SBL Notebook, Week 15

As we write every year at this time, the less said about our itty-bitty All-Star week, the better. We’d be remiss if we didn’t congratulate Dan’s Cherry Valley Bombers, who awoke from their season-long nightmare to go 6-0, despite some truly unsightly pitching numbers (7.40 ERA, 2.06 BR). It didn’t pull them out of the National division cellar, but still, there’s finally something to celebrate up around the county line – apple cider all around! Other than that . . . DamianUnited expanded their NL lead from two games to five, primarily because their two closest pursuers, Vic’s Godfathers and the Patton Inmates, went a combined 1-11. The ’Mates’ 0-6 accident continued a perplexing downward spiral, from a high-water mark of 27-5 through Week 5 to 48-45 today, 10 weeks later. . . . Status remained quo (or is that Kuo, the Korean hurler employed by Paulo’s Zero’s?) in the AL, where the top two teams both went 5-1, Mikee’s Moaners maintaining their seven-game edge on the Z’s. . . . There was a wide and tasty selection of close games, typical for this half-week in which the compressed statistical sample seems to drive most everyone toward the middle of the numerical pack. Every AL team was involved in at least one tiebreaker, of which there were five. . . . It’s essentially pointless to note statistical anomalies when the entire week is pretty much one big anomaly, but we couldn’t let this one pass: The Zero’s posted a 2.92 ERA, and a wholly incongruous 1.70 BR stat. The meager 12.1 innings turned in by their injury-riddled staff doubtless had something to do with that. Meanwhile, the Moaners put up totals in HRs (8), SBs (5) and saves (5) that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a full seven-game week.

Week 15 standings

AMERICAN
Team, LW.........W....L....PCT....GB
Mike (5-1)........69....24....742....--
Paul (5-1).........62....31....667.....7
Andy (3-3)........51....42....548....18
David (1-5).......44....49....473....25
Dennis (1-5)......36....57....387....33
Brian (4-2)........30....63....323....39
NATIONAL
Team, LW.........W....L....PCT....GB
Damian (4-2).....54....39....581....--
Vic (1-5)..........49....44....527.....5
Gregg (0-6).......48....45....516.....6
Derek (4-2).......46....47....495.....8
JP (2-4)...........37....56....398....17
Dan (6-0).........32....61....344....22

SBL Notebook, Week 5

And then, depression set in. So said Bill Murray in “Stripes” (or was it “Caddyshack?” . . . No, definitely “Stripes” . . . But jeez, when are we going to stop falling back on these silly movie quotes in the Notebook every week?) -– and so it was for offense in the SBL this week. The depression in this case was more like a trough, into which tumbled the relatively robust hitting numbers we’d seen in recent weeks. In their place were stats so tiny in some cases, you’d almost have thought it was All-Star week. Oh, there were a couple of exceptions, which we’ll dispense with right away: Derek’s Derelicts continued on the offensive tear they’d begun last week, walloping 18 HRs and collecting 40 RBIs, 36 TB and a .388 OBP. And Paulo’s Zero’s kept the power turned on with 12 HRs, after blasting 19 in Week 4. But that was it for noteworthy numbers. While the D’s and Z’s were combining for 30 homers, the other 10 teams combined for 59, and puny average of 5.9 per team (yes, we figured that out all by ourselves). Nobody but the Derelictables reached 40 RBIs (league average for everyone not named Derek: 29), no one could top his 36 TB, no one had more than 37 runs . . . you get the picture. It was the kind of week in which Mikee’s Moaners could “complement” their usual sturdy pitching with microscopic, (dare we say?) depressing o-stats across the board (31 runs, 26 TB, 6 HRs, 27 RBIs, 2 SBs, .272 OBP) and still post three 9-2 blowout victories -– part of a 4-3 week that actually lifted the M’s back into first place, a game ahead of displaced penthouse occupants Bristow’s Batfaced Girls, in the Great Mediocrity that is the American division. The AL race has devolved into quite the unremarkable mess, with no team able to distinguish itself, the top five separated by a mere four games. Three different teams have held first place in five weeks, and none has stayed there for longer than one week. The real power is in the National division, home of not only the mashin’ Derelicts but also the celebrated BTIB, the Patton Inmates, who enhanced their reputation with a 7-0 week that took their record to a sparkling 27-5, six games up on the smokin’-hot D-Train. More to the point, the NL won eight of 12 interleague games in this seven-game week, after going 9-3 the previous two weeks. Do we spy a trend here?

Week 5 standings

AMERICAN
Team, LW.........W....L....PCT....GB
Mike (4-3)........20....12....625....--
David (1-6).......19....13....594....1
Dennis (6-1)......17....15....531....3
Andy (2-5)........17....15....531....3
Paul (5-2).........16....16....500....4
Brian (0-7).........4....28....125...16
NATIONAL
Team, LW.........W....L....PCT....GB
Gregg (7-0).......27.....5....844....--
Derek (6-1).......21....11....656....6
Damian (5-2).....17....15....531...10
Dan (4-3)..........16....16....500...11
Vic (2-5)...........11....21....344...16
JP (0-7).............7....25....219...20

PaulO's Note: Week 5

Let's make this brief. Go right to what seemed to make the difference among the cellmates. The Z's: Five saves and a 1-0 record from the bullpen; Dotel and RSoriano 5IP, 0ER, 3BR, 9Ks and a 1-1 record. ... The Bat-faced Girls: King Felix, 3.1, 7ER, 9BR and an L and an 0-2 record. The Papacy: Mark Teixeira finally showing signs of waking, going 9-for-27 in the OBP world, with four runs, 8BI, a 2B and 3HR, as well as seven saves from three guys, Capps (!), Feliz and Lidge in a 2-0 week. ... If the Bitsy Threesome manages to beat any outsiders, it may come down to a big sub-in Thursday for all three at the catcher spot. Z's: (JBuck) 5223 with two taters; BFGs: (Barajas) 4223 with two taters; Papacy: (YMolina) 5143 with 2B and SB.

2010 SBL Rosters (Updated)

BRIAN
C: V.Martinez (27), C.Ruiz (287)
1B: Pujols (1), Glaus (248)
2B: Beckham (79), Prado (222)
SS: A.Escobar (131), E.Cabrera (274)
3B: B.Wood (145), McGehee (183)
OF: Holliday (14), Lind (40), Quentin (118), Blanks (144), Rasmus (261), Francoeur (S1)
SP: Carpenter (53), Beckett (66), Hanson (92), Kazmir (235), Zito (S2)
Taxi: Latos (1), H.Bailey (24)
RP: Wagner (105), Zambrano (170), Adams (209), Putz (300)

PAUL
C: Napoli (158), Buck (262)
1B: N.Johnson (132), Ad.LaRoche (197)
2B: Cano (15), Weeks (249)
SS: H.Ramirez (2), Pennington (288)
3B: Zimmerman (28), Tejada (236)
OF: Markakis (41), Choo (54), Victorino (93), Swisher (133), Cameron (210), H.Matsui (275)
SP: Gallardo (80), Kuroda (184), Pettitte (Taxi2), CJ Wilson (S1), K.Correia (S2)
Taxi: Peavy (106), Harden (171)
RP: R.Soriano (67), Francisco (119), Dotel (146), Mijares (289)

ANDY
C: Mauer (3), Olivo (290)
1B: Ad.Gonzalez (29), Helton (185)
2B: Pedroia (42), S.Rodriguez (250)
SS: Scutaro (134), Furcal (224)
3B: Beltre (120), Headley (276)
OF: Crawford (16), M.Ramirez (68), Hayward (107), Borbon (198), V.Wells (211), M.Ordonez (277)
SP: Haren (55), Liriano (94), T.Hudson (121), Jurrjens (159), Strasburg (237)
Taxi: Matusz (3), Harang (22)
RP: B.Wilson (81), C.Perez (147), F.Morales (172), Baez (S2)

DENNIS
C: Wieters (108), Y.Molina (225)
1B: Teixeira (17), Overbay (278)
2B: Utley (4), Uggla (95)
SS: Jeter (30), Hardy (212)
3B: Stewart (69), C.Jones (186)
OF: I.Suzuki (43), Kubel (135), Ludwick (160), F.Gutierrez (199), C.Young (226), A.Jackson (S1)
SP: Verlander (56), Cain (82), Danks (173), Porcello (238), Fister (S2)
Taxi: Chapman (4), Cueto (21)
RP: Capps (109), Lidge (122), Rodney (251), N.Feliz (265)
DL: SP B.Anderson (148)

GREGG
C: Snyder (S1), Pierzynski (239)
1B: Morneau (44), Loney (252)
2B: Barmes (187), Getz (266)
SS: S.Drew (83), Betancourt (S2)
3B: Reynolds (31), Peralta (253)
OF: Braun (5), Kemp (18), McCutchen (110), McLouth (161), D.Young (226), Snider (292)
SP: Kershaw (97), Lackey (149), J.Sanchez (174), DeLaRosa (200), Slowey (213)
Taxi: Padilla (5), Pavano (20)
RP: Soria (57), Bell (70), Valverde (96), Lindstrom (136)
DL: C Montero (123)

VIC
C: Doumit (227), Hundley (293)
1B: Berkman (124), Butler (137)
2B: B.Roberts (84), K.Johnson (241)
SS: Al.Ramirez (175), Ryan (280)
2B: A.Rodriguez (6), Polanco (240)
OF: J.Upton (19), B.Upton (98), Ad.Jones (111), Rios (150), Bruce (162), N.Morgan (188)
SP: Sabathia (32), Lester (58), Cl.Lee (85), Buchholz (201), Lewis (S2)
Taxi: W.Davis (6), Penny (19)
RP: Broxton (45), F.Rodriguez (71), Sherrill (267), Saito (S1)
DL: RP J.Howell (254)

DAN
C: B.Molina (228), R.Hernandez (281)
1B: Fielder (7), K.Morales (73)
2B: A.Hill (20), Schumaker (268)
SS: J.Reyes (46), Bartlett (59)
3B: Cantu (138), Callaspo (294)
OF: Ethier (33), Cuddyer (72), Bourn (202), Byrd (255), J.Guillen (S1), Fukudome (S2)
SP: Billingsley (151), M.Garza (176), Dempster (189), Hughes (Taxi7), Garcia (Taxi18)
Taxi: Wolf (215), Niemann (242)
RP: Aardsma (86), Franklin (99), M.Gonzalez (112), Qualls (125)
DL: OF C.Beltran (163), OF C.Jackson (229)

MIKE
C: Iannetta (217), J.Baker (256)
1B: Howard (8), D.Ortiz (164)
2B: Phillips (34), Wigginton (S1)
SS: Y.Escobar (126), O.Cabrera (230)
3B: Sandoval (47), Inge (269)
OF: C.Lee (60), Abreu (61), C.Gonzalez (152), R.Davis (203), J.Rivera (243), LaPorta (295)
SP: Lincecum (21), Wainwright (74), J.Santana (113), Lilly (190), D.Price (216)
Taxi: Saunders (8), R.Romero (17)
RP: A.Bailey (87), Marmol (100), L.Nunez (139), Simon (S2)
DL: RP Madson (177)

JP
C: Posey (296), Varitek (S2)
1B: M.Cabrera (9), C.Pena (75)
2B: Zobrist (62), Kennedy (270)
SS: Andrus (101), A.Cabrera (230)
3B: Ar.Ramirez (49), Encarnacion (231)
OF: Ellsbury (22), G.Sizemore (48), Ibanez (140), Hart (205), C.Ross (218), Coghlan (257)
SP: Hamels (114), Webb (153), Burnett (165), Oswalt (178), J.Shields (204)
Taxi: Buehrle (9) G.Gonzalez (16)
RP: Papelbon (35), F.Cordero (88), K.Wood (244), Chamberlain (283)
DL: C K.Suzuki (127)

DAVID
C: McCann (37), Barajas (S1)
1B: Votto (63), Kotchman (S2)
2B: Kendrick (102), Iwamura (297)
SS: E.Aybar (166), Theriot (206)
3B: D.Wright (10), Freese (219)
OF: Bay (36), N.Cruz (76), Hawpe (141), Span (192), Damon (245), Pierre (284)
SP: F.Hernandez (23), J.Vazquez (89), Nolasco (128), S.Baker (179), Blanton (232)
Taxi: Pineiro (10), Matsuzaka (15)
RP: M.Rivera (50), Street (115), Lyon (193), Gregg (258)

DEREK
C: Soto (155), Martin (220)
1B: Youkilis (51), Dunn (64)
2B: Figgins (77), S.Sizemore (246)
SS: A.Gonzalez (S1), Renteria (233)
3B: Longoria (11), Kouzmanoff (207)
OF: Werth (38), Pence (116), A.Soriano (142), Reimold (180), Bradley (259), Willingham (285)
SP: Greinke (24), U.Jimenez (103), W.Rodriguez (129), Scherzer (181), Floyd (194)
Taxi: Bedard (11), Millwood (14)
RP: Fuentes (90), Rauch (167), Gregerson (272), Clippard (S2)
DL: SS Rollins (25)

DAMIAN
C: Posada (143), I.Rodriguez (299)
1B: D.Lee (52), Konerko (221)
2B: Kinsler (12), Hudson (247)
SS: Tulowitzki (13), Desmond (240)
3B: M.Young (78), J.Lopez (168)
OF: Granderson (39), Hamilton (91), Hunter (101), V.Guerrero (169), G.Jones (208), Maybin (S1)
SP: Halladay (26), J.Johnson (65), Jer.Weaver (156), E.Santana (Taxi12), Braden (S2),
Taxi: E.Jackson (286), Bumgarner (13)
RP: Hoffman (117), Jenks (130), Thornton (195), Wuertz (234)
DL: SP Happ (182)

SBL Notebook, Week 4

Like the elderly but plucky Plague victim in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” who squeaked “I’m not dead . . . I’m getting better” as his son tried to throw him on the meat wagon, two of our most senior franchise owners have declared that reports of their demise were greatly exaggerated and appear well on the road to recovery. But before we get to Dan’s Cherry Valley Bombers and Paulo’s Zero’s, we pause for a word about the SBL’s most surprising story of the young season, the ascension of Bristow’s Batfaced Girls to heretofore uncharted heights, otherwise known as First Place. The Gals didn’t have the best week in the business -- in fact their pitching was as bad as we’re likely to see all season -- but they managed to scratch out a 4-2 mark and, on the strength of their month-long consistency, took over the top spot in the American division with an 18-7 record. It’s believed to be the first time Hizhonor has occupied the catbird seat unaccompanied, at least this late in the season. And looking at the impressive array of young, up-and-coming talent on his roster, there’s every reason to expect he can stay in contention for his first division title. The BFGs are the only team in the AL that hasn’t posted a losing week this season, and the fact they’ve done this despite injuries to several key players -- and despite their truly horrific 8.63 ERA, 2.13 BR stat and 0-4 WL this week -- has to bode well for their chances. Just think how high their ceiling may be once Nelson Cruz, Brad Hawpe and Huston Street return to active duty. . . . The Girls’ path to the AL mountaintop was cleared by Andy’s Badgers’ first toe-stub of the season, an 0-6 ker-plunk that dropped them all the way to third place, one game behind Mikee’s Moaners and three back of the BFGs. But the biggest noise of the week wasn’t the crashing of the Badgers but the roar emitted by the defending champion Zero’s as they awoke from hibernation. After staggering to a 5-14 start, the Z’s blasted out of their funk with a 6-0 surge fueled by a staggering 19 home runs, which their owner is claiming as a franchise record, and 49 RBIs. No fewer than five Zero’s players contributed multi-HR games to the cause, topped by a gimme-a-break-you’ve-gotta-be-kidding three-homer sub-in from backup catcher John Buck (!). It doesn’t get much better than that. . . . Over in the National division, the defending champion Bombers continued the resuscitation they began last week, putting together a second consecutive 5-1 performance fueled not by the monster offense that carried them in Week 3, but by sterling pitching that produced a 1.69 ERA, .94 BR stat and 5-1 WL, and lifted them to within a game of .500. Now seven and eight games, respectively, out of first place, the Zero’s and Bombers have served notice that they won’t give up their division flags without a fight. (Of course, that old Plague victim in “Holy Grail” ended up being clubbed to death by the meat-wagon owner at the son’s behest, so the Z’s and CVBs would be wise to keep the pedal to the metal!) Elsewhere in the NL, the Patton Inmates quietly went 4-2, improved their Best Record in Ball to 20-5 and maintained their lead at five games, albeit over a new runner-up -- Derek’s Derelicts (hooray, we remembered!), who assembled the best overall week (14 HRs, 43 runs, 42 ribbies AND a 2.05 ERA and 1.08 BR stat) to go 6-0 and displace DamianUnited from second place.