Baseball The Way It Never Was

Tag: Syl Johnson

TWIWBL 84.8: AAA Retirees

A bevy of players decided to hang up their spikes.

#Baltimore Black Sox

Hurlers Jim Mecir and Francisco Cordero joined knuckleballer RA Dickey in retirement. Cordero actually pitched well for Indianapolis last season, but was unable to find a path back to a WBL club.

#Brooklyn Royal Giants

Brooklyn freed up quite a bit of roster space at AAA, as C Al Todd, IFs Larry Bowa and Julio Franco, and OF Jermaine Dye all retired. Both Bowa and Todd have announced an interest in coaching.

#Chicago American Giants

37 year old OF Steve Braun decided his future was in coaching, not in playing.

#Cleveland Spiders

IF Bobby Avila and 1B JT Snow.

#Detroit Wolverines

Tony Phillips was a key piece for Detroit last season, but at 39, time caught up with him and he played himself to AAA this year.

#Homestead Grays

The Grays saw 3 retirees, pitchers Al Worthington and Syl Johnson and C Terry Kennedy (who will move on to a career in coaching).

#Houston Colt 45’s

OFers Felipe Alou and Gene Woodling. Alou got some major league time last year, but never did enough to warrant staying around. Woodling could flat out hit, but at 41, it was time. Both players believe they can continue in the game as coaches.

#Indianapolis ABC’s

OF Heinie Manush (38) and SP Jack Powell (36).

#Los Angeles Angels

Righthander Jose Contreras.

#Memphis Red Sox

IF Joe Cronin and P Ellis Kinder, each 37. Cronin believes he has a future in managing.

#Miami Cuban Giants

OFs Ryan Ludwick and Irv Noren and C Clyde Sukeforth all hung up the spikes. Sukeforth has decided to move into coaching.

#New York Black Yankees

39 year old OF Ollie Pickering.

#Ottawa Mounties

36 year old Jesse Burkett, who performed well as a minor leaguer, but was totally blocked at the WBL level, has decided to try his hand at coaching.

#Portland Sea Dogs

Luis Gonzales–who had a cup of coffee with Houston earlier in the year–and Charlie Jamieson, both OFers.

#San Francisco Sea Lions

Closer Billy Taylor, starting pitcher David Wells, and C Jimmie Wilson, all on the far side of 35, called it quits. Wilson will try his hand at coaching.

#Wandering House of David

41 year old Early Wynn and IF Deacon White called it quits, with White looking to become a coach.

Year II Season Preview: Homestead Grays

Expectations

Progress. Finishing over .500 with some clarity on long-term talent would be a success for next year.

Best Case

The roster stabilizes, and a handful of talent establishes itself as the core of future years. Napolean Lajoie and Honus Wagner settle in at 2B and SS respectively, and the OF talent clarifies. And, anyone reliable steps forward on the mound. Anyone.

Worst Case

Nothing settles, nobody figures it out, and the pitching continues to be miserable.

Key Questions

  • Who pitches?
  • For a team without top end talent, there are a surprising number of logjams (Davey Johnson and Lajoie and even the ageless Jeff Kent at 2B; Rick Reichardt and Willie Stargell at LF; Roberto Clemente, Andy Van Slyke, and Owen “Don’t Call Me Chief” Wilson in RF).

Trade Bait

Will the team hit it stride in time for Stargell to contribute? If not, he could be an attractive piece for a competitive team.

Roster Evaluation

POSEliteStrongSolidMehWeakUnknown
CGibsonCrandall
1BEpstein
2BLajoie
3BSabo
SSWagnerSánchez
LF/
RF
ReichardtVan Slyke
Wilson
Clemente
Stargell
CFMcCutchen
SPLirianoFriendPierce
Brown
Zambrano
Kluber
EndLindblom
Ownbey
Jackson
RPDrabek
Giusti
Hudson
Lincecum
New Addition | Injured

So. Much. Talent. So little production. Even with that, though, the presence of anything approaching average pitching makes the Grays a .500 team.

Talent Ratings

WBLMinors
Raw PowerOF Willie Stargell3B Steve Hertz
Batting Eye1B Mike EpsteinOF Ralph Kiner
ContactOF Roberto ClementeOF Goose Goslin
Running SpeedOF Andy Van SlykeOF Sterling Marte
Base StealingIF Honus WagnerIF Bobby Wheelock
IF DefenseU Nap LajoieIF Rennie Stennett
OF DefenseOF Roberto ClementeOF Max Carey
StuffP Tim LincecumP Harry Kelley
ControlSP Bob FriendP Syl Johnson
VelocityRP Josh LindblomRP Mychal Givens

Best In The Minors

RankAgePOSName
1 (13)19PClayton Kershaw
2 (21)21PTim Lincecum
3 (39)183BJudy Johnson
4 (46)19OFRalph Kiner
5 (61)24PBartolo Colón
6 (64)20PPink Hawley
7 (79)23OFPaul Waner
8 (109)22PTrevor Cahill
9 (117)23PDaniel Hudson
10 (130)203BFreddie Lindstrom
Others: P Catfish Hunter; P Nip Winters, P Ping Gardner; P Carlos Pulido; P Chris Zachary; P Dave Giusti.

Hope for the Grays persists, largely in how dense and deep their system is. 16 prospects in the top 200 bodes well for their future.

MostLeast
AgeP Al Worthington, 383B Judy Johnson, 18
HeightP John Candelaria, 6’7″P Earl Hamilton, 5’8″
SS Bobby Wheelock, 5’8″
OF Paul Waner, 5’8″
1B Eric McNair, 5’8″
OPSOF Harvey Hendrick, 1.088 (—)IF Ken Harrelson, .432 (WBL)
HROF Starling Marte, 42 (—)
IF JJ Hardy, 42 (—)
C Peaches Graham, 0 (WBL/AAA)
SBCF Andrew McCutchen, 33 (WBL)Many with 0
WAROF Andy Van Slyke, 5.7 (WBL/AAA/AA)IF Ken Harrelson, -4.3 (WBL)
WFrank Arellanes, 15 (—)
Moose Haas, 15 (—)
Daniel Hudson, 3 (WBL/AAA/AA)
Earl Hamilton, 3 (WBL/AAA)
Doug Drabek 3 (—)
John Candelaria, 3 (WBL/AAA)
SVMychal Givens, 24 (WBL/AAA/AA)
ERACharles Nagy, 2.17 (—)John Candelaria, 6.84 (WBL/AAA)
WARCharles Nagy, 5.3 (—)John Candelaria, -1.1 (WBL/AAA)
Stats are across all levels. 200 PA / 75 IP min. Non WBL leagues indicated by —.

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