Except for a brief period at the begining of the
season, the current incarnation of the Sacramento
team (under new ownership) has so far played out the
season in the top spot in the Picard division.
Right before the ammatur draft, and after some
major trades, the Otters skidded, barely able to win
games. Luckily, the other teams in the division
were mostly suffering also, so the Otters retained
1st place. After Larkin became injuried, the team
suddenly came together and are now 8-2 in their
last ten.
We'll begin our analysis by stating the new team
members and those that have left:
Prior to this season's start, the Otters acquired:
- RHP Sidney Ponson (FA draft)
- RHP Jerry Spradlin (trade)
- RHP Hideo Nomo (trade)
RHP Kurt Miller (FA draft)
RF Wendell Magee (FA pickup)
SS Tony Fernandez (FA pickup)
- CF Michael Tucker (trade)
- CF Devon White (trade)
- CF Deion Sanders (trade)
- SS Mike Metcalfe (trade)
- 1B Andres Galarraga (trade)
Season pickups:
RHP Tuffy Heiser (Ammy)
RHP Jerry Caudill (Ammy)
RHP Chris Grissell (ammy)
CF John Briggs (ammy)
- LHP Jeff Fassero (trade)
C Rip Hrbek (FA pickup)
- SS Barry Larkin (trade)
C Ron Karkovice (FA pickup)
RF Tim Salmon (trade)
Traded away or cut:
SS Orlando Miller
CF Brian L. Hunter
CF Ruben Rivera
RHP Gary Niles
RHP Frank Callahan
RHP Matt Morris
RF Troy O'Leary
SS Devi Cruz
CF Roger Cedeno
3B Alex Arias (cut)
CF Rod Myers (cut)
RHP Ezra Hanyzewski (cut)
CF Joe Tresh (cut)
Majors:
Catcher:
Javy Lopez has been a great surpise and has been doing
great (all-star selection), and has been playing every
day. Ron Karkovice had been picked up because of
Lopez's inconsistent performance, but Ron hasn't
been able to get into more than 3 games (and none of
them as catcher). Jorge Posada is slowly maturing,
but isn't likely to become anything more than a good
backup, or an adequate starter (seen 2 games of
action, and is in the majors while Larkin is on DL).
(26) Lopez season stats (which are slipping):
.266 (still better than career .256)
95 out of 95 games
16 doubles, 17 HR's, 51 rbi, 53 rc, .326 obp
.448 slg, 4 errors (.995)
Minors:
My only catcher "prospect" (other than Posada,
who isn't really a prospect) is Rip Hrbek, who while
only 17, isn't likely to every do anything.
(25) Jorge Posada has been putting together a good
minor league effort down on my Lander Beavers team:
.288, 11 doubles, 1 sb, .321 v.LHP, 1 error (.993).
(30 games).
(33)Ron Karkovice is showing why he was available as
a free agent. He has only been able to hit .254,
though, like his career would suggest, he is hitting
.286 v.LHP (26 games).
(17) Rip Hrbek hasn't played a game on my Lander team,
as he hasn't done well on my rookie minor league team
Calhoun Muskrats.
1B:
Andres Galarraga has had a mostly disapponting
season. He is a career .292 hitter (better before
this season) but has only managed .255 this season.
His homerun production is way off (only 11 so far).
Joe Vitiello has stopped playing over his ability and
has come back to earth.
(36) Galarraga season stats:
.255, 96? out of 95 games, 17 doubles, 11 hr, 31 rbi,
46 rc, 15 sb, .319 obp, .398 slg, 5 errors (.995).
Note: Galarraga off-season pickup (by trade).
(Vitiello had been slated to start 1b this season).
Minors:
no prospects
Joe Vitiello (27)has been doing well on my Lander team:
.276, 6 hr, 21 rbi, .345 v.lhp, no errors (34 games).
2B:
Billy Carr is my only player that is a "natural"
second baseman, but he is down in low minors.
(.069 average in 29 AB on Lander team).
Currently I have Michael Tucker playing 2B, and he
hasn't had an error yet.
Tucker has been playing great defensively, as a
leadoff and as an offensive player:
.291, 95 out of 95 games, 60 runs, 32 doubles,
11 HR, 42 rbi, 64 rc, .351 obp, .457 slg, 23 sb,
.364 v.lhp, no errors.
I haven't had anyone else play 2b this year, nor
do I have any prospects (Carr is already 25).
Minors:
I have a "career minor leaguer" playing 2B on
my Lander team.
Michael Fox (who only has 18 FA for the position).
3B:
My only "natural" 3B is Sean Berry (31), who has great
ratings, but hasn't done well this year.
.189 in 50 games, 143 AB, 3 errors .940.
I have trade pickup Devon White (34) playing 3B, who
is at least hitting over .200 (though barely):
.247, 77 of 95 games, 15 doubles, 5 hr, 29 rc, 17 sb,
.312 obp, .378 slg, not sure of errors.
Minors:
no prospects.
I have Wayne Kirby and John Briggs playing 3B on
my Lander team.
Kirby (33) has a decent career major league record (in
14 games), and is doing well in the minors. He isn't
likely to see my majors as I don't need him in
outfield, and isn't better at 3B (White's up there
for speed).
Kirby minors: .291, 8 2B, 2 HR, 17 rc, 2 sb, .348 v.lhp
(that last statistic is odd, considering his .211
career v.lhp, and .290 v.rhp).
Briggs (21) has speed (76) and nothing else (not good
defender, hitter - ch or ph). With his speed, he
might make it to the majors as a pinch runner, but
not otherwise.
After saying that, I note that he is hitting
.291 in the minors (must be somehow related to having
the same last name as the PVML Commish).
Minor stats:
.291, 110 ab, 3 hr, 4 sb, .337 v.rhp (.056 v.lhp).
SS:
Well, I finally acquired a pick name SS, and he
was briefly on the team, didn't do anything (team lost
with him on it) and then became injuried. I am
of course talking about Barry Larkin (33).
Larkin has the best average on the team (by a point),
and is doing:
.318, 63 r, 18 2b, 12 hr, 39 rbi, 60 rc, .367 obp,
.474 slg, 27 sb, 7 errors (.982).
Well, with him on the DL, SS has to be covered by
another SS picked up through trade: Mike Metcalfe (24),
who, unfortunately is a huge letoff:
.219, 13 sb, 3 errors (.987).
Shawon Dunston (34) - I could have him covering SS,
but, while he has better ch ratings, he is hitting
worse, and Metcalfe has better speed.
Minors:
no prospects, one over the hill backup in AAA.
Tony Fernandez, FA pickup - 35 and doing poorly in minors.
OF:
LF Henry Rodriguez (29) (vs.LHP)
CF Deion Sanders (29) - LF vs.RHP and CF vs. LHP.
CF Michael Tucker (26) - playing 2B.
CF Devon White (34) - playing 3B.
RF J.D. Drew (23)
RF Melvin Nieves (25) - CF v. RHP
RF Tim Salmon (28) - LF v. LHP, DH v. RHP.
Drew is having a great rookie season:
.289, 95 of 95, 51 R, 35 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 47 rbi,
63 rc, .341 obp, .482 slg, 14 sb, .304 v.lhp, .285
v. rhp - no errors.
Salmon is a great power addition to the team (though
he has hit only 3 in Otters uniform:
.317, 96 games, 65 r, 17 2b, 30 hr, 76 rbi, 85 rc,
.371 obp, .604 slg, .356 v.lhp, .302 v.rhp - 1 error.
Sanders is a great speedster addition (who can also
hit):
.279, 87 of 95 games (injuried beg. season)
39 r, 22 2b, 3 3b, 5 hr, 42 rc, 31 sb, .282 v.rhp,
no errors.
Nieves is an adequate, but not great player:
.256, 81 of 95, 12 HR, 37 rbi, 40 rc, .265 v.rhp.
White is good for his speed, and can sometimes hit:
17 sb, .247.
Rodriguez started off the season over .300 vs.lhp,
but has slipped to .254.
.221, 40 of 95 games, no errors.
Minors:
CF Steve Gibralter (24)
RF Wendell Magee (24)
CF John Briggs (21)
Magee - some major league exp. - not good enough.
Minors - .267, 6 2b, 6 hr, no errors.
Starting Pitchers:
1. Myles Tausher has pitched closer to his ratings, but
still is pretty good. season:
9-7 2.02 125IP, 100h, 104K .214OAvg. 14 QS out of 19.
career:
50-28 2.41, 724.2, 617, 531k, .226OAvg. 76 QS out of
109.
2. Nomo has pitched as well as expected, but can't get
run support when he pitches, so even his near
perfect game (lost due to Tucker error) was almost
a loss.
Season:
5-11 2.66, 142IP, 109H, 127K, .207OAvg. 15QS out of 19
5 complete games.
career:
44-43 2.73, 819.2, 691h, 658k, .228OAvg. 81QS out of
115 - 19 CG.
3. Kerry Wood - has had a great, all-star caliber
year.
10-3, 1.63, 138IP, 105h, 123K, .209 OAvg, 15QS out of
19 - 1 CG.
28-24, 2.60, 480.1, 381, 409K, .216 OAvg. 53 QS out of
74 - 3 CG.
4. LHP Jeff Fassero - recently acquired from a team
that has collapsed, has done well in his few starts
with the Otters:
9-5 4.47, 114.2, 129, 68k, 9QS out of 20, 1CG.
.282 OAvg.
50-26, 3.80, 656ip, 724h, 393k, .279 OAvg. 58QS out
of 104. 3 cg.
5. Woody Williams has been a somewhat adequate 5th
starter, holding the spot until my ammy starter
pickups mature, or Ponson settles down.
(he started off well, has slid recently).
8-6, 4.39, 108.2, 92, 66K, .227 OAvg. 8QS out of 16.
15-21 4.70, 467.2, 462h, 269k, .255 OAvg. 14 QS out of
29, 1 cg.
Bullpen:
Sidney Ponson has played like a rookie.
Rest of bullpen adequate, but not great:
W L
11 12
11 games won by bullpen, 12 lost.
Ardell continues to pitch better than I'd expect.
Matthews continues to be a good closer, and Hutton
and Spradlin have pitched "well".
Minors:
1. R. Garcia (27)
3-1 5.23 43IP, 52h, 23k, .295 OAvg. 4 out of 7
2. S. Ponson (22)
(not sure why in minors)
2-3 2.34 34.2, 36, 23k, .271 OAvg. 4 out of 5
3. Tuffy Heiser (19)
1-5, 7.47, 31.1, 37, 10k, .285 OAvg. 1QS out of 6.
4. Bud Costello (29)
4-1 3.28, 49.1 38, 20k, .209 OAvg. 5 Qs out of 7
1 cg.
5. Kurt Miller (24)
2-3 3.69, 39, 32h, 21k, .225 OAvg. 3QS out of 6 starts
1cg.
Well, no real position player prospects, and some
pitching prospects. Guess I'll have to win it all
this year.
