Here is the article jceffali was referring to in chat in regards to Minor Leagues. As always, excellent reads for all newbs (and some vets)!
Here are a few tips for newbies on organizing your minor leagues. Your goal is to have 5 viable teams that don't get overtired, and to develop prospects with potential.
Why is it important? To develop prospects properly you need to give them proper playing time, have them at proper positions, and give them orderly promotions. If they don't play enough or don't get promoted, then they won't develop. If they play too much and tire they are more likely to be injured and if you put them at the wrong position their defensive ratings won't grow properly.
Also, if you ignore your minors, you'll irk your fellow owners because it throws off the realism of the league.
To do list:
#1: Resign all of your minor league free agents. You'll need them and its easier then finding free agents
#2: Identify your key prospects. (The team depth chart under World Office: Reports is handy for this; sort by projected ratings) Who is projected to be major league quality or at least close? For a pitcher they should have a vs. R and control of at least 50, preferably 60. Like MLB, hitters are much more dependent on positions, if someone gets to recommended defensive levels at CF, 2B, SS, C, they can make the majors even with a weaker bat....but everyone else has to hit very well to make it.
#3: Promote key prospects. Development can be stunted by staying at the same level two years in a row, so if you see a potential future major leaguer, be sure he's not at the same level as last year.
#4: Check defensive positions. On your edit rosters page if you click on the defensive position (i.e. "2B") it will show you recommended fielding levels. Hit the "show recs (proj.)" button and save that. If your team wasn't well run, you'll have guys listed as SS and 2B who really have no business playing there. If I was taking on a new team I'd do this for everyone in my system, but at least do it for key prospects.
#5: Assign your "needing assignment" (resigned free agents) guys where it looks like they will be needed. See below for what is needed.
#6: Promote your "non-prospect" prospects a level if you need them at the level above.
#7: Clear out Rookie League if you need them at higher levels. Rookie League doesn't start 'til after the draft so you can empty out your roster down there if you need fillers.
#8: Sign minor league free agents to fill spots.
At the end, your goal should be to have the following:
AAA and AA: 1 per defensive position + 3-5 subs (at least 1 of those needs to be a C and 1 should be able to play SS). 13-15 pitchers, at least 5-6 should have stamina at 65 or so plus so they can start. This many players means you should start with a couple inactive players, who should be the weakest guys.
HiA and LoA: 1 per defensive position + 4-6 subs (especially C and infield). 14-17 pitchers. You should have 2-3 inactive pitchers at all times...you'll need them during the year when your guys tire and get hurt. You need more guys at A ball since stamina is lower and injuries more frequent.
Any questions? Post them on the chat board or ask a veteran.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Spring Training Tips for Newbies
This is the article that jceffali was referring to in the chat. Excellent high-level understanding of how to handle Spring Training!
Spring training is a time to try out some new players, get used to the game, and give your prospects some work. It seems like every experienced owner handles this a bit different, but here is what I do:
Spring Training Roster: Go to Manager's Office: Player Settings: Spring Training Squads. You will automatically have your entire major league roster already. I suggest adding your best prospects (about 15-20 total though can vary) from AAA and AA, and maybe even a top-notch prospect from HiA. I don't tend to use my youngest prospects in ST, but that's just me.
Veteran Players: Apparently there is a penalty of some sort if veterans don't get used enough during spring training, so you want them to get some work. However, there is no benefit to working them full time, as they will tire needlessly and be exposed to injury risk. I usually put my veterans on rest after about 25-30 ABs or 3-5 pitching appearances.
Prospects: Give them as much work as you can, especially the ones with a lot of upside in projections.
Lineup Strategies: There are multiple ways to do this: One is to start with your veterans then put them on rest when they get enough work. Another is to edit manager settings so that it rests starters after 5 or 6 innings. Be sure to set pinch-hitters, defensive replacements, and player rest or it won't work correctly.
Pitching Strategies: Again, there are options. A lot of owners use tandem starters, which allows certainty that those two pitchers get in the game. Another option is to use a standard rotation but put the veterans on rest after they get work in and start prospects later on. In any case, after setting the pitching staff, adjust the player settings for pitch counts.
A Note on Rest: Pitchers get fatigued with every appearance, then gradually work back up to 100%. If your pitch count is above recommended levels they may not be back to 100% for their next start. Batters fatigue cumulatively over the season. If not rested they may stay at 100% for half a season and then start to gradually drop right when the penant race is hot. For that reason, try to give batters occasional rest all through the season. For batters, the durability rating is the driver. If its in the 90s, a player will need very little rest. If its in the 80s, the player may need to rest once a week to stay at 100%. If its in the 70s, even more rest is needed, and a platoon may even be best. Below 70 is certainly a platoon player.
Spring training is a time to try out some new players, get used to the game, and give your prospects some work. It seems like every experienced owner handles this a bit different, but here is what I do:
Spring Training Roster: Go to Manager's Office: Player Settings: Spring Training Squads. You will automatically have your entire major league roster already. I suggest adding your best prospects (about 15-20 total though can vary) from AAA and AA, and maybe even a top-notch prospect from HiA. I don't tend to use my youngest prospects in ST, but that's just me.
Veteran Players: Apparently there is a penalty of some sort if veterans don't get used enough during spring training, so you want them to get some work. However, there is no benefit to working them full time, as they will tire needlessly and be exposed to injury risk. I usually put my veterans on rest after about 25-30 ABs or 3-5 pitching appearances.
Prospects: Give them as much work as you can, especially the ones with a lot of upside in projections.
Lineup Strategies: There are multiple ways to do this: One is to start with your veterans then put them on rest when they get enough work. Another is to edit manager settings so that it rests starters after 5 or 6 innings. Be sure to set pinch-hitters, defensive replacements, and player rest or it won't work correctly.
Pitching Strategies: Again, there are options. A lot of owners use tandem starters, which allows certainty that those two pitchers get in the game. Another option is to use a standard rotation but put the veterans on rest after they get work in and start prospects later on. In any case, after setting the pitching staff, adjust the player settings for pitch counts.
A Note on Rest: Pitchers get fatigued with every appearance, then gradually work back up to 100%. If your pitch count is above recommended levels they may not be back to 100% for their next start. Batters fatigue cumulatively over the season. If not rested they may stay at 100% for half a season and then start to gradually drop right when the penant race is hot. For that reason, try to give batters occasional rest all through the season. For batters, the durability rating is the driver. If its in the 90s, a player will need very little rest. If its in the 80s, the player may need to rest once a week to stay at 100%. If its in the 70s, even more rest is needed, and a platoon may even be best. Below 70 is certainly a platoon player.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
AL East Season 19 Team Previews
As I embark on this the 9th installment of the AL East Preview, I reflect back on the past seasons and try to remember the good times that has been my tenure in the Jersey League AL East. I have developed good rivalries with 2 of my fellow AL Easterners (larr100 and bball10), as well as a (hopefully) mutual respect for other AL teams (I still hate the AL West, but for respectful reasons). Here are your Season 19 AL East teams at a glance:
Wichita Wolves
Owner: awilley14 (1st Season)
Franchise History: (1,435-1,491, 6 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles, 1 American League Championship)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 35-127 (4th Place, 62 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .267 / .334 / .422
R / HR / RBI / SB: 774 / 176 / 756 / 151
ERA / WHIP / SO: 8.66 / 2.06 / 867
Fld % / CS %: .974 / .256
Additions:
Napoleon D'Amico, SS (Free Agent from Kansas City)
Johnny McClain, SP (Free Agent from Norfolk)
Ira Harper, CF (Claimed Off Waivers from Trenton)
Rafael Navarro, LF (Claimed Off Waivers from Trenton)
Brent Maurer, C (Free Agent from Syracuse)
Vince Baker, RP (Claimed Off Waivers from Texas)
Eduardo Miranda, 2B (Free Agent from Ottawa)
Don Nady, RP (Rule V from Dover)
Darwin Stynes, RP (Rule V from Tacoma)
Caleb Hoes, 2B (Rule V from Houston)
Alex Johns, C (Claimed off Waivers from St. Louis)
Departures:
Raymond Reese, RP (Free Agency)
Richard Withem, 1B/DH (Free Agency)
Frank Bates, 2B (Claimed Off Waivers)
UGH! Just 2 seasons ago, this team was a perennial contender for the AL East Crown. I was fortunate (sometimes lucky) to beat them out in the end. A good offensive club that seemed to lack just a piece or 2 on the pitching side, it seemed that it was only a matter of time before this team would be taking its turn in the postseason. But the disappearance of piratestros, plus the non-involvement of theo_epstein, and this team has fallen to the ranks of major rebuild in no time. New owner awilley14 (who isn't really that new, as he was in the league during Seasons 1-2 overseeing the current Norfolk franchise and took over for psanders club last season) has been busy, to say the least. On offense, this team still has some very formidable parts. Dan Blank and Osvaldo Montero return, and have a new supporting cast of support, led by the signing of D'Amico and Harper. On the pitching side, awilley14 made sure to bring back SP J.P. Henriquez in hopes of being competitive in the East. When all is said and done, I have no doubt that Wichita will improve on the 35 wins from last season. And, as active as awilley14 has been (and continues to be), it wouldn't surprise me to see this team back in the division hunt as early as next season.
Philadelphia Phillies
Owner: bball10 (10th Season, 568-890, 0 Playoff Appearances)
Franchise History: (1,207-1,709, 1 Playoff Appearance, 0 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 58-104 (3rd Place, 39 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .260 / .324 / .420
R / HR / RBI / SB: 763 / 219 / 744 / 109
ERA / WHIP / SO: 5.48 / 1.54 / 1,043
Fld % / CS %: .975 / .299
Additions:
Wayne Doyle, SS (Promoted from AAA)
Lucas Tanner, SP (Promoted from AAA)
Steven Ross, SP (Rule V from Houston)
Julio Matos, 3B (Promoted from AAA)
Julian Domingo, RP (Claimed Off Waivers from Richmond)
Kennie Jenkins, RP (Free Agency from Tucson)
Donn Fuller, RP (Free Agency from Helena)
Departures:
Lew Runyan, RP (Free Agency)
Edgardo Santana, RP (Released/Retired)
I can see why bball10 was so anxious to see the AL East Preview for this year. The Youth Movement has arrived in Philly! After selling off most of the team the last 2 seasons, we are finally starting to see some of the talented youth that has been claimed via IFA and the draft over the last few seasons from this ball club. This is most noticeable on the offense, where Woody Ganzel is now joined by Matos and Doyle. Team that up with Aaron Dolan, and you have a very solid infield (offensively). On the pitching side, they focused on bullpen help in the free agent market. This team is young, cheap (under $42M with a $67M payroll budgeted, so you can expect another huge IFA signing this season), and the future looks promising for Philly. We will see if the youth movement will be enough to close the 39 game gap between them and Norfolk, but I know it won't make it worse.
Pittsburgh sluggers
Owner: larr100 (12th Season, 834-948, 2 Playoff Appearance, 2 Division Title)
Franchise History: 1,437-1,479, 5 Playoff Appearances, 3 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 76-86 (2nd Place, 21 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .263 / .342 / .430
R / HR / RBI / SB: 833 / 214 / 802 / 114
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.69 / 1.44 / 1,070
Fld % / CS %: .980 / .339
Additions:
Alving Vazquez, 3B (Traded from Boise)
Jeromy Olmos, SS (Free Agent from Tampa Bay)
Steve Ruffin, C (Claimed off Waivers from Texas)
Ivy Mullaney, SP (Free Agent from Seattle)
Felipe Montero, CF (Free Agent from Boise)
Terry Perry, RP (Promoted from AAA)
Departures:
Doc Cox, RP (Released)
Anthony Ducati, 1B (Released)
David Moreno, 3B (Released)
Al Perez, SS (Released)
Ryan Nicholas, C (Released)
I can't put my finger on why this team didn't do better than the record indicates. They still had the same team that won the division in Season 17. Statistically, they were about even (although ERA did jump up a little last season). That's what makes this game so loopy sometimes. You can be better than the season before, and end up lower in the standings. This team still has great pitching, led by All-Star Pedro Tavarez. They did become active on the offensive side, hoping to find the right combination of players to excel this team to the next level. After Tavarez, the pitching needs to step up in order to re-claim the top spot in the AL East.
Norfolk Phanatics
Owner: ratatat72 (12th Season, 908-854, 9 Playoff Appearances, 7 Division Titles)
Franchise History: (1,424-1,492, 11 Playoff Appearances, 9 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 97-65 (1st Place, Lost to Iowa City in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .279 / .346 / .445
R / HR / RBI / SB: 893 / 227 / 869 / 192
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.26 / 1.39 / 1,021
Fld % / CS %: .986 / .198
Additions:
Brian Brown, 3B (Promoted from AAA)
Julio Martinez, 2B (Promoted from AAA)
Sam Bishop, RP (Free Agent from Scranton)
Rico Wilfredo, 1B/DH (Free Agent from Tucson)
Tony Alonso, SS (Free Agent from St. Louis)
Danys Veras, RP (Free Agent from St. Louis)
Departures:
Johnny McClain, RP (Free Agency)
Mateo Flores, 3B (Free Agency)
Derek Hughes, 2B (Free Agency)
Ross Hart, LF (Free Agency)
Nick Shipley, RP (Free Agency)
Felipe Arroyo, RP (Free Agency)
Dion Hundley, 1B (Free Agency)
Gary Garcia, SP (Released)
After breaking a streak of 4 consecutive AL East crowns last season, Norfolk returned to claim the throne outright last season. And, in true fashion, they proceed to get manhandled by yet another AL West foe in the playoffs. After finishing with the best record in the regular season for this franchise, they left the season with a bitter taste in their mouth. The offseason wasn't too kind either, as the Phanatic faithful watched as many regulars had to depart due to contract demands. They got a bigger scare when ace Brett Henry declined his option and tested free agency. ratatat72 made priority #1 be the re-signing of Brett Henry. After that fell into place (a BIG sigh of relief was felt in the Virginia Bay area when that happened), they then turned to addressing other holes needed to be filled. Although no big deal was made (the signing of Wilfredo was the biggest offensive splash they invested), this team continues to plug-and-play in hopes to remain competitive for another season.
Wichita Wolves
Owner: awilley14 (1st Season)
Franchise History: (1,435-1,491, 6 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles, 1 American League Championship)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 35-127 (4th Place, 62 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .267 / .334 / .422
R / HR / RBI / SB: 774 / 176 / 756 / 151
ERA / WHIP / SO: 8.66 / 2.06 / 867
Fld % / CS %: .974 / .256
Additions:
Napoleon D'Amico, SS (Free Agent from Kansas City)
Johnny McClain, SP (Free Agent from Norfolk)
Ira Harper, CF (Claimed Off Waivers from Trenton)
Rafael Navarro, LF (Claimed Off Waivers from Trenton)
Brent Maurer, C (Free Agent from Syracuse)
Vince Baker, RP (Claimed Off Waivers from Texas)
Eduardo Miranda, 2B (Free Agent from Ottawa)
Don Nady, RP (Rule V from Dover)
Darwin Stynes, RP (Rule V from Tacoma)
Caleb Hoes, 2B (Rule V from Houston)
Alex Johns, C (Claimed off Waivers from St. Louis)
Departures:
Raymond Reese, RP (Free Agency)
Richard Withem, 1B/DH (Free Agency)
Frank Bates, 2B (Claimed Off Waivers)
UGH! Just 2 seasons ago, this team was a perennial contender for the AL East Crown. I was fortunate (sometimes lucky) to beat them out in the end. A good offensive club that seemed to lack just a piece or 2 on the pitching side, it seemed that it was only a matter of time before this team would be taking its turn in the postseason. But the disappearance of piratestros, plus the non-involvement of theo_epstein, and this team has fallen to the ranks of major rebuild in no time. New owner awilley14 (who isn't really that new, as he was in the league during Seasons 1-2 overseeing the current Norfolk franchise and took over for psanders club last season) has been busy, to say the least. On offense, this team still has some very formidable parts. Dan Blank and Osvaldo Montero return, and have a new supporting cast of support, led by the signing of D'Amico and Harper. On the pitching side, awilley14 made sure to bring back SP J.P. Henriquez in hopes of being competitive in the East. When all is said and done, I have no doubt that Wichita will improve on the 35 wins from last season. And, as active as awilley14 has been (and continues to be), it wouldn't surprise me to see this team back in the division hunt as early as next season.
Philadelphia Phillies
Owner: bball10 (10th Season, 568-890, 0 Playoff Appearances)
Franchise History: (1,207-1,709, 1 Playoff Appearance, 0 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 58-104 (3rd Place, 39 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .260 / .324 / .420
R / HR / RBI / SB: 763 / 219 / 744 / 109
ERA / WHIP / SO: 5.48 / 1.54 / 1,043
Fld % / CS %: .975 / .299
Additions:
Wayne Doyle, SS (Promoted from AAA)
Lucas Tanner, SP (Promoted from AAA)
Steven Ross, SP (Rule V from Houston)
Julio Matos, 3B (Promoted from AAA)
Julian Domingo, RP (Claimed Off Waivers from Richmond)
Kennie Jenkins, RP (Free Agency from Tucson)
Donn Fuller, RP (Free Agency from Helena)
Departures:
Lew Runyan, RP (Free Agency)
Edgardo Santana, RP (Released/Retired)
I can see why bball10 was so anxious to see the AL East Preview for this year. The Youth Movement has arrived in Philly! After selling off most of the team the last 2 seasons, we are finally starting to see some of the talented youth that has been claimed via IFA and the draft over the last few seasons from this ball club. This is most noticeable on the offense, where Woody Ganzel is now joined by Matos and Doyle. Team that up with Aaron Dolan, and you have a very solid infield (offensively). On the pitching side, they focused on bullpen help in the free agent market. This team is young, cheap (under $42M with a $67M payroll budgeted, so you can expect another huge IFA signing this season), and the future looks promising for Philly. We will see if the youth movement will be enough to close the 39 game gap between them and Norfolk, but I know it won't make it worse.
Pittsburgh sluggers
Owner: larr100 (12th Season, 834-948, 2 Playoff Appearance, 2 Division Title)
Franchise History: 1,437-1,479, 5 Playoff Appearances, 3 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 76-86 (2nd Place, 21 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .263 / .342 / .430
R / HR / RBI / SB: 833 / 214 / 802 / 114
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.69 / 1.44 / 1,070
Fld % / CS %: .980 / .339
Additions:
Alving Vazquez, 3B (Traded from Boise)
Jeromy Olmos, SS (Free Agent from Tampa Bay)
Steve Ruffin, C (Claimed off Waivers from Texas)
Ivy Mullaney, SP (Free Agent from Seattle)
Felipe Montero, CF (Free Agent from Boise)
Terry Perry, RP (Promoted from AAA)
Departures:
Doc Cox, RP (Released)
Anthony Ducati, 1B (Released)
David Moreno, 3B (Released)
Al Perez, SS (Released)
Ryan Nicholas, C (Released)
I can't put my finger on why this team didn't do better than the record indicates. They still had the same team that won the division in Season 17. Statistically, they were about even (although ERA did jump up a little last season). That's what makes this game so loopy sometimes. You can be better than the season before, and end up lower in the standings. This team still has great pitching, led by All-Star Pedro Tavarez. They did become active on the offensive side, hoping to find the right combination of players to excel this team to the next level. After Tavarez, the pitching needs to step up in order to re-claim the top spot in the AL East.
Norfolk Phanatics
Owner: ratatat72 (12th Season, 908-854, 9 Playoff Appearances, 7 Division Titles)
Franchise History: (1,424-1,492, 11 Playoff Appearances, 9 Division Titles)
Season 18 Recap:
Record: 97-65 (1st Place, Lost to Iowa City in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .279 / .346 / .445
R / HR / RBI / SB: 893 / 227 / 869 / 192
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.26 / 1.39 / 1,021
Fld % / CS %: .986 / .198
Additions:
Brian Brown, 3B (Promoted from AAA)
Julio Martinez, 2B (Promoted from AAA)
Sam Bishop, RP (Free Agent from Scranton)
Rico Wilfredo, 1B/DH (Free Agent from Tucson)
Tony Alonso, SS (Free Agent from St. Louis)
Danys Veras, RP (Free Agent from St. Louis)
Departures:
Johnny McClain, RP (Free Agency)
Mateo Flores, 3B (Free Agency)
Derek Hughes, 2B (Free Agency)
Ross Hart, LF (Free Agency)
Nick Shipley, RP (Free Agency)
Felipe Arroyo, RP (Free Agency)
Dion Hundley, 1B (Free Agency)
Gary Garcia, SP (Released)
After breaking a streak of 4 consecutive AL East crowns last season, Norfolk returned to claim the throne outright last season. And, in true fashion, they proceed to get manhandled by yet another AL West foe in the playoffs. After finishing with the best record in the regular season for this franchise, they left the season with a bitter taste in their mouth. The offseason wasn't too kind either, as the Phanatic faithful watched as many regulars had to depart due to contract demands. They got a bigger scare when ace Brett Henry declined his option and tested free agency. ratatat72 made priority #1 be the re-signing of Brett Henry. After that fell into place (a BIG sigh of relief was felt in the Virginia Bay area when that happened), they then turned to addressing other holes needed to be filled. Although no big deal was made (the signing of Wilfredo was the biggest offensive splash they invested), this team continues to plug-and-play in hopes to remain competitive for another season.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
FINALLY -- Prince is King of the Hill
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Jersey World saw its first 300 Game Winner yesterday afternoon, when Blaine Prince accomplished the feat at home against the Oakland Irish A's. St. Louis won the game 3-2. In true Hall-of-Famer accomplishment, he succeeded in obtaining Win #300 on his first attempt. Although it took him a little while longer than most people anticipated (some thought that the feat would occur last season, but it was not meant to be), the fact that he won it at home is rewarding enough. Blaine Prince has been with this franchise from the beginning, which alone is a feat in today's world of trading-happy GM's and inexperience owners. I said last season that the extension he signed last season might have been a little too much and might hurt missouridawg's chances of signing better talent to offset the eventual retirement. But, I also think that, in all Fantasy Baseball aside, the deal is about what a REAL player who has devoted his entire career to one franchise would be offered, and he has earned it. Congrats to Blaine Prince, the true King of the Hill!
Friday, September 9, 2011
AL East Season 18 Team Previews
Another Season, another turn at summarizing the AL East teams. After eight seasons of dealing with the same owners OVER and OVER and OVER again, we finally had to deal with turnover. New York Mutuals was abandoned and has been moved to Boston (cleverly named, the 'Red Sox' -- whodathunkit?). With that, there are some really interesting story lines brewing in this division. So let's get started:
Philadelphia Phillies
Owner: bball10 (9th Season, 510-786, 0 Playoff Appearances)
Franchise History: (1,149-1,605, 1 Playoff Appearance, 0 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 63-99 (4th Place, 23 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .264 / .329 / .402
R / HR / RBI / SB: 789 / 159 / 757 / 157
ERA / WHIP / SO: 5.68 / 1.59 / 1,020
Fld % / CS %: .975 / .323
Additions:
A.J. Cannon, RP (Free Agency from Little Rock)
Glenn Iannone, SS (Free Agency from Tucson)
Dock Lawson, SP (Free Agency from Rochester)
Fred Greenwood, RF (Free Agency from Atlanta)
Departures:
Geoff Blake, RP (Free Agency)
William Woods, RP (Free Agency)
Tomas Lima, SP (Free Agency)
Felix Kyung, SP (Free Agency)
Reese Flanagan, SP (Released)
Alvin Shaw, 2B (Released)
The Phillies began building for this year right around Season 17 All-Star Break. They realized that what they had wasn't working, and decided to begin early on the rebuilding process. Offensively, I can't think of anybody that might have a better threat up the middle than Philadelphia -- C Raul Candelaria, 2B Woody Ganzel, SS Iannone, and CF Andy Comer can all flat out HIT (albeit, Candelaria is succeptible vs. Lefties). Their pitching will need to improve drastically if they want to compete, as they haven't seen an ERA under 5 since Season 8, when they were the New York Bums. Improving on the AL-leading Errors and Negative Plays wouldn't hurt either.
Boston Red Sox
Owner: theo_epstein (1st Season)
Franchise History: (1,400-1,364, 6 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles, 1 American League Championship)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 77-85 (3rd Place, 9 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .270 / .339 / .432
R / HR / RBI / SB: 860 / 195 / 834 / 306
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.85 / 1.49 / 1,141
Fld % / CS %: .977 / .210
Additions:
Terry O'Connor, 3B (Free Agency from Honolulu)
Alejandro Guerrero, SP (Free Agency from Minnesota)
Departures:
Vic Diaz, C (Free Agency)
Kirk Gardner, SP (Free Agency)
Taylor Everett, RP (Free Agency)
Gerald Pratt, LF (Free Agency)
Calvin Lee, 2B (Free Agency)
Nicky Coleman, RP (Released)
Otis Neal, C (Released)
After 9 seasons, the AL East is experiencing their first turnover in team ownership. Out of the picture is piratestros, enter theo_epstein. With a moniker like theo_epstein. this team has some high expectations. The main story here, unfortunately, is the mass exodus that was the Retirement/Free Agency departures that the Red Sox team endured going into this season. The most notable departure is future HOF candidate Calvin Lee. Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic that I no longer have to worry about that thief terrorizing the basepaths against me (Good luck with him, National League). But, it saddened me a little bit knowing that this team left the way it did. With that said, I am hoping that theo can right the ship and make this team competitive ASAP (although I am a little worried that we have not even started the regular season and he is already on AI). Offensively, they still have Dan Blank and Osvaldo Montero, and they recently signed O'Connor to offset the loss of Lee. This will be a totally different team to play against without Calvin Lee, as this team had thrived off of creating runs on the basepaths. J.P. Henriquez enters his final season of his lucrative contract, which will only help this franchise in terms of flexibility to work for the future. Looks like a rebuilding year in Boston!
Norfolk Phanatics
Owner: ratatat72 (11th Season, 811-789, 8 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles)
Franchise History: (1,327-1,427, 10 Playoff Appearances, 8 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 86-76 (1st Place Tie, Lost to Charlotte in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .259 / .325 / .419
R / HR / RBI / SB: 760 / 220 / 750 / 139
ERA / WHIP / SO: 3.95 / 1.27 / 1,095
Fld % / CS %: .987 / .261
Additions:
Albert Castillo, SS (Free Agency from Austin)
Felipe Arroyo, RP (Free Agency from Buffalo)
Jim Ryan, SP (Claimed Off Waivers from Seattle)
Darryl Whiteside, SP (Claimed Off Waivers from Seattle)
Departures:
Max Winchester, RP (Free Agency)
Walt King, SS (Free Agency)
Marco Karl, RP (Free Agency)
Alex Buford, SP (Free Agency)
SIGH! Second Place! No longer the Big Cheese! Second Fiddle! These rants taunt me since the end of Season 17. It only brings to attention how old this team is getting. The youth movement may be coming sooner than expected for the Phanatic Phaithful. GM ratatat spent the entire off-season since their exit from the 1st round of the playoffs contemplating whether or not to start scrapping this effort and start over. In the end, they decided to go year by year. Offensively, the Phanatics have seen a steady decline in BA. The addition of Castillo at SS over King should help in that cause, without suffering too much on defense. Pitching, the rotation is still pretty solid from 1 to 4, but the biggest question mark will be the #5. Will one of the Seattle duo taken off waivers take over? Defensively, the Middle Infield seems to be getting a little long in the tooth. Will this spell doom for the once dominant fielding teams in the AL? This team might have another run in it to re-claim the Division Title. It may also be ready to start fire-saling all the good talent (similar to other teams in this division).
Pittsburgh sluggers
Owner: larr100 (11th Season, 758-862, 2 Playoff Appearance, 2 Division Title)
Franchise History: 1,361-1,393, 5 Playoff Appearances, 3 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 86-76 (1st Place Tie, Lost to Iowa City in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .270 / .343 / .457
R / HR / RBI / SB: 880 / 249 / 862 / 119
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.31 / 1.43 / 963
Fld % / CS %: .981 / .250
Additions:
Dario O'Neil, SS (Free Agency from Buffalo)
Albert Gomez, SP (Free Agency from Anaheim)
Departures:
Oswaldo Alvarez, SS (Free Agency)
Felipe Saenz, 1B (Released)
David Buford, SP (Released)
Abdul Alston, SP (Released)
Due to about every tie-breaker that WiS has in place, Pittsburgh claimed the top spot of the AL East for the first time since larr100's first season. The Free Agent signings of Felipe Romo in Season 16, and Doug Fox and Vernon Lloyd in Season 17 finally set the table to make Pittsburgh a bonafide contender for the next few seasons. 20-game winner Pedro Tavarez anchors the rotation, which saw a 1 run improvement from Season 16 to Season 17 (easy to see why they got to the postseason). Not much was done during the offseason, other than a SS replacement and a LRP / Spot Starter signee. This team in considerably younger compared to Norfolk, so it will be easy to say that the foreseeable future looks bright in the Steel City.
Philadelphia Phillies
Owner: bball10 (9th Season, 510-786, 0 Playoff Appearances)
Franchise History: (1,149-1,605, 1 Playoff Appearance, 0 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 63-99 (4th Place, 23 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .264 / .329 / .402
R / HR / RBI / SB: 789 / 159 / 757 / 157
ERA / WHIP / SO: 5.68 / 1.59 / 1,020
Fld % / CS %: .975 / .323
Additions:
A.J. Cannon, RP (Free Agency from Little Rock)
Glenn Iannone, SS (Free Agency from Tucson)
Dock Lawson, SP (Free Agency from Rochester)
Fred Greenwood, RF (Free Agency from Atlanta)
Departures:
Geoff Blake, RP (Free Agency)
William Woods, RP (Free Agency)
Tomas Lima, SP (Free Agency)
Felix Kyung, SP (Free Agency)
Reese Flanagan, SP (Released)
Alvin Shaw, 2B (Released)
The Phillies began building for this year right around Season 17 All-Star Break. They realized that what they had wasn't working, and decided to begin early on the rebuilding process. Offensively, I can't think of anybody that might have a better threat up the middle than Philadelphia -- C Raul Candelaria, 2B Woody Ganzel, SS Iannone, and CF Andy Comer can all flat out HIT (albeit, Candelaria is succeptible vs. Lefties). Their pitching will need to improve drastically if they want to compete, as they haven't seen an ERA under 5 since Season 8, when they were the New York Bums. Improving on the AL-leading Errors and Negative Plays wouldn't hurt either.
Boston Red Sox
Owner: theo_epstein (1st Season)
Franchise History: (1,400-1,364, 6 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles, 1 American League Championship)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 77-85 (3rd Place, 9 GB)
BA / OBP / SLG: .270 / .339 / .432
R / HR / RBI / SB: 860 / 195 / 834 / 306
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.85 / 1.49 / 1,141
Fld % / CS %: .977 / .210
Additions:
Terry O'Connor, 3B (Free Agency from Honolulu)
Alejandro Guerrero, SP (Free Agency from Minnesota)
Departures:
Vic Diaz, C (Free Agency)
Kirk Gardner, SP (Free Agency)
Taylor Everett, RP (Free Agency)
Gerald Pratt, LF (Free Agency)
Calvin Lee, 2B (Free Agency)
Nicky Coleman, RP (Released)
Otis Neal, C (Released)
After 9 seasons, the AL East is experiencing their first turnover in team ownership. Out of the picture is piratestros, enter theo_epstein. With a moniker like theo_epstein. this team has some high expectations. The main story here, unfortunately, is the mass exodus that was the Retirement/Free Agency departures that the Red Sox team endured going into this season. The most notable departure is future HOF candidate Calvin Lee. Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic that I no longer have to worry about that thief terrorizing the basepaths against me (Good luck with him, National League). But, it saddened me a little bit knowing that this team left the way it did. With that said, I am hoping that theo can right the ship and make this team competitive ASAP (although I am a little worried that we have not even started the regular season and he is already on AI). Offensively, they still have Dan Blank and Osvaldo Montero, and they recently signed O'Connor to offset the loss of Lee. This will be a totally different team to play against without Calvin Lee, as this team had thrived off of creating runs on the basepaths. J.P. Henriquez enters his final season of his lucrative contract, which will only help this franchise in terms of flexibility to work for the future. Looks like a rebuilding year in Boston!
Norfolk Phanatics
Owner: ratatat72 (11th Season, 811-789, 8 Playoff Appearances, 6 Division Titles)
Franchise History: (1,327-1,427, 10 Playoff Appearances, 8 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 86-76 (1st Place Tie, Lost to Charlotte in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .259 / .325 / .419
R / HR / RBI / SB: 760 / 220 / 750 / 139
ERA / WHIP / SO: 3.95 / 1.27 / 1,095
Fld % / CS %: .987 / .261
Additions:
Albert Castillo, SS (Free Agency from Austin)
Felipe Arroyo, RP (Free Agency from Buffalo)
Jim Ryan, SP (Claimed Off Waivers from Seattle)
Darryl Whiteside, SP (Claimed Off Waivers from Seattle)
Departures:
Max Winchester, RP (Free Agency)
Walt King, SS (Free Agency)
Marco Karl, RP (Free Agency)
Alex Buford, SP (Free Agency)
SIGH! Second Place! No longer the Big Cheese! Second Fiddle! These rants taunt me since the end of Season 17. It only brings to attention how old this team is getting. The youth movement may be coming sooner than expected for the Phanatic Phaithful. GM ratatat spent the entire off-season since their exit from the 1st round of the playoffs contemplating whether or not to start scrapping this effort and start over. In the end, they decided to go year by year. Offensively, the Phanatics have seen a steady decline in BA. The addition of Castillo at SS over King should help in that cause, without suffering too much on defense. Pitching, the rotation is still pretty solid from 1 to 4, but the biggest question mark will be the #5. Will one of the Seattle duo taken off waivers take over? Defensively, the Middle Infield seems to be getting a little long in the tooth. Will this spell doom for the once dominant fielding teams in the AL? This team might have another run in it to re-claim the Division Title. It may also be ready to start fire-saling all the good talent (similar to other teams in this division).
Pittsburgh sluggers
Owner: larr100 (11th Season, 758-862, 2 Playoff Appearance, 2 Division Title)
Franchise History: 1,361-1,393, 5 Playoff Appearances, 3 Division Titles)
Season 17 Recap:
Record: 86-76 (1st Place Tie, Lost to Iowa City in the Division Play-in Series, 3-2)
BA / OBP / SLG: .270 / .343 / .457
R / HR / RBI / SB: 880 / 249 / 862 / 119
ERA / WHIP / SO: 4.31 / 1.43 / 963
Fld % / CS %: .981 / .250
Additions:
Dario O'Neil, SS (Free Agency from Buffalo)
Albert Gomez, SP (Free Agency from Anaheim)
Departures:
Oswaldo Alvarez, SS (Free Agency)
Felipe Saenz, 1B (Released)
David Buford, SP (Released)
Abdul Alston, SP (Released)
Due to about every tie-breaker that WiS has in place, Pittsburgh claimed the top spot of the AL East for the first time since larr100's first season. The Free Agent signings of Felipe Romo in Season 16, and Doug Fox and Vernon Lloyd in Season 17 finally set the table to make Pittsburgh a bonafide contender for the next few seasons. 20-game winner Pedro Tavarez anchors the rotation, which saw a 1 run improvement from Season 16 to Season 17 (easy to see why they got to the postseason). Not much was done during the offseason, other than a SS replacement and a LRP / Spot Starter signee. This team in considerably younger compared to Norfolk, so it will be easy to say that the foreseeable future looks bright in the Steel City.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Calvin Lee is your new Stolen Base King!
Congrats to Calvin Lee, who took over the All-Time Stolen Base record at 689 and counting when he stole 2nd base in the 7th inning against the Oakland Irish A's. At the age of 29, there are many miles left in the legs of this speed-burner, so who knows where he will end up when all is said and done (1,000?). When trying to contact piratestros on this great accomplishment, there was no reply (sad day indeed). The GM who was able to take advantage of a Rule V mistake and become one of the best leadoff and stolen base threats over the course of the last 8 seasons was not there to see this and may not be there to take credit for this great achievement. Lee was humble when asked about the feat -- "I only wish we were still competing for the Division title. It has been fun stealing bases for the Mutuals the last 8 seasons. They gave me my break into the Bigs." Lee also drove in the winning runs, singling in the 7th to drive in 2 runs as New York nipped the Irish A's, 3-1. I can't imagine any reason why he won't be in the HOF at the end of his career, and it will be hard to see any hat other than NY when they enshrine him.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
AL Power Rankings, Part Deux
Here is the AL Power Rankings going into the last Quarter of Season 17:
1. Las Vegas -- jceffali continues to dominate the AL, despite a mediocre batting average. However, they lead the AL in Home Runs, and have the best pitching and fielding in the league, so suffice it to say, they will be a hard out come the playoffs. Has not lost more than 2 in a row since before the All-Star Break. Impressive!
2. Norfolk -- Currently leads the battle for 2nd bye in the playoffs, and will desperately need it! Similar to LV, their offense isn't where they would like it, but pitching and fielding has made up for that. In the midst of a tough 20-game stretch involving Iowa City, Las Vegas, Boise, Charlotte, and St. Louis. Success of team will hinge on this stretch.
3. Charlotte -- Has really turned it on as of late, going 16-2 over last 18 games. Has easiest schedule of division leaders based on record of opponents.
4. Boise -- Still leading the AL North and has stretched the lead out to a more comfortable cushion. Unlike other division leaders, offense is carrying this team so far. Will make for interesting matchup if they go head-to-head with any of the other division leaders in a 5 or 7-game series.
5. Pittsburgh -- Still showing strength in offense, but pitching took a big hit with the loss of Vernon Lloyd for the season. This could open the door for other teams in the Wild Card, and will definitely test this team for the AL East.
6. Iowa City -- Team has yet to get really hot like it usually does for the playoff push. Pitching has declined compared to prior years, but any team with Spike Chase will always be dangerous.
7. Richmond -- No superstars on this team or players that stick out statistically, but hovering around .500 and within earshot of wild-card. Late season push might put this team in playoffs for first time since Season 4.
8. Seattle -- You won't see many offensive highlights from Seattle, but that is OK by Hextall. Pitching continues to carry this team for a playoff push.
9. Kansas City -- Rumpshakers starting to show some dents in the armor (lack of quality starters after Aviles and Willis, suspect bullpen), but still within striking distance of Wild-Card.
10. Rochester -- Unofficially went to selling mode, as Iglesias and Hauser went on the Trading Block. Fielding has been the Rattlers downfall, ranking 3rd from bottom in AL.
11. Syracuse -- The Siege have been in selling mode for almost the entire season. A pitching staff long in the tooth about ready for re-vamp.
12. St. Louis -- Really strange to see the possibility of a post-season without St. Louis. If any team can surge from this far out, it can be this team. Otherwise, will be on verge of only 2nd losing season in team history.
13. New York -- Sad ending to see piratestros disappear without a trace. Next owner will inherit a team with great possibilities, but underachieving without a leader.
14. Little Rock -- Great offense + Poor pitching = frustrated rangerfan1!
15. Philadelphia -- Continues to build for the future, and showing some flash on the basepaths.
16. Oakland -- Team has started to gel and will be good to see some of they youngsters get playing time in preparation for next season.
AL MVP -- I am sticking with Quilvio Castro. He has 45 Home Runs, which is 10 more than the anyone else in the AL, and he has 21 Stolen Bases to boot. Not too shabby.
AL Cy Young -- I see a battle between Pedro Tavarez (leads the league with 15 wins and IP, and 2nd in Complete Games), Tony Aviles (Rookie is 2nd in Wins and ERA, and 5th in WHIP), Max White, and Spike Chase.
AL Rookie -- As I predicted, Tony Aviles has pulled away and should win this hands down.
1. Las Vegas -- jceffali continues to dominate the AL, despite a mediocre batting average. However, they lead the AL in Home Runs, and have the best pitching and fielding in the league, so suffice it to say, they will be a hard out come the playoffs. Has not lost more than 2 in a row since before the All-Star Break. Impressive!
2. Norfolk -- Currently leads the battle for 2nd bye in the playoffs, and will desperately need it! Similar to LV, their offense isn't where they would like it, but pitching and fielding has made up for that. In the midst of a tough 20-game stretch involving Iowa City, Las Vegas, Boise, Charlotte, and St. Louis. Success of team will hinge on this stretch.
3. Charlotte -- Has really turned it on as of late, going 16-2 over last 18 games. Has easiest schedule of division leaders based on record of opponents.
4. Boise -- Still leading the AL North and has stretched the lead out to a more comfortable cushion. Unlike other division leaders, offense is carrying this team so far. Will make for interesting matchup if they go head-to-head with any of the other division leaders in a 5 or 7-game series.
5. Pittsburgh -- Still showing strength in offense, but pitching took a big hit with the loss of Vernon Lloyd for the season. This could open the door for other teams in the Wild Card, and will definitely test this team for the AL East.
6. Iowa City -- Team has yet to get really hot like it usually does for the playoff push. Pitching has declined compared to prior years, but any team with Spike Chase will always be dangerous.
7. Richmond -- No superstars on this team or players that stick out statistically, but hovering around .500 and within earshot of wild-card. Late season push might put this team in playoffs for first time since Season 4.
8. Seattle -- You won't see many offensive highlights from Seattle, but that is OK by Hextall. Pitching continues to carry this team for a playoff push.
9. Kansas City -- Rumpshakers starting to show some dents in the armor (lack of quality starters after Aviles and Willis, suspect bullpen), but still within striking distance of Wild-Card.
10. Rochester -- Unofficially went to selling mode, as Iglesias and Hauser went on the Trading Block. Fielding has been the Rattlers downfall, ranking 3rd from bottom in AL.
11. Syracuse -- The Siege have been in selling mode for almost the entire season. A pitching staff long in the tooth about ready for re-vamp.
12. St. Louis -- Really strange to see the possibility of a post-season without St. Louis. If any team can surge from this far out, it can be this team. Otherwise, will be on verge of only 2nd losing season in team history.
13. New York -- Sad ending to see piratestros disappear without a trace. Next owner will inherit a team with great possibilities, but underachieving without a leader.
14. Little Rock -- Great offense + Poor pitching = frustrated rangerfan1!
15. Philadelphia -- Continues to build for the future, and showing some flash on the basepaths.
16. Oakland -- Team has started to gel and will be good to see some of they youngsters get playing time in preparation for next season.
AL MVP -- I am sticking with Quilvio Castro. He has 45 Home Runs, which is 10 more than the anyone else in the AL, and he has 21 Stolen Bases to boot. Not too shabby.
AL Cy Young -- I see a battle between Pedro Tavarez (leads the league with 15 wins and IP, and 2nd in Complete Games), Tony Aviles (Rookie is 2nd in Wins and ERA, and 5th in WHIP), Max White, and Spike Chase.
AL Rookie -- As I predicted, Tony Aviles has pulled away and should win this hands down.
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