A reposting of the All-Decade Teams in Hunter (Updated to include current team names). Names listed will be current then the old name in brackets.
AL All-Decade Team
Starting Pitching: (Naming three starting pitchers)
Felipe Bournigal- Night Demons (8-time All-Star & 6 Cy Youngs)
This was a pretty obvious decision to name the starter as Bournigal has clearly been the most dominant pitcher over the first 10 seasons of Hunter and will be a sure fire Hall of Famer. If this list gets re-done after 20 seasons I would find it hard to believe that another pitcher would take the starting spot. At age 37 his career is drawing to a close however, I still expect another 3 solids seasons from this Superstar.
Elvis Ogea- Blue Claws/Generals (6-time All-Star & 2 Cy Youngs)
Had Bournigal never existed Ogea’s Cy young title would most likely be 5 or higher. However, Bournigal did exist which relegates Ogea to 2nd banana status. However, being the 2nd best pitcher over a decade is nothing to sneeze at. The one place that Ogea leads Bournigal is the fact he was the “ace” of three championship teams and Bournigal only took home two titles
Pete Daly- Night Demons (5-time All-Star & 1 Gold Glove)
If you think Ogea had it bad being ranked 2nd behind Bournigal, just think about Daly having never been the top starting pitcher on his own team. When you look at their stats and longevity Ogea, Daly and Bournigal are in a class of their own. Filling out the remainder of the SP spots proved to be the most difficult part in this exercise.
RP (Naming two: Closer and Set-up)
Closer- Terrence Floyd- Neophytes/Black Sox (8-time All-Star & 3 Fireman of the Year)
Hunter’s career leader in saves was an obvious choice for the closer role. His 8 all-star appearances ties Bournigal as the most for an AL pitcher. His three fireman awards are also an AL-Record. For the decade Floyd was the best of the four AL dominant closers.
Setup- Jared Page - Night Demons (6-time All-star & 3 Fireman of the year)
Surprise, surprise another SF pitcher. For Hunter’s first decade it’s clear to see how SF lead the AL in wins. Pitching, pitching and more pitching. Page falls just behind Floyd and is a worth set-up man. His three fireman awards tie Floyd’s record. The one place Page does best Floyd is he’s the Hunter world leader in SV%.
Catcher - Bruce Nixon- Stranglers/scorpions/The Whale (6-time All-star & 3 Silver Slugger)
As a catcher the 6 time all-star and three Silver sluggers are AL bests at age 37 Nixon is still in the league but the end of his career isn’t far off. The last couple years have caused his career batting average to drop just below .300 however his OPS still sits above .800 which is an impressive feat. The one sad note for Nixon is he has never made the playoffs.
1b- Lou Stevenson-Fire/Bald Beaver (2-time All-Star, 3 Silver Slugger & 4 MVP)
Despite only 6 seasons in the AL Stevenson was an obvious choice for the 1b spot. In his first 5 seasons he racked up 4 AL MVP’s before adding a 5th MVP via the NL to his resume. His 5 total MVP’s is a Hunter record shared with Magglio Javier. Javier and Stevenson have combined for 9 of the 10 AL MVP’s. Despite three seasons of under-use in the NL before returning to the AL this season Stevenson still boosts career numbers of 1007 R, 450 HR & 1234 RBI
2b- Mendy Clemens- Cheese Grits (3-time All-Star & 5 Silver Sluggers)
Mendy moved to the NL during Atlanta’s season six fire sale. However despite this fact Clemens was a slam-dunk for the AL’s staring lineup. He won the 2b silver slugger for every full season he played in the AL. His five silver sluggers are a record shared with Magglio Javier and Dan Miller. Clemens continued his fine play in the NL and was a member of last year’s world series winners (New York).
SS- Dan Miller - Blue Claws/Generals (3-time All-Star & 5 Silver Sluggers)
As mentioned above Miller is one of three, 5-time AL Silver slugger winners and did so in only 6 full AL seasons. During that time he also managed to pick up three championship rings. Miller’s range in his prime was slightly below average however, his bat more than made up for it and it certainly didn’t hurt the Generals in the playoffs.
3b - Rodrigo Brito- Neophytes/Black Sox (4-time All-Star, 4 Silver Sluggers & 2 Gold Gloves)
Brito is the first player on the list to not only have silver slugger but gold gloves. This in itself is an impressive achievement. In addition to this Brito had authored 10 consecutive 30 HR seasons and has failed to reach 100 RBI only one-time. Thus making him a model of consistency. His four AL silver sluggers fall one short of the record and having moved to the NL (Pittsburgh) it looks like his final total will be one short.
Lf- Magglio Javier – Sluggers (9-time All-Star, 5 Silver Sluggers, 5 MVPs & Rookie of the Year)
If there were an MVP for the first decade of Hunter Magglio Javier would probably be the winner. His 9 all-star appearances, 5 silver sluggers and 5 MVPs are all AL records. In addition to that his career numbers and consistency is staggering. Magglio has never scored less than 114 runs, hit less than 44 HR or drove in less than 135 RBI. All of these numbers were posted this season (10) and he still walked away with the MVP. He missed being the first member of the 500 HR club by one game and sits 5 RBI’s short of being the first 1500 RBI player. Additionally, he’s lead Louisville to 10 playoff appearances, 9 division titles, 5 ALCS appearance and 2 World Series appearances. The only flaw in his resume is a lack of a ring; however as I write this Sluggers lead the World Series 1-0.
Cf- Pablo Chavez - Blue Claws/Generals (3-time All-Star)
The toughest position to pick a start as no player really separated themselves from the rest. This pick makes Chavez the youngest member of the team at 27 and still has a few more CF seasons left in him before moving to a corner OF spot to improve his resume. This pick ultimately came down to three options. However, Chavez’s combination of power and defense is what landed him on this list.
Rf- Mark Gabriel - Patriots/Explorers 4-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger and 1 Gold Glove)
Gaberial won the three horse race for this spot and joins Brito as the only other Gold Glove winner on the list. Gabrial strong career numbers are a result of a long and extremely consistent career.
DH- Glenn McCarty - Chupacabras/Beefeaters (7-time All-Star, 4 Silver Sluggers)
McCarty was an easy pick for this spot as his seven AL all-star appearances only trails Javier and his 4 silver sluggers sit one back of the AL record. In addition to this McCarty is the career leader in OBP with a ridiculous .420 plus he is top five in terms of career batting average.
Reserves:
SP: Derek O'Keefe- Night Demons/Bad Boys/Yorkies (2-time All-Star & 1 Cy Young)
SP: Steve Sheldon- Patriots/Explorers (3-time All-Star)
SP: J.T. Cook- Blue Claws/Generals (2-time All-Star)
SP: Bob Creek - Sluggers (2-time All-Star & 1 Gold Glove)
SP: Dave Caufield- Sluggers (3-time All-Star)
RP: Clark Connelly- Stranglers/scorpions (4-time All-Star, 2 Fireman of the year)
RP: B.C. Tracy- Hashies/thunderstrikers (3-time All-Star, 1 Fireman of the year)
C: Tanner Sager- Blue Claws/Generals (2-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
1b: Sherm Norton- Yorkies/Choking Dogs (4-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
2b: Desi Nixon-Quakers/Mud Hens (2-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
3b: Walter Hansen-Cheese Grits (1-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
SS: Eduardo Gonzalez- Offspring/Velvet Vultures (4-time All-Star & 4 Silver Slugger)
LF: Braden Cox- Patriots/Explorer (5-time All-Star, 3 Silver Slugger & 1 MVP)
CF: Mendy Montana- Night Demons (3 Silver Slugger)
RF: Bruce Kaufman-Chupacabras/Beefeaters (2-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger) DH: Julian Pisciotta- Rattlers/Yorkies (1 Silver Slugger)
Snubs:
SP- Mark Meng- Islanders/Aces (2-time All-Star) hurt by limited time in AL
SP- Mike Eckstein- Sluggers (2-time All-Star)
RP: Willie Gutierrez-Blue Claws/Generals (4-time All-Star)
RP: Louis Fisher- ChupacabrasBeefeaters (3-time All-Star)
C: Trenidad Molina- Hashies/thunderstrikers (3-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger)
1b: Darryl Biddle- Blue Claws/Generals (3-time All-Star & 1 Gold Glove)
1b: Mark Kim- Night Demons (2-time All-Star & 1 MVP)
1b: Juan Zorrilla- Night Demons (2-time All-Star)
2b: Bruce Grey- Sluggers (3-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger)
2b: J.R. Alston- Islanders/Aces (4-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger)
SS: Emmanuel Javier- Sluggers (3-time All-Star)
SS: Bud Thomas- Fire(2-time All-Star & 2 Gold Glove)
3b: Russell Henson- Sluggers (2-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
LF: James Hayashi- Carpetbaggers/Bad Boys (1-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
CF: Evan Levrault- Patriots/Explorers (1-time All-Star & 3 Gold Gloves)
CF: Pinky Duffy-Fire (2-time All-Star & 1 Glove)
RF: Marquis Fischbach-Islanders/Aces (4-time All-Star & 1 Glove)
RF: Tom Leonard-Stranglers/scorpions- (1-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger)
RF: Trevor Rooney- Sluggers (1 All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger & 1 Gold Glove)
NL All-Decade Team
Starting Lineup
SP- Kevin Coleman-Blasters/Mets (3-time All-Star, 3 Cy Young & 1 Silver Slugger)
SP- Shawn Owen- Fugitives/Studdabubbas (5-time All-Star, 2 Cy Young & 2 Silver Slugger)
SP- Mark Meng- Fugitives/Clydesdales (3-time All-Star)
CL- Miguel Bennett-FatNasty (4-time All-Star & 3 Fireman of the Year)
SetA- Eddie Perez- Hartworms (4-time All-Star & 1 Fireman of the Year)
C- Sammy Moraga-FatNasty (5-time All-Star & 3 Silver Slugger)
1b – Rich Peters- Baydogs (All-Star, Silver Slugger & Gold Glove + All-Star and
Silver Slugger @ RF+ Will be 3rd player to 500 HR)
2b- Lonny Iglesias- Blasters/Mule Deer (3 All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger + Silver Slugger & Gold Glove @ LF + First player to 500 HR)
SS- Erubiel Johnson- Blasters (4-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
3b- Angel Bolivar- TCB (4-time All-Star, 3 Silver Slugger, 2 Gold Glove & 1 MVP + 2-time All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger @ SS)
LF- Albert Henley- Loose Sluts/Blasters/Mormons/FatNasty (5-time Allstar, 4 Silver Slugger & 2 MVP + Silver Slugger & 1 Gold Glove @ 2b)
CF- Garrett Biggio-TCB (6-time All-Star, 8 Silver Slugger, 1 Gold Glove & 1 MVP)
RF- Frank Zhang-Blasters (4-time All-Star, 3 Silver Slugger, 2 MVP & ROY)
Bench
SP- Ivan Miller- Clydesdales (3-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger & Cy Young)
SP- Charles Lawton -Clydesdales/Shockers ( 3-time All-Star)
SP-Andruw Allen-FatNasty/Blasters/ Studdabubbas (4-time All-Star)
SP- Lew Drabek- Shockers/Mormons (3-time All-Star)
Long - Jumbo Urbina- Blasters (4-time All-Star & Cy Young)
RP- Hipolito Guillen- MooseDawg (3-time All-Star & Fire Man of the Year)
RP- Ross Kingston- Nickels (4-time All-Star)
C- Roy Christenson-Loose Sluts/Tomato Can/Gamblers (3-time All-Star & 3 Silver Slugger)
1b- Brace Starr-Blasters (3-time All-Star & 1 Silver Slugger)
2b- Frank Perez-Torpedoes/Scrotums/Mets (1-time All-Star & 2 Silver Sluggers)
SS- Steve Parker- Brain Sandwiches/Clydesdales (2-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
3b- J.P. Mercedes-Blasters (3-time All-Star, Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
LF- James Hayashi- Shockers/Blasters (2-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger & MVP + Silver Slugger & All-Star @ 1b)
CF- Andrew Wright- Blasters/Clydesdales (3-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger, Gold Glove & MVP)
RF- Erubiel Molina- Clydesdales/Caesars (6-time All-Star, 3 Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
Snubs
SP- Benito Bonilla-Metropolitans (3-time All-Star & 1 Cy Young)
RP- Ahmad Beltre- Waves/Shockers (3-time All-Star)
SP- Vic Guardado- FatNasty/Shockers/Blasters (2-time All-Star & 1 Cy Young)
RP- Vance Davidson –Blasters (2-time All-Star)
C- Taylor Griffiths- Clydesdales (2-time All-Star & Silver Slugger)
C- Buddy Valentine- Blasters (All-Star & 2 Gold Gloves)
1b- Ned Aldridge- Mormons (2-time All-Star, Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
2b- Kelvin Croushore- Blasters (All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger)
SS- Eduardo Gonzalez- Blasters (2 All-Star & 2 Silver Slugger + All-Star @ 2nd)
3b- Josh Kroon- Hashies (2 All-Star & 3 Silver Slugger)
Lf- Buddy Krivda- Wranglers/Flyers 2 All-Star, Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
Cf- Jason Hutton- Blasters/Mets (3-time All-Star)RF- Trevor Thomas- Flyers (2-time All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger & Gold Glove)
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Atlanta Cheese Grits 20th Anniversary Team
Hunter world was my first world and the Cheese Grits were my first team. It's my favorite franchise, even though my only pennants and WS title reside in another world. In celebration of the 20th season of Hunter, I thought I would name my all time 20th anniversary Grits team. It would be cool if other original owners did the same.
Catcher:
I think if I do a 25th anniversary team, this answer will change to Rick Briggs, but it's Giles for now. Giles was my very first FA signing, and he did not disappoint, going .299/.363/.555 with 37 HR and 126 RBI and 110 runs scored. He was a terrific defensive C and game caller. For 5 seasons, he called the shots and carried a good to great stick. His PC ability kept him in the majors until his 40's.
First Base:
Willie Reagan still holds some franchise records, but Aldridge was the superior player. In 6+ seasons in Atlanta, he led the franchise to their best seasons. He put up a .292/.399/.514 line with 196 HR and 632 RBI while playing in Atlanta. He grabbed 3 top 5 MVP finishes in his Atlanta years. His career .404 OBP and 410 career HR should merit some HOF consideration.
Second Base:
The ultimate no-brainer, Mendy Clemens is one of the few players to be enshrined in Hunter's Hall of Fame. He played the first 5+ seasons in Atlanta before being traded to New York for Gene Fitzgerald (not one of my better decisions). He was brought back as a LF for his last 3 seasons. In his years in Atlanta, he put up a .310/.392/.539 line with 200 HR, 850 RBI, 1044 runs, 196 SB and 1560 hits. He racked up 7 Silver Sluggers and 5 All Star Games in his entire career.
Shortstop:
While Yoshii was capable, at best, at the plate, he was a wizard with the glove. Signed as an IFA out of Japan, Yoshii won 4 Gold Gloves and made 2 All Star teams in his 9 seasons in Atlanta. In his career, he has 147 + plays and only 5 minus plays. He'd have more + plays, but the mods didn't fix fielding stats until after he had played 3 seasons. His batting stats in Atlanta were a respectable .261/.321/.361. I'll take that all day long from a Gold Glove SS.
Third Base:
While the Clemens trade wasn't one of my best, I did manage to spin Fitzgerald after one lousy season into a number of good players in a trade with Colorado. I received George Baker, Al Canizaro, Jerome Moore and Hansen. These players helped build the foundation for my 2 100+ win seasons. Hansen was a good defensive 3b with speed and some power. In 9 seasons in Atlanta, he batted .284/.339/.481 with 187 HR, 332 2b, 848 runs, and 226 SB. He won 4 Silver Sluggers and made 3 All Star teams.
Left Field:
Left field has been a problem spot for Atlanta, which is odd, because it should be one of the easier positions to fill. This is very true in other worlds, but it has not been the case, for me, in Hunter. I've managed to find a lot of veteran stop gaps to give me nice seasons, but no good permanent solutions. Valdes was my first LF and my best. His first 2 seasons were monster seasons, and his glove work was always great. He won 3 Gold Gloves and made 2 All Star teams. In 5 seasons in Atlanta, he hit .295/.356/.459 with 88 HR, 185 2B, and 531 RBI. His skills faded fast as I had no idea what training was good for in those early days and he retired at a very young age after I let him walk.
Center field:
You know what's freaking hard? Finding a CF who can play CF well and hit worth a damn. Not easy. My last 2 seasons, I've had J.R. Cox, who is Willie Mays with the glove, but not so much with the bat (You may run like Hayes, but you hit like sh*t.") Still, you could make a case for Cox, given the assorted junk I had in CF for my first "decade". However, I think Aspromonte has to get the nod here. Hub was a good defender in CF, with his 89 range and 81-83 level glove. He had some pop and was a switch hitter to boot. In 6+ seasons in Atlanta, he posted .252/.317/.435 with 120 HR and 463 RBI. His best season (S12), he put up a .286/.348/.497 line with 21 HR and 92 RBI. Not bad.
Right Field:
Here is another answer that will change with the 25th anniversary team. Joshua Mays will certainly take over this spot at some point, but for 2+ seasons, Hernandez was pure brilliance. He is my sole AL MVP award winner, and boy did he earn it. He hit .309/.386/.619 in S12 with 43 HR, 145 RBI, 121 runs, 26 2b, 11 3b and 30 SB. Oh yeah, he was an above average RF as well. I let him walk after S12 to LA, where his skills declined rapidly (hello training budget!) The compensatory 1st rounder I got turned into Silver Slugging Catcher Rick Briggs. The gift that kept on giving.
Designated Hitter:
DH has been a bit of a revolving door. I've had a lot of players put up 2 good to great seasons in this spot. Aldridge spent some time here, as well. Marc Diaz, Dweezil Van Pelt, and Ralph Hunt were all good hitters. I chose Borchard as he had the best 2 season impact and played on my best teams. He hit .333/.399/.585 and .308/.382/.552 in his 2 full seasons in Atlanta. He hit 36 HR with 115 RBI in the first season and 35 Hr with 115 RBI in his second. That's consistency.
Right Handed Starting Pitcher:
This is a tougher call. Ignacio Cruz won one of my franchises 2 Cy Young awards, George Baker the other. Bob Creek has had 2 very good seasons, but that's not enough. I have to go with Burnett due to his talent and results. He's a short inning starter, which limits his value somewhat, but when he's on the mound, he's great. In 7 seasons in Atlanta, he's posted a 3.07 ERA in 1112 IP with a 1.13 WHIP. He's held opponents to a .279 OBP. He gets a lot of no decisions, but is still 81-45. Does Cruz' value and innings over 4 seasons best Burnett's superior pitching over 7 seasons? I don't think so, but I could be persuaded, I suppose.
Left handed Starting pitcher:
Wakeland is Mr. Cheese Grit. He was 17 years old in S1 when I started my team. He broke into the majors for good in s5 after a massive elbow injury delayed his arrival. He made an immediate impact, winning the Rookie of the Year award by posting a 15-1 season with a 2.90 ERA in 24 starts. There was a fair bit of mediocrity mixed in, as he was backed by some very bad defenses for a while. He turned it around in S10 as the Grits got good again. He peaked in S11, posting a 21-8 record with a 2.84 ERA in 225.1 innings. Another elbow injury in S13 ended his ability to be a good starter, and he's muddled through since. He is still active and pitching, even now, and won his first WS ring with Philly in S18. He pitched 15 seasons in Atlanta and posted a 148-119 record with a 4.26 ERA.
Relief Pitcher:
I drafted Canizaro in the 2nd (!) round in S3. I dealt him to Colorado for Carlos James, but then I reacquired him in the massive Fitzgerald deal mentioned above. During his 7 season tenure in Atlanta, he made 4 All Star Teams and won a Fireman of the Year award. He saved 208 of 231 chances in 351 games, posting a 3.18 ERA.
It's been a fun ride so far and I'm looking forward to writing another one for my 30th anniversary.
Catcher:
I think if I do a 25th anniversary team, this answer will change to Rick Briggs, but it's Giles for now. Giles was my very first FA signing, and he did not disappoint, going .299/.363/.555 with 37 HR and 126 RBI and 110 runs scored. He was a terrific defensive C and game caller. For 5 seasons, he called the shots and carried a good to great stick. His PC ability kept him in the majors until his 40's.
First Base:
Willie Reagan still holds some franchise records, but Aldridge was the superior player. In 6+ seasons in Atlanta, he led the franchise to their best seasons. He put up a .292/.399/.514 line with 196 HR and 632 RBI while playing in Atlanta. He grabbed 3 top 5 MVP finishes in his Atlanta years. His career .404 OBP and 410 career HR should merit some HOF consideration.
Second Base:
The ultimate no-brainer, Mendy Clemens is one of the few players to be enshrined in Hunter's Hall of Fame. He played the first 5+ seasons in Atlanta before being traded to New York for Gene Fitzgerald (not one of my better decisions). He was brought back as a LF for his last 3 seasons. In his years in Atlanta, he put up a .310/.392/.539 line with 200 HR, 850 RBI, 1044 runs, 196 SB and 1560 hits. He racked up 7 Silver Sluggers and 5 All Star Games in his entire career.
Shortstop:
While Yoshii was capable, at best, at the plate, he was a wizard with the glove. Signed as an IFA out of Japan, Yoshii won 4 Gold Gloves and made 2 All Star teams in his 9 seasons in Atlanta. In his career, he has 147 + plays and only 5 minus plays. He'd have more + plays, but the mods didn't fix fielding stats until after he had played 3 seasons. His batting stats in Atlanta were a respectable .261/.321/.361. I'll take that all day long from a Gold Glove SS.
Third Base:
While the Clemens trade wasn't one of my best, I did manage to spin Fitzgerald after one lousy season into a number of good players in a trade with Colorado. I received George Baker, Al Canizaro, Jerome Moore and Hansen. These players helped build the foundation for my 2 100+ win seasons. Hansen was a good defensive 3b with speed and some power. In 9 seasons in Atlanta, he batted .284/.339/.481 with 187 HR, 332 2b, 848 runs, and 226 SB. He won 4 Silver Sluggers and made 3 All Star teams.
Left Field:
Left field has been a problem spot for Atlanta, which is odd, because it should be one of the easier positions to fill. This is very true in other worlds, but it has not been the case, for me, in Hunter. I've managed to find a lot of veteran stop gaps to give me nice seasons, but no good permanent solutions. Valdes was my first LF and my best. His first 2 seasons were monster seasons, and his glove work was always great. He won 3 Gold Gloves and made 2 All Star teams. In 5 seasons in Atlanta, he hit .295/.356/.459 with 88 HR, 185 2B, and 531 RBI. His skills faded fast as I had no idea what training was good for in those early days and he retired at a very young age after I let him walk.
Center field:
You know what's freaking hard? Finding a CF who can play CF well and hit worth a damn. Not easy. My last 2 seasons, I've had J.R. Cox, who is Willie Mays with the glove, but not so much with the bat (You may run like Hayes, but you hit like sh*t.") Still, you could make a case for Cox, given the assorted junk I had in CF for my first "decade". However, I think Aspromonte has to get the nod here. Hub was a good defender in CF, with his 89 range and 81-83 level glove. He had some pop and was a switch hitter to boot. In 6+ seasons in Atlanta, he posted .252/.317/.435 with 120 HR and 463 RBI. His best season (S12), he put up a .286/.348/.497 line with 21 HR and 92 RBI. Not bad.
Right Field:
Here is another answer that will change with the 25th anniversary team. Joshua Mays will certainly take over this spot at some point, but for 2+ seasons, Hernandez was pure brilliance. He is my sole AL MVP award winner, and boy did he earn it. He hit .309/.386/.619 in S12 with 43 HR, 145 RBI, 121 runs, 26 2b, 11 3b and 30 SB. Oh yeah, he was an above average RF as well. I let him walk after S12 to LA, where his skills declined rapidly (hello training budget!) The compensatory 1st rounder I got turned into Silver Slugging Catcher Rick Briggs. The gift that kept on giving.
Designated Hitter:
DH has been a bit of a revolving door. I've had a lot of players put up 2 good to great seasons in this spot. Aldridge spent some time here, as well. Marc Diaz, Dweezil Van Pelt, and Ralph Hunt were all good hitters. I chose Borchard as he had the best 2 season impact and played on my best teams. He hit .333/.399/.585 and .308/.382/.552 in his 2 full seasons in Atlanta. He hit 36 HR with 115 RBI in the first season and 35 Hr with 115 RBI in his second. That's consistency.
Right Handed Starting Pitcher:
This is a tougher call. Ignacio Cruz won one of my franchises 2 Cy Young awards, George Baker the other. Bob Creek has had 2 very good seasons, but that's not enough. I have to go with Burnett due to his talent and results. He's a short inning starter, which limits his value somewhat, but when he's on the mound, he's great. In 7 seasons in Atlanta, he's posted a 3.07 ERA in 1112 IP with a 1.13 WHIP. He's held opponents to a .279 OBP. He gets a lot of no decisions, but is still 81-45. Does Cruz' value and innings over 4 seasons best Burnett's superior pitching over 7 seasons? I don't think so, but I could be persuaded, I suppose.
Left handed Starting pitcher:
Wakeland is Mr. Cheese Grit. He was 17 years old in S1 when I started my team. He broke into the majors for good in s5 after a massive elbow injury delayed his arrival. He made an immediate impact, winning the Rookie of the Year award by posting a 15-1 season with a 2.90 ERA in 24 starts. There was a fair bit of mediocrity mixed in, as he was backed by some very bad defenses for a while. He turned it around in S10 as the Grits got good again. He peaked in S11, posting a 21-8 record with a 2.84 ERA in 225.1 innings. Another elbow injury in S13 ended his ability to be a good starter, and he's muddled through since. He is still active and pitching, even now, and won his first WS ring with Philly in S18. He pitched 15 seasons in Atlanta and posted a 148-119 record with a 4.26 ERA.
Relief Pitcher:
I drafted Canizaro in the 2nd (!) round in S3. I dealt him to Colorado for Carlos James, but then I reacquired him in the massive Fitzgerald deal mentioned above. During his 7 season tenure in Atlanta, he made 4 All Star Teams and won a Fireman of the Year award. He saved 208 of 231 chances in 351 games, posting a 3.18 ERA.
It's been a fun ride so far and I'm looking forward to writing another one for my 30th anniversary.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Pittsburgh Studdabubbas S19 Wrap-Up
The Studdabubbas made huge strides in Season 20. They won 67 games (12 more than last year) and they are no longer the worst team in the league—they are 6th worst. Yippee!
Those 12 wins can probably all be traced back to the swell rookie season that 1B Matt Buchanan put together. He hit 44 homers and for a .316 average. His .992 OPS was second-best in Studdabubba histroy (Willie Drew had 1.067 in season 11). Buchanan was voted the NL rookie of the year by the owners. Surprisingly, this isn't new territory for the Studdabubbas.
What probably isn't surprising to you is that none of these ROYs are pitchers. Pittsburgh is still the black hole of pitching. You hear these pitcher's names on draft day and never again. Take a moment to bask in your Studdabubba's history of pitchers chosen in the first round of the draft.
For the first time in recent memory, the Studdabubbas actually tried to address the pitching issue last season. They acquired 25 y.o. Daryl Isringhausen from LA who went 12-8 for the Studdabubba's big team, which is an accomplishment in this town. They also acquired 21 y.o. Alejandro Gomez from Atlanta and, in true Pittsburgh fashion, he suffered and elbow injury which put him on the DL for a year and set him back pretty far on all of his best assets. Some things never change.
It's probable that we will get to see Butch Griffith and, set-up guy, Seop Pan get called up in Season 20. But after that, the cupboard is pretty bare. And that goes for the young position players, too. Besides Buchanan, the young ML hitters aren't world beaters. Don't be fooled! Even though it's been going on for 5 seasons already, the Bubbas are still in rebuild mode.
Those 12 wins can probably all be traced back to the swell rookie season that 1B Matt Buchanan put together. He hit 44 homers and for a .316 average. His .992 OPS was second-best in Studdabubba histroy (Willie Drew had 1.067 in season 11). Buchanan was voted the NL rookie of the year by the owners. Surprisingly, this isn't new territory for the Studdabubbas.
Pittsburgh Studdabubbas Rookie of the Year winners:
1B - Matt Buchanan (S19)
1B - Nate Girardi(S11)
LF - Willie Drew (S6)
SS - Juan Aguilar (S5)
What probably isn't surprising to you is that none of these ROYs are pitchers. Pittsburgh is still the black hole of pitching. You hear these pitcher's names on draft day and never again. Take a moment to bask in your Studdabubba's history of pitchers chosen in the first round of the draft.
Who the crap are these people?
S1 - Danny Owen - 0 ML years
S2 - Sean Ratliff- 0 ML seasons in Pitt - pitched poorly for LA and Chicago
S2 - Hector Gonzalez - 0 ML seasons in Pitt - stunk in other cities
S3 - Kenneth Carson - 4 ML seasons in Pitt - 4.92 career ERA
S3 - David Cradle - 1 ML Season in Pitt which was at the end of his lousy career (5.30 ERA)
S6 - Quentin Lary - 0 ML seasons in Pitt - The Bubs make a good pick (28th) but wisely trade him away before they can screw him up - 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP in SF and Col.
S11- Stephen Moore - 2 ML seasons in Pitt - sadly, still with team - nobody will claim him - 4.26 ERA
S14 - Greg Baptist - 3 ML seasons in Pitt - 5.07 ERA, 15-45 career record
S15 - Ronny Boyd - 23 y.o.- average AAA starter.
S17 - Butch Griffith - 25 y.o.- good AAA starter
S19 - William Casey - 19 y.o. - First overall pick last year...Dude had better be good!
For the first time in recent memory, the Studdabubbas actually tried to address the pitching issue last season. They acquired 25 y.o. Daryl Isringhausen from LA who went 12-8 for the Studdabubba's big team, which is an accomplishment in this town. They also acquired 21 y.o. Alejandro Gomez from Atlanta and, in true Pittsburgh fashion, he suffered and elbow injury which put him on the DL for a year and set him back pretty far on all of his best assets. Some things never change.
It's probable that we will get to see Butch Griffith and, set-up guy, Seop Pan get called up in Season 20. But after that, the cupboard is pretty bare. And that goes for the young position players, too. Besides Buchanan, the young ML hitters aren't world beaters. Don't be fooled! Even though it's been going on for 5 seasons already, the Bubbas are still in rebuild mode.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Studdabubbas Take a Trip to the Fountain of Youth
After last season’s debacle, at least we can say that your favorite Pittsburgh baseball team (yes, still ahead of the Pirates) aren’t standing pat. The Studdabubbas will welcome 6 rookies to their Big League roster—3 of whom will start right out of the gate. Plus, the Studdabubbas have been making some deals to get some much needed arms into their system. You may not recognize your team in Season 19, but making wholesale changes to the worst team in the league sure seems to make sense.
Rookie Matt Buchanan is the guy who chased Nate Girardi to Atlanta in free agency. Pittsburgh fans are calling him the next Willie Drew. Management is expecting more.
Second baseman Duffy Strong was traded to Atlanta for a promising starting pitcher named Alejandro Gomez who was assigned to Pittsburgh’s AA team. This opened the door for rookie Tim Dresden who will start on opening day.
At short, 31 year-old Frank Turner, who played for Kansas City for the last 6 years, was claimed off the Waiver Wire after Wilton Martin was let go and Wascar Blanco messed-up his back.
In right field, rookie Hong-Gu Suh will get the call because last year’s starter, Fernando Hernandez, was asking for too much money. Currently, Fernando is on Detroit’s AAA team.
The Studdabubba’s had been toying with the idea of trading Aaron Bennett for years and finally pulled the trigger. Bennett and a couple pitching prospects returned SP Daryl Isringhausen from Los Angeles. Last season’s back-up catcher, Arthur Anderson, will likely be the starter but the Bubbas have some depth here. It looks like they might try rookie Jimmie Henriquez as a backup but not because he is a good catcher.
Those are the changes in the field as Buzz Abernathy (3B), Charlie Bird (CF) and Tony Grove (LF) remain the starters from last year. Another rookie, Pablo Andino, has also been called up to the Bigs as a utility guy.
The pitching seems to have improved a little this season but that’s not saying a whole let. Brand new starter Darly Isringhousen will also be joined in the rotation by J.J. Scott who, along with releiver Jesus Diaz was acquired from salary-conscious Scranton for two prospects.
Francisco Delgado was the lone free agency signing for the Studdabubbas this season (way to spend that money, ownership) but he, and rookie Cole Rossy, should help solidify the horrific bullpens of Pittsburgh past.
It may seem even longer, but it's been a long 5 seasons since the Pittsburgh Studdabubbas made the playoffs. In seasons 9-14 they won the NL North 5 out of 6 times. Hopefully, the young nucleus of this club are a step in the right direction to being a relevant, competitive team in Hunter again.
Rookie Matt Buchanan is the guy who chased Nate Girardi to Atlanta in free agency. Pittsburgh fans are calling him the next Willie Drew. Management is expecting more.
Second baseman Duffy Strong was traded to Atlanta for a promising starting pitcher named Alejandro Gomez who was assigned to Pittsburgh’s AA team. This opened the door for rookie Tim Dresden who will start on opening day.
At short, 31 year-old Frank Turner, who played for Kansas City for the last 6 years, was claimed off the Waiver Wire after Wilton Martin was let go and Wascar Blanco messed-up his back.
In right field, rookie Hong-Gu Suh will get the call because last year’s starter, Fernando Hernandez, was asking for too much money. Currently, Fernando is on Detroit’s AAA team.
The Studdabubba’s had been toying with the idea of trading Aaron Bennett for years and finally pulled the trigger. Bennett and a couple pitching prospects returned SP Daryl Isringhausen from Los Angeles. Last season’s back-up catcher, Arthur Anderson, will likely be the starter but the Bubbas have some depth here. It looks like they might try rookie Jimmie Henriquez as a backup but not because he is a good catcher.
Those are the changes in the field as Buzz Abernathy (3B), Charlie Bird (CF) and Tony Grove (LF) remain the starters from last year. Another rookie, Pablo Andino, has also been called up to the Bigs as a utility guy.
The pitching seems to have improved a little this season but that’s not saying a whole let. Brand new starter Darly Isringhousen will also be joined in the rotation by J.J. Scott who, along with releiver Jesus Diaz was acquired from salary-conscious Scranton for two prospects.
Francisco Delgado was the lone free agency signing for the Studdabubbas this season (way to spend that money, ownership) but he, and rookie Cole Rossy, should help solidify the horrific bullpens of Pittsburgh past.
It may seem even longer, but it's been a long 5 seasons since the Pittsburgh Studdabubbas made the playoffs. In seasons 9-14 they won the NL North 5 out of 6 times. Hopefully, the young nucleus of this club are a step in the right direction to being a relevant, competitive team in Hunter again.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Pittsburgh Studdabubbas S18 Wrap-Up
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. The Studdabubbas thought S18 was the year that they, at least, would get the ship facing in the right direction. Last season, they came on strong at the end of the season. So, this year, they spent some money in free-agency for the first time in years and thought they had some young players who were ready to break-out. In response, Pittsburgh had their worst record in their 18-season history, 55-107.
The pitching was a disaster again. The free agent signing of Del Hernandez was expected to strengthen and nurture the young pitching staff but Del quickly fell into the same funk that has plagued all Pittsburgh pitchers throughout time. The best starter on the team was not Hernandez (7-10, 4.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) but arguably the 23-year-old Rule 5 pick Vin Franco. He had a 3.90 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP and lost 6 out of 6 games (That’s right, the Studdabubba’s best starter won 0 games). He probably could have lost even more games if he wasn’t injured for the first three quarters of the season.
The other free agents (Buzz Abernathy, Alberto Cordero, Fernando Hernandez) were stop-gap players and they hardly accomplished that. Buzz Abernathy hit .280 and hit 21 HRs and, sadly, was the Studdabubba’s best slugger (.454).
After a horrible start where he was benched for a few games, Nate Girardi somehow got his average up to .291 but only got 77 RBIs batting 3rd and 4th—easily his worst production of his career. Nate is in the last year of his contract and will likely look for a new team.
If we needed to choose a S18 MVP, it would have to be 35-year-old set-up man, Darryl Ogea. He had a WHIP of 1.12 and went 7-3 on a team that only won 55 games. Ogea probably isn’t quite ready to retire and Pittsburgh would be stupid to let any competent pitcher go but will Ogea want to stay?
There may be some hope in Pittsburgh, though. The ‘Bubba’s AAA team is in the World Series and has 3 or 4 position players who will likely get called-up at the beginning of next season:
1B - Matt Buchanan - He was a first round pick in S16 and will be 22-years-old next season. Matt has been demolishing Minor League pitching hitting 33, 46, and 47 home runs in the last 3 seasons. He is the main reason Nate Girardi may not be a Studdabubba next season.
2B - Tim Dresden - Dresden will battle Duffy Strong for the 2b starting spot but, since he can play many positions, he will likely be called-up even if he doesn’t beat-out Strong. Dresdon was a S15 compensatory pick.
SS - Pablo Andino - Coming to the Studdabubbas in S16 as a compensatory pick, Pablo isn’t exactly ripping up the minors but, with the Studdabubbas weakness at SS, Andino will probably be asked to replace Wilton Martin as backup SS or even start if the ‘Bubbas don’t resign Wascar Blanco.
RF - Hong-Gu Suh - An International signing in S15, Suh probably still needs another year in the minors but may get the call if there is an injury or more benchings.
Needless to say, there aren’t any blue-chip pitchers who are likely to make a mark in the Majors any time soon. Ronny Boyd is probably closest but he’s probably a S20 hopeful. Cole Rossy may also get a shot but that’s mostly due to the lousy shape the the ML bullpen is currently in.
The pitching was a disaster again. The free agent signing of Del Hernandez was expected to strengthen and nurture the young pitching staff but Del quickly fell into the same funk that has plagued all Pittsburgh pitchers throughout time. The best starter on the team was not Hernandez (7-10, 4.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) but arguably the 23-year-old Rule 5 pick Vin Franco. He had a 3.90 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP and lost 6 out of 6 games (That’s right, the Studdabubba’s best starter won 0 games). He probably could have lost even more games if he wasn’t injured for the first three quarters of the season.
The other free agents (Buzz Abernathy, Alberto Cordero, Fernando Hernandez) were stop-gap players and they hardly accomplished that. Buzz Abernathy hit .280 and hit 21 HRs and, sadly, was the Studdabubba’s best slugger (.454).
After a horrible start where he was benched for a few games, Nate Girardi somehow got his average up to .291 but only got 77 RBIs batting 3rd and 4th—easily his worst production of his career. Nate is in the last year of his contract and will likely look for a new team.
If we needed to choose a S18 MVP, it would have to be 35-year-old set-up man, Darryl Ogea. He had a WHIP of 1.12 and went 7-3 on a team that only won 55 games. Ogea probably isn’t quite ready to retire and Pittsburgh would be stupid to let any competent pitcher go but will Ogea want to stay?
There may be some hope in Pittsburgh, though. The ‘Bubba’s AAA team is in the World Series and has 3 or 4 position players who will likely get called-up at the beginning of next season:
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1B - Matt Buchanan - He was a first round pick in S16 and will be 22-years-old next season. Matt has been demolishing Minor League pitching hitting 33, 46, and 47 home runs in the last 3 seasons. He is the main reason Nate Girardi may not be a Studdabubba next season.
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2B - Tim Dresden - Dresden will battle Duffy Strong for the 2b starting spot but, since he can play many positions, he will likely be called-up even if he doesn’t beat-out Strong. Dresdon was a S15 compensatory pick.
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SS - Pablo Andino - Coming to the Studdabubbas in S16 as a compensatory pick, Pablo isn’t exactly ripping up the minors but, with the Studdabubbas weakness at SS, Andino will probably be asked to replace Wilton Martin as backup SS or even start if the ‘Bubbas don’t resign Wascar Blanco.
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RF - Hong-Gu Suh - An International signing in S15, Suh probably still needs another year in the minors but may get the call if there is an injury or more benchings.
Needless to say, there aren’t any blue-chip pitchers who are likely to make a mark in the Majors any time soon. Ronny Boyd is probably closest but he’s probably a S20 hopeful. Cole Rossy may also get a shot but that’s mostly due to the lousy shape the the ML bullpen is currently in.
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