Sailing under the radar for most of the season, Brooklyn still managed 99 victories, led by a ridiculously strong pitching staff.
The Royal Giants are one of the a very few teams with a legitimate top 4, and it’s unclear if Don Drysedale‘s 2nd half resurgence earns him a start in the opening game, given that Orel Hershiser (19-5, 3.69), Smokey Joe Williams (12-13, 3.93), and Fernando Valenzuela (14-5, 3.69) each had better seasons than Drysedale’s 11-8, 5.66 record.
The bullpen sports 2 of the dominant relievers of the league, with closer Eric Gagne and setup man Trevor Hildenberger, and Burleigh Grimes and Sandy Koufax provide excellent middle inning help when needed.
The offense is a notch below the pitching: Ron Cey and Mike Piazza are stars, and Dan Brouthers, John Briggs, Jackie Robinson, Beals Becker, and Duke Snider are all quite good. Vern Stephens and Dickie Thon seem to be sufficient at SS, and the versatility of Ray Dandridge helps around the IF, despite his lackluster offense.
George Hendrick has been lights out since being brought over in a trade, and makes the playoff roster ahead of swing starter Jim Bunning.
#Philadelphia Stars
Quite a turnaround for Philly, who were horrible last year, mediocre much of this year, and then turned it on the final few months to finish in 2nd place in the Effa Manley Division.
It’s an odd team in many ways. Clearly, Charles Rogan and his unique combination of a 308/362/620 slash line and legitimate #2 starter mound performances count for a lot, as does Aaron Judge breaking out with an OPS over 1.000, 63 homers, 133 RBI’s, and 108 runs scored. Scott Rolen is excellent at 3B, and Rico Carty held off the demons of age for another productive season.
And then the question marks start … Bill Dickey seems to be the answer behind the plate, but is untested, Sherry Magee could be useful, and the newly acquired Jim Fregosi might finally provide some stability at SS. Seems, could be, might …
The rotation is … odd. Hardie Henderson (18-12, 3.78) is probably the #1, but Steve Carlton‘s stuff is electric, despite a 12-13 record and a 5.05 ERA. Then, Rogan. Behind those, JM Ward has been far, far, far better than his 6-10 record would indicate and lefty Ray Collins is dependable.
Bob Howry, Ted Kennedy, Fred Cambria, and Pedro Feliciano form a solid, no-name bullpen (with trade acquisition Mark Melancon‘s selection to the postseason roster in doubt).
In the end, Melancon made it, as did the disappointing Harry Hooper, but that was more a function of a lack of relevant alternatives than anything else.
#Houston Colt 45’s
Most saw this Houston team as being a year or 2 away, but they kept winning through the Summer, and ended up topping the Marvin Miller Division by a comfortable margin.
The pitching staff is not structured as it was to start the season, as both Stephen Strasburg and Roy Oswalt have struggled mightily all season. Still, it’s a strong opening trio, led by the dominant Toad Ramsey (16-10, 3.23) and Roger Clemens (17-10, 3.71) and the now-healthy Ice Box Chamberlain (4-4, 3.56).
The bullpen has been poor all season, with Sparky Lyle (brought over to be the closer) struggling and Tug McGraw having his issues as well. Jim Kern has been a surprising bright spot, and Andrew Chafin and Roberto Osuna have been solid enough.
The offense is an intriguing mix. Carlos Correa, Jeff Bagwell, and Tony Gwynn are a solid core and Paul Goldschmidt has forced his way into the conversation in about 1/3 of a season’s work. Gentleman Jim O’Rourke has bounced back from a poor first season, and the rest of the pieces–mostly Jim Wynn and teenage phenom Pete Hill–are solid enough.
The worst news for Houston is that C Will Smith, who has absolutely destroyed WBL pitching since his recall, is not eligible for the postseason, putting the onus behind the plate on Jorge Posada, who has struggled. Given the presence of Gorman Thomas–who has also been on fire in limited action–we may see O’Rourke catching more than anticipated.
Thomas’ performance forced Casey Stengel off the playoff roster, as, especially with Dock Ellis injured for a few days, both Strasbourg and Oswalt made it.
#Indianapolis ABC’s
It came down to a playoff, but baseball fans are happy to see the ABC’s make the playoffs, as it extends the season for the best pitcher in baseball, Luis Padrón, and the emerging superstar Oscar Charleston.
The postseason likely brings an end to Indianapolis’ 6 man rotation, as the team will try to maximize the starts for Padrón (23-3, 3.22) and Johnny Cueto (12-14, 4.62). Eppa Rixey, Guy White, and Joe Lake are the most likely candidates behind those 2.
The back end of the bullpen was supposed to be a strength, but both Rob Dibble and Rob Murphy have struggle of late, leaving Jack Billingham and the surprising Mike LaCoss as the strongest performers at the moment.
Offensively, this is Charleston’s team, with the young CF slashing 337/381/619 with 38 homers, 130 RBIs, and 101 runs scored. Joey Votto and George Foster have been excellent and while Johnny Bench fell short of last year’s heights, 46 homers and 116 RBIs from behind the plate is nothing to sneeze at.
Chris Sabo has mostly displaced Ed Charles at 3B, but the biggest issue is the absence of Joe Morgan, who will miss the postseason through injury. Morgan was among the best in the game, and without him, the middle infield becomes pretty mediocre, relying on Tommy Helms and Barry Larkin.
#Predictions
Brooklyn is just that much better than Indianapolis across the board, so I think the Royal Giants take that one, 4-2.
The Houston/Philadelphia series is even harder to predict, and I think it is either very close, going the full 7 games, or Houston’s offense clicks on all cylinders and the Colt 45’s win in 5. Let’s say the former, with Houston edging it in a final contest.
Some notes as we move through the final week of the season.
#Monday
Miami moved in front of Detroit by a half game in the AL Wild Card race behind a great start from Phenomenal Smith, whose return may be a difference maker for the Cuban Giants. Smith gave up 1 run in 7 innings, moving to 4-0. Hal Newhouser was good for Detroit, but an early homer from Gary Sheffield and a late one from Joe Adcock sealed the game for Miami.
Miami Cuban Giants
77-79
—
Detroit Wolverines
77-80
0.5
AL Wild Card
Cleveland was supposed to have an easy time of it, hosting the lowly Memphis Red Sox. But the Spiders’ bullpen collapsed, and they dropped a 9-8 decision to the visitors, who were powered by homers from Lefty O’Doul, Hack Wilson, and David Ortiz.
New York Black Yankees
89-67
—
Cleveland Spiders
87-69
2
Bill James Division
In a series that means more for Indianapolis than Philadelphia, the ABC’s opened with a decisive win, 15-8 over the Stars. Johnny Bench hit 2 out, and the game wasn’t as close as the score (Philadelphia tallied 5 in the 9th to make it more respectable).
Houston Colt 45s
81-75
—
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-79
3.5
Kansas City Monarchs
77-80
4.5
Marvin Miller Division
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-79
—
Kansas City Monarchs
77-80
1
Wandering House of David
76-81
2
NL Wild Card
#Tuesday
Detroit pulled back into a dead heat with Miami, pounding out 6 homeruns (2 from JD Martinez) in an 11-5 win. Ernie Lombardi, Tony Lazzeri, Oscar Gamble, and Ty Cobb also went deep for the Wolverines in an easy win for the visitors.
Detroit Wolverines
78-80
—
Miami Cuban Giants
77-80
0.5
AL Wild Card
Memphis did it again, beating Cleveland 4-2, and dropping the Spiders 2.5 games behind the Black Yankees. Homers from Reggie Smith and Wade Boggs backed a strong showing from Stubby Overmire, who moved to 13-9 on the year. The Spiders, however, remained only 2 games behind the Black Yankees as New York fell to San Francisco, 9-0, as Bump Hadley improved to 18-6 with a masterful 1-hitter.
New York Black Yankees
89-68
—
Cleveland Spiders
87-70
2
Bill James Division
Philadelphia stormed back from a 7-1 deficit, beating the ABC’s 8-7 on a pinch-hit walkoff shot from Aaron Judge–his 60th of the year–in a game that saw 2 grandslams, one from Indianapolis’ Ed Swartwood, the other from the Stars’ Charles Rogan. This was good news for Houston, who dropped a 9-8 decision to the New York Gothams, who were powered by 2 homeruns from Willie Mays. Houston remains 3.5 games ahead in the Marvin Miller Division.
Riding an excellent start from Rick Reuschel, the House of David pulled into a tie with Kansas City by defeating the Monarchs 3-1. Reuschel was supported by Ryne Sandberg‘s 40th homer of the year, and the win leaves both teams 1 game behind Indianapolis in the Wild Card race.
Houston Colt 45s
81-75
—
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-79
3.5
Kansas City Monarchs
77-80
4.5
Marvin Miller Division
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-80
—
Kansas City Monarchs
77-81
1
Wandering House of David
77-81
1
NL Wild Card
#Wednesday
What you see depends on where you stand: Miami fans will be miserable at their bullpen’s performance, as the Cuban Giants’ relievers surrendered 11 runs over the final 4 innings n an 11-8 loss to Detroit. Wolverines fans, of course, will be applauding the clutch performance of their team, led by Juan Beníquez‘ 4 hits and 3 RBI’s from Charlie Gehringer and Bob Bailey. The win moves Detroit 1.5 games up in the Wild Card chase.
Detroit Wolverines
79-80
—
Miami Cuban Giants
77-81
1.5
AL Wild Card
The Spiders are struggling, but they refuse to give up: a Larry Doby homerun and walkoff RBI single from John Ellis gave Cleveland a 9-8 win over Memphis, keeping them at least within touch of the Black Yankees for the Bill James Division crown. Willie McCovey hit his 15th homerun in 35 games, and Paul O’Neill (the first of his WBL career) and Ron Blomberg also went deep.
The Black Yankees fell to San Francisco, as Eddie Plank earned his 20th win of the season with 6 strong innings for the Sea Lions. San Francisco’s bullpen–Ken Howell, Joe Nathan, and closer Rod Beck–fanned 7 of the 9 batters they retired, with Beck earning his 40th save of the season.
New York Black Yankees
89-69
—
Cleveland Spiders
88-70
1
Bill James Division
Houston bounced back in a big way, using a phenomenal start from Ice Box Chamberlain and 7 homeruns to beat the Gothams, 9-2. Chamberlain allowed 1 hit in just under 8 innings, fanning 12 and 2 of the important cogs in the Colt 45’s late season surge–OF Gorman Thomas and C Will Smith–carried the team, twice launching back-to-back homeruns. Jim Wynn led off the game with a dinger, and Paul Goldschmidt and Jim O’Rourke also went deep.
The victory sealed the pennant for Houston, setting off raucous celebrations in the home dugout. It also meant all of the attention in the NL is now focused on the final Wild Card Spot, currently owned by Indianapolis, but with Kansas City and the House of David hot on their heels (and Homestead still hanging around with at least a mathematical chance).
After fighting back from a 6-1 deficit, Indianapolis suffered a gut-wrenching loss, falling to Philadelphia, 12-8. The Stars were led by homeruns from Sherm Lollar, Harmon Killebrew, Jung Ho Kang, and Sherry Magee.
Ryne Sandberg had 4 hits including a go-ahead solo homer in the bottom of the 8th as the House of David topped Kansas City, 6-5. Jack Taylor continued a late-season rebound with a solid start, but both bullpens struggled in this one. The victory moves the House of David into a dead heat with Indianapolis in the Wild Card chase, with Kansas City 1 game back.
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-81
—
Wandering House of David
78-81
—
Kansas City Monarchs
77-82
1
Homestead Grays
76-83
2
NL Wild Card
#Thursday
Miami just refuses to lose: Cleveland had taken the lead, 5-4 in the 6th inning, but the Cuban Giants scored 8 runs in their final 2 frames in a 12-6 victory. Miami pounded out 17 hits, led by 3 each from Jim Thome and Martín Dihigo. The game was never sure: Cuban Giants pitchers gave up 8 walks, so the Spiders had constant traffic on the basepaths. But they did just enough, with homeruns from Julio Rodríguez, Dihigo, Alejandro Oms, and Thome.
With the result, the Spiders drop to 1.5 games behind the Black Yankees and the Cuban Giants move to 1 game behind Detroit in the Wild Card race.
Detroit Wolverines
79-80
—
Miami Cuban Giants
78-81
1
AL Wild Card
Speaking of the Black Yankees … their bullpen continues to be their Achilles’ heel, with 4 relievers giving up 9 runs in 2.1 innings. Ouch. The big blows were homeruns from Jimmie Foxx and Bobby Bonds as San Francisco defeated New York, 13-10.
New York Black Yankees
89-70
—
Cleveland Spiders
88-71
1
Bill James Division
#Friday
The Black Yankees continue not to grab the Bill James Division by the throat, falling to lowly Baltimore 5-4 in the opening game of the final series of the season. Homers from Eddie Murray, Manny Machado, and a final go-ahead blast from Earl Averill gave the Black Sox the edge in another game that saw less than stellar performances from New York’s bullpen.
Two homers from Gary Sheffield carried Miami to a 5-4 win over Cleveland, preserving New York’s 1 game advantage, and keeping the pressure on Detroit. The Cuban Giants got another strong outing from Jim Whitney, and were able to fade a 9th inning comeback from the Spiders for the victory.
So what will Detroit do with their opportunity?
Play a game for the ages where they held leads of 3-1, 4-2, 9-5, and 10-6. And it was never enough as, after closer Mike Henneman was forced from the game with a back injury, Troy Percival came in and gave up a grand slam to Manny Ramírez and a walkoff shot to Gabby Hartnett. Both Ramírez and Hartnett had 2 homers in the game, while Al Kaline had 2 for Detroit. Kaline had 3 hits and 7 RBIs while Hartnett had 4 hits for Memphis. A true thriller of a game that leaves everything pretty much undecided.
New York Black Yankees
89-71
—
Cleveland Spiders
88-72
1
Bill James Division
Detroit Wolverines
79-81
—
Miami Cuban Giants
79-81
—
AL Wild Card
The House of David fell to Houston 8-2, as all eyes turned to the 4 game series between Indianapolis and Kansas City.
Kansas City’s Smokey Joe Wood and the ABC’s’ Luis Padrón squared off in the series opener and while each pitched well, neither were involved in the decision. Instead, after a 2 run shot from Ducky Medwick tied the game, Kansas City won it on a sacrifice fly from Dale Murphy in the bottom of the 9th. So Padrón fails in his attempt to win his 24th game of the year and, more importantly, Kansas City forces a 3 way dead heat for the final Wild Card spot.
Indianapolis ABC’s
78-82
—
Wandering House of David
78-82
—
Kansas City Monarchs
77-82
—
Homestead Grays
76-84
2
NL Wild Card
#Saturday
Memphis keeps embracing their role as spoiler while relying on a handful of late season call ups. In this case, Bucky Walters gave a good starting performance, Lefty O’Doul had 3 hits, and Wayne Causey drove in 2 with an 8th inning single for a 5-3 victory over Detroit.
It sure looks like Miami has found a key part of their rotation: Phenomenal Smith improved to 5-0, combining with Ricky Nolasco on a 3 hit shutout of Cleveland. Smith struck out 10 before yielding to Nolasco, for the last 2 outs. Martín Dihigo drove in 2 runs, continuing his second half surge.
Miami moves a full game ahead of Detroit for the Wild Card slot, and Cleveland falls 1.5 games behind the Black Yankees for the Bill James Division title, with New York’s magic number reduce to 1.
And then it was none. New York topped Baltimore 11-7 behind homers from Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and Roger Maris, giving the Black Yankees their first Bill James Division title.
Miami Cuban Giants
80-81
—
Detroit Wolverines
79-82
1
AL Wild Card
Oh boy … Indianapolis has nobody to blame but themselves.
Behind a great start from Johnny Cueto and 3 RBI’s from Oscar Charleston, the ABC’s took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the 9th, with their closer, Rob Dibble, on the mound. Dibble got one out, and then 16 of his next 20 pitches missed the strike zone, resulting in 4 consecutive walks, scoring a run. Rob Murphy relieved Dibble, and an RBI groundout and 2 wild pitches later, the game was tied at 6.
Cool Papa Bell walked in the bottom of the 10th, stole second, and scored on a hit from Ozzie Smith, moving Kansas City a game ahead in the Wild Card race.
#Sunday
The final day of the season leaves both final Wild Card spots up for grabs: in the AL, Miami has a 1 game lead over Detroit and in the NL, Kansas City has the edge over both Indianapolis and the House of David.
Miami was unable to clinch it: Larry Doby became the 2nd player in WBL history (and the first in the AL) to hit 4 homeruns in a game, driving in 7 as Cleveland topped the Cuban Giants, 13-7. That leaves Miami’s fate in the hands of Detroit later in the day.
Detroit used a mix of the old reliable–2 homeruns from Al Kaline and 1 from Ty Cobb–and the newly acquired (a strong start from Connie Johnson and key innings from Steve Howe and Troy Percival) to beat Memphis, 8-4.
And so, we finish in a dead heat.
Miami Cuban Giants
80-82
—
Detroit Wolverines
80-82
—
AL Wild Card
Eppa Rixey combined with 4 relievers (including an important 1.2 innings from Doc Mitchell), leading the ABC’s to a 7-3 win over Kansas City, meaning Indianapolis and the Monarchs finish with identical 79-83 records. The only question is if the House of David will join them in a 3-way tie for the final playoff spot.
Nope.
The House of David tried valiantly, and even outhit Houston, 10-8, but they fell to the Colt 45’s, 10-9 in a game that saw Tony Gwynn rap out 3 hits, reaching 200 on the season. Richie Hebner, Ryne Sandberg, and Anthony Rizzo each had 2 hits, but they didn’t get enough support as the House of David season ends, falling just short of the postseason.
#Monday
So, two playoff games, winner makes the postseason.
#AL
First up, we have Miami visiting Detroit.
The Cuban Giants will turn to Hugh McQuillan who, despite being roughed up in his last start, has been solid for Miami. If he struggles early, look for Jim Whitney to try to give the team some innings on short rest. For Detroit, Pete Conway will take the mound, also on a pretty short leash.
Ty Cobb may be almost universally disliked, but his baseball talent cannot be denied: he launched a 3 run homer in the top of the first and a grand slam in the 2nd, helping Detroit to a 9-0 lead after 2 innings.
Conway, meanwhile, had allowed a single run on 3 hits through 5, and left after 6 with the score 13-2.
Miami scored 3 in the 9th, but fell well short, 14-5. In the end, a just result, as Detroit really feels like the better team. Still, the Cuban Giants went from being the worst team in the league to being this close to the playoffs: a good year for them.
Cobb finished with 2 homers and 7 RBIs, and Al Kaline, Charlie Gehringer, Ernie Lombardi, and Hank Greenberg each also went deep. There was some bad news on Greenberg, who will be out of action for a few days with a leg injury.
#NL
Indianapolis would turn to Doc White while Kansas City gave the start to young Matt Morris.
Kansas City took an early lead on Albert Pujols‘ second homerun of the game, pulling ahead 6-3 after 3 innings, with the ABC’s runs coming on longballs from George Foster and Chris Sabo.
Morris was OK–not great, but not bad–until Tommy Helms singled and scored on a double from Barry Larkin in the top of the 4th. A Bob Bescher walk put runners on the corner, and fetched Frank Castillo from the bullpen. The move backfired as Sabo and Oscar Charleston singled and, after a couple of outs, Johnny Bench brought home 2 with a single of his own, giving Indianapolis an 8-7 lead. Foster followed with his 2nd dinger of the game, extending the lead to 10-7 and chasing Castillo. His successor, Bob Shawkey, gave upa solo shot to Helms and when all of the dust settled, the ABC’s had scored 8 and were up 11-7.
The ABC’s coasted from there, riding additional homeruns by Ed Charles and Sabo to a 15-8 win, powering Indianapolis into the postseason. Sabo drove in 5 and Foster 4, with each of them notching 3 hits on the day.
Kansas City had ridden its pitching staff all year; here their arms betrayed them, surrendering 14 hits and 15 runs.
JP Arencibia and Eddie Mathews each hit 2 out as Birmingham topped Indianapolis, 9-4. Lefty Gomez carried a no-hitter through 6 innings, and Hank Aaron and Jim Pagliaroni also went deep for the Black Barons.
Then, Adrián González and Albert Belle did the same, pounding 2 homers each in a 13-7 victory over Indianapolis. Belle drove in 6, giving him 99 on the year.
Aaron again hit 2 out, but the Black Barons fell to Houston in 10 innings, 7-6. There were some positives: Greg Maddux had a good start, something of which they’ll need more of if they want to slide into that final Wild Card slot.
#Houston Colt 45s
37 year old backstop Bob Boone announced his retirement, as well as a desire to go into coaching.
The Colt 45’s had one of their most dominant showings of the year in a 22-1 triumph over Ottawa. Roger Clemens improved to 17-9 with 8+ innings and 10 strikeouts, and the team rapped out 8 homeruns, including 2 from Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell drove in 8 on the day, eclipsing the century mark on the season. Paul Goldschmidt, Jim Wynn, Elliott Maddox, Will Smith, Craig Biggio, and Jackie Warner each also went deep for Houston, and the win extended the Colt 45’s lead in the Marvin Miller Division to 4 games.
Indianapolis ABC’s
Luis Padrón remains superlative, improving to 22-3 with a 4 hit shutout of Philadelphia. Chris Sabo had 2 homers as the ABC’s triumphed, 8-0.
George Foster drove in a half-dozen runs as the ABC’s came from behind to beat Philadelphia 10-8. Foster and Ed Charles had 3 hits each and Foster, Charles, and Johnny Bench each went deep.
#Kansas City Monarchs
The Monarchs recalled Dale Murphy from a rehab assignment, sending utility speedster Rex Hudler back to AAA. More importantly, Smokey Joe Wood began his own rehab, with a goal of being back with the big club by the end of the week.
Wood was indeed recalled, with Dustin Hermanson being returned to AAA. Wood will start in the bullpen, but should re-enter the rotation next week.
#Wandering House of David
Jim Clinton began a rehab assignment, and then was recalled with Frank Sullivan heading to AAA.
Birmingham recalled Ps Slim Embrey, Pretzels Getzien, Warren Spahn, and Fred Fussell as well as position players Nate Colbert, Ron Fairly, and Tommy Davis.
Rube Melton, on the verge of nailing down a rotation slot, instead heads to the DL with only a slight hope of making it back this season. Blake Wood was called up.
#Houston Colt 45’s
Brad Lidge and Óscar Tuero were recalled from AAA.
Will Smith is making a strong case not only for next year’s roster, but this year’s. The young backstop set a new league record with 8 RBI’s on 2 homeruns in a 10-3 win over Brooklyn.
#Indianapolis ABC’s
Another fine outing from Luis Padrón, another win. Padrón improved to 20-3 on the year, becoming the first hurler to hit that milestone and likely cementing his hold on the coveted Brock Rutherford Award. Padrón allowed no runs and 3 hits in 7 innings of work, combining with Rob Murphy and Rob Dibble on what eventually was a 5 hit blanking of the New York Gothams, 2-0. The ABC’s scored on back to back shots from Joey Votto and Johnny Bench in the 4th inning.
Oscar Charleston hit out 2 as the ABC’s downed the Gothams, 7-4.
#Kansas City Monarchs
Joe Harris will miss about a month with a fractured hand, meaning unless the Monarchs make the postseason, his 2001 effort is done. Rex Hudler was recalled from AAA.
Matt Morris and Adam Wainwright were added to the back end of the Monarchs’ rotation for the time being.
#Wandering House of David
Mark McGwire ended the contest with a walkoff shot to deep center–his second on the day, giving him 20 in 42 games–as the House of David defeated Ottawa, 5-4.
Roy Oswalt fanned 14, but took the loss in a 7-2 defeat by the House of David. Neither Oswalt’s heroics nor Tony Gwynn‘s 4 hits could help Houston, who still maintain a 1 game lead in the Marvin Miller Division.
Travis Jackson, Will Smith, and Jackie Warner were recalled to fill out the Colt 45’s bench.
George Brett went deep twice and Warner hit one out in his first WBL at bat as Houston topped Indianapolis, 11-6.
Wow. Gorman Thomas and Paul Goldschmidteach hit 3 homeruns as Houston topped Indianapolis, 12-7. Roger Clemens wasn’t great, but he did whiff 10 en route to improving his record to 15-9.
#Indianapolis ABC’s
Luis Padrón won his 19th game of the year, striking out 10 as the ABC’s topped Homestead, 3-2. Padrón struggled some, but Indianapolis’ bullpen came through with 3 solid innings of relief, including Rob Dibble‘s 19th save of the season, to nail down the victory.
Johnny Bench went deep twice, leading the ABC’s to an 8-2 win over Homestead. Then Joey Votto did the same, hitting 2 out and reaching 30 on the season as the ABC’s topped Houston, 7-5.
Bob Bescher swiped 5 bases, but the ABC’s couldn’t overcome 6 homeruns by Houston in a 12-7 loss.
#Kansas City Monarchs
Albert Pujols hit 2 out to reach 33 on the season, but the Monarchs’ bullpen couldn’t hold a lead and Kansas City fell to Philadelphia, 8-7.
After the game, Dale Murphy suffered a mysterious burn on his arm, and will miss about a week. Sam Mongin was recalled to provide some depth in the middle infield.
José Rijo delivered another gem, this one a 2 hit shutout of Philadelphia. Rijo walked 2 and fanned 6 in the 3-0 win, getting all the support he needed from 3 solo homeruns–2 from Boog Powell and 1 from Robinson Canó.
#Wandering House of David
Both Richie Hebner and Ernie Banks went deep twice, leading the House of David to an 11-4 win over Birmingham.
Houston is just an odd team right now. Solid starting pitching, good speed, a strong ability to get on base … but very little power, a horrendous bullpen, and some very unsettled positions, at least at present.
THE OFFENSE
The most important thing is how young this team is. Only Jorge Posada (36) and Jim O’Rourke (29) are on the far side of the magic age of 27, and and George Brett and Jim Wynn (23), Carlos Correa (22), and Pete Hill (19) are well under it.
#What’s Going Right
Jeff Bagwell, Carlos Correa, and Tony Gwynn all have OPS over .900, although Gwynn’s has fallen since an earlier flirtation with a .400 BA. Bagwell looks to be on the very edge of stardom, but it is Correa, who is slashing 326/404/553, who may be the biggest surprise.
Jim Wynn has 27 HRs, second on the team to Bagwell’s 28.
Jim O’Rourke has bounced back from a disappointing first season, slashing 258/362/500 in a super-utility role.
Mention must be made of Paul Goldschmidt, who has 8 homers in under 100 PAs, making the most of his limited chances.
#What’s Not Going Right
Jorge Posada struggles offensively, with an OPS under .750. Not horrific for a backstop, but not good.
Pete Hill continue to show power, but his .765 OPS won’t cut it in a WBL OF. BUT, Hill is 19, so you could also see this as part of what’s going right.
George Brett and Craig Biggio both continue to show flashes of great talent, along with long periods of low production. But with the departure of HR Johnson, the team seems committed to each of them for the future.
Andrés Galarraga bounced down from an excellent first season, earning himself a trip to AAA.
THE PITCHING
A real challenge: there are some truly top end performances here in Ramsey and Clemens, and then a lot of potential. And lets not even discuss the bullpen.
Some of the same comments as with the position players: Oswalt is the aged veteran of the crew at 27, so this is a very young staff (and that doesn’t even account for teenage phenom Leon Day at AAA).
#What’s Going Right
Toad Ramsey is putting together one of the best seasons in WBL history, sitting at 13-9 with a a3.19 ERA and 217 strikeouts. The knuckleballer has been absolutely dominant, with a 6.6 WAR on the mound so far.
Roger Clemens has been excellent, matching Ramsey in wins with a very impressive 3.60 ERA of his own.
Andrew Chafin has been excellent in the bullpen, as have (in very limited action so far) Jim Kern and Roberto Osuna (Kern is a special surprise, after being torched last season).
Ice Box Chamberlain seems to have recovered from injury, posting a 3.41 ERA over his 7 starts.
#What’s Not Going Right
Roy Oswalt and Stephen Strasbourg are just frustrating, mixing good outings with horrible one, with both of them posting ERA’s over 6.00.
The bullpen has been quite poor, especially since Tug McGraw–fairly effective as a closer–hit the DL.
John Franco and Chafin are the only arms left from the start of the year, with Brad Lidge, Kent Tekulve, and Billy Wagner all having moved back to AAA (and, in Tekulve’s case, out of the system entirely).
This is a strong system, at least on the field. In the OF, César Cedeño (who was OK in the WBL earlier in the season), Kirby Puckett (who wasn’t), Shin-Soo Choo, and Von Joshua all have some promise.
3B Edgar Martínez may be the best bat in the system, and SS Travis Jackson clearly has WBL talent. Add to that C Will Smith–who may replace Posada as soon as next season–and you have a decent amount of talent.
On the mound, it’s a little more spare, but Vida Blue and Leon Day are still teenagers as is Ice Box Chamberlain. Additionally, at least a couple from the group of Bret Saberhagen, Bill Harper, Carlos Rodón (part of the HR Johnson trade), and Rick Wise should emerge as WBL rotation starters.
WHAT’S NEEDED
The Colt 45’s just need to continue to develop, especially on the mound.
Storylines to Watch
Key Questions from Spring Training
Can the bullpen perform? Some indications (McGraw, Chad Qualls, and Andrew Chafin‘s performance last year in small samples) are positive; others not so much (the size of those samples, Kent Tekulve‘s challenges). In a word, no. Although, McGraw should be back soon, and he, Chafin, and the newly-acquired Sparky Lyle do give Houston as good a trio of lefties as you can want.
Who emerges at C? Evidently, nobody. Currently, it rotates between Posada, Craig Biggio, and O’Rourke, but the latter two are really not catchers. Look for Will Smith here next season.
FEATURED SERIES
Houston heads to Homestead to start the week for a four game series.
Projected Starters
Houston’s starter listed first.
Ice Box Chamberlain (2-3, 3.41) @ David Price (3-6, 5.33) Toad Ramsey (13-9, 3.19) @ Doug Drabek (4-5, 5.04) Roger Clemens (13-8, 3.60) @ Billy Pierce (9-7, 5.07) Roy Oswalt (6-8, 6.44) @ Juan Marichal (8-11, 6.10)
I mean, a sweep is not out of the question. But both of these teams are just so inconsistent, I would say a series split is the most likely outcome.
Game One
David Price‘s debut start for Homestead gets to wait a little while, as Doug Drabek gets the nod for the Grays against Ice Box Chamberlain.
Paul Goldschmidt drove in a run with a single in the top of the first but Willie Stargell tied it up in the bottom of the frame. Chamberlain struggled with his command, surrendering a solo shot to Rick Reichardt, then hitting both Owen Wilson and Honus Wagner. But he settled down and got out of the inning without further damage.
The bottom of the 5th saw Josh Gibson–already with 2 doubles on the day–go deep for his 35th homerun, extending the lead to 5-1.
The Colt 45’s closed to 5-3 in the 6th, chasing Drabek from the mound with 2 outs on an RBI groundout from Carlos Correa and a seeing eye single through the left side from Goldschmidt.
Tony Gwynn brought the Colt 45’s within 1, and then, in the top of the 9th and facing the newly-aquired Robb Nen, Jim Wynn launched one out of the park to tie the game. Then Gorman Thomas hit his 4th homerun in 15 at-bats and, out of nowhere, Houston had a 7-5 lead. Nen couldn’t make it out of the inning, and when the smoke cleared, the Colt 45’s had a 4 run lead, 9-5.
Craig Biggio, Gwynn, and Goldschmidt each had 3 hits for Houston while Gibson had 4 hits and 3 RBI’s for the Grays in a losing effort.
Game two will see the stellar Toad Ramsey face off against Homestead’s Billy Pierce.
After a Tony Gwynn double, Jeff Bagwell drove in his 90th run of the year with a single in the top of the first. Jim Wynn followed with his 29th homer of the year, and the Colt 45’s staked Ramsey to a 3-0 lead.
But this Grays team is hard to put away: Rick Reichardt hit a 2 run shot, making it a 1 run game.
Houston seemed to have Pierce’s number, though: Pete Hill and Jorge Posada hit back to back homers in the 2nd, and Jim O’Rourke singled in another run in the 4th, extending the lead to 6-2.
Back to back doubles from Andrew McCutcheon and Judy Johnson made it 6-3, but that was really it. Houston scored some more, notably on Posada’s second drive of the game, but the outcome had already been secured for Houston.
HOU 10 (Ramsey 14-9) @ HOM 3 (Pierce 9-8) HRs: HOU – Wynn (29), Posada 2 (11), Hill (8); HOM – Reichardt (35). Box Score
Game Three
Bartolo Colón will take the ball for the Grays in game 3, opposed by Houston’s Roger Clemens as the Colt 45’s look to take the first 3 of the series.
Josh Gibson took Clemens deep in the bottom of the 1st, and Roberto Clemente did the same in the 2nd for an early Grays lead. Meanwhile, Colón was dealing, allowing no runs and 3 hits over 5 innings.
Clemens had to exit with back pain after 5, relieved by Dock Ellis.
Homestead added 2 more on an Andy Van Slyke bomb in the 8th, but the story was Colón, who took the mound in the 9th with a 3 hit shutout. He walked Craig Biggio with 2 outs, but got Tony Gwynn to fly out to LF to preserve the shutout and, more importantly, the victory.
With the shutout, Colón lowered his ERA on the year to 0.45 over 20 innings.
HOU 0 (Oswalt 6-8; Blue 1 H; Kern 1 H) @ HOM 4 (Williams 10-11) HRs: HOU – none; HOM – Gibson (36), Clemente (21), Van Slyke (24). Box Score
It was good news for Houston after the game, as Clemens is expected to make his next start.
Game Four
Roy Oswalt will try to get the Colt 45’s the series win, but Cliff Lee, making his first start since his injury, will try to even it up for Homestead. Both teams have minor league franchises deep in the thick of it and hence have not yet benefitted from the full roster expansion.
Oswalt has struggled all year, laboring to a 6-8 record and an ERA in the mid 6.00’s.
Paul Goldschmidt drove in a run in the top of the first, but the score was evened at 1 when Judy Johnson scored on a passed ball. The Grays surged ahead, 4-1, on a 2 run shot from Goose Goslin and a solo homer from Andrew McCutcheon in the 2nd.
A bad throw from McCutcheon allowed a run to score for Houston in the 5th, halving the lead to 4-2, Homestead.
Oswalt couldn’t make it out of the 5th, as a walk to Willie Stargell and a single by Mike Epstein prompted Houston to turn to young Vida Blue out of the pen.
Goldschmidt chased Lee with a game-tying shot into the right field stands in the 6th, and his relief, Bob Friend, allowed a deep shot to George Brett, giving the 1 run lead back to Houston at 5-4. Johnson went yard in the 6th, and we were all tied once more, 5-5.
McCutcheon’s second error of the day allowed Ice Box Chamberlain (on as a pinch runner) to score the go-ahead run in the 7th as Casey Stengel celebrated his return from a rehab assignment with a slow bouncer up the middle that the Grays’ CF let go under his glove.
Jim Wynn added a homerun, and–perhaps more importantly–Tug McGraw and Sparky Lyle closed the game out, offering hope for some stability at the back end of the Colt 45’s bullpen.
Houston took the series, putting themselves in prime position to overtake Kansas City for the Division lead. It was a strong performance: power, starting pitching, and most importantly, a bullpen that may be finally coming together at the most important time of the year.
Playoff contention. Houston was close this year, but at the end of the day, the offense was just too weak across the board, especially in their ability to hit for power.
Best Case
The raw offensive talent takes a massive step forward: George Brett, Tony Gwynn, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Andrés Galarraga, and Pete Hill each have a shot at being superstars; at least a few of them need to do so. The pitching feels like a safer bet: there is enough talent here to weather some underperformance and some injuries and still be among the league’s best, especially if someone–newcomer Tug McGraw or incumbent Billy Wagner–steps up at closer.
Worst Case
The offence just trundles along being incredibly mediocre and the pitching regresses as well.
Key Questions
Can the bullpen perform? Some indications (McGraw, Chad Qualls, and Andrew Chafin‘s performance last year in small samples) are positive; others not so much (the size of those samples, Kent Tekulve‘s challenges).
Who emerges at C?
Trade Bait
There’s a lot of excess here, especially at 1B, but there’s also not a lot of clarity over what to do with it. This is one of the rare franchises with a lot of pitching depth, so that’s pretty valuable right there.
Roster Evaluation
POS
Elite
Strong
Solid
Meh
Weak
Unknown
C
Posada
Castro
1B
Bagwell Galaragga
2B
Biggio Johnson
Adams
3B
Brett
SS
Correa
LF/ RF
Stengel
Hill
Gwynn
CF
Wynn
Cedeño
SP
Oswalt Strasburg
Ely Saberhagen Ramsey
Clemens
End
Wagner
McGraw
RP
Chafin Lidge
Ellis Tekulve
Blue Clyde Franco
New Addition | Injured
This is a really unusual model, where the pitching is outperforming the offense. But it’s also a team without a lot of options: other than behind the plate, everyone–even the horribly underperforming HR Johnson–is projected to improve somewhat dramatically over the next few seasons.
Talent Ratings
WBL
Minors
Raw Power
OF Pete Hill
OF Gorman Thomas
Batting Eye
C Jorge Posada
IF Lance Blankenship
Contact
OF Tony Gwynn
U Jim O’Rourke
Running Speed
IF HR Johnson
OF Wily Taveras
Base Stealing
OF César Cedeño
OF Walt Devoy OF Wily Taveras
IF Defense
U Russ Adams
SS Roy McMillan
OF Defense
OF Jim Wynn
CF Wily Taveras
Stuff
P Bones Ely P Toad Ramsey
P Bill Harper
Control
SP Bret Saberhagen
RP Roberto Osuna
Velocity
SP Stephen Strasburg
P Wade Davis P Chris Saenz
Best In The Minors
Rank
Age
POS
Name
1 (10)
19
P
Ice Box Chamberlain
2 (27)
21
3B
Edgar Martínez
3 (48)
20
P
Vida Blue
4 (55)
23
C
Will Smith
5 (65)
21
P
Collin McHugh
6 (72)
20
P
Larry Jansen
7 (82)
18
CF
César Cedeño
8 (89)
20
P
Harry Staley
9 (91)
21
P
Scott Bankhead
10 (161)
25
CF
Kirby Puckett
Others: 1B Charlie Grimm; P Bill Harper; P Kyle Kendrick.
And this doesn’t even include Pete Hill or Leon Day, both still teenagers as well. It’s a deep system, with some star potential scattered throughout.
Most
Least
Age
OF Gene Woodling, 40
OF César Cedeño, 18
Height
P Ryan Thompson, 6’6″
P George Winter, 5’8″ OF Kirby Puckett, 5’8″ U Jim O’Rourke, 5’8″
OPS
1B Harry Stovey, 1.042 (WBL/AAA/AA)
SS Roy McMillan, .352 (—)
HR
1B Harry Stovey, 31 (WBL/AAA/AA) OF Gorman Thomas, 31 (AAA)
IF Cristian Guzmán, 2 (AAA/AA)
SB
OF Jim Wynn, 45 (WBL)
Many with 0
WAR
1B Harry Stovey, 4.8 (WBL/AAA/AA)
SS Roy McMillan, -5.9 (—)
W
Guy Bush, 15 (—)
Ian Kennedy, 1 (—)
SV
John Franco, 34 (A)
ERA
Guy Bush, 3.27 (—)
George Winter, 9.13 (—)
WAR
George Kahler, 4.5 (—)
George Winter, -1.0 (—)
Stats are across all levels. 200 PA / 75 IP min. Non WBL leagues indicated by —.
Championship contention. The offense is just too good not to warrant it, even if moves need to be made in the pitching corps.
Best Case
The offense continues as one of the very best in the league, and enough pitching is found to navigate the postseason.
Worst Case
The fringe of the offense–Freddy Parent, Mike Fiore, whomever is run out there in LF–reverts and the pitching collapses.
Key Questions
How is the rotation going to fall out? Can Ed Walsh handle a fulltime starting role, and can Mark Buehrle and Ben Sheets handle the back end of the rotation?
How long do the American Giants stick with Parent–he’s fine, but his level of play over the second half of the season (after the American Giants picked him up from Ottawa) was below championship.
Trade Bait
There are some pieces in the minors, and this is a team that needs pitching, so there is some potential here.
Roster Evaluation
POS
Elite
Strong
Solid
Meh
Weak
Unknown
C
Fisk
Nilsson
1B
Thomas
Konerko
2B
Collins
3B
Allen
SS
Parent
Jackson
LF/ RF
Jackson
Lewis
Mitchell
Doyle
CF
Fiore
Torriente
Wells
SP
Nichols Price Walsh
Sheets
Buehrle
End
Minter
Wilhelm
Otsuka
Loes
RP
Lilly
Twitchell
New Addition | Injured
Table says it all: if the pitching comes through, this is a championship contender.
Talent Ratings
WBL
Minors
Raw Power
1B Frank Thomas
OF Rocky Colavito
Batting Eye
2B Eddie Collins
3B Paul Schaal
Contact
OF Joe Jackson
OF Bibb Falk
Running Speed
2B Eddie Collins IF Damian Jackson
OF Mike Cameron
Base Stealing
U Jack Doyle
OF Jack McGeachey
IF Defense
1B Paul Konerko
1B Ruben Amaro Sr
OF Defense
CF Vernon Wells
CF Lance Johnson
Stuff
SP Ed Walsh
RP Bob Ferguson
Control
SP Ben Sheets
RP Bob Bruce
Velocity
RP Akinori Otsuka
RP Alex Reyes
Best In The Minors
Rank
Age
POS
Name
1 (29)
22
OF
Walter Davis
2 (69)
21
OF
Lenny Dykstra
3 (87)
24
P
Jacob deGrom
4 (110)
22
P
Doc Sykes
5 (146)
23
P
Ted Lyons
6 (158)
24
P
Harry Buckner
7 (175)
23
IF
Jorge Orta
Others: None.
The table says it all: this is a weak farm system in need of replenishment.
Most
Least
Age
OF Steve Braun, 36 P Jamie Moyer, 36
OF Cristóbal Torriente, 18
Height
P David Price, 6’6″
OF Ned Cuthbert, 5’6″
OPS
OF Carson Bigbee, 1.028 (—)
C Tubby Spencer, .499 (—)
HR
OF Carson Bigbee, 42 (—)
2B Danny Murtaugh, 0 (AAA/AA)
SB
2B Eddie Collins, 61 (WBL)
Many with 0
WAR
2B Eddie Collins, 6.5 (WBL)
C Tubby Spencer, -3.2 (—)
W
Tricky Nichols, 15 (WBL)
Lee Meadows, 2 (WBL/AAA/AA)
SV
Rich Garces, 35 (WBL)
ERA
Frank Smith, 3.01 (WBL/AAA)
Lee Meadows, 7.48 (WBL/AAA/AA)
WAR
Joe Lake, 5.7 (WBL/AAA)
Will Smith, -0.9 (—)
Stats are across all levels. 200 PA / 75 IP min. Non WBL leagues indicated by —.
Exactly how the roster shapes up, from C to MI to the reserve spots, all have to be answered.
Injuries
George Brett will miss the first few weeks of the season with a knee injury.
First Cuts
Of the starters, only Leon Day has struggled, but the teenager holds onto his position for now on the strength of his work last season. But some clarity has emerged among the relievers, where Óscar Tuero, Scott Bankhead, and Roberto Osuna were all sent down.
That leaves 22 pitchers in camp, so there will be more movement here over the next week.
Cs Bob Boone and Cy Perkins were sent down, along with Felipe Alou and, in Paul Goldschmidt, Aramis Ramírez, and Carney Lansford, three players who continue to show incredible promise at the plate until an actual game starts, when they can no longer make any contact.
3B remains a bit up in the air, as nobody has really hit–teen phenom Edgar Martínez has shown excellent plate discipline, but has yet to get a hit and Russ Adams has probably been the best of the group, with an OPS of .500.But, in all likelihood, the Colt 45’s are really just looking for someone to backup George Brett occasionally.
Bama Rowell‘s strong start at 2B keeps that position a bit crowded, while Shawon Dunstan heads to the minors, clearing a little room at SS.
In the OF, César Cedeño and Derek Bell have impressed, while Ken Henderson, Kirby Puckett, Shin-Soo Choo, and Hunter Pence have all been returned to minor league camp.
Which leaves the frustrating case of Jim O’Rourke, who refuses to show any potential at the plate, but has so much defensive flexibility that he retains a spot in camp. For the time being.
Second Cuts
Chad Qualls has imploded, giving up 12 hits in just over 2 innings of work, and earning a ticket to the minors along with Bill Harper, Harry Staley, and Wade Davis.
Jim O’Rourke and Rick Cerone were also sent down.
Of the 2B/SS/3B in camp, only Bama Rowell and Craig Biggio are hitting over .200, with only Edgar Martínez‘ eye for the strike zone joining them in having an OPS over .500. Someone has to catch fire here, but until then, they all remain.
The OFers also remain, as the worst performers–Jim Wynn and Casey Stengel–did enough last season to be virtually guaranteed roster spots.
Third Cuts
The bullpen is coming into focus, ending Chris Saenz‘ time in camp. Dock Ellis sticks around, but only as a hedge against Vida Blue‘s injury diagnosis, which should be forthcoming shortly.
Young draftee Edgar Martínez was sent to the minors, leaving only 2 players capable of playing 3B in camp in Russ Adams and the presumed starter until George Brett returns from injury, Grant Johnson.
The battle between Jason Castro and Will Smith to backup Jorge Posada at C is fierce, and Kevin Young, Bama Rowell, and César Cedeño are all making strong arguments for roster spots.
Final Cuts
SS Travis Jackson heads to AAA, along with MI partner, 2B Bama Rowell.
Leon Day will start the year at AAA as the teenager seeks a little more consistency before assuming a fulltime WBL spot.
Harry Stovey impressed in a brief showing last season, but is both blocked positionally and was unable to get anything going this Spring, leading to his starting the year at AAA.
Houston still has a ton of open questions, from the final 2-3 pitchers to be sent down to the backup C slot. But they got to 30 by demoting two OFers, Derek Bell and Gorman Thomas.
RP Andrew Chafin was placed on the DL.
The Colt 45’s rotation was always set in Roy Oswalt, Stephen Strasburg, Toad Ramsey, Roger Clemens, and Bret Saberhagen, so even Oswalt and Strasburg’s rough Springs haven’t changed that. The question, then, is which of the arms that remain would benefit more from regular starts at AAA and which could contribute from the WBL bullpen. Ice Box Chamberlain–who, it has to be remembered, is only 19–was moved out of camp.
Will Smith turned a number of heads all Spring, but the Colt 45’s believe regular playing time at AAA would serve him better than backing up Jorge Posada; a task that will fall to Jason Castro to open the season. This logic is clearly not absolute, though, as 18 year old César Cedeño will start the season on the Colt 45’s bench (assumedly only until George Brett recovers), making Kevin Young the final cut from camp.
77 - 77, .500 pct. 3rd in Cum Posey Division, 14 games behind.
Overall
I mean, given how poorly Houston performed offensively, .500 is an achievement; but given how well they pitched, perhaps it was a missed opportunity.
This is one of the youngest teams in the league, and has the potential to be a force in the WBL in a few years if players develop as expected.
What Went Right
Jim Wynn had a fine season–which is hard to do when you hit .259. But he has some power, gets on base, plays good defense–probably the most valuable offensive performer on the team. Three players (Casey Stengel, Harry Stovey, and Andrés Galarraga) forced themselves into the lineup on a regular basis, mostly due to flashes of power which is a much-needed commodity for Houston.
Pete Hill held his own as an 18 year old.
The starters were quite good, led by Roy Oswalt and Stephen Strasburg and, before missing half the year with injury, Bret Saberhagen. But Toad Ramsey was dependable and Roger Clemens improved immediately on his arrival, even if his overall numbers aren’t great given how much he struggled with Memphis.
In the bullpen, Tug McGraw was fantastic in a brief debut, and both Kyle Kendrick and Bones Ely did well enough to lock down a spot for next season.
ALL STARS
P Mark Melancon
What Went Wrong
Nobody hit for power. Wynn led the team with 20 homeruns and only two players (Stengel and Jeff Bagwell) were in double digits. None of the full time players had a SLG over .450, let alone .500.
Carlos Correa and HR Johnson both struggled, leaving the SS position up in the air, as did Jim O’Rourke, which was a shame, as O’Rourke’s defensive flexibility is really useful in roster construction. But not worth a .660 OPS.
The bullpen was just weird all year. Brad Lidge was a hot mess, Jim Kern (acquired in trade) awful, Billy Wagner good for a time and then very much not good.
Transactions
March
None
June
OF Hack Wilson, P Jim Kaat, IF DJ LeMahieu, P Stubby Overmire & 5th Round Pick to Memphis for P Roger Clemens
A risk: Clemens’ talent is undeniable, but Houston could regret this deal in 4 years, or could see it as a cornerstone of the franchise.
OF Lance Berkman to Cleveland for OF Harry Stovey, 1B Charlie Grimm, P Chad Qualls & 3rd Round Pick {Garry Templeton}
Berkman was struggling mightily in Houston, but a team with no power trading a hitter with power is hard. Still, Stovey looks good and Qualls did quite well in a brief trial.
July
RP Trevor Hoffman, RP Mark Melancon & 4th Round Pick to Portland for OF Kirby Puckett, P Jim Kern, P Rick Wise, 3rd Round Pick {Harry Staley} & 5th Round Pick
Hmmm. A lot depends both on Puckett developing and the Colt 45’s having a spot for him.
Looking Forward
SP
Pitchers are hard to predict and harder to keep healthy, but this is as good a group of young arms as any: a future rotation of Roy Oswalt, Steven Strasburg, Roger Clemens, Bret Saberhagen, and Leon Day sounds pretty good, and that doesn’t account for the development of Dock Ellis, Scott Erickson, or Vida Blue.
RP
A lot is riding on Tug McGraw to claim the closer spot. If he can do that, with support from Chad Qalls, Billy Wagner, and the emerging Dan Quisenberry, this group could be quite good.
C
An area of need. Jorge Posada was fine, but is aging out.
1B
This is Jeff Bagwell‘s spot to lose, with Andrés Galarraga helping out, which means Houston may have to figure something else out for Paul Goldschmidt and Charlie Grimm.
2B
The middle infield is all a bit confusing. Some think Craig Biggio ends up here, and HR Johnson really needs to show some pop to fill in. But if both of those things happen, there may be an issue.
3B
The organization is convinced that George Brett will improve here.
SS
Sorting out Carlos Correa and Johnson is the key here. Either Houston will have a surplus of quality in the middle infield, or way too much mediocrity.
LF
Tony Gwynn and Pete Hill.
CF
This is Jimmy Wynn for now, with Kirby Puckett sitting in the wings.
RF
Pete Hill and Tony Gwynn.
The Rookie Draft
Rounds 1-4
They need offense, but the challenge is to fit it around pieces that are pretty much set. Zack Greinke as a franchise pick is tempting, but a coals to Newcastle comment would be in order. Houston has been aggressive on the trade market, so a “best available talent” approach seems warranted.
They found a middle ground of sorts, selecting an offensive force that is still a few years away, taking 3B Edgar Martinez with the 11th pick. The thinking wasn’t much different in the 2nd round, as teenage franchise OFer César Cedeño should be able to be in the mix within a year or two.
With the first of three picks in rapid succession in the second half of the 3rd round, Houston selected C Will Smith, who immediately slots in as Posada’s long term replacement behind the plate. They followed Smith with Harry Staley, a bit of a gamble on the mound, and Garry Templeton, a franchise pick that may provide some insurance at SS.
Rounds 5-8
At this point, the Colt 45’s need SP and depth throughout the IF. They start with a bit of a long term project in SP Larry Jansen and follow that with the mercurial Robbie Ray and then Jon Gray and Collin McHugh: that’s four consecutive arms, so look for some position players in the final rounds.
Rounds 9-12
P Dave Dravecky; P Lance McCullers; 1B Ryan McMahon; and P Scott Bankhead.
The Colt 45’s will have some extra picks next year, as 3rd round selection Garry Templeton and 6th round pick Robbie Ray both walked away from the negotiating table.
