SIM COMPLETE - 1998 - SIM 7

[Delandis]

4-2 for the week, including a 3-0 sweep of Wilmington.

We looked pretty good again this week, especially the 5-hit shutout thrown by Lonnie Fowler. Fowler has been unreal so far this year, 4-2 with an ultra low 1.64 ERA. Our offense seems to be shaky but I think getting Maekawa back should help that out a bit.

[Gyrodork]

We finished Clown Week at 3 - 3. We took a pie in the face and some seltzer in the pants from Pawtucket. Big sim coming up with four on the road against the Dinos. I hope they don't suddenly acquire a taste for home cooking.

[liquidcrash]

4-2 with two series wins, so nothing to really complain about. We've got the best record in the league, though we're just tied in the division. However, this week Manny Mendez is eligible to come off the DL, as well as Al Hamilton. I'll probably try the minor league rehab thing for Mendez, since he's been out for so long, but Hamilton should be good to go. With Mendez coming back, and Burns doing well in AAA, I could have some more arms on the way really soon. That would probably necessitate a trade, so if you're looking for a mid-rotation kind of guy, I might be able to accommodate your needs. I'd like Bananas to show some better control, but it's hard to ignore a guy striking out over 15 batters per 9 innings. Jerry Brown is also looking pretty much ready to go, and Roberto Goto isn't too far away. The next (best?) wave of Tobs prospects is on the way soon.

On a bad note, we lost Ismael Reyes for six weeks. I claimed Antonio Romo as a replacement in this scenario, so we'll see how that goes.

[Pat]

Washington Bats (25-19; 1 game lead in Stout)
4-2 Sim; 1-2 @ WC, 3-0 @ DAV

The Good
Hey Linty, how about Kel Murphy? A former Bats 4th round pick, Murphy was traded in 1996 for veteran SP Rhett Erickson of California. Two years later, the Bats claimed Murphy on waivers this April. So far, in four starts, he is 2-1, 2.86 ERA, 1.02 WHIP. This week, he pitched a CG shutout @ Windy City, giving up just four hits and two walks. Oh, and he won 1-0, after knocking in the winning run in the 5th inning with a double.

A year after being overworked early in the season, resulting in a season ending injury, Edgar Salazar is back. One of the best middle relievers in the BLB, Salazar is on pace for 98.1 innings, 2.36 ERA, .83 WHIP and 110 Ks to just 15 walks. Just turned 26 in March...

I'm excited about the gamble that is Tynan Brown. The former starter and reliever, was traded to D.C. this week for a 4th round pick in next years draft. Despite that being public, no other team bit on the 31-year-old from Pawtucket. I actually tried to sign Brown back in 1995 but didn't bid enough money. Now he is here, and I always envisioned him as a starter. He is motivated by greed, in a contract year and wants to start. He will play this week.

The Bad
Never like injuries, even if they are short-term. Free-Agent superstar Don Leonard got pulled in the 4th inning of a 8-6 win over Davenport after an oblique strain. He won't even miss a start, but I'm going to need 200 innings out of Leonard this season and I don't like him starting to get dinged up already. He's broken down before.

My slugger Mal Brady is struggling. After a .931 OPS in April, he has a .721 in May. That includes a 1/24 streak the last seven games. He's proven to be a streaky hitter but on a team that struggles to score runs on the regular, I need his power to be more consistent to win.

The Ugly
Two other struggling hitters belong in the middle of my infield, Shawn Nolan and Jeremiah Kelly. Nolan, .190 average and Kelly .201, are costing me games with how poor their play has been. Kelly can still hit righties, and draws walks and has pop, but Nolan has done next to nothing this season. He's a stud infielder, but I always thought he would be a better hitters. Still in arbitration years at just 27, he might need a change of scenery. I can't figure him out.

The Disabled
The return of B.J. Parker everyone! I know you're excited. I'll be switching back to a four-man outfield with his return after so-so weeks from Del Taylor and Ismael Jorin.

The Minors
I'm in first place in each league. Triple-A = 30-9. Double-A = 25-14. Single-A = 26-13. Pretty impressive. I expect each team to fall off a bit after the rookies are entered and the cut/promote sim happens but this might be the year I compete for a trifecta at the minor league level. I know, I'm impressed too.

Next
Three vs. California, four vs. Virginia. The California series should be interesting. It features Murphy, the former Kodiak facing his former employer, Hector Pagan who has let my high forum praise get to his head and struggled the last few starts and Cy Pryor who is probably pitching for his BLB season this week, with the addition of Tynan Brown and emergence of some Triple-A starters. Then, it's the big series. The first four game vs. the Colonials. It's in D.C., it will feature my #5 and #6 starters, Art Casey and Troy Hanback but also Leonard, who is returning from injury and Tynan Brown, who was just traded for from Pawtucket, where he had been struggling. Probably marks the end of my smoke and mirrors run...

[Clay]

Guess it was a good thing I got Bayer when I did. Martinez goes down for 3 weeks.

Love my new Muckdogs. They're both playing very well. Both immediately high in morale (though Bayer DID technically invoke his 10/5 rights during the trade).

Feel like this team is transitioning on the fly. The new faces have reignited my interest in my team. We're getting super close to the TJ Knudson era. Can't wait!