Friday, May 27, 2016

Season 31 Offseason Free Agency Tracker

We've rolled on to Season 31 and the Free Agent Frenzy is upon us!  Check back here throughout the signing period to see who went where.  Good luck to all in their Free Agency pursuits!

Old New Contract
Rank Player Pos Age Team Team Amount Years
1 Vic Park 2B 32 ATL TEX $52.5 M 4
Comments:  Great all-around player who is still going strong at age 32
2 Artie Stone RP 30 ATL CSP $64.0 M 5
Comments:  Outstanding reliever with virtually no flaws in his ratings makeup
3 Ryan Fisher SP 33 DET DOV $62.0 M 4
Comments:  In a very weak SP free agent class, he stands out as the most solid
4 Donaldo Javier 2B 31 CLE PAW $33.3 M 5
Comments: An MVP candidate last season, outstanding all around, but limited power
5 Erubiel Perez 3B 31 MNT LV $16.5 M 3
Comments:  Plays a solid 3B and has a good bat that is solid, yet not spectacular
6 Alex Mercedes LF 30 SLC ATL $40.5 M 5
Comments:  Fantastic splits, great batting eye, nice LF, and can play 2B in a pinch
7 Alex Alfonzo RP 37 STL LV $15.0 M 2
Comments: A fantastic workhorse RP still, even at age 37, he still brings it
8 Walter Bird SS 30 SEA MIL $24.8 M 4
Comments: Very nice bat for a great fielding SS, but low durability is a slight concern
9 Steve Sheets SP 28 BUF FLA $35.7 M 5
Comments: Only 28 and looks solid all around, but prone to giving up flyballs
10 Louis Markakis SP 34 CHA LA $23.0 M 3
Comments: RH split is mediocre and lacks a dominant pitch, but all else is good
11 Michael Stokes SS 29 DET CHA $16.8 M 3
Comments: Nice power bat for either a passable SS or Gold Glove 3B
12 Tomas Bernadina SP 29 VC SLC $26.4 M 5
Comments: Age is a plus and decent enough, middle to end of the rotation type 
13 Hideo Sakamoto  3B 32 SF DOV $20.8 M 4
Comments:  Very good fielding 3B, with a very good bat, although low durability
14 Willie Moreno LF 32 PAW CHA $10.4 M 2
Comments: Speedster with nice hitting skills, although not much power
15 Aurelio Lima 1B 34 TEX CHA $10.5 M 3
Comments: One of the best pure hitters available, but age and durability are a concern
16 Melky Martin RP 28 VC PAW $10.5 M 3
Comments: Solid workhorse RP with elite control and velocity, but no dominant pitch
17 Ronny Wilson RP 31 LOU SEA $17.6 M 4
Comments: Another solid RP who can eat innings and rates well across the board
18 Ugueth Guzman RP 26 TEX MIL $10.8 M 3
Comments: Young reliever with good pitches and velocity, good control, ok splits
19 Yordano Diaz RF 29 CHR SAL $22.0 M 4
Comments: Solid but not spectacular hitter, should put up some decent stats at the plate
20 Denny Haynes C 31 MIL BOS $0.9 M 1
Comments: Nice hitter, especially against LHP, defensive is iffy so maybe a DH
21 Douglas Banks SP 37 CHY LV $16.0 M 2
Comments: 2-time Cy Young winner is still good, but aging and huge injury risk lingers
22 Bob Bonds SP 27 PAW BOS $19.6 M 4
Comments: He's a decent back end of the rotation guy, splits are mediocre however
23 Brandon Sisk RP 29 NY2 MNT $4.6 M 2
Comments: Tremendous ratings, except for splits, might be a nice closer for some team
24 Felipe Olivares 3B 34 TEX CHA $4.4 M 1
Comments: Pretty good bat and decent in the field, but age-related decline is a concern
25 John Collier 3B 30 STL BOS $2.1 M 1
Comments: Somewhat passable as a 3B, but nice batting eye/speed combo here

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Season 30 Wrap Up - Monterrey wins it all!

Monterrey
Monterrey Pinxos (NL)
POKEYSAN
View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Monterrey is your Season 30 Champion!

It was an epic and improbable comeback, but Monterrey managed to come back from down 3-0 against Atlanta to take the Season 30 World Series title.  The comeback was sparked by a Game 4 no-hitter from Doug Lambert, which shifted the momentum in the series.   Although, Lambert didn't fare too well in his Game 7 start, the Monterrey bats saved the day leading them to a 10-9 win in the series clincher.  It seemed everything came together perfectly this postseason for Monterrey, as they got their clutch performances when at the exact time they needed them, despite pretty mediocre total stats for the playoffs (.713 OPS, 4.52 ERA).  The world series title is a particularly impressive feat for POKEYSAN seeing how just three seasons earlier, the team was run by the infamous hotdog.

Congrats to ekoontz on another great postseason run, despite falling just short of another title, this was his 7th Cobbfather World Series appearance!

Thanks to everyone for making it a great Season 30, we'll be back after a hopefully quick rollover for Season 31!

Monday, May 16, 2016

Season 30 Award Winners

With the World Series in full swing, this season's award winners were announced, let's see who took home the trophies!

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
American League - Willie Cerda, Texas - .294 AVG 47 HR 160 RBI
Cerda earns back-to-back MVP's in different leagues, winning last season's NL MVP, and ties the record for most MVP's overall with his 4th win.  Cerda was a key offseason free agency acquisition for Texas, leading the way to a record breaking regular season win total.  He lead the AL in Runs and RBI, won his 6th Silver Slugger Award, and made his 4th All-Star appearance.

National League - Don Sparks, Cleveland - .321 AVG 42 HR 132 RBI
Sparks caps off an outstanding season with his 2nd MVP award, as he also took home the trophy is Season 27.  Sparks lead the NL in Runs, Slugging and OPS, made his 2nd All-Star appearance and won his 2nd Silver Slugger award this season.  Pretty impressive feat for a 24 year-old to already have 2 MVP's in the bag, but it can't be said that it's not well-deserved.

CY YOUNG AWARD
American League - Randall Washington, Texas - 25-5 3.13 ERA 208 K
The AL Cy Young voting was pretty much vote for your favorite Texas pitcher, and in the end it was Washington that took the trophy, his first.  Washington posted the 2nd highest win total in Cobbfather history and made his 4th All-Star appearance this season.  The 29 year-old has had other Cy Young caliber seasons, but faced stiff competition, so good to see him finally bring one home this season.

National League - Red Collins, Florida - 19-6 2.51 ERA 205 K
Collins was a decisive winner in the NL Cy Young voting, giving the 31 year-old Florida hurler his 1st Cy Young trophy.  Collins lead the NL in ERA, WHIP and Strikeouts, and made his 2nd All-Star appearance, earning the win in a close 1-0 battle.  Like Washington, he's also had some amazing seasons where he was just edged out for the Cy Young, and broke the barrier this season.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
American League - Luis Gomez, Atlanta - 13-10 3.67 ERA 116 K
Gomez took the AL Rookie of the Year by a slim one vote margin.  He was thrown right into the fire, joining a stout Atlanta rotation and held his own.  While probably not an ace, Gomez should be capable of putting up some solid seasons, particularly if he's able to stay on teams that are as talented as the Atlanta squad is.

National League - Tony Villanueva, Montgomery - 21-6 3.65 ERA 126 K
The 21 year-old lefty Villanueva takes home the NL Rookie of the Year award with a breakout season that saw him finish 5th in the Cy Young voting.  Villanueva was a late season call-up in Season 29, and got hammered pretty hard.  He clearly put the poor experience behind him and bounced back to lead the NL in wins.  You don't see 21 wins for a rookie too often, it's a truly impressive feat.

FIREMAN OF THE YEAR
American League - Carlos Prieto, Texas - 3.32 ERA, 49 SV - 1st win
National League - Rodrigo Ontiveros, Las Vegas - 3.29 ERA 48 SV - 3rd win

SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS
American League
DH Benny Franco Cheyenne 4th
C Daisuke Masato Chicago 1st
1B Willie Cerda Texas 6th
2B Crash Cepeda San Francisco 3rd
3B Marshall Leach Atlanta 1st
SS Jaret Miller Atlanta 2nd
LF Michael Henn Pawtucket 1st
CF Paul Francoeur Texas 1st
RF Ryan Martin Pawtucket 1st
National League
P Steve Sheets Buffalo 1st
C Felix Yosida Florida 1st
1B Donaldo Javier Cleveland 1st
2B Ernie McEnerney Cleveland 1st
3B Brett Yarbrough Cleveland 1st
SS Willie Esposito Louisville 1st
LF Ken DuBose Los Angeles 1st
CF James Dillard Las Vegas 8th
RF Don Sparks Cleveland 2nd
GOLD GLOVE AWARDS
American League
P Yeico Oliva Atlanta 1st
C Felipe Zumaya Charleston 2nd
1B Vic Park Atlanta 5th
2B Terrell Titan Colorado Springs 1st
3B Alving Palmeiro Colorado Springs 4th
SS Ubaldo Trevino Chicago 2nd
LF Freddy Chang Colorado Springs 1st
CF Jose Ortiz New York 3rd
RF Ryan Martin Pawtucket 6th
National League
P Thomas Lyon Buffalo 3rd
C Cory Arnold Buffalo 1st
1B Stan Ford Las Vegas 1st
2B Ching-Lung Suzuki Louisville 3rd
3B Francisco Cerda Salt Lake City 1st
SS Wilfredo Javier Las Vegas 6th
LF Darren Mann Buffalo 1st
CF Alex Carrasco Dover 1st
RF Albert Pineda Florida 2nd

Friday, May 6, 2016

Season 30 League Leaders

Let's take a look at the Season 30 League Leaders!

All Time Top 5 Performances in Season 30
Wins - Randall Washington, Texas - 25 - Tied for 2nd All-Time
Quality Starts - Francisco Aramboles, Atlanta - 30 - Tied for 2nd All-Time
Complete Games - Stefen Seanez, St. Louis - 10 - Tied for 2nd All-Time
Shutouts - Dante O'Connor, Montgomery - 4 - Tied for 4th All-Time

Multiple Category Leaders
Benny Franco, Cheyenne (AL) - 4 - AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS
Don Sparks, Cleveland (NL) - 3 - Runs, SLG, OPS
Donaldo Javier, Cleveland (NL) - 3 - AVG, Hits, OBP
Red Collins, Florida (NL) - 3 -ERA, Strikeouts, WHIP
Willie Cerda, Texas (AL) - 2 - RBI, Runs
Edinson Hernandez, Montgomery (NL) - 2 - SB, Runs
Randall Washington, Texas (AL) - 2 - Wins, Shutouts
Francisco Aramboles, Atlanta (AL) - 2 - WHIP, Quality Starts
Dizzy Leonard, Colorado Springs (AL) - 2 - IP, Shutouts
Dante O'Connor, Montgomery (NL) - 2 - CG, Shutouts

Complete League Leaders
OFFENSE
American League
Batting Average Benny Franco Cheyenne .332
Home Runs Norman Berry Iowa City 55
RBI Willie Cerda Texas 160
Stolen Bases Dennis Brock Charleston 91
Hits Kenta Jang San Francisco 189
Runs Willie Cerda Texas 131
OBP Benny Franco Cheyenne .409
SLG Benny Franco Cheyenne .625
OPS Benny Franco Cheyenne 1.033
National League
Batting Average Donaldo Javier Cleveland .338
Home Runs J.T. Constanza Trenton 46
RBI Don Sparks Cleveland 132
Stolen Bases Edinson Hernandez Montgomery 55
Hits Donaldo Javier Cleveland 209
Runs Edinson Hernandez Montgomery 140
OBP Donaldo Javier Cleveland .422
SLG Don Sparks Cleveland .593
OPS Don Sparks Cleveland .976
PITCHING
American League
ERA Braeden Abercrombie San Francisco 2.39
Wins Randall Washington  Texas 25
Strikeouts Yeico Oliva Atlanta 244
Saves Carlos Prieto Texas 49
WHIP Francisco Aramboles Atlanta 1.02
Innings Pitched Dizzy Leonard Colorado Springs 271.1
Quality Starts Francisco Aramboles Atlanta 30
Complete Games Stefen Seanez St. Louis 10
Shutouts Randall Washington  Texas 2
Dizzy Leonard Colorado Springs 2
Oscar Patterson Colorado Springs 2
National League
ERA Red Collins Florida 2.51
Wins Tony Villanueva Montgomery 21
Strikeouts Red Collins Florida 205
Saves Rodrigo Ontiveros Las Vegas 48
WHIP Red Collins Florida 1.03
Innings Pitched Hugh Sexton Houston 236.2
Quality Starts Don Monahan Las Vegas 28
Complete Games Dante O'Connor Montgomery 6
Shutouts Dante O'Connor Montgomery 4

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Season 30 Final Power Rankings

The regular season is over, and as the start of the playoffs looms, it's time to check in with the final Power Rankings of Season 30.  #1 is Texas, of course, who capped off the season for the ages with an incredible 127 wins.  What a season indeed.  However, the best record over the last 40 games belongs to #2 Montgomery who posted a stellar 32-8 record down the stretch.  Atlanta comes in at #3 while Cheyenne and Salem round out the top 5.  Now for the biggest climbers and biggest falls since the last rankings!

Biggest Climbers: #14 Colorado Springs (+13), #12 Buffalo (+6), #13 Salt Lake City (+6), #11 Louisville (+4)

Biggest Falls: #20 San Francisco (-8), #18 Las Vegas (-7), #19 St. Louis (-5), #30 Iowa City (-4)

Good luck to all of the playoff teams, will Texas continue their stampede over the league or will one of the very good contenders knock them off and steal the crown?  It will be interesting to see.  Here are the complete rankings!

Pitching Offense LAST 40
Team W L PREV Rank Chg Rank Chg W L
1 Texas 127 35 1 1 0 1 0 31 9
2 Montgomery 110 52 4 2 0 2 11 32 8
3 Atlanta  100 62 2 3 0 3 -1 23 17
4 Cheyenne 101 61 5 5 0 10 -2 24 16
5 Salem 96 66 7 7 3 11 0 25 15
6 Florida 89 73 3 4 0 9 -2 19 21
7 Pawtucket 98 64 6 11 1 17 -2 25 15
8 Cleveland 86 76 9 9 -1 12 2 23 17
9 Monterrey 89 73 10 16 -3 6 0 20 20
10 New York (NL) 88 74 8 8 -2 14 -5 18 22
11 Louisville 83 79 15 19 1 13 -1 22 18
12 Buffalo  84 78 18 17 4 14 3 22 18
13 Salt Lake City 80 82 19 13 2 17 -1 23 17
14 Colorado Springs 81 81 27 20 9 21 0 22 18
15 Hartford 77 85 13 22 -3 4 6 20 20
16 Los Angeles 79 83 16 12 -1 19 -1 20 20
17 New York (AL) 80 82 17 6 1 30 0 21 19
18 Las Vegas 84 78 11 10 -1 24 -1 18 22
19 St. Louis 80 82 14 14 0 25 -1 19 21
20 San Francisco 75 87 12 22 -1 8 -5 16 24
21 Vancouver 73 89 21 24 0 16 3 20 20
22 Boston  69 93 20 26 1 6 -1 16 24
23 Seattle  72 90 24 18 0 22 -1 18 22
24 Chicago 69 93 22 29 -1 4 0 17 23
25 Dover 72 90 23 21 -4 29 2 19 21
26 Detroit 71 91 28 15 0 31 1 18 22
27 Charleston 70 92 25 25 0 23 -3 14 26
28 Milwaukee 68 94 29 27 3 27 2 20 20
29 Trenton 65 97 30 32 0 20 5 18 22
30 Iowa City 70 92 26 30 -4 28 -1 14 26
31 Charlotte  52 110 32 28 3 26 2 15 25
32 Houston 54 108 31 31 -8 32 -6 8 32