No complaints at all from me as the lads keep digging deep despite it being one of those seasons where little luck goes our way. We lose 56 Varieties for a month, Charley for 2 weeks, and a couple other players for short spells with niggling injuries. Still we manage a 16-12 month.
We certainly aren't setting the stat rankings alight with the bats, but our pitchers have been superb, and can take most of the credit for us being where we are entering July.
It's fair to say we are batting with about 2/3 of a lineup, with the right side of our IF not giving us much at all. The catchers have been outstanding, as have Williams and Cobb, but the latter's team-high 2.3 WAR shows just how down in production we are.
Streeter has grown in stature this season and, especially given Brown's absence, has been massive for us. Cooper has done what he usually does - grind out the wins - and Bill Foster, after an 0-4 start, turns it right around to go 4-0 in June and win the Rookie award. The rotation's performance is even more important because our usually ironclad BP has popped a few leaks this year, especially Richter who may well find this is his final go-around with us.
Unless something dramatic takes hold, the AL looks like it's going to be a cakewalk for the Sens, who have streeted the field. The NL seems likely to be where all the drama is this year, with things staying very tight indeed.
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