Playoff contention. Last year was such a disappointment, but there is too much talent here not to be at least in the run for the postseason.

Best Case

Tim Hudson finds a full season like his time with Birmingham last year, joining Lefty Grove and Eddie Plank in a top tier rotation and 1st round pick Turkey Stearnes steps right into the CF job while Dick Lundy improves in a full season in a lineup centered around Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, and Bobby Bonds.

Worst Case

Everything stays really confused, with the pitching proving too mediocre to depend on and the offense never really sorting out playing time at 1B (Jack Clark and Jimmie Foxx) or 3B (Sal Bando and Pedro Guerrero), leaving everyone slightly underused and underperforming.

Key Questions

• On a team full of logjams, who steps forward?

Trade Bait

Possibly. If Foxx explodes, Jack Clark may be expendable, depending on how the OF/DH situation looks.

The decision to trade Guerrero makes some sense, given the OF depth, although a lot is riding on Watty Clark successfully converting to being a starter at a high level to make it a decent deal.

Roster Evaluation

The OF is so strong, it just needs a little help–if that happens and the pitching repeats, it could be a good year by the bay.

Talent Ratings

Best In The Minors

An odd system, for sure, as neither Jimmie Foxx nor John Beckwith make the top 200 list, which ends up being a bit weak, with a lot riding on the development of the young arms. Stearnes, Hadley, Eckersley, and Ontiveros all start the year in the WBL.

Featured Team: Austin Black Senators

The Black Senators have the best record in AA, playing at a .650 clip and leading their division by 5 games.

Their offense is thoroughly mediocre, but their pitching is something else, led by Kyle Kendrick (6-2, 3.84) and Bill Harper, who is 4-2 with 13 saves and a 1.07 ERA out of the bullpen. Nineteen year-old Vida Blue has shown flashes of great potential, averaging almost 11 K’s per 9 innings, but is currently injured.

Offensively … well it’s hard to find who the real leaders are, but it’s probably IF Russ Adams (311/404/444) and OF Derek Bell (315/344/489). Dick Williams leads the team with 9 HRs and 30 RBIs. Part of the issue is who’s no longer here: Travis Jackson, Pete Hill, and Von Joshua, each of whom have been stellar offensively, are at AAA, the majors, and on the injured list respectively. Mid-season acquisition Harry Stovey (part of Houston’s trade for Roger Clemens) looks to add something as well: overall, he’s slashing 374/447/835, although he’s a little off that in his first 10 games with Austin.

#AA Leaders

John Briggs, perhaps the most dominant player at AA has been recalled to Brooklyn. Briggs was slashing 315/437/518 with a dozen homeruns and over 50 Rs and RBIs. Behind Briggs, the best batters at AA are probably Adam Dunn (Nashville / Indianapolis ABC’s) and Jimmie Foxx (Sacramento / San Francisco Sea Lions). They are 1st and 2nd in SLG and OPS, and Dunn is 2nd in the league in homeruns with 21, while Foxx has 20. Vancouver’s Frankie Hayes (Portland Sea Dogs) leads AA with 23 HRs and Prince Fielder is tied with Dunn (Atlantic City / Philadelphia) with 21. Fort Wayne’s Billy Nash (Detroit Wolverines), Rochester’s Ken Keltner (Cleveland Spiders), and Tulsa’s Willie Crawford (Memphis) join Dunn and Foxx as the only AA batters with an OPS over 1.000.

Two teenagers from Albuquerque (Wandering House of David), 15 year-old Joe Nuxhall and 17 year-old Larry Dierker, continue to dominate on the mound. Nuxhall is first in ERA (2.59), Dierker leads in wins with 11, and the 2 are first and second in strikeouts. Vern Law (Syracuse / Homestead Grays) and Jeremy Sowers (Fort Wayne) have 10 wins each, and are 2nd and 3rd in ERA behind Nuxhall (Dierker is 6th).

AA can be a little odd: Heathcliff Slocumb (Montgomery / Birmingham Black Barons) leads with 19 saves, but 18 of those were with Hudson Valley (New York Black Yankees). Slocumb was part of the Tom Herr trade, taking over from Steve Bedrosian for Montréal, who had 17 saves before being called up to the WBL. Albuquerque’s Karl Spooner (2.08 ERA, 0.65 WHIP), Havana’s Glenn Spencer (Miami Cuban Giants; 2.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP), and Madison’s Víctor Cruz (Chicago American Giants; 2.42 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) are among the other strongest relievers.

#AA Awards

Dierker won the AA Pitcher of the Month Award, going 4-0 with a 2.83 ERA, striking out 45 while walking only 4. Jorge Orta of Nashville was the AA Batter of the Month, hitting .330 with 7 homeruns in June.

Players of the Week: Casey Blake (Rochester), John Mayberry (Edmonton / Ottawa Mounties), Orta, Travis Jackson (Austin).

#AA Hottest Prospects (24 Years and Younger)

80 AAA PA/40 AA IP minimum; must be in AA now, or only recently promoted.

C: Frankie Hayes (19, Vancouver). 256/344/584. 23 HR.
1B: Jimmie Foxx (20, Sacramento). 302/397/649. 20 HR.
2B: Asdrúbal Cabrera (21, Charlotte). 327/399/565.
3B: Mike Moustakas (24, Sacramento). 323/392/684.
SS: Bert Campaneris (22, Albuquerque). 322/387/527.
LF: George Burns (23, Troy / New York Gothams). 371/458/667.
CF: Willie Crawford (17, Tulsa). 338/448/556.
RF: Adam Dunn (21, Nashville). 279/433/637. 21 HR, 52 RBI.

SP: Larry Dierker (17, Albuquerque; 11-4, 3.60, 1.09 WHIP); Vern Law (24, Syracuse; 10-0, 2.86, 1.17 WHIP); Joe Nuxhall (15, Albuquerque; 7-2, 2.59, 1.07 WHIP); Jeremy Sowers (Fort Wayne, 24; 10-4, 3.19, 1.28 WHIP).

RP: Jeff Heathcock (23, Albuquerque; 1-3, 2.34, 15 Sv); Karl Spooner (23, Albuquerque; 0-2, 2.08, 4 Sv, 0.65 WHIP); Glenn Spencer (22, Havana; 2-0, 2.92, 0.89 WHIP).

Note that these are all AI selections, so some may be weird (like Joe Harris playing 2B at AAA). The first time an affiliate is listed, I’ve also listed their WBL organization. All-Star Game starters are bold.

AAA All-Star Rosters

In a rich-get-richer moment, the New York Black Yankees lead the way, with 6 selections for the visitors coming from the Newark Eagles. For the Home team, the Memphis Red Sox affiliate, the New Orleans Pelicans, send 6 players and the Cincinnati Tigers (Indianapolis ABC’s) have 5.

Visiting Team

C: Smoky Burgess (Newark/New York Black Yankees); Andy Etchebarren (Buffalo/Cleveland Spiders); Butch Wynegar (Norfolk/Philadelphia Stars).
1B: Cecil Cooper (Norfolk); Carlos Peña (Orlando/Miami Cuban Giants).
2B: Bobby Knoop (Buffalo).
3B: Chris Brown (Newark); Art Devlin (Hartford/New York Gothams).
LF: Matt Holliday (Queens/Brooklyn Royal Giants); Joe Rudi (Atlanta); George Van Haltren (Montréal).
CF: Curt Flood (Queens); Benny Kauff (Hartford); Andy Pafko (Atlanta/Birmingham Black Barons); Chick Stahl (Washington/Baltimore Black Sox).
RF: Joe Harris (Newark); Jackie Jensen (Montréal/Ottawa Mounties); Aaron Judge (Norfolk); Al Kaline (Toronto/Detroit Wolverines); Merv Rettenmund (Washington).

SP: George Blaeholder (Washington); AJ Burnett (Newark); Jim Clinton (Newark); Bill Laskey (Norfolk); George Mullin (Toronto); Johnny Podgajny (Montréal).
RP: Darren Dreifort (Queens); Mike Griffin (Toronto); Bryan Hickerson (Newark); Mickey Lolich (Toronto).

Home Team

C: Gabby Hartnett (Columbus/Wandering House of David); Hal King (Milwaukee/Chicago American Giants); Cliff W. Lee (Seattle/Portland).
1B: Wally Joyner (Las Vegas/Los Angeles Angels); Anthony Rizzo (Columbus); Joey Votto (Cincinnati/Indianapolis ABC’s); Kevin Young (Louisville/Homestead Grays).
2B: Ron Hunt (San Jose/San Francisco Sea Lions); DJ LeMahieu (San Antonio/Houston Colt 45’s).
3B: Sal Bando (San Jose); Jung Ho Kang (Columbus)
SS: Francisco Lindor (New Orleans/Memphis Red Sox)
LF: Bob Watson (Milwaukee)
CF: Charlie Hemphill (Cincinnati)
RF: Dwight Evans (New Orleans); Pete Rose (Cincinnati); Paul Waner (Louisiville).

SP: Nick Altrock (San Jose); Joe Blong (St. Louis/Kansas City Monarchs); Bob Friend (Louisville); Joe Kelly (New Orleans); Jock Menefee (St. Louis); Billy Pierce (Louisville); Eppa Rixey (Cincinnati); Frank Smith (Milwaukee); Virgil Trucks (Cincinnati).
RP: Bill Doak (New Orleans); Luke Gregerson (San Antonio); Tug McGraw (San Antonio); Mike Timlin (New Orleans).

Joe Rudi would lead the visitors to a 6-2 victory with a 3-run homerun.

Visitors 6 (Lolich 1-0; Blaeholder 1 H) @ Home 2 (Timilin 0-1, 1 BSv)
HRs: Home – Rudi (1); Visitors – Lee (1)
Box Score

AA All-Star Rosters

The Sacramento Solons (San Francisco Sea Lions) dominate the AA team for the visitors, with 7 players, while the Albuquerque Isotopes (Wandering House of David) have 6 and the Jersey City Skeeters (Brooklyn Royal Giants) 5. For the home team, both the Oklahoma City Redhawks (Kansas City Monarchs) and Montgomery Biscuits (Birmingham Black Barons) have 7 players in the game and the Austin Black Senators (Houston Colt 45’s) 5.

Visiting Team

C: Frankie Hayes (Vancouver/Portland Sea Dogs); Phil Lombardi (Jersey City/Brooklyn Royal Giants); Steve O’Neill (Troy/New York Gothams); Mark Salas (San Diego/Los Angeles Angels).
1B: Jimmie Foxx (Sacramento/San Francisco Sea Lions); Charlie Grimm (Rochester/Cleveland Spiders); Tim Harkness (Syracuse/Homestead Grays); Buck Jordan (Vancouver).
2B: Wally Backman (San Diego); Dick Green (Sacramento); Cookie Lavagetto (San Diego); Tyler Pastornicky (San Diego); Ed Romero (Jersey City).
3B: Xander Bogaerts (San Diego); Ken Keltner (Rochester); Hank Majeski (Jersey City); Mike Moustakas (Sacramento).
SS: Luis Aparicio (Albuquerque/Wandering House of David); Bert Campaneris (Albuquerque); Jack Wilson (Syracuse).
LF: Morrie Arnovich (Jersey City).
CF: John Briggs (Jersey City); Otto Briggs (Edmonton); Kevin Pillar (Hudson Valley).
RF: Danny Green (Albuquerque); Don Mueller (Troy).

SP: Dwight Bernard (Hudson Valley); Larry Dierker (Albuquerque); Matt Guerrier (Vancouver); Don Hood (Hudson Valley); Lew Krausse, Jr. (Troy); Jack Neagle (Rochester); Joe Nuxhall (Albuqueque); Al Spalding (Troy).
RP: Matt Barnes (Sacramento); Chad Gaudin (Sacramento); Joe Klink (Sacramento); Marty Kutyna (Jersey City); James Russell (Albuquerque); Turk Wendell (Sacramento).

Home Team

C: Josh Billings (Madison/Chicago American Giants); Rick Cerone (Austin/Houston Colt 45’s); Phil Masi (Charlotte/Baltimore Black Sox); Abe Wolstenholme (Nashville/Indianapolis ABC’s).
1B: Prince Fielder (Atlantic City/Philadelphia Stars); Greg Norton (Oklahoma City/Kansas City Monarchs); David Ortiz (Tulsa/Memphis Red Sox).
2B: Ken Boswell (Tulsa); Dave Cash (Oklahoma City); Charlie Gehringer (Fort Wayne/Detroit Wolverines); Jorge Orta (Fort Wayne); Kolten Wong (Oklahoma City).
3B: Joe Crede (Madison); Butch Hobson (Tulsa); Billy Nash (Fort Wayne); Candy Jim Taylor (Montgomery/Birmingham Black Barons).
SS: Woody English (Montgomery); Zoilo Versalles (Havana/Miami Cuban Giants).
LF: George Foster (Nashville); Pete Hill (Austin); Johnny Jeter (Fort Wayne).
CF: Richie Ashburn (Atlantic City); Bama Rowell (Austin).
RF: Adam Dunn (Nashville); Tommy McCarthy (Oklahoma City); Larry Sheets (Charlotte).

SP: Frank Bertaina (Charlotte); Lefty Clarke (Montgomery); Dick Jones (Montgomery); Jim Kaat (Austin); Kyle Kendrick (Austin); Andrew Miller (Tulsa); Bill Singer (Oklahoma City); Jeremy Sowers (Fort Wayne).
RP: John Anderson (Montgomery); Dick Coffman (Montgomery); Al Hrabosky (Oklahoma City); Ben Johnson (Montgomery); Mike Kume (Oklahoma City); Dave Smith (Charlotte).

Bama Rowell drove in 3 runs with a bases-loaded triple, leading the home team to a 10-2 victory in the All-Star Game. Richie Ashburn had 2 hits as well.

Visitors 2 (Nuxhall 0-1) @ Home 10 (Kendrick 1-0)
HRs: Visitors – Danny Green (1), Foxx (1); Home – Boswell (1)
Box Score