Quote:
Originally Posted by ifspuds
What happened to the Beavers this year? Have they lost some important pieces, or is it just a down year?
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The Beavers are 76-61, which gives them the seventh-best record in the major leagues. The Cubs have played very well, which might give the impression the Beavers have not. Portland won't win 100 games this year, but they're still a very good ballclub.
Josh Gibson (.380-34-119) is having a huge, huge year.
Chuck Klein is, well,
Chuck Klein (.369-24-126).
Roy Weatherly isn't hitting .370 this year, but he's still a very tough out (.325-9-99).
Ray Dandridge is hitting .305 with a .405 OBP, which is almost exactly where his OBP was last year.
The Beavers' pitching staff hasn't been quite as effective as it has in the past few seasons. The Beavs traded
Chris McPhee to the White Sox for pitcher
Gabriel de Klerk, and replaced McPhee in center field with 21-year-old
Max West. West has been OK, but de Klerk has struggled (8-15, 4.43).
Homer Blankenship has a 6-15 record and an ERA over 5.00.
Paul Baker's ERA is nearly a run higher than it was in 1937, and
Steve Larkin, who won 20 games last year, didn't even make the Beavers roster out of spring training.
Pedro Alba is a terrific pitching prospect, but he's only 18 and might need a few more years to develop into a regular big league starter. So, unless the Portland staff recovers some of its old magic, the Beavers' glory days might be over.