SIM COMPLETE - 1994 - SIM 19

[Clay]

NEXT SIM: Wednesday @ Noon

***

Happy Labor Day to the suckers who are still working!

[Jake]

4-2 sim, but can't do much against N.O., losing 2 of 3 and dropping to 4 games back.

Gugs with back to back fantastic starts. 0 runs in his last two starts.

Offense looked good, too. rub keeping it up.

[liquidcrash]

Carolina Tobs- 5-1 this week (51-66 overall)

Now that's more like it. We swept Wilmington before taking 2/3 from Washington.

The Good

-My lineup went nuts this week. We scored 63 runs in our 6 games, at least 6 in every outing. As a team we hit .329/.409/.507 (.915 OPS). We scored at least 11 runs in 3 of our games.

-Four of my hitters made the "Top Performers" list in the utility.

<table class="sortable" width="440"><thead><tr class="headline"><td class="hsc2_l">Player</td><td class="hsc2">AVG</td><td class="hsc2">R</td><td class="hsc2">H</td><td class="hsc2">HR</td><td class="hsc2">RBI</td><td class="hsc2">SB</td><td class="hsc2">OPS</td></tr></thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="s1_l">Pat Faulkner, CAR</td><td class="s1">.435</td><td class="s1">8</td><td class="s1">10</td><td class="s1">1</td><td class="s1">7</td><td class="s1">2</td><td class="s1">1.089</td></tr> <tr><td class="s2_l">Al Hamilton, CAR</td><td class="s2">.400</td><td class="s2">8</td><td class="s2">8</td><td class="s2">0</td><td class="s2">0</td><td class="s2">0</td><td class="s2">1.156</td></tr> <tr><td class="s1_l">Rod Phillips, CAR</td><td class="s1">.429</td><td class="s1">8</td><td class="s1">9</td><td class="s1">0</td><td class="s1">6</td><td class="s1">0</td><td class="s1">1.090</td></tr> <tr><td class="s1_l">Ismael Reyes, CAR</td><td class="s1">.269</td><td class="s1">10</td><td class="s1">7</td><td class="s1">4</td><td class="s1">13</td><td class="s1">0</td><td class="s1">1.113</td></tr> </tbody></table>
-Doug Howe pitched probably his best game of the season, going 7.1 IP against the Bats, striking out 11 and not allowing a run. He's been inconsistent but every now and then throws a gem.

The Bad

-The pitching continues to be spotty at best. We gave up 32 runs in the 6 games and outside of Howe, no one pitched too well. Our lineup made up for it this week, but usually this kind of pitching gives us 2-4 weeks, as it has all season.

-We're currently 5 games worse than what our Pythagorean record says we should be. That's not the worst in the league, but it's 3rd worst in the IL. Last year we finished -9 games in comparison to the Pyth. record and we haven't posted a positive number in that category since 1985. Before that we'd had only one season in the negative. I'm not sure how to fix this or if it's mostly luck.

What's Next:

-We hit the road for interleague games, with 3 @ Dallas and 3 @ Syracuse.

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Reminder for all IL teams to get their lineups ready for a DH.

[Clay]

Colonials took Labor Day off.

[Jake]

Couple of hole-filling moves that are sure to backfire:

Picked up C Artie Ward (the Sin City/Cal one) off waivers. Dude's owed a little bit of money, but we've got room and he's an immediate upgrade over our bum Hector Cabrera offensively and definitely defensively (Ward has a DWI).

Also signed Pat Washington to a small deal for the rest of the way. With Nickell out for the year, he can DH for us, or at least get a shot to. Here's to hoping there's something left there.

[Delandis]

Baltimore Bulldogs (64-53, 1GB in Porter, 1 GB in WC)

3-0 vs VIR
1-2 at CHI

-A 4-2 week, including an improbable sweep of the Colonials in Baltimore. 5 out of 6 of our games last week were decided by 1-run. I like when we have games close games like that. We are 27-12 in 1-run games (best in the BLB).

The 6th game was decided by 2 runs.

The Good

-Better to Be Lucky Than Good: Baltimore's 26-year old infielder, Brad Antell, has put together a very solid year. A .304 batting average with 66 RBI and owner of the #3 spot for Baltimore comes with a lot of responsibility. This past week wasn't his one of his best, but he did surprise everyone when he blasted 3-2 pitch into the stands. It was surprising that he hit the home run. However, the most surprising thing, is that he did it against Virginia's Pancho Herrera who has given up fewer home runs (4) than Antell has hit all year (6).

-All He Needed Was a New Home: 3X All-Star, Jim Newlin has enjoyed his first few weeks in Baltimore. Hitting just a shade under .300 with a +.400 OBP after his first two weeks in Baltimore, Newlin has adjusted well with the team and has really helped hold up the offense while rookie Marv Barnes recovers from a foot injury.

The Bad

-Nothing Comes Easy: I have come to the realization that Loren Wallace does not possess the work ethic required to get out of this slump. After another terrible week, he still wants to hit at the top of the lineup. That just isn't going to happen with the way he's swinging the bat.


Minor League Report

-Back With A Vengeance: After being beat up in his first AA outing, Derek Vleugel bounced back in a masterful outing against the Joliet Ice Vipers: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, and 4 K.


The Week Ahead

We normally do well in inter-league play but you never know sometimes. Pittsburgh is a tough team and Maine is well....Maine.


Who Cares: Answers
This past week, Loren Wallace became the fifth player in BLB history to hit for the cycle twice in his career.

Ed Munce: 1980, 1982
Vincent Nino: 1986, 1990
Pedro Zamarida: 1986, 1987
Pat Washington: 1987, 1988


Who Cares Trivia
This past week, Jose Guzman joined elite company with his 2500th hit. Name the six others that have accomplished this feat.

[Gyrodork]

In other news...

Batavia Muckdogs may have played their last baseball game this week. Rochester Redwings pretty much ran them this season. Owner wants to sell, but no one seems interested. Matt, now's your chance!

[Matt]

I would be a perfect fit.

[Carlos]

0-6. I expect nothing more. Entirely unintentional, but Hartford has company.

Who Cares Trivia
This past week, Jose Guzman joined elite company with his 2500th hit. Name the six others that have accomplished this feat.

Spoiler

Keppel
Zamarida
Tesina
Gremades

I'm not entirely sure about these last two, but gotta guess six:

Latham
Woodbury


edit: Just checked and

Spoiler

wow, was way off on one of those names. Wanted to say one of the two I missed, and never thought the other. Always forget about that guy.

[liquidcrash]

I like the first 4. I hadn't thought about Tesina, but that's a good call.

I'd say Sato has to be up there.

[Delandis]

wow, was way off on one of those names. Wanted to say one of the two I missed, and never thought the other. Always forget about that guy.

The last two have been relatively underrated stars IMHO.

[Carlos]

Since our beloved Carolina Tobs GM already named him, Sato is the guy I always forget.

The last remaining name is someone that belongs in the conversation especially because I always consider him the arch-rival of Zamarida. (in my mind. Never publicly).

[funclown]

Pawtucket 3-3.

Did our usual suck on the road Los Lunas 1-2
Then play well at home Indy 2-1.

Could of done without the Samuel injury, but then again we are more pitching team these days.(Wonder if Carmen finally steps it up without him?)

On to interleague.....

[Pat]

Did our usual suck on the road....

riiiiiiiiiight.....

[umd]

0-6. I expect nothing more. Entirely unintentional, but Hartford has company.

89 wins to 100+ losses.