Tag: Billy Herman

Year III Season Preview: Los Angeles Angels

On August 4, 2026

In 2002 Season Previews, Team News

▌ State of the Franchise

The first Angels preview said the pitching should be solid, especially up front behind Doc Gooden and Gerrit Cole.

And, for a year, it was correct. But since then, their paths — and the fortunes of the franchise — have diverged. Gooden made the AL All-Star team at 23, threw 194 innings and struck out 172, and is on the fringes of the truly dominant starters in the league. That’s where Cole was in 2000, but last season, Cole went 7-15 with a 6.36 ERA and gave up 53 home runs in 166 innings. That’s … not good.

The offense seems decent enough — 2 genuine young stars (Mike Trout and Kal Daniels combined for 79 home runs, 81 doubles, and 100 stolen bases) and now, perhaps 3 with the arrival of Freddie Freeman (333/422/677 over 30 games). There are some questions here — catching has always been an issue, and the MI has never truly settled (even less so since the organization traded away Bobby Grich).

All of that sounds OK, but Los Angeles has declared they are actively displeased with OK, and spent the winter making some extreme changes. The net of it all is their 2 best starters — Tom Seaver and Brett Anderson — are gone, replaced by José Rijo and prayer, the lineup now sports Dobie Moore at SS and Billy Herman at 2B (Moore via trade, Herman via the Rule V draft), Richie Hebner floating around the corner IF with the departure of Doug Rader, and Dwight Evans as the 4th OF, and the Angels accumulated some MiL talent and — most importantly — a 1st round pick.

The window is 2004 and nobody is pretending otherwise. What 2002 is for is finding out which of these arms is real.

▌ 2001 Revisited

We asked for playoff contention and got 74-88, 3rd in the Cum Posey Division, 29 games out.

The forecast split cleanly down the middle. Everything it wanted from the bats happened: Trout became the superstar the best case demanded, taking the organizational MVP and finishing 3rd for the Mel Trench Award; Carlos Delgado held off age at 32 and led the club with 44 homers.

Everything it wanted from the arms went the other way. The best case named 6 pitchers who might make good on immense potential — Gooden, Elmer Smith, Chuck Finley, Nolan Ryan, Seaver, Sid Fernandez — (since released) and only Gooden did. Cole, the 2000 ace, was the collapse. Seaver was thoroughly meh and Pud Galvin — while certainly useful in a rubber-armed way — was effectively ordinary across 20 starts.

So the worst case, which predicted a hot mess on the mound and a Doug Rader reversion, was the more accurate take. Rader went from borderline MVP candidate to a pedestrian third baseman and was traded in March.

The other thing 2001 taught was about the bottom of the lineup. Ichiro Suzuki won a Gold Glove, played 140 games, and walked 7 times all year on his way to a .688 OPS and −1.2 WAR. Steve Garvey walked 8 times in 405 plate appearances. 1,400 PA, 15 walks. That’s no way to run a railroad.

▌ Key Changes

In: Bill Doak (FA); Dwight Evans (MEM); Richie Hebner (HOD); Billy Herman (FA); Dobie Moore (MEM); Jeff Pfeffer (KAN); José Rijo (KAN)

Out: Brett Anderson (HOD); Jay Bell (FA); Xander Bogaerts (MEM); Doug Rader (KAN); Tom Seaver (MEM)

Opening Day Rookies: Dwight Evans; Jeurys Familia; Freddie Freeman; Billy Herman; Darren Holmes; Ross Reynolds

▌ Best Case for 2002

Gooden finishes the climb to undisputed ace, and 2 of the arms behind him declare themselves. Rijo struck out 154 in Kansas City, Julio Teheran struck out 90 in 82 innings, Vic Willis is 23 and full of promise, and Ross Reynolds allowed exactly 1 home run (in the homer-happy context of the 2001 WBL) all season out of the pen. And the list of names above still waits: Finley, Ryan and Elmer Smith all open the year at Las Vegas.

And then the offense settles into sustained delivery: Freeman hits the way he did in September, Richie Hebner brings the 284/373/594 he posted for the House of David to third base, Moore settles shortstop at 21, and Gene Tenace — who walked 32 times in 155 plate appearances at Birmingham before the trade — gives the lineup an on-base bat.

The wins may not follow, and that’s allowed. 2002 is about answers.

▌ Worst Case for 2002

Nobody separates. The pool stays a pool, Cole’s home-run rate is just who he is now. The bullpen is the near-term version of the same problem. Francisco Rodríguez was among the worst closers in the league at 6.87, Pfeffer arrives off a 6.16, Bill Doak off a 6.37. None of that changes, and Suzuki’s bat doesn’t move, Herman doesn’t hold second base, and the lineup around Trout and Daniels looks no better than it did in 2001.

▌ Key Questions

Does what happens in Vegas matter? Oddly, many of the keys to LA’s future open the season at AAA in Las Vegas, where Mike Witt, Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, John Lackey, Mike Krukow and Carlos Mármol all start the season. The org needs 2 or 3 of that group to separate, and it has deliberately arranged the year to find out — promote for clarity, not for reward.
Is the trust in the Doc warranted? The sharpest question of the Angels’ winter is why they sold Brett Anderson (11-6 with a 4.34 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and 172 strikeouts in 189 innings and won the organizational Pitcher of the Year) and kept Gooden (11-11 with a 4.36, a 1.29 WHIP and 172 strikeouts in 194). Those are essentially the same season, and the fanbase will be keeping close tabs on how Anderson fares for the House of David.
Can anybody in the bottom half reach base? Every bat the org brought in — Hebner, Tenace, Moore, even Eddie Joost — gets on base.

▌ Roster Evaluation

Tier = the player’s 2001 positional grade (S best → F worst; color coded S A B C D F). Bold names carry a substantive WBL track; italic names are pure projection — a hope, not a grade — with no qualifying track to anchor them.

Pos	Players
C	Tenace · Hassey
1B	Freeman
2B	Herman
SS	Moore C · Joost
3B	Hebner A · Garvey
LF	Daniels S
CF	Trout S · Evans
RF	Suzuki F
DH	Delgado B
SP	Gooden C · Rijo C · Cole F · Galvin · Willis
RP	Rodríguez F · Reynolds B · Pfeffer F · Familia · Holmes · Doak

The bullpen is unsettled, most likely a committee approach until someone takes hold of the closer role.

▌ Talent Ratings

	WBL	Minors
Raw Power	CF Dwight Evans	1B Jack Hannifin
Batting Eye	SS Eddie Joost	CF Jack Gleason
Contact	RF Ichiro Suzuki	LF Elmer Smith
Running Speed	RF Ichiro Suzuki	CF Denard Span
Base Stealing	SP Pud Galvin	CF Devon White; C Dave Pierson
IF Defense	2B Billy Herman	1B High Pockets Kelly
OF Defense	CF Dwight Evans	CF Jim Landis
Stuff	RP Francisco Rodríguez	RP Nolan Ryan
Control	SP Roy Patterson; SP Pud Galvin	SP Brian J Anderson
Velocity	RP Francisco Rodríguez	RP Nolan Ryan

▌ Best In The Minors

Rank	Age	Pos	Name
1 (46)	19	2B	Rod Carew
2 (73)	22	1B	Babe Herman
3 (74)	23	LF	Steve Henderson
4 (99)	25	CL	Carlos Mármol

Others: P John Lackey, P Luke Walker, P Mike Witt, 3B Pedro Álvarez.

Graduated to the active roster since the ranked list: Dwight Evans (26).

A year ago this list ran 10 deep and 8 of the 10 were pitchers, led by Elmer Smith at 19th in all of baseball. Smith is 26 and at Triple-A now, trying to figure out how to harness his genuine 2-way potential. Seaver graduated and was flipped to Memphis; Reynolds graduated into the bullpen and made the AL Rookie Team; Randy Tate, Marcus Semien, Esteban Loaiza and Brandon Nimmo all fell off the board.

What tops it now is a bat — 19-year-old Rod Carew, last year’s 1st-round pick, a second baseman who is unlikely to stay one. Babe Herman (no relation to Billy) and Steve Henderson supply corner power behind him, and Mármol is the lone arm.

The list understates the system, though, because the interesting part isn’t ranked. Las Vegas is carrying most of the pitching depth in the organization plus Pedro Álvarez, the organizational Minor League Player of the Year, and Jack Hannifin, who hit 63 home runs there and turns 28 this year.

▌ Superlatives

	Most	Least
Age	Eddie Joost, 34	Chris Archer, 19
Height	Mike Witt, 6’7″	Albie Pearson, 5’5″
OPS	Jack Hannifin, 1.078 (AAA)	Denard Span, .514 (A)
HR	Jack Hannifin, 63 (AAA)	Elmer Smith, 0
SB	Kal Daniels, 55	–
WAR (bat)	Mike Trout, 5.7	Ichiro Suzuki, −1.2
W	Dwight Gooden, 11	–
SV	Al Jackson, 29 (A)	–
ERA	Tom Morgan, 3.07 (A)	Mike Krukow, 7.25 (AAA)
WAR (pit)	Tom Morgan, 4.0 (A)	Julio Teheran, −0.4

Stats across all levels, 2001 season. 200 PA / 75 IP minimum. Non-WBL levels tagged in parentheses.

Year III Season Preview: Wandering House of David

By mknn

On August 1, 2026

In 2002 Season Previews, Team News

State of the Franchise

The first House of David preview, 3 years ago, said there was a lot of talent here and the club was a year or 2 away. That is still, more or less, the pitch for the South Side travellers.

The bats are not (and never have been) the problem. Ernie Banks hit 59 home runs from shortstop last year, Ryne Sandberg hit 42 more at 33, and Anthony Rizzo claimed first base with a 287/391/594 season that was the most complete offensive year on the club. Behind them the org has bats stacked in the places bats are easiest to find — 4 first basemen on the roster, 2 catchers, and a Triple-A club that opens the season with Tony Conigliaro (7 homers in 24 WBL games last September), Jim Edmonds and Mark Grace (a 1.008 OPS) on it, because there is nowhere to put them.

The problem is the mound, and it has been for a year. Jack Taylor, who was an ace in 2000, gave back 192 innings of 5.90 ball. Bob Rush won a Gold Glove and posted a 5.28. Fergie Jenkins struck out 131 in 132 innings and finished with a 6.55. Nobody was good except a 22-year-old nobody expected (Kyle Peterson, more below).

So the season leans on Brett Anderson, 23 and acquired from Los Angeles in March for Richie Hebner — 189 innings, 172 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP for the Angels last year, and the closest thing to a front-line arm this org has had since Taylor. He doesn’t have to be an ace here, he just has to offer some stability to a beleaguered, revolving door of a rotation.

2001 Revisited

We asked for one thing: a repeat of last year’s playoff contention, at a minimum. The House of David went 78-84 and finished 4th, 7 games out, which is 5 games worse than the year before.

Ouch.

The odd part is how thoroughly both halves of the forecast missed. The best case had 4 clauses — repeat years from Taylor and Rush, a healthy Pete Browning, Elrod Hendricks not backsliding, the outfield sorting itself out — and 4 of 4 came up empty. Browning spent more time on the DL than on the field (again). Hendricks won a Gold Glove (the bleachers cheer!) and hit 195/291/416 (the bleachers fall silent, reluctant as they are to boo the hometown heroes). The outfield is no more settled today than it was then.

Meanwhile the worst case named Hebner, Ron Santo and Banks as the marginal men who might not step forward, and warned that Rizzo would regress. Banks put up a .968 OPS with 126 RBIs and won the organizational MVP. Hebner slashed 284/373/594 and pushed his way into more playing time all season. Rizzo broke out.

Where it did come true was the arm the preview never mentioned. Peterson went 8-3 with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP across 17 starts and took the organizational Pitcher of the Year — the one thing that went right on a staff where everything else went wrong.

And there was Sammy Sosa, traded away in a slump in 2000 and bought back a year later off a 144-plate-appearance hot streak at Memphis. He hit 195/240/478 with 41 homers, walked almost never, and was worth nearly 2 wins below replacement. 41 homeruns (the bleachers cheer!). A negative WAR (the bleachers shrug and reach for their beer). Our own review of the deal put it more concisely: this feels like being robbed.

Key Changes

In: Brett Anderson (LAA); Dellin Betances (FA)
Out: Richie Hebner (LAA); Billy Herman (FA); CC Sabathia (MCG)

Opening Day Rookies: None

Best Case for 2002

Anderson is what his strikeout rate says he is, Taylor remembers 2000, and Peterson holds. Behind them Rick Reuschel keeps being the most valuable arm on the staff — he led all House of David pitchers in WAR last year out of a swing role — and Jenkins, who owns the best raw stuff in the organization, finally delivers on it.

The lineup does what it already does, with health. Browning plays 140 games, George Gore and his .389 on-base get a full season instead of half of one, Santo takes the step a 22-year-old with 29 homers is entitled to, and one of the Triple-A bats forces the issue.

In a weak division, that’s enough. Or, could be enough.

Worst Case for 2002

Peterson’s rookie year came with 63 strikeouts in 107 innings, which is the profile that tends to regress. Anderson’s move doesn’t take. Taylor is what he was last year rather than what he was in 2000, and the rotation is a committee with nobody up front for a 2nd straight season.

And the roster’s thin construction hurts. Craig Reynolds is going to get a lot of PA, backing up both Sandberg and Banks, and he doesn’t look like a WBL bat. If Banks slides, Sandberg ages, and Sosa keeps being a muscled bundle of empty power, the bombs will keep landing in the street behind the bleachers, and the club will keep losing 8-5.

Key Questions

Where does the first arm come from? This staff has no settled answer to who starts opening day and why. Taylor has the pedigree and a 5.90; Peterson has the results and a strikeout rate that argues with them; Anderson has the peripherals and a 4.34 ERA; Jenkins has, by some distance, the best raw arm in the org and a track record that has never once matched it.
Does anybody here get on base? Banks reached at .314, Sosa at .240, Hendricks at .291, Santo at .311. Frank Chance ran 43 steals out of a .322 on-base built on a .214 average, which is its own kind of achievement. The 2 genuinely patient bats — Rizzo at .391 and Gore at .389 — are the least celebrated men in the lineup, which tells you something about a fanbase that came for the 450-foot shot and is not going to be talked out of it.
What happens if a middle infielder goes down? Sandberg at 33 and Banks at 26 are the 2 best players on the team and they play the 2 positions with nothing behind them. Heliodoro Hidalgo, the 7th-ranked prospect in baseball, is a year away at Triple-A. This is the one hole on the roster that cannot be covered from what’s already in the building.

Roster Evaluation

Pos	Players
C	Hendricks D · Chance
1B	Rizzo B · Anson
2B	Sandberg A
SS	Banks S · Reynolds
3B	Santo C
LF	Stone C
CF	Gore C · Browning
RF	Sosa F
DH	McGwire · Beckwith
SP	Taylor D · Anderson B · Peterson B · Reuschel D · Rush D · Jenkins · Clinton (IL)
RP	Spooner B · Bauta D · Betances · Key · Shaw · Downs

John Beckwith is 20 and broke camp on a WBL roster having hit 4 home runs in a full Double-A season — the ceiling is enormous and the track record is a rumor. And Frank Chance is a catcher who stole 43 bases, which is not a sentence that gets written often; he is also the club’s answer against left-handed pitching and its leadoff man, at a position where the incumbent just won a Gold Glove.

Talent Ratings

	WBL	Minors
Raw Power	1B John Beckwith	SP Jocko Flynn
Batting Eye	1B Mark McGwire	RF Olaf Henriksen
Contact	CF Pete Browning	1B Mark Grace
Running Speed	RF Sammy Sosa	RF Will Venable
Base Stealing	CF Pete Browning	SP George Zettlein; 2B Bingo DeMoss
IF Defense	2B Ryne Sandberg	3B Dave Malarcher; 2B Heliodoro Hidalgo
OF Defense	CF George Gore; RF Sammy Sosa	LF Sam Fuld
Stuff	RP Dellin Betances	SP Kerry Wood
Control	SP Jack W. Taylor	RP Tom Dukes; SP George Zettlein
Velocity	RP Dellin Betances	SP Kerry Wood

Best In The Minors

Rank	Age	Pos	Name
1 (7)	20	2B	Heliodoro Hidalgo
2 (15)	21	SP	Jocko Flynn
3 (37)	24	CF	Danny Green
4 (43)	21	2B	Bingo DeMoss
5 (98)	21	LF	Cody Bellinger

Others: P Larry Dierker, 1B Mark Grace, P Jon Matlack, P Joe Nuxhall.

Graduated to the active roster since the ranked list: Cap Anson (12).

A year ago this list was 10 deep and led by Frank Grant, the 2nd-ranked prospect in baseball — a second baseman, traded to San Francisco in July for John Beckwith. Karl Spooner and Peterson graduated onto the staff, Anson onto the roster, and Dave Malarcher slid off the board entirely. What replaced them is, pointedly, middle infield: Hidalgo came from Kansas City in the Lee Smith deadline sale and ranks 7th in all of baseball, with Bingo DeMoss drafted to fill the need (it’s not clear where Hidalgo ends up defensively).

Underneath, the system is teenage arms and one very stuck bat. Jon Matlack is 19; Joe Nuxhall is 17 and Larry Dierker 19. And Mark Grace put up a 1.008 OPS at Triple-A at 28, but seems destined to a AAAA label or a change of scenery.

Superlatives

	Most	Least
Age	Skeeter Barnes, 35	Joe Nuxhall, 17
Height	Dellin Betances, 6’7″	Bunny Downs, 5’5″
OPS	Mark Grace, 1.008 (AAA)	Darren Daulton, .437 (A)
HR	Ernie Banks, 59	José Uribe, 1 (AA)
SB	Frank Chance, 43	–
WAR (bat)	Ryne Sandberg, 3.7	Sammy Sosa, −1.9
W	Kyle Peterson, 15	–
SV	Ad Gumbert, 10 (AA)	–
ERA	Larry Dierker, 1.78 (A)	Larry Jackson, 6.61
WAR (pit)	Kyle Peterson, 4.9	Larry Jackson, 0.2

Stats across all levels, 2001 season. 200 PA / 75 IP minimum. Non-WBL levels tagged in parentheses.

TWIWBL 95.4: The Rule V Draft

By mknn

On June 13, 2026

In TWIWBL

There was some very interesting talent available through the Rule V Draft, and some teams decided to use it quite aggressively. Remember, these players need to stay on their new team’s WBL roster all year, or they revert to their original team.

It should be interesting …

Note that gaps in the picks indicate teams skipped their turn.

Pick	Team	Claims	From	Notes
1	POR	CF Paul Hines	BAL	OF depth. Unlikely to stick.
2	MEM	RP Ed Seward	MCG	Sure, could make it. Good MiL stats.
3	CAG	1B Mickey Vernon	POR	The search for a replacement for the injured Frank Thomas continues.
4	LAA	2B Billy Herman	HOD	A dark horse to be the steal of the draft. Should claim starting role in ST.
5	BBB	SS Dick Groat	HOM	Smart pick for a team starved for MI talent.
6	NYG	SS Billy Nash	DET	Nash did fine for DET, but was blocked there. Could have a legit shot to stick with the Gothams.
7	OTT	P Nip Winters	HOM	This one could hurt–both teams are desperate for SP.
8	HOM	RP Logan Hensley	DET	Shrug.
11	KAN	P Earl Hamilton	HOM	Combine this with Winters, and the Grays could rue this day.
12	MCG	P Sam McDowell	CLE	A smart pick, McDowell could easily last the season in Miami
16	PHI	3B Buddy Myer	IND	Decent utility IF, could work.
18	NYY	P Jeff Robinson	IND	Unlikely to survive in NY.
21	POR	SS Leo Cardenas	BBB	Given how weak POR’s MI is, this could work.
23	CAG	1B Tino Martinez	OTT	More 1B hedging–clearly CAG thinks it is cheaper to throw a lot of options out in ST than acquire after opening day.
26	NYG	OF Tip O’Neill	HOD	Nice pick, should be able to hang around given the weakness of the Gothams’ OF.

TWIWBL 89.2: Off Season Review – Wandering House of David

By mknn

On March 14, 2026

In Season Reviews, TWIWBL

78 - 84, .481 pct.
4th in Marvin Miller Division, 7 GB

Overall

The House of David are just not very good. Last year, they edged into the playoffs, this year, they were a bit off that pace, but really there wasn’t a ton of difference. Which means there wasn’t much improvement.

It’s a team with some decent offensive pieces and some pitching potential, but also with enough obvious holes that it’s hard to see quite where the path to contention may lead. There are some cornerstones: offensively, Ernie Banks entered the superstar realm this year, Ryne Sandberg shows no signs of slowing down, Anthony Rizzo looks like the real deal, and Tony Conigliaro had one of the best debuts possible for a September callup.

Note the lack of discussion of pitchers …

What Went Right

Ernie Banks went very, very right: a .968 OPS, 59 homers, and 126 RBIs from SS puts Banks on the fringes of the MVP conversation. The House of David sport a brilliant keystone combination, with Banks and Ryne Sandberg. At 33, Sandberg continues to be one of the best 2B in the WBL, slashing 292/351/592 with solid defense.

Rizzo was a bit of a surprise, showing a rare mix of patience and power and laying claim to the 1B job, which was pretty much up in the air.

Richie Hebner slashed 284/373/594, demanding more and more playing time as the season progressed.

One of 2 notable reclamation projects, Mark McGwire, while not quite putting it all together, did impress. His slash line reveals a lot: 205/315/608 shows his patience, his world-class power, and his inability to do much else. Still, 22 homeruns in 56 games will turn some heads.

Kyle Peterson made 17 starts, going 8-3 with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. His success came out of nowhere, but those are excellent numbers, and he’ll be expected to hold down a rotation spot next season.

Karl Spooner was quite effective from the pen, proving very hard to hit and compensating for marginal control with a high strikeout rate.

Rick Reuschel was steady all season, and while he may not be more than a rotation starter over time, the dependability means a lot for an otherwise beleaguered rotation.

ALL STARS

Ernie Banks
Lee Smith (Subsequently traded)

MAJOR AWARDS

Ernie Banks, All NL First Team, NL Silver Slugger SS
Elrod Hendricks, NL Gold Glove C
Bob Rush, NL Gold Glove P
Karl Spooner, All NL Rookie Team

RECOGNITIONS

Ernie Banks, NL 25 & Under Team
Richie Hebner, NL 23 & Under Team
Kyle Peterson, All NL Rookie 2nd Team
Craig Reynolds, All NL Rookie 2nd Team
Ryne Sandberg, ALL NL Third Team; NL Over 30 Team
Ron Santo, NL 21 & Under Team

ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS

Ernie Banks, MVP
Kyle Peterson, Pitcher of the Year
Ryne Sandberg, Heart & Soul
Richie Hebner, Fan Favorite

Frank Dwyer, Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Tony Conigliaro, Minor League Player of the Year

What Went Wrong

Jack Taylor got a lot of the blame for the House of David’s showing this year, but much of that was unfair. Yes, Taylor’s performance was a far cry from his dominant year 1, but (a) he recovered a bit as the season wore on and (b) 200 innings and a 12-10 record still holds some value. The real issue is that nobody other than Peterson was actually good, with Ferguson Jenkins, CC Sabathia, and Bob Rush all struggling (Rush was the best of this trio, Sabathia the worst).

Bruce Sutter couldn’t hold on to a WBL slot, ending the season in the minors after a disastrous 25 appearances resulting in an ERA over 8.00. As problematically, especially after Lee Smith‘s departure, nobody (other than Spooner) had provided any stability from the bullpen.

Elrod Hendricks provided gold glove level defense, but nothing else, eventually falling into a platoon with Frank Chance who, despite his speed (he lead the team with 43 steals), performed even worse offensively than Hendricks. So C in general was pretty much a black hole.

Craig Reynolds, Billy Williams, and Cap Anson were all given a chance and none could muster an OPS over .700.

The other reclamation project, Sammy Sosa was just eternally frustrating. Sosa walloped 41 homers, but unlike McGwire, couldn’t take a walk, leaging him with only power and some speed / defense on offer.

Once more, Pete Browning spent more time on the DL than on the field, but whereas he was incandescent last year when healthy, this year, he was merely adequate.

Transactions

March

IF Charlie Gehringer & 3rd Round Pick to DET for P Claude Osteen & 1st Round Pick

A clear win: Gehringer was solid for Detroit, but blocked here, and the 1st rounder has quite a bit of value.

C Gabby Hartnett, P Rollie Fingers & 4th Round Pick to MEM for OF Sammy Sosa.

Ugh. Sosa’s return was much heralded, but given how bad the House of David’s catchers were, this feels like being robbed.

July

IF Frank Grant to SFS for IF John Beckwith & 3rd Round Pick.

Interesting, and a deal that won’t be able to be judged for a few years. Grant was either blocked by Sandberg or his successor, but had little immediate value for the House of David.

IF Luis Aparicio, IF Jung Ho Kang, & 7th Round Pick to PHI for P Larry Jackson.

Jackson is solid and Kang looks to be the quintessential AAAA player, so this seems fine.

IF Joe Harris & P Lee Smith to KCM for OF Heliodoro Hidalgo, P Jimmy Key, & 3rd Round Pick.

A clear sign the House of David were giving up on the season. Given that, it seems fine–both Harris and Smith are well past 30.

August

None–all useful pieces had, I guess, already been moved.

Positional Overview

C

Who knows? Elrod Hendricks‘ glove has some value, but he looked completely overmatched at the plate. None of the youngsters seem ready yet, but Cap Anson, Frank Chance, and Darren Daulton all look good–and even Beckwith has seen some time behind the plate.

A strong Spring Training from Anson could earn him a roster spot, but it looks most likely that, without a trade, they head into next season hoping that Hendricks and Chance just somehow get better.

1B

Even with Anthony Rizzo‘s performance, there are some questions here. Rizzo has earned his spot, but there is a lot of other talent at first base: McGwire, Richie Hebner, even Cap Anson and, especially, Mark Grace, who slashed 324/395/613, from the minors.

2B

At 33, Ryne Sandberg still has a few years in the tank; behind him, the best talent is probably Billy Herman, who has looked overmatched in the WBL so far. This is also a possible position for Heliodoro Hidalgo and Dave Malarcher, but they may end up elsewhere.

SS

At 25, we would assume this is Ernie Banks for quite some time.

Behind him, though, it’s not terribly clear. Malarcher could play here, but veteran Craig Reynolds feels like the more likely option, with both José Uribe and John Peters also available as defense-first options.

3B

As the season went on, Hebner played here a bit, but the future really looks to belong to 21 year old Ron Santo, although this is also the most likely position for Beckwith and Malarcher, but that is tomorrow’s problem.

LF/RF

These spots are pretty wide open, and I would expect strong Spring Training competition between Pete Browning, Sammy Sosa, George Stone, Tony Conigliaro, Billy Williams, Cy Williams, and Tip O’Neill. Of those, Stone has the inside track on the LF job, which probably pushes O’Neill to the minors once more.

Cy and Billy Williams and Conigliaro were the best performers this season, but Billy struggled mightily in September with the big league club, and Cy has yet to face WBL pitching.

CF

Another bit of a logjam, with George Gore, Jim Edmonds, and Pete Browning all being happiest at this position. Gore and Edmonds are very, very similar, with Gore having produced just a bit more season over season, but if Browning can get back to his Year One levels, he’s the starter here.

At 30, Jerry Mumphrey keeps arguing for an opportunity, but he’s probably forced out once more.

The future looks good here, with either Hidalgo or Cody Bellinger likely to emerge as the most likely candidate to take over in a few years.

DH

Look for a mixture of McGwire, Hebner, and whoever loses the OF competition to get the at bats here.

SP

It’s a mess of question marks right now.

Can Taylor bounce back? Is Kyle Peterson for real? Can Jim Clinton, Bob Shaw, or, most likely, Rick Reuschel prove to be a reliable third starter?

Say Taylor and Peterson are set in the rotation, the Spring will see a strong competition between the others, as well as Bob Rush, Larry Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Jimmy Key, and, depending on his recovery from injury, Kerry Wood.

There is some good talent in the system, led by teenagers Larry Dierker and Joe Nuxhall (still only 17).

RP

The only set spots are Karl Spooner and Ed Bauta, so there should be some competition here, starting with Bruce Sutter who, for the 3rd year running, will be given a shot at becoming the closer.

Beyond that, Scott Downs will get some time, and the team is open to Ad Brennan, Tom Dukes, Brian Holman, or George Gilpatrick showing they can handle life in the WBL.

Draft Outlook

DRAFT PICKS

1st Round: 3
2nd Round: 1
3rd Round: 2
4th Round: 0
5th Round: 1

A big draft for the House of David, with 6 picks in the first 3 rounds. There are a few WBL ready arms, aside from that, the lower end of the farm system could just be upgraded across the board.

TWIWBL 78.7: Marvin Miller Division

By mknn

On September 18, 2025

In TWIWBL

Team	W/L	Pct	GB
Kansas City Monarchs	62-62	.500	—
Indianapolis ABC’s	62-63	.496	0.5
Houston Colt 45s	61-62	.496	0.5
Wandering House of David	59-65	.476	3
Birmingham Black Barons	59-66	.472	3.5

Marvin Miller Division | 19 August

#Birmingham Black Barons

Bobby Grich had started his time with Birmingham in an 0-17 slump, but hit an early homerun and a late double in a 9-7 win over the ABC’s. Jim Pagliaroni was the hero, as his walk off grand slam in the 13th, his 36th dinger of the year, was the difference.

#Houston Colt 45’s

Tug McGraw and Casey Stengel were recalled from their rehab assignments.

Thanks to a game shortened by rain to 5 innings, Toad Ramsey got credit for his 3rd shutout and 7th complete game of the season, allowing 1 hit to Kansas City on a 1-0 win for Houston.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

Indianapolis recalled pitchers Eddie Watt and Paul Derringer from AAA, along with position players Dan Driessen, Dave Henderson, Ross Youngs, Ed Swartwood, and Hal Morris.

Luis Padrón won his league-leading 18th game, carrying a 3 hit shutout into the 9th inning. He tired rapidly, and eventually needed help from the bullpen in the 7-3 win over Birmingham, but still fanned 11 batters in the effort.

Johnny Bench hit 2 out, including a 3 run shot in the top of the 13th, but it wasn’t enough as the ABC’s fell to Birmingham, 9-7.

#Kansas City Monarchs

Where has this been all year? Luke Hamlin needed help at the end, but still combined with Craig Kimbrel on a 2 hit shutout as the Monarchs topped the Gothams, 4-0.

Dale Murphy‘s 25th homer of the year helped support (another) great effort from A. Rube Foster as the Monarchs topped Houston, 2-1. Foster reached double-digits in wins, improving his record to 10-5.

#Wandering House of David

The House of David hit 7 homeruns, 3 by Mark McGwire, in a 9-2 win over Birmingham. As importantly, it was another solid outing from Jack Taylor, who may have emerged from the horrors of the first half of his season. McGwire now has 14 homers in about 100 PA’s, arguing for a WBL role despite struggling to move his average over .200.

Pete Browning was recalled from his latest rehab assignment, along with Tony Conigliaro, Billy Williams, and Billy Herman. Pitchers Scott Downs, Kerry Wood, and Frank Sullivan also joined the big league club.

We’ve been waiting for a long time for someone, anyone, in the WBL to hit 4 homeruns in a game. What we didn’t expect was that a rookie would do it, let alone in his first game. But that’s what Tony Conigliaro did: 3 homeruns, followed by being hit by a pitch, followed by a 9th inning shot for his 4th of the day. Mark McGwire hit 2, and between the 2 of them, Conigliaro and McGwire drove in 9 runs in the 11-9 win over Philadelphia.

Ernie Banks had 5 hits and 2 homeruns in a 13 inning, 11-10 victory over Philadelphia and then Banks did it again, with another 2 homers in an extra-inning affair, this one a 15 inning marathon win over the Stars by a score of 5-3. Banks now has 50 homeruns on the season.

TWIWBL 77.3: The Trade Market

By mknn

On August 29, 2025

In TWIWBL

With the August trade deadline just around the corner, seemed to be a good time to take a look at the likely sellers and buyers, and some players that are likely to find new homes by the end of next week.

Some notes on these:

Needs reflect places where the minor league systems are thin on talent and the general shape of WBL level talent needed.
The second three bullets (Prospects, AAA Help, WBL Help) are possible players that could be available in the right context..

#BUYERS

These are teams looking to solidify their talent or make a push for the post-season. In a perfect world, they have some young talent to spare as well.

#Birmingham Black Barons

Yeah, they’re in 5th place, but they’re also only 4 games back, so there’s hope. The Black Barons have been ingenious at past deadlines, we’ll see if they can continue the trend.

Needs: IF, P, Minor League SS/3B

Prospects: OF Melky Cabrera, Curt Flood, Gary Matthews; IF Nate Colbert, Hal Trosky
AAA Help: P Tommy Bond; IF Pie Traynor
MLB Help: OF Bob Nieman

#Cleveland Spiders

Could use another SP, as well as a help in the middle infield–Chuck Knoblauch is skating along on last year’s performance, and there isn’t any depth to speak of at 2B/SS despite Steve Sax‘s excellent first 50 PA’s.

Needs: Minor League 2B/SS.

Prospects: OF Paul O’Neill, Kenny Lofton; IF Johnny Hodapp
AAA Help: P Chuck Porter, Claude Passeau; IF Bob Elliott, Brook Jacoby
MLB Help: IF Willie McCovey

#Homestead Grays

A Wild Card spot is likely for the Grays, who have a powerhouse offense and a desperate need for pitching. With some young talent blocked, they may be able to make some moves.

Needs: Bullpen is aging

Prospects: OF Max Carey, Paul Waner; IF Freddie Lindstrom
AAA Help: OF Starling Marte; IF Jeff Kent, P Brickyard Kennedy
MLB Help: OF Goose Goslin

#Houston Colt 45’s

Another team caught between a wild card chase and building for the future, the Colt 45’s would love to address their one ongoing need, which is a catcher to take over from the aging Jorge Posada, as some in the organization are not yet sold on Will Smith as the longterm solve behind the plate. There is a crunch at 1B/DH as well, as there really aren’t enough AB’s to go around for both Paul Goldschmidt and the recently demoted Andrés Galaragga.

Needs: Minor League C, SS.

Prospects: IF Bucky Dent, Travis Jackson, Wes Helms; OF César Cedeño, Hunter Pence, Shin-Soo Choo
AAA Help: P Mike Sirotka, Óscar Tuero; IF Carney Lansford, Aramis Ramírez, OF Gorman Thomas, Johnny Damon
MLB Help: Various bullpen pieces may be possible

#Indianapolis ABC’s

Another team riding the wild card roller coaster. The ABC’s are solid offensively, but struggle some behind their top end starters. There are some blocked players–perhaps most notably Jake Stenzel–so there are some pieces available.

Needs: Minor League OF

Prospects: OF Jim Eisenreich, IF Pokey Reese, Sean Casey, Hal Morris
AAA Help: P Johnny Vandeer Meer; OF Jody Gerut, Dave Henderson, Ed Swartwood; IF Dan Driessen
MLB Help: OF Jake Stenzel, Bob Bescher, IF Ed Charles

#Kansas City Monarchs

This Monarchs team will make the playoffs a year or two ahead of schedule so the choice of how much to surrender for immediate success is a bit challenging. At some point, some of the positional logjams need to be sorted out (Albert Pujols, Dale Murphy, and Ducky Medwick; Willie McGee and Cool Papa Bell), but it’s not clear that now is that time.

Needs: Minor League C; WBL Offense

Prospects: OF Wade Johnston, Earl Averill; IF Keston Hiura, Pat Burrell
AAA Help: P Adam Wainwright, Jack Quinn; IF Ken Boyer, Andre Thornton; OF Merv Rettenmund, Jim King
MLB Help: P Matt Morris, Luke Hamlin

#New York Black Yankees

Once again the Black Yankees are trying to find the right piece to extend their postseason run. At some point, they’ll need to solve their post Derek Jeter needs at SS, but this is probably not that time.

Needs: Minor League OF; P; future SS.

Prospects: OF Rob Deer, Clyde Milan
AAA Help: OF Roger Maris; IF Tom Herr, Red Rolfe; P AJ Burnett
MLB Help: P Rheal Cormier, Red Ruffing, Waite Hoyt

#MEH

A mix of teams doing well enough not need anything (San Francisco) and those not willing to give up much because they like their current talent composition moving into Year 3. Never say never, as these teams do have some pieces, but they are far less motivated to get something done at the deadline.

#Brooklyn Royal Giants

This team is just beginning to gel, but they could use some offense and they are one of the few franchises with arms to spare.

Needs: SS if unconvinced by Vern Stephens; Minor League 1B

Prospects: OF Matty Alou, Raúl Mondesi, Don Mueller; IF Sonny Jackson, Ken McMullen, Maury Wills; P Doc Newton, Zach Britton
MLB Help: IF Germany Smith, Dick Bertell
AAA Help: IF Jim Gentile, Eric Karros; C Kelly Shoppach; P Ron Perranoski

#Detroit Wolverines

They’re in an odd spot: on the one hand, they are likely to be in the wild card chase; on the other, this is a team well positioned for the future, and eager to cement that status. There are a lot of pieces that are over 30, but none–other than perhaps Oscar Gamble–are key cogs in the Wolverines’ machine.

Needs: Minor League 3B; IF, esp SS; P.

Prospects: IF Wander Franco
MLB Help: OF Oscar Gamble
AAA Help: OF Brady Clark, Wes Covington; IF Jimmy Collins; P Dennis Rasmussen

#Miami Cuban Giants

The Cuban Giants have an outside shot at a wildcard slot, but this is a team building for the future. As such, I would expect them to stand pat, or perhaps move some end of roster pieces for minor league depth.

Needs: Minor League OF, 3B, 1B; WBL P.

Prospects: OF Roy Thomas, Carlos Morán
MLB Help: P Sandy Consuegra, Kenshin Kawakami; OF Andy Pafko
AAA Help: IF Nellie Fox

#Ottawa Mounties

Even though the Mounties have a shot at the playoffs, this is a team trying to position itself for the future, which basically means begging everyone and anyone for pitching.

Needs: Minor League SS, 3B, C. SP.

Prospects: OF Warren Cromartie, Willie Upshaw, Willie Keeler, Leon Roberts
MLB Help: P Bryn Smith; IF Roy Sievers; OF Rick Monday
AAA Help: IF John Olerud; OF Terry Puhl, Bob Allison; C Emil Gross; P Chris Bosio

#Philadelphia Stars

The Stars are on the fringe of the playoffs, but really this is a team aiming at cementing and building around its emerging nucleus. As such, some of its useful veterans may be available; at the same time, Philadelphia would love to add some pitching and address its issues in the middle infield.

Needs: MI, P, WBL Offense.

Prospects: ???
MLB Help: OF Rico Carty; P Bob Howry, Robin Roberts, Pedro Feliciano; IF Art Fletcher, Ted Kluszewski
AAA Help: OF Bobby Abreu; IF Jung Ho Kang, Dolph Camilli, Cecil Cooper; C Sherm Lollar

#San Francisco Sea Lions

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That said, if an easy piece comes available, it’s unlikely the Sea Lions ignore the opportunity.

Needs: Minor League 1B

Prospects: OF Jules Thomas, Matt Holliday; IF Freddie Freeman; P Jair Jurrjens
MLB Help:
AAA Help: IF Dick Green, Denny Walling; OF Josh Reddick; P Rube Walberg

#Wandering House of David

Even the House of David isn’t convinced their playoff chances are real. Still … they might be. So it’s a bit of a quandary in terms of whether they should move some of their young talent or not. The challenge is the roster really doesn’t make a ton of sense: CF is overly crowded, 1B/DH as well, and there is an abundance of talent at 2B.

Needs: P

Prospects: OF Tony Conigliaro; IF Billy Herman
MLB Help: OF Jim Edmonds, George Gore; IF Mark McGwire, Richie Hebner
AAA Help: P Joaquín Andújar; IF Tom Hutton, Mark Grace; OF Tracy Jones

#SELLERS

Teams with either an excess of talent, or who have thrown in the towel on the season and have some veteran pieces that may be attractive.

#Baltimore Black Sox

Last year’s champs, this year’s dunces. Baltimore believes in its young core, a belief that may see them retain FA acquisition Gavvy Cravath, but even he may be had for the right price.

Needs: all P, Minor League OF.

MLB Help: IF Bobby Wallace, Dan McGann; P Buddy Groom, Connie Johnson, Joe Beggs
AAA Help: P Ken Johnson, Kevin Tapani, Christhian Martínez; OF Ken Griffey, Sr; IF Brian Roberts

#Chicago American Giants

The season cannot end soon enough. Chicago has talent to be a contender, but nothing has gone right for them this season. They are willing to blow up their pitching staff, from a how much worse could it be perspective.

Needs: Minor League OF, C; prime P

Prospects: IF Jorge Orta; OF Walter Davis, Lenny Dykstra
MLB Help: P Akinori Otsuka, Joe Lake, Mark Buehrle, Hoyt Wilhelm, David Price; IF Paul Konerko, Freddy Parent; OF Vernon Wells
AAA Help: OF Rocky Colavito, Magglio Ordóñez; C Michael McKenry

#Los Angeles Angels

It hasn’t been a bad year for the Angels, but they are still a player or three away. There is a lot of mound talent in the organization, but they could use some long term solutions at SS, 3B, and C.

Needs: Minor League OF, C, 2B; WBL Offense.

Prospects: OF Norm Miller
MLB Help: IF Eddie Joost
AAA Help: OF Elmer Valo; IF Mark Ellis; P Rich Hill

#Memphis Red Sox

There is hope in Beantown. Just not for this year. There also are some pieces that may hold attraction for contenders, most notably 1B Bill White (with the Red Sox happy to turn 1B over to David Ortiz) and closer Jonathan Papelbon. There is a lot of congestion at various positions that needs to clarify over time.

Needs: Minor League C, SS; SP; 2B/SS

Prospects: IF Dustin Pedroia, OF Joe Rudi, Dwight Evans, Lefty O’Doul, Candy Jim Taylor, P Jim Kaat
MLB Help: P Tommy de la Cruz, Jonathan Papelbon; IF Bill White, DJ LeMahieu, Iván De Jesús, Nomar Garciaparra
AAA Help: IF George Scott, Dustin Pedroia

#New York Gothams

With this season pretty much scrapped, the Gothams are looking to the future. Which puts them in an interesting spot, as they have a fair number of useful parts on the wrong side of 30. But it’s not a total fire sale, as the team isn’t that far away from competing.

Needs: Minor League SS, C, 2B; SS

Prospects: OF Rick Manning
MLB Help: P Mike Norris, Juan Marichal, Troy Percival, Gaylord Perry; IF Joe Adcock, Larry Doyle, Terry Turner
AAA Help: OF Carl Furillo, Steve Kemp, Charlie Hamburg; IF George Kell; P Liván Hernández, Wei-Yin Chen, Tony Mullane, Guy Hecker

#Portland Sea Dogs

In some sense, the Sea Dogs did their selling already, both during the offseason and the all star break. But this year is still a wash for Portland, so anything they can do to help build for the future will be worthwhile.

Needs: 2B/SS, overall WBL Offense.

Prospects: ???
MLB Help: OF Kiki Cuyler, Harry Hooper; IF Gil Hodges; P Mark Melancon
AAA Help: IF Don Baylor, Rafael Palmeiro; OF Walt Bond, Jerald Clark

TWIWBL 75.6: Marvin Miller Division

By mknn

On July 8, 2025

In TWIWBL

Team	W/L	Pct	GB
Kansas City Monarchs	55-51	.519	—
Indianapolis ABC’s	53-52	.505	1.5
Houston Colt 45s	53-52	.505	1.5
Wandering House of David	48-57	.457	6.5
Birmingham Black Barons	47-58	.448	7.5

Marvin Miller Division | 30 July

#Birmingham Black Barons

Juan Ríncón did not improve after being removed from the closer role. As such, the Black Barons have sent him to AAA, hoping he can recover some of his magic from last season. Joe Orrell was recalled.

Sam Streeter started a rehab assignment, and should be back within a week or so.

#Houston Colt 45’s

Tug McGraw both blew a save against Birmingham and had to exit with elbow pain. The Colt 45’s closer will miss 2 weeks, prompting Houston to recall Jim Kern from AAA.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

Mike Redmond was sent to AAA, with Larry Pratt being promoted to serve as Johnny Bench‘s backup.

Luis Padrón improved to 15-3 with a 3 hit shutout as the ABCs triumphed over Kansas City, 7-0. Padrón opened the scoring in the game with his 5th homer of the year, and walked 1 while striking out 5 in his 3rd shutout of the season.

#Wandering House of David

Ron Santo went deep twice as the House of David beat Homestead, 10-5. The game was costly, however, as Ryne Sandberg has to hit the DL after suffering a back injury. Billy Herman was recalled from AAA, and will split time at 2B with Craig Reynolds in Sandberg’s absence.

TWIWBL 56.15: Spring Training Notes – Wandering House of David

By mknn

On March 3, 2024

In TWIWBL

Spring Training Questions

The House of David enter Spring Training with 6 OFers and 4 Ps on the roster, so something most likely needs to give in the OF and the pitching is just totally wide open.

There is a ton of young talent that could force its way onto the roster with a strong Spring.

Injuries

Frank Grant will miss about 2 months with a back injury, removing for now any question of him making the opening day roster.

First Cuts

Tom Niedenfuer will be given some more time to recover from his early struggles, but Bill Stoneman, Jim Clinton, Larry Dierker, Karl Spooner, and Ken McBride were all moved to minor league camp. Even with that, there are a lot of major league opportunities on this staff.

Darren Daulton moved to the minors, with Bubbles Hargrave and Gabby Hartnett only staying in camp because the House of David needs some bodies behind the plate. At the corners, Cody Bellinger, Mark McGwire, and Jung Ho Kang were all reassigned. The situation remains a bit unclear–Deacon White and Chris Brown haven’t been terribly impressive, but have done just enough to remain in camp while a few of the presumed members of the opening day roster–Joe Harris, Anthony Rizzo, Ron Santo, and Richie Hebner especially–need to warm up.

At 2B, Charlie Gehringer is turning heads, but with Ryne Sandberg well established, it’s not clear how far that will take him. Craig Reynolds and Billy Herman were sent down, while both Bunny Downs and Orlando Cabrera have impressed enough to continue to make their case for a utility role on the IF.

In the OF, Cy Williams is forcing himself into the picture, with Billy Williams, Fred Lynn, and Tony Conigliaro heading to the minors.

Second Cuts

Tom Niedenfuer is in danger of being sent down, but his performance last season keeps him in camp for now. Beyond that, the staff is doing quite well, but of course will need pruning over the next week or so.

Mark Grace heads down to clear some of the 1B logjam … and that’s it for now.

Third Cuts

P Chad Kuhl heads to the minors, with the House of David considering sending down both Tom Niedenfuer and CC Sabathia, both of whom were solid last season. The surprises of camp have been the trio of Jocko Flynn, Ad Gumbert, and Fergie Jenkins, who have combined for over 30 scoreless innings. Flynn is 20, Gumbert 19, and Jenkins was hammered in a small handful of appearances last season.

C Bubbles Hargrave, 3Bs Chris Brown and Deacon White, IF Bunny Downs, and OFs Luis Gonzalez and Jerry Mumphrey were all sent to AAA (Gonzalez refused the assignment, and was waived). Downs’ defensive excellence may force a recall sooner rather than later, but for now there are others performing better in the race for the final roster spots.

The IF is far too crowded. Incumbents Anthony Rizzo (1B), Ron Santo (3B), and Ernie Banks (SS) are struggling mightily while Bob Robertson and Joe Harris (1B), Luis Aparicio (SS), and Charlie Gehringer and Orlando Cabrera (2B) are pounding the ball.

Final Cuts

Tom Niedenfeur‘s performance last season wasn’t enough in the end, as the struggling reliever was the first player sent down this final week of camp.

This is ridiculously hard. Ad Gumbert (18) and Jocko Flynn (20) were invited to camp mostly to help their future development. They’ve combined for over 20 innings of scoreless ball. Arnold Carter and Kyle Peterson? The longest of long shots, each with an ERA under 1.00. Bob Robertson, Luis Aparicio, Cy Williams, and Orlando Cabrera? The best hitters for the House of David this side of Ryne Sandberg.

Aparicio and Williams are merely unfortunate victims of the numbers game: Cabrera is the only other 2B on the roster behind Sandberg and will also serve as the backup SS. That means Aparicio, despite an OPS of 1.031, is sent to AAA.

The hard choices were delayed a day with Claude Osteen, a spare part in the Sosa trade, heading to AAA. 20 year old Jocko Flynn followed him after an outing that reinforced his control isn’t ready yet for the rigors of the WBL.

Needing to cut three to get to 30, the House of David had to figure some things out. OF Cy Williams was an obvious choice, and placing Bruce Sutter on the DL with his ongoing bout of elbow tendinitis made sense. That left a bit of a surprise, as OF Dan Ford–a fan favorite and a solid contributor last season–heads to AAA, pushed off the roster largely by the knock-on effects of the Sosa trade.

Kyle Peterson and Scott Downs–neither of which pitched worse than players who made the final roster–were sent to AAA, as was 20 year old Cap Anson, who did show some potential during the Spring.

Bob Robertson and Joe Harris went toe-to-toe all Spring, and came out just about even. The House of David stuck with Harris, mostly due to his contributions at the end of last season.

That left a single slot that really has to come from the pitching staff. Ad Gumbert and Arnold Carter are the obvious choices, but Gumbert–yet to turn 20–didn’t allow a run all Spring, and Carter only gave up 1. Carter was moved to AAA–his numbers were just a tad worse than Gumbert’s, and the team is curious how the teenage phenom does.

Season Review: Wandering House of David

By mknn

On December 26, 2023

In Season Reviews, Team News

83 - 71, .538 pct.
3rd in Bill James Division, 6 games behind.
Lost in Wild Card Round to Baltimore

Overall

The House of David caught fire in June and never looked back. That coincided, unsurprisingly, with Pete Browning‘s return from the DL (and a late season slump coincided with Browning’s cooling off at the tail end of the season). This team revolved around 3 players: Browning, Elrod Hendricks, and Jack Taylor.

On the one hand, it’s an example of how far a few well placed stars can carry you; on the other, it reveals an overall lack of quality that needs to be addressed.

What Went Right

Elrod Hendricks and Pete Browning finished with identical .961 OPS. Browning’s performance, at least, is expected to continue although his health remains a concern.

Jim Edmonds emerged as a legitimate potential star in the league with both his glove and his bat, and Anthony Rizzo did the same, minus the bit about the glove. George Stone was perhaps the most underrated offensive player in the league.

Top to bottom, the House of David were excellent offensively: Ryne Sandberg was very good at 2B and Dan Ford, quite surprisingly, hit well enough to legitimately claim the RF spot. Their worst everyday player–SS Ernie Banks–still posted a .736 OPS with 25 homeruns.

Jack Taylor was excellent, Bob Rush quite good, and both Frank Sullivan and CC Sabathia serviceable in the rotation. The bullpen trio of Tom Niedenfuer, Lee Smith, and Bruce Sutter was above average, although both Smith and Sutter faded a bit at the end of the season.

ALL STARS
C Elrod Hendricks; OF George Stone

What Went Wrong

Many of the players who were expected to fill roles struggled: Sammy Sosa (who was traded), Mark McGwire, Mark Grace, Frank Grant, and Fred Lynn were all given significant chances to impress, and all failed. That is what opened the door for Edmonds and Rizzo, so in the end it worked out.

Browning’s injury was horribly impactful and Hendricks’ performance is most likely a career year. Neither of these things went wrong, technically, but both speak volumes to the House of David’s future.

The rest of the pitching staff struggled, with Frank Sullivan being thoroughly average and Ferguson Jenkins horrible in his 80+ innings. The middle relief was so weak it warranted the acquisition of Ed Bauta–Bauta was good, but when Ed Bauta rescues your bullpen …

Transactions

March

None

June

OF Sammy Sosa & 5th Round Pick to Memphis for OF Tony Conigliaro, OF Fred Lynn & 2nd Round Pick {Bill Lee}

Sosa was terrible for the House of David, so getting anything for him seemed a steal at the time. Given his performance for Memphis, it’s not as clear.

July

IF Bert Campaneris, P Jeff Heathcock & 3rd Round Pick to Miami for P Ed Bauta, 6th Round Pick {Ad Gumbert} & 7th Round Pick {Dave Malarcher}

See above: Bauta was very much needed.

P Dick Tidrow & 7th Round Pick to New York Black Yankees for P Jim Clinton, 3B Chris Brown & 2nd Round Pick {Darren Daulton}

Seems fine: Clinton has some potential.

Looking Forward

SP

Taylor and Rush look quite good, and the House of David still believe in Ferguson Jenkins. There is some other talent here as well: Rick Reuschel, Kerry Wood and, although they are still teenagers at this point, Larry Dierker and Joe Nuxhall.

RP

Assuming Bruce Sutter and Lee Smith recover from their late season slumps, this looks good with support from Don Aase, and Rollie Fingers.

C

Something has to give here: Elrod Hendricks is clearly the starter heading into next year, with both Gabby Hartnett and Frank Chance behind him, although Chance’s future is likely not behind the plate.

1B

Anthony Rizzo looks very solid here, although the House of David remain optimistic that, someday, Mark McGwire will start connecting with more pitches. This may get even more crowded as both Chance and Cap Anson are expected to drift across the diamond to first eventually.

2B

Ryne Sandberg has this locked down, but young Billy Herman is turning some heads.

3B

Ron Santo is the starter here, although Anson should see some time over the next few years as well.

SS

Ernie Banks, although his performance this year really needs to be his floor for him to maintain his roster spot.

LF

George Stone now, Billy Williams later.

CF

Browning for as long as he stays healthy. There is a need for a better long term solution here.

RF

If Dan Ford cannot hold this down, Tony Conigliaro looks decent at AAA, and George Gore was among the better 4th OFers in the league.

The Rookie Draft

Rounds 1-4

With 3 picks in the first two rounds, the House of David is looking to add a fair bit of high end talent. It starts in the 1st round with P Zack Greinke and continues in the 2nd with franchise P Bill Lee. Greinke is a great talent; Lee has a lower ceiling, but could help sooner.

The House of David had back-to-back picks later in the second round. With one, they hope to have solved a long term need at catcher: there are whispers that Hendricks’ year was a fluke and that Frank Chance‘s future may be at 1B . So, while he’s clearly a few years away, they picked up teenager Darren Daulton as a long-term project, and with their final pick of the round, they picked up the highest rated franchise player remaining, Cody Bellinger, who looks eventually to further complicate the CF question, but that’s a challenge for another day.

In the 4th round, the House of David picked up Frank Dwyer, probably the best remaining arm in the draft.

Rounds 5-8

Corner OF, 1B, and pitching should be the focus with these picks for the House of David, starting with a franchise selection, 19 year old pitcher Ad Gumbert. That was followed by their final exemption, P Al Brazle. Their 2 picks in the 7th round were Dave Malarcher and John Peters, both of whom offer some infield depth, but neither of whom have much power potential.

Rounds 9-12

P Justin Steele; OF Mitch Webster; IF Charlie Deal; P Hal Mauck.

13th overall pick Zack Greinke refused the House of David’s offer, and will re-enter the draft next year.

TWIWBL 24.19: Mid-Season Reviews – Wandering House of David

By mknn

On May 6, 2022

In Team News, TWIWBL

Summary

The House of David is too good to tank for the season, but really don’t have a shot at catching the three teams ahead of them.

What’s Gone Right

Elrod & Stone. Probably the least likely dominant duo in the league. C Elrod Hendricks and OF George Stone are among the best in the league, with OPS’ approaching 1.000.

Pete Browning. Pete Browning has played in just over half of the House of David’s games. In that time he has been one of their dominant players, electrifying at the plate and on the basepaths.

Surprises on the Mound. The best arms for the House of David may not be who was expected, but that doesn’t mean the trio of SP Jack Taylor, RP Bob Rush, and closer Bruce Sutter haven’t been excellent.

What’s Gone Wrong

Pete Browning’s Health. Like I said, Browning has played in just over half of their games, making two trips to the DL.

Big Red. Mark McGwire puts on a great show in batting practice … but has hit himself down to AAA once the games start.

Not Enough Help. Dan Ford has been a pleasant surprise and Ryne Sandberg solid at 2B. Beyond that … it’s all pure mediocrity.

Key Storylines

The biggest is whether the pitching staff can come together. There have been moments when it seemed on the verge, but then C.C. Sabathia or Rollie Fingers or someone else would start to struggle.

Browning’s health is probably the most important thing, though. The performances of Hendricks and Stone have been excellent, if Browning is able to add to them, they House of David could move into contention.

Trading Outlook

BUYING.

Or maybe holding. Or buying.

How do they convert some of the aging value they have into talent without totally tanking the season? Players like Lee Smith, Sandberg, Sutter, and Ford would have value, but only if the House of David is no longer trying to compete this season … which makes it sound like they should stand pat until the later trading period.

AAA Shuttle

Ford has earned a starting OF role. Other than that, not a ton of help so far.

Midseason Changes

Frank Chance, McGwire, and Jim Edmonds all head back to AAA.

Awards

All Stars: Elrod Hendricks (C); George Stone (LF).

Player of the Week: Pete Browning (4/17); Elrod Hendricks (6/12)

Offensive MVP: Elrod Hendricks (C)
Pitching MVP: Bob Rush (SP)

Down on the Farm

AAA: Columbus Blue Birds

Next to the Show: 3B Jung Ho Kang, C Gabby Hartnett, 1B Anthony Rizzo

Prospects: C Frank Chance (22)

Projects: 3B Jung Ho Kang (28)

Suspects: P Wild Bill Hutchinson (35)

AA: Atlantic City Bacharach Giants

Prospects: Ps Joe Nuxhall (15) & Larry Dierker (17)

Projects: OF Danny Green (22), SS Luis Aparicio (22), 2B Billy Herman (23), OF Olaf Henriksen (23)

Suspects: P Justin Grimm (25), P Bob Shaw (26), OF John Shelby (31)