2081: Desperation in Denver - Page 12

jamus23 · 11-17-2007, 04:56 PM

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

AT

The Nashville Predators (82-80)

Going up against Mose Urick again promised to be a tall task, and indeed, the Broncos were held to just four hits, and one lonely run driven in by Asbel Fuentez with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. What was not expected, was that that single run would be all Denver needed to even the series at two games apiece. And yet it was. Topping Urick's strong performance, was the Broncos' Christopher Kirk, who threw a complete game, 7-hit shutout, with no walks and five strikeouts.

Around the league:

Miami and Tucson battled back and forth for seven innings, until the Dolphins broke open a 3-3 game with a three run seventh inning. Reliever George Carolan then pitched out of a bases-loaded, nobody out situation in the ninth inning, and Miami evened the series at 2 games apiece. Slugger Roy Springs had 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored for the Dolphins.

Buffalo struck for three unearned runs in the first three innings of Game Four, and the Bills evened their series with the Sharks at 2 games apiece with a 3-1 victory. Left-hander Paul Hilson pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowed only 5 hits and the 1 run, and struck out 7 batters.

Pittsburgh quickly built a 2-0 lead over San Diego in Game Four, on the strength of homeruns from Javier Rael and Augustine Oatman in the first and second innings, respectively. Coupled with an impressive start by Jay Marrone, who allowed just 1 run in 7 innings, and whiffed 10 batters, it looked as though the Pirates would take a commanding lead in the series. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Salamon Alvarez delivered a game-tying, pinch hit, RBI double. Then, in the bottom of the 11th inning, Manuel Alarcon, who had replaced third-baseman Adam Chilson after he was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing a strikeout call, slammed a game-winning homerun. With the 3-2 victory, the Padres tied up their series at two games apiece with Pittsburgh.

jamus23 · 11-17-2007, 07:37 PM

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

AT

The Nashville Predators (82-80)

If you wanted to describe Game Five in one word, with regards to the Broncos, that word would be: Disaster.

Kenny Pillsbury got rocked, and he neither got help from his fielders nor helped himself with the glove. Nashville tagged Pillsbury for 9 runs in 5 1/3 innings, and only 4 of those runs were earned because Denver committed 5 errors in the contest, including one by Pillsbury himself. Pillsbury also found himself struggling to find the strikezone at times, as he walked 4 batters, and on two occasions, walked in runs.

The Broncos' lineup was held at bay for most of the game, mustering only 2 runs late in the game when the outcome was all but decided already. Fittingly, the final out of the game involved Asbel Fuentez getting picked off of first base.

Nashville's 10-2 thumping of Denver gives them a 3 games to 2 advantage in the series.

Around the league:

Once more, Tucson's Cleveland Lauria shut down Miami, and the Diamondbacks won 4-2 over the Dolphins to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the series. Lauria went 8 innings, allowed just 2 runs, and whiffed 9 batters. Tucson's Thomas Stallman hit his fourth homerun of the series. Miami infielder Bill Tovar left the game with an injury, and will miss at least the remainder of the series.

It was the Roger Salazar show in Buffalo, as the Sharks took a 3 games to 2 lead over the Bills with a 6-0 victory. Not only did Salazar toss a 2-hit shutout, but he collected 2 hits, including a triple, and both drove in a run and scored a run.

Pittsburgh raced to a big lead over San Diego, scoring 4 runs in the first inning. After the Padres crept to within 4-2 after five innings, the Pirates put the nail in the coffin with a 4 run sixth inning, and another run in the seventh, to lead 9-2. San Diego managed two more runs, but Pittsburgh took a 3 games to 2 lead with the 9-4 whipping. Veteran shortstop Dean White had 4 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored for the Pirates.

jamus23 · 11-18-2007, 02:51 PM

The Nashville Predators (82-80)

AT

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

Ray Lockridge and Alexis Vazquez stepped up for the Broncos in a 4-1 victory over the Predators that forced a seventh game in this series. Lockridge threw a complete game, 5-hitter, and struck out 7 batters. Vazquez, who came into the game with no RBI in the series, had 2 hits and 3 RBI. His two run homerun in the fifth inning broke open a 2-0 game and made it 4-0.

Around the league:

The Dolphins forced a seventh game in this divisional round series with a seemingly inexorable onslaught of runs. Tucson struck first with a run in the top of the first inning, but Miami followed with two runs in the first, one run in the second, and a run in the third to make it 4-1. The Diamondbacks inched within two runs by scoring in the fourth inning, but the Dolphins followed with runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make it a 6-2 game. Tucson got on the board one final time, with a run in the eighth inning, but Miami ended any further discussion with a four run eighth inning. The Dolphins prevailed by a score of 10-3, banging out 16 hits in the game. Every batter for Miami reached base at least once in the game, and every batter managed to either drive in a run or score a run.

The Bills led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning on the strength of homeruns by Rodrigo Rios and Fred Claire, but the Sharks scored twice in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. In the seventh inning, San Jose blew open the game with a four run outburst. The 7-2 lead held up, and the Sharks became the first team to clinch its series. San Jose will now await the winner of the San Diego-Pittsburgh series. Rightfielder James Lumsden delivered 3 hits and 3 RBI in the game. Starting pitcher Benito Ortiz pitched 7 innings and struck out 8 batters.

Andrew Burdick lifted the Padres onto his shoulders and carried them to a seventh game. Burdick homered twice in the first two innings, and San Diego built a 6-2 lead on the Pirates. The Padres cruised to a 9-4 victory to force Game 7. Burdick finished with 5 RBI in the game, and thirdbaseman Adam Chilson contributed with 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Starter Carlos Lozoya wasn't as sharp as he could have been, but he still punched out 12 Pirates' batters in just 6 innings.

jamus23 · 11-18-2007, 03:20 PM

The Nashville Predators (82-80)

AT

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

Once more, the Broncos had to go up against Mose Urick. This time, it was do or die. Win, and they would move on. Lose, and start heading south and west for the warmer golf courses.

For three innings, Urick and Robert McNett matched each other, putting up zeros. In the fourth, however, the Predators squeezed out a run. The game remained 1-0 through the bottom of the fourth. And through five innings. Six innings. Seven innings. In the top of the eighth inning, McNett left the mound, having allowed just 5 hits and the 1 run in 7 1/3 innings pitched.

Finally, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Asbel Fuentez came through with a run-scoring groundout to tie the game up. In the ninth inning, Urick headed for the showers, having pitched 8 2/3 innings, with only 5 hits and 1 run alllowed.

The game headed to extra-innings. In the top of the tenth, Nashville could manage nothing. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Ellis Bolling stepped to the plate with two runners aboard. He had done little in the series previously, but if he could just manage a base hit, it would probably win the game. But Bolling doesn't do base hits. Bolling does bombs. And that's just what Ellis Bolling did- blast a pitch over the fence for a game and series-winning, three run homerun.

Around the league:

The final game between two very good teams turned out to be somewhat anticlimactic. Back to back homeruns in the first inning by Roy Springs and Dennis Fernandez helped the Dolphins surge to a 3-0 lead right off the bat. Another run in the second inning made it 4-0. Tucson got on the board with a run in the fifth inning, but Miami scored two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings, rolling to 8-1 victory in Game 7. Miami banged out 17 hits in the game. Springs finished with 3 hits and 4 RBI. The 41 year old Jim Miller showed that he still has something left, tossing 8 innings of 4-hit ball, with 6 strikeouts. The Dolphins will face off against the Broncos to decide the AL pennant.

In a bit of irony, San Diego's bullpen, widely believed to be the team's biggest weakness, stepped up and preserved a close lead over Pittsburgh to win the series. The Padres got on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning, but the lead didn't last long. In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh scored twice to go ahead. In the sixth inning, however, the Padres struck for three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Pirates got one of the runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but then the San Diego bullpen took over. Samuel Rodriguez and Juan Donato combined to throw 2 1/3 innings of no-hit, no-run, no-walk ball, with 3 strikeouts, to preserve the 4-3 lead. Once more, Andrew Burdick delivered, collecting 2 hits and 2 RBI to help lead San Diego to the NLCS, where they will face San Jose.

jamus23 · 11-20-2007, 05:44 PM

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

VS.

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

History:

This is the sixth time that Denver and Miami have faced each other in the American League Championship Series, and the eighth overall postseason meeting between the two. The two teams previously butted heads to decide the AL pennant in 2043, 2054, 2055, 2058, and most recently, in 2073. The Dolphins emerged victorious from all of those series except the 2058 one, which was the only time that the Broncos reached the World Series(they were defeated by Pittsburgh in seven games). The two teams also faced off in the Divisional Round in 2078 and 2079, with Miami coming out on top both times.

There are nine players still playing for the Dolphins that also played for that '73 team: C Jake Foss, 1B Aaron Shorts, 2B Edward Rehberg, CF Ulises Menendez, SP Joseph Brashears, SP Jose Caceres, SP Jim Miller, RP Christopher Lain, and RP George Carolan, plus infielder Fred Elliot, who saw action for Miami this season, but has played for other teams in the intervening years and is not on Miami's postseason roster. Meanwhile, Denver has five players still around from the '73 squad: C Lee Chappel, 1B Ellis Bolling, DH Mark Bakke, LF Alexis Vazquez, and RP James Virgen. Also of interest, current Miami relief pitcher, Chad Helton, was a member of that Broncos team, and current Broncos' backup catcher, Michael Grace, collected 12 at bats for the Dolphins that season.

Denver and Miami went to seven games in that ALCS, and the deciding game was a doozy. Taking the mound for the Broncos was a familiar face from last season- Arden Hawthorn- and for the Dolphins, Joseph Brashears got the start. The Dolphins got the scoring started early, with a 4 run second inning. In the third inning, the Broncos returned the favor, tying the game up with help from Ellis Bolling(2-run triple) and Lee Chappel(RBI double). The Dolphins retook the lead, 5-4, in the fourth inning, but a grand slam in the top of the fifth from Bolling staked Denver to an 8-5 lead.

Hawthorn gave way to reliever Herbert Hilson with two outs in the fifth inning. That turned out to be the wrong move. Hilson immediately coughed up 2 runs before getting out of the inning, and then surrendered the tying run in the sixth inning. James Virgen took over and prevented any further damage in that inning, and got through the seventh inning unscathed.

But with two outs in the eighth inning, Virgen made two mistakes. Mistake number one went to Jake Foss, who took Virgen deep to give the Dolphins the lead. Mistake number two went to the next batter, Ulises Menendez, who also ripped a homerun off of Virgen, giving Miami a 10-8 lead. The Broncos plated one run in the ninth, but could get no closer, losing the game by a final of 10-9. Miami went on to blow a 3 games to 2 lead to San Diego in the World Series, losing to the Padres in seven. The Broncos have reached the ALCS only one time since then, in 2075 when they faced Knoxville and were defeated in seven games.

Denver, as I said, has never won the World Series, and reached only the one time, back in '58. Miami, on the other hand, emerged as the dominant American League power in the early '40s, only a few years after coming into being, and have won more World Series than any team save Pittsburgh. The Dolphins' most recent championship came in 2079, ending what, for them, was a lengthy drought; the previous championship had come in 2065. Seventeen players remain from that World Series team.

Quick Facts:

-Denver won the season series with Miami, winning 10 games while losing just 4. Five of the games were deciced by one just one run.

-Russell Thomas hit just .196 (11/56) against the Dolphins this season.

-Joseph Swayze hit only .184 (9/49) with 0 homeruns and 1 RBI against the Dolphins. Miami is the only team that he failed to hit a homerun against, and the 1 RBI is his fewest against any team this year.

-Lee Chappel hit .410 (25/61) against Miami. Both the batting average and the hit total are his highest against any team.

-Kenny Pillsbury made 3 starts against the Dolphins this season, and went 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

-Miami ace, Christian Hokusai, made only one start against the Broncos this year, and got pounded for 6 runs in 7 innings pitched.

Thoughts:

Miami's first playoff opponent, Tucson, was very balanced between scoring runs and preventing runs. Denver is similarly balanced, though with more of an emphasis on run-scoring as opposed to Tucson's slight emphasis on run prevention. Miami appears to be a one-sided team, with tremendous pitching and a middling offense. Yet the Dolphins managed to survive the Diamondbacks, and in the final two games of the series, they did it by scoring a lot of runs, outscoring Tucson 18-4.

Also of interest will be the contrast in home parks. Denver's, obviously, greatly favors offense, but Miami's is almost the complete opposite, being one of the toughest parks to generate runs in. On the one hand, the Broncos have a few hitters- Joseph Swayze, Tomas Sato, and Booker Romero, most likely- who will suffer a sizable drop in production when they leave the friendly confines of Denver. On the other hand, however, Denver's pitching this year was pretty good despite playing in an unfavorable park. This, I think, may give the Broncos the ultimate advantage. Miami may not have enough offense to outscore Denver when the games are in Denver, and Denver's pitching may be just as good as Miami's away from Denver. Still, the Dolphins are a tough, veteran team... so, I predict the Broncos will win in seven games.

jamus23 · 11-20-2007, 05:57 PM

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

VS.

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

History:

Not surprisingly, this is the first National League Championship Series meeting between these two National League West Division rivals. Since the playoffs were not expanded until 2064, it would not have been possible for both of them to make the playoffs at the same time before then. They have, however, faced each other in the Divisional Round on one occasion. Since the playoff expansion, San Diego has made the postseason only four times, excluding this season: 2073, 2074, 2075, and 2081. Both teams made the playoffs in '73, with the Padres winning the division and the Sharks finishing in second place, but the Sharks were defeated in the Divisional Round by Pittsburgh, while the Padres went on to win the World Series. In '74, San Diego slipped to second place, but San Jose fell all the way to fourth place, missing the postseason. In '75, San Diego returned to the top of the division, and San Jose returned to the playoffs, winning a one game playoff with Los Angeles to finish in sole possession of second place. The two met in the first round of the playoffs, and the Sharks, who had finished 12 1/2 games behind the Padres in the regular season, prevailed in seven games. Two Padres' players remain from that season, while seven Sharks' players remain. Last season, the two made the playoffs together, with San Jose winning the division, but San Diego fell in the Divisional Round to Pittsburgh, and San Jose fell to Rochester.

San Diego's history is not one filled with tremendous success; only two World Series titles do the Padres have to their name. The first came in 2030, and the second came after a drought of over 40 years, finally ending in 2073. Two current Padres remain from the championship team: 2B Andrew Burdick and LF Gregorio Ruiz. Interestingly, both joined San Diego in that very year. Burdick was the crowning achievement of an aggressive offseason; San Diego spent over $40 million on free agents that season, almost $19 million of which went to Burdick. Ruiz was a trade deadline pickup from a last place Buffalo team. The two helped push San Diego past San Jose to win the West Division by 4 games, and contributed to the Padres' playoff run over Hartford, Pittsburgh, and Miami, bringing to an end four decades of championship-less baseball.

San Jose has made the World Series most recently in 2079, and also in 2076, but the Sharks lost both of those Series. One has to go back to 2072 to find San Jose's last championship-winning team. Four players remain from that team: 1B Ugo Momoru, SP Benito Ortiz, RP Steven Jackson, Jr., and RP Anselmo Ortiz.

Quick Facts:

-San Jose dominated the season series 12-3 over San Diego, however, 5 of the games were decided by one run and 3 went into extra innings.

-San Jose's Roger Salazar made 3 starts against San Diego this season, and won 2 of them, while posting a 2.45 ERA. One of the starts was a 4-hit shutout back on April 3rd.

-Ugo Momoru has hit .424 (25/59) against the Padres, with 4 homeruns and 20 RBI. The batting average, hit total, and RBI total are his highest against any team this season.

-San Jose CF George Ormiston has hit .450 (18/40) against the Padres, which is his highest batting average against any team.

-San Diego SP Delbert Spicher has been the definition of unlucky against the Sharks. He has made 3 starts against San Jose, posting a respectable 3.10 ERA, but has lost all three starts.

-Andrew Burdick has hit .441 against the Sharks (26/59).

-Gregorio Ruiz's 5 homeruns against San Jose are his most against any team, tied with Los Angeles.

-San Diego 1B, George Canales, has hit just .173 against the Sharks (9/52).

Thoughts:

This is an interesting matchup, in my opinion. I think that San Jose may actually be a more favorable matchup for San Diego than was Pittsburgh, and the Padres battled back to beat the Pirates. Both teams have very similar starting pitching, with perhaps a slight advantage for San Diego. The Sharks' bullpen, obviously blows away San Diego's, but if the Padres can batter San Jose's starters enough, that may not even matter. Offensively, San Diego's lineup is very fearsome. Andrew Burdick was a one-man wrecking crew against Pittsburgh, and if he can keep it up against San Jose, the Sharks will be in a lot of trouble. San Jose's offense, on the other hand, seems a lot weaker, but the Sharks were also hurt by some down years by a few players, making it look worse than it actually is. San Jose can score runs when it needs to, especially if guys like Ugo Momoru and Charles Seaver get hot. Even so, I like San Diego to win in six games.

jamus23 · 11-22-2007, 12:42 PM

The ALCS:

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

AT

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

The Broncos jumped out to a quick lead on the Dolphins in Game 1, scoring a run in the first inning, two in the second inning from a Joseph Swayze homerun, and another in the third inning on an Alexis Vazquez homerun, to build a comfortable 4-0 lead. Miami crept back into the game with two runs in the fifth inning, but Denver got one of them back by scoring in the seventh inning. The Dolphins cut the deficit to just one run, by scoring twice in the eighth inning, but the Broncos hung on for a 5-4 victory.

Swayze and Vazquez each had 2 hits and 2 RBI in the game. Kenny Pillsbury was shaky, but effective enough to gut out the win, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs in 7 2/3 innings, while striking out four and walking four.

The NLCS:

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

AT

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

Through four innings, San Diego and San Jose were tied at one run apiece, but in the fifth inning, the Padres lineup began to assert itself. Gaby Matos, who paced all of baseball this year with 48 homeruns, smacked a solo homerun to give the Padres the lead. In the seventh inning, Gregorio Ruiz crushed a two run homer, making it 4-1. San Diego tacked on three runs in the top of the ninth to make it 7-1, but San Jose made it look a little bit more respectable by plating a couple of runs of its own in the bottom of the ninth, for a final score of 7-3.

San Diego's dangerous trio of Matos, Andrew Burdick, and Ruiz combined for 8 hits, 3 RBI, and 5 runs scored. The Padres starter, Casey Greene, pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing 7 hits and 1 run.

jamus23 · 11-22-2007, 12:58 PM

The ALCS:

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

AT

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

The Broncos stunned the Dolphins in a come from behind Game 2 victory. Miami drew first blood on a first inning homerun by Roy Springs, but Denver tied the game up in the third inning. Then disaster struck for the Broncos. The Dolphins picked up 2 runs in the sixth inning, and exploded for 4 runs in the seventh inning. One more run in the top of the eighth gave Miami a commanding 8-1 lead.

But the Broncos weren't going to roll over and die. In the bottom of the eighth, Denver came up with 4 runs to keep hope alive. In the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos managed to get across one run, but were down to their final out when Booker Romero stepped to the plate with two runners aboard. Romero promptly lashed a laser into the corner for a two run triple that tied the game up. Asbel Fuentez followed him with a run-scoring single to win the game, 9-8.

Fuentez finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Joseph Swayze had 4 hits, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored.

Miami's Springs collected 4 hits (including a double and a homerun), 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored in the game.

The NLCS:

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

AT

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

Reeling from the Game 1 loss, San Jose jumped on San Diego for four first inning runs. The lead didn't last for long. In the third inning, San Diego ripped off 5 runs, getting a three run homer from Gregorio Ruiz and a solo homerun from George Canales. Ruiz hit his second homerun of the game, a two run blast, in the fourth inning. In the sixth, San Jose cut the deficit to 7-5 with a run, but Andrew Burdick provided the final margin of victory with a solo homerun in the eighth inning, giving San Diego an 8-5 win.

In this game, Canales replaced Gaby Matos in San Diego's "triumvirate of torment," joining Ruiz and Burdick to combine for 9 hits, 7 RBI, 6 runs scored, and 4 homeruns.

jamus23 · 11-22-2007, 01:10 PM

The ALCS:

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

AT

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

Already leading the series two games to none, the Broncos looked to take a commanding lead in Game 3. Ellis Bolling delivered a run-scoring single in the first inning, and Denver was off to a good start. From there, both teams put up goose-eggs inning after inning, until the bottom of the seventh. In the blink of an eye, Denver's lead was gone. Miami's Albert Chichester tied the game up by leading off the inning with a homerun. Then, with two outs, Aaron Shorts, cracked a two run double to give the Dolphins a 3-1 lead. Alexis Vazquez led off the ninth inning with a homerun, but the Broncos could manage nothing more, losing 3-2.

Miami's Joseph Brashears held the Denver lineup in check, surrendering only 5 hits and 1 run in 8 innings of work.

The NLCS:

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

AT

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

San Diego, meanwhile, had no difficulty in opening up a three games to none lead. Gaby Matos got things started with a homerun in the first inning, and then hit another one in the third inning. San Jose managed to tie up the game in the sixth inning, but in the seventh, Andrew Burdick hit a run-scoring double, and Gregorio Ruiz homered in his third straight game, a two run shot to give the Padres a 5-2 lead. Ugo Momoru homered in the eighth inning to make it 5-3, but San Diego managed another run in the bottom of the eighth to complete the scoring in a 6-3 victory.

San Diego's Carlos Lozoya pitched 8 innings, allowed 3 runs, and struck out 6 batters.

jamus23 · 11-22-2007, 01:22 PM

The ALCS:

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

AT

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

The Broncos suffered a complete meltdown in getting annihilated, 11-0, by the Dolphins, and Miami evened the series at two games apiece. The Dolphins struck for 2 runs in the second inning, 1 run in the third, 4 runs in the fifth inning, 1 run in the sixth, and 3 runs in the eighth inning, banging out 17 hits in the process.

On the mound for Miami, the seemingly ageless Jim Miller tossed a five hit shutout.

The Dolphins' Dennis Fernandez provided 3 hits, 1 walk, 2 RBI, 4 runs scored, and a 2 run homer. Danial Armas collected 4 hits, 3 RBI, and 3 run scored. Francisco Alvarez had 3 hits and 3 RBI.

The NLCS:

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

AT

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

The Sharks avoided getting swept, and staved off elimination, with an emphatic 7-1 triumph. Ugo Momoru ripped a first inning homerun, and then starting pitcher Justo Rubino helped himself out with a two run single in the fifth inning. After San Diego looked like it might still have hope, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth, the Sharks brought that hope to a screeching halt with a 4 run eighth inning, providing the final margin of 7-1.

Not only did he acquit himself nicely at the plate, but Rubino also was superb on the mound, tossing 8 innings of 4 hit ball, while striking out 6 batters. The Gaby Matos/Andrew Burdick/Gregorio Ruiz trio combined to go 0 for 11, with a walk, and 3 strikeouts.

jamus23 · 11-24-2007, 11:32 AM

The ALCS:

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

AT

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

After ripping out the hearts of Miami with the come from behind win in Game Two, the Broncos had a 2 games to none lead and all of the momentum. Two losses later, that momentum is a distant memory. A loss in Game Five would be potentially disastrous...

Miami's Albert Chichester belted a 2 run homerun as the Dolphins scored 3 runs in the second inning. Meanwhile, Christian Hokusai no-hit the Broncos for five innings. In the sixth, Denver finally got on the board when Ellis Bolling hit a two run homerun, but the Dolphins pulled away again, getting a two run homerun from Dennis Fernandez in the seventh inning. They hung on for the 5-3 victory, and now hold a 3 games to 2 lead with the series returning to Denver.

Hokusai allowed only 2 hits in 7 innings for Miami, while Kenny Pillsbury got tagged for 12 hits and 5 runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched.

The NLCS:

The San Jose Sharks (96-66)

AT

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

San Diego clinched its first National League pennant since 2073 by beating San Jose with ease in Game Five. The Padres opened the game with a 4 run first inning, getting a 3 run homerun from Salomon Alvarez. A run in the fourth inning made it 5-0. The Sharks mustered one run in the sixth, but nothing more. Casey Greene threw a complete game, 7-hitter to put the Padres into the World Series.

jamus23 · 11-24-2007, 11:51 AM

The ALCS:

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

AT

The Denver Broncos (107-55)

Once more, it was do or die for Denver. Unfortunately, the hometown advantage that the Broncos might have hoped for with the return to Denver never materialized. Miami struck for 3 runs in the third inning, and made it 4-0 after the top of the fifth. The Broncos got back into the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring three runs- 2 from an Ellis Bolling triple- but they would get no closer. Miami added a run in the ninth inning to complete the scoring. The Dolphins clinched the AL pennant with a 5-3 victory.

Ray Lockridge struck out 7 batters in 5 2/3 innings, but he also got pounded for 11 hits and 4 runs.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so, once again, the Broncos' season ends in disappointment. Ten consecutive playoff appearances and not one World Series appearance is a bitter pill to swallow. The upcoming offseason is going to be an interesting one. There are a number of key players who could become free agents, including Kenny Pillsbury, Ray Lockridge, Alexis Vazquez, Joseph Swayze, and Tomas Sato. Right now, Denver's payroll is just a bit higher than it should be, so there is a very good chance that some of those players will not return as the Broncos try to adjust the payroll to a more manageable figure. Of course, the other problem right now is that Denver's organizational depth is almost nonexistant, so there are no obvious internal replacements for some of the players that might leave.

Next up: The World Series- San Diego Padres vs. Miami Dolphins

jamus23 · 11-24-2007, 01:04 PM

The San Diego Padres (85-77)

VS.

The Miami Dolphins (97-65)

Preview:

This is a rematch of the '73 World Series, in which San Diego defeated Miami in seven games. Two Padres and nine Dolphins participated in that World Series.

For the Padres, it is only their third appearance in the World Series. They previously reached in 2030, when they beat Knoxville in five games, and 2073. It is the Dolphins second straight appearance, third in the last four seasons, and twentieth overall. Miami has won 11 of the previous 19 World Series that it has appeared in, the most recent victory coming in 2079, when the Dolphins beat San Jose in five games.

Game One:

San Diego got off to a good start, scoring 2 runs in the first inning, and the Padres led 3-1 after 6 1/2 innings. But Miami erased that deficit with a 3 run seventh inning, and a two run homerun by Francisco Alvarez in the eighth inning secured a 6-3 victory. Relief pitcher Salvador Fierros tossed 5 1/3 innings of 5 hit, 1 run, 6 strikeout relief after Dolphins' starter Joseph Brashears left in the fourth inning with an injury. Brashears will miss the rest of the series.

Game Two:

Once again, San Diego scored first, as Salomon Alvarez homered in the second inning to give the Padres an early 1-0 lead. But Miami went ahead 2-1 in the fifth inning, getting a solo homerun from Dennis Fernandez. Fernandez homered again in the sixth inning, and another run in the seventh completed the scoring in a 4-1 victory for Miami. Christian Hokusai was dominating for the Dolphins, pitching 8 innings, and allowing only 5 hits, while striking out 10 batters. He victimized Gregorio Ruiz 4 times in the game.

Game Three:

The Dolphins' Jose Caceres was wild, but still effective, and Miami took a commanding 3 games to none lead in the World Series with a 3-1 victory in Game Three. Caceres walked 7 batters in 8 innings, but allowed only 4 hits and 1 run, while striking out 6. Miami got off to a quick start, with 2 first inning runs. San Diego cut the deficit to 1 run by scoring in the second inning, but they could manage nothing else the rest of the way. Roy Springs provided an insurance run for Miami by homering in the fifth inning.

Game Four:

San Diego's high-powered offense finally managed to break out, and the Padres survived for at least another game by pummeling the Dolphins, 12-0. Andrew Burdick delivered a 3 run double in a five run fifth inning. In the sixth, Gaby Matos hit a solo homerun to make it 6-0, and he added a 3 run homerun as the Padres exploded for 6 runs in the seventh inning. Carlos Lozoya stepped up for San Diego, and allowed only 7 hits in 7 1/3 innings pitched. He also struck out 7 batters.

Game Five:

San Diego staved off defeat once again in a back and forth fifth game. Miami drew first blood with a run in the second inning, but the Padres' Adam Chilson crushed a two run homerun in the fourth inning to give San Diego the lead. In the sixth inning, Dennis Fernandez tied the game up with a solo homerun, but in the eighth inning, George Canales came through with a 2 run homerun to give the Padres a 4-2 lead. They hung on to that lead for the win. Casey Greene pitched 7 innings, gave up 5 hits, and 2 runs, and struck out 6 batters.

Game Six:

In danger of blowing a 3 games to none lead, the Dolphins quickly took control of Game Six with a run in the second inning. In the fifth, Roy Springs provided a 2 run double, and Miami led, 3-0. A run in the sixth inning made it 4-0. In the seventh inning, George Canales provided a brief boost for San Diego with a 2 run homerun, but in the bottom of the inning, the Dolphins came through with another run to make it 5-2. That proved to be the final scored, and Miami captured its 12th World Series title. Christian Hokusai pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed 4 hits and 2 runs, while striking out 6, to earn the win.

jamus23 · 11-24-2007, 01:23 PM

American League:

Silver Slugger- Denver's own Alexis Vazquez was awarded the AL Silver Slugger for the 2082 season. Vazquez led the league with a .363 batting average and 1.040 OPS. Both of those were career highs for him, as was his .411 OBP, .629 SLG, 226 hits, 43 homeruns, 162 RBI, and 124 runs scored. It was pretty much the definition of a "career year" for Vazquez. This is his first Silver Slugger Award.

Cy Young Award- Not surprisingly, this went to Nashville's Mose Urick, who went 22-5 with a league-leading 1.74 ERA, and a league-leading 240 strikeouts. Urick also tossed 12 complete games and 5 shutouts. It is the first Cy Young Award for a pitcher who pretty much put Nashville into the playoffs single-handedly.

Rookie of the Year Award- This one went to Memphis' Claudio DeHerrera, who was 12-9 with a 3.97 ERA for the Grizzlies.

National League:

Silver Slugger- San Diego's Andrew Burdick won his third Silver Slugger by leading the league in batting average(.391), OBP(.466), OPS(1.102), hits(236), and runs scored(151). He also delivered 39 homeruns, 118 RBI, 86 walks, and 35 stolen bases.

Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year Award- Pittsburgh's Andreas Fajardo has done something that has only been done once before. Back in 2030, Manuel Reno became the first player to win the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season. Fifty-two years later, another Pittsburgh pitcher has accomplished the same feat. Fajardo went 22-4(the 22 wins tied for the National League lead), with a league-leading 2.12 ERA. He struck out 188 batters, threw 8 complete games, and tied for the league lead with 3 shutouts. Fajardo's 22 wins also broke Reno's single season record for rookies(Reno won 21 games in 2030).

jamus23 · 11-26-2007, 06:41 PM

Lockridge Hits The Jackpot; Three Longtime Broncos May Be Saying Goodbye

November 4th, 2082
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

Denver General Manager John Mounts has long held a policy of refusing to negotiate with players regarding contract extensions until the completion of the season. He has said that he doesn't want to be swayed by a hot or cold streak, and that waiting until the end of the season allows each player to present him with a full body of work.

Well apparently, Ray Lockridge's full body of work was extremely impressive to Mounts. Lockridge and the Broncos came to terms on a deal that will make Lockridge the highest paid player on Denver, and the second highest paid pitcher in all of baseball. The deal will pay Lockridge an average of $12 million per year over the next five years. Ellis Bolling at $10.5 million per year was Denver's former highest paid player. Meanwhile, Rochester's Segundo Narbaiza, at $15.08 million per year, is the only pitcher in baseball who will be making more money than Lockridge. Mounts said that Lockridge was "a very important part of the rotation we[Denver] are trying to build" and that he was prepared to "do whatever it took to keep him[Lockridge] in Denver." For his part, Lockridge said "I wanted to be on a winning team, but I also wanted a fair deal. Denver offers me both of those."

Lockridge wasn't the only member of the rotation to have been in the position to eye free agency. Both Kenny Pillsbury and George Buentello had that option, but both have agreed to terms with Denver. Pillsbury inked terms to a deal that will pay him $7 million per year for the next four seasons, while Buentello signed a 3 year deal that will pay him $585,000 per year. Pillsbury was excited that he, Lockridge, and Buentello would all be returning. "With the three of us, plus Robert [McNett] and Christopher [Kirk], we've got a really great rotation. It's the kind of rotation that can get us to the World Series. We were so close this year; it would have been a shame to have it broken up."

The rotation wasn't the only part of the pitching staff that received attention from John Mounts' wallet. James Virgen, who has emerged as manager John Wilkerson's most trusted reliever, received an extension worth $2.19 million per year over the next three years. As well, occasional swingman Larry Waltz was given a two year extension worth $684,000 per year. Although Waltz saw little action this year, after seemingly breaking out in 2081, there is some expectation of bullpen spots opening up for him next season.

Two key starting position players have also been retained. Left-fielder Alexis Vazquez, coming off of a stunning season in which he won the Silver Slugger Award, signed a deal that seems somewhat low given his recent accomplishments. Vazquez's deal is only for two seasons, and is worth just $4 million per year. But Vazquez dismissed claims of getting underpaid. "I feel like I've had a pretty good career, and sure, this past season was my best ever. But I'm also 34 years old. Guys my age can fall apart in an instant. At this point, I'm not looking for a ton of money. I want a championship. And I know everybody in Denver wants one, too. I've spent my entire career here in Denver. They drafted me, and helped me grow as a player, and gave me an opportunity to start. They've been loyal to me over the years, and I want to show my loyalty to them. For me, this is a fair deal. I get to stay where I've always been for a couple more years, and hopefully, win a championship. And the team gets stability at a cost that they are comfortable with. And if I'm still going strong two years from now, I'm sure that they will still be interested in me."

Shortstop Booker Romero also elected to return to the Broncos, signing a three year deal worth $2 million per year. Mounts had this to say about Romero: "Obviously, Booker is not a guy who's going to hit for a great average, or hit a bunch of homeruns. But it's hard to find good fielding shortstops in this league. Booker provides us with an excellent glove in the middle of the infield, and he offers enough offensive contributions to make this deal a good one for us."

Of the Broncos' remaining potential free agents, only reserve outfielder Armando Navarro was given an extension. Navarro signed a 2 year deal worth $900,000 per year.

Despite all of these players that Broncos will be keeping, it is somewhat bittersweet, as Denver appears to be saying goodbye to three players who were significant contributers to the revival of the franchise under Mounts. Designated-hitter Mark Bakke, second-baseman Tomas Sato, and third-baseman Joseph Swayze have not come to terms and are preparing to enter the free agent market. Bakke was acquired in 2070 and emerged as a major star, hitting 40+ homeruns three times from '72 to '76, and was named to five All-Star teams. He was also a dangerous base-stealing threat, pilfering 40 or more every year from '76 to '80. Sato broke into the big leagues in 2074, and quickly established himself as an excellent hitter for average. He's hit .329 or better in every season since 2077. He was an All-Star in 2079. Swayze has made a name for himself as being a very streaky, but dangerous power hitter. He's hit 30 or more homeruns in each of the last four seasons, and he belted 43 in 2081.

Mounts did not rule out the possibility of trying to bring back one or more of these three, but admitted that from a financial perspective, the Broncos needed to make some sacrifices. "We certainly don't want to gut this team, which has been so close to a championship for a number of years now, but at the same time, we need to be smarter and more responsible with the decisions that we make. I would love for John [Wilkerson] to be able to pencil in guys like Tomas and Joseph into the lineup every day, and if I feel that we can bring them back, I will make every effort to do so. But, I think it's also fair to allow them to test the market. Quite likely, they will be able to find a team who will be willing to pay them more than what I can."

Bakke said that he was saddened that his time with the Broncos was coming to an end, and that he may decide to retire instead of signing somewhere else. Both Swayze and Sato said that they would have preferred to stay in Denver, but Sato added that he also wanted "the fairest deal he could get, which probably wouldn't be with Denver."

Bakke's career stats:

Code:

Year     G   AB    H  2B 3B  HR  RBI    R  BB   K  SB  CS  AVG  OBP  SLG   OPS Teams 
2068     2    0    0   0  0   0    0    1   0   0   0   0 .000 .000 .000  .000 POR 
2070    25   66   13   3  0   0    1    8   2  20   1   0 .197 .221 .242  .463 POR DEN 
2071   145  515  138  24  5  12   73   70  67 157  31   6 .268 .352 .404  .756 DEN 
2072   151  547  162  24  1  42  107  110  64 106  17   5 .296 .370 .574  .944 DEN 
2073   148  572  193  24  5  43  131  129  58  70  23   8 .337 .398 .622 1.021 DEN,AL 
2074   147  583  176  27  5  19   89  107  49  36  27   9 .302 .356 .463  .819 DEN,AL 
2075   147  545  156  23  2  32   87  115  55  38  38  13 .286 .352 .512  .864 DEN 
2076   144  565  190  27  7  42  127  142  65  34  42   8 .336 .405 .632 1.037 DEN,AL 
2077   147  594  199  35  0  23   86  135  60  29  47  13 .335 .396 .510  .906 DEN,AL 
2078   148  615  205  37  4  28   90  131  52  31  54  14 .333 .385 .543  .928 DEN,AL 
2079   151  656  192  31  4  25   94  104  46  36  46  10 .293 .339 .466  .805 DEN 
2080   152  642  192  50  2  15   78  114  59  57  46  12 .299 .358 .453  .811 DEN 
2081   138  517  176  25  2  29  108   97  33  32  19   5 .340 .380 .565  .945 DEN 
2082   117  457  139  20  3  10   77   64  27  46  19   5 .304 .343 .427  .770 DEN 
Total 1762 6874 2131 350 40 320 1148 1327 637 692 410 108 .310 .369 .512  .881

Sato's career stats:

Code:

Year     G   AB    H  2B 3B HR RBI   R  BB   K  SB CS  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS Teams 
2074    61  178   59   9  1  3  29  30  20  26  13  4 .331 .399 .444 .843 DEN 
2075   101  263   80  15  1  4  41  42  24  38  22 15 .304 .362 .414 .777 DEN 
2076   133  441  129  20  4  9  46  85  34  35  40 20 .293 .343 .417 .760 DEN 
2077   129  378  127  15  6  6  66  63  36  22   8 10 .336 .394 .455 .849 DEN 
2078   133  403  138  21  3  5  85  75  41  28   9  6 .342 .403 .447 .850 DEN 
2079   146  478  161  23  3 11  66  79  55  26  15  6 .337 .405 .467 .872 DEN,AL 
2080   137  433  150  15  6  8  65  72  42  16   6  6 .346 .404 .464 .868 DEN 
2081   147  565  190  28  9 14 108  94  42  28   1  5 .336 .382 .492 .874 DEN 
2082   133  504  166  17  3  7  82  90  33  34   9  2 .329 .380 .417 .797 DEN 
Total 1120 3643 1200 163 36 67 588 630 327 253 123 74 .329 .385 .449 .834

Swayze's career stats:

Code:

Year    G   AB   H  2B 3B  HR RBI   R  BB   K SB CS  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS Teams 
2074   32   86  23   1  0   3  14  12   3  20  0  0 .267 .292 .384 .676 DEN 
2075   29   94  26   5  1   3  15  13   4   9  0  1 .277 .306 .447 .753 DEN 
2076  106  307  83  13  1  21  72  43  14  48  0  1 .270 .302 .524 .827 DEN 
2077  117  364 103  14  0  22  81  61  16  67  0  1 .283 .313 .503 .816 DEN 
2078  123  376  98  18  1  26  74  61   8  68  0  1 .261 .276 .521 .797 DEN 
2079  144  520 136  22  2  35 109  85  31 106  1  4 .262 .303 .513 .817 DEN 
2080  147  505 130  31  2  31 117  80  28  75  2  2 .257 .296 .511 .807 DEN 
2081  146  580 177  29  2  43 133 106  22  81  2  0 .305 .331 .584 .915 DEN 
2082  142  531 142  26  0  37 101  90  29  84  2  0 .267 .307 .525 .832 DEN 
Total 986 3363 918 159  9 221 716 551 155 558  7 10 .273 .305 .523 .828

A number of other players will find themselves as ex-Broncos as the free agency period begins: Bobby Villanueva, Michael Stennis, Michael Grace, Patrick Chason, George Treadway, Maurice Lalli, Steven Andrade, and Derek Moos. Mounts also announced that Gary Kibby, Efrain Ashlock, and Jorge Gonzalez had been released.

jamus23 · 11-28-2007, 06:48 PM

Hector Soriano:

We return to our examination of the Hall of Fame with a look at one of the most dominant players of all time. Where Robert Jordan represented the heights that a pitcher could reach over an entire career, Hector Soriano represented the height that a pitcher could reach when he was at the absolute top of his game. Soriano's run from 2042 into the 2047 season is a level that is simply unparalleled by anyone else.

In 2030, the San Diego Padres snapped a string of five consecutive last place finishes, won 95 games, finished in first in the NL West, reached its first World Series, and won it handily, outscoring Knoxville 47-15 in a five game cakewalk. The team remained relatively competitive over the next couple of seasons, including a division title in 2033. Thus, when the amateur draft rolled around prior to the 2034 season, the Padres didn't have a particularly high draft pick(as they had been accustomed to throughout the '20s) and didn't really expect their first round pick to be some uber-talent like what might be found at the top of the draft. Furthermore, there really wasn't any pressure to get an immediate impact from their draft picks. With the 13th(of 16) pick, San Diego selected a pitcher by the name of Hector Soriano, and assigned him to the lowest level of the minors.

Soriano spent all of the '34 season at single A, but was rather unimpressive, compiling a 5.02 ERA in 26 starts. The following season, he started off at A-ball again, but made just 2 starts there before being promoted to AA. Though he was a little hittable, his 156/8 K/BB ratio in 120 1/3 innings pitched caught some eyes. His breakout was enough to earn him a look in the majors, but he failed to impress, posting an ERA of 6.00 in 6 starts. In '36, he headed back to AA, and spent the entire year there, whiffing 265 batters in 199 2/3 innings pitched. He did not receive a cup of coffee in the majors that year.

In 2037, Soriano found himself in the Padres' rotation. He made the most of the opportunity, leading the team's starting pitchers in ERA, tying for the team lead in wins, and leading the team in complete games. Unfortunately, San Diego's 90 wins placed the Padres in second place, a single game behind Portland. In 2038, his second full season, Soriano notched 21 wins, finished second in the league in ERA, and struck out 327 batters, and he led San Diego to 104 wins and a division title. Though the Padres would lose to Pittsburgh in seven games in the NLCS, Soriano made his presence known by tossing a shutout in one of his two starts.

In '39, Soriano again led the Padres to a division title, this time leading the league with 24 wins and 354 strikeouts, and finishing second in the ERA race with a 2.56 mark. Those numbers were good enough for his first Cy Young Award. Soriano's postseason performance was not nearly as good, however. He made two starts, lost them both, and surrendered 6 runs in both of them. The latter of the two was the deciding sixth game against Pittsburgh, and the Pirates lit up Soriano for 5 runs in the first inning.

Soriano slipped a bit in 2040, as despite a 21-7 record, his ERA was "only" 3.22 and he struck out "only" 291 batters. San Diego, despite winning 99 games, finished in second place, 9 games behind a powerful Sacramento team that rolled to a World Series title. Soriano bounced back in 2041, finishing with a record of 25-2 and a 2.15 ERA. It was a good enough season to win his second Cy Young Award. But the Padres slumped to a .500 record, and finished in third place. The outlook was about to get worse for San Diego: Hector Soriano would leave as a free agent following the '41 season.

The Portland Trailblazers had largely been a mediocre team(except for a fluke World Series win in 2037) since the powerhouse teams of the early and mid-20's. But in 2041, they put together a strong rotation and beat out the defending champion Sacramento Kings by two games to win the NL West. In the NLCS, they had an extremely powerful Pittsburgh team on the ropes, leading 3 games to 1 after ace Herman Sydow threw a 6-hit shutout in Game 4. But the Pirates won 3 straight to knock off Portland and get to the World Series. So in 2042, the Trailblazers decided to put all their eggs in one basket: Hector Soriano. Portland signed five free agents in the '42 offseason. Four of them were roleplayers signed to deals worth less than $1 million per year. The fifth contract was a 7 year deal worth more than $15 million per year. When the best pitcher in the game is on the market, you can't pass up that opportunity, no matter the price.

The move paid off. Soriano was brilliant, going 28-5 with a 1.50 ERA and 283 strikeouts- good enough for his third Cy Young Award. The 28 wins also set an NL single season record, and tied the major league record. The ERA set a single season record, as well. He also tossed a no-hitter against Hartford in June. Meanwhile, Portland rode baseball's best pitching staff to a 101 win season, and a division title. This time, Portland was able to hold off Pittsburgh. Though the Pirates managed to force a seventh game with a 1-0 nailbiter in Game 6, and though the Pirates got to Soriano for 2 first inning runs in Game 7, the Trailblazers didn't fold. Soriano wasn't at his best, surrendering 4 runs in 8 innings, but Portland's offense came through, and heading into the ninth inning, the Trailblazers led 9-4. Pittsburgh threw one last scare into Portland, scoring 4 runs in the ninth, but the Trailblazers hung on for a 9-8 victory, and for the first time since 2037, Portland was headed to the World Series.

Against Miami, Portland quickly fell into a hole, dropping the first two games. In Game 3, Soriano went the distance, allowing just 1 run and striking out 11, in a 3-1 victory. Portland tied up the series, and then led Game 5 by a score of 4-0 after four innings. Miami crept back into the game, but the Trailblazers led 5-3 heading into the 8th inning. The Dolphins rallied, however, and eventually won in 11 innings. Soriano took the mound in Game 6, and quickly gave up a run in the first inning. He settled down after that, and it remained 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth. Miami exploded for 4 runs in the fifth inning, and cruised to a 7-3 victory. All of the runs came off of Soriano.

In '43, Soriano outdid himself. He broke the major league record for wins in a season, going 29-3. He broke his own major league record for ERA, posting a 1.43 mark. For good measure, he whiffed 330 batters and threw 11 shutouts. Not surprisingly, he won his fourth Cy Young Award. Portland rolled to 105 wins and another division title, and then knocked off Pittsburgh in 6 games in the NLCS to reach a second World Series in a row.

Once again, they would face Miami. Soriano was ripped for 5 runs in a Game 1 defeat, but Portland bounced back to take a 2 games to 1 lead. On the verge of taking a commanding 3 games to 1 lead, Soriano imploded in the ninth inning of Game 4 and the Dolphins erased a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3. Miami seized the momentum and hung on for a 5-4 victory in Game 5, moving within one win of a second consecutive championship. Portland forced a seventh game, however, winning 5-1 in Game 6. Soriano took the mound once more. The Dolphins jumped on him for two first inning runs. They didn't score again. Portland tied the game in the third, took the lead in the fifth, and ensured the victory with two runs in the eighth inning, for a final of 5-2. Soriano pitched 8 strong innings for the victory. It was Portland's third ever championship.

On Opening Day 2044, Soriano added to his already growing legend. Against Harrisburg, Soriano became only the second pitcher in league history to throw a perfect game(the first being Jack LeCompte in 2015). He overpowered the Capitals' hitters in a 2-0 victory, blowing away 11 batters. The rest of Soriano's season proved to be one for the ages. But for a late season injury, he might very well have won 30 games. Instead, he had to settle for a 28-4 record. He did, however, set another record. For the third consecutive year, he broke the single season ERA record. This time, he posted an astounding 1.28 earned run average. Greatly helping that ERA was the fact that he tossed 12 complete game shutouts. Of course, he was shoe-in for his fifth Cy Young Award. In so doing, he became only the second pitcher to win that many Cy Young Awards(Robert Jordan was the first).

Portland rolled to a franchise-record 114 wins, but would not have the services of the injured Soriano as it prepared to defend its title in the playoffs. The Trailblazers defeated Pittsburgh with relative ease, winning the NLCS in 5 games. With the victory, Portland became only the third franchise to reach three(or more) consecutive World Series. The Pittsburgh Pirates accomplished the feat on four occasions(9 straight appearances from 2007 to 2015; 3 straight from 2017 to 2019; 3 straight from 2021 to 2023; and 5 straight from 2032 to 2036) and the Memphis Grizzlies accomplished the feat once(2008 to 2010). Without Hector Soriano, however, Portland's pitching was unable to hold up against Nashville in the World Series. The Predators raced to a 3 games to none lead, scoring 25 runs in the first three games. The Trailblazers managed to avoid the sweep, winning in Game 4, but they fell in Game 5, giving Nashville the championship.

Soriano returned in 2045 and didn't miss a beat. He went 22-5 with a 1.89 ERA, and threw the third no-hitter of his career, a 10 strikeout affair against Pittsburgh in late April. He also became the first pitcher to win six Cy Young Awards. Portland, meanwhile, survived a fierce challenge by San Jose in the West, barely beating out the Sharks to win the division. Portland finished with 102 wins and won the division by just one game over San Jose. Against Pittsburgh in the NLCS, the Trailblazers forced a seventh game with a 9-4 thumping in Game 6. With Soriano on the mound in Game 7, Portland clung to a 1-0 lead it had established in the first inning. For seven innings, Soriano held the Pirates in check. But in the eighth, it all unraveled. Pittsburgh struck for 5 runs off of Soriano, and that was the ballgame. Portland's bid for a fourth staight World Series appearance came to an end.

In 2046, Soriano posted his fifth consecutive season with an ERA under 2.00, going 22-9 with a 1.81 ERA, and won his seventh Cy Young Award. Portland's hold atop the NL West, however, came to an end. The Trailblazers finished in second place, winning 86 games, but were 7 games behind San Diego.

In 2047, Soriano's run of dominance would come to an abrupt and tragic end. The season began in a typical Soriano fashion: on Opening Day, he threw a 5-hit shutout against Harrisburg. But five days later, while facing the Capitals again, Soriano tore a ligament in his elbow. He would miss the rest of the season. The loss of Soriano was devastating to Portland. Though the pitching was still among the best in the league, it was not enough to overcome the long-neglected offense, which finished dead last in batting average, homeruns, and runs scored. Portland slumped to 75 wins and a fourth place finish.

Soriano returned in 2048 as a shell of his former self. He lost a career high 18 games, and saw his ERA balloon to 4.76. Portland lost 90 games for the first time since 2035. In '49, Soriano became a free agent and returned to where his career began, signing with San Diego. Unfortunately for both the Padres and Soriano, he was finished as an effective major league pitcher. He labored through a disastrous season in which he posted a 6.42 ERA in 17 starts, and missed more than two months due to injuries. San Diego managed to win 86 games, but was a distant second to Sacramento, who won 97. In 2050, Soriano made five dreadful starts and was released before the end of April. He retired after that season.

Simply put, Hector Soriano from about 2042 until the injury in 2047 was the most dominant pitcher ever. Robert Jordan was the greatest strikeout pitcher ever, and was really great for a long period of time. Other pitchers have been great over long periods of time as well. But none of them compare to what Soriano did. Five consecutive full seasons of a sub-2.00 ERA is just ridiculous. I think the only pitcher to come close to Soriano's peak over a sustained period of time is Segundo Narbaiza. Not surprisingly, Soriano's seven Cy Young Awards remained unmatched until Narbaiza won his seventh in 2081.

At the time of his retirement, Soriano ranked second all time in ERA, 0.01 behind the leader, Manuel Reno. Reno was at 2.54 and Soriano was at 2.55. He ranked 9th all time in wins, 13th in strikeouts, 3rd in complete games, and 1st in shutouts. Today, he ranks third in ERA(guess who ranks 1st now... yep, Segundo Narbaiza at 2.41), 20th in wins, 25th in strikeouts, tied for 7th in complete games, and second in shutouts(any guesses as to who is first now? Yep, it's Mr. Narbaiza).

His 29 wins in 2043 remain the major league record, as does his 1.28 ERA in 2044. His 12 shutouts in 2044 are also a single season record. He is also the only pitcher to have thrown three no-hitters.

The one question that comes to mind when looking at Soriano's career is: What if the injury didn't happen? Given his track record from previous seasons, Soriano probably lost about 20 wins in 2047 because of the injury. An extra 20 wins puts him at 276 wins. Add in the fact that, without the injury, he wouldn't have fallen apart, and he probably lost at least 5 to 10 wins in 2048. Take away the struggles and injuries from 2049, and that's another 5 to 10 wins that were taken away. My point is, Soriano probably easily wins 300 games without that injury. Not that the lack of doing so takes anything away from his career, but it's interesting to notice how close players get to achieving major milestones and what sometimes keeps them from doing so. More importantly, one also has to wonder just how long Soriano would have been able to maintain his utter dominance if not for the injury. Would he have made it six years with an ERA under 2.00? Seven years? We'll never know.

Soriano's stats:

Code:

Career Pitching Stats 
 
 
Year    G  GS   W  L SV  ERA     IP   HA   R  ER  BB    K  CG SHO Teams 
2035    6   6   2  2  0 6.00   36.0   48  29  24  10   20   1   0 SD 
2037   29  29  14  8  0 3.56  217.1  212  91  86  35  146   9   0 SD 
2038   35  35  21  6  0 2.45  282.1  235  84  77  27  327  16   5 SD 
2039   36  36  24  8  0 2.56  285.0  246  85  81  41  354  11   5 SD,NL 
2040   35  35  21  7  0 3.22  276.2  261 110  99  41  291  12   1 SD,NL 
2041   32  32  25  2  0 2.15  259.0  206  69  62  42  264  12   2 SD,NL 
2042   35  35  28  5  0 1.50  288.2  180  50  48  34  283  18   8 POR,NL 
2043   37  37  29  3  0 1.43  315.2  179  57  50  35  330  25  11 POR,NL 
2044   33  33  28  4  0 1.28  275.0  177  41  39  24  284  22  12 POR,NL 
2045   34  34  22  5  0 1.89  271.2  164  62  57  27  283  15   6 POR,NL 
2046   37  37  22  9  0 1.81  299.0  189  69  60  45  303  15   5 POR,NL 
2047    2   2   2  0  0 1.17   15.1   12   4   2   3   12   1   1 POR 
2048   35  35  10 18  0 4.76  234.2  252 140 124  53  147   9   1 POR 
2049   17  17   7  5  0 6.42   89.2  119  67  64  36   36   0   0 SD 
2050    5   5   1  3  0 9.13   23.2   35  26  24  16    8   0   0 SD 
Total 408 408 256 85  0 2.55 3169.2 2515 984 897 469 3088 166  57   
 
Career Minor League Pitching Stats
 
 
Year       G GS W  L SV  ERA    IP  HA   R  ER BB   K CG SHO 
2034,   A 26 26 9 13  0 5.02 181.0 224 111 101 27 159  8   0 
2035,   A  2  2 0  2  0 6.00  12.0  16   8   8  1  16  1   0 
2035,  AA 16 16 6  3  0 3.29 120.1 133  46  44  8 156  1   0 
2036,  AA 27 27 9  9  0 3.83 199.2 232  88  85 32 265  4   1 
2049, AAA  4  4 2  2  0 2.70  23.1  18   9   7 12  23  0   0 
 
Career Postseason Pitching Stats
 
 
Year   G GS W L SV  ERA    IP  HA  R ER BB   K CG SHO 
2038   2  2 1 1  0 2.12  17.0  12  5  4  3   9  2   1 
2039   2  2 0 2  0 7.15  11.1  16 12  9  6  13  0   0 
2042   5  5 4 1  0 2.76  42.1  30 13 13  6  37  3   1 
2043   5  5 3 1  0 3.00  42.0  36 14 14  2  46  2   0 
2045   3  3 0 1  0 3.05  20.2  17  7  7  5  25  0   0 
Total 17 17 8 6  0 3.17 133.1 111 51 47 22 130  7   2 
 
Career Batting Stats 
 
 
Year    G   AB   H 2B 3B HR RBI   R BB   K SB CS  AVG  OBP   SLG   OPS Teams 
2035    6   15   2  1  0  0   0   1  0   8  0  0 .133 .133  .200  .333 SD 
2037   29   75  16  2  1  0   3   7  1  32  0  0 .213 .224  .267  .490 SD 
2038   35   93  20  1  0  1   8   9  7  40  0  0 .215 .270  .258  .528 SD 
2039   36  100  21  4  0  1   9  11  5  39  0  0 .210 .248  .280  .528 SD,NL 
2040   35   91  17  4  0  0   7  12 10  34  0  0 .187 .267  .231  .498 SD,NL 
2041   32   88  23  2  0  0  13   6  4  32  0  0 .261 .293  .284  .578 SD,NL 
2042   35  102  25  7  0  0   6   6  4  41  0  0 .245 .274  .314  .587 POR,NL 
2043   37  115  28  7  0  0   7  11  4  49  0  0 .243 .269  .304  .573 POR,NL 
2044   33   98  28  2  1  0  12   9  4  36  2  1 .286 .314  .327  .640 POR,NL 
2045   34   91  22  6  0  0   7   8  4  42  0  0 .242 .274  .308  .581 POR,NL 
2046   37  108  19  2  0  1   7   7  5  42  0  0 .176 .212  .222  .435 POR,NL 
2047    2    6   3  1  0  1   4   2  0   0  0  0 .500 .500 1.167 1.667 POR 
2048   35   76  11  2  0  0   3   8  5  37  0  0 .145 .198  .171  .369 POR 
2049   17   29   5  2  0  0   2   2  1  15  0  0 .172 .200  .241  .441 SD 
2050    5    6   0  0  0  0   1   1  0   3  0  0 .000 .000  .000  .000 SD 
Total 408 1093 240 43  2  4  89 100 54 450  2  1 .220 .256  .274  .530   
 
 
Player History
 
 
Drafted in 1st round, 13th overall pick, by San Diego in 2034...
Earned first career win on 5/7/2035...
Had first career hit on 5/17/2035, off Tomas Govea (HFD)...
Injured on 8/14/2035 with a Strained Back Muscle, out for one week...
Hit first career homerun on 5/14/2038, off Jeffrey Belue (Buf)...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 9/1/2038, going 4-1, 1.41...
Struck out 15 batters against Hartford on 5/1/2039...
Was selected to the 2039 Allstar game...
Struck out 18 batters against Harrisburg on 7/27/2039...
Struck out 17 batters against San Jose on 8/21/2039...
Struck out 16 batters against Buffalo on 9/21/2039...
Won Player of the Week award on 9/22/2039, winning 2 games with a 0.52 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 10/1/2039, going 5-0, 0.62...
Won Cy Young Award in 2039, going 24-8, 2.56 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 6/1/2040, going 6-0, 1.94...
Struck out 15 batters against Rochester on 6/17/2040...
Was selected to the 2040 Allstar game...
Struck out 15 batters against Buffalo on 7/27/2040...
Won Player of the Week award on 6/23/2041, winning 2 games with a 0.51 ERA...
Was selected to the 2041 Allstar game...
Injured on 8/6/2041 with a Pulled Tricep Muscle, out for 3 weeks...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 10/1/2041, going 6-0, 1.85...
Won Cy Young Award in 2041, going 25-2, 2.15 ERA...
Signed as a free agent by Portland on 2/3/2042 to a 7-year deal worth $15,078,800 per year...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 6/1/2042, going 5-1, 1.12...
Pitched NO-HITTER against Hartford on 6/23/2042, striking out 9...
Won Player of the Week award on 6/30/2042, winning 2 games with a 1.00 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 7/1/2042, going 5-1, 0.90...
Was selected to the 2042 Allstar game...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 8/1/2042, going 5-0, 0.63...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 10/1/2042, going 4-1, 1.91...
Won Cy Young Award in 2042, going 28-5, 1.50 ERA...
Won Player of the Week award on 4/28/2043, winning 2 games with a 0.51 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 5/1/2043, going 6-0, 0.17...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 7/1/2043, going 5-0, 1.04...
Was selected to the 2043 Allstar game...
Struck out 16 batters against Harrisburg on 8/21/2043...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 9/1/2043, going 5-1, 2.08...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 10/1/2043, going 6-0, 1.36...
Won World Series with Portland in 2043...
Won Cy Young Award in 2043, going 29-3, 1.43 ERA...
Pitched PERFECT GAME against Harrisburg on 4/1/2044, striking out 11...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 6/1/2044, going 5-0, 1.08...
Won Player of the Week award on 6/23/2044, winning 2 games with a 0.50 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 7/1/2044, going 5-0, 1.07...
Was selected to the 2044 Allstar game...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 8/1/2044, going 6-0, 0.52...
Won Player of the Week award on 8/11/2044, winning 2 games with a 0.51 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 9/1/2044, going 6-0, 0.50...
Injured on 9/20/2044 with a Torn Tricep Muscle, out for 4-5 weeks...
Won Cy Young Award in 2044, going 28-4, 1.28 ERA...
Pitched NO-HITTER against Pittsburgh on 4/28/2045, striking out 10...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 6/1/2045, going 4-1, 1.50...
Was selected to the 2045 Allstar game...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 9/1/2045, going 4-1, 1.53...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 10/1/2045, going 4-2, 1.13...
Won Cy Young Award in 2045, going 22-5, 1.89 ERA...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 5/1/2046, going 5-0, 1.04...
Won Pitcher of the Month award on 7/1/2046, going 5-0, 1.49...
Was selected to the 2046 Allstar game...
Won Cy Young Award in 2046, going 22-9, 1.81 ERA...
Injured on 4/6/2047 with a Torn Ligament Elbow, out for full season...
Signed as a free agent by San Diego on 2/9/2049 to a 3-year deal worth $4,036,500 per year...
Injured on 4/19/2049 with a Strained Bicep Tendon, out for 3 weeks...
Injured on 6/19/2049 with a Ruptured Bicep Tendon, out for 7-8 weeks...
Released by San Diego on 4/28/2050, refused assignment to minors...
Retired and inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2051.
 
 
Pitching Leader Boards Appearances 
 
ERA
2038 - 2.45 - 2nd
2039 - 2.56 - 2nd
2040 - 3.22 - 10th
2041 - 2.15 - 1st
2042 - 1.50 - 1st
2043 - 1.43 - 1st
2044 - 1.28 - 1st
2045 - 1.89 - 1st
2046 - 1.81 - 1st
 
WHIP
2038 - 0.93 - 2nd
2039 - 1.01 - 3rd
2040 - 1.09 - 9th
2041 - 0.96 - 1st
2042 - 0.74 - 1st
2043 - 0.68 - 1st
2044 - 0.73 - 1st
2045 - 0.70 - 1st
2046 - 0.78 - 1st
 
Wins
2038 - 21 - 3rd
2039 - 24 - 1st
2040 - 21 - 3rd
2041 - 25 - 1st
2042 - 28 - 1st
2043 - 29 - 1st
2044 - 28 - 1st
2045 - 22 - 1st
2046 - 22 - 3rd
 
Losses
2048 - 18 - 4th
 
IP
2038 - 282.1 - 1st
2039 - 285.0 - 1st
2040 - 276.2 - 1st
2041 - 259.0 - 4th
2042 - 288.2 - 1st
2043 - 315.2 - 1st
2044 - 275.0 - 3rd
2045 - 271.2 - 2nd
2046 - 299.0 - 1st
 
K's
2038 - 327 - 2nd
2039 - 354 - 1st
2040 - 291 - 3rd
2041 - 264 - 3rd
2042 - 283 - 2nd
2043 - 330 - 1st
2044 - 284 - 1st
2045 - 283 - 2nd
2046 - 303 - 1st
 
CG
2037 -  9 - 4th
2038 - 16 - 1st
2039 - 11 - 2nd
2040 - 12 - 2nd
2041 - 12 - 2nd
2042 - 18 - 1st
2043 - 25 - 1st
2044 - 22 - 1st
2045 - 15 - 1st
2046 - 15 - 2nd
2048 -  9 - 3rd
 
SHO
2038 -  5 - 1st
2039 -  5 - 1st
2040 -  1 - 10th
2041 -  2 - 6th
2042 -  8 - 1st
2043 - 11 - 1st
2044 - 12 - 1st
2045 -  6 - 1st
2046 -  5 - 1st

jamus23 · 11-30-2007, 06:55 PM

2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part One: Catchers
1/30/2083
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

As the free agent signing period is about to kick off, let's look at what players are on the market this season, and which, if any, the Denver Broncos and GM John Mounts might be interested in. Though Mounts has said that he doesn't expect to be too active in the free agent market this offseason, the Broncos clearly have a few openings after the departures of Joseph Swayze, Tomas Sato, Mark Bakke, and reserve catcher Michael Grace.

First, a look at the catchers who are available. There is little doubt as to who the premiere free agent catcher is this season. Daniel Lane, who played with Los Angeles last season, is coming off of a season in which he hit .305/.425/.503/.928, homered 23 times, drove in 100 runs, and drew 104 walks. Though his defense is adequate, at best, the 27 year old Lane is a tremendous hitter in the prime of his career. Whoever lands Lane will be very, very happy.

Man Merino, formerly of the Knoxville 79ers, is a capable veteran backstop. Merino has cannon for an arm and has proven to be a solid hitter in his career. The 35 year old catcher has a .287 lifetime batting average and a .749 OPS. Last year, he posted a .758 OPS and hit 15 homeruns.

One of the youngest players on the market this year is 24 year old Ramon Martinez. Martinez is hoping to parlay last season's All-Star campaign into a big contract. Last year, he split the season between Phoenix and Nashville, and batted .288 with 14 homeruns and 93 RBI. He is a .308 career hitter.

Andrea Burkley is a veteran catcher coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Burkley, who played for Hartford last year, is career .295 hitter with a .702 OPS. But in 2082, he batted .324 with a .763 OPS and 74 runs batted in.

One possible option for the Broncos for the backup catcher role is Howard Bevers. The veteran Bevers bounced from Los Angeles to New Jersey to Atlanta last year before having his season come to an end in the middle of July with a torn muscle in his thigh. That injury may turn teams off of the 34 year old Bevers, allowing Denver to sign him to a reasonable deal as a backup. Bevers is a .291 career hitter with a .756 OPS. Before his injury last year, he was hitting .317 with an .873 OPS.

The Broncos could also choose to bring back Michael Grace, though at 37 years of age, Mounts may prefer to go in a different direction. Grace batted .324 with a .958 OPS and 8 homeruns in 139 at bats with Denver last season.

Another possibility is 34 year old Greg Lauritsen. Lauritsen, who played with Sacramento last season, isn't much of a hitter, as evidenced by his .621 OPS in 643 career at bats, but he's better defensively than Grace and probably has a few more years left in him than Grace does. If the Broncos wanted someone to fill the position for more than a year, Lauritsen might be a better option than Grace.

If Mounts doesn't take the free agent route to fill the backup catcher spot, it is likely that he will attempt to make a trade. There have been rumors that he has been interested in Grand Rapids' Richard Perkins. Perkins is a 34 year old career backup with a good arm and good plate discipline. However, he has rarely had much success in the major leagues, with a career batting average under .200. He is signed through the end of the season for $390,000. Two other names that have cropped up in rumors are a pair of Pittsburgh catchers: Raul Chapa and Hyu Yosuke. Chapa, also owner of a good arm and good plate discipline, has been the Pirates' backup for several years now, but is coming off of a dismal season in which he hit just .133 in 105 at bats. Chapa is making $850,000 and is signed through the end of the season. The 28 year old Yosuke, meanwhile, has been stuck at AAA the last few seasons despite the fact that his defense has been lauded by almost every one who has seen him play. Yosuke put up a .795 OPS last year at AAA and was 12 for 31 at the big league level. Pittsburgh may be feeling the need to choose between these two as its backup, and the Broncos might be able to acquire whoever loses that battle.

There is one other option for the Broncos. Surprisingly, it's an internal option. John Landon was the Broncos' third round draft pick in 2081. The 23 year old batted .312/347/.358/.705 last season at AA, and with a little work on his defense, the Broncos might find him to be just as productive- and definitely cheaper- than any free agent or trade possibility.

Next up: First-baseman and Second-baseman

jamus23 · 11-30-2007, 07:42 PM

2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Two: First-baseman and Second-baseman
1/30/2083
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

First Base:

It's a good thing that the Broncos aren't looking for a first-baseman, because there just aren't many on the market this year who are worthwhile. That being said, if Denver didn't already have Ellis Bolling, the emerging Carter Vanderhoof might be very attractive, and not just because of his name. The 27 year old Vanderhoof has developed into one of the most well-rounded first-baseman in the league. He provides a good batting average(.296 last year), a good batting eye(.383 OBP and 80 walks), and excellent power(.506 SLG and 28 homeruns). Vanderhoof, who played with Charlotte and Buffalo last year, also provides a very nice glove at first base.

The only other notable free agent at first base is the 24 year old Nestor Adrover. The former Sacramento and Nashville first-baseman enjoyed a breakout year in 2082, hitting .327 with 37 doubles, 27 homeruns, and 116 RBI.

Second Base:

While there might be a dearth of strong first base free agents this year, the same cannot be said for second base. In addition to ex-Bronco Tomas Sato, there are a number of interesting options at second available on the market.

Elmer Giancola, owner of 419 career homeruns, is probably the biggest name available. Though he is 37 years old, Giancola remains an excellent player. He'll get you hits(.308 AVG last year), he'll get on base(.390 OBP and 75 walks), and he'll hit for power(.495 SLG and 23 homeruns). He's also an excellent fielder. Given his age and the salary he will likely demand, don't expect the Broncos to be interested in him.

Joining with Ramon Martinez and Nestor Adrover as one of the youngest free agents is 24 year old Antonio Cortines. Cortines batted .317 last year with an .845 OPS and 12 homeruns for Portland and Phoenix. A broken ankle that caused him to miss the final month of the season could bring down his asking price. His power and glove, however, make him an attractive option.

Cristian Zarzuela is a veteran who may not be aging all that well. While the 36 year old ripped 28 homeruns last year for Washington, his .298 OBP was a far cry from his career OBP of .342.

The next two players offer versatility over offensive production, though at least one will probably provide a capable bat. Ciro Joubert can play anywhere in the infield, though his glove is actually the best at first base. Joubert hit .294 with an .809 OPS and 22 homeruns for Kansas City last year, but his career OPS is only .735, and the 31 year old has an uninspiring .313 career OBP.

Aaron Palacios is a superb gloveman at both second-base and shortstop, has a solid batting eye, and remains a threat on the basepaths even at the age of 37. Palacios' bat isn't much to speak of- he's just a career .228 hitter with a .644 OPS- but he does have 175 stolen bases. Last year, he swiped 15 bases and posted a .658 OPS for Knoxville and Nashville.

Of these options, it is likely that Denver will either attempt to bring back Sato, or perhaps target the young Cortines, who offers a better glove than Sato and has the kind of bat that might flourish in the hitter's haven that the Broncos play in. However, there are some indications that Mounts will eschew any free agents or trades in favor of seeing whether or not backup infielder Jack Rumfelt can handle increased playing time. Manager John Wilkerson is very positive towards Rumfelt's glove and he likes the way that Rumfelt works the count when batting. Denver may look for a solid right-handed option to platoon with the left-handed Rumfelt, and a prime candidate for that job would be Patrick Chason, who was very solid as utility infielder for Denver last season and is also a free agent. Of course, if the Broncos decide to make Rumfelt the starter, or even a platoon starter, they may be in the market for another reserve infielder. Somebody like Palacios might be very attractive in that role, if he is unable to land a starting gig anywhere.

Next up: Third-baseman and Shortstops

jamus23 · 12-02-2007, 03:16 PM

2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Three: Third-basemen and Shortstops
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

Third Base:

There are no truly great free agent third-basemen available, but there are several solid ones, including former Bronco Joseph Swayze.

At 34, Andrew Francis can still hit the ball over the fence, as evidenced by his 18 longballs last year while playing for Phoenix and Memphis. However, his other batting skills have almost completely eroded, as he mustered just a .214 batting average and an abysmal .264 OBP. He remains a top-notch fielder at the hot corner.

Former Portland third-sacker Don Guan doesn't have great career numbers- just a .229/.312/.364/.676 batting line- but there are those that feel the 29 year old might be a late bloomer. Last season, Guan batted a respectable .268/.348/.426/.774 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 14 homeruns, 75 walks, 99 runs scored, and 61 stolen bases. Guan has a solid batting eye and is very dangerous on the basepaths.

Charles Troutt is a younger, slightly inferior version of Andrew Francis. The 28 year old ex-Sacramento third-baseman batted .217/.281/.390/.671 last year with 13 homeruns. It was a down year for Troutt, who has a career SLG of .412 and a career OPS of .707. Like Francis, Troutt also provides a capable glove at third.

One other potentially interesting player is career backup Daniel Briese. Though the 34 year old, ex-Rochester third-baseman has never really started, and has unimpressive career numbers(a .258 batting average and .689 OPS), there are a few general managers who might be swayed by his .304/.350/.426/.776 batting line in 115 at bats last year and sign him to be a starter.

It is unclear what direction John Mounts will go in. The Broncos liked Joseph Swayze very much, and may try to bring him back. On the other hand, both Andrew Francis and Charles Troutt have similar, if not quite as much, power and superior gloves. Troutt is also much younger. Or maybe Don Guan will interest them as someone who can get on base a lot. The Broncos might also be willing to see if reserve infielder Michael Phillips can be productive as a regular. If that's the case, though, they will want to work heavily on his fielding ability, as he tends to field like a fire hydrant. Additionally, if the Broncos move both Phillips and Jack Rumfelt into starting roles, there will suddenly be some gaping holes on the Broncos' bench. Filling those would almost certainly become a priority, and there are few existing internal options for the infield bench.

Shortstop:

Though the Broncos are not likely to be in the market for a shortstop this offseason, as they are comfortable with Booker Romero's all glove-no hit approach, it is still worthwhile to look at who is out there.

Possibly the biggest prize of the offseason is 27 year old Ralph Jennings. Jennings, who played for Washington last year, is one of the biggest talents in the game at shortstop. His glove is only average, but he more than makes up for it with his potent bat. Jennings hit .309/.388/.597/.985 last year, and slugged 41 homeruns. He also drove in 134 and scored 108. Landing such a player who is still in his prime will be a major coup for whoever does it.

Jennings isn't the only good shortstop available. Former Knoxville shortstop Joseph Bailey is coming off of a season in which he hit .296/.330/.460/.790 with 36 doubles and 17 homeruns. The 32 year old has a .735 career OPS and is an excellent fielder.

Brian Hall is only 28 years old, and batted .316/.352/.459/.811 last year for Portland. Hall has a career OPS of .751 and is a good fielder.

Next up: Outfielders

jamus23 · 12-02-2007, 04:08 PM

2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Four: Outfielders
Al Vincent
Staff Writer

Left Field:

Left-field is not a particularly plentiful position this offseason, with really only two players of note. Former Harrisburg left-fielder John Schenk batted a respectable .270/.356/.397/.753 with 14 homeruns in 2082. The 30 year old outfielder has a career OPS of .780.

Bryan Carley is coming back from an injury that caused him to miss almost half of last season. After hitting .308 with an .823 OPS into the middle of July, a ruptured disc was discovered in Carley's back and he had his season shutdown. The 36 year old, ex-Tucson left-fielder is a career .317 hitter, and has 567 career doubles. He's also an excellent fielder.

Center Field:

Another lackluster position this year, there are only two players who are likely to garner significant interest by teams. 27 year old Anthony Benz is prized because of his superb fielding, but he also offers occasional power and is a threat to steal bases. Last year, he smacked 21 homeruns and stole 32 bases for Knoxville. His OPS was a respectable .742, but his OBP a meager .314.

Tristan Straub has long been a player expected to break out in the right situation. Clearly, the mess in Charlotte was not the right situation, and at 32 years of age, that situation may never happen. Still, Straub offers some decent skills. Despite a pitiful .681 OPS last year, Straub ripped 37 doubles and stole 42 bases. He also had very dramatic home and road splits, mustering just a .604 OPS while playing in Charlotte, and a solid .754 everywhere else. If he can find a more favorable place to play, some team might have themselves a solid player.

Right Field:

Unlike the other two outfield spots, right field presents a few pretty impressive free agents. Leading the field is 32 year old Flavio Trujillo, who played for New Jersey and Knoxville last year. Trujillo offers almost everything a team could want: a good batting average(.295 last year), an ability to get on base(.402 OBP and 92 walks), and power(.505 SLG and 28 homeruns). He's also a very capable defensive player.

If the Broncos were looking to fill the designated hitter hole through free agency, Gustavo Manrique might be just the player for them. Only 26 years old, this ex-Portland outfielder has tremendous raw power and a pretty good batting eye. He's only an average fielder, so DH might be a good spot for him. Portland isn't the easiest place to hit, but Manrique still managed to smash 36 homeruns and post a .534 SLG. His 88 walks gave him a very solid .365 OBP.

For teams losing out on the likely bidding wars for Trujillo and Manrique, there is a third option. Former Pittsburgh right-fielder Richard Billips put up a solid .852 OPS last season, and ripped 42 doubles and 16 homeruns, while drawing 63 walks and stealing 31 bases. Billips is also a superb defensive right-fielder.

The Broncos outfield seems to be set with Alexis Vazquez, Russell Thomas, and Asbel Fuentez. However, the open spot at designated hitter might make someone like Manrique very attractive, as the Broncos could play him there, or move Vazquez to DH and try to fit Manrique into either right or left. Manrique is likely to very expensive, however, so John Mounts may not even consider him as an option.

Next up: Pitchers

11-17-2007, 04:56 PM	#221 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 Divisional Round Playoff: Game Four The Denver Broncos (107-55) AT The Nashville Predators (82-80) Going up against Mose Urick again promised to be a tall task, and indeed, the Broncos were held to just four hits, and one lonely run driven in by Asbel Fuentez with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. What was not expected, was that that single run would be all Denver needed to even the series at two games apiece. And yet it was. Topping Urick's strong performance, was the Broncos' Christopher Kirk, who threw a complete game, 7-hit shutout, with no walks and five strikeouts. Around the league: Miami and Tucson battled back and forth for seven innings, until the Dolphins broke open a 3-3 game with a three run seventh inning. Reliever George Carolan then pitched out of a bases-loaded, nobody out situation in the ninth inning, and Miami evened the series at 2 games apiece. Slugger Roy Springs had 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored for the Dolphins. Buffalo struck for three unearned runs in the first three innings of Game Four, and the Bills evened their series with the Sharks at 2 games apiece with a 3-1 victory. Left-hander Paul Hilson pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowed only 5 hits and the 1 run, and struck out 7 batters. Pittsburgh quickly built a 2-0 lead over San Diego in Game Four, on the strength of homeruns from Javier Rael and Augustine Oatman in the first and second innings, respectively. Coupled with an impressive start by Jay Marrone, who allowed just 1 run in 7 innings, and whiffed 10 batters, it looked as though the Pirates would take a commanding lead in the series. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Salamon Alvarez delivered a game-tying, pinch hit, RBI double. Then, in the bottom of the 11th inning, Manuel Alarcon, who had replaced third-baseman Adam Chilson after he was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing a strikeout call, slammed a game-winning homerun. With the 3-2 victory, the Padres tied up their series at two games apiece with Pittsburgh. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-17-2007, 07:37 PM	#222 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 Divisional Round Playoff: Game Five The Denver Broncos (107-55) AT The Nashville Predators (82-80) If you wanted to describe Game Five in one word, with regards to the Broncos, that word would be: Disaster. Kenny Pillsbury got rocked, and he neither got help from his fielders nor helped himself with the glove. Nashville tagged Pillsbury for 9 runs in 5 1/3 innings, and only 4 of those runs were earned because Denver committed 5 errors in the contest, including one by Pillsbury himself. Pillsbury also found himself struggling to find the strikezone at times, as he walked 4 batters, and on two occasions, walked in runs. The Broncos' lineup was held at bay for most of the game, mustering only 2 runs late in the game when the outcome was all but decided already. Fittingly, the final out of the game involved Asbel Fuentez getting picked off of first base. Nashville's 10-2 thumping of Denver gives them a 3 games to 2 advantage in the series. Around the league: Once more, Tucson's Cleveland Lauria shut down Miami, and the Diamondbacks won 4-2 over the Dolphins to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the series. Lauria went 8 innings, allowed just 2 runs, and whiffed 9 batters. Tucson's Thomas Stallman hit his fourth homerun of the series. Miami infielder Bill Tovar left the game with an injury, and will miss at least the remainder of the series. It was the Roger Salazar show in Buffalo, as the Sharks took a 3 games to 2 lead over the Bills with a 6-0 victory. Not only did Salazar toss a 2-hit shutout, but he collected 2 hits, including a triple, and both drove in a run and scored a run. Pittsburgh raced to a big lead over San Diego, scoring 4 runs in the first inning. After the Padres crept to within 4-2 after five innings, the Pirates put the nail in the coffin with a 4 run sixth inning, and another run in the seventh, to lead 9-2. San Diego managed two more runs, but Pittsburgh took a 3 games to 2 lead with the 9-4 whipping. Veteran shortstop Dean White had 4 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored for the Pirates. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-18-2007, 02:51 PM	#223 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 Divisional Round Playoff: Game Six The Nashville Predators (82-80) AT The Denver Broncos (107-55) Ray Lockridge and Alexis Vazquez stepped up for the Broncos in a 4-1 victory over the Predators that forced a seventh game in this series. Lockridge threw a complete game, 5-hitter, and struck out 7 batters. Vazquez, who came into the game with no RBI in the series, had 2 hits and 3 RBI. His two run homerun in the fifth inning broke open a 2-0 game and made it 4-0. Around the league: The Dolphins forced a seventh game in this divisional round series with a seemingly inexorable onslaught of runs. Tucson struck first with a run in the top of the first inning, but Miami followed with two runs in the first, one run in the second, and a run in the third to make it 4-1. The Diamondbacks inched within two runs by scoring in the fourth inning, but the Dolphins followed with runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make it a 6-2 game. Tucson got on the board one final time, with a run in the eighth inning, but Miami ended any further discussion with a four run eighth inning. The Dolphins prevailed by a score of 10-3, banging out 16 hits in the game. Every batter for Miami reached base at least once in the game, and every batter managed to either drive in a run or score a run. The Bills led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning on the strength of homeruns by Rodrigo Rios and Fred Claire, but the Sharks scored twice in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. In the seventh inning, San Jose blew open the game with a four run outburst. The 7-2 lead held up, and the Sharks became the first team to clinch its series. San Jose will now await the winner of the San Diego-Pittsburgh series. Rightfielder James Lumsden delivered 3 hits and 3 RBI in the game. Starting pitcher Benito Ortiz pitched 7 innings and struck out 8 batters. Andrew Burdick lifted the Padres onto his shoulders and carried them to a seventh game. Burdick homered twice in the first two innings, and San Diego built a 6-2 lead on the Pirates. The Padres cruised to a 9-4 victory to force Game 7. Burdick finished with 5 RBI in the game, and thirdbaseman Adam Chilson contributed with 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Starter Carlos Lozoya wasn't as sharp as he could have been, but he still punched out 12 Pirates' batters in just 6 innings. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-18-2007, 03:20 PM	#224 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 Divisional Round Playoff: Game Seven The Nashville Predators (82-80) AT The Denver Broncos (107-55) Once more, the Broncos had to go up against Mose Urick. This time, it was do or die. Win, and they would move on. Lose, and start heading south and west for the warmer golf courses. For three innings, Urick and Robert McNett matched each other, putting up zeros. In the fourth, however, the Predators squeezed out a run. The game remained 1-0 through the bottom of the fourth. And through five innings. Six innings. Seven innings. In the top of the eighth inning, McNett left the mound, having allowed just 5 hits and the 1 run in 7 1/3 innings pitched. Finally, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Asbel Fuentez came through with a run-scoring groundout to tie the game up. In the ninth inning, Urick headed for the showers, having pitched 8 2/3 innings, with only 5 hits and 1 run alllowed. The game headed to extra-innings. In the top of the tenth, Nashville could manage nothing. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Ellis Bolling stepped to the plate with two runners aboard. He had done little in the series previously, but if he could just manage a base hit, it would probably win the game. But Bolling doesn't do base hits. Bolling does bombs. And that's just what Ellis Bolling did- blast a pitch over the fence for a game and series-winning, three run homerun. Around the league: The final game between two very good teams turned out to be somewhat anticlimactic. Back to back homeruns in the first inning by Roy Springs and Dennis Fernandez helped the Dolphins surge to a 3-0 lead right off the bat. Another run in the second inning made it 4-0. Tucson got on the board with a run in the fifth inning, but Miami scored two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings, rolling to 8-1 victory in Game 7. Miami banged out 17 hits in the game. Springs finished with 3 hits and 4 RBI. The 41 year old Jim Miller showed that he still has something left, tossing 8 innings of 4-hit ball, with 6 strikeouts. The Dolphins will face off against the Broncos to decide the AL pennant. In a bit of irony, San Diego's bullpen, widely believed to be the team's biggest weakness, stepped up and preserved a close lead over Pittsburgh to win the series. The Padres got on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning, but the lead didn't last long. In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh scored twice to go ahead. In the sixth inning, however, the Padres struck for three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Pirates got one of the runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but then the San Diego bullpen took over. Samuel Rodriguez and Juan Donato combined to throw 2 1/3 innings of no-hit, no-run, no-walk ball, with 3 strikeouts, to preserve the 4-3 lead. Once more, Andrew Burdick delivered, collecting 2 hits and 2 RBI to help lead San Diego to the NLCS, where they will face San Jose. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-20-2007, 05:44 PM	#225 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 American League Championship Series Preview: Miami VS Denver The Miami Dolphins (97-65) VS. The Denver Broncos (107-55) History: This is the sixth time that Denver and Miami have faced each other in the American League Championship Series, and the eighth overall postseason meeting between the two. The two teams previously butted heads to decide the AL pennant in 2043, 2054, 2055, 2058, and most recently, in 2073. The Dolphins emerged victorious from all of those series except the 2058 one, which was the only time that the Broncos reached the World Series(they were defeated by Pittsburgh in seven games). The two teams also faced off in the Divisional Round in 2078 and 2079, with Miami coming out on top both times. There are nine players still playing for the Dolphins that also played for that '73 team: C Jake Foss, 1B Aaron Shorts, 2B Edward Rehberg, CF Ulises Menendez, SP Joseph Brashears, SP Jose Caceres, SP Jim Miller, RP Christopher Lain, and RP George Carolan, plus infielder Fred Elliot, who saw action for Miami this season, but has played for other teams in the intervening years and is not on Miami's postseason roster. Meanwhile, Denver has five players still around from the '73 squad: C Lee Chappel, 1B Ellis Bolling, DH Mark Bakke, LF Alexis Vazquez, and RP James Virgen. Also of interest, current Miami relief pitcher, Chad Helton, was a member of that Broncos team, and current Broncos' backup catcher, Michael Grace, collected 12 at bats for the Dolphins that season. Denver and Miami went to seven games in that ALCS, and the deciding game was a doozy. Taking the mound for the Broncos was a familiar face from last season- Arden Hawthorn- and for the Dolphins, Joseph Brashears got the start. The Dolphins got the scoring started early, with a 4 run second inning. In the third inning, the Broncos returned the favor, tying the game up with help from Ellis Bolling(2-run triple) and Lee Chappel(RBI double). The Dolphins retook the lead, 5-4, in the fourth inning, but a grand slam in the top of the fifth from Bolling staked Denver to an 8-5 lead. Hawthorn gave way to reliever Herbert Hilson with two outs in the fifth inning. That turned out to be the wrong move. Hilson immediately coughed up 2 runs before getting out of the inning, and then surrendered the tying run in the sixth inning. James Virgen took over and prevented any further damage in that inning, and got through the seventh inning unscathed. But with two outs in the eighth inning, Virgen made two mistakes. Mistake number one went to Jake Foss, who took Virgen deep to give the Dolphins the lead. Mistake number two went to the next batter, Ulises Menendez, who also ripped a homerun off of Virgen, giving Miami a 10-8 lead. The Broncos plated one run in the ninth, but could get no closer, losing the game by a final of 10-9. Miami went on to blow a 3 games to 2 lead to San Diego in the World Series, losing to the Padres in seven. The Broncos have reached the ALCS only one time since then, in 2075 when they faced Knoxville and were defeated in seven games. Denver, as I said, has never won the World Series, and reached only the one time, back in '58. Miami, on the other hand, emerged as the dominant American League power in the early '40s, only a few years after coming into being, and have won more World Series than any team save Pittsburgh. The Dolphins' most recent championship came in 2079, ending what, for them, was a lengthy drought; the previous championship had come in 2065. Seventeen players remain from that World Series team. Quick Facts: -Denver won the season series with Miami, winning 10 games while losing just 4. Five of the games were deciced by one just one run. -Russell Thomas hit just .196 (11/56) against the Dolphins this season. -Joseph Swayze hit only .184 (9/49) with 0 homeruns and 1 RBI against the Dolphins. Miami is the only team that he failed to hit a homerun against, and the 1 RBI is his fewest against any team this year. -Lee Chappel hit .410 (25/61) against Miami. Both the batting average and the hit total are his highest against any team. -Kenny Pillsbury made 3 starts against the Dolphins this season, and went 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA. -Miami ace, Christian Hokusai, made only one start against the Broncos this year, and got pounded for 6 runs in 7 innings pitched. Thoughts: Miami's first playoff opponent, Tucson, was very balanced between scoring runs and preventing runs. Denver is similarly balanced, though with more of an emphasis on run-scoring as opposed to Tucson's slight emphasis on run prevention. Miami appears to be a one-sided team, with tremendous pitching and a middling offense. Yet the Dolphins managed to survive the Diamondbacks, and in the final two games of the series, they did it by scoring a lot of runs, outscoring Tucson 18-4. Also of interest will be the contrast in home parks. Denver's, obviously, greatly favors offense, but Miami's is almost the complete opposite, being one of the toughest parks to generate runs in. On the one hand, the Broncos have a few hitters- Joseph Swayze, Tomas Sato, and Booker Romero, most likely- who will suffer a sizable drop in production when they leave the friendly confines of Denver. On the other hand, however, Denver's pitching this year was pretty good despite playing in an unfavorable park. This, I think, may give the Broncos the ultimate advantage. Miami may not have enough offense to outscore Denver when the games are in Denver, and Denver's pitching may be just as good as Miami's away from Denver. Still, the Dolphins are a tough, veteran team... so, I predict the Broncos will win in seven games. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-20-2007, 05:57 PM	#226 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 National League Championship Series: San Diego VS San Jose The San Diego Padres (85-77) VS. The San Jose Sharks (96-66) History: Not surprisingly, this is the first National League Championship Series meeting between these two National League West Division rivals. Since the playoffs were not expanded until 2064, it would not have been possible for both of them to make the playoffs at the same time before then. They have, however, faced each other in the Divisional Round on one occasion. Since the playoff expansion, San Diego has made the postseason only four times, excluding this season: 2073, 2074, 2075, and 2081. Both teams made the playoffs in '73, with the Padres winning the division and the Sharks finishing in second place, but the Sharks were defeated in the Divisional Round by Pittsburgh, while the Padres went on to win the World Series. In '74, San Diego slipped to second place, but San Jose fell all the way to fourth place, missing the postseason. In '75, San Diego returned to the top of the division, and San Jose returned to the playoffs, winning a one game playoff with Los Angeles to finish in sole possession of second place. The two met in the first round of the playoffs, and the Sharks, who had finished 12 1/2 games behind the Padres in the regular season, prevailed in seven games. Two Padres' players remain from that season, while seven Sharks' players remain. Last season, the two made the playoffs together, with San Jose winning the division, but San Diego fell in the Divisional Round to Pittsburgh, and San Jose fell to Rochester. San Diego's history is not one filled with tremendous success; only two World Series titles do the Padres have to their name. The first came in 2030, and the second came after a drought of over 40 years, finally ending in 2073. Two current Padres remain from the championship team: 2B Andrew Burdick and LF Gregorio Ruiz. Interestingly, both joined San Diego in that very year. Burdick was the crowning achievement of an aggressive offseason; San Diego spent over $40 million on free agents that season, almost $19 million of which went to Burdick. Ruiz was a trade deadline pickup from a last place Buffalo team. The two helped push San Diego past San Jose to win the West Division by 4 games, and contributed to the Padres' playoff run over Hartford, Pittsburgh, and Miami, bringing to an end four decades of championship-less baseball. San Jose has made the World Series most recently in 2079, and also in 2076, but the Sharks lost both of those Series. One has to go back to 2072 to find San Jose's last championship-winning team. Four players remain from that team: 1B Ugo Momoru, SP Benito Ortiz, RP Steven Jackson, Jr., and RP Anselmo Ortiz. Quick Facts: -San Jose dominated the season series 12-3 over San Diego, however, 5 of the games were decided by one run and 3 went into extra innings. -San Jose's Roger Salazar made 3 starts against San Diego this season, and won 2 of them, while posting a 2.45 ERA. One of the starts was a 4-hit shutout back on April 3rd. -Ugo Momoru has hit .424 (25/59) against the Padres, with 4 homeruns and 20 RBI. The batting average, hit total, and RBI total are his highest against any team this season. -San Jose CF George Ormiston has hit .450 (18/40) against the Padres, which is his highest batting average against any team. -San Diego SP Delbert Spicher has been the definition of unlucky against the Sharks. He has made 3 starts against San Jose, posting a respectable 3.10 ERA, but has lost all three starts. -Andrew Burdick has hit .441 against the Sharks (26/59). -Gregorio Ruiz's 5 homeruns against San Jose are his most against any team, tied with Los Angeles. -San Diego 1B, George Canales, has hit just .173 against the Sharks (9/52). Thoughts: This is an interesting matchup, in my opinion. I think that San Jose may actually be a more favorable matchup for San Diego than was Pittsburgh, and the Padres battled back to beat the Pirates. Both teams have very similar starting pitching, with perhaps a slight advantage for San Diego. The Sharks' bullpen, obviously blows away San Diego's, but if the Padres can batter San Jose's starters enough, that may not even matter. Offensively, San Diego's lineup is very fearsome. Andrew Burdick was a one-man wrecking crew against Pittsburgh, and if he can keep it up against San Jose, the Sharks will be in a lot of trouble. San Jose's offense, on the other hand, seems a lot weaker, but the Sharks were also hurt by some down years by a few players, making it look worse than it actually is. San Jose can score runs when it needs to, especially if guys like Ugo Momoru and Charles Seaver get hot. Even so, I like San Diego to win in six games. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-22-2007, 12:42 PM	#227 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game One The ALCS: The Miami Dolphins (97-65) AT The Denver Broncos (107-55) The Broncos jumped out to a quick lead on the Dolphins in Game 1, scoring a run in the first inning, two in the second inning from a Joseph Swayze homerun, and another in the third inning on an Alexis Vazquez homerun, to build a comfortable 4-0 lead. Miami crept back into the game with two runs in the fifth inning, but Denver got one of them back by scoring in the seventh inning. The Dolphins cut the deficit to just one run, by scoring twice in the eighth inning, but the Broncos hung on for a 5-4 victory. Swayze and Vazquez each had 2 hits and 2 RBI in the game. Kenny Pillsbury was shaky, but effective enough to gut out the win, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs in 7 2/3 innings, while striking out four and walking four. The NLCS: The San Diego Padres (85-77) AT The San Jose Sharks (96-66) Through four innings, San Diego and San Jose were tied at one run apiece, but in the fifth inning, the Padres lineup began to assert itself. Gaby Matos, who paced all of baseball this year with 48 homeruns, smacked a solo homerun to give the Padres the lead. In the seventh inning, Gregorio Ruiz crushed a two run homer, making it 4-1. San Diego tacked on three runs in the top of the ninth to make it 7-1, but San Jose made it look a little bit more respectable by plating a couple of runs of its own in the bottom of the ninth, for a final score of 7-3. San Diego's dangerous trio of Matos, Andrew Burdick, and Ruiz combined for 8 hits, 3 RBI, and 5 runs scored. The Padres starter, Casey Greene, pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing 7 hits and 1 run. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-22-2007, 12:58 PM	#228 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game Two The ALCS: The Miami Dolphins (97-65) AT The Denver Broncos (107-55) The Broncos stunned the Dolphins in a come from behind Game 2 victory. Miami drew first blood on a first inning homerun by Roy Springs, but Denver tied the game up in the third inning. Then disaster struck for the Broncos. The Dolphins picked up 2 runs in the sixth inning, and exploded for 4 runs in the seventh inning. One more run in the top of the eighth gave Miami a commanding 8-1 lead. But the Broncos weren't going to roll over and die. In the bottom of the eighth, Denver came up with 4 runs to keep hope alive. In the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos managed to get across one run, but were down to their final out when Booker Romero stepped to the plate with two runners aboard. Romero promptly lashed a laser into the corner for a two run triple that tied the game up. Asbel Fuentez followed him with a run-scoring single to win the game, 9-8. Fuentez finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Joseph Swayze had 4 hits, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Miami's Springs collected 4 hits (including a double and a homerun), 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored in the game. The NLCS: The San Diego Padres (85-77) AT The San Jose Sharks (96-66) Reeling from the Game 1 loss, San Jose jumped on San Diego for four first inning runs. The lead didn't last for long. In the third inning, San Diego ripped off 5 runs, getting a three run homer from Gregorio Ruiz and a solo homerun from George Canales. Ruiz hit his second homerun of the game, a two run blast, in the fourth inning. In the sixth, San Jose cut the deficit to 7-5 with a run, but Andrew Burdick provided the final margin of victory with a solo homerun in the eighth inning, giving San Diego an 8-5 win. In this game, Canales replaced Gaby Matos in San Diego's "triumvirate of torment," joining Ruiz and Burdick to combine for 9 hits, 7 RBI, 6 runs scored, and 4 homeruns. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-22-2007, 01:10 PM	#229 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game Three The ALCS: The Denver Broncos (107-55) AT The Miami Dolphins (97-65) Already leading the series two games to none, the Broncos looked to take a commanding lead in Game 3. Ellis Bolling delivered a run-scoring single in the first inning, and Denver was off to a good start. From there, both teams put up goose-eggs inning after inning, until the bottom of the seventh. In the blink of an eye, Denver's lead was gone. Miami's Albert Chichester tied the game up by leading off the inning with a homerun. Then, with two outs, Aaron Shorts, cracked a two run double to give the Dolphins a 3-1 lead. Alexis Vazquez led off the ninth inning with a homerun, but the Broncos could manage nothing more, losing 3-2. Miami's Joseph Brashears held the Denver lineup in check, surrendering only 5 hits and 1 run in 8 innings of work. The NLCS: The San Jose Sharks (96-66) AT The San Diego Padres (85-77) San Diego, meanwhile, had no difficulty in opening up a three games to none lead. Gaby Matos got things started with a homerun in the first inning, and then hit another one in the third inning. San Jose managed to tie up the game in the sixth inning, but in the seventh, Andrew Burdick hit a run-scoring double, and Gregorio Ruiz homered in his third straight game, a two run shot to give the Padres a 5-2 lead. Ugo Momoru homered in the eighth inning to make it 5-3, but San Diego managed another run in the bottom of the eighth to complete the scoring in a 6-3 victory. San Diego's Carlos Lozoya pitched 8 innings, allowed 3 runs, and struck out 6 batters. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-22-2007, 01:22 PM	#230 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game Four The ALCS: The Denver Broncos (107-55) AT The Miami Dolphins (97-65) The Broncos suffered a complete meltdown in getting annihilated, 11-0, by the Dolphins, and Miami evened the series at two games apiece. The Dolphins struck for 2 runs in the second inning, 1 run in the third, 4 runs in the fifth inning, 1 run in the sixth, and 3 runs in the eighth inning, banging out 17 hits in the process. On the mound for Miami, the seemingly ageless Jim Miller tossed a five hit shutout. The Dolphins' Dennis Fernandez provided 3 hits, 1 walk, 2 RBI, 4 runs scored, and a 2 run homer. Danial Armas collected 4 hits, 3 RBI, and 3 run scored. Francisco Alvarez had 3 hits and 3 RBI. The NLCS: The San Jose Sharks (96-66) AT The San Diego Padres (85-77) The Sharks avoided getting swept, and staved off elimination, with an emphatic 7-1 triumph. Ugo Momoru ripped a first inning homerun, and then starting pitcher Justo Rubino helped himself out with a two run single in the fifth inning. After San Diego looked like it might still have hope, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth, the Sharks brought that hope to a screeching halt with a 4 run eighth inning, providing the final margin of 7-1. Not only did he acquit himself nicely at the plate, but Rubino also was superb on the mound, tossing 8 innings of 4 hit ball, while striking out 6 batters. The Gaby Matos/Andrew Burdick/Gregorio Ruiz trio combined to go 0 for 11, with a walk, and 3 strikeouts. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-24-2007, 11:32 AM	#231 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game Five The ALCS: The Denver Broncos (107-55) AT The Miami Dolphins (97-65) After ripping out the hearts of Miami with the come from behind win in Game Two, the Broncos had a 2 games to none lead and all of the momentum. Two losses later, that momentum is a distant memory. A loss in Game Five would be potentially disastrous... Miami's Albert Chichester belted a 2 run homerun as the Dolphins scored 3 runs in the second inning. Meanwhile, Christian Hokusai no-hit the Broncos for five innings. In the sixth, Denver finally got on the board when Ellis Bolling hit a two run homerun, but the Dolphins pulled away again, getting a two run homerun from Dennis Fernandez in the seventh inning. They hung on for the 5-3 victory, and now hold a 3 games to 2 lead with the series returning to Denver. Hokusai allowed only 2 hits in 7 innings for Miami, while Kenny Pillsbury got tagged for 12 hits and 5 runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched. The NLCS: The San Jose Sharks (96-66) AT The San Diego Padres (85-77) San Diego clinched its first National League pennant since 2073 by beating San Jose with ease in Game Five. The Padres opened the game with a 4 run first inning, getting a 3 run homerun from Salomon Alvarez. A run in the fourth inning made it 5-0. The Sharks mustered one run in the sixth, but nothing more. Casey Greene threw a complete game, 7-hitter to put the Padres into the World Series. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-24-2007, 11:51 AM	#232 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 League Championship Series: Game Six The ALCS: The Miami Dolphins (97-65) AT The Denver Broncos (107-55) Once more, it was do or die for Denver. Unfortunately, the hometown advantage that the Broncos might have hoped for with the return to Denver never materialized. Miami struck for 3 runs in the third inning, and made it 4-0 after the top of the fifth. The Broncos got back into the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring three runs- 2 from an Ellis Bolling triple- but they would get no closer. Miami added a run in the ninth inning to complete the scoring. The Dolphins clinched the AL pennant with a 5-3 victory. Ray Lockridge struck out 7 batters in 5 2/3 innings, but he also got pounded for 11 hits and 4 runs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- And so, once again, the Broncos' season ends in disappointment. Ten consecutive playoff appearances and not one World Series appearance is a bitter pill to swallow. The upcoming offseason is going to be an interesting one. There are a number of key players who could become free agents, including Kenny Pillsbury, Ray Lockridge, Alexis Vazquez, Joseph Swayze, and Tomas Sato. Right now, Denver's payroll is just a bit higher than it should be, so there is a very good chance that some of those players will not return as the Broncos try to adjust the payroll to a more manageable figure. Of course, the other problem right now is that Denver's organizational depth is almost nonexistant, so there are no obvious internal replacements for some of the players that might leave. Next up: The World Series- San Diego Padres vs. Miami Dolphins __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-24-2007, 01:04 PM	#233 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 World Series: San Diego Padres vs. Miami Dolphins The San Diego Padres (85-77) VS. The Miami Dolphins (97-65) Preview: This is a rematch of the '73 World Series, in which San Diego defeated Miami in seven games. Two Padres and nine Dolphins participated in that World Series. For the Padres, it is only their third appearance in the World Series. They previously reached in 2030, when they beat Knoxville in five games, and 2073. It is the Dolphins second straight appearance, third in the last four seasons, and twentieth overall. Miami has won 11 of the previous 19 World Series that it has appeared in, the most recent victory coming in 2079, when the Dolphins beat San Jose in five games. Game One: San Diego got off to a good start, scoring 2 runs in the first inning, and the Padres led 3-1 after 6 1/2 innings. But Miami erased that deficit with a 3 run seventh inning, and a two run homerun by Francisco Alvarez in the eighth inning secured a 6-3 victory. Relief pitcher Salvador Fierros tossed 5 1/3 innings of 5 hit, 1 run, 6 strikeout relief after Dolphins' starter Joseph Brashears left in the fourth inning with an injury. Brashears will miss the rest of the series. Game Two: Once again, San Diego scored first, as Salomon Alvarez homered in the second inning to give the Padres an early 1-0 lead. But Miami went ahead 2-1 in the fifth inning, getting a solo homerun from Dennis Fernandez. Fernandez homered again in the sixth inning, and another run in the seventh completed the scoring in a 4-1 victory for Miami. Christian Hokusai was dominating for the Dolphins, pitching 8 innings, and allowing only 5 hits, while striking out 10 batters. He victimized Gregorio Ruiz 4 times in the game. Game Three: The Dolphins' Jose Caceres was wild, but still effective, and Miami took a commanding 3 games to none lead in the World Series with a 3-1 victory in Game Three. Caceres walked 7 batters in 8 innings, but allowed only 4 hits and 1 run, while striking out 6. Miami got off to a quick start, with 2 first inning runs. San Diego cut the deficit to 1 run by scoring in the second inning, but they could manage nothing else the rest of the way. Roy Springs provided an insurance run for Miami by homering in the fifth inning. Game Four: San Diego's high-powered offense finally managed to break out, and the Padres survived for at least another game by pummeling the Dolphins, 12-0. Andrew Burdick delivered a 3 run double in a five run fifth inning. In the sixth, Gaby Matos hit a solo homerun to make it 6-0, and he added a 3 run homerun as the Padres exploded for 6 runs in the seventh inning. Carlos Lozoya stepped up for San Diego, and allowed only 7 hits in 7 1/3 innings pitched. He also struck out 7 batters. Game Five: San Diego staved off defeat once again in a back and forth fifth game. Miami drew first blood with a run in the second inning, but the Padres' Adam Chilson crushed a two run homerun in the fourth inning to give San Diego the lead. In the sixth inning, Dennis Fernandez tied the game up with a solo homerun, but in the eighth inning, George Canales came through with a 2 run homerun to give the Padres a 4-2 lead. They hung on to that lead for the win. Casey Greene pitched 7 innings, gave up 5 hits, and 2 runs, and struck out 6 batters. Game Six: In danger of blowing a 3 games to none lead, the Dolphins quickly took control of Game Six with a run in the second inning. In the fifth, Roy Springs provided a 2 run double, and Miami led, 3-0. A run in the sixth inning made it 4-0. In the seventh inning, George Canales provided a brief boost for San Diego with a 2 run homerun, but in the bottom of the inning, the Dolphins came through with another run to make it 5-2. That proved to be the final scored, and Miami captured its 12th World Series title. Christian Hokusai pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed 4 hits and 2 runs, while striking out 6, to earn the win. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-24-2007, 01:23 PM	#234 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2082 Awards American League: Silver Slugger- Denver's own Alexis Vazquez was awarded the AL Silver Slugger for the 2082 season. Vazquez led the league with a .363 batting average and 1.040 OPS. Both of those were career highs for him, as was his .411 OBP, .629 SLG, 226 hits, 43 homeruns, 162 RBI, and 124 runs scored. It was pretty much the definition of a "career year" for Vazquez. This is his first Silver Slugger Award. Cy Young Award- Not surprisingly, this went to Nashville's Mose Urick, who went 22-5 with a league-leading 1.74 ERA, and a league-leading 240 strikeouts. Urick also tossed 12 complete games and 5 shutouts. It is the first Cy Young Award for a pitcher who pretty much put Nashville into the playoffs single-handedly. Rookie of the Year Award- This one went to Memphis' Claudio DeHerrera, who was 12-9 with a 3.97 ERA for the Grizzlies. National League: Silver Slugger- San Diego's Andrew Burdick won his third Silver Slugger by leading the league in batting average(.391), OBP(.466), OPS(1.102), hits(236), and runs scored(151). He also delivered 39 homeruns, 118 RBI, 86 walks, and 35 stolen bases. Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year Award- Pittsburgh's Andreas Fajardo has done something that has only been done once before. Back in 2030, Manuel Reno became the first player to win the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season. Fifty-two years later, another Pittsburgh pitcher has accomplished the same feat. Fajardo went 22-4(the 22 wins tied for the National League lead), with a league-leading 2.12 ERA. He struck out 188 batters, threw 8 complete games, and tied for the league lead with 3 shutouts. Fajardo's 22 wins also broke Reno's single season record for rookies(Reno won 21 games in 2030). __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-26-2007, 06:41 PM	#235 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	Lockridge Hits The Jackpot; Three Longtime Broncos May Be Saying Goodbye November 4th, 2082 Al Vincent Staff Writer Denver General Manager John Mounts has long held a policy of refusing to negotiate with players regarding contract extensions until the completion of the season. He has said that he doesn't want to be swayed by a hot or cold streak, and that waiting until the end of the season allows each player to present him with a full body of work. Well apparently, Ray Lockridge's full body of work was extremely impressive to Mounts. Lockridge and the Broncos came to terms on a deal that will make Lockridge the highest paid player on Denver, and the second highest paid pitcher in all of baseball. The deal will pay Lockridge an average of $12 million per year over the next five years. Ellis Bolling at $10.5 million per year was Denver's former highest paid player. Meanwhile, Rochester's Segundo Narbaiza, at $15.08 million per year, is the only pitcher in baseball who will be making more money than Lockridge. Mounts said that Lockridge was "a very important part of the rotation we[Denver] are trying to build" and that he was prepared to "do whatever it took to keep him[Lockridge] in Denver." For his part, Lockridge said "I wanted to be on a winning team, but I also wanted a fair deal. Denver offers me both of those." Lockridge wasn't the only member of the rotation to have been in the position to eye free agency. Both Kenny Pillsbury and George Buentello had that option, but both have agreed to terms with Denver. Pillsbury inked terms to a deal that will pay him $7 million per year for the next four seasons, while Buentello signed a 3 year deal that will pay him $585,000 per year. Pillsbury was excited that he, Lockridge, and Buentello would all be returning. "With the three of us, plus Robert [McNett] and Christopher [Kirk], we've got a really great rotation. It's the kind of rotation that can get us to the World Series. We were so close this year; it would have been a shame to have it broken up." The rotation wasn't the only part of the pitching staff that received attention from John Mounts' wallet. James Virgen, who has emerged as manager John Wilkerson's most trusted reliever, received an extension worth $2.19 million per year over the next three years. As well, occasional swingman Larry Waltz was given a two year extension worth $684,000 per year. Although Waltz saw little action this year, after seemingly breaking out in 2081, there is some expectation of bullpen spots opening up for him next season. Two key starting position players have also been retained. Left-fielder Alexis Vazquez, coming off of a stunning season in which he won the Silver Slugger Award, signed a deal that seems somewhat low given his recent accomplishments. Vazquez's deal is only for two seasons, and is worth just $4 million per year. But Vazquez dismissed claims of getting underpaid. "I feel like I've had a pretty good career, and sure, this past season was my best ever. But I'm also 34 years old. Guys my age can fall apart in an instant. At this point, I'm not looking for a ton of money. I want a championship. And I know everybody in Denver wants one, too. I've spent my entire career here in Denver. They drafted me, and helped me grow as a player, and gave me an opportunity to start. They've been loyal to me over the years, and I want to show my loyalty to them. For me, this is a fair deal. I get to stay where I've always been for a couple more years, and hopefully, win a championship. And the team gets stability at a cost that they are comfortable with. And if I'm still going strong two years from now, I'm sure that they will still be interested in me." Shortstop Booker Romero also elected to return to the Broncos, signing a three year deal worth $2 million per year. Mounts had this to say about Romero: "Obviously, Booker is not a guy who's going to hit for a great average, or hit a bunch of homeruns. But it's hard to find good fielding shortstops in this league. Booker provides us with an excellent glove in the middle of the infield, and he offers enough offensive contributions to make this deal a good one for us." Of the Broncos' remaining potential free agents, only reserve outfielder Armando Navarro was given an extension. Navarro signed a 2 year deal worth $900,000 per year. Despite all of these players that Broncos will be keeping, it is somewhat bittersweet, as Denver appears to be saying goodbye to three players who were significant contributers to the revival of the franchise under Mounts. Designated-hitter Mark Bakke, second-baseman Tomas Sato, and third-baseman Joseph Swayze have not come to terms and are preparing to enter the free agent market. Bakke was acquired in 2070 and emerged as a major star, hitting 40+ homeruns three times from '72 to '76, and was named to five All-Star teams. He was also a dangerous base-stealing threat, pilfering 40 or more every year from '76 to '80. Sato broke into the big leagues in 2074, and quickly established himself as an excellent hitter for average. He's hit .329 or better in every season since 2077. He was an All-Star in 2079. Swayze has made a name for himself as being a very streaky, but dangerous power hitter. He's hit 30 or more homeruns in each of the last four seasons, and he belted 43 in 2081. Mounts did not rule out the possibility of trying to bring back one or more of these three, but admitted that from a financial perspective, the Broncos needed to make some sacrifices. "We certainly don't want to gut this team, which has been so close to a championship for a number of years now, but at the same time, we need to be smarter and more responsible with the decisions that we make. I would love for John [Wilkerson] to be able to pencil in guys like Tomas and Joseph into the lineup every day, and if I feel that we can bring them back, I will make every effort to do so. But, I think it's also fair to allow them to test the market. Quite likely, they will be able to find a team who will be willing to pay them more than what I can." Bakke said that he was saddened that his time with the Broncos was coming to an end, and that he may decide to retire instead of signing somewhere else. Both Swayze and Sato said that they would have preferred to stay in Denver, but Sato added that he also wanted "the fairest deal he could get, which probably wouldn't be with Denver." Bakke's career stats: Code: Year G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS Teams 2068 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 POR 2070 25 66 13 3 0 0 1 8 2 20 1 0 .197 .221 .242 .463 POR DEN 2071 145 515 138 24 5 12 73 70 67 157 31 6 .268 .352 .404 .756 DEN 2072 151 547 162 24 1 42 107 110 64 106 17 5 .296 .370 .574 .944 DEN 2073 148 572 193 24 5 43 131 129 58 70 23 8 .337 .398 .622 1.021 DEN,AL 2074 147 583 176 27 5 19 89 107 49 36 27 9 .302 .356 .463 .819 DEN,AL 2075 147 545 156 23 2 32 87 115 55 38 38 13 .286 .352 .512 .864 DEN 2076 144 565 190 27 7 42 127 142 65 34 42 8 .336 .405 .632 1.037 DEN,AL 2077 147 594 199 35 0 23 86 135 60 29 47 13 .335 .396 .510 .906 DEN,AL 2078 148 615 205 37 4 28 90 131 52 31 54 14 .333 .385 .543 .928 DEN,AL 2079 151 656 192 31 4 25 94 104 46 36 46 10 .293 .339 .466 .805 DEN 2080 152 642 192 50 2 15 78 114 59 57 46 12 .299 .358 .453 .811 DEN 2081 138 517 176 25 2 29 108 97 33 32 19 5 .340 .380 .565 .945 DEN 2082 117 457 139 20 3 10 77 64 27 46 19 5 .304 .343 .427 .770 DEN Total 1762 6874 2131 350 40 320 1148 1327 637 692 410 108 .310 .369 .512 .881 Sato's career stats: Code: Year G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS Teams 2074 61 178 59 9 1 3 29 30 20 26 13 4 .331 .399 .444 .843 DEN 2075 101 263 80 15 1 4 41 42 24 38 22 15 .304 .362 .414 .777 DEN 2076 133 441 129 20 4 9 46 85 34 35 40 20 .293 .343 .417 .760 DEN 2077 129 378 127 15 6 6 66 63 36 22 8 10 .336 .394 .455 .849 DEN 2078 133 403 138 21 3 5 85 75 41 28 9 6 .342 .403 .447 .850 DEN 2079 146 478 161 23 3 11 66 79 55 26 15 6 .337 .405 .467 .872 DEN,AL 2080 137 433 150 15 6 8 65 72 42 16 6 6 .346 .404 .464 .868 DEN 2081 147 565 190 28 9 14 108 94 42 28 1 5 .336 .382 .492 .874 DEN 2082 133 504 166 17 3 7 82 90 33 34 9 2 .329 .380 .417 .797 DEN Total 1120 3643 1200 163 36 67 588 630 327 253 123 74 .329 .385 .449 .834 Swayze's career stats: Code: Year G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS Teams 2074 32 86 23 1 0 3 14 12 3 20 0 0 .267 .292 .384 .676 DEN 2075 29 94 26 5 1 3 15 13 4 9 0 1 .277 .306 .447 .753 DEN 2076 106 307 83 13 1 21 72 43 14 48 0 1 .270 .302 .524 .827 DEN 2077 117 364 103 14 0 22 81 61 16 67 0 1 .283 .313 .503 .816 DEN 2078 123 376 98 18 1 26 74 61 8 68 0 1 .261 .276 .521 .797 DEN 2079 144 520 136 22 2 35 109 85 31 106 1 4 .262 .303 .513 .817 DEN 2080 147 505 130 31 2 31 117 80 28 75 2 2 .257 .296 .511 .807 DEN 2081 146 580 177 29 2 43 133 106 22 81 2 0 .305 .331 .584 .915 DEN 2082 142 531 142 26 0 37 101 90 29 84 2 0 .267 .307 .525 .832 DEN Total 986 3363 918 159 9 221 716 551 155 558 7 10 .273 .305 .523 .828 A number of other players will find themselves as ex-Broncos as the free agency period begins: Bobby Villanueva, Michael Stennis, Michael Grace, Patrick Chason, George Treadway, Maurice Lalli, Steven Andrade, and Derek Moos. Mounts also announced that Gary Kibby, Efrain Ashlock, and Jorge Gonzalez had been released. __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-30-2007, 06:55 PM	#237 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part One: Catchers 1/30/2083 Al Vincent Staff Writer As the free agent signing period is about to kick off, let's look at what players are on the market this season, and which, if any, the Denver Broncos and GM John Mounts might be interested in. Though Mounts has said that he doesn't expect to be too active in the free agent market this offseason, the Broncos clearly have a few openings after the departures of Joseph Swayze, Tomas Sato, Mark Bakke, and reserve catcher Michael Grace. First, a look at the catchers who are available. There is little doubt as to who the premiere free agent catcher is this season. Daniel Lane, who played with Los Angeles last season, is coming off of a season in which he hit .305/.425/.503/.928, homered 23 times, drove in 100 runs, and drew 104 walks. Though his defense is adequate, at best, the 27 year old Lane is a tremendous hitter in the prime of his career. Whoever lands Lane will be very, very happy. Man Merino, formerly of the Knoxville 79ers, is a capable veteran backstop. Merino has cannon for an arm and has proven to be a solid hitter in his career. The 35 year old catcher has a .287 lifetime batting average and a .749 OPS. Last year, he posted a .758 OPS and hit 15 homeruns. One of the youngest players on the market this year is 24 year old Ramon Martinez. Martinez is hoping to parlay last season's All-Star campaign into a big contract. Last year, he split the season between Phoenix and Nashville, and batted .288 with 14 homeruns and 93 RBI. He is a .308 career hitter. Andrea Burkley is a veteran catcher coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Burkley, who played for Hartford last year, is career .295 hitter with a .702 OPS. But in 2082, he batted .324 with a .763 OPS and 74 runs batted in. One possible option for the Broncos for the backup catcher role is Howard Bevers. The veteran Bevers bounced from Los Angeles to New Jersey to Atlanta last year before having his season come to an end in the middle of July with a torn muscle in his thigh. That injury may turn teams off of the 34 year old Bevers, allowing Denver to sign him to a reasonable deal as a backup. Bevers is a .291 career hitter with a .756 OPS. Before his injury last year, he was hitting .317 with an .873 OPS. The Broncos could also choose to bring back Michael Grace, though at 37 years of age, Mounts may prefer to go in a different direction. Grace batted .324 with a .958 OPS and 8 homeruns in 139 at bats with Denver last season. Another possibility is 34 year old Greg Lauritsen. Lauritsen, who played with Sacramento last season, isn't much of a hitter, as evidenced by his .621 OPS in 643 career at bats, but he's better defensively than Grace and probably has a few more years left in him than Grace does. If the Broncos wanted someone to fill the position for more than a year, Lauritsen might be a better option than Grace. If Mounts doesn't take the free agent route to fill the backup catcher spot, it is likely that he will attempt to make a trade. There have been rumors that he has been interested in Grand Rapids' Richard Perkins. Perkins is a 34 year old career backup with a good arm and good plate discipline. However, he has rarely had much success in the major leagues, with a career batting average under .200. He is signed through the end of the season for $390,000. Two other names that have cropped up in rumors are a pair of Pittsburgh catchers: Raul Chapa and Hyu Yosuke. Chapa, also owner of a good arm and good plate discipline, has been the Pirates' backup for several years now, but is coming off of a dismal season in which he hit just .133 in 105 at bats. Chapa is making $850,000 and is signed through the end of the season. The 28 year old Yosuke, meanwhile, has been stuck at AAA the last few seasons despite the fact that his defense has been lauded by almost every one who has seen him play. Yosuke put up a .795 OPS last year at AAA and was 12 for 31 at the big league level. Pittsburgh may be feeling the need to choose between these two as its backup, and the Broncos might be able to acquire whoever loses that battle. There is one other option for the Broncos. Surprisingly, it's an internal option. John Landon was the Broncos' third round draft pick in 2081. The 23 year old batted .312/347/.358/.705 last season at AA, and with a little work on his defense, the Broncos might find him to be just as productive- and definitely cheaper- than any free agent or trade possibility. Next up: First-baseman and Second-baseman __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

11-30-2007, 07:42 PM	#238 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Two: First-baseman and Second-baseman 1/30/2083 Al Vincent Staff Writer First Base: It's a good thing that the Broncos aren't looking for a first-baseman, because there just aren't many on the market this year who are worthwhile. That being said, if Denver didn't already have Ellis Bolling, the emerging Carter Vanderhoof might be very attractive, and not just because of his name. The 27 year old Vanderhoof has developed into one of the most well-rounded first-baseman in the league. He provides a good batting average(.296 last year), a good batting eye(.383 OBP and 80 walks), and excellent power(.506 SLG and 28 homeruns). Vanderhoof, who played with Charlotte and Buffalo last year, also provides a very nice glove at first base. The only other notable free agent at first base is the 24 year old Nestor Adrover. The former Sacramento and Nashville first-baseman enjoyed a breakout year in 2082, hitting .327 with 37 doubles, 27 homeruns, and 116 RBI. Second Base: While there might be a dearth of strong first base free agents this year, the same cannot be said for second base. In addition to ex-Bronco Tomas Sato, there are a number of interesting options at second available on the market. Elmer Giancola, owner of 419 career homeruns, is probably the biggest name available. Though he is 37 years old, Giancola remains an excellent player. He'll get you hits(.308 AVG last year), he'll get on base(.390 OBP and 75 walks), and he'll hit for power(.495 SLG and 23 homeruns). He's also an excellent fielder. Given his age and the salary he will likely demand, don't expect the Broncos to be interested in him. Joining with Ramon Martinez and Nestor Adrover as one of the youngest free agents is 24 year old Antonio Cortines. Cortines batted .317 last year with an .845 OPS and 12 homeruns for Portland and Phoenix. A broken ankle that caused him to miss the final month of the season could bring down his asking price. His power and glove, however, make him an attractive option. Cristian Zarzuela is a veteran who may not be aging all that well. While the 36 year old ripped 28 homeruns last year for Washington, his .298 OBP was a far cry from his career OBP of .342. The next two players offer versatility over offensive production, though at least one will probably provide a capable bat. Ciro Joubert can play anywhere in the infield, though his glove is actually the best at first base. Joubert hit .294 with an .809 OPS and 22 homeruns for Kansas City last year, but his career OPS is only .735, and the 31 year old has an uninspiring .313 career OBP. Aaron Palacios is a superb gloveman at both second-base and shortstop, has a solid batting eye, and remains a threat on the basepaths even at the age of 37. Palacios' bat isn't much to speak of- he's just a career .228 hitter with a .644 OPS- but he does have 175 stolen bases. Last year, he swiped 15 bases and posted a .658 OPS for Knoxville and Nashville. Of these options, it is likely that Denver will either attempt to bring back Sato, or perhaps target the young Cortines, who offers a better glove than Sato and has the kind of bat that might flourish in the hitter's haven that the Broncos play in. However, there are some indications that Mounts will eschew any free agents or trades in favor of seeing whether or not backup infielder Jack Rumfelt can handle increased playing time. Manager John Wilkerson is very positive towards Rumfelt's glove and he likes the way that Rumfelt works the count when batting. Denver may look for a solid right-handed option to platoon with the left-handed Rumfelt, and a prime candidate for that job would be Patrick Chason, who was very solid as utility infielder for Denver last season and is also a free agent. Of course, if the Broncos decide to make Rumfelt the starter, or even a platoon starter, they may be in the market for another reserve infielder. Somebody like Palacios might be very attractive in that role, if he is unable to land a starting gig anywhere. Next up: Third-baseman and Shortstops __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver Last edited by jamus23; 11-30-2007 at 10:39 PM.

12-02-2007, 03:16 PM	#239 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Three: Third-basemen and Shortstops Al Vincent Staff Writer Third Base: There are no truly great free agent third-basemen available, but there are several solid ones, including former Bronco Joseph Swayze. At 34, Andrew Francis can still hit the ball over the fence, as evidenced by his 18 longballs last year while playing for Phoenix and Memphis. However, his other batting skills have almost completely eroded, as he mustered just a .214 batting average and an abysmal .264 OBP. He remains a top-notch fielder at the hot corner. Former Portland third-sacker Don Guan doesn't have great career numbers- just a .229/.312/.364/.676 batting line- but there are those that feel the 29 year old might be a late bloomer. Last season, Guan batted a respectable .268/.348/.426/.774 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 14 homeruns, 75 walks, 99 runs scored, and 61 stolen bases. Guan has a solid batting eye and is very dangerous on the basepaths. Charles Troutt is a younger, slightly inferior version of Andrew Francis. The 28 year old ex-Sacramento third-baseman batted .217/.281/.390/.671 last year with 13 homeruns. It was a down year for Troutt, who has a career SLG of .412 and a career OPS of .707. Like Francis, Troutt also provides a capable glove at third. One other potentially interesting player is career backup Daniel Briese. Though the 34 year old, ex-Rochester third-baseman has never really started, and has unimpressive career numbers(a .258 batting average and .689 OPS), there are a few general managers who might be swayed by his .304/.350/.426/.776 batting line in 115 at bats last year and sign him to be a starter. It is unclear what direction John Mounts will go in. The Broncos liked Joseph Swayze very much, and may try to bring him back. On the other hand, both Andrew Francis and Charles Troutt have similar, if not quite as much, power and superior gloves. Troutt is also much younger. Or maybe Don Guan will interest them as someone who can get on base a lot. The Broncos might also be willing to see if reserve infielder Michael Phillips can be productive as a regular. If that's the case, though, they will want to work heavily on his fielding ability, as he tends to field like a fire hydrant. Additionally, if the Broncos move both Phillips and Jack Rumfelt into starting roles, there will suddenly be some gaping holes on the Broncos' bench. Filling those would almost certainly become a priority, and there are few existing internal options for the infield bench. Shortstop: Though the Broncos are not likely to be in the market for a shortstop this offseason, as they are comfortable with Booker Romero's all glove-no hit approach, it is still worthwhile to look at who is out there. Possibly the biggest prize of the offseason is 27 year old Ralph Jennings. Jennings, who played for Washington last year, is one of the biggest talents in the game at shortstop. His glove is only average, but he more than makes up for it with his potent bat. Jennings hit .309/.388/.597/.985 last year, and slugged 41 homeruns. He also drove in 134 and scored 108. Landing such a player who is still in his prime will be a major coup for whoever does it. Jennings isn't the only good shortstop available. Former Knoxville shortstop Joseph Bailey is coming off of a season in which he hit .296/.330/.460/.790 with 36 doubles and 17 homeruns. The 32 year old has a .735 career OPS and is an excellent fielder. Brian Hall is only 28 years old, and batted .316/.352/.459/.811 last year for Portland. Hall has a career OPS of .751 and is a good fielder. Next up: Outfielders __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

12-02-2007, 04:08 PM	#240 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2083 Offseason Preview: Free Agents, Part Four: Outfielders Al Vincent Staff Writer Left Field: Left-field is not a particularly plentiful position this offseason, with really only two players of note. Former Harrisburg left-fielder John Schenk batted a respectable .270/.356/.397/.753 with 14 homeruns in 2082. The 30 year old outfielder has a career OPS of .780. Bryan Carley is coming back from an injury that caused him to miss almost half of last season. After hitting .308 with an .823 OPS into the middle of July, a ruptured disc was discovered in Carley's back and he had his season shutdown. The 36 year old, ex-Tucson left-fielder is a career .317 hitter, and has 567 career doubles. He's also an excellent fielder. Center Field: Another lackluster position this year, there are only two players who are likely to garner significant interest by teams. 27 year old Anthony Benz is prized because of his superb fielding, but he also offers occasional power and is a threat to steal bases. Last year, he smacked 21 homeruns and stole 32 bases for Knoxville. His OPS was a respectable .742, but his OBP a meager .314. Tristan Straub has long been a player expected to break out in the right situation. Clearly, the mess in Charlotte was not the right situation, and at 32 years of age, that situation may never happen. Still, Straub offers some decent skills. Despite a pitiful .681 OPS last year, Straub ripped 37 doubles and stole 42 bases. He also had very dramatic home and road splits, mustering just a .604 OPS while playing in Charlotte, and a solid .754 everywhere else. If he can find a more favorable place to play, some team might have themselves a solid player. Right Field: Unlike the other two outfield spots, right field presents a few pretty impressive free agents. Leading the field is 32 year old Flavio Trujillo, who played for New Jersey and Knoxville last year. Trujillo offers almost everything a team could want: a good batting average(.295 last year), an ability to get on base(.402 OBP and 92 walks), and power(.505 SLG and 28 homeruns). He's also a very capable defensive player. If the Broncos were looking to fill the designated hitter hole through free agency, Gustavo Manrique might be just the player for them. Only 26 years old, this ex-Portland outfielder has tremendous raw power and a pretty good batting eye. He's only an average fielder, so DH might be a good spot for him. Portland isn't the easiest place to hit, but Manrique still managed to smash 36 homeruns and post a .534 SLG. His 88 walks gave him a very solid .365 OBP. For teams losing out on the likely bidding wars for Trujillo and Manrique, there is a third option. Former Pittsburgh right-fielder Richard Billips put up a solid .852 OPS last season, and ripped 42 doubles and 16 homeruns, while drawing 63 walks and stealing 31 bases. Billips is also a superb defensive right-fielder. The Broncos outfield seems to be set with Alexis Vazquez, Russell Thomas, and Asbel Fuentez. However, the open spot at designated hitter might make someone like Manrique very attractive, as the Broncos could play him there, or move Vazquez to DH and try to fit Manrique into either right or left. Manrique is likely to very expensive, however, so John Mounts may not even consider him as an option. Next up: Pitchers __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver

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