Will Christ-Cross make fans jump?

It's barely a third of the way through the season, and it seems San Diego is already running up the proverbial white flag. Off-season vetran aquisition Sammy Lee has already worn out his welcome in the starting rotation, and is being shipped off to Seattle along with dependable bullpen arm Leo Wakeland. Serious talks are also in the works with Cincinnati to move longtime 'Charger starter Teddy Tomberlin, but he has yet to waive his no-trade clause, so that deal is still somewhat up in the air.

In both cases, while San Diego is having to take contracts back to make the deals work under the salary cap, the main parts of the deal from management's perspective are the young arms they are getting back. More specifically, reports out of the SuperCharger offices are that scouts are raving about the stuff of Ryan Christman, the 20-year-old righthander from De Plaines, IL. While Christman has struggled in AAA this season, his two top pitches, a hard-breaking forkball and a "plus" changeup, go with an above average 4-seamer which should keep hitters guessing.

However, what really gets the 'Charger scouts all worked up is the idea of pairing Christman with their own minor league pitching gem, the big 6'-5" lefty Julian Carincross. Both have shown the potential to have dominating stuff, though both have also shown a tendancy to get a bit wild now and then. The hope is that while they should both profit greatly from another season in the minors, sometime over the next season or two they'll be integrated into the big league rotation, slotted behind big-money vet Turk Melhuse, and 24-year-old rookie lefthander Bronson Wang, who is taking the league by storm. The club is hoping Melhuse's vetran presence will be able to keep the precocious youngesters in line, but Wang should be able to bridge the gap to the younger guys and help them grow.

So while the outlook for the rest of this season may not match the bright sunshine surrounding Petco Park, the future should be more than up to the challenge.

St. Louis: Bullpen Responds to Criticism

St. Louis, 2/15/08: The same day that St. Louis manager schedule1 called out the bullpen to reporters, two relievers combined to shut down the Boston Bulldogs in the 8th and 9th innings to secure a Switchmen victory.

"I have faith in these kids. They're learning on the fly. But when the rotation is clicking and the bats are producing, they've got to take the blame for our .500 record," schedule1 said before the game. He cited the ERAs of the four starters, which were all "hovering around 3.00", and also said that he would continue to rely heavily on the young bullpen to protect leads despite its recent struggles.

Starter Grover Sikorski pitched 7 innings, giving up 3 runs (2 earned), and left the game trailing by a run. Schedule turned to Rich Klesko (2-2) to keep the Switchmen in the game, and he did, retiring three straight batters after a leadoff single. The Swtichmen, aided by a two-out error by Boston shortstop Darrin Barclay, rallied for 3 in the 8th, and Derek Brock earned his 4th save, striking out 2.

"They're a great bunch. They're young," said schedule after the game. Our 6 setup guys have 5 years of big-league experience between them. If they can turn it around-- and I believe that they can-- we'll be in good shape."

Klesko, the youngest member of the team at 20, indicate an increasing comfort level. "This is a lot different from what I'm used to. The older pitchers have been great at helping us adjust, and I'm finally getting used to the big-league treatment." His numbers corroborate his statement; Klesko hasn't given up a run in his last four appearances.

Shuffling all the way to the bank

One of the biggest splashes this past offseason was the monster $130M contract signed by Kyle Thomas to play LF for the Kansas City Shuffle.

Now, Thomas has been earning his money with a .386 average to go with 12 HRs and 40 RBI through 36 games, but even his other-worldly 1.268 OPS hasn't been able to keep the Shuffle out of last place in the NL North.

Kyle Thomas Kansas City Shuffle Age: 29 B/T: R/R Born: Atoka, OK Position(s): LF View Hardball Dynasty Profile

That's not to say the Oklahoma native hasn't enjoyed his move to Missouri.

"Everyone here in KC has been great. Very nice, and they know that even if we haven't shown it, this team has the chance to be great! With some of the kids they're bringing up, I've just got to go out there and produce, show them how to be professionals. The rest should fall into place."

With a slow start, the Shuffle are hoping that the youth movement can start showing what they think they're capable of, and with Kyle Thomas leading the way, they hope that will include challenging for a division title in the near future.

PHILADELPHIA ENQUIERERER

*Philly glad it will take at worst "115-47" to stick around next year*

Having inherited a team so puzzlingly bad, new owner sickchangeup is just glad of one thing: "I've gone 117-45 in the Negro Leagues before, so even if things go completely sour, and we end this season on a 126 game losing streak, I feel like we're still in it. 115-47 is not out of the question for season 2, I've seen worse".

While clearly delusional, one probably should question why a team in dire need of wins, and mostly devoid of talent, would go ahead and move it's two best players at the ML level for prospects. "He knows he needs to win .400 right?" asked commish csherwood of owner thaceo at the latest veterans committee meeting. "Definitely" theceo replied, "perhaps maths isn't his thing?".

Indeed, maths is NOT his thing. But when questioned on the trade, he said it was simply too good to pass on, even if some other owner stands to reap the rewards "Anytime you get to trade an overperforming 33 year old injury risk and two low DUR closers for your future catcher AND a lefty closer with triple digit split potential, you gotta take it - Billy Wagner doesn't grow on trees".

Ah yes.... A Philly owner using a Billy Wagner analogy... and trying to make that a GOOD THING. Clearly baseball history isn't his "forte" either. So what's the plan for this franchise? "Well, we signed some guy who's name I don't recall off the trash heap last week. He went a solid five and two thirds, giving up a solid 7 runs", adding "We lost that one unfortunately".

Solid indeed. And just as clearly this team is gonna be diving deep into Free Agency next season, or praying the waiver wire brings something otherworldy some day soon. Or Season 2 could be this owners first, and last, full season in moneyball.

Reporting from Philadelphia, I'm Bill "Large" Colon.

Screaming Beavers aquire Eli Espinosa

SCREAMING BEAVER RADIO

Looking to boost an under-achieving offense, the Minnesota Screaming Beavers dealt veteran CF Louie Lopez to Florida for Eli Espinosa. Espinosa will immediately take over full time 2B duties and hit at the top of the order. His batting eye, tremendous speed and running ability should provide the spark the Beavers have been needing all season. He also fits in nicely with the Beavers pitching & defense first philosophy with above average range and glove.Rookie 3B Lee Clifton will split time at the hot corner with displaced IF Sam Goldman. Neither player was very happy with the news but understood management's decision to make a move.

GM Tropicana Shakes things up a bit in Seattle

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Between 10:30 am and 11:30 pm, Seattle Sanguine GM tropicana changed the entire shape of the franchise.

The team looked to be headed towards a .500 record, with a very up and down season on the horizon. The offense was obviously an area of deep concern, with 4 hitters managing averages around the mendoza line, highlighted by Victor Olivares' anemic .180 average. With all four hitters forming the 4-7 part of the lineup, at times, Seattle's offense would become non-existent. Then came Saturday.

Tropicana made three huge trades, and together, they give the Sanguine a now scary lineup, while at the same time shoring up their bullpen.

The first deal was looked on with some curiosity, as the Sanguine dealt potential superstar arm Fritz Corino for two sluggers, David Coombs and minor leaguer Willie Chantres. While many looked on Coombs as someone with talent, most thought it wasn't enough return for Corino.

The last two deals set the Sanguine up to be contenders the rest of this season. In the first, Seattle sent possible late-season rotation candidate Al Caballero to Nashville for Apollo Griffin and Max Grebeck.

"Where we were dealing Corino for some depth, we sent out Caballero to give this team some much needed punch," tropicana said. "Griffin is going to provide Victor some protection in the lineup, and we're hoping that that will allow him to see some better pitches as Apollo asserts himself."

The final trade of the day sort of came out of nowhere, as new owner of Philly sickchangeup and tropicana had been talking on and off the whole evening and came up with a blockbuster of a deal. Though Seattle had to part with Billy Ray O'Donnell, a potential closer in the future, the return that the received was huge, netting Chris Knoblauch from Philly (giving them a legit closer), Richie Nicholson (who will provide another, solid middle of the lineup bat), and future ML reliever Branch Kerr, who will most likely slot in at AA.

"All in all, the third trade, the one with Philly, that was the one that just might put this team over the top," tropicana said. "Nicholson will be a great contributor for us this season, and should slot into our into our outfield, providing us both with better defense as well as more offense."

"The key really was Knoblauch, which I told everyone in our organization and sickchangeup, as well," tropicana continued. "We needed him to shore up our bullpen, which was our new biggest weakness, and I told him I was pretty much willing to give him whatever to make the deal work. Billy Ray, though we liked him a lot, was what he settled on."

Knoblauch will almost certainly take over the closer's role from Brent Portugal, who though he was 7 for 7 in save opportunities, had been shaky at times.

Moneyball Power Rankings #1

#1 Atlanta Sprawl, AL South (14-6; Run dif: +87)The Sprawl exploded out of the gate, winning their first seven games in convincing fashion… Atlanta leads the league in runs, walks, stolen bases and OPS, while boasting the 2nd best team ERA at 3.22… A couple of ninth inning meltdowns from a talented bullpen has the club shuffling the cards in their closer-by-committee approach… In his first 20 games, DH/1B Jerry Daly has posted an obnoxious .412/.488/.853 line with 37 Rbis… The club recently acquired SS Harry Olerud from Oklahoma with the intention of rectifying some ill-advised early-season defensive positioning…. SP Louis Mahler went 4-0 with a 1.69 to win the first Pitcher of the Week award.

#2 Las Vegas Flying Elvises, NL West (14-6; Run dif: +27)The Elvises have mashed their way to the best record in the NL, with ROY favorite Tony Cruz (.324/.437/.662) and slugger Efrain Koskie (.319/.405/.797 with 27 Rbis; riding a 10-game hitting streak) rallying the club… The team boasts a balanced attack, ranking 10th in runs scored and 7th in ERA… The club has gotten stellar starting pitching performances from the top 4 starters and closer Herbert Sherman (6 for 6 in save opps, with a .57 whip and 1.29 ERA). The rest of the bullpen has struggled at times… CF Bill Towers is collecting triples and HBP at a breakneck pace.

#3 Portland Brewtopians, AL West (12-8; Run dif: +34)At first glance, teams may write off Portland’s league-leading 2.94 ERA to playing in cavernous PGE Park, but amazingly, the Brewtopians’ road ERA (2.40) is superior to their home ERA (3.23)… 9 of the 10 Brew pitchers to toss an inning this season have ERAs under 4, while bullpen trio Frank Lim (8 saves), JJ Mason and Gregg Truman all sport whips of .90 or better… The offense has yet to click, falling the middle of the pack in most categories. ROY favorite Kyle Stynes has done his part (.293/.330/.732 with 9 homers and 28 rbis), and Kent Titan and C Harry Cabeza have held their own, but the rest of the lineup provides little support: four starters carry OPS’ under .600.

#4 Cleveland Rockstars, AL East (13-7; Run dif: +27)Cleveland’s prodigious offense leads the league in home runs and slugging percentage. Lonny Vallarta has been everything the club hoped he would be when they acquired him from Atlanta, smacking AL pitching around to the tune of .294/.55/.794… Hersh “The Hitman” Hartman is not one to be outdone, though: .337/.367/.706 and 22 Rbis… One statistic of note: Cleveland’s team ERA is a respectable 4.29, good for 12th in the league, but their Whip is an atrocious 1.54, tied for second worst in Moneyball, and suggests that the club may have caught a few breaks up until this point.

#5 Houston Yeehaw Fantasticos, NL South (13-7; Run dif: +19)Houston features a prolific offensive attack, ranking in the top 5 of most offensive categories, buttressed by a middling pitching staff that has blown it’s share of leads early this season… It hasn’t been pretty at times, but expensive FA acquisition Bubbles McCallum is 4 for 4 in save opportunities… 34 year old Charles Chang has enjoyed some sup[rising success early on, sporting a 1.82 ERA, while going 2-0 in 4 starts and even saving a game… Offensive Player of the Week Heinie Ross hit .397/.516/.712 over the first 20 games of the season, while partner in crime (and off-season acquisition) Javy Palmeiro is holding his own with an impressive .347/.424/.520 line…. The club has to be pleased with the 9 home runs and 28 Rbis they’ve gotten out of lunchpail 1B Carl Thomas.

#6 Washington D.C. Whistling Badgers, NL East (12-8; Run dif: +24)The Badgers have been carried this far by dominant performances by starters Pedro Zapata, Anthony Byrne and Santiago Navarro, as well as an 8-for-8 performance from closer Mark Palmer, but the rest of the staff – particularly the bullpen – has struggled mightily… 1B Heathcliff Cameron and LF Fernando Blanco have carried the offense this far, but off-season acquisition Cliff Bonilla (.236/.329/.444) has yet to pay dividends.

#7 Oklahoma City Orchestra, NL South (10-10; Run dif: +25)Oklahoma brings a top-tier offense to the plate, batting .296 as a team and scoring the third most runs through the first 20 games of the year, but the pitching has struggled: the four-man rotation has three ERAs over 5… The bullpen, however, has been spectacular: Closer Barry Yeager has yet to surrender a run, and the club boasts four other setup men with Whips under 1.00… Leadoff man Cooper Alexander has managed 30 hits in 20 games, but only one extra base hit… Barry Jacobsen is playing way beyond his ability, raking a .348/.411/.864 line in the early going…. The .350/.441/.563 line that Nigel Nakajima is posting? That might continue.

#8 Minnesota Screaming Beavers, AL North (10-10; Run dif: +20)The Beavers have been doing it with pitching, flaunting a 3.38 team ERA… The strength of the club thus far has been the bullpen, though the starting combo of Gabe Douglas and Julian Hancock have been better than their 1 combined win might suggest… Closer Matty Gregg got shelled earlier and often, and the shutdown duties have been dispersed with more promising results… FA signing Bo Forrest has been spectacular (.432/.511/.753), while trade acquisition Patsy Wynn (.284/.304/.511) has provided a little pop to a subpar offense.

#9 Chicago Capone Bootleggers, NL North (12-8; Run dif: +7)The Bootleggers have been doing it with smoke and mirrors thus far, posting a 12-8 record despite a +7 run differential and few individual standouts… Davey Schultz has batted a sneaky .353 out of the 8 hole while 1B Larry Turner (23 rbis) has held down the middle of the lineup… Staff ace Danny Borland has been leaned on heavily in the early going, posting an impressive 2.25 ERA in 35 innings.

#10 Detroit Steelheads, NL North (11-9; Run dif: +15)A handful of bullpen implosions (1 for 5 in save opportunities thus far) have sullied the perfect game that began the Steelheads’ season, but their league-leading 1.18 whip and solid run differential suggest they will be a force in the NL as the season progresses… It’s not surprising that Detroit has given Matty Norton and Benito Granados such long leashes on the mound, the bullpen arms have made every game an adventure thus far… Norton is 1-3 despite a 2.91 ERA and 1.01 whip… Trade acquisition Ozzie Takada has been everything the club hoped for, smacking a .370/.474/.531 line with 11 steals thus far… CF George Ward has been a disappointment in the early going, and the Steelheads have rotated a number of players in and out of the lineup to find a mix that can best support their pitching.

International Signing Report

The thrice owned Philapelphia Citi Quakers under previous owner mitchrapp broke the bank in signing P Emmanuel Ferrer to a major league contract with a record bonus of $21 million. Ferrer looks to be a top line starter down the line, as long as he stays healthy. With 4 above average pitches, Ferrer should be able to keep hitters off balance as he moves up the ladder. Currently in LowA, look for new ownership in Philly to show a little patience as Ferrer gets better with age.

The Cleveland Rockstars signed C Al Belliard to a major league deal, with a $4mil bonus thrown in. While not the greatest defensively, Belliard should be solid with a bat in his hands, and might end up spending plenty of time in the majors as a DH.

Also signed to a major league contract was P Russ Cox by the New York Empires. Figuring that you can't call yourself an Empire without have a top notch pitching prospect, the Empires blew away the competition by offering Cox a major league deal and a $20 million bonus. While not quite in Ferrer's class in terms of dominating pitches, Cox is more well rounded in other ways, and should be a top of the rotation guy in New York.

The last remaining International signed to a major league deal as of this writing is LF Ivan Leon, who starts his career in AA for the Nashville Tennesseans. Leon is the best hitter to come from the International curcuit thus far, with solid power and a good eye that should allow him to look for his pitch. That $15.1 million bonus should keep him in Grand Ol' Oprey tickets for awhile too.More later...

-rugrat

AL East Awards Favs

Boston Bulldogs

MVP: Murray Foxx, Murray is as solid as they come. 6’3 220 lbs of switch hitting power. That being said the lineup around him his rather average and it will take something unexpected for him to make a play for the MVP. 40 homers, .300 AVG/.400 OBP 115 RBI. On a more offensive minded team he could post better numbers. A long shot for the MVP.

Cy Young: Craig Walsh, solid but not spectacular. Has amazing control and does a good job of keeping the ball in the park. Beyond that he is only known for being a workhorse.
35 starts-250 innings, 16 wins 180 k’s ERA around 4.00. If the moons align…maybe.

ROY: Rocky Curtis a lot of the Bulldogs success hinges on this 22 yr old Cf’er. Nothing great with the glove and playing in Fenway CF is very important, he is however a dynamo with the bat. Look for 30 steals and 20+ homers. His average will be helped by his blazing speed and a strong eye. .320avg/ .400obp. A good shot at ROY if voters can get past his shaky defense.


Cleveland Rockstars

MVP: Hersh Hartman Long and lean Hersh Hartman, Cleveland has a very strong offense centered around their 3rd baseman. He is a strong fielder and in just his 5th season in the majors he is still getting better. Looking for 45 homers 120 rbi, .330 avg/.400 obp and maybe a gold glove. As long as the Rockstars play well he will be a front runner for the MVP.

Cy Young: Guillermo Salinas Salinas has 3 top notch pitches and solid 4th with is cut fastball. With the Rockstar offense behind him and his ability to pitch late into games he is going to get a great chance at winning many games. Look for him to get close to 20 wins in his 35+ starts/225 innings, 175k’s and a solid 3.50 ERA. He has a great chance at being nominated.

ROY: Lonny Vallarta the 5 tool rookie is going to be so good this year he may actually get close to an MVP nom. Great speed, great fielding, Amazing power and the ability to hit for average as well. Cleveland will be in contention as long as he is playing for them. .335 avg 40 homers, 20 + steals.
My personal pres-season ROY pick.



New York Empires

MVP: Yorrick Parrish I had a lot of troubling writing this one, the Empires offense is almost nill. Parrish has a fair amount of pop, but unless everyone in front of him has a great season he wont get near enough rbi’s to warrant real consideration. .265 AVG/ 350 OBP, 38 homers 100 rbi. MVP dreamer and nothing more.

Cy Young: Pat Lynch Pat is a fine pitcher in the last few seasons of his career. Without much run support behind him he may wish he retired this past off season. Good control and 2 solid pitches and the ability to get lefties and righties out equally well. 32 starts 200 innings, 12-13 wins, 140 k’s with a respectable 4.00 ERA. Maybe on another team his chances would be better.

ROY: Oswaldo Rodriguez its not all doom and gloom in the big apple. 23 yr old Rodriguez is a future All-star at 2nd base. He wont get much attention for the ROY this season but is growing into a star. Great fielder, speed baserunning and a solid bat. Look for .275 avg, 15 homers 25 steals this season. ROY long shot but a keeper for sure.



Pittsburgh Pagans

MVP: Max Maxwell more flash then bash. Maxwell is a smooth fielding consistent hitting SS. Pittsburgh doesn’t have the most explosive offense, but they are very fast and very smart. Look for Maxwell to lead that charge. .300 avg/ .380 obp, 18 homers/85 rbi, 30 steals. A true team player but not a real MVP.

Cy Young: Cristian Davis Davis is by no means a great closer, but then again Pittsburgh doesn’t have any great starters. He has a great arm that bounces back day after day and he will need it as the Pagans will be calling on him constantly this season. Look for 35 saves 70 games 100 innings 4.25 ERA, 80k’s and no real chance of winning the Cy Young. PS he is a rookie, but wont win that award either.

ROY: Reid Washington Washington is a solid 24 yr old 1st baseman who is a perfect example of a Pagan type player. Smart and dependable. He is a good fielder for 1st and a fairly avg hitter, expect .280 avg 22 homers 85 rbi. Probably not a ROY but a solid season none the less.

Pitcher Perfect

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- To paraphrase erstwhile Durham Bull "Nuke" Laloosh, last week 25-year-old Dick Linden of the San Francisco Amoebas announced his presence in San Diego's Petco Park with authority.

While Linden's performance early in his third major league season resembled the dominance implied by the 18 strikeout debut of Tim Robbins' flamethrowing character, the 18 walks that went with them were nowhere to be seen.

And neither were any hits.

In fact, Linden was the epitomy of dominance with an economical 98 pitches to dispatch of every 'Charger batter he faced.

The pride of Becker, MN, the 6'-4" 199 pound Linden has adjsuted slowly to life in NorCal. With an unsteady rookie campaign, followed up by a sophomore season where he showed flashes of brilliance, the righthander seems to be coming into his own after spending his offseason in the San Francisco area training with teammates. That's not to say that Linden, an avid hunter, didn't make it back for big chunks of deer season, but staying in a warmer climate seems to have helped him stay focused on his summertime profession through the long offseason.

"It was great! Me and some of the guys went up through Sausalito, to Santa Rosa one weekend, stopping in a few of the wineries. Now, we're not wine guys, but it was nice to get out and see some parts of the area other than the stadium and the practice facilities, you know?"

It was on this trip that Linden started to appreciate the fanatical nature of many of the fans: "Man, we got to see how much they wanted us to kick ass this season. You get to see how the rivalries with the guys down south [like Los Angeles and San Diego] are big deals around here."

Of course, this made the fact that his Perfect Game was in San Diego against the SuperChargers even sweeter, said Linden, "Yeah, you know a lot of those guys, and with all the talk about LA being the top dog in the state, and the 'Chargers landing Melhuse in the offseason, you start to think: Hey! We've got a pretty good staff up here, too! It was special for me, and I'm sure it was special for the fans, too, to be able to walk in there and throw down the gauntlet.... they can't take games against 'Frisco lightly!"

Youthful exuberance aside, the Amoebas are probably a bat or two from being real contenders for the division with pre-season favourite Los Angeles or current NL West-leading Las Vegas, but with a few more performances like Linden's, it will be very hard to take any future trips to San Francisco lightly at all.

AL North Award Favs

Cincinnati Alektorophobiac Chickenhawks

MVP: Brian Kim this hard hitting Left Fielder carries a lot of the offensive load in Cincinnati. Is some what prone to injury but if he can stay healthy look for him to hit about .320/.400OBP with 30+ hrs and 40 doubles and drive in about 110 runs. A smart baserunner but has below average speed. A gold glove in LF is not out of the question. A long shot for MVP consideration.

Cy Young: Joseph Saitou a crafty Japanese right hander. Singed a big 4 year deal and now needs to prove he is worth all that money. 2 very good fastballs without a great 3rd pitch he will have to rely on defense to get out of innings. He is a work horse so look for 35+ starts 230+ innings, 16-18 wins, 125+k’s and ERA around 3.50. Top ten Cy Young candidate.

ROY: Nick Morgan the Rookie 2nd baseman moves to RF and to the cleanup spot after playing primarily INF positions and batting in the 3 hole during his climb to the majors. His weak arm may be better suited for LF or at best 2nd base. There is no denying his bat though. He will get lots of chances to drive in runs. Look for a solid 280 avg/.350obp, 25 homers 100 rbi and 5-8 steals. A definite ROY front runner.


Minnesota Screaming Beavers

MVP: Patsy Wynn probably the most complete 1st baseman in either league. Was acquired in a blockbuster deal this off-season to anchor the screaming beavers attack. Solid defense, great baseunning smarts, above average speed and powerful stick. .335 avg/ 400 obp, 40+ homers 125 RBI, 20 steals. Top 5 MVP hopefull.

Cy Young: Don Averill with Minnesota not yet naming a closer the position is still open. Many peg the job to go to young hard throwing Canuck Don Averill. Not to often do Closers get Cy Young attention but with a fairly average starting rotation the bullpen will get plenty of work. 65 games, 80 innings 35 saves, 90+ k’s, 2.50 ERA. Cy Young Long shot.

ROY: Tony Wright Skokie Illinois has a new favorite son. Wright slides into the 3 spot in the Beavers rotation. Has an incredible knuckle ball and a hard slider to keep batters off-balance. With the beavers offense and bullpen he could see lots of W’s. 32 Starts, 190 innings 13-15 wins, 120 k’s, ERA around 3.90-4.20. Middle of the pack for ROY.


Montreal Maroons

MVP: Bernie Cruz a solid 1st baseman with great leadership qualities. Pretty much a hitter as he is nothing special with the glove or on the bases. Should get lots of RBi with a solid lineup in front of him…40+homers, 120 rbi. 330 avg/ .410 obp. Top Ten MVP hopefull.

Cy Young: Rickey Ellis at 6’1 and 177lbs he doesn’t look like much. But he is one of the hardest hurlers in the league. An amazing slider and a splitter that he doesn’t throw enough. Tough on righties and terrific control. With run support could contend for the Pitching triple crown. 35 starts-230 innings, 20 wins 200 k’s, 3.00 ERA. Cy Young front runner.

ROY: Luis Borges tough call between Borges and 2nd baseman Harry Rivera
But with Luis incredible power he is hard to ignore. Should hit close to .300 and knock out over 35 homers. A gold glove in RF is probably in his future as well. Top 5 candidate for the ROY.


St. Louis Switchmen

MVP: Robinson Callaway Wow, the beast from the East. He posses all the tools to win a MVP. Power, Defense, AVG and speed to burn. Very disciplined and patient he is an early favorite to win the MVP. Expect 40 homers, 320 AVG 125 RBI 15 steals and maybe a Gold Glove. His name is already penciled in on my ballot.

Cy Young: Grover Sikorski another Canuck who should be in the running for an Award. Sikorski has impeccable control and fastball with great movement. His lack of a standout second pitch and his proneness to the long ball may hold him back. 35 starts- 200 innings, 16-18 wins, 3.75 era, 130 k’s and an outside look at the Cy Young.

ROY: David Martin a testament to the St. Louis pitching staff id that David Martin the hulking rookie from Springfield Mass is their number 4. Great control and serious heat. At only 22 he looks to only get MUCH better in the years to come. 32 starts 180 innings, 13-15 wins, 155 k’s 4.00 ERA. Strong ROY candidate, needs work on 3rd and 4th pitch.

Today in Moneyball

2/2 PM2

In a 10 inning nail biter the ChickenHawks beat the Maroons on a William Sewell walk off home run

The New York Empires played 20 innings vs the Boston Bulldogs, but came out with a 12-4 win after a big 20th,following the ejection of manager jabronidan.


2/3 AM

The Yeehaw Fantasticos pulled past the Oklahoma City Orchestra after 2B Jack Callaway drove in the game winning run

Erubiel Segui drove in the game-winning run in a 3-2 Buffalo win over Philadelphia.

Josh Glanville was placed on the 15 day DL with a shoulder strain

2/3 PM2

Recently traded Terry Torres drove in the game winning run in a 4-2 win over the Texas Leaguers. The Leaguers begin the season 0-3.

Alan Baker hit 2 Homers in a 6-3 win over the Seattle Sanguine

Vic Austin drove in the game winning run in a 8-7 Argonaut win over Kansas City

Alton Ridge knocked 2 longballs in a 5-4 win over the ChickenHawks.

The Bulldogs signed bonus international SP D'Angelo Almanzar to a 2.7 million dollar signing bonus

Matty Norton No-Hits the Bootleggers!

Detroit 4, Chicago 0

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- With only half the league in action, Opening Morning had no shortage of excitement, especially at spacious Comerica Park. Matty Norton threw the first ever no-hitter of the 1/2 day old Moneyball World, as the Detroit Steelheads topped the Chicago Capone Bootleggers 4-0.

The 26 year old ace was unshaken by the feat, and when asked how he felt about Moneyball's first no-no he said, "I was just happy to get my first major league hit in the 7th!" It only took Norton 93 pitches, and he was only a 6th inning walk of Davey Schultz away from the Perfect Game.

St. Louis Switchmen Season Preview

Lineup:

2B Phillip Serrano #16 82/24/42/68/59 Contact/Power/vs.L/vs.R/Eye.
CF Walt Forsch # 8 94/50/84/72/75
RF Robinson Callaway #11 51/89/85/80/58
LF Geoff Bigbie #43 74/81/49/49/72
3B Bill McBride #15 44/94/63/50/52
DH Ramon Sano # 7 70/66/73/88/86
1B Aaron Young #25 52/92/54/63/61
C Vic Archer 67/41/49/41/68
SS Glen Lowe (vs.R) #10 62/36/54/70/73
SS Dustan Rolls (L) # 2 45/31/71/35/41

Rotation:
DUR/STA CON/ L/ R/VE GB Pitches
Willis Kirk 25/84 74/82/75/90 61 81/72/58/68
Grover Sikorski 31/73 100/60/70/43 29 93/66/47/34
David Martin 29/68 78/60/77/87 41 88/65/41/39
Gary Piazza 32/73 78/52/55/84 80 78/61/38/44/25

(to be continued)

The '85 Club'

(With apologies to some other HBD blogs.)

RF Tony Cruz (27) Las Vegas 95/95

LF Kyle Thomas (29) Kansas City 93/93

RF Timothy Franco (27) Anaheim 92/92

SP Santiago Navarro (27) Washington 91/91

LF Heinie Ross (26) Houston 90/95

SS Placido Gonzales (30) Washington 90/90

SS Max Maxwell (30) Pittsburgh 90/90

RF Kyle Stynes (23) Portland 89/96

2B Ozzie Takada (29) Detroit 89/89

CF Curt Snyder (26) New Orleans 87/92

SP Vasco Rodriguez (26) Portland 87/91

SP Rickey Ellis (28) Montreal 87/87

LF Bo Forrest (31) Minnesota 87/87

SP Andrew Mitchell (33) Charlotte 87/87

2B Javy Palmeiro (29) Houston 87/87

2B Ismael Guillen (23) Chicago 86/91

SP Wilt Camilli (26) Houston 86/91

SP Matty Norton (26) Detroit 86/90

SS Terry Torres (26) Florida 86/90

SP Les Mills (29) Los Angeles 86/86

RP Barry Yeager (30) Oklahoma City 86/86

SS Duffy Thielman (28) Portland 86/86

SP Craig Walsh (29) Boston 86/86

RF Ned Watson (29) Kansas City 86/86

LF Eric Schalk (31) Detroit 86/86

SP Patrick Brunette (23) Toronto 85/91

LF Lonny Vallarta (25) Cleveland 85/88

SP Guillermo Salinas (28) Cleveland 85/85

2B Cliff Bonilla (29) Washington 85/85

SP Michael Browning (33) Cleveland 85/85

CF Walt Forsch (28) Saint Louis 85/85

SS Evan Hollins (29) Texas 85/85

SP Jake Joseph (29) Los Angeles 85/85

SP Turk Melhuse (31) San Diego 85/85

Four teams have three members, three teams have two, 15 have one and 10 teams have none.

Report: Brewtopians to aquire Morris in 3 player deal

PORTLAND STAR

The Brewtopians, today acquired 3b Marc "Tiny" Morris from Cincinnati in a 3 player deal: "Some feel that we are taking a big risk in taking on a 4 year contract for a 31 year old" said GM Nzballa, "But in Marc we get a great hitter who should hit well above .300 with 20/20 capabilities and an exceptional glove" he added, "We feel that adding a bat of his calibre makes our lineup as good as anybodies in the league".

Report: Seattle and Portland Agree on Trade

The Sanguine and the Brewtopians came together on a trade prior to spring training, and just now executed it after working out all of the particulars.

Though not a blockbuster, many in the Sanguine organization are very excited about the deal, which sends nearly ready 3B prospect Vic Sosa to Portland for starting pitcher Royce Parrott.

"We like Vic here in Seattle, but I don't foresee a situation where he gets to the majors any time soon," Seattle GM tropicana said. "It made sense to move Vic -- as a favor to him -- since he's nearly ready to go right now."

Though quick to compliment Sosa, tropicana was very obviously happy about Parrott, who should be an immediate contributor for the Sanguine.

"We knew that we needed to get something pretty valuable to us to make a deal that would send Sosa out, not only for us but for our fan base -- The obvious question they would have is, 'Why are we sending out prospects when we're trying to rebuild things?'" tropicana observed. "When the opportunity came to us, we stuck to our company line of needing starting pitching -- and in Royce I really think we got that. At the ML level, we didn't have a lot of depth in the rotation, and Royce will immediately step in and start."

Parrott threw in long relief for the Brewtopians this season, and was decidedly unimpressive, compiling a 7.59 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 10 2/3 innings. The Sanguine, however, expect to give Parrott avery long leash in the rotation, mainly due to lack of other roptions.