Vancouver Mountain Lions (1) vs. Fargo Tides (5)
In a season with dominate teams, poor teams, and little parity, the Mountain Lions stood out as the kings of the regular season. Sporting the second best offense in the NL and the best pitching staff, the Mountain Lions proved that you can be dominate in all aspects of the game in the salary cap era.
Gene Gaetti, Fernando Rodriguez, and Rey James provide a modern day "murderers' row" on offense. There's simply no pitching around this squad nor are there any weaknesses. Vancouver can easily blast out and score seven or eight runs against any pitcher, regardless of his merit.
The question is, with Josh Clancy AND Sticky Sadler, out for the season, who steps up and becomes the leader of the staff? Will it be Adam Jorgensen, who's shown promise the last few seasons? Perhaps. Or perhaps Vancouver will need to turn to vendors in the stands.
Fargo beat New York in four games in round one due to a balanced offensive attack and a solid pitching staff. Now, they'll try to do what nobody could do in the regular season--beat Vancouver.
Center Fielder Roosevelt Flood didn't play much in the previous series, seeing only time as a pinch runner. Can he be a factor in Round 2? Team captain Fernando Trajano will also need to be more of a factor in Round 2. He was virtually invisible against New York, driving in only one run.
Just like Round 1, Fargo will rely heavily on two starters: Carmine Sandberg and Howie Ramirez. If they don't collect two wins out of their starts in this series Vancouver wins the series. If they do collect those wins Fargo wins the series. Sandberg did his part in Round 1, pitching an absolute gem in Game 1--allowing only one run in a complete game win. He'll get a shot to do it in round two, as he'll be the starter in Game 1.
AC Prediction: Vancouver in five
Kansas City Bushleaguers (2) vs. Salt Lake City Primetimers (6)
The defending champs go into the series coming off a by week, healthy, and ready to do battle. Benito Beltran takes to the hill to kick of the series. Beltran was solid this year posting 18 wins. Mac Perry who is just getting back from a sprained rotator cuff, should go in the second game for the Bushleaguers.
Offensively, Kansas City doesn't have any real difference makers, but they are balanced and hit for a high average (.279). Expect a different hero every night with Mac Engle or perhaps Woodie Elliott stepping up for clutch singles with men on. With the state of the pitching staff in Kansas City, they'll only need to post four runs per game to win.
The Salt Lake City Primetimers are looking to make the NL Championship Series an all NL North affair. After knocking off a higher seeded Montgomery team, the Primetimers look to slay the giant of the Dream League. Moises Lopez pitched well against Montgomery in Game 1, though he didn't get run support or the win. His playoff experience will be key against Kansas City.
Buddy Douglass will be key for the offense in this series. In Round1 he went 5-20, but two of those hits were home runs. His five RBI in the series were key to the Primetimers' win, and he'll need to produce in spades this series.
AC Prediction: Kansas City in five
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Trouble in Montgomery?
After three seasons of mediocre "baseball" in Jackson, the Delta Blues switched ownership and cities, becoming the Montgomery Hornets with rootgargle as their new owner. Quickly making changes throughout the franchise, "root," as the players and coaches like to call him, not only changed the faces of the players in the locker room, but he also changed their outlook on how they would do as a team. He traded prospects for experienced major league players, which sent shockwaves through the entire system. Prospects knew their places in the franchise were not safe. Veterans knew that they were expendable. It forced everyone to play harder, and with more passion. The entire league took notice when Babe Brooks and Louis Stevenson were both shipped to Buffalo for slugger Neil Clyburn. Throw in some big contracts for free agents, and the phrase on the lips of everyone in Montgomery was "all-in."
Then, catastrophe. Going into the first round of the NL playoffs, the Hornets held the number three seed, and were the favorites in many circles, with some managers saying in interviews that they thought the Hornets had what it took to up-end the defending champs from KC. The series started well, with Montgomery winning the opening game, but it quickly turned south when Salt Lake City took the next two, putting the Hornets back on their heels. In the decisive game of the series, the Hornets' Tike Hernandez gave up 6 runs in the first inning before being yanked, while Clyburn was held hitless, and the Hornets fell 6-4.
Immediately after the series, root was quoted as saying "I knew my guys weren't ready yet for the big time." That one line sent more shockwaves through the clubhouse than any trade root pulled during the season.
Veteran Jacob Torres was livid. "Why am I here if they don't think I'm ready? I'm 28-years-old, it's not like I'm going to get any bigger or stronger. I mean what the hell? I'm an all-star! I've won a gold glove!"
Short-stop Chuck Sasser had a similar take on the root interview. "I know I'm not here to hit the ball out of the park, but I know what I'm doing in the field. I know what to do when they hit it at me. It's not like I get freaked out just because we're in the playoffs. I just don't get it."
All-star and silver slugger Neil Clyburn was not amused either. A notorious hot-head, we had to edit the quote that he gave us. "What the (expletive)? Are you (expletive) kidding me? I'm out there, busting my (expletive) every (expletive) game, and that (expletive) is going to get in front of some microphones and tell you guys that we're not (expletive) ready? (expletive) him!! He can't come down to the locker room and tell us that to our (expletive) faces?!? He doesn't think we can handle it?!? I'm 28 (expletive) years old! I'm a man!"
The youngest regular starter on the team, Woodie Drew was the closest thing this reporter could find to a player who agreed with the owner. "We do have some youth at certain positions. I'm only 23, so I know that I still have some growing and maturing to do. And our team has never been good before. Most of these guys have never been to the playoffs. I'll admit, I was a little nervous when I first got out there to sub for Chuck. And when I got to the plate for my first at-bat, holy (expletive). But.....come on, we're all professionals, we know what we're doing, and we don't need our owner telling us that we're not ready."
So what will be the fallout from this one little line, from one interview? Rootgargle's contract runs through next season. Will he still be there the following season? Will the fans chase him out? What if the team falls back to their days of being a .400 ball club? Will any players demand a trade during the off-season? Will Clyburn ever take his meds?
-nj
AL Division Champ Series
#1 St Louis Archies vs #4 Atlanta Major Duckies
The only team to win 100 games in the American League this season, St Louis did so in one of the toughest divisions in all of the Dream League. Third in runs scored, and third in runs scored against, they're a top 5 team in virtually every major statistical category. Darwin Floyd is an MVP and one of the three players on the team to go for more than 30 HR's this season. With four players snagging more than 20 bases, they are also swift on the basepath, and can do more than just hit for power. Combine that with a four-man rotation that sports 64 wins and a potential Cy Young winner, and you see why these guys won 100 games and are the number one seed. Throw in an above-average coaching staff, and the Archies are the favorite to make the World Series out of the AL.
We've already talked about Atlanta, and how they would get beaten in the first round.....yeah, that didn't work out too well. After sweeping Philly, the Ducks head into this series with a split record against the Archies during the regular season, going 5-5 against each other. Atlanta is actually comparable to St Louis in almost every batting category. Everyone in the offense is a threat, as the team sports 8 players who hit 20 or more HR's this season. Their only downside is the pitching staff, which doesn't quite match up with the stud staff over in the other dugout. And while their coaches are decent, they're not on par with the St Louis staff.
NJ Prediction: St Louis in 4.
#2 Durham Bulls vs #3 Colorado Knockers
The top two offenses in the AL this season, I feel bad for all of the pitchers who have to be involved in this series. Durham took the season series 6 to 4, and most of those games involved A LOT of runs. The two teams combined for 8 players hitting more than 40 HR's, and 12 players knocking in more than 100 runs. Pitching wise, both teams have some guys who throw the ball to the catcher, and sometimes the ball actually gets to his mitt, but usually it goes in the opposite direction, and that will definitely be true in this series. Colorado has Cookie Cradle, who we mentioned earlier, and that's about it. Durham has five guys (mmmmm, Five Guys) who logged 10 or more wins this season, but the lowest ERA among those five was 4.46, which isn't exactly Cy Young caliber. A few late season call-ups helped the Durham staff, but certainly not enough to slow the Colorado offense. Durham has a slight edge in the category of coaching, but that's about it.
NJ Prediction: We can't really predict a winner here, but we will say that "it will be a very good series, and could go to a 5th game."
The only team to win 100 games in the American League this season, St Louis did so in one of the toughest divisions in all of the Dream League. Third in runs scored, and third in runs scored against, they're a top 5 team in virtually every major statistical category. Darwin Floyd is an MVP and one of the three players on the team to go for more than 30 HR's this season. With four players snagging more than 20 bases, they are also swift on the basepath, and can do more than just hit for power. Combine that with a four-man rotation that sports 64 wins and a potential Cy Young winner, and you see why these guys won 100 games and are the number one seed. Throw in an above-average coaching staff, and the Archies are the favorite to make the World Series out of the AL.
We've already talked about Atlanta, and how they would get beaten in the first round.....yeah, that didn't work out too well. After sweeping Philly, the Ducks head into this series with a split record against the Archies during the regular season, going 5-5 against each other. Atlanta is actually comparable to St Louis in almost every batting category. Everyone in the offense is a threat, as the team sports 8 players who hit 20 or more HR's this season. Their only downside is the pitching staff, which doesn't quite match up with the stud staff over in the other dugout. And while their coaches are decent, they're not on par with the St Louis staff.
NJ Prediction: St Louis in 4.
#2 Durham Bulls vs #3 Colorado Knockers
The top two offenses in the AL this season, I feel bad for all of the pitchers who have to be involved in this series. Durham took the season series 6 to 4, and most of those games involved A LOT of runs. The two teams combined for 8 players hitting more than 40 HR's, and 12 players knocking in more than 100 runs. Pitching wise, both teams have some guys who throw the ball to the catcher, and sometimes the ball actually gets to his mitt, but usually it goes in the opposite direction, and that will definitely be true in this series. Colorado has Cookie Cradle, who we mentioned earlier, and that's about it. Durham has five guys (mmmmm, Five Guys) who logged 10 or more wins this season, but the lowest ERA among those five was 4.46, which isn't exactly Cy Young caliber. A few late season call-ups helped the Durham staff, but certainly not enough to slow the Colorado offense. Durham has a slight edge in the category of coaching, but that's about it.
NJ Prediction: We can't really predict a winner here, but we will say that "it will be a very good series, and could go to a 5th game."
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
NL First Round Preview
Montgomery Hornets (3) vs. Salt Lake City Primetimers (6)
The first matchup in the NL pits the suprising Montgomery Hornets of the NL South, against the Salt Lake City Primetimers of the NL North. Both of these teams are well put together by their respective General Managers.
Montgomery goes in as the number three seed and will trot out Philip Cepeda in Game 1. Like the rest of the Montgomery starting staff Cepeda is a bit of a question mark, especially against a deep and versatile Primetimers' lineup. Montgomery will rely heavily on Neil Clyburn. Clyburn has to have MVP type numbers if Montgomery is to overcome the pitching gap. Another guy who needs to be a difference maker: Donald Miyakazi. Miyakazi hasn't lived up the preseason hype--a couple of bombs and RBI would go a long way in fulfilling his promise and talent.
Salt Lake City was a squad that hit 210 home runs and stole 170 bases this season. The real engine that drove the team, however, was the pitching staff. Salt Lake City's starters, from one through five, are all better than their Montgomery counterparts. Venerable Moises Lopez takes the mound in Game 1. As a player who's been in big games before (previously with the Buffalo Spectacular Views) expect Lopez to get the series off on the right foot for Salt Lake City. In fact, Lopez is our favorite for MVP in this series, likely wrapping up the series in Game 4 or 5 (depending on when he gets his second turn).
AC Prediction: Salt Lake City in four
New York Gridlock (4) vs. Fargo Tides (5)
The Fargo Tides versus the New York Gridlock is a showdown of two underappreciated NL teams. Both squads have been competitive since the Dream League's inception, yet they are never mentioned in the same breath as franchies such as Kansas City, Vancouver, or Buffalo.
New York goes in as the number five seed after winning the NL East. As a young team with no regular contributors older than 30, playoff experience could be a problem. New York fans were pining for Daniel Cox to get the start in Game 1, but it looks like he'll go in Game 2. Francisco Cruz will instead get the nod. The question all over the New York sports media is whether or not Johnny Neill can stop anyone from stealing bases. Neill allowed 86 stolen bases while only throwing out 24. His ability to call games and keep runners from wreaking havoc will play a big key. Another big key is whether Third Baseman Samuel Service can lift his play in the post season. Service has never been a gamebreaking type player, but his leadership drives New York.
Fargo has a dynamic offense, much like last year. Six players hit over 30 home runs this season, with Tony Yamada leading the charge with 64. As a team, the Tides hit .276 and 313 home runs. The pitching in Fargo is not as dominate. Carmine Sandberg and Howie Ramirez will be counted on heavily to deliver in Games 1 and 2.
AC Prediction: Fargo in five
The first matchup in the NL pits the suprising Montgomery Hornets of the NL South, against the Salt Lake City Primetimers of the NL North. Both of these teams are well put together by their respective General Managers.
Montgomery goes in as the number three seed and will trot out Philip Cepeda in Game 1. Like the rest of the Montgomery starting staff Cepeda is a bit of a question mark, especially against a deep and versatile Primetimers' lineup. Montgomery will rely heavily on Neil Clyburn. Clyburn has to have MVP type numbers if Montgomery is to overcome the pitching gap. Another guy who needs to be a difference maker: Donald Miyakazi. Miyakazi hasn't lived up the preseason hype--a couple of bombs and RBI would go a long way in fulfilling his promise and talent.
Salt Lake City was a squad that hit 210 home runs and stole 170 bases this season. The real engine that drove the team, however, was the pitching staff. Salt Lake City's starters, from one through five, are all better than their Montgomery counterparts. Venerable Moises Lopez takes the mound in Game 1. As a player who's been in big games before (previously with the Buffalo Spectacular Views) expect Lopez to get the series off on the right foot for Salt Lake City. In fact, Lopez is our favorite for MVP in this series, likely wrapping up the series in Game 4 or 5 (depending on when he gets his second turn).
AC Prediction: Salt Lake City in four
New York Gridlock (4) vs. Fargo Tides (5)
The Fargo Tides versus the New York Gridlock is a showdown of two underappreciated NL teams. Both squads have been competitive since the Dream League's inception, yet they are never mentioned in the same breath as franchies such as Kansas City, Vancouver, or Buffalo.
New York goes in as the number five seed after winning the NL East. As a young team with no regular contributors older than 30, playoff experience could be a problem. New York fans were pining for Daniel Cox to get the start in Game 1, but it looks like he'll go in Game 2. Francisco Cruz will instead get the nod. The question all over the New York sports media is whether or not Johnny Neill can stop anyone from stealing bases. Neill allowed 86 stolen bases while only throwing out 24. His ability to call games and keep runners from wreaking havoc will play a big key. Another big key is whether Third Baseman Samuel Service can lift his play in the post season. Service has never been a gamebreaking type player, but his leadership drives New York.
Fargo has a dynamic offense, much like last year. Six players hit over 30 home runs this season, with Tony Yamada leading the charge with 64. As a team, the Tides hit .276 and 313 home runs. The pitching in Fargo is not as dominate. Carmine Sandberg and Howie Ramirez will be counted on heavily to deliver in Games 1 and 2.
AC Prediction: Fargo in five
AL First Round Preview
And here we go, the first round is upon us, and the AL has two interesting match-ups to kick things off.
First, the Major Duckies play host to former WS Champ Philadelphia. Offensively, Atlanta is among the top 5 in virtually every batting category in the AL this season. Led by catcher Albert Candelaria and 3B Von Roberts, the Ducks hit nearly 300 HR's this season, while batting .282 as a team. In contrast, Philly was just a hair above the league average in batting, while sitting a little ways below average for HR's, with only 245 dingers. Philly makes up for that, with a ton of stolen bases (three times as many as Atlanta), which helped them score just as many runs as Atlanta this season.
Pitching, Philly's ERA was a half run better than Atlanta's on the season. But then the two teams were virtually identical in every other statistical category. Winston Taft may have been the LVP for the entire world this season, but he still demands attention when he takes the mound, and he will be Atlanta's Game 1 starter. On the other side, Philly will trot out Adrian Simpson, a two-time Cy Young winner, who is in the hunt again this year. Behind him, they have Dann Jacome who won 6 games in 11 starts for Philly, after being traded at the deadline from Buffalo. Their third starter is no slouch either, as Dorian Baker won 17 games this season. (side note, both Baker and Jacome used to pitch for Norfolk/Durham. crap.) The Philly rotation is perfect for a short series, and that's exactly what this might be. Unless the Atlanta bats can get to the starting pitchers early, and force them out of the game and the bullpen into it, the Duckies might be calling Augusta to see about tee times.
NJ Prediction: Philly in 4.
The other side of the bracket pits the AL West winner Colorado against the second wild card, Pawtucket from the AL East. Another case of the lower seed having more wins than the higher seed, but we all know you can throw away the records when playoff time starts. And in that same vein, it's nearly impossible to compare stats from team to team when you're dealing with the inflated numbers of a Colorado team. Was Pawtucket's ERA nearly 2 runs better than that of Colorado? Yes. But what happened to Pawtucket's pitching staff when they had a three-game series in Colorado earlier this season? They gave up 11, 17, and 15 runs in those three games, while Colorado's pitchers gave up 7, 8, and 5 runs. In a four-game series at Pawtucket, the Socks held the Colorado offense in check, taking three of the four games. A few days later, they were in Colorado for another three-game series, where the Socks took two of those games, including a 26-8 blowout of the Knockers. So Pawtucket leads the series on the season, 6-4, and has shown an ability to become an offensive powerhouse when in the friendly confines of Colorado, while also shutting down that potent Colorado offense.
These words usually aren't said when you're talking about a series involving Colorado, but "it's going to come down to the pitching." Cookie Cradle is a Cy Young possibility, posting a 16-6 record with a measly 3.62 ERA in that horrible park. After going 12-12 with a 4.33 ERA this season, Oswaldo Chavez will be the Socks starter for game 1. Advantage, Colorado. The Knockers have not announced who their game 2 starter will be yet, but it looks like Pawtucket will go with Hal Harper, who was 13-9 with a 3.67 ERA this year.
NJ Prediction: Colorado in 5.
First, the Major Duckies play host to former WS Champ Philadelphia. Offensively, Atlanta is among the top 5 in virtually every batting category in the AL this season. Led by catcher Albert Candelaria and 3B Von Roberts, the Ducks hit nearly 300 HR's this season, while batting .282 as a team. In contrast, Philly was just a hair above the league average in batting, while sitting a little ways below average for HR's, with only 245 dingers. Philly makes up for that, with a ton of stolen bases (three times as many as Atlanta), which helped them score just as many runs as Atlanta this season.
Pitching, Philly's ERA was a half run better than Atlanta's on the season. But then the two teams were virtually identical in every other statistical category. Winston Taft may have been the LVP for the entire world this season, but he still demands attention when he takes the mound, and he will be Atlanta's Game 1 starter. On the other side, Philly will trot out Adrian Simpson, a two-time Cy Young winner, who is in the hunt again this year. Behind him, they have Dann Jacome who won 6 games in 11 starts for Philly, after being traded at the deadline from Buffalo. Their third starter is no slouch either, as Dorian Baker won 17 games this season. (side note, both Baker and Jacome used to pitch for Norfolk/Durham. crap.) The Philly rotation is perfect for a short series, and that's exactly what this might be. Unless the Atlanta bats can get to the starting pitchers early, and force them out of the game and the bullpen into it, the Duckies might be calling Augusta to see about tee times.
NJ Prediction: Philly in 4.
The other side of the bracket pits the AL West winner Colorado against the second wild card, Pawtucket from the AL East. Another case of the lower seed having more wins than the higher seed, but we all know you can throw away the records when playoff time starts. And in that same vein, it's nearly impossible to compare stats from team to team when you're dealing with the inflated numbers of a Colorado team. Was Pawtucket's ERA nearly 2 runs better than that of Colorado? Yes. But what happened to Pawtucket's pitching staff when they had a three-game series in Colorado earlier this season? They gave up 11, 17, and 15 runs in those three games, while Colorado's pitchers gave up 7, 8, and 5 runs. In a four-game series at Pawtucket, the Socks held the Colorado offense in check, taking three of the four games. A few days later, they were in Colorado for another three-game series, where the Socks took two of those games, including a 26-8 blowout of the Knockers. So Pawtucket leads the series on the season, 6-4, and has shown an ability to become an offensive powerhouse when in the friendly confines of Colorado, while also shutting down that potent Colorado offense.
These words usually aren't said when you're talking about a series involving Colorado, but "it's going to come down to the pitching." Cookie Cradle is a Cy Young possibility, posting a 16-6 record with a measly 3.62 ERA in that horrible park. After going 12-12 with a 4.33 ERA this season, Oswaldo Chavez will be the Socks starter for game 1. Advantage, Colorado. The Knockers have not announced who their game 2 starter will be yet, but it looks like Pawtucket will go with Hal Harper, who was 13-9 with a 3.67 ERA this year.
NJ Prediction: Colorado in 5.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Dream League Regular Season Wrap Up
With the regular season in the books (Season 4) it's time to reflect back on the teams, players, and owners that had an impact (positive or negative) this year. This season has been very good for St. Louis and Vancouver fans. Baseball may be a team sport, but ss you'll see below a solid MVP and/or Cy Young candidate can go a long way in delivering wins.
Best AL Team
Durham fans may cry foul, but the St. Louis Archies were the best team in the AL this year by far. PECOTA had St. Louis at an expected winning percentage of .642 given their run differential which would have put the Archies at 104 wins. Instead St. Louis clocked in with 100 wins and a solid .617 winning percentage; good enough for an AL North pennant. St. Louis was led by Cy Young candidate Jacob Wilkerson and MVP candidate Darwin Floyd for one of the more balanced offensive/pitching squads in the league.
Best NL Team
In a run away contest, Vancouver wins as the strongest team in the NL. It isn't just about the 116 wins (though that was certainly impressive), nor was it about the fact they played in a tough division (three teams with winning records). It was the "shock and awe" campaign they waged. Vancouver scored the second most runs in the NL (893) and allowed the least runs (566) for a whopping 327 run differential. This was due to a cast of stars that included Josh Clancy, Gene Gaetti, Fernando Rodriguez, Rey James and Adam Jorgensen who gelled together to form something special. Should Vancouver win it all, they will go down as the greatest team in Dream League history.
Most Disappointing AL Team
How does a team go from 83-79 to 50-112? Ask the Rays who saw their record drop by an astounding 33 games in one season. Turmoil in the front office had some bearing (General Manager sidekicker will be stepping down), but it still doesn't excuse the horrible mismanagement of the pitching staff or the bullpen. Expect Pitching Coach Damian Andrews to be gone after three seasons in Tampa.
Most Disappointing NL Team
That noise you heard was everyone in Buffalo breathing a sigh of relief.
Charlotte, who everyone outside of Alabama considered the favorites in the NL South, went from 86-76 to 76-86 this year. It's been a slippery slope in Charlotte the last few seasons as the Knights have seen their record decline every year since the Dream League's inception. It will be up to another management team to fix the problem as Charlotte General Manager dspahlinger was fired the day the regular season ended. Improving the lineup will be priority one in the offseason--the hitting in Charlotte was terrible with no player hitting more than 20 home runs on the squad.
Most Surprising AL Team
Improving by 20 wins between Season 3 and Season 4, the Tucson Torros check in as the AL's most surprising squad. Their tussle with Colorado for the AL West went down to the last two days. Harry Tarraga and Steve Bennett headed up a lineup that saw five players hit 35 home runs or more. The team is no fluke and should compete for the division again next season with their youth and balanced lineup.
Most Surprising NL Team
Where did these guys come from? When Montgomery General Manager rootgargle boldly predicted a division title at a press conference during Spring Training it made national headlines. Other General Managers questioned rootgargle's sanity, the most vocal being sergei1991 of Vancouver. Little did he, or anybody else, know that rootgargle would deliver the goods. Nicknamed "Mini-Gillick" by the press (after Pat Gillick of the Blue Jays/Mariners/Phillies) for his ability to tinker through trades, acquisitions and waivers, rootgargle went out and built a division winning squad. His moves included the shrewd acquisitions of Neil Clyburn and Jacob Torres in deadline deals.
MVP AL
Floyd deserves his his second MVP trophy after leading the Archies to a 100-62 record and the AL North title. Floyd popped 62 home runs and drove in 170 while batting .318. Proving his versatility he stole 21 bases. Detractors of Floyd will speak about his glove (27 errors), and while he may not be the slickest fielder in the game, the kind of production he brings while facing the rigors of playing shortstop every day are astounding. Floyd may be the most underappreciated guy in the Dream League today, and if he wins he'll go down as the only multiple MVP winner besides Nick Black, something that cannot be ignored.
MVP NL
This is an open and shut case. Rodriguez could be a unanamous selection this year by the voters. Rodriguez tore the cover off the ball this year to the tune of 68 home runs and 179 RBI. His batting average hovered around .300 all season (.296). He played solid defense commiting only one error all season. Most importantly, the Vancouver Mountain Lions posted a Dream League record 116 regular season wins. Rodriguez's presence in the middle of the lineup was a huge factor.
Cy Young AL
Colorado right hander Cookie Cradle got a lot of press for pitching well in Coor's Field, but Wilkerson is our pick for the NL Cy Young Award. Wilkinson slowed down towards the end of the season (was 13-0 at one point) but his 18-3 record was still solid by anyone's standards. Add to this his league leading WHIP of 1.09 and the second best ERA (2.79) and you've got yourself a solid Cy Young resume.
Cy Young NL
Tragically his season ended prematurely, but even without the benefit of a full season Josh Clancy is the right pick for the NL Cy Young Award. Clancy went 21-3 and posted a 3.13 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, shaking his label of being "a great pitcher who can't win games". To say Vancouver will miss Clancy's leadership and ability to pitch well in pressure situations is an understatement.
Breakout AL Player
A man that goes from a Rule 5 pickup to a 16 game winner in the same season, is the very definition of a "breakout player". Despite playing for a suspect San Antonio squad, Howell was great, going 16-5 with a 3.38 ERA and limiting opposing hitters to a .235 average. At age 22 expect Howell to get considerably better over the next two to three seasons--a scary prospect for opposing clubs.
Breakout NL Player
Tony Yamada was once considered a top flight prospect until injuries robbed him of his ability to turn on pitches. Leading up to Season 4, Yamada had been on the DL on four seperate occassions seeing only 163 ML games in two season. Season 4 he put everything together and stayed healthy hitting 64 home runs and driving in 155 for the Fargo Tides.
Most Disappointing Player AL
The "ace" whom ESPN claimed would lead the Florida Hurricane's to the NL East title didn't pitch like an ace for Florida. He was shipped to Atlanta in a blockbuster deal shortly before the trading deadline. Suprisingly he was even worse in Atlanta posting a 4.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP after the deal. The poor performances got Taft booed each and every jog to the mound, as fans were reminded that they gave up the popular Brian Kojima to get him.
Most Disappointing Player NL
Though Mantelban would pillage his former team by driving in ten runs in a three game series, Mantelban appeared just as disinterested and distracted in Tacoma as he was in New Orleans. His issues culminated in a midseason debacle against Vancouver (a team he was pushing to be traded to) when he made two errors in one inning, including one where he tried to catch an outfield fly with his cap. Rumors swirled that Mantelban was tanking on purpose. Whatever the case a .253 average and 11 home runs was not what Tacoma had in mind when they acquired him mid season. Mantelban has now seen his home run total dip each season he's been the Big Leagues.
Biggest Off The Field Distraction (AL)
Though the arraingment has been set up after the playoffs, Sparks' incident caused quite a stir in a Durham clubhouse that was known for being professional and tight-knit. Sparks was busted for speeding, resisting arrest, and carrying a firearm illegally. Sparks has always been a bit of a combustable personality, but most incidents stayed out of the national spotlight. This particular incident, however, caused a lot of media scrutiny and the Bulls went into a stretch of .500 ball after the incident, nearly surrendering first place.
Biggest Off Field Distraction (NL)
He wouldn't be Nick Black if he didn't drum up some contraversy. Black was involved in two major incidents this year, but only one was his doing. Black's decision to roam around on road trips with escorts from the "Bunny Ranch" caused tons of distractions and jealousy over preferential treatment. This jealous intensified when a report surfaced that he had been on-site, and potentially involved in the filming of several porn movies during Spring Training (he was allegedly absent due to the stomach flu). The other incident, and the one outside Black's direct control, was the "Nick Black Sweepstakes Part Duex" which deeply divided the locker room. General Manager ajf00529 offered up Nick Black on the trading block for the second time in as many seasons. Black's good friend Corey Purcell publically called out Hurricanes management which got him shipped off to Atlanta. Others, like veteran Al Leyritz thought Black was too much of a distraction and advocated a trade. The team's chemistry tanked, and ultimately Florida wound up seven games back of rival New York.
Best AL Team
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Durham fans may cry foul, but the St. Louis Archies were the best team in the AL this year by far. PECOTA had St. Louis at an expected winning percentage of .642 given their run differential which would have put the Archies at 104 wins. Instead St. Louis clocked in with 100 wins and a solid .617 winning percentage; good enough for an AL North pennant. St. Louis was led by Cy Young candidate Jacob Wilkerson and MVP candidate Darwin Floyd for one of the more balanced offensive/pitching squads in the league.
Best NL Team
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In a run away contest, Vancouver wins as the strongest team in the NL. It isn't just about the 116 wins (though that was certainly impressive), nor was it about the fact they played in a tough division (three teams with winning records). It was the "shock and awe" campaign they waged. Vancouver scored the second most runs in the NL (893) and allowed the least runs (566) for a whopping 327 run differential. This was due to a cast of stars that included Josh Clancy, Gene Gaetti, Fernando Rodriguez, Rey James and Adam Jorgensen who gelled together to form something special. Should Vancouver win it all, they will go down as the greatest team in Dream League history.
Most Disappointing AL Team
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How does a team go from 83-79 to 50-112? Ask the Rays who saw their record drop by an astounding 33 games in one season. Turmoil in the front office had some bearing (General Manager sidekicker will be stepping down), but it still doesn't excuse the horrible mismanagement of the pitching staff or the bullpen. Expect Pitching Coach Damian Andrews to be gone after three seasons in Tampa.
Most Disappointing NL Team
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That noise you heard was everyone in Buffalo breathing a sigh of relief.
Charlotte, who everyone outside of Alabama considered the favorites in the NL South, went from 86-76 to 76-86 this year. It's been a slippery slope in Charlotte the last few seasons as the Knights have seen their record decline every year since the Dream League's inception. It will be up to another management team to fix the problem as Charlotte General Manager dspahlinger was fired the day the regular season ended. Improving the lineup will be priority one in the offseason--the hitting in Charlotte was terrible with no player hitting more than 20 home runs on the squad.
Most Surprising AL Team
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Improving by 20 wins between Season 3 and Season 4, the Tucson Torros check in as the AL's most surprising squad. Their tussle with Colorado for the AL West went down to the last two days. Harry Tarraga and Steve Bennett headed up a lineup that saw five players hit 35 home runs or more. The team is no fluke and should compete for the division again next season with their youth and balanced lineup.
Most Surprising NL Team
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Where did these guys come from? When Montgomery General Manager rootgargle boldly predicted a division title at a press conference during Spring Training it made national headlines. Other General Managers questioned rootgargle's sanity, the most vocal being sergei1991 of Vancouver. Little did he, or anybody else, know that rootgargle would deliver the goods. Nicknamed "Mini-Gillick" by the press (after Pat Gillick of the Blue Jays/Mariners/Phillies) for his ability to tinker through trades, acquisitions and waivers, rootgargle went out and built a division winning squad. His moves included the shrewd acquisitions of Neil Clyburn and Jacob Torres in deadline deals.
MVP AL
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Floyd deserves his his second MVP trophy after leading the Archies to a 100-62 record and the AL North title. Floyd popped 62 home runs and drove in 170 while batting .318. Proving his versatility he stole 21 bases. Detractors of Floyd will speak about his glove (27 errors), and while he may not be the slickest fielder in the game, the kind of production he brings while facing the rigors of playing shortstop every day are astounding. Floyd may be the most underappreciated guy in the Dream League today, and if he wins he'll go down as the only multiple MVP winner besides Nick Black, something that cannot be ignored.
MVP NL
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This is an open and shut case. Rodriguez could be a unanamous selection this year by the voters. Rodriguez tore the cover off the ball this year to the tune of 68 home runs and 179 RBI. His batting average hovered around .300 all season (.296). He played solid defense commiting only one error all season. Most importantly, the Vancouver Mountain Lions posted a Dream League record 116 regular season wins. Rodriguez's presence in the middle of the lineup was a huge factor.
Cy Young AL
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Colorado right hander Cookie Cradle got a lot of press for pitching well in Coor's Field, but Wilkerson is our pick for the NL Cy Young Award. Wilkinson slowed down towards the end of the season (was 13-0 at one point) but his 18-3 record was still solid by anyone's standards. Add to this his league leading WHIP of 1.09 and the second best ERA (2.79) and you've got yourself a solid Cy Young resume.
Cy Young NL
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Tragically his season ended prematurely, but even without the benefit of a full season Josh Clancy is the right pick for the NL Cy Young Award. Clancy went 21-3 and posted a 3.13 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, shaking his label of being "a great pitcher who can't win games". To say Vancouver will miss Clancy's leadership and ability to pitch well in pressure situations is an understatement.
Breakout AL Player
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A man that goes from a Rule 5 pickup to a 16 game winner in the same season, is the very definition of a "breakout player". Despite playing for a suspect San Antonio squad, Howell was great, going 16-5 with a 3.38 ERA and limiting opposing hitters to a .235 average. At age 22 expect Howell to get considerably better over the next two to three seasons--a scary prospect for opposing clubs.
Breakout NL Player
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Tony Yamada was once considered a top flight prospect until injuries robbed him of his ability to turn on pitches. Leading up to Season 4, Yamada had been on the DL on four seperate occassions seeing only 163 ML games in two season. Season 4 he put everything together and stayed healthy hitting 64 home runs and driving in 155 for the Fargo Tides.
Most Disappointing Player AL
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The "ace" whom ESPN claimed would lead the Florida Hurricane's to the NL East title didn't pitch like an ace for Florida. He was shipped to Atlanta in a blockbuster deal shortly before the trading deadline. Suprisingly he was even worse in Atlanta posting a 4.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP after the deal. The poor performances got Taft booed each and every jog to the mound, as fans were reminded that they gave up the popular Brian Kojima to get him.
Most Disappointing Player NL
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Though Mantelban would pillage his former team by driving in ten runs in a three game series, Mantelban appeared just as disinterested and distracted in Tacoma as he was in New Orleans. His issues culminated in a midseason debacle against Vancouver (a team he was pushing to be traded to) when he made two errors in one inning, including one where he tried to catch an outfield fly with his cap. Rumors swirled that Mantelban was tanking on purpose. Whatever the case a .253 average and 11 home runs was not what Tacoma had in mind when they acquired him mid season. Mantelban has now seen his home run total dip each season he's been the Big Leagues.
Biggest Off The Field Distraction (AL)
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Though the arraingment has been set up after the playoffs, Sparks' incident caused quite a stir in a Durham clubhouse that was known for being professional and tight-knit. Sparks was busted for speeding, resisting arrest, and carrying a firearm illegally. Sparks has always been a bit of a combustable personality, but most incidents stayed out of the national spotlight. This particular incident, however, caused a lot of media scrutiny and the Bulls went into a stretch of .500 ball after the incident, nearly surrendering first place.
Biggest Off Field Distraction (NL)
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He wouldn't be Nick Black if he didn't drum up some contraversy. Black was involved in two major incidents this year, but only one was his doing. Black's decision to roam around on road trips with escorts from the "Bunny Ranch" caused tons of distractions and jealousy over preferential treatment. This jealous intensified when a report surfaced that he had been on-site, and potentially involved in the filming of several porn movies during Spring Training (he was allegedly absent due to the stomach flu). The other incident, and the one outside Black's direct control, was the "Nick Black Sweepstakes Part Duex" which deeply divided the locker room. General Manager ajf00529 offered up Nick Black on the trading block for the second time in as many seasons. Black's good friend Corey Purcell publically called out Hurricanes management which got him shipped off to Atlanta. Others, like veteran Al Leyritz thought Black was too much of a distraction and advocated a trade. The team's chemistry tanked, and ultimately Florida wound up seven games back of rival New York.
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