The Manfred Chronicles

[BigRed75]

[BigRed75]

[BigRed75]

[BigRed75]

Welcome to the re-boot of my 36-team MLB dynasty. Everything is finally in place, so it's time to add some more content. The original thread was getting full of information from the testing phase, etc. and becoming cluttered, so I wanted to start fresh with a new (and better) name.

A word about that: This dynasty is called "The Manfred Chronicles," but it's not about Rob Manfred, per se. There won't be any diaries or posts like "August 19th - got into the office, Pete Rose pestered me again about reinstatement." The Commish will be a character in this dynasty, to be sure, but he won't be the only one. This dynasty is more about the events that occurred during a fictionalized Rob Manfred commissionership. Think of him as the thread that ties the storylines together.

This is, I hope, going to be my magnum opus, my multi-year dynasty along the lines of The United Leagues of Braeland, Islandia Pro Alliance or Patrick O'Farrell (no pressure). As such, I've had to do something that absolutely kills me - put all my other ideas on hold (as a serial league builder, that's no small feat). This time, however, I'm not alone - other people have helped to create graphics for my leagues, and I want to respect their work and honor their time by keeping this going as long as possible.

That said, my daughter has woken up and so I can't add new content right now. But I'll be back later today with a preview of the 2016 season, and the first week of that season.

And hopefully this will be the last you hear of my personal life in this thread...

[BigRed75]

April 3, 2016
Baseball's Back!
Joy for Washington, heartbreak for Baltimore if experts are to be believed

It should be a banner year for the Washington Nationals, according to our preseason preview, although their Beltway rivals the Baltimore Orioles could be in for a season of misery.

The Nationals are widely tipped to take home the National League East and contend for the NL pennant, lead by their "Big Three" pitching staff of Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez. Other Senior Circuit division winners are the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants.

However, it's not all smooth sailing for the Nats, with the defending NL champion New York Mets expected to challenge for the Eastern crown and at least lock in one of the two wild card spots. Other teams with a good chance at October baseball include perennial favorites the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as the San Diego Padres.

Over in the American League, the World Champion Kansas City Royals can expect to hold on to the Central Division and the AL titles. While our panel of 20 experts are roughly split on whether the Nationals' pitching (7 votes), Cubs' balance (7 votes) or the Giants' #EvenYear phenomenon (6 votes) will carry the day, 17 out of 20 panelists think the Royals will return to the Fall Classic for the third straight season.

Two panelists picked the Toronto Blue Jays, and one opted for the Texas Rangers. AL Wild Card tips include the Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics.

For individual honors, Bryce Harper and Strasburg are expected to do well. Eleven panelists picked Harper to be MVP, while 14 named Strasburg as their Cy Young Award winner. Seven people voted for a Nationals clean sweep of the award, and two named Strasburg as their choice for MVP.

In addition to the pair, Kris Bryant of the Cubs (3 votes) and Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks (1 vote) were also mentioned as MVP candidates. Other possible NL Cy Young winners included Scherzer (3 votes), and Johnny Cueto (2 votes) and Madision Bumgarner (1 vote) of the Giants.

The American League MVP is more muddled, with no clear favorite amongst the experts. Mike Trout of the Angels (7 votes) got the most support, but others picked the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera (5 votes), Jose Bautista (4 votes) and Edwin Encarnacion (3 votes) of the Blue Jays, and Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (1 vote). Sonny Gray of the Athletics was the pick for AL Cy Young with 10 votes, but Chicago's Chris Sale (6 votes), the Rangers Cole Hamels (3 votes) and Jordan Zimmermann of Detroit (1 vote) also were mentioned.

[BigRed75]

2016 Season Preview
Part 2 - the Computer Predicts

The numbers have been crunched, the seasons played out and the computer confidently predicts happy days ahead for fans of the Blue Jays, Royals and Rangers in the American League this year.

It should be a humdinger of a season in the AL East and AL West, where four teams are projected to be within five (West) or six (East) games of each other at season's end. Less so in the Central, where they might as well mail the trophy to the Royals now, as they are projected to finish a massive nine games ahead of Detroit.

2016 Projected American League Standings
AL East: 1. Toronto (89-73); T2. Tampa Bay (84-78); T2. New York (84-78); 4. Boston (83-79); 5. Baltimore (74-88)
AL Central: 1. Kansas City (91-71); 2. Detroit (82-80); 3. Cleveland (80-82); 4. Chicago (73-89); 5. Minnesota (71-91)
AL West: 1. Texas (87-75); 2. Houston (85-77); 3. Oakland (84-78); 4. Los Angeles (82-80); 5. Seattle (77-85)

The National League looks to be a story of extremes, with four 90+ game winners and two teams with 65 wins or worse, according to the computer. Washington, Chicago and San Francisco are slated to take out their divisions, with the final two doing so comfortably. The defending NL pennant winners New York Mets should also win 91 games, but that should only be good enough for a wild card.

On the other end, it looks to be a long season for fans of the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies, as neither team should win more than 65 games. Likewise, the Phillies and Marlins shouldn't do much better, with each expected to lose more than 90 games.

2016 Projected National League Standings
NL East: 1. Washington (93-69); 2. New York (91-71); 3. Atlanta (78-84); T4. Philadelphia (71-91); T4. Miami (71-91)
NL Central: 1. Chicago (94-68); 2. St. Louis (86-76); 3. Pittsburgh (82-80); 4. Cincinnati (81-81); 5. Milwaukee (64-98)
NL West: 1. San Francisco (93-69); 2. San Diego (86-76); 3. Los Angeles (84-78); 4. Arizona (73-89); 5. Colorado (65-97)

With the individual awards, it should come as no surprise that the star players on Texas, Toronto, Washington, San Francisco and the Cubs figure prominently in the reckoning. At the top, however, are a pair of Californians in the AL, and teammates from Washington in the NL:

The full list of projected AL MVP and Cy Young contenders. Big things are expected from Cole Hamels in his first full season in Texas, and Jose Bautista should rack up another 40+ homer season, which would be the fourth of his career:

The computer thinks Bryce Harper should far and away be the best hitter in the NL this season, although Paul Goldschmidt could cause trouble in the home run race. On the mound side, not only should Stephen Strasburg win the Cy Young, the computer projects him to have a Triple Crown season. Johnny Cueto should do well for his new team.

[BigRed75]

The top prospect list is out, and the Dodgers' teenage sensation Julio Urias is ranked #1. The 19-year-old native of Culiacan, Mexico, who pitched well enough to make the team out of spring training, heads a list that includes six first-round picks (including last year's No. 1 overall), two international free agents and a 33rd-round selection.

Joining Urias at the top is Minnesota's Jose Berrios, who returns to AAA Rochester after a stellar 2015 season where he went 14-5 overall with 175 strikeouts in 166.1 innings...Other pitchers in the top 10 include Blake Snell of the Tampa organization, who will start out in AAA Durham after going 15-4 with an outstanding 1.41 ERA and 163 Ks across three levels last season...Lucas Giolito may be a couple of years away from the bigs, but given Washington's depth in the rotation, that shouldn't be a problem...Milwaukee's Jorge Lopez got a cup of coffee to the bigs at the end of 2015 as a reward for his 12-5/2.26/137 K season in AA, but will head to AAA Colorado Springs to start the season.

The White Sox' top prospect, Tim Anderson, has nothing left to prove at AA, so he will start the season at AAA Charlotte. A 2013 first-round pick by the Pale Hose, expect Anderson to see time in Chicago at some point this season...One player who should stick the whole year in the bigs is the Dodgers' Corey Seager, the odds-on pick for NL Rookie of the Year after retaining his rookie eligibility. In 113 plate appearances with the Dodgers last year, Seager hit .337 and slugged .561...#7 prospect Dansby Swanson was the No. 1 overall pick by the Diamondbacks last year, but was acquired by Atlanta in the Shelby Miller trade and will be bumped up from Short Season-A all the way to AA Mississippi...Last year's Southern League MVP Max Kepler became one of a select few German-born big leaguers thanks to his cup of coffee last season. He'll join Berrios in Rochester...At age 25, Houston's Tyler White barely qualifies for the list, but the former 33rd round pick has worked his way into the Astros' reckoning and will get a full season to show what he can do at AAA Fresno, where he hit .362/.467/.559 with seven homers and 59 RBI in 57 games last year.

[BigRed75]

April 9, 2016
New Orleans Zephyrs to Change Name
'Name the Team' contest to be held to solicit ideas

After nearly 25 years in the Crescent City, the New Orleans Zephyrs are getting a new identity.

The team, who moved from Denver in the wake of the 1993 MLB expansion but kept their old name, will be re-branding for 2017, according to owner Lou Schwechheimer.

"This has been on the cards since I purchased the club, and with the 25th season in New Orleans coming up next year, it seemed like the right time," Schwechheimer said. "We're excited to see what our fans can come up with."

Schwechheimer indicated that his preference would be for tradition, but external factors would prevent that.

"Personally, I would love to re-brand as the Pelicans," he said, referring to the traditional name used by New Orleans baseball teams until 1978. "But obivously, that's not an option since [Tom] Benson has the rights to that name. But the beauty of New Orleans is its rich history, which lends itself to many other possibilities."

Benson, the owner of both the NFL Saints and NBA Pelicans, originally bought the rights to the Pelicans name in 1992 in the hopes that he could land one of the two AAA expansion franchises coming on board the next year. But the National Association decided to move the displaced Denver AAA franchise to the New Orleans market instead. Benson kept the rights to the name, refusing to license them to former Zephyrs owner Rob Couhig, and eventually used it for the NBA team formerly known as the Hornets, which he purchased in 2012.

The Zephyrs were named after the famous Denver Zephyr passenger train. However, when they moved to their new home, a bit of serendipity occurred, as the Zephyr was also the name of a popular roller coaster at New Orleans' Pontchartrain Beach amusement park. However, Schwechheimer said, it's time for the team to cut the final tie to Denver.

"The name Zephyr has long been associated with family-friendly entertainment in New Orleans, and we've been proud to be a part of that tradition," he said. "But at the end of the day, the name comes from a train that never travelled to New Orleans, not the roller coaster. It's time for a New Orleans nickname."

The new team name will make its debut in 2017.

[BigRed75]

April 2016 Recap

Easily the biggest thing to happen in April occurred on the 27th, when Wei-Yen Chen, in his first year with the Miami Marlins, became just the sixth pitcher in franchise history to pitch a no-hitter. The 30-year-old hurler tossed his gem against the Los Angeles Dodgers, helping the Marlins take the 2-0 win.

"I felt pretty good throughout the game," Chen said after his spectacular outing for the Marlins. "As I was going into the ninth inning, I wasn't nervous. I knew I had a chance to do something special."

Wei-Yen Chen

His pitching repertoire has a change-up, fastball, slider, and a curveball, and he used it all to full advantage, keeping the Dodger hitters off balance all game long. The Marlins hurler fanned 9 and walked 1 in his history-making performance.

"His change up looked about the size of a watermelon seed and it hissed at you as it passed," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts joked after the game.

On the season Chen has 3 wins and no losses and a 1.38 ERA. He has struck out 31 players in 39 innings.

The first month of the season is in the books, and a quick glance at the standings shows more than a few surprises. While one might expect to see the Royals, Mets and Cardinals at or near the top of their divisions, you can't help but also notice the slow starts by preseason favorites Toronto, San Francisco and Houston, all languishing at the bottom of their divisions.

Meanwhile, the natural order of things looks to be restored in the AL East, with the Red Sox and Yankees claiming the top two spots (and the two best April records in the league). Meanwhile, in the National League West, the Colorado Rockies, picked to finish last by a wide margin, instead went 16-8 in April and sit atop the division, while the Giants have an almost mirror-image record at the bottom. It's almost as though the two teams switched places...

The Pirates were dealt a big blow when Gerrit Cole had to leave his Opening Day start in the third inning and hasn't pitched since. However, the team shook off the adversity to take a one-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central, and Andrew McCutchen is big reason why. The face of the franchise leads the high-powered Pittsburgh offense (1st in runs scored and stolen bases, 2nd in average and OBP), and won this month's batting award for his efforts. He doesn't lead the league in any category except runs scored, but his all around efforts were worth more than 2 wins alone, (2.2 WAR), enough to account for the Pirates' lead.

The NL's top pitcher, Clayton Kershaw, did pretty much what everyone expected, going undefeated for the month of April with a sub-2.00 ERA and a strikeout total that is almost two games' worth better than his nearest competitor (57 compared to Max Scherzer's 42). The Dodgers are hanging tough with the surprising Rockies, and are well positioned to capiltalize should the Rox stumble in May or beyond.

Part of the Rockies' success can be attributed to their rookie starter, Miguel Castro. Acquired by Colorado as part of the Troy Tulowitzki deal, he had brief stints in both the Toronto and Colorado bullpens last season, but earned the #3 spot in the Rockies' rotation out of spring training. And Castro has made the most of it, going 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA, tied for the league lead in wins with Kershaw and two others, and fifth in ERA behind leader Steven Matz (1.13).

It's safe to say that Chris Davis had the Hitter of the Month award wrapped up by the second week of the month, when he hit .522 (12-for-23) with 6 homers and 12 RBI. While he cooled down somewhat after that performace (how could he not?), he still did well enough to take the honors.

So far, Sonny Gray has been living up to the expectations many people had set for him at the start of the season. With five wins, Gray leads the Majors in victories, and his 2.05 ERA is good enough for 2nd in the AL. With Oakland sitting atop the AL West by a mere half-game over the Angels, they'll need Gray to continue his good work if they want to continue to contend.

By most standards, it would be tough to consider Byung-ho Park a rookie. Indeed, the Minnesota Twins are even the first professional team with that name that he's played for, having been drafted by the LG Twins in Korea back in 2005. But the first baseman, who comes to MLB following four straight seasons as the KBO home run champ (the last two with 50+ HR), is technically a rookie. And the 29-year-old did have a fine April, hitting .293 with 4 homers and 14 RBI. However, he'll need to cut down the strikeouts (27 in 99 AB) or risk being labeled an Adam Dunn/Mark Reynolds type player. One point of difference for Park is his defense, as he does own three KBO Gold Gloves for his work at first base.

Major Injuries:
4/3 - Gerrit Cole leaves Opening Night start, injured for 2-3 months (hamstring)
4/5 - Melvin Upton Jr. out for 5 months, will miss the bulk of the season (fractured elbow). Jabari Blash to called up from AAA El Paso to fill in.
4/7 - Pedro Baez out for 4-5 months (torn labrum)
4/8 - J.P Howell out for season, will need Tommy John surgery (ruptured UCL)
4/10 - Gerardo Parra out for 4 months (broken elbow)
4/12 - Jake McGee tears meniscus throwing a pitch, out for 2 month (torn meniscus)
4/16 - Jose Iglesias out for season (torn ACL). Was team’s best batter at the time, Tommy Field is new Detroit SS.
4/17 - Carlos Rodon struck by line drive, out for remainer of the season (broken elbow)
4/18 - Blake Wood leaves game in discomfort. Out 4 months (bone spurs in elbow)
4/26 - Maikel Franco leaves game after throw from third base. Out for 6 weeks (rotator cuff strain)
4/27 - Jeff Samardzija has elbow discomfort. Later diagnosed as torn ligament. Out for season (torn elbow ligament).

Amazing Performances:
What, Chen’s no-hitter wasn’t enough for you? Okay then…

As the #5 starter, Miguel Gonzalez of the White Sox had to wait for his first start, as off-days pushed back his debut until April 20. He made sure it was worth the wait, and now has reason to push for a promotion after his one-hit shutout of the Angels. Not known as a power pitcher, Gonzalez only struck out two Angels, but he walked none in his effort. Amazingly, Daniel Nava got the single in the first inning; he was immediately erased via a double play, and Gonzalez would have ended up facing the minimum but for plunking Ji-Man Choi in the 5th inning.

On April 26, Michael Pineda shut out the Rangers 7-0 on three hits. Pineda struck out 11 and only walked one to move to 3-1 on the season with a 2.57 ERA and 30 Ks. Strangely, on the same day, the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda got a shutout of his own, blanking the Marlins 4-0, also on three hits. He’s also 3-1 on the season, with a 2.88 ERA. Of course, we know what happened the next day…

Braves’ catcher A.J. Pierzynski may have a reputation for rubbing people the wrong way, but the Bridgehampton, N.Y. native is talented, which is why he keeps getting hired. In Atlanta’s 3-2 win over the Mets on April 23, Pierzynski stroked a single to the right side of the infield for his 2000th career base hit. The next day, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went 4-for-4 with two home runs in a 7-4 victory over the Rays - the second home run, in the 7th inning off Ryan Webb, ended up being the 400th round tripper of his career. Not surprisingly, the four-run, six-RBI performance earned Tex Player of the Game honors.

From L-R: Gonzalez, Pineda, Pierzynski, Teixeira

Weird and Wacky:
What a night for Collin McHugh on April 6! First, in front of 35,233 people at Yankee Stadium, including Commissioner Rob Manfred, McHugh shut out the Yankees, 4-0, on six hits. Then, later that night, McHugh tripped over a coffee table in his hotel room while attempting to close the curtains. The 28-year-old was lucky to escape serious injury, but he still ended up missing his next two scheduled starts.

If you want 5 hits in a game, it pays to either play for the St. Louis Cardinals or whatever team is playing against them. On April 5, Pittsburgh’s Jordy Mercer became the first player to collect 5 hits in a game, collecting three singles, a double and a 3-run homer in the Pirates’ 18-5 demolition of the Cards. Then, on April 20, Matt Adams knocked five safeties against the Cubs in a losing effort, with three singles and two separate 2-run doubles.

Justin Upton joined his brother Melvin on the disabled list on April 23. While that in and of itself isn’t enough to make this column, the reason why is. While Bossman Junior is out for five months due to an in-game fractured elbow, Justin strained his hamstring attempting a wheelie on his motorcycle.

Finally, the curse of PBP (pitchers’ batting practice) reared its ugly head when Oakland starting pitcher Rich Hill was beaned in the head by a pitching machine. Luckily, Hill was wearing a helmet, but he was still knocked out cold for a few moments. Hill was diagnosed with a concussion, and will need to follow the league’s concussion protocol in order to get back on the field.

From L-R: McHugh, Hill

Other News:
The Houston Astros announced that Doug Fister has signed a three-year contract extension worth $23.7 million. The 32-year-old will be paid $7.9 million a season starting next season, with a player option for 2019. Fister would have been eligible for free agency at the end of the season had he not signed. Some may see the Astros' offer as generous, seeing as how Fister is currently 1-4 with a 5.55 ERA in six starts.

Players of the Week:
Week 1 - Andrew McCutchen (9-for-19, 3 HR, 6 RBI) (NL); Todd Frazier (12-for-29, 4 HR, 9 R, 9 RBI) (AL)
Week 2 - Cory Spangenberg (12-for-27, 3 HR, 10 RBI) (NL); Chris Davis (12-for-23, 6 HR, 10 R, 12 RBI) (AL)
Week 3 - Matt Adams (14-for-23, 1 HR, 7 RBI) (NL); Rougned Odor (12-for-26, 3 HR, 10 RBI) (AL)

[BigRed75]

May 9, 2016
2016 Mock Draft
We outline our Top 10 picks

With the draft a month away, it's as good an excuse as any for another mock draft. As always, it's impossible to completely predict financial considerations, but here's a good try:

#1 - Philadelphia Phillies:
Jason Groome, P, Barnegat, N.J.
Groome has been at the top of the board for a while, and there's no real reason to change that. Already hitting 90s consistently on the gun, with three quality pitches in his arsenal, this isn't a "Bryan Bullington as our future No. 3 starter" pick.

#2 - Cincinnati Reds
T.J. Collett, C/1B, Terre Haute, Ind.
Collett has committed to Kentucky, but we think that if the Reds step up and make the right offer, they can lure Collett to Ohio instead. The prep star has shown skill both behind the plate and at first, but given Joey Votto manning the first sack at the GABP, and the uncertainty at catcher (is Tucker Barnhart really the answer?), we think that Collett's future with the Redlegs will be at catcher.

#3 - Atlanta Braves
Carlos Cortes, 2B, Oviedo, Fla.
There's no Georgia prep star for the Braves to draft this highly this year, and they may still go with one of the four SEC pitchers that we have in our top 10, but we think that Atlanta will take Cortes. A solid, if unspectacular, fielder, Cortes will hit for a high average, and he could well be a consistent 20+ HR hitter in the big leagues. In other words, the player that the Braves thought they were getting in Dan Uggla.

#4 - Colorado Rockies
Ronald Washington, OF, Houston, Tex.
If you look at the scouting reports on Washington, with plus speed, plus defense and All-Star power potential, there really isn't any other place for him besides Colorado.

#5 - Milwaukee Brewers
Thomas Dillard, C, Germantown, Tenn.
If you believe the talk that Jonathan Lucroy will be playing elsewhere by the All-Star break, well, we're not saying that Dillard is Major League ready. Not by any means. But if a team is making plans to trade their All-Star starting catcher, they might want to get another one lined up to replace him down the road.

#6 - Oakland Athletics
Hayden Stone, P, Vanderbilt
If you still doubt the superiority of SEC baseball, take a look at the next five picks. Being honest, we don't think Stone is as good as his teammate, Jordan Sheffield. But signability is always a factor, particularly with the Athletics, and we don't think the gap is too large between the teammates. Given that, we think Oakland will select Stone, whose fastball is every bit as good as Sheffield's and whose curveball may actually be better.

#7 - Miami Marlins
A.J. Puk, P, Florida
If the Braves do decide to take a pitcher, it will be Puk, but we think he'll still be here when the Marlins pick at 7, and it will be very difficult for them to pass up the home state boy. We all know the story of Puk breaking an opponent's bat on three straight pitches in the Cape Cod League last summer, that's just indicative of the stuff he has.

#8 - San Diego Padres
Jordan Sheffield, P, Vanderbilt
A.J. Preller needs to make a splash, given the fiasco that was 2015. So we expect him to dig deep into Ron Fowler's wallet and sign Sheffield, even if it means taking a few below-slot guys in later rounds. One of the fastest pitchers in the draft, capable of consistently hitting 94 on the gun, Sheffield's secret weapon may be his circle change, which scouts see as eventually being an 80 pitch.

#9 - Detroit Tigers
Nolan Jones, SS, Langehorne, Penn.
Another player who could drop due to signability issues, Jones has committed to Virginia, and, much like Collett, it could take a large amount of cash to get him to change his mind. He needs to work on his batting eye, but the power is there, particularly for a middle infielder. Defense could be a problem, and one that could see him shift to third base. The Tigers might be able to sign him, but then again, they might find themselves with an extra compensation pick next year instead.

#10 - Chicago White Sox
Keegan Thompson, P, Auburn
The final of the four SEC pitchers in our Top 10, Thompson has four pro-ready pitches: fastball, curve, change and slider. It's his breaking pitches that are his calling card, although he hits 93-94 on the gun. Even though we have him picked behind Puk and the two Vandy pitchers, it could very well be Thompson who ends up with the most career strikeouts, thanks to his breaking stuff.

[boogeyboard1]

Everything about this is really well done. Thanks for putting so much work into a great dynasty report.

[BigRed75]

May 2016 Recap

The Royals and Mets continue to lead their respective divisions, taking the important first step they need if they want to return to the World Series this year. However, while both the AL Central and NL East are full of bottom feeders, crucially, both the Royals and Mets have at least one team nipping at their heels.

The Orioles took a mediocre April and turned it into a surging May, going 18-10 on the month and rocketing into a tie with the Red Sox, with the Yankees a further game back. Likewise, the Cubs brought themselves back into the discussion in the NL, with their 15-12 mark good for second place, 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis.

It's easy just to look at the NL West standings, see the Giants near the bottom, and bury the #EvenYear hashtag. But take a closer look. A stellar 19-10 record in May reversed the awful April and brought the Giants back to .500, just 2 1/2 games behind the leading Dodgers. Colorado cooled down, going 11-17 in May, but remain one game back.

The closest division is the AL West, where just 5 1/2 games separate first place from fifth. It's entirely possible that there could be a different AL West leader each month, and the winning team is simply the one left standing when the music stops.

The Orioles owe a lot of their success this month to their hitters. However, unlike Chris Davis's exploits last month, they weren't wasted. Davis is still bashing and driving them in, with his 10 HR and 21 runs scored in May on a par with his April totals. However, he hit just .234/.312/.523 this month. On the other hand, Jonathan Schoop spent much of May in a 22-game hit streak. His 11 homers and 23 runs bested Davis, and his 20 RBI were just one behind for the team lead.

Likewise, the Orioles got some stellar production from Dariel Alvarez in right field. Called up on May 3 when Hyun-soo Kim went on the 60-day DL with a torn labrum and Mark Trumbo was shifted to left field, all Alvarez did was hit 95 points better (.343 compared to .248) then he did at AAA Norfolk in the same number of at bats, with similar runs, RBI and homers. And, of course, he did it against big-league pitching.

The Indians are hanging with the Royals in the AL Central, and Cody Anderson is a big reason why. It's Anderson, the Tribe's No. 4 starter, who has proven to be their stopper when it counts, not Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco or even Danny Salazar. Anderson's sparkling 5-0 record this month came when the team needed it the most. And whilst Kluber's and Carrasco's peripherals are still looking good, it's currently Anderson who figures to be representing Cleveland in the All-Star game at this point.

If I told you the Washington Nationals were atop the Wild Card standings and just a game behind the Mets in the NL East, of course you wouldn't be surprised. And if I said that Stephen Strasburg averaged less than two runs per game, less than one baserunner an inning, and exactly one strikeout per inning, well, that's not totally unexpected. But if I mentioned that his BABIP was a completely sustainable .266 - well, now it looks like he's setting himself up for a season to remember. He may not lead the league in wins, ERA or strikeouts, but there's still time. He's put a fluky 2-2 April behind him, and pitching like the consensus pre-season Cy Young pick we all know he can be.

The Miami Marlins weren't expected to do very well, and so far they are performing according to expectations. However, one bright spot has been the continuing improvement of first baseman Justin Bour. The 28-year-old from Centreville, Va. is moving into the prime years of his baseball career, and this month he hit an outstanding .381/.450/.629, driving in 20 runs and scoring 22 himself.

Where do the Rockies get them from? Last month, it was pitcher Miguel Castro. This month, it's outfielder Raimel Tapia. The 22-year-old Dominican, who signed with the organization when he was 16, has won the starting left field job for Colorado on the back of his .382/.404/.719 performance with five home runs, 15 RBI and 19 runs scored. As for Castro? He had a bit of an unlucky month this time around, but is still 7-2 with a 2.68 ERA and is on pace to win 22 games. We shall see.

Major Injuries:
5/2 - Dan Jennings left game on 4/29 with sore arm, will miss rest of season (Elbow ligament reconstruction)
5/2 - Hyun-soo Kim injured arm on throw from outfield, out for season (Torn labrum)
5/3 - Jacob deGrom leaves start, out for 3 months (hamstring strain)
5/7 - Ian Kennedy shut down for 4 months (shoulder inflammation)
5/11 - Michael Saunders out for 4 months (partial labrum tear)
5/13 - Julio Teheran requires surgery on throwing arm, out for 6 months (torn flexor tendon)
5/15 - Mike Morin complains of shoulder soreness, out 4-5 months (shoulder impingement)
5/16 - Sergio Romo tightens up on the mound, out 3 months (hamstring strain)
5/17 - Jason Heyward has a collision with Jonathan Villar at 2nd base, out 4 weeks (hamstring strain)
5/17 - Jonathan Lucroy slid awkwardly at 2nd base, out 5 weeks (sprained ankle)
5/21 - Matt Holliday out for 3 months (fractured ankle)
5/24 - Nick Vincent leaves game, out for 4 months (torn back muscle)
5/27 - Edinson Volquez out for 4 months (torn rotator cuff)
5/28 - Johnny Giavotella out for season (broken kneecap) - was the Angels starting 2B, Dan Uggla (signed to minor league deal on 5/5) called up to replace Giavotella
5/28 - Dustin Pedroia out of commission for 4 weeks (plantar fascitis)
5/28 - Jumbo Diaz likely done for season (fractured elbow)

Notable Transactions:
5/12 - Houston trades Preston Tucker to Toronto for minor league P Justin Maese
My take: This one seems odd, because it seems like the ‘Stros are given up way too early on Tucker. Maese, a third-round pick by Toronto in last year’s draft, still has the “new prospect smell” so it’s easy for the Astros to project hopes and dreams. But Tucker hit .317 for Houston after breaking camp with the club, 70 points higher than his half-season in the big last year. I don’t know that I would have made this trade, myself.

5/15 - The Twins trade closer Kevin Jepsen to Miami for minor league SS J.T. Riddle
My take: The Marlins have been hanging around .500 for a month, and while they have A.J. Ramos as their closer, his ERA is up almost a full run from last year. Minnesota sits in the AL Central basement and is happy to take Riddle, a shortstop prospect who projects to a .270 hitter with 15 HR, for a player they don’t really need.

(From L-R: Tucker, Jepsen, Ziegler)

5/29 - The Diamondbacks trade Brad Ziegler and cash to Cincinnati for four minor leaguers
My take: A fairly pointless trade. Neither team is looking like they are going to do anything, so why shift an expensive relief pitcher like Ziegler? Particularly as the cash ($1.4 million) negates the idea of a salary dump. From the Reds perspective, four minor leagues is too much to give up, since two of them are more than decent prospects. Yes, Jumbo Diaz is out, but like the old axiom says, don’t pay for saves. Promote from within instead, particularly when you are 15-37.

Amazing Performances:
The Rockies hot start to the season has a lot to do with the performance of their feared slugger, Carlos Gonzalez. CarGo put together the first 20+ game hitting streak of the season, one that lasted from April 5 until coming to an end on May 1, for a total of 23 games. During the streak, Gonzalez went 32-for-90 with 9 HR. The other big hitting streak belonged to Jonathan Schoop of the Orioles, who hit in 22 straight games from April 28 to May 22.

Martin Perez of the Rangers turned in the best pitching performance in May, fashioning a 2-hit shutout of the rival Astros on May 21 at Minute Maid Park. Striking out five and walking none, Perez kept the Astros out of sorts all day long, something that he thought was going to happen before the game. “I just had a feeling it was going to be my day today,” Perez told reporters after the game. “My control was awesome. I could throw my fastball even when I was behind in the count.”

(From L-R: Gonzalez, Perez, Santana)

Remember when Carlos Santana was the next big thing? Remember when he was actually a catcher? Well, the Dominican is now 30 years old, but he may still have some life in him yet, after he smacked three home runs in the Indians’ 11-3 win against the White Sox on May 23, becoming the first person this year with three dingers in a game. He hit his first in the 1st inning, a solo shot off starter John Danks. Danks was soon chased, and while Santana walked in the 4th inning, he hit his second, also a solo bomb, off reliever Jake Petricka in the 6th. Then, in the 7th inning, Santana smacked a three-run homer off new pitcher Zach Duke. A strikeout in the 8th took a bit off the gloss off the accomplishment, but we don’t think Santana really minds.

Weird and Wacky:
The first major brawl of the season occurred on May 7, when the Astros’ George Springer took exception to a number of inside pitches from Seattle’s Felix Hernandez. When one pitch was too close to Springer’s chin for his liking, the outfielder charged the mound, sparking a bench-clearing brawl. MLB discipline czar Joe Torre suspended both players for 7 games each. Given Springer’s .208 average, Astros fans welcomed the rest.

However, the next day Arizona and Atlanta got into a melee, resulting in 10-game suspensions for the Braves’ Williams Perez and the Diamondbacks’ Jean Segura. Commissioner Rob Manfred took the unusual step of commenting publicly about the brawl, saying “It was particularly disappointing, given what happened yesterday, to see this behaviour at a Major League Baseball stadium on back-to-back nights. Mr. Segura and Mr. Perez provoked and incited a needless brawl through their actions, so they must bear the blame for what transpired.”

They might want to replace second base at Miller Park. In a game on May 17, between the Brewers and Cubs, not one, but two All-Stars suffered injuries that will see them miss significant time. First, in the sixth inning, the Cubs’ Jason Heyward collided with Brewers’ shortstop Jonathan Villar in an attempt to break up a double play. Although his attempt was successful, Heyward got the worst of it, straining his hamstring on the slide. He’ll be out for at least four weeks, doctors say. Then, in the bottom of the 8th, Milwaukee’s Jonathan Lucroy hit a line drive to right center field. Not the fleetest of foot, Lucroy had to slide into the base to earn his double, damaging ankle ligaments as he did so. Lucroy is expected to miss five weeks, but if there’s a bright side to this story, it’s that Lucroy’s pinch runner, Martin Maldonado, scored what proved to be the winning run on the next at-bat, running home on Ben Zobrist’s throwing error following an Eric S. Campbell single. The Brewers won, 4-3.

(From L-R: Springer, Hernandez, Heyward, Lucroy)

Other News:
Neil Walker will be staying in the Big Apple for a while. The second baseman, who came to the Mets in an offseason trade for Jon Niese, can settle in, call the real estate agent and enrol his kids in local schools after he reached an agreement with the club for a four-year contract extension. The former Silver Slugger winner will earn $11.6 million a year until 2020, although he can opt-out of the deal after the 2018 season if he so chooses.

Players of the Week:
Week 4 - NL: Miguel Montero (CHI) (12-for-19, 1 HR, 7 RBI); AL: Dustin Pedroia (BOS) (12-for-27, 3 HR, 8 RBI)
Week 5 - NL: Raimel Tapia (COL) (12-for-26, 3 HR, 6 RBI); AL: Luis Valbuena (HOU) (11-for-18, 2 HR, 7 R)
Week 6 - NL: Matt Carpenter (STL) (12-for-26, 4 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R); AL: Jose Altuve (HOU) (13-for-27, 3 HR, 8 R, 5 RBI)
Week 7 - NL: Gregory Polanco (PIT) (9-for-24, 2 HR, 7 RBI); AL: Robinson Cano (SEA) (12-for-25, 2 HR, 10 RBI)
Week 8 - NL: Nick Markakis (ATL) (12-for-22, 2 HR, 9 RBI); AL: Dariel Alvarez (BAL) (12-for-27, 3 HR, 6 R, 5 RBI)

[isles4ever11]

This is awesome! Glad to see my Mets doing better than the real Mets.

[BigRed75]

The Phillies selected shortstop Nolan Jones with the first pick in the 2016 Draft, signing him to a below-slot bonus of $3.37 million. A.J. Puk became the first pitcher drafted, with the Reds signing the Florida pitcher to a $8.53 million bonus. Atlanta gave Ronald Washington the largest bonus, with the center fielder getting $9.35 million to forego college.

The 4th and 5th picks went unsigned - Jason Groome and the Rockies could not reach an agreement; the lefty will attend Bucknell University as a result. Meanwhile, Keegan Thompson will return to Auburn for his senior season rather than sign with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

The remainder of the Top 10 all signed. High schooler Riley Pint was drafted by Oakland, Miami selected high school pitcher Ian Anderson, T.J. Collett went to San Diego with the No. 8 pick, juco pitcher Jake Godfrey is now in the Tigers organization, and the White Sox took Greg Deichmann, Godfrey's former LSU teammate, with the 10th selection.

Players in our mock draft Top 10 who fell out of the Top 10 are Carlos Cortes, Hayden Stone, Thomas Dillard and Jordan Sheffield. Sheffield went to Seattle with the 11th pick, Dillard signed with the Angels after being taken at 16, Stone went to Houston with the next pick, No. 17, and Cortes fell all the way to the 4th round, settling for a $370,000 signing bonus with the Phillies after being taken with the 119th pick.

[boogeyboard1]

Where did you get these facegens?

[BigRed75]

Hi Boogeyboard - thanks for reading!

My Facegens come from a variety of sources, and I'm actually pretty particular with how I load them.

I start with the All-in-One as my base, because some of those are older and of dubious quality. I then overwrite that folder with the Facegen folder that QCBandits posted - there are 33,000+ files, and he does a lot of young players, foreign players and ones in the low minors. I suspect that's where the Facegens of the 2016 draft class came from.

Next, I copy over the standard Facegens that come with the game. On the whole, I'm happy with them with a few exceptions,that I address later. After that, I copy over a folder of Facegens I took from the Facegen thread, from authors whose work I admire such as Mclowman, Elysian Fields and pstrickert. Next, I copy over a folder just for Facegens made by Quinton Upchurch in the 2016 Debut thread and the request thread. Finally, I add a folder with the Facegens that ZigZagMan has posted in his thread, including one he did for me of Commissioner Rob Manfred. For my money, Ziggy is the best Facegen modeller out there, so I have his work overwrite any other files.

I hope this helps!

[boogeyboard1]

Originally Posted by BigRed75

Hi Boogeyboard - thanks for reading!

My Facegens come from a variety of sources, and I'm actually pretty particular with how I load them.

I start with the All-in-One as my base, because some of those are older and of dubious quality. I then overwrite that folder with the Facegen folder that QCBandits posted - there are 33,000+ files, and he does a lot of young players, foreign players and ones in the low minors. I suspect that's where the Facegens of the 2016 draft class came from.

Next, I copy over the standard Facegens that come with the game. On the whole, I'm happy with them with a few exceptions,that I address later. After that, I copy over a folder of Facegens I took from the Facegen thread, from authors whose work I admire such as Mclowman, Elysian Fields and pstrickert. Next, I copy over a folder just for Facegens made by Quinton Upchurch in the 2016 Debut thread and the request thread. Finally, I add a folder with the Facegens that ZigZagMan has posted in his thread, including one he did for me of Commissioner Rob Manfred. For my money, Ziggy is the best Facegen modeller out there, so I have his work overwrite any other files.

I hope this helps!

Thanks so much! Really enjoying the dynasty

[BigRed75]

June 2016 Recap

Alex Rodriguez was ready to get it over with.

Less than 24 hours after hitting the 699th home run of his career, the man they call A-Rod (or perhaps is that Lightning Rod?) stepped up to bat to face A.J. Griffin in the first inning of the Yankees game against Texas on June 27. With 40,970 spectators in attendance (including Commissioner Rob Manfred), Rodriguez took the first two pitches to work the count with one out and Chase Headley on second base. Then, getting a pitch he liked, he drove it toward left field. The line drive kept carrying, carrying until it cleared the fence, becoming the 700th home run of his career.

It is a milestone reached by only three other players: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, and Yankees legend Babe Ruth.

“I am happy to be in such elite company,” Rodriguez said after the game. “It has been quite a ride so far.”

To say it has been quite a ride has been an understatement. Once hailed as a standard bearer of respectability that many looked toward to rescue the career home run mark from the taint of Bonds’s alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, Rodriguez himself soon fell under that same dark cloud, culminating in a season-long suspension in 2014. According to published reports, the suspension could have been even longer, with Manfred encouraging then-commissioner Bud Selig to impose a life ban. However, both men now seemed happy to let bygones be bygones.

“I’d like to congratulate Alex on his 700th career home run, and I am proud and privileged to have been here to witness it,” Manfred said. It is an extremely rare accomplishment, and one that speaks to both longevity and tremendous skill.”

While the suspension, and time lost the year before after surgery to repair a torn labrum, likely has cost Rodriguez his chance at the all-time record, he seemed content to leave that in the past for one night at least.

“700 home runs. Wow. Amazing,” he said. “I’d always known I’d have a chance to do it, but I must admit there were times when I didn’t think it would happen. Now that it has, I’m relieved more than anything else.”

Four division leaders remain on top after the month of June concluded. Of the two divisions that changed hands, both were a result of a hot team upsetting the standings. In the NL East, Washington continued its streak, surging past the Mets to take a 4 1/2 game lead an claim the best record in the National League.

Meanwhile, over in the Junior Circuit, the Houston Astros compiled an amazing 20-6 record to jump from fourth place to first. The 'Stros slow start disappointed many, but they look to have put things together behind the Big Three of Dallas Keuchel (10-6, 3.00 ERA), Doug Fister (10-5, 3.30 ERA) and Mike Fiers (9-2, 3.87 ERA). Fister, in particular, mirrors his team. Since the beginning of May, Fister has gone 9-1, and the team is 10-2 in his 12 starts.

The Red Sox and Orioles began the month of June tied for the AL East lead, but the two teams went in opposite directions, with Boston going 18-8 and Baltimore 10-16. The Yankees remain in second place and have a slender 1/2 game lead over Oakland for the second Wild Card. In the Central, the Indians can't seem to get past the Royals, but they do have the consolation of the first Wild Card spot.

Nothing much has changed in the National League, outside of the Nationals. The Cubs are still trying to figure out away around St. Louis, but still lead the Wild Card standings. And in the NL West, the Dodgers are still up on top, with the Giants flirting with .500 and the other teams below that mark. It looks like the Rockies have found their natural level, fourth place in the NL West.

Once again, Stephen Strasburg captured Pitcher of the Month honors. This time, while his won-loss record wasn't as gaudy, his ERA and strikeout totals were exceptional. A 0.89 June has put his ERA for the season below 2.00, and he is less than 20 strikeouts behind Clayton Kershaw for the league lead.

An advantage that Washington holds is that the rotation goes five deep. From 1 to 5, all the starters have at least eight wins, and none has an ERA above 3.31. This is evident in that the Nationals' No. 5 starter, Sammy Solis, won the rookie award for June. Solis went undefeated for June to run his record to 8-1 on the season with a 2.52 ERA and 63 strikeouts to only 13 walks. After starting the season in Syracuse for two starts, as the Nationals' schedule only required four starters, Solis has pitched every bit as well as his illustrious teammates Strasburg, Scherzer, Gonzalez and Ross. Pitching is what the team is known for, and in Sammy Solis, it looks like Washington has uncovered another gem.

When you think of St. Louis hitters, you're likely to first think of the Matts: Holliday, Carpenter and Adams. However, in June, it was Stephen Piscotty who outshone them all. Piscotty hit .378/.442/.767 for the month with nine home runs - by way of comparison, he hit just four in the two months prior. Likewise, Piscotty has played flawless defense the entire season, and could well be on his way to a first Gold Glove. If he does, remember, you heard it here first.

On the strength of a great second week of June, where he won Player of the Week honors for the AL, Josh Donaldson of Toronto kept up his momentum to take out the monthly award, as well. With 11 homers, 32 runs batted in and 19 runs scored, Donaldson is doing what he can to keep the Blue Jays in the hunt for the postseason, but it will be a big ask, as Toronto is 10 games behind Boston in the AL East and 7 1/2 behind the Yankees for the second Wild Card.

Sonny Gray is no stranger to fine performances. The Oakland hurler joins Strasburg as two-time winners of the top pitcher award this season, and both are setting themselves up to win the Cy Young Awards that they were predicted to claim. This month, Gray again went undefeated (4-0) and matched Strasburg step-for-step with 55 strikeouts set against just seven walks.

We talked about the Astros' pitching staff as a reason for their success, and while that is undoubtedly true, the hitters have also done well for themselves. Altuve, Correa, Springer - we know these names, but you may want to familarize yourself with Matt Duffy as well. Duffy, in his first full season in the bigs, possesses the combination of offense and defense that saw him win the starting first base job and move Jon Singleton to full-time DH in the wake of Chris Carter's departure via free agency. This month, Duffy truly came into his own, hitting .341/.402/.659 and smashing seven homers, as many as he had hit the previous two months combined. Houston fans no doubt hope there's more to come.

Major Injuries:
6/1 - Scott Kazmir landed awkwardly covering first base, out 2-3 months (High ankle sprain)
6/3 - Mike Leake will need Tommy John surgery, season over (Partially torn UCL)
6/5 - Glen Perkins’s recovery from injury slow, out 3-4 more weeks (shoulder strain)
6/5 - Steven Matz collision on basepaths, out minimum of 3 weeks (post-concussion syndrome)
6/6 - Yordano Ventura blew out his elbow, out for season (Partially torn UCL, Tommy John surgery)
6/6 - Felix Hernandez left game with discomfort, out for season (Radial nerve compression)
6/10 - Chris Sale out for 2-3 months (strained hamstring)
6/13 - Josh Tomlin blew out his elbow, out 13-14 months (Elbow ligament reconstruction, Tommy John surgery)
6/15 - Josh D. Fields diagnosed with inflammation, likely out for season (right shoulder inflammation)
6/15 - Zack Grienke injured on basepaths, out 3-4 weeks (strained hamstring)
6/17 - Marcus Stroman leaves game with shoulder tightness, out 4-5 weeks (strained shoulder)
6/18 - Dalier Hinojosa damages shoulder, out for 4 months (torn labrum)
6/20 - J.P. Crawford shut down for remainder of season (post-concussion syndrome)
6/21 - Jason Kipnis receives diagnosis, out for 6 weeks (sprained ankle)
6/22 - Jonathan Schoop spiked in play at second, out for 2-3 months (fractured hand)
6/26 - J.A. Happ out for the season (partially torn labrum)
6/29 - Arodys Vizcaino to miss remainder of season (torn labrum)

Notable Transactions:
6/2 - Atlanta trades 3B Gordon Beckham to Detroit for RP Drew VerHagen and minor league 2B Mike J. Torres
My take: Atlanta is fighting to keep in touch with the Mets and Nationals in the NL East. Their pitching, so far, is middle of the road, but their bullpen is behind their rotation in terms of performance. VerHagen (3-0, 0.64 ERA, 29 Ks, 10 BB in 28.1 IP) has been outstanding out of the pen for Detroit, and the Braves are hoping he continues his good work as he moves over to the NL. Beckham goes back to the AL Central, where it is becoming increasingly clear that Nick Castellanos isn’t the answer for Detroit at 3B. A good move for both teams, particularly Atlanta.

6/3 - Pittsburgh trades RP Jeff Locke to Seattle for 1B Adam Lind, minor league P Pedro Vasquez and cash
My take: It’s now a fourth team in three years for Lind, as the Mariners cut their losses after only two months. They get a serviceable starter in Locke, who’s definitely not happy going from an NL Central contender to an AL West cellar dweller. Lind must prove that his .148/.233/.259 start to the season is an aberration, or he could find himself on his fifth team in four years next season. With Gerrit Cole expected back from injury in the next couple of weeks, Pittsburgh needed to clear a spot in the rotation.

From L-R: Beckham, Locke, Lind, Latos

6/17 - Trade Bonzana!!!
Trade #1: P Mat Latos and cash to Detroit; 2B Jordany Valdespin and minor league P Jose Fuentes to White Sox
Analysis: Brett Lawrie’s been playing horrible for the Sox, but so have the rest of the team. This trade isn’t going to make either team magically competititve.
Trade #2: C Kevin Plawecki to Minnesota; P Michael Tonkin and minor league P Tyler Jay to Mets
Analysis: For the second time this year, the Twins trade their closer to an NL East team. They were in desperate need of a catcher, as Yankees castoff John Ryan Murphy (.187/.275/.318) wasn’t getting it done. Plawecki was stuck behind Travis d’Arnaud in New York.
Trade #3: P Xavier Cedeno and minor league P Thomas Lebron to Dodgers; minor league C Austin Barnes to Tampa Bay
Analysis: The Dodgers’ bullpen has been slammed by injuries this season; Cedeno should help relieve the stress. The piece may prove steep, although Barnes is in danger of becoming labelled as a quadruple-A player.
Trade #4: P Tony Zych to Philadelphia; minor league CF Aaron Brown to Seattle
Analysis: Seems to me that the Phillies could use Brown long-term more than they need Zych short-term. This one could end up being a steal for the Mariners.

6/26 - Baltimore trades OF Mark Trumbo to Philadelphia for SS/2B Emmanuel Burriss and minor league P Adonis Medina.
My take: Baltimore needed a middle infielder after losing Jonathan Schoop to injury. Burriss should fill in admirably in the interim, but the Birds are reeling, falling back to third place, 8 games back in the AL East and 2 games out of the Wild Card. The key to this trade may well be Medina, a 19-year-old Dominican with glowing scouting reports.

Amazing Performances:
Rajai Davis of the Cleveland Indians picked up the first cycle of the 2016 season, achieving the feat against the Seattle Mariners on June 6. Davis got off to an inauspicious debut, flying out to center field against Felix Hernandez. However, King Felix left the game in the 2nd inning (see the injuries section) and, as the first batter to face reliever Joel Peralta, Davis got the ball rolling with a home run to deep left center. After that, it was a double against Wade Miley in the 4th, a pop single that dropped safely in the 5th off Tony Zych, and, the historic hit, a triple off Zych in the 7th. The Indians won the game, 12-6

You wouldn’t have pegged Dexter Fowler to hit three home runs in a game; after all, the Cubs center fielder only hit 17 in a full season last year (and just 8 for Houston the season before that). Still, that’s exactly what Fowler did, and it wasn’t even at Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out! Fowler’s historic game came against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 6 in a 12-11 loss. Fowler was 3-3 in the game, with four runs scored, having walked twice as well as the homers in the 2nd, 3rd and 8th innings.

From L-R: R. Davis, Fowler, Price

Both Logan Verrett and David Price had pitching gems early this month, pitching two-hitters on back-to-back nights. Verrett’s came on June 6 when he shut out the Pirates, 6-0, striking out 6 and walking 2. Price, meanwhile, blanked the Giants in an interleague content on June 7, striking out 3 but not issuing a single walk.

Weird and Wacky:
Clay Buchholz had just come back from an abdominal strain that had put him on the shelf for most of May, when he found himself back on the 15-day DL. The abdominal strain was a pitching injury; this latest injury, a knee contusion, came when he was riding a hoverboard around in the Red Sox clubhouse, fell off, and banged his knee on a folding chair. At least the hoverboard didn’t catch on fire!

Other News:
Dan Uggla announced he will be retiring at the end of the season. A three-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger award winner, Uggla was at the peak of his powers with the Marlins from 2006 to 2010, but struggled with the bat since a trade to the Braves. After one happy year in Atlanta and three unhappy ones, Uggla bounced around between the majors and minors with the Giants, Nationals and Angels organizations, signing a minor-league deal with the Angels in May and called up later on. For the season, Uggla is hitting .149/.276/.298 with 2 homers, 7 runs and 8 RBI in 59 plate appearances.

On June 10, Chris Davis of the Orioles hit his 30th home run of the season. That put him on pace to hit 75 dingers for the season, if you believe in that sort of thing. At the end of June, Davis had cooled down somewhat, but his 35 home runs still has him on pace for 72 for the year.

From L-R: Buchholz, Uggla, C. Davis

Players of the Week:
Week 9 - NL Dee Gordon (MIA) (14-for-29, 4 R, 4 RBI, 3 SB); AL Mike Moustakas (KC) (13-for-32, 2 HR, 12 RBI)
Week 10 - NL Yasiel Puig (LA) (12-for-26, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R); AL Josh Donaldson (TOR) (14-for-27, 4 HR, 12 RBI)
Week 11 - NL Yasiel Puig (LA) (11-for-18, 10 R, 5 RBI); AL Devon Travis (TOR) (13-for-25, 9 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR)
Week 12 - NL Socrates Brito (ARI) (11-for-30, 10 RBI, 7 R, 2 HR); AL Pablo Sandoval (BOS) (12-for-30, 12 RBI, 8 R)

[shipfb21]

great work. im really enjoying this. love how u keep us plugged into the world, without overdoing it. looking forward to more...

[BigRed75]

Inspired by Boogeyboard and his Prospect Watch dynasties, I have created a sub-thread dedicated to the first 10 picks in the 2016 Draft. We will follow their careers. Will there be any Hall of Famers? Who will bust, and not make the big leagues? Find out here with monthly updates:

The Manfred Chronicles: Prospect Watch