48 Team Random Debut League - Page 7

Dukie98 · 12-28-2018, 01:21 AM

The Hall of Fame proved to be the Hall of Pitching, as Brad Lidge was the sole player elected -- making him the seventh pitcher among the nine inductees, and the first one who was primarily a reliever. In his third year on the ballot, six-time All-Star Lidge edged over the threshold with 75.7% of the vote.

Lidge, a fireballing righthander, began his career with the San Francisco Longshoremen, where he posted sub-2.00 ERA's in his first four seasons. After five All-Star seasons with San Francisco, whom he led to the 2016 World Series, he signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Fighting Elk, where he spent three more seasons -- again notching ERA's below 2.00 and averaged over a strikeout per inning. After an unexpected signing with the Oklahoma City Otters, he was traded to the Chicago Mules in 2021, where he spent the final two-plus seasons of his career. He posted seven seasons in the top ten in the league in saves, and also led the Frontier League in holds in 2020. Lidge posted four top-three finishes in the Reliever of the Year voting, in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2019. Over his career, Lidge sported a 50-46 record with a dazzling 2.08 ERA and 328 saves, never posting an ERA over 2.50 until the last two years of his career. He struck out 977 batters, over 10 per nine innings. At the time of his induction, he ranked fifth all-time on the career saves list, and fourth in strikeouts per 9 innings.

The leading vote recipients include:

Brad Lidge, RHP, SF/ BUF/ OKC/ CHI: 75.7%
Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 70.8%
Gary Sheffield, RF, SF/LA/ KC/ OMA: 66.3%
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ ATL/ SF/ SEA: 61.7%
Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ PHI/ VAN: 59.0%
Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 39.5%
Nomar Garciaparra, SS, OTT: 34.3%
Joakim Soria, RHP, LON/ NO/ SEA/ LV/ JAX/ KC: 34.0%
Kent Hrbek, 1B, DEN/ JAX/ MIN: 33.4%
Rube Marquard, LHP, CHI/ ELP: 28.6%

Due to an unwieldy ballot featuring nearly 60 players, league management opted to increase the minimum threshold to remain on the ballot from 2% to 5% -- a change that resulted in the elimination of twelve candidates from next year's ballot. Noteworthy players who will drop off the ballot after failing to receive 5% include Kevin Seitzer, Ryan Howard, Torii Hunter, Rod Carew, Mel Stottlemyre, and Jim Northrup.

Here's a look at Lidge's Hall of Fame career:

Dukie98 · 12-30-2018, 03:59 AM

Here's a look at the major storylines across the league at the 2029 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Omaha Falcons had long been an afterthought in the highly competitive Great Plains division, topping 82 wins only a single time in franchise history. But they raced out to a 49-26 start, driven by an opportunistic offense and elite pitching staff. Right fielder Jose Cruz had a breakout season, hitting .294 with 21 homers and 48 RBI's at the break, while free agent signee Gabby Hartnett hit .290 and slugged .534 for the first half. The pitching staff survived the offseason departure of longtime ace Ed Walsh to Detroit in free agency. Clay Hensley took an 11-1 record with a 2.23 ERA into the break, while Chick Robitaille went 10-3 with a 2.61 ERA. The Seattle Whales, coming off two mediocre seasons with 73 and 83 wins, jumped out to a 47-27 start, taking a 10-game lead in the Northwest Division into the break. Catcher Brian McCann led a middling offense, hitting .316 and slugging .476 with 6 homers, and first baseman Josh Bell added 13 homers and 44 RBI's. Jose Guzman led a deep pitching staff with an 8-4 record, a 2.81 ERA, and a 1.09 WHIP. Southpaw screwballer Mike Cuellar led the league's deepest bullpen with 22 saves and a 1.62 ERA. In the Continental League, the Memphis River Pirates provided the most unexpected surprise of the half. Although they had not topped 77 wins since their lone playoff appearance six years earlier, Memphis jumped out to a 47-28 record behind a strong pitching staff -- despite losing ace Harry Krause at the end of April. All-star shortstop Glenn Wright hit .336 with 14 homers and 44 RBI's. Journeymen sluggers Mike Marshall and CJ Cron combined for 22 homers and 88 RBI's. On the mound, Ben Tincup sparkled, going 9-2 with a 1.52 ERA and an 0.91 WHIP, while closer Stan Thomas added 24 saves with a 1.87 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen appeared poised to return to the postseason for the first time in ten seasons, going 47-27. Although the Marksmen struggled to put runs on the board, Sean Rodriguez led five double-digit homer-hitters with 16 homers and 43 RBI's, and third baseman Manny Machado hit .288 with 12 homers. John Denny led the stingiest pitching staff in the league (just 235 runs allowed) with a 10-2 record and a 2.22 ERA, and free agent signee Joe Ross won 7 games with a 3.29 ERA and 110 strikeouts.

Disappointments: While few observers expected the Ottawa Parliamentarians to repeat their surprise playoff appearance from 2028, especially after losing Aroldis Chapman and multiple starting pitchers in free agency, a 30-45 first half could not be termed anything other than a massive disappointment. While the offense took a mild step back into a middle-of-the-pack unit, their pitching staff was an unmitigated disaster, as their starters ranked dead last in the Frontier League in ERA and their bullpen was next-to-last. Bo Belinsky, the lone returning starter, saw his ERA soar from 3.44 to 5.24. The Denver Spikes, winners of 101 games in 2028, entered the break with just a 36-37 record, 10 1/2 games behind Seattle. While Denver's offense, which added center fielder Larry Doby, remained solid, their pitching staff dropped off to just 21st in the league in runs allowed. Longtime ace Bruce Berenyi missed a month, and he saw his ERA more than double from 2.04 to 4.14. Earl Johnson and Bill Hands both saw their ERA's leap by nearly two runs apiece. In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals were a surprise playoff entrant last season with 91 wins, but they dropped off drastically to 29-46. Offensively, the Admirals struggled, with only one player with double digit homers. DH Pat Mullin was particularly dreadful, hitting just .174 and slugging .269. On the mound, the Admirals struggled to replace 19-game winner Steve Busby, who departed in free agency, and Joe Gibbon and Johnny Beazley both saw their ERA's increase by nearly a run. The Phoenix Lizards appeared poised to return to the playoffs after winning 95 games last season, but they entered the break in last place in the Southwest Division, with a 31-44 record. Leadoff hitter Bobby Tolan tailed off drastically, dropping from a .326 average with a .376 on-base percentage last season to .270 with a .299 on-base percentage. Slugger Kevin Mitchell hit a middling .242 with 11 homers -- hardly the production the Lizards expected from the two-time MVP. Free agent signee Lloyd Moseby hit just .208, and two other regulars were on the short side of the Mendoza line. On the mound, Art Nehf, who won 21 games last year, slipped to 5-7 with a 4.13 ERA, and free agent signee Andy Sonnanstine disappointed, going just 3-8 with a 4.30 ERA.

Woe Canada: None of the HRDL's seven Canadian teams ended the first half above .500. In the Northeast Division, the Montreal Knights brought up the rear, with a 32-43 record. In the Great Lakes Division, the London Werewolves -- traditionally one of the league's most consistent franchises -- ended the half in last place with a 28-46 record. The Ottawa Parliamentarians ended the half in fifth place at 30-45. Although the Toronto Predators got off to a hot start, they stumbled with an 11-18 May, ending the half at 37-38. In the Northwest Division, the Calgary Cattle Rustlers -- a .500 squad last season -- ended the half in fifth place at 34-39. The Vancouver Viceroys went 37-37 in the first half, but were 10 games out of first place.

Offensive Spike: Both leagues saw the leaguewide ERA jump by approximately a third of a run, to the highest level since 2023. Both teams also saw a double-digit increase in the league batting average. Six players ended the first half with batting averages over .370, led by Albuquerque third baseman Frank Baker, who hit .388 for the half. Seven players popped at least 20 homers for the half.

Free Agent Flops: Several high-profile free agents decamped for greener pastures, only to struggle in their new locale. Detroit ace Justin Verlander unexpectedly signed with the Hartford Huskies -- only to go 5-8 with a 4.14 ERA, nearly two runs higher than last year's mark. Andy Sonnanstine, an 18-game winner for Jacksonville, went just 3-8 for Phoenix with a 4.30 ERA. Clarence Pickrel, who saved 42 games last year for Buffalo, jumped to New Orleans, only to see his ERA double to 6.39, with a 1.65 WHIP. Chicago signed shortstop Luke Appling to a 3-year deal, but he hit just .234 with a .280 slugging percentage in the first half.

Major injuries: Anaheim closer Fernando Rodney tore his UCL in May, knocking him out of commission for the season. Buffalo left fielder and defending World Series MVP Ken Singleton broke his foot, causing him to miss most of June and July. Miami right fielder Frank Robinson tore his hamstring, causing him to miss three months. San Diego shortstop Julio Franco broke his ankle in early May, and was not expected to return until late August.

Major milestones: Charlotte third baseman Wade Boggs became the first player in league history to notch 3,500 hits. Nashville first baseman Greg Luzinski joined the 2,500 hit club. Jacksonville right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly blasted his 400th homer, while Phoenix's Kevin Mitchell and Detroit's Reggie Smith each joined the 300-homer club. On the mound, Kansas City righthander Gary Nolan became the first pitcher in league history to top 300 wins. Charlotte teammates Larry Jaster and Hank Robinson earned their 250th and 200th wins, respectively, and Atlanta southpaw Rube Bressler also joined the 200-win club. El Paso DH Bryce Harper was poised to join Boggs in the 3,500 hit club in August, while Houston's Mickey Mantle and New Orleans's George Grantham were each likely to reach their 3,000th hit by the end of July. Harper was also expected to become the first player in league history to hit 600 homers, as he entered the break at 595. Charlotte slugger Bill Melton was one strong month away from joining the 500-homer club.

Dukie98 · 01-02-2019, 02:37 AM

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas had a dominant season, leading the Frontier League in both runs scored and in the fewest runs allowed, as they won a franchise-record 102 games. Left fielder Sherry Magee somehow improved on his MVP season from a year ago, hitting a league-best .367 and slugging .698 with 91 extra base hits, including 38 homers, 129 RBI's, 65 steals, and 122 runs scored. All-star catcher Curt Blefary hit .341 with 29 homers and 85 RBI's, while third baseman Scott Brosius hit .284 with 28 homers and 117 RBI's. On the mound, Smoky Joe Wood ended July with an incredible 20-1 record and a 1.30 ERA; although he slowed down in September, he still won the Triple Crown, going 24-6 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 293 strikeouts. Al Benton went 20-8 with a solid 2.69 ERA. The defending champion Buffalo Fighting Elk rallied from a summer swoon to win 88 games and take a wild card slot. First baseman Orlando Cepeda hit .302 and slugged .497, with 50 doubles, 26 homers, and a career-high 109 RBI's. Michael Cuddyer blasted 29 homers and drove in 111 runs, and Salvador Perez inherited the mantle of franchise icon Dave Nilsson behind the plate, ripping 18 homers and driving in 81 runs. Lee Meadows paced the staff with a 17-9 record and a 3.61 ERA.

After a monumental collapse last season, the Cincinnati Spiders left nothing to chance, winning 94 games to take the Great Lakes Division by 4 games, earning their first playoff berth in nine seasons. Despite ranking third from the bottom with just 90 homers, the Spiders had an above-average offense, as shortstop Corey Seager hit .293 with 17 homers and 78 RBI's, and third baseman Al Rosen had a career year, hitting .319 with 83 RBI's. The Spiders overcame a shaky bullpen with the best starting pitching in the league, as ace Don Drysdale went 21-5 with a 2.02 ERA, a league-leading 0.90 WHIP, and 247 strikeouts, while Jon Matlack rallied from a 2-6 record on Memorial Day to finish 18-10 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Cincinnati held off the Toronto Predators, who had a dominant second half to finish with 90 wins. Left fielder Minnie Minoso had a breakout season, hitting .348 with 40 homers, 112 RBI's and 21 steals. Free agent signees Jack Clark and Bill Terry combined for 54 homers and 212 RBI's, with Terry hitting .327. On the mound, journeyman Steven Matz had a career season, going 18-9 with a 3.67 ERA, while Craig Stammen went 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA. In Detroit, the Purple Gang overcame significant injuries to Dave Righetti and Ed Walsh and the offseason departure of Justin Verlander in free agency, returning to the postseason for the seventh time in nine years with 86 wins. After losing 9 of 14 to end the season, Detroit rallied to eliminate the Denver Spikes in a one-game playoff, 10-5, scoring 5 runs in the tenth inning. 3-time MVP Reggie Smith carried a mediocre offense, hitting .350 and slugging .623, pounding 40 homers and driving in a league-high 132 runs. Left fielder Mel Hall ripped 27 homers and drove in 93 runs, while free agent signee Todd Helton earned his keep, hitting .285 with 23 homers and 77 RBI's. Workhorse Dick Ruthven went 14-13 with a 4.05 ERA, while Walsh went 12-5 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP before going down at the end of July with a back injury.

In the Great Plains Division, the Omaha Falcons proved to be the surprise of the league, unexpectedly winning 101 games to earn just the second playoff spot in franchise history. Omaha led the league with 161 homers, as right fielder Jose Cruz topped four players with 20+ homers, hitting .287 with 36 homers and 102 RBI's. Catcher Gabby Hartnett, who joined the squad as a free agent from St. Louis, hit .294 with 25 homers and 77 RBI's. The Falcons' deep rotation was one of the strongest in the league, as Clay Hensley went 20-5 with a 2.89 ERA, Chick Robitaille went 20-10 with a 2.92 ERA, while Kyle Barraclough anchored the pen with 35 saves and a 2.90 ERA. The Chicago Mules rode their traditional formula of dominant starting pitching and just enough offense to win 92 games and seize a wild-card spot. Right fielder Bobby Murcer blasted 34 homers and drove in 99 runs while stealing 18 bases. After a slow start, shortstop Luke Appling had a dominant second half, hitting .293 with a .388 on-base percentage and stealing 26 bases. Ace Bob Moose went 16-8 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts. Steve Barber went just 15-15 despite a strong 3.02 ERA and 202 strikeouts. Bud Norris offset Barber's bad luck, going 17-6 despite an ordinary 3.69 ERA.

In the Northwest Division, the Seattle Whales coasted to the division title, opening up a double-digit lead by midseason, and ultimately won 96 games on the back of a strong pitching staff. Catcher Brian McCann hit .300 with 18 homers and 67 RBI's, while leadoff man Lee Mazzilli had a breakout sophomore season, hitting .296 with a .381 on-base percentage, with 13 homers, 80 RBI's, 37 steals, and 96 runs scored. Bob Osborn anchored a steady staff, going 13-6 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, while Jose Guzman sported a 14-11 record with a 3.17 ERA and 208 strikeouts. Kaz Sasaki anchored the league's deepest bullpen with a 1.64 ERA and 0.82 WHIP, as five relievers boasted ERA's below 2.40. The 85-win Denver Spikes failed to recapture the magic of last year's 101-win squad, sleepwalking through the first half before forcing a one-game playoff with Detroit. All-star third baseman Chris James hit .313 with 27 homers and 113 RBI's, while center fielder Larry Doby hit .296 with 27 homers and 101 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg set the tone from the leadoff slot, hitting .313 with a stellar .423 on-base percentage, while ripping 17 homers, with 71 RBI's and 111 runs scored. But the pitching staff ranked among the worst in the league, as none of the starters posted an ERA below 4.00, and ace Bruce Berenyi had a career-worst season, going 13-9 with a mediocre 4.06 ERA, and his WHIP spiked from 1.07 to 1.39.

Continental League: With 99 wins, the Charlotte Aviators won the Atlantic Division, notching their seventeenth straight playoff appearance. Charlotte again led the HRDL in homers by a wide margin, blasting 264 round-trippers (third-highest all-time), and they finished second in baseball with 945 runs. Seven players pounded at least 27 homers, led by DH Bill Melton, who hit .308 with 43 homers and 112 RBI's. Second baseman Bobby Grich had a career season, hitting .325 with 34 homers and 103 RBI's. First baseman Matt Davidson unexpectedly popped 34 homers and drove in 94 runs, and Tommie Agee, Michael Conforto, Gus Triandos, and Candy Maldonado smacked between 27 and 29 homers apiece, with Agee hitting .304 with 37 steals for good measure. Larry Jaster went 24-6 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while Larry Cheney went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA. Charlotte held off a late surge by the rival Jacksonville Gulls, who won 98 games. First baseman Keith Hernandez had another banner campaign, hitting .321 with 65 extra-base hits, including 14 homers and 109 RBI's. Right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly burnished his Hall of Fame credentials, hitting .300 with 26 homers (putting him over 400 for his storied career) and 105 RBI's. Shortstop Tom Tresh, who came over from Montreal as a free agent, hit .287 with 29 homers and 100 RBI's.

The Nashville Blues ran away with the Southeast Division, tying a franchise record with 106 wins. An opportunistic offense finished in the top 5 in the league in runs scored, leading the league with 255 steals. Greg Luzinski starred, hitting .282 with 31 homers and a league-high 134 RBI's. Left fielder Ben Paschal had a terrific all-around season, hitting .300 and slugging .499 with 29 homers, 120 RBI's, and 37 steals. Third baseman Shane Andrews ripped 26 homers with 95 RBI's, while shortstop Miguel Tejada hit 22 homers, drove in 89 runs, and stole 33 bases. The traditionally strong Nashville pitching staff finished third in the Continental League in runs allowed, as Bob Shirley went 19-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, and Chad Ogea went 17-12 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Bob Locker anchored a deep bullpen with 44 saves and a 2.39 ERA. After spending most of the first half over .600, the Memphis River Pirates made an unexpected postseason run, finishing with a franchise-best 93 wins, topping .500 for the first time in six years. Shortstop Glenn Wright starred, hitting .293 and slugging .509, with 26 homers and 81 RBI's, despite missing most of September with a strained ACL. Left fielder Mike Marshall hit .274 with 29 homers and 100 RBI's, while Kevin Bass and CJ Cron hit 20 homers apiece. Second-year righthander Ben Tincup had a stunning turnaround from his 2-15 debut, going 17-6 with a league-best 1.97 ERA, along with a 1.04 WHIP. Paul Toth went 17-8 with a 3.45 ERA, and Stan Thomas led baseball with 46 saves, to go with a 2.09 ERA. The New Orleans Crawfish returned to the postseason for the seventh time in nine years, winning 91 games behind a top-three offense in baseball. First baseman Lou Gehrig hit .301 with 29 homers and 121 RBI's. Rookie left fielder Tommie Davis starred, hitting .349 and slugging .514 with 18 homers and 93 RBI's. Star shortstop Jean Segura hit .334 with 67 extra-base hits, stole 44 bases, and scored 121 runs. Rookie DH Joey Meyer starred despite not starting regularly until August, hitting .327 and slugging .573, with 13 homers and 48 RBI's in just 220 at bats. Heinie Berger led an otherwise subpar pitching staff, going 15-10 with a 3.07 ERA.

The El Paso Armadillos had another dominant season despite losing 20-game winner Tex Carleton for the season in the 2028 World Series -- but they suffered a series of devastating losses in August, losing southpaw Dontrelle Willis and slugger Hack Miller to injuries. Center fielder Gorman Thomas led five players with at least 21 homers, hitting .270 with 31 homers and 101 RBI's. DH Bryce Harper continued to drive the ball, becoming the founding member of the 600-homer club, ripping 23 homers with 99 RBI's. Sluggers Gil Hodges and Frank Howard combined for 50 homers, 210 runs scored, and 143 RBI's. El Paso featured the league's best pitching staff, surrendering just 546 runs. Jordan Zimmermann went 19-7 with a 2.27 ERA and a league-best 0.87 WHIP to go with 199 strikeouts. Wayne Garland went 20-7 with a 2.95 ERA, surrendering a remarkable 20 walks in 250 innings. In the pen, Mike Kekich posted 35 saves with a 2.93 ERA, while setup man Wilbur Wood had a microscopic 0.56 ERA with an 0.98 WHIP. The San Antonio Marksmen overcame a subpar offense, including a league-worst .244 team batting average, to make the playoffs with 93 wins. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez hit 34 homers and 81 RBI's, while third baseman Manny Machado hit 25 homers with 79 RBI's. But the Marksmen had a deep pitching staff, finishing second in the league in runs allowed, as Bobby Jones went 19-3 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Free agent signee Joe Ross went just 14-15, but sported a 3.33 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. John Denny posted a 17-9 record with a 3.08 ERA. Closer Joe Gonzales came over from Anaheim in June and posted 22 saves with an 0.88 ERA.

The Anaheim Antelopes made their fourth straight postseason appearance, taking the Southwest Division with 92 wins. Left fielder Enos Slaughter hit .314 with 14 homers, 88 RBI's, and 98 runs scored. Right fielder Jerry Mumphrey hit .331 and slugged .457, with 10 homers, 85 runs scored, and 22 steals. Sluggers Larry Parrish and Ike Brown hit 24 homers apiece, with 95 RBI's, and 78 RBI's, respectively. Free agent signee Noah Syndergaard starred, going 18-9 with a 2.66 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts, while Jim Neidlinger went 17-8 with a 3.27 ERA. They edged out the Albuquerque Conquistadors, who won 88 games but narrowly missed the playoffs by three games. Albuquerque smashed the all-time record, scoring 1,046 runs while ranking first in the league in every offensive category except homers and steals, where they finished second; unfortunately, they allowed a league-worst 941 runs. Six players topped 100 RBI's. Frank Baker posted another MVP-caliber campaign, hitting .389 and slugging .656, with 36 homers, 130 RBI's, 157 runs scored, and 48 steals. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .348 with 30 homers, 54 doubles, 123 RBI's, and 126 runs scored. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .299, pounding 34 homers with 128 RBI's and 60 steals, while catcher Tex Erwin blossomed, hitting .292 and slugging .576 with 34 homers and 102 RBI's. But their pitching was an unmitigated disaster. Steve Rogers was solid, going 15-14 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, and Chuck Finley had a team-best 15-7 record despite a mediocre 4.32 ERA. But seven different Albuquerque pitchers threw at least 50 innings with an ERA of 5.73 or worse-- including Bert Blyleven's 200 innings with a ghastly 6.49 ERA and 1.77 WHIP and Johnny Broaca's 83 innings with a 9.36 ERA and 2.25 WHIP.

Dukie98 · 01-04-2019, 02:36 AM

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas ranked first in the Frontier League in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed, while the Detroit Purple Gang ranked fourteenth in both categories. Naturally, Detroit upset the 102-win Golden Gorillas in six games. Star rightfielder Reggie Smith took home MVP honors, hitting .360 and slugging .840 with 3 homers, 6 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. Second baseman Andy High hit .346 with 3 doubles, and veteran righthander Dixie Leverett went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA. Pittsburgh ace Smoky Joe Wood was brilliant in defeat, winning both his starts and posting a 0.59 ERA in 15.1 innings, while left fielder Sherry Magee ripped 3 homers and drove in 6 of the Golden Gorillas 15 runs in the series. The Cincinnati Spiders knocked off the Chicago Mules in six games, for the first series win in franchise history. Shortstop Corey Seager took home the hardware, hitting .450 with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. First baseman Wes Parker hit .360 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Ace Don Drysdale was just 1-1, dropping a 1-0 decision in the opener, but sported a 1.06 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in 17 innings. The Mules were led by second baseman Jamey Carroll, who hit .348 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Chicago righthander Steve Barber took a no-hitter into the ninth inning of Game 1 before giving up a pinch-hit single to Bobby Etheridge; Barber finished with a complete-game 1-hit shutout victory, but he left Game 5 in the second inning with a sprained ankle. The Seattle Whales took the first three games from the Toronto Predators before prevailing in six games. Center fielder Bobby Estalella starred, hitting .478 and slugging .957 with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, and 6 RBI's, including hitting for the cycle in Game One. Rookie shortstop Dick Bartell hit .471 with a homer and 5 RBI's for the Whales. Seattle righthander Bob Osborn surrendered just 5 hits and a single run in 12 innings. Toronto was led by right fielder Jack Clark, who hit .429 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's -- 7 of which came in a Game 4 onslaught. In the final series of the Wild Card round, the 101-win Omaha Falcons swept the defending champion Buffalo Fighting Elk, scoring nearly seven runs per game against the vaunted Buffalo pitching staff. Omaha center fielder Jason Ellison hit .500 with 4 runs scored, including a 5-hit explosion in Game 3. Catcher Gabby Hartnett hit .400 with a homer and a series-high 5 RBI's. Omaha's bullpen was brilliant, as five relievers combined to allow just 5 hits in 9.1 shutout innings. Third baseman Kevin Orie provided the lone bright spot for Buffalo, hitting .353 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's.

In the Division Series, Cincinnati thoroughly dominated Detroit, outscoring the Purple Gang 46-11 in a four-game sweep, which was believed to be the single most lopsided series in league history. Cincinnati left fielder Joe Vitiello was named MVP after hitting .538 with 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 9 RBI's,earning the hardware in a controversial decision over first baseman Wes Parker, who hit .412 with 4 homers and 6 RBI's. Center fielder Chuck Carr had 9 hits, hitting .474 with 6 RBI's. Detroit was led by left fielder Mel Hall, who hit .333 with a solo homer. On the other side of the bracket, the Seattle Whales and Omaha Falcons traded victories for the entire series, with Seattle prevailing in a Game Seven romp. Once again, center fielder Bobby Estalella was named MVP, after hitting .478 with 6 doubles, 3 homers, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Seattle left fielder Lee Mazzilli hit .321 with 3 homers -- including 2 in Game Seven -- and 4 RBI's. Jose Guzman went 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA, including 15 strikeouts in 14.2 innings, while the Whales' bullpen allowed just one earned run in over 14 innings. Omaha was led by left fielder Duffy Lewis, who had a series-high 12 hits, as he hit .462 with a homer and 4 RBI's, and first baseman Aaron Boone, who hit 2 homers and drove in 8 runs. In the League Championship Series, Seattle easily upended Cincinnati, taking the first three games on their way to a 5-game series win. Seattle catcher Brian McCann led a balanced attack, earning MVP honors after hitting .364 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Bob Osborn went 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in a victorious effort. Corey Seager led the way for Cincinnati, hitting .429 with a homer and 3 RBI's.

Continental League: In a matchup of two of the top pitching staffs in baseball, the Nashville Blues edged the San Antonio Marksmen in seven games -- six of which were decided by a single run. Nashville center fielder Nemo Leibold found himself named MVP, hitting .393 with 4 doubles, 3 steals, and 5 runs scored. Left fielder Ben Paschal matched Leibold, hitting .393 as well with 3 RBI's. Veteran southpaw Bob Shirley went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA. The Marksmen were led by third baseman Manny Machado, who hit .346 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's. After dropping the first two games to the Anaheim Antelopes, the Jacksonville Gulls stormed back to win four straight games, clinching the series on a 2-run, 10th inning homer by Larry Herndon. Veteran rightfielder George "High Pockets" Kelly took home MVP honors after hitting .417 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Herndon popped 2 homers and drove in 8 runs. Rookie closer Mike Hartley notched a win and a save with five hitless innings. Anaheim featured four players with multiple homers, led by center fielder Ike Brown, who hit .417 with 2 round-trippers and 4 RBI's. The 99-win Charlotte Aviators, a postseason fixture, easily disposed of the overmatched Memphis River Pirates in five games, as Memphis was further handicapped by the absence of all-star shortstop Glenn Wright. Rookie shortstop Mickey Stanley won MVP honors for Charlotte, hitting .526 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Center fielder Tommie Agee hit .318, leading all hitters with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Larry Cheney went 1-0, sporting a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings. Memphis was led by third baseman Sammy Esposito, who hit .438 with 3 multi-hit games and 2 RBI's. The 106-win El Paso Armadillos dominated the New Orleans Crawfish, advancing in five games. Second baseman Jack Brohamer was selected MVP after hitting .526 with six runs scored. DH Bryce Harper hit .333 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Righthander Jordan Zimmermann went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, while Wayne Garland threw 8 shutout innings of three-hit ball. Crawfish left fielder Tommie Davis hit .318 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's in defeat.

In a series where the road team won all seven games, the Jacksonville Gulls outlasted the Nashville Blues. Jacksonville first baseman Keith Hernandez took home the trophy after hitting .393 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's, while High Pockets Kelly hit .321 with a series-high 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Jacksonville's bullpen surrendered just one run in 19 innings. The Blues were led once again by Nemo Leibold, who hit .400 with 5 RBI's, 4 runs scored, and 4 steals. In a rematch of last season's League Championship Series, the Charlotte Aviators got their revenge, sweeping El Paso. Charlotte catcher Gus Triandos hoisted the hardware after hitting .333 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's, including a walk-off homer in the bottom of the tenth inning of Game Four. Tommie Agee chipped in with two homers and 5 RBI's. Gorman Thomas hit 2 homers and drove in 3 runs for El Paso. In the League Championship Series, Charlotte easily dispatched Jacksonville in five games, in a matchup of division rivals that had occurred in three of the prior four years. Charlotte right fielder Candy Maldonado was an easy MVP choice, after hitting .450 with 5 homers and 12 RBI's. Left fielder Michael Conforto hit .500, rapping 2 homers and driving in 3 runs. Jacksonville left fielder Joe Christopher hit .526 and scored 5 runs.

World Series: In a classic World Series featuring five one-run games, the Seattle Whales outlasted the Charlotte Aviators in seven games, in a rematch of the 2024 World Series. With the win, Seattle became just the second franchise in HRDL history to win three world championships, joining the Los Angeles Kangaroos.

Charlotte took Game One in commanding fashion, 5-0, as Hank Robinson threw seven shutout innings, and the Aviators hit 3 homers in the fourth inning. Seattle held on for a 10-9 victory in Game Two, as shortstop Dick Bartell had 4 hits and 2 runs scored, while center fielder Bobby Estalella had 3 hits, 2 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Charlotte first baseman Matt Davidson hit two homers and walked twice, driving in 4 runs and scoring 4 more. Seattle took control of the series in Game Three, winning 3-2 as Bob Osborn outdueled Larry Jaster, allowing just 3 hits in 7 innings. Josh Bell and Lee Mazzilli had three hits apiece for the Whales. The Whales took Game Four 7-6 in 12 innings, erasing a 5-0 deficit, and winning on a walk-off homer by Brian McCann. McCann, Bobby Estalella, and Bobby Higginson each homered in a dramatic eighth inning to force extra innings.

With their backs against the wall, Charlotte pulled out Game Five, 3-2 in 12 innings. Hank Robinson threw 7 shutout innings for Charlotte, while Seattle's Jose Guzman surrendered just one run in 8 innings. Gus Triandos homered for Charlotte, while Dick Bartell had four hits for Seattle, including a 12th inning triple. Charlotte took Game Six 10-9, with Mickey Stanley ripping a walk-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning. Charlotte blasted five homers, with Triandos popping two more jacks and driving in four runs. Josh Bell homered for Seattle, and Bartell ripped two doubles and drove in 3 runs. Seattle took Game Seven 9-4, with Bob Osborn getting the win over Roger Clemens, and Ed Vosberg hurling 2.2 hitless innings for the save. Seattle erased an early 3-0 deficit, as DH Freddy Leach and Mazzilli each homered, while third baseman Jeff Hamilton had three hits, including two doubles.

Bartell was a surprise selection as MVP, hitting .469 with a series-high 15 hits, to go with 8 runs scored and 6 RBI's. Hamilton hit .458 with 5 RBI's. Seattle's deep bullpen proved to be the difference, as Vosberg, Kaz Sasaki, Ken Kravec and Ozzie Osborn allowed just one run in 17 innings. Charlotte was led by Triandos, who received substantial MVP support after hitting .500 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. Southpaw Hank Robinson hurled 14 shutout innings for the Aviators.

David Watts · 01-04-2019, 04:44 PM

Who holds your single season hit record and how many?

Dukie98 · 01-04-2019, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

Who holds your single season hit record and how many?

Nomar Garciaparra had 256 in the first season of the league. That season had some skewed totals, as there were a lot of sub-replacement-level players who were starting. Outside of the first two years, Wade Boggs had 244 hits in year 3 of the league (equivalent to 1977, which was an expansion year). After that, Ralph Garr and Keith Hernandez each had 242 hits after the talent level in the league stabilized.

Dukie98 · 01-06-2019, 02:27 AM

Frontier League MVP- Smoky Joe Wood, RHP, PIT (45): 24-6, 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 270 IP, 293 K, 75 BB, 11 CG, 8 shutouts, 229 ERA+, 11.8 WAR; .301/ .372/ .494, 25 hits 7 doubles, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 17 runs, 10 BB, 131 OPS+, 0.3 WAR (as hitter)
Second place- Reggie Smith, RF, DET (2): .350/ .423/ .623, 210 hits, 42 doubles, 1 triple, 40 HR, 132 RBI, 107 rubs, 80 BB, 22 SB, 178 OPS+, 9.0 WAR
Third place- Don Drysdale, RHP, CIN: 21-5, 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 241 IP, 247 K, 27 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 200 ERA+, 10.5 WAR
Fourth place- Sherry Magee, LF, PIT: .367/ .422/ .698, 194 hits, 45 doubles, 8 triples, 38 HR, 129 RBI, 122 runs, 53 BB, 65 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.1 WAR
Fifth place- Minnie Minoso, LF, TOR (1): .348/ .427/ .618, 204 hits, 35 doubles, 2 triples, 40 HR, 112 RBI, 108 runs, 69 BB, 21 SB, 178 OPS+, 7.9 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Smoky Joe Wood, PIT (48): 24-6, 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 270 IP, 293 K, 75 BB, 11 CG, 8 shutouts, 229 ERA+, 11.8 WAR;
Second place- Don Drysdale, CIN: 21-5, 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 241 IP, 247 K, 27 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 200 ERA+, 10.5 WAR
Third place- Bob Moose, CHI: 16-8, 2.45 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 268 IP, 226 K, 58 BB, 6 CG, 3 shutouts, 165 ERA+, 9.2 WAR
Fourth place- Jon Matlack, CIN: 18-10, 2.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 268 IP, 203 K, 54 BB, 11 CG, 4 shutouts, 152 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Fifth place- Willard Nixon, CAL: 20-7, 2.20 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 257 IP, 192 K, 58 BB, 9 CG, 3 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 6.8 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Johnny Mize, 1B, MON (43): .329/ .414/ .575, 166 hits, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 28 HR, 94 RBI, 90 runs, 73 BB, 5 SB, 164 OPS+, 5.8 WAR
Second place- Ernie Banks, 1B, BOS (5): .322/ .376/ .511, 206 hits, 40 doubles, 9 triples, 21 HR, 104 RBI, 100 runs, 50 BB, 6 SB, 137 OPS+, 5.9 WAR
Third place- Aledmys Diaz, SS, VAN: .313/ .349/ .476, 201 hits, 43 doubles, 1 triple, 20 HR, 83 RBI, 77 runs, 39 BB, 4 SB, 120 OPS+, 5.1 WAR

Continental League MVP: Frank Baker, 3B, ALB (47): .389/ .479/ .656, 233 hits, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 36 HR, 130 RBI, 104 BB, 48 SB, 196 OPS+, 12.2 WAR
Second place- Bill Melton, DH, CHA: .308/ .388/ .565, 188 hits, 24 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 112 RBI, 111 runs, 75 BB, 146 OPS+, 5.9 WAR
Third place- Bobby Grich, 2B, CHA: .325/ .389/ .571, 190 hits, 24 doubles, 9 triples, 34 HR, 103 RBI, 109 runs, 63 BB, 13 SB, 148 OPS+, 6.7 WAR
Fourth place- Ham Iburg, RHP, SD: 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR
Fifth place- Noah Syndergaard, RHP ANA (1): 18-9, 2.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 261 IP, 218 K, 74 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 168 ERA+, 7.2 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Ham Iburg, SD (32): 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR
Second place- Noah Syndergaard, ANA (8): 18-9, 2.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 261 IP, 218 K, 74 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 168 ERA+, 7.2 WAR
Third place- Ben Tincup, MEM (6): 17-6, 1.97 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 210 IP, 187 K, 65 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 225 ERA+, 5.7 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: Ham Iburg, RHP, SD (47): 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR
Second place- Butch Wensloff, RHP, LV: 17-11, 2.82 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 255 IP, 185 K, 62 BB, 8 CG, 1 shutout, 153 ERA+, 5.4 WAR
Third place- Tommie Davis, LF, NO (1): .349/ .362/ .514, 180 hits, 27 doubles, 2 triples, 93 RBI, 69 runs, 10 BB, 12 SB, 130 OPS+, 3.8 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Tris Speaker, CF, Hartford Huskies
2. Johnny Vander Meer, LHP, Virginia Beach Admirals
3. Hank Borowy, RHP, Dallas Wildcatters
4. Matt Morris, RHP, London Werewolves
5. Rafael Palmeiro, 1B/ LF, Cleveland Rocks
6. Paul Derringer, RHP, St. Louis Pilots
7. Jason Kendall, C, Birmingham Steelers
8. Dallas Keuchel, LHP, Oklahoma City Otters
9. Bob Johnson, LF, Austin Mustangs
10. Chris Sabo, 3B, Minneapolis Penguins

Dukie98 · 01-08-2019, 12:36 AM

The Hall of Fame welcomed slugging rightfielder Gary Sheffield to its hallowed halls. Sheffield was tabbed in his second year on the ballot, with 76.6% of the vote, and he becomes the third position player to be honored. Surprisingly, Sheffield leapfrogged Aaron Judge in the voting, picking up an additional ten percent, while Judge improved only one percent from last year.

Sheffield, a powerful right fielder with good speed and a keen eye at the plate, began his career with the San Francisco Longshoremen, where he hit 78 homers in the first two years of the HRDL, leading the Frontier League with 38 round-trippers in 2012 He joined the Los Angeles Kangaroos as a free agent in 2013, where he spent the next eight years, hitting 259 homers and stealing 260 bases. A four-time all-star, his finest season was 2015, when he hit .315 with a .401 on-base percentage, with 43 homers, 150 RBI's, and 34 steals. He was a key member of the 2014 and 2016 World Series-winning Kangaroos, hitting a combined 13 homers in those postseasons, and he later won MVP honors for three postseason series. Sheffield spent four seasons with the Kansas City Mad Hatters, for whom he ripped 85 homers, and scored a league-high 130 runs in 2022. He retired after spending one final season as a part-time player for the Omaha Falcons. In his career, Sheffield hit .288 and slugged .497, totaling 2,422 hits, including 426 homers. He drove in 1423 runs, stole 414 bases, and ended his career with 75.5 WAR. He also ripped 32 homers and stole 31 bases in 158 career postseason games. At the time of his induction, he ranked seventh all-time in homers, sixteenth in RBI's, and eighth in runs scored.

The leading vote recipients include:

Gary Sheffield, RF, SF/ LA/ KC/ OMA: 76.6%
Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 71.7%
Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ PHI/ VAN: 63.9%
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ ATL/ SF/ SEA: 57.6%
Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 46.8%
Dave Ferriss, RHP, DAL/ NAS: 45.7%
JT Realmuto, C, LA/ CLE/ AUS: 45.7%
Donie Bush, SS, SA/ CAL: 43.9%
Rick Monday, CF, BAL/ ELP: 37.2%
Braggo Roth, RF, PHI: 31.6%

The ballot featured an exceptionally deep class of newcomers. Although none are assured of induction in the years to come, an incredible eight players topped 25% in their first year on the ballot, with four more topping 10%. Several worthy candidates dropped below the 5% threshold and will be removed from the ballot going forward, including 417-home-run-hitter Harmon Killebrew, Leon Durham (who topped 300 homers and 300 steals), 179-game winner Jim Palmer, career .323 hitter Simon Nicholls (the all-time postseason hit leader), and 6-time Gold Glover Joe Panik.

Here's a look at Sheffield's Hall of Fame career:

Dukie98 · 01-14-2019, 02:15 AM

Here's a quick overview of the major storylines in the league at the 2030 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Baltimore Robins looked to snap their streak of ten straight seasons of missing the playoffs- the last seven with at least 92 losses. The Robins entered the All-Star break with a 42-31 record- within five games first place and with a healthy 2-game lead in the wild-card race. Catcher Gary Sanchez starred, hitting .343 and slugging .551 with 13 homers and 40 RBI's. Right fielder Hal McRae hit .364 with 21 doubles, 50 runs scored, and a .535 slugging percentage. Bert Blyleven led an overachieving pitching staff, going 6-2 with a 3.54 ERA. The Portland Skunks had not topped .500 since reaching the playoffs in 2023, but they entered the break firmly in the wild card mix at 41-34. Jeff Bagwell led the league's third-ranked offense, hitting .299 and slugging .570 with 19 homers and 62 RBI's, while Dave Henderson hit .304 with 18 homers and 66 RBI's. Portland's middling pitching staff was led by free agent signee Denny McLain, who went 6-1 with a 3.71 ERA. In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals rallied from a disastrous 100-loss 2029 season to end the All-Star Break with a 42-33 record, just two games behind the similarly-surprising Washington Ambassadors. The Admirals were led offensively by first baseman Chris Shelton, who hit .339 with 20 homers and 73 RBI's, while stalwart left fielder Heinie Manush hit .336 with 12 homers, 50 RBI's, and 24 steals. Their pitching ranked near the top of the league, led by hard-luck rookie lefty Johnny Vander Meer, who was just 7-5 despite a 2.00 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 99 innings, and righthander Johnny Beazley, who went 10-1 with a 2.93 ERA. Although the Houston Pythons had not made the playoffs in twelve seasons, and had gone eight seasons without topping .500, they entered the break with the top mark in the league at 47-27. Seven players had double-digit homers at the break, as the Pythons popped 109 homers - good for third in the league -- despite the offseason retirement of Mickey Mantle. Center fielder Ryan Thompson powered the way with 20 homers and 65 RBI's, while first baseman Pete Runnels hit .335 with 31 doubles, 9 homers, 45 RBI's, and 58 runs scored. Righthander Frank Lange went 8-4 with a 3.51 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 112 innings.

Disappointments: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas tailed off drastically from last year's 102-win juggernaut, starting just 33-41, and entering the break a distant 14 1/2 games out of first. At one point, Pittsburgh lost 15 of 16 games. Pittsburgh's league-best offense tailed off drastically, ending the half 16th in the league in runs scored. Most notably, All-Star catcher missed a majority of the first half with an oblique injury, and backup Alan Ashby hit just .154 with a .204 slugging percentage. Sherry Magee dropped off from being an MVP candidate to just "very good", hitting .297 with a .584 slugging percentage -- losing over 160 points of OPS despite a leaguewide offensive spike. Ace Smoky Joe Wood struggled, going 5-7 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, while Al Benton, a 20-game winner a year before, went just 5-5 and saw his ERA jump by two runs to 4.81. The defending champion Seattle Whales, coming off a 96-win Northwest Division title, ended the first half in last place, with a 35-40 record, as their offense declined to the worst in the league. Catcher Brian McCann hit just .242. Rookie Dennis Sherill, filling in for Clint Barmes, who missed most the first half with an ankle injury, hit a disastrous .127. Rookie righthander Jim Hughes struggled, going 2-6 with a hefty 6.47 ERA. In the Continental League, the Nashville Blues' streak of ten straight winning seasons - nine of which resulted in a playoff berth - was in jeopardy, as they finished the half just 36-39. First baseman Greg Luzinski tore a thumb ligament in spring training and missed nearly two months; when he returned, he slugged just .298 and drove in only 8 runs in 27 games. Third baseman Shane Andrews, who slugged .443 and drove in 95 runs last year, hit just .179 with 10 homers and 31 RBI's. Nashville's pitching remained solid as always, but was hardly dominant, and their bullpen ranked 23rd in the league with an ERA of 5.06. Chad Ogea, a 17-game winner last year, was demoted to the pen after starting 1-6 with a 6.51 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Closer Bob Locker blew 5 saves and took a bloated 6.83 ERA and 1.81 WHIP into the break. The Memphis River Pirates, a surprise 93-game winner a year ago, proved wholly incapable of sustaining their success, dropping their first ten games on their way to a 24-50 half. Their offense ranked last in the league, as free agent catcher Bobby Estalella hit just .176 and slugged a weak .348. Shortstop Glenn Wright, who averaged 30 homers over the past two years, hit just 6 homers and drove in 22 runs in an injury-riddled half. Defending ERA champ Ben Tincup went just 4-4 with a 4.66 ERA, while Mace Brown, a 10-game winner as a rookie, went 1-11 and saw his ERA more than double to 6.33.

Changing of the Guard: The 2029 offseason saw several league legends retire. Most notably, 7-time MVP Mickey Mantle, who nonetheless proved to be a tremendous disappointment after signing a free agent contract with Houston, retired after being benched late in the season. Righthander Justin Verlander, an eight-time all-star, tore his labrum late in his inaugural season with Hartford and opted to retire after suffering a setback in the offseason. Seattle right fielder Pat Duncan retired with 2,936 hits, including 604 doubles, fourth-most all time. 270-game winner Brett Anderson, who won four Cy Young Awards with the Los Angeles Kangaroos, retired after fighting through two years of shoulder injuries. 12-time All-Star Dave Nilsson, who topped 300 homers and 200 steals with the Buffalo Fighting Elk, wrapped it up, as did 242- game winner Reb Russell.

Offensive spike: Both leagues saw a spike in offense, which, if sustained, would result in a high-water mark for offense. At the break, both leagues saw their respective ERA's increase by a half-run apiece. Sixteen players had at least 20 homers apiece, led by Los Angeles right fielder Chili Davis's 28, and seven players had at least 70 RBI's, led by Albuquerque right fielder Doc Miller's 84.

Streaks galore: Milwaukee first baseman Mark Grace set an HRDL record with a 45-game hitting streak. Concurrent with his streak, Albuquerque star third baseman Home Run Baker rattled off a 39-game streak, third longest in league history. Cleveland first baseman Don Mattingly and Toronto left fielder Minnie Minoso also notched 25-game streaks.

The hottest corner: Albuquerque's Frank Baker, the defending two-time MVP, somehow managed to improve on his stellar performance. He entered the All-Star break hitting .418 and slugging .829, ripping 25 homers and driving in 74 runs in 73 games. His counterpart in the Frontier League, Minneapolis's ageless Andy Van Slyke, hit .338 and slugged .618, including 27 doubles, 14 homers, 62 RBI's, and 19 steals- all at the age of 41! San Antonio third baseman Manny Machado blossomed into a star, hitting .338 with 27 homers and 66 RBI's.

Major injuries: El Paso lefthander Dontrelle Willis would miss the entire season after tearing his rotator cuff in late 2029. Dallas rightfielder Cliff Heathcote broke his elbow in mid-May and was expected to miss the rest of the season. Jacksonville first baseman Keith Hernandez broke his ankle in early May, and was not expected back until late August. Memphis lefthander Harry Krause continued the River Pilots' snakebit season, tearing an elbow ligament, knocking him out for the year. Philadelphia shortstop Charlie Hollocher, coming off a career season, broke his kneecap in early May, ending his season.

Major milestones: Los Angeles left fielder Gary Matthews and Chicago first baseman George Altman each notched their 2,500th hits. The 400-homer club gained several new members, including Vancouver third baseman Gary Gaetti, Minneapolis third baseman Andy Van Slyke, Buffalo first baseman Orlando Cepeda, Los Angeles right fielder Chili Davis, and San Antonio left fielder Jim Edmonds. Cepeda entered the break just shy of 3,000 hits, and was expected to top that mark by the Fourth of July. Calgary's Willard Nixon and Cleveland's Chris Van Cuyk each won their 200th game, while Washington closer Aroldis Chapman achieved his 300th save.

Dukie98 · 01-17-2019, 01:31 AM

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk coasted to their seventh straight Northeast Division title, and their thirteenth in fourteen years, winning 93 games. Despite a middle-of-the-pack offense, they were once again carried by a strong pitching staff and the league's best bullpen. Offensively, Buffalo was led by left fielder Ken Singleton, who hit .304 with a .420 on-base percentage, to go with 32 homers and 112 RBI's, and right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who hit .294 with 24 homers and 89 RBI's. Brett Oberholtzer went just 12-10, but led the squad with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while closer Jim Suchecki led a deep bullpen with 31 saves and a 2.25 ERA. The Baltimore Robins remained in playoff contention for most of the season, but dropped 15 of their last 25 to miss the playoffs by two games with a 83-79 record- their best in ten years. Star catcher Gary Sanchez hit .330 with 30 homers and 87 RBI's, while right fielder Hal McRae hit .337 with 56 doubles, 15 homers, 102 runs scored, and 106 RBI's. Bill Hands sported a solid 3.67 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, but was saddled with a disappointing 12-16 record.

The Cincinnati Spiders overcame a middling first half to win the Great Lakes Division easily with 92 games. Budding superstar Corey Seager hit .344 with 31 homers and 122 RBI's, but broke his kneecap in early September. First baseman Mike Epstein had a tremendous season, hitting .322 with a league-best .452 on-base percentage, to go with 38 homers and 112 RBI's. Right fielder David Murphy had a breakout season, hitting .336 with 28 homers and 112 RBI's. Ace Don Drysdale went 12-2 in the second half, on his way to an 18-8 record, a 3.10 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. The rival Detroit Purple Gang scrapped their way to 83 wins before being eliminated on the final day of the year. Star right fielder Reggie Smith hit .320 with a .416 on-base percentage, ripping 28 homers and driving in 108 runs, while slugging left fielder Mel Hall hit .293 with 39 homers and 143 RBI's. Righthander Ed Walsh carried the staff, going 15-8 with a stellar 2.85 ERA in this high-offense season, to go with a 1.05 WHIP and 255 strikeouts.

The St. Louis Pilots were a surprise winner of the Great Plains Division with 90 wins, despite a league-worst offense and trading longtime ace John Montefusco to Vancouver early in the year. The Pilots soared on the wings of their league-best pitching staff, which yielded just 637 runs. Shortstop Francisco Lindor led the way, blasting 31 homers and driving in 94 runs despite a middling .255 average. First baseman Eric Karros chipped in with 20 homers and 67 RBI's. Righthander Andy Benes went just 13-15 despite a solid 3.78 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Ray Crone posted a 3.57 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, yet somehow went just 7-11. St. Louis held off the 87-win Omaha Falcons, who returned to the postseason for just the third time in franchise history. Omaha ranked just 21st in the league in runs scored, despite a career year from catcher Gabby Hartnett and a strong season by free agent signee Lou Gehrig. Hartnett hit .358 with 35 homers and 104 RBI's. Gehrig hit .295 and ripped 32 homers with 107 RBI's. Ed Reulbach anchored a deep pitching staff, going 15-13 with a 3.51 ERA and 190 strikeouts, while closer Kyle Barraclough posted 29 saves with a 1.57 ERA.

In the best pennant race in years, the San Francisco Longshoremen came from behind to take the Northwest Division, after spending most of the year in third place. San Francisco won 24 of their last 35, including their last four games of the year, to take the division by a game with 92 wins. Right fielder Jose Canseco was a surprise batting champ, hitting .358 with 23 homers and 90 RBI's. Left fielder Bob Nieman hit .322 with 25 homers, 112 runs scored, and 84 RBI's. Don Aase led baseball in wins, going 24-8 with a solid 3.10 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Pat Jarvis went 17-13 with a 4.14 ERA. The Vancouver Viceroys led the division for most of the season, but finished a game out of first at 91-71 after going 11-16 in September, including a season-ending sweep by a mediocre London squad. Second-year shortstop Aledmys Diaz had a monster season, hitting .341 with 55 doubles, 33 homers and 125 RBI's. Third baseman Gary Gaetti hit .324 and slugged .681, pounding 39 homers and driving in 100 runs in just 102 games. Center fielder Willie Wilson hit .339 with 237 hits, scoring 119 runs, and led the league with 59 doubles and 100 steals. Vancouver's staff was led by John Montefusco, who was acquired in an early May trade and went 19-4 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP for the Viceroys, winning his first twelve starts. The Denver Spikes tied Vancouver with 91 wins, led by third baseman Chris James, who hit .312 with 34 homers and 135 RBI's. Center fielder Larry Doby hit .275 with 31 homers and 116 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg hit .324 with a .438 on-base percentage, including 23 homers, 107 runs scored, and 90 RBI's. Southpaw Steve Barber went 17-11 with a 3.09 ERA and 242 strikeouts. They were joined in the playoffs by the Portland Skunks, who won 85 games, topping .500 for the first time in seven seasons. Portland's league-best offense was led by Jeff Bagwell, who hit .311 with 43 homers and 136 RBI's - and posted a .450 on-base percentage to boot. Center fielder Dave Henderson hit .300 with 39 homers and a league-high 144 RBI's. Second baseman John Knight hit .311 with 18 homers and 104 RBI's. Jarrod Washburn led a middling pitching staff, notching a 3.47 ERA and 1.22 WHIP despite a subpar 12-15 record.

Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators overcame a 5-12 start to cruise to their fourth straight Atlantic Division title and their eighteenth straight playoff appearance, winning 92 games. Their powerful offense was second in baseball in runs scored (with 952) and in homers (with 287), as six players topped 30 homers. Third baseman Bill Melton led the way, hitting .309 with 44 homers and 125 RBI's. Right fielder Candy Maldonado matched Melton, batting .308 with 40 homers and 123 RBI's. First baseman Matt Davidson blasted 41 round-trippers and drove in 99 runs. Righthander Kyle Lohse led four 15-game winners, going 19-8 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. The Washington Ambassadors returned to the postseason for the first time since 2024, winning 88 games, including an 11-inning tiebreaker playoff against the Las Vegas Aces. Slugging left fielder Gus Zernial hit 45 homers and drove in 124 runs for Washington, while catcher Stephen Vogt hit .291 and slugged .506, popping 24 homers and driving in 76 runs. Veteran southpaw Rheal Cormier won 13 games with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Swingman Chris Short went 10-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 0.88 WHIP, and Aroldis Chapman saved 34 games with a 1.57 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. The Jacksonville Gulls narrowly missed the playoffs for the first time in ten seasons, winning 86 games after Keith Hernandez and Madison Bumgarner saw their seasons derailed by injuries. Third baseman Maikel Franco led the way, hitting .285 with 31 homers and 106 RBI's. Shortstop Tom Tresh chipped in with 28 homers and 97 RBI's. Righthander Freddie Fitzsimmons went 19-13 with a 3.82 ERA.

In the Southeast Division, the Nashville Blues appeared to be dead in the water at the end of June with a 37-42 record -- but they cruised to their third straight division title with a 56-27 second half. Second baseman Don Buford starred, hitting .339 with a .424 on-base percentage, including 19 homers and 107 RBI's. Shortstop Miguel Tejada had a breakout season, hitting .278 with 28 homers and 84 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Bob Shirley had a career-best 21-6 record with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Rich Gale was no slouch either, going 16-8 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Nashville held off the second-place New Orleans Crawfish by 5 games. The Crawfish sported a top-three offense, led by left fielder Tommy Davis, who ripped 248 hits on his way to batting .369 with 30 homers and 122 RBI's. Slugging first baseman Joey Meyer popped 40 homers with 113 RBI's. Righthander Heinie Berger yielded a 3.33 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, but that yielded just a 13-14 record.

The 99-win El Paso Armadillos won their fifth straight Texas Division title, narrowly missing having five players (Gorman Thomas, Goose Goslin, Gil Hodges, Frank Howard, and Hack Miller) join the 30 homers/ 100 RBI's club. Thomas led the way, hitting .279 with 47 homers and 123 RBI's. Hodges hit .312 with 32 homers and 99 RBI's. El Paso featured two 20-game winners, as Jordan Zimmerman went 23-6 with a 2.89 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Tommy Hunter went 21-10 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. They held off the Houston Pythons, who returned to the postseason for the first time in 13 seasons, winning 94 games. Center fielder Ryan Thompson hit 50 longballs and drove in 143 runs. Star left fielder Larry Hisle hit .330 with 37 homers and 101 RBI's despite missing 42 games. Crafty southpaw Jerry Reuss went 14-8 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while Frank Lange went 16-11 despite a mediocre 4.20 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen returned to the postseason with 91 wins. Third baseman Manny Machado had a breakout season, hitting .317 with 35 homers and 94 RBI's before suffering a season-ending abdominal tear. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez ripped 34 homers and drove in 89 runs. Right fielder Von Hayes popped 41 doubles, 26 homers, and stole 49 bases. Righthander Joe Ross went 21-7 with a 2.71 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and a league-high 293 strikeouts. Stubby Overmire posted a 19-9 record despite a middling 4.25 ERA.

The Albuquerque Conquistadors rewrote the record books, setting all-time team records for runs scored with an incredible 1,213, along with a record .318 team batting average and 289 homers, and narrowly missed setting a record with 275 steals. Albuquerque's top 7 hitters each topped 100 RBI's. Third baseman Frank Baker had the single best season in HRDL history, hitting .421 and slugging .838 with a ridiculous 262 hits, including 64 doubles, 61 homers, 173 RBI's, and 188 runs scored. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .378 with 38 homers and 160 RBI's. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .330 and slugged .608, pounding 49 doubles, 38 homers, driving in 125 runs, and stealing 62 bases. Zack Wheeler went 24-5 despite a subpar 4.89 ERA and bloated 1.51 WHIP. Free agent signee Dave Righetti notched a 19-6 record with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Las Vegas Aces- just two years removed from a disastrous 105-loss season - nearly made the postseason, as they won 87 games and lost a one-game playoff to Washington. DH George Bell hit .311 with 48 homers and 138 RBI's. Rookie right fielder Tony Gwynn hit .317 with 51 doubles, stole 30 bases, and scored 108 runs. Donne Wall posted an 18-8 record despite a 4.51 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

Dukie98 · 01-20-2019, 02:06 AM

Frontier League: The Portland Skunks entered the postseason -- just the third in the franchise's less-than-storied history -- with just 85 wins, but they upended the Buffalo Fighting Elk in seven games. Portland came from behind, erasing a 3-2 series deficit, and trailed Game 7 by the same score after seven innings. After Portland regained the lead, Buffalo's Andy Seminick sent Game 7 to extra-innings with a dramatic two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning -- only to see Portland take the lead for good on a two-run double by shortstop Ronny Cedeno in the top of the tenth. Portland centerfielder Dave Henderson was named series MVP after hitting .394 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while Portland left fielder Cliff Floyd hit .355 and slugged .806 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Southpaw Jarrod Washburn went 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA. Buffalo was led by left fielder Ken Singleton, who hit .423 with 4 homers and 12 RBI's in defeat. After dropping Game One to the Vancouver Viceroys, the St. Louis Pilots rattled off four straight wins. St. Louis third baseman Bobby Byrne took home MVP honors after hitting .389 and slugging 1.000, with 3 homers, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Catcher Milt May hit .294 and slugged .882, blasting 3 homers and driving in 6 runs. Righthander Ray Crone threw a six-hit shutout in Game Two. Vancouver first baseman Chick Gandil hit .421 with a homer and 4 RBI's. The Denver Spikes upended their division rival San Francisco Longshoremen in six games, led by catcher Frank Fernandez, who was named MVP after hitting .368 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg hit .346 with 2 homers and 4 runs scored, while third baseman Chris James hit .320 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Earl Johnson went 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings. San Francisco was led by left fielder Bob Nieman, who hit .409 with 5 walks and 2 RBI's. The Omaha Falcons, after jumping out to an early series lead, dropped the final four games to the Cincinnati Spiders, who were playing without injured star shortstop Corey Seager and closer Joel Zumaya. Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess took home the hardware after hitting .450 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI's. Veteran second sacker Junior Spivey hit .400 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Southpaw Ricky Romero threw a three-hit complete game in Game Three, allowing just one run. Omaha second baseman Eddie Moore hit .444 with a homer and 4 RBI's in a losing effort.

The upstart Portland Skunks outlasted the St. Louis Pilots in six games, winning Games Five and Six in romps after splitting the first four games. Second baseman John Knight was named MVP after hitting .409, with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, 2 steals, and 3 RBI's. Dave Henderson had another strong series, hitting .375 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, while first baseman Jeff Bagwell hit .273 with 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. St. Louis center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. put forth a valiant effort in defeat, hitting .429 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. The Cincinnati Spiders erased a 2-1 deficit to the Denver Spikes, winning the final three games of a six-game series, and holding Denver's high-octane offense to just 17 runs. Remarkably, Cincinnati won despite averaging fewer than six hits per game, including just one hit in Game Three, as Denver's Earl Johnson twirled a gem, and no Spiders batter hit over .261. In a controversial decision, Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess was named MVP despite hitting just .227, as he popped a game-tying homer in Game Five and drove in four runs. Southpaw Jon Matlack split two decisions, but posted a 1.59 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, while Don Drysdale registered a 2.38 ERA. Denver second sacker Bernie Friberg hit .280 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 3 RBI's. In a back-and-forth League Championship Series, Cincinnati outlasted Portland in seven games, with Spider second sacker Junior Spivey being named MVP after hitting .417 with a homer, five doubles, and 7 RBI's. Cincinnati third baseman Al Rosen hit .400 with a homer and drove in 4 runs. Don Drysdale notched a win in Game Two, posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings, with a brilliant 20:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Lefty Ricky Romero went 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings. Portland shortstop Ronny Cedeno hit .520 with a series-high 13 hits, scoring 4 runs and driving in 2.

Continental League: In the biggest upset of the postseason, the 88-win Washington Ambassadors outlasted the record-breaking offense of the 107-win Albuquerque Conquistadors in seven games, with a 10-0 blowout win in Game Seven. Washington shortstop Swede Risberg took home the hardware after hitting .407 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's. Washington center fielder Johnny Groth hit .308 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. DH Cito Gaston hit .433 with a pair of homers and 3 RBI's, and right fielder George Hendrick hit .407 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Franklin Morales was 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 14 innings, including 7.1 shutout innings in Game Seven. Albuquerque was led by second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who hit .385 and slugged an incredible 1.154, including 3 doubles, 5 homers, 8 runs scored, and 7 RBI's. Triple crown winner Frank Baker hit "just" .360 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's for the Conquistadors in a losing effort. The Charlotte Aviators nearly blew a 3-1 series lead to the Houston Pythons, but pulled it out in seven games. Charlotte left fielder was one of five Aviators with multiple homers, pounding the ball at a .500 clip and slugging .950, with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Catcher Gus Triandos hit .333 and blasted 3 round-trippers for Charlotte. Ageless righthander Bartolo Colon threw eight shutout innings in a 1-0 Game Two victory, and he notched a 1.93 ERA for the series. Houston was led by left fielder Larry Hisle and second baseman Frankie Gustine, each of whom topped .400 with a homer and 7 RBI's apiece. Houston DH Harry Lumley was just 6 for 28, but he blasted 5 homers and drove in 14 runs, believed to be an all-time high for a single series. The Nashville Blues' pitching staff dominated the San Antonio Marksmen, holding them to just 13 runs in a six-game victory. Nashville second baseman Don Buford took home MVP honors after hitting .375 with a homer and drove in 9 of the Blues' 21 runs in the series. Left fielder Ben Paschal and shortstop Miguel Tejada each blasted two homers and drove in 3 runs apiece. Southpaw Bob Shirley dominated, posting two complete-game victories with a 1.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez led San Antonio with 2 homers and 3 RBI's, including the game-winning blast in the 15th inning of Game Two. Although the New Orleans Crawfish sported a league-average pitching staff, they dominated the favored El Paso Armadillos, starting the series with 26 shutout innings on their way to a four-game sweep, allowing just 6 runs in the series. DH Adam Frazier was named MVP after hitting .421 with a homer, 4 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Right fielder Jeff Francoeur hit .294 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Starters Art Mahaffey, Heinie Berger and Steve Rogers combined for 22 shutout innings, with Mahaffey throwing a five-hit complete game shutout. El Paso was led by second baseman Jack Brohamer, who hit .375 and slugged .500, and Jordan Zimmerman, who threw seven shutout innings in Game One.

The Washington Ambassadors' good luck ran out in the Division Series, as the Charlotte Aviators blasted them in five games, scoring 39 runs along the way. Charlotte third baseman Bill Melton took home MVP honors after hitting .500 and slugging .917 with a pair of homers, 4 doubles, and 6 runs scored. Second baseman Bobby Grich hit .429 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Larry Cheney won both his starts, sporting a 3.12 ERA in 17.1 innings. Washington first baseman Eddie Robinson hit .368 with a homer and 3 RBI's in a losing effort. The New Orleans Crawfish took their division rival Nashville Blues to the limit, before falling in seven games, as Nashville's Rich Gale threw a 6-0 two-hit shutout in the decisive Game Seven. Nashville second baseman Don Buford was named MVP, hitting .481 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's, while shortstop Miguel Tejada hit .400 with a homer and 6 RBI's. Rightfielder Jerry Mumphrey, third baseman Shane Andrews, and DH Corey Hart each popped a pair of homers and drove in 5 runs apiece. Southpaw Bob Shirley went 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings. The Crawfish were led by hefty first baseman Joey Meyer, who hit .393 with 3 homers and a series-high 11 RBI's, tying a playoff record with 7 RBI's in Game One. Nashville's pitching staff, which ranked second in the Continental League, locked down the Aviators in six games in the League Championship Series. Nashville first baseman Greg Luzinski received MVP honors after hitting .474 with a .583 on-base percentage, including 3 homers, 7 runs, and 8 RBI's. Left fielder Ben Paschal hit .360 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, including a three-run homer to break open Game Six. Southpaw Bob Shirley continued his brilliant postseason run, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, allowing only 7 hits in 14 innings. Charlotte shortstop Mickey Stanley led the squad with a .409 average, including a homer and 3 RBI's.

World Series: The World Series lacked the star power of most years, as the 93-win Nashville Blues ranked just 18th in the Continental League in runs scored, while the 92-win Cincinnati Spiders were still missing injured star shortstop Corey Seager and closer Joel Zumaya. Nashville shortstop Miguel Tejada, who had a breakout season, went down for the series with a concussion in Game Two. Although Nashville took the first two games, Cincinnati rallied to win the final four games, winning the first series in franchise history in six games.

Nashville came from behind in Game One, scoring four runs in the seventh and eighth innings to erase a three-run deficit to win 4-3. Nashville righthander Rich Gale threw eight innings of six-hit ball, allowing just one earned run. Nashville's Greg Luzinski and Shane Andrews homered off Ricky Romero in the seventh inning to tie the game, while left fielder Ben Paschal homered off Cincinnati reliever Chris Resop in the eighth inning to take the lead. Right fielder David Murphy tripled in two runs earlier in the game for the Spiders. Nashville's Bob Shirley upped his postseason record to 6-0 in Game Two, throwing eight shutout innings and allowing just three hits in a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati's Joe Presko. The Spiders broke through in Game Three, winning 7-4 behind ace Don Drysdale, who notched his fourth win of the postseason. Spiders right fielder David Murphy had three hits and drove in 6 runs, while center fielder Zip Collins scored four runs.

Game Four went 13 innings, with Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess playing the hero with a 3-run walk-off homer off Chad Ogea in a 5-2 victory. Reliever Jesse Carlson earned the win, throwing 2.1 perfect innings. Cincinnati seized the series lead with a 6-4 victory in Game Five, as Ricky Romero threw a complete game, striking out nine. David Murphy drove in three runs for the Spiders, including a fifth-inning homer off Rich Gale to break open a one-run game. Ben Paschal popped three hits, including his seventh homer of the postseason, for the Blues. The Spiders finished the Blues off in Game Six, winning 3-2 with Joe Presko notching the win and Mike McCormick earning the save by getting the final five outs of the game. Bob Shirley's bid for a seventh win in a single postseason was unsuccessful, as he surrendered three unearned runs in the fifth inning. A two-run single by first baseman Mike Epstein proved to be the difference. The floodgates opened following two errors by overmatched backup shortstop Elmer Weingartner, the injury replacement for Tejada, who also committed a costly error in the 13th inning of Game Four.

Spider right fielder David Murphy was named MVP after hitting .292 with a homer and an incredible 13 RBI's, including four multi-RBI games. Shortstop Rafael Ramirez proved to be a capable replacement for Seager, hitting .364 and slugging .455. Smoky Burgess hit just .231, but hit a crucial homer in Game Four and drove in 6 runs. Joe Presko posted a 1.80 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in 15 innings. Nashville was led by right fielder Jerry Mumphrey, who hit .318 with a homer and five runs scored. Bob Shirley hurled 15 innings without yielding an earned run, allowing just 7 hits and zero walks in two brilliant starts.

Dukie98 · 01-20-2019, 10:30 PM

Frontier League MVP- Minnie Minoso, LF, TOR (27): .348/ .423/ .652, 207 hits, 32 doubles, 1 triple, 49 HR, 117 RBI, 121 runs, 18 SB, 173 OPS+, 7.5 WAR
Second place- Jeff Bagwell, 1B, POR (6): .311/ .450/ .603, 179 hits, 33 doubles, 3 triples, 43 HR, 136 RBI, 131 runs, 126 BB, 10 SB, 169 OPS+, 7.7 WAR
Third place- Don Mattingly, 1B, CLE (5): .347/ .387/ .642, 239 hits, 40 doubles, 14 triples, 45 HR, 113 RBI, 142 runs, 44 BB, 160 OPS+, 8.0 WAR
Fourth place- Sherry Magee, LF, PIT (1): .325/ .390/ .628, 203 hits, 42 doubles, 9 triples, 43 HR, 131 RBI, 124 runs, 70 BB, 75 SB, 158 OPS+, 6.7 WAR
Fifth place- John Montefusco, RHP, STL-VAN (8): 20-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 257 IP, 215 K, 77 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 157 ERA+, 9.8 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- John Montefusco, STL-VAN (47): 20-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 257 IP, 215 K, 77 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 157 ERA+, 9.8 WAR
Second place- Don Aase, SF: 24-8, 3.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 258 IP, 184 K, 68 BB, 5 CG, 4 shutouts, 147 ERA+, 6.3 WAR
Third place- Bob Moose, CHI (1): 20-9, 3.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 262 IP, 235 K, 69 BB, 8 CG, 2 shutouts, 151 ERA+, 9.1 WAR
Fourth place- Steve Barber, DEN: 17-11, 3.09 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 280 IP, 242 K, 94 BB, 9 CG, 149 ERA+, 8.2 WAR
Fifth place- Smoky Joe Wood, PIT: 16-12, 3.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 276 IP, 266 K, 82 BB, 10 CG, 4 shutouts, 135 ERA+, 9.6 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Rafael Palmeiro, LF, CLE (47): .314/ .393/ .602, 188 hits, 23 doubles, 1 triple, 49 HR, 125 RBI, 117 runs, 74 BB, 5 SB, 153 OPS+, 5.4 WAR
Second place- Cliff Floyd, LF, POR (1): .345/ .405/ .487, 212 hits, 48 doubles, 9 triples, 7 HR, 75 RBI, 116 runs, 53 BB, 28 SB, 129 OPS+, 5.5 WAR
Third place- Gail Hopkins, 1B, DET: .337/ .426/ .504, 191 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 19 HR, 90 RBI, 79 runs, 91 BB, 5 SB, 140 OPS+, 5.5 WAR

Continental League MVP- Frank Baker, 3B, ALB (48): .421/ .501/ .834, 262 hits, 64 doubles, 5 triples, 61 HR, 173 RBI, 188 runs, 103 BB, 25 SB, 230 OPS+, 15.3 WAR
Second place- Joe Ross, RHP, SA: 21-7, 2.71 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 289 IP, 293 K, 35 BB, 10 CG, 2 shutouts, 176 ERA+, 10.4 WAR
Third place- Doc Miller, RF, ALB: .378/ .419/ .644, 246 hits, 60 doubles, 1 triple, 37 HR, 160 RBI, 150 runs, 50 BB, 20 SB, 164 OPS+, 7.8 WAR
Fourth place- Ryne Sandberg, 2B, ALB: .330/ .391/ .608, 207 hits, 49 doubles, 6 triples, 38 HR, 125 RBI, 135 runs, 58 BB, 62 SB, + 9.7 Zone Rating, 148 OPS+, 8.9 WAR
Fifth place- Gorman Thomas, CF, ELP, .279/ .387, .580, 156 hits, 26 doubles, 1 triple, 47 HR, 123 RBI, 117 runs, 102 BB, 4 SB, +22.9 Zone Rating, 157 OPS+, 8.9 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Joe Ross, SA (44): 21-7, 2.71 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 289 IP, 293 K, 35 BB, 10 CG, 2 shutouts, 176 ERA+, 10.4 WAR
Second place- Bob Shirley, NAS (4): 21-6, 2.42 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 268 IP, 169 K, 32 BB, 13 CG, 5 shutouts, 194 ERA+, 7.5 WAR
Third place- Jordan Zimmermann, ELP: 23-6, 2.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 261 IP, 189 K, 36 BB, 8 CG, 2 shutouts, 166 ERA+, 5.7 WAR
Fourth place- Johnny Vander Meer, VB: 18-6, 2.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 221 IP, 271 K, 110 BB, 219 ERA+, 6.8 WAR
Fifth place- Earl Francis, AUS: 16-10, 2.70 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 223 IP, 195 K, 64 BB, 7 CG, 4 shutouts, 187 ERA+, 7.3 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: Johnny Vander Meer, LHP, VB (26): 18-6, 2.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 221 IP, 271 K, 110 BB, 219 ERA+, 6.8 WAR
Second place- Bob Johnson, CF/LF, AUS (22): .325/ .429/ .589, 191 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 36 HR, 129 RBI, 118 runs, 108 BB, 12 SB, 158 OPS+, 4.6 WAR
Third place- Nap Rucker, LHP, LA: 15-8, 2.69 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 228 IP, 220 K, 78 BB, 187 ERA+, 6.4 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Memphis River Pirates
2. Red Ames, RHP, Dallas Wildcatters
3. Joe DiMaggio, CF, Boston Minutemen
4. Leo Gomez, 3B, Oklahoma City Otters
5. John Fulgham, RHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians
6. Karl Best, RHP, Hartford Huskies
7. Toby Harrah, 3B, Miami Flamingos
8. Jigger Statz, CF, Cleveland Rocks
9. Jim Greengrass, LF, Atlanta Ducks
10. Don Wilson, RHP, Kansas City Mad Hatters

Dukie98 · 01-22-2019, 02:32 AM

The Hall of Fame added two more pitchers to its ranks, as two-time Cy Young Award winner Cy Blanton and three-time Reliever of the Year Tom Henke entered Cooperstown's hallowed halls. Blanton was tabbed with 88.9%, while Henke drew 85.1% of the vote. Surprisingly, right fielder Aaron Judge fell just short once again, drawing over 70% for the third straight year.

Blanton, a hard-throwing righthander, began his career with the London Werewolves with a bang, leading the Frontier League with 21 wins in his rookie season of 2014, when he finished as runner-up for the Rookie of the Year and third in the Cy Young voting. After another third-place finish in the Cy Young Voting, Blanton took the next step in his brilliant 2017, when he won the MVP and Cy Young Award after going 24-7 with a microscopic 1.38 ERA -- which remains the single-season record -- and 248 strikeouts. He repeated as Cy Young Award winner in 2018, when he went 21-8 with a league-leading 2.11 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, and finished second the next year after going 18-8 with a 2.44 ERA. After losing most of the 2021 season to a nerve injury, he signed with the Washington Ambassadors as a free agent, and he returned to his all-star form, going 18-13 with a 2.42 ERA and 254 strikeouts. After a slow start in 2023, he was surprisingly traded to the Denver Spikes where he went 9-4 with a 2.38 ERA. He finished his career with four solid seasons with the Miami Flamingos. Blanton retired with a 215-137 career record, a 2.84 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2923 strikeouts, and an incredible 102.0 WAR, ranking seventh all-time in the latter two categories as of the time of his induction. A three-time All-Star, Blanton had five top-three finishes in the Cy Young Award. Blanton upped his game in the postseason, posting a 12-4 career record with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.95 career WHIP in 20 starts. In 2019, he went 4-0 in 7 starts with a 1.71 ERA, leading London to its lone World Series title.

Henke was the most accomplished reliever in HRDL history, with 460 saves, 85 more than any other pitcher in league history. Henke made his debut in 2013 with the Philadelphia Hawks, where he was immediately installed as the club's closer. Henke spent seven years in Philadelphia and seven more with the Buffalo Fighting Elk; in his first thirteen seasons, he earned at least 29 saves each year, and posted an ERA below 2.00 six times. He made six all-star teams and topped 100 strikeouts three times. Henke notched two 40-save seasons: 2018, when he posted 40 saves with a 1.94 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts for the Hawks, and 2024, when he earned 40 saves with a 1.88 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts. His finest season, however, was arguably 2019, when he won 8 games with 29 saves, and posted a career-best 1.15 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. For his career, Henke posted a 77-60 with a 2.14 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 1256 strikeouts (at a rate of 10.2 per nine innings), and 41.6 WAR. In what has proven to be the Hall's toughest call to date, Henke was inducted as a member of the Fighting Elk.

The leading vote recipients include:

Cy Blanton, RHP, LON/ WAS/ DEN/ MIA: 88.9%
Tom Henke, RHP, PHI/ BUF: 85.5%
Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 72.0%
Ed Morgan, 1B, SD/ SA/ CHA/ NOR/ MIA: 64.2%
Jose Reyes, SS, CLE/ KAN: 63.2%
Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ VAN: 58.8%
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ SF/ ATL/ SEA: 54.7%
Dave Ferriss, RHP, DAL/ NAS: 48.6%
Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 44.9%
JT Realmuto, C, LA/ CLE: 42.9%

This year's ballot was the most unwieldly yet, consisting of 73 players, including 42 newcomers to the ballot. Noteworthy players who dropped off the ballot after failing to hit 5% include Joey Votto, Jackie Bradley, Jonny Venters, Dick Allen, Ken Gables, and Matt Harvey.

Here's a look at the Hall of Fame careers of Blanton and Henke:

Dukie98 · 01-24-2019, 11:04 PM

After 20 years of HRDL action, here's the breakdown of the most (and least) successful franchises:

Dukie98 · 01-24-2019, 11:49 PM

Here are the major award winners, first for the Frontier League, then for the Continental League:

Dukie98 · 01-25-2019, 02:35 AM

Here are the top players in league history at each position (by WAR):

Catcher
1. Dave Nilsson - .293/ .373/ .473, 2336 hits, 432 doubles,32 triples, 314 HR, 1089 RBI, 1159 runs, 223 SB, 149 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 94.1 WAR
2. Joe Mauer - .304/ .369/ .418, 2547 hits, 379 doubles, 45 triples, 163 HR, 1146 RBI, 1089 runs, 134 SB, 120 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 74.9 WAR
3. Gabby Hartnett - .298/ .380/ .532, 1550 hits, 313 doubles, 17 triples, 290 HR, 928 RBI, 912 runs, 130 SB, 158 OPS+, 8 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 73.4 WAR
4. Bill Freehan - .286/ .387/ .491, 1450 hits, 205 doubles, 5 triples, 275 HR, 889 RBI, 850 runs, 2 SB, 143 OPS+, 9 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 9 Gold Gloves, 70.2 WAR
5. JT Realmuto - .300/ .338/ .463, 1894 hits, 293 doubles, 104 triples, 175 HR, 910 RBI, 909 runs, 245 SB, 123 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 57.0 WAR

First base
1. Todd Helton - .317/ .404/ .514, 3222 hits, 582 doubles, 42 triples, 448 HR, 1673 RBI, 1610 runs,105 SB, 163 OPS+, 5 All-Star Games, 94.5 WAR [84.3 WAR as 1B]
2. Keith Hernandez - .322/ .406/ .509, 2780 hits, 525 hits, 157 triples, 258 HR, 1440 RBI, 1473 runs, 76 SB, 145 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star Games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 1 Gold Glove, 85.9 WAR [81.7 WAR as 1B]
3. Jeff Bagwell - .294/ .412/ .516, 1848 hits, 323 doubles, 38 triples, 333 HR, 1067 RBI, 1112 runs, 115 SB, 163 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 77.3 WAR
4. Greg Luzinski - .274/ .352/ .453, 2753 hits, 496 doubles, 29 triples, 419 HR, 1519 RBI, 1409 runs, 100 SB, 138 OPS+, 3 All-Star Games, 1 Silver Slugger, 4 Gold Gloves, 71.3 WAR
5. Ed Morgan - .322/ .417/ .495, 2888 hits, 516 doubles, 38 triples, 318 HR, 1499 RBI, 1459 runs, 68 SB, 154 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 65.0 WAR

Second base
1. George Grantham - .301/ .397/ .446, 3151 hits, 659 doubles, 55 triples, 249 HR, 1214 RBI,1823 runs, 1102 SB, 141 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 106.9 WAR
2. Paul Molitor - .310/ .386/ .463, 2581 hits, 498 doubles, 38 triples, 232 HR, 1052 RBI, 1386 runs, 431 SB, 138 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 77.2 WAR
3. DJ LeMahieu - .321/ .375/ .420, 2381 hits, 325 doubles, 91 triples, 78 HR, 674 RBI, 1109 runs, 323 SB, 127 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 4 Gold Gloves, 72.1 WAR
4. Joe Panik - .281/ .349/ .428, 2075 hits, 359 doubles, 93 triples, 181 HR, 1023 RBI, 963 runs, 55 SB, 116 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 1 Silver Slugger, 6 Gold Gloves, 67.9 WAR
5. Bernie Friberg - .299/ .389/ .426, 2564 hits, 463 doubles, 43 triples, 177 HR, 1065 RBI, 1322 runs, 226 SB, 121 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 61.8 WAR

Third base
1. Andy Van Slyke - .301/ .385/ .498, 3398 hits, 640 doubles, 146 triples, 428 HR, 1680 RBI, 1997 runs, 1017 SB, 151 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 7 Silver Sluggers, 143.6 WAR
2. Wade Boggs - .344/ .433/ .466, 3751 hits, 694 doubles, 71 triples, 166 HR, 1353 RBI, 1764 runs, 7 SB, 150 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers,135.3 WAR
3. Bill Melton - .307/ .388/ .546, 2717 hits, 406 doubles, 20 triples, 559 HR, 1715 RBI, 1452 runs, 37 SB, 150 OPS+, 11 All-Star Games, 9 Silver Sluggers, 107.5 WAR
4. Richie Hebner - .295/ .373/ .485, 2359 hits, 410 doubles, 43 triples, 342 HR, 1192 RBI, 1284 runs, 83 SB, 142 OPS+, 5 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 77.0 WAR
5. Gary Gaetti - .269/ .323/ .483, 2200 hits, 347 doubles, 44 triples, 436 HR, 1366 RBI, 1117 runs, 21 SB, 128 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 5 Gold Gloves, 74.6 WAR

Shortstop
1. Troy Tulowitzki - .282/ .347/ .458, 2091 hits, 288 doubles, 20 triples, 327 HR, 1105 RBI, 1086 runs, 67 SB, 129 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 2 Gold Gloves, 89.7 WAR
2. Jose Reyes - .290/ .341/ .429, 2581 hits, 428 doubles, 154 triples, 169 HR, 1051 RBI, 1334 runs, 683 SB, 122 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers 87.4 WAR
3. Charlie Hollocher - .306/ .363/ .409, 2596 hits, 490 doubles, 28 triples, 109 HR, 871 RBI, 1253 runs, 664 SB, 118 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 75.6 WAR
4. Francisco Lindor - .285/ .347/ .484, 1583 hits, 263 doubles, 36 triples, 258 HR, 890 RBI, 854 runs, 197 SB, 134 OPS+, 1 MVP, 6 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 6 Gold Gloves, 74.0 WAR
5. Donie Bush - .279/ .402/ .345, 1948 hits, 306 doubles, 16 triples, 41 HR, 483 RBI, 1291 runs, 947 SB, 120 OPS+, 2 All-Star games, 72.4 WAR

Left field
1. Gary Matthews - .302/ .385/ .504, 2647 hits, 352 doubles, 120 triples, 391 HR, 1458 RBI, 1459 runs, 339 SB, 151 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 96.2 WAR
2. Jim Edmonds - .287/ .378/ .493, 2519 hits, 488 doubles, 42 triples, 413 HR, 1495 RBI, 1412 runs, 78 SB, 139 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 86.6 WAR
3. Ken Singleton - .308/ .414/ .495, 2426 hits, 439 doubles, 7 triples, 338 HR, 1237 RBI, 1299 runs, 12 SB, 162 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 82.9 WAR
4. Jerome Walton - .291/ .355 /.423, 2780 hits, 508 doubles, 48 triples, 218 HR, 1082 RBI, 1339 runs, 383 SB, 124 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 6 Gold Gloves, 80.5 WAR [75.5 WAR as LF]
5. Sherry Magee - .319/ .385/ .560, 1904 hits, 391 doubles, 76 triples, 298 HR, 1083 RBI, 1072 runs, 710 SB, 165 OPS+, 1 MVP, 5 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 75.3 WAR

Center field
1. Kirby Puckett - .303/ .342/ .465, 3052 hits, 556 doubles, 148 triples, 259 HR, 1300 RBI, 1378 runs, 288 SB, 125 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 6 Gold Gloves, 106.0 WAR
2. Gorman Thomas - .262/ .356/ .479, 1785 hits, 345 doubles, 24 triples, 363 HR, 1157 RBI, 1065 runs, 74 SB, 131 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 81.5 WAR
3. Tommie Agee - .298/ .356/ .465, 2275 hits, 405 doubles, 11 triples, 282 HR, 935 RBI's, 1387 runs, 708 SB, 118 OPS+, 1 MVP, 5 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 4 Gold Gloves, 77.5 WAR
4. JD Drew- .289/ .386/ .488, 2414 hits, 347 doubles, 134 triples, 352 HR, 1445 RBI's, 1413 runs, 451 SB, 151 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 75.2 WAR
5. AJ Pollock - .301/ .341/ .471, 2199 hits, 441 doubles, 64 triples, 222 HR, 1015 RBI's, 985 runs, 171 SB, 129 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 70.6 WAR
5. (tie) Chet Lemon - .270/ .342/ .459, 1634 hits, 304 doubles, 72 triples, 233 HR, 941 RBI's, 953 runs, 335 SB, 116 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 1 Silver Slugger, 6 Gold Gloves,70.6 WAR

Right field
1. Mickey Mantle - .318/ .395/ .554, 3019 hits, 432 doubles, 74 triples, 555 HR, 1654 RBI, 1696 runs, 226 SB, 166 OPS+, 7 MVPs, 10 All-Star Games, 9 Silver Sluggers, 166 OPS+, 121.3 WAR
2. Bryce Harper - .326/ .439/ .556, 3705 hits, 555 doubles, 82 triples, 633 HR, 2174 RBI, 2229 runs, 185 SB, 169 OPS+, 1 MVP, 12 All-Star games, 10 Silver Sluggers, 133.2 WAR [101.6 WAR as LF]
3. Gary Sheffield - .288/ .377/ .497, 2422 hits, 329 doubles, 76 triples, 426 HR, 1423 RBI's, 1526 runs, 414 SB, 144 OPS+, 4 All-Star Games, 75.5 WAR
4. Reggie Smith - .319/ .401/ .534, 2488 hits, 481 doubles, 59 triples, 360 HR, 1292 RBI, 1411 runs, 262 SB, 158 OPS+, 3 MVP's, 5 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 92.1 WAR [74.2 WAR as RF]
5. Bobby Bonds - .303/ .381/ .511, 2185 hits, 302 doubles, 60 triples, 359 HR, 1117 RBI's, 1290 runs, 580 SB, 146 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 73.7 WAR

Pitcher
1. Gary Nolan - 319-258, 3.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 5366 IP, 2738 K, 928 BB, 123 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 4 All-Star games, 3 Gold Gloves, 131.0 WAR
2. Madison Bumgarner- 257-172, 2.69 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 4319 IP, 3441 K, 982 BB, 152 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 7 All-Star games, 121.0 WAR
3. Don Drysdale - 189-104, 2.27 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 2797 IP, 2878 K, 432 BB, 175 ERA+, 8 All-Star teams, 1 Silver Slugger, 110.6 WAR
4. Jack Chesbro - 214-106, 2.35 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 3136 IP, 2660 K, 813 BB, 169 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 9 All-Star games, 108.1 WAR
5. John Montefusco - 202-155, 2.72 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3427 IP, 2803 K, 990 BB, 148 ERA+, 2 Cy Youngs, 6 All-Star games, 103.0 WAR
6. Reb Russell - 242-178, 2.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3911 IP, 1985 K, 633 BB, 141 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 3 All-Star games, 2 Gold Gloves, 1 Silver Slugger, 102.9 WAR
7. Cy Blanton - 215-137, 2.84 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3273 IP, 2923 K, 871 BB, 149 ERA+, 1 MVP, 2 Cy Young Awards, 3 All-Star Games, 102.0 WAR
8. Joe Ross - 158-131, 2.69 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 2962 IP, 2783 K, 438 BB, 150 ERA+, 2 Cy Young Awards, 3 All-Star games, 101.6 WAR
9. Brett Anderson - 270-110, 2.72 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3644 IP, 2211 K, 731 BB, 144 ERA+, 4 Cy Youngs, 9 All-Star games,100.4 WAR
10. Heinie Berger- 240-155, 2.92 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3854 IP, 2751 K, 1376 BB, 141 ERA+, 1 MVP, 1 Cy Young, 6 All-Star games 97.7 WAR
11. Dick Ruthven - 231-210, 3.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4090 IP, 2871 K, 1147 BB, 124 ERA+, 1 All-Star game, 96.7 WAR
12. Dizzy Trout - 243-147, 3.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3694 IP, 2647 K, 1002 BB, 133 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 10 All-Star games, 96.3 WAR
13. Dave Righetti - 231-134, 2.83 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3472 IP, 2644 K, 1104 BB, 144 ERA+, 2 Cy Youngs, 4 All-Star games, 94.4 WAR
14. Ray Collins - 225-137, 2.74 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3415 IP, 1543 K, 510 BB, 146 ERA+, 8 All-Star games, 94.2 WAR
15. Larry Jaster - 285-157, 2.99 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 4306 IP, 2425 K, 624 BB, 134 ERA+, 3 All-Star games, 94.0 WAR

ripitback · 01-31-2019, 03:34 PM

I have enjoyed reading through this thread. To set something up like this did you create a fictional league and delete the players while using the random debut feature?

Dukie98 · 02-01-2019, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripitback

I have enjoyed reading through this thread. To set something up like this did you create a fictional league and delete the players while using the random debut feature?

Thanks. If I recall correctly, I used the historic setup for 2010 (with 1975 as the base year for stats/ financials), then manually renamed the teams, deleted the franchise history, and conducted an initial dispersal draft. As I recall, the draft would allow for 44 players per franchise, so I needed to use a 30-team league historic setup so I wouldn't run out of players -- it created an initial player pool of about 1300 players, which would allow for 27 players per team for the initial 48-team draft. I turned off injuries for the first year or two, to allow teams to build up a little depth.

Here's the thread where I got some guidance on how to do the initial setup: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=288387

Dukie98 · 02-03-2019, 03:46 AM

Here's a look at the major storylines across the league at the 2031 All-Star break:

Exceeding expectations: The Baltimore Robins sought to snap a twelve-year streak of missing the postseason, ending the first half with a 43-32 record and a modest two-game lead in the Northeast Division. Baltimore's middling offense was led by All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez, who took a .308 average, 17 homers, and 43 RBI's into the break, while third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo looked to have a breakout season, hitting .351 and slugging .514 with 8 homers and 43 runs scored. Baltimore's starting pitching, however, proved to be special, led by star southpaw Randy Johnson, who jumped out to a 9-1 start with a 1.71 ERA and 136 strikeouts. Rookie lefty Brian Matusz went just 4-7, but sported a 2.82 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. The London Werewolves, after a free-agent shopping spree, looked certain to return to the playoffs after a 5-year hiatus, including three straight seasons with no more than 75 wins. London took a 49-26 record into the break, leading Detroit by 4 1/2 games. New second baseman Ryne Sandberg led the way, hitting .318 with 16 homers, 53 RBI's, and 29 steals. Rookie lefty Vern Olsen went 11-2 with a stellar 1.85 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Closer Mike Myers had 22 saves and a 1.82 ERA. In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls sought to avenge a rare postseason absence, going 46-29 in the first half. The Gulls ended the half tied for second in the league in runs scored, led by a return to form by star first baseman Keith Hernandez, who hit .379 with 19 doubles and 10 homers despite missing a month. Shortstop Tom Tresh hit .285 with 15 homers and a team-high 54 RBI's. Francisco Cordova led an overachieving pitching staff, going 8-2 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Although the Birmingham Steelers had three straight seasons below .500, they entered the break tied for first place in the Southeast Division with a 39-36 record. Shortstop Jose Hernandez hit .292 with 11 homers and a team-high 60 RBI's. Leftfielder Adam Frazier set the table, hitting .356 out of the leadoff slot, with 24 doubles and 58 runs scored. Veteran righthander Steve Busby went 7-4 with a solid 2.72 ERA.

Disappointments: Although the St. Louis Pilots won an unexpected division title in 2030 with 90 wins, it was apparent that a return trip to the playoffs was not in the cards, as they limped to a 5-17 start as part of a 32-42 first half. Offensively, the Pilots ranked next to last in the league in runs scored and homers and dead last in steals. Center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. tailed off drastically, dropping off from hitting .259 with 19 homers and 75 RBI's to a meager .207 with 8 homers and 30 RBI's. Third baseman Bobby Byrne went from 14 homers and 80 runs scored in 2030 to a lone homer, 18 runs scored, and 14 RBI's at the All-Star break. Free agent signee Hal Morris, who ripped 21 homers and drove in 125 runs for a mediocre New York offense last year, popped just 7 homers and drove in a mere 25 runs. Meanwhile, the Pilots' pitching, which ranked among the league's best last season, dropped off to the middle of the pack, as Jerry Augustine, a 13-game winner a year ago with an adequate 4.10 ERA, went just 2-3 with a bloated 5.76 ERA. Paul Derringer saw his ERA rise by half a run over his strong rookie campaign. The San Francisco Longshoremen, who won 92 games and made a surprise playoff appearance last season, dropped off to a 34-40 record at midseason. Right fielder Jose Canseco, who unexpectedly won the batting title last season, hit just .246 in first half (although he showed increased power production). Second-year first baseman Joe Adcock, who hit .323 and slugged .556 in a strong rookie campaign, dropped off to just .264 and .381, respectively, at the break. The biggest dropoff, however, was on the mound. Brad Halsey, a 12-game winner with a solid 3.30 ERA in 2030, had a dreadful first half, going 0-6 with a ghastly 7.06 ERA, surrendering 23 homers in just 88 innings. Don Aase saw his ERA jump from 3.10 last year to 4.43 at the break. The Nashville Blues, the defending Continental League champions, were in danger of missing the postseason for the first time in four years, after a disappointing 38-37 half. Franchise icon Greg Luzinski appeared to be at the end of the line, after hitting just .218 and slugging a punchless .332 in an injury-riddled first half. Second baseman Don Buford, a down-ballot MVP candidate last year, saw his batting average plummet by over 100 points, as he hit just .232 with 3 homers and 37 RBI's, and the Blues struggled to replace Miguel Tejada, who departed in free agency, at shortstop, as Swede Risberg hit just .232 with 3 homers and 20 runs scored. Longtime ace Bob Shirley had a rough half, going 5-8 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. The Houston Pythons, who won 94 games last year, entered the break below .500 at 37-38. Houston's offense, while still solidly above average, did not reach the heights of last season's 257-homer squad. But the Pythons' pitching ranked among the worst in the league. Ownie Carroll was the biggest offender, seeing his ERA spike by over 3 runs a game to 7.85, as he went just 2-9. Southpaw Scott Aldred, a surprise signing after losing 19 games last year for Miami, was an unmitigated disaster, going 1-7 with a 8.22 ERA and an atrocious 2.31 WHIP.

London Calling: The London Werewolves were traditionally a solid, if unspectacular franchise, and it had made the playoffs only once since 2019. But the Werewolves attacked the offseason with a vengeance, signing All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg and 3-time MVP right fielder Reggie Smith on the same day. Adding to their postseason haul, the Werewolves added oft-injured left fielder Duffy Lewis and pitcher Matt Albers, and they traded for catcher Scott Hatteberg in spring training. Although Smith popped only three round-trippers before going down for two months with a knee injury in mid-May, the Werewolves' shopping spree was an unmitigated success, as they ended the first half with the best record in the Frontier League.

Albuquerque Conquers Opposing Pitchers: The Albuquerque Conquistadors expected to take a step back after losing star infielders Ryne Sandberg and Yoan Moncada in free agency. Although both players starred for their new squads (London and Denver, respectively), the Conquistadors continued to punish enemy pitching staffs, scoring 520 runs in the first half -- nearly 100 more than any other team in baseball -- and leading baseball in almost every significant offensive category other than steals. 3-time MVP Frank Baker continued to dominate, hitting .428 with 28 homers and 86 RBI's, while first baseman George Brett developed a power stroke, hitting .336 with a .619 slugging percentage, including 46 extra-base hits. Despite a subpar pitching staff, which was further weakened by the loss of closer Chuck Finley, the Conquistadors took a 47-27 record into the break.

Pennant Races Abound: Six of the eight divisions were separated by two games or less at the All-Star break, and none of the division leaders enjoyed more than a 4 1/2 game lead at the break. This represented a stark contrast from past seasons, which often featured at least one double-digit division lead at midseason. The Southeast Division was particularly tight, as four teams were separated by 2 games, with the fifth-place Atlanta Ducks still in the hunt.

MASH: San Antonio: The San Antonio Marksmen somehow ended the first half with a 39-34 record, even though their pitching staff was decimated by injuries. At the All-Star break, five pitchers were on the disabled list, and three more- including Don Drysdale - were suffering from nagging day-to-day injuries. Most notably, defending Cy Young Award winner Joe Ross tore an elbow tendon after notching a 1.65 ERA with 97 strikeouts in his first 11 starts, knocking him out of commission until the start of next season. Bobby Jones and John Denny, who combined for 30 wins last season, started only 11 games combined in the first half, although both were expected back before the end of July. Veteran reliever Wesley Wright would not return until next spring after tearing an elbow tendon.

Major injuries: San Antonio was not the only club to suffer multiple substantial injuries; the Charlotte Aviators were also bitten by the injury bug, as veteran Hank Robinson, an 18-game winner last year, tore his UCL and would be out until early 2032. Charlotte second baseman Bobby Grich broke his hand in late April and would not return until the start of July. Detroit righthander Larry Jaster's quest for 300 wins was put on hold, as he tore his UCL after achieving his 290th career victory. London rightfielder Reggie Smith went down with knee tendinitis in mid-May. For the second straight season, Philadelphia shortstop Charlie Hollocher was sidelined, as he broke his ankle in mid-April and would not return until the end of August. San Diego ace Ham Iburg tore his UCL in June, ending a likely all-star campaign.

Major milestones: London rightfielder Reggie Smith notched his 2,500th career hit. Anaheim third baseman and Virginia Beach DH Boog Powell each popped their 400th career homer. El Paso third baseman Rube Oldring was expected join the 3,000 hit club by the Fourth of July. Los Angeles teammates Gary Matthews, Sr. and Norm Cash were likely to join the 400 homer club before year's end. Jacksonville's Dizzy Trout earned his 200th career victory, while San Antonio's Don Drysdale and Washington's Rheal Cormier each won their 200th game, while Drysdale was likely to join the 3,000 strikeout club in his next start.

Dukie98 · 02-05-2019, 02:44 AM

Frontier League: The Baltimore Robins survived a midseason swoon to take the Northeast Division title with 87 wins, making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Slugging backstop Gary Sanchez led a middling offense, hitting .307 with 37 homers and 100 RBI's. Right fielder Hal McRae hit .349 and slugged .584, popping 19 homers and driving in 82 runs in just 114 games. Southpaw Randy Johnson had a breakout season, as the Big Unit went 17-4, leading the league with a career-best 1.87 ERA and 0.95 WHIP and striking out 239 hitters in 207 innings. Southpaw Clayton Richard went 11-10 with a solid 3.21 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Baltimore edged the Buffalo Fighting Elk, who lost nine of their last twelve games to finish with just 82 wins, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2023. Buffalo struggled offensively, finishing just 21st in the Frontier League in runs scored. They were led by left fielder Ron Jones, who hit 34 homers and drove in 98 runs, but no one else on the squad topped 14 homers or drove in more than 72 runs. Righthander Willard Nixon led a solid starting rotation with a 12-6 record and a 2.94 ERA before tearing his UCL in mid-September.

The Detroit Fighting Elk won the Great Lakes Division with 100 wins behind the best pitching staff in baseball, which surrendered just 559 runs. Offensively, Detroit was led by left fielder Mel Hall, who hit .279 with 43 homers and 112 RBI's. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, a free agent signee, hit 36 homers and drove in 94 runs, while right fielder Larry Sheets blasted 37 round-trippers and drove in 97 runs. Hard-luck righthander Ed Walsh went just 11-12, despite a strong 2.78 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. Mike Garcia, another free agent acquisition, went 20-7 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, while veteran righthander Larry Jansen went 18-9 with a 2.99 ERA. The London Werewolves returned to the postseason for the first time in five years, winning 93 games, led by MVP candidate Ryne Sandberg, who hit a league-best .368 with 39 homers, 127 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and 66 steals. First baseman Greg Gagne hit .294 with 27 homers and 123 RBI's. Right fielder Reggie Smith hit .323 with 15 homers and 75 RBI's in an injury-riddled debut season with the Werewolves, in just 109 games. Matt Morris led a deep pitching staff with a 15-8 record, a 2.60 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Frank Papish posted a 16-7 record with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The defending champion Cincinnati Spiders snuck into the playoffs with 86 wins, led by star shortstop Corey Seager, who hit .364 with 42 homers and 127 RBI's. Right fielder David Murphy hit .272, blasting 21 homers and driving in 93 runs. Southpaw Ricky Romero had a breakout season, going 20-7 with a 3.53 ERA and 209 strikeouts. Jon Matlack went just 11-10, despite a 2.86 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts in just 25 starts.

The Chicago Mules rallied from a slow start to take the Great Plains Division with 88 wins, four games ahead of the Omaha Falcons. Veteran first baseman George Altman hit .307 and slugged .550 with 49 doubles, 32 homers, and 120 RBI's. Right fielder Bobby Murcer also popped 32 round-trippers, and plated 107 runs. Rookie left fielder Gene Clines hit .355, leading the Frontier League with 240 hits, and he swiped 64 bases. Bob Moose led the Mules' moundsmen with an 18-7 record, a 2.97 ERA and 250 strikeouts. Closer Roy Parmelee notched 37 saves with a 1.87 ERA, striking out 99 hitters in 68 innings. Omaha rallied late to pull within four games of the Mules, finishing with 84 victories. Gorman Thomas led the Falcons offensively, hitting 38 homers and driving in 106 runs, while Lou Gehrig hit .289 with 31 homers, 99 runs scored, and 89 RBI's.

The Portland Skunks unexpectedly led baseball with 104 victories, riding a league-best offense which scored 935 runs and pounded 224 longballs. First baseman Jeff Bagwell starred, hitting .341 with a .459 on-base percentage, and leading the Frontier League with 55 homers and 143 RBI's. Left fielder Mike Easler hit .288 with 39 homers and 128 RBI's, while second baseman John Knight hit .328 with 56 doubles, 23 homers, 135 runs scored, and 103 RBI's. Southpaw Mark Thurmond went 19-7 with a 2.94 ERA, while Kyle Snyder went 18-8 with a 3.92 ERA. The Seattle Whales won 98 games, led by first baseman Lee May, who ripped 39 homers with 138 RBI's, and left fielder Sherry Magee, who hit .301 with 27 homers, 86 RBI's,109 runs scored, and 48 steals. Righthander Jose Guzman posted a 23-5 record with a 2.64 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 237 strikeouts. Steady Bob Osborn was 10-7 with a 2.96 ERA. Despite stumbling in the last two months, the Denver Spikes earned a playoff bid with 87 wins. Catcher Frank Fernandez had a breakout season, hitting .265 and slugging .566 with 42 homers and 142 RBI's. Free agent signee Yoan Moncada hit .289 with 37 homers, 96 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and 78 steals. Denver's pitching ranked second in the Frontier League, as Steve Barber went 21-8 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts. Southpaw Earl Johnson went 19-9 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

Continental League: The Washington Ambassadors nearly went wire-to-wire, as they won their first Atlantic Division title since 2012, winning 97 games. Washington's offense ranked third in the Continental League, as slugging left fielder Gus Zernial hit .298 with 54 homers and 140 RBI's. DH Eddie Robinson hit .342 with 33 homers and 104 RBI's. Right fielder Ralph Garr hit .362 with 43 doubles, 115 runs scored, and 28 steals. Lefties Rheal Cormier and Franklin Morales won 17 games apiece, and Chris Short notched 39 saves with a 2.44 ERA. The Jacksonville Gulls rallied to clinch a playoff spot on the final day of the season, winning 87 games on the season. Shortstop Tom Tresh hit .303 with 36 homers and 120 RBI's. First baseman Keith Hernandez hit .327 and slugged .582, blasting 24 homers and driving in 99 runs.

The New Orleans Crawfish ran away with the Southeast Division title with 91 victories, taking the division by ten games. Shortstop/ third baseman Manny Machado earned his free agent contract, hitting .339 with 38 homers and 135 RBI's. Left fielder Tommie Davis hit .334 with 228 hits, 17 homers and 116 runs scored. Catcher Benito Santiago hit .290, popping 20 homers, driving in 75 runs, and swiping 34 bags. Art Mahaffey led a mediocre pitching staff, going 15-15 with a 3.91 ERA, while Clarence Pickrel saved 45 games with a 2.44 ERA.

The Dallas Wildcatters were a surprise winner of the Texas Division with 86 wins, winning 16 of 22 games during one stretch in September to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Dallas was led offensively by left fielder Mike Greenwell, who hit .339 and slugged .589, pounding 33 homers and driving in 113 runs. Ageless right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly hit .281 with 28 homers and 85 RBI's, notching his 3,500th career hit and 450th career homer. Rookie righthander Red Ames went 15-12 with a 3.10 ERA, and led baseball with 286 strikeouts. Hank Borowy went 16-10 with a 3.78 ERA. Dallas edged the El Paso Armadillos and Houston Pythons by a game apiece, as each was eliminated on the last day of the season to finish with 85 wins. El Paso struggled offensively, finishing 21st in the league in runs scored. They were led by first baseman Gil Hodges, who hit .298 with 26 homers and 100 RBI's, and DH Frank Howard, who ripped 24 round-trippers and plated 94 runs. Southpaw Dontrelle Willis led a deep pitching staff with 14 wins and a 3.57 ERA. Houston's powerful offense featured four 30-homer hitters, as they blasted 227 homers, led by center fielder Ryan Thompson, who hit .280 with 44 homers and 139 RBI's, and left fielder Larry Hisle, who hit .362 with 40 longballs and 112 RBI's. Southpaw Jerry Reuss posted a 21-11 record with a 3.29 ERA.

The Albuquerque Conquistadors survived the loss of MVP candidates Ryne Sandberg and Yoan Moncada to free agency, registering 99 wins with another elite offensive showing. Albuquerque scored 1115 runs, hitting .311 as a team with a league-best 268 homers. Frank :"Home Run" Baker won yet another triple crown, hitting .383 with 54 homers and 164 RBI's. First baseman George Brett blossomed into a star, hitting .341 and slugging .653 with 54 doubles, 37 homers and 149 RBI's. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .352 with 34 homers and 135 RBI's. Slugging catcher Tex Erwin hit .296 with 43 homers and 121 RBI's. Paul Toth and Dave Righetti each won 14 games to pace a mediocre pitching staff. The Los Angeles Kangaroos returned to the postseason after three straight fourth-place finishes, winning 97 games. Four Kangaroos topped .300, led by center fielder Bobby Tolan, who hit .325 with 50 doubles, 13 homers, 82 RBI's, and 66 steals. DH Norm Cash hit .300 with 26 homers and 93 RBI's, while catcher Elston Howard hit .314 with 21 homers and 91 RBI's. Lefty Nap Rucker paced a strong pitching staff, going 19-12 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts. Steve Woodard went 18-9 with a 3.77 ERA. The Las Vegas Aces thrived despite a subpar offense, winning 95 games as DH George Bell hit .290 with 41 homers and 124 RBI's. Right fielder Tony Gwynn rapped 220 hits, posting a .332 average with 45 doubles, 111 runs, and 66 steals. Journeyman righthander Ron Kline went 20-6 with a league-best 2.44 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, as the Aces led the Continental League with just 646 runs allowed. Butch Wensloff went 15-8 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, while Bill Kennedy posted 38 saves with a 1.87 ERA. The Phoenix Lizards took the final playoff slot with 89 wins, behind an explosive offense that ranked second in baseball. Left fielder Irish Meusel hit .332 and slugged .606 with 47 homers and 148 RBI's. Right fielder Cliff Heathcote hit .329 with 46 doubles, 33 homers, 117 RBI's, and 50 steals. Second baseman Jose Altuve set the table, hitting .322 with 110 runs scored and 31 steals. Alex Fernandez was the lone bright spot for an otherwise-lousy pitching staff, going 16-8 with a 3.92 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and fanned 218 batters.

12-28-2018, 01:21 AM	#121
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2028 Hall of Fame Voting The Hall of Fame proved to be the Hall of Pitching, as Brad Lidge was the sole player elected -- making him the seventh pitcher among the nine inductees, and the first one who was primarily a reliever. In his third year on the ballot, six-time All-Star Lidge edged over the threshold with 75.7% of the vote. Lidge, a fireballing righthander, began his career with the San Francisco Longshoremen, where he posted sub-2.00 ERA's in his first four seasons. After five All-Star seasons with San Francisco, whom he led to the 2016 World Series, he signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Fighting Elk, where he spent three more seasons -- again notching ERA's below 2.00 and averaged over a strikeout per inning. After an unexpected signing with the Oklahoma City Otters, he was traded to the Chicago Mules in 2021, where he spent the final two-plus seasons of his career. He posted seven seasons in the top ten in the league in saves, and also led the Frontier League in holds in 2020. Lidge posted four top-three finishes in the Reliever of the Year voting, in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2019. Over his career, Lidge sported a 50-46 record with a dazzling 2.08 ERA and 328 saves, never posting an ERA over 2.50 until the last two years of his career. He struck out 977 batters, over 10 per nine innings. At the time of his induction, he ranked fifth all-time on the career saves list, and fourth in strikeouts per 9 innings. The leading vote recipients include: Brad Lidge, RHP, SF/ BUF/ OKC/ CHI: 75.7% Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 70.8% Gary Sheffield, RF, SF/LA/ KC/ OMA: 66.3% Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ ATL/ SF/ SEA: 61.7% Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ PHI/ VAN: 59.0% Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 39.5% Nomar Garciaparra, SS, OTT: 34.3% Joakim Soria, RHP, LON/ NO/ SEA/ LV/ JAX/ KC: 34.0% Kent Hrbek, 1B, DEN/ JAX/ MIN: 33.4% Rube Marquard, LHP, CHI/ ELP: 28.6% Due to an unwieldy ballot featuring nearly 60 players, league management opted to increase the minimum threshold to remain on the ballot from 2% to 5% -- a change that resulted in the elimination of twelve candidates from next year's ballot. Noteworthy players who will drop off the ballot after failing to receive 5% include Kevin Seitzer, Ryan Howard, Torii Hunter, Rod Carew, Mel Stottlemyre, and Jim Northrup. Here's a look at Lidge's Hall of Fame career: Attached Images

12-30-2018, 03:59 AM	#122
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2029 Mid-Year Review Here's a look at the major storylines across the league at the 2029 All-Star Break: Exceeding Expectations: The Omaha Falcons had long been an afterthought in the highly competitive Great Plains division, topping 82 wins only a single time in franchise history. But they raced out to a 49-26 start, driven by an opportunistic offense and elite pitching staff. Right fielder Jose Cruz had a breakout season, hitting .294 with 21 homers and 48 RBI's at the break, while free agent signee Gabby Hartnett hit .290 and slugged .534 for the first half. The pitching staff survived the offseason departure of longtime ace Ed Walsh to Detroit in free agency. Clay Hensley took an 11-1 record with a 2.23 ERA into the break, while Chick Robitaille went 10-3 with a 2.61 ERA. The Seattle Whales, coming off two mediocre seasons with 73 and 83 wins, jumped out to a 47-27 start, taking a 10-game lead in the Northwest Division into the break. Catcher Brian McCann led a middling offense, hitting .316 and slugging .476 with 6 homers, and first baseman Josh Bell added 13 homers and 44 RBI's. Jose Guzman led a deep pitching staff with an 8-4 record, a 2.81 ERA, and a 1.09 WHIP. Southpaw screwballer Mike Cuellar led the league's deepest bullpen with 22 saves and a 1.62 ERA. In the Continental League, the Memphis River Pirates provided the most unexpected surprise of the half. Although they had not topped 77 wins since their lone playoff appearance six years earlier, Memphis jumped out to a 47-28 record behind a strong pitching staff -- despite losing ace Harry Krause at the end of April. All-star shortstop Glenn Wright hit .336 with 14 homers and 44 RBI's. Journeymen sluggers Mike Marshall and CJ Cron combined for 22 homers and 88 RBI's. On the mound, Ben Tincup sparkled, going 9-2 with a 1.52 ERA and an 0.91 WHIP, while closer Stan Thomas added 24 saves with a 1.87 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen appeared poised to return to the postseason for the first time in ten seasons, going 47-27. Although the Marksmen struggled to put runs on the board, Sean Rodriguez led five double-digit homer-hitters with 16 homers and 43 RBI's, and third baseman Manny Machado hit .288 with 12 homers. John Denny led the stingiest pitching staff in the league (just 235 runs allowed) with a 10-2 record and a 2.22 ERA, and free agent signee Joe Ross won 7 games with a 3.29 ERA and 110 strikeouts. Disappointments: While few observers expected the Ottawa Parliamentarians to repeat their surprise playoff appearance from 2028, especially after losing Aroldis Chapman and multiple starting pitchers in free agency, a 30-45 first half could not be termed anything other than a massive disappointment. While the offense took a mild step back into a middle-of-the-pack unit, their pitching staff was an unmitigated disaster, as their starters ranked dead last in the Frontier League in ERA and their bullpen was next-to-last. Bo Belinsky, the lone returning starter, saw his ERA soar from 3.44 to 5.24. The Denver Spikes, winners of 101 games in 2028, entered the break with just a 36-37 record, 10 1/2 games behind Seattle. While Denver's offense, which added center fielder Larry Doby, remained solid, their pitching staff dropped off to just 21st in the league in runs allowed. Longtime ace Bruce Berenyi missed a month, and he saw his ERA more than double from 2.04 to 4.14. Earl Johnson and Bill Hands both saw their ERA's leap by nearly two runs apiece. In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals were a surprise playoff entrant last season with 91 wins, but they dropped off drastically to 29-46. Offensively, the Admirals struggled, with only one player with double digit homers. DH Pat Mullin was particularly dreadful, hitting just .174 and slugging .269. On the mound, the Admirals struggled to replace 19-game winner Steve Busby, who departed in free agency, and Joe Gibbon and Johnny Beazley both saw their ERA's increase by nearly a run. The Phoenix Lizards appeared poised to return to the playoffs after winning 95 games last season, but they entered the break in last place in the Southwest Division, with a 31-44 record. Leadoff hitter Bobby Tolan tailed off drastically, dropping from a .326 average with a .376 on-base percentage last season to .270 with a .299 on-base percentage. Slugger Kevin Mitchell hit a middling .242 with 11 homers -- hardly the production the Lizards expected from the two-time MVP. Free agent signee Lloyd Moseby hit just .208, and two other regulars were on the short side of the Mendoza line. On the mound, Art Nehf, who won 21 games last year, slipped to 5-7 with a 4.13 ERA, and free agent signee Andy Sonnanstine disappointed, going just 3-8 with a 4.30 ERA. Woe Canada: None of the HRDL's seven Canadian teams ended the first half above .500. In the Northeast Division, the Montreal Knights brought up the rear, with a 32-43 record. In the Great Lakes Division, the London Werewolves -- traditionally one of the league's most consistent franchises -- ended the half in last place with a 28-46 record. The Ottawa Parliamentarians ended the half in fifth place at 30-45. Although the Toronto Predators got off to a hot start, they stumbled with an 11-18 May, ending the half at 37-38. In the Northwest Division, the Calgary Cattle Rustlers -- a .500 squad last season -- ended the half in fifth place at 34-39. The Vancouver Viceroys went 37-37 in the first half, but were 10 games out of first place. Offensive Spike: Both leagues saw the leaguewide ERA jump by approximately a third of a run, to the highest level since 2023. Both teams also saw a double-digit increase in the league batting average. Six players ended the first half with batting averages over .370, led by Albuquerque third baseman Frank Baker, who hit .388 for the half. Seven players popped at least 20 homers for the half. Free Agent Flops: Several high-profile free agents decamped for greener pastures, only to struggle in their new locale. Detroit ace Justin Verlander unexpectedly signed with the Hartford Huskies -- only to go 5-8 with a 4.14 ERA, nearly two runs higher than last year's mark. Andy Sonnanstine, an 18-game winner for Jacksonville, went just 3-8 for Phoenix with a 4.30 ERA. Clarence Pickrel, who saved 42 games last year for Buffalo, jumped to New Orleans, only to see his ERA double to 6.39, with a 1.65 WHIP. Chicago signed shortstop Luke Appling to a 3-year deal, but he hit just .234 with a .280 slugging percentage in the first half. Major injuries: Anaheim closer Fernando Rodney tore his UCL in May, knocking him out of commission for the season. Buffalo left fielder and defending World Series MVP Ken Singleton broke his foot, causing him to miss most of June and July. Miami right fielder Frank Robinson tore his hamstring, causing him to miss three months. San Diego shortstop Julio Franco broke his ankle in early May, and was not expected to return until late August. Major milestones: Charlotte third baseman Wade Boggs became the first player in league history to notch 3,500 hits. Nashville first baseman Greg Luzinski joined the 2,500 hit club. Jacksonville right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly blasted his 400th homer, while Phoenix's Kevin Mitchell and Detroit's Reggie Smith each joined the 300-homer club. On the mound, Kansas City righthander Gary Nolan became the first pitcher in league history to top 300 wins. Charlotte teammates Larry Jaster and Hank Robinson earned their 250th and 200th wins, respectively, and Atlanta southpaw Rube Bressler also joined the 200-win club. El Paso DH Bryce Harper was poised to join Boggs in the 3,500 hit club in August, while Houston's Mickey Mantle and New Orleans's George Grantham were each likely to reach their 3,000th hit by the end of July. Harper was also expected to become the first player in league history to hit 600 homers, as he entered the break at 595. Charlotte slugger Bill Melton was one strong month away from joining the 500-homer club.

01-02-2019, 02:37 AM	#123
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2029 Year in Review Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas had a dominant season, leading the Frontier League in both runs scored and in the fewest runs allowed, as they won a franchise-record 102 games. Left fielder Sherry Magee somehow improved on his MVP season from a year ago, hitting a league-best .367 and slugging .698 with 91 extra base hits, including 38 homers, 129 RBI's, 65 steals, and 122 runs scored. All-star catcher Curt Blefary hit .341 with 29 homers and 85 RBI's, while third baseman Scott Brosius hit .284 with 28 homers and 117 RBI's. On the mound, Smoky Joe Wood ended July with an incredible 20-1 record and a 1.30 ERA; although he slowed down in September, he still won the Triple Crown, going 24-6 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 293 strikeouts. Al Benton went 20-8 with a solid 2.69 ERA. The defending champion Buffalo Fighting Elk rallied from a summer swoon to win 88 games and take a wild card slot. First baseman Orlando Cepeda hit .302 and slugged .497, with 50 doubles, 26 homers, and a career-high 109 RBI's. Michael Cuddyer blasted 29 homers and drove in 111 runs, and Salvador Perez inherited the mantle of franchise icon Dave Nilsson behind the plate, ripping 18 homers and driving in 81 runs. Lee Meadows paced the staff with a 17-9 record and a 3.61 ERA. After a monumental collapse last season, the Cincinnati Spiders left nothing to chance, winning 94 games to take the Great Lakes Division by 4 games, earning their first playoff berth in nine seasons. Despite ranking third from the bottom with just 90 homers, the Spiders had an above-average offense, as shortstop Corey Seager hit .293 with 17 homers and 78 RBI's, and third baseman Al Rosen had a career year, hitting .319 with 83 RBI's. The Spiders overcame a shaky bullpen with the best starting pitching in the league, as ace Don Drysdale went 21-5 with a 2.02 ERA, a league-leading 0.90 WHIP, and 247 strikeouts, while Jon Matlack rallied from a 2-6 record on Memorial Day to finish 18-10 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Cincinnati held off the Toronto Predators, who had a dominant second half to finish with 90 wins. Left fielder Minnie Minoso had a breakout season, hitting .348 with 40 homers, 112 RBI's and 21 steals. Free agent signees Jack Clark and Bill Terry combined for 54 homers and 212 RBI's, with Terry hitting .327. On the mound, journeyman Steven Matz had a career season, going 18-9 with a 3.67 ERA, while Craig Stammen went 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA. In Detroit, the Purple Gang overcame significant injuries to Dave Righetti and Ed Walsh and the offseason departure of Justin Verlander in free agency, returning to the postseason for the seventh time in nine years with 86 wins. After losing 9 of 14 to end the season, Detroit rallied to eliminate the Denver Spikes in a one-game playoff, 10-5, scoring 5 runs in the tenth inning. 3-time MVP Reggie Smith carried a mediocre offense, hitting .350 and slugging .623, pounding 40 homers and driving in a league-high 132 runs. Left fielder Mel Hall ripped 27 homers and drove in 93 runs, while free agent signee Todd Helton earned his keep, hitting .285 with 23 homers and 77 RBI's. Workhorse Dick Ruthven went 14-13 with a 4.05 ERA, while Walsh went 12-5 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP before going down at the end of July with a back injury. In the Great Plains Division, the Omaha Falcons proved to be the surprise of the league, unexpectedly winning 101 games to earn just the second playoff spot in franchise history. Omaha led the league with 161 homers, as right fielder Jose Cruz topped four players with 20+ homers, hitting .287 with 36 homers and 102 RBI's. Catcher Gabby Hartnett, who joined the squad as a free agent from St. Louis, hit .294 with 25 homers and 77 RBI's. The Falcons' deep rotation was one of the strongest in the league, as Clay Hensley went 20-5 with a 2.89 ERA, Chick Robitaille went 20-10 with a 2.92 ERA, while Kyle Barraclough anchored the pen with 35 saves and a 2.90 ERA. The Chicago Mules rode their traditional formula of dominant starting pitching and just enough offense to win 92 games and seize a wild-card spot. Right fielder Bobby Murcer blasted 34 homers and drove in 99 runs while stealing 18 bases. After a slow start, shortstop Luke Appling had a dominant second half, hitting .293 with a .388 on-base percentage and stealing 26 bases. Ace Bob Moose went 16-8 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts. Steve Barber went just 15-15 despite a strong 3.02 ERA and 202 strikeouts. Bud Norris offset Barber's bad luck, going 17-6 despite an ordinary 3.69 ERA. In the Northwest Division, the Seattle Whales coasted to the division title, opening up a double-digit lead by midseason, and ultimately won 96 games on the back of a strong pitching staff. Catcher Brian McCann hit .300 with 18 homers and 67 RBI's, while leadoff man Lee Mazzilli had a breakout sophomore season, hitting .296 with a .381 on-base percentage, with 13 homers, 80 RBI's, 37 steals, and 96 runs scored. Bob Osborn anchored a steady staff, going 13-6 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, while Jose Guzman sported a 14-11 record with a 3.17 ERA and 208 strikeouts. Kaz Sasaki anchored the league's deepest bullpen with a 1.64 ERA and 0.82 WHIP, as five relievers boasted ERA's below 2.40. The 85-win Denver Spikes failed to recapture the magic of last year's 101-win squad, sleepwalking through the first half before forcing a one-game playoff with Detroit. All-star third baseman Chris James hit .313 with 27 homers and 113 RBI's, while center fielder Larry Doby hit .296 with 27 homers and 101 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg set the tone from the leadoff slot, hitting .313 with a stellar .423 on-base percentage, while ripping 17 homers, with 71 RBI's and 111 runs scored. But the pitching staff ranked among the worst in the league, as none of the starters posted an ERA below 4.00, and ace Bruce Berenyi had a career-worst season, going 13-9 with a mediocre 4.06 ERA, and his WHIP spiked from 1.07 to 1.39. Continental League: With 99 wins, the Charlotte Aviators won the Atlantic Division, notching their seventeenth straight playoff appearance. Charlotte again led the HRDL in homers by a wide margin, blasting 264 round-trippers (third-highest all-time), and they finished second in baseball with 945 runs. Seven players pounded at least 27 homers, led by DH Bill Melton, who hit .308 with 43 homers and 112 RBI's. Second baseman Bobby Grich had a career season, hitting .325 with 34 homers and 103 RBI's. First baseman Matt Davidson unexpectedly popped 34 homers and drove in 94 runs, and Tommie Agee, Michael Conforto, Gus Triandos, and Candy Maldonado smacked between 27 and 29 homers apiece, with Agee hitting .304 with 37 steals for good measure. Larry Jaster went 24-6 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while Larry Cheney went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA. Charlotte held off a late surge by the rival Jacksonville Gulls, who won 98 games. First baseman Keith Hernandez had another banner campaign, hitting .321 with 65 extra-base hits, including 14 homers and 109 RBI's. Right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly burnished his Hall of Fame credentials, hitting .300 with 26 homers (putting him over 400 for his storied career) and 105 RBI's. Shortstop Tom Tresh, who came over from Montreal as a free agent, hit .287 with 29 homers and 100 RBI's. The Nashville Blues ran away with the Southeast Division, tying a franchise record with 106 wins. An opportunistic offense finished in the top 5 in the league in runs scored, leading the league with 255 steals. Greg Luzinski starred, hitting .282 with 31 homers and a league-high 134 RBI's. Left fielder Ben Paschal had a terrific all-around season, hitting .300 and slugging .499 with 29 homers, 120 RBI's, and 37 steals. Third baseman Shane Andrews ripped 26 homers with 95 RBI's, while shortstop Miguel Tejada hit 22 homers, drove in 89 runs, and stole 33 bases. The traditionally strong Nashville pitching staff finished third in the Continental League in runs allowed, as Bob Shirley went 19-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, and Chad Ogea went 17-12 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Bob Locker anchored a deep bullpen with 44 saves and a 2.39 ERA. After spending most of the first half over .600, the Memphis River Pirates made an unexpected postseason run, finishing with a franchise-best 93 wins, topping .500 for the first time in six years. Shortstop Glenn Wright starred, hitting .293 and slugging .509, with 26 homers and 81 RBI's, despite missing most of September with a strained ACL. Left fielder Mike Marshall hit .274 with 29 homers and 100 RBI's, while Kevin Bass and CJ Cron hit 20 homers apiece. Second-year righthander Ben Tincup had a stunning turnaround from his 2-15 debut, going 17-6 with a league-best 1.97 ERA, along with a 1.04 WHIP. Paul Toth went 17-8 with a 3.45 ERA, and Stan Thomas led baseball with 46 saves, to go with a 2.09 ERA. The New Orleans Crawfish returned to the postseason for the seventh time in nine years, winning 91 games behind a top-three offense in baseball. First baseman Lou Gehrig hit .301 with 29 homers and 121 RBI's. Rookie left fielder Tommie Davis starred, hitting .349 and slugging .514 with 18 homers and 93 RBI's. Star shortstop Jean Segura hit .334 with 67 extra-base hits, stole 44 bases, and scored 121 runs. Rookie DH Joey Meyer starred despite not starting regularly until August, hitting .327 and slugging .573, with 13 homers and 48 RBI's in just 220 at bats. Heinie Berger led an otherwise subpar pitching staff, going 15-10 with a 3.07 ERA. The El Paso Armadillos had another dominant season despite losing 20-game winner Tex Carleton for the season in the 2028 World Series -- but they suffered a series of devastating losses in August, losing southpaw Dontrelle Willis and slugger Hack Miller to injuries. Center fielder Gorman Thomas led five players with at least 21 homers, hitting .270 with 31 homers and 101 RBI's. DH Bryce Harper continued to drive the ball, becoming the founding member of the 600-homer club, ripping 23 homers with 99 RBI's. Sluggers Gil Hodges and Frank Howard combined for 50 homers, 210 runs scored, and 143 RBI's. El Paso featured the league's best pitching staff, surrendering just 546 runs. Jordan Zimmermann went 19-7 with a 2.27 ERA and a league-best 0.87 WHIP to go with 199 strikeouts. Wayne Garland went 20-7 with a 2.95 ERA, surrendering a remarkable 20 walks in 250 innings. In the pen, Mike Kekich posted 35 saves with a 2.93 ERA, while setup man Wilbur Wood had a microscopic 0.56 ERA with an 0.98 WHIP. The San Antonio Marksmen overcame a subpar offense, including a league-worst .244 team batting average, to make the playoffs with 93 wins. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez hit 34 homers and 81 RBI's, while third baseman Manny Machado hit 25 homers with 79 RBI's. But the Marksmen had a deep pitching staff, finishing second in the league in runs allowed, as Bobby Jones went 19-3 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Free agent signee Joe Ross went just 14-15, but sported a 3.33 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. John Denny posted a 17-9 record with a 3.08 ERA. Closer Joe Gonzales came over from Anaheim in June and posted 22 saves with an 0.88 ERA. The Anaheim Antelopes made their fourth straight postseason appearance, taking the Southwest Division with 92 wins. Left fielder Enos Slaughter hit .314 with 14 homers, 88 RBI's, and 98 runs scored. Right fielder Jerry Mumphrey hit .331 and slugged .457, with 10 homers, 85 runs scored, and 22 steals. Sluggers Larry Parrish and Ike Brown hit 24 homers apiece, with 95 RBI's, and 78 RBI's, respectively. Free agent signee Noah Syndergaard starred, going 18-9 with a 2.66 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts, while Jim Neidlinger went 17-8 with a 3.27 ERA. They edged out the Albuquerque Conquistadors, who won 88 games but narrowly missed the playoffs by three games. Albuquerque smashed the all-time record, scoring 1,046 runs while ranking first in the league in every offensive category except homers and steals, where they finished second; unfortunately, they allowed a league-worst 941 runs. Six players topped 100 RBI's. Frank Baker posted another MVP-caliber campaign, hitting .389 and slugging .656, with 36 homers, 130 RBI's, 157 runs scored, and 48 steals. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .348 with 30 homers, 54 doubles, 123 RBI's, and 126 runs scored. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .299, pounding 34 homers with 128 RBI's and 60 steals, while catcher Tex Erwin blossomed, hitting .292 and slugging .576 with 34 homers and 102 RBI's. But their pitching was an unmitigated disaster. Steve Rogers was solid, going 15-14 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, and Chuck Finley had a team-best 15-7 record despite a mediocre 4.32 ERA. But seven different Albuquerque pitchers threw at least 50 innings with an ERA of 5.73 or worse-- including Bert Blyleven's 200 innings with a ghastly 6.49 ERA and 1.77 WHIP and Johnny Broaca's 83 innings with a 9.36 ERA and 2.25 WHIP. Attached Images

01-04-2019, 02:36 AM	#124
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2029 Playoff Report Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas ranked first in the Frontier League in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed, while the Detroit Purple Gang ranked fourteenth in both categories. Naturally, Detroit upset the 102-win Golden Gorillas in six games. Star rightfielder Reggie Smith took home MVP honors, hitting .360 and slugging .840 with 3 homers, 6 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. Second baseman Andy High hit .346 with 3 doubles, and veteran righthander Dixie Leverett went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA. Pittsburgh ace Smoky Joe Wood was brilliant in defeat, winning both his starts and posting a 0.59 ERA in 15.1 innings, while left fielder Sherry Magee ripped 3 homers and drove in 6 of the Golden Gorillas 15 runs in the series. The Cincinnati Spiders knocked off the Chicago Mules in six games, for the first series win in franchise history. Shortstop Corey Seager took home the hardware, hitting .450 with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. First baseman Wes Parker hit .360 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Ace Don Drysdale was just 1-1, dropping a 1-0 decision in the opener, but sported a 1.06 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in 17 innings. The Mules were led by second baseman Jamey Carroll, who hit .348 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Chicago righthander Steve Barber took a no-hitter into the ninth inning of Game 1 before giving up a pinch-hit single to Bobby Etheridge; Barber finished with a complete-game 1-hit shutout victory, but he left Game 5 in the second inning with a sprained ankle. The Seattle Whales took the first three games from the Toronto Predators before prevailing in six games. Center fielder Bobby Estalella starred, hitting .478 and slugging .957 with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, and 6 RBI's, including hitting for the cycle in Game One. Rookie shortstop Dick Bartell hit .471 with a homer and 5 RBI's for the Whales. Seattle righthander Bob Osborn surrendered just 5 hits and a single run in 12 innings. Toronto was led by right fielder Jack Clark, who hit .429 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's -- 7 of which came in a Game 4 onslaught. In the final series of the Wild Card round, the 101-win Omaha Falcons swept the defending champion Buffalo Fighting Elk, scoring nearly seven runs per game against the vaunted Buffalo pitching staff. Omaha center fielder Jason Ellison hit .500 with 4 runs scored, including a 5-hit explosion in Game 3. Catcher Gabby Hartnett hit .400 with a homer and a series-high 5 RBI's. Omaha's bullpen was brilliant, as five relievers combined to allow just 5 hits in 9.1 shutout innings. Third baseman Kevin Orie provided the lone bright spot for Buffalo, hitting .353 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. In the Division Series, Cincinnati thoroughly dominated Detroit, outscoring the Purple Gang 46-11 in a four-game sweep, which was believed to be the single most lopsided series in league history. Cincinnati left fielder Joe Vitiello was named MVP after hitting .538 with 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 9 RBI's,earning the hardware in a controversial decision over first baseman Wes Parker, who hit .412 with 4 homers and 6 RBI's. Center fielder Chuck Carr had 9 hits, hitting .474 with 6 RBI's. Detroit was led by left fielder Mel Hall, who hit .333 with a solo homer. On the other side of the bracket, the Seattle Whales and Omaha Falcons traded victories for the entire series, with Seattle prevailing in a Game Seven romp. Once again, center fielder Bobby Estalella was named MVP, after hitting .478 with 6 doubles, 3 homers, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Seattle left fielder Lee Mazzilli hit .321 with 3 homers -- including 2 in Game Seven -- and 4 RBI's. Jose Guzman went 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA, including 15 strikeouts in 14.2 innings, while the Whales' bullpen allowed just one earned run in over 14 innings. Omaha was led by left fielder Duffy Lewis, who had a series-high 12 hits, as he hit .462 with a homer and 4 RBI's, and first baseman Aaron Boone, who hit 2 homers and drove in 8 runs. In the League Championship Series, Seattle easily upended Cincinnati, taking the first three games on their way to a 5-game series win. Seattle catcher Brian McCann led a balanced attack, earning MVP honors after hitting .364 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Bob Osborn went 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in a victorious effort. Corey Seager led the way for Cincinnati, hitting .429 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Continental League: In a matchup of two of the top pitching staffs in baseball, the Nashville Blues edged the San Antonio Marksmen in seven games -- six of which were decided by a single run. Nashville center fielder Nemo Leibold found himself named MVP, hitting .393 with 4 doubles, 3 steals, and 5 runs scored. Left fielder Ben Paschal matched Leibold, hitting .393 as well with 3 RBI's. Veteran southpaw Bob Shirley went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA. The Marksmen were led by third baseman Manny Machado, who hit .346 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's. After dropping the first two games to the Anaheim Antelopes, the Jacksonville Gulls stormed back to win four straight games, clinching the series on a 2-run, 10th inning homer by Larry Herndon. Veteran rightfielder George "High Pockets" Kelly took home MVP honors after hitting .417 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Herndon popped 2 homers and drove in 8 runs. Rookie closer Mike Hartley notched a win and a save with five hitless innings. Anaheim featured four players with multiple homers, led by center fielder Ike Brown, who hit .417 with 2 round-trippers and 4 RBI's. The 99-win Charlotte Aviators, a postseason fixture, easily disposed of the overmatched Memphis River Pirates in five games, as Memphis was further handicapped by the absence of all-star shortstop Glenn Wright. Rookie shortstop Mickey Stanley won MVP honors for Charlotte, hitting .526 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Center fielder Tommie Agee hit .318, leading all hitters with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Larry Cheney went 1-0, sporting a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings. Memphis was led by third baseman Sammy Esposito, who hit .438 with 3 multi-hit games and 2 RBI's. The 106-win El Paso Armadillos dominated the New Orleans Crawfish, advancing in five games. Second baseman Jack Brohamer was selected MVP after hitting .526 with six runs scored. DH Bryce Harper hit .333 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Righthander Jordan Zimmermann went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, while Wayne Garland threw 8 shutout innings of three-hit ball. Crawfish left fielder Tommie Davis hit .318 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's in defeat. In a series where the road team won all seven games, the Jacksonville Gulls outlasted the Nashville Blues. Jacksonville first baseman Keith Hernandez took home the trophy after hitting .393 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's, while High Pockets Kelly hit .321 with a series-high 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Jacksonville's bullpen surrendered just one run in 19 innings. The Blues were led once again by Nemo Leibold, who hit .400 with 5 RBI's, 4 runs scored, and 4 steals. In a rematch of last season's League Championship Series, the Charlotte Aviators got their revenge, sweeping El Paso. Charlotte catcher Gus Triandos hoisted the hardware after hitting .333 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's, including a walk-off homer in the bottom of the tenth inning of Game Four. Tommie Agee chipped in with two homers and 5 RBI's. Gorman Thomas hit 2 homers and drove in 3 runs for El Paso. In the League Championship Series, Charlotte easily dispatched Jacksonville in five games, in a matchup of division rivals that had occurred in three of the prior four years. Charlotte right fielder Candy Maldonado was an easy MVP choice, after hitting .450 with 5 homers and 12 RBI's. Left fielder Michael Conforto hit .500, rapping 2 homers and driving in 3 runs. Jacksonville left fielder Joe Christopher hit .526 and scored 5 runs. World Series: In a classic World Series featuring five one-run games, the Seattle Whales outlasted the Charlotte Aviators in seven games, in a rematch of the 2024 World Series. With the win, Seattle became just the second franchise in HRDL history to win three world championships, joining the Los Angeles Kangaroos. Charlotte took Game One in commanding fashion, 5-0, as Hank Robinson threw seven shutout innings, and the Aviators hit 3 homers in the fourth inning. Seattle held on for a 10-9 victory in Game Two, as shortstop Dick Bartell had 4 hits and 2 runs scored, while center fielder Bobby Estalella had 3 hits, 2 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Charlotte first baseman Matt Davidson hit two homers and walked twice, driving in 4 runs and scoring 4 more. Seattle took control of the series in Game Three, winning 3-2 as Bob Osborn outdueled Larry Jaster, allowing just 3 hits in 7 innings. Josh Bell and Lee Mazzilli had three hits apiece for the Whales. The Whales took Game Four 7-6 in 12 innings, erasing a 5-0 deficit, and winning on a walk-off homer by Brian McCann. McCann, Bobby Estalella, and Bobby Higginson each homered in a dramatic eighth inning to force extra innings. With their backs against the wall, Charlotte pulled out Game Five, 3-2 in 12 innings. Hank Robinson threw 7 shutout innings for Charlotte, while Seattle's Jose Guzman surrendered just one run in 8 innings. Gus Triandos homered for Charlotte, while Dick Bartell had four hits for Seattle, including a 12th inning triple. Charlotte took Game Six 10-9, with Mickey Stanley ripping a walk-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning. Charlotte blasted five homers, with Triandos popping two more jacks and driving in four runs. Josh Bell homered for Seattle, and Bartell ripped two doubles and drove in 3 runs. Seattle took Game Seven 9-4, with Bob Osborn getting the win over Roger Clemens, and Ed Vosberg hurling 2.2 hitless innings for the save. Seattle erased an early 3-0 deficit, as DH Freddy Leach and Mazzilli each homered, while third baseman Jeff Hamilton had three hits, including two doubles. Bartell was a surprise selection as MVP, hitting .469 with a series-high 15 hits, to go with 8 runs scored and 6 RBI's. Hamilton hit .458 with 5 RBI's. Seattle's deep bullpen proved to be the difference, as Vosberg, Kaz Sasaki, Ken Kravec and Ozzie Osborn allowed just one run in 17 innings. Charlotte was led by Triandos, who received substantial MVP support after hitting .500 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. Southpaw Hank Robinson hurled 14 shutout innings for the Aviators. Attached Images

01-06-2019, 02:27 AM	#127
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2029 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- Smoky Joe Wood, RHP, PIT (45): 24-6, 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 270 IP, 293 K, 75 BB, 11 CG, 8 shutouts, 229 ERA+, 11.8 WAR; .301/ .372/ .494, 25 hits 7 doubles, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 17 runs, 10 BB, 131 OPS+, 0.3 WAR (as hitter) Second place- Reggie Smith, RF, DET (2): .350/ .423/ .623, 210 hits, 42 doubles, 1 triple, 40 HR, 132 RBI, 107 rubs, 80 BB, 22 SB, 178 OPS+, 9.0 WAR Third place- Don Drysdale, RHP, CIN: 21-5, 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 241 IP, 247 K, 27 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 200 ERA+, 10.5 WAR Fourth place- Sherry Magee, LF, PIT: .367/ .422/ .698, 194 hits, 45 doubles, 8 triples, 38 HR, 129 RBI, 122 runs, 53 BB, 65 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.1 WAR Fifth place- Minnie Minoso, LF, TOR (1): .348/ .427/ .618, 204 hits, 35 doubles, 2 triples, 40 HR, 112 RBI, 108 runs, 69 BB, 21 SB, 178 OPS+, 7.9 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award- Smoky Joe Wood, PIT (48): 24-6, 1.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 270 IP, 293 K, 75 BB, 11 CG, 8 shutouts, 229 ERA+, 11.8 WAR; Second place- Don Drysdale, CIN: 21-5, 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 241 IP, 247 K, 27 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 200 ERA+, 10.5 WAR Third place- Bob Moose, CHI: 16-8, 2.45 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 268 IP, 226 K, 58 BB, 6 CG, 3 shutouts, 165 ERA+, 9.2 WAR Fourth place- Jon Matlack, CIN: 18-10, 2.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 268 IP, 203 K, 54 BB, 11 CG, 4 shutouts, 152 ERA+, 7.0 WAR Fifth place- Willard Nixon, CAL: 20-7, 2.20 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 257 IP, 192 K, 58 BB, 9 CG, 3 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 6.8 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Johnny Mize, 1B, MON (43): .329/ .414/ .575, 166 hits, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 28 HR, 94 RBI, 90 runs, 73 BB, 5 SB, 164 OPS+, 5.8 WAR Second place- Ernie Banks, 1B, BOS (5): .322/ .376/ .511, 206 hits, 40 doubles, 9 triples, 21 HR, 104 RBI, 100 runs, 50 BB, 6 SB, 137 OPS+, 5.9 WAR Third place- Aledmys Diaz, SS, VAN: .313/ .349/ .476, 201 hits, 43 doubles, 1 triple, 20 HR, 83 RBI, 77 runs, 39 BB, 4 SB, 120 OPS+, 5.1 WAR Continental League MVP: Frank Baker, 3B, ALB (47): .389/ .479/ .656, 233 hits, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 36 HR, 130 RBI, 104 BB, 48 SB, 196 OPS+, 12.2 WAR Second place- Bill Melton, DH, CHA: .308/ .388/ .565, 188 hits, 24 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 112 RBI, 111 runs, 75 BB, 146 OPS+, 5.9 WAR Third place- Bobby Grich, 2B, CHA: .325/ .389/ .571, 190 hits, 24 doubles, 9 triples, 34 HR, 103 RBI, 109 runs, 63 BB, 13 SB, 148 OPS+, 6.7 WAR Fourth place- Ham Iburg, RHP, SD: 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR Fifth place- Noah Syndergaard, RHP ANA (1): 18-9, 2.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 261 IP, 218 K, 74 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 168 ERA+, 7.2 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Ham Iburg, SD (32): 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR Second place- Noah Syndergaard, ANA (8): 18-9, 2.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 261 IP, 218 K, 74 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 168 ERA+, 7.2 WAR Third place- Ben Tincup, MEM (6): 17-6, 1.97 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 210 IP, 187 K, 65 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 225 ERA+, 5.7 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year: Ham Iburg, RHP, SD (47): 19-13, 2.43 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 285 IP, 238 K, 87 BB, 16 CG, 5 shutouts, 183 ERA+, 8.8 WAR Second place- Butch Wensloff, RHP, LV: 17-11, 2.82 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 255 IP, 185 K, 62 BB, 8 CG, 1 shutout, 153 ERA+, 5.4 WAR Third place- Tommie Davis, LF, NO (1): .349/ .362/ .514, 180 hits, 27 doubles, 2 triples, 93 RBI, 69 runs, 10 BB, 12 SB, 130 OPS+, 3.8 WAR Top draft picks: 1. Tris Speaker, CF, Hartford Huskies 2. Johnny Vander Meer, LHP, Virginia Beach Admirals 3. Hank Borowy, RHP, Dallas Wildcatters 4. Matt Morris, RHP, London Werewolves 5. Rafael Palmeiro, 1B/ LF, Cleveland Rocks 6. Paul Derringer, RHP, St. Louis Pilots 7. Jason Kendall, C, Birmingham Steelers 8. Dallas Keuchel, LHP, Oklahoma City Otters 9. Bob Johnson, LF, Austin Mustangs 10. Chris Sabo, 3B, Minneapolis Penguins

01-04-2019, 04:44 PM	#125
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 8,847	Who holds your single season hit record and how many?

01-08-2019, 12:36 AM	#128
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2029 Hall of Fame Voting The Hall of Fame welcomed slugging rightfielder Gary Sheffield to its hallowed halls. Sheffield was tabbed in his second year on the ballot, with 76.6% of the vote, and he becomes the third position player to be honored. Surprisingly, Sheffield leapfrogged Aaron Judge in the voting, picking up an additional ten percent, while Judge improved only one percent from last year. Sheffield, a powerful right fielder with good speed and a keen eye at the plate, began his career with the San Francisco Longshoremen, where he hit 78 homers in the first two years of the HRDL, leading the Frontier League with 38 round-trippers in 2012 He joined the Los Angeles Kangaroos as a free agent in 2013, where he spent the next eight years, hitting 259 homers and stealing 260 bases. A four-time all-star, his finest season was 2015, when he hit .315 with a .401 on-base percentage, with 43 homers, 150 RBI's, and 34 steals. He was a key member of the 2014 and 2016 World Series-winning Kangaroos, hitting a combined 13 homers in those postseasons, and he later won MVP honors for three postseason series. Sheffield spent four seasons with the Kansas City Mad Hatters, for whom he ripped 85 homers, and scored a league-high 130 runs in 2022. He retired after spending one final season as a part-time player for the Omaha Falcons. In his career, Sheffield hit .288 and slugged .497, totaling 2,422 hits, including 426 homers. He drove in 1423 runs, stole 414 bases, and ended his career with 75.5 WAR. He also ripped 32 homers and stole 31 bases in 158 career postseason games. At the time of his induction, he ranked seventh all-time in homers, sixteenth in RBI's, and eighth in runs scored. The leading vote recipients include: Gary Sheffield, RF, SF/ LA/ KC/ OMA: 76.6% Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 71.7% Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ PHI/ VAN: 63.9% Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ ATL/ SF/ SEA: 57.6% Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 46.8% Dave Ferriss, RHP, DAL/ NAS: 45.7% JT Realmuto, C, LA/ CLE/ AUS: 45.7% Donie Bush, SS, SA/ CAL: 43.9% Rick Monday, CF, BAL/ ELP: 37.2% Braggo Roth, RF, PHI: 31.6% The ballot featured an exceptionally deep class of newcomers. Although none are assured of induction in the years to come, an incredible eight players topped 25% in their first year on the ballot, with four more topping 10%. Several worthy candidates dropped below the 5% threshold and will be removed from the ballot going forward, including 417-home-run-hitter Harmon Killebrew, Leon Durham (who topped 300 homers and 300 steals), 179-game winner Jim Palmer, career .323 hitter Simon Nicholls (the all-time postseason hit leader), and 6-time Gold Glover Joe Panik. Here's a look at Sheffield's Hall of Fame career: Attached Images Last edited by Dukie98; 01-10-2019 at 12:58 AM.

01-14-2019, 02:15 AM	#129
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2030 Mid-Year Review Here's a quick overview of the major storylines in the league at the 2030 All-Star Break: Exceeding Expectations: The Baltimore Robins looked to snap their streak of ten straight seasons of missing the playoffs- the last seven with at least 92 losses. The Robins entered the All-Star break with a 42-31 record- within five games first place and with a healthy 2-game lead in the wild-card race. Catcher Gary Sanchez starred, hitting .343 and slugging .551 with 13 homers and 40 RBI's. Right fielder Hal McRae hit .364 with 21 doubles, 50 runs scored, and a .535 slugging percentage. Bert Blyleven led an overachieving pitching staff, going 6-2 with a 3.54 ERA. The Portland Skunks had not topped .500 since reaching the playoffs in 2023, but they entered the break firmly in the wild card mix at 41-34. Jeff Bagwell led the league's third-ranked offense, hitting .299 and slugging .570 with 19 homers and 62 RBI's, while Dave Henderson hit .304 with 18 homers and 66 RBI's. Portland's middling pitching staff was led by free agent signee Denny McLain, who went 6-1 with a 3.71 ERA. In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals rallied from a disastrous 100-loss 2029 season to end the All-Star Break with a 42-33 record, just two games behind the similarly-surprising Washington Ambassadors. The Admirals were led offensively by first baseman Chris Shelton, who hit .339 with 20 homers and 73 RBI's, while stalwart left fielder Heinie Manush hit .336 with 12 homers, 50 RBI's, and 24 steals. Their pitching ranked near the top of the league, led by hard-luck rookie lefty Johnny Vander Meer, who was just 7-5 despite a 2.00 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 99 innings, and righthander Johnny Beazley, who went 10-1 with a 2.93 ERA. Although the Houston Pythons had not made the playoffs in twelve seasons, and had gone eight seasons without topping .500, they entered the break with the top mark in the league at 47-27. Seven players had double-digit homers at the break, as the Pythons popped 109 homers - good for third in the league -- despite the offseason retirement of Mickey Mantle. Center fielder Ryan Thompson powered the way with 20 homers and 65 RBI's, while first baseman Pete Runnels hit .335 with 31 doubles, 9 homers, 45 RBI's, and 58 runs scored. Righthander Frank Lange went 8-4 with a 3.51 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 112 innings. Disappointments: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas tailed off drastically from last year's 102-win juggernaut, starting just 33-41, and entering the break a distant 14 1/2 games out of first. At one point, Pittsburgh lost 15 of 16 games. Pittsburgh's league-best offense tailed off drastically, ending the half 16th in the league in runs scored. Most notably, All-Star catcher missed a majority of the first half with an oblique injury, and backup Alan Ashby hit just .154 with a .204 slugging percentage. Sherry Magee dropped off from being an MVP candidate to just "very good", hitting .297 with a .584 slugging percentage -- losing over 160 points of OPS despite a leaguewide offensive spike. Ace Smoky Joe Wood struggled, going 5-7 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, while Al Benton, a 20-game winner a year before, went just 5-5 and saw his ERA jump by two runs to 4.81. The defending champion Seattle Whales, coming off a 96-win Northwest Division title, ended the first half in last place, with a 35-40 record, as their offense declined to the worst in the league. Catcher Brian McCann hit just .242. Rookie Dennis Sherill, filling in for Clint Barmes, who missed most the first half with an ankle injury, hit a disastrous .127. Rookie righthander Jim Hughes struggled, going 2-6 with a hefty 6.47 ERA. In the Continental League, the Nashville Blues' streak of ten straight winning seasons - nine of which resulted in a playoff berth - was in jeopardy, as they finished the half just 36-39. First baseman Greg Luzinski tore a thumb ligament in spring training and missed nearly two months; when he returned, he slugged just .298 and drove in only 8 runs in 27 games. Third baseman Shane Andrews, who slugged .443 and drove in 95 runs last year, hit just .179 with 10 homers and 31 RBI's. Nashville's pitching remained solid as always, but was hardly dominant, and their bullpen ranked 23rd in the league with an ERA of 5.06. Chad Ogea, a 17-game winner last year, was demoted to the pen after starting 1-6 with a 6.51 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Closer Bob Locker blew 5 saves and took a bloated 6.83 ERA and 1.81 WHIP into the break. The Memphis River Pirates, a surprise 93-game winner a year ago, proved wholly incapable of sustaining their success, dropping their first ten games on their way to a 24-50 half. Their offense ranked last in the league, as free agent catcher Bobby Estalella hit just .176 and slugged a weak .348. Shortstop Glenn Wright, who averaged 30 homers over the past two years, hit just 6 homers and drove in 22 runs in an injury-riddled half. Defending ERA champ Ben Tincup went just 4-4 with a 4.66 ERA, while Mace Brown, a 10-game winner as a rookie, went 1-11 and saw his ERA more than double to 6.33. Changing of the Guard: The 2029 offseason saw several league legends retire. Most notably, 7-time MVP Mickey Mantle, who nonetheless proved to be a tremendous disappointment after signing a free agent contract with Houston, retired after being benched late in the season. Righthander Justin Verlander, an eight-time all-star, tore his labrum late in his inaugural season with Hartford and opted to retire after suffering a setback in the offseason. Seattle right fielder Pat Duncan retired with 2,936 hits, including 604 doubles, fourth-most all time. 270-game winner Brett Anderson, who won four Cy Young Awards with the Los Angeles Kangaroos, retired after fighting through two years of shoulder injuries. 12-time All-Star Dave Nilsson, who topped 300 homers and 200 steals with the Buffalo Fighting Elk, wrapped it up, as did 242- game winner Reb Russell. Offensive spike: Both leagues saw a spike in offense, which, if sustained, would result in a high-water mark for offense. At the break, both leagues saw their respective ERA's increase by a half-run apiece. Sixteen players had at least 20 homers apiece, led by Los Angeles right fielder Chili Davis's 28, and seven players had at least 70 RBI's, led by Albuquerque right fielder Doc Miller's 84. Streaks galore: Milwaukee first baseman Mark Grace set an HRDL record with a 45-game hitting streak. Concurrent with his streak, Albuquerque star third baseman Home Run Baker rattled off a 39-game streak, third longest in league history. Cleveland first baseman Don Mattingly and Toronto left fielder Minnie Minoso also notched 25-game streaks. The hottest corner: Albuquerque's Frank Baker, the defending two-time MVP, somehow managed to improve on his stellar performance. He entered the All-Star break hitting .418 and slugging .829, ripping 25 homers and driving in 74 runs in 73 games. His counterpart in the Frontier League, Minneapolis's ageless Andy Van Slyke, hit .338 and slugged .618, including 27 doubles, 14 homers, 62 RBI's, and 19 steals- all at the age of 41! San Antonio third baseman Manny Machado blossomed into a star, hitting .338 with 27 homers and 66 RBI's. Major injuries: El Paso lefthander Dontrelle Willis would miss the entire season after tearing his rotator cuff in late 2029. Dallas rightfielder Cliff Heathcote broke his elbow in mid-May and was expected to miss the rest of the season. Jacksonville first baseman Keith Hernandez broke his ankle in early May, and was not expected back until late August. Memphis lefthander Harry Krause continued the River Pilots' snakebit season, tearing an elbow ligament, knocking him out for the year. Philadelphia shortstop Charlie Hollocher, coming off a career season, broke his kneecap in early May, ending his season. Major milestones: Los Angeles left fielder Gary Matthews and Chicago first baseman George Altman each notched their 2,500th hits. The 400-homer club gained several new members, including Vancouver third baseman Gary Gaetti, Minneapolis third baseman Andy Van Slyke, Buffalo first baseman Orlando Cepeda, Los Angeles right fielder Chili Davis, and San Antonio left fielder Jim Edmonds. Cepeda entered the break just shy of 3,000 hits, and was expected to top that mark by the Fourth of July. Calgary's Willard Nixon and Cleveland's Chris Van Cuyk each won their 200th game, while Washington closer Aroldis Chapman achieved his 300th save.

01-17-2019, 01:31 AM	#130
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2030 Year in Review Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk coasted to their seventh straight Northeast Division title, and their thirteenth in fourteen years, winning 93 games. Despite a middle-of-the-pack offense, they were once again carried by a strong pitching staff and the league's best bullpen. Offensively, Buffalo was led by left fielder Ken Singleton, who hit .304 with a .420 on-base percentage, to go with 32 homers and 112 RBI's, and right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who hit .294 with 24 homers and 89 RBI's. Brett Oberholtzer went just 12-10, but led the squad with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while closer Jim Suchecki led a deep bullpen with 31 saves and a 2.25 ERA. The Baltimore Robins remained in playoff contention for most of the season, but dropped 15 of their last 25 to miss the playoffs by two games with a 83-79 record- their best in ten years. Star catcher Gary Sanchez hit .330 with 30 homers and 87 RBI's, while right fielder Hal McRae hit .337 with 56 doubles, 15 homers, 102 runs scored, and 106 RBI's. Bill Hands sported a solid 3.67 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, but was saddled with a disappointing 12-16 record. The Cincinnati Spiders overcame a middling first half to win the Great Lakes Division easily with 92 games. Budding superstar Corey Seager hit .344 with 31 homers and 122 RBI's, but broke his kneecap in early September. First baseman Mike Epstein had a tremendous season, hitting .322 with a league-best .452 on-base percentage, to go with 38 homers and 112 RBI's. Right fielder David Murphy had a breakout season, hitting .336 with 28 homers and 112 RBI's. Ace Don Drysdale went 12-2 in the second half, on his way to an 18-8 record, a 3.10 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. The rival Detroit Purple Gang scrapped their way to 83 wins before being eliminated on the final day of the year. Star right fielder Reggie Smith hit .320 with a .416 on-base percentage, ripping 28 homers and driving in 108 runs, while slugging left fielder Mel Hall hit .293 with 39 homers and 143 RBI's. Righthander Ed Walsh carried the staff, going 15-8 with a stellar 2.85 ERA in this high-offense season, to go with a 1.05 WHIP and 255 strikeouts. The St. Louis Pilots were a surprise winner of the Great Plains Division with 90 wins, despite a league-worst offense and trading longtime ace John Montefusco to Vancouver early in the year. The Pilots soared on the wings of their league-best pitching staff, which yielded just 637 runs. Shortstop Francisco Lindor led the way, blasting 31 homers and driving in 94 runs despite a middling .255 average. First baseman Eric Karros chipped in with 20 homers and 67 RBI's. Righthander Andy Benes went just 13-15 despite a solid 3.78 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Ray Crone posted a 3.57 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, yet somehow went just 7-11. St. Louis held off the 87-win Omaha Falcons, who returned to the postseason for just the third time in franchise history. Omaha ranked just 21st in the league in runs scored, despite a career year from catcher Gabby Hartnett and a strong season by free agent signee Lou Gehrig. Hartnett hit .358 with 35 homers and 104 RBI's. Gehrig hit .295 and ripped 32 homers with 107 RBI's. Ed Reulbach anchored a deep pitching staff, going 15-13 with a 3.51 ERA and 190 strikeouts, while closer Kyle Barraclough posted 29 saves with a 1.57 ERA. In the best pennant race in years, the San Francisco Longshoremen came from behind to take the Northwest Division, after spending most of the year in third place. San Francisco won 24 of their last 35, including their last four games of the year, to take the division by a game with 92 wins. Right fielder Jose Canseco was a surprise batting champ, hitting .358 with 23 homers and 90 RBI's. Left fielder Bob Nieman hit .322 with 25 homers, 112 runs scored, and 84 RBI's. Don Aase led baseball in wins, going 24-8 with a solid 3.10 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Pat Jarvis went 17-13 with a 4.14 ERA. The Vancouver Viceroys led the division for most of the season, but finished a game out of first at 91-71 after going 11-16 in September, including a season-ending sweep by a mediocre London squad. Second-year shortstop Aledmys Diaz had a monster season, hitting .341 with 55 doubles, 33 homers and 125 RBI's. Third baseman Gary Gaetti hit .324 and slugged .681, pounding 39 homers and driving in 100 runs in just 102 games. Center fielder Willie Wilson hit .339 with 237 hits, scoring 119 runs, and led the league with 59 doubles and 100 steals. Vancouver's staff was led by John Montefusco, who was acquired in an early May trade and went 19-4 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP for the Viceroys, winning his first twelve starts. The Denver Spikes tied Vancouver with 91 wins, led by third baseman Chris James, who hit .312 with 34 homers and 135 RBI's. Center fielder Larry Doby hit .275 with 31 homers and 116 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg hit .324 with a .438 on-base percentage, including 23 homers, 107 runs scored, and 90 RBI's. Southpaw Steve Barber went 17-11 with a 3.09 ERA and 242 strikeouts. They were joined in the playoffs by the Portland Skunks, who won 85 games, topping .500 for the first time in seven seasons. Portland's league-best offense was led by Jeff Bagwell, who hit .311 with 43 homers and 136 RBI's - and posted a .450 on-base percentage to boot. Center fielder Dave Henderson hit .300 with 39 homers and a league-high 144 RBI's. Second baseman John Knight hit .311 with 18 homers and 104 RBI's. Jarrod Washburn led a middling pitching staff, notching a 3.47 ERA and 1.22 WHIP despite a subpar 12-15 record. Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators overcame a 5-12 start to cruise to their fourth straight Atlantic Division title and their eighteenth straight playoff appearance, winning 92 games. Their powerful offense was second in baseball in runs scored (with 952) and in homers (with 287), as six players topped 30 homers. Third baseman Bill Melton led the way, hitting .309 with 44 homers and 125 RBI's. Right fielder Candy Maldonado matched Melton, batting .308 with 40 homers and 123 RBI's. First baseman Matt Davidson blasted 41 round-trippers and drove in 99 runs. Righthander Kyle Lohse led four 15-game winners, going 19-8 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. The Washington Ambassadors returned to the postseason for the first time since 2024, winning 88 games, including an 11-inning tiebreaker playoff against the Las Vegas Aces. Slugging left fielder Gus Zernial hit 45 homers and drove in 124 runs for Washington, while catcher Stephen Vogt hit .291 and slugged .506, popping 24 homers and driving in 76 runs. Veteran southpaw Rheal Cormier won 13 games with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Swingman Chris Short went 10-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 0.88 WHIP, and Aroldis Chapman saved 34 games with a 1.57 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. The Jacksonville Gulls narrowly missed the playoffs for the first time in ten seasons, winning 86 games after Keith Hernandez and Madison Bumgarner saw their seasons derailed by injuries. Third baseman Maikel Franco led the way, hitting .285 with 31 homers and 106 RBI's. Shortstop Tom Tresh chipped in with 28 homers and 97 RBI's. Righthander Freddie Fitzsimmons went 19-13 with a 3.82 ERA. In the Southeast Division, the Nashville Blues appeared to be dead in the water at the end of June with a 37-42 record -- but they cruised to their third straight division title with a 56-27 second half. Second baseman Don Buford starred, hitting .339 with a .424 on-base percentage, including 19 homers and 107 RBI's. Shortstop Miguel Tejada had a breakout season, hitting .278 with 28 homers and 84 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Bob Shirley had a career-best 21-6 record with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Rich Gale was no slouch either, going 16-8 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Nashville held off the second-place New Orleans Crawfish by 5 games. The Crawfish sported a top-three offense, led by left fielder Tommy Davis, who ripped 248 hits on his way to batting .369 with 30 homers and 122 RBI's. Slugging first baseman Joey Meyer popped 40 homers with 113 RBI's. Righthander Heinie Berger yielded a 3.33 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, but that yielded just a 13-14 record. The 99-win El Paso Armadillos won their fifth straight Texas Division title, narrowly missing having five players (Gorman Thomas, Goose Goslin, Gil Hodges, Frank Howard, and Hack Miller) join the 30 homers/ 100 RBI's club. Thomas led the way, hitting .279 with 47 homers and 123 RBI's. Hodges hit .312 with 32 homers and 99 RBI's. El Paso featured two 20-game winners, as Jordan Zimmerman went 23-6 with a 2.89 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Tommy Hunter went 21-10 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. They held off the Houston Pythons, who returned to the postseason for the first time in 13 seasons, winning 94 games. Center fielder Ryan Thompson hit 50 longballs and drove in 143 runs. Star left fielder Larry Hisle hit .330 with 37 homers and 101 RBI's despite missing 42 games. Crafty southpaw Jerry Reuss went 14-8 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, while Frank Lange went 16-11 despite a mediocre 4.20 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen returned to the postseason with 91 wins. Third baseman Manny Machado had a breakout season, hitting .317 with 35 homers and 94 RBI's before suffering a season-ending abdominal tear. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez ripped 34 homers and drove in 89 runs. Right fielder Von Hayes popped 41 doubles, 26 homers, and stole 49 bases. Righthander Joe Ross went 21-7 with a 2.71 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and a league-high 293 strikeouts. Stubby Overmire posted a 19-9 record despite a middling 4.25 ERA. The Albuquerque Conquistadors rewrote the record books, setting all-time team records for runs scored with an incredible 1,213, along with a record .318 team batting average and 289 homers, and narrowly missed setting a record with 275 steals. Albuquerque's top 7 hitters each topped 100 RBI's. Third baseman Frank Baker had the single best season in HRDL history, hitting .421 and slugging .838 with a ridiculous 262 hits, including 64 doubles, 61 homers, 173 RBI's, and 188 runs scored. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .378 with 38 homers and 160 RBI's. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .330 and slugged .608, pounding 49 doubles, 38 homers, driving in 125 runs, and stealing 62 bases. Zack Wheeler went 24-5 despite a subpar 4.89 ERA and bloated 1.51 WHIP. Free agent signee Dave Righetti notched a 19-6 record with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Las Vegas Aces- just two years removed from a disastrous 105-loss season - nearly made the postseason, as they won 87 games and lost a one-game playoff to Washington. DH George Bell hit .311 with 48 homers and 138 RBI's. Rookie right fielder Tony Gwynn hit .317 with 51 doubles, stole 30 bases, and scored 108 runs. Donne Wall posted an 18-8 record despite a 4.51 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Attached Images

01-20-2019, 02:06 AM	#131
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2030 Playoff Report Frontier League: The Portland Skunks entered the postseason -- just the third in the franchise's less-than-storied history -- with just 85 wins, but they upended the Buffalo Fighting Elk in seven games. Portland came from behind, erasing a 3-2 series deficit, and trailed Game 7 by the same score after seven innings. After Portland regained the lead, Buffalo's Andy Seminick sent Game 7 to extra-innings with a dramatic two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning -- only to see Portland take the lead for good on a two-run double by shortstop Ronny Cedeno in the top of the tenth. Portland centerfielder Dave Henderson was named series MVP after hitting .394 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while Portland left fielder Cliff Floyd hit .355 and slugged .806 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Southpaw Jarrod Washburn went 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA. Buffalo was led by left fielder Ken Singleton, who hit .423 with 4 homers and 12 RBI's in defeat. After dropping Game One to the Vancouver Viceroys, the St. Louis Pilots rattled off four straight wins. St. Louis third baseman Bobby Byrne took home MVP honors after hitting .389 and slugging 1.000, with 3 homers, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Catcher Milt May hit .294 and slugged .882, blasting 3 homers and driving in 6 runs. Righthander Ray Crone threw a six-hit shutout in Game Two. Vancouver first baseman Chick Gandil hit .421 with a homer and 4 RBI's. The Denver Spikes upended their division rival San Francisco Longshoremen in six games, led by catcher Frank Fernandez, who was named MVP after hitting .368 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's. Second baseman Bernie Friberg hit .346 with 2 homers and 4 runs scored, while third baseman Chris James hit .320 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Earl Johnson went 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings. San Francisco was led by left fielder Bob Nieman, who hit .409 with 5 walks and 2 RBI's. The Omaha Falcons, after jumping out to an early series lead, dropped the final four games to the Cincinnati Spiders, who were playing without injured star shortstop Corey Seager and closer Joel Zumaya. Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess took home the hardware after hitting .450 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI's. Veteran second sacker Junior Spivey hit .400 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Southpaw Ricky Romero threw a three-hit complete game in Game Three, allowing just one run. Omaha second baseman Eddie Moore hit .444 with a homer and 4 RBI's in a losing effort. The upstart Portland Skunks outlasted the St. Louis Pilots in six games, winning Games Five and Six in romps after splitting the first four games. Second baseman John Knight was named MVP after hitting .409, with 2 homers, 8 runs scored, 2 steals, and 3 RBI's. Dave Henderson had another strong series, hitting .375 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, while first baseman Jeff Bagwell hit .273 with 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 8 RBI's. St. Louis center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. put forth a valiant effort in defeat, hitting .429 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. The Cincinnati Spiders erased a 2-1 deficit to the Denver Spikes, winning the final three games of a six-game series, and holding Denver's high-octane offense to just 17 runs. Remarkably, Cincinnati won despite averaging fewer than six hits per game, including just one hit in Game Three, as Denver's Earl Johnson twirled a gem, and no Spiders batter hit over .261. In a controversial decision, Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess was named MVP despite hitting just .227, as he popped a game-tying homer in Game Five and drove in four runs. Southpaw Jon Matlack split two decisions, but posted a 1.59 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, while Don Drysdale registered a 2.38 ERA. Denver second sacker Bernie Friberg hit .280 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 3 RBI's. In a back-and-forth League Championship Series, Cincinnati outlasted Portland in seven games, with Spider second sacker Junior Spivey being named MVP after hitting .417 with a homer, five doubles, and 7 RBI's. Cincinnati third baseman Al Rosen hit .400 with a homer and drove in 4 runs. Don Drysdale notched a win in Game Two, posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings, with a brilliant 20:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Lefty Ricky Romero went 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings. Portland shortstop Ronny Cedeno hit .520 with a series-high 13 hits, scoring 4 runs and driving in 2. Continental League: In the biggest upset of the postseason, the 88-win Washington Ambassadors outlasted the record-breaking offense of the 107-win Albuquerque Conquistadors in seven games, with a 10-0 blowout win in Game Seven. Washington shortstop Swede Risberg took home the hardware after hitting .407 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's. Washington center fielder Johnny Groth hit .308 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. DH Cito Gaston hit .433 with a pair of homers and 3 RBI's, and right fielder George Hendrick hit .407 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Franklin Morales was 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 14 innings, including 7.1 shutout innings in Game Seven. Albuquerque was led by second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who hit .385 and slugged an incredible 1.154, including 3 doubles, 5 homers, 8 runs scored, and 7 RBI's. Triple crown winner Frank Baker hit "just" .360 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's for the Conquistadors in a losing effort. The Charlotte Aviators nearly blew a 3-1 series lead to the Houston Pythons, but pulled it out in seven games. Charlotte left fielder was one of five Aviators with multiple homers, pounding the ball at a .500 clip and slugging .950, with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Catcher Gus Triandos hit .333 and blasted 3 round-trippers for Charlotte. Ageless righthander Bartolo Colon threw eight shutout innings in a 1-0 Game Two victory, and he notched a 1.93 ERA for the series. Houston was led by left fielder Larry Hisle and second baseman Frankie Gustine, each of whom topped .400 with a homer and 7 RBI's apiece. Houston DH Harry Lumley was just 6 for 28, but he blasted 5 homers and drove in 14 runs, believed to be an all-time high for a single series. The Nashville Blues' pitching staff dominated the San Antonio Marksmen, holding them to just 13 runs in a six-game victory. Nashville second baseman Don Buford took home MVP honors after hitting .375 with a homer and drove in 9 of the Blues' 21 runs in the series. Left fielder Ben Paschal and shortstop Miguel Tejada each blasted two homers and drove in 3 runs apiece. Southpaw Bob Shirley dominated, posting two complete-game victories with a 1.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez led San Antonio with 2 homers and 3 RBI's, including the game-winning blast in the 15th inning of Game Two. Although the New Orleans Crawfish sported a league-average pitching staff, they dominated the favored El Paso Armadillos, starting the series with 26 shutout innings on their way to a four-game sweep, allowing just 6 runs in the series. DH Adam Frazier was named MVP after hitting .421 with a homer, 4 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Right fielder Jeff Francoeur hit .294 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Starters Art Mahaffey, Heinie Berger and Steve Rogers combined for 22 shutout innings, with Mahaffey throwing a five-hit complete game shutout. El Paso was led by second baseman Jack Brohamer, who hit .375 and slugged .500, and Jordan Zimmerman, who threw seven shutout innings in Game One. The Washington Ambassadors' good luck ran out in the Division Series, as the Charlotte Aviators blasted them in five games, scoring 39 runs along the way. Charlotte third baseman Bill Melton took home MVP honors after hitting .500 and slugging .917 with a pair of homers, 4 doubles, and 6 runs scored. Second baseman Bobby Grich hit .429 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Larry Cheney won both his starts, sporting a 3.12 ERA in 17.1 innings. Washington first baseman Eddie Robinson hit .368 with a homer and 3 RBI's in a losing effort. The New Orleans Crawfish took their division rival Nashville Blues to the limit, before falling in seven games, as Nashville's Rich Gale threw a 6-0 two-hit shutout in the decisive Game Seven. Nashville second baseman Don Buford was named MVP, hitting .481 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's, while shortstop Miguel Tejada hit .400 with a homer and 6 RBI's. Rightfielder Jerry Mumphrey, third baseman Shane Andrews, and DH Corey Hart each popped a pair of homers and drove in 5 runs apiece. Southpaw Bob Shirley went 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings. The Crawfish were led by hefty first baseman Joey Meyer, who hit .393 with 3 homers and a series-high 11 RBI's, tying a playoff record with 7 RBI's in Game One. Nashville's pitching staff, which ranked second in the Continental League, locked down the Aviators in six games in the League Championship Series. Nashville first baseman Greg Luzinski received MVP honors after hitting .474 with a .583 on-base percentage, including 3 homers, 7 runs, and 8 RBI's. Left fielder Ben Paschal hit .360 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, including a three-run homer to break open Game Six. Southpaw Bob Shirley continued his brilliant postseason run, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, allowing only 7 hits in 14 innings. Charlotte shortstop Mickey Stanley led the squad with a .409 average, including a homer and 3 RBI's. World Series: The World Series lacked the star power of most years, as the 93-win Nashville Blues ranked just 18th in the Continental League in runs scored, while the 92-win Cincinnati Spiders were still missing injured star shortstop Corey Seager and closer Joel Zumaya. Nashville shortstop Miguel Tejada, who had a breakout season, went down for the series with a concussion in Game Two. Although Nashville took the first two games, Cincinnati rallied to win the final four games, winning the first series in franchise history in six games. Nashville came from behind in Game One, scoring four runs in the seventh and eighth innings to erase a three-run deficit to win 4-3. Nashville righthander Rich Gale threw eight innings of six-hit ball, allowing just one earned run. Nashville's Greg Luzinski and Shane Andrews homered off Ricky Romero in the seventh inning to tie the game, while left fielder Ben Paschal homered off Cincinnati reliever Chris Resop in the eighth inning to take the lead. Right fielder David Murphy tripled in two runs earlier in the game for the Spiders. Nashville's Bob Shirley upped his postseason record to 6-0 in Game Two, throwing eight shutout innings and allowing just three hits in a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati's Joe Presko. The Spiders broke through in Game Three, winning 7-4 behind ace Don Drysdale, who notched his fourth win of the postseason. Spiders right fielder David Murphy had three hits and drove in 6 runs, while center fielder Zip Collins scored four runs. Game Four went 13 innings, with Spiders catcher Smoky Burgess playing the hero with a 3-run walk-off homer off Chad Ogea in a 5-2 victory. Reliever Jesse Carlson earned the win, throwing 2.1 perfect innings. Cincinnati seized the series lead with a 6-4 victory in Game Five, as Ricky Romero threw a complete game, striking out nine. David Murphy drove in three runs for the Spiders, including a fifth-inning homer off Rich Gale to break open a one-run game. Ben Paschal popped three hits, including his seventh homer of the postseason, for the Blues. The Spiders finished the Blues off in Game Six, winning 3-2 with Joe Presko notching the win and Mike McCormick earning the save by getting the final five outs of the game. Bob Shirley's bid for a seventh win in a single postseason was unsuccessful, as he surrendered three unearned runs in the fifth inning. A two-run single by first baseman Mike Epstein proved to be the difference. The floodgates opened following two errors by overmatched backup shortstop Elmer Weingartner, the injury replacement for Tejada, who also committed a costly error in the 13th inning of Game Four. Spider right fielder David Murphy was named MVP after hitting .292 with a homer and an incredible 13 RBI's, including four multi-RBI games. Shortstop Rafael Ramirez proved to be a capable replacement for Seager, hitting .364 and slugging .455. Smoky Burgess hit just .231, but hit a crucial homer in Game Four and drove in 6 runs. Joe Presko posted a 1.80 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in 15 innings. Nashville was led by right fielder Jerry Mumphrey, who hit .318 with a homer and five runs scored. Bob Shirley hurled 15 innings without yielding an earned run, allowing just 7 hits and zero walks in two brilliant starts. Attached Images

01-20-2019, 10:30 PM	#132
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2030 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- Minnie Minoso, LF, TOR (27): .348/ .423/ .652, 207 hits, 32 doubles, 1 triple, 49 HR, 117 RBI, 121 runs, 18 SB, 173 OPS+, 7.5 WAR Second place- Jeff Bagwell, 1B, POR (6): .311/ .450/ .603, 179 hits, 33 doubles, 3 triples, 43 HR, 136 RBI, 131 runs, 126 BB, 10 SB, 169 OPS+, 7.7 WAR Third place- Don Mattingly, 1B, CLE (5): .347/ .387/ .642, 239 hits, 40 doubles, 14 triples, 45 HR, 113 RBI, 142 runs, 44 BB, 160 OPS+, 8.0 WAR Fourth place- Sherry Magee, LF, PIT (1): .325/ .390/ .628, 203 hits, 42 doubles, 9 triples, 43 HR, 131 RBI, 124 runs, 70 BB, 75 SB, 158 OPS+, 6.7 WAR Fifth place- John Montefusco, RHP, STL-VAN (8): 20-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 257 IP, 215 K, 77 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 157 ERA+, 9.8 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award- John Montefusco, STL-VAN (47): 20-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 257 IP, 215 K, 77 BB, 8 CG, 3 shutouts, 157 ERA+, 9.8 WAR Second place- Don Aase, SF: 24-8, 3.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 258 IP, 184 K, 68 BB, 5 CG, 4 shutouts, 147 ERA+, 6.3 WAR Third place- Bob Moose, CHI (1): 20-9, 3.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 262 IP, 235 K, 69 BB, 8 CG, 2 shutouts, 151 ERA+, 9.1 WAR Fourth place- Steve Barber, DEN: 17-11, 3.09 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 280 IP, 242 K, 94 BB, 9 CG, 149 ERA+, 8.2 WAR Fifth place- Smoky Joe Wood, PIT: 16-12, 3.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 276 IP, 266 K, 82 BB, 10 CG, 4 shutouts, 135 ERA+, 9.6 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Rafael Palmeiro, LF, CLE (47): .314/ .393/ .602, 188 hits, 23 doubles, 1 triple, 49 HR, 125 RBI, 117 runs, 74 BB, 5 SB, 153 OPS+, 5.4 WAR Second place- Cliff Floyd, LF, POR (1): .345/ .405/ .487, 212 hits, 48 doubles, 9 triples, 7 HR, 75 RBI, 116 runs, 53 BB, 28 SB, 129 OPS+, 5.5 WAR Third place- Gail Hopkins, 1B, DET: .337/ .426/ .504, 191 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 19 HR, 90 RBI, 79 runs, 91 BB, 5 SB, 140 OPS+, 5.5 WAR Continental League MVP- Frank Baker, 3B, ALB (48): .421/ .501/ .834, 262 hits, 64 doubles, 5 triples, 61 HR, 173 RBI, 188 runs, 103 BB, 25 SB, 230 OPS+, 15.3 WAR Second place- Joe Ross, RHP, SA: 21-7, 2.71 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 289 IP, 293 K, 35 BB, 10 CG, 2 shutouts, 176 ERA+, 10.4 WAR Third place- Doc Miller, RF, ALB: .378/ .419/ .644, 246 hits, 60 doubles, 1 triple, 37 HR, 160 RBI, 150 runs, 50 BB, 20 SB, 164 OPS+, 7.8 WAR Fourth place- Ryne Sandberg, 2B, ALB: .330/ .391/ .608, 207 hits, 49 doubles, 6 triples, 38 HR, 125 RBI, 135 runs, 58 BB, 62 SB, + 9.7 Zone Rating, 148 OPS+, 8.9 WAR Fifth place- Gorman Thomas, CF, ELP, .279/ .387, .580, 156 hits, 26 doubles, 1 triple, 47 HR, 123 RBI, 117 runs, 102 BB, 4 SB, +22.9 Zone Rating, 157 OPS+, 8.9 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Joe Ross, SA (44): 21-7, 2.71 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 289 IP, 293 K, 35 BB, 10 CG, 2 shutouts, 176 ERA+, 10.4 WAR Second place- Bob Shirley, NAS (4): 21-6, 2.42 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 268 IP, 169 K, 32 BB, 13 CG, 5 shutouts, 194 ERA+, 7.5 WAR Third place- Jordan Zimmermann, ELP: 23-6, 2.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 261 IP, 189 K, 36 BB, 8 CG, 2 shutouts, 166 ERA+, 5.7 WAR Fourth place- Johnny Vander Meer, VB: 18-6, 2.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 221 IP, 271 K, 110 BB, 219 ERA+, 6.8 WAR Fifth place- Earl Francis, AUS: 16-10, 2.70 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 223 IP, 195 K, 64 BB, 7 CG, 4 shutouts, 187 ERA+, 7.3 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year: Johnny Vander Meer, LHP, VB (26): 18-6, 2.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 221 IP, 271 K, 110 BB, 219 ERA+, 6.8 WAR Second place- Bob Johnson, CF/LF, AUS (22): .325/ .429/ .589, 191 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 36 HR, 129 RBI, 118 runs, 108 BB, 12 SB, 158 OPS+, 4.6 WAR Third place- Nap Rucker, LHP, LA: 15-8, 2.69 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 228 IP, 220 K, 78 BB, 187 ERA+, 6.4 WAR Top draft picks: 1. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Memphis River Pirates 2. Red Ames, RHP, Dallas Wildcatters 3. Joe DiMaggio, CF, Boston Minutemen 4. Leo Gomez, 3B, Oklahoma City Otters 5. John Fulgham, RHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians 6. Karl Best, RHP, Hartford Huskies 7. Toby Harrah, 3B, Miami Flamingos 8. Jigger Statz, CF, Cleveland Rocks 9. Jim Greengrass, LF, Atlanta Ducks 10. Don Wilson, RHP, Kansas City Mad Hatters

01-22-2019, 02:32 AM	#133
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2030 Hall of Fame Voting The Hall of Fame added two more pitchers to its ranks, as two-time Cy Young Award winner Cy Blanton and three-time Reliever of the Year Tom Henke entered Cooperstown's hallowed halls. Blanton was tabbed with 88.9%, while Henke drew 85.1% of the vote. Surprisingly, right fielder Aaron Judge fell just short once again, drawing over 70% for the third straight year. Blanton, a hard-throwing righthander, began his career with the London Werewolves with a bang, leading the Frontier League with 21 wins in his rookie season of 2014, when he finished as runner-up for the Rookie of the Year and third in the Cy Young voting. After another third-place finish in the Cy Young Voting, Blanton took the next step in his brilliant 2017, when he won the MVP and Cy Young Award after going 24-7 with a microscopic 1.38 ERA -- which remains the single-season record -- and 248 strikeouts. He repeated as Cy Young Award winner in 2018, when he went 21-8 with a league-leading 2.11 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, and finished second the next year after going 18-8 with a 2.44 ERA. After losing most of the 2021 season to a nerve injury, he signed with the Washington Ambassadors as a free agent, and he returned to his all-star form, going 18-13 with a 2.42 ERA and 254 strikeouts. After a slow start in 2023, he was surprisingly traded to the Denver Spikes where he went 9-4 with a 2.38 ERA. He finished his career with four solid seasons with the Miami Flamingos. Blanton retired with a 215-137 career record, a 2.84 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2923 strikeouts, and an incredible 102.0 WAR, ranking seventh all-time in the latter two categories as of the time of his induction. A three-time All-Star, Blanton had five top-three finishes in the Cy Young Award. Blanton upped his game in the postseason, posting a 12-4 career record with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.95 career WHIP in 20 starts. In 2019, he went 4-0 in 7 starts with a 1.71 ERA, leading London to its lone World Series title. Henke was the most accomplished reliever in HRDL history, with 460 saves, 85 more than any other pitcher in league history. Henke made his debut in 2013 with the Philadelphia Hawks, where he was immediately installed as the club's closer. Henke spent seven years in Philadelphia and seven more with the Buffalo Fighting Elk; in his first thirteen seasons, he earned at least 29 saves each year, and posted an ERA below 2.00 six times. He made six all-star teams and topped 100 strikeouts three times. Henke notched two 40-save seasons: 2018, when he posted 40 saves with a 1.94 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts for the Hawks, and 2024, when he earned 40 saves with a 1.88 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts. His finest season, however, was arguably 2019, when he won 8 games with 29 saves, and posted a career-best 1.15 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. For his career, Henke posted a 77-60 with a 2.14 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 1256 strikeouts (at a rate of 10.2 per nine innings), and 41.6 WAR. In what has proven to be the Hall's toughest call to date, Henke was inducted as a member of the Fighting Elk. The leading vote recipients include: Cy Blanton, RHP, LON/ WAS/ DEN/ MIA: 88.9% Tom Henke, RHP, PHI/ BUF: 85.5% Aaron Judge, RF, CLE/ BOS: 72.0% Ed Morgan, 1B, SD/ SA/ CHA/ NOR/ MIA: 64.2% Jose Reyes, SS, CLE/ KAN: 63.2% Paul Molitor, 2B, HOU/ MIA/ VAN: 58.8% Troy Tulowitzki, SS, BUF/ SF/ ATL/ SEA: 54.7% Dave Ferriss, RHP, DAL/ NAS: 48.6% Lonnie Smith, LF, KC/ DEN/ BOS/ PHO/ DAL/ POR: 44.9% JT Realmuto, C, LA/ CLE: 42.9% This year's ballot was the most unwieldly yet, consisting of 73 players, including 42 newcomers to the ballot. Noteworthy players who dropped off the ballot after failing to hit 5% include Joey Votto, Jackie Bradley, Jonny Venters, Dick Allen, Ken Gables, and Matt Harvey. Here's a look at the Hall of Fame careers of Blanton and Henke: Attached Images

01-24-2019, 11:04 PM	#134
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	20 Year Retrospective After 20 years of HRDL action, here's the breakdown of the most (and least) successful franchises: Attached Images

01-24-2019, 11:49 PM	#135
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	20 Year Retrospective Here are the major award winners, first for the Frontier League, then for the Continental League: Attached Images

01-25-2019, 02:35 AM	#136
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	20 Year Retrospective Here are the top players in league history at each position (by WAR): Catcher 1. Dave Nilsson - .293/ .373/ .473, 2336 hits, 432 doubles,32 triples, 314 HR, 1089 RBI, 1159 runs, 223 SB, 149 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 94.1 WAR 2. Joe Mauer - .304/ .369/ .418, 2547 hits, 379 doubles, 45 triples, 163 HR, 1146 RBI, 1089 runs, 134 SB, 120 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 74.9 WAR 3. Gabby Hartnett - .298/ .380/ .532, 1550 hits, 313 doubles, 17 triples, 290 HR, 928 RBI, 912 runs, 130 SB, 158 OPS+, 8 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 73.4 WAR 4. Bill Freehan - .286/ .387/ .491, 1450 hits, 205 doubles, 5 triples, 275 HR, 889 RBI, 850 runs, 2 SB, 143 OPS+, 9 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 9 Gold Gloves, 70.2 WAR 5. JT Realmuto - .300/ .338/ .463, 1894 hits, 293 doubles, 104 triples, 175 HR, 910 RBI, 909 runs, 245 SB, 123 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 57.0 WAR First base 1. Todd Helton - .317/ .404/ .514, 3222 hits, 582 doubles, 42 triples, 448 HR, 1673 RBI, 1610 runs,105 SB, 163 OPS+, 5 All-Star Games, 94.5 WAR [84.3 WAR as 1B] 2. Keith Hernandez - .322/ .406/ .509, 2780 hits, 525 hits, 157 triples, 258 HR, 1440 RBI, 1473 runs, 76 SB, 145 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star Games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 1 Gold Glove, 85.9 WAR [81.7 WAR as 1B] 3. Jeff Bagwell - .294/ .412/ .516, 1848 hits, 323 doubles, 38 triples, 333 HR, 1067 RBI, 1112 runs, 115 SB, 163 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 77.3 WAR 4. Greg Luzinski - .274/ .352/ .453, 2753 hits, 496 doubles, 29 triples, 419 HR, 1519 RBI, 1409 runs, 100 SB, 138 OPS+, 3 All-Star Games, 1 Silver Slugger, 4 Gold Gloves, 71.3 WAR 5. Ed Morgan - .322/ .417/ .495, 2888 hits, 516 doubles, 38 triples, 318 HR, 1499 RBI, 1459 runs, 68 SB, 154 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 65.0 WAR Second base 1. George Grantham - .301/ .397/ .446, 3151 hits, 659 doubles, 55 triples, 249 HR, 1214 RBI,1823 runs, 1102 SB, 141 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 106.9 WAR 2. Paul Molitor - .310/ .386/ .463, 2581 hits, 498 doubles, 38 triples, 232 HR, 1052 RBI, 1386 runs, 431 SB, 138 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 77.2 WAR 3. DJ LeMahieu - .321/ .375/ .420, 2381 hits, 325 doubles, 91 triples, 78 HR, 674 RBI, 1109 runs, 323 SB, 127 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 4 Gold Gloves, 72.1 WAR 4. Joe Panik - .281/ .349/ .428, 2075 hits, 359 doubles, 93 triples, 181 HR, 1023 RBI, 963 runs, 55 SB, 116 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 1 Silver Slugger, 6 Gold Gloves, 67.9 WAR 5. Bernie Friberg - .299/ .389/ .426, 2564 hits, 463 doubles, 43 triples, 177 HR, 1065 RBI, 1322 runs, 226 SB, 121 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 61.8 WAR Third base 1. Andy Van Slyke - .301/ .385/ .498, 3398 hits, 640 doubles, 146 triples, 428 HR, 1680 RBI, 1997 runs, 1017 SB, 151 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 7 Silver Sluggers, 143.6 WAR 2. Wade Boggs - .344/ .433/ .466, 3751 hits, 694 doubles, 71 triples, 166 HR, 1353 RBI, 1764 runs, 7 SB, 150 OPS+, 12 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers,135.3 WAR 3. Bill Melton - .307/ .388/ .546, 2717 hits, 406 doubles, 20 triples, 559 HR, 1715 RBI, 1452 runs, 37 SB, 150 OPS+, 11 All-Star Games, 9 Silver Sluggers, 107.5 WAR 4. Richie Hebner - .295/ .373/ .485, 2359 hits, 410 doubles, 43 triples, 342 HR, 1192 RBI, 1284 runs, 83 SB, 142 OPS+, 5 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 77.0 WAR 5. Gary Gaetti - .269/ .323/ .483, 2200 hits, 347 doubles, 44 triples, 436 HR, 1366 RBI, 1117 runs, 21 SB, 128 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 5 Gold Gloves, 74.6 WAR Shortstop 1. Troy Tulowitzki - .282/ .347/ .458, 2091 hits, 288 doubles, 20 triples, 327 HR, 1105 RBI, 1086 runs, 67 SB, 129 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 2 Gold Gloves, 89.7 WAR 2. Jose Reyes - .290/ .341/ .429, 2581 hits, 428 doubles, 154 triples, 169 HR, 1051 RBI, 1334 runs, 683 SB, 122 OPS+, 6 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers 87.4 WAR 3. Charlie Hollocher - .306/ .363/ .409, 2596 hits, 490 doubles, 28 triples, 109 HR, 871 RBI, 1253 runs, 664 SB, 118 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 75.6 WAR 4. Francisco Lindor - .285/ .347/ .484, 1583 hits, 263 doubles, 36 triples, 258 HR, 890 RBI, 854 runs, 197 SB, 134 OPS+, 1 MVP, 6 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 6 Gold Gloves, 74.0 WAR 5. Donie Bush - .279/ .402/ .345, 1948 hits, 306 doubles, 16 triples, 41 HR, 483 RBI, 1291 runs, 947 SB, 120 OPS+, 2 All-Star games, 72.4 WAR Left field 1. Gary Matthews - .302/ .385/ .504, 2647 hits, 352 doubles, 120 triples, 391 HR, 1458 RBI, 1459 runs, 339 SB, 151 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star games, 4 Silver Sluggers, 96.2 WAR 2. Jim Edmonds - .287/ .378/ .493, 2519 hits, 488 doubles, 42 triples, 413 HR, 1495 RBI, 1412 runs, 78 SB, 139 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 86.6 WAR 3. Ken Singleton - .308/ .414/ .495, 2426 hits, 439 doubles, 7 triples, 338 HR, 1237 RBI, 1299 runs, 12 SB, 162 OPS+, 7 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 82.9 WAR 4. Jerome Walton - .291/ .355 /.423, 2780 hits, 508 doubles, 48 triples, 218 HR, 1082 RBI, 1339 runs, 383 SB, 124 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 6 Gold Gloves, 80.5 WAR [75.5 WAR as LF] 5. Sherry Magee - .319/ .385/ .560, 1904 hits, 391 doubles, 76 triples, 298 HR, 1083 RBI, 1072 runs, 710 SB, 165 OPS+, 1 MVP, 5 All-Star games, 2 Silver Sluggers, 75.3 WAR Center field 1. Kirby Puckett - .303/ .342/ .465, 3052 hits, 556 doubles, 148 triples, 259 HR, 1300 RBI, 1378 runs, 288 SB, 125 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 6 Gold Gloves, 106.0 WAR 2. Gorman Thomas - .262/ .356/ .479, 1785 hits, 345 doubles, 24 triples, 363 HR, 1157 RBI, 1065 runs, 74 SB, 131 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 81.5 WAR 3. Tommie Agee - .298/ .356/ .465, 2275 hits, 405 doubles, 11 triples, 282 HR, 935 RBI's, 1387 runs, 708 SB, 118 OPS+, 1 MVP, 5 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 4 Gold Gloves, 77.5 WAR 4. JD Drew- .289/ .386/ .488, 2414 hits, 347 doubles, 134 triples, 352 HR, 1445 RBI's, 1413 runs, 451 SB, 151 OPS+, 1 MVP, 7 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers, 75.2 WAR 5. AJ Pollock - .301/ .341/ .471, 2199 hits, 441 doubles, 64 triples, 222 HR, 1015 RBI's, 985 runs, 171 SB, 129 OPS+, 3 All-Star games, 3 Silver Sluggers, 70.6 WAR 5. (tie) Chet Lemon - .270/ .342/ .459, 1634 hits, 304 doubles, 72 triples, 233 HR, 941 RBI's, 953 runs, 335 SB, 116 OPS+, 1 All-Star game, 1 Silver Slugger, 6 Gold Gloves,70.6 WAR Right field 1. Mickey Mantle - .318/ .395/ .554, 3019 hits, 432 doubles, 74 triples, 555 HR, 1654 RBI, 1696 runs, 226 SB, 166 OPS+, 7 MVPs, 10 All-Star Games, 9 Silver Sluggers, 166 OPS+, 121.3 WAR 2. Bryce Harper - .326/ .439/ .556, 3705 hits, 555 doubles, 82 triples, 633 HR, 2174 RBI, 2229 runs, 185 SB, 169 OPS+, 1 MVP, 12 All-Star games, 10 Silver Sluggers, 133.2 WAR [101.6 WAR as LF] 3. Gary Sheffield - .288/ .377/ .497, 2422 hits, 329 doubles, 76 triples, 426 HR, 1423 RBI's, 1526 runs, 414 SB, 144 OPS+, 4 All-Star Games, 75.5 WAR 4. Reggie Smith - .319/ .401/ .534, 2488 hits, 481 doubles, 59 triples, 360 HR, 1292 RBI, 1411 runs, 262 SB, 158 OPS+, 3 MVP's, 5 All-Star games, 6 Silver Sluggers, 92.1 WAR [74.2 WAR as RF] 5. Bobby Bonds - .303/ .381/ .511, 2185 hits, 302 doubles, 60 triples, 359 HR, 1117 RBI's, 1290 runs, 580 SB, 146 OPS+, 4 All-Star games, 1 Silver Slugger, 73.7 WAR Pitcher 1. Gary Nolan - 319-258, 3.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 5366 IP, 2738 K, 928 BB, 123 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 4 All-Star games, 3 Gold Gloves, 131.0 WAR 2. Madison Bumgarner- 257-172, 2.69 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 4319 IP, 3441 K, 982 BB, 152 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 7 All-Star games, 121.0 WAR 3. Don Drysdale - 189-104, 2.27 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 2797 IP, 2878 K, 432 BB, 175 ERA+, 8 All-Star teams, 1 Silver Slugger, 110.6 WAR 4. Jack Chesbro - 214-106, 2.35 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 3136 IP, 2660 K, 813 BB, 169 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 9 All-Star games, 108.1 WAR 5. John Montefusco - 202-155, 2.72 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3427 IP, 2803 K, 990 BB, 148 ERA+, 2 Cy Youngs, 6 All-Star games, 103.0 WAR 6. Reb Russell - 242-178, 2.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3911 IP, 1985 K, 633 BB, 141 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 3 All-Star games, 2 Gold Gloves, 1 Silver Slugger, 102.9 WAR 7. Cy Blanton - 215-137, 2.84 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3273 IP, 2923 K, 871 BB, 149 ERA+, 1 MVP, 2 Cy Young Awards, 3 All-Star Games, 102.0 WAR 8. Joe Ross - 158-131, 2.69 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 2962 IP, 2783 K, 438 BB, 150 ERA+, 2 Cy Young Awards, 3 All-Star games, 101.6 WAR 9. Brett Anderson - 270-110, 2.72 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3644 IP, 2211 K, 731 BB, 144 ERA+, 4 Cy Youngs, 9 All-Star games,100.4 WAR 10. Heinie Berger- 240-155, 2.92 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3854 IP, 2751 K, 1376 BB, 141 ERA+, 1 MVP, 1 Cy Young, 6 All-Star games 97.7 WAR 11. Dick Ruthven - 231-210, 3.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4090 IP, 2871 K, 1147 BB, 124 ERA+, 1 All-Star game, 96.7 WAR 12. Dizzy Trout - 243-147, 3.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3694 IP, 2647 K, 1002 BB, 133 ERA+, 1 Cy Young, 10 All-Star games, 96.3 WAR 13. Dave Righetti - 231-134, 2.83 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3472 IP, 2644 K, 1104 BB, 144 ERA+, 2 Cy Youngs, 4 All-Star games, 94.4 WAR 14. Ray Collins - 225-137, 2.74 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3415 IP, 1543 K, 510 BB, 146 ERA+, 8 All-Star games, 94.2 WAR 15. Larry Jaster - 285-157, 2.99 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 4306 IP, 2425 K, 624 BB, 134 ERA+, 3 All-Star games, 94.0 WAR

01-31-2019, 03:34 PM	#137
ripitback Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 123	I have enjoyed reading through this thread. To set something up like this did you create a fictional league and delete the players while using the random debut feature?

02-03-2019, 03:46 AM	#139
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2031 Mid-Year Review Here's a look at the major storylines across the league at the 2031 All-Star break: Exceeding expectations: The Baltimore Robins sought to snap a twelve-year streak of missing the postseason, ending the first half with a 43-32 record and a modest two-game lead in the Northeast Division. Baltimore's middling offense was led by All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez, who took a .308 average, 17 homers, and 43 RBI's into the break, while third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo looked to have a breakout season, hitting .351 and slugging .514 with 8 homers and 43 runs scored. Baltimore's starting pitching, however, proved to be special, led by star southpaw Randy Johnson, who jumped out to a 9-1 start with a 1.71 ERA and 136 strikeouts. Rookie lefty Brian Matusz went just 4-7, but sported a 2.82 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. The London Werewolves, after a free-agent shopping spree, looked certain to return to the playoffs after a 5-year hiatus, including three straight seasons with no more than 75 wins. London took a 49-26 record into the break, leading Detroit by 4 1/2 games. New second baseman Ryne Sandberg led the way, hitting .318 with 16 homers, 53 RBI's, and 29 steals. Rookie lefty Vern Olsen went 11-2 with a stellar 1.85 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Closer Mike Myers had 22 saves and a 1.82 ERA. In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls sought to avenge a rare postseason absence, going 46-29 in the first half. The Gulls ended the half tied for second in the league in runs scored, led by a return to form by star first baseman Keith Hernandez, who hit .379 with 19 doubles and 10 homers despite missing a month. Shortstop Tom Tresh hit .285 with 15 homers and a team-high 54 RBI's. Francisco Cordova led an overachieving pitching staff, going 8-2 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Although the Birmingham Steelers had three straight seasons below .500, they entered the break tied for first place in the Southeast Division with a 39-36 record. Shortstop Jose Hernandez hit .292 with 11 homers and a team-high 60 RBI's. Leftfielder Adam Frazier set the table, hitting .356 out of the leadoff slot, with 24 doubles and 58 runs scored. Veteran righthander Steve Busby went 7-4 with a solid 2.72 ERA. Disappointments: Although the St. Louis Pilots won an unexpected division title in 2030 with 90 wins, it was apparent that a return trip to the playoffs was not in the cards, as they limped to a 5-17 start as part of a 32-42 first half. Offensively, the Pilots ranked next to last in the league in runs scored and homers and dead last in steals. Center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. tailed off drastically, dropping off from hitting .259 with 19 homers and 75 RBI's to a meager .207 with 8 homers and 30 RBI's. Third baseman Bobby Byrne went from 14 homers and 80 runs scored in 2030 to a lone homer, 18 runs scored, and 14 RBI's at the All-Star break. Free agent signee Hal Morris, who ripped 21 homers and drove in 125 runs for a mediocre New York offense last year, popped just 7 homers and drove in a mere 25 runs. Meanwhile, the Pilots' pitching, which ranked among the league's best last season, dropped off to the middle of the pack, as Jerry Augustine, a 13-game winner a year ago with an adequate 4.10 ERA, went just 2-3 with a bloated 5.76 ERA. Paul Derringer saw his ERA rise by half a run over his strong rookie campaign. The San Francisco Longshoremen, who won 92 games and made a surprise playoff appearance last season, dropped off to a 34-40 record at midseason. Right fielder Jose Canseco, who unexpectedly won the batting title last season, hit just .246 in first half (although he showed increased power production). Second-year first baseman Joe Adcock, who hit .323 and slugged .556 in a strong rookie campaign, dropped off to just .264 and .381, respectively, at the break. The biggest dropoff, however, was on the mound. Brad Halsey, a 12-game winner with a solid 3.30 ERA in 2030, had a dreadful first half, going 0-6 with a ghastly 7.06 ERA, surrendering 23 homers in just 88 innings. Don Aase saw his ERA jump from 3.10 last year to 4.43 at the break. The Nashville Blues, the defending Continental League champions, were in danger of missing the postseason for the first time in four years, after a disappointing 38-37 half. Franchise icon Greg Luzinski appeared to be at the end of the line, after hitting just .218 and slugging a punchless .332 in an injury-riddled first half. Second baseman Don Buford, a down-ballot MVP candidate last year, saw his batting average plummet by over 100 points, as he hit just .232 with 3 homers and 37 RBI's, and the Blues struggled to replace Miguel Tejada, who departed in free agency, at shortstop, as Swede Risberg hit just .232 with 3 homers and 20 runs scored. Longtime ace Bob Shirley had a rough half, going 5-8 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. The Houston Pythons, who won 94 games last year, entered the break below .500 at 37-38. Houston's offense, while still solidly above average, did not reach the heights of last season's 257-homer squad. But the Pythons' pitching ranked among the worst in the league. Ownie Carroll was the biggest offender, seeing his ERA spike by over 3 runs a game to 7.85, as he went just 2-9. Southpaw Scott Aldred, a surprise signing after losing 19 games last year for Miami, was an unmitigated disaster, going 1-7 with a 8.22 ERA and an atrocious 2.31 WHIP. London Calling: The London Werewolves were traditionally a solid, if unspectacular franchise, and it had made the playoffs only once since 2019. But the Werewolves attacked the offseason with a vengeance, signing All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg and 3-time MVP right fielder Reggie Smith on the same day. Adding to their postseason haul, the Werewolves added oft-injured left fielder Duffy Lewis and pitcher Matt Albers, and they traded for catcher Scott Hatteberg in spring training. Although Smith popped only three round-trippers before going down for two months with a knee injury in mid-May, the Werewolves' shopping spree was an unmitigated success, as they ended the first half with the best record in the Frontier League. Albuquerque Conquers Opposing Pitchers: The Albuquerque Conquistadors expected to take a step back after losing star infielders Ryne Sandberg and Yoan Moncada in free agency. Although both players starred for their new squads (London and Denver, respectively), the Conquistadors continued to punish enemy pitching staffs, scoring 520 runs in the first half -- nearly 100 more than any other team in baseball -- and leading baseball in almost every significant offensive category other than steals. 3-time MVP Frank Baker continued to dominate, hitting .428 with 28 homers and 86 RBI's, while first baseman George Brett developed a power stroke, hitting .336 with a .619 slugging percentage, including 46 extra-base hits. Despite a subpar pitching staff, which was further weakened by the loss of closer Chuck Finley, the Conquistadors took a 47-27 record into the break. Pennant Races Abound: Six of the eight divisions were separated by two games or less at the All-Star break, and none of the division leaders enjoyed more than a 4 1/2 game lead at the break. This represented a stark contrast from past seasons, which often featured at least one double-digit division lead at midseason. The Southeast Division was particularly tight, as four teams were separated by 2 games, with the fifth-place Atlanta Ducks still in the hunt. MASH: San Antonio: The San Antonio Marksmen somehow ended the first half with a 39-34 record, even though their pitching staff was decimated by injuries. At the All-Star break, five pitchers were on the disabled list, and three more- including Don Drysdale - were suffering from nagging day-to-day injuries. Most notably, defending Cy Young Award winner Joe Ross tore an elbow tendon after notching a 1.65 ERA with 97 strikeouts in his first 11 starts, knocking him out of commission until the start of next season. Bobby Jones and John Denny, who combined for 30 wins last season, started only 11 games combined in the first half, although both were expected back before the end of July. Veteran reliever Wesley Wright would not return until next spring after tearing an elbow tendon. Major injuries: San Antonio was not the only club to suffer multiple substantial injuries; the Charlotte Aviators were also bitten by the injury bug, as veteran Hank Robinson, an 18-game winner last year, tore his UCL and would be out until early 2032. Charlotte second baseman Bobby Grich broke his hand in late April and would not return until the start of July. Detroit righthander Larry Jaster's quest for 300 wins was put on hold, as he tore his UCL after achieving his 290th career victory. London rightfielder Reggie Smith went down with knee tendinitis in mid-May. For the second straight season, Philadelphia shortstop Charlie Hollocher was sidelined, as he broke his ankle in mid-April and would not return until the end of August. San Diego ace Ham Iburg tore his UCL in June, ending a likely all-star campaign. Major milestones: London rightfielder Reggie Smith notched his 2,500th career hit. Anaheim third baseman and Virginia Beach DH Boog Powell each popped their 400th career homer. El Paso third baseman Rube Oldring was expected join the 3,000 hit club by the Fourth of July. Los Angeles teammates Gary Matthews, Sr. and Norm Cash were likely to join the 400 homer club before year's end. Jacksonville's Dizzy Trout earned his 200th career victory, while San Antonio's Don Drysdale and Washington's Rheal Cormier each won their 200th game, while Drysdale was likely to join the 3,000 strikeout club in his next start.

02-05-2019, 02:44 AM	#140
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2031 Year in Review Frontier League: The Baltimore Robins survived a midseason swoon to take the Northeast Division title with 87 wins, making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Slugging backstop Gary Sanchez led a middling offense, hitting .307 with 37 homers and 100 RBI's. Right fielder Hal McRae hit .349 and slugged .584, popping 19 homers and driving in 82 runs in just 114 games. Southpaw Randy Johnson had a breakout season, as the Big Unit went 17-4, leading the league with a career-best 1.87 ERA and 0.95 WHIP and striking out 239 hitters in 207 innings. Southpaw Clayton Richard went 11-10 with a solid 3.21 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Baltimore edged the Buffalo Fighting Elk, who lost nine of their last twelve games to finish with just 82 wins, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2023. Buffalo struggled offensively, finishing just 21st in the Frontier League in runs scored. They were led by left fielder Ron Jones, who hit 34 homers and drove in 98 runs, but no one else on the squad topped 14 homers or drove in more than 72 runs. Righthander Willard Nixon led a solid starting rotation with a 12-6 record and a 2.94 ERA before tearing his UCL in mid-September. The Detroit Fighting Elk won the Great Lakes Division with 100 wins behind the best pitching staff in baseball, which surrendered just 559 runs. Offensively, Detroit was led by left fielder Mel Hall, who hit .279 with 43 homers and 112 RBI's. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, a free agent signee, hit 36 homers and drove in 94 runs, while right fielder Larry Sheets blasted 37 round-trippers and drove in 97 runs. Hard-luck righthander Ed Walsh went just 11-12, despite a strong 2.78 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. Mike Garcia, another free agent acquisition, went 20-7 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, while veteran righthander Larry Jansen went 18-9 with a 2.99 ERA. The London Werewolves returned to the postseason for the first time in five years, winning 93 games, led by MVP candidate Ryne Sandberg, who hit a league-best .368 with 39 homers, 127 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and 66 steals. First baseman Greg Gagne hit .294 with 27 homers and 123 RBI's. Right fielder Reggie Smith hit .323 with 15 homers and 75 RBI's in an injury-riddled debut season with the Werewolves, in just 109 games. Matt Morris led a deep pitching staff with a 15-8 record, a 2.60 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Frank Papish posted a 16-7 record with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The defending champion Cincinnati Spiders snuck into the playoffs with 86 wins, led by star shortstop Corey Seager, who hit .364 with 42 homers and 127 RBI's. Right fielder David Murphy hit .272, blasting 21 homers and driving in 93 runs. Southpaw Ricky Romero had a breakout season, going 20-7 with a 3.53 ERA and 209 strikeouts. Jon Matlack went just 11-10, despite a 2.86 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts in just 25 starts. The Chicago Mules rallied from a slow start to take the Great Plains Division with 88 wins, four games ahead of the Omaha Falcons. Veteran first baseman George Altman hit .307 and slugged .550 with 49 doubles, 32 homers, and 120 RBI's. Right fielder Bobby Murcer also popped 32 round-trippers, and plated 107 runs. Rookie left fielder Gene Clines hit .355, leading the Frontier League with 240 hits, and he swiped 64 bases. Bob Moose led the Mules' moundsmen with an 18-7 record, a 2.97 ERA and 250 strikeouts. Closer Roy Parmelee notched 37 saves with a 1.87 ERA, striking out 99 hitters in 68 innings. Omaha rallied late to pull within four games of the Mules, finishing with 84 victories. Gorman Thomas led the Falcons offensively, hitting 38 homers and driving in 106 runs, while Lou Gehrig hit .289 with 31 homers, 99 runs scored, and 89 RBI's. The Portland Skunks unexpectedly led baseball with 104 victories, riding a league-best offense which scored 935 runs and pounded 224 longballs. First baseman Jeff Bagwell starred, hitting .341 with a .459 on-base percentage, and leading the Frontier League with 55 homers and 143 RBI's. Left fielder Mike Easler hit .288 with 39 homers and 128 RBI's, while second baseman John Knight hit .328 with 56 doubles, 23 homers, 135 runs scored, and 103 RBI's. Southpaw Mark Thurmond went 19-7 with a 2.94 ERA, while Kyle Snyder went 18-8 with a 3.92 ERA. The Seattle Whales won 98 games, led by first baseman Lee May, who ripped 39 homers with 138 RBI's, and left fielder Sherry Magee, who hit .301 with 27 homers, 86 RBI's,109 runs scored, and 48 steals. Righthander Jose Guzman posted a 23-5 record with a 2.64 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 237 strikeouts. Steady Bob Osborn was 10-7 with a 2.96 ERA. Despite stumbling in the last two months, the Denver Spikes earned a playoff bid with 87 wins. Catcher Frank Fernandez had a breakout season, hitting .265 and slugging .566 with 42 homers and 142 RBI's. Free agent signee Yoan Moncada hit .289 with 37 homers, 96 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and 78 steals. Denver's pitching ranked second in the Frontier League, as Steve Barber went 21-8 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts. Southpaw Earl Johnson went 19-9 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Continental League: The Washington Ambassadors nearly went wire-to-wire, as they won their first Atlantic Division title since 2012, winning 97 games. Washington's offense ranked third in the Continental League, as slugging left fielder Gus Zernial hit .298 with 54 homers and 140 RBI's. DH Eddie Robinson hit .342 with 33 homers and 104 RBI's. Right fielder Ralph Garr hit .362 with 43 doubles, 115 runs scored, and 28 steals. Lefties Rheal Cormier and Franklin Morales won 17 games apiece, and Chris Short notched 39 saves with a 2.44 ERA. The Jacksonville Gulls rallied to clinch a playoff spot on the final day of the season, winning 87 games on the season. Shortstop Tom Tresh hit .303 with 36 homers and 120 RBI's. First baseman Keith Hernandez hit .327 and slugged .582, blasting 24 homers and driving in 99 runs. The New Orleans Crawfish ran away with the Southeast Division title with 91 victories, taking the division by ten games. Shortstop/ third baseman Manny Machado earned his free agent contract, hitting .339 with 38 homers and 135 RBI's. Left fielder Tommie Davis hit .334 with 228 hits, 17 homers and 116 runs scored. Catcher Benito Santiago hit .290, popping 20 homers, driving in 75 runs, and swiping 34 bags. Art Mahaffey led a mediocre pitching staff, going 15-15 with a 3.91 ERA, while Clarence Pickrel saved 45 games with a 2.44 ERA. The Dallas Wildcatters were a surprise winner of the Texas Division with 86 wins, winning 16 of 22 games during one stretch in September to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Dallas was led offensively by left fielder Mike Greenwell, who hit .339 and slugged .589, pounding 33 homers and driving in 113 runs. Ageless right fielder George "High Pockets" Kelly hit .281 with 28 homers and 85 RBI's, notching his 3,500th career hit and 450th career homer. Rookie righthander Red Ames went 15-12 with a 3.10 ERA, and led baseball with 286 strikeouts. Hank Borowy went 16-10 with a 3.78 ERA. Dallas edged the El Paso Armadillos and Houston Pythons by a game apiece, as each was eliminated on the last day of the season to finish with 85 wins. El Paso struggled offensively, finishing 21st in the league in runs scored. They were led by first baseman Gil Hodges, who hit .298 with 26 homers and 100 RBI's, and DH Frank Howard, who ripped 24 round-trippers and plated 94 runs. Southpaw Dontrelle Willis led a deep pitching staff with 14 wins and a 3.57 ERA. Houston's powerful offense featured four 30-homer hitters, as they blasted 227 homers, led by center fielder Ryan Thompson, who hit .280 with 44 homers and 139 RBI's, and left fielder Larry Hisle, who hit .362 with 40 longballs and 112 RBI's. Southpaw Jerry Reuss posted a 21-11 record with a 3.29 ERA. The Albuquerque Conquistadors survived the loss of MVP candidates Ryne Sandberg and Yoan Moncada to free agency, registering 99 wins with another elite offensive showing. Albuquerque scored 1115 runs, hitting .311 as a team with a league-best 268 homers. Frank :"Home Run" Baker won yet another triple crown, hitting .383 with 54 homers and 164 RBI's. First baseman George Brett blossomed into a star, hitting .341 and slugging .653 with 54 doubles, 37 homers and 149 RBI's. Right fielder Doc Miller hit .352 with 34 homers and 135 RBI's. Slugging catcher Tex Erwin hit .296 with 43 homers and 121 RBI's. Paul Toth and Dave Righetti each won 14 games to pace a mediocre pitching staff. The Los Angeles Kangaroos returned to the postseason after three straight fourth-place finishes, winning 97 games. Four Kangaroos topped .300, led by center fielder Bobby Tolan, who hit .325 with 50 doubles, 13 homers, 82 RBI's, and 66 steals. DH Norm Cash hit .300 with 26 homers and 93 RBI's, while catcher Elston Howard hit .314 with 21 homers and 91 RBI's. Lefty Nap Rucker paced a strong pitching staff, going 19-12 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts. Steve Woodard went 18-9 with a 3.77 ERA. The Las Vegas Aces thrived despite a subpar offense, winning 95 games as DH George Bell hit .290 with 41 homers and 124 RBI's. Right fielder Tony Gwynn rapped 220 hits, posting a .332 average with 45 doubles, 111 runs, and 66 steals. Journeyman righthander Ron Kline went 20-6 with a league-best 2.44 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, as the Aces led the Continental League with just 646 runs allowed. Butch Wensloff went 15-8 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, while Bill Kennedy posted 38 saves with a 1.87 ERA. The Phoenix Lizards took the final playoff slot with 89 wins, behind an explosive offense that ranked second in baseball. Left fielder Irish Meusel hit .332 and slugged .606 with 47 homers and 148 RBI's. Right fielder Cliff Heathcote hit .329 with 46 doubles, 33 homers, 117 RBI's, and 50 steals. Second baseman Jose Altuve set the table, hitting .322 with 110 runs scored and 31 steals. Alex Fernandez was the lone bright spot for an otherwise-lousy pitching staff, going 16-8 with a 3.92 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and fanned 218 batters. Attached Images