EhSPN: History In The Making

Going into Week 17, EHCC Historian Barry Larkin is hard at work trying to figure out what records will be broken by the end of the season. This is all he does with his life after retiring from the EHCC as a player, so he gets a little excited when he sees potential for such a record breaking season. Here's a look at some records that are on pace to being broken at the end of the 2007 regular season.


History In The Making
By Pedro Gammo, EhSPN

Stolen Bases (Season)
Current Record: 135 set by Las Vegas in 2006
Future Record: 164 set by Tijuana in 2007

Three teams are in line to not only break, but demolish the mark set by the Doggs in '06, including Winston-Salem, Tijuana, and the '07 Doggs. Each are on pace to steal around 160 bases by the end of the regular season. The Doggs may have lost a step by sending away Ichiro to the Piglets last week, but they'll always have a shot at the record with Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Alfonso Soriano on their staff, not to mention the recent addition of Corey Patterson who should be used as their 4th outfielder with the recent acquisition of home run threat Adam Dunn. The Hispanics have 6 players with double digit steals in the past month, and has outscored opponents 116-66 in the category this season thus far. The Green Monsters are at the top of the SB leader board right now, but have struggled in the category in the last month, netting double digit steals from only 2 players, and single digit steals from just 5 other players.

Wins (Season)
Current Record: 117 set by Bridegwater in 2006
Future Record: 120 set by Rakeville in 2007

This one was a close call, as both Bridgewater and Weymouth are on pace to barely break last year's record set by the Weasels. I would have said that the Weasels had a shot of keeping their name on the record if former ace Chris Carpenter was going to come back this season, but with the announcement of his future Tommy John surgery, that's not an option. Weymouth's starters just have a better offense behind them to help them gain the wins they need to set the record. The thing that gives Rakeville the overall edge to take the record away from Bridgewater is not only quality, but overall quantity of starters in their rotation. They currently have 10 starters not on the team's DL, plus Pedro Martinez, AJ Burnet, and Randy Johnson scheduled to make a comeback in the coming month. If Rakeville doesn't break the record, no one will.

Strikeouts (Season)
Current Record: 1398 set by Rakeville in 2006
Future Record: 1600 set by Rakeville in 2007

This is insane. The Rockets are scheduled to break their own record in strike-outs in a season by the end of Week 20. The team averages more than 72 strikeouts per week and is on pace to have 1,596 K's by the end of the regular season. This again is not only attributed to quality of their rotation, but the quantity as well. Just imagine if they starts churning one or two spots in their rotation.

ERA (Season)
Current Record: 3.87 set by Las Vegas in 2006
Future Record: 3.72 set by Weymouth in 2007

Weymouth seems to have decided to stick with quality over quantity when it comes to their rotation. This has helped them keep a 3.59 ERA overall thus far this season. I can't see that staying put, but I can see them holding onto a sub 3.8 ERA come season's end. Johan Santana, Jeremy Bonderman, Carlos Zambrano, and Jered Weaver each have a an ERA no higher than 3.00, not to mention closers Joe Nathan and JJ Putz have kept a combined ERA of 0.651 over the course of the last month (27.2 IP). They have the talent to take another record as their own.

Total Losses (Season)
Current Record: 148 set by Hudson in 2003
Future Record: 149 set by Santa Dominga in 2007

The one record no one wants to break. The White Devils are only on pace to hit the 144 loss mark, but I feel they have a good shot at getting the extra 5 losses to put them over the top, especially with their upcoming schedule. To end the season the Devils are facing off against Tijuana, Winston-Salem, Bridgewater, Rakeville, Weymouth, and Peoria. They currently are averaging 6.5 losses per week, but can easily rack up more than that against the heart of their remaining schedule. With 6 losses expected in the final 6 weeks, and scores of 7-3, 6-3, 8-2, 9-1, 8-1, and 6-2 well within their range, the Devils should be able to squeak by the contracted Hudson Cortesticulastics for a new season-loss record. Congratulations in advance.

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Baseball Tri-Weekly: July Cover

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EhSPN: First-half rookie rundown

Delmon Young has helped power the Rockets offense all season, but who are the other rookies making waves in the EHCC?



First-half rookie rundown
By EhSPN

A player's first season can be a grueling experience for player and manager alike, especially if the player struggles out of the gate. Almost instinctively, questions begin to arise about a player's suitability for the Big Show during a prolonged debut slump.

The struggling rookie takes on the semblance of a coma patient, his manager anxiously manning the bedside, waiting earnestly for any sign of life, no matter how small, any signal that the player he thought he knew is still contained in this deteriorating husk of strikeouts and ground ball double plays. Simultaneously, the manager subconsciously begins the grieving process, looking forward to a life without the scrapping shortstop or struggling hurler.

There are, however, exceptions to this scenario: rookies whose debuts are characterized not by a period of prolonged uncertainty, but rather by an immediate (or at least relatively quick) positive impact on the club. While there have not been nearly as many standout rookies in the 2007 as there were in the historic class of '06, there are still a handful of skilled youngsters making a splash already over the first half of their inaugural season.

Dustin Pedroia (SD): After an April in which he spent 9 days under the Mendoza line, Pedroia has quickly demonstrated that his ability to consistently get the bat on the ball could translate to the majors, batting .319 on the season with 34 runs and 25 RBI with only 22 K's. While his contribution long term will probably be limited to average and runs, he seems primed to contribute more than adequately at those posts with his miniscule strikeout rate and .400 OBP in a loaded lineup.

Delmon Young(RAK): Following through on the promise of his performance in short time last season, Young leads all rookies in hits and RBIs (48). Throw in his 9 homers and 40 runs with a reasonable average (.279) and you have a more than serviceable 3rd outfielder with a very high ceiling.

Reggie Willits(RAK): The speedy outfielder represents the star of the rookie class in the all important category of steals (19) while maintaining a .326 average and scoring 39 runs in the first half. His power numbers are only slightly under par (0 HR , 25 RBI) and are more than compensated for by his performance in the other three categories.

Troy Tulowitzki(SD): After a slow April, the big shortstop has buoyed his average to a respectable .286 while leading all rookies in runs scored (48) and supplying strong power numbers for his position with 9 HR and 37 RBI's. He seems to have corrected his plate-patience issues (and has subsequently collected 32 walks) and appears poised for a strong second half.

Daisuke Matsuzaka(ARL): With the far greater number of adjustments needed for pitchers to be successful in the big leagues (and despite the abherration of the '06 class of pitchers) it is not surprising that the only pitcher to make the list is arguably not even a rookie. What he is, however, is the real deal. This Japanese import and #1 overall draft pick is a strikeout machine and 10 game winner at the break, while maintaining a sub-4 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. While his starts occasionally appear bipolar relative to one another, he is still dominating all qualifying rookie pitchers in every major category and could easily pick up 16-17 wins and 200 K this season.

Hunter Pence(TIJ): The apparent cream of this crop at the halfway mark, Pence has put up all-star quality numbers despite the fact that his GM doesn't seem to think he's ready to compete in Tiujuana. With a gaudy .341 average, 11 HR and 41 RBI, as well as 38 runs and a not insignificant 7 thefts, Pence has by far the most complete line of any rookie. A seeming shoe-in for rookie of the year if he ever gets the call, Pence seems more than ready to ignite an outfield in Tiujana which has appeared stagnant at points this season.

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