Season 24 is under way, and we'll start the blog coverage with a recap of free agency! This offseason's free agency period was a great if you were looking for a good starting pitcher, not so much if you needed an impact bat. What made the free agency period interesting was that many of the top players available were older, making teams weigh how much to give these stars who may soon be entering their decline phase. There were some interesting signings for sure, so let's recap those selected as the top 10 of this year's free agent class!
1. Pascual Hernandez, 30, LF
Previous Team: Buffalo
Signed with Houston - 5 years, $107.1 million
Houston made another big splash this offseason in signing another huge bat to their lineup and our top rated free agent. Hernandez has a monster bat with elite power as well as contact. In a free agency class with few strong bats, this was the guy to land, and he'll be a huge asset to an already solid Houston lineup.
2. Tony Lopez, 34, SP
Previous Team: Los Angeles
Re-signed with Los Angeles - 5 years, $110 million
Our #2 free agent of this offseason didn't end up going anywhere, as he re-upped with Los Angeles with a max contract. He's had a great deal of success in Los Angeles, with a microscopic 2.69 ERA that ranks 2nd in Cobbfather world history. Retaining Lopez was key for LA, in maintaining one of the best pitching staffs in the world.
3. Dioner Ontiveros, 32, SP
Previous Team: Charlotte
Signed with Las Vegas - 5 years, $97 million
Onitveros has elite ratings pretty much across the board with great control, velocity, effectiveness vs. RH, and a very good arsenal of pitches. The main knock on Ontiveros is his durability, which may limit his innings to the 160-180 range. Still, those will be high quality innings, and Las Vegas definitely improved their staff with this signing.
4. Groucho Leiter, 28, SP
Previous Team: Austin
Signed with Florida - 5 years, $49 million
Leiter is the youngest player on the list, and that is a major asset, as there won't be concerns about age related decline with him towards the end of the contract. His ratings aren't as elite as some of the other hurlers on the list, but he still has plus control, velocity and a nice arsenal of pitches. His splits are just ok, but given his age and the fact he went for a lot less than the other top SP's makes this a good signing.
5. Mendy Kondou, 35, 3B/RF
Previous Team: Dover
Signed with Boston - 4 years, $32 million
At age 35, Mendy can still hit, with an elite batting eye and plus contact, he should be a valuable asset to the Boston lineup this season. The age, of course, is the biggest drawback to the 9-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner, as it remains to be seen how progressive his decline will be after this season. Still, for Boston who is in win-now mode, it was probably worth the risk in a free agent class with a limited number of impact bats.
6. Clinton McNeil, 30, SP
Previous Team: Ottawa
Signed with Durham - 5 years, $33.8 million
McNeil is one of the younger hurlers on the list with plus durability, control, splits and has pretty nice pitches. His stamina is going to limit the number of innings he can go, probably to around 160-175. He is still a very good pitcher however, and was obtained at a nice price, so you can't fault Durham for going after him, as he will be an upgrade to their staff.
7. Victor Almanzar, 36, SP
Previous Team: Boston
Signed with San Francisco - 4 years, $77.5 million
Almanzar is still a top of the line starter with plus ratings across the board, and he went to a team in desperate need of pitching. He should greatly help the San Francisco rotation this season, and should have at least a couple of more good seasons left, despite his age. He will surely be missed in Boston!
8. Emmanuel Cora, 35, SP
Previous Team: Pawtucket
Signed with San Juan - 2 years, $12 million
Cora is still a solid, dependable arm at age 35, with nice ratings across the board. He will definitely be an asset to San Juan at a good price. It appears in this very deep class of starting pitchers, he may have been overlooked for some of the bigger names. Definitely a nice signing for San Juan!
9. Carlos Pena, 37, RP
Previous Team: Houston
Signed with Durham - 2 years, $16.5 million
Pena comes in as the top reliever on our board in this free agent class, as he still has outstanding pitches, great control and velocity and nice splits, even at age 37. A 2-year deal seems right for him, as he should be able to perform highly for that length of time without significant decline. It's a nice add for Durham's bullpen, indeed.
10. Alberto Beltre, 39, SP
Previous Team: Durham
Signed with Pawtucket - 4 years $27.5 million
Cobbfather's new all-time strikeout king is still going strong, as evidenced by his ability to land a 4-year deal at age 39. He still has good control and pitches and an elite RH split. He hasn't regressed all that much, which shows some pitchers can maintain high quality longer than you might think. It will be interesting to see how long the strikeout king keeps churning.
That concludes our recap of a very interesting offseason free agency period, congrats to all that landed key free agents!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Season 23 Wrap Up - Dover completes the three-peat
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Dover is your Season 23 Cobbfather champion, becoming the first team in World history to win three consecutive titles. Three other teams had won back-to-back titles, but none could complete the three-peat until now. It wasn't an easy road for Dover to the World Series, as they fell behind Pittsburgh 2-1 in the Divsional Series and were down 2-0 to Florida in the NLCS. Once they got to the main event, they breezed through, sweeping Charlotte 4-0 to take the crown. Charlotte was coming off an incredibly tough battle with #1 Atlanta in the ALCS, squeezing out a close 4-3 win. They just did not have much left after that, but it was a great season for them nonetheless, as the franchise was making its first postseason appearance since Season 14.
An interesting element to the Dover story is, of course, that they switched owners in the offseason when jiml60 retired. wylie715 stepped in, and kept the success going, despite losing a key free agent or two in the offseason. This happened to be wylie's first HBD title, so a hearty congrats to him indeed.
Thanks to all for making Season 23 a great one, don't forget to renew your teams, and we'll be back soon for Season 24 after a hopefully quick rollover!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Season 23 Award Winners
With the World Series going on, it also means Awards time, so let's look at who took home the hardware in Season 23!
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
American League - Albert Cruz, Pawtucket - .322 AVG 51 HR 139 RBI
Cruz won the AL MVP in a blowout, with a tremendous season that saw him league the lead in Slugging and OPS, while finishing top 3 in the triple crown categories. This is his 2nd consecutive MVP award, a very impressive feat for the 23 year old. No player in Cobbfather history has won 3 MVP awards, much less three in a row, so it looks like Cruz could be the first on both counts.
National League - Willie Cerda, Little Rock - .323 AVG 61 HR 138 RBI
Cerda won his first MVP with a dominant season where he led the NL in Home Runs, Runs, Slugging and OPS. Cerda keeps the streak alive, becoming the 17th different NL MVP in the past 17 seasons. Given what an incredible bat Cerda has, and the fact that he is only 25 years old, that streak could be ending very soon.
CY YOUNG AWARD
American League - Ron Gross, Pawtucket - 18-3 2.68 ERA 171 K
Gross took the Cy Young award in a year there wasn't a dominant AL pitcher, but several very good ones, making Pawtucket the home of both the MVP and Cy Young winner. Gross's 18-3 record and very good ERA is what likely stood out to voters. This was his first Cy Young win.
National League - Don Monahan, Dover - 20-2 2.07 ERA 241 K
Unlike the AL, the NL did have a dominant pitcher, making the Cy Young voting a no-brainer. On top of winning the pitching triple crown, Monahan also led the league in Innings Pitched and Quality Starts. Monahan has compiled a ridiculous 93-13 record in 4 and a half seasons with Dover. This is his 2nd Cy Young win, also taking the award in Season 20.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
American League - Gregory Evans, Trenton - 13-9 2.50 ERA 134 K
Evans impressed with a stellar rookie campaign for Trenton to take home the AL Rookie of the Year award. Evans looks legit, and should be a future contender for the Cy Young award. He won't strike out a ton of guys, but has a very crafty arsenal that should make him elite for seasons to come.
National League - Lefty Leverton, Buffalo - 17-7 3.02 ERA 171 K
Leverton was a workhorse for Buffalo, posting great stats in route to capturing the NL Rookie of the Year title. Leverton should be able to throw a ton of quality innings for many seasons to come. He might not quite be elite, but he will be a solid workhorse and a valuable asset to any rotation.
FIREMAN OF THE YEAR
American League - Gus Masaoka, Atlanta - 3.20 ERA 48 SV, 1st win
National League - Will Ogden, Dover - 3.10 ERA 45 SV, 1st win
Silver Slugger Awards
American League
National League
Gold Glove Awards
American League
National League
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
American League - Albert Cruz, Pawtucket - .322 AVG 51 HR 139 RBI
Cruz won the AL MVP in a blowout, with a tremendous season that saw him league the lead in Slugging and OPS, while finishing top 3 in the triple crown categories. This is his 2nd consecutive MVP award, a very impressive feat for the 23 year old. No player in Cobbfather history has won 3 MVP awards, much less three in a row, so it looks like Cruz could be the first on both counts.
National League - Willie Cerda, Little Rock - .323 AVG 61 HR 138 RBI
Cerda won his first MVP with a dominant season where he led the NL in Home Runs, Runs, Slugging and OPS. Cerda keeps the streak alive, becoming the 17th different NL MVP in the past 17 seasons. Given what an incredible bat Cerda has, and the fact that he is only 25 years old, that streak could be ending very soon.
CY YOUNG AWARD
American League - Ron Gross, Pawtucket - 18-3 2.68 ERA 171 K
Gross took the Cy Young award in a year there wasn't a dominant AL pitcher, but several very good ones, making Pawtucket the home of both the MVP and Cy Young winner. Gross's 18-3 record and very good ERA is what likely stood out to voters. This was his first Cy Young win.
National League - Don Monahan, Dover - 20-2 2.07 ERA 241 K
Unlike the AL, the NL did have a dominant pitcher, making the Cy Young voting a no-brainer. On top of winning the pitching triple crown, Monahan also led the league in Innings Pitched and Quality Starts. Monahan has compiled a ridiculous 93-13 record in 4 and a half seasons with Dover. This is his 2nd Cy Young win, also taking the award in Season 20.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
American League - Gregory Evans, Trenton - 13-9 2.50 ERA 134 K
Evans impressed with a stellar rookie campaign for Trenton to take home the AL Rookie of the Year award. Evans looks legit, and should be a future contender for the Cy Young award. He won't strike out a ton of guys, but has a very crafty arsenal that should make him elite for seasons to come.
National League - Lefty Leverton, Buffalo - 17-7 3.02 ERA 171 K
Leverton was a workhorse for Buffalo, posting great stats in route to capturing the NL Rookie of the Year title. Leverton should be able to throw a ton of quality innings for many seasons to come. He might not quite be elite, but he will be a solid workhorse and a valuable asset to any rotation.
FIREMAN OF THE YEAR
American League - Gus Masaoka, Atlanta - 3.20 ERA 48 SV, 1st win
National League - Will Ogden, Dover - 3.10 ERA 45 SV, 1st win
Silver Slugger Awards
American League
| DH | Crash Meacham | Atlanta | 2nd |
| C | Michael Minor | Pawtucket | 1st |
| 1B | Albert Cruz | Pawtucket | 2nd |
| 2B | Philip Vasquez | San Francisco | 1st |
| 3B | Brooks Gose | Trenton | 2nd |
| SS | James Dillard | Charlotte | 2nd |
| LF | Neifi Gandarillas | Louisville | 1st |
| CF | Joshua Hendrick | San Juan | 1st |
| RF | Vladimir Troncoso | San Juan | 1st |
National League
| P | Daniel Haselman | Little Rock | 1st |
| C | Santiago Arroyo | Buffalo | 1st |
| 1B | Greg Riley | Texas | 2nd |
| 2B | Steve Hansell | Florida | 1st |
| 3B | Dustan Jackson | Houston | 4th |
| SS | Gail Roberts | Texas | 1st |
| LF | Willie Cerda | Little Rock | 1st |
| CF | Gary Harvey | Florida | 1st |
| RF | Carlos Trevino | Little Rock | 2nd |
Gold Glove Awards
American League
| P | Kyle Gibson | Pawtucket | 1st |
| C | Bob Tucker | New York | 2nd |
| 1B | Jose Tavarez | Albuquerque | 1st |
| 2B | Joe Foster | San Juan | 3rd |
| 3B | Benjamin Delcarmen | Rochester | 5th |
| SS | Hector Charles | Rochester | 1st |
| LF | Tomas Sanches | Colorado Springs | 1st |
| CF | Ariel Espinoza | Charlotte | 2nd |
| RF | Wilfredo Chavez | Trenton | 2nd |
National League
| P | Bryant Landrum | Florida | 1st |
| C | Napoleon Mullin | Florida | 1st |
| 1B | Javier Perez | Buffalo | 1st |
| 2B | Ching-Lung Suzuki | Austin | 1st |
| 3B | Felipe Olivares | Salt Lake City | 2nd |
| SS | Esteban James | Pittsburgh | 10th |
| LF | Harry Amarista | Austin | 1st |
| CF | Eli Espinosa | Texas | 2nd |
| RF | Ryan Martin | Seattle | 1st |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Season 23 League Leaders
With the regular season complete for Season 23, let's take a look at those who achieved league leader status this season!
OFFENSE
American League
In the AL, three players led multiple categories. Eugene Brantley of Tampa Bay took home the batting title (.325) and led the league in hits (195). Boston's Kendry Lunar took home the Home Run (54) and RBI (139) titles. Albert Cruz of Pawtucket finished tops in Slugging (.655) and OPS (1.072). He also had near misses finishing 3rd in batting average and 2nd in Home Runs and RBI, making him a leading contender for MVP. Here are your AL Offensive League Leaders!
National League
Two players dominated the NL offensive categories this season. Greg Riley of Texas led the NL in Batting Average (.345), RBI (144) and Hits (217). He just missed the triple crown coming in 2nd in Home Runs with 57. The player who finished first in Home Runs (62) was Willie Cerda of Little Rock who also led the NL in Runs (123), Slugging (.709) and OPS (1.106). His OPS mark was the 5th highest in Cobbfather history. Needless to say, it's probably between these two guys for MVP. Here are the rest of the NL Offensive Leaders
PITCHING
American League
The only multiple category leader in AL pitching was Charlotte's Terry Cameron who led the AL in Innings Pitched (239), Quality Starts (26) and Complete Games (5). Francisco Aramboles of Atlanta gets a mention for tying the 3rd highest strikeout total in Cobbfather history with 246. Here are the rest of the pitching leaders in the AL.
National League
For Season 23, this section belongs to Don Monahan of Dover. He won the pitching triple crown in the NL by leading the league in ERA (2.07), Wins (20), and Strikeouts (241). He also led the NL in Innings Pitched (247.1) and set a new all-time Cobbfather record for Quality Starts with 31. I think this guy may deserve some consideration for the Cy Young Award. Here is the full list of NL Pitching leaders.
Congratulations to all that made the League Leaders list this season!
OFFENSE
American League
In the AL, three players led multiple categories. Eugene Brantley of Tampa Bay took home the batting title (.325) and led the league in hits (195). Boston's Kendry Lunar took home the Home Run (54) and RBI (139) titles. Albert Cruz of Pawtucket finished tops in Slugging (.655) and OPS (1.072). He also had near misses finishing 3rd in batting average and 2nd in Home Runs and RBI, making him a leading contender for MVP. Here are your AL Offensive League Leaders!
| Batting Average | Eugene Brantley | Tampa Bay | .325 |
| Home Runs | Kendry Lunar | Boston | 54 |
| RBI | Kendry Lunar | Boston | 144 |
| Stolen Bases | Jose Tavarez | Albuquerque | 85 |
| Hits | Eugene Brantley | Tampa Bay | 195 |
| Runs | Vern Connelly | Louisville | 147 |
| OBP | Joey Ryan | Louisville | .419 |
| SLG | Albert Cruz | Pawtucket | .655 |
| OPS | Albert Cruz | Pawtucket | 1.072 |
National League
Two players dominated the NL offensive categories this season. Greg Riley of Texas led the NL in Batting Average (.345), RBI (144) and Hits (217). He just missed the triple crown coming in 2nd in Home Runs with 57. The player who finished first in Home Runs (62) was Willie Cerda of Little Rock who also led the NL in Runs (123), Slugging (.709) and OPS (1.106). His OPS mark was the 5th highest in Cobbfather history. Needless to say, it's probably between these two guys for MVP. Here are the rest of the NL Offensive Leaders
| Batting Average | Greg Riley | Texas | .345 |
| Home Runs | Willie Cerda | Little Rock | 62 |
| RBI | Greg Riley | Texas | 144 |
| Stolen Bases | Yoshinori Ni | Texas | 65 |
| Hits | Greg Riley | Texas | 217 |
| Runs | Willie Cerda | Little Rock | 123 |
| OBP | Javier Perez | Buffalo | .416 |
| SLG | Willie Cerda | Little Rock | .709 |
| OPS | Willie Cerda | Little Rock | 1.106 |
PITCHING
American League
The only multiple category leader in AL pitching was Charlotte's Terry Cameron who led the AL in Innings Pitched (239), Quality Starts (26) and Complete Games (5). Francisco Aramboles of Atlanta gets a mention for tying the 3rd highest strikeout total in Cobbfather history with 246. Here are the rest of the pitching leaders in the AL.
| ERA | Dioner Ontiveros | Charlotte | 2.30 |
| Wins | Alex Satou | Pawtucket | 18 |
| Ron Gross | Pawtucket | 18 | |
| Thomas Hutchinson | Atlanta | 18 | |
| Strikeouts | Francisco Aramboles | Atlanta | 246 |
| Saves | Gus Masaoka | Atlanta | 48 |
| WHIP | Gregory Evans | Trenton | 1.02 |
| Innings Pitched | Terry Cameron | Charlotte | 239.0 |
| Quality Starts | Terry Cameron | Charlotte | 26 |
| Complete Games | Terry Cameron | Charlotte | 5 |
| Shutouts | 4 Tied | 2 |
National League
For Season 23, this section belongs to Don Monahan of Dover. He won the pitching triple crown in the NL by leading the league in ERA (2.07), Wins (20), and Strikeouts (241). He also led the NL in Innings Pitched (247.1) and set a new all-time Cobbfather record for Quality Starts with 31. I think this guy may deserve some consideration for the Cy Young Award. Here is the full list of NL Pitching leaders.
| ERA | Don Monahan | Dover | 2.07 |
| Wins | Don Monahan | Dover | 20 |
| Strikeouts | Don Monahan | Dover | 241 |
| Saves | Will Ogden | Dover | 45 |
| WHIP | Felipe Chantres | Florida | 1.00 |
| Innings Pitched | Don Monahan | Dover | 247.1 |
| Quality Starts | Don Monahan | Dover | 31 |
| Complete Games | 4 Tied | 5 | |
| Shutouts | Matt Stokes | Ottawa | 3 |
Congratulations to all that made the League Leaders list this season!
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