That 70's League - Puresim 4 interactive Season 3 underway

[BYU 14]

Final summary for the 1970 season, would like to get at least 4 more players for 1971 and we will get rolling (see sign up thread) The stats look pretty good from the 1970 play through which featured a 1 game playoff to decide the AL West winner, with 3 of the 4 divisional races being very tight. On top of that a subway series and serious run at the triple crown by Captain Carl were other highlights.

[BYU 14]

Welcome our 8 rookies for 1971, next up the draft

User Name	Player	Age	Pos
BYU 14	TC Crooks	21	SP
Zorro	Diego Delavega	19	SP
Dark Cloud	Rick Inman	21	3B
Travis	Jace Hunter	20	1B
Jabez54	Mathurin Hawkins	18	LF
Padresfan104	Willis Wilson	20	1B
Pointguard	Pedro Gonzalez	20	2B/SS
Reflections	Frank Cardoza	19	RF

[muns]

Rick Inman- HA DC you animal. Hope he can have that same success here!

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by muns

Rick Inman- HA DC you animal. Hope he can have that same success here!

Mac Rasmussen is next.

[BYU 14]

Our crop of rookies was highly regarded, with 6 going in the first 7 picks, followed by Delavega and Cardoza falling completely out of the draft and being forced to sign free agent contracts. The good news heading into spring training is that it looks like all eight will not only make a major league team, but may all start the season in the majors! Draft position is listed next to position on the player cards.

[Young Drachma]

Rick Inman as a Padre, eh? Hmm...I'll have to picture that I guess.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Rick Inman as a Padre, eh? Hmm...I'll have to picture that I guess.

I could see it

[BYU 14]

The first month of the season is down and we have 5 players in the bigs, though all in backup roles, 3 in AAA and 1, a certain fireballer from Utah released by the Phillies despite being higher rated than 1 pitcher currently in their major league rotation.

Rick Inman looks to be in the most favorable spot backing up 30 year old Ed Spiezio who is only hitting .229 at 3B. Hawkins is currently pinch runner extrodinaire for the Expos, with 3 steals, shile Jace Hunter is tearing up triple A and it will be hard for Cleveland to keep him down there for long with Major League starter Duke Sims hitting .258.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address

The hot news this month is all 8 players are employed again (barely) and we have our first starter of the group

Frank Cardoza - Starting RF Washington
The 19 year old Cardoza finds himself thrust into the lineup as the starter ahead of Larry Biittner after only 2 at bats in April. The move has many scratching their heads and indeed it appears the youngster is in over his head as he goes 9 straight games without a hit at one point, yet he continues to get the nod.....for the time being.

Willis Wilson - Backup 1B Kansas City
The powerfully built youngster is Bob Olivers backup in KC and the only other 1B on the major league roster. Used primarily as a pinch hitter (only 4 starts), the 20 year old rookie is showing well, though his lack of both speed and defense are liabilities.

Mathurin Hawkins - Backup LF Montreal
Despite being buried in a crowded Outfield that features Rusty Staub, Curt Flood and Mack Jones the 18 year old youngster barely a year out of high school is becoming a cult figure in Montreal. With amazing speed for a big man the 'Irishman' leads our group in runs scored and steals as a pinch runner extraodinaire has sparked Mathurin-mania in the great white north.

Pedro Gonzales - AAA 2B/SS Chicago White Sox
'The Streaker' is a speedy, scrappy little middle infielder currently trapped in the minors as the Sox have Rich McKinney and Bobby Knoop at 2B and the venerable Luis Aparicio at SS on the big club. Still Gonzales has turned heads hitting over .300 in triple A with an OBP over .400 and is showing his worth as a table setter that should puch McKinney down the road.

TC Crooks - #3 Starter San Diego
Crooks joins Wyomings favorite son Rick Inman on the destitute Padres roster after spending nearly 2 months in the unemployment line. After nearly accepting the fact that his summers would be spent on the east coast in some independant league and his winters on the Ski patrol in Utah, Crooks not only got the call, but was immediately placed in the rotation and will make his first major league start in July.

Diego Delavega - AAA Starter Chicago Cubs
It has been a tough go for our Pitchers as the 19 year old Delavega was released by the Mets after concerns over his wildness, only to be snatched up by the Cubs the day after Crooks signed with San Diego. Delavega will have to work out his wildness in the minors, but the Cubs brass feel he has great upside.

Jace Hunter - AAA 1B Cleveland
Why the hell is Jace Hunter still in the minors is the question many Indians fans are asking as the 20 year old prospect continues to shred International League pitching. Cleveland looked poised to bring Hunter up, but Duke Sims has raised his average to .292 and appears to be safe for now. The Indians also have Chuck Hinton and Ken Harrelson listed as 1B on the major league roster, but all three players ahead of Hunter are 30 or older, meaning his chance will eventually come.

Rick Inman - Backup 3B San Diego
The Padres are bringing the 21 year old Inman along slowly and if he starts to hit he could take the starting job away from Nate Colbert, who is a first sacker playing out of position at 3B as another rookie (Dave Kingman) has been given the 1B job. Inman started 14 games in May, but has not shown the consistency needed to hold down the job. As one sportswriter put it "You think he is about to break out, then he can't hit a thing for 5-6 games, it's like he has a dark Cloud over his head."



Edit: Inman is only hitting .133, missed that.

On deck

Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B

[Young Drachma]

ha. Dark Cloud over his head. Hah.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

ha. Dark Cloud over his head. Hah.

Sorry, he was hitting .133 and well.....I had to

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
All 8 of our prospects are now either in the majors or have had a taste with Hunter and Delavega now in the big show. We also have our first trade as Pittsburgh thinks anough of Willis Wilson to ship Pitcher Jim Rooker to the Royals for the young slugger.

Frank Cardoza - Backup RF Washington
The great Cardoza experiment is over, at least for now as Jeff Burroughs returns from the DL to supplant him in RF, though if it wasn't Burroughs it would have been somebody else as Cardoza is making Mario Mendoza look like Ty Cobb. He would really benefit from time in the minors, but the Senators are stubborn and keep him in the bigs. Hopefully they don't ruin him.

Willis Wilson - AAA 1B Pittsburgh
Wilson is welcomed to Pittsburgh with a ticket to the minors as the Pirates have Bob Robertson, a solid .280 - .290 hitter entrenched at 1B and have elected not to carry a backup on the major league roster. Wilson takes his demotion out on American Association pitchers with a ferocity rarely seen. If he keeps up his torrid pace there is no way the Pirates will be able to avoid bringing him up.

Mathurin Hawkins - Backup LF Montreal
Mathurin-mania has come off the rails in Montreal as National League pitchers have quickly found chinks in the teenagers game. The fans still love Hawkins as a pinch runner, but do not greet him with quite as much enthusiasm after his average plummets like the stock market did in 1929.

Pedro Gonzales - Starter 2B Chicago White Sox
From AAA phenom to starter in the course of two weeks. Gonzales is brought up as a defensive replacement and ends up starting 3 games at the end of the month as the Sox look to get more speed at the top of the order and Gonzales has plenty of that. He has officially been named the starter heading into July and will bat leadoff for the pale hose.

TC Crooks - #2 Starter San Diego
Just how bad are things in San Diego when Crooks is strummed at a .315 clip by opposing batters in his first 5 starts and is actually moved up in the rotation to #2 behind Pat Dobson. This will truly be trial be fire and if the youngster does not settle down quickly it will be a rookie campaign to forget.

Diego Delavega - Bullpen Chicago Cubs
The wild thing is promoted after posting decent numbers at Iowa and finds himself in the Cubs bullpen where he will be used for long relief and mop up duty as he gets his feet wet. It has been a trying season for Delavega, but it looks like he has found a home in the windy city and will look to make his way into a strong Cubs rotation, which currently consists of Fergie Jenkins, Ken Holtzman, Bill Hands and Burt Hooton.

Jace Hunter - Starter 1B Cleveland
The wait is over for Cleveland fans as Chuck Hinton goes on the DL and Ken Harrelson is hitting like Bud Harrelson. Hunter is called up and given a chance to work his magic wand for an Indians offense that is badly in need of production. He goes 0 for 4 in his first start, but his smooth swing has Indian nation salivating.

Rick Inman - Platoon 3B San Diego
Inman continues to get his fair share of starts at third alternating with Nate Colbert and he continues to struggle bouncing between .140 and .160 as he will often follow a 2 for 4 game with a five or six game hitless streak. Padres management continues to ride with their youngsters though, hoping it will pay off 2-3 seasons down the road.


On deck

Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
A rough month overall, with the prospect that has performed the best of the bunch (Wilson) stuck in the minors. Best pennant race currently going on is in the NL East where the Cardinals and Mets are in a dogfight, with Pittsburgh still within striking distance. Milwaukee continues to be the worst team in the league and it would not be a surprise to see one of next year’s rookie’s end up there. Stats wise Rod Carew of the Twins leads the majors in hitting at .353, while Hank Aaron and Willie Stargell are the top sluggers with 33 and 30 round trippers respectively. White Sox knuckleballer Wilbur Wood is giving AL batter fits and sits at 13-3 with a miniscule ERA of 1.31, while Mickey Lolich leads the majors in strikeouts with 211.

Frank Cardoza - Backup RF Washington
The youngster continues to struggle in the nation’s capitol hitting just .083 for July, his third straight month under .100 and his at bats are dwindling (just 24 for the month. It is baffling why the Senators are keeping him on the big club, when at just 19 he could really be benefitting from some time in triple or even double A.

Willis Wilson - AAA 1B Pittsburgh
Wilson is the biggest success story, though he is doing it in triple A, you can still not disparage anyone hitting over .400. The Pirates seem to be handling him the right way and I would expect him to be called up when rosters expand to 40 to get some more major league experience under his belt. Bob Robertson’s average has slipped to .269, but he has 22 dingers and that is enough to keep Wilson in the minors.

Mathurin Hawkins - Backup LF Montreal
Our youngest player regains some of his luster with Expo fans hitting .357 in July in 14 at bats and continues to be a threat as a pinch runner. Interestingly enough, he plays a lot more on the road than he does at home despite hitting a lofty .429 when in the great white north. The switch hitting Hawkins also feasts on lefties hitting .385 vs just .172 against right handers.

Pedro Gonzales - Backup 2B Chicago White Sox
The Streaker is hanging on with the big club, but has relinquished the starting job back to Bobby Knoop as he was just not getting on base enough to get true value from his speed. He has managed 1 homerun out of his 5 hits however as he seems to have deceptive power for a 160 pounder.

TC Crooks - #2 Starter San Diego
Crooksie is suffering from a toe injury, though that doesn’t explain an ERA higher than the median home price in San Diego. His biggest issue is control as his WHIP is an ugly 1.97, which won’t get you many wins with the Yankees, let alone the hapless Padres.

Diego Delavega - AAA Chicago Cubs
Diego’s major league run makes the 100 meter dash look like the Boston Marathon as it lasts all of one appearance before he is jettisoned back to Iowa. Though his major league ERA is 0.00, he still surrendered 3 hits and a walk in his only appearance. His Triple A stats show his blazing fastball as he is fanning nearly a batter an inning, but again is plagued by bouts of wildness.

Jace Hunter - Backup 1B Cleveland
Duke Sims (.272-6-25) and Ken Harrelson are both ahead of Hunter again in the pecking order at 1B and it would not be surprising to see Jace back in the minors after getting just 9 hits the entire month of July over 24 starts. His futility against Oakland on July 20th will go down in history as he went 0 for 11 in a 25 inning marathon, the only starter on either side not to get at least 1 hit.

Rick Inman - Starter 2B San Diego
Slick Rick is feeling the strain of poor player management in San Diego where the outfield heavy Padres have been forced to start him at 2B, a position he had never played before and it is not helping him at the plate on single bit as July (.145) was another month below .200. With a starting outfield of Nate Colbert (3B) Enzo Hernandez (SS), Inman and Dave Kingman (1B) this may be the worst defensive infield not playing D league Softball.



On Deck for 1972
Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B
Izulde “First Strike” Jester 3B
Frank Justice CF
Kuji Chagulia LF

[bbgunn]

Some good stuff here!

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
Oakland has begun to blow the rest of the AL West out of the water and have all but wrapped it up with 26 games to play. Nobody stands out among our rookies at the major league level, though Willis Wilson is still a one man rampage in the minors and he is not even added to the big clubs roster on September 1st which I have to think will really piss him off. The Cardinals Joe Torre has overtaken Rod Carew as the league’s leading hitter at .355, with Carew sitting tied with the Yanks Bobby Mercer at .343. Lee May has surged ahead in the home run race with 40, though Hank Aaron (37) is still hot on his heels, while Lou Brock is the king of the base paths with 47 thefts. On the hill Vida Blue is having a Cy Young type season for the A’s at 23-6, 2.14, with both Mike Cuellar (Baltimore) and Bob Gibson (St Louis) also boasting 23 wins. Wilbur Wood still has a sub 2.00 ERA (1.57) and Mickey Lolich retains his lead in the strikeout race with 260. Rollie Fingers looks a cinch to break 50 saves as he leads the league with 46, though the Giants Jim Willoughby may be the most effective reliever with 38 saves and a 1.16 ERA.

Note: With so many players joining next season I will cut down the individual player notes to 2 or 3 bullet points.

Frank Cardoza - Backup RF Washington
• Backing up Larry Biittner in RF
• .195 average for August is a season high
• Hitting just .086 on the road

Willis Wilson - AAA 1B Pittsburgh
• Leading hitter in all of professional baseball at any level
• OPB is a staggering .552

Mathurin Hawkins - Backup LF Montreal
• Only appeared in 6 games in August as either a pinch runner or pinch hitter
• Scoring over 2 runs for every hit he gets

Pedro Gonzales - AAA 2B Chicago White Sox
• Sent back to the minors after starting August 2 for 15
• Top base stealer in the White Sox farm system

TC Crooks - #2 Starter San Diego
• Holds opponents to a .233 average in August
• Goes 7 plus innings in all three August starts only giving up 7 earned runs

Diego Delavega - AAA Chicago Cubs
• Wins first professional game for Iowa in August
• Striking out better than 1 batter an inning.

Jace Hunter - Backup 1B Cleveland
• Only hit in August is a game winning HR against the White Sox
• Hitting .182 with runners in scoring position with 5 of his 7 total RBI

Rick Inman - Starter 2B San Diego
• Leads all of our rookies in at bats with 288
• August is his poorest month of the season, hitting just .106
• .944 Fielding % at 3B and .976 % at 2B



1972 Rookie Crop
Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B
Izulde “First Strike” Jestor 3B
Frank Justice CF
Kuji Chagulia LF
Gus ‘Stud’ Cantrell SP
Otto Sevihn 1B
Eddie Ingram 2B
O’olish Amaneh C
Ray ‘Boo’ Bentley CF

Originally Posted by bbgunn

Some good stuff here!

Thanks bbgunn

[Young Drachma]

Nice, a switch to second. It's the first year, he'll get that average up. Still good to see he's playing.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Nice, a switch to second. It's the first year, he'll get that average up. Still good to see he's playing.

He definitely has a good situation with the Padres, they are thin at the infield spots.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The big excitement is in the NL West where the Giants and Astros finish in a dead heat, with the Giants taking a one game playoff 4-3 as the Astros made it a game after trailing 3-0 after 1. Oakland was dominant in the AL west, where only one other team finished above .500 for the season. The final month saw nothing spectacular for our players as Wilson, Gonzales and Delavega didn’t even get September call ups and saw their seasons end after August. The playoffs begin October 4th.

Frank Cardoza - Backup RF Washington
• Four of the teams outfielders enter the last year of their deals in 1972
• All of his RBI came on the road

Willis Wilson - AAA 1B Pittsburgh
• 2nd best prospect at 1B in the game behind Dave Kingman
• Robertson has 3 years left on his deal, so PT may not come easy next season

Mathurin Hawkins - Backup LF Montreal
• Only hit .063 with runners in scoring position for the entire season
• First Major league HR came September 8th off of the Mets Tom Seaver.

Pedro Gonzales - AAA 2B Chicago White Sox
• Rich McKinney looks to be the favorite to start at 2B in 1972
• Made 3 trips between the minors and the big club this season

TC Crooks - #3 Starter San Diego
• One of five Padres pitchers that started to finish with double figure losses
• 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball vs Atlanta on 09/21/71 was best outing of the season

Diego Delavega - AAA Chicago Cubs
• Best bet for 1972 is bullpen as entire Cubs rotation returns
• Best K to IP ratio in Cubs organization

Jace Hunter - Backup 1B Cleveland
• Only hit in August is a game winning HR against the White Sox
• Hitting .182 with runners in scoring position with 5 of his 7 total RBI

Rick Inman - Starter 2B San Diego
• Move to 2B may become permanent if the Padres can’t sign a free agent.
• Led all our players in AB and games played (123)


1972 Rookie Crop
Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B
Izulde “First Strike” Jestor 3B
Frank Justice CF
Kuji Chagulia LF
Gus ‘Stud’ Cantrell SP
Otto Sevihn 1B
Eddie Ingram 2B
O’olish Amaneh C
Ray ‘Boo’ Bentley CF

[Young Drachma]

I suspected that the "real" Rick Inman had indeed played second base for a brief moment one year and sure enough, I was right. One season for sixteen games. Let's see how his virtual counterpart does.

[BYU 14]

Award winners and league leaders, we now prepare to welcome 14 new players for the 1972 season.



1972 Rookie Crop
Al Mighty SS
Larry McGillicuddy 1B
Ivan Carillo SP
Dan 'The Man' Schoonover 3B
Will Brown 2B
Izulde 'First Strike' Jestor 3B
Frank Justice CF
Kuji Chagulia LF
Gus ‘Stud’ Cantrell SP
Otto Sevihn 1B
Eddie Ingram 2B
O’olish Amaneh C
Ray Bentley CF
Ryan Omark SP

[DanGarion]

Schoonover didn't get his NickName?

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Schoonover didn't get his NickName?

Two nickname limit per class J/K Updated.

[BYU 14]

An interesting note heading into the 1972 Season is that 11 of our 22 fictional players are on the San Diego roster after the draft and free agent signings, which goes to show just how depleted their roster was. There will be some interesting position battles between the FOFC and Wolverine players on this team.

[muns]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

An interesting note heading into the 1972 Season is that 11 of our 22 fictional players are on the San Diego roster after the draft and free agent signings, which goes to show just how depleted their roster was. There will be some interesting position battles between the FOFC and Wolverine players on this team.

Thats a nice twist..... Should keep things interesting!

[BYU 14]

Prior to the season, much to everyones delight Washington moves to Texas and will play in the AL west in 1972 under the nickname Rangers. To accomodate this the Milwaukee Brewers move to the AL east.

Frank Cardoza RF - AAA Texas
Like the rest of the club, Frank is looking forward to the fresh start in Texas and will at last get a chance to develop in the minors. The bad news is that 1972 1st round draft pick Buddy Bell is slated to start in RF for the Rangers, which could make Cardoza’s road back to the show somewhat treacherous.

Willis ‘Leadfoot’ Wilson 1B - AA Pittsburgh
The Pirates reward the minor leagues leading hitter in 1971 with a demotion to double A and place aging veterans Bob Burda and Roberto Pena in triple A, though both are in decline. If anybody earned a shot to start on the big league roster it is surely Wilson, who also hit .372 in spring training, but the Pirates do not see things that way. Wilson is still only 21, but surely can’t be happy about the latest move.

Mathurin ‘Irishman’ Hawkins LF - Reserve Montreal
Hawkins had a good spring for the Expos hitting .333 and will again start the season as the backup to Jim Fairey in LF, as well as undoubtedly get his fair share of pinch running opportunities. At just 19 and starting his second year in the majors big things are expected of the ‘Irishman’ over the next few seasons.

Pedro ‘The Streaker’ Gonzales 2B - AAA Chicago White Sox
21 year old Pedro will again start the season in triple A as the Sox elect to go with Rich McKinney at 2B to start the season. Gonzales hit .404 in the spring, but was outshone by 27 yr old “rookie” Davey Lopes, who will actually start for Chicago in RF to start the season. The fact that Lopes primary position is 2B however does not bode well for the future of Gonzo in the windy city.

TC Crooks SP - #2 Starter San Diego
Crooks starts his second season as the #2 starter behind Dave Roberts in a rotation that also features Mike Caldwell and Joe Moeller. The Padres are very young and will like struggle again this year.

Diego Delavega SP - AAA Chicago Cubs
Diego worked to improve his control in the winter, but it is still not enough to make the big league club, who is still loaded with starters Jenkins, Holtzman, Hands and rookie of the year Burt Hooton. In addition the Cubs added free agent Chuck Dobson, which likely means the 21 year old Delavega can expect a full season in the minors in 1972.

Jace Hunter 1B - Reserve Cleveland
Hunter outhit starter Chuck Hinton by over 40 points in the spring but the 38 year old Hinton was given the job to start the season, with Hunter, still just 21, his designated backup. Hunter still needs to improve his patience and should actually do well with Hinton as mentor, who will likely only play 115-125 games giving Hunter a fair amount of starts as he continues to polish his game.

Rick Inman 3B – Reserve San Diego
With the Padres drafting/signing 3 middle infielders Inman moves back to 3B where he will again back up Nate Colbert. There will be plenty of competition however as the Padres also picked up 2 third Basemen in the off season.

Gus ‘Stud’ Cantrell SP – AAA San Francisco
Cantrell is deemed by many to be ready for the bigs now at age 23, but the Giants are solid with Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal, Jim Barr and Steve Stone in the rotation. Cantrell is the Giants top pitching prospect and with both Perry and Marichal in their mid 30’s he should get a chance to prove himself at some point this season.

Ivan Carrillo SP – AAA San Diego
Just 18 Carrillo will start the season in triple A with another promising prospect in Ryan Omark. Carrillo has great upside but should not expect to see the majors this season, which is a good thing for him.

Ryan Omark SP – AAA San Diego
The 20 yr old will start in triple A, but could see the majors this season if Moeller or Barry Moore falter in the Padres rotation. Many feel he already has better stuff than either, but the organization does not want to rush him as they did with Crooks last season.

Otto Sevihn 1B – Reserve San Francisco
22 yrs old and a great contact hitter with a good eye, all Otto also has the power most teams desire in a first baseman. Unfortunately for him, the Giants have Willie McCovey entrenched as the starter, but Sevihn is the only other 1B on the Giants big league roster, so he should see time as a pinch hitter and will spell McCovey when Stretch needs a rest.

Eddie Ingram 2B/SS – Starter (SS) San Diego
At 21 the rookie Ingram will get his shot this season to start at SS. He is a great contact hitter who has good speed and plays good defense, skills that were all missing in the San Diego middle infield. He has virtually no power, but many see him as a .275-.280 hitter that can steal 15-20 bases.

O’olish Amaneh C – AAA San Francisco
Dick Dietz and Fran Healy wear the tools of ignorance on the major league roster, but the Big O as teammates have taken to calling him hit .250 during spring training and is the top catching prospect in the Giants system, with plenty of room to grow at just 19 years of age.

Frank Justice CF – Reserve San Diego
Just 19, Justice made the big league roster out of spring training, but currently sits behind Cito Gaston and Jerry Morales in CF. He has great potential and very good speed, but odds are he will struggle to hit major league pitching so soon.

Ray ‘Boo’ Bentley CF – AAA San Diego
Another 19 year old signed as a free agent, he is similar to Justice in skill, but lost the spot to the latter on the big league roster in the spring, which may actually play to his advantage as he will get a lot more work than Justice in triple A.

Kuji Chagulia LF – AAA Houston
Chags is a speed merchant who can play either left or right and though he has little power, he should get on base a lot and will be a base stealing threat when he does, Still just 19, Kuji will have plenty of time to develop in triple A with the like of Bob Watson, Cesar Cedeno and Jimmy Wynn patrolling the Astros outfield.

Al Mighty SS – AAA San Diego
Mighty is another Punch and Judy hitter that plays good defense, but as 19 the Padres can be patient with him as Ingram gets the first crack at SS. In a perfect world Ingram eventually moves back to 2B and Mighty gets the nod at SS, but that is likely 2 years away at this point.

Larry McGillicuddy 1B – AAA San Francisco
McGillicuddy is still raw at just 19 years old and will start the season in triple A with both McCovey and Sevihn ahead of him in the majors. Larry has a great eye and a lot of upside, and like Sevihn looks to have some power, but he definitely needs to improve his defense. Still young, he will be given plenty of time to develop by the Giants brass.

Dan ‘The Man’ Schoonover 3B – AAA San Diego
Part of a log jam at 3B and one of two 18 yr old prospects the Padres signed, Schoonover starts the year in triple A where he will still have to battle for playing time with Izulde Jestor. It is likely the Padres may trade one of these prospects before all is said and done.

Will Brown 2B – AAA San Diego
Fresh out of high school at age 18, Brown will start and probably spend the season in triple A with four middle infielders on the big league roster. It will be a good opportunity for the youngster to hone his skills and he is another the Padres may use as trade bait if Eddie Ingram works out.

Izulde ‘First Strike’ Jestor 3B – AAA San Diego
The other young prospect picked up by San Diego the speedy Jestor will battle Dan Schoonover for the triple A job at third, though it is likely he will pick up at bats elsewhere as he has the ability to play any infield position, which makes him valuable if the injury bug strikes.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The Houston Astros led by Bob Watson (.313), Joe Morgan (.313, 10 steals) and Joe Pepitone (.359) are off to a torrid start, though there is a long season still ahead this group looks to be for real. St Louis is also out of the box fast with both Steve Carlton and Nelson Briles sitting at 5-0. Over the AL parity is the word as 11 of the 12 teams are 4 games of less out of first place after one month. Leading the majors in hitting are Pepitone, the Pirates Manny Sanguillan (.356) and Bobby Mercer of the Yankees. The Giants Bobby Bonds has 7 home runs, Bob Oliver (KC) has 26 RBI and Joe Morgan is setting the pace in steals. Steve Carlton has been nearly unhittable with a 0.74 ERA, while Jim Lonborg of Boston is also hot at 1.05. The Astros Larry Dierker has 6 wins to lead all pitchers, while San Diego’s TC Crooks lead in strikeouts with 56.

Top Performances
• TC Crooks has matched his entire win total for 1971 with his 3-0 start, to go with the top strikeout total in the majors.
• Willis Wilson is creating a firestorm on Pittsburgh talk radio as angry fans demand he is brought up after a superhuman start in double A where his hit .622 to start the season.
• Otto Sevihn has been outstanding as the Rookie has stepped in for an injured Willie McCovey (Quadriceps) in the Bay area and lit up NL pitching to the tune of .383 in 47 at bats.
• Eddie Ingram, another rookie has settled in as the starter at 2B in San Diego and hits .343 in his first month of major league action.
• Light hitting Pedro Gonzales has 8 homeruns for the White Sox in triple A in April.

Transactions
• Larry McGillicuddy is called up from the minors by San Francisco on April 25th.

Injuries
• Rick Inman is placed on the 15 day DL by the Padres with a strained bicep on April 8th.

Misc Notes
The biggest surprise of the first month has to be the reluctance of Pittsburgh to give Willis Wilson a shot in the big leagues. He is hitting double A pitching like it is being thrown underhand and I have to think he will begin to get disgruntled. The performances of the rookies have so far exceeded last year’s crop, which is not surprising as the top players are older this season. Diego Delavega is off to a great start for the Cubs in Iowa and is throwing hard as ever, though he is still quite wild.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Two nickname limit per class J/K Updated.

Hah thanks.

[Izulde]

Likes like they're keeping the Man and First Strike both happy. Good thing, because you don't want to piss off The Man and you don't want somebody with First Strike attacking you.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Likes like they're keeping the Man and First Strike both happy. Good thing, because you don't want to piss off The Man and you don't want somebody with First Strike attacking you.

Good point on both, I knew I should have banned nicknames

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
We place two of our players on the leader boards for the first time as Eddie Ingram is 2nd in the majors in hitting, trailing just Cesar Cedeno (.350) and TC Crooks is tied for third in wins with several pitchers behind Larry Dierker of the Astros (10) and Pat Dobson of the Mets (9). Cincinnati recovered from a horrendous start, but still has double digits to make up on red hot Houston, who boasts the best record in Baseball. Other leaders include Nate Colbert (SD) with 14 homeruns, Bob Oliver (KC) with 43 RBI, Lou Brock (STL) with 19 steals and Darrell Evans (ATL) who has drawn 38 walks. The Cardinals Steve Carlton has a 1.17 ERA and Joe Coleman (Texas) has taken over the strikeout lead with 89.

Top Performances
• Eddie Ingram continues to impress hitting .322 for the month of May and currently sporting the 2nd best average (.332) in the major leagues.
• Young Will Brown is handling Triple A pitching well as hw hits close to .390 in May.
• Willis Wilson continues his assault on the record books hitting .571 in May in Double A.

Transactions
• Ivan Carrillo called up from Triple A by San Diego on May 17th.
• Ryan Omark called up from Triple A by San Diego on May 15th.
• Ray Bentley called up from Triple A by San Diego on May 17th.
• Al Mighty called up from Triple A by San Diego on May 17th.
• Gus Cantrell called up from Triple A by San Francisco on May 4th.
• O’olish Amaneh is called up from Triple A by San Francisco on May 4th.

Injuries
• TC Crooks sustained a minor arm injury on May 24th in his start against the Astros
• Frank Justice sustained a minor groin injury on May 31st.

Misc Notes
• Eddie Ingram is hitting 412 over his last 10 games and shows no sign of letting up
• TC Crooks has been moved to the Bullpen as he works through his arm injury, allowing Ivan Carrillo to get a taste of being a major league starter.
• Ollie Brown takes over the starting job in CF for San Diego from Frank Justice after the latter hurts his groin.
• Al Mighty takes over from Enzo Hernandez as the Padres starting SS, as the youth movement is in full effect.
• Big League pitching catches up to Otto Sevihn as he hits just .168 in May.
• Willis Wilson only hits .570 in May, he deserves to stay banished to Double A.
• After slugging 8 round trippers in April, Pedro Gonzalez doesn’t go deep a single time in May.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
As Willis Wilson continues to destroy Double A pitching the Pirates still look like they have no plans to bring him up anytime soon. Houston is laying waste to the NL west behind Cesar Cedeno .324-8-43, Bob Watson .315-8-46 and Larry Dierker 16-5 1.90 ERA. Our very own Eddie Ingram trails Tony Oliva of the Twins .357 to .350 for the highest BA in the majors and barring a major collapse should be the 1972 ROTY. Dick Allen has taken over the MLB lead in homers with 20, and Nate Colbert and Johnny Bench trail with 18 each, while on the Yank Bobby Murcer leads the bigs with 65 RBI. On the mound two pitchers (Don Wilson Houston 1.76 and Nelson Briles St Louis 1.89) have lower ERA’s than Dierker, but Larry leads in wins, with pack of 4 tied with 13.

Top Performances
• Eddie Ingram is a serious contender for ROTY as he hits .386 for June with an OBP of .466
• Dan Schoonover smacks 7 home runs in Triple A during June and raises his average to .342
• Padres 2B prospect Will Brown hits .374 in June in Triple A
• Izulde Jestor is even hotter clipping the horsehide at a .389 clip in June in Triple A
• Otto Sevihn hits .630 in his first 27 minor league at bats after being sent down by the Giants
• Business as usual for Willis Wilson as he again hits just over .500 for the month of June

Transactions
• Diego Delavega is called up by the Cubs on June 29th, but sent down on July 1st without pitching
• Otto Sevihn is sent down to the minors on June 23rd by the Giants.

Injuries
• TC Crooks suffered more injury woes, hurting his hip on June 21st, made only 3 starts all month
• O’olish Amaneh sustained a minor shoulder injury on June 17th, but does not go on the DL

Misc Notes
• Ryan Omark tallies his first Major league win and save in June, continuing to work from the pen
• Rick Inman is now number 3 in the 3rd base hierarchy for the Padres behind Colbert and Roberts
• Rookie SS Al Mighty is hitting .370 over the past 7 days for the Padres
• Right handed Batters are hitting just .228 against Gus Cantrell in 298 At bats
• Mathurin Hawkins moved to 2B due to injuries and is only 3 for his last 31 at bats (.097)
• Pirate fans are getting angrier by the day, demanding Willis Wilson be brought up.
• Jace Hunter regains the starting 1B job in Cleveland, but continues to struggle.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The good news is all our players stayed healthy in July, but apart from that the only stellar months were turned in by Omark and Cantrell and of course the enigma that is Willis Wilson, who seems to be destined to a life as Roy Hobbs in minor league purgatory. Two very exciting division races in the AL as we enter the dog days of summer, while the NL races appear to be all but wrapped up with double digit leads in both the East and the West. Rod Carew leads the majors in hitting at .345, with Cesar Cedeno (.338) and Al Oliver (.328) chasing. Dick Allen and Earl Williams both have 24 home runs, with Bobby Murcer the top RBI man with 77. On the hill it is all Larry Dierker as the Astros ace leads the majors in ERA (1.70) and wins (20) Jim Palmer also has 20 wins for Baltimore, while Motowns Mickey Lolich is the K master with 193.

Top Performances
• Opponents hit a paltry .156 against Ryan Omark in July as he drops his ERA by 1.49 RPG
• Gus Cantrell allows a .183 batting average to opposing hitters in July
• Willis Wilson hits .583 for the month of July, why is he still in double AA?

Transactions
• Otto Sevihn is called up from the minors by San Francisco on July 23rd.
• O’olish Amaneh is sent down to the minors by San Francisco on July 23rd
• Larry McGillicuddy is sent down to the minors by San Francisco on July 23rd
• Pedro Gonzalez is called up from the minors by Chicago on July 2nd
• Frank Cardoza is called up from the minors by Texas on July 9th

Injuries
• None

Misc Notes
• TC Crooks finishes July on a 3 game losing skid
• Eddie Ingram hits only .240 in July, his first month under .300
• Frank Justice is hitting .319 with runners in scoring position for the season
• Izulde Jestor and Dan Schoonover continue to match each other in the battle for top 3B prospect
• Mathurin Hawkins is hitting just .089 with runners in scoring position for his career to date
• Back in the bigs, Frank Cardoza struggles hitting only .065 his first month back, but is still starting

[Young Drachma]

C'mon Rick. Let's get that average up...

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

C'mon Rick. Let's get that average up...

He is in a tough spot with 2 other solid prospects in the Padres organization. He should be down in Triple A with Jestor and Schoonover developing instead of on the bench behind Colbert and Roberts. I have a feeling 1 of the three may get traded.

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The AL East has turned into a dog fight between the Yankees, O’s and Red Sox, which will give fans something to follow in September after Minnesota collapses with a 7-22 month in August, putting Oakland firmly in control. The NL races are still pretty much locked up and Houston looks poised to threaten the 1908 Cubs all-time win mark after another solid month in September. The Cubbies are languishing again, but ‘Sweet Swingin’ Billy Williams has taken the MLB lead in hitting at .332, with Rod Carew (.329) and the Braves Ralph Garr (.323) in pursuit. The Home Run race remains tight with Johnny Bench (32) and Earl Williams (Braves) and Dick Allen (Cardinals) with 31 apiece. Bobby Murcer leads Bench in RBI 99-93, while on the mound it is Jim Palmer (24-7, 2.18), Larry Dierker (23-9 2.21) and Jack Billingham (23-7, 2.90) setting the pace. The latter two are the main reason Houston has run away in the NL West.

Top Performances
• TC Crooks is only 3-2 in August, but holds opponents to a batting average of .204 for the month
• Eddie Ingram drives in 20 runs for the month of August and again hits over .300 (.316)
• Al Mighty has his best month as a pro, hitting .287 in August
• Gus Cantrell would be amazing with run support as opponents only hit .157 against him in August
• O’olish Amaneh hits .366 in his first full month in triple A
• If worthy only for the shock value, Willis ‘Leadfoot’ Wilson steals a base…in the majors!

Transactions
• Ivan Carrillo is returned to the minors by San Diego on August 4th to regain his confidence.
• Rick Inman is sent to the minors on August 3rd, but recalled on the 4th when Carrillo is demoted
• Frank Justice is also demoted on the 3rd, recalled the next day and given the starting job in CF
• Dan Schoonover gets the call from the Padres on August 3rd, but is sent back down the next day
• Will Brown joins Schoonover on the San Diego Merry-go-round, the Padres have issues
• Otto Sevihn is sent down by the Giants on August 28th
• Larry McGillicuddy gets the call to replace Sevihn on the Giants roster on August 28th
• Guess who finally gets the call? Willis Wilson joins the Pirates on August 5th
• Cleveland sends Jace Hunter back to Triple A on August 22nd

Injuries
• Gus Cantrell sustained a minor quadriceps injury on August 9th.

Misc Notes
• Rick Inman’s only hit in August is a big one as he strokes a 2 run HR against the Dodgers
• Neglected to mention that Eddie Ingram was our first All-Star, starting and getting 596,558 votes
• Diego Delavega continues to average a strikeout an inning. If he can harness his control look out
• Pedro Gonzalez goes 1 for 25 in August, a batting average of .040 for the month
• Kuji Chagulia is this year’s designated runner with as many runs and steal as official at bats

Set to debut in 1973

Crimson Fox
Name: Paul "Santa" Ruby
Age: 19
Role: SP
Bats/Throws: 6'3"
Ht/Wt: 230
You get 375 points to split between the following categories
Stuff: 70
Velocity: 80
Control: 100
Endurance: 75
Potential: 50

Muns
Name: Max "Mad Dash" Muller
Age: 21
Pos: CF
Bats/Throws: R/R
Ht/Wt: 6'2 215
You get 375 points to split between the following categories
Contact: 100
Power:0
Eye: 75
Speed:100
Potential: 100

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The playoff battles are set after the Red Sox stage a torrid run to capture the Al East, finishing with the best record in the AL, while St Louis gets the privilege of playing Houston, who has just completed the 2nd best season in NL history, while Montreal chips in with one of the worst. The Expos are in trouble and need a stellar off season to even get competitive.

Top Performances
• Ryan Omark finishes strong going 3-0 in September and looks to move into the rotation next year
• Al Mighty hits .305 in September and .429 in October to end his rookie season in style
• Jace Hunter hits .364 the last week of September after his call up (But goes 0 for 9 in October)

Transactions
• Dan Schoonover is called up by San Diego on September 3rd
• Will Brown is brought up by the Padres on September 3rd as well
• Izulde Jestor is also brought up by San Diego with his teammates on September 3rd
• Diego Delavega is brought up by the Cubs on September 29th
• Otto Sevihn is brought up to finish the year with the Giants on September 8th
• O’olish Amaneh is recalled by San Francisco on September 8th
• Jace Hunter is called up by Cleveland on September 24th and ends the year as the starter at 1B

Injuries
• None

Misc Notes
• Eddie Ingram hits .355 with runners in scoring position for the season (56 RBI)
• Frank Justice hit .231 at home and .186 on the road for the Padres
• Diego Delavega gets his first major league win against St Louis pitching a scoreless 12th inning
• Though he rarely plays, Larry McGillicuddy doesn’t get a hit after June 20th
• Pedro Gonzalez hits exactly .104 for the 2nd year in a row
• Frank Cardoza is an abysmal 2 for 28 the last 2 months of the season
• Kuji Chagulia is 0 for his cup of coffee, but proves a dangerous pinch runner

Set to debut in 1973

Crimson Fox
Name: Paul "Santa" Ruby
Age: 19
Role: SP
Bats/Throws: 6'3"
Ht/Wt: 230
You get 375 points to split between the following categories
Stuff: 70
Velocity: 80
Control: 100
Endurance: 75
Potential: 50

Muns
Name: Max "Mad Dash" Muller
Age: 21
Pos: CF
Bats/Throws: R/R
Ht/Wt: 6'2 215
You get 375 points to split between the following categories
Contact: 100
Power:0
Eye: 75
Speed:100
Potential: 100

[BYU 14]

Kind of disappointing that Ingram did not win NL ROTY, but you can make a strong case for Mayberry. Also thought Cantrell had a decent shot at NL Pitcher ROTY, but again no luck,

Our best showings on the leaderboards were Ingram finishing 5th in the NL in batting and Crooks finishing 4th in the NL in strikeouts.

Now to the offseason, where we will have two more rookies join us and we will see of San Diego trades any of their 3rd base prospects.

[CrimsonFox]

I was beginning to think this was the All-Padre league.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

I was beginning to think this was the All-Padre league.

The Padres actually broke up the band after the season

I will post the off season moves tonight

[BYU 14]

1973 Draft – Top 10
1- Montreal: Frank White 2B
2- Milwaukee: Dave Winfield OF
3- San Diego: George Brett 3B
4- Cleveland: Dave Parker OF
5- Texas: Frank Tanana SP
6- California: Phil Garner 3B/SS
7- Kansas City: Andre Thornton 1B
8- Atlanta: Manny Trillo 2B
9- San Francisco: Ken Griffey OF
10- Detroit: Brian Downing C

Unfortunately and surprisingly both our new players Max Muller and Paul Ruby go undrafted, which is especially surprising in Muller’s case as he was ranked among the best Outfielders. Both end up signing free agent contracts with Muller going to Cincinnati and Ruby being picked up by Oakland


The Players
Prospectus for the upcoming season coming out of spring training and as you will see there was a lot of movement in the off season as many of our former undrafted players had short term contracts.

Frank Cardoza (21) RF - AAA Texas
Cardoza continues to struggle and only hits .182 in the spring which earns him a demotion to triple A. Buddy Bell is firmly entrenched as the Rangers RF, so Cardoza’s best bet appears to be a shot at LF once the aging (37) Frank Howard packs it in. Though still young Frank needs to prove he can hit Major League pitching this season.

Willis ‘Leadfoot’ Wilson (22) 1B - AAA Pittsburgh
Wilson continues to develop nicely and hits .316 in spring training, but will still start the season in triple A with Bob Robertson the Pirates starter and Tommy McCraw backing him up. Pittsburgh may not be the best long term option for Leadfoot, but his bat could surely help someone.

Mathurin ‘Irishman’ Hawkins (20) LF - Reserve Montreal
Hawkins is still only 20 and the Expos believe he has a bright future, offering him a 4 year contract extension in October, which he rejects. Mathurin will start the season behind Ron Fairly in LF for Montreal and though he only hit .240 in the spring, his pitch selection was noticeably better.

Pedro ‘The Streaker’ Gonzales (22) 2B - AAA Chicago White Sox
Pedro will once again start the season in triple A, which is sure to bring angry calls from his agent. He has very good range, is improving at the plate and of course still has that blazing speed. His biggest obstacle is a solid middle infield for the Sox that features Davey Lopes, Aparicio still plugging away and rookie Bucky Dent. Pedro hit .222 in spring training.

TC Crooks (23) SP - #2 Starter San Diego
Crooks had a breakout season in 1972 winning 17 games and will again be the Padres #2 starter behind Dave Roberts. He has 1 year left on his contract and rejected a very handsome extension over the winter in the neighborhood of 115K, so this may be his last year as a Padre. Crooks had a 6.47 ERA in the spring, but only walked 2 in 19 innings pitched.

Diego Delavega (21) SP – Bullpen Texas Rangers (signed as free agent)
Delavega rejected a 4 year extension at 30,368 per season from Chicago and signed a 1 year deal with Texas for 92K, a head scratcher to say the least. Diego has the heat and had a 2.30 ERA in the spring, but still walked 10 batters in 24 innings. He will bide his time waiting for a shot in the rotation that includes top pick Tanana and veterans Joe Coleman, Dick Bosman and Jim Bunning.

Jace Hunter (22) 1B - Starter Cleveland
Jace dazzled Cleveland brass in the spring hitting .352 and earning the starting job over a plethora of other candidates as Indians broke camp. He is a great defensive 1B and just needs to carry his hitting over into the season to become a fixture for the Tribe at 1B, though he is in the last year of his contract.

Rick Inman (23) 3B – Starter (2B) San Diego
Inman worked hard in the off season and with the surprising departure of Eddie Ingram finds himself out of the glut at 3B, where Dave Kingman will start with Izulde Jestor and George Brett waiting in the wings, and starting at 2B after a spring training that featured a .322 average and some decent pop for a middle infielder.

Gus ‘Stud’ Cantrell (24) SP – #2 Starter Cincinnati (signed as a free agent)
To the dismay of many around the Bay area, the Giant allowed Cantrell to slip away to division rival Cincinnati, where run support should not be an issue for the promising Southpaw who won 10 games for the Giants in 1972. He got $119,000 for just one year, but with his stuff you can bet the Reds will look to extend that contract. Gus had a 3.17 ERA in 25 innings during the spring.

Ivan Carrillo (19) SP – AAA Montreal (signed as a free agent)
San Diego cut the teenager after a rough professional debut that saw him forced into the majors while still 18. This may be the tonic for Carrillo however as the Expos made several off season moves and like the young lefty’s potential. The Expos have a veteran rotation of Carl Morton, Steve Renko, Steve Rogers and Ernie McAnally, so Carrillo will have time to learn.

Ryan Omark (21) SP – Bullpen Montreal (signed as a free agent)
Another victim of San Diego’s housecleaning Omark reunites with his former teammate is even closer than Carrillo as he already has top flight stuff and just needs to get stronger. Omark should get the first crack at a starting job if anybody in the Expo rotation falters. He had an ERA of 2.23 and fanned 16 in 20 innings in spring training.

Otto Sevihn (23) 1B – Starter San Francisco
In a spirited spring training battle with veteran Willie McCovey, Otto emerged as the starter hitting .304 to McCovey’s .300 in a nip and tuck battle that was decided by youth (McCovey is 35) in the end. He will be on a short lease, but is confident in his ability as he signed a 3 year extension with the Giants for 21,812 per year in the off season.

Eddie Ingram (22) 2B – Starter Montreal (signed as a free agent)
One of last year’s top rookies could not come to an agreement on an extension with Padre Management and they allowed him to leave, which caused uproar with the fans and players. Montreal swooped and claimed the coveted prize giving them a top flight leadoff man who is above average with the glove and should ignite an anemic offense. Ingram hit .375 in the spring.

O’olish Amaneh (20) C – Starter San Francisco
Amaneh was named the starting catcher after hitting .322 in the spring to outdistance the competition. Just 20 years old big O will be handling a veteran staff that includes Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry and Steve Stone. It will be interesting to see how the youngster steps up to the challenge.

Frank Justice (20) CF – Starter San Diego
Justice was named the Padres starting centerfielder after a heated battle with Boo Bentley, despite the fact that Bentley outhit him in the spring .315 to .245. The determining factor appears to be Justice’s ability to hit the long ball, though Bentley is the speedier of the two.

Ray ‘Boo’ Bentley (20) CF – Reserve San Diego
Bentley will be poised to step in if Justice falters as the starter and is superior to Frank defensively, so there is no doubt he will see some action for Padres as a defensive replacement and occasional starter even if Justice does perform well. Both players are good prospects and could be used as trade bait if needed.

Kuji Chagulia (19) LF – AAA Cincinnati (signed as free agent)
After tearing up the Grapefruit league hitting .372 Kuji will start the year in triple A with Lee May and Al Bumbry ahead of him on the Reds roster. At just 19 there is no rush with this speedy prospect and Cincinnati can afford to bring him along slowly with the veteran talent on their roster. He signed on for a 1 year deal after being released by Houston, but would like to work out a long term deal in Cincy.

Al Mighty (20) SS – Starter San Diego
Another young cog in the Padres team of the future, Mighty finished 1972 as the starter and held off Enzo Hernandez in the spring hitting .291 and showing well enough defensively, though Hernandez is much stronger in this area. Mighty has been tabbed as the Padres leadoff man to start the season as he has a good eye and worked pitchers to a .354 on base percentage last season.

Larry McGillicuddy (20) 1B – AAA Cincinnati (signed as a free agent)
The emergence of Otto Sevihn in San Francisco made Larry Mac expendable and he was released, only to be quickly snapped up by the Reds as the heir apparent to Tony Perez at 1B. McGillicuddy hit .375 in the spring and like Chagulia will get the opportunity to develop in the Reds farm system.

Dan ‘The Man’ Schoonover (19) 3B – Starter Montreal (signed as a free agent)
Schoonover saw the writing on the wall after the Padres drafted George Brett, rejecting a 4 year contract extension and ultimately being given his release escaping the cache of third basemen the Padres are stockpiling. Now at 19 he will be thrust into the Expos starting lineup winning the job with a .311 average in the spring. Dan doesn’t bring the desired power to the hot corner, but should eventually be a .290-.300 hitter on a consistent basis. His only problem is Mike Schmidt is poised to take the position away should he falter.

Will Brown (19) 2B – Reserve San Diego
Another speed demon, Brown was given the chance to win the starting job in the spring and he did fare well hitting .283, but in the end management thought Rick Inman was more prepared. Still, starting the season with the big club the youngster should get his chances to shine and will definitely be used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement.

Izulde ‘First Strike’ Jestor (19) 3B – AAA San Diego
Jestor elected to stay in San Diego signing a three year extension and actually outperformed the Padres #1 pick George Brett in the spring (.298 to .224) earning the spot in triple A while Brett went to double A. Neither Dave Roberts nor Dave Kingman are stellar defensive third basemen, so if Jestor performs well in triple A he could get the call at some point this season.

Max ‘Mad Dash’ Muller (21) CF – Reserve Cincinnati (signed as undrafted free agent)
Muller is extremely fast and will start the year on the major league club serving his apprenticeship under Bobby Tolan in center for the Reds. He is a great contact hitter and when he gets on base is a threat to run at anytime. As much talent as the Reds have in the outfield (May, Bumbry, Tolan, Rose and Carbo) his inclusion on the roster is a testament to how much they like him.

Paul ‘Santa’ Ruby (19) SP – AAA Oakland (signed as an undrafted free agent)
Ruby already has great control but needs to work on locating his pitches and will start in the minors for the A’s to hone his craft. He is a big, strong pitcher who the A’s like a lot, but with Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Diego Seguin and Al Downing in the rotation they will bring him along slowly.

[muns]

good stuff!!!

[CrimsonFox]

Oh geez.....After getting Catfish's autograph, Paul campaigns to be traded.

[CrimsonFox]

Then again, pitching behind a team that's THIS good might not be such a bad gig after all...

Great write-ups!

[BYU 14]

Thanks Muns and Crimson, you both ended up on pretty solid teams, though Ruby's road to the show may take a bit longer, he will get to develop which is a good thing. Just look at the struggles poor Hawkins has had in Montreal

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
St Louis is off to a tepid start with the best record in Baseball and the 2 time defending world champions look primed for a run at 3 in a row, while Houston is off to sluggish start in the west after falling short in their dream season of 1972. One nice surprise early on is the resurgence of the Expos led by new acquisition Eddie Ingram at the top of the order. In the AL the east is showing parity early, while Oakland and Chicago have set a quick pace out of the gate in the west. Ingram is the leading hitter in Baseball after one month at .365, while first year starter Otto Sevihn is right there at .364. Reggie Jackson is Mr. April in Oakland with 8 round trippers, Reds teammates Johnny Bench and Lee May both have 7. The RBI leader early on is Otto Sevihn with 22, while 4 others are tied with 20. On the slab the Sox Wilbur Wood and Bob Gibson of the Cards set the pace with 5 wins each, Gibson also leads in ERA with 1.21, while fireballing Met Nolan Ryan is right behind him at 1.23. The Cardinals Ted Abernathy has 9 saves and Sudden Sam McDowell of Cleveland is the early leader in K’s with 41.

Top Performances
• What can you say about Eddie Ingram, picking right up where he left off with a .365 April start
• Otto Sevihn is on fire for the Giants at .364-4-22 and seems to have supplanted McCovey at 1B
• Gus Cantrell has taken to his new environment starting 4-1, 3.13 for the Reds

Transactions
• None

Injuries
• None

Misc Notes
• Ryan Omark gets his first chance as a starter and is faring well for the Expos at 3-2, 2.61
• Max Muller is the next base running sensation with 7 runs while still looking for his first hit
• Our other rookie Paul Ruby is off to a slow start, but has shown a lively fastball with 14 K’s

[BYU 14]

State of the Diamond address
The usual suspects are emerging in the AL East, with the Brew Crew also in the mix early, while Charlie Finley’s swinging A’s are asserting themselves in the west. Over in the NL St Louis looks like the early favorite to win their third straight division title and are possibly their third straight World Series, while the miracle run of Houston appears to have lasted but a single season, with LA and Cincinnati taking their places atop the NL west as expected. Young Otto Sevihn has seen his at bats decreased in San Francisco but still leads the majors hitting at a .377 clip ahead of Eddie Ingram (.363) and Rod Carew (.340). Could be a big year for power hitters as Darrell Evans of the Braves has 15 and Dave Kingman (San Diego) and Lee May (Reds) are not on his heels with 13. Bob Gibson (St Louis) and Mike Cuellar (Baltimore) both already have 9 wins and both could make a legitimate run at the holy grail of 30.

Top Performances
• A big month for Izulde Jestor who hits over .360 in triple A for May, will the Padres keep him or use him for trade bait with Kingman starting at third?
• Diego Delavega has a nice month allowing just a .174 average against and dropping his ERA by nearly 5 runs a game.
• Rookie Max Muller is handed the starting CF job by the Reds on May 19th and responds by hitting .310 the rest of the month.
• Mathurin mania is back in effect as he takes over as the starting CF for the Expos May 18th and hits .315 for the month.
• Another solid month for the majors 2nd leading hitter as Eddie Ingram strokes it at a .362 clip for the month of May.
• Another .400 month for everyone’s favorite modern version of minor league legend Joe Bauman
• Jace Hunter has a breakout month after regaining the starting 1B job hitting .324 for the Tribe in May.
• Otto Sevihn hits .404 for the month of May, but is curiously being used on a platoon role with Willie Mays.

Transactions
• Kuji Chagulia is elevated to the big club, getting the call on May 18th
• Paul Ruby is called up by Oakland on May 29th and immediately slotted as the #4 starter

Injuries
• TC Crooks suffers a calf injury on May 6th and goes on the 15 day DL. This marks the 5th injury that has caused him to miss at least 1 start in his brief career, not good.
• Gus Cantrell suffers a minor hand injury on May 17th, missing 2 starts

Misc Notes
• Frank Justice slumps in May hitting just .191 for the month after a solid start and Boo Bentley may push him for the job after hitting .348 for the month in limited playing time.
• Cantrell is handed the keys as the ace of a potent Reds team, moving into the #1 starter spot

Set to Debut in 1974
FOFC User Ramzavail
Name: Shovel Bryant
Age: 18
Pos: RF/LF
Bats/Throws: R/R
Ht/Wt: 6'3", 215
Contact: 60
Power: 75
Eye: 90
Speed: 75
Potential: 75

FOFC User: JAG
Name: Ty "Be the Ball' Webb
Age: 19
Pos: LF/RF
Bats/Throws: L/L
Ht/Wt: 6'2" 210lb
Contact: 100
Power: 50
Eye: 100
Speed: 50
Potential: 75

[PadresFan104]

BYU, I didn't even realize this thread was here!!! Had a lot of fun reading through it today, and following the exploits of Willie "Leadfoot" Wilson. Can't wait to see if/when(?!) he gets a starting role in the bigs!! Thanks again for all the work in this, and I wish you the best on your recovery from your achilles rupture, ouch!!!!

Al

[muns]

This really is good stuff. Had fun reading this again tonight and it was neat to see Max get a shot.

Very interested to see what the Padres do with a few of their guys and the situations. Hopefully Jestor finds a good home with someone that really wants him!

[JAG]

Too late to make a player? Entertaining read.

[CrimsonFox]

#4 starter?!? What happened?!? Did they leave some of their pitchers at the hotel?

Jump in, JAG. There's another thread for signups.