National League South
What a race we've had this season in the NL South? With 14 games remaining it looks like Jackson has finally got a grip on the division lead, but it hasn't been easy. Louisville and Charlotte have both been close this season and I believe Louisville actually led the division at the all star break. All 3 teams have been very tough this season. If the season ended today they would all be in the post season.
Jackson has won the division the past 2 seasons and 3 of the past 4. Right now they look like they have a good grip on another division title, but nothing is set in stone quite yet. They don't have the divisions best expected win percentage as they are playing 10 points higher than what is expected of them. Offensively this season they have scored the second most runs in the NL with 775. They have a really good mix of power and speed on this team. The team MVP this season has to be Jared Glynn. He has 49 homers, 148 RBI, 96 runs, 17 steals, .273 average, .323 OBP and .582 Slg. He's not on the league MVP ballot right now, but he should be. Jeff Moore is also having a fine season with 24 homers, 45 doubles, 114 runs, 32 steals, .301 average, .358 OBP and .530 Slg. The pitching rotation is pretty strong for these guys. Rube Clark(18-6, 3.22), and Bobby Ray Ingram(16-4, 2.94) are Cy Young candidates. Raymond DeWitt(17-7, 3.23), and Dusty Lindsey(13-8, 3.48) aren't too far off from having as good a season as Clark and Ingram. The bullpen has been a disappointment for this team. Ubaldo Bennett with 40 saves in 44 tries and 4.61 ERA is having a solid season, but that ERA is a little high. Courtney Cashman with a 3.96 ERA has done a solid job this season. Those are the only 2 relievers that are even doing solid for this team. The others have ERA's over 4 and some over 5. The team has a great offense and starting rotation, but this bullpen could be what kills them in the post season.
In Louisville the franchise is trying to bring home just the third post season appearance in the franchise's history. It's been since season 8 since they last made an appearance and this season they are oh so close. Leading the wild card race right now, they can't let up. They are only 5 games out of first in the division and while that may be a bit too much to overcome, they need to keep the foot on the gas in what is shaping up to be a wild finish for the wild card spots. Offensively this team is in the bottom half of the NL in runs scored and that surprises me with that ballpark. Andres Andujar is having a pretty good season though in just his second season in the big leagues. He has 30 homers, 110 RBI, 88 runs, 16 steals, .299 average, .362 OBP, and .553 Slg. The teams off season addition of Daryl Bonham has seemed to pay off as he is hitting .300, with a .365 OBP and 17 homers, 87 RBI, and 75 runs. Rookie Desi Vasquez has had a nice start to his career with 14 homers, 43 runs, .315 average, .381 OBP, .538 Slg in all of 95 games. The pitching rotation has some big time starters in it. Bret O'Leary(14-10, 4.22), and Roland Sweeney(9-13, 3.83), I would expect a bit more out of than what they've done this season. Ariel Mateo(12-9, 3.45), Al Manto(14-8, 2.95), and Vin Segui(12-6, 3.45) have all had very nice seasons though and have stepped it up. The bullpen has some pitchers having pretty good seasons as well. Benji Contreras has 36 saves in 43 tries with a 3.54 ERA. Ed Rhodes has been pretty good with a 3.19 ERA in 98.2 innings. Luis Ramirez has a 2.37 ERA and Ramon Chang a 3.55 ERA. They have the pitching staff to get them into the post season, but they need the offense to step it up a bit, especially if they intend to make a post season run.
Charlotte is also at the top of the wild card race right now. They are trying to make it back to back wild card appearances and right now they have the second best expected win percentage in the NL. Offensively they have scored the third most runs in the NL with 748. They have a chance to have 6 players with 20+ homers this season and 4 with 20+ steals. That's a pretty balanced offense. Craig Adkinson is having a pretty solid season with 34 homers, 103 RBI, 82 runs, .275 average, .323 OBP, .483 Slg. Storm Mahoney doesn't hit enough, but he has 44 homers, 119 RBI, 92 runs, 28 steals, but his .238 average and .309 OBP could be better. Alan Wilson is the guy that gets on base for this team with his .311 average, and .417 OBP. The pitching staff is 5th in runs allowed this season. The rotation has been pretty solid, but the bullpen has been the strength. The rotation features Oscar Osterbrock(14-7, 3.59), Travis Bush(15-6, 3.61), Valerio Duran(12-8, 4.38) and Orber Torres(13-10, 3.49). All have been pretty good this season. Tony Zapata has 40 saves this season in 43 tries with a 2.62 ERA. Wilkin Ontiveros(2.89), Ruben Molina(2.97), Jim Hitchcock(2.59), Jackson Ruffin(3.21) and Bernard Newman(3.84) have been extremely tough on opponents this season coming out of the bullpen. This is a well rounded team that should continue to make a push for a post season spot and could even make a nice run in the post season if things go right for them.
Texas has had a struggle this season as the new ownership group that started the season ended up bailing on the team and giving them away to a new ownership group. With all things considered, the team had a pretty good season. Offensively, Carl Esposito, has had a pretty good season with 34 homers, 113 RBI, 88 runs, .296 average, .383 OBP, and .523 Slg. Chin-Hui Wanatabe has also had a pretty good season with 31 homers, 91 RBI, 75 runs, .285 average, .355 OBP, and .538 Slg. The pitching staff has been an area of concern for this team and will likely be a focus in the off season. Jesus Amezaga is the only pitcher that has really had a good season with 24 saves in 31 tries and a 3.10 ERA, but he's only done that with 29 innings pitched.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Season 19 Update-NL East
National League East
The NL East is a pretty competitive division year in and year out. They have had their fair share of wild card berths with 10 of them over the 19 seasons of Pine Tar. Right now they have a good race going at the top of the division as 5 games separate Jacksonville and Philadelphia. Philly is also just 3 games out of a crowded wild card race.
Jacksonville is the team on top of the East heading down the stretch. They will try to make it 5 straight division titles and 13th in franchise history. They've never won 5 in a row before though and this would be a big accomplishment for them. Offensively they have scored the third most runs in the NL with a team built on power. MVP candidate, Andre Fleming, is putting up huge numbers this season. He has 32 homers, 100 RBI, 90 runs, a .345 batting average, .415 OBP, and .594 Slg. Around him the team brings more power from Tony Olmeda(21 hr), Teddy Lemon(22hr), Brian Langford(26hr), Nick Cooper(23hr), and Allen Gruber(28hr). That is a powerful lineup and could help this team make a deep post season run. The pitching has been middle of the league this season. The top 3 in the rotation have been good. Magglio Figureoa(13-9, 3.76), Gerardo Morales(9-8, 3.73), and Max Mateo(9-8, 3.74), all have good ERA's, but the best record belongs to Andres Park(13-7, 4.75). Park's ERA is high, but he finds ways to win. Throw in the addition of Bryant Clayton(3-0, .39) in a trade from Chicago and the rotation looks even better. The bullpen has been solid. They are led by closer Sherman Stevens who has 34 saves in 38 tries and a 3.67 ERA. The pitching staff may be middle of the league, but they have the players to be in the upper half of the league. Jacksonville will be tough to knock from the top of the division and will also be a tough out in the post season.
Philadelphia missed the post season last season after getting a wild card in season 17, but are right back in the mix this season. Right now the are only 5 games out in the division and 3 out of the wild card and could make a run at either one. Offensively they have put up the fifth most runs in the NL this season. They have a good mix of hitting, power and speed on the team. They have Dicky Bartee(.341, .400), Lonny Infate(.335, .412), and Cam Stubbs(.307, .367), with real good averages and OBP's. Then they have Infante(28 hr), Tomas Acosta(24hr), Nate Carter(20hr), and Mandy Whitfield(45 hr), bringing the power. Whitfield has also stolen 39 bases this season and Stubbs has 14, then throw in Carmen Delahanty with 18. Lonny Infante is putting up MVP type numbers and really if Whitfield had a higher average, he would probably run away with the award. Overall, this is a scary offense that can do just about anything asked of it. The pitching rotation hasn't been impressive though. Fred Cooper(12-6, 3.67), and Benji Crespo(9-8, 3.74) have been the only 2 that have consistently got the job done. The bullpen has a few pitchers they can rely on. Osvaldo Tatis(3.06), Matthew Weathers(1.45), Albert Beltran(3.30), Taylor Flier(3.20) and Thumper Young(3.66) have all been shutting down opponents this season. The weakness of this team is the starting rotation, but the offense and the bullpen are doing their part. This team could make a run and get into the post season, but they need the starting pitchers to pick it up some.
Kansas City is on the outside looking in again this season for the 9th straight time. The winning percentage is up, but not enough to get into the post season. The offense this season has been led by Ichiro Pong, 29 hr, 95 RBI, 91 runs, .303 average, .377 OBP, and .527 slg, as he continues to put up Hall of Fame type numbers. He's only 33, so he has some seasons left on him, but his career is definitely on the back 9. The pitching for the team is led by Bobby McCarthy(14-9, 3.62).
Cincinnati was on a roll of 90 win seasons from seasons 13-16, but that seems so long ago now. This looks like it will be a third straight losing season for the franchise. Offensively they have a rookie of the year candidate in Rick Marshall, 15 hr, 62 rbi, 70 runs, .303 average and .374 OBP. Fergie Hill is putting up some really good numbers with 43 hr, 100 rbi, 95 runs and a .261 average. The pitching staff has done nothing of note.
The NL East is a pretty competitive division year in and year out. They have had their fair share of wild card berths with 10 of them over the 19 seasons of Pine Tar. Right now they have a good race going at the top of the division as 5 games separate Jacksonville and Philadelphia. Philly is also just 3 games out of a crowded wild card race.
Jacksonville is the team on top of the East heading down the stretch. They will try to make it 5 straight division titles and 13th in franchise history. They've never won 5 in a row before though and this would be a big accomplishment for them. Offensively they have scored the third most runs in the NL with a team built on power. MVP candidate, Andre Fleming, is putting up huge numbers this season. He has 32 homers, 100 RBI, 90 runs, a .345 batting average, .415 OBP, and .594 Slg. Around him the team brings more power from Tony Olmeda(21 hr), Teddy Lemon(22hr), Brian Langford(26hr), Nick Cooper(23hr), and Allen Gruber(28hr). That is a powerful lineup and could help this team make a deep post season run. The pitching has been middle of the league this season. The top 3 in the rotation have been good. Magglio Figureoa(13-9, 3.76), Gerardo Morales(9-8, 3.73), and Max Mateo(9-8, 3.74), all have good ERA's, but the best record belongs to Andres Park(13-7, 4.75). Park's ERA is high, but he finds ways to win. Throw in the addition of Bryant Clayton(3-0, .39) in a trade from Chicago and the rotation looks even better. The bullpen has been solid. They are led by closer Sherman Stevens who has 34 saves in 38 tries and a 3.67 ERA. The pitching staff may be middle of the league, but they have the players to be in the upper half of the league. Jacksonville will be tough to knock from the top of the division and will also be a tough out in the post season.
Philadelphia missed the post season last season after getting a wild card in season 17, but are right back in the mix this season. Right now the are only 5 games out in the division and 3 out of the wild card and could make a run at either one. Offensively they have put up the fifth most runs in the NL this season. They have a good mix of hitting, power and speed on the team. They have Dicky Bartee(.341, .400), Lonny Infate(.335, .412), and Cam Stubbs(.307, .367), with real good averages and OBP's. Then they have Infante(28 hr), Tomas Acosta(24hr), Nate Carter(20hr), and Mandy Whitfield(45 hr), bringing the power. Whitfield has also stolen 39 bases this season and Stubbs has 14, then throw in Carmen Delahanty with 18. Lonny Infante is putting up MVP type numbers and really if Whitfield had a higher average, he would probably run away with the award. Overall, this is a scary offense that can do just about anything asked of it. The pitching rotation hasn't been impressive though. Fred Cooper(12-6, 3.67), and Benji Crespo(9-8, 3.74) have been the only 2 that have consistently got the job done. The bullpen has a few pitchers they can rely on. Osvaldo Tatis(3.06), Matthew Weathers(1.45), Albert Beltran(3.30), Taylor Flier(3.20) and Thumper Young(3.66) have all been shutting down opponents this season. The weakness of this team is the starting rotation, but the offense and the bullpen are doing their part. This team could make a run and get into the post season, but they need the starting pitchers to pick it up some.
Kansas City is on the outside looking in again this season for the 9th straight time. The winning percentage is up, but not enough to get into the post season. The offense this season has been led by Ichiro Pong, 29 hr, 95 RBI, 91 runs, .303 average, .377 OBP, and .527 slg, as he continues to put up Hall of Fame type numbers. He's only 33, so he has some seasons left on him, but his career is definitely on the back 9. The pitching for the team is led by Bobby McCarthy(14-9, 3.62).
Cincinnati was on a roll of 90 win seasons from seasons 13-16, but that seems so long ago now. This looks like it will be a third straight losing season for the franchise. Offensively they have a rookie of the year candidate in Rick Marshall, 15 hr, 62 rbi, 70 runs, .303 average and .374 OBP. Fergie Hill is putting up some really good numbers with 43 hr, 100 rbi, 95 runs and a .261 average. The pitching staff has done nothing of note.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Season 19 Update-NL North
National League North
There isn't much of a race going on in this division, but they do have the chance of sending 2 teams to the post season. They also have a chance at a team getting the 1st pick in next seasons draft.
In Trenton the team is lighting up opponents this season. They've scored the most runs in the NL and have given up the third fewest runs. They should have the division locked up to make it 3 out of the past 4 division titles belonging to them. The offense has been great this season. Odd thing about that is that this team isn't hitting many homers. The team has 134 all season and the team leader, Cozy Corbin, has just 23. Trenton is purely built to get on base and swipe a bag. Art Nelson has 74 steals and four others have more than 30. Offensively the team MVP has to be Rich Pierce who is hitting .324, with an OBP of .424. He also has scored 108 runs, hit 18 homers, drove in 92 runs while only striking out 55 times. The pitching has been likewise great for this team. The rotation features Tony Fernandez(16-4, 2.67), Rudy Parker(15-5, 2.63), Al Rosario(14-6, 3.93), and Dean Harvey(11-9, 3.97). All of those guys are having amazing seasons. In the bullpen Aaron Moorhouse has 34 saves in 35 chances with a 3.54 ERA. David Ortiz has been the work horse out of the pen though, with 125 innings in 70 games with an outstanding 1.87 ERA and .87 WHIP. This team is going to be tough to beat in the post season, as they have been tough to beat all season.
Coming off of the teams first division title and post season appearance last season, Iowa City is putting together another good season. The are in the wild card race and right now a few games out. The offense has really been this teams weakness this season. There are only 3 teams worse than them at scoring runs and the teams .257 batting average is a big part of that. Joseph Bang is getting it done though, batting a .329 on the season with a .387 OBP. Spike Maxwell looks like the teams offensive MVP with 40 homers, 97 RBI, 69 runs, and a .267 average. The pitching is by far this teams strength. They have given up the second fewest runs in the league and only allow opponents to hit .237 against them. Rookie Sticky Farquhar is having a really good start to his career with a 14-6 record and 2.90 ERA. The rest of the rotation has been solid, but they aren't putting up numbers like Sticky. The bullpen has been phenomenal. 3 pitchers with sub 3.00 ERA's and another with a 3.06. Luis Perez leads the group with a 1.26 ERA and 12 saves in 13 chances. Brendan Taylor has the 3.06 ERA and 16 saves in 20 chances. The bullpen could keep this team in the race down the stretch, but the offense isn't helping.
Detroit hasn't had a very good season, but it looks like they'll improve upon last season's record. The offense has been solid and youngsters Houston Graves(17 homers, 95 runs, 35 steals, .282 average) and Ricky Masterson(26 homers, 82 runs, 109 RBI, 13 steals, and .276 average) are players to build around. The pitching hasn't been very good, but another young player, Carlos Flores, has done solid in the closer role saving 26 games in 31 tries with a 3.14 ERA.
Fargo has continued it's rebuild this season and actually look like they will finish worse than last season as they challenge for the top pick in the draft next season. The offense has been the worst in the NL this season, but Ron Hudek has put up solid number despite the help around him. He's hitting .299, has an OBP of .363, has 20 homers, 71 RBI and 58 runs scored. Outside of Orlando Nieves(12-13, 4.03) the rotation has been pretty bad. The bullpen though, has actually been quite solid. Heath Spivey(2.66), Ted Haynes(2.63), Scot Millwood(3.57), and Kevin Beck(3.63) have put up respectable to good ERA's this season and have far exceeded what could be expected of them.
There isn't much of a race going on in this division, but they do have the chance of sending 2 teams to the post season. They also have a chance at a team getting the 1st pick in next seasons draft.
In Trenton the team is lighting up opponents this season. They've scored the most runs in the NL and have given up the third fewest runs. They should have the division locked up to make it 3 out of the past 4 division titles belonging to them. The offense has been great this season. Odd thing about that is that this team isn't hitting many homers. The team has 134 all season and the team leader, Cozy Corbin, has just 23. Trenton is purely built to get on base and swipe a bag. Art Nelson has 74 steals and four others have more than 30. Offensively the team MVP has to be Rich Pierce who is hitting .324, with an OBP of .424. He also has scored 108 runs, hit 18 homers, drove in 92 runs while only striking out 55 times. The pitching has been likewise great for this team. The rotation features Tony Fernandez(16-4, 2.67), Rudy Parker(15-5, 2.63), Al Rosario(14-6, 3.93), and Dean Harvey(11-9, 3.97). All of those guys are having amazing seasons. In the bullpen Aaron Moorhouse has 34 saves in 35 chances with a 3.54 ERA. David Ortiz has been the work horse out of the pen though, with 125 innings in 70 games with an outstanding 1.87 ERA and .87 WHIP. This team is going to be tough to beat in the post season, as they have been tough to beat all season.
Coming off of the teams first division title and post season appearance last season, Iowa City is putting together another good season. The are in the wild card race and right now a few games out. The offense has really been this teams weakness this season. There are only 3 teams worse than them at scoring runs and the teams .257 batting average is a big part of that. Joseph Bang is getting it done though, batting a .329 on the season with a .387 OBP. Spike Maxwell looks like the teams offensive MVP with 40 homers, 97 RBI, 69 runs, and a .267 average. The pitching is by far this teams strength. They have given up the second fewest runs in the league and only allow opponents to hit .237 against them. Rookie Sticky Farquhar is having a really good start to his career with a 14-6 record and 2.90 ERA. The rest of the rotation has been solid, but they aren't putting up numbers like Sticky. The bullpen has been phenomenal. 3 pitchers with sub 3.00 ERA's and another with a 3.06. Luis Perez leads the group with a 1.26 ERA and 12 saves in 13 chances. Brendan Taylor has the 3.06 ERA and 16 saves in 20 chances. The bullpen could keep this team in the race down the stretch, but the offense isn't helping.
Detroit hasn't had a very good season, but it looks like they'll improve upon last season's record. The offense has been solid and youngsters Houston Graves(17 homers, 95 runs, 35 steals, .282 average) and Ricky Masterson(26 homers, 82 runs, 109 RBI, 13 steals, and .276 average) are players to build around. The pitching hasn't been very good, but another young player, Carlos Flores, has done solid in the closer role saving 26 games in 31 tries with a 3.14 ERA.
Fargo has continued it's rebuild this season and actually look like they will finish worse than last season as they challenge for the top pick in the draft next season. The offense has been the worst in the NL this season, but Ron Hudek has put up solid number despite the help around him. He's hitting .299, has an OBP of .363, has 20 homers, 71 RBI and 58 runs scored. Outside of Orlando Nieves(12-13, 4.03) the rotation has been pretty bad. The bullpen though, has actually been quite solid. Heath Spivey(2.66), Ted Haynes(2.63), Scot Millwood(3.57), and Kevin Beck(3.63) have put up respectable to good ERA's this season and have far exceeded what could be expected of them.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Season 19 Update-AL West
American League West
With 28 games remaining, it's looking like St Louis has this division in control. The division hasn't taken a wild card spot since they took both of them way back in season 1. It doesn't look like that will be changing this season.
St Louis sure looks like they will make it 3 straight division titles in the West. They haven't been dominant this season and look like they will finish with a worse record than last season, but the division hasn't been very good. Offensively they are one of the worst teams in the AL with a .248 team average and .317 OBP. MVP candidate, Lou Jefferies is having a pretty good season with 21 homers, 90 runs, 84 RBI, 31 steals, .295 average, and .364 OBP. It's been a breakout year for him, but the rest of the team isn't pitching in much. Neil Roberts has 29 homers and 97 RBI, with a respectable .271 average, but the next biggest hitter is Everth Carreras who has 34 homers and 96 RBI, but a lowly .215 batting average. The offense will limit this teams ability to make a post season run. The pitching rotation is strong at the top, but quickly falls off after the top 2 of William Jung(10-8, 3.73), and Jim Kelly(12-8, 3.01). The bullpen is pretty solid and closer Omar Sanchez has 34 saves in 38 tries, but his 5.21 ERA is an area of concern. Lonny Sojo with 97.1 innings and a 3.51 ERA, and Zeus Parnell with 95.2 innings and 3.57 ERA, have given this team a lot of good innings out of the bullpen. The pitching is solid but not great. Of all the playoff teams this is the team that will have to have things go right for them to make a deep post season run. They've been less impressive than the others, but all it takes in the post season is a little luck and things to start falling right for them.
Anaheim put up a fight this season, but they look like they'll fall short again this season. The team has a .506 expected win percentage, but have only played .455 ball. Things haven't gone their way. They've got some good seasons offensively from Miguel Flores, Alex Romero and Zeke Decker, but the offense has let them down for the most part this season. The pitching staff has been solid and reliever Bert Jordan has saved 31 of 35 games with a 2.84 ERA. I doubt they have what it takes to get back in the race this late in the season.
Salem is headed for a third straight 3rd place finish in the division. Offensively the team squeezed one more good season out of Rob Lee as he's hit 29 homers, 81 RBI, had a .313 average and .371 OBP. Really, they've had the best offense in the division. The pitching was this teams undoing and I can't find one player that had a season worth mentioning.
Vancouver has been eliminated for quite some time and have had a terrible season altogether. A big bright spot for the team though is MVP candidate Henry Siddall with 25 homers, 88 RBI, 75 runs, a .328 average, .433 OBP, and .588 Slg. The offense really hasn't been too bad this season. The pitching in Vancouver has been awful. Here's hoping that the team can find some help in the form of arms next season.
With 28 games remaining, it's looking like St Louis has this division in control. The division hasn't taken a wild card spot since they took both of them way back in season 1. It doesn't look like that will be changing this season.
St Louis sure looks like they will make it 3 straight division titles in the West. They haven't been dominant this season and look like they will finish with a worse record than last season, but the division hasn't been very good. Offensively they are one of the worst teams in the AL with a .248 team average and .317 OBP. MVP candidate, Lou Jefferies is having a pretty good season with 21 homers, 90 runs, 84 RBI, 31 steals, .295 average, and .364 OBP. It's been a breakout year for him, but the rest of the team isn't pitching in much. Neil Roberts has 29 homers and 97 RBI, with a respectable .271 average, but the next biggest hitter is Everth Carreras who has 34 homers and 96 RBI, but a lowly .215 batting average. The offense will limit this teams ability to make a post season run. The pitching rotation is strong at the top, but quickly falls off after the top 2 of William Jung(10-8, 3.73), and Jim Kelly(12-8, 3.01). The bullpen is pretty solid and closer Omar Sanchez has 34 saves in 38 tries, but his 5.21 ERA is an area of concern. Lonny Sojo with 97.1 innings and a 3.51 ERA, and Zeus Parnell with 95.2 innings and 3.57 ERA, have given this team a lot of good innings out of the bullpen. The pitching is solid but not great. Of all the playoff teams this is the team that will have to have things go right for them to make a deep post season run. They've been less impressive than the others, but all it takes in the post season is a little luck and things to start falling right for them.
Anaheim put up a fight this season, but they look like they'll fall short again this season. The team has a .506 expected win percentage, but have only played .455 ball. Things haven't gone their way. They've got some good seasons offensively from Miguel Flores, Alex Romero and Zeke Decker, but the offense has let them down for the most part this season. The pitching staff has been solid and reliever Bert Jordan has saved 31 of 35 games with a 2.84 ERA. I doubt they have what it takes to get back in the race this late in the season.
Salem is headed for a third straight 3rd place finish in the division. Offensively the team squeezed one more good season out of Rob Lee as he's hit 29 homers, 81 RBI, had a .313 average and .371 OBP. Really, they've had the best offense in the division. The pitching was this teams undoing and I can't find one player that had a season worth mentioning.
Vancouver has been eliminated for quite some time and have had a terrible season altogether. A big bright spot for the team though is MVP candidate Henry Siddall with 25 homers, 88 RBI, 75 runs, a .328 average, .433 OBP, and .588 Slg. The offense really hasn't been too bad this season. The pitching in Vancouver has been awful. Here's hoping that the team can find some help in the form of arms next season.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Season 19 Update-AL South
American League South
The AL south seems much more competitive this season, but Nashville still has a good lead heading down the stretch. The division could possibly get a wild card team in for the first time since season 9 though.
Nashville appears to be on pace for another 100+ win season and they have a good handle on the division lead. If this holds up then they will have an eighth straight division title. Offensively this team has jumped to the front of the league in runs scored and as a team the are hitting .284. The leader of this offense is "should be" MVP candidate Heinie Rice who is hitting .298 with 45 homers, 127 RBI's, 86 runs scored, and a .600 Slg. He has plenty of help around him in the lineup though with 300+ hitters Brian Sveum and Pedro Gomez. Juan Latos sits at .299 right now as well. That's just the top guys. Chris Young, Tino House, Wilfredo Aquino and Gustavo Medrano are also having pretty good seasons. This is one of the best offenses in Pine Tar. The pitching can't be overlooked either. They have given up the fewest runs in the AL. The rotation features Dan Siebert(11-7, 2.62), Jeremi Rice(12-7, 3.29), and Alex Martis(12-8, 3.26) as the top 3 guys. Douglas Jennings(12-3, 3.66) and Del McNeil(14-5, 4.00) aren't to be overlooked either. If there is one weakness for this team though, it is the bullpen. Archie Goldman has saves 17 of 20 games, but he seems to be aging fast and his 4.85 ERA isn't very good. Luckily for this team the rotation doesn't rely too much on the bullpen. Nashville is still my pick to win the AL crown this season.
What a season Tampa Bay is having. Trying to end a 7 season playoff drought, the team is in top contention for a wild card spot. If the season ended now they would be in. With 30 games left, they've already matched last seasons 75 victories and are looking for the teams first winning season since season 15. Offensively this team is led by a couple very good hitters in Alberto Machado and Christian Lee. Both are putting up phenomenal numbers this season. Rookie Victor Alexander is having a pretty good season as well. The pitching has been solid. In the rotation Claude Collins is finally having the kind of season expected out of him with a 13-6 record and 2.67 ERA. Jimmy Washington(10-10, 3.76) is having a solid season. The rest of the rotation is solid, but not getting this team what they'd like. The bullpen has been scary. Outside of Ezdra Johnson and his 3.67 ERA, the rest of the bullpen have ERA's close to 5. Frank Murphy has saved 26 of 32 games despite his 5.44 ERA though. This team has a chance to make the post season, but the pitching staff needs to produce better.
While San Juan is not eliminated yet, they are heading down that road. It's looking like they will make it 18 out of 19 seasons sitting home for the playoffs. If there is one thing this team can take from this season it is that Alexander Williamson is having another fine season hitting .305, with 33 homers, 106 RBI, 92 runs and .374 OBP. Starting pitcher Diego Valbuena is also having a good season with a 14-8 record and 3.58 ERA. Maybe next season this team can take the next step with these guys and compete.
New Orleans looks like they've been eliminated since the beginning of the season. Just kidding, but they do look like they are taking a step backward this season. I'm kind of surprised this team hasn't moved forward yet. With a player like Sam Slotnick to build around I would expect more. He's making a case for a second MVP even though he's on a last place team, with 44 homers, 115 RBI, 88 runs, 18 steals, .270 average and .561 Slg. If anything else, I'd think a player like that would bring in a haul in a trade for the future.
The AL south seems much more competitive this season, but Nashville still has a good lead heading down the stretch. The division could possibly get a wild card team in for the first time since season 9 though.
Nashville appears to be on pace for another 100+ win season and they have a good handle on the division lead. If this holds up then they will have an eighth straight division title. Offensively this team has jumped to the front of the league in runs scored and as a team the are hitting .284. The leader of this offense is "should be" MVP candidate Heinie Rice who is hitting .298 with 45 homers, 127 RBI's, 86 runs scored, and a .600 Slg. He has plenty of help around him in the lineup though with 300+ hitters Brian Sveum and Pedro Gomez. Juan Latos sits at .299 right now as well. That's just the top guys. Chris Young, Tino House, Wilfredo Aquino and Gustavo Medrano are also having pretty good seasons. This is one of the best offenses in Pine Tar. The pitching can't be overlooked either. They have given up the fewest runs in the AL. The rotation features Dan Siebert(11-7, 2.62), Jeremi Rice(12-7, 3.29), and Alex Martis(12-8, 3.26) as the top 3 guys. Douglas Jennings(12-3, 3.66) and Del McNeil(14-5, 4.00) aren't to be overlooked either. If there is one weakness for this team though, it is the bullpen. Archie Goldman has saves 17 of 20 games, but he seems to be aging fast and his 4.85 ERA isn't very good. Luckily for this team the rotation doesn't rely too much on the bullpen. Nashville is still my pick to win the AL crown this season.
What a season Tampa Bay is having. Trying to end a 7 season playoff drought, the team is in top contention for a wild card spot. If the season ended now they would be in. With 30 games left, they've already matched last seasons 75 victories and are looking for the teams first winning season since season 15. Offensively this team is led by a couple very good hitters in Alberto Machado and Christian Lee. Both are putting up phenomenal numbers this season. Rookie Victor Alexander is having a pretty good season as well. The pitching has been solid. In the rotation Claude Collins is finally having the kind of season expected out of him with a 13-6 record and 2.67 ERA. Jimmy Washington(10-10, 3.76) is having a solid season. The rest of the rotation is solid, but not getting this team what they'd like. The bullpen has been scary. Outside of Ezdra Johnson and his 3.67 ERA, the rest of the bullpen have ERA's close to 5. Frank Murphy has saved 26 of 32 games despite his 5.44 ERA though. This team has a chance to make the post season, but the pitching staff needs to produce better.
While San Juan is not eliminated yet, they are heading down that road. It's looking like they will make it 18 out of 19 seasons sitting home for the playoffs. If there is one thing this team can take from this season it is that Alexander Williamson is having another fine season hitting .305, with 33 homers, 106 RBI, 92 runs and .374 OBP. Starting pitcher Diego Valbuena is also having a good season with a 14-8 record and 3.58 ERA. Maybe next season this team can take the next step with these guys and compete.
New Orleans looks like they've been eliminated since the beginning of the season. Just kidding, but they do look like they are taking a step backward this season. I'm kind of surprised this team hasn't moved forward yet. With a player like Sam Slotnick to build around I would expect more. He's making a case for a second MVP even though he's on a last place team, with 44 homers, 115 RBI, 88 runs, 18 steals, .270 average and .561 Slg. If anything else, I'd think a player like that would bring in a haul in a trade for the future.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Season 19 Update-AL East
American League
East
The AL East is looking pretty strong this season. They should get 2 teams in the post season for the first time since season 6. At this time Durham and Pittsburgh are battling it out for the top spot and are tied.
Durham has shown quite a bit of improvement this season. With a .570 winning percentage, it puts them on pace for the teams first winning record since season 10 and if they can hold up that percentage it'll give them the best record in franchise history. The concerning thing for them is the .535 expected win percentage. The offense has been pretty good this season as they are second in runs scored in the AL. The offensive attack has been led by a number of players this season. Eric Lindsey is putting up MVP type numbers with 105 runs scored, 34 doubles, 32 homers, 81 RBI, a .326 average, .372 OBP and .625 Slg. Willie Martinez has likewise put up great numbers with 88 runs scored, 35 homers, 111 RBI, a .302 average, .364 OBP and .581 Slg. Throw in Fred Inge, Julio Navarro and rookie of the year candidate Billy Haynes, and this is an offense to be reckoned with. The rotation has been this teams weakness though. Off season addition, Willie Jacquez, has lived up to his contract with a 16-5 record and 3.67 ERA, but the rest of the group hasn't been what the team would hope for. The bullpen hasn't been very good either, with some high ERA's. Closer Miguel Gonzales has 35 saves in 43 tries, but his 6.25 ERA is nothing to be happy with. They should get a post season spot, but the pitching could be their undoing in the post season.
The franchise in Pittsburgh has taken the last 5 division titles in the East, but they have some real competition this season. They also stand at 73-55, but they have a .576 expected winning percentage right now which would lead the division. The offense has been solid, but lack any real standout player. Charles Torres has put up good numbers, but the team is much more about being solid throughout the lineup. Coco Stratton, Bo Creek, Reggie Creek, and Corky Lawrie have all put up good numbers, but none of them are putting up great numbers. The rotation has been solid, led by Jorge Figureoa with a 12-9 record and 3.59 ERA. Carlos Nieto doesn't have the ERA of a great pitcher, 4.06, but he finds ways to win with a 13-4 record. The bullpen has 4 very good relievers, led by Esteban Sierra and his 1.88 ERA. Closer Rudy Jameson has 26 saves in 31 chances and sports a 2.21 ERA. Irv Coghlan and Javy Blanco have also been pretty good coming out of the pen. This bullpen has been pretty good this season and could be what saves this teams post season hopes. Solid throughout, I can see this team taking the division or getting a wild card spot and maybe even making a little post season run.
Boston stands 8 games out in the division right now and 7 out of the wild card #2 spot. It would take a lot of things going right for them to get in, but they do have a chance. With a .542 expected win percentage they show that they should at least challenge to get in. Offensively this team has Rico Tatis leading the way and he is putting up numbers that should put his name in the hat for MVP. He has posted 91 runs scored, 52 homers, 135 RBI, a .296 average, .353 OBP, and .644 Slg. Junior Cruz is putting up pretty good numbers as well this season. Pepper Sanders and Houston Baptist also help round out this tough offensive team. The rotation has been solid throughout, but don't really have a pitcher that stands out. They have 5 pitchers that all do pretty much the same thing with mid to high 4 ERA's. The bullpen however, has been pretty good. Mark Kida has a 1.06 ERA this season. Closer Nash Casanova, has 29 saves in 31 tries with a 3.09 ERA and has a shot at Rookie of the Year honors. Chico Guerrero has been pretty good with a 3.05 ERA in 106 innings. Cy Sheppers has also done a good job with a 3.43 ERA. The bullpen is pretty good and could help this team make a late season push. This team needs the rotation to perform better though if they want that final wild card spot.
Chicago seems destined to finish last this season, but they have improved from season 18. The teams .453 winning percentage is a step forward for them. Catcher Barney Taft has been one of the bright spots for this team as he has put up some good numbers.
East
The AL East is looking pretty strong this season. They should get 2 teams in the post season for the first time since season 6. At this time Durham and Pittsburgh are battling it out for the top spot and are tied.
Durham has shown quite a bit of improvement this season. With a .570 winning percentage, it puts them on pace for the teams first winning record since season 10 and if they can hold up that percentage it'll give them the best record in franchise history. The concerning thing for them is the .535 expected win percentage. The offense has been pretty good this season as they are second in runs scored in the AL. The offensive attack has been led by a number of players this season. Eric Lindsey is putting up MVP type numbers with 105 runs scored, 34 doubles, 32 homers, 81 RBI, a .326 average, .372 OBP and .625 Slg. Willie Martinez has likewise put up great numbers with 88 runs scored, 35 homers, 111 RBI, a .302 average, .364 OBP and .581 Slg. Throw in Fred Inge, Julio Navarro and rookie of the year candidate Billy Haynes, and this is an offense to be reckoned with. The rotation has been this teams weakness though. Off season addition, Willie Jacquez, has lived up to his contract with a 16-5 record and 3.67 ERA, but the rest of the group hasn't been what the team would hope for. The bullpen hasn't been very good either, with some high ERA's. Closer Miguel Gonzales has 35 saves in 43 tries, but his 6.25 ERA is nothing to be happy with. They should get a post season spot, but the pitching could be their undoing in the post season.
The franchise in Pittsburgh has taken the last 5 division titles in the East, but they have some real competition this season. They also stand at 73-55, but they have a .576 expected winning percentage right now which would lead the division. The offense has been solid, but lack any real standout player. Charles Torres has put up good numbers, but the team is much more about being solid throughout the lineup. Coco Stratton, Bo Creek, Reggie Creek, and Corky Lawrie have all put up good numbers, but none of them are putting up great numbers. The rotation has been solid, led by Jorge Figureoa with a 12-9 record and 3.59 ERA. Carlos Nieto doesn't have the ERA of a great pitcher, 4.06, but he finds ways to win with a 13-4 record. The bullpen has 4 very good relievers, led by Esteban Sierra and his 1.88 ERA. Closer Rudy Jameson has 26 saves in 31 chances and sports a 2.21 ERA. Irv Coghlan and Javy Blanco have also been pretty good coming out of the pen. This bullpen has been pretty good this season and could be what saves this teams post season hopes. Solid throughout, I can see this team taking the division or getting a wild card spot and maybe even making a little post season run.
Boston stands 8 games out in the division right now and 7 out of the wild card #2 spot. It would take a lot of things going right for them to get in, but they do have a chance. With a .542 expected win percentage they show that they should at least challenge to get in. Offensively this team has Rico Tatis leading the way and he is putting up numbers that should put his name in the hat for MVP. He has posted 91 runs scored, 52 homers, 135 RBI, a .296 average, .353 OBP, and .644 Slg. Junior Cruz is putting up pretty good numbers as well this season. Pepper Sanders and Houston Baptist also help round out this tough offensive team. The rotation has been solid throughout, but don't really have a pitcher that stands out. They have 5 pitchers that all do pretty much the same thing with mid to high 4 ERA's. The bullpen however, has been pretty good. Mark Kida has a 1.06 ERA this season. Closer Nash Casanova, has 29 saves in 31 tries with a 3.09 ERA and has a shot at Rookie of the Year honors. Chico Guerrero has been pretty good with a 3.05 ERA in 106 innings. Cy Sheppers has also done a good job with a 3.43 ERA. The bullpen is pretty good and could help this team make a late season push. This team needs the rotation to perform better though if they want that final wild card spot.
Chicago seems destined to finish last this season, but they have improved from season 18. The teams .453 winning percentage is a step forward for them. Catcher Barney Taft has been one of the bright spots for this team as he has put up some good numbers.
Season 19 Update-AL North
Well, I know the blog has pretty much sucked this season. I really haven't had much time to screw with it like I would like to and to be honest, when I've had a chance I've chose laziness over blogging. Here I am for at least one more post this season and possibly a few more. It looks like we have some interesting races going on in Pine Tar heading down the stretch. Let's take a look at them and see how the teams stack up.
American League
North
The North has been known for sending 3 teams to the post season every season since season 9. They still have an outside shot this season.
The division leader right now is Dover and after 7 seasons of not making the playoffs, they won the division last season. Offensively the team is led by John Pong and Armando Mota, who are both having great seasons. The supporting cast of Ben Morton, Brian Herzner, and Ruben Palaez make this a tough lineup to face for any pitcher. The rotation has featured Sammy Johnson who has seen his ERA sky rocket this season, but is still pulling in the victories. Karim Ontiveros is having another solid season, but just hasn't seemed to be the dominant pitcher that I'd expect him to be. The bullpen hasn't been very good, blowing 18 saves this season, but David Siqueiros has been a solid closer saving 15 out of 19 games. With the best offense in the AL though this team is going to be tough to knock off the top of the division. They are going to need the bullpen to be a little more solid in the post season though or it could spell an early exit.
Scranton sits at second in the North, only 2 games out. A .505 expected win percentage isn't ideal, but they have given up the second fewest runs in the AL. Offensively, rookie Don Aoki is having a very good rookie season, but he's not getting much help. Tony Dalrymple is putting up good homerun totals, but his average sits at .247 and his OBP is at .320. The leading hitter on the team is JJ Kramer batting a .299 and his .381 OBP is impressive. The offense overall hasn't been good enough for this team. The rotation is the strength for Scranton. Cyrus Torres has been phenomenal posting a 16-5 record with a 2.40 ERA. Dock King has been good with a 10-8 record and 3.80 ERA, but much more is expected from him. Alex Romano is 11-8 with a real good 3.28 ERA. It looks like age has finally caught up to Ebenezer Brett as he has fallen off pretty bad this season. The bullpen is solid and they are led by closer Omar Gabriel, with 31 saves in 36 chances and a 3.12 ERA. The team sits 1 game out of the Wild Card #2 spot right now and unless the offense comes around I don't think they can make the post season. If they do, the offense will be what keeps this team back from making a run.
Milwaukee is 67-61 and not really out of it yet. They are only 5 games back from the final wild card spot and need help to make it in. The team has a .545 expected win percentage, but are playing quite a bit below that. The offense has been solid, but not great. Red Smith is having a very good season with 20 homers, 52 RBI, 94 runs, a .294 average, .356 OBP and 30 steals. Cozy Adams is having a good season as is Howard Atkins and Tanner Stephenson. The offense isn't a weakness, but they aren't going to scare anyone in the post season. The rotation has also been solid and are led by Jose Bravo and Wayne Perez. Both are having pretty good seasons. Archie Tewksbury and Harry Guerrero have been servicable starters, but neither are top of the rotation types. The bullpen has some pretty good pitchers, but they've blown 18 saves this season. It's kind of hard to believe with the ERA's they've put up. Ron Owens has been the worst of the bunch with his 4.50 ERA, but the rest of the team has sub 4.00 ERA's with a few really low ERA's mixed in. I think they can make a run at the post season, but they haven't seemed to put it all together this season.
Hartford looks like they will make it a second straight season of finishing last in this division. The 48-80 record has them on pace for the second worst record in franchise history.
American League
North
The North has been known for sending 3 teams to the post season every season since season 9. They still have an outside shot this season.
The division leader right now is Dover and after 7 seasons of not making the playoffs, they won the division last season. Offensively the team is led by John Pong and Armando Mota, who are both having great seasons. The supporting cast of Ben Morton, Brian Herzner, and Ruben Palaez make this a tough lineup to face for any pitcher. The rotation has featured Sammy Johnson who has seen his ERA sky rocket this season, but is still pulling in the victories. Karim Ontiveros is having another solid season, but just hasn't seemed to be the dominant pitcher that I'd expect him to be. The bullpen hasn't been very good, blowing 18 saves this season, but David Siqueiros has been a solid closer saving 15 out of 19 games. With the best offense in the AL though this team is going to be tough to knock off the top of the division. They are going to need the bullpen to be a little more solid in the post season though or it could spell an early exit.
Scranton sits at second in the North, only 2 games out. A .505 expected win percentage isn't ideal, but they have given up the second fewest runs in the AL. Offensively, rookie Don Aoki is having a very good rookie season, but he's not getting much help. Tony Dalrymple is putting up good homerun totals, but his average sits at .247 and his OBP is at .320. The leading hitter on the team is JJ Kramer batting a .299 and his .381 OBP is impressive. The offense overall hasn't been good enough for this team. The rotation is the strength for Scranton. Cyrus Torres has been phenomenal posting a 16-5 record with a 2.40 ERA. Dock King has been good with a 10-8 record and 3.80 ERA, but much more is expected from him. Alex Romano is 11-8 with a real good 3.28 ERA. It looks like age has finally caught up to Ebenezer Brett as he has fallen off pretty bad this season. The bullpen is solid and they are led by closer Omar Gabriel, with 31 saves in 36 chances and a 3.12 ERA. The team sits 1 game out of the Wild Card #2 spot right now and unless the offense comes around I don't think they can make the post season. If they do, the offense will be what keeps this team back from making a run.
Milwaukee is 67-61 and not really out of it yet. They are only 5 games back from the final wild card spot and need help to make it in. The team has a .545 expected win percentage, but are playing quite a bit below that. The offense has been solid, but not great. Red Smith is having a very good season with 20 homers, 52 RBI, 94 runs, a .294 average, .356 OBP and 30 steals. Cozy Adams is having a good season as is Howard Atkins and Tanner Stephenson. The offense isn't a weakness, but they aren't going to scare anyone in the post season. The rotation has also been solid and are led by Jose Bravo and Wayne Perez. Both are having pretty good seasons. Archie Tewksbury and Harry Guerrero have been servicable starters, but neither are top of the rotation types. The bullpen has some pretty good pitchers, but they've blown 18 saves this season. It's kind of hard to believe with the ERA's they've put up. Ron Owens has been the worst of the bunch with his 4.50 ERA, but the rest of the team has sub 4.00 ERA's with a few really low ERA's mixed in. I think they can make a run at the post season, but they haven't seemed to put it all together this season.
Hartford looks like they will make it a second straight season of finishing last in this division. The 48-80 record has them on pace for the second worst record in franchise history.
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