The much maligned Pedro Guerrero had himself a day, hitting 3 homeruns and delivering the walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th as Brooklyn topped Birmingham, 8-7.
Beals Becker went deep twice and Fernando Valenzuela was fantastic as the Royal Giants beat the House of David, 4-1. Valenzuela improved to 6-1 with the complete game effort, allowing only 2 hits while whiffing 10.
Mike Piazza hit 2 out, giving him 33 on the year, and, in fantastically welcome news for Brooklyn, Don Drysedale put in his best start of the season as the Royal Giants topped the House of David, 9-1.
#Homestead Grays
Reliever Dave Giusti was sent to AAA, with Russ Kemmerer recalled to take his place in the bullpen.
Rick Reichardt hit two homeruns, including a grand slam, and Josh Gibson had 4 hits, raising his average to .399 as we hit the all star break. All in all, the Grays pounded out 23 hits in a 12-4 thumping of Ottawa.
#New York Gothams
Vean Gregg–called into emergency duty as a starter–turned in a great effort, combining with Mike Norris and Brian Wilson on 3-hit shutout of Ottawa. Pinky Higgins delivered all of the runs with a 3-run shot, his 9th of the year and Gregg fanned 9 in his 6+ innings of work. Norris picked up his 7th hold and Wilson his 12th save of the season.
Buster Posey hit 2 homeruns, but the Gothams fell to Ottawa, 7-5. This unfortunate pattern repeated as Larry Doyle hit his 10th and 11th of the year in an 11-9 loss to the Stars.
#Ottawa Mounties
Ottawa firmly believes in the talent of Randy Johnson. But there’s just so many unsuccessful attempts to move his ERA under 9.00 they can stomach. So they’re sending The Big Unit to AAA in hopes he can harness his immense talent. Clark Griffith–not exactly successful historically with the Mounties–was recalled. Bob Watson also headed to AAA after a mostly unsuccessful few months with Roy Sievers returning to WBL action.
The Rick Monday parade continues, with the shocking performance of the rookie continuing with 2 homeruns in a 4-1 win over the Gothams, giving him 18 on the year. As importantly for Mounties’ fans, Roy Halladay turned in a good performance, improving to 8-6, and Tom Henke picked up his 5th save of the season.
Monday did it again, hitting out 2 for 20 on the year and Gary Carter also went yard twice (giving him 30) as the Mounties beat the Gothams, 7-5.
Tim Raines–of all people–went deep twice, but it wasn’t enough as Ottawa fell to Homestead, 8-5.
#Philadelphia Stars
Bullet Joe Rogan was masterful, hitting his 16th homerun and tossing a 1 hitter as the Stars beat the Gothams, 3-0. Rogan walked 1 and whiffed 8 in the complete game effort, improving his record to 5-8 on the year.
Chase Utley hit a 2-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Stars an 11-9 win over the Gothams. Scott Rolen went deep twice, and Aaron Judge, Rico Carty, Ted Kluszewski, and Mike Sciosia also sent balls over the fence.
We’ll preview the All Star selections, so this will be a bit of a longer entry.
#Awards
Lots of awards, as we moved into a new month!
First, the smaller ones. Houston‘s Jeff Bagwell was the National League Player of the Week, hitting .409 with 5 homeruns while Eric Davis of the juggernaut New York Black Yankees was the American League Player of the Week, hitting .481 with 5 homers in the same span.
In the monthly awards, the American League Rookie of the Month for June was San Francisco‘s Turkey Stearnes, who hit .378 with 11 homeruns in the month.
Kansas City‘s A. Rube Foster was both the National League Rookie of the Month and the NL Pitcher of the Month, going 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA, as the young hurler announced himself as, at least so far, a premier WBL starter. The American League Pitcher of the Month was Bump Hadley, Stearnes’ teammate in San Francisco. Hadley was 5-0 in June with a 2.66 ERA.
Ottawa‘s star backstop, Gary Carter, was the National League Batter of the Month, hitting .397 with 14 homeruns in June while in the American League, unsurprisingly, the award went to the stellar Ty Cobb. The Detroit OF hit .408 with 11 homers in June, which actually brought his overall average down in that span (Cobb is leading the WBL in BA at .418).
#Team Performance
Yawn.
The Black Yankees and the Sea Lions continue to be the 2 best teams in the league, leading their divisions by 5 and 11 games respectively.
The Effa Manley Division might offer some excitement in the second half, as Brooklyn still leads Homestead by 4 and the New York Gothams by 5.5. But the only true race is in the Marvin Miller Division, where Kansas City has overtaken Indianapolis, now leading the ABC’s by 2.5 games.
The Houston Colt 45’s are 8-2 over their last 10 games, but still sit 5 games under .500. Detroit and Philadelphia are moving in the other direction, with each team managing only 2 wins in their last 10 contests.
Birmingham still has the worst record in the league, but they have moved over .400, sitting at .410 (34-49).
#Player Performance
Batters
It’s still Ty Cobb’s world, although Babe Ruth is doing Babe Ruth things, and reached the 40 homerun plateau during the last week.
José Canseco (MCG). 254/375/734. 36 HR. Oscar Charleston (IND). 336/386/642. 103 H, 9 3B. Ty Cobb (DET). 416/464/885. 116 H, 37 2B, 8 3B, 5.8 WAR. Josh Gibson (HOM). 392/481/748. 5.1 WAR. Tony Gwynn (HOU). 389/425/601. 116 H. Pete Hill (HOU). 291/371/487. 10 3B. Joe Jackson (CAG). 356/398/588. 103 H, 39 2B. Stan Musial (KCM). 329/392/573. 37 2B. Babe Ruth (NYY). 292/426/775. 40 HR, 90 RBI, 82 R, 68 BB, 5.0 WAR. Larry Walker (OTT). 293/369/721. 36 HR, 85 RBI.
Rickey Henderson (San Francisco) and Tim Raines (Ottawa) continue to be 1-2 in the league in steals, but it’s getting closer, with Henderson’s edge now 60 to 53.
Pitchers
Starters
While his performance has been somewhat below par, the New York Gothams’ Christy Mathewson continues to be definition of workhorse, leading the WBL with 20 starts, 2 ahead of a bevy of hurlers with 18.
7 pitchers have reached double-digits in wins, with Luis Padrón (Indianapolis) leading the way at 11-2. All 7 are included below. Houston’s Toad Ramsey was so dominant for so long, he is still the top starter in the league despite a recent dip in form, but I would probably choose Lefty Grove of San Francisco or the emergent A. Rube Foster.
Frank Castillo (KCM). 10-1, 4.22. A. Rube Foster (KCM). 5-1, 2.30. .203 BABIP, 0.98 WHIP, 3.70 FIP. Lefty Grove (SFS). 10-4, 3.71. 126 IP, 132 K, 3.1 WAR. Ron Guidry (NYY). 8-4, 3.86. 143 K, 3.80 FIP, 3.2 WAR. Bump Hadley (SFS). 11-4, 4.21, 3.50 FIP, 3.0 WAR. Orel Hershiser (BRK). 10-4, 3.87. Luis Padrón (IND). 11-2, 4.21. 3.57 FIP, 3.3 WAR. Eddie Plank (SFS). 11-3, 3.54. Toad Ramsey (HOU). 11-4, 2.77. 124 IP, 152 K, 0.89 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 5.2 WAR. Ed Walsh (CAG). 6-3, 3.41. 1 Sv, .201 BABIP. Smokey Joe Williams (BRK). 7-7, 3.41. 3.66 FIP, 3.4 WAR.
Relievers
We’ve listed the top 3 leaders in saves, all 5 of the relievers who have reached double digits in Holds, as well as all 5 with an ERA below 2.00.
18 IP minimum.
Rod Beck (SFS). 3-2, 3.47. 21 Sv. Rheal Cormier (NYY). 0-2, 6.03. 11 H. Eric Gagne (BRK). 1-1, 2.92. 19 Sv. Ken Howell (SFS). 4-1, 1.72. 1 Sv, 4 H. Michael Jackson (HOM). 1-4, 4.13. 1 Sv, 10 H. Brad Kilby (PHI). 1-2, 4.39. 2 Sv, 10 H. Craig Kimbrel (KCM). 2-1, 1.14. 2 Sv, 11 H. Josh Lindblom (HOM). 4-2, 3.45. 20 Sv. Rob Murphy (IND). 1-3, 3.75. 1 Sv, 11 H. Robb Nen (NYG). 3-2, 1.95. 9 Sv, 6 H. Ron Robinson (SFS). 1-0, 1.64. 3 Sv, 3 H. BJ Ryan (OTT). 1-2, 4.15. 1 Sv, 10 H. Harley Young (BBB). 1-0, 1.23. 3 Sv, 5 H.
#Injury Report
Portland lost half of their backstop platoon as AJ Pierzynski will be out for close to a month. News was worse for Ottawa, as SP Bob Moose is out for close to a year.
Houston’s Casey Stengel and Kansas City’s Lou Brock are awaiting diagnosis on their current injuries.
Baltimore’s Bobby Wallace, Detroit’s Billy Hoeft, and the Black Yankees’ Dave Righetti should all begin rehab assignments this week.
#The All Star Candidates
We’ll look at these by position, mixing the two leagues for the time being.
For each position, we’ve included as many players as it takes to have at least 3-4 candidates from each league, highlighting some pretty severe disparities in talent between the AL and the NL.
If players don’t qualify for the batting stats, their playing time is noted, as are some other potentially influencing factors. This indicates a leader at that position among the players listed (but not necessarily overall).
Each league can only select 32 players for the All Star Game itself (usually 20 or 21 position players and 11 or 12 pitchers), so quite a few of the players listed here will be left on the outside looking in.
#C
The NL dominates here, with 3 catchers with an OPS over 1.000. That means some worthy candidates–most notably NYG’s Buster Posey –are likely to miss out.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Josh Gibson
HOM / NL
1.229
5.1 WAR; 67 RBI
3.1 FRM
Gary Carter
OTT /NL
1.073
28 HR
47.1 RTO%
Mike Piazza
BRK / NL
1.042
29 HR; 65 RBI
4.87 CERA
Ed Bailey
DET / AL
.972
57 G/216 PA; 43.6 RTO%
Jim Pagliaroni
BBB / NL
.925
61 G/231 PA
Mickey Cochrane
SFS / AL
.917
10 SB; 4.39 CERA
Ted Simmons
KCM / NL
.900
63 G/256 PA; 4.15 CERA
Buster Posey
NYG / NL
.870
3.8 FRM
Joe Mauer
POR / AL
.856
14 SB
Curt Blefary
BAL /AL
.826
Carlton Fisk
CAG / AL
.800
67 G/254 PA; 11 SB
FRM = Framing Runs | RTO% = Runners Thrown Out | CERA = Catcher ERA
The other stalwart defensive catchers–Miami‘s Iván Rodríguez and Indianapolis’ Johnny Bench–just haven’t hit enough, although a late surge by Bench has moved him up these lists.
I don’t think there is any question in the NL, where it’s Gibson, Carter, and Piazza. Cochrane and Mauer should be in for the AL, with a question of whether you go with Bailey’s bat in more limited appearances or Blefary. Should the NL decide to carry 4 backstops, the choice between Pagliaroni and Simmons (and, perhaps, Posey) is close.
Gibson and Cochrane should be the starters.
#1B
The AL has a slight edge here, but there’s a lot of talent throughout.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Lou Gehrig
NYY / AL
1.057
28 HR; 21 2B; 65 RBI
.995 Fldg
Will Clark
NYG / NL
1.006
Frank Thomas
CAG / AL
1.004
Hank Greenberg
DET / AL
.991
26 HR
.998 Fldg; 3.1 ZR
Mike Epstein
HOM / NL
.965
Anthony Rizzo
HOD / NL
.964
Lance Berkman
CLE / AL
.957
Jim Thome
MCG / AL
.927
28 HR; 64 RBI
Jeff Bagwell
HOU / NL
.923
66 RBI
.995 Fldg
Boog Powell
KCM / NL
.920
.995 Fldg; 9.23 RF; 2.9 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Gehrig and Clark are almost certainly the starters, and the AL will likely take Thomas and Greenberg as well. In the NL, it gets a little trickier, as Powell (along with Greenberg) is one of the better 1B defensively. Epstein’s offense will carry him, but after that my guess is Rizzo gets the selection (but cannot participate via injury), and is replaced by Powell, with Bagwell having a legitimate complaint.
#2B
The NL is ridiculously stacked in terms of offensive-minded 2B.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Joe Morgan
IND / NL
1.088
47 G/199 PA
Roberto Alomar
OTT/ NL
1.008
21 2B; 18 HR; 64 RBI; 31 SB; 3.5 WAR
Ryne Sandberg
HOD / NL
.995
28 HR; 60 RBI; 2.9 WAR
.997 Fldg; 5.00 RF
Jackie Robinson
BRK / NL
.938
Rogers Hornsby
POR / AL
.919
53 G/234 PA
Charlie Gehringer
DET / AL
.876
57 G/225 PA; .989 Fldg; 5.09 RF
Eddie Collins
CAG / AL
.850
36 SB
Bobby Grich
LAA / AL
.845
15 HR
Craig Biggio
HOU / NL
.841
Chase Utley
PHI / NL
.781
4.92 RF; 9.3 ZR
Cookie Rojas
MCG / AL
.766
27 2B
.987 Fldg
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Joe Morgan is included just for interest–he missed too much time to injury to warrant serious consideration. Detroit’s Charlie Gehringer, on the other hand, probably makes the cut, despite starting the season in the minors.
In the NL, it’s pretty clear: Alomar, Sandberg, and Robinson, with the starter being decided between Sandberg and Alomar over the next week. The AL is trickier, but I think it ends up going according to form: Eddie Collins to start, with Gehringer and Hornsby behind him.
#SS
It’s pretty impressive there are this many shortstops that can hit, and Ernie Banks‘ production is incredible.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Ernie Banks
HOD/ NL
.978
30 HR; 71 RBI
Cal Ripken, Jr.
BAL / AL
.967
39 G/140 PA; .993 Fldg; 4.90 RF
Carlos Correa
HOU/ NL
.929
18 2B; 2.8 WAR
Arky Vaughan
CLE / AL
.887
19 2B; 2.4 WAR
6.3 ZR
Álex Rodríguez
OTT / NL
.885
23 HR
Robin Yount
MCG / AL
.845
15 HR
5.8 ZR
Jim Fregosi
POR / AL
.793
Dick Lundy
SFS / AL
.783
7 3B; 2.1 WAR; 33 SB
Derek Jeter
NYY / AL
.762
Dobie Moore
MEM / AL
.750
22 SB
.983 Fldg
Ozzie Smith
KCM / NL
.672
19 2B; 25 SB
.994 Fldg; 6.3 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Ripken, Jr. is really not a serious contender, but he has been impressive in the 40 G’s he’s played. That gives us Banks, Correa, and Rodríguez in the NL and Vaughan, Yount, and either Fregosi or Lundy in the AL.
Smith is included because of his superlative defense, but doesn’t probably make the cut.
This is an interesting position: Vaughan and Rodríguez changed teams in the off season, and Correa’s performance has been a bit of a shock.
#3B
The top 5 are locks, beyond that, it gets much trickier, especially in the NL.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Albert Pujols
KCM / NL
1.046
32 2B; 60 RBI; 2.8 WAR
Ron Cey
BRK / NL
.967
2.4 WAR
.976 Fldg; 3.3 ZR
Gary Sheffield
MCG/ AL
.929
22 HR; 55 RBI; 15 SB
Evan Longoria
CLE / AL
.926
2.2 ZR
Mike Schmidt
NYY / AL
.926
23 HR; 55 RBI
2.59 RF
Scott Rolen
PHI / NL
.922
2.1 WAR
.974 Fldg; 2.7 ZR
Ron Santo
HOD /NL
.906
52 G/192 PA
Eddie Mathews
BBB / NL
.904
24 HR
.978 Fldg; 2.66 RF
Wade Boggs
MEM / AL
.896
26 2B
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
After Pujols and Cey, it’s hard in the NL. Matthews and Rolen edge ahead of Santo due to defense and Santo’s relative low usage, but picking between the two of them is very challenging, to the point the NL may go with 4 players at the hot corner.
#OF
All of the OF spots are a bit combined in the end, but we’re keeping them separate for the sake of comparison.
#LF
When Detroit’s Ty Cobb plays the OF, he plays here as well, making the AL selections pretty simple.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Babe Ruth
NYY / AL
1.201
40 HR; 90 RBI; 5.0 WAR
.988 Fldg; 5.1 ZR
Ted Williams
MEM / AL
1.063
23 2B; 65 RBI
Frank Robinson
BAL / AL
1.035
24 HR; 64 RBI; 2.3 WAR
1.000 Fldg
Adam Dunn
IND / NL
.906
24 HR
.989 Fldg; 3.41 RF
Roy White
BRK / NL
.866
Oscar Gamble
DET / AL
.852
Rickey Henderson
SFS / AL
.840
2.8 WAR; 60 SB
7.2 ZR
Tim Raines
OTT / NL
.773
7 3B; 53 SB
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
So, Ruth, Williams, and Robinson are in, and perhaps Henderson’s 60+ SB warrant a spot. In the NL, it’s more challenging. Dunn seems to be a lock, and White is a bit of a sentimental choice. It may be just those 2 from this group.
#CF
Tris Speaker, as despicable of a human being as he is, is the best in the AL right now, especially considering the defensive contribution. Over in the NL, Willie Mays probably edges Oscar Charleston as the starter.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Rick Monday
OTT /NL
1.172
41 G/136 PA
Tris Speaker
CLE / AL
1.088
31 2B; 4.0 WAR
2.68 RF; 5.1 ZR; 6 Kills
Turkey Stearnes
SFS / AL
1.065
7 3B; 24 HR
Eric Davis
NYY / AL
1.058
26 SB
41 G/188 PA; 1.000 Fldg
Julio Rodríguez
MCG / AL
1.052
39 G/177 PA
Oscar Charleston
IND / NL
1.027
9 3B; 60 RBI; 24 SB
Willie Mays
NYG / NL
.977
31 HR; 62 RBI; 2.9 WAR
.990 Fldg; 2.70 RF; 7.7 ZR
Mike Trout
LAA / AL
.965
24 2B; 2.8 WAR; 21 SB
1.000 Fldg
Carlos Beltrán
OTT / NL
.916
63 RBI; 21 SB
Alejandro Oms
MCG / AL
.883
5 3B
6.3 ZR
Curtis Granderson
BBB / NL
.876
26 HR
3.01 RF
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Monday, Davis, and Rodríguez aren’t really in contention, but their performances in limited action have been pretty spectacular.
Speaker, Stearnes, and Trout are pretty much locks in the AL, with Oms being a hard luck case. Beltrán deserves the spot behind Mays and Charleston.
#RF
A deep, deep group, probably 4 deep in each league.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
José Canseco
MCG / AL
1.109
36 HR
Larry Walker
OTT / NL
1.090
36 HR; 85 RBI; 22.4 WAR
3.89 RF
Reggie Jackson
SFS / AL
1.027
63 RBI; 2.8 WAR; 24 SB
Tony Gwynn
HOU / NL
1.026
6 3B; 24 2B; 2.8 WAR
Aaron Judge
PHI / NL
.994
.992 Fldg
Mickey Mantle
NYY / AL
.993
30 HR; 76 RBI
Joe Jackson
CAG /AL
.986
39 2B; 27 SB
Stan Musial
KCM / NL
.964
37 2B
5.5 ZR
Johnny Callison
NYG / NL
.945
.993 Fldg
Mookie Betts
MEM / AL
.865
24 2B
1.000 Fldg
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Canseco, Mantle, and the 2 Jacksons seem locks in the AL, with Walker, Gwynn, and Judge in the NL. It’s possible Musial misses the cut, as ridiculous as that sounds.
#DH
The pressure here is immense, given the competition for the other OF spots.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Ty Cobb
DET / AL
1.350
37 2B; 8 3B; 26 HR; 73 RBI; 5.8 WAR; 31 SB
Kal Daniels
LAA / AL
1.023
21 2B; 2.3 WAR; 30 SB
Manny Ramírez
MEM / AL
.986
56 G/224 PA
Ryan Braun
MCG/ AL
.982
31 HR
Willie Stargell
HOM / NL
.980
27 HR
Gavvy Cravath
BAL / AL
.926
22 2B; 69 RBI
Benny Kauff
NYG / NL
.909
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Cobb is, of course, a lock, and it would be hard to keep Daniels off the roster. Beyond that, though, it gets difficult to justify a pure DH, although Braun, Stargell, and Cravath all have decent arguments.
#P
Pitching is, of course, a constant crapshoot, and a lot could change in the outings this week.
All pitchers are sorted by ERA.
#SP
This list has everyone with an ERA under 4.00 or 10 or more wins.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
Toad Ramsey
HOU / NL
11-4, 2.77
152 K; 0.89 WHIP; 5.2 WAR; 2.80 FIP
71% QS; 5 CG; 2 SHO; 2.34 SIERA; 1.7 WPA
Doc Gooden
LAA / AL
7-5, 3.17
Hardie Henderson
PHI/ NL
9-6, 3.18
Smokey Joe Williams
BRK / NL
7-7, 3.41
3.4 WAR
Ed Walsh
CAG / AL
6-3, 3.41
1.06 WHIP
Eddie Plank
SFS / AL
11-3, 3.54
Roger Clemens
HOU / NL
9-4, 3.71
65% QS
Lefty Grove
SFS / AL
10-4, 3.71
132 K
4 CG; 3 SHO; 2.87 SIERA
Johnny Cueto
IND / NL
8-4, 3.75
67% QS
Rube Foster
IND / NL
6-4, 3.80
Ron Guidry
NYY / AL
8-4, 3.86
143 K
2.58 SIERA
Orel Hershiser
BRK / NL
10-4, 3.87
Brett Anderson
LAA / AL
7-2, 3.91
1.06 WHIP
Andy Pettitte
NYY / AL
9-5, 4.05
Bump Hadley
SFS / AL
11-4, 4.21
3.50 FIP
Luis Padrón
IND / NL
11-2, 4.21
3.3 WA; 3.57 FIP
Frank Castillo
KCM / NL
10-1, 4.22
3 CG; 2 SHO
José Méndez
MCG / AL
6-4, 4.45
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
Right now, I would guess the starting matchup is Toad Ramsey for the NL and Eddie Plank for the AL.
Beyond that, in the AL, I see Gooden, Walsh, and Grove as easy picks. Guidry is likely in as well, leaving Anderson and Hadley on the bubble.
The NL is much harder to figure out. Henderson, Hershiser, Padrón, and Castillo feel like they deserve selections, with Williams having a very strong case as well. That would leave some excellent performances–Clemens and Cueto especially–on the outside looking in.
#Swingmen / Long Relivers
These are players who are either swing starters or have seen more innings than the finishers below. As is often the case, there are a few folks here who, for whatever the reason, took a while to be inserted into the rotation.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
A. Rube Foster
KCM/ NL
5-1, 2.30
0.98 WHIP
7 GS; 90 IP; 86% QS; 2 SHO; 1.0 WPA
Jim Whitney
BBB / NL
4-2, 3.26
1 Sv; 2 H; 1.03 WHIP
11 GS; 94 IP; 73% QS; 1.9 WPA
Tom Brewer
SFS / AL
0-1, 2.33
1 Sv; 2 H
2 GS; 27 IP
Fernando Valenzuela
BRK / NL
5-0, 2.37
1 Sv; 4 H; 0.96 WHIP
1 GS; 60 IP; 1.0 WPA
Rheal Cormier
NYY / AL
0-2, 6.03
11 H
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
Foster and Valenzuela seem clear selections, with Brewer and Cormier missing the cut and Whitney being on the bubble.
#Closers & Setups
20 IP Minimum, with a possible exception for Brian Wilson of the New York Gothams.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
Brian Wilson
NYG/ NL
1-0, 1.08
11 Sv
17 IP
Craig Kimbrel
KCM / NL
2-1, 1.14
2 Sv; 11 H; 0.89 WHIP
15 SD; 5.6 IRS%; 2.90 SIERA; 2.0 WPA
Harley Young
BBB / NL
1-0, 1.23
3 Sv; 5 H
Ron Robinson
SFS / AL
1-0, 1.64
3 Sv; 3 H
Ken Howell
SFS / AL
4-1, 1.72
1 Sv; 4 H
Robb Nen
NYG / NL
3-2, 1.95
9 Sv; 6 H
Eddie Guardado
KCM / NL
2-1, 2.08
1 Sv; 5 H
2.92 SIERA
Tug McGraw
HOU / NL
3-3, 2.16
7 Sv
Ross Reynolds
LAA / AL
2-0, 2.19
1 Sv; 1 H
Goose Gossage
NYY / AL
2-3, 2.32
9 Sv; 8 H
.90 Sv%
Lee Smith
HOD / NL
4-1, 2.73
5 Sv; 6 H; 0.73 WHIP
Eric Gagne
BRK / NL
1-1, 2.92
19 Sv
17 SD
Justin Hampson
BAL / AL
0-0, 3.00
7 H; 0.95 WHIP
Terry Adams
CLE / AL
1-2, 3.18
15 Sv; 2 H
.94 Sv%
Josh Lindblom
HOM / NL
4-2, 3.45
20 Sv
.95 Sv%; 16 SD; 1.3 WPA
Rod Beck
SFS / AL
3-2, 3.47
21 Sv; 0.73 WHIP
15 SD
Rob Murphy
IND / NL
1-3, 3.75
1 Sv; 11 H
Michael Jackson
HOM / NL
1-4, 4.13
1 Sv; 10 H
BJ Ryan
OTT / NL
1-2, 4.15
1 Sv; 10 H
Brad Kilby
PHI / NL
1-2, 4.39
2 Sv; 10 H
2.73 SIERA
Rob Dibble
IND / NL
2-2, 5.25
16 Sv
Jeff Pfeffer
KCM / NL
1-3, 5.61
16 Sv
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
A difficult set of choices for sure. Of the true closers, Gagne, Lindblom, and Beck seem locks, with Kimbrel, Young, Howell, Nen, McGraw, Gossage, and Smith deserving nods as well.
That would give the NL 7 selections, likely keeping Wilson from making the team. It would also give the AL only 3, opening the door for Adams and even Reynolds or Hampson.
In a move long clamored for by the fans, the Royal Giants have replaced Sandy Koufax with Fernando Valenzuela in their rotation.
Roy White hit two out and Smokey Joe Williams did just enough to even his record at 7-7 as the Royal Giants topped Philadelphia, 11-5.
Mike Piazza hit 2 homeruns, edging towards 30 on the season, and White, Germany Smith, and Jackie Robinson also went yard, backing a strong outing from Frank Knauss, who improved to 8-4 in the 9-4 win over the Stars.
#Homestead Grays
The Grays have sent Carlos Zambrano to AAA, hopefully to get a bit more consistent work, and recalled Ricardo Rincón to give them a lefty from the bullpen.
Rey Sánchez has also been sent down, with teenager Judy Johnson being recalled into the utility IF role.
Roberto Clemente hit for the cycle in a 13-3 thrashing of Brooklyn, the first player in the WBL to do so this year.
#New York Gothams
Joe Adcock went deep twice and Benny Kauff delivered a key pinch hit homer as the Gothams beat Homestead, 9-5.
#Ottawa Mounties
The Mounties slugged 7 homeruns, going back-to-back and back-to-back-to-back in a 10-1 drubbing of Houston. Gary Carter had 2, and Rick Monday, Sam Thompson, Adrián Beltré, Roberto Alomar, and Álex Rodríguez each reached the seats as well. Old Hoss Radbourn improved to 9-5, allowing only 3 hits and 1 run in 8+ innings of work for Ottawa.
Bob Moose will miss the better part of a year with a torn labrum, just as the Mounties’ rotation looked like it was rounding into shape. Bryn Smith was recalled from AAA.
Carter hit another 2 homeruns (that’s 28 on the season) and Ottawa rolled over Kansas City, 10-0. Johnny Podgajny threw 8+ innings of 4-hit ball, improving his record to 2-1.
Thompson went yard twice in a 6-2 win over the Monarchs, backing an excellent effort from Bill Smith, who improved to 6-2 on the season.
Darren Dreifort‘s struggles proved too much, with Brooklyn sending him to AAA in exchange for Rick Aguilera.
Mike Piazza, Dan Brouthers, and John Briggs each hit 2 out as the Royal Giants bowled over the Mounties, 17-8. Brouthers scored 4 times and Piazza drove in 6 in the win.
#Homestead Grays
Brickyard Kennedy failed his WBL audition, heading back to AAA in exchange for Moose Haas. The Grays also stabilized their rotation for the time being, naming Cliff Lee and Billy Pierce to the final 2 spots.
Mike Epstein reached 20 homers on the year with 2 longballs in a 10-2 win over Kansas City.
Honus Wagner had 4 hits including 2 homeruns as the Grays moved past the Stars, 7-4.
#Indianapolis ABC’s
Oscar Charleston went deep twice, leading the ABC’s to a 6-2 win over the Gothams behind a strong outing from Doc White.
#New York Gothams
Last season’s AAA MVP Benny Kauff hit 2 out, giving him 18 on the year, as the Gothams beat Philadelphia, 9-2.
Needing a starter, the Gothams exchanged Guy Hecker for Vean Gregg, who will make his WBL debut. It did not go well, as Gregg surrendered 7 runs in under 4 IP in an 8-2 loss to Indianapolis.
#Ottawa Mounties
Bill Smith moved into the rotation for Ottawa, while Clark Griffith was sent t0 AAA with Clayton Richard being recalled for his first shot at WBL action this season.
Rick Monday continues to press for playing time, hitting 2 out in a 6-3 win over Brooklyn. Monday now has 14 on the year, and Sam Thompson, Roberto Alomar, and Gary Carter also went deep for Ottawa. Bob Brown was hurt in the game, and will miss about 6 weeks, with Chris Bosio rejoining the Mounties.
#Philadelphia Stars
John Burkett, who did fine in his time in the WBL, was sent down as closer Bob Howry was ready to return from injury.
Beals Becker and Jackie Robinson each went deep twice, but the Royal Giants bullpen–usually a strength of the team–imploded in a see-saw affair as Brooklyn fell to Ottawa 13-11. The next day brought more of the same: John Briggs went deep twice and the Royal Giants hit 5 homeruns, but Ottawa won the game, 10-9 in another poor outing from Don Drysedale, who fell to 3-3.
#Homestead Grays
The Grays released the highly ineffective Del Crandall, recalling Rick Ferrell from AAA to serve as Josh Gibson‘s backup for a while.
Willie Stargell hit 2 out of the park, but the Grays’ bullpen couldn’t close the game out in a 10-9 loss to Ottawa.
#New York Gothams
Pinky Higgins hit 2 out as the Gothams topped Houston 6-4.
Christy Mathewson had one of the best outings of the year, twirling a 3 hit shutout while striking out 11 as the Gothams beat Houston, 3-0. Matty walked only 1 and needed only 99 pitches in improving his record to 3-5, backed by Willie Mays‘ 23rd homer of the year.
#Ottawa Mounties
Roberto Alomar hit 2 homeruns while going 4 for 4, scoring 4 times, and driving in 5 in a come-from-behind, wild 13-11 win over Brooklyn. Álex Rodríguez won the game with a 2 run walkoff shot in the bottom of the 9th and both Rodríguez and Gary Carter, who also went deep, had 3 hits each.
Alomar hit another 2 homeruns and Larry Walker launched his 27th of the season in a 10-9 win over Brooklyn.
Backup C Brad Ausmus announced his retirement at the end of the season.
It was Carlos Beltrán‘s turn to hit 2 out, but it took a bases loaded walk to Alomar in the bottom of the 9th for the Mounties to eke out a 10-9 win over Homestead.
The Mounties pounded out 22 hits, including 8 homeruns, in a 20-8 plastering of Homestead. Walker went deep twice, reaching 30 on the year, and Bob Watson, Rick Monday, Rusty Staub, Beltrán, Rodríguez, and Carter all added longballs. The offense was well distributed with 3 players scoring 3 runs, 4 players amassing 3 hits, and Beltrán and Walker driving in 4 runs each.
#Philadelphia Stars
The Stars gave up on Sherm Lollar, sending him to AAA and recalling Butch Wynegar. It’s not clear if Wynegar will step into a platoon with Mike Scioscia or if Scioscia will be the everyday backstop.
Chase Utley took advantage of a chance to hit 2nd in the lineup, going deep twice and leading the Stars to an 8-1 win over Indianapolis behind another strong outing for JM Ward, who improved to 3-1.
1st and 2nd round picks Max Scherzer and Al Orth will be given the opportunity to make the opening day staff, and the bullpen behind presumed closer Ryan Dempster is wide open.
While Carlos Beltrán goes in as the presumed starter in CF, Ken Griffey Jr will again be given a long look.
First Cuts
Ottawa’s pitching staff is a bit clearer, as there have been some horrible performances. Jesse Crain, Max Scherzer, Kid Camp, Dan Haren, Mike Minor, and Al Orth have all moved to the minors. That leaves only 15 arms in camp, so look for some recalls if others in camp struggle or face injuries. Chuck Taylor, Dupee Shaw, and Dave Gregg have all been pleasant surprises so far.
The starting C job belongs to Gary Carter. But Emil Gross and Brad Ausmus are pushing Jim Stephens for the backup role, with Milt May and Einar Díaz both leaving camp.
1B and 3B are wide open, with Bob Watson‘s fast start (combined with his solid debut last season) making him an early favorite at 1B and Art Devlin and Ryon Healy making arguments at the hot corner. 3B Josh Donaldson and 1Bs John Mayberry, Tino Martinez, and Nick Johnson all hit the minors.
In the middle of the infield, the Mounties have gone with a very aggressive approach, sending Julio Gotay, Everett Scott, Jose Vidro, Bernie Allen, and Dick Bartell all to the minors. That leaves them with only 6 2B/SS, making this another position where later recalls are possible. Jimmy Dykes, Henry Easterday, and Mike Dorgan have all impressed, although this moves seems to indicate more than anything else that Álex Rodríguez will be the opening day SS, even though some believe his eventual position will be at third.
Rick Monday and Sam Thompson have impressed in the OF, with Wee Willie Keeler and Jackie Jensen the only early casualties. This will be a clear focus for Ottawa, as a leading priority for them is sorting through their options in the OF and, perhaps most of all, figuring out what to do with Ken Griffey Jr, who continues to struggle mightily in CF.
Second Cuts
The Mounties had made such deep cuts earlier that only one arm was moved this time, with Rick Honeycutt heading to the minors. That’s not to say the rest have done well: Bob Brown and Bob Moose–both of whom were supposed to contend for rotation spots–have struggled, as has presumed closer Ryan Dempster.
The competition at 1B is thick, prompting Ottawa to send Roy Sievers, who spent most of last season in the WBL, to their minor league camp.
Third Cuts
With only 14 arms in camp, the pitching staff remains unchanged. There is concern over Bob Brown and Old Hoss Radbourn, two of last year’s bright spots, who are struggling mightily this Spring.
John Olerud, Henry Easterday, and Jason Heyward head to AAA. Easterday’s demotion leaves only two SS in camp: Álex Rodríguez and the surprising Mike Dorgan.
Gary Carter is the starting C for sure, but the battle to back him up is running tight between Jim Stephens, Brad Ausmus, and Emil Gross.
The OF is a total mess, with rumors emerging that the Mounties are shopping the immense talent of Ken Griffey, Jr in the hope that a change of scenery might unlock his bat. George Burns is only in camp due to a strong season last year, but he’s on the edge for sure. Rick Monday, Jesse Burkett, Terry Puhl, Sam Thompson, and Bill O’Neill are all hitting well enough to warrant consideration for 2 or 3 reserve spots.
Final Cuts
3B Ryon Healy was tearing up Spring Training for a while, but has since come back to earth. With the arrival of Adrián Beltré, Healy’s future for the start of the season is in the minors, as is CF Bill O’Neill‘s. They are joined by Tino Martinez: 1B was always pretty blocked for the Mounties and Martinez hasn’t shown enough to add his name to the list.
Pedro Ramos had a brief stint with the big league team before heading off to AAA. Dan Collins was placed on IR and Chuck Taylor (also injured) was sent to AAA, preserving the spot on the 40 man roster. That left the Mounties with 3 players to go to get to 30. One was Emil Gross, leaving 3 catchers in camp (4 if you count Mike Dorgan), the second was 2B Jimmy Dykes, who turned a lot of heads with his Spring performance, and the last was veteran OF Jesse Burkett.
Bob Moose, Bob Brown, Ryan Dempster, and Hoss Radbourn were among the few bright spots on the mound for Ottawa last season. They are among the worst performers this Spring, making all of the roster choices all that much more difficult. Brown’s wildness was inescapable, and he was moved to AAA to see if he could work it out. That left a dozen arms in camp, but with so many of them–Atlee Hammaker, Dupee Shaw, Dave Gregg, BJ Ryan–being essentially unproven, the Mounties would like to open the season with a larger staff than most teams will carry.
Gary Carter remains the starting catcher, but Brad Ausmus‘ fantastic Spring moved him ahead of Jim Stephens as Carter’s backup with Stephens heading to the minors along with OFs George Burns and Terry Puhl. The final cut was a hard one, as Art Devlin was among the most impressive Spring performers. But Devlin was likely blocked at Ottawa, so he heads down to AAA to start the season, keeping both Bob Watson and Sam Thompson on the WBL roster to open the season.
The first of three trading periods for the WBL is usually marked by teams trying to find the final piece of a championship puzzle.
About half the league decided to stand pat, preferring to wait until the next trading period at the All Star break to see how the season unfolds.
MAJOR TRADES
#The Black Yankees Go For It
That was certainly the case here, as the Black Yankees pulled off a shock blockbuster, obtaining league ERA champion Andy Pettitte from Birmingham. New York sends slugging (but non-starting) OF Albert Belle and two quality arms in Lefty Gomez and young Frank Viola. To make it all work, the Black Barons are adding CF Mickey Rivers and a 3rd Round Draft Pick and the Blank Yankees U Jess Barbour.
Why Birmingham Made The Deal
At 31, Belle has a few years left and immediately goes from a bench role to being a starter and a likely cleanup. Pettitte was magnificent for Birmingham, but with both Jim Whitney and Warren Spahn looking good, the Black Barons believe they have enough pitching depth to absorb his loss and while Gomez may see WBL time this year, the organization is really excited about the long term potential of Viola.
Why New York Made the Deal
Pettitte immediately joins Jack Scott and Ron Guidry to form a leading top of rotation group, and while losing Gomez may hurt, with Dave Righetti, Whitey Ford, AJ Burnett, and Noah Syndergaard all still in camp, the Black Yankees believed they could cover the back end of their rotation.
Belle was never going to start for New York, and this move clears the way for Lou Gehrig and Don Mattingly to be in the lineup every day.
#The Kid Is On the Move
Ottawa sends prized CF prospect Ken Griffey Jr. and a 4th Round Pick to Portland for 3B Adrián Beltré, a 2nd Round Pick, and a trio of prospects (CF Denard Span, and P’s Atlee Hammaker and Pedro Ramos).
Why Ottawa Made the Deal
Simply, Carlos Beltrán, who has grabbed the starting CF job. Combine that with Griffey’s in ability to hit in multiple opportunities with Ottawa and Rick Monday looking like a capable reserve, and suddenly, for all his clear talent, the Kid became expendable. Beltré instantly steps into the starting role at 3B, and the rest of the talent could be useful at some point. This deal also resolves Álex Rodríguez‘ position for the Mounties, keeping him at SS for the time being.
Why Portland Made the Deal
Buddy Bell has 3B locked down, and the team isn’t convinced that Gary Pettis is really set to be an everyday CF. This allows a pseudo-platoon to emerge in CF, and frees Bobby Murcer to play one of the corner slots. For a team looking to win now, the rest of the deal is pretty insignificant.
#Portland Does It Again
The Sea Dogs had been looking to resolve their C situation for a while, knowing they couldn’t hold on to both Joe Mauer and Iván Rodríguez. Preliminary talks with Miami sort of spiraled out of control and ended up with Portland sending Pudge, 3 prospects (OFs Adolis García and Al Oliver and P Jon Matlack), and 2 picks (a 1st and a 4th) to the Cuban Giants for IF Paul Molitor, overall #2 pick Vladimir Guerrero, C Alan Ashby, and a 2nd Round Pick.
Why Portland Made the Deal
The Sea Dogs pick up immediate offense in Molitor, a solid C option to backup Mauer in Ashby, and a top 5 prospect in Guerrero. What’s not to like?
Why Miami Made the Deal
Rodríguez is a long term solve at a needed position (although it may complicate Smoky Burgess‘ future with the club), Oliver looks set for WBL action, and both Matlack and García are decent enough prospects. Add in an overall increase in draft picks for a team that is still rebuilding, and it makes sense. Molitor’s departure also clears up some roster challenges: Martín Dihigo probably takes over at 2B, and it opens up some room for both Cookie Rojas and Bert Campaneris.
OTHER TRANSACTIONS
#Gehringer Goes Home
After being cut by San Francisco last year, Charlie Gehringer almost dropped out of the game. Instead he signed with the House of David and re-established himself as a top IF prospect; prompting Detroit to make a move for the Michigan native. The Wolverines send Claude Osteen and a 1st Round Pick to the House of David for Gehringer and a 3rd.
#Sosa, Too
Sammy Sosa struggled mightily with the House of David, but blossomed after being traded to Memphis. But with Memphis’ OF incredibly crowded, the House of David decided the speedy young OFer was worth another try, sending C Gabby Hartnett, young RP Rollie Fingers, and a 4th Round Pick to the Red Sox for him. Hartnett should solidify one of the weak spots in Memphis’ lineup, while Sosa steps back into a crowded situation with the House of David, presumably pushing Dan Ford into a 4th OF role.
#Turkey Effects
First round draft pick Turkey Stearnes has locked up the CF job for San Francisco suddenly making the Sea Lions’ OF over-crowded. They addressed this by shipping Pedro Guerrero to Brooklyn for Watty Clark. Clark was one of the best closers in the league last season, but seems destined for the rotation at some point while Guerrero immediately becomes one of the better bats in the Royal Giants’ lineup. Brooklyn threw in reserve OFer Matt Holliday to make the deal work.
#Minor Swaps
Memphis sent veteran OF David Justice, prospect Ozzie Albies, and a 2nd Round Pick to Birmingham for 2 prospects, Bill Buckner and Joe Rudi.
Two players blocked in their organizations got new opportunities, with Indianapolis sending SS Dave Concepción (blocked by Denis Menke and Barry Larkin) to the New York Gothams for SP Sad Sam Jones, who looked unlikely to make the Gothams’ roster, but may vie for a spot in the ABC’s 6 man circus. Indianapolis sent a 3rd Round Pick with the Gothams sending back a 4th to make it all work.
Andrés Galarraga was shut down for the rest of the season with a back injury with Jim O’Rourke rejoining Houston for their final series of the season.
#Kansas City Monarchs
Jim Bottomley, Devin Mesoraco and Merv Rettenmund were all recalled for the final week of the season.
Bob Gibson finally got his first WBL victory, and what a performance it was: a complete game, 7 strikeout shutout of the Gothams. Ted Simmons had 3 hits and scored twice in support of Gibson, whose record improved to 1-6.
#Ottawa Mounties
Rick Monday and Bob Watson were recalled from AAA.
4 hits from Carlos Beltrán and 2 from Watson–giving him 5 in his first 6 WBL at bats–led the Mounties to a 5-2 win over Miami. Bob Moose got the win and Ryan Dempster picked up his 14th save–both of them have a good shot at key roles with Ottawa next season.
Watson’s debut, during which he went 7-14, was cut short with an oblique injury, prompting Ottawa to recall Roy Halladay, ostensibly for a single start to mark his return from significant injury.
Another month, another quick trip through the minor leagues!
Featured Team: New Orleans Pelicans
The AAA affiliate of the Memphis Red Sox has the second best record in AAA, leading their division by 6 games. They’ve managed to keep their lead despite a fairly constant amount of churn as players move up and down with the parent club.
The Pelicans lead with their offense, with the near-constant presence of veteran Joe Cronin at 1B, 2B Dustin Pedroia, and OF Joe Kelley. Bob Brenly, Eddie Rosario, and Wayne Causey have all been strong contributors who, like Pedroia, spent a fair bit of time in Memphis.
Cronin leads the team in homeruns with 13, followed by Brenly with 11. Brenly has the most impressive slash line of the regulars, with his 299/342/664 giving him an OPS just over 1.000.
Joe Kelly (the other one–note only a single e in the last name) leads the way on the mound with a 6-3 record and a 3.36 ERA. Andrew Miller is 5-0 since his promotion from AA with an ERA of 3.03. The bullpen is anchored by Luiz Gohara, who has 14 saves and an ERA under 3. Gohara and Kelly each started the year in Memphis.
#AAA Leaders
If you are a devotee of OPS, the best batters in AAA have been Baby Doll Jacobson (Washington / Baltimore Black Sox; 1.114); Jung Ho Kang (Columbus / Wandering House of David; 1.042), and Joey Votto (Cincinnati / Indianapolis ABC’s; 1.000). Jacobson and Votto are both with their WBL clubs now. Those 3 are closely trailed by Merv Rettenmund (Washington; .996) and Al Kaline (Toronto / Detroit Wolverines; .984).
Kaline is 3rd in AAA in BA and OBP, and 2nd in hits while Rettumund is tied for the lead with 21 homeruns, and leads in RBIs and Rs. Aaron Judge (Norfolk / Philadelphia Stars), Jacobson, Benny Kauff (Hartford / New York Gothams), and Kevin Young (Louisville / Homestead) each have 21 HRs as well.
Finally, along with Kaline (3.3) and Rettenmund (3.1), Max Carey (Louisville) and Cliff Lee (Seattle / Portland) are the other AAA players with a WAR over 3.
Cincinnati’s Virgil Trucks has been, by far, the dominant starting pitcher, leading the league with a 2.05 ERA and a 10-3 record. Trucks also leads the league with 8 complete games and a 0.94 WHIP, and is second in the league with 167 strikeouts. Bob Gibson (St. Louis / Kansas City) trails Trucks with a 2.36 ERA and 9 victories and two other starters, AJ Burnett (Newark / New York Black Yankees) and St. Louis’ Jock Menefee also have ERA’s under 3.00. Burnett’s teammate, Lefty Gomez, leads AAA with 181 strikeouts in 115 innings.
San Jose’s Billy Taylor (San Francisco Sea Lions) and St. Louis’ Adam Russell lead AAA in saves with 21 and 20, respectively.
#AAA Awards
Rube Melton (Atlanta / Birmingham Black Barons) was the AAA Pitcher of the Month, going 4-0 with a 2.58 ERA, striking out 53 in under 40 innings; while Cincinnati’s Doc Hobitzell was the AAA Player of the Month, hitting .426 with 11 home runs in June.
AAA Players of the Week: Hobitzell twice, along with Steve Garvey (Montréal / Ottawa Mounties [since traded to the Los Angeles Angels]) and Cincinnati’s Jhonny Peralta.
#AAA Hottest Prospects (24 Years and Younger)
100 AAA PA/50 AAA IP minimum; must be in AAA now, or only recently promoted.
C: Cliff W. Lee (22, Seattle). 318/359/624. 20 HR, 56 RBI. 1B: Doc Hoblitzell (23, Cincinnati). 331/361/647. 2B: Juan Samuel (23, Norfolk). 294/347/569. 3B: Charlie Reilly (23, San Jose). 315/343/622. SS: Asdrúbal Cabrera (22, Washington). 282/309/550. LF: Joe Kelley (20, New Orleans). 261/379/523. CF: Rick Monday (23, Montréal). 275/381/584. RF: Al Kaline (20, Toronto). 340/410/574.
Ottawa is a team in constant struggle without enough talent to maintain much optimism for the second half.
What’s Gone Right
When It Raines. Tim Raines was probably the most egregious omission from the all-star game, hitting over .300 and leading the league in steals.
The Corners. Carlos Delgado and Anthony Rendon have been quite solid at the corners, even with a slump from Rendon towards the end of the first half.
Top Two, Eventually. Roy Halladay has been consistent from the get-go, but it took a while for the Mounties to realize what they had in veteran Jamie Moyer. Now, the two of them form a solid top of the rotation for a pitching staff that has struggled otherwise.
What’s Gone Wrong
Larry Walker. The fantastically talented outfielder has been a one man wrecking crew, with an OPS around 150 points above the next best on the team (see below). So why is Larry Walker listed here? He’s hit the DL twice, only appearing in 16 games for the Mounties so far.
Backstops. Gary Carter has improved lately, but still the backstop duo of him and Emil Gross has struggled all season.
Cutting Losses. The raw talent of Álex Rodríguez and Ken Griffey, Jr. is obvious to anyone that watches them. But they just aren’t ready for the WBL yet and it took Ottawa a long time to decide to send them to AAA. CF remains an issue for the team, although Freddy Parent has done well at SS.
Key Storylines
Tom Henke‘s injury has opened up the door for Gary Lavelle to serve as a closer for Ottawa–or for someone else.
Two players–Raines and Halladay–are on the verge of establishing themselves as true stars in the league, and with little on the line for the team, individual stories will dominate the second half for Ottawa.
Trading Outlook
SELLING. Selling, selling, selling.
The fire sale is on as the Mounties look to the future. Moyer, Lavelle, and Delgado are the biggest chips they have to cash in, but there are some others, including perhaps all-star shortstop Parent.
AAA Shuttle
Not great. Jackie Jensen did well, but this is a team with revolving doors at a lot of positions.
Midseason Changes
Gary Peters goes back to AAA as Monk Dubiel returns from the injured list.
Roy Sievers, George Cutshaw, and Rick Monday all head to AAA with John Olerud, George Van Haltren, and Roberto Alomar coming up to the big leagues.
Awards
All Stars: Freddy Parent (SS).
Offensive MVP: Tim Raines (2B) Pitching MVP: Roy Halladay (SP)
Down on the Farm
AAA: Montréal Expos
Next to the Show: OFs Jackie Jensen, George Van Haltren, and Jesse Burkett.
Prospects: 3B Steve Garvey (20), OF Rick Monday (23).
Projects: OF George Van Haltren (26), SS Álex Rodríguez (20), OF Ken Griffey, Jr. (19), OF Jackie Jensen (31), P Randy Johnson (25).
Suspects: C Brad Ausmus (35), OF Spud Johnson (33), C Jeff Reed (21), P Kirk McCaskill (31), RP Juan Cruz (33).
AA: Edmonton Trappers
Prospects: OF Lloyd Moseby (20), 1B John Mayberry (19)
Projects: OF Otto Briggs (26), 1B Tino Martinez (24), RP Joel Hanrahan (30).
Suspects: P Chuck Crim (29), 3B Glenn Williams (27), P Andy Lapihuska (19), RP Doug Henry (28).
