Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
League Averages
Friday, April 16, 2010
El Paso Ultraviolence
Outlook: The excitement level is unprecedented in El Paso this season. The club returns all its key players from last year's improbable run to the World Series title, many with new contracts, and the team is still the 3rd youngest in the American League. Management does not appear fat and happy off last season's success as a new CF was acquired and groomed replacements at SS and pitcher are ready to debut. Long-time contributors P Larry Browne with his 71 wins and three time gold glove SS Tony Belliard were allowed to pursue other opportunities.
Starting Lineup
LF Keith Sellers, 50 SB and 86 RBI, supplanted Mendez in the leadoff slot late in the season
DH Andrew Lankford, hit .297 while driving in 80 along with 21 SB
1B Bump Boucher, 100 RBI+ in each of his seven seasons
RF Rodrigo Alfonso, 22 year old had 34 HR and 107 RBI in his first full season
3B Julio Bonilla, big acquistion last season did not perform hitting only .252
2B Armando Garrido, has never found his stride but drove in 67 in platoon role
C Mandy Michaels, hit .282 and has signed a new four year deal
SS Albert Ray, rookie is expected to continue EP's tradition of gold glovers
CF Travis Baker, .260 career hitter acquired from JAX during the winter meetings
Bench
Al Mendez #2 in the NABCL in career stolen bases returns on a one year contract and will see some time at 2B. Frank Starr and his 541 career HRs add some power and depth off the bench to go with backup signal caller Jon Dolan and utility fielder Rocky Olson. CF Wayne Davey, a key to last season's success with his clutch production, was resigned during spring training.
Pitching
SP Edgar Matos, Cy Young runner-up finished at 17-6 after a torrid 11-0 start
SP Diego Lee, went 16-9 in his ninth season with the Ultraviolence
SP Ricardo Santos, 17-13 with a .241 OAV
SP Juan Rivera, 10-11 in his first season with the major league club
SP Murray Ankiel, the rookie posted a 1.59 ERA in AAA last season
Bullpen
CL Juan Benitez, efficient if unimpressive closer has only 5 blown saves the last 2 seasons
SU Sammy Manto, 3.73 ERA over his five years in El Paso
SU David Guerrero, breakout season last year with a 2.00 ERA for the lefty
The Pen is rounded out by long reliever Estaban Ayala who will compete for the SP5 position if Ankiel struggles. Jimmie Alarcon and Carl Herrman round out the 3 rookies joining the ML club this year. Trenidad Perez signed a three year contract extension as reward for the four years of solid relief work.
Prediction: 96-66 and good fortune in the post-season.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hopes are high for Colonials
“Hope springs eternal in the human breast…”
When Alexander Pope penned those words nearly 300 years ago, he couldn’t have known that each spring, baseball fans across the nation would utter the phrase to anyone that would listen to them about their favorite team. Like in many cities around the NABCL, it is a common sentiment among baseball fans in Boston this spring – and for good reason.
After a seemingly endless recent history of poorly constructed, bad fielding, fledgling teams full of busted Free-Agent signings, injury disappointments, on field blunders and wasted seasons, the once proud Boston franchise took a major step in the right direction last season. A new direction, with a focus on defense netted the franchise a twenty-five win increase from the previous season (63 to 88), a post-season appearance (the first in 8 seasons), and the franchise’s first post season series win; all signs that there is a bright light at the end of the dark, desolate tunnel that has been Colonial Baseball.
Houston Gentry – definitely a defense first (only?) guy – was given the full-time job, which allowed incumbent Marvin Vernon to slide over to 2B. Then Boston went out and signed premier defensive CF Carlos Rios, who did not disappoint, winning his 8th Gold Glove. Chance Gold moved from 3B to RF where he flashed exceptional range and a powerful throwing arm, and another FA, C Brian Jenkins – who has long been praised for his work with pitching staffs – was given primary catching duties. The results where obvious, as Boston improved to the 4th best fielding team in the AL, and the new defenders made the 2nd most out of zone plays in the AL (84), after making the 2nd fewest (23) the season before.
A pre-season trade brought in proven number one starter in lefty Vic Pena along with a young, legitimate power threat in Designated Hitter Jorge Sanchez. Sanchez did not disappoint, as he went on to a team record 52 HR in his first season in Beantown. Pena did him one better, as he set or tied team records in several pitching categories, including the “Triple Crown” stats of ERA (2.80), strikeouts (189) and wins (19), and brought home some hardware with a Cy Young award – the second in franchise history (Glenn Glynn, season 2). Another big trade at the 70 game mark brought in another established slugger, 3B Bum Stocker, and the team improved in many ways after his arrival, going 53-39 the rest of the way while Stocker posted an OPS over 1.000 as Boston went on to win the AL East for the first time in eight seasons, after having won it 3 of the previous 4 before that.
Those big three all return this season for the Colonials, and another power hitter was also added this pre-season. Pittsburgh and Boston again worked out a trade – this one bringing 28 year old 1B Guillermo Ortiz to Boston. Ortiz is another left handed power bat – one that has hit 50+ HR twice in the last 3 seasons. He will slot behind Sanchez in the 5 hole in the lineup, giving the Colonials a true “Murderer’s Row” at 3-4-5 with Stocker, Sanchez and Ortiz. He also gives the bottom half of the lineup more lefty/righty balance. LF and leadoff hitter Joshua Whitaker did a great job setting the table last season, scoring 97 runs and stealing 30 bases, and his runs scored total should jump considerably hitting in front of the mashers.
Another young piece that missed almost all of last season due to injury will come back, as well. Righty Mo Carr - now 25 - was off to a fantastic start with a 1.76 ERA in 6 starts before he suffered a major elbow injury and missed the rest of the season. Carr’s surgery and the subsequent recovery have gone exceptionally well, and he heads into the spring as Boston’s #3 SP. The pitching staff, headed by starters Pena (2.80), Rusty Smith (3.63) and the resurgent Robb Howington (4.13), collectively managed to trim nearly a run and a half off of the previous season’s team ERA (5.63 to 4.26).
The bullpen and bench aren’t looking like strong points, but the pitching overall should continue to improve behind the excellent pitch calling of Catchers Brian Jenkins and backup Garret O'Keefe, a FA add this offseason. Utility man Andrea Timmons – another newcomer – should solidify the defense off the bench, and Barker and Reitsma each performed well last season. Max Ibanez is BARELY hanging onto his closers job, despite his 110 saves for Boston over the past 6 seasons. If he falters, a number of relievers - headlined by 26 year old Dennis Wanatabe - are ready to step into the role. Should they not get the job done, top relief prospect Adam Richard lingers close by.
Without further delay, here are the Season 16 Boston Colonials:
LINEUP:
LF - RH - Whitaker: .287/.347/.460, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 44 2B, 30 SB, 97 runs
2B - LH - Vernon: .291/.341/.400, 8 HR, 68 RBI, 16 SB
3B - LH - Stocker: .301/.364/.561, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 97 runs*
DH - RH - Sanchez: .320/.377/.648, 52 HR, 113 RBI, 95 runs
1B - LH - Ortiz: .294/.379/.511, 38 HR, 112 RBI, 93 runs (w/PIT)
RF - RH - Gold: .258/.313/.432, 15 HR, 63 RBI, 21 SB
C - LH - Jenkins: .300/.353/.305, 0 HR, 29 RBI
CF - RH - Rios: .245/.302/.367, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 24 2B
SS - SH - Gentry: .241/.284/.325, 10 HR, 59 RBI
* Combined numbers for full season
BENCH:
1B/COF - RH - Buck Barker: .314/.385/.500, 3 HR, 10 RBI
1B/DH - RH - Craig Reitsma: .292/.370/.500, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Utility - SH - Andrea Timmons: .302/.341/.405, 2 HR, 17 RBI*
C - RH - Garret O’Keefe: .203/.245/.273, 3 HR, 18 RBI
* Season 14 numbers
ROTATION:
LH – Pena: 19-10, 225 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
RH – Howington: 13-8, 192 IP, 4.13 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
RH – Carr: 8-10, 191 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
LH – Lawrence Ward: 6-14, 182 IP, 4.95 ERA, 1.56 WHIP
RH – Smith: 9-7, 136 1/3 IP, 3.63 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
BULLPEN:
RH – Jim Sheets: 5-3, 2 Sv, 71 2/3 IP, 3.64 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
RH – Wanatabe: 8-9, 3 Sv, 112 2/3 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
RH – Lance Clark: 3-3, 5 Sv, 54 1/3 IP, 4.64 ERA, 1.45 WHIP
RH – Dan Powell: 3-2, 2 Sv, 50 IP, 2.16 ERA, 1.06 WHIP
RH – Louis Blackley: 4-1, 1 Sv, 52 IP, 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP*
LH – Ibanez: 2-5, 26 Sv, 43 2/3 IP, 5.15 ERA, 1.51 WHIP
* Combined AAA/ML numbers
When Alexander Pope penned those words nearly 300 years ago, he couldn’t have known that each spring, baseball fans across the nation would utter the phrase to anyone that would listen to them about their favorite team. Like in many cities around the NABCL, it is a common sentiment among baseball fans in Boston this spring – and for good reason.
After a seemingly endless recent history of poorly constructed, bad fielding, fledgling teams full of busted Free-Agent signings, injury disappointments, on field blunders and wasted seasons, the once proud Boston franchise took a major step in the right direction last season. A new direction, with a focus on defense netted the franchise a twenty-five win increase from the previous season (63 to 88), a post-season appearance (the first in 8 seasons), and the franchise’s first post season series win; all signs that there is a bright light at the end of the dark, desolate tunnel that has been Colonial Baseball.
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Houston Gentry – definitely a defense first (only?) guy – was given the full-time job, which allowed incumbent Marvin Vernon to slide over to 2B. Then Boston went out and signed premier defensive CF Carlos Rios, who did not disappoint, winning his 8th Gold Glove. Chance Gold moved from 3B to RF where he flashed exceptional range and a powerful throwing arm, and another FA, C Brian Jenkins – who has long been praised for his work with pitching staffs – was given primary catching duties. The results where obvious, as Boston improved to the 4th best fielding team in the AL, and the new defenders made the 2nd most out of zone plays in the AL (84), after making the 2nd fewest (23) the season before.
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A pre-season trade brought in proven number one starter in lefty Vic Pena along with a young, legitimate power threat in Designated Hitter Jorge Sanchez. Sanchez did not disappoint, as he went on to a team record 52 HR in his first season in Beantown. Pena did him one better, as he set or tied team records in several pitching categories, including the “Triple Crown” stats of ERA (2.80), strikeouts (189) and wins (19), and brought home some hardware with a Cy Young award – the second in franchise history (Glenn Glynn, season 2). Another big trade at the 70 game mark brought in another established slugger, 3B Bum Stocker, and the team improved in many ways after his arrival, going 53-39 the rest of the way while Stocker posted an OPS over 1.000 as Boston went on to win the AL East for the first time in eight seasons, after having won it 3 of the previous 4 before that.
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Those big three all return this season for the Colonials, and another power hitter was also added this pre-season. Pittsburgh and Boston again worked out a trade – this one bringing 28 year old 1B Guillermo Ortiz to Boston. Ortiz is another left handed power bat – one that has hit 50+ HR twice in the last 3 seasons. He will slot behind Sanchez in the 5 hole in the lineup, giving the Colonials a true “Murderer’s Row” at 3-4-5 with Stocker, Sanchez and Ortiz. He also gives the bottom half of the lineup more lefty/righty balance. LF and leadoff hitter Joshua Whitaker did a great job setting the table last season, scoring 97 runs and stealing 30 bases, and his runs scored total should jump considerably hitting in front of the mashers.
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Another young piece that missed almost all of last season due to injury will come back, as well. Righty Mo Carr - now 25 - was off to a fantastic start with a 1.76 ERA in 6 starts before he suffered a major elbow injury and missed the rest of the season. Carr’s surgery and the subsequent recovery have gone exceptionally well, and he heads into the spring as Boston’s #3 SP. The pitching staff, headed by starters Pena (2.80), Rusty Smith (3.63) and the resurgent Robb Howington (4.13), collectively managed to trim nearly a run and a half off of the previous season’s team ERA (5.63 to 4.26).
The bullpen and bench aren’t looking like strong points, but the pitching overall should continue to improve behind the excellent pitch calling of Catchers Brian Jenkins and backup Garret O'Keefe, a FA add this offseason. Utility man Andrea Timmons – another newcomer – should solidify the defense off the bench, and Barker and Reitsma each performed well last season. Max Ibanez is BARELY hanging onto his closers job, despite his 110 saves for Boston over the past 6 seasons. If he falters, a number of relievers - headlined by 26 year old Dennis Wanatabe - are ready to step into the role. Should they not get the job done, top relief prospect Adam Richard lingers close by.
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Without further delay, here are the Season 16 Boston Colonials:
LINEUP:
LF - RH - Whitaker: .287/.347/.460, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 44 2B, 30 SB, 97 runs
2B - LH - Vernon: .291/.341/.400, 8 HR, 68 RBI, 16 SB
3B - LH - Stocker: .301/.364/.561, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 97 runs*
DH - RH - Sanchez: .320/.377/.648, 52 HR, 113 RBI, 95 runs
1B - LH - Ortiz: .294/.379/.511, 38 HR, 112 RBI, 93 runs (w/PIT)
RF - RH - Gold: .258/.313/.432, 15 HR, 63 RBI, 21 SB
C - LH - Jenkins: .300/.353/.305, 0 HR, 29 RBI
CF - RH - Rios: .245/.302/.367, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 24 2B
SS - SH - Gentry: .241/.284/.325, 10 HR, 59 RBI
* Combined numbers for full season
BENCH:
1B/COF - RH - Buck Barker: .314/.385/.500, 3 HR, 10 RBI
1B/DH - RH - Craig Reitsma: .292/.370/.500, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Utility - SH - Andrea Timmons: .302/.341/.405, 2 HR, 17 RBI*
C - RH - Garret O’Keefe: .203/.245/.273, 3 HR, 18 RBI
* Season 14 numbers
ROTATION:
LH – Pena: 19-10, 225 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
RH – Howington: 13-8, 192 IP, 4.13 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
RH – Carr: 8-10, 191 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
LH – Lawrence Ward: 6-14, 182 IP, 4.95 ERA, 1.56 WHIP
RH – Smith: 9-7, 136 1/3 IP, 3.63 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
BULLPEN:
RH – Jim Sheets: 5-3, 2 Sv, 71 2/3 IP, 3.64 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
RH – Wanatabe: 8-9, 3 Sv, 112 2/3 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
RH – Lance Clark: 3-3, 5 Sv, 54 1/3 IP, 4.64 ERA, 1.45 WHIP
RH – Dan Powell: 3-2, 2 Sv, 50 IP, 2.16 ERA, 1.06 WHIP
RH – Louis Blackley: 4-1, 1 Sv, 52 IP, 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP*
LH – Ibanez: 2-5, 26 Sv, 43 2/3 IP, 5.15 ERA, 1.51 WHIP
* Combined AAA/ML numbers
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Milkmen Wrap-Up S14
The Philadelphia Dead Milkmen finished Season 14 at 83-79, right around the upper range of the preseason projections. As would be expected for a team a few games above .500, the Milkmen were slightly above average on offense (.794 OPS–7th, 851 runs–10th) and pitching (1.43 WHIP–8th, 838 RA–6th).
What Went Right: Walker & Co.
Any discussion of the Milkmen in S14 begins with the performance of Walker Wilkins. Wilkins, playing in his 10th season at age 31, posted the best numbers of his career: .357/.430/.623 with 40 HR, 128 RBI, and 113 RS. Wilkins won the AL batting title by 11 points and was fifth in the league in OPS. Only Fargo's Mac Gray (in 32 fewer games) beat out Wilkins' 10.66 RC/27 for the season.
Hughie Phillips, moving from left field to first base, also had an excellent season (.286/.348/.494, 32 HR, 104 RBI, 22 SB, 114 RS), setting career highs in nearly every category. Phillips also played excellent defense, narrowly missing out on a Gold Glove. Philadelphia did enjoy a Gold Glove winner at shortstop in Lariel Domingo, acquired early in the season via trade from Jacksonville. Domingo was adequate at best with the bat (.251/.318/.328, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 53 RS), but showed excellent range in the field.
Two rookies had a significant impact on the Milkmen in S14. Santos Guerrero, acquired by trade from Scranton for ace closer Earl Lincoln, had mixed results in his first season but showed signs of stardom (.252/.307/.503, 35 HR, 28 SB, 83 RBI, 102 RS), leading the team in SB and trailing only Wilkins in HR. Meanwhile, Lincoln's replacement as closer, lefty Victor Canseco, won the AL Fireman of the Year award (43 IP, 38 SV, 1.35 WHIP, 3.77 ERA), giving Philadelphia two consecutive winners.
Finally, while the Milkmen pitching staff was largely undistinguished this season, journeyman pitcher Julio Bonilla pitched the greatest game in franchise history with a perfect game against the Pawtucket Patriots. Bonilla, who went 12-9 in S14 with a 1.41 WHIP and 4.98 ERA, struck out six Patriots and took 87 pitches to put down the opposition in order. The game began as a pitchers' duel, with Philadelphia managing only 2 singles and a HBP through the first 6 innings. In the 7th, however, the Milkmen scored 5 runs on a walk and 6 singles, including an infield single from notoriously slow-footed catcher Raymond McEwing and bases-loaded, 2-out hits from both Jacob Dunn and Walker Wilkins.
What Went Wrong: The Bottom Third
The biggest problem for Philadelphia's offense certainly wasn't power; their 257 home runs were fifth in the league. The issue, rather, was getting on base. The Milkmen's 487 walks were dead last in the AL, and only two players (Wilkins and Phillips) posted OBPs above the league average of .338. A glove-first strategy at the key defensive positions of catcher, shortstop, and center field was perhaps one of the biggest reasons for this. While Pokey Mills (.700 OPS), Raymond McEwing (.659 OPS), and Lariel Domingo (.646 OPS) are certainly capable defenders, their bats are a lot for the rest of the lineup to carry. The trio combined for only 20 HR (fewer than any individual player in the lineup) and 140 RBI and posted a .265/.324/.344 line in 1,398 AB.
While Philadelphia's pitching wasn't awful, for the most part, it certainly didn't help them win any games. Haywood Jodie failed to reach double-digit wins for the first time since S8 (218 IP, 9-13, 1.39 WHIP, 4.95 ERA). Louis Durham, in the second year of his arbitration buy-out, struggled mightily in the majors (112 IP, 6-9, 1.55 WHIP, 6.01 ERA, .848 opponent OPS) and was demoted to AAA, where he went 0-2 in three starts. Robinson Jennings, just a year after being one of the most reliable Milkmen in the pen, lost 11 games in relief (93 IP, 1.62 WHIP, 5.40 ERA).
The Plan for S15: B-E Aggressive
Both of Philadelphia's shortstops will depart for free agency next year, and ownership has shown no interest in bringing them back, making that position the presumptive offseason priority. The remainder of the lineup should be fairly static, with only a few minor leaguers knocking on the door (CF Shane Spivey, C Chipper Cust, LF Rolando Machado).
On the pitching front, Philadelphia will say goodbye to veteran Miguel Polanco, who was a major part of the team's S12 playoff run. This should open up a door for a free agent acquisition, as the Milkmen don't have another frontline starter to take Polanco's place.
Since the Milkmen finished only 6 games out of the wild card despite making no major moves last offseason, ownership is looking to be more aggressive in pursuing a playoff spot in S15.
What Went Right: Walker & Co.
Any discussion of the Milkmen in S14 begins with the performance of Walker Wilkins. Wilkins, playing in his 10th season at age 31, posted the best numbers of his career: .357/.430/.623 with 40 HR, 128 RBI, and 113 RS. Wilkins won the AL batting title by 11 points and was fifth in the league in OPS. Only Fargo's Mac Gray (in 32 fewer games) beat out Wilkins' 10.66 RC/27 for the season.
Hughie Phillips, moving from left field to first base, also had an excellent season (.286/.348/.494, 32 HR, 104 RBI, 22 SB, 114 RS), setting career highs in nearly every category. Phillips also played excellent defense, narrowly missing out on a Gold Glove. Philadelphia did enjoy a Gold Glove winner at shortstop in Lariel Domingo, acquired early in the season via trade from Jacksonville. Domingo was adequate at best with the bat (.251/.318/.328, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 53 RS), but showed excellent range in the field.
Two rookies had a significant impact on the Milkmen in S14. Santos Guerrero, acquired by trade from Scranton for ace closer Earl Lincoln, had mixed results in his first season but showed signs of stardom (.252/.307/.503, 35 HR, 28 SB, 83 RBI, 102 RS), leading the team in SB and trailing only Wilkins in HR. Meanwhile, Lincoln's replacement as closer, lefty Victor Canseco, won the AL Fireman of the Year award (43 IP, 38 SV, 1.35 WHIP, 3.77 ERA), giving Philadelphia two consecutive winners.
Finally, while the Milkmen pitching staff was largely undistinguished this season, journeyman pitcher Julio Bonilla pitched the greatest game in franchise history with a perfect game against the Pawtucket Patriots. Bonilla, who went 12-9 in S14 with a 1.41 WHIP and 4.98 ERA, struck out six Patriots and took 87 pitches to put down the opposition in order. The game began as a pitchers' duel, with Philadelphia managing only 2 singles and a HBP through the first 6 innings. In the 7th, however, the Milkmen scored 5 runs on a walk and 6 singles, including an infield single from notoriously slow-footed catcher Raymond McEwing and bases-loaded, 2-out hits from both Jacob Dunn and Walker Wilkins.
What Went Wrong: The Bottom Third
The biggest problem for Philadelphia's offense certainly wasn't power; their 257 home runs were fifth in the league. The issue, rather, was getting on base. The Milkmen's 487 walks were dead last in the AL, and only two players (Wilkins and Phillips) posted OBPs above the league average of .338. A glove-first strategy at the key defensive positions of catcher, shortstop, and center field was perhaps one of the biggest reasons for this. While Pokey Mills (.700 OPS), Raymond McEwing (.659 OPS), and Lariel Domingo (.646 OPS) are certainly capable defenders, their bats are a lot for the rest of the lineup to carry. The trio combined for only 20 HR (fewer than any individual player in the lineup) and 140 RBI and posted a .265/.324/.344 line in 1,398 AB.
While Philadelphia's pitching wasn't awful, for the most part, it certainly didn't help them win any games. Haywood Jodie failed to reach double-digit wins for the first time since S8 (218 IP, 9-13, 1.39 WHIP, 4.95 ERA). Louis Durham, in the second year of his arbitration buy-out, struggled mightily in the majors (112 IP, 6-9, 1.55 WHIP, 6.01 ERA, .848 opponent OPS) and was demoted to AAA, where he went 0-2 in three starts. Robinson Jennings, just a year after being one of the most reliable Milkmen in the pen, lost 11 games in relief (93 IP, 1.62 WHIP, 5.40 ERA).
The Plan for S15: B-E Aggressive
Both of Philadelphia's shortstops will depart for free agency next year, and ownership has shown no interest in bringing them back, making that position the presumptive offseason priority. The remainder of the lineup should be fairly static, with only a few minor leaguers knocking on the door (CF Shane Spivey, C Chipper Cust, LF Rolando Machado).
On the pitching front, Philadelphia will say goodbye to veteran Miguel Polanco, who was a major part of the team's S12 playoff run. This should open up a door for a free agent acquisition, as the Milkmen don't have another frontline starter to take Polanco's place.
Since the Milkmen finished only 6 games out of the wild card despite making no major moves last offseason, ownership is looking to be more aggressive in pursuing a playoff spot in S15.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Free Range in Steel City
Pittsburgh (AP) - Champion. Quitter. And now carpetbagger. Prairie Chickens owner/GM examinerebb can be called all of these things and more in NABCL. After building one of the most successful franchises in league history, he abruptly sold the team to jose can u c and drifted off into obscurity. Then donaldkey put his talented Seattle franchise up for sale and examinerebb came back with a vengeance, not only purchasing the team, but relocating them to Pittsburgh and budgeting for the highest player payroll in the league. When asked about his return to the league, examinerebb replied "I'm extremely happy to be back among all of these great owners, but sad it came only due to the loss of donaldkey, who did a very nice job of putting solid talent together. We inherited a fair amount of expensive, skilled players, which dictated that we try to make a run, but also a lot of holes, which meant we had to be aggressive in free agency. The result was a player payroll higher than any I've personally fielded before, and we still haven't been able to address the top of the rotation. We're hoping to compete for the division title, but we're assuming nothing at this point." The fans of Washington state are clearly not fans of examinerebb's plan, as it involved robbing them of their last representative in NABCL (after the loss of the Tacoma Terrible Twos some seasons back). The obvious answer for the move was a lack of fan support but, when asked if that could be attributed to the franchise never making a playoff appearance, examinerebb said "I can't comment intelligently on the circumstances involving the team prior to my arrival. All I can tell you is that we're committed to being a perennial playoff contender, the city of Pittsburgh is excited to have us, and we're excited to be here. We've put together a top-tier defense, very nice offense, and solid pitching." Let's take some to assess whether they're living up to their "playoff-caliber" commitment this season.
THE OFFENSE
Julio Valdivia (LF) - Not your prototypical leadoff hitter in terms of speed, Julio's job is to utilize his 90+ contact and splits to put the ball in play and let the park effects take over.
Bronson Grey (2B) - High contact, above-average splits and batting eye, and an amazing ability to bunt the ball wherever he desires make Grey the easy choice for the two-hole.
Guillermo Ortiz (1B) - Uber-talented but injury prone, Ortiz' task is to stay healthy enough to produce the kind of numbers his overwhelming offensive ratings say that he should.
Bum Stocker (3B) - A mainstay of the franchise for many seasons now, Stocker is expected to drive in runs this season. He should have plenty of opportunities, with the three hitters ahead of him.
Carlos Colon/Rafael Samuel (C) - Taking a page out of his Jacksonville playbook, examinerebb put together a platoon of catchers - one a beast on offense, the other a defensive stud. It remains to be seen whether or not it plays out here as well as it did in Florida.
Paul Martin (RF) - Insanely high splits and excellent defense earned Martin a spot in the lineup. Another player expected to benefit greatly from the slap-friendly confines of PNC Park.
Midre Martin (CF) - When searching the free-agent market for a center fielder, examinerebb needed look no further than his first ever big international signing, Midre Martin. A shortstop all of his career, look for Martin to lead all center fielders in assists this season while making solid contributions at the plate.
Chad Webster/Glen Duvall (SS) - This platoon is expected only to play solid defense. Anything coming offensively is nice bonus.
THE BENCH
Alex Randolph looks to contribute both defensively and offensively, spelling the corner outfielders when they need a rest.
Donaldo Lee may be the most talented bench player in the league. Can play seven positions in a pinch, and more than hold his own at the dish as well.
THE ROTATION
Kevin Martin is thrust into the number one starter role, though he's truthfully more a middle-of-the rotation pitcher. The Chickens are looking for him to simply keep games close enough for the offense to win ( a recurring theme, when it comes to the pitching staff).
Tony Zurbaran, another former Jackal, sits in the same position he did for many years in Jacksonville. Solid but streaky, Pittsburgh hopes for an "up" season from him this year.
Victor Silva is solid but unspectacular as, as the only lefty in the rotation, that may be a recipe for disaster.
Delanor Hocking is a right handed Silva. Take that as you will.
Terrence Roberts is your consummate "million dollar arm, ten cent head" guy. All the tools, but absolutely no control.
THE BULLPEN
Again, solid but unspectacular. The only compelling storyline here will be Bob Shaw's pursuit of 400 career saves.
THE OUTLOOK
The Prairie Chickens have a puncher's chance at the playoffs, but the lack of top end starting pitching means any appearance in the postseason will probably be short lived. Unless, of course, that offense catches fire at the right time...
THE OFFENSE
Julio Valdivia (LF) - Not your prototypical leadoff hitter in terms of speed, Julio's job is to utilize his 90+ contact and splits to put the ball in play and let the park effects take over.
Bronson Grey (2B) - High contact, above-average splits and batting eye, and an amazing ability to bunt the ball wherever he desires make Grey the easy choice for the two-hole.
Guillermo Ortiz (1B) - Uber-talented but injury prone, Ortiz' task is to stay healthy enough to produce the kind of numbers his overwhelming offensive ratings say that he should.
Bum Stocker (3B) - A mainstay of the franchise for many seasons now, Stocker is expected to drive in runs this season. He should have plenty of opportunities, with the three hitters ahead of him.
Carlos Colon/Rafael Samuel (C) - Taking a page out of his Jacksonville playbook, examinerebb put together a platoon of catchers - one a beast on offense, the other a defensive stud. It remains to be seen whether or not it plays out here as well as it did in Florida.
Paul Martin (RF) - Insanely high splits and excellent defense earned Martin a spot in the lineup. Another player expected to benefit greatly from the slap-friendly confines of PNC Park.
Midre Martin (CF) - When searching the free-agent market for a center fielder, examinerebb needed look no further than his first ever big international signing, Midre Martin. A shortstop all of his career, look for Martin to lead all center fielders in assists this season while making solid contributions at the plate.
Chad Webster/Glen Duvall (SS) - This platoon is expected only to play solid defense. Anything coming offensively is nice bonus.
THE BENCH
Alex Randolph looks to contribute both defensively and offensively, spelling the corner outfielders when they need a rest.
Donaldo Lee may be the most talented bench player in the league. Can play seven positions in a pinch, and more than hold his own at the dish as well.
THE ROTATION
Kevin Martin is thrust into the number one starter role, though he's truthfully more a middle-of-the rotation pitcher. The Chickens are looking for him to simply keep games close enough for the offense to win ( a recurring theme, when it comes to the pitching staff).
Tony Zurbaran, another former Jackal, sits in the same position he did for many years in Jacksonville. Solid but streaky, Pittsburgh hopes for an "up" season from him this year.
Victor Silva is solid but unspectacular as, as the only lefty in the rotation, that may be a recipe for disaster.
Delanor Hocking is a right handed Silva. Take that as you will.
Terrence Roberts is your consummate "million dollar arm, ten cent head" guy. All the tools, but absolutely no control.
THE BULLPEN
Again, solid but unspectacular. The only compelling storyline here will be Bob Shaw's pursuit of 400 career saves.
THE OUTLOOK
The Prairie Chickens have a puncher's chance at the playoffs, but the lack of top end starting pitching means any appearance in the postseason will probably be short lived. Unless, of course, that offense catches fire at the right time...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Rebuilding in Philadelphia
The highlight of season 13 for the Philadelphia Dead Milkmen was salvaging a .500 record, and season 14 looks to be similarly uneventful. Plagued last year by an underperforming offense that scored only 776 runs—down 135 from S12—and an often-ineffective rotation and bullpen, Philly looks to take a step back and try to rebuild in S14.
Offense
Philadelphia has traditionally fielded a powerful lineup, and last season should be an aberration—the Milkmen did, after all, record a solid .776 team OPS and hit 242 home runs last year. The Dead Milkmen lineup is a young one, with only two regulars over 30. Coaches have targeted some more defensively-oriented players this season in hopes of balancing out the less mobile sluggers on the team.
1. Newly acquired corner outfielder Santos Guerrero will play left field and lead off for the Dead Milkmen. Coming over from Scranton in a trade for closer Earl Lincoln, Guerrero had already been traded three times before coming to Philadelphia. He has a good power–speed game, hitting 40 home runs and stealing 26 bases last season at AAA (.262/.349/.580/127 RBI/118 RS), and his skill set looks like a good fit for Citizens Bank Park.
2. Perennial All-Star Walker Wilkins mans right field and hits second for Philadelphia. S13 was something of an off-year for Wilkins (.328/.408/.556/96 RBI/88 RS), but only by his high standards. The lack of a real lead-off man hurt his RBI chances last season, one of the reasons Philadelphia acquired Guerrero. The Milkmen extended the face of the franchise last year through S18.
3. Hughie Phillips will move back to first base for S14 and hit third. After steady improvement in his rookie and sophomore campaigns, Phillips declined sharply last year and posted notably poor numbers (.235/.320/.398/61 RBI/86 RS), also committing 11 errors in left field. Philadelphia hopes to see him rebound to the 30-HR player he was two years ago, and hitting third in this lineup should give him many RBI chances.
4. The cleanup spot will be occupied by Philadelphia's powerful designated hitter platoon: lefty Charles Ransom and right-hander Kevin Gao. Like Phillips, Ransom had an off-year in S13 (.238/.327/.496/71 RBI/64 RS). His exceptional power, however, makes him a good bet to improve on that line. Waiver wire claim Gao posted excellent numbers last season (.329/.400/.717/35 RBI/30 RS) in only 49 games and should be a great complement for Ransom.
5. Consistent third-baseman Jacob Dunn hits fifth for the Milkmen. While Dunn's performance in S13 (.276/.331/.492/97 RBI/102 RS) didn't earn him a third consecutive All-Star & Silver Slugger nod, he did continue to post the solid offense and good defense that Philadelphia relies on him for.
6. Third-year player Billy Ratliff will play second base and hit sixth for Philadelphia. Like several other Milkmen, Ratliff had a disappointing S13 (.245/.286/.498/91 RBI/74 RS), although he once again showed good power for a middle infielder with 37 home runs. Ratliff looks like a good bet to return to his rookie form.
7. Shortstop Karim James, the oldest Milkman, will hit seventh. James signed a two-year deal in S13 but put up a severely disappointing offensive performance (.227/.309/.271/39 RBI/49 RS) while committing an unexpected 29 errors. Jones still has excellent range for a shortstop, and Philadelphia is only hoping for moderate offensive production from him this year.
8. Philadelphia's catcher platoon of rookie right-hander Brian Glynn and free agent veteran lefty Raymond McEwing will hit eighth. The Milkmen switched gears from longtime catcher Sean Thomson, a reliable .800-OPS hitter but average at best defensively, to this new defense-first platoon. Neither player is expected to contribute much at the plate, but behind the plate they should be much more valuable.
9. Mobile centerfielder Greg Biddle winds up Philadelphia's lineup. Biddle was ineffective as the leadoff hitter last year (.257/.329/.269/32 RBI/77 RS), but the Milkmen value his excellent range in center field. Hitting ninth makes his shortcomings at the plate a little less painful while still giving him a chance to make use of his good baserunning skills.
Philadelphia's other bench players to start the season consist of corner infielder/outfielder Trenidad Estrada, who hit well in AAA and in a major league cup of coffee last year; rookie CF/2B Pokey Mills, a useful utility player; and first baseman and Rule 5 pick Mike Benjamin, a switch-hitter with excellent power who could probably hit 50+ HR in cozy Citizens Bank.
Pitching Philadelphia's pitching was surprisingly good for much of last season. The team's 1.38 WHIP was tied for third in the AL, and the 4.65 team ERA—while only a few ticks above average—was the lowest it's been since the Milkmen's legendary 101-win S7 campaign. S13 Fireman of the Year Earl Lincoln (60 IP, 8-3, 36/41 SV, 1.17 WHIP, 2.40 ERA) left for Scranton in a trade, leaving Philadelphia without a clear closer for the first time since S9.
#1: Workhorse lefty Haywood Jodie (219, 12-12, 1.35, 5.22) will take the mound on opening day once more for the Dead Milkmen. Jodie's an unexceptional pitcher but a reliable one; he took over longtime ace Rafael Vidal's innings pitched franchise record this past season with more than 1,600. Jodie is still only 33 and has another season on his contract before free agency.
#2: Veteran right-hander Miguel Polanco (153, 11-9, 1.41, 4.24) came to Philadelphia in S12 to provide the team with a true ace and mostly delivered, winning 17 games with a 3.86 ERA. Polanco missed several starts last season with a shoulder injury and at 37, won't be quite as sharp or as durable this season as in the past, but should still have another good year in him.
#3: The Milkmen signed Julio Bonilla (193, 5-18, 1.51, 5.58) last season in an attempt to bring in another quality free agent starter, but his S13 campaign was a major disappointment. Bonilla, still signed through next year, has the stuff to be a good midrotation starter, but definitely needs to improve this year.
#4: "Sweet Lou" Durham (190, 10-11, 1.35, 4.26) seems to alternate between solid seasons and disastrous ones, so there's some concern over the fact that he pitched fairly well last year. The right-hander, in year two of a 3-year deal, has the fourth spot in the rotation for the time being with a solid spring training performance.
#5: Southpaw Candy Titan looked to be in the rotation for good after S11, but a terrible performance the next year had him back in AAA for S13. In a brief call-up, he pitched well in some aspects (25 K, 9 BB in 30 IP) and atrociously in others (6 HR). Philadelphia will give the 27 year old another shot—perhaps his last—this year.
Long relief: Del Valentin had a breakout performance last year (174, 12-11, 1.33, 4.33); while the right-hander certainly has the stuff for the rotation, his stamina keeps him from going deep into games. While he'll be starting the year in relief, he could certainly step up if any of the starters falter. Rob Boone (46, 1.52, 6.26) hasn't performed well given a late-inning relief role, and will move to lower leverage innings. Longtime minor leaguer Joel Monahan will also start the season in the bullpen.
Setup relief: Right-hander Robinson Jennings (93, 1.28, 3.57) earned a 2-year extension on what was initially a 1-year deal after pitching very well in the late innings last season. The 32 year old vet looks to have plenty left in the tank. He'll be paired with rookies Lou Beimel, another righty, and Victor Canseco, a left-hander. Canseco, who was perfect on saves for Philadelphia's AAA team last season, will get a shot at closing out games early this year. Depending on his performance and how competitive the Milkmen are in the opening weeks, he could take on the closing role full-time or become more of a situational lefty for the late innings.
Prospects
Philadelphia's minors aren't as strong as they've been in recent years, so this seasons' 2 picks in the first 43, while not a real windfall, will be important. Without a strong draft class in recent seasons, there only a few quality players who will graduate to Philadelphia in the coming years.
1. RF Victor Lynch. Good power and batting eye and a great arm, but blocked by future Hall of Famer Walker Wilkins for at least several more years.
2. CF Shane Spivey. Solid all around at the plate and in the field, and ready for the majors now.
3. RP Trey D'Amico. Not quite closer material, but a quality late-inning reliever.
4. SP Armando Roque. Poor control, but excellent velocity and two great pitches.
5. 3B Juan Ramirez. Defensive specialist, good on the bases, questionable bat.
Outlook
With Fargo in the division, even a miracle season for Philadelphia would end in a low wild-card seed and a likely first round exit; the far more more likely outcome is 80–85 wins. The quality of the S14 draft class is far more important to the Milkmen in the long term.
Offense
Philadelphia has traditionally fielded a powerful lineup, and last season should be an aberration—the Milkmen did, after all, record a solid .776 team OPS and hit 242 home runs last year. The Dead Milkmen lineup is a young one, with only two regulars over 30. Coaches have targeted some more defensively-oriented players this season in hopes of balancing out the less mobile sluggers on the team.
1. Newly acquired corner outfielder Santos Guerrero will play left field and lead off for the Dead Milkmen. Coming over from Scranton in a trade for closer Earl Lincoln, Guerrero had already been traded three times before coming to Philadelphia. He has a good power–speed game, hitting 40 home runs and stealing 26 bases last season at AAA (.262/.349/.580/127 RBI/118 RS), and his skill set looks like a good fit for Citizens Bank Park.
2. Perennial All-Star Walker Wilkins mans right field and hits second for Philadelphia. S13 was something of an off-year for Wilkins (.328/.408/.556/96 RBI/88 RS), but only by his high standards. The lack of a real lead-off man hurt his RBI chances last season, one of the reasons Philadelphia acquired Guerrero. The Milkmen extended the face of the franchise last year through S18.
3. Hughie Phillips will move back to first base for S14 and hit third. After steady improvement in his rookie and sophomore campaigns, Phillips declined sharply last year and posted notably poor numbers (.235/.320/.398/61 RBI/86 RS), also committing 11 errors in left field. Philadelphia hopes to see him rebound to the 30-HR player he was two years ago, and hitting third in this lineup should give him many RBI chances.
4. The cleanup spot will be occupied by Philadelphia's powerful designated hitter platoon: lefty Charles Ransom and right-hander Kevin Gao. Like Phillips, Ransom had an off-year in S13 (.238/.327/.496/71 RBI/64 RS). His exceptional power, however, makes him a good bet to improve on that line. Waiver wire claim Gao posted excellent numbers last season (.329/.400/.717/35 RBI/30 RS) in only 49 games and should be a great complement for Ransom.
5. Consistent third-baseman Jacob Dunn hits fifth for the Milkmen. While Dunn's performance in S13 (.276/.331/.492/97 RBI/102 RS) didn't earn him a third consecutive All-Star & Silver Slugger nod, he did continue to post the solid offense and good defense that Philadelphia relies on him for.
6. Third-year player Billy Ratliff will play second base and hit sixth for Philadelphia. Like several other Milkmen, Ratliff had a disappointing S13 (.245/.286/.498/91 RBI/74 RS), although he once again showed good power for a middle infielder with 37 home runs. Ratliff looks like a good bet to return to his rookie form.
7. Shortstop Karim James, the oldest Milkman, will hit seventh. James signed a two-year deal in S13 but put up a severely disappointing offensive performance (.227/.309/.271/39 RBI/49 RS) while committing an unexpected 29 errors. Jones still has excellent range for a shortstop, and Philadelphia is only hoping for moderate offensive production from him this year.
8. Philadelphia's catcher platoon of rookie right-hander Brian Glynn and free agent veteran lefty Raymond McEwing will hit eighth. The Milkmen switched gears from longtime catcher Sean Thomson, a reliable .800-OPS hitter but average at best defensively, to this new defense-first platoon. Neither player is expected to contribute much at the plate, but behind the plate they should be much more valuable.
9. Mobile centerfielder Greg Biddle winds up Philadelphia's lineup. Biddle was ineffective as the leadoff hitter last year (.257/.329/.269/32 RBI/77 RS), but the Milkmen value his excellent range in center field. Hitting ninth makes his shortcomings at the plate a little less painful while still giving him a chance to make use of his good baserunning skills.
Philadelphia's other bench players to start the season consist of corner infielder/outfielder Trenidad Estrada, who hit well in AAA and in a major league cup of coffee last year; rookie CF/2B Pokey Mills, a useful utility player; and first baseman and Rule 5 pick Mike Benjamin, a switch-hitter with excellent power who could probably hit 50+ HR in cozy Citizens Bank.
Pitching Philadelphia's pitching was surprisingly good for much of last season. The team's 1.38 WHIP was tied for third in the AL, and the 4.65 team ERA—while only a few ticks above average—was the lowest it's been since the Milkmen's legendary 101-win S7 campaign. S13 Fireman of the Year Earl Lincoln (60 IP, 8-3, 36/41 SV, 1.17 WHIP, 2.40 ERA) left for Scranton in a trade, leaving Philadelphia without a clear closer for the first time since S9.
#1: Workhorse lefty Haywood Jodie (219, 12-12, 1.35, 5.22) will take the mound on opening day once more for the Dead Milkmen. Jodie's an unexceptional pitcher but a reliable one; he took over longtime ace Rafael Vidal's innings pitched franchise record this past season with more than 1,600. Jodie is still only 33 and has another season on his contract before free agency.
#2: Veteran right-hander Miguel Polanco (153, 11-9, 1.41, 4.24) came to Philadelphia in S12 to provide the team with a true ace and mostly delivered, winning 17 games with a 3.86 ERA. Polanco missed several starts last season with a shoulder injury and at 37, won't be quite as sharp or as durable this season as in the past, but should still have another good year in him.
#3: The Milkmen signed Julio Bonilla (193, 5-18, 1.51, 5.58) last season in an attempt to bring in another quality free agent starter, but his S13 campaign was a major disappointment. Bonilla, still signed through next year, has the stuff to be a good midrotation starter, but definitely needs to improve this year.
#4: "Sweet Lou" Durham (190, 10-11, 1.35, 4.26) seems to alternate between solid seasons and disastrous ones, so there's some concern over the fact that he pitched fairly well last year. The right-hander, in year two of a 3-year deal, has the fourth spot in the rotation for the time being with a solid spring training performance.
#5: Southpaw Candy Titan looked to be in the rotation for good after S11, but a terrible performance the next year had him back in AAA for S13. In a brief call-up, he pitched well in some aspects (25 K, 9 BB in 30 IP) and atrociously in others (6 HR). Philadelphia will give the 27 year old another shot—perhaps his last—this year.
Long relief: Del Valentin had a breakout performance last year (174, 12-11, 1.33, 4.33); while the right-hander certainly has the stuff for the rotation, his stamina keeps him from going deep into games. While he'll be starting the year in relief, he could certainly step up if any of the starters falter. Rob Boone (46, 1.52, 6.26) hasn't performed well given a late-inning relief role, and will move to lower leverage innings. Longtime minor leaguer Joel Monahan will also start the season in the bullpen.
Setup relief: Right-hander Robinson Jennings (93, 1.28, 3.57) earned a 2-year extension on what was initially a 1-year deal after pitching very well in the late innings last season. The 32 year old vet looks to have plenty left in the tank. He'll be paired with rookies Lou Beimel, another righty, and Victor Canseco, a left-hander. Canseco, who was perfect on saves for Philadelphia's AAA team last season, will get a shot at closing out games early this year. Depending on his performance and how competitive the Milkmen are in the opening weeks, he could take on the closing role full-time or become more of a situational lefty for the late innings.
Prospects
Philadelphia's minors aren't as strong as they've been in recent years, so this seasons' 2 picks in the first 43, while not a real windfall, will be important. Without a strong draft class in recent seasons, there only a few quality players who will graduate to Philadelphia in the coming years.
1. RF Victor Lynch. Good power and batting eye and a great arm, but blocked by future Hall of Famer Walker Wilkins for at least several more years.
2. CF Shane Spivey. Solid all around at the plate and in the field, and ready for the majors now.
3. RP Trey D'Amico. Not quite closer material, but a quality late-inning reliever.
4. SP Armando Roque. Poor control, but excellent velocity and two great pitches.
5. 3B Juan Ramirez. Defensive specialist, good on the bases, questionable bat.
Outlook
With Fargo in the division, even a miracle season for Philadelphia would end in a low wild-card seed and a likely first round exit; the far more more likely outcome is 80–85 wins. The quality of the S14 draft class is far more important to the Milkmen in the long term.
Fargo Roughriders Season 14 Preview
The Roughriders began last season as the two time defending NABCL champs. A 104 win regular season, 4th straight division title, and first round bye fueled hopes of a three-peat on the prairie; but a red-hot Richmond offense and a suddenly shaky starting rotation proved to be too much for the team to overcome. To that end, Fargo went into the offseason looking to solidify the rotation, hoping to make a run at the AL pennant again. Without further ado, let’s introduce you to your Season 14 Fargo Roughriders:
Offense
For a franchise that has set the gold standard for offense in the NABCL, it comes as no surprise that Fargo can score. That said, Season 13 was a great year, even by the lofty standards Fargo has set in past seasons. Fargo lead the league in runs scored by a whopping 210 runs, and fell narrowly short of besting the Year 1 juggernaut for most runs scored in team and league history. With no major changes to the core of the offense (the top 10 run producers for the team return), an encore performance does not seem out of the question.
1- LF Brett Siddall (35 years old)- A free agent this offseason, Siddall returned to Fargo, signing a 2 year deal, bringing stability back to the leadoff spot for the team. Although he’s no longer a full time player, Siddall still scored 106 runs in 116 games, with 91 walks and a .298/.418/.480 line. Another similar year would be reasonable to expect.
2- 3B Kurt Lewis (31) - Fargo’s first ever 1st round pick, Lewis continues to be a steady force at the top of the lineup. His first year at 3B went off without a hitch, as Lewis hit .295/.365/.506 with 120 runs scored and 95 RBI. Lewis has only missed scoring 100 runs once in his 7 year career, and should easily eclipse that mark again this season.
3- 2B Mac Gray (28) - Gray has always been a huge injury risk, but when he plays, he might be the best offensive player in the NABCL. Last year was no different, Gray went .326/.409/.704, leading the league in OPS, hitting 51 HR’s, driving in 152 runs, and scoring 105. Gray will continue to get his days off as needed, in hopes of keeping the former MVP in the lineup.
4- DH Rudy Simms (32)- Former MVP Simms rolled into the prime of his career in style, hitting .333/.443/.667, finishing just behind teammate Gray in the OPS rankings, while hitting 44 HR’s, with 133 RBI, 100 walks, and 133 runs scored. Simms is a year older, but primed for another standout year.
5- RF Peter Masato (28) - Masato doesn’t have the batting eye everyone is used to seeing from Fargo offensive players, but he more than makes up for it with his light tower power. He led the team in HR’s (54) and RBI (153) last season, while hitting a respectable .274/.322/.581. Hitting behind Gray and Simms should assure Masato another shot at 150 RBI’s this season.
6- 1B Victor Carrasco (29) - Carrasco languished in AAA for several seasons, waiting for a spot to open up in the ML lineup. With the trade of Larry Flores two seasons ago, Carrasco’s number was called, and he’s done little to disappoint. His .332/.425/.491 line was stellar, and he finished only 5 runs and 11 RBI short of 100 in each category. A slight jump in his power numbers could bring Victor his first All Star appearance in Year 14.
7- C Damaso Montana (32) - Long time Fargo C Max Amaro had his usual fine season, but left via free agency, allowing Fargo to sign Montana to a two year deal. His batting eye will fit right in with this offense, and his defense should be a slight upgrade over Amaro.
8- CF Edgardo Sivilla (27)- Another player who waited an extra year or two for a spot to open, Sivilla came up in the middle of Year 13, and showed his trademark power (27 HR’s in 366 AB’s), and solid glove. An improvement on his .243 batting average in his first full ML season is expected.
9- SS Pasqual Guerrero (26) - SS has been a revolving door for Fargo for its entire existence, and this year will be no different. Rookie Guerrero will get first crack at the job, if his glove is as good as advertised, and he can work a few walks, he should hold onto it with no trouble.
The bench will be filled by emerging 2B/LF Sadie Washington (.320 BA last season backing up both Siddall and Gray), slugging RF Benito Johnson (averaging 30 HR’s in a part time roll the past 3 seasons), C Charlie Douglass (.353 BA in 64 games), and jack of all trades Bernard Parker.
Pitching
With the offense seemingly in good hands, all eyes turn to the pitching staff that is home to a 3 time reigning Cy Young winner, but that also let the team down last season during their aborted playoff run.
After 9 seasons of perpetual mediocrity, at best, from the pitching staff, the Roughriders have become a mainstay in the top 10 league ERA’s for the past 4 seasons. This is due in large part to the signing of Felipe Matos after season 8. Matos had a solid first season, but no one expected him to reel off 3 straight Cy Young awards in his age 39/40/41 seasons. Now 42 and coming off a very mediocre postseason, Matos raised some concerns that he was no longer the shut down ace he has been in past 4 seasons. Desperate to solidify the rotation, Fargo doled out $95 million dollars to secure Alex Schmidt, the top FA SP on the market, clearly showing they were committed to keeping the dynasty rolling for as long as possible.
SP1- Felipe Matos (42) - What more is there to say? Matos has won 3 straight Cy Young awards, started last season 17-0, and ended with 23 wins, 175 K’s, and a 3.20 ERA. He’s clearly got to slow down sometime, but Fargo won’t worry about that until it happens.
SP2- Juan Goya (26) - On a staff without Matos or Lenny Singleton, Goya would be the clear ace. He did not win 20 games for the first time in his career, but his gaudy 18-3 record, team leading 2.99 ERA, and career 58-18 record make him an incredibly solid #2 starter for this squad.
SP3- Alex Schmidt (31) - In any other situation, spending $95 million on a guy who isn’t a true ace would be insanity. But on a team that has a 4-5 year window, and no pitching ready in the minors, getting a guy like Schmidt, who will take the ball 35 times a year and have a shot at 20 wins, might just be worth it.
SP4- Luis Melendez (28) - The ultimate innings eater, Melendez is good for 230+ IP, 15 wins, and several days of rest for the bullpen each year. He’s nothing flashy, but definitely a mainstay in the rotation.
SP5- Frank House (25) - A rookie last year, House will slide up a few slots in the rotation before he’s through. In less than ¾’s of a season; he won 11 games, and flashed glimpses of being overpowering (143K’s in 148 IP).
Closer- Willie Lee (32) - Lee continued to provide All-Star caliber work closing games for Fargo last season. 32 saves, a 3.21 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP say the 9th inning is safe in Willie’s hands.
Setup- Norm Johnson (28), Victor Martin (28), and Weldon Dodd (25)- Johnson and Martin both were solid in setup rolls last year, and are joined by lefty Dodd from AAA to give Fargo a solid bridge from the rotation to Lee.
Long Relief- Harry Witt (27), Carlos Romero (27), and Larry Howard (28) – Nothing special here, but Witt and Howard each pitched almost 100 innings last year, and Romero comes up from AAA to provide more of the same. If the offense scores as expected, the long relievers will be pitching in a lot of blowout wins, giving the SP’s a break. If this group is called on to be a key to this season, Fargo is in trouble.
Minors
The Fargo system is almost devoid of future ML starting pitching, but a few bright spots remain, several of which will play a role in the next 2-3 years:
1- LF Junior Kwon- One of the top hitting prospects in the minors, he is almost ready, but will need to wait a year or 2 for a spot to open in Fargo.
2- C Brian Takada- The future starting C for the team, he’s a decent game caller, but his real strength is just that, his strength. Takada projects to be a 40 HR hitting C, a rare breed that will fit nicely in Fargo’s lineup.
3- LF Morrie Hall- Hall is a masher with a great eye, and is closer to the majors than Kwon, but doesn’t have the upside.
4- RP Ralph Murray- The closer of the future, he combines a top notch fastball, great splits, and the ability to throw almost daily.
5- RP JR Phillips- If it weren’t for Murray, he’d be the future closer. As it is, he’ll be a great long RP, capable of throwing many high-leverage innings.
6- SP Earle Shaw- The best SP prospect in the system Shaw lacks a little command, but otherwise, has all the earmarks of a solid #4 SP.
7- RP Heath Brown- Nothing flashy, but a future staple of the bullpen.
8- RP Garland Stevens- A lefty version of Heath Brown.
9- RP Wilfredo Castilla- Will double as a spot SP/LR, and has the pitches and splits to be very effective in that role.
10- Brad McRae- Future SS for the team, he’s got a good glove, and enough of a bat to hit 20 HR’s and play every day.
Prognosis
After winning back to back World Series, last season’s disappointing exit in the 2nd round prompted Fargo to spend over $100 million dollars to fill the hole is it’s rotation, at catcher, and to bring back Siddall in LF. The calculated (and expensive) risk was substantial, but it is clear that the time to win in Fargo is now, as all but a handful of Fargo’s stars are in the prime of their careers. If Fargo does not compete for several titles in the next 3-5 seasons, this offseason will go down as a dismal failure. If they are able to return to the Series, this will go down with the Season 9 FA class of Matos, Grainger and Ortiz as one of the best off seasons in league history.
Prediction: 105-57, first place in the AL North, losing a tough 7 game series against Anaheim for the AL title.
Offense
For a franchise that has set the gold standard for offense in the NABCL, it comes as no surprise that Fargo can score. That said, Season 13 was a great year, even by the lofty standards Fargo has set in past seasons. Fargo lead the league in runs scored by a whopping 210 runs, and fell narrowly short of besting the Year 1 juggernaut for most runs scored in team and league history. With no major changes to the core of the offense (the top 10 run producers for the team return), an encore performance does not seem out of the question.
1- LF Brett Siddall (35 years old)- A free agent this offseason, Siddall returned to Fargo, signing a 2 year deal, bringing stability back to the leadoff spot for the team. Although he’s no longer a full time player, Siddall still scored 106 runs in 116 games, with 91 walks and a .298/.418/.480 line. Another similar year would be reasonable to expect.
2- 3B Kurt Lewis (31) - Fargo’s first ever 1st round pick, Lewis continues to be a steady force at the top of the lineup. His first year at 3B went off without a hitch, as Lewis hit .295/.365/.506 with 120 runs scored and 95 RBI. Lewis has only missed scoring 100 runs once in his 7 year career, and should easily eclipse that mark again this season.
3- 2B Mac Gray (28) - Gray has always been a huge injury risk, but when he plays, he might be the best offensive player in the NABCL. Last year was no different, Gray went .326/.409/.704, leading the league in OPS, hitting 51 HR’s, driving in 152 runs, and scoring 105. Gray will continue to get his days off as needed, in hopes of keeping the former MVP in the lineup.
4- DH Rudy Simms (32)- Former MVP Simms rolled into the prime of his career in style, hitting .333/.443/.667, finishing just behind teammate Gray in the OPS rankings, while hitting 44 HR’s, with 133 RBI, 100 walks, and 133 runs scored. Simms is a year older, but primed for another standout year.
5- RF Peter Masato (28) - Masato doesn’t have the batting eye everyone is used to seeing from Fargo offensive players, but he more than makes up for it with his light tower power. He led the team in HR’s (54) and RBI (153) last season, while hitting a respectable .274/.322/.581. Hitting behind Gray and Simms should assure Masato another shot at 150 RBI’s this season.
6- 1B Victor Carrasco (29) - Carrasco languished in AAA for several seasons, waiting for a spot to open up in the ML lineup. With the trade of Larry Flores two seasons ago, Carrasco’s number was called, and he’s done little to disappoint. His .332/.425/.491 line was stellar, and he finished only 5 runs and 11 RBI short of 100 in each category. A slight jump in his power numbers could bring Victor his first All Star appearance in Year 14.
7- C Damaso Montana (32) - Long time Fargo C Max Amaro had his usual fine season, but left via free agency, allowing Fargo to sign Montana to a two year deal. His batting eye will fit right in with this offense, and his defense should be a slight upgrade over Amaro.
8- CF Edgardo Sivilla (27)- Another player who waited an extra year or two for a spot to open, Sivilla came up in the middle of Year 13, and showed his trademark power (27 HR’s in 366 AB’s), and solid glove. An improvement on his .243 batting average in his first full ML season is expected.
9- SS Pasqual Guerrero (26) - SS has been a revolving door for Fargo for its entire existence, and this year will be no different. Rookie Guerrero will get first crack at the job, if his glove is as good as advertised, and he can work a few walks, he should hold onto it with no trouble.
The bench will be filled by emerging 2B/LF Sadie Washington (.320 BA last season backing up both Siddall and Gray), slugging RF Benito Johnson (averaging 30 HR’s in a part time roll the past 3 seasons), C Charlie Douglass (.353 BA in 64 games), and jack of all trades Bernard Parker.
Pitching
With the offense seemingly in good hands, all eyes turn to the pitching staff that is home to a 3 time reigning Cy Young winner, but that also let the team down last season during their aborted playoff run.
After 9 seasons of perpetual mediocrity, at best, from the pitching staff, the Roughriders have become a mainstay in the top 10 league ERA’s for the past 4 seasons. This is due in large part to the signing of Felipe Matos after season 8. Matos had a solid first season, but no one expected him to reel off 3 straight Cy Young awards in his age 39/40/41 seasons. Now 42 and coming off a very mediocre postseason, Matos raised some concerns that he was no longer the shut down ace he has been in past 4 seasons. Desperate to solidify the rotation, Fargo doled out $95 million dollars to secure Alex Schmidt, the top FA SP on the market, clearly showing they were committed to keeping the dynasty rolling for as long as possible.
SP1- Felipe Matos (42) - What more is there to say? Matos has won 3 straight Cy Young awards, started last season 17-0, and ended with 23 wins, 175 K’s, and a 3.20 ERA. He’s clearly got to slow down sometime, but Fargo won’t worry about that until it happens.
SP2- Juan Goya (26) - On a staff without Matos or Lenny Singleton, Goya would be the clear ace. He did not win 20 games for the first time in his career, but his gaudy 18-3 record, team leading 2.99 ERA, and career 58-18 record make him an incredibly solid #2 starter for this squad.
SP3- Alex Schmidt (31) - In any other situation, spending $95 million on a guy who isn’t a true ace would be insanity. But on a team that has a 4-5 year window, and no pitching ready in the minors, getting a guy like Schmidt, who will take the ball 35 times a year and have a shot at 20 wins, might just be worth it.
SP4- Luis Melendez (28) - The ultimate innings eater, Melendez is good for 230+ IP, 15 wins, and several days of rest for the bullpen each year. He’s nothing flashy, but definitely a mainstay in the rotation.
SP5- Frank House (25) - A rookie last year, House will slide up a few slots in the rotation before he’s through. In less than ¾’s of a season; he won 11 games, and flashed glimpses of being overpowering (143K’s in 148 IP).
Closer- Willie Lee (32) - Lee continued to provide All-Star caliber work closing games for Fargo last season. 32 saves, a 3.21 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP say the 9th inning is safe in Willie’s hands.
Setup- Norm Johnson (28), Victor Martin (28), and Weldon Dodd (25)- Johnson and Martin both were solid in setup rolls last year, and are joined by lefty Dodd from AAA to give Fargo a solid bridge from the rotation to Lee.
Long Relief- Harry Witt (27), Carlos Romero (27), and Larry Howard (28) – Nothing special here, but Witt and Howard each pitched almost 100 innings last year, and Romero comes up from AAA to provide more of the same. If the offense scores as expected, the long relievers will be pitching in a lot of blowout wins, giving the SP’s a break. If this group is called on to be a key to this season, Fargo is in trouble.
Minors
The Fargo system is almost devoid of future ML starting pitching, but a few bright spots remain, several of which will play a role in the next 2-3 years:
1- LF Junior Kwon- One of the top hitting prospects in the minors, he is almost ready, but will need to wait a year or 2 for a spot to open in Fargo.
2- C Brian Takada- The future starting C for the team, he’s a decent game caller, but his real strength is just that, his strength. Takada projects to be a 40 HR hitting C, a rare breed that will fit nicely in Fargo’s lineup.
3- LF Morrie Hall- Hall is a masher with a great eye, and is closer to the majors than Kwon, but doesn’t have the upside.
4- RP Ralph Murray- The closer of the future, he combines a top notch fastball, great splits, and the ability to throw almost daily.
5- RP JR Phillips- If it weren’t for Murray, he’d be the future closer. As it is, he’ll be a great long RP, capable of throwing many high-leverage innings.
6- SP Earle Shaw- The best SP prospect in the system Shaw lacks a little command, but otherwise, has all the earmarks of a solid #4 SP.
7- RP Heath Brown- Nothing flashy, but a future staple of the bullpen.
8- RP Garland Stevens- A lefty version of Heath Brown.
9- RP Wilfredo Castilla- Will double as a spot SP/LR, and has the pitches and splits to be very effective in that role.
10- Brad McRae- Future SS for the team, he’s got a good glove, and enough of a bat to hit 20 HR’s and play every day.
Prognosis
After winning back to back World Series, last season’s disappointing exit in the 2nd round prompted Fargo to spend over $100 million dollars to fill the hole is it’s rotation, at catcher, and to bring back Siddall in LF. The calculated (and expensive) risk was substantial, but it is clear that the time to win in Fargo is now, as all but a handful of Fargo’s stars are in the prime of their careers. If Fargo does not compete for several titles in the next 3-5 seasons, this offseason will go down as a dismal failure. If they are able to return to the Series, this will go down with the Season 9 FA class of Matos, Grainger and Ortiz as one of the best off seasons in league history.
Prediction: 105-57, first place in the AL North, losing a tough 7 game series against Anaheim for the AL title.
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