotte Blackwood said in Top Gun reviewing Maverick’s aerial maneuvers, “While it may have been a victory, I think I've showed that this is a lesson on what not to do.”

SEASON FOUR

THE TRADE: Sterling Keeler, OF and Rich Beech, C, and $3 million (Washington Bureaucrats) for Matthew Allen, 1B (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Allen had his best season in the bigs in Season 3, making the All-Star team, hitting .329, with 21 HR and 101 RBI. The Fatboys moved him at midseason the next year for Keeler, a promising power prospect and Beech, a good receiver who will play in the big leagues against left-handers. Allen’s Season 3 has never been duplicated, and he lacks the power most teams look for in a first baseman. The Bureaucrats must’ve been expecting more, because they placed him on waivers and let him walk in free agency at the end of the season

WINNER: Slightly Fatboys. Allen has been a nice player for a reasonable price ($2.2 million), but for Anaheim. Keeler and Beech both project to play in the bigs, and Keeler could be a premium hitter. It’s bad business giving up two MLB prospects for a guy you let walk a month later. That said, it was a fair deal at the time...

THE TRADE: Ozzie Hawkins, SS and Bruce Robinson, MIF (Bureaucrats) for Goose Hayes, SP and Bruce West, 3B/IF/OF (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Hawkins, a top ten pick in Season 3, is one of the elite SS prospects in the game. He’s moved slowly through the Fatboys organization (surprise, surprise) and is now destroying AA pitching, with 25 HR in 79 games. Robinson has had a cup of coffee in the bigs, and has played well enough as a AAA shortstop. Hayes is a front-line prospect in his own right, with a devastating curveball and decent secondary offerings. He may never turn out to be an Ace, but he could be a good number 2 or 3 starter. West is a guy who can play a bit in the infield, but should probably be an outfielder, has put up nice minor league numbers, but probably is going to be a platoon / 4^th outfielder.

WINNER: Fatboys. Basically this trade is Hawkins for Hayes, and most people would take a top SS prospect over a 2^nd tier pitching prospect. That said, West could turn into something good, and his upside looks better than Robinson. Not a terrible trade, and if Hayes turns into an ace, this could be a tossup.

THE TRADE: John Sanders, SS, (Nashville Twang) for Esteban Manzanillo, SS (Fatboys)

THE SKINNY: Manzannilo, acquired in Season One and plugged into the lineup at shortstop was traded for a younger version of himself, John Sanders, a second rounder from the year before. Profiled then as a light-hitting, slick fielding infielder, who struggles to hit righties, the Fatboys moved Manzanillo right after he won a $4.5 million salary in arbitration. Manzanillo moved over to 3B, won a gold glove for the Twang, and then moved on in free agency after he was overpaid by Boise.

THE WINNER: Incomplete. Manazillo gave a couple good years to the Twang, and Sanders got moved in another big trade, so while Sanders never turned into a player for the Fatboys, he’s helped them in the end.

COMING SOON... PART TWO.

Disclaimer: This very well isn't the best assessment of how well these players performed. If I'd have known that Gleeman is about as active moving through ballplayers as Alyssa Milano, I'd have just gone for the highlights. Either way, hopefully nobody takes too much offense to these assessments, and just thinks a little bit more before trading with the Gleeman, aka k-19, The Widowmaker.