Snappers (almost) Mid-Season Report Card

[Jim]

Just posted this on the front page but thought I'd put it up here too:


Snappers (almost) Mid-Season Report Card

It’s nearing the All-Star break in the BLB and the Snappers presently have a narrow 2-game lead in the Pilsner. Coming off a trip to the IL, where the Snappers had a 2-4 road-trip, they’re looking to bounce back and have a couple nice weeks before the break. Let’s take a look at how the team has fared so far this season:<o:p></o:p>
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- C: Romano Rodenas<o:p></o:p>
Rodenas was acquired in a trade with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Windy</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> in ’85 and every year he has improved his stats. The Snappers were so impressed with him in ’86 they signed him to a 4 year extension for $35.7 million. He’s thrown out a staggering 38% of potential base stealers so he has been a great asset both with the bat and behind the plate. GRADE: A<o:p></o:p>
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- 1B: Gil Melgoza<o:p></o:p>
It seems like Melgoza likes to alternate between good & bad years (.290 in ’83, .241 in ’84, .307 in ’85, .248 in ’86, .304 in ’87). Fortunately for the Snappers, this is a good year. Melgoza already has 17 HRs and has knocked in 53 runs as he’s on pace for another 100 RBI season. GRADE: A<o:p></o:p>
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- 2B: Florentino Ostorga<o:p></o:p>
Ostorga was always very highly thought of by the Snappers organization, despite not getting the same respect from other teams. While the Snappers liked him, they considered including him on a couple trades but no other teams were interested. In his first full season, he hit .304 in ’86 and is over .300 again in ’87. He doesn’t have the best glove in the league but has a respectable 4 errors in 287 total chances. GRADE: A<o:p></o:p>
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- 3B: Gabriel Huxham<o:p></o:p>
Huxham was recently acquired from the Muckdogs and so far so good as he’s hit .294 in 12 games for the Snappers. Joe Scott did a decent job for the Snappers for most of the season but looking to make a run at the postseason the Snappers upgraded by trading for Huxham. GRADE: TBD<o:p></o:p>
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- SS: Joe Molenza<o:p></o:p>
Molenza got off to a slow start in ’87 but is heating up. In his last 10 games he’s hitting .382, with 1 HR, 5 RBI and 5 walks. He’s hitting .241 for the season with 7 HR and 39 RBI. He’s a key element to the Snappers offense so it’s a good sign he’s starting to get hot. GRADE: B-<o:p></o:p>
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- LF: Roger Morgan<o:p></o:p>
The Snappers rewarded Morgan for his great ’86 season with a nice 5-year, $51 million dollar contract. The organization was a bit concerned that he might’ve had a career year, especially at his age, but decided to take a shot with an extension. He hasn’t hit like he did in ’86 but he’s still getting on base, with a .374 OBP and a .253 average. It would be nice to get more production out of him for his salary but the Snappers are content with his output so far. GRADE: C<o:p></o:p>
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- CF: Tim O’Fay<o:p></o:p>
O’Fay has been huge for the Snappers in ’87, hitting .315 with 6 HR. He’s also been swiping bases at a nice pace, with 15 SB on the year. O’Fay was acquired in a trade for a 6^th round pick and he has definitely been worth it. The Snappers have moved him around the line-up a bit but he’s been a great lead-off hitter against righties. The Snappers were able to sign him to a very inexpensive extension in ’86 ($3.7 over 2 years) so they have him until the end of the ’88 season. In a recent check of his contract demands for an extension, he’s looking for more than $8.0 per for 2 years, so he knows he’s having a great season. GRADE: A<o:p></o:p>
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- RF: Jose Guzman<o:p></o:p>
Always consistent, Guzman is the face of the Snappers franchise and he plays like it. So far in ’87 he’s already won 1 player of the week award and 1 player of the month award. He’s truly a professional hitter, batting .326 with 16 HR and 44 RBI. The Snappers are hoping to reward him & his great play with a trip to the postseason again this year. GRADE: A<o:p></o:p>
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- SP: Brode, Sanchez, O’Loughlin, Claudius, Fitts<o:p></o:p>
The Snappers starting rotation has the 3^rd best ERA in the DL, anchored by starter Brode with his 2.06 ERA and a 9-2 record. O’Loughlin was a nice late free agent pick-up by the Snappers, with a 6-0 record and a 3.35 ERA. Sanchez is having a bit of a down year with a high ERA but is looking to pick it up in the 2^nd half. Claudius, a converted reliever, has gotten the job done with an ERA in the high 3’s. Fitts, picked up in a trade with the Kodiaks, hasn’t been anything special with an ERA near 5, but has been helpful filling in for the Lorral who is out for the year (again). GRADE: B+<o:p></o:p>
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- RP: Chanez, Lewis, Tsou, Qutnones, Kwayera, Quintero, McMonies, Diaz<o:p></o:p>
In recent years the Snappers have loaded up on relief pitching in the annual amateur draft. The bullpen has a respectable 3.55 ERA but hasn’t been as dependable as the Snappers franchise would like, with the exception of closer Diaz. Tsou has been a nice call-up and the Snappers are hoping recent call-up Kwayera can lend some assistance. The 2 Q’s, Quintero & Qutnones, have been less than exceptional and really need to step up their game. GRADE: B<o:p></o:p>
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Wrap-up<o:p></o:p>
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The Snappers are 12 games over .500 but with a small 2 game lead in the division they need to continue to play good baseball to ensure they play into October again this year. <o:p></o:p>
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Overall team grade: A-<o:p></o:p>

[Matt]

I edited it so that it will appear on the rotating headlines! Great job.

[Pat]

..figure I would steal Jims idea...also on the main page...

- C: Mike Murdock
In his second season with the big league club the highly touted prospect has shown previews of his potential. After hitting .310 in Spring Training and .294 in April, Murdock struggled in May, hitting just .177. He has since bounced back to hit .366 in June, but with him being so young, the coaches expect his bat to be inconsistent. Murdock, despite being only 23-years-old, is highly respected behind the plate by his veteran pitching staff. He has thrown out 43% of base stealers. GRADE: B

- 1B: Joe Sierra
Once the face of the franchise, Sierra recently has become an afterthought around the baseball community. Gone are the days of hitting .350, 100 RBIs and winning Stout Slugger awards. The veteran first basemen is hitting .289 with a .348 OBP in the #2 spot. Not hitting for much power these days, but after hitting .257 in 1987, this season has already been a pleasant surprise. GRADE: B

- 2B: Robert Abbott
The current top prospect in the Bats organization, Abbott has only recently been called up to the D.C. club. In 12 games, the Australian is hitting .304 with four stolen bases. He will be the leadoff hitter for the Bats the rest of the way. GRADE: INC

- 3B: Pete Summers
The 1985 IL Refreshing New Brew winner has regressed as a player. After hitting .295 as a rookie, Summers has hit in the .240s the past two years. He still has a great eye, .345 OBP, but I was expecting a bounce-back year in '87. GRADE: C

- SS: R.A. Grounds
After missing majority of the season, Grounds has started to hit in returning from a thumb injury. Only 21 games played, but the fan favorite is hitting .291. More of a natural second basemen, Grounds has done well fielding the position so far with no errors in 12 starts. GRADE: INC

- LF: Miguel Angel Padilla
MAP is the one that makes the Bats offense go. The 21-year-old is hitting .329, 16 HRs, with a league best 61 RBI. As a 19-year-old rookie in 1985, MAP lead the league in strikeouts. I expected him to develop to a great power hitter later in his career then now. A phenominal, MVP-type season. GRADE: A+

- CF: Michio Nago
Nago was hitting .325 with a .916 OPS out of the leadoff spot until he tore his meniscus just this past sim. He will miss the next two months. His second year in a row with a significant injury. He might be injury prone. GRADE: A-

- RF: Dave Robbins
In January, the Bats traded away a 1st round pick and versatile infield prospect Ivn Martnez for Robbins and cash. I knew he was expensive. I knew he was injury prone. I knew he was a risk. I did not know that he was going to hit .223 and just five homeruns. He is still taking a lot of walks, .347 OBP, stealing bases (eight) and playing good defense in right. I expect him to have a much better second half of the season. If he isn't hurt, that is. GRADE: D

- Bench: SS Jack Dynes, 3B Brody Whiteley, 2B Bob Burleson, OF Larry Fitzsymons, OF Carlos Bamentos, C Alan Starr
If anyone has a better, more productive bench unit, I would be surprised. Dynes was the starter at SS before Abbott was promoted. Defensive superstar who is now a late game replacement. Whiteley is hitting .308 in mostly pinch-hitting duties. Also a defensive replacement. Burleson was the starting second basemen with Grounds on the disabled list, and he hit .270 with 22 RBI and 19 runs. Also a defensive replacement. Bamentos is strictly a pinch runner and defensive replacement. Fitzsymons is now the starter in center with Nago out for two months. The switch hitter has great range in the outfield and is a .270 hitter. Starr is hitting .294 with a .855 OPS, including 13 RBI in just 28 games. Also a switch hitter. GRADE: A

- SP: McEvoy, Chavarraga, Gonzalez, Villazon, Zazueto, Rodriguez
My six-man rotations ERA of 2.78 is the best in all of the BLB. McEvoy signed a 5-year $90,000,000 contract, and is proving his worth. He is on pace to have his best season since 1980. Chavarraga and Gonzalez have lowered their ERAs almost a full two runs. They continue to drink from the fountain of youth at 38. Villazon is on pace for his best season since his 1983 All-Star appearance. Zazueto, the 1986 IL Refreshing New Brew, has battled injuries this season, but has played phenominal. 39.1 IP, 20 Hits, 2.06 ERA. The only starter who has struggled is lefty Joe Rodriguez. He is always wildly inconsistent, but his 4.30 ERA is making me re-think his role on this team. If that doesn't go down, he may be used in spot-starts against teams that struggle against lefties. Or he could be sent to the pen to help my struggling group. GRADE: A+

- RP: Lewis, Ramirez, Williams, Ito, Lambarria, Matthews, Alston
Besides closer Grant Lewis, who has been spectacular, this group has really struggled. Ninth worst ERA in the IL. The group is young. Mostly rookies or second-year players. Might need an additional veteran to balance them out. GRADE: C+

- Team
22 games above .500, best record in the league, few of injuries. My owner expects us to win it all and so do I. Could probaly use a solid setup man and maybe an additional bat, but this team really reminds me of the 1983 group that won the Brewmasters Championship where every starter was having a unexpected great year. GRADE: A

[Guest]

I started one but got halfway through and didn't feel like finishing it.

[Carlos]

I started one but got halfway through and didn't feel like finishing it.

Would most of it have cleared the curse filters? :)

[Guest]

Would most of it have cleared the curse filters? :)

Yeah...it wouldn't have cleared the good grades filter though.

[Jistic]

Jim, good to see Rodenas working out for you. I knew he was a player. The one thing we've been in WC is a catcher factory. Kirby, Rodenas, Windly, Burgett, and possibly another in the wings. We just had no playing time for Rodenas and he let us know about it.