Bush League

[Elendil]

2013 Awards

Adam Joly gave a lot of credit for his Alaskan League Hitter of the Year Award to the Bethel hitting coach. "It was his theory of hitting that turned me into a better hitter this season," he said to the press today.

The 32-year-old pro batted .328 in 2013 with a .414 on-base percentage while collecting 139 hits, 12 doubles, 3 triples, 30 home runs, and 103 RBI.



The Alaskan League announced the winner of the Pitcher of the Year Award for 2013. It went to Chance Major of North Pole for the second straight year. He is also the first pitcher to win the award three times.

Here are the outstanding numbers he accumulated this season:

8-5 record, 2.74 ERA, 23 GS, 148 IP, 109 HA, 48 BB, 152 K, .201 OBA. He also led all pitching qualifiers in dERA.



It was a standout 2013 season for Phil Elliott. The fine left fielder for the North Pole Nicks had an award-winning season at the plate and will be presented the Alaskan League Rookie of the Year Award this weekend.

He hit .328 in 102 games with 134 hits, 35 RBI, and 77 runs scored to collect the honor.

Elliott hit .403 with the Douglas Senators at age 19 and made a brief appearance with Juneau last year but was then released. North Pole signed him to a minor league contract last offseason.



Ron Yuke has done it again! The Whitehorse closer earned the right to be called the year's best relief pitcher after putting together a dERA of 2.96, an .857 save percentage, and a league-best eight wins for a reliever. It is his third such award.

Chugiak Manager Honored

Raul Delcon of the Seward champion Jets has won the Manager of the Year Award in his second season as an Alaskan League manager. Although the Jets' record declined this year, the team had to fight through several major injuries and the departure of key players, including ace Eugene Pond. Delcon, a native of Mexico, gave all the credit to his players. "They got us back to the big dance again, and though we didn't get it done this year, I'm mighty proud of them. I'd trade this trophy in a second for one of those rings for each of my guys."



Glacier Pilots outfielder Doug Beard has been honored as the Alaskan League's 2013 Comeback Player of the Year. Beard, 35, had his best OPS of his career, although he did not always start on a stacked Anchorage lineup. His comeback really began last year with Sitka, when he hit .275/.369/.467. This year that improved to .292/.391/.577. Beard made the All-Star team for the fifth time in his career. These past two years have hopefully erased the memory of his mediocre 2011 campaign, when he hit more or less at replacement level.

[Elendil]

2013-14 Offseason

Goldpanners Sold!

Under pressure from their fans and the league, the ownership team of the Fairbanks Goldpanners has sold a 51% share in the team to Jeff Crudge, a retired hedge fund manager and avid outdoorsman living in Anchorage. The team will stay in Fairbanks but is in for "a radical overhaul," according to Crudge.

Major Trades

9/10/2013 - The Grizzlies trade catcher Tim Rowsell, a perennial Glove Wizard candidate but a lifetime .248/.286/.384 hitter, still just 27 years old, to the Glacier Pilots for reliever James Marshall (5.97 ERA last year). A salary dump for the Grizzlies, but Rowsell is still probably a bit overpaid, making over $40,000 in 2014.

9/11/2013 - The Grizzlies make a more controversial move, sending 21-year-old phenom Cisco Pena (4.17 ERA last year as rookie) to the Juneau Senators for 23-year-old utility infielder Stan Smart. Smart has already bounced around a bit, with brief stints with the Miners and Senators and a lengthy Training League career behind him, but he still has great power potential according to scouts. Hit .320/.433/.544 in the Training League last year.

9/14/2013 - The Glacier Pilots trade 32-year-old first baseman Tanner Bourque (just .257/.339/.453 last year in his 3rd year with the team) to the Grizzlies for 35-year-old SP Jeremie Dessureault (career 4.67 ERA). Dessureault makes a little more than Bourque, so probably not a great move for the Pilots, although their pitching does stink.

9/24/2013 - The Bucs trade 31-year-old left fielder Harry Harkness (.302/.387/.442 career and affordable at $18,000 per year) to the Jets for 25-year-old third baseman Luke York (.275/.334/.424 career and still making league minimum, but eligible for FA after 2014). The trade fills holes for both teams; presumably the Jets will go after an infielder in free agency.

10/12/2013 - The Miners trade longtime outfielder Rob Corley (career .299/.390/.520), relegated to 4th outfielder status last year, to the Oilers for a couple of relievers: Chris Dickey (career 3.77 ERA, all with Peninsula) and Ross Hicken (2.61 as a rookie in limited time).

10/20/2013 - In a blockbuster deal, the Senators trade 2012 Hitter of the Year Wynn Dunsmore to the Glacier Pilots for outfielder Tommy Okawa (.284/.415/.419 as a 26-year-old rookie last year). Both of these players are outfielders, but Dunsmore can play center and is a better fielder, and also makes about $10,000 more per year (still pretty affordable at $65,000 given his production). He is also one year older than Okawa and will be a free agent one year sooner (after 2014). All these considerations make the deal less obviously advantageous for the Pilots. Neither team improves much, making it a curious trade.

11/30/2013 - Another big one, with the Miners dealing another outfielder, Mike Collette (.269/.360/.413 career) to the Grizzlies for Stephen "Spud" Hill (career 3.91 ERA), in many ways the public face of Kodiak, having been with the club from the league's inception. The deal helps Kodiak improve their payroll a bit and beef up their anemic lineup. The Miners have signed another big outfielder through free agency (see below), so they are covered there. Their mediocre rotation should improve, though.

1/19/2014 - The Glacier Pilots, having had an active offseason as they go for the pennant next year, deal young infielder George Robertson to the Miners for reliever Waylon Ellsworth (career 3.47 ERA).

Major Free Agent Signings

10/11/2013 - The Oilers sign shortstop Walt Duff, a deadline acquisition by the Glacier Pilots in 2013. A career .293/.335/.410 hitter with a good glove, he will make $22,000 on a 1-year deal.

10/11/2013 - Kodiak makes a big signing, stealing slugging first baseman Dale Robison from the Oilers for a 3-year contract at a hefty $87,000 per. He is a career .272/.349/.426 hitter, which isn't that impressive at his position, but he's still just 24 years old! Last year he hit .305/.366/.520.

10/14/2013 - The Glacier Pilots sign 2B Dave Colwell to a 3-year, $115,000 contract. Colwell is an average defender who hit .263/.331/.416 for the champion Miners. He is still just 25. Tom Arnold, a weaker glove, will move to 1B, rendering Bourque redundant (see trade above).

10/16/2013 - The Miners sign Kisei Suto, a key loss for the Yukoners. Suto is 24 and hit .336/.415/.543 last year, his breakout year. He will make $69,000 per year for two years for the Alaskan champions. This deal ultimately renders Mike Collette superfluous (see trade above).

10/17/2013 - The Grizzlies lose Doug Griffin, who signs with the Miners. He hit .317/.381/.482 last year and just turned 27. He has an above-average glove at second and third. He will make $67,000 a year for five years.

10/25/2013 - The Jets sign outfielder Luc Trudel to a 1-year, $29,489 contract. This is a loss for the Miners, but not a big one. He hit .252/.340/.374 last year, basically replacement level. His big year was 2011, when he hit .338/.416/.460 with Fairbanks. The Jets apparently want to give him a chance to prove himself again.

11/2/2013 - The Glacier Pilots sign outfielder Kelyn Birley to a 3-year contract worth $32,584 per year. Birley is a career .297/.375/.496 hitter and was a Comeback Player of the Year candidate in 2012 when he hit .309/.366/.491 after two disappointing seasons in which he was even demoted to the Training League once. Loss for the Grizzlies.

11/2/2013 - The Jets lose second baseman John Hauk, who signs with the rival Bucs for $32,000 per year for 2 years. Still just 25, he has hit .254/.338/.383 for his career and has an average glove.

11/13/2013 - The Bucs sign 34-year-old outfielder Jimmy Williams, who had wanted out of Juneau after not starting last year. A career .293/.363/.541 hitter, he can play center fielder but is much better on the wings. He will make $36K per year for 3 years.

11/14/2013 - The Nicks sign closer Loren Coleman away from Bethel. Now a ripe 38 years of age, Coleman still seems to have it: he had a 2.61 ERA last year with a pretty good workload, 52 IP. He will make $24K per year for 2 years, a pretty reasonable sum.

Tom Robbins Retires

On New Year's Day, Tom Robbins announced his retirement. "The Alabama Slamma," as he was known, had hit at least 14 home runs every year in the league. He had played his first three seasons with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, then moved on to Kodiak when the Pilots went into receivership. He finished his career with a line of .307/.407/.571, 666 hits, 146 doubles, 136 home runs, and 449 RBI. He was a five-time All-Star selection and was the 2007 Hitter of the Year.

At age 39 in 2013, he had hit .294/.397/.563 in 73 games and clearly had some baseball left in him, but apparently wanted to go out on top. He had also spent a lot of time on the disabled list his last two years.

If the Alaskan League ever starts its own Hall of Fame, Robbins will definitely belong in the first induction class.

[Elendil]

So I've finally figured out how to get the definitive list of Alaskans in the major leagues, and I was wrong about the first to make it. Here's the guy who beat Floyd Arrington to the punch:

Jeff Gordon pitched 11 innings for the Glacier Pilots in 2007 and 2008, was released, signed with the Rockies, was released again, and then was signed to a minor league deal by the Braves. In 2009 he pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up four earned runs for an ERA of 21.61 and taking a loss. He never pitched in the majors again, retiring from professional baseball altogether after the 2011 season.

[Elendil]

2014 Preview



The Glacier Pilots look pretty stacked this year. Their young players have improved, and they made some good offseason moves. However, their starting pitching is still a mess.

Their main position player stars are likely to be: catcher Tim Rowsell (for his defense, not hitting); first baseman Tim Arnold (.277/.376/.458 last year); third baseman Sherman Ferris (career .270/.356/.369, moved from shortstop); Scott Bradley (career .288/.355/.468, moved from third base); left fielder Keith MacNeill (Lower 48 guy signed in April, 28 years old); center fielder Elvis O'Halloran (.305/.388/.523 last year); and right fielder Wynn Dunsmore (career .302/.385/.522).

Their starting rotation looks bad, with Ernie Geldart at the top (career 3.72 ERA). Closer Floyd Arrington may be the best in the league now (even better than Yuke). He put up a 2.32 ERA last year.

Predicted finish: 1st in the Seward.



The Bucs are essentially in a rebuild - or at least, they should be. Their big market tends to protect the team from making hard decisions, which might be worse for them in the long run.

They really have no great hitters, but 24-year-old right fielder Mark O'Feeney may be on the verge. He hit .307/.361/.460 last year.

Their rotation is solid and experienced. Their number one starter is the veteran Jack Hatt (career 3.43 ERA), followed by Jeff Simmons (career 4.26 ERA), Tom Pick (career 4.62 ERA), Herb Prat (4.39 as a rookie last year), and Jeremy House (a rookie, he won the Training League Pitcher of the Year Award last year).

Predicted finish: 3rd in the Seward. Crappy division.



The Mushers look pretty bad this year, especially at certain positions. Their top hitting star will probably be Adam Joly, last year's Hitter of the Year (career .321/.413/.531), but Sean Heath is also superb (career .303/.399/.540). Catcher Greg Britton (career .273/.315/.462) improved last year and is still just 27.

The starting rotation is downright bad, led by Shane Russell, 23 years old but in his 4th season (career 4.16 ERA). Beyond him there are a bunch of rookies whose potential is really anyone's guess. Closer William Reid is 20 years old and in his second year.

Predicted finish: 5th in the Seward.



Financial strictures prevented Chugiak from improving in the offseason, and they could well be challenged for the pennant by the Glacier Pilots. On offense they hope to benefit from catcher Dave Lepine (.306/.348/.528 last year and a defensive wizard), third baseman Brett Small (.279/.355/.481 last year as a rookie), left fielder Phil Botfield (career .313/.374/.509), and right fielder Francis Ikarashi (career .258/.391/.358).

Pitching as always should be a strength, once you control for park effects. They hope Money Mihashi has enough left in him for a couple more great years and he will be the ace (career 2.98 ERA). Other pitching stars include 36-year-old Martin Gagnon (career 2.81 ERA) and 30-year-old Louis Mays (career 3.02 ERA). A 35-year-old Ed Staitie will be their closer (career 3.55 ERA). Seven weeks into the season they could get Ryan Dye back.

Predicted finish: 2nd in the Seward.



The Goldpanners do have some young talent, but they certainly didn't do anything to improve in the offseason, and they are still in a deep rebuilding cycle.

On offense they expect key contributions from third baseman Mark Beach (career .342/.382/.413 hitter, still just 21) and right fielder Colin Garrett (.301/.360/.513 as a rookie last year).

On the pitching side they hope to get solid performances from starters Tim Myers (career 4.79 ERA, still just 21 and improving) and Sawao Kawano (career 3.53 ERA, 22 years old). Closer Walter Teranishi, age 20, could become dominant this year (3.05 ERA last year).

Predicted finish: 6th in the Denali (but maybe a little better this time).



Juneau looks to be in a good position to contend once again. On offense they have first baseman Ralph Collette (.283/.364/.488 career), shortstop Gates Matkin (.293/.345/.391 career, age 23), left fielder Tommy Okawa (.284/.415/.419 last year with AGP), and center fielder Olivier Theriault (career .257/.331/.412, good defender).

As far as pitching goes, Juneau has a great top four, with Anthony Sonier (career 3.41, just 24), Scott Northeast (career 3.38, entering his 8th season but still just 27), Don Taggart (career 3.15, 29 years old), and Cisco Pena (4.17 ERA as a rookie with Kodiak last year). Closer Bill Colwill (career 3.87 ERA) has been inconsistent.

Predicted finish: 2nd in the Denali.



Kodiak might be a little better this year, but they're still going through painful adjustments caused by bad financial decisions.

On offense they feature catcher Bob Russo (.270/.349/.444 for his career and excellent defensively), second baseman Dale Robison (.272/.349/.426 for his career, still just 24), and shortstop Scott Wilkinson (.251/.341/.432 career, decent fielder).

The starting rotation is of dubious value. Twenty-year-old Joe Mews will be their #1 starter, so that tells you something. Closer Cole Walters has never been dominant (career 3.96 ERA).

Predicted finish: 4th in the Seward.



The Miners look unlikely to take the Denali again this year, but anything can happen in this league.

Their top hitting stars are 42-year-old catcher Pierre-Alexandre Langlois (.317/.416/.527 career), second baseman Toby Burns (27-year-old kid from the Lower 48 who signed on recently), center fielder Bryce Payne, recently signed to a 7-year extension (career .283/.333/.408, slightly subpar defensively), and right fielder Kisei Suto (career .316/.399/.477, ready to emerge from the obscurity of Whitehorse, just 24).

Mat-Su's pitching is sketchy. The rotation is headed up by John Dewitt (career 3.89 ERA), followed by Spud Hill (career 3.91 ERA but clearly in decline). Other has-beens (Dave Gibbon, Pete Strelioff, and Thierry Tremblay) round out the rotation. A 41-year-old Bryant Brenton starts the season as closer, but no one expects him to get many hitters out.

Predicted finish: 4th in the Denali.



North Pole has made a few good moves over the past two years, but just enough to keep them in the middle of the pack in this competitive division.

Their main offensive stars are second baseman John Abston (career .299/.363/.544) and third baseman Ken Swerdlow (career .304/.370/.451).

If their pitchers can stay healthy, the Nicks can compete with anyone. Ace Eugene Pond (career 3.24 ERA, 25 years old) leads an elite rotation with Chip Becker (career 3.44 ERA), Chance Major (career 3.20 ERA), and Larry Corbitt (3.78 ERA in his second season last year). Jack Skinner fills out the fifth slot. Closer Loren Coleman is 38 years old but posted one of his best years last year (2.61 ERA, 52 IP, 13 SV).

Predicted finish: 3rd in the Denali.



The Oilers look pretty bad this year, but their division - apart from the top two - is also bad, so you never know what they might do. They have no real superstars, but shortstop Walt Duff, left fielder Dave Bonnar, and right fielder Rob Corley are recognizable names.

Pitching kept them in it last year, but who knows how long Mike Rancourt and Bryan Kendall will keep bringing it? Both of them really tailed off in the second half last year. Closer Braedon MacDonald is decent but will never be dominant.

Predicted finish: 6th in the Seward.



Sitka has put together a well-rounded team and by and large kept them together. It's questionable whether it will be enough to contend, but I'll go out on a limb and call them to take it this year.

They have solid players at almost every position, but their only recognizable star is shortstop Jack Hussey (career .321/.405/.404, great fielder, still just 22).

In terms of pitching they have Al Simmons (career 3.63 ERA, 25 years old), Harvey Romanov (4.70 career but a 23-year-old control pitcher who should improve some), and Will Blain (career 3.47 ERA). Closer Brad Morris has usually been solid (career 3.24 ERA, 95 SV).

Predicted finish: 1st in the Denali.



The Yukoners let some of their best young players get away and look set to go into decline. However, they still have some big names: first baseman Zander Sabin (.262/.337/.405, awesome fielder), second baseman Charley Logan (career .281/.397/.384), and center fielder John Dugles (career .291/.357/.398, still 25).

The pitching rotation is suspect. In a move that smacks of desperation, the team has put Ron Yuke into the rotation! He has never started before. Of course, they still have John Mack (career 3.53 ERA, now 32) and Rick Sonier (career 3.48 ERA, now 30). Beyond that, nothing. Philippe Bisaillon is likely to get rocked as closer.

Predicted finish: 5th in the Denali. However, with luck they could leapfrog Mat-Su and North Pole. I don't see them contending with Sitka or Juneau, though.

[Elendil]

After the first month of play in 2014, some things are a bit topsy-turvy in the league. Here are the standings:

Seward Division

ERC: 18-10
KOD: 18-10
AGP: 17-11
PEN: 15-13
ANC: 11-17
BET: 12-18

Denali Division

JUN: 21-7
MSM: 13-14
NPN: 12-16
WHI: 12-17
FAI: 12-18
SIT: 9-19

The big surprises are Kodiak, Juneau, and Sitka. No one expected Kodiak to be good or Sitka to be bad; everyone expected Juneau to be decent, but not this good.

While Kodiak has decent hitting, their real strength has been team defense and pitching. Their team ERA is 3.41, compared to 3.85 for the whole league (it's a low-offense year so far). Team BABIP is .259, compared to a .286 league average. Twenty-five-year old Dave Gould of the Grizzlies leads the league in ERA (1.29). He's a control pitcher, and so far this year his control has been better than ever.

Meanwhile, Juneau has posted an outstanding team ERA of 2.87. However, there has been less luck or defense associated with this performance, as team BABIP is a reasonable .273. They do have the third-best fielding percentage in the league. The Senators have also gotten great individual hitting performances from second-year catcher Britt "Lance" Parrish (.382 BA, .387 OBP), outfield acquisition Tommy Okawa (.304/.454/.422, with a walk every four at-bats), and first baseman Ralph Collette (league-leading .628 slugging percentage and 1.068 OPS). Juneau has also benefited from acquiring outfielder Doug Beard on Opening Day through a waiver claim. The Glacier Pilots had just signed him to a big extension, and I guess they changed their minds after signing Keith MacNeill for a pittance, so they put him up for grabs, and the Senators took him gladly. Scott Northeast is having a fantastic comeback year on the mound, after an injury-shortened 2013. He is 4-0, 1.76 in six starts, 46 innings.

Sitka has subpar offense this year, but they have really fallen down on defense. Their 5.52 team ERA is more than a run worse than the second worst club! Their .318 BABIP is worst in the league, and they also have made more errors than average. Almost the whole rotation has been a disappointment (ERA's in parentheses): Al Simmons (5.10), Harvey Romanov (6.69), Will Blain (9.00!), and Leif Morris (8.71). Number five starter John Lynn has the best numbers of the bunch (4.24). Jack Hussey is also having a slightly subpar year by his standards (.812 OPS).

Rash of Injuries

There's been a wave of injuries in the league this year, including a heart-breaking one for the hard-luck Goldpanners.

Early in the season, the Miners lost center fielder Bryce Payne for the rest of May. That loss is part of the reason for their mediocre performance so far, surely.

Catcher Bob Russo of the Grizzlies then went down for a month with a strained PCL. His return could bolster Kodiak's defensive acumen further.

The biggest injury of the first week hit the Whitehorse Yukoners, who lost slugger Aaron Ladner for the rest of the season with back spasms. This is a guy who hit .351 last year.

Shortly thereafter, Juneau lost outfielder Leith Drover for an entire year due to a fractured cheekbone caused by an errant pitch. Drover, still just 26, has been trying to recapture the magic of his earlier career. He hit .312 last year but with little power. (With Kodiak, he hit over .340 three times: 2008, 2010, and 2011.)

A week later, Mat-Su was hit again, losing outfielder Greg Trudel, who was hitting .333/.412/.526, for two months.

Finally, the back-breaking injury for the Goldpanners. Young ace Sawao Kawano had just had his contract extended for two years, raising hopes in this victory-starved town. But on May 28 he tore a rotator cuff muscle and will be out for the rest of the season. Even worse, the scouts are saying he will likely never be the same pitcher again, because surgery isn't an option, so he'll have to rely on the body's natural healing process, which will likely reduce his velocity when he does come back. From a future superstar to a mediocrity... a sad story.

MLB Draft

B.J. Brown is the most highly touted prospect to come out of Alaska in at least ten years. He pitched for Arizona State but grew up in Wasilla and was a high school star there. Now 21, he has entered the MLB draft. With a fastball in the upper 90s, he has major league talent written all over him. However, he has only two pitches: a rising fastball and a diving splitter, so he's currently projected for the bullpen. It's unlikely he'll ever see Alaskan League action - but maybe after he's retired from the majors?

Indirectly, the Alaskan League might be able to take credit for the good players starting to come out of the state. The AKL has revived popular interest in baseball, and new high school programs have started or expanded all over the state. On a per capita basis, Alaska is now produces more professional ballplayers (apart from the AKL, mostly organizational minor leaguers, of course) than any other state.

[Elendil]

2014 All-Star Break

Standings

Seward Division

AGP: 45-29
ERC: 44-28
KOD: 42-29
BET: 37-34
ANC: 32-37
PEN: 31-38

Denali Division

JUN: 52-18
SIT: 37-35
WHI: 31-41
MSM: 29-41
NPN: 26-45
FAI: 22-53

Juneau is on pace for the best season of all time, while Fairbanks is on pace for the worst. Their problem has been a devastating series of injuries, of which Kawano's was the worst, but the others that followed have also kept key players out of the lineup. Kodiak is still hanging tough.

The Seward Division is just dominating this year: they are 36 games above .500 (and conversely, the Denali is 36 games below). What a turnaround from just a couple of years ago. Given the unbalanced schedules, Juneau's fantastic record has to be seen in this context.

All-Star Teams

Seward Division

From Anchorage Glacier Pilots: 2B Colwell, LF MacNeill, CF Dunsmore, SS Bradley, CL Arrington, MR Landry, SP Dessureault (7)

From Kodiak: 2B Robison, 1B Bourque, CF M. Collette, C Russo, LF Keeping, SP Gould (6)

From Chugiak: LF Botfield, 3B Small, MR Brown, SP Gagnon, CL Staitie, SP Mihashi (6)

From Anchorage Bucs: C Cashmann, SP Pratt, SP Hatt (3)

From Bethel: SS Tomlinson, SP Barrett (2)

From Peninsula: C Peterson (1)

Denali Division

From Juneau: LF Okawa, 1B R. Collette, CF Theriault, C Parrish, SP Taggart, CL Colwill, SP A. Sonier, SP Northeast (8)

From Mat-Su: RF Suto, SS Robertson, CF Payne, SP Hill (4)

From Sitka: 1B Heard, SS Hussey, C Leroux (3)

From Whitehorse: 2B Logan, SP Townend, SP Mack (3)

From North Pole: 3B Swerdlow, SP Major (2)

From Fairbanks: RF Garrett, CL Teranishi (2)

Whitehorse pitcher Geoffrey Townend is a nice feel-good story. The 31-year-old Townend first broke into the Alaskan League in 2009, at age 26. He pitched with Kodiak his first five seasons and put up amazing numbers as a starting pitcher in 2010 (118 IP, 2.43 ERA, 7-5, 111 K). He was then relegated to the bullpen for the next three years and really started to struggle in 2012 and 2013. He was even demoted to Wrangell both of those years. This past offseason, he signed on with Whitehorse at league minimum and made their rotation out of training camp. So far he's posted a 2.73 ERA in 89 IP (14 GS) with 7 HRA, 29 BB, and 97 K. His stuff is very much intact!

A few familiar names are missing. John Abston, North Pole second baseman, is having his worst year ever: .287/.349/.414 with just 6 HR. Not a terrible year by any stretch, but not his usual standard. He's posted a VORP over 40 each of the past five years, but this year it stands at just 14.6 so far.

Bob Horton has battled injury again this year, but when he's been in the lineup for the Nicks, he has hit well - but without his former power. In 92 AB, he's posted a monstrous .370/.487/.620 line, but with just 3 HR. Not bad for a 41-year-old.

Mat-Su's 42-year-old catcher, Pierre-Alexandre Langlois, who has signed an extension for $115,000 per year to take him through his forty-fifth birthday, is finally showing signs of decline. He's hit just .263/.355/.358 this year and has also struggled with injury. He's posted a VORP over 20 every year of the league's existence (over 40 every year but two), but it stands at just 7.2 for him now. For the first time since 2007, he's struck out more than he's walked. Time may be catching up with Langlois, but he remains the most popular Miner in Greater Matanuska-Susitna.

2014 All-Star Game





Some views of Mulcahy Stadium

July 20, 2014 - This year's Alaskan League All-Star Game was held at spacious Mulcahy Stadium, home of the Glacier Pilots and Bucs, and the largest stadium in Alaska.

This one ended up being an entertaining evening for the fans. The heavily favored Seward Division opened up a 3-0 lead early, scoring in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings, while the Denali Division quickly burned through three pitchers. In the bottom of the 4th, the Denalis struck back when Arnie Heard laced an RBI double to right-center, then Charley Logan knocked in the runner on third with a sac fly, and finally Olivier Theriault topped off the rally with a two-run homer. 4-3 Denalis. In the top of the 5th, Dale Robison and Phil Botfield wowed the crowd with back-to-back home runs, the first down the right field line and the second down the left field line. 6-4 Seward Division (Robison's homer was a two-run shot).

So things remained until the bottom of the 7th, when Colin Garrett singled, Jack Hustle doubled, and then Tommy Okawa doubled them both in. Tie game.

In the top of the 10th, Ron Yuke came in to pitch for the Denalis. He was really their last available pitcher, as the others left in the bullpen were a little tired, having started three days ago. Yuke yielded a one-out single to Mike Collette and then an RBI double to rookie Mike Keeping, giving the Seward Division the lead.

In the bottom of the 10th, Yuke's spot came up first, but the Denali manager brought in good-hitting pitcher Anthony Sonier to pinch-hit. He grounded out against Seward pitcher Floyd Arrington (the Glacier Pilot closer). Okawa then drew a walk, and George Robertson struck out to put the Denalis down to their final out. Bryce Payne followed with a single between the first and second baseman, and Okawa scrambled over to third.

Charley Logan came up to the plate and stroked a line drive that got down in front of the center fielder. Okawa scored, and an errant throw allowed Logan and Payne to make it to second and third. Tie game.

Ralph Collette came to the plate and dribbled a grounder to the second baseman. He beat it out, and with the runners running on contact, Payne made it home, giving the Denali Division a well-earned 8-7 victory!

Dale Robison of the losing squad was awarded All-Star MVP for going 2-for-4 with a home run.

[thehatfield]

Finally, the back-breaking injury for the Goldpanners. Young ace Sawao Kawano had just had his contract extended for two years, raising hopes in this victory-starved town. But on May 28 he tore a rotator cuff muscle and will be out for the rest of the season. Even worse, the scouts are saying he will likely never be the same pitcher again, because surgery isn't an option, so he'll have to rely on the body's natural healing process, which will likely reduce his velocity when he does come back. From a future superstar to a mediocrity... a sad story.

The Panners are cursed I feel like I'm a bad luck omen!

Well, at least another high draft choice is in Fairbanks' future. And the two All Stars was a nice surprise.

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by Purple Cowboy

The Panners are cursed I feel like I'm a bad luck omen!

Well, at least another high draft choice is in Fairbanks' future. And the two All Stars was a nice surprise.

I'm pulling for them! But they're having to struggle through a lot. The good news is that this year, they should make enough money to cut their debt in half, and Gary Johnson will finally be off the books next year. That means they can try to lock up their youngsters & maybe even sign some FAs at around league minimum. The past few years, they've had to sign guys on minor league contracts or not at all - which really left them with the absolute dregs.

[Elendil]

August 10, 2014

Standings

Seward Division

ERC: 58-32, magic number 18
AGP: 58-33
KOD: 48-42
BET: 46-47
ANC: 42-46
PEN: 41-48

Denali Division

JUN: 63-26, magic number 5
SIT: 48-41
MSM: 38-52
WHI: 37-54
NPN: 35-55
FAI: 27-65

Chugiak and Anchorage have both played out of their minds since the All-Star break. At one point, the Jets won 13 in a row, but the Glacier Pilots nearly kept pace! Meanwhile, Juneau hit a winning percentage of .750 briefly but has since hit a rough patch. However, barring an unprecedented collapse, they already have the Denali pennant all sewn up.

Thus, with 17-18 games to go, all eyes are on Anchorage, where the cross-town rivals duke it out for the right to play in the Alaskan Championship Series. Chugiak has just lost their star, 23-year-old third baseman, Brett Small, for the rest of the season and the postseason. That could make the difference down the stretch when so little separates these two teams.

The only bad thing about the skewed standings this year is that attendance is down across the league. Only in Kodiak, Fairbanks (because of a drastic ticket price cut), Anchorage (for Pilots games only), and Juneau has attendance risen over last year. Despite their decent record, Sitka in particular could be facing financial meltdown. The Bucs are also likely to find themselves in a world of trouble, as their payroll rose dramatically this year, but attendance and merchandise sales are both way down.

August 10 games

The Glacier Pilots defeat the Bucs 6-5 at Mulcahy Field, second-year pitcher Bob Spencer getting the win and Floyd Arrington the save. However, they get shut out in the second game of the twin billing, 7-0. Tom Pick (9-8) gets the win but does not go the distance.

Chugiak goes to Juneau and blows a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the 8th, losing 6-4. Reliever Duncan Lacey gets his 9th win (a reliever win record? I'll have to check later), while Steve Griffin falls to 8-5 and Colwill gets his 18th save.

Sitka goes to Palmer and is crushed, 14-2. Will Blain, who has fallen on hard times again, takes the loss, while Dave Gibbon gets the win.

Glacier Pilots and Jets tied. Juneau's magic number is down to 3.

August 11, 2014

Chugiak visits Kenai for a doubleheader versus the Oilers. The Jets take game one convincingly, 9-4. Ryan Dye, who has been pretty solid since coming back from injury, gets the win to go to 8-1. In game two, Monzaemon Mihashi has an uncharacteristically poor start, and Peninsula takes it 6-3. August callup Zach Hollett gets the win.

Meanwhile, the Bucs win the rubber match against the Pilots at Mulcahy, 4-3. Outfielder Bob Crawford knocks a two-out, walk-off double. Chandler Leighton is credited with a blown save but gets the win, while All-Star Stephane Landry takes the loss for AGP.

Meanwhile, Juneau rolls over Mat-Su 10-3, and Sitka falls at home to North Pole, 8-5.

Chugiak leads Anchorage by a half game; Juneau's magic number down to 1.

August 12, 2014

Sitka holds off North Pole 2-1, but Juneau again steamrolls Mat-Su, 10-6. Juneau has clinched the Denali Division title!

The Glacier Pilots have a day off, but Chugiak again faces off against Peninsula. The game is 0-0 through 6, but in the 7th the Oilers plate a run against Martin Gagnon. Phil Botfield's homer off Braedon MacDonald in the 9th ties things up. Neither team scores again until the 16th inning, when Jonathan Bertrand hits a one-on, two-out home run off a tiring Carl Baldwin. The Oilers fail to score in the bottom half, and the Jets come away with a well-earned 3-1 victory.

Jets lead the Seward Division by a game.

[Elendil]

August 13, 2014

Chugiak gives up a lead to Kodiak and loses 7-4, while the Glacier Pilots hold on against Peninsula to win 3-2. Alistair Baker gets the win over Bryan Kendall, Floyd Arrington the save. Chugiak & Anchorage tied again.

August 14, 2014

Chugiak pounds Kodiak, 12-2. Botfield gets his 28th homer and Bertrand his 22nd. Arrington blows a save but Anchorage goes on to win against Peninsula in 10 innings, 6-5. Still tied.

August 15, 2014

Bob Spencer gives up 1 run through 7 innings, and the Glacier Pilots hold off Peninsula, 4-2. Later the same day, Chugiak plays the Bucs at Mulcahy. Dye gives up 6 runs and the Jets lose, 6-3. Glacier Pilots with a 1-game lead.

August 16, 2014

Mihashi yields 5 runs in 5 innings, and the Bucs go on to crush Chugiak, 17-5. Dessureault is injured for the Pilots, and Alan St. George, who's spent most of this year with Cook Inlet, comes in and gives up 7 runs in two and a third to the Oilers. Final score: 11-5. Pilots still with a game lead.

August 17, 2014

Chugiak is idle, but the Glacier Pilots whip Peninsula, 9-2. MacNeill slugs his 22nd HR. Pilots up by 1.5.

August 18, 2014

Anchorage smacks around Bethel, 8-3, Alistair Baker getting his 11th win. Chugiak hosts Peninsula and the bullpen implodes, 12-3 Oilers. Pilots up by 2.5 now.

August 19, 2014

Chugiak loses a close one at home in the first game of a doubleheader, Dye taking his 3rd loss. Final score: Peninsula 5, Chugiak 4. They then lose another squeaker to the Oilers, 6-5, Mays dropping to 8-9 on the season (another bad one for him). The Glacier Pilots get three in the bottom of the 9th to defeat Bethel, 5-4. Rookie Davis Osborn gets the walk-off double. Anchorage up by 4 games over Chugiak, magic number stands at 4.

August 20, 2014

Pilots top Bethel 5-2, Spencer solid again for his 9th win. Arrington gets his 20th save. Chugiak breaks out the lumber against Kodiak, winning 9-2. Steve Griffin gets his 11th win and Bertrand hits number 23. Magic number down to 3.

August 21, 2014

Chugiak pulls one out in the bottom of the 9th, defeating Kodiak 7-6. The Glacier Pilots are idle, so the magic number holds at 7, as Chugiak pulls within 3.5 games.

August 22, 2014

Chugiak sweeps Kodiak with an 8-4 victory, Gagnon getting his 12th victory. The Pilots are rained out, so now the Jets are just 3 games out.

August 23, 2014

Chugiak hosts the Bucs and spanks them, 10-2. Mays gets his 9th win and backup first baseman Marc Keddy homers twice. The Glacier Pilots travel to Kodiak on schedule and defeat them 11-4, Baker rising to 12-5. The magic number falls to 2.

August 24, 2014

Dye finally has a good start, and Chugiak holds off the Bucs 3-2. Staitie gets his 18th save. Anchorage pulls another rabbit out of a hat, scoring 4 in the top of the 9th to top Kodiak 8-6. The magic number falls to 1.

August 25, 2014

Chugiak whips the Bucs 11-5, but it's all for naught, as the Glacier Pilots blank Kodiak 10-0. The Anchorage Glacier Pilots have clinched the Seward Division title!

Final Standings (Aug. 27)

Seward Division

AGP: 72-36
CHU: 67-41
KOD: 56-52
PEN: 53-55
BET: 50-58
ANC: 49-59

Denali Division

JUN: 78-30
SIT: 56-52
NPN: 46-62
WHI: 45-63
MSM: 44-64
FAI: 32-76

Both Anchorage and Juneau finished the season on 10-game winning streaks! Juneau finishes with the best single-season winning percentage of all time. Anchorage wins their first pennant ever. The Goldpanners beat their own record for the worst winning percentage of all time: .296. Nevertheless, they've extended manager Bob Adamson's contract for another two years (he has a career record of 276-456!).

[Elendil]

2014 Alaskan Championship Series Preview

The season series between these two teams was tied at 4.

Batting Stats

Name	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Sherman Ferris SS	102	441	73	107	26	3	4	31	151	55	42	11	7	.243	.329	.342	.672
Wynn Dunsmore CF	105	419	73	115	19	11	22	93	222	44	62	3	2	.274	.339	.530	.869
Dave Colwell 2B	102	415	86	135	37	16	11	66	237	32	50	24	4	.325	.390	.571	.961
Tim Arnold 3B	107	414	73	116	25	4	11	59	182	57	56	6	2	.280	.366	.440	.806
Keith MacNeill LF	101	408	83	120	44	4	22	92	238	56	55	10	4	.294	.381	.583	.964
Scott Bradley SS	105	387	68	117	21	5	15	52	193	39	54	15	6	.302	.371	.499	.870
Elvis O'Halloran RF	103	353	66	97	16	6	11	57	158	53	48	8	6	.275	.391	.448	.839
Tim Rowsell C	88	316	24	78	21	2	1	43	106	10	47	0	0	.247	.274	.335	.610
Jerry Peterson RF	79	130	19	34	4	0	5	18	53	8	16	1	1	.262	.300	.408	.708
Mark Navarro 1B	56	70	7	18	8	0	0	9	26	4	18	0	0	.257	.293	.371	.665
Edward Peterson C	35	61	7	14	5	0	3	7	28	3	10	0	0	.230	.273	.459	.732
Ralph Fox 2B	57	55	6	23	0	0	1	11	26	3	5	3	0	.418	.450	.473	.923
Ernie Geldart SP	24	54	4	8	0	0	0	5	8	1	10	0	0	.148	.164	.148	.312
Chris Normore C	23	52	7	14	5	0	0	7	19	2	11	0	0	.269	.286	.365	.651
Bob Spencer SP	22	47	3	4	0	0	0	6	4	0	11	0	0	.085	.100	.085	.185
Davis Osborn LF	50	43	8	13	3	0	1	9	19	2	9	1	0	.302	.333	.442	.775
Jérémie Dessureault SP	19	42	7	14	2	0	0	10	16	0	9	0	0	.333	.333	.381	.714
Jesse Alexander SP	16	34	5	6	0	0	0	4	6	1	7	0	0	.176	.200	.176	.376
Alastair Baker SP	13	32	3	3	0	0	0	1	3	1	7	0	0	.094	.118	.094	.211
Newt Langille SP	11	23	2	2	2	0	0	1	4	2	5	0	0	.087	.160	.174	.334
Kelyn Birley LF	22	17	1	8	4	0	0	6	12	1	2	0	1	.471	.500	.706	1.206
Waylon Ellsworth MR	42	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.000	.143	.000	.143
Chris Webb 2B	7	6	0	2	1	0	0	4	3	0	1	0	0	.333	.286	.500	.786
Floyd Arrington CL	41	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Owen Moors CF	6	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.000	.167	.000	.167
Thomas Quinn MR	41	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.333	.500	.333	.833
Alan St.George SP	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Ross Josey CF	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Stéphane Landry MR	54	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Eric Liger MR	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Mike Davis MR	34	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Pearce Holman SP	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Bill Rae C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Dave Rex MR	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000

Name	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Bill Seguin 3B	102	435	77	99	18	9	14	66	177	29	77	42	7	.228	.281	.407	.688
Ralph Collette 1B	106	429	93	138	31	8	21	106	248	47	54	11	6	.322	.401	.578	.979
Britt Parrish C	89	419	71	159	6	0	7	48	186	5	53	2	3	.379	.386	.444	.829
Gates Matkin SS	101	387	67	118	23	4	6	77	167	40	69	12	4	.305	.375	.432	.806
Terry Shannon 2B	101	386	74	114	24	5	9	75	175	55	59	7	1	.295	.383	.453	.836
Doug Beard RF	96	328	55	95	14	1	12	60	147	51	42	2	2	.290	.379	.448	.827
Tommy Okawa LF	86	320	71	105	18	6	4	37	147	78	47	4	1	.328	.473	.459	.932
Olivier Thériault CF	79	303	68	96	10	0	22	76	172	48	49	6	3	.317	.409	.568	.976
Nathan Sginn LF	77	212	46	54	2	2	2	17	66	21	28	31	6	.255	.329	.311	.640
Myron Peterson C	84	122	9	27	2	1	0	13	31	4	17	1	0	.221	.240	.254	.494
Randy Ryder SS	74	82	11	18	3	0	0	9	21	4	16	1	0	.220	.253	.256	.509
Gabe Berry LF	45	81	15	20	1	0	3	11	30	7	21	1	0	.247	.307	.370	.677
Scott Northeast SP	22	53	5	11	0	0	1	5	14	1	14	0	0	.208	.232	.264	.496
Leith Drover RF	12	52	7	13	3	1	0	6	18	2	9	1	0	.250	.291	.346	.637
Don Taggart SP	22	51	0	9	1	0	0	3	10	0	6	0	0	.176	.176	.196	.373
Anthony Sonier SP	22	50	11	16	3	0	2	13	25	9	6	0	0	.320	.433	.500	.933
Don Kreamer 2B	43	41	5	9	3	0	0	5	12	3	7	0	0	.220	.273	.293	.565
Cisco Peña SP	19	37	4	10	1	0	0	6	11	1	10	0	1	.270	.289	.297	.587
Quinn Spence SP	13	29	3	6	0	0	0	5	6	1	12	0	0	.207	.233	.207	.440
Brian French CF	39	26	1	4	2	0	1	7	9	0	8	1	0	.154	.154	.346	.500
Vincent Robinson MR	17	15	3	6	1	0	0	1	7	0	1	0	0	.400	.400	.467	.867
Brian Keith 3B	6	10	1	5	1	0	1	4	9	0	3	0	0	.500	.500	.900	1.400
René Fortier 2B	14	5	0	2	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	.400	.400	.400	.800
Ed MacNeill MR	35	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Bill Colwill CL	33	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667
Dan Jenkins SS	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Duncan Lacey MR	38	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Allen Montgomery MR	5	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667
Ed Jeffery LF	3	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	.500	.500	.500	1.000
Kokei Memoto MR	27	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Bill Aku MR	27	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Mackenzie Dicks MR	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Ray Rayner MR	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000

Lineups vs RHP


1. Ferris, SS
2. Navarro, 1B (inexplicably, Arnold is moving to 3B, bumping Ferris to SS and Bradley out of the lineup - Ferris is a better fielding SS than Bradley, but Navarro is certainly not a better hitter)
3. MacNeill, LF
4. Dunsmore, CF
5. Arnold, 3B
6. O'Halloran, RF
7. Colwell, 2B
8. Rowsell, C

1. Seguin, 3B
2. Parrish, C
3. Okawa, LF
4. Matkin, SS
5. Theriault, CF
6. Collette, 1B
7. Shannon, 2B
8. Beard, RF

Analysis
Juneau outscored Anchorage 700-625 this year and boasted a .363 team OBP, compared to .342 for Anchorage. However, Anchorage had slightly more home runs (107-105), many more doubles (243-167), and a higher slugging percentage (.446-.435). The Denali Division also had much worse pitching than the Seward Division, with team ERA's of 4.37, 4.54, 4.63, 4.89, and 4.93 among the other five teams in the division (league average: 4.30). The Glacier Pilots have no major injuries, while the Senators are missing Leith Drover (granted, he played only 12 games during the season).

Offensively, these teams are basically evenly matched, but the Glacier Pilots' lineup tinkering at this stage seems perplexing. They will have a better bench than Juneau, whether Bradley or Navarro sits, and their defense is also better at most of the skill positions (C, SS, and 2B, but not CF).

Advantage: EVEN

Pitching Stats

Name	W	L	SV	ERA	G	GS	IP	HA	R	ER	HR	BB	K	WHIP	OAVG	BABIP
Dave Rex MR	0	0	1	0.00	3	0	4.0	1	0	0	0	0	3	0.25	.077	.100
Pearce Holman SP	0	0	0	0.00	1	0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.00	.000	.000
Floyd Arrington CL	2	4	21	2.38	41	0	45.1	38	13	12	3	12	58	1.10	.226	.327
Eric Liger MR	1	1	1	2.38	7	2	11.1	12	4	3	0	6	4	1.59	.286	.316
Stéphane Landry MR	5	3	5	2.40	54	0	63.2	61	22	17	6	19	52	1.26	.249	.294
Thomas Quinn MR	4	0	2	2.53	41	0	53.1	56	18	15	4	11	25	1.26	.273	.295
Jérémie Dessureault SP	10	3	0	2.59	19	19	125.0	116	48	36	9	41	76	1.26	.244	.274
Newt Langille SP	4	3	0	2.93	11	11	73.2	57	25	24	4	21	31	1.06	.213	.227
Alastair Baker SP	9	2	0	3.38	13	13	98.2	89	42	37	10	29	62	1.20	.243	.269
Bob Spencer SP	10	6	0	3.69	22	22	141.1	133	62	58	11	42	71	1.24	.246	.266
Jesse Alexander SP	9	2	0	4.07	16	16	101.2	109	56	46	9	33	74	1.40	.277	.322
Ernie Geldart SP	12	5	0	4.41	24	24	167.1	190	95	82	16	43	86	1.39	.284	.307
Waylon Ellsworth MR	6	1	3	5.53	42	0	55.1	60	38	34	7	23	31	1.50	.273	.291
Mike Davis MR	0	4	2	5.67	34	0	39.2	36	29	25	5	21	39	1.44	.238	.290
Alan St.George SP	0	2	0	12.27	3	1	7.1	15	14	10	3	4	3	2.59	.417	.400

Name	W	L	SV	ERA	G	GS	IP	HA	R	ER	HR	BB	K	WHIP	OAVG	BABIP
Ray Rayner MR	0	0	0	0.00	1	0	0.2	0	0	0	0	1	1	1.50	.000	.000
Allen Montgomery MR	2	0	0	0.00	5	0	7.0	7	0	0	0	2	4	1.29	.269	.318
Mackenzie Dicks MR	0	0	0	0.00	2	0	4.1	2	0	0	0	2	7	0.92	.133	.250
Anthony Sonier SP	13	5	0	2.23	22	22	173.2	120	56	43	11	49	144	0.97	.190	.229
Duncan Lacey MR	10	2	6	2.68	38	0	57.0	50	22	17	6	18	26	1.19	.233	.240
Scott Northeast SP	13	4	0	2.72	22	22	165.1	137	63	50	10	30	75	1.01	.225	.242
Don Taggart SP	11	5	0	3.00	22	22	153.0	141	66	51	11	35	123	1.15	.240	.286
Bill Colwill CL	1	2	20	3.05	33	0	41.1	40	16	14	5	9	34	1.19	.250	.289
Ed MacNeill MR	3	4	1	3.27	35	0	52.1	50	24	19	7	18	36	1.30	.245	.267
Kokei Memoto MR	2	1	1	3.48	27	0	31.0	33	16	12	4	11	36	1.42	.268	.349
Quinn Spence SP	8	2	0	4.07	13	13	86.1	101	44	39	9	35	20	1.58	.300	.299
Cisco Peña SP	9	3	0	5.01	19	19	109.2	113	65	61	13	41	71	1.40	.267	.295
Vincent Robinson MR	5	2	0	5.46	17	10	62.2	85	49	38	7	21	13	1.69	.336	.335
Bill Aku MR	1	0	2	6.69	27	0	40.1	58	33	30	6	12	30	1.74	.331	.374

Playoff Rotations

1. Spencer (10-6, 3.69)
2. Baker (9-2, 3.38)
3. Geldart (12-5, 4.41)
CL: Arrington (21 SV, 11.51 K/9)

1. Northeast (13-4, 2.72)
2. Sonier (13-5, 2.23)
3. Taggart (11-5, 3.00)
CL: Colwill (20 SV, 7.40 K/9)

Analysis

Juneau clearly has the better starting rotation. Their team ERA was 3.42 this year, compared to Anchorage's 3.63, but their starting pitching ERA stood at 3.37 (3.61 for Anchorage). Juneau's bullpen ERA was 3.58 this year, compared to 3.69 for Anchorage. Juneau gave up 454 runs this year, Anchorage 466.

The Senators' playoff rotation consists of three guys who all have a shot at taking Pitcher of the Year this year. Anthony Sonier has won the ERA title and is normally the ace of the staff, but he will have to pitch second in the playoffs due to having started on the last day of the season.

Of course, the hitting in the Denali Division might be slightly worse than that in the Seward Division, but the former's real disadvantage comes in the pitching department.

Cisco Pena is still dealing with a nagging injury but should be ready to pitch as the series progresses, probably by Game Three. The only other pitcher injury to either team is Juneau reliever Ed MacNeill, who will miss the whole series.

So I think it's fair to say that Juneau has an advantage over Anchorage in starting pitching, especially in a 7-game series, when Juneau can keep Pena and Spence hidden, while Anchorage has been forced to make the hard decision of relegating Jeremie Dessureault (10-3, 2.59) to the bullpen, at least for now.

Advantage: JUNEAU

Managing

Anchorage's manager is Ron Cardinal, in his first year with the team but a longtime Alaskan League manager and coach, who spent the 2007-2010 years with Juneau and has a career .577 winning percentage.

Juneau's manager is the relatively unknown Lindsay Maloney, in his first year in the league after several years' experience in the Arizona and California leagues.

Maloney might just win Manager of the Year for having improved Juneau's record so dramatically (more than 200 winning percentage points!) and won them so many one-run and extra-inning games. However, he's not known for being a great motivator, although he is tactically shrewd (he's known for his penchant for the hit-and-run, and he uses special defensive positioning aggressively). The more conservative Cardinal has a style well adapted to the regular season: waiting for the three-run homer, as his critics have it. He doesn't steal or hit and run much, and he's cautious with intentional walks, while stressing offense over defense.

I have to give Cardinal the advantage still, despite Maloney's undeniable success in Juneau.

Intangibles

For the first time, Mulcahy Stadium will host an Alaskan Championship Series, and I think we can expect thousands of screaming Anchoragites hungry for a championship to pack the place. The Glacier Pilots led the league in attendance this year and may just be on their way to attaining that "Evil Empire" status to which they aspired back in the days of Robbins, Bonnar, Kendall, Liger, and Robinson.

On the other hand, the Glacier Pilots have seen a lot more player turnover than the Senators, through free agency and trades. This team is almost unrecognizable next to the one from two years ago. With a bunch of loyal veterans around, it seems plausible that the Senators have more esprit de corps. They also have more playoff experience. However, the Glacier Pilots' dispatching of the Jets down the stretch surely brought out a lot of character.

Advantage: EVEN.

Punditry

Well, I don't have a great track record in forecasting these, so I think I will go with history and call the Denali Division team to win another one. Another historical trend is that the team with home field advantage has been losing recently, but I'll ignore that as a mere coincidence. Juneau in seven.

[Elendil]

Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts, with Juneau in the foreground

Game One


Bob Spencer (10-6, 3.69)

vs.


Scott Northeast (13-4, 2.72)

August 30, 2014 - Beautiful Auke Bay would be hosting another Alaskan Championship Series, and although curious media from the U.S., Canada, and even Japan showed up to see what all the fuss was about, the Senators didn't even quite sell out this game. Perhaps Juneau residents were a little jaded after their team's continued success, or perhaps they were protesting the higher ticket prices the team was charging now. At any rate, it was to be a little point of embarrassment for the club.

The Glacier Pilots got things rolling right away. Hoping to erase doubts about his placement in the starting lineup, Mark Navarro hit a double to deep right in the first inning, and Keith MacNeill followed it up with a 391-foot home run to virtually the same spot, just a little farther. 2-0 Anchorage.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Juneau would tie things up. Theriault struck a bloop single over the head of the shortstop with one out. Then Spencer walked Collette on five pitches. On the first pitch to Terry Shannon, Collette and Theriault perfectly executed a double steal, eliciting applause from the crowd. Shannon knocked a single to right, scoring them both. 2-2.

Not to be deterred, Anchorage answered in the third. Sherman Ferris led off the inning with a double to left-center. Navarro followed it up with a line drive single to shallow left, putting runners on the corners. Northeast then struck out MacNeill and got Dunsmore to hit a short fly to left. Two away. Tom Arnold then got ahold of a fastball and sent it a LONG way: 444 feet to be exact! That mammoth home run put the Pilots up 5-2.

Juneau threatened in each of the next three innings, but lack of timely hitting and sufficient awareness on the base paths (Shannon was picked off second in the 4th) prevented them from scoring.

In the 5th inning, the Glacier Pilots threatened again, Scott Northeast having been lifted early for Keiko Memoto. Ferris hit a leadoff single and Navarro moved him along with a slow ground out. In a tactical error, the manager called for the intentional walk to MacNeill. Memoto then walked former Senator Wynn Dunsmore to load the bases. Arnold hit a sac fly to plate a run. O'Halloran walked with two outs, but Memoto got Colwell swinging to end the threat. Anchorage 6, Juneau 2.

In the 9th inning, the Glacier Pilots put it away against Vincent Robinson, who had come in for mop-up duty. Navarro and MacNeill drew back to back walks, then Dunsmore tripled them in, and scored himself on an Arnold single. There the score remained: Anchorage 9, Juneau 2. The Glacier Pilots lead the series 1-0.

[Elendil]

West Juneau and Juneau in summer

Game Two


Alastair Baker (13-5, 3.89 (includes stats with Peninsula))

vs.


Anthony Sonier (13-5, 2.23)

August 31, 2014 - With Sonier on the mound, this was the perfect opportunity for Juneau to draw even.

However, the Glacier Pilots again got things rolling early, as Mark Navarro again hit a one-out double in the first inning. He advanced to third on a grounder to second off the bat of MacNeill. With two outs, Dunsmore again did damage against his old teammates, beating out an infield hit that scored Navarro. 1-0 Anchorage.

Juneau got their turn in the bottom of the 2nd, when Ralph Collette struck a flyball that rolled to the wall in center field and got on his horse around second base, beating the tag for a triple. That effort, while appreciated, turned out to be unnecessary, because the very next hitter, Shannon, stroked a no-doubt double off the center field wall. Doug Beard, playing against his former team, then walked, but after a Sonier bunt Seguin flied out to end the inning. 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, Baker gave up a couple of seeing-eye singles and then motioned to the dugout that something was wrong. He was immediately taken out of the game and rushed to a hospital for analysis. Later, it would be revealed that he had torn a back muscle and would not be able to pitch again until next year. Mike Davis came in for Anchorage and got them out of the inning.

The score remained knotted at one until the bottom of the 6th. With lefty Trevor Quinn pitching, Shannon worked a one-out base on balls. Beard popped out to make it two away. Then Sonier came up and helped out his own cause, crushing a double off that wall in right-center that had already seen so much action. Shannon came around to score and give the Senators the 2-1 lead.

In the 7th, though, Sonier started to run into trouble after smooth sailing the previous five innings. Arnold took a walk on four pitches with one out. Then he advanced to second on a wild pitch to O'Halloran, who eventually struck out. With two outs, Colwell hit a hard line drive to center that got down for a single, but Arnold was held at third. Colwell stole second base with Rowsell at the plate. Rowsell hit a liner between first and second to plate Arnold, but Colwell held at third. Jerry Peterson came in to pinch hit but lined out to short. 2-2.

Lefty Waylon Ellsworth came in for Anchorage in the bottom half of the inning. It was a tight situation that might have called for someone better. Ellsworth promptly gave up an infield single to Britt Parrish (often good-naturedly called "Lance" - he is a catcher), then a double to Okawa that put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Matkin then hit a flyball to deep left that allowed Parrish to score and an alert Okawa to move to third. Okawa then scored when Theriault launched a fly ball that was caught on the warning track in left-center. 4-2 Juneau.

Sonier stayed in and set down the Pilots in order in the 8th. The Senators went the same way in the bottom half. Bill Colwill came in to close out the win. He got Dunsmore on strikes, then Arnold doubled to left. But O'Halloran flied out and Colwell grounded out to end the game. Final score: Juneau 4, Anchorage 2. The series is now tied at 1.

[Elendil]

Anchorage, Alaska

Game Three


Don Taggart (11-5, 3.00)

vs.


Ernie Geldart (12-5, 4.41)

September 2, 2014 - The Alaskan Championship Series had finally arrived in the heart of the largest city in Alaska. For the first time in its history, Mulcahy Stadium sold out and was packed to the gills with 5,256 fans officially - the largest crowd ever to watch an Alaskan League (even the All-Star Game didn't draw that many).

On paper, Juneau would have a big advantage on the mound in this game, but could Anchorage fans will their team to victory?

It certainly looked that way in the first inning. Sherman Ferris drew a walk, and then Mark Navarro, continuing his tremendous postseason hot streak, slammed a 428-foot home run. 2-0 Glacier Pilots.

Juneau responded immediately. Gates Matkin led off the second with a first-pitch single. Theriault then drew a walk, putting Geldart in some trouble. Collette strode to the plate and struck a double to deep left-center, plating Matkin. Shannon struck out, but then Beard's infield hit allowed Theriault to scamper home. Taggart sacrificed, and Seguin struck out to end the threat. 2-2.

So things remained, neither team getting many chances, until the 7th inning. Beard singled, and then Taggart came to the plate to sacrifice with nobody out. On a two-two count, he bunted it hard to the pitcher, who whirled for the out at second, and then the throw to first beat Taggart by a step - double play! With two outs, Seguin re-sparked the rally by reaching second base on a throwing error by the third baseman Arnold. Parrish, the league batting champ (.379 BA) then did what he does best and sliced a single over the outstretched glove of the second baseman. The speedy Seguin made it all the way home to score and put Juneau in front 3-2. Okawa grounded out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 8th, Taggart was still pitching and seemingly breezing through the Glacier Pilots' lineup. He got Birley to ground out and struck out Ferris swinging. But the suddenly-dangerous Navarro came up and bounced a single into the hole in left. MacNeill then drew a walk. The pitching coach came out to chat, but returned to the dugout. Taggart would get to pitch to another batter. It was a costly mistake, for Wynn Dunsmore slugged a double off his former teammate, allowing both Navarro and MacNeill to come around and score. Arnold then came up and reached on a bobbled ball by the shortstop, but Peterson grounded out to prevent further damage. Nevertheless, Anchorage had taken the lead going to the ninth.

Floyd Arrington came in for the save, and he was dominant, getting two groundouts and a K to finish off the win.

Final score: Anchorage 4, Juneau 3. Tough loss for the Senators and a thrilling comeback for the home crowd.

[Elendil]

Panoramic view of Anchorage

Game Four

Northeast vs. Spencer

September 3, 2014 - Down 2-1, the Senators badly needed a win in hostile Anchorage. Scott Northeast would need to avenge himself on the Pilots hitters after a poor outing in Game One.

Things didn't look too good for the Senators when Anchorage took the first lead in the second, off a leadoff homer by Tim Arnold. However, Northeast kept his cool and his control, walking no Glacier Pilots in his whole start.

In the top of the 4th, the Senators finally got their chance. Theriault led off the inning with a walk, and after a Collette fly-out, Theriault stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Rowsell. So far Rowsell had not been the defensive asset in the ACS that he had been in the regular season. Shannon then walked to put runners on the corners. Beard, who'd had a good series already in the 8 spot, singled to center, plating Theriault. Northeast bunted the runners over, making the second out. Seguin came to the plate and drove the ball over the center fielder's head, motoring all the way to third and giving Juneau a 3-1 lead. He then came in to score when Parrish bounced a ball past a diving second baseman and into right. Okawa walked after Parrish's single, but Juneau could do no further damage, as Matkin flied out to left. 4-1 Senators.

In the top of the 5th, Spencer ran into more trouble with the Senators' hitters. He gave up a leadoff walk to Theriault, then a double to Collette. Shannon grounded out to knock in Theriault. Beard singled to put runners on the corners with one out. The manager had had enough and came out to give Spencer the hook. Jesse Alexander came in to get the final two outs, but it was now 5-1.

Northeast continued to hold off the Pilots, and he finished a complete game, yielding no walks and five hits, and getting five strikeouts in a dominant performance. Juneau tacked on three more in the 6th and 7th innings. Final score: Juneau 8, Anchorage 1. The series was now knotted at 2.

[Elendil]

Game Five

Sonier

vs.


Jeremie Dessureault (10-3, 2.59)

September 4, 2014 - Dessureault would replace the injured Baker on the mound for Anchorage; meanwhile, the Senators felt confident that Anthony Sonier would come back with another great start on three days' rest and give Juneau the win in this critical swing game.

Dessureault got the Senators down in order in the 1st. Ferris then led off the Anchorage first with a walk on 9 pitches. Navarro beat out an infield single, and now there was a real threat in the first inning with nobody out. MacNeill came to the plate, and on a 2-1 pitch Ferris and Navarro pulled off a spectacular double steal, upping the pressure on Sonier even more. He walked MacNeill - bases loaded.

Dunsmore came to the plate, hoping to do more damage against his former team. On an 0-1 count he hit a bounder to the second baseman. It took a funny bounce and got by him into right field. Ferris and Navarro came around to score, and on the throw home Dunsmore scooted over to second. Arnold came to the plate, and before popping out a passed ball allowed MacNeill to scamper home.

With one out and Dunsmore on third, O'Halloran, who'd had a bad series, came to the plate. On a 2-2 count, he drove a ball deep into the right field corner. It came off the wall, got by the right fielder, and Elvis made it all the way to third with a triple. He would then score on a groundout to second by Colwell, and after a Rowsell single Dessureault struck out to end the interminable inning. By the time the dust settled, it was 5-0 Anchorage.

So it remained until the 3rd inning, when Dessureault loaded the bases with three consecutive walks, giving the Senators their first real chance. But he got lucky when Seguin bounced into a hard double play. Shannon scored, but the threat was over. 5-1 Glacier Pilots.

Sonier only made it through two innings. Duncan Lacey came in to pitch for Juneau. He got the Pilots 1-2-3 in the third.

In the top of the 4th, the Senators threatened again. Okawa led things off with a single. Matkin grounded out, and then Okawa scored on a Theriault single. Ralph Collette then came to the plate and struck a double to short right field (the ball took a funny bounce and scooted into foul territory before being picked up). Theriault scored. To cap things off, with two outs Doug Beard hit a monster blast to right field (441 feet), tying the game! It was a whole new ballgame at 5-5.

The Pilots didn't quit, though. In the bottom of the 4th, they got to Lacey when the pitcher, Dessureault, helped out his own cause by lacing a triple down the left field line with one out. With two outs, the amazing Mark Navarro doubled him in. 6-5 Anchorage, and this was officially a wild one.

In the top of the 5th, the Senators answered right back. The rally started with two outs when Okawa walked. Matkin then doubled off the left-center wall, and Okawa made it home easily. 6-6.

The Pilots responded yet again in the bottom half. With one out, Tim Arnold reached on error, then O'Halloran worked a walk from Lacey. Colwell singled to load the bases.

Tim Rowsell came up with the corners in. On a 2-2 count he struck a slow groundball to the shortstop, who had nowhere to go with it but first. The runners advanced, and Arnold scored.

With two outs, pinch-hitter Jerry Peterson struck a sharp single by a diving second baseman, and both O'Halloran and Colwell came in to score. Cisco Pena relieved Lacey and got Ferris to ground out, but the damage was done. 9-6 Glacier Pilots.

In the top of the 6th, Rowsell showed why he was perhaps the best defensive catcher in the Alaskan League, picking off Terry Shannon at first with a throw from the knees. Juneau did not score.

In the bottom of the 6th, Anchorage added some insurance, and the rout was on. Navarro (again) singled, MacNeill singled, and both came around to score: Navarro on an Arnold single and MacNeill on an O'Halloran grounder. 11-6 Anchorage.

Anchorage would add two more in the 8th, yielding a final score of: Anchorage 13, Juneau 6. Anchorage leads the series 3 games to 2.

[Elendil]

Game Six

Geldart vs. Taggart

September 6, 2014 - The series returned to a tense Juneau. The Senators had never lost an Alaskan Championship Series. It was a relatively balmy, 50-degree night with clear skies at the Ballpark at Auke Bay.

Both pitchers looked good in the first inning, as both sides went down without a hit or walk.

In the second inning, Arnold got things rolling for Anchorage with a one-out double. With two outs, Colwell then smacked a double to virtually the same spot off the wall in left-center, and Arnold came around to score. 1-0 Anchorage.

In the bottom half, the Senators ran themselves out of the inning, as Theriault was caught stealing with two outs, an unforgivable sin.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Senators got another chance when Beard (the best hitter for Juneau this series, feasting on his old team) hit a one-out double. However, Taggart failed to get him to third with a bunt, and Seguin flied out to end the inning.

The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the 6th, Geldart seemingly playing above his head. Then, with one out, leadoff hitter Bill Seguin crushed a triple to right field. Parrish then came to the plate and got him home with a line-drive single to center. Okawa then singled to put runners at first and second with one out, but Matkin fouled out to the catcher and Theriault grounded out to end the threat. 1-1.

In the top of the 7th, Taggart got Dunsmore to ground out to first but then Arnold reached on an error by the second baseman. Taggart was lifted for youngster Cisco Pena.

O'Halloran then hit a popup into shallow right that the second baseman flubbed - another error! Shannon had been awful in the field this game and last. His counterpart on the Pilots, Colwell, came up and bunted the two runners over, making the second out.

Tim Rowsell came up and struck an arcing fly ball that just made it over the fence in left field. It wasn't pretty, but it was a three-run home run all the same! Anchorage 4, Juneau 1.

Not to be deterred, the Senators struck back. After a Shannon single, Beard crushed a two-run shot to bring the margin back to 1. He was their MVP for sure, if they came back to win this series.

In the top of the 8th, Lacey came in - a decision that elicited a few boos from the crowd. He got the first two outs, but then MacNeill singled, Dunsmore doubled, and Arnold singled, before O'Halloran struck out to end the inning. Make it 6-3 Anchorage.

Geldart made it through 8, and then Arrington came in in the 9th to finish off the game and the series. He got Theriault and Collette to ground out, then blew the high heat past Terry Shannon to give Anchorage the win and the championship! Final score: Anchorage 6, Juneau 3.

Anchorage had won their first championship after their first trip to the ACS. Chugiak fans could only look on with envy. The Glacier Pilots were the first Seward Division champions since 2010, when Peninsula won it all.

The series MVP went to Mark Navarro: boy, was I wrong about his hitting abilities. He went 0-for-4 in Game Six but was otherwise on fire. He hit .480/.500/.720 for the series with three doubles, a home run, 3 RBI, and 8 runs scored! He even stole a base (as part of a double steal), something he had done only once before in his entire career at any level.

[Elendil]

2014 was an outstanding year for Anchorage Glacier Pilots left fielder Keith MacNeill and it was capped off today with an announcement that he was named the winner of the Alaskan League Rookie of the Year Award.

MacNeill compiled a .294 batting average and a .381 on-base percentage this season. In 101 games he piled up 120 hits, 22 home runs, 92 RBI, and 83 runs scored.



Anthony Sonier finished off a fine season by bringing home the Alaskan League Pitcher of the Year Award today.

The Juneau hurler went 13 and 5 on the year, posting a league-leading 2.23 ERA. Sonier amplified his claim with 144 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings and allowing opposing batters to hit only .190 against him.



It was a season for the ages for Arnie Heard. He wins the 2014 Alaskan League Hitter of the Year Award after posting the second-best VORP of all time - even though he was injured the last two weeks of the season!

The Sitka first baseman shellshocked opposing moundsmen with a .354 batting average, 27 doubles, 4 triples, 24 home runs, and 73 RBI while compiling a .461 on-base percentage and scoring 71 runs.



The Anchorage Glacier Pilots' closer Floyd Arrington has won the 2014 Alaskan League Reliever of the Year Award. He led all qualified relievers in K/BB (4.83), saves (21), and dERA (2.28). He had 58 K's, 12 BB's, and 3 HRA in 45 innings pitched.



North Pole Nicks outfielder Bob Horton, age 41, has won the 2014 Alaskan League Comeback Player of the Year Award. Horton struggled with injury both this year and last, but despite playing in only 63 games this year, little more than half the season, he finished 6th in the league in hitting VORP! He hit an amazing .379 with an on-base percentage of .492. He even stroked 10 home runs in 192 at-bats. North Pole fans certainly hopes he sticks around for more seasons like this one - just a little healthier!

Manager of the Year

Juneau manager Lindsay Maloney has won the 2014 Alaskan League Manager of the Year Award. A first-time manager in the league, Maloney can't take all the credit for the Senators' resurgence, but he can surely claim part of it, as the team improved its winning percentage from .512 to .722 and went to its third Alaskan Championship Series.

[Elendil]

2014-15 Offseason: Team Grades



The only free agent the Glacier Pilots lost was second baseman Chris Webb, whose team option was declined for 2015. Webb had spent most of 2014 in the Training League, after having started for the club in 2011 and 2012. His career AKL line is .265/.326/.360.

However, they certainly landed a premier free agent: Sean Heath. He signed a three-year contract, ending his second stint with Bethel. He's coming off a down year, hitting a mediocre .257/.341/.467 in 2014.

They also made a couple of big trades in October, first sending 3B-SS Scott Bradley (career .285/.353/.471) to the Mat-Su Miners for SP Newt Langille (career 4.30 ERA). Langille had of course pitched for the Pilots from 2011 to mid 2014 before being claimed off waivers by the Miners. Thus, trading back for him was something of an admission of error. Ironically, the Glacier Pilots eventually decided they didn't want Langille, and before the season started, Peninsula claimed him off waivers! Thus, in the end, it was as if Anchorage lost Bradley for nothing.

In the other major trade, left fielder Keith MacNeill was dealt to Juneau for ace SP Don Taggart. MacNeill won Rookie of the Year in 2014 with his .964 OPS and 40.5 VORP. Taggart was the same age but had already compiled a career record of 69-48 with a 3.18 ERA. Taggart makes a lot more money, but it's still a nice improvement for Anchorage.

The Glacier Pilots made two more major free agent signings, as they became the first team to break the million-dollar budget barrier in Alaskan League history. They lured 3B Luke York away from the Bucs with a 4-year deal. Career line: .279/.346/.446, still 26 years old (former Jet). They also pried SS Doug Tomlinson away from Bethel with a reasonable two-year offer. He's still 25 and has a career line of .314/.382/.485. His real weakness is his subpar fielding.

Less interestingly, the Pilots also signed 37-year-old 1B Gary Johnson away from Fairbanks. He will make a mere $10,001, less than 10% of his annual salary for the first eight seasons of the league. There is speculation that he will retire after this year; he is unlikely to start for the team.

Offseason grade: A-. Big upgrades, but the Langille trade was a boneheaded move for a team with no financial constraints.

Other team grades forthcoming...

[Elendil]

One step forward, two steps back. The old cliche is an apt one for the Bucs franchise. After a successful 2013, financially speaking, 2014 was another setback, as the team lost more than $130,000.

As a result, the team lost a few free agents, most notably infielder Luke York, who signed with the Glacier Pilots (see above). Center fielder Dominique Gaudet, best known for his work with the Nicks from 2009 through 2012, announced his retirement, having compiled a career line of .284/.375/.458 with 669 hits and 103 HR.

Otherwise, it was a dull offseason for the team. They made only one FA signing, no trades, and they claimed a few role players off waivers.

Offseason grade: C-. The team had little financial room to maneuver, but they could have at least pulled off a rebuilding trade. They aren't going to catch the Pilots or Jets in this division.



Bethel lost a little money in 2014, but nothing disastrous. Revenue sharing from the Glacier Pilots' lucrative season helped ease the pain all around the league.

Still, the team lost some very important players. As a small-market club, they couldn't offer the big contracts that star players knew they could get elsewhere. The biggest losses by far were infielder Doug Tomlinson and outfielder Sean Heath, both of whom signed with the Glacier Pilots (see above).

But the team didn't stay idle. The day after free agents filed, the Mushers made two trades, dealing a minor league reliever for a 20-year-old defensive catcher who would become their starter for 2015, and absolutely taking Sitka for a ride, dealing a mediocre reliever for a fantastic outfield prospect, Ken Talley (.969 OPS at Ketchikan in the ATL last year).

They followed that up with some low-risk free agent signings and claimed the solid reliever Waylon Ellsworth off waivers from the Glacier Pilots (career ERA 3.94, makes only $11K in '15). Sitka didn't learn their lesson and again traded a very good prospect to Bethel for a mere reliever. Infielder Bill Randell is 21 and is expected to break out soon.

The biggest free agent signing came near the end of October, as Bethel nabbed 22-year-old starting pitcher Tim Myers, a loss for Fairbanks. Myers has loads of potential but has pitched poorly his first three years in the AKL (4.98 ERA). It's a 2-year deal, so not as long as the team would like (if Myers ends up developing nicely, he will be in a position to ask for more money quickly).

Grade: B. Big free agent losses are countered by some adept moves for their future. But isn't this the way with Bethel? I'm always impressed with their front office acumen, but somehow they never make a move to compete.



Chugiak is now one of the league's healthiest franchises and made a chunk of change last year. However, they might find it difficult to keep all their good players around much longer. The team did manage to get back elite reliever Bryce Brown after he signed with Peninsula - that story is below. Otherwise, they didn't lose any major free agents.

On the last day of September, the club announced a somewhat questionable trade with Kodiak, giving up outfielder Harry Harkness (career .314/.395/.459) for veteran reliever John Adams (118 SV, 3.11 ERA). Harkness is a great player, showing no signs of slowing down (unlike Adams), and is actually making less money than Adams! Bad trade for the Jets.

The Jets then got rid of another outfielder, the relatively popular John Horswill (career .275/.369/.472), who'd been on both of the pennant teams. He went to Peninsula along with reliever Doug Miles (career 4.25 ERA) for first baseman Dale Eteldrum (career .290/.360/.388, 32-5 SB-CS, age 25) and second baseman Tommy Lambert (career .293/.369/.382 but in decline though still just 30). This one was more even, but Lambert really isn't the answer; his All-Star years are long behind him.

The Jets grabbed RF Dirk Cluett out of free agency for just $11,000 on a 1-year contract. Cluett is still just 26. In 2008 he set the batting record by hitting .376, which has since been broken (Jack Hussey, .384 in 2012). His career line is strange: .339/.367/.377. He's really no better than replacement level as a corner outfielder despite his singles-hitting ability.

The team's biggest move in free agency came in late November, when Bryan Kendall finally signed. Kendall is now 36 and has a career 79-72 record with a 3.75 ERA. He still strikes out almost a batter an inning, and will be with the Jets for at least the next two years on a reasonable, $26K/year salary. He represents a loss for Peninsula.

The biggest trade of the offseason came on February 17. Starting pitcher Louis Mays, 2009 Pitcher of the Year, was dealt along with shortstop Mike Gaston, 2012 Glove Wizard winner, to the Oilers for the aforementioned Bryce Brown and 26-year-old second baseman Johnny Ledlow (career .289/.356/.470). It was probably a good deal for both clubs, but Mays and Gaston were disappointed. Gaston had spent his whole career in Chugiak, and Mays had just signed a 7-year extension. However, Mays clearly hadn't gotten his magic back. His career ERA still stands at a desirable 3.27, but he had posted back-to-back 5.02 and 4.60 seasons. This was probably a good deal for both clubs, although the Jets certainly gave up a lot, at least as the fans saw things.

Chugiak also made a late free-agent signing: 3B-SS Leonard Marshall, 25 years old, signed onto a 3-year deal, leaving North Pole. His career line is decent: .275/.325/.433. He still has some upside as well.

Grade: B+. They didn't do well enough to unseat Anchorage, in my opinion, and the Harkness deal was puzzling. However, this clearly remains a team dedicated to winning. It's tough to compete with the kind of money the Glacier Pilots are throwing around.



The Goldpanners made a bunch of money last year, but they're still a good way from being out of debt. Their new owners have imposed a draconian financial regime to restore the franchise to fiscal health, and as a result the team could not re-sign all its free agents.

Tim Myers, already mentioned, went to free agency and was lost. Gary Johnson also finally left, occasioning celebrations in the front office but anger among ignorant fans. Two more lower-tier starting pitchers - Pete Strelioff and Ken Van Alstyne - also left. Strelioff would sign with Peninsula, while Van Alstyne left the league.

With Johnson gone, the Panners did have some money to spend on free agents and restore the franchise to respectability. They expected to be out of debt after next season. Their biggest signing was SP Eugene Pond, still just 27, who agreed to a 5-year deal at $65,648 per year. A bold signing for a cellar-dwelling club! Pond has a career 3.45 ERA and is coming off 2 disappointing seasons for North Pole, but his peripherals check out nicely. His K:BB ratio was 3:1 last year. He had some trouble with home runs, but Fairbanks' home park is better suited to his style than North Pole's.

On November 14, second baseman Terry Shannon also signed on with the club, a loss for Juneau. Shannon is 29 with a career line of .296/.361/.408. He is average defensively. His contract runs over 4 years and looks a little high: $43K per year.

After claiming starting pitcher Dave Gibbon off waivers from Mat-Su, Fairbanks dealt him and outfielder Terry Hauk (career .299/.364/.476) to Peninsula for star 25-year-old catcher Edward Peterson (.268/.304/.527 career, originally acquired by the Oilers from AGP in the Alastair Baker deal).

The Panners also made a few trades that bolstered their minor league team, giving them the highest-ranked clutch of prospects in the whole league.

Finally, just as the season was starting, the Panners made an enormous coup in landing two pitchers from the Lower 48 who'd recently been released. John Cormack had actually played briefly in the Alaskan League back in 2012, then joined the Giants' organization, finally making it to the majors last year as a September callup, pitching just one inning and being released at the end of the season. He signed a one-year deal with Fairbanks, but would shortly extend it another three years.

Mark Deacon made it all the way to AAA last year before being released and pitched well in a long AA season for Jacksonville. He also signed a 1-year deal with Fairbanks.

Finally, on the same day, longtime Jet backup first baseman Marc Keddy signed a 1-year deal with Fairbanks. He will become their starter. Career line: .279/.348/.481.

Grade: A-. This team could yield the biggest wins swing of any team in the league next year. They could place as high as second in the shaky Denali Division, just after posting the worst record of all time. Their minor league system is also vastly improved. However, the free agent signings - particularly Pond and Shannon - broke down that "draconian" financial regime and threaten to undermine the team's long-term health once again. Why are they trying to compete all of a sudden?

More teams to come...