WEEK 18
RECORD: 4-2
OVERALL: 79-32 +6
RUNS SCORED: 766 (39) 1st
RUNS AGAINST: 469 (30) 1st
OWNERS MOOD: Ecstatic
FAN INTERST: 87/100
SCHEDULE: 3 @ Buffalo/3 vs Staten Island/Off Day
TRADE NEWS- Nearing the deadline and things are heating up.
Philadelphia (55-50 2GB) has sent 25 year old 3B Jose Rivera to Fresno (47-58 13 GB) for 32 year old CL Pedro Gonzalez and 19 year old SP Fernando Aguilar. Gonzalez saved 32 games last season with a 2.70 ERA, but was having a nightmare season (2-5 13 SV 7.34 in 34 games). He will setup for the Patriots. Rivera is a slick fielding corner IF who can also play a very good SS. He's hit .267 with 34 HR's 48 2B's and 39 SB's in 311 games, and has room to grow. Aguilar is a 2.5* prospect drafted by Boston in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft. He was dealt from Boston to Fresno 9 days ago.
Fresno then sent 31 year old 2B Pat Dobson (.247-19-53 in 101 games this year, .245 198 career HR's in 1133 games liftetime) to Baltimore for 36 year old slugger Mario Orosco (.294/.411/.419 career in 1435 games) a 2 time 2B gold glove, 5 time all star, and 20 year old C Jack McPhee, a very good hitting catching prospect. Fresno has a team option on Orosco, or 3.4M buyout, after this season on 16M dollar 1 year deal.
7/26 BUF 7 CHI 6 (10)
Cruz BS (5) L (2-4) run in the 9th and 10th to lose. Ash 3-6 3B (6) Fernandez (BUF) 3-4 leadoff HR (9) 3 runs
TRADE NEWS-Boston continues to make moves everyone seems to think are good. Today acquiring 25 year old up and coming OF John Lewis (.299-12-48 this year) for 25 year old slick fielding IF Mark Guest and 20 year old slugger 1B Ricardo Torres. Guest was hitting .294-28-92 in 103 AAA games, and is a very good SS and 3B, with very good speed. He was immediately recalled and will play SS and hit 8th for 1st place Alaska. Lewis is a career .297-13-60 in 114 games with 10 SB and 21 2B's. Boston, 3 GB of New Hampshire, inserted Lewis into the 5 hole and he'll play LF as the Bombers aim for their 1st post season bid.
7/27 CHI 8 BUF 4
Ken Lee becomes the Chicago Iron Pigs all time leader in wins. He went 6.2-8-4-4-2-4 for his 12th win this year, and 100th of his Chicago career. Earl Shaw was 3-4 with 2 2B's Hugh Collins (30) and Luis Chavez (24) homered. Collins also drove in 3 (85).
NEWS ITEM-Don't imagine fans in Baltimore were real happy today. 31 year old 2B Pat Dobson, who was just acquired from Fresno, has announced he will put his IBL career on hold, and join the United States Marince Corps after the conclusion of the 2021 season. In the press conference following their game today Dobson cited a recent visit to Walter Reed as the motivating force behind this decision.
7/28 CHI 7 BUF 3
Chavez GS (25) 4 RBI's (82) Miranda 4-5 Buffalo's Peck (12) Hernandez (20) and McConnell (14) hit solo HR's off Morgan, who goes 7-7-3-3-1-8 for the W (11-4)
MILESTONES-Veteran Closer Tom Conklin (WMI) joined the exclusive 300 Save Club today. He's 49-46 2.53 lifetime, with 928 K's in 748 IP in 675 games. He set an IBL single season record last year with 49 saves.
7/29 SI 5 CHI 1
A.Rodriguez (SI) 8-8-1-0-3-4 W (10-4 2.60) Estrada (SI) 3-4 HR(4) Hayes (SI) 3-5 Ash SB (28)
CONTRACT TALKS-Bill Jones agreed to terms on a 3 year 3.63M dollar contract extension. Saves over a half million, at least, from the potential arbitration hearing.
Short Season All Stars- Manuel Diaz SP 3-0 2.57, Carl Walker SP 6-0 0.72, Bill Heard 1B .331/.439/.480 2-21, Michael McGrath 3B .359/.472/.542 6-27, Joaquin Rodriguez OF .283/.381/.409 4-21
TRADE NEWS-As was expected when he signed, Hawaii has dealt 39 year old SP Walt Thompson to the Tulsa Drillers for 4 prospects. 19 year old slugger Michael Griffin (1B/DH Tulsa's 1st pick (24th overall) in 2020 IBL's #35 prospect) 24 year old RP Edgar Charraz (Tulsa's 3rd round pick in 2015, SP/RP swing guy) 21 year old SP prospect Pedro Rios (2018 minor league FA) and 23 year old SP prospect Ralph Klein (2019 minor league FA). Thompson is 5-10 4.03 in 20 starts this season, and 150-91 3.45 with 2185K's in his career.
7/30 CHI 9 SI 6
Hall has a bizarre outing 6-4-6-5-4-9 (ND) Watanabe back from suspension W (3-4) Cruz SV (20) Collins 3-4 3B (4) 2 HR's (32) 6 RBI's (92)
7/31 CHI 8 SI 5
5 run bottom of the 9th capped by an Earl Shaw 3R HR. Eric Coates with a huge PH 3B. Shaw 2-5 2B (21) HR (31) 4 RBI's (94) Collins (33) Salinas (22) homer. Quintania (SI) 2-4 2B (14) HR (4) 3 RBI's (31) Jones W (5-2)
8/1 Off Day
WEEK 18 SUMMARY
FL POTW-Mario Gomez (COL) 11-25 6 HR's 16 RBI's (.315-28-89)
CL POTW-Chris Green (CC) 9-19 6 HR's 8 RBI's (.227-19-37)
IBL SINGLE SEASON RECORD: RUNS
Dave Palmer (BRO) 145 '16
Bill Hill (LA) 145 '12
Luis Chavez (CHI) 145 '19
Jimmy Rollins (PHI) 139 '20
Caden Haynes (TUL) 138 '15
WEEK 18 POWER RANKINGS
1) Chicago (2)
2) Green Bay (1)
3) Las Vegas (4)
4) New Hampshire (8)
5) New York (3)
OUT Tulsa (8)
AAA Tulsa (1) +1 72-40 +19 (7-0 week)
AA Bakersfield (5) -2 70-42 +6
A(N) Belleview (5) -1 66-46 +5
A(S) Denison (3) +4 71-41 1 GB
SS Heavener (6) -2 24-13 T-1st
R Omaha (16) -3 19-17 4 GB
There were a bunch of trades, nothing major, earth shattering, but moves were made. We tossed out some feelers, but while I was shopping McKinley it dawned on me that Lee might not hit his 112 start vesting option, because I think the game doesn't measure for the duration of the contract, just the final year before the contract ends. Lee did in fact pass the 112 starts over the 4 years, this year, but I'm thinking it's not going to know that, and I am going to lose him. In that case I'd slide McKinley into next years rotation. There's no way I can get anywhere near close to what he's asking, because the number I am hearing is 18M per, for 4-5 years.