The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

Thought this would be a good time for anyone following along, to give a state of the ORG report and update.
We sit at 38-43 at the half way mark, trailing Houston by 7 games, 1 game behind Columbus and 3 ahead of Corpus Christi. I'd be stunned if Houston doesn't walk on this Division this year. My offense has certainly heated up and the pitching has somewhat stabilized.
I'm 2 years off in my internal planning, from being a contender, but feel that this draft was a huge step forward in putting the foundation in place.
I need OBP hitters, which I sorely lack, and I need arms, lots of arms. There is no untouchable player on my ML roster and I'll be pushing contenders right up to the break to make deals for picks and prospects, whoever is looking won't have to look far.
I'll give a snap shot of the big league team and my minor league teams as well.I know how much I love Orcin's tales and finding and following players before they become stars is always fun.
This is as much to help me as it is to inform anyone reading, so I can get to know my guys as my organization grows.

[gehrig38]

Standings for the IBL at 81 games.
The CL West looks like it's going to be a hoot come September, only 2 games from top to bottom. Philly looks to be making a joke of the East in year 1. I imagine Houston will do the same in the Central.
In the FL Dayton seems to me to be the team to beat, and WM is going to give them a run. Edmonton looks tough, as does Buffalo but like any season it's going to come down to healthy rosters in September.
Is Walt Thompson a legit 300k threat? (a number close to my heart).
Bill Alexander is hanging nicely with the leagues best. Wonder how much interest there is out there? My need to build interest and generate revenue, regardless of whether I am competing are crucial these first few years. Before payrolls grow.

[gehrig38]

Behind the scenes in Chicago, the numbers that REALLY matter. I need to get acquainted with some numbers I've never really studied.
RC/27, I know what it means, but I am not sure where the good/bad line is.

BABIP, I know what it means, but again am unsure what a good/bad/great number is.
I know lower is better, higher generally denotes bad luck.

Unsure of exactly HOW FIP is created, or where the good/bad line is.

Defensively I am unsure of what RNG is good, bad, average.
I know a + Zone Range is good, but unsure of where it gets bad, or great.
EFF? Not sure what efficiency is or how it relates. Obviously higher is better as + ZR guys are the only ones with 1.+ EFF.
More specifically, Orcin I'm looking at you!, tell me what MY defensive numbers tell me? If you care to.

[gehrig38]

Week 14

3 vs PIT
3 vs BAL

League news
Stephano McDermott of the Columbus Clippers hit for the cycle on our off day. Going 4-4 with 3 RBI’s in a 6-4 Clipper win.

ORGANIZATION NEWS
Jacob Nelson, the LH SP acquired in the deal for Albert Hardin has been dealing at AA Bakersfield. 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA, he’s tossed 46.2 IP yielding 36 hits, punching out 41 and walking 24. Martin has him at 3 stars now, with potential to be a 4.5 star guy. His 11/12/9 projects to be 14/13/13 so he could be a 3-4 guy in a good rotation. On the flip side Hardin has actually been called up to the IBL’s Staten Island Yankees roster! Can’t imagine he’s near ready. He’s currently 2-19 with 8k’s for the Yanks.

DRAFT NEWS
19th round pick Julio Perez spurned our 1m signing bonus. We took a flyer late, knowing he’d be a hard sign but we’ll make one more run if the budget allows.

Game 78
14 hits will do a body good. So to does a line of 7-5-1-1-1-4 from starter Mike Davis (7-4). The walk was the leadoff hitter and the only run he allowed today. Alexander heard the grumbling I think as he went 4-5 with 3 RBI’s. Gutierrez was 3-5 with 3 runs, Lopez and Chartier (HR#9) had 2 hit days.
CHI 8 PIT 2 (36-42)

INJURY NEWS
Bartlett went down late in the game in the field and there’s been no word on the extent of the injury.

MINORS NEWS
#2 pick Raul Feliz is off to a torrid start in AA Bakersfield with a .375/.407/.708 line through his first 6 games.

Anthony Martin went 6 IP in his first professional start giving up 2 ER on 2 hits striking out 7 and walking 5.

Game 79
How about this first inning? 1B,1B,1B,HBP,1B,Grand Slam,2B,2B,F9,2B,BB,3R HR,2B,K,HBP,F8!!!!! That was the 11 run 1st inning your Chicago Iron Pigs mustered up today! Bill Flowers (4-0) got about 10 more than he needed but continued to surprise. Alexander was 2-5 with his 26th HR and 3 RBI’s (84). Brian Walker hit the 1st inning grand slam. Gutierrez had another 3 hit game going 3-5 with 2 runs scored. Chartier had a 2B and 2 3B’s in a 3-5 day.
CHI 14 PIT 2 (37-42)

INJURY NEWS
Learned after the game that Bartlett is likely sidelined at least a week with a strained oblique. Unsure if I can play short handed given how little bench I have already.

MINORS NEWS
Paul Riggs was sent back to A ball tonight. Just wasn’t seeing the same player and he needs to get back in a groove.

Game 80
Jack Jackson squanders an early 4-1 lead and struggles through 5 (5-7-6-6-4-3-) but the Iron Pigs offense battles their butts off. After Pacheco coughs up 2 van Bodegraven, Frank and Potts hold the for for Jean Chartiers walk off HR in the bottom of the 10th. Gutierrez remains hot going 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s and stealing 2 bases (13). Walker goes 3-4 and Lopez (5) and Hudson (3) homer as well.
CHI 9 PIT 8 (38-42)

ORGANIZATION NEWS
Chip Sharpe of Tulsa went 5-6 in a 13-4 Tulsa win becoming the first player in organization history with a 5 hit game.

Game 81
Bah. Ernesto Cruz suffers his first blown save allowing 4 runs in the 9th, 3 of them unearned on a Chartier error prior to a 3R HR by Randolph Boyd. Chartier with a 3R HR (11) and Gutierrez 2-5 2B’s. Brian Walker stole 3 bases (12). Alejandrez came back to earth quickly, surrendering a 3R HR to Lando Jongmans in the 1st.
BAL 9 CHI 7 (38-43)

Game 82
Jeff Garrett (2-7) starts and loses again. 6-10-5-3-2-5 was the line with a Gutierrez error killing him. Went up 3-0 on Alexanders 27th in the 3rd but Jeff let them creep back with 1 in the 4th, 2 in the 5th and 2 in the 6th. Gutierrez remains ablaze with a 2-5 2 RBI night, Alexander was 2-5 3 RBI’s and Weaver was 3-4 with 2 runs scored. A 9th inning rally fell short.
BAL 6 CHI 5 (38-44)

JUNE RECAP
Bill Hill wins another award! Dayton CF wins PotM award hitting .388 with 11 HR’s and 33 RBI’s, scoring 31 runs as well.

And Rich Stone adds another award as well. The Fresno RF wins the CL PotM award by hitting an amazing .442!!! with 4 HR’s and 17 RBI’s for Fresno. He also scored 20 runs and posted a .500 OBP. He now sits at .397-11-55.

Dwayne Williams of the West Michigan White Caps grabs FL Pitcher of the Month for June with a 4-0 record, 2.31 ERA punching out 36 in 39 innings. Quite a feat for the 36 year old right hander.

51’s 28 year old left hander Matthew Cafasso brought in the June CL pitcher of the month after a 5-1 2.70 run, striking out 42 in 50 innings. He’s now 11-4 2.93 on the year.

Hill and Stone also captured the IBL’s Rookie of the Month awards for June.

ORGANIZATION NEWS
Ivan Rea (1 of 2 11th round picks) out of LSU went 4-5 in an Omaha win, hitting for the cycle today.

[gehrig38]

Week 15
3 vs PHI
3 @ NH

Game 84
Bill Flowers attempt to remain unbeaten was a battle. After a 6-6-2-2-1-2 night he handed a 2-2 game to the pen. KJ promptly coughed it up in 3 hitters. Backup catcher Dave Lawhorn, in a rare appearance knotted the game with a 2 run HR in the 7th (part of a 3-6 day for him). The Iron Pigs pen once again managed zeroes, this time for 5 innings but Rudy Potts coughed up 2 in the 13th and the Iron Pigs couldn't answer.
PHI 6 CHI 4 (38-46 7GB)

TRADE NEWS
Ted Johnston got back to me today. He’s asking for a prospect as part of the deal but none of the names he mentioned am I interested in moving. Don’t want to do anything drastic in the first year of this organization, want to see what the pieces look like with a season under their belt.

Game 85
Jackson (4-8) struggles again walking 5 and giving up 6 hits in 4.2 IP. He’s just killing my pen. Each reliever behind him gives up at least 1, can’t seem to get them a breather, ever. Gutierrez goes 3-3 in the pasting.
PHI 9 CHI 1 (38-47 7GB)

TRADE NEWS
Houston makes a huge move today. Trading 26 year old RF Jose Palacios (.249-10-34) a guy Martin sees as a 4 star player, with huge pop and gap power and 21 year old minor league 2B Chris Wilson (.268-5-26 at AA) who Martin believes his best is yet to come. A 4 star potential with 40+ 2B gap power and a 300+ bat to Pittsburgh for 32 year old CF and masher Leonard Sizemore (.255-21-51). Palacios moves into Pittsburgh's cleanup spot and Sizemore takes over the DH role and hits 7th in a lineup that was 2nd in the CL before being acquired, in HR’s. Ugh.

Dayton breaks up the two headed “Kelly” Monster, trading 26 year old SP Gerald Kelly (8-7 4.17) to LA in exchange for 32 year old catcher Jim Powell. Powell (.239/.318/.399) is a decent receiver with big time gap power and a better eye than he’s shown. Powell offers a LH catching option as starter 28 year old Luis Sandoval has struggled to a .215/.255/.333 season to date. Kellys rotation spot was plugged by AA starter Angel Rodriguez, a 22 year old lefty who was 10-4 through 2 stops in A ball and 2 starts in AA.

Game 86
Philly shows exactly why they’re the leagues best team. Drilling ace Alfredo Alejandrez for 4 HR’s and 13 hits over 5 hapless innings. 7 of the 10 runs were earned. Wil Morgan went 3-4 with a HR(15) and 3 RBI’s. Gutierrez, Hudson and Walker had 2 hit days in the loss.
PHI 10 CHI 5 (38-48 7GB)

ORGANIZATION NEWS
Rookie league SP Mike Ablett tossed a 4 hit shutout at Shreveport today. He’s 2-0 with a 1.17 on the season.

TRADE NEWS
The White Caps of West Michigan offered us a trade today. They too appear to be hot on Ken Johnson. They offered 27 year old switch hitting 3B Michael Ruffin for KJ and Rookie League starter Bill Sharp. It’s come to my attention that Sharp appears far more suited for a job in the pen (read that as I happen to notice that even though he’s a 4 pitch pitcher his role in the IBL is apparently “Strictly Bullpen”, of which I had no idea why!) Gonna talk this trade over. Ruffin is a good player, very good, and could possibly be a chip to bring some prospects at the deadline, or this winter. But I need to get a prospect, a good one, to even consider this deal.

LEAGUE NEWS
Gerald Kelly, LA’s new prize, starts his career with the Sky Sox by twirling a 6 hit shutout vs Fresno.

Game 87
Jeff Garrett struggles through 5 (5.2-10-5-5-1-2) but the offense manages to knot it at 5 in the 6th. Sib van Bodegraven (0-6) leaves a runner on and George allows them to score in the bottom of the 9th. Brian Walker had a 3-4 day. Chartier, Weaver, Bartlett and Morgan (HR #16) had 2 hit days in the loss. NH 6 CHI 5 (38-49 7GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Ben Wellman of the NY Knights hit for the cycle today, going 5-5 with 3RBI’s.
Jeff Holland of Fresno hit in his 20th straight today. Hitting .360-13-51 on the season.

San Antonio super prospect 20 year old Colin “Cajun” Durham will miss the next 11-12 months after tearing his rotator cuff. The young Durham was 9-4 4.32 in IBL action this year.

Game 88
Mike Davis (8-4) gets the W (6-7-3-3-1-3) but it was a struggle. Bill George gets a huge DP to end the 8th with the bases juiced and Ernesto Cruz saves #15. Gutierrez and Lopez go 6-10 in the top 2 spots, scoring 4 times. Lopez and Alexander drive in 2 each with Lopez hitting his 6th in a 2 run 1st.
CHI 5 NH 3 (39-49 6GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Jeff Hollands hitting streak end at 20

Game 89
The bubble bursts on Bill Flowers. 4.2-13-9-8-0-1 but he doesn’t get the loss! The offense manages to claw back and pushes the game into 12 innings before the bullpen gives way. They threw 6.2 scoreless to get there. Alexander clubs his 28th in the 8th to tie it, part of a 3-7 2 RBI day (and he learns after the game he’s Chicago’s lone All Star rep this year). Gutierrez goes 3-7 with is 4th HR and sits at .342 now. Chartier (13) and Morgan (17) homer as well.
NH 10 CHI 9 (39-50 6GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Toby Clifton got 2 pieces of great news today. The first being named FL PotW for his 10-25 4 HR 12 RBI week, then being named to the 1st FL All Star team.

WEEK 15 RECAP
Clipper LF Stephano McDermott was named the CL PotW after a 11-24 4 HR 9 RBI week.

(Not sure how I missed reporting on the FL POTW?)

[gehrig38]

ALL STAR TEAMS ANNOUNCED!
FRONTIER LEAGUE ALL STARS
SP Shawb Calhoun WMI 12-3 2.71
1B Barton Roberts WMI .300-17-59
SP Gonzalo Casisas BUF 9-3 3.24
SP Chris Dusek BUF 11-3 3.90
1B Alberto Vargas BUF .289-27-64
RP Francisco Flores BUF 22 SV 1.36
LF Bob Veeck BUF .326-10-48
SP Ernie Kelly DAY 9-4 1.72
RP Bill Barlow DAY 22 SV 2.03
CF Bill Hill DAY .311-30-75
SP Vincente Romero SAC 9-6 3.11
C Clarence Woods SAC .266-18-57
1B Nori Takahashi SAC .308-16-47
SP Paco Sanchez EDM 9-2 3.67
RP Esteban Melendez EDM 23 SV 0.71
2B Tim Davis EDM .292-17-55
3B Toby Clifton EDM .304-17-74
SP Walt Thompson BRO 8-5 2.71
RP Mark Burrell EP 17 SV 2.18
1B Gerald Wright EP .328-18-64
SS Mario Orosco EP .293-4-41
RF Valentin Maitani EP .294-26-61
C Ralph Lashari TUL .313-25-65
1B Stefan Conway NY .313-19-51
LF Travis Bryant SI .297-31-61
LF Lou Sparks SAN .309-15-54
CF Robert Villalobos SAN .345-5-36

COASTAL LEAGUE ALL STARS
SP Matthieu Cafasso LV 12-4 3.02
CL Anbar Suhayb LV 18 SV 0.50
SP Raul Gonzalez HOU 11-7 3.69
CL Michael Ross HOU 15 SV 0.73
CF Cy May HOU .308-29-83
SP Nick Johnston LA 11-4 3.86
CL Julio Gonzalez LA 23 SV 1.62
1B Pat Adams LA .308-0-35
LF Vincent Soto LA .357-7-72
CF Felix Torres LA .285-14-56
RF Manuel Miranda LA .327-12-54
SP Albert Luna BAL 11-6 3.48
2B Lando Jongmans BAL .295-15-61
SP Andrew Olson PHI 10-6 3.71
SP Steve Whiteway PHI 9-6 3.86
C Dan Land PHI .313-14-47
MR Arturo Villarreal COL 5-0 5SV 1.90
C Dean Strong COL .302-17-62
CL Glenn Hanna FRE 19 SV 2.61
1B Qi-Chen Jung FRE .330-23-86
3B Jim Rowe FRE .297-16-58
CF Jeff Holland FRE .357-13-51
RF Rich Stone FRE .391-12-58
CL Sherwood Jacobs MIC 29 SV 1.57
1B Ross Tunstall PIT .330-21-48
SS Kris Wright PIT .281-7-32
2B Logan Adams CC .312-18-58
LF Bill Alexander CHI .324-27-90

LA leads all with 6 All Stars, Buffalo and Fresno with 5 each. Phoenix and NH have no all stars, apparently this is a 'suck it' league when it comes to awards, which I like.

AAA Tulsa sent C Jose Cabral (.326-9-22) 2B Alejandro Sotolo (.264-7-24) Sotolo started and went 1-4 in a 12-7 United League win Broderick Olson (C) for the Greyhounds AAA Mcrae Beasts was the games MVP going 3-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBI's.
AA Bakersfield sent RF Alfredo Lozano (.307-10-34) who started and went 1-4 with a solo HR in a 13-3 loss. Tommy Stevenson (C) of Houston's AA affiliate Fremd Village-Padegett Island Cranes was the MVP going 4-4 with 3 RBI's
Denison had no All Stars but Belleview sent SP Julio Acevedo 8-4 3.26 SP Louis Carpenter 5-0 1.45 CL Daniel Etheridge 20SV 2.10 C Clyde Brooks .287-7-19 3B Milard Young .260-10-30 and LF Chris Richards .358-6-20
Carpenter started going 2-1-0-0-1-2 Acevedo got the win with 1-0-0-0-2-0 and Etheridge got the save 1-1-1-0-0-1. All three position players started Brooks 1-4 Young 1-3 and Richards was 1-2 with a HR and 2 RBI's in a 7-5 win. Martin Torres of the Corpus Christi Hooks Worcester franchise was the MVP going 2-5 with a HR in the loss.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

Defensively I am unsure of what RNG is good, bad, average.
I know a + Zone Range is good, but unsure of where it gets bad, or great.
EFF? Not sure what efficiency is or how it relates. Obviously higher is better as + ZR guys are the only ones with 1.+ EFF.
More specifically, Orcin I'm looking at you!, tell me what MY defensive numbers tell me? If you care to.

First of all, and most notably, you have an outstanding middle infield combo. Their total chances and range factors are high, indicating that they get to a lot of balls. Their high zone rating indicates that they cover their territory effectively, and that can also be seen in their low error rate and large number of double plays. The efficiency is the one-stop basic look... if it is over 1, you have an above average fielder. They have efficency ratings well over 1. Ok, they don't hit much. But they are helping your pitching staff. A staff with high groundball rates will really help capitalize on this advantage.

I don't remember if you said but, of the two first basemen, Morgan is playing third base, right? His assists are too high and putouts too low to be playing first. Assuming that is correct, he is pretty good there. He is helping that middle infield by covering the hole with his range so the shortstop can cheat to the bag. Weaver is fine at first base. Overall, this is a great infield defensively.

The outfield defense is not bad, probably above average. Gutierrez has really good numbers. Sergio Lopez has 20 assists? Do other teams scout you? His range factor is off the charts too.

The catching is ok, not as good as I would have expected. Errors (10) and passed balls (7) are pretty high for this point in the season. I don't care a lot about that, or the sorta low caught srealing rate (24%). IF Hudson has a catcher ability rating of 7 or higher, he probably earns his spot with his offense. If not, it might be worth keeping a late-inning defensive replacement on the roster.

It should be an above average defense in total. The challenge for you will be to improve the offense while keeping the quality of defense at this level.

[gehrig38]

Morgan is a GG 1B and well above avg 3B so that's why the PO and Assists look awkward. vs RHP he plays 3rd, so that's where most of his D is from.
Lopez is a decent 1B, in addition to playing the OF and Weaver is just so bad I've got him DH'ing most of the time, Lopez at 1st, Morgan at 3rd.
Hudson is a 19 Catcher, 19 Arm but a 9 ability, which is the reason for the PB I am guessing.

[gehrig38]

Week 16
4 @ CC

Game 90
Alexander slams his 29th, Chartier his 14th and Lopez goes 3-5 with 2 2B’s and 2 runs to back Alejandrez 8th win (8-5). 6-7-3-3-4-4. 4 Chicago DP’s kept CC from getting back in the game.
CHI 9 CC 5 (40-50 6GB)

TRADE NEWS
Phoenix and New Hampshire made a pretty significant move today. Obviously there was no all star player involved…. Phoenix gets 25 year old 3.5 star SS Ramiro Villanueva from NH (he was hitting .325/.388/.349 at NH) in exchange for 33 yr old SS Geraldo Perez 22 yr old minor leaguer Hunter Carson and PHX 2013 2nd rd pick. I can only guess Phoenix values the pick, highly, given Perez is an average, at best, IBL 3B and Carson is a fantastic corner OF and as fast as anyone in the game, but his bat doesn't project above AA.

Game 91
Wes Morgan showed up with a 103 temp today, so Cotchini sent him home to keep the clubhouse sterile, I guess, and it seems we’ll be short for 2-3 days. In the game Davis (9-4) battled through 5.1 IP (5.1-7-4-4-3-5) giving up 2 solo shots and keeping it closer than it needed to be. The pen was good, with Frank (H11) handing the 4 outs to KJ (H4) and Cruz (S16) nailing it down vs the heart of the CC order. Gut, Hudson, Alexander and Walker all had 2 hits days, with Alexander driving in 2.
CHI 5 CC 4 (41-50 5GB)

TRADE NEWS
Dang! The NY Knights sent 18 yr old 2B Brian Milton (their 5th pick in this years draft, Milton has this kid at 3.5-4.5 stars when he matures!) and MR Desi Davis (having a pretty good year) to Buffalo for 27 yr old INF Birger Kjorsvik. An inter division trade between the first and last place team. Knights GM jim Bradley is generally thought of as a good scout across all areas and has never favored ability over tools, or vice versa.

We find ourselves 5 games back, which is sort of weird. I expect this team to grind it out and that a .500 season would be an enormous achievement. If we somehow wander into this thing, as Houston is having issues right now, there’s no way in hell I make any sort of trade that risks the future. I am in this to build a true powerhouse. A team that has the expectation of a title each spring.

Game 92
Flowers (4-1) struggled, walking 5 and yielding 9 hits through 6 laborious innings. 2 runs on 3 hits from our offense was all we had today.
CC 5 CHI 2 (41-51 5GB)

ORG NEWS
AAA SP Francisco Salazar (he of the 7.97 ML ERA) twirled a 2 hit SHO today. He’s 2-5 4.81 since being demoted.

TRADE NEWS
Sacramento sends 1B Earl Lee and 19 yr old prospect Luis Ramos to El Paso for 25 yr old SP Dan Millman. Ramos is a potential 3 star player with 35+ HR pop and good plate discipline who can play a mean LF. Millman was 5-10 with a 4.47 but has 106 punch outs in 112 IP for El Paso this year. Another inter division trade, this time by two teams going nowhere. The River Cats I think are still reeling from losing 4 star prospect 20 year old Angel Serrano who was projected to be their #3 this year, in April. He’s out another 6 weeks with shoulder inflammation. Could be a nice staff if he comes back healthy.

Game 93
Not even sure what to call it. Every Jeff Jackson start is an eye watering struggle. He gets the W today to move to 5-8. He goes 5.2 giving up 2 hits and walking 7. In 99 innings he’s walked 72 and struck out 58. That won’t work, ever. I have no real options right now. I’ll grin and bear it as long as possible. KJ is, I think, finding himself. Came in with bases drunk, 2 outs and got out with a K, then ran through 2 more innings with 0 hits and 2 walks. If I can limit his exposure he’s a power arm to bridge the 7th and 8th. Cruz nails down save 17. Lopez and Chartier with 2 hits apiece, Chartier hitting #15. Parker has a rare 3 hit day and Bartlett hits his 6th. Chartier is closing on the 20/20 club with 15 bombs and 18 bags. Hell of a season for an 18 year old kid.
CHI 4 CC 1 (41-52)

WEEK 16 RECAP
Cy “Abnormal” May (huh…) went 4-5 today, hitting for the cycle in a 6-5 Houston win.

Martin Allen of Phoenix took hom FL PotW honors going 8-16 with 2HR’s and 3RBI’s

Cy May (ya, Abnormal is the nickname..) took home CL PotW honors going 7-22 with 3HR’s and 8 RBI’s in 5 games.

ORG NEWS
Matt Lee of Belleview took home Midwest League PotW honors going 13-25 with a HR and 7RBI’s last week

[gehrig38]

WEEK 17
3 vs COL
4 vs LV

Game 94
I just can’t watch this. Jeff Garrett can’t get out of the 2nd, 6 hits, 2 walks and a Granny to go with the 7 earned runs. George semi bails me out with 3.1 scoreless innings to not crush my pen, but this is just putrid. He seems oblivious with the “well if a couple balls get called strikes and we make a play or two”. I’d prefer to put a uni on a fan than hear that crap.
COL 10 CHI 4 (41-53 6GB)

ORG+ROSTER NEWS
Jeremy Calhoun was sent to AA and Jacob “Ugly” Nelson (21 year old acquired in my first trade) was moved up to AAA Tulsa. I’m praying it’s not too much too soon but he’s handled AA well and I think he’s ready.

Riley Potts is hurting. He’s got back tightness and could be less than good for 10-14 days. With this pen I may need to DL him and get a fresh arm up here.

BTW Wes Morgan’s 9th innings 1B yesterday extended his streak to 20 games, first streak ever for a Chicago player. Guess the DL stint put that under the radar.

Belleview RF Matt Lee(PotW last week) went down and Doctors say he’s looking at 8-9 months to recover from a torn PCL.

TRADE NEWS
Skip Jones of the Riverhounds gave me a shout today. He’s offering up 3B Fred Huff (who Martin sees as a 2 star guy with a cannon and a brick at 3rd, can play 1B as well) who’s likely to hover around 240ish but has legit 20-25 HR pop for LHP Bill George and 4.5 star catching prospect 18 yr old Felix Sanchez (who’s off to a great start in Rookie Ball at .311/.456/.489). Clearly Huff won’t do it, but we’re looking at some other possibilities. I am in desperate need of a decent SP. I then whittle the trade down to prospects. I've got a stud catching, and 3 prospects with much higher ceilings than Sanchez, and it might be a ‘sell high’ moment. Issue being I ask for 21 year old potential 4.5 star OF Ralph Bradford. Martin LOVES this kid, giving him blue grades in contact, gap and plate discipline, and green power/K’s, meaning he’s a potential 330+ guy with 40 2B, 25 HR 400+ OBP. He’s fast, and will likely steal 10-15 a year, and plays all 3 OF positions.

Game 95
Bullpen threw 9 innings, after Alejandrez gave us a 6-5-2-2-1-10 line! Ernesto Cruz blew his 2nd save of the year and paid for it by having to twirl 4, yes 4! Innings. Frank, KJ (who’s turning into a legit setup man) Cruz, van Bondegraven then George (4-0) compiled a line of 9-7-2-2-4-11. Alexander was 4-7 and Leo Russell continues to push for some time with his 4th HR in part time duty.
CHI 5 COL 4 (42-53 5GB)

SCOUTING/TRADE NEWS/ORG NEWS
Martin Cintron came to me today with a 16 year old 2B out of the Dominican. Anastasio Ayala has 1.5 star potential and brings amazing tools to the table. A switch hitting ++ baserunner, outstanding bunter and immense range, as well as comfort playing every INF position except 1st and it looks like a kid we’ll have to take a flyer on.

Skip Jones wants another prospect. Combing his list I throw Cesar Perez a 23 year old 2.5 potential reliever in the mix, as this was a guy on his list. I’ll wait on his call.

24yr old Julio Acevedo, off to a 9-4 start at Belleview, is down for 4-5 months after surgery to decompress his radial nerve.

Game 96
Mike Davis (9-5) didn't get the win, but I got innings. He pitched good, 7-9-5-2-1-3, amazing what happens when he doesn’t walk people. Alexander and Morgan errors cost us. Gutierrez was 2-3 with 2 2B’s and Wil Morgan hit his 18th in the loss. Bill Alexander drove in a run, 2 more for 100 on the season. COL 6 CHI 4 (42-54 6GB)

TRADE NEWS
Sky Sox offered William Wallace, a 33 year old RF/DH type (.290-11-51 a AAA Grangeville) today. He’s a guy that can handle ML pitching now, though challenged defensively. They’d like 27 yr old AA starter Kevin Smith (no issues there) and 17 year old, 11th rounder Eric Green whom Martin feels has 4 star potential. Given my depth at middle INF I’m willing to talk. Going to scour the Sox system, see if I can’t grab an arm or a pick, or both.

Pittsburgh GM Skip Jones agreed to terms and the Iron Pigs have sent 23 yr old AAA reliever Cesar Perez along with 18 year old catching prospect Felix Sanchez to the Riverhounds in exchange for 21 yr old OF Ralph Bradford.

MINORS NEWS
3rd round pick Randy Pennington is 1-0 7 saves with a 0.00 in 9 AAA IP. 4 hits 3 walks and 10k’s

Game 97
Muggsy Halas calling
“Hudson steps to the plate, oh for two on the day. Carter Lee checks the sign, nods….The windup, a line drive to left, Hood is under it, HE’S DONE IT! Las Vegas’ Carter Lee has thrown the 2nd no hitter of the year! Holy cow what an amazing effort. The 51’s are dogpiling Lee on the mound!”
Carter Lee lets me see the other side of a no no. Same thing, started to feel it in the 5th, each inning piled up, I sent Ferrer to the plate to lead off the 9th, trying to shake it up. Lee coming into the game was 7-8 5+ ERA. Bill Flowers threw a gem as well, as the game was 1-0 into the 8th. He was laboring. A Chartier error with KJ on the mound plated 4 in the top of the 9th and all that was left was Lee’s no no. He walked 3 and punched out 5. Wow, 2 no hitters in my league, and both in games I played. What an awesome game this is.
LV 6 CHI 0 (42-55 6GB)

Needless to say Wes Morgans 22 game hitting streak is now over.

TRADE NEWS
Rob Yoder and I hammered out the deal we’d been discussing for the last week. I’m sending journeyman SP Kevin Smith, 17 year old prospects Eric Green (SS) and Julio Perez (MR), both of whom have 4-4.5 star potential according to Martin, and get back William Wallace and 21 year old CL prospect Jose “Gauntlet” Torres. Torres will likely head to AA and Wallace is trade bait the second this deal consummates. I also snagged LA’s 2nd round pick in exchange for my 3rd. They’ll likely be a lower picking club but it’ll move me up 10 or so slots.

I then turned around and moved William Wallace and my 7th pick next year, to the West Michigan White Caps for 18 yr old OF Thomas Wise and their 3rd pick. Wise is as raw as they come. But Martin projects this kid to have monster power and a great eye. He’ll punch out, likely a lot, but he’ll create souvenirs routinely if Martin’s even half right on this one. Did I mention the kid rates green to blue across the board as a runner? Legit 40 bag potential and with his gap power he could be a 10-15 3B a year kid as well.

Game 98
Jackson falls to 5-9, walking 6 giving up 7 hits in 5 innings. Amazingly he only gave up 3 runs. The offense was nowhere to be seen against All Star Matthieu Cafasso (13-4) who scattered 5 hits and a run, punching out 7 in the complete game effort. LV 5 CHI 1 (42-56 6GB)

DL NEWS
Greg Bartlett was knocked out of the game in a collision at 2nd in the 1st. He’s down at least 2, more likely 3 weeks. Dudley Williams was tearing up AAA but is hurt, and we’re awaiting word, and I was extremely tempted to give the call to 24 yr old Alejandro Bautista (the stud we acquired from Philly in the Diaz trade) as he’s raking in AAA. At the end of the day I didn't feel like starting his IBL clock and he could stand to get more seasoning before getting the call, so I ended up just bringing Gonzalo Barron back to backup the infield.

LEAGUE NEWS
Edmonton Trappers 28 yr old LF Ronald Cooper called it quits today. His labral tear was far worse than first thought and he’s got a degree in forensic science, and never hid the fact he wanted to be a Secret Service agent. Good luck kid!

Game 99
Jeff Garrett (3-8) holds the fort into the 7th (6.2-9-2-2-1-3) and Frank hands to KJ who gives me 2 more scoreless with 2 K’s to close it out. Wesley Morgan slams HR’s 19 and 20 and drives in 4, Lopez and Parker add 2 hit days.
CHI 6 LV 2 (43-56 5GB)

Game 100
Alejandrez (9-5) labors through 6 (6-3-4-3-5-5) but hangs on, Pacheco holds the fort until Morgans 21st HR breaks it open. Alexander hits #30, Morgan drives in 4.
CHI 9 LV 4 (44-56 5GB)

WEEK 17 RECAP
Bill Hill is becoming an old hand at this. Pocketing his 5th FL PotW award with an 11-28 3HR 7RBI week.

Houston All Star Cy May took home CL PotW #2 after a 13-33 3HR 8 RBI week himself.

ORG NEWS
Francisco Reyna of the Denison Plymouths took home his first Pacific League PotW award going 9-15 with a HR and 10 RBI’s.

The Iron Pigs are 17th in this weeks Power Rankings at 84.8

[gehrig38]

Week 18
3 @ Michigan (53-47 4.5GB CL West)
4 @ Fresno (53-45 3.5GB CL West oh Lord)
It’s pretty clear to me the CL’s Western Division is the IBL’s equivalent of the AL East. LA leads the division at 57-42 and Michigan pulls up the rear at 53-47. The FL Central has 3 teams over .500 and the other 4 divisions have no more than 2 teams at/above .500. Houston is 7-14 this month!

Game 101
Mike Davis (10-5) starts the week with 7 strong innings (7-4-2-2-2-4) and a chilly Eric Hudson busts out going 4-5 with 3 RBI’s. Chartier 3-4 16th HR, Parker 3-5 and Russell’s 2-5 with HR#5 propel a 15 hit Iron Pig attack. Goot goes 2-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s, and is now at .326-5-44 on the year.
CHI 7 MICH 3 (45-56 4GB)

Game 102
The Battlecats of Michigan bared their teeth today. 3 HR’s off starter Bill Flowers (4-3) were enough. Morgan hits #22 in the loss and Hudson and Lopez have 2 hit days.
MICH 5 CHI 3 (45-57 5GB)

Game 103
Can anyone say “REVERSE LOCK!”. That’s exactly what a Jack Jackson (6-9) start vs this team was. How’s this line? 9-4-0-0-3-7! Not sure Vegas even took bets on this game, if they did someone made some glue. Goot and Hudson each go 3-5, Hudson driving in 2. Morgan drives in 2 in a 2-5 day and Bill Alexander hits the century mark in RBI’s going 1-3.
CHI 7 MICH 0 (46-57 4GB)

INJURY NEWS
Houston’s Carlos Arredondo .285-17-57 is out 5 weeks with a bruised kneecap….Wussy (Looking back note, pay attention to this name)

BIG GAMES
Sacramento All Star Nori “Ratchet” Takahashi goes 4-4 today and hits for the cycle in a 6-3 River Cat win

TRADE NEWS
I received 2 trade proposals today! (First time I can ever remember receiving and offer with a pick included!)

Buffalo offers me 28yr old RF Will Coleman and their 3rd pick in next years draft for Bill George and minor leaguer Bill Sharp. I’ll talk to Carlos on this one.
Ha! Nick Foster apparently thinks it’s April 1st, or I really am a fool. He’s offering me 3B Robert Mcpherson (decent player, nothing special) for KJ (who’s rounding into form enough to be at the very least far more valuable than this) and for ****s and giggles Nick tosses Anthony Martin’s name in the deal. Ya, THAT Anthony Martin, our scouts grand son, and our #1 pick this year (who btw is off to a 4-1 start with a 2.58 ERA. In 38 IP he’s given up 26 hits, punched out 45 and walked 21. Working through different permutations on this I just can’t do it. Sharpe, while falling on my personal radar, is still a potential 4-5 star kid and George leaves my bullpen short handed even though Pennington is knocking on the door. I already have 3 of the first 35 or so picks next year.

(also noticed as I looked through the draft order there were more picks than teams, then realized Phoenix failed to sign their 1st rounder, and Dayton missed on their 2nd)

Apparently the Knights recognize they’re out of things. They made 2 pretty big deals today.

The first one sending 27 year old CF Ben Wellman who’d underperformed mightily this year (.209-9-33) to Baltimore for 2.5 star SS prospect Juan Figueroa who can play, well, he can play anywhere you may need a glove being a green to blue defensive player at 2B, 3B, SS and LF. BLAZING speed as well. They also receive 21 year old MR prospect Taylor Eldridge. Martin has this kid as a potential 4 star pitcher with a 92mph led weight for a fastball. Struggled in AA Buffalo but was immediately sent to NY’s AA affiliate in Arlington.

The 2nd NY deal involved, WOW, Baltimore too! Two deals between the same two teams, in the same day! This time NY sends 27 yr old SP Jason England (5-12 5.03) to the Railcats for 23 yr old 1B Chris Porter and 21 year old catching prospect Manuel Trejo. England looks to be a serviceable 4, likely a 5 on a real good team while Porter (who was at .257-7-36 for the Railcats this year) looks to take over an everyday job in NY. Defensively he’s going to have issues but Martin tells me his east coast guys have Chris as a potential 4.5 star guy. I’m guess their 20 speed rating and 17/14 SB/Baserunning rating are big reasons why. He doesn’t look to hit for a ton of average but does look to have a little pop and a real good eye. Martin tells me Trejo is pretty much a throw in to fill a short season roster spot. Porter slides into the leadoff spot for NY.

In reading the NY papers it appears a team expected to contend this year has recently let out they are moving to a rebuilding phase, today! Baltimore owner Dave Hatcher was hoping to play .500 ball this year and the focus appears to be moving a bit from there, with a rather big market size, extremely loyal fans and a fan rating of 76 I’m thinking they’re shooting to put a better product on the field right now.

Game 104
Nothing better than pitching that executes. Garrett (4-8) was outstanding today. Rich Stones 16th HR was the only blemish in 7 hard fought innings. (7-3-1-1-5-3). Frank comes in, walk, KJ gets an out, then a hit, George comes in an gets O’neal leaving Cruz to face Stone with 2nd and 3rd 2 outs (Jung at .317-29-97 was on deck) and he retired him. Then closed the 9th with a game ending DP and his 18th save in 20 tries. Morgans 23rd HR in the 6th was the game winner.
CHI 2 FRE 1 (47-57 3.5 GB)

Ok I’ve now got to think, incredibly, about what I’d do if I get into contention! I never dreamed this roster could do that, especially after the Diaz trade. Maybe I sit back and just let it happen, and if it does great. We generate unexpected revenue, create more fan interest and who knows?

TRADE NEWS
Apparently EVERYONE thinks I need a 3B. Phoenix came calling today, offering 32 yr old 3B Ron Williamson. Martin has him as a 3 star guy, but I am thinking that is what he WAS, and not what he’s going to be. Laughingly KJ AND Ralph Bradford (333/391/476 in 7 games since we acquired him) were the asking price.

Dayton makes a move today, trading 36yr old SP Hunter Petty (7-6 5.01) and fringe relief prospect Juan Zumaya to Pittsburgh for 33 yr old CF Ben Simmons. Dayton came into the season looking to be .500 but they’ve clearly had a shift in thinking as they are playing and dealing in a win now mode! My guess is Pittsburgh was shopping as much as anything, with 2 SP sitting on the DL Petty moved into their #3 spot.

INJURY NEWS
Staten Island was perceptive I think! Days after trading ML talent they lose their Closer Rafael Valdez for 2 months.

Game 105
Ok what the hell is going on? I fully expected the Iron Pigs to fall into their ‘place’ this week. Alfredo Alejandrez (10-5) joins Davis as 10 game winners after going 8.2-4-1-1-1-7! Cruz comes in to record the final out and save 19. Alexander (31) Lopez (7) and Morgan (24) homer and Hudson, Gutierrez, Alexander and Lopez have 2 hit days. CHI 5 FRE 1
(48-57 3.5GB)

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Louis Carpenter twirled a 3 hit gem for Belleview against the Paradise Cyclones.

LEAGUE NEWS
The White Caps Roger Goodman (.250-24-73) suffered a setback and will be out at least another week.

TRADE NEWS
Dayton makes another move. Sending MR Jon Sloan and 20 year old prospect Bill Ahlers to Brooklyn for 31 yr old SS Jesus Costello (.219-12-38). Ahlers is a hard throwing lefty who’s still a few seasons away, but Martin does like the upside, rating him a potential 2.5 star kid. Sloan was having a very good year for Dayton (I guess they’re the one team on the planet that thinks you CAN have too much pitching, ranking #1 in SP and Bullpen ERA). Costello comes to an infield already very talented, and I am guessing he was a buy low guy, as he’s a SB threat (leading the FL in SB with 29) and an exceptional defender at 2B and 3rd as well as being an outstanding SS.

Game 106
Davis (10-6) didn’t have it today. 2 2R HR’s, 1 in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th were all Fresno needed. Davis walked 4 and gave up 5 hits in 6.1IP. Chartier hit his 11th triple. FRE 5 CHI 4
(48-58 3.5GB)

MINOR LEAGUES
Omaha sends SP Jim House (4-2 2.62) SP Anthony Martin (5-1 2.42) SP Bill Sharp (5-1 2.83) and RF Antonio Macias (.353/.529/627) to the NYP All Star Game

TRADE NEWS
Apparently El Paso is having issues finding a SS. Earl Lee, acquired last month was hitting .160 so they went out and traded RP Quincy Gallagher (2-6 4.79 88K’s 71.1IP) and 18 yr old 4.5 star (according to Martin Cintron) to Fresno for 28 yr old SS Hamilton Fraser (232-8-40). I guess Fresno’s acquisition of Staten Island SS Truman Stuckey (258-17-46 in 61 games since the trade) made Fraser expendable!

Game 107
A 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of 7 evaporated as manager Jared Smith once again went too long with his starter. Bill Flowers (4-4) loaded the bases with 0 outs and Craig Frank gave up 1, and Johnson followed him up and gave up the other 2. Flowers (6-9-4-4-0-6) had a much better day than the numbers show. Chicago managed just three hits off Francois Tardy (11-6) and Glenn Hanna (SV23).
FRE 4 CHI 2 (48-59 3.5GB)

BIG GAME NEWS
Michigan Battlecats Drew Leduc had a day for the ages! In his first IBL game after being recalled, he went 6-7 in a 10-9 13 inning Michigan win. That’s the first 6 hit game in IBL History!

WEEK 18 RECAP
Antonio Bruno of the Staten Island Yankees was the FL PotW after a 12-31 3 HR 10 RBI week.

Martin Walley of Corpus Christi won the CL PotW going 11-27 with 4HR’s and 8 RBI’s.

We’re 16th in the IBL power rankings this week 84.1

INJURY NEWS
LA Sky Sox All Star LF Vincente Soto broke his left elbow yesterday. In the midst of a monster season (360-10-92) Soto talked to the media and was obviously down. He’s looking at 8, maybe 9 months of rehab before he returns.

Week 19
3 vs Houston (53-53 –GB)
3 vs LA (63-44 –GB)
Houston was an abysmal 9-16 in July! Our 12-14 month saw us pickup 2.5 games. The off day will allow us to skip Garrett and bring Alejandro and Davis back for games 2 and 3 against Houston. Today is the trade deadline as well, we’ll put a few last minute feelers out to see if we can work some magic.

MINORS ORG NEWS
Raul Feliz (our #2 pick) was crushing AA pitching to the tune of 354/436/535 and was called up to AAA Tulsa today .

Game 108
Chasing the first place team, you've picked up 3.5 games, they’re cold as hell, you’re warming up, want to know what you DON’T DO? You don’t drill their #4 hitter a pitch after the guy with 39 bombs takes you deep, get ejected and brawl…. Idiot. Jeff Jackson drills Millard O’Reilly the pitch after Cy May hits his 39th homer. He gets ejected, my pen has to eat 8.1 innings. What a dumb ass. Now he’s likely to get a suspension. I have NO issues drilling guys to protect teammates, drilling guys who show your team no respect, hell I did it and was happy to. You don’t throw at players because you suck, and you threw a cock shot and the ML hitter you were facing did what ML hitters do with 88mph fastballs down the cock. Did I mention Cy returned in the 7th to drill his 40th? How about the fact that Raul Gonzalez (13-9) shut us out on a 6 hitter (9-6-0-0-0-5). Just a pathetic performance. Embarrassed as hell at what we just did.
HOU 4 CHI 0 (48-60 4.5GB)

That’ll end July, and what a sad note to end on. Jack Jackson was given a 7 day suspension.

SCOUTING NEWS
Martin found me another infielder. Albert Ramos was discovered in Mexico. An 18 year old speed burner who can play 2B and 3B. We’ll see if we can get him signed before he learns enough English to say “Agent”.

JULY RECAP
Toby Clifton of Edmonton was the July FL PotM. Toby hit .374-10-33 with 20 runs.

Cy May (already feeling a VERY STRONG dislike for this guy) took home the CL PotM honors for July. A line of .408-14-31 will do that most months. Guessing without him the Roughriders win about 2 games.

Walt Thompson of the Brooklyn Cyclones wins the FL Pitcher of the Month award. He went 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA punching out 38 in 36.2 IP

Tommy Hobbs of the LA Sky Sox went 5-0 with a 2.89 ERA in July to take home CL Pitcher of the Month. In 43.2 innings he fanned 44.

JULY ORG NEWS
Brandon Harris of Bakersfield won the Primal League PotM Award for July. He hit .311 with 5 HR’s and 30 RBI’s as well as scoring 20.

Carlos De La Torre of Bakersfield joined his teammate, wining Pitcher of the Month for July by going 4-0 with a 1.21 ERA

Kevin Nelson of Denison took home Pacific League PotM after going 33-92 (.359) with 3 HR’s and 17 RBI’s while scoring 19 times.

Bill Sharp of Omaha took home the NYP Pitcher of the Month after a 6-0 1.60 July.

[gehrig38]

Here's how the FL is starting to shake out.
NY, Staten Island, Tulsa, Sacramento and El Paso all clearly need to start looking at the off season and next year. Seems to be Buffalo and Brooklyn in the East, Dayton and Michigan in the Central and Edmonton in the west. I don't think Phx or Sacramento has the roster to make that gap up. Bill Hill of Dayton is sitting at .319, if he got hot and Villalobos cools way off there could be a triple crown run in there. Ernie Kelly of Dayton just recently saw his ERA climb above 2 for the first time this season.

[gehrig38]

How about the west? LA is starting to pull away but the three teams following them are within 1.5 games of the WC. Philly is running away in the East. Houston has come back to earth (although I fear our brawl yesterday could be the Tek/Arod moment they were desperately needing).
Jacobs is on a 55 save pace. Cy May took it upon himself to run away from the pack in HR's, as he's now on pace to hit 61, which would tie the Professional American Record set by Roger Maris some 50 years ago.

[gehrig38]

If you go down the system, in the past 13 or so weeks since we last posted this, you can see the impact of trades and the draft.
The Iron Pigs have gone from 18th to 9th since week 5. The ML players on the list are gone, and the real prospects are now on display. I've pushed my minor league managers hard, not as much on the winning as I have our organizational 'Brand', which in a round about way has resulted in winning. Amazingly 5 of my 6 teams are leading their divisions.
Two trades brought my #1 OF prospect Ralph Bradford and #1 pitching prospect Bill Sharp. Jacob Nelson also shows up. Riggs is finding his way after the brief AA call up, Tio as well. Just too much too soon for both of them I think, hopefully there'll be no long lasting impact.
I traded a very good catching prospect and still have 2 VERY good ones sharing time in AAA. Rafael Flores does appear to be pulling ahead. His defense is now as good as any backstop in the big leagues and his offense is slowly but surely coming (246/327/426 in 74 games while Cabral is 317/400/642 in 38 games). They aren't even on the same planet behind the plate though. I could actually be looking at a great L/R platoon with these two, depending on how their year ends. That could allow me to float Hudson on the market to bring back a top of the rotation arm.

[gehrig38]

If anyone's following along, and has suggestions for things they'd like to see, read, please let me know.
I totally get the allure here Orcin, the writing, creating, is about as fun as playing, sometimes more.
I haven't gotten into it enough to start getting the personal player stuff, but one thought i had was to use real life teammates and their stories, and attach them to my players, coaches, and owners.
Also thinking ahead to the first few years, I thought I might have made a mistake in not simming out at least 5 years or so, since I get a TON of enjoyment out of reading how you approach and handle the off season.
But I'll manage and figure things out.
I won't have arbitration or free agency for a few years. My league will likely grow too, I have a franchise owner who wants to start a team in Green Bay, and already has shown me their name, logo (the ONLY reason I go with teams and logos)
Also thinking of moving my AAA franchise. Trying to create a brand, an identity, with a AAA team housed in an IBL city is a problem.

[gehrig38]

In honor of an outing you're soon to read about, thought I'd post the top offensive and pitching game scores so far this year.

[khucke]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

I haven't gotten into it enough to start getting the personal player stuff, but one thought i had was to use real life teammates and their stories, and attach them to my players, coaches, and owners.
.l

Would be looking forward to this coming from an 'insider'.


Concerning the defense metrics in OOTP you asked about:

I only look at zone ratings and error rate (which is included in zone ratings), +10, for example, means the player saves his team ten runs, which roughly translates to 1 win (or WAR).
Are you aware that a catcher's ability to 'frame' pitches is reflected in his fielding ability? A good catcher gets more strike calls for his pitchers, in an article on Baseball Prospectus compellling evidence was presented that such an ability is real and quantifyable.


Enjoying your dynasty and admire its rapid pace!

[gehrig38]

Glad to hear that about catching ability, you don't have to tell me it's real, I know it. I talked with umpires about it, and they absolutely had their favorites (Tek, Dalton, Pratt) and the ones they hated (believe it or not Charles johnson) because they made the game way easier, or far harder, to call balls and strikes.

The pace is my desire to get 'more' out of the game, which I won't until FA and arbitration and what not.

In looking at what I've done so far, I am feeling like I'm too wordy, walls of text, which is no surprise because I am too wordy and talk too much in real life.

As far as your numbers on D go, I guess what I am asking is context. You say 10 runs is supposed to equal a Win? I am asking for comps, what's a good/great/bad set of numbers for that stat so I can know at a glance if the player is good, bad or great?

[gehrig38]

Week 18 Con’t
Top P prospects Anthony Martin and Bill Sharp were promoted to short season Heavener today. Carl Walker and Jose Rodriguez were sent down to rookie league Omaha.

Game 109
Alejandrez was not 100%, so the desire to skip Garrett went away. I’m more concerned about keeping my ace healthy and I’m gonna need Jeff anyway. Not to mention Garretts 7 game suspension means I’ll be skipping someone next time around, or making a move with someone other than Jeff.
I fear I’ve awakened the sleeping giant. May hit 2 more today, #’s 41 and 42. Garrett (4-9) was pounded for 6 runs in 4.2IP and a tired pen threw another 4.1 innings. Sergio De La Garza (7-11 5.18) went the distance 9-6-1-1-2-2. HOU 9 CHI 1 LOSS (5.5GB)

Cy May was 6-7 with 4 HR’s and 6 RBI’s with 6 Runs scored in the 1st two games of this series! In his last 7 games he’s had 4 2 HR games, 4! Over that span he’s 14-26 12 Runs 2 2B 8 HR’s and 17 RBI’s.

Game 110
An exhausted Alfredo Alejandrez (11-5) threw pitch 134 and in doing so set an IBL single game record with 15 punch outs! His 3 hit SHO was a dominating masterpiece and hopefully a jolt to the Chicago club. The clear leader of this team, on and off the field, Alejandrez was as emotional between innings as he’d been all year. His 15 strike outs were 1 better than the league mark of 14 set earlier this year by Vincent Bray of Pittsburgh on 2 occasions and Walt Thompson of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

“I sensed after that first night we were in a situation where our season could go one of two ways and after last night I think everyone was thinking or feeling we didn’t belong on the same field as the Roughriders. I don’t buy that crap, not when I have the ball in my hand anyway. “

Offensively Jean Chartiers 2R 2B and 3R HR (17) accounted for all 5 Iron Pig runs. Sergio Lopez strained his hammy running the bases and will likely be DtD over the next few days. CHI 5 HOU 0 WIN (4.5GB)

INTERESTING NOTES/STATS
Just took a peek at Vincent Brays season. He’s 8-9 with a 4.37 and he’s had 8 10+K games. (A stat I’d LOVE the game to keep!). 14 in 8.2 scorless (a ND) 10 in 7.2 of a 9-1 win 11 in 8 of a 3-1 Loss 11 in 8 of a 7-4 win, 14 in 8 of a 6-5 Win, 11 in 8 of a 5-0 Win, 13 in 7.2 of a 5-4 Win and 10 in 9 of a 14-3 Win. (Also noticed he went 9 in a spring training game! Punching out 9!

Walt Thompson has 8 10+ K games as well. 11 in 7.1 (ND) 12 in 8.1 (W) 11 in 8 (W) 3 straight games of 10, none of which he won, a 1-0 Loss, 5-4 ND and a 3-2 Loss. 14 in 7 (2-1 Loss) and 10 in 9 (14-1 Win). He’s 10-5 with a 2.56. Thompson is 35 Bray is 27.

Alejandrez now boasts the top two game scores on the season. His no hitter was a 96, this game was a 93, no other pitcher has a 90+.

MINOR LEAGUE NOTES
The Short season Gulf Coast League named their all-star team today.
Heavener, our SS franchise, sent SP Mike Ablett (5-1 1.89) CL Melvin Turner (10SV 1.84) 1B Phil Taylor (306/409/528) and SS Jim Carter (311/432/525)

Gotta admit I am stunned that my minor leagues are even remotely close to doing as well as they are. I do manage the hell out of their lineups and I feel like I’ve made some good trades, but beyond that I’ve done nothing, and that bodes well as this organization grows.

Game 111
The sun comes up, and my manager leaves his starter in too long, two things you can set your watch to. I will hold my tongue, he’s learning as much as I am, but this is infuriating. Mike Davis (10-7) was battling, but he was about 3 hitters too long tonight. 6-7-4-4-1-5. KJ’s old control issues cropped up and the last two runs were too much. Alexander was 2-2 with a 2B and Morgan hit his 25th, a 2 run shot in the first. LA 6 CHI 2 LOSS (5.5GB)

Game 112
A nice start by Bill Flowers (6.2-7-2-2-1-3). Frank and van Bodegraven got it to the 9th and KJ dropped the ball. Walking 3 and surrendering a 3R HR cost us the game. He’s pitched well since returning but this one got away. LA 5 CHI 2 LOSS (5.5GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Terry Miles went 5-6 with 8 RBI’s in a 20-10 West Michigan win over Buffalo.
Pittsburgh All Star Ross Tunstall was hurt in an undisclosed accident at home today, he’ll miss a week.

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Denison lost SP Jorge Gonzalez for 7 weeks (herniated disc) and MR Glen Chandler (surgery to remove bone chips in his non throwing arm) for 5 months

Game 113
I let Jeff Garrett think we were possibly making a move today , to bring a SP up from AAA to take the start, and then dropped it on him that he had the ball when he arrived. Wanting to shake him up a bit and let him go out with his head clear it appeared to work! He tossed 7 scoreless innings, on 3 hits and 2 walks. Unfortunately that meant the bullpen was required. Jose Pacheco (3-3) started the 8th, walked two and threw a bunt away and the Sky Sox pounced for 3. Goot went 3-4 in the loss and Parker hit his 3rd HR. LA 3 CHI1 LOSS (5.5GB)

LEAGUE NEWS

Manuel Garcia of Edmonton took home PotW honors going 10-22 with 4HR’s and 10RBI’s

Cy May remained on fire, taking home his 3rd CL PotW award after a 10-24 6HR 9RBI week.

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Belleview All Star Millard Young took home the MW League PotW award by going 8-20 with 3 HR’s and 9 RBI’s.

We’ve dropped to 22nd in the league power rankings 74.2

[gehrig38]

WEEK 19
3 vs NH (46-66 24GB) 3 vs PIT (58-56 13GB)

Game 114
Bill George gets a spot start as I have a SP suspended and a tired staff. He then manages to go 7, throw 119 pitches and yields just 2 earned runs! Pacheco relieves and a Chartier error allows 2 to score but the Iron Pigs answer with 2 of their own and Cruz punches out the side in the 9th for his 20th Save. Chartier homers (18) and drives in 3, Morgan hits his 26th. CHI 5 NH 4 WIN (5.5GB)

Game 115
Alejandrez pitches into the 7th of a 1-1 game, Frank and KJ (3-3) get huge outs and Lopezs’ 8th HR in the bottom puts us ahead. Cruz gets a big out in the 8th and we tack a few late ones on. CHI 6 NH 2 WIN (4.5GB)
Greg Bartlett was activated off the DL after the game and Barron was optioned back to Tulsa.

Cy May subluxed his shoulder! He’ll only miss a week (that’s a bad azz SoB there)
Houston is now at 57-57, we are 53-62, just 4.5 back.

Bill Hill HAS gotten hot, now at .329, he leads the FL in HR with 42 (up 6 over Alberto Vargas) and trails Toby Clifton by 1 in RBI’s, and he’s 16 pts behind leader Roberto Villalobos of San Antonio.

Game 116
Davis (11-7) goes 7 strong (7-4-1-1-3-5) and the Iron Pigs pound out 15 hits and score 8. Gutierrez goes 4-5 with a run and 2 RBI’s, Chartier goes 2-4 hitting his 19th and drives in 2. Morgan hammers his 27th. CHI 6 NH 2 WIN (3.5GB)

Now the bad news. Jean Chartier hurts his shoulder diving for a ball, and it looks like he’s going to be laid up for 3-4 weeks. Ferrer will likely man SS with him out, and we’ll just pull Barron back up to be our utility guy. This is painful for more than 1 reason. The kid is sporting a slash line of 263/316/499 but he’s slowly trending up. With 27 2B’s 11 3B’s and 19 HR’s to go with 21 SB’s he’s clearly an offensive force. His defense has been VERY good. His absence will be huge.

Game 117
Wil Morgan hammers 2 HR’s (28,29) and Bill Alexander shows back up hitting his 32nd. Morgan’s HR’s were part of a 3-5 3 run 5 RBI day and the Iron Pigs scored 12 runs on 11 hits. Including 6 2B’s and 3 HR’s. Bill Flowers (5-4) went into the 7th yielding only 2 earned runs on 9 hits. CHI 12 PIT 2 WIN (3.5GB)

Game 118
Jack Jackson (6-11) took the loss but this was a game far from the final score read. We didn’t get a hit until the 6th and Jackson had us at 2-0 into the 9th but George, Pacheco and Frank walked 2 and gave up 4 hits to ice it for Pittsburgh. PIT 5 CHI 1 LOSS (4.5GB)

Game 119
Jeff Garrett battles into the 7th, walking 5 giving up 7 hits but only 4 runs (3 earned) and KJ comes in and walks 2, and Pacheco relieves him to allow both his inherited runners to score. Brian Walker steals his 20th bag, Leo Russell goes 3-4, scoring 2 and driving in 1 hitting his 6th HR. PIT 6 CHI 5 (5.5GB)

LEAGUE NEWS
Bill Hill (DAY) wins his 5th FL PotW award going 12-22 with 5HR’s and 10RBI’s in 6 games

Chicago’s Wesley Morgan takes home his 1st ever PotW award. He went 8-22 with 4HR’s and 9RBI’s on the week.

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Keith Todd of Belleview takes home his 1st Midwest League PotW award. Keith was 10-26 with 2HR’s, he drove in and scored 7.

Chicago is 17th in the current power rankings. 81.2

Our Rookie League Omaha club is #1 in the power rankings at 143.1 They are 33-10, 4 games up on Santa Ana. They are 2nd in the league in HR’s and 1st in Runs against and Starters ERA