Wednesday, November 25, 2009

CARLOS SANCHEZ - 500 CAREER HRs


Carlos Sanchez
Santa Fe
Scorchers
Age: 32B/T: R/R
Born: Chinandega, NI
Position(s): SS/IF/OF/DH
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


Sanchez hit his 500th career home run off of Vancouver's Matty Morgan in the 4th inning of the 9/28 PM1 game. It was a solo shot that just cleared the fence in leftfield.

The 32-year old should be able to pass all-time home run leader Pedro Alvarez, who has 596 HRs, in two to three seasons. It's ashame that an old owner moved him down to the minors in seasons 3 & 4 because he could have more HRs than Alvarez.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Season 13

Can the Milwaukee Brewmasters Win the AL?

Milwaukee
Milwaukee Brewmasters (AL)
rawdk27
View Hardball Dynasty Profile


As of the 11/20 PM2 cycle the Brewmasters have the best record in the American League. rawdk27 has his squad on pace to increase its win total for the fourth straight season. The defending AL North Champions made it to the ALCS last season but fell to the MAPS dynasty in six games. And more than likely the Brewmasters will have to beat the MAPS to take the pennant this season.

We get a little taste of the matchup with a 3-game set in Hartford starting in the 11/21 AM cycle.

The key to the Brewmasters' success has been pitching. It's been nasty to say the least. They lead the AL in: ERA, Saves, Strikeouts, Hits Allowed, Runs Allowed, Earned Runs Allowed, WHIP and K/9 IP. The bullpen has also allowed the least inherited runners to score. With 40 games still to play the Brew have three pitchers with 10+ wins, and another three pitchers have 8+ wins.

But even with pitching so deep Milwaukee will still have to go into Hartford's bambox and face the League's most punishing lineup come playoff time. So far this season the Brew are 1-6 vs. the MAPS. After winning the season's first matchup they have lost the past six. They have been outscored 48-22 in those seven games. While being swept in three games by the MAPS prior to the All-Star Break the Brew pitching staff was bombed for 31 runs.

An interesting note about the seven games between these two teams is Milwaukee's superstar closer
Al Duvall saw action only one time. He picked up the save in a scoreless inning during the first game and never sniffed the mound again. Somehow, someway the Brew has to get the ball to Duvall with a lead.

More Neifi Martin

Neifi Martin continues to chew up National League pitchers. The 22-year old is still hitting over .370 and his recent ten-game stretch, where he went 16-for-46 (.348), actually lowered his season's average. I took a look at the real-life Major Leagues and found that only three players since 1901 have hit over .370 at such a young age. They are: Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson, and Ted Williams.


Monday, November 9, 2009

All-Star Game 13

*** JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - BOON STADIUM - HOME of the BROWNES and the FINGERS LEAGUE'S 13th ALL STAR GAME ***

ALL-STAR GAME
For the second straight season the National League won the Fingers League All-Star Game. The NL outpitched the American League to squeak out a 4-2 victory. Sante Fe Scorchers SS Carlos Sanchez won the game's MVP Award. Sanchez belted two hits, drove in the NL's first two runs and scored the eventual game winning run in the 5th inning.

WP: Boomer Charles (Salt Lake City)
LP: Patrick Snyder (Milwaukee)
Save: Julian Williams (Salt Lake City)
HR: Alberto Granados (Washington)

Game Notes:
Bonk Blake made his 10th All-Star Game Appearance, a Fingers League record. He entered the game in the 5th inning and flied out to deep LCF in his only at bat. Blake without a doubt is a first ballot Hall of Famer.

The starting pitchers for the game: Charleston's Ralph Hall and Hartford's Tomas Armas. Hall, 29, has already tied his career high in wins with 12. The 33-year-old Armas, who is arguably the best pitcher in league history, has a 14-3 record.

Washington's Hugh McNeil made the game's only two errors. He booted a ground ball in the 5th inning that allowed Carlos Sanchez to move from second base to third. The next batter, Taylor Glynn, drove Sanchez in with a fielder's choice.

HOME RUN DERBY
Winner:
28 HRs in three rounds. Sobkowiak was trailing Sante Fe's Cristobal Johnson by five HRs going into the final round. But in that final round Sobkowiak blasted 11 out of the park compared to Johnson's four to take the trophy.

**FIRST HALF NEWS**
The BIG story of the first half has to be New York Gothams rookie 1B Neifi Martin. Martin is hitting a major league-best .389. He also leads the major leagues in hits and on base percentage. His 23-game hitting streak is tied for the longest of the season. themehl drafted him 14th overall in season 9.

Last season Chuck Moore became the 2nd player ever to hit 70 HRs in a season. He finished with 71, six behind record holder Pedro Alvarez. Moore and two others, Spike Cambridge and Cristobal Johnson, are on pace to reach 70 HRs by season's end.

Washington's Hades Simpson and Sam Blackley combined for a no-hitter vs. Houston. Simpson walked a batter with one out in the ninth to lose the perfect game. Blackley entered the ball game and recorded the final two outs.

The Atlants Aces took high school pitcher Yuu Komatsu with the first pick in the draft. He is the 6th straight pitcher to be taken with the first overall pick. Brad Tebeau, the first of those six pitchers to be taken #1 overall, is throwing a Cy Young quality season. After going 25-22 in his first two seasons, Tebeau is 11-3 with 4 complete games.