S7 Recap - AL East

Philadelphia Revolution
What Went Right: Outlasted New York in a duel that came down to the last head-to-head series between the rivals to claim the division throne… Brandon Governale locked down the AL Fireman hardware by posting 47 saves in 50 opportunities and limiting would-be late game heroes to a .527 OPS…AL pitchers were simply unable to get DH R.A. Flier out in S7. Flier led the Philadelphia attack with a mind-boggling 1.173 OPS, including 45 HR and 120 RBI.

What Went Wrong: Philly won the regular season battle, but the Cyclones bested the Revolution when it mattered most – in the post-season. Philly lost in four games to their division rivals during the first round of playoff action.

S8 Outlook: Philadelphia is always in the hunt, and again turned in a strong performance. The Revolution should improve simply as a matter of allowing young Harry Cabrera to mature. Cabrera, with an enviable combination of speed, bat control and plate discipline, is a viable candidate for a batting title possibly as soon as this season. The Revolution cannot become complacent however, as the proper tinkering by the Cyclones and Wolves could land Philadelphia in 3rd place.


New York Cyclones
What Went Right: Signing free-agent Philip Black proved to be money well-spent, as the right-hander posted a 3.18 ERA over 206.2 IP, leading the Cyclones to the franchise’s first playoff appearance ever…Cyclones advanced past Philly in the first round before eventually falling to the eventual Griffey champion, Cheyenne….Richie Miller was a legit MVP candidate and vital cog in the Cyclone offense--the 2B got on base at a .401 clip, stole 85 bases and scored 125 runs.

What Went Wrong: The Cyclones burned a lot of gas getting to the playoffs, and key players –including stud 2B Richie Miller - were showing considerable fatigue once they got there… Another SP would look nice in Cyclone blue – the rotation looked sketchy once playoff teams got past Black.

S8 Outlook: Stud hitter? Richie Miller, check. Stud pitcher? Philip Black, check. The Cyclones obviously have a strong core, and figure to make another legitimate drive toward the playoffs in S8, particularly if they can add bench depth to stem fatigue. Alternately, an additional bat in the lineup might also give manager veener the comfort to bench Miller for a few games as well.


Charlotte Wolves
What Went Right: Where the AL MVP chase was concerned, the AL East was home to a lot of contenders; however, only the Wolves had the real deal – RF David Murata – who belted 65 HR, 155 RBI and scored 147 runs. Wow.

1B Abdul Moreno played a competent second fiddle in the Wolves lineup logging a .908 OPS, 23 HR, and 74 RBI in only 384 ABs….Closer Blake Lara locked down 35 saves in 40 opportunities, which was good for his second consecutive All-Star appearance.

What Went Wrong: While Charlotte boasted one of the league’s top offenses, they lacked the pitching to make the runs stand up….the 1B coach should have shackled David Vanguri to 1st base – the CFer snagged 17 SB but got caught 21 times.

S8 Outlook: LHP Cesar Lee appears ready to join the ML rotation and should be tough on lefties. Likewise 3B/OF prospect Ricardo Mendoza, who has 40-HR+ potential, could provide some additional thrills in the lineup batting beside Murata. If Charlotte can snag a free-agent SP to bolster a suspect rotation (see: Season 7 NY Cyclones), they will have the offensive firepower to make a charge toward divisional supremacy. Charlotte could have the money to spend in free-agency if the right name is available.


St. Louis Jayhawks (S8 – Washington Foo Fighters)
What Went Right: Farmhand Alex Viriato joined the big club for the final third of the season and provided considerable offensive production as a DH, including 22 HR and 44 RBI in only 212 at-bats…Yamid Martin belted 41 HR and 115 RBI…newcomer Flip Lofton was respectable behind the plate and logged a .361 OBP….Landed SP Scott Terry in the 1st round of the amateur draft, who could be a top flight pitcher by Season 10.

What Went Wrong: Poor pitching was supported by third-tier production from the lineup. Nuff said.

S8 Outlook: The Foo Fighters’ “Big Me” in the minors is Clint Ramirez who is ready now. Ramirez could post Murata-like numbers in S8, giving each AL East club a possible MVP candidate. Batting alongside Viriato, and franchise fixtures Yamid Martin and Rod Harper should give Washington some fantastic bats in the 3 through 6 slots. The problem is that somebody still has to pitch. The net result is that there should be plenty of souvenirs at Foo Fighters games – I’m legitimately excited to follow this team in S8.

S7 Recap - NL North

Fargo Fuzznuts
What went right: Fargo took the top seed in the NL playoffs with a 107-55 record and ran with it all the way to the World Series. The Fuzznuts provided a lot of excitement during their run, taking each series to the full allotment of games, including an extra-inning thriller vs. New York in the NLCS…Much ballyhooed 2B prospect Ignacio Gandarillas made his debut and torched opposing pitching in the postseason with a .338/.417/.581 line.

What went Wrong: SP Zachary Spradlin was ridden hard during the regular season and had little left in the tank when the playoffs rolled around. As a result of frustration stemming from Spradlin's post-season blunders (including a 2.03 WHIP and 8.03 ERA), the 29-year old right hander has exchanged a series of barbs with management in anticipation of his upcoming arbitration hearing.

Season 8 Outlook: A full season of Gandarillas alongside other Fuzznut offensive stalwarts Yamid Morales and Al Javier should provide continued plenty of firepower in support of strong starting pitching. Gandarillas and friends will have to perform, as Cincinnati and Tacoma look to build upon their S7 success and challenge for divisional superiority.

Cincinnati Centipedes
What went right: Pat Funaki’s breakout season led an exciting late-season playoff run and netted the Centipede backstop the NL Silver Slugger… Young right-hander Rolando Cordero showed his impressive Season 6 debut was no fluke, following up in Season 7 with a 1.20 WHIP and limiting opposing hitters to a paltry .394 SLG…SS Jack McInerney strongly anchored the infield defense while holding his own at the plate posting a .364 OBP.

What went Wrong: Cincinnati’s surge surfaced too late in the season, and the ‘Pedes were unable to catch the faltering Twisters for the last NL Wild Card slot.

Season 8 Outlook: 3B/RF Vince Stevens appears ready to join the big club in Season 8 and could be an exciting addition in the lineup alongside Funaki…Dislodging the Fuzznuts from the division’s top perch seems like a longshot, but Centipedes fans have to be excited about their playoff prospects nonetheless.


Tacoma Appleseed (S8- Chicago Cubs)
What Went Right: Tacoma was finally able to parlay their strong farm system into success at the big league level, posting an 83-79 mark – the franchise’s best in 5 seasons…Rookie Tomas Rincon socked 58 extra base hits, including 30 HRs and was nominated to NL All-Star Team. Rincon was also named Rookie of the Year…Tacoma was in the mix until the end of the season for a Wild Card berth.

What Went Wrong: The Appleseed failed to sign their first round draft pick Will Milner…Tentative handling of the farm system by the previous manager got Tacoma’s late season surge started too late in the season to claim a Wild Card spot.

Season 8 Outlook: Seasoned manager erffdogg moved the team to Chicago and renamed them the Cubs. These Griffey Cubs have a deeper farm system than their MLB counterparts – three Appleseed pitchers made the AAA All Star team. Of these Juan Santos and Bernard Titan look ready to contribute in Cubbie blue in Season 8. With added support in the rotation, fans in Wrigleyville can look forward to 85+ wins, but it’s not clear if that will be adequate to pass a rejuvenated Cincinnati team.

Syracuse Swingers
What Went Right: A bold trade with Montgomery to land Sam Stewart and Kevin Swift yielded immediate dividends, as Stewart posted a monster hitting streak and a .388 OBP, and Swift belted 48 HRs…Brendan Singleton posted a solid season as the team’s closer, notching 33 saves.

What Went Wrong: The acquisitions of Stewart and Swift were not enough to keep the Swingers from the divisional cellar. As a result, the Swingers were forced to deal fan favorite SP Dwight Watkins for a trio of prospects.

Season 8 Outlook: The Watkins trade landed Syracuse a few decent prospects to replenish an aging squad. Carlos Posada is an on-base machine who can man an outfield corner slot; Dweezil Incaviglia is a solid, inexpensive back-of-the rotation pitcher – both appear ready to contribute in Season 8. However, whether they can off-set the loss of a perennial Cy Young candidate is questionable, especially given the strides made by the other three teams in the division. More importantly, the Incaviglia acquisition could allow Syracuse to feature a dual Dweezil attack this season (Dweezils Henson and Incaviglia).

S7 Recap - AL North

Pittsburgh Ponies
What went right: Pittsburgh ran away with the AL East – the AL’s best division -- and the top seed in the Junior Circuit playoffs…Matt Ross set unassailable pitching records, including a Griffey best 26 wins, 0.58 WHIP and 0.71 ERA… Juan Tejada provided the fireworks offensively, posting a .351/.428/.641, which was good enough for a 3rd place finish in the AL MVP voting….Rookie Trenidad Perez added an additional facet to Pittsburgh’s offense at 2B/LF…Pittsburgh captured four of seven Pitcher of the Week honors.

What went wrong: Ross picked a bad time to allow his season-worst 5 ER in a game – Game 4 of the ALCS – which opened the door for Cheyenne to advance to the World Series. Those 5 ER were almost 22 percent of his ENTIRE SEASON total.

Season 8 Prognosis: At one point, vade96, manager of the Los Angeles Mojo, made reference to a bus—a very special, magical bus that might run over Matt Ross. That bus never made its appearance in Season 7, and unless it does in Season 8, Pittsburgh is the team to beat in the AL, despite not being defending AL champs. It should be noted that Season 8 is the last in Ross’s ridiculously undervalued contract – how much will he demand in Season 9 and will travisg be willing to pay it?

Montreal Valiants
What Went Right: Montreal posted that AL’s 3rd best record…Twin rookie sluggers Tike Hayes and Russell Brow provided a one-two offensive counterbalance to the pitching of perennial Cy Young candidates Ed Miller and Ned Truby…Tike Hayes was a waiver wire salvage that netted Montreal 56 HR in Season 7.

What Went Wrong: Montreal’s strong regular season didn’t carry over to the post season, where they fell meekly to Season 6 AL runners-up Charleston in four games…A lot of ABs went to sub-.800 OPS hitters which hampered the offense

Season 8 Prognosis: 2B/3B Ben Stewart looks ready to join the big club in Season 8, and should be a factor in the competition for the AL batting crown. Stewart might be a better fit in the outfield, but if Montreal can stomach below-average defense at one of the infield positions, the offense could make a leap to among the league’s best.

Trenton Cage Rattlers
What Went Right: Trenton was exciting on the base paths, falling one short of the AL lead in steals with 321…Matthew Ball continued to lead the offense with 130 RBI, extending his career franchise record to 926…Trenton boasted four players with more than 40 SB.

What Went Wrong: Pitchers Tuck Wilson and Lenny Sears were relegated to the 60-day DL early in the season, leaving a gap on the mound…an AL 11th best .780 OPS was not good enough to competitively support league average pitching.

Season 8 Prognosis: Trenton is an aging team saddled with the AL’s highest salaries ($121 M in Season 7). With little room to make improvements via free agency and the inevitable decline in skills for returning veterans makes a 4th place finish a very real possibility in Season 8. However, the Cage Rattlers boast an OBP-happy cast of youngsters in AAA which could buoy an otherwise aging cast.

Cleveland Rockers
What Went Right: As further evidence of the AL East being the top division in the Junior Circuit, Cleveland was best of the AL’s 4th place teams…Cleveland has a few blue-chippers to rebuild around including Benny Armas (who may benefit from a move to the outfield) and SS Luis Trajano…30-year old Gene Hampton posted a 1.18 WHIP and 79 Ks through 96.2 IP, emerging as a valuable weapon on the mound.

What Went Wrong: The Rockers should be renamed the Cleveland Colanders if their defense can’t be fixed. However, to be perfectly fair, in first-year manager rounder31’s defense, he wasn’t left with much on the roster where fielding was concerned.

Season 8 Prognosis: SS Luis Trajano underperformed offensively in Season 7, and should rebound in Season 8. If the fielding can be improved via free agency or trades, the pitching talent is there to keep opposing offenses in check. A .500 record should be an achievable goal with some well-focused dumpster diving.

S7 League Leaders (Pitching)

Wins
Matt Ross, Pitt, 26-4 (AL Leader)*
Terry Torres, NYY, 24-3 (NL Leader)
Dean Bukvich, Pit, 23-5
Denny Yamamoto, Atl, 20-10
Juan Cordero, NYY, 19-4
* Previous record: Dwight Watkins, 24, S2 Syracuse

ERA
Matt Ross, Pitt, 0.71 (AL)*
Terry Torres, NYY, 2.11 (NL)
Juan Cordero, NYY, 2.39
Eduardo Osuna, Tac, 2.50
Wilt Voyles, SA, 2.97
*Previous record: Ross, 1.78, S6 Pittsburgh

Strikeouts
Matt Ross, Pit, 334 (AL)*
Dean Bukvich, Pit, 237
Terry Torres, NYY, 230 (NL)
Hootie Houston, Pit, 212
Benny Halter, Atl, 210
*Previous record: Ross, 266, S6 Pittsburgh

WHIP
Matt Ross, Pitt, 0.58 (AL)*
Juan Cordero, NYY, 0.99 (NL)
Terry Torres, NYY, 1.02
Zachrey Spradlin, Far, 1.08
Sandy Conway, LA, 1.13
*Previous record: Ross, 0.85, S6 Pittsburgh

Saves
Brandon Governale, Phi, 47/50 (AL)*
Rickey Young, LA, 44/53 (NL)
Derek Stark, SA, 41/43
Curtis Peterman, Mnt, 40/47
Che-Bang Ramirez, Ana, 38/44
*Previous record: Phil Sasaki, 44, S2 Pittsburgh; Brendan Singleton, 44, S5 Syracuse

S7 League Leaders (Hitting)

Batting Average
Royce Minor, Col, .356 (AL Batting Champ)
Pat Funaki, Cin, .355 (NL Batting Champ)
Juan Tejada, Pit, .351
Curt Bates, Alb, .350
R.A. Flier, Phi, .349

Home Runs
David Murata, Cha, 65 (AL Leader)
Michael Snow, Atl, 61 (NL Leader)
Bob Leary, Ana, 60
Tike Hayes, Mon, 56
Royce Bagley, Col, 55

RBI
David Murata, Cha, 155 (AL)
Michael Snow, Atl, 148 (NL)
Curtis Bland, NYC, 147
Royce Bagley, Col, 144
Matt Waters, Phi, 144

Stolen Bases
Jimmy Vargas, NYC, 94/110 (AL Leader)
Bobby Joe Bonham, Col, 87/89
Richie Miller, NYC, 85/100
Matthew Ball, Tre, 79/87
Mark Russell, Pit, 79/92
Sammy Romero, Fla, 76/83 (NL Leader)
* Previous record: Walker Purcell, 77, S1 Boston

Hitting Streak
Sam Stewart, Syr, 31 (NL)
Rafael Pineda, Cha, 24 (still active) (AL)
Alan Green, NYY, 24
Sam Wheeler, Phi, 21
Terry Finley, StL, 21

Power Rankings @ 149 Games

With 16 games remaining, the playoff teams have all made themselves known, with the exception of the final NL Wild Card Spot. Consequently, this last, regular season posting of the power rankings will cover the 11 playoff "locks" and this last race.


1. Pittsburgh Ponies [102-47, Run Differential (RD): +292, Prev. Ranking (PR): 2]

Ponies get the top spot due to their Griffey-best 102 wins, coupled with the facte that any playoff opponent would likely face the untouchable Matt Ross three times in a seven game series. It would be tough to quantify Ross's dominance succinctly, but here's a try: The Pittsburgh ace has more complete games on the season (25) than earned runs allowed (23). The Ponies' bullpen is solid, but can be beaten, provided opponents can even get to it.


2. New York Yank-mes (97-52, RD: +220, PR: 3)

The Yank-mes appear to be the top team in the NL, having posted solid records against the primary NL Contenders. Specifically, New York has gone 7-3 against San Antonio, 3-3 vs. Fuzznuts, and 7-3 against Atlanta. A pitching staff featuring a 1-2 punch of twin aces Juan Cordero and Terry Torres should lead New York far into the post season.


3. Fargo Fuzznuts (99-50, RD +331, PR: 1)
The Fuzznuts lost some of their swagger since the time of the last Power Rankings, having dropped key series against top NL contenders Atlanta and San Antonio (twice). The Fuzznuts do not appear to match up well against either team, having posted a 2-8 record against San Antonio and 4-6 against Atlanta; Fargo is 3-3 against New York, another team that figures prominently in the NL picture.

4. Cheyenne Duck Snorts(93-56, RD: +212, PR: 10)
Unquestionably, the Duck Snorts have been the AL's hottest team since the time of the last Power Rankings, having posted a gleaming 30-7 mark over the past 37 games. This impressive run included 23 games against the full gamut of Junior Circuit contenders [Pittsburgh (6 games), NY (7 games), Charleston (3 games), Montreal (3 games), and Philadelphia (4 games)], against whom Cheyenne posted a 16-7 record. Cheyenne is a deep team, well-built for the regular season, but the Duck Snorts lack the true pitching ace to make them a threat to contend for the AL Crown.

5. Atlanta Ripettoes (92-57, RD: +115, PR: NR)

Atlanta was quite vocal after feeling slighted during the last power rankings, but rather than sulk about it, the Ripettoes got it done on the field in tallying impressive series wins over top NL opponents New York, Fargo and San Antonio. Like Cheyenne, Atlanta features a deep pitching staff, but also lacks the top-shelf starting pitcher to go toe-to-(Rippet)toe with New York or maybe even Fargo in a short playoff series.

6. San Antonio fighters (92-57, RD:+198, PR 4)
The fighters have been enigmatic in the 2nd half, at times looking sharp and at times looking very beatable. The defending NL Champs will have to regain their stride here in the last week if they want to make a title run.

7. Montreal Valiants (85-64, RD: +143, PR: 6)
It's difficult to tell whether this record is a true indicator of Montreal's talent, as they could have put the season in cruise control 30 games ago. The Valiants have been lead offensively by rookies Russell Brow (.391 OBP)and Tike Hayes (55 HR, 138 RBI)

8. Los Angeles Mojo (86-63, RD: +107, PR: 9)
The Mojo are another team who can put it on auto pilot for the remainder of the season. NL MVP hopeful Chuck Simmons has found the Mojo's new digs much to his liking here in Season 7 having belted 45 HR in a renowned pitchers park. Simmons will have to maintain pace if the Mojo want to contend with the NL heavyweights.

9. Charleston Cobras (83-66, RD: +108, PR: 5)

The champagne is on ice in Charleston, as a repeat divsion title looks readily in hand. Javier Marquez claimed another Player of the Week Honor this week, so the Cobras appear to be in top form heading into the playoffs. Last season, the Cobras gave the Ponies all they could handle in the ALCS, and hope to improve on that performance once the playoffs start.

t-10. Philadelphia Revolution (85-62, RD: +85, PR: NR)

Philadelphia finally overcame a disappointing start to make the AL East Race interesting. The Revolution feature a flight to the top of the division standings has been lead by the powerful bat of DH R.A. Flier, who boasts the AL's top OPS (1.188). Philly still has an outside chance of catching Cheyenne to claim the second first-round bye, but given the short schedule remaining, the stars would really have to align for the Revolution.

t-10. New York Cyclones (85-64, RD: +73, PR: 9)

New York has struggled desperately to fend off the Revolution, but fatigue has set in for the Cyclones. Key bats, including MVP hopeful Richie Miller desperately need some time off if the Cyclones want to make the most of their inevitable playoff berth. With rested bats, New York could make some noise, since opponents could see more of Philip Black with a shortened rotation.

12. 2nd NL Wild Card????

Who knows what will happen with this race, but this is probably the story of the year in Griffey. Four teams (KC, Cincinnati, Tacoma, Pawtucket) are within a game of the final berth. The wild card has been KC's to lose all year, but the Twisters have floundered badly in the 2nd half. The Centipedes boast a +156 run differential, which compares favorably with many others on this list. Tacoma, on the other hand has been outscored on the year, so their presence in the race has been something of a surprise; however, a change in management has clearly helped. Pawtucket will face Atlanta and New York in their final series, which would seem to be a strike against the G-Maniacs' chances; however, those teams may be resting up for the playoffs at that time, which may give Pawtucket a puncher's chance.

Power Rankings @ 112 Games

1. Fargo Fuzznuts [76-36, Run Differential (RD): +265 , Prev Rank (PR): 1]
Fargo continues to play excellent ball, and the All-Star Break did not appear to slow them at all, as they ripped off a 12-2 stretch during a torrid 22-7 stretch. However, Fargo took the short end of a hard-fought three game series against defending NL Champ San Antonio, dropping 2 of 3.

2. Pittsburgh Ponies (77-35, RD: +217, PR: 2 )
Since getting swept by Fargo on February 27, the Ponies have been consistently dominant, losing only one series since that time. However, while the Fuzznuts have peers in the NL, the Ponies are without equal in the AL -- the AL's second best record, New York, trails Pittsburgh by a full 12 games.

3. New-York Yank-mes (75-37, RD: +149, PR: 4)
The Yank-mes had their division lead cut to one game following an awful 4-10 stretch, but reminded the Ripettoes who the leader was, shellacking Atlanta 7-4, 16-7, and 9-3 for the sweep. Significant tests await the Yank-mes during the last third of the season, including 22 games against top-10 teams in the schedule, plus three more games against Atlanta who will be out for blood. While the Yank-mes would be considered a pitching-heavy team, it should be noted that Alan Green is the league leader in OPS (1.173) by a significant margin (2nd place is KC's Edwin O'Malley at 1.021).

4. San Antonio fighters (69-43, RD: +152, PR: 3 )
Not to be outdone, the fighters showed a little vulnerability themselves, posting 3-11 mark around the All-Star Break, including a sweep by Syracuse. Offense continues to be the San Antonio's strength, however, as four fighters rank in the league's top 20 for OPS.

5. Charleston Cobras (64-48, RD: +102, PR: 6)
Charleston has dropped their last two series (a three-game set against Cheyenne, and a four-game series against Trenton), but has otherwise been solid since the All-Star Break. Torrid hitting from Home Run Derby champ Frank Lee has helped shoulder the burden left by a solid, but second-tier pitching staff. Lee has combined with perennial All-Star Javier Marquez for 78 HR already, and the duo should have 200 RBI between them within the next few games.

6. Montreal Valiants (65-47, RD: +105, PR: 7)
Montreal boasts the second-best run differential in the AL, and should be able to improve their record as a relatively soft schedule remains -- the Valiants have only 10 games left in the schedule against teams currently ranked in the top-10. If Montreal maintains pace, they will spend the home stretch watching who will claim the 4th seed in the AL -- their most likely opponent in the playoffs.

7. Kansas City Twisters (64-48, RD: +77, PR: t-8 )

Since the All-Star break, the Twisters have taken three of four from San Antonio and split a four-game set in Fargo, which shows the Twisters can hang with the big boys. As noted earlier, Edwin O'Malley and his league-leading batting average (.341) continue to lead the offense; however, the right fielder is not without help -- Braden Duncan has slugged 32 HR and 101 RBI, and Lariel Santana leads the league in runs with 96.

8. New York Cyclones (65-47, RD: +69, PR: 9)
New York has caught fire, posting a blistering 21-11 mark since the time of the last power rankings. This sustained success may have buried the Wolves chances for division glory, as they lag the Cyclones by nine games. However, the Revolution are still in the hunt at four games back. Considering New York's sub-.500 finish in Season 6, Philip Black (second in the AL in WHIP with 1.10) is easily the off-season's most important free-agent signing. MVP candidate Richie Miller has buoyed the offense with a league-leading 68 SBs to go along with an impressive .963 OPS.

9. Los Angeles Mojo (66-46, RD: +89, PR: 10)
The Mojo crept into the top-10 last time around, and justified the acknowledgement by winning a full two-thirds of their games, going 22-11 over the duration. However, it must be noted that the Mojo played only one game against a top-10 team during that stretch -- the tail-end of a three game sweep by Fargo. The Mojo must continue to fatten up on the league's weak sisters, as a ten game stretch against the Yank-mes and fighters awaits them during the stretch run.

10. Cheyenne Duck Snorts (63-49, RD: +83, PR: 5)
The Duck Snorts' continued bouts of inconsistency move them down 5 spots in the Power Rankings. At one point over the past stretch, Cheyenne maintained an 8 game lead in the AL West, but failed to bolster their lead in dropping series against bottomfeeders Texas and Salem. With a mere 3 game lead in front of surging Colorado, the Duck Snorts' grasp of the division lead appears tenuous.