Bang for your Buck Rotation

With the new Free Agent system in place with unlimited presigns and new cost system for each presign, there are bound to be some players that are over priced, and others that are bargains. We (Steve and Nick) got to researching some of each, and came up with a little fun game to play called "Bang for your Buck," which compaires some of these players. This season, for example, starting pitcher Roger Clemens is struggling, to say the least. A poor W/L, balooning ERA, and very few quality starts, at a time when it seems that pitchers are all doing great. You can blame the W/L on the offense he has backing him, but not the rest. In addition, Roger costs a steep $23 to presign. We got to thinking what kind of rotation you could put together for just the cost of 'ol Roger's contract. Below are Roger's stats, followed by the 5 man rotation we built with the same $23 and their stats.


"Roger Dodger"

Roger Clemens $23 KC 3-11 W/L 4.51 ERA 125.2 IP 117 K .251 OAVG 21/9 S/QS

Bargain Bin Rotation:

Francisco Barrios $4 NYA 14-4 W/L 1.37 ERA 151.2 IP 84 K .216 OAVG 22/19 S/QS

Ken Brubaker $4 PGH 10-2 W/L 1.22 ERA 118.1 IP 98 K .206 OAVG 19/15 S/QS

Dave Wickersham $6 MTL 11-1 W/L 1.84 ERA 126.1 IP 69 K .193 OAVG 19/14 S/QS

Danny McDevitt $4 PGH 10-4 W/L 1.28 ERA 133.2 IP 72 K .185 OAVG 20/18 S/QS

Andy Van Hekken $5 FLA 7-4 W/L 2.47 ERA 127.2 IP 78 K .208 OAVG 18/12 S/QS

Best Seasons Ever by a Hitter

Lou Gehrig is having the season of his life this year. As long as he doesn't get hurt (knock on wood), he looks to shatter the RBI record for a single season, set personal bests in almost every offensive category, and win the Triple Crown. This got me thinking about other great peformances by hitters over the years. I have done a little research, and here's what I've found (italics = retired):

2016 Dave Parker LA .362 AVG 162 R 225 H 75 HR 174 RBI 1.246 OPS 24 SB

2018 Micky Mantle ANA .377 AVG 80 HR 210 RBI .832 SLG (Incomplete info)

2018 Jimmie Foxx PHI .342 AVG 72 HR 176 RBI .744 SLG (Incomplete info)

2019 Babe Ruth PIT .412 AVG 178 R 261 H 95 HR 201 RBI 1.406 OPS 18 SB

2020 Willie Mays KC .346 AVG 60 HR 162 RBI (Incomplete info)

2026 Joe Jackson ANA .365 AVG 133 R 236 H 41 HR 111 RBI 1.078 OPS 49 SB

2026 Hank Aaron PIT .370 AVG 131 R 253 H 58 HR 159 RBI 1.070 OPS 7 SB

2027 Lou Gehrig BAL .369 AVG 144 R 222 H 64 HR 147 RBI 1.187 OPS 19 SB

2028 Mel Ott PHI .336 AVG 147 R 221 H 30 HR 70 RBI .954 OPS 61 SB

There are certainly more that are not on here, like Ted Williams, Chane Winther, and the other seasons by Jackson, Mays, and Mantle. But, this does give a snapshot of some of the best over the years.

So here is the question...What is the best offensive season a player on your team has put up? Does it belong on this list of some of the best ever?

Owl’s Power Rankings-May

A new season so let’s see what it looks like out of
the gate.

1. Red Sox- they have outscored their opponents by 75
already.

2. Expos- Been awhile since the team has been in this
rarified air but they do have the best record in NL
and this is with a slow start from P Saito

3. Twins - Duke Snider off to a great start.

4. Marlins – NL East Champ will be a strong contender

5. Rockies- Pitching staff returns to the level of two
seasons ago.

6. Yankees- Scott has them playing well.

7. Texas - This team will be moving up.

8. Pirates- They should be in the NL Central race

9. White Sox- Doing well but will need direction.

10. Cardinals- .219 BA has to improve.

11. Astros- Hanging around as usual.

12. Dodgers- Still capable of winning with their
Veterans.

13. Athletics- Team should contend

14. Mariners- P Beckett off to a terrible start.

15. Brewers- Hitting needs to pick up

16. Phillies – slow start will likely be forgotten in
September for the defending champs.

17. Giants- Rookie P Papelbon has saved half the
Giants 16 wins

18. Tigers- Team can’t afford injuries to the pitching
staff.

19. Reds – Pitching doing great but team isn’t doing
well in the clutch.

20. Blue Jays- Team playing much better this season
but can they turn the corner to respectability.

21. Indians- Indians playing a long stretch of games
and it shows with the poor hitting.

22. Mets- Bullpen collapses hold this team back.

23. Angels- Pitching is AWOL but finding ways to win

24. Braves- Team is not as bad as their record but
it’s not the 1st time that has been said.

25. Padres - Mike is wheeling and dealing. He did it
with the Red Sox and look where they are.

26. Cubs – No explanation for this slow start other
then “that’s baseball.”

27. Royals – Team is rebuilding. Not a fast process

28. Orioles- Slow start in all aspects. Can it be
changed?


Top Divisions
1. AL East 81-76 .516
NL East 81-76 .516
3. NL West 63-63 .500
AL West 63-63 .500
5. AL Central 77-82 .484
NL Central 77-82 .484

The Owl

2030 Season Preview

Steve and I return with out annual preview of the league right before opening day. Here is an outlook on how we see things going this year. These picks are sure to go wrong, but hey, we gave it a shot. I (Nick TX) did the NL and Steve (PGH) did the AL. Here we go.

National League

NL East

This is a tough division...one where almost every team is either trying to win or very close.

Marlins 102-60 With by far the most productive offseason, they should establish themselves as the clear favorite in this division and do well in the playoffs.

Phillies 92-60 The defending WS champions are getting older, and lost Mel Ott, but they remain a deeply talented team, and will make the playoffs again and defend their crown as a wild card.

Mets 83-79 After a huge draft and adding David Ortiz, in addition to a maturing and improving young staff, the Mets will come one step closer this season. Watch out in a year or two.

Expos 81-81 After losing a few players, they added perhaps the best closer in the league from the draft. They will stay about the same, but are probably on the rise.

Braves 64-98 Despite some pretty good talent, they will continue to struggle in a tough division.


NL Central

In this division, standing pat is a big step down.

Pirates 98-64 With probably the 2nd best offseason (adding 3B Cepeda and 1B Palmiero among others) in the league, the Pirates should get the monkey off their back and take the division. This team has quickly made itself scary.

Reds 90-72 They lost Gehrig, but added P Perez and 1B Lee to an already good team. Should create problems for other teams in the league and could make a puch for a Wild Card.

Cardinals 82-80 Has a lot of young talent and a great GM who won't let them finish last 2 seasons in a row.

Cubs 80-82 Another team that has young talent and is on the way up...but still a few years away.

Astros 74-88 After becoming perhaps the hottenst team in recent history at the end of last season, the Astros will cool off in a division where everyone else is getting better.

NL West

This division has the most defined roles of any. Will be interesting to see if injuries or trades could shake this up.

Giants 95-67 They are building a winner in San Fran, and the gap between them and the aging Dodgers gets bigger every year.

Dodgers 88-74 The window is closing, but it is not closed yet. This veteran team could play spoiler.

Rockies 69-93 An overhaul was needed, but it won't pay immediate dividends.

Padres 60-102 One of the top teams in baseball as far as talented prospects go. It takes several years at the bottom before a team is ready to make it to the top, though. The new GM understands this.

NL Sleepers:

Cardinals: when they hit on all cylanders, as they have been known to do, they can surprise you.

Mets: Sometimes teams come together faster than you think. That could be the Mets.



American League

AL East

Will this be the year that this division regains respectability? With just 2 contenders and 3 teams rebuilding, probably not.

Division Champs: New York Yankees, 90-72

New GM Scott Dinnis has been very active since moving to the Bronx. The Cepeda trade has been highly criticized, but it brought in the 4 skilled veterans(Hernandez, Larkin, Bonderman and Shouse) that may be the difference in this race. The lineup will be stellar as always, but will the pitching be improved enough to win the race?

Runner-up: Boston Red Sox, 88-74

After 2 straight divisional championships, GM Mike George left for San Diego. Most of the team returns, and they know how to win. So, if they do lose the division, it won’t be without a fight. They still easily boast the best pitching staff in the division, but will they be able to score enough runs to win it again?

Third: Detroit Tigers, 73-89

Picking up Matthew Lecroy and closer Randy Myers will help this club compete. However, there just aren’t any stars here. There are quite a few nice players, but just not enough horses to hang with the Yanks and Sox.

Fourth: Baltimore Orioles, 69-93

This team is still a couple of seasons away, but they have some future stars in guys like Chuck Klein and Clue Haywood. Keep an eye on David Wells. The former #2 overall pick could have a huge breakout season.

Fifth: Toronto Blue Jays, 65-97

The good news is that this team has by far its best rotation in years. Ohka, Belcher and Tewksbury will help this team win some games. The bad news is the bullpen and lineup are still very pedestrian. Crawling out of the cellar would be a good goal for this season.

AL Central

4 different clubs won championships from this division in the decade, will the next be as kind?

Division Champs: Minnesota Twins, 93-69

17 game winner Andy Van Hekken left for Florida, ho hum, super prospect Mike Hampton was waiting in the wings. This club still may boast the deepest pitching staff in all of HABLA. However, if Snider and Dawson do not stay healthy, which has been a big if lately, they have trouble scoring runs. If that happens, they may be on the outside looking in, in October.

Runner-up: Chicago White Sox, 87-75

Without any real weak spots in the lineup, with 4 solid starters and a good bullpen, this might be their year. However, Konikowski may miss the entire season recovering from a torn hammy. Oh yea, long time GM Dinnis is gone, too. That being said, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see this team in the playoffs.

Third: Cleveland Indians, 84-78

The Tribe now boasts 2 legit aces in Witt and Dravecky. The losses of Palmeiro and Olerud could make what was a strong lineup very mediocre, though. If things fall into place, however, this team is still capable of making a run at the division.

Fourth: Milwaukee Brewers, 71-91

It may be time for this club to begin rebuilding. With no star youngsters, but a bunch of solid vets, this team could greatly improve their prospect pool.

Fifth: Kansas City Royals, 60-102

The rebuilding process is in full force in KC. Jered Weaver should be a stud and will be a serious candidate for AL ROY.

AL West

Habla’s toughest division last season should be very strong again.

Division Champs: Texas Rangers, 104-58

For the first time since 2022 this club was left out of the playoffs. Well, they didn’t like that too much, so, they added Gehrig to what may have already been the best lineup in the league. Could Speaker score 200 runs as a result? Probably not, but the Rangers lineup will be fearsome.

Runner-up: Seattle Mariners, 100-62, Wild-Card

What’s the best way to combat a great lineup? Great pitching is, of course. They added ace Josh Beckett and stud reliever Joe Borowski to an already very tough pitching staff. Expect a dogfight for the divisional race. Fortunately, for the loser, the wild-card should be waiting.

Third: Oakland Athletics, 90-72

They finally got to the top of the mountain last season, only to see their competitors go out and get even better. This club still has a lot of star power, however, they are probably in the wrong division to make a serious run.

Fourth: Anaheim Angels, 60-102

GM KL definitely has this team moving in the right direction. They have more good prospects than anyone in the league, but most are still a couple seasons away from helping this team get back to respectability. In other news, star pitcher Chief Bender will be receiving his high school diploma in 2 months. Yea folks, he’s still just 18.

AL Sleeper:

White Sox: If Langston returns to Cy Young form, this team has enough pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Change is in the Air

With the new ammendment passing, it certainly changes some things around the league. Jeremy (STL) wrote an article just before it was approved about a trade he made and how the new ammendments may effect the league and player value. Her it is.

St. Louis, MO.

St. Louis and San Francisco reached an agreement yesterday, just prior to the start of the 2030 season, which sends 3B Greg Nettles back to St. Louis in exchange for 3B Tommy Gravino and $8 cash. Although phenom Clete Boyer was expected to be the everyday starting 3B for the Cardinals this year, the sudden and unexpected deal for Nettles likely changes that scenario.

At the press conference today St. Louis manager Mike Schmidt appeared quite pleased with his team's recent trade. Schmidt has made no bones about the fact that he feels that Cardinals GM Jeremy Worst was rushing the talented Boyer into a starting role this season which he wasn't ready for. "The kid is only twenty-one, and he's just not ready to be a 500 to 600 at bats kind of hitter. His defense is outstanding; he could probably win a gold glove at his position right now, but both his plate discipline and ability to handle the nastier breaking stuff needs to improve. Clete simply needs more time to develop those skills."

"As for getting Netty, well that just gives us the luxury of being able to put Clete into positions where he can be successful. This way he won't be expected to carry such a big load for our team; at the same time he can still be an important contributor for our club." Such talk indicates that the 30 year-old Nettles--facing free agency at season's end--should see significant playing time this year, even if it comes at the expense of the rookie Boyer.

The move also strongly indicated that GM Jeremy Worst was heavily betting upon the league's passing of the new collective bargaining agreement. If at least two-thirds of Habla ownership fails to approve the measure, Worst could find himself in the unenviable position of having just traded for a rental player; a guy he might not be able to re-sign come this offseason. However if the new labor contract is approved, St. Louis would be virtually guaranteed of being able to ink Nettles to a new 4-year deal.

A calculated risk assuredly, but perhaps not the bold move some would have us believe. An increasing number of those close to the labor talks are convinced that the new deal will pass with a clear majority. If that becomes the case, teams might find themselves scrambling to collect as much talent, while its still available, as they possibly can. With enough foresight, experts say, there's no reason not to expect a team of being able to lock-up four, five, or possibly even more of their own superstar free agents to long-term deals within the same year--an impossibilty under the old system. Opponents of the new plan argue that with such players never even reaching the open free agent market, player movement (or as some call it, superstar movement) will slow down to a fraction of what it once was.

Proponents of the new plan call such a scenario patently absurd, claiming that although a team might be able to theoretically sign four Babe Ruth-type players within the same free agent year, there is no way they can continue to do so for any sustained period of time. They argue that teams indulging in this practice would quickly see their farm systems become "shell teams" manned by players with no realistic chance of ever playing at the major league level. And of course teams making such multiple re-signings a yearly occurence would eventually be forced--probably sooner rather than later-- into trading some of their own superstars to raise the necessary cash.

Some proponents go even further by claiming that player movement would increase under the new plan. As owners become increasingly attuned to the new financial realities of the game, they would be less inclined to part with their limited supply of cash, thus making it extremely difficult for teams to build large warchests in preparation for big free agent signing years. Even the naysayers of the proposed plan admit that such a scenario is possible, albeit an unlikely one.

Stanley Calbright, a business professor at Rutgers University and the author of a new book entitled The Changing $$$ of Habla, says that "the new system will better allow financially stable teams to hold onto their own talent pool of players, at least over the short to mid-term, say 3 to 5 years on average. Less and less will teams be forced into trading an impending free agent because they fear they won't be able to re-sign him. Under the proposed system they'll be able to keep that player because of the fixed costs associatied with free agency--the financial uncertainties of the open free agent market will no longer apply. They can plan ahead for a big multiple re-signing year by making needed trades or roster moves in advance, even up to several seasons in advance if a team is especially disciplined enough. Oh sure, teams will sti ll deal an impending free agent on occasion, but more due to poor planning or simple mismanagement rather than because of the practical limitations imposed under the old system. With the fixed costs of free agents a key feature of the new labor agreement, teams can better plan for future years simply because they'll have the advantage of roughly knowing what its going to cost to retain those player's services."

Regarding the recent Nettles trade, Calbright sees it as a good move on St. Louis' part. "Since the Giants--for weeks--had made known their eagerness to deal Nettles, without requiring picks or prospects in return, it made good sense for a team like the Cardinals to go out and get him before another club made a move."

"Once the season begins and teams start facing the realities of the new labor agreement, I expect you'll see a flurry of similar deals throughout the year and well into the next as teams begin to jockey and maneuver for their respective free agent futures. To employ an unfortunate cliche, its a complete paradigm shift; especially how teams in Habla are going to be built and maintained. The more quickly a team adapts to these changes, the better their chances of enjoying any form of sustained success."

Speaking directly about those changes, Calbright emphasizes that the goal for teams still remains the same; to put a winning team on the field. "Only one aspect of that process has changed, and that's free agency. Its still about acquiring talent, having pitchers who can throw strikes, fielders who can successfully catch and throw the ball, and hitters who can put the ball in play. However what's changed is that you're less likely to find available on the free agent market the kinds of players who can do those things exceptionally well. As before good players can still be obtained through trades, but that activity will now become the only real pipeline for player movement. The days of the big free agent signing are over. I envision the new market as being a place where a team can still find solid position help, or the occasional stellar reliever perh aps, but the chances of a significantly talented player--in the prime of his career--being available are simply unrealistic."

"Many would maintain that free agency has never been a statistically significant vehicle for superstar movement--at least not the kind of movement envisioned by its original creators. Although the demands and limitations under the old free agent system--most specifically the rules regarding the franchise player tag (which remain unchanged) and the limit of 1 pre-sign per team--were certainly major factors behind the trading of gifted players in the past, such players were rarely ever exposed to the actual market itself. In most instances such players were traded to a team who could afford to protect them, thus entirely bypassing the uncertainties of the open market. In that regard both the old and the new systems are very much alike."


AP Press Release

Proposed Amendments and Changes

Below is the proposal in its entirety so you can refer to it. This is where you can discuss issues about it. Do not do it on email. Conversely, do not vote via the blog, but by email. Feel free to discuss whatever part you wish.

Item One Amateur Draft: Change the number of rounds to four and change of cost.

Cost of Draft Picks

Round One $10

Round Two $6

Round Three $4

Round Four $2

Teams may bid on any player in the pool with 0 years experience during the amateur draft


Rationale: The fifth round is hardly ever used and this will streamline the process. The quality of players available typically drop greatly after the middle or end of the first round, so a wholesale lowering of prices seemed a good idea. This will save the team that participates in all four rounds $6.

Item Two Free Agents

Free Agent Bidding is one round

You may no longer match players

Teams may sign an unlimited number of players to extensions

The cost to extend a contract will be determined by a formula

Each playerÂ’s value will be made available to the league

Free Agents cost $3 to sign during the regular season

Rationale: Matching has caused many problems over the years. Teams feel they will get a guy and they bid heavy, teams try to bend rules - as has happened a few times - to retain players. The concept of matching lets owner think they still own a property, which they don't. However, if you really like a player you can match him. The most expensive players - star starting pitchers come in at about $18 to $20 - the best hitters about $15 to $17. Reserve type players are coming in at about $10 to $12. Teams will be able to sign a star or two, but doing more will be difficult due to the generally high price. This gives teams no surprises in bidding. You win the bid, you get the player.


Item Three Inactive players

Inactive players may be signed for the month of April only.

They cost $1 but must sit out the season, unless a $2 fee is paid.

At the season's end they may be brought up for $1 rather than $2

Teams may have sent cut players providing they clear waivers to the inactive roster

Teams cut to inactive must always clear waivers – this roster move must be sent to the league

There is a limit to ten players on the inactive roster

Inactive players worked well, but there was a housekeeping issue for Jim, so we are limiting the time frame for just the month of April, which gives you four or five simulations to act on them. Same rules as last year apply. These are in effect $2 free agents you can keep for a rainy day. Be careful with their age and experience as they are subject to Free Agency rules.


Item four Financial Issues

Teams will be given $50 at the start of the season

Teams may carryover $50 (rather than $35)

No team may place a bid upon a player in the amateur or Free Agent portion of the draft unless they have the funds at the time of the bid to pay for that player.

Increasing the carryover to $50 allows teams to bankroll during years when there are no players that appeal to them and to spend on another day. However, it is felt by many that having no cap would make it possible for a team tconceivablyly continually sign their stars. By the way here's a hint, don't give away cash to loaded teams. The last part is an important iron clad rule. If you don't have it, you can't spend it. Enough said.


Item six Supplemental Round

May be used to fill out the roster at the end of the draft and bidding

Each player costs $3 to sign in the supplemental round

Due to the extra work this causes penalties will routinely be assessed

Use of the supplemental round will result in the loss of future draft picks

If one to three players are picked there is no penalty.

If between three to five players are used teams would lose their 4th round draft pick

If six or seven players are used teams would lose their 3rd round draft pick

If eight or nine players are used teams would lose their 2nd round draft pick.

If ten or more players are used you would lose all your draft picks.

Supplemental rounds are needed because you may get outbid for that FA you needed and need to get a body fast. This way you can, at no penalty, pick up to three players, and just pay the cost. However, if you've been asleep at the wheel, the league is not only going to take your money, we're going to take your picks also. There is a reason for this. With the availability of inactive players, trades, four ammy's and open non matchable bidding it is hardly conceiveable that a team would have a roster with lots of holes in it. Those rosters make my life very hard, and also lead to mistakes, like players going bye when I run end of day functions. Remember there is no longer matching in the bidding. Put a few $3 bids around and you'll be fine. Don't bid/draft at all, I feel no pity for you. This league also allows proxy bids and lists. I and the other members have always been understanding.

Item seven Empty Roster Slots

Any team with empty slots which can’t be filled – only applies to Low minors – will be fined at the rate of $15 per player


This is the most severe penalty on the amendment. Maintaining full rosters is the backbone of our league's player management system. Make sure you have players that can go in Low.


Item eight Overspending

Teams will be compelled to settle all accounts by the end of the supplemental draft

Teams with a negative balance will be forced to sell off their upcoming picks to the league

Teams are compelled to sell the picks in the order of the draft for the cost of the pick

The first round pick will always be sold to the league first for $10; second for $6, etc.


People make mistakes, and sometimes, although it should be rarely, teams have to go over. The only time you can do so is when you are rounding out the roster with garbage. If you do so you will be compelled to settle the accounts at the table, just like you would in Vegas. You go over you sell a pick, your #1 pick. You still in the hole, you lose #2. No more negative balances. Remember you may only go in the red ONLY if you are forced to do so, and ONLY in the supplemental round.


Item nine Trading

The trade deadline will follow MLBÂ’s schedule and end on 7/31

Trades may occur in the off-season up to the period of the supplemental draft through spring training.


Please have mercy on Jim, myself and Gary. The off season is a very hectic time. So, after the draft is done, I'd really LOVE to get ST done in a few days and not have to run the arc through the "Easter Egg' and lose players. Make the trades to occur AFTER spring training. Use inactive players and actively bid to get your rosters filled up. This type of trade frenzy is due to poor management, nothing more, nothing less.


Revenue Increases

Increase revenue for TIP, EOS ballots and HOF Ballots from $1 to $3

FA's went up from $1 to $2 then to $3, so we upped the minimum wage.

Item Ten Stadiums

A team may purchase a new stadium from the one the game assigns them. The owner must pay $25 up front and $25 per year for three years for a total cost of $100. The stadium is built on "Opening Day"

This allows you to mold a team in your image.

The Overspending Debate

There has been some discussion lately about whether or not it is okay for a team to intentionally overspend (i.e. spend money they don't yet have) to match a free agent. This is quite the hot topic right now, and i felt that each side deserved an honest look. i will try to not include any opinion here, just make a case for each side, in order to create a forum to further discuss this issue.

The Spending argument: Why it is okay to overspend.

Teams are given $50 at the beginning of each season to spend in trading, draft picks, and free agency. The use of this money is used soley at the disgression of the GM. There are also penalties in place in case a team was to spend more than their allotted money, resulting in less money given out at the beginning of the next season. Teams are also allowed to forward money from previous seasons, so how is that any different than borrowing from the next season? This is obviously not against the rules then...to choose to overspend. Each GM is aware of the penalties, and if they choose to overspend, they must be willing to face the penalty. It is the same as the person who chooses to speed on the highway. They are aware that if they get caught, they will be faced with a penalty...something he or she does not dispute. No one would question the intentions or morality of the driver. They new the deal up front. Why, then, can a team not choose to overspend and face the penalty?

The Counter argument: Why it is Not okay to overspend.

Since teams are given $50 at the beginning of each season, and know the rules that they must have a full roster at the end, it is up to them to fulfill this demand with the money they are given. It has already been stated that teams cannot bid on players if they have no money or have a negative balance. It follows, then, that team should not be able to match for more than the minimum bid of $3. There is a reality that teams must fill their rosters, even if they go over. However, this should be limited to paying the minimum for players, not going further into the red to match a player that is more than the minimum. If this is allowed, where is a team to stop? If a team has no money, and one of their great players, Reggie Jackson for example (or whoever), brings in a $35 bid, and they were to match him, thus going $70 in the hole and starting even after their $50 initial money at -$20, it would get ridiculously out of hand. Other GM's make bid in free agency based on what they think another team will match, or in some cases, what a team has the ability to match. They may intentionally not bid higher, when they could have, counting on the fact that a team cannot match because the funds are not there. The bidding team then gets the shaft for the matching team breaking the rules.

End of Season Award Winners

The votes have been counted up and tallied. Here are your winners...

MVP

National League

1. L. Gehrig CIN 69

2. B. Ruth FLA 43

3. D. Parker LA 22

American League

1. H. Aaron TEX 89

2. R. Jackson NYY 28

3. O. Cepeda NYY 22

Cy Young

National League

1. J. Kennedy LA 68

2. A. Eaton PHI 62

T3. D. Harren NYM 15

T3. V. Mizzell FLA 15

American League

1. N. Ryan SEA 100 Unanamous

2. J. Gobble BOS 23

3. T. Livingston BOS 19

Rookie of the Year

National League

1. R. Weeks PGH 98

2. K. Lofton NYM 50

3. W. Earys COL 13

American League

1. J. Encarnacion TOR 79

2. S. Renko TOR 55

3. C. Shaffernoth BAL 23

Fireman of the Year

National League

1. R. Soriano HOU 68

2. D. Wheeler PHI 42

3. R. Face LA 26

American League

1. J. Bong BOS 73

2. C. Bradford SEA 51

3. D. Riske MIL 23

General Manager of the Year

1. Jim PHI 60

2. Glenn OAK 34

3. Arvin SEA 32

Bull Markets and Deflation in Habla Free Agency

We are knocking on the door of free agency again and it looks to be an exciting year. Presigns are in and the newest batch of Franchise Players have been tagged. But this year is a bit different. As we head into Free Agency, few teams have sufficient money to do what they would like to do. Teams are finding themselves with 9 open roster slots and $21, with a fairly big free agent to try and match. The fact is, there are more Free Agents this year and less money. This will create an interesting dynamic in the FA bidding. It could be a Bull market for the few teams who have money to spend, as there should be good players going for far less than they would in a typical year. Deflation has occurred this offseason in Habla. I think there are at least 3 main reasons why this has happened.

1. Good, deep draft class.

This is one of the better, deeper draft classes in a few years. What result does this have on cheaper free agents? More owners want to hold onto and use their picks, which creates less money for them to use on Free Agents. It it was a meager year for the draft, we would see less picks used and more revenue available for the Free Agents (by all means, not a complaint, just an observation).

2. Meager carry over from last year.

A quick read of the money carried over from last year shows how competitive and pricey last years offseason was. In a given year, a handful of teams generally carry over the maximum ($35) or close to it. This year, the most carried over was $24 and only 4 teams carried over $20 or more. A record 5 teams came into this year with a negative carry over. What is perhaps most astonishing, 17 teams carried over between $0 and $10. That is a very low carry over, which gives teams less money to work with this season.

3. More and Better Free Agents.

This isn't scientific, but doesn't it just feel like there are more free agents available this offseason? That there are so many that not all can get what they are worth? I think we are seeing the results of the good drafts we had 6-10 years ago. Those players are getting older and becoming free agents, and our economy is adjusting.

In conclusion, it looks to be a very exciting year. If you have money...bid away. You won't have much competition and will likely not get matched. If you are short on money...do your best to fill you roster and maintain those precious players you want to keep. We may see this happen again next year.

Owl’s Power Rankings-July

He's Back. He never sleeps.

1. Texas- Rangers still the team to chase but can’t
have a lapse.

2. Minnesota- Twins made a move and should the whole
season

3. Philadelphia- Losing Frank Robinson really shows
his value.

4. Pittsburgh- It’s finally coming together.

5. Seattle- still chasing Texas but they won’t go
away.

6. Oakland- In the middle of the Playoff race where
they can’t afford to lose.

7. Florida- Pushing the Phillies in the NL East

8. San Francisco- Giants hanging tough.

9. Dodgers- Making annual playoff run

10. Chicago (A)- still in the hunt. Don’t think they
will go away

11. Milwaukee- Another surprise team that can make the
playoffs

12. Boston- Just needs the hitting to be consistent

13. Cleveland- Pitching staff struggling

14. New York Yankees- Reggie and Orlando keep this
team in it.

15. Montreal- Team spinning it’s wheels. Will they
get traction?

16. Cincinnati-Pitching needs to come around

17. Houston- Roller coaster season so far.

18. Detroit- still close enough to win the AL East

19. St. Louis- injuries have been a factor in this
down year.

20. Colorado- 8 game losing streak will be tough to
overcome. There’s still time

21. Baltimore- recent winning streak due to pitching.

22. New York Mets- Improved play offers help.

23. Chicago (N)- Pitcher Jim Slaton needs some help

24. Atlanta- The rebuilding effort has begun

25. Anaheim- Bender is the real deal. Angels showing
signs of life

26. Kansas City- they still have Clemens and that’s
good foundation.

27. San Diego- 1B Greg Brock is having a good season
but the young Pitchers aren’t ready

28. Toronto- Pitching in a dome is tough. Ask any
Blue Jay pitcher.

Who They Should Have Taken: 2022

We bring you our favorite game again, this time to look at the draft from 2022. It was a good draft and a lot of fun to review, so take a look and share your comments.


Here is the link to the Draft file.











The First Overall Pick

Team: New York Yankees

Who they picked: 3B Orlando Cepeda

Who they should have picked: 3B Orlando Cepeda

Though Cepeda got out to a slow start and made owners wonder if he was going to be a bust after his first 2 seasons, Cepeda has turned it on ever since and has not looked back. Ranked the top 3B in Habla 2 years ago, Cepeda routinely smashes 40 HR and 100 RBI while playing good defense at 3rd base. Cepeda turned out to be a great 1st overall pick for the Yankees. Anytime you can get the best player at a certain position in Habla, get him.

The Second Overall Pick

Team: Colorado Rockies

Who They picked: P Art Mahaffey

This draft had a lot of good pitching in it, as you will see. At first glance, Mahaffey looks like a good pick at number 2, and he is a pretty good pick. We felt, however, that there were 3 other pitchers better at this point that would have been better to take.

Who they should have picked: P Jim Perry

Perry has struggled the last season and a half, but that doesn't take away the fact that he was a perennial Cy Young Candidate for the Reds 6 seasons in a row. In that 6 year span that was Koufax-esque, Perry never had an ERA above 3.12 and one year had a 2.39. He also had double digit wins every year, peaking at 19 in 2027 and once had an OAVG of .196. With all of that success, you would think he would turn it around and return to form soon for the Giants. Nonetheless, we think he would have been a great pick 2nd overall for the Rockies.

The Third Overall Pick

Team: Kansas City Royals

Who they Picked: P Mark Gubicza

Gubicza is another decent pick at this point in the draft, but again, we feel that there were better pitchers out there. Gubicza is still a top 10 talent, but probably not a top 3 talent. More on him to come.

Who they should have taken: P Dave Dravecky

Dave Dravecky has been lights out almost every year he has been in the majors. Since putting up a 4.80 ERA and a losing record in his Sophomore season, he has posted 5 seasons with a 3.42 ERA or better. Last season saw him go 16-9 with a 2.13 and 28 quality starts. If he were to get some more run support, he could conceivably win 25 games pitching the way he did last year. With so much success and a bright future, Dravecky would have been a great 3rd overall pick for the Royals.

The Fourth Overall Pick

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

Who they picked: 1B Kevin Hunt

The interesting thing about this pick, 4th overall is that a nearly identical player, John Karpel, who has actually out performed Hunt, was taken 114 picks later, with the 6th pick in the 4th round. That pretty much tells you what you need to know about Kevin Hunt. He has never hit .300 and has hit 20 HR only once, double digit HR only 3 times. With everyone left on the board at this point, it is much too early to take a slightly below average first baseman.

Who they should have picked: P Bobby Witt

Witt could easily be the 3rd overall pick as well. Where he hasn't shown the dominance of Dravecky, Witt has been more consistent, never having a bad year. A career 3.46 ERA and 20 or more QS in 5 of 7 seasons, as well as 98 victories in 7 seasons, make Bobby Witt a fantastic pick at 4th overall.

The Fifth Overall Pick

Team: Texas Rangers

Who they picked: RF Lance Berkman

Who they should have picked: RF Lance Berkman

Berkman is a flat out great player to stick in the middle of your lineup. With a career .308 AVG, and averaging 34 homers and 111 RBI per year, Berkman becomes a guy that pitchers hope to pitch around. An adequate outfielder who has missed only 1 game in his career, make Berkman a great pickup 5th overall for the Rangers.

The Sixth Overall Pick

Team: Cincinnati Reds

Who they picked: P Jim Perry

Perry was a fantastic pick and a steal for where they got him, considering the numbers he put up for the Reds. But, we like to stir it up, and Perry is already gone.

Who they should have picked: SS Woodie Held

Woodie Held will quite possibly give AROD a run for his money for the title of greatest offensive shortstop in Habla history. In 6 seasons, Held has hit at least 30 homers every year and has hit 40 or more 3 times. He is no gold glover, but a solid defender. He hits like an outfielder but plays short, second, or third fairly well. With a bat and versatility like that, Held is a great pick 6th overall, and could have gone higher if Texas needed a SS.

The Seventh Overall Pick

Team: Boston Red Sox

Who they picked: SS Spike Owen

Owen is another good short stop in this draft, and is not a bad pick here. We definitely think there are better players here than Owen. If a team was in desperate need of a SS, Owen would make sense because of his awesome defense, arm, and solid bat. But as for best available, there are others.

Who they should have picked: P Mike Gubicza

Back to Gubicza. He has been a very solid middle of the rotation type starter in his career. With an ERA of 3.55, twice under 3.00, and 4 of 6 seasons of at least 20 QS, he has been a very reliable starter. He is the kind of guy you want to draft at this point of the draft, and would have been a great pickup for the Sox.

The Eighth Overall Pick

Team: Oakland A's

Who they picked: 3B Bill Mazeroski

Mezeroski has struggled for playing time in his career, only playing 2 full seasons thus far in his career. One has been spectacular, the other one only decent. Since we don't know which is the real Mazeroski, we are forced to recommend someone else here.

Who they should have taken: RP Roy Face

Face was named the best reliever in Habla in the blog rankings 2 years ago. At a time when so many bullpens are in disarray, Face would be a much welcomed addition to any team. A career 2.50 ERA and with more than a K per inning of work, Face rises to the top of the relieving core in Habla.

The Ninth Overall Pick

Team: Atlanta Braves

Who they picked: P Vern Law

It is time once again for the bust of the draft. Law looked like a for sure top 10 pitcher in this draft based on his pitches and the talent he possessed. With an ERA over 5 and no success of any kind either starting or in the bullpen, it appears that this 9th overall pick was wasted by the Braves, and it is nobody's fault but the game's.

Who they should have picked: P Art Mahaffey

And now, back to Mahaffey, who after a rough start to his career, came back to win 20 games in 2026, and then a 2.82 ERA a few years later. Another middle of the rotation type guy who has shown that he has flashes of greatness, Mahaffey would have been a good pickup at this point.

The Tenth Overall Pick

Team: Chicago White Sox

Who they picked: LF Charlie Konikowski

'Ol Charlie K is not a bad pick here for most drafts, hitting 20 homers regularly. However, this draft is deeper than most, and we like someone else here.

Who they should have picked: LF John Liska

A candidate for steal of the draft, Liska was taken with the 11th pick in the 2nd round. With 3 straight seasons of at least 32 homers, Liska has proven that he is a very solid hitter in the middle of a lineup. Liska would have been a great pickup at this pick for the White Sox.

Draft Awards

Steal of the Draft: 2B Toby Harrah (taken 23rd in the 4th round)

Bust of the Draft: P Vern Law

Best Name: There are so many great names in this draft, take your pick.

Iron Man McGinnity
Jim Bear Omens
Oddibe McDowell
Rip Repulski
Chico Esquela
Frank Funk

Player highlight: RP Frank Funk

With only 34.1 innings in the last 2 years, Frank Funk supplements his income with his other passion besides baseball...Disc Jockeying for Discos. That's right, for $29.99 an hour, you can hire Frank Funk's Funkmaster DJ service to spice up your next birthday party or Barmitsvah. He will break out the freshest licks on his more than 3,000 vinyl records to make your event a rockin' hit. For more info, just call "The Funkmaster" at 555-0123.


Draft Score (The Lower the Better)

67- A couple of busts high in the draft did them in.

Fun Facts

12 of 28 1st round picks remain on the team that drafted them.

This draft had the most cool names of any draft in history.

This draft saw more good player come out of the 2nd through 5th rounds than any draft in recent memory.

This draft had more good relievers in it than any other in recent memory.

All 3 of NYA 1st round picks (Cepeda, Pena, and Stock) remain on the Yankees as important parts of the team.

Who "Should" be in the All Star Game

Jeff and I have teamed up on this article about who should be in the All Star Game here at the midway point. Jeff has done the NL, I the AL. Check it out and see which of your guys made it.

As we all know BBPro doesn't always get it right with regard to who gets into the All Star game.

This article will pick the players who should be in the game.

Selection process is limited to two players per position and seven pitchers 4 starters 3 relievers.

National League

1) C Matt Lecroy PGH He won't likely be in the game due to being on the DL, and will probably not be available. LeCroy may be the dominant NL catcher for the next few years. Although something of a late bloomer, the friendly confines of Three Rivers Stadium are making him into a hitting machine.

2) C Brandon Inge CIN is a notch below LeCroy and since Matt is out with injury should be the NL starter. Another solid year at this point for the Reds backstop as he is on pace for a 30 HR season.

1) 1b Lou Gehrig CIN is feasting as he has never done in the AL off of the pitching in the senior circuit. Consider that Lou has been hitting at a .400 clip and is on pace to hit over 70 homers and drive in 160 runs, he is a shoo in at this point for MVP.

2) 1b Tony Perez CHN is another AL transport, and is hitting at a sizzling .391 average. Injuries have slowed Tony down, but he still is a good bet to hit between 40 and 50 homers and drive in 100 to 120 runs.

1) 2b Charlie Gehringer MON is having a whale of a season in Montreal. Enjoying his best season in years, and the past ones weren't too bad, Charlie is boasting and .317 average, has hit 20 HR's and driven in an amazing 65 runs.

2) 2b Rex Hudler PHI nudges out a host, and there are about six other players who could easily fill this spot as the backup NL 2b. Hudler's combination of speed, power and average give him the nudge, particularly when you consider the amount of games he's missed while being on the DL.

1) 3b Larry Carey COL narrowly edges out Miguel Cabrerra for the nod as the 3b starter.the The leading factors are his relatively higher range factor at 3b, a solid fielding percentage and having even higher numbers than Cabrerra in Productivity, TA and Slugging. Considering that he had close to 100 AB less than the Reds hot corner specialist, the numbers that Carey has put up are even more impressive.

2) 3b Miguel Cabrerra CIN wins the nod for the second spot at the hot corner in face of some pretty good players. The stats that jumps out are the .355 average and 21 homers. Cabrerra is on pace for a 40 HR season.

1) SS Spike Owen FLO This choice will tick a lot of peopl off, but Owen is the best choice. We were tempted to go with Ozzie Smith, who is having an amazing power year with 10 HR's, go figure that one out, and can't be touched by anyone in fielding, other than Spike Owen. Owen's Fld % of .995 is the best in the NL and his RF is the only one that compares to Smith's godlike 5.5 with his 4.7. When you factor in Spike's 23 HR's and 69 RBIs you can see why he gets the nod for SS.

2) Woodie Held PGH leads the pack and if this were based purely on offensive production he'd win hands down. However, fielding is vital in the Middle IF position so Held's very impressive offensive numbers, which are with BA withstanding matched or bettered by Owen, leave him a little short in our nod for starting SS.

1) LF Roosevelt Brown CHN Brown leads the pack of some pretty good outfielders for LF. He's hitting at a torrid .330, is on a pace to knock out 50 HRs and drive in close to 150 runs. All in all, Brown has become a major force in the NL.

2) Jose Canseco CIN has to be considered when you take in the 30 HR's he has bashed out of Riverfront Stadium. He face a lot of competition, and a case can be made for a number of other players, but Canseco nudges them out.

1) Roy Hobbs LA nudges out Turkey Stearnes and Tim Raines for the starting job in CF. Hobbs, Stearnes and Raines are close in offensive categories, but Hobbs gets the nod by leading in Avg, Runs, 2bs, RBIs. PRO. While Raines and Stearnes are right there with Hobbs, and Raines even managed to outproduce all in some areas, the margin is so close that Hobbs' overall ratings, and importantly perfect defense gives him the first slot.

2) Turkey Stearnes CHN has to be chosen over Raines for the second slot. The final reason came to the overall defensive play of these two dead even players in offensive categories. Raines' 8 errors, knocked him out of the competition.

1) Randy Birch MON The old veteran has come up as the big gun on the locked and loaded Montreal offense. Birch leads the RF in the NL in PRO, TA, and SLG. He has also played solid defense not having committed a single error this year.

2) Enos Slaughter PGH shocks the HABLA world as Ruth and Parker are shut out for the first time in anyone's memory. Slaughter has exceeded everyone's expectation batting a hot .367 to lead the RF contingent, and scoring 66 runs. Babe Ruth has come out of the morass he was in, with a vengeance, but Slaughter has been doing the job all year long.

Pitchers:
Adam Eaton Philly
Joe Kennedy LA
Josh Becket MON
Mike Krukow CIN

Relievers:
Mike Timlin FLO
Josh Fogg ATL
Pat Acker HOU

American League

1. C Roy Campanella (SEA) Still a dominant force behind the plate as the sun sets on his career, Roy is hitting .329 with 13 longballs and 59 RBI's and remains a central part of the Mariners offense.

2. C Tim DeCinces (NYA) Tim does well in the potent New York offense hitting .315 with 10 homers, 29 runs, and a .991 fielding percentage. He is more than a role player for this team.

1. 1B Raphael Palmiero (CLE) 66 RBI's puts him in the top ten in the AL. they go nicely with 22 homers and a .330 AVG.

2. 1B John Karpel (CHA) Also on the top ten in RBI (68) Karpel was having something of a breakout year before going on the DL recently. He will watch from the duggout.

1. 2B Craig Biggio (TEX) Biggio has had a great year setting the table for the Rangers offense and will get the opportunity to do that in the All star game as well. He has hit .324, scored 75 runs, and stolen 26 bases.

2. 2B Johnny Hodapp (BAL) Hodapp has stepped it up this year hitting for a .321 AVG and stealing 14 bases as the second baseman for Baltimore. He will back up Biggio in the Midsummer Classic.

1. 3B Orlando Cepeda (NYA) Cepeda is a monster this season, hitting .363 with 27 homers and 74 RBI's. He is top 3 in the AL in all of those categories, and a Triple Crown is not out of the question.

2. 3B Matt Williams (CLE) This youngster makes his first All star Game after hitting .312 with 16 homers in the first half.

1. SS Robin Yount (CLE) Hitting .344 with 21 homers is great for an OF, but it is spectacular for a SS, who may hit 40 homers by seasons end. He has also scored 70 runs and stolen 18 bases.

2. SS Barry Larkin (OAK) His AVG is not yet great, but the 17 homers and 24 SB's make him a great choice for the backup to Yount.

1. LF Henry Aaron (TEX) Aaron is the offensive leader of one of the most potent offenses in baseball. He starts in left with his 25 homers and 75 RBIs.

2. LF Stan Musial (OAK) Stan the Man is 2nd in AVG in the AL (.362) and has contributed 57 RBIs to the cause for his team in the first half.

1. CF Duke Snider (MIN) If his AVG were higher, he would have a great shot at the Triple Crown. But his "meager" .334 AVG and the fact that he was recently placed on the DL may hurt that. It is still up in the air whether Duke will be able to play in the game.

2. CF Tris Speaker (TEX) Tris has found his niche 2nd in the order now 3rd on his team with 47 RBIs and 3rd in the league in stolen bases (28)

1. RF Reggie Jackson (NYA) Reggie is but another of the Yankee sluggers that is tearing up the league. .342/29/82 at the break. Wow!

2. RF/DH Larry Walker (OAK) Larry will get the start at DH. He is doing it all this season. .340/22/72 with 24 SB.

Pitchers:
Nolan Ryan (SEA)
Ralph Terry (MIL)
Andy Van Hekken (MIN)
Kevin Ritz (BAL)

Relievers:
Jung Bong (BOS)
David Riske (MIL)
Jose Vizcaino (CLE)

Scored!

Justin Hair has followed suit and posted this article that involved number crunching for the offensive side of the ball. Check it out. It is quite interesting.

Here is some more number crunching for everyone. This week I deal with who is the leagues best scoring teams if everyone played in a 'neutral stadium.' This will tell you which ball park allows more runs to score than others.

Here is the forumla I used:
1) RunsFor + RunsAgainst = Your Run Total: You do this for every team in the league (NL only and AL only)
2) (You Run Total+everyone elses run total)/14=TotalRunTotalAvg
3) Your Run Total / TotalRunTotalAvg = X
4) RunsFor * X = AdjustedRunsFor
5) Runs Against * X = AdjustedRunsAgainst

Example:
Colorado Rockies:
474+384=858
All NL run total avg = 787
858/787=1.090216
474 * 1.090216 = 434
384 * 1.090216 = 352
So Colorado would have only scored 434 runs in a neutral ball park and their opponents would have scored only 352 runs.

Adjusted Run Scored for the NL. From Best to Worst:

1. Philadelphia Phillies 483 For and 303 Against
2. Colorado Rockies 434 For and 352 Against
3. LA Dodgers 418 For and 368 Against
4. Montreal Expos 411 For and 375 Against
5. Houston Astros 407 For and 379 Against
6. Cincinnatti Reds 401 For and 385 Against
7. Pittsburgh Pirates 400 For and 386 Against
8. Florida Marlins 397 For and 388 Against
9. San Francisco Giants 392 For and 394 Against
10. St. Louis Cardinals 387 For and 399 Against
11. Chicago Cubs 363 For and 423 Against
12. New York Mets 361 For and 425 Against
13. Atlanta Braves 338 For and 448 Against
14. San Diego Padres 312 For and 474 Against

Adjusted Run Scored for the AL. From Best to Worst:

1. Texas Rangers 451 For and 337 Against
2. Boston Red Sox 444 For and 344 Against
3. Oakland Athletics 431 For and 357 Against
4. Minnesota Twins 424 For and 364 Against
5. Milwaukee Brewers 413 For and 375 Against
6. Seattle Mariners 413 For and 375 Against
7. Chicago White Sox 409 For and 379 Against
8. Cleveland Indians 407 For and 381 Against
9. Detroit Tigers 407 For and 381 Against
10. New York Yankees For 404 and 384 Against
11. Anahiem Angels 341 For and 447 Against
12. Baltimore Orioles 339 For and 449 Against
13. Kansas City Royals 328 For and 460 Against
14. Toronto Blue Jays 324 For and 464 Against

Scott's Pitching Breakdown

Scott has written a great article for math nerds like me that takes a look at the raw statistics and judges the pitching staffs, both starters and bullpens, in Habla. Check it out.

It’s time for a little statistical analysis inspired from KL’s synopsis of the best rotations in the league. I’m a bit of a novice sabremetrician, which means I like to take the raw numbers from baseball and try and make some sense out of them. For this little exercise here, I’m going to try and quantify the best pitching STAFFs in HABLA. To do this I will be using three metrics combined to give us a final “score” for each staff. All stats are taken through June 17th 2029. Here are the metrics.

Dominance : To calculate a team’s dominance score, you simply divide the number of strikeouts the staff has racked up by the number of walks they’ve issued. Dominance indicates how well the staff is at minimizing “free” bases (walks) and balls in play. The higher, the better.

League Average: 2.6
Top 3 teams: Texas (3.6), Philadelphia (3.5), Pittsburgh (3.4)
Bottom 3 teams: Toronto (1.6), Detroit (1.9), Baltimore (2.0)

HR/9 : Home runs per nine innings is exactly what it says, the number of home runs the staff will give up over a complete 9 inning game. A HR is the most dangerous hit in the game as no amount of good fielding can prevent it (save for the statistically insignifigant fantastic leaping catches). As such, it is a very telling metric as to how well a staff can minimize this damage. Obviously, the lower the number, the better.

League Average: 1.3
Top 3 teams: Boston (0.9), Philadelphia (0.9), Los Angeles (0.9)
Bottom 3 teams: Pittsburgh (1.9), Chicago(N) (1.7), San Diego (1.6)

Strand % : To determine the percentage of runners stranded by the bullpen, you subtract the number of inherited runners who scored from the total number of inherited runners. Then you divide this number by the total number of inherited runners. In MLB, this metric is viewed as a “luck” metric in that ALL teams regardless of skill should be around the league average of 72%. Those above and below are there because of good or bad luck and will likely move towards the norm. However, in HABLA, this is more an indicator of how well a bullpen can “get out of jams” (part of their ScPos and C&L ratings) and minimize the damage a spent pitcher has done putting runners on base. The higher the percentage, the more effective your bullpen is at closing the doors.

League Average: 69%
Top 3 teams: Oakland (78%), Seattle (77%), Boston (76%)
Bottom 3 teams: Kansas City (55%), New York(N) (58%), Atlanta (60%)

Results

So, now I’m going to take all those numbers, cram them into a formula, and give you the best 10 staffs in HABLA. Ready? Drum roll please ….

10. Los Angeles Dodgers (1.007 staff score)
9. Cleveland Indians (1.011 staff score)
8. Pittsburgh Pirates (1.012 staff score)
7. New York Mets (1.018 staff score)
6. Seattle Mariners (1.301 staff score)
5. Minnesota Twins (1.368 staff score)
4. Boston Red Sox (1.402 staff score)
3. Florida Marlins (1.641 staff score)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (1.738 staff score)
1. Texas Rangers (1.739 staff score)

There you have it. There were certainly some suprises on the list like the sub-.500 Mets, who have had more than their share of rotten luck on the mound this season. Or that the NL wildcard leading Expos are 23rd on the list (0.565 staff score), but that’s how sabremetrics goes, you don’t always know what the end result will show. And finally, a moment of silence for the staff of the Blue Jays who came in with the lowest staff score (0.102.) I’m sure they’ll be able to improve that with the first
overall pick in the draft :)

The Owl's Power Rankings

There seems to be a rash of injuries to many of the
top teams. Let's take a look at the ratings:

1. Philadelphia- The Phillies still have the best
pitching in the majors and one of the top hitting
teams but
recent injuries could test this teams depth.

2. Texas- The Rangers are on of the Elite teams in the
league. The cream comes to the top.

3. Seattle- Recend slide appears to releated to the
injuries. Can they hang on?

4. Oakland- another AL West team is making a move for
a playoff run but will recent injuries slow down the
potent hitting.

5. Minnesota- Twins CF Duke Snider is having a career
year and he'll need for that to continue in the
competitive AL Central.

6. Montreal- Expos lead the NL in runs scored but will
a leaky bullpen destroy their playoff hopes?

7. Florida- Marlins need 3B Wright to recover from his
injury and hope he can return to form

8. Pittsburgh- Hitting carrying this team but so far
so good. If the rotation improves watch out.

9. Boston- Another team with an injury problem but the
Pitching remains strong

10.Chicago (AL)- 1B John Karpel making a name for
himself and the White Sox have made a move

11. San Francisco- The Loss of Booby Abreau for 2-3
months could kill want looks to be a break out season

12. Cincinnati- Reds are a player in the NL Central.
Talent is there.

13. New York (AL)- Yankees are heating up now that
they are injury free.

14. Colorado- Despite slow start team remains in the
NL West hunt

15. Los Angeles- Team may have Vets but that isn't a
bad thing. This team should be tough in the stretch

16. Houston- Astros 2B Toby Harrah leading the Astros
playoff charge.

17. Cleveland- Team in a slump and most of it is due
to the pitching staff.

18. Milwaukee- Another contender trying to hang
despite the recent injuries

19. Detroit- Balanced team that should be a player for
AL East for the season

20. St. Louis- Cardinals lacking last years magic but
the season isn't over

21. Chicago (NL)- Cubs are making progress and if it
continues the NL Central could be a 5 team race

22. Baltimore- Orioles are rebuilding and there are
some pieces in place.

23. Ney York (NL)- Mets need more hitting and bullpen
help.

24. Atlanta- Time to retool. Players just haven't
gotten it done.

25. Kansas City- Rebuilding has begun and let the
auditions begin.

26. Anahiem- Signs of improvement but a long ways to
go. But KL knew that when he took them over.

27. San Diego- Young pitchers paying their dues and
should be better next season

28. Toronto- Pitching woes continue to delay this
teams development.

The Top 10 Second Basemen in Habla 2029

1. Rex Hudler (PHI) Last Ranked-2

Easily the best hitting 2B in the league, who also steals a ton of bases and plays very solid defense.

2. Craig Biggio (TEX) LR-3

An MVP candidate 2 season ago, he's a virtual lock to score 120 runs and nab 40 bases when he's healthy, and lately he's been very healthy.

3. Charlie Gehringer (NYN) LR-4

After a pair of mediocre seasons with the Mets and Pirates, he's off to a great starts with the Expos, on pace for over 30 homers, 100 rbis and 45 stolen bases.
4. Toby Harrah (HOU) LR-6

A 4th Round steal in the 2022 draft, he's posted 4 consecutive 20 homerun seasons and now hits cleanup for his Astros.

5. B.J. Upton (CIN) LR-7

Very good fielder, baserunner, and hitter, had best season as a big leaguer last year and hopes to continue to develop his talents with the Red Sox.

6. Bill Doran (LA) LR-10

Has averaged 116 runs and 58 stolen bases over last 4 seasons, but is now feeling competition for playing time from solid rookie Luis Rivas.

7. Scott Hairston (CHA) LR-NR

Not the greatest fielder, but put it all together offensively last season hitting .330 with 36 thefts and an .861 OPS

8. Jack Rexrode (COL) LR-NR

Mr. Consistent, the Rockies leadoff guy has averaged 100 runs scored and 42 stolen bases over the last 7 years.

9. Paul Molitor (SEA) LR-5

Though, clearly no longer in his prime, he can still hit for a very good average and steal quite a few bases.

10. Ryne Sandberg (SEA) LR-NR

Never spectacular, but consistently solid for many years, someone the Brewers can count on to keep the bottom of their lineup very respectable.

Honorable Mention: Robbie Alomar (STL), Rickie Weeks (PGH), Brian Roberts (OAK), Johnny Hodapp (BAL)

KL's Top 10 Rotations in Habla

We asked our pitchers expert Knuckleball Lover to rank the top 10 rotations this season in Habla, since we had gotten into a discussion about it in the comments section. Here they are, with commentary the entire way. Also, this was written before last nights sim, so that is not taken into account.

Here’s my view of what I feel are the top 10 rotations in HABLA as of June 4th, the league date at which this was written. This isn’t just a list of the top 10 ERA, but I looked at the abilities of the pitchers in the rotation, its make-up, various stats including, of course, the pitcher’s ERA. One thing I don’t particularly weight is wins as that’s a factor of other facets besides the pitcher himself. A staff can be good, but not get the wins from inept offense or blown leads from the bullpen. Rotation ERA as a whole carried some somewhat heavy weight as well as this is an evaluation of the entire group.

I’m also trying to isolate the ability of the pitchers – which means that a staff with excellent defense behind them (Cardinals, for example) might be getting strongly assisted by said defense. Of course, the pitcher still gets some credit, and if the pitcher is a strikeout artist, defense isn’t as big a factor either way. However, defensive contribution will get mixed in if it appears to have been a big factor or as a bit of a “tie-breaker” between staffs that look close.

1. Philadelphia Phillies
Key Player: Adam Eaton – .180 OAvg, .212 OSlg, 10 of 12 QS

This staff was pretty close with Texas and was a tough decision. Both staffs pile up strike outs, give up few hits, and allow almost nothing in the way of extra bases. Still, I put Philly as the top staff because their OAvg are overall lower and do so with a slightly lower skill defense. Every member of this rotation is dominating and has been established from the start. Also impressive is 45 of 56 QS, which is tops in HABLA. What is scary is that this team’s bullpen has allowed about 30% IRS, which is above the expected average of 25%, according to most MLB sabermetricians.

2. Texas Rangers
Key Player: Brandon Webb – 2.89 ERA (Career 4.01)

The #2 staff in my view has the #3 ERA in HABLA. This team does a lot of things right on the mound, and the team ERA might be a large part the somewhat weak bullpen so far. Comer and Duren in particular have been bad so far. Anyway, the starters are very strong, and I named Webb as the key player because he’s so far below his normal ERA. As a whole, most of what’s said about Philly’s staff applies here, although they do have a bit better defense behind them. Fernando Valenzuela is looking strong in the rotation, as well, but needs a few more good starts to prove himself.

3. Boston Red Sox
Key Player: Tony Livingston – 2.46 ERA, .233 OAvg, 10 of 12 QS

Here’s the first staff on the list that I had to give weight to their defensive play. It’s not so much the ratings, however, but relatively low strike out rates as a rotation which indicates that the defense had a lot of work to do. The team’s OAvg stats from the starters show that the defense did that work well. Honeycutt and Sherrid in particular have gotten a lot of help from their defense. Honeycutt’s BABIP is .247, far below the typical level, while Sherrid’s is .243. Of all the teams with 3.50 or lower ERAs, Boston’s staff has picked up the fewest amount of strike outs. Tony Livingston, however, has been outright dominating so far. His ability to keep it up will be big to Boston’s fortunes.

4. Seattle Mariners
Key Player: Nolan Ryan – 1.62 ERA, .275 OSlg, 10 of 12 QS

Wow – there’s not many starting pitchers that have done what Nolan has done so far. His .275 OSlg allowed ranks him 8th in the AL in that category, and it leads the Seattle staff, by far. Now, I almost put Milwaukee here because the Brewers have had a better consistency from their top 3, but I had a hard time putting aside Nolan’s performance every 5 days. Sid Fernandez has actually been a better pitcher, aside from ERA, than Sullivan and should be a good partner to Nolan, while Sullivan has shown a consistent ability to give 6+ strong innings with his 8 of 10 QS. The 5th starter hasn’t been a stable situation so far, but I think the sheer dominance of Nolan outweighs that, and goes a long way to stopping losing streaks and starting winning ones, an important trait for any rotation.

5. St. Louis Cardinals
Key Player: Alvin Crowder - .213 OAvg, .220 BABIP

Crowder is the poster-child for defense right now. While the Cardinals always seem to have 6 or 7 gold glove caliber defenders (while the other 1 or 2 are “just” very good), Crowder is getting some big benefit from them, even by Cardinals standards. His .220 BABIP has been a big part of success – which comes in big part from the defense. Shane Loux is another that’s been greatly assisted by defense, allowing a .247 BABIP. Still, there are pitchers like McDonald and Dravecky that have done some of their own work out there, and Jamie Navarro’s performance so far shows promise. Each of the starters has posted a very solid QS% as well. The OSlg in the rotation might have been impacted by ballpark some, but they are strong nonetheless and strong from first to fifth.

Sixth and beyond on the list started getting into more “gray areas” such as defense, other rate stats, and overall spread of ERA and QS%. As such, most of these rotations are really close to each other in performance to this point.

6. Milwaukee Brewers
Key Player: Derek Lowe – .221 OAvg, .340 OSlg, but 4.10 ERA

Something has to give with Lowe, and how he ends up could determine how much the rotation will help the Brewers compete in the AL Central. He opponent average against and his slugging allowed just don’t say “four ERA” to me. Is he just getting ‘unlucky’ so far, or is the ERA a sign of what’s to come? Fortunately, the team has gotten performance from three solid members of the rotation, and that’s a good base for any team to work from. Another team that doesn’t induce many strike outs, and their defense is “only” average to slight above average overall, so the pitchers will have to keep putting the hitters off-balance to make things easier on their fielders. So far, they have done just that…at least everyone except Higuera, who might be the “anti-Lowe” as his OAvg (.299) and OSlug (.488) seem high for a 4.05 ERA.

7. Florida Marlins
Key Player: Shawn Boskie – 2.50 ERA, .219 OAvg, .313 OSlg, 8 of 11 QS

The 7th spot goes to the Marlins in large part to their strike out rates (three starters have 9.0 or higher K/9 rates) and the play of Shawn Boskie. What almost knocked them down was the play of Rich Harden. He looks to have pitched better than a nearly 5.00 ERA, given his K’s rate and .395 OSlg. Boskie and Grimes formed a nice combination in the rotation, linking up for 17 QS in 23 combined starts – very nice.

The stat that knocked this rotation down some was the QS% of the other three starters, holding at an even 50%. Not bad, but that number would like to be higher for a consistent, playoff-quality rotation.

8. Detroit Tigers
Key Player: Grant Balfour – 3.21 ERA, .269 OAvg, 7 of 12 QS

This team doesn’t have a standout stopper so far, but the team has five solid pitchers in their rotation. While having an ace stopper or two is great, there’s something to be said for knowing you’ll get a solid 6+ innings from every arm in your rotation. Grant Balfour has put up the lowest ERA in the rotation and his .367 Slugging allowed isn’t bad either. The 22-year old will have to keep it up, otherwise one of the veterans will need to step up and carry the load. Chris Short looks like one who could step up. His 7 of 11 QS rate is a good sign. If Bob Friend can develop some consistency with the length of his outings, then this rotation can really be a stable, solid foundation every night out.

9. Minnesota Twins
Key Player: Dennis Eckersley – 3.38 ERA, .369 OSlg, 4 of 11 QS

Wow, is there any stranger set of stats on an above-average pitcher than what Eckersley has done so far? Only 4 of 11 QS, but a team-leading 3 CG? Such a weak QS%, but a solidly good 3.38 ERA? A hurler of his caliber of pitches with a solid defense behind him allowing more than one hit per inning? Such a strange collection of stats! It would seem that something has to give with him, but he’s gotten it done to this point. The main thing that put this rotation 9th is their OAvgs. Given the defense behind them is solid to excellent in some places, Glavine and Van Hekken should have performed better, given their skills. By contrast, Warren Spahn has pitched the best of them all according to the rate stats, but has the highest ERA in the rotation. Certainly should be an interesting staff to watch down the line, and they’ve done well enough thus far, but haven’t seemed to gel just yet.

10. Houston Astros
Key Player: Roy Oswalt - .229 OAvg, .314 OSlg, 8 of 12 QS

A case probably could be made for this rotation to be higher on the list. The biggest strike against them is walks allowed. Basically, every starter has walked at least 20 batters (there’s two starters with 19 walks). That doesn’t sound like a lot, but given the walk totals by pitchers in the league as a whole, it can be pretty significant of an amount, especially the rate Backe has given up in the walk column. Other than that, this rotation has two higher-caliber starters in Hill and Oswalt, with Oswalt having played better of the two so far. Backe and Young have nice OAvg and OSlg stats, especially on pitchers with 4.00 ERAs. Perhaps a bit of “bad luck” along the way has caused them to have ERAs that seem high.

Honorable Mentions:

Colorado Rockies – Given where they play, they’ve done pretty well. Early Wynn needs to settle down and Jack Fischer needs to take the opportunity to help solidify the back end.

Cincinnati Reds – This team should have made the list. Hough is better than a 4.11 ERA as is Nichols. McGinnity has been solid and Krukow even better, but the rotation seems to be in one of those “we don’t feel like playing” funks, something I’ve had the ‘pleasure’ of seeing a few too many times.

Cleveland Indians – Is there something with teams whose cities start with C? Anyway, if Ditmar and Vogelsong had performed better, this team probably could have been #10 on the list.

San Francisco – A team with decent starters headed up by Carl Eldred. This team nearly made the list, but Perry’s 4.50 ERA and general lack of any truly standout areas hurt the team’s ranking.

A Summer of Heroes?

Hey guys. Our commissioner has decided to weigh in on every team in the league, predicting how they will in the season, and giving us a breakdown of every division. To put it in terms the modern baseball fan will understand, its kind of like power rankings on steroids. Check it out, and let us/him know what you think.

While many have been taking days off to go to the beach, many more have been filling HABLA stadiums this year, in what may be developing as one of the more memorable seasons to come down the pike. Although the season is still fresh, only one-third of the games have been played, if the league remains as even handed on the whole this could be one of the most competitive seasons in memory. Are there runaway divisions, yes, there are. No one will catch the Phillies, and while Seattle is giving it a valiant effort it is difficult to see any team in the AL West winning but Texas, which seems to have taken over Seattle's old role as perennial division champion. However, after those two, who lead the entire pack, there is a clamoring for position such as has not been seen in many years. There are a few teams that you can already write off, and most knew going in that the Braves, Mets, Cubs, Padres, Blue Jays, Royals, and Angels had no real chance of winning anything, and are all mostly playing to avoid 90 losses, rather than gain 90 wins. However, that leaves 19 teams who should be thinking if they have the stuff to make them a contender, or at the very least make a showing that will keep fans in the seats, or out of them cheering, throughout this summer.

For reference sake I have always looked at the following numbers to be benchmarks. Any team with over 90 wins, or a .555 Win Percentage is a solid team. Any team with over 97 wins or .600 is a potential champion. If a team can manage a .667 percentage, they move to the "Godlike" teams. Conversely, any team with over 90 losses, .444 or less is a weak team, and any team with over 97 losses .401 is a very poor team. However, a team with a winning pecentage of .333 or less is just plainly awful. Which leaves teams between 73 and 89 wins, or .444 through .554 as teams that are competitive, but need a bit of work here and there. Let's look at each division and see how the teams measure up.

NL East
This is one of the least competitive divisions in the league at this point, and has been for a few seasons.

Phillies - .714 they are godlike, and the only hope teams in NL have is to try to beat them in a short series. With their pitching it will be tough, but it can happen.
Florida - .559 A solid team that has not hit this year. They could be better and are improving.
Montreal - .536 A team on the cusp. Gary has done a great job bring back the bats, and also managing to find a few good arms. They are a starting pitcher away from being tough.
Mets - .399 A weak team, but they are starting to hit a bit better. Maybe the hapless manager of this club has found a combination that will give his young arms a few runs.
Braves - .362 The team is playing worse than they look, but maybe a closer look is needed.

NL Central
Traditionally the NL Central has been one of the best in the league, and although no team stands out, this is a GREAT division. The divisional play really makes this group of owners very tough, as it seems that year in year out a good race emerges here. Five teams, and even the Cubs can play. I think they are a step away from being right in the mix, and they are only ten games off the pace. Arguably the most competitive division in the league.

Houston - .554 Sam always seems to manage to find a way to get his team in the thick of it, and this year "small ball" is the method. Always a decent team
Reds - .537 Matt has changed the look of KB's team, and though it has been a bumpy road, the Reds are right there this year.
Cards - .526 Jer is one of the most studied GM's in the league, at least by the commissioner. No offense, but the pitching and fielding shine.
Pirates - .519 The new look Bucs are in the hunt, and showing a balanced style of play this year
Cubs - .375 Don't laugh this team off. The trades they have made this year, as well as some of the picks are going to return BIG for this club in the future, if not a turnaround this year.


NL West
Recently LA has had its lock on the title challenged by the Rockies, and the power in this division is in flux. This division is now wide open.

Giants - .554 Watch out for SF, seasons of poor records have brought in many hungry players who are talented. Many trades have changed the face of the Giants, but they seem to be very much for real, and with their youth they could be tough for a very long time.
Dodgers - .544 LA has gotten a bit longer in the tooth. Chris made this team a dynasty by the draft picks that he made when his team was poor, and they were among the worst in the league for awhile.
Rockies - .509 While LA has slipped Colorado has moved up the past few years, although their season thus far has been a bit of a disappointment.
Padres - .321 Possibly the worst team in the league, and going nowhere fast.

Overall look
Godlike - 1
Very Strong 0
Strong - 1
Competive - 8
Weak - 3
Awful - 1

Who's in the hunt
Let's look at the standings for that elusive fourth playoff spot.Bold means leading their division. If you look at these teams you will see that they are all equally matched with the other. This could be a great summer in the NL.

Marlins 33-26
Astros 31 - 25 0.5
Giants 31 - 25 0.5Dodgers 31 - 26 1.0
Reds 29 - 25 1.0
Expos 30 - 26 1.5
Cards 30 - 27 2.0
Pirates 28 - 26 2.5
Rockies 29 - 28 3.0

The American league is not that different, but here it seems that the focus will be on winning the division as the Mariners are likely to run away with it in their probably futile chase of the Rangers.

AL East
This has traditionally been a weaker division in the league, and this remains the case today. However, it is also one of the most competitive with teams showing long trends. Right now the trend is Boston and NYA are ascending. Baltimore and Toronto are stuck in gear, and Detroit is an unknown. This will be a fun season in the AL East.

Boston .536 They've made a lot of deals and moves, but the combinations don't seem to be working yet. However, their staff makes them tough.
Detroit .534 Some good trades and a well experienced club. No names on the staff, but the veteran presence helps this team.
Yankees .500 They have the talent, but are struggling putting it together. Needs to look at the roster a bit more closely. They need a pitcher or two.
Orioles .407 Team was in a shambles financially, and have put a team of journeyman type players for this year. A lot of work needed here, but some trades may have helped.
Toronto .339 Team is actually showing signs of life. Owner needs to exercise patience and cultivate young talent.

AL Central
The Old Black N Blue earned it's name for the early years of HABLA where the clubs were typified by the Bad Boys of Chicago. The division is not as competitive in recent years, but is still strong. This is a VERY competitive division and will likely stay that way.

Indians .574 This club seems to disappear from the radar and then bounce back. They have survived a financial debacle. Clearly this team is like their owner, one of the most colorful of the league.
Twins - .571 They have greatly improved and are young and talented. They are streaky and very dangerous, but fall into lulls. The Twins and Indians may be fighting it out all year.
Brewers .519 Brew Crew never was the same after Rob left them. By far he is one of the greatest GM's in the league's history. Club went through a nadir and now seems to be ready to compete.
White Sox .474 The "Bad Boyz" are not the same as they were. They are leaner and faster, and GM Dinnis may be putting together a club that can make some noise very soon.
Royals - .357 The Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde of HABLA. I've never seen a time rise and fall so fast as this team. To put it mildly, they are entertaining.

AL West
Has been the runaway division from the league's inception. Seattle OWNED this division for years, then the Angels did. Now, Texas is in charge, and it may be awhile before anyone can force the title from their hand. Traditionally this is the least competitive division in the league.

Texas .696 This team is very strong and are the favorites to meet the Phils in the World Series. They are not in decline either as some would hope. They are young and well managed.
Seattle .632 The second best team in the AL has been wonderfully crafted. They can play with the Rangers, but are not likely to win the season. Hands down they are improving.
A's .526 They just can't get past the hump. They have the tools, but seem to never put it together. They are dangerous and can really cause other AL teams problems. In another division they would likely be the leaders.
Anaheim .339 KB is one of the best at building a team from scratch. He has his work cut out for him.

Overall Look
Godlike - 1
Very Strong 1
Strong - 2
Competitive - 6
Weak - 4
Awful - 0

Who's in the Hunt: Division leaders are bold
Mariners 36 - 21
Indians 31- 23 3.5
Twins 32 - 24 3.5
Red Sox 30 - 26 5.5
Tigers 31 - 27 5.5
A's 30 - 27 6.0
Yankees 29 - 29 7.5

Who They Should Have Taken: 2016

Here is our second attempt at playing our new favorite game. This time we go back a bit further, to 2016. Some of you will remember this draft. There were some surprises for sure. Check this out and see if you agree with our assessment.


Here is the link to the Draft file.











The First Overall Pick

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Who they picked: OF Reggie Jackson

Who they should have picked: OF Reggie Jackson

This was during the streak that the Pirates had the first overall pick for about 9 consecutive years, and this was one of the few times they didn't blow it. Reggie was the stud of this draft, and Pittsburgh was smart and took him first overall. Unfortunately, he was traded to the Yankees before he was allowed an at bat in Pittsburgh and went on to hit nearly 500 HR for the Yanks over the next 11 seasons. You almost got one right Pittsburgh.


The Second Overall Pick

Team: Baltimore Orioles

Who They picked: SS Liu Rodriguez

This draft was loaded with shortstops (5 drafted in the first 29 picks), which worked out well for the Orioles who were in dire need of a warm body at short. Unfortunatley, they drafted the third best one with the 2nd overall pick. Lui also never had an at bat with the team that drafted him, but was shipped off to eventually play for both Chicago teams and has hit for a career .271 clip. #2 is awefully high for a middle of the pack shortstop.

Who they should have picked: 1B Tony Perez

If they insisted on drafting a SS, Ozzie Smith would have been the way to go. however, I think they would have been better drafting 1B Tony Perez. Granted they already had a young up-and-coming 1B on the team named Lou Gehrig, but it's the AL, and there is the DH rule, which would have been great for Perez considering his glove. How fiersome would the 3-4 combo of Gehrig/Perez have been? We will never know, but the 8 seasons of 30 or more HR that Perez put up lead me to believe it would have been fun to watch.


The Third Overall Pick

Team: Seattle Mariners

Who they Picked: RP Fransisco Rodriguez

Note to the newer owners...always send in a draft list. If you don't, you end up waisting your 3rd overall pick on a slightly better than average reliever. Serves him right though...you have got to send in a list.

Who they should have taken: 3B Brooks Robinson

Brooks Robinson has had a good long career with Montreal and Philly posting 10 seasons with 20 or more homers. Oh yeah, and he also has one of the best gloves you will ever see at third base.


The Fourth Overall Pick

Team: Cincinatti Reds

Who they picked: P Andy Van Hekken

Who they should have picked: P Andy Van Hekken

Now with 2 in a row, the Reds use the first one on junk baller Andy Van Hekken. This turned out to be a great move. Of course, they didn't keep him, but shipped him off to Montreal (and later Milwakee) where he put up 5 consecutive seasons with an ERA under 3.30. Despite being hot and cold lately, Van Hekken maintains a career 3.77 ERA.

The Fifth Overall Pick

Team: Cincinatti Reds

Who they picked: P Johan Santana

Johan wasn't a bad pick. He was also traded immediately (whats with all the trading, people?) to Pittsburgh where he pitched for nine seasons in the worst pitchers ballpark around. More on him in a sec.

Who they should have picked: SS Ozzie Smith

"The Wizard" ended up a Red eventually anyway, but they would have done good to pick him here. He is a pitchers dream, winning gold gloves with ease. He has also been very valuable at the plate and on the basepaths, where he has a .288 career AVG and almost 600 stolen bases in 12 seasons.

The Sixth Overall Pick

Team: Colorado Rockies

Who they picked: 3B Brooks Robinson

Brooks was a great pick, but in our game, he is already gone. Plus, they too traded him away before he saw the field. We should just call this draft "Trade City."

Who they should have picked: P Johan Santana

Back to Santana, after pitching 9 seasons in Pittsburgh and managing to keep his ERA near 4.00, he has moved onto LA where he has had 2 seasons in a row with an ERA below 3.00.

The Seventh Overall Pick

Team: New York Yankees

Who they picked: P Jarrod Washburn

It is time once again for the bust of the draft. Washburn was thought by some to be the best pitcher in the draft. Many were surprised that he fell this late. The Yankees were the unlucky team that thought they were getting a deal by nabbing him here. Unfortunately, Washburn has a career ERA of 4.91 and a losing record. He has had about three seasons where he was able to put it together and pitch well, but the bulk of his career has been very disappointing for a top 10 pick with high expectations.

Who they should have picked: SS Jasho Delaero

Dellaero is the 2nd best of the shortstops taken in this draft. On the seasons that he has been allowed to play full time, he has hit around .300 and stolen close to 40 bases. He is also a solid defender. Delaero is the kind of guy that plays better than his ratings. He would have been a good pickup for the Yankees.

The Eighth Overall Pick

Team: Texas Rangers

Who they picked: SS Ozzie Smith

Ozzie was a good pick, but he is gone. He played in Texas for severall years and found success, but was shiped out to cincy in a trade that brought P Oliver Perez to Texas. Perez won the AL Cy Young last season. Sorry, that was just a fun fact.

Who they should have taken: LF Roosevelt Brown

The Rangers ended up getting Brown in the 27th pick of the 2nd round, making him the steal of the draft. The truth is, he has played well enough to be a top 10 guy. In every full season that he has played, he has hit at least 23 homers, including five times over 30 and once hit 40. He hits around .275 and steals a few bases as well. The thing that turns owners off is that he is like Hellen Keller in the field. Fortunately, he plays left field, and we know you can stick any old hack out there and it doesn't make that much difference.

The Ninth Overall Pick

Team: Chicago Cubs

Who they picked: P Brendan Donnelly

Donnelly is nothing but a mediocre reliever that was drafted too high. When you think that Tony Perez, who we ranked as 2nd most valuable in this draft is still on the board, Donnelly's career 4.79 makes you cringe.

Who they should have picked: 1B Kieth Hernandez

Since Perez is long gone, we will go with the 2nd best first baseman in the draft. Hernandez has had a solid career at a position that is typically a power position. He has hit for high average and added a few homers as well. Not a bad pick up at this point as the talent thins.

The Tenth Overall Pick

Team: Boston Kansas City Royals

Who they picked: 1B Tony Perez

This may also be the steal of the draft. As we have mentioned above, Perez became a monster and has had a great long career of crushing balls and driving in rins. We will see him in the Habla HOF one day.

Who they should have picked: OF Michael Coleman

Coleman is a good all around outfielder. In 9 of his 10 seasons he has hit 20 or more HR and has a .282 career average. This is the kind of guy you want protecting the big slugger on your team.

Draft Awards

Steal of the Draft: OF Roosevelt Brown

Bust of the Draft: P Jarrod Washburn

Best Name: Hensley Meulens

'Ol Hensley likes to swing for the fences (92 PH), but rarely makes contact with anything (35 CH). His career .195 AVG shows us that the best thing he has going for him is a cool name. How much will you give me to name my first son Hensley?

Player highlight: CF Chip Sell

No, it's not a poker term, its the guy who has totaled 11 big league at bats over the last 2 seasons. In his spare time, Chip likes to frequent his local scrapbooking group where, despite the old ladies' warnings to go easy, he just can't lay off the glitter.

Draft Score (The Lower the Better)

61- They Drafted too many guys that should have been late 1st or 2nd rounders.

Fun Facts

Only 5 of 28 1st round picks remain on the team that drafted them.

From the best we can tell, this draft saw more shortstops go in the first round (4) than any other in recent memory.

Of the 3 first round picks used by the Rockies, 2 players remain on the team (Chip Sell and Kevin Haverbusch). Colorado's best pick of the draft, Brooks Robinson, never played for the Rockies.