EHSPN Around The League: Starting Pitchers (East)

Mark Mulder has some extra time on his hands after the Weasels decided that his services were no longer needed in Bridgewater. He has more time to spend on his golf swing, while former teammate and best friend Tim Hudson is still stuck in the rotation for the struggling Weasels. The question is, who's happier?









By: Max Powers/Reno Weekly Rag and Jim Phalis/Baseball Tri-Weekly


The East has more story lines set in their pitching staff than any other position. Between the disdain felt by Bridgewater pitchers to the ongoing feud between Josh Beckett and Mark Prior that can never seemed to be resolved, even though Prior can't seem to put together a full season. Here's a look at the league's starting pitcher situation going into the 2007 Draft and how each team is taking care of their issues on and off the field.

Arlington Warriors

Starting Five: Diasuke Matsusaka*, Aaron Harang, Adam Wainwright, Zach Grienke, Tom Gorzelanny
Wildcard: The Draft
Future: None

The Warriors boast the craziest team in baseball, but don’t let their low rank fool you. Arlington’s staff is young, inexperienced and lacking any depth. I even cheated and put Dice-K on the roster despite not being on the roster yet. Still, their top four have ace potential and Gorzelanny looks to be a 5th or 6th guy in the EHCC for a long time. Arlington reminds me of Tokyo in 2005, lacking depth but having a few studs like Dontrelle Willis, Zach Duke and John Patterson. Matsusaka and Wainwright have the natural talent to be top pitchers in the East, while Harang has used the last two seasons to make himself into an underground superstar. Matsusaka killed a man, Grienke almost killed himself and Wainwright sounds like a guy who killed the radio star.
*It has been widely assumed that Matsuzaka will be chosen by Arlington with the #1 overall pick in the upcoming MaDraft. Even if he isn't, it's still the last place staff in the division.

Peoria Cardinals

Starting Five: Chris Capuano, John Patterson, Chris Young, Cole Hamels, Chuck James
Wild Card: The Draft
Future: None

With just five starters on their roster, Peoria easily has the smallest staff in the EHCC. Not only that, but John Patterson has been rumored to be out for the beginning portion of the season as well. This doesn’t bode well for the Cardinals, as it will put a lot more pressure on them to draft pitchers. Unfortunately for them, after the 11th pick in the draft, they don’t have another pick until the 4th round. One thing in the Cardinals favor is youth, as no starter in their rotation is over the age of 28. With a few decent moves this season, they could have a decent enough pitching staff on their hands by the end of the year. As of now however, things aren’t looking good compared to the rest of the league as they just don’t have the depth most teams have.

Las Vegas Doggs

Starting Five: Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Barry Zito, Curt Shilling, Oliver Perez
Wildcard: Mark Prior and Roger Clemens
Future: Matt Garza

A strong pitching team a year ago, a series of trades beginning in June of 2006 has nipped away at the Doggs’ staff, leaving them barely able to field a 5-man rotation. Sheets and Halladay are clear top of the rotation guys, but Zito and Shilling are shakier than they should be given the lack of supporting cast in Las Vegas. Oliver Perez is the only other non-reliever pitching in the pros to start the season. Unreliable Mark Prior and Matt Garza will start the season in the minors, and Roger Clemens will be watching the new season of American Idol. All three will be taking up valuable roster spots. When most of the contending teams having starting corps seven or eight strong, Las Vegas has chosen to fill their rotation in the draft. Unless they have an exceptional one, Las Vegas won’t be blowing out teams the way they used to.

Bridgewater Weasels

Starting Five: Chris Carpenter, John Lackey, Vincente Padilla, Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina
Wild Card: Tim Hudson, Jon Garland, and Jeff Suppan
Future: None

Tim Hudson has been very vocal about not enjoying his time in Bridgewater, and now he’s even more upset. When him and best friend Mark Mulder came over to the Weasels from Vegas they made a bet. A bet that revolved around which of the two could get cut first from the Bridgewater roster. Tim Hudson now owes Mulder ten thousand dollars, a six pack of Budweiser, and peach flavored Philly Blunt. Not only that, but Hudson, along with Chris Carpenter and John lackey have to try keep the Weasel starting pitching staff a float while the compete with the rest of the East in 2007. Will he go back to his Ace-ways? Or will he do everything in his power to get the Weasels to cut him as well?

Rakeville Rockets

Starting Five: Roy Oswalt, Felix Hernandez, AJ Burnett, Josh Beckett, Bronson Arroyo
Wild Card: Pedro Martinez, Javier Vazquez, and Ian Snell
Future: Phillip Hughes, Mike Pelfrey

The Rocket’s staff has a lot of storylines going into this season. Will Josh Beckett be able to perform with Mark prior starting the season in AAA? Will team captain and first overall draft pick in team history Pedro Martinez return to form to pitch over 100 innings in 2007? Will King Felix live up to the title he bestowed upon himself when he joined the EHCC? Will Rakeville GM Jack reed learn Ian Snell’s first name or just continue to yell out “SNELL!” at opportune times? They have the aces up their sleeves, the depth, and the youth to back it all up down the road. Also, their average major league age (w/o Pedro) is 28. All things considered, the Rakeville staff should be in for a big year.

Weymouth Shaddupu

Starting Five: Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano, Jeremy Bonderman, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana
Wildcards: Jeff Francis
Future: Jered Weaver, Nick Adenhart, and Humberto Sanchez

The best starting five in the EHCC, Shaddupu’s rotation is tough from top to bottom. Santana and Zambrano are elite hurlers, Bonderman’s strikeouts more than make up for the slight bump in whip, and Haren and Santana are solid backends. Jered Weaver could easily be put in the rotation, but the 24-year-old’s will be allowed to continue his development without the pressure thanks to the team’s other top pitchers. Jeff Francis is an excellent fill-in pitcher, and though he hasn’t emerged as an ace, he is a reliable starter who eats innings and notches wins. Of the four pitcher’s in Nantucket, the team’s minor league affiliate, Nick Adenhart and Humberto Sanchez stand out the most. More young arms for a loaded Shaddupu staff.

Max Powers writes for the Reno Weekly Rag. Jim Phalis writes for Baseball Tri-Weekly. The two never met face to face while collaborating on this article, but both drank Killians while drafting their portions, which unlike this article, is never rushed.

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EHSPN Around the League: Starting Pitcher (West)

Brandon Webb didn't have any pressure on him last season, pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was allowed to play in the "other league" since Bye Week decided to give all their players a season-long vacation in 2006. Now, the reigning Cy Young winner has all the pressure in the world pitching in Japan. Will he and new teammate CC Sabathia fold or will they finally propel Tokyo out of the basement of the EHCC?





By: Max Powers/Reno Weekly Rag


Every team has it's problems, and most of the time it seems to stem from their pitching staff. each team in the Western Division has issues among their starters. From drinking to health to age, it's a wide array of concerns across the board. The question is, which staff will be able to put their person life on hold while trying to help their team win 4 of the 5 pitching categories each week and which will fold under the pressure of every day life...and tequila drinking contests.


6-Tijuana Hispanics

Starting Five: Doug davis, Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings, Jarrod Washburn, Adam Loewen
Wild Cards: Scott Baker and Miguel Batista
Future: Jon Lester and Jason Hirsh

Tijuana is not known as a pitcher's paradise. It's very easy for new pitchers brought in to get caught up in the local bar scene where tequila rules all. Just ask Doug Davis. After being traded from Golden to Tijuana last May he started off very strong for the Hispanics. In late June Miguel Batista started taking the newbie out on weekends, which quickly turned into a 4-5 times a week event. Davis won many tequila drinking contests though only managed 2 wins in July and 3 more in August, recording a dreadful 5.65 ERA in the process. The fact that the man was standing straight on the mound was astounding. The team doctors had an intervention with Davis in late July, and something must have gotten through as he recorded a 3.55 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in the final month of the season. I'm sure the team has learned from this experience and will be keeping Jason Jennings under lock and key when the team returns from Spring Training.

5-Santo Domingo White Devils

Starting Five: Brad penny, Anibal Sanchez, Jose Contreras, Kevin Millwood, Zach Duke
Wild Cards: Mark Buehrle, Noah Lowry, and Bartolo Colon
Future: Scott Elbert

It's been a roller coaster off-season for Mark Buehrle. He's been traded 3 times, between 3 teams, in 3 different countries, in 3 months, just to end up back where he started. When he was drafted by the Devils he was reluctant to close a deal on a great new home in the Dominican Republic. When he was traded from one island nation to another, Buehrle quickly purchased a new home in Weymouth just to find out he was being sent even further north, across the border to Canada. When he found out he was going to to be sent back down to the Caribbean, he tried to buy the house he looked at 3 months prior, but it was already sold. For the time being, he's living with current teammate Bartolo Colon, who spends all his days in a personal whirlpool.

4-Winston-Salem Green Monsters

Starting Five: Brett Myers, Kenny Rogers, Cliff Lee, Gustavo Chacin, Paul Maholm
Wild Card: Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera, and Rich Harden
Future: Gio Gonzalez and Fransisco Liriano

Rich Harden is happy to be part of history. He was part of one of only two trades made by the Monsters since their inception into the EHCC in 2004. Reports say the starter is 100% but skeptics can't be so sure. I mean, they're skeptics. Either way, he's an improvement from former #1 overall pick Rocco Baldelli. On a different note, it looks as though Kenny Rogers will end up retiring as a Monster, with their Winston-Salem management's efforts to trade the veteran for youth has fallen short for two straight years. Not even the senior citizen community that is Golden wanted him and his temper problem. Daniel Cabrera has off-season surgery, on his eyes. Hopefully now he'll be able to throw strikes, and if that's the case he'll rack up plenty of strike outs for Winston-Salem. if all of their wild card starters can put it together, the team has a shot at returning to the playoffs, but as skeptics will tell you, that's a big "if". Oh, and obviously this staff would be a lot better if Fransisco Liriano listened to his trainers last season. Instead he's recovering from surgery.

3-Tokyo Omyoujis

Starting Five: Dontrelle Willis, Brandon Webb, CC Sabathia, Jeremy Sowers, Brandon McCarthy
Wild Card: Josh Johnson and Hayden Penn
Future: Thomas Diamond

Brandon Webb and CC Sabthia are starting to feel the heat. After the OhMyOujiies gave up anything and everything they could to bring them across the globe to Japan, the pitchers have been houded by Japanese media. When a pays what Tokyo did for two players, there's going to be repercussions. Will they live up to the hype? Will the crumble under the pressure? When Dontrelle Willis was traded to Tokyo prior to the 2005 season there was a lot of pressure for him to come through as a savior for the then new franchise. He filled the roll and then some, racking up 22 wins for the Japanese franchise. If the same thing can happen for Sabathia and Webb, the Omyoujis will be in good shape for 2007. That potential alone puts them in 3rd place in the West.

2-Golden Gryphons

Starting Five: John Smoltz, Jason Schmidt, Randy Johnson, Kelvim Escobar, Derek Lowe
Wild Cards: Matt Morris, Ted Lilly, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and Andy Pettitte
Future: Yovani Gallardo, Homer Bailey, and Merkin Valdez

With an average age of 36, the Golden starters are easily the oldest in the EHCC. They have done a good job grabbing every starter who's a stone throw away from a walker and bedpan besides Roger Clemens. The question in Colorado is whether or not the senior staff will help propel the Gryphons back to the championship or be sent out across the EHCC by the trading deadline for newer models. As it stands, the senior circuit in Golden still makes them the 2nd best staff in the West. Even at their old age, they'll still sit down enough batters to win the Gryphons 3 pitching categories a week.

1-Quebec City Piglets

Starting Five: Jake Peavy, Scott Kazmir, Justin Verlander, Freddy Garcia, David Bush
Wild Cards: Scott Olsen, Matt Cain, Chad Billingsley, and Anthony Reyes
Future: Brandon Erbe, Jeff Niemann, Andrew Miller, and Adam Miller

Scott Olsen, Matt Cain, and Jake Peavy are still pissed they don't have an EHCC championship ring. All three spent time on the defending champion Las Vegas Doggs' roster, just not at that crucial time where they won their two EHCC crowns. Olsen was sent up north last off-season, Cain followed him in one of the worst trades made by GM Howe Dogg in his career at the beginning of the 2006 season, and Peavy quickly followed two months later, being sent [back] to Quebec after Albert Pujols went down and the Doggs frantically tried to replace his production at first base with Jime Thome. While the Piglets gained much value in each of those three trades, it is obvious in the face of their current teammates that the trio is not happy that they were not part of the championship run. Along with the rest of the Piglet's talented young staff, they will try and put a ring on their finger at the end of the 2007 season. They have the ability, they just need to all put it together at the same time. Even with their lack of overall innings, this is clearly the best staff in the division.


Max Powers is a columnist for the Reno Weekly Rag. He loves apples, but hates apple pie...go figure.

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Baseball Tri-Weekly: Around the Bases, Draft

Just as obvious as Matsusaka is at #1 overall, Tim Lincecum has quietly secured his selection at the #2 spot over other rumored picks like Kei Igawa and Rich Hill. A week before the draft, things are still up in the air. But beyond the players picked, there will be a few other things to look for on Saturday.





Around the bases: Draft
By Listen DePlayohs

Since games don’t start for a few weeks, I was looking for some of the pressing questions to answer before the draft. Since no one will tell me who they are drafting, here are some of the matchups fans will see this week.

Matsuaka vs. Arlington
There is no mystery who will be taken first overall. The question is, how much will he be paid. Arlington management has been hush on the terms of the deal, which could be finalized prior to the draft. Few doubt the deal will get done, but with relatively comparable, cheaper pitchers available, the Warriors have to be negotiating with an card in their pocket. The phenom has already created problems, with his killing spree and all, so the team will really have to wonder if he is worth the trouble.

“The Warriors are grieved by the tragic accident leading to the loss of Mr. Gaffer,” team officials said in a press release. “We do believe it to be just that, an accident. The Warriors send their condolences to his family and will honor him with a moment of silence before the start of their home opener.”

Old vs. New
Players, not teams. With a crop of fresh-faced, inexperienced farmhands available, the gulf between veteran talent and potential prospects is wider than ever. With 20 percent of all EHCC rosters empty, the amount of dead weight that will be drafted in the first two rounds will astound critics and fans alike. Still, there are several team-makers in this draft that could quickly shift the balance of power among similar tier teams. Will they be taken in the first round, or will Gil Meche fall?

Bridgewater vs. showing up
Two arch enemies, Bridgewater has fought showing up on every occasion. Many times, Nastra Diggus has been victorious, thwarting those who expect his arrival as a sign of weakness. Weasels management has taken a hard line against those who support showing up, enacting sanctions and restricting communication.

Quebec City vs. Boredom
No picks until the fourth round can’t be good. What will the Piglets GM Pat Renaud do to entertain himself during the first three rounds. How many times will he snicker at a pick or sow seeds of doubt in the minds of studious owners? Most importantly, how much beer will he drink? That much free time could resulting in a drafting of Kevin Millar in the fifth round.

Weymouth vs. Obscurity
Could this be the end for the 4-time champs. Doggs General Manager Howe Dogg made the same bold prediction in 2005, and Shaddupu responded with another championship while trading many of their major league draft picks. This season, Weymouth is the weakest we have ever seen them going into a draft, but with four picks in the first two rounds and Yukon’s superb draft record, it will be interesting to see where Weymouth finds themselves at the end of the year.

League Notes
-- After hearing he didn’t make the Santo Domingo roster, Richie Sexson tried to go to the island home of the White Devils but his plane crashed en route. Search crews from several nations are looking for the former Bizton slugger.

-- Jeremy Hermida is still under close observation at Peoria’s spring training home after arriving to camp with several bottles of saki and a bloodied left arm. The team trainer said he was not drunk, but rather carrying the bottles to appease the gods.

-- Damien Jackson was furious after finding out he hasn’t been on an EHCC team in five years.

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Baseball Tri-Weekly: A deadly dealer

Reporter Kyle Gaffer is helped by paramedics after being hit with a baseball in the face. More is known about the incident, but no one may ever know if it was intentional. Sadly, one of our greatest reporter is no more.








A deadly dealer
By Listen Deplayohs, Baseball Tri-Weekly

FORT MYERS, Fla. - An enigma in the EHCC, Daisuke Matsuzaka has taken on a few more titles this spring training: Murderer and career ruiner.

Late last night, Baseball Tri-Weekly’sKyle Gaffer was struck by a pitch during a work out in Arlington’s spring training home by Matsuzaka. He was taken to Boris Memorial Hospital, but died early this morning.

"Gaffer was wandering behind the catcher," said an Arlington spokesperson. "A few scouts and coaches were behind there also, watching Matsuzaka pitch. I don’t know if the pitch got away from the catcher, and I don’t want to speculate, but Mr. Gaffer was hit."

EMTs were called immediately, and Gaffer was conscious for a short time. According to Boris Memorial, he died from blunt force trauma to the kidney, pancreas, left arm and brain.

"It was no accident," said Warriors catcher Jason Varitek. "I had no idea where it was going, but Matsusaka did. I could see it in his eyes. If it was a fastball, I would have dove for it, but I couldn’t tell what it was."

Gaffer, who joined Baseball Tri-Weekly late last year, was assigned to cover the most coveted player in the upcoming draft. He had followed Matsusaka to workouts with Golden and Las Vegas, but the one with Arlington was clearly important.

"He had been grilling Matsusaka with questions all week long," said Mark Tuckerman, a reporter with the Washington Times. "He had learned Japanese in the offseason in preparation for the coverage. He may have been the best reporter I have ever known."

Tuckerman said that conversations between the pitcher and scribe got heated at times, with Matsusaka walking out of a press conference.

"I don’t know what they were talking about," said Tuckerman. "The interpreter stopped translating."

Gaffer wasn’t the only person Matsusaka destroyed. During a training session with Quebec City, Matsusaka was asked to face a few batters, one being Jeremy Hermida.

"I don't know if the gyro was what I was seeing, but I was seeing something that's kind of like a split-finger changeup," said Hermida, who has a year-plus in the EHCC. "It's tough to describe. I just know I didn't pick up the spin."

Hermida was so distraught about the at bats, he sought the counsel of Manager Brian Fantana. Two days later, Hermida was traded to Peoria without explanation.

"The gyroball really messed him up," said Piglet Josh Barfield, Hermida’s spring training roommate. "He was muttering in his sleep, swearing in English and Japanese. I wanted to talk to him about it next morning, but he seemed too spaced out to talk. I told coach about it, and the next day he was gone."

Matsusaka has remained tight-lipped regarding both incidents, though he did issue an apology to Gaffer’s family. If it was half-hearted, the English speaking ones among us will never know.

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EHSPN Around the League: Relief Pitcher

Bobby Jenks has been tearing up the California Pineapple League, striking out 18 in 8 innings thus far. A solid spring, combined with his performance last year, should be a huge confidence booster for the Green Monsters. However, in order to solidify their bullpen, Winston-Salem will need to find someone to compliment Jenks' abilities (as well as his anger problem).




By Kyle Gaffer, Baseball Tri-Weekly




Note: This article was submitted the afternoon of Thursday, March 8th, immediately before Kyle Gaffer took a plane to Arlington to assist in the Eastern Division Starting Pitchers section of Around the League. The copy that Gaffer turned in was written entirely in Japanese, and he was unable to hand in an English version before he passed away. Therefore, please ignore any errors in this article (gramatical or statistical).
- Guy Roball, Baseball Tri-Weekly

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Since the EHCC split into two divisions in 2004, there has been one brutal truth about the league: The East is better than the West.

This "fact" can be explained due to the remaining 4 teams from the inaugural 2001 season (Bridgewater, Las Vegas, Rakeville, Weymouth) finding homes in the East, or that the only two teams to ever win the EHCC championship (LV, WEY) are there as well.

In some sick and twisted way, that makes the West the better division. Quebec City has been a perennial powerhouse, while Golden, Tijuana, and Winston-Salem have all been relatively legitimate playoff contenders. In 2006, Golden even managed to make their way to the championship game. Parity is a great thing, and it has motivated Western Division teams to play better.

As we analyze a position like Relief Pitcher, there is a definitely corollary between talent and division. Only 4 teams in the West have a bullpen to speak of, and one of those (Tokyo) is loaded with setup men who have yet to become full-time closers.

In other words, it’s crap.

Reliever continues to be the neglected step-son of the fantasy world, yet remains the only position that records the magical stat known as Saves. It may seem like a futile effort to chase players who can only provide you with 1 category, but in close games, it can cost you a win. In the 2005 championship game, the final score was 5-5, allowing Weymouth to win the title on an ERA tiebreaker. If Bridgewater had been able to record just 2 more saves, they would have taken the category and, ultimately, the win.

So before you cast aside the importance of these One-Inning Idols, keep in mind that it takes just 1 run, 1 strikeout, or 1 save to win a championship. And since they are arguably the only ones who can earn you saves, Relief Pitcher just may be the most important players on your team...

...just ask 2006 Finals MVP Francisco Rodriguez.

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Eastern Division

6. Peoria (Francisco Cordero, Todd Jones)
With the acquisition of Todd Jones earlier in the week, the Cardinals solidified… and second reliever. The addition of the 38 year old just added to an already-crowded roster that has to be cut down from 27 to 20 by March 11th. Cordero finished strong in ’06, and should continue his good fortune this year. If all goes according to plan, Peoria should manage 50 Saves out of their 2-man bullpen.

5. Arlington (Brian Fuentes, Chris Ray)
Brian Fuentes was lost in the crowd of Bye Week players last year, yet still managed to help their team to 4 ties, so expect him to do quite a bit better this year on an actual team. The acquisition of Ray gives Arlington a slight edge over Peoria, with the two dishing out 55 Saves for the expansion ballclub.

4. Bridgewater (Mike Gonzalez, Trevor Hoffman, BJ Ryan)
A flame-throwing lefty, a future hall-of-famer, and an up-and-coming powerhouse would normally be one of the best bullpens in the league. Instead, Bridgewater’s Terrible Trio will be struggling for opportunities. Gonzalez will be competing for his job, while Hoffman is 30 years past retirement. The only bright spot is Ryan, who will continue to dominate in one of the best offensive divisions in the league. 62 Saves is an underachievement for Ryan/Hoffman, but if Gonzalez gets a chance, he should chip in 10 more.

3. Rakeville (Tom Gordon, Jason Isringhausen, Akinori Otsuka, Takashi Saito, Billy Wagner, Bob Wickman)
Sometimes, less is more. In Rakeville’s case, more is more, but unfortunately their 6-man bullpen is expected to be cut down to 4 by 20-man roster day, possibly even 3. Wickman and Otsuka will be 2nd-3rd round draft picks, while Saito will be looking over his shoulder all season. As for the remaining 3, they’ll manage 92 Saves, good enough for a #1 ranking… in the West.

2. Las Vegas (Brad Lidge, Mariano Rivera, Francisco Rodriguez)
The Doggs have built quite the diverse bullpen for the 2007 season, which includes a 24 year old with two 40-save seasons already on his resume, a 37 year old workhorse with 413 saves over the past 10 seasons, and Brad Lidge… in Lidge’s defense, he still managed 34 saves last season, but unless he brings down that 5.28 ERA, he may be out of the job. Still, if Rivera/Rodriguez can get the 89 Saves they are expected to get, and Lidge can manage at least 15, they’ll be beating everyone in that category except...

1. Weymouth (Joe Nathan, JJ Putz, Huston Street)
3 top 5 YOUNG closers, there for a long time, won them the 2005 championship
How on earth does a team manage to get 3 of the top 10 closers in the league? In 2004, Weymouth drafted Nathan in the 4th round when he had just 1 career save (he got 44 that year). In 2005, they picked Street up off waivers just as an injured teammate led him into the closing roll (23 saves, 1.72 ERA). Putz, who went undrafted in 2006, was another free agent pickup, and in 2006 had 36 in 41 chances.

Scouting earned them the best bullpen in the league, and actually won them a championship. In 2005, down 5-4 going into the weekend, Street and Nathan managed to gather three saves and, along with a few wins by the starters, moved them into a 5-5 tie. Shaddupu won the title on a tiebreaker. Needless to say, Weymouth is quite happy with their bullpen, and will be even happier when they get him 115 Saves this season.


Western Division

6. Quebec City (None)
It’s not uncommon to head into the draft with no bullpen to speak of, especially what the Piglets got in return for theirs. Quebec City used Todd Jones in a deal that earned them the #2 pick in this June’s Minor League Draft. With no draft picks until the 4th round, it could be slim pickings at the reliever position. But what they lack in saves, they’ll make up in every one of the other 9 categories.

5. Golden (Armando Benitez)
The 34 year old Dominican did not get the save chances he deserved in 2006, with Golden blowing out teams left and right. Benitez still managed 17 saves in limited action, and if the Gryphons decide to hold onto him, he should give them another 20 Saves this year.

4. Tijuana (Joe Borowski, Ryan Dempster)
Oh, how the mighty have fallen… After finishing last season 2nd in total saves (110), they now find their bullpen undermanned and under skilled. Joe Borowski’s stellar 2006 can only be attributed to a mid-life crisis, and just might start the season in the setup role. Dempster is a solid pitcher, but last season killed his value with countless non-save opportunities. With a bolstered starting rotation, he should get more opportunities, but seeing is believing. Tijuana just might squeeze 40 Saves out of his so-called closers.

3. Winston-Salem (Bobby Jenks, Fernando Rodney)
The Green Monsters have never been shy about their bold 1st round draft picks. Rocco Baldelli (2004) and Brett Tomko (2005) are still around and kicking, but have been anything but stars. Bobby Jenks (2006) ended their streak of poor top picks, posting 41 saves and carrying the bullpen. Though the team missed the playoffs by 1.5 games, it was a morale victory for Winston-Salem. Expect another 40 Save effort out of Jenks, while Rodney inflates the team’s ERA with useless middle-relief appearances.

2. Santo Domingo (Chad Cordero, Eric Gagne, Craig Hansen)
This year’s expansion teams have been some of the most active, and the White Devils have build themselves quite the curious little bullpen. Chad Cordero, acquired from QC, has been a closer for 2 ½ seasons, yet has only managed to peak 30 saves once. Gagne has spent most of the past 2 seasons on the DL, and the move to hitter-friendly Santo Domingo will not help his rebound. Meanwhile, Hansen was supposed to be their “closer of the future” but has instead become another face in the world of middle-relief. Separate, they’re weak, but together they’ll still manage 60 Saves.

1. Tokyo (Jonathan Broxton, Joey Devine, Andrew Sisco, Joel Zumaya)
The theme of the 2007 Tokyo bullpen is “If”. If Joel Zumaya or Jonathan Broxton get a chance to close this year, he’ll have 30-40 saves each. If Joey Devine gets to stay in the majors, he just might become a setup man, or maybe even close 2 or 3 games. If Sisco learns how to throw the ball over the plate, he just might not get cut. This bullpen, like the rest of the Omyoujis roster, is built for the future. However, while the offense and pitching staff is finally starting to come around, the relievers are still waiting in the wings. With Zumaya and Broxton waiting in the wings, expect about 5 Saves this year. That’s perfectly fine with Tokyo, however, considering they’ll be getting 80-90 from those two in 2008.




Players who will be available in 2007 Major League Draft:

Jose Valverde – Finished 2006 strong after stepping back into the closer role, and if he can stay healthy should make some team very happy.

Takashi Saito – Too many players in Rakeville that can make the cut, and even at his age could be a 30 save threat.

Octavio Dotel – Draft at your own risk… you never know who is going to hold the 33 year old hostage this year.

Bobby Howry – Could get plenty of save opportunities when he falls into the closer role midseason.

Joel Piniero – Might be a closer, might not. Regardless, some team is going to gamble on him in the later rounds.





Kyle Gaffer was a columnist for Baseball Tri-Weekly. His only two weaknesses in the world were Japanese food and Japanese pitchers.

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Rakeville Times: Big moves and big words

Felix Hernandez runs through drills during workouts. While his remarks earlier in the week caused a buzz, it was his fastball that was buzzing by Piglet hitters as the skinned-down ace pitched two innings Friday.









Big moves and big words
by Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

PENSECOLA, Fla. – The Rocket’s team accountant slinked out of Jack Reed’s office after a late-night meeting, past a gathering a faithful beat reporters who badgered him with their eyes.

“I can’t say anything,” he said, gesturing toward the general manager’s office, saying just enough to make us curious. The team accountant rarely visits Reed, and only does when the payroll will be altered dramatically.

It is hard to see the Rockets adding another salary to their bloated balance, so I assumed it was a pending cut. A veteran player who won’t make the 20-man, thus the money allocated for him needed to be accounted for. My first thought, of course, was Pedro Martinez.

“Pedro is not going anywhere,” said Reed, in a monotone voice, responding to my question. “How many times are you going to ask me that McShadeless? Nothing has changed from this morning.”

I had asked Reed earlier in the day why Pedro was in camp, unable to practice or play with the other pitchers. He told me flatly that he was still a member of the team, and cut off any further speculation.

“Pedro will pitch for us this season,” continued Reed, talking to the other reporters. “If you have any other questions on his status, please consult the medical staff.” A cop-out, I thought.

Regardless of Pedro and his shoulder, something was still going on.

“We are looking to add another player,” said Reed, cutting to the point. “It is our hope to get someone to fill the utility spot after the 20-man roster deadline, during the draft. We have one guy in mind, which is why I asked for Lenny (the accountant) to come up here and see if it is feasible to bring him on.”

We probed as much as wee could, but Reed wouldn’t let on who he was looking, saying only that it was an outfielder.

Elsewhere in camp, Felix Hernandez was the focus of several cameras as he worked out with pitching coach Justin Fuller. Days before, Hernandez proclaimed that he would replace Pedro while he was injuried, rising to full the shoes of his mentor.

“This team cannot win if we pitch like we did last year,” said Hernandez. “Too many of us got lazy. We just thought it would all work out. Then we looked around in August and saw what we had done, and how we wasted our talent. I can’t let that happen again this year. I will lead this staff, if no one else will.”

King Felix’s statement turned a lot of heads, not because of his abundant confidence, but also because of its declaration of leadership. On a team with veteran Rocket aces like Roy Oswalt and Javier Vazquez, Hernandez has been the first to publicly voice his concern with last season’s performance. A day later, he singled out fellow pitchers Josh Beckett and Ian Snell, challenging them to perform better this year.”

“Josh [Beckett] and Ian [Snell] get a lot of attention by the media and fans,” said Hernandez, “but they haven’t shown anything to deserve it. They have talent, but I am better than them. Until they prove me wrong, I don’t want to hear a comparison.”

His calm demeanor masked the guile in his words. In only his second year in the EHCC, Hernandez had a mediocre season last year, with some critics touting him as a bust. Still, he called out Beckett, a man who turned heads in his first season and one who has one of the best resumes on the team.

“Felix is talking out of his ass,” said Beckett with a stern look on his face. “He is a showboat. The kid can’t even throw a slider. Just because he has been dominating rag-tag island clubs in the Caribbean League, doesn’t mean he with worth anything now.” His expression softened. “And have you seen his hair this year.”

Snell has a different reaction to the comments. “I’m just glad someone knows my first name,” he said, amid a chorus of fans shouting “SNELL!”

“Felix was very quiet last year,” said Fuller. “We watched the other pitchers. He saw how guys like Pedro and Pierre motivated the players, and he saw how they responded. I don’t think I would have said the things he said, I can see it having an effect on a guy like Beckett.”

Some think with the dead of Mark Prior, Josh Beckett has had a little less to play for. Perceived as a bitter rival, the injury-prone Dogg was non-existent last year, which coincided with Beckett’s worst season.

“If he needs something to motivate him, or someone who will challenge him, Felix is up to the challenge,” said Fuller. “What could be better than having some of the best young pitchers in the game, pushing themselves to be better. I know they have the talent. I see it every day. If they both pitch to their potential, there is no doubt we would have the best rotation in the league once Pedro returns.”

But Pedro has returned, in the heart and mind of Felix Hernandez.

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EHSPN Around the League: Outfield

Hideki Matsui's 2006 was shortened due to a wrist injury in May, but that didn't stop him from returning strong in September (.411, 3HR, 10RBI, 11R). Even that outstanding finish to the season couldn't convince Tijuana to hold onto the 32 year old outfielder, hoping to go younger and sending the Japanese product to Canada for 70 cents on the dollar. The Piglets hope that he is the final piece to their Championship puzzle, while Matsui simply can't wait to get to Quebec City and have a fresh Labatt Blue.






By Athrun Zala, Japan Times




Eastern Division

6. Lance Berkman, Brian Giles, Jonny Gomes - BRW
Bridgewater's outfield will probably grow after the 2007 EHCC draft. Lance Berkman is a big time player and should continue to put up star-level statistics to the tune of .312/47/141/96/2. Giles is entering the end of his career but should still be able to put up .260/15/79/73/5 in full time duty. Gomes should see a run of power with much less efficiency across the board; .200/19/61/49/0. Bridgewater places last in the East for ignoring their outfield and not reconizing the decline of one of the stars they had been depending on.
Most Likely to Overperform: Brian Giles
Most Likely to Underperform: Lance Berkman
The Future: None

5. Corey Patterson, Raul Ibanez, Pat Burrell, Austin Kearns, Juan Rivera, Matt Kemp - PEO
With a bit of everything, except for a top player, Peoria is the most difficult outfield to rank. Corey Patterson had a revival of sorts last season and should continue on into this season. Should Patterson keep it together he should hit a line of .271/18/61/88/53 and compete all year for the EHCC lead in steals. Raul Ibanez followed Patterson into the breakout category and posted his career year in his mid-30's. Ibanez should see a slight drop to .284/29/100/88/1. Pat Burrell continued his old tricks and should continue them into this season to the tune of .261/27/102/79/0. Austin Kearns is, as always, a breakout candidate and should continue the upward streak of his yearly statistics to a .260/26/94/82/10 conclusion. Juan Rivera and Matt Kemp will struggle to find playing time until someone above them is moved. Supposing one of the above players is moved then Rivera and Kemp will put up lines of .284/18/77/60/0 and .242/12/40/40/15, respectively.
Most Likely to Overperform: Pat Burrell
Most Likely to Underperform: Pat Burrell
The Future: Matt Kemp

4. Matt Holliday, Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson, Coco Crisp, Dave Roberts, Felix Pie - ARL
Matt Holliday posted a breakout season in 2006 and hopes to improve upon it in 2007. Magglio Ordonez is on the wrong side of 30 but is was very productive in 2006 and Graderson/Crisp are both hoping to make the jump to star roles as they enter their late 20's. Holliday is truly the beast of this group as he is right in the middle of his prime and should build on his 2007 statistics. .320/37/120/120/10 looks about right. The chances of Ordonez playing a full year again this late in his career are slim. 2006 looked like just what it was, a contract year push for one last pay day. Ordonez should post something around .290/17/85/65/0 in an injury shortened season. With talk of Granderson adjusting his batting stance after his move to Arlington the Warriors are probably hoping for him to cut down on his strikeouts and raise his batting average. The leash should be loosened a bit as well, so expect Granderson to steal more and put up a line of .270/19/65/100/20; just barely missing out on a 20/20 season. Coco Crisp will get about the same amount of action as he did last year. Filling in for the injured Ordonez should be almost a full time job. Crisp has the talent to increase his numbers across the board and should post a line of .270/11/35/70/22. Dave Roberts and Felix Pie are similar players at opposite ends of their careers that could be counted on for steals, and not much more, in 2007.
Most Likely to Overperform: Curtis Granderson
Most Likely to Underperform: Magglio Ordonez
The Future: Felix Pie

3. Manny Ramirez, Bobby Abreu, Rocco Baldelli, Chone Figgins - WEY
With Manny, Abreu, Baldelli and Figgins Weymouth has a set of outfielders that touch on all the major skill sets. Manny is Manny and should start to decline within the next two seasons. An injury and old age should hit Manny this year to the tune of .311/31/96/67/0. Baldelli was absolutely stolen from the Green Monsters and should contribute for seasons to come in Weymouth. This season feels like a .310/21/66/71/14 season from Baldelli. Figgins should end up posting a .282/7/57/96/50 line while splitting time in the outfield, DH, and third base. Abreu rounds out this group with an extremely solid, if not spectacular, .283/19/111/104/28.
Most Likely to Overperform: Rocco Baldelli
Most Likely to Underperform: Manny Ramirez
The Future: None

2. Andruw Jones, Vernon Wells, Delmon Young - RAK
Rakeville's outfield is pretty stacked with two studs and a third that is projected to be a stud for years to come. Andrew Jones and Vernon Wells are right in the middle of their prime years and it shows in their statistics. Both should see their speed start to decline soon, which would lower a normal player's value, but these two can both mash as well. Jones should have numbers similar to last year's, something similar to .260/40/135/100/2. Wells is a harder player to get a read on. He has performed well for years but now has his first huge contract. Will he rest on his laurels for a year or so while content with his new found fortune? I will predict a drop from last year's numbers to a line of .290/29/100/85/12 with a rebound next season. Delmon Young is the new kid on the block. After sitting at the top of most prospect rankings for 2006 Young is looking to burst onto the scene strong for his first full year in the EHCC in 2007. A line of .305/15/33/65/7 with about 40 doubles should be a solid first year, but maybe not up to GM Reed's expectations.
Most Likely to Overperform: Andruw Jones
Most Likely to Underperform: Vernon Wells
The Future: Delmon Young

1. Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, Jason Bay, Ichiro Suzuki, Gary Sheffield, Jeremy Reed, Jay Bruce - LV
With a top four of Soriano, Lee, Suzuki, and Bay, Las Vegas has the best outfield in the league heading into 2007. Soriano is coming off a huge 40/40 year and should continue at that pace for another year or two. With his move to center field in Las Vegas Soriano's stats may see a slight decline but it is unlikely. A line of .280/48/108/115/38 should position him as the best outfielder in the game again in 2007. With improved protection around him Carlos Lee should see another huge year, coming in at .300/36/120/96/15. Ichiro Suzuki is nearing the end of his career and should continue to see his already poor power numbers take a dive. His base running and run generating ability shouldn't fade as fast, allowing him to play a solid .318/5/35/115/46 season in 2007. Jason Bay rounds out this incredible top 4 and should see a monster .297/41/126/107/15 season after he beats out Aramis Ramirez for the full time DH roll this spring. Sheffield should show an improvement once he is moved into a DH role, putting him at .295/25/91/74/0 for 2007. Jeremy Reed will probably not make Las Vegas's 20 man roster, and might not even be invited to training camp after his last two injury plagued seasons.
Most Likely to Overperform: Gary Sheffield
Most Likely to Underperform: Alfonso Soriano
The Future: Jay Bruce


Western Division

6. Mike Cameron, Ryan Freel, Matt Murton, Jason Kubel, Jose Tabata, Hunter Pence - TIJ
With an outfield of Mike Cameron, Ryan Freel, Matt Murton, and Jason Kubel this outfield is really built with a view toward its future of Jose Tabata and Hunter Pence. Mike Cameron should see a sharp decline in his production in the 2007 season. Being a 34 year old center fielder in the EHCC is a tough job. Expect a let-down season of .270/17/76/77/19 play. Ryan Freel will be used in the outfield when he isn't needed as a backup to the middle infielders. With his speed his line of .276/9/26/59/34 will be a welcome adition to the speed Tijuana seems to be banking on this season. Matt Murton, drafted in the first round of the 2006 draft, eventually made his way to Tijuana. Expect him to be buried in a bottle of tequilla this season as he posts a dismal .260/9/47/53/2. Nipping at Murton's heels should be the rejuvenated Jason Kubel. A year off of major knee surgery Kubel should feel more comfortable on the grass in Tijuana and could post .275/18/67/51/2 after Murton is taken out behind the shed.
Most Likely to Overperform: Jason Kubel
Most Likely to Underperform: Matt Murton
The Future: Jose Tabata, Hunter Pence

5. Jermaine Dye, JD Drew, Scott Podsednik, Carlos Quentin, Lastings Milledge - SD
Jermaine Dye's career is winding down and last season now looks veeeery fluky and could be his career year. Expect a drop in statistics to about .289/31/94/80/5, but only because 2006 was such a huge year for Dye. JD Drew just signed a new contract, which is never good for his performance. Expect a let down to the point of a .275/16/79/64/0 performance. Podsednik steals bases but has no all-around game, getting him a projection of .273/2/39/79/34. Carlos Quentin is still too young to have a notable impact for a competing team, but he should put up .250/16/42/31/2 while filling in for any injuries to Drew and Podsednik. Arlington has a little bit of everything in their outfield but what looks to be a lot of disappointment for 2007.
Most Likely to Overperform: Carlos Quentin
Most Likely to Underperform: Jermaine Dye
The Future: Carlos Quentin, Lastings Milledge

4. Jeff Francoeur, Alex Rios, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Billy Butler - TKO
After a year away from the Omyoujis Rios makes his return as a new player. A solid 20/20 season is expected from Rios if he sees a full season of action. A line of .310/27/107/80/24 should help Tokyo offset another disappointing season from Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur should continue his feast or famine ways on his way to .250/32/101/75/0. Nick Markakis's solid 2006 places him as popular breakout candidate. Markakis might see a slight jump in speed now that he has acclimated himself to the EHCC. .299/18/70/85/10 shows Markakis as a driving force behind the RBIs of Rios and Francoeur. Adam Jones was overmatched in 2006 and should be in 2007 as well. Filling in for any injuries he should see a line of .200/4/18/25/9. The young Omyoujis outfield may not yet be ready for prime time in 2007.
Most Likely to Overperform: Alex Rios
Most Likely to Underperform: Jeff Francoeur
The Future: Adam Jones, Billy Butler

3. Carl Crawford, Grady Sizemore, Wily Mo Pena, Andre Ethier - WS
An outfield with two of the best young outfielders and two more young, highly thought of outfielders should drive help drive Winston-Salem's playoff run... in 2008. Carl Crawford and Grady Sizemore are the jewels of this bunch, they should produce well this year to respective lines of .311/21/84/103/67 and .294/31/83/150/27. Wily Mo Pena and Andre Ethier should find themselves getting better in the next two years but this season they should put up solid power numbers for young players but with little speed. Ethier should get the start over Pena with Wily Mo getting lots of time as an injury replacement or DH. Ethier's line of .286/14/63/54/4 will only be better than Pena's .292/12/51/42/0 due to time spent on the field. If Rocco Baldelli was still in the Winston-Salem outfield they probably would have just lost out to Quebec City for the best outfield in the West.
Most Likely to Overperform: Grady Sizemore
Most Likely to Underperform: Wily Mo Pena
The Future: Andre Ethier

2. Nick Swisher, Juan Pierre, Adam Dunn, Torii Hunter, Johnny Damon, Ken Griffey Jr - GLD
With an experienced outfield Golden edges out Tokyo and Winston-Salem for second place in the West. Nick Swisher is coming off a breakout campaign and should post an impressive .260/37/96/104/0 line. Juan Pierre should slow down in the coming years, but not in 2007, leaving him with .292/2/41/94/58. Adam Dunn is another feast or famine player and will take all the strikeouts he can get with his home runs. .224/40/87/82/4 looks about right for him. Torii Hunter is in a contract year so he should post on last big year before him decline. Expect him to post a line similar to .280/36/111/104/20. Johnny Damon and Ken Griffey Jr. are on their way down to .279/20/65/102/21 and .245/17/51/36/0 lines respectively, off the bench. Golden has lots of experience in the outfield but they have to choose carefully who to keep. Some of the players' ages make that a difficult decision because the wheels could fall off anytime in the next few years for the older players.
Most Likely to Overperform: Torii Hunter
Most Likely to Underperform: Johnny Damon
The Future: None

1. Carlos Beltran, Vladimir Guerrero, Hideki Matsui, Willy Taveras, Jeremy Hermida, Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin - QC
Quebec City's Championship push is in full effect. After acquiring Vladimir Guererro and Hideki Matsui this offseason to protect Beltran the middle of the Piglets's order looks set. Beltran is at the top of his game and should be counted on to push the Piglets to the playoffs. .280/46/129/141/17 should let Beltran lead this outfield. If Guerrero and Matsui can stay healthy they should put up spectacular lines of .334/32/119/98/12 and .306/21/88/90/1 this season before starting their declines in 2008. Taveras adds some late inning speed to the team and can step in to give any member of the outfield a rest. Taveras should post a solid .279/3/28/102/29 this season while Hermida should continue to slap singles to all fields for a disappointing .241/6/31/42/6. The top three of this outfield really push it head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the Western Division.
Most Likely to Overperform: Jeremy Hermida
Most Likely to Underperform: Vladimir Guerrero
The Future: Jeremy Hermida, Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin




Overall Rankings:

1) Las Vegas
2) Quebec City
3) Rakeville
4) Weymouth
5) Golden
6) Winston-Salem
7) Arlington
8) Tokyo
9) Peoria
10) Santo Domingo
11) Bridgewater
12) Tijuana





Athrun Zala is a reporter for the Japan Times. A translator was hired to help with the Around the League project, until everyone realized that he could't speak English either.

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