Tuesday, September 8, 2009

For the New Owners and Old

Spring Training is time to get the rust off the Vets and give some ML experience for the minor league players that have a ML future. This is some of the do's and don'ts.

Starting Pitchers, set their TPC and MPC so they pitch no more than 3 or 4 innings max. You really want their IP total some where near 10. The same can be said for the pen, but here you want about 8 IPs'. Also you don't want your starters pitching in the last two Spring Training games if you can help it, especially opening day and day 2 starters. When Spring Training ends there are no off days where pitchers can rest before the start of the season, even for the minors.

Starting Positions, play them about 25 AB's, catchers about 20 AB's or 4 to 5 starts.

The reason, if you over extend them in Spring Training, you risk injury and becoming fatigued more easily in regular season games. Other than getting the rust off and getting experience, Spring Training actually has little bearing on how a player will actually perform during the regular season. I have seen players that hit .350 in Spring Training and barely hit .250 in the regular season.

For those that don't know, fatigue is not based on AB's but PA's. A PA report can be gotten through the Player's Statistics using the extended function. This formula: (730 * .Durability = approximate PA's during the season) It is pretty close to accurate. Normally about mid season is when players may go into fatigue status if they do not have any regular game days off. BTW, Spring Training Games count. Normally those with a durability with 85 and above are not that prone to go into fatigue status unless they hit in slot 1 thru 5, because these lineup slots receive the most PA's. Those with durability below 80 is the ones that you must worry about the most and need the most game days off.

For those that need help setting a lineup, I have found this the most convenient way of doing it.

Slot 1 - Your best OBP guy that is not a power hitter. Speed is a plus but not necessary.
Slot 2 - I put in the guy on the roster that has the best walk to strike out ratio that is not a true power hitter.
Slot 3 - Can vary a little, you can either put in your best AVG hitter (second best if you used him for slot 1) or your best power hitter.
Slot 4, 5, 6 or (3 thru 6) - Needs to have your best power hitters.
Slot 7, 8, (9) - The remaining. I would suggest Contact over Eye then adjust after the first 20 games for best fit.

The object is to get runners on so the power hitters get them home with the long ball otherwise you get a lot of solo shots.

Minor league pitching fatigue happens but we frown on constant dead pitching. The best way to combat it is to have five starters and 4 long relievers that could be starters and maybe 1 inactive. It doesn't matter how good they are as long as they can chew up innings when needed. Also you can have spare pitchers inactive just in case, I usually carry a couple ugly spares. If you try and run a bunch of short relievers, they will get chewed up quick.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Yo Adrian, I did it! - Balboa Cashes In

By KYLE KEOUGH

CANSECO COURIER



Hector Balboa, formerly of the Philadelphia Athletics, was unsurprisingly the prized free agent catch of this off-season. The 30-year-old third baseman agreed to terms yesterday, ending speculation as to where he would finally end up.

The lucky recipient? The Arizona Destroyers.

This season saw what will soon become an alarming trend come to fruition: players are opting to test free agency rather than sign extensions at a much higher rate than previously experienced. Seasons ago, a player of Balboa's caliber might never have made it to the open market.

Now, however, he's raked in the dough as the Destroyers' newest addition. With the franchise's first division title and 96 wins in its immediate rear-view mirror, new owner bpang kept spirits high and proved he was committed to continued success all in one fell swoop.

Balboa, 30, is listed as a second baseman, but could very easily play Gold Glove-caliber third base, adequate center field, and occasionally fill in at shortstop. The Destroyers entered the off-season looking for a little offensive help, and they'll more than receive it in Balboa.

The pricetag, naturally, will be high. Balboa's 5-year deal is worth an estimated $87.5 million; that's just short of the Courier's prediction of 5 years and $90 million, but still an astronomical sum. Still, the three-time All-Star has proven to be one of the top players in baseball over the course of his career.

Rule 5

Ever wonder what another owner looks for in the the Rule 5 setting? This is my personal scouting report on the best players by position.

C - After looking over the top 4 catchers, they are really posers. I would consider Jim Higgins as a backup and maybe even a starter. May not hit well but he will give the pitchers the best chance of success with his pitch calling and defense. There are a couple others listed way down the list I would consider just as good if you need a quality defensive backup.

1B - Eddie Reese is rated by my scouts as the best, but I wouldn't even consider drafting him due to fact he is not ready for the ML.
Michael Tamura his hitting and fielding could grow into the position, he is not really ready for ML action and I wouldn't consider drafting him due to his health.
Ryan Moreno is actually the best of the three in my books, he is not ready for the NL either and I wouldn't consider him with his low makeup.

2B - Junior Mendoza probably comes on most boards as the best but I would only consider him for COF. My board is littered with wannabes but none can play the position well enough to be considered, and most would be hard pressed for an OF position.

3B - I didn't even find one at the listed position that deserved the time of day.

SS - There are several available that would make great IF/OF utility bench players but none of them will wow anybody at the plate. Since there are so many I am not going to list them and they are all about the same.

LF - If your looking for a power hitter, even a stop gap moldy one, forget it. I didn't even find a player I would consider drafting even for 1B.

CF - There isn't a player I would even consider a bench player at any position let alone play the position.

RF - Theo Darwin is the first one that comes up on the list. He is intriguing due to the fact that he could be a walk machine.
Weldon Reynolds could be an interesting choice with his power.

P - Danys Bournigal is probably the only player in Rule 5 that should have been protected. He is ML ready though I would be hard pressed to use him as a closer with his lack of durability. He can give you up to 70 innings a season easy in a setup role but not every day.
Coco Sweeney would make a good long reliever as I don't think he is quite ready as a starter. He could be good in the future on the right team.
Marty Cameron would be an interesting pick but is not ready for the ML at this time.
Kiki Carrara interests me because he is ready but suffers from the lack of durability.
Junior Torres would be a good choice as a long reliever and emergency starter.

There are several pitchers that could are good enough to be used as stop gap measures that could surprise everyone but no one I would consider consistent.

Friday, September 4, 2009

The Royal Rumble

Rochester
Rochester Royal Rumble (NL)
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Originally the franchise was founded in Cincinnati and called the Coneys. Current management purchased the team in season 2 and moved them to New Britain and named them the Naughty Kitties, a common moniker there. In New Britain the team had little success in its first two seasons but took the division crown in season 4 and a wild card berth in season 5 with a matching 90-72 record, the fans were ecstatic. Both times they were ousted in the first round by some very close games. After a dispute with the New Britain Stadium group, management was forced from their comfy confines and found a suitor in Rochester and the newly renovated Frontier Park. The players on the team actually came up with the new nickname of Royal Rumble after the bitter dispute in New Britain.

Team song: Royal Rumble...what else.
Team Mascot: The Hulkster..who else.

Management, of course, expects nothing less than a World Series title in season 6, getting there will be very tough as 162 plus games and at least 19 teams stand in our way. The players are loose and ready to play and want nothing less than that title. The new fans are excited as all home dates have been sold out already.

Coaches - All ML coaches were either rehired or were hired from within the organization.

The team roster stands as follows before the Rule 5 Draft:

C - Charles Nakano returns for his sixth season as primary backstop. Pedro Valentin was called up mid season last year when things went badly for Furio O'Brien who retired in the off season.

1B - Ed Wood who was newly acquired a few minutes ago will take over the duties from Vic Seneca.

2B - Rafael Perez will get the start again after his Gold Glove performance last year.

3B - Orval Varitek and his gold Glove will assume the duties for another year.

SS - Esteban Izturis happily returns after last minute FA negotiations that broke down early in the off season.

LF - Aubrey Speaker returns for another season.

CF - Al Mendoza who was called up mid season last year in an emergency situation wowed teammates and coaches alike. He provides comic relief when the team is in need.

RF - Vic Seneca was the 1B most for most of last year, but was called upon late in the season to take over the RF duties and performed admirably. With the recent release of Clint Mercedes and the signing of Ed Wood, the move was made permanent for this season.

Bench at the moment consists of Alex Flores, Trent Flores (no relation as far as we know), Junior Alicea

SP - Oscar Chang (season 4 Cy Young winner) an Mario Swift will be the number 1 and 2 starters for season 6, however the other three positions will have to be earned this season.

Joining the SP fight will be: Clarence Branson, Roger Allen, Christopher Krause, Alton Francis, Benji Lopez, Stuart Carver and Ira Richard.

Long Relief and Setup: Darrin Dipoto, Karim Parra, Carlos Gonzalez, and Julio Torres

Departures for last season: RP - Andy Walsh, RF - Napoleon Bowles, RF - Clem Davis who signed with the Burlington Mean Green, C - Furio O'Brien who retired, Geraldo Moreno who was released, and RF - Clint Mercedes who was recently released as a last minute option.

It is doubtful the Royal Rumble will participate in the Rule 5 draft. Drafting 21st and from the looks of things at the moment a possible 17th pick, makes it look bleak. Although we will be checking things out from top to bottom. What we look for in the Rule 5 draft is players that are better than the current roster and that is hard to come by.

Thursday, September 3, 2009


Santa Fe Fireworks

The Santa Fe Fireworks, formerly known as the El Paso Libere El Taco Rosado, have historically been a good franchise that has fallen on hard times only recently. In season one, El Taco Rosado finished with a 106-win mark and advanced to the World Series. Since then, however, the Fireworks have yet to win a second division title; seasons two and three were marked by two wildcard appearances and subsequent early exits from the playoffs, and the Fireworks have not been back in the playoffs since.

Captained by owner fumanchu for the first four seasons, the team was bought by Keosawa in season five and suffered through its worst season to date, a 73-89 mark. Located in WhatifSports field, Santa Fe's stadium boasts limited seating but guaranteed fireworks, hence the moniker. However, a high-octane offense has yet to have a positive effect on the team's win total.

The Fireworks are led by veteran third baseman Harry Torres, power-hitting second baseman Kyle Briggs, and up-and-coming starter Matty Tracy.



Team Awards


AL South Champions (season one)

ALCS Champions (season one)

Team Hall of Fame

Is this something that players are interested in doing?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Free Agent Flurry: Coomer, Chavez, and Hardy Inked

By KYLE KEOUGH
CANSECO COURIER

A mad dash for free agent pickups resulted in three of the off-season's biggest names signing long-term contracts today, as the free agency season capped off with a bang.

Shawn Coomer was perhaps the biggest winner of the early year, with a 5-year deal worth an estimated $46 million. 4 years and $36 million of said deal is guaranteed for the 30-year-old 3B, who will now look to improve the lineup of the Washington D.C. Generals.

Coomer was perhaps the best pure power hitter available this off-season: in five seasons, he has hammered 238 career HRs to go along with 623 lifetime RBIs.

The Scottsdale Snipers inked 33-year-old Vladimir Chavez to the surprisingly reasonable tune of 4 years and $35.2 million. Chavez is coming off a lengthy deal that paid him $94 million.

Chavez, known as one of the best pure hitters in the game, is a lifetime .340 hitter.

Wil Hardy, 30, become the third of a trifecta of big-name hitters to sign today, as he found an interested party in the Detroit Badasses. Hardy was signed to a 5-year deal worth an estimated $35.4 million.

Hardy was one of the few legitimate centerfielders on the market this season, and despite recent on-field struggles, has the talent to be a key contributor for the Badasses this season.

All three signings seem to suggest that owners in Canseco will take a spendthrifty approach to free agency; all three signings were below predictions made at the Courier.