Single Season Leaders Updated - Pitchers

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/ATL_Pitt_Single_Season.htm

Multiple Appearances in Top 10

• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 1st in IP
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 1st in QS
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 1st in GS
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 3rd in WHIP
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 3rd in K
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 4th in H/9
• Pedro Martinez (OFB) 10th in CERA
• Greg Maddux (SH) 2nd in QS%
• Greg Maddux (SH) 4th in ERA
• Greg Maddux (SH) 4th in CG
• Greg Maddux (SH) 6th in QS
• Greg Maddux (SH) 7th in CERA
• Bobby Jenks (SH) 1st in Reliever ERA
• Bobby Jenks (SH) 1st in Reliever WHIP
• Bobby Jenks (SH) 2nd in Reliever RCERA
• Eric Gagne (SH) 2nd in Reliever ERA
• Eric Gagne (SH) 9th in Reliever RCERA
• Cy Blanton (TWW) 3rd in QS
• Cy Blanton (TWW) 7th in QS%
• Bill Bernhard (OFB) 3rd in IP
• Bill Bernhard (OFB) 4th in GS
• Porter Charleston (MRE) 1st in Reliever W
• Porter Charleston (MRE) 8th in G
• Juan Marichal (OFB) 4th in IP
• Juan Marichal (OFB) 6th in GS
• Randy Johnson (DB) 5th in K/9
• Randy Johnson (DB) 8th in K

Single Appearance in Top 10

• Ed Walsh (DT) 2nd in L
• Graeme Lloyd (BS) 3rd in Reliever WHIP
• Greg Holland (TWW) 3rd in Reliever RCERA
• Red Ryan (WPM) 3rd in Reliever in W
• Randy Jones (DCC) tied for 4th in W
• Ed Reulbach (NVB) 5th in H/9
• Jeff Gray (MRE) 5th in Reliever WHIP
• Bruce Sutter (BS) 6th in Sv
• Greg Vean (NVB) 6th in Reliever RCERA
• Bucky Walters (PRL) 7th in BB
• Dennis Eckersley (OFB) 7th in Reliever WHIP
• Rob Murphy (DCC) 7th in Reliever W
• Jeff Russell (SM) 8th in Reliever RCERA
• Roy Halladay (PBE) 10th in QS
• Ted Lyons (PBE) 10th in GS
• Jeff Russell (SM) 10th in Reliever WHIP

"Top 10" Seasons Updated

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/All_Time_Leaders.htm

ATB XV was apparently the "Year of the Reliever" as four new members have been added to the Top-10 list:

• #1 - Bobby Jenks (SH)
• #3 - Greg Holland (TWW)
• #5 - Greg Vean (NVB) - I call foul, Greg frickin' Vean?
• #9 - Greame Lloyd (BS)

Elsewhere

• Eric Gagne (SH) had the 5th best closer season ever
• Greg Maddux (SH) had the 6th best starter season
• Oscar Charleston (SPB) comes in 5th for best offensive seasons.  This is still quite a feat, he's the first person to crack the top-10 since ATB 11.

20 Resims: #7 - Wildlings of the Wall

A year ago, Joe V piloted his team to a lackluster 67 win campaign.  A season later, he’s on top of the world with the 7th ranked 85 win team and one of the best pitching staffs in ATB 15.  Averaging 85 wins per season, the Wildlings made the playoffs more times than not and won the AL East 5 times.  Their best season was probably #14 when they won 93 games and recorded a robust +130 Run Differential.

Joe took a lot of heat for some of the trades he made this year, quickly recapping:
1) Trading away Dazzy Vance for Javy Vazquez and dropping him
2) Making a great trade for Manny Ramirez and Charlie Gehringer, but dropping Manny and …
3) Trading away Gehringer for 50 cents on the dollar

I don’t re-hash these to further harangue Joe, rather to point out, I may have been wrong in my assessment.  If the Opening Day Resim average is an accurate indicator – and I believe it is – then the net of the trades had no impact.  With or without them, Joe wins 85.

The Wall’s pitching staff is one where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.  Lacking a truly elite starter, or arguably a top-15 reliever, the Wildlings still managed to give up just 656 runs overall.  Sure, the park played a role, but top to bottom there were no holes anywhere on the staff.  The worst pitcher was long reliever/mop up starter Lefty Gomez and he averaged a 4.33 ERA and gave up less hits than innings pitched.

Their offense is what prevented the Wildlings from approaching the 90 win plateau.  Ted Williams was his usual monster self, batting .297 / .421 / .510 with 29 triples and 32 home runs, and Joe Jackson held his own (.761 OPS, 40 doubles) but the lineup thinned incredibly quickly after that.  Every other batter had an OPS in the low to mid .600s.

800 OPS Batters: 
.932 – Ted Williams

Sub 4.00 ERA Starters
3.32 – Cy Blanton
3.86 – Carl Hubbell

Sub 3.25 ERA Relievers
2.74 – Billy Wagner
3.00 – Joakim Soria
3.23 – Ted Abernathy
3.24 – Grant Jackson

Best Value Draft Pick
None, but this is a great compliment.  It’s not easy to put together a top-10 team without getting a surprise benefit from an over performing player.

Bust Draft Pick
Non, there were some late teen rounds where batters didn’t pan out, but that’s about what you can expect in the late teens.

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
8) 83 wins, DC Chips
7) 85 wins, Wildlings of the Wall

AL MVP Winner

1) 52 Points-Stearns, Turkey (MRE) - (8, 3, 3 / 14 ballots)
3) 48 Points-Williams, Ted (TWW) --- (6, 5, 3 / 14 ballots)
2) 32 Points-Bonds, Barry (JMF) ---- (3, 4, 5 / 12 ballots)
4) 12 Points-Ruth, Babe (CGS) ------ (0, 3, 3 / 6 ballots)
5) 4 Points-Johnson, Heavy (BF) ---- (0, 1, 1 / 2 ballots)
8) 3 Points-McGraw, John (MRE) ----- (0, 1, 0 / 1 ballots)
6) 1 Points-McGwire, Mark (JMF) ---- (0, 0, 1 / 1 ballots)
7) 1 Points-Connor, Roger (BF) ----- (0, 0, 1 / 1 ballots)

I don't have a way to confirm this, but I believe the ATB 15 MVP race was the closest race for an MVP in our league history.  Turkey Stearnes narrowly defeated Ted Williams by 2 first place votes.  Both were left off 3 ballots and had competition from Babe Ruth, named on 12 ballots, as well.

AL Cy Young Award Winner

1) 85 Points-Maddux, Greg (SH) ---- (17, 0, 0 / 17 ballots)
2) 29 Points-Blanton, Cy (TWW) ---- (0, 7, 8 / 15 ballots)
3) 17 Points-Podres, Johnny (MRE) - (0, 3, 8 / 11 ballots)
4) 13 Points-Hubbell, Carl (TWW) -- (0, 4, 1 / 5 ballots)
5) 6 Points-Ryan, Red (WPM) ------- (0, 2, 0 / 2 ballots)
6) 3 Points-Jenks, Bobby (SH) ----- (0, 1, 0 / 1 ballots)

Maddux was the clear favorite coming in, and ATB owners didn't disappoint  naming the Hoplite starter on all 17 ballots.  The real race was for 2nd place and owners here too were clear, with Cy Blanton garnering the same number of 2nd place votes as the next two best candidates.

Relievers got there fair share in the AL too, with both Red Ryan and Bobby Jenks receiving 2nd place votes.

Podres, Rodney Lead Red Eagles to 7-2 win, Menetheren Advances

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/MRE_TWW6.txt

A great big sigh of relief was heard out of Manetheren who were able to avoid a precarious Game 7 after jumping out to a 3-0 series lead.  Joe Sewell doubled and drove in three, helping the stagnant Manetheren offense scored 7 runs on just 8 hit.


Picking up the win, Johnny Podres was effective and Fernarndo Rodney earned the save after a great 3 innings of work.

Starters
Curt Schilling (TWW) - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Johnny Podres (MRE) - 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

AL Reliever of the Year

Parentheses at end are (1st Place Votes, 2nd Place Votes, 3rd Place Votes / Total Ballots)

1) 70 Points-Eric Gagne, SH ---------(11, 5, 0 / 16 ballots)
2) 22 Points-Bobby Jenks, SH -------- (3, 1, 4 / 8 ballots)
3) 14 Points-Joaquin Benoit, WPM ---- (0, 3, 5 / 8 ballots)
4) 13 Points-Red Ryan, WPM ---------- (2, 1, 0 / 3 ballots)
5) 11 Points-Rafael Betancourt, PRL - (1, 2, 0 / 3 ballots)
6) 5 Points-Fernando Rodney, MRE ---- (0, 1, 2 / 3 ballots)
7) 5 Points-Porter Charleston, MRE -- (0, 1, 2 / 3 ballots)
8) 4 Points-Mariano Rivera, BF ------ (0, 1, 1 / 2 ballots)
9) 4 Points-Joe Nathan, RKA --------- (0, 1, 1 / 2 ballots)
10) 3 Points-Billy Wagner, TWW ------ (0, 1, 0 / 1 ballots)
11) 2 Points-Greg Holland, TWW ------ (0, 0, 2 / 2 ballots)

Really no surprise here.  Gagne was a closer with the 2nd most saves in the league and a 0.80 ERA.  He had to win.

Interestingly, teammate Bobby Jenks grabs second (with 3 first place votes) and the 3rd/4th place relievers are also from the AL East.

Blanton masterful, bars Red Eagle advance with 5-0 win

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/MRE_TWW5.txt

Down in the series 2-0 before heading home to the Wall, the Wildlings likely would have signed up for a Game 6 and a 3-2 series disadvantage.  It may not matter how they got to the is place, 3-0 deficit with 2 consecutive wins as they have accomplished, vs for instance a 2-2 series tie followed by a game 5 loss.  The point being, this series is still very much in doubt, it's 3-2.

This afternoon Cy Blanton, on short rest no less, was masterful, pitching a complete game shutout in a do or die game.  He had help of course.  Ted Williams drove in two and after missing most of Game 4, Joe Jackson came back hitt well, banging out 3 hits.

Tomorrow's probables are Curt Schilling (7-11, 4.07) and Johnny Podres (17-6, 2.59).  The teams head back to Manetheren for games 6 and possibly 7.

Starters
Garland Braxton (MRE) - 6.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Cy Blanton (TWW) - 9.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Hubbell keeps Wildings hope alive with CG win, 3-0

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/MRE_TWW4.txt

Carl Hubbell pitched well in a 3-0 defeat of the Red Eagles.  The lefty gave up just 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.  The Wildling offense was aided by a wild Norman Yokely who walked 5 and hit 3 batters in just 4 1/3 innings of work.

Starters
Norman Yokely (MRE) - 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
Carl Hubbell (TWW) - 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Cone fires 2-hitter; Red Eagles cruising to 3-0 lead

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/MRE_TWW3.txt

Behind a great came from #3 starter David Cone, the Red Eagles are within a game of advancing to the ALCS.  Turkey Stearnes homered to help the offense squeak out 3 runs for the win.

Starters
David Cone - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Dave Brown - 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 9 K

Stearnes, Blanton give Red Eagles 4-3 win, 2-0 lead

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/MRE_TWW2.txt

Manetheren takes a 2-0 series lead behind solid pitching and some very good work out of the pen.  Offensively, Turkey Stearnes timely 2-run double in the third tied the game while and error in the 6th cost the Wildlings the game.

The series shifts to the Wall tomorrow night where the David's Cone and Brown will face off for Game 3.

Starters
Cy Blanton (TWW) - 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Johnny Podres (MRE) - 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Mauer 5-5, 6 RBI lead Red Eagles to Game 1 rout, 12-2

http://www.alltimebaseballsim.net/TWW_MRE1.txt

Garland Braxton tossed a complete game giving up 10 hits and 1 earned run.  He had the backing of the Red Eagle offense who banged out 12 runs 15 hits .  Frank Thomas and Paul Hines had three hits apiece and Turkey Stearnes added a 3-run shot that broke the game open in a 7-run 7th inning.

Starters
Carl Hubbell (TWW): 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
Garland Braxton (MRE):  9.0 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Races Update

AL West

All Eyes turn toward the three game set 9/27-9/29

AL Wild Card

Red Lectroids will not go away, making strides and hurting their "Mechanic" rivals at the same time.

Both teams can't lose another game

NL Wild Card

Is basically over

Wild Card Races

Power Alley Great 8

Standings Summary - Week 11

It's a case of too little too late.  The Puerto Cabellas Pandas were a pre-season favorite for the NL West title but instead of struggled to stay above .500 all season long.  With a 10-3 record this week, Brad has shown just how dangerous his team could have been.  The Pandas batted .301 / .340 / .341 as a team with Phil Caveretta (.380 / .415 / .480) and Tip O'Neill (.373 / .389 / .686) enjoying notable success.

Their bats helped Puerto Cabellas in sweeping both Helena and North Valley, and taking series from DC, Shamokin, and the Pretty Ladies.

Noodles Hahn and Babe Adams anchored the rotation, going undefeated in 5 starts with a combined 2.50 ERA.  The bullpen was key for the entire week however - Steve Reed, Steve Bedrosian, BJ Ryan, Ellis Kinder, and Jonathan Papelbon combined for 30.2 innings of 3-run ball.

It was a ho-hum week in the American League, with no single team catching fire to claim "Team of the Week" status.  Ball Four ended up with the best Run Differential (a quite good +29) so they get the honors.

Justin Duchscherer started two games and gave up just 1 run while a quartet in the pen shone above the rest.  All Grabowski and Kenley Jansen didn't give up a run in 10 innings and Mariano Rivera and Frankie Rodriguez allowed just 2 runs to score in 20 innings.

The offense powered the team on most nights, smacking 21 home runs in 15 games. Jim Edmonds had a 1.232 OPS thanks to 6 homers, scoring 16 in the process.  Heavy Johnson added 5 shots batting .387 / .433 / .629 in the process.  The team batted .294 / .358 / .460.

There were no major changes to the Wild Card race.  Both the Wildlings and Fishbiscuits have a 4.5 game lead with their magic numbers down to 9 games.

Elsewhere, the Red Eagles and Shadows clinched playoff births with the Hoplites on the brink, sporting a magic number of 1.  The Beaters, Fanclub, and Miners all have at least a 6-game lead for the divisional crowns and barring disaster will head to the playoffs as well.

If the playoffs ended today:
- Wildings @ Red Eagles
- Fanclub @ Hoplites

- Fishbiscuits @ Shadows
- Miners @ Beaters

The Good, the Great, and the Ugly

Power Alley Great 8

The Playoff Race

Isn't exactly edge of your seat stuff.  In what's shaping to be the most boring ATB XV regular season in recent memory, it also promises to be the most exciting post-seasons in recent memory.

With the close of Sim 10A only one division crown was (nominally) up for grabs - the AL West.  Across the remaining 5 divisions the average division lead  was almost 13 1/2 games, with 4 and possibly 5 teams accelerating towards 100 win seasons.

The Sparta Hoplites and Manetheren Red Eagles are on pace for 104 and 103 win seasons respectively.  Over in the senior circuit, the Birghton Shadows are on pace for 101 wins while the Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters and Shamokin Miners are on pace for 97 and 93 wins, respectively.  Since the All-Star break the two best teams in ATB are the Beaters and Miners, so it stands to reason they have legitimate shots and 100 wins.  The Miners have won 30 of 43, a historic type of run.

Here are the # of 100 win seasons since records started being kept in ATB 6:

0 - ATB 6
1 - ATB 7
0 - ATB 8
1 - ATB 9
1 - ATB 10
3 - ATB 11*
2 - ATB 12
1 - ATB 13
1 - ATB 14

*What a great year this was.  Bellevue Freakin' Franchise won 106 games with a +238 run differential and took home the title.  John McDonald Fanclub won 109 games, but were swept in the opening round.  And the Windy City Potato Pickers won 111 games but they two were swept in the first round.

Anything can happen in the playoffs and the Wild Card Contenders (The Wall, Rusty Kuntz, Carlisle, Otherton, and North Valley) will certainly take umbrage with it, but the thought of four 100-win teams facing off in League Championship Series would be memorable to say the least.

If the regular season ended today we'd have:

American League
#3 John McDonald Fanclub @ #1 Sparta Hoplites
#4 Wildlings of the Wall @ #2 Manetheren Red Eagles
(Note, TWW cannot play SH because they are in the same division)

National League
#4 Otherton Fishbiscuits @ #1 Brighton Shadows
#3 Shamokin Miners @ #2 Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters

Power Alley Great 8 - Sim 9