20 Resims: #9 - Puerto Cabellas Pandas

The best of the NL West are Brad P’s Puerto Cabellas Pandas.  Brad had an intriguing approach to the season, focusing on a strong relief corps both on draft day and through trades.  Four relievers (listed below) were each well above average and the 5th and 6th regulars (Ellis Kinder and Aroldis Chapman) combined for a 3.65 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.  This was one of the best bullpens in the game.

They needed it too.  Playing home games in Fenway Park, lefty batters typically had a field day with the Panda’s rotation.  Only Babe Adams was close to average (4.27 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) with the balance of them struggling daily.  Noodles Hahn was their number 2 and he sported an ERA of 4.66; the rotation gradually declined from there until 5th starter Jared Weaver and his 5.56 ERA and 1.60 WHIP.

Given their 10 division titles and Playoff Odds of 60%, they were doing many other things right.  The offense, led by Tip O’Neill and George Brett, was top 10 quality.  Secondary players such as Sam Thompson (35 doubles, 23 triples, 13 home runs), Babe Herman (40 doubles, 21 home runs), and Phil Cavarretta (see below) all contributed to a balanced lineup with a team slash line of .277 / .322 / .424.

What I find most interesting however, has nothing to do with the team in particular.  In the balanced resims the Pandas jumped to 85 wins and scanning the results, the NL had a clear advantage.  Each league averaged 81 wins in the normal 20 resims (of course), but in the balanced resims, the NL averaged 83 wins and the AL just 79.

How about the best division?  Here are the win averages by division in the balanced resims

84.0 – NL East (up from 79.8 in the normal resims)
83.5 – NL Central (up from 81.3)
82.5 – NL West (up from 82.0)
81.5 – AL Central (down from 83.8)
78.8 – AL East (down from 82.3)
75.8 – AL West (down from 77.0)

A clean sweep for the NL.  They were the better league.

800 OPS Batters: 
.854 – Tip O’Neill
.801 – George Brett

Sub 4.00 ERA Starters
None

Sub 3.25 ERA Relievers
2.88 – Jonathan Papelbon
3.00 – Cla Meredith
3.12 – Steve Reed
3.24 – BJ Ryan

Best Value Draft Pick
Rd 17 – Phil Cavaretta (.280 / .340 / .389, with 40 doubles)

Bust Draft Pick
Rd 8 – Noodles Hahn (4.66 ERA, 1.38 WHIP for their #2 starter)

20 Resim Results

24) 64 wins, Downsouth Brews

23) 66 wins, Colorado Green Sox

22) 72 wins, Lancaster Pretty Ladies

21) 69 wins, Detroit Tigers
20) 74 wins, Platte County Burnt Ends
19) 75 wins, Leesburg Snowhole
18) 77 wins, Planet 10 Red Lectroids
17) 78 wins, Rochester Beau Brummels
16) 79 wins, Otherton Fishbiscuits
15) 79 wins, North Valley Bears
14) 81 wins, Niagara Frontier Blackbirds
13) 81 wins, Rusty Kuntz Traveling All Stars
12) 80 wins, Shamokin Miners
11) 81 wins, Helena Handbasket
10) 83 wins, Carlisle "Mechanics"
9) 82 wins, Puerto Cabellas Pandas