Capra Hardball Dynasty League

2012-02-14T18:44:00.001-05:00

Minnesota North Stars Spring Training Preview

It’s spring and everyone’s thinking about how his or her team has got a shot this year at the division/pennant/championship. This year I’m not so sure. I thought I had a good team put together but it didn’t perform like I thought it would.

Why the North Stars will be better this season

It’s addition by subtraction as some North Stars have moved on to fresh opportunities. Domingo Reyes and his .649 OPS are going to have to find a new address and to this point it’s not looking likely. Jeff Jones doesn’t have to do much to impress his new teammates given what they got at catcher last year. The club let Rudy Lombardi hit his last home run and reach some longevity milestones last year, but his spot on the bench will likely be more productive. He wasn’t able to field a position so he was a DH or pinch hitter last year and was not a starter the last four years of his prodigious career. None of the three free agents that Minnesota signed to be occasional starters and solid bench players did anything at all for the club. They had offensive lines like .188/.241/.271, .211/.274/.316, and .214/.267/.264. Bad.

For S23, it’s a whole season of Don Barnes at the Metrodome. This year’s big free agent signing Daryle Young can’t afford to flop (as they will be depending on him to play right field with Santos Flores breathing down his neck for playing time) and likely won’t. There are five guys on the team who could start at RF, 1B, or LF, which is a good problem to have. Other FA acquisition Pablo Calles is a low-risk pickup who is basically the same guy as the other two center field candidates but steals bases. On the pitching side, Mickey Goodwin probably can’t do worse than he did last year. Somehow Ruben Valdivia landed a Type A contract with Louisville. I think he’s got some incriminating photos of some VIPs over there.

Why the North Stars won’t improve on 74-88

There’s not any good really said above about pitching. The team was “good enough” with bad years by several players but it’s not certain whether last year was an off year or the new status quo for these men. The rotation really only had two starters who did anything. Top brass tried to sign a co-ace for Rudy Ewing but fell a total of $2M short over five years. There’s competition for the last two rotation spots but in-season there won’t be time to correct mistakes if the wrong candidates make the big league club. If one or two key guys stink up the rotation, this team is worse than last year.

Offensively, the team got a lot younger by letting guys go but those who stayed aged a year. With three position players under age 27 currently on the roster, the North Stars suddenly seem old. Are Flores, Barnes, Young, and company going to fuel the offense, or are they running on fumes?

The team does have depth at some positions but there’s a dearth for others. Nobody good will win the center field job. They aren’t any better than castaway George Casian. Catcher will be an Achilles’ heel again. Curt Shea is a very streaky hitter.

Sum it up, already!

The team has about four holes that will keep it back from greatness. If the hole fillers do better than average, this team will be good. If the rest of the team is outstanding, this team will contend. An injury or a bad season for the wrong guy will sink this club like a shooting star. I say 85 wins.

Most Home Runs by Position

2012-02-06T17:59:00.004-05:00

Owner Interview: dcbove

2011-12-12T08:13:00.003-05:00

He's won over 100 games seven seasons in a row and counting. His team is the most feared team in the AL. Here is an owner interview with dcbove.

1. What is your RL situation (age, location, family, career)?
I'm 40 years old, I live in Albany, NY with my girlfriend and no kids or pets. I was an environmental consultant that turned to the dark side and became a software developer about 15 years ago.

2. Favorite Capra player on your own team? On someone else's team?
On my team? When I first acquired my franchise, it was bad. Really bad. And the one player that I had that it was fun to root for from day one was: Juan Martinez. However, nowadays, I am mostly wrapped up in Rick Christensen and his quest for 300.On someone else's? I probably made more trade offers to attempt to acquire William Uehara then any other player. However, I love the fact that some players manage to acquire a league-wide recognized personality. Because of that, I'd have to say that I like Christian Grim.

3. Biggest HBD blunder?
Biggest blunder: Chip Turner was one of my first big free agent signings (2yr, $28M) and one of my favorites. After Season 11, however, he was 34(?) and wanted a 3 year deal. In those days a signing team didn't have to give up a 1st round pick for a Type A free agent if they signed him after the initial free agent signing period. So, my plan was to let someone sign him and take the first round pick OR sign him towards the end of the signing period after his demands had dropped. I did neither. I messed up the timing, the signing period ended, and El Paso signed him for 2yr, $5M, and I lost Capra's first Hall of Famer.Other biggest blunder: Before season 11, all-time Capra wins leader and completely unlikeable Brett Tracy was traded to Jacksonville. Before that trade, I turned down an offer for Tracy where I would have given up (if I remember correctly) Odalis Leon, Tomas Pena, and Jose Trevino. Tracy won his final Cy Young in Season 12.

4. Your general HBD team building strategy?
Tough to say, but I do front load the heck out of everyone's contract. $10M signing bonuses and shifting the money toward the first couple of years of the contract. This isn't RL where the time value of money comes into play. Greatest/worst hbd moment?Finally winning the world series was great, but I think my favorite season was Season 12. The AL East used to be a really rough division where Boston and San Juan would each win 95+ games and lock up the division and one wildcard. The previous season I had traded a couple of prospects for 34 year old Trenidad Prieto. He and rookie Michael Dransfeldt led me to a 96-win season, a wild card and my first playoff birth.

5. If you could add/improve any feature to HBD, what would it be?
I wish the managing of your minors meant more. Arizona Fall League (or heck, winter leagues in the Caribbean and Hawaii!) where you could convert players to other positions and stuff? I wouldn't mind if you could manage your stadium and your television contracts and parking. Overkill, but I'd do it!

6. One interesting RL fact about yourself.
And applicable to baseball in some way, if only tangentially? I've won a bunch of Texas Hold 'Em tournaments of dubious legality in Albany. My favorite story is one where I was left at the final table of a particularly seedy tournament by a couple of friends that were Red Sox fans. They had been knocked out hours ago and wanted to go back to someone's house because Game 1 of the 2004 World Series was about to start. I won, made lots of people very unhappy, almost got my ass kicked and ran from the bar, all because of the damn Red Sox. Go Yankees!

Syracuse Sicilians Preview

2011-11-20T17:15:00.002-05:00

After two mediocre seasons of 83 wins each and no playoff appearances the Sicilian nine moves into Season 22 with some questions answered and but several with answers still pending. In short, this season could be a success or something considerably less.

Catcher: Clayton Rollins, he of the .301-.380-.467 career averages, is back again. Season 21 saw his numbers a bit below his career figures, but still he hit .292, OPS'ed .829, and whacked a career high 24 homers. He also showed great durability in playing in 157 games, the forth consecutive year he has played in more than 155 games. He's a warhorse.

Lonny Alomar played well in his rookie season, as a backup, and managed to hit .284.

1B: The Sicilians platooned at the right side corner in 21 and it payed great dividends. Rookie Larry Flood hit .293, bonked 24 homers, and slugged .546 against RHP. Third year player Will Lee hit .287, bonked 13 homers, and slugged .569 vs. LHP. Both have been dangled as trade bait in the off-season but currently they are still Sicilians and ready to reprise their Batman and Robin roles.

2B: Future HoF'er Louie Hayes was shipped down the road in the off-season and now Sammy Guerrero moves over from 3B to man 2nd. Guerrero is a good gloveman who hits especially well against lefties. Veteran Carlos Olmedo was a late signee and will provide an experienced utility presence, decent bat and great glove.

SS: Jim Darwin won the Gold Glove in his first full MLB season. He added 19 homers to account for a heck of a double threat. He was a very popular target in trade offers over the off-season, but the Sicilian front office has, so far, resisted the trade temptation. Benny Scharein played several different positions with luster and surprised everybody with an average north of .270

3B: Veteran Tino Wood was brought in over the winter. He's a decent glove and a decent bat. Wood averages over 20 homers per season and has a career OPS of nearly .800. He won't replace Hayes bat in the lineup, but he's a solid major league and a workaholic locker room presence.

LF: Slugging Wilfredo Hernandez and his 28 homers was not resigned in the offseason. Wild and crazy rookie Steve Martin came up on fire after his midseason call-up. His .320-.426-.606 stat line with 18 homers in 86 games was worthy of some ROY consideration. He's back, will start against lefties and pinch hit. No one expects numbers like he showed last season, but he commands the strike (walking nearly 16% of his PA's) and punishes fences. Early in the season AAA .300 hitter Jason Dodson will get the AB's against RHP, but expect Terry Pariss (acquired in the Hayes' trade) to get his first call up very early.

CF: Switchhitting Ralph Hammonds is consistent. He's hit 7 homers three season in a row and averaged .271, .271 and .279 over that time. He's not very good, but he's consistent.

RF: Max Eckstein hit 31 homers, .244, and OPS'ed .760. All were 3-season lows. He also played only 149 games (with a 15-Day DL stint) after playing every game the previous two seasons. He confidently predicts he will bounce back. He better, or he won't be a Sicilian in Season 23. Hopefully, tough love works.

Starting Pitching: Buzz Andrews is 61-36 with a 3.41 ERA in his 4-year career. He's a good one. Mario Hyers had a career worst 8-15 record in season 21, along with a career worst 4.14 ERA. He still threw 226 innings and is expectedd to bounce back. Former Bonus Baby Everth Cantu saw his record fall from 16-5 to 8-10 and his ERA increase by 1-pt to 3.93. He is expected to sparkle again. Rookie Max Javier went 12-5 after his call up. Those 4 form a very solid rotational core. Thomas Borbon walks too many guys but is 21-21 over his career. He'll get 1st shot at the #5 spot. If he gets bombed, Yorvit Sanchez will get his opportunity in the rotation. He has filled every role in his career, from starter to closer.

The Sicilian bullpen was pathetic in Season 21. P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C. It has to improve in Season 22. It can't be worse. Einar Ferrer, Paul Dong, and Orlando Bonilla were brought in to shore up this weakness. Bonilla throws 100 innings a year and has a career ERA of 3.45 and a WHIP of 1.10. He's a pretty good one. Buddy Bottalico was a bullpen bright spot as a rookie. He was 9-5 with a 3.02 ERA. Greybeard Julian Furcal had 17 saves but an ERA over 5. He was wildly overpaid. Thank God he'll be gone after this season! Cy McDowell has great skills, great makeup and a crappy career ERA of 4.38. He remains an enigma and will eventually get another chance to blow the closer role. Dong will get that role as the season begins.

That's it. This year's Syracuse Sicilians. If Wood hits, Eckstein bounces back, Pariss has a fine rookie season and the bullpen doesn't stink it up again, we may challenge for a Wild Card spot, riding on the backs of a decent rotation. We might win 73 games, too.

Play ball!

Season 22 HOF Analysis

2011-11-16T11:45:00.004-05:00

Here’s my take on this season’s HOF nominees. I’ve put them in 5 categories: No Doubt, Good Chance, Borderline, Short Career, and No Chance. The problem is that there are so many decent candidates, the vote gets split among them. For those who don’t use all 5 of your votes, think about players like Alberto Sosa, who has 550 HR’s and is about 15^th in line (and won’t ever get in).

No Doubt

Hong-Gu Hyun – One of the great players of all-time, won 2 MVPs, went to 9 All Star games and won 9 Silver Sluggers! Hit almost 400 HRs, stole 250 bases, and had a blistering 1.000 OPS. Did I mention he did it all at CF?

Dennys Yamakazi – It may be hard for current Capra players to remember a time when there was only 1 truly great pitcher (the immortal Brett Tracy). Yamakazi’s numbers might not be staggering, with 190-133 W-L and a 3.89 ERA, but he was clearly the best pitcher not named Tracy in the early years of the league. No real-life pitcher won 3 CYA’s and isn’t in the HOF. His career ERA+ of 133 makes him comparable to Whitey Ford. He’s a HOFer.

Hal Randall – .336/.419/.563. Pretty much says it all. Over 600 2Bs, 375 HRs and 375 SBs. 2800 hits. And played a solid 2B. 11 All Star games and 8 Silver Sluggers. How could you possibly vote Evan Moore over this guy?

Diego Santana – 8 All Star games and an MVP for our greatest catcher yet. He slugged 475 HRs, including hitting 60 in a season twice, and had a .950 OPS. The definition of a HOFer.

Good chance

Desi Rodriguez – Gold Glove winning SS who went to 7 All Star games and hit over 500 HR. Sounds like a HOF lock! His .850 OPS hurts him a bit, but the huge contracts handed out to SS this offseason remind us how important this position is.

Jorel McGlinchy – A tough call, not an amazing offensive player, though respectable with over 500 2Bs, 200 SBs and an .812 career OPS. But an absolutely incredible defensive force, winning 10 GGs at CF and going to 8 All Star games. Racked up 424 (+) plays – the second most is 146. If you value defense, this guys is a HOFer.

Julio Johnson – 2-time MVP and 6 All Stars, plus a .941 OPS, while playing 2B and LF. Only 10 seasons, not quite as defensively valuable as Harry Pascual, but 2 MVPs speak loudly.

Mikey Tatum – Lfer who went to 9 All Star games, won 4 Silver Sluggers and 4 Gold Gloves. With 300 HR, almost 600 SB, nearly a .900 OPS and 1500 R, he’s easy to vote for.

Trenidad Prieto – 500 HR, 1700 RBI and 1500 R. A .957 career OPS. HOF numbers for sure. Only 4 All Stars and 1 Silver Slugger though, and at 1B in this league you have to MASH. He’d be a sure thing if he played another position, as it is… he’s not a bad choice.

Alexander Henry – 500 HR, 1500 RBI, .971 career OPS. 4 All Star games and an MVP. Another 1B with HOF numbers, but how many can you take. Tough choices here.

Clinton Anderson – This RF hit an enormous 667 HR, drove in over 1800, and scored over 1600. His .921 OPS is very good but does not elevate him from this group. He won an MVP, but only went to 2 All Star games.

Evan Moore – Gets the accumulater vote, but was never as good as the rest of the guys in this category. A solid .869 OPS with over 500 2Bs is very nice, but the only reason he’s this high is because of the 3000 H. Only one All Star game. I personally wouldn’t put him in until a lot of these other guys get in. Played 1B for his whole career despite being listed as a 2B on his HOF card.

Denny Cooper – Second all-time in SBs with 721, this speedster also got on base and hit for power, giving him an .897 career OPS. 4 All Star games and 4 Silver Sluggers. He also played an excellent 2B. Another high-level candidate.

Harry Pascual – 4 All Stars, 4 Silver Sluggers and a .939 OPS from a 2B. Despite only 10 full seasons, it’s hard to say he doesn’t belong.

Nerio Miller – 9 All Stars, 6 Firemen and a CYA. 2.93 career ERA and 487 Sv. The fact that he pitched less than 1000 IP keep him out of the sure thing category for me.

David Wanatabe – The all-time Saves leader by a mile, with 623. Went to 10 All Star games and won 5 Fireman awards. But he only pitched 50 IP more than Nerio, with a 3.67 ERA. Hard to say who was better. Some will vote for him. I probably won’t.

Ron Quantrill – I still haven’t figured out how to rate pitcher’s careers. 176 W and a 3.87 ERA aren’t mind blowing, but there are so few pitchers with those numbers that I think it’s much harder than it seems. 6 All Stars and over 2800 IP.

Borderline

Roosevelt Davenport – A victim of too many good players – he’s next in line to a lot of guys. Should get lots of respect for 586 HRs and a .920 OPS, but only went to 3 All Star games. He played a below average 2B for most of his career, then played an above average LF.

Darin McClellan – A Davenport clone, he hit 589 HRs and had a .921 OPS. Despite that he only went to 1 All Star game. Played 1B, LF and DH. Doesn’t really stand out.

Ringo Weston – Played CF, SS and 3B, got over 2300 H and 1300 R, with an OPS of .845. Excellent all-around player, maybe not quite HOF quality.

Anthony Gipson – This excellent 3B went to 6 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. His 399 HR and .899 OPS ironically echo his HOF status: Not Quite.

Mel Barfield – This 2B went to 7 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. A very similar player to Gipson! Hard to complain about 300 HR, 500 SB and an .885 OPS, but with the difficulty of getting in, he probably won’t see the HOF.

Geronimo Ordaz – Almost made it to 3000 H as a SS and compiled an .850 OPS. He compares in some ways to Desi Rodriguez, but never won a gold glove and only went to 3 All-Star games. One step below.

Alberto Sosa – Hard to argue against players with 550 HR, but this RF is going to come up a hair short with his .890 OPS, and the fact he only played in 2 All Star games.

Clyde Unroe – 500 HR and 1500 RBI for someone who played 2B/LF is always good. Only 2 All Star games and an .895 OPS make me think twice.

Julio Iglesias – Played 3B and SS, went to 6 All Star games and won 3 SS and a GG. 300 HR and almost 300 SB, with a .903 OPS. I think he’s just below the HOF.

Don Wilson – Has the magic .300/.400/.500 mark, but just barely, registering a .910 OPS. Went to 4 All Star games, and was an excellent hitter. Too much competition here for him though, with Prieto and Henry in front of him.

Tyler Henderson – With 444 Saves and a 3.47 ERA, 6 All Stars and 2 Firemen, he’s a poor man’s Nerio Miller. Not quite enough.

Matthew Torres – Made 4 All-Star games and 1 Fireman, pitched a lot for a reliever, racking up over 1600 IP, 108 W, and 208 saves. His 3.72 ERA keeps him out of the elite reliever discussion.

Short Career

Ryan Parrish – RFer Parrish was a masher, compiling a .991 OPS with over 300 HR, but with only 8 full seasons it’s probably not quite enough for the HOF.

Dustin Scott – Also a RFer, put together a .940 OPS and 250 HR. His 8 seasons were not quite enough.

Walter Webb – Had some massive seasons early as a C, but was too old. Finished as a DH with fewer than 300 HR.

T.J. Smart – Another early C with huge seasons, but a too short career. Has a massive .998 OPS, but fewer than 1000 H and only 175 HR.

No Shot

Marvin Bryant – This 2B/SS was a nice player, but an .851 OPS with no speed will not get you a HOF spot.

George Brow – He played a nice CF and came to play every day, and contributed with a .293 AVG. Not a real HOF candidate though.

Henry Sullivan – Awards don’t tell the whole story, but the fact that in 8 seasons this 3B didn’t win any probably tells enough.

Peter Mitchell – Did some catching, but mostly a DH. Put up a huge .423 OBP, but the rest of the numbers are not enough for a pure hitter to make it.

Shawn Morton – HOF voters have to remember how hard it is to pitch in this league. A 3.78 career ERA is very good. I just don’t think his 108 W and 1800 IP are enough.

John Kennedy – Won a CYA and has a 3.87 ERA. Again, I think 109 W and 1500 IP don’t cut it.

Matty Ortiz – His 3.98 ERA and 132 W probably won’t do it. He almost made it to 2000 IP though.

Zachrey Cohen, Esteban Tejera– Do not belong on this list.

Owner Interview: rls1

2011-11-15T22:14:00.002-05:00

He is CAPRA's hard working commishioner. He runs the most respected (and hated) franchise in the league. As an owner, he has impressive collection of 19 division titles and 4 (!) world series titles. Here is an exclusive interview with rls1.

1. What is your RL situation (age, location, family, career)?
42. Indianapolis. Grew up in Southern California. Married for 15 years. Two daughters, ages 11 and 5. Teach writing at Butler University.

2. Favorite Capra player on your own team? On someone else's team?
Currently, our 1B, Ismael Maduro. All-time, his predecessor and Hall-of-Famer, Kip White. Elsewhere, I like to see players that we drafted and developed do well with other teams.

3. Biggest HBD blunder?
Dropped out of the International Market a few seasons ago. When you pick near the end of the 1st round every season, that makes it hard to develop any prospects at all. Now we've got nothing in the system and time is about to run out on whatever run we've had going.

4. Your general HBD team building strategy?
Pitching #1, Defense #2, Offense #3. Subsequently, we suffer with a weak offense most seasons and are eliminated from the postseason when we run into great pitchers.The fun challenge is finding how to get better at #3 without sacrificing #1 or #2.

5. If you could add/improve any feature to HBD, what would it be?
I'd like to have individual settings for base stealing. Currently, Maduro has been throw out in 27 of his 30 career base stealing attempts. He really shouldn't try again. But the engine is going to keep sending him unless I also stop my rabbits from running.

6. One interesting RL fact about yourself.
-Once spent a night in jail with sjstapleton.-Made music video debut in James McMurtry's 1995 clip "Where'd You Hide the Body." (around the 50 second mark)-Chipped one of my front teeth while getting drunk in Tijuana at age 19. As horny as I was, and drunk, refused the Mexican bar whore eyeballing me.-Have around 15,000 old baseball cards somewhere in my attic.-Workout playlist (on shuffle)Ted Leo "I Got Your Number"Iron Maiden "Die With Your Boots On"Rage Against the Machine "Sleep Now in the Fire"Sugar "Tilted"AC/DC "For Those About to Rock"Bob Mould "Sacrifice/Let There be Peace"Metallica "St. Anger"White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl"

Dransfeldt leaves

2011-11-12T16:47:00.005-05:00

Michael Dransfeldt

Jacksonville, AR (AP) - "I'm taking my talents to Huntington."

And, with that statement, Michael Dransfeldt became the second most hated man in Cleveland.

Speaking at a press conference in his hometown, Dransfeldt stated that he felt that Cleveland was too cosmopolitan and snobbish for his tastes.

"I hated that place, man. They were a bunch of snobs that never accepted me for who I am. I like to drink warm beer out of a can. I think it is more convenient to have my washing machine on the front porch. I don't even like to wear shoes during the offseason. Huntington seems more like my kind of town. Heck, it can't be that big, I'd never even heard of it."

Cleveland owner and GM dcbove appeared dismayed about how the negotations had ended. "We had offered him a large extension last season and had a 5 year, $85 million deal on the table when he signed elsewhere. He just didn't want to come back."

The Spiders will miss Dransfeldt's production on the field. He had 9 Silver Sluggers, 5 Gold Gloves, and 8 All-Star appearances in his 10 years as a major league 3rd baseman. He was an MVP finalist 9 times though he never won an MVP. However, GM dcbove said they won't miss his antics off of the field.

"It is hard to understand such a horrible lack of loyalty. We squashed the rumors that he had fixed games during the Season 16 playoffs when he hit only .188. We covered up his meth addiction and the subsequent relapses that led to such a substandard Season 19. We overlooked his questionable relationships with prostitutes and farm animals. Apparently Michael did not appreciate our efforts."

Cleveland has already stated their intention to move Enrique Astacio from shortstop to third base and call up Tony Plata to play shortstop. Rumors have swirled that they've dangled Gil Thornton and Devaris Barker in an effort to acquire a corner outfielder.

"I can't comment on any deals," said dcbove. "If we can find a bat to replace Dransfeldt then we'll make a move. Otherwise we intend to rely on some of our prospects. With all the money that we'll have lying around, we expect to be huge players in the IFA market this year."

As for Dransfeldt? "I plan on drinking a quart of Wild Turkey tonight and then driving my truck out into the swamp to shoot me some racoons. Just like every Saturday."

One can only imagine that his old neighbors in Cleveland won't miss him. His production, however, will be sorely missed.

Owner Interview: bursny483

2011-11-07T19:53:00.003-05:00

Burnsy, owner of the Cinncinati Roses and reigning Capra champion, has 11 HBD seasons under his belt. In that short time, he's amassed an impressive .541 winning pct, to go with 5 division titles and 6 playoff appearances. He's been more than kind in volunteering to be our first owner to be interviewed. On to the questions!

1. What is your RL situation (age, location, family, career)? I'm 28, live in the NYC area, and work in the sports and entertainment field.

2. Favorite Capra player on your own team? On someone else's team? My favorite player on my team is probably Coco Hentgen. I had the first pick of the draft in my first year here, and I'm proud of my selection. He's a franchise player, and will be a star at 2B for quite some time. My favorite player on another team is Bruce Harper. He's been a beast his whole career, and I always love a good power hitter. Within my division, it's Alex Valdes. Whenever Mike gets sick of him, I'd be happy to take him off his hands.

3. Biggest HBD blunder? One year I thought the amateur draft was a day later than it actually was. Luckily I ran my formula builder once beforehand, PM but I didn't get to do more preparation.

4. Your general HBD team building strategy? Overall, I try not to limit myself to any particular strategy, and just try to put myself in the best possible position based on what's available to me. But I like to play to my ballpark, so I'm a fan of power hitters. I also like to get above average defense at each position, if possible. And I've always thought it's important to have at least one true ace on your staff, and that it becomes more important in the postseason. This past year proved me right.

5. If you could add/improve any feature to HBD, what would it be? I'd like the HOF to be fixed. It's probably my biggest (and probably irrational) pet peeve with the game. If a handful of owners are apathetic to their world's HOF, PM you're significantly less likely to get anyone in. I think people should be voted in based on % of those who actually vote to alleviate this issue, and I like to see less players have the ability to be nominated. I can see how that could make the whole process a little overwhelming.

6. One interesting RL fact about yourself. My first ever trip to Fenway Park (probably my favorite ballpark) was in July of 1994. I witnessed an unassisted triple play by John Valentin, and being the baseball dork I am, was the only person in my section who recognized the feat that we all just saw. Years later, I remembered that a Seattle prospect made his major league debut at SS that game, and in looking back at the box score, found out that it was Alex Rodriguez.

Top 5 Pitchers

2011-10-29T10:54:00.004-04:00

Here are five guys with the nastiest stuff in CAPRA. Introducing the Top 5 Pitchers:

5.) Rick Christiansen, 33, Cleveland Spiders (4 Cy Youngs, 8 AS) - The guy just keeps winning and winning. Christiansen more than makes up for a pedestrian control rating with outstanding splits and solid pitches.

4.) Charlie Gulan, 25, Tampa Bay Hot Dogs (2 Cy Youngs, 2 AS) - Gulan combines excellent vR split with pin-point control. He's the ace of a dominating Tampa staff. What makes him even more valuable is his durability: He's already thrown over 240+ innings twice in his young career.

3.) Christian Grim, 34, Cincinnati Roses (2 Cy Youngs, 8 AS) - He basically single-handily won the world series last season for Cincy. When he's on, the "Grim Reaper" will absolutely shut down any offense. Excellent splits and control, plus four different pitches rated 61 or higher.

2.) Jose Sosa, 29, Anaheim Anteaters (1 Cy Young, 3 AS, RoY) - He has a 1.05 career WHIP and 2.76 career ERA. The player with the most annoying sunglasses in baseball history is also a key ingredient in Anaheim's dynasty. With a 98 makeup and incredible vR and Sosa should be able to maintain his dominance well into his late 30's.

1.) Bruce Dellucci, 29, Jackson Rage (2 Cy Youngs, 6 AS, RoY) - The best pitcher in the Capra world has to be Dellucci. He has no weakness - his splits, control, FB/GB ratings are all 90+. Add in excellent velocity and four solid pitches, and it's easy to see why Dellucci has a career ERA of 2.59.

Honorable Mention: Junior Hernandez, 21, Seattle Picards (RoY) - Junior still has a lot to prove, but with splits that should both develop into the 90's, plus 97 velocity rating, he should be an elite pitcher for many seasons to come.

Most 20 win seasons

2011-10-05T21:09:00.001-04:00

Brett Tracy  7
Rick Christensen  6
Alexander Frye  4
Diego Ozuna  4
Joe Warden  3
Dennys Yamakazi  2
Antonio Martin  2
Rudy Ewing  2
Stevie Nevin  2
Livan Lee  2
Charles Jones  1
Ted Davis  1
Luis Herrera  1
Andy Cortes  1
Ron Quantrill  1
Junior Funaki  1
Charlie Gulan  1
Morgan Sierra  1
Kelly Grace  1
Christian Grim  1
Pascual Servet  1
Enos Garciaparra  1
Ariel Cortez  1
Shawn Morton  1
Lance Tatum  1
Dean Incaviglia  1
Patrick Erickson  1
Jesus Guerrero  1
Denny Martin  1

Most 30/30 Seasons

2011-10-05T21:04:00.001-04:00

Rogers Glynn  10
Louie Hayes  6
Roger Scalici  6
Stan Lee  5
Juan Valentin  5
Delino Julio  4
Mikey Tatum  4
Al Perez  3
Dean Brennaman  3
Domingo Padilla  3
Don Barnes  3
Hong-Gu Hyun  3
Denny Cooper  3
Lonny Dali  3
Ernest Lamb  3

Most 20/20 seasons

2011-10-05T21:02:00.001-04:00

Rogers Glynn  14
Hal Randall  12
Mel Barfield  11
Al Perez  11
Wesley Smith  11
Domingo Padilla  11
Lonny Dali  10
Santos Flores  10
Stan Lee  9
Juan Valentin  9
Louie Hayes  9
Aurelio Astacio  8
Roger Scalici  8
Mikey Tatum  8
Lou Witt  8
Denny Cooper  8
Julio Iglesias  7
Torey Aparicio  7
Julio Johnson  7
Rudy Hayes  7
Ernest Lamb  7
Dmitri Stafford  7
Richard Young  6
Melvin Martin  6
Delino Julio  6
Hong-Gu Hyun  6
Frank Sellers  6
Russell Steinbach  6
Edgar Berroa  6
Walt Cashman  6
Don Barnes  5
Kelvim Woodard  5
Matty Estrada  5
Jose Sardinha  5
Deacon Phillips  5

All-Time Wins Leaders

2011-10-05T20:49:00.005-04:00

Brett Tracy  303
Desi Martin  239
Ted Davis  223
Denny Martin  209
Kelly Grace  209
Ariel Cortez  205
Jesus Guerrero  202
Rick Christensen  200
Bryan Stocker  196
Diego Ozuna  196
Tom Hudler  195
Dennys Yamakazi  190
Karl Appier  188
Matty Bennett  184
Vance Spencer  183
Trenidad Espinosa  183
Craig Schwartz  182
Alexander Frye  182
Paul Hayashi  181
Charles Jones  180
Paul Martin  180
Livan Lee  178
Christian Grim  178
Luis Herrera  177
Ron Quantrill  176
Rafael Olivares  176
Vasco Almonte  175
Joe Warden  174
Andy Cortes  169
Enos Garciaparra  168
Pete Patrick  167
Tomas Barrios  166
Tito Martin  161
Walter O'Connor  157
Justin Shipley  157
Patrick Spencer  157
Paul Connelly  154
Chris Larkin  152
Alan Dorsey  150
Julius Edmonds  150
Don Chang  149
Kennie Hughes  146
Roy Brinkley  145
Moises Melendez  144
Bud Simpson  144
Jacob Wallace  143
Fernando Johnson  141
Jimmie Gutierrez  140
Lee Plunk  140
Marty Rodgers  139

All-Time Home Run Leaders

2011-10-05T20:28:00.003-04:00

Rogers Glynn  764
Darren Owens  764
Rudy Lombardi  724
Bruce Harper  679
Clinton Anderson  667
Damaso Colome  659
Pablo Vincente  632
Al Ontiveros  598
Darin McClellan  589
Roosevelt Davenport  586
Claude Long  562
Alberto Sosa  556
Carlos Pulido  524
Trenidad Prieto  521
Henry Menechino  521
Clyde Unroe  517
Desi Rodriguez  517
Alexander Henry  511
Bruce Kent  496
Al Maurer  485
Willie Bacsik  476
Diego Santana  475
Javier Leon  472
Tex Jordan  468
Moises Guzman  464
Stan Lee  462
Dan Donatello  460
Zachrey Grace  454
Tyler Buhner  439
Sean Montgomery  438
Carlos Medrano  436
Julio Martin  434
Michael Dransfeldt  426
Otis Watkins  421
Ralph Stanley  420
Ariel Rosario  418
Chuck Coleman  413
Kip White  412
Alex Guerrero  411
Justin Terry  409
Anthony Gipson  399
Hong-Gu Hyun  396
Walt Cashman  395
Ismael Maduro  394
Al Ordaz  394
Sean Burnett  392
Matt Kirkland  383
Thomas Simon  381
Hal Randall  379
Al Cedeno  371

The Greatest Home Run EVER HIT!!!

2011-09-24T10:31:00.002-04:00

Flashback to Season 17. The young, upstart Seattle Picards are facing the mighty Cleveland Spiders. Cleveland is heavily favored, but the Picards scratch and claw their way to a deciding game 7.

It's the bottom of the 9th and the Spiders are up by three runs. Cleveland brings in their ace closer, Slash Clay, to slam the door. It looks apparent that Seattle's dream season will come up just short.

The Picards manage to get two runners on base, but there are two outs now and the Picards are down to their last breath. Quiet, steady SS Willy O'Connor steps up to the plate. All he wants to do is just make contact with the ball.

Then, Clay offers up one of his signature fastballs. Willy swings with all his might. CRACK!!! The ball flies off the bat into the Cleveland night sky. The Spider fans stare in disbelief. The Picards dugout erupts in joy. IT'S A HOMERUN!!!

The normally subdued Seattle announcer/android/bat boy Data begins to scream, "I can't believe it! It's a home run! It's a bottom of the 9th, Game 7 of the world series, two out, 3-run home run to tie the game!!! Unbelievable! My emotion chip is starting to overload!"

Incredibly, the Picards went on to win game 7 in the 10th inning, as former Spider Raul Costilla launched a home run as well.

S21 NL Preview

2011-08-04T15:50:00.003-04:00

The National League should be highly competitive this year. As the season gets ready to kick off, there are no clear "rebuilding" clubs and several teams are hovering around the .500 mark talent-wise. All this should make S21 a fun season, full of surprise dark horse teams and down-to-the-wire division races. However, expect defending champs Tampa Bay, Anaheim and Louisville to stay well above the pack and go deep into the playoffs.

NL West
Prediction:
1.) Anaheim Anteaters (100-62)
2.) Vancouver Maintaineers (90-72)
3.) St. Louis Archers (81-81)
4.) Seattle Picards (76-86)

Anaheim should be able to coast to the division title again. Vancouver looks primed for another playoff run. Seattle and a quickly improving St. Louis squad will likely battle it out for 3rd place.

NL South
Prediction:
1.) Jacksonville Bulls (83-79)
2.) Little Rock Travelers (79-83)
3.) Florida SunRays (79-83)
4.) Huntington Honey Badgers (76-86)

The NL South is a wide open division. Any one of the four teams could surprise and win it. Expect this race to go down to the wire. Who wins it is any one's guess.

NL East
Prediction:
1.) Louisville Redbirds (101-61)
2.) Tampa Bay Hot Dogs (100-62)
3.) Syracuse Sicilians (86-76)
4.) Rochester Killer Bees (76-86)

Defending champs Tampa Bay and arch-rival Louisville will likely be neck and neck all season. It should be an exciting division. Sicilians look to contend for a wild card spot. Rochester, with their solid pitching, may surprise.

NL North
Prediction:
1.) Toronto Beavers (81-81)
2.) Minnesota North Stars (77-85)
3.) New York Yanks (77-85)
4.) New Britain Squids (77-85)

Another wide open division that any of the teams might win. Like the NL South, expect the North to have a wild and crazy season.

Playoffs:
Division Winners: Anaheim (bye), Louisville (bye), Jacksonville, Toronto
Wild Cards: Tampa Bay, Vancouver
NL Champs: Louisville

Vancouver Maintaineers Season 21 Preview

2011-08-02T23:30:00.001-04:00

Vancouver made significant financial commitments during the off season by signing pitchers R.J Gardner and Lon Lee and right fielder Ricardo Seanez to long term contracts. The continued emphasis is to keep talented farm products. The strength of the team is pitching. The challenge is for Hitting Coach Chad Reese to get more offensive production. If they can find 50 more runs scored in season 21, they will be poised to go deep in the playoffs. If not, they will be scratching for a wild card birth in a very completive NL West.

Rotation

The top four starters return, led by last year’s Cy Young candidate Jamie Bradley. His career record is 107-52. Gardner scored career bests in ERA and WHIP in season 20. Yorvit Molina had a rotation-best 1.13 WHIP. Lon Lee had 3.45 ERA as combination starter and reliever, expects to stay in the rotation. Lou O’Brien, the Über set up man, brings his .195 opponent average to the rotation.

Bullpen

This year’s pen is deep and filled with young talent. Rip Robinson recorded 36 saves in what statistically may not have been his best year, although still excellent in many ways.

Sammy Colon, Benji Santayana, Kevin Jeffries and Colby Pelfrey will be the set up men. Pelfrey’s rubber arm made 81 appearances for 114 innings last year. Santayana recorded a career best 1.14 WHIP. Jeffries had a 2.05 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Colon worked hard in the off season to improve his control.

Catcher

Justin Post was acquired last season to improve pitch calling and to provide defense from behind the plate. He ably fit the bill, as Vancouver’s ERA was second best in the NL, a significant improvement from 10^th in season 19! Spring training will decide if C/DH Tony Otanez is the backup catcher or if one of four AAA catchers is promoted.

First Base

Can Tony Unamuno regain his 100+ RBI stroke from 2 and 3 seasons ago? Let’s hope being in the last year of his contract will be a motivator.

Second Base

Nate Cockrane and Max Guerrero both had over .377 OBP from the leadoff spot. Cockrane was nearly perfect on the base paths being caught only twice in 86 steal attempts. Guerrero’s bat kept him in the lineup, playing six positions.

Shortstop

Paul Crosby and Fernando Johnson will compete for this position. Johnson is an excellent fielder and a superb hitter with power from the right side. Crosby is likely to be see playing time against left handed pitching, also is an excellent fielder. He was a first round draft pick in season 15.

Third Base

Russell Steinbach anchors the hot corner. Can he improve as a clutch hitter and cross the magic 100 RBI range? Journeyman Richard Gant will supply some days off.

Outfield

Does a combination of Frank Valentine and Brian Winston turn left field into a position of strength? Right Fielder Ricardo Seanez is poised for a breakout year. Can he regain the stroke that produced a .900 OPS in his rookie year? Does Rule 5 acquisition Alvin Stewart’s blazing speed light a fire under center fielder Bart Whitaker? Improvement in range from the position would be most welcome.

AAA

The ML roster has an open slot. Will it be filled with a catcher in Emil Flores or recently acquired Albert Patel? Or does the bullpen get a sixth member? Veteran Jerome Branson is in camp for a look see. Does Jose Alou or Kazuhiro Kim stick as a long reliever? AA phenom Alex Seung is turning heads in spring training. Can he be ready by mid-season?

Seattle Picards S21 Preview

2011-08-01T17:41:00.003-04:00

Overview
After missing the playoffs last season, Seattle made a flurry of trades as S21 kicked off. Whether the new personnel help the Picards close the gap against superior division rivals Vancouver and Anaheim remains to seen.

Starting Pitching
The rotation should be the strength of the team. With newly acquired Brandon Groom (1.31 WHIP with Jackson) and the debut of 20 year old uber-prospect Junior Hernandez, the Picards hope they have a formidable 1-2 punch to build their team around. Solid vets David Armas (8-5, 3.46 ERA), Junior Funaki (1.18 WHIP) and Denny Martin (16-8, 2.81 ERA) round out the rotation.

Bullpen
Unhappy with Slash Clay's inconsistencies (3-10, 34 saves), the Picards signed ex-Anteater Sid Watson (1.50 ERA, 40 saves) to try to nail down 9th inning duties. ROY Pat McCullough, Harry Hammond (1.22 WHIP), Rolando Diaz (1.24 WHIP) and Clay give the Picards plenty of late inning options to get the ball to Watson.

Catcher
long-time backstop Julio Concepcion (.319 avg) is back for his 11th season behind the plate for the Picards. Management hopes he has a couple .300 avg seasons left in him. Lefty-masher Harry Rodriguez (27 HR at AAA) will serve as his platoon mate.

Infield
Fresh off signing a 5 year extension, 2 time MVP Hayes Corino (.288, 42 HR, 114 RBI) is back at 1B to continue terrorizing NL pitching. He'll be joined by three new faces in the infield.

Ex-Sicilian Donn Newman (22 HR) looks to rejuvenate his career by moving to Seattle and switching from RF to 2B. New 3B Kelvin Torres (.277 avg) tries to replace departed slugger Aramis Granados. Steady SS Luis Lee (9 plus plays) was picked up at the trade deadline last season from Minnesota.

Outfield
3 time all star Cesar Pulido (.264, 46 HR, 110 RBI) continues to shine in RF. Newcomers Odalis Baez (32 HR, .361 OBP) and Anthony Clinton (23 SB, .355 OBP) will replace departed slugger Raul Costilla in LF and bat leadoff. CF Matthew Wilson (29 SB, .220 avg) hopes to recover after a horrible sophomore slump in S20. He'll platoon with expert defender Felix Stuart (7 plus plays).

Summary
The Picards have a lot of new faces, but will it be enough to overcome their division foes? Even with the improvements they've made to their pitching staff, the team traded away a lot of offense this offseason. In S21, it's likely that Seattle will be staring up at Vancouver and Anaheim in the standings once again.

Syracuse Sicilians Preview

2011-04-24T22:14:00.002-04:00

The Syracuse Sicilians returned to the playoffs last year, making that 4 appearances in 5 years (including 3 Divisional Championships) under the current GM.

The Sicilians have perennially found their strength in pitching and defense, while they have struggled to find a consistent offense. In Year 19 they did show improvement at the plate, however, finishing 7th in the league in runs scored. This followed 4 years where they finished 14th, 14th, 12th and 14th in the same category. The Sicilian pitching staff stumbled slightly and gave up the 6th fewest runs in the league in Season 19. This followed 4 seasons where they were 3rd, 1st, 3rd, and 3rd in runs allowed. During the past 5 seasons the boys from Syracuse have flashed spectacular glove-work, finishing 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd and 1st in fielding percentage.

As a new Opening Day approaches Syracuse fans are optimistic that their teams pitching and defensive strengths will remain just that and that their offensive improvement will continue.

Pitching Staff

With a Top of the Rotation trio of Mario Hyers (Career .533 pct/3.87 ERA), Buzz Andrews (.606/3.41) and Manny Huang (.600/3.86) the Sicilians sport one of the league's best threesomes. Gray-beard Vernon O'Rourke can still miss bats, shown by his Year 19 13-7 record and 3.62 ERA. Young gun and future ace Everth Cantu rounds out the rotation. He had a rocky run after he came up last season but impresses all with his poise, stuff and cerebral pitching approach. Expect a breakout season from him.

After 12 MLB seasons Julian Furcal still sports one of the league's elite bullpen arms and will again lead a productive set of relievers. Cy McDowell had a fine rookie campaign in the closer role. After a rough initiation upon callup he finished with 19 saves in 23 chances and he was unscored on in 3 Post-Season appearances. Yorvit Sanchez returned to form last year but vet Jin-Chi Shinjo struggled badly. He was eventually set down to AAA to find his form. He responded there with an ERA of 1.26 in 7 starts. He carries that confidence forward into the new season. Shinjo is vying with rookie lefty Roger Shave for one of the pen positions. After a promising stint in Year 18, Tomas Borbon struggled some in season 19, but still went 6-3 with 7 saves. He will primarily appear as a LR again. Veteran Eric Rakers was a FA aquisition this spring. He won 20 games with Cinncinati as a fulltime starter over the past 2 seasons but will be a swingman with the Sicilians and adds an experienced, professional approach. Much is anticipated of rookie Peter Shin, who is penciled in as one of the primary set-up throwers, along with Furcal. Shin has terrific stuff, a very lively arm and a bit of wildness. Batters dig in at their own peril against Shin but as closer in AAA he surrendered only .98 WHIP. He should be fun to watch.

Lineup

1B: The Sicilians employed a platoon arrangement at 1B in year 19. It worked wonderfully well! Veteran Tyler Buhner manned the position against righties. He ripped away at a .328 clip with a .395 OBP and a .488 slg%. He also proved to be a terrific mentor for rookie Will Lee, who started against lefties. Lee hit 25 homers in 257 AB's and slugged .615. The Dynamic Duo is no longer Batman and Robin, but Buhner and Lee!

2B: FA aquisition Lonny Martin is a polished and experienced veteran. He will hold down 2B early in the season. However, it is expected that rookie Jim Darwin will get an early call-up and take over the position. Darwin brings a slick glove and plenty of pop for a MIF. He is penciled in as the Season 21 Sicilian SS. It is possible that he and Martin may platoon at the position after his callup, with Darwin getting the RHP starts. Expect 20 homers from Darwin.

3B: Rolando Lee was handed the 2B position in year 19 and responded with .300 avg. and slick glove work in his first season manning a position full-time, after 4 campaigns where he was used in a utility role. Lee is shifted back to 3B this season where his quick reactions and powerful/accurate arm are well suited. Lee brings little power but is a terror against lefties. Another season in the .300 neighborhood is highly probable.

SS: Cesar Cornejo is one of the league's premier defenders and won the Gold Glove at SS in Season 19. It was his second GG award. He also whacked out a career high 15 homeruns. He's back to suck up nearly everything hit on the left side of the infield. Veteran Ken Hodges backs him up and also sees time at 2B, 3B and CF. He also brings first-class leather work along with his shaky bat.

LF: Former rookie sensation Josias Terrero slipped a bit in year 19. His .768 OPS was a career low. His 22 homers were also far below the 33 and 32 he had hit in his first two seasons. But he still totalled 65 extra-base hits, 113 runs and stellar LF play. A bounce-back year is widely expected from him. If so, look out.

CF: Veteran Fred Redding has appeared in at least 160 games in each of his 4 full Syracuse seasons. His 21 homeruns and .225 BA were his Sicilian lows but he again patrolled CF with grace and speed. Redding is the clubhouse leader for this squad and is expected by all to return to his former numbers. Expect 25+ taters and a .250+ average.

RF: Donn Newman is also one of the games premier defenders. He won his 2nd RF Gold Glove last season and also had his best season at the plate, hitting career highs in avg. (.281), homers (21), OBP (.351) and slugging (.450). He is a fan favorite for his clutch hitting and his headlong crashes into OF walls!

Utility OF: Wilfredo Hernandez was a disappointment in Season 18, when he manned 1B fulltime. However, as the 4th OF in year 19 he was very productive. In 202 AB's he hit 13 homers, slugged .550 and had an OPS of .892! He will fill that role again this year, as well as being a primary PH'er.

C: Clayton Rollins is one of the league's supreme catchers. Last year he hit .329, had an OBP of .394, and slugged .482, all while getting in a career high 560 AB's. In his 4 fulltime seasons he has made three All-Star teams. Rollins is, in short, a stud. He was helped last year by the presence of veteran defensive wizard Alex Brito. Brito managed the late-inning duties, aided the pitching staff with his vast experience, and managed to hack out .304 average in his 102 AB's. While he probably won't hit that well again this season he will still bring all those other intangibles.

Ladies and gentlemen, please give a hand for your Season 20 Syracuse Sicilians!

HOF: Menechino vs. Wilson

2011-04-24T09:56:00.011-04:00

A few days ago we were treated to mfahie's exhaustive recap of all the HOF candidates, including his comments on a crowded field of first basemen. Mfahie pointed out the merits of Henry Menechino, Trenidad Prieto, Alexander Henry, and - to a lesser degree - Don Wilson. He ranked them in that order, singling out Menechino as a top-tier candidate and designating Wilson as a borderline case and the 22nd most deserving candidate.

Crickett13 subsequently responded with a spirited promotion of Don Wilson's candidacy and has garnered some support for Wilson in the World Chat.

We'll try to compare each player's career here. In a crowded field with a number of worthy HOF contenders, it is likely that an owner's ballot might contain room for only one of these contenders. For counting stats, we'll compare per 600 plate appearance to try to smooth out some of the issues with playing time. And finally, we'll provide the stats for two other comparable candidates.

Games

1B: 1465
DH: 39

1B: 2240
DH: 10

1B: 1966
DH: 91

1B: 1879
DH: 220

Awards

All-Star: 4
Gold Glove: 2
Silver Slugger: 2
MVP: 1

All-Star: 4
Gold Glove: 1
Silver Slugger: 3
MVP: 0

All-Star: 4
Gold Glove: 1
Silver Slugger: 3
MVP: 1

All-Star: 4
Gold Glove: 1
Silver Slugger: 1
MVP: 0

5790

8961

7959

8151

Runs / 600PA

105

Hits / 600PA

165

175

170

168

2B / 600PA

3B / 600PA

HR / 600PA

RBI / 600PA

123

105

112

BB / 600PA

SO / 600PA

SB / 600PA

AVG

.318

.327

.320

.314

OBP

.410

.403

.398

.390

SLG

.644

.507

.573

.567

OPS

1.054

.910

.971

.957

The results show that Henry Menechino was a slugging first basement with an average season of .318, 47 HRs and 123 RBI. Don Wilson projects as a different kind of player, averaging .327, 21 HRs and 95 RBI. An argument could be made that Wilson was more a table setter as opposed to a middle of the lineup force, but with a lower OBP than Menechino and their comparable results on the basepaths, its easy to make the argument that Menechino would have also played that role better.

Making the Case:
Harry Menechino was the superior slugger and is the superior candidate. More walks, less strikeouts, comparable with the glove and on the basepaths. Then add 25 homers and 30 RBIs per year.

Don Wilson's slight edge in batting average is cancelled out by Menechino's similar edge in OBP. His five extra doubles per year are overwhelmed by Menechino's 25 home runs. His sole advantage is his career longevity and, even then, he doesn't compare all that favorably to other candidates like Alexander Henry and Trenidad Prieto.

Monterrey Campéones Season 20 Preview

2011-04-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

After making their 3rd consecutive ALCS appearance, and celebrating 8 straight AL South division titles, Monterrey is back to compete for the title again. Monterrey said goodbye to two more of their longtime heroes, but hope with some new faces to make another deep run in the playoffs.

Infield:

Perennial All-Star Alfonso Cortez is back after signing a lucrative contract to anchor the Campéones infield. Vinny Holmes returns to man the hot corner. The right side of the infield is brand new, with defensive wizard Lance Plant at second, and rookie Juan Brogna at first. Veteran professional hitter Stan Lee will take time out from his budding career as a comic book artist to play some first base and help mentor Brogna. Ralph Daniels will hope to rebound from a very disappointing year last year, while Orlando Javier brings his stellar defensive skills and occasional pop back for another year. Ivan Soriano comes over from Madison to back up any and all positions. Javier Leon still owns a catcher's mitt, but is expected to mash homers from the DH spot again this season.

Outfield:

Fans used to seeing Al Maurer patrol right field for the home team will have a new look this year as Al has headed on to the West Coast. Marshall Allen, Jim Heathcott, and Seth Knowles will all see time in the side outfield spots, while Alejandro Gutierrez will continue his stellar play in center field.

Rotation:

Livan Lee got a big payday to head north, leaving a sizable hole in Monterrey's rotation. Enos Garciaparra assumes the nominal ace role, but he, Rock McCarty, and Desi Martin will combine to present a formidable Big Three in the rotation. Albie Alvarez and Haywood Melton will round out the rotation.

Bullpen:

Several signings and trades have bolstered the bullpen, making it one of the elite crews in the league. Fireman of the Year Taylor Bowie returns to own the ninth inning. Melvin Hernandez signed a big contract to bring the heat in a setup role for the next five years, while former closers Victor Martin (Louisville) and Kevin Sodowsky (Los Angeles) will patrol the middle to late innings. Youngsters Cutter Boudreau and Ahmed Ford will round out a deep and powerful pen.

Outlook:

Fans demand nothing less than continued playoff success, and with continued good play from the top of the order and continued good health, this team will look to deliver the goods once again. The farm will be very busy this summer, with several big bats ready to come up and contribute with the big club if events warrant.

Cleveland Spiders S20 Preview

2011-04-23T16:51:00.005-04:00

The S19 Cleveland Spiders did what had previously seemed impossible and brought a World Series title to the much beleaguered city of Cleveland. The "Mistake by the Lake" is now - if only temporarily - "The Town with a Crown". After three World Series losses and four straight, unconsummated 105+ win seasons, the Spiders won 107 games and topped the Louisville Redbirds in a six-game series.

The question now is: Can they repeat?

Most of the World Series roster returns intact, but the payroll has dropped from $107 million to $93 million. Unlike last season, where a slow start and some defensive issues were handled by acquiring Yorvit Guiterrez, there is no money in the budget for a pricey mid-season acquisition. Some help exists in the minors, but this is a talented team of veterans with little depth and they'll only go as far as their health allows.

Starting Rotation

S19 Cy Young runner-up Rick Christensen won 21 games.

The rotation continues to be anchored by Rick "Bridesmaid" Christensen. Despite the finest statistical year of his career (263.2 IP, 21 wins and a 2.63 ERA), he finished as the runner-up in the AL Cy Young balloting for the fourth time. This time, however, the ring certainly serves as a sufficient consolation. The rest of the rotation has question marks. Dan Darwin's fragile left arm has recovered from three different catastrophic injuries to make him an effective six-inning pitcher, but last year's 4.22 ERA was troubling. 36-year-old Luis Herrera stumbled after four straight "ace" quality seasons and went 10-13 with a 4.55 ERA. David Hernandez and Del Martin also regressed with ERAs in the mid-4s. This rotation is locked in for this year and next, so the Spiders will sink or swim with this group.

Bullpen
Jin-Che Chang is the linchpin of the of relief corps, topping 70 appearances and 140 innings for the fifth straight year. Swingmen Cliff Sheets and Sammy Johnson continue to do yeoman's work and a bevy of young, short relievers will rotate through AAA and the back of the ML bullpen as their durability permits. Newly acquired Harry Mendoza will do mop-up work. This 'pen is talented and cheap but there is no true shutdown closer.

Catcher
This is a position in flux. 24-year-old Brandon Grabowski did the majority of catching last season and managed an OPS of 894 along with 26 bombs, but his lack of receiving skills has been blamed for the poor performance of much of the starting rotation. Rule 5 pick Ricardo Manto was acquired to serve as a defensive replacement and provide occasional rest for Grabowski against lefties. Joe Puffer waits in the wings in case anyone falters.

Infield

In S19, 2B Enrique Astacio hit 50 homers for the second time.

For the fifth consecutive season, the regular starters are expected to be Esteban Lee at first, Enrique Astacio at second, Omar Olivares at short and the captain, Michael Dransfeldt, at third. Olivares's contract is up at the end of the year and his contract demands combined with his declining range mean that it is probably his last season in Cleveland. Dransfeldt had an abysmal first half last year, with an OPS in the 600s, but he recovered to hit 6 homers and sport an OPS of 904 in last year's playoffs.

Outfield
Things are much more in flux in the outfield. Kelvin Torres came up at mid-season to rescue a faltering outfield and will play his first opening day. Newly-signed Glenn Strauss and his 1 yr/$5.3M deal are the bridge to prospect Davey Pedroia. Veteran RF Rico Mendoza's career has mixed two seasons as an MVP finalist in with a few more pedestrian campaigns. He'll be making a contract push this year.

Overall
If the Spiders' training staff can keep the injuries at bay and the rotation rebounds to S18 levels, this team is primed to win 100+ games and make another deep run in the playoffs. Anything less will be considered a disappointment. The future is now for the Spiders, but there are a few impact prospects in the system and this is a team whose window isn't closing any time in the immediate future.

A Look at S20's HOF Nominees

2011-04-23T14:11:00.000-04:00

The following are my views on this season’s nominees. I’ve put them in 5 categories: No Doubt, Good Chance, Borderline, Short Career, and No Chance. With only 5 votes, it’s very hard to determine who exactly to vote for. And for those who don’t vote for 5, think about players like Alberto Sosa, who has 550 HR’s and is about 15^th in line (and won’t ever get in). Voting for 5 doesn’t guarantee that 5 get in, just that people have a chance.

No Doubt
Brett Tracy – Should have a category all to himself. One of the greatest players ever in all of HBD, his 303 W and 3.09 ERA show that he deserved his 10 Cy Young Awards. Not much discussion needed here.

Dennys Yamakazi – The numbers might not be staggering, with 190-133 W-L and a 3.89 ERA, but he was clearly the best pitcher not named Tracy in the early years of the league. No real-life pitcher won 3 CYA’s and isn’t in the HOF. His career ERA+ of 133 makes him comparable to Whitey Ford. He’s a HOFer.

Henry Menechino – Others might find his career too short, but 500 HR and a 1.054 OPS are enough for me, even from a 1B. Not to mention his back-to-back 80 HR campaigns. Don’t forget he’s an MVP with 2 Gold Gloves as well.

Diego Santana – 8 All Star games and an MVP for our greatest catcher yet. He slugged 475 HRs, including hitting 60 in a season twice, and had a .950 OPS. The definition of a HOFer.

Good chance

Harry Pascual – 4 All Stars, 4 Silver Sluggers and a .939 OPS from a 2B. Despite only 10 full seasons, it’s hard to say he doesn’t belong.

Julio Johnson – 2-time MVP and 6 All Stars, plus a .941 OPS, while playing 2B and LF. Also only 10 seasons, not quite as defensively valuable as Pascual, but 2 MVPs speak loudly.

Mikey Tatum – Lfer who went to 9 All Star games, won 4 Silver Sluggers and 4 Gold Gloves. With 300 HR, almost 600 SB, nearly a .900 OPS and 1500 R, he’s easy to vote for.

Alexander Henry – 500 HR, 1500 RBI, .971 career OPS. 4 All Star games and an MVP. Another 1B with HOF numbers, but how many can you take. Tough choices here.

Nerio Miller – 9 All Stars, 6 Firemen and a CYA. 2.93 career ERA and 487 Sv. The fact that he pitched less than 1000 IP keep him out of the sure thing category for me. That, and I don’t think a reliever should be the first pitcher in the HOF.

Diego Ozuna – 196 W and a 3.98 ERA. Over 2500 IP and 9 All Star games. Would have won a CYA if not for Brett Tracy.

Borderline

Ringo Weston – Played CF, SS and 3B, got over 2300 H and 1300 R, with an OPS of .845. Excellent all-around player, maybe not quite HOF quality.

Anthony Gipson – This excellent 3B went to 6 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. His 399 HR and .899 OPS ironically echo his HOF status: Not Quite.

Mel Barfield – This 2B went to 7 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. Sound familiar? Hard to complain about 300 HR, 500 SB and an .885 OPS, but with the difficulty of getting in, he probably won’t see the HOF.

Alberto Sosa – Hard to argue against players with 550 HR, but this RF is going to come up a hair short with his .890 OPS, and the fact he only played in 2 All Star games.

Clyde Unroe – 500 HR and 1500 RBI for someone who played 2B/LF is always good. Only 2 All Star games and an .895 OPS make me think twice.

Julio Iglesias – Played 3B and SS, went to 6 All Star games and won 3 SS and a GG. 300 HR and almost 300 SB, with a .903 OPS. I think he’s just below the HOF.

Tyler Henderson – With 444 Saves and a 3.47 ERA, 6 All Stars and 2 Firemen, he’s a poor man’s Nerio Miller. Not quite enough.

Matthew Torres – Made 4 All-Star games and 1 Fireman, pitched a lot for a reliever, racking up over 1600 IP, 108 W, and 208 saves. His 3.72 ERA keeps him out of the elite reliever discussion.

Short Career

Ryan Parrish – RFer Parrish was a masher, compiling a .991 OPS with over 300 HR, but with only 8 full seasons it’s probably not quite enough for the HOF.

Dustin Scott – Also a RFer, put together a .940 OPS and 250 HR. His 8 seasons were not quite enough.

Walter Webb – Had some massive seasons early as a C, but was too old. Finished as a DH with fewer than 300 HR.

T.J. Smart – Another early C with huge seasons, but a too short career. Has a massive .998 OPS, but fewer than 1000 H and only 175 HR.

No Shot

Marvin Bryant – This 2B/SS was a nice player, but an .851 OPS with no speed will not get you a HOF spot.

George Brow – He played a nice CF and came to play every day, and contributed with a .293 AVG. Not a real HOF candidate though.

Henry Sullivan – Awards don’t tell the whole story, but the fact that in 8 seasons this 3B didn’t win any probably tells enough.

Peter Mitchell – Did some catching, but mostly a DH. Put up a huge .423 OBP, but the rest of the numbers are not enough for a pure hitter to make it.

Shawn Morton – HOF voters have to remember how hard it is to pitch in this league. A 3.78 career ERA is very good. I just don’t think his 108 W and 1800 IP are enough.

John Kennedy – Won a CYA and has a 3.87 ERA. Again, I think 109 W and 1500 IP don’t cut it.

Zachrey Cohen, Esteban Tejera, Tony Hodges – Do not belong on this list.

Seattle Picards S20 Preview

2011-04-23T09:54:00.003-04:00

The Picards stumbled out of the gate in S19, not even making it to .500 until the all-star break and then getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs. The team's struggles persuaded management to trade off some veterans and go with younger players. This season, Seattle will try to walk the tightrope of rebuilding with youth while still competing for a playoff spot. Will they be able to do it?

Pitching
Since coming over in a trade with Monterrey three seasons ago, David Armas has turned into the staff ace, posting sub-3.00 ERA's in back-to-back season. In the rotation, he's capably followed by Junior Funaki, Che Hasegawa and Denny Martin. Groundball specialist D'Angelo Rojas holds down the SP5 spot. Phenom Junior Hernandez is still a year or two away.

Seattle was unable to land a lights-out RP over the offseason, so they will go with veterans Slash Clay and Rolando Diaz in the late innings; along with youngsters Harry Hammond, Willie Seguignol and Pat McCullough.

Catcher
Julio Concepcion and Blade Odonnell have so far survived the team-wide youth movement. Both return for their 10th season as platoon mates. Concepcion brings the solid bat while Odonnell provides excellent pitch calling skills and defense.

Infield
1B Hayes Corino won his second NL MVP last season as he put up eye-popping numbers once again. However, the rest of the infield is unproven. 2B Virgil Canseco needs to show he can handle the leadoff spot. He struggled in his rookie year last season and his weak glove is a concern. 22 year old Aramis Granados looks to bounce back from serious injury last season and cement himself as Seattle's long-term answer at 3B. Shortstop will be platooned by all-glove no-hit Tony Lopez and S19 Rule 5 pick Jolbert Olivo. Veterans Willie Oconnor and George Casian give Seattle a flexible and defensively strong bench.

It remains to be seen how much the team will miss former blue chip prospect Willie Ueharra, who was traded away this off-season for 19 year old Junior Hernandez.

Outfield
S19 silver slugger RF Cesar Pulido moves to the cleanup spot this season. He's hit at least 40 HR in five straight seasons and Seattle fans hope he continues. LF Raul Costilla struggled mightily in the first half last season, but recovered to put up solid numbers. Speedy CF Matthew Wilson had a successful rookie campaign last season. Late free agent signee Felix Stuart will platoon with him in CF.

Overall
Much will depend on how well the kids play. If Seattle's young infield and bullpen gel together, the Picards might be able to extend their playoff streak to five seasons in a row. However, if the youth falter, it might be a long S20 in Seattle.

Can Christensen win 300?

2011-02-26T08:31:00.007-05:00

The top of the Capra career wins leaderboard currently looks like this:

Brett Tracy
303 wins

Brett Tracy: 303 wins

Some other guys: less than 200 wins

Those "other guys" include a few active pitchers with 190+ wins. 35-year-old Ted Davis has 195 wins but has a 4-10 record in St. Louis this year. 41-year-old Tom Hudler sports 196 wins and a 1-5 record in S19. Although Hudler is an uncertain bet for 200 wins, Davis should crank out a few more productive years and could conceivably end in the range of 220 to 230 wins.

Neither has a prayer of reaching 300 wins.

Rick Christensen
145 wins at age 30

This is a little exercise about whether Rick "Bridesmaid" Christensen has a legitimate shot at 300 wins. First, a little background. Christensen was drafted in the first round of S9 as a 20 year old, junior college pitcher. He was called up in early June of S12 as a 23-year-old. In his six full seasons since then, Christensen has averaged 19.8 wins per season and is on pace to eclipse that this season (13 wins at the all-star break).

We're going to attempt to project Christensen's career. As comps, we're going to use Brett Tracy and Ted Davis. Neither is a perfect comp, of course, but Davis has a similar makeup and could help us to attempt to predict Christensen's decline phase and Tracy, while mostly incomparable, does serve as our only guidepost to 200+ wins, much less 300.

Davis has continued to pitch without any loss of effectiveness through his current age 35 season. Tracy, with lesser makeup, continued to have "top of rotation" performance and ratings through his age 36 season (S14) and was still very effective in his age 37 season. We'll assume that Christensen's higher makeup (18 points higher than Tracy) and the $20M training budget in Cleveland will extend Christensen's effectiveness at least one additional year.

Let's go to the numbers. We'll assume that Christensen finishes this year with 20 wins and then matches his average of 19 wins per season through age 37. We'll assume that despite 82 health he never suffers a catastrophic injury. After age 37 we'll assume a reasonably steep decline phase. We'll also assume that Christensen remains with Cleveland and that Cleveland continues to employ a team of similar quality.

(Guesstimate seasons are listed in blue italic).

Age	Season	Wins	Christensen's Cumulative Wins	Tracy's Cumulative Wins At Same Age
23	S12	13	13	16
24	S13	19	32	41
25	S14	20	52	65
26	S15	17	69	87
27	S16	22	91	110
28	S17	22	113	133
29	S18	19	132	151
30	S19	20	152	175
31	S20	19	171	197
32	S21	19	190	211
33	S22	19	209	223
34	S23	19	228	237
35	S24	19	247	247
36	S25	19	266	266
37	S26	19	285	282
38	S27	12	297	295
39	S28	10	307	301
40	S29	5	312	303

It appears as if Christensen does have a legitimate shot at 300 wins if he continues to go injury free. In the case where a minor injury leaves him just a few wins shy of 300 wins at age 40, Cleveland or some other team will likely bring him back at ages 40+ to reach 300 wins. This might give him a 15 to 20 win buffer on reaching the 300 win milestone.

If Christensen wins 20 games this year, he'll be 23 wins behind Tracy's pace, but he is projected to have an extra season of top-notch effectiveness at the tail end of his career. Christensen also benefits from the expectation that he'll finish his career with a top-tier Cleveland team while Tracy was hamstrung by spending parts of S11 on the 74-win Yanks and S13 on the 61-win Juggernauts, something - hopefully - Christensen can avoid.

Good luck, Rick!

Monterrey adds Garciaparra

2011-02-14T17:26:00.004-05:00

The Monterrey Campeónes have acquired veteran starter Enos Garciaparra from the Seattle Picards for two minor leaguers. Garciaparra will strengthen an underachieving rotation for Monterrey, as the club tries to claim its eighth consecutive AL South division title. Garciaparra was 2-7 for the Picards so far this year, with an ERA above six. "We think he's really much better than his performance so far," said Campeónes skipper Pépe Fuerte. "He'll be closer to what he's done the last five years once he gets settled in."

Garciaparra is likely to slide into the third starter role behind Livan Lee and Rock McCarty. Commenting on the deal, GM Onan Divine said, "We looked at what had happened the first third of the season, and it didn't measure up to where we thought we'd be. Our club has a history of very slow starts, but there were elements we saw that we weren't sure would bounce back. The back end of the rotation was one of those elements, and we're glad we've been able to shore it up." Fifth starter Benj Iannone was designated for assignment, and is ticketed for AAA Matamoros unless his agent can find him big league work elsewhere.

Garciaparra's salary comes along to Monterrey along with Enos, and reduces somewhat the payroll flexibility the Campeónes enjoyed coming out of spring training. "We hated to lose Darren Owens, but as it turns out the same payroll money we offered to Darren was turned into Enos, Melvin [Hernandez] and Quinton [Bird]. In retrospect, those three players may have a bigger impact on our playoff chances than Owens would have had by himself."

Going to Seattle in this deal are catcher Charles Dunn and reliever Willie Segiugnol. "It's hard to part with good young talent," said Divine, "especially when our minors are weaker than where we want them to be. Enos is just an enormous talent, though, and we had to make this deal. We wish Chuck and Willie all the best out West."

Gutierrez to Cleveland

2011-02-05T13:05:00.006-05:00

Yorvit Gutierrez

Cleveland (AP) -- The Cleveland front office has just announced the acquisition of all-star centerfielder Yorvit Gutierrez. The 31-year-old Gutierrez is a lifetime .299 hitter providing an attractive blend of speed, power and defense. He is signed through season 20 at $6.5 millon per year.

Cleveland GM dcbove stated that the deal was the result of a season's worth of negotiations and that they are excited to acquire the centerfielder in exchange for two prospects.

"We've been actively pursuing Yorvit Gutierrez since the offseason," stated the GM. "It took a lot of hard work, but we think we've dealt from a position of organizational strength to improve our ballclub. One of the strengths of our minor league system is our depth of projectable bullpen talent. McCullough is a strong talent, but one with which we felt that we could part. Wilson is an exciting young centerfielder, but we definitely consider Guiterrez an upgrade."

Matthew Wilson

The first prospect, Matthew Wilson, was a S13 sandwich pick that had played 31 games for the Spiders' big-league club in centerfield this year. He is primarily known as a glove-first player, showing exceptional range in the outfield, top-notch speed, and an advanced approach versus both left-handed and right-handed pitching. His flaw is a lack of power evidenced by his 7 home runs in 3,000 minor league at bats. Gutierrez will assume Wilson's spot on the roster and in the field.

Pat McCullough

The second prospect is Pat McCullough. A fifth-round selection in S15, McCullough turned the corner during his second year in the Cleveland system and bloomed into a solid major-league prospect. He was the last player cut from the Spiders' pitching staff this spring and projects as a solid 7th or 8th inning reliever. He went 15-2 with a 2.86 ERA for the Spiders' Double-A affiliate last season.

Weekly Roundup 1/29/11 (NL)

2011-01-29T17:13:00.003-05:00

Around the League (NL)

Minnesota has already signed 8 IFA's this season, including SS Juan Feliz... NL North is looking like it will be a bruiser this season, with Pittsburg, NY and Minnesota already reaching 10 wins... Several teams are waiting impatiently for 20 minor league games to be played so they can call up some youngsters while gaining a year in arbitration eligibility... All-time CAPRA great Brett Tracy finally hung 'em up.

Who's Hot

Little Rock has come out of the gate with a vengeance. They are second in the league in both .OPS and ERA. If they keep this up, the Travelers may run away with their division... And no surprise to anyone, Anaheim is sitting comfortably atop the NL West.

Speaking of the Anteaters, Al Perez is crushing the ball (1.239 OPS) and is among the league leaders in several offensive categories... Sicilians Buzz Andrews is doing his best Brett Tracy impersonation (0.43 ERA)... and Seattle's Che Hasegawa is liking the NL so far (zero runs allowed in first 3 starts).

Who's Not
Vancouver's dead last in team WHIP and ERA. Their pitchers are getting hammered. Look for the streakiest team in the league to get hot soon.

S19 National League Predictions

2011-01-22T10:07:00.000-05:00

NL North

Minnesota North Stars (100-62)

Newcomers Darren Owens and Jorel McGlinchy should propel Minnesota into the upper echelon of NL teams. Explosive offense, air-tight defense and just enough pitching.

Pittsburg Typhoon (80-82)

Led by Christian Grim, Pittsburg easily boasts the best rotation in the division. Offense gets on base a lot, but the team is missing the power bats to drive them in. However, Pittsburg could be a dark horse come playoff time.

New York Yanks (80-82)

Zachary Grace and co. supply plenty of offense, rotation filled with solid innings-eaters. Unless ownership decides to hold a fire sale at mid-season, the Yanks might challenge for a WC spot.

Toronto Beavers (74-88)

Quietly picking up some quality players, but probably still a year away from making some noise.

NL East

Louisville Redbirds (96-66)

Trades two top pitchers to division rival which should make for a very tight race. However, with power hitters Lonny Murray and Don Barnes, Redbirds still have the best offense in the division.

Iowa City Tornadoes (96-66)

Led by Charlie Gulan, the Tornadoes boast a deep and tough pitching staff. NL East should come down to the wire.

Baltimore Boogeymen (76-86)

Boogeymen are putting together a well-constructed team, but could use another big bat or two.

Syracuse Sicilians (75-87)

A well-rounded pitching staff should keep them competitive, but lack of offense will likely hold them back.

NL South

Jacksonville Stonewallers (85-77)

Plenty of offense, but will Jacksonville be able to overcome a lack of pitching depth? NL South is shaping up to be a rough and tumble division this season.

Little Rock Travelers (85-77)

Led by Abdul Thomas and Ismael Guillen, Travelers are definitely playoff contenders. Look for the division race to be a nail biter.

Atlanta Aces (79-83)

The Hayes brothers (Rudy and Louie) should quickly become Atlanta fan favorites. Probably still a year away, but could be a surprise team this season.

Florida SunRays (62-100)

Looks to be a tough year in Florida, as the team continues to rebuild.

NL West

Anaheim Anteaters (102-60)

Is a repeat in their future? Led by Jose Sosa and Vasco Almonte, the defending champs own the best pitching staff in all of Capra.

Vancouver Maintaineers (92-70)

Big boppers Jimmie Franco and Tony Unanumo + a deep staff should return Vancouver to the playoffs and keep them within shouting distance of Anaheim.

Seattle Picards (91-71)

Led the league in OPS and underrated pitching staff finished second in ERA. However, holes in the defense may trip them up.

St. Louis Archers (76-86)

Beginning the rebuilding process as longtime superstars set career record marks.

NL North winner = Minnesota NL East winner = Louisville

NL South winner = Jacksonville NL West winner = Anaheim

NL Wildcards = Iowa City, Vancouver

NL Championship = Anaheim over Minnesota in 6 games

World Series = Cleveland over Anaheim in 7 games

Seattle Picards S19 Preview

2011-01-17T22:39:00.005-05:00

Overview

S17 was a magical year for the Picards as they won the world championship in dramatic fashion. However, the team returned to earth last season. While they still won 100 games, they lost the division to hated rival Anaheim and then got bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Much of the same group returns for another try in S19.

Expectations are high. Anything less than winning the division and a return trip to the World Series will be deemed a disappointment. And for this group of players, it might be their last chance to win another championship in Seattle. Big changes loom on the horizon. Several veterans’ contracts expire and/or club options are up next season.

C - Long-time catching duo Julio Concepcion and Blade O'Donnell are back for at least one more season. Concepcion (.305 avg) brings a solid bat and .obp, while O'Donnell provides solid catching behind the plate and excellent game calling skills.

1B – Hayes Corino may have gotten a late start in his ML career, but he’s making up for lost time. The S16 top rookie and S17 MVP won the silver slugger in S18 en route to another big campaign (.292, 48 HR, 131 RBI). The combination of prestigious power and excellent plate discipline make him a perfect clean-up hitter.

2B – Long time lead-off hitter Jim Heathcott (.362 obp) is finally starting to show signs of aging as his range and durability start to decline. With the team holding his option next season and prospect Virgil Canseco waiting at AAA, this is almost certainly Heathcott’s last season with the club. George Casian and his excellent glove will fill in when Heathcott needs a day off.

SS – After splitting time between 3B and SS while struggling a bit at the plate in his rookie season last year, young William Ueharra (.254, 18 HR, 66 RBI) settles into what management hopes will be a long run as the club’s starting SS. Rule 5 pick Jolbert Olivo provides some defensive support off the bench.

3B – Willy O'Connor will always be remembered as a hero in Seattle. His heart stopping S17 WS game 7, 9^th inning, 2 out, 3 run HR forced the game into extra innings that the Picards eventually won in the 10^th. Less well known is his steady performance as Seattle’s underrated SS for the past seven years. However, Oconnor’s coming off his worst season since his rookie year (.235 avg, 28 errors). With two years still remaining on his large contract, management is hoping he finds new life at 3B. Meanwhile, Aramis Granados waits impatiently at AAA for his shot at the big leagues.

LF – After cranking out 49 dingers for the last two consecutive seasons, fan favorite and S18 silver slugger Raul Costilla (.290 avg, 137 RBI) will be in the heart of the Seattle lineup once again.

CF – Yorvit Gutierrez (.311 avg, .369 obp) gives the Picards another dangerous bat to place at the top of the lineup. However, with a spiraling payroll budget and a mutual option for S20, this may be Guti’s last year with the club. Ismael Gonzalez gives the team a solid backup.

RF – 3 time all-star and former RoY Cesar Pulido had an off year at the plate last year despite hitting 47 HR (.237 avg). Just about to enter the prime of his career, the Picards are hoping for some big numbers from him in S19.

SP – The rotation may lack a true ace, but David Armas (1.08 WHIP, 2.63 ERA), Junior Funaki (20-6)and Denny Martin (16-7) give Seattle a tough 1-2-3 punch that can hold their own. Franchise career wins leader Enos Garciaparra (12-12), D'Angelo Rojas (11-4) and newcomer Che Hasegawa give the club plenty of solid options at SP4 and SP5. Prospects Alex Lopez and Carlos Diaz continue to develop down on the farm.

RP – Seattle struck out on landing FA George Beckwith, but was able to sign long-time Cleveland closer Slash Clay (211 career saves) and bring back Paul Dong (119 relief innings). Add in righties Rolando Diaz (23 saves) and Brian Cox (2.60 ERA) and Seattle has plenty of late inning options.

Season 19 NL West preview

2011-01-17T17:22:00.001-05:00

The World Champion Anaheim Anteaters are still loaded for the season 19 campaign. In season 18 they were number one in ERA and fielding percentage and 6^th in runs scored. Set up man Julian Furcal was lost to free agency, who will replace his 117 IP? Expect to see AAA starter Al Lima in the rotation with Mitch Johnson going to the pen. 3B Julio Martin left via free agency. Will Al Cedeno replace him or will Paul Feng move from 2B to free up a roster spot for Anthony Clinton. How much longer can Sid Watson be an elite closer? Will the loss of Groucho Lesher as fielding coach cost a few wins?

The Seattle Picards had 100 wins in Season 18, second in the NL in runs scored and ERA. Che Hasegawa arrived via trade, is he ready from prime time? Is the promotion of bench coach Fred Huckaby an improvement over the departed Wilfredo Martin? Paul Dong tested the free agent waters and was re-signed. Expect AAA phenom Aramis Granados to find a spot in the ML roster.

The Vancouver Maintaineers made it to the NLCS for the first time in franchise history. They have a relatively young team, will it continue to mature? Jamie Bradley served notice that he is an elite pitcher with three post season wins. Jimmie Franco and Rod Perkins plated 145 runners from the catcher’s position. Can Ricardo Seanez step up and be more productive than last year’s anemic left field? Is Jose Alou ready to step up to the big league and claim the 5^th starter position? Will the addition of an over-paid Groucho Lesher at fielding coach result in a few more wins?

Have the St. Louis Archers improved enough to get out of the cellar of the most competitive division in the NL? Not on paper. Jarred Harvey looked like a professional hitter in AAA, can he be a ROY candidate?

A Look at S19’s HOF Nominees

2011-01-17T07:25:00.002-05:00

The following are my views on this season’s nominees. I’ve put them in 5 categories: No Doubt, Good Chance, Borderline, Short Career, and No Chance. The thing I noticed most is how hard it is to narrow down your last couple of votes. There are many deserving candidates, and it’s very hard to differentiate between them.

No Doubt
Al Ontiveros – 598 HR and a .965 OPS from a SS. Add 5 Silver Sluggers and 6 All Stars, and despite inflated stats in San Juan he should be a lock.

Dennys Yamakazi – The numbers might not be staggering, with 190-133 W-L and a 3.89 ERA, but this was the best pitcher not named Tracy in the early years of the league. 3 CYA and 6 All Stars tell part of the story. Being 5^th all-time in IP and 2^nd in K’s, and putting up those numbers in the AL tell more.

Good chance

Harry Pascual – 4 All Stars, 4 Silver Sluggers and a .939 OPS from a 2B. Despite only 10 full seasons, it’s hard to say he doesn’t belong.

Julio Johnson – 2-time MVP and 6 All Stars, plus a .941 OPS, while playing 2B and LF. Also only 10 seasons, not quite as defensively valuable as Pascual, but 2 MVPs speak loudly.

Mikey Tatum – Lfer who went to 9 All Star games, won 4 Silver Sluggers and 4 Gold Gloves. With 300 HR, almost 600 SB, nearly a .900 OPS and 1500 R, he’s easy to vote for.

Alexander Henry – 500 HR, 1500 RBI, .971 career OPS. 4 All Star games and an MVP. Another 1B with HOF numbers, but how many can you take. Tough choices here.

Desi Rodriguez – Gold Glove winning SS who went to 7 All Star games and hit over 500 HR. Sounds like a HOF lock! His .850 OPS hurts him, as does Ontiveros’ candidacy.

Diego Ozuna – 196 W and a 3.98 ERA. Over 2500 IP and 9 All Star games. Would have won a CYA if not for Brett Tracy.

Borderline

Ringo Weston – Played CF, SS and 3B, got over 2300 H and 1300 R, with an OPS of .845. Excellent all-around player, maybe not quite HOF quality.

Anthony Gipson – This excellent 3B went to 6 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. His 399 HR and .899 OPS ironically echo his HOF status: Not Quite.

Mel Barfield – This 2B went to 7 All Star games, won a Gold Glove and 4 Silver Sluggers. Sound familiar? Hard to complain about 300 HR, 500 SB and an .885 OPS, but he just doesn’t feel like a HOFer to me.

Clyde Unroe – 500 HR and 1500 RBI for someone who played 2B/LF is always good. Only 2 All Star games and an .895 OPS make me think twice.

Julio Iglesias – Played 3B and SS, went to 6 All Star games and won 3 SS and a GG. 300 HR and almost 300 SB, with a .903 OPS. I think he’s just below the HOF.

Ralph Stanley – Caught a lot, but DH’d more. 420 HR and an .895 OPS might have been enough as a full-time C, but not quite as a DH.

Tyler Henderson – With 444 Saves and a 3.47 ERA, 6 All Stars and 2 Firemen, he’s a poor man’s Nerio Miller. Not quite enough.

Matthew Torres – Made 4 All-Star games and 1 Fireman, pitched a lot for a reliever, racking up over 1600 IP, 108 W, and 208 saves. His 3.72 ERA keeps him out of the elite reliever discussion.

Short Career

Ryan Parrish – RFer Parrish was a masher, compiling a .991 OPS with over 300 HR, but with only 8 full seasons it’s probably not quite enough for the HOF.

Dustin Scott – Also a RFer, put together a .940 OPS and 250 HR. His 8 seasons were not quite enough.

Walter Webb – Had some massive seasons early as a C, but was too old. Finished as a DH with fewer than 300 HR.

No Shot

Marvin Bryant – This 2B/SS was a nice player, but an .851 OPS with no speed will not get you a HOF spot.

George Brow – He played a nice CF and came to play every day, and contributed with a .293 AVG. Not a real HOF candidate though.

Henry Sullivan – Awards don’t tell the whole story, but the fact that in 8 seasons this 3B didn’t win any probably tells enough.

Peter Mitchell – Did some catching, but mostly a DH. Put up a huge .423 OBP, but the rest of the numbers are not enough for a pure hitter to make it.

Alex Guerrero – Played a ton of positions, and had good longevity. His 411 HR and .882 OPS aren’t enough.

Shawn Morton – HOF voters have to remember how hard it is to pitch in this league. A 3.78 career ERA is very good. I just don’t think his 108 W and 1800 IP are enough.

John Kennedy – Won a CYA and has a 3.87 ERA. Again, I think 109 W and 1500 IP don’t cut it.

Giomar Roque, Esteban Tejera, Tony Hodges – Do not belong on this list.

Season 19 AL Preview

2011-01-16T11:44:00.010-05:00

A lot of the big name free agent signings saw AL studs move to the NL, including Jorel McGlinchy and Darren Owens to Minnesota, Preston Keller and Deacon Philips to Louisville, and Rudy Hayes to Atlanta. Very few Type A Free Agents moved from the NL to AL. Only the Martin McCartney signing in Madison broke up a shutout.

AL North

Cincinnati Roses (94-68)
Ariel Cortez anchors a pitching staff has been the strength of the team, but the loss of Preston Keller might be tough to overcome. Top teams excel on both offense and defense and the Roses will be counting on Season 18 co-MVP Damaso Colome and the continued emergence of Coco Hentgen in order to try to keep their offense in the Top 10 in scoring. The loss of Rudy Hayes is going to be troublesome. Small steps back on both offense and pitching will cause the team to regress.

Ottawa Ice (88-74)
Ottawa filled a key void with by signing Willie Bacsik. They are still slightly above average in run scoring and run prevention. The decline of Trenidad Espinosa has begun but the key is to make certain that the slope is long and slow. Glenn Strauss could be the successor to Jorel McGlinchy's reign as the premier AL centerfielder.

Madison Mad Dogs (82-80)
Madison is the biggest wildcard in the league. Last year's top scoring offense wasn't sufficient to support the AL's worst pitching performance. To address this, Madison signed Martin McCartney to try to tame one of the most punishing hitters' parks.

Scranton Breakers (75-87)
There ain't no party like a Scranton party, but Ben Thompson has left the building. The loss of that pitching stud and a lack of other moves suggests that a rebuilding phase is in force. Nonetheless, a respectable payroll and homegrown stud Lefty Thompson should keep the fans coming to the park, even if the playoffs look to be out of reach.

AL East

Cleveland Spiders (103-59)
The loss of Deacon Phillips caused the most consternation, but all the other key pieces are back from last year's 108-win team. Figure a half-step back. SS Enrique Astacio's move to shortstop makes him the preseason favorite for MVP, especially if he can put up another 50 homer season.

Pawtucket Patriots (84-78)
Pawtucket traded away Juan Pineiro for a nice complementary piece, but nothing that will help this year. The team could surprise if an underrated pitching staff led by Patrick Wallace and Matthew Gilbert catches fire.

San Juan Express (62-100)
Over each of the last year, the last two years and the last three years, San Juan has won less games and spent less money on their player budget than the execrable Indianapolis franchise. After winning 48 games last year they are in danger of violating the league's "55-win with two season allowance for correction" policy. However, this team's ownership is too well respected to think this will be an issue and top prospect William Funaki looks to start the season in the majors. A 62 win season gives them a 2-year average of 55 wins.

Boston Americans (61-101)
They've signed a few recognizable names like Yoo-Nah Torres and Vic Blanco in order to keep things interesting in Boston but not enough to be a playoff threat. A breakout year from Shea Frazier would make this team a potential spoiler.

AL South

Texas Rough Necks (96-66)
This team didn't make any moves, but outside of maybe a stronger #2 starter they didn't need to make any. Charlie Fleming has finally emerged as an ace after his breakout S18 campaign. Talent oozes from all the other positions. A career year from someone like former #1 overall pick Mike Boudreau could put this team over the top.

Monterrey Campeones (95-67)
Monterrey is aging and has lost perhaps their most intimidating lineup presence in Darren Owens. Power thread Juan Johnson is also gone. Nonetheless, the rest of the key ingredients are returning and perennial Cy Young contender Livan Lee is still in his prime.

Jackson Rage (77-85)
Jackson is a team in search of a new identity. After a few non-descript years as a team that leaned towards being a strong pitching and defense team without making bold strides in that direction, new ownership gets to put their stamp on the team. The first move was jettisoning Adam Vina and we'll see what moves are made in the wake of that. Season 18 Cy Young winner Bruce Dellucci signed a big contract extension and is a perfect piece to build around.

El Paso Suns (75-87)
They made a nice little move picking up complementary piece Sammy Reyes, but it seems like a crime to not surround such a strong tandem of middle infielders like Geraldo Johnson and Bob Wallace with more talent.

AL West

Helena Howling Sukebe (104-58)
Helena didn't make any big moves this offseason, but with a solid pitching staff and a powerful offense, this team was already primed for success. A full season from S14 first round pick Ken Yearwood might be enough of an addition to make waves in Helena without a spending spree.

San Jose Longballers (76-86)
Daryle Young was a huge signing last year that didn't have the desired impact. Still, in that ballpark, Young isn't going to put up huge numbers and the pitchers have to do better. San Jose needed to make some moves for some arms, perhaps they've got something up their sleeve.

Fresno Fanatics (65-97)
They lost Felipe Serra but brought back Jesus Guerrero at the last moment. And is there a Plan B if Miguel Perez's MVP year was an aberration rather than a sign of things to come?

Kansas City Beef Sox (59-103)
A huge changing of the guard in Kansas City. New management lets S18 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Jorel McGlinchy walk and ends an era. The Melvin Hernandez trade was huge, but it remains to see how many high leverage innings Guerrero throws behind that starting rotation. The previous ownership didn't leave much talent on the roster. This team looks as if a long, rebuilding period is about to begin.

Playoffs
Wild Card Round
#6 Ottawa over #3 Texas as Trenidad Espinoza wins Games 1 and 5.

#5 Monterrey over #4 Cincinnati as Ariel Cortez duels Livan Lee to a draw in Game 1 but the Monterrey bats carry the day and the series.

Divisional Round

#1 Helena over #5 Monterrey as the well rested Helena staff shuts down Monterrey.

#2 Cleveland over #6 Ottawa after Cleveland races to an early series lead by battering the backend of the Ottawa pitching staff

Championship Round

#2 Cleveland over #1 Helena as Cleveland continues its run of odd-season World Series appearances. Seasons 13, 15, 17 and now 19.

Monterrey Season 19 Preview

2011-01-16T10:04:00.001-05:00

After seven consecutive division titles, including four straight since management changed after season 14, expectations are high again in Monterrey. Here's how the defending AL champions line up for this year:

C: Ralph Daniels returns to help cement his place as one of the top offensive catchers in the league after hitting .325/.378/.640 last year. He'll be spelled by rookie defensive wizard Orlando Javier.
1B: Four-time American League MVP Darren Owens got $80 million to head into the frozen north, which makes room for experimentation. Former Ottawa DH Don Bonilla, utility man Seth Knowles, and rookie Juan Brogna will battle it out for the starting nod.
2B: Sparkplug Julian Colome was signed to play center field in midyear last season in the wake of Alfonso Cortez' injury. He's been brought back this year, and will move to 2B to replace the disappointing Crash Durocher.
SS: Three-time All-Star Alfonso Cortez returns for another season, providing punch at a traditionally defensive position.
3B: Longtime Monterrey 3B Trenidad Rios was not offered a contract, opening the door for another positional battle. Former Florida 3B Babe High will compete with rookies Bernie Fernandez and Crash Hernandez for at-bats here.
LF: Marshall Allen and Frank Sellers are both back off disappointing seasons, and both will need to perform to get playing time. Rookie utilityman Luis Duran may get some time here as well.
CF: Alejandro Gutierrez returns to center field now that Cortez is healthy again.
RF: Team leader Al Maurer is back to patrol right field and terrorize pitchers after his fourteenth consecutive year with an OPS over .900.
DH: Javier Leon returns in a contract year after a poor season last year. Much of the team's success will depend on Leon returning to the masher of old.

SP: Rock McCarty and Livan Lee will once again bring a strong 1-2 combination to the top of the rotation. Desi Martin's option was picked up for season 19, but he'll have to pitch well to have a future in Monterrey. Haywood Melton and Matt Sheffield will round out the rotation.
RP: Veteran closer and four-time All-Star Taylor Bowie is back to slam the door on the opposition, backed by many of the same lovable nobodies that performed so well last year.

This is a pivotal season for Monterrey. Many of their older veterans are unsigned for season 20, and the Campeónes will have tremendous payroll flexibility to make major changes if necessary.

In the Dynasty Cycle

2011-01-15T14:32:00.004-05:00

All Dynasty teams go through a cycle of boom and bust. Young, cost-controlled players win games for rising teams. Expensive veterans win titles for veteran teams. Overpaid veterans drag losers into mediocrity.

So, I took the win totals and salary totals from every team from Capra for the past two years, calculated each teams' standard deviations from the mean for wins, salary and wins per dollar of salary.

Each team was then categorized upon where they wound up. The categories and descriptions are below. Teams were assigned to a month of year to demonstate where they were in the dynasty cycle: teams rise in spring, mature in summer, grow old in fall, and are moribund in winter.

June

These are teams that are winning more than average, getting more bang for their buck than average but whose total salary is below average. These are the teams in their prime. June teams should win now and win in the future.

Helena, Minnesota, Syracuse, Little Rock and Anaheim.

August

These are teams that are winning more than average and still getting above average production per dollar but are spending more than average. These are teams that should win now because their windows are going to start closing.

Cleveland, Seattle

October

These are teams that are still winning, but they are spending more than average and not getting a good return on their dollar. Their windows either have closed or they are about to close. This year might be their one last gasp of hope.

Ottawa, Cincinnati, Monterrey, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New York, Iowa City, Vancouver

December

These are teams that are winning less than average, but still spending above average money, even if they aren't getting good production from those dollars. These teams are unlikely to win and need to start rebuilding.

Madison, Scranton, Boston, Pawtucket, Texas, San Jose, Fresno, Jacksonville, St Louis

February

These are teams that are winning less than average, spending less than average and getting below average production from the dollars they spend. Winning is not an option, but the deadwood is gone and the time to rebuild in full force has arrived.

Baltimore, Florida

April

These are teams that are winning less than average, spending less than average but getting an excellent return on their dollars. These are the teams with the potential to start winning.

San Juan, Jackson, El Paso, Toronto, Louisville, Jacksonville

85 and Over Club, Part II

2011-01-11T13:59:00.007-05:00

This is a sequel to the original entry, 85 and over in Season 7.

I've always assumed there was ratings inflation, so it was interesting to see that there were 24 players that were 85 and over, very similar to the 22 of Season 7.

I'll update if I missed anyone. Please tell me.

Team	Player	Ranking	Position
Anaheim Anteaters	Al Perez	87	(RF)
Atlanta Aces	Rudy Hayes	90	(LF)
Atlanta Aces	Louie Hayes	88	(2B)
Cleveland Spiders	Michael Dransfeldt	90	(3B)
Cleveland Spiders	Enrique Astacio	98	(SS)
El Paso Suns	Geraldo Johnson	87	(SS)
El Paso Suns	Bob Wallace	85	(SS)
Helena Howling Sukebe	Esteban Abreu	85	(3B)
Jackson Rage	Bruce Dellucci	89	(SP)
Jacksonville StoneWallers	Victor Lee	85	(SS)
Louisville Redbirds	Don Barnes	92	(CF)
Louisville Redbirds	Antonio Martin	85	(SP)
Madison Mad Dogs	Bruce Kent	87	(LF)
Minnesota North Stars	Dmitri Stafford	85	(CF)
Monterrey Campeónes	Alfonso Cortez	87	(SS)
New York Yanks	Trenidad Meadows	85	(CF)
Pittsburgh Typhoon	Wesley Smith	93	(SS)
Pittsburgh Typhoon	Christian Grim	86	(SP)
San Jose Longballers	Daryle Young	89	(RF)
San Jose Longballers	Mark Woo	86	(CF)
Seattle Picards	William Uehara	87	(SS)
Seattle Picards	Cesar Pulido	88	(RF)
Syracuse Silicians	Donn Newman	86	(RF)

Player Profile: Luis Herrera

2011-01-11T12:14:00.006-05:00

Luis Herrera
Cleveland Spiders
Age: 35	B/T: S/L
Born: Colon, PA
Position(s): P (SP2)

Luis Herrera is the very picture of a successful major league pitcher. He is a Cy Young winner and a 2-time All-Star. He is a 20-game winner. He has won 6 post season games and holds the Capra record for most wins by a pitcher from Panama with 146. (San Jose reliever Tomas Ramirez is second with 27). He has the adulation of his Panamanian countrymen and close to $70M in career earnings. Fellow Panamanian and Anaheim third baseman Al Cedeno says:

"In the last few years, Luis Herrera has become to Panama what Dennis Martinez is to Nicaragua. More than a legend, he is an idol. Men are afraid to name their children Luis for fear of the crushing expectations that will be placed upon them."

Life is good for Luis Herrera, but it hasn't always been like that.

Luis Herrera was signed by the Montreal Royales as an International Free Agent from Colon, Panama for $6.3M in Season 2. With very good control and two offerings that projected to be "plus pitches", a 4-seam fastball that sat in the low 90s and a classic 12-to-6 hammer curveball, Herrera was immediately viewed as a potential major league contributor.

Herrera was only 19 years old when he was aggressively moved to AA for his first full season. He enjoyed considerable success at first, posting a 3.20 ERA in 29 starts, but he regressed each of the three years he spent in AA and failed to develop his changeup into a consistent third pitch. Speculation that he was having issues with alcohol and massage therapists ran rampant and he lost the majority of his signing bonus in a Singing Livestock scam. Everything was spiraling out of control.

He hit a career and personal low in season 6 when he was moved to AAA, made 30 starts and went 4-19 with a 5.51 ERA. Stamina issues continued to dog him as he was rarely capable of making it past the 5th inning. He was considering accepting an offer from the Panamanian National Baseball Team to serve as a pitching instructor when salvation came in the form of a late season promotion to the Montreal bullpen.

Freed from distractions, he held his own there, posting a 4.24 ERA, striking out 14 in 17 innings, and earning a World Series ring. He built upon his success as a long reliever in Season 7, going 13-3, posting a 3.82 ERA in 67 appearances, and gaining considerable support for Rookie of the Year.

During the next 5 years in Montreal he bounced from bullpen to rotation, making 66 starts over that time, but never having any sustained success. Frustrated with his role in Montreal, he filed for free agency after Season 12 and was signed to a 5 year, $37.5 million contract by San Juan.

His first year in San Juan was disasterous as he posted a 5.85 ERA in 67 appearances in the bullpen. In Season 14, as a 30 year old, he finally got his first major league opportunity to serve exclusively as a starter. Seizing control of this opportunity - probably his last chance - he did not disappoint, putting up a respectable 10-11 record with a 3.64 ERA.

San Juan, however, was about to begin a significant rebuilding period. Perhaps attempting to trade Herrera at the peak of his value and doubtlessly happy to move the last three years of his contract, the Express shipped Herrera to the Spiders for former first round draft pick Al Lopez. Lopez posted four straight 20 homer seasons in the majors and was a Season 16 All-Star, but Herrera got his revenge by turning into one of the best pitchers in the majors.

In four seasons in Cleveland, Herrera has posted a record of 75-21 with a 3.14 ERA. He won the S15 Cy Young award by going 20-8 with a 2.67 ERA and shed nagging questions about his durability by surpassing the 200 inning threshold for the first time in his career.

After a sparkling Season 17 campaign where he went 17-4, he was rewarded with a four year, $30M contract extension. An integral part of the franchise, Luis Herrera's belief in himself and his ability to succeed as a starting pitcher have paid off.

His greatest regret is his poor performance as the starter in Game 7 of the S17 World Series and he looks to cap his career with the one thing he lacks: a World Series ring. His thoughts:

"Todo lo que necesito es un anillo de Serie Mundial para demostrar a estos cerdos yanqui que todo lo que Dios me hizo para ser un ganador y campeón."

Good luck Luis Herrera, you've earned it.

Cleveland Spiders S19 Preview

2011-01-11T10:39:00.003-05:00

Season 18 was a disappointing season in Cleveland. Another year of regular season success was followed by more post-season misery. The Spiders were quickly bounced in the division round.

This year is a "bridge year" for the Spiders. With two of their division foes in the midst of deep rebuilds, the goal is to edge out the Pawtucket Patriots for the division title, attempt to control a budget sprialing out of control, and create space for the next crop of minor leaguers.

Budgetary issues dominated the Cleveland offseason. The budget has ballooned to $107M despite the jettisoning of some lineup fixtures.

Apollo Payton, a round 2 rule 5 selection in S9 who collected 3105 at bats over 10 years, was not offered a contract. Season 9 second rounder Johan Perez and the Spiders could not come to terms on a long term contract and he was traded to Kansas City for a relief prospect. Defensive wizard Deacon Phillips will not be patrolling center field this year and closer Slash Clay has moved on after both were not offered new contracts. Prize IFA starting pitcher Odalis Leon was traded in the middle of last season after 5 1/2 years in Cleveland when the brass realized that they would not be able to afford him.

Russ Mercedes
Cleveland Spiders
Age: 34	B/T: R/R
Born: Burns Flat, OK
Position(s): LF

Russ Mercedes is the Cleveland franchise's career leader in games (1,546), runs (1,019), hits (1,624), walks (636) and numerous other categories. Season 19 will be his last in a Cleveland uniform.

Even Russ Mercedes, the owner of almost every career Spiders record - largely on the basis of his having 2,000 more at bats then anyone else in the franchise's history - will be doing a farewell tour this year. The 34 year old's quickly declining range and dissipating power are much in evidence as he rounds out his career in Cleveland.

These budget issues will prevent the Spiders from signing any big-ticket free agents this year. Instead, in order to fill the holes related to these free agent departures, Omar Olivares will move to center field, college shorstop Rico Mendoza will move to the keystone from right field, and Season 16 MVP Enrique Astacio makes the long awaited transition to shortstop from second.

A handful of lesser prospects will make the jump to the majors this year. The backstop duties will be handled by two rookies, organizational soldier Alejandro Osuna and offense-oriented Brandon Grabowski. The bullpen will be rounded out by three new members: Sammy Johnson, Yusmeiro Rios and Pat McCullough.

The prizes of the Cleveland farm season, 23 year old Kelvin Torres and 21 year old Davey Pedroia are slated to make their debuts next year. However, if Russ Mercedes or journeyman right fielder Del Fuentes falter, Torres will be counted on to ride to the rescue. The lower levels of the Cleveland farm system are bare, with the exception of Tony Plata.

In Summary: The Spiders will not deviate from their core strengths. A talented rotation led by Cy Young winners Rick Christensen and Luis Herrera is backed up by a duo of devastating relievers and a strong defense. The loss of Deacon Philips and the decline of Russ Mercedes have affected that defense, but a positional shuffle will hopefully minimize the negative effects. The lineup is centered around team leaders Michael Dransfeldt and Enrique Astacio and the manager will continue to think of creative solutions to put men on base in front of them.

S19 Power Ranking (Pre-season)

2011-01-09T20:20:00.002-05:00

1. Anaheim Anteaters (NL)

After seasons of frustration, finally crowned Capra champion.

2. Cleveland Spiders (AL)

With Anteaters finally winning, is Cleveland next?

3. Monterrey Campeones (AL)

Seven straight division titles.

4. Seattle Picards (NL)

Perfecting the art of the 3-run HR.

5. Ottawa Ice (AL)

Solid team built around superstars SP Trenidad Espinosa, 1B Alex Valdes.

6. Helena Howling Sukube (AL)

Coming off franchise best W-L record.

7. Vancouver Maintaineers (NL)

Streaky. Dangerous. Canadian.

8. Cincinnati Roses (AL)

Mid-season trades put them over the top. Can they keep it up?

9. Louisville Redbirds (NL)

Full of ML-ready prospects.

10. Iowa City Tornadoes (NL)

Well-rounded offense and pitching staff.

Anaheim Anteaters S19 Preview

2011-01-09T09:25:00.010-05:00

After seventeen long and frustrating seasons, the Anteaters punched their first championship card in Capra's most recent World Series by sweeping the Monterrey Campeones. Can they return to the big stage and repeat as champs in S19? Here's a breakdown:

Catcher: This has long been a one course meal for the 'Eaters: all stick or all glove. Last year's combo of leather man Alfredo Gonzalez and bat man Vernon Valdes formed the strongest tandem Anheim has seen behind the plate since the team's early days when All-Star Oleg Miller served as Kip White's clean up man. Not only do Gonzalez and Valdes return this season, but they'll be pushed by a rookie bopper named Bernie Tavarez. Tavarez won't win any gold gloves, but might not have any room for them on his mantle anyways due to a possible bulge of Silver Slugger awards.

First Base: The Franchise, Ismael Maduro is entering his prime at 28. Shame he missed half of last season with a bulging disk in his back. His .350/.470/.620 line would have looked nice stretched across 600 at bats. Maybe in S19.

Second Base: Long a dead spot in the lineup, last season's trade prize of Paul Feng went as well as hoped for. Feng knocked 15, swiped 30+ bases, and earned his 3rd All-Star appearance. The 31 year-old has two more years under contract.

Third Base: Anaheim has done well the last couple of seasons in acquiring veteran shortstops and converting them to third. Danny Carlson won two Gold Gloves and earned an All-Star trip across seasons 16 and 17. Last year it was veteran Julio Martin with 39 knocks and the Gold Glove trophy. This round will see two international youngsters battling for the hot corner: Al Mendoza and Rafael Izqueirdo. The wild card in the lineup.

Shortstop: Backup glove John Morrison finally got his turn last season and won the Gold Glove. But now he's asking for arb money, and the franchise has his leather equal waiting in the wings in young speedster Rico Benitez.

Left Field: Former MVP and three-time All-Star Alfredo Flores is still just 28.

Center Field: Another 28 year-old, Roosevelt Hensley has won two Gold Gloves in center and is averaging 60 stolen bases per.

Right Field: The Captain of the team, Al Perez has been a 20-20 man for all nine seasons of his career.

Bench: Al Cedeno has lost a step at the hot corner and will be relegated to backup corner outfielder. Anthony Clinton can pinch run, back up Feng at second, and slide into left field when needed. Kennie Hamlin will continue to serve as leather insurance @ SS and CF, so long as he doesn't have to bat.

Rotation: Maybe the strongest unit of the Anteaters. Vasco Almonte(18-7, 2.40) won his second Cy Young last season, barely edging Jose Sosa(19-7, 2.65) in his pursuit of a second. Rafael Olivares(12-8, 3.24) is 34, but still collecting quality innings. Former 1st round draft pick Mitch Johnson(12-7, 3.14) is rounding into form at the steep age of 32. Clarence Richardson(6-5, 4.55) will try to nail down the fifth slot in his first full season.

Bullpen: Closer Sid Watson is aiming for his third straight Fireman of the Year plaque, but will be fighting off the advances of HBD aging @ 35. Set-up stud Julian Furcal is looking for a new home via the free agent market, so youngsters Orlando Bonilla and Preston Damon will try to climb into his shoes. Juan Mateo will continue his role as long relief/swingman.

In summary, very little change for the champs. The left side of the infield hosts a trio of unknown youngbloods. But the bigger challenge may be for this squad to stay healthy after a battery of injuries over the last couple seasons.

Milestone Radar

2010-04-16T21:58:00.002-04:00

After 15 seasons, might be a good time to see what legends in the making are reaching, or now have in pocket, some big-time digits. Baseball is, after all, a game for geeks to think about numbers. So chew on this:

Evan Moore needs 812 official At Bats to reach 10,000. He's 36 and not under contract for S17. May not happen. However, Moore is just 77 hits shy of being the first Capra-ite to cross the 3,000 barrier. Almost a cinch to happen this season.

Minnesota's Rudy Lombardi is 40 round trippers shy of 700, but after kissing it goodbye just 15 times last season, the 35 year-old will likely run out of gas before entering Aaron and Ruth country(take that, Barry).

He holds virtually every all-time pitching record in Capra, and Brett Tracy is also just 23 Quality Starts shy of 400. No one else has as many as 250. Tracy also needs 18 wins to reach 300. With two more years on his contract, this should be no problem.

Last season David Wanatabe surpassed Nerio Miller to become the all-time Saves leader and then cruised past the 500 mark. The 35 year-old is at 503 in this the final year of his contract, but he's also coming off his best season ever.

Maintaineers S16 Preview

2010-04-16T19:28:00.002-04:00

No, son, Season 15 wasn’t the year for Vancouver. It was however, a historic year for the franchise as the first ever division title. I fully expected the World Series winner to come from the NL West but our friends in the AL did not cooperate.

So what happened in the playoffs? Maybe I over managed the pitching rotation by looking too much at home and away records which moved my ace to the third start of the series. That may have put too much stress on the 22 year old hurlers who started game one and two. The bigger disappointment was lack of hitting, for a team that lead the league in runs scored. So hats off to the pitching that stopped my hitters.

It is not surprising that this is my best rotation ever. I had four starters win between 13 and 16 games each and the fifth spot was over .500. The bull pen converted 55 of 68 save opportunities. Nunez allowed zero of thirty-three inherited runners to score! All that success brought pitching coach Brian Peterson a $1.3M raise. Good thing I am printing greenbacks in the back room. There was a franchise record six All-Stars.

On to Season 16

The core of the rotation is in tact; Paul Hayashi, Santiago Silva, Jamie Bradley and Esteban Calles return. Hayashi is the franchise leader in career wins at 114. In Season 15 he tied his season win high at 16 and had his second lowest ERA. Silva had the breakout year of his career with 15 wins, after going a combined 11-18 the two prior years. He has a new three-year contract. Bradley, the number 6 pick of Season 11, went 13-7 in his third big league season with a career low 1.28 WHIP. He is 23 years old with 32 major league wins. Calles was Season 11 International Free Agent from Dominica. He went 16-8 in his second season in the majors.

Rookie Fernando Soriano won the fifth spot in spring training. He was 15-9 at AAA last year and had success as a September call-up with a 1.09 WHIP in 23 IP. He throws a nasty sinker and keeps batters off balance with an above average fast ball.

The closer and setup relievers all are returning. Rip Robinson saved 33 of 38 games. Set up man, Lou O’Brien, lowered his ERA to 3.30 from the prior year’s 4.35. Rookie Billy Bush owned the 7^th inning with a 3.29 ERA. The long relievers are Hayes Griffin, Domingo Vasquez and rookie Jerry McMurtry. Griffin, age 27, has 60 major league starts, so he could be the swing man if needed. He had a career best 1.30 WHIP. Vasquez is a fourth year pro and appeared in 17 major league games last year. McMurtry is a ground ball pitcher who gets the ball to plate quickly.

Gone from the every day players is shortstop Danny Carlson. He had a career year at the plate and cashed in on free agency. The plus from that will be the 28^th and 34^th picks in the draft this summer.

On to the position players: Third baseman Terry Sturtze led the team in RBI’s and collected a gold glove for his mantle. Stan Lee moved to first base and made 10 plus plays. He had 96 RBI’s and 26 stolen bases. Brian Winston became the full-time right fielder and had career highs in home runs and RBIs and also had 13 assists. Catcher Jimmie Franco had his usual 1+ OPS season and improved his team’s ERA for the fourth consecutive year. The ageless one, Garrett Stewart, had his fifth consecutive.300+ season average. Second baseman Nate Cochrane is the catalyst of the offense. He had 72 stolen bases. Rookie Russell Steinbach will patrol right field. He has potential to be a five tool player. He has excellent range and a rifle for an arm. Rookie Victor O’Donnell is slated to start at shortstop. He is a defensive specialist with an AAA Gold Glove and has some pop to his bat. The Maintaineers should have even more double plays this year than last year.

In summary, this team is young, talented and exciting to watch. To quote Bum Phillips, “We are gonna kick in the door to the playoffs.”

Is This the Year for the Maintaineers?

2010-03-17T20:53:00.003-04:00

The buzz in Vancouver will continue for at least a few more days. Canada’s Los Angeles has been the centre (sic) of sports headlines for more than a month with the XXI Winter Olympics coming to town. Quietly, the Vancouver Maintaineers National League Baseball Club has bided its time, patiently building up its case. For the first time in team history, the Maintaineers have a division crown. It’s not just any division’s championship, however; Vancouver paced the Western Division field that had four of the six best records in the NL. Vancouver made the playoffs for just the second time, and as a first also benefited from a first-round bye.

Vancouver went 45-38 (unofficially) from the time the Olympics came to town to the end of the season. Given that distraction and the intense competition in-division, that’s not bad. More impressively, the club was 97-65 overall. The team comes complete with a balanced offense (5 players with at least 22 home runs and 88 RBI) and a rotation built for the playoffs.

Offensively, franchise cornerstones Stan Lee at first base and Danny Carlson, who plays shortstop, are two of the five aforementioned men. Nate Cochrane has been the ideal table-setter for them this season. He combines a .365 on-base percentage with 72 stolen bases on 77 attempts in the regular season. Playoff catchers will have their hands full with his running ways. The other three cogs in the Maintaineers' boppers are right fielder Brian Winston, third baseman Terry Sturtze, and catcher Jimmie Franco. Franco led the team in slugging and home runs while Lee cranked out a 20/20 season.
Vancouver can afford to put Hayes Griffin in the bullpen and let starting pitchers Jamie Bradley, Paul Hayashi, and Esteban Calles carry the starting load. A capable Rip Robinson, in his second season as closer, will likely own the 9th inning in any game they lead. Bradley, a 22-year-old righty, could get the ball in Game 1 against Vancouver’s Division Series dance partner, the Minnesota North Stars.

That’s where things get interesting. Minnesota’s Chief of Baseball Operations is the son of Vancouver’s executive, and throughout the season they have been jockeying for optimal playoff position. Minnesota has backed into October, going 17-22 down the stretch and almost giving away a double-digit division lead to hated New York. This came despite getting reinforcements at the dish and on the mound. The North Stars’ third starter, Don Chang, was a Colt 45 a few months ago and first baseman Bruce Harper came over from Scottsdale in the high-profile deal of the summer. Less heralded but perhaps more important was the acquisition of third-baseman Moose Norton in a salary dump at mid-season. It’s not that Harper has disappointed, but Norton played 75 games and Harper just 48 by season’s end. Norton was the shot in the arm that the club needed from the hot corner. Minnesota ace Kelly Grace is likely the Cy Young Award winner for season 15, but he was needed to rescue the team from a first-round exit via Anaheim, and will likely not pitch until game 4.

So, with family bragging rights on the line, will Vancouver get to continue its party? Or, is Minnesota’s chemistry experiment starting to just now pay off? That’s what these playoffs will decide.

I beg to differ Roadrunners!

2010-02-17T11:49:00.002-05:00

Cold storage? Try front and center Mr. Chaspazzzzzz.

Ahhhhh, the thrill of victory, even if from the past can't me masked by the slings and arrows of a fortuitous champion.

I believe one of those flag enshrouded baseball hardware was taken from yer flight-challenged peepers. No shrill attacks, misplaced witticism or smudge campaigns can tarnish their luster. I was the WS champion, TWICE, and that can never been taken from me. Hail Archers! Now on to my campaign to equal the great Yogi Berra.

The NL-West shall rise a'gen, cuz yur either fur us, or yous a'gen us! The Archers shall over come.

Some Thoughts

2009-11-23T20:49:00.002-05:00

from jketchum:

I’ve been asked my opinion on this topic in private so I’ve decided to post it to have my “vote counted” if you will.

I’m in 8 leagues, some of which are half assed public leagues where I have to struggle to get a simple response on a trade veto all the way to this league, which I consider to be an “advanced owner’s league”. What I mean by advanced owners is you don’t see a lot of stupid trades (except for getting trade raped for Brett Tracy in my first season by jacksonville) or moves that are overly questionable. We are all very thoughtful in how we run our franchises. We for the most part are all vets and understand budgets, ratings, and how to generally field a decent team.

Froidl, teams can be rebuilt without clearly throwing games or keeping 26 year old studs at AA forever. Are your teams going to dominant the next 10 seasons, which was clearly what you were trying to do? Probably not, but I’ve rebuilt teams, and it doesn’t take 5 awful seasons and hoarding talent to win a division or rebuild. Clearly you are abusing the system. Calling out Dcbove on Enrique Astacio was almost comical; he’s 21 and never repeated a level. Would I bring him up? You bet, but he isn’t my player and he isn’t clearly trying to cheat the system. For those that will say they develop better in the minors I’d argue that with playing time and the better coaching at the big league level they develop just as quickly, but again Astacio has never repeated a level and next season, if kept at AA, yeah, I would scratch my head a little and since the precedent has been set with froidl we would need to call out Dcbove.

As for Froidl, do I want to see him gone? No, not really. The guy is a great owner, he’s proven that, and we should all welcome the challenge to compete against him. That’s what this is all about but he does need to adhere to whatever the league sees fit. As to what plan I would endorse, I feel that a win % of .340 is easily attained and keeps things competitive. After a season under that bench mark, the team in question goes on probation. If it happens two seasons in a row, they're gone. That’s 55 wins a year no limitations on what you do with your money or your payroll.

Three Questions

2009-11-23T18:28:00.001-05:00

from canadadry:

1) Let's assume the following definition of the word Tanking: to intentionally field a team that is weaker than possible in order to draft higher in the draft or spend more payroll on IFA's. Let's also assume that Tanking has impacts on our game (eg. team parity)

My question is this: While there may be impacts to tanking, are any of these impacts negative? If so, which one's and why?

2) The draft and IFA's are the best ways to secure long term player talent. This talent is necessary to sustain long term success in HBD. So why is Capra seeking to curb and restrict the actions of owners who are seeking to maximize their draft potential and increase their activity in the IFA market?

3) If restrictions are implemented to keep a team from drafting better or using all their resources to sign IFAs, are we not simply restricting their ability to improve the future of their team? And is this behaviour, therefore, entirely counterproductive to a league that is seeking to have all their teams be as competitive as possible?

For the record, I see absolutely no negative implications of a team tanking. On the contrary, I would argue that an owner who is willing to spend their money to lose for two or three seasons, while building a long term strategy for success is the best owner any World can hope to attract. Tanking does not ruin a franchise. It rebuilds it. What ruins a franchise is the strategy of cleaning out the cupboard in trades for aging vets, in the hopes of winning NOW and then leaving the world when half the ML roster is up for FA and there isn't one worthwhile prospect in the whole organization. That is what is wrong with HBD. Thank goodness for Tankers. Bring on the Tankers. We need more people willing to spend money and lose big in an attempt to become the world's next great dynasty. We need more Tankers!

The Get a Cup of Coffee Before Reading Rule

2009-11-23T13:57:00.004-05:00

from crickett13;

In order to maintain competitive balance and give each owner flexibility on how to run his team I propose the following.

Minimum wins over 2 seasons 110
If this is not reached the increase in wins between season 1 and 2 must have been 15 games or the team is put on 1 year probation.

Once a team is put on probation they must show a 15 win improvement to stay in the league.

Example 1
Scranton Breakers season 15 40 wins
Scranton Breakers season 16 48 wins
The Breakers must win 63 games in season 17 to stay in the league.
Scranton Breakers season 17 70 wins
Scranton stays in the league.

Example 2
Scranton Breakers season 15 43 wins
Scranton Breakers season 16 60 wins
Even though Scranton did not win 110 games they did show a 17 game improvement so they are not placed on probation.
Scranton Breakers season 17 45 wins
Because the 2 season win total for seasons 16 and 17 is only 105 games Scranton is placed on probation and must win 60 games in season 18 to stay in the league.

No team may be placed on probation 2 seasons in a row unless the Commissioners discretion rule is used

Commissioners discretion rule

If a team can show a reason why they just missed the win improvement the commissioner may waive the expulsion and place the team on probation for a second consecutive season. An example of this would be a team that wins 108 games in 2 seasons and then does not show a 15 game improvement the next season because their #1 starter and their closer both had season ending injuries early in the season.

Player Payroll: Each team must have 35 mil budgeted for payroll. No transfer may take place that would lower the Player payroll below 35 mil. If they choose to only spend 25 mil that is fine as long as the budgeted payroll does not drop below 35 mil.

Budget transfers: You may not transfer more than 20 million dollars in a season.

The .340 rule over 2 Seasons

2009-11-23T13:55:00.001-05:00

from chazzzzzz:

Every team must win 110 games over 2 seasons.

The .400 then Transfer Rule

2009-11-23T13:52:00.002-05:00

from steelerstime:

If a team fails to finish above .400 for a season, then they are limited to 20M transfer from payroll(only 10M of which is spendable) and 2M transfer from coaches(1M). In short, if you finish below .400, then you can only use up to 31M in Prospect signings.

The Competitive Balance Discussion

2009-11-23T13:43:00.002-05:00

In light of recent events, we will vote upon and implement some kind of baseline for performance at the major league level. This will take effect with the onset of S15.

That said, I think we would all like to make this new standard be as non-intrusive as possible so that each owner can continue to build their team as he/she see fit. It is, of course, difficult to meet both of these seemingly opposed ideals, but we're going to do our level best.

We will accept proposals over the next 72 hours. For those of you who have voiced concern or complaints, this is your chance to help fix the problem. We will then move forward with the most viable options in a vote to be held via sitemail. We can't really hold it here since voting/posting anonymously here could lead to a Florida-style count.

You are free to post your solutions here in the comments section, either logged in or anonymously, send them to me and I'll post for you, or post them here yourselves if you are a registered user. If you are not but would like to post your own ideas, shoot me your email address and I'll send you an invite to become a registered author on the blog.

I will proceed now with the first couple of ideas.

A Refresher on Player Ratings

2009-07-09T12:14:00.000-04:00

I'd written a draft of this awhile ago and saved it because I had planned to add more. But I'm not going to so I'll go ahead and throw it out there now, as is, for anyone interested.

Just wanted to throw this out there for those who are fuzzy on the art of maximizing ratings bumps.

Ratings can increase up to 6 times a season, though 4-5 is more likely. The approximate schedule is: 1) after Spring Training(ST), 2-5)after every 30 games of the big league season. You may initiate a bump of your own by promoting a player to a higher level, but that won't be an additional bump. It will simply take the place of one of the 30-game bumps. And this bump won't happen at all if not timed in the neighborhood of the 30-game bump.
The ST bump is dependent on your major leaguers getting enough at bats/innings(there's much debate about how much = enough). Minor leaguers in the lower levels of the system don't need ST playing time to get the increase. Dudes in the upper levels of the system, or who those who are four years or more into their career, may or may not get any ST boost. And, of course, big leaguers who are 27 or older may or may not get any boost at any time.
During the season, only skill ratings will increase(for batters: contact, vsL, vsR, batting eye, baserunning. for fielders: glove, arm accuracy, for pitchers: control, vsL, vsR, pitches, etc.). Ratings for a player's strength and body happen when the season rollover is completed(arm strength, health, stamina, power, durability, velocity, etc.).
Minor leaguers increase steadily over the first 4 years of the career, then the bumps slow down considerably.
Major league bump increases slow down if they are over 22 years of age, especially if they are at least four seasons(major or minor) into their career.
A demotion/promotion may or may not result in a ratings hit.

12 Seasons of Victories . . . Who's Winning? NL version

2009-07-09T11:02:00.004-04:00

As we begin our 13th season, let's take a big picture look at what franchises have accumulated the most regular season victories. This list, of course, does not discriminate based upon a franchise's previous owners or anything else. Just a simple tally of what franchise has won the most games.

NL North

NY Yanks = 1,210 wins/100 avg

(formerly Fargo Woodchippers)

Minnesota North Stars = 1,023 wins/85 avg

Toronto Beavers = 964 wins/80 avg

Tacoma Typhoon = 900 wins/75 avg

(formerly NY Knights/Pitt Littlefield of Dreams/NY Manatees/CLB Buckeyes)

NL East

Tampa Bay Lightning Devils/Chicago Vipers/Atlanta Stonewallers = 974 wins/81avg

Syracuse Salt City Ballers = 899 wins/75 avg

(formerly Wichita Shockers/CIN Reds/Hartford Belly Whalers/Charlotte Webs)

(formerly KC Monarchs/Pawtucket Patriots)

Rochester Rough Riders/Dover Galaxy = 857 wins/71.5

Indianapolis Colt 45 = 753 wins/63 avg

(formerly Buffalo Hunters/Was Capitol Hill G-Men/Trenton Turnpikes)

NL South

Little Rock Travelers = 1,010 wins/84 avg

El Paso Diablos = 1,003 wins/83.5 avg

Florida SunRays = 982 wins/82 avg

KC Monarchs/HUN Redlegs = 914 wins/76avg

(formerly Richmond Confederates/Huntington Hatorade/San Juan Rumrunners)

NL West

Anaheim Anteaters/Portland Wheels = 1,104 wins/92 avg

St. Louis Archers = 1,057 wins/88avg

Seattle Picards = 897 wins/75 avg

(formerly Jacksonville Juggernauts/Fresno Force/Colorado Bombers/Boise Idaho Taters)

Vancouver Maintaneers = 888 wins/74 avg

(formerly LA Aquatics)

I'll let you analyze the data yourself. Maybe in a future thread we could do winning percentage by owner instead of franchise.

AL version coming soon.

S12 Monterrey Conquistadors = Campeones Del Mundo

2009-07-08T22:55:00.002-04:00

Lead by a devastating offensive attack, the Monterrey Conquistadors claimed the championship trophy in Capra's dozenth season. Monterrey's postseason heroes include the following:

Trenidad Rios: .467/.500/.978 and 7hrs/13 rbis

Darren Owens: .328/.397/.590 and 4 hrs/14 rbis

Al Maurer: .327/.417/.692 and 6 hrs/13 rbis

Alfonso Cortrez: .298/.385/.596 and 5 hrs/17 rbis

Nor were the Conquistadors without tough pitching during the playoffs. Livan Lee went 3-0 with a 2.78 era over 5 starts and 32+ innings. Jimmie Gutierrez matched Lee with a 3-0 count over 4 starts, ending in a 2.42 era.

Overall, the team formerly known as the Jackson Riverdogs went 11-3 in the postseason enroute to claiming their 2nd WS title. Previously the Riverdogs won the WS in S8.

Who's Nastiest in the NL North?

2009-07-06T00:23:00.000-04:00

Questions abound as the NL North enters its lucky 13th season in Capra. Does Tacoma successfully defend the division title and take its 4th straight pennant? Can Minnesota get over the 90-win hump for the first time since S8 (and will that be enough)? How long is the Ketchum Plan going to take to return the Yanks to annual hundred-win seasons? Will Toronto lose more games than it did last season (like it did the last 2 years), or will the Beavers give Walt Cashman a reason to celebrate in what could be the future Hall-of-Famer's last season?

We'll start finding out in 4 cycles. Which, by the way, is the over/under for cycles in Capra this year. I'm taking the under.

To take a look at these franchises, here are their projected opening-day starters based on depth charts provided by whatifsports.com. We compared them, position-by-position to see who's got the edge (and could have divisional bragging rights come September.) Players are listed from Minnesota, then New York, Tacoma, and Toronto, which is alphabetical by location.

Catchers

Ugueth Cruz and Alex Brito are Minnesota's platoon because Brito flat-out can't hit left-handers. Hit 15 HRs as the starboard-swinger while managing a pretty decent pitching staff to a 4.47 ERA. Won S12 Gold Glove. Cruz is more of the all-around hitter but he's got pressure behind him at AAA to succeed; otherwise, he'll quickly be using his last option year.

Back-to-back 30-homer seasons are the highlight of the resume of Francisco Reyes. His pop is about all he's got, though, with a career .250 average and .312 on-base percentage.

Omar Camacho will get more games behind the plate this week than he's had in his career (2). Camacho's return to the NL North after Minnesota raised him from Low A to AAA in seasons 1 to 4 ought to turn some heads. The class of the catchers offensively, Camacho probably can rake .310/.390/.570 but it's anyone's guess what he'll do behind the dish.

Henry O'Neill doesn't really live up to his raw potential in the game. Seems like he ought to be able to hit for power and do pretty well against lefties, but for some reason the sim didn't like him much in seasons 11 or 12. He ought to rebound.

Advantage: Tacoma

First Basemen

Rudy Lombardi is a good player. He's won Gold Gloves in both leagues and has won Silver Sluggers playing 3 different positions (though one was in the minors). Seems like he's due for something of a dropoff, but at least he's got a lofty position to glide gracefully from.

Trenidad Prieto is a remnant of the Woodchippers' championship clubs who was traded to Cleveland but came home this season. He's everything you'd want in a slugger, hitting for average (.315 career) and power (69 extra-base hits last year) while drawing walks. His only downside is doing the math on his Mexican birth certificate, first issued in Season -22.

Kazuhiro Matsui seems like he should be a catcher, but he's listed as the best overall first baseman for Typhoon. He's probably not the best option for the slot since a lot of meatheads can slug .450 and play first.

A very solid career is being carved out by Russ Russell at Rogers Centre. In 4 of his last 5 seasons, Russell has had over 30 doubles and hit over .290. He just had his best campaign last year, when he hit .345 with 41 doubles and 29 home runs.

Advantage: Minnesota

Second Basemen

Dmitri Stafford was a bit disappointing in his first full season in the big leagues.
At 23, he's got time to get better, but this former 11th-overall pick is going to have to get better if he is to keep playing every day.

Oddly enough, John Clayton was also an 11th-overall pick and he has turned out fine. He hits for average and power and is okay defensively.

AAA success hasn't yet translated for Patrick Martin either. Coming off the bench a lot in S12 for his bat, he didn't really deliver. Martin gets another chance this year, possibly in an expanded role since he's the only primary second baseman listed along with 5 other guys who can play there.

Hugh Brennan is a Baby Beaver who gives fans a reason to hope. Decent defensively, Brennan is a more well-rounded version of Clayton but with less pop. He's still got room to improve and could be more selective at the plate, but he's no slouch.

Advantage: New York

Third Basemen

Seems like Don Wilson is average in almost everything. All his defensive ratings are close to ML average, and his blue numbers are about as vanilla as it gets. So, what's he do? About average for a third baseman. He's right around .300/.340/.460 career (only a season's worth of ABs over 2 seasons) and steals some bases.

Buzz Lewis doesn't have a lot of experience, either. He starred at Rookie, High A, and AA before 160 at-bats in AAA and a baptism by fire this season in The Show. He did get some valuable experience on the way and did hit quite a few doubles and some homers. But this 23-year-old ought to improve as he becomes less raw.

The elder statesman third-sacker is consistent. Manny Jenkins hit .313 with 103 RBI...each of the last two seasons. Weird. He's also got a total of 62 doubles and 59 home runs in that span.

Cesar Torres is there to crush baseballs, and so he does. He'll strike out almost as often as he hits, but he's also very likely to give pitchers whiplash following his tape-measure shots out of the dome.

Advantage: Tacoma

Shortstops

A.J. Daniels is a decent fielder with obvious pop, but he can't get his average to .250 in a world that's predominantly right-handed. He also strikes out too much, but that's acceptable when a player at an important defensive position can club 49 home runs and 100 RBI hitting mostly in the 6, 7, and 8 spots.

Duke Rooney isn't the prototype shortstop, but he's the kind of prospect that results from a team that picked 32nd for the better part of a decade. He's still got time to prove himself.

I obviously don't understand how ratings work, since Wesley Smith currently is below ML guidelines in his glove, arm, and accuracy. He's also got ratings in the 60s on two vital blue categories, but somehow he rates as a 93 according to scouts. This seems like a high overall rating, but there's no doubting that Smith is special and a five-tool player. Oh, and he plays every day, too.

Julio Martin is above-average defensively and has both a Gold Glove and All-Star Game MVP in his trophy case from S9. He's also got a thunder stick: 208 round-trippers in his 5 full ML seasons. Too bad he's not picky about what he swings at.

Advantage: Tacoma

Left Fielders

Brad Smith is another highly-touted prospect that didn't pay dividends in his first season. He lost his starting spot about two-thirds the way through the season, but it's basically his to lose versus Ringo Weston, who's been asked to learn a fourth position (he probably won't get 500 games under his belt in left like the other three, though). It says something about Smith when .293 in 151 games is a disappointment, though.

It seems like Edgar Sierra is underachieving. His performance in S12 gave him about the same number of hits, doubles, and home runs but in 100 fewer ABs, which is technically a step in the right direction.

Claude Long is a masher. If the last 8 seasons mean anything, he'll hit 40 HR, drive in 100, score 100, and hit .300. He's making a very strong case for enshrinement, but he's only 28. Which leads us to...

The man, the legend, Walt Cashman. He's anxious to show he's still got something left in the tank. But, he struck out a (tied) career high 65 times and had career lows in games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, homers, RBI, walks, stolen bases, OBP, SLG, and even caught stealing. That's almost every offensive category.

Advantage: Tacoma

Center Fielders

Doc Munson had his best all-around season in S12, with just 6 errors and a great stat line for a tablesetter. His downside was and always has been his lack of range.

Jose Trevino is another Yank prospect who hasn't had enough time yet for the sim to realize he can hit. But, he still brought speed on the basepaths and in center to the club while it waits for a return on its investment.

Carl Herndon has had ups and downs in his 8 ML seasons. Regardless, it seems like he can get on base at a decent clip and hit for an acceptable average. He's shown he can hit .300 but he hasn't shown he can play center.

Alex Beck has also been inconsistent in his big-league career and hasn't simmed as well as he should. Beck raised his average 33 points over two seasons ago, but that still only brought him to .267. He's very good when he's on, and he was on last year, but nobody can find the circuit breaker to control the switch.

Advantage: Minnesota

Right Fielders

Santos Flores had his best season last year. He played every day and traded in a few of his stolen bases for more home runs, which equated to his first 30/30 season. He also plugged 50 doubles hitting in front of Lombardi, who helped him score 100 runs for the 5th straight season.

Tomas Pena was a huge international prize for Cleveland and is now yet another good prospect learning the ropes at the bigs for the Yanks. Hit 24 homers and 38 doubles in his first full season.

Geraldo Picasso is making the club for the first time out of camp. He can hit doubles for sure, but he's the least proven player who projects to start for an NL North team.

Juan Valentin looks like the mold they made Flores out of. Doubles, triples, homers, stolen bases, average, you name it. On the downside, he just had the worst year of his career. I can't figure out why.

Advantage: Minnesota

Starting Rotations

Minnesota
Kelly Grace
Enos Garciaparra
J.R. Shaw
Jacob Wallace
Hector Flores

New York
Jo-jo Neal
Don Chang
Scott McGowan
Brett Holt
Tito Wood

Tacoma
Dennys Yamakazi
Lefty Fordham
Christian Grim
Tomas Barrios
Paul Martin

Toronto
Roscoe Oliver
Jason Milton
Skeeter Linebrink
Martin McCartney
Al Lopez

Aces: Yamakazi, Grace, Oliver, Neal. Old as he is, Yamakazi still has skill.

Stud Seconds: Garciaparra, Fordham, Milton, Chang. “Hey, we've got Cy Young winners here!”

Thrilling Thirds: Grim, Shaw, McGowan, Linebrink. A bunch of newbies and the Grim Reaper.

Fair Fourths: Barrios, McCartney, Wallace, Holt. Hard to judge except for Barrios, and he's shown he can pitch.

Final Fifths: Martin, Flores, Wood, Lopez. It's amazing that Martin's Tacoma's worst starter, but it might be true.

Bullpens: New York, Minnesota, Toronto, Tacoma

Here's the final count.

Tacoma: 8
Minnesota: 4
New York: 2
Toronto: 0

Gents, we have our work cut out for us if we are to overcome Tacoma. They've got advantages over all of us put together in eight of fourteen important categories. Break up the Typhoon!

The First Annual Coty

2009-06-04T22:05:00.002-04:00

There's been some buzz in the league chat about creating an award for the best overall performance by an organization. This includes both major and minor league teams. I suppose you could also argue for other considerations, too: good trades, a strong draft, good financial handling, etc. Where might it stop!

So I propose we call this the Coty: Capra of the year. Seems to me there should be a prize, too. I'm open to suggestions, creative ideas, etc.

We're going to do this in two steps: first, we will throw out some nominations and arguments. This can be done with either a full blog post, or simply by commenting at the bottom of this entry(no blogger registration needed for that). Then, I will throw up a poll here and voting can proceed accordingly.

Here are some teams that seem to call for immediate consideration . . .

Minnesota North Stars: Currently Minny has squads in the Rookie, High A, AA, and AAA league championship series. The big league team just missed the wild card berth by one game, though. They do have the likely NL Cy Young in Enos Garciaparra. If only the big league team had won a few more games. The North Stars also carried a modest 70m big league payroll.

Atlanta Brigadiers: AAA, High A, and Rookie teams are all in the LCS. More impressively, the big league team won 110 games, earning Hotlanta last draft pick in the S13 amateur party. They also have two Cy Young candidates in Denny Martin and the wildly overperforming Lance Tatum, who might also need shelf space for the ROY award.

Cleveland Spiders: Check out these win totals: ML-100, AAA-85, AA-99, High A-74, Low A-100, Rookie-60. dcbove is going Billy Beane with his rebuild on this team. Homegrown Michael Dransfeldt claims the AL Silver Slugger and Gold Glove and will likely reinvent the possibilities of the 3B position before he's done. Oh yeah, the Spiders also sported a paltry 69m budget.

Monterrey Conquistadors: If you throw out the AAA team, this is just another dominating season for steelerstime. Dig it: Rookie league teams wins their 10th straight division w/ 55 victories. Low A their 11th straight w/ 115 wins, High A their 10th overall with 108, and AA takes their 7th flag with 89 Ws. And the big leaguers throw up 100 victories. 60m salary. 5 All-Stars. 5 Futures kids. 3 Silver Sluggers, etc.

Albuquerque Roadrunners: The big league team just missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons, but the Roadrunner children continued to dominate. with 86, 98, 102, 80, and 44 wins respectively.

My apologies to any teams I've missed. Please point them out.

Trade Winds in Jacksonville

2009-04-26T20:52:00.003-04:00

A source in Jacksonville says that Sid Watson's career with the Juggernauts is hanging on by a thread. The closer has struggled the past couple of seasons after an incredibly strong breakout season two years ago. He is currently sporting a 7.90 ERA and already has 5 blown saves and 3 losses in only 19 games played.
In a recent interview with ESPN, coach Dry seemed caught off guard when asked about Watson’s future. Long time Major League reporter, Ima Presguy, asked Dry if the team was thinking of trading Watson. “Trading Watson? Why would you ask that? He’s got nearly 200 saves in his career and he’s only 28 years old. He’s an all-star presence in our bullpen and he’s been a huge part of our team’s success over the past few seasons. I just don’t understand why you would even bring that up?”

But despite coach Dry’s attempts to seem stunned, sources from the team say that Watson is being shopped around. “He’s a great pitcher with a ton of good baseball left in him. He’s just not performing well right now and maybe he just needs a change of scenery”, said one source close to the team.

A Refresher on Player Ratings

2009-04-05T12:24:00.004-04:00

I'd written a draft of this awhile ago and saved it because I had planned to add more. But I'm not going to so I'll go ahead and throw it out there now, as is, for anyone interested.

Just wanted to throw this out there for those who are fuzzy on the art of maximizing ratings bumps.

Ratings can increase up to 6 times a season, though 4-5 is more likely. The approximate schedule is: 1) after Spring Training(ST), 2-5)after every 30 games of the big league season. You may initiate a bump of your own by promoting a player to a higher level, but that won't be an additional bump. It will simply take the place of one of the 30-game bumps. And this bump won't happen at all if not timed in the neighborhood of the 30-game bump.
The ST bump is dependent on your major leaguers getting enough at bats/innings(there's much debate about how much = enough). Minor leaguers in the lower levels of the system don't need ST playing time to get the increase. Dudes in the upper levels of the system, or who those who are four years or more into their career, may or may not get any ST boost. And, of course, big leaguers who are 27 or older may or may not get any boost at any time.
During the season, only skill ratings will increase(for batters: contact, vsL, vsR, batting eye, baserunning. for fielders: glove, arm accuracy, for pitchers: control, vsL, vsR, pitches, etc.). Ratings for a player's strength and body happen when the season rollover is completed(arm strength, health, stamina, power, durability, velocity, etc.).
Minor leaguers increase steadily over the first 4 years of the career, then the bumps slow down considerably.
Major league bump increases slow down if they are over 22 years of age, especially if they are at least four seasons(major or minor) into their career.
A demotion/promotion may or may not result in a ratings hit.

St. Louis Archers Season 12 Preview

2009-03-26T18:51:00.013-04:00

ARHCERS WIN! ARCHERS WIN!!!

The S11 St. Louis Archers made the best of their third Capra World Series appearance in five straight seasons by winning their second World Series Championship. They did it the hard way by losing the division title, and a first round bye, to our arch rivals, the Los Angeles of Anaheim Anteaters. The Archers blew the division lead in the last few days of the season but made the playoffs by taking the first wildcard spot with a 103 win season. "Losing the division title after having a commanding lead all season was tough," said bench coach Ober Gonzalez. " But the 14-4 run in the playoffs and to take the WS in six games made up for that division title shortfall." The Archers look forward defending their title but recognize season 12 will be an uphill battle.

Season 12 roster sports several league all stars.

CF -- Hong-Gu Hyn (S6-RoY, S8 & S9-MVP, 6 time Silver Slugger and 7 time All Star Player)
LF -- Melvin Martin (2 time All Star and Silver slugger)
RF -- Rick Abbott (Archers single season HR record)
C -- Mateo Pena (All Star)
1B -- Jumbo Urbina
2B -- Rudy Hayes
3B -- Benito Johnson
SS -- Andy Palmer
C -- Karim Mateo (back-up, Gold Glove catcher)

All Star and gold glove second baseman Rudy Carver left the Archers to test free agency. Rudy holds many of the Archers offensive category career stats, having broken out with the team in our inaugural season. Carver was losing playing time to Hayes in recent seasons, but the coaches credit Carver's leadership for our two World Series trophies. The Archers let go J.P. Roth, the team's utility player, over contract demands.

The S12 Archers pitching staff is largely intact from our S11 championship team. The starters are lead by All Star pitcher, Ted Davis, along with strong performances from Ralph Cosby and Howard Kapler. The bullpen is anchored by 2-time Fireman of the Year and 4-time All Star, David Wanatabe. David is #3 on the Capra all-time saves list, and at just 31 years old and possessing a 89 % save/opportunity ratio he has the potential to eclipse 500 lifetime saves. David's success in S11 was due in part to Kevin Myers set-up abilities which landed him on the S11 NL All Stars list. Jarrod Newson has reached the final year of his contract at age 37. He has pitched his entire career with the Archers. It was his performance out of the pen that was the key to our S11 championship. From a long relief position he recorded a 5-0 record while pitching 29.1 innings with a 1.19 WHIP and a 1.53 ERA. Carl Wilkerson posted a fine rookie season and the team has high hopes for call-up reliever, Paul King. Long time Archers Moises Melendez and Carlos Paniagua continue to show a lot of promise, but they have yet to post good seasons.

A full list of S12 pitchers includes:

SP -- Ralph Cosby, Ted Davis, Howard Kapler, Moises Melendez and Carl Wilkerson
LR -- Paul King, CarlosPaniagua, and Bobby Swann
Setup -- Alan Dorsey, Jarrod Newson and Kevin Myers
Closer -- David Wanatabe

The club let go relievers Bo Jensen, contract expiration, and Todd Parish, option buy out. Both relievers were saw limited action with Kevin Myers logging 70+ appearances and 120 innings in relief. With Kevin's beastly performance it was not cost effective to carry these veterans. They will contribute to the lucky teams that pick them up as free agents.

Management is looking for a utility player and some defensive backups to fill out the 25 man roster. The S12 salary was set @ 82 MM, a 9 MM reduction from S11. While management would like to pick-up a strong veteran pitcher but we'll concentrate on fielding positions. Most of our S11 ML coaches are returning so fans have every right to expect good things from the S12 Archers.

With a core of returning players the Archers should figure prominently in the NL-West division race. The St. Louis Archers haven't won the division title since S8, and it would seem our arch rival The Los Angeles of Anaheim Anteaters have the secret formula to win the division. The S11 performance of the Vancouver Maintaineers showed promise so the NL-West looks to be a three horse race in S12. No doubt the Seattle Picards rebuild will put them in the race soon. The Archers are planning to win the division outright and repeat as the Buzz Capra Champions.