Friday, July 26, 2013

WRIGLEYVILLE POWER RANKINGS #4

Burlington settles back into the top spot while Syracuse and the Chicago Black Sox make strong moves.....

Rank Team Record Last Week Comments
1 Burlington 51-27 2 Marty Allen with 7 hits over his last 10 games but 5 HR's. Wow!
2 Salem 51-28 1 Bert McKnight (12-0, 2.69, 1.29) is having a career year.
3 Cincinnati 50-28 3 Buzz Person (17-18 in save ops) is turning out the lights at the end of the night
4 Jackson 51-27 8 Will Javier Lopez get called up from AAA down the stretch to support the offense?
5 Helena 49-29 5 Todd Flores = Joey Votto? Could be
6 Arizona 49-29 3 Veteran team prefers to play on the road (23-19@ home vs. 26-10 on the road)
7 Madison 52-27 7 SP Jesus James (2-0) is enjoying his second tour of duty in Madison
8 Syracuse 43-36 12 11 game winning streak cures all ills
9 New Britain 48-31 9 Will Miguel Blanco (13-1) get to 25 wins this season?
10 Salt Lake City 47-31 10 Would love to see this team pick up a hitter for the playoffs
11 Fargo 40-39 13 Sounds like they are trying to sell but they always make a run in the 2nd half
12 Austin 46-33 6 Facing a tough Jackson team but Jung Kim (5-2) likes to make the playoffs
13 Scottsdale 41-37 16 Look to be one SP away
14 Louisville 41-37 14 Ollie Greenwood has been Mr. Everything for L'ville
15 Chicago Black Sox 38-41 21 14-4 over their last 18 games so you better watch out
16 Charlotte 38-40 11 Multiple personalities on this team can't decide if they want to win or not
17 Washington DC 38-41 15 Struggling with defense up the middle (12 negative plays @ SS/CF)
18 Pittsburgh 37-41 19 21 yr old rookie Vic Pineda looks to fill the hole Carlos Gomez left when he got injured
19 Milwaukee 33-45 17 Has some interesting pieces if they start to sell
20 Chicago Bleacher Bums 36-43 20 Odalis Suarez (19 saves) seems to have found a home
21 Minnesota 39-39 25 Team wants to win but still no pitching to be seen
22 Colorado Springs 38-41 18 Fighting to get to the .500 mark for the first time since S14
23 Cheyenne 34-45 22 David Terry (464 career HR) is still plugging away (13 homers)
24 Jacksonville 33-46 23 Coco West (13/34 in last 10 games) is hot and available
25 Santa Fe 30-48 24 Still looking to make moves to win the division
26 Trenton 33-46 27 SP Napoleon Wall could be useful to a contender
27 Boston 31-47 26 SP Adrian Lloyd (3.40, 1.28) looks to be making "the leap"
28 San Francisco 29-50 28 Won't be seeing a 20th consecutive playoff appearance out of this squad
29 San Juan 26-52 31 Juan Parra (24/46 last 10 games) is smoking hot and would look real good as DH for a contender in the AL
30 Little Rock 25-54 29 AAA IF Glenallen Sorrento will be raking in the bigs soon
31 Tampa Bay 30-48 30 Visiting teams enjoy Ybor City almost as much as they like playing Tampa
32 Charleston 29-50 32 10-8 over their last 18 but still bad

Thursday, July 25, 2013

THE WEEK IN WRIGLEYVILLE S-23 #4


TRADES

The SAN FRANCISCO KICKAPOOS traded Alfredo Herrera , Miguel Piedra and 700,000 to the SANTA FE BLUES for Max Pichardo
Santa Fe spent a Butload of money on free agent pitchers and ...well...It hasn't panned out (5.68 ERA). So they traded for some bullpen pitchers hoping this will get them on the right track. San Francisco picked up a bullpen prospect for the trouble.



The JACKSONVILLE JUGGERNAUTS traded Thumper Worrell , Derrek O'Brien , Terrence Munoz and 3,000,000 to the BOSTON KNIGHTS for R.A. Bowie , Fred Bowen and Omar Perez
Boston grabbed 3 very nice pitchers for their under-performing pitching staff (5.12 ERA). Jacsonville gets S-22's number 5 pick, a young set-up guy, and an old DH. The Knights really needed the pitching and they got what they needed. I had one of the pitchers they acquired on my wish list (O'brien), but wasn't willing to give up what Boston offered. And Boston paid dearly. Jacksonville got younger and much better "if" Bowie pans out . Pitching ain't cheap!


The MADISON MUSKELLUNGES traded Hooks Giovanola , Wayne Zerbe and Willie Aquino to the WASHINGTON D C WINGDINGS for Jesus James , Hector Ruth and 4,000,000
The Muskies Lunged forward with the acquisition of a very nice pitcher and a big bat.The Wing Dings will try and fly with a old pitcher , a young lefty and seasons twentys number 22 overall pick, Hooks Giovanola. I tried to trade for Jesus James and was told Washington needed to move salary. This trade adds to Washingtons overall salary, but in fairness I never offered up any pitching for James. Madison just got better with this trade. as for the Wing Dings,  Hooks will hit some homers and as long as Goldenbaer keeps him in LF. He may help the defense get out of the basement (58 errors).


The SANTA FE BLUES traded Cedrick Meyers to the FARGO PRARIE DOGS for Cliff Broxton
The Blues pick up a 1st baseman who was hitting .229 in Fargo. The Prairie Dogs get a CF'er with 5+ plays this season.The P-dogs can use some defense so Meyers will help. The Blues already have the second best offense and a below average defense, so the move was curious. Perhaps the promotion of Juan Corpas made Meyers expendable. 


ML INJURIES


Raul Castro
Well looky here.....Raul "Full Body" Castro is back on the DL. Break out the plaster Hoopcoach, he will miss 2 months with elbow tendinitis. Can I sign his Cast??


Vitas Sager
Vitas "Against the Wind" Sager is out 2 months with a torn knee ligament. It's getting Bluer and Bluer in Sante Fe.


Trent Wise
Trent "Penny" Wise is already off the DL after a minor back strain. He could be Clowning around with another team next year. "We all Float Down Here"


Oswaldo Tabata
Say good-bye to this young Tabaky Farmer pitcher. Oswaldo "Ay Caramba" Tabaka will have elbow surgery and miss the rest of the year and maybe more. Ay Caramba indeed!


Blake Hughes
Blake "Ref" Hughes is already back on the mound after 2 weeks on the DL with a forearm stress fracture. So far this season he's been trash .


Carlos Gomez
Carlos "No" Gomez will miss the rest of the year with a hamstring tear. The Pirates will miss his bat in the line-up and Ardthomp was wailing, Noooooo!


Kris Karros
Sometimes 11 million buys you.......7 wins. Kris "special-K's" Karros got paid in the offseaon and now will miss the rest of the year with elbow surgery.Karros is a great pitcher, and how he stayed of the DL until now, is mindboggling. Sorry for your loss TC.   


Alfredo Baker
Alfredo Baker will miss a few weeks with a stiff hammy. Baker has done well for the re-building Crabbers.


Russ Orr
Russ "Busted" Orr will be out a month with a sore shoulder. He may find himself up a creek without a Orr.


Felipe Jose
Another high dollar Blue's player hits the DL. This one is not as bad as Karros. Felipe "Flippen Hosed" Jose will be out 2 weeks with a strained oblique. I wrote this when Felipe was last injured in season 19........."This guy is a very good player when healthy and until now, has been so.Tchagnon is a gambling man indeed!"........so far it's paid off for TC.



Wandy Matos
Wandy "Nothing really" Matos is a big Metallica fan. Now he will have a couple months to follow the band on their tour. Wandy will be riding the lightning with a sore rotator cuff.


Cliff Grey
Cliff "Notes" Grey will miss 3 weeks with a shoulder impingment. No need to study this Misfit injury.


INTERNATIONALS




Osvaldo Rijo
Boston
Knights
Age: 19B/T: L/L
Born: Boca De Soco, DO
Position(s): P (ClA)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile

1.8 million for this Wild Child!


Marino De La Rosa
Colorado Springs
Bandits
Age: 18B/T: L/L
Born: Los Llanos, DO
Position(s): P (SP2)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Just a rookie innings eater.



Tony Zheng
Colorado Springs
Bandits
Age: 18B/T: R/R
Born: Kobe, JP
Position(s): RF
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Could have a good minor league career.


Ricardo Mendez
Colorado Springs
Bandits
Age: 18B/T: L/L
Born: Hermosillo, MX
Position(s): P (P)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Filling the rookie club with innings eaters.


Roberto DeLeon
Madison
Muskellunges
Age: 18B/T: S/L
Born: Guayubin, DO
Position(s): P (SuA)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Rookie bullpen help.


Benny Fuentes
Madison
Muskellunges
Age: 18B/T: L/L
Born: Chacao, VE
Position(s): P (SuB)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Not sure he will help at all.


Juan Encarnacion
Santa Fe
Blues
Age: 20B/T: R/R
Born: Higuera De Zaragoza, MX
Position(s): P (ClA)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


1.3 million for this AA/AAA pitcher. DITR Bump would be nice.


Benji Torres
Jackson
Black Bears
Age: 20B/T: R/R
Born: Cartagena, CO
Position(s): P (SP1)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Maybe one of the best IFA this year. He cost 25.1 million.


Carlos Salas
Colorado Springs
Bandits
Age: 18B/T: R/R
Born: Christiansted, VI
Position(s): P (ClA)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Thsi guy will help out the bullpen in rookie ball.


Esmailyn Figureoa
New Britain
Bruins
Age: 21B/T: R/R
Born: Ramon Santana, DO
Position(s): P (ClA)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile

5.3 million for this future M L set-up guy.


Hector Limon
Salt Lake City
Utes
Age: 20B/T: S/R
Born: Eldorado Culican, MX
Position(s): SS
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


6.8 million and a S/T invite for this excellent 3 tool player.


James Koh
Colorado Springs
Bandits
Age: 19B/T: L/L
Born: Kobe, JP
Position(s): P (none)
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


The Bandits are adding to the rookie pitching staff.


Albert Montero
Louisville
Redtails
Age: 19B/T: S/L
Born: Puerto Cabello, VE
Position(s): CF
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


A S/T invite for this AA/AAA fielder.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

WRIGLEYVILLE POWER RANKINGS #3

Salem takes over the top spot from Burlington and Charlotte makes a run into the top 12 this week...

Rank Team Record Last Week Comments
1 Salem 43-18 2 Finally wrangle the top spot from Burlington. Joakim Quantinilla (1.135 OPS) is in full beast mode 
2 Burlington 40-20 1 Kyle Romero (.314/.356/1.034) is having his best season
3 Arizona 42-19 3 RP Benji Martin (43.2 ip, 1.85 era, 1.03 whip) is having a nice bounceback season after a poor S22
4 Cincinnati 38-22 5 Hate to see a player of Yannick Early's talent go down for the season
5 Helena 37-24 6 Victor Paulino has been very good out of the pen for Helena
6 Austin 38-23 13 Damaso Gardal (24 HR) is on his way to another 50+ homer season
7 Madison 38-23 8 Esteban Guzman with a 1.136 OPS is looking real good
8 Jackson 36-25 4 3.50 team ERA is great but .241 team BA isn't going to get it done
9 New Britain 36-24 12 Congrats to Miguel Blanco for his 100th victory on the July 16th! Hasn't allowed a run in his last three starts (24 ip)
10 Salt Lake City 37-23 10 Quickly becoming a darkhorse NL WS contender with its pitching staff
11 Charlotte 33-27 20 Did rumors of the manager being fired light a fire under this group?
12 Syracuse 28-32 9 Andres Borbon has a 7.23 ERA since his trade to Syracuse
13 Fargo 32-28 11 Emmanuel Soto (.352/.397/.968) might be the best hitting 2b in the league this season
14 Louisville 32-29 7 Big Bob Neugebauer (9HR) is due to go on a homer streak at some point
15 Washington DC 30-31 17 5-55 team record at AAA is scary for a team needing some reinforcements
16 Scottsdale 33-27 15 Peter Okajima is looking to repeat as league MVP
17 Milwaukee 28-33 16 Sal Butcher is 8-9 in save opportunities
18 Colorado Springs 31-29 21 Josh Stuart (.340/.426/1.096) is making the future look bright in CS
19 Pittsburgh 30-31 14 Season just got worse for Carlos Gomez has he struggled offensively and then had a major injury
20 Chicago Bleacher Bums 29-32 22 Hick Boucher has 1 bb in 21 ip
21 Chicago Black Sox 24-36 28 Piper is piping hot again with 5 HR's and 12 RBI's in his last 10 games
22 Cheyenne 27-34 23 When will a contender pay up for Ricky Mann (21 HR, 71 RBI's)
23 Jacksonville 26-35 19 Aaron Wells (2.76 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) is keeping the ball in the park this season (4HR allowed)
24 Santa Fe 27-33 24 Will this team get hot or will we see a Miami Marlins-like sell off of the vets?
25 Minnesota 28-32 18 Speedy Pascual Perez with 17 sb's already
26 Boston 23-38 26 20yr old closer Alex Olivares is becoming tougher to hit with each outing
27 Trenton 23-38 31 RP Wily Mo Miller could be a nice trade chip
28 San Francisco 21-39 25 148 pitches for Tim Lincecum in his no-no? Ouch!
29 Little Rock 20-40 27 Mixed results (8-11) with the Alex Outman closer experiment.
30 Tampa Bay 20-41 32 At least the weather is bearable in Tampa?
31 San Juan 20-41 30 Juan Parra is starting to warm up (13/39, 2 HR, 7 RBI's) in the last ten games
32 Charleston 19-42 29 .238 team batting average and 5.89 team ERA make for a long season