Filling The Holes: NL North

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by cement. Doesn't get better than cement.

Cincinnati (90-72, division champs): You see, I thought Cincinnati was the best team in the national. They get on base (.348 OBP), they score runs (916), they hit (.281), and they pitch the hell out of the ball. If they get Mac Nelson to pitch to his potential, that rotation would be lethal. NEEDS: A real closer. Maybe another run producer to provide cover. To dump Dummy Reagan. You can't have a man named Dummy on your team...

Burlington (76-86): The 14-game difference between first and second is in the offense. They scored 130 less runs, had a batting average 30 points lower and gave 435 at-bats to a .237-.310-.336 hitter (Domingo Gonzalez). NEEDS: An upgrade at catcher from Gonzalez.

Columbus (72-90): The offense is on par with Burlington, but the pitching is the big difference. Their closer is great, when they can get to him. Their setup guys are really good. They have two solid starters, two who could be good starters and Corey Daly. NEEDS: To fill out the back end of the rotation. At first glance, Hipolito Mondesi and Michael Stein could do it. But, Corey Daly is a dog.

Chicago (67-95): Chicago hit better, reached base better and scored more runs than Burlington. They also posted a team ERA of 5.96. Frank Patterson is a No. 4-5 starter on any other team. Here, he's the ace. NEEDS: Some gauze to stop the bleeding from the hill.

Filling The Holes: AL South

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by the Shocker. Nothing gets it done quite like the Shocker does. If you don't know what the shocker is, I turn to my friends at Wikipedia. I'm leaving the image not available sign up because well, we're talking an NSFW situation here.

NASHVILLE (92-70, division champs): tecwrg already hates me because I picked against him in the playoffs and I tend to bag on the Saints a little. And far be it from me to offer him suggestions on how to make it work. But, in the interest of fairness, I have two suggestions. Look for some speed on the basepaths. Get a couple of better starting pitchers to upgrade Kirk Sierra and Weldon Stanley.

MEMPHIS (81-81, 2nd place): I had every intention of spending the farm to sign Mikey Hall until Milwaukee locked him up. I'm stuck on a decision to make. I have a chance to shed some salary and vets and go young for a year or two. But, I think that this current group has a year or two to make it work, so I'm also thinking about locking up a bat or two to make it work. Anyhow, my two biggest issues come at the leadoff slot and on the left side of the infield. I'm all but certain that Stubby Simon will lead off next season, which means I need to decide whether Slash Wilkins' 70 SB are worth $3.9m. And, I have P.J. Berra, who has all the stamina of my 92-year-old grandfather, and a glove made out of a cinder block. So, I guess that as for NEEDS: A functional third baseman. Probably another starter.

RICHMOND (78-84, 3rd place): Richmond actually scored 60 more runs than I did this season. But, there is an enormous dropoff from staff ace Gordon DiSarcina to the rest of the jokers in the rotation. Terrence Wolf and Dennis Meng chew up innings, but give up too many hits. NEEDS: About 10 pounds of C-4 to blow up their rotation with.

MONTERREY (72-90, DFL): Another team that posted more runs than I did this season. And another team with one good starter, one okay starter and three shitty starters. And, as an added bonus, check the line on closer Brian Uchida: 1-4, 19/27 SVO, 6.68 ERA, .341 OBA, 1.027 opp. OPS. NEEDS: To see if Richmond is willing to go halvsies on that explosive.

Filling The Holes: NL West

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. One of the top runstuffers in the NFL and just a beast.

Colorado Springs (97-65, division champ): A good team that is balanced offensively. They reach base efficiently, they hit the ball pretty well, but they don't do a great job when they get on base, which is to say, they don't score runs. (that was an enormous run on) 866 crossed the plate and no one drove in more than 100 runs. The pitching is set. NEEDS: To push this team over the top, they need a real run producer in this lineup. William Comer doesn't count.

Los Angeles (89-73, 2nd place): This lineup is pretty good. Their pitching isn't bad either. So, how did they land eight games back in their division? Well, they scored close to 80 runs less than the River Otters. NEEDS: Run production.

San Francisco (53-109, 3rd place): We knew mark was going for the rebuilding route. The $34.6m payroll signals that the youth movement is in full order. There's no run production. The pitching is sketchy. Let's see where the kids get them. NEEDS: A trip to BJ's/Sam's Club/Costco for some bulk-sized skills at reasonable prices.

Portland (46-116, 4th place): Taking a cue from mark, rbedwell opted to go with youth and a $39.7m payroll. It really didn't work in season one -- .236 batting average, 547 runs scored, 6.18 ERA. We'll see what happens in season two. NEEDS: A ride from mark to the warehouse club.

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Filling the Holes: AL North

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by spackle. Nothing fills a hole quite like spackle.

Cleveland (112-50, division champs): The Wahoos had a great lineup in season one. Seven regulars had averages over .300, four had 1.000+ OPS scores and they scored more than 1,000 runs. Only one player with more than 350 at bats had a batting average less than .280. Xavier Olsen, who rates in the 70s, batted.258 with an ugly .661 OPS. I think you expect more than that from a middle infielder that costs $3.8m+. Luckily, he is in a walk year. NEEDS: A second basemen worthy of playing in this lineup. A good short reliever and a good innings eating reliever.

Milwaukee (91-71, 2nd in the division, wild card): tsteve28 killed my off-season plan by locking up potential free agent Mikey Hall to a five-year, $28m extension. Hall returns to a great 1-2-3 combination that includes Yoo-Nah Kim and J.J. Lambert. Unfortunately, the other two arms in their starting five -- Carlton Sepeda and Pascual Cortes -- were not as impressive. But, the real problem lies in their startling lineup. MVP candidate Len Heiserman is in a walk year. 60-home run hitters Carlos Johnson and Felipe Hernandez and lineup ynchpin Stan Bowie, among others, are walking into arbitration hearings with pretty good cases. NEEDS: A long hard think about which players are worth it, which aren't and where the money comes from. Oh, and a good starting pitcher to anchor the back end of the rotation.

Detroit (83-79, 3rd in the division): zar had his guys in the hunt for a wild card berth until very late in the process. But, their pitching let them down and they went 12-12 in the homestretch. Ruben Otanez (22-5) and Mel Petersen (14-9) provided stability at the top of the rotation, but the seven other pitchers who started went a combined 33-57. Of course, the offense did them no favors. Only four players had double-digit home run figures and only one had a .900+ OPS. I think you expect more from a team with a $93.3m payroll. NEEDS: Starting pitchers and one more serious bat.

Minnesota (68-94, 4th in the division): Another well paid ($92.1m), underachieving club. There's at least $8m on the bottom of that stat sheet (Stan Bieser, Luis Chavez, Matt Parker) that could stand to be reallocated. It's actually a good offensive team, with five .300_ hitters and a pair of 30+ HR hitters. But, where they have in batting, they don't in pitching. Their starters were unimpressive, with only one starter achieving an ERA less than 5.00. Closer Del Holtz blew 10 saves and let batters on base nearly 36 percent of the time. Without looking, I hope that dwrightjr7 has some expiring contracts that can be turned into quality free agents or free up spots for the kids on the farm. NEEDS: Pitching. All kinds.

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Filling the Holes: NL East

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by a rubber stopper.

PHILADELPHIA (103-59, Division Champion): By know means is Philadelphia a perfect team, but there isn't a lot that they did wrong. Offensively, they have an all-world basestealer in William Saitou, three dominant power hitters. They have great balance in their rotation and a 50-save closer. Their weakness lies in their consistency from the plate. They are consistently inconsistent -- batting averages in their starting lineup range between .253 and .282. Only one Flasher had 160+ hits and they had just one player with an on-base percentage above .375. NEEDS: A reliable, Tony Gwynn-style hit machine. Singles aren't a bad thing when you have the McMasters-Wyatt-Takada-Martin quartet in the middle of the lineup.

BUFFALO (99-63, 2nd place, wild card): At first glance, the thing that stands out is Bernie Furcal. But, while you'd like more from a shortstop, you know that the right thing to do is give him time as he is rated to grow into the 70s. Otherwise, we're taking about a pretty well balanced team. A good core of hitters for average and power, Antonio Gao and his 58 home runs, three players with 30+ steals. The pitching is in good shape too, as it seems that Travis Price will recover from the torn labrum and shape out that rotation. All in all, not bad. NEEDS: I'd like to see them add another legit 40-home run hitter to protect Gao.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (89-73, 3rd place, eliminated from the WC tie): Their are threats all over this lineup, which signals to me that they were either tired out or just couldn't get the hits in a timely fashion. Johnny Costello, Moose Lewis and Manuel Valdes are stars and they have good power throughout. The starters were effective and the bullpen was good, but they both suffered from the same issue -- they gave up too many runs. NEEDS: Lights out starter. Lights out closer.

CHARLOTTE (77-85, 4th place): The pitching is solid. Yes, closer Howard Perry gave up too many runs and blew too many saves (6). But, for a sub-.500 team, the pitching is good. So what's the problem? A lineup that seems to be all style and no substance. They have average to good individual stats, but as a team it doesn't add up -- batting .264, a team OPS of .721 and only 699 runs scored. NEEDS: Devote some salary room to one, if not two, high-priced, hard-hitting vets. Firepower could be the difference between a playoff berth and last place in this division.

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Filling the Holes: AL East

Filling the Holes will take a team-by-team look at what each team needs to address in the off-season. We'll look at this by division.

This episode of Filling The Holes is brought to you by Great Stuff insulating foam sealant.

BOSTON (84-78, AL East Champ): The Minutemen were let down by a combination of unreliable pitching and a lack of run support in their divisional playoff series. Now, you can't predict when a hit is going to come and offensively, this is a balanced squad. But, their 5.62 team ERA is the worst among playoff teams. Their most dependable starter was Groucho Hunter and he was 11-11 with a 4.80 ERA and a team-best 144 strikeouts. 10 different pitchers recorded a save and they didn't have a go-to closer. NEEDS: The Chinese takeout approach to pitching. A little from some from column A (starters), some from column B (middle relief) and something from column C (a bona fide closer).

NEW YORK (72-90, 2nd place): Another team with some pitching needs. Only one starter -- Woodie Daniels (11-8) -- finished with a record above .500. Three of their starters have ERAs above 5.50. Their closer, Trever Young, had 18 saves but a robust 5.72 ERA. Offensively, they do well. It's the pitching that undermines them. NEEDS: Starting pitchers.

AUGUSTA (65-97, 3rd place): The eight-digit signing of Jamie Rollins in the off-season gave hope to the Black Bears faithful. He delivered (.351-36-100). But, not much else happened. Offensively, Augusta was plagued by a lack of consistency,  run production (813) and depth. The pitching was no great shakes either. Only two pitchers had less than a 5.50 ERA -- starter Max Lemon and reliever Willie Kingland. It took 21 pitchers to chew through 1,428.2 innings and only one of them pitched more than 150 innings (Lemon).

PITTSBURGH (31-131, 4th): New owner? Check. Healthy and rested pitchers? Check. Needs: For bentschnride to be patient and develop his stacked farm system.

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Five games, seven games, let's split the difference and go six...

Okay, so I got it wrong again. It's five for the first two, seven for the last two when it comes to games in a playoff series.

That said, I stay with my predictions:

KC-Milwaukee: KC in 5
Philadelphia-Cincinnati: Cinci in 5
Colorado Spgs.-Atlanta: Atlanta in 4

As for the newly set Nashvegas-Cleveland series, I'm intrigued. Nashville brings a good offense to the table, never scoring less than five runs in any game in the first round. tec can accuse me of not showing the love, but you never know which pitching staff is going to show up. Will it be the Floyd Brock who went eight, gave up one run on seven hits for the win in the series' first game? Or will it be the Brock who got lit up for seven runs in 5.2 innings in a 9-7 game four loss?

Cleveland brings the firepower at the plate and a heavy duty rotation. I'm feeling the Wahoos in four.

We've almost got an DCS

Thanks to four-game series wins by Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Atlanta, three of the four division championship series matchups are set. The final pairing will be settled when Colorado and Nashville battle it out in the fifth-game of their series.

Milwaukee outscored Boston 26-8 over four games and advanced to the next round, where they will meet an almost certain death at the hands of Kansas City.

Actually, I think Milwaukee's pitching is good enough to make this series interesting. The Malt Liquors have the only staff of pitchers close to KC's staff. KC has a phenomenal lineup with eight players batting .300+ and six with 30+ homers. Milwaukee trots out two 65 home run hitters. I would put money on KC, but I think this could be a six or seven gamer.

Same with the Phila-Cinci series. Cincinnati has a solid pitching staff, with Costello-Linton-Bird, and a great all-around lineup. They take on a powerful Flash team, with four 40+ home run hitters, and the best five-pitcher rotation in the league. Plus, they bring Duke Monroe and his 50 saves. I'm leaning Cincinnati in seven.

The Atlanta-Colo. Springs series matches two teams that are even in just about every department. My best guess is Atlanta because they have some momentum right now.

But what the hell do I know...I had Colorado going to seven game in a five-game series.

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Playoff Preview

When I hear the word "playoffs", I think Jim Mora. Call me crazy.

Your American League Playoff Preview

Boston v. Milwaukee
You have to like Boston's ability to create runs -- 918 on the season, five hitters with 20+ home runs. As a team, this squad bats .286, which is also a nice stat to have in your column. Unfortunately, their pitching lacks stability. None of the Sox top three starters have an ERA below 4.50. The closer by committee approach may come back to hurt them in the playoffs.

Milwaukee seems to have the whole package. They've scored 1,020 runs on the year and have two of the games most prolific hitters in Len Heiserman (.310-65-148-1.116) and Felipe Hernandez (.285-65-156). And if that wasn't enough, their top three starters (Yoo-Nah Kim, Mikey Hall and J.J. Lambert) are studs. Kim and Hall are 200+ strikeout pitchers and have sub-3.00 ERAs.

The Mora Scora: Milwaukee in five.

Nashville v. Colorado
I really should hate Nashville for outlasting me in the AL South. But, they have something nice going in the Music City. Three players batting .300+, two 35+ home run hitters and an all-around balanced lineup. Their pitching isn't too shabby either. Their top three is led by Floyd Brock, a 15-game winner with a 3.71 ERA and 224 Ks (a 3:1 K/BB).

The River Otters have a killer lineup, bringing nine dangerous bats to the plate each game. They batted .314 as a team and have posted 1,107 runs on the season. Let's talk about their top six -- Edwin Underwood (.348-31-113), Joe Kent (.330-32-134), Steve Diaz (.328-19-92), George Cora (.321-48-142), Tanner Howard (.321-43-152) and Wes Gibson (.317-16-96). They'll need the bats because their pitching is as thin as the mountain air. Staff ace Matt Damon was 18-9 with a 4.66 ERA and Ryan Witt has 33 saves, but the rest is pretty rough.

The Mora Scora: Colorado in seven.

The National League Preview

Cinci v. Buffalo
The Motorboaters go to battle with Pablo Johnson (.321-40-133),  Armando Martin (.350-28-88) and Vlad Cust (.290-28-131) out front. But, the story of this team is its pitching and its team ERA of 3.98. I mean, hell, this team struck out 1,204 batters and walked less than 500. Talk about control! The top three, Lon Costello, Doug Linton and Brad Bird are on par with Kansas City.

Buffalo needs more than the average effort to win this series Yes, they have Antonio Gao's 58 home runs and four players with 35+ stolen bases. But, you have to get on base to make the small ball work, and their team batting average of .262 and OBP of .349 might not cut it.

The Mora Scora: Guess where I'm going. Cincinnati in a schweep.

Atlanta v. Austin
The playoffs due what the regular season couldn't -- put distance between these two squads. Atlanta won the fight in the regular season, coming away with the NL South title against Austin. Their offense is average, but their pitching is their power. They average 2.5 strikeouts per walk, post a 3.94 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP and fireman supreme Jose Bonilla (38 saves).

Austin is a similar team, with a good offense and really good pitching. They'll go with Manuel Castro, Esteban Hernandez and Dustin Keagle to start and close games with 33-save closer Joey King.

The Mora Scora: Atlanta in five.

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Sign up for Season Two or...

...I'll be forced to kill the hobo that lives in the park near my office.

Regular Season Over*

*With a tie.

Yeah, four teams finished tied for the last wild card spot at 89-73 -- Austin, Santa Fe, LA, and D.C. (in that order).

But, rather than hold the one-game playoff, WIS sent out the big FU and placed Austin in the playoffs.

My guess is that they went with head-to-head records, not that I have the time to look back and figure it out.

Best of luck to the playoff teams. We'll do regular recaps during the post-season. Look for a preview and a picture of Jim Mora sometime tomorrow.

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Lock it up...

We have playoff berths! Remember that the top two seeds in each league get first-round byes.

In the American:

Playoff No. 1 seed: Kansas City (West)
No.2: Cleveland (North)
No.3: Nashville (South)
No. 4: Boston (East

Wild cards: Milwaukee and Colorado.

In the National:

No.1: Philadelphia (East)
No. 2: Colorado Springs (West)
No. 3: Atlanta (South)
No. 4: Cincinnati (North

Wild card: Buffalo

With game number 162 scheduled for this evening, Washington, Santa Fe and Austin are tied for the second wild card spot.

No-Hitter #3: An anthology

I watched the game where six, count 'em SIX, Houston Astros' pitchers no-hit my beloved Yankees. It was one of those moments where I knew that even though my team would make the playoffs, the wheels were falling off the wagon. I mean, how do you let six pitchers no hit you?

Nashville was a little more thrifty with their staff during the 3/20 PM cycle, when they posted a 4-0 no-hitter at Augusta.

Frank McGee, who took the win, struck out eight and walked four over 7.2 innings. He was lifted after meeting his (presumed) 90-pitch limit for Cameron McNamara, who wrapped it up in 14 pitches.

Tom Green drove in three on a single, double and home run en route to the win.

Only one Black Bear made it to second, when McGee dealt consecutive walks to Alberto Morales and Jamie Rollins in the sixth.

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Nerio Watch: Final

Nerio Turner Cleveland Wahoos Age: 26 B/T: R/R Born: Lawrence, MA Position(s): RF View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Oh, Nerio. Done for the season. The pride of Lawrence, Mass. is out for the season with a sprained uterus, er, I mean strained ligament in his rib cage.

Nerio finished up the year with 74 home runs and 17 RBI, both league leading numbers. After starting the season on pace to hit about 600 home runs (more like 120), he slowed down to a respectable home run per eight at bats.

His efforts might end up overshadowed by Timo Phillips, the San Juan batting (.366) and OPS leader (1.293). Phillips is averaging a home run  every 7.8 at bats. While his 63 home runs quite a ways away from Nerio, he could catch up in the RBI department,  where is 165 is just 12 off the lead.

Timo may win the MVP, but Nerio truly has won our hearts.

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Wild Card Outlook

With approximately seven games left in the regular season, let's take a look at the wild card contenders in each league....

AMERICAN

Colorado (87-68 in the west, leads the WC): The Otters look safe at a distance, but a look at the schedule says not so much. They have two more left with Richmond before a three-game set with Kansas City. They end the season with three games against Seattle, which is certain to affect the fates of both teams involved, as well as Milwaukee. Their plodding pace (5-5 in their last 10) doesn't help matters. Odds of making the wild card: 7-2.

Milwaukee (85-70 in the North, 2nd in the WC, 2GB of Colorado): The Malt Liquors are caught in the Colorado-Seattle sandwich. With the Steelheads 3GB of Colorado, it is imperative that they win in order to avoid being a casualty of that fight. They are one game away from sweeping New York before hosting Minnesota and traveling to Cleveland. Milwaukee is the wild card of the wild card. Odds: 4-1

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Seattle (84-71 in the west, 1GB of Milwaukee): The Steelheads have a scheduling advantage over the other teams involved. They have one game left in a series with Minnesota, where they've won two of three, before hosting last-place division rival Las Vegas. Seattle could build up the steam in these four games before heading to Denver and their series with Colorado. Odds: 4-1. It's a friggin' toss up.

Detroit (80-75, 6GB of Milwaukee) is on the brink of elimination and my Memphis team is already out. The AL comes down to the troika listed above.
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NATIONAL

Buffalo (94-61 in the North, leads the WC): In. No question. Even.

Atlanta and Austin (88-67 in the South, 6GB in the wild card, tied for lead in the NL South): These teams are in a battle that will go to the finish. Identical records, but Austin has the hot hand -- winners of three straight and six of their last 10. In a recent series Austin took 2 of 3. They schedule nearly identically. Both play divisional rivals Santa Fe and San Juan to round out the season, with Austin playing Santa Fe on the road and San Juan at home, and Atlanta doing the exact opposite. Now, here's where it gets muddy. Santa Fe is two games back in the South and, as a result, two games out of a wild card slot. They have the toughest road though, as they will play both of the leaders. This entire slot is a crapshoot, And, we are TOTALLY ignoring that Washington is just a game behind Santa Fe. So, for odds? I think Austin will take the division and Atlanta gets the WC.

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Returning Owners

If you missed the boilerplate stat today, then let's recap the list of owners who have reupped for season two. Allow me to be mark3313 for a second and remind everyone to lock in their team for next season.

Franchises secured for season two include:

AMERICAN (7 of 13 committed)
Augusta
Boston
Memphis
Monterrey
New York
Pittsburgh
Seattle

NATIONAL (10 of 13 committed)
Austin
Burlington
Chicago
Cinci
Columbus
LA
Portland
San Fran
Santa Fe
San Juan

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Catch up...

It's been a few days since the last update.

The opening weekend of the NCAA tournament is a holiday to me. To others, the Super Bowl is like that. To me, this weekend is like Christmas, except:

1) I don't get any presents.
2) Substitute my mother-in-law's sauce for a cavalcade of grease and beer.

I take time off from work, ignore everything around me and do my best to rot my brain on basketball.

It's beautiful.

But, since Duke is the only game on, I will take the next few minutes to catch up on some blogging, including a no-hitter recap, the final Nerio Watch, a look at the minors and more.

And yes, I had the Siena game.

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Minor League Roundup: AAA

We do a pretty good job of ignoring the minor leagues here at the Onionball blog. Since Dancing With Stars is on (thanks to my wife), I need something better to do.

American League Division Champs: Las Vegas, Cleveland, Monterrey, New York
AL Wild Cards: Detroit, Nashville

NL Division Champs: Charlotte, Santa Fe, Columbus, LA
NL Wild Cards: Phila, DC

Pitching Leaders:

W-L: Tom Page (LV) 18-6
K: Banjo James (BUR) 216
ERA: Fernando Sanchez (AUS) 2.29
SV: Cory Down (BUR) 32

Batting Leaders:
BA: Davey Bennett (COL) .352
HR: Hipolito Javier (MNT) 62
RBI: Javier 161
SB: Rico Rivera (BUF) 87
OPS: Javier 1.132

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Minor League Roundup: AA

We do a pretty good job of ignoring the minor leagues here at the Onionball blog. Since Dancing With Stars is on (thanks to my wife), I need something better to do.

American League Division Champs: Boston, Colorado, Minnesota, Richmond
AL Wild Cards: New York, Cleveland

NL Division Champs: Chicago, Colorado Springs, Charlotte, Atlanta
NL Wild Cards: Burlington, Portland

Pitching Leaders:

W-L: Henry Palmeiro (BOS) 21-1
K: Tris Kirby (NAS) 210
ERA: Lou Maklone (CSP) 2.26
SV: Sven Obermueller (CHI) 32

Batting Leaders:
BA: Justin Munson (NY) .378
HR: Kelly Vernon (NY) 57
RBI: Vernon 182
SB: Denny Grisson (CSP) 79
OPS: Jamie Yamamoto (BOS) 1.149

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Minor League Roundup: HiA

We do a pretty good job of ignoring the minor leagues here at the Onionball blog. Since Dancing With Stars is on (thanks to my wife), I need something better to do.

American League Division Champs: Minnesota, Memphis, NY, KC
AL Wild Cards: Las Vegas, Pittsburgh

NL Division Champs: San Fran, Columbus, Atlanta, Buffalo
NL Wild Cards: Austin, Cinci

Pitching Leaders:

W-L: Julio Fernandez (MIN) 18-5
K: Preston Mays (SF) 213
ERA: Lonnie Hall (NY) 2.72
SV: Kurt Hill (NY) 38

Batting Leaders:
BA: Willie Posada (PIT) .360
HR: Felipe Sierra (MIN) 66
RBI: Marcus Richardson (NY) 157
SB: Aubrey O'Connor (CLB) 93
OPS: Philip Thompson (POR) 1.203

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Minor League Roundup: LoA

We do a pretty good job of ignoring the minor leagues here at the Onionball blog. Since Dancing With Stars is on (thanks to my wife), I need something better to do.

American League Division Champs: Richmond, Colorado, Milwaukee, New York
AL Wild Cards: Nashville, Boston

NL Division Champs: San Fran, Charlotte, Austin, Chicago
NL Wild Cards: Portland, Santa Fe

Pitching Leaders:

W-L: Woody McCartin (RIC) 17-3
K: Christy Harris (SFE) 200
ERA: Cy Holmes (RIC) 1.96
SV: Richard Workman (WAS) 31

Batting Leaders:
BA: Lefty Walker (MIL) .368
HR: Joe Clinton (COL) 50
RBI: J.J. Rolls (RIC) 172
SB: Vin Lopez (NY) 83
OPS: Sean Snow (SFE) 1.103

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Minor League Roundup: Rookie League

We do a pretty good job of ignoring the minor leagues here at the Onionball blog. But, since it's halftime of the Coppin St.-Mount St. Mary's game (I have a friend who works at MSM), I figure that we ought to pull it together.

American League Division Champs: Boston, Nashville, Cleveland, KC.
AL Wild Cards: New York, Las Vegas

NL Division Champs: Chicago, Philadelphia, Santa Fe, Portland
NL Wild Cards: LA, San Fran

Pitching Leaders:

W-L: Horacio Baez (BOS) 13-1
K: Santiago Santiago (KC) 119
ERA: Alberto Montero (CHI) 1.98
SV: Larry Leonard (NY) 18

Batting Leaders:
BA: Lou Tankersley (SFE) .424
HR: Will Montgomery (SEA) 31
RBI: Tankersley 131
SB: Al Vizquel (MNT) 76
OPS: Aaron Camilli (BUF) 1.268

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Wild Card Outlook

One of the things I don't do well is prognosticate. Give me logical data (financial numbers, demographic figures) I'm fine. Give me sports and I suck wind. For instance, I finish dead last in my bracket pools every year. So, this wild card outlook is, for all intents and purposes, full of shit.

(The picture is William H. Macy from The Cooler, a terrific movie. Great story, great acting, Maria Bello naked...)

In the AMERICAN:

COLORADO (78-60 in the West; leads the WC): Colorado has a scheduling advantage, with a +12 home/road differential. That means that of the 24 games left on their schedule, only six of them are on the road. They host each division rival one last time, as well as one more game with Monterrey, and serieses with Cleveland and Richmond. The two road trips are to Nashville and Richmond. The River Otters have won eight of their last 10. Odds of making the WC: Even.

MILWAUKEE (75-63 in the North; second in the WC): The Malt Liquors are -4 on the home/road differential, but that's not so bad as they are 37-30 when playing on someone else's field. What is bad is the competition left -- division leaders Cleveland (H), KC (A) and Boston (H), plus WC contender Detroit (A). That three-game set with Detroit will be pivotal as there are only four games between the teams for the last wild card spot. Milwaukee has won six of its last 10 and are amid a series with my Memphis squad. Odds: 5-2

SEATTLE (73-65 in the West; 2GB of Milwaukee): Seattle makes the most intriguing late season games. Winners of 7 of their last 8, the Steelheads have two more road games than home games left. This could be very good, as they have a better road record. They are in the middle of a five-game (two-home, three away) set with Pittsburgh. The rest of the road looks tough, though -- home for Detroit, at KC, at Boston, home for Minnesota and Vegas and at Colorado. The schedule isn't easy, but they have a schedule to make the run a reality. Odds: 4-1.

DETROIT (71-67 in the North; 4GB of Milwaukee): Almost a mirror of the Milwaukee schedule -- at Boston, Seattle, Nashville, home for Monterrey, Milwaukee, Richmond, Cleveland and Minnesota. The wild card could very well be decided by the 3/20 AM cycle, when they wrap up back-to-back sets with Seattle and Milwaukee. Odds: 5-1.

MEMPHIS (70-68 in the South; 5GB of Milwaukee): We have no chance. I put us on the list because I can. I have eight more away games than home games and am playing below .500 ball when I'm on the road. This especially warms my soul as I have road dates with Milwaukee, Augusta, Cleveland and Minnesota. We're going no where. Sonsabitches. Odds: 10-1

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

In the NATIONAL:

BUFFALO (84-54 in the North; leads the WC): The home-road splits are negated by the fact that they are playing 15 games over .500 at home and on the road. Buffalo could rock the American League. The Wings have series against all four division leaders and two of the four division cellar-dwellers. They end the season against Philadelphia at home. With seven games between them and 24 to play, it wouldn't be unheard of if that series put the division crown in play. Odds: Even.

SANTA FE (79-59 in the North; second in the WC): Santa Fe is the wild card of the wild card. They hold a two-game lead for the last WC spot (Austin and Washington are tied for third), but are only three games back of Atlanta in the South division. Santa Fe has three games at Washington coming up and ends the season with a 10-game homestand against Atlanta and Austin.  It is very likely that Santa Fe will go to the playoffs. But, the question is whether they will go as a division champ or a wild card team. Odds: 2-1.

AUSTIN (77-61in the South; 2GB in the WC)/WASHINGTON (77-61 in the East; 2GB in the WC): Both teams are close. No doubt. But, neither has a favorable schedule, or at least, none have a schedule as favorable as Santa Fe. I reserve the right to change my opinion, but I think this one might be locked up. Odds: 7-2.

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Midre Navarre No Hits Augusta

Now, there's a joke to be made about someone named MIDRE NAVARRE doing anything at Augusta, but I'm going to rise above the fray and not make it.

Midre's no-hitter was the cornerstone of Kansas City's 10-0 win at Augusta. The pride of Monti Cristi in the Dominican Republic struck out six, walked five and threw 101 pitches. The only real threat came in the fourth inning, when  Jamie Rollins, walked, stole second and advaned to third on a Boots Dalrymple ground out. Pedro Quixote ended that with a deep flyout to left center.

Cincinnati's Lou Costello threw the only other no-hitter in the majors this season.

Midre is 12-8 this year with a 4.26 ERA. KC is the odds-on fav to win the AL west.

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Neferio

Neferious Nerio Turner. Superstar. Goat. Reestablishing threat.

Lawrence, Mass.'s favorite son has snapped out of a stupor, hitting safely in the past six games. More importantly to the Wahoos, he has homered in four of those six tilts.

Nerio's season breaks out in thirds. He started the season on a tear, projecting a potential 120-homer campaign to taking a complete dump in the second third. Now, it looks like he's leveling back off into a decent hitter.

Nerio has 59 home runs in 501 at bats. With 33 games to go, it's likely that he'll break 610 at bats. At his current rate of one homer per 8.49 at bats, look for him to hit in the neighborhood of 72 dingers.

Again, not too bad for $1.5m.

Option Report

Note: I'm watching the Summitt League championship game (IUPUI vs. Oral Roberts) which is being played in a high school gym in Tulsa. This arena is nicer than half of the collegiate arenas I have been to.

Anyhow, in this latest look-ahead, here are the players who have options due at season's end:

CHARLOTTE
Jim Stewart, C, team option, $2.3m contract/$577,500 buyout

COLORADO SPRINGS
Alan Taubensee, P, team, $2m/$500k

KANSAS CITY
Patrick Poole, C, team, $2m/$506k

LOS ANGELES
Trevor Lee, P, team, $6.4m/$1.6m

MEMPHIS
Max Broadhurst, OF, team, $3.7m/$925k
Valerio Valentin, IF, team, $1.45m/$362k
Darwin Frey, C, team, $1m/$250k

NEW YORK
Bono Bonds, C, team, $2.8m/700k

PORTLAND
Howie Edmonds, P, team, $1.26m/$315k

SANTA FE
Greg Cross, OF, mutual, $1.65m/$412k

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Wild Card Breakdown:::::American League

The American League divisions are basically sewn up. The North and West leaders have 17-game leads. New York and Memphis are eight games back in their respective divisions, but I'm pretty sure that neither of us are playing the quality baseball to make the leap. So, while Cleveland, Boston, Nashville and Kansas City are resting tight for the playoffs, let's look at the six-car pileup that is the wild care race.

COLORADO 67-54
DETROIT 66-55
-----------------------------------------
MILWAUKEE 64-57 2.0 GB
MEMPHIS 64-57 2.0 GB
SEATTLE 62-57 4.0 GB
RICHMOND 59-62 7.0 GB

NOTES: Colorado swept a three-game series with Memphis last week, setting my dreams of playoff baseball back. Anyhow, the schedule gods are shining their collective light upon Detroit, Milwaukee and Seattle, who have more home games remaining than road games. Of those three squads, only Seattle is sub-.500 at home. Memphis is the only team of the bunch that is below .500 on the road and my boys have more away games than home dates left on the schedule.

Wild Card Breakdown:::::National League

The National League races are anything but set. Four games separate first and second in the South and West. Buffalo is six games behind Philly in the East. And, to make matters worse, five teams have a realistic shot at the two wild card slots.

Let's take a snapshot of tonight's standings. The games back are calculated based on the first available wild card slot.

BUFFALO 73-48
SANTA FE 70-51
-------------------------------------
D.C. 68-53 2.0 GB
AUSTIN 66-55 4.0 GB
L.A. 64-57 6.0 GB


NOTES: The entire lot of them are playing around .500 baseball in their last 10, with Austin the only squad to win six of their last 10. The schedules favor D.C., theoretically. The Senators have more home games than away, which is typically good. But, they are playing significantly better on the road (11 games under .500 at home; 24 games over on the road). Santa Fe, L.A. and Austin each have more road games than home games during the stretch run. Buffalo has an even split of remaining games.

Renewed for Two

Let's look at the owners who have taken the pledge for season two.

AL
AllSox::Boston
madmuldoon::New York
dflinn0728::Augusta
bentschnride::Pittsburgh
reigny::Monterrey
leblanc2::Seattle
andypavlovic::Las Vegas

NL
spenny33::Columbus
jjirish70::Burlington
bkevin::Chicago
paulbliss612::Santa Fe
the412::San Juan
Sandleaguer::Los Angeles
mark3313::San Fran
rbedwell::Portland

Memphis will be back next season. We just have to get up off our fat asses and pay up. It sounds easier than it actually is.

MarketWatch: Catchers

In the spirit of Peter Gammons, let's look at the top free agents for this coming off-season. Now, the backstops.

Victor Armas, WAS, 28 -- Batting .293 with 19 homers and 44 RBI. .941 OPS. $4.6m.

Todd Riley, MIL, 32 -- .290 BA, .906 OPS, 15 homers, 47 RBI, 94 BB, 64 Ks.

MarketWatch: Infielders

In the spirit of Peter Gammons, let's look at the top free agents for this coming off-season. Now, the infielders.

Don Foster, 1b, 33 -- .331 BA, 1.026 OPS, 33 homers, 101 RBI. Makes $4.4m.

Len Heiserman, 1b, 31 -- .322 BA, 1.143 OPS, 52 homers, 117 RBI. Makes $6.5m.

Buck Tucker, ss, 28 -- Terrible name. .310 BA, 31 SB, .358 OBP.

Andy Vickers, 3b, 30 -- .308 BA, 1.032 OPS, 35 homers, 82 RBI. Makes $1.5m.

Lorenzo DeRojas, 2b, 36 -- .298 BA, .889 OPS, 18 homers, 41 RBI. Makes $705k.

MarketWatch: Outfielders

In the spirit of Peter Gammons, let's look at the top free agents for this coming off-season. Next, the outfield.

Stone Cold Steve Austin, CIN, 30 -- .339 BA, 1.045 OPS, 25 homers, 54 RBI. $4.9m.

Roger Wulf, BUF, 32 -- .299 BA, 1.055 OPS, 43 homers, 117 RBI. $2.4m.

George Cora, COL, 34 -- .326 BA, 1.116 OPS, 37 homers, 107 RBI, 24 SB. $5.6m.

Javier Johnson, NAS, 33 -- .321 BA, .406 OBP, 15 HR. $5.6m.

Al Ward, PHI, 31 -- .441 OBP, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 25 SB. $7.75m.

MarketWatch: The Pitchers

In the spirit of Peter Gammons, let's look at the top free agents for this coming off-season. We'll start with the pitchers.

Erubiel Durazo, WAS, 34 -- 13-4, 4.21 ERA, 2:1 K/BB. Eight-year vet making $5.8m.

J.J. Lambert, MIL, 33 -- 12-7, 3.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 2:1 K/BB. Six-year vet making $5.8m.

Mikey Hall, MIL, 27 -- 11-7, 3.48 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3:1 K/BB. Five-year vet making $4.63m.

Nash Kendall, SFE, 38 -- 11-1, 2.44 ERA, 1.10 WHIP. Setup guy. 12-year vet making $870k.

Vicente Nieves, MNT, 33 -- 7-10, 3.84 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 2:1 K/BB. 12-year vet making $4m.

Cody Case, MIN, 32 -- 9-9, 4.13 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 2.5:1 K/BB. Eight-year vet making $6.5m.

Arbitration Eligible:::Pitchers

These are the arbitration-eligible pitchers for this coming off-season, with their ages and current salary:

Greg Brown (L) , ATL , P , 29 , $3.8M
Jimmy Vogelsong (R) , MEM , P , 30 , $3.5M
Eric Meluskey (R) , LA , P , 30 , $3.4M
Kris Smith (L) , DET , P , 27 , $3.4M
Luke Swindell (L) , PHI , P , 30 , $3.3M
Felix Garcia (L) , AUS , P , 27 , $3.2M
Rocky Hooper (R) , LA , P , 28 , $3.2M
Sandy Smith (R) , KC , P , 30 , $2.8M
Alex Moreno (L) , COL , P , 29 , $2.5M
Frank McGee (R) , NAS , P , 26 , $2.5M
Edgar Gonzalez (L) , SEA , P , 30 , $2.4M
Keith Phelps (R) , SEA , P , 31 , $2.1M
Allan Palmer (R) , RIC , P , 30 , $2.0M
Esteban Aparicio (L) , COL , P , 26 , $2.0M
Russ Branson (L) , SEA , P , 31 , $2.0M
Gene Collins (R) , SEA , P , 27 , $1.9M
Felipe Johnson (L) , NY1 , P , 28 , $1.7M
Vic Alston (R) , COL , P , 28 , $1.6M
Brad Cambridge (R) , RIC , P , 29 , $1.4M
Gabby Connelly (L) , COL , P , 27 , $1.4M
Joe Swann (L) , SEA , P , 27 , $1.3M
Brad Bird (L) , CIN , P , 26 , $1.2M
Tom Miller (R) , KC , P , 28 , $1.2M
Harold Appier (R) , SF , P , 29 , $1.1M
Ignacio Escobar (R) , POR , P , 26 , $1.1M
Daryn Randall (R) , NY1 , P , 24 , $1.0M
Quinn Stevenson (R) , PHI , P , 29 , $1.0M
Tomas Ayala (L) , KC , P , 27 , $1.0M
Desi Pujols (L) , AUG , P , 26 , $945K
Esteban Castillo (R) , COL , P , 24 , $800K
Armando Hernandez (R) , NY1 , P , 25 , $710K
Greg Sturtze (R) , BUR , P , 25 , $665K
Kennie Walker (R) , CH1 , P , 24 , $665K
Earl Paige (R) , CHA , P , 25 , $650K
Mark Hiller (L) , WAS , P , 27 , $625K
Victor Belliard (R) , SEA , P , 26 , $610K
Jose Bonilla (R) , ATL , P , 29 , $6.5M
Doug Linton (L) , CIN , P , 27 , $5.6M
Giomar DeJesus (R) , DET , P , 25 , $4.7M
Vic Brock (R) , CHA , P , 29 , $4.1M
Al Machado (R) , SFE , P , 26 , $365K
Bum Bennett (L) , AUG , P , 26 , $328K
Chad Wagner (L) , SJU , P , 27 , $328K
Diego Castillo (L) , DET , P , 26 , $328K
Louie Dali (L) , PHI , P , 27 , $328K
Ralph Clark (R) , SFE , P , 25 , $328K
Ray Waters (R) , ATL , P , 26 , $328K
Vic Barrett (L) , MEM , P , 24 , $328K
Al McNamara (R) , BUR , P , 24 , $327K
Albert Alcantara (R) , BUR , P , 25 , $327K
Chief Webster (R) , PHI , P , 28 , $327K
Deacon Barkley (R) , CLE , P , 27 , $327K
Groucho Hunter (L) , BOS , P , 24 , $327K
Magglio Rodriguez (R) , ATL , P , 24 , $327K
Pat Maeda (L) , AUG , P , 24 , $327K
Peter Gray (R) , PIT , P , 26 , $327K
Raymond North (R) , COL , P , 26 , $327K
Roscoe Street (R) , ATL , P , 24 , $327K
Ugueth Neruda (L) , KC , P , 25 , $327K

Arbitration Eligible::Position Players

In the coming weeks, we'll jump ahead of ourselves and begin looking at the top eligible free agents. Right now, we'll just jump a little bit ahead and look at this off-season's arbitration eligible players. These are the major-league eligible position players in this upcoming off-season with their ages and current salaries:

Timo Phillips (R) , SJU , RF , 31 , $7.4M
Chul Tabaka (R) , DET , 2B , 28 , $4.1M
Jerry Ruffin (R) , ATL , 2B , 30 , $4.0M
Xavier Olsen (R) , CLE , SS , 27 , $3.9M
Tim Easterly (R) , RIC , LF , 27 , $3.5M
Jeff Oliver (R) , MIL , SS , 26 , $3.5M
Ronn Swann (R) , ATL , 1B , 26 , $3.2M
Bill Gibson (R) , AUS , 2B , 30 , $3.1M
Bobby Ray Norman (L) , SEA , 1B , 30 , $2.9M
Moose Feliciano (R) , DET , 2B , 31 , $2.9M
Vladimir Cust (R) , CIN , 3B , 25 , $2.9M
Raul Pescado (L) , SJU , LF , 30 , $2.9M
Rich Shipley (R) , CLB , 3B , 26 , $2.8M
Benito Cervantes (R) , LV , 1B , 28 , $2.5M
Mikey Grey (R) , MIL , 2B , 29 , $2.5M
Calvin Borders (R) , KC , LF , 31 , $2.5M
Joey Leach (R) , CH1 , 2B , 27 , $2.4M
Juan Santos (L) , CSP , CF , 28 , $2.4M
Roy Combs (R) , COL , SS , 26 , $2.4M
Bobby Ray Bonham (R) , CLB , RF , 28 , $2.2M
Gerald Neugebauer (R) , CLE , SS , 29 , $2.2M
Moose Lewis (R) , WAS , 1B , 29 , $2.0M
Edwin Underwood (R) , COL , 2B , 28 , $2.0M
Gookie Mann (R) , SF , CF , 27 , $2.0M
Pascual Park (R) , MIN , RF , 28 , $2.0M
Orber Nieto (R) , PIT , RF , 24 , $1.9M
Tom Burns (L) , NAS , LF , 27 , $1.7M
Max Cora (R) , PHI , 2B , 30 , $1.5M
Al Johnson (R) , BUF , 3B , 28 , $1.5M
Orlando Martinez (R) , NY1 , 3B , 28 , $1.5M
Placido Cruz (R) , SEA , C , 29 , $1.5M
Tyrone Thomas (R) , RIC , C , 28 , $1.5M
Devon Gentry (L) , SJU , CF , 27 , $1.5M
Louie McBride (L) , BUR , CF , 30 , $1.5M
Irv Hall (R) , CLE , LF , 28 , $1.5M
Nerio Turner (R) , CLE , RF , 26 , $1.5M
Moe Leach (R) , SEA , 3B , 28 , $1.4M
Robert Riggs (R) , POR , 3B , 26 , $1.4M
Charlie Swann (L) , ATL , CF , 27 , $1.4M
William Comer (L) , CSP , CF , 27 , $1.4M
Dario White (L) , NY1 , RF , 26 , $1.4M
Graham Kennedy (R) , COL , SS , 26 , $1.4M
Felipe Hernandez (R) , MIL , 1B , 28 , $1.3M
George Blair (R) , KC , 2B , 28 , $1.3M
Skeeter May (R) , CLB , SS , 25 , $1.3M
Zip Burke (R) , SF , SS , 26 , $1.3M
Gus Mitchell (R) , SF , 2B , 29 , $1.2M
Yuniesky Cornejo (R) , CHA , C , 27 , $1.2M
Tanner Howard (R) , COL , DH , 28 , $1.2M
Larry Simmons (R) , SEA , LF , 25 , $1.2M
Billy Weston (R) , RIC , 3B , 29 , $1.1M
Felix Matsuzaka (L) , SFE , RF , 26 , $1.1M
Jesse Woods (R) , SF , SS , 27 , $1.1M
Jose Colon (R) , COL , SS , 26 , $1.1M
Lenny Kershner (R) , LV , 3B , 28 , $1.0M
Clay Sefcik (R) , NAS , CF , 26 , $1.0M
Derek Mullaney (R) , SEA , SS , 27 , $1.0M
Bucky Woods (R) , AUG , 3B , 26 , $900K
Steve McDonald (R) , CH1 , 3B , 28 , $900K
Javier Osuna (L) , LV , CF , 27 , $900K
Sandy Jones (R) , COL , SS , 28 , $885K
T.J. Perkins (R) , CIN , C , 26 , $880K
Mitchell Richards (R) , MIN , CF , 29 , $880K
Charlie Ruth (R) , SEA , 2B , 28 , $845K
Harry Caballero (R) , BUR , 3B , 29 , $815K
Charley Stieb (R) , BUF , C , 26 , $800K
Javy Castilla (R) , PIT , 3B , 27 , $795K
Felipe Sierra (L) , MIN , LF , 30 , $770K
Richard McMasters (L) , PHI , 1B , 26 , $760K
Craig Jacquez (R) , SF , SS , 24 , $750K
Tomas Cervantes (R) , CLB , SS , 26 , $750K
Darrin Simmons (R) , LA , 1B , 27 , $718K
Vicente Ozuna (R) , CLB , C , 27 , $700K
Alex Cust (R) , MEM , SS , 25 , $700K
Julio Estrada (R) , WAS , CF , 25 , $675K
Bob West (R) , NY1 , LF , 27 , $605K
Bert Jones (R) , SFE , SS , 27 , $580K
Joe Hogan (R) , SFE , LF , 26 , $505K
Carlos Johnson (R) , MIL , 1B , 23 , $328K
Walt Clement (R) , BUF , 1B , 25 , $328K
Wayne Ramsey (R) , CH1 , 1B , 25 , $328K
Nomar James (R) , CLB , 2B , 25 , $328K
Alan McBride (R) , NY1 , 3B , 25 , $328K
Hack Farr (R) , SFE , 3B , 23 , $328K
Javier Macias (R) , PIT , 3B , 27 , $328K
Julio Mateo (R) , LA , 3B , 23 , $328K
Julio Posada (R) , BUR , 3B , 26 , $328K
Duke Harper (R) , BUR , C , 25 , $328K
Henry Wyatt (R) , PHI , C , 22 , $328K
Darryl Coles (L) , BOS , CF , 25 , $328K
Lou Coles (R) , RIC , CF , 24 , $328K
Thomas Wood (R) , CH1 , CF , 26 , $328K
Adrian Rogers (R) , KC , LF , 26 , $328K
Manuel Gomez (L) , PIT , LF , 23 , $328K
Happy Campbell (L) , MEM , RF , 26 , $328K
Odalis Lee (L) , MIL , RF , 25 , $328K
York Muratore (R) , SEA , RF , 25 , $328K
Joel Hutch (R) , NAS , SS , 26 , $328K
Wes Harmon (R) , LA , SS , 25 , $328K
Dick Brown (L) , POR , 1B , 26 , $327K
Stevie Michaels (R) , RIC , 1B , 27 , $327K
Cristian Chen (R) , LV , 2B , 25 , $327K
Max Griggs (R) , CLB , 2B , 28 , $327K
Richard Coppinger (R) , DET , 2B , 26 , $327K
Andre Canseco (R) , CLB , 3B , 28 , $327K
Hideo Xaio (R) , MEM , 3B , 25 , $327K
Quentin White (R) , RIC , 3B , 26 , $327K
Stan Bowie (R) , MIL , 3B , 25 , $327K
Alfredo Gabriel (R) , LA , C , 25 , $327K
Eli Reynoso (R) , WAS , C , 25 , $327K
Nick Farnsworth (R) , CHA , LF , 26 , $327K
Denny Katou (L) , CLE , RF , 27 , $327K
Howie Fitzgerald (R) , POR , RF , 26 , $327K
Tony Moraga (R) , MNT , RF , 24 , $327K

Deadline Deals Under Review

With the trading deadline passed, let's look at the deals that will shape the rest of the season:

MEMPHIS sends OF Mark Long (AAA), SP Al Barajas (AAA) and P Randall Wheat to BURLINGTON for OF Gary Gruber and P Jimmy Vogelsong plus cash.

I made the deal for Randall Wheat and was unconvinced of his stuff after two starts. jjirish approached me on the Gary Gruber deal and we were able to work in the pitching swap. Vogelsong and Wheat are in their walk years and Gruber has another season at $6.5M. The two prospects hurt, but Long was expendable given my minor league depth in the outfield. A good deal for me in the short term. Probably a better deal for Burlington in the long run.


PORTLAND sends 2B Doug Corrino and P Peter Surhoff to PITTSBURGH for P Ignacio Escobar.

Pittsburgh inherits two rookies from the Beavers organization. Surhoff is a three-pitch starter with okay ratings. He is 5-13 with a 7.30 ERA. Corrino is batting .243 with four homers, 26 RBI
and 21 stolen bases. In return, Portland gets a 26-year-old starter who has spent time between AAA and the majors. Pittsburgh gets a chance to reload here. No slight on Portland but any deal involving Pittsburgh getting new players will benefit the Diamond Kings more.


BURLINGTON sends RF Dario White to NEW YORK for SS Kevin Caufield (AAA) and P Denny Yang (AAA)

Dario White signed out of arbitration, was traded to Burlington and now plays for New York. So, New York gets a solid hitter and an expiring contract in return for a pair of AAA players. Caufield is batting a combined .306 while Yang is 9-7 with a 3.12 ERA and 130 Ks at HiA and AAA.


CHARLOTTE sends P Carlos Eusebio to SANTA FE for CF Jay O'Keefe (AA)

Eusebio is a sinker-slider veteran arm and has solid credentials. He got rocked in his first start with Santa Fe, taking the loss after surrendering seven earned in 3.2 innings. O'Keefe comes
to the Webs organization with a nice swing and quick feet, batting .324 with 36 stolen bases.

Tick, Tick, Tick...

Peter Gammons is working the phones and hasn't called us back yet. We'll have a review of the deadline deals tomorrow.

Immortality...

Let's talk about Memphis Rookie Leaguer Bart Telford's stats -- .846 average, .867 OBP, 1.462 slugging percentage.

Here's the problem...HE'S A PITCHER. Those are the opponent's numbers. In 2/3 of an inning pitched, this Brian McCormick wannabe gave up 11 runs on 11 hits and 2 walks. He has a 148.50 ERA.

He started the year at LoA but I decided that his 10.80 ERA was worthy of a demotion. Turns out, I might have been wrong.

Anyone interested in trading for him?

Top Prospects Report: Second Half

This is the back half of what was a bigger project than I had anticipated.

LAS VEGAS
Billy Carter, RF, AA – No relation to the former president, Billy Carter has all the makings of a superstar. Bats .304 with a .927 OPS, 21 HR and 87 RBI. Nearly half of his hits are for extra bases. He’s a little carefree at the plate, but that’s why he’s still in the minors.

Milt Strickland, 2B. HiA – Uncle Milty is putting up a fairly impressive .913 OPS for a guy who hits mostly singles. Low strikeout numbers and only four errors in 192 chances. But, he’s a little shit – standing only a couple inches taller than my wife at 5-5. I’ll be interested to see what he can do once he hits puberty.

Dusty McFeely, P, AA – I’ll admit it…I picked this guy over another equally good pitcher simply because his name is hilarious. He gets no run support, but with a 3.03 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, he has proven to be a solid hurler.

LOS ANGELES
Rigo Benitez, 1B, AA – The kid is just raking at all levels. Between AA and HiA, he’s batting .33/.448/.536. He’s walked 53 times and struck out 40, so that counts for something.

Gary Hammond, P, AAA – Hammond has a little Drew Henson in him. The scouts think he’s better than he actually is. He’s 6-9 on the year with a 5.04 ERA. I think he needs to grow into AAA more before he can make that leap. The power is there though – 108 strikeouts in 128.2 innings.

Bert Williams, RF, RL – A big upside guy who needs to hit puberty. Doesn’t really have a baseball player’s body at 5-7. Bats .340 with a .953 OPS. Averages more than one RBI per game.

MEMPHIS
Darryl Standridge, P, AAA -- Darryl is getting a severe tatooing at AAA this season. Perhaps I promoted him too quickly. Has a pretty high ceiling and with any luck, he'll get close to it.

Jesus Reyes, P, AA/HiA -- Jesus isn't afraid to give up a hit, which is something we hope the coaches will fix. But, he also isn't afraid to strike someone out (144 in 141.2 IP).

Chip Hayes, SS, ML -- Hayes made the club and its up to him whether he stays. Batting .221 due to an 0-18 stretch during his first callup. Has superstar caliber batting numbers. Regardless of his S.1 status, he will be the opening day starter at shortstop in S.2.

MILWAUKEE
Carlos Johnson, 1B, AAA – Another bigtime hitter -- .327 BA, 1.156, OPS, 49 HR, 119 RBI. At 23, he has two major league years under his belt, so he’s really just a borderline guy.

Earl Clontz, C, AAA – The other big bat in the AAA lineup belongs to this guy. 30 homers and 124 RBI with a .971 OPS.

Luis Guillen, P, AAA – Weird. This guy’s numbers improve with promotions. I mean, you’d expect him to maintain or even have worse numbers at a higher level. Anyhow, he’s 10-5 with a 4.49 ERA and 128 Ks at three different levels this season.

MINNESOTA
Daniel Swisher, 1B, HiA – Spent some time at AA this season, but his back at HiA and hitting the snot out of the ball. Batting a combined .316 with a .946 OPS.

Harpo Dunn, SS, HiA – The Mayhem’s first round pick has 21 extra base hits, 20 RBI and 22 runs scored in 26 games. Batting .284 with a .917 OPS. Shitty name. Really…who names their kid Harpo?

Julio Fernandez, P, HiA – The best pitcher in an organization with some good arms. Strikes out four times as many batters as he walks. Posting a 12-4 record with a 2.87 ERA in 21 starts.

MONTERREY
Malcolm Bonham, SS, LoA – Probably the highest-rated position player in the organization on everyone’s board. Batting .381 with a 1.145 OPS. Mixes consistent hitting with speed – 28 doubles, five triples, 30 stolen bases and 71 runs scored.

Ken Giovanola, P, AAA – One of two pitchers who have yet to grow into AAA hitting. Gio is 9-10 with a 6.12 ERA and 128Ks.

Trent Milligan, P, AAA – The second of those two pitchers. In four starts since being selected number one overall, he is 0-2 with a 8.41 ERA and 20 Ks.

NASHVILLE
Lawrence O’Donnell, 2B, HiA – Gradually rising through the organization, Lawrence has a .936 OPS at AA and HiA and is batting .334 on the year. He should debut next season some time.

Olmedo Guerrero, RF, RL – Still has another growth spurt left in his lanky 5-9 frame. Could make it to AA this season. Ripping the ball at the RL level -- .472 BA with a 1.442 OPS.

Fred Forbes, RP, AA – Hammer of God closer credentials. A 3.98 ERA with 42-7 K/BB ratio. Converted 20 of 24 save opportunities.

NEW YORK
Sammy Gonzales, C, AAA – A raking catcher, which is refreshing. Has 41 homers and 147 RBI to go with his .328 average and 1.110 OPS.

Luke Hammond, 2B, AAA – Could be a scary major league hitter. Batting .344 with a 1.000+ OPS. Good power numbers for an middle infielder – 17 HR and 85 RBI. Already scored 105 runs.

Cal Matthews, SS, HiA – This organization is stacked. Batting .335 with 18 homers and 85 RBI at both A levels. Also has 28 stolen bases. Just promoted to HiA and of his first three hits, two are home runs.

PHILADELPHIA
Kareem Duckworth, P, HiA - Another guy who is having a hard time adjusting from high school to professional ball. His ceiling is unlimited, but so is his ERA right now (7.13). By the time he turns 21, he'll be smoking the rest of the NL like the Cohiba I've been saving.

Benny Aybar, P, AAA -- This is one I never want to face. His ratings are disgusting. He's 10-6 with a 3.69 ERA and 115 Ks.

Xavier Brooks, P, AAA -- Could be a good closer. Could be a bust. 3.22 ERA with 39 Ks, but 19 walks and a 16/23 save conversion rate. Who knows? But, I think he's probably worth the gamble.

PITTSBURGH
Ajax Flair, C, HiA -- For an organization beat to shit, they have some great up and coming help. Flair is no exception. He's batting .350 with a .948 OPS and 71 walks.

Warren Hamill, C, AAA -- And then there is Hamill, who is absolutely raking. Batting .336 with a 1.116 OPS, he's crushed 34 homers and driven in 102 runs.

Peter Kim, LF, HiA -- Slowly adjusting to life in A ball, but was killing the rawhide at the Rookie level. Has a combined OPS of 1.000 with a .324 batting average.

Vicente Pineda, SS, LoA -- Another hardhitter from this franchise. Bats .349 with 34 doubles and almost 1:1 K/BB ratio.

Fausto Ordonez, Carl McCurry, Eric Terrell, Orber Nieto...my point is this: ewad could have seriously damaged this franchise. For our sake, he didn't. This organization is loaded.

PORTLAND
Danny Weston, 2B, RL -- A fucking stud of the John Holmes/Wilt Chamberlain mold. Batting .401 with a 1.111 OPS. An all-around champion. I plan on hitting him with a pitch anytime he comes to the plate against me.

Josias Veras, LF, RL -- Another stud. More Peter North than Weston is. atting .384 with a 1.121 OPS. I plan on plunking this sonofabitch too.

Philip Thompson, SS, HiA -- This organization is scary stacked. OPS of 1.118, 36 home runs and more hits (104) than games played (92).

Octavio Martin, P, AAA -- Should be in the rotation next season. Might even take the call this year in a pinch. Is 11-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Oh, and the sonofabitch has struck out 135.

RICHMOND
Lawrence Walsh, 2B, RL -- Big upside guy with a consistent stick and solid glove. Not flashy, but very reliable. Bats .310 with a .889 OPS.

Lou Coles, CF, AAA -- Another big upside guy who had a successful stint with the big league club. A singles machine with good speed, batting .372 with 16 steals at AAA.

Don Taylor, SS, LoA -- A .327 batting average with with 14 homers and 76 RBI and an even K/BB ratio. Solid player who can spray hits all over the place.

SAN FRAN
A.J. Lemke, 1B, AA -- At two levels, he is hitting .329 with 12 homers and 87 RBI. Excellent fielder (.995 rating).

John Parrott, RF, AA -- A raker. .357-21-95, more walks than strikeouts and a 1.100 OPS. Not a bad fielder either.

Sammy Unamono, SS, AA -- Another Drew Henson type. 800-ish OPS, .259 BA, but really hasn't grown into his game yet. Could be a star. Could be Gregg Jefferies.

Don Harris, P, AAA -- Solid hurler with a 3.14 ERA and 131 Ks. He could pitch for me. He has the control where Preston Mays has the power.

SAN JUAN
Lawrence Johnson, P, HiA -- 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA in seven starts. Has an amazing 55/9 K/BB ratio. He could seriously skip AA and go straight to AAA. Big stuff.

Reggie Bell, P, AA -- He's 10-5 with a 2.83 ERA and 116 strikeouts this season. Made a smooth transition to AA and could be in the majors by the end of next season.

Hector Marquez, P, HiA -- Doesn't get a tremendous amount of run support, but makes due with a 3.25 ERA and 5:1 K/BB ratio. Just another in a line of quality pitchers.

SANTA FE
Fred Yount, 3B, AA -- A crusher who his making the transition to AA. Batting .317 with a 1.005 OPS at both levels. Has 100 RBI in 103 games and more than half of his hits are for extra bases (39 doubles, a triple and 27 dingers).

Jay O'Keefe, CF, AA -- A good hitter with great speed. Batting .329 mostly on singles. Has stolen 36 bases thus far.

Christy Harris, P, LoA -- 12-4 with a 3.38 ERA and a about 3.5 strikeouts per walk.

SEATTLE
Will Montgomery, 1B, RL -- Seattle's third-round pick is hitting well -- .333 with a 1.175 OPS and 14 home runs. Again, more than half of his hits are for extra bases, which is my big sign for a good hitter.

Mitch Brow, SS, AAA -- He'll be ready next season. Batting .340 with a 1.014 OPS. He's hit 19 homers and 101 RBI.

Vic Trevino, RF, RL -- A big ceiling guy, who is still growing into his game. A 1.113 OPS and .327 average are the highlights.

WASHINGTON D.C.
Jamie Rose, 2B, LoA -- Doing quite well at LoA. Balanced, patient hitter with a 1.101 OPS and a .378 batting average.

Daniel Raines, P, LoA -- Has the makings of a dangerous big league starter. Has a 3.74 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and 115 strikeouts.

Orlando Franco, P, HiA -- A great pitcher who is going to be a monster control guy someday. Has a 2.45 ERA and a .225 opponent batting average.

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Top Prospects Report

I had planned on doing this for a while, but hat tip to bentschride for lighting a fire under my ass and suggesting I do this.

A couple of notes. First, you can't be a prospect at age 25. The whole point of being a prospect is being young, developing talent. A 25-year-old AAA player is a journeyman, not a prospect. Second, this is the first half or so. I'm going to post the second half tomorrow night.

Top prospects report:

ATLANTA
Kip Davis, LF, AA -- The Dawgs first-rounder has adjusted nicely to AA pitching, batting .285-3-26 in 137 AB.

Damian Feng, UT, AA -- This guy does everything. He plays all IF and OF positions, he cuts an imposing figure at the plate (6-3) and he hits the ball well (.301-10-50 in 86 milb games).

Vlad Owen, P, AA -- (Atlanta's AA is tight!) Started the season in the AAA bullpen and is learning to be a starter at AA with good results (5-3, 3.22, 44Ks).

AUGUSTA
Richard Peters, LF, HiA -- He's such a good player that he was promoted to HiA and immediately inactivated. A patient hitter, who in 44 games at LoA was .288/.411/.540. Just don't call him Dick.

Les Stevenson, CF, AAA -- Talk about a guy with a ceiling. Superstar potential who has torn through pitching at AA and AAA. Hitting homers at a Nerio-like pace (21 in 77 games). Bats .349 with a 1.097 OPS at both levels.

Sergio Lewis, P, AAA -- Made his debut and pitched 8 innings in 2 starts. At AAA, he's 10-2 with a 3.27 ERA and 123 Ks.

AUSTIN
Dennis Howell, SS, HiA -- Another big ceiling guy who has solid hitting credentials. Batting a combined .347 with a respectable .939 at both A levels, although more than 2/3 of his hits are singles.

Darryl Bravo, LF, AA -- Great name, great hitter. Batting .347-17-52 with a 1.220 OPS. Has almost a 1:1 K/BB ratio.

Allen Glynn, P, AA -- 13-4 with a 3.40 this season between HiA and AA. Power pitcher with control -- 143 Ks and 28 walks in 135 innings pitched.

BOSTON
Jamie Yamamoto, RF, AA -- Bats .324 with 24 homers and 97 RBI and a 1.132 OPS. Slick fielder with one error in 129 chances.

Willie Trajano, SP, AA -- Dominating starter who made a quick jump from HiA (1-1, 0.69 ERA) to AA (10-1, 2.56). Cy Young quality pitcher who is holding opposing hitters to a .207 average.

Danny Duran, RP, AA -- In 88.2 IP at HiA and AA, Duran has a 2.84 ERA and 108 Ks. Has converted six of eight saves. A stud.

BUFFALO
Bartolo Cordero, 2B, LoA -- Crushing the ball at LoA -- .392 BA, .490 OBP, 1.111 OPS. Has 33 steals. Attributes speed to a need to stay warm -- "Es, how do you say, fucking cold in this place."

Shooter Kennedy, SS, HiA -- Cracked 30 doubles and five triples to make the .342 BA even more impressive. Stolen 20 bases this year. Sick of the Shooter McGavin reference from Happy Gilmore.

Pat Biggio, RP, LoA -- This Ohioan was selected in the first round and rather than going South, ended up only a couple hours away from home. Hasn't let the cold stop him from kicking people's asses. In 15 games, he's 6/7 in save opportunities, with a 1.10 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. Better, he has struck out 19 Ks and walked only two.

BURLINGTON
Javier Gonzalez, P, AAA -- A 3:1 K/BB ratio highlight a strong resume for this hurler. His 3.35 ERA is overshadowed by an obvious lack of run support (8-6 record).

Cory Downs, RP, AAA -- Future fireman who has converted 23-of-26 save opps. Gets better: 0.70 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, .158 opponent BA, three earned runs in 30 appearances.

Earl Rader, CF, RL -- Another great name. Bats .346-7-26 in 153 at bats. Currently posts a 1.003 OPS.

CHARLOTTE
Rob Spivey, 1B, AAA -- This kid is going to be trouble at the plate. Batting .272-32-89 with a .913 OPS. More than half of his hits are for extra bases, including 23 doubles.

Charles Torrealba, RF, LoA -- 47 doubles and 17 home runs. Forget the .972 OPS and 85 RBI. This kid is going to be a dangerous run producer.

Zeus Quinn, RP, AAA -- He might not be the best pitcher on the Webs, but he has the best name and that's enough for me. 7-2 with a 2.62 ERA in long relief. Holds opposing hitters to a .200 opposing BA.

CHICAGO
Stretch Wyatt, 3B, AAA -- Here's what I can't understand. He's one of the top prospects in the world. He's got ML leadoff potential and speed (42 SB) and .800+ OPS. But, he's on his fourth franchise this season. Does he have leprosy? Herpes? Does he smell bad?

Wendell Clement, SS, RL -- A 1.149 OPS and a .342 average would have been enough for me, but then he goes and give me the intangible -- more than 50 percent of his hits are for extra bases. He could be in AA by the end of next season.

Albert Montero, P, RL -- Chicago's deep draft shows in with its staff ace. 6-1 with a 2.36 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and nearly 4:1 K/BB ratio.

CINCI
Darren Thomas, CF, AAA -- A huge upside guy having an off year. Thomas is batting .257/.330/.801 with 17 homers. But, he's a damn wind machine (strikes out once every 4.75 at bats).

Ron Freel, P, AAA -- With any luck, this Cincinnati Freel doesn't have an imaginary friend. 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA, but only 15 walks in 51.2 IP. He'll miss the rest of the season with elbow surgery.

Adam Hudson, 2B, LoA -- Bats .396/.470/.610. A solid second baseman. Nothing flashy, but he just produces and does so consistently. But, he needs to shave the soul patch.

CLEVELAND
Artie Bush, RF, AA -- Funny, he doesn't look like an Artie. Anyhow, a solid, consistent hitter who just gets the job done.

Nick Dickerson, SS, AAA -- Horrid name. Five-tool skills who averages an RBI a game. Bats .328 with a .939 OPS.

Tommy Beamon, P, AAA -- Sounds like the kid who you always want on your side in a fight. Anyhow, having some trouble adjusting to AAA hitting, but still putting together a good year. 9-5 with a 3.53 ERA and about 3.5 strikeouts per walk.

COLORADO
Juan Paz, UT, AAA -- Starts at shortstop, but I get the impression that Paz could play any position he wants. He's batting .341/.424/.577 with 16 homers and 83 RBI.

Rob Mays, RF, AAA -- The slugger at AAA with 33 home runs. Already surpassed the century mark in hits and runs and getting close in RBI and walks. Yeah. Walks. Has a 1.102 OPS which is impressive considering his .445 OBP.

Hulk Holt, UT, AAA -- Having no problems transitioning to AAA. Batting .350, with a 1.138 OPS, 31 HR, 125 RBI and 42 doubles this season.

Spy's note: This system is loaded. Watch these guys reel off a couple WS wins in about a year or two.

COLORADO SPRINGS
John Boyer, P, RL -- Another upside guy off to a slow start: 1-2, 5.93 ERA.

Jack Hampton, P, AAA -- Solid late innings guy, with good stamina (averages 2+ innings per appearance). Highlights are a 1.50 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 95 Ks and a snazzy mustache.

Dennis McCartin, RF, AA -- A patient hitter with who will be a good, but probably not great player. Bats .297 with 14 homers and 63 RBI. Nice fielder though -- only one error in 95 chances.

COLUMBUS
Davey Guerrero, 1B, AAA -- You know when you see a guy and you can tell that he's just going to get better and better, even though he's better than most of the guys above and around him? This is one of those guys. He's batting .300 with a .947 OPS and 24 homers.

Eric Ramsay, SS, HiA -- Another high ceiling guy who is sitting on an inactive roster. I'm beginning to dislike the Sim roster management. We're talking about a guy with a 1.054 OPS and 17 home runs. Sonsabitches.

Adam Spence, P, AA -- I like this kid, even with his silly looking goatee. Yes, he's given up 20 home runs and 138 hits. But, he's 13-4, effectively disposes of hitters and only has a 3.80 ERA. Could be the perfect innings eating No. 5 guy in a year or two.

DETROIT
Ben Dixon, P, LoA -- Another strong pitcher with good credentials -- 2.87 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 36 Ks. This kid is going to be a star.

Gary Lynch, P, AA -- Not adjusting to AA well, nor is his mullet. Strikes out four batters for every one that he walks. Gives up a lot of hits -- opposing hitters are batting .289 against him.

Vic Romano, DH, AAA -- Likes hitting the ball, not fielding it. 25 home runs, 98 RBI and a .378 batting average. But, without revealing any numbers, let's just say that his fielding ratings, well, suck.

KANSAS CITY
Matt Jones, UT, AAA -- Pencil him in at 3B, but expect him to play everywhere. Jones has great versatility and provides a stable bat (.288 with a .842 OPS). He's no superstar, but he is going to be a nice number seven hitter for someone.

Al Hodges, P, HiA -- Totally skipped AA, which suits him fine. Carries a 3.50 ERA with a .250 OAV. Has No.1 starter stuff, which given his future rotationmates scares the crap out of me.

Humberto Gozalez, P, HiA -- Converted 14 of 20 save opps between HiA, AA, and AAA. Perhaps he was rushed a tad. Anyhow, he's back at HiA and doing fine. Has big league stuff and will be a force.

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Top Free Agents::Pitchers

One of my journalistic heroes (yes I have them...I know I'm odd) is Peter Gammons. Every so often in his ESPN insider column, he whips out the top free agents list. I thought we'd give it a shot here. We'll break this up into a pitchers and position players list.

Erubiel Rosado, SP, R, 34, D.C., $5.8m: The number two in the Washington rotation, Rosado is 11-3 with a 4.43 ERA. He strikes out two batters for every one that he walks (106-50) and averages nearly seven innings per start. But, he's given up 13 home runs this year and nearly every run he surrendered has been earned (67 of 70). I'm sure someone will pay him $7m.

Cory Redding, SP, R, 36, Memphis, $5.4m: I traded for Cory Redding because I was looking for an innings eater. He's gone above and beyond, posting a 9-6 record and a 4.12 ERA. Redding has struck out 88 in 137.2 innings pitched. I'm not a fan of his propensity of giving up hits (.285 BA). I have no idea if I'll resign him.

J.J. Lambert, SP, R, 33, Milwaukee, $5.8m: Lambert is the classic innings eating starter. More than 7 1/2 innings per start and five complete games are definite strengths. He gives up a lot of hits (151) and has surrendered 18 home runs. But, a nice pitcher overall.

Note: The pitching market is thin this year.

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Top Free Agents:::Position Players

One of my journalistic heroes (yes I have them...I know I'm odd) is Peter Gammons. Every so often in his ESPN insider column, he whips out the top free agents list. I thought we'd give it a shot here. We'll break this up into a pitchers and position players list.

Lefty Hodges, LF, 28, L/L, Burlington, $3.8m: Hodges bats .304 with a .374 on-base percentage. He adds speed at the top of the lineup with 42 stolen bases. Of course, Johnny Damon looked nice at 28. Now, he can barely get the ball from centerfield to second base without running it halfway in.

Len Heiserman, 1B, 31, R/R, Milwaukee, $6.5m: Heiserman is a top-five home run hitter this season, looking to cash in during a contract year. His 1.156 OPS, paired with a .326 batting average makes him one of the most imposing threats in baseball. And, he walks (57) more than he strikes out (52). At 31, this is his jackpot year.

George Cora, CF, 34, S/L, Colorado, $5.6m: This switch-hitting centerfielder could be the darkhorse of the free agent class. He just broke 100 hits for the year, has 29 home runs and 84 RBI. At 34 years old, he shows his speed with 15 stolen bases. Batting .313 with a 1.070 OPS, Cora is looking for a retirement team and could make a perfect veteran DH in the American League.

Andy Vickers, IF, 30, R/R, Nashville, $1.58m: Vickers has already made one move this season (a trade from Colorado to Nashville). With 27 home runs and 60 RBI, he is position to get a raise from his arbitrated number of $1.58m. Vickers has a 1.094 OPS and has raised his average 30 points since moving to Nashville.

Javier Johnson, 1B, 33, R/R, Nashville, $5.6m: Speaking of Nashville, singles machine Javier Johnson is slated to hit the market looking to maintain or raise his current salary. With 121 hits (93 of them singles) and a .339 batting average, he is an unconventional corner bat (moderate-to-low power numbers).

Steve Austin, CF, 30, L/L, Cincinnati, $4.88m: I hesitated to add Austin to this list. His relative lack of durability (took a spin on the DL this season) and lack of speed on the basepaths turn me off. But, he's hitting .338 with 22 home runs and a 1.076 OPS in a free agent year, so he's on the list.

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We're Going Streaking!!!

Buffalo's Antonio Gao has the Onion's longest current hitting streak at 25.

Gao is 37/100 in during this span (.370) with nine multi-hit games. Gao has doubles and home runs, but no triples during the streak. The first baseman hails from Kobe, Japan where I here the steaks are pretty good.

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Nerio Watch

I've been away from the wheel for a few days, enjoying the quiet of the weekend and the cavalcade of college basketball on my television (I have the ESPN Full Court package). A crushing loss for Syracuse, a great Gtown-Marquette game and my St. Bonaventure Bonnies won! Beat St. Louis on the road by 20. And, it was on television.

Anyhow, in an effort to get back into the blog, I figured it was time for a Nerio Watch. These are coming fewer and farer in between because, well, Nerio is falling apart.

Nerio has slowed to a .309 batting average with 49 home runs in 96 games. Everyone's favorite Masshole has three home runs in his past two games.

At this current pace (49 HR in 375 at bats), Nerio averages one home run every 7.66 at bats. If he gets 600 at bats, he will hit 78 home runs.

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