The Old Line League

[Big Six]

I enjoy fictional leagues, and I enjoy writing about their history on the forum here. That's why, after several tries with leagues that were enjoyable, but not quite what I hoped they would be, I am going to give the fictional dynasty one more try.

I've learned that these days, I don't have time to follow and chronicle a 12-team league, complete with three levels of minors, anymore. I'm going to try a more compact league this time around.

The Old Line League is set in my native state of Maryland. I was born in Baltimore, which is far too big a city for an Old Line League team. The six teams in the league represent medium-sized Maryland cities. Each team has three minor league affiliates, in classes AAA, AA, and A. I've listed each of the teams below, with the towns where their minor league clubs play.

Annapolis Admirals (Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Crisfield)
Bowie Blue Sox (Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Ocean City)
Columbia Oaks (Rockville, Laurel, Taneytown
Frederick Colts (Westminster, Elkton, Thurmont)
Hagerstown Shelties (Cumberland, Frostburg, Emmitsburg)
Salisbury Emeralds (Easton, Cambridge, La Plata)


I almost positive I've visited every one of the towns that has a team in any of the leagues; even though I don't live in Maryland any more, my parents, my siblings, and their families do.

The Old Line League plays a 150-game schedule. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top two teams in the standings will play a best-of-seven series for the Calvert Cup.

Here are a few of the other rules and settings I'm using:

• There is no DH in the Old Line League. The minor leagues do use the DH, however.
• I like 1980s-style baseball, so I'll recalculate the league modifiers every spring training. That way, league totals should stay pretty much the same over time.
• League evolution is off.
• Financials are off, too. I think the financial system is great when I'm managing one team in a league. I've used financials in fictional leagues before, and I was frustrated by the fact that two or three of the teams could never manage to sign their first round draft picks. I'm keeping things simple this time.
• Coaching and scouting are off.
• I'm playing in Commissioner mode, as the Great Baseball Deity who is watching his creation unfold.
• Storylines are enabled.
• Trading and injuries are both set to "low."

The league will begin in 1980, and I'll start reporting on it with the inaugural draft.

I know there are a lot of very good fictional league stories on the forums right now. I enjoy reading several of them regularly. I hope there's room for one more, and that I can create and describe an entertaining little league that you'll enjoy reading about. Please feel free to post and comment whenever you'd like. It's encouraging to know there's someone out there reading and following along.

All that's left to say now is "Play ball!"

[Big Six]

January 2, 1980



The Old Line League held its inaugural draft today, with each of the league's six clubs selecting 100 of the best players from across the state of Maryland.

Here's a quick look at each of the six teams as they prepare for the opening of spring training in March.

Annapolis Admirals

The Admirals might have the league's best hitter in Gary Hetley, a 24-year-old center fielder with speed,power, and a solid glove. Hetley, the #3 pick in the inaugural draft, teams with veteran Shane Bauer and fleet Ken Adkins to give the Admirals a terrific outfield trio. John Horton and Cecil McElroy lead the Admirals rotation, and young closer Shawn Holloway features a 101 MPH fastball.

Bowie Blue Sox

The Blue Sox chose a starting pitcher in the first round of the draft, and they think they obtained an ace who can anchor their rotation for years in Kyle Adams. Sluggers like OF Dave Lawson and 3B Dennis Johnston will lead the Blue Sox attack, and Daniel Johnson provides top-notch defense behind the plate.

Columbia Oaks

The Oaks had the first pick in the draft, and they selected Mikulas "Prince" Kajer, a 30-year-old RHP with all the tools needed to dominate Old Line League hitters. Albert Allen should give the Oaks a good #2 starter, while veteran Roy Wilhelm will anchor a solid bullpen. CF Liam Holmes and SS Wally Jacobs are the most likely stars among Columbia's position players. In catcher Tony Parker and righthander Jayson Cross, the Oaks also have the league's two most highly touted prospects.

Frederick Colts

Exciting CF Roberto Aranda could bring a batting title to Frederick, and his defense in the outfield will save the Colts pitching staff a lot of runs. Hard-throwing Ken DeWitt and control artist Brian Bones should be solid starting pitchers, and they'll be throwing to catcher Chris Myers, an outstanding receiver and a solid hitter.

Hagerstown Shelties

Hagerstown fans are happy to see talented hitters like SS James Pryor, CF Nicolae Bucur, 1B Chris Hurt, and C Jud Holland on their inaugural roster. The ace of the Shelties staff will be Brett "Scar" Kemp, backed by talented youngster Tom Akers. The Shelties look like they'll need lots of hitting to win, however, as their pitching staff appears to be mediocre, at best.

Salisbury Emeralds

Five-tool talent Seth Myers could contend for a Triple Crown and earn an Outstanding Fielder trophy for his play in center field. 2B Joe Wood and SS Salvador Bermudez give the Emeralds the league's best double play duo, and they're both in their early 20s. Catcher Angel Perez, age 22, is also a bright young star with a glittering future. Tony "Hangover" Thompson, the league's best southpaw, is the ace of the Salisbury staff.

[Big Six]

April 1, 1980

It would have been difficult for the spring training season to have ended with a greater sense of league parity. Three teams--the Frederick Colts, Annapolis Admirals, and Columbia Oaks--ended with 13-11 records, and the other three--the Salisbury Emeralds, Hagerstown Shelties, and Bowie Blue Sox--finished up at 11-13.

Among the hitters who looked sharp in the spring were Hagerstown's Chris Hurt, who hit .413, slugged .667, and posted a .531 OBP; Bowie's Dave Lawson, who put up a .700 slugging percentage and hit three homers; and Columbia OF Bert Duke, who hit .400 with a .526 OBP.

Several pitchers enjoyed good spring seasons, too. Frederick's Ken DeWitt allowed only eight hits in 16 innings and struck out 17. Brett Kemp of Hagerstown allowed only 3 earned runs in 16 frames and recorded 15 Ks and only two walks. Columbia's Mikulas Kajer threw 16 innings with a 1.69 ERA, walking one batter and striking out 11.

The spring prognostications are in, and here's how they look:




The experts think Frederick's young OF, Angel DeLeon, has emerged as a potential star. He was chosen in Round 4 of the inaugural draft. Salisbury's Round 9 selection, OF Pedro Viera, also looks like he could be poised for a good season. Viera's teammate, hard-throwing RHP Rickey Francis, is also being talked about as a surprising breakout star.

Emeralds fans have to be optimistic when they look at these predictions, while up in Annapolis, they're largely discounting them as nothing more than shots i the dark. We'll see who was right, and who was wrong, in September.

[Big Six]

May 1, 1980





The season is still young, but the Frederick Colts and the Bowie Blue Sox have opened up a small lead over the field in the Old Line League.

As expected, the Colts have gotten good work from starters Ken DeWitt (3-1, 2.89, 33 K) and Brian Bones (3-2, 2.47), and they've been joined by Jesus Moreno (4-1, 2.27) to form a very effective "Big Three."

Cleanup hitter Angel DeLeon leads the league in three key offensive categories: home runs (6), RBI (27), and stolen bases (12). DeLeon turned 24 on April 12, so we could be seeing this kind of excellence from him for years to come

The Blue Sox, too, have depended on outstanding pitching so far this season. Kyle Adams has so far lived up to the expectations placed on a #1 pick; his 2-4 record reflects bad luck, as he's pitched to a 2.27 ERA and punched out a league-best 42 batters in 43 innings.

Bowie has the league's best bullpen so far, anchored by closer Ron "The Bomber" Hinkle. Already a fan favorite, Hinkle is a hometown boy with a wipeout sinker. He's generously listed at 5'8", and he's probably a good bit heavier than his "official" 191 pounds. "The Bomber" won the Pitcher of the Month Award, which is rarely given to a reliever, on the strength of his 12 saves and 0.66 ERA. A vocal group of fans, mostly young men, have dubbed themselves "The Bomb Squad" and have taken up residence in the bleachers near the home team's bullpen at the Ballpark of Bowie. They lead the cheering when their favorite emerges from the pen to close out another Bowie victory.

The Hagerstown Shelties find themselves at .500 after one month of play, but they've had plenty to cheer about when 1B Chris Hurt comes to the plate. Hurt is off to a .341 start, second in the league, and his 20 walks give him a .459 OBP. Add to that his 4 homers and 19 RBI, and you've got enough to earn a Batter of the Month award.

Two star players have already been shelved with injuries. Annapolis OF Gary Hetley strained a hamstring on Opening Day and hansn't played since. He's expected to be out for another 2-3 weeks.

The news was worse for Columbia P Albert Allen. The Oaks' ace ruptured his biceps tendon, and he will likely miss the remainder of the season. Allen is 34, and his career could very well be in jeopardy.

[Big Six]

June 1, 1980



The Frederick Colts continue to win six of every ten baseball games they play, and that record is usually good enough to put a team in the playoffs.

The league leaders' young star, Angel Deleon, continues to impress everyone who watches him play. There are enough holes in his swing that he might never hit .300, but his power is legitimate (12 HR) and he has demonstrated a knack for driving in runs (49 RBI). What's more, he works hard at his craft, keeps his mouth shut, and plays ball.

Outfielder Roberto Aranda (.327, 16 SB) and catcher Chris Myers (.307, with superb defense) are playing as well as they were expected to, and are helping keep the Colts at the top of the standings. Myers lashed five hits in six AB, with three doubles and six RBI, in an 18-6 pounding of the Blue Sox on May 24.

On May 12, Hagerstown RHP Brett Kemp made history when he threw the first no-hitter in Old Line League history. He walked 5 and struck out 5, and beat the Blue Sox, 3-0.

Kemp's confidence, which sometimes borders on arrogance, has rubbed a number of fans and sportswriters the wrong way. For example, after his no-hitter, he told reporters "You might say I was the best pitcher in the league today and you would be right."

Shelties fans who prefer a humbler star can always root for 1B Chris Hurt. He won the Batter of the Month Award for a second straight time, batting .398 with 9 homers and 29 RBI in May. His 12 homers tie him with Deleon for the league lead, and his .371 average places him second.

Who's ahead of Hurt in the batting race? The man who hits in front of him in the Shelties lineup, SS James Pryor, who raised his average to .374. Pryor, a team leader, drew a five-game supension after a fight with Frederick reliever Chris Stark, but he stated afterwards he had no lingering hard feelings toward Stark.

The annual rookie draft is coming up in two weeks, and there are a number of promising players in the pool. Speaking of prospects, there is none brighter than catcher Tony Parker, a Columbia farmhand who is currently tearing it up for the Class AA Laurel Argonauts. Parker is batting .307 with 13 homers and 46 RBI. He is 25 years old, so he'll have to progress quickly, but his production makes him the #1 prospect in the league.

[Big Six]

June 15, 1980

It's time for the Old Line League's first year player draft.

Here are the six players who were chosen in the first round of the draft.


1. Annapolis Admirals: RHP Bill Bullis

Nobody was surprised when the Admirals used the first pick in the draft to select Bullis, the ace of the University of Maryland's pitching staff. Bullis, who will turn 21 in late August, posted a 10-5 record with a 2.53 ERA this season, and he struck out 167 batters in 135 innings.

Bill throws three pitches--a fastball, a curve, and a circle change--that are already OLL-quality, and each could develop into a plus-plus pitch. His fastball reaches the mid-90s with ease. He has a 6'3", 225-pound frame that should allow him to work lots of innings. Bullis should one day be the ace of the Admirals staff. Bill will begin his pro career with Class A Crisfield.


2. Bowie Blue Sox: OF Eldon Bowers

Bowers dominated the competition as a senior at DuVal High School in Lanham, where he batted .594 and drove in 36 runs in 26 games. He probably won't ever hit for tremendous power, but he already demonstrates the ability to put the barrel of the bat on the ball consistently and could develop into a .300 hitter in his prime. He is slender--6'0", 145 pounds--and needs to build strength.

Eldon has excellent speed and is an above-average defender, but the skill that makes him truly special is his sharp batting eye. He could draw 100 walks a year, and post OBPs over .400. He has been assigned to the Sox' Class A affiliate at Ocean City.


3. Frederick Colts: RHP Matt Jenkins

The Colts like this 20-year-old pitcher from Maryland-Baltimore County, who went 6-2 with a 2.46 ERA this season. He's not an exceptionally hard thrower--his cutter touches 92 MPH on a good day--but his pitches have life and movement, and he should develop very good control.

The only possible knock on Jenkins is his lack of stamina. Despite a solid 6'2", 205-pound frame, there's some doubt that he'll ever be able to shoulder a heavy workload. Still, the Colts think they have a good one. Matt will start his pro career with Class A Thurmont.


4. Columbia Oaks: LHP Arthur Jackson

Jackson, a Fort Washington native who attended Alexandria Bay Central High School in New York, has the makings of the classic "stylish southpaw." He went 9-2 as a senior, striking out 163 batters and walking only 21 in 113 innings. He throws four pitches: a cutter, a change, and a curveball are his best deliveries, and he's working on a split-finger fastball, too.

Some scouts wonder if Arthur will ever work hard enough to make the most of his considerable talent, but the Oaks believe he can develop into a top-notch starter. He'll begin the road to the Old Line League with Class A Taneytown.


5. Hagerstown Shelties: LHP Sam Weikel

Weikel grew up in Adelphi, and played his college ball at LSU. There, he went 10-3, posted a 2.75 ERA, and struck out a batter per inning. Sam's fastball isn't going to break radar guns, but everything he throws has tremendous movement, and he induces ground balls galore.

Sam made Phi Beta Kappa at LSU, so it makes sense that he enjoys the mental aspect of pitching, keeping batters off balance. He'll celebrate his 22nd birthday next week with his new teammates at Class A Emmitsburg.


6. Salisbury Emeralds: OF Herbert Ober

Ober, 22, has an interesting athletic background. He was a four-star football recruit as a high school senior, and he played linebacker at the University of Washington for four years. He also played two seasons of baseball, and as a senior he hit 16 homers and drove in 42 runs in 41 games.

Herbert is 6'3", weighs 235 pounds, and possesses massive power from both sides of the plate. As you would expect from a two-sport star, he is very athletic, with good speed on the bases and plus range in the outfield. He'll strike out a lot, but he'll also hit some long home runs. His first professional experience will come at Class A La Plata.

[Big Six]

July 1, 1980



As the season reaches the halfway point, five of the six Old Line League teams are still in the race for the Calvert Cup Series. Only the lowly Admirals appear to be in a position to say "wait 'till next year."

The Emeralds and Shelties played well during June, while the Colts endured a frightful slump. Frederick went 9-18 during the month, including a 10-game losing streak.

• Batter of the Month: Pedro Viera, Salisbury. He hit .346 with a .452 OBP, slammed 8 homers, and drove in 25 runs. He's tied for third in the league in HR with 15, and you'll see him on the OPS leaderboard, too.
• Pitcher of the Month: Mikulas Kajer, Columbia. Kajer went 5-1 with a 1.27 ERA during June. The 31 year old righthander is setting himself up for a run at the pitchers' Triple Crown.
• Throwing blanks: Hagerstown's Brett Kemp fired another shutout on June 23. He allowed only four hits and no walks, striking out eight in a 3-0 victory over the Colts.

[Big Six]

August 1, 1980



After a hideous month of June, the Frederick Colts were hotter than the weather in July. The Colts went 21-8 during the month and regained the top spot in the standings. OF Roberto Aranda and C Chris Myers both hit over .370 during July, and part-time 1B Bob Wismer, who began the season with AAA Westminster, clubbed six home runs in 68 AB. Angel DeLeon is among the league leaders in home runs and RBI, as he has been all season long.

There's a new name at the top of the batting average leaderboard this month. Columbia RF Sergio Gutierrez missed a month with a sprained elbow earlier in the season, but he's now accumulated enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. His sweet .353 mark is, by far, the highest in the league. Sergio's 21-game hitting streak ended on July 8; it was the longest so far this season.

• Batter of the Month: Craig Nix, Salisbury. The second straight Emerald to take home the BoM prize, Nix put up a .326-9-26 line during July. He now leads the league in home runs with 23. He's a hulking (6'5", 232 lbs) 32-year-old outfielder.
• Pitcher of the Month: Brian Bones, Frederick. A big reason for the Colts' July resurgence, Bones went 6-0 with an 0.71 ERA and 40 Ks in 51 innings. He's now 12-7, 2.79 for the year.
• Ho, hum: With four teams still in the running for the Calvert Cup playoff, the trading deadline passed without any significant activity.
• Bowie's veteran 1B Dennis Johnston went 4-6 with two homers and 7 RBI as the Blue Sox blasted Salisbury, 18-6. For the year, Johnston is hitting .236-7-59.
• John Horton gave fans of the last-place Annapolis Admirals something to cheer about on July 8, when he pitched 8 innings of one-hit ball against the Columbia Oaks. Horton left the scoreless game in the bottom of the eighth, and the Admirals won the game an inning later--so poor John didn't get the win. Horton is 7-8 on the year, with a solid 3.08 ERA.

[Big Six]

August 5, 1980

Occasionally a very average ballplayer does something exceptional. That's exactly what happened today, when outfielder Justin Robertson of the Bowie Blue Sox hit three home runs.

Robertson drove in 6 of the Sox' runs in their 9-4 victory over Annapolis. Even after his unforgettable day, he was hitting only .157, with 5 homers and 21 RBI in 144 at bats.

Justin is 28 years old, he bats and throws lefthanded, and he's originally from Severn, MD. His teammates consider him a leader, and he's one of the best-liked guys in the Blue Sox clubhouse.

[Big Six]

August 18, 1980

Minor Matters



It's been a long season for the Annapolis Admirals, who currently find themselves 27 games out of first place and 11 out of fifth. However, Admirals fans can look forward to the future with some confidence, because their farm system is stocked with exciting prospects.

Their first round pick in the June draft, pitcher Bill Bullis, is considered the Old Line League's most promising young pitcher. He's posted a 4-3 record in 10 starts for the Crisfield (A) Blue Claws and, even more importantly, he's struck out 72 batters in 65 innings. Bullis will turn 21 in a week.

With all the attention Bullis received as the #1 overall pick, it was easy to look right past another live-armed pitcher the Admirals snagged two rounds later. Mitch Thomas went 14-1 as a starting pitcher at Baylor University, but the Admirals took a look at his two-pitch repertoire and decided his future lay as a closer. The fact that one of those two pitches is a two-seamer that Mitch throws 97 MPH made that decision even easier. Since his arrival in Crisfield, Thomas has been lights out: 34 innings pitched, 15 hits allowed, 57 strikeouts, 19 saves, and an 0.28 ERA. He's currently ranked #4 on the league's prospect list.

The best of three future Admirals who are ranked higher on the OLL's list of hitting prospects is OF Maksym Blazejewski. Maksym is a native of Poland who learned baseball after his family moved to Fruitland when he was three years old. The Admirals chose him in the 23rd round of the initial player draft, and in 96 games with the Aberdeen (AAA) Jets, he's hit .297/.371/.567 with 25 homers and 73 RBI. He's also a very good outfielder with a strong arm, and he draws raves for his work ethic. Don't be surprised if "Blaze" makes his Annapolis debut in two weeks, when OLL rosters expand to 40 players.

[Big Six]

August 18, 1980




The good folks up in Emmitsburg can't be blamed if they don't make a night at the ballpark a high priority this summer. The Emmitsburg Saints are the Class A affiliate of the Hagerstown Shelties. While the Shelties are an exciting, competitive club, the same can't be said for the Saints.

Emmitsburg's record currently stands at 22-98. That's a .183 winning percentage. They are 54 games out of first place. The Saints' best month was May, when they went 8-20. They won only two games in July, and since July 1, their record is 5-39.

The Saints can't hit; they're batting .185 and slugging .275 as a team. They can't pitch; their team ERA is 5.01, over a run worse than any other club in the league. They do, however, steal bases well; they've swiped 147 bags, best in the league--which is amazing, considering how infrequently they get on base.

E-burg's staff ace is Sam Weikel, a very talented southpaw whom the Shelties chose in the first round of the rookie draft. Weikel has an ERA of 3.33, which is quite good for a rookie in his first year of pro ball.

Sam's record is 1-9.

I've never seen a team as unsuccessful as the poor Saints.

[Big Six]

August 25, 1980



The Tragic Number

For the Annapolis Admirals and their fans, it's officially time to "wait 'til next year."

The Admirals were officially eliminated from the Calvert Cup series today. They're currently 28 games behind the league-leading Salisbury Emeralds (78-57).

Meanwhile, the Hagerstown Shelties and Frederick Colts are locked in a great battle for the other spot in the Series. They are tied for second, five games behind the Emeralds (73-62).

[Big Six]

September 1, 1980



We're only eight days from the end of the regular season, and the Frederick Colts and Hagerstown Shelties are still battling for the chance to face the Salisbury Emeralds in the Calvert Cup Series.

The Colts held the league lead until August 4, when the Emeralds caught them. They took the lead the next day and haven't relinquished it, on the strength of a 19-10 run that included two stretches when the Emeralds won five of six games. The Columbia Oaks were in the running for a Series berth until a rough stretch in which they won only twice in seven contests.

The Shelties' Chris Hurt reeled off a 23 game hitting streak this month. He was finally held hitless in a 3-2 loss to the Colts on August 26. Hurt put a hurt on OLL pitchers in August, hitting .354 and slugging .549. He came close to a third Batter of the Month award.

• Batter of the Month: Not Hurt, but his teammate, OF Nicolae Bucur, who hit .415-5-18 with 20 runs and a .492 OBP. Nicolae is now leading the race for the batting title.
• Pitcher of the Month: Wilson Ryan, Annapolis. The 26-year-old righthander went 5-0 in six starts, with a 1.26 ERA. He gave his coaching staff lots of credit for his outstanding performance, and also thanked the Admirals fans for their support. He's 14-9, 3.24 for a lackluster Admirals team. Maybe casual fans will stop calling him "Ryan Wilson" now.

[Big Six]

September 7, 1980

It's official: the 1980 Calvert Cup Series will match the regular season champion Salisbury Emeralds and the runner-up Frederick Colts.

The Colts clinched second place in the standings yesterday, when they came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Annapolis Admirals, 5-3. Angel DeLeon hit his 27th homer of the season for the Colts, and unlucky Denver Smith (1-14) took the loss.

Meanwhile, the Shelties fell to the Emeralds, 2-1. Rickey Francis went eight innings for his 19th victory of the year, and Marvin Bowers worked a perfect ninth and picked up his 38th save. Craig Nix delivered the game winning RBI for the Colts when he blasted a solo home run--his 29th, tops in the league.

The regular season ends on September 9, and the Series begins on September 11.

[Hendu Style]

Great stuff. Looking forward to more.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Hendu Style

Great stuff. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, Hendu Style. I'm really enjoying getting back into this league. It's been a good first year, and I can see myself sticking with this one for a while.

[Big Six]

September 10, 1980



Here are the final standings and league leaders for the inaugural season of the Old Line League.

• Mikulas Kajer of Columbia will win a pitcher's Triple Crown, but not quite outright. Rickey Francis of the regular season champion Emeralds tied Kajer for the league lead in wins with 19.
• Shelties CF Nicolae Bucur went 14-33 (.424) in September and took home the batting title. Bucur also easily captured the stolen base crown, and finished the year with the highest WAR among position players.
• Angel DeLeon missed the 30-30 club by a single home run. In fact, Angel would have been a 30-40 guy, and he was the only Old Line Leaguer to drive in 100 runs.
• Pedro Viera compiled a .314/.405/.563 slash line, with 25 home runs and 89 RBI. He posted the league's highest OPS.

[Big Six]

September 10, 1980

Let's take a look at the league batting, pitching, and fielding totals.



The Emeralds rode the league's most potent offense to a first place finish.



Salisbury boasted the best pitching staff in the OLL, too. Their Calvert Cup Series opponents, the Colts, had one of the shakiest mound contingents.



Both Series contestants are good defensive clubs.

[Big Six]

With only six teams, it's easy for me to post full batting and pitching stat reports for the league. First, the Annapolis Admirals:

• The Admirals lost Gary Hetley for much of the season; could they have escaped the basement had Hetley been healthy?
• Third baseman Donovan O'Donnell enjoyed a good season. He and Frank Everhart are both young players with promise.

• Wilson Ryan, John Horton, and hard-throwing closer Shawn Holloway are all 26 or younger; Holloway is only 22.
• Then there's Mitch Thomas, who made his Old Line debut in September at age 20.
• Better days might lie ahead for the Admirals.

[Big Six]

Next, it's the Bowie Blue Sox:

• Dennis Johnston and Ben Olson are both in their mid-30s, and might not be around much longer. They're both hard-nosed pros who are angry about their team's 1980 performance.
• Dave Lawson could emerge as a fan favorite soon. He plays with passion; he was suspended for eight games in August for his role in a bench-clearing brawl. He needs to learn when to try to steal bases, however.

• Kyle Adams enjoyed a fine year, justifying his status as the Sox' first round pick in the initial draft.
• You read that right. Ron "The Bomber" Hinkle allowed only three earned runs all season.