News and Notes: Monday, May 15, 2017

Around SLB this week:

- BAL was 18-7 early this season. That seems so long ago, as the Panthers dropped 15 straight before winning their final game v PAR Sunday night. BAL has scored the 7th most runs but have the 5th worst ERA (4.94), in which most of the embarrassing performances are coming from the bullpen. Among the starters though, LHP Oliver Perez has just 2 QS in 8 opportunities.
- TAI continued their strategy of "Winning? Not interested, thanks" after dealing RP F Rodney (3.27 ERA)to ATL in a multi-player swap. After the trade was announced, SP R Mexico went ballistic in the dressing room. "Let's face it, we're a farm team. We'll draft guys and when they develop, trade them to a real team. I know I'll be out of here too - if they don't trade me I'll walk at the end of the year. We should change our team colors to all-white 'cause from management on down, we just @#*%ing surrender."
- The Nick Swisher experiment has ended in BED. After going 2-7 with a double and HR in three games v CHNG, GM Rich Gin traded their big free-agent signing to SCO for AAA 3B R Zimmerman. Zimmerman was hitting .312 in Stockholm while Swisher was hitting .250 with 5 HR for the Crunch.
- At 15-25, ATL is 12.5 back of red hot SJ. SJ is 17-2 in their last 19 buy GM J Masters of the Flyers isn't backing down. Sources inside the Flyers head office say Masters is going ahead with plans to print tickets for not just the playoffs but the World Series as well. "We think it's premature but he's confident in his team. He's dug himself a hole ... but with Zambrano getting his ERA down (4.11 ed) he thinks we're a lock. If we disagree with him in private or in public, he sacks us."
- In HAL's 2 game sweep of ATL before sweeping doormat TAI, the Sailors lost 2B (and RHOY favourite) for 4-6 months. Reporters couldn't get GM Lars Cain to comment but did hear constant sobbing coming from the GM's office.
- KYO's 2 big free agent signings aren't faring too well. RF J Reed (8M per) is hitting just .234 with a .649 OPS on a team that needs him desperately to provide offense. And 35 year-old SP J Peavy has a 5.80 ERA with 74 baserunners in 50 IP.
- Preseason favourite LON was the latest victim of SJ and has now lost 5 straight. After winning 97 games last year and adding RF D Young, the Knights are now last in the Euro, 6 games back of SCO.

Awards Predictions - Lars Edition

MVP - Antonio Mule, KYO
Cy Young - Roy Oswalt, KYO
RHOY - Kiko Brezovan, HAL
RPOY - Jordan Auerbach, KYO

HSH - Halifax

HSH - Halifax






2016 Record - 88-74 (AL Wildcard)
Projected Record - 85-75
Key Additions - Justin Verlander (free agent),
Key Losses - Delmon Young (trade), Scott Hodges (free agent), Kenji Johjima (trade), Craig Hansen (free agent), Mark McCormick, (free agent), Mark Mulder (retirement)


Another puzzling off season from GM Larsen Cain up in the Great White North. After winning not one, but TWO one-game playoffs last season, the Sailors earned a spot in the post-season for third time in the past five seasons. So, Cain will build on this success for 2017, right? Well, sorta. He made the initial splash of the off season, signing Justin Verlander away from division rival Cleveland, and then snagged Delmon Young back at well below market value. Then it gets weird, as Young is shipped to London for beans, Craig Hansen is just let go (along with Mark McCormick and Scott Hodges), leaving fans with a ton of questions about what this lineup will look like heading into the new season.

Halifax ranked #2 in the league in runs scored last season (859) and #2 in walks (384), but that was with Delmon Young (who contributed 100 of those runs and 65 walks). Now, without the big guy, who steps up as the leader of the offense? A return to form by Kendry Morales would help, or maybe a full season for John Mayberry would give you something. Justin Upton is a great complimentary option, but can he lead an offense? Ken Ryu was scooped off the scrap heap...can he put up a .900+ OPS if given a full season? Who catches? SO many questions.

The pitching seems to be more stable. Mulder is out, Verlander is in; an upgrade by most measures. The rest of the rotation will likely fall out like last year, with Ramirez, Miller and McPherson. McCormick's departure leaves an empty spot in the rotation, and there has been fierce competition in spring training. Lambert, Carroll, Graves, and the previously unknown Montero have all put in major claims for that spot. It's anyone's guess who will make the team out of camp. Rule 5 pickup Matt Porter will have to be hidden in the bullpen somewhere, and Inferno or Gatsby will now have to step up to fill Hansen's spot. Kyle Winters looks to have nailed down a spot as well.

Looking ahead, it's tough to predict this team. The entire American League is down (in comparison to the WL), with a good 5 or 6 teams in the mix for three playoff spots. Halifax is certainly in that mix, but there is no guarantee that they can/will win the North. The team has done well to accumulate extra draft picks (6 total) in what looks to be a very talent-rich crop of college seniors, and the pitching depth is growing. It might not be their year in 2017, but the window is wide open.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Cole Gillespie
3B Justin Upton
LF Kendry Morales
1B Ken Ryu
RF John Mayberry
SS Kiko Brezovan
2B Craig Scott
C Ryan Christenson

SP Justin Verlander
SP Horacio Ramirez
SP Rand McPherson
SP Andrew Miller
SP Bill Carroll

CL Dante Inferno

London Loading Up

Knights GM Sean O'Halloran sees an opportunity for his franchise to win the World Series this season and continued to strengthen his team this offseason by adding RF Delmon Young. London has won the Euro division the past two seasons but has failed to bring home the big prize and with RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, 2B TJ Mackey and SS Jose Reyes all into their last season under contract, O'Halloran agreed to give up some of his teams future in order to win now.
Young, who has spent his whole career in Halifax, is looking forward to his change of address. "The competition will be great over there I'm sure. I was looking for something different as a free agent this winter and its strange how things worked out. And hey, I'm still in the Dominion, right?"
Halifax GM Lars Cain had been shopping Young to the World League teams after matching offers in free agency. "We had been looking to go in a different direction," said Cain. "We wish Young all the best and we're sure he'll do some damage against those powerhouses over there. He'll get to face those teams a lot more often now and won't be the most underrated player in SLB anymore."
Heading to Halifax in the swap are 22 year-old 2B Craig Scott, 22 year-old pitcher Kid Valenzuela and London's 1st round pick in this seasons amateur draft.
The Knights scored 819 runs last season, 5th most in SLB. London's probable starting lineup now is: C J Mauer, 1B J McNulty, 2B T Mackey, 3B D Clemente, SS J Reyes, CF W McFadden, LF J Russell and RF D Young.