By 13killers
From the New York Post- Spike Ewing
The New York Mets will be coming off a 2nd straight season of steady improvement under 3rd year owner DHERZ. While the new stadium is being completed in the parking lot, the franchise is starting to take shape in Old Shea. Rookie manager Seth Borders gets his shot as a major league manager, despite being 52 games under .500 with the White Sox triple-A team. That shape starts with the starting rotation. The Mets have one of the best young staff in all of baseball. The staff features 3 young lefties that can get it done. Tony Stankiewicz is entering his 3rd season, and brings a 95 mph fastball and a plus slider to the mound. Justin Leonard is a good looking young lefty, who just needs to command his 3 plus pitches a little better. The 3rd young lefty is Walt Hernandez. Hernandez was the number 1 overall pick in the season 2 draft. He has steam rolled through the minor leagues, and is will be one of the early favorites for the rookie of the year. Walt still has a lot of improving to do, but his mid 90’s fastball should allow him to keep batters at bay. Boomer Paige is the veteran leader of this staff, and along with Philip Lindsey brings Right Hand balance to the rotation. Raul Astacio was great as the closer, after being acquired from Boston. Set-up man, Pat Michaels looks to bounce back from a disappointing season 3. The Mets defense is also very good, sporting 2 Gold Glove winners in SS- Tony Azocar and CF- Wade Baker. The infield is rounded out by solid glove men 2B- Coco Rodgers, a rule-5 guy, and Veteran Kid Washington. Even though the pitching and defense are really strong, the line-up is a major question. Wolf Douglas is coming off a career year, but he lacks ideal power for a top run producer. Middle of the order help will come from Eugene Ball and Graham Powell, both of which are strikeout prone. All in all, the Mets have made great strides in the last couple of years. But, in a division that features the Phillies, Pirates and Nationals, it may be another year or two before the Mets are…well amazing.
From the Philadelphia Times Union- Donavan Balboa
Can a team win 112 games in a season, and still be considered a failure? If the team is from the city of brotherly love they can. The Phillies had one of the best regular seasons in baseball history. But, falling short of a World Series Title nearly caused another crack in the bell. Bruce Parnell, former Nationals AAA skipper, enters his 2nd season as the head Philly. Parnell’s lineup has plenty of STUDS in the barn. The Phillies lineup returns most of the bats that made them the leagues most feared offensive force. 3 time all-star Del Wilhelm leads it off, and has complied unbelievable numbers in the leadoff spot. CF & 2 time all-star Frank Jorgensen and 1B & former Rookie of the year Pedro Garrido return to set the table in front of Jake Clapp. Clapp has had a pretty solid career, seeing how he is the only MVP the national league has crowned for the last 3 seasons. The RBI slots are man by Albert Gonzalez, a Jeff like 2B and Magglio Molina, one of the best young catchers in the game. Two newcomers finish out the order as Jeff Jones and Max Salinas come to join the Phillies. Jones is coming over from division rival Washington, and is looking to bounce back from an injury riddle season. Salinas brings a weak bat, but a much need defensive ace to man the SS position for Philly. The rotation is headed by season 3 Cy Young winner Perry Harvey and young 17 game winner Hi White. Buddy Kapler adds solid veteran leadership to the pitching staff. While, Frank Feng and Donn Sisler look to prove that they belong in the starting mix. The bullpen is almost as impressive as the line up. All-Star closer Ken Upshaw is coming off of his best season. Also setup men Alex Ozuna, Merv Christopher and Walter Gwynn form what could be the best bridge to the closer in the national league. The Phillies starting rotation lacks a little to be desired. But if the bullpen can’t help mask the average rotation…the new version of murders row can. Even though they had a disappointing finish to season 3, the road to the World Series appears to go through the city of brotherly love.
From the Pittsburgh Sun- Mario Clemente
Harry Bravo moves into his new office with one thing in mind…getting the Pittsburgh Pirates back into the playoffs. The Pirates are October regulars under famed skipper Jim Leyland, but have only made the playoffs once sine. Will this group make you forget about the “KILLER B’s” of the 90’s? No. However, Shep McNeil, Clyde Redmond and James Sherman help to form one of the leagues best trios. McNeil will start in Left Field, and has averaged over .300 35HR 110RBI over the last three seasons. 2B- Clyde Redmond, and season 3 All-Star, is a legit treat to join the 30-30 club this season. James Sherman, who is looking for a long term contract, has been one of the premier power hitter in the National League for years. Throw in: steady SS- Daryle Lloyd, Thumper Ivan Izuiendo and a steady catching duo, the Bucos have a nice veteran line-up. Marc Cash, rookie CF, is the only real question mark in the order. The pitching rotation is a little more of an iffy situation. The staff is headed by 17 game winner, Robert Knotts. Knotts is one of the leagues bright young stars. After Knotts, a group of unproven young hurlers are left to fill out the rotation. Rookie Left hander, Orlando Guerreo, appears to be posed to step right into the 2nd slot in the rotation. Rookie lefty, Fonzie Robinson, will have to command his pitches better, if he wants to be a consistent major leaguer. The rotation is filled out by rookie right handers Omar Delado and Miguel Perez. Delado has good control and touches the low 90’s, While Perez has pinpoint control and a great sinking fastball. Closer, Fernando James, has been one of the better closers in terms of save situations. Like many closer, Fernando had a hard time in non-save situations last season. If Jimmy Houck can bounce back, and Buster Norton and Andres Jimenez can hold down set-up roles, the pen can be solid. We all know that the lineup is going to be impressive. The real question mark centers around a pitching staff that runs out 4 rookies. If the baby Bucs pitch well, Pittsburgh may be playoff bound, if they don’t…PNC park may once again be empty come October.
From the Washington Post- Barack O’Bush
Last season was supposed to be a big year for the Washington Nationals. The club had made the playoffs 2 years in a row, winning the division once. The front office made a number of trades to beef up a lineup that had been lacking in certain areas. The pitching staff was returning intact, and even added a few pieces to help for the playoffs. And then, season 2 Cy Young Runner and staff Ace, Ozzie Percival’s season was cut short. Coming off of a 24 Win season, then 24 year-old Percival pitched 7 games before being shutdown for the year, and the Nationals season went with him. Ozzie is once again healthy, and ready to lead the young staff once again in Season 4. Also, looking to bounce back, is Raul Lee. After winning 15 games in Season 1 and Season, the 25 year-old had a tough Season campaign. Finishing out the all right handed rotation is Tom Durham, Rusty Little and Juan Delgado. Durham had a good rookie season, and sports an upper 90s fastball. Little and Delgado also bring good velicity and high strikeout totals to the mound. Once again, the bullpen is headed by Matthew Crosby. Crosby has had 2 straight seasons with a whip under 1.00. The set up roles are a question for the Nationals. Veterans Albert Howell and Alfredo Morales are back in Washington, after being traded the STL for a playoff run. The rest of the bullpen will be filled out by: RHP- Harry Romero, RHP- Derrek Carpenter and LHP- Grant Snavely. When you talk about hitting in Washington, you have to start with the name Ralph Levine. After being acquired from the Yankees in the spring of Season 1, Levine has posted an average of over 45HR, 120RBI, 125walks and 1.042 OPS. Those numbers have placed him in the top 5 of the MVP voting the last three years. Also back joining Levine is Bing Miles, Antonio Uchida and Paul Gong. Miles is one of the league’s most skilled young hitters, while 2B/3B-Uchida and SS-Gong should provide power from there positions. Washington added a number of free agent position players including: Danys Puente, Bey Brinkley, Damaso Andujar, Jimmy Dunn, Dean Henry, Mark Irabu and Thom Stewart. The additions are all veterans and should help fill out the National lineup. There are questions in the nation’s capitol this year: Who is will be in the White House…Will the Nats make the playoffs…? Well, maybe the Nats can save the city from going down the drain.
Predictions: This division has a shot to get 3 teams in the playoffs in Season 4…or maybe just one
1. Philadelphia
2. Washington/Pittsburgh (tie)
4. New York
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Season 4 NL South Preview
By akgsports
ATLANTA BRAVES
Are we all just living in Dee Dee Hutton’s world? sparrow31 would have us all believe that, and we’ll all soon find out.
HITTNG
Offensively, the Braves’ lineup will change very little, expect of course for one major addition, Dee Dee Hutton. Much is expected of Hutton, and he will need a great season just to improve on departed 1B Ralph Owens’ numbers from last year. sparrow31 is banking that his potential alone will be enough to turn around last season’s 9th highest scoring NL team. The rest of the lineup remains largely intact, so any other offensive improvement will need to come from improvement of the existing cast. A turnaround season from LF Dan Guerrero could boost production. He led the Braves with 44 HRs and 116 RBIs, but his .244 average was 30 points off previous seasons. Slugging RF Eric Roosevelt hit 35 HRs and a .885 OPS in his first full season but is 24 years young, and his numbers may improve.
PITCHING
Even if Dee Dee lives up to hype, he can’t repair the pitching staff. Thankfully of all the NL South combatants, the Braves were the most aggressive and busy this offseason, in hopes of improving the NL’s 3rd worst pitching staff last season. To start, management replaced 3/5 of the starting rotation. Gone are Daniel Burns, whose 4.45 pedestrian ERA led the starting staff, Lonny Saenz, and Louie Wayne. Welcome Tris Breen, Rafael Cortes, and superstar Ramiro Diaz. In addition, Victor Silva and Alejandro Vazquez will be expected to improve on last season’s solid seasons.
OUTLOOK
Even with Hutton’s addition, the offensive will likely remain average. Hutton could boost Atlanta into the top 6 in NL offense, but it is hard to imagine that he could by himself bridge the nearly 100 run gap that existed last season between Atlanta and the NL’s top 5 offenses. With then a likely average offense, the key to improvement will lie with the pitching staff. Much then is expected of the three import starters. Their additions should propel the Braves to at least an average NL ERA.
PREDICTION 83-79, 1st place
FLORIDA MARLINS
Last season’s surprising championship run was keyed by the NL’s 2nd best pitching staff. However under new manangement, three of last season’s starters are gone. This may be a season in transition.
HITTING
The Marlins boasted a solid .741 team OPS, yet only managed a paltry 721 runs. As the lineup returns intact, improvement here must also be internal. Thankfully Florida boasts two up-and-comers in Doug Stewart and Nerio Arnold who combined for only 660 ABs last season. Presumably larger roles this seasons should improve the offense. Twenty year old Doug Stewart is especially intriguing as scouts has rated him potentially a 97 overall on a 100 point scale.
PITCHING
Gone are Homer Flanagan, Alex Kubinski, and Eugene Hardy, replaced by Jackson Parker, Louis Donahue, Furio Ferrell, and Ignacio Pena. It is difficult to imagine these four new additions matching their predecessors, so much is expected of returning starters Frank Montgomery and Kevin Yamaguchi. Montgomery was outstanding with a 3.56 ERA last season. Super prospect Yamaguchi however struggled in his debut and finished his season 1-10. Much is expected from him, if the Marlins are to stay competitive. At least the bullpen appears to be strong where long reliever Victor Lima and closer Carlos Solano return.
OUTLOOK
While new management was conservative and did not add to the offense, offense improvement is expected. The pitching will certainly worsen, the question is by how much. It is hard to imagine that the Marlins can easily replace departing starters who last seasons combined for 660 IPs with an approximate 3.50 ERA. If the 3 new starters combine for a 5.00 ERA, the team’s ERA would expect to balloon to close to 4.90, placing the Marlins in the bottom 5 of the NL.
FORECAST 70-92, 4th place
HOUSTON ASTROS
Last season Houston’s pitching staff put up a 5.00 ERA, so there is much room for improvement. However after some key offseason defections, it is likely the Astros will still be looking to out hit opponents.
HITTING
The Astros played small ball last season and finished with the NL’s 6th best offense. Houston hit only 166 team HRs, but instead they stole 160 bases and walks over 600 times. This season Houston replaces speedsters Geraldo Siqueros, Cal Melusky, and David Tartabull with power from Robinson Turner and prospect Gil Lowe. Only 3 players hit 25 or more HRs last season so the Astros are desperate for additional muscle.
PITCHING
The Astros posted the NL’s 2nd worst ERA last season, and improvement will be difficult with the loss of 3 of the team’s top 4 ERA leaders last season. Gone are Jorge Guapo, Michael Perez, and Cliff Kaline. Much then is expected from returning Del Peron and Benji Vazquez. Vazquez surprised last season with a team leading 3.28 ERA after coming from the A’s where he had lost 22 games the season previous. A repeat season from Vazquez will be critical if Houston is to move up the standings. Additions Roland Carey and Daniel Burns will also be counted on heavily.
OUTLOOK
The losses of Guapo and Perez will definitely hurt. And if Vazquez fails to match his previous season’s numbers, the Astros’ ERA may fall still. Daniel Burns and Roland Carey are talented, so their arrivals are much needed. But they are being counted on producing sub-4.00 ERAs. The offense will be better, but it looks like more of the same, at least for this season, in Houston.
PREDICTION 72-90, 3rd place
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
The Cardinals last season combined below average hitting with below average pitching to finish 10 games under .500, but they did hit 220 HRs to suggest a potentially potent offense.
HITTING
1B Dee Bolling and RF Chad Seabol are the backbone of the offense, having combined for 291 HRs in the last 3 seasons. Prospect Santiago Molina matches them with powerpotential but struggles against RHP have prevented him from quite reaching their level. Still he has the potential to deliver 40+ HRs, which would be a boost to the Cardinals offense. The rest of lineup largely returns so improvement will have to come from within the organization.
PITCHING
The Cardinals staff is not lacking for stars as Pedro Cabrera converted 45 of 48 save opportunities last season and Miguel Padilla appears to be blossoming into one of the NL top young pitchers. The entire starting staff returns, and with Jordan Barrett and Lou Pearce posting the highest ERAs of the starters at respectable 4.91 and 5.04, respectively, the SPs appear to be solid. Middle relief appears to the staff’s Achilles heal as only Enrique DeJesus posted an ERA of better than 4.35.
OUTLOOK
Despite boasting two of the league’s top young power hitters, the Cardinals haven’t won more than 76 games in the last three seasons. With no additions to the ML roster, the last season’s Cardinals must play better this season to contend. With questions surrounding the Marlins, an improvement of only a few games could land the Cardinals in the postseason. But there is no reason to think that with no significant additions, that the Cardinals will be anything different than the 71-76 win team they’ve been the last 3 years.
PREDICTION 76-86, 2nd place
ATLANTA BRAVES
Are we all just living in Dee Dee Hutton’s world? sparrow31 would have us all believe that, and we’ll all soon find out.
HITTNG
Offensively, the Braves’ lineup will change very little, expect of course for one major addition, Dee Dee Hutton. Much is expected of Hutton, and he will need a great season just to improve on departed 1B Ralph Owens’ numbers from last year. sparrow31 is banking that his potential alone will be enough to turn around last season’s 9th highest scoring NL team. The rest of the lineup remains largely intact, so any other offensive improvement will need to come from improvement of the existing cast. A turnaround season from LF Dan Guerrero could boost production. He led the Braves with 44 HRs and 116 RBIs, but his .244 average was 30 points off previous seasons. Slugging RF Eric Roosevelt hit 35 HRs and a .885 OPS in his first full season but is 24 years young, and his numbers may improve.
PITCHING
Even if Dee Dee lives up to hype, he can’t repair the pitching staff. Thankfully of all the NL South combatants, the Braves were the most aggressive and busy this offseason, in hopes of improving the NL’s 3rd worst pitching staff last season. To start, management replaced 3/5 of the starting rotation. Gone are Daniel Burns, whose 4.45 pedestrian ERA led the starting staff, Lonny Saenz, and Louie Wayne. Welcome Tris Breen, Rafael Cortes, and superstar Ramiro Diaz. In addition, Victor Silva and Alejandro Vazquez will be expected to improve on last season’s solid seasons.
OUTLOOK
Even with Hutton’s addition, the offensive will likely remain average. Hutton could boost Atlanta into the top 6 in NL offense, but it is hard to imagine that he could by himself bridge the nearly 100 run gap that existed last season between Atlanta and the NL’s top 5 offenses. With then a likely average offense, the key to improvement will lie with the pitching staff. Much then is expected of the three import starters. Their additions should propel the Braves to at least an average NL ERA.
PREDICTION 83-79, 1st place
FLORIDA MARLINS
Last season’s surprising championship run was keyed by the NL’s 2nd best pitching staff. However under new manangement, three of last season’s starters are gone. This may be a season in transition.
HITTING
The Marlins boasted a solid .741 team OPS, yet only managed a paltry 721 runs. As the lineup returns intact, improvement here must also be internal. Thankfully Florida boasts two up-and-comers in Doug Stewart and Nerio Arnold who combined for only 660 ABs last season. Presumably larger roles this seasons should improve the offense. Twenty year old Doug Stewart is especially intriguing as scouts has rated him potentially a 97 overall on a 100 point scale.
PITCHING
Gone are Homer Flanagan, Alex Kubinski, and Eugene Hardy, replaced by Jackson Parker, Louis Donahue, Furio Ferrell, and Ignacio Pena. It is difficult to imagine these four new additions matching their predecessors, so much is expected of returning starters Frank Montgomery and Kevin Yamaguchi. Montgomery was outstanding with a 3.56 ERA last season. Super prospect Yamaguchi however struggled in his debut and finished his season 1-10. Much is expected from him, if the Marlins are to stay competitive. At least the bullpen appears to be strong where long reliever Victor Lima and closer Carlos Solano return.
OUTLOOK
While new management was conservative and did not add to the offense, offense improvement is expected. The pitching will certainly worsen, the question is by how much. It is hard to imagine that the Marlins can easily replace departing starters who last seasons combined for 660 IPs with an approximate 3.50 ERA. If the 3 new starters combine for a 5.00 ERA, the team’s ERA would expect to balloon to close to 4.90, placing the Marlins in the bottom 5 of the NL.
FORECAST 70-92, 4th place
HOUSTON ASTROS
Last season Houston’s pitching staff put up a 5.00 ERA, so there is much room for improvement. However after some key offseason defections, it is likely the Astros will still be looking to out hit opponents.
HITTING
The Astros played small ball last season and finished with the NL’s 6th best offense. Houston hit only 166 team HRs, but instead they stole 160 bases and walks over 600 times. This season Houston replaces speedsters Geraldo Siqueros, Cal Melusky, and David Tartabull with power from Robinson Turner and prospect Gil Lowe. Only 3 players hit 25 or more HRs last season so the Astros are desperate for additional muscle.
PITCHING
The Astros posted the NL’s 2nd worst ERA last season, and improvement will be difficult with the loss of 3 of the team’s top 4 ERA leaders last season. Gone are Jorge Guapo, Michael Perez, and Cliff Kaline. Much then is expected from returning Del Peron and Benji Vazquez. Vazquez surprised last season with a team leading 3.28 ERA after coming from the A’s where he had lost 22 games the season previous. A repeat season from Vazquez will be critical if Houston is to move up the standings. Additions Roland Carey and Daniel Burns will also be counted on heavily.
OUTLOOK
The losses of Guapo and Perez will definitely hurt. And if Vazquez fails to match his previous season’s numbers, the Astros’ ERA may fall still. Daniel Burns and Roland Carey are talented, so their arrivals are much needed. But they are being counted on producing sub-4.00 ERAs. The offense will be better, but it looks like more of the same, at least for this season, in Houston.
PREDICTION 72-90, 3rd place
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
The Cardinals last season combined below average hitting with below average pitching to finish 10 games under .500, but they did hit 220 HRs to suggest a potentially potent offense.
HITTING
1B Dee Bolling and RF Chad Seabol are the backbone of the offense, having combined for 291 HRs in the last 3 seasons. Prospect Santiago Molina matches them with powerpotential but struggles against RHP have prevented him from quite reaching their level. Still he has the potential to deliver 40+ HRs, which would be a boost to the Cardinals offense. The rest of lineup largely returns so improvement will have to come from within the organization.
PITCHING
The Cardinals staff is not lacking for stars as Pedro Cabrera converted 45 of 48 save opportunities last season and Miguel Padilla appears to be blossoming into one of the NL top young pitchers. The entire starting staff returns, and with Jordan Barrett and Lou Pearce posting the highest ERAs of the starters at respectable 4.91 and 5.04, respectively, the SPs appear to be solid. Middle relief appears to the staff’s Achilles heal as only Enrique DeJesus posted an ERA of better than 4.35.
OUTLOOK
Despite boasting two of the league’s top young power hitters, the Cardinals haven’t won more than 76 games in the last three seasons. With no additions to the ML roster, the last season’s Cardinals must play better this season to contend. With questions surrounding the Marlins, an improvement of only a few games could land the Cardinals in the postseason. But there is no reason to think that with no significant additions, that the Cardinals will be anything different than the 71-76 win team they’ve been the last 3 years.
PREDICTION 76-86, 2nd place
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Getting To Know Your League Members - Overeasy, aka "The Commish"
In the first installment of what I hope to make as a regular feature, we’ll be getting to know our fellow league members. For this first interview, I thought it would be easiest if I simply interviewed myself, so here is your chance to get to know your league commissioner, Overeasy, as he reflects on Hardball Dynasty, baseball cards, and fried eggs.
Kinsella Blog
Who is Overeasy?
Overeasy
John Coffman, a 34 year old electrical engineer living in Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, with his wife and two young sons, 2 years and 3 months old. My username is simply how I order my eggs.
Kinsella Blog
Which WIFs games have you played?
Overeasy
I actually joined up with WIFs back in December of 2001. For years, all I ever did was free spring training sessions of SLB as often as the system would permit. It wasn’t until Hoops Dynasty came along that I was actually ready to pay to play a game. After twenty seasons of successful coaching, my excitement for HD was waning and I accepted the invitation of a fellow HD competitor to join his new Hardball Dynasty league. It didn’t take long to realize that this would be the only game I would be playing long term.
Kinsella Blog
Besides sports, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?
Overeasy
Spending time with my family and recreational no limit hold’em poker tournaments. I’m also a bottomless pit of useless pop culture and sports trivia information.
Kinsella Blog
Who are your favorite players of all-time?
Overeasy
Baseball: Dale Murphy; This was an odd choice for a kid growing up in northern CA, but thanks to my first two little league teams being named the Braves and Ted Turner’s Superstation WTBS showing every game I became a Giants hater and a Braves fan.
Basketball: Magic Johnson; Any player wearing his color jersey was a better player with him on the court.
Football: Joe Montana; I always got such a kick out of sharing my birthday (June 11) with the greatest.
Kinsella Blog
Which are your favorite teams of all-time?
Overeasy
’95 Atlanta Braves – We got one!!! The Buffalo Bills comparisons can now cease.
’84 San Francisco 49ers – A magical season in which I believed that as long as I remembered to drink from my 49er glass during the game, that they would win. (I was 10 years old and the one loss of the season occurred when we went out of town.)
96-97 Pacific Tigers Basketball – My last year of college happened to coincide with a special basketball season in which a no-star team full of juniors and seniors won the conference regular season and went on to win the Big West tourney, earning their first NCAA birth since 1979.
Kinsella Blog
Did you play sports growing up?
Overeasy
I grew up playing little league baseball and city league basketball. In baseball, I was a poor hitting, decent fielding second baseman. In basketball, I was a slow-footed guard with a decent outside shot, but I took the most pride in playing good defense and doing the little things, like blocking out the other team’s good rebounder. In high school, I played on the freshman basketball team. When my lack of natural gifts was too much to overcome and I failed to make the JV team, I took up the game of tennis. I went into tennis full bore and thanks to the excellent climate of northern CA, over my last 2 years of high school I played over 300 of the 365 days each year. After having barely touched a racket as a sophomore, I finished high school as the fifth best player on the varsity team.
Kinsella Blog
What is the top sports related thing you want to do in life that you have not yet done?
Overeasy
There are many places I would love to visit: The Field of Dreams film set, some of the classic ballparks (Wrigley, Fenway, unfortunately Yankee Stadium will be gone), Cooperstown. Additionally, not that some consider it a sport, but I would love to someday waste $10k playing in the main event of the World Series of Poker.
Kinsella Blog
What would you consider your greatest WIFS accomplishment?
Overeasy
I think that my greatest WIFS accomplishment was the creation and sustaining of this league. For an individual moment, it was pretty special that in my final season of HD I took my alma mater, Pacific, to the National Championship game.
Kinsella Blog
Do you have any favorite players from any of your HBD teams?
Overeasy
I don’t know that I would exactly call him a favorite, but he was certainly memorable. He was only a part of the Yankee organization a short time, but the Jerrod Baxter taint will certainly be felt for years to come. For example, Brandon Sutton has recently stated that he is happy to have reached his arbitration seasons so it’ll be easier to afford going to Scores all of the time. Thanks Jerrod! I’m sure he worked wonders for the Angels Rookie pitching last season.
Kinsella Blog
What is your favorite aspect of HBD?
Overeasy
There are too many to name. You are talking to someone who started simulating baseball seasons and tracking statistics in notebooks from the moment I had collected enough baseball cards to form the teams at 8 years old. I kept up a steady pace and completed about 30 seasons in the 10 years until I went away for college. So HBD is the ultimate simulation experience for this hardcore stat geek.
Kinsella Blog
What is your least favorite aspect of Hardball Dynasty?
Overeasy
To me the coaching carousel just seems wrong. Do coaches really bounce around between ML organizations in any way close to what they do in HBD?
Other than that, my only problem is with the number of steps required to perform roster moves and setting changes. Our home connection is pretty slow and it makes it very time consuming to do anything.
Kinsella Blog
If you were in HBD, what position would you play? And, what would you be rated?
Overeasy
If we are talking my absolute physical peaks, I would have been a second baseman rated 65 Range, 85 Glove, 50 Arm Strength/Accuracy and with career Rookie level hitting attributes. My only shot at getting drafted would be by someone who went cheap with scouting.
Kinsella Blog
Who is Overeasy?
Overeasy
John Coffman, a 34 year old electrical engineer living in Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, with his wife and two young sons, 2 years and 3 months old. My username is simply how I order my eggs.
Kinsella Blog
Which WIFs games have you played?
Overeasy
I actually joined up with WIFs back in December of 2001. For years, all I ever did was free spring training sessions of SLB as often as the system would permit. It wasn’t until Hoops Dynasty came along that I was actually ready to pay to play a game. After twenty seasons of successful coaching, my excitement for HD was waning and I accepted the invitation of a fellow HD competitor to join his new Hardball Dynasty league. It didn’t take long to realize that this would be the only game I would be playing long term.
Kinsella Blog
Besides sports, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?
Overeasy
Spending time with my family and recreational no limit hold’em poker tournaments. I’m also a bottomless pit of useless pop culture and sports trivia information.
Kinsella Blog
Who are your favorite players of all-time?
Overeasy
Baseball: Dale Murphy; This was an odd choice for a kid growing up in northern CA, but thanks to my first two little league teams being named the Braves and Ted Turner’s Superstation WTBS showing every game I became a Giants hater and a Braves fan.
Basketball: Magic Johnson; Any player wearing his color jersey was a better player with him on the court.
Football: Joe Montana; I always got such a kick out of sharing my birthday (June 11) with the greatest.
Kinsella Blog
Which are your favorite teams of all-time?
Overeasy
’95 Atlanta Braves – We got one!!! The Buffalo Bills comparisons can now cease.
’84 San Francisco 49ers – A magical season in which I believed that as long as I remembered to drink from my 49er glass during the game, that they would win. (I was 10 years old and the one loss of the season occurred when we went out of town.)
96-97 Pacific Tigers Basketball – My last year of college happened to coincide with a special basketball season in which a no-star team full of juniors and seniors won the conference regular season and went on to win the Big West tourney, earning their first NCAA birth since 1979.
Kinsella Blog
Did you play sports growing up?
Overeasy
I grew up playing little league baseball and city league basketball. In baseball, I was a poor hitting, decent fielding second baseman. In basketball, I was a slow-footed guard with a decent outside shot, but I took the most pride in playing good defense and doing the little things, like blocking out the other team’s good rebounder. In high school, I played on the freshman basketball team. When my lack of natural gifts was too much to overcome and I failed to make the JV team, I took up the game of tennis. I went into tennis full bore and thanks to the excellent climate of northern CA, over my last 2 years of high school I played over 300 of the 365 days each year. After having barely touched a racket as a sophomore, I finished high school as the fifth best player on the varsity team.
Kinsella Blog
What is the top sports related thing you want to do in life that you have not yet done?
Overeasy
There are many places I would love to visit: The Field of Dreams film set, some of the classic ballparks (Wrigley, Fenway, unfortunately Yankee Stadium will be gone), Cooperstown. Additionally, not that some consider it a sport, but I would love to someday waste $10k playing in the main event of the World Series of Poker.
Kinsella Blog
What would you consider your greatest WIFS accomplishment?
Overeasy
I think that my greatest WIFS accomplishment was the creation and sustaining of this league. For an individual moment, it was pretty special that in my final season of HD I took my alma mater, Pacific, to the National Championship game.
Kinsella Blog
Do you have any favorite players from any of your HBD teams?
Overeasy
I don’t know that I would exactly call him a favorite, but he was certainly memorable. He was only a part of the Yankee organization a short time, but the Jerrod Baxter taint will certainly be felt for years to come. For example, Brandon Sutton has recently stated that he is happy to have reached his arbitration seasons so it’ll be easier to afford going to Scores all of the time. Thanks Jerrod! I’m sure he worked wonders for the Angels Rookie pitching last season.
Kinsella Blog
What is your favorite aspect of HBD?
Overeasy
There are too many to name. You are talking to someone who started simulating baseball seasons and tracking statistics in notebooks from the moment I had collected enough baseball cards to form the teams at 8 years old. I kept up a steady pace and completed about 30 seasons in the 10 years until I went away for college. So HBD is the ultimate simulation experience for this hardcore stat geek.
Kinsella Blog
What is your least favorite aspect of Hardball Dynasty?
Overeasy
To me the coaching carousel just seems wrong. Do coaches really bounce around between ML organizations in any way close to what they do in HBD?
Other than that, my only problem is with the number of steps required to perform roster moves and setting changes. Our home connection is pretty slow and it makes it very time consuming to do anything.
Kinsella Blog
If you were in HBD, what position would you play? And, what would you be rated?
Overeasy
If we are talking my absolute physical peaks, I would have been a second baseman rated 65 Range, 85 Glove, 50 Arm Strength/Accuracy and with career Rookie level hitting attributes. My only shot at getting drafted would be by someone who went cheap with scouting.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Florida Marlins are World Champs!
The most improbable of playoff runs has concluded with a world championship. Despite finishing the regular season with a losing record (80-82), the Florida Marlins are now the World Champs after defeating the Portland Beavers in a terrific seven game series. The Marlins have also set a record that can only be tied by playing the maximum number of playoff games possible as every series was extended to its limit.
The first four games of the series were intense one-run victories, with the first two going to Portland and the next two going to Florida. In Game 5, the Portland pitching shutdown the Marlins in route to a 6-2 victory, putting them on the verge of the title. When the series went back to Florida for the final two games, the Marlins bats came alive with full force as both the final two games were blowout victories, including a masterfully pitched Game 7 shutout by Alex Kubinski, who looks to once again cash in big on the free agent market. While his bat was relatively quiet in the previous rounds, 19 year old rookie Doug Stewart saved his best for the biggest stage. He crushed the ball throughout the series with a .400 avg, 5 hrs, and 13 RBIs and was named the series MVP.
The first four games of the series were intense one-run victories, with the first two going to Portland and the next two going to Florida. In Game 5, the Portland pitching shutdown the Marlins in route to a 6-2 victory, putting them on the verge of the title. When the series went back to Florida for the final two games, the Marlins bats came alive with full force as both the final two games were blowout victories, including a masterfully pitched Game 7 shutout by Alex Kubinski, who looks to once again cash in big on the free agent market. While his bat was relatively quiet in the previous rounds, 19 year old rookie Doug Stewart saved his best for the biggest stage. He crushed the ball throughout the series with a .400 avg, 5 hrs, and 13 RBIs and was named the series MVP.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Season 3 NL Playoff Recap
Division Play-in Series –
#3 Arizona Diamondbacks vs. #6 San Francisco Giants
This series was a match-up of NL West rivals, the three-time division champion Diamondbacks against the up and coming Giants, making their first playoff appearance. The Diamondbacks had a great second half as their pitching, which looked rather ordinary in the first half, led the way down the stretch and made this team look very potent for a potential playoff run. Meanwhile, the Giants came out strong out of the gate but took a bit of a tumble in the second half and were able to hang on to the final playoff spot despite a late season surge by the Pirates. Clearly, the Diamondbacks looked to be the favorites going into the series.
The Diamondbacks did not disappoint. Despite a rough game 1 start by Felipe Tejada (by his standards) in which he was out dueled by rookie sensation George Bush, the D’back bullpen saved the day by holding the Giants and allowing Pascual Martin to hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. They didn’t look back from there as they swept the Giants in 3 games with two excellent team pitching performances. Pascual Martin was named the series MVP as he hit .417 with 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in.
#4 Florida Marlins vs. #5 Montreal Expos
The Florida Marlins entered the playoffs as the only playoff team with a losing record as they won the weak AL South for a second consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Montreal Expos had a fine season earning their first playoff spot as they played very consistent throughout the season and lost their division purely on how red hot the Reds were in the second half. This looked to be a fairly even series as both teams came in well rested and ready to go.
It was a tight series that went the full five games with the Marlins taking the decisive game 5. The Marlins pitching was the difference as they held the Expos to 3 runs or less in four of the five games, including a shutout in game 5. Leading the way on offense was Marlin lead-off man and series MVP Bob McMahon who hit .317 with 2 homers and 5 runs batted in.
Division Championship Series –
#1 Philadelphia Phillies vs. #4 Florida Marlins
Did this series even need to be played? We are talking about the winningest franchise in league history, the Phillies, having just completed a record 112-win season. And their opponent, the 80-82 Florida Marlins who just narrowly escaped the first round would surely be outmatched in this series. The only intriguing factor was that 8 of the 80 Marlin regular season victories were against these Phillies as they had the best record of any team against them. But this was merely a fluke, and the dominant team with an entire starting lineup who hit 20+ homers would certainly prevail. Right?
The first two games held true to form as the Phillies escaped a near bullpen collapse in game 1 and had a dominant offensive performance in game 2. Up 2-0 in a best of 5 series, it was definitely over now, right? "David took a stone from the bag and slung it... knocking the Philistine to the ground." With 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth of game 3, punctuated by a walk-off grand slam by Nerio Arnold, the Marlins refused to go down without a fight. The Marlins pitching put the clamps on the Phillies high powered offense for the final two games, winning them by the narrow combined margin of 8-4. Despite only 7 plate appearances and not even playing in game 5, Nerio Arnold was named the series MVP for two of the biggest hits of his young career, the pinch hit grand slam to win game 3 and a pinch hit 2 run homer in the bottom of the eighth to win game 4.
#2 Cincinnati Reds vs. #3 Arizona Diamondbacks
The defending world champs were the hottest team in all of baseball in the second half as they seemed to put all of the pieces together following their big trade with the Orioles that brought Cliff Rivers. The D’backs looked to be almost as hot coming off a sweep of the Giants and an excellent second half performance that saw their pitching return to dominant form. This series could easily go either way as both teams possessed the weapons to win a title.
The series did not disappoint as it was pitching that ruled the day as both sides performed brilliantly, with the lone exception being a rough start by Arizona’s Bernie Delgado in game 3. In the decisive game 5, four pitchers for the Reds combined to shutout the D’backs and send them to their third straight NLCS. The Reds’ Bartolo Lopez was named series MVP after hitting .474 with 2 home runs.
League Championship Series
#2 Cincinnati Reds vs. #4 Florida Marlins
Were the Reds destined to repeat as champs? Or could the Marlins do the unthinkable and beat another 100-win team and become the first World Series team with a losing record? While the Reds look like the team to beat, any team that can win three elimination games in a row against the mighty Phillies is hard to ignore. This series was going to be interesting.The series had everything: pitching duels, blowouts, and dramatic come from behind heroics. It was a series for the ages and arguably the most dramatic in league history with a classic game 7 finale. It was the top of the 9th, 2 outs, and the Reds had their closer Phil Boyer on the mound. In a surprise managerial move, the Marlins pinch hit for their lead off man and first round playoff series MVP Bob McMahon to bring in slugger Phil McCarthy. In the hole 0-2, McCarthy made great contact against Boyer’s best pitch, a nasty slider, and drove the ball down the leftfield line. The ball hit the foul pole and the game was sent to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, the Reds loaded the bases with only one out and their 2-3 hitters due up. Marlin closer Carlos Solano bared down and got the next two outs by strikeout and popout. In the bottom of the 11th, the Reds had runners at first and third with two out and the next batter flied out to CF. Then in the top of the 13th, two solo homers were the difference as Vic Kolb completed the most important three innings of scoreless work in his life to send the Marlins to the World Series. For his 14 scoreless innings and wins in games 1 and 4, Homer Flanagan was named series MVP. The Marlins appear to be a team of destiny that can never be counted out. We’ll see if a World Championship is a part of that destiny.
#3 Arizona Diamondbacks vs. #6 San Francisco Giants
This series was a match-up of NL West rivals, the three-time division champion Diamondbacks against the up and coming Giants, making their first playoff appearance. The Diamondbacks had a great second half as their pitching, which looked rather ordinary in the first half, led the way down the stretch and made this team look very potent for a potential playoff run. Meanwhile, the Giants came out strong out of the gate but took a bit of a tumble in the second half and were able to hang on to the final playoff spot despite a late season surge by the Pirates. Clearly, the Diamondbacks looked to be the favorites going into the series.
The Diamondbacks did not disappoint. Despite a rough game 1 start by Felipe Tejada (by his standards) in which he was out dueled by rookie sensation George Bush, the D’back bullpen saved the day by holding the Giants and allowing Pascual Martin to hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. They didn’t look back from there as they swept the Giants in 3 games with two excellent team pitching performances. Pascual Martin was named the series MVP as he hit .417 with 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in.
#4 Florida Marlins vs. #5 Montreal Expos
The Florida Marlins entered the playoffs as the only playoff team with a losing record as they won the weak AL South for a second consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Montreal Expos had a fine season earning their first playoff spot as they played very consistent throughout the season and lost their division purely on how red hot the Reds were in the second half. This looked to be a fairly even series as both teams came in well rested and ready to go.
It was a tight series that went the full five games with the Marlins taking the decisive game 5. The Marlins pitching was the difference as they held the Expos to 3 runs or less in four of the five games, including a shutout in game 5. Leading the way on offense was Marlin lead-off man and series MVP Bob McMahon who hit .317 with 2 homers and 5 runs batted in.
Division Championship Series –
#1 Philadelphia Phillies vs. #4 Florida Marlins
Did this series even need to be played? We are talking about the winningest franchise in league history, the Phillies, having just completed a record 112-win season. And their opponent, the 80-82 Florida Marlins who just narrowly escaped the first round would surely be outmatched in this series. The only intriguing factor was that 8 of the 80 Marlin regular season victories were against these Phillies as they had the best record of any team against them. But this was merely a fluke, and the dominant team with an entire starting lineup who hit 20+ homers would certainly prevail. Right?
The first two games held true to form as the Phillies escaped a near bullpen collapse in game 1 and had a dominant offensive performance in game 2. Up 2-0 in a best of 5 series, it was definitely over now, right? "David took a stone from the bag and slung it... knocking the Philistine to the ground." With 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth of game 3, punctuated by a walk-off grand slam by Nerio Arnold, the Marlins refused to go down without a fight. The Marlins pitching put the clamps on the Phillies high powered offense for the final two games, winning them by the narrow combined margin of 8-4. Despite only 7 plate appearances and not even playing in game 5, Nerio Arnold was named the series MVP for two of the biggest hits of his young career, the pinch hit grand slam to win game 3 and a pinch hit 2 run homer in the bottom of the eighth to win game 4.
#2 Cincinnati Reds vs. #3 Arizona Diamondbacks
The defending world champs were the hottest team in all of baseball in the second half as they seemed to put all of the pieces together following their big trade with the Orioles that brought Cliff Rivers. The D’backs looked to be almost as hot coming off a sweep of the Giants and an excellent second half performance that saw their pitching return to dominant form. This series could easily go either way as both teams possessed the weapons to win a title.
The series did not disappoint as it was pitching that ruled the day as both sides performed brilliantly, with the lone exception being a rough start by Arizona’s Bernie Delgado in game 3. In the decisive game 5, four pitchers for the Reds combined to shutout the D’backs and send them to their third straight NLCS. The Reds’ Bartolo Lopez was named series MVP after hitting .474 with 2 home runs.
League Championship Series
#2 Cincinnati Reds vs. #4 Florida Marlins
Were the Reds destined to repeat as champs? Or could the Marlins do the unthinkable and beat another 100-win team and become the first World Series team with a losing record? While the Reds look like the team to beat, any team that can win three elimination games in a row against the mighty Phillies is hard to ignore. This series was going to be interesting.The series had everything: pitching duels, blowouts, and dramatic come from behind heroics. It was a series for the ages and arguably the most dramatic in league history with a classic game 7 finale. It was the top of the 9th, 2 outs, and the Reds had their closer Phil Boyer on the mound. In a surprise managerial move, the Marlins pinch hit for their lead off man and first round playoff series MVP Bob McMahon to bring in slugger Phil McCarthy. In the hole 0-2, McCarthy made great contact against Boyer’s best pitch, a nasty slider, and drove the ball down the leftfield line. The ball hit the foul pole and the game was sent to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, the Reds loaded the bases with only one out and their 2-3 hitters due up. Marlin closer Carlos Solano bared down and got the next two outs by strikeout and popout. In the bottom of the 11th, the Reds had runners at first and third with two out and the next batter flied out to CF. Then in the top of the 13th, two solo homers were the difference as Vic Kolb completed the most important three innings of scoreless work in his life to send the Marlins to the World Series. For his 14 scoreless innings and wins in games 1 and 4, Homer Flanagan was named series MVP. The Marlins appear to be a team of destiny that can never be counted out. We’ll see if a World Championship is a part of that destiny.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Season 3 AL Playoff Recap
Division Play-in Series -
#3 Kansas City Royals vs. #6 Seattle Mariners
The Royals were a team that dominated the first half of the season and then became mediocre throughout the second half and only held on to win their division because their primary rival, the Charlotte Knights, did the very same thing. Meanwhile the Mariners spent most of the season in the thick of a three-way divisional race and needed a big surge at the end to capture the final wild card spot. So going in to the series it appeared that the Mariners were actually the team with momentum on their side as it appeared like the Royals were worn out.
In the end, the Mariners starting pitching dominated the series as they used four different pitchers to take the series 3 games to 1. Richard Ishii was named series MVP for both his hitting (.353 avg, 4 RBI) and defensive contributions at shortstop.
#4 Minnesota Twins vs. #5 Portland Beavers
The Twins future has arrived as this young team made its first of what looks to be many trips to the playoffs by winning the surprisingly weak AL North division. Meanwhile, the Beavers used a combination of youngsters and some key free agent pick-ups to assemble a team that was hot down the stretch en route to their first playoff appearance. Both of these teams were young, excited, and well-rested while performing well down the stretch, so it looked like anyone’s series.
The series was a bit of a mixed bag with two blowouts that were split and two tight games, both taken by the Beavers as they won the series 3-1. Josias Rosado’s masterful performance in the decisive game 4 earned him the MVP of the series.
Division Championship Series –
#1 Anaheim Angels vs. #5 Portland Beavers
This was a match-up of two of the hottest teams down the stretch as well as between bitter division rivals. Everyone knew this would be a tense series with both sides hating each other and partaking in numerous hit-by-pitch incidents which culminated with the bench clearing brawl last month, resulting in numerous suspensions and fines on both sides.
Cooler heads prevailed in this series as both sides maintained composure and avoided any incidents. The Beavers were able to prevail in this tight series that saw the pitching dominate the series with all the games decided by 2 runs or less. And no pitcher was as dominant as the Beavers’ Nelson Stockton who earned series MVP by going toe-to-toe with Cy Young candidate Haywood Charles with 6 scoreless innings in game 1 and by out dueling him in the decisive game 4.
#2 Boston Red Sox vs. #6 Seattle Mariners
The Red Sox once again dominated the weak AL East and this season had a second half surge to earn them the first round bye. However with only one starting pitcher in which they had any confidence, staff ace Jeff Bollea, the Red Sox would need to find another pitcher to make a solid contribution. It was pitching that carried these Seattle Mariners to this point, through both the regular season and the first round. With Bollea, it seemed as if this series was destined for five games unless Boston could pull off another win.
BOLLEA!!! Boston was able to find another win thanks to a superb outing in game 2 by Gordon Wilson and take the series 3 games to 1. But it was series MVP Jeff Bollea who dominated the series with a game 1 win and a no-hitter in the decisive game 4. It was quite possibly the greatest pitching performance in league history.
League Championship Series
#2 Boston Red Sox vs. #5 Portland Beavers
Coming in this looked to be a very intriguing series. Boston came in with reigning MVP Valerio Guillen leading a dangerous offense and the mighty Jeff Bollea leading an inconsistent pitching staff. Portland came in coming off two impressive playoff series in which their pitching overpowered their opponents and their opportunistic offense scored enough to win. It looked like it would be a pretty even series, possibly of the seven game variety.However, looks can be deceiving as the Beavers dominated the series winning 4 games to 1 and outscoring the Red Sox 36 – 15. Things looked very bad right out of the gate for Boston as Bollea was tagged for four runs in only 4 1/3 innings of work. The trend continued throughout the series with the only reversal occurring in game 4 as Bollea was his usual dominant self, allowing 1 run in eight innings. Leading the Portland charge was series MVP Bono Mullen with a .458 avg (11 for 24), 5 runs scored, 8 RBI, 2 doubles, and 3 home runs. Portland looks to be a serious challenger as they head to the World Series as the AL representative.
#3 Kansas City Royals vs. #6 Seattle Mariners
The Royals were a team that dominated the first half of the season and then became mediocre throughout the second half and only held on to win their division because their primary rival, the Charlotte Knights, did the very same thing. Meanwhile the Mariners spent most of the season in the thick of a three-way divisional race and needed a big surge at the end to capture the final wild card spot. So going in to the series it appeared that the Mariners were actually the team with momentum on their side as it appeared like the Royals were worn out.
In the end, the Mariners starting pitching dominated the series as they used four different pitchers to take the series 3 games to 1. Richard Ishii was named series MVP for both his hitting (.353 avg, 4 RBI) and defensive contributions at shortstop.
#4 Minnesota Twins vs. #5 Portland Beavers
The Twins future has arrived as this young team made its first of what looks to be many trips to the playoffs by winning the surprisingly weak AL North division. Meanwhile, the Beavers used a combination of youngsters and some key free agent pick-ups to assemble a team that was hot down the stretch en route to their first playoff appearance. Both of these teams were young, excited, and well-rested while performing well down the stretch, so it looked like anyone’s series.
The series was a bit of a mixed bag with two blowouts that were split and two tight games, both taken by the Beavers as they won the series 3-1. Josias Rosado’s masterful performance in the decisive game 4 earned him the MVP of the series.
Division Championship Series –
#1 Anaheim Angels vs. #5 Portland Beavers
This was a match-up of two of the hottest teams down the stretch as well as between bitter division rivals. Everyone knew this would be a tense series with both sides hating each other and partaking in numerous hit-by-pitch incidents which culminated with the bench clearing brawl last month, resulting in numerous suspensions and fines on both sides.
Cooler heads prevailed in this series as both sides maintained composure and avoided any incidents. The Beavers were able to prevail in this tight series that saw the pitching dominate the series with all the games decided by 2 runs or less. And no pitcher was as dominant as the Beavers’ Nelson Stockton who earned series MVP by going toe-to-toe with Cy Young candidate Haywood Charles with 6 scoreless innings in game 1 and by out dueling him in the decisive game 4.
#2 Boston Red Sox vs. #6 Seattle Mariners
The Red Sox once again dominated the weak AL East and this season had a second half surge to earn them the first round bye. However with only one starting pitcher in which they had any confidence, staff ace Jeff Bollea, the Red Sox would need to find another pitcher to make a solid contribution. It was pitching that carried these Seattle Mariners to this point, through both the regular season and the first round. With Bollea, it seemed as if this series was destined for five games unless Boston could pull off another win.
BOLLEA!!! Boston was able to find another win thanks to a superb outing in game 2 by Gordon Wilson and take the series 3 games to 1. But it was series MVP Jeff Bollea who dominated the series with a game 1 win and a no-hitter in the decisive game 4. It was quite possibly the greatest pitching performance in league history.
League Championship Series
#2 Boston Red Sox vs. #5 Portland Beavers
Coming in this looked to be a very intriguing series. Boston came in with reigning MVP Valerio Guillen leading a dangerous offense and the mighty Jeff Bollea leading an inconsistent pitching staff. Portland came in coming off two impressive playoff series in which their pitching overpowered their opponents and their opportunistic offense scored enough to win. It looked like it would be a pretty even series, possibly of the seven game variety.However, looks can be deceiving as the Beavers dominated the series winning 4 games to 1 and outscoring the Red Sox 36 – 15. Things looked very bad right out of the gate for Boston as Bollea was tagged for four runs in only 4 1/3 innings of work. The trend continued throughout the series with the only reversal occurring in game 4 as Bollea was his usual dominant self, allowing 1 run in eight innings. Leading the Portland charge was series MVP Bono Mullen with a .458 avg (11 for 24), 5 runs scored, 8 RBI, 2 doubles, and 3 home runs. Portland looks to be a serious challenger as they head to the World Series as the AL representative.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Weekly Power Rankings - Red Storm
After a two-week hiatus, the power rankings are back for one last appearance before the playoffs. The Cincinnati Reds have led the way in the second half as they look to repeat as World Champs.
Current Rank (Previous Rank)
1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 107-45, Past 3 Weeks 42-18
The Phillies continue to roll and are on their way to the first 110 win season. The offense is so scary that every regular player has at least 20 home runs and Jake Clapp looks like he is headed for a third straight MVP. The guy is going to need to buy a separate house for all of his trophies as he is certainly destined for a Cooperstown plaque. What is truly horrifying is that this team has great pitching now, too. Led by the 1-2 starting tandem of Perry Harvey and Hi White, the Phillies staff has been one of the NL’s best.
2. (10) Cincinnati Reds: Season 94-58, Past 3 Weeks 43-17
The defending champs are back with a vengeance! The hottest team of the second half is looking like a real challenger to the Phillies. The call-up of Bartolo Lopez and the acquisition of Cliff Rivers have turned what was once a stagnant offense into one of the league’s finest. Additionally, the starting rotation has performed brilliantly, led by Edgardo Santos, who has returned to Cy Young form.
3. (6) Anaheim Angels: Season 93-59, Past 3 Weeks 41-19
As the temperatures in southern CA have gotten hotter, so to have the Angels. With Arthur Boggs as a strong candidate for MVP and Travis Murphy looking like a Rookie of the Year favorite, the Angel offense has been leading the charge. Another big reason for the Angels winning their third straight AL West title has been their workhorse ace, Haywood Charles. Having him going out there and giving a quality start almost every fourth game has taken a major burden off the rest of their staff. After a shaky start, Anaheim now sits as the #1 seed and AL favorite.
4. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 91 - 61, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
He’s back! After a mediocre first half, Felipe Tejada has been nearly unhittable for the past few weeks and looks like he may defend his Cy Young crown. More importantly, he is helping lead one of the best starting rotations to their third straight NL West title. On offense, the contributions have been spread around with a notable power outburst from Ivan Tolberg who has 37 home runs in only 360 at bats. This team will once again be a serious playoff threat on the strength of their pitching.
5. (2) Kansas City Royals: Season 90-62, Past 3 Weeks 30-30
The Royals have looked disappointingly average down the stretch. Their offense that did lead all of baseball in runs scored has slipped and barely leads the AL. Outside of the brilliant Patrick Rivera (20-4), the Royals staff has been inconsistent as well. The Royals currently have the look of a team that will not last long in the playoffs. We’ll see if they can get their mojo back in time.
6. (6) Boston Red Sox: Season 88-64, Past 3 Weeks 33-27
With no one coming close to threatening their three season stranglehold on the AL East crown, the Red Sox have been in relative cruise control for a good portion of the season. The offense looks solid thanks to another MVP caliber performance by Valerio Guillen and solid contributions from Marlon Swift and mid-season acquisition Glendon Allen. However, with inconsistent starting pitching, even from normally automatic ace Jeff Bollea, there is some cause for concern in Beantown. On the bright side, the lack of any pennant race means this team will be very fresh for a playoff run.
7. (3) Charlotte Knights: Season 88-64, Past 3 Weeks 32-28
Like their division rivals, the Royals, the Knights have had a mediocre second half after a dominant first half. The offense is a bit inconsistent as many games they live and die by the home run with sluggers Adam Martin, Jose Mondesi, BC. Javier, and Earl Jorgensen. Without having any dominant starters, the big blow to the Knights second half was the injury to their uniquely talented Turner Mordecai. When he went on the 60-day DL, the unconventional pitching staff that saw him starting or relieving almost every other game was forced into becoming more conventional and suffered for it. Mordecai comes off the DL in time for the playoffs so we shall see if his presence can make it happen for this squad.
8. (9) Montreal Expos: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
Marte! Marte! Marte! The Expos have another offensive superstar to pair with superstud catcher Bernard Springer and his name is Kevin Marte. This rookie has taken this offense on his back in the second half to keep this team in the wildcard hunt with Red-hot Cinci taking the division. Unfortunately the rotation seems to have stopped performing. This has definitely been a tale of two seasons for Kareem Hamilton. In the first half, he looked like one of the games greatest pitchers. In the second half, he has looked like a batting practice pitcher getting hammered night after night. While the offense has the weapons, the Expo pitching makes it seem as if there will be no need to print any second round playoff tickets.
T9. (7) Portland Beavers: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 33-27
The young starting staff has had their ups and downs this season, but has definitely had a fine campaign and looks to continue it with a first postseason appearance. That is if they can win this dogfight for the final wildcard spot with their Pacific Northwest and AL West rivals. With five different players with 20 home runs, the Beaver offense has spread the production around, with the most notable contribution from slugger Robert Dunham and his new team record of 42 home runs. Regardless of how things turn out, good things are happening in Portland as PGE Park is getting filled on a nightly basis.
T9. (8) Seattle Mariners: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
It seems strange that if it weren’t for the Angels, we probably would have never seen the Mariners on this list. Acquired from the Angels in the off-season, Karl Turner has been the Mariners only consistent offensive threat for the entire season. Pitching is the real strength of this team as they have gotten quality seasons from their top four starters: Freddie Alston, Diego Ibarra, Fred Rolle, and Rob Tolberg. It doesn’t hurt that almost every lead going into the 8th has been protected courtesy of setup man Larry Houston and closer and rookie of the year candidate James Hutton. It’s going to be a fight to the bitter end with regional and divisional rivals Portland and Seattle.
Current Rank (Previous Rank)
1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 107-45, Past 3 Weeks 42-18
The Phillies continue to roll and are on their way to the first 110 win season. The offense is so scary that every regular player has at least 20 home runs and Jake Clapp looks like he is headed for a third straight MVP. The guy is going to need to buy a separate house for all of his trophies as he is certainly destined for a Cooperstown plaque. What is truly horrifying is that this team has great pitching now, too. Led by the 1-2 starting tandem of Perry Harvey and Hi White, the Phillies staff has been one of the NL’s best.
2. (10) Cincinnati Reds: Season 94-58, Past 3 Weeks 43-17
The defending champs are back with a vengeance! The hottest team of the second half is looking like a real challenger to the Phillies. The call-up of Bartolo Lopez and the acquisition of Cliff Rivers have turned what was once a stagnant offense into one of the league’s finest. Additionally, the starting rotation has performed brilliantly, led by Edgardo Santos, who has returned to Cy Young form.
3. (6) Anaheim Angels: Season 93-59, Past 3 Weeks 41-19
As the temperatures in southern CA have gotten hotter, so to have the Angels. With Arthur Boggs as a strong candidate for MVP and Travis Murphy looking like a Rookie of the Year favorite, the Angel offense has been leading the charge. Another big reason for the Angels winning their third straight AL West title has been their workhorse ace, Haywood Charles. Having him going out there and giving a quality start almost every fourth game has taken a major burden off the rest of their staff. After a shaky start, Anaheim now sits as the #1 seed and AL favorite.
4. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 91 - 61, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
He’s back! After a mediocre first half, Felipe Tejada has been nearly unhittable for the past few weeks and looks like he may defend his Cy Young crown. More importantly, he is helping lead one of the best starting rotations to their third straight NL West title. On offense, the contributions have been spread around with a notable power outburst from Ivan Tolberg who has 37 home runs in only 360 at bats. This team will once again be a serious playoff threat on the strength of their pitching.
5. (2) Kansas City Royals: Season 90-62, Past 3 Weeks 30-30
The Royals have looked disappointingly average down the stretch. Their offense that did lead all of baseball in runs scored has slipped and barely leads the AL. Outside of the brilliant Patrick Rivera (20-4), the Royals staff has been inconsistent as well. The Royals currently have the look of a team that will not last long in the playoffs. We’ll see if they can get their mojo back in time.
6. (6) Boston Red Sox: Season 88-64, Past 3 Weeks 33-27
With no one coming close to threatening their three season stranglehold on the AL East crown, the Red Sox have been in relative cruise control for a good portion of the season. The offense looks solid thanks to another MVP caliber performance by Valerio Guillen and solid contributions from Marlon Swift and mid-season acquisition Glendon Allen. However, with inconsistent starting pitching, even from normally automatic ace Jeff Bollea, there is some cause for concern in Beantown. On the bright side, the lack of any pennant race means this team will be very fresh for a playoff run.
7. (3) Charlotte Knights: Season 88-64, Past 3 Weeks 32-28
Like their division rivals, the Royals, the Knights have had a mediocre second half after a dominant first half. The offense is a bit inconsistent as many games they live and die by the home run with sluggers Adam Martin, Jose Mondesi, BC. Javier, and Earl Jorgensen. Without having any dominant starters, the big blow to the Knights second half was the injury to their uniquely talented Turner Mordecai. When he went on the 60-day DL, the unconventional pitching staff that saw him starting or relieving almost every other game was forced into becoming more conventional and suffered for it. Mordecai comes off the DL in time for the playoffs so we shall see if his presence can make it happen for this squad.
8. (9) Montreal Expos: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
Marte! Marte! Marte! The Expos have another offensive superstar to pair with superstud catcher Bernard Springer and his name is Kevin Marte. This rookie has taken this offense on his back in the second half to keep this team in the wildcard hunt with Red-hot Cinci taking the division. Unfortunately the rotation seems to have stopped performing. This has definitely been a tale of two seasons for Kareem Hamilton. In the first half, he looked like one of the games greatest pitchers. In the second half, he has looked like a batting practice pitcher getting hammered night after night. While the offense has the weapons, the Expo pitching makes it seem as if there will be no need to print any second round playoff tickets.
T9. (7) Portland Beavers: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 33-27
The young starting staff has had their ups and downs this season, but has definitely had a fine campaign and looks to continue it with a first postseason appearance. That is if they can win this dogfight for the final wildcard spot with their Pacific Northwest and AL West rivals. With five different players with 20 home runs, the Beaver offense has spread the production around, with the most notable contribution from slugger Robert Dunham and his new team record of 42 home runs. Regardless of how things turn out, good things are happening in Portland as PGE Park is getting filled on a nightly basis.
T9. (8) Seattle Mariners: Season 85-67, Past 3 Weeks 34-26
It seems strange that if it weren’t for the Angels, we probably would have never seen the Mariners on this list. Acquired from the Angels in the off-season, Karl Turner has been the Mariners only consistent offensive threat for the entire season. Pitching is the real strength of this team as they have gotten quality seasons from their top four starters: Freddie Alston, Diego Ibarra, Fred Rolle, and Rob Tolberg. It doesn’t hurt that almost every lead going into the 8th has been protected courtesy of setup man Larry Houston and closer and rookie of the year candidate James Hutton. It’s going to be a fight to the bitter end with regional and divisional rivals Portland and Seattle.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Free Agency Winners and Losers
This season saw our most active and frenzied free agent market. Now as the end of the regular season approaches, I’d like to look back and see who appears to have made the right personnel choices as well as which GM’s jobs may be in danger.
Winners:
Portland Beavers: The Beavers were one of the most active teams during free agency this season. Yes, they gave up their first round draft choice (#17), as well as their second and third round picks, which may have long term effects on the franchise, but the Beavers have already exceeded their previous high in wins and are in excellent position to secure their first ever playoff spot. Leading the way is Tommy Blackley, whose excellent production from the second base position (29 HR, 80 RBI) is one of the major reasons for the improvement. While Bono Mullen’s contributions have been fairly mediocre, Ignacio Benitez has been one of the AL’s better closers this season.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Their only major free agent signing was 34 year old hitting stud, Shep McNeil, but he appears to have been one of the missing pieces, along with the emergence of some youngsters, to getting the Pirates back to the playoffs. His 31 home runs and 100 runs batted in are a big reason the Pirates are competing for the NL’s final playoff spot. His veteran leadership will be a valued addition to this young team for the next couple of seasons.
Losers:
New York Yankees: After last season’s 85-win campaign, the Yankee front office was looking to pick up a couple of pieces to push the team into the playoffs. Unfortunately, Mark Moore at age 34 is not the same Mark Moore that was the offensive leader for the Cubs for years and was certainly not worth giving up the #19 pick in the draft. While Larry Scharein has been a big-time stud in the bullpen this season (68 apps, 2.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP), a young non-playoff team would likely be better served by having their second round draft pick.
Detroit Tigers: We appear to have a solid case here that a below average hitter can look like a stud if he is surrounded by great talent and sees lots of fat pitches. After the last two seasons as part of the legendary offense in Philadelphia, Del Eckstein looked like a bona fide star in this league with back-to-back seasons of 30 homers and 100 RBI’s with a +.900 OPS. This season in Detroit and then later Milwaukee, Eckstein has been a complete bust with only 9 homers and an OPS under .700. It was so bad that the Tigers escaped his contract by waiving him, so I’m pretty sure they wish they had their second round pick back.
Undecided:
Seattle Mariners: Freddie Alston is providing an excellent contribution this season and helping the Mariners compete for their first playoff spot. But at the same time, I am holding back on a final judgement for this one as a four-year high dollar contract seems like a risky proposition for a 35-year-old pitcher. Time will tell.
Houston Astros: The kings of the free agent market this season with 5 Type A’s and 2 Type B’s found some valuable players that will help this franchise in the years to come: Benji Vazquez, Jason Surtain, Robert Beimel, and Kurt McPherson. While this team appears that it may have been on a course to lose around 100-110 games this season without these signings, the Astros gave away a lot of draft picks to earn their respectable losing season. Perhaps due to the fact that all of the free agent signings league-wide pushed their picks so far down the board (2nd round pick #73), this may have actually been a wise strategy. I can’t decide.
Winners:
Portland Beavers: The Beavers were one of the most active teams during free agency this season. Yes, they gave up their first round draft choice (#17), as well as their second and third round picks, which may have long term effects on the franchise, but the Beavers have already exceeded their previous high in wins and are in excellent position to secure their first ever playoff spot. Leading the way is Tommy Blackley, whose excellent production from the second base position (29 HR, 80 RBI) is one of the major reasons for the improvement. While Bono Mullen’s contributions have been fairly mediocre, Ignacio Benitez has been one of the AL’s better closers this season.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Their only major free agent signing was 34 year old hitting stud, Shep McNeil, but he appears to have been one of the missing pieces, along with the emergence of some youngsters, to getting the Pirates back to the playoffs. His 31 home runs and 100 runs batted in are a big reason the Pirates are competing for the NL’s final playoff spot. His veteran leadership will be a valued addition to this young team for the next couple of seasons.
Losers:
New York Yankees: After last season’s 85-win campaign, the Yankee front office was looking to pick up a couple of pieces to push the team into the playoffs. Unfortunately, Mark Moore at age 34 is not the same Mark Moore that was the offensive leader for the Cubs for years and was certainly not worth giving up the #19 pick in the draft. While Larry Scharein has been a big-time stud in the bullpen this season (68 apps, 2.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP), a young non-playoff team would likely be better served by having their second round draft pick.
Detroit Tigers: We appear to have a solid case here that a below average hitter can look like a stud if he is surrounded by great talent and sees lots of fat pitches. After the last two seasons as part of the legendary offense in Philadelphia, Del Eckstein looked like a bona fide star in this league with back-to-back seasons of 30 homers and 100 RBI’s with a +.900 OPS. This season in Detroit and then later Milwaukee, Eckstein has been a complete bust with only 9 homers and an OPS under .700. It was so bad that the Tigers escaped his contract by waiving him, so I’m pretty sure they wish they had their second round pick back.
Undecided:
Seattle Mariners: Freddie Alston is providing an excellent contribution this season and helping the Mariners compete for their first playoff spot. But at the same time, I am holding back on a final judgement for this one as a four-year high dollar contract seems like a risky proposition for a 35-year-old pitcher. Time will tell.
Houston Astros: The kings of the free agent market this season with 5 Type A’s and 2 Type B’s found some valuable players that will help this franchise in the years to come: Benji Vazquez, Jason Surtain, Robert Beimel, and Kurt McPherson. While this team appears that it may have been on a course to lose around 100-110 games this season without these signings, the Astros gave away a lot of draft picks to earn their respectable losing season. Perhaps due to the fact that all of the free agent signings league-wide pushed their picks so far down the board (2nd round pick #73), this may have actually been a wise strategy. I can’t decide.
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