2018 Regular Season SIM 21 Complete - Next SIM Wednesday 10/12

[Pat]

I know that the talking heads don't have us making the playoffs, but Blues Fever is sweeping the Windy City.

Anything is possible in the IL right now.

Three teams competing for the Stout separated by just five games. Three teams competing for the Bock separated by just five games. The Wild Card is seven teams deep separated by just five games.

Should be a really exciting month+ of baseball.

[Matt]

20-8 in August puts us in the playoffs. It would be nice to win 100 games but we're already -6 in PYT, 2nd worst only to Denver, so probably not.

Stark has won back to back player of the week and took home his 2nd player of the month this season. In our last game he hit 2 HR's and drove in 7 runs. In the IL he's 1st in HR's, RBI's, SLG, WAR, runs, total bases, and his hitting .310, his best ever. I wonder what he'll want in salary next season. It scares me to have to pay him his 1st big contact at 29...so we'll aim for 3-4 years and call it good hopefully.

Scary thing is I think Freddy is going to be better.

[Matt]

Poor Pat.

SOTD:

Most 2nd Place Finishes <table class="sortable" width="600" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0" height="197"><thead><tr class="headline"><td class="hsc2_l">Team</td><td class="hsc2">2nd Place Finishes</td></tr></thead> <tbody><tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Washington Bats</td><td>18</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Maine Guides</td><td>13</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Pittsburgh Millers</td><td>13</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Carolina Tobs</td><td>12</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Baltimore Bulldogs</td><td>12</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Toronto Canadians</td><td>11</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">New Orleans Dukes</td><td>11</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Pat]

Poor Pat.

SOTD:

Most 2nd Place Finishes <table class="sortable" width="600" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0" height="197"><thead><tr class="headline"><td class="hsc2_l">Team</td><td class="hsc2">2nd Place Finishes</td></tr></thead> <tbody><tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Washington Bats</td><td>18</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Maine Guides</td><td>13</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Pittsburgh Millers</td><td>13</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Carolina Tobs</td><td>12</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">Baltimore Bulldogs</td><td>12</td></tr> <tr class="s2"><td class="s2_l">Toronto Canadians</td><td>11</td></tr> <tr class="s1"><td class="s1_l">New Orleans Dukes</td><td>11</td></tr></tbody></table>

There was a stretch, 1983-1990, where we finished 1st every year but two, including the '83 and '88 Brewmasters. Then Clay took over as commish and Washington finished 2nd eight out of nine years that followed.

[Matt]

That guy was really good. All about a winning organization...and a Tandy.

[Z]

To me Jamie O'Hearn is the clear DL Stout Slugger pick but I see Dylan Owens on a lot of ballots.

[liquidcrash]

I think O'Hearn would be the runaway winner at the moment. They're pretty even at the plate, but O'Hearn is also playing a premium position, and doing that pretty well too. He also has the edge in the counting stats- more HR, RBI, R's, etc.

Owens is the clear DL New Brew though, even with a very good field in that category.

[Pat]

To me Jamie O'Hearn is the clear DL Stout Slugger pick but I see Dylan Owens on a lot of ballots.

O'Hearn is definitely the leader at this point. Ethan Brafford is having a monster year, too: 1st in HR, RBI, ISO, xbh, 12/1 on SB and great LF defense.

Strong seasons from Brafford, O'Hearn, Owens, Piekarski, Davila and McPherson, should make voting interesting.

[Carlos]

O'Hearn is my pick as well but Owens will tempt people.

[Pat]

If Felipe Vega were to win the Pale Ale at 38.6, would he be the oldest player to win such award? Or any award?

[PaulC]

If Felipe Vega were to win the Pale Ale at 38.6, would he be the oldest player to win such award? Or any award?

Oops! That might have been a teeny mistake on California's part, just maybe.

[Pat]

Oops! That might have been a teeny mistake on California's part, just maybe.

I wouldn't beat yourself up too much. At the time he was a 37-year-old, with three guaranteed years left at $12M, coming off a 2.9 WAR season. I think a lot of GMs would have left him available via draft. Maybe, most.

I got lucky. There was a chance he could have taken a ratings hit post-draft or before the start of this season. I never anticipated he would put up these types of numbers.

[Z]

If Felipe Vega were to win the Pale Ale at 38.6, would he be the oldest player to win such award? Or any award?

As far as I know, yes.

The oldest major award winner to my knowledge is Pete Kellum, who won IL Stout Slugger in 1980 at age 37.

[Carlos]

Oops! That might have been a teeny mistake on California's part, just maybe.

Don't feel bad.

I traded a first for the guy and got shakes from others. He proceeded to bomb for me but then do well immediately after.

It's hard to be a right handed pitcher in Denver.

[bparks1987]

8-1 in our last 9 games. Swept both series against Pitt and Hartford, 2 division rivals, which gives us a comfortable lead in the wild card. Still 5 games back of Pawtucket, however we play them 6 more times. Could make or break us.
He's only pitched in 6 games so far but LHP John Carlson has been a nice addition for us, posting a 1.04 ERA in 8.2 innings so far.