Thursday, April 29, 2010

Top SS

1. Juan Berroa (Bur) Last Season Unranked at 3rd. One of the weakest fielders at SS he is far and away the best offensive player. A move back to 3rd or possibly 2nd would do wonders for his overall game. At only 24 is one of the bright spots in the league.
2. Julio Duran (Fre) Last Season Unranked. Having a great bounce back season. Fielding like he always could, is also having a solid season with the bat on pace for 20 homers 20 steal and 80 rbi and a solid .290 avg.
3. Julius Serrano (Sct) Last Season Ranked 2nd. Having another strong season, perhaps better than last season as he has upped his average and OBP. Is making his claim as one of the worlds best Short Stops of all time.
4. Nash Metcalfe (Hart) Last Season Ranked 1st. Having another strong season with the bat but his defensive woes are holding him back. Another guy that could use a move to 3rd base or 2nd.
5. Ricky Lawton (Det) Last Season UnRanked. Finishing off a great career with a strong season. Making all the plays with the glove and is among the better hitters as always. Potential hall of famer.
6. Dolf Titan (Mon) Last Season Unranked. Playing better defense then most would have expected. If he could steal he would the best offensive player at SS. But because he cant he ranks behind Berroa in that case.
7. Angel Castillo (Dur) Last Season 5th. Young player that has taken a bit of a step back. His fielding is slightly improved but his offense has kind of leveled off. With his skills however he should be part of the top ten for years to come.
8. Max Gutierrez (NwB) Last Season Unranked. Played all over the diamond last season. Now a solid SS that is one of the top fielders in the game.
9. Max Chavez (Boi) Last Season 8th. While his ranking has gone down, I feel he is actually getting better. Offense is improved slightly, as has his defense. Just needs to run a little more and he will break the top 5.
10. Derrek Beltre (Aug) Last Season Unranked. Winding down a very solid career. Still runs well and his glove isn’t awful. This may be his last stand on the top ten.

The Worst Three.
3. Claude Seaton
2. Francis Bennett
1. Ewell Hansell

Saturday, April 17, 2010

AL WEST SNAPSHOT

AL WEST

BOISE BROWNCOATS- Evan43 is the reigning AL champ, and he's got the Browncoats off to another good start this year. As of this writing they are 21 games over .500 at 47-26 and leading the West by 3 games. Made a splash by signing 2B Carlton Roosevelt, who has hit 14 HRs but is hitting only .244. FA RP Patrick York(3-0, 1.99 ERA) has bee effective. Boise is in the top 5 in the league both on offense and in pitching. Evan's club is led by a number of hitting stalwarts. Gold Glove CF Clayton Hairston(.322, 15 SB) has moved over to LF, but is still effective. 4 time MVP C Olmedo Rivas(.322, 17 HR) is now the full time DH. Former LF Alfonso Tejera(.304, 15 HR) has a great resume(6 time AS, 4 time Silver Slugger, 3 Gold Gloves) and is still at the top of his game. Trade acquisition 3B Jumbo Neruda(.303, 18 HR, 24 SB) has been a big plus. Staff leader Bobby Stephenson(7-1, 3.29 ERA) has 2 Cy Young awards and 5 AS appearances. Closer Felipe Cairo(18 Svs) has 12 AS appearances and 3 Fireman of the Year awards. Boise took a big hit to it's staff when SP Artie Dimaggio went down with a season ending, career threatening elbow injury. While this team is still one of the best in the league, more than half of it's roster are on the wrong side of 30, with all-time stars like Rivas(34), Hairston(35), Cairo(34), Stephenson(32), and Tejera(31) all logging more than 10 ML campaigns. That may require some attention in the near future, but for this year they are well able to defend their title.

SAN JOSE GIANTS- nzballa has his Giants lurking just 3 games off the division lead. Picked up Darrin Lee(.304, 19 SBs) to man 3B. Also signed Julian Young(.303) to patrol CF. Just traded 3 players to acquire C Sidney Martin(.356) to help handle the pitching staff. SJ has led the league in ERA for 3 years running and they are among the best again this year. I don't think here is a team in the league that can rival their starting staff. Dave Wilkinson(8-3, 2.43 ERA) is a 6 time AS and even won a Fireman of the Year award before becoming one of the league's top SPs. Last year' ROY Phil Corino is 7-6 with a 2.53 ERA. Sean Brown(7-3, 2.44 ERA) is a 2 time AS. SP/LR Shane Rolls is 9-1. Closer Alberto Aparicio has 12 saves but a 6.00 ERA. The Giants are not exactly lacking in offense either. They already have 5 players with double-digit HRs. Slugging rookie 1B Pepe Nunez(.326, 17,60) is a ROY candidate. Harry Owen(.316, 15 HR) mans LF. Darin Watson(.295) is an excellent defensive SS, but is hitting over his head. After missing the playoffs last season, nz is a good bet to return this year.

VANCOUVER VILLAINS- jvburns club won this division last season, but is hovering just over .500 at 37-36, 10 games back. Trade acquisition SP Andres Cabrera(7-4, 3.13) has been good. David Clark(2-4, 4.53) not so much. The pitching is in the top 1/3 of the league, but the offense is decidedly average. There are some offensive bright spots. 3B Al Canseco(.324, 23,64, 17 SB) is a 5x AS with 5 Silver Slugger awards. RF Alton Buckley(.321,17,60) is a former ROY and 7x AS, with 2 Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove. Speedy CF Alton Buckley has 20 SB. DH Bump Sabel has 16 HRs, but is hitting well below his career average. SPs Johnny Richardson(8-4), Shane Coffman(6-5, 3.51), Andres Cabrera(7-4, 3.13), & Harry Seneca(4-3, 3.74) are all doing a good job. Closer Willie Alarcon(2.16 ERA) is 14-15 in saves. This is still a talented team, but it's going to be hard to make up 10 games in this tough division.

SCOTTSDALE SUNNY- mdtiger showed improvement last season in his 2nd year at the helm, but seems to have taken a step back this year. Currently, the Sunny is 20 games out at 27-46. Signed a few FAs, the best of which are LF Ronn Hall(.287, 15 HR) and closer Carson Hoffman(3.06 ERA, .227 OAvg, 10-11 Svs). Rule 5 pickups Willie Alexander and Roland Douglass have played sparingly. The pitching ranks last in the league with a 6.04 ERA. Team BA of .263 ranks 14th. The team does have some power(109 HR, 5th). DH Jumbo Flores(.339, 11 HR) leads the offense. 1B Wayne Smalley(.281, 21,59) leads the club in HRs. SP Jesus Benitez is 7-4. Highly paid FA Placido Hernandez($13M+) is 1-9. With 14 players on the roster 30 or older, it may be time to sell off some older talent to contenders for some prospects.

Monday, April 12, 2010

AL SOUTH SNAPSHOT

AL SOUTH

LOUISVILLE SLUGGERS-davidbutler9 took over this team 5 years ago and it was in terrible shape. david had a plan and he has shown constant improvement. Now all his work appears to be paying off. His Sluggers are now a legitimate contender. Louisville currently sits atop the division with a 35-23 record. Much of that success is due to a stellar 17-8 home record. Swung a few trades that will help. SP Emil Pena(4-2, 3.09 ERA), All Star 3B Mark Jones(12 HR, .274 BA), former MVP LF Billy Ledee(.282, 11 HR), RF Bey Morris(11 HR) have all been a plus. 3 time All Star RF Ivan Gonzalez(27 SBs) is hitting .371. Aurelio Zorrilla(.317, 11 HR) is handling DH duties. 1B/2B Virgil Rodriguez(17 HR, .311) is a 5 time All Star. SPs Brandon Dale(8-3, 3.42 ERA) leads the pitching staff. Vin Guevara(9 Svs, .246 OAvg) is handling closer duties. david has his club in the top 5 in offense, pitching, and fielding. That will be good enough to be a solid contender for the division title and who knows how much more.

FLORIDA FIRE SAILFISH- jmercer77 won 90 games last season and looks to be on a similar pace this year. The Fish are currently 32-26 and 3 games back. The offense and pitching rank about the middle of the pack, but the fielding is a little sub par. Invested a lot of money in the FA market in the hopes of pushing the club to the next level. Signed 3 time AS and former ROY Luis Guillen(.319, 10 HR) to a LT contract and so far he hasn't disappointed. Also signed CF Toby Douglas(.293, 9 SB), who has won Gold Gloves at 3 different positions. So far in this young season, he already has 13+ plays in CF. Also signed LF Darron Pierce(.323, 11 HR). Traded for defensive C Trenidad Carrasquel platoon vs LHP. RF Miguel Palacios(14 HR, .306) has won 2 MVPs, ROY, 6 Silver Sluggers, and has made 6 AS teams. He's a sure-fire HOFer. DH Lance Kelleher(.297, 8 HR) and 2B David Olivo(.290, 11 HR) are solid contributors. Every SP is at .500 or better, led by Al Iglesias 6 wins. RP Greg Shelley is 7-1. Closer Diego Garza(16 Svs) was last year's Fireman of the Year. This core group should keep the Saifish in contention all season.

MONTERREY CHEESEHEADS- currently treading water at 29-29, 6 games behind. Leads the league in Runs and is 2nd in BA, but that is offset by a 5.76 team ERA. Tough to have to outslug other teams all the time. No major trades but vector21 was pretty active in the FA market. Unfortunately, the only one to have a positive impact so far is former Gold Glove C Aaron Bradshaw(.317, 6 HR). Rookie DH Vin Escobar(20 HR, .332, 1.023 OPS) has been stellar so far. SS Dolf Titan(.317, 17 HR), 1B Glen Sheets(16 HR), LF Ernest Payton(22 HR), and IF/OF Gary Hardy(15 HR) have all helped make this the most potent offense in the league. On the flip side, no SP has a winning record. RPs D'Angelo Figureoa(6 Svs, 2.11 ERA) and Felipe Vincente(1.83 ERA) have been bright spots on a disappointing pitching staff. Unless that turns around the Cheeseheads may find themselves continuing to have a mediocre season.

NEW ORLEANS FREEBEADS- last year's division champs are coming off a 92 win season. This year is a different story, as joshoakley's club is currently bringing up the rear, 11 games back with a 24-35 record. And with good reason, since both the offense and the pitching are near the bottom of the league. A .263 team BA and a league worst .397 SLG combined with a 5.86 team ERA is a far cry from the success of last year. josh stood pat and made no trades or Rule 5 pickups, and only one middling FA signing. It hasn't been all bad. DH Fred Wells is hitting .348 with 15 HRs. Reliable 2-time AS C Hector Gonzales is hitting .317 with 11 dingers. CF Red Sellers has 23 SBs. No SP has a winning record. The 5 main SPs are 14-23. As a matter of fact, the only pitcher with a winning record is RP Delino Castillo(4-2), but he sports a 9.82 ERA. It's a strange quirk of HBD where a team that wins a division one year can come back with virtually the same crew and finish last. I know. I'm currently doing the same thing in another league. But josh is an experienced owner and I'm sure he'll find a way to turn this thing around.

Friday, April 9, 2010

AL NORTH SNAPSHOT

AL NORTH



MONTREAL MOUNTIES-winmyron holds a slim division lead, albeit with a sub .500 25-26 record. Trade acquisition SS Francis Bennett has been sold defensively but has hit just .208. Picked up 3 FA pitchers-Slim Shouse, Donatello Poole, and Fred Collins, but none have gotten the job done to date. FA C Antonio Miller has hardly played. DH Delino Marin(1.113 OPS) is leading the AL with a .398 BA. C Albert Guerrero(.320 BA), 3B Pablo Chavez(.320, 11 HR), 1B F.P. Koskie(.309, 14 HR) and last year's MVP 2B Abraham Fonda(315, 13 HR, 9 SB) lead one of the league's more potent offenses. Pitching is another story. The Mounties currently have a 5.87 team ERA, 3rd worst in the AL. Closer Heath Donovan(11-13 Svs, 1.98 ERA) has been fine. SP Esteban Lee, a 20 game winner last year, is 2-6, 7.20 ERA. Omar Navarro is 6-2. Along with Dennis Boggs, winmyron's top 3 SPs are performing well below last season's levels. If the pitching can improve, the Mounties are a good bet to repeat as division champs.



MADISON MEEK MADNESS- sccrplyr16 is currently in the middle of the fight, just one game back at 24-27. FA signee LF Vic Rijo(.356, 7 HR) is off tho the best start of his career. MMM has a good offense, but it can't overcome their 5.73 team ERA. In addition to Rijo, 3B Ryan Darling(.333), and RF Dom Coscarart(.307, 19 HR) lead the offense. SPs Jin-Chi Shin and Julio Cedeno have 5 wins each. Closer duties are being shared by 3 pitchers, none of whom have been spectacular. If they can turn the pitching around, they may stay in the race all year.

TORONTO TOROS- This division has been turned on it's head. For many years you could flip the current standings and that was how they ended the year. I'm sure new commish goldenboy69 yearns for those halcyon days. The season started out OK, but then a long losing streak dropped the Toros to their current 21-31 record, but still only 5 games off the lead. But a 5.52 ERA coupled with a league worst .252 team BA does not bode well, and gb may have already decided to go into rebuilding mode. Signed a couple of FA RPs in Jack Lawton(2.42 ERA) & Miguel Acevedo(2.96 ERA, .198 OAvg) who have done well but at 36 & 38 years old, are not the answer for the future. Trade acquisitions 2B Tomas Franco(.208), CF Freddy Franco(.263, 7 HR), and 3B Howie Dickson(.228) are young enough to fit into a rebuilding plan, but none are superstars. It's not all bad, though. SS Eddie Post(.294) is OK defensively. RF Trevor Thebeau(.285, 16 HR) & Rookie DH Tim Logan(.284, 7 HR) provide some hope. No SP currently has a winning record. Alexander Lawrence(3.67) has a good ERA. Young Delino Morales(23) could have a good future, but Branch Hill, Olmedo Molina, and Mac Morris appear no better than average. Closer Eugene Carlson(12 Svs), a former #1 draft pick, is only 24 and had 39 saves last season. LR Miguel Acevedo(2.92 ERA) has been a plus. With only 6 players over 30 on the ML roster, the rebuilding process is underway.

MINNESOTA TWINKIES- How the mighty have fallen. brentnet has been the sole owner of this storied franchise that has finished 1st or 2nd in this division 11 times in 14 season, with 2 WS championships to his credit. Last season things fell apart and the Twinkies finished last for the first time in their history with a 67-95 record. Things aren't much better this year with a 19-33 record, but that still leaves them only 7 games back. Lone FA signee RP Roy Peters is 5-5 in saves, but a 6.08 ERA and .312 OAvg is not what brent is paying for. Rule 5 pickup RP Dernell Spivey(11.02 ERA, .367 OAvg) hasn't panned out so far. One thing the Twinkies have always been known for is their power, and they are still 2nd in the league in HRs(93). But that WIS power adjustment update may have really taken it's toll on this team. Even with all the HRs, they are next to last in RS. Young 1B Billy Corey(3.14, 15 HR) is a keeper. DH Gerry Allen(.284, 12 HR) has won 5 Silver Slugger awards and is still only 28. 24 year old 3B Scott Coles(16 HRs) has prodigious power. C Omar Mercedes has been a solid 20+ HR guy in his career. The pitching staff has been bad, sporting a team ERA of 5.83, and that's hard for any offense to overcome. One bright spot has been SP Mel Pearson(7-1, 3.41 ERA) and he's only 25. But with more than half the ML roster over 29, there's some work to be done to return this franchise to greatness.

Early Season Snapshot

With about a third of the season gone, let's take a look at how things stand.

AL EAST

NEW YORK TORRONES- Currently sporting a league best 32-17 record. This is a club built to contend. Not many changes from last year. Time is getting short for this mix to get it done. Rule 5 pickup Stu Wunsch(.283 BA) was acquired to backup at CF and SS and has done a fine job so far. Tanner Magnante(.372, 15 HR, 1.128 OPS) has been his usual stellar self. Hot hitting CF Chad Wolf(.325, 11 SB) picked up where he left off last season. DH/C Neifi Espinosa(13 HR) has provided pop, and LF Dan Jones(11 HR) seems to have regained his power stroke after a subpar season last year. Ace A.J. Freeman(7-2, 2.60 ERA) is in the last year of his contract and it looks like he's serious about earning a big deal. SP Victor Colome(6-2, 2.47 ERA) has been excellent. Closer B.C. Garland(16 Svs, 1.53 ERA) is among the best in the league. This club is built to win now and needs to come though before the core players get too old.

AUGUSTA ABENAKI- After a rookie owner took this team over last year and managed it into the ground, AU alum optistrat came back for a second tour and looks to have this historically fine team back on the right track. Currently at 28-21, 4 games off the pace. FA signees RP Vicente Domingo(.176 OAvg) & SP Yamil Diaz(.212 OAvg) have been a plus, while 2B Tony Vizcaino(.224) has been good defensively but contributed little at the bat. Former MVP 1B Dennis Newfield(.348, 14 HR, 43 RBI) hasn't lost a thing at 32. Former C Joey Cannon(.340, 12, 43) has been an excellent fulltime DH. Traded for RF Ismael Julio(13 SBs), & RPs Pete Hartman (5.12 ERA) and Santiago Morales(3.16 ERA). Pitching staff is led by 2 time Cy Young winner Pedro Alarcon(7-2, 2.52 ERA), one of the leagues best. SP Louis Maxwell(6-2, 2.52 ERA) has been just as good. Closer Rob Patrick is 10-10 in Saves. optistrat has this club back to being a solid contender. But with more than half the ML roster 30 or older, the clock is ticking on this club too.

NORFOLK NAVIGATORS- cspring is back for his 2nd season at the helm. The Navs are currently 23-26 and 9 games back. cspring was very active in the FA market, signing or resigning 13 players. All but 2 are on the wrong side of 30. The results have been mixed. SPs William Ross(6-2, 3.47), Alan Lowell(3.49), and Earl Slaughter(3.52) have been good. LF Cristobal Castillo(.299) too. CF Enrique Henriquez(.281), DH Carlos Ibarra(.277, 6 HR) & RF Pedro James(.279) have been adequate. C Stevie Bonilla(.232, 7 HR) has struggled at the plate and in the field(.200 CS Pct, 5.16 ERA). 2B Roosevelt Abbott is good defensively but he's hitting .217. 1B Ramiro Guevara(.251, 8 HR) has been barely adequate. 5 time All Star Vin Austin is hitting .314, but his ratings are on a definite downward spiral. It will take a few more years for cspring to turn this club into a contender, but at least he's not sitting on his hands.

WASHINGTON D.C. ABNORMALS- diabeticrock took over this team after a clueless first year owner ran it into the ground, and he's got his hands full, but he's giving it his all. Currently at 17-32, this club is definitely in rebuilding mode. He was busy in the FA market and some have had a positive impact like RP Allen Dickerson(.200 OAvg), rookie 1B Pablo Estrada(.318, 8 HR), swingman Harry Torres(3.47 ERA), & RP Tim Shipley(2.32 ERA). LF/DH Bucky Cunningham(.182, 2 HR) has been a disaster so far. Rule 5 pickup RF/DH Robb McEnerney(.276, 8 HR) has been a plus. His other Rule 5 guy, RP Hootie Pritchett(.319 OAvg, 8.67 ERA) not so much. Very active in the trade market too(14 players). Trade acquisition DH/OF Vic Brinson(.342) is hitting up a storm, as is OF Harold Wilson(.331, 11 HR). Among the hurlers SP Al Morlan(5-2, .196 OAvg, 2.32 ERA) has been the best of the bunch. While there is still a long way too go, I'm confident d-rock is up to the task.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The Best of the Rule 5 draft

Here is a sample team of players who at one point were taken in the Rule 5 Draft. Allen Dickerson appears twice, once as a SP and once as a RP.

1st Gene Oquist Season 6 609 21-122-0 .343-.413
2nd Alex Escuela Season 6 575 9-61-50 .287-.366
SS Bret Henry Season 6 584 37-125-1 .264-.323
3rd Craig Everett Season 5 585 16-85-9 .328-.375
CF Edgardo Machado Season 8 566 23-90-14 .309-.377
RF Al Ulrich Season 6 498 27-90-0 .305-.393
LF Daryle Green Season 5 641 23-64-47 .271-.337
C Michael McDonald Season 8 478 31-107-0 .316-.405
DH Ernie Thompson Season 6 533 11-91-14 .304-.380





SP Yamil Diaz Season 5 15-7-0 177-131 1.30-3.52
SP Allen Dickerson Season 5 16-7-0 170-125 1.21-3.39
SP Lyle Melhuse Season 5 17-5-0 221-160 1.31-3.96
SP Robert West Season 6 11-5-0 122-93 1.46-4.27
SP Matt Orosco Season 6 10-11-0 220-135 1.41-4.09

RP Allen Dickerson Season 5 5-0-31 58-48 1.11-2.03
RP Wiki Martin Season 5 11-9-5 121-79 1.31-3.64
RP Pasqual Viriato Season 6 6-6-8 73-62 1.36-3.70

Monday, March 22, 2010

Hall of Fame Update



One of the most celebrated starting pitchers in Addicted history. Winning the Cy Young 3 straight years and 4 times in a 5 year span. He was perhaps the most dominate pitcher ever. Suffered an accident before season 1 started that saw him with 2 broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a severe concussion. Was forced by the financially strapped Mexico City franchise to pitch through it. Had perhaps the worst season ever. After that was traded to Salem straight up for Fritz Starr. Quickly turned things around and won the Cy Young in seasons 3, 4, 5 and 7 with Salem and then Boise. Also won 9 playoff games with them as they won 2 World Series while he played for them. After winning the CY Young in season 7 he left for Free Agency and wound up in Las Vegas and had a strong season going 13-8 with a 2.62 ERA. There was then a ownership change and the team was moved to Oklahoma and he was forced to the bullpen as management felt he was too old to start any more. A year later the team moved to San Diego were he loved to play but just didn’t have the goods anymore. No works as a color commentator for the San Diego Spanish broadcaster covering the Smokes games. He goes into the hall wearing their hat.

Stats 151 wins, 82 losses. 2140 Innings, 1495 K’s, 1.33 WHIP, 4.19 ERA
Projected Stats 220 wins, 105 losses, 3020 Innings, 2150 K’s, 1.29 WHIP, 3.88 ERA

Has the 4th best single season ERA with a 2.11
2nd most wins 23 and the top two best winning percentage seasons .958 and .917

With Boise he is on the leaderboard in both career and single season records.

Career
CG 2nd 28
ERA 1st 2.95
Innings 3rd 1418
SHO 2nd 9
QS 2nd 144
K’s 2nd 1046
Wins 2nd 161

Single Season
ERA 1-3-5 2.11, 2,59, 2.85
QS 1-2 27, 26, 26
K’s 1-3-4 236, 188, 181
Wins 2-3-4 23-22-22








A hard throwing horse of a pitcher. Was one of the richest closers in the history of the game and deserved every penny. On his back Burlington made the playoffs 5 years in a row between seasons 1 and 5. He could be counted on for 80 appearances and well over 100 innings often getting much consideration for the CY Young. Eventually he lost his closer job to Bonk Root but was still and effective pitcher before leaving as a Free agent for Vancouver. He pitched well there for one season before moving onto the Toros with hopes of becoming a Pitching coach. He spent a season in AAA but realized that he missed his ranch in Arizona and has set up a Baseball Camp there for young boys and girls. The camp has already had success with its most recent crop of graduates including Deivi Martinez getting drafted in the first round this season.

Stats: 724 Games, 83 Wins-80 Losses, 302 Saves, 1245 IP, 940 K’s 1.19 Whip, 3.30 ERA
Estimated Career Stats: 965 Games, 115 Wins, 110 Losses, 435 Saves, 1700 IP, 1260 K’s
Awards: 1 x CY Young, 6 x All-Stars, 2 x Fireman
Records:
Burlington Single Season Records
Games (2nd) 89
ERA (2nd) 2.79
Losses (1st) 19
Saves (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) 47-46-44-43
K’s (3rd) 152
WHIP (5th) 1.11

Burlington Career Total Records
Games (1st) 693
ERA (1st) 3.25
Losses (2nd) 76
IP (2nd) 1194
Saves (1st) 300
K’s (2nd) 907
WHIP (2nd) 1.18
Wins (2nd) 83

He is also 2nd on the Addicted Users all-time save list with 302, 3rd in ERA with a 3.02.



As a young man he looked as though he was destined to work in a car battery recycling plant. When the plant closed and his town was left poor and polluted he was forced at the age of 17 to move to Santo Domingo, there he was seen by a scout from the Toronto Toros as he played a game of pick up ball. He signed a minor league contract and at the age of 19 won the High A player of the year when he crushed 54 homeruns in 130 games while batting .377. It took him a few years to get all his skills up to pace for the major league level but at the age of 23 he burst onto the scene and proved to be a winner every year he played. In Addicted Users seasons 1-7 his team averaged over 100 wins and made the playoffs every year. He won two world series over that span batting over .400 with 9 homers, 30 rbi and 7 steals during the playoffs those seasons. After hitting 45 homers in season 5 his skills seemed to drop off the table and he only hit 12 in season 6. He was released at the end of that season but quickly signed with arch rival Minnesota. He batted a solid .305 with 16 homers and helped the Twinkies to a 103 win season. In season 8 he spent the year in the minors as a special assistant and coach. He hung it up for good in season 9 moved back to the Dominican and has set up a wildlife centre close to his home town of Haina.


Stats: 809 runs, 1154 hits, 225 doubles, 63 triples, 275 homers, 852 RBI, 113 steals, .307 AVG
Estimated Career Stats: 1360 runs, 2030 hits, 375 doubles, 100 triples, 500 homers, 1475 RBI, 200 steals, .310 AVG

Awards: 4 X Silver Slugger (1-3,5), 2 X All-Star (2,5)

Records:
Toronto Single Season Records
Runs: (5th) 163
Triples: (4th) 20
HR: (1st) 67
RBI: (1st) 196
OPS: (2nd) 1.194

His 196 RBI also ranks 5th all-time in addicted users
Also holds the Toro record for 7+ plays in RF in one season and has the highest fielding % at .993

Ranks in the top three for Toronto in the following stats: AVG (.307) Hits (998) Runs (717) RBI (780) HR (259)



By no means the biggest 1st baseman of all time at just 5'11 and under 200lbs. He was one of the most feared hitters in baseball and the effects he had on the game can still be felt today. Spent 13 years in the major leagues but only 8 of those seasons are on the books. Was traded before Addicted Users 1st season started by MGreenwell in Salem to the Toronto Toros in a 3 for 1 deal that other then West the main player was Ricky Lawton who some day may find himself in the Hall as well. With West on the team the Toros won 215 games over the next two seasons and went as far as the League Championships both times. West hilighted season two by winning his 1st MVP award.

After season 2 with a contract that was about to expire and the Toros worried about losing him to free agency he was traded again. This time to the Durham Pilots (now Toledo). Toronto packaged West with another player, Juan Bravo, for three up and comers, Jon Stern, D'Angelo Figureoa, and Tomas Gandarilla. Carl didn't fail the fans in Durham, the Pilots won a team record 115 games, an incredible 42 games more then the season before and 22 more then they would next year without West. He got his team all the way to the World Series this time, but lost to his old team Toronto. Carl batted .373 in both the regular season and playoffs to win his 2nd straight MVP award.

In season 4 he at the age of 33 he signed a massive 5 year deal worth more then 50 million dollars with El Paso. The team struggled and never won more then 80 games and finished last all but one season that he was with them. He did bat close to .300 with the team and twice hit over 37 homers and 118 rbi. After season 8 with his bat speed slowing he hung up his cleats at the age 39.

Stats: 752 runs, 1197 hits, 206 doubles, 292 homers, 900 rbi, .319 avg
Estimated Career Stats: 1250 runs, 2100 hits, 355 doubles, 517 homers, 1575 rbi, .325 avg.

Awards: 4 x All-Star (1-4), 3 X Silver Slugger 1st Base(1-3), 2 X MVP (2,3)

Records:
Toronto Single Season Assist Record 1st baseman (169)
2nd,5th Single Bat Avg (.347,.333)
T-1st Single HomeRun (67)
2nd,3rd Single OBP (.436,.431)
2nd Single Runs (167)
T-1st Single RBI (196)

Durham/Toledo
1st Single Bat Avg (.373) also 3rd best in ML History
3rd Single Hits (200)
5th Single Doubles (47)
1st Single Homers (51)
1st Single OBP (.465)
3rd Single Runs (136)
1st Single RBI (147)
1st Single OBPS (1.227) 2nd best ML History

El Paso
2nd Single Bat Avg (.330)
5th Single Homeruns (40)
3rd Single OBP (.402)
5th Single RBI (119)

Also has the 5th highest Career OBPS at this time in ML history at 1.025

Had incredible playoff stats as well batting .383 in 133 at bats with 22 homers and 47 rbi and posting an outstanding 1.407 OBPS.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

New Owners

gaheel84
his name is Dennis Wesson and he lives in Bogart Georgia, which is about an hour north east of Atlanta. 21 full HBD seasons under his belt with 9 playoff appearances and a WS win in Season 1 of WIB with a number 6 seed team. In 6 seasons that team never fell below .500 and had a high win total of 101 the year after the WS title. Also spent 5 seasons in No Quitters turning a sub .500 team into 2 time Division winner before he left. His goal with his new team the Arizona Desert is pretty much the same turn a sub .500 team into a winner with a realistic shot at being a champion every season. He made a couple of trades the more noteworthy being the acquisition of Clarence Levis and Lou Beamon both will add much needed pop to his lineup. Also brought in the big bat of C.J. Weaver and the speedy centerfielder Ernie Thompson. They also signed a new pitcher Bruce Phillips that will help stabilize the pitching staff. This team could be a contender right now.

optistrat
He is Steve from South Minnesota. He was with us a few seasons back with the Tucson Desert Rats winning 65 and 66 games. Now with a little more experience under his belt he hopes to better the second time around. With 23 seasons under his belt and 6 playoffs made he has a fairly solid track record building up. His highlight must be the 3 seasons in Snider that have seen him win 3 straight division titles with an average salary of only 62 million dollars. His hopes are to have this team headed in that same direction within a season or so. He grabbed a solid setup man in Santiago Morales and solid LR man in Pete Hartman with 2 of his three off-season trades. Free agents Yamil Diaz and Vicente Domingo will really help out a thin pitching staff. With Solid hitting this team could be ready to make a move.

talbott08
Mike Talbott from Crosby, Texas just outside of Dallas. A relative newb when compared to the other new owners does have No-Hitter in his history which is more then many owners can brag about. Hopes to help rebuild this formerly strong team by restocking the minors and taking better care of the team as a whole. No trades as of yet, actually a smart move for a newer owner. He has dipped his toe into the free agent market. Notables include Benny Navarre, Jeff Riggs and Pedro Matos to help out in the pen and Alberto Guerrero plus Freddy Forrest in the rotation. SS Del Rosa and Catcher Mike Martin will shore up the defense up the middle.

s_gammon
Shawn Gammon from Dartmouth Nova Scotia…yeah another Canadian. Has a solid track record in Hotstove keeping the budget down and the team around the .500 level most season. Plans to rebuild this team from the ground up and compete in about four seasons. Made several trades grabbing some solid young talent like…Hersh Bergman, Stan Redmond and Paxton Baldelli. also signed himself a new closer, Fernando Pena and a solid utility player Rick Costello. This team has some serious upside to discover.


diabeticrock
I don’t know who he is, I don’t know where he is from. He has been buying up teams like crazy the past few weeks and making deals like crazy. I would be naïve to think I even had a clue what direction this team is headed. But it will be exciting to see how it all works out.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The All-Time Best of Teams Volume 1

The All-Time Teams

Arizona
(Oakland, Helena)

1st C.C. Brush 513 52-114-0 .290-.373 Season 5 (Hel)
2nd Red Perez 418 29-79-32 .324-.436 Season 9 (Hel)
SS Tommy Heredia 537 18-82-1 .315-.370 Season 5 (Hel)
3rd Louie Damon 618 36-125-8 .316-.371 Season 4 (Hel)
CF Aramis Vizquel 561 38-119-8 .305-.375 Season 6 (Hel)
RF Ross Rhodes 541 29-106-16 .320-.409 Season 10 (Hel)
LF Milt Mahoney 569 60-161-12 .323-.389 Season 4 (Hel)
C Osvaldo Valentin 382 15-46-0 .301-.380 Season 9 (Hel)

SP1 Daryle Morgan 18-7-0 240-163 1.09-2.40 Season 8 (Hel)
SP2 Russell Blake 21-6-0 201-137 1.24-3.22 Season 5 (Hel)
SP3 Pat Witt 21-5-0 220-148 1.20-2.74 Season 7 (Hel)
RP1 Marty Burns 9-1-33 71-69 1.20-2.55 Season 8 (Hel)
RP2 Henry Martin 10-6-7 100-76 0.96-2.25 Season 6 (Hel)


Augusta (Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta, Trenton)
1st Dennis Newfield 557 44-120-1 .361-.429 Season 12 (Clb)
2nd Lefty Appier 600 30-162-44 .362-.437 Season 1 (Trn)
SS Dennis Yang 566 10-87-37 .292-.353 Season 11 (Clb)
3rd Rico Ordaz 591 68-227-1 .315-.396 Season 1 (Trn)
CF Alex Nieves 617 34-123-21 .300-.357 Season 10 (Clb)
RF Bobby Bolick 531 29-107-29 .315-.390 Season 7 (Clb)
LF Billy Ledee 567 62-165-0 .332-409 Season 9 (Clb)
C Clay Charles 374 41-84-0 .297-.362 Season 13 (Clb)
DH Joey Cannon 505 32-113-0 .295-.351 Season 14 (Clb)

SP1 Pedro Alarcon 16-7-0 217-168 0.95-2.07 Season 12 (Clb)
SP2 P.J. Stanton 14-7-0 161-102 1.32-3.19 Season 12 (Clb)
SP3 Nigel Clifton 16-4-0 211-143 1.13-3.25 Season 9 (Clb)
RP1 Rob Patrick 0-1-34 39-27 1.02-2.75 Season 12 (Clb)
RP2 Curtis Young 0-0-34 37-31 1.08-1.46 Season 7 (Clb)


Boise (Salem)
1st Diego Moreno 639 25-133-0 .335-.388 Season 5 (Sal)
2nd Carlton Roosevelt 636 29-108-40 .272-.339 Season 12 (Boi)
SS Ricky Lawton 535 31-119-22 .363-.428 Season 9 (Boi)
3rd Luis Manzanillo 631 27-110-0 .319-.371 Season 4 (Sal)
CF Clayton Hairston 592 5-68-50 .316-.364 Season 13 (Boi)
RF Jose Marquez 676 15-90-41 .300-.359 Season 12 (Boi)
LF Alfonso Tejera 625 43-135-16 .323-.380 Season 10 (Boi)
C Olmedo Rivas 499 70-154-0 .335-.408 Season 7 (Boi)
DH Terrence Tracy 568 42-115-0 .305-.363 Season 5 (Boi)

SP1 Bobby Stephenson 20-3-0 202-164 1.03-2.27 Season 13 (Boi)
SP2 Donaldo Gonzalez 22-2-0 251-236 0.98-2.11 Season 7 (Boi)
SP3 Joey Montgomery 22-6-0 241-181 1.27-3.21 Season 10 (Boi)
RP1 Felipe Cairo 4-4-38 58-33 0.97-2.03 Season 14 (Boi)
RP2 Darren Trujillo 17-8-1 127-101 1.30-4.17 Season 10 (Boi)

Buffalo
1st Todd Simpson 615 41-146-0 .330-.401 Season 5 (Buf)
2nd Alex Escuela 533 6-73-79 .315-.381 Season 7 (Buf)
SS Octavio Santiago 695 34-98-55 .298-.374 Season 2 (Buf)
3rd Kirt Crane 644 54-163-25 .297-.372 Season 4 (Buf)
CF Pat Long 627 16-77-12 .325-.390 Season 9 (Buf)
RF Ramiro Guevara 611 74-193-7 .337-.418 Season 6 (Buf)
LF Sam Griffin 634 38-116-20 .285-.355 Season 9 (Buf)
C Omar Gentry 461 30-85-0 .295-.354 Season 11 (Buf)

SP1 Howard Terrell 13-10-0 216-198 1.09-2.84 Season 10 (Buf)
SP2 Philip Riley 21-9-0 260-199 1.16-3.49 Season 4 (Buf)
SP3 Emil Pena 16-7-0 219-148 1.16-2.42 Season 9 (Buf)
RP1 Carson Davis 1-2-38 56-43 1.05-2.25 Season 3 (Buf)
RP2 Donatello Poole 2-2-42 74-67 1.45-3.39 Season 7 (Buf)

Monday, February 1, 2010

The Mike Hampton Award

1. Ricky Glynn Pitcher Cincinnati (Released) 6.8 over 2, AAA 1-11-0 Need I say more.

2. Osvaldo Valentin Catcher Tampa Bay 32.6 over 4 349 4-26-0 .209

3. Cristobal Castillo LF Tampa Bay 9.1 over 2, 102 2-10-0 .147

4. Che-Bang Lee 1st El Paso 12.8 over 2 years 455-7-55-0 .218

5. Marquis Wade Pitcher Monterrey 3.2 over 1, AAA.

6. Placido Martin Pitcher Minnesota 25 over 3, 1-6-2 60-38 1.52-5.67

7. David Clark Pitcher Tampa Bay 17.8 over 3, 2-3-0 48-42 1.53-4.28

8. Buddy Henley Pitcher Detroit 7 million over 1, 4-5-1 61-42 1.39-4.67

9. Michael McDonald Catcher St. Louis 12 over 2 years 214-11-42-0
.252

10. Omar Furcal Pitcher Burlington 13 over 2, 6-5-5 71-52 1.67-5.80

Thursday, January 21, 2010

HOF: Peter Anderson



A hard throwing horse of a pitcher. Was one of the richest closers in the history of the game and deserved every penny. On his back Burlington made the playoffs 5 years in a row between seasons 1 and 5. He could be counted on for 80 appearances and well over 100 innings often getting much consideration for the CY Young. Eventually he lost his closer job to Bonk Root but was still and effective pitcher before leaving as a Free agent for Vancouver. He pitched well there for one season before moving onto the Toros with hopes of becoming a Pitching coach. He spent a season in AAA but realized that he missed his ranch in Arizona and has set up a Baseball Camp there for young boys and girls. The camp has already had success with its most recent crop of graduates including Deivi Martinez getting drafted in the first round this season.

Stats: 724 Games, 83 Wins-80 Losses, 302 Saves, 1245 IP, 940 K’s 1.19 Whip, 3.30 ERA
Estimated Career Stats: 965 Games, 115 Wins, 110 Losses, 435 Saves, 1700 IP, 1260 K’s
Awards: 1 x CY Young, 6 x All-Stars, 2 x Fireman
Records:
Burlington Single Season Records
Games (2nd) 89
ERA (2nd) 2.79
Losses (1st) 19
Saves (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) 47-46-44-43
K’s (3rd) 152
WHIP (5th) 1.11

Burlington Career Total Records
Games (1st) 693
ERA (1st) 3.25
Losses (2nd) 76
IP (2nd) 1194
Saves (1st) 300
K’s (2nd) 907
WHIP (2nd) 1.18
Wins (2nd) 83

He is also 2nd on the Addicted Users all-time save list with 302, 3rd in ERA with a 3.02.

Season 10+ Hall of Fame Voting Results

Peter Anderson 93%


James Duran 47%
Del Snyder 47%
Will Banks 27%
Sam Perry 20%
Toby Lomasney 20%
Louie Castro 7%
Nigel Martin

No other players garnered any votes.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Top Ten CF'ers

1. Henry Green Green and the number two CF’er are head and shoulders above the rest of the field at this rather shallow position. Still having issues in the field his strong arm makes up for some of his miscues. Beyond that he is the best at everything else. Hits for power, steals bases, draws walks and has a great average. Is a franchise player.
2. Freddy Franco Is almost the opposite of Green. His main strength is his ability to make incredible plays everyday. Doesn’t have great power but does have a knack for hitting in the clutch and is on pace for well over 100 rbi. Has good speed but doesn’t steal anywhere as many bases as Green.
3. Josh Bradford For many years he was the marquee centerfielder. Still has the tools but has had more mistakes then in recent years so is maybe starting to slip. Good power and a good base stealer needs to work on getting on base more consistently to be more of an offensive threat.
4. Sergio Simpson It has taken him a lot longer then anyone would have expected to make his mark at the major league level. A first round pick in season four he is in just his 2nd major league season. Does everything pretty well but nothing great. Should stay in the top ten for the next 5 years.
5. Ivan Gonzalez Makes a living with his legs. Steals bases and tracks down fly balls with the best. Not a great hitter he does a good job of drawing walks and getting on base at a pretty good clip. A two time Gold Glover he is among the best again this season in AL.
6. Julio Guerrero A decent hitter with okay pop, his main strength is his ability to do everything well enough. Makes a solid number two hitter by taking walks and batting over .300. Also an average fielder that makes the routine plays and some spectacular ones.
7. D'Angelo Escobar Another early front runner for ROY. No power to speak of he does hit for a solid average and work pitchers for enough walks that he makes for a good leadoff type hitter. On pace for over 50 steals and is shaping into a fairly good fielder.
8. Clayton Hairston The older version of Escobar, he can still run enough to steal but his fielding that once was among the best is starting to slip. A potential hall of famer if he can hold on for a little bit longer.
9. Louie Rigdon Made the All-Star team when he was 22, since then he has become much more average. Hits for good average and draws a good amount of walks, but he really doesn’t hit for great power or field all that well. He is fairly fast but doesn’t seem to have a good first step and gets thrown out far too often .
10. Chad Wolf He is built like a power hitter but the majority of his homers are of the inside the park variety. But he can run and steal and is a solid .300 hitter. Has a weak arm and sometimes makes the easiest play into an adventure.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Top Ten Right Fielders

1. Albert Perkins Much like his counterpart in LF (Velandia) he is having a huge impact in just his 2nd season. Batting .327 with a solid .390 OBP. He also has solid 20 homer power and a knack for driving in runs. Has a very strong arm and doesn’t get tested very often, still occasionally takes bad routes to fly balls. A definite keeper.
2. Pedro James At 32 years old he is still an explosive player. Should destroy his career high of 59 steals. Also on pace for 18 homers and 100 RBI. In the field he gets to pretty much everything but doesn’t get to show off his once powerful arm as much as he used to.
3. Tony Guerrero Lets just say he is not know for his defense. One of the worst Right Fielders in the game, luckily he hits like one of the best. Gets on base close to 40 % of the time and then steals bases almost at will. Has good power and is an ideal top of the order hitter.
4. Bailey Baptist Another one of the young bashers. Ripping homers and RBI at the pace of 30-110. Is hitting for a very good average and is starting to draw walks as his reputation as a masher gets around the league.
5. Miguel Palacios The two time MVP is having a rather quite season. Still probably the best hitter that plays RF, but his numbers are a lot closer to the rest of the field this year. Never a great fielder he looks more distracted then usually when he is out there.
6. Hector Soto Has always been one of the nest lead off hitters. He is now one of the best fielders as well. Hasn’t made an error all season and is on pace for over 20 assists.
7. Darron Pierce He is starting to look mortal. This future Hall of Famer is one of the most respected players in the game. Is a lock for a .300 avg and about 15 homers and 80 rbi.
8. Ray Lyon ROY? Having a very solid first season in all aspects of the game. Steals has good power and a solid .290 average. Also a very good glove man that could move to the infield in time.
9. Allen Barkley One of the few bright spots in the Toros organization. On pace for a 20-20 season, combines that with a good average and solid defense.
10. Juan Hernandez Slow moving power hitter. Has a strong arm but runners can take advantage as he is slow getting to balls in the corner. Hits pretty well against righties but might be forced into a platoon role as he ages.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Top Ten Left Fielders

1. Craig Velandia In just his 2nd season he has had a huge impact. He plays LF fairly well, safe is probably a better word for it. But once he steps up to the plate it is a different story. On pace for a 30-30 season and 100 RBI. Also batting well over .300 and an OBP over .420. He is one of the most complete offensive players in the game.
2. Jiggs Craddock Another player from the NL East. It is weird to say it but he is a Wizard defensively in LF. Had he been raised right handed could have one a Gold Glove at 2nd base. Offensively he is a great lead off man with 50 steal potential and a solid 290 average. Draws his fair share of walks and has solid double digit homer power.
3. Vinny Nakamura One of the fastest men in baseball is having another great season. Could add another 70 steals to his already impressive career total of 684. Batting at a .328 clip with a .420 OBP he is also a two time gold glove winner in LF with his great range and accurate arm.
4. Billy Ledee The number one from the AL, he is having career year. Looking at 40 homers and 110+ RBI with a .370+ avg and .450 OBP. On the downside he is downright slow and sloppy on the bases and is closer to a DH then he is a Left Fielder when it comes to defense.
5. Denny Inge Around since season one he looks to be a lock for the Hall Of Fame. His power and speed numbers are down but is still on pace for almost 100 rbi and a .340 avg. He does the little things so well and is still a decent fielder.
6. Vic Rijo Another player having a break out season. Batting close to .300 he still doesn’t walk enough to be considered among the leagues elite. He is a great homerun hitter who excels at driving in runs. Also a solid fielder that holds his own with the leagues best.
7. Ernest Payton It has taken him a few seasons to put everything together but is finally playing like he was expected to when he was drafted 8th overall. Looking at 30 steals and high 20 homers. By no means a good fielder he is passable.
8. Norm Nady Another dynamic young player. Excels at stealing bases and is a good enough fielder that he could play RF. He has solid pop but doesn’t scare any pitchers into walking him.
9. Sandy Rath Once upon a time he was considered a power threat. Is now more of a base stealing monster that plays LF among the best in the league. Has a great arm and great instincts when in the field and on the bases.
10. Jerry Alexander The only rookie on the list. He is having a solid 1st season especially for a someone trying to hit in San Diego. Batting almost .300 he has great speed and good instincts on the bases. He is developing as a power threat and should be good for 15 homers this year.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Top 5 DH

1. Joey Cannon A bonafide beast at the plate. Tearing the ball this season at a clip that will give hime 110+ RBI and 30+ homers. Does a good job not striking out and draws a fair amount of walks. Could play catcher if needed.
2. Jumbo Flores Want to talk about bat control? On pace for 110+ walks and only 35 k’s. Also hits pretty good, 20+ homers and 100+ rbi. A little bit too adventerous on the bases, but still a welcome adition to any AL lineup.
3. Olmedo Rivas MVP, Homerun derby champ, all-star, silver slugger. In his hay day there was no one better. His bat speed is slowing but is still a threat every time up. Once upon a time he was a catcher, now he is just a 3rd string back stop with 30 homer power and a .300 avg.
4. Gerry Allen Having a bit of a down year, but for the past several seasons he has been considered the best DH in baseball. Should be good for another 30 homer .300/.400 season again.
5. Gary Hardy For some reason he is playing the bulk of his time at DH. Came up as a 2nd baseman can still fill in there in a pinch. Having a solid year with the stick I think he would be better off playing LF.

Top Ten Catchers

1. Eric Murphy Not only do they have the number one SS but the number one Catcher, good teams always have strength up the middle it seems. He already has most of the major awards, this could be his year to grab a MVP. Seems to be a lock for 45 dingers and 100 rbi. Hits for a solid average and draws a decent amount of walks. His arm is only average but he calls a solid game and does a very good job of blocking the plate with his solid 210 lbs frame.
2. Hector Gonzales Despite only being 25 he is by far and away the best catcher in the AL. Has incredible power that could see him hit 60 homers before this season is over. Also on pace to have a career best in RBI. He however is step down from Murphy on the devensive side. Well below average throwing and doesn’t call the best of games. He is also a little small for the position and looks like one injury away from being a part time player.
3. Vicente Romano I guess I am a sucker for a good defensive catcher. He does seem to be having some troubles adapting to his new team in terms of pitch calling but is keeping the ERA around the league norm. When the runners get on base though he is about the best in the business. He is smart hitter and is having close to a career season with the bat. He is a big step down from the top two.
4. Bret Barry A future gold Glover who will probably get into the top three but next season. Having a solid season with the bat (on pace for 19-75-.261) he could work on making better contact. A great arm and a great understanding of the strike zove have him among the best defensive catchers in the league.
5. Billy McNamara Another great defensive catcher who has already won two Gold Gloves in his career.While his power and average numbers are down he still commands a great deal of respect in the batters box and should walk over 100 times this season. About average throwing he is doing an amazing job keeping runners off the bases and his teams ERA down.
6. Cesar Amaral This thick legged back stop is an explosive offensive weapon. Hitting close to .300 he is also on pace for about 130 RBI. His arm is not doing a greta job at stopping the running game but he is calling a good game and helps keep the runners off the bases.
7. Donaldo Garces Rumour has it his arm was replaced with a rocket launcher in the off season. Gunning down an unheard of amount of runners (almost 45%) he has a good chance at winning his first ever Gold Glove. Not a power threat he does his best work when drawing walks and lining singles.
8. Donald Lee A skinny version of Mike Lavalliere? A rule five draftee this season he is beating all expectations. Batting over .300 and gunning down over 40% of runners. Also calling a good game he is sure to climb the rankings in the years to come.
9. Stevie Bonilla One of the top offensive catchers in baseball he is actually doing a good job of mowing down attempted base stealers. Doesn’t seem to have any real concept of calling a game however. Another strong season with the stick though keeps him in the top ten.
10. Clay Charles Perhaps the best pure hitter among catchers in the league. Has a fairly strong arm but is having some problems cutting down runners. Not sure if it is him or his pitchers but runs seem to score against their team far to easily. If that continues a move to DH might be in order.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Top Ten Short Stops

1. Nash Metcalfe A former 1st round pick is in just his 2nd full season in the bigs but has already climbed to the top of the SS heap. While this isn’t an extremely deep position he is the best right now. An incredible run producer who is on pace for about 130 runs and 70 RBI. Has okay power but speed and a good eye are his best offensive weapons. 50 steals and 70 walks are within his reach. Not a great fielder he does have a strong arm to make up for below average range.

2. Julius Serrano Always among the most gifted fielders he is taking his offensive game to a new level this season. Batting well over .300 with 12 steals just a third of the way into the season (Projects to 32 steals). Also on pace for over 100 runs scored and about 60 rbi.

3. Mariano Tavarez New York is having their best season ever in part because of the play of Tavarez. The young SS doesn’t have much power or any speed. But he is the best fielder in the game right now and is batting an incredible .340 with an OBP just a hair under .400. An ideal number two hitter.

4. Douglas Howard Has the tools to be a solid fielder, but is putting up one of the worst seasons with a glove ever. Luckily he is hitting great. Tearing the ball at a .340 clip he should be a lock for 100 rbi and about 20 steals. A good chance at ROY.

5. Angel Castillo Another solid young SS, this position does have some up and comers. Runs well and has good power. He is a 20-30 threat this season. His fielding right now is below average but should get better with time.

6. Domingo Ontiveros San Diego spent big money to shore up their infield defense this off season. He is also one of their better hitters, now that isn’t saying much because their offense sucks. He does show what a good SS can do for a team though.

7. C.J. Weaver Hadn’t played SS since season 10 but is doing a good job this year. Won’t ever be mistaken for a Gold Glover but is doing a better then average in the field. His batting avg and OBP are WAY down but he is by far the best run producer at SS, on pace for over 30 homers and a 125 RBI.

8. Max Chavez In time he may be the standard that all other SS are compared too. At 24 he still has time to grow as a player. Batting just over .300 he also has 20 homer power. Doesn’t seem to be using his legs to steal as much as he could. Also is still learning how to position himself in the field but in time could win a gold Glove.

9. Sparky Wasdin Has two gold gloves already. Wont win one this year but is still among the best fielders. Also has great power that sees him hitting 20 homers every year. Not fast but he keeps out of trouble on the bases by picking his spots wisely.

10. Marshall Ferrell For many years he was the Gold Standard of Short Stops. A move to 3rd is probably in the cards soon as he is having an awful year with the glove. His power is starting to slip but he can still drive in 90 runs and steals bases at will.

Top Ten 3rd Baseman

1. Pablo Chavez Another reason why Montreal is having such a great season. A former SS he is a front runner for the Gold Glove. Also on pace for 25+ homers 120 rbi and 16 steals. Batting a solid .325 and draws his fair share of walks. A true five tool player.

2. Al Canseco Another former SS, not as flashy as Chavez but still worthy of a Gold Glove at the hot corner. Doesn’t have the same pop as the number one but he is very fast and is a legitimate lead off hitter. He is only 27 and already has a cupboard full of awards.

3. Archie Aldridge The best 3rd baseman in the NL is you guessed it, another former SS. He already has 3 gold gloves and is a front runner for this years. Steals bases well enough he could bat leadoff and has 90 rbi potential due to solid power and .300 type batting average.

4. Olmedo Alfonseca Our first true 3rd baseman. Is only average with the glove when compared to the top three. Is really having a breakout year hitting almost 70 points about his career average (at .336). A solid base runner he should also be good for about 90 rbi.

5. Trevor Thebeau Another player having a break out season. Batting .335 with a plus .400 OBP. He sports 30 homer power and isn’t awful on the bases. Doesn’t really have the arm to play 3rd but moves around well enough to keep him being the worst fielder in the league.

6. Doug Clark At the age of 31 he still hasn’t gotten the recognition that he truly deserves. Batting .300 with a shot at 30 homers and 100 rbi. Doesn’t run at all due to his weak knees. Still a solid gloveman who makes the routine plays but not the spectacular ones.

7. Jamie Moore Moore sits right on the line of what would be considered an average 3rd baseman in addicted. He has solid pop and a good eye. Doesn’t run well and sometimes makes bad choices on the bases. He has a strong but erratic arm that makes him about middle of the pack fielding wise.

8. Robert Merrick One of the up and comers at this position. He was drafted as a SS but doesn’t really have the skills to play there. Does however have the skills to be a rather flashy 3rd baseman that will be among the best season in season out. Has OK power and OK speed, his best quality is his batting avg which will probably be around .300

9. Dennis Yang Played SS about a decade ago and is now one of the smoother fielders at 3rd. Is still pretty quick but takes too many chances when stealing. Hits for good average but doesn’t walk or have enough power to bat in the top 6 of most orders any more.

10. Jorge Olmeda Has already won a Silver Slugger at third and is only 25. Has increased his avg but still doesn’t know how to draw a walk. Does have great power and is a threat to leave the yard every time up. Is a strong fielder despite his cement feet that keep him glued to the bases.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Leagues 10 Best 2nd Basemen

1. Abraham Fonda He can pretty much do it all. On pace for 25-100 with 30 steals and a .335 avg a .400 OBP. His fielding isn’t great but he holds his own and is close to the complete package as this league has at 2nd base.

2. Steve Wells His game is almost more well rounded then Fonda. Right now is hitting for better power while stealing as many bases and fields slightly better. Is at times to aggressive on the bases and doesn’t draw as many walks. Probably will never be as good a run producer as Fonda, but still very good.

3. Chip Hodges His stat line isn’t as flashy as others, but he gets the job done on a nightly basis. On pace for over 100 rbi and 100 runs while only hitting 10 homers and stealing 25 bases. Also going to draw 100 walks and plays a very solid second base. Reminds me of Tommy Herr in the mid 80’s.

4. Lorenzo Gabriel Is perhaps the most explosive hitter at this position. Is on pace for a 40-30 season (homers-steals). Gets caught stealing his fair share and doesn’t draw enough walks. Is a very good fielder. He shows why 2nd base is one of the deepest positions in this league as he could very easily be ranked number one.

5. Gabby Rogers Wow, Wow, Wow!!! Stealing over a base a game and scoring at an almost equal pace. Beyond singles doesn’t add much with the stick. Is also one of the weaker fielders and really needs to work on getting his throws out of the dirt.

6. Harry Alicea The only thing from keeping out of the top five is his somewhat reckless nature on the bases. Should hit 25 homers with around 100 rbi. Draws a decent amount of walks and plays the postion well enough to not need a defensive replacement.

7. Virgil Rodriguez Is having a down season as far as power and steals goes. Is however still doing enough to be ranked with the best. Hitting an incredible .339 and getting on base over 40% of the time. Never much of a fielder he is towards the bottom end there. Still on pace for 100 rbi despite only having 4 homers a third of the way thru the season.

8. Jordan Mahaffey If not for Toby Douglas, he would stand a good chance at winning a Gold Glove, but he is only 23 so he still has time. Hitting a solid .270 and on pace for about 15 homers and 50 steals. He isnt just a one trick pony.

9. Hector Pavlik A sure handed fielder, that is also one the smartest baserunners in the game. Draws a solid amount of walks and is bargain at just over a million and a half season.

10. Bruce King One of the most sought after free agents this off season he signed a huge 8 million a season contract. While his power is way down he is stealing at a unprecedented rate that should get him close to 50 steals. His avg is also down but should draw over 100 walks this season. Below average as a fielder will probably be moved to the outfielder in a season or two.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Leagues 10 Best 1st Basemen

1. Rob Willis In just his 3rd major league season this 24 year old has shown that he is among the elite 1st basemen. Currently on pace for another 30 homer 100 rbi season, he also adds solid speed and gold glove type ability. Will continue to grow as a player and should develop better power. Looks like a future Hall of Famer.

2. Mel Haywood Would be the front runner for the Gold Glove if not for Mark Yamaguchi. Hitting well above .330 with a plus 400 OBP. His power isn’t as great as in years past he still drives in runs and should finish with over 100 RBI again this season.

3. Dennis Newfield This former MVP is having another MVP type season. On pace for 30+ homers and 120+ RBI. Hitting above his career avg at .327 and plus 400 OBP. Doesn’t steal bases or get caught stealing, he is also about average fielding wise.

4. Tanner Magnante Usually known for swatting massive homers this slugger already has a cabinet full of awards. He is quietly having another solid season. Only on pace for 20 homers 80 RBI he does the little things really well. Could draw 100 walks for the 2nd time and is a solid defensive 1st baseman that occasionally makes a spectacular play.

5. Billy Corey Another young slugger that has seen his power numbers drop off sharply. After hitting 54 homers last season, might not reach 30 this year. Does have one of the highest batting averages for a 1st baseman and an OBP close to .400. Still learning to play 1st he is a only at best avg defensively.

6. Leonardo Mackowiak Another former MVP. Drives in runs, hits homers and walks a lot. Pretty much all you want from a 1st baseman. On the other hand, he has never hit for great avg, and with each passing day his range gets less and less. One of the all time greats is now just good.

7. F.P. Koskie Another smooth fielding 1st baseman in the mold of Wally Joyner, still swings a solid stick but his power seems to be fading every month. Other then fielding and batting for a good average doesn’t do enough to be listed with the top tier 1st basemen.

8. Spike Barkley Former catcher is having a career season with the bat. On pace for 30+ homers and 100+ rbi. Too bad for him he is one of the worst fielders in the league. A move to the AL might be best for his career.

9. Tomas Javier The senior member of the Toros is having another solid season at the dish. On pace for 50 jacks and 100 rbi. Doesn’t walk and doesn’t run. His lack of durability hurts his performance but a solid glove and good instincts help him defensively.

10. Mark Yamaguchi Meet the Gold Glove winner for season 14. Is having an awful year batting wise but does everything else better then everyone else. Runs well and fields even better. San Diegos solid pitching is supported by their teams better defense.