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.