OOTP5: Trimming the Fat/ Back to 24 [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

General Mike

04-25-2003, 10:15 PM

This is an idea I've had for quite some time. Probably goes back to November of 2001 when contraction was actually on the table. I think not only should we get rid of 2 teams, but get rid of 6 teams while we're at it. So that is what I did, and then assigned the talent to the remaining 24 teams using 2 drafts. 3 rounds of veteran picks, and 2 round of "prospects".

I am using a version of GForce's Total Minors that I made some small changes to. Increased talents on some prospects and some players who are off to fast stars. I also changed some defensive ranges/ fielding %s around.

Here are the results of the reassignment drafts:

Veterans Draft

1st Round

Detroit picks: RF Vladimir Guerrero
Pittsburgh picks: SP Josh Beckett
Baltimore picks: CF Carlos Beltran
San Diego picks: SP Javier Vazquez
Texas picks: SP A.J. Burnett
Chicago (N) picks: 2B Jose Vidro
Toronto picks: SP Joe Kennedy
Cincinnati picks: 1B Todd Helton
Cleveland picks: 1B Mike Sweeney
Philadelphia picks: 2B Luis Castillo
Chicago (A) picks: C Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez
New York (N) picks: 3B Mike Lowell
Minnesota picks: SP Ben Sheets
Houston picks: RF Larry Walker
Anaheim picks: 1B/3B/OF Aubrey Huff
Los Angeles picks: 1B Richie Sexson
Boston picks: RP Jose Jiminez
San Francisco picks: OF Preston Wilson
Seattle picks: OF Brad Wilkerson
Arizona picks: OF Juan Encarnacion
Oakland picks: OF Raul Ibanez
St. Louis picks: SP Brad Penny
New York (A) picks: RP Braden Looper
Atlanta picks: RP Scott Stewart

2nd Round

Detroit picks: SP Jason Jennings
Pittsburgh picks: SS Orlando Cabrera
Baltimore picks: OF Geoff Jenkins
San Diego picks: C Mike Barrett
Texas picks: SP Mark Redman
Chicago (N) picks: SS Jose Hernandez
Toronto picks: SP Glendon Rusch
Cincinnati picks: SP Tony Armas Jr.
Cleveland picks: OF Ben Grieve
Philadelphia picks: RP Tim Spooneybarger
Chicago (A) picks: RP Mike MacDougal
New York (N) picks: 1B Derrek Lee
Minnesota picks: C Toby Hall
Houston picks: SP Tomokazu Ohka
Anaheim picks: C Charles Johnson
Los Angeles picks: OF/C Ben Petrick
Boston picks: RP Jayson Durocher
San Francisco picks: OF Jeffrey Hammonds
Seattle picks: 3B Fernando Tatis
Arizona picks: RP Lance Carter
Oakland picks: 1B/OF Jeff Liefer
St. Louis picks: C Mike Redmond
New York (A) picks: OF Gabe Kapler
Atlanta picks: 2B Eric Young

3rd Round

Detroit picks: OF Jay Payton
Pittsburgh picks: SP Denny Stark
Baltimore picks: SS Alex "Sea Bass" Gonzalez
San Diego picks: RP Armando Almanza
Texas picks: C Ramon Castro
Chicago (N) picks: RP Mike DeJean
Toronto picks: C Brian Schneider
Cincinnati picks: RP Jason Grimsley
Cleveland picks: 3B Joe Randa
Philadelphia picks: RP Joey Eischen
Chicago (A) picks: 2B Pablo Ozuna
New York (N) picks: SP Denny Neagle
Minnesota picks: RP Valerio de los Santos
Houston picks: OF Juan Pierre
Anaheim picks: 2B Carlos Febles
Los Angeles picks: SS Juan Uribe
Boston picks: RP Curt Leskanic
San Francisco picks: RP Luis Vizcaino
Seattle picks: Util Desi Relaford
Arizona picks: SP Wayne Franklin
Oakland picks: 1B/OF Chris Richard
St. Louis picks: OF Todd Hollandsworth
New York (A) picks: SP Scott Elarton
Atlanta picks: OF Alex Sanchez

Prospects Draft

1st Round

Pittsburgh picks: OF Rocco Baldelli
Detroit picks:OF Carl Crawford
San Diego picks: SP Jeremy Affeldt
Baltimore picks: SS B.J. Upton
Chicago (N) picks: SS Angel Berroa
Texas picks: SP Runelvys Hernandez
Cincinnati picks: SP Josh Karp
Toronto picks: SP Zack Grienke
Philadelphia picks: 1B Prince Fielder
Cleveland picks: 1B Ken Harvey
New York (N) picks: OF Josh Hamilton
Chicago (A) picks: OF Alexis Gomez
Houston picks: C J.D. Closser
Minnesota picks: SP Chin-Hui Tsao
Los Angeles picks: 1B Jason Stokes
Anaheim picks: SP Dewon Brazelton
San Francisco picks: 1B Adrian Gonzalez
Boston picks: SP Miguel Asencio
Arizona picks: 3B Garret Atkins
Seattle picks: SP Jimmy Gobble
St. Louis picks: SP Chris George
Oakland picks: SP Clint Everts
Atlanta picks: SP Nick Bierbrodt
New York (A) picks: SP Ryan Snare

2nd Round

Pittsburgh picks: SP Seung Song
Detroit picks: SP Ian Ferguson
San Diego picks: OF Dave Krynzel
Baltimore picks: SP Aaron Cook
Chicago (N) picks: OF Luke Allen
Texas picks: SP Dontrelle Willis
Cincinnati picks: SP Jon Switzer
Toronto picks: OF Jeremy Hermida
Philadelphia picks: SP Jeff Francis
Cleveland picks: OF Jonny Gomes
New York (N) picks: 1B Jeff Bailey
Chicago (A) picks: OF Tony Miller
Houston picks: SP Shawn Chacon
Minnesota picks: SP Luke Lockwood
Los Angeles picks: OF Matt Holliday
Anaheim picks: SP Kyle Snyder
San Francisco picks: SP Chris Young
Boston picks: SP Claudio Vargas
Arizona picks: C Pete LaForest
Seattle picks: OF Valentino Pascucci
St. Louis picks: OF Will Smith
Oakland picks: 1B Josh Willingham
Atlanta picks: RP Ryan Bukvich
New York (A) picks: OF Roscoe Crosby

I have also decided to use a 2 division setup with an unbalanced schedule, but have decided to keep the 3 tier playoff system.

Here are the new division setups:

American League East
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays

American League West
Anaheim Angels
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

National League East
Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates

National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
St. Louis Cardinals

I will be the GM of the Mets for this dynasty and I am playing with coaches and scouts off. I will start posting team previews in a few minutes.

Mike

General Mike

04-25-2003, 11:55 PM

AL East Preview

We'll start our preview with the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore had the 3rd overall pick in the veterans section of the reassignment draft, and grabbed the CF they have craved for so long, Carlos Beltran. They also were able to add corner OFer Geoff Jenkins and SS Alex "Sea Bass" Gonzalez. In the prospect portion they picked up Middle Infielder B.J. Upton, who will start the year in Single A, and SP Aaron Cook, a major league ready pitcher.

Lineup( vR/vL)
1) 2B Jerry Hairston/ CF Gary Matthews Jr.
2) LF B.J. Surhoff/ 2B Jerry Hairston
3) CF Gary Matthews Jr./ 1B Jeff Conine
4) 3B Tony Batista/ RF Jay Gibbons
5) RF Jay Gibbons/ DH Marty Cordova
6) DH Deivi Cruz/ LF Melvin Mora
7) SS Alex Gonzalez/ 3B Tony Batista
8) 1B Jeff Cobine/ C Geronimo Gil
9) C Geronimo Gil/ SS Alex Gonzalez.

Outlook: The Lineup is lacking of any bats that really scare anyone, but that should change when Beltran and Jenkins come off the DL. The AI will have tough decisions to make when they come back, as most of the players on this team are out of options. Future DH Jack Cust is also waiting in the wings for his chance to shine.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Rodrigo Lopez
2) Sidney Ponson
3) Aaron Cook
4) Omar Daal
5) John Stephens
spot: Pat Hentgen

Closer: Buddy Groom
Setup: Jorge Julio/ B.J. Ryan
Middle Relief: Kerry Ligtenberg/ Willis Roberts/ Pat Hentgen
Mopup: Pat Hentgen

Outlook: Baltimore has a solid rotation with one all star qualty starter already, a top young prospect in Stephens, and the other 3 starters know how to get the job done. Groom, Julio and Ligtenberg are a solid trio for late in games, and Ryan can shut lefties down.

Prediction: They are still in a tough division, and I cant see them finishing higher then 4th, but they should be better then the Indians, and no one could be worse then Los Tigres.

Now on to our cursed friend in Boston, The Red Sox. Boston didn't have too many holes going into the reassignment draft, and were able to pick up the closer they needed in Jose Jiminez and 2 quality relievers in Jayson Durocher and Curt Leskanic. Only one problem for the Sox, Durocher will start the year on the DL, but those problems arent nearly as bad as the Yankees'.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Johnny Damon/ CF Johnny Damon
2) SS Nomar Garciaparra/ 2B Todd Walker
3) LF Manny Ramirez/ LF Manny Ramirez
4) RF Trot Nixon/ 1B Kevin Millar
5) 1B David Ortiz/ SS Nomar Garciaparra
6) DH Jeremy Giambi/ DH Jeremy Giambi
7) 2B Todd Walker/ C Doug Mirabelli
8) 3B Shea Hillenbrand/ 3B Shea Hillenbrand
9) C Jason Varitek/ RF Trot Nixon

Outlook: The Red Sox feature 2 guys who could lead the league in batting every year in Nomar and Manny. Damon is one of the premier lead off hitters in the majors today, and everyone else knows how to swing the lumber. The Sox could definitely score 1000 runs this year.

Pitching Rotation
1) Pedro Martinez
2) Derek Lowe
3) Tim Wakefield
4) Casey Fossum
5) John Burkett

Closer: Jose Jiminez
Setup: Mike Timlin, Bob Howry
Middle Relief: Ramiro Mendoza, Chad Fox, Curtis Leskanic
Mop up: Leskanic

Outlook: The Red Sox have alot of pitching questions, but none are nearly as important as Pedro's health. If he can stay healthy, Pedro is the best pitchers in the majors, easily, but the Red Sox pennant chase relies heavily on Pedro's health.

Prediction: The Red Sox should definitely be able to hold off the Blue Jays for the 2nd playoff spot in the AL East, and may even be able to challenge the Yankees for the division crown. They definitely should make the playoffs tho.

The Cleveland Indians were definitely one of the top teams of the 90s, but as contracts quickly increased, they have had to say goodbye to several top offensive times including Manny Ramirez, Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez and Jim Thome. The Indians not only drafted for the present but also the future. Mike Sweeney is one of the best pure hitters in the majors, Ben Grieve was a player who showed flashes of greatness when in Oakland, and Cleveland hopes he can return to his pre-Tampa form. Joe Randa was the best 3B available in the 3rd round, and fills the Indians biggest hole.

Lineup(vR/vL)
1) SS Omar Vizquel/ 2B Brandon Phillips
2) 2B Brandon Phillips/ 3B Joe Randa
3) 1B Mike Sweeney/ 1B Mike Sweeney
4) LF Ellis Burks/ LF Ellis Burks
5) RF Matt Lawton/ DH Karim Garcia
6) DH Ben Grieve/ C Victor Martinez
7) 3B Joe Randa/ RF Ben Grieve
8) CF Milton Bradley/ CF Milton Bradley
9) C Victor Martinez/ SS Omar Vizquel

Outlook: This could be a very fun lineup to watch. Brandon Phillips and Victor Martinez are both the premier Major League ready prospects at their respective positions, Bradley is only 24 years old, and Grieve is still under 27. With Vizquel and Burks for leadership, and Sweeney to replace the departed Thome, the lineup should be as good as it was in 2002.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Danys Baez
2) C.C Sabathia
3) Ricardo Rodriguez
4) Jason Phillips
5) Brian Anderson
spot: Jason Bere

Closer: Chad Paronto
Setup: Dave Riske/ Mike Fyhrie
Middle Relief: Jason Bere, Carl Sadler, Jason Beverlin
Mopup: Beverlin

Outlook: The starting rotation has 3 young pitchers who all could be all stars at some point. Once Cliff Lee comes off the DL, he could take one of the spots in the rotation back. The Bullpen has to be a major concern for the Indians. Incumbent closer Bob Wickman is out for 7 months, and may only be available if the Indians make the playoffs, which does not look likely. Power arm Mark Wohlers is also out til the beginning of June.

Prediction: The bullpen is going to cost them quite a few games. If they are in the pennant race at midseason, they'll need to add a few power arms to the pen, but I don't see that happening.

Before the reassignment draft started, the Detroit Tigers had no identity, but now they are Vlad's team. Now their future isn't so bleak. With the additions of Guerrero, Jason Jennings, Jay Payton and Carl Crawford, the Tigers now have legitimate players at LF, RF, CF, DH and 1B, and Jennings is a #1 starter, proven by winning 17 games on the Rockies in 2002.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Carl Crawford/ CF Jay Payton
2) 2B Warren Morris/ 3B Dean Palmer
3) RF Vlad Guerrero/ RF Vlad Guerreo
4) DH Dmitri Young/ LF Bobby Higginson
5) LF Bobby Higginson/ DH Hiram Bocachica
6) 1B Carlos Pena/ 2B Shane Halter
7) 3B Dean Palmer/ C Brandon Inge
8) C A.J. Hinch/ SS Ramon Santiago
9) SS Ramon Santiago/ 1B Carlos Pena

Outlook: For a team building for the future, they sure do have alot of old guys in their lineup. Playing Dean Palmer everyday is questionable, and Shane Halter, Warren Morris and A.J Hinch are all very questionable choices. Omar Infante and Brandon Inge should both be getting the lion's share of the playing time at 2B and C.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Jason Jennings
2) Mike Maroth
3) Jeremy Bonderman
4) Adrian Burnside
5) Ian Ferguson

Closer: Jose Paniagua
Setup: Jaime Walker
Middle Relief: Matt Anderson, Fernando Rodney, Jason Jiminez
Mopup: Jason Jiminez, Pedro Feliciano

Outlook: Some very questionable decisions here. Ferguson is no where near major league ready, and several other guys in the AAA could do the same thing at the same price, without ruining their development. The AIs bullpen assignments are also very strange.

Prediction: 100 plus losses again, the team has some good talent but makes some very questionable decisions. Resigning Vlad is their key decision to make.

The Dreaded NY Yankees. The Evil Empire. Where do I start? Where does it all end? If The Boss has his way, it will end with another World Series win, and a ticker tape parade thru Manhattan. When I talked about Boston before, I mentioned the Yankee problems, well they come mostly in having to play the 1st month of the season without their top 2 relievers, Mariano Rivera and Steve Karsay. They were able to pickup a fill-in closer candidate in Braden Looper tho.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Alfonso Soriano/ RF Raul Mondesi
2) SS Derek Jeter/ CF Bernie Williams
3) DH Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter
4) LF Hideki Matsui/ 1B Jason Giambi
5) CF Bernie Williams/ 2B Alfonso Soriano
6) 1B Nick Johnson/ C Jorge Posada
7) C Jorge Posada/ LF Hideki Matsui
8) 3B Robin Ventura/ DH Todd Ziele
9) RF Raul Mondesi/ 3B Andy Phillips

Outlook: All-Stars, All Stars, All Stars, All Stars everywhere. Who on this team hasn't been an All Star at some point in their career? Mondesi batting leadoff against lefties, is a little strange, but at this point, whatever the AI does is fine. The Yankees, like the Red Sox have no holes, and should easily score 1000 runs this year.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Roger Clemens
2) Mike Mussina
3) Jeff Weaver
4) Andy Pettite
5) David Wells
spot) Brandon Claussen

Closer: Chris Hammond
Setup: Braden Looper/Juan Acevedo
Middle Relief: Antonio Osuna, Brandon Claussen, Jose Contreras
Mopup: Contreras

Outlooks: Clemens is a Hall of Famer, Mussina is a perennial Cy Young candidate, Pettite is always good for 15 wins a season, and Wells is Wells. Bullpen is a little shaky right now, but once Rivera and Karsay come back, they should be all set again.

Prediction: Unless the team plane goes down in a plane crash, the Yankees will be in the playoffs in October. 100 wins should not be a problem for this team.

The Toronto BlueJays once were a great baseball team, but then a strike happened and all the fans left. Now they are on the verge of making the playoffs again. They've locked up key young players to affordable multi year deals, and have brought over player development ideas that have worked in Oakland for quite some time.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) LF Shannon Stewart/ LF Shannon Stewart
2) RF Frank Catalanotto/ C Brian Schneider
3) 3B Eric Hinske/ CF Vernon Wells
4) 1B Carlos Delgado/ DH Josh Phelps
5) DH Josh Phelps/ 1B Carlos Delgado
6) CF Vernon Wells/ 2B Orlando Hudson
7) SS Chris Woodard/ RF Frank Catalanotto
8) C Brian Schneider/ 3B Eric Hinske
9) 2B Orlando Hudson/ SS Chris Woodard

Outlook: Alot of talent here with Delgado, Phelps, Wells, Hinske and Stewart. Schneider can get the job done, Hudson has good upside, and Catalanotto could contend for a batting title. Jayson Werth could be in the lineup as soon as he comes off the DL, but depth is an issue.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Roy Halladay
2) Joe Kennedy
3) Glendon Rusch
4) Corey Lidle
5) Pete Walker
spot) Mark Hendrickson

Closer: Kelvin Escobar
Setup: Cliff Politte, Doug Creek
Middle Relief: Mark Hendrickson, Corey Thurman, Brian Bowles
Mopup: Brian Bowles

I'll try to get the other divisions done tomorrow morning/afternoon.

General Mike

04-26-2003, 10:49 AM

AL West Preview

We'll start with the defending World Champion Anaheim Angels. The Angels don't have too many holes to fill, and the players they picked up should help with some of the problems. Aubrey Huff can play 1B,3B and the corner OF spots, but he can't play them well. More of a DH type, he still helps with overall depth. Charles Johnson gives them a quality starting catcher who can not only field, but hit the ball. Febles has the most range of any 2B in baseball, and if something should happen to one of the Angels middle IFers, he should get a chance to contribute.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Darin Erstad/ SS David Eckstein
2) 2B Adam Kennedy/ 2B Benji Gil
3) DH Brad Fullmer/ 1B Scott Spiezio
4) LF Garret Anderson/ 3B Troy Glaus
5) RF Tim Salmon/ LF Garret Anderson
6) 3B Troy Glaus/ RF Tim Salmon
7) 1B Scott Spiezio/ C Charles Johnson
8) C Charles Johnson/ DH Aubrey Huff
9) SS David Eckstein/ CF Darin Erstad

Outlook: I love the way this team plays baseball. Hustle, Hustle, and more Hustle. I don't agree with their decision to send Wooten to AAA, but I'm not running the team. OF Depth is a bit of a concern, with Jeff DaVanon being the only legitimate backup CF on the major league roster. Garret Anderson is still the most underrated player in MLB.

Pitching Rotation
1) Jarrod Washburn
2) Ramon Ortiz
3) John Lackey
4) Kevin Appier
5) Mickey Callaway

Closer: Troy Percival
Setup: Brendan Donnelly/ Scot Shields
Middle Relief: Ben Weber/ Francisco Rodriguez/ Mark Lukasiewicz
Mopup: Lukasiewicz

Outlook: Washburn can be a perennial all star, Percival is as good as any closer in baseball, but between everyone else, I'm not sure how good this team really is. They really could use another top tier pitcher, so they can get Callaway out of the rotation. The Bullpen should be comparable to their 2002 year, with some small changes in performance.

Prediction: I'm not sure if they have the pitching to make the playoffs again, especially when they have to play ~18 games per year against the Twins, the A's and the Mariners. I'm gonna go with 84 wins for them.

The Chicago White Sox added SP Bartolo Colon before the reassignment draft, and then were able to add Pudge Rodriguez and young reliever Mike MacDougal to complement the ML lineup.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Willie Harris/ 2B D'Angelo Jiminez
2) 1B Paul Konerko/ 1B Paul Konerko
3) C Ivan Rodriguez/ DH Frank Thomas
4) DH Frank Thomas/ RF Magglio Ordonez
5) RF Maggilo Ordonez/ C Ivan Rodrigez
6) SS Jose Valentin/ 3B Joe Crede
7) LF Carlos Lee/ LF Carlos Lee
8) 3B Joe Crede/ CF Aaron Rowand
9) CF Alexis Gomez/ SS Jose Valentin

Outlook: Besides the leadoff spot, the White Sox lineup is as good as any. Ordonez is still underrated and Konerko, Thomas, and Pudge Rodriguez can all hit .300+ with 30 HRs. Lee, Valentin and Crede can all get the job done.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Mark Buehrle
2) Bartolo Colon
3) Jon Garland
4) Esteban Loaiza
5) Gary Glover

Closer: Billy Koch
Setup: Flash Gordon/ Kelly Wunsch
Middle Relief: Damaso Marte/ Rick White/ Mike MacDougal
Mopup: Mike MacDougal

Outlook: With Buehrle and Colon at the top of the rotation, the White Sox won't have too many long losing streaks. Koch can be shaky as closer, but his stuff is as good as anyone. The White Sox could probably use another 3rd starter to slot in between Colon and Garland.

Prediction: I believe that if the White Sox do not make the playoffs, this year is an extreme dissapointment. I'll go with 90 wins and a shootout for the wildcard spot.

The Minnesota Twins filled a small hole by adding a young future ace in Ben Sheets, a good backup catcher in Toby Hall, who can platoon with Pierzynski, and Valerio de los Santos gives them another hard throwing reliever in the pen for late in games.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Cristian Guzman/ SS Cristian Guzman
2) RF Dustan Mohr/ 2B Denny Hocking
3) C A.J. Pierzynski/ LF Bobby Kielty
4) CF Torii Hunter/ DH Mike Cuddyer
5) LF Jacque Jones/ CF Torii Hunter
6) DH Bobby Kielty/ 3B Corey Koskie
7) 3B Corey Koskie/ 1B Doug Mientkiewicz
8) 1B Mike Cuddyer/ C Toby Hall
9) 2B Luis Rivas/ RF Dustan Mohr

Outlook: The Twins are a very young team, with Hocking being the only starter over 32, and he is only in a lefty platoon. Hunter, Jones, Mientkiewicz, Guzman and Koskie are all Gold Glove candidates. They Twins also have a ton of batting talent in the minors in AAA with Justin Morneau, Michael Restovich and Joe Mauer.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Joe Mays
2) Rick Reed
3) Brad Radke
4) Kenny Rogers
5) Ben Sheets

Closer: Eddie Guardado
Setup: Valerio de los Santos/ J.C. Romero
Middle Relief: LaTroy Hawkins/ Mike Fetters/ Tony Fiore
Mopup: Tony Fiore

Outlook: The Twins don't have a Pedro or a Maddux or a Schilling, but they have a bunch of guys who just know how to pitch. Radke has pinpoint accuracy, Reed provides veteran leadership, and Sheets has the upside potential to be a 20 game winner in the majors. The Twins pen is very strong with alot of guys who just get hitters out

Prediction: Should contend for the 2nd playoff spot with Seattle and the White Sox. Definitely has the chance to win 90 games this year.

The Oakland Athletics have been able to develop not only pitching talent, but also offensive talent, and make great trades to bring in the missing pieces. With their Pitching Troika and their 2 MVP candidates in Tejada and Chavez, they are the favorites in the AL West.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Mark Ellis/ 2B Mark Ellis
2) SS Miguel Tejada/ LF Raul Ibanez
3) 3B Eric Chavez/ SS Miguel Tejada
4) DH Erubiel Durazo/ 3B Eric Chavez
5) LF Raul Ibanez/ RF Jermaine Dye
6) RF Jermaine Dye/ 1B Erubiel Durazo
7) 1B Scott Hatteberg/ CF Terrence Long
8) CF Chris Singleton/ C Ramon Hernandez
9) C Mitch Meluskey/ DH Jose Flores

Outlook: The Athletics lineup is very good 1-6, but gets a little hairy after that. Durazo finally gives the As the big bat they needed to replace Jason Giambi. CF is a bit of a hole, but Long and Singleton can probably do the job.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Barry Zito
2) Tim Hudson
3) Mark Mulder
4) Ted Lilly
5) Mike Neu

Closer: Keith Foulke
Setup: Corey Bradford/ Ricardo Rincon
Middle Relief: Jeremy Fikac/ Joe Valentine/ Micah Bowie
Mopup: Micah Bowie

Outlook: Zito, Hudson and Mulder combined for 57 wins in 2002 and 56 wins in 2001. Look for more of the same from those 3 in 2003. Ted Lilly definitley has the ability to win 15 games, and Mike Neu is keeping the 5th spot in the rotation warm for Rich Harden. Foulke continues the A's revolving door at closer, but he may be even better then the guys he replaces. Foulke doesn't walk anybody and knows how to keep the ball in the ballpark. The rest of the bullpen is a little shaky, but they should be ok. Joe Valentine has the talent to be the next closer of the As.

Prediction: 1st Place in the AL West. If anyone can win 100 games, its Oakland.

The Seattle Mariners had a bit of a dissapointing year in 2002 despite winning 93 games. A manager change was also made, as the Mariners acquired OF Randy Winn from the Devil Rays for manager Lou Piniella. That worked out real well for the DRays :rolleyes:

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Mike Cameron/ RF Ichiro
2) RF Ichiro/ 3B Jeff Cirillo
3) 1B John Olerud/ 2B Bret Boone
4) DH Edgar Martinez/ CF Mike Cameron
5) LF Brad Wilkerson/ DH Edgar Martinez
6) 2B Bret Boone/ 1B John Olerud
7) 3B Jeff Cirillo/ LF Brad Wilkerson
8) SS Desi Relaford/ C Ben Davis
9) C Ben Davis/ SS Carlos Guillen

Outlook: Edgar is already 40 years old, super sub Mark McLemore is 38, and Gold Glove Catcher Dan Wilson will begin the year on the DL. The Mariners, like the Twins have a bunch of Gold Glove candidates at key positions.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Jamie Moyer
2) Freddy Garcia
3) Joel Piniero
4) Glenn Bott
5) Rafael Soriano

Closer: Kazuhiro Sasaki
Setup: Arthur Rhodes/ Jeff Nelson
Middle Relief: Giovanni Carrara/ Shigetoshi Hasegawa/ Ryan Franklin
Mopup: Ryan Franklin

Outlook: Moyer like Edgar is 40 years old. Garcia and Piniero give them 2 young pitchers who could be #1 starters on quite a few pitching staffs. Sasaki, Rhodes and Nelson can lock a game down in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings, and the other guys in the pen can all get the job done. Ryan Franklin can also fill in in the starting rotation if necessary.

Prediction: Right around 90-95 wins, definitely contending for a playoff spot, possibly even winning the divsion if everything goes right.

The team with the best offense in baseball, could be the Texas Rangers. Too bad they haven't been able to find the pitching they need oh so badly. They were able to add 3 quality SPs in Mark Redman, A.J. Burnett and Runelvys Hernandez, and even tho Burnett will start the year on the DL, he is definitely the Rangers new ace.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 3B Hank Blalock/ 2B Mike Young
2) DH Mike Lamb/ C Todd Greene
3) SS Alex Rodriguez/ RF Juan Gonzalez
4) 1B Rafael Palmeiro/ SS Alex Rodriguez
5) CF Carl Everett/ 1B Rafael Palmeiro
6) RF Juan Gonzalez/ LF Ruben Sierra
7) LF Ruben Sierra/ CF Ryan Ludwick
8) C Ramon Castro/ 3B Hank Blalock
9) 2B Mike Young/ DH Marshall McDougall

Outlook: The offense is in fine shape. One thing that does bother me, is the decision to bring Mark Teixeira up, but not put him in the starting lineup. LF Kevin Mench will start the year on the DL but once he comes off could challenge Ruben Sierra for the starting LF job.

Pitching Rotation:
1) Mark Redman
2) Ismael Valdes
3) Chan Ho Park
4) Runelvys Hernandez
5) John Thomson
spot: Joaquin Benoit

Closer: Ugueth Urbina
Setup: Francisco Cordero, Rudy Seanez
Middle Relief: Esteban Yan, Joaquin Benoit, Ron Mahay
Mopup: Ron Mahay

Outlook: The starting rotation is definitely upgraded, but the bullpen still needs some more work. Jeff Zimmerman should be recovered from arm surgery in the middle of June, and his addition will surely help.

Prediction: I still think the Rangers will finish in last place, but the AL West should be ultra competitive, and the Rangers definitley could finish over .500

NL East preview coming up soon.

General Mike

04-26-2003, 03:36 PM

NL East Preview

The Atlanta Braves should continue their string of 12 straight playoff appearances, but they will need some pitching help. The decisions to let Tom Glavine go to New York, and trading Kevin Millwood to Philadelphia could come back to bite them, big time. New pitching acquisitions Paul Byrd and Mike Hampton will start the year on the DL, so some kids will have to start the year in the rotation.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Rafael Furcal/ SS Rafael Furcal
2) 2B Marcus Giles/ 2B Mark DeRosa
3) LF Chipper Jones/ 1B Julio Franco
4) CF Andruw Jones/ LF Chipper Jones
5) RF Gary Sheffield/ RF Gary Sheffield
6) 1B Robert Fick/ CF Andruw Jones
7) C Javier Lopez/ 3B Mike Hessman
8) 3B Mike Hessman/ C Johnny Estrada
9) Pitcher’s spot

Outlook: The Braves still have the best OF in baseball, with Chipper and Sheffeld both being perennial MVP candidates. 1B offense could be a bit of a concern, especially with Julio Franco being 45 years old.

Pitching Rotation
1) Greg Maddux
2) Russ Ortiz
3) Jung Bong
4) Nick Bierbrodt
5) Jason Marquis

Closer: John Smoltz
Setup: Scott Stewart/ Ray King
Middle Relief: Roberto Hernandez/ Darren Holmes/ Billy Sylvester
Mopup: Billy Sylvester

Outlook: Once Byrd and Hampton come back from the DL, the starting rotation should be fine, but until then Maddux and Ortiz will have to hold down the fort. Smoltz and Stewart provide a very good lefty-righty combo for late in games out of the pen. The middle relief corps is questionable, but it should be ok.

Prediction: My favorites to win the NL East. They have the talent to win the division, but they have issues. I’ll put them down for 92 wins.

Fans of the Chicago Cubs hope that 2003 will be the year the curse ends for them. Besides Sammy Sosa, they have Moises Alou in LF, Mark Bellhorn and off-season acquisitions Damian Miller and Jose Vidro who should help improve the offense. The Cubs also feature 2 young aces with Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, plus Matt Clement and Carlos Zambrano have a ton of ability.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1CF Corey Patterson/ 2B Jose Vidro
2) 1B Hee Seop Choi/ 1B Eric Karros
3) LF Moises Alou/ RF Sammy Sosa
4) RF Sammy Sosa/ 3B Mark Bellhorn
5) 2B Jose Vidro/ LF Moises Alou
6) SS Jose Hernandez/ SS Jose Hernandez
7) C Damian Miller/ C Damian Miller
8) 3B Mark Bellhorn/ CF Jackson Melian
9) Pitcher’s spot

Outlook: I don’t know what to say here. Sosa and Alou are both great hitters, Vidro is one of the top 2Bs in the majors, and Hernandez strikes out a lot, but he sure can hit.

Pitching Rotation
1) Mark Prior
2) Kerry Wood
3) Matt Clement
4) Carlos Zambrano
5) Shawn Estes
Spot: Mike Sirotka

Closer: Mike Remlinger
Setup: Mike DeJean/ Mark Guthrie
Middle Relief: Joe Borowski/ Dave Veres/ Mike Sirotka
Mopup: Mike Sirotka

Outlook: Remlinger has no true closer experience, with only 16 saves in 11 seasons, but he is the top pitcher in the Cubs pen. DeJean and Veres do have experience, but the bullpen could give them problems. No problems with the starting rotation.

Prediction: With 2 aces to anchor the starting staff, plus Sosa, Vidro and Alou to lead the offense, the Cubs should be able to contend for a playoff spot.

The Cincinnati Reds begin 2003 by moving into a new stadium, the Great American Ballpark. Besides having a healthy Ken Griffey Jr, and 2 great young OFers in Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns. Starting pitching could be a problem tho.

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Barry Larkin/ 2B Aaron Boone
2) 2B Aaron Boone/ SS Felipe Lopez
3) 1B Todd Helton/ RF Austin Kearns
4) CF Ken Griffey Jr./ CF Ken Griffey Jr.
5) RF Austin Kearns/ 1B Todd Helton
6) LF Adam Dunn/ LF Adam Dunn
7) 3B Brandon Larson/ 3B Brandon Larson
8) C Jason LaRue/ C Corky Miller
9)

Pitching Rotation
1) Ryan Dempster
2) Tony Armas Jr.
3) Danny Graves
4) Paul Wilson
5) Chris Reitsma

Closer: Scott Williamson
Setup: John Riedling/ Gabe White
Middle Relief: Scott Sullvan/ Jason Grimsley/ Josias Manzanillo
Mopup: Josias Manzanillo

Prediction: 5th place - 77 wins

New York Mets
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Roberto Alomar/ 2B Roberto Alomar
2) CF Timo Perez/ 3B Mike Lowell
3) LF Cliff Floyd/ LF Cliff Floyd
4) C Mike Piazza/ C Mike Piazza
5) 1B Derrek Lee/ 1B Derrek Lee
6) 3B Mike Lowell/ RF Jeromy Burnitz
7) RF Jeromy Burnitz/ CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo
8) SS Rey Sanchez/ SS Rey Sanchez
9) Pitcher's spot

Pitching Rotation
1) Tom Glavine
2) Al Leiter
3) Steve Trachsel
4) David Cone
5) Jae weong Seo

Closer: Armando Benitez
Setup: Scott Strickland/ Mike Stanton
Middle Relief: David Weathers, Jaime Cerda, Graeme Lloyd
Mopup: Graeme Lloyd

Prediction: 4th place - 84 wins

Philadelphia Phillies

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Luis Castillo/ 2B Luis Castillo
2) 3B Tyler Houston/ RF Bobby Abreu
3) 1B Jim Thome/ C Mike Leiberthal
4) RF Bobby Abreu/ LF Pat Burrell
5) LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome
6) CF Ricky Ledee/ 3B David Bell
7) C Mike Leiberthal/ SS Jimmy Rollins
8) SS Jimmy Rollins/ CF Marlon Byrd
9) Pitcher's spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Kevin Millwood
2) Randy Wolf
3) Vicente Padilla
4) Joe Roa
5) Brett Myers

Closer: Dan Plesac
Setup: Jose Mesa/ Joey Eischen
Middle Relief: Tim Spooneybarger/ Hector Mercado/ Terry Adams
Mopup: Terry Adams

Prediction: 3rd Place - 87 wins

Pittsburgh Pirates

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Orlando Cabrera/ SS Orlando Cabrera
2) C Jason Kendall/ 2B Pokey Reese
3) LF Brian Giles/ C Jason Kendall
4) RF Reggie Sanders/ RF Reggie Sanders
5) 1B Randall Simon/ LF Brian Giles
6) 3B Rob Mackowiack/ 3B Rob Mackowiack
7) CF Rocco Baldelli/ 1B Kevin Young
8) 2B Pokey Reese/ CF Rocco Baldelli
9) Pitcher's spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Josh Beckett
2) Kris Benson
3) Josh Fogg
4) Kip Wells
5) Jeff D'Amico

Closer: Mike Williams
Setup: Brian Boehringer/ Scott Sauerbeck
Middle Relief: Al Reyes/ Jim Mann/ Mark Corey
Mopup: Mark Corey

Prediction: 6th place - 72 wins

NL West coming up soon

General Mike

04-26-2003, 06:49 PM

NL West Preview

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Tony Womack/ CF Steve Finley
2) 1B Lyle Overbay/ SS Alex Cintron
3) RF Danny Bautista/ 2B Junior Spivey
4) LF Luis Gonzalez/ 3B Matt Williams
5) CF Steve Finley/ LF Luis Gonzalez
6) C Pete LaForest/RF Juan Encarnacion
7) 2B Junior Spivey/ C Chad Moeller
8) 3B Matt Williams/ 1B Lyle Overbay
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Randy Johnson
2) Curt Schilling
3) Byung-Hyun Kim
4) Wayne Franklin
5) Elmer Dessens
Spot: Miguel Batista

Closer: Matt Mantei
Setup: Mike Koplove/ Mike Myers
Middle Relief:Miguel Batista/ Lance Carter/ Bret Prinz
Mopup: Bret Prinz

Prediction: 2nd place - 88 wins

Houston Astros

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Julio Lugo/ SS Julio Lugo
2) CF Craig Biggio/ C Brad Ausmus
3) LF Lance Berkman/ 2B Jeff Kent
4) 2B Jeff Kent/ 1B Jeff Bagwell
5) RF Larry Walker/ RF Larry Walker
6) 1B Jeff Bagwell/ LF Lance Berkman
7) 3B Geoff Blum/ 3B Geoff Blum
8) C J.D. Closser/ CF Brian Hunter
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Roy Oswalt
2) Wade Miller
3) Tomokazu Ohka
4) Jeriome Robertson
5) Pete Munro
Spot: Brian Moehler

Closer: Billy Wagner
Setup: Brandon Puffer/ Octavio Dotel
Middle Relief: Bruce Chen/ Brian Moehler/ Brad Lidge
Mopup: Brad Lidge

Prediction: 5th place - 79 wins

Los Angeles Dodgers

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Dave Roberts/ 3B Adrian Beltre
2) 2B Joe Thurston/ C Paul LoDuca
3) RF Shawn Green/ LF Brian Jordan
4) 1B Richie Sexson/ RF Shawn Green
5) SS Alex Cora/ 1B Richie Sexson
6) LF Brian Jordan/ 2B Jolbert Cabrera
7) 3B Adrian Beltre/ SS Alex Cora
8) C Paul LoDuca/ CF Dave Roberts
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Kevin Brown
2) Odalis Perez
3) Hideo Nomo
4) Kazuhisa Ishii
5) Darren Dreifort
Spot: Andy Ashby

Closer: Eric Gagne
Setup: Paul Shuey/ Paul Quantrill
Middle Relief: Guillermo Mota/ Andy Ashby/ Wilson Alvarez
Mopup: Wilson Alvarez

Prediction: 4th place - 81 wins

San Diego Padres

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) LF Rondell White/ SS Ramon Vazquez
2) SS Ramon Vazquez/ 2B Mark Loretta
3) 1B Ryan Klesko/ CF Mark Kotsay
4) C Mike Barrett/ 1B Ryan Klesko
5) CF Mark Kotsay/ LF Rondell White
6) RF Xavier Nady/ RF Xavier Nady
7) 3B Sean Burroughs/ C Mike Barrett
8) 2B Mark Loretta/ 3B Sean Burroughs
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Javier Vazquez
2) Adam Eaton
3) Brian Lawrence
4) Oliver Perez
5) Jeremy Affeldt
Spot: Jake Peavy

Closer: Armando Almanza
Setup: Mike Matthews/ Jesse Orosco
Middle Relief: Randy Kiesler/ Jake Peay/ Brandon Villafuerte
Mopup: Brandon Villafuerte

Prediction: 6th place - 66 wins

San Francisco Giants

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) RF Jose Cruz Jr./ 2B Ray Durham
2) CF Preston Wilson/ 1B Andres Galaragga
3) LF Barry Bonds/ LF Barry Bonds
4) 3B Edgardo Alfonzo/ CF Preston Wilson
5) 2B Ray Durham / 3B Edgardo Alfonzo
6) SS Rich Aurilia/ SS Rich Aurilia
7) C Benito Santiago/ RF Jose Cruz Jr.
8) 1B J.T. Snow/ C Benito Santago
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Jason Schmidt
2) Damian Moss
3) Kirk Reuter
4) Jesse Foppert
5) Kurt Ainsworth
Spot: Ryan Jensen

Closer: Felix Rodriguez
Setup: Scott Eyre/ Tim Worrell
Middle Relief: Luis Vizcaino/ Chad Zerbe/ Ryan Jensen
Mopup: Ryan Jensen

Prediction: 1st Place - 91 wins

St. Louis Cardinals

Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Edgar Renteria/ SS Edgar Renteria
2) 2B Fernando Vina/ C Mike Redmond
3) LF Albert Pujols/ LF Albert Pujols
4) CF Jim Edmonds/ 3B Scott Rolen
5) 3B Scott Rolen/ CF Jim Edmonds
6) 1B Tino Martinez/ RF Alex Ochoa
7) RF Alex Ochoa/ 1B Tino Martinez
8) C Mike Redmond/ 2B Fernando Vina
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Rotation:
1) Matt Morris
2) Woody Williams
3) Brad Penny
4) Jason Simontacchi
5) Brett Tomko
Spot: Jimmy Journell

Closer: Steve Kline
Setup: Jeff Fassero/ Mike Crudale
Middle Relief: Jimmy Journell/ Gabe Molina/ Lance Painter
Mopup: Lance Painter

Prediction: 3rd Place - 85 wins

General Mike

04-26-2003, 10:06 PM

TOP Minor League Systems

# Team Points Top 5 Prospects
1 New York (N) 158 RF Josh Hamilton (3rd), C Justin Huber (11th), P Scott Kazmir (16th), P Aaron Heilman (22nd), SS Jose Reyes (28th)
2 Toronto 139 RF Jayson Werth (4th), P Zach Greinke (12th), CF Jeremy Hermida (20th), RF Gabe Gross (37th), CF Jason Dubois (47th)
3 Cleveland 105 1B Travis Hafner (10th), C Victor Martinez (33rd), 2B Brandon Phillips (36th), P Cliff Lee (40th), LF Jonny Gomes (51st)
4 Minnesota 90 C Joe Mauer (7th), 1B Justin Morneau (17th), P Chin-Hui Tsao (57th), P Adam Johnson (62nd), LF Michael Restovich (65th)
5 Philadelphia 90 1B Prince Fielder (5th), CF Marlon Byrd (41st), P Gavin Floyd (43rd), P Jeff Francis (48th), SS Anderson Machado (66th)
6 Atlanta 78 P Adam Wainwright (13th), SS Wilson Betemit (30th), 1B Adam LaRoche (46th), SS Kelly Johnson (59th), P Matt Wright (84th)
7 Pittsburgh 71 CF Rocco Baldelli (14th), P John VanBenSchoten (53rd), C J.R. House (60th), P Brian Bullington (72nd), P Sean Burnett (75th)
8 San Francisco 68 P Jesse Foppert (6th), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (42nd), P Boof Bonser (58th), P Jerome Williams (68th),
9 Chicago (A) 66 C Miguel Olivo (25th), CF Alexis Gomez (29th), LF Joe Borchard (31st), CF Tony Miller (50th),
10 Baltimore 66 LF Jack Cust (8th), SS B.J. Upton (18th),
11 Seattle 62 LF Chris Snelling (19th), P Clint Nageotte (39th), P Glenn Bott (70th), CF Shin-Soo Choo (78th), P Jimmy Gobble (81st)
12 Chicago (N) 62 1B Hee seop Choi (24th), P Bobby Brownlie (34th), SS Angel Berroa (35th), P Carmen Pignatiello (80th), 3B Brendan Harris (82nd)
13 Anaheim 58 1B Casey Kotchman (2nd), P Dewon Brazelton (61st),
14 Texas 56 3B Mark Teixeira (1st), LF Jason Hart (69th),
15 New York (A) 39 P Brandon Claussen (44th), RF Juan Rivera (63rd), P Ryan Bicondoa (67th), P Charlie Manning (71st), P Mark Phillips (73rd)
16 Los Angeles 38 1B Jason Stokes (9th),
17 St. Louis 37 P Jimmy Journell (23rd), P Justin Pope (49th), P Dan Haren (74th),
18 Detroit 36 P Jeremy Bonderman (15th), P Ian Ferguson (79th),
19 Cincinnati 28 P Josh Karp (27th), P Bobby Basham (76th), LF Wily mo Pena (93rd), P Jon Switzer (96th),
20 Arizona 24 3B Garrett Atkins (38th), P Edgar Gonzalez (55th),
21 San Diego 22 RF Xavier Nady (45th), CF Dave Krynzel (52nd),
22 Oakland 21 P Rich Harden (21st),
23 Houston 21 C J.D. Closser (26th), C John Buck (95th),
24 Boston 20 SS Hanley Ramirez (32nd), 2B Angel Santos (83rd), P David Pahucki (99th),

General Mike

04-27-2003, 06:29 PM

April 2003 Report

As soon as I start simming, I get an e-mail from 3 players announcing that 2003 will be their last season. Util IF Jay Bell, SP David Cone and Reliever John Franco.

To give the minor leaguers some breathing room, 8 players were released: 2B Marco Scutaro (AAA); 1B Jorge Toca (AAA); P Jason Saenz (AA); CF Esix Snead (AA); SS Jorge Velandia (AA); RF Rob Malek (AA); SS Corey Ragsdale (A); 3B Shawn Bowman (A)

Disabled List: The following players started the year on the DL:
SP Pedro Astacio
SP Denny Neagle
MR John Franco
MR Grant Roberts
MR Tyler Yates

The Bench: I posted the starting lineup in a previous part of this thread, but here are the bench players:

C Vance Wilson - good fielding catcher who can fill in when necessary
1B Mo Vaughn - will DH in interleague games
Util IF Jay Bell - the only player besides Rey Sanchez who can play SS on the major league roster
Util IF/ Corner OF - Ty Wiggington - A Professional Hitter, this rookie needs to work on his Defense if he ever wants to be a fulltime player.
OF Roger Cedeno - One of the worst defensive OFers in baseball, but a decent hitter. The Fastest player on the Mets ML roster

Midway thru the month, Denny Neagle and Grant Roberts recovered from their injuries and replaced Jae Seo and Graeme Lloyd on the ML roster, and Tyler Yates was sent down to AAA to work on his stuff. Pedro Astacio also was activated from the DL, and replaced David Cone on the ML roster. Cone accepted his designation to AAA.

Strange Transactions

The following players were released before the start of the season:

Boston: Released P Mike Timlin, he refused assignment to minors.
Baltimore: Released LF Melvin Mora.
Baltimore: Released P Rick Helling.
Baltimore: Released P Travis Driskill.
Baltimore: Released P Richard Bartlett.
Baltimore: Released P Matt Bolander.
Baltimore: Released P Matt Riley.
Boston: Released 1B Dave Nilsson.
Boston: Released 1B Juan Diaz.
Boston: Released P Bronson Arroyo.
Boston: Released P Ryan Rupe.
Boston: Released P John Lester.
Boston: Released P Matt Thompson.
Boston: Released P Juan Cedeno.
Boston: Released P Tyler Pelland.
Boston: Released P Jorge De La Rosa.
Boston: Released P Chris Smith.
Boston: Released P Anastacio Martinez.
Boston: Released P Jerome Gamble.
Boston: Released P Luis Mendoza.
Boston: Released P Hector Almonte.
Boston: Released P Wayne Gomes.
Cleveland: Released P Dave Burba.
Cleveland: Released P Matthew Haynes.
Cleveland: Released P Jason Beverlin.
Cleveland: Released P Shane Wallace.
Cleveland: Released P Dan Denham.
Cleveland: Released P Lance Carraciolli.
Cleveland: Released P Keith Ramsey.
Cleveland: Released P Kyle Denney.
Detroit: Released RF Corey Richardson.
Detroit: Released P Steve Sparks.
Detroit: Released P Seth Greisinger.
Detroit: Released P Tommy Marx.
Detroit: Released P Shane Loux.
Detroit: Released P Robert Novoa.
Detroit: Released P Jeremy Johnson.
Detroit: Released P Terry Pearson.
New York (A): Released LF Mitch Jones.
New York (A): Released LF Bubba Trammell.
New York (A): Released P Jose Valdez.
New York (A): Released P Adrian Hernandez.
New York (A): Released P Alex Graman.
New York (A): Released P David Martinez.
Toronto: Released P Tanyon Sturtze.
Toronto: Released P Trever Miller.
Toronto: Released P Vince Perkins.
Toronto: Released P Justin Miller.
Toronto: Released P Gustavo Chacin.
Toronto: Released P Brandon League.
Toronto: Released P Tracy Thorpe.
Toronto: Released P Doug Linton.
Toronto: Released P Jeff Tam.
Toronto: Released P Brian Bowles.
Anaheim: Released 2B H.J. Kendrick.
Anaheim: Released CF Eric Owens.
Anaheim: Released CF Julio Ramirez.
Anaheim: Released P Kevin Jepsen.
Anaheim: Released P Rafael Rodriguez.
Anaheim: Released P Phil Wilson.
Anaheim: Released P Scott Hindman.
Anaheim: Released P Joe Torres.
Anaheim: Released P Dave Wolensky.
Anaheim: Released P Rich Rodriguez.
Chicago (A): Released P Brian Cooper.
Chicago (A): Released P Mitch Wylie.
Chicago (A): Released P Daniel Haigwood.
Chicago (A): Released P Corwin Malone.
Chicago (A): Released P Dennis Ulacia.
Chicago (A): Released P Brian West.
Chicago (A): Released P Ryan Wing.
Chicago (A): Released P Mike Porzio.
Chicago (A): Released P Tom Jacquez.
Minnesota: Released P Everett Stull.
Minnesota: Released P Tim Henkenjohann.
Minnesota: Released P Joe Foote.
Minnesota: Released P Brad Thomas.
Minnesota: Released 3B Shane Andrews.
Oakland: Released 1B Brant Colamarino.
Oakland: Released LF Brian Sellier.
Oakland: Released P Erik Hiljus.
Oakland: Released P Mike Wood.
Oakland: Released P Ed Yarnall.
Seattle: Released P Sam Hays.
Seattle: Released P Kendall Bergdall.
Seattle: Released P Bobby Madritsch.
Seattle: Released P Rett Johnson.
Seattle: Released P Ken Cloude.
Seattle: Released P Russ Morgan.
Seattle: Released P Matt Thornton.
Texas: Released C Chad Kreuter.
Texas: Released P Doug Davis.
Texas: Released P Ryan Drese.
Texas: Released P Mario Ramos.
Texas: Released P Sam Narron.
Texas: Released P Brian Shouse.
Texas: Released P Robert Ellis.
Atlanta: Released LF Jesse Garcia.
Atlanta: Released P Bryan Digby.
Atlanta: Released P Horacio Ramirez.
Atlanta: Released P John Ennis.
Atlanta: Released P Brett Evert.
Atlanta: Released P Joey Dawley.
Chicago (N): Released LF Lenny Harris.
Chicago (N): Released LF Troy O'Leary.
Chicago (N): Released P Phil Norton.
Chicago (N): Released P Alan Benes.
Chicago (N): Released P John Leicester.
Chicago (N): Released P Felix Sanchez.
Chicago (N): Released P Renyel Pinto.
Chicago (N): Released P Billy Petrick.
Chicago (N): Released P Sergio Mitre.
Chicago (N): Released P Steve Smyth.
Chicago (N): Released P Aaron Small.
Chicago (N): Released C Mike Mahoney.
Cincinnati: Released P Pete Harnisch.
Cincinnati: Released P Seth Etherton.
Cincinnati: Released P Jimmy Anderson.
Cincinnati: Released P Jimmy Haynes.
Cincinnati: Released P Ryan Mottl.
Cincinnati: Released P Brian Reith.
Cincinnati: Released P Casey DeHart.
Cincinnati: Released P O.J. King.
Cincinnati: Released P Scott Dunn.
Cincinnati: Released P Jose Acevedo.
Cincinnati: Released P Jose Rijo.
Cincinnati: Released P Josias Manzanillo.
Cincinnati: Released P Kent Mercker.
Cincinnati: Released P Mark Watson.
Cincinnati: Released P Sean Depaula.
Cincinnati: Released P Jeff Austin.
Philadelphia: Released P Keith Bucktrot.
Philadelphia: Released P Martire Franco.
Philadelphia: Released P Amaury Telemaco.
Philadelphia: Released P Rob Tejada.
Philadelphia: Released P Seung Lee.
Philadelphia: Released P Ezequiel Astacio.
Philadelphia: Released P Brad Baisley.
Philadelphia: Released P Erick Arteaga.
Pittsburgh: Released LF Bobby Kingsbury.
Pittsburgh: Released P Jeff Suppan.
Pittsburgh: Released P Patrick O'Brien.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Gonzalez.
Pittsburgh: Released P Jason Sharber.
Pittsburgh: Released P Brian Meadows.
Pittsburgh: Released P Bobby Bradley.
Pittsburgh: Released P Josh Shortslef.
Pittsburgh: Released P Jonathan Albakdejo.
Pittsburgh: Released P Salomon Torres.
Pittsburgh: Released P Matt Herges.
Pittsburgh: Released P Pat Mahomes.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Holtz.
Arizona: Released 3B Chris Donnels.
Arizona: Released LF Mark Little.
Arizona: Released P Bill White.
Arizona: Released P Stephen Randolph.
Arizona: Released P Ryan Holsten.
Arizona: Released P John Patterson.
Arizona: Released P Dustin Nippert.
Arizona: Released P Mike Schultz.
Arizona: Released P Phil Stockman.
Arizona: Released P Gregori Aquino.
Arizona: Released P Armando Reynoso.
Arizona: Released P Scott Service.
Arizona: Released 2B Carlos Baerga, he refused assignment to minors.
Houston: Released RF Kyle Logan.
Houston: Released P Brian Moehler.
Houston: Released P Jared Fernandez.
Houston: Released P Anthony Pluta.
Houston: Released P Chance Douglass.
Houston: Released P Mike Burns.
Houston: Released P Anthony Telford.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Ron Coomer.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Chris Clapinski.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Marty Malloy.
Los Angeles: Released P Wilson Alvarez.
Los Angeles: Released P Calvin Maduro.
Los Angeles: Released P Greg Miller.
Los Angeles: Released P Scott Proctor.
Los Angeles: Released P Rodney Myers.
Los Angeles: Released P Tom Martin.
Los Angeles: Released P Troy Brohawn.
Los Angeles: Released P Bryan Corey.
Los Angeles: Released P Agustin Montero.
Los Angeles: Released CF Calvin Murray.
San Diego: Released 2B Keith Lockhart.
San Diego: Released 2B Homer Bush.
San Diego: Released P Carlton Loewer.
San Diego: Released P Brian Tollberg.
San Diego: Released P Charles Nagy.
San Diego: Released P Luther Hackman.
San Francisco: Released P Brian Powell.
San Francisco: Released P Matt Cain.
San Francisco: Released P John Thomas.
San Francisco: Released SS Cody Ransom.
San Francisco: Released LF Marvin Benard.
St. Louis: Released 3B Miguel Cairo.
St. Louis: Released LF Orlando Palmeiro.
St. Louis: Released LF Todd Dunwoody.
St. Louis: Released P Garrett Stephenson.
St. Louis: Released P Nick Stocks.
St. Louis: Released P Josh Pearce.
St. Louis: Released P Cheyenne Janke.
St. Louis: Released P Les Walrond.
St. Louis: Released P Shane Reedy.
St. Louis: Released P Cal Eldred.

And here are some more of the illogical releases throughtout the season:
Texas: Released LF Ruben Sierra, he refused assignment to minors.
San Francisco: Released 1B Andres Galarraga, he refused assignment to minors.
Anaheim: Released DH Shawn Wooten.
Anaheim: Released DH Brad Fullmer, he refused assignment to minors.
Arizona: Released 1B Mark Grace, he refused assignment to minors
Baltimore: Released 1B Jeff Conine, he refused assignment to minors.
San Diego: Released P Jesse Orosco, he refused assignment to minors.
Atlanta: Released P Jason Marquis.
Seattle: Released 1B John Olerud, he refused assignment to minors.
Baltimore: Released P Omar Daal.
Seattle: Released 1B John Olerud, he refused assignment to minors.

Alot of headshakers after the opening day fat trimming. Daal and Olerud weren't playing well, but they made good money and have good ratings, especially Olerud. Anaheim releasing not only Wooten, but Fullmer as well is just insanity.

Free Agent Signings

Texas: Free agent LF David Justice has been signed to a contract of $1,379,000 per year, for 1 year.
Chicago (A): Free agent P Vladimir Nunez has been signed to a contract of $642,200 per year, for 1 year.
Texas: Free agent CF Endy Chavez has been signed to a contract of $874,000 per year, for 1 year.
New York (A): Free agent P Dave Maurer has been signed to a contract of $437,000 per year, for 1 year.
Boston: Free agent DH Brad Fullmer has been signed to a contract of $836,000 per year, for 1 year.
Arizona: Free agent 1B Olmedo Saenz has been signed to a contract of $334,400 per year, for 1 year.

Trades

3 Significant Trades in the early season action:

Trade between Chicago (N) and Oakland :
Oakland gets :
LF Moises Alou
2B Jermel Spearman
1B Micah Hoffpauir
Chicago (N) gets :
1B Erubiel Durazo

Trade between Toronto and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
P Roy Halladay
C John Schneider
RF Justin Owens
Toronto gets :
RF Austin Kearns

Trade between Cleveland and San Francisco :
San Francisco gets :
1B Travis Hafner
Cleveland gets :
P Jesse Foppert
LF Dan Ortmeier

League wide Achievments and Major Injuries

4/1/2003 - Barry Bonds hits 3 HRs against Arizona; Johnson starts for Arizona
4/5/2003 - Andy Pettite pitches no-hitter against Baltimore. Jeter goes 3 for 4, 1 2B.
4/5/2003 - Sammy Sosa hits his 500th HR against Cincinnati in 1st inning. HR comes off Paul Wilson.
4/6/2003 - Kerry Wood out for 5 weeks with Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
4/7/2003 - NY Yankees' Jason Giambi named AL player of the week. Giambi hits .476 with 2 HRs and 11 RBI.
4/7/2003 - San Francisco's Barry Bonds named NL player of the Week. Bonds hits .579 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.789 in 19 ABs
4/7/2003 - Minnesota LF Bobby Kielty out for season. Broken Foot is the diagnosis.
4/14/2003. Boston's David Ortiz and Chicago's Sammy Sosa named player of the week. Ortiz hit .563 with 3 HRs and 8 RBI. Sosa hits .360 with 5 HRs and 9 RBI
4/20/2003 - Philly's Pat Burrell out for 4-5 weeks with Pulled Calf Muscle.
4/21/2003 - Yankees' Jorge Posada and Houston's Lance Berkman win player of the Week awards. Posada hit .579 with 6 RBI. Berkman goes 9 for 21 (.429) with 5 HRs and 8 RBI.
4/28/2003 - Detroit's Ian Ferguson and Los Angeles' Odalis Perez win Player of the Week awards. Ferguson was 2-0 with 2 shutouts in the past week. Perez was 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA, 15 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.
4/29/2003 - Chicago (A)'s Esteban Loaiza tears tricep muscle, will miss 5-6 weeks.
4/30/2003 - Seattle's Edgar Martinez ropes 2000th hit against Toronto. Aquilino Lopez allowed the historical hit.
5/1/2003 - Boston's Nomar Garciaparra was named the AL Batter of the Month. Nomar went 36 for 108 (.333) with 10 HRs and 31 RBI. The NL named Philadelphia's Jim Thome its Batter of the Month for April. In 82 ABs, Thome hit .390 with 11 HRs and 32 RBI.
5/1/2003 - Chicago (A)'s Mark Buehrle is the American League's Pitcher of the Month. Mark's stats: 5-1, 2.08 ERA, 31 Ks in 31 innings. The NL's Pitcher of the Month is the NY Mets' Tom Glavine. In 50 innings this Month, Tom was 6-1 with a 0.90 ERA and 1 shutout.

General Mike

04-27-2003, 07:50 PM

Team Power Ranking and Standings

Team Power Rankings (as of 4/28/2003)

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) New York (A) 131 o 18-7 .720 .270 3.96 15-10 3
2nd (6th) Los Angeles 127 ++ 18-9 .667 .268 3.33 17-10 1
3rd (11th) Minnesota 113 ++ 15-10 .600 .258 4.38 13-12 2
4th (13th) Philadelphia 113 ++ 15-10 .600 .277 3.55 16-9 -1
5th (3rd) Chicago (N) 112 - 16-10 .615 .253 3.65 15-11 1
6th (5th) Anaheim 108 - 15-11 .577 .267 4.13 15-11 0
7th (7th) Pittsburgh 107 o 16-11 .593 .246 3.63 15-12 1
8th (4th) Chicago (A) 105 -- 14-10 .583 .261 4.14 14-10 0
9th (2nd) New York (N) 104 -- 15-11 .577 .270 4.19 15-11 0
10th (9th) Toronto 102 - 15-12 .556 .240 4.20 13-14 2
11th (16th) Houston 98 ++ 13-12 .520 .248 4.31 13-12 0
12th (12th) Seattle 94 o 13-13 .500 .241 3.54 12-14 1
13th (10th) Cleveland 94 -- 13-12 .520 .260 3.72 13-12 0
14th (8th) Arizona 92 -- 13-12 .520 .302 4.47 14-11 -1
15th (21st) Boston 90 ++ 12-13 .480 .250 4.53 13-12 -1
16th (14th) Atlanta 84 - 12-13 .480 .247 4.35 11-14 1
17th (15th) Oakland 68 - 10-15 .400 .239 4.00 12-13 -2
18th (20th) Cincinnati 65 + 9-15 .375 .249 5.14 10-14 -1
19th (19th) Texas 63 o 10-16 .385 .255 5.02 12-14 -2
20th (22nd) Baltimore 63 + 9-16 .360 .262 5.85 10-15 -1
21st (18th) San Francisco 61 -- 9-16 .360 .239 4.07 12-13 -3
22nd (17th) San Diego 58 -- 9-17 .346 .234 4.56 9-17 0
23rd (24th) St. Louis 55 + 8-17 .320 .250 6.14 6-19 2
24th (23rd) Detroit 52 - 8-17 .320 .223 3.56 10-15 -2

Standings

<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g2><td class=s5>American League Standings</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s5>Eastern Division</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s1>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td><td class=s3>&#160Pyt.Rec</td><td>Diff</td><td>&#160</td><td>Home</td><td>Away</td><td>XInn</td><td>1Run</td><td>M#</td><td>Streak</td><td>Last10</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team5.html>New York (A)</a></td><td>21</td><td>7</td><td>.750</td><td>-</td><td class=s3_2>18-10</td><td>3</td><td>&#160</td><td>10-3</td><td>11-4</td><td>3-1</td><td>5-2</td><td>129</td><td>W3</td><td>6-4</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team2.html>Boston</a></td><td>14</td><td>13</td><td>.519</td><td>6.5</td><td class=s3>15-12</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>7-6</td><td>7-7</td><td>3-2</td><td>3-4</td><td>-</td><td>W2</td><td>8-2</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team6.html>Toronto</a></td><td>15</td><td>14</td><td>.517</td><td>6.5</td><td class=s3_2>14-15</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>8-7</td><td>7-7</td><td>1-5</td><td>5-6</td><td>-</td><td>L3</td><td>5-5</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team3.html>Cleveland</a></td><td>13</td><td>15</td><td>.464</td><td>8.0</td><td class=s3>13-15</td><td>0</td><td>&#160</td><td>5-10</td><td>8-5</td><td>2-4</td><td>6-7</td><td>-</td><td>L3</td><td>3-7</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team4.html>Detroit</a></td><td>10</td><td>18</td><td>.357</td><td>11.0</td><td class=s3_2>11-17</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>8-8</td><td>2-10</td><td>1-4</td><td>3-6</td><td>-</td><td>W2</td><td>4-6</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team1.html>Baltimore</a></td><td>9</td><td>18</td><td>.333</td><td>11.5</td><td class=s3>10-17</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>4-10</td><td>5-8</td><td>5-1</td><td>4-2</td><td>-</td><td>L3</td><td>3-7</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g2><td class=s5>Western Division</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s1>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td><td class=s3>&#160Pyt.Rec</td><td>Diff</td><td>&#160</td><td>Home</td><td>Away</td><td>XInn</td><td>1Run</td><td>M#</td><td>Streak</td><td>Last10</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team8.html>Chicago (A)</a></td><td>16</td><td>10</td><td>.615</td><td>-</td><td class=s3_2>15-11</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>10-4</td><td>6-6</td><td>4-2</td><td>6-5</td><td>135</td><td>W3</td><td>6-4</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team9.html>Minnesota</a></td><td>15</td><td>12</td><td>.556</td><td>1.5</td><td class=s3>14-13</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>9-3</td><td>6-9</td><td>2-3</td><td>7-5</td><td>-</td><td>L2</td><td>6-4</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team7.html>Anaheim</a></td><td>16</td><td>13</td><td>.552</td><td>1.5</td><td class=s3_2>17-12</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>7-5</td><td>9-8</td><td>3-1</td><td>6-5</td><td>-</td><td>L2</td><td>5-5</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team11.html>Seattle</a></td><td>15</td><td>13</td><td>.536</td><td>2.0</td><td class=s3>13-15</td><td>2</td><td>&#160</td><td>8-6</td><td>7-7</td><td>2-0</td><td>6-5</td><td>-</td><td>W3</td><td>7-3</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team12.html>Texas</a></td><td>12</td><td>16</td><td>.429</td><td>5.0</td><td class=s3_2>14-14</td><td>-2</td><td>&#160</td><td>6-7</td><td>6-9</td><td>0-2</td><td>2-6</td><td>-</td><td>W2</td><td>4-6</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team10.html>Oakland</a></td><td>10</td><td>17</td><td>.370</td><td>6.5</td><td class=s3>12-15</td><td>-2</td><td>&#160</td><td>5-10</td><td>5-7</td><td>1-2</td><td>5-5</td><td>-</td><td>L2</td><td>2-8</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g2><td class=s5>National League Standings</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s5>Eastern Division</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s1>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td><td class=s3>&#160Pyt.Rec</td><td>Diff</td><td>&#160</td><td>Home</td><td>Away</td><td>XInn</td><td>1Run</td><td>M#</td><td>Streak</td><td>Last10</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team16.html>New York (N)</a></td><td>17</td><td>11</td><td>.607</td><td>-</td><td class=s3_2>17-11</td><td>0</td><td>&#160</td><td>8-6</td><td>9-5</td><td>1-2</td><td>6-4</td><td>135</td><td>W2</td><td>6-4</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team17.html>Philadelphia</a></td><td>16</td><td>11</td><td>.593</td><td>.5</td><td class=s3>18-9</td><td>-2</td><td>&#160</td><td>9-6</td><td>7-5</td><td>2-0</td><td>5-6</td><td>-</td><td>W1</td><td>8-2</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team14.html>Chicago (N)</a></td><td>17</td><td>12</td><td>.586</td><td>.5</td><td class=s3_2>16-13</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>10-7</td><td>7-5</td><td>1-1</td><td>4-4</td><td>-</td><td>W1</td><td>5-5</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team18.html>Pittsburgh</a></td><td>17</td><td>12</td><td>.586</td><td>.5</td><td class=s3>16-13</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>10-4</td><td>7-8</td><td>2-1</td><td>5-3</td><td>-</td><td>W1</td><td>5-5</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team13.html>Atlanta</a></td><td>13</td><td>14</td><td>.481</td><td>3.5</td><td class=s3_2>12-15</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>4-8</td><td>9-6</td><td>1-3</td><td>5-3</td><td>-</td><td>L1</td><td>4-6</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team15.html>Cincinnati</a></td><td>9</td><td>17</td><td>.346</td><td>7.0</td><td class=s3>10-16</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>3-9</td><td>6-8</td><td>0-1</td><td>1-3</td><td>-</td><td>L5</td><td>4-6</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g2><td class=s5>Western Division</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>
<tr class=g><td class=s1>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td><td class=s3>&#160Pyt.Rec</td><td>Diff</td><td>&#160</td><td>Home</td><td>Away</td><td>XInn</td><td>1Run</td><td>M#</td><td>Streak</td><td>Last10</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team21.html>Los Angeles</a></td><td>19</td><td>11</td><td>.633</td><td>-</td><td class=s3_2>19-11</td><td>0</td><td>&#160</td><td>8-4</td><td>11-7</td><td>2-0</td><td>6-4</td><td>131</td><td>L1</td><td>7-3</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team20.html>Houston</a></td><td>15</td><td>13</td><td>.536</td><td>3.0</td><td class=s3>15-13</td><td>0</td><td>&#160</td><td>7-6</td><td>8-7</td><td>0-2</td><td>4-5</td><td>-</td><td>L1</td><td>7-3</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team19.html>Arizona</a></td><td>14</td><td>13</td><td>.519</td><td>3.5</td><td class=s3_2>15-12</td><td>-1</td><td>&#160</td><td>7-8</td><td>7-5</td><td>2-2</td><td>4-5</td><td>-</td><td>L1</td><td>4-6</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team23.html>San Francisco</a></td><td>11</td><td>16</td><td>.407</td><td>6.5</td><td class=s3>13-14</td><td>-2</td><td>&#160</td><td>6-8</td><td>5-8</td><td>2-0</td><td>5-7</td><td>-</td><td>W2</td><td>5-5</td></tr>
<tr class=g2><td class=s1_2><a href=team22.html>San Diego</a></td><td>11</td><td>18</td><td>.379</td><td>7.5</td><td class=s3_2>10-19</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>7-10</td><td>4-8</td><td>2-2</td><td>7-8</td><td>-</td><td>W1</td><td>3-7</td></tr>
<tr class=g><td class=s1><a href=team24.html>St. Louis</a></td><td>8</td><td>19</td><td>.296</td><td>9.5</td><td class=s3>7-20</td><td>1</td><td>&#160</td><td>5-7</td><td>3-12</td><td>1-2</td><td>3-3</td><td>-</td><td>L5</td><td>3-7</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s1>
<tr class=g2><td class=s5>&#160</td></tr>
</table></td></tr>
<tr><td class=empty><table class=s0>

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Posada (NYA) .395
2 G. Anderson (ANA) .374
3 P. Konerko (CHA) .363

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.133
2 E. Hinske (TOR) 1.117
3 D. Justice (TEX) 1.068

Home Runs
1 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 10
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 10
3 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 8

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 17
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 14
3 J. Giambi (NYA) 12

Triples
1 G. Kingsale (DET) 4
2 L. Rivas (MIN) 3
2 E. Hinske (TOR) 3
2 C. Crawford (DET) 3
2 T. Hunter (MIN) 3
2 J. Dye (OAK) 3
2 T. Nixon (BOS) 3

Runs Batted In
1 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 31
2 J. Giambi (NYA) 25
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 23
3 B. Williams (NYA) 23

Runs
1 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 25
2 D. Jeter (NYA) 24
3 M. Ramirez (BOS) 22
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 22
3 D. Justice (TEX) 22

Stolen Bases
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 11
2 D. Jeter (NYA) 10
3 A. Soriano (NYA) 9

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 5
2 M. Redman (TEX) 4
2 J. Washburn (ANA) 4
2 J. Weaver (NYA) 4
2 D. Wells (NYA) 4
2 R. Reed (MIN) 4

Earned Run Average
1 J. Kennedy (TOR) 1.54
2 J. Moyer (SEA) 1.86
3 D. Baez (CLE) 2.00

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 62
2 B. Zito (OAK) 41
3 D. Lowe (BOS) 39

Saves
1 K. Sasaki (SEA) 9
2 E. Guardado (MIN) 8
3 B. Koch (CHA) 7
3 C. Paronto (CLE) 7

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 M. Lowell (NYN) .390
2 J. Thome (PHI) .390
3 B. Bonds (SFN) .369

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.554
2 J. Thome (PHI) 1.389
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 1.143

Home Runs
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 12
2 B. Bonds (SFN) 11
2 J. Thome (PHI) 11

Doubles
1 M. Lowell (NYN) 11
1 F. Vina (SLN) 11
1 S. Rolen (SLN) 11

Triples
1 J. Edmonds (SLN) 3
1 R. White (SDN) 3
1 R. Durham (SFN) 3
1 E. Renteria (SLN) 3
1 B. Hunter (HOU) 3
1 D. Bautista (ARI) 3
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 3
1 C. Jones (ATL) 3

Runs Batted In
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 34
2 A. Ramirez (PIT) 33
3 J. Thome (PHI) 32

Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 28
2 R. Alomar (NYN) 25
3 J. Vidro (CHN) 22
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 22

Stolen Bases
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 10
2 L. Castillo (PHI) 9
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 8
3 J. Thurston (LAN) 8

Wins
1 T. Glavine (NYN) 6
2 O. Perez (LAN) 5
2 R. Oswalt (HOU) 5

Earned Run Average
1 T. Glavine (NYN) 0.90
2 O. Perez (LAN) 1.12
3 M. Clement (CHN) 1.91

Strikeouts
1 R. Oswalt (HOU) 55
2 R. Johnson (ARI) 54
3 C. Schilling (ARI) 51

Saves
1 M. Remlinger (CHN) 9
2 E. Gagne (LAN) 8
2 M. Mantei (ARI) 8
2 A. Benitez (NYN) 8
2 M. Williams (PIT) 8
2 J. Smoltz (ATL) 8

General Mike

04-27-2003, 10:08 PM

Mets April Review

The Mets had a good April, going 16-11, but they have some starting pitching questions. Besides Pitcher of the Month recipient Tom Glavine, the rest of the Starting pitchers have been hit hard. David Cone, Jae Seo, Steve Trachsel and Denny Neagle have allowed a combined 56 runs in 82.2 innings, for a 5.81 ERA. The bullpen has been much better, with Dave Weathers, Graeme Lloyd, Scott Strickland and Armando Benitez all under the 3.00 mark.

The Mets offense has been very good, 4th in the majors in batting average, 3rd in runs scored. Mets are 16th in team HRs with 28, but 2nd in team SBs with 25.

General Mike

04-27-2003, 11:20 PM

May 2003 Report

I'll start off with the miscellaneous transactions that happened in May.

Thursday 5/1/2003 :

Atlanta: Released P Darren Holmes, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/5/2003 :

San Francisco: Released CF Marquis Grissom, he refused assignment to minors.
Baltimore: Released C Izzy Molina.
Cleveland: Released LF Nate Grindell.
Detroit: Released P Steve Avery.
Cincinnati: Released P John Koronka.
Philadelphia: Released 3B David Bell.
San Francisco: Released 1B Damon Minor.
St. Louis: Released P Dustin Hermanson.
Toronto: Free agent LF David McCarty has been signed to a minor league contract.
Pittsburgh: Released 1B Kevin Young, he refused assignment to minors.

Tuesday 5/6/2003 :

Oakland: Released LF Ron Gant, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/12/2003 :

Houston: Released CF Craig Biggio, he refused assignment to minors.
Cleveland: Released C Tim Laker.
Detroit: Released P Tim Kalita.
Toronto: Released SS Mike Bordick.
Minnesota: Released C Tom Prince.
Atlanta: Released C Mike Hubbard.
Chicago (N): Released P Rod Beck.
Arizona: Released P Ricky Bottalico.
Detroit: Free agent P Dennis Cook has been signed to a contract of $574,600 per year, for 1 year.
San Diego: Free agent 3B Jared Sandberg has been signed to a contract of $307,800 per year, for 1 year.

Wednesday 5/14/2003 :

Arizona: Released 3B Matt Williams, he refused assignment to minors.

Friday 5/16/2003 :

New York (A): Released 3B Todd Zeile, he refused assignment to minors.
Chicago (N): Released 1B Eric Karros, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/19/2003 :

Detroit: Released P Jeff Farnsworth.
Detroit: Released LF Craig Paquette.
Oakland: Released 1B Graham Koonce.
Houston: Released 3B Tripp Cromer.
Seattle: Free agent P Ruben Quevedo has been signed to a minor league contract.
Seattle: Free agent C Garret Gentry has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 5/26/2003 :

Cincinnati: Released 1B Russ Branyan.
Philadelphia: Released P Terry Adams.
Philadelphia: Released C Jesse Levis.
Arizona: Released RF Felix Jose.
Arizona: Released P Eddie Oropesa.
Philadelphia: Free agent SS John Valentin has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.
Baltimore: Free agent P Juan Alvarez has been signed to a contract of $463,600 per year, for 1 year.
Baltimore: Released P Pat Hentgen, he refused assignment to minors.
Boston: Free agent 1B John Olerud has been signed to a contract of $2,859,100 per year, for 1 year.

Injuries

Sunday 5/4/2003 :

CLE: Chad Paronto was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Broken Elbow.
He will be OK in about 9 weeks.

Tuesday 5/6/2003 :

CHA: Alexis Gomez was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Bruised Neck.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 days.
PHI: Todd Pratt was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Bruised Jaw.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6 days.

Wednesday 5/7/2003 :

ANA: Garret Anderson was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Stiff Neck.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 days.
SEA: Kazuhiro Sasaki was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Sore Shoulder.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 days.
CHA: Jose Valentin was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Bruised Jaw.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6 days.

Friday 5/9/2003 :

ANA: Ramon Ortiz was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Saturday 5/17/2003 :

LAN: Richie Sexson was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Broken Skull.
He will be OK in about 9 weeks.

Monday 5/20/2003 :
HOU: Shawn Chacon was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Broken Jaw.
He is out for about 4 weeks.

Thursday 5/22/2003 :

CHN: Erubiel Durazo was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Abdominal Muscle.
This is a career ending injury for him!
PHI: Vicente Padilla was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is out for about 10 weeks.

Friday 5/23/2003 :

TOR: Cliff Politte was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 7 weeks.
LAN: Odalis Perez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Shoulder.
He is definitely out for the season!
NYA: Alfonso Soriano was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Hip Muscle.
He will be OK in about one week.

Monday 5/26/2003 :

BAL: Jason Johnson was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Broken Cheekbone.
He is out for about 6 weeks.

Tuesday 5/27/2003 :

SLN: Mike Matheny was injured in a collision at home plate.
Diagnosis: Broken Hand.
He is out for about 5 weeks.

League Achievments

Monday 5/5/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
CF Bernie Williams (NYA)!
He batted .421 in 19 AB, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Ryan Klesko (SDN)!
He batted .480 in 25 AB, with 5 HR and 11 RBI.

Friday 5/9/2003 :

HOU: Jeff Bagwell gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 5/12/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
RF Matt Lawton (CLE)!
He batted .480 in 25 AB, with 2 HR and 5 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
P Greg Maddux (ATL)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 15.1 innings
with an ERA of 0.59, fanning 8.

Saturday 5/17/2003 :

TEX: Rafael Palmeiro hits his 500th career homer!!

Monday 5/19/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
1B Carlos Delgado (TOR)!
He batted .450 in 20 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
3B Aramis Ramirez (PIT)!
He batted .500 in 22 AB, with 2 HR and 4 RBI.

Saturday 5/24/2003 :

HOU: Brian Hunter hits for the cycle against Baltimore!

Monday 5/26/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
P Mike Mussina (NYA)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 16 innings
with an ERA of 1.69, fanning 13.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Todd Helton (CIN)!
He batted .400 in 25 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.
SFN: Barry Bonds gets his 2500th career hit!!

Saturday 6/1/2003 :

American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Jeff Weaver (NYA)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.30 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Jay Gibbons (BAL)!
He batted .298 in 94 AB, with 10 homers and 26 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Denny Neagle (NYN)!
He had a record of 5-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.67.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Jim Thome (PHI)!
He batted .299 in 87 AB, with 13 homers and 29 RBI.

General Mike

04-27-2003, 11:26 PM

Team Standings and Power Rankings

Standings
American League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
New York (A) 39 17 .696 - 33-23 6 20-9 19-8 3-1 10-5 98 L1 5-5
Toronto 31 26 .544 8.5 31-26 0 16-13 15-13 3-5 9-10 - W1 7-3
Boston 26 28 .481 12.0 28-26 -2 15-13 11-15 4-4 7-9 - W1 2-8
Baltimore 26 30 .464 13.0 24-32 2 15-13 11-17 6-4 12-6 - L1 4-6
Cleveland 23 33 .411 16.0 24-32 -1 10-19 13-14 4-5 8-13 - L1 5-5
Detroit 19 36 .345 19.5 20-35 -1 12-16 7-20 1-6 7-12 - W1 3-7

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Minnesota 31 24 .564 - 30-25 1 18-9 13-15 3-5 16-9 106 W2 6-4
Chicago (A) 29 26 .527 2.0 28-27 1 17-10 12-16 6-3 9-8 - L1 5-5
Anaheim 29 28 .509 3.0 31-26 -2 13-13 16-15 4-3 8-11 - L3 6-4
Texas 27 29 .482 4.5 28-28 -1 14-14 13-15 0-2 6-8 - W1 6-4
Seattle 27 30 .474 5.0 26-31 1 13-14 14-16 4-2 10-8 - L1 2-8
Oakland 24 32 .429 7.5 27-29 -3 12-17 12-15 1-2 7-9 - W1 4-6

National League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 36 21 .632 - 38-19 -2 16-12 20-9 4-2 11-8 102 L1 6-4
New York (N) 32 25 .561 4.0 31-26 1 15-13 17-12 2-5 11-7 - L1 6-4
Pittsburgh 31 25 .554 4.5 32-24 -1 18-10 13-15 5-2 10-7 - L2 5-5
Atlanta 30 25 .545 5.0 27-28 3 15-12 15-13 2-4 12-8 - L1 6-4
Chicago (N) 27 29 .482 8.5 26-30 1 15-15 12-14 2-5 9-12 - W3 5-5
Cincinnati 22 33 .400 13.0 25-30 -3 9-18 13-15 1-3 4-10 - L3 3-7

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Los Angeles 34 22 .607 - 33-23 1 16-10 18-12 5-1 13-6 101 W1 6-4
Houston 29 28 .509 5.5 30-27 -1 17-12 12-16 1-4 8-10 - W1 4-6
San Francisco 27 28 .491 6.5 29-26 -2 12-15 15-13 6-1 7-14 - W1 7-3
San Diego 25 32 .439 9.5 24-33 1 14-16 11-16 3-3 12-12 - L1 6-4
Arizona 24 32 .429 10.0 27-29 -3 12-17 12-15 4-3 7-12 - W1 4-6
St. Louis 23 32 .418 10.5 19-36 4 15-12 8-20 4-3 6-5 - W6 7-3

Team Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) New York (A) 125 o 39-17 .696 .255 3.66 33-23 6
2nd (2nd) Philadelphia 116 o 36-21 .632 .270 3.64 38-19 -2
3rd (3rd) Los Angeles 111 o 34-22 .607 .257 3.54 33-23 1
4th (10th) Minnesota 104 ++ 31-24 .564 .243 3.65 30-25 1
5th (4th) New York (N) 103 - 32-25 .561 .264 3.85 31-26 1
6th (5th) Toronto 102 - 31-26 .544 .257 4.11 31-26 0
7th (7th) Atlanta 100 o 30-25 .545 .255 3.88 27-28 3
8th (6th) Pittsburgh 99 - 31-25 .554 .246 3.57 32-24 -1
9th (11th) Chicago (A) 95 + 29-26 .527 .258 4.35 28-27 1
10th (8th) Anaheim 93 - 29-28 .509 .262 3.88 31-26 -2
11th (16th) San Francisco 92 ++ 27-28 .491 .233 3.82 29-26 -2
12th (12th) Houston 90 o 29-28 .509 .261 4.14 30-27 -1
13th (13th) Texas 89 o 27-29 .482 .253 4.63 28-28 -1
14th (17th) Chicago (N) 88 ++ 27-29 .482 .242 4.06 26-30 1
15th (23rd) St. Louis 82 ++ 23-32 .418 .251 5.29 19-36 4
16th (9th) Baltimore 82 -- 26-30 .464 .250 4.57 24-32 2
17th (22nd) San Diego 81 ++ 25-32 .439 .243 4.13 24-33 1
18th (14th) Boston 81 -- 26-28 .481 .247 4.07 28-26 -2
19th (15th) Seattle 79 -- 27-30 .474 .236 3.84 26-31 1
20th (18th) Arizona 75 - 24-32 .429 .275 4.56 27-29 -3
21st (21st) Oakland 75 o 24-32 .429 .239 4.21 27-29 -3
22nd (19th) Cleveland 74 -- 23-33 .411 .242 3.95 24-32 -1
23rd (20th) Cincinnati 67 -- 22-33 .400 .249 4.49 25-30 -3
24th (24th) Detroit 58 o 19-36 .345 .218 4.03 20-35 -1

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 P. Konerko (CHA) .338
2 G. Anderson (ANA) .316
3 A. Gonzalez (BAL) .315

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 E. Hinske (TOR) 1.049
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.040
3 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 1.007

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 20
2 J. Gibbons (BAL) 15
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 15
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 15
2 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 15

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 23
2 I. Rodriguez (CHA) 22
3 P. Konerko (CHA) 21

Triples
1 G. Kingsale (DET) 7
2 L. Rivas (MIN) 6
2 C. Crawford (DET) 6

Runs Batted In
1 J. Gibbons (BAL) 47
2 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 45
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 45

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 44
2 E. Hinske (TOR) 40
2 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 40

Stolen Bases
1 A. Soriano (NYA) 18
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 18
3 J. Damon (BOS) 13
3 C. Beltran (BAL) 13

Wins
1 J. Weaver (NYA) 9
2 M. Buehrle (CHA) 8
3 M. Redman (TEX) 7

Earned Run Average
1 D. Baez (CLE) 1.95
2 J. Weaver (NYA) 2.02
3 A. Burnett (TEX) 2.29

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 117
2 B. Zito (OAK) 84
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 78

Saves
1 M. Rivera (NYA) 14
1 E. Guardado (MIN) 14
3 K. Sasaki (SEA) 13

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Thome (PHI) .343
2 L. Castillo (PHI) .340
3 E. Renteria (SLN) .336

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 J. Thome (PHI) 1.317
2 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.270
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 1.024

Home Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 24
2 S. Sosa (CHN) 21
3 B. Bonds (SFN) 18

Doubles
1 R. Alomar (NYN) 21
2 S. Rolen (SLN) 20
3 M. Lowell (NYN) 19

Triples
1 E. Renteria (SLN) 7
2 R. Durham (SFN) 6
3 J. Edmonds (SLN) 5
3 B. Hunter (HOU) 5
3 O. Cabrera (PIT) 5
3 F. Vina (SLN) 5

Runs Batted In
1 J. Thome (PHI) 61
2 S. Sosa (CHN) 52
2 A. Ramirez (PIT) 52

Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 53
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 44
3 R. Klesko (SDN) 42

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 23
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 16
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 16

Wins
1 T. Glavine (NYN) 10
2 K. Millwood (PHI) 9
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 8

Earned Run Average
1 O. Perez (LAN) 1.91
2 T. Glavine (NYN) 2.21
3 J. Beckett (PIT) 2.26

Strikeouts
1 R. Johnson (ARI) 106
1 C. Schilling (ARI) 106
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 89

Saves
1 A. Benitez (NYN) 15
1 E. Gagne (LAN) 15
1 M. Remlinger (CHN) 15

JeeberD

04-27-2003, 11:31 PM

Originally posted by General Mike

Houston: Released CF Craig Biggio, he refused assignment to minors.

NOOOO!!!!!!

Friday 5/9/2003 :

HOU: Jeff Bagwell gets his 2000th career hit!!

Alright, and on my birthday too!

General Mike

04-27-2003, 11:57 PM

Originally posted by JeeberD
NOOOO!!!!!!

Alright, and on my birthday too!

Glad to see someone is reading my dynasty. Makes me feel like I'm doing something good. I do hate the fact where OOTP releases veteran players who are nearing the end of their careers.

Just a general question to throw out to everyon reading this dynasty; Is there any kind of info you would like to see more of?

General Mike

04-28-2003, 12:27 AM

May 2003 Mets Review

The Mets offense continued its high level performance again in May, but different players led the offense this time. In April, the offense was paced by 3B Mike Lowell and his .390 average, in May Mike Piazza was on fire, hitting .323 with 9 HRs and 20 RBI. Roberto Alomar also had a good month, hitting .320 with 12 2B, 2 HR and 15 RBI from the leadoff spot. One small hole needs to be filled, CF vs Lefties, and with management wanting to wait til the beginning of 2004 to bring up top prospects Jose Reyes, Aaron Heilman and Josh Hamilton, the Mets may look to a veteran free agent such as Marquis Grissom.

The starting pitching was much better in May, but team management is still concerned about #2 starter Al Leiter. Denny Neagle was able to pick up the slack in May tho, becoming the 2nd straight Mets pitcher to win Pitcher of the Month honors. Tom Glavine continued his strong start to the year, picking up his 10th win of the season on May 30th. Pedro Astacio had a good month after coming off the DL, going 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA, and the bullpen had another good move, with slight exception. Long relievers Grant Roberts and Jaime Cerda continued their rough starts to the season, and are in danger of being sent down to AAA. Jason Middlebrook and Graeme Lloyd are the top candidates to replace them at the major league level, with John Franco set to come off the DL soon, another potential option.

Coming up next, the Amateur Draft...

General Mike

04-28-2003, 01:08 AM

Amateur Draft Results

Round 1:

Detroit pick: 2B Rickie Weeks
Pittsburgh pick: P Brad Sullivan
Baltimore pick: RF Delmon Young
San Diego pick: P Kyle Sleeth
Texas pick: CF Lastings Milledge
Chicago (N) pick: P Tim Stauffer
Toronto pick: CF Chris Lubanski
Cincinnati pick: LF Michael Aubrey
Cleveland pick: P Jared Hughes
Philadelphia pick: RF Matt Murton
Chicago (A) pick: C Landon Powell
New York (N) pick: P Andrew Miller
Minnesota pick: P David Aardsma
Houston pick: P Kyle Bakker
Anaheim pick: 3B Aaron Hill
Los Angeles pick: CF Anthony Gwynn
Boston pick: P Jeff Allison
San Francisco pick: P Craig Whitaker
Seattle pick: P Chad Billingsley
Arizona pick: P Jeff Manship
Oakland pick: P Ryan Sweeney
St. Louis pick: P James Houser
New York (A) pick: RF Ryan Harvey
Atlanta pick: P Paul Maholm

Round 2 :

Detroit pick: RF Carlos Quentin
Pittsburgh pick: 3B Conor Jackson
Baltimore pick: 1B Vince Sinisi
San Diego pick: 2B Tim Moss
Texas pick: 3B Lee Mitchell
Chicago (N) pick: 3B Jamie D'Antona
Toronto pick: C Tony Richie
Cincinnati pick: RF Ben Harrison
Cleveland pick: 1B Andy D'Alessio
Philadelphia pick: 1B Brennan Boesch
Chicago (A) pick: CF Michael Bourn
New York (N) pick: 1B Ian Stewart
Minnesota pick: CF Drew Stubbs
Houston pick: SS Sean Rodriguez
Anaheim pick: 1B Michael Johnson
Los Angeles pick: 3B Chad Corona
Boston pick: RF Shane Costa
San Francisco pick: 3B Robert Lane
Seattle pick: C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Arizona pick: C Javi Herrera
Oakland pick: CF Tim Battle
St. Louis pick: C Justin Brashear
New York (A) pick: C Daric Barton
Atlanta pick: 2B Brian Snyder

Round 3 :

Detroit pick: CF Emeel Salem
Pittsburgh pick: 3B Miguel Vega
Baltimore pick: RF Rod Allen
San Diego pick: SS Matt Macri
Texas pick: 2B Chris Snavely
Chicago (N) pick: LF Javon Moran
Toronto pick: SS Philip Stringer
Cincinnati pick: SS Brandon Wood
Cleveland pick: SS Jonathan Fulton
Philadelphia pick: 2B Matt Moses
Chicago (A) pick: 3B Michael Moon
New York (N) pick: P Wes Littleton
Minnesota pick: SS Michael Hollimon
Houston pick: RF Xavier Paul
Anaheim pick: CF Luis Aguiar
Los Angeles pick: LF Michael Rogers
Boston pick: P Jay Sborz
San Francisco pick: RF Dennis Dixon
Seattle pick: SS Adam Jones
Arizona pick: 2B Jorge Quiroz
Oakland pick: RF David Murphy
St. Louis pick: SS Peter Stonard
New York (A) pick: C C.J. Bressoud
Atlanta pick: 3B Eric Duncan

Round 4 :

Detroit pick: C Colt Morton
Pittsburgh pick: C Mitch Maier
Baltimore pick: C Frank White
San Diego pick: P David Purcey
Texas pick: C Robert Coello
Chicago (N) pick: C Scott Leffler
Toronto pick: C Pruden Baeza
Cincinnati pick: C Bart Pletcher
Cleveland pick: C Dale Chamber
Philadelphia pick: P Bob Zimmerman
Chicago (A) pick: C Royce Montemayor
New York (N) pick: 2B Kyle McCulloch
Minnesota pick: C Dominic Howze
Houston pick: C D.J. Lewis
Anaheim pick: C Christopher Hooser
Los Angeles pick: C David Winfree
Boston pick: C Eddy Rodriguez
San Francisco pick: C Harry Campbell
Seattle pick: C Harold Kells
Arizona pick: P Asher Demme
Oakland pick: C Josh Pope
St. Louis pick: C Victor Jordan
New York (A) pick: C Bryan Opdyke
Atlanta pick: P Ryan Smith

Round 5 :

Detroit pick: P Chad Cordero
Pittsburgh pick: P Daniel Moore
Baltimore pick: P Adam Hale
San Diego pick: P Scott Maine
Texas pick: P Matt Brown
Chicago (N) pick: P John Danks
Toronto pick: P Jimmy Barthmaier
Cincinnati pick: P Ian Kennedy
Cleveland pick: P Chuck Tiffany
Philadelphia pick: P Cain Byrd
Chicago (A) pick: P Brian Wilson
New York (N) pick: LF Mickey Hall
Minnesota pick: P Scott Baker
Houston pick: P Anthony Reyes
Anaheim pick: P Chris Ray
Los Angeles pick: P Brad Depoy
Boston pick: P Ryan Feierabend
San Francisco pick: P Mateo Miramontes
Seattle pick: P Todd Nicholas
Arizona pick: P Jacob Stevens
Oakland pick: P Daniel Bard
St. Louis pick: P Matt Nachreiner
New York (A) pick: P Darric Merrell
Atlanta pick: P Josh Smith

Round 6 :

Detroit pick: P Chris Perez
Pittsburgh pick: P Donald Veal
Baltimore pick: P Brant Rustich
San Diego pick: P Quentin Andes
Texas pick: P Steven White
Chicago (N) pick: P Jim Brauer
Toronto pick: P Greg Reynolds
Cincinnati pick: P Jordan Mayer
Cleveland pick: P Ryan Schroyer
Philadelphia pick: P Richie Lentz
Chicago (A) pick: P Doug Frame
New York (N) pick: P Aaron Nathan
Minnesota pick: P Matthew Pike
Houston pick: P Marc Kaiser
Anaheim pick: 3B Myron Leslie
Los Angeles pick: P Cory Van Allen
Boston pick: P Frazer Dizard
San Francisco pick: P Abe Alvarez
Seattle pick: SS Lance Zawadzki
Arizona pick: CF Sam Fuld
Oakland pick: P Matt Farnum
St. Louis pick: P Steve Herce
New York (A) pick: P Blair Erickson
Atlanta pick: P Clark Girardeau

Round 7 :

Detroit pick: P Charles Benoit
Pittsburgh pick: P Tim Gustafson
Baltimore pick: P Adam Miller
San Diego pick: P Jo Jo Reyes
Texas pick: P Darin Downs
Chicago (N) pick: P Bobbie Van
Toronto pick: P Josh Banks
Cincinnati pick: P Derik Olvey
Cleveland pick: P Marcelino Corpuz
Philadelphia pick: RF Daniel Perales
Chicago (A) pick: 2B Trey Webb
New York (N) pick: P Justin Hoyman
Minnesota pick: P David Shinskie
Houston pick: SS Robert Valido
Anaheim pick: P Jon Papelbon
Los Angeles pick: SS Jason Donald
Boston pick: P Logan Kensing
San Francisco pick: P Matt Foster
Seattle pick: P Steven Jackson
Arizona pick: SS Christian Colonel
Oakland pick: P Matt Lynch
St. Louis pick: LF Brad Snyder
New York (A) pick: LF Jeff Leise
Atlanta pick: CF Jeremy Laster

Round 8 :

Detroit pick: P Mikel Thomson
Pittsburgh pick: P Patrick Bresnehan
Baltimore pick: P Brian Marshall
San Diego pick: P Mark Krampitz
Texas pick: SS Sean Henry
Chicago (N) pick: CF Brian Barton
Toronto pick: P Chris Worster
Cincinnati pick: 1B Charles Persinger
Cleveland pick: P Tim Cunningham
Philadelphia pick: P Dennis Dove
Chicago (A) pick: P Thomas Pauly
New York (N) pick: RF Justin Reimers
Minnesota pick: P Dallas Buck
Houston pick: 1B Cirilo Pino
Anaheim pick: P Aaron Marsden
Los Angeles pick: P Fredrick Clark
Boston pick: 2B Mark Palmore
San Francisco pick: P Jason Smith
Seattle pick: CF Adrian Alaniz
Arizona pick: P Rob McCrory
Oakland pick: 2B Dexter Styer
St. Louis pick: 2B Thomas Golson
New York (A) pick: RF William Merz
Atlanta pick: SS David Cash

Mets Draft Analysis

The Mets as an organization needed SP prospects, becuz even tho they have 2 very good prospects in Aaron Heilman and Scott Kazmir, they only had one other pitcher in their top 10 prospects pre draft. And while Jake Joseph fell out of the Mets top 10, 1st and 3rd round picks Andrew Miller and Wes Littleton joined the top 10. 2nd round pick Ian Stewart can also play 3B well, and offensively has an upside potential comparable to Scott Rolen. 2B Kyle McCulloch was the best position player still available in the 4th round, and is a guy who can play SS as well. Probably a future Util player. LF Mickey Hall was another best player still on the board selection, and is probably a future 4th OFer. 6th round selection Aaron Nathan is a pick that was chosen to be trained as a future closer. While not overpowering, he has good control, and knows how to work the zone, very similar to Keith Foulke. SP Justin Hoyman and RF Justin Reimers were picks to add organizational depth where needed.

DolphinFan1

04-28-2003, 02:17 AM

I'm reading. Go Red Sox.

General Mike

04-28-2003, 01:26 PM

June 2003 Review

June 2003 saw the return of the trade, and most teams releasing 4 to 5 players to make room for their new draft picks.

Transactions

Monday 6/2/2003 :

Baltimore: Released P Dave Crouthers.
Baltimore: Released P Daniel Cabrera.
Baltimore: Released P Richal Acosta.
Boston: Released 1B Larry Sutton.
Boston: Released P Logan Kensing.
Boston: Released P Frazer Dizard.
Boston: Released P Junior Frias.
Boston: Released P Miguel Asencio.
Boston: Released P Manny Delcarmen.
Cleveland: Released P Tim Cunningham.
Cleveland: Released P Fernando Cabrera.
Cleveland: Released P Nick Moran.
Cleveland: Released P Marcelino Corpuz.
Detroit: Released 2B Warren Morris.
Detroit: Released P Mikel Thomson.
Detroit: Released P Humberto Sanchez.
Detroit: Released P Charles Benoit.
New York (A): Released LF Erold Andrus.
New York (A): Released RF Raul Mondesi.
Toronto: Released P Josh Banks.
Toronto: Released P Chris Worster.
Toronto: Released P Neomar Flores.
Anaheim: Released C Ryan Budde.
Anaheim: Released P Aaron Marsden.
Anaheim: Released P Jon Papelbon.
Anaheim: Released P Kyle Pawelczyk.
Chicago (A): Released 2B Leonardo Luna.
Chicago (A): Released 2B Aaron Miles.
Chicago (A): Released P Thomas Pauly.
Chicago (A): Released P Jon Adkins.
Minnesota: Released RF Trent Oeltjen.
Minnesota: Released P Kenny Rogers.
Minnesota: Released P Dallas Buck.
Minnesota: Released P Alexander Smit.
Minnesota: Released P David Shinskie.
Minnesota: Released P Ricky Barrett.
Oakland: Released 2B Jermel Spearman.
Oakland: Released CF Eric Byrnes.
Oakland: Released P Bill Murphy.
Oakland: Released P Matt Lynch.
Oakland: Released P Shane Komine.
Oakland: Released P Eduardo Sierra.
Seattle: Released SS Ramon Castillo.
Seattle: Released CF Chris Colton.
Seattle: Released P Bobby Livingston.
Texas: Released CF Masjid Khairy.
Texas: Released P Nick Regilio.
Texas: Released P Jose Dominguez.
Atlanta: Released CF Miguel Mota.
Atlanta: Released P Kyle Davies.
Atlanta: Released P Clark Girardeau.
Atlanta: Released P Dan Curtis.
Atlanta: Released P Andy Pratt.
Chicago (N): Released LF Midre Cummings.
Chicago (N): Released P Carmen Pignatiello.
Chicago (N): Released P Justin Jones.
Chicago (N): Released P Chadd Blasko.
Chicago (N): Released P Mike Nannini.
Cincinnati: Released CF Emil Brown.
Cincinnati: Released P Daylan Childress.
Cincinnati: Released P Luke Prokopec.
Philadelphia: Released 1B Ryan Barthelemy.
Philadelphia: Released SS Kevin Sefcik.
Philadelphia: Released P Dennis Dove.
Philadelphia: Released P Vinny DeChristofaro.
Philadelphia: Released P Bob Zimmerman.
Pittsburgh: Released P Donald Veal.
Pittsburgh: Released P Tim Gustafson.
Pittsburgh: Released P Patrick Bresnehan.
Pittsburgh: Released P Jeremy Harts.
Arizona: Released P John Allender.
Arizona: Released P Rob McCrory.
Arizona: Released P Matt Henrie.
Arizona: Released P Beltran Perez.
Houston: Released SS Oswaldo Fernando.
Houston: Released P Derick Grigsby.
Houston: Released P Nick Roberts.
Houston: Released P Joey DeLeon.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Willy Aybar.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Victor Diaz.
Los Angeles: Released P Brian Pilkington.
Los Angeles: Released P Zach Hammes.
Los Angeles: Released P Fredrick Clark.
San Diego: Released 2B Mark Loretta.
San Diego: Released P Brad Baker.
San Diego: Released P Randy Keisler.
San Diego: Released P Sean Thompson.
San Diego: Released P David Pauley.
San Diego: Released P Josh Reynolds.
San Diego: Released P Mark Krampitz.
San Francisco: Released P Jason Smith.
San Francisco: Released P Ryan Jensen.
San Francisco: Released P Matt Foster.
San Francisco: Released P Carlos Portorreal.
St. Louis: Released LF Jon Nunnally.
St. Louis: Released LF Skip Schumaker.
Seattle: Free agent 1B Travis Lee has been signed to a minor league contract.

Sunday 6/8/2003 :

Trade between Seattle and Minnesota :
Minnesota gets :
2B Ron Wright
Seattle gets :
P LaTroy Hawkins
CF Drew Stubbs
3B Omar Burgos

Minnesota gives up some of their bullpen depth, and a good single A prospect, plus a non prospect in Burgos, for a starting 2B with good power.

Monday 6/9/2003 :

Toronto: Released C Greg Myers, he refused assignment to minors.
Cleveland: Released P Cliff Lee.
Chicago (A): Released P Dario Ortiz.
Seattle: Released CF Josh Womack.
Seattle: Released P Shigetoshi Hasegawa.
Texas: Released P Aaron Fultz.
Cincinnati: Released P Felix Heredia.
Philadelphia: Released P Eric Junge.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Lincoln.
Houston: Released C Raul Chavez.
St. Louis: Released P Josh Axelson.
St. Louis: Released C Joe Girardi.
St. Louis: Released CF So Taguchi.
Chicago (N): Free agent P Blaine Neal has been signed to a contract of $642,200 per year, for 1 year.
Arizona: Free agent P T.j. Tucker has been signed to a minor league contract.

Wednesday 6/11/2003 :

Pittsburgh: Released CF Kenny Lofton, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 6/16/2003 :

New York (A): Released P Chris Hammond.
New York (A): Released P Sterling Hitchcock.
Minnesota: Released P Matthew Pike.
Chicago (N): Released P Antonio Alfonseca.
Chicago (N): Released P Heath Murray.
Cincinnati: Released SS Hector Tiburcio.
Pittsburgh: Released P Ben Shaffar.
Pittsburgh: Released LF Vic Butler.
Texas: Free agent P Steve Reed has been signed to a contract of $518,700 per year, for 1 year.
Atlanta: Released P Roberto Hernandez, he refused assignment to minors.

Tuesday 6/17/2003 :

Texas: Released P Steve Reed, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 6/23/2003 :

Detroit: Released P Danny Patterson.
Detroit: Released C Matt Walbeck.
Atlanta: Released 2B Stubby Clapp.
Chicago (N): Released SS Augie Ojeda.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Connolly.
Pittsburgh: Released P Julian Tavarez.
Houston: Released RF Mike Hill.
San Diego: Free agent LF Vic Butler has been signed to a minor league contract.
Trade between Baltimore and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets :
1B David Segui
RF Tim Gilhooly
Baltimore gets :
RF Alex Ochoa
St. Louis: Released 1B Tino Martinez, he refused assignment to minors.

Note: A totally nonsensical trade. Segui isn't even playing everyday for the Cardinals, as Marrero is starting at 1B vs righties. Baltimore benches Jay Gibbons for Ochoa, which also makes no sense, and while Tino Martinez was only hitting .185, he is still as good a player as Segui.

Trade between Arizona and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
3B Craig Counsell
Arizona gets :
P Kyle Edens
3B Joey Votto
C John Schneider

Note: Cincinnati makes a move to replace the injured Brandon Larson the next day. They didn't really give up anything, as Edens and Votto are in A ball, and Schneider was released 1 week later
Friday 6/27/2003 :

Trade between San Francisco and Cleveland :
Cleveland gets :
CF Ruben Rivera
San Francisco gets :
P C.C. Sabathia
Oakland: Released P Jim Mecir, he refused assignment to minors.

Note: I didn't like the trade between these two teams, earlier in the season, and I don't like this one either, but put them together, and you've got a pretty even trade.

Saturday 6/28/2003 :

New York (N): Released LF Wayne Lydon.

Monday 6/30/2003 :

Boston: Released P John Burkett, he refused assignment to minors.
Cleveland: Released CF Willy Taveras.
New York (A): Released RF Bobby Smith.
Texas: Released P C.J. Wilson.
Arizona: Released C John Schneider.
Los Angeles: Released 3B Brennan King.
San Francisco: Released P Kirk Rueter.
Atlanta: Free agent 2B Ruben Gotay has been signed to a minor league contract.
Los Angeles: Free agent P Jim Mecir has been signed to a contract of $570,000 per year, for 1 year.

Injuries

Here are the major injuries that occurred in June.

Tuesday 6/3/2003 :

SDN: Brian Lawrence was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Spasms Back.
He will be OK in about 7 weeks.

Friday 6/6/2003 :

TEX: Ron Mahay was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Tricep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 6 weeks.

Sunday 6/8/2003 :

HOU: Wade Miller was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Elbow Ligament.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5-6 weeks.

Wednesday 6/11/2003 :

CLE: Brian Anderson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is out for about 6 weeks.
PIT: Josh Beckett was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tight Elbow.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Friday 6/13/2003 :

TOR: Eric Hinske was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Note: A very tough break for the Blue Jays, Hinske was hitting .310 with 22 2Bs, 5 3B, 18 HR and 41 RBI. His 1.103 OPS is still 2nd in the AL at the end of June.

Monday 6/16/2003 :

CLE: Ben Grieve was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Torn Rib Cage Muscle.
He will be OK in about 6 weeks.

Tuesday 6/17/2003 :

CHN: Mark Prior was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Friday 6/20/2003 :

PHI: Joe Roa was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Sunday 6/22/2003 :

CIN: Adam Dunn was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Achilles Tendon.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.
CIN: Brandon Larson was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Broken Elbow.
He will be OK in about 7-8 weeks.

Monday 6/23/2003 :

OAK: Raul Ibanez was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Medial Collateral Ligament.
He will be OK in about 2-3 weeks.

Tuesday 6/24/2003 :

DET: Jason Jennings was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He will be OK in about 5 weeks.
CHN: Kerry Wood was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Wednesday 6/25/2003 :

BOS: Shea Hillenbrand was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Thigh Muscle.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.
NYN: Tom Glavine was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Dislocated Finger.
He is out for about one week.

Friday 6/27/2003 :

SFN: Edgardo Alfonzo was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Hip Muscle.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Saturday 6/28/2003 :

ANA: Francisco Rodriguez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He will be OK in about 5 weeks.

Sunday 6/29/2003 :

ARI: Quinton McCracken was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Broken Finger.
He is out for about 4 weeks.

League Wide Achievments

June's major highlight was Rick Reed's PERFECT GAME against Anaheim, and only one other career highlight occurred, Omar Vizquel's 2000th hit.

Monday 6/2/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
RF Dustan Mohr (MIN)!
He batted .545 in 22 AB, with 2 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Barry Bonds (SFN)!
He batted .565 in 23 AB, with 5 HR and 9 RBI.

Friday 6/6/2003 :

MIN: Rick Reed pitches a PERFECT GAME against Anaheim!!

Monday 6/9/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
1B Mike Lamb (TEX)!
He batted .526 in 19 AB, with 2 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN)!
He batted .600 in 20 AB, with 4 HR and 7 RBI.

Monday 6/16/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
DH Brad Fullmer (BOS)!
He batted .522 in 23 AB, with 2 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Jim Thome (PHI)!
He batted .471 in 17 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.

Monday 6/23/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
SS Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .524 in 21 AB, with 5 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 1 HR and 7 RBI.

Saturday 6/28/2003 :

CLE: Omar Vizquel gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 6/30/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
RF Trot Nixon (BOS)!
He batted .476 in 21 AB, with 1 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
2B Jeff Kent (HOU)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

Monday 7/1/2003 :

American League-Pitcher of the Month:
A.J. Burnett (TEX)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 0.83 and 2 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .402 in 87 AB, with 13 homers and 29 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Kevin Millwood (PHI)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.15 and 1 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Aaron Boone (CIN)!
He batted .370 in 92 AB, with 13 homers and 36 RBI

Texas had a really good month, going 20-7 including a 10 game win streak. Aaron Boone's switch to Second Base has also had tremendous effects, as Boone is hitting .287 with 27 HRs and 18 SB. The 27 HRs are a new career high for Aaron.

General Mike

04-28-2003, 01:43 PM

Team Power Ranking and Standings

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
New York (A) 51 33 .607 - 44-40 7 26-16 25-17 4-3 13-9 74 L2 4-6
Toronto 46 38 .548 5.0 45-39 1 25-18 21-20 4-5 13-14 - W2 3-7
Boston 41 40 .506 8.5 45-36 -4 23-19 18-21 4-7 10-13 - W1 6-4
Cleveland 37 47 .440 14.0 37-47 0 17-25 20-22 5-8 12-19 - L3 5-5
Baltimore 35 48 .422 15.5 32-51 3 19-22 16-26 8-6 20-11 - L1 5-5
Detroit 32 48 .400 17.0 32-48 0 19-22 13-26 4-7 13-16 - L1 4-6

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Texas 47 36 .566 - 50-33 -3 25-17 22-19 1-3 10-11 76 L1 8-2
Seattle 44 40 .524 3.5 42-42 2 21-19 23-21 6-2 14-8 - W1 5-5
Minnesota 41 41 .500 5.5 40-42 1 23-17 18-24 3-5 20-12 - L1 3-7
Anaheim 41 42 .494 6.0 43-40 -2 19-21 22-21 6-5 11-17 - L2 2-8
Chicago (A) 40 42 .488 6.5 41-41 -1 22-19 18-23 7-4 13-15 - W3 7-3
Oakland 38 46 .452 9.5 42-42 -4 19-24 19-22 3-3 11-14 - W3 8-2

National League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 49 36 .576 - 54-31 -5 24-17 25-19 4-5 14-13 75 L2 4-6
Pittsburgh 43 39 .524 4.5 42-40 1 25-17 18-22 6-6 15-10 - W6 7-3
New York (N) 43 41 .512 5.5 42-42 1 20-22 23-19 3-5 16-10 - L7 1-9
Cincinnati 39 44 .470 9.0 40-43 -1 17-25 22-19 2-3 10-14 - W2 7-3
Chicago (N) 38 45 .458 10.0 39-44 -1 20-22 18-23 2-7 12-19 - W2 4-6
Atlanta 37 44 .457 10.0 34-47 3 20-20 17-24 3-4 15-14 - L13 0-10

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 45 38 .542 - 44-39 1 26-16 19-22 3-5 11-11 78 L1 7-3
St. Louis 43 40 .518 2.0 35-48 8 25-17 18-23 8-3 11-8 - W5 7-3
San Diego 44 41 .518 2.0 43-42 1 22-21 22-20 3-3 16-15 - W1 8-2
Los Angeles 42 41 .506 3.0 44-39 -2 21-19 21-22 8-2 15-7 - L3 3-7
San Francisco 41 41 .500 3.5 44-38 -3 17-23 24-18 6-3 10-19 - W2 6-4
Arizona 38 44 .463 6.5 43-39 -5 18-24 20-20 4-3 9-15 - L1 6-4

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (2nd) Texas 108 + 47-36 .566 .265 4.02 50-33 -3
2nd (1st) New York (A) 106 - 51-33 .607 .248 3.98 44-40 7
3rd (4th) Houston 102 + 45-38 .542 .263 4.23 44-39 1
4th (6th) Pittsburgh 101 + 43-39 .524 .245 3.74 42-40 1
5th (3rd) Philadelphia 101 - 49-36 .576 .259 3.66 54-31 -5
6th (5th) St. Louis 99 - 43-40 .518 .247 4.43 35-48 8
7th (7th) San Diego 99 o 44-41 .518 .245 4.03 43-42 1
8th (8th) Toronto 96 o 46-38 .548 .253 4.11 45-39 1
9th (11th) Seattle 94 + 44-40 .524 .245 3.59 42-42 2
10th (9th) Boston 93 - 41-40 .506 .255 3.85 45-36 -4
11th (10th) San Francisco 93 - 41-41 .500 .228 3.68 44-38 -3
12th (12th) Chicago (A) 93 o 40-42 .488 .248 4.04 41-41 -1
13th (13th) Cincinnati 90 o 39-44 .470 .256 4.63 40-43 -1
14th (14th) Oakland 88 o 38-46 .452 .240 4.00 42-42 -4
15th (15th) Los Angeles 86 o 42-41 .506 .252 3.75 44-39 -2
16th (16th) Minnesota 86 o 41-41 .500 .238 3.79 40-42 1
17th (17th) Arizona 85 o 38-44 .463 .275 4.26 43-39 -5
18th (19th) Anaheim 82 + 41-42 .494 .254 4.02 43-40 -2
19th (22nd) Chicago (N) 81 ++ 38-45 .458 .247 4.04 39-44 -1
20th (18th) New York (N) 81 - 43-41 .512 .258 3.95 42-42 1
21st (20th) Cleveland 78 - 37-47 .440 .244 4.28 37-47 0
22nd (21st) Baltimore 76 - 35-48 .422 .242 4.75 32-51 3
23rd (23rd) Detroit 70 o 32-48 .400 .230 4.21 32-48 0
24th (24th) Atlanta 66 o 37-44 .457 .245 4.20 34-47 3

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Fullmer (BOS) .321
2 D. Erstad (ANA) .318
3 E. Hinske (TOR) .310

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.171
2 E. Hinske (TOR) 1.103
3 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 1.009

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 33
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 25
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 20

Doubles
1 P. Konerko (CHA) 28
2 I. Rodriguez (CHA) 27
3 5 Tied with 26

Triples
1 G. Kingsale (DET) 8
2 C. Crawford (DET) 7
2 M. Ellis (OAK) 7

Runs Batted In
1 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 69
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 68
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 62

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 67
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 58
3 D. Jeter (NYA) 54
3 J. Dye (OAK) 54

Stolen Bases
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 30
2 C. Beltran (BAL) 25
3 A. Soriano (NYA) 22

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 11
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 11
1 M. Redman (TEX) 11
4 J. Weaver (NYA) 10
4 J. Foppert (CLE) 10

Earned Run Average
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 1.75
2 J. Washburn (ANA) 2.44
3 P. Martinez (BOS) 2.54

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 180
2 B. Zito (OAK) 126
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 119

Saves
1 M. Rivera (NYA) 22
2 U. Urbina (TEX) 20
3 E. Guardado (MIN) 19

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 F. Vina (SLN) .340
2 K. Griffey Jr. (CIN) .324
3 J. Thurston (LAN) .323

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.192
2 J. Thome (PHI) 1.187
3 R. Klesko (SDN) 1.043

Home Runs
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 31
2 J. Thome (PHI) 29
3 A. Boone (CIN) 27

Doubles
1 R. Klesko (SDN) 29
2 S. Rolen (SLN) 28
3 R. Alomar (NYN) 27

Triples
1 E. Renteria (SLN) 9
2 J. Rollins (PHI) 8
3 3 Tied with 7

Runs Batted In
1 J. Thome (PHI) 77
2 A. Ramirez (PIT) 72
3 S. Sosa (CHN) 68

Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 73
2 L. Berkman (HOU) 63
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 61

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 36
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 22
3 3 tied with 21

Wins
1 K. Millwood (PHI) 13
2 T. Glavine (NYN) 12
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 11

Earned Run Average
1 O. Perez (LAN) 1.91
2 J. Beckett (PIT) 2.08
3 T. Glavine (NYN) 2.35

Strikeouts
1 R. Johnson (ARI) 152
2 C. Schilling (ARI) 151
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 130

Saves
1 S. Williamson (CIN) 21
1 A. Almanza (SDN) 21
3 M. Mantei (ARI) 20
3 B. Wagner (HOU) 20

JeeberD

04-28-2003, 01:48 PM

Alright, go 'Stros! Good to see them in first place.

It looks like you're including all the important stuff, so keep up the good work!

General Mike

04-28-2003, 02:00 PM

Mets June 2003 Review

June was a rough month both for the offense and the pitching. Mike Piazza was in a month long slump, hitting only .222 with 5 HRs. Roberto Alomar was the top regular, hitting .299 while scoring 13 runs.

On the pitching side of the ball, Al Leiter continued his season long slump, posting a 2-3 record with a 5.79 ERA in June. Leiter's record for the season is 6-7 with a 4.94 ERA. After an awesome May, Denny Neagle had an awful June, going 1-4 with a 8.36 ERA. Pedro Astacio, Tom Glavine and Steve Trachsel all had good months, combining to go 5-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 99 innings.

Armando Benitez continued his great season, picking up 2 wins and 3 saves in 8 games, allowing only 1 run. Scott Strickland and David Weathers also had ERAs under 3 in June.

John Bale and Graeme Lloyd were called up at the beginning of June to replace Grant Roberts and Jaime Cerda, and the produced mixed results. In 18.2 innings Bale struck out 22 batters, allowing 6 runs for a 2.89 ERA. Lloyd pitched 13.2 innings with a 4.61 ERA.

One other transaction was announced after the Mets game on June 30th. The Mets signed up SF Giants castoff Marquis Grissom to play CF against lefties. Tsuyoshi Shinjo accepted the optioning to AAA Norfolk.

Up Next... The All Star Game.

DeToxRox

04-28-2003, 02:14 PM

Mikey my boy, you know I'm reading.

GO TIGAHS!

General Mike

04-28-2003, 03:22 PM

Here are the All Star Game Rosters, with a look at their stats so far this season:

These players were selected for the AL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P A.J. Burnett from Texas - 12-3, 1.75 ERA, 102 K in 133.2 IP, 4 CG, 3 shutouts
P Mark Redman from Texas - 12-5, 3.65 ERA, 90 K in 130.2 IP, 4 CG, 2 shutouts
P Mark Buehrle from Chicago (A) - 11-4, 2.92 ERA, 82 K in 157 IP, 8 CG, 2 shutouts
P Jeff Weaver from New York (A) - 11-3. 3.02 ERA, 67 K in 149 IP, 4 CG, 1 shutout
P Jarrod Washburn from Anaheim - 10-5, 2.47 ERA, 101 K in 156.2 IP, 6 CG, 2 shutouts
P Joel Pineiro from Seattle - 10-6, 3.38 ERA, 93 K in 133.1 IP, 2 CG
P Jesse Foppert from Cleveland - 10-7, 3.38 ERA, 131 K in 133.1 IP
P LaTroy Hawkins from Seattle - 2-0, 1.56 ERA
P Mariano Rivera from New York (A) - 1-2, 23 saves, 2.10 ERA, 31K in 30 IP
P Ugueth Urbina from Texas - 2-1, 22 saves, 1.87 ERA, 40 K in 43.1 IP
C Ivan Rodriguez from Chicago (A) - .261, 14 HR 43 RBI
C Jorge Posada from New York (A) - .291, 11 HR 45 RBI
1B Rafael Palmeiro from Texas - .292, 27 HR 76 RBI
2B Alfonso Soriano from New York (A) - .281, 6 HR 25 SB, 35 RBI
3B Jeff Cirillo from Seattle - .287, 3 HR 36 RBI 6 SB
SS Alex Rodriguez from Texas - .306, 35 HR, 72 RBI
LF Manny Ramirez from Boston - .312 17 HR, 48 RBI
CF Vernon Wells from Toronto - .287, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 12 SB
RF Trot Nixon from Boston - .292, 12 HR, 47 RBI
1B Jason Giambi from New York (A) - .278, 17 HR, 58 RBI
LF Garret Anderson from Anaheim - .299, 17 HR, 60 RBI
RF Vladimir Guerrero from Detroit - .286, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 17 SB
LF Shannon Stewart from Toronto - .312, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 6 SB
SS Nomar Garciaparra from Boston - .276, 21 HR, 67 RBI
SS Derek Jeter from New York (A) - .286, 2 HR, 21 SB, 36 RBI

These players were selected for the NL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P Kevin Millwood from Philadelphia - 13-4, 2.75 ERA, 110 K in 132.1 IP, 4 CG, 1 shutout
P Tom Glavine from New York (N) - 12-5, 2.34 ERA, 73 K in 134.2 IP, 2 CG, 1 shutout
P Roy Oswalt from Houston - 11-4, 3.50 ERA, 135 K in 126 IP
P Randy Johnson from Arizona - 10-4. 3.37 ERA, 173 K in 139 IP,
P Tomokazu Ohka from Houston - 9-6, 3.63 ERA, 83 K in 114 IP
P Shawn Chacon from Houston - 8-2, 3.80 ERA, 47 K in 92.1 IP, 2 CG
P Byung-hyun Kim from Arizona - 9-7 3.59 ERA, 114K in 107.2 IP,
P Scott Sauerbeck from Pittsburgh - 2-1, 1.08 ERA, 2 saves, 35 K in 33.1 IP
P Armando Almanza from San Diego - 1-3, 23 saves, 3.11 ERA, 31 K in 37.2 IP
P Scott Williamson from Cincinnati - 1-2, 21 saves, 1.95 ERA, 31 K in 32.1 IP
C Mike Piazza from New York (N) - .276, 18 HR, 55 RBI
C Michael Barrett from San Diego - .258, 7 HR, 41 RBI
1B Jim Thome from Philadelphia - .312, 30 HR, 78 RBI
2B Jeff Kent from Houston - .304, 24 HR, 65 RBI
3B Aramis Ramirez from Pittsburgh - .266, 22 HR, 73 RBI
SS Edgar Renteria from St. Louis - .296, 4 HR, 33 RBI, 23 SB
LF Barry Bonds from San Francisco - .311, 23 HR, 57 RBI, 11 SB
CF Ken Griffey Jr. from Cincinnati - .322, 17 HR, 43 RBI
RF Bobby Abreu from Philadelphia - .298, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 22 SB
1B Ryan Klesko from San Diego - .320, 21 HR, 66 RBI
LF Luis Gonzalez from Arizona - .312, 15 HR, 68 RBI, 9 SB
LF Lance Berkman from Houston - .271, 21 HR , 60 RBI
RF Sammy Sosa from Chicago (N) - .236, 33 HR, 73 RBI
2B Aaron Boone from Cincinnati - .277, 27 HR, 63 RBI, 13 SB
3B Scott Rolen from St. Louis - .269, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 6 SB

The 2003 All Star Game is being played in Baltimore this year.

The Starting Lineups

We'll start with the National League:

1) SS Edgar Renteria
2) 2B Jeff Kent
3) LF Barry Bonds
4) RF Ryan Klesko
5) C Mike Piazza
6) 3B Aramis Ramirez
7) 1B Jim Thome
8) CF Ken Griffey Jr.
9) DH Bobby Abreu

and the starting pitcher, Randy Johnson.

Now on to the American League:

1) 2B Alfonso Soriano
2) DH Derek Jeter
3) LF Manny Ramirez
4) SS Alex Rodriguez
5) RF Vladimir Guerrero
6) 1B Jason Giambi
7) C Ivan Rodriguez
8) CF Vernon Wells
9) 3B Jeff Cirillo

and the starting pitcher, Mark Buehrle.

The Game

Mark Buehrle starts off the top of the 1st inning, going 1-2-3, including striking out Kent. Johnson retires Soriano on a flyball to LF, but then Jeter hits a singles to right. We'll he try to steal off the spaghetti armed Piazza? M. Ramirez with a hard grounder to 3B A. Ramirez( no relation), but the NL can only get the lead runner on the attempted double play. ARod strikes out to end the inning.

Klesko leads off the 2nd, by hitting a line drive back to the pitcher which bounces off Buehrle to Soriano, Soriano throws out Klesko ona very close play. Piazza strikes out. Ramirez grounds out to the 3B Cirillo. Vlad leads off the AL 2nd by flying out to CF. Giambi strikes out looking. Pudge Rodriguez hits a 375 foot solo HR to give the AL a 1-0 lead. Vernon Wells strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Jim Thome begins the 2nd inning by hitting a foul popup, caught by Giambi. Griffey Jr hits a high chopper to 2B, but can't beat Soriano's throw. ARod robs Bobby Abreu of a hit on a hard grounder back up the middle. Jeff Cirillo leads off the AL half of the 3rd, by taking a 5 pitch walk. Jeff Cirllo goes to 3rd on a single to CF by Soriano. Soriano steals 2B, taking away the double play oportunity. Jeter strikes out swinging on a 99 mph fastball. Manny gives the AL a 4 run lead by hitting a 451 foot moonshot off of Johnson. ARod strikes out. Vlad singles to CF. Johnson strikes out on a 97 mph fastball.

The AL has made a pitching change to start the 4th inning. Mark Redman will now try to hold the league. Renteria grounds out on a slow bouncer to 3B. Jeff Kent breaks up the no hitter by hitting a double down the LF line. Bonds grounds out to SS. Redman strikes out Klesko to end the inning. Byung-hyun Kim is the NL's new pitcher. Pudge Rodrigez strikes out on a check swing. Vernon Wells reaches 1st base on a throwing error by Jeff Kent. Wells steals 2B, Piazza's throw was high. Cirillo goes to 1st on the ol' Hit by Pitch. Soriano strikes out. Jeter picks up an RBI single. Ramirez picks up another RBI on a single to LF. ARod strikes out for the 3rd time today to end the inning. 6-0 after 4.

Piazza grounds out to Third Base to begin the 5th inning. Aramis Ramirez gets the NL on the board with a 350 foot HR down the RF line. The NL goes back to back, when Jim Thome hits a mammoth 514 foot jack to deep Left Center. Griffey Jr. reaches 1B on an infield single. Abreu with a deep flyball out to CF. Renteria continues the rally with a bloop single over the SS. Jeff Kent cant hold up on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning. Vlad grounds out to start the 5th inning, it'll go down 4-3 in the scorecard. Giambi gives the AL a little breathing room by smashing a 2-0 splitter 447 feet over the wall in CF. Kim gets Pudge to strike out swinging with a splitter. Barry Bonds takes a hit away from Vernon Wells, catching the ball at the warning track. 7-2 after 5.

The AL makes a pitching change to start the 6th inning, bringing in the Mariners' Joel Piniero. Barry Bonds takes a leadoff walk. Klesko takes a back to back wall. Piazza grounds into a double play, Bonds advances to 3rd. Aramis Ramirez flys out to CF to end the inning. Shawn Chacon is the NL's new pitcher. Cirillo starts off the inning with a flyball to LF, but Bonds can't handle it. That will be an error. A Passed Ball by Piazza, the ball rolls to the backstop, and Cirillo goes to 2nd. Soriano grounds out to the SS Renteria, and Cirillo has to stay at 2B. Ken Griffey Jr makes a running catch to take a hit away from Derek Jeter. Nomar Garciaparra pinch hits for his Red Sox teammate Manny Ramirez, and does a good job, hitting an RBI double. ARod grounds out to Renteria to end the inning. 8-2 after 6

Garret Anderson has come in to play LF. Joel Piniero's control problems continue as Jim Thome gets a leadoff walk this inning. Vlad robs Griffey Jr. of a basehit. Abreu hits a grounder back to the pitcher, and the AL turns the 1-6-3 double play. Time to stretch. Vlad with a deep flyout to LF to start the bottom of the 7th. Giambi flys out to CF. And the AL has made another substitution, Rafael Palmeiro will pinch hit for Pudge Rodriguz. Palmeiro grounds out to Renteria to end the inning.

The AL has a new battery to start the 8th inning, Ugueth Urbina is on the mound, and Jorge Posada is behind the plate. PH Luis Gonzalez is robbed of a base hit by a sliding Vlad Guerrero. Jeff Kent is out of the game, as Mike Barrett will pinch hit for him. Barret with a flyball out to LF. Aaron Boone is coming to the plate to replace Barry Bonds. Boone hits a line drive right back to Giambi at 1B to end the inning. 4 new players come into the game for the NL. Armando Almanza will be the new pitcher, Aaron Boone will take over at 2B, Scott Rolen will play 3B and Lance Berkman comes into LF. RF Trot Nixon will pinch hit for Vernon Wells. Nixon strikes out looking. Cirillo hits the ball to Thome who tosses the ball to Almanza for the out. Soriano strikes out to end the inning.

Trot Nixon will take over in CF. Urbina stays on the mound. Klesko with the hard line drive to 2B for the 1st out. Piazza with a single over the 3B bag. A. Ramirez hits the ball into the hole between SS and 3B for a single. Thome hits a lineshot down the 1B line, but Giambi knocks it down and flips the ball to Urbina for the 2nd out. Griffey walks to load the bases. Abreu strikes out to end the inning and the game.

Player of the Game: Manny Ramirez - 2 for 3, 1 HR, 4 RBI

General Mike

04-28-2003, 06:21 PM

As the trade deadline approaches, 4 offers have come in to the Mets front office, and now comes the time to consider them.

Cincinnati offers: CF Reggie Taylor and 1B Travis Wong for 3B Ty Wiggington

Texas offers: CF Carl Everett for 1B Craig Brazell and RF Justin Reimers

Detroit offers: CF Gene Kingsale for 2B Joe Jianetti and LF Jamar Hill

Baltimore offers: CF Gary Matthews for RP Aaron Nathan and CF John Slack

Right off the bat, I've ruled out trading for Reggie Taylor and Gene Kingsale, because I don't want to give up the players they want and neither player is a significant upgrade over the Timo Perez/ Marquis Grissom platoon.

Everett is ok, but I'm not in a position where I want to be trading for a 2 month rental player. Brazell doesnt have a great batting eye, but has power in spades. I'll pass on this offer.

Gary Matthews is the best fit of these OFers, and while I hate to give up a future closer in Nathan, Matthews could play every day for us. He also adds only around 100K to our player expenses for the rest of the season. Baltimore, we have a deal.

Marquis Grissom has accepted the designation to AAA. He should be able to rejoin the team in September.

General Mike

04-28-2003, 11:17 PM

July 2003 Review

Transactions

Tuesday 7/1/2003 :

Trade between Toronto and Texas :
Texas gets :
1B Josh Phelps
Toronto gets :
P Ismael Valdes
P Justin Echols
Note: Texas picks up another 1B. The Rangers now have Phelps, Palmeiro, Mark Teixeira and Mike Lamb to play 1B between the majors and AAA. I fear Palmeiro will be released before the season ends, as he is slipping away.

New York (N) : Free agent Marquis Grissom has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 years.
St. Louis: Released P Jeff Fassero, he refused assignment to minors.

Sunday 7/6/2003 :

Trade between Cleveland and Pittsburgh :
Pittsburgh gets :
1B Ben Broussard
Cleveland gets :
P Kip Wells
3B Conor Jackson
Note: Wells gives Cleveland another quality SP, but he is underachieving a bit. Broussard hasn't played alot in 2003, but he gives the Pirates a legit power threat at 1B, something Randall Simon and the previously cut Kevin Young didn't.

Monday 7/7/2003 :

Minnesota: Released P Rick Reed, he refused assignment to minors.
Just one month after the greatest single achievment of Reed's career, the Twins release him. Very sad commentary on life. Reed was 8-5 with 3.60 ERA when he was released.
Cincinnati: Released SS Barry Larkin, he refused assignment to minors.
Like Craig Biggio before him, another great player who spent his entire career with one team is released. Very sad IMO. Larkin was only hitting .222 with 1 HR when released.
Baltimore: Released LF Marty Cordova.
Baltimore: Released LF Luis Jimenez.
Baltimore: Released 2B Jeff Reboulet.
Cleveland: Released P Jason Bere.
Cleveland: Released P Jason Davis.
Toronto: Released P Eric Stephenson.
Seattle: Released 3B Omar Burgos.
Cincinnati: Put 3B Brandon Larson on the trading block.
Cincinnati: Put LF Jacob Cruz on the trading block.
Houston: Released SS Eric Bruntlett.
Los Angeles: Released P Pedro Borbon.
St. Louis: Free agent 1B Larry Sutton has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 7/14/2003 :

Baltimore: Put 1B Jack Cust on the trading block.
Baltimore: Put P Sidney Ponson on the trading block.
Detroit: Put LF Dmitri Young on the trading block.
Chicago (A): Released 1B Brian Daubach.
Oakland: Released P Aaron Harang.
Seattle: Released P Giovanni Carrara.
Cincinnati: Released P Travis Miller.
San Francisco: Released C Alberto Castillo.
St. Louis: Released 3B Eduardo Perez.
Oakland: Free agent 3B Miguel Cabrera has been signed to a minor league contract.

Wednesday 7/16/2003 :

Arizona: Released CF Steve Finley, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 7/21/2003 :

Chicago (A): Put LF Joe Borchard on the trading block.
Chicago (A): Put LF Carlos Lee on the trading block.
Seattle: Released P Steven Jackson.
Texas: Released P C.J. Nitkowski.
Houston: Released P Matt Albers.
San Diego: Released P Clay Condrey.
Minnesota: Free agent P Denny Bautista has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 7/28/2003 :

St. Louis: Released 1B David Segui, he refused assignment to minors.
Anaheim: Released CF Jeff Davanon.
Cincinnati: Released P Derik Olvey.
Cincinnati: Released CF Alajandro Diaz.
San Diego: Released LF Brady Anderson.
San Diego: Released P Jay Witasick.
San Diego: Released P Mike Matthews.
Anaheim: Free agent P Chris Hammond has been signed to a contract of $498,800 per year, for 1 year.
Cleveland: Free agent P Chris Flinn has been signed to a minor league contract.
Trade between Atlanta and Baltimore :
Baltimore gets :
P Russ Ortiz
2B Brian Snyder
Atlanta gets :
P Sidney Ponson
Note: Ponson has more ability then Ortiz, but Ortiz is definitely having the better season. Snyder is a good contact hitter who lacks HR power and doesn't have a great batting eye.

Tuesday 7/29/2003 :

Texas: Released RF Juan Gonzalez, he refused assignment to minors.

Wednesday 7/30/2003 :

Trade between Cleveland and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
P Ricardo Rodriguez
Cleveland gets :
3B Brandon Larson
Note: Brandon Larson gives the Indians the future 3B they need. He should be in the majors very soon. Ricardo Rodriguez gives the Reds another starter to address their biggest need.

Trade between Los Angeles and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
1B Mike Kinkade
Los Angeles gets :
LF Cory Aldridge
3B Cole Barthel
2B Jon Scheurholz
Note: Kinkade is an ok bench player, but I dont see him doing much with Atlanta. Of the players LA gets Aldridge is the only one who appears to have a ML career ahead of him, but he is 2 to 3 years away.

Trade between St. Louis and Baltimore :
Baltimore gets :
LF Todd Hollandsworth
RF Tim Gilhooly
St. Louis gets :
1B Jack Cust
Note: Gilhooly goes back to Baltimore, as the Cards get another 1B from the Orioles. Unlike Segui, Cust looks to have a huge career ahead of him. Hollandsworth gives the Os a guy who kills righty pitching.

Trade between Anaheim and Chicago (A) :
Chicago (A) gets :
2B Chone Figgins
Anaheim gets :
C Landon Powell
Note: Figgins gives the White Sox a guy they think can be a good leadoff hitter, and who was never going to crack the Angels starting lineup. Landon Powell looks like the catcher of the future for the Angels, but he is several years away from the majors.

Trade between Cleveland and Texas :
Texas gets :
RF Karim Garcia
Cleveland gets :
C Scott Heard
LF Larry Grayson
Note: Garcia is putting up better numbers then JuanGone, and they didn't give up alot for him. Cleveland has other guys who can play RF for them.

Trade between Chicago (N) and San Diego :
San Diego gets :
2B Bobby Hill
Chicago (N) gets :
1B Paul McAnulty
Note: San Diego trades a better single A prospect for a more ML ready prospect at a position of need. Nothing wrong with that

Trade between Baltimore and New York (N) :
New York (N) gets :
CF Gary Matthews
Baltimore gets :
P Aaron Nathan
CF Jon Slack
Note: You know what I was thinking already

Philadelphia: Released P Dan Plesac, he refused assignment to minors.

Thursday 7/31/2003 :

Trade between Boston and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
1B Kevin Millar
Boston gets :
C Kyle Roat
3B T.J. Pena
P Efigenio Peralta
Note: The Braves give up 3 middle of the road prospects for 1 guy who can fill their biggest need, corner IF. Millar was expendable to the Red Sox with their additions of John Olerud and Brad Fullmer.

Major Injuries

Tuesday 7/1/2003 :

BAL: Rodrigo Lopez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 weeks.

Friday 7/4/2003 :

LAN: Kevin Brown was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He will be OK in about one week.

Tuesday 7/15/2003 :

PIT: Josh Fogg was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 7 weeks.

Sunday 7/20/2003 :

ARI: Danny Bautista was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Back Muscle.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 7/22/2003 :

HOU: Jeff Bagwell was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Hamstring Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Wednesday 7/23/2003 :

PIT: Randall Simon was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
He is out for about 4-5 weeks.

Friday 7/25/2003 :

NYA: Mike Mussina was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Sore Shoulder.
He will be OK in about one week.
SLN: Woody Williams was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Sore Shoulder.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 7/29/2003 :

DET: Jose Paniagua was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Stiff Elbow.
He is out for about one week.

Wednesday 7/30/2003 :

MIN: Dustan Mohr was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hip.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Monday 7/7/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
CF Vernon Wells (TOR)!
He batted .435 in 23 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
3B Scott Hairston (ARI)!
He batted .565 in 23 AB, with 2 HR and 7 RBI.

Thursday 7/17/2003 :

BOS: John Olerud gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 7/21/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
3B Joe Crede (CHA)!
He batted .367 in 30 AB, with 5 HR and 10 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN)!
He batted .481 in 27 AB, with 2 HR and 9 RBI.

Monday 7/28/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
LF Manny Ramirez (BOS)!
He batted .522 in 23 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
2B Aaron Boone (CIN)!
He batted .455 in 22 AB, with 4 HR and 10 RBI.

Thursday 8/1/2003 :

American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Pedro Martinez (BOS)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.40 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Manny Ramirez (BOS)!
He batted .372 in 94 AB, with 5 homers and 19 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Brad Penny (SLN)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.87.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Luis Gonzalez (ARI)!
He batted .381 in 97 AB, with 7 homers and 28 RBI.

General Mike

04-28-2003, 11:56 PM

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
New York (A) 62 45 .579 - 54-53 8 32-21 30-24 5-5 16-13 53 W3 6-4
Toronto 60 48 .556 2.5 59-49 1 32-24 28-24 6-7 18-17 - W1 6-4
Boston 59 48 .551 3.0 66-41 -7 33-22 26-26 6-9 13-17 - W1 7-3
Cleveland 46 64 .418 17.5 48-62 -2 23-30 23-34 6-8 15-24 - L4 6-4
Baltimore 44 63 .411 18.0 40-67 4 23-30 21-33 9-7 22-15 - L1 3-7
Detroit 43 64 .402 19.0 42-65 1 27-28 16-36 7-8 19-22 - L2 3-7

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Seattle 59 48 .551 - 56-51 3 31-21 28-27 9-3 21-12 53 W1 4-6
Texas 57 51 .528 2.5 60-48 -3 31-24 26-27 1-5 13-14 - W1 3-7
Minnesota 55 51 .519 3.5 52-54 3 31-24 24-27 4-6 26-14 - W1 7-3
Anaheim 56 52 .519 3.5 57-51 -1 28-25 28-27 8-7 18-21 - L1 5-5
Oakland 50 57 .467 9.0 54-53 -4 24-27 26-30 3-5 13-21 - W3 6-4
Chicago (A) 49 59 .454 10.5 52-56 -3 29-25 20-34 10-4 18-19 - W1 5-5

National League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 64 45 .587 - 68-41 -4 31-22 33-23 5-5 17-14 49 W2 7-3
Pittsburgh 57 50 .533 6.0 53-54 4 32-22 25-28 6-7 24-14 - W5 8-2
New York (N) 52 56 .481 11.5 52-56 0 23-31 29-25 4-5 19-16 - L6 3-7
Chicago (N) 51 57 .472 12.5 51-57 0 26-30 25-27 5-9 17-20 - L1 5-5
Atlanta 50 56 .472 12.5 48-58 2 28-28 22-28 6-5 18-18 - L2 4-6
Cincinnati 48 59 .449 15.0 51-56 -3 19-34 29-25 3-6 11-22 - L4 4-6

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
St. Louis 59 49 .546 - 50-58 9 31-24 28-25 10-6 15-14 52 W4 6-4
San Diego 58 52 .527 2.0 55-55 3 31-25 27-27 7-7 24-20 - W2 6-4
Houston 56 53 .514 3.5 54-55 2 32-24 24-29 5-7 17-17 - L2 5-5
San Francisco 54 54 .500 5.0 60-48 -6 24-26 30-28 6-5 13-24 - W3 5-5
Los Angeles 53 54 .495 5.5 58-49 -5 26-25 27-29 11-4 20-14 - W1 4-6
Arizona 50 57 .467 8.5 54-53 -4 24-29 26-28 6-8 15-20 - L3 4-6

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) Philadelphia 111 o 64-45 .587 .258 3.63 68-41 -4
2nd (4th) New York (A) 107 + 62-45 .579 .245 4.20 54-53 8
3rd (10th) Pittsburgh 104 ++ 57-50 .533 .241 3.84 53-54 4
4th (2nd) Boston 103 - 59-48 .551 .266 3.79 66-41 -7
5th (11th) St. Louis 102 ++ 59-49 .546 .244 4.03 50-58 9
6th (5th) Toronto 102 - 60-48 .556 .257 4.02 59-49 1
7th (7th) San Diego 98 o 58-52 .527 .250 4.04 55-55 3
8th (3rd) Minnesota 97 -- 55-51 .519 .237 3.68 52-54 3
9th (9th) Seattle 97 o 59-48 .551 .240 3.45 56-51 3
10th (6th) Anaheim 93 -- 56-52 .519 .255 3.86 57-51 -1
11th (8th) Houston 91 -- 56-53 .514 .256 4.38 54-55 2
12th (12th) Texas 91 o 57-51 .528 .259 4.28 60-48 -3
13th (16th) San Francisco 91 ++ 54-54 .500 .234 3.56 60-48 -6
14th (14th) Los Angeles 87 o 53-54 .495 .251 3.65 58-49 -5
15th (22nd) Oakland 87 ++ 50-57 .467 .239 3.83 54-53 -4
16th (21st) Chicago (N) 85 ++ 51-57 .472 .248 4.08 51-57 0
17th (20th) Atlanta 82 ++ 50-56 .472 .250 4.33 48-58 2
18th (17th) Chicago (A) 82 - 49-59 .454 .243 4.03 52-56 -3
19th (15th) Arizona 81 -- 50-57 .467 .272 4.46 54-53 -4
20th (13th) New York (N) 80 -- 52-56 .481 .260 3.93 52-56 0
21st (19th) Cincinnati 77 - 48-59 .449 .254 4.50 51-56 -3
22nd (18th) Cleveland 75 -- 46-64 .418 .248 4.55 48-62 -2
23rd (23rd) Baltimore 70 o 44-63 .411 .243 4.72 40-67 4
24th (24th) Detroit 67 o 43-64 .402 .234 4.43 42-65 1

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) .319
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) .307
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .306

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.114
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) .996
3 M. Ramirez (BOS) .973

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 39
2 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 28
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 24

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 36
2 P. Konerko (CHA) 33
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 33

Triples
1 G. Kingsale (DET) 9
2 C. Crawford (DET) 8
2 M. Ellis (OAK) 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 82
2 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 81
3 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 79

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 85
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 82
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 70

Stolen Bases
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 35
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 29
3 D. Jeter (NYA) 26
3 J. Damon (BOS) 26

Wins
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 14
2 J. Foppert (CLE) 13
2 J. Pineiro (SEA) 13
2 J. Weaver (NYA) 13

Earned Run Average
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 2.01
2 P. Martinez (BOS) 2.27
3 B. Zito (OAK) 2.55

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 247
2 B. Zito (OAK) 165
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 159

Saves
1 E. Guardado (MIN) 29
2 K. Foulke (OAK) 27
3 M. Rivera (NYA) 26

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Thurston (LAN) .335
2 K. Griffey Jr. (CIN) .325
3 L. Gonzalez (ARI) .322

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.162
2 J. Thome (PHI) 1.126
3 R. Klesko (SDN) 1.055

Home Runs
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 40
2 J. Thome (PHI) 36
3 A. Boone (CIN) 32

Doubles
1 R. Klesko (SDN) 38
2 S. Rolen (SLN) 35
3 R. Alomar (NYN) 34

Triples
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 11
2 E. Renteria (SLN) 9
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 8
3 R. Durham (SFN) 8
3 J. Rollins (PHI) 8

Runs Batted In
1 J. Thome (PHI) 89
2 S. Sosa (CHN) 87
3 A. Ramirez (PIT) 86

Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 87
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 84
3 B. Bonds (SFN) 82

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 45
2 R. Durham (SFN) 28
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 27

Wins
1 K. Millwood (PHI) 15
2 T. Glavine (NYN) 13
2 T. Ohka (HOU) 13
2 R. Oswalt (HOU) 13

Earned Run Average
1 T. Glavine (NYN) 2.41
2 J. Beckett (PIT) 2.65
3 R. Wolf (PHI) 2.84

Strikeouts
1 R. Johnson (ARI) 211
2 C. Schilling (ARI) 190
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 167

Saves
1 M. Williams (PIT) 25
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 25
1 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 25

Rookie of the Year candidates

Here are the top rookies so far this season:

American League

LF Hideki Matsui (NYA)- .275, 24 2B, 17 HR, 49 RBI
C Victor Martinez (CLE) - .254, 19 2B, 12 HR, 61 RBI
SP Jesse Foppert (CLE) - 13-8, 3.40 ERA, 159 K in 159 IP
SP Ian Ferguson (DET) - 6-8, 3.71 ERA, 62 K in 119 IP, 2 CG, 2 shutouts
RP Aquilino Lopez (TOR) - 4-2, 15 saves, 1.70 ERA, 32 K in 37 IP
RP Francisco Rodriguez (ANA) - 3-1, 1.80 ERA, 45 K in 45 IP
National League

2B Luke Thurston (LAN) - .335, 25 2B, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 25 SB
LF Luke Allen (CHN) - .275, 17 2B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 14 SB
RF Xavier Nady (SD) - .268, 24 2B, 6 HR, 51 RBI,
CF Rocco Baldelli (PIT) - .260, 22 2B, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 19 SB

General Mike

04-29-2003, 01:00 AM

Contract Negotiations

Since we've passed the time of the year where the AI signs contract extensions, its time to take a look at who the computer chose to resigned, and key players who are still without contracts for 2004.

The Extensions

Baltimore : Tony Batista has been signed to a contract extension, $1,672,000 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : Jerry Hairston has been signed to a contract extension, $655,500 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : Alex Gonzalez has been signed to a contract extension, $513,000 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : Deivi Cruz has been signed to a contract extension, $460,800 per year, for 2 years.
Baltimore : Kerry Ligtenberg has been signed to a contract extension, $1,054,500 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : Brook Fordyce has been signed to a contract extension, $300,000 per year, for 2 years.
Boston : John Olerud has been signed to a contract extension, $6,566,400 per year, for 4 years.
Boston : Todd Walker has been signed to a contract extension, $2,128,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : Brad Fullmer has been signed to a contract extension, $1,520,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : David Ortiz has been signed to a contract extension, $874,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : Chad Fox has been signed to a contract extension, $1,472,500 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : Ben Grieve has been signed to a contract extension, $812,300 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : Brian Anderson has been signed to a contract extension, $518,700 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : Joe Randa has been signed to a contract extension, $475,000 per year, for 1 years.
Detroit : A.j. Hinch has been signed to a contract extension, $304,000 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : Shane Halter has been signed to a contract extension, $300,000 per year, for 2 years.
New York (A) : Andy Pettitte has been signed to a contract extension, $5,950,000 per year, for 4 years.
New York (A) : Robin Ventura has been signed to a contract extension, $644,400 per year, for 3 years.
New York (A) : Roger Clemens has been signed to a contract extension, $638,400 per year, for 1 years.
New York (A) : Antonio Osuna has been signed to a contract extension, $988,000 per year, for 3 years.
New York (A) : Juan Acevedo has been signed to a contract extension, $1,995,000 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : Ismael Valdes has been signed to a contract extension, $3,277,500 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : Shannon Stewart has been signed to a contract extension, $3,230,000 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : David McCarty has been signed to a contract extension, $926,300 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : Cliff Politte has been signed to a contract extension, $1,605,500 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : Bruce Aven has been signed to a contract extension, $313,500 per year, for 1 years.
Toronto : Kelvim Escobar has been signed to a contract extension, $1,425,000 per year, for 3 years.
Anaheim : Michael Tucker has been signed to a contract extension, $902,500 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (A) : Bartolo Colon has been signed to a contract extension, $6,483,800 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (A) : Esteban Loaiza has been signed to a contract extension, $2,584,000 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (A) : Tom Gordon has been signed to a contract extension, $1,881,000 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : Eddie Guardado has been signed to a contract extension, $5,225,000 per year, for 4 years.
Minnesota : A.j. Pierzynski has been signed to a contract extension, $1,168,500 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : Valerio De los santos has been signed to a contract extension, $1,415,500 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : Doug Mientkiewicz has been signed to a contract extension, $646,000 per year, for 3 years.
Oakland : Miguel Tejada has been signed to a contract extension, $5,814,000 per year, for 5 years.
Oakland : Keith Foulke has been signed to a contract extension, $5,700,000 per year, for 3 years.
Oakland : Raul Ibanez has been signed to a contract extension, $857,400 per year, for 3 years.
Oakland : Scott Hatteberg has been signed to a contract extension, $902,500 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Mike Cameron has been signed to a contract extension, $3,937,500 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Ben Davis has been signed to a contract extension, $731,500 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Arthur Rhodes has been signed to a contract extension, $3,277,500 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Carlos Guillen has been signed to a contract extension, $475,000 per year, for 1 years.
Seattle : Jeff Nelson has been signed to a contract extension, $1,316,700 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Edgar Martinez has been signed to a contract extension, $460,800 per year, for 1 years.
Seattle : Mark McLemore has been signed to a contract extension, $356,200 per year, for 1 years.
Texas : Ugueth Urbina has been signed to a contract extension, $5,225,000 per year, for 3 years.
Texas : John Thomson has been signed to a contract extension, $760,000 per year, for 3 years.
Texas : Todd Greene has been signed to a contract extension, $414,700 per year, for 1 years.
Texas : David Justice has been signed to a contract extension, $748,100 per year, for 1 years.
Texas : Ron Mahay has been signed to a contract extension, $1,543,800 per year, for 3 years.
Atlanta : Paul Byrd has been signed to a contract extension, $3,562,500 per year, for 3 years.
Atlanta : Darren Bragg has been signed to a contract extension, $605,600 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (N) : Mark Bellhorn has been signed to a contract extension, $855,000 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : Ramon Martinez has been signed to a contract extension, $551,000 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : Dave Veres has been signed to a contract extension, $1,147,100 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (N) : Mark Guthrie has been signed to a contract extension, $1,436,400 per year, for 1 years.
Cincinnati : Roy Halladay has been signed to a contract extension, $5,358,000 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Carlos Almanzar has been signed to a contract extension, $1,496,300 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Kelly Stinnett has been signed to a contract extension, $605,600 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Gabe White has been signed to a contract extension, $1,881,250 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Scott Sullivan has been signed to a contract extension, $1,358,500 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Jason Grimsley has been signed to a contract extension, $1,259,700 per year, for 3 years.
Philadelphia : Kevin Millwood has been signed to a contract extension, $7,001,500 per year, for 5 years.
Philadelphia : Placido Polanco has been signed to a contract extension, $684,000 per year, for 3 years.
Philadelphia : Tyler Houston has been signed to a contract extension, $598,500 per year, for 3 years.
Philadelphia : Wendell Magee has been signed to a contract extension, $446,500 per year, for 2 years.
Philadelphia : Turk Wendell has been signed to a contract extension, $648,400 per year, for 4 years.
Pittsburgh : Randall Simon has been signed to a contract extension, $731,500 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : Pokey Reese has been signed to a contract extension, $665,000 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : Mike Williams has been signed to a contract extension, $3,277,500 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : Al Reyes has been signed to a contract extension, $1,211,300 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : Abraham O. Nunez has been signed to a contract extension, $370,000 per year, for 1 years.
Pittsburgh : Dennys Reyes has been signed to a contract extension, $950,000 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : David Dellucci has been signed to a contract extension, $460,800 per year, for 1 years.
Arizona : Mike Myers has been signed to a contract extension, $1,420,300 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : Brian Hunter has been signed to a contract extension, $1,235,000 per year, for 4 years.
Houston : Brad Ausmus has been signed to a contract extension, $710,100 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : Bruce Chen has been signed to a contract extension, $769,500 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Hideo Nomo has been signed to a contract extension, $2,612,500 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Brian Jordan has been signed to a contract extension, $974,700 per year, for 4 years.
Los Angeles : Jolbert Cabrera has been signed to a contract extension, $427,500 per year, for 2 years.
Los Angeles : Jim Mecir has been signed to a contract extension, $1,068,800 per year, for 4 years.
Los Angeles : Fred McGriff has been signed to a contract extension, $438,900 per year, for 2 years.
San Diego : Michael Barrett has been signed to a contract extension, $1,928,500 per year, for 3 years.
San Diego : Trevor Hoffman has been signed to a contract extension, $5,250,000 per year, for 3 years.
San Diego : Lou Merloni has been signed to a contract extension, $399,000 per year, for 1 years.
San Francisco : Tim Worrell has been signed to a contract extension, $1,326,700 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : Brett Tomko has been signed to a contract extension, $552,900 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : Kevin S. Brown has been signed to a contract extension, $427,500 per year, for 2 years.
St. Louis : Larry Sutton has been signed to a contract extension, $498,800 per year, for 1 years.
St. Louis : Fernando Vina has been signed to a contract extension, $819,400 per year, for 3 years.

The Contractually Challenged

Baltimore: LF Todd Hollandsworth, RF Alex Ochoa, SP Jason Johnson
Boston: LF Jeremy Giambi, C Doug Mirabelli, SS Damian Jackson, CF Lou Collier, RF Adrian Brown, SP Pedro Martinez, RP Curt Leskanic
Cleveland: LF Ellis Burks, CF Ruben Rivera, RP Mike Fyhrie, RP Mark Wohlers, RP Jose Santiago
Detroit: RF Vladimir Guerrero, CF Jay Payton, RP Jose Paniagua, RP Dennis Cook
New York (A): LF Gabe Kapler, C John Flaherty, SP David Wells
Toronto: 3B Frank Catalanotto, SP Corey Lidle, SP Pete Walker, SP Glendon Rusch, MR Doug Creek

Anaheim: 1B Scott Spiezio, SS Carlos Febles, 2B Benji Gil, SP Jarrod Washburn, RP Chris Hammond
Chicago (A): C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Jose Valentin, 3B Tony Graffanino, RP Vladimir Nunez, RP Rick White
Minnesota: SS Chris Gomez, 2B Denny Hocking
Oakland: RP Ricardo Rincon, RP Corey Bradford, RP Jose Silva
Seattle: LF Randy Winn, 3B Fernando Tatis, RP LaTroy Hawkins
Texas: RF Karim Garcia, 1B Rafael Palmeiro, CF Carl Everett, RP Rudy Seanez, RP Esteban Yan

Atlanta: RF Gary Sheffield, 1B Mike Kinkade, 1B Robert Fick, C Javy Lopez, 3B Mark DeRosa, 2B Eric Young, SP Sidney Ponson, SP Greg Maddux
Chicago (N): RF Sammy Sosa, SS Jose Hernandez, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, C Paul Bako
Cincinnati: LF Jacob Cruz, CF Jose Guillen, 2B Wilton Guerrero
New York (N): See Below
Philadelphia: C Todd Pratt, 2B Luis Castillo, CF Ricky Ledee, SS John Valentin, RP Joey Eischen, RP Jose Mesa
Pittsburgh: RF Reggie Sanders, RF Matt Stairs

Arizona: CF Juan Encarnacion, 1B Olmedo Saenz, RF Tony Womack, SP Randy Johnson, SP Miguel Batista, RP Manny Aybar, RP Ron Villone
Houston: SS Jose Vizcaino
Los Angeles: SS Alex Cora, LF Daryle Ward, SP Andy Ashby
San Diego: LF Rondell White, C Gary Bennett
San Francisco: RF Jose Cruz Jr., SS Rich Aurilia, LF Jeff Hammonds, C Benito Santiago, RP Robb Nen, RP Scott Eyre
St. Louis: SS Edgar Renteria, C Mike Redmond, SS Wilson Delgado, SP Chris Carpenter

The Mets contract situation
I've Never been one to sign contract extensions early in the season, especially with older players, so I will probably hold off all my decisions until the playoffs start. Not withstanding that, the Mets have several players who decisions have to be made on.

2B Roberto Alomar - Wants 7.1 Million for 4 years. I'll think about it for the 2 more months I have.
RF Jeromy Burnitz - Im letting him go. I possibly have a chance at sgning 1 out of Vlad, Sosa or Sheffield, and I need the space in the lineup. Josh Hamilton could be in RF in 2004 as well.
CF Marquis Grissom - Not needed in 2004
SS Rey Sanchez - Possibly resigned as a Util IFer, wants 738K for 2 years. He's losing range quickly, and I'm leaning toward cutting bait on him.
2B Joe McEwing - a hard worker, but doesn't fit.
3B Russ Johnson - same as Joe Mac, no room at the inn for him.
3B Jay Bell - Announced Retirement
1B Tony Clark - Derrek Lee, Mo Vaughn and Ty Wiggington are all ahead of him on the depth chart. Goodbye Tony.
RP Armando Benitez - Having a great year. Wants 5.75 M for 3 years, I should be able to negotiate a contract for next year with him
SP Pedro Astacio - Having a good year so far (7-7, 3.39 ERA), but I need to create a roster spot for Aaron Heilman in 2004, and Pedro is the only free agent pitcher on the roster. Hate to let him go, but its necessary right now.
RP Graeme Lloyd - Very similar situation to Astacio. He's having a good year but there's several guys in AAA who need to get a shot next season.
SP David Cone - Announced Retirement
RP John Franco - Announced Retirement

Here are our arbitration eligible players:

CF Timo Perez - Estimate 430K
CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo - Estimate 380K
C Vance Wilson - Estimate 300K
RP Grant Roberts - Estimate 610K
RP Scott Strickland - Estimate 1.15 M
RP John Bale - Estimate 670K
CF Gary Matthews - Estimate 1.16 M

The Plan right now is to keep all of these guys, but Vance Wilson could be non tendered, especially with Justin Huber just about ready to be the backup C next season, and Jason Phillips also available in AAA.

General Mike

04-29-2003, 05:13 PM

Mets July 2003 Review

Another rough month for the Mets, as we went 9-15. We're now 11.5 games out of 1st place, and 5.5 behind the 2nd place Pirates.

Bright Spots: Cliff Floyd hit .387 in July with 5 HRs and 18 RBI. Cliff is now hitting .302 for the season. Mike Piazza hits .301 with 6 HR and 18 RBI. Timo Perez and Marquis Grissom combine to hit .381 with 3 HRs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored. Tom Glavine only goes 1-2, but provides a 2.61 ERA in 38 Innings. Mike Stanton and Graeme Lloyd combine for 14 shutout innings in July.

Low Lights: Al Leiter goes 1-4 with a 5.80 ERA. Is He done? Armando Benitez has his worst month of the season going 1-2 with only 4 saves and a 6.48 ERA. Before the month his ERA was 1.60. John Bale "earns" himself a trip back to AAA Norfolk by allowing 15 runs in 15.2 innings. Grant Roberts will take his spot in the bullpen. Roberto Alomar, Derrek Lee and Jeromy Burnitz all have horrendous Julys. Alomar hits .231, Lee goes 13 for 61 (.213) and Jeromy Burnitz hits .200 for the month.

Transactions
We acquired CF Gary Matthews from the Orioles. His addition will send down Marquis Grissom to AAA until an injury in the OF or September.

John Bale and Grant Roberts switch places, with Bale going down to Norfolk.

General Mike

04-29-2003, 06:31 PM

August 2003 Review

Transactions

Since the trade deadline has passed, the ammount of transactions is drastically reduced. Some free agents were signed, and some players were released including one big name, on the verge of a milestone or 2.

Monday 8/4/2003 :

Boston: Released C Eddy Rodriguez.
Boston: Released 3B Bill Mueller.
Cleveland: Released 2B Ricky Gutierrez.
New York (A): Released RF Rudy Guillen.
Anaheim: Released P Scott Schoeneweis.
Chicago (A): Released 2B Pablo Ozuna.
Seattle: Released RF Gary Harris.
Chicago (N): Released P Scott Chiasson.
Chicago (N): Released CF Tom Goodwin.
Chicago (N): Released LF Charles Gipson.
Texas: Free agent CF Choo Freeman has been signed to a minor league contract.

Wednesday 8/6/2003 :

New York (A): Released C John Flaherty, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 8/11/2003 :

Boston: Released P Tom Davey.
Detroit: Released P Rob Henkel.
New York (A): Released SS Enrique Wilson.
Toronto: Released P Doug Creek.
Seattle: Released P Juan Done.
Atlanta: Released LF Donzell McDonald.
Atlanta: Released 2B Eric Young, he refused assignment to minors.
Los Angeles: Released 1B Larry Barnes.
Los Angeles: Released P Scott Winchester.
Chicago (A): Free agent P Shawn Hill has been signed to a minor league contract.
Cleveland: Free agent P Luis Pineda has been signed to a contract of $467,400 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 8/18/2003 :

Boston: Released 3B Shea Hillenbrand.
Note: Hillenbrand was hitting .222 with 5 HRs at the time of release.
Chicago (A): Released P Dan Wright.
Chicago (N): Released P Russ Rohlicek.
Cincinnati: Released P Paul Darnell.
San Francisco: Free agent P Jay Witasick has been signed to a contract of $617,500 per year, for 1 year.
Anaheim: Free agent RF Brian Banks has been signed to a minor league contract.

Saturday 8/23/2003 :

New York (A): Released P Roger Clemens, he refused assignment to minors.
Note: Roger is stuck at 299 wins and 3998 Ks. Since the Mets are out of it, I am going to pick him up so he can at least have a chance to win 300 games and get his 4000 strikeout.

Monday 8/25/2003 :

Baltimore: Released LF Ray Cabrera.
Anaheim: Released C Ben Molina.
Cincinnati: Released SS Jason Maxwell.
Houston: Released P Peter Munro.
Philadelphia: Free agent 1B Brad Nelson has been signed to a minor league contract.
San Francisco: Free agent P Chris Buglovsky has been signed to a minor league contract.
Detroit: Free agent P Zach Day has been signed to a minor league contract.

Friday 8/29/2003 :

San Diego: Released 1B Dave Hansen, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 9/1/2003 :

New York (A): Released P David Wells, he refused assignment to minors.
Wells was 9-8 with a 3.68 ERA. 4 CGs, 2 shutouts as well
New York (A): Released CF Chris Latham.
Philadelphia: Released 1B Brennan Boesch.
Houston: Released 1B Cirilo Pino.
St. Louis: Released P Matt Duff.
Cleveland: Free agent P Chris Tierney has been signed to a minor league contract.
Houston: Free agent P Donne Wall has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.

Injuries

Friday 8/1/2003 :

NYA: Nick Johnson was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Posterior Cruciate Ligament.
He will be OK in about 4-5 weeks.
ARI: Randy Johnson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Tendon.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 weeks.

Saturday 8/2/2003 :

CIN: Ryan Dempster was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tender Shoulder.
He is out for about one week.

Monday 8/4/2003 :

MIN: Beau Kemp was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Thursday 8/7/2003 :

SEA: Jamie Moyer was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He is out for about 8-9 weeks.

Friday 8/8/2003 :

ANA: Ramon Ortiz was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4-5 weeks.
CIN: Scott Sullivan was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Elbow Ligament.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3 weeks.

Saturday 8/9/2003 :

TOR: Mark Hendrickson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tender Elbow.
He is out for about one week.
SEA: Mark McLemore was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
He will be OK in about 2-3 weeks.
SFN: C.C. Sabathia was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tender Shoulder.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 1-2 weeks.

Thursday 8/14/2003 :

ARI: Lyle Overbay was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Hyper Extended Knee.
He will be OK in about one week.

Saturday 8/16/2003 :

CLE: Mike Sweeney was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Abdominal Muscle.
He will be OK in about one week.

Tuesday 8/19/2003 :

NYA: Steve Karsay was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Tricep Muscle.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Wednesday 8/20/2003 :

BOS: Johnny Damon was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Abdominal Muscle.
He is out for about 2-3 weeks.
TOR: Mike Moriarty was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Groin Muscle.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Thursday 8/21/2003 :

SDN: Michael Barrett was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Groin Muscle.
He is out for about one week.

Friday 8/22/2003 :

SLN: Mike Redmond was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Groin Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3-4 weeks.

Sunday 8/24/2003 :

CHA: Mark Buehrle was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Elbow.
He will be OK in about 6 weeks.

Monday 8/25/2003 :

MIN: Brad Radke was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Broken Finger.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.

Tuesday 8/26/2003 :

CLE: Alex Escobar was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Calf Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!
CLE: Jesse Foppert was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Back Muscle.
He will be OK in about one week.

Wednesday 8/27/2003 :

ARI: Wayne Franklin was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Shoulder.
He is out for about 8 weeks.

Thursday 8/28/2003 :

BOS: Brad Fullmer was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Hamstring Muscle.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.
BAL: Jason Johnson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5-6 weeks.

Friday 8/29/2003 :

DET: Brandon Inge Inge was injured in a collision at home plate.
Diagnosis: Bruised Wrist.
He will be OK in about one week.

Sunday 8/31/2003 :

MIN: Ben Sheets was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He is out for about 2 weeks.

Notable Achievments

Saturday 8/2/2003 :

CHA: Frank Thomas gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 8/4/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
P Casey Fossum (BOS)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 15.2 innings
with an ERA of 0.57, fanning 19.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Cliff Floyd (NYN)!
He batted .522 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.

Wednesday 8/6/2003 :

SDN: Javier Vazquez pitches a NO-HITTER against Pittsburgh!!

Monday 8/11/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
3B Frank Catalanotto (TOR)!
He batted .500 in 20 AB, with 1 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Sammy Sosa (CHN)!
He batted .440 in 25 AB, with 2 HR and 10 RBI.
CLE: Jesse Foppert pitches a NO-HITTER against Detroit!!
Note: Foppert is the odds on favorite for AL Rookie of the Year now.

Monday 8/18/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
3B Troy Glaus (ANA)!
He batted .440 in 25 AB, with 5 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Shawn Green (LAN)!
He batted .407 in 27 AB, with 4 HR and 8 RBI.

Monday 8/25/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
LF Garret Anderson (ANA)!
He batted .406 in 32 AB, with 2 HR and 15 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Cliff Floyd (NYN)!
He batted .381 in 21 AB, with 3 HR and 12 RBI.

Friday 8/29/2003 :

NYN: Roberto Alomar sets a new season New York (N)-Record for Doubles with 44!
Note: That probably locks up a contract extension for Alomar.
Sunday 9/1/2003 :

American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Jarrod Washburn (ANA)!
He had a record of 4-1 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 1.81 and 2 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Frank Thomas (CHA)!
He batted .330 in 97 AB, with 10 homers and 20 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Wayne Franklin (ARI)!
He had a record of 4-1 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 0.84.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Aramis Ramirez (PIT)!
He batted .309 in 110 AB, with 11 homers and 31 RBI.
American League-Player of the Week:
SS Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .519 in 27 AB, with 4 HR and 12 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Jim Edmonds (SLN)!
He batted .444 in 27 AB, with 4 HR and 13 RBI.

General Mike

04-29-2003, 07:01 PM

Team Power Rankings and Standings

[b]Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston 81 55 .596 - 87-49 -6 46-25 35-30 9-9 19-18 24 L1 7-3
New York (A) 77 58 .570 3.5 69-66 8 40-28 37-30 7-6 17-18 - W1 5-5
Toronto 76 60 .559 5.0 74-62 2 39-30 37-30 6-9 21-19 - W1 6-4
Cleveland 57 80 .416 24.5 58-79 -1 28-40 29-40 7-10 17-29 - L3 3-7
Detroit 55 81 .404 26.0 54-82 1 34-34 21-47 9-12 25-27 - L1 2-8
Baltimore 54 82 .397 27.0 48-88 6 26-42 28-40 11-7 25-17 - W1 4-6

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Seattle 72 63 .533 - 69-66 3 39-29 33-34 13-4 27-17 26 W5 7-3
Texas 71 65 .522 1.5 76-60 -5 40-31 31-34 1-8 18-19 - W1 6-4
Anaheim 71 66 .518 2.0 74-63 -3 34-32 37-34 9-11 22-28 - W1 5-5
Minnesota 67 68 .496 5.0 63-72 4 37-27 30-41 4-8 28-17 - L1 4-6
Oakland 67 68 .496 5.0 69-66 -2 34-33 33-35 8-7 22-26 - L1 7-3
Chicago (A) 62 74 .456 10.5 66-70 -4 36-31 26-43 13-6 24-27 - L1 4-6

National League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 80 56 .588 - 83-53 -3 42-26 38-30 8-6 22-19 17 W1 7-3
Pittsburgh 70 66 .515 10.0 64-72 6 37-34 33-32 7-8 28-17 - W1 5-5
Atlanta 64 71 .474 15.5 61-74 3 34-31 30-40 6-7 22-21 - L2 6-4
Cincinnati 64 72 .471 16.0 67-69 -3 27-41 37-31 4-7 17-26 - W2 6-4
Chicago (N) 63 72 .467 16.5 66-69 -3 30-38 33-34 6-11 20-25 - L1 3-7
New York (N) 62 74 .456 18.0 64-72 -2 29-38 33-36 5-7 21-22 - L1 4-6

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 73 63 .537 - 73-63 0 41-30 32-33 6-9 21-23 27 W1 6-4
St. Louis 73 63 .537 - 63-73 10 37-31 36-32 14-6 24-19 27 W4 6-4
San Francisco 70 65 .519 2.5 77-58 -7 33-32 37-33 7-7 18-31 - W2 6-4
San Diego 68 69 .496 5.5 66-71 2 37-34 31-35 8-10 28-26 - L4 3-7
Los Angeles 67 68 .496 5.5 69-66 -2 36-31 31-37 14-6 29-18 - L2 4-6
Arizona 65 70 .481 7.5 70-65 -5 30-35 35-35 8-9 19-25 - L1 4-6

Power Rankings

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) Boston 111 o 81-55 .596 .269 3.68 87-49 -6
2nd (2nd) Philadelphia 110 o 80-56 .588 .260 3.76 83-53 -3
3rd (3rd) New York (A) 103 o 77-58 .570 .252 4.29 69-66 8
4th (4th) Toronto 103 o 76-60 .559 .258 4.09 74-62 2
5th (5th) Seattle 102 o 72-63 .533 .243 3.63 69-66 3
6th (6th) St. Louis 101 o 73-63 .537 .244 4.05 63-73 10
7th (7th) Houston 99 o 73-63 .537 .255 4.14 73-63 0
8th (8th) San Francisco 96 o 70-65 .519 .232 3.42 77-58 -7
9th (9th) Texas 96 o 71-65 .522 .258 4.16 76-60 -5
10th (10th) Oakland 93 o 67-68 .496 .240 3.77 69-66 -2
11th (11th) Anaheim 93 o 71-66 .518 .258 3.93 74-63 -3
12th (12th) Pittsburgh 93 o 70-66 .515 .243 3.99 64-72 6
13th (13th) Cincinnati 88 o 64-72 .471 .252 4.48 67-69 -3
14th (14th) Minnesota 87 o 67-68 .496 .235 3.83 63-72 4
15th (15th) Atlanta 86 o 64-71 .474 .249 4.36 61-74 3
16th (16th) Los Angeles 86 o 67-68 .496 .250 3.83 69-66 -2
17th (17th) Arizona 85 o 65-70 .481 .269 4.28 70-65 -5
18th (18th) San Diego 83 o 68-69 .496 .248 4.16 66-71 2
19th (19th) Chicago (A) 80 o 62-74 .456 .245 3.99 66-70 -4
20th (20th) New York (N) 80 o 62-74 .456 .256 4.07 64-72 -2
21st (21st) Chicago (N) 80 o 63-72 .467 .256 4.15 66-69 -3
22nd (22nd) Cleveland 70 o 57-80 .416 .250 4.67 58-79 -1
23rd (23rd) Baltimore 69 o 54-82 .397 .236 4.71 48-88 6
24th (24th) Detroit 67 o 55-81 .404 .232 4.26 54-82 1

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) .314
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .306
3 B. Fullmer (BOS) .305

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.095
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .990
3 T. Nixon (BOS) .955

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 49
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 33
3 F. Thomas (CHA) 32

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 45
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 41
3 I. Rodriguez (CHA) 40

Triples
1 Endy Chavez (TEX) 11
2 G. Kingsale (DET) 10
2 C. Beltran (BAL) 10

Runs Batted In
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 105
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 101
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 90

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 107
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 103
3 T. Glaus (ANA) 92

Stolen Bases
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 39
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 36
3 D. Jeter (NYA) 33

Wins
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 17
2 J. Weaver (NYA) 16
2 J. Foppert (CLE) 16

Earned Run Average
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 2.24
2 B. Zito (OAK) 2.44
3 J. Washburn (ANA) 2.65

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 300
2 B. Zito (OAK) 207
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 197

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 37
2 E. Guardado (MIN) 35
3 M. Rivera (NYA) 33

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Thurston (LAN) .328
2 L. Gonzalez (ARI) .320
3 K. Griffey Jr. (CIN) .312

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.154
2 J. Thome (PHI) 1.150
3 R. Klesko (SDN) 1.003

Home Runs
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 50
2 J. Thome (PHI) 44
3 A. Ramirez (PIT) 37
3 A. Boone (CIN) 37

Doubles
1 R. Alomar (NYN) 44
2 R. Klesko (SDN) 42
3 S. Rolen (SLN) 41

Triples
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 12
2 R. Durham (SFN) 10
2 R. White (SDN) 10

Runs Batted In
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 117
1 A. Ramirez (PIT) 117
3 J. Thome (PHI) 111

Runs
1 J. Thome (PHI) 111
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 108
3 B. Bonds (SFN) 101

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 53
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 36
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 36

Wins
1 K. Millwood (PHI) 19
2 R. Oswalt (HOU) 17
3 T. Ohka (HOU) 16

Earned Run Average
1 J. Beckett (PIT) 2.72
2 T. Glavine (NYN) 2.85
3 K. Millwood (PHI) 2.87

Strikeouts
1 C. Schilling (ARI) 240
2 R. Johnson (ARI) 225
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 216

Saves
1 M. Williams (PIT) 34
2 B. Wagner (HOU) 32
3 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 30

DolphinFan1

04-29-2003, 07:02 PM

It's interesting that Clemens was released in your league. Just because in Chief Rum's Dynasty, he was also released shy of 300 wins and 4000 K's. Just a coincidence? Hmm.

General Mike

04-29-2003, 07:51 PM

August 2003 Mets Review

The Mets slipped even farther back in the division in this lost 2003. With the Mets now 18 games back in the division, the season is effectively over after a 10-18 August. Steve Trachsel was 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA, but the rest of the pitching staff was average at best.

Highlights: Roberto Alomar sets a new Mets single season record for doubles with 44. Cliff Floyd and Mo Vaughn both hit over .300 for the month , combining for 11 HRs and 35 RBI. Armando Benitez had his second consecutive bad month, only able to save 3 games, and posting a 6.00 ERA.

Lowlights: Mike Piazza had possibly the worst single month of his major league career, hitting .198 with only 2 HRs.

Transactions: With the major league rosters expanding to 40 man for the rest of the season, all players in AAA with major league contracts were called up, plus a few minor league veterans.

P David Cone
P Jae Seo
P John Bale
P Jaime Cerda
P Franklin Nunez
1B Tony Clark
CF Marquis Grissom
CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo
3B Russ Johnson
2B Joe McEwing

SP Roger Clemens was also signed to a 300K, 1 year deal, so that he can attempt to win his 300th game and strikeout his 4000th batter.

General Mike

04-29-2003, 11:44 PM

September 2003 Review

The regular season is over, and it's almost playoff time, but before that can begin, we have to take a look at what happened in September.

Transactions

Monday 9/1/2003 :

New York (N) : Free agent Roger Clemens has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 years.

Sunday 9/7/2003 :

Houston: Released SS Jose Vizcaino, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 9/8/2003 :

Cleveland: Released CF Covelli Crisp.
Los Angeles: Free agent 3B Shea Hillenbrand has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.
Anaheim: Free agent P Geoff Goetz has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 9/15/2003 :

New York (A): Released P Ben Rivera.
New York (A): Released 1B Ryan Mcguire.
Philadelphia: Released CF Mckay Christensen.
Arizona: Free agent RF Juan Gonzalez has been signed to a contract of $1,021,400 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit: Free agent 1B Brian Daubach has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 9/22/2003 :

St. Louis: Free agent C Shawn Riggans has been signed to a minor league contract.
New York (N) : Armando Benitez has been signed to a contract extension, $5,000,000 per year, for 3 years.

Monday 9/29/2003 :

Baltimore: Released P Scott Erickson.
Chicago (A): Released 3B Tony Graffanino.
St. Louis: Released C Mike Matheny.
Philadelphia: Free agent P Bobby Howry has been signed to a contract of $490,200 per year, for 1 year.

Injuries

Thursday 9/4/2003 :

ANA: John Lackey was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Elbow.
He is out for about 5 weeks.
PHI: Jose Mesa was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 5 weeks.

Friday 9/5/2003 :

TEX: Joaquin Benoit was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!
ARI: Pete LaForest was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Thigh Muscle.
He will be OK in about one week.

Monday 9/8/2003 :

CLE: Kip Wells was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Shoulder.
He is definitely out for the season!
NYA: Gabe Kapler was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Strained Rib Cage Muscle.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 9/9/2003 :

HOU: Roy Oswalt was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He will be OK in about 4-5 weeks.
PIT: Dennis Stark was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Tendon.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Wednesday 9/10/2003 :

TEX: Hank Blalock was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Abdominal Muscle.
He will be OK in about 4 weeks.

Thursday 9/11/2003 :

TEX: Runelvys Hernandez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Spasms Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 7 weeks.

Friday 9/12/2003 :

DET: Gene Kingsale was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Achilles Tendon.
He is definitely out for the season!
MIN: Juan Rincon was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!
SDN: Javier Vazquez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Saturday 9/13/2003 :

NYA: Juan Acevedo was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 7 weeks.

Wednesday 9/17/2003 :

CLE: Matt Lawton was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Groin Muscle.
He is out for about one week.
CLE: Ryan Church was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Broken Ankle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Thursday 9/18/2003 :

HOU: Ricky Stone was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 5 weeks.
PIT: Rocco Baldelli was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Back Muscle.
He will be OK in about 5 weeks.

Friday 9/19/2003 :

PHI: Jimmy Rollins was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Groin Muscle.
He will be OK in about 3 weeks.

Saturday 9/20/2003 :

ANA: Jarrod Washburn was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.
SDN: Brian Lawrence was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hand.
He is out for about 7 weeks.

Monday 9/22/2003 :

SFN: Ray Durham was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He is out for about one week.

Thursday 9/25/2003 :

ARI: Miguel Batista was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Dislocated Finger.
He is out for about one week.

Saturday 9/27/2003 :

HOU: Jeff Bagwell was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Hyper Extended Knee.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Notable Achievments

Thursday 9/4/2003 :

PHI: Jim Thome sets a new season Philadelphia-Record for Homeruns with 48!

Sunday 9/7/2003 :

BOS: Pedro Martinez sets a new season Boston-Record for Strikeouts with 313!

Monday 9/8/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
SS Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .429 in 21 AB, with 4 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Albert Pujols (SLN)!
He batted .417 in 24 AB, with 5 HR and 7 RBI.

Monday 9/15/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
P Freddy Garcia (SEA)!
He won 2 games, with 2 shutouts, pitched 18 innings
with an ERA of 0.00, fanning 11.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Jim Thome (PHI)!
He batted .435 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 10 RBI.

Tuesday 9/16/2003 :

TEX: Alex Rodriguez sets a new season Texas-Record for Homeruns with 57!

Thursday 9/18/2003 :

HOU: Billy Wagner sets a new season Houston-Record for Saves with 39!

Saturday 9/20/2003 :

PIT: Aramis Ramirez sets a new season Pittsburgh-Record for RBI with 131!

Monday 9/22/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
1B Chris Richard (OAK)!
He batted .529 in 17 AB, with 2 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
2B Aaron Boone (CIN)!
He batted .385 in 26 AB, with 5 HR and 13 RBI.

TEX: A.J. Burnett pitches a NO-HITTER against Boston!!

Tuesday 9/23/2003 :

PIT: Brian Giles sets a new season Pittsburgh-Record for Bases on Balls with 137!

Thursday 9/25/2003 :

TEX: Alex Rodriguez sets a new season AL-Record for Homeruns with 61!

Friday 9/26/2003 :

BOS: Johnny Damon hits for the cycle against Chicago (A)!

Monday 9/29/2003 :

American League-Player of the Week:
1B Jason Giambi (NYA)!
He batted .550 in 20 AB, with 3 HR and 13 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
3B Tyler Houston (PHI)!
He batted .563 in 16 AB, with 2 HR and 5 RBI.

Tuesday 10/1/2003 :

American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Barry Zito (OAK)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.37 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .295 in 88 AB, with 14 homers and 24 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Javier Vazquez (SDN)!
He had a record of 1-1 in 3 games started, with an ERA of 0.53.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Lance Berkman (HOU)!
He batted .444 in 81 AB, with 8 homers and 27 RBI.

General Mike

04-30-2003, 12:23 AM

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston 97 65 .599 - 102-60 -5 52-29 45-36 10-10 24-19 * L1 5-5
New York (A) 88 74 .543 9.0 81-81 7 45-36 43-38 9-6 21-20 - W1 5-5
Toronto 87 75 .537 10.0 82-80 5 44-37 43-38 7-9 24-23 - L2 3-7
Baltimore 69 93 .426 28.0 62-100 7 33-48 36-45 11-8 31-18 - L1 8-2
Cleveland 68 94 .420 29.0 69-93 -1 32-49 36-45 9-12 19-35 - L1 4-6
Detroit 61 101 .377 36.0 62-100 -1 35-46 26-55 9-13 26-33 - L6 1-9

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 88 74 .543 - 92-70 -4 44-37 44-37 9-7 27-28 * W2 8-2
Texas 85 78 .521 3.5 92-71 -7 46-36 39-42 1-9 22-22 - W4 9-1
Seattle 84 79 .515 4.5 80-83 4 46-35 38-44 14-6 31-24 - L2 4-6
Minnesota 83 79 .512 5.0 78-84 5 48-33 35-46 5-8 29-20 - W1 4-6
Anaheim 80 82 .494 8.0 83-79 -3 39-42 41-40 10-12 26-33 - W1 3-7
Chicago (A) 78 84 .481 10.0 81-81 -3 46-35 32-49 13-7 29-31 - W1 5-5

National League Standings

Eastern Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 95 67 .586 - 101-61 -6 48-33 47-34 9-8 25-23 * L1 4-6
Chicago (N) 79 83 .488 16.0 80-82 -1 37-44 42-39 9-13 26-29 - L1 6-4
Pittsburgh 78 84 .481 17.0 75-87 3 41-40 37-44 8-13 31-24 - L2 3-7
Atlanta 74 88 .457 21.0 69-93 5 39-42 35-46 6-8 25-21 - W1 4-6
Cincinnati 74 88 .457 21.0 75-87 -1 33-48 41-40 5-9 22-30 - W1 6-4
New York (N) 72 90 .444 23.0 76-86 -4 32-49 40-41 7-8 27-30 - L3 2-8

Western Division

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 90 72 .556 - 88-74 2 47-34 43-38 9-10 27-28 * W1 5-5
San Francisco 87 75 .537 3.0 94-68 -7 43-38 44-37 9-7 26-35 - L1 6-4
St. Louis 86 76 .531 4.0 75-87 11 44-37 42-39 14-6 30-22 - W4 6-4
Los Angeles 83 79 .512 7.0 82-80 1 44-37 39-42 16-7 33-23 - L1 8-2
Arizona 80 82 .494 10.0 85-77 -5 38-43 42-39 9-11 20-31 - W2 5-5
San Diego 79 83 .488 11.0 79-83 0 41-40 38-43 9-10 31-30 - W1 5-5

Power Rankings

1st (1st) Boston 108 o 97-65 .599 .267 3.78 102-60 -5
2nd (2nd) Oakland 105 o 88-74 .543 .248 3.75 92-70 -4
3rd (3rd) Texas 104 o 85-78 .521 .259 4.10 92-71 -7
4th (4th) Philadelphia 104 o 95-67 .586 .261 3.76 101-61 -6
5th (5th) Houston 100 o 90-72 .556 .254 4.04 88-74 2
6th (6th) St. Louis 100 o 86-76 .531 .246 4.10 75-87 11
7th (7th) San Francisco 99 o 87-75 .537 .232 3.28 94-68 -7
8th (8th) Los Angeles 98 o 83-79 .512 .249 3.75 82-80 1
9th (9th) New York (A) 98 o 88-74 .543 .249 4.33 81-81 7
10th (10th) Toronto 92 o 87-75 .537 .257 4.37 82-80 5
11th (11th) Minnesota 90 o 83-79 .512 .241 3.83 78-84 5
12th (12th) Arizona 90 o 80-82 .494 .270 4.28 85-77 -5
13th (13th) Chicago (N) 90 o 79-83 .488 .256 4.05 80-82 -1
14th (14th) Seattle 90 o 84-79 .515 .239 3.65 80-83 4
15th (15th) San Diego 88 o 79-83 .488 .251 4.25 79-83 0
16th (16th) Chicago (A) 87 o 78-84 .481 .249 4.06 81-81 -3
17th (17th) Anaheim 85 o 80-82 .494 .254 3.99 83-79 -3
18th (18th) Cincinnati 84 o 74-88 .457 .249 4.59 75-87 -1
19th (19th) Baltimore 83 o 69-93 .426 .237 4.57 62-100 7
20th (20th) Pittsburgh 82 o 78-84 .481 .238 4.00 75-87 3
21st (21st) Atlanta 80 o 74-88 .457 .250 4.63 69-93 5
22nd (22nd) Cleveland 74 o 68-94 .420 .251 4.73 69-93 -1
23rd (23rd) New York (N) 73 o 72-90 .444 .251 3.98 76-86 -4
24th (24th) Detroit 57 o 61-101 .377 .233 4.34 62-100 -1

American League Leaders

[i]I'm going to expand the league leaders to the top 10 since it's the end of the season.

Batting Average
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) .312
2 J. Giambi (NYA) .308
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .304
4 B. Fullmer (BOS) .297
5 G. Anderson (ANA) .296
6 F. Thomas (CHA) .296
7 M. Lawton (CLE) .295
8 V. Guerrero (DET) .290
9 N. Garciaparra (BOS) .285
10 V. Wells (TOR) .283

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.109
2 J. Giambi (NYA) .968
3 M. Ramirez (BOS) .959
4 C. Delgado (TOR) .936
5 T. Nixon (BOS) .935
6 F. Thomas (CHA) .925
7 G. Anderson (ANA) .885
8 M. Lawton (CLE) .882
9 V. Guerrero (DET) .875
10 B. Fullmer (BOS) .866

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 63
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 40
3 F. Thomas (CHA) 38
4 R. Palmeiro (TEX) 33
4 C. Delgado (TOR) 33
6 M. Ramirez (BOS) 32
7 J. Giambi (NYA) 31
8 J. Phelps (TEX) 29
8 T. Nixon (BOS) 29
10 G. Anderson (ANA) 28

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 50
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 45
2 P. Konerko (CHA) 45
2 I. Rodriguez (CHA) 45
5 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 42
5 A. Kearns (TOR) 42
5 G. Colbrunn (SEA) 42
5 B. Phillips (CLE) 42
5 M. Ramirez (BOS) 42
5 S. Stewart (TOR) 42
5 J. Giambi (NYA) 42

Triples
1 E. Chavez (TEX) 13
2 I. Suzuki (SEA) 11
2 C. Beltran (BAL) 11
4 C. Crawford (DET) 10
4 G. Kingsale (DET) 10
4 V. Guerrero (DET) 10
7 M. Lawton (CLE) 9
7 J. Hairston (BAL) 9
7 M. Ellis (OAK) 9
10 G. Anderson (ANA) 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 129
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 114
3 J. Giambi (NYA) 109
4 M. Ordonez (CHA) 105
5 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 101
6 C. Delgado (TOR) 100
7 M. Ramirez (BOS) 98
8 T. Nixon (BOS) 97
9 B. Fullmer (BOS) 95
9 J. Gibbons (BAL) 95

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 129
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 117
3 N. Garciaparra (BOS) 103
4 D. Jeter (NYA) 101
5 C. Delgado (TOR) 99
5 T. Nixon (BOS) 99
7 T. Glaus (ANA) 98
8 F. Thomas (CHA) 94
9 M. Ordonez (CHA) 93
10 S. Stewart (TOR) 92

Stolen Bases
1 D. Erstad (ANA) 46
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 41
3 D. Jeter (NYA) 39
4 C. Beltran (BAL) 38
5 V. Guerrero (DET) 36
6 J. Damon (BOS) 33
7 C. Crawford (DET) 30
8 I. Suzuki (SEA) 28
8 M. Cameron (SEA) 28
10 E. Chavez (TEX) 27

Wins
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 20
2 B. Zito (OAK) 19
3 J. Weaver (NYA) 18
3 J. Washburn (ANA) 18
5 J. Foppert (CLE) 17
5 M. Redman (TEX) 17
7 J. Pineiro (SEA) 16
7 M. Mussina (NYA) 16
9 P. Martinez (BOS) 15
9 C. Fossum (BOS) 15
9 T. Hudson (OAK) 15

Earned Run Average
1 A. Burnett (TEX) 2.13
2 B. Zito (OAK) 2.26
3 J. Washburn (ANA) 2.77
4 P. Martinez (BOS) 2.83
5 J. Mays (MIN) 2.86
6 B. Colon (CHA) 2.93
7 J. Moyer (SEA) 3.29
8 F. Garcia (SEA) 3.31
9 J. Pineiro (SEA) 3.38
10 P. Walker (TOR) 3.43

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (BOS) 334
2 B. Zito (OAK) 239
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 228
4 A. Burnett (TEX) 204
5 F. Garcia (SEA) 185
6 B. Colon (CHA) 181
7 C. Fossum (BOS) 175
8 M. Mussina (NYA) 174
9 D. Baez (CLE) 173
10 J. Washburn (ANA) 172

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 45
2 E. Guardado (MIN) 42
3 M. Rivera (NYA) 38
4 U. Urbina (TEX) 35
5 J. Jimenez (BOS) 33
6 B. Koch (CHA) 31
7 T. Percival (ANA) 30
8 A. Lopez (TOR) 29
8 J. Julio (BAL) 29
10 J. Paniagua (DET) 28
10 K. Sasaki (SEA) 28

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Thurston (LAN) .325
2 L. Gonzalez (ARI) .321
3 A. Pujols (SLN) .315
4 D. Bautista (ARI) .308
5 B. Bonds (SFN) .307
6 K. Griffey Jr. (CIN) .303
7 J. Thome (PHI) .302
8 L. Castillo (PHI) .302
9 B. Abreu (PHI) .301
10 R. Klesko (SDN) .301

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Bonds (SFN) 1.151
2 J. Thome (PHI) 1.141
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 1.018
4 R. Klesko (SDN) .986
5 L. Gonzalez (ARI) .984
6 B. Abreu (PHI) .980
7 A. Pujols (SLN) .944
8 S. Green (LAN) .937
9 T. Helton (CIN) .936
10 J. Edmonds (SLN) .935

Home Runs
1 S. Sosa (CHN) 56
2 J. Thome (PHI) 52
3 A. Boone (CIN) 45
4 A. Ramirez (PIT) 42
5 L. Berkman (HOU) 40
6 B. Bonds (SFN) 36
6 S. Green (LAN) 36
6 R. Klesko (SDN) 36
9 A. Pujols (SLN) 34
10 A. Jones (ATL) 33

Doubles
1 R. Mateo (CIN) 50
2 R. Alomar (NYN) 49
3 R. Klesko (SDN) 47
3 S. Rolen (SLN) 47
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 47
6 J. Kent (HOU) 46
7 A. Pujols (SLN) 43
8 M. Lowell (NYN) 42
8 A. Ramirez (PIT) 42
8 J. Vidro (CHN) 42

Triples
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 13
2 B. Abreu (PHI) 12
2 R. White (SDN) 12
2 C. Patterson (CHN) 12
5 F. Vina (SLN) 11
5 R. Durham (SFN) 11
7 J. Cruz Jr. (SFN) 10
8 R. Baldelli (PIT) 9
8 E. Renteria (SLN) 9
10 6 tied with 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Ramirez (PIT) 134
2 S. Sosa (CHN) 133
2 J. Thome (PHI) 133
4 L. Berkman (HOU) 125
5 A. Boone (CIN) 119
6 L. Gonzalez (ARI) 117
7 R. Klesko (SDN) 114
8 A. Jones (ATL) 113
9 B. Abreu (PHI) 107
10 J. Kent (HOU) 106

Runs
1 B. Abreu (PHI) 128
1 J. Thome (PHI) 128
3 L. Berkman (HOU) 118
4 B. Bonds (SFN) 111
5 L. Gonzalez (ARI) 106
5 R. Klesko (SDN) 106
7 S. Sosa (CHN) 105
8 L. Castillo (PHI) 103
9 S. Green (LAN) 101
10 J. Edmonds (SLN) 100

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (PHI) 60
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 43
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 39
4 R. Durham (SFN) 38
4 R. Furcal (ATL) 38
6 J. Cruz Jr. (SFN) 36
7 C. Patterson (CHN) 34
7 J. Thurston (LAN) 34
9 E. Renteria (SLN) 33
9 R. Baldelli (PIT) 33

Wins
1 K. Millwood (PHI) 21
2 T. Ohka (HOU) 18
3 D. Moss (SFN) 17
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 17
5 T. Glavine (NYN) 16
6 R. Johnson (ARI) 15
7 H. Nomo (LAN) 14
7 S. Chacon (HOU) 14
7 R. Halladay (CIN) 14
7 M. Morris (SLN) 14

Earned Run Average
1 J. Beckett (PIT) 2.76
2 K. Millwood (PHI) 2.86
3 T. Ohka (HOU) 2.88
4 W. Williams (SLN) 2.95
5 M. Prior (CHN) 3.06
6 T. Glavine (NYN) 3.20
7 R. Johnson (ARI) 3.20
8 R. Oswalt (HOU) 3.22
9 J. Vazquez (SDN) 3.24
10 R. Halladay (CIN) 3.27

Strikeouts
1 C. Schilling (ARI) 281
2 R. Johnson (ARI) 265
3 R. Oswalt (HOU) 221
4 R. Halladay (CIN) 213
5 R. Wolf (PHI) 206
6 B. Kim (ARI) 202
7 M. Morris (SLN) 196
8 J. Vazquez (SDN) 194
9 H. Nomo (LAN) 189
9 C. Sabathia (SFN) 189

Saves
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 40
2 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 38
3 M. Williams (PIT) 37
4 R. Nen (SFN) 36
5 S. Williamson (CIN) 35
6 E. Gagne (LAN) 34
6 M. Mantei (ARI) 34
6 J. Smoltz (ATL) 34
9 A. Benitez (NYN) 30
10 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 27

JeeberD

04-30-2003, 12:34 AM

Way to go Astros! It's time that we win a playoff series. Make me proud...

General Mike

04-30-2003, 01:00 AM

Mets September 2003

September was another 10-16 month, and also a time for experimentation. Before September started, I was hesitant to call up C Jason Phillips, but mid way throught the month, I decided to make a little move for the future. Mike Piazza was switched to 1B and Jason Phillips and Vance Wilson were allowed to split the playing time behind the plate. Piazza wasn't very good at 1B, but it is something to consider for the future.

Highlights: Mike Piazza bounced back from the worst month of his career to post a respectable .289 batting average with 5 HR and 14 RBI. Mike Lowell added 6 HRs and 19 RBI. Pitching wise, Al Leiter finally pitched like he belonged in the majors, going 2-2 with a 3.42 ERA. Roger Clemens picked up 2 wins and 29 Ks, allowing him to pass the 300 win and 4000 K mark. Jaime Cerda and Grant Roberts provided 33.2 combined innings of great relief. They posted a 1.07 combined ERA. Scott Strickland provided 11.2 scoreless innings.

Lowlights: Cliff Floyd hit .145 with 1 HR. Derrek Lee was only able to hit .146 with only 1 extra base hit, a HR. Timo Perez was 10 for 56 (.179) with no extra base hits in September. Tom Glavine continued his post all star game slump, going 1-3 with a 5.11 ERA.

Transactions:
Resigned Armando Benitez to a $5.0 Million for 3 year contract extensions. He was asking for $5.33 Million for 3 years.
Roberto Alomar has decided to test the FA market. He was see king 7.1 Million for 4 year, we were only willing to pay $6 Million for 3 years.

General Mike

04-30-2003, 01:20 AM

Originally posted by JeeberD
Way to go Astros! It's time that we win a playoff series. Make me proud...

JeeberD your Astros had a very good year, but they may have some trouble with the Giants in the Division Series. They will be without 17 game winner Roy Oswalt, 1B Jeff Bagwell and RP Ricky Stone. I'll have a full season review, and hopefully a playoff preview up tomorrow.

Mike

JeeberD

04-30-2003, 01:42 AM

Yeah, when I saw all those injuries I thought our postseason dreams were dashed. But they still managed to win the division with those injuries, so I think they can pull it off in the playoffs as well. It's all up to you, Lance....

General Mike

04-30-2003, 12:53 PM

AL East Review

Baltimore
Record: 69-93
Pyth. Record: 62-100
Batting Average: .237 (22nd)
Home Runs: 161 (14th)
Runs Scored: 655 (21st)

Top Hitters:
1B Jay Gibbons - .254, 28 HR, 95 RBI, .817 OPS
CF Carlos Beltran - .256, 20 HR, 69 RBI, 38 SB, .802 OPS
LF Geoff Jenkins - .241, 17 HR, 62 RBI, .736 OPS
SS Alex Gonzalez - .260, 9 HR, 47 RBI, .717 OPS

Team ERA: 4.57 (21st)
Home Runs Allowed: 217 (24th)
Runs Allowed: 832 (22nd)

Top Pitchers:
SP Russ Ortiz - 13-12, 3.86 ERA, 145 K, 3 CG
SP Rodrigo Lopez - 10-15, 4.37, 140 K, 5 CG
SP Aaron Cook - 9-12, 4.65 ERA, 75 K, 1 CG
SP John Stephens - 5-13, 4.93 ERA, 136 K, 2 CG, 1 shutout
CL Jorge Julio - 5-7, 2.70 ERA 29 saves.

Review: When a .256 hitter leads your team in batting average, you have serious problems. Gibbons provided good power numbers, especially considering batting stats were down throughout baseball. Ortiz is a good start on the mound, and John Stephens looks like he could be the guy they've been looking for to replace Mike Mussina. Jorge Julio is one of the premier young relievers in the sport, but the rest of their bullpen needs work. They also won 7 more games then they should have, which says alot about their heart and soul

Boston
Record: 97-65
Pyth. Record: 102-60
Batting Average: .267 (2nd)
Home Runs: 195 (5th)
Runs Scored: 893 (1st)

Top Hitters:
LF Manny Ramirez: .312, 32 HR, 98 RBI, .959 OPS
RF Trot Nixon: .282, 29 HR, 97 RBI, .935 OPS
SS Nomar Garciaparra: .285, 27 HR, 101 RBI, .805 OPS
DH Brad Fullmer: .297, 19 HR, 95 RBI, .866 OPS

Team ERA: 3.78 (6th)
Home Runs Allowed: 126 (2nd)
Runs Allowed: 688 (7th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Pedro Martinez - 15-10, 2.83 ERA, 334 K, 5 CG, 1 shutout
SP Derek Lowe - 13-10, 3.55 ERA, 168 K, 6 CG
SP Casey Fossum - 15-8, 3.58 ERA, 175 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Tim Wakefield - 12-9, 4.46 ERA, 155 K, 3 CG
CL Jose Jiminez - 6-1, 2.66 ERA, 33 saves

Review: One of the most balanced teams in baseball, they have the best offense in the sport, and are 4 deep in the starting rotation. I'll go more in depth with them when I do my playoff preview, but they have enough depth to beat anyone.

Cleveland
Record: 68-94
Pyth. Record: 69-93
Batting Average: .251 (9th)
Home Runs: 162 (t-12th)
Runs Scored: 734 (12th)

Top Hitters:
RF Matt Lawton - .295, 19 HR, 78 RBI, .882 OPS
2B Brandon Phillips - .265, 18 HR, 78 RBI, .726 OPS
LF/DH Ben Grieve - .259, 15 HR, 49 RBI, .827 OPS
C Victor Martinez - .246, 17 HR, 88 RBI, .719 OPS

Team ERA: 4.73 (24th)
Home Runs Allowed: 194 (21st)
Runs Allowed: 849 (24th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Jesse Foppert - 17-12, 3.61 ERA, 228 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Danyz Baez - 11-11, 3.83 ERA, 173 K
SP Brian Anderson - 7-5, 3.84 ERA, 73 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Kip Wells - 7-9, 5.42 ERA, 97 K
CL Mike Fyhrie - 4-10, 5.34 ERA, 20 saves

Review: Their offense was middle of the pack, and I see how that happened, especially with 1B Mike Sweeney having an off year and Ellis Burks nearing the end, but I can't believe the pitching was so bad, especially when Foppert and Baez were so good. The bullpen was awful tho, as you can see with who was closing games for them.

Detroit
Record: 61-101
Pyth. Record: 62-100
Batting Average: .233 (23rd)
Home Runs: 118 (24th)
Runs Scored: 597 (24th)

Top Hitters:
RF Vladimir Guerrero - .290, 26 HR, 82 RBI, 36 SB .875 OPS
CF Carl Crawford - .248, 5 HR, 45 RBI, 30 SB, .689 OPS
LF Bobby Higginson - .225, 15 HR, 66 RBI, .686 OPS
1B Carlos Pena - .225, 15 HR, 63 RBI, .667 OPS

Team ERA: 4.34 (19th)
Home Runs Allowed: 171 (13th)
Runs Allowed: 762 (17th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Mike Maroth - 6-13, 4.15 ERA, 82 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Jeremy Bonderman - 9-12, 4.63 ERA, 146 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Ian Ferguson - 11-12, 4.15 ERA, 91 K, 2 CG, 2 shutout.
SP Jason Jennings - 6-13, 3.99 ERA, 95 K, 4 CG, 1 shutout.
CL Jose Paniagua - 3-10, 4.14 ERA, 28 saves.

Review: Well at least they got their young kids some playing time. 6 of their starting players were under 26 at the end of the season end. The bad news, they failed to sign Vlad to a contract extension. All 5 of their starters were under 26, including the 20 year old Bonderman. Using Paniagua as a closer was a strange move, especially with Franklyn German and Matt Anderson in the pen.

New York (A)
Record: 88-74
Pyth. Record: 81-81
Batting Average: .249 (14th)
Home Runs: 186 (6th)
Runs Scored: 772 (8th)

Top Hitters:
1B Jason Giambi - .308, 31 HR, 109 RBI, .968 OPS
LF Hideki Matsui - .262, 28 HR, 86 RBI, .857 OPS
CF Bernie Williams - .274, 19 HR, 94 RBI, .802 OPS
C Jorge Posada - .258, 17 HR, 76 RBI, .772 OPS

Team ERA: 4.33 (18th)
Home Runs Allowed: 166 (9th)
Runs Allowed: 768 (19th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Jeff Weaver - 18-9, 3.78 ERA, 141 K, 8 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Mike Mussina - 16-8, 3.90 ERA, 174 K, 4 CGm 1 shutout
SP Andy Pettite - 11-14, 4.19 ERA, 158 K, 2 CG, 2 shutout
SP Scott Elarton - 4-7, 7.48 ERA, 62 K
CL Mariano Rivera - 3-3, 1.11 ERA 38 saves

Review: I'll go more indepth during the playoff preview, but they need a 4th starter in the worst way if they want to get past Texas. They'll score runs, but they need more pitching. After releasing Roger Clemens and David Wells, I'm surprised they didn't put Jose Contreras in the starting rotation.

Toronto
Record: 87-75
Pyth. Record: 82-80
Batting Average: .257 (5th)
Home Runs: 176 (9th)
Runs Scored: 782 (5th)

Top Hitters:
RF Austin Kearns - .263, 19 HR, 88 RBI, .805 OPS
1B Carlos Delgado - .262, 33 HR, 100 RBI, .936 OPS
CF Vernon Wells - .283 16 HR, 82 RBI, 22 SB,.769 OPS
LF Shannon Stewart - .283, 6 HR, 57 RBI, 12 SB, .754 OPS

Team ERA: 4.37 (20th)
Home Runs Allowed: 193 (20th)
Runs Allowed: 768 (t-19th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Joe Kennedy - 12-10, 3.86 ERA, 162 K, 8 CG, 3 shutouts
SP Pete Walker - 8-11, 3.43 ERA, 69 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Ismael Valdes - 13-13, 5.91 ERA, 89 K, 5 CG
SP Corey Lidle - 13-13, 4.86 ERA, 126 K, 10 CG, 2 shutouts
CL Aquilino Lopez - 6-3, 2.04 ERA, 29 saves

Review: I didn't really like the 2 trades they made, especially giving up Halladay. Trading Josh Phelps for Valdes was more of a fill a need trade which I didn't like either. If Erik Hinske had not gotten hurt, Toronto would have made the playoffs. Frank Catalanotto is a good Util player to have, he's not going to do what Hinske did. Mark Hendrickson also had a good year for th Blue Jays winning 14 games, and Cliff Politte was a top setup reliever, posting a 2.21 ERA and picking up 9 saves.

I'll post the AL West later. If anyone has any questions about a specific player, let me know, and I'll see what I can do for you.

General Mike

04-30-2003, 09:56 PM

AL West Review

Anaheim
Record: 80-82
Pyth. Record: 83-79
Batting Average:.254 (7th)
Home Runs: 156 (16th)
Runs Scored: 741 (10th)

Top Hitters:
LF Garret Anderson - .296, 28 HR, 114 RBI, .885 OPS
3B Troy Glaus - .257, 27 HR, 75 RBI, .838 OPS
CF Darin Erstad - .277, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 46 SB, .710 OPS
DH Aubrey Huff - .256, 17 HR 67 RBI, .748 OPS

Team ERA: 3.99 (9th)
Home Runs Allowed: 197 (22nd)
Runs Allowed: 723 (9th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Jarrod Washburn - 18-8, 2.77 ERA, 172 K, 10 CG, 4 shutouts
SP Russ Ortiz - 10-8, 3.38 ERA, 84 K, 4 CG, 1 shutout
SP John Lackey - 11-7, 4.18 ERA, 121 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Aaron Sele - 7-7, 3.67 ERA, 70 K, 4 CG, 1 shutout
CL Troy Percival - 9-4, 2.21 ERA 30 saves

Review: Releasing Brad Fullmer and Shawn Wooten were bad moves to make, especially for a team which lacks offense. Dewon Brazelton was dissapointing in his late season call up, going 1-8 with a ERA of 8.06 in 15 starts. If they want to make the playoffs next year, they'll have to increase their offense, and find away to give up less HRs.

Chicago (A)
Record: 78-84
Pyth. Record: 81-81
Batting Average: .249 (13th)
Home Runs: 225 (2nd)
Runs Scored: 744 (9th)

Top Hitters:
RF Magglio Ordonez - .256, 40 HR, 105 RBI, .849 OPS
C Ivan Rodriguez - .257, 27 HR, 87 RBI, .801 OPS
1B Paul Konerko - .279, 26 HR, 79 RBI, .809 OPS
DH Frank Thomas - .296, 38 HR, 94 RBI, .925 OPS

Team ERA: 4.06 (13th)
Home Runs Allowed: 182 (19th)
Runs Allowed: 741 (15th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Mark Buehrle - 13-9, 3.58 ERA, 113 K, 9 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Bartolo Colon - 14-14, 2.93 181 K, 10 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Esteban Loaiza - 10-8, 4.66 ERA, 97 K, 1 CG
SP Jon Garland - 8-12, 4.95 ERA, 97 K, 2 CG
CL Billy Koch - 8-5, 2.01 ERA, 31 saves

Review: The White Sox definitely need more pitching. Buehrle and Colon are a good 1-2 punch, but they still need a #3 starter. There hitters also need to make more contact if the White Sox want to be successful.

Minnesota
Record: 83-79
Pyth. Record: 78-74
Batting Average: .241 (19th)
Home Runs: 130 (23rd)
Runs Scored: 654 (22nd)

Top Hitters:
CF Torii Hunter - .241, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 22 SB, .712 OPS
C A.J. Pierzynski - .343, 13 HR, 68 RBI, .920 OPS
LF Jacque Jones - .270, 9 HR, 61 RBI, .757 OPS
RF Dustan Mohr - .258, 10 HR, 51 RBI, .702 OPS

Team ERA: 3.83 (7th)
Home Runs Allowed: 152 (4th)
Runs Allowed: 678 (6th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Joe Mays - 12-12, 2.86 ERA, 107 K, 7 CG, 3 shutouts
SP Brad Radke - 14-10, 3.46 ERA, 122 K, 4 CG
SP Adam Johnson - 7-4, 3.80 ERA, 86 K
SP Johan Santana - 7-8, 2.84 ERA, 136 K
CL Eddie Guardado - 4-5, 2.93 ERA, 42 saves

Review: The Twins had plenty of pitching in 2003, but there offense just vanished. They have good young talent, but they just didn't perform this year.

Oakland
Record: 88-74
Pyth. Record: 92-70
Batting Average: .248 (17th)
Home Runs: 181 (7th)
Runs Scored: 741 (t-10th)

Top Hitters:
3B Eric Chavez - .257, 27 HR, 92 RBI, 10 SB, .817 OPS
SS Miguel Tejada - .277, 25 HR, 92 RBI, .819 OPS
LF Moises Alou - .248, 24 HR, 87 RBI, .751 OPS
DH Raul Ibanez - .257, 20 HR, 60 RBI, .811 OPS

Team ERA: 3.75 (4th)
Home Runs Allowed: 159 (6th)
Runs Allowed: 649 (2nd)

Top Pitchers:
SP Barry Zito - 19-7, 2.26 ERA, 239 K, 5 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Tim Hudson - 15-11, 4.05 ERA, 157 K 9 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Mark Mulder - 13-16, 3.57 ERA, 163 K, 9 CG, 4 shutouts
SP Ted Lilly - 8-13, 4.97 ERA, 163 K,
CL Keith Foulke - 6-4, 1.69 ERA, 45 saves

Review: They lack the great contact hitter that they've always featured, but they do have alot of good power hitters, and their trio of aces is fully healthy. More info will be in the post season preview.

Seattle
Record: 84-79
Pyth. Record: 80-83
Batting Average: .239 (20th)
Home Runs: 143 (21st)
Runs Scored: 648 (23rd)

Top Hitters:
3B Jeff Cirillo - .278, 6 HR, 53 RBI, .729 OPS
LF Brad Wilkerson - .267, 15 HR, 69 RBI, .822 OPS
RF Ichiro Suzuki - .262, 15 HR, 69 RBI, 28 SB,.708 OPS
DH Edgar Martinez - .251, 25 HR, 97 RBI, .797 OPS

Team ERA: 3.65 (2nd)
Home Runs Allowed: 179 (t-16th)
Runs Allowed: 662 (3rd)

Top Pitchers:
SP Joel Piniero - 16-11, 3.38 ERA, 166 K, 5 CG
SP Freddy Garica - 14-16, 3.31 ERA, 185 K, 11 CG, 5 shutouts
SP Jamie Moyer - 9-8. 3.29 ERA, 3 CG
SP Rafael Soriano - 7-13, 4.98 ERA, 113 K, 1 CG
CL Kazuhiro Sasaki - 8-4, 2.57 ERA, 28 saves

Review: Great pitching, no hitting basically says it all. They made a bad move releasing John Olerud, especially since Greg Colbrunn only hit .216 with 10 HRs, compared to Olerud's .280 average with 17 HRs. Mike Cameron also had an awful season, failing to crack the Mendoza line. Besides the pitchers above Gil Meche was impressive in that starting rotation, and Arthur Rhodes and Jeff Nelson were as good as anyone in setup duty.

Texas
Record: 85-78
Pyth. Record: 92-71
Batting Average: .259 (4th)
Home Runs: 261 (1st)
Runs Scored: 827 (3rd)

Top Hitters:
SS Alex Rodriguez - .313, 63 HR, 129 RBI, 1.109 OPS
1B Rafael Palmeiro - .292, 33 HR, 89 RBI, 1.016 OPS
CF Carl Everett - .281, 26 HR, 82 RBI, .859 OPS
DH Josh Phelps - .253, 29 HR, 81 RBI, .773 OPS

Team ERA: 4.10 (14th)
Home Runs Allowed: 169 (12th)
Runs Allowed: 726 (12th)

Top Pitchers:
SP A.J. Burnett - 20-7, 2.13 ERA, 204 K, 9 CG, 5 shutouts
SP Cha Ho Park - 6-8, 5.72 ERA, 100 K, 1 CG
SP Mark Redman - 17-13, 3.95 ERA, 155 K, 5 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Runelvys Hernandez - 10-8, 4.57 ERA, 1 CG
CL Ugueth Urbina - 3-4, 3.00 ERA, 35 saves

Review: I'm so dumb. I didn't even realize that Texas and Seattle played a 1 game playoff to see who would win the second wild card spot in the American League. Texas should have a good chance in the playoffs with a legit MVP in ARod, and the Cy Young front runner Burnett both healthy. Boston will be a tough matchup tho.

NL East is due up next...

General Mike

05-01-2003, 05:00 PM

NL East Preview

Atlanta
Record: 74-88
Pyth. Record: 69-93
Batting Average: .250 (12th)
Home Runs: 159 (15th)
Runs Scored: 712 (15th)

Top Hitters:
LF Chipper Jones - .269, 25 HR, 80 RBI, .834 OPS
CF Andruw Jones - .262, 33 HR, 113 RBI, .829 OPS
RF Gary Sheffield - .292, 23 HR, 82 RBI, 18 SB, .851 OPS
SS Rafael Furcal - .264, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 38 SB, .733 OPS

Team ERA: 4.63 (23rd).
Home Runs Allowed: 203 (23rd)
Runs Allowed: 831 (21st)

Top Pitchers:
SP Greg Maddux - 12-11, 4.90 ERA, 140 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Mike Hampton - 10-12, 4.29 ERA, 133 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Sidney Ponson - 10-14 5.56 ERA, 123 K, 6 CG, 1 shutout
SP Paul Byrd - 6-17, 4.86 ERA, 129 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
CL John Smoltz - 7-5, 2.63 ERA, 34 saves

Review: The Braves string of 11 straight playoff appearances is over. While their offense was not awful, their pitching was just off the map bad. I guess they really miss Kevin Millwood after his Sandy Koufax Award type season. With their decision to let Maddux and Ponson test the free agent market, you have to believe they're looking at signing one of the 2 big free agent SPs, Anaheim's Jarrod Washburn or Boston's Pedro Martinez.

Chicago (N)
Record: 79-83
Pyth. Record: 80-82
Batting Average: .256 (6th)
Home Runs: 198 (4th)
Runs Scored: 731 (13th)

Top Hitters:
RF Sammy Sosa - .255, 56, HR, 133 RBI, .902 OPS
2B Jose Vidro - .287, 27 HR, 81 RBI, .840 OPS
3B Mark Bellhorn - .249, 25 HR, 69 RBI, .789 OPS
CF Corey Patterson - .286, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 34 SB, .798 OPS

Team ERA: 4.05 (12th)
Home Runs Allowed: 163 (8th)
Runs Allowed: 736 (14th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Mark Prior - 11-5, 3.06 ERA, 148 K
SP Kerry Wood - 9-10, 4.15 ERA, 149 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Matt Clement - 11-15, 4.23 ERA, 155 K, 1 CG
SP Mike Sirotka - 10-8, 3.54 ERA, 98 K, 2 CG
CL Mike Remlinger - 3-6, 2.87 ERA, 18 saves
CL Joe Borowski - 4-3, 4.05 ERA, 14 saves

Review: The offense hit well, but just couldn't take advantage of their scoring opportunities. Trading LF Moises Alou for DH/1B Erubiel Durazo was a questionable move at the time of the trade, and one month later when Durazo's career was over it was a critical mistake for the Cubs to make. Bullpen depth is a problem, and the lack of a dominant closer hurts. Robb Nen and LaTroy Hawkins could be guys they bring in for depth.

Cincinnati
Record: 74-88
Pyth. Record: 75-87
Batting Average: .249 (15th)
Home Runs: 203 (3rd)
Runs Scored: 777 (6th)

Top Hitters:
2B Aaron Boone - .277, 45 HR, 119 RBI, 20 SB, .916 OPS
CF Ken Griffey Jr. - .303, 29 HR, 85 RBI, .922 OPS
1B Todd Helton - .300, 23 HR, 77 RBI, .936 OPS
LF Adam Dunn - .255, 20 HR, 76 RBI, .924 OPS

Team ERA: 4.59 (22nd)
Home Runs Allowed: 179 (16th)
Runs Allowed: 835 (23rd)

Top Pitchers:
SP Roy Halladay - 14-14, 3.27 ERA, 213 K, 6 CG
SP Ricardo Rodriguez - 9-12, 3.91 ERA, 137 K, 1 CG
SP Tony Armas Jr. - 12-12, 4.82 ERA, 131 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Danny Graves - 12-10, 4.56 ERA, 118 K, 1 CG
CL Scott Williamson - 2-2, 2.08 ERA, 35 saves

Review: It all comes down to pitching, and its something, even with Roy Halladay, that the Reds don't have. The offense is fine as it is. The Reds do have 2 big pitching prospects in AAA in Josh Karp and Ricardo Aramboles, so they should help out the cause in the near future.

Philadelphia
Record: 95-67
Pyth. Record: 101-61
Batting Average: .261 (3rd)
Home Runs173 (10th)
Runs Scored: 859 (2nd)

Top Hitters:
1B Jim Thome - .302, 52 HR, 133 RBI, 1.141 OPS
RF Bobby Abreu - .301, 31 HR, 107 RBI, 39 SB, .980 OPS
LF Pat Burrell - .242, 27 HR, 99 RBI, .806 OPS
2B Luis Castillo - .302, 0 HR, 40 RBI, 60 SB, .749 OPS

Team ERA: 3.76 (5th)
Home Runs Allowed: 154 (5th)
Runs Allowed: 665 (4th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Kevin Millwood - 21-8, 2.86 ERA, 83 K, 6 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Randy Wolf - 13-9, 3.40 ERA, 206 K, 4 CG, 1 shutout
SP Vicente Padilla - 10-6, 3.54 ERA, 75 K
SP Bret Myers - 12-6, 3.97 ERA, 110 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
CL Tim Spooneybarger - 9-8, 4.33 ERA, 27 saves

Review: The Phillies put together great hitting and good pitching, in winning their division for the 1st time since 1993. They will have to go into the playoffs without starting SS Jimmy Rollins but he should be available for the Championship Series if they get past the Cubs.

Pittsburgh
Record: 78-84
Pyth. Record: 75-87
Batting Average: .238 (21st)
Home Runs: 154 (t-18th)
Runs Scored: 671 (20th)

Top Hitters:
CF Rocco Baldelli - .266, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 33 SB, .738 OPS
3B Aramis Ramirez - .266, 42 HR, 133 RBI, .837 OPS
LF Brian Giles - .256, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 15 SB, .920 OPS
C Jason Kendall - .250, 9 HR, 50 RBI, 24 SB, .681 OPS

Team ERA: 4.00 (10th)
Home Runs Allowed: 173 (14th)
Runs Allowed: 725 (11th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Josh Beckett - 9-6, 2.76 ERA, 171 K
SP Kris Benson - 10-11, 3.78 ERA, 168 K
SP Josh Fogg - 6-10, 3.93 ERA, 73 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Denny Stark - 8-8, 3.98 ERA, 89 K, 2 CG
CL Mike Williams - 4-11, 4.19 ERA, 37 saves

Review: The NL may have another set of Killer Bs on their hands soon. Baldelli was one of the better rookies in the NL this year, Giles is as good as anybody not named Barry in LF, and Ramirez had the best season of any 3B in baseball. Sauerbeck had a good year in relief, but they could use another reliever or 2 for 2004.

NL West Preview on the horizon...

General Mike

05-01-2003, 08:19 PM

NL West Review

Arizona
Record: 80-82
Pyth. Record: 85-77
Batting Average: .270 (1st)
Home Runs: 157 (17th)
Runs Scored: 800 (4th)

Top Hitters:
LF Luis Gonzalez - .321, 31 HR, 117 RBI, 13 SB, .984 OPS
RF Danny Bautista - .308, 20 HR, 92 RBI, 16 SB, .865 OPS
C Pete LaForest - .274, 12 HR, 60 RBI, .806 OPS
2B Junior Spivey - .306, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 22 SB, .862 OPS

Team ERA: 4.28 (17th)
Home Runs Allowed: 168 (10th)
Runs Allowed: 763 (18th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Randy Johnson - 15-5, 3.20 ERA, 265 K
SP Curt Schilling - 8-15, 4.15 ERA, 281 K, 2 CG
SP Byung-Hyun Kim - 11-12, 4.10 ERA, 202 K
SP Wayne Franklin - 11-4, 3.52 ERA, 112 K
CL Matt Mantei - 6-8, 4.08 ERA, 34 saves

Review: They underachieved a little bit, and they lacked some of the big pitching that they expected from Schilling. They probably need to get another BIG starting pitcher for next year, with Johnson nearing the end of his great career.

Houston
Record: 90-72
Pyth. Record: 88-74
Batting Average: .254 (8th)
Home Runs: 178 (8th)
Runs Scored: 773 (7th)

Top Hitters:
LF Lance Berkman - .297, 40 HR, 125 RBI, 1.018 OPS
2B Jeff Kent - .282, 32 HR, 106 RBI, .858 OPS
1B Jeff Bagwell - .253, 23 HR, 71 RBI, .801 OPS
RF Larry Walker - .252, 17 HR, 67 RBI, .789 OPS

Team ERA: 4.04 (11th)
Home Runs Allowed: 176 (15th)
Runs Allowed: 710 (8th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Roy Oswalt - 17-6, 3.22 ERA, 221 K, 1 CG
SP Tomkazu Ohka - 18-7, 2.88 ERA, 153 K, 2 CG
SP Shawn Chacon - 14-5, 3.76 ERA, 113 K, 2 CG
SP Wade Miller - 10-11, 4.48 ERA, 131 K, 1 CG
CL Billy Wagner - 3-5, 3.71 ERA, 40 saves

Review: They didn't have great pitching or great hitting, but they knew how to get the job done. They definitely did a good job surviving various injuries to Bagwell, Wade Miller and Shawn Chacon, but they will definitely miss Oswalt and Bagwell in the division series.

Los Angeles
Record: 83-79
Pyth. Record: 82-80
Batting Average: .249 (16th)
Home Runs: 162 (12th)
Runs Scored: 683 (18th)

Top Hitters:
2B Joe Thurston - .325, 10 HR, 60 RBI, 34 SB, .790 OPS
3B Adrian Beltre - .272, 23 HR, 79 RBI, 15 SB, .791 OPS
RF Shawn Green - .259, 36 HR, 97 RBI, 16 SB, .937 OPS
1B Richie Sexson - .258, 24 HR, 71 RBI, .826 OPS

Team ERA: 3.75 (3rd)
Home Runs Allowed: 149 (3rd)
Runs Allowed: 671 (5th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Odalis Perez - 7-2, 1.91 ERA, 75 K, 3 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Hideo Nomo - 14-13, 3.81 ERA, 189 K, 3 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Kazuhisa Ishii - 10-11, 3.64 ERA, 186 K
SP Darren Dreifort - 7-14, 4.04 ERA, 128 K, 1 CG
CL Eric Gagne - 9-2, 1.86 ERA, 34 saves

Review: The Dodgers offense probably isn't as bad as the numbers make it look, but their pitching probably isn't as good as it looks either. Losing Odalis Perez early in the season was probably the biggest blow they could suffer, as he was pitching lights out before the injury.

San Diego
Record: 79-83
Pyth. Record: 79-83
Batting Average: .251 (10th)
Home Runs: 133 (22nd)
Runs Scored: 716 (14th)

Top Hitters:
1B Ryan Klesko - .301, 36 HR, 114 RBI, 12 SB, .986 OPS
CF Mark Kotsay - .284, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 16 SB, .763 OPS
LF Rondell White - .265, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 13 SB, .762 OPS
C Mike Barrett - .249, 14 HR, 67 RBI, .705 OPS

Team ERA: 4.25 (16th)
Home Runs Allowed: 168 (t-10th)
Runs Allowed: 730 (13th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Javier Vazquez - 12-11, 3.24 ERA, 194 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Jeremy Affeldt - 13-9, 3.66 ERA, 163 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Brian Lawrence - 12-6, 3.82 ERA, 95 K, 3 CG
SP Adam Eaton - 5-14, 5.58 ERA, 123 K
CL Armando Almanza - 2-9, 5.75 ERA, 24 saves
CL Trevor Hoffman - 4-1, 2.12 ERA, 8 saves

Review: San Diego was hurt badly by injury problems. They were without LF Phil Nevin for the entire season, CL Trevor Hoffman didnt come back until July 19th, and SP Brian Lawrence missed 7 weeks in June/July. With Nevin and Hoffman healthy for 2003, and some good young pitching ready to step up, they should be able to make a run for the playoffs next year.

San Francisco
Record: 87-75
Pyth. Record: 94-68
Batting Average: .232 (24th)
Home Runs: 171 (11th)
Runs Scored: 692 (17th)

Top Hitters:
LF Barry Bonds - .307, 36 HR, 91 RBI, 28 SB, 1.151 OPS
2B Ray Durham - .295, 17 HR, 74 RBI, 38 SB, .864 OPS
RF Jose Cruz Jr. - .223, 22 HR, 56 RBI, 36 SB, .742 OPS
CF Preston Wilson - .215, 25 HR, 92 RBI, 26 SB, .693 OPS

Team ERA: 3.28 (1st)
Home Runs Allowed: 109 (1st)
Runs Allowed: 590 (1st)

Top Pitchers:
SP Damian Moss - 17-10, 3.74 ERA, 109 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Jason Schmidt - 13-13, 3.66 ERA, 187 K, 1 CG
SP C.C Sabathia - 10-12, 3.83 ERA, 189 K, 1 CG
SP Kurt Ainsworth - 11-12, 3.56 ERA, 132 K, 2 CG, 1 shutout
CL Robb Nen - 6-3, 1.68 ERA, 36 saves

Review: Like the Dodgers, the Giants play in a top pitchers park, so their stats are misleading. Their offensive numbers were suppressed big time, and their pitching is not as good as it looks. They lack the legit ace the other 3 playoff teams have, but they do have the best closer of the bunch.

St. Louis
Record: 86-76
Pyth. Record: 75-87
Batting Average: .246 (18th)
Home Runs: 154 (18th)
Runs Scored: 699 (16th)

Top Hitters:
LF Albert Pujols - .315, 34 HR, 90 RBI, .944 OPS
CF Jim Edmonds - .284, 28 HR, 91 RBI, .935 OPS
3B Scott Rolen - .239, 24 HR, 79 RBI, .748 OPS
SS Edgar Renteria - .272, 7 HR, 47 RBI, 33 SB, .709 OPS

Team ERA: 4.10 (15th)
Home Runs Allowed: 179 (t-16th)
Runs Allowed: 752 (16th)

Top Pitchers:
SP Matt Morris - 14-15, 3.56 ERA, 196 K, 3 CG, 1 shutout
SP Woody Williams - 13-8, 2.95 ERA, 118 K, 1 CG
SP Brad Penny - 12-11, 4.26 ERA, 143 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Jason Simontacchi - 10-10, 3.90 ERA, 78 K, 2 CG
CL Jason Isringhausen - 4-4, 2.13 ERA, 38 saves

Review: The Cardinals didn't have great pitching, or great hitting, they didn't even have great fielding, but they had one thing. A bus load of heart. They overachieved their way to 85 wins, and that just has to be applauded.

Mets Season Review is next

General Mike

05-01-2003, 11:23 PM

Mets 2003 Preview

The Mets season was very up and down. They started off hot, but gradually slipped farther and farther out of the playoff picture as the season went along.

Here are the month by month results:

April: 17-11
May: 15-14
June: 11-16
July: 9-15
August: 10-18
September: 10-16

The Lineup
C Mike Piazza - .268, 29 HR, 95 RBI, .801 OPS
1B Derrek Lee - .254, 18 HR, 62 RBI, 10 SB, .791 OPS
2B Roberto Alomar - .271, 12 HR, 61 RBI, 31 SB, .758 OPS
3B Mike Lowell - .272, 18 HR, 76 RBI, .780 OPS
SS Rey Sanchez - .250, 1 HR, 32 SB, .606 OPS
LF Cliff Floyd - .280, 18 HR, 81 RBI, 19 SB, .844 OPS
CF Timo Perez - .293, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 20 SB, .754 OPS
RF Jeremy Burnitz - .227, 17 HR, 47 RBI, .704 OPS

The Bench
C Vance Wilson - .222, 5 HR, 15 RBI, .663 OPS
1B Mo Vaughn - .282, 11 HR, 41 RBI, .801 OPS
3B Ty Wiggington - .241, 3 HR, 28 RBI, .679 OPS
3B Jay Bell - .232, 2 HR, 17 RBI, .602 OPS
CF Roger Cedeno - .217, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 23 SB, .604 OPS
CF Gary Matthews - .257, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 19 SB, .854 OPS

Pitching Rotation
SP Tom Glavine - 16-13, 3.20 ERA, 139 K, 3 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Al Leiter - 10-15, 5.27 ERA, 164 K, 1 CG
SP Pedro Astacio - 9-11, 3.91 ERA, 122 K,
SP Steve Trachsel - 4-12, 3.99 ERA, 89 K, 1 CG, 1 shutout
SP Denny Neagle - 10-8, 4.66 ERA, 89 K, 1 CG

Bullpen
CL Armando Benitez - 7-8, 3.16 ERA, 30 saves
RP Scott Strickland - 2-3, 2.41 ERA, 1 save
RP Mike Stanton - 0-2, 3.27 ERA, 2 saves
RP Dave Weathers - 2-5, 2.81 ERA, 3 saves
RP Graeme Lloyd - 4-1, 4.70 ERA, 0 saves
RP Grant Roberts - 2-2, 3.38 ERA, 2 saves

Financial Breakdown

Category This Year Last Year
Fan Interest 55 / 100
Attendance 2,893,379 2,804,838
Attendance / Game 35,721 34,628
Attendance Revenue $28,933,790 $28,048,380
Revenue / Game $357,207 $346,276

Broadcating Revenue $50,000,000 $26,500,000
Merchandising Revenue $7,983,074 $7,954,939
Play-Offs Revenue $0 $0

Payroll $87,853,460
Total Revenue $86,916,864 $62,503,319
Total Player Expenses $88,492,066 $49,072,950
Total $-1,575,202 $13,430,369

Cash $5,000,000
Ticket Price $10

$$ left for Extensions $29,064,152
$$ left for Free Agents $3,149,859

Offseason Decisions

I've already made most of my roster decisions for the beginning of the 2004 season. The following players are definitely coming back:
C Mike Piazza
C Vance Wilson
1B Mo Vaughn
1B Derrek Lee
3B Mike Lowell
3B Ty Wiggington
LF Cliff Floyd
CF Timo Perez
CF Roger Cedeno
CF Gary Matthews

That means 10 of 14 active roster position player spots are filled.
I have 3 spots in the starting lineup that are available to be filled, Second Base, Shortstop and one of the OF spots, probably RF, but maybe CF. I plan to bring up SS Jose Reyes and OF Josh Hamilton and let them play everyday. Here are their stats from AAA.

Jose Reyes - .321, 60 2B, 14 3B, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 41 SB, .856 OPS
Josh Hamilton - .305, 43 2B, 21 HR, 99 RBI, 32 SB, .899 OPS

I still need a 2B and 2 more utility IFers. I can move Wiggington to 2nd, and then fill the 2 backup spots with 2 free agents.

In the pitching rotation, I'm going to have one starting spot open for Aaron Heilman, and he'll get the spot, possibly being named the 3rd starter after spring training. Here are his AAA stats.

Aaron Heilman - 15-4, 2.07 ERA, 180 K, 3 CG

One bullpen spot is also open, and thats probably going to go to Jaime Cerda.

And now, the players who won't be on the team next year:

1B Tony Clark
2B Roberto Alomar
SS Rey Sanchez
3B Jay Bell
CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo
CF Marquis Grissom
RF Jeromy Burnitz
2B Joe McEwing
3B Russ Johnson
SP David Cone
SP Roger Clemens
RP Graeme Lloyd

General Mike

05-02-2003, 12:50 PM

American League Division Series Preview

We're gonna start the festivities off by taking a look at the battle between the two top offensive teams in The American League, the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers

I should probably start by going over the results of their inseason match ups. The 2 teams played 10 games this season, and split the season series between them.

The Lineups (vR/vL)

Texas
1) CF Endy Chavez/ CF Endy Chavez
2) DH Carl Everett/ 3B Mark Teixeira
3) SS Alex Rodriguez/ 1B Josh Phelps
4) 1B Josh Phelps/ SS Alex Rodriguez
5) 3B Mark Teixeira/ RF Kevin Mench
6) RF Kevin Mench/ LF Jason Hart
7) LF Jason Hart/ DH Karim Garcia
8) 2B Jermaine Clark/ C Todd Greene
9) C Ramon Castro/ 2B Mike Young

Boston
1) CF Johnny Damon/ CF Johnny Damon
2) DH Brad Fullmer/ 1B John Olerud
3) 1B John Olerud/ LF Manny Ramirez
4) LF Manny Ramirez/ C Doug Mirabelli
5) RF Trot Nixon/ SS Nomar Garciaparra
6) SS Nomar Garciaparra/ 3B Cesar Crespo
7) 2B Todd Walker/ 2B Angel Santos
8) C Jason Varitek/ RF Trot Nixon
9) 3B Cesar Crespo/ DH Brad Fullmer

Pitching Staffs

Texas
1) A.J. Burnett
2) Chan Ho Park
3) Mark Redman
4) Colby Lewis
5) John Thomson
Closer: Ugueth Urbina
Setup: Jeff Zimmerman/ Rudy Seanez
Middle Relief: Francisco Cordero/ Esteban Yan/ Ron Mahay
Mopup: Ron Mahay

Boston
1) Pedro Martinez
2) Derek Lowe
3) Casey Fossum
4) Tim Wakefield
5) Chris Elmore
Closer: Jose Jiminez
Setup: Jayson Durocher/ Ramiro Mendoza
Middle Relief: Chad Fox/ Curt Leskanic/ Justin Kaye
Spot: Justin Kaye

Key Injuries
Texas suffered some serious injuries throughout the season, but the Red Sox completely healthy for the playoffs.

Texas
SP Runelvys Hernandez - 4 weeks, Back Spasms, DTD. On the disabled list, but eligible to return.
3B Hank Blalock - 6 days, Torn Abdominal Muscle. On the DL but eligible to return.

The Matchups

I've decided to break down the series in a very straight forward position comparison manner.

Catcher - Castro/ Greene vs Varitek/Mirabelli
Edge: Boston

First Base - Josh Phelps vs John Olerud
Edge: Boston

Second Base - Clark/ Young vs Walker/ Santos
Edge: Boston

Third Base - Mark Teixeira vs Cesar Crespo
Edge: Texas

Shortstop - Alex Rodriguez vs Nomar Garciaparra
Edge: Texas

Leftfield - Jason Hart vs Manny Ramirez
Edge: Boston

Centerfield: Endy Chavez vs Johnny Damon
Edge: Even

Rightfield: Kevin Mench vs Trot Nixon
Edge: Boston

DH: Everett/ Garcia vs Brad Fullmer
Edge: Texas

Starting Pitching: Burnett, Park, Redman, Lewis vs Martinez, Lowe, Fossum and Wakefield
Edge: Boston

Relief Pitching: Everybody but the closers
Edge: Boston

Closer: Ugueth Urbina vs Jose Jiminez
Edge: Texas

Prediction

I think Texas has a chance in a short series, because they can win anytime A.J. Burnett is on the mound. The only problem is he has to go up against Pedro. Boston's lineup is too deep to lose this best of 5 series.

Boston in 4.

General Mike

05-02-2003, 11:15 PM

American League Division Series Preview

The 2nd ALDS, between the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees is on paper a much more balanced series. The Yankees have better hitting, where Oakland has more pitching depth. They played 10 times and the Yankees won the season series 6-4.

The Lineups (vR/vL)

New York
1) 2B Alfonso Soriano/ CF Bernie Williams
2) SS Derek Jeter/ 1B Jason Giambi
3) DH Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter
4) LF Hideki Matsui/ 2B Alfonso Soriano
5) CF Bernie Williams/ C Jorge Posada
6) 1B Nick Johnson/ RF Juan Rivera
7) 3B Robin Ventura/ DH Andy Phillips
8) C Jorge Posada/ LF Hideki Matsui
9) RF Juan Rivera/ 3B Robin Ventura

Oakland
1) 2B Mark Ellis/ DH Esteban German
2) 1B Scott Hatteberg/ C Mitch Meluskey
3) 3B Eric Chavez/ LF Moises Alou
4) RF Jermaine Dye/ SS Miguel Tejada
5) SS Miguel Tejada/ RF Jermaine Dye
6) DH Raul Ibanez/ 3B Eric Chavez
7) LF Moises Alou/ 2B Mark Ellis
8) C Mitch Meluskey/ 1B Chris Richard
9) CF Chris Singleton/ CF Chris Singleton

Pitching Staffs

New York
1) Jeff Weaver
2) Andy Pettite
3) Mike Mussina
4) Scott Elarton
5) Mark Phillips
Closer: Mariano Rivera
Setup: Braden Looper/ Steve Karsay
Middle Relief: Jose Contreras/ Antonio Osuna/ Dave Maurer
Mopup: Dave Maurer

Oakland
1) Barry Zito
2) Tim Hudson
3) Mark Mulder
4) Ted Lilly
5) Rich Harden
Closer: Keith Foulke
Setup: Joe Valentine/ Ricardo Rincon
Middle Relief: Chad Bradford/ Micah Bowie/ Roy Smith
Mopup: Roy Smith

Key Injuries

New York
RP Juan Acevedo - 4 weeks, Torn Tricep Muscle

The Matchups

Catcher: Jorge Posada vs Mitch Meluskey
Edge: New York

First Base: Johnson/ Giambi vs Hatteberg/ Richard
Edge: New York

Second Base: Alfonso Soriano vs Mark Ellis
Edge: New York

Third Base: Robin Ventura vs Eric Chavez
Edge: Oakland

Shortstop: Derek Jeter vs Miguel Tejada
Edge: Even

Leftfield: Hideki Matsui vs Moises Alou
Edge: Even

Centerfield: Bernie Williams vs Chris Singleton
Edge: New York

Rightfield: Juan Rivera vs Jermaine Dye
Edge: Oakland

DH: Giambi/Phillips vs Ibanez/ German
Edge: New York

Starting Pitching: Weaver/ Pettite/ Mussina/ Elarton vs Zito/ Hudson/ Mulder/ Lilly
Edge: Oakland

Relief Pitching:
Edge: Oakland

Closer: Mariano Rivera vs Keith Foulke
Edge: New York

Prediction

I really think this matchup is going to be determined by how each manager decides to manage their starting rotations. If they use 3 starters, the starting pitching is so much closer then if Elarton has to go up against Ted Lilly in game 4. The bullpens are pretty evenly matched as the top 2 closers in the AL face off. The Yankees lineup gives them a slight advantage, but Oakland knows how to manufacture runs.

Prediction: Oakland in 5

General Mike

05-03-2003, 12:19 AM

National League Division Series Preview

This is the 1st, and only division series that is a real mismatch. The Philadelphia Phillies were the most dominant team in the National League. The Chicago Cubs were a team who was below .500 that was in the right place at the right time and snuck in the playoffs. In the regular season, Philadelphia won 15 of their 18 matchups.

The Lineups (vR/vL)

Chicago
1) CF Corey Patterson/ CF Jackson Melian
2) LF Luke Allen/ 2B Jose Vidro
3) 2B Jose Vidro/ RF Sammy Sosa
4) RF Sammy Sosa/ 3B Mark Bellhorn
5) 1B Hee seop Choi/ SS Jose Hernandez
6) SS Angel Berroa/ 1B Hee seop Choi
7) 3B Mark Bellhorn/ C Damian Miller
8) C Damian Miller/ LF Luke Allen
9) Pitcher's spot

Philadelphia
1) 2B Luis Castillo/ 2B Luis Castillo
2) 3B Tyler Houston/ CF Marlon Byrd
3) RF Bobby Abreu/ C Mike Leiberthal
4) 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell
5) LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome
6) CF Marlon Byrd/ RF Bobby Abreu
7) C Mike Leiberthal/ 3B Travis Chapman
8) SS Anderson Machado/ SS Anderson Machado
9) Pitcher's spot

Pitching Staffs

Chicago
1) Mark Prior
2) Kerry Wood
3) Matt Clement
4) Mike Sirotka
5) Matt Bruback
Spot: Shawn Estes
Closer: Joe Borowski
Setup: Mike DeJean/ Mark Guthrie
Middle Relief: Blaine Neal/ Shawn Estes/ Mike Remlinger
Mopup: Mike Remlinger

Philadelphia
1) Randy Wolf
2) Kevin Millwood
3) Brett Myers
4) Brandon Duckworth
5) Vicente Padilla
Closer: Tim Spooneybarger
Setup: Hector Mercado/ Joey Eischen
Middle Relief: Bobby Howry/ Dave Coggin/ Turk Wendell
Mopup: Turk Wendell

Key Injuries

Philadelphia
RP Jose Mesa - 6 days - Ruptured Elbow Ligament
SS Jimmy Rollins - 1 week - Torn Groin Muscle

Matchups

Catcher - Damian Miller vs Mike Leiberthal
Edge: Philadelphia

First Base - Hee seop Choi vs Jim Thome
Edge: Philadelphia

Second Base - Jose Vidro vs Luis Castillo
Edge: Chicago

Third Base: Mark Bellhorn vs Houston/ Chapman
Edge: Chicago

Shortstop - Berroa/ Hernandez vs Anderson Machado
Edge: Chicago

Leftfield - Luke Allen vs Pat Burrell
Edge: Philadelphia

Centerfield - Patterson/ Melian vs Marlon Byrd
Edge: Philadelphia

Rightfield - Sammy Sosa vs Bobby Abreu
Edge: Chicago

Starting Pitching - Prior, Wood, Clement, Sirotka vs Wolf, Millwood, Myers, Duckworth
Edge: Even

Relief Pitching
Edge: Even

Closer - Joe Borowski vs Tim Spooneybarger
Edge: Philadelphia

Prediction

The teams are surprisingly even, in spite of their drastic differences in total victories. I have to lean toward Philadelphia, but I think this series is going to be really close. Neither team has a good bullpen, but they both have the ability to score runs. It's all going to come down to which teams bullpen can hold their leads late.

Prediction: Philadelphia in 4.

General Mike

05-03-2003, 01:31 AM

National League Division Series Preview

Our final division series matches the Barry Bonds led San Francisco Giants against their division rivals the Houston Astros. Houston won the season series, winning 10 out of 18 games.

The Lineups (vR/vL)

San Francisco
1) RF Jose Cruz Jr./ RF Jose Cruz Jr.
2) 3B Edgardo Alfonzo/ 3B Edgardo Alfonzo
3) LF Barry Bonds/ LF Barry Bonds
4) 1B Travis Hafner/ CF Preston Wilson
5) 2B Ray Durham/ 1B Travis Hafner
6) CF Preston Wilson/ C Yorvit Torrealba
7) SS Rich Aurilia/ SS Rich Aurilia
8) C Yorvit Torrealba/ 2B Ray Durham
9) Pitchers spot

Houston
1) CF Brian Hunter/ CF Juan Pierre
2) 3B Geoff Blum/ 1B Royce Huffman
3) LF Lance Berkman/ 2B Jeff Kent
4) 2B Jeff Kent/ RF Larry Walker
5) RF Larry Walker/ C Brad Ausmus
6) C J.D. Closser/ LF Lance Berkman
7) SS Julio Lugo/ 3B Morgan Ensberg
8) 1B Royce Huffman/ SS Tommy Whiteman
9) Pitchers spot

Pitching Staffs

San Francisco
1) Damian Moss
2) Jason Schmidt
3) C.C. Sabathia
4) Jerome Williams
5) Scott Eyre
Closer: Robb Nen
Setup: Luis Vizcaino/ Felix Rodriguez
Middle Relief: Tim Worrell/ Jay Witasick/ Chad Zerbe
Mopup: Chd Zerbe

Houston
1) Tomokazu Ohka
2) Wade Miller
3) Shawn Chacon
4) Tim Redding
5) Jeriome Robertson
Closer: Billy Wagner
Setup: Brandon Puffer/ Octavio Dotel
Middle Relief: Bruce Chen/ Scott Linebrink/ Brad Lidge
Mopup: Brad Lidge

Key Injuries

Houston
SP Carlos Hernandez - Season ending injury
SP Roy Oswalt - Herniated Disc Back - one week
RP Ricky Stone - Ruptured Elbow Ligament - 3 weeks
1B Jeff Bagwell - Hyperextended Knee - 6 days

The Matchups

Catcher - Yorvit Torrealba vs Closser/ Ausmus
Edge: Houston

First Base - Travis Hafner vs Royce Huffman
Edge: San Francisco

Second Base - Ray Durham vs Jeff Kent
Edge: Houston

Third Base - Edgardo Alfonso vs Blum/Ensberg
Edge: San Francisco

Shortstop - Rich Aurilia vs Lugo/ Whiteman
Edge: San Francisco

Leftfield - Barry Bonds vs Lance Berkman
Edge: San Francisco

Centerfield - Preston Wilson vs Hunter/ Pierre
Edge: San Francisco

Rightfield - Jose Cruz Jr. vs Larry Walker
Edge: Houston

Starting Pitching - Moss, Schmidt, Sabathia, Williams vs Ohka, Miller, Chacon, Redding
Edge: San Francisco

Relief Pitching
Edge: San Francisco

Closer - Robb Nen vs Billy Wagner
Edge: San Francisco

The Prediction

Houston has too many injuries to overcome. If they had Oswalt and Bagwell playing, they'd have as good a chance as anyone at beating the Giants, but without them, their pitching loses that dominant ace that all playoff teams need, and they lose one of their 3 best hitters. Someone will have to stepup if Houston wants to win.

Prediction: San Francisco in 3

General Mike

05-03-2003, 02:06 PM

Division Series' Game 1s

Texas @ Boston
Our first playoff series takes us to historic Fenway Park, where both teams went to their #1 starters, A.J. Burnett and Pedro Martinez, respectively. Burnett had one of his worst starts of the season, going 4.2 innings and allowing 6 ER. The big blow of the game came in the bottom of the 5th inning with 2 outs and the bases loaded, when Nomar cleared the bases with a double. Texas was able to scratch out 3 runs in the top of the 8th off Pedro, but then Curtis Leskanic came in to get 1 out, and Jose Jiminez retired the final 4 batters for the save.
Score: 6-3 Boston
WP: Pedro Martinez
LP: A.J. Burnett
S: Jose Jiminez
Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

Oakland @ NY Yankees
For the 3rd time in 4 years the Yankees and Athletics face off in the ALDS. The starting pitchers for game 1 were Jeff Weaver and Barry Zito. Zito only pitched 5.2 innings for the A's but it was enough to pick up a win, as he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits in his time on the mind. Jeff Weaver wasn't so lucky as he allowed 7 runs, 5 earned, in 6.2 innings of work. Moises Alou was the offensive star of the game, going 3 for 4 with 1 2B, 1 HR and 4 RBI. Zito's win was his 17th consecutive victory this season.
Score: 8-4 Oakland
WP: Barry Zito
LP: Jeff Weaver
Player of the Game: Moises Alou

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia
Pitching was the name of the game for the Chicago Cubs, as Mark Prior pitched 6 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 8. Randy Wolf pitched well, but not well enough, for the Phillies today. His line, 7.2 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 ER, 10 K. Blaine Neal and Mark Guthrie pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief the seal the game, and Jose Vidro provided all the offense the Cubs needed, driving in 2 runs with a 1st inning HR.
Score: 4-0 Chicago
WP: Mark Prior
LP: Randy Wolf
Player of the Game: Mark Prior

San Francisco @ Houston
Damian Moss and Tomo Ohka were the starters for this game, but it came came down to the bullpens when all was said and done. Houston held a 4-3 lead going into the top of the 9th, so they decided to go to Billy Wagner to close the game out for them. Barry Bonds had different ideas tho, as he led off the 9th inning with a game tying HR. Brandon Puffer took the loss for the Astros, giving up a bases clearing double to Rich Aurilia in the top of the 11th, to give the Giants a 7-4 lead. Houston almost rallied in the bottom of the 11th, loading the bases with 2 outs, but they couldn't get any more runs on the board, as Felix Rodriguez picked up the win
Score: 7-4
WP: Felix Rodriguez
LP: Brandon Puffer
Player of the Game: Rich Aurilia

General Mike

05-03-2003, 04:35 PM

Division Series Game 2s

Texas @ Boston
33949 Red Sox Fans jam packed Fenway Park to see Derek Lowe take on Chan Ho Park. Neither pitcher had their best stuff today, but neither was shelled out of the building either. Park pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 runs, only 2 earned. Lowe pitched 7.2 innings, giving up 10 hits and 4 runs, all earned. Texas put itself in a position to win the game, leading 4-2 after 3, and being tied 4-4 after 6, but it all fell apart in the bottom of the 7th. Boston scored 4 runs off of Ron Mahay and Francisco Cordero, highlighted by a Manny Ramirez 2 run HR, which gave the Sox a 6-4 lead. Justin Kaye pitched 1.1 innings for the save.
Score: 8-4 Boston
WP: Derek Lowe
LP: Ron Mahay
S: Justin Kaye
Player of the Game: DH Brad Fullmer (2 for 4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs)

Oakland @ NY Yankees
Game 2 of this series saw two of the best #2 starters in baseball face off, as Andy Pettite battled Tim Hudson in a pitcher's duel. Hudson pitched 9 innings, giving up 2 runs off of 7 hits and 3 walks, while Pettite was just as impressive, pitching 8.2 innings, giving up 2 runs off of 5 hits and 2 walks. Oakland struck first, scoring in the 1st with a Moises Alou solo HR. The Yankees struck back in the 4th inning when Jorge Posada drove in Nick Johnson with a groundout. Eric Chavez and Hideki Matsui traded HRs in the 7th/8th innings and that was the end of scoring until the 11th inning. With Keith Foulke on the mound, and 1 out, 3B Andy Phillips hit a solo HR to give the Yankees the victory and tie up this series at 1-1 as we get ready to head back to Oakland.
Score: 3-2 New York
WP: Mariano Rivera
LP: Keith Foulke
Player of the Game: Andy Pettite

Chicago Cubs @ Philadelphia
This was another pitcher's duel, between Kerry Wood and Kevin Millwood. Wood pitched 6.2 innings, allowing 1 run. Kevin Millwood's pitched 8 innings, allowing only 1 unearned run. Jim Thome and Marlon Byrd drove in Phillies 2 runs. Tim Spooneybarger picked up the win, Mike DeJean took the loss.
Score: 2-1 Philadelphia
WP: Tim Spooneybarger
LP: Mike DeJean
Player of the Game: Kevin Millwood

San Francisco @ Houston
A back and forth high scoring contest was what the fans go to see in game 2 of this series. Wade Miller faced off with Jason Schmidt in this contest, and neither pitcher was great. Miller only lasted 3.1 innings, allowing 6 runs, 5 earned. Schmidt was better gong 7 innings, allowing 5 runs, all earned. Brad Lidge was good in relief for the Astros, pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball, and then turned it over to Brandon Puffer, who gave up 2 runs in his 1.1 innings of work. The Giants bullpen fell apart in the 8th inning, blowing a 8-5 lead. Tim Worrell and Felix Rodriguez combined to give up 4 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks in .2 innings. Geoff Blum provided a 3 run double in the bottom of the 8th to give the Astros the lead. Bruce Chen picked up the win, and Billy Wagner pitched a perfect 9th for the save.
Score: 9-8 Houston
WP: Bruce Chen
LP: Tim Worrell
S: Billy Wagner
Player of the Game: Geoff Blum

General Mike

05-04-2003, 01:36 PM

Division Series Game 3s

Boston @ Texas
In our first game at the Ballpark at Arlington, both team went with lefty starters, Casey Fossum for the Red Sox, and the Rangers' Mark Redman. Boston looked to be close to finishing off the Red Sox, leading 2-0 after 6, and 3-2 after 7 and a half, but then the tde turned. Rookie Mark Teixeira got the rally started with a 1 out, solo HR that tied the game. Josh Phelps followed with a double, ARod was intentionally walked, and then RF Kevin Mench homered to give the Rangers the 6-3 win. Uggy Urbina came in to pitch a perfect 9th for the save. Manny Ramirez provided all of the Red Sox offense, driving in 3 runs, with 2 2Bs and a HR.
Score: 6-3 Texas
WP: Mark Redman
LP: Casey Fossum
S: Ugueth Urbina
Player of the Game: Manny Ramirez

New York @ Oakland
Game 3 of this series was never in question. Oakland's Mark Mulder was ineffective, only lasting 4 innings, but not before giving up 7 runs, 5 earned. Mike Mussina didn't have his best stuff today either but the Yankees had a 10-2 lead, before he gave up 4 runs in the top of the 5th inning. Jose Contreras pitched 3.2 innings of no hit baseball but wasn't given a save. Very strange. Juan Rivera contributed 2 RBI, Andy Phillips hit a 3 run HR, and Jorge Posada was 4-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada both hit HRs for the As.
Score: 10-6 New York
WP: Mike Mussina
LP: Mark Mulder
Player of the Game: Jorge Posada

Philadelphia @ Chicago
Game 3 of this series was another low scoring game as Brett Myers pitched a complete game, 4-hit shutout. Matt Clement pitched well for the Cubs, only giving up 1 earned run in 7.1 innings, but errors by Luke Allen and Mark Bellhorn in the 8th inning allowed 2 runs to score. Jim Thome had the lone Phillies RBI, driving in Luis Castillo with a 6th inning 2B.
Score: 3-0 Philly
WP: Brett Myers
LP: Matt Clement
Player of the Game: Brett Myers

Houston @ San Francisco
With the final division series moving back to San Francisco, both teams knew runs would be at a premium, and they were. Shawn Chacon pitched well for the Astros, giving up only 3 ER, but it wasn't good enough. C.C. Sabathia pitched 7.1 innings of 1 run ball, before turning over the game to Luis Vizcaino and Robb Nen. Rich Aurilia, Barry Bonds and Ray Durham all picked up RBI for the Giants.
Score: 3-1 San Francisco
WP: C.C. Sabathia
LP: Shawn Chacon
S: Robb Nen
Player of the Game: C.C. Sabathia

General Mike

05-04-2003, 03:23 PM

Game 4

Boston @ Texas
Both teams decided to go back to their #1 starters, and it worked out well for the Texas Rangers. Staff ace A.J Burnett pitched 8 innings, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned while striking out 7. Pedro Martinez just never got on track, falling behind 2-0 after 2. Boston did pick up runs in th 3rd and 6th innings, but it wasn't enough as Texas forced a 5th game.
Score: 4-2 Texas
WP: A.J. Burnett
LP: Pedro Martinez
S: Ugueth Urbina
Player of the Game: A.J. Burnett

New York @ Oakland
For the 2nd straight game, one of Oakland's big 3, didn't have their best stuff and it showed. Barry Zito only lasted 3.2 innings, allowing 7 runs in that time. Juan Rivera provided all the offense the Yankees needed, scoring 2 runs and driving in 3 with a 1st inning Homer. Jeff Weaver pitched 7.2 quality innings, allowing 3 runs in his outing. The Yankees will move on to the ALCS.
Score: 12-3 Yankees
WP: Jeff Weaver
LP: Barry Zito
Player of the Game: Juan Rivera

Philadelphia @ Chicago
Game 4 was a tale of two pitchers. In a rematch of game 1 starters, this time Randy Wolf was the dominant pitcher, pitching the CG, allowing 1 run, while striking out 11. Mark Prior only allowed 2 hits in 5 innings, but he also allowed 5 runs, thanks to the 4 free passes he gave out. Marlon Bryd, Mike Leiberthal and Pat Burrell all provided HRs for the Phillies. The Cubs have to go home and think about 2004 now.
Score: 6-1
WP: Randy Wolf
LP: Mark Prior
Player of the Game: Randy Wolf

Houston @ San Francisco
San Francisco will advance to the NLCS after a fine pitching performance from Damian Moss. Moss pitched 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits and 1 unearned run. His Astro counterpart, Tomo Ohka was not as succesful, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 4 runs during that time. Any chance of the Astros coming back was stopped by Brad Lidge allowing 3 more Giant runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. Edgardo Alfonso, Travis Hafner and Yorvit Torrealba all had 2 RBI for SF. San Francisco advances to the NLCS to play the Phillies.
Score: 7-2
WP: Damian Moss
LP: Tomo Ohka
Player of the Game: Damian Moss

JeeberD

05-04-2003, 03:25 PM

Swept. Ugh... :(

General Mike

05-04-2003, 03:44 PM

Game 5

Texas @ Boston

A Tale of Two Pitchers. Chan Ho Park. Derek Lowe. Both pitchers got through the first 2 innings with no problems, but then things changed. The 3rd inning saw Texas get on the board first thanks to a Carl Everett sac fly, but the Red Sox struck back right away.
John Olerud hit a 2 out double, followed by a Manny Ramirez walk, followed by a Trot Nixon single to tie the game. Nomar followed with another RBI single, and then Todd Walker did what his name says, to load the bases. Jason Varitek followed with a single to score 2 runs, and end the scoring for the day. Derek Lowe proceeded to pitch until the 9th inning, before turning over the game to Jose Jimenez to get the final 2 outs.
Score: 4-1 Boston
WP: Derek Lowe
LP: Chan Ho Park
S: Jose Jimenez
Player of the Game: Derek Lowe

General Mike

05-04-2003, 03:46 PM

Originally posted by JeeberD
Swept. Ugh... :(

They won 1 game, and they probably would have won the series if Bagwell and Oswalt would have been available.

General Mike

05-04-2003, 04:25 PM

American League Championship Series Preview
Two long time rivals face off, as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox face off for the rights to go to the World Series. The teams have already played 18 times this season, with the Red Sox taking 11 of those contests, including the last 6.

The Lineups (vR/vL)

New York
1) 2B Alfonso Soriano/ CF Bernie Williams
2) SS Derek Jeter/ 1B Jason Giambi
3) DH Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter
4) LF Hideki Matsui/ 2B Alfonso Soriano
5) CF Bernie Williams/ C Jorge Posada
6) 1B Nick Johnson/ RF Juan Rivera
7) 3B Robin Ventura/ DH Andy Phillips
8) C Jorge Posada/ LF Hideki Matsui
9) RF Juan Rivera/ 3B Robin Ventura

Boston
1) CF Johnny Damon/ CF Johnny Damon
2) DH Brad Fullmer/ 1B John Olerud
3) 1B John Olerud/ LF Manny Ramirez
4) LF Manny Ramirez/ C Doug Mirabelli
5) RF Trot Nixon/ SS Nomar Garciaparra
6) SS Nomar Garciaparra/ 3B Cesar Crespo
7) 2B Todd Walker/ 2B Angel Santos
8) C Jason Varitek/ RF Trot Nixon
9) 3B Cesar Crespo/ DH Brad Fullmer

Pitching Staffs

New York
1) Jeff Weaver
2) Andy Pettite
3) Mike Mussina
4) Scott Elarton
5) Mark Phillips
Closer: Mariano Rivera
Setup: Braden Looper/ Steve Karsay
Middle Relief: Jose Contreras/ Antonio Osuna/ Dave Maurer
Mopup: Dave Maurer

Boston
1) Pedro Martinez
2) Derek Lowe
3) Casey Fossum
4) Tim Wakefield
5) Chris Elmore
Sot: Claudio Vargas
Closer: Jose Jiminez
Setup: Jayson Durocher/ Ramiro Mendoza
Middle Relief: Claudio Vargas/ Chad Fox/ Curt Leskanic
Mopup: Curt Leskanic

Key Injuries
Neither team is missing any key players, but Juan Acevedo is still on the DL for another 3 weeks.

Matchups

Catcher - Jorge Posada vs Varitek/ Mirabelli
Edge: New York

1st Base - Jason Giambi vs John Olerud
Edge: New York

2nd Base - Alfonso Soriano vs Walker/ Santos
Edge: New York

Third Base - Robin Ventura vs Cesar Crespo
Edge: Even

Shortstop - Derek Jeter vs Nomar Garciaparra
Edge: Boston

Leftfield - Hideki Matsui vs Manny Ramirez
Edge: Boston

Centerfield - Bernie Williams vs Johnny Damon
Edge: New York

Rightfield - Juan Rivera vs Trot Nixon
Edge: Boston

DH - Johnson/Phillips vs Brad Fullmer
Edge: Boston

Starting Pitching - Weaver, Pettite, Mussina, Elarton vs Martinez, Lowe, Fossum, Wakefield
Edge: Even

Relief Pitching
Edge: Even

Closer - Mariano Rivera vs Jose Jimenez
Edge: New York

Prediction

Two very evenly matched teams. Both teams have a dominant hitter, both teams have an All Star SS, and both teams have three top Starting pitchers. Their bullpens are pretty balanced, even tho i think the Yankees have better setup guys. I'm not sure how the starting rotations are going to matchup, but if the Red Sox have to pitch Casey Fossum game 1 instead of Lowe or Martinez, it hurts their chances.

Prediction: New York in 7.

General Mike

05-04-2003, 05:13 PM

National League Championship Series

What more needs to be said then they NL's best offense, against the best pitching staff (stats wise) in the league. The San Francisco Giants showed they have alot more then just pitching against Houston. The Philadelphia Phillies have 2 of the top starters in the National League, and 2 guys who might be better then anyone San Francisco has.
Season Series: San Francisco won 7 of 10.

Lineups

San Francisco
1) RF Jose Cruz Jr./ RF Jose Cruz Jr.
2) 3B Edgardo Alfonzo/ 3B Edgardo Alfonzo
3) LF Barry Bonds/ LF Barry Bonds
4) 1B Travis Hafner/ CF Preston Wilson
5) 2B Ray Durham/ 1B Travis Hafner
6) CF Preston Wilson/ C Yorvit Torrealba
7) SS Rich Aurilia/ SS Rich Aurilia
8) C Yorvit Torrealba/ 2B Ray Durham
9) Pitcher's Spot

Philadelphia
1) 2B Luis Castillo/ SS Jimmy Rollins
2) 3B Tyler Houston/ CF Marlon Byrd
3) RF Bobby Abreu/ C Mike Leiberthal
4) 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell
5) LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome
6) CF Marlon Byrd/ RF Bobby Abreu
7) C Mike Leiberthal/ 3B Travis Chapman
8) SS Anderson Machado/ 2B Luis Castillo
9) Pitcher's spot

Pitching Staffs

San Francisco
1) Damian Moss
2) Jason Schmidt
3) C.C. Sabathia
4) Jerome Williams
5) Scott Eyre
Closer: Robb Nen
Setup: Luis Vizcaino/ Felix Rodriguez
Middle Relief: Tim Worrell/ Jay Witasick/ Chad Zerbe
Mopup: Chad Zerbe

Philadelphia
1) Randy Wolf
2) Kevin Millwood
3) Brett Myers
4) Brandon Duckworth
5) Vicente Padilla
Closer: Tim Spooneybarger
Setup: Hector Mercado/ Joey Eischen
Middle Relief: Jose Mesa/ Bobby Howry/ Dave Coggin
Mopup: Dave Coggin

Key Injuries

No injuries from either team, but San Francisco does get Jimmy Rollins and Jose Mesa back for this series.

The Matchups

Catcher - Yorvit Torrealba vs Mike Leiberthal
Edge: Philadelphia

1st Base - Travis Hafner vs Jim Thome
Edge: Philadelphia

2nd Base - Ray Durham vs Luis Castillo
Edge: Philadelphia

3rd Base - Edgardo Alfonso vs Houston/Chapman
Edge: San Francisco

Shortstop - Rich Aurilia vs Machado/ Rollins
Edge: San Francisco

Leftfield - Barry Bonds vs Pat Burrell
Edge: San Francisco

Centerfield - Preston Wilson vs Marlon Byrd
Edge: San Francisco

Rightfield - Jose Cruz Jr. vs Bobby Abreu
Edge: Philadelphia

Starting Pitching - Moss, Schmidt, Sabathia, Williams vs Wolf, Millwood, Myers, Duckworth
Edge: Philadelphia

Relief Pitching
Edge: San Francisco

Closer - Robb Nen vs Tim Spooneybarger
Edge: San Francisco

Prediction

What we have here is 2 pretty evenly matched teams. I have to give the edge to Philadelphia because of Millwood and Wolf at the top of the rotation. Late in the game I like the Giants chances tho because of their great bullpen.Barry Bonds is still the best player in the sport, so if he can have a good series, the Giants have a chance.

Prediction: Philadelphia in 6

General Mike

05-04-2003, 05:58 PM

Game 1

New York @ Boston

Boston and New York both decided to go back to their aces, on short rest. Pedro only lasted 5.2 innings, but it was as good an outing as any 5.2 inning outing ever. Pedro allowed 2 hits, 1 run while striking out 10. Weaver lasted 8 innings, but did give up 3 runs. Boston's offense came via 2 HRs. A 2 run HR in the 6th from John Olerud, and a solo HR in the 7th from Nomar. Jorge Posada had the lone Yankee RBI.
Score: 3-1 Boston
WP: Chad Fox
LP: Jeff Weaver
S: Jose Jimenez
Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

San Francisco and Philadephia also both decided to go back to their staff aces, Damian Moss and Kevin Millwood. Neither pitched decidingly well. Moss only lasted 4.2 innings, walking 7, while allowing 6 runners to cross the plate. Millwood lasted 5.2 innings allowing 3 runs, while also walking 6. Philly's bullpen did blow the game tho. "Joe Table" allowed 3 runs in .2 innings, and Bobby Howry allowed the game winner in his 1.1 innings. Pat Burrell and Preston Wilson both hit 2 HRs and drove in 6 runs for their team. Marlon Byrd was injured when diving for a catch. He will miss 3 weeks. Ricky Ledee and Jason Michaels will replace him in CF.
Score: 7-6 San Francisco
WP: Chad Zerbe
LP: Bob Howry
S: Robb Nen
Player of the Game: Preston Wilson

General Mike

05-04-2003, 06:30 PM

Game 2

New York @ Boston

Game 2 was another high scoring affair, with the Yankees scoring 8 runs off Casey Fossum in the 1st 5 innings, and by the time Boston finally scored a single run, it was too late for them. Andy Pettite, pitched well in 7.2 innings despite giving up 6 runs. Jorge Posada and Juan Rivera homered for the Yankees, while Doug Mirabelli and Cesar Crespo homered for the Sox.
Score: 10-6 Yankees
WP: Andy Pettite
LP: Casey Fossum
Player of the Game: Juan Rivera

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

San Francisco's bats exploded early, knocking Randy Wolf out of the game after 2 innings, scoring 6 runs, including a solo HR by Jose Cruz Jr., and a 2 run shot by Barry Bonds. The Phillies picked up another run in the 7th inning to give them a 7-1 lead at the time, but then the Phillies attempted their comeback. They scored a run in the 7th, and then 4 more in the 8th, but that was all she wrote:
Score: 7-6 San Francisco
WP: Jason Schmidt
LP: Randy Wolf
S: Robb Nen
Player of the Game: Mike Leiberthal

JeeberD

05-05-2003, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by General Mike
They won 1 game, and they probably would have won the series if Bagwell and Oswalt would have been available.

Doh! How did I miss that win? Oh well, next year will be ours (of course, Bagwell and Walker aren't getting any younger, though)...

General Mike

05-05-2003, 12:37 PM

JeeberD, Astros should be pretty good next year. They get Oswalt and Bagwell back, but they also get Carlos Hernandez back, who didnt pitch at all in 2003. J.D. Closser had a good year behind the plate too. They also should have a little money to add a free agent at one of their major need positions.

JeeberD

05-05-2003, 01:05 PM

Very cool. I'll be expecting great things from them.

Oh, and great work with this dynasty. Very, very entertaining...

General Mike

05-05-2003, 01:54 PM

Game 3

Boston @ New York

Our ALCS heads back to the House that Ruth built with the series tied at 1 game apiece, and Derek Lowe set to go head to head with Mike Mussina. This was a seesaw battle all the way with the teams exchanging leads 4 times in the course of the afternoon. Manny Ramirez was the difference maker today tho, as he went 2-4 with 1 2B, 1 HR, and all 4 Boston RBI.
Score: 4-3 Boston
WP: Chad Fox
LP: Mike Mussina
S: Jose Jimenez
Player of the Game: Manny Ramirez

Philadelphia @ San Francisco

In a surprising move, Philadelphia started Relief Pitcher Hector Mercado instead of Brett Myers or Brandon Duckworth. C.C Sabathia was on the mound for the Giants, and was impressive, lasting 8.2 innings, only surrendering 2 runs on 3 hits, but it wasn't enough. Surprising starter Mercado pitched 5 innings of shutout ball before turning the game over to the bullpen, which pitched 4 innings of no-hit ball to seal the shutout victory. Mike Leiberthal and Luis Castillo hit solo HRs to provide the Philly offense. Castillo's HR was the 1st he hit all season.
Score: 2-0 Philadelphia
WP: Hector Mercado
LP: C.C. Sabathia
S: Tim Spooneybarger
Player of the Game: Hector Mercado

General Mike

05-05-2003, 02:39 PM

Game 4

Boston @ New York

Both teams decided to go back to their game 1 starters, and while the city they were in changed, the results stayed the same. Pedro pitched 6.2 innings, allowed 1 run, and put his team in a position to win. Jeff Weaver pitched into the 9th, only allowing 2 runs, but it wasn't enough as the Red Sox bullpen was able to stop the Yankee bats. Brad Fullmer and Todd Walker both drove in 2 runs for the BoSox.
Score: 4-1 Boston
WP: Pedro Martinez
LP: Jeff Weaver
S: Jose Jimenez
Player of the Game: Pedro Martinez

Philadelphia @ San Francisco

Damian Moss continued his post season woes, as he lasted only 4 innngs, allowing 7 runs, 4 earned in his 4th postseason start this year. Kevin Millwood picked up his 1st win of the postseason, pitching a 4 hit shutout. 7 players had RBI for the Phillies, but only Mike Leiberthal had a multiple RBI game, picking up 2 in the Phillies win.
Score: 8-0
WP: Kevin Millwood
LP: Damian Moss
Player of the Game: Kevin Millwood

General Mike

05-05-2003, 03:16 PM

Game 5

The New York Yankees both face the prospect of being eliminated in their own stadium. Can they survive the pressure?

Boston @ New York

Casey Fossum and Andy Pettite went at it and the Yankee veteran came out on top. Pettite pitched 8.2 innings of 3 hit shutout ball before letting Jose Contreras retire the final batter to send the ALCS back to Fenway Park. Fossum didn't pitch badly, but he did allow 4 runs in 7 innings to send his post season record to 0-3. 6 players drove in runs for the Yankees, led by solo HRs by Bernie Williams and Andy Phillips
Score: 6-0
WP: Andy Pettite
LP: Casey Fossum
Player of the Game: Andy Pettite

Philadelphia @ San Francisco

With San Francisco facing elimination, they went back to Jason Schmidt, while Philadelphia tried to send the Giants packing with Randy Wolf. Schmidt and Wolf both pitched well, but weren't in the game too long. Schmidt allowed 2 runs in 5 innings, Wolf allowed 1 run in 6 innings. The Giants used everybody in their pen to get to extra innings with a tie game, and then Preston Wilson showed up. In the bottom of the 10th inning, after Tim Spooneybarger gave up a double to Edgardo Alfonzo and then intentionall walked Barry Bonds, Wilson followed with the game winning 3 run HR. We're heading back to Philly for Game 6.
Score: 5-2 San Francisco
WP: Tim Worrell
LP: Tim Spooneybarger
Player of the Game: Preston Wilson

General Mike

05-05-2003, 04:10 PM

Game 6

New York @ Boston

Boston looked to clinch their first American League pennant since 1986, and sent Derek Lowe to the mound to try to get the job done. The Yankees countered with 16 game winner Mike Mussina. Boston got on the board quickly, when Brad Fullmer hit a 2 out Grand Slam. The Yankees came back with 3 runs in the 3rd, off of a bunch of singles. The Yankees tied the game in the 6th inning by manufacturing a run, took the lead in the 7th with a Matsui solo HR, and then Bernie Williams homered in the 8th for the insurance run. Boston picked up a run in the 8th to close the gap, but there was nothing more they could do, as Mariano Rivera came in to get the final 5 outs for the save, and tie the series up.
Score: 6-5 New York
WP: Mike Mussina
LP: Derek Lowe
S: Mariano Rivera
Player of the Game: Hideki Matsui

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Vicente Padilla got his 1st start of the post season, as Philadelphia took a 2nd chance at closing out the Giants. C.C Sabathia got the nod for the Giants. Both starting pitchers allowed 3 runs in this outing. Padilla lasted 7 innings, Sabathia only went 5. The bullpen was the difference tho, as the Jay Witasick and Chad Zerbe combined to allow 4 runs in the 7th/8th inning. Philadelphia will be in the World Series. Ricky Ledee went 2-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
Score: 7-3 Philadelphia
WP: Vicente Padilla
LP: Jay Witasick
Player of the Game: Ricky Ledee.

NLCS MVP: Mike Leiberthal - 10 for 24, 1 HR, 6 RBI

General Mike

05-05-2003, 04:43 PM

Game 7

New York @ Boston

For the 3rd time in this series, Pedro Martinez faced off with Jeff Weaver, and the 1st 2 times Boston got the win. This time it's for all the marbles. Can Pedro carry Boston to the World Series or will Jeff Weaver. This decisive game was tied at 3-3 after 6, when Pedro left the game, and thats when the game was decided, as the Red Sox bullpen did an awful job. Chad Fox and Curt Leskanic gave up 8 runs in 2 innings of combined work. Alfonso Soriano nearly hit for the cycle, failing to hit the HR he needed. The Yankees will play the Phillies in the World Series.
Score: 12-4 New York
WP: Jeff Weaver
LP: Chad Fox
Player of the Game: Alfonso Soriano

ALCS MVP: Andy Pettite - 2-0, 3.31 ERA, 16 Ks

General Mike

05-05-2003, 07:29 PM

World Series Preview

The 2 teams I hate more then any other facing off in a World Series. This should be very interesting. The Evil Empire has home field advantage for the series, and that could be the difference maker.

Lineups (vR/vL/vRDH/vLDH)

Philadelphia
1) 2B Luis Castillo/ SS Jimmy Rollins/ 2B Luis Castillo/ 2B Luis Castillo
2) 3B Tyler Houston/ 2B Luis Castillo/ 3B Tyler Houston/ DH Placido Polanco
3) RF Bobby Abreu/ C Mike Leiberthal/ RF Bobby Abreu/ C Mike Leiberthal
4) 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell
5) LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome
6) CF Ricky Ledee/ RF Bobby Abreu/ DH Ricky Ledee/ RF Bobby Abreu
7) C Mike Leiberthal/ 3B Travis Chapman/ C Mike Leiberthal/ 3B Travis Chapman
8) SS Anderson Machado/ CF Jason Michaels/ CF Jason Michaels/ CF Jason Michaels
9) Pitcher's spot/ Pitcher's spot/ SS Anderson Machado/ SS Jimmy Rollins

New York
1) 2B Alfonso Soriano/ CF Bernie Williams/ 2B Alfonso Soriano/ CF Bernie Williams
2) SS Derek Jeter/ 1B Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter/ 1B Jason Giambi
3) 1B Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter/ DH Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter
4) LF Hideki Matsui/ 2B Alfonso Soriano/ LF Hideki Matsui/ 2B Alfonso Soriano
5) CF Bernie Williams/ C Jorge Posada/ CF Bernie Williams/ C Jorge Posada
6) C Jorge Posada/ RF Juan Rivera/ 1B Nick Johnson/ RF Juan Rivera
7) 3B Robin Ventura/ LF Hideki Matsui/ 3B Robin Ventura/ DH Andy Phillips
8) RF Juan Rivera/ 3B Robin Ventura/ C Jorge Posada/ LF Hideki Matsui
9) Pitcher's Spot/ Pitcher's Spot/ RF Juan Rivera/ 3B Robin Ventura

Pitching Staffs

Philadelphiapia
1) Kevin Millwood
2) Randy Wolf
3) Vicente Padilla
4) Brett Myers
5) Brandon Duckworth
Sot: Bud Smith
Closer: Tim Spooneybarger
Setup: Hector Mercado/ Joey Eischen
Middle Relief: Bud Smith/ Jose Mesa/ Bobby Howry
Mopup: Bobby Howry

New York
1) Jeff Weaver
2) Andy Pettite
3) Mike Mussina
4) Scott Elarton
5) Mark Phillips
Closer: Mariano Rivera
Setup: Braden Looper/ Steve Karsay
Middle Relief: Jose Contreras/ Antonio Osuna/ Dave Maurer
Mopup: Dave Maurer

The Matchups

Catcher - Mike Leiberthal vs Jorge Posada
Edge: New York

First Base - Jim Thome vs Jason Giambi
Edge: Even

Second Base - Luis Castillo vs Alfonso Soriano
Edge: New York

Third Base - Houston/ Chapman vs Robin Ventura
Edge: Philadelphia

Shortstop - Machado/ Rollins vs Derek Jeter
Edge: New York

Leftfield - Pat Burrell vs Hideki Matsui
Edge: Philadelphia

Centerfield - Ledee/ Michaels vs Bernie Williams
Edge: New York

Rightfield - Bobby Abreu vs Juan Rivera
Edge: Philadelphia

DH - Ledee/ Polanco vs Johnson/ Phillips
Edge: Philadelphia

Starting Pitching - Millwood/ Wolf/ Padilla/ Myers vs Weaver/ Pettite/ Mussina/ Elarton
Edge: Philadelphia

Relief Pitching
Edge: New York

Closer - Tim Spooneybarger vs Mariano Rivera
Edge: New York

The Prediction

This series is so balanced that it's so hard to predict. New York has a much deeper lineup, but adding another bat to Philly's lineup can't hurt their chances. I definitely see this series going the distance, and my prediction is going to come down to a coin flip. Heads is Philly, Tails New York.

Prediction: Heads in 7.

General Mike

05-05-2003, 08:42 PM

World Series Game One

Time to get the festivities underway. Philadelphia decided to go with Kevin Millwood on full rest, while the Yankees couldn't go with their ace Jeff Weaver, so Andy Pettite got the call.

Philly was in control the entire game. They got on the board first when Pat Burrell led off the 2nd inning with a solo HR. The Phillies then added 2 runs in the 5th inning and 2 more in the 6th inning. The Yankees did scratch out a run off of Millwood in the bottom of the 6th inning, but that was all they could muster, as Millwood pitched the CG.

Score: 6-1 Philadelphia
WP: Kevin Millwood
LP: Andy Pettite
Player of the Game: Kevin Millwood

General Mike

05-05-2003, 09:43 PM

World Series Game 2

Randy Wolf and Mike Mussina were the chosen 2 for game 2, and it got started off with a bang. 2B Luis Castillo led off the game with a 2B, but as he pulled into 2nd base, he appeared to be in pain and had to come out of the game. The diagnosis, inflamed Achilles Tendon and he will be out 1-2 weeks. The loss of their starting 2B for the rest of the series is a huge blow. Tyler Houston drove in pinch runner Jimmy Rollins with a double, but was thrown out when he tried to strectch it into a triple. The Yankees took their 1st lead of the 2003 World Series when Bernie Williams hit a 2 run HR in the bottom of the 3rd. The Yankees picked up 2 more runs in the 5th inning when Derek Jeter hit a 2 out homer. In the top of the 6th the Phillies picked up another run on a Tyler Houston 2B, but they lost their starting 3B as Houston tore his abdominal muscle sliding into 2nd base. He will be out 4-5 weeks. They also picked up a run in the 6th off of a Jim Thome double. The Phillies manufactured a run in the 7th to tie the game, but they also used up their entire bench between pinch hitters and pinch runners. With the game 4-4 heading into the bottom of the 9th, Philadelphia decided to leave Randy Wolf in, and it turned out to be a bad decision. Andy Phillips led off the inning with a single, and then Robin Ventura hit a 1 out triple to win the game.
Score: 5-4 Yankees
WP: Mariano Rivera
LP: Randy Wolf
Player of the Game: Derek Jeter

General Mike

05-05-2003, 10:38 PM

World Series Game 3

With our series heading to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, both teams are without a DH, which has to favor the Phillies. Vicente Padilla gets that start for the Phillies, while the Yankees finally get a chance to have their #1 starter, Jeff Weaver, pitch.

Both pitchers started the game with some early inning jams, but were able to work out of the trouble fairly easily. In the 2nd inning tho, the Phillies struck first for the 3rd straight game, as Mike Leiberthal hit a solo HR. Philadelphia picked up another run in the 3rd inning, when Bobby Abreu hit a solo HR.

The Yankees got on the board in the top of the 5th, via a Juan Rivera solo HR. They then took the lead in the top of the 6th after a 3 run Bernie Williams HR. Jeff Weaver also picked up an RBI single in the 6th to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead. Mike Leiberthal brought the Phillies back with another HR in the bottom of the 6th, this time a 2 run shot.

The Phillies took a 7-5 lead in the 7th inning when Jim Thome hit his 1st HR of the postseason, a HR of the 3 run variety. In the 8th inning the Phillies bullpen nearly self destructed, as Joey Eischen, Hector Mercado and Jose Mesa got thru the inning, but not before allowing 1 run. Tim Spooneybarger will try to pick up the save in the 9th. Derek Jeter led off the 9th with a single, but was stranded there when Spooneybarger retired Giambi, Matsui and Williams to end the game.
Score: 7-6 Philadelphia
WP: Vicente Padilla
LP: Jeff Weaver
S: Tim Spooneybarger
Player of the Game: Mike Leiberthal

General Mike

05-05-2003, 11:27 PM

World Series Game 4

What we have here, is a rematch of game 1 of the World Series. Andy Pettite and Kevin Millwood will each try to improve on their game 1 performances, but it will be difficult for Millwood to do.

The Phillies struck 1st, again, this time scoring in the bottom 1st after Pat Burrell single. New York came back in the 3rd with a Soriano RBI single. Jim Thome gave the Phillies the lead again in the bottom of the 4th with a solo HR, his 2nd of the WS.

Bernie Williams was able to tie the game in the top of the 7th inning with a solo HR, but the Phillies came right back in the next inning, with Pat Burrell tripling, then Jim Thome driving him in with a sac fly. Philadelphia went to Tim Spooneybarger for the 9th inning, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Phillies the 3-1 lead in the series.
Score: 3-2 Philadelphia
WP: Kevin Millwood
LP: Andy Pettite
S: Tim Spooneybarger
Player of the Game: Kevin Millwood

General Mike

05-06-2003, 12:26 AM

World Series Game 5

Mike Mussina will try to keep the Yankees alive, and send the series back to New York. He's already come up big for the Yankees, winning game 6 of the ALCS to force a game 7. Randy Wolf gets the chance to do what he couldn't do in the NLCS, and close out a team.

Once again, the Phillies get on the scoreboard first. This time Mike Leiberthal scores after a Jimmy Rollins double in the 2nd inning. The Yankees tied the game in the 5th inning after back to back doubles by Jorge Posada and Juan Rivera. Robin Ventura then drove in Rivera to give the Yankees a 1 run lead in the 5th inning.

The Phillies manufactured a run in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game up at 2-2, and brought in Joey Eischen to pitch the 8th inning. Eischen retired the side in order for the Phillies. Braden Looper is coming in to pitch for the Yankees. With 2 men on in the 8th, Jim Thome hit a hard double down the RF line to give the Phillies the lead, and Tim Spooneybarger will start warming up in the Phillies' pen. Pat Burrell gets the intentional walk to load the bases with no outs, and Ricky Ledee up. Bobby Abreu scores on a sac fly, for the insurance run, and thats all she wrote for Braden Looper. Jose Contreras will come into the game. And he gets the Yankees out of the inning without anymore damage.

Tim Spooneybarger is in the game to try to give Philly their 1st World Series championship since 1980. Jason Giambi grounds out to the SS for the 1st out, Nick Johnson strikes out, and an argument insues, and Joe Torre gets ejected. The Yankees are down to their final out. Alfonso Soriano keeps the Yankee chances alive with a basehit to leftfield. Posada follows up with a single, and Soriano goes to 3rd. Juan Rivera comes up big with an RBI single. Gabe Kapler will make his 1st appearance in the world series and pinch run for Posada. Matsui ties the game with a single to right. DESTINY! Spooney was able to get the final out by striking out Robin Ventura to send the game to extra innings. Neither team has any bench players left.

In the bottom of the 11th, Mike Leiberthal starts it off with a single. Tomas Perez beats out the sacrifice bunt attempt to put 2 on and no one out. Jose Mesa advances the base runners with a perfect sac bunt. But the Yankees are able to get out of the jam.

Fastforward to the bottom of the 13th inning. Ricky Ledee leads off for the Phillies with a triple. The Yankees go to the pen and bring in Steve Karsay. Mike Leiberthal grounds out to the SS. Tomas Perez strikes out. P Hector Mercado comes up with 2 outs and grounds to the 1B. Giambi can't handle it. E3! E3! E3! Oh My god, The Phillies have won the World Series!
Score: 5-4 Philadelphia
WP: Hector Mercado
LP: Antonio Osuna
Player of the Game: Ricky Ledee (4-5, 2 R, 1 RBI)

World Series MVP: Kevin Millwood (2-0, 1.59 ERA, 17 IP, 10K)

JeeberD

05-06-2003, 12:28 AM

Hurrah! Down with the Yankees!!!!!

General Mike

05-06-2003, 12:36 AM

2003 Award Winners

Here are the 2003 award winners. I don't think any of these are too shocking when compared to the league leaders.

American League Rookie Of The Year:
Jesse Foppert (CLE)!
He had a record of 17-12 with an ERA of 3.61 and 1 shutouts.
In 33 games started, he pitched 226.2 innings, fanning 228 and walking 94 batters.

National League Rookie Of The Year:
Joe Thurston (LAN)!
He batted .325 in 536 AB, with 10 homers and 60 RBI, 34 SB.

American League Sandy Koufax Award:
A.J. Burnett (TEX)!
He had a record of 20-7 with an ERA of 2.13 and 5 shutouts.
In 33 games started, he pitched 249 innings, fanning 204 and walking 84 batters.

American League Ted Williams Award:
Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .304 in 552 AB, with 63 homers and 129 RBI.

National League Sandy Koufax Award:
Kevin Millwood (PHI)!
He had a record of 21-8 with an ERA of 2.86 and 2 shutouts.
In 34 games started, he pitched 249 innings, fanning 183 and walking 68 batters.

National League Ted Williams Award:
Jim Thome (PHI)!
He batted .302 in 496 AB, with 52 homers and 133 RBI.

American League Gold Glove Winners:
Pitcher: Jon Garland (CHA)
Catcher: Charles Johnson (ANA)
First Base: Paul Konerko (CHA)
Second Base: Orlando Hudson (TOR)
Third Base: Eric Chavez (OAK)
Shortstop: Alex Rodriguez (TEX)
Leftfield: Brad Wilkerson (SEA)
Centerfield: Gene Kingsale (DET)
Rightfield: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)

National League Gold Glove Winners:
Pitcher: Tom Glavine (NYN)
Catcher: Mike Lieberthal (PHI)
First Base: Jim Thome (PHI)
Second Base: Fernando Vina (SLN)
Third Base: Scott Rolen (SLN)
Shortstop: Rafael Furcal (ATL)
Leftfield: Rondell White (SDN)
Centerfield: Andruw Jones (ATL)
Rightfield: Jose Cruz Jr. (SFN)

If anyone has any questions about any players before I advance to 2004, please let me know. I'm gonna wait til Thursday afternoon before advancing to the 2004 season.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 01:13 PM

Onward to 2004

Retirements

Wednesday 1/29/2004 :

Pedro Borbon retires ...
Dan Miceli retires ...
Hideki Irabu retires ...
Rich Rodriguez retires ...
Paul Abbott retires ...
Yorkis Perez retires ...
Pat Hentgen retires ...
Nerio Rodriguez retires ...
Terry Mulholland retires ...
Dave Burba retires ...
Mike James retires ...
Danny Patterson retires ...
Hipolito Pichardo retires ...
Brian Shouse retires ...
Takahito Nomura retires ...
Bob Wells retires ...
Mike Trombley retires ...
Ed Vosberg retires ...
Orlando Hernandez retires ...
Jeff Tam retires ...
Ricky Bottalico retires ...
Alan Zinter retires ...
Gerald Williams retires ...
Randy Velarde retires ...
Ryan Thompson retires ...
Tony Tarasco retires ...
Mark Sweeney retires ...
B.J. Surhoff retires ...
David Segui retires ...
Henry Rodriguez retires ...
Shane Reynolds retires ...
Hector Ortiz retires ...
Darren Oliver retires ...
Rodney Myers retires ...
T.j. Mathews retires ...
Luis Lopez retires ...
Darren Lewis retires ...
Darrin Fletcher retires ...
Delino Deshields retires ...
Mike Buddie retires ...
Chris Brock retires ...
Clay Bellinger retires ...
Wilson Alvarez retires ...
Brady Anderson retires ...
Shawon Dunston retires ...
J.T. Snow retires ...
Tom Goodwin retires ...
Marvin Benard retires ...
Steve Reed retires ...
Bobby J. Jones retires ...
Tom Lampkin retires ...
Ray Lankford retires ...
Ron Gant retires ...
Jesse Orosco retires ...
Dennis Springer retires ...
Robert Ellis retires ...
Jeff Reboulet retires ...
Chad Kreuter retires ...
Eric Karros retires ...
Marquis Grissom retires ...
Kent Mercker retires ...
Todd Jones retires ...
Terry Shumpert retires ...
Sandy Alomar jr. retires ...
Todd Zeile retires ...
Chris Nichting retires ...
Greg Swindell retires ...
Todd Stottlemyre retires ...
Armando Reynoso retires ...
Mike Morgan retires ...
Mike Fetters retires ...
Rick Helling retires ...
Chris Donnels retires ...
Mark Grace retires ...
Felix Jose retires ...
Erubiel Durazo retires ...
Matt Williams retires ...
Steve Finley retires ...
Mike Timlin retires ...
Chuck Finley retires ...
Andy Benes retires ...
Mike Difelice retires ...
Tino Martinez retires ...
Ivan Cruz retires ...
So Taguchi retires ...
Josias Manzanillo retires ...
Mike Benjamin retires ...
Keith Osik retires ...
Jose Cabrera retires ...
Jorge Fabregas retires ...
Eric Young retires ...
Lenny Harris retires ...
Dave Mlicki retires ...
Craig Biggio retires ... :(
Orlando Merced retires ...
Jose Vizcaino retires ...
Jose Rijo retires ...
Barry Larkin retires ... :(
Joey Hamilton retires ...
Pat Mahomes retires ...
Donovan Osborne retires ...
Joe Girardi retires ...
Robert Person retires ...
Dave Hollins retires ...
Rheal Cormier retires ...
Satoru Komiyama retires ...
Mark Johnson retires ...
John Valentin retires ...
Masato Yoshii retires ...
Lee Stevens retires ...
Mike Mordecai retires ...
Andres Galarraga retires ...
Troy O'Leary retires ...
Toby Borland retires ...
Tim Raines retires ...
Andy Fox retires ...
Eric Owens retires ...
Darren Holmes retires ...
Keith Lockhart retires ...
Vinny Castilla retires ...
Julio Franco retires ...
Anthony Telford retires ...
Bill Haselman retires ...
Kenny Rogers retires ...
Shigetoshi Hasegawa retires ...
Jose Offerman retires ...
Ruben Sierra retires ...
Pat Borders retires ...
Mike Magnante retires ...
Greg Myers retires ...
Alan Levine retires ...
Orlando Palmeiro retires ...
Mike Jackson retires ...
Tom Prince retires ...
Cory Bailey retires ...
Chuck Knoblauch retires ...
Luis Alicea retires ...
Brent Mayne retires ...
Steve Sparks retires ...
Craig Paquette retires ...
Matt Walbeck retires ...
Damion Easley retires ...
Charles Nagy retires ...
Travis Fryman retires ...
Eddie Perez retires ...
Royce Clayton retires ...
Steve Parris retires ...
Ken Huckaby retires ...
Tanyon Sturtze retires ...
Greg Vaughn retires ...
John Flaherty retires ...
Alex Arias retires ...
Alberto Castillo retires ...
John Vander wal retires ...
Ron Coomer retires ...
Chris Haney retires ...
John Burkett retires ...
Frank Castillo retires ...
Willie Banks retires ...
Rolando Arrojo retires ...

Rickey Henderson retires ...
He will be in the Hall Of Fame!

Carlos Baerga retires ...
Scott Erickson retires ...
Mike Bordick retires ...
Jeff Conine retires ...
Dave Nilsson retires ...
Cal Eldred retires ...
Jesse Levis retires ...
Eddie Taubensee retires ...
Omar Olivares retires ...
Tony Eusebio retires ...
Tim Bogar retires ...
Willie Blair retires ...
Doug Brocail retires ...
Pete Schourek retires ...
Norm Charlton retires ...
Mark Petkovsek retires ...
Pete Harnisch retires ...
Al Martin retires ...
Doug Linton retires ...
Russ Springer retires ...
John Frascatore retires ...
Roberto Kelly retires ...
Scott Service retires ...

CLE: Bob Wickman retires ...
CLE: Ellis Burks retires ...
DET: Dennis Cook retires ...
NYA: Jon Lieber retires ...
TOR: Dave Berg retires ...

SEA: Mark McLemore retires ...
TEX: David Justice retires ...
TEX: Rusty Greer retires ...

TEX: Rafael Palmeiro retires ...
He will be in the Hall Of Fame!

TEX: Manny Alexander retires ...

CHN: Trenidad Hubbard retires ...
NYN: Jay Bell retires ...
NYN: David Cone retires ...
NYN: John Franco retires ...

NYN: Roger Clemens retires ...
He will be in the Hall Of Fame!

PIT: Pat Meares retires ...

ARI: Ron Villone retires ...
LAN: Fred McGriff retires ...
SDN: Phil Nevin retires ...
SFN: Jason Christiansen retires ...
SFN: Benito Santiago retires ...

Market Changes

BOS: Fan loyalty drops to Very Good...
TOR: Fan loyalty increases to Fair!
ANA: Fan loyalty increases to Average!
CHA: Fan loyalty increases to Fair!
CHN: Fan loyalty drops to Very Good...
SFN: Fan loyalty increases to Good!

New Arbitration Contracts

Here are the new contracts awarded to the arbitration eligible.

BAL:Juan Alvarez gets a new one-year contract worth $463,600 through salary arbitration.
BAL:B.j. Ryan gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Rodrigo Lopez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,904,286 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Jorge Julio gets a new one-year contract worth $3,053,572 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Sean Douglass gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Larry Bigbie gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Geronimo Gil gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL:Jay Gibbons gets a new one-year contract worth $793,929 through salary arbitration.

BOS:Cesar Crespo gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BOS:Casey Fossum gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.

CLE:Brandon Larson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,207,857 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Jason Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $396,964 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Luis Pineda gets a new one-year contract worth $467,400 through salary arbitration.
CLE: David Riske gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Chad Paronto gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Danys Baez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,565,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Kip Wells gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Milton Bradley gets a new one-year contract worth $384,750 through salary arbitration.
CLE:Greg Larocca gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

DET:Hiram Bocachica gets a new one-year contract worth $1,274,643 through salary arbitration.
DET:Nate Cornejo gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
DET:Jamie Walker gets a new one-year contract worth $2,685,714 through salary arbitration.
DET:Craig Monroe gets a new one-year contract worth $602,571 through salary arbitration.
DET:Eric Munson gets a new one-year contract worth $872,500 through salary arbitration.
DET:Brandon Inge gets a new one-year contract worth $441,071 through salary arbitration.
DET:Carlos Pena gets a new one-year contract worth $2,537,857 through salary arbitration.
DET:Jason Jennings gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

NYA:Nick Johnson gets a new one-year contract worth $468,214 through salary arbitration.
NYA:Juan Rivera gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
NYA:Scott Elarton gets a new one-year contract worth $980,000 through salary arbitration.

TOR:Brian Bowles gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR:Chris Woodward gets a new one-year contract worth $2,822,143 through salary arbitration.
TOR:Josh Towers gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR:Joe Kennedy gets a new one-year contract worth $2,931,429 through salary arbitration.
TOR:Brian Schneider gets a new one-year contract worth $2,086,071 through salary arbitration.

ANA:Mark Lukasiewicz gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ANA:Mickey Callaway gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ANA:Ben Weber gets a new one-year contract worth $1,411,071 through salary arbitration.
ANA:Scot Shields gets a new one-year contract worth $1,682,857 through salary arbitration.
ANA:Aubrey Huff gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
ANA: David Eckstein gets a new one-year contract worth $637,857 through salary arbitration.
ANA:Adam Kennedy gets a new one-year contract worth $1,045,000 through salary arbitration.

CHA:Matt Ginter gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Damaso Marte gets a new one-year contract worth $1,479,286 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Gary Glover gets a new one-year contract worth $2,822,143 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Jon Garland gets a new one-year contract worth $2,198,572 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Mark Buehrle gets a new one-year contract worth $4,028,571 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Willie Harris gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Aaron Rowand gets a new one-year contract worth $579,500 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Carlos Lee gets a new one-year contract worth $2,415,000 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Joe Crede gets a new one-year contract worth $3,224,286 through salary arbitration.
CHA: D'angelo Jimenez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHA:Mike MacDougal gets a new one-year contract worth $909,964 through salary arbitration.

MIN:J.C. Romero gets a new one-year contract worth $1,547,143 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Tony Fiore gets a new one-year contract worth $1,008,929 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Johan A. Santana gets a new one-year contract worth $6,987,143 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Kyle Lohse gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Luis Rivas gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Mike Cuddyer gets a new one-year contract worth $1,418,214 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Matt LeCroy gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Dustan Mohr gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Jacque Jones gets a new one-year contract worth $1,526,786 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Ben Sheets gets a new one-year contract worth $2,049,286 through salary arbitration.
MIN:Toby Hall gets a new one-year contract worth $513,000 through salary arbitration.

OAK:Jeremy Fikac gets a new one-year contract worth $382,714 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Roy Smith gets a new one-year contract worth $841,429 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Micah Bowie gets a new one-year contract worth $411,214 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Ted Lilly gets a new one-year contract worth $2,076,429 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Chris Singleton gets a new one-year contract worth $753,214 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Mitch Meluskey gets a new one-year contract worth $604,607 through salary arbitration.
OAK:Chris Richard gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

SEA:Ryan Franklin gets a new one-year contract worth $1,008,929 through salary arbitration.
SEA:Ichiro Suzuki gets a new one-year contract worth $2,748,214 through salary arbitration.
SEA:Gil Meche gets a new one-year contract worth $2,375,000 through salary arbitration.
SEA:Brad Wilkerson gets a new one-year contract worth $3,297,857 through salary arbitration.

TEX:Endy Chavez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,666,786 through salary arbitration.
TEX:Francisco Cordero gets a new one-year contract worth $1,676,786 through salary arbitration.
TEX:Michael Young gets a new one-year contract worth $355,000 through salary arbitration.
TEX:Josh Phelps gets a new one-year contract worth $2,598,929 through salary arbitration.
TEX:A.J. Burnett gets a new one-year contract worth $5,571,072 through salary arbitration.
TEX:Mark Redman gets a new one-year contract worth $1,879,643 through salary arbitration.
TEX:Ramon Castro gets a new one-year contract worth $900,000 through salary arbitration.

ATL:Johnny Estrada gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ATL:Marcus Giles gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
ATL:Rafael Furcal gets a new one-year contract worth $1,526,786 through salary arbitration.
ATL:Scott Stewart gets a new one-year contract worth $1,262,143 through salary arbitration.
ATL:Ray King gets a new one-year contract worth $732,857 through salary arbitration.

CHN:Carlos Zambrano gets a new one-year contract worth $358,286 through salary arbitration.
CHN:Corey Patterson gets a new one-year contract worth $2,076,429 through salary arbitration.
CHN:Blaine Neal gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
CHN:Angel Berroa gets a new one-year contract worth $688,071 through salary arbitration.

CIN:Scott Williamson gets a new one-year contract worth $3,820,357 through salary arbitration.
CIN:John Riedling gets a new one-year contract worth $867,214 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Chris Reitsma gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Adam Dunn gets a new one-year contract worth $1,893,214 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Jason LaRue gets a new one-year contract worth $583,571 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Reggie Taylor gets a new one-year contract worth $384,750 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Ruben Mateo gets a new one-year contract worth $1,974,643 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Felipe Lopez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CIN:Tony Armas jr. gets a new one-year contract worth $793,929 through salary arbitration.

NYN:Scott Strickland gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
NYN:Vance Wilson gets a new one-year contract worth $700,000 through salary arbitration.
NYN:Timo Perez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,077,143 through salary arbitration.
NYN:Grant Roberts gets a new one-year contract worth $675,000 through salary arbitration.
NYN:John Bale gets a new one-year contract worth $411,214 through salary arbitration.
NYN:Gary Matthews gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.

PHI:Vicente Padilla gets a new one-year contract worth $3,626,429 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Dave Coggin gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Brandon Duckworth gets a new one-year contract worth $806,143 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Joe Roa gets a new one-year contract worth $570,000 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Hector Mercado gets a new one-year contract worth $872,500 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Jimmy Rollins gets a new one-year contract worth $369,143 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Jason Michaels gets a new one-year contract worth $466,857 through salary arbitration.
PHI:Tim Spooneybarger gets a new one-year contract worth $2,293,572 through salary arbitration.

PIT:Scott Sauerbeck gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
PIT:Josh Fogg gets a new one-year contract worth $428,857 through salary arbitration.
PIT:Rob Mackowiak gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT:Craig Wilson gets a new one-year contract worth $637,857 through salary arbitration.
PIT:Jim Mann gets a new one-year contract worth $963,571 through salary arbitration.
PIT:Josh Beckett gets a new one-year contract worth $4,166,429 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Dennis Stark gets a new one-year contract worth $1,900,000 through salary arbitration.

ARI:Bret Prinz gets a new one-year contract worth $714,536 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Mike Koplove gets a new one-year contract worth $1,154,250 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Lyle Overbay gets a new one-year contract worth $396,286 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Alex Cintron gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
ARI:T.j. Tucker gets a new one-year contract worth $606,643 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Chad Moeller gets a new one-year contract worth $1,881,429 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Junior Spivey gets a new one-year contract worth $2,375,000 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Byung-hyun Kim gets a new one-year contract worth $2,259,643 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Lance Carter gets a new one-year contract worth $1,051,786 through salary arbitration.
ARI:Wayne Franklin gets a new one-year contract worth $2,388,572 through salary arbitration.

HOU:Scott Linebrink gets a new one-year contract worth $418,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Octavio Dotel gets a new one-year contract worth $1,757,500 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Tim Redding gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Roy Oswalt gets a new one-year contract worth $3,515,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Wade Miller gets a new one-year contract worth $2,531,072 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Julio Lugo gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Geoff Blum gets a new one-year contract worth $407,143 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Tomokazu Ohka gets a new one-year contract worth $3,515,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU:Shawn Chacon gets a new one-year contract worth $1,336,786 through salary arbitration.

LAN:Eric Gagne gets a new one-year contract worth $3,664,286 through salary arbitration.
LAN:Odalis Perez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,405,536 through salary arbitration.
LAN:Guillermo Mota gets a new one-year contract worth $1,411,071 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Dave Roberts gets a new one-year contract worth $1,274,643 through salary arbitration.
LAN:Shea Hillenbrand gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
LAN:Ben Petrick gets a new one-year contract worth $455,000 through salary arbitration.

SDN:Mike Rivera gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Brian Lawrence gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Adam Eaton gets a new one-year contract worth $2,381,786 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Jared Sandberg gets a new one-year contract worth $882,143 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Ramon Vazquez gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Brian Buchanan gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Brandon Villafuerte gets a new one-year contract worth $977,143 through salary arbitration.
SDN:Armando Almanza gets a new one-year contract worth $808,857 through salary arbitration.

SFN: Damian Moss gets a new one-year contract worth $3,542,143 through salary arbitration.
SFN:Chad Zerbe gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
SFN:Kurt Ainsworth gets a new one-year contract worth $685,357 through salary arbitration.
SFN:Yorvit Torrealba gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
SFN:Luis Vizcaino gets a new one-year contract worth $1,479,286 through salary arbitration.

SLN:Gene Stechschulte gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN:Albert Pujols gets a new one-year contract worth $7,695,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN:Jack Cust gets a new one-year contract worth $2,277,964 through salary arbitration.
SLN:Brad Penny gets a new one-year contract worth $2,748,214 through salary arbitration.
SLN:Chris George gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 01:33 PM

A Look at the minor Leagues

Time to take a look at who the top prospects in baseball are, and what teams are doing the best job of developing the prospects.

Top Prospects List

# Name Team Age Pos Hits Homeruns Walks Speed Range Level
1 J.R. House PIT 24 C Good Brilliant Good D C Majors
4 Casey Kotchman ANA 20 1B Fair Average D A AA
5 Laynce Nix TEX 23 LF Good Brilliant Brilliant B C Majors
6 Josh Hamilton NYN 22 RF Good Brilliant Good B B AAA
12 Joe Mauer MIN 20 C Good Good Good E A AAA
14 Justin Huber NYN 21 C Good Good Good D A AAA
15 Dave Krynzel SDN 22 CF Good Average Good A A Majors
16 Jhonny Peralta CLE 21 SS Good Good Good D D Majors
23 Kevin Thompson NYA 24 CF Good Average Good B A AA
29 Jonny Gomes CLE 23 LF Good Brilliant Good C C AA
30 Nate Espy PHI 25 1B Good Good Brilliant D E AAA
31 Justin Morneau MIN 22 1B Good Brilliant Average E D AAA
32 Brendan Harris CHN 23 3B Good Good Average B A AAA
33 B.J. Upton BAL 19 SS Good Good Fair A B A
35 Doug Gredvig BAL 24 1B Good Good Good E C AAA
36 Lastings Milledge TEX 19 CF Average Brilliant Average A A A
39 Jeremy Hermida TOR 19 CF Good Fair Good A A A
40 Garrett Atkins ARI 24 3B Good Average Brilliant C C AAA
44 Delmon Young BAL 19 RF Good Brilliant Average B D A
46 Prince Fielder PHI 19 1B Good Good Good E D A
49 Andy D'Alessio CLE 19 1B Good Good Good D D A
50 Jeff Bailey NYN 25 1B Good Good Brilliant D D AAA
56 Bernabel Castro SDN 24 2B Good Average Average A B AAA
59 Hanley Ramirez BOS 20 SS Good Good Fair B B A
60 Landon Powell ANA 21 C Average Good Good E B AA
66 Anderson Machado PHI 23 SS Average Average Brilliant A C Majors
67 Aaron Hill ANA 21 SS Average Good Good C C AA
70 Matt Murton PHI 21 RF Good Good Average B C A
71 Chris Snelling SEA 22 RF Good Fair Good B B Majors
72 Wilson Betemit ATL 22 SS Good Average Average B C Majors
73 Rickie Weeks DET 21 2B Average Average Good A B A
74 Gookie Dawkins LAN 24 SS Good Average Average C B AAA
75 Miguel Cabrera OAK 20 3B Average Brilliant Average D B A
78 Paul McAnulty CHN 22 1B Good Average Good D C A
79 Tony Miller CHA 23 CF Average Good Good B B AA
83 Ryan Christianson SEA 22 C Average Good Good E A AAA
86 Kelly Johnson ATL 21 SS Average Good Good C C Majors
88 Chris Lubanski TOR 19 RF Good Average Average A B A
92 Jason Dubois TOR 24 CF Average Brilliant Average D C AA
94 Gabe Gross TOR 24 RF Average Good Average A A AAA
96 Jose Bautista PIT 23 2B Average Good Good C C AA
97 Kevin Youkilis BOS 24 3B Good Fair Brilliant C C Majors
100 Angel Santos BOS 24 2B Average Average Good B A Majors

Pitchers

# Name Team Age Role Hits Homers Walks K's Level
2 John Webb CHN 24 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AAA
3 Adam Wainwright ATL 22 SP Brilliant Average Good Brilliant Majors
7 Dan Meyer ATL 22 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AA
8 Richard Fischer ANA 23 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant AA
9 Scott Kazmir NYN 20 SP Brilliant Good Good Brilliant A
10 Charles Talanoa TOR 23 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AA
11 David Aardsma MIN 21 SP Brilliant Good Average Brilliant AA
13 Taylor Buchholz PHI 22 SP Good Average Brilliant Good AAA
17 Kyle Sleeth SDN 21 SP Good Brilliant Good Brilliant AA
18 Jared Hughes CLE 19 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant AA
19 Chien-Ming Wang NYA 23 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
20 Julio DePaula NYA 24 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
21 Zach Greinke TOR 20 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
22 Juan Perez TOR 22 SP Good Good Good Good AA
24 Chris Waters ATL 23 SP Good Average Brilliant Good AAA
25 Bubba Nelson ATL 22 SP Good Good Good Brilliant Majors
26 Cory Doyne HOU 22 SP Good Good Good Brilliant A
27 Phil Dumatrait BOS 22 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant
28 Kenny Baugh DET 24 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
34 Brad Sullivan PIT 21 SP Good Good Good Good AAA
37 Enrique Gonzalez ARI 21 SP Good Good Good Brilliant
38 Yoel Hernandez PHI 21 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Average AA
41 Mike Ziegler OAK 25 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AA
42 Rhett Parrott SLN 24 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Average AAA
43 Ryan Bicondoa NYA 25 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AA
45 Chad Billingsley SEA 19 SP Good Good Average Brilliant A
47 Jimmy Gobble SEA 22 SP Average Good Brilliant Brilliant AAA
48 Tetsya Yanaguchi ARI 20 SP Good Average Good Brilliant AA
51 Justin Germano SDN 21 SP Average Good Brilliant Brilliant AA
52 Tim Stauffer CHN 21 SP Good Good Good Average AA
53 Josh Karp CIN 24 SP Good Good Good Good AAA
54 Matt Wright ATL 21 SP Good Good Good Good AAA
55 Nick Touchstone ANA 22 SP Good Good Good Good AA
57 Clint Nageotte SEA 23 SP Good Good Average Brilliant AAA
58 Greg Bruso SFN 23 SP Average Good Brilliant Good AA
61 Andrew Miller NYN 19 SP Good Good Average Brilliant AA
62 Danny Borrell NYA 25 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Average AAA
63 Leo Nunez PIT 20 SP Good Average Good Brilliant A
64 Aaron Heilman NYN 25 SP Good Good Good Good AAA
65 Dan Haren SLN 23 SP Average Good Good Brilliant AAA
68 Ricardo Aramboles CIN 22 SP Good Good Average Brilliant AAA
69 Steve Russell ATL 20 SP Good Average Good Good A
76 Ben Kozlowski TEX 23 SP Average Good Brilliant Good AAA
77 Chin-Hui Tsao MIN 22 SP Good Average Good Good AAA
80 Francisco Rosario TOR 23 SP Good Average Good Good AA
81 Jeff Francis PHI 23 SP Good Average Good Good AA
82 Justin Pope SLN 24 SP Average Good Good Good AA
84 Scott Maine SDN 19 SP Good Good Average Good A
85 Boof Bonser SFN 22 SP Good Good Average Good Majors
87 Craig Whitaker SFN 19 SP Good Average Average Good AA
89 Jeff Allison BOS 19 SP Good Good Average Good AA
90 Steven White TEX 22 SP Good Average Average Brilliant AA
91 Derell McCall OAK 22 SP Average Average Brilliant Brilliant A
93 Dan Mozingo ANA 23 SP Good Average Average Brilliant AA
95 James Houser SLN 19 SP Average Good Good Good A
98 Ryan Sweeney OAK 19 SP Average Good Good Good A
99 Brian Miller CHA 21 SP Good Good Average Good A

Minor League Rankings

Atlanta 153 P Adam Wainwright (3rd), P Dan Meyer (7th), P Chris Waters (24th), P Bubba Nelson (25th), P Matt Wright (54th)
2 New York (N) 135 RF Josh Hamilton (6th), P Scott Kazmir (9th), C Justin Huber (14th), 1B Jeff Bailey (50th), P Andrew Miller (61st)
3 Anaheim 109 1B Casey Kotchman (4th), P Richard Fischer (8th), P Nick Touchstone (55th), C Landon Powell (60th), SS Aaron Hill (67th)
4 Toronto 104 P Charles Talanoa (10th), P Zach Greinke (21st), P Juan Perez (22nd), CF Jeremy Hermida (39th), P Francisco Rosario (80th)
5 Philadelphia 96 P Taylor Buchholz (13th), 1B Nate Espy (30th), P Yoel Hernandez (38th), 1B Prince Fielder (46th), SS Anderson Machado (66th)
6 New York (A) 94 P Chien-Ming Wang (19th), P Julio DePaula (20th), CF Kevin Thompson (23rd), P Ryan Bicondoa (43rd), P Danny Borrell (62nd)
7 Minnesota 87 P David Aardsma (11th), C Joe Mauer (12th), 1B Justin Morneau (31st), P Chin-Hui Tsao (77th),
8 Cleveland 84 SS Jhonny Peralta (16th), P Jared Hughes (18th), LF Jonny Gomes (29th), 1B Andy D'Alessio (49th),
9 San Diego 81 CF Dave Krynzel (15th), P Kyle Sleeth (17th), P Justin Germano (51st), 2B Bernabel Castro (56th), P Scott Maine (84th)
10 Chicago (N) 81 P John Webb (2nd), 3B Brendan Harris (32nd), P Tim Stauffer (52nd), 1B Paul McAnulty (78th),
11 Pittsburgh 74 C J.R. House (1st), P Brad Sullivan (34th), P Leo Nunez (63rd), 2B Jose Bautista (96th),
12 Texas 66 LF Laynce Nix (5th), CF Lastings Milledge (36th), P Ben Kozlowski (76th), P Steven White (90th),
13 Seattle 43 P Chad Billingsley (45th), P Jimmy Gobble (47th), P Clint Nageotte (57th), RF Chris Snelling (71st), C Ryan Christianson (83rd)
14 Baltimore 43 SS B.J. Upton (33rd), 1B Doug Gredvig (35th), RF Delmon Young (44th),
15 Arizona 41 P Enrique Gonzalez (37th), 3B Garrett Atkins (40th), P Tetsya Yanaguchi (48th),
16 Boston 31 P Phil Dumatrait (27th), SS Hanley Ramirez (59th), P Jeff Allison (89th), 3B Kevin Youkilis (97th), 2B Angel Santos (100th)
17 Detroit 26 P Kenny Baugh (28th), 2B Rickie Weeks (73rd),
18 St. Louis 25 P Rhett Parrott (42nd), P Dan Haren (65th), P Justin Pope (82nd), P James Houser (95th),
19 Oakland 21 P Mike Ziegler (41st), 3B Miguel Cabrera (75th), P Derell McCall (91st), P Ryan Sweeney (98th),
20 Houston 20 P Cory Doyne (26th),
21 Cincinnati 17 P Josh Karp (53rd), P Ricardo Aramboles (68th),
22 San Francisco 15 P Greg Bruso (58th), P Boof Bonser (85th), P Craig Whitaker (87th),
23 Los Angeles 5 SS Gookie Dawkins (74th),
24 Chicago (A) 4 CF Tony Miller (79th), P Brian Miller (99th),

General Mike

05-08-2003, 01:57 PM

Free Agency Preview

The 2004 free agent market is thin, but their are players to be acquired. The premier position players on the market are:

Name Age Pos AVG 2B 3B HR BB K Spe Sta Def. Range
V. Guerrero 27 RF 8 6 2 10 5 7 A B A
S. Sosa 35 RF 7 4 2 13 7 3 C E B
I. Rodriguez 32 C 6 8 3 7 3 4 C C A
G. Sheffield 35 RF 7 4 0 7 7 7 B C D
E. Renteria 28 SS 6 6 2 3 4 7 A B C
J. Cruz Jr. 29 RF 5 6 2 6 5 3 A B B
R. Alomar 35 2B 5 6 4 4 5 6 B B A
L. Castillo 28 2B 6 3 4 0 5 6 A A C

Vlad will definitely get a big contract, but the 3 other premier FAs are all approaching the downside of their career. Renteria, Cruz and Alomar are all on the 2nd tier of players. Castillo is a guy I'd like to bring in to replace Alomar.

Pitching is just as thin, with 1 premier free agent, a younger ace type, a top closer, and one future Hall of Famer.

Name Age Role ERA AVG HR BB K Dur. SP Dur. RP
P. Martinez 32 SP 10 9 8 7 13 B -
J. Washburn 29 SP 7 7 7 6 6 B -
R. Johnson 40 SP 7 7 6 5 9 B -
R. Nen 34 CL 9 8 7 7 11 - C
S. Ponson 27 SP 6 6 5 6 6 B -
M. Sirotka 29 SP 6 6 6 6 5 C C
C. Lidle 31 SP 5 5 6 7 6 B C
J. Johnson 30 SP 6 6 5 6 6 C -
K. Rueter 33 SP 6 6 7 7 4 D -
S. Estes 30 SP 5 6 6 5 5 C -
V. Nunez 28 MR 9 7 8 8 6 - C
S. Eyre 31 MR 7 7 8 6 7 E C
L. Hawkins 31 MR 7 7 6 7 8 - C
R. Rincon 33 MR 7 7 7 6 8 - E
G. Maddux 37 SP 5 6 4 6 7 E -
J. Eischen 33 MR 7 6 8 6 8 - D
C. Leskanic 35 MR 7 6 8 6 8 -

Mets Needs

On the free agency screen, the game says we have 5 needs. Second Base, Shortstop, Centerfield, Rightfield, and Starting Pitcher. I've already decided to put SS Jose Reyes at SS, Josh Hamilton in CF and Aaron Heilman as the 3rd starter. I've set my eye on Luis Castillo to play 2B, but if I can't sign him, Ty Wiggington will play 2B, and ill sign a guy who can be a defensive replacement at 2B, and backup SS and 3B as well. I'll probably take a run at a professional bat as well.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 02:26 PM

My Initial Offers.

2B Luis Castillo is looking for a 4 year deal worth 1.11 Million per year. I'm not big on 4 years deal, because of injury concerns, etc. so I've decided to make an initial offer of 1.3 Million per year x 3 years.

I'll wait til near the end of free agency to try to pick up a cheap util IFer.

Around the League with the bids

Here's how the major players, and who has bid on them shakes down.

RF Vladimir Guerrero
Favorite offer so far from St. Louis.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Cleveland
Texas
Atlanta

C Ivan Rodriguez
Favorite offer so far from Baltimore.
Other offers from:
Toronto
Minnesota
Texas
Atlanta
Arizona
San Diego

RF Gary Sheffield
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Minnesota

P Pedro Martinez
Favorite offer so far from New York (A).
Other offers from:
Toronto
Minnesota
Seattle
Chicago (N)
Philadelphia
San Francisco
St. Louis

P Jarrod Washburn
Favorite offer so far from Houston.
Other offers from:
Atlanta

P Robb Nen
Favorite offer so far from Toronto.
Other offers from:
Chicago (N)
Pittsburgh

2B Roberto Alomar
Favorite offer so far from Pittsburgh.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Detroit
Minnesota
Philadelphia
San Diego
St. Louis

2B Luis Castillo
Favorite offer so far from New York (N).
Other offers from:
Chicago (A)

P Randy Johnson
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Cincinnati

SS Edgar Renteria
Favorite offer so far from Seattle.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Toronto
Anaheim
Minnesota
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
San Francisco

Strange Occurance - No one has bid on Slammin Sammy yet.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 02:29 PM

Early Signings

Day 2 :

Cincinnati : C Mike Redmond, 805,600 per year, for 4 years.
Houston : SS Alex Cora, 957,600 per year, for 4 years.
Seattle : CF Ruben Rivera, 960,300 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : C Doug Mirabelli, 438,900 per year, for 3 years

Interest is picking up for 2 somewhat unknown players

P Vladimir Nunez
Favorite offer so far from Los Angeles.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Boston
Cleveland
New York (A)
Toronto
Anaheim
Chicago (A)
Minnesota
Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Atlanta
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Arizona
Houston
San Diego
St. Louis

3B Frank Catalanotto
Favorite offer so far from Cleveland.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Boston
New York (A)
Minnesota
Seattle
Atlanta
Chicago (N)
Cincinnati
Philadelphia
Houston
San Diego
San Francisco

Still no bids for Senor Sosa.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 03:17 PM

With Sammy Sosa still sitting in the corner with no bids, I decided to try to fill the hole in my lineup and pick up Sosa. I bid 10 Million per for 3 years, and he likes the offer :).

Day 3 signings
Boston : RF Jose Cruz Jr., 3,927,000 per year, for 3 years.
San Francisco : RF Reggie Sanders, 2,496,200 per year, for 4 years.
Los Angeles : LF Todd Hollandsworth, 2,783,700 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : RF Juan Gonzalez, 2,307,400 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : SS Jose Hernandez, 1,590,900 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : 1B Scott Spiezio, 775,600 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : SS Jose Valentin, 970,400 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : C Javy Lopez, 864,200 per year, for 4 years.
Philadelphia : P Rudy Seanez, 2,667,700 per year, for 5 years.
Cincinnati : 2B Quilvio Veras, 333,000 per year, for 2 years.
Arizona : 3B David Bell, 483,100 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : P Dan Smith, 1,072,200 per year, for 3 years.

Jose Cruz Jr. becomes the 1st "major" free agent to sign a contract.

Day 4 signings
Arizona : C Ivan Rodriguez, 8,572,400 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : P Scott Eyre, 3,094,500 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : RF Brandon Berger, 428,500 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : SS Damian Jackson, 427,200 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : C Mike Matheny, minor league deal.

Arizona has jumped in on the Sosa bidding and has usurped me. :( I'm gonna offer a little more money, 11.25 Mil for 4 years.

Day 5 signings
New York (A) : RF Karim Garcia, 2,436,800 per year, for 3 years.
San Francisco : RF Alex Ochoa, 2,104,600 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : P Jason Johnson, 1,903,400 per year, for 4 years.
San Diego : CF Carl Everett, 1,268,800 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : 2B Julius Matos, minor league deal.
Seattle : DH Shawn Wooten, 376,600 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : P Robert Vasbinder, minor league deal.

Sosa still likes Arizona's offer better, so I'm pulling myself out of the running for his services.

Day 6 signings
New York (N) : 2B Luis Castillo, 1,300,000 per year, for 3 years.
San Diego : LF Gabe Kapler, 655,500 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : 1B Olmedo Saenz, 772,900 per year, for 4 years.
Cleveland : P Jose Paniagua, 1,835,500 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : P Evan Rust, minor league deal.

We get the guy we're looking for in Castillo. We still have about $15 Million in the coffers for free agents if we want to, but I don't see anyone filling that void.

Day 7 signings
Boston : P Sidney Ponson, 2,545,900 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : LF Randy Winn, 991,100 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : P Cory Lidle, 1,931,400 per year, for 4 years.
San Diego : P Shawn Estes, 1,925,400 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Vladimir Nunez, 3,374,800 per year, for 4 years.
Cleveland : CF Ricky Ledee, 742,900 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : 3B Fernando Tatis, 563,600 per year, for 2 years.
Boston : CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo, 428,500 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : 3B Eduardo Perez, minor league deal.
Detroit : 3B Mark Derosa, 427,000 per year, for 2 years.
Toronto : P Mike DeJean, 1,769,900 per year, for 4 years.
St. Louis : C Ben Molina, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Travis Phelps, 666,400 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : P Clay Condrey, minor league deal.

I've decided to throw my hat into the Frank Catalanotto sweepstakes, even tho he can't be my backup SS :confused:

Day 8 signings
Pittsburgh : RF Gary Sheffield, 6,194,800 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : 1B Mike Kinkade, 841,400 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : RF Jeromy Burnitz, 997,300 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (N) : RF Raul Mondesi, 633,600 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : SS Mike Caruso, minor league deal.
Oakland : P Brandon Knight, 411,500 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : P Alex Herrera, 411,500 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : P Stockton Davis, minor league deal.

Pittsburgh signs Juan Gone and Gary Sheffield. Very strange, indeed. :rolleyes:
Catalanotto says my contract offer isn't enough money, so its time to move on. Carlos Febles is my next target, I'll try to hook him with the same contract offer I gave Catalanotto.

Day 9 signings
Detroit : P Randy Johnson, 5,286,000 per year, for 1 year.
Toronto : P Robb Nen, 8,193,800 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : P Doug Davis, 590,000 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : P Livan Hernandez, 450,500 per year, for 1 year.
San Francisco : P Esteban Yan, 1,949,400 per year, for 4 years.

Febles isn't interested, so I move on to the 1 year deal types. Marlon Anderson is my 1st choice.

Day 10 signings
Cleveland : SS Rich Aurilia, 912,500 per year, for 5 years.
Minnesota : RF Brian Banks, 582,500 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : SS Carlos Febles, 1,350,000 per year, for 3 years.
Philadelphia : P Jay Witasick, 1,491,300 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : P Donne Wall, minor league deal.

Day 11 signings
Philadelphia : P Pedro Martinez, 13,663,200 per year, for 7 years.
Arizona : RF Sammy Sosa, 15,058,300 per year, for 4 years.
Atlanta : 2B Roberto Alomar, 5,054,500 per year, for 5 years.
Arizona : CF Rontrez Johnson, 717,100 per year, for 2 years.
Anaheim : 1B Steve Cox, minor league deal.
Anaheim : 2B Bry Nelson, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Mike Venafro, 564,000 per year, for 4 years.
Cleveland : P Lincoln Holdzkom, minor league deal.

3 more of the big free agents have signed. And I've been offered a trade by the Diamondbacks

I receive: RF Danny Bautista, 3B Joey Votto

Arizona receives: 1B Mo Vaughn

I have to do this trade and get rid of the 7 Million difference in their salary. Bautista doesn't have Vaughn's power, but he's a good contact hitter. Votto is a middle of the road prospect, who will probably go to AA for us.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 03:36 PM

Day 12 signings
San Diego : C Todd Pratt, 1,061,800 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : P Aaron Harang, 426,900 per year, for 1 year.
Pittsburgh : P Mike Matthews, 1,489,600 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : P Julio Santana, 790,000 per year, for 3 years.

Day 13 signings
San Francisco : RF Vladimir Guerrero, 17,721,500 per year, for 5 years.
Chicago (A) : SS Edgar Renteria, 4,892,200 per year, for 4 years.
Seattle : P Mike Sirotka, 2,884,200 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (A) : 1B Travis Lee, 710,400 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : CF Jay Payton, 553,700 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : P Omar Daal, 835,800 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : P Darrell May, 546,300 per year, for 2 years.
Arizona : P Joey Eischen, 1,951,200 per year, for 4 years.
Baltimore : 2B Andy Sheets, minor league deal.
St. Louis : SS Wilson Delgado, minor league deal.

Bonds and Guerrero in the same lineup. Justi incredible.

Day 14 signings
Houston : P Jorge Sosa, 704,000 per year, for 3 years.

Day 15 signings
Oakland : LF Rondell White, 3,396,200 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : P LaTroy Hawkins, 3,040,400 per year, for 5 years.
Baltimore : P Ricardo Rincon, 3,548,700 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : 2B Jesus Medrano, minor league deal.
San Francisco : C Bobby Estalella, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P John Rocker, 1,072,200 per year, for 3 years.

Day 16 signings
Minnesota : 2B Joe Lawrence, minor league deal.

Jarrod Washburn is still looking for a bigger contract. With the money freed up from Mo Vaughn;s trade, I may have enough money to eat Steve Trachsel's contract. I'm gonna take a run at him.

Day 17 signings
San Diego : P Pete Walker, 1,024,200 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : P Randy Keisler, 458,900 per year, for 2 years.
San Francisco : SS Rey Ordonez, minor league deal.

My Washburn plan isn't meant to be, as he has better offers on the table then my 10M x 3 year deal.

Day 18 signings
Cleveland : LF Jeremy Giambi, 1,502,700 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : P Kirk Rueter, 1,669,100 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : LF Daryle Ward, 690,400 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : 1B Brian Daubach, 639,200 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : P Victor Zambrano, 522,500 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : P Curt Leskanic, 1,308,300 per year, for 5 years.
Arizona : P Bobby Howry, 1,175,800 per year, for 4 years.
Baltimore : C Henry Blanco, minor league deal.

Day 19 signings
Chicago (N) : C Gregg Zaun, minor league deal.

Day 20 signings
San Francisco : P Jarrod Washburn, 10,100,000 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : 3B Frank Catalanotto, 1,900,000 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : P Jim Parque, 413,000 per year, for 1 year.
Chicago (A) : P Jeff Suppan, 464,400 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : P Jeff D'amico, minor league deal.
Cleveland : P Mike Fyhrie, 2,118,400 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : SS Jason Smith, minor league deal.
Chicago (A) : P Chad Bradford, 1,299,100 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (A) : P Antonio Alfonseca, 1,154,800 per year, for 4 years.
Texas : P Giovanni Carrara, 1,245,500 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : P Lou Pote, 782,700 per year, for 3 years.

$100,000. That's all it would have taken to seal the deal :(.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 03:48 PM

Day 21 signings
Anaheim : CF Juan Encarnacion, 1,676,700 per year, for 4 years.
Anaheim : LF Melvin Mora, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Greg Maddux, 517,100 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : P Paul Wilson, minor league deal.
Anaheim : LF Mark Smith, minor league deal.
Arizona : P Todd Ritchie, minor league deal.
Arizona : SS Alejandro Machado, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Jose Mesa, 1,491,300 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : P Josh Parker, minor league deal.

Day 22 signings
Minnesota : RF Robert Fick, 912,200 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : LF Jacob Cruz, 502,800 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : RF Aaron Guiel, 480,700 per year, for 2 years.
Baltimore : RF Kyle Logan, 407,900 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : 3B Dean Palmer, minor league deal.
Anaheim : LF Charles Gipson, minor league deal.
New York (N) : 2B Marlon Anderson, 700,000 per year, for 1 year.
Atlanta : P Justin Speier, 1,081,600 per year, for 4 years.
Atlanta : C Gary Bennett, minor league deal.

I pick up my utility infielder, and my major league roster is set.

Day 23 signings
St. Louis : 2B Mark Loretta, minor league deal.
Los Angeles : SS Chris Gomez, 447,500 per year, for 2 years.
Baltimore : P Elmer Dessens, minor league deal.
Minnesota : 3B Greg Norton, minor league deal.
Houston : P Amaury Telemaco, minor league deal.
Atlanta : C Paul Bako, minor league deal.

Day 24 signings
Minnesota : 2B Jose Ortiz, minor league deal.
Atlanta : C Cody McKay, minor league deal.
Atlanta : C Javier Cardona, minor league deal.

Day 25 signings
Baltimore : RF Matt Stairs, 474,100 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : 1B Wil Cordero, 411,700 per year, for 1 year.
Atlanta : C Robert Machado, minor league deal.
San Francisco : 3B Kevin Orie, minor league deal.
Los Angeles : P Travis Driskill, minor league deal.
Atlanta : C Javier Valentin, minor league deal.
Atlanta : C Wiki Gonzalez, minor league deal.

Day 26 signings
Baltimore : P Trever Miller, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Ken Cloude, minor league deal.
Baltimore : P Ryan Jensen, minor league deal.
Atlanta : RF Chad Allen, minor league deal.

Day 27 signings
Arizona : P Rick Reed, 472,100 per year, for 2 years.
Minnesota : P Nick Neugebauer, minor league deal.

Day 28 signings
Atlanta : RF Israel Alcantara, minor league deal.
San Francisco : 3B Bill Mueller, minor league deal.
Chicago (N) : P Jason Bere, 449,800 per year, for 2 years.
Pittsburgh : P Peter Munro, minor league deal.

Day 29 signings
Atlanta : RF Shane Spencer, minor league deal.

Day 30 signings
Baltimore: Free agent P Jimmy Osting has been signed to a minor league contract.
Arizona: Free agent P Brian Meadows has been signed to a minor league contract.
Pittsburgh: Free agent P Brian Moehler has been signed to a minor league contract.
Arizona: Free agent P Carl Pavano has been signed to a minor league contract.
Houston: Free agent P Miguel Asencio has been signed to a minor league contract.
Chicago (N): Free agent P Bronson Arroyo has been signed to a minor league contract.

Spring Training Report next, then Pre Season Trade Review.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 04:10 PM

Mets Spring Training Results

Luis Castillo improves his defense at Second Base.
Luis Castillo has good batting practice sessions!
Luis Castillo showed good strike zone judgement!
Joey Votto displays more power in batting practice!
Ian Stewart has good batting practice sessions!
Ian Stewart displays more power in batting practice!
Ian Stewart showed good strike zone judgement!
Craig Brazell has good batting practice sessions!
Craig Brazell displays more power in batting practice!
David Wright has good batting practice sessions!
David Wright seems to have lost some power.
Jose Reyes displays more power in batting practice!
Jose Reyes showed good strike zone judgement!
Prentice Redman displays more power in batting practice!
Prentice Redman showed good strike zone judgement!
Jeff Duncan displays more power in batting practice!
Angel Pagan has good batting practice sessions!
Angel Pagan showed good strike zone judgement!
Haj Turay showed good strike zone judgement!
Ross Peeples has improved his control!
Kyle McCulloch has good batting practice sessions!
Kyle McCulloch seems to have lost some power.
Kyle McCulloch showed good strike zone judgement!
Mickey Hall has good batting practice sessions!
Mike Jacobs displays more power in batting practice!
Mike Jacobs showed good strike zone judgement!
Danny Garcia displays more power in batting practice!
Danny Garcia showed good strike zone judgement!
Joe Jianetti displays more power in batting practice!
Chris Basak has good batting practice sessions!
Chris Basak showed good strike zone judgement!
Aaron Baldiris has good batting practice sessions!
Aaron Baldiris showed good strike zone judgement!
Jamar Hill has good batting practice sessions!
Jamar Hill displays more power in batting practice!
Roberto Solano has good batting practice sessions!
Roberto Solano showed good strike zone judgement!
Marvin Seale has good batting practice sessions!
Marvin Seale displays more power in batting practice!
Marvin Seale showed good strike zone judgement!
Justin Hoyman has improved his control!
Ron Acuna displays more power in batting practice!
Ron Acuna showed good strike zone judgement!
Len DiNardo has good pitching sessions!
Len DiNardo has improved his control!
Justin Reimers has good batting practice sessions!
Justin Reimers displayed poor strike zone judgement!
Orlando Roman has increased his throwing velocity!
Orlando Roman has improved his control!
Josh Hamilton has good batting practice sessions!
Josh Hamilton showed good strike zone judgement!

The fact that Castillo worked hard on his defense and is now a B range 2B is great news. None of our other players suffered a setback or anything, so I like our team's outlook.

DolphinFan1

05-08-2003, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by General Mike

Day 11 signings
Philadelphia : P Pedro Martinez, 13,663,200 per year, for 7 years.
[/B]

Pedro goes to Philly. My Red Sox let another good pitcher get away. :(

General Mike

05-08-2003, 04:56 PM

Preseason Trade Review

Several teams made trades throughout the free agency period to fill perceived needs.

Trade between Boston and San Francisco :
San Francisco gets :
SS Freddy Sanchez
Boston gets :
3B Tony Torcato
LF Carlos Sosa
Note: This is basically Sanchez for Torcato. Sosa is a never was. Sanchez lacks power but should be fine as a replacement for Rich Aurilia. Boston needs a 3B for the future, and Torcato can develop while platooning with Cesar Crespo.

Trade between Anaheim and Chicago (N) :
Chicago (N) gets :
RF Mike O'Keefe
Anaheim gets :
1B Dave Kelton
[i]Note: Two very similar players. Both are ok contact hitters with a ton of power. O' Keefe fills an immediate need for the Cubs in replacing Sammy Sosa. Kelton will start the year in AAA, as Anaheim will go with a Steve Cox/ Robb Quinlan platoon. :confused:

Trade between Arizona and New York (N) :
New York (N) gets :
RF Danny Bautista
3B Joey Votto
Arizona gets :
1B Mo Vaughn
Note: This is strictly a salary dump as far as I'm concerned. Arizona gets a power hitting 1B who will play everyday for them.

Trade between Houston and Baltimore :
Baltimore gets :
LF Lance Berkman
RF Xavier Paul
SS Robert Valido
Houston gets :
CF Carlos Beltran
Note: This one really shocks me. Beltran is good, but I don't know if he can replace Berkman's bat in the lineup. Paul and Valido are both 3 or 4 years away from the majors at best.

Houston gets :
LF Shannon Stewart
Toronto gets :
P Tomokazu Ohka
SS Sean Rodriguez
C D.J. Lewis
Note: The Astros follow up their 1st trade, by making this one. Another puzzling trade. It makes alot of sense for Toronto tho, especially with Jason Werth ready to play everyday, and them needing another SP. Rodriguez and Lewis like Paul and Valido still need quite a bit of seasoning.

Trade between Cleveland and Los Angeles :
Los Angeles gets :
SS Omar Vizquel
Cleveland gets :
P Paul Shuey
1B Cole Barthel
Note: Cleveland didn't need Vizquel anymore after signing Aurilia, and they needed bullpen help. Shuey gives the Indians one quality bullpen arm. Vizquel fills LA's need for a SS.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by DolphinFan1
Pedro goes to Philly. My Red Sox let another good pitcher get away. :(

Yeah they were dumb. They had a 20 Million $ profit last year, cut payroll by 13.5 Million, but couldn't find any money for Pedro. BS. They also signed Jose Cruz so he could only play against lefties. Dumb, just dumb. I know your pain.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 09:23 PM

Right before the season, most teams usually make their post spring training cuts, and this year was no exception. Here are this years "special players".

Seattle: Released DH Edgar Martinez, he refused assignment to minors.
Seattle: Released C Dan Wilson, he refused assignment to minors.
Cincinnati: Released P Jason Grimsley, he refused assignment to minors.
Los Angeles: Released P Kevin Brown, he refused assignment to minors.
Baltimore: Released SS Deivi Cruz.
Baltimore: Released RF Pedro Swann.
Baltimore: Released P Elmer Dessens.
Baltimore: Released P Mike Paradis.
Baltimore: Released P Trever Miller.
Baltimore: Released P Ryan Jensen.
Baltimore: Released P Brian Marshall.
Baltimore: Released P Buddy Groom.
Boston: Released P Alan Embree.
Boston: Released P Matt J. White.
Boston: Released P Jason Shiell.
Cleveland: Released 1B Fernando Pacheco.
Cleveland: Released P Kip Wells.
Cleveland: Released P Jake Dittler.
Cleveland: Released P Carl Sadler.
Cleveland: Released P Hank Thomas.
Cleveland: Released 3B Casey Blake.
Detroit: Released 3B Shane Halter.
Detroit: Released P Jason Jennings.
Detroit: Released P Adam Bernero.
Detroit: Released P Jamie Walker.
Detroit: Released P Nate Robertson.
Detroit: Released P Matt Miller.
Toronto: Released P Dan Reichert.
Toronto: Released P Chris Baker.
Toronto: Released P Bob File.
Toronto: Released LF Mike Colangelo.
Anaheim: Released LF Melvin Mora.
Anaheim: Released P Ben Weber.
Chicago (A): Released 1B Travis Lee.
Chicago (A): Released P Kris Honel.
Chicago (A): Released P Jason Dellaero.
Chicago (A): Released P Kelly Wunsch.
Chicago (A): Released P Lorenzo Barcelo.
Minnesota: Released 2B Joe Lawrence.
Minnesota: Released CF Dustan Mohr.
Minnesota: Released RF Kevin West.
Minnesota: Released P Kyle Lohse.
Minnesota: Released P Randy Keisler.
Minnesota: Released P Josmir Romero.
Minnesota: Released P Tony Fiore.
Minnesota: Released P Ronnie Corona.
Minnesota: Released P Mike Nakamura.
Minnesota: Released P Juan Padilla.
Oakland: Released C Casey Myers.
Oakland: Released P Donne Wall.
Seattle: Released P Jamie Moyer.
Seattle: Released P Jim Parque.
Seattle: Released P J.J. Putz.
Seattle: Released P Cha Seung Baek.
Texas: Released 2B Jeff Pickler.
Atlanta: Released C Paul Bako.
Atlanta: Released C Gary Bennett.
Atlanta: Released C Wiki Gonzalez.
Atlanta: Released C Cody McKay.
Atlanta: Released P Kevin Gryboski.
Chicago (N): Released P Mike Remlinger.
Cincinnati: Released P Paul Wilson.
Cincinnati: Released P Victor Zambrano.
Philadelphia: Released P Turk Wendell.
Philadelphia: Released P Jeremy Wedel.
Pittsburgh: Released P Brian Moehler.
Pittsburgh: Released P Ken Cloude.
Pittsburgh: Released P Peter Munro.
Pittsburgh: Released P Ryan Vogelsong.
Pittsburgh: Released P Sean Burnett.
Pittsburgh: Released P Jose Mesa.
Pittsburgh: Released P Brian Boehringer.
Pittsburgh: Released P Nelson Figueroa.
Pittsburgh: Released P John Wasdin.
Arizona: Released C Chad Moeller.
Arizona: Released 1B Olmedo Saenz.
Arizona: Released SS Matt Kata.
Arizona: Released P Todd Ritchie.
Arizona: Released P Carl Pavano.
Arizona: Released P Brian Meadows.
Arizona: Released P Mike Myers.
Houston: Released 1B Scott Spiezio.
Houston: Released P Mitch Talbot.
Houston: Released P Rodrigo Rosario.
Los Angeles: Released SS Cesar Izturis.
Los Angeles: Released CF Jay Payton.
Los Angeles: Released P Cory Van Allen.
Los Angeles: Released C Todd Hundley, he refused assignment to minors.
San Diego: Released RF Mark Quinn.
San Diego: Released P Pete Walker.
San Diego: Released P Shawn Estes.
San Francisco: Released RF Alex Ochoa.
San Francisco: Released P Chris Young.

General Mike

05-08-2003, 10:08 PM

Mets 2004 Roster

Before we get started, we should take a look at the roster. We have 3 rookies on the major league roster, and 2 more newcomers. Everyone else spent some time in the majors for the Mets in 2003.

Position Players
(ratings in order - hits, 2B, 3B, HR, BB, Ks)

Catchers
C Mike Piazza - 6,5,1,8,5,3
C Vance Wilson - 4,5,0,4,2,5
C Jason Phillips - 5,6,1,8,3,7

Infielders
1B Derek Lee - 5,6,4,8,7,3
2B Luis Castillo - 6,4,4,0,5,7
3B Mike Lowell - 6,8,0,6,5,6
SS Jose Reyes - 4,6,12,1,2,5
Util IF Marlon Anderson - 5,6,5,2,4,6
Util IF Ty Wigginton - 6,6,3,4,5,6

Outfielders -
LF Cliff Floyd - 6,8,0,7,7,5
CF Josh Hamilton - 5,6,1,5,4,5
RF Danny Bautista - 6,4,5,5,3,6
OF Gary Matthews Jr. - 5,8,5,3,6,4
OF Timo Perez - 5,5,5,3,2,8

Pitchers
(ratings in order: Runs, Hits, 2Bs, HR, BB, K)

Starting Pitchers
SP Tom Glavine - 7,6,6,7,8,6
SP Al Leiter - 6,6,3,6,6,7
SP Aaron Heilman - 6,6,5,6,6,7
SP Denny Neagle - 5,6,4,5,6,6
SP Steve Trachsel - 4,5,5,6,6,6

Relievers
CL Armando Benitez - 9,9,6,6,5,10
RP Jaime Cerda - 7,6,6,6,8,7
RP Grant Roberts - 5,5,5,7,6,5
RP Mike Stanton - 6,6,6,7,7,7
RP Scott Strickland - 6,7,6,7,5,9
RP David Weathers - 7,7,6,7,6,6

Lineups

I've made one move that some people might disagree with, especially my plan to play Mike Piazza at 1B, at least for the first month of the season, but oh well. That's just how it is.

vs Righties
1) 2B Luis Castillo
2) RF Danny Bautista
3) LF Cliff Floyd
4) 1B Mike Piazza
5) 3B Mike Lowell
6) CF Josh Hamilton
7) C Jason Phillips
8) Pitcher's Spot
9) SS Jose Reyes

vs Righties/DH
1) 2B Luis Castillo
2) RF Danny Bautista
3) LF Cliff Floyd
4) DH Mike Piazza
5) 1B Derek Lee
6) 3B Mike Lowell
7) CF Josh Hamilton
8) C Jason Phillips
9) SS Jose Reyes

vs Lefties
1) 2B Luis Castillo
2) 3B Mike Lowell
3) LF Cliff Floyd
4) 1B Mike Piazza
5) C Jason Phillips
6) CF Josh Hamilton
7) RF Danny Bautista
8) Pitcher's Spot
9) SS Jose Reyes

vs Lefties/DH
1) 2B Luis Castillo
2) 3B Mike Lowell
3) LF Cliff Floyd
4) DH Mike Piazza
5) 1B Derek Lee
6) C Jason Phillips
7) CF Josh Hamilton
8) RF Danny Bautista
9) SS Jose Reyes

Pitching Staff
1) Tom Glavine
2) Al Leiter
3) Aaron Heilman
4) Denny Neagle
5) Steve Trachsel
Closer: Armando Benitez
Setup: Scott Strickland/ Mike Stanton
Middle Relief: David Weathers/ Jaime Cerda/ Grant Roberts
Mopup: Grant Roberts

My Gameplan
Since we have alot of team speed, we're gonna use it to our advantage, big time. Lots of hit and run, and lots of stealing. This is pretty much the beginning of the rebuilding stage, so we'll take some chances, and try to trade Neagle and Trachsel so we can give a guy like Jason Middlebrook or one of the other AAA veterans a chance.

JeeberD

05-10-2003, 01:01 PM

Houston Astros = 60 Wins

That has got to be the worst off season I've ever seen. If they pulled that crap in real life I'm not sure what the hell I would do...

General Mike

05-10-2003, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by JeeberD
Houston Astros = 60 Wins

That has got to be the worst off season I've ever seen. If they pulled that crap in real life I'm not sure what the hell I would do...

It wasn't that bad of an off season, but they do need a #3 starter. A #4 would be nice too. Their lineup will score a ton of runs tho, and they'll win 85+ games again.

Now I should get to work on typing up the team previews now. Alot of interesting offseason moves.

General Mike

05-11-2003, 02:09 PM

American League East Preview

Baltimore Orioles

Record, Last Year: 69-93
Payroll: 34,736,187 (22nd)
Fan Interest: 46 (19th)
Key Losses: RF Alex Ochoa, LF Todd Hollandsworth, CF Carlos Beltran, SP Jason Johnson
Key Additions: LF Lance Berkman, OF Randy Winn, RF Matt Stairs, RP Ricardo Rincon
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Jerry Hairston
2) DH Matt Stairs/ CF Darnell McDonald
3) LF Lance Berkman/ 1B Jay Gibbons
4) 3B Tony Batista/ RF Luis Matos
5) CF Larry Bigbie/ LF Lance Berkman
6) 1B Jay Gibbons/ DH Geoff Jenkins
7) RF Geoff Jenkins/ 3B Tony Batista
8) SS Ed Rogers
9) C Henry Blanco

Pitching Staff
1) Rodrigo Lopez
2) Aaron Rakers
3) John Stephens
4) Russ Ortiz
5) Aaron Cook
Spot: Jimmy Osting
Closer: Jorge Julio
Setup: Ricardo Rincon/ B.J. Ryan
Middle Relief: Kerry Ligtenberg/ Erik Dubose
Mopup: None

Boston Red Sox

Record, Last Year: 97-65
Payroll: 64,856,726 (5th)
Fan Interest: 87 (1st)
Key Losses: SP Pedro Martinez, LF Jeremy Giambi, C Doug Mirabelli, SS Freddy Sanchez, RP Curt Leskanic
Key Additions: RF Jose Cruz Jr., SP Sidney Ponson, 3B Tony Torcato, RP Lou Pote
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Johnny Damon
2) SS Nomar Garciaparra/ RF Jose Cruz Jr.
3) 1B John Olerud/ LF Manny Ramirez
4) LF Manny Ramirez/ SS Nomar Garciaparra
5) RF Trot Nixon/ 1B John Olerud
6) DH Brad Fullmer/ 3B Cesar Crespo
7) 2B Todd Walker/ C Jason Varitek
8) 3B Tony Torcato/ 2B Angel Santos
9) C Jason Varitek/ DH Brad Fullmer

Pitching Staff
1) Derek Lowe
2) Casey Fossum
3) Tim Wakefield
4) Sidney Ponson
5) Chris Elmore
Spot: Claudio Vargas
Closer: Jose Jimenez
Setup: Lou Pote/ Jayson Durocher
Middle Relief: Ramiro Mendoza/ Claudio Vargas/ Chad Fox
Mopup: Chad Fox

Cleveland Indians

Record, Last Year: 68-94
Payroll: 33,600,771 (23rd)
Fan Interest: 42 (t-21st)
Key Losses: RP Bob Wickman, LF Ellis Burks, SS Omar Vizquel, RP Jose Santiago, RP Mark Wohlers
Key Additions: SS Rich Aurilia, SP Omar Daal, LF Jeremy Giambi, CF Ricky Ledee, RP Paul Shuey
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Brandon Phillips/ RF Matt Lawton
2) 3B Brandon Larson/ 2B Brandon Phillips
3) 1B Mike Sweeney
4) DH Jeremy Giambi/ 3B Brandon Larson
5) RF Matt Lawton/ C Victor Martinez
6) CF Ricky Ledee/ LF Jeremy Giambi
7) C Victor Martinez/ DH Jhonny Peralta
8) LF Ben Grieve/ SS Rich Aurilia
9) SS Rich Aurilia/ CF Milton Bradley

Pitching Staff
1) Jesse Foppert
2) Danys Baez
3) Jason C. Phillips
4) Omar Daal
5) Doug Davis
Spot: Brian Anderson
Closer: Paul Shuey
Setup: Mike Fyhrie/ Luis Pineda
Middle Relief: Jose Paniagua/ Dave Riske/ Brian Anderson
Mopup: Brian Anderson

Detroit Tigers

Record, Last Year: 61-101
Payroll: 36,426,342 (20th)
Fan Interest: 13 (24th)
Key Losses: RF Vlad Guerrero, RP Jose Paniagua, CF Jay Payton
Key Additions: SP Randy Johnson, SP Corey Lidle, RP Dan Smith, Util Damian Jackson
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) RF Carl Crawford/ CF Eugene Kingsale
2) DH Craig Monroe/ C Brandon Inge
3) 1B Carlos Pena/ DH Craig Monroe
4) 3B Erik Munson/ 1B Carlos Pena
5) LF Bobby Higginson/ 2B Hiram Bocachica
6) 2B Julius Matos/ RF Bobby Higginson
7) C Brandon Inge/ 3B Erik Munson
8) SS Carlos Febles/ LF Carl Crawford
9) CF Eugene Kingsale/ SS Carlos Febles

Pitching Staff
1) Randy Johnson
2) Mike Maroth
3) Corey Lidle
4) Jeremy Bonderman
5) Adrian Burnside
Spot: Ian Ferguson
Closer: Dan Smith
Setup: None :confused:
Middle Relief: Ian Ferguson/ Franklyn German/ Jason Jimenez
Mopup: Jason Jimenez/ Matt Anderson

New York Yankees

Record, Last Year: 88-74
Payroll: 90,329,457 (1st)
Fan Interest: 80 (t-4th)
Key Losses: SP Jon Leiber, RF Gabe Kapler
Key Additions: RF Karim Garcia
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Alfonso Soriano/ CF Bernie Willams
2) SS Derek Jeter/ RF Juan Rivera
3) DH Jason Giambi/ SS Derek Jeter
4) LF Hideki Matsui/ 2B Alfonso Soriano
5) CF Bernie Williams/ C Jorge Posada
6) 1B Nick Johnson/ 1B Jason Giambi
7) C Jorge Posada/ DH Karim Garcia
8) 3B Robin Ventura/ LF Hideki Matsui
9) RF Juan Rivera/ 3B Robin Ventura

Pitching Staff
1) Jeff Weaver
2) Andy Pettite
3) Mike Mussina
4) Brandon Claussen
5) Mark Phillips
Spot: Scott Elarton
Closer: Mariano Rivera
Setup: Braden Looper/ Steve Karsay
Middle Relief: Juan Acevedo/ Scott Elarton/ Dave Maurer
Mopup: Dave Maurer

Toronto Blue Jays

Record, Last Year: 87-75
Payroll: 49,104,143 (17th)
Fan Interest: 64 (10th)
Key Losses: LF Shannon Stewart, SP Corey Lidle, SP Glendon Rusch, SP Pete Walker, 3B Frank Catalanotto
Key Additions: SP Tomo Ohka, CL Robb Nen, MR Mike DeJean
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) DH Gabe Gross/ CF Vernon Wells
2) 2B Orlando Hudson/ C Brian Schneider
3) 3B Erik Hinske/ RF Austin Kearns
4) 1B Carlos Delgado/ DH Jayson Werth
5) RF Austin Kearns/ LF Dave McCarty
6) LF Jayson Werth/ 1B Carlos Delgado
7) CF Vernon Wells/ 2B Orlando Hudson
8) SS Chris Woodard/ 3B Erik Hinske
9) C Brian Schneider/ SS Chris Woodard

Pitching Staff
1) Joe Kennedy
2) Tomo Ohka
3) Ismael Valdes
4) Mark Hendrickson
5) Josh Towers
Spot:
Closer: Robb Nen
Setup: Aquilino Lopez/ Kelvim Escobar
Middle Relief: Corey Thurman/ Mike DeJean/ Cliff Politte
Mopup: Cliff Politte

DolphinFan1

05-11-2003, 09:03 PM

Originally posted by General Mike
American League East Preview

[b]Boston Red Sox

Pitching Staff
1) Derek Lowe
2) Casey Fossum
3) Tim Wakefield
4) Sidney Ponson
5) Chris Elmore
Spot: Claudio Vargas
Closer: Jose Jimenez
Setup: Lou Pote/ Jayson Durocher
Middle Relief: Ramiro Mendoza/ Claudio Vargas/ Chad Fox
Mopup: Chad Fox

Boy, without Pedro in the rotation, these guys just don't look too formidable in there. I think the Sox are in trouble.:(

General Mike

05-11-2003, 10:24 PM

DolphinFan1, I agree that they're going to have a rough season on the pitching side of things, but they still do have a great lineup with Olerud, Nomar and Manny. The East is still a 3 team for 2 playoff spot deal, so they should be able to get into the playoffs at some point.

Now on to the

American League West Preview

Anaheim Angels

Record, Last Year: 80-82
Payroll: 54,201,214 (14th)
Fan Interest: 63 (11th)
Key Losses: SP Jarrod Washburn, 1B Scott Spiezio, RP Chris Hammond
Key Additions: OF Juan Encarnacion
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Darin Erstad/ SS David Eckstein
2) 2B Adam Kennedy/ 1B Rob Quinlan
3) DH Aubrey Huff/ 3B Troy Glaus
4) RF Tim Salmon/ LF Garret Anderson
5) LF Garret Anderson/ RF Tim Salmon
6) 3B Troy Glaus/ C Charles Johnson
7) 1B Steve Cox/ DH Aubrey Huff
8) C Charles Johnson/ CF Darin Erstad
9) SS David Eckstein/ 2B Adam Kennedy

Pitching Staff
1) Ramon Ortiz
2) John Lackey
3) Dewon Brazelton
4) Kevin Appier
5) Aaron Sele
Spot:
Closer: Troy Percival
Setup: Brandon Donnelly/ Scot Shields
Middle Relief: Mark Brunet/ Francisco Rodriguez/ Mark Lukasiewicz
Mopup: Mark Lukasiewicz

Chicago White Sox

Record, Last Year: 78-84
Payroll: 54,989,008 (13th)
Fan Interest: 31 (23rd)
Key Losses: C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Jose Valentin, RP Vladimir Nunez
Key Additions: SS Edgar Renteria, RP Antonio Alfonseca, SP Jeff Suppan
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Chone Figgins/ SS Edgar Renteria
2) 1B Paul Konerko/ CF Aaron Rowand
3) RF Magglio Ordonez/ DH Frank Thomas
4) 3B Joe Crede/ RF Magglio Ordonez
5) DH Frank Thomas/ 3B Joe Crede
6) LF Joe Borchard
7) SS Edgar Renteria/ 1B Paul Konerko
8) CF Alexis Gomez/ C Miguel Olivo
9) C Miguel Olivo/ 2B Chone Figgins

Pitching Staff
1) Bartolo Colon
2) Mark Buehrle
3) Jon Garland
4) Esteban Loaiza
5) Jeff Suppan
Spot:
Closer: Billy Koch
Setup: Tom Gordon/ Damaso Marte
Middle Relief: Matt Ginter/ Antonio Alfonseca/ Mike MacDougal
Mopup: Mike MacDougal

Minnesota Twins

Record, Last Year: 83-79
Payroll: 47,108,772 (19th)
Fan Interest: 71 (7th)
Key Losses: Util Denny Hocking, SS Chris Gomez
Key Additions: RF Robert Fick, 2B Jose Ortiz
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Cristian Guzman/ CF Torii Hunter
2) 3B Corey Koskie/ SS Cristian Guzman
3) C A.J. Pierzynski/ 1B Mike Cuddyer
4) CF Torii Hunter/ DH Matt LeCroy
5) 1B Mik Cuddyer/ 2B Ron Wright
6) LF Bobby Kielty
7) RF Robert Fick/ RF Brian Banks
8) 2B Ron Wright/ C Toby Hall
9) DH Matt LeCroy/ 3B Corey Koskie

Pitching Staff
1) Brad Radke
2) Johan Santana
3) Ben Sheets
4) Joe Mays
5) Eric Milton
Spot: Adam Johnson
Closer: Eddie Guardado
Setup: Valerio de los Santos/ J.C. Romero
Middle Relief: Adam Johnson/ Nick Neugebauer/ Chin-Hui Tsao
Mopup: Chin-Hui Tsao

Oakland Athletics

Record, Last Year: 88-74
Payroll: 57,007,650 (10th)
Fan Interest: 42 (21st)
Key Losses: RP Ricardo Rincon, RP Chad Bradford
Key Additions: C Javy Lopez, LF Rondell White, SP Jason Johnson
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Mark Ellis/ RF Jermaine Dye
2) 1B Scott Hatteberg/ C Mitch Meluskey
3) 3B Eric Chavez/ DH Moises Alou
4) RF Jermaine Dye/ SS Miguel Tejada
5) SS Miguel Tejada/ LF Rondell White
6) DH Raul Ibanez/ 3B Eric Chavez
7) LF Moises Alou/ 2B Mark Ellis
8) C Mitch Meluskey/ CF Chris Singleton
9) CF Chris Singleton/ 1B Scott Hatteberg

Pitching Staff
1) Barry Zito
2) Tim Hudson
3) Mark Mulder
4) Ted Lilly
5) Jason Johnson
Spot: Rich Harden
Closer: Keith Foulke
Setup: Joe Valentine/ Jeremy Fikac
Middle Relief: Rich Harden/ Micah Bowie/ Roy Smith
Mopup: Roy Smith

Seattle Mariners

Record, Last Year: 84-79
Payroll: 47,510,350 (18th)
Fan Interest: 84 (t-2nd)
Key Losses: RP LaTroy Hawkins, OF Randy Winn, 3B Fernando Tatis, Util Mark McLemore
Key Additions: RP Scott Eyre, SP Mike Sirotka, C Doug Mirabelli
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) RF Ichiro Suzuki
2) 3B Jeff Cirillo
3) 1B Greg Colbrunn
4) LF Brad Wilkerson
5) DH Chris Snelling/ C Doug Mirabelli
6) C Ben Davis/ DH Mike Kinkade
7) SS Desi Relaford/ 2B Bret Boone
8) CF Mike Cameron
9) 2B Bret Boone/ SS Carlos Guillen

Pitching Staff
1) Joel Piniero
2) Freddy Garcia
3) Ryan Anderson
4) Gil Meche
5) Glenn Bott
Spot: Mike Sirotka
Closer: Kazuhiro Sasaki
Setup: Arthur Rhodes/ Jeff Nelson
Middle Relief: Scott Eyre/ Ryan Ketchner/ Mike Sirotka
Mopup: Mike Sirotka

Texas Rangers

Record, Last Year: 85-78
Payroll: 59,214,416 (8th)
Fan Interest: 61 (13th)
Key Losses: 1B Rafael Palmeiro, OF Rusty Greer, OF Dave Justice, OF Carl Everett, RF Karim Garcia, RP Rudy Seanez, RP Esteban Yan
Key Additions: RP Giovanni Carrara
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Endy Chavez
2) 2B Hank Blalock
3) SS Alex Rodriguez/ DH Josh Phelps
4) DH Josh Phelps/ SS Alex Rodriguez
5) 3B Mark Teixeira
6) RF Kevin Mench
7) LF Lance Nix/ 1B Jason Hart
8) 1B Jason Hart/ LF Ryan Ludwick
9) C Ramon Castro

Pitching Staff
1) A.J. Burnett
2) Mark Redman
3) Colby Lewis
4) Chan Ho Park
5) Runelvys Hernandez
Spot: Ben Kozlowski
Closer: Ugueth Urbina
Setup: Jeff Zimmerman/ Francisco Cordero
Middle Relief: Giovanni Carrara/ Ron Mahay
Mopup: None

General Mike

05-11-2003, 11:27 PM

National League East Preview

Atlanta Braves

Record, Last Year: 74-88
Payroll: 57,443,486 (9th)
Fan Interest: 45 (20th)
Key Losses: RF Gary Sheffield, SP Greg Maddux, 2B Mark DeRosa, C Javy Lopez, RF Robert Fick
Key Additions: 2B Roberto Alomar, C Javier Valentin, C Robert Machado
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Rafael Furcal
2) 2B Roberto Alomar/ C Robert Machado
3) LF Chipper Jones
4) CF Andruw Jones
5) 1B Kevin Millar
6) 3B Marcus Giles/ RF Izzy Alcantra
7) RF Darren Bragg/ 3B Marcus Giles
8) C Javier Valentin/ 2B Roberto Alomar
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Paul Byrd
2) Mike Hampton
3) Adam Wainwright
4) Nick Bierbrodt
5) Bubba Nelson
Spot:
Closer: John Smoltz
Setup: Scott Stewart/ Ray King
Middle Relief: Justin Speier/ Ryan Bukvich/ Billy Sylvester
Mopup: Billy Sylvester

Chicago Cubs

Record, Last Year: 79-83
Payroll: 27,073,422 (24th)
Fan Interest: 62 (12th)
Key Losses: RF Sammy Sosa, SS Jose Hernandez, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, SP Mike Sirotka, SP Shawn Estes, RP Mike DeJean
Key Additions: RF Raul Mondesi, SP Jason Bere, RP Julio Santana
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Corey Patterson/ SS Angel Berroa
2) LF Luke Allen
3) 2B Jose Vidro
4) 1B Hee Seop Choi/ 3B Mark Bellhorn
5) RF Mike O'Keefe/ 1B Hee Seop Choi
6) SS Angel Berroa/ C Damian Miller
7) C Damian Miller/ RF Mike O'Keefe
8) 3B Brendan Harris/ CF Jackson Melian
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Mark Prior
2) Kerry Wood
3) Matt Clement
4) Matt Bruback
5) Carlos Zambrano
Spot:
Closer: Joe Borowski
Setup: Blaine Neal/ Mark Guthrie
Middle Relief: Dave Veres/ Julio Santana/ Francis Beltran
Mopup: Francis Beltran

Cincinnati Reds

Record, Last Year: 74-88
Payroll: 56,228,228 (11th)
Fan Interest: 49 (18th)
Key Losses: None
Key Additions: SS Jose Valentin, C Mike Redmond, LF Daryle Ward
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 3B Craig Counsell/ 2B Aaron Boone
2) RF Ruben Mateo/ C Mike Redmond
3) 1B Todd Helton/ RF Ruben Mateo
4) CF Ken Griffey Jr.
5) LF Adam Dunn/ 1B Todd Helton
6) SS Jose Valentin/ LF Adam Dunn
7) 2B Aaron Boone/ SS Felipe Lopez
8) C Jason LaRue/ 3B Craig Counsell
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Roy Halladay
2) Ricardo Rodriguez
3) Ryan Dempster
4) Tony Armas Jr.
5) Danny Graves
Spot:
Closer: Scott Williamson
Setup: John Riedling/ Gabe White
Middle Relief: Scott Sullivan/ Carlos Almanzar/ Luke Hudson
Mopup: Luke Hudson

Philadelphia Phillies

Record, Last Year: 95-67
Payroll: 66,406,511 (4th)
Fan Interest: 65 (9th)
Key Losses: 2B Luis Castillo, CF Ricky Ledee, RP Jose Mesa, RP Joey Eischen, RP Bob Howry
Key Additions: SP Pedro Martinez, RP Rudy Seanez
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) SS Anderson Machado/ 2B Jimmy Rollins
2) CF Marlon Byrd
3) RF Bobby Abreu/ C Mike Lieberthal
4) 1B Jim Thome/ LF Pat Burrell
5) LF Pat Burrell/ 1B Jim Thome
6) 3B Tyler Houston/ RF Bobby Abreu
7) C Mike Leiberthal/ 3B Travis Chapman
8) 2B Jimmy Rollins/ SS Anderson Machado
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Pedro Martinez
2) Kevin Millwood
3) Randy Wolf
4) Brett Myers
5) Vicente Padilla
Spot: Brandon Duckworth
Closer: Tim Spooneybarger
Setup: Hector Mercado/ Rudy Seanez
Middle Relief: Brandon Duckworth/ Bud Smith/ Jay Witasick
Mopup: Jay Witasick

Pittsburgh Pirates

Record, Last Year: 78-84
Payroll: 53,598,600 (10th)
Fan Interest: 51 (16th)
Key Losses: OF Matt Stairs, OF Reggie Sanders
Key Additions: RF Gary Sheffield, SP Greg Maddux, RF Juan Gonzalez, RP Curt Leskanic
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Rocco Baldelli
2) 3B Aramis Ramirez/ C Jason Kendall
3) LF Brian Giles/ RF Gary Sheffield
4) 1B Ben Broussard/ 3B Aramis Ramirez
5) RF Gary Sheffield/ LF Brian Giles
6) C Jason Kendall/ 1B Ben Broussard
7) SS Orlando Cabrera/ 2B Pokey Reese
8) 2B Pokey Reese/ SS Orlando Cabrera
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Josh Beckett
2) Kris Benson
3) Denny Stark
4) Seung Song
5) Greg Maddux
Spot:
Closer: Mike Williams
Setup: Mike Matthews/ Scott Sauerbeck
Middle Relief: Curt Leskanic/ Al Reyes/ Jim Mann
Mopup: Jim Mann

General Mike

05-12-2003, 12:14 AM

National League West Preview

Arizona Diamondbacks

Record, Last Year: 80-82
Payroll: 79,827,073 (3rd)
Fan Interest: 53 (15th)
Key Losses: SP Randy Johnson, OF Juan Encarnacion, RF Danny Bautista, SS Tony Womack
Key Additions: RF Sammy Sosa, C Pudge Rodriguez, 1B Mo Vaughn, SP Kirk Reuter, SP Rick Reed, RP Joey Eischen, RP Vladimir Nunez
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Abraham Nunez
2) SS Alex Cintron
3) 1B Mo Vaughn/ RF Sammy Sosa
4) RF Sammy Sosa/ 2B Junior Spivey
5) LF Luis Gonzalez/ 3B Scott Hairston
6) C Pudge Rodriguez
7) 2B Junior Spivey/ 1B Mo Vaughn
8) 3B Scott Hairston/ LF Luis Gonzalez
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Curt Schilling
2) Wayne Franklin
3) Byung-Hyun Kim
4) Kirk Reuter
5) Rick Reed
Spot:
Closer: Matt Mantei
Setup: Vladimir Nunez/ Joey Eischen
Middle Relief: Mike Koplove/ T.J. Tucker/ Lance Carter
Mopup: Lance Carter

Houston

Record, Last Year: 90-72
Payroll: 62,216,944 (7th)
Fan Interest: 80 (4th)
Key Losses: LF Lance Berkman, SP Tomo Ohka
Key Additions: CF Carlos Beltran, LF Shannon Stewart, 3B Frank Catalanotto
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) LF Shannon Stewart
2) 3B Frank Catalanotto/ RF Larry Walker
3) 2B Jeff Kent
4) CF Carlos Beltran/ 1B Jeff Bagwell
5) RF Larry Walker/ CF Carlos Beltran
6) 1B Jeff Bagwell/ C J.D. Closser
7) C J.D. Closser/ 3B Geoff Blum
8) SS Alex Cora/ SS Julio Lugo
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Roy Oswalt
2) Wade Miller
3) Shawn Chacon
4) Jorge Sosa
5) Amaury Telemaco
Spot:
Closer: Billy Wagner
Setup: Brandon Puffer/ Octavio Dotel
Middle Relief: Bruce Chen/ Brad Lidge/ Scott Linebrink
Mopup: Scott Linebrink

Los Angeles Dodgers

Record, Last Year: 83-79
Payroll: 53,986,186 (15th)
Fan Interest: 75 (6th)
Key Losses: RP Paul Shuey, 1B Fred McGriff, LF Daryle Ward, SP Ashby, SS Alex Cora
Key Additions: LF Todd Hollandsworth, SS Omar Vizquel, RP LaTroy Hawkins, SP Travis Driskill
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) CF Dave Roberts
2) 2B Joe Thurston/ C Paul LoDuca
3) LF Todd Hollandsworth/ RF Shawn Green
4) RF Shawn Green/ 1B Richie Sexson
5) 1B Richie Sexson/ LF Jason Stokes
6) 3B Adrian Beltre
7) SS Omar Vizquel/ 2B Jolbert Cabrera
8) C Paul LoDuca/ SS Chris Gomez
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Odalis Perez
2) Hideo Nomo
3) Kazuhisa Ishii
4) Darren Dreifort
5) Travis Driskill
Spot:
Closer: Eric Gagne
Setup: LaTroy Hawkins/ Alfredo Gonzalez
Middle Relief: Jim Mecir/ Paul Quantrill/ Guillermo Mota
Mopup: Guillermo Mota

San Diego Padres

Record, Last Year: 79-83
Payroll: 34,953,529 (21st)
Fan Interest: 50 (17th)
Key Losses: LF Phil Nevin, LF Rondell White, C Gary Bennett
Key Additions: CF Carl Everett, OF Gabe Kapler, C Todd Pratt
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) LF Gabe Kapler/ CF Mark Kotsay
2) RF Xavier Nady
3) 1B Ryan Klesko/ 2B Bobby Hill
4) 3B Jared Sandberg/ 1B Ryan Klesko
5) CF Mark Kotsay/ C Todd Pratt
6) C Mike Barrett/ LF Brian Buchanan
7) SS Ramon Vazquez/ 3B Jared Sandberg
8) 2B Jake Gautreau/ SS Ramon Vazquez
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Jerremy Affeldt
2) Javier Vazquez
3) Adam Eaton
4) Brian Lawrence
5) Kevin Jarvis
Spot: Jake Peavy
Closer: Trevor Hoffman
Setup: Armando Almanza/ Cliff Bartosh
Middle Relief: Jake Peavy/ Brandon Villafuarte/ J.J. Trujillo
Mopup: J.J. Trujillo

San Francisco

Record, Last Year: 87-75
Payroll: 80,949,800 (2nd)
Fan Interest: 84 (2nd)
Key Losses: RP Robb Nen, SS Rich Aurila, RF Jose Cruz Jr., RP Jason Christiansen, RP Scott Eyre, C Benito Santiago
Key Additions: RF Vlad Guerrero, SP Jarrod Washburn, RP Esteban Yan, SS Freddy Sanchez, RF Reggie Sanders
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) 2B Ray Durham/ CF Preston Wilson
2) 3B Edgardo Alfonzo
3) LF Barry Bonds/ RF Vlad Guerrero
4) RF Vlad Guerrero/ LF Barry Bonds
5) 1B Travis Hafner
6) CF Preston Wilson/ C Yorvit Torrealba
7) C Yorvit Torrealba/ SS Freddy Sanchez
8) SS Freddy Sanchez/ 2B Ray Durham
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Jarrod Washburn
2) Damian Moss
3) Jason Schmidt
4) C.C. Sabathia
5) Jerome Williams
Spot:
Closer: Felix Rodriguez
Setup: Luis Vizcaino/ Tim Worrell
Middle Relief: Chad Zerbe/ Esteban Yan/ Joe Nathan
Mopup: Joe Nathan

Saint Louis Cardinals

Record, Last Year: 86-76
Payroll: 55,115,678 (12th)
Fan Interest: 67 (8th)
Key Losses: SS Edgar Renteria, C Mike Redmond
Key Additions: SS Jose Hernandez
Lineup (vR/vL)
1) RF J.D. Drew
2) 3B Scott Rolen/ 1B Jack Cust
3) LF Albert Pujols
4) 1B Jack Cust/ SS Jose Hernandez
5) CF Jim Edmonds/ 3B Scott Rolen
6) SS Jose Hernandez/ CF Jim Edmonds
7) C Kevin S. Brown
8) 2B Fernando Vina/ 2B Shaun Boyd
9) Pitcher's Spot

Pitching Staff
1) Matt Morris
2) Brad Penny
3) Jimmy Journell
4) Jason Simontacchi
5) Woody Williams
Spot: Rick Ankiel
Closer: Jason Isringhausen
Setup: Mike Crudale/ D.J. Carrasco
Middle Relief: Steve Kline/ Chris George/ Rick Ankiel
Mopup: Rick Ankiel

General Mike

05-15-2003, 11:46 PM

I guess it's time to get the 2004 season underway. Here goes...

For 2004 I've decided to use promotion days, basically because if I don't we're gonna lose a ton of fan interest.

Our season begins with an e-mail from SP Al Leiter. He has decided that 2004 will be his last season, as he wishes to spend time with his family. This saves us a tough decesion on whether to offer a contract extension or not.

Our season gets off to a rocky start as the San Diego Padres come to town for 4 games and sweep us. We do recover nicely tho by sweeping a 3 game set from the Cubs. Denny Neagle will miss ~ 1 week of action due to a Tender Elbow. Neagle will not see any time on the DL. Weekly Record: 3-4

Week 2 sees a trip down to NJ Turnpike to Philadelphia, and then a return to NY to face the Houston Astros. Aaron Heilman gets week 2 off to a good start, picking up his 1st career win against the defending world champs. The week went download from there, as the Mets lose 6 straight. Weekly Record: 1-6

Week 3 was more of the same struggles as the Pittsburgh Pirates swept us, and the losing streak reached to 10 before we finally won the 2nd game of a 4 game series against the SF Giants. Weekly Record: 2-5

The Mets rounded out April with series against Atlanta, San Francisco and St. Louis. We won both series against the Braves and Giants, 2 games to 1, before losing the first 2 to the Cardinals. Weekly Record: 4-4

Overall Record: 10-19

Stats:
C Jason Phillips - .235, 1 HR, 6 RBI
1B Mike Piazza - .243, 7 HR, 20 RBI
2B Luis Castillo - .272, 12 SB
3B Mike Lowell - .255, 3 HR, 12 RBI
SS Jose Reyes - .119, 5 SB,
LF Cliff Floyd - .245, 0 HR, 7 RBI
CF Josh Hamilton - .268, 2 HR, 10 RBI
RF Danny Bautista - .294, 2 HR, 6 RBI

SP Tom Glavine - 1-3, 3.50 ERA
SP Al Leiter - 1-2, 1.75 ERA
SP Aaron Heilman - 3-3, 2.55 ERA
SP Denny Neagle - 1-0, 3.66 ERA
SP Steve Trachsel - 2-5, 3.60 ERA

CL Armando Benitez - 0-2, 3 saves, 5.40 ERA

Well, the pitching has been good, but we lack the offensive firepower. Benitez is struggling in the closer's role as well, so it's time to make a change, and Scott Strickland will get the chance to be our end of game guy.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 12:18 AM

April 2004 review

Transactions

Monday 4/7/2004 :
Boston: Released P Hansel Izquierdo.
Cleveland: Released P Jose Vargas.
Detroit: Released P Clay Condrey.
Detroit: Released P Gary Knotts.
New York (A): Released 3B Elvis Corporan.
Chicago (A): Released RF Armando Rios.
Minnesota: Released 1B Doug Mientkiewicz.
Minnesota: Released 3B Dean Palmer.
Oakland: Released C Mark L. Johnson.
Texas: Released P Giovanni Carrara.
St. Louis: Released P Gene Stechschulte.
Baltimore: Free agent P Yorman Bazardo has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 4/14/2004 :
Baltimore: Released P Juan Alvarez.
Minnesota: Released P Matt Yeatman.
Oakland: Released 2B Jose Flores.
Cincinnati: Released 2B Juan Castro.
Arizona: Released 2B David Bell.
San Diego: Released P Chris Rojas.
San Diego: Released 2B Lou Merloni.
San Francisco: Released P Jim Brower.
Philadelphia: Free agent C Chad Moeller has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.
Baltimore: Free agent 2B Kevin Randel has been signed to a minor league contract.
Baltimore: Released RF Matt Stairs, he refused assignment to minors.

Tuesday 4/15/2004 :
Trade between Texas and Houston :
Houston gets :
1B Jason Hart
Texas gets :
C Hector Gimenez
P J.P. Duran
P Brandon Roberson
Note: Jason Hart gives the Astros a replacement 1B for Jeff Bagwell who's out with a fractured hand. The 3 prospects they gave up are nothing to get too excited over, but that could change.

Wednesday 4/16/2004 :
Chicago (N): Released P Jason Bere, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 4/21/2004 :
Cleveland: Released 3B Joe Randa.
Toronto: Released P Vinny Chulk.
Minnesota: Released P Brent Hoard.
Arizona: Released P Bobby Howry.
San Diego: Released LF Mario Valdez.
Toronto: Free agent P Shawn Estes has been signed to a contract of $475,000 per year, for 1 year.
Baltimore: Free agent RF Alex Ochoa has been signed to a contract of $794,200 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 4/28/2004 :
Toronto: Released P Sandy Nin.
Seattle: Released P Ryan Franklin.
Texas: Released P Reynaldo Garcia.
Boston: Free agent C Dan Wilson has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.
Boston: Free agent 1B Brad Hawpe has been signed to a minor league contract.
Texas: Free agent C Angel Molina has been signed to a minor league contract.

Thursday 5/1/2004 :
Trade between Boston and Oakland :
Oakland gets :
1B Earl Snyder
Boston gets :
P Mark Mulder
P Clint Everts
Note: This trade makes a ton of sense for the Red Sox. Mulder gives them a top of the rotation lefty, who could be their #1 starter, or possibly #2 behind Lowe. Everts is an above average prospect who should have Major league success in the future. For the A's, the trade is a little questionable. Snyder has a ton of power, but isn't a great contact hitter, doesn't have a great batting eye, and is an awful defensive player.

Injuries

Wednesday 4/2/2004 :
PIT: Scott Sauerbeck was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Friday 4/4/2004 :
CHN: Kyle Farnsworth was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Bicep Tendon.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Sunday 4/6/2004 :
OAK: Moises Alou was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Posterior Cruciate Ligament.
He will be OK in about 2 weeks.

Tuesday 4/8/2004 :
SDN: Kevin Walker was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Tricep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Wednesday 4/9/2004 :
HOU: Jeff Bagwell was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hand.
He is out for about 7 weeks.

Monday 4/14/2004 :
SFN: Vladimir Guerrero was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He will be OK in about 9 weeks.

Tuesday 4/15/2004 :
PIT: Greg Maddux was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 4-5 weeks.

Wednesday 4/16/2004 :
SEA: Jeff Cirillo was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Broken Jaw.
He is out for about 3-4 weeks.

Thursday 4/17/2004 :
SLN: Brad Penny was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Sunday 4/20/2004 :
DET: Randy Johnson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Hyper Extended Elbow.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 4/22/2004 :
HOU: Roy Oswalt was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Thursday 4/24/2004 :
OAK: Mark Mulder was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 4/29/2004 :
MIN: Ben Sheets was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Monday 3/31/2004 :
TOR: Austin Kearns hits for the cycle against Boston!
TOR: Austin Kearns has 7 hits against Boston.

Saturday 4/5/2004 :
NYN: Mike Lowell sets a new single game NL-Record for Doubles with 4!

Sunday 4/6/2004 :
CIN: Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 500th career homer!!

Monday 4/7/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Manny Ramirez (BOS)!
He batted .480 in 25 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Vladimir Guerrero (SFN)!
He batted .462 in 26 AB, with 2 HR and 9 RBI.

Friday 4/11/2004 :
MIN: Brad Radke pitches a NO-HITTER against New York (A)!!

Monday 4/14/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
SS Rich Aurilia (CLE)!
He batted .462 in 26 AB, with 4 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Gary Sheffield (PIT)!
He batted .417 in 24 AB, with 5 HR and 8 RBI.

Tuesday 4/15/2004 :
PIT: Gary Sheffield gets his 2000th career hit!!

Thursday 4/17/2004 :
NYA: Bernie Williams gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 4/21/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Jeremy Giambi (CLE)!
He batted .391 in 23 AB, with 4 HR and 10 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
C Damian Miller (CHN)!
He batted .478 in 23 AB, with 1 HR and 6 RBI.

Wednesday 4/23/2004 :
OAK: Scott Hatteberg sets a new single game AL-Record for Doubles with 4!

Monday 4/28/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Moises Alou (OAK)!
He batted .481 in 27 AB, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
P Jimmy Journell (SLN)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 15 innings
with an ERA of 1.80, fanning 17.

Wednesday 5/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Barry Zito (OAK)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 2.17.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Josh Phelps (TEX)!
He batted .352 in 105 AB, with 8 homers and 21 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Odalis Perez (LAN)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 2.21 and 1 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Richie Sexson (LAN)!
He batted .361 in 97 AB, with 13 homers and 25 RBI.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 12:42 AM

April 2003 continued

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Cleveland 15 14 .517 - 16-13 -1 7-8 8-6 1-2 5-4 134 L1 5-5
Toronto 14 14 .500 .5 14-14 0 9-7 5-7 2-2 5-6 - W2 5-5
Boston 13 15 .464 1.5 13-15 0 5-8 8-7 3-3 3-4 - L2 4-6
Baltimore 12 15 .444 2.0 14-13 -2 6-7 6-8 1-1 4-5 - W2 6-4
Detroit 12 16 .429 2.5 12-16 0 8-7 4-9 0-1 4-4 - W2 6-4
New York (A) 9 18 .333 5.0 10-17 -1 3-11 6-7 3-1 4-5 - L5 3-7

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 22 6 .786 - 19-9 3 11-3 11-3 2-1 5-2 129 W1 7-3
Chicago (A) 15 12 .556 6.5 13-14 2 8-7 7-5 1-0 7-5 - W2 6-4
Anaheim 14 12 .538 7.0 12-14 2 7-7 7-5 0-1 7-4 - W5 9-1
Minnesota 14 15 .483 8.5 14-15 0 4-8 10-7 1-1 3-4 - L2 4-6
Seattle 13 14 .481 8.5 14-13 -1 6-6 7-8 2-2 5-7 - L3 2-8
Texas 13 15 .464 9.0 14-14 -1 8-5 5-10 1-2 2-4 - L3 3-7

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Pittsburgh 16 10 .615 - 16-10 0 7-5 9-5 1-1 3-4 135 W2 7-3
Philadelphia 17 12 .586 .5 17-12 0 10-7 7-5 1-1 6-5 - L1 7-3
Chicago (N) 13 14 .481 3.5 14-13 -1 5-10 8-4 1-2 4-6 - W1 4-6
Atlanta 11 16 .407 5.5 12-15 -1 5-7 6-9 1-2 2-8 - L1 3-7
New York (N) 10 19 .345 7.5 15-14 -5 2-12 8-7 0-1 3-7 - L2 5-5
Cincinnati 9 19 .321 8.0 8-20 1 4-10 5-9 2-4 4-3 - L5 2-8

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
St. Louis 18 9 .667 - 15-12 3 8-7 10-2 3-0 7-3 135 W5 9-1
Los Angeles 19 10 .655 - 19-10 0 10-7 9-3 1-2 6-3 134 L1 7-3
Houston 15 12 .556 3.0 12-15 3 5-9 10-3 1-0 7-3 - W2 5-5
San Diego 16 14 .533 3.5 15-15 1 5-7 11-7 4-0 7-3 - W1 4-6
San Francisco 12 16 .429 6.5 11-17 1 4-9 8-7 0-0 4-4 - W1 4-6
Arizona 11 16 .407 7.0 14-13 -3 3-9 8-7 0-2 1-5 - L3 4-6

Power Rankings

1st (1st) Oakland 145 o 22-6 .786 .285 3.78 19-9 3
2nd (2nd) St. Louis 130 o 18-9 .667 .245 3.51 15-12 3
3rd (3rd) Los Angeles 122 o 19-10 .655 .275 3.02 19-10 0
4th (4th) Pittsburgh 116 o 16-10 .615 .274 4.04 16-10 0
5th (5th) Philadelphia 110 o 17-12 .586 .246 3.34 17-12 0
6th (8th) Anaheim 107 + 14-12 .538 .247 3.99 12-14 2
7th (7th) Chicago (A) 103 o 15-12 .556 .258 4.05 13-14 2
8th (10th) Houston 101 + 15-12 .556 .228 3.58 12-15 3
9th (6th) San Diego 94 -- 16-14 .533 .239 3.35 15-15 1
10th (9th) Cleveland 93 - 15-14 .517 .280 4.61 16-13 -1
11th (15th) Toronto 91 ++ 14-14 .500 .248 4.19 14-14 0
12th (16th) Chicago (N) 85 ++ 13-14 .481 .241 4.28 14-13 -1
13th (14th) Minnesota 84 + 14-15 .483 .232 4.21 14-15 0
14th (21st) Baltimore 83 ++ 12-15 .444 .232 3.73 14-13 -2
15th (13th) Boston 81 - 13-15 .464 .264 4.63 13-15 0
16th (19th) Detroit 80 ++ 12-16 .429 .267 5.33 12-16 0
17th (12th) Seattle 80 -- 13-14 .481 .252 3.90 14-13 -1
18th (11th) Texas 79 -- 13-15 .464 .268 4.92 14-14 -1
19th (17th) San Francisco 75 - 12-16 .429 .222 3.97 11-17 1
20th (18th) Arizona 70 - 11-16 .407 .261 3.96 14-13 -3
21st (22nd) Atlanta 69 + 11-16 .407 .243 4.06 12-15 -1
22nd (20th) New York (N) 61 - 10-19 .345 .225 3.16 15-14 -5
23rd (23rd) New York (A) 54 o 9-18 .333 .229 5.51 10-17 -1
24th (24th) Cincinnati 50 o 9-19 .321 .254 5.62 8-20 1

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 J. Phelps (TEX) .352
2 T. Torcato (BOS) .349
3 J. Borchard (CHA) .346

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 J. Borchard (CHA) 1.208
2 Je. Giambi (CLE) 1.115
3 J. Phelps (TEX) 1.072

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 9
2 J. Borchard (CHA) 8
2 J. Phelps (TEX) 8

Doubles
1 M. Tejada (OAK) 15
2 C. Woodward (TOR) 13
3 A. Soriano (NYA) 12
3 M. Sweeney (CLE) 12

Triples
1 D. Jeter (NYA) 3
1 J. Werth (TOR) 3
1 G. Gross (TOR) 3
1 A. Santos (BOS) 3
1 V. Wells (TOR) 3
1 E. Chavez (TEX) 3

Runs Batted In
1 J. Olerud (BOS) 25
1 B. Larson (CLE) 25
3 M. Tejada (OAK) 23
3 J. Giambi (CLE) 23

Runs
1 M. Sweeney (CLE) 26
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 24
3 C. Delgado (TOR) 23

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 9
2 T. Hunter (MIN) 8
2 C. Crawford (DET) 8

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 6
2 B. Zito (OAK) 5
3 J. Foppert (CLE) 4
3 A. Rakers (BAL) 4

Earned Run Average
1 J. Santana (MIN) 1.83
2 C. Fossum (BOS) 2.09
3 C. Lewis (TEX) 2.13

Strikeouts
1 R. Anderson (SEA) 46
2 B. Colon (CHA) 39
3 J. Santana (MIN) 38

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 12
2 T. Percival (ANA) 9
3 B. Koch (CHA) 8

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Giles (PIT) .369
2 R. Sexson (LAN) .361
3 J. Edmonds (SLN) .356

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.372
2 R. Sexson (LAN) 1.242
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) 1.129

Home Runs
1 R. Sexson (LAN) 13
2 B. Giles (PIT) 10
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) 9

Doubles
1 K. Millar (ATL) 14
2 T. Helton (CIN) 12
2 J. Sandberg (SDN) 12

Triples
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 6
2 J. Reyes (NYN) 4
3 D. Roberts (LAN) 3
3 M. Kotsay (SDN) 3
3 T. Chapman (PHI) 3

Runs Batted In
1 A. Jones (ATL) 28
2 R. Sexson (LAN) 25
3 J. Sandberg (SDN) 21

Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 24
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 22
3 T. Helton (CIN) 20
3 B. Broussard (PIT) 20
3 R. Sexson (LAN) 20

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 12
2 R. Baldelli (PIT) 8
2 R. Furcal (ATL) 8

Wins
1 O. Perez (LAN) 5
1 H. Nomo (LAN) 5
1 C. Sabathia (SFN) 5

Earned Run Average
1 A. Leiter (NYN) 1.75
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 1.99
3 W. Miller (HOU) 2.01

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 57
2 C. Schilling (ARI) 53
3 J. Affeldt (SDN) 47

Saves
1 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 8
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 8
3 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 7
3 E. Gagne (LAN) 7

JeeberD

05-16-2003, 02:03 AM

Crap. Losing Oswalt for the season is gonna hurt. And this game knows what it's talking about. That's gotta be the third or fourth time in his career that Bagwell has been hit by a pitch and fractured his hand...

General Mike

05-16-2003, 02:28 PM

JeeberD, not only is Oswalt's injury a big loss for this season, but he took a serious talent drop, and is never going to be the same pitcher again.:( Maybe Timmy Redding can step up, and replace him to some extent.

Now on to the Mets May review.

May got off to a rough start, with St. Louis finishing off the sweep against us, and then Cincinnati and Houston taking series from us. We were able to win series at home against the Cubs and Atlanta, but then lost series on the road to Cincinnati and Atlanta :( We then won our 1st 2 interleague series against Cleveland and the Yankees, before closing the month out with 2 wins against the defending champion Phillies. And my plan to move Scott Strickland to closer, didn't happen. And Piazza finally learned how to play 1B, D Range with a .930 fielding percentage. Back to Catcher for you Senor Piazza.

Monthly Record: 12-13
Overall Record: 22-32
Team Batting Average: .229 (23rd)
Team Runs scored: 205 (23rd)
Team ERA: 3.50 (4th)
Team Runs Allowed: 210 (2nd)

Individual Stats
C Jason Phillips - .224, 3 HR, 14 RBI
1B Mike Piazza - .237, 12 HR, 36 RBI
2B Luis Castillo - .283, 0 HR, 22 SB, 28 R
3B Mike Lowell - .246, 4 HR, 17 RBI
SS Jose Reyes - .147, 11 RBI, 13 SB
LF Cliff Floyd - .239, 5 HR, 19 RBI
CF Josh Hamilton - .265, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 13 SB
RF Danny Bautista - .309, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 9 SB

I've gotta get Derrek Lee in the lineup, so Jason Phillips will be sitting down for awhile.

SP Tom Glavine - 3-6, 3.05 ERA
SP Al Leiter - 3-5, 3.45 ERA
SP Aaron Heilman - 5-5, 3.68 ERA
SP Denny Neagle - 3-0, 2.91 ERA
SP Steve Trachsel - 4-6, 3.82 ERA
CL Armando Benitez - 3-2, 2.29 ERA, 10 saves

We're on the eve of the amateur draft, so some player cuts are definitely on the horizon, but I'm not sure who will get cut to make room for our draftees.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 02:59 PM

Transactions
Thursday 5/1/2004 :
Arizona: Released RF Jeromy Burnitz, he refused assignment to minors.

Saturday 5/3/2004 :
Arizona: Released P Rick Reed, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/5/2004 :
Cleveland: Released P Brian Anderson.
Detroit: Released P Dan Smith.
Anaheim: Released P Chris Bootcheck.
Oakland: Released 2B Freddie Bynum.
Texas: Released C Fernando Lunar.
Cincinnati: Released 3B Andy Beattie.
Philadelphia: Released P Jay Witasick.
San Diego: Released LF Gabe Kapler.
San Diego: Released 2B Josh Barfield.
St. Louis: Released P Kiko Calero.
Anaheim: Free agent 1B Travis Lee has been signed to a minor league contract.
Toronto: Free agent P Franklyn Gracesqui has been signed to a minor league contract.

Tuesday 5/6/2004 :
Trade between New York (A) and Pittsburgh :
Pittsburgh gets :
2B Andy Phillips
New York (A) gets :
LF Manuel Ravelo
3B Kody Kirkland
Note: Pittsburgh improves themselves at he starting 2B position, while the Yankees pick up 1 middle of the road prospect in Ravelo, and a never-will-be in Kirkland.

Monday 5/12/2004 :
Chicago (N): Released P Mark Guthrie, he refused assignment to minors.
Cleveland: Released P Jeremy Guthrie.
Detroit: Released LF Brandon Berger.
New York (A): Released RF Marcus Thames.
Toronto: Released P Gary Majewski.
Anaheim: Released 1B Chris Walston.
Cincinnati: Released P Chris Reitsma.
Pittsburgh: Released 1B Ray Navarette.
Pittsburgh: Released 1B Randall Simon.
Houston: Released P Ricky Stone.
St. Louis: Free agent P Brad Voyles has been signed to a minor league contract.
San Diego: Free agent CF Colin Curtis has been signed to a minor league contract.

Saturday 5/17/2004 :
Los Angeles: Released SS Chris Gomez, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/19/2004 :
Oakland: Released LF Jason Grabowski.
Texas: Released C Todd Greene.
Cincinnati: Released P Chris Booker.
Pittsburgh: Released P Greg Maddux.
Houston: Released 3B Geoff Blum.
San Francisco: Released 1B Sean McGowan.
Cleveland: Free agent CF Jay Payton has been signed to a minor league contract.
Chicago (A): Free agent P Ben Weber has been signed to a contract of $383,800 per year, for 1 year.
Atlanta: Free agent P Doug Waechter has been signed to a minor league contract.

Thursday 5/22/2004 :
Trade between Houston and Los Angeles :
Los Angeles gets :
SS Alex Cora
Houston gets :
P Marcos Carvajal
SS Joel Guzman
Note: Carvajal is a future closer for Houston, while Joel Guzman's upside is iffy. He could turn out ok, but it'll take awhile. This trade basically allows LA to cut SS Omar Vizquel, which screams :confused:
Pittsburgh: Released RF Juan Gonzalez, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 5/26/2004 :
Texas: Released 3B Herbert Perry.
Texas: Released LF Ryan Christenson.
Philadelphia: Released 3B Tyler Houston.
Arizona: Released C Rob Hammock.
Houston: Released P James Lira.
Los Angeles: Released SS Omar Vizquel.
Philadelphia: Free agent P Danny Kolb has been signed to a minor league contract.
San Diego: Free agent P David Thorne has been signed to a minor league contract.

Saturday 5/31/2004 :
Trade between Los Angeles and San Diego :
San Diego gets :
LF Todd Hollandsworth
Los Angeles gets :
2B Brian Burgamy
Note: Hollandsworth gives San Diego a guy to play in LF vs. righty pitching, as he kills it. Burgamy's a decent prospect but is 3 or 4 years away from being a solid everyday player.

Injuries

Thursday 5/1/2004 :
BAL: Russ Ortiz was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.
TOR: Orlando Hudson was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Sore Knee.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Friday 5/2/2004 :
MIN: Bobby Kielty was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Broken Finger.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.

Saturday 5/3/2004 :
PHI: Marlon Byrd was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Strained Rib Cage Muscle.
He will be OK in about one week.

Sunday 5/4/2004 :
SDN: Jake Peavy was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He will be OK in about 7 weeks.

Wednesday 5/7/2004 :
TOR: Carlos Delgado was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Abdominal Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 1-2 weeks.

Tuesday 5/13/2004 :
CHA: Felix Diaz was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back Muscle.
He is out for about 5 weeks.
CHA: Chad Bradford was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is out for about 5 weeks.

Wednesday 5/14/2004 :
TEX: Ryan Ludwick was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Back Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Thursday 5/15/2004 :
DET: Adrian Burnside was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Sore Back.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Friday 5/16/2004 :
ARI: Vladimir Nunez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Tricep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 3 weeks.

Sunday 5/18/2004 :
HOU: Brandon Puffer was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Shoulder.
He is definitely out for the season!

Friday 5/23/2004 :
HOU: Shannon Stewart was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Hamstring Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 2-3 weeks.

Saturday 5/24/2004 :
CLE: Mike Sweeney was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Pulled Back Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Friday 5/30/2004 :
BOS: Mark Mulder was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Tricep Tendon.
He will be OK in about 5 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Saturday 5/3/2004 :
LAN: Shawn Green slams 3 homers against Arizona.
LAN: Shawn Green drives in 8 runs against Arizona.

Monday 5/5/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
1B Jay Gibbons (BAL)!
He batted .524 in 21 AB, with 4 HR and 11 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Shawn Green (LAN)!
He batted .545 in 22 AB, with 5 HR and 11 RBI.

Monday 5/12/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
SS Nomar Garciaparra (BOS)!
He batted .500 in 26 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
P C.C. Sabathia (SFN)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 15.2 innings
with an ERA of 1.72, fanning 15.

Thursday 5/15/2004 :
SEA: Mike Cameron hits for the cycle against Oakland!

Sunday 5/18/2004 :
SLN: Jim Edmonds drives in 9 runs against Philadelphia.

Monday 5/19/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Chris Snelling (SEA)!
He batted .548 in 31 AB, with 5 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Jim Edmonds (SLN)!
He batted .400 in 20 AB, with 3 HR and 13 RBI.

PIT: Kris Benson pitches a NO-HITTER against Los Angeles!!

Wednesday 5/21/2004 :
ARI: Luis Gonzalez gets his 2000th career hit!!

Monday 5/26/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Joe Borchard (CHA)!
He batted .500 in 24 AB, with 2 HR and 11 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Todd Helton (CIN)!
He batted .391 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.

NYA: Alfonso Soriano hits for the cycle against New York (N)!

Saturday 6/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Danys Baez (CLE)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.86.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Nomar Garciaparra (BOS)!
He batted .374 in 107 AB, with 5 homers and 21 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Tony Armas jr. (CIN)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.50.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Ivan Rodriguez (ARI)!
He batted .347 in 98 AB, with 7 homers and 27 RBI.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 03:13 PM

May 2004 continued

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Cleveland 30 27 .526 - 33-24 -3 16-13 14-14 1-2 8-12 106 W2 4-6
Toronto 28 27 .509 1.0 26-29 2 15-13 13-14 4-2 11-9 - L1 6-4
Boston 26 30 .464 3.5 27-29 -1 13-16 13-14 4-4 7-9 - W1 3-7
New York (A) 26 30 .464 3.5 27-29 -1 13-15 13-15 5-1 10-9 - L1 5-5
Baltimore 25 29 .463 3.5 26-28 -1 13-15 12-14 3-2 10-8 - W4 7-3
Detroit 25 31 .446 4.5 24-32 1 16-13 9-18 2-1 11-7 - L2 5-5

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 36 21 .632 - 35-22 1 16-11 20-10 3-4 8-8 100 W2 4-6
Minnesota 30 27 .526 6.0 29-28 1 13-13 17-14 2-1 6-8 - W2 5-5
Seattle 28 27 .509 7.0 29-26 -1 15-12 13-15 3-2 12-12 - L2 5-5
Chicago (A) 28 28 .500 7.5 27-29 1 15-14 13-14 2-0 10-11 - W1 5-5
Texas 25 31 .446 10.5 26-30 -1 15-13 10-18 1-5 7-8 - L5 2-8
Anaheim 24 31 .436 11.0 25-30 -1 11-16 13-15 0-3 8-11 - L2 5-5

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Pittsburgh 34 21 .618 - 36-19 -2 18-9 16-12 2-1 9-7 105 L2 6-4
Philadelphia 32 24 .571 2.5 32-24 0 18-12 14-12 3-3 9-10 - L3 5-5
New York (N) 24 32 .429 10.5 27-29 -3 11-17 13-15 1-3 11-12 - W4 7-3
Chicago (N) 24 33 .421 11.0 24-33 0 11-17 13-16 4-5 8-14 - L1 5-5
Atlanta 23 32 .418 11.0 24-31 -1 13-14 10-18 3-5 10-13 - W4 7-3
Cincinnati 23 34 .404 12.0 23-34 0 12-16 11-18 4-6 9-13 - L4 4-6

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 36 19 .655 - 32-23 4 15-12 21-7 2-0 13-5 106 W1 9-1
Los Angeles 36 21 .632 1.0 35-22 1 18-12 18-9 3-3 11-6 - W2 6-4
San Diego 30 26 .536 6.5 29-27 1 13-13 17-13 4-3 12-8 - W2 5-5
St. Louis 30 26 .536 6.5 26-30 4 15-14 15-12 5-2 13-6 - L2 3-7
Arizona 24 31 .436 12.0 25-30 -1 11-16 13-15 0-3 4-10 - W2 5-5
San Francisco 24 33 .421 13.0 23-34 1 11-18 13-15 1-1 9-10 - L5 3-7

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) Houston 126 o 36-19 .655 .253 3.58 32-23 4
2nd (3rd) Los Angeles 117 + 36-21 .632 .267 3.22 35-22 1
3rd (2nd) Oakland 113 - 36-21 .632 .263 3.81 35-22 1
4th (5th) Pittsburgh 112 + 34-21 .618 .277 3.88 36-19 -2
5th (4th) Philadelphia 102 - 32-24 .571 .244 3.47 32-24 0
6th (9th) San Diego 97 ++ 30-26 .536 .244 3.42 29-27 1
7th (8th) Minnesota 96 + 30-27 .526 .250 4.28 29-28 1
8th (11th) Cleveland 94 ++ 30-27 .526 .278 4.30 33-24 -3
9th (10th) Toronto 94 + 28-27 .509 .243 4.09 26-29 2
10th (6th) St. Louis 91 -- 30-26 .536 .244 3.89 26-30 4
11th (7th) Seattle 91 -- 28-27 .509 .248 3.73 29-26 -1
12th (13th) Chicago (A) 90 + 28-28 .500 .249 4.26 27-29 1
13th (20th) Baltimore 89 ++ 25-29 .463 .239 4.24 26-28 -1
14th (14th) New York (A) 84 o 26-30 .464 .235 4.47 27-29 -1
15th (23rd) New York (N) 83 ++ 24-32 .429 .229 3.50 27-29 -3
16th (24th) Atlanta 81 ++ 23-32 .418 .240 4.01 24-31 -1
17th (18th) Boston 80 + 26-30 .464 .266 4.69 27-29 -1
18th (17th) Arizona 80 - 24-31 .436 .268 4.70 25-30 -1
19th (15th) Detroit 79 -- 25-31 .446 .259 5.16 24-32 1
20th (21st) Anaheim 78 + 24-31 .436 .250 4.61 25-30 -1
21st (22nd) Chicago (N) 76 + 24-33 .421 .235 4.30 24-33 0
22nd (12th) Texas 72 -- 25-31 .446 .258 4.96 26-30 -1
23rd (16th) San Francisco 70 -- 24-33 .421 .212 3.81 23-34 1
24th (19th) Cincinnati 69 -- 23-34 .404 .247 4.37 23-34 0

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 M. Sweeney (CLE) .341
2 E. Chavez (TEX) .328
3 V. Martinez (CLE) .324

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 C. Delgado (TOR) 1.026
2 M. Sweeney (CLE) 1.024
3 J. Borchard (CHA) 1.016

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 14
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 13
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 13
2 J. Gibbons (BAL) 13
2 J. Phelps (TEX) 13

Doubles
1 M. Sweeney (CLE) 24
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 22
2 V. Martinez (CLE) 22

Triples
1 E. Chavez (TEX) 5
1 C. Crawford (DET) 5
3 8 tied with 4

Runs Batted In
1 J. Phelps (TEX) 40
1 A. Kearns (TOR) 40
3 J. Crede (CHA) 39
3 J. Gibbons (BAL) 39

Runs
1 B. Fullmer (BOS) 40
2 M. Sweeney (CLE) 38
3 M. Ordonez (CHA) 37
3 C. Delgado (TOR) 37

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 21
2 C. Crawford (DET) 17
3 D. Erstad (ANA) 14
3 A. Soriano (NYA) 14

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 10
2 B. Zito (OAK) 8
2 J. Foppert (CLE) 8
2 A. Rakers (BAL) 8

Earned Run Average
1 C. Lewis (TEX) 2.42
2 B. Zito (OAK) 2.45
3 D. Baez (CLE) 2.49
4 J. Santana (MIN) 2.49

Strikeouts
1 J. Foppert (CLE) 79
2 R. Anderson (SEA) 72
3 A. Burnett (TEX) 71

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 21
2 P. Shuey (CLE) 15
3 B. Koch (CHA) 14

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 G. Sheffield (PIT) .363
2 J. Edmonds (SLN) .346
3 T. Helton (CIN) .339

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.126
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 1.097
3 J. Edmonds (SLN) 1.055

Home Runs
1 R. Sexson (LAN) 18
2 A. Jones (ATL) 17
3 B. Giles (PIT) 15

Doubles
1 K. Millar (ATL) 22
1 J. Kendall (PIT) 22
3 T. Helton (CIN) 20
3 M. Lowell (NYN) 20

Triples
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 7
2 M. Kotsay (SDN) 6
2 R. Mateo (CIN) 6

Runs Batted In
1 A. Jones (ATL) 49
2 J. Kent (HOU) 47
3 J. Edmonds (SLN) 44

Runs
1 G. Sheffield (PIT) 48
2 B. Giles (PIT) 40
2 B. Broussard (PIT) 40

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 22
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 18
3 C. Beltran (HOU) 14
3 A. Machado (PHI) 14

Wins
1 H. Nomo (LAN) 8
1 C. Sabathia (SFN) 8
1 W. Miller (HOU) 8

Earned Run Average
1 W. Miller (HOU) 2.24
2 K. Ishii (LAN) 2.39
3 J. Affeldt (SDN) 2.44

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 119
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 93
3 W. Miller (HOU) 85

Saves
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 16
2 E. Gagne (LAN) 15
3 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 14

General Mike

05-16-2003, 03:45 PM

The Amateur Draft

Thanks to a god awful 2003 season, The Mets have secured the 4th pick in the draft. There are 4 players who top our draft board, 3 OFers and 1 Starting Pitcher.

Draft Log

Round 1:
Detroit pick: RF Jaime Salerno
Cleveland pick: LF Bryce Tiffany
Baltimore pick: CF William Minks
New York (N) pick: P Roy Babineaux
Cincinnati pick: RF Tracy Pecor
Atlanta pick: 2B Michael Cadwell
Pittsburgh pick: CF Adam Tullos
Chicago (A) pick: P Cordell Bosque
Chicago (N) pick: P Joseph Farrel
San Diego pick: P Steve Tharpe
Anaheim pick: P Robert Towe
Arizona pick: P Tristan Kelsch
Minnesota pick: P Carlos Galicia
Los Angeles pick: P Lawerence Kimmel
Seattle pick: P Estanis Castro
Texas pick: P Tetsu Hachemon
St. Louis pick: P Cordell Zamarripa
Toronto pick: P Ricardo Delrosario
San Francisco pick: 2B Michael Salerno
Oakland pick: P Phillip Turner
New York (A) pick: P Scott Terry
Houston pick: P Julio Pacheco
Philadelphia pick: P Juan Cruz
Boston pick: P Donald Molina

Round 2 :
Detroit pick: LF Collin Schacht
Cleveland pick: SS Robert Elswick
Baltimore pick: C Aaron Mcmillan
New York (N) pick: P Jesse Shoaf
Cincinnati pick: C Eugene Flanery
Atlanta pick: RF Luis Rios
Pittsburgh pick: 3B Robert Gess
Chicago (A) pick: P Asasaburou Yujiro
Chicago (N) pick: P Steven Coomer
San Diego pick: SS Jaime Novack
Anaheim pick: SS David Blackshire
Arizona pick: P John Brown
Minnesota pick: P Miguel Herrera
Los Angeles pick: 3B Juan Landeros
Seattle pick: 1B Alberto Quevedo
Texas pick: C Joseph Viveros
St. Louis pick: 2B Stephen Reese
Toronto pick: P Robert Felker
San Francisco pick: 2B John Robinett
Oakland pick: P Blas Fontanals
New York (A) pick: P James Crowson
Houston pick: C Anselmo Chavez
Philadelphia pick: C Osvaldo Amaral
Boston pick: P James Delfino

Round 3 :
Detroit pick: CF Gregory Basinger
Cleveland pick: P Everett Bonds
Baltimore pick: CF Darrell Morgan
New York (N) pick: SS Jeffrey Brown
Cincinnati pick: P George Casanova
Atlanta pick: 3B Raymond Gall
Pittsburgh pick: LF Richard Terrill
Chicago (A) pick: 1B Stanley Payne
Chicago (N) pick: P Neil Wozniak
San Diego pick: P Bernardo Baez
Anaheim pick: P David Naquin
Arizona pick: P Jeffrey Plyler
Minnesota pick: P Richard Dolphin
Los Angeles pick: SS Christopher Laperle
Seattle pick: SS Brian Araiza
Texas pick: P Jonah Bass
St. Louis pick: C Ricky Melendez
Toronto pick: CF Paul Nickerson
San Francisco pick: P George Maldonado
Oakland pick: CF Donald Fast
New York (A) pick: RF Markus Heath
Houston pick: P Rick Custis
Philadelphia pick: RF Bernard Press
Boston pick: C Von Brinker

Round 4 :
Detroit pick: C William Hockett
Cleveland pick: C Mark Crouse
Baltimore pick: P Michael Gravitt
New York (N) pick: P Marcelo Garza
Cincinnati pick: C Alva Cobos
Atlanta pick: C Omer Phoenix
Pittsburgh pick: C Keenan Shirley
Chicago (A) pick: P Alonso Amezaga
Chicago (N) pick: C Joe Ransdell
San Diego pick: P Victor Mercedes
Anaheim pick: P Richard Shine
Arizona pick: C Victor Rollo
Minnesota pick: C Alonso Gonzalez
Los Angeles pick: C Sebas Cruz
Seattle pick: P George Santana
Texas pick: C Robert Tarango
St. Louis pick: P Carlos Corrado
Toronto pick: C Jose Abarca
San Francisco pick: P Mike Levy
Oakland pick: P Carl Dixon
New York (A) pick: P William Spears
Houston pick: P Segundo Alcover
Philadelphia pick: LF Gabino Telles
Boston pick: 1B Ron Coomer Jr.

Round 5 :
Detroit pick: 1B Boris Buitrago
Cleveland pick: 3B David Braddock
Baltimore pick: SS Ted Birch
New York (N) pick: P Geoffrey Willilams
Cincinnati pick: 3B Gerald Whitfield
Atlanta pick: SS Nathan Sainz
Pittsburgh pick: 3B Andre Mclaughlin
Chicago (A) pick: 2B Walter Bruno
Chicago (N) pick: P Wayne Mesa
San Diego pick: SS Dannie Pawlak
Anaheim pick: P John Fitzgibbon
Arizona pick: P Abelardo Alcaide
Minnesota pick: RF Erwin Edgin
Los Angeles pick: P John Woodyard
Seattle pick: P Pablo Omara
Texas pick: P Joe Dunneback
St. Louis pick: 1B Kurt Walser
Toronto pick: P Ronaldo Silva
San Francisco pick: CF Oscar Barranco
Oakland pick: LF Isaiah Jackson
New York (A) pick: CF Martin Gutierrez
Houston pick: SS James Wendler
Philadelphia pick: 2B Daniel Gallegos
Boston pick: P Howard Lillis

Round 6 :
Detroit pick: P Paul White
Cleveland pick: CF Tony Fernandez
Baltimore pick: P Hassan Linquist
New York (N) pick: CF Mark Gossage
Cincinnati pick: P Dave Derosa
Atlanta pick: CF Stanley Coto
Pittsburgh pick: 2B Mike Keys
Chicago (A) pick: LF Humberto Durso
Chicago (N) pick: 1B Edward Rawls
San Diego pick: 1B Darren Chambless
Anaheim pick: SS Glen Boyland
Arizona pick: P Dennis Ketterman
Minnesota pick: P Roy Turnbow
Los Angeles pick: P Benjamin Cosenza
Seattle pick: P Abram Pinkston
Texas pick: P Willie Strine
St. Louis pick: P Robert Cruys
Toronto pick: P Merle Mullinax
San Francisco pick: 3B Donald Malkin
Oakland pick: SS Agustin Maurice
New York (A) pick: 2B Alberto Figueroa
Houston pick: 2B George Jones
Philadelphia pick: RF Patrick Dutra
Boston pick: SS Leonard Alongi

Our Draft was fairly successful as we picked up the top starting pitcher in the draft, Roy "Money" Babineaux. 2nd round pick Jesse Shoaf will be groomed to be the Mets future closer. Jeffrey Brown was the best position player still available, so we decided to grab him. Garza, Williams and Gossage were all the best players still around, so they should help us.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 10:42 PM

June was a pseudo renaissance for the New York Mets. The Mets never got a long winning streak under way in June, but didn't have a long losing streak either, as we went 15-11 for the month, inching us ever closer to the .500 mark. Dave Weathers and Tom Glavine both suffered serious DTD injuries, but only Weathers was placed on the DL. Jason Middlebrook was called up to replace him but was unsuccessful so Tyler Yates will get a serious look out of the bullpen.

Team Stats
Team Average: 238 (21st)
Team Runs Scored: 316 (23rd)
Team ERA: 3.79 (6th)
Team Runs Allowed: 329 (3rd)

Individual Stats
C Mike Piazza - .241, 13 HR, 42 RBI
1B Derek Lee - .223, 3 HR, 19 RBI
2B Luis Castillo - .305, 38 SB, 41 R
3B Mike Lowell - .242, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 25 2B
SS Jose Reyes - .173, 1 HR, 20 SB, 7 3B
LF Cliff Floyd - .239, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 11 SB
CF Josh Hamilton - .270, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 16 SB
RF Danny Bautista - .301, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 11 HR

SP Tom Glavine - 4-8, 3.27 ERA
SP Al Leiter - 5-6, 3.77 ERA
SP Aaron Heilman - 7-8. 3.09 ERA
SP Denny Neagle - 6-3, 3.24 ERA
SP Steve Trachsel - 6-7, 3.95 ERA
CL Armando Benitez - 5-2, 2.59 ERA, 16 saves

General Mike

05-16-2003, 11:07 PM

June 2004

Transactions

Monday 6/2/2004 :
Baltimore: Released C Geronimo Gil.
Baltimore: Released SS Brandon Fahey.
Boston: Released C Von Brinker.
Cleveland: Released RF Ben Francisco.
Detroit: Released LF Robbie Sovie.
Detroit: Released P Jeff D'amico.
Toronto: Released C Jose Abarca.
Anaheim: Released SS Glen Boyland.
Chicago (A): Released P Ryan Rodriguez.
Chicago (A): Released P Ryan Meaux.
Texas: Released C Robert Tarango.
Cincinnati: Released C Kelly Stinnett.
Cincinnati: Released 1B Felipe Crespo.
Cincinnati: Put P Ricardo Rodriguez on the trading block.
Cincinnati: Put LF Adam Dunn on the trading block.
Cincinnati: Put C Jason LaRue on the trading block.
Cincinnati: Put CF Reggie Taylor on the trading block.
Pittsburgh: Released 2B David Doster.
Arizona: Released P Doug Slaten.
Houston: Released P Greg Miller.
Los Angeles: Released P Heath Totten.
Los Angeles: Released P John Woodyard.
San Diego: Released P Aaron Coonrod.
St. Louis: Released C Victor Jordan.
Texas: Free agent P Eric Good has been signed to a minor league contract.

Friday 6/6/2004 :
Houston: Released 1B Jeff Bagwell, he refused assignment to minors.:mad:

Monday 6/9/2004 :
Baltimore: Released P Darrell May.
Boston: Released P Rene Miniel.
Seattle: Released LF John Cole.
Texas: Released P Joaquin Benoit.
Arizona: Released P Jose Valverde.
San Diego: Released P Chris Oxspring.
New York (A): Free agent P Aaron Fultz has been signed to a minor league contract.
Anaheim: Free agent P Jay Witasick has been signed to a contract of $518,700 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 6/16/2004 :
Toronto: Released P Kevin Frederick.
Toronto: Released LF Howie Clark.
Baltimore: Free agent P Scott Olsen has been signed to a minor league contract.
New York (A): Free agent P Nelson Cruz has been signed to a minor league contract.

Wednesday 6/18/2004 :
Trade between Oakland and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
P Ted Lilly
Oakland gets :
P Ricardo Rodriguez
Note: Oakland picks up a younger pitcher for the free agent to be Lilly. Lilly is a tad better then Rodriguez, and Rodriguez is arbitration eligilble, which could hurt the A's contractually.
St. Louis: Released 2B Fernando Vina, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 6/23/2004 :
Baltimore: Released P Sean Douglass.
Anaheim: Released P Mark Lukasiewicz.
Chicago (A): Released P Jeff Suppan.
Atlanta: Released P Paul Maholm.
Pittsburgh: Released P Josh Fogg.
Chicago (A): Free agent P Brian Boehringer has been signed to a contract of $513,000 per year, for 1 year.
Baltimore: Free agent RF Juan Gonzalez has been signed to a contract of $802,600 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 6/30/2004 :
Baltimore: Released P Jacobo Maque.
Cleveland: Released P Alberto Garza.
New York (A): Released P Bryan Grace.
Chicago (A): Released P Antonio Alfonseca.
Minnesota: Released P Jon Pridie.
Atlanta: Released 1B Matt Franco.
Chicago (N): Released P Ferenc Jonejan.
New York (A): Free agent C Ryan Jorgensen has been signed to a minor league contract.
Cleveland: Free agent P Justin Hampson has been signed to a minor league contract.

Injuries

Sunday 6/1/2004 :
TEX: Kevin Mench was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Scratched Cornea Eye.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 1-2 weeks.

Sunday 6/8/2004 :
DET: Cory Lidle was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Hyper Extended Elbow.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.
BOS: John Olerud was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Torn Thigh Muscle.
He is out for about 5 weeks.

Tuesday 6/10/2004 :
DET: Jeremy Bonderman was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Shoulder.
He is out for about 8-9 weeks.

Wednesday 6/11/2004 :
ARI: Curt Schilling was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.

Friday 6/13/2004 :
ATL: Roberto Alomar was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Pulled Elbow Ligament.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Sunday 6/15/2004 :
ARI: Pete LaForest was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Fractured Knee.
He will be OK in about 6 weeks.

Tuesday 6/17/2004 :
NYN: Dave Weathers was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6 weeks.

Wednesday 6/18/2004 :
CLE: Omar Daal was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6 weeks.

Friday 6/20/2004 :
TOR: Tomokazu Ohka was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Tendon.
He will be OK in about 3 weeks.

Saturday 6/21/2004 :
HOU: Shawn Chacon was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tight Shoulder.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.
NYN: Tom Glavine was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Tricep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Wednesday 6/25/2004 :
NYA: Andy Pettitte was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Bicep Tendon.
He is out for about 4-5 weeks.

Friday 6/27/2004 :
CHA: Esteban Loaiza was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Tricep Muscle.
He is out for about 4 weeks.
SDN: Kevin Jarvis was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5-6 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Monday 6/2/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
2B Mark Ellis (OAK)!
He batted .524 in 21 AB, with 1 HR and 5 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
2B Jeff Kent (HOU)!
He batted .429 in 28 AB, with 4 HR and 14 RBI.

LAN: Hideo Nomo pitches a NO-HITTER against San Francisco!!

Monday 6/9/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
1B Jay Gibbons (BAL)!
He batted .444 in 27 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Sammy Sosa (ARI)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 2 HR and 8 RBI.

Tuesday 6/10/2004 :
MIN: Torii Hunter slams 3 homers against Boston.

Wednesday 6/11/2004 :
HOU: J.D. Closser hits for the cycle against Cincinnati!

Monday 6/16/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
CF Vernon Wells (TOR)!
He batted .400 in 25 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Jason Hart (HOU)!
He batted .407 in 27 AB, with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

Saturday 6/21/2004 :
OAK: Barry Zito pitches a PERFECT GAME against Baltimore!!

Monday 6/23/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
C Brian Schneider (TOR)!
He batted .429 in 21 AB, with 4 HR and 10 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Gary Sheffield (PIT)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 2 HR and 8 RBI.

Monday 6/30/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Bobby Kielty (MIN)!
He batted .391 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 11 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .571 in 21 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.

Monday 7/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Barry Zito (OAK)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 0.86 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Miguel Tejada (OAK)!
He batted .330 in 97 AB, with 7 homers and 24 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Jeremy Affeldt (SDN)!
He had a record of 4-1 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.04.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .425 in 87 AB, with 7 homers and 21 RBI.

General Mike

05-16-2003, 11:30 PM

June 2004 continued

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Toronto 44 36 .550 - 41-39 3 23-18 21-18 7-2 14-10 78 L2 5-5
Boston 43 41 .512 3.0 42-42 1 22-20 21-21 8-9 14-15 - W1 6-4
Cleveland 42 42 .500 4.0 45-39 -3 23-20 19-22 3-4 13-15 - L1 5-5
Baltimore 40 41 .494 4.5 41-40 -1 22-20 18-21 7-3 14-14 - W3 6-4
Detroit 36 48 .429 10.0 35-49 1 20-22 16-26 3-3 15-16 - L7 2-8
New York (A) 32 51 .386 13.5 35-48 -3 16-25 16-26 5-2 12-16 - L4 2-8

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 52 32 .619 - 52-32 0 23-17 29-15 4-5 10-10 74 W1 6-4
Chicago (A) 47 37 .560 5.0 44-40 3 24-19 23-18 4-2 18-13 - W3 7-3
Minnesota 43 40 .518 8.5 42-41 1 21-19 22-21 3-4 11-12 - W5 6-4
Seattle 39 43 .476 12.0 41-41 -2 21-19 18-24 4-4 15-17 - L1 3-7
Anaheim 38 44 .463 13.0 38-44 0 18-23 20-21 3-5 12-13 - W4 8-2
Texas 37 46 .446 14.5 39-44 -2 20-22 17-24 3-8 10-11 - L1 4-6

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 49 34 .590 - 50-33 -1 26-16 23-18 3-3 12-13 77 L1 6-4
Pittsburgh 46 37 .554 3.0 49-34 -3 24-18 22-19 3-2 10-11 - L3 2-8
New York (N) 39 43 .476 9.5 39-43 0 19-23 20-20 2-3 17-14 - W1 5-5
Chicago (N) 39 46 .459 11.0 38-47 1 19-22 20-24 5-7 14-19 - L3 6-4
Cincinnati 36 48 .429 13.5 38-46 -2 21-21 15-27 4-6 10-15 - W2 7-3
Atlanta 34 47 .420 14.0 36-45 -2 19-21 15-26 3-6 13-18 - W1 5-5

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 49 33 .598 - 45-37 4 22-18 27-15 2-1 16-9 78 W1 4-6
Los Angeles 49 36 .576 1.5 49-36 0 24-19 25-17 3-3 13-9 - L1 5-5
San Diego 44 39 .530 5.5 45-38 -1 21-19 23-20 5-3 16-12 - W1 6-4
St. Louis 41 41 .500 8.0 39-43 2 20-22 21-19 5-4 16-12 - W1 3-7
San Francisco 40 43 .482 9.5 36-47 4 19-23 21-20 3-1 16-13 - W6 7-3
Arizona 36 47 .434 13.5 36-47 0 16-26 20-21 2-4 8-12 - L1 3-7

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (2nd) Oakland 113 + 52-32 .619 .268 3.69 52-32 0
2nd (1st) Philadelphia 108 - 49-34 .590 .249 3.36 50-33 -1
3rd (5th) Chicago (A) 106 + 47-37 .560 .249 4.04 44-40 3
4th (4th) Houston 106 o 49-33 .598 .252 3.62 45-37 4
5th (3rd) Los Angeles 104 - 49-36 .576 .268 3.62 49-36 0
6th (6th) Toronto 98 o 44-36 .550 .256 4.35 41-39 3
7th (9th) San Diego 97 + 44-39 .530 .245 3.41 45-38 -1
8th (7th) Minnesota 97 - 43-40 .518 .253 4.27 42-41 1
9th (12th) Boston 94 ++ 43-41 .512 .263 4.50 42-42 1
10th (10th) San Francisco 94 o 40-43 .482 .225 3.87 36-47 4
11th (8th) Pittsburgh 93 -- 46-37 .554 .264 4.12 49-34 -3
12th (13th) Baltimore 92 + 40-41 .494 .239 4.13 41-40 -1
13th (14th) Anaheim 91 + 38-44 .463 .248 4.50 38-44 0
14th (11th) Cleveland 90 -- 42-42 .500 .275 4.54 45-39 -3
15th (18th) St. Louis 86 ++ 41-41 .500 .247 3.94 39-43 2
16th (16th) New York (N) 86 o 39-43 .476 .238 3.79 39-43 0
17th (15th) Chicago (N) 84 - 39-46 .459 .236 4.08 38-47 1
18th (19th) Cincinnati 82 + 36-48 .429 .248 4.38 38-46 -2
19th (17th) Seattle 82 - 39-43 .476 .249 3.84 41-41 -2
20th (20th) Texas 78 o 37-46 .446 .254 4.76 39-44 -2
21st (22nd) Atlanta 76 + 34-47 .420 .247 4.07 36-45 -2
22nd (21st) Arizona 74 - 36-47 .434 .260 4.60 36-47 0
23rd (23rd) Detroit 68 o 36-48 .429 .249 4.93 35-49 1
24th (24th) New York (A) 61 o 32-51 .386 .234 4.62 35-48 -3

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 C. Delgado (TOR) .313
2 C. Snelling (SEA) .313
3 B. Williams (NYA) .306
4 N. Garciaparra (BOS) .306

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 C. Delgado (TOR) 1.048
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .975
3 J. Giambi (CLE) .955

Home Runs
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) 21
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 20
3 J. Dye (OAK) 18
3 J. Gibbons (BAL) 18
3 M. Ordonez (CHA) 18
3 J. Phelps (TEX) 18

Doubles
1 M. Ordonez (CHA) 31
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 29
3 M. Tejada (OAK) 28
3 B. Fullmer (BOS) 28
3 V. Martinez (CLE) 28

Triples
1 C. Crawford (DET) 9
2 T. Hunter (MIN) 7
3 E. Chavez (TEX) 6

Runs Batted In
1 A. Kearns (TOR) 59
1 J. Gibbons (BAL) 59
3 J. Crede (CHA) 58

Runs
1 M. Ordonez (CHA) 58
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 55
3 L. Nix (TEX) 54

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 29
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 21
3 C. Crawford (DET) 20

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 14
2 B. Zito (OAK) 13
3 T. Wakefield (BOS) 10
3 A. Rakers (BAL) 10

Earned Run Average
1 B. Zito (OAK) 1.94
2 C. Lewis (TEX) 2.76
3 J. Santana (MIN) 2.85

Strikeouts
1 J. Foppert (CLE) 121
2 C. Fossum (BOS) 103
3 B. Zito (OAK) 100

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 26
2 B. Koch (CHA) 22
3 J. Julio (BAL) 19
3 P. Shuey (CLE) 19

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Giles (PIT) .344
2 A. Pujols (SLN) .340
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) .336

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.206
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 1.043
3 T. Helton (CIN) 1.022

Home Runs
1 A. Jones (ATL) 23
2 B. Giles (PIT) 22
3 R. Sexson (LAN) 21
3 J. Thome (PHI) 21

Doubles
1 T. Helton (CIN) 33
2 K. Millar (ATL) 31
3 X. Nady (SDN) 27

Triples
1 A. Nunez (ARI) 9
2 R. Furcal (ATL) 8
2 M. Kotsay (SDN) 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Jones (ATL) 70
2 P. Burrell (PHI) 68
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) 60

Runs
1 G. Sheffield (PIT) 69
2 B. Giles (PIT) 64
3 T. Helton (CIN) 57
3 C. Jones (ATL) 57
3 S. Green (LAN) 57

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 38
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 24
3 C. Patterson (CHN) 23

Wins
1 H. Nomo (LAN) 12
2 K. Millwood (PHI) 11
2 C. Sabathia (SFN) 11

Earned Run Average
1 J. Affeldt (SDN) 2.04
2 W. Miller (HOU) 2.50
3 K. Ishii (LAN) 2.65

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 173
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 140
3 W. Miller (HOU) 117

Saves
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 24
2 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 22
2 E. Gagne (LAN) 22

DolphinFan1

05-17-2003, 10:24 AM

A lot of players are hitting for the cycle in this game.

JeeberD

05-17-2003, 12:39 PM

Friday 6/6/2004 :
Houston: Released 1B Jeff Bagwell, he refused assignment to minors.

Sigh.... :( :( :(

General Mike

05-19-2003, 01:31 AM

2004 All Star Game

Time once again for the 2004 All Star Game, to be played in Houston, Texas at Minute Maid Park. Due to the overall bad play of the Mets we failed to have one player selected to play in the Mid Summer Classic.

Here are the teams with their key stats:

These players were selected for the AL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P Mark Buehrle from Chicago (A) - 15-3, 3.84 ERA
P Barry Zito from Oakland - 13-2, 2.24 ERA
P Colby Lewis from Texas - 10-3, 2.74 ERA
P Bartolo Colon from Chicago (A) - 10-5, 2.89 ERA
P Aaron Rakers from Baltimore - 10-6, 3.39 ERA
P Tim Wakefield from Boston - 10-5, 3.85 ERA
P John Lackey from Anaheim - 10-4, 4.17 ERA
P Joe Valentine from Oakland - 4-0, 1.78 ERA
P Keith Foulke from Oakland - 3-2, 1.53 ERA, 27 saves
P Billy Koch from Chicago (A) - 4-4, 3.92 ERA, 24 saves
C Victor Martinez from Cleveland - .306, 10 HR, 44 RBI
C Brian Schneider from Toronto - .285, 14 HR, 49 RBI
1B Jay Gibbons from Baltimore - .303, 18 HR, 64 RBI
2B Brandon Phillips from Cleveland - .265, 13 HR, 51 RBI
3B Brandon Larson from Cleveland - .298, 12 HR, 52 RBI
SS Alex Rodriguez from Texas - .285, 23 HR, 57 RBI
LF Manny Ramirez from Boston - .298, 23 HR, 54 RBI
CF Bernie Williams from New York (A) - .304, 11 HR, 46 RBI
RF Magglio Ordonez from Chicago (A) - .287, 19 HR, 50 RBI
1B Josh Phelps from Texas - .295, 20 HR, 57 RBI
RF Jermaine Dye from Oakland - .288, 18 HR, 57 RBI
RF Tim Salmon from Anaheim - .297, 14 HR, 51 RBI
LF Jeremy Giambi from Cleveland - .275, 18 HR, 57 RBI
SS Miguel Tejada from Oakland - .288, 14 HR, 59 RBI
3B Eric Munson from Detroit - .271, 15 HR, 48 RBI

These players were selected for the NL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P Hideo Nomo from Los Angeles - 13-3, 3.37 ERA
P Odalis Perez from Los Angeles - 12-5, 3.22 ERA
P C.C. Sabathia from San Francisco - 11-3, 3.18 ERA
P Kevin Millwood from Philadelphia - 11-4, 2.88 ERA
P Wade Miller from Houston - 10-3, 2.58 ERA
P Jeremy Affeldt from San Diego - 8-6, 2.04 ERA
P Adam Wainwright from Atlanta - 9-4, 3.42 ERA
P Alfredo Gonzalez from Los Angeles - 2-0, 1.87 ERA
P Eric Gagne from Los Angeles - 4-2, 0.65 ERA, 25 saves
P Jason Isringhausen from St. Louis - 4-0, 0.70 ERA, 19 saves
C Ivan Rodriguez from Arizona - .312, 15 HR, 58 RBI
C Mike Lieberthal from Philadelphia - .291, 9 HR, 39 RBI
1B Todd Helton from Cincinnati - .323, 14 HR, 52 RBI
2B Jeff Kent from Houston - .293, 19 HR, 61 RBI
3B Adrian Beltre from Los Angeles - .292, 10 HR, 46 RBI
SS Rafael Furcal from Atlanta - .283, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 13 SB
LF Brian Giles from Pittsburgh - .349, 26 HR, 60 RBI
CF Andruw Jones from Atlanta - .254, 25 HR, 75 RBI
RF Gary Sheffield from Pittsburgh - .334, 22 HR, 65 RBI
1B Jim Thome from Philadelphia - .266, 22 HR, 58 RBI
LF Albert Pujols from St. Louis - .334, 17 HR, 47 RBI
LF Chipper Jones from Atlanta - .296, 19 HR, 53 RBI
LF Pat Burrell from Philadelphia - .283, 17 HR, 71 RBI
3B Aramis Ramirez from Pittsburgh - .236, 13 HR, 62 RBI
3B Jared Sandberg from San Diego - .250, 15 HR, 54 RBI

The Game

Oakland's Barry Zito and San Diego's Jeremy Affeldt were named the starting pitchers for their game. The NL All Stars scored 1st picking up 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the 3rd off Barry Zito. They added 3 more in the bottom of the 4th off of Anaheim's John Lackey. The AL came back with 2 in the 5th off of Houston's Wade Miller, but that was all she wrote on this day. Eric Gagne pitched the 1-2-3 9th for the save.

WP: Jeremy Affeldt
LP: Hideo Nomo
S: Eric Gagne
Player of the Game: SP Jeremy Affeldt

General Mike

05-19-2003, 02:33 PM

July 2004 Review

Transactions

Tuesday 7/1/2004 :
New York (N) : Free agent Jeff Bagwell has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 years.

Friday 7/4/2004 :
Trade between Cincinnati and Chicago (N) :
Chicago (N) gets :
C Corky Miller
Cincinnati gets :
3B Brendan Harris
Note: Cincy trades a catcher who wasn't playing at all for them for a 3B who was the Cubs opening day 3B. Harris definitely could have a good career.
Trade between San Francisco and Minnesota :
Minnesota gets :
RF Reggie Sanders
San Francisco gets :
SS Michael Hollimon
3B Jose Morales
Note: Minnesota picks up a good power hitter for 2 single A prospects. No guarantees either way with these guys.

Monday 7/7/2004 :
Detroit: Released LF Damian Jackson.
Minnesota: Released RF Brian Banks.
Cincinnati: Released 3B Craig Counsell.
Cincinnati: Released P Dustin Moseley.
Arizona: Put CF Abraham Nunez on the trading block.
Arizona: Put 2B Junior Spivey on the trading block.
Houston: Released P Amaury Telemaco.
San Diego: Free agent P Shane Nance has been signed to a minor league contract.

Tuesday 7/8/2004 :
Trade between Pittsburgh and Arizona :
Arizona gets :
P Dennis Stark
Pittsburgh gets :
2B Junior Spivey
Note: Arizona gets a good SP for the top of the rotation now that Schilling is getting older, and Johnson has left the team. Spivey gives the Pirates alot more bench depth, since Pokey Reese can now be their backup 2B and SS.

Friday 7/11/2004 :
Trade between Texas and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
P Mark Redman
Texas gets :
LF Adam Dunn
Note: Texas just keeps adding offense. Both players are having down years tho. Redman should help out the Reds starting rotation.

Saturday 7/12/2004 :
Trade between Los Angeles and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
RF Chin-Feng Chen
2B Jon Scheurholz
Los Angeles gets :
SS Wilson Betemit
Note: L.A. definitely needed a SS and they got a pretty good young one in Betemit. Chen should fill the Braves hole in RF, and Scheurholz comes back to the team where his father GMs
Trade between Los Angeles and Baltimore :
Baltimore gets :
C Koyie Hill
Los Angeles gets :
1B Vince Sinisi
LF Tim Gilhooly
Note: LA trades a major league ready catcher for a decent 1B prospect who's a couple years away. Gilhooly has the look of a minor league lifer/

Sunday 7/13/2004 :
Trade between Pittsburgh and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets :
LF Adam Hyzdu
Pittsburgh gets :
1B Chris Duncan
3B Travis Hanson
Note: Duncan's another power hitting 1B prospect. Hydzu has a ton of power, but he just can't make contact. Hanson is a middle of the road prospect.

Monday 7/14/2004 :
Baltimore: Released C Henry Blanco.
Detroit: Released LF Nook Logan.
New York (A): Put 1B Nick Johnson on the trading block.
New York (A): Put 2B Alfonso Soriano on the trading block.
Toronto: Released P Scott Cassidy.
Oakland: Released P Claudio Galva.
Seattle: Released C Doug Mirabelli.
Texas: Put LF Adam Dunn on the trading block.
Atlanta: Released RF Darren Bragg.
Atlanta: Put C Javier Valentin on the trading block.
Atlanta: Put SS Kelly Johnson on the trading block.
Pittsburgh: Released 3B Andre Mclaughlin.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Venafro.
San Francisco: Put P Damian Moss on the trading block.
San Francisco: Put SS Freddy Sanchez on the trading block.
San Francisco: Put P Jerome Williams on the trading block.
St. Louis: Released 1B Kurt Walser.
Pittsburgh: Free agent 1B Olmedo Saenz has been signed to a minor league contract.
Trade between Boston and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
RF Jose Cruz Jr.
Boston gets :
2B Richard Lewis
C Brian McCann
CF Stanley Coto
Note: Cruz Jr was doing nothing for the Red Sox, Lewis is a nice prospect but nothing special and the other 2 guys are bums. I guess Trot Nixon's gonna play everyday now.

Thursday 7/17/2004 :
Trade between Los Angeles and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
3B Chad Corona
LF Tim Gilhooly
P Benjamin Cosenza
Los Angeles gets :
P Ryan Dempster
Note: I don't understand why the Reds traded their best pitcher for 3 guys who are nothing special, but i guess Redman made Dempster expendable.

Saturday 7/19/2004 :
Trade between Arizona and San Francisco :
San Francisco gets :
P Mike Koplove
P Dennis Ketterman
Arizona gets :
P Jerome Williams
Note: A good reliever for a good young starter is generally something i advide against, but Koplove will help the Giants bullpen. The DBacks definitely got a steal here tho.

Monday 7/21/2004 :
Boston: Released C Brian McCann.
Texas: Released 2B Ramon Martinez.
Texas: Put 1B Josh Phelps on the trading block.
Texas: Put P A.J. Burnett on the trading block.
Atlanta: Released RF Shane Spencer.
Arizona: Released P Jacob Stevens.
Los Angeles: Released P Travis Driskill.
San Francisco: Released P Brion Treadway.
Chicago (N): Free agent P Juan Moreno has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 7/28/2004 :
Philadelphia: Free agent P Juan Nova has been signed to a minor league contract.
St. Louis: Free agent P Jason Grimsley has been signed to a contract of $311,200 per year, for 1 year.

Tuesday 7/29/2004 :
Detroit: Released 1B Wil Cordero, he refused assignment to minors.

Wednesday 7/30/2004 :
Trade between Baltimore and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets :
RF Juan Gonzalez
P Hassan Linquist
Baltimore gets :
C Jason LaRue
Note: JuanGone is having a comeback year, and Baltimore took advantage of that by trading him for a starting Catcher. Linquist is too far away to be of any consequence right now.
Trade between Houston and Chicago (N) :
Chicago (N) gets :
3B Ramon German
2B George Jones
Houston gets :
P Matt Clement
Note: A great trade for the Astros. With Oswalt out for the year the 'stros needed another SP and they got a guy who can help them right now. German and Jones are both single A ballers, so trading them won't hurt Houston's immediate future.
Trade between Philadelphia and New York (A) :
New York (A) gets :
3B Travis Chapman
Philadelphia gets :
2B Robinson Cano
P James Crowson
P Christian Mendoza
Note: The Yankees got younger at the hot corner, but gave up 3 solid prospects in the deal. Philadelphia also created a spot in their lineup to play top prospect Chase Utley everyday.
New York (A): Released 3B Robin Ventura, he refused assignment to minors.
Trade between Los Angeles and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
CF Michael Rogers
SS Christopher Laperle
Los Angeles gets :
P Mike Hampton
Note: Hampton's overpaid, but the Dodgers didn't give up much to get a solid SP. Nothing wrong with this trade
Trade between St. Louis and Oakland :
Oakland gets :
1B Jack Cust
St. Louis gets :
3B Miguel Cabrera
Note: Cust is a great young hitter who fits the Athletics mold. Cabrera is a good young prospect, but the Cardinals already have Rolen at 3B. Edge has to go to Oakland tho.
Trade between Houston and New York (A) :
New York (A) gets :
3B Brooks Conrad
SS Joel Guzman
Houston gets :
P Dave Maurer
Note: Maurer is another good relief pitcher for the Astros to add in their playoff run. They didn't give up anything special to get him.
Trade between Minnesota and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets :
LF Bobby Kielty
Minnesota gets :
C Shawn Riggans
P Tyler Adamczyk
Note: Well the Cardinals moved Pujols to 1B so these trades are starting to make more sense. Kielty is a good pickup for the Cardinals, while the Twins got a good C prospect in Riggans. Kielty won't be missed by the Twins too much as they have good OF depth.
Trade between Atlanta and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets :
2B Nick Green
Atlanta gets :
P Justin Pope
3B Cody Heaerther
1B Jesse Roman
Note: Pope was the main player Atlanta got in this trade and he's got a shot at having a good major league career. Green will give the Cardinals alot more power tho.
Trade between Texas and Seattle :
Seattle gets :
1B Josh Phelps
P Jonah Bass
P Willie Strine
Texas gets :
RF Ichiro Suzuki
Note: Speed and defense for Pure Power. A very even trade which features 2 all star level players. A very even trade both teams addressed serious needs.
Trade between Cleveland and Baltimore :
Baltimore gets :
SS Rich Aurilia
Cleveland gets :
CF Jon Slack
3B Brian Snyder
Note: Aurilia's still a quality SS but Cleveland wants to build for the future. Slack and Snyder both should help somewhere down the road.
Trade between Philadelphia and New York (A) :
New York (A) gets :
CF Daniel Perales
Philadelphia gets :
P Antonio Osuna
Note: The Yankees continue to give up quality relievers for middle of the road prospects. Perales has time to get better but isn't anything special right now.

Thursday 7/31/2004 :
Trade between Oakland and New York (A) :
New York (A) gets :
1B Dan Johnson
Oakland gets :
P Jose Contreras
Note: Another one of these strange trades. Maybe the Yankees know what they are doing because I sure don't.

Injuries

Sunday 7/6/2004 :
ARI: Chris Capuano was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Stiff Shoulder.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take one week.

Friday 7/11/2004 :
NYN: Tom Glavine was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hand.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3 weeks.

Saturday 7/12/2004 :
CIN: Mark Redman was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Back Muscle.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Sunday 7/13/2004 :
CIN: Ruben Mateo was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Broken Ankle.
He is definitely out for the season!

Friday 7/18/2004 :
PIT: Kris Benson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 2 weeks.
ARI: Wayne Franklin was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Elbow.
He will be OK in about 7 weeks.

Monday 7/21/2004 :
NYA: Braden Looper was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Fractured Elbow.
He is out for about 7 weeks.
DET: Jason Jimenez was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Tricep Tendon.
He is out for about 3-4 weeks.

Thursday 7/24/2004 :
CHA: Matt Ginter was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Spasms Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 7 weeks.

Friday 7/25/2004 :
NYA: Brandon Claussen was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Bicep Tendon.
He is out for about 2 weeks.

Saturday 7/26/2004 :
CHA: Jon Rauch was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is out for about 3-4 weeks.

Monday 7/28/2004 :
HOU: Shawn Chacon was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Saturday 7/5/2004 :
PIT: Brian Giles crushes 3 homers against Chicago (N).

Monday 7/7/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
3B Brandon Larson (CLE)!
He batted .520 in 25 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .368 in 19 AB, with 4 HR and 7 RBI.

Monday 7/21/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
P Doug Davis (CLE)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 16 innings
with an ERA of 1.13, fanning 11.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Sammy Sosa (ARI)!
He batted .600 in 25 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.

Wednesday 7/23/2004 :
ANA: Troy Glaus hits 3 homers against Chicago (A).

Monday 7/28/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Juan Rivera (NYA)!
He batted .483 in 29 AB, with 1 HR and 3 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Ryan Klesko (SDN)!
He batted .500 in 22 AB, with 2 HR and 7 RBI.

Thursday 8/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Mike Sirotka (SEA)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.42 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .348 in 89 AB, with 9 homers and 22 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Pedro Martinez (PHI)!
He had a record of 3-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 2.11 and 1 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .392 in 74 AB, with 9 homers and 22 RBI.

General Mike

05-19-2003, 03:14 PM

July 2004 continued

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Toronto 60 47 .561 - 58-49 2 32-23 28-24 9-2 16-15 55 L1 7-3
Boston 59 48 .551 1.0 58-49 1 29-24 30-24 8-10 16-18 - W6 7-3
Cleveland 54 54 .500 6.5 56-52 -2 28-28 26-26 3-4 16-17 - L1 3-7
Baltimore 51 56 .477 9.0 52-55 -1 30-25 21-31 8-4 18-19 - W1 5-5
Detroit 47 63 .427 14.5 45-65 2 24-29 23-34 5-5 17-18 - W1 2-8
New York (A) 44 63 .411 16.0 46-61 -2 21-32 23-31 6-3 16-17 - L1 7-3

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 63 44 .589 - 66-41 -3 29-23 34-21 4-6 12-15 50 L4 3-7
Chicago (A) 57 50 .533 6.0 54-53 3 29-22 28-28 5-2 21-17 - W3 4-6
Seattle 54 52 .509 8.5 54-52 0 30-25 24-27 6-5 18-19 - W2 7-3
Minnesota 54 54 .500 9.5 53-55 1 27-26 27-28 3-4 16-16 - W3 7-3
Anaheim 50 58 .463 13.5 51-57 -1 25-29 25-29 4-7 15-16 - L4 5-5
Texas 50 58 .463 13.5 52-56 -2 27-28 23-30 4-10 12-11 - L3 3-7

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 66 42 .611 - 68-40 -2 36-20 30-22 3-5 15-16 49 W3 8-2
Pittsburgh 59 48 .551 6.5 65-42 -6 32-21 27-27 4-3 12-18 - L2 3-7
New York (N) 53 54 .495 12.5 53-54 0 25-29 28-25 3-4 18-17 - W2 5-5
Atlanta 49 57 .462 16.0 49-57 0 28-28 21-29 3-7 17-20 - W2 8-2
Chicago (N) 48 61 .440 18.5 47-62 1 21-32 27-29 8-7 20-27 - W1 4-6
Cincinnati 44 64 .407 22.0 47-61 -3 27-27 17-37 6-7 13-16 - W1 3-7

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Houston 61 47 .565 - 57-51 4 28-22 33-25 3-2 18-13 54 L2 3-7
Los Angeles 62 48 .564 - 62-48 0 31-25 31-23 5-4 18-12 53 L2 5-5
San Diego 56 51 .523 4.5 57-50 -1 24-27 32-24 5-4 18-14 - L3 5-5
San Francisco 53 56 .486 8.5 46-63 7 27-29 26-27 5-2 26-18 - L1 6-4
St. Louis 50 57 .467 10.5 47-60 3 22-31 28-26 6-4 21-16 - W2 4-6
Arizona 48 60 .444 13.0 48-60 0 20-35 28-25 3-8 12-16 - L1 5-5

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (2nd) Philadelphia 117 + 66-42 .611 .253 3.37 68-40 -2
2nd (4th) Boston 106 + 59-48 .551 .269 4.38 58-49 1
3rd (5th) Toronto 105 + 60-47 .561 .257 4.14 58-49 2
4th (6th) Los Angeles 100 + 62-48 .564 .255 3.49 62-48 0
5th (1st) Oakland 100 -- 63-44 .589 .256 3.53 66-41 -3
6th (8th) Seattle 97 + 54-52 .509 .246 3.82 54-52 0
7th (7th) Houston 97 o 61-47 .565 .245 3.77 57-51 4
8th (14th) Minnesota 95 ++ 54-54 .500 .251 4.17 53-55 1
9th (17th) Chicago (A) 95 ++ 57-50 .533 .244 3.99 54-53 3
10th (10th) Pittsburgh 94 o 59-48 .551 .262 3.98 65-42 -6
11th (3rd) San Diego 93 -- 56-51 .523 .244 3.43 57-50 -1
12th (11th) Atlanta 90 - 49-57 .462 .248 4.03 49-57 0
13th (12th) New York (N) 90 - 53-54 .495 .248 3.91 53-54 0
14th (9th) San Francisco 90 -- 53-56 .486 .222 3.82 46-63 7
15th (18th) Cleveland 86 ++ 54-54 .500 .271 4.62 56-52 -2
16th (16th) Baltimore 86 o 51-56 .477 .237 4.17 52-55 -1
17th (19th) St. Louis 83 + 50-57 .467 .241 4.24 47-60 3
18th (13th) Anaheim 81 -- 50-58 .463 .247 4.48 51-57 -1
19th (20th) Arizona 80 + 48-60 .444 .257 4.53 48-60 0
20th (15th) Texas 78 -- 50-58 .463 .258 4.74 52-56 -2
21st (22nd) New York (A) 78 + 44-63 .411 .233 4.56 46-61 -2
22nd (21st) Chicago (N) 77 - 48-61 .440 .233 4.22 47-62 1
23rd (23rd) Detroit 71 o 47-63 .427 .252 4.96 45-65 2
24th (24th) Cincinnati 69 o 44-64 .407 .248 4.44 47-61 -3

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 N. Garciaparra (BOS) .311
2 A. Kearns (TOR) .306
3 M. Ramirez (BOS) .305

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 C. Delgado (TOR) .996
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .987
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .964

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 29
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) 29
3 V. Wells (TOR) 23
3 E. Chavez (OAK) 23

Doubles
1 M. Ordonez (CHA) 38
2 J. Phelps (SEA) 37
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 37

Triples
1 C. Crawford (DET) 11
2 T. Hunter (MIN) 10
3 E. Chavez (TEX) 7
3 C. Figgins (CHA) 7

Runs Batted In
1 A. Kearns (TOR) 75
2 J. Phelps (SEA) 71
2 J. Gibbons (BAL) 71
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 71

Runs
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) 74
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 72
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 68

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 39
2 D. Erstad (ANA) 26
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 26

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 17
2 B. Zito (OAK) 14
3 A. Rakers (BAL) 12
3 R. Ortiz (ANA) 12

Earned Run Average
1 B. Zito (OAK) 2.18
2 B. Colon (CHA) 2.89
3 J. Santana (MIN) 2.90

Strikeouts
1 J. Foppert (CLE) 156
2 R. Anderson (SEA) 127
3 A. Burnett (TEX) 126

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 31
2 B. Koch (CHA) 27
3 J. Julio (BAL) 25
3 P. Shuey (CLE) 25

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Giles (PIT) .355
2 A. Pujols (SLN) .332
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) .316

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.256
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) .987
3 T. Helton (CIN) .986

Home Runs
1 A. Jones (ATL) 31
1 B. Giles (PIT) 31
3 S. Green (LAN) 26

Doubles
1 T. Helton (CIN) 44
2 K. Millar (ATL) 43
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 37

Triples
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 10
2 A. Nunez (ARI) 9
3 G. Sheffield (PIT) 8
3 M. Kotsay (SDN) 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Jones (ATL) 90
2 P. Burrell (PHI) 86
3 B. Giles (PIT) 75

Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 86
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 84
3 T. Helton (CIN) 73

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 51
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 35
3 C. Beltran (HOU) 26

Wins
1 H. Nomo (LAN) 14
2 O. Perez (LAN) 13
2 K. Millwood (PHI) 13
2 R. Wolf (PHI) 13

Earned Run Average
1 J. Affeldt (SDN) 2.14
2 W. Miller (HOU) 2.74
3 K. Ishii (LAN) 2.81

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 229
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 172
3 W. Miller (HOU) 157

Saves
1 B. Wagner (HOU) 30
2 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 28
3 E. Gagne (LAN) 27

Award Outlook
With Two Thirds of the season over, the major awards picture seems to be coming into focus, much better. Here are the top candidates for each award:

AL Ted Williams Award - Carlos Delgado (TOR), Alex Rodriguez (TEX), Manny Ramirez (BOS), Austin Kearns (TOR)
My Pick: Austin Kearns

AL Sand Koufax Award - Mark Buehrle (CWS), Barry Zito (OAK), Bartolo Colon (CWS), Aaron Rakers (BAL)
My Pick: Mark Buehrle

AL Rookie of the Year - Chris Snelling (SEA), Laynce Nix (TEX), Travis Chapman (NYY)
My Pick: Laynce Nix

NL Ted Williams Award - Brian Giles (PIT), Gary Sheffield (PIT), Jeff Kent (HOU), Pat Burrell (PHI)
My Pick: Jeff Kent

NL Sandy Koufax Award - Jeremy Affeldt (SDN), Odalis Perez (LAN), Kevin Millwood (PHI), Wade Miller (HOU)
My Pick: Affeldt

NL Rookie of the Year - Josh Hamilton (NYN), Aaron Heilman (NYN), Adam Wainwright (ATL), Mike O'Keefe (CHC)
My Pick: Adam Wainwright ;)

General Mike

05-19-2003, 03:50 PM

Mets July 2004 Rundown

July started off with a bang, when the Mets announced they had signed 1B Jeff Bagwell to a 1 year contract to play 1B for them. July was an up and down month, but we did inch closer to .500 as we went 14-11 to bring our record to 53-54 on the month. Denny Neagle was our best pitcher this month going 4-0, to bring his record to 10-3 on the season. Cliff Floyd hit .378 in July to lead our resurgent offense.

Team Stats:
Team Batting Average: .248 (12th)
Team Runs Scored: 438 (22nd)
Team ERA: 3.91 (8th)
Team Runs Allowed: 441 (5th)

Individual Stats
C Mike Piazza - .235, 18 HR, 56 RBI
1B Derek Lee - .226, 6 HR, 33 RBI
2B Luis Castillo - .299, 18 RBI, 51 SB
3B Mike Lowell - .253, 11 HR, 44 RBI
SS Jose Reyes - .179, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 23 SB
LF Cliff Floyd - .274, 13 HR, 47 RBI, 18 SB
CF Josh Hamilton - .290, 12 HR, 48 RBI, 22 SB
RF Danny Bautista - .299, 14 HR, 57 RBI, 17 SB

SP Tom Glavine - 5-9, 3.35 ERA
SP Aaron Heilman - 9-10, 3.06 ERA
SP Al Leiter - 6-7, 4.51 ERA
SP Denny Neagle - 10-3, 3.38 ERA
SP Steve Trachsel - 8-9, 3.95 ERA
CL Armando Benitez - 7-5, 3.00 ERA, 23 saves

General Mike

05-19-2003, 04:23 PM

Contract Extensions 2004

It's that time of the year again, as teams decide who to keep for the future and who won't be back next year. Here's who's coming back:

Thursday 8/1/2004 :

Baltimore : Lance Berkman has been signed to a contract extension, $6,156,000 per year, for 4 years.
Baltimore : Russ Ortiz has been signed to a contract extension, $726,800 per year, for 3 years.

Boston : Trot Nixon has been signed to a contract extension, $4,560,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : Jason Varitek has been signed to a contract extension, $807,500 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : Dan Wilson has been signed to a contract extension, $684,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : Ramiro Mendoza has been signed to a contract extension, $1,235,000 per year, for 3 years.

Cleveland : Paul Shuey has been signed to a contract extension, $2,394,000 per year, for 4 years.

Detroit : Matt Anderson has been signed to a contract extension, $2,294,300 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : Mike Matheny has been signed to a contract extension, $345,600 per year, for 2 years.

New York (A) : Mariano Rivera has been signed to a contract extension, $5,796,000 per year, for 3 years.
New York (A) : Braden Looper has been signed to a contract extension, $1,672,000 per year, for 3 years.

Toronto : Carlos Delgado has been signed to a contract extension, $12,413,000 per year, for 6 years.

Anaheim : Garret Anderson has been signed to a contract extension, $4,275,000 per year, for 3 years.
Anaheim : Troy Percival has been signed to a contract extension, $5,937,500 per year, for 4 years.
Anaheim : Aaron Sele has been signed to a contract extension, $666,900 per year, for 3 years.
Anaheim : Kevin Appier has been signed to a contract extension, $518,700 per year, for 3 years.
Anaheim : Jay Witasick has been signed to a contract extension, $1,496,300 per year, for 3 years.

Chicago (A) : Magglio Ordonez has been signed to a contract extension, $6,683,100 per year, for 5 years.
Chicago (A) : Billy Koch has been signed to a contract extension, $3,638,500 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (A) : Carlos Lee has been signed to a contract extension, $769,500 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (A) : Brian Boehringer has been signed to a contract extension, $1,282,500 per year, for 4 years.

Minnesota : Eric Milton has been signed to a contract extension, $4,398,100 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : Cristian Guzman has been signed to a contract extension, $646,000 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : Corey Koskie has been signed to a contract extension, $1,714,800 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : J.C. Romero has been signed to a contract extension, $1,881,000 per year, for 3 years.

Oakland : Mitch Meluskey has been signed to a contract extension, $1,301,500 per year, for 3 years.
Oakland : Chris Singleton has been signed to a contract extension, $693,500 per year, for 3 years.
Oakland : Scott Spiezio has been signed to a contract extension, $565,300 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : Moises Alou has been signed to a contract extension, $933,700 per year, for 3 years.

Seattle : Greg Colbrunn has been signed to a contract extension, $2,713,200 per year, for 4 years.
Seattle : Bret Boone has been signed to a contract extension, $5,600,000 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle : Desi Relaford has been signed to a contract extension, $665,000 per year, for 4 years.

Texas : Ramon Castro has been signed to a contract extension, $579,500 per year, for 3 years.
Texas : Francisco Cordero has been signed to a contract extension, $959,500 per year, for 3 years.
Texas : Donnie Sadler has been signed to a contract extension, $300,000 per year, for 1 years.

Atlanta : Kevin Millar has been signed to a contract extension, $2,527,000 per year, for 3 years.
Atlanta : John Smoltz has been signed to a contract extension, $4,788,000 per year, for 2 years.

Chicago (N) : Kerry Wood has been signed to a contract extension, $3,467,500 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : Jose Vidro has been signed to a contract extension, $3,553,000 per year, for 3 years.
Chicago (N) : Damian Miller has been signed to a contract extension, $665,000 per year, for 3 years.

Cincinnati : Ted Lilly has been signed to a contract extension, $2,612,500 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Mark Redman has been signed to a contract extension, $3,049,500 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Ruben Mateo has been signed to a contract extension, $2,384,500 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : Juan Gonzalez has been signed to a contract extension, $2,006,400 per year, for 3 years.

Arizona : Byung-hyun Kim has been signed to a contract extension, $1,795,500 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : Matt Mantei has been signed to a contract extension, $4,512,500 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : Mo Vaughn has been signed to a contract extension, $2,681,300 per year, for 3 years.

Houston : Carlos Beltran has been signed to a contract extension, $5,491,000 per year, for 4 years.
Houston : Wade Miller has been signed to a contract extension, $4,493,500 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : Matt Clement has been signed to a contract extension, $3,391,500 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : Billy Wagner has been signed to a contract extension, $5,600,000 per year, for 4 years.
Houston : Octavio Dotel has been signed to a contract extension, $1,757,500 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : Richard Hidalgo has been signed to a contract extension, $498,800 per year, for 2 years.

Los Angeles : Richie Sexson has been signed to a contract extension, $4,617,000 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Eric Gagne has been signed to a contract extension, $5,348,500 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Ryan Dempster has been signed to a contract extension, $3,059,000 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Ben Petrick has been signed to a contract extension, $579,500 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Paul Lo duca has been signed to a contract extension, $767,100 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : Paul Quantrill has been signed to a contract extension, $2,052,000 per year, for 3 years.

San Diego : Javier Vazquez has been signed to a contract extension, $5,324,800 per year, for 4 years.
San Diego : Kevin Jarvis has been signed to a contract extension, $2,612,500 per year, for 3 years.
San Diego : Armando Almanza has been signed to a contract extension, $1,786,000 per year, for 3 years.

San Francisco : Felix Rodriguez has been signed to a contract extension, $5,700,000 per year, for 3 years.
San Francisco : Luis Vizcaino has been signed to a contract extension, $1,605,500 per year, for 3 years.

St. Louis : Matt Morris has been signed to a contract extension, $6,498,000 per year, for 4 years.
St. Louis : Larry Sutton has been signed to a contract extension, $427,500 per year, for 1 years.
St. Louis : Wilson Delgado has been signed to a contract extension, $300,000 per year, for 2 years.
St. Louis : Steve Kline has been signed to a contract extension, $1,543,800 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : Woody Williams has been signed to a contract extension, $424,000 per year, for 1 years.

and now here are the players who have not been signed to contract extensions:

Baltimore Orioles: RF Alex Ochoa, C Jason LaRue, LF Geoff Jenkins, 2B Andy Sheets, RP B.J. Ryan
Boston Red Sox: SS Nomar Garciaparra, SP Derek Lowe, RP Jose Jimenez, RP Steve Woodard
Cleveland Indians: CF Jay Payton
Detroit Tigers: 3B Danny Klassen, SP Randy Johnson
New York Yankees: 2B Alfonso Soriano, RP Nelson Cruz
Toronto Blue Jays: CF Bruce Aven, SS Chris Woodward, SP Tomo Ohka, SP Shawn Estes

Anaheim Angels: 3B Troy Glaus, 2B Adam Kennedy, 1B Travis Lee
Chicago White Sox: None
Minnesota Twins: LF Jacque Jones, SP Brad Radke
Oakland Athletics: 3B Eric Chavez, RF Jermaine Dye, SP Tim Hudson, SP Livan Hernandez
Seattle Mariners: SS Carlos Guillen, SP Freddy Garcia
Texas Rangers: C Einar Diaz, SP A.J. Burnett

Atlanta Braves: C Robert Machado, RP Ray King
Chicago Cubs: SS Alex S. Gonzalez, C Greg Zaun
Cincinnati Reds: 2B Aaron Boone, RP Scott Williamson, SP Tony Armas Jr.
Philadelphia Phillies: 2B Tomas Perez, C Marcus Jensen, SP Vicente Padilla, SP Joe Roa
Pittsburgh Pirates: SS Orlando Cabrera, LF Abraham Nunez, RP Scott Sauerbeck

Arizona Diamondbacks: LF Quinton McCracken, CF Dave Dellucci, SP Curt Schilling
Houston Astros: 2B Jeff Kent :eek:
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3B Adrian Beltre, CF Dave Roberts, SP Odalis Perez, RP Guillermo Mota
San Diego Padres: None
San Francisco Giants: 3B Bill Mueller, C Bobby Estalella, SS Neifi Perez
St. Louis Cardinals: RF J.D. Drew, 1B Eli Marrero, 2B Mark Loretta, C Ben Molina, CF Kerry Robinson, RP Jason Grimsley

New York Mets: 1B Derek Lee, RF Danny Bautista, 3B Mike Lowell, OF Gary Matthews, 1B Jeff Bagwell, C Vance Wilson, 2B Marlon Anderson, SP Al Leiter, SP Steve Trachsel, RP Dave Weathers, RP Scott Strickland

Lee and Lowell should be coming back, and probably one of the relievers. Everyone else is up in the air right now.

General Mike

05-19-2003, 05:18 PM

August 2004

Many a strange transaction takes place during the dog days of summer, and this year was no different.

Transactions

Monday 8/4/2004 :
Baltimore: Released C Brook Fordyce.
Baltimore: Released SS Ted Birch.
Boston: Released P Lou Pote.
Cleveland: Released P Jack Cressend.
New York (A): Released 3B Juan Camacho.
Toronto: Released P Kelvim Escobar.
Oakland: Released P Roy Smith.
Seattle: Released P Randy Frye.
Atlanta: Released 1B James Jurries.
Atlanta: Released 1B Jesse Roman.
Philadelphia: Released P Franklin Perez.
Arizona: Released P Brandon Webb.
Texas: Free agent P Brian Stokes has been signed to a minor league contract.

Thursday 8/7/2004 :
Chicago (A): Released P Tom Gordon, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 8/11/2004 :
Detroit: Released P Nate Cornejo.
Oakland: Released LF Raul Ibanez. :confused:
Houston: Released LF Fehlandt Lentini.
Los Angeles: Released P Hideo Nomo. :confused:
Atlanta: Free agent P Bartolo Suarez has been signed to a minor league contract.

Thursday 8/14/2004 :
Houston: Released C Brad Ausmus, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 8/18/2004 :
Anaheim: Released P Ervin Santana.
Houston: Released P Fernando Nieve.
San Diego: Released P Mike Nicolas.
St. Louis: Released P Gabe Molina.
Chicago (A): Free agent P Jason Young has been signed to a minor league contract.
Houston: Free agent P Isaac Pavlik has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 8/25/2004 :
Boston: Released P Greg Montalbano.
Detroit: Released P Kevin McDowell.
Oakland: Released CF Donald Fast.
Texas: Released P Travis Hughes.
Chicago (N): Free agent LF Raul Ibanez has been signed to a contract of $307,800 per year, for 1 year.

Monday 9/1/2004 :
New York (A): Free agent P Justin Wayne has been signed to a minor league contract.
San Diego: Free agent P Matt Ford has been signed to a minor league contract.

Injuries

Sunday 8/10/2004 :
MIN: Ben Sheets was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 2 weeks.

Tuesday 8/12/2004 :
TOR: Ismael Valdes was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3 weeks.
CHA: Esteban Loaiza was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 6-7 weeks.

Thursday 8/14/2004 :
CHA: Bartolo Colon was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 2-3 weeks.
CIN: Jose Valentin was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He will be OK in about 8 weeks.

Saturday 8/16/2004 :
ANA: Darin Erstad was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Spasms Back.
He will be OK in about 4 weeks.

Sunday 8/17/2004 :
ATL: Matt Wright was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 8 weeks.

Monday 8/18/2004 :
ATL: Marcus Giles was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He will be OK in about 2 weeks.

Tuesday 8/19/2004 :
SDN: Michael Barrett was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Medial Collateral Ligament.
He is definitely out for the season!

Monday 8/25/2004 :
MIN: Adam Johnson was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 6-7 weeks.

Wednesday 8/27/2004 :
ANA: Troy Glaus was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.
ATL: Chipper Jones was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hand.
He is out for about 5 weeks.

Friday 8/29/2004 :
CIN: Ken Griffey Jr. was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Herniated Disc Back.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 weeks.

Sunday 8/31/2004 :
CIN: Dernell Stenson was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Bruised Jaw.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.
SDN: J.j. Trujillo was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Tricep Muscle.
This is a career ending injury for him!

Notable Achievments and Awards

Monday 8/4/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
CF Torii Hunter (MIN)!
He batted .407 in 27 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
SS Jose Valentin (CIN)!
He batted .435 in 23 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.

Thursday 8/7/2004 :
ANA: Darin Erstad hits for the cycle against Minnesota!

Monday 8/11/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
SS Miguel Tejada (OAK)!
He batted .500 in 24 AB, with 3 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Jim Thome (PHI)!
He batted .391 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 6 RBI.

Sunday 8/17/2004 :
CHN: Mike O'Keefe sets a new season Chicago (N) Rookie-Record for Homeruns with 25!

Monday 8/18/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
2B Alfonso Soriano (NYA)!
He batted .462 in 26 AB, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Pat Burrell (PHI)!
He batted .440 in 25 AB, with 3 HR and 12 RBI.

ATL: Kevin Millar sets a new season Atlanta-Record for Doubles with 47!

Thursday 8/21/2004 :
BAL: Lance Berkman sets a new single game AL-Record for Doubles with 4!

Saturday 8/23/2004 :
CHA: Magglio Ordonez sets a new season Chicago (A)-Record for Doubles with 48!

Monday 8/25/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Magglio Ordonez (CHA)!
He batted .440 in 25 AB, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Sammy Sosa (ARI)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

Sunday 9/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Ricardo Rodriguez (OAK)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 0.92.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Alfonso Soriano (NYA)!
He batted .365 in 115 AB, with 8 homers and 29 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Pedro Martinez (PHI)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.34 and 1 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .365 in 96 AB, with 8 homers and 24 RBI.
American League-Player of the Week:
C Victor Martinez (CLE)!
He batted .625 in 16 AB, with 3 HR and 10 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Brian Giles (PIT)!
He batted .429 in 21 AB, with 3 HR and 10 RBI.

DolphinFan1

05-19-2003, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by General Mike
Contract Extensions 2004

and now here are the players who have not been signed to contract extensions:

Boston Red Sox: SS Nomar Garciaparra, SP Derek Lowe, RP Jose Jimenez, RP Steve Woodard

They better sign Garciaparra. I mean come on, they let Pedro go last season. If I want this to be like real life, I'll watch the real Red Sox. ;)

General Mike

05-19-2003, 05:51 PM

August 2004 continued

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston 75 60 .556 - 73-62 2 37-31 38-29 8-10 21-22 27 W1 5-5
Toronto 75 61 .551 .5 72-64 3 39-29 36-32 9-2 17-16 - L1 6-4
Cleveland 66 70 .485 9.5 70-66 -4 33-36 33-34 3-8 20-24 - W2 5-5
Baltimore 63 73 .463 12.5 64-72 -1 38-33 25-40 11-4 25-24 - L2 5-5
New York (A) 59 77 .434 16.5 62-74 -3 31-37 28-40 8-3 21-21 - L1 5-5
Detroit 59 78 .431 17.0 55-82 4 31-37 28-41 6-6 23-21 - L4 5-5

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 82 53 .607 - 84-51 -2 38-30 44-23 4-6 19-17 15 W4 7-3
Seattle 69 66 .511 13.0 69-66 0 33-31 36-35 9-6 24-24 - W1 4-6
Anaheim 69 67 .507 13.5 67-69 2 33-34 36-33 5-8 19-18 - W1 7-3
Minnesota 67 70 .489 16.0 67-70 0 31-35 36-35 4-6 18-21 - W3 5-5
Chicago (A) 66 69 .489 16.0 66-69 0 33-34 33-35 5-5 21-24 - L3 3-7
Texas 63 73 .463 19.5 66-70 -3 35-36 28-37 6-11 15-16 - L1 3-7

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 82 53 .607 - 84-51 -2 43-25 39-28 4-6 19-20 16 W3 7-3
Pittsburgh 71 65 .522 11.5 75-61 -4 37-31 34-34 7-4 18-20 - L1 4-6
New York (N) 67 69 .493 15.5 67-69 0 33-38 34-31 4-6 22-20 - L4 5-5
Atlanta 62 73 .459 20.0 62-73 0 32-33 30-40 4-10 19-26 - W1 4-6
Chicago (N) 60 76 .441 22.5 59-77 1 29-39 31-37 11-8 25-32 - W2 6-4
Cincinnati 60 76 .441 22.5 63-73 -3 33-34 27-42 9-8 18-21 - L2 6-4

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
San Diego 79 56 .585 - 78-57 1 37-30 42-26 6-5 24-15 23 L1 7-3
Los Angeles 76 61 .555 4.0 75-62 1 39-32 37-29 5-6 21-15 - L2 4-6
Houston 71 64 .526 8.0 71-64 0 34-31 37-33 3-4 18-21 - W1 3-7
San Francisco 68 68 .500 11.5 63-73 5 35-36 33-32 7-5 32-23 - W1 7-3
Arizona 61 75 .449 18.5 59-77 2 28-40 33-35 5-9 17-18 - W2 5-5
St. Louis 59 76 .437 20.0 55-80 4 27-38 32-38 8-5 22-19 - L1 2-8

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) Oakland 115 o 82-53 .607 .255 3.57 84-51 -2
2nd (2nd) Philadelphia 114 o 82-53 .607 .253 3.54 84-51 -2
3rd (3rd) San Diego 109 o 79-56 .585 .248 3.44 78-57 1
4th (4th) Toronto 101 o 75-61 .551 .257 4.33 72-64 3
5th (5th) Boston 100 o 75-60 .556 .272 4.44 73-62 2
6th (6th) Los Angeles 97 o 76-61 .555 .250 3.50 75-62 1
7th (7th) Anaheim 95 o 69-67 .507 .252 4.38 67-69 2
8th (8th) San Francisco 94 o 68-68 .500 .227 3.78 63-73 5
9th (9th) Pittsburgh 92 o 71-65 .522 .258 4.19 75-61 -4
10th (10th) Houston 91 o 71-64 .526 .249 3.93 71-64 0
11th (11th) Seattle 90 o 69-66 .511 .248 3.89 69-66 0
12th (12th) Minnesota 89 o 67-70 .489 .248 4.25 67-70 0
13th (13th) Cleveland 88 o 66-70 .485 .272 4.82 70-66 -4
14th (14th) New York (N) 87 o 67-69 .493 .250 3.86 67-69 0
15th (15th) Chicago (A) 83 o 66-69 .489 .246 4.16 66-69 0
16th (16th) Chicago (N) 82 o 60-76 .441 .236 4.19 59-77 1
17th (17th) Baltimore 82 o 63-73 .463 .239 4.33 64-72 -1
18th (18th) Arizona 82 o 61-75 .449 .253 4.58 59-77 2
19th (19th) Atlanta 81 o 62-73 .459 .252 4.16 62-73 0
20th (20th) Cincinnati 80 o 60-76 .441 .248 4.15 63-73 -3
21st (21st) Texas 79 o 63-73 .463 .257 4.60 66-70 -3
22nd (22nd) New York (A) 78 o 59-77 .434 .240 4.68 62-74 -3
23rd (23rd) Detroit 76 o 59-78 .431 .250 4.97 55-82 4
24th (24th) St. Louis 73 o 59-76 .437 .237 4.48 55-80 4

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 A. Kearns (TOR) .316
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .309
3 G. Anderson (ANA) .307

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 C. Delgado (TOR) 1.040
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .974
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .971

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 37
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 33
3 T. Hunter (MIN) 29
3 M. Ordonez (CHA) 29

Doubles
1 G. Anderson (ANA) 53
2 B. Fullmer (BOS) 50
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 50

Triples
1 C. Crawford (DET) 13
1 T. Hunter (MIN) 13
3 C. Figgins (CHA) 11

Runs Batted In
1 A. Kearns (TOR) 99
2 M. Tejada (OAK) 94
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 90

Runs
1 M. Ramirez (BOS) 90
1 M. Ordonez (CHA) 90
3 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 88
3 C. Delgado (TOR) 88

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 50
2 A. Soriano (NYA) 35
3 D. Erstad (ANA) 33

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 18
2 T. Hudson (OAK) 15
2 A. Rakers (BAL) 15
2 B. Zito (OAK) 15
2 J. Lackey (ANA) 15
2 R. Ortiz (ANA) 15

Earned Run Average
1 B. Zito (OAK) 2.46
2 B. Colon (CHA) 2.79
3 A. Rakers (BAL) 3.14

Strikeouts
1 J. Foppert (CLE) 200
2 A. Burnett (TEX) 165
2 R. Anderson (SEA) 165

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 41
2 P. Shuey (CLE) 31
3 B. Koch (CHA) 30
3 J. Jimenez (BOS) 30

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Giles (PIT) .357
2 A. Pujols (SLN) .320
3 J. Kent (HOU) .312

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.243
2 J. Thome (PHI) .973
3 A. Pujols (SLN) .949

Home Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 39
2 A. Jones (ATL) 34
3 S. Sosa (ARI) 31
3 S. Green (LAN) 31

Doubles
1 K. Millar (ATL) 50
2 T. Helton (CIN) 47
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 46

Triples
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 12
2 A. Nunez (ARI) 9
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 9
2 J. Reyes (NYN) 9

Runs Batted In
1 P. Burrell (PHI) 103
2 A. Jones (ATL) 102
3 J. Kent (HOU) 99
3 B. Giles (PIT) 99

Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 104
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 97
3 J. Thome (PHI) 89

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 54
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 44
3 C. Beltran (HOU) 33

Wins
1 O. Perez (LAN) 17
2 K. Millwood (PHI) 16
3 J. Affeldt (SDN) 15
3 R. Wolf (PHI) 15

Earned Run Average
1 J. Affeldt (SDN) 2.27
2 P. Martinez (PHI) 2.53
3 K. Millwood (PHI) 2.82

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 287
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 220
3 M. Prior (CHN) 193

Saves
1 E. Gagne (LAN) 36
2 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 33
3 B. Wagner (HOU) 32

General Mike

05-19-2003, 06:35 PM

Mets August 2004 Review

Another month down, 1 more to go. August was marked by a 14-15 record in the month to keep us close enough to have a chance at .500 and actually within striking distance of a playoff spot. No one offensively stood out, but Steve Trachsel had a very good August going 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA.

Team Stats
Team Batting Average: .250 (11th)
Team Runs Scored: 558 (22nd)
Team ERA: 3.86 (6th)
Team Runs Allowed: 567 (5th)

Individual Stats
C Mike Piazza - .237, 20 HR, 74 RBI
1B Derek Lee - .225, 12 HR, 54 RBI
2B Luis Castillo - .299, 27 RBI, 54 SB
3B Mike Lowell - .251, 14 HR, 56 RBI
SS Jose Reyes - .189, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 26 SB
LF Cliff Floyd - .265, 15 HR, 58 RBI, 22 SB
CF Josh Hamilton - .284, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 30 SB
RF Danny Bautista - .287, 15 HR, 59 RBI, 20 SB

SP Tom Glavine - 8-12, 3.35 ERA
SP Aaron Heilman - 10-14, 3.51 ERA
SP Al Leiter - 7-9, 4.69 ERA
SP Denny Neagle - 11-4, 3.28 ERA
SP Steve Trachsel - 11-10, 3.45 ERA
CL Armando Benitez - 8-6, 2.79 ERA, 28 saves

General Mike

05-20-2003, 01:05 PM

September 2004 Review

Another season's in the books, as we take a look at the latest transactions, injuries and news.

Transactions

Monday 9/1/2004 :
New York (A): Free agent P Justin Wayne has been signed to a minor league contract.
San Diego: Free agent P Matt Ford has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 9/8/2004 :
Detroit: Released P Randy Johnson, he refused assignment to minors.
Pittsburgh: Released 2B Mike Keys.
Los Angeles: Released P Nate Ruhl.
San Diego: Released LF Shane Victorino.
Chicago (N): Free agent RF Jeromy Burnitz has been signed to a contract of $369,400 per year, for 1 year.
Toronto: Free agent P Danny Tamayo has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 9/15/2004 :
Boston: Released P Ryan Cameron.
Cleveland: Released P Francisco Cruceta.
Houston: Released 1B Todd Self.
Detroit: Free agent C Kelly Stinnett has been signed to a contract of $300,000 per year, for 1 year.
Pittsburgh: Free agent C Jason Belcher has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 9/22/2004 :
Cleveland: Released P J.D. Martinez.
Detroit: Released 2B Julius Matos.
Toronto: Released 2B Jim Deschaine.
Atlanta: Free agent P Tom Gordon has been signed to a contract of $359,100 per year, for 1 year.
Boston: Free agent P Scott Autrey has been signed to a minor league contract.

Monday 9/29/2004 :
Seattle: Released P Kevin Olore.
Oakland: Free agent P Jason Cromer has been signed to a minor league contract.
Cincinnati: Free agent P Pete Walker has been signed to a contract of $403,800 per year, for 1 year.
Atlanta: Released P Tom Gordon, he refused assignment to minors.
New York (N) : Mike Lowell has been signed to a contract extension, $4,000,000 per year, for 3 years.
New York (N) : Scott Strickland has been signed to a contract extension, $2,500,000 per year, for 3 years.
New York (N) : Dave Weathers has been signed to a contract extension, $3,200,000 per year, for 3 years.
Note: I locked up the 3 key players I needed to bring back. The offseason search for a 1B begins now.
Injuries

Wednesday 9/3/2004 :
LAN: Alex Cora was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
He will be OK in about 6 weeks.

Thursday 9/4/2004 :
CHN: Mike O'Keefe was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Broken Wrist.
He is out for about 10 weeks.

Friday 9/5/2004 :
MIN: Cristian Guzman was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hand.
He is out for about 7-8 weeks.
LAN: Ryan Dempster was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tight Shoulder.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Sunday 9/7/2004 :
BOS: Nomar Garciaparra was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 4 weeks.

Thursday 9/11/2004 :
HOU: John Buck was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Strained Posterior Cruciate Ligament.
He is out for about 7-8 weeks.

Sunday 9/14/2004 :
SDN: Jeremy Affeldt was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He will be OK in about 5 weeks.
SFN: Luis Vizcaino was injured when he was hit by a line drive.
Diagnosis: Broken Hand.
He is out for about 7 weeks.

Friday 9/19/2004 :
ATL: Paul Byrd was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Torn Bicep Muscle.
He is out for about 7 weeks.

Sunday 9/21/2004 :
OAK: Keith Foulke was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Back.
He is out for about 2-3 weeks.

Tuesday 9/23/2004 :
DET: Craig Monroe was injured while making a catch.
Diagnosis: Dislocated Shoulder.
He is out for about 5 weeks.
SLN: Matt Morris was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Tight Elbow.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Saturday 9/27/2004 :
DET: Mike Maroth was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Bicep Muscle.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.

Sunday 9/28/2004 :
NYN: Grant Roberts was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Bicep Tendon.
He will be OK in about 4 weeks.

Notable Achievments and Awards

Monday 9/8/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
CF Bernie Williams (NYA)!
He batted .450 in 20 AB, with 4 HR and 10 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
P Odalis Perez (LAN)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 15 innings
with an ERA of 1.80, fanning 6.

Wednesday 9/10/2004 :
BOS: Johnny Damon sets a new season Boston-Record for Stolen Bases with 54!

Sunday 9/14/2004 :
PHI: Pedro Martinez sets a new season Philadelphia-Record for Strikeouts with 319!

Monday 9/15/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
1B Jack Cust (OAK)!
He batted .455 in 22 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
CF Jim Edmonds (SLN)!
He batted .462 in 26 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.

Tuesday 9/16/2004 :
ANA: Garret Anderson sets a new season Anaheim-Record for Doubles with 56!

Friday 9/19/2004 :
SEA: Freddy Garcia pitches a NO-HITTER against Baltimore!!

Sunday 9/21/2004 :
PHI: Pat Burrell has 8 RBI against Los Angeles.

Monday 9/22/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
SS Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .391 in 23 AB, with 6 HR and 13 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Jose Cruz Jr. (ATL)!
He batted .500 in 28 AB, with 4 HR and 9 RBI.

Wednesday 9/24/2004 :
CIN: Todd Helton sets a new season Cincinnati-Record for Doubles with 51!

Monday 9/29/2004 :
American League-Player of the Week:
CF Bernie Williams (NYA)!
He batted .478 in 23 AB, with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
3B Brendan Harris (CIN)!
He batted .476 in 21 AB, with 1 HR and 8 RBI.

Tuesday 10/1/2004 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
A.J. Burnett (TEX)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 2.44.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Alex Rodriguez (TEX)!
He batted .360 in 86 AB, with 13 homers and 33 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Matt Bruback (CHN)!
He had a record of 4-0 in 5 games started, with an ERA of 1.10 and 1 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Jim Edmonds (SLN)!
He batted .349 in 83 AB, with 8 homers and 23 RBI.

General Mike

05-20-2003, 01:30 PM

September 2004/ Year End Review

Standings

American League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston 90 72 .556 - 88-74 2 43-38 47-34 8-12 24-26 * L4 5-5
Toronto 88 74 .543 2.0 84-78 4 45-36 43-38 11-2 22-17 - L1 3-7
Cleveland 78 84 .481 12.0 82-80 -4 37-44 41-40 3-8 23-28 - W2 4-6
Baltimore 73 89 .451 17.0 74-88 -1 41-40 32-49 11-4 28-26 - W1 3-7
New York (A) 73 89 .451 17.0 77-85 -4 40-41 33-48 9-4 25-26 - L1 5-5
Detroit 69 93 .426 21.0 66-96 3 38-43 31-50 7-6 27-26 - L3 4-6

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland 100 62 .617 - 100-62 0 46-35 54-27 6-6 27-19 * W5 9-1
Minnesota 82 80 .506 18.0 81-81 1 40-41 42-39 4-7 24-24 - W6 8-2
Anaheim 81 81 .500 19.0 78-84 3 40-41 41-40 6-10 24-22 - L1 4-6
Chicago (A) 80 82 .494 20.0 80-82 0 42-39 38-43 5-6 23-26 - L2 4-6
Seattle 78 84 .481 22.0 79-83 -1 39-42 39-42 10-7 27-32 - W1 3-7
Texas 78 84 .481 22.0 85-77 -7 41-40 37-44 6-11 15-22 - W1 8-2

National League Standings

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia 98 64 .605 - 102-60 -4 51-30 47-34 4-7 22-24 * L1 6-4
Pittsburgh 82 80 .506 16.0 87-75 -5 42-39 40-41 9-4 23-23 - W1 3-7
Atlanta 77 85 .475 21.0 79-83 -2 41-40 36-45 5-14 22-32 - L1 7-3
New York (N) 77 85 .475 21.0 77-85 0 36-45 41-40 5-7 24-23 - L2 3-7
Cincinnati 75 87 .463 23.0 77-85 -2 41-40 34-47 10-8 21-23 - L1 6-4
Chicago (N) 74 88 .457 24.0 74-88 0 37-44 37-44 13-9 28-37 - L1 8-2

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Los Angeles 91 71 .562 - 89-73 2 45-36 46-35 6-6 26-17 1 W1 3-7
San Diego 91 71 .562 - 91-71 0 42-39 49-32 6-6 27-20 1 W1 4-6
Houston 82 80 .506 9.0 81-81 1 39-42 43-38 6-4 21-27 - L1 3-7
San Francisco 80 82 .494 11.0 74-88 6 40-41 40-41 7-8 36-26 - W1 3-7
St. Louis 74 88 .457 17.0 70-92 4 36-45 38-43 9-7 26-20 - W2 7-3
Arizona 73 89 .451 18.0 71-91 2 33-48 40-41 6-9 21-20 - W1 6-4

Power Rankings

RANK (Last Week) Team Points Tendency Record PCT AVG ERA Pyt.Rec Diff
1st (1st) Oakland 121 o 100-62 .617 .253 3.55 100-62 0
2nd (2nd) Philadelphia 111 o 98-64 .605 .252 3.43 102-60 -4
3rd (3rd) Minnesota 100 o 82-80 .506 .251 4.22 81-81 1
4th (4th) San Diego 99 o 91-71 .562 .247 3.54 91-71 0
5th (5th) Boston 98 o 90-72 .556 .267 4.41 88-74 2
6th (6th) Los Angeles 97 o 91-71 .562 .249 3.58 89-73 2
7th (7th) Toronto 94 o 88-74 .543 .257 4.43 84-78 4
8th (8th) Texas 93 o 78-84 .481 .266 4.45 85-77 -7
9th (9th) Atlanta 90 o 77-85 .475 .251 3.97 79-83 -2
10th (10th) Chicago (N) 88 o 74-88 .457 .239 4.07 74-88 0
11th (11th) Anaheim 88 o 81-81 .500 .253 4.47 78-84 3
12th (12th) St. Louis 87 o 74-88 .457 .234 4.41 70-92 4
13th (13th) Pittsburgh 87 o 82-80 .506 .253 4.22 87-75 -5
14th (14th) Houston 87 o 82-80 .506 .250 4.16 81-81 1
15th (15th) Chicago (A) 86 o 80-82 .494 .248 4.11 80-82 0
16th (16th) Cleveland 86 o 78-84 .481 .272 4.90 82-80 -4
17th (17th) Cincinnati 85 o 75-87 .463 .250 4.09 77-85 -2
18th (18th) San Francisco 85 o 80-82 .494 .227 3.75 74-88 6
19th (19th) Arizona 83 o 73-89 .451 .251 4.48 71-91 2
20th (20th) Seattle 83 o 78-84 .481 .245 4.03 79-83 -1
21st (21st) New York (A) 81 o 73-89 .451 .244 4.56 77-85 -4
22nd (22nd) New York (N) 81 o 77-85 .475 .252 4.03 77-85 0
23rd (23rd) Baltimore 77 o 73-89 .451 .239 4.32 74-88 -1
24th (24th) Detroit 74 o 69-93 .426 .247 4.90 66-96 3

American League Leaders

Batting Average
1 A. Kearns (TOR) .320
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) .317
3 M. Teixeira (TEX) .309
4 G. Anderson (ANA) .306
5 B. Williams (NYA) .305
6 B. Schneider (TOR) .298
7 A. Rodriguez (TEX) .298
8 V. Martinez (CLE) .298
9 N. Garciaparra (BOS) .292
10 C. Delgado (TOR) .291

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 C. Delgado (TOR) 1.033
2 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 1.021
3 M. Ramirez (BOS) .982
4 A. Kearns (TOR) .952
5 M. Ordonez (CHA) .944
6 J. Giambi (CLE) .924
7 J. Giambi (NYA) .922
8 B. Williams (NYA) .917
9 R. Ledee (CLE) .908
10 M. Teixeira (TEX) .900

Home Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 50
2 M. Ordonez (CHA) 40
3 C. Delgado (TOR) 37
4 M. Ramirez (BOS) 36
5 T. Hunter (MIN) 35
6 V. Wells (TOR) 34
7 J. Phelps (SEA) 32
8 E. Hinske (TOR) 31
8 J. Dye (OAK) 31
8 M. Tejada (OAK) 31
8 J. Giambi (NYA) 31

Doubles
1 B. Fullmer (BOS) 60
2 G. Anderson (ANA) 58
3 A. Kearns (TOR) 55
3 M. Ordonez (CHA) 55
5 V. Martinez (CLE) 51
6 J. Phelps (SEA) 50
7 E. Munson (DET) 49
8 L. Berkman (BAL) 47
8 A. Pierzynski (MIN) 47
8 A. Soriano (NYA) 47

Triples
1 C. Crawford (DET) 15
2 T. Hunter (MIN) 13
3 C. Figgins (CHA) 11
4 L. Berkman (BAL) 10
5 B. Williams (NYA) 9
5 A. Soriano (NYA) 9
5 D. Jeter (NYA) 9
5 C. Koskie (MIN) 9
9 7 tied with 8

Runs Batted In
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 123
2 A. Kearns (TOR) 110
3 M. Ordonez (CHA) 108
4 J. Giambi (CLE) 104
4 M. Tejada (OAK) 104
6 B. Fullmer (BOS) 103
7 J. Gibbons (BAL) 101
7 T. Hunter (MIN) 101
9 E. Munson (DET) 98
9 M. Ramirez (BOS) 98

Runs
1 A. Rodriguez (TEX) 111
2 M. Ramirez (BOS) 105
2 C. Delgado (TOR) 105
4 M. Ordonez (CHA) 104
5 J. Giambi (CLE) 103
6 A. Soriano (NYA) 102
7 T. Nixon (BOS) 99
7 B. Williams (NYA) 99
9 B. Fullmer (BOS) 98
10 J. Dye (OAK) 97

Stolen Bases
1 J. Damon (BOS) 54
2 C. Crawford (DET) 42
3 A. Soriano (NYA) 40
4 J. Werth (TOR) 36
4 D. Erstad (ANA) 36
6 M. Cameron (SEA) 34
7 E. Renteria (CHA) 31
8 T. Hunter (MIN) 30
9 D. Jeter (NYA) 26
10 J. Hairston (BAL) 23

Wins
1 M. Buehrle (CHA) 22
2 T. Hudson (OAK) 18
2 J. Lackey (ANA) 18
2 B. Zito (OAK) 18
5 D. Lowe (BOS) 17
5 R. Ortiz (ANA) 17
5 T. Wakefield (BOS) 17
8 R. Lopez (BAL) 16
8 A. Rakers (BAL) 16
10 4 tied with 15

Earned Run Average
1 B. Zito (OAK) 2.56
2 B. Colon (CHA) 2.89
3 A. Rakers (BAL) 3.17
4 C. Lewis (TEX) 3.27
5 C. Fossum (BOS) 3.54
6 R. Rodriguez (OAK) 3.61
7 D. Lowe (BOS) 3.61
8 T. Hudson (OAK) 3.62
9 J. Santana (MIN) 3.63
10 J. Lackey (ANA) 3.81
10 A. Pettite (NYA) 3.81

Strikeouts
1 J. Foppert (CLE) 250
2 A. Burnett (TEX) 196
3 F. Garcia (SEA) 186
4 R. Anderson (SEA) 185
5 B. Zito (OAK) 181
6 C. Fossum (BOS) 174
7 J. Weaver (NYA) 168
8 B. Colon (CHA) 165
9 R. Lopez (BAL) 161
9 R. Rodriguez (OAK) 161

Saves
1 K. Foulke (OAK) 46
2 B. Koch (CHA) 38
3 J. Jimenez (BOS) 37
3 P. Shuey (CLE) 37
5 E. Guardado (MIN) 35
6 J. Julio (BAL) 33
7 K. Sasaki (SEA) 32
7 R. Nen (TOR) 32
9 U. Urbina (TEX) 30
9 T. Percival (ANA) 30

National League Leaders

Batting Average
1 B. Giles (PIT) .336
2 A. Pujols (SLN) .326
3 J. Kent (HOU) .312
4 S. Sosa (ARI) .307
5 L. Castillo (NYN) .299
6 M. Byrd (PHI) .292
7 P. Burrell (PHI) .292
8 C. Jones (ATL) .292
9 D. Bautista (NYN) .291
10 T. Helton (CIN) .288

On Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
1 B. Giles (PIT) 1.155
2 S. Sosa (ARI) .979
3 J. Thome (PHI) .979
4 A. Pujols (SLN) .964
5 T. Helton (CIN) .927
6 C. Jones (ATL) .922
7 J. Kent (HOU) .907
8 P. Burrell (PHI) .903
9 B. Abreu (PHI) .897
10 G. Sheffield (PIT) .890

Home Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 41
1 A. Jones (ATL) 41
3 S. Green (LAN) 39
4 S. Sosa (ARI) 38
5 R. Sexson (LAN) 34
6 A. Pujols (SLN) 33
6 J. Thome (PHI) 33
8 J. Kent (HOU) 31
9 G. Sheffield (PIT) 30
10 P. Burrell (PHI) 29

Doubles
1 K. Millar (ATL) 59
2 T. Helton (CIN) 53
3 B. Abreu (PHI) 51
4 P. Burrell (PHI) 49
5 M. Lowell (NYN) 47
6 B. Giles (PIT) 46
7 M. Kotsay (SDN) 44
7 Y. Torrealba (SFN) 44
7 A. Ramirez (PIT) 44
10 J. Kent (HOU) 42
10 A. Pujols (STL) 42
10 J. Vidro (CHC) 42

Triples
1 R. Furcal (ATL) 13
2 M. Kotsay (SDN) 11
2 A. Nunez (ARI) 11
4 J. Reyes (NYN) 10
5 C. Floyd (NYN) 9
5 G. Sheffield (PIT) 9
7 D. Roberts (LAN) 8
7 L. Walker (HOU) 8
9 5 tied with 7

Runs Batted In
1 P. Burrell (PHI) 121
2 A. Jones (ATL) 120
3 A. Ramirez (PIT) 117
4 J. Kent (HOU) 115
5 B. Giles (PIT) 109
6 S. Sosa (ARI) 107
7 J. Thome (PHI) 103
8 J. Sandberg (SDN) 100
9 S. Green (LAN) 98
9 R. Sexson (LAN) 98

Runs
1 B. Giles (PIT) 118
2 G. Sheffield (PIT) 116
3 J. Thome (PHI) 105
4 S. Sosa (ARI) 103
5 S. Green (LAN) 102
5 A. Pujols (SLN) 102
5 T. Helton (CIN) 102
8 M. Kotsay (SDN) 101
9 P. Burrell (PHI) 98
10 R. Baldelli (PIT) 97
10 B. Broussard (PIT) 97

Stolen Bases
1 L. Castillo (NYN) 61
2 D. Roberts (LAN) 52
3 J. Hamilton (NYN) 40
4 C. Beltran (HOU) 37
5 J. Reyes (NYN) 36
6 C. Patterson (CHN) 33
6 R. Baldelli (PIT) 33
8 B. Abreu (PHI) 30
9 A. Nunez (ARI) 29
9 R. Durham (SFN) 29

Wins
1 O. Perez (LAN) 20
2 P. Martinez (PHI) 19
3 R. Wolf (PHI) 18
4 K. Millwood (PHI) 17
4 J. Affeldt (SDN) 17
4 A. Eaton (SDN) 17
4 A. Wainwright (ATL) 17
8 C. Sabathia (SFN) 16
8 B. Myers (PHI) 16
10 W. Miller (HOU) 15
10 M. Redman (CIN) 15

Earned Run Average
1 J. Affeldt (SDN) 2.32
2 P. Martinez (PHI) 2.38
3 C. Sabathia (SFN) 2.85
4 K. Millwood (PHI) 2.94
5 O. Perez (LAN) 2.98
6 M. Prior (CHN) 3.11
7 M. Morris (SLN) 3.19
8 W. Miller (HOU) 3.35
9 T. Glavine (NYN) 3.41
10 D. Neagle (NYN) 3.46

Strikeouts
1 P. Martinez (PHI) 352
2 J. Affeldt (SDN) 232
3 M. Prior (CHN) 231
4 C. Sabathia (SFN) 222
5 J. Journell (SLN) 216
6 A. Wainwright (ATL) 214
6 W. Miller (HOU) 214
8 B. Kim (ARI) 209
9 R. Wolf (PHI) 195
10 M. Bruback (CHN) 189

Saves
1 T. Spooneybarger (PHI) 42
2 E. Gagne (LAN) 40
3 S. Williamson (CIN) 39
4 F. Rodriguez (SFN) 38
5 J. Borowski (CHN) 37
6 B. Wagner (HOU) 36
7 A. Benitez (NYN) 33
8 T. Hoffman (SDN) 32
9 J. Isringhausen (SLN) 30
10 M. Williams (PIT) 29

General Mike

05-20-2003, 01:54 PM

Mets Year in Review

September was one of those months where everything fell apart. Our team struggled to go 10-16 to end our playoff hopes. The Bright spot, Jose Reyes continued his season long improvement and was able to finish over the Mendoza Line for the season.

Team Stats
Team Average: .252 (8th)
Runs Scored: 669 (23rd)
Team ERA: 4.08 (8th)
Runs Allowed: 703 (6th)

Individual Stats
C Mike Piazza - .233, 25 HR, 89 RBI, .716 OPS
1B Derek Lee - .219, 12 HR, 60 RBI, .709 OPS
2B Luis Castillo - .299, 37 RBI, 61 SB, .725 OPS
3B Mike Lowell - .258, 14 HR, 67 RBI, .731 OPS
SS Jose Reyes - .208, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 36 SB, .557 OPS
LF Cliff Floyd - .261, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 27 SB, .836 OPS
CF Josh Hamilton - .287, 16 HR, 64 RBI, 40 SB, .803 OPS
RF Danny Bautista - .291, 18 HR, 78 RBI, 25 SB, .749 OPS

SP Tom Glavine - 9-14, 3.41, 3 CG, 2 shutouts
SP Aaron Heilman - 11-17, 3.70 ERA, 2 CG
SP Al Leiter - 7-11, 4.80 ERA,
SP Denny Neagle - 14-6, 3.46 ERA, 3 CG
SP Steve Trachsel - 11-12, 3.54 ERA,
CL Armando Benitez - 8-8, 3.13 ERA, 33 saves

DolphinFan1

05-20-2003, 05:27 PM

I guess Boston's pitching wasn't as bad as I thought without Pedro. They still managed to win the division. But they still better sign Nomar.

General Mike

05-21-2003, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by DolphinFan1
I guess Boston's pitching wasn't as bad as I thought without Pedro. They still managed to win the division. But they still better sign Nomar.

The Magic 8 Ball says "The Outlook doesn't look bright." I do think they have a good chance to make it to the world series this year, and they better take advantage of the situation.

Playoff Preview

I don't really feel like typing up all the long playoff previews like I did last season so I'll just give a brief overview and a prediction this time around.

Toronto vs Boston
Toronto doesn't have the pitching to win this series. They have plenty of offensive firepower with Delgado, Kearns, Hinske, Wells and Brian Schneider. Boston will be without Nomar for the 1st 2 games, but they do have better starting pitching.
Prediction: Boston in 4

Minnesota vs Oakland
Oakland's been the best team in baseball all season and with Barry Zito leading the way, they should be the favorites in this series. Even without having their all world closer, Keith Foulke, available, the A's have a fine replacement for him in Joe Valentine. Torii Hunter provides the offense for the Twins, and they have enough starting pitching to be competitive.
Prediction: Oakland in 3

Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia
Brian Giles, Gary Sheffield and Aramis Ramirez may be the heart of the best lineup in the National League, but Philadelphia has the best pitching staff in the majors, and a lineup that can put some runs on the board. Pennsylvania may never be the same again.
Prediction: Philadelphia in 5

San Diego vs Los Angeles
San Diego has great pitching but so does Los Angeles. San Diego is without their ace Jeremy Affeldt so the edge must go to the Dodgers. Neither offense is great so the series should be close, but LA does have the best position player on the field in RF Shawn Green.
Prediction: Los Angeles in 4.

General Mike

05-21-2003, 03:50 PM

Division Series

Toronto vs Boston
These 2 AL East rivals traded victories as Derek Lowe won games 1 and 4 for Boston, while Joe Kennedy and Corey Thurman picked up Ws for Toronto. Injuries cost Boston in this series tho, as Nomar Garciaparra missed the 1st 2 games of the series, game 2 starter Tim Wakefield only pitched 1 inning before tearing a tricep muscle. Both game 3 starter Mark Mulder and closer Jose Jiminez suffered injuries after being hit line drives in game 3. Game 5 started off as a pitching duel between Joe Kennedy and Casey Fossum, but the Toronto offense exploded in the 8th inning scoring 5 runs off of Fossum and reliever Jayson Durocher to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 lead. They tacked on 3 more runs in the 9th off Ramiro Mendoza which proved to be the difference in the game as Boston nearly rallied in the bottom of the 9th inning, scoring 4 runs, led by a Manny Ramirez 3 run HR.
ALDS MVP: Carlos Delgado - .389, 2 HR, 6 RBI

Minnesota vs Oakland
Oakland swept thru the Twins on the backs of their starting pitchers. Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Ricardo Rodriguez all pitched well in their starts, with only Zito failing to pick up a win in his start. Joe Valentine picked up the save in all 3 games. Moises Alou led the A's offense in the series, hitting .444 with 1 HR and 4 RBI
ALDS MVP: Joe Valentine - 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 3 saves,

Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia
A surprisingly low scoring series, which didn't feature great pitching, but the offenses didn't show up either. Game 1 was a 3-2 Pittsburgh win in 10 innings. The Phillies came back in game 2 to win 5-1 led by a good Pedro Martinez outing. Philly won again in game 3, scoring 4 runs in the top of the 9th of a game that was tied 4-4 after 8. Game 4 was a pitching duel between the defending Sandy Koufax Award winner Kevin Millwood and Pittsburgh's young ace Josh Beckett. Pittsburgh scratched out the winning run in the bottom of the 9th to tie the series at 2 games apiece and set up a game 5 matchup between Pedro and rookie Brad Sullivan. Neither pitcher had great stuff, but both kept their teams in the game. As these series often do, it came down to the bullpen and the Philles bullpen got them to extra innings and shut down the Pirates' slugging machine from the 8th to 11th innings when the Phillies picked up the winning run. Cary Hiles picked up his 2nd win of the NLDS, his 1st came in game 3.
NLDS MVP: Jim Thome - .353, 4 HR, 10 RBI

San Diego vs Los Angeles
Everyone knew San Diego would have an uphill battle without Jeremy Affeldt, but if he had been available, he may have made the difference in these playoff games. All 4 games were decided by 1 run, but there was offense in these games. Game 1 was a pitching duel all the way, with Odalis Perez, LaTroy Hawkins and Eric Gagne combining for a 4 hit, 1-0 win. Perez had the lone Dodger RBI driving in Wilson Betemit in the 5th inning. Game 2 featured a matchup of Adam Eaton and Mike Hampton. Hampton put the Dodgers in a position to win in 9 but Eric Gagne allowed 3 unearned runs in the 9th inning to let the Padres force extra innings. Adrian Beltre hit a 1 out solo HR in the bottom of the 10th for the Dodger win. Game 3 featured Kevin Jarvis vs Ryan Dempster and the Padres finally won a game in the series. Dempster walked 10 batters in 6.1 innings and while Jarvis wasn't great he was good enough to get to the bullpen who pitched 3.1 great innings to give the Padres a 5-4 win. The Game 1 starters came back in game 4 and the results were similar, with a touch more offense. Dave Ross led the way for the Dodgers hitting 2 HRs and driving in 5 runs. The Dodgers bullpen had another good game, allowing 1 run in 4 innings to secure the victory.
NLDS MVP: Odalis Perez - 2-0, 3.55 ERA

General Mike

05-21-2003, 04:12 PM

League Championships' Preview

Toronto vs Oakland
Hitting vs Pitching, the classic battle. The way this series shakes up, I just don't think Toronto has enough pitching to matchup with Oakland. Toronto isn't going to collapse and they can score runs, but I don't know if they'll shut down Oakland's good offense.
Prediction: Oakland in 6.

Los Angeles vs Philadelphia
Both of these teams have great pitching, but Philadelphia's lineup is much better. If the Dodgers can steal either game 1 or 2 against Kevin Millwood or Randy Wolf they have a really good chance, but they need to put the pressure on in the games Pedro doesn't pitch.
Prediction: Philly in 5

General Mike

05-21-2003, 05:31 PM

LCS Rundown

Oakland vs Toronto
Game 1: Barry Zito pitches 6.2 innings of 1 run ball to lead the A's to a 3-1 victory. Keith Foulke picks up the save, and Moises Alou drives in 2 runs.
Game 2: Ismael Valdes comes back for Toronto with a Complete game allowing 2 runs along the way. Tim Hudson was unimpressive for Oakland allowing 7 runs in 4 innings. Only Brian Schneider failed to get a hit for the Blue Jays as they cruised to a 13-2 win.
Game 3: For the 2nd straight game, the Blue Jays got a complete game from their starting pitcher, this time it was Joe Kennedy, and knocked the A's starter out of the game early. Ricardo Rodriguez allowed 6 runs in only 3 innings, allowing the Blue Jays to win the game 8-4
Game 4: Once again, Barry Zito came through big time for the A's, as he pitched 7.2 innings, allowing 1 run. Jack Cust was 3-5 with 1 RBI to pace the A's lineup.
Game 5: Tim Hudson recovered from his rough game 2 to pitch 8 great innings, allowing only 1 run. With the game 9-1 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Blue Jays did rally scoring 7 runs, but the A's were able to hold onto the lead. Chris Singleton and Mitch Meluskey both drove in 3 runs for the A's.
Game 6: Once again Ricardo Rodriguez didn't have his best stuff, and allowed 6 runs in 5 innings. Vernon Wells hit 2 HRs and picked up 5 RBI to lead the Blue Jays to the series tying win.
Game 7: The A's turned to their ace once again, and he got the job done to get them to the World Series. He pitched 8.1 innings allowing 1 run to pick up his 3rd victory of the ALCS. Mark Ellis drove in 3 runs with 1 HR to lead the way
ALCS MVP: Barry Zito - 3-0, 0.81 ERA, 16 K

Los Angeles vs Philadelphia

Game 1: Odalis Perez went out to the mound and did what he does best. He pitched the CG, allowing 3 runs. Shawn Green provided all the necessary offense going 3-4, with 2 2B, 1 HR and 4 RBI. Final Score, 7-3 Dodgers
Game 2: This game was a pitcher's duel between Randy Wolf and Mike Hampton. Wolf pitched well, allowing 2 runs in 7 innings, but the Dodgers staff was just a little bit better, only allowing 1 run. Shawn Green continued to swing a hot bat, hitting a 2nd inning HR to get the Dodgers on the board and on their way to a 2-1 victory.
Game 3: The Phillies finally got a chance to pitch Pedro, and he did his job, not only on the mound, but also at the plate. He pitched all 9 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, but also went 2-4 with 3 RBI, allowing the Phillies to win 5-1.
Game 4: In a rematch of game 1, Odalis Perez continued to impress pitching a 3 hit shutout. Jason Stokes was the Dodgers' main man offensively, picking up 2 hits and 2 RBI in the 4-0 win.
Game 5: Randy Wolf kept the Phillies alive by pitching 7 innings, allowing only 1 run, while the Phillies offense picked up 4 runs off Dodger pitching, including a Chase Utley 2 run HR.
Game 6: The Phillies hoped to tie up the NLCS with a Pedro Martinez victory but it wasn't meant to be. Ryan Dempster came in for the Dodgers and pitched 6 shutout innings before turning the game over to the bullpen. Shawn Green hit his 3rd HR of the NLCS to contribute to the 2-1 Dodgers' victory. A All-California World Series is on the horizon.
NLCS MVP: Odalis Perez - 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 2 CG, 10 K

General Mike

05-23-2003, 03:43 PM

World Series Preview

2 of the best pitching staffs in baseball face off when the Oakland A's face off with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Oakland is at a disadvantage since Barry Zito won't be available to pitch game 1 or game 2, while Odalis Perez is ready to go for the Dodgers. Both teams have superb closers and their lineups are very comparable. Oakland's starting pitching is deeper tho and while LA's bullpen is amazing, I have to give the edge to the Athletics.
Prediction: Oakland in 5

General Mike

05-23-2003, 04:02 PM

World Series Rundown

Game 1
The Dodgers got off to a fast start in their 1st World Series appearance since 1988. The Dodgers scored 6 runs in the 1st 2 innings, knocking 18 game winner Tim Hudson after 1.2 innings. The Dodgers continued to add on to their lead, pickup up 4 more runs, to lead 10-1 after 6. The A's came back with 2 runs in the 7th and 4 runs in the 8th, but Eric Gagne pitched the 9th inning for his 5th postseason save this season. Adrian Beltre and Jason Stokes both drove in 3 runs for the Dodgers, while Earl Snyder hit a 8th inning grand slam for the A's.
WP: Odalis Perez
LP: Tim Hudson
S: Eric Gagne
Player of the Game: Adrian Beltre

Game 2
In a surprising move, Oakland gave Jason Johnson the start in game 2 over Ricardo Rodriguez or Rich Harden. Mike Hampton got the call for Los Angeles. Both starting pitchers pitched well, allowing 3 runs, but the Oakland bullpen blew the game, as Micah Bowie gave up a 3 run homer with 2 outs in the 7th inning to Richie Sexson.
WP: Mike Hampton
LP: Brandon Knight
S: Eric Gagne
Player of the Game: Richie Sexson

Game 3
With their backs to the wall, Oakland did the only thing they could do and went to Barry Zito to save the day. Los Angeles unsuccesfully countered with Ryan Dempster, who lasted 2.1 innings, but not before giving up 7 runs. Zito lasted 7.2 innings, giving up 2 early runs before settling in to pick up the W. Mark Ellis and Chris Singleton both picked up 2 RBI each.
WP: Barry Zito
LP: Ryan Dempster
Player of the Game: Barry Zito

Game 4
With both teams going back to their game 1 starters, we found a much more competitive game on the table. Tim Hudson pitched very well until the top of the 9th inning. After getting the 1st 2 outs in the 9th of a 2-2 tie, he gave up a single, followed by back to back doubles to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead. Eric Gagne pitched a perfect 9th inning for the save. DH Ben Petrick went 2-4 with a double, a homer and 2 RBI.
WP: Odalis Perez
LP: Tim Hudson
S: Eric Gagne
Player of the Game: Ben Petrick

Game 5
Mike Hampton came back to pitch game 4 for the Dodgers, while the A's decided to switch things up and go with Ricardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez pitched great for Oakland, allowing only 1 run in 8 innings, but it wasn't enough as Mike Hampton pitched 8 shutout innings before turning over the game to Eric Gagne who continued his dominance, picking up his 8th save of the post season, to go with a 0.00 ERA. Adrian Beltre drove in the lone run with a 4th inning sacrifice fly.
WP: Mike Hampton
LP: Ricardo Rodriguez
S: Eric Gagne
Player of the Game: Mike Hampton

co-World Series MVPs: Odalis Perez - 2-0, 5.40 ERA, 10 K
Mike Hampton - 2-0, 1.20 ERA, 8K

General Mike

05-23-2003, 05:04 PM

Year End Awards

Once again its time to hand out the major hardware around the league,

American League Sandy Koufax Award
Barry Zito was named the American League Sandy Koufax Award winner today. Oakland's lefty put up fabulous numbers this year which earned him the highest award a pitcher can receive. This season Zito compiled an ERA of 2.56, going 18-6 in 34 starts. He fanned 181 while giving up 163 hits in 243 innings. Barry has pitched 2 shutouts and 4 complete games. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 2nd in wins!

American League Ted Williams Award
The Ted Williams Award in the American League was handed to Texas' shortstop Alex Rodriguez! He has hit 50 longballs while batting .298 this season. His 167 hits and 82 walks add up to a .394 on-base percentage. He's 7th in the American League in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI! Rodriguez wins the award for the 2nd time in his 10-year career.

American League Rookie of the Year
Laynce Nix will never forget his first full season. The American League was convinced that Texas' leftfielder, 23 years old, should be the Rookie Of The Year winner of 2004. Laynce is hitting .289 this year, with 132 hits in 457 at bats. He has driven in 94 runs, slugging .523.

American League Gold Glove Award winners
Pitcher: Mark Buehrle (CHA)
Catcher: Charles Johnson (ANA)
First Base: Paul Konerko (CHA)
Second Base: Chone Figgins (CHA)
Third Base: Eric Chavez (OAK)
Shortstop: David Eckstein (ANA)
Leftfield: Hideki Matsui (NYA)
Centerfield: Mike Cameron (SEA)
Rightfield: Ichiro Suzuki (TEX)

National League Sandy Koufax Award
The 2004 National League Sandy Koufax Award winner is from Philadelphia this year. Pedro Martinez put together impressive numbers on the mound this season as well. This season Martinez compiled an ERA of 2.38, going 19-7 in 35 starts. He fanned 352 while giving up 171 hits in 249.1 innings. He has 5 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 2nd in the National League in ERA and 2nd in wins!

National League Ted Williams Award
Pittsburgh's leftfielder Brian Giles had a fabulous season as well, no doubt about it. The National League shared this opinion and names the 33 year old the Ted Williams Award winner! Brian is hitting .336 this year, with 170 hits in 506 at bats. He has driven in 109 runs, slugging .690. He's 1st in the National League in batting, 1st in homeruns and 5th in RBI!

National League Rookie of the Year
The 2004 National League Rookie Of The Year winner is from Atlanta this season. Adam Wainwright put together impressive numbers for a rookie en route to win the first major award of his career. Let's hope more will follow for this 23 year old ballplayer. His ERA of 3.67 helped him to a 17-8 record this year. He struck out 214 and walked 81 in 225.2 innings. He's 4th in the National League in wins!

National League Gold Glove Awards
Pitcher: Wade Miller (HOU)
Catcher: Mike Lieberthal (PHI)
First Base: Todd Helton (CIN)
Second Base: Luis Castillo (NYN)
Third Base: Scott Rolen (SLN)
Shortstop: Jose Reyes (NYN)
Leftfield: Shannon Stewart (HOU)
Centerfield: Mark Kotsay (SDN)
Rightfield: Shawn Green (LAN)

General Mike

05-27-2003, 02:32 PM

End of Season Financial decisions

Time to get back to making some decisions on what to do with certain players who's contracts are up

Contracts Extended
3B Mike Lowell - $4,000,000 x 3 years
RP Scott Strickland - $2,500,000 x 3 years
RP Dave Weathers - $3,200,000 x 3 years

I'd rather pay the "good" relievers I already have then have to overpay relievers during free agency. Lowell is a good fielding 3B, and while there are a couple guys in the free agent market who are probably better then him, I don't want to take any risky chances.

Free Agents to be
SP Al Leiter - Al announced his decision before the season, and probably wouldn't have been resigned as his last 2 years have been below expectations
SP Steve Trachsel - I'd like to free up a 2nd spot in the starting rotation so I can sign a free agent like Tim Hudson and still bring up a pitcher from AAA, possibly Pat Strange or Wes Littleton.
RF Danny Bautista was one of our best hitters this season, but I need more power in the lineup and RF is the spot I'd like to put a guy. I could see resigning him in free agency tho
1B Derek Lee - He hasn't hit like I expected him to, but he did play great defense. His contract demands are a little too much for me tho.
OF Gary Matthews - He wants to play for a winning team next year.
C Vance Wilson - Also wants to play for a winning team next year.
IF Marlon Anderson - A replacable cog in the team.
1B Jeff Bagwell - A tough decision to make, as Bagwell brings great leadership, but I think we can resign him in free agency.

Arbitration decisions
OF Timo Perez - The arbitration estimate says that Timo will get 340K next year, after making almost 1.1 Million this year. I'll take my chances and bring him back next year.
RP Grant Roberts - Estimated at 310K, he dissapointed many this year and won't be back next year.
RP John Bale - Estimated at 500K, he didn't spend much time in the majors this year, and we have other guys in AAA who should be able to take his place.
RP Jaime Cerda - With Mike Stanton nearing the end of the road, we need to keep a strong lefty reliever around to help in the late innings. His $1,070,000 estimate isn't too bad.
3B Ty Wiggington - Mr Versatility is estimated to get 930K in arbitration. His playing time will go up next year as he should get more time in the OF and at DH. His .301 average this year was a good sign for the future.
C Jason Phillips - With Mike Piazza moving to 1B next year we need to hold on to our power hitting catcher. His Estimate of $2,640,000 is high, but we'll be able to handle it.
RP Jason Middlebrook - $410,000 isn't too bad for a pitcher like Jason, but I need to trim some of the fat, and this should help.

Possible Veteran Cuts
RP Mike Stanton - Stanton has been a good reliever in the past, but he's nearing the end of the road. If he doesn't retire in the offseason, he may get pushed out the door.
RF Roger Cedeno - Cedeno has more value then Stanton at this point, but he's not a great player and we can fill his spot in the lineup with someone from AAA.

General Mike

05-27-2003, 03:37 PM

Onward to 2005

The first thing to go thru is the offseason retirements.

Retirements

Dan Plesac retires ...
Chris Michalak retires ...
Tom Martin retires ...
Doug Creek retires ...
J.j. Trujillo retires ...

Donne Wall retires ...
Alan Embree retires ...
Rich Garces retires ...
Brian Tallet retires ...
Bill Selby retires ...

Dean Palmer retires ...
Izzy Molina retires ...
Jose Macias retires ...
Ryan Jackson retires ...
Ricky Gutierrez retires ...
Vic Darensbourg retires ...

Kenny Lofton retires ...
Bubba Trammell retires ...
Giovanni Carrara retires ...
Andy Ashby retires ...
Kevin Brown retires ...

Mark Grudzielanek retires ...
Dave Hansen retires ...
Rick White retires ...
Sean Lowe retires ...
Benny Agbayani retires ...

Mike Myers retires ...
Randy Johnson retires ...
Miguel Batista retires ...
Tony Womack retires ...
Garrett Stephenson retires ...

Jeff Fassero retires ...
Salomon Torres retires ...
Kevin Young retires ...
Armando Rios retires ...
Matt Stairs retires ...

Jeffrey Hammonds retires ...
Everett Stull retires ...
Tom Gordon retires ...
Brad Ausmus retires ...
Elmer Dessens retires ...

Alan Benes retires ...
Todd Hundley retires ...
Angel Echevarria retires ...
Jose Mesa retires ...
Doug Glanville retires ...

John Mabry retires ...
Mark Guthrie retires ...
Pedro Astacio retires ...
Graeme Lloyd retires ...
Matt Herges retires ...

Mike Remlinger retires ...
Chris Hammond retires ...
Greg Maddux retires ...
He will be in the Hall Of Fame!
Darren Bragg retires ...
Matt Franco retires ...

Jay Powell retires ...
Todd Greene retires ...
Herbert Perry retires ...
John Halama retires ...
Jamie Moyer retires ...

Edgar Martinez retires ...
James Baldwin retires ...
Frank Menechino retires ...
Sal Fasano retires ...
Tony Fiore retires ...

Rick Reed retires ...
Dennis Hocking retires ...
Roberto Hernandez retires ...
Joe Randa retires ...
Shane Halter retires ...

Mark Wohlers retires ...
Omar Vizquel retires ...
Todd Ritchie retires ...
Pedro Swann retires ...
Brian Lesher retires ...

David Wells retires ...
Sterling Hitchcock retires ...
Robin Ventura retires ...
Chris Widger retires ...
Lou Merloni retires ...

Rey Sanchez retires ...
Buddy Groom retires ...
Ryan Mcguire retires ...
Marty Cordova retires ...
Turk Wendell retires ...

Jose Mercedes retires ...
Tim Laker retires ...
Lance Painter retires ...
Mike Hubbard retires ...
Randy Knorr retires ...
Rod Beck retires ...

Tripp Cromer retires ...
Kurt Abbott retires ...
CHN: Dave Veres retires ...
CIN: Pete Walker retires ...

NYN: Al Leiter retires ...
NYN: Jeff Bagwell retires ...
NYN: Ross Peeples retires ...
PHI: Joe Roa retires ...
PIT: Olmedo Saenz retires ...

LAN: Brian Jordan retires ...
SFN: Barry Bonds retires ...
He will be in the Hall Of Fame!
SFN: Rey Ordonez retires ...

Arbitration figures
The Arbitration cases have been held and the new contract values have been leaked to the press by an unknown source.

BAL: Eric Dubose gets a new one-year contract worth $1,154,250 through salary arbitration.
BAL: John Stephens gets a new one-year contract worth $1,140,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Eddie Rogers gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Rodrigo Lopez gets a new one-year contract worth $3,053,572 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Jorge Julio gets a new one-year contract worth $3,053,572 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Rick Bauer gets a new one-year contract worth $808,857 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Luis Matos gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Larry Bigbie gets a new one-year contract worth $461,429 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Jay Gibbons gets a new one-year contract worth $1,710,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Darnell McDonald gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Aaron Rakers gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Jimmy Osting gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BAL: Aaron Cook gets a new one-year contract worth $488,571 through salary arbitration.

BOS: Cesar Crespo gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Tony Torcato gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Casey Fossum gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Kevin Youkilis gets a new one-year contract worth $365,750 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Chris Elmore gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Angel Santos gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Jayson Durocher gets a new one-year contract worth $477,714 through salary arbitration.
BOS: Claudio Vargas gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

CLE: Dave Elder gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Jesse Foppert gets a new one-year contract worth $3,392,857 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Brandon Larson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,207,857 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Jason C. Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $413,929 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Luis Pineda gets a new one-year contract worth $597,143 through salary arbitration.
CLE: David Riske gets a new one-year contract worth $418,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Chad Paronto gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Danys Baez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,565,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Milton Bradley gets a new one-year contract worth $384,750 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Brandon Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $1,540,357 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Greg Larocca gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Victor Martinez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Billy Traber gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Jhonny Peralta gets a new one-year contract worth $753,214 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Ryan Church gets a new one-year contract worth $418,000 through salary arbitration.
CLE: Ken Harvey gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

DET: Hiram Bocachica gets a new one-year contract worth $1,274,643 through salary arbitration.
DET: Zach Day gets a new one-year contract worth $1,479,286 through salary arbitration.
DET: Franklyn German gets a new one-year contract worth $1,343,571 through salary arbitration.
DET: Fernando Rodney gets a new one-year contract worth $418,000 through salary arbitration.
DET: Craig Monroe gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
DET: Mike Maroth gets a new one-year contract worth $1,893,214 through salary arbitration.
DET: Eric Munson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,621,786 through salary arbitration.
DET: Brandon Inge gets a new one-year contract worth $461,429 through salary arbitration.
DET: Omar Infante gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
DET: Jason Jimenez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,026,000 through salary arbitration.
DET: Carlos Pena gets a new one-year contract worth $3,528,572 through salary arbitration.
DET: Jeremy Bonderman gets a new one-year contract worth $382,714 through salary arbitration.
DET: Adrian Burnside gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
DET: Carl Crawford gets a new one-year contract worth $2,551,429 through salary arbitration.
DET: Ian Ferguson gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
DET: Aaron Harang gets a new one-year contract worth $426,900 through salary arbitration.

NYA: Mark Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Nick Johnson gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Juan Rivera gets a new one-year contract worth $1,832,143 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Brandon Claussen gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Danny Borrell gets a new one-year contract worth $482,464 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Travis Chapman gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
NYA: Scott Elarton gets a new one-year contract worth $980,000 through salary arbitration.

TOR: Mark Hendrickson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,404,643 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Corey Thurman gets a new one-year contract worth $827,857 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Austin Kearns gets a new one-year contract worth $5,130,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Tom Wilson gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Jayson Werth gets a new one-year contract worth $2,198,572 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Orlando Hudson gets a new one-year contract worth $2,144,286 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Mike Moriarty gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Gabe Gross gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Josh Towers gets a new one-year contract worth $2,088,643 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Dominic Rich gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Aquilino Lopez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,682,857 through salary arbitration.
TOR:J oe Kennedy gets a new one-year contract worth $2,931,429 through salary arbitration.
TOR: Brian Schneider gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.

ANA: Francisco Rodriguez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,051,786 through salary arbitration.
ANA: John Lackey gets a new one-year contract worth $1,988,214 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Dave Kelton gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Scot Shields gets a new one-year contract worth $1,682,857 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Aubrey Huff gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Brendan Donnelly gets a new one-year contract worth $610,714 through salary arbitration.
ANA: David Eckstein gets a new one-year contract worth $712,500 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Robb Quinlan gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Bart Miadich gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Mike Brunet gets a new one-year contract worth $411,214 through salary arbitration.
ANA: Dewon Brazelton gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.

CHA: Matt Ginter gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Jon Rauch gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Ben Weber gets a new one-year contract worth $383,800 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Damaso Marte gets a new one-year contract worth $1,479,286 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Gary Glover gets a new one-year contract worth $2,822,143 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Jon Garland gets a new one-year contract worth $2,198,572 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Mark Buehrle gets a new one-year contract worth $4,028,571 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Miguel Olivo gets a new one-year contract worth $2,049,286 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Joe Borchard gets a new one-year contract worth $1,343,571 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Aaron Rowand gets a new one-year contract worth $1,798,214 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Joe Crede gets a new one-year contract worth $3,224,286 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Chone Figgins gets a new one-year contract worth $427,500 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Danny Sandoval gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Mike MacDougal gets a new one-year contract worth $1,011,071 through salary arbitration.
CHA: Alexis Gomez gets a new one-year contract worth $731,500 through salary arbitration.

MIN: Juan Rincon gets a new one-year contract worth $479,750 through salary arbitration.
MIN: David Lamb gets a new one-year contract worth $872,500 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Johan A. Santana gets a new one-year contract worth $6,987,143 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Mike Cuddyer gets a new one-year contract worth $2,442,857 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Lew Ford gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Adam Johnson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,178,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Ron Wright gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Jesse Crain gets a new one-year contract worth $1,282,500 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Nick Neugebauer gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Ben Sheets gets a new one-year contract worth $2,748,214 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Toby Hall gets a new one-year contract worth $1,016,500 through salary arbitration.
MIN: Chin-Hui Tsao gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

OAK: Jeremy Fikac gets a new one-year contract worth $403,071 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Micah Bowie gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Mark Ellis gets a new one-year contract worth $637,857 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Ricardo Rodriguez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,083,214 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Bobby Crosby gets a new one-year contract worth $366,429 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Joe Valentine gets a new one-year contract worth $1,757,500 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Rich Harden gets a new one-year contract worth $2,137,500 through salary arbitration.
OAK: Jack Cust gets a new one-year contract worth $2,965,357 through salary arbitration.

SEA: Josh Phelps gets a new one-year contract worth $2,904,286 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Chris Snelling gets a new one-year contract worth $1,798,214 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Rafael Soriano gets a new one-year contract worth $2,049,286 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Kazuhiro Sasaki gets a new one-year contract worth $3,150,000 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Gil Meche gets a new one-year contract worth $2,375,000 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Ryan Anderson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,866,071 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Allan Simpson gets a new one-year contract worth $579,500 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Ryan Ketchner gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Glenn Bott gets a new one-year contract worth $393,571 through salary arbitration.
SEA: Brad Wilkerson gets a new one-year contract worth $3,297,857 through salary arbitration.

TEX: Ben Kozlowski gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Colby Lewis gets a new one-year contract worth $1,832,143 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Adam Dunn gets a new one-year contract worth $3,216,429 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Endy Chavez gets a new one-year contract worth $2,666,786 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Jeff Zimmerman gets a new one-year contract worth $2,216,200 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Hank Blalock gets a new one-year contract worth $1,703,214 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Kevin Mench gets a new one-year contract worth $983,929 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Ichiro Suzuki gets a new one-year contract worth $2,748,214 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Mike Lamb gets a new one-year contract worth $717,500 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Victor Santos gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Laynce Nix gets a new one-year contract worth $2,565,000 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Mark Teixeira gets a new one-year contract worth $3,297,857 through salary arbitration.
TEX: Runelvys Hernandez gets a new one-year contract worth $610,714 through salary arbitration.

ATL: Chin-Feng Chen gets a new one-year contract worth $650,750 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Johnny Estrada gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Jung Bong gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Marcus Giles gets a new one-year contract worth $522,500 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Rafael Furcal gets a new one-year contract worth $1,526,786 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Scott Stewart gets a new one-year contract worth $1,262,143 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Javier Valentin gets a new one-year contract worth $461,429 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Adam Wainwright gets a new one-year contract worth $4,308,929 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Israel Alcantara gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Matt Wright gets a new one-year contract worth $1,336,786 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Buddy Hernandez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Alex Sanchez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ATL: Ryan Bukvich gets a new one-year contract worth $604,607 through salary arbitration.

CHN: Mike O'Keefe gets a new one-year contract worth $386,786 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Kyle Farnsworth gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Francis Beltran gets a new one-year contract worth $808,857 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Carlos Zambrano gets a new one-year contract worth $610,714 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Juan Cruz gets a new one-year contract worth $766,786 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Mark Prior gets a new one-year contract worth $4,336,072 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Hee seop Choi gets a new one-year contract worth $3,216,429 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Corey Patterson gets a new one-year contract worth $2,198,572 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Matt Bruback gets a new one-year contract worth $1,967,857 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Corky Miller gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Jackson Melian gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Blaine Neal gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Angel Berroa gets a new one-year contract worth $1,296,071 through salary arbitration.
CHN: Luke Allen gets a new one-year contract worth $1,866,071 through salary arbitration.

CIN: John Riedling gets a new one-year contract worth $1,209,214 through salary arbitration.
CIN: Luke Hudson gets a new one-year contract worth $875,357 through salary arbitration.
CIN: Reggie Taylor gets a new one-year contract worth $567,964 through salary arbitration.
CIN: Felipe Lopez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

NYN: Jaime Cerda gets a new one-year contract worth $964,929 through salary arbitration.
NYN: Timo Perez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,077,143 through salary arbitration.
NYN: Ty Wigginton gets a new one-year contract worth $650,750 through salary arbitration.
NYN: Jason Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $2,111,714 through salary arbitration.

PHI: Chad Moeller gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Brett Myers gets a new one-year contract worth $1,988,214 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Nick Punto gets a new one-year contract worth $427,500 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Brandon Duckworth gets a new one-year contract worth $806,143 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Marlon Byrd gets a new one-year contract worth $1,540,357 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Hector Mercado gets a new one-year contract worth $872,500 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Jimmy Rollins gets a new one-year contract worth $369,143 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Bud Smith gets a new one-year contract worth $648,036 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Jason Michaels gets a new one-year contract worth $466,857 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Chase Utley gets a new one-year contract worth $1,847,750 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Anderson Machado gets a new one-year contract worth $393,571 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Cary Hiles gets a new one-year contract worth $806,143 through salary arbitration.
PHI: Tim Spooneybarger gets a new one-year contract worth $3,053,572 through salary arbitration.

PIT: Dave Williams gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Ben Broussard gets a new one-year contract worth $2,782,143 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Andy Phillips gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Junior Spivey gets a new one-year contract worth $2,375,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Kris Benson gets a new one-year contract worth $3,383,333 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Craig Wilson gets a new one-year contract worth $1,102,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Tony Alvarez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Jim Mann gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Justin Reid gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
PIT: J.R. House gets a new one-year contract worth $850,929 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Josh Beckett gets a new one-year contract worth $4,166,429 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Rocco Baldelli gets a new one-year contract worth $2,802,500 through salary arbitration.
PIT: Seung Song gets a new one-year contract worth $1,682,857 through salary arbitration.

ARI: Abraham Nunez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,207,857 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Bret Prinz gets a new one-year contract worth $714,536 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Jerome Williams gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Alex Cintron gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
ARI: T.j. Tucker gets a new one-year contract worth $867,214 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Chad Tracy gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Scott Hairston gets a new one-year contract worth $1,140,000 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Dennis Stark gets a new one-year contract worth $2,083,214 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Lance Carter gets a new one-year contract worth $1,051,786 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Wayne Franklin gets a new one-year contract worth $2,388,572 through salary arbitration.
ARI: Pete LaForest gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

HOU: Jason Hart gets a new one-year contract worth $413,929 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Jeriome Robertson gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Brandon Puffer gets a new one-year contract worth $458,036 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Scott Linebrink gets a new one-year contract worth $745,071 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Tim Redding gets a new one-year contract worth $631,071 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Roy Oswalt gets a new one-year contract worth $3,515,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Dave Maurer gets a new one-year contract worth $1,146,786 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Carlos Hernandez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Julio Lugo gets a new one-year contract worth $549,643 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Brad Lidge gets a new one-year contract worth $1,411,429 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Henri Stanley gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Tommy Whiteman gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Santiago Ramirez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Royce Huffman gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
HOU: J.D. Closser gets a new one-year contract worth $3,175,714 through salary arbitration.
HOU: Shawn Chacon gets a new one-year contract worth $1,336,786 through salary arbitration.

LAN: Wilson Betemit gets a new one-year contract worth $1,362,571 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Joe Thurston gets a new one-year contract worth $929,643 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Shea Hillenbrand gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Alfredo Gonzalez gets a new one-year contract worth $1,682,857 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Dave Ross gets a new one-year contract worth $500,000 through salary arbitration.
LAN: Jason Stokes gets a new one-year contract worth $2,293,572 through salary arbitration.

SDN: Bobby Hill gets a new one-year contract worth $370,500 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Brian Lawrence gets a new one-year contract worth $2,687,143 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Oliver Perez gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Adam Eaton gets a new one-year contract worth $3,420,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Jared Sandberg gets a new one-year contract worth $1,045,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Jake Peavy gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Sean Burroughs gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Ramon Vazquez gets a new one-year contract worth $495,357 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Brian Buchanan gets a new one-year contract worth $358,286 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Jake Gautreau gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Khalil Greene gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Xavier Nady gets a new one-year contract worth $2,035,714 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Cliff Bartosh gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Rusty Tucker gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Brandon Villafuerte gets a new one-year contract worth $977,143 through salary arbitration.
SDN: Jeremy Affeldt gets a new one-year contract worth $5,238,572 through salary arbitration.

SFN: Damian Moss gets a new one-year contract worth $3,542,143 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Freddy Sanchez gets a new one-year contract worth $366,429 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Chad Zerbe gets a new one-year contract worth $990,714 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Kurt Ainsworth gets a new one-year contract worth $1,672,000 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Pedro Feliz gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Travis Hafner gets a new one-year contract worth $3,209,643 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Yorvit Torrealba gets a new one-year contract worth $1,140,000 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Todd Linden gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Mike Koplove gets a new one-year contract worth $1,221,429 through salary arbitration.
SFN: Joe Jester gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

SLN: D.J. Carrasco gets a new one-year contract worth $732,857 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Adam Hyzdu gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Mike Crudale gets a new one-year contract worth $616,821 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Jason Simontacchi gets a new one-year contract worth $1,866,071 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Albert Pujols gets a new one-year contract worth $7,695,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Shaun Boyd gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Jimmy Journell gets a new one-year contract worth $3,243,572 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Rhett Parrott gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Rick Ankiel gets a new one-year contract worth $2,595,536 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Bobby Kielty gets a new one-year contract worth $1,343,571 through salary arbitration.
SLN: Chris George gets a new one-year contract worth $350,000 through salary arbitration.

General Mike

05-29-2003, 05:48 PM

Free Agency Preview

The 2005 offseason brings with it a strong craft of free agents. Last year there was a good group of OFers to bid on. This year the market is filled with good pitching and quality infielders.

Position Players

Name Age Pos AVG 2B 3B HR BB K Spe Sta Def. Range
E. Chavez 27 3B 7 6 2 10 6 5 C B A
N. Garciaparra 31 SS 7 8 2 6 3 6 B D A
J. Kent 36 2B 7 7 2 8 4 5 D C C
A. Soriano 27 2B 6 8 2 8 2 4 A A C
D. Lee 29 1B 5 6 4 8 7 3 C B A
T. Glaus 28 3B 5 6 0 8 8 3 D C B
J. Dye 31 RF 6 6 0 7 5 4 B C C
J. Drew 29 RF 5 4 2 7 7 4 B C A
D. Bautista 32 RF 7 4 4 5 3 6 B C B
A. Beltre 25 3B 6 6 4 6 4 6 C B B
A. Boone 31 SS 5 6 2 7 3 5 B B C
D. Roberts 32 CF 6 4 8 1 5 6 A A B
J. Jones 29 LF 6 6 1 5 3 4 B D A
A. Kennedy 29 2B 6 7 6 2 2 5 C C B
G. Jenkins 30 LF 4 7 2 6 4 3 B D B
C. Woodward 28 SS 5 6 4 6 4 4 B C D
O. Cabrera 30 SS 5 8 2 2 4 7 A B B
J. LaRue 30 C 4 4 2 5 4 4 E E C

Pitchers

Name Age Role ERA AVG HR BB K Dur. SP Dur. RP
A. Burnett 28 SP 8 8 8 5 9 B C
O. Perez 26 SP 7 7 6 7 7 A -
D. Lowe 31 SP 7 7 7 7 6 B -
B. Radke 32 SP 7 6 6 8 6 C -
T. Hudson 29 SP 7 6 7 7 6 A -
F. Garcia 28 SP 7 6 6 7 7 B -
T. Ohka 28 SP 7 6 6 7 5 C C
V. Padilla 27 SP 6 6 7 6 6 C -
J. Jimenez 31 CL 9 7 8 7 6 - C
S. Williamson 28 CL 9 8 7 5 8 - C
R. King 31 MR 7 6 8 6 6 - D
H. Nomo 36 SP 5 6 6 5 7 E -
J. Fogg 28 SP 5 5 5 7 4 C -
T. Armas jr. 26 SP 5 6 6 4 6 C -
G. Mota 31 MR 6 6 6 5 6 - B
K. Escobar 28 MR 6 7 6 4 8 - D

Mets team Needs
We're listed as needing a First Basemen, a Shortstop, a Rightfielder and Starting Pitcher. I've decided to focus my attention on Jermaine Dye to fill the Rightfield void, Tim Hudson is my 1st choice for starting pitcher and then I'll go for a utility infielder and a good fielding outfielder later on in free agency.

General Mike

05-29-2003, 06:26 PM

Free Agency Days 1-5

I've come up with my initial offers for free agents.
Tim Hudson - 8M x 3 years
Jermaine Dye - 5M x 4 years
Rob Hammock - 1.2M x 2 years
Felix Escalona - 540K x 2 years

Hammock is a good fielding catcher with some hitting ability who can also play 1B, 3B, LF and RF. Escalona is a no bat, SS/3B/2B who we hope can develop into something. Hudson and Dye are both our top choices at their positions.

post Day 1 Leading offers
Baseball insiders have analyzed the free agent market and point to the following free agent situations.

P Antonio Alfonseca
Favorite offer so far from Pittsburgh.

CF Bruce Aven
Favorite offer so far from New York (A).
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Boston
Oakland
Philadelphia
Los Angeles
San Diego
RF Brian Banks
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.

2B David Bell
Favorite offer so far from Anaheim.
Other offers from:
Arizona
San Francisco

3B Adrian Beltre
Favorite offer so far from Oakland.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
San Diego

3B Geoff Blum
Favorite offer so far from Minnesota.
Other offers from:
Detroit
Anaheim
Cincinnati
Houston

SS Aaron Boone
Favorite offer so far from Pittsburgh.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
Anaheim

P A.J. Burnett
Favorite offer so far from Baltimore.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
Toronto
Oakland
Texas
Pittsburgh
St. Louis

RF Jeromy Burnitz
Favorite offer so far from Boston.
Other offers from:
Oakland

SS Orlando Cabrera
Favorite offer so far from Minnesota.
Other offers from:
Cincinnati

3B Eric Chavez
Favorite offer so far from Boston.
Other offers from:
New York (A)
Seattle
Chicago (N)
Houston
San Francisco

3B Craig Counsell
Favorite offer so far from Cleveland.

RF J.D. Drew
Favorite offer so far from Texas.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
Minnesota
Chicago (N)
Pittsburgh
San Diego
St. Louis

RF Jermaine Dye
Favorite offer so far from New York (N).
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Seattle
Atlanta

SS Felix Escalona
Favorite offer so far from New York (N).

P Kelvim Escobar
Favorite offer so far from St. Louis.
Other offers from:
Minnesota

P Freddy Garcia
Favorite offer so far from San Diego.
Other offers from:
Atlanta

SS Nomar Garciaparra
Favorite offer so far from San Diego.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Boston
Seattle
Atlanta
Houston
San Francisco

3B Troy Glaus
Favorite offer so far from Atlanta.

SS Chris Gomez
Favorite offer so far from Toronto.

SS Carlos Guillen
Favorite offer so far from St. Louis.

C Rob Hammock
Favorite offer so far from New York (N).
Other offers from:
San Diego

3B Tyler Houston
Favorite offer so far from Los Angeles.

P Tim Hudson
Favorite offer so far from New York (N).

LF Geoff Jenkins
Favorite offer so far from San Francisco.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
St. Louis

P Jose Jimenez
Favorite offer so far from Chicago (N).
Other offers from:
Boston
Cleveland

LF Jacque Jones
Favorite offer so far from Cincinnati.
Other offers from:
Chicago (A)
Minnesota
Oakland
Chicago (N)
Houston
San Diego

LF Gabe Kapler
Favorite offer so far from Toronto.
Other offers from:
Arizona

2B Adam Kennedy
Favorite offer so far from Minnesota.
Other offers from:
Detroit
Chicago (A)
Seattle
Houston
Los Angeles

2B Jeff Kent
Favorite offer so far from San Diego.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Oakland
Philadelphia

P Ray King
Favorite offer so far from Toronto.
Other offers from:
Oakland
Texas
Chicago (N)
Philadelphia

C Jason LaRue
Favorite offer so far from Atlanta.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Boston
Detroit
New York (A)
Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Cincinnati
Los Angeles
San Francisco
St. Louis

1B Derrek Lee
Favorite offer so far from Atlanta.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
Anaheim
Minnesota
Pittsburgh
Los Angeles

2B Mark Loretta
Favorite offer so far from Texas.

2B Julius Matos
Favorite offer so far from Cincinnati.
Other offers from:
New York (A)

CF Gary Matthews
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
Seattle
Chicago (N)
Arizona

C Doug Mirabelli
Favorite offer so far from Chicago (N).
P Hideo Nomo
Favorite offer so far from Arizona.
Other offers from:
Detroit

RF Alex Ochoa
Favorite offer so far from New York (A).

P Tomokazu Ohka
Favorite offer so far from Anaheim.

P Vicente Padilla
Favorite offer so far from Los Angeles.
Other offers from:
Boston

P Odalis Perez
Favorite offer so far from New York (A).
Other offers from:
Chicago (A)
Seattle
Chicago (N)
Houston

P Lou Pote
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Baltimore
San Diego

CF Dave Roberts
Favorite offer so far from Anaheim.
Other offers from:
Chicago (A)

P B.j. Ryan
Favorite offer so far from Boston.
Other offers from:
Cleveland
Chicago (A)
Atlanta
San Francisco

1B Randall Simon
Favorite offer so far from Houston.
Other offers from:
Boston
Chicago (A)
Arizona

P Roy Smith
Favorite offer so far from Cincinnati.

P Jeff Suppan
Favorite offer so far from Cincinnati.
Other offers from:
Minnesota
P Mike Venafro
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh

SS Chris Woodward
Favorite offer so far from Detroit.
Other offers from:
Philadelphia

We have the best offer on all our top targets so that's a good sign. :)

There were 2 off-season trades announced.

Trade between Oakland and New York (A) :
New York (A) gets :
2B Esteban German
Oakland gets :
RF Karim Garcia
Note: German fills the Yankees hole at 2B vacated by Alfonso Soriano. Karim Garcia gives the A's a replacement RF who could possibly serve as a DH.

Trade between Texas and Toronto :
Toronto gets :
SS Marshall McDougall
P J.P. Duran
Texas gets :
2B Dominic Rich
Note: A strange one. McDougall has no place in the Rangers lineup and was expendable, and Duran will most likely never be more then a AA pitcher, but they still were able to acquire a good contact hitter in Rich. Toronto got a steal of a deal

Day 2 signings
Boston : 3B Eric Chavez, 12,555,700 per year, for 5 years.
Detroit : CF Gary Matthews, 849,400 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : SS Chris Woodward, 934,600 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : P Hideo Nomo, minor league deal.

Eric Chavez is a great signing for Boston, with the loss of Nomar and all...

Day 3 signings
Boston : P Jose Jimenez, 5,525,000 per year, for 4 years.
Cleveland : LF Geoff Jenkins, 1,037,900 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : SS Orlando Cabrera, 917,900 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : 1B Randall Simon, 621,300 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (N) : C Kelly Stinnett, 737,500 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : RF Brian Banks, minor league deal.
Texas : 2B Mark Loretta, minor league deal.
Minnesota : P Kelvim Escobar, 2,012,900 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : P Mac Suzuki, 448,200 per year, for 2 years.
Arizona : P Gabe Molina, minor league deal.

Day 4 signings
Anaheim : 1B Derrek Lee, 5,470,400 per year, for 3 years.
Houston : 3B Troy Glaus, 4,063,000 per year, for 4 years.
Los Angeles : P Vicente Padilla, 3,392,300 per year, for 4 years.
Toronto : LF Jacque Jones, 2,114,900 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : RF Mark Quinn, 447,900 per year, for 2 years.
Boston : P Guillermo Mota, 1,769,900 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : P Mike Venafro, minor league deal.

Atlanta is trying to steal Jermaine Dye from me, so I upped my offer to 6.5 Million for 3 years. Cross your fingers, Mets fans.

Day 5 signings
Texas : P A.J. Burnett, 6,556,800 per year, for 6 years.
Philadelphia : 2B Jeff Kent, 6,296,900 per year, for 5 years.
Los Angeles : 3B Adrian Beltre, 3,118,600 per year, for 4 years.
Pittsburgh : SS Aaron Boone, 3,171,100 per year, for 4 years.
Atlanta : P Ray King, 2,125,700 per year, for 4 years.
Minnesota : 3B Craig Counsell, 475,100 per year, for 1 year.
Los Angeles : P Lou Pote, 961,400 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : P Jeff Austin, 404,300 per year, for 1 year.

General Mike

05-29-2003, 07:01 PM

Free Agency Days 6-10

Day 6 signings
Pittsburgh : RF J.D. Drew, 3,663,600 per year, for 3 years.
New York (A) : RF Alex Ochoa, 1,408,300 per year, for 5 years.
Seattle : 3B Geoff Blum, 453,200 per year, for 1 year.
Chicago (N) : P B.j. Ryan, 1,562,300 per year, for 4 years.
Texas : P Mark Lukasiewicz, 1,072,200 per year, for 4 years.
New York (N) : SS Felix Escalona, 540,000 per year, for 2 years.

Day 7 signings
San Diego : 2B Alfonso Soriano, 6,211,000 per year, for 6 years.
San Francisco : P Derek Lowe, 6,171,200 per year, for 4 years.
Chicago (N) : C Jason LaRue, 984,100 per year, for 4 years.
Arizona : P Darrell May, 400,700 per year, for 2 years.
Cincinnati : C Robert Machado, minor league deal.
San Francisco : P Jim Parque, minor league deal.
Cleveland : SS Danny Klassen, minor league deal.
San Francisco : P Paul Wilson, minor league deal.
Detroit : P Clay Condrey, 411,500 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Ricky Stone, 415,200 per year, for 2 years.

Day 8 signings
Chicago (A) : 2B Adam Kennedy, 983,300 per year, for 3 years.
Minnesota : LF Raul Ibanez, 912,200 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : RF Jeromy Burnitz, 786,600 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles : P Josh Fogg, 498,200 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : P Shawn Estes, 649,500 per year, for 5 years.

Day 9 signings
Los Angeles : 1B Travis Lee, 614,600 per year, for 3 years.
San Francisco : LF Brandon Berger, 455,600 per year, for 2 years.
Cincinnati : LF Quinton McCracken, 668,700 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : LF Ray Cabrera, 414,200 per year, for 1 year.
St. Louis : C Einar Diaz, minor league deal.
Chicago (A) : P Roy Smith, 861,200 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : P Kevin Frederick, 415,200 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : P Jose Rodriguez, 415,200 per year, for 2 years.

Day 10 signings
Philadelphia : P Odalis Perez, 8,974,600 per year, for 7 years.
San Diego : SS Nomar Garciaparra, 7,919,700 per year, for 4 years.
New York (N) : C Rob Hammock, 1,200,000 per year, for 2 years.
Anaheim : SS Chris Gomez, 435,800 per year, for 2 years.
Boston : RF Termel Sledge, minor league deal.
Minnesota : P Antonio Alfonseca, 1,217,300 per year, for 4 years.

I hope my big targets sign soon.:(

General Mike

05-29-2003, 07:18 PM

Free Agency Days 11-20

Day 11 signings
Boston : P Tomokazu Ohka, 3,276,900 per year, for 3 years.
Pittsburgh : P Tony Armas jr., 764,500 per year, for 3 years.
Atlanta : 3B Eduardo Perez, 487,400 per year, for 3 years.
Texas : P Ryan Franklin, 853,900 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : P Jose Valverde, minor league deal.

Day 12 signings
Detroit : P Kevin Gryboski, 452,300 per year, for 2 years.
Arizona : P Jeremy Hill, minor league deal.

Day 13 signings
Cleveland : RF Danny Bautista, 4,901,200 per year, for 3 years.
Toronto : P Kip Wells, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Steve Trachsel, 626,400 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Reynaldo Garcia, 436,600 per year, for 2 years.
Cincinnati : P Matt Perisho, 414,300 per year, for 3 years.

Boston has decided to try and steal Tim Hudson away from me, while Oakland is now trying to resign Jermaine Dye. Fantastic. I'll offer so much money their heads will spin off their shoulders.

Day 14 signings
Cleveland : P Scott Williamson, 4,643,100 per year, for 3 years.
San Francisco : C Vance Wilson, 501,600 per year, for 2 years.
Arizona : LF Jason Grabowski, minor league deal.

I'm back to the lead for Hudson but now Seattle wants Dye too. I'm going to have to go up to the 8M mark.

Day 15 signings
New York (A) : 2B Julius Matos, minor league deal.
San Francisco : LF Mark Smith, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Travis Driskill, 444,000 per year, for 2 years.
Cleveland : 3B Bill Mueller, minor league deal.
Cleveland : P Jeff D'amico, minor league deal.
Boston : SS Cesar Izturis, minor league deal.
Los Angeles : C Bobby Estalella, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : C Cody McKay, minor league deal.
Pittsburgh : P Todd Van poppel, 826,700 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : P Juan Alvarez, 701,400 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Travis Miller, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Kevin Beirne, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Brian Fuentes, minor league deal.

Atlanta is back in on th Dye Sweepstakes. :mad: I;m going up to 10 for 3.

Day 16 signings
Boston : RF Jay Payton, 491,600 per year, for 2 years.
Atlanta : C Doug Mirabelli, 406,200 per year, for 2 years.
Oakland : 2B Marlon Anderson, minor league deal.
Anaheim : 3B Jarrod Patterson, minor league deal.
Baltimore : P Dan Smith, 891,200 per year, for 4 years.
Oakland : P Bobby Howry, 920,600 per year, for 4 years.
Texas : P Manuel Aybar, 828,600 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : P Gene Stechschulte, 424,800 per year, for 2 years.
Cincinnati : P Jose Silva, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Nelson Figueroa, minor league deal.

I have to keep going higher for Dye. This is getting frustrating.

Day 17 signings
Seattle : CF Bruce Aven, 2,187,400 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : LF Melvin Mora, minor league deal.
Los Angeles : P Randy Keisler, minor league deal.
Anaheim : SS Alex S. Gonzalez, minor league deal.
New York (A) : 2B Fernando Vina, 457,500 per year, for 2 years.
Cleveland : P Ryan Vogelsong, minor league deal.
Chicago (A) : P Scott Cassidy, 747,300 per year, for 3 years.
Baltimore : P Jose antonio Nunez, 747,300 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Matt Miller, 424,800 per year, for 2 years.
Cincinnati : P Mike Holtz, 410,600 per year, for 1 year.

I can't go any higher for Dye, so I'm gonna throw some money at Dave Roberts and move Josh Hamilton to RF, maybe. 2.5M for 3 years should be enough.

Day 18 signings
Anaheim : 2B David Bell, 450,700 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : P Amaury Telemaco, minor league deal.
Detroit : P Ryan Jensen, minor league deal.
Cleveland : P John Bale, 721,100 per year, for 4 years.
Boston : SS Josh Wilson, minor league deal.
Detroit : P Kevin Olsen, 440,500 per year, for 1 year.
Detroit : P John Wasdin, minor league deal.
Detroit : P Dustin Hermanson, minor league deal.

Dave Roberts liked my offer, so thats good :)

Day 19 signings
Seattle : RF Jermaine Dye, 12,250,000 per year, for 3 years.
Cleveland : 3B Andy Beattie, minor league deal.
San Francisco : LF Brady Clark, minor league deal.
Arizona : P Jason Bere, minor league deal.
Anaheim : 3B Tomas Perez, minor league deal.
San Diego : P Nelson Cruz, 730,000 per year, for 4 years.
Detroit : P Blake Stein, 448,400 per year, for 3 years.
Cincinnati : P Grant Roberts, 411,700 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : P Travis Harper, minor league deal.

Day 20 signings
Oakland : P Freddy Garcia, 4,710,400 per year, for 3 years.
New York (N) : CF Dave Roberts, 2,500,000 per year, for 3 years.
Boston : CF Jeff Davanon, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Sean Douglass, minor league deal.
Texas : C Henry Blanco, minor league deal.
Philadelphia : P Rocky Biddle, 649,000 per year, for 3 years.
Philadelphia : P Brian Mallette, 660,600 per year, for 3 years.
Arizona : P Jason Boyd, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Dan Reichert, minor league deal.

Sign Already Hudson :mad:

General Mike

05-29-2003, 07:54 PM

Free Agency, Days 21-30

Day 21 signings
Chicago (A) : P Brad Radke, 7,056,300 per year, for 3 years.
New York (N) : P Tim Hudson, 9,200,000 per year, for 4 years.
San Francisco : LF Gabe Kapler, 624,600 per year, for 3 years.
St. Louis : P Jeff Suppan, 627,200 per year, for 2 years.
Detroit : C Ben Molina, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : C Gregg Zaun, minor league deal.
Arizona : P Livan Hernandez, minor league deal.
Boston : P Jason Grimsley, 732,100 per year, for 2 years.
Anaheim : P Kelly Wunsch, 747,300 per year, for 4 years.
Toronto : P Scott Mullen, 599,800 per year, for 3 years.

Hooray for the NY Mets.

Day 22 signings
Oakland : C Eli Marrero, 824,600 per year, for 4 years.
Cincinnati : P Trever Miller, minor league deal.
Anaheim : 3B Casey Blake, minor league deal.
Boston : SS Neifi Perez, minor league deal.

Day 23 signings
Cincinnati : 2B Freddie Bynum, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : 2B Jose Flores, minor league deal.
Arizona : P Brian Meadows, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Luther Hackman, 432,600 per year, for 3 years.
Detroit : P Jose Santiago, 407,000 per year, for 2 years.

Day 24 signings
Baltimore : 3B Tyler Houston, minor league deal.
Chicago (N) : P Brian Anderson, minor league deal.
Arizona : P Scott Schoeneweis, 448,400 per year, for 3 years.

Day 25 signings
Cleveland : SS Carlos Guillen, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : 2B Jeff Pickler, minor league deal.
Baltimore : P Ryan Rupe, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : 2B Joe Lawrence, minor league deal.
Minnesota : P Jason Jennings, minor league deal.
Minnesota : P Ken Cloude, minor league deal.
Texas : C Geronimo Gil, minor league deal.
New York (N) : C Wiki Gonzalez, minor league deal.
San Diego : P Jamie Walker, 526,800 per year, for 3 years.
New York (N) : P Jason Middlebrook, minor league deal.
Detroit : P Lee Gardner, 448,400 per year, for 1 year.
Cincinnati : P Eric Junge, minor league deal.

Day 26 signings
St. Louis : SS Deivi Cruz, minor league deal.
San Diego : P Michael Tejera, 537,200 per year, for 3 years.

Day 27 signings
Los Angeles : CF Rene Reyes, 413,800 per year, for 2 years.
Baltimore : P Chris Reitsma, minor league deal.
Chicago (N) : P Carl Pavano, minor league deal.
Baltimore : P Erik Hiljus, minor league deal.
Cincinnati : P Joaquin Benoit, minor league deal.
San Diego : P Terry Adams, 610,500 per year, for 5 years.

Day 28 signings
None

Day 29 signings
Texas : C Marcus Jensen, minor league deal.
San Diego : P Felix Heredia, 610,500 per year, for 3 years.

Day 30 signings
New York (N): Free agent 1B Doug Mientkiewicz has been signed to a minor league contract.
Texas: Free agent P Victor Zambrano has been signed to a minor league contract.
New York (N): Free agent 1B Russ Branyan has been signed to a minor league contract.
Baltimore: Free agent P Peter Munro has been signed to a minor league contract.
Cincinnati: Free agent P Chris Bootcheck has been signed to a minor league contract.
Arizona: Free agent P Justin Miller has been signed to a minor league contract.
Minnesota: Free agent P Cliff Lee has been signed to a minor league contract.
Chicago (N): Free agent P Brent Hoard has been signed to a minor league contract.

Post Free Agency Trades
A few trades occurred after the signing period was over. Here's a brief recap.

Trade between Philadelphia and Anaheim :
Anaheim gets :
2B Placido Polanco
Philadelphia gets :
P Scot Shields
P David Naquin
Note: Polanco will see time in a 2B platoon for the Angels, while Shields fills the Phillies need for another reliever.

Trade between Houston and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
3B Morgan Ensberg
Houston gets :
P Bubba Nelson
Note: Houston picks up a really good young starting pitcher which they needed. Ensberg is an upgrade at 3B for the Braves over Marcus Giles, but they should be playing Chipper Jones at the hor corner

Trade between Cleveland and Oakland :
Oakland gets :
RF Matt Lawton
Cleveland gets :
P Ricardo Rodriguez
Note: Cleveland finally gets Rodriguez back, while the A's get a good contact hitter with good speed to play RF. Oakland has enough pitching to be able to let Rodriguez go.

Trade between Texas and Oakland :
Oakland gets :
CF Choo Freeman
Texas gets :
P Jose Contreras
Note: Choo Freeman has a high upside and should see alot of time at the top of the A's lineup. Contreras slots in as the Rangers #2 starter behind A.J. Burnett and should help them significantly this year.

Trade between New York (A) and Chicago (N) :
Chicago (N) gets :
RF Alex Ochoa
New York (A) gets :
P Matt Bruback
Note: 2 guys who aren't gonna see much playing time for their new teams. Ochoa will get playing time vs lefties for the Cubs, but Bruback is not much more then a middle reliever for the Yankees.

General Mike

06-01-2003, 11:57 PM

Preseason Cuts

Time to go through the rosters and see who wasn't good enough to make the big league teams this year.

Monday 3/31/2005 :

Baltimore: Released 3B Tyler Houston.
Baltimore: Released P Erik Hiljus.
Baltimore: Released P Hayden Penn.
Baltimore: Released P Chris Reitsma.
Baltimore: Released P Ryan Rupe.
Baltimore: Released P Dan Smith.

Boston: Released 2B Kenny Perez.
Boston: Released 3B John Hattig.
Boston: Released RF Jay Payton.
Boston: Released P Brandon Lyon.

Cleveland: Released 3B Bill Mueller.
Cleveland: Released 3B David Braddock.
Cleveland: Released RF Jason Cooper.
Cleveland: Released RF Ryan Church.
Cleveland: Released P Ryan Vogelsong.
Cleveland: Released P Jeff D'amico.
Cleveland: Released P Mike Fyhrie.
Cleveland: Released P Jose Paniagua.
Cleveland: Released 2B John McDonald.

Detroit: Released SS Donald Kelly.
Detroit: Released LF Gene Kingsale.
Detroit: Released RF Brian Banks.
Detroit: Released RF Aaron Guiel.
Detroit: Released P Ryan Jensen.
Detroit: Released P Ian Ferguson.
Detroit: Released P Aaron Harang.
Detroit: Released P Dustin Hermanson.
Detroit: Released P Blake Stein.
Detroit: Released P Kevin Gryboski.
Detroit: Released P Jose Valverde.
Detroit: Released P Jose Rodriguez.
Detroit: Released P Jose Santiago.
Detroit: Released P John Wasdin.
Detroit: Released P Clay Condrey.
Detroit: Released P Jorge Cordova.
Detroit: Released P Fernando Rodney.
Detroit: Released P Chris Spurling.
Detroit: Released P Mike Venafro.

Toronto: Released LF David McCarty.
Toronto: Released P Scott Mullen.
Toronto: Released P Willie Glen.
Toronto: Released P Scott Wiggins.

Anaheim: Released 3B Tomas Perez.
Anaheim: Released 3B Casey Blake.
Anaheim: Released P Kevin Appier.

Chicago (A): Released 2B Tim Hummel.
Chicago (A): Released P Jon Rauch.
Chicago (A): Released P Gary Glover.
Chicago (A): Released P Franklin Francisco.
Chicago (A): Released P Ben Weber.
Chicago (A): Released P Roy Smith.
Chicago (A): Released P Scott Cassidy.

Minnesota: Released P Ken Cloude.
Minnesota: Released P Cliff Lee.
Minnesota: Released P Antonio Alfonseca.
Minnesota: Released P Grant Balfour.
Minnesota: Released P Willie Eyre.

Oakland: Released CF Chris Singleton.
Oakland: Released LF Moises Alou, he refused assignment to minors.

Seattle: Released 3B Geoff Blum.
Seattle: Released LF Jaime Bubela.
Seattle: Released LF Carlos Arroyo.

Texas: Released C Henry Blanco.
Texas: Released C Marcus Jensen.
Texas: Released P John Thomson.
Texas: Released P Victor Zambrano.
Texas: Released P Ron Mahay.
Texas: Released P Manuel Aybar.
Texas: Released P Mark Lukasiewicz.

Atlanta: Released 3B Mike Hessman.
Atlanta: Released RF Chad Allen.

Chicago (N): Released C Damian Miller.
Chicago (N): Released LF Jacob Cruz.
Chicago (N): Released P Brian Anderson.
Chicago (N): Released P Bronson Arroyo.
Chicago (N): Released P Carl Pavano.
Chicago (N): Released P Ben Christensen.

Cincinnati: Released C Gregg Zaun.
Cincinnati: Released 2B Jose Flores.
Cincinnati: Released 2B Jeff Pickler.
Cincinnati: Released P Travis Driskill.
Cincinnati: Released P Joaquin Benoit.
Cincinnati: Released P Trever Miller.
Cincinnati: Released P Josh Karp.
Cincinnati: Released P Sean Douglass.
Cincinnati: Released P David Gil.
Cincinnati: Released P Mike Holtz.
Cincinnati: Released P Gene Stechschulte.
Cincinnati: Released P Jose Silva.
Cincinnati: Released P Kevin Beirne.
Cincinnati: Released P Mac Suzuki.
Cincinnati: Released P Luther Hackman.
Cincinnati: Released P Nelson Figueroa.
Cincinnati: Released P Jeff Austin.
Cincinnati: Released P Eric Junge.
Cincinnati: Released P Dan Reichert.
Cincinnati: Released P Matt Perisho.

New York (N): Released P Mike Stanton.

Philadelphia: Released P Antonio Osuna.
Philadelphia: Released P Danny Kolb.
Philadelphia: Released P Geoff Geary.

Pittsburgh: Released RF B.J. Barns.
Pittsburgh: Released P Steve Trachsel.
Pittsburgh: Released P Todd Van poppel.

Arizona: Released LF Melvin Mora.
Arizona: Released LF Doug Devore.
Arizona: Released RF Brian Gordon.
Arizona: Released P Jason Bere.
Arizona: Released P Darrell May.
Arizona: Released P Justin Miller.
Arizona: Released P Livan Hernandez.
Arizona: Released P Brian Meadows.
Arizona: Released P Chris Capuano.
Arizona: Released P Jason Boyd.
Arizona: Released P Jared Doyle.
Arizona: Released P Travis Miller.
Arizona: Released P Scott Schoeneweis.
Arizona: Released P Jeremy Ward.
Arizona: Released P Jeremy Hill.
Arizona: Released P Ricky Stone.
Arizona: Released P Gabe Molina.
Arizona: Released P Reynaldo Garcia.
Arizona: Released P Matt Miller.

Houston: Released P Kirk Saarloos.
Houston: Released P Jorge Sosa.
Houston: Released P Jared Gothreaux.

Los Angeles: Released P Jose Diaz.

San Diego: Released 1B Alex Pelaez.
San Diego: Released SS Khalil Greene.
San Diego: Released P Jamie Walker.
San Diego: Released P Nelson Cruz.
San Diego: Released P Terry Adams.
San Diego: Released P Felix Heredia.
San Diego: Released P Michael Tejera.

San Francisco: Released LF Mark Smith.
San Francisco: Released LF Brady Clark.
San Francisco: Released LF Gabe Kapler.
San Francisco: Released P Chad Zerbe.

St. Louis: Released SS Wilson Delgado.
St. Louis: Released P Woody Williams.
St. Louis: Released P Shawn Estes.
St. Louis: Released P James Houser.
St. Louis: Released P Brett Tomko.

Texas: Free agent 3B Enrique Cruz has been signed to a minor league contract.
Oakland: Free agent P Antonio Osuna has been signed to a contract of $419,900 per year, for 1 year.

General Mike

06-02-2003, 12:23 AM

A look at the minor league systems

Top 100 Prospects

Batters
# Name Team Age Pos Hits Homeruns Walks Speed Range Level
2 Jaime Salerno DET 22 RF Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant D C Majors
4 Lastings Milledge TEX 20 CF Good Brilliant Average A A A
5 Rickie Weeks DET 22 2B Good Good Good A B Majors
6 Bryce Tiffany CLE 21 LF Good Brilliant Brilliant E D AAA
12 Dave Krynzel SDN 23 CF Good Average Good A A AAA
15 Justin Huber NYN 22 C Good Good Good D A AAA
16 Joe Mauer MIN 21 C Good Good Good E A Majors
19 Ruben Gotay ATL 22 2B Good Good Good D C AAA
25 Landon Powell ANA 23 C Average Good Brilliant E B AAA
26 Jason Botts TEX 24 RF Good Brilliant Good C E AAA
28 Tracy Pecor CIN 21 RF Good Brilliant Good E D AAA
31 William Minks BAL 24 CF Average Brilliant Good C B AA
34 Jeremy Hermida TOR 21 CF Good Fair Good A A A
38 Anthony Gwynn LAN 22 RF Brilliant Fair Good C B AAA
39 Prince Fielder PHI 20 1B Good Good Good E E A
42 Aaron Hill ANA 23 3B Average Good Brilliant C B AAA
48 Andy D'Alessio CLE 21 LF Good Good Good D C AA
53 Ben Johnson SDN 23 RF Average Brilliant Good C B AAA
57 Doug Gredvig BAL 25 1B Good Good Good E C Majors
58 Mickey Hall NYN 21 RF Good Good Good C C A
59 Jose Lopez SEA 21 SS Good Average Fair A A Majors
60 Justin Knoedler SFN 24 C Good Good Average E C AA
66 Chris Lubanski TOR 20 CF Good Average Average A B AA
69 Matt Murton PHI 22 RF Good Good Average B C AAA
72 Ben Harrison CIN 22 CF Average Average Brilliant B C AA
73 Michael Cadwell ATL 19 SS Average Good Good B D AA
74 Miguel Cabrera SLN 21 3B Average Brilliant Average D B AA
75 Jeremy Brown OAK 24 C Average Average Brilliant D C AAA
76 Michael Salerno SFN 24 2B Good Average Good E D AA
77 Paul McAnulty CHN 24 1B Good Average Good D C A
78 Chad Corona CIN 22 3B Good Average Good C D AA
79 Adam Tullos PIT 25 CF Average Good Good B A AAA
80 Emeel Salem DET 20 CF Good Average Average C B A
81 Garret Gentry SEA 23 C Average Good Good E D AAA
82 Bernabel Castro SDN 25 2B Good Average Average A B AAA
84 Kevin Thompson NYA 25 CF Good Fair Good B A Majors
85 Kelly Johnson ATL 23 SS Average Good Good C C Majors
88 Ryan Christianson SEA 23 C Average Good Good E A Majors
89 Mitch Maier PIT 23 C Good Fair Good C B AAA
92 Jonny Gomes CLE 24 LF Average Brilliant Good C C AAA
93 Chris DeLaCruz CLE 22 SS Good Average Average C B AAA
95 Hanley Ramirez BOS 21 SS Good Average Fair B B A
100 Garrett Atkins ARI 25 3B Good Fair Brilliant C B Majors

Pitchers
# Name Team Age Role Hits Homers Walks K's Level Rec
1 Justin Pope ATL 25 SP Good Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant AAA
3 Cordell Zamarripa SLN 22 SP Good Brilliant Brilliant Good AA
7 Richard Fischer ANA 24 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant Majors
8 Adam Elliot NYN 21 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant A
9 Charles Talanoa TOR 24 SP Good Good Brilliant Brilliant AAA
10 Boof Bonser SFN 23 SP Good Brilliant Good Brilliant Majors
11 Taylor Buchholz PHI 23 SP Good Average Brilliant Good AAA
13 David Aardsma MIN 22 SP Brilliant Good Average Brilliant Majors
14 Tetsu Hachemon TEX 20 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant A
17 Enrique Gonzalez ARI 22 SP Good Brilliant Good Brilliant AAA
18 Brian Wilson CHA 22 SP Good Brilliant Good Brilliant A
20 Macay McBride ATL 22 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant AAA
21 Chien-Ming Wang NYA 25 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AAA
22 Juan Perez TOR 23 SP Good Good Good Good Majors
23 Scott Kazmir NYN 21 SP Brilliant Average Good Brilliant AAA
24 David Pahucki BOS 24 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant AAA
27 Phil Dumatrait BOS 23 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant AAA
29 Anthony Reyes HOU 23 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AAA
30 Roy Babineaux NYN 24 SP Good Good Good Good AA
32 Bobby Brownlie CHN 24 SP Good Good Good Good Majors
33 Cory Doyne HOU 23 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
35 Yoel Hernandez PHI 22 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Average AAA
36 Clay Hensley SFN 25 SP Good Good Brilliant Good Majors
37 Francisco Rosario TOR 24 SP Good Average Brilliant Good Majors
40 Reyes Soto LAN 23 SP Good Fair Brilliant Brilliant AAA
41 Julio DePaula NYA 25 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
43 Jimmy Gobble SEA 23 SP Average Good Brilliant Brilliant AAA
44 Jason Andrew TEX 25 SP Good Average Brilliant Brilliant AAA
45 Robert Felker TOR 25 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AA
46 Phil Cullen SEA 25 SP Good Good Good Brilliant AAA
47 Sandy Tejada MIN 22 SP Good Average Good Brilliant AAA
49 Jay Sborz BOS 20 SP Average Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant A
50 Tim Stauffer CHN 22 SP Good Good Good Average AAA
51 Nick Touchstone ANA 23 SP Good Good Good Good AAA
52 Justin Germano SDN 22 SP Average Good Brilliant Brilliant AAA
54 Wyatt Allen CHA 24 SP Good Brilliant Average Brilliant A
55 Kyle Sleeth SDN 22 SP Good Brilliant Average Brilliant AAA
56 Cain Byrd PHI 20 SP Average Brilliant Good Brilliant A
61 Cordell Bosque CHA 19 SP Good Average Good Good AA
62 Clint Nageotte SEA 24 SP Good Good Average Brilliant Majors
63 Doug Frame CHA 20 SP Good Average Good Brilliant A
64 Steve Russell ATL 21 SP Good Average Good Brilliant A
65 Josh Hall CIN 24 SP Good Good Average Brilliant AAA
67 Dan Meyer ATL 23 SP Good Average Good Brilliant AAA
68 Steve Tharpe SDN 23 SP Good Average Good Good AAA
70 Doug Waechter ATL 24 SP Good Average Good Good AA
71 Leo Nunez PIT 21 SP Good Average Good Brilliant A
83 Preston Larrison DET 24 SP Good Good Average Good AAA
86 Chad Billingsley SEA 21 SP Good Good Fair Brilliant AA
87 Pat Strange NYN 24 SP Good Good Average Good Majors
90 Steven White TEX 23 SP Good Average Average Brilliant AAA
91 Derell McCall OAK 23 SP Average Average Brilliant Brilliant AA
94 Dan Mozingo ANA 24 SP Good Average Average Brilliant AAA
96 Greg Bruso SFN 24 SP Average Average Brilliant Good AAA
97 Ryan Schroyer CLE 23 SP Average Good Good Good AA
98 Brian Bullington PIT 24 SP Good Average Good Good AAA
99 Tristan Kelsch ARI 21 SP Average Good Good Brilliant AA

Top Minor League Systems

# Team Points Top 5 Prospects
1 Atlanta 131 P Justin Pope (1st), 2B Ruben Gotay (19th), P Macay McBride (20th), P Steve Russell (64th), P Dan Meyer (67th)
2 New York (N) 123 P Adam Elliot (8th), C Justin Huber (15th), P Scott Kazmir (23rd), P Roy Babineaux (30th), RF Mickey Hall (58th)
3 Texas 110 CF Lastings Milledge (4th), P Tetsu Hachemon (14th), RF Jason Botts (26th), P Jason Andrew (44th), P Steven White (90th)
4 Toronto 108 P Charles Talanoa (9th), P Juan Perez (22nd), CF Jeremy Hermida (34th), P Francisco Rosario (37th), P Robert Felker (45th)
5 Detroit 102 RF Jaime Salerno (2nd), 2B Rickie Weeks (5th), CF Emeel Salem (80th), P Preston Larrison (83rd),
6 Anaheim 83 P Richard Fischer (7th), C Landon Powell (25th), 3B Aaron Hill (42nd), P Nick Touchstone (51st), P Dan Mozingo (94th)
7 Philadelphia 77 P Taylor Buchholz (11th), P Yoel Hernandez (35th), 1B Prince Fielder (39th), P Cain Byrd (56th), RF Matt Murton (69th)
8 San Diego 73 CF Dave Krynzel (12th), P Justin Germano (52nd), RF Ben Johnson (53rd), P Kyle Sleeth (55th), P Steve Tharpe (68th)
9 Minnesota 72 P David Aardsma (13th), C Joe Mauer (16th), P Sandy Tejada (47th),
10 San Francisco 67 P Boof Bonser (10th), P Clay Hensley (36th), C Justin Knoedler (60th), 2B Michael Salerno (76th), P Greg Bruso (96th)
11 Cleveland 56 LF Bryce Tiffany (6th), LF Andy D'Alessio (48th), LF Jonny Gomes (92nd), SS Chris DeLaCruz (93rd), P Ryan Schroyer (97th)
12 St. Louis 55 P Cordell Zamarripa (3rd), 3B Miguel Cabrera (74th),
13 Boston 52 P David Pahucki (24th), P Phil Dumatrait (27th), P Jay Sborz (49th), SS Hanley Ramirez (95th),
14 Chicago (A) 52 P Brian Wilson (18th), P Wyatt Allen (54th), P Cordell Bosque (61st), P Doug Frame (63rd),
15 Seattle 51 P Jimmy Gobble (43rd), P Phil Cullen (46th), SS Jose Lopez (59th), P Clint Nageotte (62nd), C Garret Gentry (81st)
16 Cincinnati 38 RF Tracy Pecor (28th), P Josh Hall (65th), CF Ben Harrison (72nd), 3B Chad Corona (78th),
17 New York (A) 37 P Chien-Ming Wang (21st), P Julio DePaula (41st), CF Kevin Thompson (84th),
18 Houston 35 P Anthony Reyes (29th), P Cory Doyne (33rd),
19 Chicago (N) 32 P Bobby Brownlie (32nd), P Tim Stauffer (50th), 1B Paul McAnulty (77th),
20 Los Angeles 29 RF Anthony Gwynn (38th), P Reyes Soto (40th),
21 Arizona 27 P Enrique Gonzalez (17th), P Tristan Kelsch (99th), 3B Garrett Atkins (100th),
22 Baltimore 25 CF William Minks (31st), 1B Doug Gredvig (57th),
23 Pittsburgh 13 P Leo Nunez (71st), CF Adam Tullos (79th), C Mitch Maier (89th), P Brian Bullington (98th),
24 Oakland 7 C Jeremy Brown (75th), P Derell McCall (91st),

General Mike

06-02-2003, 01:18 AM

Mets 2005 preview

Our team is still struggling to figure out our long term, but we are getting younger, added a top starting pitcher in free agency. We have a ton of top prospects in AAA, but what we will do with Mike Piazza is another long term problem as Justin Huber is ready to come up and play everyday.

Tom Glavine has announced that he will retire after this season, and Denny Neagle and Mike Piazza are both at the end of their contracts, so this could be a real changing of the guard season.

Lineup

vs. Righties
CF Dave Roberts - a speedy lefty who can set the table at the top of the lineup
2B Luis Castillo - More speed, no power but a great slasher. Should steal 50+ bases again.
LF Cliff Floyd - Our best overall hitter at this point. Should lead the team in average and OPS again. a potential 30/30 candidate.
1B Mike Piazza - Our top power hitter, he can still be a good contact hitter, but he needs to get back to basics. Could be traded at some point if things don't go as well as expected.
RF Josh Hamilton - The future of the Mets. If he was in CF he would be even more highly regarded.
C Jason Phillips - He should do a fine job bridging the gap between the Piazza era and the Huber era.
3B Mike Lowell - A great contact hitter who can hit doubles and provide the occasional homer.
Pitcher's Spot
SS Jose Reyes - Another speedster on the team, batting him 9th allows him to have more protection from the top of the lineup, and to allow us to run our way to victory. Don't be surprised if our fearsome 4some of Reyes, Castillo, Roberts and Hamilton combine for 250 thefts this season.

vs. Lefties
2B Luis Castillo
3B Mike Lowell
LF Cliff Floyd
1B Mike Piazza
RF Josh Hamilton
C Jason Phillips
CF Dave Roberts
Pitcher's Spot
SS Jose Reyes

The Bench
IF/OF Ty Wiggington - Ty Will get most of his ABs as backup 2B and as a pinch hitter. His .301 batting average was best on the team last season.
1B/3B Jeff Bailey - Bailey is the primary backup at 1B and will see some playing time at 3B and at DH against lefties. *Rookie*
RF Timo Perez - Our primary backup OF against righties, he will play LF in interleague games when Cliff Floyd DHs.
CF Jeff Duncan - Our primary backup OF against lefties. A very good fielder with great speed. *Rookies*
C Rob Hammock - Our backup catcher. He can play 1B,3B and both corner OF spots as well, but he won't get much playing time there. A decent fielder with a good arm.
SS Felix Escalona - Not a great hitter, but a good fielder. He can't play everyday, but he's good enough to give Reyes the occasional day off.

Pitching Staff

Starting Pitchers
Tim Hudson - An 18 game winner for last year's AL champion Oakland A's, Tim has won 97 games in his 6 year career.
Aaron Heilman - Aaron won 10 games for us last year, but I think he can still get better. He will be watched with a 100 pitch pitch count this year.
Tom Glavine - Tom's quest for 300 wins looks like it will end short of his goal. His 267 wins coming in to the year are tops among active players. Mike Mussina is 2nd among active players with 206, and Pedro Martinez is at 186 career wins.
Pat Strange - Another rookie gets a chance to earn a long term spot in the Mets rotation. He will also be monitored on a strict pitch count to protect his arm.
Denny Neagle - Last year's best performer returns as he pitches for a long term contract. He could be a valuable veteran performer for our team.

The Bullpen
Armando Benitez - Benitez gets the closer nod once again. He has a tendency to make you nervous in the big spot, but he should be able to pick up 30+ saves for the 6th straight season.
Scott Strickland - Scott is coming off a bad 2004 season, but did earn a contract extension, and should be our top setup guy for most of the season.
Jaime Cerda - Our only lefty reliever will be our 2nd setup guy. I'd really like to add another lefty reliever which brings us to
Dave Weathers - The elder statesman of the Mets' bullpen. Still very effective, he will probably see the most action of any Mets' reliever, but is also the most likely to be traded for a left handed reliever.
Tyler Yates and Tim Lavigne - 2 relievers in their mid 20s will probably be the ones who pitch long relief. If one of our starters gets hurt, Lavigne would also be a candidate to replace them, and could even get a shot at closing if Benitez can't get the job done.

Onward to 2005!..... :p

General Mike

06-02-2003, 01:46 PM

April 2005 Mets Rundown

Week 1

We got off to a good start to our season going 5-2 during week 1, even tho pitching depth gave us some problems. Tim Hudson, Pat Strange and Tom Glavine all have a combined ERA of 7.11 in 19 innings, and Aaron Heilman is out for a short time with a pulled elbow ligament. Denny Neagle pitched well in his 1st start of the season lasting 8 innings allowing 1 run, while Tim Lavigne performed good enough in his 1st major league start to pick up his 1st career win. The bullpen is pitching well, with Tyler Walker getting the call up from AAA to replace Heilman.

Offensively, Luis Castillo is doing a great job. After ending last season with a 16 game hitting streak, he's carried it over thru the 1st 7 games of 2005, to bring him within 1 game of tying the Mets record. He's also hitting .542 with 8 SB. Mike Piazza is making up for a lousy 2004, by getting off to a hot start, hitting .400 with a league leading 4 HRs and 15 RBI.

Week 2
Our starting pitching continues to struggle, but Tom Glavine and Tim Hudson both had good outings in week 2. Our bullpen continued to pitch well, with Tyler Walker being the lone reliever who hasnt performed well. With Heilman returning from the DL in the middle of next week, Walker will return to AAA Norfolk.

Offensivly our team continued to struggle, with only Cliff Floyd having a good week. We're hitting well and scoring runs, but we're not hitting home runs. Hopefully some of our youngsters continue to develop.

11-2 record after 2 weeks.

Week 3
We're still in 1st place at 15-6, with a 4 game lead over Cincinnati. Our starting pitching still isn't really doing what we expect from them, but the bullpen is picking up the slack. Armando Benitez leads the majors in saves with 9, while Scott Strickland is tied for the major league lead in wins with 4.

At the plate, Luis Castillo is 3rd in the NL in hitting with a .369 average, and leads the majors in steals. Mike Piazza is 2nd in the NL in RBI, but has only had 1 RBI since the 1st week of the season. Jason Phillips has yet to hit a homer, but is hitting .323 and has 11 RBI and a team leading 6 2Bs.

Week 4 and end of the April
The Mets end the month at 20-9, good for first in the NL East. A 5.5 game lead in the division over the Phillies allows us to continue our lineup experimentation, while we look for a starting 1B. Tim Hudson picked up his 1st win as a Met, pitching a 5 hit shutout against the Padres, while the bullpen continued to pitch well. Jaime Cerda has been knocked around and will be switched with Tyler Yates into a middle relief spot, instead of the setup job.

Cliff Floyd continued to lead a surprisingly good offense, while Dave Roberts has struggled and been moved out of the lead off spot. Some lineup shuffling was necessary but we feel we can win with what we have.

Team Leaders
Average: Luis Castillo .341
HR: Cliff Floyd 8
RBI: Mike Piazza 19
2B: Jason Phillips 8
3B: Jose Reyes 3
Runs: Cliff Floyd 20
OBP: Luis Castillo .432
SLG: Cliff Floyd .643

Wins: Scott Strickland 4
Losses: Tom Glavine 4
Saves: Armando Benitez 11
Ks: Tim Hudson 29
SP ERA: Tim Hudson 3.00
RP ERA: Dave Weathers 0.74

General Mike

06-05-2003, 11:15 PM

This Month in Baseball: April Review

COLOR=orange]Transactions[/COLOR]

Monday 4/7/2005 :
Cleveland: Released P Ryan Larson.
Detroit: Released LF Mark Quinn.
Anaheim: Released 3B Javy Rodriguez.
Anaheim: Released 3B David Bell.
Anaheim: Released P Doug Nickle.
Oakland: Released 1B Scott Hatteberg.
Oakland: Released P Juan Alvarez.
Cincinnati: Released P Grant Roberts.
Philadelphia: Released P Dave Coggin.
Arizona: Released P Kirk Rueter.
Arizona: Released P Edgar Gonzalez.
Arizona: Released C Craig Ansman.
Los Angeles: Released 1B Derek Michaelis.
San Francisco: Released LF Jason Ellison.
San Francisco: Released P Joe Nathan.
Baltimore: Free agent P Ron Mahay has been signed to a contract of $494,000 per year, for 1 year.
Texas: Free agent P Mike Connolly has been signed to a minor league contract.

Wednesday 4/9/2005 :
Seattle: Released 1B Greg Colbrunn, he refused assignment to minors.

Saturday 4/12/2005 :
Trade between Oakland and Houston :
Houston gets :
1B Jack Cust
Oakland gets :
LF Shannon Stewart
Note: Houston picks up a young 1b with a ton of talent who has been underachieving so far, but still has the ability to put up bg numbers. Stewart gives the A's a legit leadoff presence.

Sunday 4/13/2005 :
Trade between San Francisco and Atlanta :
Atlanta gets :
1B Travis Hafner
P George Maldonado
P Jesse English
San Francisco gets :
LF Chipper Jones
Note: San Francisco seeked a replacement LF to take Barry Bonds place in the lineup. Hafner has underachieved in his 2+ years with San Francisco but a change of scenery may be what he needs.

Monday 4/14/2005 :
Baltimore: Released P Willis Roberts.
Cleveland: Released P Justin Hampson.
Cleveland: Released P Jake Westbrook.
Texas: Released P Kelvin Jimenez.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mike Matthews.
Pittsburgh: Released SS Tomas De La Rosa.
Pittsburgh: Released P Mark Corey.
Houston: Released RF Michael Hill.
San Francisco: Released LF Adam Shabala.
St. Louis: Free agent RF Ryan Church has been signed to a minor league contract.
Chicago (N): Free agent CF Chris Singleton has been signed to a minor league contract.

Tuesday 4/15/2005 :
Boston: Released P Jason Grimsley, he refused assignment to minors.

Thursday 4/17/2005 :
Boston: Released DH Brad Fullmer, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 4/21/2005 :
Boston: Released CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo.
New York (A): Released RF William Merz.
New York (A): Released P Aaron Fultz.
Toronto: Released LF Dewayne Wise.
Chicago (A): Released CF Willie Harris.
Chicago (A): Released P Heath Phillips.
Chicago (N): Released C Keith Mcdonald.
Houston: Released P Segundo Alcover.
Houston: Released P Mike Gallo.
St. Louis: Released 2B Bo Hart.
St. Louis: Released P Brad Penny.
Cleveland: Free agent RF Brian Banks has been signed to a minor league contract.

Thursday 4/24/2005 :
Trade between Pittsburgh and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets :
C Humberto Cota
Pittsburgh gets :
2B Peter Stonard
P Robert Cruys
Note: The Cardinals fill their need for a starting catcher by giving up 2 pretty nice prospects. Stonard lacks power but could be a nice 2 hitter eventually. Cruys needs work on his mechanics but should get some major league time eventually.

Saturday 4/26/2005 :
Anaheim: Released P Aaron Sele, he refused assignment to minors.

Monday 4/28/2005 :
New York (A): Released P Jeremy Blevins.
Minnesota: Released 2B Jose Ortiz.
Oakland: Released P Bobby Howry.
Seattle: Released P Jeff Heaverlo.
Texas: Released P Ryan Franklin.
Pittsburgh: Released 2B Pokey Reese.
Los Angeles: Released P Darren Dreifort.
San Diego: Released P Mike Bynum.
Baltimore: Free agent 1B Greg Colbrunn has been signed to a contract of $969,000 per year, for 1 year.

Major Injuries

Monday 3/31/2005 :

TEX: Hank Blalock was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Groin Muscle.
He is out for about 4 weeks.

Tuesday 4/1/2005 :
NYN: Aaron Heilman was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Elbow Ligament.
He is out for about 1-2 weeks.

Friday 4/4/2005 :
NYA: Jorge Posada was injured in a collision at home plate.
Diagnosis: Bruised Ulna.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Saturday 4/5/2005 :
DET: Alex Herrera was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Bicep Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3 weeks.

Monday 4/7/2005 :
ATL: Doug Mirabelli was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Tricep Tendon.
He is out for about 3 weeks.

Tuesday 4/8/2005 :
DET: A.j. Hinch Hinch was injured in a collision at home plate.
Diagnosis: Fractured Hip.
He is out for about 6 weeks.

Saturday 4/19/2005 :
PIT: Dave Williams was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Bone Chips Elbow.
He will be OK in about 5-6 weeks.
SLN: Chris George was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 5 weeks.

Tuesday 4/22/2005 :
NYA: Danny Borrell was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Ruptured Tricep Tendon.
He is out for about 4-5 weeks.

Wednesday 4/23/2005 :
TEX: Laynce Nix was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Inflamed Hamstring Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 4 weeks.

Thursday 4/24/2005 :
ATL: Kevin Millar was injured while running the bases.
Diagnosis: Fractured Knee.
He is out for about 8 weeks.

Saturday 4/26/2005 :
TOR: Orlando Hudson was injured while throwing a ball.
Diagnosis: Sore Shoulder.
He will be OK in about 1-2 weeks.

Sunday 4/27/2005 :
SFN: C.C. Sabathia was injured while pitching.
Diagnosis: Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle.
He is day-to-day, but full recovery will take 3-4 weeks.

Tuesday 4/29/2005 :
CLE: Jeremy Giambi was injured being hit by a pitch.
Diagnosis: Broken Wrist.
He is definitely out for the season!

Awards and Achievments

Monday 4/7/2005 :
American League-Player of the Week:
LF Lance Berkman (BAL)!
He batted .458 in 24 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
C Mike Piazza (NYN)!
He batted .400 in 25 AB, with 4 HR and 15 RBI.

Wednesday 4/9/2005 :
TEX: Alex Rodriguez hits 3 homers against Seattle.

Monday 4/14/2005 :
American League-Player of the Week:
1B Mike Sweeney (CLE)!
He batted .478 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
LF Cliff Floyd (NYN)!
He batted .478 in 23 AB, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.

Friday 4/18/2005 :
DET: Craig Monroe drives in 8 runs against New York (A).

Saturday 4/19/2005 :
LAN: Ryan Dempster pitches a 1-hit shutout against Arizona!!

Sunday 4/20/2005 :
MIN: Eric Milton pitches a 1-hit shutout against Toronto!!

Monday 4/21/2005 :
American League-Player of the Week:
P Eric Milton (MIN)!
He won 2 games, with one shutout, pitched 16.2 innings
with an ERA of 1.08, fanning 10.
National League-Player of the Week:
1B Todd Helton (CIN)!
He batted .407 in 27 AB, with 5 HR and 7 RBI.

Monday 4/28/2005 :
American League-Player of the Week:
RF Magglio Ordonez (CHA)!
He batted .455 in 22 AB, with 4 HR and 11 RBI.
National League-Player of the Week:
RF Shawn Green (LAN)!
He batted .421 in 19 AB, with 3 HR and 5 RBI.

Wednesday 5/1/2005 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Barry Zito (OAK)!
He had a record of 3-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.31.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Lance Berkman (BAL)!
He batted .347 in 101 AB, with 10 homers and 25 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Javier Vazquez (SDN)!
He had a record of 4-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.44.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Jim Edmonds (SLN)!
He batted .357 in 98 AB, with 5 homers and 22 RBI.