AL All Star Lineup Announced

They can hit, but can the AL All Stars Field?

The AL offense is virtually identical to the counterparts, with a bit more high end value and a bit less consistency.  The average rate lines:

NL - .322 / .382 / .499, .881 OPS
AL - .308 / .393 / .491, .884 OPS

Averaging a .400 OBP, the table setters for this squad areTris Speaker and Deacon White batting 1st and 2nd.  White's teammate Babe Ruth is in the midst of a monstrous season (1.127 OPS) and bats third.  The right fielder leads the American League in OBP, SLG, OPS, RC, HR, and ATB Value.  He's second in Runs and RBI.

Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi follow, each having great years with excellent raw power coupled with the ability to get on base.  If the bases aren't cleared by the time these two are finished, Mark McGwire and his 23 home runs should do the trick.

The rest of lineup is not as good as the NL's.  In the hopes mimicking the top of the order, Arky Vaughan and Fred Dunlap will bat in front of Frank Baker, giving the AL a chance to get on base and then drive in a few runs with Bakers (and Dunlaps) ability to hit doubles.

The AL Bench has great power in Willie Mays (24 HR) and Travis Hafner (.994 OPS); another high on base table setter in Fred Carrol (.402 OBP); and three all around hitters in Norm Cash, Nap Lajoie, and Larry Walker.

A few players were regrettably left off the All Star Roster:

Roger Conner (GCG) - .349 AVG, .401 OBP
John McGraw (GCG) - .408 OBP
Kevin Mitchell (IBS) - 20 HR
Jessee Burkett (SPGB) - 49 R
Al Simmons (TWP) - 55 RBI
Ed Delahanty (SH) - 24 2B
Billy Hamilton (DCC) - 31 SB

The Injury Toll

Seriously, 6 injuries for a total of two days for the Thrill?!

Worst injuries of the year to date:

48 Days: Pike (DCC) - Collision on bases
34 Days: Richardson,H (PRL) - Hit by pitch
18 Days: BJohnson (GCG) - Hit by pitch
17 Days: Ward (PRL) - General
17 Days: Morgan (NPB) - General
17 Days: Nelson (RKA) - General
17 Days: Howe (BIC) - General
15 Days: Webb (D29) - General
15 Days: Hahn (OFB) - General
15 Days: Henderson (NPB) - General
15 Days: Caminiti (URB) - General
15 Days: Flick (RKA) - Hit by pitch
15 Days: Siever (SPB) - General
15 Days: Jackson (SH) - Hit by pitch
15 Days: Mitchell (WPM) - General
15 Days: Ewing (SPB) - General
15 Days: Walker (GCG) - Hit by pitch
15 Days: Thompson,S (SWR) - General
15 Days: Hammaker (NPB) - General
15 Days: Pfiester (PRL) - General
15 Days: Poole (SPB) - General
15 Days: Blanton (HT) - General
15 Days: Evers (SWR) - General

Sim 6C Complete

NL All Star Lineup Announced

Introducing the NL All Star Lineup

The lineup for NL All-Stars is highlighted by an incredible top of the order.  Leading off and playing second base will be the 1800s superstar, Ross Barnes.  Barnes is having a slightly less productive year than last, but a middle infielder with a .384 OBP, 16 EBH, and great range is a true asset.

After Barnes follows arguably the best all around player in the game today, Mickey Mantle.  The center fielder is batting .361 / .464 / .497 with 13 doubles and 8 home runs.  At 3, 4, and 5 are the great sluggers Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, and Stan Musial.  They combine for a .940 OPS and almost 50 home runs between them.

The tail half of the lineup is quite good as well.  Each  of the four - George Brett, Honus Wagner, Goose Goslin, and Bill Dickey - have great batting averages well over .300 and while they don't offer much thread with the long ball, each has the ability to drive the ball around the park.

The bench is superb.  George Hall, Reggie Jackson, and Jimmie Foxx each sport better than .900 OPS and the backup infielder, Hughie Jennings, is among the best in the game at getting on base.  It's also good to see a new face at catcher, Elston Howard is in the midst of a great year, batting .350 with a Vg arm.

A few great players missed the cut:
George Sisler (SWR) - .339 AVG
Bill Terry (OFB) - .387 OBP
Chipper Jones (HH) - .414 OBP
Mike Schmidt (NOT) - 15 HR, 48 RBI
Hank Aaron (OFB) - 24 HR, 68 RBI
Willie Stargell (NOT) - 19 HR, 62 RBI
Dan Brouthers (NOT) - .804 OPS, 26 wB
Eddie Mathews (HT) - .367 ATB Value

Standings Charts - Week 6

The Pinata Beaters Run Came to an Abrupt Halt

Slow and Steady Wins the Race?

No One Took Advantage of the Brief Banana Bear Slide

Tightest Race in ATB

Sim 6B

Catching Up On the New Guys (again!)

We’re almost halfway complete with our season and it’s a good time to once again check in on how the new guys are doing. 

Looking at the staring pitchers that are still getting full playing time (or close enough), Jerry Reuss (Carnies), Lefty Stewart (Fishbiscuits), and Justin Verlander (Shadows) are each among the best at the position.  Reuss at 10-1 with a 2.18 ERA remains top of the newest class of ATB starting pitchers.  As a group, these starters are averaging a 3.85 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, which is right around the league average.

 

Four relievers have excelled as well.  Mike Adams (Banana Bears) is the best of the bunch, holding down a 1.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 2.26 RCERA in just over 33 innings of work.  David Robertson (Black Sox), a new Steve Bedrosian (Brews), and Jonathan Broxton (Orators) have performed nearly as well, but do show slightly worse peripherals.  This group of relievers averages a 3.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 3.94 RCERA combined.

This last group of pitchers hasn’t had much of an opportunity to play or have been dropped outright.  A few, such as Carlos Marmol (Thrill), Frank Arellanes (Carnies), George Sherril (Shadows), and Sergio Romo (Gossamers) likely deserve a bit more attention from their owners, they are performing quite well.

Moving onto batters, three new players have been utilized on a full time basis – Miguel Cabrera (Snow), Matt Kemp (dogphin29), and Jacoby Ellsbury (Snow).  All are playing offensive minded positions and all are among the worst at those positions.  Even Ellsbury, who had a tremendous start, has just about worn out his welcome.  Their days as starting players are numbered.

This next batch of batters has all been in platoons or has garnered playing time on a part time basis.  Six of the thirteen have been of much use to their owners, especially Harry Walker (Gossamers), Ned Williamson (Carnies), and Jimmy Ryan (Piñata Batters).  High profile picks such as Ryan Braun and Mike Napoli have struggled, but held their own when looking at positional quality.  And nothing good has come off the bat of Troy Tulowitzki (“Mechanics”) and Jose Bautista (“Mechanics again, oof).

Everyone else has had minimal playing time, but one can’t help but wonder what Fred Snodgrass (1.063 OPS) and Jim Viox (.380 OBP at 2B) have to do in order to impress the Orators sufficiently to get some more playing time.

Sim 6A Complete

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Great Feats Update

Here (prior to sim 6)

• Gehrig goes for the cycle
• Two Fishbiscuits have 5-hits in the same game
• John Olerud extends his hit streak to 15
• Bob Gibson pitches a gem

Power Alley Great 8

One through four remains the same, but here come the Biscuits, Shadows, and Fanclub!