The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

No time like the present to bite the bullet and make a dent in this.




Rather than two, we offload for ineligible players in one fell swoop with this deal. Yes, it hurts to lose Larry and to have never been able to use our top pick from last year's Draft, but rules are rules.

LJ was looking for big money we would likely have coughed up under the previous scenario, Tim was never going to be ready in time, Andre and Jose are IF upgrades on Jerry and Al is in his walk year anyway.

In return, we get four currently cheap and very handy CCs, only one of whom shares a name with a player - a pitcher, no less - already on our books. Winning!

[Brad K]

[luckymann]

Sweet! A nice pickup, methinks.

[Brad K]

That's a good start. With historical rookies, my subconsciously favoring real life Pirates in trades, and keeping Pirates that got traded RL, I never got to where you want to be.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

That's a good start. With historical rookies, my subconsciously favoring real life Pirates in trades, and keeping Pirates that got traded RL, I never got to where you want to be.

I just like continually raising the bar, difficulty wise, while still making it fun and not totally cruelling my chances of success from time to time.

[Brad K]

Yes, that's the point for me too, to make it harder as I get better. I'm trying to think of ways to do that with the Pirates Moneyball format however your idea of 22 historical Pirates is harder than I want to go. However I have noticed that most of the stats career leaders are RL Pirates. So I clearly did not load up on non Pirate stars.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Sweet! A nice pickup, methinks.

Mudcat's facegen needs some help!

I showed his real pic to a friend and she said "those are some b****ing burns."

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Yes, that's the point for me too, to make it harder as I get better. I'm trying to think of ways to do that with the Pirates Moneyball format however your idea of 22 historical Pirates is harder than I want to go. However I have noticed that most of the stats career leaders are RL Pirates. So I clearly did not load up on non Pirate stars.

It may prove too difficult for me, too. 3 was an arbitrary starting point. But remember I'm already getting the Legacy and Marquee players for a minimum 12 years when they come along, which helps keep it real.

Not sure even the great FG guru LansdowneSt could do those burners justice, but will see.

[luckymann]

The mighty Willard Brown goes in first-ballot, but by himself as Johnny Mize just misses out and the anticipated final push for Joe Cronin never materialises.

[luckymann]

Into the Swinging 60s we go! Here are the club records to this point.

And for the 1950s solely.

Here are the individual and team stats for the decade just past.

INDIVIDUAL HITTING

INDIVIDUAL PITCHING

TEAM HITTING

TEAM PITCHING


As one would expect, the 3M Wrecking Crew - Musial, Mantle and Mays dominate the hitting. Warren Spahn led with 153 wins and was prominent with Curt Simmons atop the WAR listing as well.

I'm still unsure as to in what year I'll end this save, I'd say it'll be 2024 by the time I've caught up. Whatever the case, I think we're close enough to the halfway point for a full retrospective.

Top 10s - Hitting

Or link to Top 20s.

Top 10s - Pitching

Or link to Top 20s.

Top 10s - ZR by Position

C / 1B

2B / 3B

SS / LF

CF / RF

As always, you can dive as deep as you please via this league's Stats+ page, using the links below.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

A seminal year for Buccos fans as their version of "The Shot" by Mighty Maz nails down an unlikely Championship in an epic WS with the Yanks after both have relatively uneventful pennant wins.

AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (97-57)
NL CHAMPIONS: Pittsburgh Pirates (95-59)
WORLD SERIES: Pirates 4, Yankees 3

Pittsburgh Pirates: 95-59, 1st in NL, World Champions [3]

AL MVP: Roger Maris (Yankees)
NL MVP: Dick Groat (Pirates)

AL CYA: not given
NL CYA: Vern Law (Pirates)

AL RoY: Ron Hansen (Orioles)
NL RoY: Frank Howard (Dodgers)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. EDDIE MATHEWS, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .277 average, 108 runs, 39 home runs, 124 RBIs, 111 walks.
• For the only time in his career, Mathews hit the quadruple-triple—collecting 100+ runs, RBIs, walks and strikeouts each. Power aside, his biggest hits of the year came when he battered and bruised Frank Robinson after the Reds’ star crashed a little too aggressively into him at third base.

2. HANK AARON, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .292 average, 102 runs, 172 hits, 20 doubles, 11 triples, 40 home runs, 126 RBIs, 12 sacrifice flies, 16 stolen bases.
• Though he finished second in the NL home run race, Aaron reigned as the virtual winner of the Home Run Derby TV show filmed at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field.

3. WILLIE MAYS, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .319 average, 107 runs, 190 hits, 29 doubles, 12 triples, 29 home runs, 103 RBIs, 25 stolen bases.
• Mays overcame Candlestick Park’s cavernous power alleys (to be reduced a year later) and still managed to put up All-Star numbers.

4. FRANK ROBINSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 139 games, .297 average, 86 runs, 33 doubles, 6 triples, 31 home runs, 83 RBIs, 82 walks, 9 hit-by-pitches, 13 stolen bases, .595 slugging percentage.
• Robinson led the NL for the third time in five years in HBP (hit by pitches), and for the first time in HBM (hit by Mathews—see above).

5. KEN BOYER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .304 average, 95 runs, 168 hits, 26 doubles, 10 triples, 32 home runs, 97 RBIs.
• For the third straight year, Boyer—who also set a career high in home runs—had to hit hot over the late summer to raise his year-end season average just over the .300 barrier, batting .370 over his last 62 games.

6. ERNIE BANKS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 156 games, .271 average, 94 runs, 162 hits, 32 doubles, 7 triples, 41 home runs, 117 RBIs, 71 walks, 28 intentional walks.
• Banks was a one-man wrecking crew for the Cubs, amassing an RBI total nearly twice that of the next best Cub while setting a then-major league mark for intentional walks.

7. ORLANDO CEPEDA, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .297 average, 81 runs, 169 hits, 36 doubles, 24 home runs, 96 RBIs, 15 stolen bases.
• The Baby Bull, with a relatively mild September slump, barely failed to hit above .300 for the only time over his first seven seasons.

8. VADA PINSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .287 average, 652 at-bats, 107 runs, 187 hits, 37 doubles, 12 triples, 20 home runs, 61 RBIs, 32 stolen bases.
• A worthy encore for the 1959 breakout center fielder, leading the NL for the second straight season in doubles.

9. DON HOAK, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .282 average, 97 runs, 24 doubles, 9 triples, 16 home runs, 79 RBIs, 74 walks.
• Settled in, for the moment, in his fourth of five National League cities for what would be his longest tenure (four seasons), Hoak enjoyed his finest campaign and led the champion Bucs with a .811 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages).

10. ROBERTO CLEMENTE, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .314 average, 89 runs, 179 hits, 22 doubles, 6 triples, 16 home runs, 94 RBIs, 21 grounded into double plays.
• It took six years, but Clemente finally began his ascension toward legend. Left-handed pitchers whole-heartedly believed he was already there; he hit .398 against them in 1960.

AL Hitters

1. MICKEY MANTLE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .275 average, 119 runs, 17 doubles, 6 triples, 40 home runs, 94 RBIs, 111 walks, 125 strikeouts, 14 stolen bases.
• Mantle overcame a spring training squabble over a pay cut and proved to the Yankees that they were wrong to do it.

2. ROGER MARIS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 136 games, .283 average, 98 runs, 18 doubles, 7 triples, 39 home runs, 112 RBIs, 70 walks, .581 slugging percentage.
• Maris arrived in New York but surprisingly saved his power for the road, hitting 26 of his 39 homers away from Yankee Stadium. He then edged out Mantle for the AL MVP by a 225-222 count.

3. ROY SIEVERS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 127 games, .295 average, 87 runs, 28 home runs, 93 RBIs, 74 walks, 8 intentional walks.
• The most impressive thing about the career slugger who never produced an impressive batting average was that he put together the majors’ longest hit streak of 1960 (21 games).

4. MINNIE MINOSO, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .311 average, 89 runs, 184 hits, 32 doubles, 20 home runs, 105 RBIs, 13 hit-by-pitches, 9 sacrifice flies, 17 stolen bases, 13 caught stealing.
• Perhaps the White Sox set up the exploding scoreboard at Comiskey Park just to celebrate the return of the popular Minoso after two years in Cleveland.

5. JIM LEMON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .269 average, 81 runs, 10 doubles, 38 home runs, 100 RBIs, 8 intentional walks, 9 sacrifice flies.
• There was little stopping at second for Lemon, whose 3.8-1 home runs-to-doubles ratio was the highest for anyone hitting 30 or more homers until Dave Kingman in 1982.

6. TITO FRANCONA, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .292 average, 84 runs, 36 doubles, 17 home runs, 79 RBIs.
• Awarded everyday play after his remarkable .363 showing a year earlier, Francona was slowed only by a substandard .254 average at home. (He hit .332 away from Cleveland.)

7. HARMON KILLEBREW, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 124 games, .276 average, 84 runs, 31 home runs, 80 RBIs, 71 walks.
• After a tepid start, Killebrew applied the after-burners and launched 21 of his 30 homers after August 1.

8. BILL SKOWRON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 34 doubles, 26 home runs, 91 RBIs.
• Advised to take up swimming to strengthen unusually tight muscles, Skowron began a three-year stretch that would be the finest of his 14-year career.

9. TED WILLIAMS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 113 games, .316 average, 29 home runs, 72 RBIs, 75 walks.
• A grand, final hurrah for the Splendid Splinter, who even as he surpassed his 42nd birthday proved that he was second to none among his much younger teammates.

10. AL SMITH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .315 average, 80 runs, 169 hits, 31 doubles, 12 home runs, 72 RBIs.
• No one was happier about the return of Minnie Minoso to Chicago than Smith, who’d been targeted by White Sox fans two years earlier for being the guy the team traded Minoso to Cleveland for.

NL Pitchers

1. BOB FRIEND, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.00 ERA, 18 wins, 12 losses, 37 starts, 275.2 innings, 45 walks, 25 grounded into double plays.
• After an off-year where he was overweight, Friend thinned out the pounds and put on extra wins in a campaign that earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors.

2. VERN LAW, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.08 ERA, 20 wins, 9 losses, .690 win percentage, 35 starts, 18 complete games, 271.2 innings, 40 walks, 33 grounded into double plays.
• The rule of Law: The prime-time Pirate won 20 regular season games, two World Series contests, and one of two All-Star games.

3. LEW BURDETTE, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: 3.36 ERA, 19 wins, 13 losses, 4 saves, 45 appearances, 32 starts, 18 complete games, 275.2 innings, 35 walks, 30 grounded into double plays.
• Burdette was Everyman for the Braves, winning, relieving, saving—and throwing the first no-hitter of his pro career, part of a 33-inning scoreless streak that was, at the time, the second longest in Braves history.

4. ERNIE BROGLIO, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.74 ERA, 21 wins, 9 losses, .700 win percentage, 52 appearances, 24 starts, 226.1 innings, 100 walks, 23 grounded into double plays.
• The future trivia answer to “Who was traded for Lou Brock” pitched well enough to have made that deal seem, at the time, like a win-win for both teams involved.

5. MIKE MCCORMICK, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 2.70 ERA, 15 wins, 12 losses, 3 saves, 40 appearances, 34 starts, 253 innings, 12 wild pitches, 17 stolen bases allowed.
• The former bonus baby had Candlestick Park primarily to thank for his breakthrough season—posting a 10-4 record and 1.65 ERA at the Giants’ new yard.

6. WARREN SPAHN, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, .677 win percentage, 40 appearances, 33 starts, 18 complete games, 266.2 innings, 25 grounded into double plays.
• Perhaps inspired by watching teammate Lou Burdette throw his first career no-hitter, Spahn went out and, less than a month later, pitched his first no-no—at age 39.

7. DON DRYSDALE, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 2.84 ERA, 15 wins, 14 losses, 41 appearances, 36 starts, 269 innings, 246 strikeouts, 10 hit-by-pitches, 23 grounded into double plays.
• An up-and-down (but still effective) campaign was reflected in a 0-5 record and 5.45 ERA in June—followed by a 6-0 July with a 2.00 figure; overall, opponents batted just .215 against him.

8. LINDY MCDANIEL, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.09 ERA, 12 wins, 4 losses, .750 win percentage, 27 saves, 65 appearances, 2 starts, 116.1 innings, 24 walks.
• McDaniel’s 27 saves—at the time, a NL record—didn’t include the two he collected closing out both All-Star Games.

9. SAM JONES, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 3.19 ERA, 18 wins, 14 losses, 39 appearances, 35 starts, 234 innings, 91 walks.
• Jones lost a bid for a second career no-no, allowing an eighth-inning HR to Cubs’ Walt Moryn in his second start of year.

10. LARRY JACKSON, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.48 ERA, 18 wins, 13 losses, 43 appearances, 38 starts, 282 innings.
• The workhorse of the year, Jackson was at his best in mid-spring when he won eight straight starts.

AL Pitchers

1. FRANK BAUMANN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.67 ERA, 13 wins, 6 losses, .684 win percentage, 4 saves, 47 appearances, 20 saves, 185.1 innings, 33 grounded into double plays.
• Pricey Boston bonus baby Baumann delivered in Chicago after the Red Sox couldn’t get much out of him for five years.

2. JIM BUNNING, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.79 ERA, 11 wins, 14 losses, 34 starts, 252 innings, 201 strikeouts, 11 hit-by-pitches, 27 grounded into double plays.
• Only Baumann had a better ERA than Bunning—but 19 AL pitchers in total won more games. Blame a Detroit offense that scored an average of just 3.2 runs every time Bunning started.

3. JIM PERRY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.62 ERA, 18 wins, 10 losses, .643 win percentage, 41 appearances, 36 starts, 4 shutouts, 261.1 innings, 26 grounded into double plays.
• With young brother Gaylord waiting in the wings, Jim Perry was for now the better-known pitcher of the family.

4. CHUCK ESTRADA, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.58 ERA, 18 wins, 11 losses, 36 appearances, 25 starts, 208.2 innings, 101 walks, 15 hit-by-pitches.
• Estrada was the most successful of four very young, very talented Orioles starters in a rotation nicknamed “The Diaper Squad.”

5. WHITEY FORD, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.08 ERA, 12 wins, 9 losses, 4 shutouts, 33 appearances, 29 starts, 192.2 innings.
• Ford’s muted numbers could be tied to the fact that he rarely pitched against either the Red Sox or A’s. Here’s why: In four appearances against those two teams, he was 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA.

6. JACK FISHER, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.41 ERA, 12 wins, 11 losses, 40 appearances, 20 starts, 197.2 innings.
• The career 86-139 pitcher enjoyed his one year (out of 11) in which he finished with a winning record—and he still got tagged as a victim of history by serving up Ted Williams’ final home run.

7. FRANK LARY, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 15 wins, 15 losses, 36 starts, 15 complete games, 274.1 innings, 19 hit-by-pitches, 26 grounded into double plays.
• The Detroit ace must have been in a particularly foul mood on July 21 against Washington when he hit four players—including a beaning of Reno Bertoia, who had to be carried off on a stretcher.

8. JACK KRALICK, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.04 ERA, 8 wins, 6 losses, 35 appearances, 18 starts, 151 innings, 0 stolen bases allowed, 22 grounded into double plays.
• A fine year for the rookie curveballer, starting in the bullpen before a worthy promotion to the rotation.

9. GERRY STALEY, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.42 ERA, 13 wins, 8 losses, 9 saves, 64 appearances, 0 starts, 115.1 innings, 25 walks.
• The 40-year-old ex-Cardinals starter, who pitched his final 281 games exclusively out of the bullpen, continued to live major league life as the White Sox’ closer thanks to a knuckleball he gradually embraced.

10. CAMILO PASCUAL, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.03 ERA, 12 wins, 8 losses, 26 appearances, 22 starts, 151.2 innings, 143 strikeouts.
• Pascual managed to grab a winning record with a below-.500 Senators team for the second straight year; his 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings were the highest among AL pitchers with 100 or more innings.

[luckymann]

It seems the Dodgers can live without Jackie Robinson after all, as (having first offered him to us, and others I’m sure) they trade him in a full-blown knockdown sally dump to Cincy, who have an atypically active offseason on the whole. No such qualms for the Cards, who ink Stan the Man for 3 more – let’s see if they hold to it. Other than that, it’s a relatively subdued break.

Here are the transactions of note:

• P Sam Jones: Cubs, 5 years / $610000
• C Gus Triandos: Phillies, 6 years / $593000
• OF Tito Francona: Reds, 8 years / $592600 (extension)
• 1B Eddie Yost: Cardinals, 5 years / $560000
• C Smoky Burgess: Yankees, 4 years / $504000
• OF Wally Moon: Tigers, 4 years / $376000
• P Johnny Antonelli: Indians, 3 years / $330000
• OF Jerry Lynch: Senators, 4 years / $280000
• OF Stan Musial: Cardinals, 3 years / $264000 (extension)
• OF Don Hoak: Phillies, 3 years / $222000
• OF Dick Kokos: White Sox, 2 years / $204000
• P Bill Henry: Yankees, 3 years / $201000
• OF Gene Woodling: Indians, 2 years / $184000

• 3B Wayne Causey from Cardinals to Indians for C Hank Foiles
• P Jack Sanford from Indians to Giants for 2B Don Blasingame and OF George Thomas
• P Ron Necciai from Dodgers to Indians for 1B Bobo Osborne and 2B Bobby Richardson
• 3B Jackie Robinson (ret 25%) + cash from Dodgers to Reds for 2B Jerry Adair
• P Dick Drott and P Bob Duliba from Indians to Tigers for C Lou Berberet
• C Ed Bailey from Reds to Cardinals for P Bob Shaw

We go 11-7 in a ST marred by a few niggles but thankfully nothing longer-term than a month for Felipe Alou. The Cards' hopes of going one better this year take a hit with Bob Gibson set to miss the first month due to elbow tendinitis.

ALL TRANSACTIONS


Something of a changing of the guard in store as far as the prognosticators see it, with the Tigers and Cubbies tipped for pennants. The Baby Bears do look good with both Billy Williams and Ron Santo set to rock and roll, and could we see a fairytale finish for the original Senators franchise? The boffins like their chances and have them contending for the AL in their last season before heading to Minnesota.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

One can, as always, deep dive at one’s leisure HERE.


A new decade, a new philosophy - how will we handle it? No doubt we've taken a step back with the Jackson trade, and I think you'll see us skew a bit toward a more equitable balance of pitching and hitting. With Maris and Lemon on board, we should score a fair few more runs but also concede more.

Geiger was coming up anyway but will slot up the depth chart a notch while Flip is on the IL. Lemon again will be our everyday 1B and subbed out for close encounters. Blanchard takes over from Roseboro as our #1 catcher and Piersall, who was moved back there late last season, is back at leadoff. Law and Grant squeeze Burdette out of the spin to start with, and we're going to run a S/T jive with Gibbon for as long as we can, with him starting the year at Wilkes-Barre.

Happy to admit I'm pretty jazzed for the challenges ahead. Bring it on!

[luckymann]

Just FYI, here's how our roster looks on OD in the context of the new rules. I'll develop and refine this spreadsheet along the way.






Need to add Geiger, who makes it 18 ineligibles currently on our AR.

[luckymann]

An OK start to the season for us with this performance by a red hot Mr Maris the clear highlight so far.

EDIT Three days later we do this to the Dodgers, including an astonishing 5 HR in that 6-run 5th:

But also get this news from the medical staff:

Talk about rollercoaster rides.

[luckymann]

Boy oh boy, what a wild start to the season. Downright miraculous we'll be entering June narrowly atop the standings.




We have really been ebbing and flowing - our Pythag was at -5 only a fortnight or so back, but a 10-5 finish to the sectional helped square that back up again. As you can see, we've certainly changed our profile as we thought would be the case - overcorrected, if anything, according to the metrics.




No doubt we are seeing two of the league's superstars come into being, with both Clemente and Maris going great guns. Gary Geiger has earned the nickname "Babe" thanks to how well he has done in Jim Piersall's absence, while Andre Rodgers has also been fantastic for us in a backup role. We're a couple years early, but The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan describes our run production so far. We've picked up catcher Hal Smith on the WW and utility IF Danny O'Connell on an option deal - both are CC members.




Of course, we are currently sitting at 26-19, not 36-9, so there has to be a but - and, for once, it is our pitching. Not the rotation so much, although Mudcat Grant's first two months with us have been so poor he finds himself in the bullpen now, with Bob Purkey taking his spot. But the BP has really struggled. Bob Miller the Younger has been dreadful enough to have lost the Stopper's role, while we've also had to call up Howie Nunn to bolster things. Not Joe Gibbon, however, who will be out of action until July with a biceps strain.




Can't remember such a competitive start to a season across the board, with no team from either league more than 9 games off the lead. This is shaping up as one for the ages.

Monthly Award Winners

April

American League

• Batter – Wally Moon (Tigers): 436 / 3 HR / 8 RBI
• Pitcher – Larry Jackson (Yankees): 3-0 / 2.52 / 11 K / 25 IP
• Rookie – Jim Brewer (Indians): 1-0 / 1.12 / 3 SV / 11 K / 8 IP

National League

• Batter – Willie McCovey (Giants): 310 / 6 HR / 16 RBI
• Pitcher – Sandy Koufax (Dodgers): 3-0 / 0.26 / 37 K / 34.2 IP
• Rookie – Juan Marichal (Giants): 3-1 / 3.21 / 21 K / 28 IP

May

American League

• Batter – Norm Cash (Tigers): 359 / 9 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Milt Pappas (Orioles): 6-0 / 3.66 / 44 K / 51.2 IP
• Rookie – Floyd Robinson (Senators): 404 / 2 HR / 11 RBI

National League

• Batter – Frank Robinson (Reds): 350 / 8 HR / 25 RBI
• Pitcher – Sam Jones (Cubs): 6-0 / 1.03 / 43 K / 52.2 IP
• Rookie – Juan Marichal (Giants): 4-0 / 2.17 / 40 K / 45.2 IP

News and Leaders






Milestones and Observations of Note

• 300 HR: Mickey Mantle
• 2000 Hits: Richie Ashburn
• A torn labrum puts Maury Wills out of action for 3 months, White Sox reliever Rogers McKee will miss the rest of the season with an RC tear, while young KC gun George Altman picks up a knock right at the very end of the sectional that will sideline him for a month.
• The Reds lock down catcher Dell Crandall on a 7/577 extension.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most Career OF Assists

[luckymann]

The all-time leader is Walter Johnson with 609.

[Brad K]

I'm surprised Lemon is only -1.0 in ZR considering his fielding rating of 1.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I'm surprised Lemon is only -1.0 in ZR considering his fielding rating of 1.

I fear some regression will come - he was -9 for last year over 759 IP v -0.9 over 409 so far this season. Big increase in DEff as well, from .924 to .952. One more season with us after this, and I see Donn C in the next Draft so he'll obviously be under serious consideration as our Round 1 - if we can get him, that is - which would give us a proper 1B moving forward.