Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Season 32 Offseason Free Agency Tracker

Season 32 is upon us, and the free agency signing period is in full swing!  Although it's a pretty underwhelming free agent class that lacks star power, there's still some good players to be had!  Check back here periodically to see where all the top free agents land this offseason!


Old New Contract
Rank Player Pos Age Team Team Amount Years
1 Thomas Lyon SP 31 BUF MIL $47.5 M 5
Comments: Very reliable workhorse, but not a typical #1 FA staff ace 
2 Paul Burroughs SP 31 NY1 CLE $20.0 M 3
Comments: Lacks stamina, and splits are just ok, but rest of his ratings are great 
3 Walker Houston LF 28 CHY ATL $11.7 M 3
Comments: Great splits, elite batting eye and speed with some power, and only 28
4 Enrique Garces LF 34 ATL STL $19.4 M 4
Comments: He's aging, but still outstanding all-around, so he's still a very good asset
5 Ed Flair RP 27 NY1 PAW $50.5 M 5
Comments: Elite control and RH split, and nice stamina for a RP, and age is a plus
6 Skip Martin 3B 31 DOV MIL $22.3 M 3
Comments: Gold Glove caliber 3B with nice power, but low RH split and batting eye
7 Jesus Sanchez SP 31 DET TRE $61.1 M 5
Comments: Another reliable, but not ace starter, great control with mediocre splits
8 Michael Mancuso  C 30 TRE MTY $26.1 M 4
Comments: Good bat and serviceable as a C with a nice track record of past success
9 Erubiel Sosa LF 33 RIC CLE $5.8 M 2
Comments: Great speed/BR combo with nice splits, but lacks power for a LF type
10 Danny McPherson RP 30 BOS BOS $1.0 M 1
Comments: Seems to be underperforming his ratings, so there could be some upside
11 Harvey Talbot 3B 32 STL ATL $8.8 M 2
Comments: Passable as a 3B and a solid hitter with nice career numbers at the plate
12 Kevin Thurman RP 28 BUF BUF $1.2 M 1
Comments: Extremely durable reliever, weak RH split hasn't hurt his numbers so far
13 Stan Ford LF 31 LV LV $1.8 M 1
Comments: Solid all-around hitter who should put up decent numbers and a good LF
14 Willie Guerrero SP 34 CHR SAL $3.8 M 1
Comments: Pretty good ratings across the board, although low stamina will limit IP
15 Alex Alfonzo RP 38 LV LV $13.0 M 2
Comments: The ageless wonder still looks strong and could be a top setup guy again
16 Alving Henriquez 2B 28 TEX BOS $2.5 M 1
Comments: Was mostly a bench player for a loaded TEX squad, but could start
17 Sid Townsend RP 34 SLC LV $13.8 M 3
Comments: Ratings are good across the board, could be a good closer type 
18 Doc Kramer RP 30 CLE MTY $22.5 M 3
Comments: Plus ratings and splits, throws hard, although pitches don't rate high
19 Jiggs Schwartz 2B 30 CSP CSP $19.4 M 4
Comments: Excellent fielding 2B with a good batting eye and decent speed
20 Zephyr Field 3B 28 MTY ATL $6.8 M 2
Comments: Decent hitting ratings across the board, and looks to be solid in the field. 
21 Al Albaladejo RF 30 NY2 FAR $1.0 M 1
Comments: Elite batting eye, but lacking power for a corner OF, still solid though
22 Larry Sisco RP 27 LA CLE $4.8 M 2
Comments: Could be a useful RP, weak RH split is a concern, but solid otherwise
23 Dario Priest RF 29 LV SAL $3.8 M 2
Comments: Speedy RF with great range, but questionable glove for CF
24 Santiago Arroyo C 33 FLA ATL $3.2 M 2
Comments: Pretty solid defensively as a catcher and a plus-plus batting eye as well
25 Matty Gonzales SP 30 IA CHA $16.2 M 3
Comments: Interesting SP that keeps the ball down, but weak control is a concern

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Season 31 Wrap Up - Montgomery Takes it All!

Montgomery
Montgomery Mayhem (NL)
jake72
View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Montgomery is your Season 31 Champion!

Montgomery, who emerged as the dominant team in the NL this season, capped off a fantastic regular season with a 5 game series win over Texas to take the Season 31 crown.  Montgomery won the final four games of the series, giving the franchise their 1st World title.  Montgomery sported a well-balanced attack all season, finishing in the top 5 in both pitching and offense.  That certainly continued in the postseason, as they belted 26 Home Runs in 13 games, good for a .860 team OPS and also posted a 3.54 ERA.  It was a truly impressive run as Montgomery went 11-2 this postseason after winning 105 regular season games.

Runner-up Texas posted similar impressive offensive numbers in the postseason, but the pitching fell off in the World Series after an impressive run through the AL playoffs against some tough competition.  Still a great season for them, nonetheless.

That does it for Season 31, see you back for Season 32 after we fill a few openings!

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Season 31 Awards Recap

The hardware has been handed out for Season 31, so let's take a look at who won!

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
American League - Willie Cerda, Texas - .286 AVG 48 HR 130 RBI
The powerhouse slugger behind Cobbfather's #1 ranked team takes home his second straight AL MVP, which is also his 5th overall, a feat no other player in Cobbfather history has accomplished. Cerda also made his 5th All-Star appearance, while leading the AL in runs this season.  He also hit his 600th career home run. Oddly enough, this season was one of Cerda's worst out of the past several and he still takes home the MVP!  Cerda is truly one of the all-time Cobbfather greats.

National League - Don Sparks, Cleveland - .294 AVG 51 HR 120 RBI 27 SB
Sparks was won the NL MVP for the second straight year, giving him 3 MVP's overall.  The kicker is, he's only 25!  Guess he has his eyes on the record just set by his AL counterpart.  Sparks led the NL in Home Runs and Hits, and also won his 3rd Silver Slugger award in Season 31.  He's accomplished more through his Age 25 season than most do their entire career.  It will be interesting to see how many honors he ends up racking up.

CY YOUNG AWARD
American League - Chick Munson, Texas - 17-6 2.80 ERA 212 K
Winning by a single vote, the Texas hurler Munson finally took home his first Cy Young award after a number of outstanding seasons.  He lead the AL in WHIP and tied for the league lead in shutouts with 3.  Looking over his career stats, it's amazing this is his first Cy Young win.  It just shows what incredible competition there is for the trophy.  At only age 27, he could still win another or even multiple trophies in the future.

National League - Quilvio Odor, Montgomery - 20-5 2.68 ERA 175 K
It's a first-time winner in the NL too, as the 23 year-old Montgomery lefty takes home the trophy. After a shaky rookie campaign, Odor came back in his second season to lead the NL in Wins and Quality Starts will posting tremendous ERA and WHIP numbers.  He also made his 1st All-Star appearance this season.  Odor seems to have a tremendous future ahead of him, with this season appearing to match his abilities more than his rookie campaign.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
American League - Cla White, Charleston - 2.70 ERA 27 SV 77 K
It's the Charleston closer who was named Rookie of the Year, who pitched some in middle relief as well and excelled in both roles.  White is a hard throwing righty with excellent command and good pitch quality with an ability to keep the ball on the ground.  It's hard to find weaknesses in his make-up and it seems he should be one of the top relievers in Cobbfather for seasons to come, whether it be in middle relief or as a closer.

American League - Pedro Castillo, New York - 14-5 2.82 ERA 125 K
The 24 year-old crafty lefty from New York took home the NL Rookie of the Year trophy, baffling batters while putting up great numbers this season.  The number 34 pick in the Season 28 draft is showing so far that he was a steal.  He looks like he'll be extremely solid going forward, with no major weaknesses in his arsenal, although limited durability will prevent him from being a workhorse. Castillo also made the All-Star team this season.

FIREMAN OF THE YEAR
American League - Bob Berg, Cheyenne - 1.27 ERA, 44 SV, 1st win
National League - Juan Belliard, Trenton, 1.82 ERA, 43 SV, 1st win

SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS
American League
DH Albert Cruz Milwaukee 9th
C Sean Dahl Atlanta 2nd
1B Michael Henn Pawtucket 2nd
2B Wandy Guillen Cheyenne 1st
3B Junior Roberts Cheyenne 1st
SS Philip Vasquez Cheyenne 2nd
LF Vic Park Texas 1st
CF Raul Galvez Salem 2nd
RF Vladimir Troncoso Texas 5th

National League
P Victor Elcano Houston 1st
C Derrick Frank Dover 1st
1B Don Sparks Cleveland 3rd
2B Oswaldo Blanco Vancouver 3rd
3B Willie Tejeda New York 1st
SS Kirt Raggio Chicago 2nd
LF Felipe Bennett Chicago 1st
CF Hod Haynes Vancouver 1st
RF Wiki Unamuno Montgomery 3rd

GOLD GLOVE AWARDS
American League
P Yeico Oliva Atlanta 2nd
C Christopher Martin Milwaukee 1st
1B Alex Mercedes Atlanta 2nd
2B Davey Wilkins Montreal 1st
3B Tony Cassevah Salem 1st
SS Ubaldo Trevino Montreal 3rd
LF Donaldo Javier Pawtucket 1st
CF Wilfredo Rincon Boston 2nd
RF Patrick Browne Iowa City 1st

National League
P Groucho Leiter New York 1st
C Garland Cirillo Monterrey 1st
1B Stan Ford Las Vegas 2nd
2B Ching-Lung Suzuki Louisville 4th
3B Cesar Rosado Houston 1st
SS Ugueth Perez Montgomery 1st
LF Pepper Gonzales Louisville 1st
CF J.T. Constanza Trenton 1st
RF Dario Priest Las Vegas 1st

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Season 31 League Leaders

With the regular season in the books, let's take a look at Season 31's League Leaders!

All-Time Top 5 Performances in Season 31
None

Multiple Category Leaders
Mitchell Sweeney, New York (NL) - 3 - HR, RBI, SLG
Felipe Bennett, Chicago (NL) - 3 - AVG, OBP, OPS
Francisco Aramboles, Atlanta (AL) - 3 - W, K, QS
Randall Washington, Texas (AL) - 3 - IP, CG, Shutouts
Robert Hamilton, Montreal (AL) - 2 - HR, RBI
Benny Franco, Cheyenne (AL) - 2 - SLG, OPS
Don Sparks, Cleveland (NL) - 2 - HR, H
Fergie Lockwood, Montreal (AL) - 2 - ERA, Shutouts
Don Monahan, Las Vegas (NL) - 2 - ERA, WHIP
Quilvio Odor, Montgomery (NL) - 2 - W, QS
Felix Tanaka, Cleveland (NL) - 2 - IP, CG
Don Martin, New York (NL) - 2 - CG, Shutouts

LEAGUE LEADERS
OFFENSE
American League
Batting Average Michael Henn Pawtucket .330
Home Runs Robert Hamilton Montreal 53
RBI Robert Hamilton Montreal 142
Stolen Bases Lonny Guzman New York 65
Hits Vic Park Texas 194
Runs Willie Cerda Texas 123
OBP Wandy Guillen Cheyenne .442
SLG Benny Franco Cheyenne .607
OPS Benny Franco Cheyenne 1.034
National League
Batting Average Felipe Bennett Chicago .339
Home Runs Don Sparks Cleveland 51
Mitchell Sweeney New York 51
RBI Mitchell Sweeney New York 139
Stolen Bases Oscar Masaoka Cleveland 61
Hits Don Sparks Cleveland 197
Runs Edinson Hernandez Montgomery 139
OBP Felipe Bennett Chicago .417
SLG Mitchell Sweeney New York .582
OPS Felipe Bennett Chicago .982
PITCHING
American League
ERA Fergie Lockwood Montreal 2.33
Wins Francisco Aramboles Atlanta 19
Strikeouts Francisco Aramboles Atlanta 227
Saves Bob Berg Cheyenne 44
WHIP Chick Munson Texas 1.00
Innings Pitched Randall Washington  Texas 253.1
Quality Starts Francisco Aramboles Atlanta 29
Complete Games Randall Washington  Texas 7
Shutouts Randall Washington  Texas 3
Chick Munson Texas 3
Fergie Lockwood Montreal 3
National League
ERA Don Monahan Las Vegas 2.02
Wins Quilviio Odor Montgomery 20
Strikeouts Ryan Fisher Dover 205
Saves Rodrigo Ontiveros Las Vegas 47
WHIP Don Monahan Las Vegas 0.96
Innings Pitched Felix Tanaka Cleveland 235.0
Quality Starts Quilviio Odor Montgomery 26
Complete Games Don Martin New York 5
Felix Tanaka Cleveland 5
Shutouts Don Martin New York 3

Friday, August 5, 2016

Season 31 Final Power Rankings

The regular season is over, so before the playoffs start, let's check in with the final power rankings!  Back on top, where they haven't been since the preseason rankings, is Texas, who finished with the best record overall and since the last power rankings.  At #2 it's a 105 win Montgomery team who finished strong as well.  Florida checks in at #3, while Cheyenne is #4, with their top rated offense.  Salem jumps into the top 5, up 4 spots, with a nice stretch run.  Now for the biggest climbers and biggest falls since the last rankings!

Biggest Climbers: #6 New York (AL) (+9), #15 Detroit (+8), #13 Buffalo (+5), #27 Houston (+5)

Biggest Falls: #25 St. Louis (-12), #31 Colorado Springs (-7), #17 Vancouver (-6)

Best of luck to the playoff teams!  Will it be one of the 100-win teams to take it all or an underdog that emerges?  It will be interesting to see.  In the meantime, here are the complete rankings!

Pitching Offense LAST 41
Team  W L PREV Rank Chg Rank Chg W L
1 Texas 109 53 2 2 0 3 3 30 11
2 Montgomery 105 57 3 4 1 2 2 29 12
3 Florida 104 58 5 1 0 10 3 25 16
4 Cheyenne 104 58 1 11 -3 1 0 24 17
5 Salem 94 68 9 13 1 9 0 27 14
6 New York (AL) 90 72 15 6 3 13 8 28 13
7 Cleveland 92 70 4 3 0 12 -1 20 21
8 Atlanta  89 73 10 18 2 5 3 24 17
9 New York (NL) 87 75 6 10 1 6 -3 20 21
10 Salt Lake City 92 70 7 5 -1 21 -6 22 19
11 Pawtucket 92 70 8 7 -1 25 -1 21 20
12 Las Vegas 86 76 16 7 2 23 2 23 18
13 Buffalo  84 78 18 15 -2 17 1 23 18
14 Montreal 82 80 12 17 0 13 -3 20 21
15 Detroit 82 80 23 19 4 15 1 22 19
16 Dover 85 77 14 13 1 20 -4 17 24
17 Vancouver 81 81 11 26 1 3 -1 19 22
18 Chicago 79 83 21 30 1 8 -3 20 21
19 Monterrey 67 95 17 24 0 7 0 17 24
20 Louisville 81 81 19 23 3 19 0 19 22
21 Boston  72 90 25 31 -2 10 2 20 21
22 Charleston 74 88 22 16 -2 24 -1 19 22
23 Milwaukee 74 88 20 22 -4 15 4 16 25
24 Trenton 69 93 27 20 1 26 2 23 18
25 St. Louis 71 91 13 9 -2 28 -2 13 28
26 Los Angeles 65 97 26 12 0 30 0 19 22
27 Houston 61 101 32 26 -1 29 0 21 20
28 Iowa City 70 92 30 28 0 31 0 20 21
29 San Francisco 68 94 28 25 -3 27 0 16 25
30 Charlotte  60 102 29 29 1 21 1 16 25
31 Colorado Springs 69 93 24 32 0 18 -4 12 29
32 Seattle  54 108 31 21 -2 32 0 11 30