Christopher Ramirez often gets mentioned as one of the greatest players in the first 8 years of Sharkey's World. If he ever puts together a season like season 8 again, there may not be any more debate about if he's the best or not.
Ramirez won 24 games in season 8, while setting the single season ERA record with a 1.82, and collecting his 6th Cy Young award in 7 major league seasons. But that was just a preview of what he would do in the playoffs.
Pawtucket used a 3 man rotation throughout the playoffs, as Ramirez, Stan Jenner, and Charles Randall started 16 of the Polythene's 17 playoff games, including all 12 in the NLCS & World Series. Ramirez started 6 of those 17 games, and he went 6-0 with a 0.77 ERA, while throwing over 8 innings per start. He was the winning pitcher in the deciding game 5 of the NLDS, the deciding game 6 of the NLCS, and the deciding game 6 of the world series. He also combined with Frank Harris to throw a 1-hit shutout in game 3 of the world series (Harris pitched a perfect 9th).
Ramirez easily won the NLCS MVP as well as the World Series MVP.
The only player who came close to matching Ramirez's dominance was RF Rod Forbes, who had as good as an offensive postseason as any player in history, batting .347 in 17 games while scoring 17 runs, hitting 11 home runs, and collecting 21 RBI's.
"It's not about individual awards for me. It can't be. When you play on the same team as Chris Ramirez, you can only ever be second best," Forbes said with a smile. "I came to Pawtucket two seasons ago to win a championship. I've accomplished that. And now that our offense is on the same level as our pitching, I don't think we're done yet."
The celebration will last long into the night. And then it's back to business as usual for the Polythene.
World Series Recap:
Game 1: Pawtucket 5 @ Jacksonville 4
Game 2: Pawtucket 3 @ Jacksonville 4
Game 3: Jacksonville 0 @ Pawtucket 2
Game 4: Jacksonville 11 @ Pawtucket 10
Game 5: Jacksonville 3 @ Pawtucket 4
Game 6: Pawtucket 6 @ Jacksonville 1
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
A Tale of Four Teams
As we approach the two year anniversary of the creation of Sharkey's World, we've once again reached the Final Four. A few things stick out about this year's group, and we'll cover them in the following paragraphs.
Most notably, for the first time in SW history, the Kansas City Shuffle are not in the ALCS. The Shuffle, coming into this season, had a 5-2 record in the ALCS. Their 7 appearances are easily a SW record. With Chris Ramirez's game 5 victory over Rochester, Pawtucket now has 6 NLCS appearances, one short of KC's record. Of course, KC's 5 league pennants and 4 world series championships are marks that look to stand for a long time.
Nobody else has ever won a second world series. But, chances are somebody will get their second this year, as the three other world series winners in league history - Texas (season 2), Pawtucket (season 4), and Jacksonville (season 7) - are all still alive. Jacksonville looks to join the seasons 5 & 6 Shuffle as the only repeat champion in SW history. Texas looks to make its third straight World Series, an accomplishment that would give them four NL Pennants, one shy of KC's record 5. Pawtucket, once widely considered the clear-cut #2 team in SW probably joins Charlotte as the underdogs in this years final four.
Nobody is quite the underdog that Charlotte is, though. Through the first two seasons of SW, the knights franchise had won only 137 combined games, and quickly found themselves a new team president, dawgfan. He took over a very young organization, and quickly established a 5 year plan. In his first five years, the team won 68, 77, 81, 81 & 82 games. Thanks to a less than competitive AL East, the 82 wins in season 7 were enough to get the knights their first division championship, and a playoff berth in the process. The trip was shortlived, though, as Cheyenne easily eliminated them in 4 games in the first round. The experience was invaluable, though, and the knights would enter season 8 as a bonafide contender.
In winning 102 games in season 8, the knights definitively established themselves among the AL's elite. But, they still had trouble against the upper echelon of talent in the league, including a less than impressive 2-8 record against the Shuffle. No matter, the 3rd seed was theirs, and they were back in the playoffs. Still, the Jacksonville Juggernauts & the AL West was all anyone would talk about, until Charlotte avenged last years loss by defeating Cheyenne in 4 games and setting up a franchise defining series against the Shuffle. Kansas City had never contemplated losing in the ALDS, and was absolutely left speechless by a Charlotte sweep in the series. Now Charlotte, as hot as any team remaining but with a definite lack of respect, looks to dethrone another AL power en route to their first league pennant.
That power, the Jacksonville Juggernauts, has been Sharkey's Worlds "Team of the Future" since kalikgod took over in season 2. While stockpiling talent and hype the first few years, speculation began to also amount as to whether this was a team that was destined to always be a team of the future, or if that future would ever arrive. Arrive it did in season 6, as the Juggernauts won 91 games and their first of 3 consecutive division titles. Season 7 would be the year they put themselves on the map, though, as the team became the first AL team besides Kansas City to win a world series. Now in season 8, they led the league in wins during the regular season, and a second straight world series victory would create a new argument. Not "does this team belong in the conversation of the leagues elite?" because they've already proven they do, but rather "is this the new power franchise in the entire world, and will their current & upcoming run be better than that of Kansas City's before them?" Time shall tell.
Another noticable trait about this years Final Four is the fact that for only the second time in world history all four teams won 100+ games. The only other time that happened was in season 5. That year, both LCS's were relative disappointments, but nobody who was around will likely ever forget the Pawtucket-Kansas City 7 game world series, pitting future hall of famers Chris Ramirez & Dennys Shin against each other in possibly the most read box score in league history. With as much talent as there is remaining, might we achieve the next truly league defining series in the upcoming week? I'll bet yes, somewhere.
But of course, if there is one storyline to be talked about during the LCS, it's Texas vs Pawtucket. The Polythene vs the Tittyballs. The greatest rivalry in world history. For the third straight year, the rivals finished 1-2 in the National League standings. And for the fifth time in the last seven seasons, they meet in the playoffs. Two NLDS's. Two NLCS's. Two victories each. Two classic comebacks. Five combined NL Pennants, including the last four in a row. Two world series titles. Two original owners.
In season 2, the Polythene, having missed the playoffs in season 1, rode the arm of first year starter & Cy Young winner Chris Ramirez to 105 wins, the #1 seed, and a collision course world series meeting with Kansas City. Of course, that train was derailed early as another rookie, Billy Hernandez of Texas, led his upstart Tittyballs to a four game sweep of the Polythene in the NLCS. The Tittyballs went on to win their one & only world series.
In season 4, the Polythene were coming off back to back disappointing NLCS losses while they were heavily favored, and looking to make a name for themselves. Then they ran into the Tittyballs in the NLDS, and Texas quickly stormed out to a 2-1 series lead. Facing elimination, Chris Ramirez started game 4 on 3 days rest, and tied the series. In the decisive 5th game, Henry Mackowiak started game 5, also on 3 days rest, and the Polythene won. They then defeated the Nomads & Shuffle en route to their first World Series title.
The next season, the Tittyballs stormed back and entered the last day of the season with a 104-57 record, tied with the Polythene for 2nd in the NL. On that last day, Pawtucket won, and Texas lost, forcing the Tittyballs to face (and sweep) the Chicago Smooth Horses before setting up Texas-Pawtucket III in the NLDS. Once again, Texas stormed out to a 2-1 lead, and once again Chris Ramirez won game 4 on short rest. This time, though Mackowiak was on the DL for the rest of the year with an arm injury, so Stan Jenner took the mound for game 5. The pitcher who is much publicized for his playoff shortcomings got the victory for Pawtucket, who then beat Rochester in the NLCS before losing to KC in an epic 7 game world series.
In season 6, the Tittyballs signed a few big name free agents in hopes of finally closing the gap on the Polythene. Instead, the Polythene won 110 games, 5 more than the previous season, while the Tittyballs dropped to 102, 8 games back. The 102 wins were good enough for #2, though, and both teams won their NLDS series to set up Texas-Pawtucket IV in the NLCS. Pawtucket was looking to win it's 3rd straight NL Pennant, and establish themselves as the dominant force in NL history. Texas raced out to a 3-1 lead this time, and on short rest, Chris Ramirez won again to send the series back to Pawtucket down 3-2. But this time, Henry Mackowiak couldn't get the job done, and Texas won the series 4-2.
The next season, Pawtucket & Texas finished 1-2 again, and were expected to meet for the 4th straight season in the playoffs. Pawtucket stumbled in the NLDS, and Texas cakewalked to their second straight NL Pennant, and 3rd overall, one more than Pawtucket has.
Now, a year later, they finally meet for Texas-Pawtucket V. This time Texas is looking to get their 3rd straight pennant, and Pawtucket is firmly entrenched as the #2 franchise in NL history, and trying to reverse the current trend.
Four teams on four very different paths, but all are alive & kicking, which 28 other teams can't say about their own fortunes.
I offer no predictions as to what will happen, but I will say this - will anybody be surprised at all if we see three 7 game series in the next week?
It's going to be fun.
Most notably, for the first time in SW history, the Kansas City Shuffle are not in the ALCS. The Shuffle, coming into this season, had a 5-2 record in the ALCS. Their 7 appearances are easily a SW record. With Chris Ramirez's game 5 victory over Rochester, Pawtucket now has 6 NLCS appearances, one short of KC's record. Of course, KC's 5 league pennants and 4 world series championships are marks that look to stand for a long time.
Nobody else has ever won a second world series. But, chances are somebody will get their second this year, as the three other world series winners in league history - Texas (season 2), Pawtucket (season 4), and Jacksonville (season 7) - are all still alive. Jacksonville looks to join the seasons 5 & 6 Shuffle as the only repeat champion in SW history. Texas looks to make its third straight World Series, an accomplishment that would give them four NL Pennants, one shy of KC's record 5. Pawtucket, once widely considered the clear-cut #2 team in SW probably joins Charlotte as the underdogs in this years final four.
Nobody is quite the underdog that Charlotte is, though. Through the first two seasons of SW, the knights franchise had won only 137 combined games, and quickly found themselves a new team president, dawgfan. He took over a very young organization, and quickly established a 5 year plan. In his first five years, the team won 68, 77, 81, 81 & 82 games. Thanks to a less than competitive AL East, the 82 wins in season 7 were enough to get the knights their first division championship, and a playoff berth in the process. The trip was shortlived, though, as Cheyenne easily eliminated them in 4 games in the first round. The experience was invaluable, though, and the knights would enter season 8 as a bonafide contender.
In winning 102 games in season 8, the knights definitively established themselves among the AL's elite. But, they still had trouble against the upper echelon of talent in the league, including a less than impressive 2-8 record against the Shuffle. No matter, the 3rd seed was theirs, and they were back in the playoffs. Still, the Jacksonville Juggernauts & the AL West was all anyone would talk about, until Charlotte avenged last years loss by defeating Cheyenne in 4 games and setting up a franchise defining series against the Shuffle. Kansas City had never contemplated losing in the ALDS, and was absolutely left speechless by a Charlotte sweep in the series. Now Charlotte, as hot as any team remaining but with a definite lack of respect, looks to dethrone another AL power en route to their first league pennant.
That power, the Jacksonville Juggernauts, has been Sharkey's Worlds "Team of the Future" since kalikgod took over in season 2. While stockpiling talent and hype the first few years, speculation began to also amount as to whether this was a team that was destined to always be a team of the future, or if that future would ever arrive. Arrive it did in season 6, as the Juggernauts won 91 games and their first of 3 consecutive division titles. Season 7 would be the year they put themselves on the map, though, as the team became the first AL team besides Kansas City to win a world series. Now in season 8, they led the league in wins during the regular season, and a second straight world series victory would create a new argument. Not "does this team belong in the conversation of the leagues elite?" because they've already proven they do, but rather "is this the new power franchise in the entire world, and will their current & upcoming run be better than that of Kansas City's before them?" Time shall tell.
Another noticable trait about this years Final Four is the fact that for only the second time in world history all four teams won 100+ games. The only other time that happened was in season 5. That year, both LCS's were relative disappointments, but nobody who was around will likely ever forget the Pawtucket-Kansas City 7 game world series, pitting future hall of famers Chris Ramirez & Dennys Shin against each other in possibly the most read box score in league history. With as much talent as there is remaining, might we achieve the next truly league defining series in the upcoming week? I'll bet yes, somewhere.
But of course, if there is one storyline to be talked about during the LCS, it's Texas vs Pawtucket. The Polythene vs the Tittyballs. The greatest rivalry in world history. For the third straight year, the rivals finished 1-2 in the National League standings. And for the fifth time in the last seven seasons, they meet in the playoffs. Two NLDS's. Two NLCS's. Two victories each. Two classic comebacks. Five combined NL Pennants, including the last four in a row. Two world series titles. Two original owners.
In season 2, the Polythene, having missed the playoffs in season 1, rode the arm of first year starter & Cy Young winner Chris Ramirez to 105 wins, the #1 seed, and a collision course world series meeting with Kansas City. Of course, that train was derailed early as another rookie, Billy Hernandez of Texas, led his upstart Tittyballs to a four game sweep of the Polythene in the NLCS. The Tittyballs went on to win their one & only world series.
In season 4, the Polythene were coming off back to back disappointing NLCS losses while they were heavily favored, and looking to make a name for themselves. Then they ran into the Tittyballs in the NLDS, and Texas quickly stormed out to a 2-1 series lead. Facing elimination, Chris Ramirez started game 4 on 3 days rest, and tied the series. In the decisive 5th game, Henry Mackowiak started game 5, also on 3 days rest, and the Polythene won. They then defeated the Nomads & Shuffle en route to their first World Series title.
The next season, the Tittyballs stormed back and entered the last day of the season with a 104-57 record, tied with the Polythene for 2nd in the NL. On that last day, Pawtucket won, and Texas lost, forcing the Tittyballs to face (and sweep) the Chicago Smooth Horses before setting up Texas-Pawtucket III in the NLDS. Once again, Texas stormed out to a 2-1 lead, and once again Chris Ramirez won game 4 on short rest. This time, though Mackowiak was on the DL for the rest of the year with an arm injury, so Stan Jenner took the mound for game 5. The pitcher who is much publicized for his playoff shortcomings got the victory for Pawtucket, who then beat Rochester in the NLCS before losing to KC in an epic 7 game world series.
In season 6, the Tittyballs signed a few big name free agents in hopes of finally closing the gap on the Polythene. Instead, the Polythene won 110 games, 5 more than the previous season, while the Tittyballs dropped to 102, 8 games back. The 102 wins were good enough for #2, though, and both teams won their NLDS series to set up Texas-Pawtucket IV in the NLCS. Pawtucket was looking to win it's 3rd straight NL Pennant, and establish themselves as the dominant force in NL history. Texas raced out to a 3-1 lead this time, and on short rest, Chris Ramirez won again to send the series back to Pawtucket down 3-2. But this time, Henry Mackowiak couldn't get the job done, and Texas won the series 4-2.
The next season, Pawtucket & Texas finished 1-2 again, and were expected to meet for the 4th straight season in the playoffs. Pawtucket stumbled in the NLDS, and Texas cakewalked to their second straight NL Pennant, and 3rd overall, one more than Pawtucket has.
Now, a year later, they finally meet for Texas-Pawtucket V. This time Texas is looking to get their 3rd straight pennant, and Pawtucket is firmly entrenched as the #2 franchise in NL history, and trying to reverse the current trend.
Four teams on four very different paths, but all are alive & kicking, which 28 other teams can't say about their own fortunes.
I offer no predictions as to what will happen, but I will say this - will anybody be surprised at all if we see three 7 game series in the next week?
It's going to be fun.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Career Coaching Victories
Because I'm sure people are interested in seeing where they stand, here are the 32 current owners in this world, what their rank is on the career victory list, and how many victories they have.
1. pvc4twenty 873
2. sharkeyke 822
3. longdayintro 766
4. dupala 730
5. badercubed 712
6. snarfuller 681
7. johnderasmo 663
8. ohiopirate 662
9. jtrueblue 645
11. krs96 611
12. rockybill1 610
13. hausenpfeffe 595
14. dubabe401 592
15. telecasting 590
16. bearclan 573
17. kalikgod 570
19. hallgren 562
20. irishfury01 522
21. peteskin 521
22. loganru 514
24. dawgfan1974 492
25. ripnsnort 488
27. nnurmo 428
28. dave23 422
29. benny b la 412
30. vladyhop 355
31. jlinchec 301
35. frog06 169
42. mcrobbyj 84
47. cjwagner 77
51. scottjdumais 73
62. kingdean 18
1. pvc4twenty 873
2. sharkeyke 822
3. longdayintro 766
4. dupala 730
5. badercubed 712
6. snarfuller 681
7. johnderasmo 663
8. ohiopirate 662
9. jtrueblue 645
11. krs96 611
12. rockybill1 610
13. hausenpfeffe 595
14. dubabe401 592
15. telecasting 590
16. bearclan 573
17. kalikgod 570
19. hallgren 562
20. irishfury01 522
21. peteskin 521
22. loganru 514
24. dawgfan1974 492
25. ripnsnort 488
27. nnurmo 428
28. dave23 422
29. benny b la 412
30. vladyhop 355
31. jlinchec 301
35. frog06 169
42. mcrobbyj 84
47. cjwagner 77
51. scottjdumais 73
62. kingdean 18
Final Records Recap
Let's see how I did in predicting all 32 teams win totals. These projections came after the allstar break, with 71 games remaining in the season.
The first number is the predicted total, and number in parantheses is their actual win total, and the number after the parentheses is amount off I was.
NL North
Rochester 91 (94) -3
Cleveland 87 (82) +5
Buffalo 82 (73) +9
St. Louis 71 (67) +4
NL East
Pawtucket 110 (108) +2
Norfolk 96 (84) +12
Scranton 70 (68) +2
Huntington 70 (70) *CORRECT*
NL South
Texas 102 (106) -4
Memphis 88 (79) +9
Richmond 76 (74) +2
New Orleans 73 (86) -13
NL West
Colorado Springs 94 (100) -6
Tuscon 86 (86) *CORRECT*
San Francisco 80 (69) +11
Salt Lake City 68 (63) +5
AL North
Fargo 91 (93) -2
New York 83 (86) -3
Detroit 64 (58) +6
Trenton n/a
AL East
Charlotte 96 (102) -6
Indianapolis 81 (77) +4
Atlanta 78 (73) +5
Hartford 58 (54) +4
AL South
Jacksonville 103 (113) -10
Monterey 85 (84) +1
Houston 70 (74) -4
Little Rock 64 (51) +13
AL West
Kansas City 107 (112) -5
Cheyenne 95 (90) +5
Fresno 94 (97) -3
Scottsdale 86 (82) +4
The first number is the predicted total, and number in parantheses is their actual win total, and the number after the parentheses is amount off I was.
NL North
Rochester 91 (94) -3
Cleveland 87 (82) +5
Buffalo 82 (73) +9
St. Louis 71 (67) +4
NL East
Pawtucket 110 (108) +2
Norfolk 96 (84) +12
Scranton 70 (68) +2
Huntington 70 (70) *CORRECT*
NL South
Texas 102 (106) -4
Memphis 88 (79) +9
Richmond 76 (74) +2
New Orleans 73 (86) -13
NL West
Colorado Springs 94 (100) -6
Tuscon 86 (86) *CORRECT*
San Francisco 80 (69) +11
Salt Lake City 68 (63) +5
AL North
Fargo 91 (93) -2
New York 83 (86) -3
Detroit 64 (58) +6
Trenton n/a
AL East
Charlotte 96 (102) -6
Indianapolis 81 (77) +4
Atlanta 78 (73) +5
Hartford 58 (54) +4
AL South
Jacksonville 103 (113) -10
Monterey 85 (84) +1
Houston 70 (74) -4
Little Rock 64 (51) +13
AL West
Kansas City 107 (112) -5
Cheyenne 95 (90) +5
Fresno 94 (97) -3
Scottsdale 86 (82) +4
Thursday, January 29, 2009
5 Worst Trades in Seasons 1-3
Here is a list that nobody wants to be on. A bad trade can set your team up for disaster, and the other team for success. Over the life of this World, we have seen many controversial trades, and many we thought were perfect for both sides. This post will take a look at the worst trades from the first 3 seasons.
Austin (New Orleans) sends SS Julian Thomson to Kansas City for LF Jin-Che Tanaka, P Derek Cota, and SS Mitchell Finley in Season 2.
Thomson, the #1 overall pick in Season 1, is arguably the most complete SS in Sharkey's World today. Although his range is slightly below average, his batting numbers more than makeup for his defense. The package that was sent to Austin was laughable at best. Tanaka never played a game, and Cota pitched 313 innings in his ML career boasting a 15-16 record with a 5.51 ERA. Finley, the only player sent to Austin still playing today, has enjoyed a successful minor league career (.321/.392/.603), but has struggled in the majors (.248/.311/.412).
Atlanta sends P Henry Mackowiak to Pawtucket for IF/OF Kevin O'Shea, OF Benjamin Butler, and C Harry Foster in Season 3.
Nothing needs to be said about Henry Mackowiak. The Pawtucket hurler has a career 105-37 record, 2.51 ERA and a CY Young in Season 4. Utility man Kevin O'Shea, best known for his off-season work in Urbania, Ohio, has spent time in the minors in all but 2 seasons. His ML career line of .279/.332/.371 makes him the best member of the group. Benjamin Butler saw his first ML action in Season 8, posting a .196/.301/.327 in 153 ABs. His durability will prevent him from getting a full season in at any level. As for Foster, his career seemed like that of a D-List Adam Dunn. A ML caliber stick with no real position.
Columbus (New York) sends IF Mark Abercrombie to Huntington for P Whitey Hall in Season 1.
Abercrombie started his career at SS, but moved to 3B after Season 4. Although traded 3 times, he has a career line of .305/.370/.487 in more than 1100 ML games. He has had over 600 plate appearances in every season except Season 4. At age 29, his still has many productive years ahead of him. Whitey Hall never pitched after Season 6. In 132 career ML games, he is 51-53 with a 5.03 ERA. With no control, nor a dominate pitch, Hall's career never seemed to have a chance.
St. Louis sends 2B Bobby Parris, P Tony Villafuerte, and $2.0 million to Louisville (Monterrey) for P Oleg Webster, P Andre Holt, and P Del Duffy in Season 2.
Parris has averaged almost 25 HRs per season, with a career .290/.353/.476 line. He plays Gold Glove caliber defense at 2B and has had 1 trip to the DL for a broken wrist in Season 2. Villafuerte was a salary dump, but he was effect in 2 of 3 seasons before his retirement. Webster played 2 seasons in St. Louis before his reitrement posting a 12.00+ ERA in only 26.1 ML innings. SP Andre Holt has shown flashes of brilliance. In Season 4, he went 10-9 in 215 innings with a 3.89 ERA at the ML level. However, his career number show a much different pitcher. He hasn't played since Season 6 and remains unsigned. Retired Del Duffy has suffered the same fate as Webster.
Austin (New Orleans) sends P Felipe Soto to Cheyenne for P Brian Allen and P David Villa in Season 3.
Felipe Soto has enjoyed success at the ML level since the trade. He boasts a career 3.89 ERA, and has been used as a reliever and starter. An All-Star in Season 4, he is currently a Cy Young candidate with a 18-5 record and 2.64 ERA. Brian Allen has been suffled back and forth between the Majors and AAA. With a career ML ERA of 5.44, he has proven to be less than effective. While Allen was being moved around, David Villa has remained. Villa has pitched 374 AAA games. However, a .310 OAV and 6.78 ERA will not get the job done.
** After making this list, I realize that New Orleans could have actually been good **
Austin (New Orleans) sends SS Julian Thomson to Kansas City for LF Jin-Che Tanaka, P Derek Cota, and SS Mitchell Finley in Season 2.
Thomson, the #1 overall pick in Season 1, is arguably the most complete SS in Sharkey's World today. Although his range is slightly below average, his batting numbers more than makeup for his defense. The package that was sent to Austin was laughable at best. Tanaka never played a game, and Cota pitched 313 innings in his ML career boasting a 15-16 record with a 5.51 ERA. Finley, the only player sent to Austin still playing today, has enjoyed a successful minor league career (.321/.392/.603), but has struggled in the majors (.248/.311/.412).
Atlanta sends P Henry Mackowiak to Pawtucket for IF/OF Kevin O'Shea, OF Benjamin Butler, and C Harry Foster in Season 3.
Nothing needs to be said about Henry Mackowiak. The Pawtucket hurler has a career 105-37 record, 2.51 ERA and a CY Young in Season 4. Utility man Kevin O'Shea, best known for his off-season work in Urbania, Ohio, has spent time in the minors in all but 2 seasons. His ML career line of .279/.332/.371 makes him the best member of the group. Benjamin Butler saw his first ML action in Season 8, posting a .196/.301/.327 in 153 ABs. His durability will prevent him from getting a full season in at any level. As for Foster, his career seemed like that of a D-List Adam Dunn. A ML caliber stick with no real position.
Columbus (New York) sends IF Mark Abercrombie to Huntington for P Whitey Hall in Season 1.
Abercrombie started his career at SS, but moved to 3B after Season 4. Although traded 3 times, he has a career line of .305/.370/.487 in more than 1100 ML games. He has had over 600 plate appearances in every season except Season 4. At age 29, his still has many productive years ahead of him. Whitey Hall never pitched after Season 6. In 132 career ML games, he is 51-53 with a 5.03 ERA. With no control, nor a dominate pitch, Hall's career never seemed to have a chance.
St. Louis sends 2B Bobby Parris, P Tony Villafuerte, and $2.0 million to Louisville (Monterrey) for P Oleg Webster, P Andre Holt, and P Del Duffy in Season 2.
Parris has averaged almost 25 HRs per season, with a career .290/.353/.476 line. He plays Gold Glove caliber defense at 2B and has had 1 trip to the DL for a broken wrist in Season 2. Villafuerte was a salary dump, but he was effect in 2 of 3 seasons before his retirement. Webster played 2 seasons in St. Louis before his reitrement posting a 12.00+ ERA in only 26.1 ML innings. SP Andre Holt has shown flashes of brilliance. In Season 4, he went 10-9 in 215 innings with a 3.89 ERA at the ML level. However, his career number show a much different pitcher. He hasn't played since Season 6 and remains unsigned. Retired Del Duffy has suffered the same fate as Webster.
Austin (New Orleans) sends P Felipe Soto to Cheyenne for P Brian Allen and P David Villa in Season 3.
Felipe Soto has enjoyed success at the ML level since the trade. He boasts a career 3.89 ERA, and has been used as a reliever and starter. An All-Star in Season 4, he is currently a Cy Young candidate with a 18-5 record and 2.64 ERA. Brian Allen has been suffled back and forth between the Majors and AAA. With a career ML ERA of 5.44, he has proven to be less than effective. While Allen was being moved around, David Villa has remained. Villa has pitched 374 AAA games. However, a .310 OAV and 6.78 ERA will not get the job done.
** After making this list, I realize that New Orleans could have actually been good **
Monday, January 26, 2009
Here is some interesting info on the ballpark effects for each league. It looks like in addition to having to face DH's instead of pitchers, our guys in the AL also don't get as many pitcher friendly parks.
| Big League Level: Season 8 | ||||||||
| Effects | ||||||||
| League | Ballpark | Franchise | User | 1B | 2B | 3B | HR LF | HR RF |
| AL | Cash Field | FAR Nines | dupala | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| AL | Comerica Park | DET Tigers | peteskin | 2 | -2 | 3 | -2 | -2 |
| AL | Conte Yard | CHY ChilliPeppers | Snarfuller | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | -2 |
| AL | Estadio Monterrey | MNT Cervezas | mcrobbyj | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| AL | Grizzlies Stadium | FRE Fire Dragons | nnurmo | 0 | -1 | 0 | -2 | -2 |
| AL | Kauffman Stadium | KC Shuffle | pvc4twenty | 1 | 2 | 3 | -2 | -2 |
| AL | Knights Castle | CHA knights | dawgfan1974 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AL | Minute Maid Park | HOU Aggies | dubabe401 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| AL | Ray Winder Field | LR Big Rocks | krs96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AL | The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville | JAX Juggernauts | kalikgod | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| AL | The Davis Ballpark | SCO T's | jlinchec | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| AL | Turner Field | ATL City Slickers | rockybill1 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| AL | Victory Field | IND Racers | cjwagner | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| AL | Waterfront Park | TRE Tadpoles | kingdean | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AL | Welch Park | HAR Defenders | frog06 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| AL | Yankee Stadium (II) | NY1 Moon Shots | hallgren | 0 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Effects | 10 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 5 | |||
| NL | Ameriquest Field in Arlington | TEX Tittyballs | longdayintro | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| NL | AT&T Park | SF Sourdoughs | johnderasmo | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | -3 |
| NL | AutoZone Park | MEM Hound Dawgs | dave23 | -2 | -2 | -3 | -2 | -2 |
| NL | Busch Stadium (II) | STL Birdnals | irishfury01 | -2 | -2 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| NL | Dunn Tire Park | BUF Thunderbolts | scottjdumais | -1 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| NL | Eble Park | HUN Cousins | bearclan1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| NL | Franklin Covey Field | SLC Dodgers | benny_b_la | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| NL | Frontier Field | ROC Raging Rhinos | badercubed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NL | Harbor Park | NOR Nomads | loganru | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NL | Jacobs Field | CLE Steamers | telecasting | 1 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| NL | Lackawanna County Stadium | SWB Dunder-Mifflins | jtrueblue74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NL | McCoy Stadium | PAW Polythene | sharkeyke | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 |
| NL | Security Service Field | CSP AltiDUDES | ohiopirate | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | -2 |
| NL | The Diamond | RIC Moonshiners II | ripnsnort | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NL | Tucson Electric Park | TUC Turbocors | hausenpfeffe | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| NL | Zephyr Field | NO Breeze | vladyhop | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Effects | 7 | 2 | 7 | -1 | 1 | |||
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Season 8 draft recap
1.
Salt Lake City leads off the draft after posting just 50 wins season 7 and tabs Brian Posey with the pressure of being the top overall pick. Posey starts his career at 2B but a move to LF seems likely when he reaches the Bigs. Look for Posey to be an All-star for 10+ seasons with his big bat and fleet feet.
2.
Hartford knows good pitching is hard to find and grabs a good looking SP with pick number 2. With solid control and a good 1st pitch Jensen should be a solid Big League starter though not necessarily the staff ace you'd like to grab at the top of the draft
3.
Pitchers go back to back when Little Rock selects a workhorse in Alex Ortiz. Look for many complete games with Ortiz' stamina/durability to go along with his nice splits and top notch control. A 12-1 record and a Cy Young award in rookie league is a sign of things to come for Ortiz.
4.
Detroit continues to stockpile young talent as they grab a SS with pick number 4. Conway is solid across the board on offense and will steal his fair share of bases as well. Players this talented on offense that can also play good infield defense are hard to come by. The Tigers grabbed a beast this year which is proved by the fact that Conway wins the rookie league silver slugger AND gold glove SS awards in his first pro season!
5.
When a player draws comparisons to Christopher Ramirez you know his future is bright. While Podsednik has a long way to go to reach those lofty goals he has all the tools. Pinpoint control, great splits and an extensive selection of good pitches R-Pod figures to anchor Scranton's rotation for years to come.
6. If Ortiz was a workhorse than Jamie Blackwell is a workhorse on steroids. Atlanta takes SP Blackwell at number 6 and immediately throws him into the fire at AAA where he holds his own. Look for Blackwell to make his big league debut sooner rather than later and leave batters shaking their heads with his exceptional control and splits.
7. SP Dave Knight gets picked 7th and is looking to sign but Buffalo is playing hardball and has currently said thanks but no thanks to his services. Stay tuned to see if this soap opera gets resolved before the season ends...
8. New York selects RF Ray Dunn with pick #8. Another great hitter with great speed, we're starting to see the trend for the season 8 draft. Dunn has worked his way up to HiA by the end of the season and this 22 year old should kill RHP in the big leagues in a few years.
9. SP Dave Harper goes 9th to Houston as they fall in love with how he can control his fastball. Never the smartest kid in school, Harper went to Central Carolina Community College and his best pitch is his number 2 pitch by far. Hey Dave, why don't you use that as your first pitch kid? Just a thought. Velcro laces on your spikes will be your friend Dave.
10. 2B Harvey Miller goes 10th to Huntington. Miller instantly becomes Huntington's 2B of the future and is a solid pick at number 10. Look for him to rake against lefties.
11. Miguel Mercedes was surprised to hear his name called this early in the draft but is up for the challenge. This SP has his work cut out for him after getting knocked around in rookie league but expect him to throw with a chip on his shoulder as he tries to make his way to the big leagues.
12. Sam Skinner had so much fun at the University of Florida it seems this 2B might just go back for his senior season instead of signing with Indianapolis. Its hard to blame him though...when Jesus...I mean Tim Tebow decided he would come back for his senior year Skinner thought he would be remiss if he didn't graduate at the same time and get to walk with the messiah.
13. Slugger Julian Meadows goes 13th to Cleveland as that franchise starts to turn the corner. Meadows had a great first pro season in LoA hitting .370 with 22 HRs to date - a sign of the power he hopes to display in Bigs.
14. Candy Green has anything but a candy arm as this OF figures to rack up some outfield assist in his career. When he's not gunning down runners he'll be spraying the ball to all fields with his exceptional splits against both lefties and righties for the Sourdoughs as they continue their youth movement.
15. NL West teams pick back to back as Tuscon selects Octavio Lee to add to their rotation of the future. Great splits and 5 good pitches make a Lee a very solid pick midway through the first round.
16. At 16, St. Louis gets another one of those solid hitters than can steal some bases in RF Marino Wilfredo. While a torn ligament in his knee ended Wilfredo's first pro season early, he was off to a great start hitting a hair under .400 in 42 games.
17. Another SP comes off the board as Charlotte snags Juan Vizquel at pick number 17. Vizquel won't blow you away with any of his ratings but he is solid across the board and will latch onto a spot in the big leagues but it won't be at the top of the rotation.
18. SP Tony Hand is picked 18th by Monterrey and finishes his first pro season with a 6-2 record and 3.09 in LoA. While its rare to snag a staff ace at this point in the draft, you'll happily take a player like Hand that should give you some quality innings from the middle to bottom of your rotation.
19. A third straight SP comes off the board next when Scottsdale selects Donn Holtz. Holtz looks like the real deal and jlinchec has to be happy to add him to his young stable.
20. Defense goes 20th when Richmond selects SS Desi Flores. This slick fielder can steal some bases and will be an asset to the big league squad once he gets coached up on his fielding if he can meet his coach's projections.
21. Rochester joins the SP parade with Jeff Martin taken at pick 21. Affectionatley knows as "Wild Thing" to his friends at Mott Community College this 5'11" hurler will throw the ball right past you if he doens't stick it in your ear first. Batters don't dig their feet in against Martin especially left handers who this LH pitcher is especially deadly against.
22. Scottsdale makes its 2nd pick of the first round and hits another HR with 2B Galahad Pavano. Look for a move to LF before all is said and done for Pavano but there's no question he'll handle the bat well for the T's.
23. SS Ricky Beam goes next to Colorado Springs as this year's draft produces another solid hitter than can steal a base when needed. Hitting .424 in rookie leauge, expect Beam to work his way through the AltiDUDES organization before breaking into the bigs as a 3B most likely. In the meantime however, Beam is your NL rookie league SS silver slugger.
24. The first RP comes off the board at 24 with Fritz Sheridan going to Norfolk. If you're going to take a RP in the first round - this is the type to take...a possible lights out closer at the big league level if he reaches projections. If Norfolk can take care of the first 8 innings, Sheridan will take care of the 9th.
25. C/DH goes next to Fargo with Ross Dougherty. Finishing rookie league with a .399 batting average, Dougherty is solid across the board on offense with a great eye. His defense is good enough to get by in the bigs but he might crack the lineup as a DH on this American League squad. If you've met Ross Dougherty then you've met the AL rookie league sliver slugger award winner at C this season.
26. Little Rock's 2nd pick of the first round is Carl Petrick - a C/DH type not unlike the player taken one spot in front of him. Petrick hit .390 in his first pro season in rookie leauge. Expect these last two picks to be forever linked to see who should have gone off the board first.
27. At pick 27 Jacksonville takes Banana White, the CF with the good game and better name. Growing up this speedy CF was certainly teased about his white banana but after his $1.5 million signing bonus who is laughing now? White won't hit a HR unless its inside the park but you don't need power when the rest of your skill set is as good as this banana boy. Defense, offense, and speed. Great pick this late in the first round. Its been a good few months for the defending champion Juggernauts.
28. Fresno was in the market for a SP and got about who they would expect to get at the tail end of the first round in Posiedon Crawford. Crawford won't wow you with his splits but shows very nice control and 2 plus pitches which means he should make the big league rotation in the always tough AL West.
29. Texas goes pitching as well and will look to Ron Dickens to be the next homegrown talent to reach the Bigs for the Tittyballs, just like their two young guns that made their debut this season for the big league club. Dickens is going to scare the dickens out of RHB for years to come.
30. RP Augie Stephens goes 30th to Pawtucket and jumps right into the award parade this franchise has shown in winning the rookie league fireman of the year award in his first pro season. Was Pawtucket concerned about division-rival Norfolk's RP selection earlier in round one when they made this pick? Pawtucket owner Sharkey has no comment other than "Scoreboard" but we will see who has the last laugh in a few years as these two young relievers work their way to the ML level.
31. Releivers go back to back when Cheyenne selects Jesus "Tim Tebow" James with pick 31. James saved 11 games his first year - splitting time between rookie league and LoA. Jesus put the fear of God into left handed hitters when he's on the mound. You'll have to earn your way on base as James is not going to put runners on base with his exceptional control.
32. You had the best record in the league last season Kansas City...what does that earn you? C/DH Philip Myers, that's who. An 0-3 performance on the last day of the season dropped Myers below .400 in his first season as he finishes the year at .399 While his pitch calling is a bit lower than you'd like - Myers has s good arm behind the plate if he needs to catch but swings a good enough stick to handle DH duties as well.
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Salt Lake City leads off the draft after posting just 50 wins season 7 and tabs Brian Posey with the pressure of being the top overall pick. Posey starts his career at 2B but a move to LF seems likely when he reaches the Bigs. Look for Posey to be an All-star for 10+ seasons with his big bat and fleet feet.
2.
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Hartford knows good pitching is hard to find and grabs a good looking SP with pick number 2. With solid control and a good 1st pitch Jensen should be a solid Big League starter though not necessarily the staff ace you'd like to grab at the top of the draft
3.
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Pitchers go back to back when Little Rock selects a workhorse in Alex Ortiz. Look for many complete games with Ortiz' stamina/durability to go along with his nice splits and top notch control. A 12-1 record and a Cy Young award in rookie league is a sign of things to come for Ortiz.
4.
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Detroit continues to stockpile young talent as they grab a SS with pick number 4. Conway is solid across the board on offense and will steal his fair share of bases as well. Players this talented on offense that can also play good infield defense are hard to come by. The Tigers grabbed a beast this year which is proved by the fact that Conway wins the rookie league silver slugger AND gold glove SS awards in his first pro season!
5.
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When a player draws comparisons to Christopher Ramirez you know his future is bright. While Podsednik has a long way to go to reach those lofty goals he has all the tools. Pinpoint control, great splits and an extensive selection of good pitches R-Pod figures to anchor Scranton's rotation for years to come.
6. If Ortiz was a workhorse than Jamie Blackwell is a workhorse on steroids. Atlanta takes SP Blackwell at number 6 and immediately throws him into the fire at AAA where he holds his own. Look for Blackwell to make his big league debut sooner rather than later and leave batters shaking their heads with his exceptional control and splits.
7. SP Dave Knight gets picked 7th and is looking to sign but Buffalo is playing hardball and has currently said thanks but no thanks to his services. Stay tuned to see if this soap opera gets resolved before the season ends...
8. New York selects RF Ray Dunn with pick #8. Another great hitter with great speed, we're starting to see the trend for the season 8 draft. Dunn has worked his way up to HiA by the end of the season and this 22 year old should kill RHP in the big leagues in a few years.
9. SP Dave Harper goes 9th to Houston as they fall in love with how he can control his fastball. Never the smartest kid in school, Harper went to Central Carolina Community College and his best pitch is his number 2 pitch by far. Hey Dave, why don't you use that as your first pitch kid? Just a thought. Velcro laces on your spikes will be your friend Dave.
10. 2B Harvey Miller goes 10th to Huntington. Miller instantly becomes Huntington's 2B of the future and is a solid pick at number 10. Look for him to rake against lefties.
11. Miguel Mercedes was surprised to hear his name called this early in the draft but is up for the challenge. This SP has his work cut out for him after getting knocked around in rookie league but expect him to throw with a chip on his shoulder as he tries to make his way to the big leagues.
12. Sam Skinner had so much fun at the University of Florida it seems this 2B might just go back for his senior season instead of signing with Indianapolis. Its hard to blame him though...when Jesus...I mean Tim Tebow decided he would come back for his senior year Skinner thought he would be remiss if he didn't graduate at the same time and get to walk with the messiah.
13. Slugger Julian Meadows goes 13th to Cleveland as that franchise starts to turn the corner. Meadows had a great first pro season in LoA hitting .370 with 22 HRs to date - a sign of the power he hopes to display in Bigs.
14. Candy Green has anything but a candy arm as this OF figures to rack up some outfield assist in his career. When he's not gunning down runners he'll be spraying the ball to all fields with his exceptional splits against both lefties and righties for the Sourdoughs as they continue their youth movement.
15. NL West teams pick back to back as Tuscon selects Octavio Lee to add to their rotation of the future. Great splits and 5 good pitches make a Lee a very solid pick midway through the first round.
16. At 16, St. Louis gets another one of those solid hitters than can steal some bases in RF Marino Wilfredo. While a torn ligament in his knee ended Wilfredo's first pro season early, he was off to a great start hitting a hair under .400 in 42 games.
17. Another SP comes off the board as Charlotte snags Juan Vizquel at pick number 17. Vizquel won't blow you away with any of his ratings but he is solid across the board and will latch onto a spot in the big leagues but it won't be at the top of the rotation.
18. SP Tony Hand is picked 18th by Monterrey and finishes his first pro season with a 6-2 record and 3.09 in LoA. While its rare to snag a staff ace at this point in the draft, you'll happily take a player like Hand that should give you some quality innings from the middle to bottom of your rotation.
19. A third straight SP comes off the board next when Scottsdale selects Donn Holtz. Holtz looks like the real deal and jlinchec has to be happy to add him to his young stable.
20. Defense goes 20th when Richmond selects SS Desi Flores. This slick fielder can steal some bases and will be an asset to the big league squad once he gets coached up on his fielding if he can meet his coach's projections.
21. Rochester joins the SP parade with Jeff Martin taken at pick 21. Affectionatley knows as "Wild Thing" to his friends at Mott Community College this 5'11" hurler will throw the ball right past you if he doens't stick it in your ear first. Batters don't dig their feet in against Martin especially left handers who this LH pitcher is especially deadly against.
22. Scottsdale makes its 2nd pick of the first round and hits another HR with 2B Galahad Pavano. Look for a move to LF before all is said and done for Pavano but there's no question he'll handle the bat well for the T's.
23. SS Ricky Beam goes next to Colorado Springs as this year's draft produces another solid hitter than can steal a base when needed. Hitting .424 in rookie leauge, expect Beam to work his way through the AltiDUDES organization before breaking into the bigs as a 3B most likely. In the meantime however, Beam is your NL rookie league SS silver slugger.
24. The first RP comes off the board at 24 with Fritz Sheridan going to Norfolk. If you're going to take a RP in the first round - this is the type to take...a possible lights out closer at the big league level if he reaches projections. If Norfolk can take care of the first 8 innings, Sheridan will take care of the 9th.
25. C/DH goes next to Fargo with Ross Dougherty. Finishing rookie league with a .399 batting average, Dougherty is solid across the board on offense with a great eye. His defense is good enough to get by in the bigs but he might crack the lineup as a DH on this American League squad. If you've met Ross Dougherty then you've met the AL rookie league sliver slugger award winner at C this season.
26. Little Rock's 2nd pick of the first round is Carl Petrick - a C/DH type not unlike the player taken one spot in front of him. Petrick hit .390 in his first pro season in rookie leauge. Expect these last two picks to be forever linked to see who should have gone off the board first.
27. At pick 27 Jacksonville takes Banana White, the CF with the good game and better name. Growing up this speedy CF was certainly teased about his white banana but after his $1.5 million signing bonus who is laughing now? White won't hit a HR unless its inside the park but you don't need power when the rest of your skill set is as good as this banana boy. Defense, offense, and speed. Great pick this late in the first round. Its been a good few months for the defending champion Juggernauts.
28. Fresno was in the market for a SP and got about who they would expect to get at the tail end of the first round in Posiedon Crawford. Crawford won't wow you with his splits but shows very nice control and 2 plus pitches which means he should make the big league rotation in the always tough AL West.
29. Texas goes pitching as well and will look to Ron Dickens to be the next homegrown talent to reach the Bigs for the Tittyballs, just like their two young guns that made their debut this season for the big league club. Dickens is going to scare the dickens out of RHB for years to come.
30. RP Augie Stephens goes 30th to Pawtucket and jumps right into the award parade this franchise has shown in winning the rookie league fireman of the year award in his first pro season. Was Pawtucket concerned about division-rival Norfolk's RP selection earlier in round one when they made this pick? Pawtucket owner Sharkey has no comment other than "Scoreboard" but we will see who has the last laugh in a few years as these two young relievers work their way to the ML level.
31. Releivers go back to back when Cheyenne selects Jesus "Tim Tebow" James with pick 31. James saved 11 games his first year - splitting time between rookie league and LoA. Jesus put the fear of God into left handed hitters when he's on the mound. You'll have to earn your way on base as James is not going to put runners on base with his exceptional control.
32. You had the best record in the league last season Kansas City...what does that earn you? C/DH Philip Myers, that's who. An 0-3 performance on the last day of the season dropped Myers below .400 in his first season as he finishes the year at .399 While his pitch calling is a bit lower than you'd like - Myers has s good arm behind the plate if he needs to catch but swings a good enough stick to handle DH duties as well.
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