D.C. is hearing footsteps behind them. That's because the Hired Hitmen have crept up to 2 games behind the Bushslappers. (As an aside, will there be a name change for the D.C. team next season after the Slappee has vacated the office?) D.C. has dropped three in a row, including the last two to Hillsborough, allowing the Hitmen a chance to move up in the standings to the fifth spot. But is that a good thing for the Hitmen? If the season ended today, the Hitmen would play the Rat Pack in the first round of the playoffs. But if they moved up to fifth and all other things remained the same (and they realistically will), they would play the Endzone Animals. The Hitmen are 7-5 this season against the Rat Pack, while they are a mere 2-8 against the Animals. Maybe the Hitmen should rein it in a little. Not too much though...Tampa Bay is still alive - probably the only team outside the playoff spots that has a realistic chance - and only 3 1/2 games behind Hillsborough.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the standings, the Mighty Men's front office is looking on with panic as their team seems to be climbing out of the basement, winning 6 games of the last 7. After finding out that owner David Landsman is trying to intentionally tank the season so he can move the franchise to Miami, manager Graig Nettles has found a new way to inspire his club. He had a cardboard cutout of Landsman in a Speedo bathing suit made up and said for every win, he will cover up a piece of the cutout. "Maybe the problem is... we're coddling these guys too much" said Landsman after cutting off the electricity in the players' locker room.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Potential roster callups of interest
As mentioned yesterday, Monday is the day when DMBL rosters expand to 30 players. Here are some of the players that may get a promotion.
Paul Konerko, Carolina - Why he's even still on this team is anyone's guess, but once the deadline passed, there was no reason to cut the veteran. Konerko is in his 5th year in Carolina, though this season has seen Konerko mostly in the minors. He's only played in 21 games and compiled a .688 OPS in those games. He probably won't return next year, so the Cats may as well call him up and give him a proper sendoff.
Jason Giambi, DC - Another veteran languishing in the minors, Giambi actually has a good shot at being kept for 2009. It couldn't hurt the Slappers to have an extra power bat on the bench. Giambi did hit 2 homers in 22 at bats in limited action this year.
Scott Linebrink, Hillsborough - Linebrink can provide some extra bullpen depth for the playoff contenders. You never know when that long extra-inning game will strike you, so it's to the Hitmen's advantage to not tire out that bullpen, especially since they only have 5 active arms on the current roster.
Alex Gordon, Las Vegas - Gordon got a brief cup of coffee earlier this year when Chone Figgins was injured. Gordon actually fared pretty well, hitting .300 with an .812 OPS and 16 runs scored in 70 at bats. Vegas may also recall Johnny Gomes, who was a disaster earlier this season. Then again they may have been so disgusted with his play earlier in the season (.187/.320/.346) that they may let him languish. That .320 OBP is actually not that bad, given his average, but he did strike out 41 times in 107 at bats.
Brian Giles and Mike Mussina, Marietta - Two favorite veterans of owner David Landsman rejoined the team this year. Giles was re-acquired from Hoboken earlier this year after the Mighty Men seemingly gave up on him. But owner Landsman "couldn't quit" him and wrested him away from Hoboken again. Meanwhile, Moose was signed as a free agent back in May. Mussina also played with the Mighty Men last season. Hmm perhaps Landsman is trying to reassemble last year's World Series team? Wes Helms, don't leave your phone!
Corey Hart, New Jersey - Hart has been Jersey's biggest disappointment this season, hitting only .170 with 5 HRs and a .492 OPS before being sent down. Hart has been tearing it up in AAA hitting .287 with a .822 OPS, so he seems to be in the plans for 2009.
Mark DeRosa, Newark - You just know that the Sugar Bears are going to recall everyone from their reserve squad and DeRosa is certainly a favorite with the front office. DeRosa only hit .216 with a .647 OPS in limited action this season, but he was a valuable member of last season's World Series winning team. Also look for David Bush and Joe Saunders to perhaps get another start each.
Yovani Gallardo, Philadelphia - With such high expectations placed on the youngster, Gallardo was a bit of a disappointment this year (9-8, 5.84 ERA). But Gallardo has the talent to be much better, and the Animals know it. Aaron Harang has been pretty shaky since being acquired from Blue Ridge (1-1, 5.82 in 4 starts). If Harang continues to struggle, Gallardo or perhaps Jason Bergmann could get another chance.
Johnny Damon, Tampa Bay - Damon only got into 4 games so far this season, but he could probably still help this club off the bench. With the Plunkers fading farther and farther from the playoff spot, maybe it's too late though. Damon's been a major cog in the Honolulu Sharks machine the past 4 years, so you can bet he's itching to get back in the lineup.
Paul Konerko, Carolina - Why he's even still on this team is anyone's guess, but once the deadline passed, there was no reason to cut the veteran. Konerko is in his 5th year in Carolina, though this season has seen Konerko mostly in the minors. He's only played in 21 games and compiled a .688 OPS in those games. He probably won't return next year, so the Cats may as well call him up and give him a proper sendoff.
Jason Giambi, DC - Another veteran languishing in the minors, Giambi actually has a good shot at being kept for 2009. It couldn't hurt the Slappers to have an extra power bat on the bench. Giambi did hit 2 homers in 22 at bats in limited action this year.
Scott Linebrink, Hillsborough - Linebrink can provide some extra bullpen depth for the playoff contenders. You never know when that long extra-inning game will strike you, so it's to the Hitmen's advantage to not tire out that bullpen, especially since they only have 5 active arms on the current roster.
Alex Gordon, Las Vegas - Gordon got a brief cup of coffee earlier this year when Chone Figgins was injured. Gordon actually fared pretty well, hitting .300 with an .812 OPS and 16 runs scored in 70 at bats. Vegas may also recall Johnny Gomes, who was a disaster earlier this season. Then again they may have been so disgusted with his play earlier in the season (.187/.320/.346) that they may let him languish. That .320 OBP is actually not that bad, given his average, but he did strike out 41 times in 107 at bats.
Brian Giles and Mike Mussina, Marietta - Two favorite veterans of owner David Landsman rejoined the team this year. Giles was re-acquired from Hoboken earlier this year after the Mighty Men seemingly gave up on him. But owner Landsman "couldn't quit" him and wrested him away from Hoboken again. Meanwhile, Moose was signed as a free agent back in May. Mussina also played with the Mighty Men last season. Hmm perhaps Landsman is trying to reassemble last year's World Series team? Wes Helms, don't leave your phone!
Corey Hart, New Jersey - Hart has been Jersey's biggest disappointment this season, hitting only .170 with 5 HRs and a .492 OPS before being sent down. Hart has been tearing it up in AAA hitting .287 with a .822 OPS, so he seems to be in the plans for 2009.
Mark DeRosa, Newark - You just know that the Sugar Bears are going to recall everyone from their reserve squad and DeRosa is certainly a favorite with the front office. DeRosa only hit .216 with a .647 OPS in limited action this season, but he was a valuable member of last season's World Series winning team. Also look for David Bush and Joe Saunders to perhaps get another start each.
Yovani Gallardo, Philadelphia - With such high expectations placed on the youngster, Gallardo was a bit of a disappointment this year (9-8, 5.84 ERA). But Gallardo has the talent to be much better, and the Animals know it. Aaron Harang has been pretty shaky since being acquired from Blue Ridge (1-1, 5.82 in 4 starts). If Harang continues to struggle, Gallardo or perhaps Jason Bergmann could get another chance.
Johnny Damon, Tampa Bay - Damon only got into 4 games so far this season, but he could probably still help this club off the bench. With the Plunkers fading farther and farther from the playoff spot, maybe it's too late though. Damon's been a major cog in the Honolulu Sharks machine the past 4 years, so you can bet he's itching to get back in the lineup.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The more things stay the same...
Hillsborough is taking a stronger and stronger grip on that final wild card spot. Yesterday's 7-6 win over the Mudcats gave them a 4-game lead over seventh-place Tampa Bay. Meanwhile Sardine City fell to 6 1/2 out of the playoff spot. Will there be any contest for the playoff spots this year? It's looking more and more like the answer to that question will be no. As a matter of fact, the likelihood of any of the teams in the six playoff spots changing positions in the final month are slim. Newark has established a 5-game lead over Las Vegas in the Hanover and holds a 4 1/2 game lead on Vancouver for 1st overall. Vancouver is even more firmly entrenched above the Morris Division, with an 11 1/2 game lead over Philadelphia. The Animals are 5 1/2 games ahead of D.C. Finally the Bushslappers are 4 games up on Hillsborough. A major winning or losing streak could shake things up a bit, but with so many teams essentially giving up*, what are the odds that will happen to one of the top dogs?
*Let's face it, Carolina, New Jersey, Blue Ridge, and Marietta are not really playing for this year and are probably all crossing their fingers hoping they lose the rest of this season's games.
By the way, Newark is just about ready to become the first team of 2008 to clinch a playoff spot. If the Sugar Bears beat Sardine City today and Tampa loses to Hillsborough, it'll happen. Vancouver is also in a good position to clinch by the end of the week.
Starting Monday, rosters expand to the full 30 players, and some teams may give some of their farmhands some playing time. We'll take a look at some of those players tomorrow...
*Let's face it, Carolina, New Jersey, Blue Ridge, and Marietta are not really playing for this year and are probably all crossing their fingers hoping they lose the rest of this season's games.
By the way, Newark is just about ready to become the first team of 2008 to clinch a playoff spot. If the Sugar Bears beat Sardine City today and Tampa loses to Hillsborough, it'll happen. Vancouver is also in a good position to clinch by the end of the week.
Starting Monday, rosters expand to the full 30 players, and some teams may give some of their farmhands some playing time. We'll take a look at some of those players tomorrow...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Peavy
John Lackey pitched a 4-hit shutout of the Mudcats yesterday, striking out six, and improving to 12-6 on the year. The Hitmen only managed 3 runs and 7 hits, but it was enough. Meanwhile Tampa pounded the Sugar Bears 11-5. Andy Pettitte, a former Sugar Bear, won his 12th as he limited Newark to 4 hits and 2 runs in 6 innings. James Loney and Pat Burrell combined to go 4-7 with 9 RBIs to lead the Plunker offense.
The team that lost ground was the Sardine City Straphangers. The Sardines fell victim to Vancouver's ace, Jake Peavy, who became the first in the DMBL to win 20 games. Peavy improved to 20-3 with 7 solid innings. With possibly 6 more starts to go, Peavy has an outside shot at tying Greg Maddux's 10-year old DMBL record of 26 wins.
Las Vegas finally was able to gain some ground on Newark with a 2-1 win over Hoboken. Jason Hirsh, who has been stellar since replacing Erik Bedard and Tim Lincecum in the rotation, outduelled Matt Garza to earn the W. Since returning to the rotation, Hirsh is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 2 starts.
The team that lost ground was the Sardine City Straphangers. The Sardines fell victim to Vancouver's ace, Jake Peavy, who became the first in the DMBL to win 20 games. Peavy improved to 20-3 with 7 solid innings. With possibly 6 more starts to go, Peavy has an outside shot at tying Greg Maddux's 10-year old DMBL record of 26 wins.
Las Vegas finally was able to gain some ground on Newark with a 2-1 win over Hoboken. Jason Hirsh, who has been stellar since replacing Erik Bedard and Tim Lincecum in the rotation, outduelled Matt Garza to earn the W. Since returning to the rotation, Hirsh is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 2 starts.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hillsborough, Newark win in overtime
Hillsborough survived a 10-inning affair with the Mudcats to eke out a 3-2 victory. The Hitmen had to tie it late on a bases-loaded walk in the 8th, then won in the 10th on a Carlos Lee double. With the win, Hillsborough moved back to .500 (64-64). The Hitmen gained one game on the Plunkers because Newark also won in 10 innings. Tampa tied it up on a Johnny Damon solo homer in the 9th to send it to extra innings, but the Plunkers quickly got into trouble in the 10th, finally walking home the go ahead run. The Hitmen now have a 3 1/2 game lead on Tampa.
Meanwhile, the Straphangers moved up to one game behind 7th place with an 8-7 win over Vancouver. Sardine City took a 7-4 lead late in the game, but the Fist climbed back and tied the game on Curtis Granderson's 2-RBI triple, his second of the game. Stephen Drew (4-5, 5 RBI) answered with a solo homer in the top of the 9th to give the Sardines the lead back. The Sardines are one of two teams to hold a winning record over the Iron Fist (Philly is the other at 6-2), winning 6 of their 9 meetings so far.
Meanwhile, the Straphangers moved up to one game behind 7th place with an 8-7 win over Vancouver. Sardine City took a 7-4 lead late in the game, but the Fist climbed back and tied the game on Curtis Granderson's 2-RBI triple, his second of the game. Stephen Drew (4-5, 5 RBI) answered with a solo homer in the top of the 9th to give the Sardines the lead back. The Sardines are one of two teams to hold a winning record over the Iron Fist (Philly is the other at 6-2), winning 6 of their 9 meetings so far.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Bombers take out Falcons
Hillsborough gained a game on Tampa yesterday with a 9-3 win over Vancouver in the first game of their doubleheader. With most of the field slumping lately it looks like only Tampa Bay and Sardine City are in any position to threaten the Hitmen. The two teams have been battling it out over the weekend, with the Sardines taking 2 of 3 from the Plunkers. The Plunkers are now 2 1/2 games behind Hillsborough, with the Straphangers 4 1/2 out. The rest of the teams are looking like longshots with under 30 games remaining in the season.
Blue Ridge dealt the Falcons a death blow over the weekend by sweeping the Birds. The Bombers took the Falcons to extra innings in the first game, winning on two bases-loaded walks in the top of the 10th. Jeremy Hermida (4-5, 5 RBIs) led the Bombers to a 10-8 win in the second game, giving the Bombers four straight victories.
Philadelphia took two of three from D.C. to keep a solid lock on fourth place overall. Matt Cain (9-4) pitched the Animals to a 7-1 win in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader and Jorge Posada (4-5) and Kelly Johnson (2-4, 3 RBIs) led Philly to a 9-7 win in game two.
Blue Ridge dealt the Falcons a death blow over the weekend by sweeping the Birds. The Bombers took the Falcons to extra innings in the first game, winning on two bases-loaded walks in the top of the 10th. Jeremy Hermida (4-5, 5 RBIs) led the Bombers to a 10-8 win in the second game, giving the Bombers four straight victories.
Philadelphia took two of three from D.C. to keep a solid lock on fourth place overall. Matt Cain (9-4) pitched the Animals to a 7-1 win in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader and Jorge Posada (4-5) and Kelly Johnson (2-4, 3 RBIs) led Philly to a 9-7 win in game two.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Harang, Lester duel in 1-0 battle
Philly battled the Mighty Men to a 1-0 victory. Newly-acquired Aaron Harang turned in a gem (8.2 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K) to win his first as a member of the Endzone Animals. Jon Lester ended up on the hardluck end of the decision despite pitching 7 innings of 1-run ball. Chris Young was the difference in the game with a solo home run in the 4th inning.
Arkansas put an end to Tampa Bay's 6-game winning streak with a 17-7 blowout. The Falcons busted out with 11 runs in the 7th inning. The Plunkers fell back to a full game behind Hillsborough. Arkansas, at 6 1/2 games, is still alive for the final playoff spot, though they are a longshot.
Vancouver held off the Sugar Bears and escaped with a 5-4 win over the Hanover Division leaders. The game was tied 1-1 until the Fist rallied for three runs in the 7th, but the Sugar Bears quickly tied up the game in the 8th when Bobby Abreu hit a 3-run homer. Newark got into trouble in the bottom of the inning and Vancouver took the lead on a fielder's choice. Billy Wagner, struggling for much of the season, got out of trouble in the ninth and recorded his 9th save.
The Rat Pack was upset by Blue Ridge in an unlikely 13-7 defeat. The Bombers scored 6 runs in the 8th inning to snatch victory away from the Rats. Jose Vidro was 4-5 with 3 RBIs, Jeremy Hermida was 3-3, and Hunter Pence was 3-4 to lead the Bomber offense.
Arkansas put an end to Tampa Bay's 6-game winning streak with a 17-7 blowout. The Falcons busted out with 11 runs in the 7th inning. The Plunkers fell back to a full game behind Hillsborough. Arkansas, at 6 1/2 games, is still alive for the final playoff spot, though they are a longshot.
Vancouver held off the Sugar Bears and escaped with a 5-4 win over the Hanover Division leaders. The game was tied 1-1 until the Fist rallied for three runs in the 7th, but the Sugar Bears quickly tied up the game in the 8th when Bobby Abreu hit a 3-run homer. Newark got into trouble in the bottom of the inning and Vancouver took the lead on a fielder's choice. Billy Wagner, struggling for much of the season, got out of trouble in the ninth and recorded his 9th save.
The Rat Pack was upset by Blue Ridge in an unlikely 13-7 defeat. The Bombers scored 6 runs in the 8th inning to snatch victory away from the Rats. Jose Vidro was 4-5 with 3 RBIs, Jeremy Hermida was 3-3, and Hunter Pence was 3-4 to lead the Bomber offense.
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