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TWIWBL 92.4: Off Season Review – Miami Cuban Giants

By

On April 24, 2026

In TWIWBL

80 - 83, .491 pct.
2nd in Cum Posey Division, 23.5 GB

Overall

This was a surprising season for Miami–most pundits thought they were several years away from contention, so being in the race for a playoff spot into the last week of the season was quite the shock.

It’s not even so clear how the Cuban Giants did it: turns out a lot of homeruns, some strikeout pitchers, and some solid defense will win a few games. Miami still finished under .500, so it’s not like they’re about to contend for the championship, but still … it was a significant step forward.

There are some pieces here, but unless the pitching staff comes around, the nearly .500 finish is probably the best predictor of the future. So some moves may be made.

What Went Right

José Canseco‘s power is a thing to behold, demonstrated by 68 homeruns and 124 RBIs this year. A few dozen more hits would move him into the truly elite outfielders, but even without that, his 1.062 OPS make him a franchise cornerstone.

That said, it’s not like Jim Thome or Yasiel Puig are far behind. Puig’s 298/388/658 performance occurred in 100 games, so there are still some questions about his ability to perform next season, but Thome looked every bit the star, finishing the year with a 1.034 OPS, 59 homeruns, and 122 RBIs.

Julio Rodríguez was a surprise starter coming out of Spring Training and he delivered in the biggest of ways: 315/347/661 with 42 homeruns.

Gary Sheffield has a shot at being an offensive force, with 42 homeruns in what the team hopes is a sign of things to come.

Iván Rodríguez is one of the best young catchers in the league, managing an .840 OPS with elite defense as a 21 year old.

Joe Adcock, Al Oliver, and Andy Pafko were all remarkably effective as part-time contributors. At 40, Adcock may be just about done, but Oliver and Pafko certainly factor into the Cuban Giants’ plans next season.

At only 21, Alejandro Oms led the team with a .308 average while playing spectacular defense.

Robin Yount had an OPS over .800 at SS, and is just entering his prime.

And then there’s Martín Dihigo. Perhaps the worst offensively performing regular in the league last season, Dihigo slugged a still-not-great 246/291/429, but the increase in power is a great sign for Miami. Add to that Dihigo’s ability to play Gold Glove level defense at virtually every position, and the Cuban Giants have a fairly unique talent.

José Méndez is establishing himself as a WBL ace. This year, he went 13-6 with a 4.53 ERA over 37 starts, so most definitely a workhorse, with a chance at elite status.

But Méndez may not be the best starter on the staff: that honor may go to midseason acquisition Jim Whitney, who finished the year with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over 200 innings.

Beyond that, though, the starters were not good. That’s not quite true–Hugh McQuillan was solid in 10 starts and Phenomenal Smith was, um, yes, that, in 5. But the rest … well, see below.

Ricky Nolasco was fine as the closer, finishing the year with 26 saves. The Cuban Giants obtained Jonathan Papelbon towards the end of the season, giving them excellent options at the end of the bullpen.

ALL STARS

José Canseco
Gary Sheffield
MAJOR AWARDS

José Méndez, All AL Team
Iván Rodríguez, AL C Gold Glove
Jim Thome, All AL Team
Jim Whitney, All AL Team
RECOGNITIONS

Martín Dihigo, AL 21 & Under Team
Kenshin Kawakami, AL All Rookie 2nd Team
José Méndez, AL Brock Rutherford Award 3rd Place; AL 25 & Under Team; AL 23 & Under Team
Alejandro Oms, AL 21 & Under Team
Andy Pafko, AL All Rookie Team
Jonathan Papelbon, All AL 3rd Team; AL Over 30 Team
Yasiel Puig, All AL 3rd Team
Iván Rodríguez, AL 23 & Under Team; AL 21 & Under Team
Julio Rodríguez, AL All Rookie 2nd Team
Jim Whitney, AL All Rookie Team; AL 25 & Under Team
ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS

José Canseco, MVP
José Méndez, Pitcher of the Year
Alejandro Oms, Heart & Soul
Yasiel Puig, Fan Favorite

Lefty George, Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Bob Loane, Minor League Player of the Year

What Went Wrong

Cookie Rojas couldn’t get his OPS over .700, making him one of the weakest regulars in the league by WAR and likely moving him to a utility role next season.

Eustaquio Pedroso hit even worse than Rojas, eventually abandoning his role as a 2-way player.

Smoky Burgess, a key bat off the bench last year, slashed 226/304/315, and may have played himself to AAA.

Most of the starters were not good, with Cole Hamels and, notably, Ramón Martínez being especially weak despite a ton of opportunities. But Steven Wright, Freddie Fitzsimmons, and Camilo Pascual were all horrid in at least 5 starts (Pascual, it must be said, made only 5 starts before a severe knee injury sidelined him–he should be back in the Spring).

Barry Latman and Ed Brandt were pretty bad from the bullpen, and the rest of the contenders–most notably Pedroso and Braden Looper–barely any better. Middle relief is an area of strong concern going into next season.

Transactions

March

IF Paul Molitor, OF Vladimir Guerrero, C Alan Ashby & 2nd Round Pick to POR for C Iván Rodríguez, P Jon Matlack, OF Adolis García, OF Al Oliver, 1st Round Pick & 4th Round Pick.

A huge deal, but looks pretty good quite honestly. Pudge is a great young talent, Oliver was useful at the WBL this year, Matlack has a future, plus the 2 picks … yes, Guerrero looks like a franchise outfielder, but that’s a pretty good deal imo.

July

OF Ryan Braun, IF Richie Sexson & 7th Round Pick to BBB for P Jim Whitney, OF Andy Pafko, OF José Cruz & 2nd Round Pick.

Looks good. Sure Braun is a solid talent, but power hitting corner OFers, even at his level, are less rare than possible aces, which Whitney sure looks like. Add in Pafko and the pick, and I like this for Miami.

August

P Josh Beckett, OF Roy Thomas & 3rd Round Pick to MEM for P Jonathan Papelbon & 4th Round Pick

This one looks fine now, but I suspect Miami may regret it once Beckett (and perhaps Thomas) are in the WBL full time.

Positional Overview

C

Pudge has this locked up.

Smoky Burgess and Chris Hoiles will likely compete for the backup role in the Spring.

1B

As long as Jim Thome‘s power holds out, his low average is fine.

It’s not clear who backs him up–a lot of people can play first if needs be, and Joe Adcock, at 40, may not hold onto his roster spot. Steve Balboni probably has the most power in the system, but his swing has some pretty big holes in it as well.

This is a position where Minnie Miñoso, the eternal prospect, may contribute as well.

2B

This is Dihigo’s primary position, with Cookie Rojas looking good as his backup. But Rojas was so poor this system, the door is open for Bert Campaneris, Nellie Fox, or Tito Fuentes to make some noise in the Spring.

Clete Boyer is the same age as Dihigo, but is a more usual prospect, and at 19 is probably still in need of a season or 4 in the minors.

SS

Robin Yount all day. Zoilo Versalles has some talent, and Alexei Ramírez seems to have some strong defensive talent, but this is Yount for now.

3B

Another position that moved from unknown to settled, with Gary Sheffield likely to get a lot of play here. Sheffield isn’t great with the glove–and in fact may be better suited for an OF role–so Miami is looking at options, with Russell Branyan, Willie Kamm, and Kevin Kouzmanoff being the primary short term options.

Carlos Morán may be a year away, but he is the most likely choice for Sheffield’s eventual successor.

LF/RF

There are a lot of options here, but it looks like Alejandro Oms and Yasiel Puig will see most of the time, with José Canseco getting some games as well. But Al Oliver and Andy Pafko had excellent seasons, and Jason Bay and Minnie Miñoso are waiting in the wings.

CF

J-Rod just never stopped performing, and the job is now his. Oliver will play here, as will Pafko, and there is some talent in the system, most notably in the form of José Cardenal and Marquis Grissom.

DH

José Canseco most days, with most everyone else filling in occasionally.

SP

Jim Whitney and José Méndez are a great top 2 to build around, but there are a ton of question marks beyond them. The next 2 slots are likely to go to Phenomenal Smith and Camilo Pascual, with Smith yet to complete a full season and Pascual trying to come back from knee surgery.

And then we have Cole Hamels, who hasn’t done much over 2 seasons; Kenshin Kawakami, who pitched well before getting injured; Ramón Martínez, who is looking to bounce back from a horrible season; plus a handful of prospects (Jason Hammel, Ed Whitson, Lefty George, Hugh McQuillan, Freddie Fitzsimmons, and a few more).

RP

Papelbon becomes the closer, with Nolasco sliding into a setup role (with some even arguing he try his hand in the rotation). Braden Looper will help out here, as will whomever doesn’t make the rotation.

Draft Outlook

DRAFT PICKS

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

Always nice to have the overall #1 pick. Given the state of pitching, look for Miami to lean towards Amos Rusie or Pedro Martinez, but the overall skill of Rod Carew and the sheer power of Jim Rice are both pretty enticing.

TWIWBL 88.5: Off Season Review – Birmingham Black Barons

By

On March 4, 2026

In Team News, TWIWBL

75 - 87, .463 pct.
5th in Marvin Miller Division, 10 GB

Overall

This was such a weird year for Birmingham. They were absolute horrid out of the gate, very strong from June through August, and then faded at the end. During all of that, they (once again) traded away an all star, found some surprising talent on their own roster, and scored way too few runs, despite hitting the ball out of the park with shocking regularity.

Once more it feels like the Black Barons are a couple strokes of luck away from either championship contention or being the worst team in the league. It all centers around making the offense more effective overall, and realizing some of the immense potential in their starting rotation.

What Went Right

Jim Pagliaroni exceeds all expectations, hitting for geometrically more power than anyone could have expected. His .958 OPS made him an elite catcher in the WBL. At 32, it may not last, but it was quite a shock, for sure.

Hank Aaron is right on the verge of superstardom, leading the team in HR (51) and RBI (105). He only drew 16 walks, emblematic of some of Birmingham’s team-wide struggles.

Two players brought in via trade excelled–or, more accurately, performed pretty much as expected. Paul Konerko and Ryan Braun each showed extraordinary power, and Konerko’s plate discipline is desperately needed in Birmingham.

At 23, Eddie Mathews’46 homeruns, 90 RBIs, 99 runs, and 80 walks sure seem like things that went right. But a .224 average and only 12 non-homerun extra base hits are not great.

Harley Young emerged as an excellent option at the back of the bullpen, finishing the year with 15 saves and a 2.29 ERA.

Akinori Otsuka, another trade acquisition, immediately steps into the setup role to get Young the ball.

Fred Fussell was excellent in limited work, laying claim to a role in the bullpen next year.

ALL STARS
Harley Young.
Jim Whitney was selected, but later traded.
MAJOR AWARDS

Ryan Braun, NL 2nd Team of the Year
Paul Konerko, NL Team of the Year
RECOGNITIONS

JP Arencibia, NL All Rookie 2nd Team
Fred Fussell, NL All Rookie 2nd Team
Albert Belle, NL Over 30 Team
Paul Konerko, NL Over 30 Team
Jim Pagliaroni, NL Over 30 Team
ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS

Jim Pagliaroni, MVP
Harley Young, Pitcher of the Year
Hank Aaron, Heart & Soul
JP Arencibia, Fan Favorite

Gio González, Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Melky Cabrera, Minor League Player of the Year

What Went Wrong

Despite decent speed and walk rate, Cupid Childs‘s offense was so weak, the Black Barons decided to move on, trading for Bobby Grich. Grich belongs here, too, as while the overall shape of his offense is very strong, the level of performance is distressingly low.

SS was weak all year, eventually devolving into a platoon between Herman Long and Troy Tulowitzki. An upgrade here would be quite a boon.

It’s not clear what to do with Curtis Granderson: 41 homers is good, but a .206 average is most certainly not and, when you think of it, 41 homers with a SLG below .500 is pretty worrisome.

Adrián González continues to be a disappointment, hitting just enough to keep squandering his opportunities. His platoon split was pretty profound, so that may be the solution here next season.

And then there’s the pitching. All the pitching.

We can start with Greg Maddux (10-14, 5.35) and Alejandro Peña (8-11, 5.59), who allowed 109 homeruns between them. Maddux has great stuff, but cannot seem to harness it and Peña looks little more than innings eater at this point.

Bruce Chen had 12 holds, but was rocked more often then not, posting a 6.85 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP.

Warren Spahn continues to be terrible in the WBL, posting an ERA over 8 across 56 innings.

Transactions

March

P Andy Pettitte, OF Mickey Rivers, 3rd Round Pick to NYY for OF Albert Belle, P Frank Viola, P Lefty Gomez, IF Jess Barbour.

A win for both teams, and a trade that still may work out for Birmingham: Belle has been as advertised, Gomez looks a mid-rotation WBL starter, and both Viola and Barbour hold promise.

OF Bill Buckner, OF Joe Rudi to MEM for OF David Justice, IF Ozzie Albies, 2nd Round Pick.

Who knows? Only Rudi has seen the WBL, but they all have some potential, although time is running out for the 32-year old Justice.

July

Birmingham still felt they had a shot at this point, and decided to make some noise, trading Whitney–a clear all-star having a great season–to try to bring their offense up a notch.

P Jim Whitney, OF Andy Pafko, OF José Cruz, 2nd Round Pick to MCG for OF Ryan Braun, IF Richie Sexson, 7th Round Pick.

Whitney is a rare gem on the mound, and ultimately Birmingham may regret this deal, especially with how well Pafko performed for Miami. But Braun is a great talent, and will only see more time as Belle and Konerko age.

August

And now, an even more desperate play for offense.

P Sam Streeter, IF Trea Turner, 5th Round Pick to CAG for P Akinori Otsuka, IF Paul Konerko, OF Lenny Dykstra, 3rd Round Pick.

Chicago was tanking at this point. Trade feels fine–Otskuka and Konerko’s present value for Turner’s future, and whatever the American Giants can get from Streeter.

C Gene Tenace, P Vic Wilis, 1st Round Pick to LAA for IF Bobby Grich, 3rd Round Pick.

This one came out of nowhere. Grich may be a solve at 2B for Birmingham for years to come, but the price was steep: Willis has a very live arm and a first round pick is a first round pick (Tenace is good, but was pretty blocked here, so his loss is more acceptable).

Positional Overview

C

An interesting challenge for Birmingham here. Pagliaroni clearly is the incumbent, and the fan base fell in love with Arencibia, who also can help out at 1B.

But Joe Torre slashed 282/362/584 at AAA as a 21 year old, and his WBL arrival has to be imminent.

Beyond that, only Earl Battey looks to have a WBL future at some point down the road.

1B

This will be Konerko for a while: his core skillset (power and walks) ages well.

If Adrián González doesn’t impress in Spring Training, look for young Nate Colbert to get a chance, although Colbert probably needs another year in the minors.

There’s some depth here: Frank McCormick, Hal Trosky, Ron Fairly, and Jake Beckley all have some WBL talent.

2B

We’ll see. The Black Barons traded Tom Herr, were shocked by how effective Cupid Childs was, then decided to move on, anointing Bobby Grich as their future. Grich does seem to be the real deal, even if his production this year was lower than hoped.

Ray Durham will get a chance in the Spring to be Grich’s backup.

Beyond that, there is some decent youth: Ozzie Albies, Marcus Giles, Jess Barbour, and Reddy Mack all have some talent and all are under 22.

SS

This is an issue throughout the system.

Right now, it looks like the platoon between Long and Tulowitzki will continue, with George McBride available at AAA if a purely defensive situation were desired.

3B

It’s still Eddie Mathews, and there is hope his overall offensive performance will nudge upwards.

If he falters, the most likely help would come from Pie Traynor.

LF/RF

This is set, with Braun in one corner and Aaron on the other.

Tommy Davis was spectacular in September, but the 23 year old would probably be better served by starting at AAA as opposed to warming the bench.

Gary Matthews is probably the best talent here, but he’s several years off.

CF

This is Granderson’s role for now, but there are rumors that Curt Flood may be given a strong look, and the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year, Melky Cabrera, is coming behind Flood.

DH

Albert Belle is going to see most of the time here, although there are emerging concerns about his bat speed.

SP

It’s probably one more year of hoping that Peña, Maddux, and Lefty Gomez can turn it around, with John Malarkey and Rube Melton the most likely to round out the rotation, although Warren Spahn and Bill Phyle will get looks in Spring Training as well.

There are some voices advocating that Peña move to the bullpen, which would open up another rotation spot.

There’s some likely help at AAA in Pretzels Getzien, Alex Malloy, and Charlie Morton, but the highest ceilings in the organization are probably teenager Steve Avery and Gio González at AA.

RP

Harley Young is the presumed closer, with Otsuka and Fussell assured of spots as well. As long as Chen doesn’t retire or totally bomb out in Spring Training, he should be there as well.

There’s a lot of moderately useful talent in the minors, but only Carlos Diaz and, perhaps, Steve Bedrosian, have arms that truly impress.

Draft Outlook

DRAFT PICKS

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

This is not the year the system gets replenished. SS and 3B may be the areas of greatest need.

TWIWBL 87.15: Teams of the Year

By

On February 23, 2026

In TWIWBL

We’re doing 3 teams for each league, with players color coded by their Tier Level (S Tier, A Tier, B Tier, C Tier), with selections for each position, 3 starters, 2 bullpen arms, and a closer.

Just a glance shows the differences in the leagues: you want offense, look at the AL, you want pitching, the NL. That’s a generality, and like all such, not fully accurate: the NL actually has more S Tier bats, but the AL is overall more top heavy offensively.

San Francisco, predictably, leads the way with 12 selections while the rivalry between the Black Yankees and Cleveland continues, with the Bill James Division heavyweights having 8 each.

#AL

PosFirst TeamSecond TeamThird Team
CEd Bailey (DET/CLE)Mickey Cochrane (SFS)Curt Blefary (BAL)
1BJim Thome (MCG)Lance Berkman (CLE)Jack Clark (SFS)
2BEddie Collins (CAG)Rogers Hornsby (NYY)Miller Huggins (BAL)
SSArky Vaughan (CLE)Cal Ripken, Jr. (BAL)Dick Lundy (SFS)
3BEvan Longoria (CLE)Mike Schmidt (NYY)Jimmie Foxx (SFS)
LFBabe Ruth (NYY)Kal Daniels (LAA)Frank Robinson (BAL)
CFTurkey Stearnes (SFS)Tris Speaker (CLE)Mike Trout (LAA)
RFMickey Mantle (NYY)Joe Jackson (CAG)Yasiel Puig (MCG)
DHTy Cobb (DET)Lou Gehrig (NYY)Reggie Jackson (SFS)
SPLefty Grove (SFS)
José Méndez (MCG)
Jim Whitney (BBB/MCG)		Bump Hadley (SFS)
Andy Pettitte (NYY)
Eddie Plank (SFS)		Ed Walsh (CAG)
Brett Anderson (LAA)
Ron Guidry (NYY)
RPKen Howell (SFS)
Andrew Miller (MEM)		Ross Reynolds (LAA)
Al Smith (CLE)		Firpo Marberry (CLE)
Ron Reed (CLE)
CLRod Beck (SFS)Goose Gossage (NYY)Jonathan Papelbon (MEM/MCG)

I do wonder if this points to how fragile Cleveland is. The Spiders are one of only 2 teams to make the playoffs in both WBL seasons, but if you were to pick names likely to fade off this list, Arky Vaughan, Evan Longoria, Al Smith, and Firpo Marberry would jump out.

It also shows just how top heavy Los Angeles is: 2 S-Tier players (plus Brett Anderson and Ross Reynolds) with nothing to show for it. At the other end, there’s Detroit–the other team to make the playoffs each year–with only a single player (the incomparable Ty Cobb) listed, further reinforcing the Wolverines as having done it with a true team effort (although this was also quite close: Terry Adams, Al Kaline, and Hank Greenberg were all in contention for 3rd Team honors).

And the less said about Memphis, the better.

#NL

PosFirst TeamSecond TeamThird Team
CJosh Gibson (HOM)Gary Carter (OTT)Mike Piazza (BRK)
1BPaul Konerko (CAG/BBB)Will Clark (NYG)Jeff Bagwell (HOU)
2BRoberto Alomar (OTT)Joe Morgan (IND)Ryne Sandberg (HOD)
SSErnie Banks (HOD)Carlos Correa (HOU)Alex Rodríguez (OTT)
3BRon Cey (BRK)Albert Pujols (KCM)Scott Rolen (PHI)
LFJim Wynn (HOU)Ryan Braun (BBB)Rick Reichardt (HOM)
CFOscar Charleston (IND)Willie Mays (NYG)Charles Rogan (PHI)
RFAaron Judge (PHI)Larry Walker (OTT)Tony Gwynn (HOU)
DHWillie Stargell (HOM)Benny Kauff (NYG)Rick Monday (OTT)
SPLuis Padrón (IND)
Toad Ramsey (HOU)
A. Rube Foster (KCM)		Smokey Joe Williams (BRK)
Smokey Joe Wood (KCM)
Fernando Valenzuela (BRK)		Roger Clemens (HOU)
Hardie Henderson (PHI)
Orel Hershiser (BRK)
RPLee Smith (HOD/KCM)
Eddie Guardado (KCM)		Robb Nen (NYG/HOM)
Terry Forster (BRK)		Andrew Chafin (HOU)
Fred Cambria (PHI)
CLEric Gagné (BRK)Josh Lindblom (HOM)Bob Howry (PHI)

Brooklyn and Kansas City’s pitching is so strong. And imagine just how bad Ottawa’s pitching had to be, given their offensive representation.

Indianapolis has 3 S Tier players, giving them perhaps the most dominant nucleus in the league to build around. Kansas City has 4 S Tier players, but 2 of them are relievers, so most GM’s would prefer the ABC’s group.

And there are some league-wide deficiencies, especially at 1B and LF. Jim Wynn is a nice player, but the best in the league?

Both of Birmingham’s entrants were brought over in trade … but they also lost Jim Whtiney in those deals.

#Team by Team

Portland had nobody–nobody–who was deemed top 3 in the AL at their position. Ouch.

Baltimore. 4: Curt Blefary, Miller Huggins, Cal Ripken, Jr, Frank Robinson.
Birmingham, 2: Ryan Braun, Paul Konerko.
Brooklyn. 7: Ron Cey, Terry Forster, Eric Gagne, Orel Hershiser, Mike Piazza, Fernando Valenzuela, Smokey Joe Williams
Chicago. 3: Eddie Collins, Joe Jackson, Ed Walsh.
Cleveland. 8: Ed Bailey, Lance Berkman, Evan Longoria, Firpo Marberry, Ron Reed, Al Smith, Tris Speaker, Arky Vaughan.
Detroit. 1: Ty Cobb.
Homestead. 5: Josh Gibson, Josh Lindblom, Robb Nen, Rick Reichardt , Willie Stargell.
Houston. 7: Jeff Bagwell, Andrew Chafin, Roger Clemens, Carlos Correa, Tony Gwynn, Toad Ramsey, Jim Wynn.
Indianapolis. 3: Oscar Charleston, Joe Morgan, Luis Padrón.
Kansas City. 5: A. Rube Foster, Eddie Guardado, Albert Pujols, Lee Smith, Smokey Joe Wood.
Los Angeles. 4: Brett Anderson, Kal Daniels, Ross Reynolds, Mike Trout.
Memphis. 1: Andrew Miller.
Miami. 5: José Méndez, Jonathan Papelbon, Yasiel Puig, Jim Thome, Jim Whitney.
New York Black Yankees. 8: Lou Gehrig, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Rogers Hornsby, Mickey Mantle, Andy Pettitte, Babe Ruth, Mike Schmidt.
New York Gothams. 3: Will Clark, Benny Kauff , Willie Mays.
Ottawa. 5: Roberto Alomar , Gary Carter, Rick Monday, Alex Rodríguez, Larry Walker.
Philadelphia. 7: Fred Cambria, Hardie Henderson, Bob Howry, Aaron Judge, Charles Rogan, Scott Rolen.
Portland. 0.
San Francisco. 12: Rod Beck, Jack Clark, Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Bump Hadley, Ken Howell, Reggie Jackson, Dick Lundy, Eddie Plank, Turkey Stearnes.
Wandering House of David. 2: Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg.

TWIWBL 87.8: The Left Fielders

By

On February 5, 2026

In TWIWBL

The American League dominates in LF (remember, some folks you might think as OFers spent most of their time at DH).

We have a new defensive metric for outfielders: ARM, which is an estimate of the number of runs saved (or allowed) from their throwing arms.

#S Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
ALLAAKal Daniels24340/422/65239 HR
106 RBI
111 R
55 SB
ALBALFrank Robinson22308/394/67448 HR
114 RBI
106 R		5 A
ALNYYBabe Ruth25280/412/74473 HR
167 RBI
146 R
119 BB

I do feel sorry for Kal Daniels–that is a stupendous season right there, and he has no shot at being the best LF in the AL, not with Babe Ruth around. And Frank Robinson is the youngest of the trio, which speaks volumes for the future in Baltimore.

#A Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
ALMEMTed Williams22303/423/61641 HR
109 RBI
125 R
109 BB		.975 fPct
1.49 RF
-3.8 ARM

Seems strange to have only 1 name here, but there is clear separation between Robinson and Ted Williams (the only thing Williams does better is take walks), and when defense is factored in, this makes sense.

#B Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
—MCG/
BBB		Ryan Braun24272/319/60348 HR
102 RBI
24 SB
ALDETOscar Gamble32249/396/53335 HR1.29 RF
ALSFSRickey Henderson22256/385/454103 R
107 BB
126 SB		12.2 ZR
1.117 dEff
-3.6 ARM
NLHOMRick Reichardt24284/355/58639 HR
22 SB
NLHOUJim Wynn23246/359/52137 HR
116 R
38 SB		3.7 ARM

An interesting mix of useful players. Rickey Henderson is electric, for sure, but until he hits a bit more, he’s not elite and the other 4 are just dependable and solid, although it could be argued that Jim Wynn is a tier too high.

#C Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
ALCLEJohnny Bates27282/349/47055 SB8.8 ZR
ALDETJuan Beníquez35313/379/509.965 fPct
1.08 RF
NLPHISherry Magee21265/314/49547 SB.994 fPct
ALMCGAlejandro Oms21308/383/4411.91 RF
1.121 dEff
NLOTTTim Raines23251/353/442119 R
115 SB		-6.8 ZR
NLHODGeorge Stone30286/359/47829 SB
NLBRKRoy White29258/350/49921 SB6 A
10.3 ZR
1.068 dEff

These are all solid players with a question mark in their game, usually revolving around a lack of power. There’s nothing wrong with this group, but they are, at this point, complimentary pieces not cornerstones.

Note that Alejandro Oms, Sherry Magee, and Tim Raines are so young that being here really puts them on a great trajectory.

#D Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
NLINDBob Bescher26253/355/44080 SB1.93 RF
-4.8 ZR
—LAA/
NYG		Don Buford32239/363/45028 SB.993 fPct
—NYY/
HOU		Elliott Maddox21260/371/397.972 fPct
-5.8 ZR
2.7 ARM
NLKCMDucky Medwick29261/290/4671.94 RF
-3.4 ARM

The only thing separating Bob Bescher from Raines is playing time, so perhaps he belongs up one Tier alongside The Rock? And this may be a bit unfair to Ducky Medwick, but the statistical metrics really ding him for not being willing to take a walk.

#F Tier

LgTmNameAgeSlashOtherDef
ALPORKiki Cuyler32240/315/36426 SB
—POR/
PHI		Harry Hooper24203/312/38231 SB1.000 fPct
2.0 ARM
NLBBBBob Nieman30209/301/413

There is some talent here, but nowhere near the offensive production to hold down a roster spot in the WBL.

#Rookies

Juan Beníquez (C Tier), Elliott Maddox (D Tier), and Kiki Cuyler (F Tier).

#Fielding Notes

We have our standard defensive stats here, with the leaders in bold and the worst performers in italics. Assists (A), more romantically referred to as Outfield Kills are runners eliminated on the bases. Range Factor (RF) measures the number of plays made per game–the higher the better. Zone Rating (ZR) attempts to credit players for plays other fielders missed and ding them for plays other fielders made–the higher the better, and it has the benefit of being comparative across the position. Defensive Efficiency (dEff) measures the rate at which an individual fielder contributes to outs being made on balls put into play, with any score over 1.000 being a net positive impact. Finally, Fielding Percentage (fPct) reflects the percentage of times a chance was handled without a mistake–if someone made no errors, their fPct would be 1.000.

Of these, Range Factor is the most susceptible to the impact of the pitching staff and the ballpark, although none of these defensive ratings are perfect.

TWIWBL 83.7: Marvin Miller Division

By

On January 1, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Houston Colt 45s81-75.519—
Kansas City Monarchs77-79.4944
Indianapolis ABC’s77-79.4944
Wandering House of David75-81.4816
Birmingham Black Barons72-83.4658.5
Marvin Miller Division | 23 September

#Birmingham Black Barons

Look for the impressive Tommy Davis to see action in all of the remaining games for the Black Barons.

2 homers from Bobby Grich (1 a go-ahead grand slam) and 2 hits from Ryan Braun carried Birmingham to an 11-9 win over Brooklyn.

Jim Pagliaroni hit 2 out and Herman Long doubled 3 times as Birmingham topped Brooklyn, 10-9.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

Following their practice all season, Indianapolis modified its 6-man rotation to reflect recent performance: Rube Foster was moved to the pen with Guy White joining the starters.

It’s still not clear who will take most of the time at 2B in Joe Morgan‘s prolonged absence. There’s zero chance of either Tommy Helms or Denis Menke replacing Morgan’s performance, but still … Helms is the better hitter, but Menke has significantly more power.

Johnny Bench hit 2 out as the ABC’s topped Philadelphia, 15-8.

#Kansas City Monarchs

Smokey Joe Wood‘s return to the rotation leaves the Monarchs with a pleasant dilemma, as both Matt Morris and Adam Wainwright have impressed in their limited opportunities. For now, both head to the pen.

TWIWBL 76.6: Marvin Miller Division

By

On August 9, 2025

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Kansas City Monarchs58-55.513—
Indianapolis ABC’s56-56.5001.5
Houston Colt 45s54-57.4863
Birmingham Black Barons52-60.4645.5
Wandering House of David52-60.4645.5
Marvin Miller Division | 5 August

#Birmingham Black Barons

Jim Pagliaroni and Curtis Granderson each hit 2 out of the ballpark, accounting for all 9 runs as Birmingham topped the Gothams, 9-2. Albert Belle and Ryan Braun did the same later in the series, leading the Black Barons to a 13-3 victory.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

Chris Sabo hit 2 homeruns and the ABC’s scored thirteen runs in an inning to break the game wide open, topping Ottawa 16-6 behind another strong start from Luis Padrón, who improved to 16-3 on the season.

Edward Nolan‘s solid enough rookie campaign came to an end as the young hurler was sent to the DL with an elbow injury. While he’ll miss the rest of the season, the ABC’s remain confident he’ll be fully recovered for next season. Dolf Luque was recalled from AAA.

#Kansas City Monarchs

Smokey Joe Wood had 3 hits and struck out 13 over 8 strong innings as the Monarchs topped the House of David, 3-2 behind homeruns from Robinson Canó and Ted Simmons. Wood improved to 13-10 on the year.

#Wandering House of David

Jim Clinton and Anthony Rizzo were both recalled from rehab assignments. Clinton’s return was easy, with Bob Shaw heading to AAA. Rizzo’s was far more complicated, as, even with Cap Anson heading back to AAA, it leaves the House of David with 4 players–Rizzo, Richie Hebner, Mark McGwire, and Ron Santo–rotating through 3 positions (1B, 3B, and DH). For now, they’ll try to spread the PA’s around, but if McGwire’s hot start continues, it does present a bit of a logjam.

It was a good news/bad news day for the House of David: Jack Taylor found some of his form from last season and the team hit 3 consecutive homeruns and 5 overall in a 9-2 win over Indianapolis, but Pete Browning will head–once again–to the DL after being injured making a diving catch in CF in the top of the first. Veteran John Titus was recalled from AAA.

Kyle Peterson continues to be a surprise, combining with Karl Spooner and Ed Bauta on a 4-hit shutout with the House of David topping Kansas City, 4-0. With his 7 scoreless innings, Peterson dropped his ERA below 3.00 and improved his record to 5-2.

Rizzo homered twice, driving in 4, as the House of David edged Kansas City, 8-7. George Stone had 4 hits in the win.

TWIWBL 75.2 Spotlight on the Birmingham Black Barons

By

On July 4, 2025

In TWIWBL

Birmingham was a bit of an expert’s favorite last season, selling hard at the all star break, and then making great moves in late August to slide into the playoffs. They were pretty active in the off-season, and while the jury is out on some of the moves, the Black Barons’ front office has earned some benefit of the doubt.

HOME PAGE | ROSTER | POSITIONAL STRENGTH | LEADERS

That said, they are 7.5 games behind, and struggling a bit for sure, and it’s not clear that trading away a an all-star arm in Jim Whitney was the right move at the midseason break.

THE OFFENSE

It’s a bit weird. The Black Barons have a ton of power, with over 250 homers, second in the NL in that department. But that’s about it. They struggle to get on base, struggle to hit singles and doubles, and, at the end of the day, are only meh at what matters for an offense, scoring runs.

#What’s Going Right

Hank Aaron continues to position himself right on the edge of superstar level, leading the team in OPS (.953), homeruns (39), and RBIs (77).

Behind Aaron, Eddie Mathews continues to be an offensive force despite struggling to hit over .230.

Newly acquired Ryan Braun is a monster at the plate given Birmingham a truly impressive top 3 in the lineup..

While not at the same level as those three, Jim Pagliaroni is among the better offensive backstops in the league and Albert Belle, brought in during the offseason to hit for power, has done exactly that.

A shade of last year: Richie Sexson was brought in over the all star break as a throw-in to the Braun trade. Sexson has 4 homeruns in his first 10 games with Birmingham.

Gene Tenace is demanding more playing time now that he’s back from injury, with an OBP over .400 and SLG over .500 in pretty limited action.

#What’s Not Going Right

Even with 31 homers, Curtis Granderson is somewhat exemplary of what’s wrong with Birmingham’s offense overall: he’s hitting under .200 despite all those homeruns, with only 7 other extra base hits. Likewise, fan favorite JP Arencibia keeps hitting them out–12 dingers in 127 PAs–but doing little else at the plate.

Despite being given every opportunity to lock down the 1B job, Adrián González is not doing much. He’s performing better than last year, but an OPS under .800 is rough from a 1B in this league.

Similarly, despite Troy Tulowitzki‘s recent improvement, neither he nor Herman Long have been able to hold onto the SS job for long.

Cupid Childs is flashy, leading the team with 28 homers and the same number of steals. But closer examination reveals some weaknesses, with his OPS hovering barely over .700 and 19 caught stealings reducing the impact of those stolen bases.

THE PITCHING

The offense is better than last year, but the record is worse: an indication that not all is great on the mound for Birmingham.

#What’s Going Right

Harley Young has moved into the closer role, and the first-time all-star has continued his dominance, with 6 saves, 6 holds, and an ERA under 3.00.

Alejandro Peña and Greg Maddux are both pitching better than their raw numbers might suggest. While both have losing records and ERA’s around 5.00, their WHIPs remain solid.

#What’s Not Going Right

Even the above has caveats: Peña and Maddux have surrendered 68 homeruns combined, which is nearly unfathomable.

Juan Rincón has 12 saves, but has been pretty awful, losing his closer role and perhaps in danger of a trip to AAA–an ERA around 8.50 will do that.

While Bruce Chen has been better of late, he still sports an ERA near 6.00, and he and Rincón are both surrendering dingers at a Peña and Maddux like rate.

Nobody else has stood up in the rotation, with John Malarkey and Lefty Gomez being thoroughly meh to date.

THE FARM SYSTEM

TOP PROSPECTS | MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM

There is talent here, but it’s not clear how it all fits together. As an example, Joe Torre looks for real behind the plate, but unlikely to unseat Pagliaroni, and it’s not clear what Curt Flood offers that Granderson does not.

That said, Jess Barbour, Marcus Giles, Trea Turner, Ozzie Albies, and Gary Matthews all have some significant upside. But right now Giles, Turner, and Albies all play the same position, and Braun’s acquisitions further crowds the OF situation.

On the mound, the best arms–Cozy Dolan and Steve Avery–are still a few years away, with little help likely from the upper levels.

WHAT’S NEEDED

Fewer solo homers, more overall offensive production, and the pitching to improve across the board.

Storylines to Watch

Key Questions from Spring Training

  • How will some key pieces for last season–Pettitte, Rincón, González, Childs, Pagliaroni–perform over the course of a full year. Mixed. Pettitte, of course, was traded, Pagliaroni has excelled and González has been acceptable.
  • With Andy Pettitte traded, how does the rotation respond and does Albert Belle perform at a level that makes it worthwhile. Belle has been good, but Birmingham would rather have Pettitte, given the rest of their roster right now. This is not in small part due to Lefty Gomez (part of the Pettitte trade) being unable to keep up his early strong performance.
  • Who will fill out the roster. Still a question …

FEATURED SERIES

The Black Barons travel to New York at the end of the week for a 3 game set against the Gothams.

Projected Starters

Birmingham’s starter listed first.

Lefty Gomez @ Christy Mathewson
Alejandro Peña (5-6, 4.91) @ Juan Marichal (8-9, 4.92)
Charlie Morton (4-3, 5.01) @ Gaylord Perry (8-10, 4.88)
Greg Maddux (8-9, 5.10) @ Don Sutton (11-4, 4.75)

(Forgot to grab stats for Gomez and Mathewson before playing the game.)

I mean … who knows? These are two teams still searching for an identity, let alone a .500 record.

Game One

Birmingham took the lead in the 2nd on a 2-run double from Herman Long, and then made it 4-0 on a 2-run shot from Ryan Braun in the 3rd. But Lefty Gomez gave it back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Willie Mays and a 3-run pop fly that curled just inside the short left field pole from Will Clark.

RBI’s from Curtis Granderson and Albert Belle gave the Black Barons a 2-run lead, later halved by a solo shot from Mays. And that’s where we stood in the bottom of the 7th, 6-5 in favor of Birmingham. Clark then took Bill Phyle deep for his second homerun of the game, tying us up at 6.

On this day, though, Birmingham would prevail: Gene Tenace homered off Robb Nen in the top of the 9th and Harley Young pitched a perfect frame in the bottom for his 7th save of the season.

BBB 7 (Jackson 1-5, 5 B Sv; Kemmerer 2 H) @ NYG 6 (Crain 1-2; Henke 9 Sv)
HRs: BBB – Braun (38), Tenace (9); NYG – Clark 2 (24), Mays (37).
Box Score

Game Two

Alejandro Peña and Juan Marichal would face off in game two.

Marichal struggled immediately: a single, 2 walks, and an HBP gave Birmingham a 1-0 lead, Ryan Braun delivered a grandslam, and Curtis Granderson a 2-run shot to make it 7-0. Then it got comical: a hit, 2 errors, and a walk led to another run. So, 8-0 good guys after half an inning.

By the end of the 3rd, the Gothams had clawed their way back into it with a solo shot from Jim Ray Hart and a homerun and double from Willie Mays, closing the score to 8-5.

A rain delay of just over half an hour removed both starters in the 4th inning. Peña’s replacement, Joe Orrell, only lasted a few pitches before having to leave via injury. Birmingham brought in Charlie Morton, scrambling their rotation for the rest of the series.

A double from Benny Kauff brought the Gothams back to within a single run, 8-7, but the Black Barons remembered how to score in the 7th when Cupid Childs plated 2 with a single and Hank Aaron drove in another, for an 11-7 lead.

But New York wasn’t done: Larry Doyle took Bruce Chen deep, making it a 2 run game at 12-10. Again, though, Harley Young was up to it, giving Birmingham a 2-0 lead in the series.

BBB 12 (Morton 5-3; Young 8 Sv; Malloy 2 H) @ NYG 10 (Marichal 8-10)
HRs: BBB – Braun (39), Granderson (33); NYG – Hart (2), Mays (38), Doyle (14).
Box Score

Game Three

Before the game, even though it wasn’t clear what the exact nature of his injury was, the Black Barons needed a starter, so Joe Orrell headed to the DL with Warren Spahn being recalled for the start. He’d be opposed by Gaylord Perry for the Gothams.

Spahn was roughed up, giving up 5 homeruns in under 5 innings, with Larry Doyle going deep twice and Will Clark, Jim Ray Hart, and Buster Posey each sending one over the fence as well. After 5 innings, the Gothams led 7-0, with Perry surrendering neither a hit nor a walk in that span.

Perry walked Bob Nieman to lose the perfecto, but held onto the no-no until the 7th, when a single from Eddie Mathews gave Birmingham their first hit. At that point, it was 9-0, and the result was unlikely to come into doubt.

Perry ended with a 3-hitter, whiffing 10 in the complete game effort. Doyle and Hart had 4 hits each, and Doyle and Clark drove in 3.

BBB 0 (Spahn 2-3) @ NYG 10 (Perry 9-10)
HRs: BBB – none; NYG – Clark (25), Hart (3), Posey (29), Doyle 2 (16).
Box Score

Game Four

So, will Birmingham take the series 3-1, or will the Gothams come back and earn a series split? The Black Barons turn to Greg Maddux, while New York will counter by giving Rube Waddell the spot start.

Waddell struggled out of the gate, allowing an RBI single to Hank Aaron, walking Albert Belle with the bases loaded, and giving up a third run on a groundout while Brooklyn batted around in the top of the first.

Recently acquired Don Buford led off the bottom of the inning with his 21st homer of the year, closing it to 3-1 in favor of Birmingham.

Waddell settled down, and we were still 3-1 after 6 innings. Waddell was unlikely to come out for the 7th, but an elbow injury forced the Gothams’ hand, with Mike Norris taking the ball in the top of the 7th.

Maddux gave up a leadoff homer to Benny Kauff in the bottom of the frame, closing the gap to 3-2, and a single from Will Clark raised action in the Birmingham bullpen. Jim Ray Hart launched his 4th of the year, chasing Maddux with the Gothams having suddenly taken the lead, 4-3. Buford added an RBI with his 3rd hit of the day, and New York’s bullpen took over with a 2 run edge.

Robb Nen had a poor inning, but Jo-Jo Moore nailed Aaron at the plate to end the frame, preserving the 2 run lead. Brian Wilson had no such issues, walking 1 and whiffing 3 in picking up his 15th save of the year.

BBB 3 (Maddux 8-10) @ NYG 5 (Norris 4-4; Wilson 15 Sv; Nen 11 H)
HRs: BBB – none; NYG – Buford (5), Kauff (26), Hart (4).
Box Score

Waddell will miss a couple weeks, earning the oft-injured lefty a trip to the DL with Pete Donohue being recalled from AAA.

So, a series split. Birmingham’s bats fell off dramatically over the final 2 games, pointing to the inconsistency the Black Barons need to overcome if they are to escape the bottom few slots in the league.

Homeruns continue to plague Birmingham’s staff: the Gothams hit 15 out in the 4 games, with Jim Ray Hart launching his first 4 of the season and Will Clark and Larry Doyle hitting 3 each.

TWIWBL 72.8: Marvin Miller Division

By

On February 21, 2025

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Kansas City Monarchs49-41.544—
Indianapolis ABC’s47-43.5222
Houston Colt 45s43-46.4835.5
Wandering House of David41-47.4667
Birmingham Black Barons39-51.43310
Marvin Miller Division | 9 July

#Birmingham Black Barons

Birmingham named Sam Streeter to its rotation, and sent Fred Fussell to AAA, recalling Alex Malloy from his rehab assignment. They also shook up their bullpen, with all-star Harley Young taking over from Juan Ríncón as closer.

Richie Sexson steps into a platoon with Adrían González at 1B and Ryan Braun looks to take most of the time in LF, essentially pushing Bob Nieman to the bench.

#Houston Colt 45’s

Ice Box Chamberlain was added to the rotation. Rick Wise was returned to AAA as the Colt 45’s dropped back to a dozen pitchers and recalled Kirby Puckett, adding (yet another) OF possibility.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

With the arrival of Chris Sabo, Robin Ventura was returned to AAA after another failed chance.

Emil Frisk‘s strong start looks to keep Jake Stenzel at AAA even after his rehab assignment expires.

#Kansas City Monarchs

The Monarchs made some moves … the least noticed was sending promising Matt Morris on a rehab assignment. Dustin Hermanson, Steve Evans, and Jim King were all sent to AAA to make room for Lee Smith, Joe Harris, and Stan Musial‘s return from a rehab assignment. The choice to keep Cool Papa Bell instead of the far more experienced Evans is sure to cause some controversy.

Craig Kimbrel will be the closer from here on out, depending on Smith and Eddie Guardado to get him the ball, leaving Jeff Pfeffer to hopefully sort himself out in the middle innings.

Harris’ arrival will cut into Dale Murphy‘s playing time, but should strengthen the Monarchs’ offense overall.

Robinson Canó and Musial hit 2 out of the park and Ozzie Smith doubled 3 times as the Monarchs beat Houston, 10-4. Frank Castillo–who, it must be said, didn’t have the best of outings–improved to 11-1.

#Wandering House of David

Kyle Peterson and Larry Jackson were named to the House of David rotation while Jimmy Key was added to the bullpen. Bob Rush lost his rotation spot, but Jack Taylor holds on to his at least for the time being. Bruce Sutter was sent to AAA, leaving the team without a closer at all: we’ll see how that works out for them.

Craig Reynolds, Cap Anson, and Mark McGwire were all recalled as the team tries to sort out its future. Anson and McGwire will essentially rotate at 1B, while Frank Chance will see his playing time behind the plate rise as well.

McGwire went deep twice, but the House of David fell to Homestead, 9-5.

TWIWBL 72.4: The All Star Trades

By

On February 17, 2025

In TWIWBL

Welcome to the mid-season merry-go-round! These deals tend to be a little less desperate than those at the end of August, but we have some significant movement below for sure as teams make declarations about their intentions over the final months of the season.

Rogers Hornsby and Richie Sexson were traded for the 2nd time at the All-Star Break, each changing teams last season as well.

Baltimore sends John Wetteland & a 4th Round Pick to Portland for Mike Cuellar.

Wetteland’s struggles this year don’t eliminate his immense upside, and this trade reunites Cuellar with his historical team. It also reinforces Baltimore’s belief that the Black Sox are closer to competing than Portland may be.

Miami sends Ryan Braun, Richie Sexson & a 7th Round Pick to Birmingham for Jim Whitney, Andy Pafko, José Cruz, and a 2nd Round Pick.

This one is tricky. Miami is in the unfamiliar position of potentially competing for a playoff spot, and are in desperate need of pitching. Whitney is a first-time all-star, so he is being sold at what is most likely his peak value. Braun is clearly a force, but moving him allows Miami to clearly define roles for Jim Thome and Gary Sheffield and to expand playing time for Yasiel Puig and Al Oliver (Pafko’s acquisition is seen as relatively short-term, with his versatility aiding in the Cuban Giants’ playoff push). From Birmingham’s perspective, Braun immediately becomes a significant lineup addition, and Sexson has a much clearer road to the WBL with the Black Barons.

San Francisco sends John Beckwith & a 3rd Round Pick to the House of David for Frank Grant.

A straight up future talent deal. The Sea Lions think they have their 2B issue solved with this deal, and since Grant is already in the WBL, they had to throw in the pick. It’s not clear where Beckwith plays for the House of David–or when he arrives–but a bat like his will eventually not be denied.

Los Angeles sends Don Buford to the New York Gothams for Freddie Patek and a 2nd and a 5th Round Pick

LA is rebuilding, at least slightly, and Buford has struggled this year, while the Gothams need help both in LF and at 2B. Patek has a future, but the 22 draft picks are the meat of the deal.

Philadelphia sends Larry Jackson to the House of David for Jung Ho Kang, Luis Aparicio, and a 7th Round Pick.

The House of David wanted pitching; given how established in the WBL Jackson is, they would have to pay relatively dearly for it. Aparicio has a massive amount of upside at a position the Stars lack, the rest is to make it all acceptable.

Cleveland send Victor Martinez, Bill Drake, and a 1st Round Pick to Detroit for Ed Bailey and Claude Passeau.

Bailey started the all-star game, but at 37, may be close to done. With Detroit looking to the future and Cleveland trying to make a late push for the playoffs, the Wolverines got to essentially name their price: a C for the future, a strong SP prospect, and a pick seems about right.

Kansas City sent Heliodoro Hidalgo, Jimmy Key, and a 3rd Round Pick to the House of David for Joe Harris and Lee Smith.

The Monarchs addressed 2 significant needs as they try to make a 2nd half push, adding 2 players who were in consideration for the all star game. Both are well into their 30s, but still Kansas City’s price was steep, as Hidalgo is an excellent prospect and Key still has some life in his arm.

The Black Yankees sent Willie Randolph, Jake Peavy, Bill Monbouquette, and a 1st Round Pick to Portland for Rogers Hornsby and Pascual Pérez.

Trying to avoid a repeat of last-season’s collapse, the Black Yankees did the same thing, perhaps overpaying for an all-star 2B. This time, it’s Hornsby, who certainly seems less likely to fade than Tom Herr did last year. Portland was willing to include the immediate value of Pérez for Monbouquette and the currently injured Peavy. If he returns to his potential, this could be a steal for the Sea Dogs, who also get some insurance at 2B in the form of Randolph.

Indianapolis sent a 4th Round Pick to Homestead for Chris Sabo.

The ABC’s needed some depth at 3B. Shrug.

Brooklyn sends a 4th Round Pick to Memphis for Vern Stephens.

Stephens carries a hefty salary (which Memphis will help offset) and has been awful this year. But the Royal Giants are desperate for help at SS.

TWIWBL 71.7: The AL All Stars

By

On February 4, 2025

In All Star Games, TWIWBL

For each section, if a player doesn’t qualify for batting stats (roughly 270 PA), their G and PA are listed. Bold indicates a leader at that position for the stat; top 3 listed for most stats.

One thing became quite clear through all this: the AL is far more potent at the plate than the NL. Here, the challenge is omitting some players with 30 homeruns or near 1.000 OPS.

#C

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Ed Bailey (DET).985269/365/61920 HR; 46 RBI; 2.1 WAR62 G/230 PA
43.2 RTO%
Mickey Cochrane (SFS).899297/368/5311.9 WAR1.6 FRM; 4.31 CERA
Joe Mauer (POR).850297/373/4771.7 WAR2.7 FRM
Curt Blefary (BAL).814251/348/46516 HR; 47 RBI
Carlton Fisk (CAG).801222/285/51621 HR; 56 RBI40.2 RTO%; 2.2 FRM
FRM = Framing Runs | RTO% = Runners Thrown Out | CERA = Catcher ERA

Ed Bailey (whose defensive performance has been surprisingly good) and Mickey Cochrane are clearly in, with Bailey starting. That leaves Joe Mauer in a bit of no-man’s land: if the AL goes with 3 catchers, he’d be the 3rd. With Portland needing representation in the game, and a general desire for 3 backstops, Mauer makes the cut.

Iván Rodríguez has probably been the best defensive catcher in the AL (although Mauer has been quite good), but Pudge’s 237/272/448 slash line is just too weak to merit much consideration.

#1B

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Lou Gehrig (NYY)1.029283/394/63528 HR; 67 RBI; 2.5 WAR.995 Fldg
Frank Thomas (CAG).994297/418/5761.8 WAR8.84 RF
Lance Berkman (CLE).980271/364/61528 HR; 69 RBI
Hank Greenberg (DET).976276/347/62928 HR; 2.0 WAR.998 Fldg; 3.1 ZR
Jim Thome (MCG).954231/352/60332 HR; 72 RBI8.84 RF
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

It’s hard to imagine that 32 HR and 72 RBI at the all star game doesn’t make the roster, but that’s what Jim Thome is facing. Lou Gehrig and Frank Thomas clearly are on the roster and while Lance Berkman and Hank Greenberg have better overall numbers than Thome, his power is gaudy enough to have the 3 in a dead heat. Perhaps Greenberg’s defense edges him in front?

In the end, none of the 3 of them made it, which is remarkable.

#2B & SS

Because Dick Lundy and Bobby Grich–two strong contenders–essentially split their time between 2B and SS, we’ll consider the two positions together. First the 2Bs.

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Rogers Hornsby (POR).867280/386/48111 HR; 33 RBI58 G / 254 PA
Bobby Grich (LAA).829238/367/46215 HR; 44 RBI; 1.8 WAR1.3 ZR
Eddie Collins (CAG).828310/404/42419 2B; 38 SB; 1.3 WAR4.60 RF
Charlie Gehringer (DET).823260/335/48811 HR; 34 RBI62 G / 242 PA; 4.96 RF
Cookie Rojas (MCG).800321/365/43629 2B.988 Fldg; 4.51 RF
Miller Huggins (BAL).795302/423/3721.9 WAR67 G / 241 PA; 6.4 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

And now the SS

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Cal Ripken, Jr. (BAL).926293/339/58745 G / 1655 PA
Arky Vaughan (CLE).906312/400/50619 2B; 44 RBI; 2.8 WAR6.7 ZR
Bobby Grich (LAA).829238/367/46215 HR; 44 RBI; 1.8 WAR
Robin Yount (MCG).828273/313/51516 HR; 42 RBI.983 Fldg; 4.42 RF
Dick Lundy (SFS).799296/357/44218 2B; 7 3B; 35 SB; 2.3 WAR4.40 RF; 5.9 ZR
Jim Fregosi (POR).795259/351/44416 2B.985 Fldg
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

This is rough all around.

Arky Vaughan is just about the only clear choice here, with the best all around performance by a SS if you discount Cal Ripken, Jr., who just hasn’t played enough (likewise, a lack of playing time eliminates both Miller Huggins and, most controversially, Charlie Gehringer from consideration).

If we need 4 more middle infielders, they should come from Rogers Hornsby, Grich, Lundy, Eddie Collins, and Robin Yount.

Hornsby has been the best hitting 2B, which is no surprise, but he’s also missed some time and is somewhat of a liability defensively. Still, the best OPS of the group has to count for something, so he’s in as the starting 2B for the AL.

Eddie Collins is having a bit of an off year compared to last year season. Grich, Collins, and Yount are almost indistinguishable: as such, Grich’s versatility earns him a roster spot, and Collins edges Yount for the final spot, leaving Lundy in the cold as well.

#3B

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Evan Longoria (CLE).958296/352/60626 2B; 55 RBI; 2.3 WAR.962 Fldg; 1.5 ZR
Mike Schmidt (NYY).951251/367/58426 HR; 60 RBI; 2.4 WAR2.57 RF; 2.2 ZR
Gary Sheffield (MCG).937281/327/61122 2B; 60 RBI; 2.0 WAR1.3 ZR
Wade Boggs (MEM).887325/396/49128 2B
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

Wade Boggs is really just there for comparison. Mike Schmidt gets the starter’s nod over Evan Longoria, as much for his team’s performance as any discernable statistical edge.

#LF/RF

We’ll treat the corner OF’s together.

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Babe Ruth (NYY)1.191288/428/76341 HR; 94 RBI; 5.4 WAR6.7 ZR
José Canseco (MCG)1.101258/378/72338 HR
Ted Williams (MEM)1.059310/425/63469 RBI
Frank Robinson (BAL)1.038305/398/6401.000 Fldg
Mickey Mantle (NYY)1.009270/380/62932 HR; 82 RBI
Joe Jackson (CAG).981354/397/58440 2B; 31 SB
Rickey Henderson (SFS).866264/386/47962 SB; 3.0 WAR7.3 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

Babe Ruth, José Canseco, and Ted Williams are locks. After that, it would seem criminal to omit either Frank Robinson or Mickey Mantle, although it must be noted that Uncle Robbie’s performance is ever-so-stronger than Mantle’s, earning him one of the final spots.

That would leave the electric Rickey Henderson and the extraordinary Joe Jackson on the outside looking in.

#CF

NameOPSSlashReg StatsOther
Tris Speaker (CLE)1.113341/413/70032 2B; 64 RBI; 4.6 WAR6.2 ZR; 6 Kills
Eric Davis (NYY)1.080319/399/68129 SB45 G / 208 PA
Turkey Stearnes (SFS)1.063334/373/6909 3B; 24 HR; 61 RBI; 2.9 WAR
Julio Rodríguez (MCG)1.061346/369/69143 G/195 PA
Mike Trout (LAA).987309/389/59825 2B; 4 3B; 57 RBI; 3.0 WAR1.000 Fldg
Alejandro Oms (MCG).881344/406/474
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

Look, I don’t like Tris Speaker either, but the man can flat out play. So, he’s in, as is Stearnes, perhaps the leading candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year. And neither Eric Davis nor the surprising Julio Rodríguez have played enough to make the cut. So that leaves Mike Trout as the open question: Trout is clearly deserving, so the question is whether the AL goes with 2 pure CF’s or 3.

Alejandro Oms misses out, despite being 3rd in the league in BA.

#DH

NameOPSSlashReg Stats
Ty Cobb (DET)1.299399/450/84938 2B; 9 3B; 75 RBI; 32 SB; 5.6 WAR
Ron Blomberg (CLE)1.032288/361/67132 HR; 85 RBI
Reggie Jackson (SFS)1.029300/422/60821 2B; 24 SB; 3.0 WAR
Kal Daniels (LAA)1.013326/425/58921 2B; 31 SB; 2.3 WAR
Ryan Braun (MCG).975280/327/64831 HR
Gavvy Cravath (BAL).956247/349/60723 2B; 28 HR; 71 RBI
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating

My lord. 31 homeruns at the all star break and a possibility of not being selected? Welcome to your life, Ryan Braun.

Obviously, Ty Cobb and Ron Blomberg are in. And it seems ridiculous to omit either Kal Daniels or Reggie Jackson.

#SP

And now we move into the AL’s weakness–there are strong top-end candidates here, but far less depth than over in the NL.

NameW-L; ERAReg StatsOther
Doc Gooden (LAA)7-6, 3.26.240 BABIP58% QS
Ed Walsh (CAG)6-3, 3.361.05 WHIP; .199 BABIP0.6 WPA
Eddie Plank (SFS)13-3, 3.730.5 WPA
Lefty Grove (SFS)10-4, 3.80140 K; 3.2 WAR3 SHO; 2.87 SIERA; 0.5 WPA
Andy Pettitte (NYY)10-5, 3.90
Brett Anderson (LAA)8-2, 3.931.05 WHIP; .234 BABIP
Bump Hadley (SFS)12-4, 3.983.67 FIP; 3.1 WAR58% QS
Cy Young (CLE)9-3, 4.373.81 FIP; 3.3 WAR2 SHO
Ron Guidry (NYY)8-5, 4.15150 K2.52 SIERA
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | BABPI = BA Allowed on Balls In Play | QS = Quality Starts | SHO = Shutouts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added

The spots fill up quickly. Eddie Plank will start the game for the AL, and his teammates Bump Hadley and Lefty Grove clearly belong. It seems silly to omit the ERA leader, Doc Gooden.

After that, it gets confusing. Ed Walsh has been almost unhittable, but is only 6-3. Andy Pettitte has 10 wins and a sub 4.00 ERA.

That would leave the overall WAR leader, Cy Young, the strikeout and SIERA leader, Ron Guidry, and the overall excellence of Brett Anderson missing out.

#RP

NameW-L; ERAReg StatsOther
Ron Robinson (SFS)1-0, 1.643 Sv; 3 H; 1.00 WHIP{ injured }
Ken Howell (SFS)4-1, 1.721 Sv; 4 H
Ross Reynolds (LAA)2-0, 2.301 Sv; 2 H; 1.88 FIP
Goose Gossage (NYY)2-3, 2.4110 Sv; 8 H.90 Sv%
Akinori Otsuka (CAG)3-1, 2.481 Sv; 5 H
Skel Roach (MEM)1-0, 2.627 H; .160 BABIP
Justin Hampson (BAL)0-0, 2.867 H; .159 BABIP; 1.05 WHIP
Rod Beck (SFS)3-2, 3.2023 Sv; .156 BABIP; 0.67 WHIP15 SD; 2.83 SIERA; .885 Sv%
Terry Adams (CLE)1-3, 3.8015 Sv; 2 H.882 Sv%
Sparky Lyle (NYY)2-1, 4.373 Sv; 8 H
Rheal Cormier (NYY)0-2, 5.7511 H
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | BABPI = BA Allowed on Balls In Play | SD = Shutdowns | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | Sv% = Save %

The AL is a little weak in bullpen depth as well. Rod Beck is easily the class of the closers, with Terry Adams close behind. The overall excellence of Ken Howell and Goose Gossage also merit a spot, leaving Ross Reynolds, Skel Roach, and Justin Hampson on the bubble.

Hampson gets the nod, both because of how surprising his season has been and as a nod to the paucity of lefties in the AL pen.

#AL All Stars

The final 2 spots came down to choices between Mike Trout, Reggie Jackson, Kal Daniels, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Collins, and Robin Yount. A fourth middle infielder seemed like a requirement, giving the nod to Collins.

So. Reggie or Kal. Kal or Reggie. I mean. Kal Daniels is having an incredible year. But there’s just no way to argue he is more deserving than Reggie.

There is an argument to be made that the AL should only take 2 3B, replacing Gary Sheffield with Daniels. But the final choice is always going to be onerous.

Some more arguments about who was wronged (these are the highest ranked layers in each stat not to make the game).

Joe Jackson (CAG). #2 in H (109); #1 in the league in 2B (40); #2 in BA (.354).
Mickey Mantle (NYY). #3 in HR (32); #3 in RBI (82).
Kal Daniels (LAA). #4 in OBP (.425); #11 in OPS (1.013).
Ryan Braun (MCG). #7 in SLG (.648).
Rickey Henderson (SFS). #1 in SB (62); #4 in WAR (3.0).
Dick Lundy (SFS). #3 in 3B (7).

And, on the mound

Cy Young (CLE). #5 in W (9); #2 in FIP (3.81); #1 in WAR (3.3).
Ron Guidry (NYY). #1 in K (150); #1 in SIERA (2.52).
Brett Anderson (LAA). #5 in ERA (3.93); #2 in WHIP (1.05).
Walter Johnson (POR). #2 in IP (125).
4 Players have 14 saves, tied for #3. Of those, Only Ricky Nolasco (MCG) has an ERA below 4.00.
Rheal Cormier (NYY). #1 in H (11).

Starters in bold.

C: Ed Bailey (DET); Mickey Cochrane (SFS); Joe Mauer (POR).
1B: Lou Gehrig (NYY); Frank Thomas (CAG).
2B: Eddie Collins (CAG); Bobby Grich (LAA); Rogers Hornsby (POR).
SS: Arky Vaughan (CLE).
3B: Evan Longoria (CLE); Mike Schmidt (NYY); Gary Sheffield (MCG).
LF: Frank Robinson (BAL); Ted Williams (MEM).
CF: Tris Speaker (CLE), Turkey Stearnes (SFS).
RF: José Canseco (MCG), Babe Ruth (NYY).
DH: Ron Blomberg (CLE); Reggie Jackson (SFS), Ty Cobb (DET).
SP: Doc Gooden (LAA), Lefty Grove (SFS), Bump Hadley (SFS), Andy Pettitte (NYY); Eddie Plank (SFS), Ed Walsh (CAG).
RP: Terry Adams (CLE); Rod Beck (SFS); Goose Gossage (NYY); Justin Hampson (BAL); Ken Howell (SFS).

And, by team. Unsurprisingly, the 3 American League teams with records over .500 (San Francisco, the Black Yankees, and Cleveland) are supplying 18 of the 32 players.

San Francisco Sea Lions (.625). Rod Beck (P), Mickey Cochrane (C), Lefty Grove (P), Bump Hadley (P), Ken Howell (P) Reggie Jackson (DH), Eddie Plank (P), Turkey Stearnes (OF).
New York Black Yankees (.618). Lou Gehrig (1B), Goose Gossage (P), Andy Pettitte (P), Babe Ruth (OF), Mike Schmidt (3B).
Cleveland Spiders (.558). Terry Adams (P), Ron Blomberg (DH), Evan Longoria (3B), Tris Speaker (OF), Arky Vaughan (SS).
Chicago American Giants (.466). Eddie Collins (2B), Frank Thomas (1B), Ed Walsh (P).
Miami Cuban Giants (.483). José Canseco (OF), Gary Sheffield (3B).
Detroit Wolverines (.453). Ed Bailey (C), Ty Cobb (DH).
Los Angeles Angels (.448). Doc Gooden (P), Bobby Grich (2B).
Portland Sea Dogs (.438). Rogers Hornsby (2B), Joe Mauer (C).
Baltimore Black Sox (.416). Justin Hampson (P), Frank Robinson (OF).
Memphis Red Sox (.494). Ted Williams (OF).

A whopping 15 players are repeat all-stars from last season: Terry Adams, Rod Beck, Ron Blomberg, José Canseco, Eddie Collins, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Grove, Rogers Hornsby, Ken Howell, Reggie Jackson, Joe Mauer, Babe Ruth, Frank Thomas, and Ted Williams.

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