Alltime Baseball League

[JaBurns]

Originally Posted by G-Force

No Minor Change
ABL adds minor league for 2019 season

NEW YORK -- The Alltime Baseball League offices announced today that the ABL will introduce a minor league for the 2019 season.

In a press release, the organization said "the success of the ABL during the 2018 campaign and the quality of the players on teams' reserve rosters, combined with an impressive incoming draft class, make it imperative that as many players as possible get game action for the 2019 season.

"We strongly believe the quality of play in the ABL minors will be a high-quality in its own right, and will bring the ABL experience to some smaller cities throughout the country."

When asked about potential expansion for the ABL, Commissioner Zach Matthews said "expansion is likely but the timetable has not yet been determined. I believe after the addition of the minor-league for 2019, we will probably not change anything for 2020."

Pressed if 2021 is a possibility, Matthews laughed and replied "properly executed growth will always be considered."

Will every team have minor league (AAA) affiliate or will teams be shared between two or more clubs?

[G-Force]

Originally Posted by JaBurns

Will every team have minor league (AAA) affiliate or will teams be shared between two or more clubs?

Every team will have their own affiliate. The incoming draft class along with the existing number of free agents made that possible.

GH

[JaBurns]

Surprised that you have enough free agents or big enough reserve rosters of after one year. I am working on a random debut league and expanded to an independent AAA league after about 3 years to find a place for the free agents. I am now 10 years in and want to expand again but the split between batters and pitchers will not allow expansion. Too many pitchers.

[G-Force]

Originally Posted by JaBurns

Surprised that you have enough free agents or big enough reserve rosters of after one year. I am working on a random debut league and expanded to an independent AAA league after about 3 years to find a place for the free agents. I am now 10 years in and want to expand again but the split between batters and pitchers will not allow expansion. Too many pitchers.

Well my initial roster rules were 40 men per team, 25 on the main and 15 on a reserve roster. But I also had free agents in that pool, about 85 left over players. So with 16 teams, that was about 5 free agents per team (5 players left over). With the incoming draft class of 5 rounds, but a total off 105 players in the class, I've ended up with about 30 free agents after the minor league addition, which is a good number. I don't want too many free agents, I want as many guys active as possible.

GH

[G-Force]

Stallions Hire Herzog
New skipper fills void left by Howser firing

SAN ANTONIO -- The Stallions have their new jockey.

San Antonio has hired Whitey Herzog to be their new manager, inking him to a four-year deal at the Orlando winter meetings.

Herzog is a known fan of the stolen base, and how he utilizes first overall pick Jackie Robinson could be interesting to watch.

"My rules are simple," Herzog said. "Be on time. Busty your butt. Play smart. And have some laughs while you're at it."

Herzog wouldn't comment on last year's reported off-field indiscretions with the Stallions.

"Everyone gets a clean slate," he said. "But I'm not buddy-buddy with the players. If they need a buddy they can go buy a dog."

And so the Whitey Herzog era begins.

[G-Force]

I'm not going to detail any of the minor league stuff. That I got through a season in two weeks is roughly the time I'd like this to take. I'll update the minors for each franchise when I do the all-star break team reports.

Not much to cover for the offseason after the winter meetings, and spring training isn't really worth spending too much time on. So we're going to go to Opening Day and the 2019 season.

Format will stay the same as last year. If there's anything you want me to include that I'm not or any other suggestions feel free to post.

GH

[G-Force]

Change of Season
League sees turnarounds early on

Maybe it was the influx of players in the amateur draft. Maybe it's development. Maybe it's maturation and the gelling process simply taking longer for some teams than others.

Whatever the reasons, the early 2019 season has seem some changing fortunes in the ABL.

We begin with the Alabama Slammers, who finished last in the Eastern League South in 2018 with a 73-87 record, 14 games off the pace.

The Slammers wrapped up April with an 18-10 mark, leading the defending ABL champion Memphis Sounds by 3 1/2 games.

While the expectation was that first round pick Albert Pujols could pay immediate dividends, the second overall pick in this year's draft has struggled, batting .220 with 4 homers and 10 RBI.

But a healthy Duke Snider (.303-6-22) - coming off a season in which a host of nagging injuries limited him to 100 games - and a dramatically improved Greg Maddux (2-1, 2.82) have certainly helped.

But leading the charge so far has been Larry Walker (.376-6-21), whose 1.7 WAR over the season's first month almost matches his 1.9 full-season mark for 2018.

The Chicago Hitmen and Boston Riders were relegated to playing spoiler last season, though the Hitmen's September run almost proved successful. But, at least through April this season, they are leading the way in the Eastern League North, at 17-11 and 17-12, respectively.

Chicago's attack has been incredibly balanced, and they already have nine players with double-digit RBIs. Mickey Mantle, whose first campaign was strong by any measure, seems to be poised to break through to another level this season, his 1.066 April OPS serving notice of this to the league.

In Boston, the story is pitching, as the Riders lead the Eastern League in pitching, both from their starters and the bullpen. First-round pick Satchel Paige is already paying dividends, going 3-1 with a 2.44 ERA on the month, forming a stellar 1-2 punch with the reigning Eastern League Outstanding Pitcher Brad Radke (3-2, 3.72).

Not all turnarounds have been positive though. The defending Western League champion Phoenix Scorpions are struggling, posting an 8-21 month in April, already 13 1/2 behind the Los Angeles Lightning, who have flown out of the gate to a 20-6 start.

Outstanding Pitcher winner CC Sabathia (3-1, 3.30) has backup with draft pick Ron Guidry (3-0, 3.32) and a resurgent AJ Burnett (3-0, 1.40), who crafted the only no-hitter in ABL history en route to a solid (15-11, 3.80) 2018 campaign.

Phoenix is getting nothing from the bottom half of their order, and batting champion Frank Chance has started cold, batting only .241 through the season's opening month.

[G-Force]

ABL April Injury Report

• The San Antonio Stallions have lost rightfielder George Springer for the season with a torn labrum. Springer suffered the injury during spring training and was hopeful for a return midseason, but suffered a setback during his rehab and is now considered done for the year. The loss is a major blow to a San Antonio squad hoping to rebound after a disastrous 2018 campaign. Springer batted .206 with 11 homers and 47 RBI last year.
• Orlando general manager John Fisher and manager Joe Altobelli are said to be livid with first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who was diagnosed with a quadriceps tear that will keep him out of action until sometime around the all-star break. Their anger comes from reports that Bagwell initially suffered the injury playing basketball days before the season began and made it worse trying to play through it. Bagwell hit .281 with 21 homers and 81 RBI for the Orcas in 2018. He was 1-for-11 this season before going on the shelf.
• New York Heroes hurler Michael Fulmer is done for the season with a torn elbow ligament. Fulmer went 12-15 with a 5.46 ERA in 2018 and was to start the 2019 season in the bullpen.
  

[G-Force]

April 2019 Standings & Statistics

[G-Force]

ABL Monthly Registers

[Mickey#7]

I'm following as well. I've actually followed various things including your own for years but never "registered". I did implement some of your advice years ago that turned out to be quite wise, and was along my own thoughts (pat on the back) that did in fact turn out as I estimated and You suggested.
I can't recall what my first version was but it was def single digits.
At any rate cheers and I honestly registered just so I can vote on you awards next time around.
As a side note i's picked Frank Viola

[G-Force]

Hey, thanks for jumping on. Yeah, I was around in the early years lol. Nice to be back and glad to have you reading along.

GH

[G-Force]

Note: I love baseball history, which is why I love cross-era leagues like this. So I'm going to start linking players to their Baseball Reference page so those who may not know a player or just want to look them up when mentioned can do so.

Vaughan's Record Streak Snapped
New York shortstop's ABL-record hit streak ends at 21 games

NEW YORK (May 5, 2019) -- The killer whales killed the streak.

The Orlando Orcas became the first team in more than three weeks to stop the Heroes' Arky Vaughan, bringing to an end the ABL's longest hitting streak, which was halted at 21 games.

The mark will surely be broken, and probably before too long, the product of a league only in its second season. But, at least for now, Vaughan is glad to hold the mark.

"It means I'm producing, which is the name of the game," Vaughan said. "I regret not getting the big hit tonight more than the streak ending."

The Heroes fell 7-4 to Orlando, which has stumbled out of the gate to a 12-19 mark. The loss drops the defending Eastern League North champion Heroes to 16-17.

Vaughan, who was walked twice in the game, leads the ABL in batting at .418. He has a homer and 22 RBIs on the season.

[G-Force]

Crash Landing in Denver
Ace Carlton out with severe ankle sprain

DENVER (May 10, 2019) -- The Pilots' rough start just got rougher.

Ace Steve Carlton, building off a second-place finish in last season's Outstanding Pitcher vote, saw his fantastic start to 2019 derailed after spraining his ankle slipping on the dugout steps.

Carlton is 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA so far this season for the Pilots, whose 17-18 start has them looking up in the Western League North, though the division is tightly packed.

He is expected to miss about 6 weeks.

Manager Joe Maddon has been trying anything that works to get to league's worst pitching staff on track. Jack Morris (0-1, 3.86) has just been re-inserted back into the rotation after the failure of David Palmer (1-1, 4.50)and rookie Chief Bender (1-3, 8.54). Mark Mulder (0-1, 3.00) is expected to start in Carlton's absence.

"I believe my guys will turn it around," Maddon said. "Losing Lefty is huge, but there's a lot of season left and we'll get things sorted out."

[G-Force]

Lightning Acquire Bill Campbell
Team gets 2018 saves leader for outfielder Jensen

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2019) -- A two-headed monster in the bullpen is better than one. At least that's how the division leading Lightning are approaching things.

Despite Mark Melancon (5-0, 6 SV, 1.08 ERA) getting off to a terrific start, the Lightning have acquired closer Bill Campbell, who led the Eastern League in 2018 with 30 saves.

While the deal left many around baseball scratching their heads, it wasn't so much the acquisition of Campbell as the fact that they only had to give up Jackie Jensen in order to get him.

Jensen hit .300 in a reserve role for Los Angeles in 2018, but was batting .163 in 49 at bats this season. Campbell, however, was bothered in Boston that after his 2018 campaign he was relegated to setting up rookie Rafael Betancourt (3-2, 8 SV, 3.63 ERA) this season.

Campbell is 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA. As for Melancon, he wouldn't say much on the matter.

"My job is to pitch when told," he said. "Whatever makes our team better is fine with me."

As for Jensen, a scout said he's been victimized by lack of playing time and the deal isn't as lopsided as it seems.

"He's got ability. If he gets at bats in Boston, I suspect he'll do well," he said. "He's got some pop, can run a bit, takes walks. He could be great get for a Boston club seeking some offense."

[G-Force]

May 2019 Standings & Statistics

[G-Force]

ABL Monthly Registers: June 1st

[JaBurns]

Slammers seem to have turned it around, with a cursory look at the stats seems like they are doing it smoke and mirrors. No single team stat shows them as the class of the division.

[G-Force]

Originally Posted by JaBurns

Slammers seem to have turned it around, with a cursory look at the stats seems like they are doing it smoke and mirrors. No single team stat shows them as the class of the division.

I'm at work now so I don't have the game in front of me to check particulars beyond the stats above, but yes, their raw numbers look pretty level with everyone else.

What's funny is the biggest reason one would presume they are so improved is the impact of Albert Pujols, who they drafted in the first round. But Pujols has actually had a very slow start (.241-4-19) through May.

Some bouncebacks are helping for sure. Duke Snider (.256-9-31) was limited to 100 games and had 14 homers and 59 RBI all season in 2018. Larry Walker (.322-10-39) is one of the league's top players, a year after missing time with three different injuries. Rick Waits (6-4, 3.30) was released by Boston on opening day last year and pitched two games all season after Alabama picked him up. Mel Parnell, who won 11 games in 2018, already has 7. So it seems to be more that guys have bounced back to bring them on par with the other teams, and then maybe there are some subtle things (i.e. winning 1-run games and such) taking care of the rest. I'll check when I get home.

GH

[G-Force]

Six For Smith
Hitmen outfielder first in ABL to have 6-hit game

LOUISVILLE (May 18, 2019) -- No matter what the Louisville Thorougbreds threw at him today, Lonnie Smith hit it.

Smith became the first player in ABL history to collect six hits in a game, going a perfect 6 for 6 and helping the Chicago Hitmen to a 12-3 victory.

"The way I was swinging today, I think I could have closed my eyes and hit the ball," he told reporters in the postgame interview.

Told of Smith's quip, Thorougbreds skipper George Gibson said he "would take him up on that next time."

Smith singled in the 1st, hit an RBI triple in the 2nd, doubled in the 5th, singled in the 6th, hit an RBI single in the 8th and hit an RBI double in the 9th.

This year, Smith is hitting .328 with 5 home runs and 22 RBIs in 44 games played. He also boasts an OBP of .425 with 28 walks and 31 runs scored.