[Griever20]

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Series:
3-0 @ LAA (DH Eugenio Suárez 4-5 2R 2RBI HR(9), SS Jim Hatfield 3-4 3R 4RBI 2DB HR(3))
3-0 vs HOU (SP Chris Archer 6.2IP 3H 1ER 4BB 7K W(2-1 5.10), 2B Adeiny Hechavarria 2-4 2R 3RBI TP HR(2), RHSP Noah Syndergaard 6IP 3H 1ER 1BB 5K W(4-0 1.83))
2-1 vs SEA (C Devin Mesoraco 3-5 R 3RBI HR(7), 1B Adam Brzenzinski 2-3 2R 4RBI 2BB DB HR(4))
1-2 vs CLE (SP Noah Syndergaard 8IP 3H 1ER 1BB 8K W(5-0 1.70))
3-0 vs OAK (SP Chris Archer 7IP 5H 0ER 0BB 8K ND(2-2 4.22), SP Jeremy Komosinski 7.2IP 6H 2ER 1BB 7K W(5-2 2.55))
1-2 @ KCR (SP Noah Syndergaard 6.2IP 3H 1ER 1BB 5K W(6-0 1.65))
3-0 vs TBR (3B Anthony Rendon 3-4 2R 2RBI BB TP HR(9), SP Jeremy Komosinski 6.1IP 1H 0ER 2BB 6K W(6-2 2.26), SP Noah Syndergaard 7IP 2H 1ER 0BB 5K W(7-0 1.61))
0-3 @ NYY
3-0 vs TEX (SP Jeremy Komosinski 6.1IP 4H 0ER 1BB 3K W(7-2 2.03), SS Jim Hatfield 4-5 2R RBI HR(4), SP Marcus Stroman 7.1IP 7H 1ER 0BB 8K W(4-4 3.97))
2-0 @ DET (RF Avsail Garcia 2-3 R 4RBI HR(8), SP Chris Archer 6.2IP 2H 0ER 3BB 10K W(4-2 2.90))

Record: 36-17, 1st in AL East, 7 game lead
May: 21-8
Runs Scored: 285(1st)
Batting AVG: .282(1st)
OBP: .346(1st)
Home Runs: 65(4th)
Stolen Bases: 36(1st)
Runs Against: 190(1st)
Starters ERA: 3.00(1st)
Bullpen ERA: 4.38(13th)
Defensive Eff.: .713(1st)
Zone Rating: +23.4(1st)

Toronto Pitcher of the Month: RHSP Noah Syndergaard 5-0 0.94 38K 38.1IP 1.3WAR 6GS
Toronto Position Player of the Month: SS Jim Hatfield .321/.397/.495 3HR 18RBI 24R 6/6SB +1.1ZR 1.4WAR 28G

And we surged away. This is the year. 21-8, an eight game winning streak to start the month. And getting swept by the New York Yankees. Ok maybe we need more practise against contenders, but the basics are great. Our pitching was flat out sensational with Syndergaard and Chris Archer(3-1 0.93 44K 1.3WAR 38.2IP 6GS May) were sensational and Komosinski(4-1 1.76 24K 0.6WAR 30.2IP 5GS May) wasn’t far behind.

In addition to that, the bullpen Mike Cosens 4.50ERA being the high mark in May. Fun stat, Danny Foxhoven pitched 14.1 scoreless innings to start his season and MLB career before giving up a run on May 29th.

Now, hitting. Mesoraco, Rendon, Suárez and Hatfield are sensational and hitting the cover off the ball with Devin leading the AL with a 1.004OPS and 3.1WAR. Rendon(43) and Mesoraco(39) are second and fourth in RBI’s and Rendon(42) and Hatfield(39) are first and second in runs scored. We may have just build a playoff team.

Yet, the reigning World Series winners are not out of the running yet despite SP Chris Sale(26, 3.5/4*, 3-4 4.70 76K 0.9WAR) struggling. They are 2nd in runs scored however with outfielders Hunter Pence(32, 2.5*, .308-11-35 .910OPS 2.3WAR) and Mark Davis(25, 3/3.5*, .320-12-38 .999OPS 1.8WAR) leading the way so…

The surprise team in the NL: Miami. Claimed off waivers from Oakland, SP Tyson Ross(28, 3*, 6-2 2.78 65K 1.4WAR) has developed into an ace with them and they lead the NL East with SP Jose Fernandez(22, 3*, 5-1 3.95 60K 0.5WAR) being below 2014 numbers. Similar to Chicago, it is a duo of hitters in C Joe Mauer(32, 4*, .367-2-+17 .922OPS 2.4WAR) and RF Giancarlo Stanton(25, 3.5*, .265-12-45 .907OPS 2.0WAR) that leads the way.

The saddest story in baseball however… are the Minnesota Twins, on pace for their fifth straight 95+ loss season. Yes, former top prospect 2B Justin Rimmerle(24, 4.5/5*, .262-3-28 .760OPS 2.1WAR) has started to show the glove and the bat of a star from time to time, and 1B Hanley Ramirez(31, 4*, .301-22-84 .843OPS 2.3WAR in 2014) is out since game 2 with injury but still… #30 minor league system after five years of losing.

Minor League Report and Awards:
AAA 1B Carlos Puentes(24, 2/3*) .392-9-26 1.226OPS 1.7WAR 26G
S A RHRP Antonio Ramos(19, 1.5/2*) 6-0 2.70 20K 0.2WAR 23.1IP 9G
S A 3B Cesar Montoya(19, 1.5/2.5*) .380-3-20 1.089OPS 1.7WAR 26G
R RHCL Dante Ramirez(16, 1/2.5*) 3-0 8SV 3.27 12K -0.1WAR 11IP 11G
Won Monthly Awards

The minor league system is doing just fine, but we put in some hard work the last days, completely shuffling the players around to align them more to talent level and skill (to sum it up: I sat down for 1 1/2h and sorted out the minor league system that was a mess with some teams only having 22 players).

As for our MLB probables, IF Brad Finkbeiner(24, 2.5/3*) has struggled in the field quite a bit lately with a -5.4ZR at second, his best position, and his bat is below average right now with a 86OPS+. Not exactly pushing Escobar for a roster spot, let alone Adeiny for the second base job. Similar things can be said about RHCL Roberto Osuna(20, 2/4*) with his 7.35ERA, however we do have a close eye on OF Ian Dellaripa(22, 2.5/3*) batting .340-8-41 1.019OPS 1.4WAR in AAA and on 1B Joe Sokolow(23, 2/4*, .333-7-21 .925OPS 1.4WAR), a left-handed masher that was our 7th rounder in 2013 and is glowing white in AA New Hampshire.

International Amateur Discovery Additions and Update:
SS Jonathan Serrano(16, 3*) 45/65/80/75/35 40D at 3B from Chicago.

A pure DH for me that will do just that job with the GCL Blue Jays, started off with 2 homers in four games…

In Other News:

May 5th – Texas RHSP Dan Haren(34, 2.5*) blanked the Oakland Athletics 7-0 with a 9IP 4H 0ER 0BB 4K gem. The 3x All-Star is 3-1 3.74 31K 0.1WAR in 6 starts.

May 15th – Twins CF Aaron Hicks(25, 3*) lasered 3 home runs today, going 3-4 3R 6RBI BB SB HR in a 10-1 win over the Astros. The 25-year old is batting .214-8-22 .778OPS 3/4SB 1.0WAR in 38 games.

May 18th – Rays RHSP Ryan Vogelsong(37, 2.5*) pitched his best game of the season, 9IP 4H 0ER 0BB 9K in a 4-0 win over the Red Sox. The 2011 NL All-Star is 2-4 5.02 55K 0.9WAR in 9 starts for the year.

May 18th – Arizona RHSP Scott Bell(23, 2.5/5*) pitched a NO-HITTER in his rookie season, allowing 1BB and striking out six in a 9-0 win over the Nationals. The 9th overall pick in 2014 is 4-1 2.79 49K 0.7WAR in 9 starts.

May 22nd – Atlanta RHSP Kris Medlen(29, 3.5*) dominated the Padres 7-0, pitching a 9IP 4H 0ER 1BB 7K game. The 2012 NL All-Star is 7-2 2.94 58K 1.8WAR in 10 starts.

May 24th – Pirates RHSP Gerrit Cole(24, 4/5*) had a lot of fun today, striking out 16 batters in a 2-0 win over the Padres, pitching a 7.2IP 2H 0ER 1BB 16K. The 2014 NL All-Star is 7-2 2.55 73K 1.3WAR in 10 starts.

May 27th – Reds RF Jay Bruce(28, 2.5*) collected five hits today, going 5-5 2R 6RBI DB 2HR in a 11-7 win over the Colorado Rockies. The 2x All-Star is batting .224-10-29 .742OPS 0.8WAR in 47 games.

May 28th – Oakland RHSP R.A. Dickey(40, 3*) pitched a complete game 5-hitter with 1BB and 10K in a 6-0 win over the Angels today. The 2013 AL All-Star is 5-5 2.94 58K 1.4WAR in 11 starts.

May 28th – Oakland RHSP Homer Bailey(29, 2.5*) made it two shutouts in a row, pitching a 1-hitter with 2BB and 6K, beating the Angels 7-0 again. A free agent signing this winter, he is 3-3 2.90 68K 1.0WAR in 11 starts.

June 1st – Twins CF Aaron Hicks(32, 3*) was named AL Batter of the Month after batting .337 with 9 home runs, 22RBIs and 29 runs scored for the month. The young star is batting .244-11-30 .845OPS 1.5WAR in 53 games after an abysmal April.

June 1st – Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt(27, 5*) was named NL Batter of the Month after batting .365 with 7 home runs, 24RBIs and 26 runs scored for the month. The 2x All-Star is batting .361-12-43 1.187OPS 3.5WAR in 43 games.

June 1st – Blue Jays RHSP Noah Syndergaard(22, 2.5/4.5*) was named AL Pitcher of the Month after going 5-0 0.94 38K in 38.1IP in 6 starts for the month. The #27 prospect prior to the season, he is 8-0 1.45 62K 1.6WAR in 10 starts.

June 1st – Arizona RHSP Trevor Bauer(24, 2.5*) was named NL Pitcher of the Month after going 5-0 2.84 44K in 38IP and 6 starts for the month. The third year pro is 6-0 3.61 60K 0.6WAR in 14G/8GS.

June 1st – Blue Jays RHSP Noah Syndergaard(22, 2.5/4.5*) was named AL Rookie of the Month after going 5-0 0.94 38K in 38.1IP in 6 starts for the month.

June 1st – Reds 1B Frank Tilton(24, 2/3.5*) was named NL Rookie of the Month after batting .330 with 6 home runs, 20RBIs and 15 runs scored for the month. A 15th rounder in 2013, he is batting .338-7-30 .931OPS 1.4WAR in 44 games.