The Pastime Baseball League

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 3, Monday, May 18, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles


Record: Last 2 Weeks (4-6), Overall 17-19

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 2 vs Charlotte, Lost 3 at Orlando, Split 2 at Memphis, Swept 3 at San Antonio

Leaders:
Avg – Alejandro Oms .296
HRs – Lip Pike 6
RBIs – Jimmy Ryan, Lip Pike 23

Wins – Jouett Meekin 6
ERA – Charley Sweeney 2.69
Ks – Tommy Bond 71

Top Performance: Juan Uribe went 4-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in a 5-2 win over Memphis on May 11.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Juan Uribe has been on fire, hitting .362 this month to raise his season average to .279. But he's still walked only twice in 138 plate appearances.

2) Tommy Bond has struggled to a 1-4 record at the start despite a respectable 3.66 ERA. But he's been either strong or shelled, with no happy medium to this point.

3) Lip Pike has cooled off, but the Bosses continue to try and get him into the lineup. The latest slot is second base, where he's platooning with Uribe. He's also seeing outfield duty with Alejandro Oms and Jimmy Ryan manning the other two slots. Corey Hart is also seeing time.

4) Justin Verlander has given up runs in three straight relief appearances since his spot start in which he threw a complete game shutout.

Los Angeles Idols

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-4), Overall 13-23

2-Week Synopsis: Split 2 vs Philadelphia, Lost 2 of 3 at Alabama, Swept 2 at New Orleans, Won 2 of 3 vs Arizona.

Leaders:
Avg –George Scales .386
HRs – Harry Stovey 11
RBIs – Harry Stovey 38

Wins – Brian Lawrence 4
ERA – Scott Kazmir 3.75
Ks – Brian Lawrence 39

Top Performance: Harry Stovey went 3-for-3 with 2 homers, 4 runs and 6 RBI in an 11-7 win over Arizona on May 17.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):

1) The league's worst staff continues to seek some consistency. Other than Scott Kazmir and closer Chad Qualls (2.93) there isn't a pitcher on the staff with an ERA under 4.

2) It's a drop in the ocean, but the Idols' bullpen has trimmed its ERA more than 1.30 in the last month, good enough to climb out of the cellar in the category.

3) He got the regular job at third base, and Miguel Cabrera has responded by hitting .118 in May. As such, Joe Crede will get the chance to pick up some at bats again.

4) The Idols have stolen 9 bases all year, lowest in the Southern League.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 3, Monday, May 18, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles


Memphis Strummers
Record: Last 2 Weeks (8-2), Overall 24-12

2-Week Synopsis: Swept 2 vs Chicago, Won 2 of 3 vs San Antonio, Split 2 vs Las Vegas, Swept 3 vs Orlando

Leaders:
Avg - Deacon White .394
HRs - Cap Anson 6
RBIs - Deacon White 34

Wins – Lady Baldwin, Jesse Tannehill 6
ERA – Lady Baldwin 2.70
Ks - Tim Lincecum 63

Top Performance: Oscar Charleston went 3-for-5 with 2 homers, 3 runs and 6 RBI in a 19-1 thrashing of San Antonio on May 8.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The Strummers wrapped up a 10-2 homestand during which they outscored their opposition 85-45.
2) Ichiro Suzuki has his average up to .288 after batting .413 so far this month. On the year, he’s hitting .371 at Memphis, but only .167 on the road.
3) Oscar Charleston snapped out of a 3-for-25 skid, raising his average back over .300 to .303 with a .378 average and 1.060 OPS so far this month.
4) Sadie McMahon has gone 2-1 with a 5.14 ERA since replacing Rodrigo Lopez and his 8.68 ERA in the rotation.


New Orleans Knights

Record: Last 2 Weeks (3-7), Overall 11-23

2-Week Synopsis: Split 2 at Wichita, Lost 2 of 3 vs Arizona, Lost both vs Los Angeles, Swept in 3 at Alabama

Leaders:
Avg – Sam Thompson .366
HRs – Ross Barnes/Sam Thompson 5
RBIs – Sam Thompson 24

Wins - Doc McJames 5
ERA - Doc McJames 1.94
Ks – Doc McJames 66

Top Performance: Doc McJames threw a 3-hit shutout, striking out 7 and walking 1 in a 4-0 win at Wichita.>>[/B]
Injuries: Topsy Hartsel has seen his season go into a nosedive since earning Player of the Week honors April 20. After a vicious cold spell, Hartsel has now been shelved with a torn ligament in his thumb suffered diving for a ball against Los Angeles May 11. He’s expected to miss 2 months.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The termination of Tony LaRussa was met with a mixed reaction in the clubhouse. While some were critical of LaRussa’s micromanagement, he was generally perceived as a good guy who took the fall for the players’ failure to execute.

2) Ross Barnes was named Southern League Player of the Week today, batting .526 with 2 homers and 6 RBI last week.

3) The injury to Topsy Hartsel has opened up some more ABs for B.J. Upton and Eric Hinske, who both have struggled in limited action so far. Upton has hit only .097 in 31 Abs, while Hinske is batting .227.

4) Mark Prior has not made a start since losing his fourth straight on May 9. He remains 1-6 with a 7.08 ERA.>>

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 3, Monday, May 18, 2009 (cont.)

Orlando Orcas
Record: Last 2 Weeks (5-5), Overall 21-16

2-Week Synopsis: Lost both at Sacramento, Swept 3 vs Las Vegas, Swept 2 vs San Antonio, Lost 3 at Memphis

Leaders:
Avg – Ezra Sutton .347
HRs – Ryan Howard 9
RBIs – Ryan Howard 35

Wins - Chuck Smith/Sam Leever 6
ERA – Sam Leever 3.17
Ks – Sam Leever 60

Top Performance: Mark Hendrickson threw 8 innnigs of 1-run ball despite not striking out a batter in a 5-1 win over San Antonio on May 12.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):

1) It's been a slow climb, but Honus Wagner seems to be coming around. After hitting only .212 in April, Wagner is hitting .291 in May while slugging .600. He's now riding a 10-game hitting streak.

2) The league's best offense cooled down a bit the past two weeks, averaging 4.5 runs a game, down from the 6.03 they had scored previously.

3) Swapping trendlines with Wagner has been Sam Crawford, who after posting a 1.127 OPS in April has put up a .217 average and .700 OPS in May.

4) Since getting knocked around in a spot start, Chien Ming-Wang has posted a 2.79 ERA over his last 7 relief appearances.

San Antonio Sheriffs

Record: Last 2 Weeks (3-7), Overall 16-19

2-Week Synopsis: Swept 2 vs New York, Lost 2 of 3 at Memphis, Lost both at Orlando, Lost 3 vs Las Vegas

Leaders:
Avg – Jimmy Williams .318
HRs – Jimmy Williams 6
RBIs – Jimmy Williams/Hugh Duffy 22

Wins – Joe McGinnity 4
ERA – Joe McGinnity 2.55
Ks – Noodles Hahn 85

Top Performance: Scott Podsednik went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored and an RBI.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) How long does it go before San Antonio is forced to do something about Hugh Duffy? It's a question to which nobody seems to have an answer. But Duffy, viewed as a possible MVP candidate coming into the season has seen his average fall to .194, including .154 this month.

2) Ace Noodles Hahn bookended a stellar complete game, 1-run outing with two poor efforts on either side, giving the early season dynamo a 1-3 mark with a 4.62 ERA over his past 5 starts.

3) Buck O'Neil has been stellar this month, batting .367 thus far.

4) The Sheriffs remain the PBL's best team defensively, having made only 17 errors in their first 35 games.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Another edition down. Sorry for the lag. Had surgery that held me up a bit, but should be all good now. Next edition should start tomorrow.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009

LaRussa won more than two games leading the Saints, but it wasn't enough to save his job. Walter Alston has been hired to replace him.

Fight in the Knights? New Orleans' New Skipper Hopes So

NEW ORLEANS -- It has to get better from here, doesn't it?

The New Orleans Knights, who have found themselves in last place in the Southern League East, have replaced fired skipper Tony LaRussa with Walter Alston.

Rumors had suggested that Billy Southworth was the leading contender, but New Orleans ownership met with Alston late the day of LaRussa's firing and named him the replacement the next day.

"I'm thrilled to get the chance here in the PBL," Alston said in the hastily organized news conference. "There's a lot of talent here, with [Ross] Barnes, [Sam] Thompson, [Jack] Chesbro and a bunch of others. We're young, but we can turn this thing around if we want it bad enough."

The players seemed to believe him, as since Alston's hiring the Knights have gone 7-4, including a split of a 4-game set with the league-leading Memphis Strummers.

"Winning is a mindset," Alston said yesterday of his team's recent play. "If you win, you believe you can win more. That's the point we need to get to."

He has the talent, as the Knights were today honored with awards for Player of the Month Ross Barnes and Player of the Week for Prince Fielder. Add Doc McJames, who leads the entire PBL in ERA with a 1.52 mark, and Chesbro, who in his first start under Alston threw 9 shutout innings in a duel with Memphis' Tim Lincecum that the Knights would ultimately win 1-0 in 10 innings.

"That's heart," Alston said of the win.

And in New Orleans, it may finally be beating.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Statistics

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Statistics

[EMSoccerCoach]

Amazing to consider that the top 5 players in VORP in the Northern League all have a higher VORP than the top player in the Southern League.

It will be interesting to watch Dan Brouthers' pursuit of the Triple Crown as the year goes on.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Profiles

Charlotte Cougars

Record: Last 2 Weeks (3-8), Overall 29-18

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 at Philadelphia, Split 2 vs Orlando, Lost 2 at New Orleans, Lost 3 at Indianapolis

Leaders:
Avg - John McGraw .362
HRs - Paul Hines 6
RBIs - Paul Hines 33

Wins - Kid Nichols 8
ERA - Kid Nichols 3.01
Ks - Kid Nichols 71

Top Performance: John McGraw went 5-for-5 with a double, 2 runs and 2 RBI in a 12-2 win over Orlando on May 24.

Injuries: 2B Fred Dunlap suffered a sports hernia on May 9, and is expected to miss another 4 to 5 weeks. P Tim Keefe is out with a shoulder strain and expected to miss 5 weeks. LF Elmer Smith is out with a sore shoulder and expected to miss three weeks.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) After going 19-5 in April, the Cougars went 10-13 in May, including dropping 8 of their last 10. Nobody else in the divison played particularly well during the month, but the poor effort by Charlotte in May upended their chance to run away early.

2) The loss of Tim Keefe could prove devastating. Ben Sheets was given the chance to replace him, and in two starts gave up 6 runs over 3 innings followed by 7 runs over 4. Sheets had three strong starts before that, so he's not going anywhere. But he must be steady at least in replacing Keefe, who is 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA so far.

3) The Cougars' success has largely been driven by their 14-5 mark in 1-run games, by far the best in the PBL.

4) Besides Keefe's injury, those on the offensive side have caused a big problem themselves. Fred Dunlap (.313, 2 HR, 19 RBI) has been replaced by Clint Barmes (.256, 2 HR, 11 RBI), while Elmer Smith (.283, 4 HR, 23 RBI) has been replaced by Mark Teahen (.114, 0 HR, 0 RBI). Those are exchanges the next-to-last offense in the Northern League can ill afford.

Chicago Hitmen

Record: Last 2 Weeks (4-7), Overall 17-30

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 at Wichita, Lost both at San Antonio, Split 2 vs Los Angeles, Won 2 of 3 vs Louisville

Leaders:
Avg - King Kelly .321
HRs - Albert Pujols 8
RBIs - Albert Pujols 33

Wins - George Bradley 5
ERA - George Bradley 3.86
Ks - George Bradley 75

Top Performance: Marcus Giles went 4-for-5 with 2 runs in an 8-7 loss to Los Angeles on May 24.

Injuries: Cy Young was placed on the 15-day DL on May 5 with elbow inflamation. He's not expected to need surgery, but is expected to miss another 2 to 3 weeks. Troy Tulowitzski suffered a hip injury that is expected to shelve him for the remainder of the season. Closer Bobby Jenks is out with a strained oblique. He should be back in about 2 weeks. CF Chick Stahl separated his shoulder diving for a ball, and is expected to miss 5 weeks.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):

1) A rare positive, as King Kelly was named Northern League Player of the Week, going 9-for-16 with 2 homers, 5 RBI and 5 runs scored.

2) The rumblings are growing louder for the axe to fall on manager Joe McCarthy. A telling sign? The team fired hitting coach Santiago Tobias, replacing him with recently axed New Orleans manager Tony LaRussa. Hitting is not a LaRussa specialty, which makes the move all the more curious.

3) The slumping Albert Pujols means the Hitmen now have only one regular batting above .270, and two above .225. The team ranks last in virtually every offensive category, except home runs - where they are fourth.

4) After a rough first start, Johan Santana responded by allowing only 2 runs over 8 innings, scattering 5 hits against Louisville. He left with a 3-2 lead only to watch Casey Fossum give up a 502-foot, 3-run bomb to Dan Brouthers and watch Louisville win 5-3.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Profiles
Indianapolis Engines

Record: Last 2 Weeks (7-4), Overall 25-22

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 at Sacramento, Won 2 vs Los Angeles, Lost both at San Antonio, Swept 3 vs Charlotte

Leaders:
Avg - Jake Beckley .382
HRs – Elmer Flick 5
RBIs - Elmer Flick 35

Wins - Pud Galvin 6
ERA - Pud Galvin 2.21
Ks - Charlie Buffinton 65

Top Performance: Jake Beckley went 4-for-5 with 3 runs scored and a stolen base in a 9-3 win at Sacramento on May 22.

Injuries: 2B Akinori Iwamura was placed on the DL May 20 with chronic back soreness. He's expected to miss 3 weeks. P Candy Cummings is out for the season with a torn forearm muscle. 1B Jake Beckley injured his shoulder during a collision at first base. He's day-to-day.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Jake Beckley has taken over the PBL batting lead, raising his average to .382 after batting a remarkable .446 in May. And after slugging only .365 with 3 extra base hits in April, Beckley slugged to a .743 mark in May.

2) Billy Hamilton's two-week slump ended. After hitting .120 for the month through May 17, Hamilton has hit .306 in the past two weeks, lifting his average back to .294.

3) Struggling catcher Ossee Schreckengost seemed to be getting his stroke after an abyssmal start. Over a 4-game stretch, he went 8-for-16. Since, he is 1-for-16 and the call for Duke Farrell to get more ABs is getting louder by the minute.

4) He gets forgotten behind ace Pud Galvin and Charlie Buffinton, but Terry Larkin put forth a strong 3.47 ERA in May, though his record was only 2-3 on the month.

Louisville Racers

Record: Last 2 Weeks (7-4), Overall 22-25

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 vs New York, Split 2 vs New Orleans, Swept 2 at Orlando, Lost 2 of 3 at Chicago

Leaders:
Avg – Dan Brouthers .380
HRs - Dan Brouthers 22
RBIs - Dan Brouthers 50

Wins - Roy Oswalt 7
ERA - Roy Oswalt 3.22
Ks - Roy Oswalt 86

Top Performance: We go out of the single-game approach here to honor Dan Brouthers, who was simultaneously named Northern League Player of the Week and Northern League Batter of the Month for May - an award he won for April as well. The slugging first baseman hit .417 with 5 homers in the final week to wrap up a month during which he hit .374 with 14 homers, 27 RBI and scored 27 runs.

Injuries: LF Joe Kelley strained his posterior cruciate ligament on May 28 and will miss 2-3 weeks.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) It's not easy to garner recognition while sharing a roster with Brouthers, but the Racers have gotten strong performances from 2B Hardy Richardson (.299, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 26 Runs, .401 OBP)and RF Lefty Marr (.288, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 22 R and hit .317 with .400 OBP for May).

2) After fears he had returned too soon from injury, Edinson Volquez has won his last two starts, going 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA and striking out 12 over 14 1/3.

3) It took a while, but Will White has a little groove going, like Volquez winning his last two starts. White had gone 1-8 over his first 9 starts, but threw 8 1/3 shutout innings in a 1-0 win over New York, and followed that up with 7 innings of 1-run ball in a 6-1 win at Orlando. After posting a 6.08 ERA in April, White wrapped up May with a tidy 3.25 mark.

4) "Steady" has been the best way to describe catcher Joe Sugden, and in a league where offense from catchers has been weak to say the least, his output has been a blessing that has kept the league's best offense rolling. Sugden is hitting .285 with a .357 OBP, and has been consistent: posting a .780 OPS in April and a .782 OPS in May. In the Northern League, only Dick Higham of New York and Brian McCann of Sacramento have outperformed Sugden at the plate.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Profiles
New York Heroes

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-6), Overall 24-23

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 at Louisville, Split 2 at Las Vegas, Swept 2 at Arizona, Split 4 vs Wichita

Leaders:
Avg – Ed McKean .335
HRs - Roger Connor 7
RBIs – Jesse Burkett 37

Wins - Jim McCormick 6
ERA - Jim McCormick 2.24
Ks - Harry Howell 59

Top Performance: Jesse Burkett went 3-for-5 with 2 runs and 4 RBI in a 13-3 win over Wichita on May 28.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) The Heroes look forward to some home cookin' this month, as they play 14 of their 23 games at home. While they have played 11 more games on the road thus far, the Heroes also have only played .500 ball at home, so whether this will be a big positive remains to be seen.

2) The apparent resurgence of 3B David Wright hit a bump the past two weeks, and most specifically the past 5 games, as Wright has gone 1 for his last 21 to bring his average back down to .219. One positive sign: After drawing one walk in April, Wright drew 7 in May, a sign his discipline is improving. One of the game's top 50 prospects, Wright is only 21 and being thrust into a big market with big expectations.

3) The Heroes wholeheartedly believe 1B Roger Connor can do everything Dan Brouthers is doing in Louisville. But, while Connor has been solid (.280, 7 HRs, 22 RBI) asking him to match Brouthers is a tall order for anyone at this point. "He's the best in the game right now," Connor said. "No question."

4) Frank Killen made his debut May 29, throwing 2 2/3 innings on one-hit ball, striking out 3 in a 12-3 loss. Given Josh Fogg's failure (8.36 ERA in three May starts), Killen may well get a crack at the rotation.

Philadelphia Ringers
Record: Last 2 Weeks (4-7), Overall 22-23

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 at Charlotte, Lost both at Arizona, Split 2 at Las Vegas, Lost 2 of 3 at Sacramento

Leaders:
Avg - John O'Rourke .333
HRs - John O'Rourke 12
RBIs - John O'Rourke 30

Wins - Old Hoss Radbourn 6
ERA - Old Hoss Radbourn 2.83
Ks - Satchel Paige 95

Top Performance: Pete Gillespie went 4-for-4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored in an 8-6 loss at Sacramento.

Injuries: Reserve squad player Cody Ross dislocated his shoulder falling down a flight of stairs. He's expected to miss 2 months.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The Ringers' anticipated 4 game set in Charlotte was exciting, but the 4-game split proved disappointing, as the team blew a 4-1 lead in the final game, allowing 3 in the 8th to tie and 1 in the 9th to lose the series finale 5-4.

2) Red Donohue went 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA for the Ringers in May. While Old Hoss Radbourn and Satchel Paige get the notice, Donahue has been every bit as strong. Should the Ringers make the playoffs, this trio will be remarkably tough to deal with.

3) An unsung hero is SS John Peters, who has hit .312 with 6 homers and 27 RBI. He's also been incredibly clutch, batting .440 (11-for-25) in close/late situations.

4) Catcher Jocko Milligan went 4 for 12 with a homer in the last series at Sacramento. But he's still hitting only .196, and if he doesn't get hot for an extended time, the club will have to give young Victor Martinez a chance to take the job.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Profiles

Sacramento Stingers

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 22-23

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 vs Indianapolis, Lost both vs Memphis, Swept 2 vs Alabama, Won 2 of 3 vs Philadelphia

Leaders:
Avg – George Hall .367
HRs – George Hall 16
RBIs – George Hall 38

Wins - Jim Devlin 7
ERA - Jim Devlin 3.13
Ks - Jim Devlin 95

Top Performance: George Hall went 3-for-3 with 2 homers, 4 RBI and 3 runs scored in a 10-7 win over Indianapolis on May 20.

Injuries: Outfielder Cory Sullivan tore a ligament in his thumb on May 10 and will be out until at least early July.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The Stingers got a pair of injured players back. SS Sam Bankhead returned from his hamstring injury and has hit .292 since his return. CF Ginger Beaumont is off the disabled list, but he's not getting his job back yet. Jason Bay continues to play despite his struggles, batting only .197.

2) LF Socks Seybold continues to produce, batting .345 with a 1.058 OPS in May to raise his season totals to .316/.380/.567 with 7 homers and 25 RBI. He also leads the PBL with 22 doubles.

3) The Stingers continue to lead the Northern League with 55 homers.

4) Besides a 5-run blown save against Chicago on May 1, closer Brad Lidge is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA. He's converted his last 4 chances.

Wichita Brigade

Record: Last 2 Weeks (7-5), Overall 28-19

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 vs Chicago, Won 2 vs Alabama, Lost both vs Memphis, Split 4 at New York

Leaders:
Avg - Doggie Miller .308
HRs - Robinson Cano 6
RBIs - Jimmy Sheckard 27

W - Rube Waddell 8
ERA - Rube Waddell 2.52
Ks - Rube Waddell 95

Top Performance: Jonas Gaines threw a 3-hit shutout against the Chicago Hitmen on May 20.

Injuries: CF Spotswood Poles is due off the disabled list this week and says he almost 100% after his oblique strain.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Rube Waddell was named Northern League Pitcher of the month for May, going 5-1 with a 2.29 ERA. Waddell has been incredible, putting up quality starts in 10 of his 12 starts, and has thrown at least 8 innings in 9 of his last 10 starts.

2) Wichita supporters point out that they are the league's most balanced team, leading the Northern League in ERA while placing third in runs scored despite their lack - other than Waddell - of someone considered a true star. Critics however note the advantageous early schedule that has seen Wichita play 33 of its first 47 games at home. That changes this month, as Wichita plays 20 of 23 games on the road.

3) Jack Powell continues to struggle since returning from the disabled list. In 4 April starts, Powell was 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA. In 4 May starts, 1-2 with a 9.64 mark.

4) Manager Whitey Herzog's response to the home/road argument? "I have four starters with an ERA under three and a quarter. We'll win on the damn moon if that keeps up." Waddell (2.52), Jonas Gaines (3.09), Jay Hughes (3.25) and Al Orth (3.23) make him hard to argue with.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles

Alabama Airmen

Record: Last 2 Weeks (2-9), Overall 20-28

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 vs Orlando, Lost both at Wichita, Lost both at Sacramento, Lost 2 of 3 vs Las Vegas

Leaders:
Avg - Joe Mauer .311
HRs - Mike Tiernan 12
RBIs - Mike Tiernan 34

Wins - Joe Corbett 5
ERA - Joe Corbett 2.97
Ks – Joe Corbett 111

Top Performance: We're going with a triple threat here: Mike Jacobs, Mike Tiernan and Jimmy Rollins for their combined efforts in a 21-4 drubbing of Las Vegas on May 31. Jacobs went 4-for-6 with 3 homers and 7 RBI, as well as 4 runs scored. Tiernan was 3-for-4 with 2 homers, 4 RBI and 5 runs. Rollins hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with 3 runs and 6 RBI.

Injuries: 2B Bobby Lowe was injured March 27, tearing a ligament in his thumb. He is expected back in about a week.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Call it frustration, release, or whatever, but the 21-4 pounding of Las Vegas represented a release for an Alabama team frustrated by having dropped 8 straight. This team has been incredibly streaky, going 4-11, 14-8 and then 2-9.

2) George Van Haltren has been activated from the disabled list and says he is ready to go. The centerfielder, who started great before a 2-week stretch prior to going on the DL dragged his numbers down, is expected to be slotted right back into the lineup, meaning Nick Swisher (.203-1-13) will head back to the bench.

3) Ed Delahanty remains on the bench, as Jacobs' red-hot May (.351-5-17) and Van Haltren's return once again box him out. Skipper Earl Weaver has been pleased with the 20-year-old's acceptance of his role. The fans, however, are getting restless.

4) Nobody expected C Joe Mauer to keep up the pace he set in April, but the falloff in May was precipitous. April's numbers: .385, 7 HRs, 1.171 OPS. May: .226, 0 HRs, .613 OPS.

Arizona Sandmen

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 26-22

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 vs San Antonio, Swept 2 vs Philadelphia, Lost both vs New York, Lost 2 of 3 at Memphis

Leaders:
Avg – Nap Lajoie .333
HRs – Nap Lajoie 9
RBIs – Nap Lajoie 35

Wins – Ben Sanders 7
ERA – Ben Sanders 2.54
Ks – Clark Griffith 49

Top Performance: Ben Sanders scattered 8-hits in a 4-0 shutout win over Memphis on May 29.

Injuries: Alex Cintron, who was having a torrid spring, hitting .400, went down March 23 with a strained MCL. He is expected back in 2 weeks. Mike Koplove came off the DL May 3, threw a third of an inning on May 4 and was shelved with what has been diagnosed as bicep tendinitis. The injury is expected to keep Koplove out until August. Willie Keeler has been diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament, and will miss the remainder of the season and possibly the first half of next year as well.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The injury to RF Willie Keeler is horrible not only for the affable Keeler himself, but also for the team, which will attempt to replace Keeler's production (.292-5-20) with Frog Redus (.225-0-8). The change is one the league's 6th rated offense (out of 8) can ill-afford.

2) 3B Billy Nash won Southern League Player of the Week honors May 25, capping a week in which he went 12-for-21 with 2 homers and 7 RBI.

3) SS Pee Wee Butts has worked his way into the lineup, moving Kid Elberfeld over to third base in a platoon with Nash. Butts is now hitting .310. Nash is hitting .314. Elberfeld is at .242. The odd-man out is Jose Reyes, who is down to .225 after hitting .167 in May.

4) Nap Lajoie had his 13-game hitting streak snapped.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles


Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 23-24

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 vs Los Angeles, Split 2 vs New York, Split 2 vs Philadelphia, Won 2 of 3 at Alabama

Leaders:
Avg – Alejandro Oms .319
HRs – Lip Pike 8
RBIs – Jimmy Ryan 28

Wins – Charlie Sweeney 8
ERA – Charlie Sweeney 2.70
Ks – Tommy Bond 100

Top Performance: Charlie Sweeney threw 8 innings of 1-run ball in a 2-1 win over Los Angeles on May 20.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) As they did in April, the Bosses scored 94 runs in May, averaging less than 4 runs a game for an offense that is next-to-last in the Southern League.

2) Lip Pike has cooled off, hitting only .224 in May. But his power potential keeps his name penciled in. While his range at second base hasn't been great, he has been steady since being moved there.

3) Interestingly, the one position where they haven't played Pike is his natural spot - first base. That may change if Dave Foutz continues to struggle. He's hitting .232 with 2 homers and 13 RBI.

4) Josh Beckett followed a subpar April with a good May, posting a 3.47 ERA despite a 2-2 record that saw him victimized by the league's worst bullpen.

Los Angeles Idols

Record: Last 2 Weeks (4-7), Overall 17-30

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 at Las Vegas, Lost both at Indianapolis, Split 2 at Chicago, Lost 2 of 3 at Orlando

Leaders:
Avg –George Scales .348
HRs – Harry Stovey 13
RBIs – Harry Stovey 44

Wins – Scott Kazmir, Brian Lawrence 4
ERA – Brian Lawrence 4.43
Ks – Brian Lawrence 50

Top Performance: Benjamin Boyd went 2-for-3 with 2 homers and 4 RBI in a 14-5 loss at Orlando.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):

1) Rumors have the Idols placing disgruntled outfielder Jumbo Kimbro on the trading block after the 24-year-old outfielder made clear to the front office that he is not happy with his role. General Manager Jim Thompson said "we will do our best to accomodate him," though Thompson noted the trade market for Kimbro - who is hitting .154 in 52 ABs - isn't likely to net much of a return.

2) The ace is by default. Scott Kazmir remains the only starter with an ERA under 4 (3.91). He is 4-1. The other four starters are 8-26.

3) There's not much to celebrate in Los Angeles right now, but a surprise has been SS Stephen Drew, who hit .340 in May.

4) A sign of how anemic the Idols offense has been: Billy Rhines made five starts in May. He went 0-5. His ERA? 3.15. He lost 6-3, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1 and 4-1, and has now lost 10 straight starts. April was his fault, with a 7.44 ERA. But what he endured in May was not his own doing.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles

Memphis Strummers
Record: Last 2 Weeks (8-3), Overall 32-15

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 at New Orleans, Swept 2 at Sacramento, Swept 2 at Wichita, Won 2 of 3 vs Arizona

Leaders:
Avg - Deacon White .355
HRs - Cap Anson 8
RBIs - Deacon White 36

Wins – Lady Baldwin, Jesse Tannehill 8
ERA – Lady Baldwin 2.16
Ks - Tim Lincecum 81

Top Performance: Ryan Braun went 2-for-4 with two homers, a walk, and 4 RBI in a 7-5 win over Arizona on May 31.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The Strummers followed up their 10-2 homestand with a 6-2 roadtrip before returning home to take 2 of 3 from Arizona, bringing the Strummers to 18-5 in their last 23.

2) Lady Baldwin earned Southern League Pitcher of the Month honors, going 5-1 with a 1.26 ERA for the month.

3) The devlopment of Oscar Charleston continues, as the 21-year-old center fielder hit .348 with a .419 OBP in May. His slugging percentage went from .390 in April to .478 in May, lending credence to the belief he will develop power before long.

4) The outfield corners produced in May: one who was expected to be a role player, and the other who was expected to be a catalyst but who took a while to get going. LF Josh Willingham hit .333 with 4 homers and a .987 OPS for May while RF Ichiro Suzuki hit .388 with 12 runs scored and a .971 OPS. Add those two to Charleston, and the outfield has been tough to match.

New Orleans Knights

Record: Last 2 Weeks (7-4), Overall 18-27

2-Week Synopsis: Split 4 vs Memphis, Split 2 at Louisville, Swept 2 vs Charlotte, Won 2 of 3 vs San Antonio

Leaders:
Avg – Sam Thompson .345
HRs – Ross Barnes/Sam Thompson 7
RBIs – Sam Thompson 29

Wins - Doc McJames 7
ERA - Doc McJames 1.54
Ks – Doc McJames 79

Top Performance: Doc McJames threw a 4-hit shutout, striking out 8 and walking 2 in a 4-0 win against Charlotte.

Injuries: Topsy Hartsel has seen his season go into a nosedive since earning Player of the Week honors April 20. After a vicious cold spell, Hartsel has now been shelved with a torn ligament in his thumb suffered diving for a ball against Los Angeles May 11. He’s expected to miss 2 months.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The aftermath of Tony LaRussa's termination has been, quite simply, improved play. New skipper Walter Alston came right in and set his team up to take a 4-game set against a powerhouse Memphis squad as a test to see if it could recover its season. They split, an improvement from how things had gone and a renewed confidence seemed to spread quickly in the clubhouse.

2) Dual awards, as 1B Prince Fielder won Southern League Player of the Week by going 8-for-16 with 2 homers and 6 RBI; and 2B Ross Barnes won Southern League Player of the Month, hitting .381 with 7 homers and 19 RBI for the month, during which he posted a 1.133 OPS.

3) The Knights are putting forth a double threat on mound, as Doc McJames leads the league in ERA, and went 4-0 with an 0.94 ERA in five May starts - while Jack Chesbro went 1-1 despite a 1.91 ERA.

4) Following a hideous April, Dontrelle Willis rebounded to do some decent work out of the bullpen, posting a 2.35 ERA in 6 appearances. He then got a spot start and allowed 5 runs over 7, but struck out 7 and 2 of the runs came as he tired after hitting the 100-pitch mark.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles

Orlando Orcas
Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 27-21

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 at Alabama, Split 2 at Charlotte, Lost both vs Louisville, Won 2 of 3 vs Los Angeles

Leaders:
Avg – Ezra Sutton .321
HRs – Ryan Howard 11
RBIs – Ryan Howard 46

Wins - Chuck Smith 8
ERA – Chuck Smith 2.73
Ks – Sam Leever 73

Top Performance: 1B Ryan Howard went 3-for-5 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 6 RBI in a 14-5 win over Los Angeles on May 31.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):

1) Just when it seemed SS Honus Wagner was over his early season struggles, he's gone cold again. Wagner is now 10 for his last 48 (.208) and has seen his average drop back down to .232.

2) The baseball world keeps waiting for the expected drop to Earth of SP Chuck Smith but so far he's been able to hold off the decline. After being named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for April, going 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA, Smith went 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in May. Lady Baldwin's great month for Memphis denied Smith a repeat win.

3) After allowing a startling 10 homers in April alone, SP Sam Leever let up only 2 in May, improving to 7-2 and cutting his ERA to 3.10.

4) The Orcas are bracing for a tough June, playing 20 of 23 games on the road, starting with a quick 2-game tilt at Memphis.

San Antonio Sheriffs

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 22-24

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 at Arizona, Swept 2 vs Chicago, Swept 2 vs Indianapolis, Lost 2 of 3 at New Orleans

Leaders:
Avg – Jimmy Williams .312
HRs – Jimmy Williams 7
RBIs – Jimmy Williams 30

Wins – Noodles Hahn 6
ERA – Noodles Hahn 2.59
Ks – Noodles Hahn 124

Top Performance: Noodles Hahn was absolutely dominant in a 6-0 win over Indianapolis on May 25. Hahn threw a complete-game 4-hitter, striking out 16 while walking none. The 16 strikeouts were a PBL high for the season and moved Hahn into the PBL overall strikeout lead with 124.

Injuries: 3B George Pinkney sprained his thumb sliding into second base and is on the DL, expected to miss 3 weeks.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) The good news is covered above with Noodles Hahn. But the concern over CF Hugh Duffy continues. He has struck out 49 times in 46 games and is now hitting .198 on the year. The only thing saving him perhaps is the oddity that he is batting .286 with runners in scoring position.

2) The injury to 3B George Pinkney will mean more playing time for Freddy Parent, who has hit .342 in sporadic work so far this season and played much better defense than was expected of him.

3) Hard to ask for more out of LF Scott Podsednik. The sparkplug has hit .294 so far, including a May that saw him bat .314/.385/.514. Being aggressive has paid off: He's hitting .556 when swinging at the first pitch, while he's 0-for-18 with a full count.

4) The Sheriffs remain the PBL's best team defensively, having made only 21 errors in their first 48 games. Only the now disabled Pinkney has made more than 2 (4).

[EMSoccerCoach]

That wraps up that edition. We move on tomorrow to the June 15 wrapup.

On tap:

-- Alston tries to keep New Orleans on the road to recovery
-- A different manager finds himself on the hot seat
-- First glimpse at the next draft class
-- How scheduling could play a big part later in the year

[kenyan_cheena]

Hopefully some better news for the Hitmen, aswell

* fingers crossed *

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Hopefully some better news for the Hitmen, aswell

* fingers crossed *

LOL!!! I think of you every time I write up Chicago. Look at it this way, I'll have some info on the next draft in the new issue. Reinforcements!