The United States of Newland Continental Baseball League

[jwinbigler]

September 24, 1994

World Series Game 4 – Newport @ Fremont
Sam Taylor vs. Kent Fry

Both starting pitchers were hot early, until Newport got on the board in the 4th. 4 straight singles by the Navigators put them up 1-0, but with the bases loaded and nobody out, Fry struck out the next 3 batters to end the scoring threat. An inning later, Newport made the lead 2-0 with a triple and sacrifice fly, and Bill Horton hit a 3-run homer in the 8th to essentially put the game away. Sam Taylor was terrific for Newport, going 8.1 innings while giving up 8 hits and 1 run, which came in the 9th. Newport won 5-1 and kept their season alive another day.

Alan Lyles was 3-4 with 2 R, while Bill Horton went 2-4 and had the big 3-run homer. Daniel Mills went 3-4 with 1 R for the Tigers in the loss. Tomorrow, Alfonso Mendez and Bill Epperson face off, and Fremont really wants to clinch it against Mendez. If they can’t win Game 5, they’ll go back to Newport to face Javier Soto and Mike Murdock, which is a tough challenge.

Newport wins 5-1
Fremont leads series 3-1

[jwinbigler]

September 25, 1994

World Series Game 5 – Newport @ Fremont
Alfonso Mendez vs. Bill Epperson

Facing elimination for the 2nd straight day, Newport started out hot at the plate. A double, single, and 2-run homer by Alan Lyles gave them 3 runs in the top of the 1st, and things were looking good early. Mendez pitched well for the first 2 innings, but he fell apart in the 3rd, giving up a walk and 4 hits, including a 2-run homer by Dud Smith to give Fremont a 5-3 lead. They added another run in the 4th, and Dud Smith hit his 2nd homer of the day in the 5th to make it 7-3. Meanwhile, Bill Epperson rolled after his poor 1st inning, and other than a solo homer in the 7th by Miguel Romero, he shut down the Newport offense. The Fremont bullpen gave up 1 hit over the last 2 innings to seal the 7-3 win and clinch the World Series for the Tigers.

Dud Smith was the Player of the Game, going 2-3 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, and 2 R. Nobody for Newport had more than 1 hit in the loss.

Fremont wins 7-4
Fremont wins series 4-1

[jwinbigler]

September 26, 1994

1994 ALMANAC



World Series Wrap-Up
Fremont’s balance and Newport’s lack of offense were the difference in the World Series. Additionally, the weak link of Alfonso Mendez in Newport’s rotation was a key factor, and many experts are wondering why William McKinney was moved from the rotation to closer. The Navigators combined for 3 homers in the series, and Fremont’s Dud Smith hit 3 by himself. Smith had a line of .333/.400/.833, while leadoff hitter Tim Hammond hit .389/.560/.722 with 2 HR, and Mark McBride hit .353/.421/.529 with 1 HR. Bill Harrington hit .316/.381/.368, but his lack of power in the series wasn’t a factor. Steven Logan, who went 1-19, was the only real weak link in the offense. Newport, on the other hand, didn’t have a single player hit over .300, and they were a mess offensively during the series.

Season Wrap-Up
The Fremont Tigers are the first Federal League team to win the World Series, and they’ll return most of their players next year. The biggest loss will be Curt Snyder, who they acquired in a mid-season trade for the stretch run. Reliever Casey Peterson is also a free agent. Newport’s upcoming free agents include William McKinney and reliever Artie Smith, but they have a lot of young talent that will return as well.

The OHA voting in the CL will probably be tight this year, with Mariano Rios, Tom Duncan, Vicente Flores, and Jason Coffman all having a case. Several pitchers have a case for the OPA also, with Trent Gore, Sam Taylor, Roosevelt Jones, and Mark Ullrich as the likely favorites. In the FL, Kevin Gaze and Lawrence Gordon are the favorites to win their 2nd straight OHAs and OPAs, respectively.

[jwinbigler]

October 21, 1994

The CL awards were both close votes, as expected. Capital City’s Mariano Rios came away with the OHA and Sam Taylor of Newport won the OPA. It’s the 1st major award for both players. 6-time RPA winner Miguel Pellicer’s mid-season injury opened the door for a new winner of the award, and Neil Stinson finally won his 1st after 4 runner-up finishes. Park City (C)’s Hugh Christian became just the 2nd pitcher in either league to win the Rookie of the Year (Damon Warren was the 1st in 1987). In the FL, Kevin Gaze won the OHA and Lawrence Gordon won the OPA. It’s the 2nd straight award for both players. Todd Hammond won the RPA, and Mike Armstrong of Mount Sterling won the Rookie of the Year. Both World Series managers, Newport’s Ed Minor and Fremont’s Les Roberts, earned Manager of the Year honors.

This year’s free agent crop is one of the best we’ve ever seen, with several superstars and even more quality players available. A whopping 5 members of the All-80’s Team, plus an honorable mention selection, are on the market. 5 different hitters in the class have finished in the top 3 for an OHA, and 2 of them have won a combined 4 of the awards. Pat Howard and Tim MacIntosh, who played together for several years in Portsmouth and Liberty (C), are probably the top hitters available. Ralph Coffey was almost available as well, but he signed a 5-year extension with the Senators at the last minute. The free agent pitchers are even better, with a combined 7 OPAs and 2 RPAs among them. Matt Ashley, Curt Snyder, and Kyle Thompson are all capable of headlining a rotation, and the balance of power could shift dramatically depending on where they land.

Myles Brooks and Guillermo Reyes were the biggest names to announce their retirements. Brooks, 37, won 2 RPAs and was the lone reliever on the All-80’s Team. He is #2 on the all-time saves list. Reyes, 36, was an honorable mention selection on the All-80’s Team, and he won 4 Gold Gloves in his career. He retires as #2 on the all-time HR list. Chad Hansford also retired.

One of the bigger surprises so far is Portsmouth and GM Rich Cates parting ways. After he was hired in 1989, he executed a quick turnaround that saw them go from worst to first in 2 years and win 3 straight championships. This year, they finished in 2nd, only a game away from winning the pennant again. His contract was not renewed, and he was hired by Centerville to be their GM. The rumor is that the Clippers really wanted him back, but he was looking for a new challenge, and he’ll certainly find it in Centerville.

The 1994 CBL baseball cards have been released here.

1994 Colonial League Awards
Outstanding Hitter Award: 3B Mariano Rios, CC
Outstanding Pitcher Award: SP Sam Taylor, NEW
Rookie of the Year Award: SP Hugh Christian, PCP
Relief Pitcher Award: CL Neil Stinson, PCP
Manager of the Year Award: Ed Minor, NEW

1994 Federal League Awards
Outstanding Hitter Award: 1B Kevin Gaze, KIN
Outstanding Pitcher Award: SP Lawrence Gordon, LBK
Rookie of the Year Award: CF Mike Armstrong, MTS
Relief Pitcher Award: CL Todd Hammond, LBK
Manager of the Year Award: Les Roberts, FRE



Major Transactions
Capital City:
Signed CF Ralph Coffey to 5-year extension
Key free agents: MR Ben Samuels

Centerville:
MR Myles Brooks retires
MR Stanley Evans retires
Fired Manager Antonio Betancourt
Fired GM Chris Wolfe
Signed Manager Richard Graham to 1-year contract
Signed GM Rich Cates to 5-year contract
Key Free Agents: None

Fremont:
SP Chad Hansford retires
Key Free Agents: SP Curt Snyder, MR Casey Peterson

Irondale:
SS Allen Erwin retires
Key Free Agents: CF John Hill, C Nolan Bird, CL Daniel Thompson

Kingston:
Fired GM Travis O’Creagh
Key Free Agents: RF Gunnar Dorsey, MR Bob Cole, MR Chris Harden

Liberty (C):
SP John Daniels retires
1B Guillermo Reyes retires
Fired Manager Santiago Hernandez
Promoted Bench Coach Van Holman to Manager
Key Free Agents: RF Pat Howard, SS Tim MacIntosh, C Terry Williams, MR Rob Paris, MR Bob Lewis

Liberty (F):
Did not renew contract of Manager Rob Dodson
Signed Manager Glenn Burch to 3-year contract
Key Free Agents: CF Jose Diaz, CL Todd Hammond

Mount Sterling:
Key Free Agents: 1B David Jones, LF Gregg Kelly, SP George Washington, SP Scott Barnes, MR Albert Williams

Newport:
Fired GM Albert Watson
Signed GM James Bartlett to 5-year contract
Key Free Agents: CL William McKinney, SP Alfonso Mendez, MR Artie Smith

Park City (C):
Key Free Agents: SP Matt Ashley

Park City (F):
Manager Micah Smith retires
Signed Manager Rob Dodson to 4-year contract
Key Free Agents: LF Jon Carlson, MR Keith Jones

Portsmouth:
Did not renew contract of GM Rich Cates
Signed GM Randy Davis to 5-year contract
Key Free Agents: SP Kyle Thompson

Top Free Agents Available (Former Team, Age, *), [Credentials]
RF Pat Howard (LBG, 34, 4.5*), All-80’s Team, 3-time OHA winner
RF Gregg Kelly (MTS, 28, 4.5*), 4-time All-Star
SS Tim MacIntosh (LBG, 35, 4.5*), All-80’s Team, 8-time Gold Glove winner
C Nolan Bird (IRO, 31, 4*)
CF Jose Diaz (LBK, 25, 4*), 3-time Gold Glove winner
CF John Hill (IRO, 28, 4*)
1B David Jones (MTS, 30, 4*), 3-time Top 3 for FL OHA
RF Gunnar Dorsey (KIN, 28, 3.5/4.5*), 4-time Gold Glove winner
LF Jon Carlson (PCK, 32, 2*), All-80’s Team, 1987 OHA, 6-time Gold Glove winner

SP Matt Ashley (PCP, 27, 4.5*), 4-time All-Star
SP Curt Snyder (FRE, 28, 4.5*), 2-time OPA winner
SP Kyle Thompson (POR, 26, 4.5*)
SP George Washington (MTS, 28, 3.5/5*)
SP Scott Barnes (MTS, 31, 3*), 1990 OPA

CL William McKinney (NEW, 37, 5*), 3-time OPA winner, 1980’s Pitcher of the Decade
MR Albert Williams (MTS, 28, 5*), 1991 FL RPA
CL Todd Hammond (LBK, 29, 4.5*), 1994 FL RPA
MR Rob Paris (LBG, 29, 4.5/5*)
MR Jose Aguilar (LBK, 29, 4.5*)
MR Casey Peterson (FRE, 31, 4.5*)
MR Ben Samuels (CC, 34, 4.5*)
MR Artie Smith (NEW, 32, 4.5*)
MR Bob Cole (KIN, 34, 4*), All-80’s Honorable Mention, 3-time All-Star
MR Chris Harden (KIN, 31, 4*)
MR Bob Lewis (LBG, 36, 4*), All-80’s Team, 1988 OPA
MR Keith Jones (PCK, 38, 4*)
MR Elwood Cole (LBK, 30, 4*)

[jwinbigler]

March 4, 1995

The 2 teams in Liberty and the Park City Kings made the most noise in free agency this year. The Giants added Curt Snyder to finally give Trent Gore some help in the rotation. They also signed David Jones and 2 excellent relievers, William McKinney and Albert Williams. The other Liberty team, the Knights, won the sweepstakes for Matt Ashley, and he and Lawrence Gordon will be a formidable 1-2 punch in that rotation. The hapless Kings, who have yet to contend in the FL, went big by signing Kyle Thompson, Gregg Kelly, and Gunnar Dorsey. They look to be much improved. Portsmouth, who lost Thompson, replaced him by signing George Washington, and their rotation should still be one of the best in the league.

There were only a couple of trades this offseason, and none of them involved any impact players.



Major Transactions
Free Agent Retirees:
C Roland Harris, 2B Justin Cannon

Capital City:
Signed CF Jose Diaz to 3-year contract (formerly of Liberty (F))
Signed MR Jose Aguilar to 2-year contract (formerly of Liberty (F))
Signed MR Rob Paris to 1-year contract (formerly of Liberty (C))

Centerville:
Signed SS Tim MacIntosh to 2-year contract (formerly of Liberty (C))
Signed CL Gonzalo Solano to 1-year contract (staying with team)
Signed CF John Hill to 1-year contract (formerly of Irondale)

Fremont:
Signed SP Daniel Cox to 1-year extension
Signed SP Kent Fry to 1-year extension
Signed MR Chris Harden to 1-year contract (formerly of Kingston)

Irondale:
Signed C Nolan Bird to 2-year contract (staying with team)
Signed RF Pat Howard to 2-year contract (formerly of Liberty (C))
Signed LF Jon Carlson to 3-year contract (formerly of Park City (F))
Signed MR Ben Samuels to 2-year contract (formerly of Capital City)

Kingston:
Signed GM Greg Bowman to 4-year contract
Signed MR Bob Lewis to 1-year contract (formerly of Liberty (C))
Signed CL Todd Hammond to 3-year contract (formerly of Liberty (F))

Liberty (C):
Signed SP Curt Snyder to 7-year contract (formerly of Fremont)
Signed 1B David Jones to 5-year contract (formerly of Mount Sterling)
Signed MR William McKinney to 1-year contract (formerly of Newport)
Signed CF Jeff Thompson to 1-year extension
Signed LF Harry Cooper to 1-year contract (formerly of Kingston)
Signed MR Albert Williams to 2-year contract (formerly of Mount Sterling)
Signed C Terry Williams to 1-year contract (staying with team)

Liberty (F):
Signed SP Matt Ashley to 7-year contract (formerly of Park City (C))
Signed SS Ben Lewis to 1-year contract (formerly of Centerville)

Mount Sterling:
Signed SP Michael Alexander to 1-year extension
Signed 3B Artie Frean to 1-year contract (formerly of Park City (F))
Signed SP Alfonso Mendez to 1-year contract (formerly of Newport)
Signed MR Casey Peterson to 1-year contract (formerly of Fremont)

Newport:
Signed LF Reid Lee to 1-year contract (formerly of Capital City)
Signed MR Artie Smith to 1-year contract (staying with team)

Park City (C):
Signed LF Ed Miller to 1-year extension
Signed SP Scott Barnes to 2-year contract (formerly of Mount Sterling)
Signed CL Neil Stinson to 2-year extension
Signed MR Bob Cole to 2-year contract (formerly of Kingston)

Park City (F):
Signed RF Gunnar Dorsey to 5-year contract (formerly of Kingston)
Signed SP Kyle Thompson to 6-year contract (formerly of Portsmouth)
Signed LF Gregg Kelly to 5-year contract (formerly of Mount Sterling)

Portsmouth:
Signed SP Michael Pittman to 1-year extension
Signed SP George Washington to 5-year contract (formerly of Mount Sterling)

Top Free Agents Available (Former Team), Age, [Credentials]
MR Keith Jones (PCK, 38, 4*)

[jwinbigler]

April 2, 1995

Spring Training Results:



Season Predictions – Colonial League:



We’re picking the Liberty (C) Giants to return to the top of the CL. They made some very good additions that could put them over the hump, and the teams in front of them last year could regress some.

Liberty
Predicted Finish – 1st
Predicted Runs For/Against – 1st/3rd
Key Additions – SP Curt Snyder, 1B David Jones, MR William McKinney, CL Albert Williams
Key Losses – RF Pat Howard, SS Tim MacIntosh, MR Rob Paris

Despite losing Howard and MacIntosh in free agency, the Giants’ offense is still projected to be the best in the CL. The core of the lineup will be 3B Vicente Flores (31, 4*), LF Tom Jenkins (28, 4/4.5*), C John Brown (24, 4*), CF Jeff Thompson (24, 4/4.5*), and newcomer 1B David Jones (30, 4*). 2B Hunter Crosby (28, 2.5/3.5*) and RF Danny Wilson (33, 2*) help provide balance.

In the rotation, the Giants have possibly the best 1-2 punch in the league in Trent Gore (31, 5*) and Curt Snyder (29, 4.5*). After them, though, it’ll be a challenge, as Bill Cranwell (23, 3/3.5*), Robbie Brown (22, 2.5*), and Rob Godwin (32, 2.5*) round out the rotation. The bullpen is outstanding and extremely deep. Albert Williams (28, 5*) will start out as the closer, but he will be challenged by William McKinney (38, 4*) and youngsters Richard Knight (24, 5*), Hal Phipps (24, 5*), Ed Debord (22, 4.5/5*), and Robert Warren (24, 4/4.5*).

With the highest payroll in the league again, Liberty is anxious to be competitive. They have a very good offense and an excellent bullpen to make up for the weak back-end of their rotation. If Gore and Snyder can stay healthy at the top of the rotation, they should win the CL for the first time in 5 years.

Park City
Predicted Finish – 2nd, 8 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 3rd/4th
Key Additions – SP Scott Barnes, MR Bob Cole
Key Losses – SP Matt Ashley

Park City (C)’s offense is led by CF Davey Simons (26, 4.5/5*), and he is supported by RF Ed Miller (24, 3.5*), LF Jerry Ball (31, 3.5*), C Lee Moran (25, 3.5*), and SS Bob Stanley (24, 3.5/4*). 2B John Bailey (35, 3*) is having a bit of a late-career resurgence, but unfortunately 3B Joseph Parker (31, 3*) is having a big mid-career decline.

The Patriots’ rotation is balanced but not that good. Last year’s Rookie of the Year Hugh Christian (21, 3/4.5*) is the most promising of the group that also includes Scott Barnes (31, 3*), Thomas Collier (22, 3/4*), Carlos Vargo (27, 2.5/3*), and Kelvin Taylor (35, 2.5*). The bullpen should be one of the best in the league, however. Closer Neil Stinson (31, 5*) is outstanding, and he is supported by Terry Seals (23, 5*), Bob Cole (35, 4*), James Maginn (23, 4/5*), and more. Cole is a former starter whose stamina has dropped, and Seals could be a future starter if he can develop a little more stamina.

The Patriots’ strength is their balance. They have 5 decent starting pitchers, backed up by a great bullpen, and their offense should score some runs.

Portsmouth
Predicted Finish – 3rd, 10 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 4th/2nd
Key Additions – SP George Washington
Key Losses – SP Kyle Thompson

SS Tom Duncan (26, 5*) and C Jeff Turner (26, 5*) are clearly the leaders of the Portsmouth offense, but CF Javier Guzman (28, 4*) and 1B Joe Jackson (28, 3/4*) are very good as well. After those 4, there’s not much to be excited about.

Swapping Thompson for Washington (28, 3.5/4.5*) in free agency was a downgrade, but not a huge one. More importantly, when he’s your #5 starter, you’re doing something right. Michael Pittman (26, 4.5*), John Anderson (34, 4*), Mark Ullrich (32, 4*), and Earl Gordon (40, 3.5*) form the best top-to-bottom rotation in the league. The bullpen, however, could be the Clippers’ Achilles heel. Closer Craig Harris (25, 3*) is not very good, and the 2 best arms are Tyler Carr (30, 4*) and Jessie Rhodes (31, 4*).

The Clippers are looking to get back to the top after finishing tied for 2nd last year. Their rotation should keep them in contention, but their lack of depth on offense and in the bullpen will be difficult challenges to overcome.

Newport
Predicted Finish – 4th, 12 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 6th/1st
Key Additions – LF Reid Lee
Key Losses – MR William McKinney, SP Alfonso Mendez

Newport’s offense is weak, but young and developing. C Robert Hollingsworth (29, 4/4.5*) and RF Miguel Romero (27, 4/4.5*) are the best hitters, while the other top talents are mostly speed/defense guys: 2B Dalton Bonner (23, 4*), LF Billy Copeland (22, 4*), and SS Chris Schultz (28, 4*).

The rotation is very top heavy, with Javier Soto (23, 5*), Mike Murdock (24, 4.5*), and last year’s OPA winner Sam Taylor (25, 4*) as the top talents. Jefferson Nash (22, 2.5/4*) is hopefully ready to contribute, and Ulf Ericksson (27, 2*) is the #5 guy. The CBL’s #1 prospect, Ken McJannett (19, 1/4.5*) is waiting in the wings. The bullpen will probably struggle some this year. Miguel Pellicer (30, 5*) is the best closer in the league, but he will miss the first 4 months of the season due to injury. Artie Smith (33, 4.5*) will close in his absence, and Loren Carter (26, 4*) and Curt Micks (25, 4/4.5*) will be counted on to eat up the middle innings, but there isn’t much behind them.

Newport surprised a lot of people by winning the CL last year, but they crashed and burned in the World Series, partly due to some ill-timed injuries. They didn’t do anything to address their weak hitting, but their young players have developed some. If their top of the rotation guys can stay healthy, they could be in contention again.

Irondale
Predicted Finish – 5th, 14 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 2nd/5th
Key Additions – RF Pat Howard, CF Jon Carlson, CL Ben Samuels
Key Losses – CF John Hill

Irondale’s offense is still one of the best in the league, led by LF Alfred Roberts (26, 5*), 1B Jason Coffman (30, 4.5*), and RF Pat Howard (35, 4.5*). Coffman and Howard have 7 OHAs between them, and they are the only active players to have won more than 1. C Nolan Bird (31, 3.5*) was resigned, and 3B Jim Brady (26, 3.5*) is also very good. SS Michael Brewer (21, 2/4.5*) is a great young talent, but he’s not quite there yet. 1B Raymond Richards (25, 3/4*) is being blocked by Coffman and could be a valuable trade chip.

After last year’s fire-sale, the rotation is pretty thin. Alonso Hinojosa (28, 4*) and Alan Morgan (26, 4*) are good options at the top, but Eugene Vance (25, 2.5/3*), J. R. Reece (28, 1.5*), and Cesar Vega (32, 1.5*) will probably struggle. New addition Ben Samuels (34, 4.5*) will be the closer. Dan Barnes (29, 4*), Jonathan Underwood (28, 4*), and Juan Avila (21, 2.5/5*) are the best options in a weak bullpen.

Irondale will put up a lot of runs, but they’ll also give them up. They’re in a weird spot, with a fully developed offense and a rebuilding pitching staff. At this point, it might make the most sense for them to blow everything up and start over.

Capital City
Predicted Finish – 6th, 20 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 5th/6th
Key Additions – LF Jose Diaz, MR Rob Paris
Key Losses – CL Ben Samuels, LF Reid Lee

Capital City’s offense has some serious firepower, with 3B Mariano Rios (27, 5*), RF Sean Tuttle (24, 5*), CF Ralph Coffey (27, 4/4.5*), 2B Drake John (24, 4/5*), SS Hank Stout (21, 4/4.5*), and LF Jose Diaz (26, 3.5*). Rios won the OHA last year, and Tuttle finished 3rd in voting.

The Senators’ rotation is led by stalwart Roosevelt Jones (34, 4*), who is still plugging away in Capital City after starting his career there as the #1 draft pick in 1981. Unfortunately, they haven’t surrounded him with much talent, as the rest of the rotation includes Wayne Hixon (22, 2.5/4*) and not much else. The bullpen should be decent, but not good enough to make up for the awful rotation. Closer Steve Griffin (25, 5*) and Rob Paris (29, 5*) are the top options, but Jose Aguilar (29, 4*), Bill Nunn (24, 4*), and Dennis Sears (20, 4/5*) are all good as well.

The Senators surprisingly finished tied for 2nd last year after we picked them to finish last, and they could surprise us again. Their offense is undervalued, and their bullpen should keep them in close games. Don’t be surprised to see them outperform this prediction.

Season Predictions – Federal League:



We’re picking the Park City Kings to win their first FL championship, as they made some nice moves to improve while most of the other teams around them declined.

Park City
Predicted Finish – 1st
Predicted Runs For/Against – 2nd/1st
Key Additions – SP Kyle Thompson, LF Gregg Kelly, RF Gunnar Dorsey
Key Losses – MR Keith Jones, 1B Artie Frean

C Phil Clark (27, 4.5*) and SS Jeffery Younger (25, 4.5*) are back to lead the offense, but they should be improved with the addition of LF Gregg Kelly (28, 3.5*) and 1B Gunnar Dorsey (29, 2.5/3.5*). More importantly, they were lured away from FL rivals Mount Sterling and Kingston, respectively. CF Jeff Hunt (26, 3.5*) is also a good hitter.

Newly acquired Kyle Thompson (27, 4.5*) and young flamethrower Ernie Webb (24, 4*) are a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, but the Kings will be relying a lot on their bullpen when any other starter gets the ball. Fortunately, they have a deep bullpen, with closer Chris McKenzie (26, 4.5/5*), Chris Austin (29, 4*), Bill Bader (21, 4/5*), Walt Potter (27, 4*), and Armando Reyes (36, 4*).

Park City finished 5th last year, but they look to be an improved team. If the bottom of their rotation can do okay, they should win the Federal League.

Fremont
Predicted Finish – 2nd, 6 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 1st/4th
Key Additions – CL Doug Stephens, MR Chris Harden
Key Losses – SP Curt Snyder, MR Casey Peterson

Fremont’s offense is the best in the FL, led by youngsters 3B Bill Harrington (24, 5*) and RF Lonnie Williams (23, 4.5*). They are supported by C Steven Logan (25, 4*), SS Mark McBride (27, 4*), and 2B Daniel Mills (26, 4*).

Bill Epperson (25, 4*) is a good ace, having finished in the top 3 for the OPA each of the last 2 years. Behind him, Daniel Cox (27, 2.5/3*), Len Cummings (22, 2.5/4*), and Kent Fry (26, 2.5*) are decent options. Andy O’Neil (25, 3.5/4*) is out for the first 4 months of the season. Newly acquired Chris Harden (31, 4*) and Doug Stephens (30, 3*), along with Walt Lamb (34, 3.5*) are the best pitchers in a weak bullpen.

Fremont became the first FL team to win the World Series last year, but the loss of Curt Snyder will hurt their chances to repeat.

Liberty
Predicted Finish – T3rd, 7 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 6th/2nd
Key Additions – SP Matt Ashley
Key Losses – LF Jose Diaz, MR Todd Hammond, MR Jose Aguilar

Liberty’s offense is led by 1B Ralph Torres (29, 4.5/5*), one of the best hitters in the FL, but he will start the season playing out of position, as he is much better in RF. 3B Mal Banks (28, 4*), RF Neil Blackwell (28, 4*), 2B Brad Oliver (25, 4/4.5*), and SS Merlin Westaway (23, 3.5/4.5*) are a good supporting cast.

Newcomer Matt Ashley (27, 4.5*) will team up with Lawrence Gordon (24, 4.5/5*) to form one of the top pitching tandems in the CBL. Al Goodman (25, 3.5/4*) is a decent #3 starter. The bullpen is weak, with Elwood Cole (31, 4*), Cliff Bly (23, 3/4*), and closer Bruce O’Rourke (30, 3*) as the best arms.

Liberty has some big stars, but their depth is a concern, and they probably need to add a few more good players to compete for a championship.

Kingston
Predicted Finish – T3rd, 7 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 4th/3rd
Key Additions – MR Todd Hammond
Key Losses – RF Gunnar Dorsey, MR Chris Harden, MR Bob Cole

Kingston has some very good hitters in 1B Kevin Gaze (26, 4.5*), C Vic Taylor (27, 4*), LF Bob Ward (26, 4/5*), and SS Wilson Boswell (28, 3.5*), but there is a big drop-off after those 4.

The Lions’ rotation has taken a step back, but they have a few good pitchers. Derek Moore (29, 3.5*), Bryce O’Bryan (25, 3*), Lyle Soumitra (22, 3/4*), and Eric Frazier (29, 2.5*) are decent, while Ed Woods (25, 2*) has regressed significantly since winning the 1991 FL OPA. The bullpen should be among the best in the league again, led by Ray Gilliam (38, 5*), Trevor Bell (25, 4.5/5*), Jason Doel (25, 4.5/5*), and Todd Hammond (30, 4.5*). Former OPA winner Bob Lewis (37, 4*) has found new life as a reliever after a late-career decline.

The Lions’ bullpen will keep them in games, and their top hitters will put runs on the board, but they probably don’t have enough talent to return to the top of the FL.

Centerville
Predicted Finish – T5th, 14 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 5th/6th
Key Additions – CF John Hill, 2B Tim MacIntosh
Key Losses – CL Myles Brooks (Retired)

Centerville doesn’t have much on offense. CF Reginald Garner (25, 4*), RF John Hill (29, 3*), and 1B Jason Wood (28, 3*) are the best hitters. Newly acquired 2B Tim MacIntosh (35, 2.5*) is an all-time great that will still get a lot of hits and steal bases, but his defense has taken a huge decline.

The rotation is young but promising. Jeremy Gray (25, 3.5/4.5*), Bill O’Clancy (20, 3/4.5*), and Elliot Tyler (21, 2/4.5*) could be a dominant trio in a few years, while Chattradhara Mukunda (23, 2.5/4*) could develop into a solid starter as well. The bullpen’s best pitcher is Jeremy O’Neil (23, 4/5*), while Joe Sizemore (22, 3/4*) and Steve Price (20, 2.5/4.5*) are good young arms.

Centerville has a lot of young pitching talent, but they’ll need to add some young hitters to complete the rebuilding process in a few years.

Mount Sterling
Predicted Finish – T5th, 14 GB
Predicted Runs For/Against – 3rd/5th
Key Additions – 1B Artie Frean, SP Alfonso Mendez, MR Casey Peterson
Key Losses – 1B David Jones, LF Gregg Kelly, SP George Washington, SP Scott Barnes, CL Albert Williams, CL Doug Stephens

2B Bob Walker (28, 5*) is an excellent all-around player, and CF Mike Armstrong (22, 4/5*) and SS Cody Powers (23, 4/4.5*) are future stars, but the losses of Jones and Kelly, who were the stars of Mount Sterling for several years, will really hurt the offense.

The rotation is led by Michael Alexander (24, 4.5*) and Dan Bray (22, 4/5*), but there is very little talent behind them. The bullpen should be pretty good, however, with former starters Daniel Davis (31, 5*) and Zach Wolfe (32, 5*), along with Mike Garland (25, 4.5/5*).

No team lost more talent in the offseason than the Gladiators, and they are now in full rebuilding mode.

Major Transactions
March 16 – Irondale signed MR Cesar Vega to 3-year contract (formerly of Capital City)
April 3 – Fremont signed CL Doug Stephens to 1-year extension

Major Injuries
March 12 – 2B Alfredo Aviles, POR, out for 6 weeks due to strained forearm
March 20 – CF Javier Guzman, POR, out for 5-6 weeks due to hamstring strain
March 24 – CF Tim Hammond, FRE, out for 6 weeks due to fractured rib
March 29 – 1B David Jones, LBG, out for 6 weeks due to fractured finger

[jwinbigler]

May 1, 1995





Monthly Wrap-Up
In the Colonial League, Portsmouth is in 1st place despite a 5th-ranked offense. Their rotation features 5 pitchers with ERAs under 3.15, and if their hitters can turn things around, they will be tough to beat. Capital City, who we picked to finish last, is in 2nd and only a game back. They are being carried by the league’s top offense and a great opening month by ace Roosevelt Jones. 3 other teams are tied at 3 games back.

Kingston is leading the Federal League, a game ahead of Mount Sterling and Liberty (F). Preseason favorite Park City (F) is 3 games back. Kingston is doing it with great balance, as they have the top-ranked offense and pitching in the FL.







Colonial League:
Players of the Week
April 10 – 1B Jason Coffman, IRO, 10-26, 5 HR, 12 RBI
April 17 – 1B Joe Jackson, POR, 8-23, 4 HR, 6 RBI
April 24 – RF Sean Tuttle, CC, 11-23, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R
May 1 – 3B Vicente Flores, LBG, 10-23, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R

Players of the Month
Batter – RF Sean Tuttle, CC, .404, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 23 R
Pitcher – SP Trent Gore, LBG, 3-1, 1.55 ERA, 40.2 IP, 49 K
Rookie – CF Cliff DeWitt, POR, .423, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Federal League:
Players of the Week
April 10 – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, 12-24, 4 HR, 5 RBI
April 17 – SS Jeffery Younger, PCK, 14-20, 1 HR, 6 RBI
April 24 – 3B Jim Hawking, MTS, 12-27, 1 HR, 4 RBI
May 1 – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, 10-26, 1 HR, 6 RBI

Players of the Month
Batter – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, .388, 10 HR, 23 RBI, 16 R
Pitcher – SP Jeremy Gray, CEN, 3-1, 1.87 ERA, 43.1 IP, 36 K
Rookie – CF Mac Thomas, KIN, .238, 1 HR, 13 RBI

Top Performances
Batting – April 29 – 3B Vicente Flores, LBG vs. IRO, 5-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB
Pitching – April 9 – SP Javier Soto, NEW vs. IRO, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K

Major Transactions
April 12 – CL Artie Smith, NEW, signed 2-year extension
April 23 – SS Mark McBride, FRE, signed 1-year extension
April 25 – 3B Mal Banks, LBK, signed 1-year extension
April 25 – 1B Kevin Gaze, KIN, signed 1-year extension

Major Injuries
April 26 – RF Bill Horton, NEW, out for 8-9 weeks due to broken hamate bone

Get to know…Kevin Gaze

Baseball Cards: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (OHA)

Kingston’s first baseman, Kevin Gaze, is our featured player for the month after winning the last 2 Federal League Outstanding Hitter Awards. Gaze, 26, was born in Liberty and had a stellar career at the University of Madison before the Lions selected him with the 6th pick in the 1991 draft. He became a starter immediately, hitting .359/.414/.475 in his first year. In 1992, he picked up a Batter of the Month award and 2 Player of the Week awards, and by 1993 he was a full-blown star, winning back-to-back OHAs.

In addition to his OHAs, Gaze is a 2-time All-Star, and he now has 5 BotM and 5 PotW awards. He has finished in the top 4 in HR in the FL each of the last 3 years. This year, he is leading the CBL with a .443 average a month into the season. His career average of .336 is the best in CBL history at the moment.

Gaze is a great all-around hitter and a very competent fielder at first base. He is as sure-handed as they come, although his range is below average. He is also a very weak baserunner. Gaze is a fan favorite in Kingston.

Where are they now?... Vicente Flores

Baseball Cards: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (GG)

Original Post (1989)

Third baseman Vicente Flores is still with the Liberty Giants, and he is still one of the top players in the game. After being featured in 1989, he finished 3rd in voting for the OHA for two straight years, and his team won CBL championships both years. He has been an All-Star in each of the first 4 years it has been held, although he was only the starter in 1991, as Capital City’s Mariano Rios has started over him the past 3 years. Flores has also won 3 Gold Gloves (’90, ’91, ’94). He has 10 PotW awards and 2 BotM awards.

Flores led the league in RBI in 1990 and led the league in HR in 1991. He had the highest batting average in the league in 1989, but missed qualifying for the batting champion title by just 6 at-bats due to an injury. His career line is .288/.367/.510, with 229 HR and 782 RBI. He ranks in the career top 10 for HR (6th), RBI (5th), OPS (8th), TB (9th), VORP (5th), and WAR (5th).

Games of the Month
April 3 – Liberty (C) @ Portsmouth
Liberty’s Trent Gore and Portsmouth’s Michael Pittman faced each other on Opening Day for the 2nd straight season, a matchup won by Gore last year. This time, they each left with a 1-1 tie, which was broken on a walk-off solo homer by Portsmouth’s Jeff Turner in the 9th.

April 11 – Park City (F) @ Liberty (F)
The Park City Kings rallied from an 8-4 deficit with 5 runs in the top of the 9th, punctuated by a go-ahead grand slam by Jeffery Younger, as the won 9-8.

April 13 – Irondale @ Liberty (C)
Trent Gore, looking for his first win in his third start, had the top performance of the day, giving up 1 run on 2 hits over 8 innings, while striking out 13. The only Steelers run came in the 7th on a Jason Coffman homer, and they entered the 9th down 3-1. Unfortunately for Gore, closer Albert Williams couldn’t get the save, giving up 3 runs in the 9th to give Irondale a comeback 4-3 win.

April 19 – Kingston @ Mount Sterling
Mount Sterling’s Lanny Gray hit a solo homer in the 9th to tie it at 2. Kingston’s Vic Taylor broke the tie with a homer of his own in the 13th, but Bob Walker answered with a walk-off 2-run shot in the bottom of the inning for a 4-3 Gladiator win.

April 21 – Mount Sterling @ Liberty (F)
It was a great pitching duel between Michael Alexander and Matt Ashley. Alexander gave up 1 run over 8 innings, but Ashley was a little better for the Knights, throwing a complete game shutout on only 5 hits.

[jwinbigler]

June 1, 1995





Monthly Wrap-Up
The Liberty Giants, our preseason favorite in the CL, are on top thanks to a 15-11 month. 3 teams are tied at a game back and another is 2 games back, so it’s really wide open at this point. Only defending pennant winner Newport appears to be mostly out of it at 9 games back.

The FL also has a tight race, with Mount Sterling in the lead and 3 teams within 4 games. Just like the CL, however, defending champion Fremont is in last place, a whopping 14 games back.

Eric Frazier of Kingston pitched the CBL’s 8th no-hitter on May 20. The only baserunner came on a hit batter, and it was only the 2nd no-hitter to not have a base on balls (in Earl Gordon’s case, he made a throwing error). So, we’re still waiting to see the first perfect game.





Colonial League:
Players of the Week
May 8 – RF Jose Espinoza, PCP, 11-20, 2 HR, 6 RBI
May 15 – LF Tom Jenkins, LBG, 9-19, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
May 22 – LF Tom Jenkins, LBG, 7-24, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R
May 29 – CF Davey Simons, PCP, 7-21, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R

Players of the Month
Batter – LF Tom Jenkins, LBG, .316, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 15 R
Pitcher – CL Artie Smith, NEW, 2-2, 1.93 ERA, 7 S, 14 IP, 18 K
Rookie – 1B Antonio Rodriguez, POR, .261, 2 HR, 3 RBI

Federal League:
Players of the Week
May 8 – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, 10-20, 3 HR, 12 RBI
May 15 – LF Gregg Kelly, PCK, 10-22, 2 HR, 7 RBI
May 22 – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, 8-20, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R
May 29 – 1B Kevin Gaze, KIN, 9-18, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R

Players of the Month
Batter – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, .320, 11 HR, 25 RBI, 18 R
Pitcher – SP Al Goodman, LBK, 4-0, 2.20 ERA, 41 IP, 31 K
Rookie – RF Todd Madden, PCK, .295, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 10 R

Top Performances
Batting – May 11 – SS Ralph Anderson, LBG vs. CEN, 4-4, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB
Pitching – May 20 – SP Eric Frazier, KIN vs. CEN, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

Major Transactions
May 10 – 1B Dud Smith, FRE, signed 1-year extension
May 11 – 2B Brad Oliver, LBK, signed 1-year extension
May 13 – SP Carlos Vargo, PCP, signed 1-year extension
May 18 – SP Dan Bray, MTS, signed 1-year extension
May 18 – LF Tim Hammond, FRE, signed 1-year extension

Major Injuries
May 2 – MR Eugene Calhoon, PCP, out for 5 months due to torn labrum
May 5 – 1B Joe Jackson, POR, out for 4 weeks due to plantar fasciitis
May 6 – MR Jose Aguilar, CC, out for 11 months due to torn flexor tendon in elbow
May 7 – LF Billy Copeland, NEW, out for 6 weeks due to strained PCL
May 11 – SP Daniel Cox, FRE, out for 3-4 months due to ruptured finger tendon
May 15 – 3B Vicente Flores, LBG, out for 5-6 weeks due to fractured wrist
May 16 – SP Roosevelt Jones, CC, out for 8 weeks due to strained hamstring
May 20 – SP Rob Godwin, LBG, out for 4 months due to shoulder inflammation
May 21 – SP John Anderson, POR, out for 2-3 months due to sprained ankle
May 27 – SP Alfonso Mendez, MTS, out for 2 months due to shoulder surgery (scar tissue)

Draft Retrospective – 1985

Original Analysis

Batters:
Two batters were picked in the 1st round, and both are big stars. Mariano Rios (#4) has started the last 3 All-Star Games, and he is the reigning CL OHA winner. David Jones (#5) is a 3-time All-Star, 3-time Gold Glove, and finished in the top 3 for the FL OHA 3 times. 2nd-rounder Norbert Harris was a star in the making before his career ended prematurely due to injury, while Jerry Ball has had a successful career as well. Manny Diaz and Henley Doyle have been productive but not spectacular as 2nd round picks. None of the later round picks have had much of an impact.

Pitchers:
The first 3 picks were all pitchers, and each has been very successful, but #1 pick Trent Gore is one of the best players in CBL history. Alonso Hinojosa and George Washington each have over 70 wins. #6 pick Doug Stephens has had a couple of good years as a reliever, but his career has been inconsistent. Gonzalo Solano (#11) has had a decent career as a journeyman starter, but his notable accomplishment is throwing one of the league’s 7 no-hitters. The next best career among pitchers belongs to the last one selected, Ronnie Dillon (#28), who has won 3 World Series with Portsmouth; 1 in the rotation and 2 in the bullpen, with a 20-20 career record.

Summary:
This was a solid group of players with no real busts and a few big-time stars. Of the 5 draft classes we’ve analyzed, it’s probably the best overall. The only weakness in the class is the lack of production from late-round picks, but the star power from the 1st 2 rounds makes up for that.

Get to know…Mariano Rios

Baseball Cards: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (OHA)

Capital City’s 28-year-old third baseman, Mariano Rios was born in Centerville and went to Lake Spruce East High School, about 200 miles northwest of Centerville. He was the #4 pick in the 1985 draft by the Senators and has been with them ever since. He moved his way up the prospect rankings and made his debut as a late-season call-up in 1988. In 1989, he appeared in 97 games and finished 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting. Rios built on his early success, continued improving, and he has now started the last 3 All-Star games (’92-’94) and is the reigning Outstanding Hitter Award winner.

Rios mostly played 2B and SS for the Senators early in his career, as Joseph Parker was the incumbent 3B. After Parker’s departure in free agency following the 1992 season, Rios was able to move back to his natural position. Ironically, a few years ago, we compared Vicente Flores and Joseph Parker as they competed to be the top 3B in the league, but now it appears that the younger (by 3 years) Mariano Rios has overtaken them both.

Last year, en route to the OHA, he led the league in OPS, VORP, WAR, RBI, SLG, among others. He has led the league in TB each of the last 2 seasons. His career line is .288/.354/.485 with 118 HR and 461 RBI. Rios has 5 PotW awards and a BotM.

Rios is a very good all-around hitter with a particular strength at hitting homers. He is an excellent defensive third basemen, and he also is capable of playing 2B, SS, and RF at a decent level. He doesn’t have much speed, but he is an above average baserunner and can steal some bases. Rios has an exceptional work ethic.

Where are they now?... Nathan Roberson

Baseball Cards: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993

Original Post (1989)

Nathan Roberson, now 35, unfortunately suffered a career-ending injury near the end of the 1993 season, and he is now retired. After being featured in 1989, he was selected as an honorable mention for the All-80’s Team. He then had a career year in 1991, starting the All-Star Game and finishing 3rd in OHA voting, his highest finish. He also won his only championship as the Clippers won the inaugural World Series. After the season, he signed a large contract with the Park City Kings, but he only played 2 of the 6 years before his career ended prematurely. His 2nd All-Star appearance came in 1992.

Roberson’s final career line was .311/.459/.399, with 28 HR, 448 RBI, and 163 SB. He led the league in BB and OBP an incredible 6 consecutive years. He holds both the single-season and career records for OBP, and he is the career leader in BB. His career batting average is good for 5th all-time, and he is 4th/11th in VORP/WAR.

Games of the Month
May 3 – Park City (F) @ Portsmouth
Portsmouth’s Earl Gordon outdueled former Clipper Kyle Thompson, getting a 2-0 win for the home team.

May 4 – Kingston @ Irondale
Irondale’s Alfred Roberts hit a go-ahead grand slam in the 8th inning to make it 5-4, and Ben Samuels shut down the Lions in the 9th for the win.

May 10 – Kingston @ Portsmouth
Portsmouth’s Michael Pittman had a great outing, giving up 3 hits in 8 innings while striking out 14, as the Clippers won a tight one, 1-0.

May 20 – Park City (F) @ Mount Sterling
The Gladiators entered the bottom of the 9th down 4-2, but they managed to score a run and load the bases with 2 outs, behind a hit, a walk, and 2 errors. Jim Hawking then hit a walk-off 2-run single to give Mount Sterling a 5-4 win.

May 20 – Centerville @ Kingston
Kingston’s Eric Frazier threw the 7th no-hitter in league history, striking out 8 in a 7-0 win. The only blemish preventing the league’s first perfect game was a hit batter in the 6th inning.

May 21 – Park City (C) @ Portsmouth
Scott Barnes and Michael Pittman each pitched 8 scoreless innings and departed in a 0-0 tie. The Patriots finally broke through in the 9th off Jessie Rhodes, with Jerry Ball hitting the game-winning single.

May 23 – Portsmouth @ Liberty (C)
Earl Gordon and Curt Snyder each had great outings, and Portsmouth entered the 9th up 2-1. Recently converted closer George Washington got his first blown save of the season, however, as Tom Jenkins doubled with 2 outs and Danny Wilson hit a walk-off 2-run homer.

May 28 – Portsmouth @ Newport
Newport’s Sam Taylor pitched what would have been a complete game shutout, giving up only 3 hits in 9 innings, but the combination of Earl Gordon and the Portsmouth bullpen matched him, resulting in extra innings. Portsmouth eventually scored on a solo homer by Ernest Ferguson to win 1-0 in 12 innings.

[jwinbigler]

July 1, 1995

(Forgot to save homepage and standings)

Monthly Wrap-Up
We have exciting pennant races in both leagues, and the final few months of the season should be very interesting. In the CL, nobody has been able to pull away, as 3 teams are tied for the lead (Portsmouth, Park City, and Liberty), while Irondale is only 3 games back. In the FL, Liberty and Kingston are tied, Mount Sterling is 2 games back, and Park City is 6 games back but made the most noise in the trade market this month to position themselves for a run. So, both leagues have 4 teams that have a realistic shot to reach the World Series.

Portsmouth’s rotation is the best in the league, but John Anderson and Mark Ullrich are out for 4 and 7 weeks, respectively. Michael Pittman and Earl Gordon can keep things going at the top, but the other replacements will need to step up to keep the Clippers going. Their offense has severely underperformed this year, as their stars in the middle of the lineup are all slumping to an extent. On paper, this might be the best team in the CL, but they’re not showing it right now.

Park City (C) is the surprise team in the CL. Their rotation, led by past-his-prime Bob Cole and before-his-prime Thomas Collier, is doing well top to bottom, but the bullpen, led by Neil Stinson, is the best in the CL. Their offense is doing well enough, mostly due to home run hitting. This month, they made a surprising move to trade 3B Joseph Parker to the cross-town Kings for a bench player. Parker has definitely regressed from a few years ago and is probably overpaid, but it’s a puzzling move for a team in the middle of a pennant race.

Liberty (C), with their league-high payroll is the 3rd team tied for 1st. Trent Gore and Curt Snyder are probably the top pitching tandem in the league, but the loss of #3 starter Rob Godwin has really hurt. Their bullpen is one of the best in the league, but their star-studded lineup is underperforming. They’re getting on base, but a lack of home runs has limited their overall production.

Irondale is staying in it due to the power hitting of Jason Coffman and Alfred Roberts, along with a balanced pitching staff led by Alonso Hinojosa and Alan Morgan. This month, they traded their backup 1B for an immediate bullpen upgrade and a very good prospect.

Liberty (F) is tied for the FL lead. They have perhaps the best hitter in the league, Ralph Torres, but the rest of the lineup isn’t doing much around him. Instead, it’s their rotation, led by the trio of Lawrence Gordon, Matt Ashley, and Al Goodman that’s winning games for them. #5 starter Donovan Burris is even having an unexpectedly impressive season. Their weakness and potential downfall is their FL-worst bullpen.

Kingston looks like the real deal, and their Pythagorean record is 3 games better than the Knights’ at this point. They are leading the FL in most offensive categories due to the tandem of Kevin Gaze and Vic Taylor, and their pitching is 2nd-best. They don’t have the star power of Liberty (F) in the rotation, but they’re getting it done as a group. Their bullpen is also very capable, and the team’s only glaring weakness is stealing bases.

Mount Sterling is close at 2 games back. Ace Michael Alexander might be the best pitcher in the league, Dan Bray is a very capable #2, and Zach Wolfe and Daniel Davis are having great years in the bullpen, but the rest of the staff isn’t much to brag about. The offense is balanced, but lacks pop, as nobody in the lineup has 10 homers.

Park City (F) is 6 games back, but they’re firmly in “Win Now” mode, and they made several moves this month to make them better. Last year’s OHA runner-up, Jeffery Younger, is leading a revamped offense, while Kyle Thompson and Ernie Webb are a great duo at the top of the rotation. They have 3 new starters acquired via trade – Joseph Parker, Jason Wood, and Ralph Harrington, but they gave up Chris Austin and a top young talent (Britt Nelson) in the process.

This month, there were 2 no-hitters, one by Matt Ashley and one by a trio of Kingston pitchers. Ashley’s is the 8th solo no-hitter in league history, and it came less than 3 weeks after the last one by Eric Frazier.

Finally, there was a crazy injury this month in the CBL, but we won’t spoil the surprise here. Scroll down to the injuries section to see what happened…

















Colonial League:
Players of the Week
June 5 – 2B Dalton Bonner, NEW, 13-28, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R
June 12 – CF Javier Guzman, POR, 10-23, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R
June 19 – 1B Don Irvin, PCP, 10-25, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R
June 26 – 3B Vicente Flores, LBG, 13-25, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R

Players of the Month
Batter – LF Alfred Roberts, IRO, .283, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 16 R
Pitcher – SP Michael Pittman, POR, 5-1, 0.66 ERA, 40.2 IP, 35 K
Rookie – RF Nick Hicks, POR, .257, 1 HR, 8 RBI

Federal League:
Players of the Week
June 5 – 2B Jeffery Younger, PCK, 11-22, 2 HR, 6 RBI
June 12 – LF Bob Ward, KIN, 10-25, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
June 19 – 1B William Ortiz, LBK, 10-20, 1 HR, 6 RBI
June 26 – LF Tim Hammond, FRE, 9-20, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R

Players of the Month
Batter – 2B Jeffery Younger, PCK, .352, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 18 R
Pitcher – SP Michael Alexander, MTS, 5-0, 1.03 ERA, 35 IP, 42 K
Rookie – CF Mac Thomas, KIN, .266, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 14 R

Top Performances
Batting – June 28 – 2B Drake John, CC vs. IRO, 4-6, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R, 0 BB
Pitching – June 8 – SP Matt Ashley, LBK vs. IRO, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

Major Transactions
June 3 – SP Thomas Collier, PCP, signed 1-year extension
June 4 – SP Sam Taylor, NEW, signed 1-year extension
June 6 – Trade: Liberty (C) gets LF Reginald Garner (25, 4*), Centerville gets C Eddy Dennehy (20, 1/1.5*) and 1B Tom Preston (20, 1*)
June 6 – MR Casey Peterson, MTS, signed 3-year extension
June 6 – Trade: Mount Sterling gets 1B Raymond Richards (25, 3/4*), Irondale gets MR Casey Peterson (31, 4*) and 1B Sylvester Harris (19, 1/4.5*)
June 6 – Trade: Centerville gets CF Ralph Coffey (27, 4/4.5*), Capital City gets MR Daniel Mann (29, 2*) and 2B Martin Larson (19, 1/4.5*)
June 11 – LF Tom Jenkins, LBG, signed 7-year extension
June 15 – Park City (F) gets 2B Ralph Harrington (28, 4/4.5*), Fremont gets MR Chris Austin (29, 3.5*) and 2B Britt Nelson (21, 1/5*)
June 15 – Park City (F) gets 3B Joseph Parker (32, 2.5*), Park City (C) gets LF Al Harren (27, 1.5*)
June 19 – Park City (F) gets 1B Jason Wood (28, 3*), Centerville gets 5 low-end prospects headlined by MR Joe Wagner (19, 0.5/3.5*)

Draft Highlights
#1 – Irondale – SP Alex ‘Cannon’ Hancock, 20, University of Lincoln
Hancock was the 1st pick last year out of high school but didn’t sign with the Senators and chose to go to college instead. He hasn’t signed yet with the Steelers either. He is an excellent all-around prospect, with no weaknesses. He has 3 great pitches and excellent stamina.

#2 – Capital City – SP Joey ‘Viper’ Worley, 18, Sussex East HS
Worley is also a potential staff ace. His potential is a tiny bit lower than Hancock’s across the board, but he still has a ton of upside. He has 3 good pitches and good stamina.

#3 – Centerville – SP Adam Wilson, 18, Humphreyfield South HS (Madison)
Wilson has similar potential to Worley, with lower stamina but 4 good pitches. His control should be a strength.

#4 – Park City (F) – RF Danny Fraser, 20, Victor Point College
Fraser is a huge power-hitting prospect with the potential to hit a ton of homers. He is a slightly below average defender, and he is a slow baserunner, but he has great instincts on the basepaths.

#5 – Kingston – SS Ray Wolfe, 19, Fremont South HS
Wolfe, who went to high school across the bay in hated Fremont, is a very versatile player who should be a valuable team member. He projects as a very good contact hitter that will avoid strikeouts but not hit too many homers or take walks. He is a very good baserunner and defender that can play 5 positions (2B, 3B, SS, LF, RF) at a high level.

#6 – Liberty (C) – SS Kent Wells, 19, Madison State
Wells was the #7 pick last year by Fremont out of high school but didn’t sign. He is a good all-around prospect. He is an above average hitter, a good baserunner, and an average defender that can play 4 positions.

#7 – Liberty (F) – C Gary ‘Grinder’ Donovan, 21, Washington State
Donovan is a solid all-around hitter with a particular ability to take walks. He is an above average defensive catcher and a poor baserunner.

#8 – Fremont – SP Jeffery Jensen, 20, University of Jackson
Jensen, who was born in St. Charles, Madison, just like fellow draft pick Ray Wolfe, went to school at Jackson, which is in Fremont. He has extremely high potential stuff and control, but his movement is expected to be below average. He has 3 excellent pitches but below average stamina, which might hold him back.

#9 – Mount Sterling – SS Steve Cherry, 17, Point Pleasant East HS
Cherry is a decent hitting prospect with strengths at gap power and home run power. He is an excellent baserunner, but he is a poor defender, which could be a big liability at his two positions of SS and 3B.

#10 – Fremont – SP Ray Magee, 19, Jesseville HS (Madison)
Magee has excellent control, good movement, and average stuff. He has 2 very good pitches and one weak one. He also has middling stamina, and the end result might be his conversion to the bullpen.

#11 – Park City (C) – SS Ralph ‘Sawmill’ Scott, 19, Washington State
Scott is an average prospect with no particular strengths.

#12 – Portsmouth – CF Rich Clay, 19, Indian Springs South HS
Clay is a decent all-around hitter with very good speed. He is a slightly above-average defender that can play all 3 outfield positions.

#13 – Capital City – SP Willie Hughes, 23, University of Madison
Hughes is likely to crack a rotation at some point, but his upside isn’t extremely high. He has good stuff and movement to go with average control, but he has 3 very good pitches and excellent stamina.

#14 – Portsmouth – SP Ken Givens, 20, Bridgeport College
Givens is a decent prospect, but his below average stamina could hamper his chances at a successful career as a starter.

#15 – Newport – CF Travis ‘Butch’ Ford, 18, Point Pleasant East HS
He was high school teammates with #9 pick Steve Cherry. He has the potential to be very good hitter and baserunner. He is an above average defender in LF, and he can capably play the other two outfield positions at a lower level.

Major Injuries
June 3 – SP Matt Haley, IRO, out for 4 months due to shoulder inflammation
June 7 – 2B Tim MacIntosh, CEN, out for 4 weeks due to fractured thumb
June 7 – SP Howard Ferguson, CC, out for 11-12 months due to torn UCL
June 9 – CF Ralph Coffey, CEN, out for 5 weeks due to torn quadriceps
June 9 – SP Scott Barnes, PCP, out for 8-9 months due to torn labrum
June 12 – MR Ryan Walker, NEW, out for 11-12 months due to fractured eye socket from being attacked by a shark!
June 13 – MR Daniel Thompson, MTS, out for 14 months due to torn rotator cuff
June 16 – RF Danny Wilson, LBG, out for 9 months due to concussion
June 24 – SP Roosevelt Jones, CC, out for additional 4 weeks due to setback in recovery
June 25 – RF Reginald Wilson, PCP, out for 6 weeks due to partially torn labrum
June 30 – SP Mark Ullrich, POR, out for 7 weeks due to shoulder tendinitis

Get to know…Neil Stinson

Baseball Cards: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (RPA)

It’s not often we profile a reliever, so it takes a special talent to get our attention. The Patriots’ closer, Neil Stinson, is one of those. Stinson, 31, was born in Albertland, Jefferson, a town of about 57,000 people in the strip of land between Portsmouth Bay and Indian Lake. He went to Oak Hill College, just north of Park City, and the local team drafted him in the 3rd round (#15 overall) in 1986. He made his CBL debut in 1986, and by 1988 he was the team’s full-time closer.

Stinson had a great year in ’88, finishing 2nd in RPA voting with 32 saves and a 2.85 ERA. He followed that up with a poor year in ’89 (5.83 ERA), but he has been dominant ever since. Unfortunately for him, Miguel Pellicer was even more dominant, winning 6 straight RPAs. From ’90 to ’93, Stinson finished 2nd in RPA voting 3 more times and had 3 seasons with ERAs under 2.00. He was actually traded to the Liberty Knights at the deadline in 1993, but he returned to the Patriots as a free agent that offseason. Last year, he took advantage of a Pellicer injury to dethrone him, winning his first RPA and setting a career high with 33 saves.

Stinson’s career record is 33-31 with 222 saves and a 2.78 ERA. He is the all-time leader in K/9, 4th in saves, and in the career top 3 in H/9, WHIP, Opp. AVG, Opp. OBP, and Opp. OPS. He has been selected to all 4 All-Star Games, and he has 1 Pitcher of the Month award.

Stinson’s major strength is his stuff, which is unmatched. He also has excellent control, while his movement is above average. He has two great pitches (fastball and changeup), and his stamina is very good for a reliever. He is pretty smart and never shows any lack of effort. He is well-respected by his teammates.

Where are they now?... Mark Ullrich

Baseball Cards: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (AS)

Original Post (1989)

Mark Ullrich, 32, has spent his career in Portsmouth so far, signing a 4-year extension in 1993 before hitting free agency. He is still one of the best pitchers in the league, and he is perhaps the most consistent. Ullrich has won at least 12 games in each of the last 7 years, although that streak will probably end this year, as he is 5-6 and got injured yesterday. He will miss 7 weeks, which will be his first injury over 2 weeks since 1987. He has been an All-Star all 4 years, and he has finished 3rd in OPA voting an impressive 4 times (’89, ’91, ’92, ’93), but he hasn’t been able to get over the hump to win one. In those 4 years, the same 3 pitchers have been ahead of him – Trent Gore, Curt Snyder, and teammate Michael Pittman. Ullrich also has 5 Pitcher of the Month awards.

Ullrich has a career record of 113-74 with a 3.13 ERA. He has made a huge number of top 10 leaderboard appearances, including leading the league in strikeouts 3 times. He is the career leader in shutouts (7) and complete games (26), while #2 on those lists have 6 and 17. He is 3rd in career strikeouts and is tied for 6th in Wins with Curt Snyder. Of the 10 pitchers with over 100 wins, only Snyder, at 29, is younger than him. The season record for shutouts is 3 (Eric Frazier), but only 2 pitchers have had 2 seasons with 2 of them – Ullrich and Mike Murdock. Finally, he was the first pitcher in CBL history to strike out 15 in a game in 1991, a feat only 2 other pitchers (Gore and Michael Alexander) have accomplished. To top off the individual accolades, he is a 3-time World Series champion (’91-’93).

Mark Ullrich isn’t the flashiest or most dominant pitcher in the league, but his steady sustained success make him one of the most valuable.

Games of the Month
June 7 – Newport @ Centerville
In a matchup of two very good pitchers, Newport’s Sam Taylor outdueled Bill O’Clancy, leaving with a 3-1 lead. Newport added 3 more runs in the last 2 innings, but Centerville rallied with 7 runs in the bottom of the 9th to win 8-6. Newly acquired Ralph Coffey, in his first game as a Cyclone, started the scoring with a 2-run homer, and Jason Wood hit the game-winning 2-run homer later in the inning.

June 8 – Irondale @ Liberty (F)
Former Steeler Matt Ashley was outstanding against his old team, throwing the CBL’s 9th ever no-hitter. Like Eric Frazier last month, he didn’t give up a walk, but his chance for a perfect game was ruined by a single error. The Knights easily won 9-0.

June 13 – Mount Sterling @ Kingston
Mount Sterling rallied from an 8-3 deficit by scoring 3 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th. They added another in the 10th to take a 9-8 lead, but Kingston’s Mac Thomas belted a walk-off 2-run double with 2 outs and a full count to give the Lions a 10-9 win.

June 15 – Liberty (F) @ Centerville
Liberty scored 6 runs in the 1st and had a 6-1 lead going to the bottom of the 8th, but Centerville mounted an improbable rally, scoring 6 runs in the 8th to win 7-6. Juan Jose Moline kicked off the scoring with a 3-run homer, followed by a pitching change and some small ball for the remaining 3 runs.

June 20 – Portsmouth @ Capital City
The game went to extra innings tied at 3. Portsmouth scored a run in the top of the 10th to take the lead and had the bases loaded with no outs, poised to add a few more, but the next two batters struck out and grounded into a double play to end the threat. That would cost them, as Will Bonin led off the bottom of the 10th with a tying homer, and Drake John followed a few batters later with a 2-out, 2-run homer to win the game for Capital City, 6-4.

June 23 – Kingston @ Centerville
Kingston’s Ed Woods, Jason Doel, and Trevor Bell combined for no-hitter as the Lions won 12-0 while racking up 21 hits of their own. Woods could only go 7 innings due to walking 6, and Doel walked 2 in his inning of work, but the Cyclones couldn’t take advantage of the baserunners. It was the second time this season Kingston no-hit Centerville, as Eric Frazier did it by himself on May 20.

June 26 – Capital City @ Irondale
Capital City scored 1 in the 8th and another in the 9th to take a 3-2 lead, but Irondale tied it up in the bottom of the 9th on a Will Hoffman single, and Alfred Roberts followed that with a walk-off 2-run homer to win 5-3.

[jwinbigler]

August 1, 1995





Monthly Wrap-Up
The logjam at the top of the CL was broken, as the Giants went 16-7 to take over 1st place. Portsmouth is 2.5 games back, and the Patriots are still within striking distance at 5 games back. Irondale faded the most by going 6-17 in the month, and they’re probably out of it.

Mount Sterling went 16-8 to take over the FL lead, while Kingston and Liberty (F) are 2 and 3 games back, respectively. The aggressive moves by the Kings haven’t paid off, as they find themselves in 4th place, 7.5 GB.

For the 2nd straight year, the #1 draft pick, Alex Hancock, didn’t sign with the team that drafted him. Last year, it was Capital City, and this year it was Irondale. He will return to the University of Lincoln and most likely be a top pick again next year.

Trent Gore had his 4th career 15-strikeout game this month. He now has half of the 8 such games in CBL history (Michael Alexander has 3 and Mark Ullrich has the other).

Ray Gilliam became the first player to reach 300 saves, and he is the career leader with 302. Myles Brooks, who is retired, is #2 with 257. Miguel Pellicer (30) has 227, and Neil Stinson (31) has 226.











Colonial League:
Players of the Week
July 3 – 2B Drake John, CC, 15-29, 2 HR, 8 RBI
July 10 – LF Ed Miller, PCP, 7-15, 1 HR, 1 RBI
July 17 – RF Jose Espinoza, PCP, 6-18, 3 HR, 7 RBI
July 24 – 1B Jason Coffman, IRO, 10-25, 5 HR, 11 RBI
July 31 – CF Javier Guzman, POR, 12-23, 3 HR, 8 RBI

Players of the Month
Batter – CF Javier Guzman, POR, .398, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 14 R
Pitcher – SP Curt Snyder, LBG, 4-0, 1.71 ERA, 42 IP, 38 K
Rookie – 3B Bill Lewis, NEW, .250, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R

Federal League:
Players of the Week
July 3 – SP Ernie Webb, PCK, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12.1 IP, 6 K
July 10 – LF Juan Jose Molina, CEN, 5-9, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
July 17 – C Vic Taylor, KIN, 10-26, 1 HR, 7 RBI
July 24 – RF Lonnie Williams, FRE, 13-29, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R
July 31 – SS Cody Powers, MTS, 11-22, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R

Players of the Month
Batter – LF Juan Jose Molina, CEN, .403, 7 HR, 18 RBI, 14 R
Pitcher – SP Bill Epperson, FRE, 4-0, 0.96 ERA, 37.2 IP, 22 K
Rookie – SS Merlin Westaway, LBK, .307, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 11 R

Top Performances
Batting – July 27 – LF Gregg Kelly, PCK vs. MTS, 3-4, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB
Pitching – July 9 – SP Trent Gore, LBG vs. IRO, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 15 K

Major Transactions
July 5 – Irondale failed to sign 1st-round pick, SP Alex Hancock
July 5 – Park City (F) failed to sign 1st-round pick, RF Danny Fraser
July 8 – MR Trevor Bell, KIN, signed 1-year extension
July 12 – RF Neil Blackwell, LBK, signed 3-year extension
July 12 – SP Phil Church, LBK, signed 1-year extension
July 16 – Trade: Portsmouth gets RF Artie Frean (32, 2*), Mount Sterling gets LF Jose Martinez (30, 1.5*)
July 24 – SP Chuck Robertson, FRE, signed 1-year extension

All-Star Selections
The All-Star game took place on July 4. View the complete rosters here. You can see the starters below by viewing the box score in the “Games of the Month” section.

Major Injuries
July 10 – RF Daniel Wilkins, KIN, out for 2-3 months due to hamstring strain
July 12 – LF Monty Hicks, CC, out for 4 weeks due to fractured finger
July 15 – MR Vincent Ratzlaff, PCK, out for 9-10 months due to torn flexor tendon in elbow
July 15 – MR Armando Reyes, PCK, out for 8-9 months due to torn rotator cuff
July 16 – C Phil Clark, PCK, out for 4 weeks due to fractured thumb
July 19 – SP Bill Cranwell, LBG, out for 2 months due to biceps tendinitis
July 19 – SP Kelvin Taylor, PCP, out for 4 months due to ruptured finger tendon
July 21 – 2B Jeffery Younger, PCK, out for 4 weeks due to hamstring strain
July 30 – C Robert Hollingsworth, NEW, out for 5 weeks due to fractured cheekbone

Get to know…Kyle Thompson

Baseball Cards: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994

Kyle Thompson, 27, is the ace of the Park City Kings. Thompson was born in Grand, Monroe, just southeast of Dayton. He went to high school in Genaville, Lincoln, on the southeast coast of Salem Bay, and he was the #2 pick in the 1987 draft by Portsmouth. He made his CBL debut in 1988 and was a competent starter for his first 3 years, but he really hit his stride in 1991, which coincided with Portsmouth’s rise to prominence. Despite battling some injuries over the next 2 years, he was a key piece of the Clippers’ rotations that won 3 straight World Series. Most of the time, he was overshadowed by Mark Ullrich and Michael Pittman, but his contributions were very important, especially in the postseason, where he went 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 4 starts.

Thompson became a free agent after last year and signed a massive 6-year contract with the Kings. He is proving that he is capable of headlining a rotation, supplanting the very talented Ernie Webb as the #1 option. The Kings had high hopes this year, but most of their team has underperformed, and they are disappointingly 7.5 games out. Thompson, however, is one of the exceptions, as he is 11-4 with a 1.77 ERA and made his 2nd All-Star Game. He hasn’t been as dominant as Mount Sterling’s Michael Alexander, so he probably won’t win the OPA this year, unless Alexander falters down the stretch, but he has definitely opened some eyes around the league to his ability.

Thompson’s career record is 76-62 with a 3.29 ERA. He has 914 K to 356 BB. In addition to his All-Star appearances, he has 1 Pitcher of the Month award.

Thompson is an all-around pitcher with a slight strength in movement. His fastball is good, but his changeup and curveball are outstanding. He has low stamina for a starter and he is a below average defender. He is very sharp, but he often shows a lack of effort.

Where are they now?... Eddie Terry

Baseball Cards: 1989, 1990, 1991

Original Post (1989)

After being featured in 1989, Eddie Terry was selected as an honorable mention on the All-80’s team. He had one last injury-plagued season in Capital City before signing a big 4-year contract with Portsmouth before the 1991 season. He had a great first year with the Clippers, helping propel them to their first CBL championship and leading the league in RBI. The following year, he was selected to the All-Star Game, but a month later, he suffered a career-ending injury at 30 years old.

Terry’s final career line was .272/.346/.501 with 1007 hits, 199 HR, and 688 RBI. He also had 95 SB. Terry’s 39 homers in 1988 will go down in history as the most in the short season of the 1980’s (120/126 games), and it is still the 5th-best all-time. He is 10th all-time in HR and RBI and 16th in WAR and VORP, despite his early retirement. He finished with 8 PotW awards and 2 BotM awards, along with his 2nd-place OHA finish in 1988.

Games of the Month
July 4 – Federal League @ Colonial League
7 pitchers from the FL combined to dominate the CL All-Stars, giving up only 3 hits in a 3-0 shutout win. Kevin Gaze went 3-4 with an RBI in the win.

July 9 – Liberty (C) @ Irondale
Liberty’s Trent Gore pitched a gem of a game, striking out 15 in 8 innings as the Giants won 6-1 over Irondale’s ace, Alonso Hinojosa, who just started the All-Star Game.

July 14 – Liberty (F) @ Kingston
In a battle of young All-Star pitchers, Liberty’s Al Goodman got the better of Lyle Soumitra, but the Knights’ bullpen gave up 4 runs in the 8th to give the Lions a 5-4 win.

July 18 – Capital City @ Irondale
Irondale’s Jason Coffman hit 3 solo homers in a valiant effort, but Capital City won 7-6. It was Coffman’s 1st 3-HR game of his career and the 15th in league history.

July 19 – Mount Sterling @ Liberty (F)
Michael Alexander was on fire again for the Gladiators, giving up only 2 hits in 8 innings and striking out 9. It was enough to beat the Knights and Matt Ashley, 3-0.

July 21 – Park City (C) @ Liberty (C)
Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Hugh Christian, pitched 8 scoreless innings and left with a 3-0 lead. Normally, that’s enough with Neil Stinson pitching the 9th, but an error to start the 9th opened the door for the Giants. Tom Jenkins made the 2nd out with a sac fly to make it 3-1, and Vicente Flores followed with a walk-off 3-run homer.

July 22 – Park City (C) @ Liberty (C)
Both pitching staffs were outstanding today, with the game going an incredible 17 scoreless innings. Each side had 6 pitchers go on the day, and the Patriots were the ones to finally break through with a lone run in the 18th to win 1-0.

July 30 – Liberty (F) @ Mount Sterling
Dan Bray outpitched Al Goodman, but the Gladiator bullpen gave up 3 runs in the 9th to send the game to extra innings, tied at 4. The Knights added 2 more in the 10th, but Mount Sterling responded with a comeback of their own. In the bottom of the 10th, Jim Hawking hit a 2-out RBI single to make it 6-5, and Bob Walker was the hero with a walk-off 3-run homer to win 8-6. Jon Lyons hit 2 homers in the win.

[jwinbigler]

September 1, 1995





Monthly Wrap-Up
Both races are close, but we are down to 4 teams with a realistic shot at reaching the World Series.

Liberty (C) maintained their 2.5 game lead by going 16-12 in August, while Portsmouth went 15-11. The Giants’ offense has finally come around, going from 4th to 1st this month. Trent Gore and Curt Snyder are dominating the competition, and Matt Thompson has been a pleasant surprise as the fill-in #3 starter. Portsmouth isn’t going down without a fight. They have the #1 pitching in the CL, and their offense is tied for 2nd. The big loss for them is CF Javier Guzman, who will miss the rest of the season.

Liberty (F) had a great month at 19-8 to vault from 3rd to 1st, and they now have a 3 game lead on Mount Sterling, who went 13-14. Kingston went 8-19 to tumble out of the race. The Knights have a great rotation, and their closer, Cliff Bly, just won the PotM award. However, the manager has made the puzzling decision to move Bly to the rotation and move Donovan Burris to closer. Burris has done well in the #5 spot, going 8-6 with a 3.12 ERA, and it’s not clear what the motivation for the move is. Other than superstar Ralph Torres, the rest of the offense hasn’t been great this year. Mount Sterling is led by the phenomenal pitching of Michael Alexander, and the rest of the pitching staff is doing just enough to help him out. The offense is best in the FL, led by surprise star Raymond Richards, who came over in a trade from Irondale after backing up Jason Coffman for the last 3.5 years.

Michael Alexander is on track to win the pitching Triple Crown in the FL, while Ralph Torres has a chance to win the CBL’s first hitting Triple Crown. He is only .004 behind Jeffery Younger in batting average, and he won’t be caught in the other 2 categories.

In sad news, starting pitcher Daniel Cox had a setback from the ruptured finger tendon he suffered earlier this year and his career is over at the age of 27. Cox wasn’t a star, but he made 2 All-Star Games (’93 and ’94), and he went 1-0 in the World Series with the champion Tigers last year.









Colonial League:
Players of the Week
August 7 – CF Javier Guzman, POR, 10-24, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R
August 14 – LF Alfred Roberts, IRO, 8-18, 3 HR, 7 RBI
August 21 – 2B Jeremy Wiggins, LBG, 7-8, 1 HR, 3 RBI
August 28 – SS Tom Duncan, POR, 10-22, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Players of the Month
Batter – SS Tom Duncan, POR, .404, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 26 R
Pitcher – SP Curt Snyder, LBG, 4-1, 2.13 ERA, 38 IP, 32 K
Rookie – 1B Mike Roberts, LBG, .643, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Federal League:
Players of the Week
August 7 – 1B Jason Wood, PCK, 14-26, 1 HR, 5 RBI
August 14 – 1B Raymond Richards, MTS, 12-24, 3 HR, 9 RBI
August 21 – C Steven Logan, FRE, 8-20, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
August 28 – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, 13-28, 3 HR, 6 RBI

Players of the Month
Batter – 1B Ralph Torres, LBK, .381, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 22 R
Pitcher – CL Cliff Bly, 1-0, 13 S, 0.59 ERA, 15.1 IP, 10 K
Rookie – RF Michael White, KIN, .400, 1 HR, 9 RBI

Top Performances
Batting – August 30 – LF Billy Copeland, NEW vs. LBG, 4-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 0 BB
Pitching – August 31 – SP Michael Alexander, MTS vs. FRE, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K

Major Transactions
August 4 – C Lee Moran, PCP, signed 1-year extension
August 15 – SS Bob Stanley, PCP, signed 1-year extension
August 18 – SP Toby Stewart, PCK, signed 1-year extension
August 31 – SS Wilson Boswell, KIN, signed 1-year extension

Major Injuries
August 2 – CF Davey Simons, PCP, out for 5 weeks due to strained oblique
August 4 – SS Michael Brewer, IRO, out for 4 weeks due to pinched nerve (neck)
August 4 – SP Mike Murdock, NEW, out for 4-5 months due to radial nerve compression
August 11 – SP Daniel Cox, FRE, career over due to setback from ruptured finger tendon
August 11 – CL Andy O’Neil, FRE, out for 8-9 months due to torn rotator cuff
August 14 – CF Jerry Ball, PCP, out for 4 weeks due to sprained wrist
August 17 – C Vic Taylor, KIN, out for 5 months due to fractured knee
August 20 – SP Thomas Collier, PCP, out for 12-13 months due to ruptured UCL
August 22 – CF Mac Thomas, KIN, out for 4 months due to concussion
August 29 – CF Javier Guzman, POR, out for 4 weeks due to oblique strain

Get to know BONUS…Terry Williams

Reminder – This annual September feature is for interesting players that weren’t good enough to be featured in a regular “Get to know”.

Terry Williams, 38, has had a long, successful career as a catcher, despite never being a dominant player. He was born in Capital City and went to high school in Annaway, Madison. He played in the amateur leagues for 1 year before the CBL was formed and signed with Newport to back up Dave Bartlett for the inaugural season. He became the starter after Bartlett left for Liberty in 1983, and he stayed with the Navigators for 7 years, winning 3 championships. He has since had stints in Portsmouth, Park City (C), Liberty (C), Capital City, and is now back with Liberty (C) a 2nd time.

Among catchers, Williams is the career leader in G, AB, H, R, TB, 3B, HR, and RBI. Among all players, he is 4th in HR and 2nd in RBI. From 1983 to 1993, he had 11 straight years with at least 14 HR. He is a 3-time All-Star (’91-’93), starting 2 of them. He has 9 PotW awards and 1 BotM award. His career line is .262/.312/.464 with 252 HR and 897 RBI. He is one of only three players to hit for the cycle and have a 3-homer game in his career (Guillermo Reyes and Danny Wilson are the others).

Williams’ strengths have obviously been power hitting, longevity, and consistency. He has never finished in the top 3 for an OHA, but has always been a valuable contributor. He is in the decline of his career, especially defensively, where he isn’t very effective anymore. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he retired after this season, and it would certainly be a great way to go out if his Giants could win the World Series.

Catching up with…The 1983 Featured Players
Earl Gordon – 1983, 1989 – All-80’s Team Honorable Mention, 4-time All-Star, #3 all-time in Wins
Jim Lake – 1983, 1989 – Retired 1987
Tad Gill – 1983, 1989 – Retired 1990, All-80’s Team Honorable Mention
Guillermo Reyes – 1983, 1989 – Retired 1994, All-80’s Team Honorable Mention, #2 all-time in HR

Games of the Month
August 1 – Irondale @ Park City (C)
The game was scoreless until the 11th inning due to nice outings by Eugene Vance and Hugh Christian. Irondale got on the board with a Jon Carlson solo homer in the 11th, but Lee Moran’s 2-out, 2-run single a half-inning later gave the Patriots a 2-1 win.

August 7 – Centerville @ Liberty (F)
The Knights only got 1 hit in the game, but they were able to manufacture a run in the 4th on a bases loaded walk. It was enough for a 1-0 win as ace Lawrence Gordon and 3 relievers shut down the Cyclone offense.

August 9 – Fremont @ Park City (F)
Fremont took a 6-3 lead to the 9th, but the Kings rallied to win 7-6. The winning run came home on a 2-out balk by Chris Austin with Ralph Harrington at the plate.

August 15 – Irondale @ Liberty (C)
It was a great pitchers’ duel between Alonso Hinojosa and Trent Gore. Gore gave up a run on 4 hits over 7.2 innings, while Hinojosa pitched 7 scoreless innings and only gave up 3 hits. 6 Steeler pitchers combined for a hitless, 3-walk 8th inning, and Ben Samuels closed it out in the 9th for a 1-0 win.

August 16 – Newport @ Portsmouth
Portsmouth had a 2-0 lead going to the 9th on the back of a strong outing by John Anderson, but George Washington blew the save. Dalton Bonner tied it with a 2-run double, then Jessie Rhodes came in and promptly threw a wild pitch that allowed the go-ahead run to score. However, Newport’s Miguel Pellicer, in his first game back from a year-long injury, couldn’t get the save either, as he allowed the bases loaded with 2 outs and gave up a 2-run walk-off single to Jeff Turner.

August 31 – Capital City @ Portsmouth
Mark Ullrich, making his 4th start after returning from injury, gave up only 1 run in innings. Meanwhile, the Clipper offense started slow, but erupted for 13 runs in the 8th to win 15-1.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by jwinbigler

August 31 – Capital City @ Portsmouth
Mark Ullrich, making his 4th start after returning from injury, gave up only 1 run in innings. Meanwhile, the Clipper offense started slow, but erupted for 13 runs in the 8th to win 15-1.

They scored 13 runs with only ONE extra base hit; a double. And that was by the second batter in the inning. This was death by a thousand paper cuts!!!

Oh and GO IRONDALE!
... or maybe WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR! is more apropos.

[jwinbigler]

September 4, 1995





Weekly Update
Liberty (C) surprisingly lost 2 of 3 to Irondale, but Portsmouth couldn’t take advantage, losing 2 of 3 to Newport. In the first two games against the Navigators, the Clippers lost 8-0 and 13-1 before rallying to win game 3. To begin the week, the Giants host 3 games against the Patriots, while Portsmouth is at home for 4 against Irondale. They conclude the week with 3 games against each other, in Liberty.

Liberty (F) won 2 of 3 against Park City (F), but Mount Sterling swept Centerville to make up a game in the standings. This week, the Knights host Centerville for 3 and Mount Sterling hosts Kingston for 3. Like in the CL, the two contenders play each other over the weekend, in Liberty.

It will be an exciting weekend in Liberty, as both teams are in 1st place, and both are hosting the 2nd place team at home. There’s a good chance that the two teams will meet in the 1st ever cross-town World Series, but it’s not over yet.

Players of the Week
CL: September 4 – SS Tom Duncan, POR, 11-19, 2 HR, 5 RBI
FL: September 4 – RF Gunnar Dorsey, PCK, 9-22, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R

Games of the Week
September 1 – Park City (F) @ Liberty (F)
Park City’s Ernie Webb didn’t have his best stuff, giving up 4 runs in 4 innings, while 2-time defending OPA winner Lawrence Gordon was great for the Knights. The Knights won 6-1 in an important game against a very good pitcher.

September 1 – Newport @ Portsmouth
Newport’s Sam Taylor, last year’s OPA winner, pitched a complete game shutout against the Clippers, as the Navigators easily won 8-0.

September 3 – Centerville @ Mount Sterling
Centerville got out to a 3-0 lead, helped by 2 unearned runs. In the 9th, Cyclone starter Jeremy Gray finally faltered, letting the first two batters on. Gonzalo Solano came in and gave up a walk and an RBI single, but got the next 2 batters to fly out. Then, he walked home the 2nd run of the inning, and Kevin Boyd came through in the clutch with a 2-run walk-off single. The win was very important for the Gladiators, who are trying to keep pace with the Knights.

September 3 – Fremont @ Kingston
Kingston was down 5-2 in the 9th, but pinch hitter Henley Doyle hit a walk-off grand slam to give the Lions a 6-5 win.

[jwinbigler]

September 11, 1995





Weekly Update
WOW, what an unbelievable week! A week ago, baseball fans in Liberty were making plans for a crosstown World Series, but now, it looks like those dreams might be shattered. Both Liberty teams went 1-5 for the week, and all 6 weekend games in Liberty that we were looking forward to were won by the away teams. Portsmouth went 6-1, Mount Sterling went 5-1, and now both of those teams have 2 game leads over the Liberty teams, which sets up a potential rematch of the ’91 and ’92 World Series. With 6 games left, anything could happen, but it will be difficult to stop the momentum of the Clippers and Gladiators.

This week, Portsmouth hosts Park City (C) and visits Capital City. Liberty (C) hosts Capital City and Newport. Mount Sterling hosts Park City (F) and Fremont. Liberty (F) hosts Fremont and Kingston.

Michael Alexander is now a lock for the pitching Triple Crown, while Ralph Torres needs to have a hot week to win the hitting Triple Crown. He is .006 behind Kevin Gaze for the FL batting title.

Players of the Week
CL: September 11 – LF Alfred Roberts, IRO, 8-22, 2 HR, 6 RBI
FL: September 11 – SS Mark McBride, FRE, 8-22, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R

Games of the Week
September 4 – Irondale @ Portsmouth
Aces Alonso Hinojosa and Michael Pittman had an excellent showdown to begin the week. Hinojosa pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, while Pittman gave up a run on only 3 hits in 7 innings. Irondale added an insurance run in the 8th, and Portsmouth got one back on a wild pitch in the 9th. With a runner on third, Nick Hicks struck out to end the game. Irondale’s 2-1 win was the only loss by Portsmouth this week.

September 6 – Irondale @ Portsmouth
Portsmouth’s John Anderson threw a complete game shutout, giving up only 3 hits and striking out 11, as the Clippers won 4-0. It was Anderson’s 7th career shutout, which ties him with teammate Mark Ullrich for the all-time lead. No one else has more than 5.

September 7 – Centerville @ Liberty (F)
Liberty’s Lawrence Gordon pitched okay, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in 7 innings, but the offense couldn’t get anything going against 24-year-old Chattradhara Mukunda, as the Cyclones pulled off the surprising 4-1 upset. The win for Mukunda moved his record to 5-18 on the year despite a respectable 4.93 ERA.

September 8 – Portsmouth @ Liberty (C)
This was the 1st game in a pivotal 3-game series, with the Giants leading by a game. Portsmouth scored 2 runs in the 1st inning off Rob Godwin, and that’s all they needed, as Earl Gordon gave up 1 run in 8 innings and George Washington closed the door in the 9th for a 2-1 win.

September 8 – Mount Sterling @ Liberty (F)
Meanwhile, across town, Dan Bray and Matt Ashley dueled, but neither pitcher had their best stuff. Bray was a little better, and his bullpen was a lot better, and the Gladiators won 9-4 to tie the FL race.

September 10 – Portsmouth @ Liberty (C)
Needing a win to retie the CL race, Liberty’s Trent Gore started strong but fell apart in the 6th, as he and William McKinney combined to give up 5 runs. Mark Ullrich gave up 2 runs (1 earned) in 8 innings, and the Clippers added some insurance in the 9th, winning 9-2.

September 10 – Mount Sterling @ Liberty (F)
Liberty’s Al Goodman only lasted 3 innings, giving up 4 runs. That’s usually not a recipe for success against Michael Alexander, who gave up 1 run in 6 innings. The Gladiators cruised to a 5-1 win, and Alexander won his 19th game. He has a chance to become the 3rd pitcher to win 20 games in a season (Trent Gore & Michael Pittman).

[jwinbigler]

September 15, 1995



Mid-Week Update
Liberty (C) won their first 2 against the Senators, while Portsmouth lost their first 2 against Park City (C), so the race was tied, but Portsmouth avoided the sweep and Liberty (C) couldn’t complete theirs, so Portsmouth remains a game ahead with 3 to play.

Mount Sterling lost 2 of 3 to the Kings, and Liberty (F) swept Kingston, so the FL race is now tied.

Both of these races are coming down to the final days, and we will do daily updates for the last weekend of the season. Ralph Torres is tied with Kevin Gaze in batting average, and their teams play each other over the final 3 days of the season, so we will monitor that as well. As a reminder, Torres would be the first player to win a hitting Triple Crown in the CBL if he can win the batting title.

Games of the Week
September 12 – Capital City @ Liberty (C)
Liberty’s Curt Snyder gave up 4 hits and no runs in 7.2 innings, and the Giants won 2-0.

September 12 – Fremont @ Liberty (F)
Fremont scored 6 runs in the 8th to take a 6-4 lead, but Liberty answered with 2 in the next half-inning to tie it. In the 10th, Bill Wall hit a walk-off single to win the game for the Knights, 7-6.

September 13 – Fremont @ Liberty (F)
Liberty’s Matt Ashley gave up 9 hits over 8 innings, but he was clutch when it counted and kept the Tigers scoreless. Chuck Robertson threw a complete game for Fremont (8 innings), but got the loss, 2-0.

[jwinbigler]

September 16, 1995



Daily Update
All 4 of the contending teams won their games, so the standings look the same as yesterday. Each of them had a top pitcher going (Trent Gore, Mark Ullrich, Michael Alexander, & Al Goodman) and won relatively easily. Michael Alexander’s win makes him the 3rd 20-game winner in league history.

Torres went 0-3 and Gaze went 1-4, and they are still tied for the batting title with 2 games left.

Yesterday’s Games
Newport @ Liberty (C)
Portsmouth @ Capital City
Fremont @ Mount Sterling
Kingston @ Liberty (F)

[jwinbigler]

September 17, 1995



Daily Update
The 2 Liberty teams won while Portsmouth and Mount Sterling lost. So, the CL race is tied and Liberty (F) holds a 1 game lead on Mount Sterling with 1 game remaining.

Torres went 2-3 and Gaze went 1-5, and Torres now holds a lead of .003.

The pitching games for today’s game are as follows:
Newport @ Liberty (C) – Sam Taylor (12-5, 2.55 ERA) vs. Curt Snyder (15-8, 2.15 ERA)
Portsmouth @ Capital City – Bill Brown (2-6, 3.88 ERA) vs. Carlos Lozano (3-12, 3.77 ERA)
Fremont @ Mount Sterling – Kent Fry (7-15, 5.02 ERA) vs. Nathan Ford (4-11, 4.54 ERA)
Kingston @ Liberty (F) – Eric Frazier (10-14, 4.37 ERA) vs. Lawrence Gordon (12-10, 2.14 ERA)

Clearly, the Liberty teams have better pitchers going, but they are facing better pitchers also. It should be a very interesting day in the CBL as both pennant chases have come down to the final day.

Yesterday’s Games
Newport @ Liberty (C)
Portsmouth @ Capital City
Fremont @ Mount Sterling
Kingston @ Liberty (F)

[GoPedro99]

The suspense is killing me lol

[jwinbigler]

September 18, 1995

Daily Update – Colonial League
All of the games on the final day started at the same time, and Newland baseball fans were in for a treat, as 4 of the 6 league games helped decide the outcome of the pennant races.

In the CL, Capital City jumped out to a 6-0 lead over Portsmouth after 2 innings, while Liberty (C) and Newport remained scoreless until the 4th. The Giants got 1 in the 4th and 2 more in the 6th to go up 3-0, and Curt Snyder was almost unhittable. Unfortunately, his pitch count and below average stamina caused him to leave after 5.2 innings of 2-hit pitching. Portsmouth gave up 3 more runs in the 5th to make it 9-0, so Liberty (C) fans were starting to celebrate, but Newport came storming back with 2 runs in the 8th and another in the 9th to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Meanwhile, Portsmouth’s game finished with a 9-1 loss, so a Liberty (C) win would send them to the World Series. In the bottom of the 10th, Joe Kelley led off with a double and moved to third on a ground out. After an intentional walk to David Jones, Tom Jenkins struck out and Vicente Flores flew out to end the threat. Robert Hollingsworth hit a solo homer in the 12th to give Newport the lead. The Giants kept fighting, and after a Jeremy Wiggins single and sac bunt, David Jones came up with 2 outs. Jones singled through the hole on the right side, and Wiggins was sent home, but he was thrown out at the plate to end the game.

Now, Portsmouth and Liberty (C) are preparing for a 1-game playoff game that will decide the CL champion.

Box Scores
Newport @ Liberty (C)
Portsmouth @ Capital City

Daily Update – Federal League
Liberty (F) had a 1 game lead over Mount Sterling to start the day, but ace Lawrence Gordon gave up 2 runs in the 1st inning to fall in an early hole against Kingston. Meanwhile, Mount Sterling was tied with Fremont 1-1 after an inning and gave up the go-ahead run in the 3rd. Liberty (F) got one back against Eric Frazier, but that’s all they could muster, losing 3-1 and opening the door for the Gladiators. The Gladiators scored 2 in the 6th on a Bob Walker homer to take a 3-2 lead, but let Fremont tie it in the 7th. Finally, in the 9th, after getting the first 2 runners on, pinch hitter Jose Rivera lined into a double play, but Spencer O’Neill hit a game-winning single to send the FL to a tiebreaker.

Box Scores
Fremont @ Mount Sterling
Kingston @ Liberty (F)

[jwinbigler]

September 18, 1995



Tiebreaker Preview
This is the first time in CBL history that a championship or pennant has come down to a tiebreaker, and amazingly, it happened in both leagues. Both games will take place today in Liberty. The last time these 4 teams faced each other in Liberty, the away teams came away with 3-game sweeps. Fans in Liberty are hoping today will be a different result.

Portsmouth @ Liberty (C)
Earl Gordon (13-7, 2.79) vs. Rob Godwin (4-3, 2.67)

Two veterans face off, as the 40-year-old Gordon pitches against the 33-year-old Godwin. Godwin has been excellent in 2 starts since coming back from a 4-month injury, but Gordon is the better pitcher at this point. Portsmouth’s offense has also scored more runs, so they are probably a slight favorite playing on the road.

Mount Sterling @ Liberty (F)
Luke Ashe (7-7, 3.79) vs. Matt Ashley (15-8, 3.03)

Liberty (F) has the clear advantage in the pitching matchup, and they have the best player on the field in Ralph Torres, but Mount Sterling has a better offense overall and a much better bullpen. We give the edge to Liberty and Matt Ashley playing at home.