The Around the Horn League (AtHoL)

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

... intensifying our pop, adding one of the biggest bats of them all.

[luckymann]

... bolstering our defence and relief corps.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Welcome to The Podcast, the regular updates on the newly-minted Chicago Whales (see what I did there?) franchise, at least while I'm running it.

It has been a busy offseason getting things prepared for our 1949 AtHoL campaign, with our AAA Cairo Egyptians also needing to be taken care of, but all is as ready as it can be for Opening Day.

This squad is not built for immediate success, but I believe we have laid the groundwork for some good returns a few years hence. Players such as Sosa, Castilla and Hall still have a long way to go and our pitching remains a mystery after last season's travails. So expectations for 1949 and perhaps even the early part of next decade are tempered.

What I am looking for this season is signs of us heading in the right direction. I know there'll be bumps along the way and aspects of our game that frustrate me to tears. But as long as I feel the general trend is upward then I'll happily deal with those short-term aberrations.

Here are the stats and lineups for OD, I'll be back with updates as the season progresses.

[luckymann]

... and this season will be using LTMs from 2009.

I had planned to increase rotations to 5-man while reducing pitcher stamina from HIGH to NORMAL and injuries from LOW to NORMAL, but I'm still concerned about there being enough depth so I'm leaving off from that for now.

[luckymann]

... as Slammin' Sammy goes 3-for-7 with a trip, a game-winning 3-run homer and 6 RBI all up to help us overcome another iffy Scherzer outing and win on OD in spares.

[luckymann]

... losing one of their best for the year.

[luckymann]

... since we got a good one from Max, who entered the game with a 7+ ERA. This, I'll be the first to admit, was a particularly good one.

[luckymann]

... from Mr October.

[luckymann]

... we're only 9-7 but that's much better than our horror start of last year, and performances like this make me believe we're on the right track.




Meanwhile Lefty Carlton is continuing on his merry way after last season's heroics.

[luckymann]

It seems the move west from J-ville to Pensacola hasn't bothered last season's LA Elysian Medal winner, and if this is any indication he appears to find the comfy confines of Legion Field to his liking as well.

[luckymann]

A big day at the ballpark for KBH.

[luckymann]

... although it has as much to do with dreadful hitting. Our performance so far this season is the exact flipside to last year: great pitching, no offence. Will we ever find that happy medium?

[luckymann]

This one by Detroit's Joe Lake gets extra points because, led by Teixeira, Cravath and Goodman, the Stogies lineup is tough.

[luckymann]

... for Big Walt...




... and Cisco C.

[luckymann]

the 3BL is up and running and this is one of the best performances to date, by Les Layton of St. Paul.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Unhappy with the trajectory of Karger's metrics since his stellar rookie campaign (his 1.40 WHIP over this season and last in particular) and as yet unwilling to expose Chamberlain to the rigours of the bigs, we make a move.



Dillard was expendable and, while I'd like to have kept Cole and not leave Cairo less two starting IFs, his inclusion was necessary to get the deal done. That's the name of the game with MiLB clubs, I'm afraid.

Dave Stieb, Ervin Santana and Pat Jarvis were also under consideration, but in the end we got our man. Hopefully he is the right one.

No such problems on offence for us, at least not where Johnny Mize is concerned. Our 1st Rounder from last year's Draft is having a sensational sophomore season so far, slashing 375/458/868 with an AtHoL-best 19 HR, 50 RBI and 3.9 WAR thru 43 games, making for quite the projection on the full year:



He had another big night in a 13-7 win at Louisville in a game that got messy toward the end for us.