The World is another highly competitive division, with 3 of the 4 teams over .500 (and within 2.5 games of each other). Caracas, who under-performed in 2010, has put it together so far this year, but are tied with Quebec. Fremantle is right on their tails, with last place Brisbane just 2 under .500 (and 6.5 back). It's truly anyone's division.
Caracas Bolivares
Caracas was all about hitting in 2010, but couldn't overcome major pitching issues. Some savvy off-season moves by GM Tom Hey have bolstered the rotation and put Caracas in a good position heading down the stretch.
The offense is still a huge strength for the Bolivares. Not only do they hit for power, but they hit for average as well (five regulars are hitting over .300). Chris Coghlan is the total package, batting a whopping .360/.393/.717, making him a viable MVP candidate. Last year's MVP, Alex Rodriguez, continues to produce, while veterans like Bobby Abreu and Jermaine Dye defy their age. Outside of light hitting Brian McCann behind the dish, there are no holes in this lineup.
What a difference in the rotation this year! Johan Santana is no longer going it alone, as the team added Cole Hamels (7-1, 2.93), Jake Westbrook (6-4, 2.91) and Justin Verlander (12-2, 3.16). The fifth starter is a problem, but come playoff team, won't matter. Nothing great in the pen (and some disasters), but it's been good enough.
Quebec Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs have gone about things very similarly to the Bolivares, with a core of power hitters complimented by good enough pitching. The team has catching up to do in the divisional record category, with Caracas' 14-6 mark besting (at present) Quebec's 9-10, which would be a tie-breaker for playoff seedings.
A very strong lineup has lead Quebec to a tie for best record in SLB. Adam Dunn is an RBI machine, while Drew, McCutchen and Reyes help set the table and score runs. Soriano has been solid (when healthy), and the unknown Willie Bloomquist has been a nice surprise. Dustin Pedroia can't stay on the field, suffering another long term injury in the first half. The first round pick has combined for under 350 AB's in his first two seasons in Quebec.
Though not as good as Caracas, the Quebec rotation is solid. Roy Oswalt has stepped up as the ace with his 2.27 ERA, and he's backed by solid years from Perkins, Duke and Slowey. Aaron Cook has been knocked around, but he's the fifth starter.
Hawkins and Farnsworth are a dynamite duo at the end of games, but it's sometimes tough getting them the lead. Middle and long relief has been really rough, and it will be interesting to see if there is a shake up in July or August.
Fremantle Cormorants
Unlike the two teams they're chasing, Fremantle's team is built primarily around pitching, not hitting. The starters are good, and the bullpen is arguably the best in the division. Are there any moves to be made to bolster the offense down the stretch?
While there are some good batting averages in this lineup, it's still what you'd call "light hitting". Mark Teixeira is the only Cormorant to have over 20 HR, and his 59 RBI lead the team. An unsung hero on this team is Tug Hullet (who?), the second baseman who leads the team in OBP and SLG. Alex Rios is also having a good year but has remained under the radar.
This rotation is very good 1-5, keeping losing streaks to a minimum. Four of the five starters have ERA's under 4.00, though the W-L records aren't very impressive. Carlos Zambrano has been the best starter, but has been hampered by injuries, limiting him to 10 starts. Great comeback year for Chris Carpenter, who has allowed just 5 HR in 118 IP.
Outside of Soriano, the pen just isn't good (and even HIS ERA is unsustainable with his peripherals). Anyone in the minors to bring up?
Brisbane Koalas
The defending SLB champs have gone through front office changes, and as such, have fallen back a bit in the standings. Still, at just 6.5 games back, they're still in it, and with more active attention, could make a move.
The Koalas are dead last in team home runs (just 81 in 90 games), and they are by far the lowest scoring team in the division. Just three players on the entire roster have over 10 HR (Zimmerman leads with 17), and the team batting average is close to last as well. Plenty of places to upgrade on the trade market, but what is management willing to part with?
Felix Hernandez looked unhittable in the first month of the season, winning Pitcher of the Month with a 4-0, 0.00 ERA April record. He's still good, but his numbers are now a more human 9-6, 3.62. The rest of the rotation is quite good, with excellent first-halves from Francis, Kershaw and Piniero.
A couple of former starters are really excelling in the pen this year. Aaron Laffey (1.85) and Jeff Weaver (1.61) have been lights out, and closer Carlos Marmol (2.00) has taken care of business in the ninth. With even average run support, this team is right in the race.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Midseason Report 2011 - West Division
The West is by far the weakest division in SLB, with the division leaders tied with just a .500 record. Last year's World Series runner up (OKC) is struggling badly, and Kansas' pitching can't keep it's league-leading offense in games. Sioux Falls is struggling again, and one wonders how soon the youth will start paying off.
La Brea Dire Wolves
La Brea clinched the first half with a 41-36 record, but has gone 3-8 since. A .500 record sounds about right for a team that is firmly middle-of-the-pack both offensively and defensively. They don't hit well (just one regular squeaking above .300), but the power is pretty decent. This is the slowest team in SLB, stealing just 55 bases in 88 games.
The really good pitching performances (Beckett, Towers) are being overshadowed by the really bad (Duchscherer, Wang). Improvements must be made to the rotation if there is any hope of advancing in the playoffs. Josh Towers has been excellent (7-3, 2.74), but he can't do it all alone.
It's more good and bad in the bullpen. Jon Link has been very solid late, allowing just 2 HR in 34 IP while allowing just a .344 OpSLG. Ryan Madson has managed a solid ERA despite giving up a lot of hits. On the down side, Strop and Rodriguez's control has been horrible, allowing a ton of baserunners late.
Springfield Isotopes
The Isotopes are also .500, but have been playing better in July (6-5). The team is more talented on paper than La Brea, and if they stay healthy, have a good chance to win either the second half or the division outright.
Springfield has scored the second fewest runs in SLB, and have been outscored by 26 runs total. The power is partly to blame (Blanks is the only hitter with over 20 HR), while the catching position has been a black hole. The speed isn't great either, but if the team is looking to upgrade, another power bat (or two) would surely go far.
Even though the team ERA is very good, the starters have really struggled. Burnett and Lincecum have been good (3.36 and 3.75 ERA respectively), but neither is above .500. A long injury to Zach Greinke (who recently returned) forced Vazquez and Buchholz into more starts than the front office would have liked.
On the flip side, the Isotope bullpen has been lights out. Aside from Mitch Talbot, the entire relief staff have ERA's south of 4.40. Fuentes and Hernandez have been particularly dominating, each holding opponents to under .200 batting averages.
Oklahoma City Bison
The defending West champs have had a terrible run this year, thanks to an insane number of injuries. Right now, six players are out long term, while others have been off and on the DL all season. No team can be expected to succeed with this amount of playing time going to replacement level players.
Only four players have played every day, and one of them sucks (Pena). Longoria has had decent run production numbers, but has hit very poorly. The other two are Japanese, so I'm not sure they're even real. The star of the team is Carlos Gonzalez, but he's more or less out for the year after posting a .322/.365/.675 line. Tough break. First base has been a disaster (Ludwick and Hoffpauir are both hurt and bad). Uncle, I give.
Josh Johnson and Ted Lilly have continued their 2010 successes in 2011 and anchor this rotation. After that, it's ugly. Max Scherzer, who couldn't win to save his life last year, is now the third best starter thanks to disastrous seasons by McGowan and Kazmir. Many GM's will come calling about Lilly and Johnson, but will OKC move them?
Good think Broxton is decent as the closer, because otherwise it's been horrible. Donnie Veal was demoted after inexcusably bad stats, but is already back up due to injuries. Why does Heath Bell suck so much? Guess Brett Anderson isn't the answer, huh?
Kansas Twisters
Kansas dug themselves a deep hole that they're now trying desperately to dig themselves out of. They finished June 12 games back, but have made up 5 games in July by going 8-3. If La Brea and Springfield continue to struggle in mediocrity, it's not unrealistic to think that the Twisters could storm back and take the division.
This offense is best in the division and second best in the league (behind Caracas). Four players have 20+ HR, and all four are nearly at 30. Ryan Braun is out for 4-6 weeks, which hurts, though Mark DeRosa has (coughroidedcough) vastly improved over last season. Brett Gardner is out for the year, leaving Ichiro as the lone stolen base threat.
Second best offense, second worst pitching. Tommy Hanson's 4.21 ERA makes him the ace, and it goes downhill from there. Jered Weaver would be a decent 4th starter on most teams, but slots in at #2 here. Number one overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg was the opening day starter, but struggled through his 13 starts before being shut down for the year with tricep problems. Jonathan Sanchez finally gets the starts he has deserved for the past year and a half.
Total disaster. Jose Valverde has been great, but otherwise it's a train wreck. The less said the better.
Sioux Falls Tomahawks
Fans probably hoped that this team's youth strategy would start paying off in year two, but SF is still struggling. The offense is uneven, while the pitching is worst in the league. GM Mike McAvoy is smart to not make any rash moves, though, as the only way to get the kids better is to keep running them out there.
Marlon Byrd is the star here. Marlon Byrd. Okay, I shouldn't make fun of the guy, as he's hitting .314 with 30 HR, but it points to the lack of star power in this lineup. One bright side of things, rookie catcher Tony Sanchez has been a nice addition to the lineup, giving the team something to build on. I have no idea what's wrong with Adrian Gonzalez.
Everything isn't bleak for the Tomahawk pitching staff. Carmona and Price have improved steadily and are solid options in the rotation. Yu Darvish has struggled as much as fellow draftee Strasburg, but at least he's stayed healthy. The team ERA has been skewed by some unbelievably bad bullpen numbers (four players with ERA's north of 7.00). Chris Perez and Leo Nunez, however, have been nails.
La Brea Dire Wolves
La Brea clinched the first half with a 41-36 record, but has gone 3-8 since. A .500 record sounds about right for a team that is firmly middle-of-the-pack both offensively and defensively. They don't hit well (just one regular squeaking above .300), but the power is pretty decent. This is the slowest team in SLB, stealing just 55 bases in 88 games.
The really good pitching performances (Beckett, Towers) are being overshadowed by the really bad (Duchscherer, Wang). Improvements must be made to the rotation if there is any hope of advancing in the playoffs. Josh Towers has been excellent (7-3, 2.74), but he can't do it all alone.
It's more good and bad in the bullpen. Jon Link has been very solid late, allowing just 2 HR in 34 IP while allowing just a .344 OpSLG. Ryan Madson has managed a solid ERA despite giving up a lot of hits. On the down side, Strop and Rodriguez's control has been horrible, allowing a ton of baserunners late.
Springfield Isotopes
The Isotopes are also .500, but have been playing better in July (6-5). The team is more talented on paper than La Brea, and if they stay healthy, have a good chance to win either the second half or the division outright.
Springfield has scored the second fewest runs in SLB, and have been outscored by 26 runs total. The power is partly to blame (Blanks is the only hitter with over 20 HR), while the catching position has been a black hole. The speed isn't great either, but if the team is looking to upgrade, another power bat (or two) would surely go far.
Even though the team ERA is very good, the starters have really struggled. Burnett and Lincecum have been good (3.36 and 3.75 ERA respectively), but neither is above .500. A long injury to Zach Greinke (who recently returned) forced Vazquez and Buchholz into more starts than the front office would have liked.
On the flip side, the Isotope bullpen has been lights out. Aside from Mitch Talbot, the entire relief staff have ERA's south of 4.40. Fuentes and Hernandez have been particularly dominating, each holding opponents to under .200 batting averages.
Oklahoma City Bison
The defending West champs have had a terrible run this year, thanks to an insane number of injuries. Right now, six players are out long term, while others have been off and on the DL all season. No team can be expected to succeed with this amount of playing time going to replacement level players.
Only four players have played every day, and one of them sucks (Pena). Longoria has had decent run production numbers, but has hit very poorly. The other two are Japanese, so I'm not sure they're even real. The star of the team is Carlos Gonzalez, but he's more or less out for the year after posting a .322/.365/.675 line. Tough break. First base has been a disaster (Ludwick and Hoffpauir are both hurt and bad). Uncle, I give.
Josh Johnson and Ted Lilly have continued their 2010 successes in 2011 and anchor this rotation. After that, it's ugly. Max Scherzer, who couldn't win to save his life last year, is now the third best starter thanks to disastrous seasons by McGowan and Kazmir. Many GM's will come calling about Lilly and Johnson, but will OKC move them?
Good think Broxton is decent as the closer, because otherwise it's been horrible. Donnie Veal was demoted after inexcusably bad stats, but is already back up due to injuries. Why does Heath Bell suck so much? Guess Brett Anderson isn't the answer, huh?
Kansas Twisters
Kansas dug themselves a deep hole that they're now trying desperately to dig themselves out of. They finished June 12 games back, but have made up 5 games in July by going 8-3. If La Brea and Springfield continue to struggle in mediocrity, it's not unrealistic to think that the Twisters could storm back and take the division.
This offense is best in the division and second best in the league (behind Caracas). Four players have 20+ HR, and all four are nearly at 30. Ryan Braun is out for 4-6 weeks, which hurts, though Mark DeRosa has (coughroidedcough) vastly improved over last season. Brett Gardner is out for the year, leaving Ichiro as the lone stolen base threat.
Second best offense, second worst pitching. Tommy Hanson's 4.21 ERA makes him the ace, and it goes downhill from there. Jered Weaver would be a decent 4th starter on most teams, but slots in at #2 here. Number one overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg was the opening day starter, but struggled through his 13 starts before being shut down for the year with tricep problems. Jonathan Sanchez finally gets the starts he has deserved for the past year and a half.
Total disaster. Jose Valverde has been great, but otherwise it's a train wreck. The less said the better.
Sioux Falls Tomahawks
Fans probably hoped that this team's youth strategy would start paying off in year two, but SF is still struggling. The offense is uneven, while the pitching is worst in the league. GM Mike McAvoy is smart to not make any rash moves, though, as the only way to get the kids better is to keep running them out there.
Marlon Byrd is the star here. Marlon Byrd. Okay, I shouldn't make fun of the guy, as he's hitting .314 with 30 HR, but it points to the lack of star power in this lineup. One bright side of things, rookie catcher Tony Sanchez has been a nice addition to the lineup, giving the team something to build on. I have no idea what's wrong with Adrian Gonzalez.
Everything isn't bleak for the Tomahawk pitching staff. Carmona and Price have improved steadily and are solid options in the rotation. Yu Darvish has struggled as much as fellow draftee Strasburg, but at least he's stayed healthy. The team ERA has been skewed by some unbelievably bad bullpen numbers (four players with ERA's north of 7.00). Chris Perez and Leo Nunez, however, have been nails.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Midseason Report 2011 - East Division
The East has been highly competitive this year, with 4 winning teams separated by just 3.5 games (and last place New York just 6 out). Atlanta won the first half, but it's anyone's division to win. Perhaps the team that makes the big trade will be the team that comes out on top come October.
Atlanta Flyers
The Flyers are once again in first place at the break despite any real superstars. Atlanta is built on a team-first concept, where everyone contributes but no one really stands out. The team is 6th in runs and 10th in ERA, but holds the second best record in baseball. The Flyers rely on a lot of luck (they've been outscored this year but are 9 games over .500), thanks to a 19-9 record in 1-run games.
Solid contributions 1-8 make this offense a threat. Nine players have 10+ HR, though nobody with more than 200 AB's is batting over .300. Justin Morneau is the team MVP, thanks to his 78 RBI (a total that is nearly double any of his teammates). Look for Carlos Beltran to get the lion's share of playing time in center with his hot bat.
The rotation has become more consistent this year. Last season's starters were feast or famine, while the 2011 rotation are all good but not great. Edwin Jackson has been the "ace", going 10-4 with a 3.99 ERA, but no starter has been dominant. Injuries have forced rookie Doug Fister to start 10 games, and he hasn't been good.
Joakim Soria is the best reliever in SLB, giving up just 21 hits in 45 IP, with a 1.39 ERA. Joe Nathan is a quality closer, and Rafael Perez has been good enough. Middle/long relief has been spotty, but overall, the pen has done it's job.
Columbus Capitals
It has been another up and down year for Columbus, but the Capitals find themselves just a game out of first at the break. The team has made up 3.5 games in 10 days, thanks to an Atlanta slump. Last year's playoff squad has seen a lot of turnover, but the new faces have done well to keep the winning ways alive.
It's a younger offense in 2011, as Manny Ramirez and Chone Figgins have been replaced by Matt LaPorta and Mat Gamel. Gamel, a throw in from last year's Billy Wagner trade, has excelled in his starting role, batting .321 with over 20 homers. 2010 MVP runner up Chase Utley was off to a hot start (.345) before being shelved with an injury, forcing management to promote 2010 draftee Scott Sizemore into early duty. The youngster has responded, batting over .300 since his promotion. Jeremy Herminda has been a nice addition as well.
Another great season for the Columbus starters. Roy Halladay has his eye on the Cy Young, notching an 11-4, 2.72 mark through the first half. Webb, Chamberlain and Liriano all have ERA's in the 3's, while newcomer Matt Cain has been the "worst" at 6-5, 4.51. The rotation has combined for 48 quality starts.
The Achilles' heel for the Capitals has been the pen, who, outside of Volstad and Marte, has been terrible. Everyone gives up hits in bunches, even closer Brian Wilson, who has completely fallen apart after a successful 2010 campaign. What will the trade market look like for relievers this year?
Miami Sharks
The Sharks are the most improved team in the East, thanks to quality pitching and veteran hitters. Miami was 34-44 in the first half last year, on pace for 75 wins and 4th place. Now they are just 2 games out of first.
It's not an ideal lineup, but it has been effective. Old timers like Derrek Lee and Jorge Posada are showing that they aren't quite over the hill yet, while rookie SS Tracy Pena has been a nice spark. The team has good speed, which makes up for the lack of power. Miami has been lucky on the injury front, which has masked the lack of depth on offense.
The Sharks are 4th in the league in ERA without any true stars. The rotation has been great with no-names like Nolasco and Blackburn leading the way. Jake Peavy has done well, while Kendrick and Pelfrey have been good enough at the back of the rotation. All of the starters have been particularly good at limiting walks, keeping runners off base.
The bullpen has been one of the best in SLB. Chad Bradford has been nails at closer, while Mike Gonzalez has bounced back to have a strong year. Miami has benefited from reliable middle relief, a luxury few teams in the league have had.
Jersey City Jackals
The Jackals lost their GM this year (yet to be replaced), but are still playing some pretty strong baseball. Like the Flyers, Jersey City has a balanced offense, but the pitching has kept them from pushing to the front of the pack in the East. Can a new owner be found to fine tune this squad for a playoff run?
Joe Mauer leads a team with nine players sporting double digit homerun totals. Mauer is a strong MVP candidate, batting .339/.390/.630 while leading the team in RBI. Nice contributions from Magglio Ordonez and Brade Hawpe in the outfield, while Orlando Hudson has the speed at the top to set the table.
Outside of Mark Buerhle, the starting rotation has been solid. Run support has hurt the W-L records, but vet Rich Harden and youngster Felix Doubront have low ERA's and quality numbers. Kuroda is a good #3 starter, and Rick Porcello has been decent enough.
The pen has it's good and it's bad. Ageless Mariano Rivera continues to pitch well late in games, and Jesse Crain is a crazy 7-1 in short relief. Bob Howry is terrible.
New York Knights
New York has had the same problems in 2011 that plagued them throughout 2010. While the pitching has been pretty good, the offense is simply terrible; last in runs and last in home runs at the break. What is it about the Big Apple that kills the long ball?
The focus remains on Albert Pujols, who, despite having a better batting average, is still bafflingly unproductive. He's hitting .266 with just 9 HR, though to be fair, Nelson Cruz's 13 HR lead the team. There is a ton of team speed, but small ball hasn't cut it for the Knights, who are busy trying to solve this offensive conundrum.
The starting pitching, on the other hand, has been quite good. Scott Baker leads the way with his 3.19 ERA, while Cliff Lee and Aaron Harang squeak in with ERA's just under 4.00. The pen has been pretty good, with Kuo, Wood, McClellan and Bonser all holding their own. If the Knights continue to fall further out of the playoff picture, expect many teams to come calling about relief help.
Atlanta Flyers
The Flyers are once again in first place at the break despite any real superstars. Atlanta is built on a team-first concept, where everyone contributes but no one really stands out. The team is 6th in runs and 10th in ERA, but holds the second best record in baseball. The Flyers rely on a lot of luck (they've been outscored this year but are 9 games over .500), thanks to a 19-9 record in 1-run games.
Solid contributions 1-8 make this offense a threat. Nine players have 10+ HR, though nobody with more than 200 AB's is batting over .300. Justin Morneau is the team MVP, thanks to his 78 RBI (a total that is nearly double any of his teammates). Look for Carlos Beltran to get the lion's share of playing time in center with his hot bat.
The rotation has become more consistent this year. Last season's starters were feast or famine, while the 2011 rotation are all good but not great. Edwin Jackson has been the "ace", going 10-4 with a 3.99 ERA, but no starter has been dominant. Injuries have forced rookie Doug Fister to start 10 games, and he hasn't been good.
Joakim Soria is the best reliever in SLB, giving up just 21 hits in 45 IP, with a 1.39 ERA. Joe Nathan is a quality closer, and Rafael Perez has been good enough. Middle/long relief has been spotty, but overall, the pen has done it's job.
Columbus Capitals
It has been another up and down year for Columbus, but the Capitals find themselves just a game out of first at the break. The team has made up 3.5 games in 10 days, thanks to an Atlanta slump. Last year's playoff squad has seen a lot of turnover, but the new faces have done well to keep the winning ways alive.
It's a younger offense in 2011, as Manny Ramirez and Chone Figgins have been replaced by Matt LaPorta and Mat Gamel. Gamel, a throw in from last year's Billy Wagner trade, has excelled in his starting role, batting .321 with over 20 homers. 2010 MVP runner up Chase Utley was off to a hot start (.345) before being shelved with an injury, forcing management to promote 2010 draftee Scott Sizemore into early duty. The youngster has responded, batting over .300 since his promotion. Jeremy Herminda has been a nice addition as well.
Another great season for the Columbus starters. Roy Halladay has his eye on the Cy Young, notching an 11-4, 2.72 mark through the first half. Webb, Chamberlain and Liriano all have ERA's in the 3's, while newcomer Matt Cain has been the "worst" at 6-5, 4.51. The rotation has combined for 48 quality starts.
The Achilles' heel for the Capitals has been the pen, who, outside of Volstad and Marte, has been terrible. Everyone gives up hits in bunches, even closer Brian Wilson, who has completely fallen apart after a successful 2010 campaign. What will the trade market look like for relievers this year?
Miami Sharks
The Sharks are the most improved team in the East, thanks to quality pitching and veteran hitters. Miami was 34-44 in the first half last year, on pace for 75 wins and 4th place. Now they are just 2 games out of first.
It's not an ideal lineup, but it has been effective. Old timers like Derrek Lee and Jorge Posada are showing that they aren't quite over the hill yet, while rookie SS Tracy Pena has been a nice spark. The team has good speed, which makes up for the lack of power. Miami has been lucky on the injury front, which has masked the lack of depth on offense.
The Sharks are 4th in the league in ERA without any true stars. The rotation has been great with no-names like Nolasco and Blackburn leading the way. Jake Peavy has done well, while Kendrick and Pelfrey have been good enough at the back of the rotation. All of the starters have been particularly good at limiting walks, keeping runners off base.
The bullpen has been one of the best in SLB. Chad Bradford has been nails at closer, while Mike Gonzalez has bounced back to have a strong year. Miami has benefited from reliable middle relief, a luxury few teams in the league have had.
Jersey City Jackals
The Jackals lost their GM this year (yet to be replaced), but are still playing some pretty strong baseball. Like the Flyers, Jersey City has a balanced offense, but the pitching has kept them from pushing to the front of the pack in the East. Can a new owner be found to fine tune this squad for a playoff run?
Joe Mauer leads a team with nine players sporting double digit homerun totals. Mauer is a strong MVP candidate, batting .339/.390/.630 while leading the team in RBI. Nice contributions from Magglio Ordonez and Brade Hawpe in the outfield, while Orlando Hudson has the speed at the top to set the table.
Outside of Mark Buerhle, the starting rotation has been solid. Run support has hurt the W-L records, but vet Rich Harden and youngster Felix Doubront have low ERA's and quality numbers. Kuroda is a good #3 starter, and Rick Porcello has been decent enough.
The pen has it's good and it's bad. Ageless Mariano Rivera continues to pitch well late in games, and Jesse Crain is a crazy 7-1 in short relief. Bob Howry is terrible.
New York Knights
New York has had the same problems in 2011 that plagued them throughout 2010. While the pitching has been pretty good, the offense is simply terrible; last in runs and last in home runs at the break. What is it about the Big Apple that kills the long ball?
The focus remains on Albert Pujols, who, despite having a better batting average, is still bafflingly unproductive. He's hitting .266 with just 9 HR, though to be fair, Nelson Cruz's 13 HR lead the team. There is a ton of team speed, but small ball hasn't cut it for the Knights, who are busy trying to solve this offensive conundrum.
The starting pitching, on the other hand, has been quite good. Scott Baker leads the way with his 3.19 ERA, while Cliff Lee and Aaron Harang squeak in with ERA's just under 4.00. The pen has been pretty good, with Kuo, Wood, McClellan and Bonser all holding their own. If the Knights continue to fall further out of the playoff picture, expect many teams to come calling about relief help.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
2011 Draft Preview
Winter League has wrapped up and the Amateur Draft is here. Which players are likely to go in the first round? Who are the sleepers?
Once again, we break down the eligible draftees by position
STARTING PITCHERS
It's not as strong a year for starting pitching, with no obvious #1 guy in the mix.
Nassau's Bruce Lang will get some first round consideration, despite an underdeveloped fastball. He averaged nearly a K/IP, and had a fantastic 2.35 ERA in 114 IP.
Jarrod Parker improved in his second season, going 9-4 with a 3.89 ERA. Problem is, he doesn't strike out enough people (just 77 in 104 IP).
Another pitcher with similar numbers is Tim Alderson, though he had more strikeouts.
A pitcher who went undrafted last year was Floyd Bluege. He had good numbers in 2010, and repeated them in 2011, going 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA. Scouts still worry about his lack of fastball and hittable sinker.
Andrew Cashner won 8 games, but had a decidedly average ERA (4.25) and just 74 K's. He has a plus slider and a good fastball, and with a top speed of around 93 mph, is a worthwhile project.
RELIEF PITCHERS
The top reliever this year is probably Tanner Scheppers, who improved in his 3rd year by going 2-3, 2.25 with 31 k's in 40 IP. He has a major league curveball and above average secondary pitches.
Teammate Steve Portugal had a 3.02 ERA with nearly a K/IP. Everything he throws is hard (FB/SI), but he has better control than Scheppers.
Righty Milt Bowcock posted good relief numbers (2-3, 3.33) thanks to a plus curve.
Another 3rd year reliever is Hank Gonzales who relies heavily on a ML ready slider. He had 7 saves in 25 1/3 IP.
Lorenzo Olerud doesn't have the strongest arm in the world, but his plus fastball should intrigue scouts.
CATCHERS
The best backstop in the draft is Jesus Montero, a 21 year old righty with great defense and improving batting. He lead all WL catchers in average, tied in HR, and was 4th in RBI.
Another good looking catcher is Travis D'Arnaud, who has the strongest arm in the draft. His hitting skills measure up with Montero, though his average was decidely low this season.
Left-handed hitter Jason Castro batted .340 after being passed in the draft last year. Don't sleep on him again!
FIRST BASEMEN
It's a thinner year at 1B, but Yonder Alonso is sure to get a look. The lefty has some growing to do, but did hit 13 HR with a .300+ average.
Nassau's Andy Holke ad a nice year, batting .336 with 10 dingers. He, too, needs some work in the minors.
SECOND BASEMEN
This position is stronger than last year, lead by Sam Harshany, who lead his position with 18 HR and 60 RBI. He combines good contact and above average power with good speed.
Adrian Cardenas went nuts in his 3rd year, batting .392 (!!!) despite very average measurables.
Guy Martinez and Frank Decker could be good value picks in the later rounds.
THIRD BASEMEN
Josh Vitters will likely be the first 3B taken this year. He has nice power and a good bat, and at just 21 years old, has some room to improve. He hit 15 HR with 58 RBI this year.
John Marston is even younger (19), and is a switch-hitter with good speed. Will he stick at 3B, or should he move to the middle infield? He hit .317 with 11 HR to go with 9 swipes.
SHORTSTOPS
WL MVP Dee Gordon isn't eligible to be drafted this year, but there are several good SS to choose from.
Tim Beckham is a speedy shortstop (12 SB) who batted a robust .348. He has a strong arm, and is qualified to play 2B as well.
Hak-Ju Lee had another good year, swiping 24 bags while batting .308.
Another good hitter is Grant Green, who hit .304 with 5 HR in a part time role.
OUTFIELDERS
The big prize this year among outfielders is Mike Stanton. The kid can belt it, rocking 21 HR and 64 RBI. His two year combined numbers (roughly a full MLB year) were .287, 36 HR, 118 RBI. Awesome.
Aaron Hicks is a player with a great skill set; decent eye, developing power, above average speed.
Charlie Gannon had a monster year, hitting .379 with 17 steals. This kid could probably start in the majors as early as next year. His teammate (Archie Bolin) had 19 steals of his own.
A kid with a lot of power is Domonic Brown. Scouts drool over his batting practice, and he hit 9 HR in a platoon in San Juan.
Once again, Adam Piatt, put up big numbers with limited skills. He was second only to Stanton in RBI, even though there is nothing particularly special about his swing
Once again, we break down the eligible draftees by position
STARTING PITCHERS
It's not as strong a year for starting pitching, with no obvious #1 guy in the mix.
Nassau's Bruce Lang will get some first round consideration, despite an underdeveloped fastball. He averaged nearly a K/IP, and had a fantastic 2.35 ERA in 114 IP.
Jarrod Parker improved in his second season, going 9-4 with a 3.89 ERA. Problem is, he doesn't strike out enough people (just 77 in 104 IP).
Another pitcher with similar numbers is Tim Alderson, though he had more strikeouts.
A pitcher who went undrafted last year was Floyd Bluege. He had good numbers in 2010, and repeated them in 2011, going 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA. Scouts still worry about his lack of fastball and hittable sinker.
Andrew Cashner won 8 games, but had a decidedly average ERA (4.25) and just 74 K's. He has a plus slider and a good fastball, and with a top speed of around 93 mph, is a worthwhile project.
RELIEF PITCHERS
The top reliever this year is probably Tanner Scheppers, who improved in his 3rd year by going 2-3, 2.25 with 31 k's in 40 IP. He has a major league curveball and above average secondary pitches.
Teammate Steve Portugal had a 3.02 ERA with nearly a K/IP. Everything he throws is hard (FB/SI), but he has better control than Scheppers.
Righty Milt Bowcock posted good relief numbers (2-3, 3.33) thanks to a plus curve.
Another 3rd year reliever is Hank Gonzales who relies heavily on a ML ready slider. He had 7 saves in 25 1/3 IP.
Lorenzo Olerud doesn't have the strongest arm in the world, but his plus fastball should intrigue scouts.
CATCHERS
The best backstop in the draft is Jesus Montero, a 21 year old righty with great defense and improving batting. He lead all WL catchers in average, tied in HR, and was 4th in RBI.
Another good looking catcher is Travis D'Arnaud, who has the strongest arm in the draft. His hitting skills measure up with Montero, though his average was decidely low this season.
Left-handed hitter Jason Castro batted .340 after being passed in the draft last year. Don't sleep on him again!
FIRST BASEMEN
It's a thinner year at 1B, but Yonder Alonso is sure to get a look. The lefty has some growing to do, but did hit 13 HR with a .300+ average.
Nassau's Andy Holke ad a nice year, batting .336 with 10 dingers. He, too, needs some work in the minors.
SECOND BASEMEN
This position is stronger than last year, lead by Sam Harshany, who lead his position with 18 HR and 60 RBI. He combines good contact and above average power with good speed.
Adrian Cardenas went nuts in his 3rd year, batting .392 (!!!) despite very average measurables.
Guy Martinez and Frank Decker could be good value picks in the later rounds.
THIRD BASEMEN
Josh Vitters will likely be the first 3B taken this year. He has nice power and a good bat, and at just 21 years old, has some room to improve. He hit 15 HR with 58 RBI this year.
John Marston is even younger (19), and is a switch-hitter with good speed. Will he stick at 3B, or should he move to the middle infield? He hit .317 with 11 HR to go with 9 swipes.
SHORTSTOPS
WL MVP Dee Gordon isn't eligible to be drafted this year, but there are several good SS to choose from.
Tim Beckham is a speedy shortstop (12 SB) who batted a robust .348. He has a strong arm, and is qualified to play 2B as well.
Hak-Ju Lee had another good year, swiping 24 bags while batting .308.
Another good hitter is Grant Green, who hit .304 with 5 HR in a part time role.
OUTFIELDERS
The big prize this year among outfielders is Mike Stanton. The kid can belt it, rocking 21 HR and 64 RBI. His two year combined numbers (roughly a full MLB year) were .287, 36 HR, 118 RBI. Awesome.
Aaron Hicks is a player with a great skill set; decent eye, developing power, above average speed.
Charlie Gannon had a monster year, hitting .379 with 17 steals. This kid could probably start in the majors as early as next year. His teammate (Archie Bolin) had 19 steals of his own.
A kid with a lot of power is Domonic Brown. Scouts drool over his batting practice, and he hit 9 HR in a platoon in San Juan.
Once again, Adam Piatt, put up big numbers with limited skills. He was second only to Stanton in RBI, even though there is nothing particularly special about his swing
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Players of April, 2011
Congrats to the Players of April:
HITTER - OF Chris Coghlan (CAR) - .354, 10 HR, 21 RBI
PITCHER - RHP Felix Hernandez (BRI) - 4-0, 0.00 ERA, 29 K's, 6 BB
ROOKIE HITTER - SS Tracy Pena (MIA) - .260, 3 HR, 7 RBI
ROOKIE PITCHER - RHP Yu Darvish (SF) - 2-2, 4.26 ERA, 22 K's, 10 BB
HITTER - OF Chris Coghlan (CAR) - .354, 10 HR, 21 RBI
PITCHER - RHP Felix Hernandez (BRI) - 4-0, 0.00 ERA, 29 K's, 6 BB
ROOKIE HITTER - SS Tracy Pena (MIA) - .260, 3 HR, 7 RBI
ROOKIE PITCHER - RHP Yu Darvish (SF) - 2-2, 4.26 ERA, 22 K's, 10 BB
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Around the League - 04/25/11
It's our first look at 2011, and the big story in SLB is Felix Hernandez. After signing the richest deal this off season (moving from Caracas to Brisbane), the young fireballer has absolutely dominated in his first 4 starts, not allowing an earned run so far this season. Check out this stat line:
3-0, 0.00 ERA, 28 1/3 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 5 BB, 18 K, .087 OpAvg, .109 OpSLG
For those of you playing at home, that's a WHIP of 0.46!!!!!!!!
Now, for the rest of the league...
EAST
- The race heats up right away, with three teams within a game of first place. Atlanta stakes their claim to the top early (despite a miserable 5.31 team ERA), thanks to a league leading 35 HR.
- Columbus is right back at their underachieving ways, wasting brilliant starting pitching with a hot/cold offense and spotty bullpen. 2010 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb is winless with a 5.18 ERA to start the year.
- Miami is off to a better start this year, going 10-9 over the first 3 weeks. Starting pitching has been key so far, as the offense has been slow to get going.
- After a terrible start, New York is back to within 2 games of .500. Newcomers Chone Figgins and Nelson Cruz have sparked an otherwise anemic offense, as Albert Pujols' spring training numbers haven't carried over into the regular season (how does this guy not have a HR yet?)
- Jersey City sits in last, partially due to the financial inability to improve this off season. The bullpen has been really rough, and outside of Magglio Ordonez and Josh Hamilton, there hasn't been much to report from the offense.
WEST
- This division is pretty mediocre top to bottom, but LaBrea has shown something in 2011 that they didn't in 2010: the ability to hit. The Dire Wolves are 3rd in the league in batting. Josh Towers has been brilliant, and the pen is among the best in the league so far.
- Springfield comes in at 9-8, but who knows how! The offense is woeful (outside of Kyle Blanks), which is why Tim Lincecum is 0-3 despite a 1.67 ERA. Looks like the Isotopes have pulled out some close games late.
- Kansas added some thump to an already potent offense this winter, but are near the bottom of the league in runs scored. Add in the fact that outside of Adam Wainwright, the starting pitching (including top draft pick Stephen Strasburg) has been terrible, and you can see why they're just 8-9.
- The Bison hitting is the worst in the league at just .217. Ouch. It doesn't matter how good pitchers like Ted Lilly are, you aren't going to win with that kind of offense.
- Sioux Falls is still bad. There are some good hitters, but when three of your starters are winless (Price, Garza and Gallardo are 0-7 combined), you're going to have problems. Rookie Yu Darvish is off to a good (but not great) start.
WORLD
- Fremantle has the best record in the league, thanks to a 3.87 team ERA. Even though Tug Hullett is the only .300 hitter, there has been nice contributions up and down the lineup.
- Brisbane has the 2nd best record in the league, but is 1.5 back of Fremantle. While Felix Hernandez has been the story, Aaron Laffey (1.73 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (1.80 ERA) have been nearly as impressive.
- Quebec is tied (by % points) for 2nd place, but would lead the other two division with their 12-8 mark. Despite some early injury issues, the team has scored over 20 more runs than the closest competitor. Roy Oswalt and Kevin Slowey have dominated.
- Caracas has been victimized by a league worst bullpen so far, and has no signs of fixing the problem. Money was (wisely) spent on starting pitching this winter, and so far it has paid off, as Verlander and Westbrook have been big improvements.
3-0, 0.00 ERA, 28 1/3 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 5 BB, 18 K, .087 OpAvg, .109 OpSLG
For those of you playing at home, that's a WHIP of 0.46!!!!!!!!
Now, for the rest of the league...
EAST
- The race heats up right away, with three teams within a game of first place. Atlanta stakes their claim to the top early (despite a miserable 5.31 team ERA), thanks to a league leading 35 HR.
- Columbus is right back at their underachieving ways, wasting brilliant starting pitching with a hot/cold offense and spotty bullpen. 2010 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb is winless with a 5.18 ERA to start the year.
- Miami is off to a better start this year, going 10-9 over the first 3 weeks. Starting pitching has been key so far, as the offense has been slow to get going.
- After a terrible start, New York is back to within 2 games of .500. Newcomers Chone Figgins and Nelson Cruz have sparked an otherwise anemic offense, as Albert Pujols' spring training numbers haven't carried over into the regular season (how does this guy not have a HR yet?)
- Jersey City sits in last, partially due to the financial inability to improve this off season. The bullpen has been really rough, and outside of Magglio Ordonez and Josh Hamilton, there hasn't been much to report from the offense.
WEST
- This division is pretty mediocre top to bottom, but LaBrea has shown something in 2011 that they didn't in 2010: the ability to hit. The Dire Wolves are 3rd in the league in batting. Josh Towers has been brilliant, and the pen is among the best in the league so far.
- Springfield comes in at 9-8, but who knows how! The offense is woeful (outside of Kyle Blanks), which is why Tim Lincecum is 0-3 despite a 1.67 ERA. Looks like the Isotopes have pulled out some close games late.
- Kansas added some thump to an already potent offense this winter, but are near the bottom of the league in runs scored. Add in the fact that outside of Adam Wainwright, the starting pitching (including top draft pick Stephen Strasburg) has been terrible, and you can see why they're just 8-9.
- The Bison hitting is the worst in the league at just .217. Ouch. It doesn't matter how good pitchers like Ted Lilly are, you aren't going to win with that kind of offense.
- Sioux Falls is still bad. There are some good hitters, but when three of your starters are winless (Price, Garza and Gallardo are 0-7 combined), you're going to have problems. Rookie Yu Darvish is off to a good (but not great) start.
WORLD
- Fremantle has the best record in the league, thanks to a 3.87 team ERA. Even though Tug Hullett is the only .300 hitter, there has been nice contributions up and down the lineup.
- Brisbane has the 2nd best record in the league, but is 1.5 back of Fremantle. While Felix Hernandez has been the story, Aaron Laffey (1.73 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (1.80 ERA) have been nearly as impressive.
- Quebec is tied (by % points) for 2nd place, but would lead the other two division with their 12-8 mark. Despite some early injury issues, the team has scored over 20 more runs than the closest competitor. Roy Oswalt and Kevin Slowey have dominated.
- Caracas has been victimized by a league worst bullpen so far, and has no signs of fixing the problem. Money was (wisely) spent on starting pitching this winter, and so far it has paid off, as Verlander and Westbrook have been big improvements.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Trade Review (By Brian B)
Trade Central:
2/7/11
2011
Fremantle Acquires:
Aramis Ramirez-3B
$600,000
Jersey City Acquires:
Jason Hammel-P
Casey McGehee-3B
The Deal:
Fremantle acquires a solid right handed bat to insert into the middle of the batting
order with Mark Teixeira. This move will hopefully improve on the team’s offensive
production from last year, where the Cormorants hit .254 as a team, finished in the
bottom 3 in homeruns and last in RBI. Ramirez hit .292 last year with 36 home runs and
111 RBI’s (his HR and RBI production would have lead Fremantle last year). Ramirez’s
bat should pay immediate dividends and help improve the offense for the Cormorants. In
addition, Aramis’ is in the last year of his contract and will be looking to make as much
money in the off season as possible so he will be motivated to improve upon last years
production. The addition of Ramirez does put Fremantle right up against the cap, but
improved its offense with this trade.
Jersey City makes this deal to free up much needed cap room and get some financial
flexibility. It’s obvious that the Jackals feel the offensive production lost by moving
Ramirez can be made up with the production of guys like Mauer, Hamilton, Butler and
Tulowitzki. McGehee is an affordable option at third for the Jackals and he is locked up
through 2013. His .254 average last year was not eye popping, but he did hit 19 homers
and should be an adequate replacement at 3B for the Jackals. Jason Hammel is a 27 year
old RH pitcher who pitched at AAA last year going 5-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 15 starts.
AAA batters hit only .258 against him last year and he had 94 K’s in 101 innings pitched.
Hammel should compete for the #5 spot in the rotation or at the least a long reliever job
with JC, but another year at AAA wouldn’t be out of the question.
Winner/Loser:
I like the deal for Fremantle as they add a productive bat in Ramirez who will hit for
average and power for the Cormorants (at least for this year) and only had to give up
one major league player in McGehee to get him. This is obviously a deal to clear cap
space for Jersey City and should be viewed that way. But McGehee should provide some
production lower in the order and if Hammel can develop into a back of the rotation arm
for the Jackals, that would be a plus.
2/7/11
2011
Fremantle Acquires:
Aramis Ramirez-3B
$600,000
Jersey City Acquires:
Jason Hammel-P
Casey McGehee-3B
The Deal:
Fremantle acquires a solid right handed bat to insert into the middle of the batting
order with Mark Teixeira. This move will hopefully improve on the team’s offensive
production from last year, where the Cormorants hit .254 as a team, finished in the
bottom 3 in homeruns and last in RBI. Ramirez hit .292 last year with 36 home runs and
111 RBI’s (his HR and RBI production would have lead Fremantle last year). Ramirez’s
bat should pay immediate dividends and help improve the offense for the Cormorants. In
addition, Aramis’ is in the last year of his contract and will be looking to make as much
money in the off season as possible so he will be motivated to improve upon last years
production. The addition of Ramirez does put Fremantle right up against the cap, but
improved its offense with this trade.
Jersey City makes this deal to free up much needed cap room and get some financial
flexibility. It’s obvious that the Jackals feel the offensive production lost by moving
Ramirez can be made up with the production of guys like Mauer, Hamilton, Butler and
Tulowitzki. McGehee is an affordable option at third for the Jackals and he is locked up
through 2013. His .254 average last year was not eye popping, but he did hit 19 homers
and should be an adequate replacement at 3B for the Jackals. Jason Hammel is a 27 year
old RH pitcher who pitched at AAA last year going 5-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 15 starts.
AAA batters hit only .258 against him last year and he had 94 K’s in 101 innings pitched.
Hammel should compete for the #5 spot in the rotation or at the least a long reliever job
with JC, but another year at AAA wouldn’t be out of the question.
Winner/Loser:
I like the deal for Fremantle as they add a productive bat in Ramirez who will hit for
average and power for the Cormorants (at least for this year) and only had to give up
one major league player in McGehee to get him. This is obviously a deal to clear cap
space for Jersey City and should be viewed that way. But McGehee should provide some
production lower in the order and if Hammel can develop into a back of the rotation arm
for the Jackals, that would be a plus.
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