KBA: Kansas Baseball Association

[baseballfanmas]

April 23-29, 2012

Apr 23 at Kansas State (L 10-8, LP- D. Ryan)
Apr 24 at Kansas State (L 6-0, LP- K. Flood)
Apr 25 vs. Pittsburg State (W 7-6, WP- K. Palmer, SV- P. Johns)
Apr 26 vs. Pittsburg State (L 11-4, LP- J. Ford)
Apr 27 vs. Pittsburg State (W 3-1, WP- P. Schaplowsky, SV- R. Jones)
Apr 28- no game
Apr 29 at Emporia State (W 8-3, WP- D. Ryan)

[baseballfanmas]

GM Notes

Through the first 2 weeks we are about where I thought we'd be. Let's evaluate by each position and see where we stand.

Starting Pitching

Oh my, this is definitely the weakest spot of our team so far. My cousin Paul is the only starting pitcher that is getting it done, and even he got roughed up in his first start. I'm dissapointed in the other 4 starters. Kyle Palmer and John Ford each had sub 3.00 ERAs in spring training, so for them to be struggling is dissapointing. It may be about time to send a couple pitchers to the reserves. In any case, the starting pitching needs to be looked at.

Relief Pitching

Right now we've got the best relief core in the league, averaging a very impressive 2.74 ERA. Now if our pitching coach can do such a good job with our relievers, why can't he get the job done with our starters. One injury of note, as Julio Perez is out for the season. I've called up Jim Little to take his place. Hopefully he'll get his act together after that horrendous 12.00 era he had in spring training.

Catching

Bob Todd is doing exactly what we need him to do, leading the team in batting average and RBI's so far. Paco Lopez had done an adequate job filling in. He's only hitting .250, but he's been solid defensively, and even played a game at third.

Infielders

This is where I'm most dissapointed. We went with Jorge Vazquez at first base because of his age, experience, and bat. He's hitting below .200. A change may be made. Middle infield is not hitting hitting at all. Rudy Arellano better step it up. Our best 2 hitters in the infield so far are Wayne Skewes, who is the backup first baseman, and Sergio Gabriel who is DHing.

Outfielders

It's amazing just how crazy wrong the scouting reports have been so far. Carlos Martinez is the only outfielder hitting above .300, and he was projected to be not so good with the bad. Our 5 star outfielder, Dave Adkins, is hitting just .245

This leads me to believe 1 of 2 things... that our scouting director is really bad, or that our hitting coach isn't getting the job done.

I haven't decided exactly how I'm going to do these GM reports.. I'm thinking I might do them bi-weekly, or maybe weekly. It's up in the air at this point. I'm just playing it by ear.

[baseballfanmas]

If anybody has any comments or suggestions, please feel free to let me know. I'm enjoying this writing style once I figured out how to get the screenshots in. Still looking for a good format.

If anybody wants to add characters to this, do some roleplaying... by all means go ahead. I'm all for interaction. Anything to let me know that people are reading and enjoying this.

[baseballfanmas]

April 30-May 6, 2012

Apr 30 at Emporia State (W 5-0, WP- K. Blood, SV- J. Carlson)
May 1 at Emporia State (L 13-7, LP- K. Palmer)
May 2 vs. Washburn (L 7-1, LP- J. Ford)
May 3 vs. Washburn (W 13-1, WP- P. Schaplowsky)
May 4 vs. Washburn (L 6-5, LP- P. Johns)
May 5 vs. Newman (L 12-8, LP- R. Rosales)
May 6 vs. Newman (L 7-6, LP- A. Lasi)

GM Notes

It's amazing.. thanks to a bad week, our bullpen has went from first in the league, to 7th. P. Johns blew the save as we led Washburn 5-4 going into the ninth inning in the game on May 4th. Then on May 5th, our bullpen gave up 10 earned runs in the last 2 1/3 innings the next day. I'm giving it one more week then I'm going to make serious changes. On a good note, the chances of getting a couple really good players in the draft is highly likely if we keep up this bullpen implosion.

[baseballfanmas]

May 7-13, 2012

May 7 vs. Newman (W 6-2, WP- J. Ford)
May 8 at Fort Hays State (W 6-3, WP- P. Schaplowsky, SV- P. Johns)
May 9 at Fort Hays State (W 11-3, WP- D. Ryan)
May 10 at Fort Hays State (L 2-0, LP- K. Blood)
May 11- no game
May 12 vs. Kansas (L 6-5, LP- S. Gillespie)
May 13 vs. Kansas (W 9-8, 11 inn, WP- J. Carlson)

GM Analysis

A good week for us, as we were just 3 runs away from having a perfect week. Incredible start to the week, but a couple of injuries. I've lost Rudy Arellano for about a week, and with Kyle Palmer getting an inner ear infection on the day of his start, I sent him down to the reserves and called up Gillespie, who lost his start. Other than my cousin, the starting pitching is still an issue. It's passable, but it's not going to win us a league title, let alone an association title.

[baseballfanmas]

Draft Pool Announced

This seasons KBA draft pool and order has been announced, and our Wichita State Shockers will have the 23rd pick in the draft. Keep in mind that teams from all 5 leagues will be part of this draft, which gives the Shockers a less than favorable pick to get that second star pitcher they are looking for. There are several pitchers on the market that can help our Shockers in the future, let's hope that our GM Mike Schaplowsky is smart enough to pick one up, because the current staff that he has now... well lets just say is less than exciting to watch.

[baseballfanmas]

May 14-20, 2012

May 14 vs. Kansas (L 7-6, LP- P. Schaplowsky)
May 15 vs. Kansas State (W 10-7, WP- J. Carlson, SV- P. Johns)
May 16 vs. Kansas State (W 3-1, WP- K. Blood, SV- P. Johns)
May 17 vs. Kansas State (W 12-3, WP- S. Gillespie)
May 18 at Pittsburg State (L 11-8, LP- R. Rosales)
May 19 at Pittsburg State (W 9-4, WP- P. Schaplowsky)
May 20 at Pittsburg State (L 7-5, LP- D. Ryan)

GM Analysis

Not a bad week, that's 2 winning weeks in a row. The highlight of the week as far as I'm concerned is Gillespie hurling a complete game against K-State. I'm a little bit upset that we lost 2 of 3 to Pitt State, who is one of the bottom feeders of the league. The thing that I'm most happy about is that our starting pitching is no longer the worst in the league. I can credit my cousin and also Kyle Blood for that. I'm going to need those two to continue being sharp.

[baseballfanmas]

May 21-27, 2012

May 21 vs. Emporia State (L 8-0, LP- K. Blood)
May 22 vs. Emporia State (W 6-3, WP- J. Little, SV- P. Johns)
May 23 vs. Emporia State (L 6-4, LP- J. Ford)
May 24- no game
May 25 at Washburn (W 8-3, WP- P. Schaplowsky)
May 26 at Washburn (W 4-3, WP- D. Ryan, SV- P. Johns)
May 27 at Washburn (W 7-4, WP- K. Blood)

GM Analysis

We now have a winning record, which I am happy about, but the big blow this week was the loss of my friend Rudy Arellano, who got hit by a pitch and broke his forearm. He's out for 6 weeks. We also lost Francisco Valenzuela who fractured his foot. He's out for another 3 weeks. In their place, I called up Felix Molina (SP) and Carlos Rodriguez (3B).

Another move I made was to send Ramon Rosales to the reserves. He has an 8.83 ERA in the bullpen, definitely the highest of all my relievers. In his place I called up Roberto Guzman. This gives us a 12 man bullpen to work with. I tried shopping a few players, but it didn't work so well.

[baseballfanmas]

Always nice to hear about one of our players that gets an award. As the month of May came to an end, we found out that Dave Adkins was named the MIAA hitter of the month. Here's a look at the headline.

[baseballfanmas]

June 1, 2012

Always nice to hear from my uncle Danny, who just happens to be my cousin Paul's father. Got a letter from him in the mail today, and I'd like to share it with you.

Mike,

Boy, have I been out of the loop. Just talked to Paul last night, told me all about the new association here in Kansas. I'm glad you got the position at Wichita State, and I'm glad to see you having success. You are a good man, and you deserve the best. Speaking of the best, I see my son Paul is dominating those MIAA hitters. I'd like to take in a few games sometime, let me know when you host those guys from Newman. As I understand it you've got a follower that went to Newman, maybe we can turn that into a friendly little rivalry? Well, I wish you all the success in the world nephew, let me know when you can get me tickets to a game.



Your Uncle Danny

[baseballfanmas]

May 28, June 3, 2012

May 28 at Newman (W 4-0, WP- J. Little)
May 29 at Newman (L 11-1, LP- J. Ford)
May 30 at Newman (L 3-1, LP- P. Schaplowsky)
May 31 vs. Fort Hays State (L 5-4, 12 innings, LP- R. Jones)
June 1 vs. Fort Hays State (W 2-0, WP- K. Blood)
June 2 vs. Fort Hays State (W 8-3, WP- R. Guzman)
June 3 at Kansas (L 5-1, LP- J. Ford)

GM Notes

More injuries to report, as Shawn Gillespie, our current fifth starter, went down after just 2/3 of an inning at Newman. He has elbow inflammation. Kind of a shame as he really was pitching well. We gave his next start to Jim Little, who performed adequately, but I want him in the bullpen, not starting games.

One would think that a 4.17 bullpen ERA would be good, but bullpens need to be lights out. I am seriously going to suggest that either Ashrif Lasi be moved out of a setup role, or I am just going to send him to the reserves, because he isn't cutting it. Our hitting can be better, and I expect it to be.

[baseballfanmas]

I've acquired us a solid fifth starter for the rest of the season, as I traded away our prospect Juan Nunez, and acquired 23 year old Joe Norton from the Wichita Northwest Grizzlies.

The reason for this trade is that Nunez was becoming a cancer in the dugout, constantly complaining about not getting playing time, when I clearly tried to explain to him that at 17 years old, he wasn't ready. He demanded playing time or a trade, so I shopped him around. Finding Norton was a plus. He has not pitched this season, but all his rating (current and potential) are actually BETTER than Nunez. Let's hope he produces. I also have another big trade in the works that if I can get the other team to agree to, will instantly make our starting staff 100 times better.

Jorge Vazquez wants a contract extension. He wants 2.4 mil a year for 2 years. I think that is a little much. I offered him 1.4 mil a year. Let's see what he says.

[baseballfanmas]

Bad news, as we've lost Dave Adkins for 7 games. This hurts.

[baseballfanmas]

June 4-10, 2012

June 4 at Kansas (W 6-4, WP- P. Johns)
June 5 at Kansas (L 4-2, LP- D. Ryan)
June 6- no game
June 7 at Kansas State (L 6-2, LP- K. Blood)
June 8 at Kansas State (W 10-9, 10 innings, WP- R. Jones)
June 9 at Kansas State (L 5-1, LP- J. Ford)
June 10 vs. Pittsburg State (L 3-2, LP- R. Guzman)

GM Notes

You already knew about the suspension of Adkins, which was the big loss of the week. Well, I guess losing 4 of our last 5 games should count for something too. Not a good week at all. That fifth starter I picked up? Well Joe Norton lasted just 1 inning in his first start of the season, giving up 6 runs. He's gonna have to step it up real quick. Haven't heard back about my trade offer, nor have I heard back from Jorge Vazquez about a contract extension. Things are looking bleak in Wichita right now. I knew this season would be a struggle.

[baseballfanmas]

2012 KBA Draft

Because of our recent collapse, we have moved up to 20th in the KBA draft order. Keep in mind this draft involves teams from all leagues associated with the KBA. The fact that we are picking 20 out of 56 possible teams tells me we've got some work to do. The OSA claims that we have weaknesses across the board. What I am looking for is this:

1. Another starting pitcher. The starting pitching has been decent throughout the season, but not great.

2. Bullpen help. So far our bullpen has been getting by, but much room for improvement.

3. A future starter at first base. We have Wayne Skewes and Jorge Vazquez handling this spot for now, but neither one is good enough to start. They are good back-ups, but we need a solid starter at this position.

So, let's get to the draft, shall we?

Wichita State Draft Recap

Round 1, Pick 20-

RF Bud Wickman- He is a 22 year old playing at Long Beach State, hitting .298 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs. This guy is a power hitter extraodinare. I realize this was a curious pick as I said our top 3 needs were starting pitcher, bullpen help, and first base, but honestly, I didn't see much in those positions that warranted a first round pick.

Round 2, Pick 20-

LF Ron Schultz- He is 18 years old and batting a whopping .487 at Timken High School in Canton, Ohio. He only has hit 4 home runs, so he's not gonna wow you with his power, but he's got potential to hit 15-20 dingers a season. What makes him special is his contact. He will get the bat on the ball, only striking out 7 times so far his senior season. If anything, our outfield has the potential to be special in the next few years.

Round 3, Pick 20-

SP Jorge Martinez- The third round is where I decided to take a chance on a solid starter. It's another high school kid, out of Quincy High School in Quincy, WA. Right now Jorge is 6-3 with a 1.51 ERA against decent, but not great, competition. I certainly don't expect this young man to be an ace, but he should be a solid starter at the bottom of the rotation.

Round 4, Pick 20-

C Li-Hong Lung- Another Long Beach State prospect, he's got the potential to be a great back-up catcher, and even be a starting catcher in a pinch. He has great contact, as he is hitting .292 for Long Beach.

Round 5, Pick 20-

1B Michael Green- I see this is a possible backup first baseman for the future, but I think we can do better. This is a pick that we may or may not sign. He's hitting .485 at Santee High School in Santee, CA.

[baseballfanmas]

June 18, 2012

I have just made a blockbuster trade, acquiring 27 year old starting pitcher Boyd Thomas from Kansas. Unfortunately, I had to give up a lot.. our first 2 draft picks next season, as well as SP's John Ford and Joe Norton, who have been largely ineffective, as well as SS Anthony Andrews. The fan interest is amazing, as everybody wants to see this guy pitch. He has the top ERA in the MIAA as of this point, and I hope I didn't make a huge mistake by acquiring this guy.

[baseballfanmas]

June 11-17, 2012

June 11 vs. Pittsburg State (W 10-6, WP- D. Ryan)
June 12 vs. Pittsburg State (L 5-4, LP- K. Blood)
June 13 at Emporia State (L 12-5, LP- J. Norton)
June 14 at Emporia State (L 8-1, LP- J. Ford)
June 15 at Emporia State (W 7-3, WP- P. Schaplowsky, SV- P. Johns)
June 16 vs. Washburn (L 3-1, LP- D. Ryan)
June 17 vs. Washburn (L 2-0, 12 innings, LP- P. Johns)

GM Notes

To say we are struggling right now is an understatement. Hopefully with the trade I made to aquire what SHOULD be a solid starter, and getting rid of 2 ineffective starters, it will make our pitching staff better. I think we are rebuilding for the future, and I really like our draft lineup. It's great to have Francisco Valenzuela back in the lineup, and hopefully he will provide a spark. I'm not ready to call this season a wash yet, I know that anything can happen.

[baseballfanmas]

For those reading, I was hoping for you guys to answer a couple questions.

First, how are you enjoying this dynasty? I hope I am making it a good one.

Second, as far as scouting, what level of scouting accuracy do you use? I have it on normal, and my scouting director isn't very good. It seems on most of the players, his ratings are way different than the OSA ratings. Some are underrated by my director, some are way overrated. I thought about putting scouting accuracy to 100% accurate, but I felt that would be cheating. Then again, in a way it could be cheating because I can compare my scouting directors rating to the OSA ratings. What do you guys think?

[baseballfanmas]

June 18-24, 2012

June 18 vs. Washburn (L 5-3, LP- F. Molina)
June 19- no game
June 20 vs. Newman (L 4-2, LP- B. Thomas)
June 21 vs. Newman (W 10-3, WP- P. Schaplowsky)
June 22 vs. Newman (L 10-2, LP- D. Ryan)
June 23 at Fort Hays State (L 11-0, LP K. Blood)
June 24 at Fort Hays State (L 7-6, LP F. Molina)

GM Notes

ugh, what a week. It keeps getting worse instead of better. I really need my boy Rudy Arellano to get healthy, we need him in the lineup. Hitting has turned into a disaster. 2 great pitching performances to start the week ruined because we couldn't manage to get a key hit. On a bright note, I was able to sign 3 of our draft picks, with more coming. Also, Jorge Vazquez resigned to a 2 year deal at 1.4 mil a year. Surprisingly he has turned into 1 of our best power hitters. We've got to find a way to salvage this season, as we are just 5 games away from being in last place. Not good.

[baseballfanmas]

June 25-July 2, 2012

June 25 at Fort Hays State (W 7-5, WP- B. Thomas, SV- P. Johns)
June 26 vs. Kansas (L 6-5, LP- P. Schaplowsky)
June 27 vs. Kansas (L 5-3, LP- D. Ryan)
June 28 vs. Kansas (W 3-1, WP- K. Blood, SV- P. Johns)
June 29 vs. Kansas State (L 10-1, LP- F. Molina)
June 30 vs. Kansas State (L 1-0, LP- B. Thomas)
July 1 vs. Kansas State (W 5-4, WP- P. Schaplowsky, SV- P. Johns)

GM Notes

Well at least we won 3 games this week. The only game we were really out of is the 10-1 loss to K-State where nobody was sharp on the hill. The game that bugs me the most is the next game. We lost 1-0 to K-State. All we could muster is 2 hits against a guy who was 1 and 8 coming into the game. Frustrating to waste a good pitching performance when we get one. Sergio Gabriel has been activated from the DL and is back in the lineup, a much needed change. Also, we are about 1 week away from Rudy Arellano being back in the lineup. That will be big.