The CDL named its rookies of the month for August. It is two players who started the year in the minors : outfielder Barry Bonds (Toronto) in the American League and first baseman John Kruk (Philadelphia) in the National League.
After hitting ,319-21-91 with 73 walks and 32 SB in 374 at bats in the minors, Barry Bonds took the American League by storm, hitting ,368/,446/,754 in the first 57 at bats of his career. He collected 8 walks, hit 3 homeruns and got 10 RBIs.
Bonds, 23, was the third player selected in the last Amateur Draft.
It was a good month for rookies in the AL, with the Indians' Greg Mathews (3-1, 2,66), the Brewers' Mike Aldrete (,277-2-16) and the White Sox' Mark Gilbert (,453-2-9), among others, having great months.
In the National League, Kruk hit ,356-0-16 in 87 at bats, with a great ,446 OBP, thanks to 14 walks. While he hit no ball out of the park, he did hit 9 doubles. Kruk, who was brought in on the major league roster in July, is hitting ,310/,389/,435 for the season.
Scott Garrelts (Montreal, 1-1, 3,09) and Greg Gagne (St. Louis, ,286-1-12) were also considered.
ROY RACE UPDATE
American League : Chuck Finley had a rough month (1-2, 4,93 in 7 starts), but still has a good season (13-7, 4,10). It might not be enough to overcome hard-hitting Kal Daniels, who had a decent but not spectacular month (,245/,322/,434). For the season, Daniels is hitting ,317 with 9 HR and 53 RBIs. It's a very close race, and probably the final month of the season will determine the winner.
National League : Injuries to Jose Canseco, and bad play following his return (,186/,265/,465), could have change the race, but the rookies who stepped up (Vince Coleman, John Kruk) weren't there at the beginning of the year, so they have no chances to win. Dan Gladden and Will Clark did heat up, and Robby Thompson and Greg Gagne got back some of their early magic, but nothing serious enough to threaten Canseco.
The most serious opponent might be Phillies' reliever Paul Assenmacher, who has 26 saves, to go along with a 2,82 ERA in 51 innings. He was lights out in the last two months, with 15 saves and a 1,59 ERA.
So after another exciting sim I thought I'd tear back into my divisional notes starting with the AL east!!
Boston Red Sox
-Did you know Dave Rozema is making $16 million? He is a very good SP but I don't think he's worth that much moola.
-Ross Grimsley has quietly amassed 261 wins in a very fine career. He's a near lock for the Hall.
-Domingo Ramos is another one of those guys who can make your day. The former 55th overall pick in the '78 draft by the Blue Jays, he was traded to Boston in 1980 and has had massive talent bumps to make him one of the best overall shortstops in the league. Ramos is an on base percentage animal as he is just below the .400 mark this season after a .408 average in 1985. He is a fantastic all around player.
Toronto Blue Jays:
-Barry Bonds is already one of the best players in the league. He's a true 5 tool player who's already strutting his stuff at the major league level hitting .330 with 5 HRs, 21 RBI, a .427 on base percentage, .682 slugging, and a 1.109 OPS!! He's only 22 for crying out loud!! He also has outstanding defensive range. The only complaint thus far is he's 7 for 13 in attempted steals. Certainly he has the talent to be a very successful
swiper, he just needs to pull a Balboni and become better at reading pitchers.
-Andy Van Slyke doesn't have one talent rating lower than good. He's rated good at hits, doubles, HRs, avoiding BBs, and avoiding K's and he's brillant at hitting triples.
-Ron Blomberg has been with us in the CDL from the beginning. He played for New York from '69 to '76, Texas from '77 to '84, and the Blue Jays since '85. While he's probably not a hall of famer he has been a very good player who has always been a solid bat.
-From the Steve Balboni file, check this snipet from the Blue Jays' development page..."Cecil Fielder is getting faster, his speed increases to D." No comment...
New York Yankees
-Mike Schmidt now has 454 career HR's, 46 short of the exclusive 500 club. Being that he is 36 years old, he may have a shot at it however he won't come close to his 548 dingers in his real MLB career.
-Dennis Martinez's career has been a disappointment. A couple talent hits and inconsistency has plagued him throughout and it looks like his peak may have passed. His ERA the last four seasons was 5.50, 4.73, 4.69, & 5.58 this year.
Baltimore Orioles
-Steve Rogers now has 253 career wins with an ERA at 2.54. He's won 2 Cy Young awards however he would've won at least 3 more if it wasn't for his nemesis Steve Busby. He has been every bit as good as Busby, though.
-Gary Gaetti has also been nailed with way too many talent hits and his career has suffered as a result. The former 1st round pick has had Kent Hrbek type decreases in all major talent ratings and will forever go down as another first round disappointment.
-Rafael Palmeiro will be the best first basemen in the CDL for many years. Not only does he hit for power and average, he plays incredibly good defense and isn't afraid to take a walk.
Cleveland Indians
-Greg Matthews has developed into an outstanding pitching prospect. He is rated good for avoiding hits, avoiding walks, and getting K's and brillant at avoiding homers. That's very impressive for the 33rd overall pick in this past amateur draft.
-The Indian's minor leagues are atrocious. 23 of the 28 minor leaguers have the lowest rating OOTP offers, 1 star. Of the rest, there really isn't a can't miss prospect. Thank the OOTP Gods that help is on the way next year for Harry and his crew!
So after spending 20 minutes figuring out the html codes for underlining and bold I finally finished the AL west and have moved onto the Central. I must admit I had to check Red's last article for a little hint. Thanks for the assistance, Red!
Minnesota Twins:
-You know, Paul makes all of us other peon owners look like fools. Anyone who reworks his rotation with John Candelaria, Dave Stieb, Alan Wirth, and last year Frank Pastore knows what he's doing. With that rotation Paul can go head to head against California and come out with the edge due to his very strong bullpen.
-Kal Daniels is everything and more than I expected him to be. He's hitting .317 with a .394 on base percentage, .549 slugging percentage, and .943 OPS and he's ONLY 23! Having said that I still think it was a good move for both teams as Cleveland definately needed to add some minor league depth. That's about as close I get to analyzing trades. Leave that up to the ATR!
-Billy North has how many career stolen bases??? Well the answer is 1067!! No one made a peep when he stole 101 bases in '84 even though he was the first to accomplish that feat. He also has a very impressive .287 lifetime average and a dangerous .375 on base percentage. Currently he's 38 years old and he's still playing at a very high level. When he does end up retiring, he's a lock for the CDL hall of fame page.
Detroit Tigers:
-The up and down career for Doyle Alexander continues but this time he's having a good season for a team other than Houston. Currently he's 14-5 with a 2.67 ERA and is certainly one of the key free agent signings in the CDL this season. At 35 and still needing 42 wins for a ticket to Cooperstown, Doyle will probably end up falling short.
-Guys like Claudell Washington are the reason we love this game. He was solid if not unspectacular outfielder who was not resigned by the White Sox in 1978. Manuel and the Tigers swooped in and signed him to a 5 year deal worth just under $6 million. Well, numerous talent increases later and Washington has become a superstar! The last 4 years he has always flirted with the 1.000 OPS mark and is one of the most feared hitters in the league. Combine him with Dave Henderson and you have a powerful middle of the order in Motown!
Chicago White Sox:
-There may never be a player quite like Burt Hooton. He has outstanding stuff but has always been wild. 13 out of 16 seasons he has walked more than 100 batters however his career WHIP is 1.17. A career ERA of 2.88 and 224 wins may not be enough for him to make the hall of fame. We'll have to see.
-What is up with Johnny Ray? Johnny is an average hitter who doesn't have any good ratings however he is hitting .343 this season which is tops in the AL. Combine that with his great defense and Ray may very well be one of the best players you've never heard of!
-Steve Balboni gave me a chuckle when I read "Steve Balboni has learned reading pitchers better, his stealing ability raises to D." How many remember what this guy looked like? I really can't imagine him stealing anything more than a doughnut.
Kansas City Royals:
-If you haven't checked the top minor leagues page yet, you probably don't know that KC has the best minor league system in the league. The rest of the AL may want to take note of guys like Greg Maddux, Dan Pasqua, Glenn Davis, & Paul O'Neill. Combine them with younger major leaguers like Mark Langston, Steve Bedrosian, Danny Tartabull, Steve Buechele, & Darryl Motley and there is alot to be excited about in Kansas City!
-It looks like the Bake McBride era is coming to a close for the CDL. He has taken 16!!!! talent and fielding hits this season and is about done. You know what they say, all good things must come to an end someday!!
Milwaukee Brewers:
-It's getting ugly in Brewtown this year. After trading away most of the veterens, the Brewers were forced to bring up guys that weren't ready and they are paying for it. Shawon Dunston (.182 in 143 ABs), Mike Felder (.227 in 255 ABs), and the since demoted Darryl Boston (.184 in 125 ABs) have all been thrown to the wolves and we'll see if it hurts their long term development.
-It's no different in the rotation as young guys like Scott Bankhead (0-7, 6.55 ERA in 45 IPs) and Bill Swift (3-4, 5.27 ERA in 85 IPs) are way over their heads and should be sent down to AAA for some more seasoning. Who the hell is running this team anyway??
-After an awful start this year and a mediocre 1985 campaign it looks like Rick Aguilera may finally have developed into the kind of pitcher he was expected to. He's had 3 very solid starts in a row and as a result has won them all. Look for him to anchor the Brewer staff well into the 90's.
So it's two hours before sim time, the lawn is mowed, my wife and kids are taking naps, so what else better is there to do than to wrie a little column for our beloved CDL!! I thought I'd take a minute or two to note a couple observations about each team starting with the AL west. So here goes:
California Angels:
-The Angels have the best record in the CDL!! That's surprising since when people think of the favorites this year, rarely are the Halos mentioned.
-Dwight Evans just received talent INCREASES in hits, HRs, and avoiding K's at 34 YEARS OLD! Jim obviously is living right.
-That bullpen looks to be Jim's achilles heel. Granted Farmer, Hoffman, & Dave Smith are nice pitchers but for them to have the significant roles they have is certainly cause for concern.
Seattle Mariners:
-Rickey Henderson is one of the best young all around players in the league. At 27 he already has 1196 career hits and a very impressive .389 on base percentage. He was finally recognized this year for his efforts with a spot in the all-star game.
-I'm still wondering why San Diego left Willie Wilson exposed for the expansion draft in 1977. Wilson is certainly not a superstar but he does have a .284 lifetime average with 1700 hits and he's only 31. For a 22 year old outfielder with great stealing ability and a good rating for getting hits to not be protected in that draft might have been an oversight.
Texas Rangers:
-The #10 pick in the '86 rookie draft, Chuck Finley, is having a very solid season. He's 13-7 with a 4.10 ERA and is now the unquestionable staff ace. Combine Finley with the #11 pick in the '83 draft, Al Lachowicz, and Texas has an outstanding and more importantly young 1-2 punch.
-It looks like Jerry Reuss' fine career is coming to a close. Reuss signed a 2 year deal with the Rangers before this season and really has never lived up to his high standards he set for himself while in Cincinnati. With 202 wins and an ERA over 3.00 it looks highly unlikely he will be a hall of famer despite an outstanding career 1.04 WHIP.
Oakland Athletics:
-Kent Hrbek has never lived up to his #5 overall selection by Atlanta in 1981. Numerous ratings drops before this season really turned him into an average overall player. When drafted, Hrbek looked to be one of the best young 1B in the league.
-Mark my words...One year Mike Scott will make a run at a Cy Young award. He's only a .500 lifetime pitcher with an ERA over 4.00 but he has the potential to be an ace.
VENERABLE CDL GM'S
These are the guys who play for the love of the game and the league, and I'll try hard not to forget anyone in my week to week coverage. This week we feature Houston Astro GM and CDL Co-Commissioner Brian Marshall. Brian does a lot of the obvious Commissioner tasks that are hard not to notice, like assisting with player extensions, running sims, uploading the league html, doing the drafts and player transactions but Brian is also involved in many behind the scenes work that make this league tick, and though he might argue with you, don't be fooled - it is work. The end result of all this hard work is pleasure for him and the entire league, so it's not like there is no reward, but would it kill you to give him a thank you every once in a while? One of the biggest duties Brian handles is the file tweaks for the initial league file of each new CDL season. Since the Lahman Db comes up with pretty bizarre results for these historical players it is Brian's job to ensure that Robbie Alomar is not imported as a "E" rated secondbaseman. Hey Brian, this is from the entire league - thanks for all your hard work!
Next Week: The man with the initial plan: The one the only Commissioner for life Matt Skutley.
Top Minor League Systems
If you have not checked these recently they are worth looking at - Kansas City and St. Louis have very bright futures indeed.
ME WANTY MVP
In the AL it will be Tim Wallach and Harold Baines of Boston, Rickey Henderson of the Mariners, Dave Henderson and Claudell Washington of the Tigers and maybe Ozzie Smith of the Angels and Bill North of the Twins. Of Tim Wallach & Harold Baines Wallach has a 20 ribbie lead plus plays a tougher defensive position so the strong edge goes to Wallach. In fact, in this writers opinion the award is his to lose. Rickey Henderson of the Mariners is doing everything well and really making the Mariners play above their heads - he's a good example of an elite player that single handedly wins 10-20 extra games for a team, something voters will consider when doling out the MVP marks. Dave Henderson and Claudell Washington are similar batters who are having similar seasons, but the sentimental votes will likely go to Washington if Detroit takes the pennant. Ozzie Smith - it's great he has 60 steals and all but is he really helping his club when he gets nabbed 35% of the time? At age 38 Bill North is having his best season ever and will likely be breaking several CDL Marks. Unless one player (Editors note: Like maybe Tim Wallach?) has a breakout year many voters will consider a player on the top club, so I'd bet the award goes to one of the above guys that ends up being on the pennant winner.
In the NL Alan Trammel of the Cubbies would be an obvious choice if not for the fact the Cubs may not even make the post season. He's had a great year but I don't think it's strong enough to win the MVP on a non contender. That same logic means team mate Dale Murphy and LA's Kirk Gibson are off my NL MVP radar as well. That leaves sentimental favorite George Hendrick (Houston), bat champ battlers Wade Boggs (Houston), Tony Gwynn, and Harold Reynolds (both of Pittsburgh), and um, someone help me out here. Okay, okay, It's another year of the pitcher in the NL so the outstanding offensive players are fewer. Of the ones I mentioned I am going to go out on a limb and say 2B Harold Reynolds of Pittsburgh. He has speed, amazing defense, and surprise surprise, among the elite of the league in batting average (#3), OPS (#5), OBP (#5), steals (#7), and runs(#1). Of course, if the Pirates do not win the NL pennant then who knows, maybe the NL MVP award will go to a pitcher this year!
CY YOUNG? I THOUGHT HE WAS PRETTY OLD
To save time I will omit the AL candidates who have no chance. That leaves us with Don Robinson of the Angels. In a word: Busbyesque.
The NL has a tighter race for top hurler, with John Fulgham of the Giants and Jim Wright of the Astros both having amazing seasons. Lary Sorensen (also of the Giants) deserves some mention, especially if he wins a bushel of stretch games, and Scott Sanderson (Pittsburgh) would certainly be among these stars if not for his unfortunate season ender.
LEAGUE OF BROTHERLY LOVE
We all know the Groening brothers, but do you remember when the league had the Moe brothers? Mark Moe skippered the Washington Senators while Greg Moe handled front office duties for the Detroit Tigers in the early 1970's.
Red Ruffensore Spotlight Of Fame: Jim Dwyer
At 36 years old Jim Dwyer might be having his greatest CDL season ever, and his career deserves a little study. He has played his entire career with the Angels, and it's been a kind of career that gets you very few CDL News Headlines but is solid nonetheless. A .393 on base percentage, nearly 2000 hits, and nearing the 1000 RBI mark is not hall of fame quality, but it is Red Ruffensore Spotlight Of Fame quality. This season he is among the AL's RBI leaders with 95 and is hitting a cool .301 while performing highlight reel catches in center field.
Well, the ATR now has his own E-Mail address. (Actually, the ATR has had his own E-Mail address for years…just now the ATR has one dedicated solely to your hate mail.) So, if you feel that the ATR has unfairly maligned you and your reputation or you feel that he is doing a good job skewering your rivals, you can drop the ATR a line at anonymoustradereporter@yahoo.com If I get enough responses, I could do a special ATR Hate Mail Bag. Anyway, there’s a Toronto deal in here and I’m itching to tear into it.
Minnesota receives Ps Tom Henke and Alan Wirth
Toronto receives 1B Cecil Fielder, SS Spike Owen and P Jeff Heathcock.
Tom Henke gets traded once again. Oddly enough, it was right around the time he started getting shelled in Toronto. Of course, once he left Exhibition Stadium behind for the Homerdome, Henke returned to his old form. Perhaps he likes indoor stadiums. Regardless, Henke is one of the premier relievers in the CDL and the price paid for him was a high one. Alan Wirth, the other pitcher going to Minnesota, is a solid starting pitcher, something a playoff bound team like the Twins can never have enough of. If he improves a little going into his early 30s (always a possibility), he could be a number 2 or 3 starter.
So, what did Toronto get? Obviously, everyone is expecting me to say $22 worth of beads or the high, hard one. Actually, Toronto got a pretty good haul in return for a pair of arms. Cecil Fielder is the real prize of the deal. He is a first rate power hitting prospect. He’s slow and he probably won’t crack .300 in a season, but he is the kind of player you can build an offense around. And in the AL, he’ll be a fine DH. Spike Owen isn’t a bad middle infielder. He can draw a walk, rap doubles and triples and is slick with the leather. He’ll never win an MVP, but he could easily be the shortstop or second baseman of a championship squad. Jeff Heathcock is filler or the guy you stick in your rotation to get a better draft pick. When Heathcock goes for you, you know a loss is likely to be coming your way. If Toronto still had a first round pick this year, Heathcock would make for nice filler. However, the Blue Jays don’t have any good picks aside from a second rounder in 1987 until 1989, since they were obsessed with trading for relievers.
You know, if Henke hadn’t cost a first round pick, a good OF prospect in Stan Javier and a quality SP in Jerry Udjur (to be fair, the Blue Jays did get Mickey Hatcher as well, and Hatcher looks serviceable against left handers, despite a profound lack of power and plate discipline), I might consider this a victory for the Blue Jays. Unfortunately, they have set the market so high, that getting a good 1B and SS for a closer and a good SP just isn’t enough anymore. The Whipping Boy was so close to winning a deal, but was done in by his own handiwork…how appropriate.
Winner: Minnesota
San Francisco receives P Eric Bell and New York (A)’s first round Amateur draft choice in 1987.
New York (A) receives Atlanta’s first round Amateur draft choice in 1987 and San Francisco’s second round Amateur draft choice in 1988.
Well, just when you think it might be time to retire the Beware of Groenings sign, a deal like this comes up to save Chuck’s reputation. The Giants have wisely hedged their bets that the Braves will win the NL East, plummeting their draft choice down to 19th overall or perhaps worse, if fate intervenes and the talented Braves take a series or two in the postseason. In addition, the formidable Giants’ bullpen gets reinforced by another young and talented arm in Eric Bell. He’s not the reliever that say, Ontiveros is. But Bell should develop into a fine middle reliever in the best bullpen in baseball. Since making the deal, the Yankees have been sinking like a stone and their pick should end up in the top five at this rate. So, basically, the Yankees traded down 14 slots to give up a good middle reliever for a second round pick. WHY??? WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I cannot imagine how this deal went down. Even if Atlanta doesn’t make the playoffs, they will still have a lower pick than the Yankees. Crazy.
Winner: San Francisco
Houston receives P Bruce Sutter
Baltimore receives Houston’s first round Amateur draft choice in 1987 and CF Cecil Espy.
You know, there has become a specified price for a first rate reliever in the CDL. A first round Amateur draft choice and a solid prospect or a second round choice. This deal is just further evidence of that trend. Espy is an alright outfield prospect. If he was your centerfielder and you surrounded him with other good talent, you could put together a winning squad, but he isn’t a game breaker. The pick should be low in the first round. No higher than 18th overall and perhaps as low as 26th. Sutter has been one of the premier closers in the CDL since he entered the league. As long as he stays healthy and retains the closer’s role through the end of his next contract, Sutter should put together 550 saves in his career, which would make him the all-time saves leader. Nonetheless, two youngsters for a 33 year old, who will most likely pitch 20 innings for the Astros this year and 350 during the course of his contract extensions seems like a bad deal for Houston to me.
Winner: Baltimore
Minnesota receives P Dave Stieb
Los Angeles receives Ps Jose Rijo, Dwayne Henry and Steve Baker, OFs Omar Moreno and Darrin Jackson and $10,000,000 in cash.
Well, the Dodgers were a financially destitute franchise, which is tough to do when you are in the second largest market in America. However, when you haven’t been to the playoffs since 1971, the fans tend to stay away. Dave Stieb is an ace. There is no doubt that Stieb is the kind of pitcher you want starting game one of the playoffs. Especially if you can start John Candelaria in Game 2. The Twins have to be the odds on favorites to win it all this season. Something that hasn’t happened since 1975. For Stieb, the Twins gave up a lot. $10,000,000 would be a lot of money to most teams, but the Twins are one of the richest teams in the CDL and the money will truly benefit the cash-poor Dodgers. Jose Rijo was supposed to be one of the great aces of the 1984 draft, but has aged like Bret Saberhagen (though not as extreme) instead of like Dwight Gooden or Roger Clemens. Still, Rijo should be a solid rotation pitcher for the next 15 seasons. Dwayne Henry is an alright relief prospect with shaky control. Darrin Jackson can play Centerfield and won’t embarrass himself at the plate. Steve Baker is someone who can pitch when all else fails…and I mean ALL else. And Omar Moreno looks like salary added to make the deal work, though he is a good outfielder and one of the better free agents available this offseason. Still, I’d rather have an ace like Stieb, than a parcel of decent players.
Winner: Minnesota
AL WEST
Angels: Losing Rupert Jones with a season ending injury was a bad break, but Jones had only been a very small part of the Angels 1986 success, and the development hit to Ozzie Smith might have a greater impact on the Angels 1986 hopes. Fortunately for Angels fans the addition of perennial DH Gary Roenicke and the massive development bumps to Dwight Evans will more than make up for the Jones/Smith setbacks. This team is a very balanced - a top 5 in the AL for batting, pitching and fielding, only major weakness is bullpen depth. Give him the trophy today: Don Robinson is having a Busbyesque season, near un hittable and 18-2. Cooking Time: Get the mits on, the club is ready now.
Mariners: The Mariners continue to stay on the Angels heals despite their pretty average pitching (13th) and batting (10th). The lineup does include the dominating Rickey Henderson though, and combined with Willie Wilson this club is 2nd in the CDL is steals. Still, the Mariners are playing way above their heads so far so don't expect the party to last all season. Pitching is easily the weakest area of concern in Seattle, both starting and relief, but there are a lot of prospects on the hill that could emerge as future stars. Recent injury to Willie Wilson will hurt club more than most realize. Cooking Time: You kids can go back to your video games, dinner won't be ready for another hour or two.
AL CENTRAL
Minnesota: Once a giant among CDL teams, the Twins contributed to the busiest deadline trading period in CDL history and definitely were taking the "win now" approach as they refurbished the club in an attempt to relive it's 1970's era glory. Gone are most of the clubs top prospects but the clubs biggest weakness of the 1980's - pitching - has improved tremendously. Although lacking much power, the team is 1st in the CDL in BA, walks, steals, and runs scored. Billy North watch: The team offensive leader has taken some key talent hits recently that could spell the end for the future hall of famer. Cooking Time: Done.
Detroit: Even though they trail the Twins by a game the Tigers are ahead of Minnesota in the #4 spot of the CDL power rankings, but these Tigers may not continue this blazing pace for much longer. True they have 3 very solid SP's, some pen strength and some CDL All-Star offensive juggernauts like Claudell Washington and Dave Henderson, but the Tigers weak spots at catcher, 3B, and in RF are glaring and will hurt this clubs ability to maintain their lofty winning percentage. Did you know: The AL's leader in saved games so far, Jesse Orosco, has played exclusively for the Tigers - now in his 7th big season. Cooking Time: Could be ready any time, I think it just needs a little more salt.
AL EAST
Boston: The slugging Sox are first in the CDL in homers, but 9th in ERA. There is a lot of pitching talent here though and you can expect the ERA to rise as Boston coasts to a AL East pennant victory. Tim Wallach, Harold Baines, and Kevin Gross have been the mainstays for the Red Sox, who have traded away some youth in order to win now. Not the Andy Griffith town: Big John Mayberry has ripped the ball all year and currently leads the AL in batting. Comeback; Look for Ross Grimsley to have a very strong finish. Cooking time: Come and get it!
Toronto: The spicy Jays are playing above their heads so far this year and are still 6 games out of a playoff spot, but this team has a big future. They are in the middle stages of a building a young powerhouse team and dealing away their #1 & 2 picks for John Franco did not upset the plan - Franco is still only 25. The addition of Cecil Fielder to this lineup means the only missing element is one or two top young SP's. Note about Berenguer's career ender - the club was not counting on the veteran fireballer to lead this club's pen, but he was likely a sentinmental favorite of GM Ritter and certainly a solid reliever who will be missed by a steadily improving Jays team. Cooking time: Missing some seasoning.
NL WEST
Houston: The #1 team in the CDL with a bullet (according to the power rankings) dealt away some of their talent at the deadline, but in typical Astros rebuilding style they still came out on top, with a stronger team that is more reloaded than rebuilt. The pitching was hurt by the loss of Tanana but the bullpen weakness was ably patched with the addiction of closing star Bruce Sutter. This is another balanced team that can out hit and out pitch you, and look for SP Fran Barrios to have a strong finish. Cooking time: Been basting pretty much since the formation of the CDL - still a menu favorite.
San Francisco: the long time Astro rivals must have been psyched by the hot Houston start, as they began dismantling their 115 game winning World Series club of 1985 during deadline trading. There is still a lot of talent here but depth is getting thinner, and age is creeping up on some of the Giant stalwarts. Still, no time for crying - this club is #3 in the power rankings and though they will likely drop somewhat as the season continues, they still have a good chance to take the NL Wild Card. Sorenson and Fulgham have been 2 of the most dominant starters in the NL this season, and with them plus their remaining cadre of pitching and batting stars anything could happen in a short series. Cooking time: May need to be reheated.
NL CENTRAL
Cincinnati: A recent 6 week day-to-day injury to their second best pitcher Craig Swan may mean the Reds drop from their as the #6 team in the CDL (according to the power rankings), but like all good teams their depth should allow them to press on without major impact. In fact, there are very few players the club has absolutely counted on so far this season, getting pretty good production from everyone. Standouts have been the solid sophomore campaign of SP Charles Hudson and the offensive prowess of Ellis Valentine and Robin Yount. Unsung hero: Larry Andersen has been one of the best relievers in the CDL over the last 7 seasons and his brilliance has been a key to the Reds good fortune. Cooking time: Danger of being overcooked.
Pittsburgh: Known more for their great pitching, the '86 Bucs have had a lot of offensive punch this year from Tony Gwynn, Harold Reynolds, George Bell and Andre Dawson. Too bad for them they are in a tough Division of a league where the likely Wild Card team comes from the NL West. Still, if Sam's squad can overtake the Reds they have a near perfect playoff team featuring some premier hurlers who can dominate a short series. Cooking time: Ready to boil over.
Chicago: Almost counted out after a slow start, the perennial NL Central winning Cubbies (they have finished 1st 6 times in the last 8 years) are lead by two of the most dominant hitters in the CDL - Dale Murphy and Alan Trammell. These guys are not pretenders, they are currently rated 8th in the league power polling and they are climbing fast. The deadline addition of Busby will likely put a lot of heat on Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and could be one of the most important of many major deadline deals. Note on Dave Stewart: With the amount of HR's hit off him, it's amazing his ERA is under 5.00. Cooking time: Comes preheated, ready to eat!
NL EAST
Philadelphia: The Phillies have tremendous pitching talent but their dire lack of offensive firepower means they won't be able to leave their NL East challengers in the dust and must count on winning a lot of 2-1 contests. Dealing away the Strawman was a controversial move but one that could pay off if the club can squeak into the post season - most pundits agree that a few elite pitchers will win more series than a few elite hitters. Cooking time: Why cook when there are Arby's leftovers in the Fridge?
New York: Their biggest offensive weapon is hitting .203, their pitching has been atrocious, and they are only in the playoff hunt due to the fact they reside in the CDL's sad sack Division of 1986. That said, this club is playing well below their potential and if there is any stat normalization built into OOTP then you might see some of these guys finish the season on a tear. They are not great, but they have a group of legitimate pitchers who are much better than what they have shown - expect no miracle but they could give the Phillies some headaches before October rolls around. Cooking time: Do you call making a sandwich cooking?
Atlanta: Speaking about under achievers, the Braves are a hard luck team that has the best chance in this writers opinion of vaulting to the head of the runt-of-the-litter NL East. This is a World Series calibre club that will strike fear into other NL teams if they manage to make the playoffs - the key word here is IF. It's not like the players are all slumping either, most are doing very well but as a team they have not yet gelled and the CDL fall is approaching. Far from give up, the Braves management made some major deadline deals to strengthen their team so the club brass obviously recognize the unrealized potential of this group. Cooking time: The Chef showed up 30 minutes late but whatever he's making smells good.
Montreal: The Expos had a pretty good chance at a flag until team offensive leader Lloyd Moseby was lost for the season with a broken ankle. There are several other solid bats, but none that can replace Moseby, and the pitching depth is very NL East-like (not good). Cooking time: Sure you can cook spam, but it's also good right out of the tin.
Outfielders Kal Daniels of the Twins and Vince Coleman of the Phillies were named Rookies of the Month for July in their respective league.
Daniels, 22, had an excellent month, going ,362/,435/,563 in 80 at bats. He hit 2 homeruns, collected 15 RBIs and stole 8 bases. He was the 7th player selected in the last Amateur Draft, by the Indians, who traded him to Minnesota on June 1st.
Daniels played 45 games in the minors, hitting ,405-5-23. In the majors, he's now ,360-6-31 in 50 games.
Runners-up in the American League include Cleveland starter Greg Mathews (3-1, 2,81), Kansas City outfielder Danny Tartabull (,323-3-11) and Texas 1B Daryl Sconiers (,344-1-10).
In the National League, speedy outfielder Vince Coleman was amazing, htting ,392/,425/,544 in 79 at bats, to go along with 16 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Coleman, 24, was a second round pick in 1985. He started the year in AAA, that made a cameo appearance in Philly in May, returned in AAA, then took the league by storm in July. In AAA, he was hitting ,309/,343/,419 with 18 stolen bases. With the Phillies, he's batting ,336 in 38 games.
Teammate Paul Assenmacher (1-0, 9 saves, 1,64), Atlanta Brave Will Clark (,298-1-20) and St. Louis Cardinal Jose Canseco (,296-3-12) also had good months.
ROY RACE UPDATE
American League : Kal Daniels is producing like a MVP, but his lack of at-bats early in the season might play against him. If he can continue to create at least 8 runs per 27 outs (he's currently over 10), it'll be a no brainer. Chuck Finley (Texas, 12-5, 3,86) is still a solid choice. If he can get to 18 wins, it'll be tough not to vote for him.
National League : While Jose Canseco was running away for the award with another good month, on July 26 he suffered a Tron Groin Muscle that will keep him out of the lineup for 3-4 weeks. That leaves a door open for his teammate Robby Thompson, who's slowly getting out of his slump and is ,276-7-41 for the season.
Major league debut of the month : John Kruk, Phillies, who hit ,268-3-9 in 97 at bats. He was the 24th player selected in the last Amateur Draft.