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Old 08-15-2017, 09:41 PM   #61
Bub13
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August 17-19 vs CLEVELAND
When a team wins 91 games but fires its manager, surely they must know something we don't, right? Maybe, but in this case I'll just let the Indians' 53-64 record and last place standing in the Central speak instead. A speedy team that gets on base and manufactures runs (618, 3rd in the AL), but can't pitch its way out of a paper bag. Here's another question: what can you say about a team with a +2 run diff that is 11 games under .500?

#119: WIN 8-0 ... Jones goes 4 but is lifted after a rain delay, so the win goes to Stanley and his 4-innings in relief...both teams lose a player to injury after a HPB
#120: LOSS 3-5 ... Ah, Miller, you blew it again...this time, three runs in the ninth kills us...they outhit us 12-5 but we still had it in our hands
#121: Game Postponed due to rain; rescheduled for 9/6

So Miller's stay at closer lasted four appearances. Ryan Key has had two saves as a setup guy since Shewmake's injury, so I'll try him next. Still considering "no official closer" as my next guy should Key not work out. ELSEWHERE...Pittsburgh continues to slide, losing five in a row and falling to a tie for second with the Reds. Right now, they're out of the playoffs....3000 Hit Watch: our Cisco Videira is at 2989 hits, while the Nats Ty Cobb is at 2961. Both players have been mired in slumps the past month or so.


August 20-22 vs MILWAUKEE
We close out our homestand against the 60-61 Brewers. Decent hitting (but little power) but bad pitching, which hasn't been helped by having their top two starting pitchers gone for the season. They get some better pitching next year and they'll be a solid, playoff-level, team.

#121: LOSS 4-5 ... Brock struggles, giving up ten hits in six innings, including the winning 3-run blast in the sixth
#122: LOSS 7-8 ... more bullpen struggles, this time a grand slam as part of a five-run ninth...Little leaves early with a blister
#123: WIN 6-5 ... our turn tonight, with a pair of late-inning run-scoring doubles to squeeze out a win and avoid a sweep

Blech. Bad stretch for the bullpen recently, and they looked pretty bad in these three games. Still, we picked up a win, and remain ten games ahead of Oakland. Off now for a two-week, thirteen-game road trip. ELSEWHERE...Mets 1B Nate Johnson reaches 50 HR for the second year running....New Orleans is settling comfortably into overall last place, at 44-80, 5.5 games behind both Washington and Baltimore.


August 23 @ CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Sitting at 63-61, third place in the Central, is a positive result for the Sox, recently one of the more horrid league franchises. They hit a lot of home runs (176, 3rd), and their #3-#5 hitters have a combined 83 homers. They have an appalling nine players on the DL, and two more laboring with dtd injuries.

#124: WIN 2-1 ... yet another ninth inning decision, as Collins doubles home a runner and the bullpen functions for once, this time Key getting the save
#125: LOSS 2-6 ... Casillas has a rare bad game, and we can't do anything with our eleven singles
#126: LOSS 2-4 ... we zone out from start to finish...zzzz

Another meh series; we look pretty dull and uninterested against another mediocre team. Probably time to tweak the lineup again, keep the guys on their toes. Oakland now 8.5 back. ELSEWHERE...Cisco Videira (HAW) is now six hits from 3000. Washington's Ty Cobb is 32 away.


August 26-29 @ HOUSTON
Five regulars have topped 20 HR, and two starting pitchers (Jay Russo and Wes Sliker) are having stellar years. But the bullpen is a mess, and no regular player is hitting above .263. They've got a good prospect pile, tho, so one day...

#127: WIN 4-3 ... this time we score in the seventh to get the win...Little goes six, goes to 12-3 on the year...Videira 2 hits, now just four away from 3000
#128: WIN 6-1 ... Groff blasts two and drives in three, and Hart goes the distance, scattering just four hits...McArthur gets a month-long dtd injury
#129: WIN 9-2 ... Groff and Mullen get four hits each, and Mike Hunter goes 2-for-5 in his big league debut...Jones wins his 15th
#130: WIN 11-1 ... Groff (him again!) gets four more hits and Drayton powers two over the fence, while Casillas goes all nine to complete the sweep

Well that felt good. The only bad news was McArthur's injury, which while 'moderate' was enough for me to sideline him for a while to keep him from getting hurt worse....Videira is now 3 hits away....Mike Hunter's future is in the infield, but with that set right now, I'm using his surprisingly good outfield ratings to get him some big league experience. He went 3-for-10 in his two games, and will stay in the lineup as we head off to Oakland. ELSEWHERE...Everyone in the NL Central is playing .500 (or worse) lately, meaning no one has stepped up to threaten the suddenly average-looking Cubs. They're still ahead of the Pirates by 6, the Reds by 7, and Expos by 7.5....Cardinals have now lost 10 in a row....Milwaukee's won 6 in a row to sneak into the outer fringes of the AL wildcard race, while Arizona and LA are both 8-2 in their last ten to pull away in the NL West and wage their own private war.


August 30-31 @ OAKLAND
I keep trying to relegate the A's to also-ran status, but they're not having it. Still, they're 9.5 games back, and have won three in a row after sweeping the Angels. Vinny Vargas has been a house afire lately, with a handful of Best Batter (Week, Month) awards, and is up to .359/.446/.713 with 33 HR and 84 RBI. That's already a great season for 95% of the league. Fun fact: they have no injuries, zero. How? And Ben Hild, featured in the last post due to his awful hitting, is now up to .179.

#131: LOSS 3-9 ... Brock folds early, and we're out of this one after the third...Groff does hit another HR, is now hitting over .300
#132: LOSS 4-5 ... another walk-off loss, this time in the eleventh...plus we gave up the tying run in the ninth...bullpen is full of doubt now

Well, that's not good. Still hitting well, getting generally good games from the not-named-Steve-Brock parts of the rotation, but the bullpen is giving me all sorts of grief....Videira still holding at 2997 hits. ELSEWHERE...Cincy's Robbie Collier no-hit the Cubs on the 31st, and the Reds are now just 5 games out....The Red Sox have lost six straight and are in danger of falling into third place, and way out of the wildcard race.

Next up: Sailing into September
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Old 08-19-2017, 08:06 PM   #62
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September 1 @ OAKLAND
Finishing up the three-game set, trying to avoid the sweep.

#133: WIN 8-2 ... Nine hits, six are home runs. What's not to love?...Hart another big outing, now 5-2

We avoided the sweep, and are 8.5 games up on the A's now. Can't let up with just a month to go....Roster expansion time, and I'm not sure if I'll bring up anyone, as KC is in first place in AAA and I always like to give the minors a chance to win it all.


September 3-5 @ SEATTLE
Floating along at 67-65 and will need a stronger push to get back into the wildcard hunt. Decent pitching (4th in runs against) but mediocre hitting (9th to 12th across the board). Strong defensively too. DH Fernando Orozco (.274/.329/.499, 31/89) has been their best hitter, but no one else stands out.

#134: WIN 4-1 ... Jones goes eight, gives up just six hits...Groff with three more hits, Martinez with two and two RBI
#135: WIN 10-3 ... 17 hits, 9 for extra bases...Casillas K's 10 and gets his 14th win
#136: WIN 8-6 ... two errors in the 8th cost us three unearned runs, but we get it all back with three in the ninth for the win

Quite a hitting display this series: Wiggins 3 triples, 2 HR; Martinez 4 HR; team registered 9 HR total....Brock made his best start in a month, 3 R in 7 IP....Videira just two hits away from 3K....September roster moves: with KC tearing it up in AAA, I left their team largely intact, just recalling RP Chris Mayer. I also signed FA SS/OF Sid Collins for the rest of the season. Collins is 36 and played last year for Arizona and Baltimore. He was Richmond's starting SS or 3B for eleven seasons (yes, I drafted him way back in 2024). With a couple outfielders needing time off this month, he'll help our depth, even if he isn't playoff available. ELSEWHERE...Arizona's Lance Powell is having the closest-to-triple-crown season: 1st in AVG (.362), 2nd in HR (46), and 3rd in RBI (107)....NL Central update: Chicago is still 4.5 up on the Reds, and 5 on Montreal. Pittsburgh (1-6 in last 7) is 7 back and fading....Boston once again--for the third or fourth year running--is a good team that is openly feuding. They finished a game from winning it all last year and were "unhappy" all year long. This year they're 70-65 and are "feuding." Lovely.


September 6 vs CLEVELAND
Make up game from August 19. They've won five in a row, but it doesn't matter since they're 63-71.

#137: WIN 9-3 ... super-hot Wiggins with the 3-run HR in the 7th to seal the win...Little six innings, Clark tosses 3 (gives up only 1 HR!), gets the save

Eh, not much more to say after just one game. We won, so that's good. ELSEWHERE...New Orleans (51-87) is the first team eliminated from playoff contention. I could have told you that in early April....Ty Cobb is up to 2986 hits, and may even pass Videira if he doesn't get off his ass soon.


September 7-9 vs MINNESOTA
Four games behind KC in the Central, but have lost three straight and may soon have to fight off the charging White Sox and Brewers. Tops in AL hitting, and 2nd in bullpen ERA, but 16th in rotation ERA. Currently have eight players on the DL. FUN FACT: Owner Adam Thompson gave GM Richie Lenz a goal to make $19M this year. They're projected balance right now is -$64M.

#138: WIN 4-1 ... Hart surrenders only two hits through six, and the pen yields just one walk the rest of the way...Videira gets a hit, now just one away from history!
#139: WIN 4-2 ... Videira's 7th inning double puts him into the books with hit #3000...Jones 7.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, wins his 17th
#140: LOSS 1-4 ... Casillas pitches well (7 IP, 4 H, 2 R) but takes the loss...Miller gives up 2 R in his one inning of work

Videira! Congrats, Cisco! Now get back to work....Minnesota suffered five more injuries this series. ELSEWHERE...Cobb now at 2989 hits....Cincy just 2 back of the Cubs, Pittsburgh 3.5, Montreal 4.5.


September 10-12 vs KANSAS CITY
Still hanging on to first at 80-58, 4.5 up on the Twins. Hitting is average (but 11th in runs scored), pitching is 3rd best in the AL. Rotation is still doing well, even after the stupid trade of Tom DiFranco (8-2, 2.54 with KC; 4-0, 2.61 with OAK) to the A's, while acquiring Chris Smolak (1-4, 6.33 with KC) to replace him. Some GMs think too much.

#141: WIN 5-4 ... a run in the 8th, and another in the 9th, et voila: a win...Austin Collins goes 4-for-4, 2 RBI
#142: WIN 12-9 ... teams combine for eight home runs (yes, Clark gave one up)...our ten-run second inning probably helped us get the win
#143: WIN 8-1 ... Hart sets a team record with 15 K, although he's pulled with two outs in the ninth...Dunklee gets his 100th RBI, four years in a row now

Wow, did not expect a sweep, or to win five out of six against the Central's best....Drayton leading the league with 37 steals....Oakland playing well, is still 10 games back. ELSEWHERE...Six teams are within 1.5 games of each other in the NL wildcard places, while four teams are within three of vying for the second AL place....Nate Johnson has 56 HR, has a chance for 60.


September 14-16 @ DETROIT
Fifth place, 68-73, good hitting (6th in runs, 5th in HR) but bad pitching (15th in runs against). Their five top prospects are all pitchers, however, four of them starters; all five look really, really good.

#144: LOSS 1-4 ... hitting finally dried up, and Jones has an off day, yielding a 2-run HR in the first and never getting back on track
#145: WIN 5-2 ... Groff and Martinez homer and Casillas picks up his 15th win (6.1, 7 H, 2 R, 3 K)...PLAYOFFS CLINCHED!
#146: WIN 10-2 ... we pound former Islander Jimmy Wunderlich for five runs in 1.2 innings, and injure him to boot...Brock back on track with 7.2 good innings

Woot! Playoffs! Our Magic Number is now 8 for clinching the division. As good as we've been recently (8-2 last ten), the A's have been 9-1 and won eight straight. They're a lock for the first wildcard spot, at worst....Ernesto Martinez has probably played himself onto next year's roster with a hot August (.305) and hotter September (.327, 6 HR). He's cheap, has good power and contact, and can play corner OF, 1B, and of course DH. ELSEWHERE...Ty Cobb goes 4-for-5 on the 16th to finally reach 3000 hits. Definitely a shoo-in hall of famer....Six NL teams have been officially eliminated from the playoffs, zero AL teams.

Speaking of playoffs, the pennant races stand thus:
AL EAST: Toronto 10.5 games up on Boston and Miami. Magic Number is 8.
AL CENTRAL: KC 4.5 ahead of Minnesota and Chicago. Both KC and MIN have lost six straight.
AL WEST: Hawaii 9 up on the A's. Oakland in turn is 9.5 games up on the nearest wildcard pursuer.

NL EAST: Mets are 4 ahead of Richmond, 5 clear of Brooklyn. The Robins are still looking for their first playoff appearance.
NL CENTRAL: Chicago hanging on to a 3 game lead over Cincy, 4.5 over Pittsburgh, 6.5 over Montreal.
NL WEST: LA 6.5 up on Arizona, with the Diamondbacks slumping.


Next up: End of the Regular Season
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Old 08-20-2017, 06:28 PM   #63
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September 17-19 @ TEXAS
Another also-ran, at 69-77, fourth place. Great fielding, meh pitching, terrible hitting.

#147: WIN 10-2 ... Martinez with four more hits and his 20th HR...Collins and Mullen two hits apiece, Mullen with 4 RBI...Little gets his 15th win
#148: WIN 7-3 ... Hart goes to 8-2, and our 30-HR crew all knock one out (Dunklee 39, Drayton 34, Groff 30)
#149: WIN 2-1 ... Jones now 18-5 with a six-hit outing, and two run-scoring singles in the third are all we need

Shh. Don't say anything. No jinxes, no tempting fate. ELSEWHERE...The NL Central is still the closest race, with the Cubs desperately holding tight to their 2 game lead over the Reds. Montreal and Pittsburgh are 4.5 games back. All four teams are 5-5 in their last ten.


September 20-22 vs SEATTLE
It's all home games from here on in, baby. Oakland has a death grip on the first wildcard slot, but the Mariners (along with Miami) are just a game behind the Minny/Boston/Chicago trifecta. So they still have something to play for. Pitching and defense are still what wins games in Seattle, and their hitting is coming along (now up to 9th in AVG).

#150: WIN 10-0 ... a six-run eighth is the icing on the cake...Casillas with 16 wins, Drayton hits his 35th
#151: WIN 16-6 ... this time it's a nine-run third inning that turns the game...teams combine for six HR and 27 H...Win #100
#152: LOSS 6-8 ... wind was blowing in and the M's still hit five out...Drayton and Groff are close to 100 RBI, fwiw

Bad loss to end things here, but we still but up 32 runs on one of the best AL pitching staffs....Josh Robertson strains a hamstring and is out for two weeks. Rest up for the post-season, little man. ELSEWHERE...Austin fires manager Brendan Illies after going 61-87 this year. To be fair, that .412 win pct is the best he's ever had. Pitching coach Paul Konerko is the interim until the new coach is named....Cubs pitcher Mike Martin no-hits the Cardinals for the fifth no-no this season. The Cards have been no-hit twice (as have the Cubs, for that matter)....Nate Johnson (NYM) becomes the first player with 60 HR in a season since Bonds and Sosa did it in 2001.


September 24-26 vs HOUSTON
Currently in last place, the Astros became the first AL team to be officially eliminated from the post-season, thus bringing their home-early-for-fall streak to 20 years. Congrats!

#153: WIN 13-9 ... McArthur comes off the DL with 3 H, 2 RBI...Martinez 2 more HR...Hart Ks 11 but gives up 6 R in 6 IP...DIVISION CLINCHED!
#154: WIN 14-7 ... we can't get folks out now but we're still battering the tar out of the ball...Dunklee hits his 40th, Jones wins his 19th
#155: WIN 6-1 ... four more home runs and a sweep to boot...Casillas wins his 17th while striking out 11 (vs zero walks)

We clinched the division and the A's clinched the top wild card slot....Every position on the roster has hit at least 16 HR, save for second base (four between two players). ELSEWHERE...Cubs LF Riley White suffered his third straight late-year season-ending injury. Cubs are now just a game ahead of the Reds....Preston Sorensen (TOR) hit his 50th HR, the third time he's topped 50, and keeping him in the running for his third MVP award....Andy Raaff, who won 95 games with Philly last year and got let go for his troubles, is the new man in Austin. His batters love him, his rotation doesn't.

Playoff Watch! Toronto just clinched the AL East, and we won the West. Oakland has clinched a wildcard slot. KC is 5.5 up on the Twins, and will probably hold on to win the Central. That leaves the final wildcard battle thus: Minny and Chicago (81-74 each), Boston and Seattle (80-75 each), and Miami (79-77).

In the NL, LA is 5.5 up on Arizona, and the Mets (93-62) are 3 up on Richmond. The Cubs (88-67) are one up on the Reds (87-68). Should the current placings hold, you're looking at a wildcard race like this: Richmond (90 wins), Cincy and Arizona (87), Brooklyn (86), Pittsburgh (84).



September 27-30 vs LA ANGELS
The former greats are 66-89 and are sucking everyone's dust. It's a failing of management that they didn't trade 35-year-old C Jared Grose, who still has some pop (33 HR), but hey, maybe they've got ideas. Eight players on the DL and three starters hitting sub-Mendoza means Happy Days are still a long way off.

#156: WIN 5-3 ... Martinez hits a 2-run double in the third, and we scratch out enough runs with our eight singles to take the win
#157: LOSS 2-4 ... Grose drives in all four LA runs with three HR. I guess he was listening...Little injured in the first, diagnosis pending. NO.
#158: WIN 7-2 ... Hart wins his 10th, and we turn ten singles, two doubles, and four walks into seven runs...Groff still stuck at 99 RBI
#159: WIN 7-6 ... Jones misses his last chance at his 20th win (5 R, 6 IP), but Holguin's walk-off single wins it in the 10th

Solid series except for the large bit of bad news concerning Bobby Little: radial nerve (elbow) surgery, out for four months....Otherwise, it's all smiles here, and we finish September with a 23-4 record. Next up: Oakland and their 20-6 September record....Rob Hart is named September pitcher and rookie of the month, after going 2.83, 6-0, 51 K, 41 IP. ELSEWHERE...KC clinched the Central, and the #2 wildcard standings are: Chicago (84 wins), Seattle (83), Boston and Miami (82), Minny (81). None of the contenders play each other coming up....In the NL, LA won the West, and NY and Richmond clinched playoff spots, with NY currently up by a game over the Eagles. Other contenders are: Cincy (91 wins and 1st in the Central by 2 games); Brooklyn, Chicago, and Arizona at 89 wins. For the final games of the season, NY hosts Brooklyn, Cincy travels to Chicago, and Arizona hosts the Dodgers. Stay tuned!


October 1-3 vs OAKLAND
As I wrote above, they were nearly as hot as us in September, and they have the second best record in baseball with 96 wins. Statistically they don't overwhelm you anywhere, but they are solid all around, with the (not so minor) exceptions of a below average bullpen and a shaky defense. Star C Vinny Vargas and his 39 HR are on the DL, and in fact may miss the playoffs. Fine by me.

#160: WIN 5-1 ... we cut former Islander Tom DiFranco for 11 hits over 6 innings, as everyone gets a hit...Casillas goes the distance, yielding just 3 hits
***AL PLAYOFFS: Chicago (85 wins), Seattle (84), Miami (83); Boston and Minnesota lose and are eliminated. NL PLAYOFFS: Cincy wins the Central. NY and Richmond lose, Mets still up a game. Brooklyn (90), and Chicago/Arizona (89) still in it.
#161: rained out. Rescheduled as a double header tomorrow
***AL PLAYOFFS: Chicago (85) loses, Seattle (85) and Miami (84) win. NL PLAYOFFS: NY and Richmond lose again, Mets still up by one. (Both teams have clinched already.) Brooklyn (91) and Arizona (90) win, while the Cubs lose and are eliminated. Cubs went from first place on September 1 to winning 13 of their last 32 to go home early.
#161: LOSS 4-5 ... solo HR in the 11th gives the A's the win...Groff 3 hits, but still stuck at 99 RBI
#162: WIN 5-3 ... Clark subs for Little and gives us seven 3-hit innings...Groff hits a solo HR for his 100th ribbie! And nobody gets hurt
***AL PLAYOFFS: Seattle and Chicago win, tying at 86 wins and forcing the dreaded 1-game playoff. Miami eliminated. NL PLAYOFFS: Arizona wins and the Mets beat Brooklyn, giving us another 1-game playoff to decide a wildcard spot. Mets also clinch the East.
***WILDCARD PLAYOFF: Seattle chokes out Chicago 6-1, and Brooklyn rides a big first inning to beat Arizona 11-3 and make the playoffs for the first time in their sixteen seasons.

A good way to end the season, and now we get a few days off to rest everyone and get the top of the rotation ready. Losing Little will hurt, as now I'll probably have to use the rather unsteady Brock (if I pitch four starters; may only go three). Josh Robertson gets an "unknown" return date on his hamstring injury, so I'll have to juggle the lineup there too. ELSEWHERE...Props to the Robins for finally making the playoffs, especially after missing it on the last day of the season in 2037. San Francisco and Atlanta fired their GMs and Managers. No word on the Giants replacements. Atlanta won the World Series last year, but slipped to just 74 wins this time, so I guess that means it was all an illusion. Their new skipper is Brian Esposito, who I had in Richmond for nine seasons. He never won fewer than 91 games, yet was still unemployed for all of 2038.

Next up: PLAYOFFS!
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Old 08-21-2017, 09:18 PM   #64
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PLAYOFFS 2038

Wildcard Round
NL WILDCARD: BRO 3 - RIC 1 ... Brooklyn is now undefeated in their playoff history!
AL WILDCARD: SEA 7 - OAK 6 ... Wow...Fernando Orozco 2-run homer in the 10th sends the A's home. Surprise!

Divisional Round vs SEATTLE
Game #1: WIN 5-2 ... Videira keys a 3-run 7th to make the difference...Casillas gives up 10 hits in 7 innings, but only 2 runs...HAW leads 1-0
Game #2: WIN 9-2 ... McArthur and Dunklee go deep, and Hart throws a complete game, striking out 10...HAW leads 2-0
Game #3: WIN 3-1 ... only five hits, but three are for extra bases...Jones goes seven, only gives up 3 hits...HAW wins 3-0

Elsewhere...
AL: TOR defeats KC 3 games to 1
NL: LAD defeats BRO 3 games to 0
NL: NYM defeats CIN 3 games to 2

AL Championship Round vs TORONTO
Game #1: LOSS 1-2 ... two singles and a double plate two for the Jays...Casillas strong in the loss, 8 IP, 7 H, 6 K...TOR leads 1-0
Game #2: WIN 8-1 ... Collins two-run HR and Martinez bases loaded double lead us to a 7-run fourth...Hart 7 IP, 4 H...series tied 1-1
Game #3: WIN 9-3 ... four runs in the first sets the table, and two more in the fourth seals it...Jones 9 K in 5.2 IP...HAW leads 2-1
Game #4: WIN 4-3 ... Brock has to start...and he gets the win with seven decent innings...JUST A GAME AWAY! HAW leads 3-1
Game #5: WIN 10-0 ... we score runs in six different innings, and Casillas throws another complete game...WORLD SERIES HERE WE COME!

Elsewhere...
NL: LAD defeats NYM 4 games to 1


2038 WORLD SERIES vs LOS ANGELES DODGERS
LA won their division at 96-66. Hitting was NL average across the board with one exception: 271 home runs, leading the majors. 1B Willie Alvarez and RF Dave Tasca led the way with 41 each, SS Heriberto Martinez added 39, and C Jake Durfee 31. Luckily for us, Tasca is out for the series. The real mark of their success was on the mound: first in runs against, starter's ERA, bullpen ERA, hits allowed, opp AVG, etc etc. Jose Escobar won 17 games, 2.89 ERA, and struck out 246 in 199 innings. Chris Ellis (2.92, 169 K, 176 IP) and Francisco Gonzalez (3.27, 141 K, 157 IP) further anchor the rotation. However, Andy Fisher, their ace (2.85, 14-5, 250 K, 186 IP), is on the DL and won't be available. They're also missing two relievers and starting CF Mike Newman. Hopefully that's all good for us...

Game #1, October 24 @ Hawaii... WIN 7-4 ... McArthur and Mullen double home three runs in the third, we tack on three more in the fourth and we chase Ellis in the fourth with a 6-1 lead...Groff and McArthur drive in 2 each...Hart gets the win...HAW leads 1-0
Game #2, October 25 @ Hawaii... LOSS 5-8 ... Groff homers in the first, staking us to a 3-0 after one...the Dodgers claw one back in the second, fifth, and sixth to tie it, and we retake the lead on Mullen's double in the bottom of the sixth...then the bullpen gets involved, and Key puts five runners on in the eighth and ninth and they all score...game over...series tied 1-1
Game #3, October 27 @ Los Angeles... LOSS 6-7 ... tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Durfee hits a grand slam...Martinez's three-run shot makes it close again until Durfee hits a solo shot in the sixth...we load the bases in the eighth and Dunklee singles home two to tie the game...and then Key is victimized deep again in the 8th, ugh...LAD leads 2-1
Game #4, October 28 @ Los Angeles... WIN 7-3 ... Casillas looks shaky early, and we're down 3-0 after three...then Holguin doubles home one in the fifth, Groff hits a two-run shot in the sixth, and a three-run dinger in the seventh...series tied 2-2
Game #5, October 29 @ Los Angeles... WIN 7-6 ... we score twice in the first, give up one in the bottom, and then give up a three-run shot to Nelson in the third...we claw it back with a Mullen two-run blast in the fourth to tie it at 4, then give up the lead on an Alvarez double in the fifth...we smallball our way to the win in the sixth, with a walk, two singles, wild pitch, and an error to score 3 runs, and we're just a game away...Hart roughed up tho...HAW leads 3-2 !!!
Game #6, October 31 @ Hawaii... LOSS 1-4 ... damn...LA scores all four runs on three more HR and Gonzalez outpitches Jones...typical Dodger baseball...we outhit them 9 to 7, but get no extra base hits...series tied 3-3
Game #7, November 1 @ Hawaii... down 3-2 in the 7th, with one out Wiggins doubles and Collins singles him to third, but Martinez strikes out and Mullen grounds out, inning over. Bottom of the 8th, now down 4-2...Robertson singles, Groff singles, Drayton walks, bases are loaded. But...McArthur strikes out, Dunklee pops out, and Wiggins grounds out. Another rally snuffed. Forward to the 9th: Collins singles, then Martinez whiffs, Mullen flies out, and Robertson pops out...and it's all over. Crash and burn.

Crap.
Damn.
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Old 08-27-2017, 08:57 PM   #65
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Off-Season 2038

The hot flush of our first World Series appearance has quickly given way to the hangover of losing the last two games at home and coming up empty handed. Despite the bitter end to the season, there are a lot of positives to look back upon: the front office rates fan interest at '98' and we drew 47.6K per game; counting the playoffs we were over $30M in the black, which allows me to ramp up our scouting and development budgets. Owner Alexis Pagan is Very Happy (more from him later). The top end of our prospect pool has a number of players ready to make the jump. Time to shake off my personal gloom and get back into the game...

First, the 2038 trophies were handed out. We didn't net many, but what we got was pretty good...Despite being third in defensive efficiency, we netted zero Golden Gloves...Tops in team batting, but zero Silver Sluggers...Pitcher Eric Jones (19-5, 2.80, 202 IP) came in third in Rookie of the Year voting...Pat Wilson won Manager of the Year...Jeremy Dunklee finished third in AL MVP voting (Toronto's Preston Sorensen won his third)...And Leon Casillas (18-10, 2.49, 6.9 WAR, league best WHIP and BB/9) won his second Cy Young, first in the AL.

We spent 99M on salaries last year, and Pagan has raised my budget to 140M (up from 130) and tells me I can spend 130M on player salaries. Well, not exactly, if I want to have a coaching staff, scouts, a draft budget, and... So let's just say I'll set an internal budget of 110-115M for salaries and see what I can get. (NOTE: After arbitration awards I'm sitting at 111M.) Pagan also reviews my goals, and gives me a "perfect score!" for 2038, and expects more of the same for 2039. Plus, he wants an upgrade at second base, where rookie Josh Robertson had a pretty good season.

In fact, the 2B question will lead off my fall and winter to-do list:

...The 2B Question, or, What To Do With the Middle Infield? 2B Josh Robertson had a good rookie season (.292/.344/.363, albeit with no power) and is a good fielder (+5 ZR). SS Jim Mullen had another banner year at the plate (.289/.323/.475, 19 HR, 96 RBI), although his batting declined through the summer, and he's better suited at second than at short (+.5 ZR). Mullen's slash line is also his worst over his last four seasons. They're both being pushed by Mike Hunter, who hit .286 as a late call-up in August/September. Hunter is the best fielder of the lot, with a cannon arm. All three players have good contact/gap/avoid K ratings, all have low plate discipline, and Hunter/Robertson have little power. Mullen will be 31 early in the 2039 season, and is a fan favorite... SO: Do I trade Robertson, slide Mullen over to second and make Hunter the opening day SS? Or do I "trade high" on Mullen and replace him with Hunter?

...Follow the Rotating Pitchers, or, How Set is the Staff Anyway? Casillas won the Cy Young, Eric Jones was a rookie phenom, and Rob Hart and Bobby Little were more than solid. Steve Brock was okay, but his 3.86 ERA was by far the worst in the rotation (league average was 4.44). While I love Brock's control (17 of 20), he's a pure junkballer on a staff that is not overwhelming to begin with. There are several rookies who had great seasons in AAA knocking on the door. And Brock just got an arbitration bump to 5M for next year; not too expensive, but more than a 23-year-old rookie would make, and more than I'd prefer to pay my fifth starter... SO: Is Brock trade bait? Do I open competition for the #5 slot in camp, while keeping my eyes peeled for a cheap free agent?

...The Perpetual Motion Machine, or, Where Have All the Relievers Gone? Half of my league-best bullpen is departing via free agency: injured closer Jack Shewmake wants 17M (I qualified him but he turned me down), setup man Steve Miller wants 11M, and bust-as-starter-but-good-from-the-pen Justin Ragland wants 8M. No, no, and nope. That's 185 IP and 37 saves gone right there. Ryan Key, Aaron Glass, and Matt Elie were solid and are returning, but they were less-than-stellar in the playoffs, especially Key. Ken Clark is back too, but was finally demoted from the rotation, and was little better in relief (11 HR in 31 IP). As noted above re the rotation, there are some guys pushing up from AAA, and it's likely one or two current AAA starters will end up in our pen come April. But we have no true closer... SO: Do we go and get a closer? Or bring in numerous arms and use March to sort them out?

...The Rest of the Story, or, Rounding Out the Roster. DH/1B Cisco Videira retired. Reserve C Oscar Villanueva was sub-Mendoza until late August, and reserve OF Kelvin Moreno went FA. Guillermo Diaz hit 24 HR in AAA and is solid behind the plate, so Villanueva is likely out. Ernesto Martinez went .291/.335/.576 with 26 HR as an OF/DH, and will get a chance to start every day in 2039. From the farm, 1B/DH Nate Hullinger failed in 2037 to stick in Hawaii, but he'll get another shot after 34 HR in AAA; super-prospect Mel Carillo has stalled somewhat (.242 with 3 HR in AAA), but my scouts say he's ready anyway; and out-of-nowhere OF Jesse Henkel hit 33 HR in AA/AAA and is ready for a long look in camp... SO: Probably not much movement here, but someone may figure into a multi-player trade. But...who?

......

Otherwise, it's the usual passel of off-season antics: fill the minors with intriguing (or at least mildly useful) free agents, set ticket prices, try to offset the loss of popular players with some sort of magical-thinking tomfoolery, and fill two slots on the pro team personnel roster (Asst GM Jonathan Myers wanted a raise from 96K to 456K, and bench coach Brandon Castro was surprisingly unpopular with a large swath of the players).

OTHER NOTES...
...Waiver Madness! Five teams claimed at least 20 players, with San Francisco leading the way at FORTY. I guess that's one way to try improving on your 66-win season, guys.
...Mets pitcher Gabe Delfin was superb, winning the NL Cy Young Award after a season of 18-8, 1.72, 270 K, 220 IP. His teammate Nate Johnson had a great year at the plate (.281/63/138) but finished second in MVP voting to Arizona's Lance Powell (.347/50/120).
...Hall of Fame voting begins, and there's no one I like. Two closers, Aroldis Chapman (20 WAR, 386 saves, 51% votes last year) and Nabil Crismatt (13 WAR, 473 saves, 74% votes last year) have a chance. First-time eligibles Xander Bogaerts (67 WAR, 2678 hits, 370 HR) and Dillon Thomas (72 WAR, 366 HR) may get a lot of votes, but not mine. Manny Machado's long career garnered nearly 2800 hits, 550 doubles, 53 WAR, and 2 World Series trophies, but only 14% of the vote last year.


Next up: Offseason Update and Training Camp
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Old 09-04-2017, 01:06 PM   #66
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So today I had this dream...

Spring Training, Arizona. I'm on the field, near third base, watching the team--my team, for every player here is my responsibility--warm up for this afternoon's game. The batters are nearest me, the pitchers jog and joke well away in the outfield. I briefly study the various groups, looking to see who is with whom, who looks serious, who looks out of place. My eyes are drawn to one pair of players: my cornerstones, and also my corner infielders, Jeremy Dunklee and Adam Groff. Dunklee, with his long and serious face, is holding forth on something that looks important, although it's probably about surfing. Groff, who at 25 still has a face that's never seen a razor, seems intent and occasionally nods. I move on, noticing our placid DH, 6-foot-4 Ernesto Martinez, shaking his head as 5-foot-9 second baseman Josh Robertson asks if he's ever heard of 'Andre the Giant.' I remember Robertson asking the same recently of linebacker-turned-catcher Austin Collins, and the latter threatening to shave off the former's carefully groomed Jeff-Kentian moustache. I walk past them and through a clump of rookies--catcher Willie Diaz, shortstop Mike Hunter, and outfielders Mel Carillo and Jesse Henkel--all of whom will be asked to carry significant weight this year. Someone in this group will likely astonish, and someone will likely fail, and my heart jumps at both of those possibilities. I keep walking, through a few more veterans (like Nate Hullinger and Ian Hoppmann, ghosts of Islander seasons past), and among the camp invites, most of whom will probably be somewhere else next spring. There's 'Yank' Ward, a 24-year-old catcher who's glove and arm made him a prospect, but who's bat has him stalled at AA. There's the wonderfully-named Cortez Florez, another stud fielder and the glue of two AAA championship teams. If only he could hit... I stop for a bit at Roberto Mendez, the very first youngster my scouts 'discovered' in 2034, a 6-3 specimen who can throw strikes from the warning track, outrun a deer, and barely outhit my 90-year-old mother. I cast a side eye at infielder John Martin, who told me at the 2036 draft that he would make me proud to have picked him. Unlike the others, he has a sweet swing, and is seemingly able to direct grounders and line drives around the park at will. And also unlike the others, he regularly tunes out everything anyone says to him and says his fielding is "good enough."

I'm past them all now, and moving among the fragile glassware that is my pitching staff. I want to hoard as many of the rare pieces as I can, and stash them away for safekeeping. I am constantly aware that one wrong move, one fatal flick of an arm, and my priceless collection can break around me, can shatter and never be repaired. I stop at Leon Casillas, our Cy Young starter, and I want to order him encased in bubble wrap until Opening Day, and maybe beyond. My second-level starters--Rob Hart, Eric Jones, Bobby Little--all seem so delicate, and so necessary to our success, that I can hardly stand being among them. I fidget when I remember that currently we are a staff without a solid fifth starter, seemingly our perennial weakness, and one that I hope will be remedied by April. Will Ken Clark regain his form from 2036, when he came in second in Cy Young voting? What about Mark Phillips, at 26 too old to be an official prospect, but still looking for his first game in the bigs? Or Bobby Piccirillo, born in Hawaii and desperate to become a local hero, but who has looked out of sorts all spring? Then there's Cam Bornhoft, the youngest at just 22, and the possessor of a wicked curve that, for now, still takes too many bleacher vacations during his starts. Recently my press conferences end shortly after someone asks me about this issue, and yet the questions persist.

For two years our bullpen has been the best in the game, but this year I'm worried: half our pen from last year is gone. Watching the dozen or so hopefuls move back and forth on the grass, I realize that only three of them have been with us for those two years: Ryan Key, Aaron Glass, and Chris Mayer. None is a closer. None of them can you picture in the ninth inning of a game seven. One them in fact has been there: Key, who gave up three crucial late-inning home runs late last October, and who may or may not have fully recovered from the trauma. It could be, then, that our season hopes ride on our new closer, acquired in December from the Cardinals: Jim Kieffer. I traded a decent #5 starter and my favorite shortstop for him, and now my pitching coach tells me the new guy wants to be in the rotation. That may be, I think, but your changeup tells me you're going to stay in the bullpen, son. Questions abound here, as well.

I reach the warning track, and turn around, leaning against the wall and taking in the view. Forty or so players, with another eighty or ninety out of sight in the farm complex beyond. Coaches are sprinkled throughout, laughing, cajoling, instructing. Somehow I'm able to pick out Moises Patino, my scouting director, just back from his latest jaunt through Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, in the stands near the dugout. He's talking with trainer Jordan Villalobos, sharing a private talk. I feel I can almost hear Moises, at 5-8 and over 200 pounds, complaining about his bad knees and aching back. Jordan wants him to exercise more, saying "Look, stay away from all that greasy road food all the time. This is what you gotta do, try keeping--"

A noise wakes me up. I'm in my office, up high, third base side, nearly game time. Jones is warming on the mound, Collins catching, gesturing to keep the ball down. Another ball zooms around the infield, a couple more loop through the outfield air. I remember we're playing Miami today, and they do have a pitcher I like...

It's my birthday. I'm sixty-seven today; 2039 will mark my 27th year in the major leagues, and I'll pass my 4000th game as a GM this season. Not bad for someone who's little league highlight was giving a black eye to the coach's son on a short-hop relay from right field. But as I look out onto the field I keep wondering....what woke me up? I can only imagine two possibilities: a cork popping, champagne overflowing; or a window closing, an opportunity gone...

Instead it's Patino. "Hey boss, I brought us some lunch. Wake up, old man! The game's about to start."
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Old 09-18-2017, 07:28 PM   #67
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SPRING TRAINING! came and went with no major problems, thank goodness. We won 17 games (the Mets topped the charts at 25-5), got mostly good play from the youngsters and other newbies, and only suffered two short-term injuries. To the good, my penciled-in #5 starter Mark Phillips threw well, led the spring in strikeouts, and beat out former ace Ken Clark for a spot in the rotation. Kids Mike Hunter, Guillermo Diaz, and Mel Carillo earned spots, but Jesse Henkel flamed out (three HR late, but oh-for-spring until game #25) and will go back to AAA.

Injuries took a slight toll, but one thing I did was to rest my top starting pitchers often so as to minimize their exposure to injury. Hopefully they'll still be ready for the start of the season. I did lose two regular players, in 2B Josh Robertson (2 weeks) and RF Chris Wiggins (one week). Robertson will be replaced by rookie John Martin, a former 10th round pick from 2036. He only hit .222 in the spring, but is my best option right now, and is a good contact hitter who won't strike out. He's not too hot anywhere else, tho. Wiggins will be replaced in right by Travis McArthur, who moves over from left, and I'll split LF between Ernesto Martinez (who will also DH) and rookie Mel Carillo. I'm not sure who will move out when Wiggins comes back, as a week really isn't time to get a handle on a rookie's play.

Probably the biggest news out of ST was that I finally pulled the trigger on moving Ken Clark, sending him to St Louis in a six-player trade. He pitched well in the spring, but I'm just tired of him giving up 2 home runs every game and constantly underperform based on his ratings. My scouts finally admitted they have him rated as an "Extreme Flyball Pitcher," and that was it. We also shipped out 27-year-old SP Angelo Partida, who has nearly made our team three years running, and three average to might-be-good-one-day prospects. In return, we got OF Harry Trinidad, who can run and field at a big league level, but needs serious help at the plate. But the centerpiece for us is SP Mike Messinger, who has great stuff and good movement, but needs to work on his control. Three good pitches, hits 96 MPH, and does have good potential control; he's just not there yet. He becomes our #1 prospect and will start the season in AA. We'll also retain 3.7M of Clark's salary this year and next.

......

2039 OPENING DAY ROSTER

No real surprises here; we've kept last year's roster pretty much intact, at least until you get to the bullpen. We were one game away from winning it all last year; I think our window is still wide open and we can get right back to the World Series again this fall. Below is starters first, then the bench, then pitchers. All stats are 2038, obv.

Starters:
C Austin Collins (.299/16/84, 4.0 WAR) Back for his fifth season behind the plate. He's grown into an average catcher, but earns his bread with the bat. His 2038 stats very nearly exactly match his career seasonal averages.
1B Jeremy Dunklee (.323/40/112, 7.9 WAR) One of our two lineup cornerstones. When healthy, he's a perennial all-star and good for 40 HR at least.
2B John Martin (.256/0/28 in A ball) He'll be on the roster for the first two weeks of the season, and I'm not expecting much, to be honest. Decent contact and gap strength, and won't strike out. Defense just so so.
3B Adam Groff (.317/31/100, 6.6 WAR) Started off slowly last year but came on strong over the second half. Is a foundational player, and one I'll be working on signing to a long-term contract this year. (He has three more years of arbitrational control.)
SS Mike Hunter (.331 in AAA, also .286 in 70 AB for Hawaii) Taking over at short from the departed Jim Mullen. He has the potential to hit .300 with 40 doubles and has Gold Glove skills in the field.
LF/DH Ernesto Martinez (.291/26/73 in 368 AB) Really came on strong at the plate after last year's all-star break. Good play this spring solidified his spot in the starting lineup. Not rangy in the field, but decent enough to fill in. Will get a ton of time at DH too.
CF Josh Drayton (.272/36/105, 39 SB, 5.0 WAR) Speedy and a solid fielder, we'll need him to hit at least as well as he did last year (he struggled to .256 the year before). Has led the league in steals in 2036 and '38.
RF Travis McArthur (.287/19/84, 2.6 WAR) Solid, but hasn't played up to his status as a former #1 overall pick. Still, he's an elite fielder who is capable of 30 HR and .300 average. We'll need it.

Bench:
C Guillermo Diaz (.254, 24 HR in AAA) Is a much better catcher behind the plate than Collins, but can't carry his water as a batter. Does bring power and a good eye to the game. If he hits over .230 and brings some pop, I'll be happy.
1B/DH Nate Hullinger (.278, 28 HR in AAA, .333 with 2 HR in 39 AB for Hawaii) Flamed out in 2037, but is back for another bite at the apple. Brings big power and decent contact, not much else.
IF Danny Holguin (.259/2/17 in 112 AB) Outstanding fielder across the infield, and decent enough at the plate should Martin fail in the early going.
OF Ian Hoppmann (.261/.321/.349 with Toronto) Played 47 games down the stretch for us in 2035. Has a nice bat off the bench (no power tho), is a good fielder across the outfield (and at first), but will get the highest marks as the team's captain, something we lacked last year.
Mel Carillo (.242/3/28 in AAA) Still a fairly raw 21-year-old, but looks good enough on paper to be in the bigs. Hasn't hit yet past AA, and hasn't developed much over the last year. My scouts still love him tho, so I'm giving him his first taste of MLB. Best case scenario is he plays well this year, develops a bit more, and takes over in LF by 2040.

Disabled List:
2B Josh Robertson (.292/.344/.363, 22 doubles) Had a good rookie year, but will always be on the bubble since he's not outstanding in any one area. My owner wants a better second baseman anyway....He'll be back in two weeks.
RF Chris Wiggins (.310/20/73, 3.6 WAR) Nice contact and tremendous gap power, somehow also hit 20 HR last year. Decent fielder too. In the last year of his contract ($8.04M).

Rotation:
RHP Leon Casillas (18-10, 2.49, 228 IP, 203 K, 6.9 WAR) Last year's free agent grab came in and established himself as the staff ace, and won the AL Cy Young award to boot. More this year, please.
RHP Rob Hart (10-2, 2.38, 95 IP, 99 K, 1.7 WAR) Was dynamite in 13 starts after his July call-up. Is still just 22 and has a little more room to develop. No sophomore slump, okay?
LHP Bobby Little (15-4, 3.72, 160 IP, 150 K, 2.3 WAR) Solid lefty, not overpowering but gets people out.
LHP Eric Jones (19-5, 2.80, 202 IP, 145 K, 3.3 WAR) Second in Rookie of the Year voting, not bad for a former 21st round pick. Has good stuff but wins with superior movement and control.
RHP Mark Phillips (9-3, 2.35, 126 IP, 154 K, 3.0 WAR in AAA) 26-year-old rookie getting his chance at the back end of the rotation. Great stuff, average control, and a flyball pitcher. Ken Clark 2.0, maybe? We'll see.

Bullpen:
CL Jim Kieffer (3-3, 3 SV, 1.88, 91 IP, 115 K with St Louis) Another year, another bullpen rebuild. Kieffer wants to be a starter, but I think he's a natural closer and will be great at it.
SU Aaron Glass (3-2, 1 SV, 3.19, 54 IP, 48 K) Has had two solid seasons with us and moves into a setup role. Currently one of three lefties in the pen.
SU Ryan Key (7-2, 14 SV, 2.73, 56 IP, 56 K) Closed down the stretch and did well, but got beat up in the World Series. Returns to a setup spot, and begins his sixth season with us as the last original Islander.
RH Chris Mayer (1-1, 4.32, 33 IP, 25 K) Just okay for us last year, but pitched great in the spring to make the roster. Average in most respects.
LH Pat Stanley (2-0, 1 SV, 2.19, 25 IP, 33 K; also 69 IP in AAA) Threw well late last year, now gets a shot as a regular. Might succeed as our LOOGY.
LH Jay Yates (2-2, 1 SV, 4.55, 55 IP, 51 K with White Sox) Comes back to Hawaii after two years in Chicago. Was our closer for three seasons before that, but doesn't have the chops for that anymore. Still good enough to pitch to righties as well, and brings strong leadership as well.
RH Rich Beltowski (7-2, 3 SV, 4.29, 86 IP, 109 K with Montreal and Oakland) Free agent signing brings big time stuff and good control. One of the three new key guys in the pen for us.

......

MLB has us winning 89 games, finishing 6 games behind Oakland. Adam Groff looks to have a big year at the plate, while Casillas, Hart, and Kieffer get good numbers from the mound. Otherwise, our hitting and pitching look suspect, at least from their perspective. Miami and Cleveland are pegged to win their divisions, with Minnesota getting the second wild card spot. In the NL, New York, Pittsburgh, and Arizona are marked to take their divisions, with Chicago and one of Richmond or LA getting the other wild card. And for fun, consider these numbers: Portland lost a net 11.1 WAR from their roster during the off-season, while Washington gaines 8.3 WAR, followed by the Yankees at 7.4. We're down in 31st place, having lost 6.1 WAR, thanks to three top relievers and our starting SS Mullen.

Our system ranks 12th in MLB, with three players in the top 100: P Mike Messinger (60th), OF Mel Carillo (74th), and P Cameron Bornhoft (84th). Among our starters, MLB ranks four in the top ten: 1B Jeremy Dunklee (2nd), 3B Adam Groff (1st), CF Josh Drayton (6th), and SP Leon Casillas (3rd).

......

Next up: Start of the 2039 season
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Old 09-23-2017, 12:20 PM   #68
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2039 Season

Well, I fell for it again, looking at the pre-season predictions before they were official. Turns out MLB has us winning 101 games and our division by 16 over the Rangers. First in hitting, first in pitching, second in HR. I'd take that. Groff, Dunklee, and McArthur look to have big years at the plate, while Hart and Kieffer lead the way on the mound. (Where's Casillas?) Meanwhile, the Mets figure to be the top team in the NL with 100 wins.

Opening Day!
We begin our sixth season in MLB, and I for one have very high hopes for 2039. All of our key players are into or just beginning to hit their prime years, and only four players (three relievers and backup OF Ian Hoppmann) are over 30. On paper, we're strong nearly everywhere, with the only real question mark being our new SS, rookie Mike Hunter. We did lose three key relievers from last year's team, but I think we'll be okay with their replacements. And when injuries strike, I feel like our AAA club in KC is well stocked with capable fill-ins. Our owner wants a championship team by 2041: that's a three-year window, and I think we're well set up to bring home a trophy...maybe even more than one.

April 4-6 vs TAMPA BAY
MLB has the Rays finishing with 74 wins, last in the East. RF Ricky Chavez, 1B Andy Catron, and C William Antonio lead a paltry-looking attack, while Joe Ingram is the best pitcher of a scattered group. Former big leaguer Dee Brown is in his first year as manager, after two seasons as bench coach. There's better news long-term in that their prospect pool is #4 overall, with three players in the top 25.

HAW pitchers w/ 2038 stats: Leon Casillas (18-10, 2.49) / Rob Hart (10-2, 2.38) / Eric Jones (19-5, 2.80)
TB pitchers w/ 2038 stats: Joe Ingram (5-5, 4.56) / Nelson Gonzalez (8-16, 5.26) / Jordan Sanchez (3-3, 3.98)

#1: WIN 6-1 ... back to back 2nd inning dingers from Dunklee and Martinez, and 14 hits overall...Casillas yields 1 run in 7 innings
#2: WIN 6-5 ... Groff with a two-run shot, McArthur with 3 hits and 2 runs...Hart gets slapped around for 10 hits and 5 runs in 5 innings...Kieffer his first save
#3: WIN 2-0 ... nine hits combined, with Martinez driving in both runs...Jones just 3 hits and 0 runs in 6.2 IP, Kieffer another save

Sweep! Nice start, and we're one of 6 teams to sweep their opening series. Too early to say much else.


April 8-10 @ NY YANKEES
If the Yanks, picked to win 82 games this year, match that, it will be the first time they've topped .500 since 2029. They've got talent -- Tony Villarruel is the #2 pitcher in baseball, and all-timer Ty Cobb holds the fort at shortstop -- but they're not deep, and will struggle to score and hit for power. Miguel Rodriguez is entering his third year as manager, after 21 years as pitching coach for Campeche in Mexico.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (15-4, 3.72) / Mark Phillips (9-3, 2.35 in AAA) / Leon Casillas (1-0, 1.29 in 2039)
NYY pitchers: Justin Darrisaw (11-11, 4.10) / Rafael Aragon (1-0, 3.83) / Tony Villarruel (1-0, 2.00 in 2039)

#4: WIN 6-2 ... Dunklee and Hullinger go deep, and we put 18 runners on base...Little's line: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
#5: WIN 5-4 ... Down 4-1 in the ninth, McArthur hits a grand slam, and Kieffer sets them down in order...Phillips MLB debut: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
#6: WIN 2-0 ... McArthur with another HR, Wiggins with 3 hits, and Casillas goes 7.2 innings this time...Villarruel Ks 12 Islanders

Even better start! The only downer is CF Josh Drayton separated his shoulder against the outfield fence and will miss 5-6 weeks. Chris Wiggins came off the DL on the same day, so at least there were no roster moves necessary. ELSEWHERE: Angelo Partida was part of the package we sent to STL along with Ken Clark at the end of camp. On the 9th his season ended with a ruptured UCL. Sucks for the Cards.


April 11-13 @ MIAMI
The opposite of the Yankees: a strong lineup but with weak pitching. They're off to a strong start, at 4-2, and have already hit 11 home runs. LF Ricky Beard and 3B Sergio Torres lead the attack (Torres currently on the DL however). Tony Diaz is in his second season as manager.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (0-0, 9.00) / Eric Jones (1-0, 0.00) / Bobby Little (1-0, 2.70)
MIA pitchers: Chris Keast (1-0, 2.25) / Jeff Heller (1-0, 6.00) / Matt Rubin (1-0, 1.29)

#7: WIN 4-1 ... Hullinger parks two, Martinez doubles twice...Hart bounces back with 8.2 strong innings...Kieffer gets his fifth save
#8: LOSS 4-10 ... it was bound to end sometime...we gave up 13 hits and committed 3 errors...Jones only lasts 5.2 innings
#9: WIN 4-3 ... Groff with 2 hits and 2 RBI; Martinez now hitting .542...Little with 6 good innings, bullpen Ks 5 in 3 innings

Okay, we lost a game, but we're still off to a terrific start. Pitching is ranked 1st, and we're 2nd in batting (but only 11th in runs scored). Our rotation is pitching so well that we still have two relievers who haven't yet made an appearance (Yates and Mayer). Fun fact: going back to his brief callup last summer, Nate Hullinger now has a 16-game hitting streak. ELSEWHERE: Ricardo Balderas, one of SEVEN closers the Dodgers signed as free agents in the off-season, hurt his shoulder and is done for the year. One down, six to go...Cleveland has been hotter than the Islanders, leaving the gate at 9-1, but only a game ahead of the 8-2 Tigers. Pittsburgh is riding a six-game losing streak, pushing them down to 2-7.


April 15-17 vs TEXAS
Off to a 4-5 start, although MLB has them winning 85 games and finishing second, behind us. They're led by rookie 2B (and self-described "selfish punk") Luis Olivo and second-year RF Todd McNearney, and my scouts tell me they're best pitcher is Jamie Bell. Remember him? Owner of a 10.59 ERA over five starts for the Islanders in 2036? No? Well, since then he's gotten below half that startling ERA only once. I'm beginning to think my scouting staff needs a long vacation... Anyway, Drew Saylor is in his seventh season as manager, having broken .500 only once. At least his players like him, probably because he's not pushing them to, you know, win games or anything like that.

HAW pitchers: Mark Phillips (0-0, 4.50) / Leon Casillas (2-0, 0.61) / Rob Hart (1-0, 3.95)
TEX pitchers: Amir Farland (1-0, 1.23) / Mike Rath (0-1, 4.72) / Seth Purdy (0-1, 3.12)

#10: WIN 4-2 ... Rangers score twice early on, but a two-run fifth propels us to the win...Phillips goes just 5.1, but Ks seven
#11: WIN 9-0 ... we turn 8 hits and 8 walks into 8 runs early, and coast...Casillas goes the distance with a four-hitter
#12: LOSS 3-5 ... three HR aren't enough, and our pen blows it in the 11th...Hart threw well but stayed in too long, giving up two in the 8th to tie the game

Josh Robertson comes off the DL before the first game; John Martin (.196) goes back to AAA...I'm now extremely greedy for wins and am disappointed we missed out on the sweep. I shouldn't complain, but it's hard not to...We're still getting on base (3rd in AVG and OBP), but not scoring runs (10th), so I might tweak the lineup juuuust a bit...Hullinger goes oh-fer in the first game: hitting streak over... ELSEWHERE: Pity the Cardinals, who now have four pitcher from their opening day roster on the 60-day DL. Or don't....The Angels are scraping the bottom at 3-10. Guess who we play next?


April 18-20 vs LA ANGELS
Still in their rebuilding phase, and off to a 3-10 start, with subpar hitting and atrocious pitching. Having six players on the DL already doesn't help either. Their two best players are a pair of 36-year-old C/DH, Jarod Grose and Devlin Ransberger. You think they'll trade one or both before the deadline? Yeah, you'd think that, but probably not. Manager is Crayton Barrell...erm, Bare, coming off three years in Mexico. More than half the team already dislikes him...and yet owner Arturo Moreno Jr. is "ecstatic." What am I missing here.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (1-1, 3.65) / Bobby Little (2-0, 2.84) / Mark Phillips (1-0, 3.97)
LAA pitchers: Milt Schott (1-1, 6.17) / Bryan Gruber (1-1, 2.70) / Jeff Caraway (0-2, 6.32)

#13: LOSS 8-9 ... hubris kills, apparently...Jones and Stanley get lit up, and despite putting 19 runners on base, we still lose
#14: WIN 5-4 ... Groff taps one up the middle in the 11th for the win...Stanley blows chunks all over once again; why was he even out there again?
#15: WIN 11-5 ... Phillips gets hurt after 2 innings, so guess who comes in for him? Sigh. This time, tho, Stanley gives up nada in three innings...12 hits and 3 HR for the good guys

While Pat Stanley was sucking eggs, Jay Yates and Chris Mayer had yet to make an appearance this season. Then Yates takes the mound in the sixth in game 15 and promptly gives up 4 hits and 4 runs. Maybe I'll just shut up now....Phillips has an elbow boo-boo and will miss 1-2 weeks. Bryan Hardin, at 31, earns his first call-up to the bigs since 2035... ELSEWHERE: STL now has five pitchers on the DL, so of course they had starter Frank Renteria go 10.2 innings in his last start....Pittsburgh continues to prove that an all-star lineup (5th in runs, 1st in HR) can't make up for middle school pitching (last, last, last), as they're now 4-10.


Next up: April, continued
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Old 09-23-2017, 08:33 PM   #69
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April 22-24 @ BOSTON
Currently atop the East at 9-5, and riding a six-game winning streak. They can't field for sh*t, but are getting good hitting and good pitching. SS Colin Schueller, underappreciated RF Jason McColl, and 41-year-old injury-magnet Kelvin Robinson are leading the way, and pitchers Eddy Llamas and Manny Gomez are as good as any 1-2 starters in the league. They fell down last year and missed the playoffs, but this is the team that took the Braves to game 7 of the World Series in 2037. Kris Harvey has been the manager since 2029, despite having only three winning seasons in that span.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (3-0, 0.38) / Rob Hart (1-0, 3.32) / Eric Jones (1-1, 5.19)
BOS pitchers: Eddy Llamas (1-1, 5.51) / Manny Gomez (2-1, 2.25) /

#16: WIN 6-1 ... Hullinger jacks his 5th, and Casillas yields just 3 hits over 7 innings
#17: WIN 12-6 ... 18 hits total and 8 runs in the final three innings...Wiggins GRAND SLAM in the 5th...Hunter with 3 doubles, and Hart Ks 8 in 6 innings
#18: WIN 4-3 ... Groff homered early and doubled home the winning run in the ninth...Mayer AND Yates pitched; first game for Mayer

I feel like the '78 Yankees with a team full of Bucky Dents. If it weren't so early in the season, I'd say we just detroyed the Sox life force....As good a start as this is for us, Seattle is 12-6 and just 3.5 games back; Oakland is a game behind them. Looks like the West will be tough again this year... ELSEWHERE: Cubs SS Jordan Cruz, who's averaged 262 K these last three years, is on pace for just 230 this year. Glad to see that extra BP is paying off....Cincy is rolling at 15-4, while Tampa is rolling over, at 3-15...Minnesota's had a fun game against Miami: earned first star of the day by going 1-for-1 with 5 walks and 5 runs.


April 25-27 @ TORONTO
The Jays are struggling, at 6-11. The offense is putrid right now, dead last, and without All-Earth 1B Preston Sorensen for another month. Leadoff "hitter" Gerardo Magana is coasting along with a .225 OBP, and their #4 and #5 hitters have combined to hit .200. Pitching is still top-notch, as they're 2nd in runs against. Owner Jody Patterson still wants "extreme profit," so don't expect any more big contracts, Jays fans.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (2-0, 2.89) / Bryan Hardin (0-0, 0.00) / Leon Casillas (4-0, 0.29)
TOR pitchers: Dillon Phelan (0-3, 5.06) / Curtis Thames (0-3, 5.68) / Joe Erkel (3-0, 1.65)

#19: WIN 9-6 ... we gave up 3 HR, but then again we hit 5, including Robertson's first...six regulars now hitting over .300
#20: LOSS 9-10 ... Slugfest! Teams combine for 11 doubles and 2 HR, and our pitching outsucks theirs...Hardin was awful in his debut
#21: WIN 10-1 ... 16 hits, 7 doubles, and a HR...Casillas another complete game, 3 hits, 8 K

The offense is really firing right now: first in numerous categories, and seven regulars hitting .300....Casillas likewise is on fire with his 5-0 record and 0.45 ERA....On the farm, KC is off to a horrible start, at 3-9, while AA Lewiston is 8-5... ELSEWHERE: Cleveland's 9-2 start has yielded to a 2-8 stretch over their last ten....Oakland has now won six in a row to take over second place behind the Islanders, just 3.5 games back....Houston's slow start (7-16) saw them fire GM Greg Dowling and Manager Jim Ed Warden. Dowling was in his sixth season with the club, but Warden lasted just 23 games. Replacements have not yet been named. ("No manager. This will have serious ramifications for team chemistry." LOL)


April 29-30, May 1 vs BALTIMORE
Currently 11-10, a game-and-a-half behind the first place (!) Yankees. 3B John Paine is hitting .325 and RF Mike McConnell .301, but the rest of the lineup is struggling (13th in runs scored, 16th in AVG). They're 8th in runs against, no thanks to the rotation (13th). The bullpen is sitting at #1, but last year's Cy Young runner-up Raul Trevino is off to a slow start.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (2-0, 3.90) / Eric Jones (1-1, 4.63) / Bobby Little (3-0, 3.96)
BAL pitchers: Raul Trevino (1-3, 4.70) / Joey Muhlenkamp (0-2, 9.50) / Miguel Moreno (0-1, 7.20)

#22: LOSS 7-15 ... and yet, we outhit them...apparently my manager hates Hart, as he's left in for 12 hits and 14 runs in 7 innings...moving on now
#23: WIN 9-2 ... nice comeback game, as Jones goes the distance despite giving up two solo shots in the ninth...Martinez two doubles and a 3-run homer
#24: WIN 6-2 ... Hunter is the star tonight, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and 2 RBI...Little goes to 4-0 with 7 innings

Hullinger is making the most of his second chance, starting the season .330/8/24....Mel Carillo tweaks his back and is dtd for a week....Casillas is named pitcher of the month... ELSEWHERE: Minnesota's Steve Wilkins (.468/6/26) wins player and rookie of the month....Tampa is making a case for relegation, starting the season at 4-20....Richmond's Carlos Valencia clouted 13 HR in April. He had the wonderful stat line of .232/48/135 last season.

Next up: May 2039
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Old 09-28-2017, 08:54 PM   #70
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May 2-4 @ SEATTLE
Off to their usual good start, at 15-10, the Mariners are getting good hitting (3rd in AVG) and pitching (5th in runs against). Two-thirds of their starting OF is on the DL, including all-star Mike 'Judge' Wapner, but their replacements are hitting over .300. Yet owner Adam ("The Unmerciful") Yamauchi is still angry.

HAW pitchers: Bryan Hardin (0-0, 10.38) / Leon Casillas (5-0, 0.45) / Rob Hart (2-1, 6.75)
SEA pitchers: Sean Easter (0-2, 8.31) / Aaron Myers (2-0, 1.16) / Ruben Alvarado (2-2, 2.27)

#25: WIN 7-4 ... Martinez hits a two-run shot in the 4th, and we add 4 more in the sixth to seal the deal...Hardin throws well, but goes back to AAA anyway
#26: LOSS 4-7 ... Casillas finally throws a bad game, 7 R in 6.1 IP, 3 HR...Collins' 3-run HR is our only highlight
#27: WIN 9-2 ... Hart finally throws a good one, a 7-hit complete game, 9 K...McArthur and Martinez 3 hits each

We're now 21-6, 5.5 games up on the A's. Second in runs scored, first in runs against....Phillips is back off the DL, and Hardin goes back to AAA....We're off to Oakland next. ELSEWHERE: Cleveland has slumped to 13-15 after their hot start. Tampa has been bad all along, and are currently 5-22....Minnesota rookie Steve Wilkins (.467) is the last player still hitting over .400....Richmond's Carlos Valencia is working on a 22-game hitting streak. He's a powerful hitter (33 HR/season in his career) who's hitting .340, 100 points above his career average.


May 5-8 @ OAKLAND
16-12, tied for second with Seattle. Fifth in runs scored and ninth in runs against, but first in defensive efficiency. DH David Shaw is hitting .394, but superstar C Vinny Vargas is hitting about 60 points below his career average, at .277. IF Emilio Tejada is hitting .478 but riding the bench for some reason. Robert Woodard is in his eighth season as manager, and despite nearly his entire pitching staff disliking him, he gets results: four playoff visits in the last five seasons.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (2-1, 3.90) / Bobby Little (4-0, 3.66) / Mark Phillips (1-0, 4.05) / Leon Casillas (5-1, 1.76)
OAK pitchers: Tom DiFranco (4-1, 3.57) / Edgar Maldonado (4-0, 4.20) / Matt Bienvenu (1-2, 3.58) / Ricky Hose (2-3, 2.51)

#28: WIN 5-4 ... Robertson sets a team record with 3 triples, driving in and scoring two...Jones 3 R in 6.1 IP, Kieffer his 11th save
#29: WIN 4-3 ... Robertson with 2 more hits, and Hullinger wakes up for his first HR in a week...Little 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, but a no-decision
#30: WIN 6-5 ... Phillips gets bombed for all 5 runs in the first, but yields just 3 more hits through the next five...we're not hitting HR now, but do take 8 walks
#31: LOSS 1-5 ... Casillas has gone ice cold, giving up 5 in 6.2 innings...Hose hoses us, tosses a complete game 5-hitter

You gotta figure you're getting the sweep with your ace on the mound, but Casillas has his second straight miserable outing. He'll snap out of it. Right?...AAA pitcher (and our #2 prospect Cam Bornhoft tears his elbow and is done for the year....CF Josh Drayton comes off the DL in a week. ELSEWHERE: Tampa is now 5-22, the clubhouse is feuding, yet owner Stuart Sternberg is very happy. Sure....Atlanta's now lost 10 in a row, dropping into last place at 11-21....The rookie crop for the upcoming draft was announced, and while there's no consensus #1, there's talent to be had. The top picks figure to be IF Josh Suprenant from Villanova, a line-drive hitting SS who looks pretty solid across the board (but is better fitted for 3B or LF); OF Morgan Akers from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who is very similar to Suprenant except he has very little defensive aptitude; 1B Jason Eastep, Pepperdine, who will hit a lot of home runs and pile up a lot of strikeouts; and RP Ted Minson, a lefty who figures to be a decent closer one day. For the Islanders, I'll probably take BPA every time (favoring intangibles, as always), but I'd sure love to finally draft a decent catcher. I've never developed a good one yet, and it looks like the wave of top-notch catching talent in this league has crested and broken.


May 9-12 vs HOUSTON
Things already look lost for the Astros, once again swimming in circles at 12-21, fifth place. They're not scoring (15th), and are only 14th in runs against too. Five players are on the DL. Manager Guillermo Reyes is 5-4 since taking over, and owner Jim Crane Jr. is delighted, for some reason. Their prospect pool is second in the league, however, and they do have the #1 rated prospect in SS Francisco Villon, who's currently toiling in AA, but should see some action in the bigs by September, at the latest.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (3-1, 5.77) / Eric Jones (3-1, 3.96) / Bobby Little (4-0, 3.55) / Mark Phillips (2-0, 5.12)
HOU pitchers: Jamie Pollock (1-2, 4.26) / Sean MacPherson (2-2, 5.52) / Jay Russo (2-2, 2.53) / Jason Ray (1-4, 4.89)

#32: WIN 11-3 ... Wiggins is the star, with 3 hits, 3 RBI, 2B, HR...three others homer, and Hart goes 8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 7 K
#33: WIN 8-1 ... Robertson hits a HR, knocks in 2, ditto for Hullinger...Jones with 7.2 IP, 8 K
#34: WIN 5-4 ... Hullinger goes 4-for-4 with 3 doubles, and Groff adds 3 hits...Little gets the win with a so-so outing, 4 R in 7 IP
#35: WIN 9-4 ... the backups (Hoppmann, Carillo, Diaz, and Holguin) go 6-for-16 and all get hits in our 4-run seventh...Phillips pitches poorly, gets hurt

We're now 10-2 in May after this lovely sweep, and 28-7 overall. Mark Phillips' pending injury is the only down beat from the series. If he's done for a while, I do have three starters in AAA who want to come up, although none is a standout. It's still a long ways off from the deadline, so there's time to make a move if needed, although now I'm getting ahead of myself. We'll see what shakes out.... ELSEWHERE: Baltimore is the latest HOT TEAM given their 10-0 run, propelling them to first place in the East....Pittsburgh's dynasty is receding further into the past, given that they paid zero attention to their awful pitching in the off-season, and are suffering for it now: 14-21, worst rotation in the NL (and just lost their ace for 13 months), while still boasting the league's best offense. There's a lesson in this team....Happy birthday to Minny's 'Peanuts' Carter, last year's AL batting champ, who's currently hitting .392 (second to teammate Steve Wilkins). He's a great hitter, a solid catcher, and team captain. You could almost say he's presidential...
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Old 09-29-2017, 09:33 PM   #71
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May 13-15 vs ST LOUIS
It's Interleauge Play Week! First up are the Cardinals, who are defying my wishes and expectations with a 20-16 start, their best in a decade. Hitting has been subpar (11th or worse in most categories), but pitching is keeping them in things: 6th in runs against, 8th in starter's ERA, bullpen is 4th. And that despite having five pitchers from their opening day roster on the DL. Two of their current starting pitchers played for us last year; we'll face both of them.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (5-2, 2.39) / Rob Hart (4-1, 5.23) / Eric Jones (4-1, 3.50)
STL pitchers: Ken Clark (2-3, 3.27) / Mike Bryant (2-3, 5.80) / Steve Brock (3-2, 3.61)

#36: WIN 4-1 ... Casillas is back, 7.1 IP, 8 K...even better that we beat our old prodigy, Ken Clark; or rather, we beat his relief as he only goes 5 innings, surprise surprise
#37: WIN 7-4 ... Hart gives up 4 in 6 IP, but does K 9...Martinez knocks a 3-run shot and McArthur also drives in 3
#38: WIN 10-1 ... we turn 8 hits into 7 runs in the second inning and coast from there...McArthur 4 hits, Dunklee 4 RBI...Jones solid again over 7.2 innings, strikes out 9

I could get used to these sweeps. Plus, we had the pleasure of beating two former starters, Clark and Brock. Clark actually pitched well, giving up just a run in 5 innings; but Brock got hammered for 14 hits and 10 runs in 4 innings. No quarter....Nate Hullinger is making the most of his second chance: .321/11/38....Still waiting on Mark Phillips' injury diagnosis... ELSEWHERE: Seattle is cruising at 9-1 recently, 25-14 overall, 6.5 games behind us....Richmond CF Aaron Riches, fresh off two seasons hitting .203 and .200, is off to a .144 start with 58 K in 38 games, and zero doubles. Not to be outdone, Cleveland SS David Johnson, batting .162, has struck out 76 times in 142 AB.


May 16-18 vs NEW ORLEANS
Our co-expansionists are still trying to make any kind of positive mark in MLB, having had zero winning seasons in five years of existence. This year, they're 16-23, not great, but an improvement. Pitching is top 7, with starter's ERA fifth in the NL. Hitting, however, has been atrocious: dead last in AVG and OBP, and bottom five everywhere else. You knew things weren't going to go well for the Zephs when their big free agent signing, aging former all-star SS Elijah Mims, was lost for the season in his first pre-season game. The one piece of good news is that the prospec pool is ranked third, with three players in the top 20. SS Juan Rodriguez looks like a future superstar. #1 prospect--and their first ever draft pick, taken just after we took Travis McArthur--Bob Johnson finally made the bigs this year, but is a sneering buffoon and is only slashing .200/.276/.286 from the leadoff position.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (5-0, 3.80) / Rich Beltowski (2-0, 2.45) / Leon Casillas (6-2, 2.25)
NOZ pitchers: Erik Presley (3-4, 3.47) / Sam Thompson (1-3, 4.00) / Mike Wright (1-2, 4.91)

#39: WIN 7-6 ... Six runs in the 8th and 9th, led by Groff's home runs in both innings, give us a big comeback win...Hullinger also homers again
#40: LOSS 4-6 ... Beltowski's emergency start goes okay (6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER), but Kieffer blows it in the 10th by giving up Jonathan Emilien's first MLB home run
#41: WIN 4-3 ... our turn: Martinez's 10th inning double off Zephs starter Mike Wright (still in the game, yes) wins it...Kieffer redeems with 2 shutout innings

Mark Phillips missed his start, had two days of a dtd injury left, and now trainer Villalobos tells me his return is "uncertain," and we shouldn't play him. Fine then. He'll get a stint on the 11-day DL, and Bobby Piccirillo will get another chance--maybe his last--to show he belongs in the bigs....Josh Drayton comes off the DL, but with everyone hitting so well, and him off to a .231 start, he'll get a rehab stint in KC to work back into shape....Rich Beltowski threw pretty well in his emergency start for Phillips; if he had a third pitch, I'd keep the experiment going... ELSEWHERE: Coby Sandu may not be much of a prospect, but the 24-year-old Milwaukee RF hit for the cycle in his first big league game, an 8-7 win over Brooklyn. In case you're keeping count, that's worth 0.4 WAR....

AT THE QUARTER POLE I like what I'm seeing. Forty-one games in, 33-8 record, best hitting in the AL, second best pitching, 3rd in defensive efficiency. Also good: we're healthy, and almost no one is struggling or slumping right now. Complaints? Hmm...the reclamation project that is 33-year-old reliever Jay Yates is not looking too good, with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Somehow he's not in negative WAR territory. We could also be hitting more home runs, but when everything else is going well, that seems like a quibble. We'll see how I feel about that when the inevitable bad run takes hold... On the farm, KC is having its first down year, at 16-15 so far, after three championships in four seasons. AA Lewiston is okay, at 16-17, which is historically quite good for them. Eureka (A) is at 22-17, in first place. Early days, tho. Early days.

May 20-22 @ PITTSBURGH
The former juggernaut--six straight division titles, four 100-win seasons, 2 World Series--has fallen on hard times. They're now 16-25, in last place by a half game (behind New Orleans, the horror), and not yet showing any signs of life. The hitting is still there: 4th in runs scored, 1st in AVG, 2nd on OBP and HR. Jordan Shields, Danny Diaz, Daniel Matias, and Mike Blough (currently on the DL) are still hitting, and dangerous. The pitching, however, has been a disaster: last in runs against and starter's ERA, 14th in bullpen ERA. Their best starter, Mike Flynn, is gone for 13 months. Only one current starter has an ERA under 5.70. Ace closer Braxton Carll is fresh off the DL, but if no one can deliver leads to him... Plus they're wildly over budget, so if they're out of it come deadline time, we might have to talk turkey...

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (5-1, 5.31) / Eric Jones (5-1, 3.17) / Bobby Little (5-0, 4.06)
PIT pitchers: Matt Beck (1-0, 5.71) / Gustavo Magdaleno (2-4, 7.04) / Mike Koslowsky (2-4, 6.75)

#42: LOSS 7-10 ... a combined 29 hits and 6 HR...Hart continues to pitch poorly, but Kieffer loses on a walk-off grand slam...Martinez injured for a month, to boot
#43: LOSS 6-10 ... the bullpen throws another clunker with a six-run 7th...Jones also gives up five in 6.1 innings...our first back-to-back losses of the season
#44: WIN 12-0 ... a four-hitter is a nice way to stop the bleeding...Collins drives two out of the yard, and we rack up 18 hits

It's odd, discouraging even, to average eight runs a game in a series but lose 2 out of 3. Rob Hart is having a pretty bad season so far, but Eric Jones threw probably his first bad game of 2039....Ernesto Martinez pulled something, and is out for a month. Sucks, but the positive is that Josh Drayton was ready to come back from a brief AAA rehab. McArthur slides back to LF, and our opening day outfield is intact once again.... ELSEWHERE: Oakland's David Shaw is working on a 29-game hitting streak, and our own Chris Wiggins is up to 24 games....After averaging .288/36/104 in six seasons with Texas, 27-year-old 1B Raul Molina was a prize free agent catch for the Nationals. Now? Despite hitting .308, he's made more pinch hit appearances (23) than starts (15), and this week got into a shoving match with manager Ruben Vasquez and several teammates. Rumors are that Molina is on his way out...
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Old 10-01-2017, 01:29 PM   #72
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June 2-5 @ SEATTLE
Sitting at 33-21, tied with Oakland at 7.5 games behind us. Pitching has been their strong suit for years, and they're getting good results again this year: 3rd in runs against and 1st in bullpen ERA. But for once their hitting is keeping up: 8th in runs scored, 6th in AVG. LF Enrique Cervantes (.330/9/27), DH Fernando Orozco (.303/12/31), and 1B Eduardo Garcia (.294/12/27) pace the attack, with ace starter Aaron Myers is also having a dynamite year (2.31, 6-1, 88 K, 81.2 IP).

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (7-0, 3.70) / Bobby Piccarillo (2-0, 3.86) / Leon Casillas (8-2, 2.04) / Rob Hart (6-2, 5.67)
SEA pitchers: Sean Easter (1-4, 6.95) / Aaron Myers (6-1, 2.31) / Ruben Alvarado (3-4, 4.21) / Andrew Manning (4-4, 4.63)

#54: LOSS 4-5 ... typical: Kieffer yields a 10th-inning solo HR to Cervantes...McArthur hits his 9th HR, a 2-run shot to give us a chance
#55: LOSS 4-6 ... yes, we outhit them, but Pics is grossly outpitched by Myers...Groff and Hunter with 3 hits apiece, but whatever
#56: WIN 5-1 ... Casillas saves the day with 8 strong innings, and Groff drives in 4 with two hits...Kieffer gets his 22nd save
#57: LOSS 2-4 ... nothing to see here

What a dump of a series. Casillas' outing was our only highlight. We're coming back to earth now, and I'm not going to enjoy the ride.... ELSEWHERE: White Sox OF Francisco Gervacio is the first in MLB to reach 20 HR....The Mets are 37-20, best in the NL and 2nd best in the bigs, but have eight players on the DL, with ace starter Gabe Delfin now on the shelf for two weeks.


June 7-8 vs LA ANGELS
In last place, 19-39, second worst record ahead of only Tampa. Bottom quarter hitting, near-worst pitching. One bright spot is still-developing 21-year-old 3B Tony Mendoza (.263/13/35). Third-year SS Travis Tanner is hitting .287 and playing great defense.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (5-1, 3.82) / Bobby Little (7-0, 3.89)
LAA pitchers: Milt Schott (4-3, 4.57) / Bryan Gruber (2-3, 3.78)

#58: WIN 7-8 ... McArthur triples home Robertson in the 10th for the win...Wiggins and Hullinger with three hits, Hullinger also drives in four
#59: WIN 10-9 ... Collins and Dunklee bring home two each with a double and a HR in the 8th, and Collins singles home the winning run in the 9th...terrible pitching tho

Two late-inning wins, we'll take. The rotation is leaking oil all over the place right now, however: it's been three weeks since we've given up less than 4 runs in a game not started by Casillas.... ELSEWHERE: Baltimore 1B Alex Morales is the first to reach 20 HR, now leading the league with 21. White Sox OF Francisco Gervacio and Portland 1B Mat Quadrini each have 20....San Diego's Gary Florence is the first to 10 wins, and is having a heck of a season so far: 10-1, 3.13, 91 K, 2.7 WAR.


June 9-12 @ TEXAS
Sitting at 30-30, 13.5 games back, 12th in runs scored and fifth in runs against. So, some decent hitting, but they are 17th in home runs (John Evans, their 9th place hitter, leads the team with 11). Pitchers are all over the place: rotation is 12th in ERA, bullpen is 3rd.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (2-1, 4.71) / Leon Casillas (9-2, 1.96) / Rob Hart (6-3, 5.64) / Eric Jones (5-1, 4.11)
TEX pitchers: Seth Purdy (3-1, 3.43) / Amir Farland (6-4, 4.08) / Danny Powers (3-5, 5.04) / Mike Rath (3-6, 5.97)

#60: WIN 2-1 ... Groff and Dunklee drive in both runs and gather five hits between them...Piccirillo goes 8 innings, yields just 5 hits; only 2 Ks
#61: WIN 6-3 ... Hullinger's first inning three-run shot, Groff's solo and McArthur's two-run blast account for all our runs...Casillas wins his 10th game
#62: LOSS 3-8 ... Rob Hart's miserable season continues: 4 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 2 HR. Suddenly he has Ken Clark Disease.
#63: WIN 7-1 ... meanwhile, Jones' game is rounding into shape, with a complete game four-hitter...Holguin's pinch three-hit homer put us up for good, then we piled it on late

The pitching (save Rob Hart, sigh) gets healthy against the light-hitting Rangers. Eh, I'll take it....Casillas is the first AL pitcher to 10 wins, for what that's worth (not a whole lot, tbh)....Groff is now hitting .365, leading the AL for now; Wiggins still at .355 and Robertson .352, which actually mean they're slumping....The Angels look to be moving Devlin Ransberger, who at 35 is a disaster as a catcher, but can still hit with the best of them. If I had a place for him (my DH, Hullinger, has been one of my best hitters this year), I'd try to grab him.... ELSEWHERE: Boston's Zach Setaro pitches his second career no-hitter, walking just one and beating the Rays 5-0. (Okay, his first was in A ball.)....Oakland is 8-2 in their last 10, still hanging around just 6 games behind us; Seattle is another game behind them....Tampa is leveling out, lol, and is now at 15-47, for a .242 winning pct. Quite a surge, really....Let's take a peek at the season thus far for one Toichi Kaneko, pitching for Portland. The 25-year-old was acquired from Cleveland for two pretty decent prospects last December, in the kind of move that to me looked like something bad teams always do: sending decent prospects after highly flawed players. Kaneko has huge stuff, nice control, but almost no movement, and is lazy and stupid to boot. But so far he's got a 2.76 ERA, has given up just 71 hits in 97.2 innings, and has an insane 10-to-1 K-BB ratio (with 119 K!). Yeah, he's on pace to give up 36 HR, but will pitch 251 innings, so that's not so bad. Enjoy it while it lasts, Portland fans.

Next up: A sideways glance, then more Interleague Play
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Old 10-01-2017, 02:33 PM   #73
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2039 Draft and an Announcement

The annual draft came and went and it was...unimpressive. We had a supplemental pick (for losing Jack Shewmake to the Dodgers), so that was nice. My focus early on went towards pitching, since there was very little that I liked in the way of everyday players. Although I have to add that after using my first four picks on pitchers, I didn't take another one until the 14th round, and he may not even sign with us. As usual I put a lot of emphasis on intangibles, avoiding attitude problems and the work-shy. My very late rounds were mostly spent on high INT/WE players, with a hope that one or more of them might surprise in their development.

Round 1, 30th overall, LHP Taylor Barnett, 20, Clemson. A hulking 6'6" groundballer, Barnett right now looks like a back-end starter. Good stuff and movement, but his control needs work. Should develop five pitchers, the best being a fastball that already touches 97 mph. Definitely will start in rookie ball.

Supplemental pick, 40th overall, RHP Jamie Berisford, 22, Texas. Another big guy, at 6'2" 220, who may also be one of the better hitters I drafted this year. Stuff and movement don't match Barnett's, but his control is way better, and he already has three decent pitches. Smart kid, and a hard worker, which has me pinning my hopes on him developing beyond what he projects to currently.

Round 2, 80th overall, RHP Justin Sutton, 22, Clemson. Barnett's teammate at Clemson, but looks nearly identical to Berisford. Like the former, he may develop five pitches, none of which look to stand out, however. Hawaii native, so I had to take him. Was also taken in the second round last year, by the Astros.

Round 3, 122nd overall, RHP Ryan Hein, 23, Oregon State. Looking more closely at him, I see now that I'm probably going to move him to outfield. His pitching potential is not great (good stuff, meh elsewhere), but he's got some promise at the plate, and great range and arm in the outfield. Needs his contact to develop beyond expecations, however, or else he'll probably stall out at AAA. Was a fourth round pick of the Giants last year.

Round 4, 158th overall, OF Adam Huwe, 23, Central Washington. Being entirely honest, Huwe's probably never going to start in the bigs, as he looks like a fringe backup OF. What will help is his excellent defense, good enough for all three outfield positions, his speed and baserunning, decent contact, and strikeout avoidance. He doesn't stand out anywhere else. Will probably go to Short A, with an eye to getting some time in A ball this fall.

Round 5, 194th overall, 1B Jonathan Klump, 18, high school. Taking a chance here, as he's listed as "impossible" to sign. But I have money to spend this year, so I went for it. He's a power hitter, pure and simple, and will play either 1B or DH. No speed, no apparent defensive talent. Very smart kid with a very high work ethic, so if I can get him signed, I think he'll be worth it as a replacement for Dunklee/Hullinger in the middle of the lineup.

Round 6, 230th overall, C Juan Tovar, 19, Oregon State. Still trying for a decent catcher out of the draft. Looks to have some contact and gap power, and won't strike out. Not a power bat though. Excellent with pitchers, good game manager, but his arm strength is a serious concern. Good intangibles too: intelligence, work ethic...so you see where my hopes lie with him. Was a 10th round pick by Oakland last year.

After these guys, it's a whole lot of Maybe. Divided between guys with some talent who probably won't get past AA, and guys who have guts and grit and want-to, but won't even get to the A level. But like I wrote above, I took a lot of guys with great intangibles, so maybe you'll hear more one day from a Flinn Ciminelli, Marty Gallagher, Doug Kachurak, Shawn Mueller, Dennis Marre, or Keith Christie. Or, more likely, their names will never appear here again. As for the top six rounds: no earth-shattering talent, but some good pieces there. My only concerns are that some are a little old to be so far back in their development. Hein and Huwe, for example, are 23, and nowhere near ready for even A ball. So...there's that. As usual, it's a now a waiting game.

......

The other news is that I got Mr Everything, 3B Adam Groff, signed to a long-term deal. He was under arbitration control for three more seasons, topping out around 12M according to the estimates (which I didn't believe), but I wanted him under tighter control for longer. My initial offer was an escalating seven-year deal, ending in his age-32 season, starting at 9M and ending around 15M. He countered with another one-year deal, for more money than he initially wanted (11M versus 7.5M), which had me worried. So I tamped down my enthusiasm and offered him a four-year contract, paying 11.57M the first two years, and 12.57M the final two, and including MVP and All-Star bonuses. He took it, made me happy, and the fans went nuts (fan interest is now gauged at 100, per my spies). The only drawback, to my thinking, is that the deal ends when he's 29, after 2043. He'll probably want a monster contract by then, but that's years away. I figure this contract gives us a solid, four-year window to try to win NOW. We have a good core in place, and some cost control, so I'll worry about four years from now when I get there.
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Old 10-04-2017, 09:48 PM   #74
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June 13-15 @ MONTREAL
The final round of Interleague Play starts today, with a set in Montreal. The Expos are 31-33, 4th place and 6.5 behind the Cubs. Statistically, they're pretty middle-of-the-pack, being 10th in runs, 7th in AVG and OBP, 9th in runs against. The batters are a fairly middling lot, with one large exception: 3B Matt Anderson, whose career 162-game averages are .332/41/119. He's having a good year, albeit a down one for him, at only .324/15/50, 1.3 WAR. LF Fernando Abalos (.336/12/34) is also a stud, but will miss at least the first two games. Pitching is also just fair (excepting Rafael Maldonado, who is a beast), but they've managed to put up the 5th best bullpen numbers in the NL despite having five relievers currently disabled. Michael Ryan is managing his seventh season in Montreal, and has only one losing record to his (dis)credit. (Fun fact: he was also the Pirates manager in 2032 when they started their impressive dynastic run, winning 108 games, but losing to San Diego in the League Championship. He was fired after the season, and the Pirates went on to two World Series titles without him.)

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (7-0, 4.40) / Bobby Piccirillo (3-1, 3.72) / Leon Casillas (10-2, 2.09)
MTL pitchers: Carlos Tapia (6-2, 3.24) / Rafael Maldonado (6-4, 3.05) / D.J. Breland (5-8, 5.19)

#64: WIN 3-2 ... outhit 10-4, but Dunklee's three-run shot in the first is all we need...Little remains undefeated with six pretty quiet innings
#65: LOSS 4-6 ... outhit again, Dunklee goes deep again, but it's not enough this time...Piccirillo gets knocked around for 6 runs in 4.1 innings...Yates at least has his ERA below 7 now
#66: WIN 3-2 ... Tiny Robertson's 2-run shot in the seventh ties it, and Dunklee's bases loaded sac fly in the 10th caps it...Casillas good, pen goes 3 strong innings

Three close games, but you can never argue with winning 2 out of 3....Piccirillo has been bad in three of his last five starts. Mark Phillips' rehab stint is ending soon, so right now it looks like Pics should be making travel plans. Although, to be honest, none of them have impressed....Reliever Rich Beltowski has been a good middleman for us, 2.67 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45 K in 33.2 IP. Which still doesn't explain why he's third in AL all-star balloting for relief pitchers...."Impossible" draftee Jonathan Klump signed with us, fyi.... ELSEWHERE: Seven teams in MLB have 40+ wins; three of them are in the AL West (Hawaii 48, Seattle 42, Oakland 41)....Hawaii and the Mets have the biggest division leads, both at 7 games. NY is facing a run by Richmond tho, having won 8 in row....In this last week, rumors have surfaced about four disgruntled players wanting trades; all four are decent, but not great, and all four are currently starting for their respective teams. The other shared trait? All want to bat at the top of the lineup, but are currently hitting 6th or lower.


June 17-19 @ CHICAGO CUBS
Winners of 90+ games two years running (but with zero division titles), the Cubs sit in first place at 41-27, four up on Cincy and St Louis. They're good all around, 5th in runs for, 2nd in runs against, 1st in OBP, and 4th in starters ERA. Their lineup is a reverse donut: solid in the middle, with Cuban rookie Oscar Sandoval (.270/14/41), Luis Mendez (.301/13/55), and Alex Castillo (.301/12/47) driving the offense. Only one of their starting pitchers (Mike Martin) is homegrown, but they've all been good this year: no starter has an ERA above 3.86 (league average is 4.00). "Mr K" Jordan Cruz is still leading off, somehow, while batting .215 and with 99 K in 261 AB.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (6-4, 6.12) / Eric Jones (6-1, 3.78) / Bobby Little (8-0, 4.30)
CHC pitchers: Jay Lamb (7-3, 3.80) / Mike Martin (6-7, 3.86) / Scott Kopetsky (5-6, 3.07)

#67: LOSS 3-8 ... you're killing me, Hart. Six runs in six innings, and we lose despite outhitting an opponent again...Mike Hunter hits his first career HR
#68: LOSS 0-1 ... it's not your day when you outhit your opponent 11-5, give up your only run on a wild pitch, and lose
#69: LOSS 1-3 ... you ask: did we outhit them? What do you think...Little is good, but loses his first of the season...Groff pulls a hammy and will miss THREE WEEKS.

Ugh. We outhit (30-19) and out homer (4-2) the Cubs, but lose all three games. Sometimes the dog bites you, I guess....Worse, Groff is out for three weeks. Ernesto Martinez comes off the DL, but now we have six OF and zero backup IF on our roster. CF Josh Drayton has been terrible all season, and is making 18.7M for two more seasons. Yes, he's a fan favorite, but it might be time for a change.... ELSEWHERE: Oakland and Seattle are now tied at 44-27, just four games back. Why do they BOTH have to be good this year?...Don't look now, but Tampa has won three in a row to move to 18-50, while Austin has lost 11 straight to drop to 23-47. That's my kind of race, right there....Cranky 1B Raul Molina got his wish, getting sent away from fifth-place Washington, but right to the last place LA Angels. Devlin Ransberger, who at 36 has no business playing catcher anymore now gets to do it every day.

......

We interrupt this broadcast to announce a major trade involving, duh, YOUR HAWAII ISLANDERS. Despite our recent run-scoring drought, I still feel like we need better starting pitching. So I sent slumping CF Josh Drayton back to his original home, San Francsico, along with AA reliever Lorenzo Quinones (acquired from Cincinnati two years ago) and a pair of draft picks, for starting pitcher Billy Heine and minor league reliever Lorenzo Saez. From our perspective, this was eminently doable: we have outfielders to spare, Drayton has a huge contract, and Quinones has potential to be a decent closer, he is (and always will be) wild as hell. What we're getting in Heine is a solid #2 starter, with five pitches and quality across the board. He's outspoken though, with a stupid little beard, but if we win it won't matter. Saez is insurance, who at 35 still has something in the tank and will play in AAA for now. San Fran is also retaining 6M of Heine's salary.

......

June 20-22 vs CINCINNATI
Now six games in back of Chicago, thanks to our roll-over-and-play-dead job. Stats-wise, they're schizo: 7th in runs scored but 13th in AVG but 8th in OBP but 14th in HR. And 10th in runs allowed but 4th in starters ERA but 14th in bullpen ERA. Whatever, they win games. 1B Franklin Espinal is the team leader at .267/11/35, with ancient 2B Jimmy Campbell (at 38) back from the dead to hit .314. Pitcher Khalil Palmer has been money, 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA, but he's injured so he doesn't matter.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (3-2, 4.86) / Leon Casillas (10-2, 2.12) / Rob JUST PITCH DAMMIT Hart (6-5, 6.31)
CIN pitchers: Robbie Collier (6-6, 3.62) / Arturo Franco (6-5, 3.25) / Ryan Ranck (3-3, 5.02)

#70: WIN 4-3 ... Holguin's single in the ninth ties it, and Wiggins repeats same in the 10th to win it...Piccirillo fighting to keep his role in the rotation
#71: WIN 2-0 ... Casillas with a gem, complete game two-hitter, second shutout of the season...Dunklee homers, scores twice
#72: WIN 4-0 ... Hart goes nuts! Seven innings, four hits, thirteen Ks! Wiggins and Martinez with three hits apiece

Nothing like a trade to shake things up: both starters on the edge of being sent to the bullpen toss strong games. Still, it looks like Piccirillo will be going to the pen for now, as I have higher hopes for Hart.... ELSEWHERE: The Mets have five starters on the DL and have lost six straight, and nine out of ten. Their lead over Richmond is down to just four games.
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Old 10-07-2017, 02:41 PM   #75
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June 23-26 @ LA ANGELS
They've really dropped off the table, going 5-15 in June, although they have won two in a row. Pitching is dead last, hitting is 12th in runs, worse everywhere else. Ageless catcher Jared Grose is still producing (.325/.466/.534), and future star 3B Tony Mendoza has 16 HR, but it's a struggle across the lineup. Seven players are on the DL, three for the rest of the season.

HAW pitchers: Billy Heine (4-8, 3.96 w/ SFG) / Eric Jones (6-2, 3.63) / Bobby Little (8-1, 4.31) / Leon Casillas (11-2, 1.96)
LAA pitchers: Milt Schott (4-4, 5.12) / Bryan Gruber (2-5, 4.46) / Jeff Caraway (2-7, 5.81) / Fred Caviness (0-7, 6.38)

#73: WIN 5-3 ... Heine is good enough (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 6 K), and we score all our runs in the last three innings, topped by Robertson's two-run triple in the 9th
#74: WIN 7-3 ... Dunklee 4 hits, McArthur 3 hits and RBI...Jones lifted after five, so Beltowski throws four innings for the save
#75: WIN 3-1 ... tonight we're outhit, 7-8, but add in five walks and seven strong innings from Little, and it's all good
#76: WIN 13-5 ... not a pretty game: 29 hits, 3 errors, 6 walks...LA's Caviness is just brutal: 4.1 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 4 BB

After that moribund Cubs series, suddenly we've won seven straight, and are maintaining a seven game lead over Oakland. They come to town next.... ELSEWHERE: Former ace Ken Clark is having a nice bounce back season with the Cards, with 120 K in 95.2 IP, and only 1.1 HR/9, his lowest rate in years (and literally half what he had last season with us)....Nice horse race at the blunt end of the wedge: Angels 22-56, .282 win pct; Rays 19-57, .250. Austin is 26-51, but they seem like all-stars in comparison.


June 28-30 vs OAKLAND
We've needed every bit of our hot first half, as the A's are the third best team in the league right now, at 49-29. And they're doing it without all-everything Vinny Vargas, who's out for five more weeks. They're also missing their 2B and CL, and three other starters are nursing dtd injuries. Offense is fourth in runs scored, pitching is also fourth. Second year RF David Shaw is still hot at .337/13/48. Note: with four selfish and four unmotivated players, our spies tell us their team mood is "unhappy," and that more players dislike manager Bob Woodard than like him. Usually it's only the Red Sox who win games and hate each other. (The Sox are 42-35 and also unhappy, btw.)

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (7-5, 5.86) / Billy Heine (4-8, 3.99) / Eric Jones (7-2, 3.63)
OAK pitchers: Bill Casas (9-4, 4.65) / Edgar Maldonado (9-0, 3.84) / Ricky Hose (9-5, 2.72)

#77: LOSS 4-9 ... hellacious sophomore slump for Hart, here giving up 8 runs in 4.1 innings...Dunklee homers, our lone highlight
#78: LOSS 4-6 ... Simon Hayn goes 3-for-4 for the second game, and we roll over meekly again...Heine is butt tonight...Wiggins gets a dtd knee injury...lead is just 5 games
#79: LOSS 0-2 ... Jones' 8 innings of seven-hit ball are wasted on one pitch, as Kieffer gives up a two-run shot in the 9th...we outhit them 8-4

So these last two weeks we've swept two bad teams, and been swept by two good teams. Short term annoyance, or long term warning sign? I know we're missing Groff against these top teams; he's still got over a week before he comes back....Our lead over Oakland is now four games....I think Rob Hart has made his last start for a while; let's move Piccirillo back into the rotation and see if he can stabilize things.... ELSEWHERE: The Cubs (50-31) now have the biggest division lead in baseball, 9 games over Cincy and Montreal....Tampa won it's 20th game last night, it's 78th game of the season....Baltimore's Alex Morales has 86 RBI in 78 games. He drove in 39 in June.

......

A BRIEF INTERLUDE
Because we need one after that Oakland series. It's July 1st, and that means International Free Agents are here! Except...it's a dull, dull, dull class. Probably the "best" player is Dominican pitcher Francisco Lopez, and he looks more like a potential AAAA guy, to be honest. Love a guy with 20 stamina but just two pitches, btw. Since we spent over $4M last year, we're limited to spending 660K this time around. One of the best batters available is also one of the cheapest: CF Danny Perez from Mexico. Only average at the plate, but can cover all the ground in center, and has good speed to boot. He only wants 330K right now, but that will probably go up quickly, so I don't expect we'll be able to sign him in the end.

......

July 1-3 vs MILWAUKEE
The AL Central is wide open this year, as evidenced by the Brewers being 42-38 and in fifth place, 4.5 games behind Detroit (and only four games ahead of last-place Chicago). Their teams stats are pretty middle of the road everywhere but home runs, where they're 4th (103 in 80 games). Nine players are on the DL, but they've gotten solid play from all the fill-ins, and closer Bill Brunson is having a fine rookie year (2.38 ERA, 14 saves, 11.1 K/9). We need to bounce back against these guys.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Little (9-1, 4.09) / Leon Casillas (12-2, 2.00) / Bobby Piccirillo (3-2, 4.60)
MIL pitchers: Daryll Evans (6-5, 3.93) / Bill Salazar (6-5, 4.75) / Nick Shockley (8-6, 3.33)

#80: WIN 12-6 ... a six-run 2nd gives us breathing room, and we build on that before giving up some late scores...Little hurt, diagnosis pending. Sigh.
#81: WIN 8-4 ... Glass tries to give this one away (1.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R), but we were up 8-1, so I'm okay...Martinez three-run shot in the sixth salts it away
#82: WIN 6-5 ... Wiggins goes 1-for-6, but drives in the winning run in the 10th...Piccirillo gives up 5 in 6 innings, but we win, so whatever

Another sweep, so that's good. Oakland, tho, has won 7 straight and are still just 4 in back of us....Little's diagnosis comes in, and it's what I was afraid of: forearm inflammation, our for 4 months. See ya in 2040, Bobby. Mark Phillips is killing it in AAA, so he gets first crack at Little's spot.... ELSEWHERE: Fun game in Richmond: Clint Loomis hits a grand slam against New Orleans in the first, adds a two-run shot in the third, then steps up in the fourth, just after teammate Tye Spears hits his own three-run blast, and gets plunked by Zephs pitcher Sean Reid. The benches clear, and Loomis and Reid get tossed, suspended. Good times....


July 5-7 vs MINNESOTA
If the pattern holds, the 43-37 Twins will sweep us. Good to know, eh? Minny's team stats are good across the board, top five, except for the rotation, which sits in 14th place with a 4.83 ERA. Peanuts Carter (.353/22/69) and Steve Wilkins (.312/16/55) lead the offense, and Carter leads the AL with a 5.0 WAR. Jose Mateo has been the manager since 2024, and may be the longest tenured bench boss in the league currently. Fun fact: their player payroll is currently $32M over their entire team budget. They're facing a $70M shortfall by the end of the year. Wow.

HAW pitchers: Billy Heine (4-9, 4.30) / Eric Jones (7-3, 3.35) / Mark Phillips (2-0, 5.87)
MIN pitchers: Joey Etler (9-3, 4.08) / Chris Varo (6-2, 3.84) / Ben Martin (2-5, 5.94)

#83: LOSS 1-3 ... here we go...McArthur three hits, Dunklee a solo shot (his 16th), but we only muster 7 hits total...Heine is okay, but hasn't shown much in his 3 starts
#84: WIN 3-1 ... the streak train goes bye-bye...Jones rallies us with a strong 6 innings and Robertson goes 3-for-3, is now hitting .359
#85: WIN 7-5 ... three home runs (Collins, Dunklee, Hullinger) plus 13 hits equals success...Phillips is less than stellar (5 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 BB) in his return

As I've said before, two out of three always works, and we gained a game on the A's....Growing less enamored of our rotation, however. Casillas is money, Jones has been solid, but Piccirillo and Heine have been subpar and Phillips is on a short leash. If we stop hitting, I'm not confident that our pitching can carry us. I'll see what's circulating at the deadline, but I'm not stocked up on tradeable prospects right now.... ELSEWHERE: Tampa continues to impress, rounding the halfway mark at 21-61.


July 8-10 @ DETROIT
Currently on top of the tighest division in baseball (6.5 games separate the top five teams), the Tigers are 49-34 and feature good hitting and pitching. RF Roberto Rivera is just 22 but already in his fourth season; he's hitting .337/18/64, and led the league in hits and triples last year. Islander reject Jimmy Wunderlich is having his best season ever, as his 3.74 ERA is a full run lower than his 10-year average. They're also 2nd in the AL in home runs (124), with seven starters already in double figures.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (13-2, 1.96) / Bobby Piccirillo (3-2, 4.96) / Billy Heine (4-10, 4.31)
DET pitchers: Matthew Freeman (4-8, 5.95) / Alex de la Roca (8-3, 3.32) / Raul Bravo (6-4, 4.53)

#86: WIN 12-3 ... did not expect 18 hits, as everyone gets on base, and three home runs to boot...no earned runs for Casillas, so his ERA drops even lower
#87: WIN 6-2 ... Martinez homers in his third straight, and Piccirillo actually looks good, yielding just 4 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings
#88: WIN 8-1 ... everyone gets a hit again, and Heine finally makes me look good with a 3-hit complete game

Unexpected. Plus, Cleveland swept their series and is now tied with Detroit, but that's not my problem....Oakland got swept by Toronto, giving us an eight-game cushion heading into the All-Star Break....1B Dunklee, 3B Groff, and SP Casillas will start at their respective positions, and RP Beltowski is also named to the team. Groff is now back from his injury and will play...Btw, international Danny Perez signed with us for 450K, after a brief flirtation with KT in Korea.... ELSEWHERE: San Diego's Gary Florence went 18-4 last year, is 14-1 so far this year, with a crazy ratio of 123 K to just 10 BB....Julio Gonzalez (SD) and Mat Quadrini (PLD) lead the majors with 30 HR. Gonzalez also leads the NL in RBI, WAR, and is third in AVG.
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Old 10-08-2017, 12:23 AM   #76
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To start with an aside, the AL won the All-Star Game, 6-5, held in Kansas City. (As an aside to the aside, is there a way to tell beforehand where the ASG is being held?)

Now back to business... Heading into the second half of the season, there's a lot to like: 63-25, best record in baseball; an 8-game lead over Oakland; 1st in runs scored and runs against; only one player on the DL. But I wouldn't be a GM without fretting, would I? Injuries are always a worry, and I know I constantly feel like we're one or two injuries away from breaking the lineup. More specifically, however, I worry about our pitching, the rotation actually. Casillas has been dominant (14-2, 1.86), and Eric Jones is having a very good (8-2, 3.24) sophomore season. Afther them, however, there is plenty of room for worry. Rob Hart (6.31 ERA, 16 HR in 102 innings) has been relegated to the bullpen; Mark Phillips (2-0, but a 5.79 ERA) has spent time on the DL and in the minors; Bobby Piccirillo (4-2, 4.66) has one good game, one bad one; and Billy Heine, acquired from SF (1-2, 4.39 since) has yet to get on track. And Bobby Little (10-1, 4.22) is out for the season. On the farm, Bryan Hardin got two starts with Hawaii earlier, and didn't show much; #2 prospect Cam Bornhoft is out for the season; #1 prospect Mike Messinger is having a great year, but he's in AA and not ready for The Show; and there's Dave Carroll, at 9-2 with a 1.77 ERA in AAA, but his control is hugely suspect. We're just under three weeks from the trade deadline, so as I've already said, I'll keep an eye out for any help, but I don't have many assets I want to part with right now. So I suspect that we'll try to ride out the season with what we have, and roll the dice we're given.

......

July 15-17 vs MIAMI
We start a three series roll against the AL East by hosting the Marlins, who are 43-46 and 8 games behind division-leading Baltimore. Their team stats don't look good: 12th to 15th across the board, except for 10th in home runs. No one is batting .300, and CF Jason Molnar (.299/17/48), LF Ricky Beard (.286/11/32), and 1B Trey Joslin (.292/17/62) are pretty much the only starters pulling their weight. Pitcher Levi Brady (8-5, 4.28, 132 K) is having a decent year, but one sign of trouble is that former CL Ken Newman is now their #5 starter, and former #5 Matt Rubin is now the closer. GM Jayson Werth may be on a short leash, as owner Kyle Lobl is worried, and none of his team goals have been (or will be, frankly) met.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (8-2, 3.24) / Leon Casillas (14-2, 1.86) / Bobby Piccirillo (4-2, 4.66)
MIA pitchers: Levi Brady (8-5, 4.28) / Jeff Heller (5-7, 5.11) / Chris Keast (6-8, 5.13)

#89: WIN 12-0 ... Jones didn't need 12 runs and 17 hits, but isn't complaining...Hullinger and Hunter drive in three apiece with matching three-run homers
#90: LOSS 4-6 ... Casillas isn't great, but he's good enough to win, until Kieffer gives up a 9th inning two-run shot to Joslin
#91: WIN 3-2 ... Hullinger's 23rd HR in the 11th walks off the game for us...Piccirillo looks good this time: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R

Good results for the rotation; even the loss was a good game for Casillas....Lead over Oakland still at 8 games....ELSEWHERE: Arizona's Jay Jansen hurls a perfect game against Philly, striking out 10. It's the first perfect game since two occurred in 2034, and the second no-hitter this year....the Dodgers signed seven closers as free agents this winter; three are now on the DL and done for the season


July 18-20 vs NY YANKEES
An improving team, they're still in the hunt at 49-43, in third place four games behind Baltimore. As predicted, pitching is leading the way, while team hitting is far behind: they're second in runs against, but 13th in runs scored. Pitchers Tony Villarruel and Mario Oliva would be superstars on a good team. Leadoff hitter Hector Aguilar (.315/15/35) is becoming a star, and the ageless Ty Cobb has a .331/.445/.400 slash. Owner Justin Dielman is the first non-Steinbrenner to run the team since the 1970s, but should look familiar to old-time Yankee fans: he's a meddler who wants EXTREME WINNING! No truth to the rumors that he's trying to have Billy Martin cloned.

HAW pitchers: Billy Heine (5-10, 4.05) / Mark Phillips (2-0, 5.79) / Eric Jones (9-2, 3.09)
NYY pitchers: Tony Villarruel (8-6, 2.55) / Bobby Amico (5-5, 5.38) / Mario Oliva (8-7, 3.07)

#92: LOSS 1-3 ... Villarruel just outpitches Heine...Pat Moore's 2nd inning 2-run double is the difference
#93: WIN 10-3 ... Hullinger and Dunklee each with 2-run blasts, and we drop 4 runs in the first and the fifth...Hart with three scoreless innings in his first relief appearance
#94: LOSS 1-6 ... Oliva shuts us down, and Alec Orr's 12th inning grand slam closes the door, wasting a good outing from Jones...Wiggins injured

So of course we get beat by the two pitchers I talked up. Oh well....Generally, another good series for the starting pitchers, but now the bullpen is leaking oil a bit....Wiggins has a pending mystery injury....Single A Boone got off to an 8-3 start, their best ever by far. Since then? 3-12.... ELSEWHERE: Padres 3B Tony Solar, leading the NL with a .367 average, is out for the season with a broken elbow. San Diego is 8.5 games ahead of Arizona currently. His injury does open the door for teammate Julio Gonzalez (2nd in AVG, 2nd in HR, 1st in RBI) to pursue the Triple Crown.


July 22-24 @ TAMPA
Lately they've been winning at a .300 clip, a large improvement, moving them up to 24-69 on the season. So many batters (six) are on the DL that their qualified batter with the highest average is RF Alex Garcia at .199. There are just sad numbers everywhere, maybe none more so than their -177 run differential.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (14-3, 1.90) / Bobby Piccirillo (4-2, 4.43) / Billy Heine (1-3, 4.13 with HAW)
TBR pitchers: Jordan Sanchez (2-12, 3.89) / Nelson Gonzalez (4-11, 5.57) / George O'Toole (3-9, 5.30)

#95: LOSS 5-8 ... we blow a strong start from Casillas, especially by Rob Hart who gave up 3 hits, 3 runs, and a walk, without registering an out
#96: WIN 11-3 ... everyone parties as we rack up 21 hits, four from Groff...Piccirillo goes the distance
#97: WIN 9-0 ... Heine finally looks stout, but of course has a pending injury. Sigh...Hunter having a nice rookie season, just registering his 30th double

Another good series from the rotation, but now we're waiting on the injury report on Heine....Hullinger leads the team with 26 HR and 77 RBI....Lead over Oakland is 9 games.... ELSEWHERE: Milwaukee's Brandon Jarmon no-hits the Mariners; his one walk is the only thing keeping him from his own perfect game....San Diego has won 7 straight to open up their lead over Arizona to 11 games. Padres pitcher Gary Florence is now 16-1.


July 25-27 @ HOUSTON
It's another dreary summer in Houston, with the Astros already playing out the string at 41-58. Terrible hitting, at 17th in runs scored, and pitching isn't much better, at 14th in runs against. The rotation, at least, is not bad, at 6th in ERA, but the bullpen is next to last. There is hope for the future, as they're starting four promising rookies in the field, and their prospect system is ranked 2nd in MLB.

HAW pitchers: Mark Phillips (3-0, 5.56) / Eric Jones (9-2, 2.92) / Leon Casillas (14-3, 1.99)
HOU pitchers: Jamie Pollock (2-6, 4.47) / Jay Russo (6-7, 3.85) / Jonathan Caldera (8-7, 3.19)

#98: WIN 6-4 ... we turn six hits into six runs, thanks to two three-run innings, led by McArthur's RBI double and triple...Phillips goes just five, but is generally fine
#99: WIN 6-2 ... Dunklee homers and Hullinger drives in three...Jones yields just four hits and a run over six innings
#100: WIN 7-0 ... four home runs (including Dunklee's 20th) and a complete game two-hitter from Casillas

We get the injury report on Heine: herniated disc, out 2-3 months. So much for trading for depth. For now, I'll move Hart back into the rotation, and call up Lorenzo Saez for the pen. With the deadline coming up, I'll scour some of the bottom-dwellers for another starting pitcher. Don't stay up expecting anything, however.... ELSEWHERE: San Diego with a 10-game winning streak, still 11 up on Arizona. Detroit is the other hot team, with 7 wins in a row and a three game lead on Cleveland.


July 28-31 vs TEXAS
A four game stint that will take us up to the deadline. Texas is 48-53, disappointing given that they were expected to contend for a wildcard spot. A good hitting team (5th in AVG) that doesn't translate that into runs (11th), and a subpar pitching staff (13th in runs against), that just saw its #1 starter, Amir Farland, traded to Seattle for a pair of prospects. The bright spots on the roster are 1B Ramon Esquilin, third in the AL hitting at .354, and C David Larrea, hitting .341.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (5-2, 4.25) / Rob Hart (7-7, 6.39) / Mark Phillips (3-0, 5.54) / Eric Jones (10-2, 2.86)
TEX pitchers: Danny Powers (7-7, 5.39) / B.J. Nault (4-11, 4.77) / Seth Purdy (5-6, 4.85) / Jeff Sullivan (4-11, 4.80)

#101: LOSS 12-14 ... ugly, ugly game...it seemed like everyone who got on base, scored (31 hits, 24 runs)...plus Wiggins is now out for two months
#102: LOSS 6-8 ... helluva time for Texas bats to wake up...Hart is a disaster again, 7 R in 7 IP...moving on
#103: WIN 7-2 ... Phillips stops the bleeding with 8.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 9 K, 0 BB...backup catcher Diaz with a grand slam in the fifth
#104: WIN 7-3 ... Jones with 7 good innings, Groff with 4 hits, and Robertson knocks in two and ups his average to .369

Two downright awful games, then two bounceback games. Still, we're up by seven on Oakland....Wiggins is the latest casualty, out around two months with a broken finger. We need him to heal fast (or at least on time) so he'll be available for the playoffs. To take his place on the roster, I call up Jesse Henkel, a slugger with a good all-around bat, but not much of an outfielder. He's also a lefty who should never bat against fellow lefties. Which is a problem since four of our five OF on the roster are lefthanded bats, severely limiting platoon possibilities....Rookie Mel Carrillo, who's hitting .326 in 145 PA, moves into the starting lineup in RF, which he's not ideally suited for. But needs must.... ELSEWHERE: Lots of trades this last week, but no blockbusters. However, Boston decided to trade its two best starting pitchers this season for marginalia. Normally, "so what?" except that they're 56-48 and in 2nd place in the AL East. Maybe it helped their team chemistry...except that it's still a disaster. Always unhappy, that team.
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Old 10-14-2017, 12:20 PM   #77
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At the trade deadline, I took a long, hard look at acquiring another starting pitcher. Starting with two assumptions, that a) winning teams weren't going to trade me a good pitcher, and b) rebuilding teams weren't going to trade away a young pitcher, that quickly limited my options. So much so that I found just three intriguing pitchers worth looking at. The first option was Philadelphia's (46-59, 13.5 games out) Drew Warren, a lefty who's made just six starts after tearing his should in camp. He hasn't been good yet (5.55 ERA, Ks are down, BBs are up), so maybe a playoff race isn't the best way to hope his health is 100%. He's owed 10.9M over the next four years. Next was a cheaper (7.2M per thru 2040) option, the White Sox Hide Asano, a 32-year-old making his North American debut. He too has been pretty bad so far: 6.04 ERA, .346 BABIP, 65 K in 112 IP. However, I think part of his problem is that he's a high-movement groundball pitcher with the league's worst defense behind him. Finally, another 32-year-old, righty Andy Fisher with the Dodgers. Expensive (19M per thru 2040), but a big-time strikeout producer (11.7 K/9 for his career). Movement and control are average, and he has no stamina (less than 6 IP per start), but he's a money pitcher with two World Series rings.

So...Whom did I give the rose to? In the end, no one. Warren and Asano have been bad this year, and I don't want another slump-ridden Rob Hart 2.0 right now. Fisher was tempting, but too expensive (and the Dodgers wanted too much; plus, it's the Dodgers, **** them). I decided to ride out the hand I've dealt myself. Besides, can't you win with just two good pitchers these days? Right?

August 1-4 vs SEATTLE
At 57-48, headed for their best season since the fluky 105-win year of 2035. In contention for a wild card spot, but 16.5 games behind us, 9.5 behind Oakland. Pitching (4th in runs against) continues to be their strong suit, although it looks like we'll miss their ace, Aaron Myers (12-4, 2.48). Hitting is still a bane, as they're 15th in runs for, although their actual batting numbers are somewhat better (10th in AVG, which is better, so shush you). They're also on RF number three for the season, currently giving 2-for-22 rookie Corey Fisher a go.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (15-3, 1.88) / Bobby Piccirillo (5-2, 4.86) / Rob Hart (7-8, 6.51) / Mark Phillips (4-0, 4.91)
SEA pitchers: Sean Easter (5-8, 5.93) / Ruben Alvarado (7-8, 3.72) / Amir Farland (10-8, 3.96) / Andrew Manning (5-7, 4.91)

#105: WIN 11-4 ... six runs in the fifth, four more in the sixth, with only four XBH too...Casillas wins his 16th, goes 7.1 innings, 2 ER...everyone gets a hit
#106: WIN 6-0 ... Piccs! A four-hit shutout! Heroic...two 2B and three HR on seven hits. I'll take it...Groff, however, hurts his elbow and is dtd for two weeks
#107: WIN 5-0 ... Hart! A four-hit shutout! WTH?...Groff sits, might go on DL. His replacement, Holguin, hits his second HR this series (making 5 on the year)
#108: WIN 4-2 ... no shutout for Phillips, but 13 K in 6.2 IP is not shabby at all...Dunklee now has 11 errors at 1B, 2nd in league

Well, I didn't expect this, especially with the two shutouts. If nothing else, hopefully at least Hart is finally getting back into gear. He's supposed to be our #2 starter, and he's been dreadful all year, as you know if you've been following along.... Groff's injury sucks, but let's hope it's his last one of the season, as he was getting better as the season went along (he's hitting .370 now)....Eric Jones (4-0, 1.56) is named AL pitcher of the month.... ELSEWHERE: no major trades at the deadline, and Boston offered us the following ridiculousness: minor league never-will-be OF Freddy Martinez and decent-with-poor-intangibles SP Danny Romero for SP Mark Phillips. No thanks; Phillips isn't great, but he's better than what you've offered.... San Diego is still leading the NL West by 11 games, but just lost their second starting IF for the season, with 2B Israel Almendariz (.283/18/57) now out.... Tampa is "coming around" at 5-5 in their last ten; win pct is up to .280 now. Boo.


August 5-7 @ BALTIMORE
Still holding on to first in the East at 61-46, 2.5 games up on Boston. Fourth in runs for, 8th in runs against. DH Alex Morales is still on it (.324/27/92), but slumped to just 6 RBI in July. Catcher Juan Jimenez (.306/28/78) is establishing himself in the top echelon of backstops in the AL. Problems exist tho: two starting OF and #1 starter (Raul Trevino) are out for the season.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (11-2, 2.91) / Leon Casillas (16-3, 1.90) / Bobby Piccirillo (6-2, 4.34)
BAL pitchers: Miguel Moreno (11-5, 3.70) / D.J. Marchetti (2-6, 4.50) / Sean Peery (8-6, 3.94)

#109: LOSS 2-3 ... our three hits are a 2B, 3B, and HR, but we fritter away a 2-0 lead and drop it in the 8th...RP Taylor loses his first, gets hurt; too bad, he'd pitched well so far
#110: LOSS 6-13 ... oh dear oh dear...Casillas stinks, Saez stinks, and we're outhit 17 to 7...move on
#111: LOSS 6-7 ... Hullinger hits his 30th, but we generally suck all around, only making the game close in the 9th

Ugh, terrible. We'll pack our bags and get out of town.... RP Cory Taylor gets bad news: torn rotator cuff, out for 10 months. He'd only made 9 appearances, but was quite good, and will be missed. We recall Pat Stanley, who had trouble for us earlier this season, but was solid in AAA. Time to shine, Pat.... Despite the sweep, we're still up by 9.5 over the A's.... ELSEWHERE: Divisional leads in the NL are all pretty solid: Mets by 7.5 over Richmond, Chicago 7.5 over Montreal, and San Diego 11.5 over Arizona. Leads in the other AL divisions are closer: Detroit by half a game over Cleveland, and Baltimore 4.5 over Boston.


August 9-11 vs TORONTO
The last time the Jays missed the playoffs was 2030, but it's happening again: 54-56 now, 10 games out, and no stats that show a forthcoming turnaround. Run differential is +27, but hitting is 14th and pitching 13th, and five players on the DL (including All-Everything 1B Preston Sorensen missing the entire season). 2B Ivan Aragon is in the runnig for worst regular position player: .169/.249/.370, 15 HR, 109 K, 332 AB.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (8-8, 6.03) / Mark Phillips (5-0, 4.64) / Eric Jones (11-2, 2.92)
TOR pitchers: Curtis Thames (6-7, 5.28) / Geoff Brown (2-3, 6.04) / Joe Erkel (7-8, 4.38)

#112: WIN 8-4 ... Hart is just good enough (7 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 7 K)...Hullinger 2-run double in the second keys that five-run inning
#113: LOSS 7-11 ... 20 hits and we still lose...Phillips has an ugly start, 8 runs in 3.1 innings...Dunklee 3 more RBI
#114: WIN 8-5 ... Jones stops the bleeding with a solid 6 innings (4 H, 1 R), although Saez tries to blow it, giving up four runs late...Hullinger drives in his 90th

We keep pounding out hits and runs, but somehow, we live or die on our pitching.... Hart may be coming around, although this wasn't a great outing. If he's even average coming down the stretch, that greatly solidifies our potential playoff rotation.... I get mysterious news about Adam Groff, as Jordan Villalobos tells me his return is now uncertain. He has three days left on the DL, so keep rubbing in that linament, Adam.... ELSEWHERE: Padres 1B Julio Gonzalez (.349/40/108) leads all the NL triple crown categories, and is the first in baseball to reach 40 HR and 100 RBI.... Tampa is 33-80, inching their way into just-plain-bad territory, rather than the historically-bad level I'd rather see them hit.


August 12-14 vs BOSTON
Still playing well enough to stay 4.5 games behind Baltimore, at 62-52. As usual, this is an unhappy team, with more divisive and pouty guys than leaders. They're above average but not spectacular in any category: 7th in runs for and against, 5th in AVG, 6th in starter's ERA. In some ways, this is an old school team: power guys don't hit for average, and high average guys have no power. They also traded their only two starting pitchers (Zach Setaro, 3.18) and Tommy Dahlen (3.61) with ERAs below 4. Still, they're winning games and in contention.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (16-4, 2.29) / Bobby Piccirillo (6-3, 4.57) / Rob Hart (9-8, 5.98)
BOS pitchers: Ryan Galletto (8-8, 4.74) / Mike Wiater (1-1, 5.40) / Manny Gomez (8-10, 4.31)

#115: WIN 10-1 ... Hullinger a 3-run homer, and 6 hits from the bottom two in the lineup, AND Casillas pitches another complete game
#116: LOSS 2-8 ... Piccirillo gives up 16 hits in 4.2 innings. Wow...tiny Josh Robertson now has 8 home runs
#117: LOSS 7-10 ... seven home runs leave the yard, and Hart majorly regresses

We're treading water now, 7-6 this month. But we still gained a game on Oakland, pushing into double figures for the first time this season. We're still hitting--first in runs scored, average, and OBP--even without Groff, but our pitching has been sputtering. We've given up the fewest runs, but just a few weeks ago starter's and releivers ERAs were both #1; now they're 2nd and 5th. Still good, but not as good.... ELSEWHERE: Yankee 2B Ty Cobb is not the hitter he used to be, but he's still at .316, with a .434 OBP. He's also 19th on the all-time hit list, with 3123, putting him 18 hits behind Tony Gwynn. Barring injury, he should climb to 14th, just ahead of Cal Ripken. He's still good enough to play for a couple more seasons, so 3500 hits isn't out of the question. (Cobb also has 2674 singles, third place all-time, about 300-some behind his namesake.)
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Old 10-14-2017, 06:04 PM   #78
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August 15-17 vs CLEVELAND
In the thick of the AL Central race, at 66-52 and just a game behind the Tigers...and just behind the Twins, and just ahead of the Brewers and Royals. Tight division. 1B Nate Rogers (.314/25/89) has been their best hitter, but overall they're about average: 9th in runs scored, 10th in average, 7th in OBP. Pitching is a bit better: despite being 10th in runs against, they're 5th and 8th in rotation and bullpen ERA. All-star LF Greg Tackett is on the DL, and is missed, but they've been healthy otherwise. Fun fact: the team is openly feuding. Nobody is happy, and best of all is lazy, disruptive pitcher Mike Cote is complaining about lazy and disruptive players.

HAW pitchers: Mark Phillips (5-1, 5.62) / Eric Jones (12-2, 2.87) / Leon Casillas (17-4, 2.22)
CLE pitchers: Billy Minnifield (11-7, 4.64) / Dave Gonzalez (9-7, 3.64) / Mike Thomas (4-6, 4.31)

#118: LOSS 3-9 ... awful. Next.
#119: WIN 7-3 ... rainy game, called after the 8th...Jones shows up strong again, but new guy Saez gets hammered...OF Mel Carillo injured, pending
#120: WIN 6-3 ... Casillas pulled in the sixth, but still gets the win...three HR pace the attack, including two in the first

Maintaining a nine-game lead over Oakland, now 22 over Seattle.... Waiting on Carillo's injury diagnosis. He's filled in fairly well for Wiggins these last few weeks, although his average has dropped from .320 when he was on the bench, to "just" .301 now. Broken record time: he's still got very high potential--my scouts love him--but his ratings haven't moved in over a year, and his power just has not developed at all (1 HR in 207 PA, and just 3 in 462 PA at AAA last year), and I'm starting to worry about his contact now too. Power-hitting Jesse Henkel moves into LF while we await the diagnosis.... Still hoping Groff is going to heal up quickly; no new word, tho.... ELSEWHERE: Andy Fisher, the Dodgers pitcher I considered trading for in July, is done for the season. Bullet DODGED lol....Portland's Toichi Kaneko is the first to 200 K, while Cubs SS Jordan Cruz is (as usual) leading the way among batters with 183 K.


August 19-21 vs KANSAS CITY
Continuing our tour through the Central Division against the Royals. In fifth place, but their record is 64-55 and they're just 5 games out of the lead. SS and cleanup hitter Pedro Delgado is third in WAR, hitting .279/20/68, and a former MVP with the Pirates. DH Zack Pusz (.309/19/70) is also having a great year. The rotation has held them back, 14th in ERA, but the bullpen is second best. No longer a small-budget team, KC has the 7th largest budget in baseball, at $170M.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (6-4, 4.81) / Rob Hart (9-9, 6.23) / Mark Phillips (5-2, 6.13)
KCR pitchers: Francisco Duarte (13-5, 3.13) / Mike Head (0-0) / Yutaka Fujino (9-8, 6.28)

#121: WIN 9-3 ... four home runs, including two from Hullinger (plus 5 RBI)...Hunter gets his 40th double...Piccirillo is on-again this time
#122: LOSS 5-6 ... so close: Kieffer vomits three hits and runs in the 9th to blow it...Hart is okay, but Head is way better in his season debut...Hullinger now with 102 RBI
#123: WIN 3-2 ... Groff is back, with 2 hits and an RBI...Phillips is money over seven innings, then gets hurt. Sigh.

GROFF IS BACK. And then Phillips hurts his shoulder. It's only a 'dtd' injury, but for seven weeks, which has him coming back either right before or right after the end of the regular season. Not sure who I'm calling up to take his place.... And Carillo get his diagnosis: broken leg, out for three months. Former minor league free agent Matt Harris gets called up, lacking anyone else.... ELSEWHERE: Detroit is slumping and Minnesota has moved into first in the Central. Meanwhile, San Diego is now 12.5 up on Arizona, and has the lowest Magic # at 26.


August 22-24 @ CHICAGO WHITE SOX
The only team in the Central not still in the hunt, at 53-71. Fifteenth in runs scored, 18th in runs against, and a -183 differential. They also have the worst team defense. CF Francisco Gervacio (.251/34/89) and SS Jaiden Elliot (.251/30/63) are the only batters doing anything, and only one starting pitcher has an ERA below 4.60.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (13-2, 2.80) / Leon Casillas (18-4, 2.30) / Bobby Piccirillo (7-4, 4.75)
CHW pitchers: Bart Raygoza (2-2, 4.62) / Lance Hansen (9-8, 4.33) / Hideyuki Asano (7-11, 5.32)

#124: LOSS 1-2 ... dead game...Jones hurts his ankle, but I'm tempted to keep him in the lineup because WHO WILL TAKE HIS PLACE
#125: WIN 4-1 ... Casillas strikes out 10 over 7 innings...Groff homers, and Robertson (5'9" 180#) hits two, giving him 11 on the year
#126: LOSS 5-7 ... Henkel drives in all five runs, but no one else shows up...Piccirillo just doesn't have it, again

Pretty pathetic showing against an awful team. Not much more to say than that.... Oakland is flailing too, so we're still 9.5 games up.... Bryan Hardin gets the call from AAA (his second call-up) to take Phillips' place, but I'm considering making a rarely-used post-deadline trade. We'll see.... ELSEWHERE: Let's look in on Pittsburgh, that once-dominant team from just a few years ago. They're still hitting: 4th in runs scored, first in average and home runs. But they're a cautionary tale for anyone who doesn't take care of their pitching: 18th in every category besides bullpen ERA (11th) and strikeouts (14th). They're six games under .500, looking at their first losing record since 2029, ten years ago.


August 26-28 vs HOUSTON
Once again going nowhere, 52-76 and 34 games out. They hit a lot of home runs (152, 8th in AL), but are 16th in runs and 15th in runs against. Their rotation looks pretty decent, but no one's having a good season at the plate. We have got to make hay against these guys.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (9-9, 6.11) / Bryan Hardin (1-0, 6.35) / Eric Jones (13-3, 2.77)
HOU pitchers: Jason Ray (9-11, 4.89) / Khalil Palmer (8-6, 3.67) / Jay Russo (7-10, 3.76)

#127: WIN 13-0 ... Hart a 3-hit complete game, Groff with 2 homers, and the team hits six out of the park
#128: WIN 10-4 ... SIX more home runs this crazy game...aaaand Hardin gets hurt in the third, diagnosis pending. Is it time for a 4-man rotation?
#129: WIN 7-1 ... only one HR this game, but it's a Martinez GRAND SLAM...Groff gets three hits, and Jones calms things down with 7.2 innings of four-hit ball...and NO injuries

Holy crap what a series: 30 runs, 13 home runs, and two more injuries. OF Matt Harris gets hurt in his first game after his call up this week, so I send him back down and bring up Ian McGowan, a first round pick from 2036. Decent hitter, speedy guy, and a hell of a fielder.... Bryan Hardin hurts something during his first start, and I'm waiting on his diagnosis right now. Once again, I'm not sure who will take his place if he's out long-term.... ELSEWHERE: San Diego's Julio Gonzalez continues to lead the NL triple crown categories, and is the first in MLB to reach 50 HR.... The Padres are rolling, at 85-46...but the Tigers are in freefall, having lost 11 in a row, and they're now in fifth place, six games out of first.


August 29-31 vs LA ANGELS
A few numbers: 47 wins, 41.5 games out, 10 players on the DL, -124 run diff. In the midst of a slow rebuild, but there are some pieces here that we'll be hearing about in the years to come: 3B Tony Mendoza, 2B Travis Tanner, SS Danny Gipson, RF Pat Sexton. Only one pitcher is 26 or younger, however, so the future there still looks pretty grim.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (19-4, 2.27) / Bobby Piccirillo (7-5, 5.00) / Rob Hart (10-9, 5.75)
LAA pitchers: Jeff Caraway (7-11, 4.58) / Fred Caviness (4-10, 7.04) / Erik Blackham (3-4, 5.69)

#130: WIN 5-4 ... Dunklee hits two out, and Casillas survives a four-run fourth, but doesn't get the win...two more OF gets dtd injuries
#131: WIN 11-6 ... everyone gets a hit and Martinez drives in five, which overcomes Piccirillo's pretty poor pitching: 10 H, 6 R, over 7.2 innings
#132: LOSS 4-6 ... Hart is back in the dumps after this game. Enough said.

Injuries are biting us hard: eight on the DL, and two more with dtd aches and pains. I can't keep five starting pitchers healthy either. Bryan Hardin gets his diagnosis, and it's doom: out 13 months with a ruptured UCL. I'm reminded of this exchange from Slap Shot, after a player gets beaten up and is done for the game: "Ok, Dave's out. Who's gonna take his place?" "Is the answer Jesus?" Yeah, it's that bad. So much so that I call up our top prospect, Mike Messinger, from AA. It's too soon for him, but someone has to pitch, right? Tomorrow is roster expansion day, so there will be more call-ups, but no one I want for the rotation.... Big four-game series vs Oakland starts tomorrow. We're up by 11.5 on them, so we need to get at least two of these games to maintain.... ELSEWHERE: Tampa becomes the first team eliminated from the playoffs, now 40-91.... Outside of Detroit's collapse, there are no changes in the standings anywhere.... Gary Florence (SD) is the first pitcher to 20 wins. He's not on the WAR leaderboard, but does have an outrageous 9.1/0.9 ratio of K/9 and BB/9.
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Old 10-15-2017, 12:59 PM   #79
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September 1-4 vs OAKLAND
Oakland sits at 79-54, 11.5 games behind us, and 4.5 games ahead of Boston for the first wildcard spot. Despite some good numbers--7th in runs for, 4th in runs against--they haven't gotten the top-to-bottom team play as in recent years. All-star C Vinny Vargas has been good (.341/26/60), but has missed over a month of action. And right now their 2B, two SP, and CL are done for the season, while their LF, CF, and SS are out for one to three more weeks. Still, their bullpen looks sharp, four of their starters have ERA under the league average, and outfielders David Shaw (.283/20/75) and Dan Condon (.276/15/49) have kept the offense afloat, along with rookie callup LF Simon Hayn, who's hitting .290 with 13 steals, and battered us for a bunch of hits last time we played. Barring more painful injuries, this is a playoff team, one we'll likely have to reckon with these last five weeks of the season.

HAW pitchers: Lorenzo Saez (1-0, 4.66) / TBD / Leon Casillas (19-4, 2.38) / Bobby Piccirillo (8-5, 5.14)
OAK pitchers: Ricky Hose (13-6, 2.83) / Bill Casas (15-7, 4.18) / Tom DiFranco (14-8, 4.00) / Mario Martinez (3-6, 4.03)

#133: LOSS 3-6 ... Groff hits two out, Hullinger hits one, but our pitching issues continue, with emergency starter Saez no good, and reliever Pat Stanley even worse
#134: WIN 7-5 ... Groff (3-run shot in the 9th) and Hullinger go deep again, and Jones shoots enough painkillers into his ankle to give us six innings
#135: WIN 6-2 ... 13 more hits (but no HR, sadly), all against ex-Isle DiFranco (ha!)...Casillas pitches his 7th complete game for his 20th win on the season
#136: LOSS 2-6 ... Piccs yields 11 hits in 7 innings, which is what really does him in...Hullinger homers again, and wonders why he can't face Oakland pitching all the time

So, as hoped, we tread water by splitting the series. Still no consistency with our pitching, but at least all these injuries are giving me a lot of information for my off-season pitching considerations.... Twenty-six games left in the season, twenty of them are on the road. Our last fourteen games are roadies.... ELSEWHERE: In the NL, New York has extended their lead over Richmond to 9 games, while the Cubs are up by just 3.5 over the Expos. San Diego is running away with the West. In the AL, Baltimore still has their long-standing 3-game lead over Boston, while in the Central Minny is up by 1 over Cleveland, by 2.5 over Milwaukee, 4 over Detroit, and 4.5 over Kansas City.... Tampa still has a death grip on last place, at 43-92, but they've been winning lately, getting their percentage up over .300, much to my dismay.


September 5-7 vs DETROIT
Former division leaders have struggled of late, and went through August 11-18. They've steadied some, but find themselves in fourth, 4 games behind the Twins. Third in runs scored, and second in home runs, so the lineup is more than pulling its weight. But they're 12th in runs against, with the rotation having the bigger troubles, as exemplified by $23M guy Matthew Freeman and his 6.61 ERA and .375 BABIP. He's now in the bullpen. As we still have the #1 offense, this could be a high scoring series.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (10-10, 5.85) / Mike Messinger (0-0, 3.00) / Eric Jones (14-3, 2.81)
DET pitchers: Alex Gomez (7-7, 4.55) / Alex de la Roca (11-7, 4.07) / Raul Bravo (9-9, 5.21)

#137: LOSS 3-8 ... Hullinger hits his 40th, but Hart is just bogus and Saez just as bad out of the pen...Jesse Henkel, hitting .314 in his recent callup, gets hurt b/c of course he does
#138: LOSS 6-8 ... so if we hold them to 8 runs again tomorrow, and score 3 more runs like we did today, then we'll win one of these damn games
#139: LOSS 4-8 ... a six-run tenth inning. Yep, not a misprint...Kieffer's meltdown ruins Jones' good outing

Say goodbye to Lorenzo Saez, who can't get anyone out and will get to sail off into the sunset in AAA. Funny that he just asked me for a raise to 1.2M for next year. Funny, as in not so funny. Evan Larkins and Chris Mayer come up from KC because misery loves company.... ELSEWHERE: Oakland is now back into single digits behind us, at 8.5 games.... San Diego's Magic Number is now 12, the lowest in MLB.


September 9-11 @ MINNESOTA
It's back to the road, starting in Minnesota and the division-leading Twins. We're 15 games better than they are, so I expect no less than two or three ugly losses. Hitting is 2nd/3rd/4th in most categories, and pitching is nearly as good (bullpen is the best in the AL), backed by the best defense in the league. Peanuts Carter has been great (.334/34/105), and Steve Wilkins has slowed way down from his amazing start, but is still churning along at .289/23/81. It still amazes me that they're looking at a -67M dollar balance, with a player payroll that exceeds their alloted budget by 36M.

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (20-4, 2.36) / Bobby Piccirillo (8-6, 5.06) / Rob Hart (10-11, 6.04)
MIN pitchers: Chris Kruse (9-9, 4.30) / Chris Varo (12-5, 3.91) / Ben Martin (6-8, 5.55)

#140: LOSS 2-7 ... Casillas loses, putting a damper on our hopes for the rest of the week
#141: LOSS 1-5 ... losing streak reaches six games, and Piccirillo gives up double figures in hits for the billionth time
#142: WIN 5-2 ... well, well, well...Hart shows up, Hunter nears 50 doubles on the season, and Groff hits #27

I guess I need to remember, as I start to despair for our post-season hopes, that I did say way back in April that I knew we would hit but we would live and die with our pitching. As our pitching has declined, so has our winning percentage. Pretty simple, really.... ELSEWHERE: Oakland just 7.5 games out now. Montreal has tied the Cubs. Boston just one in back of Baltimore. Minnesota clinging to a game lead over Cleveland, 1.5 over Detroit. PENNANT CHASE FEVER!... Toronto has smacked 235 home runs, closing in on a top-3 all-time number (still far behind Miami's outrageous 290 dingers from 2037).


September 13-15 @ MILWAUKEE
Battling hard in the Central, just 2.5 games in arrears, and also 2 games out in the wildcard standings. Mediocre hitting (10th in runs, 11th in average), but solid pitching (5th in runs) and fielding (3rd). We'll face the top of their rotation, so we'll see if we can wake up our bats. Fun fact: Bill Salazar, a prized free agent from two winters ago, has been riddled with injuries and just not worth his $18.8M annual cabbage. He's only 30, but his ratings have already started to drop, and his starts over the last four years number 16, 0, 24, 24. He's out for the season, naturally.

HAW "pitchers": Mike Messinger (0-1, 5.63) / Eric Jones (14-3, 2.80) / Leon Casillas (20-5, 2.49)
MIL pitchers: Nick Shockley (12-10, 3.71) / Brandon Jarmon (7-5, 3.22) / Tim Pinksen (5-1, 4.02)

#143: LOSS 5-6 ... Hunter gets his 50th double, and Messinger proves he's definitely not ready for the bigs...Martinez gets a dtd injury, surprise surprise
#144: WIN 18-10 ... snort...pity the smug Brewers with a 10-4 lead going into the 8th, watching us pile 14 runs on them over the next two innings...hell, it stunned me too
#145: LOSS 2-8 ... c'mon, Leon, you're the only thing keeping me alive right now. Don't do this to me.

We continue our mission to make every Central team look good, and to give the A's hope for the division title. Our lead is down to 5.5 games, and I'm scouring local fast-pitch softball leagues for starting pitchers now.... Next it's back to Hawaii for our final home series of the season.... ELSEWHERE: Bah, nothing to report. The hell with them all.
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:11 PM   #80
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September 16-18 vs SEATTLE
Once in the hunt for the wildcard, those hopes were dashed by a 9-14 July and the utter horror of a 6-22 August. (Hey, we feel your pain, Seattle.) Now playing out the string at 71-75, their hitting has pretty much disintegrated (16th in runs), but their pitching (7th) is still pretty good. Not much to report here, except for my hope to regain some positive momentum before we head off to Oakland.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (8-7, 5.14) / Rob Hart (11-11, 5.84) / Mike Messinger (0-2, 8.03)
SEA pitchers: Ruben Alvarado (8-12, 4.42) / Amir Farland (11-13, 4.19) / Aaron Myers (15-7, 2.42)

#146: WIN 6-4 ... ok, nice start...two first-inning home runs and one in the second give us a lead we don't relinquish...Piccirillo continues to play with my heart
#147: WIN 9-7 ... Kieffer tries to blow it again, but Hullinger's three-run shot in the ninth gives us the walk off win, clinching a playoff berth
#148: WIN 6-0 ... where has this been all month? Messinger is gold, yielding 3 hits over 7.1 innings...two more homers for us and Dunklee reaches 100 RBI

Well this came out of nowhere, didn't it? And we do clinch the playoffs, but Oakland also swept their series, and so remain 5.5 games behind us. We get them next.... Our defense is tanking too, down to 13th in overall efficiency. We've been top 5 most of the season, so this hurts.... ELSEWHERE: While we're the first team to clinch a post-season spot, others are getting close: the Mets and Padres both have Magic Numbers at 5, and Oakland is 10.5 games up in the wildcard race, pretty much clinching their berth as well.... Tampa is now 47-100, reaching 100 losses for the fifth time in their history.


September 19-21 @ OAKLAND
Here we go: the series that could make or break our season. I think we need at least two wins if we're going to hold them off. They're 13-3 this month, and have given up more than 4 runs in a game only three times, all losses. Our work is cut out for us.

HAW pitchers: Eric Jones (14-3, 2.97) / Leon Casillas (20-6, 2.54) / Bobby Piccirillo (8-7, 5.04)
OAK pitchers: Tom DiFranco (16-9, 3.95) / Mario Martinez (6-6, 3.62) / Jesse Squire (6-1, 2.16)

#149: LOSS 5-6 ... Jones is strong, but the pen throws it away in the 10th...plus! Hunter hits his 52nd double, then goes out for a month. Yes!...4.5 games up
#150: LOSS 3-8 ... the Casillas mojo is gone again, lasting just 5 innings and taking the loss...plus! Groff gets hit by a pitch, diagnosis pending. Yes!...3.5 games up
#151: LOSS 2-3 ... we spare everyone our usual 9th inning collapse by doing it in the 8th this time...Groff's injury is just minor, but does it matter?...2.5 games up

Disaster. How else to describe it? Swept by our closest competitor, and our lead is nearly gone. Were we really up by double digits just a couple weeks ago? I really can't remember.... Not sure what to try next; lineup tinkering hasn't helped, and lately when we do hit, our pitching disappears. The only possible light here is that we close the season against the dregs of our division. If we blow it completely against Houston, Texas, and LA, then we deserve whatever we get.... ELSEWHERE: KC is pretty much out of the hunt in the Central now, falling to seven back with eleven games to go. In the NL, Portland has risen to second in the West, and while they won't catch the Padres, they're in the hunt for the second wildcard spot.


September 22-25 @ HOUSTON
These four games we MUST win (Oakland has four against the terrible Angels). Houston's hitting, pitching, and fielding are all pretty bad, so we need to make book here. They're 61-91, so looking at a top five draft pick next year, at least.

HAW pitchers: Rob Hart (11-11, 5.79) / Mike Messinger (1-2, 5.03) / Eric Jones (14-3, 3.05) / Leon Casillas (20-7, 2.68)
HOU pitchers: Jonathan Caldera (11-12, 4.19) / Jason Ray (11-12, 5.18) / Josh Singleton (2-9, 4.93) / Jay Russo (9-12, 4.17)

#152: WIN 8-4 ... Kieffer sh*its all over the 9th inning, but we somehow manage 4 in the 10th to pull out the win...Hart is strawng for 8 innings, for once
#153: WIN 7-4 ... four more home runs pace the attack and the bullpen is only mildly awful...Groff (.371) and Robertson (.372) are battling for the batting crown, btw
#154: WIN 7-3 ... Wiggins comes off the DL with a double and a homer...Groff takes the lead over Robertson...Collins sprains his ankle, is dtd for a month. He has to play.
#155: WIN 8-2 ... Groff with four hits, and Casillas is back with 8.1 innings of 6-hit pitching...Hullinger hits a GRAND SLAM in the first too

We did our part, and LA took their last against Oakland to end the A's 13-game winning streak and give us a 3.5 game lead.... I lost count, but I think we hit 40 or so homers against the Astros.... ELSEWHERE: Now it's Milwaukee's turn to lead the Central, as they're tied with Minnesota, and both are five up on Cleveland. Baltimore has a--wait for it--3-game lead over Boston, and the Cubs have pulled out to 4 games over Cincy, 4.5 over Montreal. The Padres and Mets have clinched their divisions, and Oakland has also clinched a playoff spot.... SD's Julio Gonzalez looks strong to win the NL Triple Crown, but Porland's Mat Quadrini now has 51 HR, just 5 behind.


September 26-29 @ TEXAS
I thought the Rangers might compete for a playoff spot this year (so did MLB), but they never got on track, and are now 74-81. Not awful, but another disappointing year. They steal a lot of bases, and their bullpen has been pretty solid, but there's little else to report for the Rangers. They're also openly feuding, especially pitchers Jamie Bell (ex-Isles flameout) and Edgar Ulloa, who both think they should be in the rotation despite showing very little talent for pitching at the big league level.

HAW pitchers: Bobby Piccirillo (8-8, 4.95) / Rob Hart (11-11, 5.64) / Mike Messinger (2-2, 4.74) / Eric Jones (15-3, 3.07)
TEX pitchers: Mike Rath (10-14, 4.79) / Danny Powers (11-12, 4.85) / B.J. Nault (7-16, 5.12) / Seth Purdy (7-11, 4.92)

#156: LOSS 2-8 ... Piccs strains his brain and may miss his next start. I won't miss it...lead at 2.5 games
#157: WIN 11-4 ... Hart is okay, really just okay, and we score 9 runs in the sixth and seventh to seal the deal...Oakland loses, lead now 3.5 games
#158: LOSS 0-5 ... Groff with two more hits, but Messinger is bad again and we only manage six hits...Oakland loses again, lead still 3.5 games, Magic # is now ONE
#159: LOSS 6-11 ... seriously, guys, SERIOUSLY. Oakland inactive.

Not cool at all, although it's only SLIGHTLY mitigated by Oakland dropping two out of three to LA. Our lead is now three games heading into the final weekend of the season. ONE WIN is all it will take.... ELSEWHERE: Baltimore leads Boston by a game, and the Yankees (!) by three; Minnesota is also up by one over Milwaukee, three over Cleveland and Detroit; the Cubs are up by three over Cincy, and five teams (Cincy, Montreal, Richmond, Arizona, and Portland) are in the running for the two wild card spots.


September 30, October 1-2 @ LA ANGELS
Can we please get ****ing healthy against these losers?

HAW pitchers: Leon Casillas (21-7, 2.66) / Bobby Piccirillo (8-9, 5.07) / Rob Hart (12-11, 5.57)
LAA pitchers: Dean Jernigan (14-10, 3.82) / Jeff Caraway (9-12, 4.37) / Fred Caviness (6-13, 6.92)

#160: WIN 10-3 ... Casillas is a beautiful man, giving us the division FINALLY...Hullinger pops his 50th, a team first...but tempering the fun is Wiggins' injury
#161: WIN 6-3 ... Piccirillo teases again with 8 quality innings...Groff with 3 hits and an RBI, now at 99 on the year
#162: WIN 7-5 ... Hart still blows chunks, but we're back to pounding hits with regularity, including Martinez's two HR

Well that feels better. We end up at 105-57, five games up on Oakland, tying San Diego for second best record overall.... The bad news is that Wiggins breaks his foot and is out for the playoffs, no matter how far we go. We may end up short handed on our playoff roster thanks to all these injuries.... ELSEWHERE: Milwaukee takes two of three against Minnesota: they're tied, and will go to a one game playoff. Loser is out, since Boston won their last four to take the final wild card spot. Baltimore wins the East.... In the NL, Cincinnati and Montreal take the wild card spots, and NY, Chicago, and San Diego take their divisions. UPDATE: Milwaukee takes the playoff, 5-1, and Minnesota goes home disappointed. I'm not sure Milwaukee ever led the division by themselves until after this game.
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