Certainly goes without saying that I am both stunned and disappointed at the dismal first half. Losing that final game felt like karma as we head into the break 1 game under. However, since changing managers the club has gone 25-20 even with a 3-7 record in the past 10.
A quick peek at the stat leaders and the offensive drop off is staggering. How much so? The AL Leader in HR and RBI last break was at 30 and 80, the NL at 28 and 75.
Obviously, that drop leads to a drastic rise in pitchers numbers. Last break the top 3 in AL ERA were 2.84, 2.95 and 3.23...
So the game changed this winter. No, we must adjust to it. One thing I decided to do was to have the staff do a ballpark rundown.
I knew our ballpark clearly favored right-handed hitters but honestly didn't realize compared to the rest of the league just how much. From a pure hitting for average standpoint, we are the 2nd worst park in the league for left-handed hitters. For power, we are near the bottom 5 for left-handers too. This park clearly favors RHH in every way and I think that needs addressing in the lineup. It's one thing to have a left-handed hitter who doesn't hit LHP all that well, or nearly as well as they do RHP, but take Hayashi for example. He destroys RHP and has rather large issues with lefties. Add to that hitting in a ballpark that has dimensions that impede LHH and that might be a 'bridge too far'.
It certainly makes me look to the future with regards to trades and drafting a bit differently. When you consider the 81 games a year you KNOW which park you are playing in and then look at your division opponents where a majority of your games happen on the road you begin to get a larger picture and grasp of the impact of the parks. New York is an LHH dream, Brooklyn is decent but Detroit, Minnesota and our park are all either pitcher's parks or RHH friendly. It certainly can't be a driving factor but it's absolutely a factor that needs to be taken into account. I almost argue that it demands a roster that allows for true platoons outside the set, star everyday players. Certainly at C in my opinion.
Seems the NL East is back on board with this 'winning' thing. A division you might remember Pittsburgh won at 81-81 last year. Miners, Jets are clearly the class of the NL East.
KC and Texas look to be the duo in command of the Central.
And out west LA is answering world champ San Francisco's dominant 2006 run with one of their own. It is clearly down to those two barring some miracle and honestly it would be stunning were LA to give that away especially when you consider the Bears are dealing with a significant number of injuries
Our nightmare 1st half is compounded by Detroit once again be the class of the AL. They are 20 over and there's no reason to think they won't continue. While I certainly concede nothing the reality gnome tells me the 4.5 game gap between the Hitmen and us for that 2nd Wild Card is a far bigger concern.
Ohio is having a great year and Chicago is doing everything they can to hang on. St Louis is having a very nice season, and honestly, they feel like they are where we should be in the third year of this franchise. Ben Chase looks to be everything I thought he'd be on draft day.
Vegas and Alaska are the Wests best and I expect them both to make the playoffs.
A word on that St Louis comment. Last year was insane. It was a great ride and I think an amazing achievement across the board.
Having said that I think I may have gotten hung up in that as I looked into this season. We are still only in year 3, and there is a good way to go before I feel like I can call my roster set and the talent top shelf.
Three underlying numbers are probably as important, if not more so than our ABA win total.
125-80 are the first two. That's the combined win-loss record of our 5 minor league franchises. AAA is 46-23 in 1st, Clovis is 33-36 6 GB, Farmington is 39-30 having a great year but if you can believe this they are 14 GB! The Chesapeake Wings (A for the Washington Jets) are 53-16 and just destroying that league. I Would love to tell you they are just stacked with prospects but the Jets have emphasized winning in their minor leagues every bit if not more so than developing. There are some older 20's and a couple 30-year-olds on that A Ball team. But Jonathan Braley (21 .360-18-55) and Pat Peterson (20 .345-14-52), as well as Juan Mora (20 6-1 1.73) and Jung-won Yaung (21 5-0 3.53) as well as Sergio Ramirez (23 2-0 1.46), are all legitimate prospects and talents.
The other number is this: #1
That is the Florida Tarpons ABA Minor League system ranking. To have done that in just 3 seasons is a testament to this scouting department.