Lars the Greek's Season 17 Preview - American League

Lars the Greek - Cobb Times Herald

For the first time since season 10, an American League team other than the Cleveland Steamers won the AL Pennant, with the Florida Almendares breaking through and ultimately taking the World Series title in season 16.  It will be tough for them to repeat in season 17, as the Steamers are still a juggernaut, Tacoma is drastically improved after one of the biggest trades in Cobb History, and Toronto is rapidly rising in the AL North.  Who will emerge from these and a host of other talented squads to win the AL this year?  Lars looked deep into his ball for the answers, so read on to find out.

American League

Lars the Greeks Divisional Breakdowns

AL North: There has been a seismic shift in the AL North, where the Toronto Blue Jays unseated the perennial division champs Pawtucket after 14 straight division titles, a record streak that is unlikely to ever be broken in Cobb World in the future.  Furthermore, the G-Maniacs trade hall of famer and face of the franchise SP Dean Hernandez to Tacoma in a retooling move.  The other teams in the AL North are rejoicing not having to face the Dean every four starts, and it looks like Toronto is now the clear favorite for the title with their dominant pitching staff and improving lineup.  Pawtucket will be competitive, while Chicago and Seattle continue to rebuild.  But the future is now wide open in the North, and is officially anyone's game.

AL East: Cleveland finally put together a regular season to match what it was capable of in season 16 en route to the #1 seed in the playoffs, while previous division winner Dover put together a solid season worthy of a wildcard berth.  It is looking like another dogfight between these two teams as Syracuse and New York simply don't have the talent to go toe to toe with the two big dogs in the division.  Lars thinks that Cleveland will again take the division title, but not without a fight.

AL South:  Florida and Nashville have been ruling the roost in the South for several seasons now, but in short order the Kansas City Express will be butting their heads in for a piece of the action.  The Express have been very active in the offseason upgrading their franchise with veterans to go along with their upcoming prospects, most notably trading for stud catcher Ralph Woods and signing 1B Brace Davey to add some pop to the lineup.  But while KC is improved, Florida and Nashville both won 100+ games last season, which means that they are still kings as long as players such as Eric Collins and Pedro Franco are plying their trades for those franchises.  Meanwhile the rebuilding Santa Fe Greyhounds have assembled one of the most talented set of SP's in the minors, and in 3-4 seasons will be a force to be reckoned with.  Lars thinks that Florida will take the division again, but it will be much closer. 

AL West:  Anaheim once again proved Lars wrong and easily dispatched the two teams picked to finish ahead of them in the standings and beat out Lars' win prediction by 13 games to easily take the division.  Tacoma and Vancouver disappointed however and didn't live up to the hype.  Things look to be much different this season though, as Vancouver lost a lot of quality to free agency, and Tacoma brought on board one of the greatest difference makers in Cobb today in SP Dean Hernandez.  St. Louis looks to continue rebuilding while the rest of the division dukes it out.  Vancouver managed to recoup some of their losses with free agent signings, but Lars thinks this is a two horse race, and with the addition of Hernandez Tacoma is the favorite.

Projected Cy Young: Dean Hernandez - Tacoma Jerry Gang
--Other Contenders: Kazuhiro Ong (NAS), Benito Beltre (TOR), Darren Howry (PAW), Eric Collins (FLA), Trevor Seelbach (CLE)
Projected MVP: Pedro Franco (NAS)
--Other Contenders: Lyle Crudale (CLE), Ralph Woods (KC), Richard Nakajima (VAN), Vinny Jang (CLE)
Projected Fireman of the Year: Jared Jacobsen - Anaheim Sharks
--Other Contenders: Raymond Hawkins (FLA), Jared Jacobsen (LAA), Edgardo Romero (DOV)
Projected Rookie of the Year: Ralph Walsh - St. Louis Tweakers
--Other Contenders: Shannon Sosa (DOV), Emilio Mairena (NY), Julius Olmos (SYR)

Top Five Rotations in the American League

1. Tacoma Jerry Gang
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Florida Almendares
4. Cleveland Steamers
5. Pawtucket G- Maniacs

Top Five Bullpens in the American League
1. Cleveland Steamers
2. Anaheim Sharks
3. Florida Almendares
4. Dover Dingos
5. Vancouver Grizzlies

Top Five Lineups in the American League
1. Nashville Rebel Riders
2. Tacoma Jerry Gang
3. Cleveland Steamers
4. Florida Almendares
5. Anaheim Sharks

Top Three Offseason Free Agent Signings
1. Bosco Simon - Toronto Blue Jays
2. Talmadge Young - Dover Dingos
3. Tanner Durham  - Vancouver Grizzlies

Three Teams on the Rise:
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. St. Louis Tweakers
3. Kansas City Express

Two Teams on the Decline
1. Vancouver Grizzlies
2. Santa Fe Greyhounds

Six prospects who could make a difference if called up this season
1. Morris Coomer - Anaheim Sharks
2. Torey McFarland - Anaheim Sharks
3. Malcolm Tucker - Cleveland Steamers
4. Julio Baez - Florida Almendares
5. Juan Romano - Kansas City Express
6. Ugueth Palaez - Toronto Blue Jays

Projected finishes, by division:

AL North
Toronto Blue Jays - 94-68
Pawtucket G-Maniacs - 85-77
Seattle Pilots - 76-84
Chicago Sabercats - 66-96

AL East
Cleveland Steamers - 102-60
Dover Dingoss - 93-69
Syracuse Sympathizers - 74-88
New York Expos - 65-97

AL South
Florida Almendares - 98-64
Nashville Rebel Riders - 91-71
Kansas City Express - 78-84
Santa Fe Greyhounds - 54-108

AL West
Tacoma Jerry Gang - 103-59
Anaheim Sharks - 98-64
Vancouver Grizzlies 85-77
St. Louis Tweakers - 73-89

Lars the Greek's Season 17 Preview - National League

Lars the Greek - Cobb Times Herald

The National League relinquished it's hold on the world series trophy when Richmond got swept by Florida in last years championship.  But Richmond making it to the Series heralded a new wide open era where the pennant is anyone's game in the National League, as quality teams abound and there is little separating division champions from 3rd place.  Lars the Greek is back once again to break it all down and use his viking runes to see who will come out of the melee and represent the senior circuit in the playoffs.

National League

Lars the Greeks Divisional Breakdowns

NL North: For the second season in a row the NL North came down to the last game, and this time it was New York getting the better of Sioux Falls with an extra innings win to take the division.  It looks like more of the same, with the Cleats and the Pick Pockets sporting pretty equal squads, while Trenton looks to capitalize on their first ever winning season with even more progress.  Burlington is probably a few seasons away yet, but they still have the capability to beat anyone on the right day.  Even though Trenton has the best lineup of any of the teams in the division Lars is predicting that until they get some pitching, it's going to keep coming down to Sioux Falls and New York, and Lars likes the Cleats just a little bit better this season, thanks mostly to the potential of 185 more innings of Kirk White. 

NL East: Atlanta emerged from a four team dogfight that was the tightest divisional contest in years, winning by one game over Tampa Bay and Columbus, and two over Wichita.  Things have been shaken up yet again in what was a very competitive offseason where Atlanta bid hard on the top free agents but had to settle for their second choices, Tampa signed the best available pitcher but promptly put him up for sale on the trade market, Columbus made some trades but is mostly unchanged, and Wichita made some big acquisitions.  Who will win the NL Beast is entirely up for grabs, at least in Lars opinion.

NL South: Montgomery looked like the team to beat for much of the season in the NL South last year, but Richmond charged hard down the stretch to take the division and ultimately reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.  Will they have what it takes to repeat as NL champs this year?  Probably not, simply because the NL is so deep and Montgomery has yet another wave of stud minor leaguers ready to be called to big league service.  Jackson and Charlotte recognize that this might not be the best time to compete for the division title and are reloading the chambers to make a run down the road a few seasons.  It's a two horse race, and Lars thinks that this year Montgomery has the edge.

NL West:  San Francisco suffered greatly last season and went from divisional winner to a losing record, leaving Iowa City to claim the NL West.  The Corn Dogs were a deserving champ though, and earned the #1 overall seed in the NL playoffs, before losing a tough series to Richmond in the NL championship round.  Omaha is rebuilding with steady and noticable progress, as are the Leopards, although Los Angeles is currently in a bigger rebuild state than the Sluggers.  San Francisco might give Iowa City a challenge this year if things fall into place for the Earthquakes, but Lars thinks that Iowa City should take the West without breaking too much of a sweat. 

Projected Cy Young: Kirk White - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
--Other Contenders: Davey Silva (WIC), Tommy Wakeland (TB), Jamie Hayashi (MNT), Junior Lee (ATL), Furio Kydd (IA)
Projected MVP: Chipper Harper - Columbus
--Other Contenders: Nick Weaver (ATL), Omar Rosado (NY2), Tim Collins (MNT), Doyle Grey (MNT), Benji Ordonez (RIC), Wascar Galvez (TRE)
Projected Fireman of the Year: Sarma Inge (CLB)
--Other Contenders: Kirk White (SXF), William Kim (SF)
Projected Rookie of the Year: Benito Diaz - Tampa Bay Beagles
--Other Contenders: Vin Boldin (BUR), Greg Salazar (CLB), Damaso Guapo (MNT), Tino Chang (TRE)

Top Five Rotations in the National League
1. Montgomery Burns
2. Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
3. Atlanta Pitbulls
4. Iowa City Corn Dogs
5. Tampa Bay Beagles

Top Five Bullpens in the National League
1. Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
2. Columbus HoundDogs
3. San Francisco Earthquakes
4. Wichita Wankers
5. Richmond Cohibas

Top Five Lineups in the National League
1. Wichita Wankers
2. Atlanta Pitbulls
3. San Francisco Earthquakes
4. Montgomery Burns
5. Trenton Lions

Top Three Offseason Free Agent Signings
1. Tommy Wakeland - Tampa Bay Beagles
2. Trent Billingsley - San Francisco Earthquakes
3. Ugueth Perez - Richmond Cohibas

Top Three Trade Acquisitions
1. Charles Reese - Wichita Wankers
2. Norm Gibson - Sioux Falls Corn Cleats
3. Benito Diaz - Tampa Bay Beagles

Three Teams on the Rise:
1. Montgomery Burns
2. Trenton Lions
3. San Francisco Earthquakes

Three Teams on the Decline
1. Jackson Pollocks
2. Tampa Bay Beagles
3. Columbus HoundDogs

Five prospects who could make a difference if called up this season
1. Alfonso Chavez - Burlington Huskies
2. Napolean Graves - Los Angeles Leopards
3. Howard Hall - Montgomery Burns
4. Oswaldo Prieto - Montgomery Burns
5. Vic Lopez - Trenton Lions

Projected finishes, by division:

NL North
Sioux Falls Corn Cleats -93-68
New York Pick Pockets - 90-72
Trenton Lions - 86-76
Burlington Champs - 67-95

NL East
Wichita Wankers - 94-68
Atlanta Pitbulls - 93-69
Columbus HoundDogs - 92-70
Tampa Bay Beagles - 89-73

NL South
Montomgery Burns - 96-66
Richmond Cohibas - 90-72
Charlotte Thunder - 65-97
Jackson Pollocks - 63-99

NL West
Iowa City Corn Dogs - 94-68
San Francisco Earthquakes - 89-74
Omaha Sluggers - 80-82
Los Angeles Leopards - 75-87

Tito McQueens Guide to the Season 17 HOF

Tito McQueen - Cobb Times Herald

The nominations are in, and voting has begun for the Season 17 Hall of Fame Class in Cobb World. There are some big names eligible for induction into the shrine of eternal greatness, but are they elite enough to make the cut? Here's a rundown of how Tito would vote if given the chance.

First Ballot Lock - Sean Hill
--Sure his ERA and WHIP aren't that great, but the dude has over 500 saves, the only other relievers even close to that mark are Sarma Inge and Kirk White, and nobody would argue with their greatness. In the freewheeling early years of HBD, Hill was consistently good, and almost always up for the Fireman of the Year award, and was good enough to be the closer for the Omaha dynasty, which ought to tell you all you need to know.

Why Wasn't He Voted in the First Time? - Fred McConnell
--Along with Marino Sierra, Fred McConnell was the greatest leadoff man of his generation. Unlike Sierra, McConnell also played the defensively difficult 2B/CF for the early portion of his career. For the first seven seasons in Cobb there simply wasn't a better all around threat, including Jose Barrios. It's hard to believe, but McConnell posted better numbers after moving to the pitchers park in Omaha from the hitters haven in Huntington. He was a key member of three World Series champions, and boasts a career OPS of nearly 1.000, which is impressive given the longevity of his career. He was effective until the age of 38, which is very rare for a hitter in HBD, and really was one of the all time early greats.

Best of the Rest - B.C. Steenstra, Domingo Montana, Olmedo Contreras
--These players are all just a step below the previous two in Tito's opinion, but were pretty much as good as it got when they were playing in their prime. Steenstra's .695 winning percentage was the among the best of that generation of pitchers, and he was a true #1 starter and 7 time All Star. Montana produced massive power numbers from the SS position, to the tune of 539 Home Runs, only HOFer Dallas Kline was better at SS in that regard, and is still in the all time top 5 for Home Runs. Contreras was also one of the best pitchers of his generation, and up until his retirement was a top five pitcher in key categories such as wins, strikeouts, etc... All three of these players are probably deserving of being in the Hall at some point.

Great, but Great Enough for the Hall of Fame? - Bob Sears, Roosevelt Lowell, Vasco Chantres, Richard Davis, Terrance Warden, Mendy Strong, Orber Olivo, Flip Heathcott, Pat Barber, Banana McBride, Randall Harvey.
--In their primes, every single one of these players was an All Star that would have been an asset to any team they were on. But when compared to the players that will be eventually entering the Hall of Fame, like Jose Barrios, Kaz Ong, Dean Hernandez, Vance Weaver, Kip Zeile, etc.. they simply just don't make the cut.

Special Note - Wiki Vasquez
--Wiki did more to help launch the Cobb Times Herald blog than any other player except Kip Zeile and possibly Orber Olivo. Thanks to his injury prone ways, Wiki was never able to fully utilize his talented hitting skills, but is still a legend in Cobb World, and should he get into the Hall of Fame it wouldn't be a disaster by any stretch, and would probably be welcome by many old timers.

Dean Hernandez Traded to Tacoma

Buster Gunns - Cobb Times Herald

In what has been the biggest trade of the offseason, and what will probably be the biggest trade of the year, perennial all star and future hall of famer Dean Hernandez was dealt to the Tacoma Jerry Gang in exchange for talented young hurler Darren Howry and throw in RP Bip Riley.  Hernandez's accomplishments speak for themselves, with a 248-112 W-L record, a career WHIP/ERA of 1.08/2.55, and 2,435 strikeouts, the former Dean of Pawtucket is one of the two greatest pitchers in Cobb World history, matched only by King Kaz Ong.  With Hernandez showing no signs of decline it is a good bet that even at the age of 34 he still has 4-5 good seasons left before he slows down.  Following is a detailed breakdown of the trade:

Dean Hernandez Tacoma Jerry Gang Age: 34 B/T: S/R Born: Detroit, MI Position(s): P (T1A) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Tacoma gets: Dean Hernandez
--As was mentioned earlier, Hernandez is quite simply legendary in Cobb World.  Capable of tossing 300 elite innings on a yearly basis, one can only imagine how his stats will be amplified by playing half of his games in Tacoma's Cheney Stadium, far and away one of the more pitcher friendly locales in the league.  He should get a great amount of run support too, as Tacoma's offense has recently matured into one of the better ones i the league.  The risk for Tacoma is that in his final year of a 5 year max deal, Hernandez refuses to resign and walks at the end of the season, leaving the Jerry Gang with nothing to show but some compensation picks.  Still, for a team wanting to win and win now, no bigger statement could be made than acquiring Hernandez.
Verdict: Home Run!

Darren Howry Pawtucket G-Maniacs Age: 25 B/T: R/R Born: Richmond, CA Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Bip Riley Pawtucket G-Maniacs Age: 27 B/T: R/R Born: Briarcliff Manor, NY Position(s): P (P) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Pawtucket gets: Darren Howry & Bip Riley
--Howry is 9 years younger than Hernandez, which was the major draw for Pawtucket in acquiring the talented right hander.  For a team looking to rebuild around younger talent few young starters are as good as Howry.  Howry's ratings are fairly comparable to the Deans, except that he doesn't show the workhorse stamina, and isn't as good vs. left handed hitting, otherwise he could go toe to toe in most other areas.  It will take some getting used to for Pawtucket fans accustomed to seeing Hernandez pitch every 4th day to only get a start every 5 from Howry, but he's a keeper and has a very bright future.  Riley will be serviceable as a reliever, but doesn't really show a whole lot to distinguish himself from his peers, whereas Howry has Cy Young potential. 
Verdict: Home Run (bordering on a triple, simply because Hernandez was so awesome it would be hard to get absolutely equal value)

So in summation this appears to be a win-win for both teams, and this deal has to vault Tacoma back into the drivers seat for the AL pennant, while keeping Pawtucket competitive while they retool the lineup and rotation.

Season 17 Offseason Free Agency Preview

Tommy Wakeland none none Age: 29 B/T: S/R Born: Webbers Falls, OK Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Talmadge Young none none Age: 36 B/T: R/R Born: Westbrook, MN Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Alex Brantley none none Age: 27 B/T: R/R Born: Merrimack, NH Position(s): RF/CIF/LF View Hardball Dynasty Profile

The three fine fellows above are the big 3 of Season 17's Free Agent Class. Will they too end up on the same team like LeBron, Wade and Bosh?


Special Correspondent - Leon Jackson

The Hot Stove is blazing in the Cobb World and we're here to give you the low down on this offseason's top free agents. Let's get to it!

1. Tommy Wakeland, 29, SP
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: 3.64 Career ERA

Possible Destinations: Toronto, Vancouver, Pawtucket, Richmond, Los Angeles, San Francisco
Salary Over/Under: 4 years, $45 million

Signed with Tampa Bay - 5 years, $69 million

Wakeland gets the nod as this offseason’s top free agent. He has great ratings across the board with no weaknesses to note, other than a low durability that will limit him to about 180 innings per season. But those should be a great 180 innings. He has the upside to be a staff ace, although only has posted one season with an ERA below 3.50. We certainly think he can step up – on the right team he could go sub 3.00. His age is a plus, he’s only 29, so there’s not much worry about decline during the contract he’ll sign this offseason.

2. Talmadge Young, 36, SP
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: 3.76 career ERA

Possible Destinations: Wichita, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Vancouver, Richmond, Dover
Salary Over/Under: 3 years, $31 million

Signed with Dover - 3 years, $36.5 million

Young is getting up there in age, but his skills haven’t diminished much, and it looks like he’s still got a few solid years left in the tank. Coming off a tremendous run in Columbus, he’ll definitely be an asset to the rotation for whoever ends up with him. He has outstanding control and pitches, good splits and can still go 200 innings. Basically, his only downside is his age, but he’ll be great again this season.

3. Alex Brantley, 27, RF
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: At least 42 HR, 118 RBI the last 3 seasons

Possible Destinations: Pawtucket, Vancouver, Toronto, Atlanta, Dover, Tampa Bay
Salary Over/Under: 5 years, $55 million

Signed with San Francisco - 5 years, $102 million

In a free agent class lacking quality at positions outside of 1B/LF/DH, Brantley’s combination of fielding and hitting skills earn him the top spot on the offensive side on the free agent rankings. Brantley can flat out mash the ball, and is pretty good in the field too. His age has to be considered a big plus as well, as he is only 27 and has several more quality years ahead of him. Not much downside here – he does strikeout a lot and doesn’t have the greatest OBP, if you’re looking for something. But overall, he’s the most complete offensive player in this year’s pool.

4. Skeeter Robertson, 31, SP
Type B Free Agent
Key Stat: 4.18 career ERA

Possible Destinations: Tampa Bay, Nashville, Los Angeles, Richmond, Toronto, Syracuse
Salary Over/Under: 4 years, $36 million

Signed with Seattle - 3 years, $18.6 million

Skeeter is a solid lefty, with great control and splits, but only decent pitches. He’s not a top of a rotation starter, but he can be a solid #2 or #3. He hasn’t exactly set the world on fire the past few seasons, but he can still be a solid SP, and given the fact that there aren’t that many great starters who are still in their prime in this crop of free agents, that boosts his value as well.

5. Bosco Simon, 31, LF
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: .835 career OPS

Possible Destinations: Atlanta, Vancouver, Santa Fe, Dover, Sioux Falls, San Francisco
Salary Over/Under: 3 years, $16 million

Signed with Toronto - 4 years, $25.6 million

Bosco’s back on the top Free Agents list this season after a one season stint in Vancouver in which he posted solid, yet not spectacular numbers. But in this class, he’s one of the top offensive players, and has potential to do even better than he did in Vancouver last season. He has decent enough skills to possibly play RF defensively, which is a plus, and has excellent offensive skills across the board.

6. Vladimir Segui, 30, 1B/DH
No Designation
Key Stat: 244 career HR

Possible Destinations: Kansas City, Chicago, Syracuse, Los Angeles, Atlanta
Salary Over/Under: 3 years, $15 million

Signed with Atlanta - 3 years, $15.3 million

Segui is a masher, who has two 40 HR seasons to his credit, and seems like he could do it again this season, even though he saw a slight power rating decrease from the prior year. He’s got good contact for a power hitter, and his splits and batting eye are good, but not great. He’s a bit of a liability defensively, he may be best as an AL DH. Obviously, his best asset is his power.

7. Mike Wilson, 28, LF
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: .825 career OPS, youth

Possible Destinations: Syracuse, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Toronto
Salary/Over Under: 4 years, $16 million

Signed with Vancouver - 1 year, $7 million

Mike Wilson struggled a bit last season in New York, but all signs point to him being able to bounce back. He is after all only 28, and should have several good seasons left in him. He has solid power, and nice contact and batting eye. He isn’t strong against righties, which is a slight concern, but hits lefties well. He can be a solid contributor in most lineups, but probably isn’t someone who can carry a team.

8. Curt Person, 30, RP
No Designation
Key Stat: 2.22 ERA last season

Possible Destinations: Sioux Falls, Nashville, Atlanta, San Francisco
Salary Over/Under: 3 Years, $9 million

Signed with Toronto - 1 year, $4.4 million

Person is coming off a tremendous season in St. Louis where he posted a 2.22 ERA over 77 innings. We think he’s capable of a few more similar seasons. His two pitches are outstanding to go with fairly good splits and control. He also doesn’t give up a lot of flyballs. If you’re looking for a reliever, Person’s one of the best available in this free agent class.

9. Pedro Nieves, 35, RP
No Designation
Key Stat: 3.22 career ERA

Possible Destinations: Dover, Tampa Bay, Santa Fe, Wichita
Salary Over/Under: 2 years, $7 million

Signed with Iowa City - 2 years, $6 million

Coming of a great run as Tacoma’s closer, in which he consistently posted a great ERA, while blowing few saves, Nieves is hitting the free agent market. Nieves has great control and solid splits. His pitches aren’t great, and he has lost some velocity, but he should still be a solid asset out of the pen for some team.

10. Eric Adams, 32, RP
Type A Free Agent
Key Stat: Solid Ratings

Possible Destinations: Vancouver, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco
Salary Over/Under: $2 years, $4 million

Signed with Atlanta - 1 year, $5.8 million

After two great seasons in Omaha, Adams has been completely obliterated on the mound the past two seasons, posting astronomical ERA and WHIP totals. We think he can pull out of the rut and be a solid reliever once again. He has excellent control, nice splits, a great first pitch, and a solid second pitch. Whether or not a team will sign him as a type A free agent remains to be seen, given his rocky past two seasons, but we think he can still be productive.

Good luck to all in their Free Agency pursuit!

Season 16 Draft Recap - Dover through Atlanta

Chuck Thomas Dover Dingos Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Brighton, CO Position(s): 2B/CIF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Dover Dingos
--Thanks to their stellar efforts last season the Dingos had one of the last first round picks this year, with it they chose CF/2B Chuck Thomas at #34 overall.  Thomas has a very nice glove, but only average range defensively.  At the plate he has good contact, but is otherwise only average at best with the bat.  He'll be a decent backup at the ML level, but probably not much more than that.  2nd and 3rd round picks Kevin Killian and Marshall Carter not only continue the trend of picks with last names that could also be first names, but are both fringe prospects to hit the majors at some point, but will probably top out at AAA.  4th rounder Farmer Flair has one of the best names in the draft, but that's about it.  5th rounder Jhonny Rosales has a nicely mispelled first name, but is otherwise a minor leaguer as well.  If this were a draft graded on unique names, the Dingos would get an A+, but it's not, so they don't.
Grade: D+

Jayson Harvey Columbus HoundDogs Age: 21 B/T: L/L Born: Oakley, CA Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Columbus HoundDogs
--With the final pick in the first round, the HoundDogs selected RP Jayson Harvey.  Harvey shows excellent control, above average splits, and great pitches.  He doesn't put much heat on the ball and serves up quite a few fly balls, but should still make the majors. There isn't much else to see in the Columbus draft, as after Harvey there is just a selection of minor league lifers.
Grade: D- 

Jerome McGrady Cleveland Steamers Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Tarkio, MO Position(s): P (SuA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Cleveland Steamers
 --The Steamers used the #30 pick on RP Jerome McGrady, a pretty solid setup man with closer potential in the right situation.  His stamina and durability will limit him to around 30-40 innings a season, but they will be high quality innings as his control, splits, velocity, and pitches are all very nice.  The rest of the Steamers draft netted some nice AAA talent but not much else, which given the talent in this draft is about par for the course.
Grade: D+

Augie Badilla Charlotte Thunder Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Melrose, MA Position(s): P (ClA) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Charlotte Thunder
--The Thunder had a wealth of picks in this seasons draft, and used their first one at #16 overall on RP Augie Badilla.   Badilla is probably one of the top two relievers taken in the draft this season, with huge durability that should get him 80-100+ IP in a season.  He has elite control, splits, velocity, and great pitches.  His only flaw is that he does tend to give up the flyball.  #20 overall selection RP Gabe Kirby also has closer potential, with elite control, splits, and velocity.  His first pitch is electric, and he hardly ever gives up a flyball, which is what you look for in a closer.  He doesn't have the durability of Badilla, but will be a very good ML RP.  Supplemental pick RP Dom Lowell finished the Thunders trifecta of RPs in the first round, and while he doesn't have quite the potential of Badilla or Kirby, should still make the majors as a setup man.  Supplemental pick SS Jim Wyatt is an elite defensive SS, and can hit lefties very well, and is also an excellent bunter and baserunner, and will be a good National League SS.  Supplemental pick 2B Edward Nichols was a nice value pick, and has a pretty decent bat for this draft class, and a passable glove.  He could start if the situation is right, or will be a very capable backup. From there the Charlotte draft drifts into minor league territory, but for this seasons draft class this is a very nice haul and one of the top drafts.
Grade: A

Milt Ward Chicago Sabercats Age: 20 B/T: S/L Born: Chino Hills, CA Position(s): P (SP4) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Chicago Sabercats
--With the #14 overall pick in the draft the Sabercats selected lefty SP Milt Ward.  Ward is a crafty pitcher, with great control, above average splits, and four top notch pitches.  He should be a pretty solid #2 or #3 starter in the majors once he develops.  #27 pick Tom Phillips is a SS prospect with a 3B glove and unfortunately a SS bat.  He's a pretty weak hitter, and only an average SS defensively, so will probably struggle to find a spot in the majors.  Supplemental pick RP Ivan Darnell should make it as a setup man in the majors thanks to his very high control, but he'll have to spend a bit of time in the minors working on his splits in order to be effective.   Supplemental pick RP Phil Dong also has setup man potential thanks to his control and splits.  Supplemental pick RP Will Davidson will probably top out at AAA, and the rest of Chicago's picks are minor leaguers as well.  Not a great draft, but not horrible either, solidly average.
Grade: C

Dingo Douglas Burlington Champs Age: 22 B/T: R/R Born: Moncton, NB Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Burlington Champs
--With the #10 pick in the draft the champs selected a player that Dover would probably love to have, SP Dingo Douglas.  In addition to having a rocking name, Dingo is a workhorse SP with top control, great splits, and a great pitch selection.  He has #1 starter written all over him if he develops fully.  Burlington also had the #12 pick in the draft, which they used on another starter, Gene Burnett.  Burnett is also a workhorse, but doesn't have the control or splits of Douglas, although his pitch selection is just as nice.  He should be a solid middle to end of rotation starter in the bigs.  With the #19 pick the Champs took SS Willie Latham, a solid hitting SS with a capable but not great glove for the position.  If he is able to reach his defensive potential he'll be a great hitting SS, if not he'll be an average hitting 3B. Supplemental pick SP Dean Long is another SP in the vein of Burnett, but with worse control and splits, but slightly better pitches.  He could be a #5 starter on most ML teams.  2nd round selection RP Don Lukasiewicz is a nice value pick and should be a solid ML setup man.  From there it's strictly minor league for the Champs draft.  Considering the placement and number of 1st round picks Burlington had this season, they probably would have liked to have done better, but all told this was still a solid draft.
Grade: B

Felipe Costilla Atlanta Pitbulls Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Canton, OK Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Atlanta Pitbulls
--Picking at #28, the Pitbulls selected SP Filipe Costilla, a workhorse with good control, above average splits, and some nice pitches.  He should be a solid ML SP, and projects to a #3 or #4 in the majors.   2nd round selection C Kareem Cox was an excellent value pick and is an excellent hitting and fielding catcher with good pitch calling skills.  He is also a lock to be the newest Pitbull to earn a plaque in the Wiki Vasquez Hall of Injured Greats thanks to his health rating of 18.  The rest of the Pitbulls draft brought on some minor leaguers but nothing else of note.
Grade: C-

Season 16 Draft Recap - LA Sharks of Anaheim through Florida

Kevin Vickers Anaheim Sharks Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Potter, NE Position(s): 2B/CIF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Los Angeles Sharks of Anaheim
--With the #16 pick in the draft the Sharks selected 2B/CF Kevin Vickers.  Vickers is a very solid defensive player with great range and a good glove.  He hits for high average and has good speed, and would be a pretty nice #2 hitter or bottom of the order batter.  He is a very versatile player, although he has limited durability.  Supplemental pick 3B Bubba Pisciotta is a solid backup prospect for the bigs, he as a decent glove for 3B, and has an average bat and doesn't quite have the power you would like to see at the hot corner.  Supplemental pick SP Manny Hollingsworth is a hard throwing lefty who will need to maximize his development to counteract his weakness vs. right handed hitters, but he is solid everywhere else and could be a #5 starter in the majors if things go right.  2nd round pick SP Frank McMasters would be great if his control weren't such a problem that it will prevent him from making the majors.  2nd round pick 1b/RF Darryl Spehr is a great contact hitter, but his splits are weak and he has little to no power, thus rendering him undesirable for those positions. 3rd round pick SS Garland Blank has a nice glove and could make it as a defensive replacement.  All told this draft was a mixed bag for the Sharks, yielding some promising players and some duds, but the good outweighs the bad for the most part.
Grade: C+

Jose Martinez Los Angeles Leopards Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Whitehall, WI Position(s): SS/IF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Los Angeles Leopards
--In a draft filled with stinkers it is amazing that Jose Martinez fell to #8 overall.  Martinez is a slugging 3B/SS,  who has great potential at the hot corner thanks to his tremendous bat a glove that is good but not quite up to SS level.  His batting eye is supreme, and he should hit for very high average as well as power.  He doesn't see right handed pitching too well, but his plate discipline will more than make up for that. It is good for LA that they signed Martinez though, because their 2nd round selection is a minor league lifer and none of their other top round picks signed.  But it is pretty much a given that most teams would trade their drafts for this one this season because Martinez is such a nice prospect.
Grade: B+

Don Ross Kansas City Express Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Mounds, OK Position(s): 1B View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Kansas City Express
--The Express had the #3 pick in the draft, and were the first team to select a hitter this year, and they chose a beast in 1B Don Ross.  Quite simply put, Ross is everything you want in a 1B.  He hits for maximum power and average, and is very disciplined at the plate, and his glove is good enough to play competently in the field.  Barring injury he has 500HR potential.  2nd round pick RP Nap Dillon was also a nice find for KC that late in the draft.  With his control and splits he should have a nice career as a setup man in the bigs.  None of KC's other signed picks in the top rounds will amount to much, but netting two quality ML players this season is a victory, and Ross is tremendous and was a solid use of a top five pick.
Grade: A-

Vin Lunar Jackson Pollocks Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Lamar, MO Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Jackson Pollocks
--The Pollocks had the top pick in the draft this season, and didn't waste it as they selected far and away the best pitcher in the draft in SP Vin Lunar.  Lunar's stuff is electric, he has impeccable control, extremely deceptive movement, and pitches good enough to make those skills very effective.  He is a true Ace #1 SP.  Supplemental pick CF Scott Taylor was a nice selection as well, with elite defensive skills for CF, and a pretty good bat vs. right handed pitching.  The next few picks yielded some AAAA players who could sub in the majors in a pinch if necessary in RP J.J. Rigby and LF Dustin Fick, but neither one of them will ever be starters.  Still, based on the strength of Lunar alone this was an awesome draft, as pitchers like him don't come around very often.
Grade: A

Andre Penny Iowa City Corn Dogs Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Winthrop, IA Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Iowa City Corn Dogs
--The Corn Dogs selected SP Andre Penny with the #24 pick in the draft this season.  Penny projects to have #5 starter or long relief potential, as there really isn't anything truly outstanding in his skill set.  There isn't anything really deficient either, making him a solid but not notable pitcher.  The rest of Iowa Cities draft wasn't that remarkable either, bringing on a bunch of quality minor league players, but nobody who really has a realistic shot of making the major leagues.  This was a pretty forgettable draft for the Corn Dogs.
Grade: D

Miguel Gomez Florida Almendares Age: 19 B/T: R/R Born: Hannibal, OH Position(s): P (P) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Florida Almendares
--The Almendares had two 1st round picks this season at #38 and #56.  Their first selection refused to sign, leaving them with a top pick of RP Miguel Gomez.  Gomez keeps the ball down, has great velocity and a very nice first pitch, but not enough else to distinguish himself in the major leagues, should he make it.  If he does it will probably be as a setup B pitcher.  Of the rest of the Almendares selection of draft pitchers, none of them really show enough potential to make the majors, although 3rd rounder Will Harnisch might make it as a long reliever.  Not the best draft for Florida this season.
Grade: D-