Lars the Greek - Cobb Times Herald
AL East
Pittsburgh SSP (97-65)
--Last season the SSP finished 2nd to division stalwarts the Boston Heat. But Lars senses the winds of change, and thinks this is the year that Pittsburgh takes home a divisional title. The SSP are young and loaded, and the Heat are aging, which means that the SSP have the edge.
Prediction: 100-62 - 1st place
New York Titans (102-60)
--The Titans (formerly Boston Heat) were picked to just make the playoffs last season, but they surprised Lars with a monster year. But Lars thinks they won't be so fortunate this season, as their division rivals have all improved and closed the gap. The veteran leadership should be enough to get them back to the playoffs, but as a wildcard instead of a division champ.
Prediction: 95-67 - 2nd place
Scranton Dragons (93-69)
--Ken Puffer "The Magic Dragon" leads a talented team that nearly made the playoffs last season. Some midseason upheaval in Scranton shook up the Dragons, but their young players keep getting better, and if things break the right way they could possibly contend for the division title. Lars thinks they will fall a little short however.
Prediction: 94-68 - 3rd place
Kansas City KILL (47-115)
--The KILL blew up the aging roster that was residing in Cleveland when they moved to K.C. last season, and have been making a slew of moves that are bringing in lots of young prospects. The young talent is good, but still a year or two away from being a factor in the bigs. Expect another last place finish this season, but slightly more wins.
Prediction: 56-106 4th place
Friday, April 11, 2008
Season Preview - Season 8 - AL North
Lars the Greek - Cobb Times Herald
Last season the Omaha Sluggers and Anaheim Sharks proved Lars the Greek wrong, when both of them made the world series over Lars picks, the Pawtucket G-Maniacs and Louisville Tysons. This season Lars looks deeper into his crystal ball to determine who will bring home the hardware.
AL North
Pawtucket G-Maniacs (107-55)
--Last season the G-Maniacs made a run to the ALCS, but fell short against the Anaheim Sharks. Their team is getting a little older but is still devastating both at the plate and the mound. Another division title and first round bye isn't out of the question.
Prediction - 101-61 - 1st place
Chicago Sabercats (87-75)
--Kip Zeile, Santos Diaz, and the rest of the Sabercats return for another run at a wildcard spot. It will be tough though, with Pawtucket being quite good, and Philadelphia being improved and injury free. Lars thinks that Chicago will finish a few games off of their record last season.
Prediction - 84-78 - 2nd place
Philadelphia Floppin' Phils (72-90)
--The Phils were routed by injuries last season, and also suffered an unexplainable meltdown by their rotation. They are hoping that things will get better in Philly, and a strong batch of free agents, led by all star veteran Flip Heathcott look to change the tide. Lars thinks the Phils will top .500 this year.
Prediction - 83-79 - 3rd place
Burlington Big Dogs (51-111)
--Rising from the ruins of the New York Brokers franchise, the Big Dogs are hoping a move to Burlington and new management will put them on a winning track. Lars knows though that rebuilding takes lots of time, and the Big Dogs have a few seasons before the fruits of their labors will show on the ML level.
Prediction - 60-102 - 4th place
Last season the Omaha Sluggers and Anaheim Sharks proved Lars the Greek wrong, when both of them made the world series over Lars picks, the Pawtucket G-Maniacs and Louisville Tysons. This season Lars looks deeper into his crystal ball to determine who will bring home the hardware.
AL North
Pawtucket G-Maniacs (107-55)
--Last season the G-Maniacs made a run to the ALCS, but fell short against the Anaheim Sharks. Their team is getting a little older but is still devastating both at the plate and the mound. Another division title and first round bye isn't out of the question.
Prediction - 101-61 - 1st place
Chicago Sabercats (87-75)
--Kip Zeile, Santos Diaz, and the rest of the Sabercats return for another run at a wildcard spot. It will be tough though, with Pawtucket being quite good, and Philadelphia being improved and injury free. Lars thinks that Chicago will finish a few games off of their record last season.
Prediction - 84-78 - 2nd place
Philadelphia Floppin' Phils (72-90)
--The Phils were routed by injuries last season, and also suffered an unexplainable meltdown by their rotation. They are hoping that things will get better in Philly, and a strong batch of free agents, led by all star veteran Flip Heathcott look to change the tide. Lars thinks the Phils will top .500 this year.
Prediction - 83-79 - 3rd place
Burlington Big Dogs (51-111)
--Rising from the ruins of the New York Brokers franchise, the Big Dogs are hoping a move to Burlington and new management will put them on a winning track. Lars knows though that rebuilding takes lots of time, and the Big Dogs have a few seasons before the fruits of their labors will show on the ML level.
Prediction - 60-102 - 4th place
Monday, April 7, 2008
Coming Soon - Cobb II
Buster Gunns - Cobb Times Herald
In an act of genius or madness, many of the owners in the current Cobb World have decided to spend even more money on overpaid players and lousy coaches and form a second Cobb World baseball league. Owners who have expressed their intentions of doubling their workload are as follows:
FW_Kekionga - NL West - Sacramento
mrploppie - AL
phillyfan33 - AL - same div. as mrploppie
wihargo
furniss13 - NL South - Memphis
alogman1
cosmicblob - same div. as elderboy02 and brianfurnish
elderboy02
brianfurnish - NL East - Tampa
mhoffa - AL South - Austin
yanks21
krs96
ardthomp
The__Kid - AL East
rbf_4 - AL
More to come on this breaking story.
In an act of genius or madness, many of the owners in the current Cobb World have decided to spend even more money on overpaid players and lousy coaches and form a second Cobb World baseball league. Owners who have expressed their intentions of doubling their workload are as follows:
FW_Kekionga - NL West - Sacramento
mrploppie - AL
phillyfan33 - AL - same div. as mrploppie
wihargo
furniss13 - NL South - Memphis
alogman1
cosmicblob - same div. as elderboy02 and brianfurnish
elderboy02
brianfurnish - NL East - Tampa
mhoffa - AL South - Austin
yanks21
krs96
ardthomp
The__Kid - AL East
rbf_4 - AL
More to come on this breaking story.
Friday, April 4, 2008
HoF or Not? - Shortstop
Arnold McGee - Cobb Times Herald
In the continuing series, Hof or Not?, The Times Herald is examining which players have the potential to make the Hall of Fame. Today the subjects are shortstops, the wizards of the glove. Of course there are some heavy hitters in here as well, with Dallas Kline overshadowing every other player at the position. Once you look past him though there are some other very good players, so let's take a look at who they are and what their chances for immortality might be.
Dallas Kline - Louisville Tysons
Qualifications: 6 All Star appearances, 2 MVP, 5 Silver Sluggers, 2 Gold Gloves (1 @ 3B), 414 HR's, 939 Runs, 1.051 OPS, 1099 RBIs
Detriments: None
HoF or Not: HoF - Kline is arguably the best player in the history of Cobb World, and along with Jose Barrios has been on another planet offensively for all 7 of his recorded seasons. Add his mastery of the glove which netted him two Gold Gloves, and you have a first ballot Hall of Famer, no questions asked.
Quinn Coleman - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, average offensive numbers
HoF or Not: NOT - Coleman was one of the dominant shortstops for the first few years of Cobb World, but he hasn't aged well and his numbers aren't on the level of other players at the position. Good but not great is the consensus here.
Henry Wade - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1143 hits, .981 Fielding %
Detriments: 7:1 negative to positive play ratio, average offensive numbers
HoF or Not: NOT - Wade is in the same boat as Coleman. Both were good early, but eclipsed later by better players. Wade probably doesn't have enough to get him into the Hall.
Kevin Williams - Wichita Wankers
Qualifications: 2 Gold Gloves, .976 Fielding %, More plus plays than negative plays
Detriments: Weak hitter who is only average at the plate.
HoF or Not: NOT - Williams is arguably the best fielding SS in Cobb history, but his average bat will leave him short of Cooperstown. Still there are many teams who were glad to have him manning the SS position in his career.
Rico Romero - St. Louis HoundDogs
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1124 hits
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, average offensive stats outside of hit tally
HoF or Not: NOT - Not yet anyways. Romero has been very good for many seasons, but hasn't been able to match the elite status of his contemporaries. Still a very good player who might be able to make the Hall if he hangs on long enough.
Rico Estrada - New York Titans
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 3 Silver Sluggers, 1237 hits, 808 runs. .302 BA
Detriments: .964 Fielding %, 4:1 negative to positive play ratio
HoF or Not: HoF: Estrada is a hitting machine, and that is enough to overcome his defensive deficiencies, which in all fairness are skewed as he played while still developing his glove at the ML level. Currently he is an elite defensive SS, and has the potential to win a gold glove. It will be interesting to see if his bust in the Hall has his trademark shades or not.
Corey Green - Fargo Fug Nuts
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Sluggers, 1 MVP, 1 ROY, .302 BA, 1.025 OPS
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - This will change if Green keeps putting up numbers and improving his glove, but at the moment he is merely an incredibly talented SS, who barring one of the trade spasms that rock the Fug Nuts annually, should remain a rock in their lineup for years. Comparisons to a young Dallas Kline are valid.
R. J. Cubillan - Pittsburgh SSP
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, .972 Fielding %
Detriments: Few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - Cubillan is another young SS to watch out for, with the potential to be very good when his career is over. If he keeps improving at his current rate, there is no reason to believe he wont be in Cooperstown when it is all said and done. But as of now he isn't there yet.
Domingo Montana - Jackson Pollocks
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 316 HR's, 929 RBI's 3:1 positive to negative play ratio
Detriments: .969 Fielding %
HoF or Not: HoF - When compared to other shortstops of his generation, Montana is equal to any of them except for Dallas Kline. His power and glove have made him the cornerstone of the Pollocks lineup, and he will be that for some time yet. He should be one of the few shortstops to finish with over 500 HR's in his career, barring something unforeseen.
Geraldo Mendoza - Durham Pitbulls
Qualifications: 3 Gold Gloves, .983 Fielding %, 3:1 positive to negative play ratio
Detriments: He is required to hit
HoF or Not: NOT - Mendoza is an elite defensive SS, but his bat keeps him from entering the Hall
On the radar but not yet ready for the discussion: Pedro Chavez - Huntington Hillbillies, Enrique Guardado - Nashville Rebel Riders.
In the continuing series, Hof or Not?, The Times Herald is examining which players have the potential to make the Hall of Fame. Today the subjects are shortstops, the wizards of the glove. Of course there are some heavy hitters in here as well, with Dallas Kline overshadowing every other player at the position. Once you look past him though there are some other very good players, so let's take a look at who they are and what their chances for immortality might be.
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Dallas Kline - Louisville Tysons
Qualifications: 6 All Star appearances, 2 MVP, 5 Silver Sluggers, 2 Gold Gloves (1 @ 3B), 414 HR's, 939 Runs, 1.051 OPS, 1099 RBIs
Detriments: None
HoF or Not: HoF - Kline is arguably the best player in the history of Cobb World, and along with Jose Barrios has been on another planet offensively for all 7 of his recorded seasons. Add his mastery of the glove which netted him two Gold Gloves, and you have a first ballot Hall of Famer, no questions asked.
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Quinn Coleman - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, average offensive numbers
HoF or Not: NOT - Coleman was one of the dominant shortstops for the first few years of Cobb World, but he hasn't aged well and his numbers aren't on the level of other players at the position. Good but not great is the consensus here.
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Henry Wade - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1143 hits, .981 Fielding %
Detriments: 7:1 negative to positive play ratio, average offensive numbers
HoF or Not: NOT - Wade is in the same boat as Coleman. Both were good early, but eclipsed later by better players. Wade probably doesn't have enough to get him into the Hall.
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Kevin Williams - Wichita Wankers
Qualifications: 2 Gold Gloves, .976 Fielding %, More plus plays than negative plays
Detriments: Weak hitter who is only average at the plate.
HoF or Not: NOT - Williams is arguably the best fielding SS in Cobb history, but his average bat will leave him short of Cooperstown. Still there are many teams who were glad to have him manning the SS position in his career.
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Rico Romero - St. Louis HoundDogs
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1124 hits
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, average offensive stats outside of hit tally
HoF or Not: NOT - Not yet anyways. Romero has been very good for many seasons, but hasn't been able to match the elite status of his contemporaries. Still a very good player who might be able to make the Hall if he hangs on long enough.
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Rico Estrada - New York Titans
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 3 Silver Sluggers, 1237 hits, 808 runs. .302 BA
Detriments: .964 Fielding %, 4:1 negative to positive play ratio
HoF or Not: HoF: Estrada is a hitting machine, and that is enough to overcome his defensive deficiencies, which in all fairness are skewed as he played while still developing his glove at the ML level. Currently he is an elite defensive SS, and has the potential to win a gold glove. It will be interesting to see if his bust in the Hall has his trademark shades or not.
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Corey Green - Fargo Fug Nuts
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Sluggers, 1 MVP, 1 ROY, .302 BA, 1.025 OPS
Detriments: .969 Fielding %, few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - This will change if Green keeps putting up numbers and improving his glove, but at the moment he is merely an incredibly talented SS, who barring one of the trade spasms that rock the Fug Nuts annually, should remain a rock in their lineup for years. Comparisons to a young Dallas Kline are valid.
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R. J. Cubillan - Pittsburgh SSP
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, .972 Fielding %
Detriments: Few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - Cubillan is another young SS to watch out for, with the potential to be very good when his career is over. If he keeps improving at his current rate, there is no reason to believe he wont be in Cooperstown when it is all said and done. But as of now he isn't there yet.
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Domingo Montana - Jackson Pollocks
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 316 HR's, 929 RBI's 3:1 positive to negative play ratio
Detriments: .969 Fielding %
HoF or Not: HoF - When compared to other shortstops of his generation, Montana is equal to any of them except for Dallas Kline. His power and glove have made him the cornerstone of the Pollocks lineup, and he will be that for some time yet. He should be one of the few shortstops to finish with over 500 HR's in his career, barring something unforeseen.
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Geraldo Mendoza - Durham Pitbulls
Qualifications: 3 Gold Gloves, .983 Fielding %, 3:1 positive to negative play ratio
Detriments: He is required to hit
HoF or Not: NOT - Mendoza is an elite defensive SS, but his bat keeps him from entering the Hall
On the radar but not yet ready for the discussion: Pedro Chavez - Huntington Hillbillies, Enrique Guardado - Nashville Rebel Riders.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
HoF or Not? - Second Base
Gord Muckvichuk - Cobb Times Herald
In our continuing series, HoF or Not?, the Cobb Times Herald is looking at who could possibly make the Hall of Fame at each position. Today the focus is on 2B, where defense is as important as what you produce at the plate. 2B in Cobb World is wide open when trying to determine the greats, but we have narrowed it down a bit in an attempt to let the cream rise to the top. By and large the crop of prospects is dominated by two veterans and a bunch of rising stars. Here's who has potential for the Hall.
Fred McConnell - Charlotte Dogs
Qualifications: 5 All Star appearances, 5 Silver Sluggers (3 2B, 2 CF), 1 Gold Glove (RF), .338 BA, 1132 hits, 917 runs, 730 BB, .461 OBP
Detriments: Spent some of his career in the OF
HoF or Not: HoF - McConnell has been one of the great pure hitters in Cobb World since season 1, and has probably the best batting eye in the history of the game. Add his solid work in the field and you have what might be the best 2B in Cobb history.
Scooter Stevenson - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 3 Gold Gloves, 1145 hits, .311 BA
Detriments: Faded badly with age
HoF or Not: HoF - Stevenson may not be the hitter McConnell is, but his glove is much better. The man of the infamous 327K contract in season 1 hopefully has enough saved up for a trip to Cooperstown.
Kenny Blair - Syracuse Beagles
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 240 HR, 916 hits, .978 Fielding %
Detriments: Still time left for him to get hurt or something else unforeseen.
HoF or Not: HoF - If Blair keeps producing at his current level there is no reason why he shouldn't make the Hall. He is just entering his prime, which means more 50+ HR seasons with solid glove-work should be expected.
Rabbit Lara - St. Louis HoundDogs
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 1 Gold Glove (RF), .316 BA, 1206 hits
Detriments: 124 Errors
HoF or Not: NOT - Lara has been very good with the stick, but his .976 fielding percentage is deceptive as he is second all time in errors at the 2B position. The bottom line is that Lara is a borderline candidate, and with a few more good seasons could see his status change, but right now he is on the wrong side of the fence.
Bill Norton - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 All Star MVP, .309 BA, .983 Fielding %
Detriments: 5:1 negative to positive play ratio, few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - Not yet anyways, but with a few more seasons like Norton has been producing that is sure to change. It's just too early to call him a Hall of Famer at this point.
Tomas Diaz - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, .981 Fielding %
Detriments: Bad management kept him shut in AAA for alternating seasons
HoF or Not: NOT - Diaz has had the misfortune of having his career mismanaged to the point where he was spending his prime in AAA after an All Star season. Why we will never know, but having escaped the dungeons of the NY Brokers to greener pastures in Omaha, he should experience a career renaissance, but not at 2B where Norton is entrenched.
Dennis Ashby - Charlotte Dogs
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, .991 Fielding %
Detriments: Hasn't been on the scene long enough
HoF or Not: NOT - Another case of too young to call a Hall of Famer. Ashby is a brilliant young player, and if he keeps up what he is achieving currently then there is no reason why he won't have HoF credentials when he retires. But at the moment he is merely a gifted young star with potential for great things.
Pat Barber - Louisville Tysons
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 5 Silver Sluggers, 299 HR's, 1.024 OPS
Detriments: 30:1 negative to positive play ratio
HoF or Not: HoF - Barber may not be the most gifted 2B with the glove, but he is adequate enough defensively to allow his thunderous bat into the lineup at a position that doesn't generally offer much power. Barber is the best slugging 2B in Cobb World, and is worthy of a spot in the Hall.
On the radar but not yet ready for the discussion: Russell Stark - Chicago Sabercats, Jose Santos - Free Agent, Benny Pineda - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats, Steven Grilli - St. Louis HoundDogs, Tom Pettitte - Pawtucket G-Maniacs, and Hee Martin - Helena Hellraisers.
In our continuing series, HoF or Not?, the Cobb Times Herald is looking at who could possibly make the Hall of Fame at each position. Today the focus is on 2B, where defense is as important as what you produce at the plate. 2B in Cobb World is wide open when trying to determine the greats, but we have narrowed it down a bit in an attempt to let the cream rise to the top. By and large the crop of prospects is dominated by two veterans and a bunch of rising stars. Here's who has potential for the Hall.
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Fred McConnell - Charlotte Dogs
Qualifications: 5 All Star appearances, 5 Silver Sluggers (3 2B, 2 CF), 1 Gold Glove (RF), .338 BA, 1132 hits, 917 runs, 730 BB, .461 OBP
Detriments: Spent some of his career in the OF
HoF or Not: HoF - McConnell has been one of the great pure hitters in Cobb World since season 1, and has probably the best batting eye in the history of the game. Add his solid work in the field and you have what might be the best 2B in Cobb history.
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Scooter Stevenson - Free Agent
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 3 Gold Gloves, 1145 hits, .311 BA
Detriments: Faded badly with age
HoF or Not: HoF - Stevenson may not be the hitter McConnell is, but his glove is much better. The man of the infamous 327K contract in season 1 hopefully has enough saved up for a trip to Cooperstown.
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Kenny Blair - Syracuse Beagles
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 240 HR, 916 hits, .978 Fielding %
Detriments: Still time left for him to get hurt or something else unforeseen.
HoF or Not: HoF - If Blair keeps producing at his current level there is no reason why he shouldn't make the Hall. He is just entering his prime, which means more 50+ HR seasons with solid glove-work should be expected.
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Rabbit Lara - St. Louis HoundDogs
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 1 Gold Glove (RF), .316 BA, 1206 hits
Detriments: 124 Errors
HoF or Not: NOT - Lara has been very good with the stick, but his .976 fielding percentage is deceptive as he is second all time in errors at the 2B position. The bottom line is that Lara is a borderline candidate, and with a few more good seasons could see his status change, but right now he is on the wrong side of the fence.
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Bill Norton - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 All Star MVP, .309 BA, .983 Fielding %
Detriments: 5:1 negative to positive play ratio, few years of service
HoF or Not: NOT - Not yet anyways, but with a few more seasons like Norton has been producing that is sure to change. It's just too early to call him a Hall of Famer at this point.
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Tomas Diaz - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, .981 Fielding %
Detriments: Bad management kept him shut in AAA for alternating seasons
HoF or Not: NOT - Diaz has had the misfortune of having his career mismanaged to the point where he was spending his prime in AAA after an All Star season. Why we will never know, but having escaped the dungeons of the NY Brokers to greener pastures in Omaha, he should experience a career renaissance, but not at 2B where Norton is entrenched.
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Dennis Ashby - Charlotte Dogs
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, .991 Fielding %
Detriments: Hasn't been on the scene long enough
HoF or Not: NOT - Another case of too young to call a Hall of Famer. Ashby is a brilliant young player, and if he keeps up what he is achieving currently then there is no reason why he won't have HoF credentials when he retires. But at the moment he is merely a gifted young star with potential for great things.
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Pat Barber - Louisville Tysons
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 5 Silver Sluggers, 299 HR's, 1.024 OPS
Detriments: 30:1 negative to positive play ratio
HoF or Not: HoF - Barber may not be the most gifted 2B with the glove, but he is adequate enough defensively to allow his thunderous bat into the lineup at a position that doesn't generally offer much power. Barber is the best slugging 2B in Cobb World, and is worthy of a spot in the Hall.
On the radar but not yet ready for the discussion: Russell Stark - Chicago Sabercats, Jose Santos - Free Agent, Benny Pineda - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats, Steven Grilli - St. Louis HoundDogs, Tom Pettitte - Pawtucket G-Maniacs, and Hee Martin - Helena Hellraisers.
Andres Liriano - "I Like Big Bucks!"
Tito McQueen - Cobb Times Herald
In what may be the most extravagant contract awarded this offseason, Andres Liriano signed with the Toledo Tsunamis for a whopping 5 years and 37.5 million dollars. The utility player had ended the previous season on the Tsunamis AAA squad, after bouncing back and forth between the majors and minors for the last few seasons. The career .290 hitter was pleased with his contract, saying, "If I were Sir Mix-A-Lot, I would be rapping about liking Big Bucks, because I do, I like them very much." He continued, "With this money I will be able to move my family out of the barrio and into a secure compound in the Dominican, where they will be safe from roving gangs and Chupacabra."
There were signs at the beginning of free agency that Liriano would be a hard sign for any team looking to ink him to a contract when he refused to negotiate with the Tsunamis, saying, "I'm filing for free agency no matter what. Sorry." But the mountain of cash thrown at him by Toledo changed his mind regarding his employer fairly quickly. "We figured that a player of Liriano's stature needed to be in Toledo to raise the perception of our franchise and our great city," said Tsunami PR official Zeke Blauveldt. Tsunami fans were a bit more skeptical of the contract. "What the hell were they thinking?" asked fan Charles Widmore, "I love Liriano as much as the next guy, but if he was on our AAA team last year how is he worth 7 million a year? Maybe Toledo can give me a 3 million signing bonus to work their hot dog stand, that sounds about right!" Still, talent scouts think Liriano has a shot at being a very productive big leaguer, and his eye at the plate is second to none. Now it just remains to be seen if he can justify his contract with his performance on the field.
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In what may be the most extravagant contract awarded this offseason, Andres Liriano signed with the Toledo Tsunamis for a whopping 5 years and 37.5 million dollars. The utility player had ended the previous season on the Tsunamis AAA squad, after bouncing back and forth between the majors and minors for the last few seasons. The career .290 hitter was pleased with his contract, saying, "If I were Sir Mix-A-Lot, I would be rapping about liking Big Bucks, because I do, I like them very much." He continued, "With this money I will be able to move my family out of the barrio and into a secure compound in the Dominican, where they will be safe from roving gangs and Chupacabra."
There were signs at the beginning of free agency that Liriano would be a hard sign for any team looking to ink him to a contract when he refused to negotiate with the Tsunamis, saying, "I'm filing for free agency no matter what. Sorry." But the mountain of cash thrown at him by Toledo changed his mind regarding his employer fairly quickly. "We figured that a player of Liriano's stature needed to be in Toledo to raise the perception of our franchise and our great city," said Tsunami PR official Zeke Blauveldt. Tsunami fans were a bit more skeptical of the contract. "What the hell were they thinking?" asked fan Charles Widmore, "I love Liriano as much as the next guy, but if he was on our AAA team last year how is he worth 7 million a year? Maybe Toledo can give me a 3 million signing bonus to work their hot dog stand, that sounds about right!" Still, talent scouts think Liriano has a shot at being a very productive big leaguer, and his eye at the plate is second to none. Now it just remains to be seen if he can justify his contract with his performance on the field.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
HoF or Not? - First Base
Ted Dinch - Cobb Times Herald
In our continuing series, HoF or Not?, we are looking today at the players who man 1B. With the obvious observation that 1B isn't a position for the defensively gifted, it's all about the offensive numbers put up by these players that will determine if they are Hall of Fame material. Let's look at our candidates and see who makes the cut.
Francisco Tavarez - Retired
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, Only player in Cobb history to bat over .400 in a season, career OPS of 1.005
Detriments: Only three seasons played in his prime
HoF or Not: HoF - Tavarez was *the* elite 1B for the first three seasons in Cobb World. He was still a productive player at the age of 36, when he bat .295 with an OV rating of 44. If only we could have seen what his career would have been if he had stats for when he was young.
Orber Olivo - Helena Hellraisers
Qualifications: 4 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 394 HR's, 1051 RBI's, .304 BA, 1.023 OPS
Detriments: None
HoF or Not: HoF - Olivo is one of the greatest clutch hitters in Cobb history, with 46% of his RBI's coming with 2 outs. He has been a rock in the Helena lineup and is currently 3rd all time in HR's, he is a lock.
Joseph Pan - New York Pick Pockets
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 228 HR's
Detriments: Only 574 RBI's, durability a question mark throughout career
HoF or Not: NOT - Pan has shown flashes of brilliance in his career, but always seems to be capable of much more than he is delivering. When it is all said and done he may put up HoF numbers, but at the moment he doesn't compare to the likes of Olivo and Tavarez.
Josh Price - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, .349 BA, 1.132 OPS
Detriments: Power #'s are good but not great, still young with fragile health
HoF or Not: HoF - Price is putting up absolutely insane numbers at the plate in a still young career. Barring injury he is on a pace to have one of the highest career OPS' in the history of Cobb World.
Kip Zeile - Chicago Sabercats
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 319 HR's, 901 RBI's, 1.009 OPS
Detriments: 769 K's, Surly demeanor may put off some HoF voters
HoF or Not? HoF - Ultimately Zeile's numbers will overcome his personal baggage and he should make the hall. He is a crusher and has put up consistently excellent stats since he made the bigs.
Ben Harris - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 111 HR's in three seasons
Detriments: OPS of .898, numbers weak compared to other elite 1B's
HoF or Not: NOT - Harris is one of the most naturally gifted hitters in the league, but hasn't been able to put it all together for the monster season that many think he is capable of. He is still young, but when compared to the other 1B's in his generation he isn't getting it done.
Milt Serafini - Wichita Wankers
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 1 Silver Slugger, 1 ROY, .356 BA, 1.044 OPS in first full season of ML play
Detriments: Only one full season of ML play
HoF or Not: NOT - Serafini was awesome in his first full year for Wichita. But he needs to keep it up to be considered for the Hall, as one season does not a career make. But he has major potential, and his status could very well change in the future.
On the Radar, but not yet ready for the discussion: Samuel Kennedy- Charlotte Dogs, Ernest McConnell - NY Pick Pockets (Move to RF puts him in OF discussion), Spud Jodie - Retired, and Woody Olerud - Jackson Pollocks.
In our continuing series, HoF or Not?, we are looking today at the players who man 1B. With the obvious observation that 1B isn't a position for the defensively gifted, it's all about the offensive numbers put up by these players that will determine if they are Hall of Fame material. Let's look at our candidates and see who makes the cut.
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Francisco Tavarez - Retired
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, Only player in Cobb history to bat over .400 in a season, career OPS of 1.005
Detriments: Only three seasons played in his prime
HoF or Not: HoF - Tavarez was *the* elite 1B for the first three seasons in Cobb World. He was still a productive player at the age of 36, when he bat .295 with an OV rating of 44. If only we could have seen what his career would have been if he had stats for when he was young.
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Orber Olivo - Helena Hellraisers
Qualifications: 4 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 394 HR's, 1051 RBI's, .304 BA, 1.023 OPS
Detriments: None
HoF or Not: HoF - Olivo is one of the greatest clutch hitters in Cobb history, with 46% of his RBI's coming with 2 outs. He has been a rock in the Helena lineup and is currently 3rd all time in HR's, he is a lock.
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Joseph Pan - New York Pick Pockets
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 228 HR's
Detriments: Only 574 RBI's, durability a question mark throughout career
HoF or Not: NOT - Pan has shown flashes of brilliance in his career, but always seems to be capable of much more than he is delivering. When it is all said and done he may put up HoF numbers, but at the moment he doesn't compare to the likes of Olivo and Tavarez.
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Josh Price - Omaha Sluggers
Qualifications: 2 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Sluggers, .349 BA, 1.132 OPS
Detriments: Power #'s are good but not great, still young with fragile health
HoF or Not: HoF - Price is putting up absolutely insane numbers at the plate in a still young career. Barring injury he is on a pace to have one of the highest career OPS' in the history of Cobb World.
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Kip Zeile - Chicago Sabercats
Qualifications: 3 All Star appearances, 1 Silver Slugger, 319 HR's, 901 RBI's, 1.009 OPS
Detriments: 769 K's, Surly demeanor may put off some HoF voters
HoF or Not? HoF - Ultimately Zeile's numbers will overcome his personal baggage and he should make the hall. He is a crusher and has put up consistently excellent stats since he made the bigs.
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Ben Harris - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 111 HR's in three seasons
Detriments: OPS of .898, numbers weak compared to other elite 1B's
HoF or Not: NOT - Harris is one of the most naturally gifted hitters in the league, but hasn't been able to put it all together for the monster season that many think he is capable of. He is still young, but when compared to the other 1B's in his generation he isn't getting it done.
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Milt Serafini - Wichita Wankers
Qualifications: 1 All Star appearance, 1 Silver Slugger, 1 ROY, .356 BA, 1.044 OPS in first full season of ML play
Detriments: Only one full season of ML play
HoF or Not: NOT - Serafini was awesome in his first full year for Wichita. But he needs to keep it up to be considered for the Hall, as one season does not a career make. But he has major potential, and his status could very well change in the future.
On the Radar, but not yet ready for the discussion: Samuel Kennedy- Charlotte Dogs, Ernest McConnell - NY Pick Pockets (Move to RF puts him in OF discussion), Spud Jodie - Retired, and Woody Olerud - Jackson Pollocks.
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