They Might Be Giants

Trades have been hard to come by in 2013, but the ones that have come along have defined how the season will turn out. With Quebec City breaking up the band and Las Vegas taking risks to reach that elusive 4th title, one has to wonder what the rest of the league is planning to keep up, in one direction or the other.

They Might Be Giants
By: Conor Intabedd; Reno Weekly Rag

Tim Lincecum knew this day was coming. Piglets' GM Pat Renaud had always been his biggest fan. Ever since trading for him back in 2007, Timmy had been a staple in the Piglets' rotation and one of the corner stones to their 2011 Championship. Then, he cut his hair. His long, flowing, shiny game winning hair. With it went his Cy Young talent and his championship swagger. The 2012 season brought out a disturbing side of the star pitcher that many had never seen. He wasn't hurt. He didn't have blisters. He wasn't just playing out an inflated contract. To many it seemed all too clear: His hair held the key. Once it was gone there was no chance.

For over a year and a half Renaud was in denial. He had purchased his very own Lincecum shirt for heaven's sake, he just couldn't give up hope. He failed to see through all the smoke and mirrors that most called talent and see what was really going on. To see that Timmy just couldn't cut it, ever since he cut it all off. Sure, the kid can still strikeout a batter an inning, but at what cost?

But it was only a matter of time before it happened. Timmy's time was up north of the border. It was time to pack his bags and head south. He knew sooner or later Renaud would finally give in and part ways with the former All-Star. But who would take the chance? Who was still a believer?

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The Las Vegas Doggs haven't sniffed the air of a championship since 2008. The once bi-annual champions failed to make the playoffs twice of the last four seasons, and choked the two chances they had at another title. Their fans have been getting restless. 2012 seemed like it was the turning point. Their bats were some of the hottest in the league and their pitching was rated tops in the EHCC for the first time in franchise history. They had it all. They brought in talent to push them over the top - Jonathan Neise, Ryan Dempster, Jon Lester helped round out the rotation while their solid line up core of Votto, Posey, and Chase Headley held things together on the offensive front. They let go of so much of their future, banking on the fact that their entire pitching staff outside of Dempster was under the age of 30, at a chance at just one more title. And they choked it away.

Some teams might learn their lesson - the one that says "don't mortgage your future on a risky move just for a short time gain". Some would have made some managerial changes or even General Managerial changes. Some may have even blown up the roster. Not the Doggs. They were too far in the hand to fold now. They had to see this through, just one more time. There had to be some new hope in Vegas.

Enter Kevin Gausman. With the top waiver priority entering the 2013 season the Doggs selected

Gausman off EHCC Waivers hoping he would add a new spark to the rotation. He did. He added the spark that lit the bomb that sent the entire squad exploding. Gausman was lit up in his first few starts and spread whatever he was infected with to the rest of the staff. Gallardo, Lester, Cain all started to falter. Newly acquired Jim Johnson, Jonathan Neise, and even ace Mat Latos weren't immune. Something was clear - Gausman had to go. But where? To tend to the wound quickly the Doggs sent Gausman on an errand to find the key to the elevator that led to the pool in the basement of the stadium. The rookie fell for it and searched for the non existant key to the non existant pool for almost two full weeks. When he finally came back to the bullpen GM Howe Dogg had informed him to clean out his locker, as he was expected to be traded in the coming day or two and to get his passport in order as it was clear he'd be headed to the Western Division.

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Net sum of all trades made by each team this season as of June 29th:

Quebec City Piglets

Received:

Chase Headley (3B)
Austin Jackson (OF)
Kevin Slowey (SP)
Chad Billingsley (SP)
Kevin Gausman (SP)
Trevor Bauer (SP)
3rd Round MiDP (SD-2013)
1st Round MiDP (AUG-2014)
2nd Round MiDP (AUG-2014)

Gave Up:

Jose Reyes (SS)
Matt Carpenter (2B)
Brandon Morrow (SP)
Kris Medlen (SP)
Tim Lincecum (SP)
Edward Mujica (RP)


Las Vegas Doggs

Received:

Matt Carpenter (2B)
Tim Lincecum (SP)
Jim Johnson (RP)
Edward Mujica (RP)
1st Round MiDP (TIJ-2014)

Gave Up:

Chase Headley (3B)
Ryan Dempster (SP)
Chad Billingsley (SP)
Kevin Gausman (SP)


Tijuana Hispanics

Received: 

Ryan Dempster (SP)
Kris Medlen (SP)
1st Round MaDP (TKO-2014)

Gave Up:

Nick Markakis (OF)
Trevor Bauer (SP)
Chris Archer (SP)
Jim Johnson (RP)
1st Round MiDP (TIJ-2014)


Augusta Albatross

Received: 

Nick Markakis (OF)
Brandon Morrow (SP)

Gave Up: 

Kevin Slowey (SP)
1st Round MiDP (AUG-2014)
2nd Round MiDP (AUG-2014)


Tokyo Omyoujis

Received:

Chris Archer (SP)

Gave Up:

1st Round MaDP (TKO-2014)


Santo Domingo All-Star Factory

Received: 

Jose Reyes (SS)

Gave Up:

Austin Jackson (OF)
3rd Round MiDP (SD-2013)

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Zack Attack?

The Piglets are reeling for the second year in a row -- can Manager Zack Morris convince GM Pat Renaud to stop the bleeding? Quebec City -- Piglets Manager Zack Morris leaned back in his chair and let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hands through his thinning, but still spectacular blonde hair. It's been 3 years since he took over for the deposed Brian Fantana, to that point the only manager the Piglets had ever known. Morris had been brought in to push the 'Always a Bridesmaid' Piglets over the top, and he didn't disappoint, winning the franchise's first EHCC championship in his first season. Since then, however, things haven't gone as planned. Expected to be the top team again last year, the Piglets stumbled out of the gate due to injuries and unexpectedly poor performances from key contributors, and never really recovered, missing the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved North over a decade ago. The team has struggled again this season, combining some impressive victories over contenders with multiple blowout losses. As of press time, they were out of the playoff picture for potentially the second straight year. "It's tough," Morris sighed. "We had some bad luck last year, with guys like Longo [3rd Baseman Evan Longoria] banged up for most of the year, and guys like Timmy [Lincecum] and [1st baseman Albert] Pujols struggling for parts of the year. I think we still could've made a run, but it was taken out of my hands." Morris is referring to long-time Piglets GM Pat Renaud's trade of multiple star veterans, such as Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, and long-time Piglet contributors Ryan Dempster and Jonathon Niese, among others. When asked about the gutting of a championship club, Renaud shrugged. "In for a loonie, in for a toonie. If we're going to rebuild, there's no sense in doing it half-assed. Could we have held onto all those guys and maybe made the playoffs? Yeah, maybe. But we got off to an abysmal start, and then got an offer we couldn't refuse for Dickey. Would it really have been worth it to try and hang on to make the playoffs if, in all likelihood, we weren't winning a title? I don't think so." Renaud continued, "Winning a championship was amazing, but it took a lot of bullets to load that gun. And we basically emptied it. The cupboard was dry," he said, referring to the team's barren minor league system. "And it if your veterans aren't going to perform, and there is no help on the way, you're in trouble. By punting last year and potentially this year, we're reloading with assets. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't, but finally getting that ring gives us the freedom to try and start again." When his comments were relayed to Morris, he rolled his eyes, looked away, and then turned back and smiled with a glint in his eye. "Time out," he shouted, holding his hands up in 'T' formation. He then proceeded to turn away from me and explain a convoluted, ridiculous plan to get Renaud to go all in for this season to an unseen person he apparently thought was there. I cleared my throat a few times, and called his name, but he was completely oblivious to the fact that I wasn't frozen in place. It was pretty weird, actually. When he finally turned back, he said, "I have a feeling Belding will come around." When I asked if he meant Renaud when he said Belding, he said, "Uh, yeah. Him too." So where does that leave the fans of Canada? The GM and Manager aren't seeing eye-to-eye, the team has some exciting young talent in the system, but has floundered on the field, and it looks like it might be another lost season for a city used to winning. Only time will tell what happens, but one thing is for sure--Zack Morris should seek help. Seriously.

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Surprises of the Year, Nay, The Century

 

Halfway through the 2013 EHCC season, and there's plenty of surprises. Some of those that top our list: SP Hisashi Iwakuma and the 1st place Tijuana Hispanics.

Surprises of the Year, Nay, The Century
By Skip Clifton, San Diego Chronicle

It was Week 10. As I watched the conclusion to the Dublin/Tijuana matchup, my head was spinning: The Hispanics had dominated from start to finish, and beat the #1 team in the league 9-1. How could this happen? After a fairy tail run to the playoffs last season that ended in disappointment, the team fired their GM Peter Kantor and replaced him with long-time franchise 2B Brian Roberts. 2013 was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but nobody told the players.

We're 11 weeks in, and while the All-Stars head off to Rakeville for the Mid-Summer Classic, we look at the 10 biggest surprises of the EHCC season. Tijuana made the list, but they're definitely not number 1.


#10: New Guy In Town
Rookie owner David Femino came in without the fanfare of most new expansion teams. Sure, he took over a roster already established, but not many people expected the success he's been having this season. San Juan is 4-2-1 vs. the East (4-5-2 overall) and sits atop the division by 1/2 game. The offense has a few performing stars (Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran) but its been the pitching that has carried the team. The Guerites have 9 regular SP, none of which have over a 4.08 ERA or less than 4 wins. They also have 3 closers with over 15 saves each. If the offense can catch up, they'll be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.

#9: Relievers? I Don't Need Stinkin' Relievers
Closers are a rotating position for most teams. You may think you know the top 10 closers during the preseason, then 8 of those are jobless by July. And yet, its still amazing how many teams have just given up on saves entirely. Dublin officially bailed on the position from day 1, carrying 0 relievers. While teams like Quebec City (1), Tokyo (2), Augusta (2), and Bridgewater (2) have closers on their roster, they clearly have decided to focus on other needs. Of those 5 teams, DUB is having a great year, and QC is hovering around playoff contention, but the remaining 3 are in 10th-12th place. Saves don't win you weeks, but they obviously help.

#8: Magical Arms
It's no surprise who the highest ranked hitters are (Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Carlos Gonzalez, etc.), but there have been some huge surprises on the mound. Hisashi Iwakuma (Tij) was ranked 283 during preseason but is currently 8th (2nd overall SP) in the league with just 23 ER in 100 1/3 IP, as well as a 90/17 K/BB ratio. Clay Buchholz (QC) has also had a surprising year, starting the year #241 but is now #17 with a 9-0 record, 1.71 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. The biggest surprise might be Patrick Corbin (Brw), who was ranked 345th preseason yet is currently 33rd, 9-0 with a 2.28 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Honorable mentions to Matt Harvey of SD (135 > 13), Shelby Miller of DUB (279 > 23), and Ervin Santana of SJ (354 > 61).

#7: Mess In The West
The 3 overall teams in the EHCC happen to reside in the West. The bigger surprise is that they are all 5-2 in the division, and just 1 game separating them overall. Tijuana's only losses this year came at the hands of DUB (wk 2) and QC (wk 3). Santo Domingo fell to RIO (wk 3) and TIJ (wk 6), but also dropped an inter-division game to RAK (wk 8). And Dublin has their losses to those two teams (SD wk 5, TIJ wk 10) and also has a tie against LV (wk 9). Tijuana's current 8-game win streak makes them look the strongest, yet Dublin, despite their 9-1 failure vs. the Hispanics, looks the most-likely to take the Western title. But with 8 division games still remaining, there's really no way to tell how this thing will end.

#6: Where'd The East Go?
The West went 15-5-4 vs. the East in the first half of the season, which is quite an arbitrary record but meaningful nonetheless. The 3 best records in the league are Tijuana, Dublin and Santo Domingo, and only Las Vegas (.550 win percentage) rounds out the 4 teams with even a .500 record. The most important stat to remember is that 11 of the 12 EHCC Champions have resided in the East, and yet in recent memory the top teams in the West have never been so dominant, so there is hope!

#5: South Of The Border Is Tops In The League
Prior to last season, General Manager Peter Kantor decided to dissolve the Tijuana roster and entered the expansion draft. It was a complete disaster at first, yet the team finished 6-0-1 to finish in 6th place and make their first postseason since 2004. The team lost in the first round, which cost Kantor his job. New GM Brian Roberts has changed the entire attitude in the front office as well as in the clubhouse, and at the midway point the Hispanics are in 1st place in the midst of an 8-gamewinning streak. Tijuana isn't built to dominate opponents, but their speedy offense, churnable rotation, and crowded bullpen make them a real title contender.

#4: Bridgewater Regrets Expansion
Like Tijuana, Bridgewater also dissolved their roster last season after looking over their roster and realizing they had an average age of 74.2. After winning the title in 2009 and 2010, the Weasels realized that if they wanted to compete down the road, they needed a complete roster upheaval. However, the expansion draft didn't go so well, and inactivity has prevented BRW from making any franchise-changing deals. They do have have a few talented young players (Matt Kemp, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Archie Bradley) so hopefully the recent failures on the scoreboard don't frustrate the front office.

#3: Let's Make A Deal... Or Not
In the past, there have been a ton of trades made by the All-Star break, but not so much recently. There were 12 in 2008, 17 in 2009, and 18 in 2010. However, in 2011 there was just 1 (ONE!) deal made before Week 12. Last season there were 6, but what has happened to the wheeling and dealing in the EHCC? So far this year there have been 3 (2 by TIJ, 2 by QC). Everybody knows that the best time to make trades is when the deadline approaches in August, and that its still way too early to panic, but the activity of the league has dropped exponentially.

#2: The "Greatest Pitching Staff In The League"
In an article I wrote during the preseason, I projected Dublin to finish second in the West, and make it all the way to the Championship Game (ultimately losing to Las Vegas). This was based on the Snake Chasers' amazing pitching staff, anchored by Stephen Strasburg and Clayton Kershaw. However, DUB has gone with the "quality over quantity" strategy, which has hurt them in the cumulative stats. They are 4th in the league in Wins and 8th in Strikeouts, though they ARE tops in ERA and WHIP. Against a team like Tijuana, who prefers churnable pitchers to aces, they lost 4 out of 5 pitching categories (a couple bad starts by Matt Moore and Jhoulys Chacin killed Dublin's averages) en route to a 9-1 defeat.

#1: Here Come The Rookies!
Every year there is that one guy (MAYBE 2) who everybody waits to use their waiver claim on. In 2012 it was Trevor Bauer for Tijuana. In 2011, Danny Duffy for Weymouth. In 2010, Starling Castro for Tokyo. But there hasn't been a season I can remember where there has been so many waiver claims this early in the season. Kevin Gausman, Michael Wacha, Yasiel Puig, and Mike Zunino have all been picked up, which has ruined the Minor League Draft for those who had some of the higher picks. With the Minor Leagues already crowded with talented players, and 4 players getting claim in 2013, this could destroy the value of minor league picks.


With 11 weeks to go, there are still plenty of things to be decided. Who will come out of the cluster of Western Division teams? Will the East continue their dominance in the championship? Will anybody start making some deals and help their team for this season or next? So many questions unanswered, but there is one thing we already know the answer to: Who is the best team in the league after the first half of the season?

The 2012 EHCC Champion Rakeville Rockets.

Until someone takes the title away from them, there's only one team in the league that can be called the best.


Skip Clifton is a columnist for the San Diego Chronicle. His biggest fears are snakes, heights, and Patrick Millina being allowed to manage another EHCC franchise.

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