FOOL 2087 Regular Season Thread

[Alan T]

We start up in roughly 2 hours!

Here is a reposting of the preseason preview

Originally Posted by Alan T

[Alan T]

Today's stat of the day!

Most 200 Strikeout Seasons
(Top 25 Players)

Player	Seasons
Skip Adams	19
Jeremy Aitken	16
Mike Bradford	16
Carlos Gonzáles	16
Juan Sierra	16
Billy Smith	16
Iván Flores	15
Emmett Quero	15
Bartolo Rodríguez	15
Masazumi Sanu	15
Artie Wiley	15
Andrés Aguilar	13
Kieran Browne	13
Craig Davis	13
José Gómez	13
David Lee	13
Júlio Martínez	13
Jorge Aquino	12
Chua chay Chao	12
Kent Davies	12
Ron Fritz	12
Pedro Ortíz	12
Jesús Peña	12
Tom Shaw	12
Floyd Yarbrough	12

[Alan T]

Somewhat amazing that the #1 on the list (Skip Adams) only made the hall of fame 3 seasons ago. I guess that is what he gets for playing most of his career during the FOOL dark ages.

[Chief Rum]

I am surprised there aren't more Hammersmith/Atlanta pitchers there, given how often we had top end pitchers. But then, I often had guys who were better at getting outs than getting strikeouts, I think.

Interesting list. I wouldn't have guessed Skip Adams at the top of that with a hundred chances.

[Chief Rum]

This looks to be a very tight RL race, just like last season. It seems like rebuilding Brunswick is the only one that you can reasonably count out.

The Hooligans returns a very similar squad to last season. The six-headed rotation returns. Last year, I split the fifth spot between Bell and Lopez, both rookies. IMO, they have both passed up pitchers who had been starting, so now they will take their full turns. Pacheco drops to a key pen roll, which I hope he'll really take to. Once again, it will be pitching that gets me to the postseason, if that's what happens.

The pen is a bit weaker. We let Villa and Bayer go. Pacheco helps, and we had some depth, so I don't know if there's going to be too much drop off, but it's sometimes hard to tell with bullpens.

My lineup went trhough much less changes this offseason than last. We let Alvarez (starting 3B for one year) go to free agency, as well as platoon C Buddy. We bring in Espinoza and Suzuki at those spots, and I actually think they are slight upgrades in both cases. Last year's break in SS Rodriguez is one year improved in his stats and I expect a stronger year from him offensively. Otherwise, it's essentially the same lineup. Not a juggernaut, but a solid and productive lineup.

Toronto ran way with the division title last year, and Colorado had, statistically, a better team than I had last year. The ratings say both are still strong. Toss in past regular division champ Ann Arbor and maybe the best pitcher in baseball, and the RL's going to be a toss up. Chico and Hartford seem very solid as well, although that's a lot of top teams to climb past.

In the end, though, aren't we just sacrificing our champion at the altar of Napa Valley? Teach's acquisition of Perez gives her a muns-like rotation. Scary stuff.

Good luck to everyone tonight.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

In the end, though, aren't we just sacrificing our champion at the altar of Napa Valley? Teach's acquisition of Perez gives her a muns-like rotation. Scary stuff.

Good luck to everyone tonight.

I would never reject a comparison to muns!!!

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

In the end, though, aren't we just sacrificing our champion at the altar of Napa Valley? Teach's acquisition of Perez gives her a muns-like rotation. Scary stuff.

I think Napa Valley has some question marks. Tony Perez will turn 33 this season and is clearly not the same pitcher he was at age 29. There will be some continued fall off this year as his pitches lose velocity. The big question for him is how quickly will he fade? Will it be noticeable this season or wait another year?

The promising thing for Napa though is even with a fade, Perez is still better than most pitchers, including Merritt whom he will be effectively replacing in the rotation, so that definitely counts as an upgrade.

One additional question is if the bullpen will still hold up with the loss of Martinez. He didn't have any flashy numbers, but Martinez was a big part of the best bullpen in baseball last season. Don't let the 6 losses make you look at him the wrong way, he was extremely solid. If anyone can stand losing him from their bullpen though, it is the Winemakers.


Even though I think the Winemakers have the best talent, it still is no lock that they even make the playoffs. Baltimore has a pitching staff that is close to them and a better lineup. Tokyo also has a comparable lineup and a solid pitching staff. Even Georgia can make a splash if they get some hitting from -somewhere- as their pitching is also nothing to laugh at.

We've all seen teams perform well below expected records with -10 pyths, and neither league has a team that can win 10 games less than expected and get away with it this season.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I think Napa Valley has some question marks.

I agree with Alan completely.

We want it this year, but in no way expect it. I'm aware of the gaps in our lineup and the randomness that is FOOL playoffs.

[EddieK]

I'm excited for the rebirth of the Boston Settlers as this is a turning point in this struggling franchise for the past half a century. We have some good young ball players coming up in the next year or so.

[CrimsonFox]

Let's get this party started.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by EddieK

I'm excited for the rebirth of the Boston Settlers as this is a turning point in this struggling franchise for the past half a century. We have some good young ball players coming up in the next year or so.

oooh do tell! Give us a full report! So is it next year or this year?

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

This looks to be a very tight RL race, just like last season. It seems like rebuilding Brunswick is the only one that you can reasonably count out.

The Hooligans returns a very similar squad to last season. The six-headed rotation returns. Last year, I split the fifth spot between Bell and Lopez, both rookies. IMO, they have both passed up pitchers who had been starting, so now they will take their full turns. Pacheco drops to a key pen roll, which I hope he'll really take to. Once again, it will be pitching that gets me to the postseason, if that's what happens.

The pen is a bit weaker. We let Villa and Bayer go. Pacheco helps, and we had some depth, so I don't know if there's going to be too much drop off, but it's sometimes hard to tell with bullpens.

My lineup went trhough much less changes this offseason than last. We let Alvarez (starting 3B for one year) go to free agency, as well as platoon C Buddy. We bring in Espinoza and Suzuki at those spots, and I actually think they are slight upgrades in both cases. Last year's break in SS Rodriguez is one year improved in his stats and I expect a stronger year from him offensively. Otherwise, it's essentially the same lineup. Not a juggernaut, but a solid and productive lineup.

Toronto ran way with the division title last year, and Colorado had, statistically, a better team than I had last year. The ratings say both are still strong. Toss in past regular division champ Ann Arbor and maybe the best pitcher in baseball, and the RL's going to be a toss up. Chico and Hartford seem very solid as well, although that's a lot of top teams to climb past.

In the end, though, aren't we just sacrificing our champion at the altar of Napa Valley? Teach's acquisition of Perez gives her a muns-like rotation. Scary stuff.

Good luck to everyone tonight.

Good luck Chief and everyone else. Great report!

Most of my staff is returning a year older. NOt sure how good or bad that is. The offense is the same. Maybe a little better. The pitchers are always a question mark. Same starting staff except for the 5th. The relievers are the ? this year. Some great enders. The middle staff I"m not sure of.

GOOD LUCK ALL!

[Alan T]

House ran over 3 minutes!

Ok, sim time. getting exports now

[CrimsonFox]

*waves to Teach!* Hey Teach! I'm in the nosebleed section up here! Come on up! I"ve got an extra dog and beer!

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

*waves to Teach!* Hey Teach! I'm in the nosebleed section up here! Come on up! I"ve got an extra dog and beer!

Hey buddy! I'll grab my glass of wine and come join you!

[hyde4us11]

I'll bring the cheese. LOL

[Alan T]

Tokyo Cyclones: Signed free agent LF K. Miyamoto to a 1-year contract worth a total of $12,275,000.

Apex Assassins: Signed LF P. Bryant to a minor league contract extension.

Hartford Harpooners: Signed free agent CF F. Peralta to a minor league contract.

Apex Assassins: Signed SP R. Galván to a minor league contract extension.

Tokyo Cyclones: Signed free agent MR R. Sánchez to a 1-year contract worth a total of $785,000.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP F. Bei to a minor league contract.

Tokyo Cyclones: Signed free agent SP E. Falck to a 2-year contract worth a total of $3,235,000.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent RF E. Escamilla to a minor league contract.

Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent MR L. Martínez to a minor league contract.

Tokyo Cyclones: Signed free agent LF E. Castro to a 1-year contract worth a total of $14,530,000.

Brunswick Barons: Signed free agent SP J. Hall to a minor league contract.

Brunswick Barons: Signed free agent SP R. Garrigos to a minor league contract.

Brunswick Barons: Signed free agent C C. Haworth to a minor league contract.

Brunswick Barons: Signed free agent 2B J. Doering to a minor league contract.

[Alan T]

Here we go, good luck everyone this season.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by hyde4us11

I'll bring the cheese. LOL

Yay hooray! I love that we've got a party going!

[Alan T]

Brenton Whitewashes Tokyo
Sunday, April 6th, 2087: Paul Brenton dominated Tokyo with a brilliant 1-hit shutout in the Charm 4-0 triumph at Sony Park. The Baltimore hurler fanned 4 and walked 1 in the game.

[Alan T]

Chico's Hudson Gets 3000th Hit
Tuesday, April 15th, 2087: The day belonged to Dave Hudson of the Chico Rebels as he became the latest player to reach the 3000-hit plateau. He did it in Chico's 13-12 win over Toronto.

"It's a moment I'll never forget," said Hudson after the game, "3000 hits is a lot. It puts you in a very select group. I never expected to be around long enough to reach a milestone like this."

He finished the day with 3 hits in 7 at-bats.

Lifetime Hudson is batting .321 and has totaled 143 home runs.

[Alan T]

Hudson is the 41st player in FOOL history with 3000 hits!

[Alan T]

Cardenas Zeroes in on Colorado
Monday, April 21st, 2087: Miguel Cardenas was in charge the whole game in the Rebels victory over the Rancheros today. In a superb performance he blanked Colorado 8-0, yielding 3 hits while registering 8 strikeouts and 3 walks.

[Alan T]

Winter Wolves Loyola Blanks Boston
Tuesday, April 29th, 2087: The Winter Wolves whipped the Settlers in a 4-0 whitewash today at Ballpark of Boston. It was a masterful outing for Martín Loyola, who shut out Boston on 2 hits.

This season Loyola has compiled a 3-1 mark with a 1.93 ERA.

[Alan T]

Bedeschi Gets April's Top Pitcher Trophy
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: Veteran Evaristo Bedeschi put together quite a successful stretch in April for the Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines, earning himself the Republic League Pitcher of the Month award.

Bedeschi racked up a 5-0 record in 7 starts, posting a 2.00 ERA over 45 innings and striking out 41.


CL Picks April's Top Pitcher
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: Despite the number of years he's been in the league, Paul Brenton still gets excited when he puts together a quality stretch like he had in April. The 36-year-old starter for Baltimore was named Continental League Pitcher of the Month earlier today.

He collected 5 wins and no losses with 35 strikeouts in his 5 starts, putting up a fine 1.57 ERA in 34.1 innings of work.

[Alan T]

Sakaguchi Snags RL Batting Honor in April
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: Seasoned by several years of professional experience, 26-year-old Mitsuo Sakaguchi put together a solid offensive month for Ann Arbor and was crowned April's top batter in the Republic League.

He batted .380 with 6 home runs, 25 RBIs and 18 runs scored.



CL's #1 Batter Announced
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: Bert Thirkettle battered Continental League pitchers all April and wound up taking home the Batter of the Month Award.

"I've been around Front Office Offseason League long enough to know you really have to work hard day in and day out to be able to put up this kind of consistency," the 28-year-old Thirkettle told reporters. "I put in a lot of work, even on the days I may not take the field and it's always nice when everything comes together for me like it did this last month."

In 26 games, Thirkettle hit .323 with 9 home runs, 20 RBIs and scored 21 runs.

[Alan T]

Rookie Wiz Gets April Award in RL
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: In April Paul Paull swatted his way to the Rookie of the Month Award in the Republic League by putting up a .337 batting average.

The Hartford Harpooners center fielder also racked up 29 hits, 4 home runs, 9 RBIs and scored 15 runs.



Continental League Names Rookie of Month
Thursday, May 1st, 2087: Steve McFadden was toddling around on his tricycle when some of the guys he's playing against were in their prime, but the 25-year-old first baseman definitely knows how to get to first, second or beyond. Today he was chosen April's Continental League Rookie of the Month for his remarkable month of hitting.

In 20 games McFadden batted .242 for Boston, slapping 16 hits in 66 at-bats with 8 home runs, drove in 14 runs and scored 9 times.

[Alan T]

Continental League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Baltimore Charm 15 8 .652 - 14-9 1 9-5 6-3 2-1 2-4 135 W1 5-5 Boston Settlers 14 13 .519 3.0 13-14 1 8-7 6-6 2-3 4-5 W1 7-3 Apex Assassins 13 13 .500 3.5 13-13 0 7-8 6-5 2-2 3-4 W3 4-6 Halifax Winter Wolves 13 14 .481 4.0 14-13 -1 8-8 5-6 2-4 4-8 L1 5-5 Tokyo Cyclones 12 13 .480 4.0 11-14 1 4-6 8-7 2-0 7-2 L1 4-6 Georgia Devils 10 13 .435 5.0 9-14 1 3-3 7-10 3-1 5-3 L1 5-5 Napa Valley Winemakers 10 13 .435 5.0 11-12 -1 5-6 5-7 0-2 5-4 L2 5-5

Republic League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines 20 7 .741 - 18-9 2 12-4 8-3 1-0 5-5 135 W1 7-3 Chico Rebels 15 8 .652 3.0 14-9 1 7-4 8-4 2-1 7-1 L1 5-5 Colorado Rancheros 13 10 .565 5.0 12-11 1 9-5 4-5 0-1 6-3 W3 7-3 Brunswick Barons 13 13 .500 6.5 13-13 0 9-6 4-7 2-1 5-7 W1 4-6 Toronto Marlboros 12 15 .444 8.0 12-15 0 6-9 6-6 1-1 6-6 L1 4-6 Hammersmith Hooligans 7 16 .304 11.0 10-13 -3 2-4 5-12 0-2 0-7 L3 3-7 Hartford Harpooners 7 18 .280 12.0 8-17 -1 2-8 5-10 0-0 4-4 L1 4-6

[Alan T]

League Leaders AVG Y. Chew - COL .412 2 D. Gendron BAL .398 3 M. Sakaguchi ANN .380 4 R. Lambert COL .365 5 J. Vázquez TOR .364	League Leaders HR B. Thirkettle - BOS 9 2 L. Boyd COL 8 2 S. McFadden BOS 8 4 M. García ANN 7 4 3 more tied with 7	League Leaders RBI M. García - ANN 26 2 M. Sakaguchi ANN 25 3 P. DeRosier CHI 24 4 B. Miller TOR 23 4 R. Roberge HAL 23
League Leaders W A. Galilei - BRU 6 2 E. Bedeschi ANN 5 2 P. Brenton BAL 5 4 J. Álvarez ANN 4 4 2 more tied with 4	League Leaders ERA D. Tizzard - BOS 1.41 2 P. Brenton BAL 1.57 3 H. Hagiwara GEO 1.69 4 R. Rivera NVY 1.70 5 J. Castillo HAL 1.83	League Leaders K F. Ramos - APX 45 2 Y. Nakano NVY 42 3 E. Bedeschi ANN 41 4 D. Tizzard BOS 38 5 P. Brenton BAL 35

[Alan T]

Tsuchiya Tags Number 300
Tuesday, May 27th, 2087: He has done it!
Takiji Tsuchiya has reached the 300 home run mark. He did it today, but the Apex Assassins still dropped the game to the Napa Valley Winemakers by the score of 7-6.

"Number 300 was hard to come by. I think the pressure was getting to me a little bit. I got a call a few days ago from a couple of guys that have been through this and they just said, 'Keep going, have some fun. Just be you.' I think that helped me a little bit, having those guys make a call to me and try to settle some of the nerves down."

On his historic day Tsuchiya was 1-5 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.

Over his career Tsuchiya has batted .293 and collected 2670 hits, 300 home runs and 1245 RBIs.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Once again taken down by Alan's optimism. *drinks more wine*

[Alan T]

Tokyo's Stahl Shuts out Devils
Tuesday, May 27th, 2087: Tokyo hurler Peter Stahl was at his best as he whitewashed the Georgia Devils 4-0 today.

"He just kept the ball down, did a good job, made his pitches," said the Georgia manager. "We didn't do a good job making adjustments, so we helped him out a little bit."

Stahl fired a 3-hitter and totaled 3 strikeouts and no walks in the shutout performance.

In 11 starts this year Stahl has crafted a 3-5 record and a 4.78 ERA.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by TeachEnEspanol

Once again taken down by Alan's optimism. *drinks more wine*

Optimism? When Chief already declared you as the champ, I said I wasn't even sure that you would make the playoffs!

[Alan T]

Republic League Picks Best Starter in May
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: It was a sensational May for Evaristo Bedeschi as he mystified, mesmerized and terrorized opposing batters to capture the Republic League Pitcher of the Month trophy.

Bedeschi locked down a 5-0 mark in 6 starts last month, striking out 37 while walking 17 in 42.1 innings and posting a 2.13 ERA.

Bedeschi has made 13 starts, tossed 87.1 innings, struck out 78 batters and walked 25. His record is 10-0 with a 2.06 ERA and he has limited other teams to a .212 batting average.


May's #1 Hurler Announced: Delgado
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: José Delgado's been around the league long enough to appreciate the honor he received today. After going 4-1 in May, the 27-year-old Apex hurler has been named Continental League Pitcher of the Month.

He fanned 34 in 44.1 innings, logged an ERA of 0.41 and allowed opponents to hit .131 against him.

On the year Delgado has compiled a 4-4 mark with a 1.19 ERA.

[Alan T]

Yes, you read that correctly. Delgado has a 1.19 ERA but still is only .500 winning pct with a 4-4 record!

Of course with a BABIP of .189, I can't imaging him keeping that 1.19 ERA all season.

[Alan T]

RL Presents Batter of Month Trophy to Boyd
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: Prospective free agents love to have hot streaks and Lane Boyd is no exception. The Colorado first baseman capped off a fine month by hauling in Batter of the Month honors in the Republic League.

In May Boyd hit .330 with 9 home runs, 22 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

So far this season Boyd has hit .332 with 17 home runs, 39 RBIs and and scored 40 times.

May's #1 Batter Announced
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: The Continental League has made it official -- Steve Brock is the winner of the Batter of the Month trophy.

In May, the Napa Valley shortstop starred with a .286 batting average, 10 home runs and 21 RBIs. Brock also had 13 walks, posted a .385 on-base percentage and scored 17 times.

Currently Brock is hitting .244 and has collected 11 home runs, 29 RBIs and scored 27 times, while playing in 51 games.

[Alan T]

Chico Rookie Hits His Way to RL Honor
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: Youngster David Ramos emerged as the latest Republic League Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Chico deserved the honor, batting .350 with 4 home runs and 21 RBI. Is the month of May a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Ramos enjoy the limelight.

For the year Ramos is batting .326 with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and 36 runs scored.


CL Selects Rookie Star of the Month
Sunday, June 1st, 2087: Miguel Rijo is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest Continental League Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers.

In May the Napa Valley hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .358 average with 38 hits, 5 home runs and 13 RBIs.

This year Rijo is batting .282 with 8 home runs.

[Alan T]

June 1st, 2087:

Continental League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Baltimore Charm 29 21 .580 - 30-20 -1 17-9 12-12 4-1 4-9 111 W1 7-3 Napa Valley Winemakers 28 23 .549 1.5 28-23 0 14-11 14-12 1-3 13-6 W2 4-6 Apex Assassins 28 24 .538 2.0 29-23 -1 14-13 14-11 4-3 4-7 W3 6-4 Halifax Winter Wolves 27 25 .519 3.0 26-26 1 13-13 14-12 3-5 7-10 L2 5-5 Boston Settlers 26 25 .510 3.5 24-27 2 13-14 13-11 3-5 7-8 W1 5-5 Tokyo Cyclones 26 28 .481 5.0 24-30 2 10-16 16-12 3-1 12-6 L1 6-4 Georgia Devils 16 34 .320 13.0 17-33 -1 8-15 8-19 3-3 7-8 L2 3-7

Republic League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines 33 19 .635 - 31-21 2 17-9 16-10 2-1 8-10 108 W1 5-5 Brunswick Barons 30 22 .577 3.0 32-20 -2 17-10 13-12 5-2 11-13 L1 9-1 Chico Rebels 28 23 .549 4.5 26-25 2 13-12 15-11 4-4 10-5 L1 2-8 Colorado Rancheros 27 23 .540 5.0 25-25 2 15-11 12-12 2-4 10-7 W5 6-4 Toronto Marlboros 24 27 .471 8.5 24-27 0 11-16 13-11 4-6 14-12 L3 4-6 Hammersmith Hooligans 19 31 .380 13.0 23-27 -4 9-14 10-17 2-2 4-11 W1 5-5 Hartford Harpooners 19 35 .352 15.0 21-33 -2 7-19 12-16 2-2 9-8 W4 5-5

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Optimism? When Chief already declared you as the champ, I said I wasn't even sure that you would make the playoffs!

Yeah, but you gave us that damn A+ again.

[Alan T]

League Leaders AVG S. Visser - APX .378 2 H. Yi BRU .371 3 G. Nelson TOR .358 4 M. García ANN .354 5 D. Gendron BAL .346	League Leaders HR L. Boyd - COL 17 2 A. Romero NVY 16 3 S. McFadden BOS 12 3 D. Salazar HAM 12 5 7 tied with 11	League Leaders RBI M. García - ANN 45 2 R. van Alpen HAR 44 3 R. Roberge HAL 43 4 L. Boyd COL 39 4 2 more tied with 39
League Leaders W E. Bedeschi - ANN 10 2 A. Galilei BRU 8 3 P. Brenton BAL 7 3 M. Cardenas CHI 7 5 6 tied with 6	League Leaders ERA J. Delgado - APX 1.19 2 P. Brenton BAL 1.95 3 J. Castillo HAL 1.97 4 H. Hagiwara GEO 2.03 5 E. Bedeschi ANN 2.06	League Leaders K F. Ramos - APX 82 2 E. Bedeschi ANN 78 3 Y. Nakano NVY 77 4 H. Rivera HAR 67 5 A. Galilei BRU 65

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by TeachEnEspanol

Yeah, but you gave us that damn A+ again.

Not my fault that you keep getting all of the good players. Maybe you should spread them around some!

[Alan T]

RL's Premier Starter is Border
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: Sean Border nailed down June's Republic League Pitcher of the Month award today, adding pressure on Hammersmith to get a deal done before the 28-year-old becomes a free agent.

Border seems unfazed by the talk. "We get a deal done or we don't," he told reporters, "I'm not worrying about next year. Worrying about next year isn't what wins awards, you know?"

He fashioned a 4-1 record, reeled off 37 strikeouts, worked 41 innings and held batters to a .242 average for the month as he posted a 2.63 ERA.

So far this year Border has made 16 starts, tossed 101.2 innings, struck out 84 batters and walked 10. His record is 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and he has limited opposing teams to a .273 batting average.



Nakano Stands Out, Choice for Best Pitcher
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: Yoshimatsu Nakano had an outstanding June -- so good that the Continental League presented him with the Pitcher of the Month Award earlier today.

"There's no way to know where the Winemakers would be without Nakano," one fan is quoted as saying.

In June Nakano dominated the competition, running up a 4-1 record, a 2.63 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 37.2 innings.

On the season Nakano has a 10-4 record with a 2.50 ERA.

[Alan T]

RL's Best Batter Picked
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: In June, Théo Dubé was the toughest out in the Republic League and that is the prime reason he was voted the Batter of the Month.

The Chico center fielder rapped out 37 hits in 95 at-bats for a .389 batting average, hit 5 home runs, drove in 21 runs and scored 20 times.

This season Dubé is batting .340 with 12 home runs.


CL Honors Terry, Best Hitter in June
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: A hot-hitting Randy Terry punished CL pitchers in June, hitting .301 in 24 games while racking up 13 home runs, 22 RBIs and 20 runs scored.

With those numbers it came as no surprise that Napa Valley's 28-year-old first baseman earned Continental League Batter of the Month honors.

Terry is hitting .237 so far this season with 58 RBIs and 40 runs scored. He has 65 hits including 22 home runs, 24 walks and .308 OBP.

[Alan T]

RL Announces Rookie of the Month
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: A veritable toddler to the Republic League, David Ramos just sewed up the Rookie of the Month trophy for June.

Over the past month the 25-year-old right fielder for Chico hit .344 with 32 hits, 4 home runs and 16 RBI. He also logged 4 walks and compiled a .408 on-base percentage.

Ramos on the season is hitting .332 with 14 home runs. His stats include 48 RBIs and 56 runs scored.



Napa Valley Right Fielder June's Best Rookie
Tuesday, July 1st, 2087: Miguel Rijo earned June's Rookie of the Month honors in the Continental League for last month's performance. The boyish Napa Valley right fielder might be wet behind the ears, but he's proving that he has what it takes to play at this level.

Rijo hit .315 with 2 home runs, 10 RBIs and 15 runs scored this past month on his way to winning the award.

In 74 games this year Rijo has posted a .293 average and put up these numbers: 10 home runs, 30 RBIs and 43 runs scored.

[Alan T]

July 1st, 2087:

Continental League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Baltimore Charm 47 31 .603 - 48-30 -1 26-13 21-18 6-1 8-12 85 W6 7-3 Napa Valley Winemakers 44 31 .587 1.5 44-31 0 23-16 21-15 1-4 16-10 W1 7-3 Boston Settlers 39 37 .513 7.0 37-39 2 17-21 22-16 5-5 11-13 L1 5-5 Apex Assassins 40 39 .506 7.5 42-37 -2 20-20 20-19 4-5 8-10 W1 3-7 Halifax Winter Wolves 38 40 .487 9.0 38-40 0 15-21 23-19 3-6 12-15 L1 6-4 Tokyo Cyclones 36 42 .462 11.0 31-47 5 16-23 20-19 3-2 16-8 W1 4-6 Georgia Devils 26 50 .342 20.0 28-48 -2 12-27 14-23 4-3 11-14 L4 2-8

Republic League Standings

Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10 Ann Arbor Winged Lingerines 45 33 .577 - 42-36 3 21-15 24-18 4-3 14-12 83 L2 5-5 Brunswick Barons 44 35 .557 1.5 46-33 -2 22-18 22-17 7-4 12-19 L2 3-7 Chico Rebels 41 34 .547 2.5 40-35 1 19-20 22-14 5-5 12-8 W2 5-5 Colorado Rancheros 42 36 .538 3.0 42-36 0 21-18 21-18 6-8 15-12 W1 6-4 Toronto Marlboros 35 41 .461 9.0 35-41 0 14-24 21-17 6-8 16-16 L2 5-5 Hammersmith Hooligans 33 43 .434 11.0 34-42 -1 18-21 15-22 2-2 10-12 W1 7-3 Hartford Harpooners 30 48 .385 15.0 31-47 -1 12-27 18-21 3-3 11-11 W2 5-5

[Alan T]

League Leaders AVG M. Sakaguchi - ANN .366 2 H. Yi BRU .349 3 G. Nelson TOR .347 4 J. Vázquez TOR .346 5 R. Lambert COL .343	League Leaders HR L. Boyd - COL 23 2 R. Terry NVY 22 3 A. Romero NVY 19 4 R. Hampton BOS 18 5 3 tied with 16	League Leaders RBI R. van Alpen - HAR 63 2 R. Lambert COL 62 3 R. Terry NVY 58 4 L. Boyd COL 56 5 4 tied with 55
League Leaders W 2 tied with 11 1 E. Bedeschi ANN 11 1 P. Brenton BAL 11 3 Y. Nakano NVY 10 4 3 tied with 9	League Leaders ERA J. Delgado - APX 2.16 2 J. Castillo HAL 2.19 3 P. Brenton BAL 2.36 4 Y. Nakano NVY 2.50 5 M. Cardenas CHI 2.59	League Leaders K F. Ramos - APX 114 2 E. Bedeschi ANN 111 3 Y. Nakano NVY 107 4 H. Rivera HAR 94 5 J. Delgado APX 93

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Not my fault that you keep getting all of the good players. Maybe you should spread them around some!

I don't wannnnna. I wanna win!

[Alan T]

Nemoto Hurls Rancheros to Shutout Victory
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2087: Tetsu Nemoto was sneaky fast, on the mark and hard to hit today. He blanked the Hartford Harpooners 4-0 on 3 hits and had 3 walks and 8 strikeouts.

"You know what he's going to throw. You know what to expect. And you still can't hit it," the Hartford skipper told reporters after the shutout loss to the Colorado Rancheros.

"He just had a real deceiving fastball today and he was throwing it for strikes."

This season Nemoto has a 5-4 record with a 5.16 ERA in 16 starts.

[Alan T]

Rijo Touches All Bases, Hits for Cycle
Monday, July 7th, 2087: Miguel Rijo of the Napa Valley Winemakers had an outstanding game against the Winter Wolves. His 4-hit day included a cycle and 1 RBI as Napa Valley picked up a 7-6 victory at Howler Meadow.

M. Rijo singled in the 1st, tripled in the 3rd, doubled in the 6th, hit a solo-shot off T. Hayagawa in the 8th and struck out in the 9th.

This season in 80 games Rijo is batting .298 with 12 home runs, 33 RBIs and has scored 48 times.

[Alan T]

FOOL News: The All-Star Game Rosters Have Been Announced
Thursday, July 10th, 2087: How would you like to manage a team with more star players than you can play? It wouldn't be an easy chore. That's the dilemma facing the two managers at the annual Front Office Offseason League All-Star classic -- how to get all the talented All-Stars in the game? But it's a joy for the fans -- to see all of their favorite stars on one field at the same time.

Here are the official All-Star rosters:

Continental League:


SP Y. Nakano (NVY)
SP P. Brenton (BAL)
SP J. Castillo (HAL)
SP D. Tizzard (BOS)
SP J. Vargo (BAL)
SP W. Silver (NVY)
CL M. Caesar (HAL)
CL M. Torres (BOS)
MR J. Salinas (TOK)
MR W. Damerell (NVY)
CL J. García (GEO)
SP T. Pérez (NVY)
C B. Thirkettle (BOS)
2B R. Sánchez (BAL)
RF M. Rijo (NVY)
C J. Giles (BAL)
SS S. Brock (NVY)
1B R. Terry (NVY)
LF E. Castro (TOK)
CF S. Bailey (HAL)
3B L. Ramírez (BAL)
2B S. Visser (APX)
RF A. Romero (NVY)
RF D. Gendron (BAL)
1B C. Cudmore (APX)
LF M. Cashmann (BOS)
2B R. Trejo (NVY)
1B G. Latour (GEO)


Republic League:


SP M. Cardenas (CHI)
SP E. Bedeschi (ANN)
SP C. López (ANN)
SP M. López (HAM)
SP D. Welshman (CHI)
SP W. Grant (COL)
CL R. Mesh (ANN)
CL P. Farías (HAM)
MR J. García (ANN)
CL É. LaCoste (HAR)
MR J. Reyes (TOR)
MR P. Wolf (ANN)
CF M. Sakaguchi (ANN)
1B L. Boyd (COL)
RF R. Lambert (COL)
SS D. Hudson (CHI)
2B T. Fitzpatrick (COL)
C C. Miller (HAR)
C I. Álvarez (TOR)
LF G. Nelson (TOR)
3B A. Schneider (HAM)
CF T. Dubé (CHI)
1B P. DeRosier (CHI)
2B C. Zapata (BRU)
RF M. García (ANN)
1B F. Álvarez (BRU)
RF B. Miller (TOR)
RF D. Ramos (CHI)