The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

WEEK 2
1 vs Pittsburgh
Off Day
2 vs Fresno (2-3 .5 GB CL West)
Off Day
2 vs Baltimore (5-1 +3.5 CL East)

GAME 7
Jared Smith visits the mound, with 2 outs in the 8th, a 1-0 lead, a runner on, Mark Williams is near the end of his rope but the left has Allen Hedden up, a lefty, and he wants him. A 2 run home run later and he rethinks it. Williams (8-6-2-2-2-1) threw a gem only to let it slip away in the 8th. However, a 9th inning rally by Chicago made things fun. Don Weaver PH for Raul Flores, and doubled. Hugh Collins moved him to 3rd. Chartier K’d to make it 2 outs. Alexander ripped a single to tie it up. We Morgan followed with another single to make it 1st and 2nd. Ernesto Gutierrez then stroked a walk off single for a 3-2 win! Collins was 2-5, Morgan 3-4, as was Ferrer. Injuries are creeping up, Raul Feliz was knocked out of the game after bring drilled and Ferrer aggravated his injury running the bases.
CHI 3 PIT 2 (5-2 Tied with Columbus)

LEAGUE NEWS
West Michigan SP Feliciano Kondsmann (0-1 10.29) will miss the next 4 months with a sore shoulder. A reliever turned starter, the 24 year old should make a full recovery.

ORG NEWS
Bob Barbour’s 22 game hitting streak came to an end in Tulsa.

Bakersfield C Jesus Fuentes went 5-5 in a 7-3 loss today.

GAME 8
Mike Davis (1-1) got 2013 CL Rookie of the Year Orlando Rios on the HR board. Rios slammed a 3 run shot in the first and J O’Neal added a 3-3 day to the Fresno win. Starter S Taylor (2-0 0.00) went 6.1-4-0-0-4-3 for the win. Dan Weaver had 2 of Chicago’s 5 hits.
FRE 4 CHI 0 (5-3 1 GB)

GAME 9
Jeff Bentley never could get it going (3.1-10-5-5-2-3) but the Iron Pig offense showed that 2013 resiliency, and kept bouncing back. Potts (1-0) Pacheco (H3) and Cruz (S4) threw 5.2 1 hit shutout innings and Bill Alexander went 2-4 with 2 HR’s (4)and 4 RBI’s and Wes Morgan hit his 2nd. They went back to back in a 3 run 1st. Gutierrez was 2-4 with a run scored and Chicago stole 5 bases (Gutierrez 2, Collins 1 and Riggs 2).
CHI 6 FRE 3 (6-3 1GB)

OFF DAY NEWS
Zorba Christofis (SAC) went 2-4 in an 11-3 win to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.

Michigan lost 38 year old reliever Tomas Ortega to bone chips. He’ll miss the rest of the 2014 season.

GAME 10
De La Torre (1-1) got pounded 4.2-7-6-3-2 allowing 2 HRs. The pen wasn’t much better in a 11-5 loss. Chartier hit his 3rd HR in a 2-4 2R 2RBI day. Alexander went 2-3.
BAL 11 CHI 5 (6-4 1GB)

ORG NEWS
Tulsa righty Denny Walker is off to a great start. Tossing a 12-0 4 hitter he ran his record to 3-0 2.86 in three starts.

GAME 11
Railcat ace Chris O’Slattery (3-0 1.88) shut us out through 8 (8-7-0-0-2-5) and Clinton Quinn notched his 2nd save. Alejandrez (6-5-1-1-5-8) was good but not good enough. Jose Torres surrendered a 2R HR in the 8th that didn’t seem to matter until Wes Morgan homered leading off the 9th, his 3rd as part of a 2-3 day. Alexander went 2-4 in the loss.
BAL 3 CHI 1 (6-5 2 GB)

WEEK 2 NEWS AND NOTES
Jason White (SAC) took home FL PotW honors. He went 10-23 with 5 HR’s and 10 RBI’s.

Vegas 51 OF Jesus Andrales won CL PotW honors after his 13-27 6 RBI week.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 3
1 @ Baltimore
3 @ Philadelphia
3 vs New Hampshire

GAME 12
Mark Williams (1-1 4.12) went 6-5-4-4-3-7 and Railcat started Flynn Woods (1-2 5.27) bested him with a 8-7-2-2-0-6 outing. Clinton Quinn saved his 3rd. Baltimore doubled 6 times in the 5-2 win. Alexander went 1-4 with 2RBI’s and HR (5). Paul Riggs came out with an undisclosed injury. Ignacio Ferrer went 2-4.
BAL 5 CHI 2 (6-6 2 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Brooklyn SP Adrian Lopez spun a 3 hitter in Phoenix for a 6-0 win. Lopez is 3-0 2.16 on the year.

Zorba Christofis (SAC) had his 22 game hitting streak stopped vs New York today.

Cy May is back in 3 days, Houston is 4-8 out of the blocks, Gonzalez is 0-2 4.87 and their starters ERA is last at 8.75.

ORG NEWS
2013 #2 draft pick Eric Coates will miss the next 5 weeks after straining his rotator cuff.

A few days earlier 2013 #3 pick 1B John Whisenant went down for about a month with an ab strain. Horrah to the 2013 MASH unit.

Through the first homestand attendance is up 19.9%!!! That’s with a ticket price increase too! We rank 8th in total attendance.

GAME 13
Philly SP Jerry Leathem is 2-0 2.30 in his first 2, sort of surprising for a guy 18-12 with a 4.90 the past 2 years.

A 13 inning game can be a pain, when your starter goes 1/3 of an inning, it can be a nightmare. Mike Davis went .1-3-4-4-0-0 and came out after pulling up lame. Jose Torres and the rest of pen held it close (going 12.1-13-4-4-4-15). Jean Chartiers 2R HR (4) in the 8th tied it at 6 until Ryan Pennington (0-2) gave up Carlos Arredondo’s 2 out 2 run 2B in the 13th. Collins went 2-5 with 3RBI’s. Gutierrez and Riggs had 2 hits each.
PHI 8 CHI 7 (6-7 3 GB)

ORG NEWS
For the 2nd year in a row Mike Davis will hit the DL for an extended period. This time with shoulder inflammation, and it’s looking like 3 months at least. This is a killer. Ramiro Morales will get the call.

GAME 14
Morales’ day is today but I’ll put him in the pen as a long man to get the pen some rest.

And he’s needed. Jeff Bentley (0-1) continues this horrid run by the rotation going 1.1-6-7-7-3-2 and giving up 2 HR’s. That was more than enough for Philly SP Steven Whiteway (3-1 2.93) who went 6-10-4-4-1-3. Wes Morgan was 4-4 scoring 3 times and hitting his 4th HR. Raul Feliz was 3-3 with 2 RBI’s.
PHI 10 CHI 5 (6-8 4 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
New York OF Allan Gillespie went 3-4 with 3 HR’s and 7 RBI’s in a 14-7 Knights loss to Phoenix today. Gillespie is helping fill the void left by Stefan Conways injury and is leading the Knights with a 340 avg. The 34 year old hit 234-14-63 in 108 games for NY last year.

GAME 15
Up 4-3 Ernesto Cruz came on in the 8th with 2 outs and a runner on 2nd, he went 0-1 and the rains came. He was fine 35 minutes later to get back out there, and promptly served up a game tying single to C Dan Land. Kevin Peters led off the 9th with a 1st pitch double and Manuel Navarro hit another 0-0 pitch through the hole at short and the Freedom walked off winners. Cruz suffered his 1st blown save and loss (0-1). Alexander (6) and Hudson (1) hit solo shots, Hudson’s led off the game and Wes Morgan went 2-4 with a 2R HR (5). De La Torre went 6.1-10-3-2-2-3.
PHI 5 CHI 4 (6-9 5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Diablo 1B Daniel Sanchez went 5-5 with 4 RBI’s in a 10-5 win over San Antonio today.

GAME 16
The offense breaks out for 17 hits and Alejandrez (1-2) hangs on for 6.1-9-5-5-2-5 giving up 2 HR’s to Fisher Cats Jorge Jimenez (5). Collins 3-5 a run, Alexander 3-5 an RBI, Riggs 3-4 3 runs 3 RBI’s and backup C Rafael Flores 3-4 with a run lead the attack. Paul Riggs hits his first IBL HR. Frank (H2) and van Bodegraven (H1) get the game to Cruz who punches out his 4 outs for his 5th Save.
CHI 7 NH 5 (7-9 4.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Sergio De La Garza tossed a 4 hitter at Pittsburgh today in a 6-0 win to move to 2-2 4.28 on the year.

Staten Island SP 31 year old Ron Pearce (18-8 3.74 ’13) will miss the next 3 months with a ruptured finger tendon. Pearce is 35-21 3.77 over the past 3 IBL seasons.

GAME 17
Chicago starters just refuse to accept a good thing. Mark Williams (2-1) was staked to a 4-0 lead and gave it all back in a 4 run 5th. Williams (7-6-4-4-2-3) got help from the pen when Pacheco (H5) Torres (H2) Potts (H1) and Pennington (H2) got outs to get to Ernesto Cruz who got the final 2 for his 6th save. Cruz will need few days off. Hugh Collins went 3-5 and stole his 4th base, Chartier (5) and Hudson (2) hit HR’s and Paul Riggs went 3-4 with a double and 3 RBI’s.
CHI 7 NH 5 (8-9 4.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Brooklyn 2B Paul Morris hit in his 20th straight today, going 1-4 in a 14-5 loss to El Paso.

Fresno’s Joe Rowe joined Morris with 20 game streaks by going 1-4 in a 9-1 win over Corpus Christi. (You may remember Fresno offered us Rowe this past winter!)


GAME 18
Ramiro Morales (1-0) went 7-4-1-1-1-6 and got 3 double plays and 8 runs of offense to get his first Chicago win. Hugh Collins went 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 SB’s (6) and Jean Chartier went 2-2 with 3 RBI’s hitting a 3 run HR (6) in the first. Wes Morgan added a solo shot (6) in the 3rd.
CHI 8 NH 2 (9-9 4.5 GB)

WEEK 3 NEWS AND NOTES
Edmonton’s Tim Davis went 14-30 with 5 RBI’s to win the FL PotW award.

Philly’s Kevin Peters went 15-33 with a HR and 3 RBI’s to win the CL PotW award.

Columbus, Sacramento, New York, Baltimore and El Paso are the top 5 in the power rankings.

[gehrig38]

A look at the league through the first 3 weeks.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 4
1 vs New Hampshire
3 vs Houston (7-11 6.5 GB CL Central)
4 @ Corpus Christi (8-10 5.5 GB CL Central)

GAME 19
Jeff Bentley is clearly not ready for big league ball (0-2 15.23) and he’ll be optioned out this evening. A 4.1-8-7-7-4-3 day was enough. NH Starter Roberto Salazar (2-2 2.70) held us to 2 in 6.2 IP and Moore (3) and Snyder (1) homered for the Fisher Cats.
NH 8 CHI 2 (9-10 5.5 GB)

ORG NEWS
Our old friend Bill Flowers was recalled after the game, and Bentley was sent back to get innings. Flowers was 3-0 2.00 in 3 starts, so maybe, JUST MAYBE, he’s turned it around at least a little?

LEAGUE NEWS
Paul Morris (BRO) had his streak halted at 21 games today in a 3-2 Cyclone victory.

The CC Hooks lost 30 year old SP Lindsay Johnson for the year with a ruptured elbow ligament. He was 1-0 3.63 in 4 starts.

The Hooks also lost OF Martin Walley for three weeks with a sprained ankle suffered in Sunday’s game.


GAME 20
Our first meetup with Houston, quickly becoming our rival, and we draw ace Raul Gonzalez…

Wes Morgans 2 run shot in the first (7) put Chicago ahead and Carlos De La Torre (2-1) went 7-6-3-3-2-3 for the win. Jose Pacheco (H6) handed to Craig Frank who got the last 5 outs for his 1st Save. Ernesto Cruz was unavailable today. Morgan’s HR was part of a 2-4 2RBI day, Bill Alexander went 3-4 and scored twice. Massi Lorenzelli was 2-3 with a triple. Houston ace Raul Gonzalez fell to 0-3 5.29.
CHI 6 HOU 3 (10-10 4.5 GB)

GAME 21
Left in to get #9 hitter Alberto Ortiz, a LHH, with 2 outs in the 6th and 2 on, Jose Pacheco surrendered a 3 run back breaking HR, Ortiz’s 1st on the year and the Roughriders would end up with 7 in the 6th. Alejandrez took the loss (1-3 5.46) after a 5.1-8-5-5-0-7 game. Bill Alexander homered (7) in a 3-5 day and Riggs, Lorenzelli and Rafael Flores had 2 hit days with Lorenzelli doubling and hitting his 1st HR. Roughrider SP Sergio De La Garza left the game in the 4th with an undisclosed injury.
HOU 7 CHI 6 (10-11 5.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Joel Downs (TUL) threw a 10K 4 hit shutout at El Paso in a 14-0 Driller win. Downs (27-16 4.27 career) is 3-1 2.12 on the season.

Sacramento lost swing man Jason England today. He’ll miss the rest of the 2014 season after tearing his labrum yesterday. The 28 year old was 1-1 4.82 in 7 games, 2 starts, this year.

GAME 22
Ernesto Gutierrez and Paul Riggs both went 3-5 with a run and an RBI, Riggs with a triple, and Eric Hudson had a 4-5 2 run 4 RBI day to break out of his early season slump as Chicago got around a shaky Mark Williams start with 18 hits and 11 runs. Raul Feliz went 2-4 with 3 runs and 2 RBI’s and Leon Russel went 2-4 with 2 RBI’s. Chicago hit 4 doubles and a league record tying 4 triples. Ryan Pennington (1-2) got the win in relief.
CHI 11 HOU 7 (11-10 5.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Dan McFadden (PIT) moved to 2-1 4.26 on a 5 hit 4-0 win over New Hampshire today.

Baltimore Ace Chris O’Slattery moved to 5-0 1.54 on the year after his 1 hitter in Philly. Slattery punched out 11 and walked none in the dominating performance.

New York Knights slugger Jose Lopez went 3-3 with 7 RBI’s, hitting 3 HR’s in a 10-7 NY win over Brooklyn.

GAME 23
Ramon Morales (2-0) goes 6-1-1-1-5-2 and van Bodegraven (H2) and Pennington (H3) get the ball to Cruz for the 9th where he grabs his 7th save. Paul Riggs went 3-4 with 3 RBI’s leading off, hitting 2 doubles and Bill Alexander went 3-4 with an RBI. Leon Russell went 2-4 and scored twice.
CHI 4 CC 1 (12-10 4.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Jeff Holland (FRE) went 5-6 with 6 RBI’s in a 13-1 Fresno win over Columbus. He’s hitting .269-2-13 on the year.

Joe Rowe (FRE) set a new IBL record hitting in his 25th straight game. Rowe went 1-4 with a 2R HR (5). He’s hitting .296-5-16 on the season.

GAME 24
The song remains the same for one Bill Flowers (0-1). 4-9-7-7-1-3 with 2 HR’s. Hook SP Donald Kemsley (4-0 1.67) went 6.2-4-1-1-6-5 for the win. Chicago left 13 men on, scoring 4 runs on 12 hits. Gutierrez (1-3) hit his 1st HR and Collins his 4th in a 1-5 day. Lorenzelli, Chartier, Morgan, Hudson and Russell all had 2 hit days.
CC 8 CHI 4 (12-12 4.5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Fresno’s Joe Rowe had his 25 game hitting streak snapped in a 5-3 Fresno win over Columbus.

GAME 25
De La Torre (3-1) went 6.1-3-1-1-6-2 for the win and Ernesto Cruz wiggled out of an 8th inning bases loaded jam for his 8th save. Eric Hudson went 4-5, scoring twice and driving in a run and Massi Lorenzelli (2-4 2 runs, 4 RBI’s) hit his 2nd HR and Hugh Collins his 5th in a 1-4 day. Riggs, Chartier and Feliz had 2 hit days.
CHI 8 CC 2 (13-12 3.5 GB)

WEEK 4 NEWS AND NOTES
West Michigan’s Barton Roberts went 15-31 with 4 HR’s and 11 RBI’s to win the FL PotW award.

Fresno’s Joe O’Neal went 12-26 with 3 HR’s and 4 RBI’s to take home CL PotW honors.

Brooklyn 2B Paul Morris will miss the next month with a fractured wrist. Morris was hitting 351-1-13 in 24 games after being acquired from the Knights this past winter.

We are 3 days from the end of the month, when I’ll update the league and stuff but here’s a quick look around the league.

In the FL East NY is 14-10, 1 up on a 14-12 Brooklyn.

San Antonio is 15-9, 3.5 up on the 12-13 Drillers in the Central. Dayton is off to a 9-14 start.

In the West Sacramento is at it again, tied with Columbus for the best record in the IBL at 16-8, 3 up on 13-11 El Paso.

In the CL East Philly is 16-9, 1.5 up on 14-10 Baltimore.

Surprising Columbus is leading our division at 16-8, 3.5 up on us and Houston is 9-15, 7 back.

In the West Fresno is 15-8, 3.5 up on LA. Michigan and Vegas are 10-15.

Chicago’s Paul Riggs is pacing the CL hitters at .387. Jean Chartier is 3rd with 22 RBI’s and Hugh Collins is tied for 2nd with 7 SB’s. Ernesto Cruz is 2nd to Ivan Lopez (COL) with 8 saves, trailing by 2. A healthy Vince Bray (PIT) is leading Chris O’Slattery in K’s 47-40. O’Slattery is first in wins with 5 (Bray and Will Cannon (COL)) are 2nd with 4.

Carlos Arredondo, the slugger Houston traded, is leading the CL in HR’s with 9 and RBI’s with 24. Surprised to see no Vince Soto in the batting race but he’s 2nd in RBI’s with 23, as LA moved him down in the lineup.

Over in the FL Barney Ledoux (SAN) ( a part time guy who’s bounced between AAA and the IBL) leads the entire IBL in average at .391.

Valentin Maitani (EP) is tied with Sacramento’s Jason White with 10HR’s. Maitani is leading in RBI’s as well at 26.

Stud Walt Thompson (BRO) is leading the IBL in K’s again, at 54, 12 up on River Cats Vince Romero, who’s leading the FL in ERA at 1.56.

Every team in the FL is within 3.5 of the wild card. In the CL every team is within 5.

[gehrig38]

For immediate release!

[Izz]

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

For immediate release!

I get up at 4 AM to walk on my treadmill, and I saw this on SportsCenter. Wow, shocking news!

[gehrig38]

Thought it'd be easier just to show the box...

[gehrig38]

Chicago Iron Pig Player Rep Wesley Morgan had this to say.

"I don't know bro, I just want to hit man, ya know?"

"It's like this, we want the best baseball in the world, we want the best players, but we also know we did this for the love of the game, not the money bro. Ya can't take it with you dude."

When asked what that meant, exactly...

"Dude, we're going to let some MLB dudes in, but it's going to be with x-ray vish....errr... you know parent guidance"

Supervision?

"Ya dude, that! We're going to control who we let in dude, and how it all flows man"


After speaking to other reps we spoke with Cy May of the Houston Roughriders.

"Basically we believe there are two very wealthy and very able owners that would put the money up now, for a chance to field a team next year. Off the record I would tell you the Cuban dude is a lock, and he wants to put his team...Wait for it.... IN GREEN BAY! Ha! Can you believe that guy?"

From our sources it appears that Green Bay will receive a franchise and there's discussions around allowing fans, worldwide, to vote on the 2nd franchise as a certain airline owner has said he'll inject the entire cost of league wide travel as part of his entry fee, for 10 years. He doesn't care where his franchise is. So there's *POSSIBLE* discussions about a team outside the U.S.

As for the players, MLB players are furious, and asking the government to step in once again and allow them free reign to enter the IBL.

As it stands now the IBL is talking about a number of players, not 40 man roster players, allowed entry into the IBL draft each year (the number is thought to be around 10 at last conversation). As well as each expansion club being allowed to start their roster with up to 5 former major leaguers, of any age.

The players, MLB, have agreed that to enter this league they would, if they possess more MLB service time than any current IBL players, have their service time rolled back to not exceed any current players in the IBL.

[gehrig38]

Here's the league standings, leaders, after the first month.
Sacramento is looking for a 3rd straight division title, Bean and Romero are anchoring their rotation. Dayton is off to an uncommon sluggish start.
Still too early for any real conclusions, but it'll start sorting itself out over the next 30. No 'out of this world' months by anyone, but O'Slattery gets the rare 6 win month and is a huge reason Baltimore had a 16-10 April.

[gehrig38]

Thought it'd be interesting to see how April 2014 compared to April 2013, and a look at the prospects. The Draft list gets released tomorrow. for comparison, 2013 stuff is on the left, 2014 on the right.
What an insane leap for the offense, clearly the class of the Coastal League right now with a TEAM OBP of .383! We're getting on base, stealing, and hammering HR's, that's a great combo. The bullpen is largely responsible for saving the Pig's bacon (nice, see what I did there?). Nice to see our Defense improving, and it's likely due to Jared using his defense off the bench late in games more now.
Former #1 Anthony Martin is rebounding nicely, though still in A Ball. Zamora, our 2013 #1, is on everyone's top prospect list. Riggs is just tearing it up in Chicago. Eric Coates is off to a slow start, and still hurt as of today.

[gehrig38]

And here's the press release, noting the top prospect per the OSA. As of today the top picks are:
1) Michigan
2) New York
3) Columbus
4) Phoenix
5) Fresno

We are picking 8th due to our trade with Edmonton, and then last in each round after the 1st.

[gehrig38]

Here are the top hitters, rated by contact potential, and the top pitchers rated by star potential, heading into this years draft.

[gehrig38]

APRIL NEWS/NOTES AND STUFF
El Paso Diablo CF Cayden Haynes took home his first ever Frontier League Player of the Month award. Haynes hit .385 with 4 HR’s and 20 RBI’s, while scoring 18 runs and posting a .460 OBP.

37 year old Carlos Arredondo might be nearing the end of his IBL career, but you’d never guess that from his April performance. The aging vet took home CL Player of the Month honors after hitting .327 with 9 HR’s and 28 RBI’s while scoring 20 runs. He was a central part of the Freedoms 18-10 1st place month.

Tulsa Driller SP George Perkins won the FL Pitcher of the Month for April. The 27 year old Perkins went 5-1 2.04 while striking out 31 in 38.2 IP.

The amazing thing about Baltimore ace Chris O’Slattery’s 6-0 1.44 April? That it was the first time the Railcat ace has won an award, any award! The strikeout artist had a dominating April, punching out 50 in 50 IP while throwing 3 CG’s in 6 April starts with 3 10K+ games.

Phoenix Greyhound Rookie Michael Moran (and 2013 first round selection ) took home FL Rookie of the Month honors for April. The 23 year old hit .351 with 4 HR’s and 11 RBI’s.

Chicago 2B Paul Riggs capped an outstanding April by taking home the CL Rookie of the Month. Riggs hit .352 with 1 HR and 19 RBI’s, while scoring 19 times.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 5
1 @ Corpus Christi
3 @ Columbus
Off Day
3 vs Los Angeles

GAME 26
See the box score above….
CHI 21 CC 1 (14-12 3.5 GB)

GAME 27
1st meetup with the surprise Columbus Clippers, CL Central leaders at 17-8. They’re pitching 4th in starters ERA, and catching, 3rd in Def Eff, and hitting, 2nd in Runs and HR’s. Will Cannon is 4-1 2.95, Mike Holmes is 4-1 3.33 and their top 6 have30 HR’s, 5,4,6,6,4 and 5. Haqverdi Hamidov is leading their offense at .341 in the 2 hole.

3 HR’s (Weaver (1) Gutierrez (2) and Collins (7)) accounted for all 4 Chicago runs against SP Will Canon (4-2 3.22) who went 8-9-4-4-4-4 in the Clipper loss. Mark Williams (3-1) went 7.1-6-3-3-2-5 and Jose Pacheco (H7) wiggled out of an 8th inning jam before Ernesto Cruz’s perfect 9th (S9).
CHI 4 COL 3 (15-12 2.5 GB)


GAME 28
Hugh Collins went 3-5 with a double, scored and drove in 2 and Massi Lorenzelli was a HR short of the cycle in a 3-5 2 run 1 RBI day. Wes Morgan walked 4 times in a 9-2 win. The 9 run 15 hit day backed Ramon Morales (3-0 2.38) who went 5-2-1-1-4-7 and Torres (H3) and van Bodegraven (H3) closed the last 4 with Craig Frank.
CHI 9 COL 2 (16-12 1.5 GB)

GAME 29
Riley Potts (H2) managed to wiggle out of Bill Flowers (1-1) 6th inning jam to hold a 5-4 lead and Pennington (H4) Pacheco (H8) and Jose Torres (H4) got the ball to Cruz who retired the final 4 batters on 3 K’s for his 10th Save. Chicago hit 3 solo HR’s (Alexander (8) Gutierrez (3) and Hudson (3) and Wes Morgan went 3-4. Gutierrez and Hudson added doubles and both drove in 2.
CHI 6 COL 5 (17-12 .5 GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Sacramento River Cats George Bean continued his dominating early run by shutting our Brooklyn 9-0 on a 6 hitter. The 25 year old struck out 6 and walked 1 to move to 5-0 1.21 on the season.

Vegas 51 SP Glen Harvey threw a 3 hitter to beat Philly 1-0 yesterday. The 24 year old is 2-3 4.64 on the year.

STUFF
Fan interest is down a tick, 98, but they’re showing up! Attendance is up 20% over 2013, and we are 8th in the league in total attendance. Our 18.4M payroll is 24th in the league (the signings were huge) and our cost per win of 169K is 1st.
Popularity amongst our players, is about what you’d expect.
1) Chartier
2) Cruz
3) Collins
4) Alexander
5) Frank??? Really?
I assumed Alexander would be 1 by a long shot, but Chartier appeals to the younger crowd I guess Craig Frank? There’s got to be a great story behind that one.
We drew 3.18m last year on a 47.2K stadium, hoping we can get close to 3.5 this year.

GAME 30
An outstanding start from De La Torre (4-1) as he goes 7.1-5-1-1-1-6. Ryan Pennington comes in and tries to make it a game with a walk and single so Cruz has to be summoned. He notches Save 11 by getting the final 5 outs. Chartier went 2-3 with his 7th HR, Collins and Gutierrez had 2 hit days.
CHI 4 LA 2 (18-12 .5 GB)

GAME 31
My ace vs the LA ace Tommy Hobbs (2-2 2.92).

Bill Alexander went 2-4 scoring twice with 2 RBI’s hitting a 1st inning HR (9) and LA made 4 errors. Alfredo Alejandrez continues to frustrate by failing to get past 6 innings (5.2-6-3-2-5-7) but Torres (2-0), Pacheco (H9) get the ball to Cruz once again and he nails down his 12th save. Torres escaped a bases loaded 6th inning jam.
CHI 4 LA 3 (19-12 +.5)

WEEK 5 WRAP UP
El Paso’s Caden Haynes had a good day/bad day thing today. A few days after winning the April PotM he won the FL player of the week, and then learned he’d be out the next 5-6 weeks with a separated shoulder. Caynes hit 298-31-114 in 2013.

Chicago’s Hugh Collins took home CL PotW honors after he went 12-27 3 HR’s, 6 RBI’s and scored 9 times as Chicago went 6-0 and is riding a 7 game winning streak. Chicago has gone 9-1 in their past 10 to take over the CL Central.

El Paso suffered another potentially devastating blow today as well. 22 year old fireballer Corey Elkins will miss the rest of the 2014 season after fracturing his elbow on a line drive yesterday. The starter was 2-1 3.91 with 73 K’s in 48.1 IP over 7 starts in AAA Lamar. Elkins was a mid-season call up last year, struggling to a 1-5 7.77 ERA with 66K’s and 66BB’s in 63.2 IP.

Chicago is #1 in the power rankings, at 125.3 (Fresno, Sacramento, Philly, Brooklyn). Corpus Christ is 24th, New Hampshire 23rd.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 6
1 vs Los Angeles
3 @ Michigan (13-18 6 GB CL West)
3 vs Baltimore (17-13 2 GB CL East)

GAME 32
I didn’t expect Mark Williams (4-1) to get out of the first, much less go 8-5-3-3-3-6! The game started 1B, 1B, 1B, passed ball, 1B. Down 3-0 he gets a DP and then a ground out and basically a hit over the next 8 innings. Cruz notches a perfect 9th for his IBL leading 13th save. Don Weaver (giving Alexander a rest day) goes 3-4, driving in a run, Gutierrez, Feliz and Lorenzelli have 2 hit days with Feliz scoring 3 times and stealing 2 bases (7).
CHI 4 LA 3 (20-12 +.5) Streak is at 8

GAME 33
Ramon Morales (4-0) somehow manages 5.1-10-2-2-3-5 and hands off to fan favorite Craig Frank (S2) who goes the final 3.2, giving up a hit on 3 K’s. Chicago scores 3 in the 3rd and 4 in the 4th to blow open a 3-1 game. Hugh Collins (4-5 2 runs) Paul Riggs (3-6 2 runs) Bill Alexander (2-5 2 runs 2 RBI’s) and Wes Morgan (4-5 3 RBI’s) propel the offense as the 1-4 hitters go 13-21 with 7 runs and 5 RBI’s. Ernesto Gutierrez drove in 3.
CHI 8 MICH 2 (21-12 +1.5) Streak is now at 9!

GAME 34
Good teams find a way. Bill Flowers couldn’t hold and early lead but a slew of arms out of the pen kept the game close for the IBL’s best offense. Bill Alexander went 2-5 with his 10th HR and 3 RBI’s and Hugh Collins hit his 8th. Paul Riggs leadoff 2B in the 10th put him in position to score on a Michigan error. Jose Torres (3-0) got the win and Ernesto Cruz saved another (14).
CHI 8 MICH 7 (22-12 +1.5) 10 in a row!

LEAGUE NEWS
Dayton received more bad news in an already bad early season. 2013 20 game winner Bartolo Serrano will miss the rest of the 2014 season with a damaged cuff. Serrano was 2-1 3.95 in 6 starts this year.

GAME 35
Jump started by Alexanders 3R first inning HR (11) Chicago pounded Michigan pitching for 19 more hits. Ignacio Ferrer was 4-5, Paul Riggs 3-6 and Chartier (2-5) Alexander (2-5 3 RBI’s) Hudson (2-5) Russell (2-5 HR (1) and 3 RBI’s) and Lorenzelli (2-5). Carlos De La Torre (5-1) went 6-7-1-1-2-5 for the win.
CHI 7 MICH 3 (23-12 +2.5) 11 straight!

GAME 36
The leagues best offense against the best starting staff in the CL, Baltimore. O’Slattery is now 7-0 1.23 (I get him in game 2).
Alejandrez (3-3) goes 6-2-0-0-3-5 in the win, Torres (H5) Pacheco (H10) get the ball to Pennington who gives Cruz a rest as he gets the final 5 outs for his 1st save. Wes Morgan goes 2-3 with a HR (9), Gutierrez, Feliz and Rafael Flores (hitting a rock solid .476 in a backup role) all have 2 hit days. Feliz and Flores drive in a run each.
CHI 3 MICH 1 (24-12 +2.5) 12 straight wins!!!

LEAGUE NEWS
32 year old Riverhound RP Will Clark, who missed almost the entire 2013 season after Tommy John surgery, will have the same procedure again today and miss the rest of the 2014 campaign. The righty was 10-11 with 3 saves and a 3.51 in 2012, over 86 appearances, and hasn’t been the same since.

West Michigan White Caps OF Felipe Hernandez will miss the rest of the 2014 season after tearing his non throwing labrum in a game yesterday. The 24 year old hit 228-18-56 last year and was hitting 220-4-19 in 109 AB’s this year

GAME 37
There were no baserunners before the 4th, Williams and O’Slattery were perfect. Paul Riggs single ended that and 2 hitters later Wes Morgans 10th HR put Chicago up 2-0. That would be ALL Chicago would need as Mark Williams (5-1) tossed a 1 hit shutout! Williams allowed a lone baserunner in a 9-1-0-0-0-6 gem (Antonio Feliciauo’s single with 2 outs in the 8th broke up the perfect game). Morgan was 3-4 with 4 RBI’s (2B and HR) and Hugh Collins went 3-5 scoring twice and stealing his 11th. Paul Riggs was 2-5. O’Slattery (7-1 2.08) went 6.2-9-7-7-1-4 in his first loss of the season.
CHI 9 BAL 0 (25-12 +3.5) 13 straight baby!!

LEAGUE NEWS
Michigans Ed Grady went 6-6 in a 12-3 win over Corpus Christi.

GAME 38
The Iron Pigs of Chicago can do no wrong. SP Jose Morales (5-0) tired in the 6th (5-5-1-1-3-2), no problem. Jose Torrest (H6) and Craig Frank go 4 perfect innings (Torres k’d 5 in 3, Frank 2 in 1) and the offense got a 2 run HR from Jean Chartier (8) and 2 hits from Alexander, Morgan and Lorenzelli in a 5-1 win.
CHI 5 BAL 1 (26-12 +) two weeks without a loss! 14 IN A ROW! The fans in Chicago are going insane!

Eric Hudson is out with an undisclosed and undiagnosed injury….
(There’s a bug too, the game just called out my 10 game winning streak, and it’s actually 14, I’ve noticed this before)

WEEK 6 WRAP
Brooklyns Jeff Purcell shut out Phoenix 5-0 yesterday on a 3 hitter. Purcell, 34, is 2-6 4.73 in 8 starts this year.

Edmonton’s Gregory McCain took home PL PotW honors after his 13-25 1HR and 4 RBI week.

Somehow, even though we’ve won 14 straight, Don Evans of Corpus Christi won the CL PotW honors. He went 11-2 3 HR’s and 12 RBI’s.

We are way out in front in the power rankings 147.2 (Philly 125, Sacramento, 122, El Paso 116 and Brooklyn 104). Dayton! New Hampshire and Michigan are the bottom 3.

Our 2 week win streak has propelled us to an IBL best 26-12. Philly is 2nd at 25-13, 4.5 up on the Railcats (whom we have won 3 straight from ).

Fresno at 19-16 is 2 up on 18-19 LA, 2.5 up on 18-20 Vegas.

Brooklyn is 22-17, 2.5 up on 19-19 Staten Island, 3.5 on Buffalo and 4 on NY.

San Antonio is 20-17, 1.5 up on Tulsa, 2 on West Michigan and 6 on the struggling Dragons of Dayton.

Sacramento is 24-13, 2.5 up on 21-15 El Paso. Phoenix is off to another bad start at 15-23, 9.5 out.

Joe O’Neal leads all IBL hitters at .397, .005 better than the injured Caden Haynes of El Paso. Gutierrez .357 is 2nd, Alexander .350 is third.

Carlos Arredondo leads the IBL with 17 HR’s, Valentin Maitani (EP) and Jason White (SAC) are 2nd. Alexander is 2nd in the CL with 11.

Maitani and Arredondo are tied with 42 RBI’s. Alexander is 2nd with 36.

George Bean (SAC) and O’Slattery (BAL) lead the IBL with 7 wins. Beans’s teammate Dan Millman has 5.

Walt Thompson (BRO) as again making a mockery of the K race at 71.

Bean leads all IBL hurlers at 1.38, with Joel Downs (TUL) 2nd at 1.82.

O’Slattery leads the triple crown categories in the CL.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 7
1 vs Baltimore
Off Day
3 @ Las Vegas
2 vs Philadelphia

GAME 39
All good things must come to an end. Of course it does in a Bill Flowers start….
Flowers (1-2) goes 4.2-9-6-6-5-2 and Albert Luna (5-1 3.25) goes 7.1-5-2-1-2-9 for the win. Gutierrez and Riggs had 2 hit days and Alexander hit his 12th.
BAL 6 CHI 3 (26-13 +4.5) The streak is over but it got us into solid footing atop the division. Was it an aberration on this offense? Or is it that good? I need starters, badly. I have no one to eat innings atop my rotation.

LEAGUE NEWS
Catcher Mark Doyle (CC) went 5-5 in a 12-8 win over Michigan.

In crippling news out of Fresno, SP Santiago Medina will miss at least the next 4 months with a ruptured finger tendon. The 29 year old went 14-15 3.63 last year, and was 3-4 5.11 this season in 8 starts over 56.1 IP. The Grizzlies are currently 19-17, a game ahead of 19-19 LA in the CL West.

OFF DAY NEWS
Things were too rosy in Chicago. A day after our 14 game streak was halted it was learned that Catcher Eric Hudson will miss the next 4 weeks with a strained quad. A shuffling of some minor league catchers was needed after calling up Jose Cabral. Flores will catch more, and be a defensive replacement, but Cabral brings some thunderous pop, and has improved defensively.

Pittsburgh will be without SP Dan McFadden for the rest of the season. The 26 year old will have shoulder surgery today. He was 2-2 5.10 in 8 starts after going 7-2 with a save in 21 games in 2013, with a 4.31.

And Dayton lost 28 year old RP Ken Watson for the year with elbow surgery. Watson was 0-0 1.38 in 10 games.

GAME 40
De La Torre (5-2) battled through 5-5-3-3-5-5 but Jeff Murdock (1-3 5.67) went 7-5-2-2-1-3 and their pen kept us down. Jose Torres came in to a 2-1 lead and gave up 3 hits, the lead, and the game. Chartier hit his 9th and Collins went 2-4 with a SB.
LV 3 CHI 2 (26-14 +3.5)

GAME 41
A 9 run 2nd was enough to get Alejandrez (4-3) to finally pitch 7! Barely…. 7-9-5-5-1-3. Jean Chartier went 3-4 with 2 HR’s (11) and 2 RBI’s, Wes Morgan hit a grand slam (11) and Hugh Collins added a 2 run shot (9) and stole his 13th. Raul Feliz went 1-4 with 3 RBI’s.
CHI 13 LV 8 (27-14 +4.5)

LEAGUE NEWS
Phoenix lost SP Armando Villa (3-2 4.84 in 9 starts) for the year with a labral tear. Villa was 12-11 4.76 in 33 starts in 2013.

GAME 42
A 7 run 6th powered by Bill Alexanders Grand Slam (13) pushed the Iron Pigs to a 10-4 win. Paul Riggs was 3-5, Jose Cabral got his first IBL hit in a 3-5 2 RBI 2 run effort and Gutierrez and Chartier had 2 hit days. Mark Williams (6-1) threw far better than the line of 6.1-9-4-4-4-5, tiring in the 7th when van Bodegraven allowed his 2 runs to score.
CHI 10 LV 4 (28-14 +4.5)

LEAGUE NEWS
Columbus All Star Dean Strong went 5-5 in a 5-1 Clipper win over Pittsburgh. The 28 year old Catcher is off to a slower than usual start at .259-9-24.


GAME 43
Ramon Morales (6-0) did it the REAL hard way. 6-4-3-3-6-1. Frank (H3) Pacheco and Pennington tossed 3 scoreless to close it out as Chicago scored 8 runs on 11 hits led by Bill Alexanders 3-4 2 run 3 RBI’s on 2 HR’s (15). Jean Chartier homered (12) in a 2-4 day and Raul Feliz went 2-4 with 2 runs and 3 RBI’s on his 1st HR of the year.
CHI 8 PHI 3 (29-14 +5.5)

GAME 44
Richard O’Dell (6-1 3.41) went 8.2-5-1-1-0-4 and Bill Flowers (1-3) gave up 5 in 5.1IP after a 3 run 1st. Riggs and Chariter went 2-4 in the loss.
PHI 5 CHI 1 (29-15 +5.5)

WEEK 7 WRAP
Tulsa Driller 1B Curt Whimster took hom FL PotW honors going 12-24 with 5 HR’s and 9 RBI’s.

Jean Chartier took home CL PotW honors. Chartier went 10-19 with 5HR’s and 8 RBI’s.

ORG NEWS
Halfway through May before my 1st minor league player wins a PotW. Brandon Harris went 10-21 with 3 HR’s and 7 RBI’s to win Pacific League PotW.

We dropped to 3rd (Philly, Sacramento, Chicago, Baltimore, El Paso) in the power rankings. Bottom is Edmonton, Phoenix, New Hampshire.

[gehrig38]

Wanted to share logo's and what not. Try to give the teams, league, some more personality. Having a blast with this.
FWIW I am now taking votes on the final expansion city for next season. One franchise has been awarded, Green Bay, owned by Mark Cuban, and the other is COMPLETELY up to the 'fans'.
The owner, Richard Branson, is all about the customer!
The league logo is a work in progress.
BTW I have a clean machine, so any PDF's you see me post are scanned and clean. That's likely how I'll announce all star teams and awards and stuff.

[gehrig38]

WEEK 8
1 vs Philadelphia
3 @ Pittsburgh
Off Day
2 @ Fresno

GAME 45
De La Torre (5-3) gets wild and hammered in a 3.1-6-9-9-6-5 outing. Philly 3B Kevin Peters goes 4-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBI’s. Mitchell Mills drives in 4 with a 3R HR (5) Gutierrez stays aflame with a 3-3 3 RBI day including a double and his 4th HR, Hugh Collins goes 2-4 with 2 RBI’s on his 10th HR.
PHI 11 CHI 6 (29-16 +5.5)

LEAGUE NEWS
El Paso LF Valentin Maitani is hitting 295-20-52, the last 2 numbers good enough to lead the world. The 24 year old is coming off 2 monster seasons. He hit 281-42-116 in 2012 and 255-39-108 last year.

GAME 46
Tomas Villanueva (2-5 8.07) and 3 relievers shut down the Chicago offense on 7 hits. Alejandrez (4-4) continues to revert to stink in a 5-5-4-4-7-3 bomb. Feliz and Cabral go 2-4, Collins steals #14.
PIT 4 CHI 0 (29-17 +5.5)

GAME 47
Pittsburgh SP Chris Burns (2-1 2.38) goes into the 9th with a shutout (8.1-3-0-0-5-8) and Mark Williams (6-2 4.11) is left in a hitter too long (7-10-5-4-4-0-4). Riverhound LF Ron Miller hits 2 solo shots (4) and Ben Hutchins hits another (6) as the Chicago offense never gets off the ground.
PIT 5 CHI 0 (29-18 +4.5)

LEAGUE NEWS
Corpus Christi’s Mike Moore has been awful all year, until today. The 24 year old lefty threw a 2 hitter in a 6-0 win over Vegas to move to 1-5 12.24 on the season. In 4 starts before today he had gone 13.2IP and given up 31 hits and 26 runs, walking 17.

GAME 48
Up against K machine Vince Bray. He’s 5-1 3.30 with 71k’s to 11 walks in 73.2IP.

Van Bodegraven (1-1) comes in and blows a lead, and the game, yielding 3 straight hits with 2 outs. Bray (6-1 3.20) goes 8-7-2-2-1-5 and Boswell saves his 7th. Dan Weaver hits his 2nd and Chartier goes 2-4.
PIT 3 CHI 2 (29-19 +4.5)

TRADE NEWS
We’ve decided to part ways with Bill Flowers. He’s just not going to be able to help us, and we’re willing to turn anywhere. New York GM Tomas Hernandez is trying to do the same with 32 year old Wes MacNamara so we swap ‘problems’ and 2nd round picks. I move from last to 2nd in round 2 with the trade. Macnamara is 14-26 6.49 in 3 years. He’s made 53 starts and pitched 319.2 innings giving up 396 hits, striking out 207 and walking 125. He’ll come in and get the next games start, about 5 minutes after meeting his teammates.

LEAGUE NEWS
New Hampshire loses SP Colin Botts for the year with elbow problems. Botts, 34, was 12-15 3.86 in 2012, and then made 9 starts before season ending surgery last year.

OFF DAY NEWS
Sacramento slugger Nori Takahashi was suspended 7 games after being ejected today. The 28 year old has helped Sacramento to an FL best 32-16 start, slugging 293-10-30 in 174 AB’s.

Edmonton’s Barry Meyer doubled in the 4th to extend his streak to 20 games.

Tulsa OF Bob Barbour went 5-5 with 2 RBI’s in a 11-6 win.

Dayton slugger Ben Simmons will miss the next 4 weeks after straining a rib cage muscle yesterday.

GAME 49
Fresno has the leagues 2nd best offense. Led by Qi-chen Jung’s 331-10-34 start. They also have 7 players (including stud Santiago Medina) on the DL. Tough test out of the gate for the new guy

Raul Feliz 2nd error of the game came in the bottom of the 9th, with a runner on second on a single to left, allowing the game winning run to score. Wes MacNamara was BRILLIANT in his debut (8-3-1-1-1-4). His only blemish a 5th inning solo shot to Roy Lewis, his 1st of the year. Antonio Espinoza and 3 relievers held the Iron Pig offense to a run on 6 hits. Alexander went 2-4 in the loss.
FRE 2 CHI 1 (29-20 +4)

LEAGUE NEWS
Sacramento stayed hot, and so did ace Vincente Romero. The 27 year old ran his record to 7-2 2.31 with a 3 hit 4-0 win over Phoenix.

El Paso stopped Edmontons Barry Meyer’s hit streak at 20.

San Antonio Silver Stars OF Ron Stokes will miss the next 9 or 10 months after tearing the labrum in his throwing shoulder today. The 23 year old was off to a great start (290-10-32 in 45 games). Stokes was the 2nd round pick of the Tulsa Drillers in 2012, and traded to the Silver Stars for speedy Joel Runas at the winter meetings of that year. Stokes is projected to contend for HR crowns while manning RF for San Antonio.

The New York Knights will be without SP Ray Anderson for the next 4-5 months after shoulder surgery today. The 23 year old righty was 2-4 3.69 in 10 starts after a 15-15 5.12 2013. You may remember him as the Knights 2013 1st round pick (#3 overall).

GAME 50
4 Chicago double plays helped Carlos De La Torre (6-3) wiggle in and out of jams and a 12 hit day led by Jean Chartier’s 3-3 3 RBI’s paved the way. Wes Morgan went 2-4 with his 12th and Raul Feliz hit a 3 run triple in the 1st. Don Weaver drove in 2 and Gutierrez went 2-3 and scored 3 times.
CHI 9 FRE 5 (30-20 +5)

WEEK 8 WRAP
Edmonton’s Barry Meyer took home the FL PotW award. Meyer went 11-26 with a HR and 8 RBI’s.

Railcat SS Manuel Cantu won the CL PotW award after going 15-26 with a HR and 7 RBI’s.

Sacramento and Philly are the leagues best at 34-16.

The FL East has all 4 teams within 3.5 games

San Antonio leads the Central at 27-23, by 2 over Tulsa, 3 over West Michigan.

El Paso is 4 behind Sacramento, and leading Tulsa in the WC by 5.

Philly leads a 30-20 Baltimore team by 4, and the Railcats are 4 up on Vegas in the WC.

Houston is 21-27! 8 out.

Fresno is 28-20, 3 up on Vegas, 4 on LA.

Ernesto Gutierrez leads the Coastal League with a .357 average. Ledoux of San Antonio still leads the IBL at .370.

Alexander is 2nd in the CL in HR’s with 15, 4 behind Arredondo.

Arredondo and Randolph Boyd (BAL) lead the CL with 49 RBI’s, Alexander is 3 back. Valentin Maitani still paces the IBL with 20 HR’s and 54 RBI’s.

Ernesto Cruz is the IBL leader in saves, though he’s gone 19 days since his last one and only pitched twice since then!

Chris O’Slattery is at 10 wins already, 2 ahead of George Bean (SAC).

Walk Thompson is at 101 K’s, 20 more than O’Slattery.

Bean is still the ERA leader at 1.58, O’Slattery leads the CL and is 2nd in the IBL at 1.94.

ORG NEWS
Bakersfield IF Lorenzo Vega won the Primal League PotW after his 12-21 3 RBI week. Vega is hitting 309-0-14 in limited time but now starting due to injuries.

We are now 6th in the power rankings at 107 (Top 5 Sacramento, Philly, Balt, El Paso, Fresno) (Bottom 5 CC, Michigan, Edmonton, Phoenix, New Hampshire)

A 1-5 week, and 4-8 since the end of the 14 game streak. Doesn't feel that way, and my guess is because Columbus has gone 4-9 in the same stretch.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

Wanted to share logo's and what not.

Very nice!