Almost a third into the season, so trends have been taking shape for awhile. Here are the top teams ranked by W-L first, and run differential second (in parens):
1. Honolulu Brawling Kahunas 41-9: getting crazy-good pitching and remarkable seasons from oldies Sammy Sierra (.403 BA) and Butch Collins (.363).
2. Kansas City Masterpiece 35-15: Neil Parker and Felipe Espinoza both over 1.000 OPS; Art Drew off to a 7-0 start.
3. Chicago Gangsta' Chimps 34-16 (+140): on pace to score nearly 1300 runs; 3rd straight MVP for James Martin (.335/21/75)?
4. Richmond Tides 36-14 (+63): Balance - 5th in runs scored, 4th in Team ERA. Gerald Kirby (5-1, 1.91 ERA) and Thomas Moya (.298/17/34) leading the way.
5. Durham Blue Devils 33-17: Almost as prolific as the Chimps. Tyrone Dawkins' (.388/16/55) FA contract looks like a bargain now, and Tripp Snow (.341/16/57) is having his usual great season.
6. Oakland Oaks 30-20 (+69): Just keep adding good young players. Pascual Ordonez (.280/24/53) is on a 78-HR pace; Tony Tarasco is 8-2, 2.39.
7. Philadelphia Clarkerrs 30-20 (+60): Surprise contender is getting great pitching (3.47 ERA) and a power attack (71 homers). Armando Romo (.347/19/50) is making an MVP bid; Cecil Flores (4-2, 2.51 ERA) leads the staff.
8. Toronto Tornfingers 28-22 (+42): Best NL team OPS. Gary Munson (.272/9/26), Danny Brunette (.324/10/33), Matthew Payton (.321/9/24) and Steve Wilson (.279/17/54) lead the balanced attack.
9. Arizona Flip-Floppers 28-22 (-22) Somehow playing .560 ball while socring 22 fewer runs than they've allowed (.455 expected %). It helps when your closer is 20-for-20 with a 0.46 ERA (Hooks Perisho). Also helps to have Joe Thompson (.372/19/52).
10. Memphis Maulers 27-23 (+56): Pitching rules in the big ballpark: Robert Knight (5-2, 2.70 ERA) and Coco Casey 4-1, 3.19 ERA) have Maulers runnign second in NL South.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Breaking Down The Ottawa-Florida Blockbuster
Ottawa and Florida have just pulled off the biggest trade in recent Double Mendoza memory. Here's how it breaks down:
Ottawa gets:
OF Randy Christman - might be a bit overpaid, but you won't find a more reliable on-base threat
SS Clem Powell - 7th pick of the Season 3 draft could be his way to the first of many Gold Gloves
SP Kevin Kida - Season 7 IFA projects to a solid #2 with very good control and splits, better-than-average velocity and sinking action. His #1 pitch (sinker) will undoubtedly be ML quality; the only question mark on this guy is how well his #2-#4 pitches develop.
Florida gets:
3B Pablo Johnson - the prize of the Season 5 IFA class ($18.6MM bonus), he makes excellent contact, has plus power, and could draw 85+ walks a year. He can already be an average-to-good defender at 3B, and still has some developing to do. There are a bunch of All-Star Games and numerous other awards in the future for this kid.
SS Michael Swann - The Pends are getting back an adequate SS here. His glove is a little less than you want at SS, and his range doesn't quite make up for it. He has a very strong throwing arm and good accuracy. Thanks to his proficiency against lefties, he's a better hitter than your average SS.
SP Stew Roundtree - Season 7 1st-rounder (#30) has a long way to go, but if his pitches all develop, he could overcome shaky splits and be a ML contributor.
Analysis
Looks to me like Florida got the absolute max possible for Johnson - a very nice SP prospect, arguably the best defensive SS in Double Mendoza (young, to boot), plus a nice ML OF. Not that Johnson isn't worth it. He has it all...he'll be a .300+ hitter with power and a great walk totals, he'll be a plus defender at 3B, and he'll steal bases if needed. The only flaw is a low DUR rating (67), but given the rest of the package that's pretty easily overlooked. Swan and Roundtree are the 5th and 6th-best pieces in the trade. Who has improved their team more? Assuming they promote Johnson immediately, Florida. Long-term (when Kida reaches the bigs), I think Ottawa gets a little edge, but I can easily see this being a great trade for both teams.
Ottawa gets:
OF Randy Christman - might be a bit overpaid, but you won't find a more reliable on-base threat
SS Clem Powell - 7th pick of the Season 3 draft could be his way to the first of many Gold Gloves
SP Kevin Kida - Season 7 IFA projects to a solid #2 with very good control and splits, better-than-average velocity and sinking action. His #1 pitch (sinker) will undoubtedly be ML quality; the only question mark on this guy is how well his #2-#4 pitches develop.
Florida gets:
3B Pablo Johnson - the prize of the Season 5 IFA class ($18.6MM bonus), he makes excellent contact, has plus power, and could draw 85+ walks a year. He can already be an average-to-good defender at 3B, and still has some developing to do. There are a bunch of All-Star Games and numerous other awards in the future for this kid.
SS Michael Swann - The Pends are getting back an adequate SS here. His glove is a little less than you want at SS, and his range doesn't quite make up for it. He has a very strong throwing arm and good accuracy. Thanks to his proficiency against lefties, he's a better hitter than your average SS.
SP Stew Roundtree - Season 7 1st-rounder (#30) has a long way to go, but if his pitches all develop, he could overcome shaky splits and be a ML contributor.
Analysis
Looks to me like Florida got the absolute max possible for Johnson - a very nice SP prospect, arguably the best defensive SS in Double Mendoza (young, to boot), plus a nice ML OF. Not that Johnson isn't worth it. He has it all...he'll be a .300+ hitter with power and a great walk totals, he'll be a plus defender at 3B, and he'll steal bases if needed. The only flaw is a low DUR rating (67), but given the rest of the package that's pretty easily overlooked. Swan and Roundtree are the 5th and 6th-best pieces in the trade. Who has improved their team more? Assuming they promote Johnson immediately, Florida. Long-term (when Kida reaches the bigs), I think Ottawa gets a little edge, but I can easily see this being a great trade for both teams.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Who's Hot?
National League
Joe Thompson is off to a pretty good start...ya think? Leads the league in homers with 10, 2nd in RBI with 24, second in batting average at a measly .405, embarrassing the rest of the NL's hitters with a 1.267 OPS.
Minnesota's Michael Price has started 3 games so far, and so far so good: 2-0, 1 earned run in 17 innings (0.53 ERA).
Arizona closer Hooks Perisho has been dang near pefect so far - 5 for 5 in save opportunities with 0 runs allowed. Minnesota's Julio Nunez has been almost as good - 6-for-6 with a 1.13 ERA.
American League
No dominant sluggers emerging in the AL: Memphis' Christopher Goldberg leads in average with .404; Cleveland's William Smoak, Memphis' Tim Barnes, Oakland's Pascual Ordonez, and Richmond's Jose Pujols lead the AL with 8 homers apiece; Honolulu's Ray Kozlowski tops in RBI's with 25, and Goldberg is tops in OPS with 1.235.
Syracuse's Chief King (2-0, 0.95 ERA) and Florida's Chase Diggins (1-0, 0.52 ERA) lead AL startes in ERA.
Syracuse's Diego Barcelo is 8 for 8 in save opportunities with a 0 ERA.
Joe Thompson is off to a pretty good start...ya think? Leads the league in homers with 10, 2nd in RBI with 24, second in batting average at a measly .405, embarrassing the rest of the NL's hitters with a 1.267 OPS.
Minnesota's Michael Price has started 3 games so far, and so far so good: 2-0, 1 earned run in 17 innings (0.53 ERA).
Arizona closer Hooks Perisho has been dang near pefect so far - 5 for 5 in save opportunities with 0 runs allowed. Minnesota's Julio Nunez has been almost as good - 6-for-6 with a 1.13 ERA.
American League
No dominant sluggers emerging in the AL: Memphis' Christopher Goldberg leads in average with .404; Cleveland's William Smoak, Memphis' Tim Barnes, Oakland's Pascual Ordonez, and Richmond's Jose Pujols lead the AL with 8 homers apiece; Honolulu's Ray Kozlowski tops in RBI's with 25, and Goldberg is tops in OPS with 1.235.
Syracuse's Chief King (2-0, 0.95 ERA) and Florida's Chase Diggins (1-0, 0.52 ERA) lead AL startes in ERA.
Syracuse's Diego Barcelo is 8 for 8 in save opportunities with a 0 ERA.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Quick Peek At the First 10 Games
You can't tell much this early, but let's say there are the barest "whiffs of trends" discernible. Around the world at 10 games:
American League
The Chicago hitters set a blistering early pace that saw the Chimps jump out to an 8-2 start. James Martin picked up right where he left off last year (MVP) with 13 RBI and an 1.190 OPS; Jerome Palmer (1.009 OPS) and Rick Vander Wal (1.146) also started red-hot for the Chimps.
In the East, Pittsburgh relied on its league-leading pitching (2.30 ERA) to post a 6-4 start. 4 relievers had ERA's of 0 through 10 games, and none of the starters was over 2.77. Syracuse hung with the Phils thanks to 12 innings each of 1.50 ERA by starters Marcus Swann and Chief King, plus 10 RBI from Pat Krausse and 4 homers by Ivan DeSoto.
Memphis paces the South at 7-3. Pitching rules for the Maulers...Coco Casey is off to a 2-0, 1.84 start. Richmond stands a game back despite scoring only 32 runs...they got 2 dominant starts each from Anthony Cradle (2-0, 1.13) and Gerald Kirby (2-0, 1.64).
Honolulu (9-1) carried over its pitching dominance from last year's playoffs: .98 team WHIP and complete-game wins from Chin-Hui Martin and Brent Young. The rehabbed Virgil Torres lead the offense with a 1.208 OPS and 9 RBI.
National League
In the North, Minnesota opened 7-3 by plating a world-leading 73 runs and holding opponents to 29. Edgardo Lima was the hitting star, lapping the field with 18 RBI. Price (1-0, 0.0 ERA), Fassero (2-0, 0.82), and Pearson (2-0, 1.50) were golden in 2 starts each. Toronto (7-3) stayed with the Hoodrats by being even stingier, giving up just 27 runs - Rafael Montanez (1-0, 0.60) and Marv Christian (1-0, 1.93) lead the way.
In the East, Toledo (6-4) opened a 1-game lead on the field. The Hens must've gotten a lot of timely hits: despite being 13th in OBP and 12th in Slugging %, they pushed across 54 runs (3rd).
Iowa City and Montgomery head up the South at 6-4, thanks largely to both winning 3 1-run games. On the stats front, George Hutton had 12 RBI for the Apartheid; Russ Nelson (1-0, 1.64) and Julio Batista (1-0, 1.98) were outstanding for the Biscuits.
Portland (7-3) was the surprise leader out West after 10. Catcher Carson Russ (.400/3/9) was on fire, 5 RP's were uner 3.00 ERA, and SP Jocko Newhouser went 2-0, 2.84 for the Finnegan.
American League
The Chicago hitters set a blistering early pace that saw the Chimps jump out to an 8-2 start. James Martin picked up right where he left off last year (MVP) with 13 RBI and an 1.190 OPS; Jerome Palmer (1.009 OPS) and Rick Vander Wal (1.146) also started red-hot for the Chimps.
In the East, Pittsburgh relied on its league-leading pitching (2.30 ERA) to post a 6-4 start. 4 relievers had ERA's of 0 through 10 games, and none of the starters was over 2.77. Syracuse hung with the Phils thanks to 12 innings each of 1.50 ERA by starters Marcus Swann and Chief King, plus 10 RBI from Pat Krausse and 4 homers by Ivan DeSoto.
Memphis paces the South at 7-3. Pitching rules for the Maulers...Coco Casey is off to a 2-0, 1.84 start. Richmond stands a game back despite scoring only 32 runs...they got 2 dominant starts each from Anthony Cradle (2-0, 1.13) and Gerald Kirby (2-0, 1.64).
Honolulu (9-1) carried over its pitching dominance from last year's playoffs: .98 team WHIP and complete-game wins from Chin-Hui Martin and Brent Young. The rehabbed Virgil Torres lead the offense with a 1.208 OPS and 9 RBI.
National League
In the North, Minnesota opened 7-3 by plating a world-leading 73 runs and holding opponents to 29. Edgardo Lima was the hitting star, lapping the field with 18 RBI. Price (1-0, 0.0 ERA), Fassero (2-0, 0.82), and Pearson (2-0, 1.50) were golden in 2 starts each. Toronto (7-3) stayed with the Hoodrats by being even stingier, giving up just 27 runs - Rafael Montanez (1-0, 0.60) and Marv Christian (1-0, 1.93) lead the way.
In the East, Toledo (6-4) opened a 1-game lead on the field. The Hens must've gotten a lot of timely hits: despite being 13th in OBP and 12th in Slugging %, they pushed across 54 runs (3rd).
Iowa City and Montgomery head up the South at 6-4, thanks largely to both winning 3 1-run games. On the stats front, George Hutton had 12 RBI for the Apartheid; Russ Nelson (1-0, 1.64) and Julio Batista (1-0, 1.98) were outstanding for the Biscuits.
Portland (7-3) was the surprise leader out West after 10. Catcher Carson Russ (.400/3/9) was on fire, 5 RP's were uner 3.00 ERA, and SP Jocko Newhouser went 2-0, 2.84 for the Finnegan.
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