A Chechako, A Summer Knight and a Booze Hound...Hey Oh! (Part 2)

Season 9 is nearly upon us and there's only one question -- who wins the NL west, Portland or San Francisco? The Oogles are the defending world champions and have the target on their back after cruising to championship (the Oogle Birds lost four playoff games in their run to the title). In the mean time, can Memphis and San Juan post consecutive 100+ win seasons? I could write individual team previews, but who's got time for that?

Let's look at the NL...

NORTH: There's nothing to say when you win a division by 25 games. Chicago ran away with things and then added Louis Fleming and Slash Miles. Milwaukee and Minnesota were both active in the off season, and I respect Cincinnati for standing pat and developing the kids. Only one question...will someone mount a challenge?
CARNAC SAYS: Chicago in a walk.

EAST: Now, here's an interesting division. All quality teams that would run rampant in the AL, but when packed into one division, we get everyone's favorite word -- parity. Philly has a solid core of pitching, but went out and got Guy Freel and Frank Thome, plus slotted Frank Thome at third. Florida brings Kyle Merritt, Hal Riccardi and David Aquino back to the hill. Buffalo adds a pair of free agents in Pete Baker and Denny Katou. Washington has been trading like the world is going to end. Questions: 1) Does Florida have the offense to make a challenge? 2) Does Philadelphia have the pitching to hold Florida off?
CARNAC SAYS: Pick 'em. Push. It's a cop out. Take either Philadelphia or Florida.

South: Because the East and West are so strong, we get another semi-stinker division. KPMcClave took Jacksonville to 99 wins and a 21-game division win. And, just to keep it interesting, he went out and dropped $70+ million in free agency. Houston, Santa Fe, New Orleans? They'd probably kick my team's ass, but instead they'll spend the year watching Jacksonville's. Question: Did KP budget himself into a corner if something goes wrong?
CARNAC SAYS: Jacksonville.

West: And then there is the toughest division in Wailing Onion. Why? Fresno was 40 games out last year with 74 wins. Los Angeles was 35 back with 79 wins. Either one would have made wild card challenges in the AL. Sandleaguer and cheez have the misfortune of battling it out between Portland and San Francisco. Question: Does it matter who actually wins this division?
CARNAC: San Francisco wins it, Portland gets the wild card.

A Chechako, A Summer Knight and a Booze Hound...Hey Oh!

Season 9 is nearly upon us and there's only one question -- who wins the NL west, Portland or San Francisco? The Oogles are the defending world champions and have the target on their back after cruising to championship (the Oogle Birds lost four playoff games in their run to the title). In the mean time, can Memphis and San Juan post consecutive 100+ win seasons? I could write individual team previews, but who's got time for that?

Let's start our division previews in the AL...

NORTH: Quick math here. The East division has budgeted $372 million on payroll this season. Boise imported Aaron Camilli to play left and shored up its bullpen with the signing of Shayne Swift. Chicago reloaded the chamber, locking up Stewart Toombs, Garrett Collins and Earle Edmonds. On the opposite end, New Britain supplemented its homegrown talent with some older, familiar names--Vern Dunwoody, Dorian Piper, Sammy Williams. Questions for this season: 1) Can New Britain's Steve Hollins keep it up after his very quiet .313-32-115 season? 2) What kind of difference will Lewis Harang make for Rochester? 3) Is there enough fire power in Boise to make it happen in a hitter-friendly park? 4) Will this be the year for Chicago?
CARNAC SAYS: Boise

EAST: San Juan hit .299 as a team last year. Six regulars topped .300, led by Warren Hamill's .350 average and 1.050 OPS. The rotation took a hit, though, when Germany Smart skipped town. Naturally, ownership made up for it by signing offensive powerhouse Sammy Carr. New York was spared a loss with Jimmie Walters resigning, anchoring a tough rotation. Boston returns a pair of 15-game winners in Lawrence Johnson and Horacio Baez. Norfolk went out and signed one of the big free agents this season, locking up Donovan Leiter. Questions: 1) What's San Juan got up its sleeve? 2) Does Boston even count as a real city? 3) Can New York pull it together and give the Reales a run?
CARNAC SAYS: San Juan by a whisker. New York gets a wild card.

SOUTH: Memphis posted 103 wins. They lost Tanner Howard, but added Tony Tanaka to join Tomas Julio and Tom Green. Texas lost its two late-season pickups in Benny Aybar and Donovan Leiter, but the club had its best season in years (literally) and is trending upwards. San Antonio took a step back in season eight. Is this the sign of a decline? St. Louis had some fine individual performances last season but they couldn't put it together.
Questions: 1) Floyd Brock won the Cy Young award, but what's left in the tank? 2) Are Midre Navarre and Rudy Fingers enough to make up for losing Leiter and Benny Aybar in Texas? 3) Was season eight a blip on the San Antonio/Little Rock radar?
CARNAC SAYS: Memphis

WEST: Traditionally one of the toughest divisions, only 13 games separated first and fourth place. And, none of these guys wasted time getting better. Arizona returns Vic Brock, Doug Pride and Duke Harper off of career seasons. KC brings back a scary core with Odalis Cervantes, Erubiel Blanco, Brent Scutaro and Albert McPherson. Questions: 1) Will Vancouver and Seattle make the run to close the gap between KC and Arizona?
CARNAC SAYS: Pick 'em. Either KC or Arizona with the other team taking the wild card.

NL comes tomorrow or the next day.

Hall of Fame?

So, the new update brings us the Hall of Fame. After much deliberation, we've been offered criteria and the opportunity to nominate. Now, I don't believe we're able to nominate yet, but check your World Office menu.

Confusing is what we've been offered as eligibles. I won't dispute Len Heiserman, who has a .283 BA and .923 OPS, plus 247 home runs. The remainder of the position players leave a little to be desired -- Mule May? Lefty Hodges? Carl O'Connor??

Tony Dodd is the only pitcher under consideration. Again, he was a good closer -- 248 saves, 314 strikeouts in 396.2 innings pitched -- but still a 3.20 ERA and 1.25 WHIP? Meh.

The Smell of Money

Editor's Note: If you don't understand the photo, check your local listings for the next showing of "Trading Places." It's appointment viewing.

You can hear the crackle of the fire as the money burns its way out of the budget and into the payroll column. There's no surprise as to the two top spending teams--Chicago's AL franchise and Jacksonville tallied almost $200m in signings this season. Here are the three teams which awarded more than $50m in free agent deals this spring:


Chicago (A): $108.3m

Stewart Toombs: Four years, $80m

Ray Stone: Two years, $8.9m

Garrett Collins: Two years, $15m

Earle Edmonds: One year, $4.4m

Jacksonville: $74,3m

Joe Stein: Four years, $38m

Tony Snow: Three years, $12.3m

Benny Aybar: Four years, $24m

Chicago (N): $53m

Louis Fleming: Three years, $31.5 + $2m bonus

Skeeter Green: Two years, $3m

Slash Miles: Three years, $14.1m

Sadie Mecir: One year, $1m

Tomas Torres: Two years, $2.4m

http://kateskitchentable.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/the-dukes.jpg

Team Preview: Texas

So, what's doing in the Lone Star state?

First, I was serious about my wild card chase last year. Was it foolish to trade off two high-rated prospects for two guys that went to free agency this year? Maybe. But, it gave me some decent perspective on what I needed to look for in order to win.

That said, my goal for season nine is .500 baseball. I've gone from destroying this franchise to a decent rebuild. Had I not flubbed the draft last year, I think that I would be in better long-term shape. Stupid formula.

The core of the team is the middle of the field--Rigo Cordero and Philip Miller. Cordero is an all-star who got a nice long-term deal on the heels of arbitration and Miller is on the verge of a breakout. Gene Koehlert in center gives Texas its first top of the order threat in a long time. One of the pickups from last season's wild-card tradefest was Andrew Thome, a nice little hitter out in right. Vic Mercado had a very off year at third, but I'm hoping for big things.

The rest of the team is a retread. Yes, I'm going to trot out Karim Castro and Billy Anderson. They are both solid contact guys with decent splits. Yes, they are both 38 years old each, but gave me more consistent hitting then some other last season (I'm looking at you Mercado).

Pitching. Well, we're old. Rudy Fingers is 28 and is a nice piece. Remove him and the average age of the rotation is 36. Midre Navarre, Tommy Ayala, Benny Pujols and Tom Miller have seen better days, but consistency is still something they bring. The bullpen is okay. Swindell closes and a trio of

Diamond Notes

Let's get right to the news, shall we?

• Word from control is that free agents are now allowed to think for themselves. Numerous owners have reported that players willing to negotiate at the end of last season were shutout of the negotiating window in beginning of this year. The result? Benny Aybar to Jacksonville and active markets for Jimmie Walters and Stewart Toombs.
  
• The standout deal has been San Francisco's swap of Alberto Beltran to New Orleans for Freddy Chen. Chen was New Orleans' top pick in the season eight draft and has been progressing nicely toward his projections (overall in the 80s; 60s contact, 70s splits). Beltran has started 30+ games each of the last six seasons, and was 14-10 for the Oogles last season. Mark also manages to shed a hefty contract--Alberto was in season two of a five-year, $32.5m deal.
• Memphis picked up a new closer in Brett Dougherty. The 28-year-old lefty saved 19-of-24 for intradivisional rival San Antonio (nee Little Rock). The cost? Two low-level prospects projecting in the 70s.
• Portland management has been hot on trading 25-year-old phenom Julian Santana. The reigning three-time Cy Young award winner and four-time all-star is making $8.6m this season as part of a five-year, $45.5m deal. Santana has yet to reach his gaudy projections, which are almost all above 90. In return, the Beavers are looking for first-class power hitting.
• The rumored destination for Santana? San Francisco. Well, it could have been. Sources report that the Ralph-Mark über division nearly got incestuous when Portland offered Santana in multiple packages, which would have sent Harpo Dunn and Jorge Benitez to Portland in return. Both times, the Oogles said no.
  
• While we're talking rumors, one out of Texas had Kansas City picking up all-world shortstop Garry Hutton from the Texans in exchange for stud hurler Max Roosevelt and others. Sources say that Texas ownership blinked and pulled the deal at the last minute. What a little bitch that owner is...
• Hutton was also rumored to be on the move to Washington, D.C. but salary cap restrictions have kept the shortstop in Texas.
• Speaking of the Texans, they shipped Tony Machado and a minor leaguer to intradivisional rival San Antonio for Weldon Terrell. Machado won his arbitration case this season. And, Esteban Hernandez takes a walk. The 31-year-old was dealt to New Orleans for Rudy Fingers. Both deals have yet to be completed.
• Rumors of teamwide dissent regarding Rigo Cordero's long-term deal to avoid arbitration have surfaced. Reports have Cordero forcing Texas management negotiate the deal while Texas GM jaredpaventi was distracted by people at a dinner party.
• In other news, try explaining to people at a dinner party that you had to go negotiate a contract with an imaginary baseball player.
  
• Lookout for Santa Fe. The Booze Hounds moved Lou Magruder and AAA shortstop Jimmy Linton to Fresno for a pair of low-level minor leaguers in a yet to be approved deal.
• Philadelphia has been active, acquiring the horribly named Germany Smart from San Juan. There's a joke to be made about a guy from Illinois named Germany playing American baseball in Puerto Rico who was traded to Philadelphia...I'm just not sure what it is. Nonetheless, sour also sent first baseman Del Clifton and cash to Seattle for a AA prospect.

What happened to the Chechakos??

Hello there this is your trusty reporter I. B. Lyon at the headquarters of the New York Chechakos. I am here to interview the eccentric and obtuse owner of the Chechakos, Madmuldoon. Again the New York Chechakos lost in the ALCS. And again they were let down by the Bats. I found Muldoon sitting behind his huge ornate wooden desk. With piles upon piles of papers stacked haphazardly on either side of his balding head. I seated myself directly across from his desk and positioned myself to best see his face through the columns of papers. He glanced up and said " Oh... its you again." he then snapped the pencil he was writing with and shards of lead and wood flew in every direction. I waited until Doon retrieved another from the drawer and looked me in the eye. I asked " So Doon what happened in the ALCS? " He snapped another Ticonderoga #2 , then said. " My boys pitched thier hearts out and my star position players let us down . Especially Al Espinosa , he really stunk it up. Further more i have asked him to quit his relationship with Maddona . She is baseball Kryptonite . " I decided to change course and asked another less touchy question. " Mr Muldoon what about free agent Jimmie Walters ? are you planning on resigning him?"  Doon found another pencil and replied. " Of course we plan on keeping Jimmy. He wants 5 years at 6.25 per year and i think we can find the funds somewhere."  I thought to myself that maybe if he used metal pencils he could save a little cash.
Doon stood up and ushered me to the door all the while apologizing that he had no more time. we shook hands and i could her sobbing after the door closed.

Well Onion fans it looks like Doon is heart broken over his Chechakos failures in the playoffs. Can doon win it all this season? Will Al Espinoza finally play ball on the field? Does Sammy Gonzales have another year in him? And will Jimmy resign a big contract? All these questions will have to be adressed  in the off season. this is I.B lyon reporting for Mad news.

Diamond Notes

Just because we're waiting for shynet doesn't mean there isn't grist for the mill. Oh no, Diamond Notes are BACK!

• Free agent outfielder Stewart Toombs has been taking meetings with potential suitors at his home in Maine. The Los Angeles expat has received some heavy notice from Seattle who are prepared to pay "Heiserman" money for the 29-year-old. To make room, the Nightmare are trying to shop leftfielder Will Montgomery. Monty is arbitration eligible this off-season.
  
• Speaking of arbitration, it looks like a few fan faves are heading to the hearing table. Texas' Rigo Cordero, Arizona's Bo Foster, Boston's Lawrence Johnson, and Phila's Kareem Duckworth head the non-NL West class.
• Speaking of the NL West, Mark and Ralph might have to dip into the kid's college funds to handle their arbitration cases. Portland's Julian Santana filed at $7.7m, Philip Thompson at $8.4, Josias Veras and Larry Dickens both filed in the $5m range. Garland Nathan filed for $8.7m in San Francisco.
• Texas will be an active player again in the pitching market. Late season acquisitions Benny Aybar and Donovan Leiter are both eligible for free agency. Aybar is seeking a deal for three years in the neighborhood of $6m per. Leiter is long gone, refusing to negotiate during the team's window. He'll ask for $6.3m on the market, but is expected to flirt with the $10m mark.
• And if Leiter is going to hit the market looking for $6.3, what will Jimmie Walters ask for on the open market and can madmuldoon afford it?