Spring Time Thoughts

With Spring Training well under way I have reviewed my team’s possible year ahead on the field and I am excited for their potential.

18 Position Players, 16 of which are projected to be on an opening day lineup — 6 of them in the lead off spot.

Speed, you ask? The fastest team in the league I believe…..265 SB Attempts to use. 5 in the first series puts me behind the ave of 11.77 per 4 game series, so I will have to pick up the stolen base attempts in next couple series. 197 of those attempts are by A,B,C rated runners.

Of my TEN Starters ALL TEN have earned a place on their respective teams’ starting 5 rotation — 3 of which are their opening day starters (QUINTANA, DESCLAFANI, KEUCHEL). DeGrom and Walker in 2 spot Hon mention….).

For my relief pitchers all 8 are expected and projected to be in the bullpen on the 25 man roster with 3 very good closers (RAMOS,CHAPMAN,AND A YOUNG LORENZEN).

Only one injury: Wilson Ramos is expected back for late May as a DH? We shall see.

Things always look good at this time of year, but this by far is the best talented team I have had in this league and the most potential I have put together for future ownership.

Good Luck to all!

Manager Kevin

Speakers vs. Shooting Stars II

The Stars come into the series 3-1 while the Speakers are eager to take the field following their 2016 title run that fell flat in the finals.

Game 1 – Bartolo Colon suffers an inauspicious debut for the Speakers, hemorrhaging through 5 IP. The Stars pound “Big Sexy” for 14 hits (including 4 HRs) and 9 ER, resulting in a 16.19 ERA.

The Stars go deep three times in the 3rd inning alone. Wilson Ramos, Eduardo Nunez and Dustin Pedroia all slug solos.

The Speakers treat Steven Wright just as rudely with five consecutive hits to start the 3rd leading to 5 ER. Jared Hughes doesn’t provide much relief as Mookie Betts tags him for a 4th inning grand slam. After 5, we’re tied at 9-9 — not what Speakers management wants to see in Game 1 of a season forecasting a thin bullpen.

After a scoreless 6th (the only scoreless inning of the game), the Stars continue their barrage. Matt Carpenter leads off the 7th with a solo shot. Yasmani Tomas comes off the bench later in the inning to stroke a 3-run bomb.

Pedroia adds icing with a 2-run homer in the 8th, his second of the game. Betts provides his second HR to lead off the 9th and result in an exhausting 15-10 final.

Pitchers were hiding in their respective pens, because no arm was safe in this one. The Stars collect 24 hits, including 4 doubles, a triple and 7 home runs!

W – Heath Hembree; L – Joe Blanton (0-1)

Game 2 – Both managers look for starters to go deep. Anthony Desclafani gives the Stars 6 IP; Jake Arrieta goes the distance in a tight affair.

Roughned Odor, relegated to DH duty and batting 9th, starts the scoring with a 2nd inning, 2-out 3-run home run after Buster Posey was plunked.

Ramos puts the Stars on the board in the 5th with a 2-run shot, his second of the series. The score remains 3-2 to the bottom of the 8th.

Betts singles (0) with 1 out. Anthony Rizzo slaps a hit-and-run RBI single (5). Kris Bryant walks. AJ Ramos takes the hill to face Carlos Gonzalez, who doubles to score Rizzo. Manny Machado singles home Bryant. Ian Kinsler lifts a sac fly to center to complete a 4-run inning and 7-2 final.

Arrieta doesn’t allow a base runner after Ramos’ HR (15 straight outs, only 4 of which were hit numbers). He allows only 4 hits and saves the Speaker pen.

W – Arrieta (1-0); L – Desclafani

Game 3 – Both offenses must still be hung over from the opener. Both Jeremy Hellickson (in his Speakers’ debut) and John Lackey hold their opponents scoreless through 8 IP!

With just 4 hits and only one runner to 3rd base through 8, the Speakers get a Rizzo double to start the 9th against Marc Rzepczynski. Rajai Davis pinch runs. Bryant walks. Yoenis Cespedes is announced to pinch hit, so in comes Hughes. Cespedes hits a sharp grounder to Carpenter at 1st who turns a swift 3-6-3 DP. With 2 outs and Davis at 3rd, Machado lines a clutch double to finally break the scoreless tie.

Hellickson, having faced only 27 batters through 8, allowed just a pair of singles and 2 walks. No Stars greeted the 3rd base coach. At the top of the order, Aledmys Diaz whiffs, Jarrod Dyson lifts a pop to Betts in center, and Ryan Schimpf K’s for the 3rd time today to end a classic 1-0 shutout.

W – Hellickson (1-0); L – Rzepczysnki

Game 4 – Carlos Martinez and Brandon Finnegan square off in the finale. A Bryant single accounts for the only hit for either side through 3.

Posey’s 2-out RBI single in the 4th gives the Speakers a 1-0 lead. The Stars get 2 on base in the bottom half, but still cannot reach 3rd base.

Betts (11) singles to start the 5th. Bryant doubles to set up a Cespedes RBI ground out and Machado sac fly. With a 3-0 lead, Manny goes yard after a Cespedes base on balls in the 7th.

4 more in the 9th, including the return of Anthony Rendon (4-4, D, 3-run HR, BB, 3-RBI, R), opens a 9-0 advantage. Meanwhile, Martinez concedes 2 doubles and a pair of walks through 8.

The Stars finally dent the scoreboard in the 9th on Pedroia’s 3rd long ball of the series and Ramos’ RBI grounder. The 20 inning scoreless drought ends, but sadly in a 9-2 loss.

W – C. Martinez (1-0); L – Finnegan

Eliminators vs. Shartlesville Browns

The Browns kicked off their 2nd season in the league by welcoming the Eliminators to their Downtown home on Sunday:

Game 1. Cueto v Sale. The Eliminators jumped out to a quick lead as Jean Segura made his former team pay with a leadoff homer. Two unearned runs in the 7th pushed the lead to 3-0 before Dozier smacked at 2 run shot to narrow it to 3-2. The teams traded runs in the 8th before a Donaldson 2 Run Homer put it away in the bottom of the 8th. Sale was the winner while Cueto took the loss.

Game 2: HIll v Gausman. The Browns got on the board first with a another homer by Dozier. A C. Seager RBI single in the 4th made it 2-0, but the Eliminators pushed 1 across in the 5th to cut the lead. Another Seager RBI single made it 3-1 in the 6th before the a sloppy inning, including 2 errors from C. Maybin, tied things at 3 after 6 full. It stayed that way until the 11th when Kyle Seager worked a leadoff walk and following a single from Miggy was driven in by the younger Seager for his 3rd RBI single of the day. Montgomery Worked 2 innings for the win, Betances took the loss and Strop earned the save.

Game 3: Hammel v Lester. This was a home run game. Cabrerra Hit a 2 run Shot in the 1st and Brandon Guyer Had solo shots in the 3rd and 7th, all off Lester. That was enough for the Browns to survive another Segura dinger in the 3rd and a laed off homer from V-Mart in the 7th. Hammel won, Lester went a complete game in the loss and Jones picked up the save.

Game 4: Rodon v Richard: The Elims used 3 singles to take a 2-0 lead in the 1st. It was 4-0 as the bottom of the 5th started but by the time it was done the Browns had batted around (aided by 2 errors) and lead 7-4. A Dozier 3B made it 8-4 in the 7th and it looked like the Sharts would cruise to an easy win. But the Eliminators made it tough in the 9th when with 2 out and one on they got a Steve Pearce 2B followed by a Freeman single and a Heyward pinch hit single vs 30 Donnie Hart to make it 8-6 before the Browns could get out #27. Rodon got a gross W while Richard took the loss. Hart got one out for the save.

Notes: The Eliminators strategy to throw 3 southpaws at the Browns looks to have backfired. The Sharts slashed .227/.266/.387 (17-75) vs lefties and .189/.396/.358 vs righties.

C. Seager drove in 5 runs in the series while hitting .250
C. Maybin made 3 errors
Who had Brandon Guyer being tied with Brian Dozier for the team lead in HR after 1 series?
J. Abreu collected 5 hits in the series, all vs LHP

The Browns are scheduled to play the Lemonheads on Sunday.

Manager Tony

Juggernauts vs. Shooting Stars II

Game 1 finnegan vs happ
Eduardo Nunez leads off the third with a solo blast. Bats are cold on both teams
7 inning lead off homer by Orlando tied it up at 1 for the juggers

Stars blow chances in late innings to score bottom of ten juggernaut get a guy to third but have him thrown out at the plate
11th inning stars get a lead double by carpenter walk by Villar. So manager calls sac (stupid) rolls 33 followed by a 6 result. Advance runners one base
Oh well. Pitcher change so inciarte comes in to pitch hit rips a double scoring two. Stars hold on to win game 1 3 to 1 in 11 innings

Game 2 Quintana vs Tanaka
Diaz gets a lead off shot for stars and they never look back scoring four more runs on the next three pitchers cruise to a 5 to 1 win. Juggers has a two run shot taken away and only one of those guys scored

Game 3 Lackey vs Moore
Jugs get two in the 5th on a combrera homer but stars tie it in 7th
Jugs blow out the ninth inning scoring 3 featuring a two tun shot by Ramirez they win 5 to 2

Game 4 Degrom vs carrasco
Stars get one in first on a double by schimpf plating hfp

In third schimpf rips a two run shot scoring hfp again

Pedroia joins in with a two run shot in the 4th scoring carpenter
Degrom goes all nine innings for a complete game shit out

Stars a 3 and 1.

Manager Kevin

Thank You’s

Just want to say a few thank you’s, but first a big congrats to Ed for getting his name on the trophy! Great season and great job for The Plague!!!!

My thank you’s…

Brandon – thanks for putting time and effort into things like this message and this league.
Craig – thanks for hanging in there the last few seasons. You are a big part of keeping this thing together and I appreciate your passion.
Brian – thanks for all your hard work on the website and the pitching grades.
Tim – thanks for wanting to come back. One of the questions Tim asked me is if the big traveling trophy was still around. Hey, John: take a look at it. Tim’s name is on there.

I just wanted to add one more thing. At the end of the day we play this game for our own various reasons. For me this is just one of my many interests in life but it’s also one that I no longer wanna go without. And it comes down to the relationships I have with each of you. So even though I don’t always like decisions, rules, or even outcomes of my own games, I will always strive to try to do what’s right by the league.

Again, if anyone has any questions or further suggestions, just send them.

I’m ready to start going over pitchers while I anxiously await the delivery of my cards!!!

Merry Christmas, everyone and Happy New Year!!!

Steve

Starting Lineup