Season 27 Awards Recap

I completely missed the post-season awards in Season 26, and I wanted to do something to note Season 27, even though I was distracted from the pre-awards predictions. So, here is the post-season recap.

AL MVP:
Las Vegas Slobs 1B Buddy Hollingsworth (13 votes) beat the field to take his second consecutive MVP Award on the strength of his 53 HR (AL leader), 110 run, and 128 RBI (second in the AL) performance. Hollingsworth played in all 162 games, and soared to a .584 Slugging Percentage (5th in the AL) and a .936 OBP. Charlotte Webs DH Hick White (9 votes) was the runner-up with 43 home runs (3rd in the AL) and 108 RBIs and a 1.032 OPS (2nd in the AL). Slobs 3B Frankie Nichting (7 votes) took 3rd in voting, with 46 doubles (tied for the AL lead), 38 HRs, 100 RBIs, and 136 runs (AL leader). Cincinnati Reds 1B Pablo Iglesias (38 doubles, 29 HRS, and 132 RBIs) and Syracuse Yankdawgs LF Benji Rosado (120 runs, 36 doubles, 34 HRs, 119 RBIs, and a .911 OPS) bring up the rear. Yankdawgs 1B Jim Kazmir hit 51 HRs (second in the AL), 127 RBIs (3rd in the AL), and a 1.144 OPS (AL leader) in just 112 games, but an ACL tear cost him 50 games and his second MVP Award.

NL MVP:
Honolulu Redbirds 1B Sal Becker (13 votes) won his 4th career MVP Award behind 34 doubles, 35 HRs, 102 RBIs. Becker led the ML with 103 walks, a .477 OBP, and a 1.122 OPS, and finished 3rd in the NL with a .645 Slugging Percentage. Oakland Warriors LF Julian Rodriguez finished second (9 votes) with 55 HRs (Major League leader), 123 RBIs, 120 runs (third in the NL), and 29 steals. Atlanta Bravehearts 1B Ady Perez (4 votes) finished third thanks to his 53 HRs (2nd in the NL), 130 RBIs (5th in the NL), 126 runs (3rd in the NL), and .597 Slugging Percentage (5th in the NL). Detroit Black Sox RF Al Ordonez (36 HRs and an NL-4th place 132 RBIs) and Pawtucket Paw Sox 1B Dicky Scheffer (42 HRs and an NL-leading 143 RBI) rounded off NL voting with 3 votes apiece. Albuquerque Dukes C Chan Ho Xaio was again left off the ballot despite 43 HRS (tied for 4th in the NL), 90 walks (3rd in the NL), and 2nd place finishes in the NL in batting average (.340), OBP (.428), Slugging Percentage (.649), and OPS (1.091).

AL Cy Young:
35-year-old Salem Witches SP Fred Beckett (9 votes) prevailed in an extremely close Cy Young battle in the AL. Beckett went 19-9 with a 3.78 ERA in 243 innings pitched, striking out 195. Beckett led the league in wins and innings, and finished in a tie for second in strikeouts. New York Dodgers SP Bailey Stoddard (7 votes) finished second in an impressive sophomore season, going 15-8 with a 3.25 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 241 innings (finishing second in the NL in ERA, IP, and strikeouts). Florida Horrorshow SP Dock Brooks (6 votes) finished in third with a 16-5 record, a 3.38 ERA, and 169 strikeouts in 199.2 IP. Syracuse Yawkdawgs closer Henry Shaw and Kansas City Burnt Ends closer and AL Fireman of the Year Bump Dirks both finished with 5 votes, Shaw with a 7-2 record, 35 saves, and a 2.47 ERA and Dirks with a 2-1 record, 43 saves, and a 1.99 ERA.

NL Cy Young:
The NL Cy Young Award was a runaway, with Pawtucket Paw Sox ace Moises Ordaz taking 25 of the 32 votes cast thanks to a 25-6 record with a 2.16 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 235 strikeouts all in 254 innings. Ordaz led the majors in wins, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts and IP. Detroit Black Sox SP Melvin Duckworth finished second (3 votes), posting a 24-4 record with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 200 strikeouts in 233 IP. SP Luis Pascual of the Louisville Colonels took third (2 votes) with a 20-8 record and a 2.88 ERA. Detroit Black Sox SP Barry Woods and Honolulu Redbirds closer Enrique Cruz finished out voting with 1 vote apiece. Woods went 18-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 220 IP, while Cruz went 8-5 with 40 saves and a 1.97 ERA. Honolulu Redbirds SP Diego Sojo fell short of the ballot despite a 19-5 record, 209 strikeouts and a 2.92 ERA in 243.1 innings.

AL Rookie of the Year:
Salem Witches 3B Alex Jose (13 votes) prevailed, hitting .288 with 92 runs, 33 HRs, 80 RBIs, and a .905 OPS. Second was Syracuse Yawkdawgs RF Julio Neruda (10 votes), who his 29 HRs and had 90 RBIs, with a .919 OPS. Jacksonville Jaxx CF Kiki Arruebarrena and Kansas City Burnt Ends SP Brian Foster finished in a tie for third (4 votes). Arruebarrena hit 33 doubles, stole 23 bases, and scored 88 runs, while Foster went 8-4 with a 2.90 ERA in 118 innings on the mound. New York Dodgers 2B Erisbel Marmol was 5th with 1 vote after hitting 31 doubles, scored 87 runs, walking 99 times, and adding a .403 OBP and a .859 OPS.

NL Rookie of the Year:
Our last category sees a surprise as balloting ended with a tie for NL Rookie of the Year, knotted at 10 votes apiece for Oakland Warriors CF Adrian Ramsay and Albuquerque Dukes 1B Todd Reese. Ramsay scored 119 runs, hit 50 doubles and 32 HRs, knocked in 95, had a .828 OPS, and stole 29 bases. Reese his 36 HRs, had 82 runs scored and 99 RBIs, with a .604 Slugging Percentage and a 1.000 OPS. Pawtucket Paw Sox SP Donaldo Nieves (7 votes) finished third, going 14-7 with a 3.42 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 136.2 Innings Pitched and 25 starts. Colorado Crush 2B Hod Titan (3 votes) scored 93 runs and knocked in 80, hitting .337 with a .813 OPS. The runner-up was Jackson Little Jacks Closer Chris Owings, who saved 34 games and threw to a 1.86 ERA in 38.2 innings and 41 games.

J5B ALL TIME RECORDS

As we enter season 27 and look at candidates for the J5B Hall, here are some J5B All-time stats to consider.  Where there is a next best listed, the top mark was so far ahead of number two that I felt it was necessary to list more than one record.

Pitching

Batting Average Allowed                                       .201
Complete Games                                                  64
ERA                                                                     2.24
OBP allowed                                                        .265
Save %                                                               .918
Saves                                                                  603 (next best 536)
Shutouts                                                              19
Slugging % Allowed                                              .287
SO to BB ratio                                                      3.56
Strikeouts                                                            3397
Wins                                                                    273

Hitting

Batting Average                                                    .339

Hits                                                                      3338
HRs                                                                      725 (nest best 675)
OBP                                                                      .440
2 out RBIs                                                             806
RBIs                                                                      2019
Runs Created                                                         2636.39
Slugging %                                                            .968
Stolen Bases                                                          1086

Awards for Season 25

So, it's that time again: Awards for Season 25.

We'll start with the NL RotY: I'll start with Grover Simon and Michael Lee, two interesting lead-off threats. Lee had more power, but was caught stealing more often Simon doesn't quite have the power, but had a solid but unspectacular start with some speed. McKay Whitehill and Francis Matthews both look like promising starters, and both had impressive rookie campaigns. Matthews put up more captivating numbers, with a better record, better ERA, better WHIP, better control, a better K/9, and lower avgs across the board, though in nearly 40 fewer innings. Angel Lee improved greatly on his Season 24 campaign, but still isn't quite at the level of the starts (and how does a 46 game pitcher in Season 24 keep eligibility in Season 25?). Matthews is my choice.

AL ROTY: Oof. Is None of the Above an option? It's not hideous, but seriously lacking. One could make the argument that almost all of the NL RotY candidates could have won here. Julio Arrojo looks like a nice SS, and is a plus fielder, but the strikeouts are a corncern. Jesus Lecuona was a spectacular threat on the basepaths (42 for 42!), but the lack of OPS and .677 OPS certainly drags him down. His shakiness in the field, split between 2B and the OF corners, doesn't help his case. R.A. Craig definitely helped his club out of the pen, with a remarkable 10-1 record and 6 saves, but is dragged down by a weak ERA, high WHIP, and bad avgs (he allowed a .475 SLG!). Christopher Montgomery broke even with a 12-12 record with an ERA under 4.00 (3.95). He was a solid innings-eater, and was 14th in the AL in strikeouts. However, he was fairly lackluster for a team that did somehow win the division with a record under .500. Fred Morgan was unspectacular as a 2-hole bat, scoring 74 runs and walking more often than striking out. He put up a .857 OPS, and a quite respectable .391 OBP, balancing out 7 negative plays in RF. I might vote for Morgan here - he's my guy - but as an analyst I'd choose Montgomery.

NL Cy: Grant Kelly was probably the most interesting pitcher here, putting up 54 saves and great WHIP, K/9, and BB/9 numbers. However, I always lean towards a solid starter, and we have 4 legit candidates. Barry Woods" and Denard Kinney are both fairly new, RotY eligible last season. Kinney is the only candidate whose team missed the playoffs, and was probably the odd man out with the most losses, the only 3.00+ ERA, and the highest WHIP and OAvg. Of the other three, Woods had the lowest ERA, WHIP, OAvg, K/9, and BB/9. Jared O'Keefe threw the lowest innings, but had the best winning percentage. Luis Pascual had the most innings pitched by nearly 30, and the most wins. I'm going Woods here - his team barely squeaked in the playoffs, he put up a solid 228 innings, and his numbers were that much better.

AL Cy: Similar to the NL, we have 4 starters and a closer. Unlike the NL, the starters were all above 3.00 ERAs. Jack Garcia saved 49, while allowing only a 2.11 ERA. However, he might be the third best of the profusion of Stingers on the list. An aside: the Stingers placed 3 in the top 5 despite pitching in a hitter's park, and finishing out of the playoffs. Anyway, to be honest, none of the four remaining pitchers (Donovan Hines> and Reagan Ford of the Stingers, Charles Steele of the Yankdawgs, and Kyle Cornelius of the High Flyers) stands out. Frankly, Dwayne Stanley of the Mud Hens was probably the best pitcher, but isn't a candidate. I'll eliminate Steele first - he threw the most innings and wass the only candidate in the playoffs, but his 107 runs and 3.55 ERA are well higher than the others. Hines had the most wins, the fewest HRS allowed, and the lowest ERA. Ford threw the most innings of the three, and did allow the most runs and the highest ERA, but also struck out the most. Cornelius had 15 less innings pitched than Hines and 18 less than Ford, and only struck out 115, but allowed the fewest hits and the lowest ERA. Any of the top three are good choices, but I'll go with Ford - he threw more innings and had reasonable numbers.

NL MVP: First, WHERE IS CHAN HO XAIO??? 44 HRS, a 1.071 OPS - he deserves to be a candidate. Virgil Castillo is the only candidate that doesn't play 1B, and was solid in RF. His .819 OPS isn't at the level of the others, but his 64 SBs speaks to a solid leadoff man. Dustan Perez had 27 plus plays at 1B, and put up an .868 OPS with 33 HRs. Raul Picasso played a solid 1B with a net 18 plus plays, and scored 108 runs, but wasn't an thrilling as the two finalists. Sal Becker vs. Dicky Scheffer - is this the final two every season? 7 MVP Awards between them, including four of the last five. Scheffer had 49 HRS and a .983 OPS, but 14 minus plays at 1st. Becker had 41 HRS, 41 doubles, and a stellar 1.107 OPS, with 9 minus plays at 1st. This season, the choice is clearly Becker.

AL MVP: In the AL, we have 4 1Bs and a DH. The DH, Hick White, put up some impressive numbers - 30HRs, 87 RBIs, 96 runs scored, a .461 OPS, and a 1.021 OPS. However, DH. William Barfield>, owner of 7 Sliver Sluggers and 2 MVPs, hit for 36 HRS, a .981 OPS, and added 120 runs scored. Buddy Hollingsworth hit for 53 HRs (his 3rd season with 50+ HRs, and nary an MVP), with 103 runs scored and 141 RBIs, plus a .930 OPS. Second best was Rich Tulowitzki, who coupled power numbers of 41 HRs, 135 RBIs, and 123 runs scored, and a .910 OPS, with a whopping 72 steals! However, credit where credit is most definitely due. Each season, one bat is just an absolute monster. This year, it was Jim Kazmir. 61 HRs, 173 RBIs, 118 runs scored, 209 hits, a .703 SLG, and a 1.141 OPS! Easily Kazmir.

So, I've got Kazmir, Becker, Ford, Woods, Montgomery, Matthews. How about you?

Season 25 Hall of Fame Candidates, Part Three

I'm finishing off our Hall contenders with seven candidates, including a plethora of closers. The closers appear stacked up. Simply put, all of the best closers are candidates.

Solid Candidates

Kane Durocher - Durocher pitched for 17 seasons in the majors, with parts of 9 coming for the Hartford/Rochester Horrorshow and parts of 6 seasons for the Tacoma Travelers/San Diego Pipeline franchise. In 879 games, he went 40-58 with 536 saves, a 3.48 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Durocher was selected for 9 All-Star Games, and won the AL Fireman of the Year Award (with the San Diego Pipeline) in Season 5. Durocher is the all-time leader in saves for the league. Durocher's top votes year was Season 21, with 2 votes.

Javier Gil - Gil pitched in 17 seasons in the majors, spending 5 seasons witht the Santa Fe Express and 6 seasons with the New York Dodgers. In 1081 games, Gil went 97-83 with 479 saves, a 3.25 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP. Gil was selected for 8 All-Star Games, won the AL Fireman of the Year (with the New York Dodgers) in Season 16, and won a World Series Ring in Season 15 (also with the Dodgers). Gil is 5th all-time in saves. Gil has never exceeded 1 vote for the Hall.

Hersh Maholm - 2B Maholm played 14 seasons in the majors, 11 coming with the Dover Destroyers. Maholm hit .266/.341/.530 with 532 home runs and 273 doubles. Maholm went to 6 All-Star Games, winning the All-Star Game MVP Award in Season 11, and won 5 Silver Slugger Awards. Maholm is 4th all-time in assists by a second baseman with 4,874, 4th all-time in putouts by a second baseman with 3,460, and 5th all-time in double plays by a second baseman with 1,063.

Luther Riggs - Riggs pitched for 17 seasons in the majors, 10 seasons with the Dover Destroyers and parts of 6 seasons with the Pawtucket Paw Sox. In 843 games, Riggs went 41-60 with 518 saves, a 3.07 ERA, and a 1.14 WHIP. Riggs went to 8 All-Star Games, and won the NL Fireman of the Year Award for 4 straight seasons (Seasons 13 and 14 with the Destroyers, and 15 and 16 with the Paw Sox). Riggs is 3rd all-time in saves.

Felipe Sanchez - Sanchez pitched for 20 seasons in the majors, 10 of which went spent with a franchise that went by the names Burlington Black Bears, Rochester Red Wings, Ottawa Canucks, and Augusta Gloops. In 1217 games, Sanchez went 62-79 with 525 saves, a 3.03 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP. Sanchez went to 8 All-Star Games, was NL Fireman of the Year three consecutive seasons (7 through 9, all with the Gloops), and won a World Series Ring in Season 16 with the Anaheim Angels. Sanchez is 2nd all-time in saves, 2nd all-time in games pitched, and is tied for 4th all-time in WHIP. Sanchez's top Hall votes year was Season 21, with 5 votes.

Raul Tatis - 2B/CF Tatis played 28 seasons in the majors, including parts of 6 seasons with the Nashville Tractor Pulls and 7 seasons with the Boston Patriots. Tatis went .292/.357/.340 with 873 stolen bases and 1734 runs. He went to the All-Star Game 4 times, and won a World Series Ring in Season 6 (with the Tractor Pulls). Tatis leads all-time in at-bats (10,599), infield hits (826, nearly double the next contender), and plate appearances (11,693), is 2nd in hits (with 3,097), 3rd in stolen bases, and 4th in games played (with 2,635) and runs scored. Tati's top Hall vote came with 4 votes in Season 22.

Benito Tejada - Tejada pitched in 16 seasons in the majors, 13 of which were spent with the Oakland Bay City Bullies/Hololulu Pohaku Kekoa/Oakland Knightmare/Arizona Border Patrol franchise. in 916 major league games, he went 50-57 with 447 saves, a 2.51 ERA, and a 1.06 WIP. Tejeda went to 7 All-Star Games, won the AL Fireman of the Year Award 4 times (Seasons 7, 10, 11, and 12, all with the Bay City Bullies), and won a World Series Ring in Season 12 (also with the Bullies). Tejeda is 2nd all-time in ERA and WHIP.

The Future

It is important that we start clearing the backlog of Hall candidates (if that is what we intend to do) becuase there are a number of stellar candidates nearing the end of their careers, including pitchers Magglio Escobar, Scooter Lee, Steven Petersen, and Greg Price.

Season 25 Hall of Fame Candidates, Part Two

Yet another installation of my Hall of Fame posting.

Solid Candidates

Benito Aquino - Catcher Aquino spent 14 of his 17 major leagues behind the Anaheim Angels dish, hiting .276/.341/.485 with 443 HRs and 347 doubles. Aquino went to the All-Star Game four times, winning the All-Star Game MVP Award in Season 15 and the Home Run Derby crown in Season 16, plus won the Gold Glove once, won the Silver Slugger once, and won World Series Rings in Seasons 16 and 18 (both with the Angels, both with Jake Benson). Aquino received a high of 2 Hall votes in Season 24.

Jake Benson - CF Jake Benson split his 16 seasons primarily between the Oakland Bay City Bullies, the Toronto Elite Thunder Bolts, and the Anaheim Angels. Benson hit .277/.371/456 with 288 home runs, 521 doubles, and 1086 stolen bases (while caught just 60 times). He played in 9 All-Star Games, won the AL Rookie of the Year in Season 5, won Silver Sluggers 7 times, and won World Series Rings in Seasons 16 and 18 (both with the Angels, both with Benito Aquino). Benson is 5th all-time in doubles, 3rd in runs (with 1,784; both ahead of Benson are in the Hall), and 1st in stolen bases (with 1,086, nearly 200 above anyone else). Benson received a high of 6 votes in Season 23.

William DeJean - Starting Pitcher DeJean spent 18 seasons in the majors, split between the Cleveland Grey Sox Senators, the Oakland Bay City Bullies, and Monterrey EXPRESS, among others. DeJean in 550 games (all but 3 were starts) went 228-155 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. He went to 2 All-Star Games, won the AL Cy Young Award in Season 14 with the Oakland Knightmare, and won World Series Rings in Seasons 9 and 12 (both with the Oakland Bay City Bullies).

Anthony Dickens - RF Dickens spent 10 of his 16 season with the Toledo Mud Hens. He hit .293/.401/.481 with 332 home runs and 436 doubles. He played in 7 All-Start Games, winning the All-Star Game MVP Award in Season 5, won the AL MVP Award in Season 6 (with the Mud Hens), won 4 Silver Sluggers, and won a World Series Ring in Season 5 (Mud Hens again).

Hopefully, tomorrow and Par 3 will close out this Series.

Season 25 Hall of Fame Candidates, Part One

Yet again, the time for Hall of Fame voting is upon us. Yet again, there are a plethora of legitimate Hall candidates. In light of that, here is a 2-part primer on some of the top candidates.

The Consensus Candidates

Every season, a number of us try to encourage voting for a group of consensus candidates. Look, there are a number of really good options. If we knock off a few every season, we'll get through your preference eventually.

Einar Cabrera - Cabrera spent 20 seasons pitching in the major leagues, primarily with the Cleveland Grey Sox Senators/Toronto Elite Thunder Bolts franchise. In 713 pitching appearances (541 starts) he put up a 257-137 record, with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP (and 9 saves). He went to the All-Star Game 6 times, and won a Gold Glove once. Cabrera's 257 wins are fifth all-time in the league, and the three eligible pitchers are already enshrined in the Hall. He also sits fourth all-time in strikeouts with 2,797.

Benito Flores - Flores pitched for seven franchises in his 18 years in the majors. In 584 appearances (550 starts), Flores went 239-156 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He went to the All-Star Game 6 times, and hurled a no-hitter next long after a trade to the Texas Coyotes in Season 17.

Weldon Hughes - Hughes pitched 15 seasons in the majors, with all but 14 of his 495 games pitched in the uniform of the Pawtucket Paw Sox. Hughes went 225-108 with a 3.42 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He went to 7 All-Star Games and won World Series Rings in Seasons 8 and 13. In Season 8, Hughes won the NL Cy Young Award after going 24-5 with a 2.73 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP, allowing just a .203 average to opposing batters. He won a second NL Cy Young Award for a Season 11 with a 25-3 record, 2.62 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, and a .205 opposing average.

In Part Two, I'll cover other top candidates.

Awards Time

OK, Awards time! This little posting originated on the league chat board, and someone suggested posted it on the blog for posterity. I've been doing these writeups for several years now.

AL RoY: Really, there are two candidates. Javier Jimenez and Greg Howell contributed, but were 4 and 5 in the group with seasons that established them as major league starters but not stars. Taylor Barkley is a weird case - he threw in 46 ML games last season, but somehow retained eligibility? - and was good not great as a 26 save closer with a highish ERA (4.36). Dwayne Stanley was 10-7 with a 3.58 ERA for a .500 team, while Arismendy Perez jumped from High A to the ML and went 11-4 and a 3.14 in a much more hitter-friendly park. I'll go for Perez here.

NL RoY: In one of WIS' oddities, they didn't list any of Tito Martin's stats because he is listed as a 3B, but didn't play 3B this season. Martin put up decent numbers (.255/.326/.440 with 44 doubles), mostly in LF. Jack Meluskey is in the similar boat of nice numbers, but not at the level of the top candidates. Bill Lincoln began his career with a solid season of starting pitching, but isn't the best candidate at his position or on his team. The two real contenders are pitcher Barry Woods and LF Julian Rodriguez. Both put up more than respectable numbers for playoff contender teams. Rodriguez play more games, and was a solid 3/5 hitter with 41 HRs and a .920 OPS; Woods took awhile to lock up a starting slot, but excelled once he was there with a 16-5 record and 2.11 ERA in 29 games/23 starts. In the offense v defense, I'll go defense and Barry Woods here - seriously good numbers, worthy of the Cy Young discussion.

AL Cy: Don Locke was an important piece of a legitimate playoff team, but his ERA and OAvg is too high to be in the mix. Hector Gardel was better, but he threw almost 25 innings less than the next competitor. The top three all play in similar stadiums, with Cincinnati slightly more prone to HRs. All pitched for playoff teams. I'll go for Alexi Hernandez in third - great year, with the best record and a perfect game, but allowed more hits than IP and had the highest ERA. Scooter Lee or Bengie Cayones? If I were going like the NL, I would go for Bengie as the upset. But, the truth is, this is a more apples to apples matchup than in the NL, and Scooter was a tastier apple. He had the best of virtually every number except walks. One for the thumb for Scooter.

(A disclaimer note: I traded Bengie Cayones at the start of his career in a trade that netted me Juan Dominguez. Dominguez has been amazing, and netted an MVP during his Horrorshow career, but I shake my head at trading Cayones to this day.)

NL Cy: Hard-fought battle here. Ezequiel Chacin is solid, but with a higher ERA, lowish K/9, and 11 losses, he's bottom of the 5. Barry Woods had a great season (Rookie of the Year!), but only had 23 starts and 179 innings. Diego Sojo put in yeoman's work, throwing over 247 innings with a really solid record. He struck people out at a 9.33 clip, and he was the top starter in the league. Tori Miles was a top-notch closer with 41 saves and the best ERA in the bunch. Bronson Boyle threw less than any of them, but saved almost every appearance (49 saves in 55 games!) in a hitters park, all from a 67 Overall guy. In a normal year, Sojo is the choice, but you expect it out of Sojo. This year I have to honor the unexpected. Boyle for Cy Young.

AL MVP: Frankie Nichting was a solid player out of the leadoff spot, but not at the level of the top three. Will Moore is much the same, a solid mix of power and speed from the leadoff spot with the additional boost of a good CF, but not in the top. William Barfield was his usual exceptional, and led his team to playoff contention, and Bronson Lemke was much the best for a bad team. However, Jim Kazmir brought the power, with comparable or better numbers in only 132 games. I wish we had gotten to see 30 more games of that season. In any case, I'll go Kazmir over a virtual tie in Barfield and Lemke.

(Another Disclaimer Note: Will Moore is a proud Horrorshow star. So, conflict of interest and all of that.)

NL MVP: Raul Picasso was a good contact hitter, but contact 1Bs never work for an MVP. Francicso Ramirez was the only non-1B is the mix, but he wasn't great in the field, and his batting was weakest of them all. Greg Collins is a better version of Picasso without the power, but not the best. Dicky Scheffer is often the best (5 MVPS to his name), and 48 HRs make a great case, but not this year. Sal Becker was just stellar, a huge step above everyone this year. He was nearly 200 points better in OPS than his nearest MVP competitor! Pretty much says it all.

So, there's my choices: Kazmir, Becker, Lee, Boyle, Perez, and Woods. Any debate?

Oh, and a postscript. Oddly enough, that really is his name, Francicso Ramirez. Probably the most obvious example of a typo, but interesting in its offbeat nature. Good old Francicso.

And an idle musing: Are Jack Meluskey and Christopher Meluskey brothers?

The John Report ….. five season’s later …. Part One

With Season 21 in the books it’s time to look back on the Season 17 Draft and International Free Agent signings.  Who’s on track to being a star and who’s star has tarnished ?  Who’s the real DITR and who went in the SHITR.  In Part One of our look back we will focus on the International signings.  Those bonus baby IFA’s that scouts told us were worth a King’s ransom, and the ones that teams took a flyer on.

In season 17 121 IFA’s were signed.  57 were pitchers and 64 were position players.  Surprisingly, (by today’s standards) only four players signed contracts of 10 million or more.  Certainly not exorbitant when you consider some of the cash spread around in season 21 where bonuses reached as high as $40M+.  There are obviously a number of players we could have highlighted in this report.  And not every player signed could be evaluated in the time we had.  So we chose to look at the top 4 signings in terms of Bonus money extended.  And also some solid cheaper acquisitions and a few players who may have questions marks in their future.

Headlining the season 17 group were pitchers Eswalin Chavez ($24.5 M) and Fu-Te Johjima ($21M).  LF Jhonny Tavarez ($15.8M) and 2B Al Ordonez ($14.1M) were the other $10 million dollar men.  Johjima and Ordonez remain with their original teams.  Atlanta traded Chavez to Vancouver in the Benny Marcum deal on February 4^th 2014.  Taverez moved from Mexico City to New York in Season 20 as part of the Scooter Lee deal.

All four of these players have either reached AAA or the Majors for their respective teams.  And while the jury may be out on AAA players Chavez and Ordonez, they both appear to be ready to make the move to the ML squad next season.  Chavez had a brief ML stop in season 20 that was less than stellar but his minor league numbers (2.49 ERA and 1.08 WHIP) are too good to ignore.  Chavez is a legit three pitch hurler and in season 21 he worked hard to improve his slider and change. He has good stamina, Control both splits and his three main pitches are solid.  The thinking around the league is that his first exposure to the majors helped him refocus and he should return to the Bigs for good in season 22.  He is expected to be a mainstay on the Atlanta roster for many seasons.

Concerns over Ordonez’s susceptibility to injury surfaced this season as he landed on the DL twice.   But, he still managed to hit .366 and has a career minor league average of .358.  He won’t hit for power but he should flourish in Detroit where small ball is the name of the game.  He has solid numbers across the board in Contact, Eye and Splits.  He doesn't have the speed of a leadoff hitter but he will make a solid number 2 hitter.  Defensively, the experiment in Right Field produced less than stellar results with serious questions about his arm being raised.  Look for him to either move back to 2B or LF during spring ball.  He is expected to make a move to the big roster next season after the 20 day FA window closes.

Johjima made his ML debut in season 19.  It was brief, but laid the foundation for his first full season in 20.  In season 20 he was 13-8 with an ERA of 2.85. Opponents only hit .228 and his WHIP was 1.19.  Last season was shortened by nerve irritation and the Colonels quickly shut him down to protect his arm.  Even still, he managed numbers similar to season 20.  His recovery appears to be on track and this 22 year old is expected to continue his growth over the next 4 or 5 seasons.  Johjima is another player with three solid pitches.  Scouts rave about his right hand split.  But he also has strong numbers from the left side, as well as serious major league stamina and control.  He is in a contract year and the current status of the Louisville franchise may impact him.  Johjima appears to be everything scouts projected him to be and if he stays relatively injury free he will anchor the pitching staff for years to come.

Jhonny Taverez is our other ML regular.  Taverez made his ML debut in season 20.  After a quick minor league career, Taverez seems to be struggling with ML pitching.  A sore shoulder suffered in season 17 seems to be in the rear view mirror, but questions remain as to whether or not that injury impacted his growth.  The New York media has been ruthless in their criticism of Jhonny’s hitting numbers.  With his high power rankings, and the short 314 foot porch in New York, the expectation was for him to be a solid force in the middle of the lineup.  Without large homerun numbers, his .256 ML career average became an issue for the media.  In response, Jhonny spent some time in Venezuela winter ball where he improved his right hand split.  The good news is that league scouts say that he is not done improving his hitting skills.  But they also raise questions about his defensive skills.  One GM pointed out that he was a league low .955 among LF last season.  Could a move to 1B be in his future ?  Not with Pete Benson also on the roster.  Jhonny Taverez seems to be at a crossroads in his career.  Season 22 may be a make or break one for him in New York.

That’s where we stand with the Big Four of season 17.  But what about the other IFA’s  ?  There will still 117 other signings and several of those still raked in a hefty pay day.  How are they doing ? 

Rising Stock

Monterrey’s Yunel Rios was signed for a reasonable $6.0M in season 17.  He was claimed off waivers later that same season.  Since that time he has made a steady march through the minors and last season he was called up for good.  Before signing, Rios was projected to have some high hitting numbers.  So far, he seems to be on track.  With additional growth seasons ahead of him, he seems to be in line to hit the projections. His .363 AVG and OBP of .414 in his first full ML season forced the EXPRESS to give him time behind the plate. Although his coaches would like to see improvement in his pitch calling, his defensive skills are good enough to keep him there.  There’s no question that the waiver acquisition by Monterrey was a wise one.

When DC signed Wascar Herrera for $270K midway through the season.  It barely created a ripple within league offices.  To be perfectly honest, Herrera was overlooked by 31 other teams.  Under the watchful eye of DC’s Latin Scout Enrique Campos, Herrera was given a private workout in Pozo Hondo.  Originally a Left Fielder, DC moved him to first base and started him in the Rookie league that same year.  Although he lacks the traditional power numbers of a 1B, his contact and batting eye caught the attention of the DC staff.  Since season 17, Wascar has moved steadily through the minors and is looking to start season 22 in AA.   Along the way his splits have improved as have his range and glove numbers.  After hitting .357 and making the all-star team, bigger things are certainly expected.  The jury is still out on whether or not Wascar can crack the Major league roster.  But he is continuing to grow.  And for a few bucks, DC got a steal. 

Being Watched Closely

While the jury may still be out on these players, the early returns have been a little spotty.  Is this the year that these players make their ML debut ?

Ricardo Ramirez was signed for $8.0M to be one of the bullpen mainstays in KC.  He may be knocking on the door having spent his last two seasons in AAA.  Season 21 was far better than season 20.  With a 3.44 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, he is beginning to show signs that he is ready for the challenge of the Bigs.  No one can argue with his first pitch.  And his control has been great, registering nearly a strikeout per inning and a little over 2 walks per 9 innings. The question is, can he duplicate this in the majors.  There are still some concerns over his right hand split.  He will also need a reliable second pitch to make the impact KC is hoping for.

Angel Rodriguez may also be at the crossroads of his career.  His growth appears to have slowed significantly and his defensive numbers put him slightly below the ML average.  Signed for a reasonable $5.2M, the investment in Rodriguez has been minimal.  Atlanta added Rodriguez in a season 20 as part of the trade for Al McAnaney with Iowa City.  Rodriguez just completed his third season in AAA where he hit a respectable .277.  This spring, Atlanta will probably be evaluating Rodriguez’ future with the team.  A fourth season at AAA may weigh heavily on his psyche.

Another player under his team’s watchful eye will be CF Ruben Canseco.  Canseco was another reasonable acquisition.  He was signed for $4.8M by Dover.  He was signed in the second half of the season, sent to the Arizona instructional league, and didn't see any significant playing time until season 18.  Since then he has moved up the minor league food chain, and was at AAA last season.  He excels as a base runner with not only great speed on the base paths but also game savvy.   As you would imagine, his range is good as well.  But, he will need to improve his glove, arm and throwing accuracy.  All three are critical for a CF.  But he is still progressing.  Dover is hoping that improvement this spring may signal that he is ready for the Big League squad in season 21 or 22.  Offensively he has to cut down on his strikeouts and improve his batting eye.  He registered nearly 200 strikeouts in 1000 at bats over the last two seasons.  And his OPB is .244.  He may possess the speed and high enough contact to bat leadoff.  But without an improved batting eye and more plate patience he won’t be given the chance.

C Pedro Moreno was signed for $4.1M.  In his first ML season with the Jaxx, he split time with Juan Hernandez.  Hernandez possess the better defensive skills and Moreno the better bat.  Moreno has been a pleasant surprise for the Jaxx, making it to the ML squad in his fifth season.  He has good hitting ratings particularly against right handed pitchers.  He should be more difficult to strike out because of his batting eye, but he needs to improve his patience at the plate.  Defensively his arm is lethal for runners trying to steal.  But he will need to improve his range and pitch calling to win the starting job full time.  Long term, Moreno should be a mainstay in Jacksonville.  And he should play a valuable role as a backup Catcher and DH.

In Part two we will look back on the Season 17 draft.  As always, there were winners and there were losers.  There were gambles that paid off, and some that didn't.

The John Report ….. five season’s later …. Part Two

When the smoke cleared, and all the supplemental picks were taken, Season 17’s Draft produced 77 first round picks.  That is the most 1st round selections in the History of JB5.  70 of the 77 picks signed.  And 41 of those picks are already on a major league squad.  25 more sit at AAA ready to make the jump.  With all of the first round selections, the rest of the draft was a little watered down.  Round two produced 34 selections, seven of which are already in the majors.  As you would expect, all ten of the first eleven selections who signed, are making a contribution to the ML roster.  Two of the top 11 picks are notable for their immediate contributions.

Overlooked ?

One pick in season 17 really stands out.  In season 18 1B Sal Becker was the MVP of the Futures game.  One season earlier, Becker was the sixth pick in the draft.  The pride of Hawkins Texas, already has three complete ML seasons under his belt.  He was the season 19 NL ROY, and the season 20 NL MVP.  What an impressive start.  Rumor has it his bust is already being ordered for the HOF.  He has solid power numbers, with 113 HRs and a career average of .308.  Becker is a switch hitter and that allows Nashville to leave him in the cleanup spot no matter who he is facing.  Long range projections indicate Becker still has growth left.  If there is a concern about Becker it’s his defensive skills. Although he projects slightly below average as a first baseman, his season 21 stats were respectable.  He has a long career ahead of him in the cleanup spot for Nashville.  And at some point off in the future, he might be a solid trade chip where he would project to a DH role in the AL.  But that appears to be a long way off in the future.

Another big time contributor was picked right after Becker.  With pick seven, Washington selected 1B Torey Zagone.  Zagone just completed his first season on the big league roster for DC.  Another power hitter with great numbers, Zagone hit 46 HRs and .308 in season 21, and won the NL ROY award.  Originally drafted as a Left Fielder when he came out of high school, Zagone began to make huge strides after he was moved to 1B and began to focus on his hitting.  Scouts project Zagone to be one of the top defensive first basemen in the NL with a good glove and excellent range numbers.  Add this to his already impressive offensive skills and you have another future HOF candidate.  In any other season, Zagone would probably be the top player selected in the draft.  One thing is certain.  Since Zagone and Becker both play the same position, and both entered JB5 in season 17, their careers will constantly be linked.

As expected

Three of the top 11 selections in season 17 are contributing as expected.  Although their contribution may not have reached the heights of Becker and Zagone, they are doing just fine.  Top pick, Will Moore has solidified the CF position for Rochester.  Like Zagone, season 21 was his first full time at the ML level.  He was a Silver Slugger, and was selected for the All-Star team.  His career .304 average, 23 HRs and 54 SBs are reflective of his skills.  He has excellent contact and speed.  And his batting eye is already one of the best in the league.  Over the last few seasons Moore has worked to improve his base running skills.  He had 51 thefts in 62 attempts last season.  His coaches tell me those numbers will increase as he learns more about the pitchers in this league.  All this, and he possess a little pop in his bat.  All in all, Moore is progressing just as expected.  Rochester is looking forward to many “Moore” seasons from Will.

Second pick Jerome Ray just completed his second season on the Atlanta ML roster.  The lefty is expected to be the future ace of the Atlanta staff.  After a rocky season 20, he went to work in Venezuelan winter league to improve on his splits.  His season 21 numbers reflect those improvements.  18-8 as a starter in season 21, Ray lowered his WHIP (1.15) and his ERA (2.92).  Scouts like his control, improved splits and his nice four seam fast ball.  In season 21, Ray was recognized as an early Cy Young candidate and was rewarded with a trip the All-star game.  It’s probably not his last.  Atlanta is methodically building a young talented team and Ray looks to be the future ace of the Atlanta staff.

Fifth Pick Pedro Zapata is another player who made a quick jump to the ML roster.  Pedro joined the big squad in season 19 and immediately hit .301.  Over his three seasons in the Bigs, he has held steady with a career average of .285 and an OBP of .351.  Across the board, Pedro’s hitting ratings are all in the 70s and his ability as a switch hitter, makes him very valuable.  Scouts around the league would like to see his glove work improve.  But, on the plus side, he was able to cut his minus plays significantly in season 21.  Zapata played a multiple of positions in season 20 and that versatility may come in very important to the Zombies in the future if they find a better glove to play SS.

Acquired by Atlanta in a season 20 trade with his original team (San Francisco), Stuffy Madson is another significant piece to the rebuild taking place in Atlanta.  As the 13th selection the season 17 draft, Madson was the focal point in a trade that sent Al Pena and Bengie Cayones to Colorado Springs.  Originally drafted as a RF, Madson was moved to Left once he arrived in Atlanta.  The move fits his defensive skills much better.  Although he hit a solid .301 in his first season for Atlanta, projections show that Madson is still improving his hitting ratings.  He certainly provides a little more power (25 HRs in season 21) than expected from a two hole hitter.  His ratings are pretty solid across the board and he fits nicely into the long range plans in Atlanta.

Questions that need to be answered

Injuries to Willie Guardado (31st selection) have slowed his progress and growth.  As he enters season 22, there are some big questions that need to be answered.  Another season at AA may really set him back psychologically.  If the long term goal is to have him pitch in the majors, he will need to transition to AAA this season.   Scouts around the league are beginning to question whether or not he can play at the top level.  How much of his growth slowdown is because of injuries ?  Guardado’s makeup will probably have a lot to do with how he recovers.  

Everyone in the Anaheim organization will be keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

Acquired from Atlanta in a mid-season trade, Cookie Lopez (selection 36) is also on Anaheim’s watch list.  Lopez should also make the transition to AAA this season.  Cookie is another player whose batting skills growth appears to have slowed significantly.  His value to the big squad may be defensively.  He already possess all of the defensive skills you would want in a ML 3B.  And indications are that he will continue to improve defensively.  This will be a season where work with a great hitting coach may decide whether or not Lopez views the “California Spectacular” geysers from the dugout or a sports bar in season 23.

AL First Half Review

Well after completing the NL first half review yesterday, let’s take a look back on the First half of the year in the AL and what it has had to offer so far.

Biggest Surprise – The parody in the South and West

                The AL South and the AL West both boast the biggest parody amongst any divisions in our league.  Both divisions separate worst to first by only 7 games, leaving no team out of the division title race as the season approaches the All-Star break.  One hot streak may be all it takes for someone to run away in one of these divisions, setting up a nail biting second half

AL Cy Young – With much respect to everyone else pitching in the AL, it is Scooter Lee’s league and everyone else just gets to play here.  Despite having to pitch in Yankee Stadium, the winner of 2 of the last 3 Cy Young Awards is currently 10-3 with a sub 2.00 ERA.  He also leads the league in Strikeouts, WHIP and almost every other stat worth mentioning. 

AL MVP – I gave some thought to putting Scooter Lee’s name here as well, as his season has been that good, but you just can’t overlook the seasons Mariano Johnson and Paxton Harper are putting together.  Harper is 3^rd in HR, leading in RBI’s all while hitting .316 and playing superb D out in LF for Boston.  Johnson’s leading the league hitting .379, is first in slugging and OPS and is trying to help Arizona overcome the loss of Juan Dominguez over the off-season as he left for greener pastures in the NL.  All that being said Paxton Harper key’s the offense for the team with the best record in the league and has to be the first half MVP.

With half a season left to go, anything is possible in any division. The trade deadline is looming, and soon buyers and sellers will emerge, so here’s hoping the 2^nd half of this season is as competitive as the first all around.  If it is most races can expect to go down to the wire and be undecided heading into the last week of the season.

Coming soon: Season 19 Draft Review

NL First Half Review

Well the season is slowly creeping up on the halfway point, so let’s review where we stand.  By the looks of things currently it is shaping up to be a 7 team battle out west for 5 spots.  This should lead to an interesting second half as teams jockey for playoff contention

Biggest Surprise – Charleston Chews – After years of mediocrity the Chews have themselves positioned for a possible post-season run here.  The only question is whether or not their pitching can hold up over the second half.  This team will only go as far as their starting rotation and defense take them.  Currently 2^nd in the league in runs allowed but 13^th in runs scored, this team has surprised everyone as it tries to capture its first division title. 

MVP – While Juan Dominguez has been everything Atlanta has hoped for and more, I just can’t justify giving an MVP to a player whose team is under .500, so my choice in this matter is George Wood, Mexico’s Do It All SS, who is currently leading the league in RBIs and is the focal point of the team with the best record in baseball.

CY Young – The half season Cy Young winner is probably the hardest choice I’ve made writing this.  You could make a case for half an Anaheim’s pitching staff alone for the award.  But in the end I’m going with Henry Weinhardt. Calling the Sandbox that is Mexico his home, Henry has still put up a first half stat line that would make any manager blush. 10-3 2 complete games, 2.28 ERA all while logging the 2^nd most inning of any pitcher in the NL. 

If the second half of the season is anything like the first, all I have to say is we are in for a treat in the NL as the playoff races materialize and every game means something.

Coming Early Next Week - The AL and Draft Reviews

Relocation Coming Soon

AL North - The Scranton Schrutes are leaving the Beet Farm, for hopefully greener pastures. After placing 3rd in the AL North and being left out in the cold by a ultra competitive Wild Card race, this team is still growing. Starting with their youth, Christopher Meluskey has proven he can be a future leader for this team. Winning the Gold Glove in left field and Rookie of the Year honors in season 17, he has the foundation to build something special wherever this franchise plants its roots next.

Magglio Escobar is still the ace of the pitching staff. Even at 33, he is a workhorse, reaching 220 Innings Pitched for the 6th time in his career. A move to even the slightest of a pitcher's park might help as he continues to age.

Right behind Escobar in the rotation, is veteran Lonny Sardinha who has proven he still has what it takes to compete at a high level. With former SS turned Gold Glove CF, Endy Lewis patrolling the field, not too many balls are gonna be falling in if hit in his direction.

AL West - Winning the division five out of the last eight seasons and making two World Series appearances (won it all in season 14), this franchise has been one of the most consistent in recent memory. Now looking for new ownership for the first time in 14 seasons, there is plenty here to get excited about.

Ace Greg Price added a fifth Cy Young award to his mantle in season 17 and has made plenty of room to add more going forward. With an offense that includes a 40 home run hitter in Darren Spencer (he's only 25) and future HOF hopeful, Tom Nickle, Price's 22 wins in S17 seem like a very repeatable task once S18 is under way.

NL North - A project going forward this franchise is just one season removed from a 91 win season. It may not take that long too get back there however. Given the right owner and a few good veterans like, Sean Jeffcoat whose .329 career average ranks him third All-Time in J5B history. Al Pimental is coming off another great year at the plate where he posted a .337 AVG and .437 OBP.

The youth movement that is on its way to this franchise will be key. All former first rounders, all pitchers. Taylor Barkley, Andre Stewart, Terry Beckett, and Glen Ventrella will all be headed to the ML ranks within 2-3 seasons. Whether these guys make it to the bigs or act as trade chips along the way, their contributions will certainly have an impact.

Shipping Up To Boston

Roy Cepeda Boston Patriots Age: 37 B/T: R/R Born: Santa Ana, CA Position(s): 1B/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Future Hall of Famer, Roy Cepeda's career isn't done just yet. On Wednesday afternoon, the league approved a trade that will send Cepeda to Boston, for a minor league pitching prospect.


Cepeda's entire career has been within the (currently) Texas Coyotes organization. After putting up HOF numbers throughout his career, Cepeda saw his playing time dip last season and continue to fall this year. "[Ownership] has always been honest with me and kept me well in the loop in terms of what they're plans for the team and myself have been."  said Cepeda. "I've been a proud member of the Coyotes for many seasons and will always cherish the time I've had here. In my reduced role, I tried my best to mentor the younger guys and always do anything the team needed. I just feel that at this point in my career I still have a little more to offer on the field, in the right situation, before its over."

Cepeda went to ownership asking for a trade over the weekend, and was quickly obliged. GM Diesel had this to say over conference call, "Roy has always been everything you want in a player. He's obviously talented, but his toughness and work ethic have always been his greatest attributes. He's been a leader on and off the field over the years and has done a fantastic job of mentoring some of our younger guys since they've come up."

"He came to me on Saturday and asked if I'd be willing to look at a trade, which I agreed. I knew it wouldn't be very hard to find a team that would want a guy like Roy, but I also wanted to make sure we traded him in to a good situation. He gave us a short list of places he thought he'd like to end up and the first call I made was to Boston. I knew they might have a need for a bat off the bench or DH and knew that they would give him the at-bats he was looking for."

"I'm very sad to see him leave. He's a great player, that has meant a lot to this organization and has become a great friend to a lot of us. I wish him the best."

Cepeda landed in Boston earlier this evening and had this to say to reporters, "I couldn't be happier to be here with the Patriots. They're a great organization. I know a few guys in the club house really well, and they have nothing but positive things to say. I'm excited to get on the field at Fenway."

Cepeda is currently third on the J5B all-time list in Hits and Runs Batted In. He also sits just five Home runs shy of 500 for his career.

Up for Grabs

Salem Witch Trials (AL) pbsilver11 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Currently residing in Salem, Oregon, the Witch Trials will be taking place elsewhere next season. This franchise is currently up for grabs to new ownership.

Within the AL West, the Witch Trials have been an average franchise. They have finished 3rd or 4th in the division 9 straight seasons. The have not had a winning record since season 7, but have not been too far under .500 since then. This Franchise is in need of a dedicated Owner/GM that knows how to build a winner. Currently, this franchise has some young talent and key verterans in place that will help win sooner rather than later.

Dean Counsell is currently under contract for The next 2 seasons. A key veteran for the franchise is their highest rated player. He has hit for average the last few seasons and has some pop. Defensively has been primarily a Center Fielder, though a position change might be in his very near future.

Francisco Cedeno is J5B's reigning Gold Glove winner at SS in the AL. In fact, he's won 5 straight. While at the plate, he'll strikeout a lot but will knock out a few home runs as well. He might not be a premiere run producer, but his Elite glove will certainly prevent more than a few.

At the ripe old age of 24, Kenny Judd has a lot of good time left in him. Playing a reduced role the last 2 seasons, many GM's think he's been wasted. He has great speed and a solid contact rate. An increase in playing time under new ownership might be just what he needs to really show what he can do.

Jack Garcia saw full time duty as the teams closer in season 16 and fared rather well. He has loads of talent and looks to be the teams closer for many years to come.

Rookie Tex Floyd had some growing pains in his first year in Oregon, but the 7th overall pick in season 13 still has plenty of room to grow.

The pride of the farm system has to be Skip Andrews. Some GM's say he could play in the Majors right now, but would benefit from a little more seasoning. At age 20 he destroyed High A competition. He should be ready to help the Major League club very soon.

The Franchise

The franchise formally known as the Buffalo Sabres, is well positioned to contend in the AL North in season 16 and beyond. They have veteran leaders in place, like Humberto Rodriguez, Lonny Sardinha, & J5B all-time saves leader, Kane Durocher. Heading in to the prime of his career, Shortstop, Endy Lewis will be looking to build off his best season yet.

A few years removed from an ALCS appearance, Buffalo has been at the bottom of the AL North for a couple of seasons now. Although they've never been too far out of contention. With low finishes in the standings, comes higher draft position. The headliner among prospects in the organization is Pat Perisho. Coming off a Cy Young award at the AA level in season 15, Perisho may be ready to make the jump to the Major's this season and help this franchise (to be named later). 

A Race to the Finish (NL)

1.  Pawtucket Paw Sox (64-27) - They have been nothing short of dominant and are on pace for 114 wins this season.  With a 24 game division lead, the Paw Sox can afford to rest players already as they prep for a playoff run.

All-Star Count - 7

Most Outstanding Player - All-Star snub Terrel Boyle (1.027 OPS)


2.  Iowa City Hawks (58-33) - A surprise second seed coming off a disappointing record last year.  New ownership and management has instantly turned this team into a contender in the NL.  With a five game division lead there is still plenty of work to be done though.  Iowa City relies on balanced pitching, defense, and offense and look like a safe bet to at least land a wild card spot.

All-Star Count - 3

Most Outstanding Player - HR Champ Antone Grilli (27 HR)


3.  Anaheim Angels (54-37) - Last season's World Series representative from the NL is having another great season.  It has been a season of extreme highs and lows for the defending NL champs though with long winning and losing streaks at different times.  They are clinging onto a slim two game lead in their division and will need a strong second half to snag a high playoff seed.

All-Star Count - 6

Most Outstanding Player - Albert Valazquez (1.037 OPS)


4.  Richmond Flying Squirrels (53-38) - After narrowly falling short of the playoffs last season, Richmond has come out on a mission this season and hold a seven game division lead.  Their young players are coming into their own and Richmond appears to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

All-Star Count - 4

Most Outstanding Player - Dicky Scheffer (1.080 OPS)


5.  Dover Destroyers (53-38) - A Wild Card team from last season, Dover has aspirations of not only making the playoffs, but taking home the division crown this year.  They trail Iowa City by just five games at the All-Star break. 

All-Star Count - 4

Most Outstanding Player - Steven Peterson (11-2 with a 1.17 WHIP)


6.  Cheyenne Primetimers (52-39) - Holding onto the sixth and final Wild Card spot will not be easy.  Cheyenne may have multiple ways to get into the playoffs though as they are only two games out of the division lead.  Needless to say, they will need to continue to play well down the stretch unless they want to start golf season early.

All-Star Count - 1

Most Outstanding Player - Julio Montanez (9-1 with a 2.96 ERA)


7.  San Diego American Kings (47-44) - On the outside looking in right now, the American Kings will need to continue their good play as of late for the rest of the year.  They are currently running third in their division, but are only five games out of the final Wild Card spot.  This team is built on pitching and they'll need to continue to paint the corners the rest of the way to earn a trip into the postseason.

All-Star Count - 1

Most Outstanding Player - Chris Jarvis (28 Saves)


8.  Mexico City Matadors (46-45) - A playoff team by the skin of their teeth last season, Mexico City is desperately trying to get back to the postseason again.  This team is young and may be a year or two away, but that hasn't stopped them from fighting.  They are currently six games out of the last Wild Card spot.  New GM citizenkyle2 has been more active then anyone pulling off a major league leading 10 trades prior to the All-Star break.

All-Star Count - 0

Most Outstanding Player -Rookie Sensation Henry Weinhardt (97 K's with at 2.99 ERA)

Trades In Review

The half way point of the season is rapidly approaching, and we'll be reviewing some the bigger trades that have gone down so far in Johnny5Bench.

First up...

Pablo Zapata & Skip Kershaw traded to the Texas Coyotes.

For 

Jack Cooper & Lonny Merchado traded to the Arizona Border Patrol. 

Pablo Zapata Texas Coyotes Age: 31 B/T: R/R Born: Moca, DO Position(s): P (ClA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Zapata was a target of the Coyotes in season 14 but wasn't able to come to an agreement on a trade. With new Arizona GM, tnicol44, coming in for season 15, a deal was struck that filled needs for both clubs. Zapata was the biggest name involved in the trade and had big shoes to fill. He has taken over for Coyote's all-time saves leader Julian Marquez as the teams closer. In 33 appearances this year, Zapata owns a 3-1 record, converting 21 of 23 save opportunities. His 1.87 ERA and .98 WHIP lead the teams pitching staff this season. Zapata looks be be headed to the All-Star game for the first time since his season 10 appearance with Oakland.

Skip Kershaw Texas Coyotes Age: 21 B/T: R/R Born: Iroquois, SD Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Kershaw was more of a throw in to the deal. A decent prospect that hadn't lived up to his talent, is now in his 3rd organization in 4 years. Last year at AA, Kershaw was lit up on a regular basis posting a 6.60 ERA & 1.76 WHIP while coming out of the bullpen. Certainly not encouraging numbers. However, now with Texas, he has turned it around. Moving back to the starting rotation and repeating his time at AA, Kershaw is taking advantage of his second chance, earning himself a 2.55 ERA 1.17 WHIP.

Jack Cooper Arizona Border Patrol Age: 24 B/T: R/R Born: Groveland, CA Position(s): SS/IF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Jack Cooper has all the skills needed to be a good starting shortstop in the Major Leagues. So far this season he has shown flashes of what he could be down the road, but so far as really struggled to put all together consistently. He is hitting just .212 with an OBP of .273. He has never been a power hitter so his 1 homerun is no shock, but the low AVG an OBP really is compared to his career in the minors, where he hit .294 with a .382 OBP. As far as defense is concerned, Cooper has above average range, good glove and the arm strength needed to stay at SS in the majors. Like his hitting, he has struggled in the field. With 16 errors so far he hasn't blown anybody away with his defense, although Cooper leads the American League with a 5.98 RF. 

Lonny Mercado Arizona Border Patrol Age: 25 B/T: L/L Born: Wolf Lake, IL Position(s): P (SuB) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Lonny Machado had been in the Coyotes system for all 3 of his professional seasons. As a late inning pitcher during his 3 year minor league career, Machado has a 3.75 ERA and 1.33 WHIP during that span. Including a 3.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in AAA last season for the Coyotes. Machado was the odd man out when the Coyotes had 3 openings in their bullpen they were hoping to fill with youth from the farm. And with that, he was available to help another organization. So far, he hasn't shown much of his potential in the stats department. His 8.46 ERA and 2.01 WHIP this season, show that there is a lot of room for improvement. The major issue for him this year has been the development of his slider. He hasn't been able to throw it effectively, leaving opposing hitters ready to jump on his plus fastball. If Machado can improve his slider he has a shot to be a good Major Leaguer. If not, it'll be more of the same and a shorter ML career than most were expecting.