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Boys,
The 2005 season is shaping up to be a dogfight of historic
proportion. While the Redbirds and the Skipjacks have
managed to put a little bit of distance between themselves and the rest of
the pack, the point gap between 1st and last (634 points) is probably the
closest ever as we approach the half-way point of the season. Here are
the standings through twelve weeks of play:
STANDINGS THRU WEEK 12, JUNE 26, 2005
|
Upper Division |
|
1. |
Redbirds |
4372.5 |
|
2. |
Skipjacks |
4350.0 |
|
3. |
Senators |
4102.5 |
|
4. |
Bombers |
4074.5 |
|
5. |
Chiefs |
4041.0 |
|
6. |
Reds |
3995.5 |
|
Lower Division |
|
7. |
Wahoos |
3984.5 |
|
8. |
Irates |
3979.5 |
|
9. |
Tigers |
3932.0 |
|
10. |
Blues |
3916.5 |
|
11. |
Cubs* |
3839.5 |
|
12. |
Tribe |
3738.0 |
With less than 200 points separating the 3rd place Senators
from the 10th place Blues, we can anticipate plenty of jockeying
for positions during the upcoming weeks.
Although once written off as roadkill by the rest of the league,
recent surges by the Reds (478.0), the Tribe (417.0) and
Wahoos (389.5) have placed all three of these teams squarely back in
competition. In short, nobody is out of this race, and 2005 figures to be
a Texas death-match down to the very end.
Here are the results from Week 12, from top to bottom:
|
WEEK 12 POINT TOTALS |
|
1. |
Reds |
478.0 |
|
2. |
Skipjacks |
435.5 |
|
3. |
Tribe |
417.0 |
|
4. |
Wahoos |
389.5 |
|
5. |
Redbirds |
377.5 |
|
6. |
Chiefs |
373.5 |
|
7. |
Senators |
360.5 |
|
8. |
Blues |
336.5 |
|
9. |
Cubs* |
326.0 |
|
10. |
Bombers |
320.5 |
|
11. |
Tigers |
297.0 |
|
12. |
Irates |
254.0 |
Derrek Lee of the Blues continues to outpace the
competition for the League MVP race with 421 points, and at this writing
is still a viable candidate for the first National League Triple Crown
since Ducky Joe Medwick in 1937. Pedro Martinez is the leading candidate
for the Cy Young of the year award with 316.5 points, although only my
mismanagement of Roy Halladay (331 gross points) keeps him from being the
leader of this race.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
|
HITTERS |
|
1. |
Derrek Lee |
416 |
|
|
2. |
Albert Pujols |
364 |
|
|
3. |
Alex Rodriguez |
360 |
|
|
4. |
Bobby Abreu |
355 |
|
|
5. |
Brian Roberts |
353 |
|
|
6. |
Miguel Tejada |
349 |
|
|
7. |
David Ortiz |
332 |
|
|
8. |
Mark Teixeira |
314 |
|
|
9. |
Manny Ramirez |
311 |
|
|
10. |
Derek Jeter |
305 |
|
|
(T) |
Andruw Jones |
305 |
|
|
(T) |
Alfonso Soriano |
305 |
|
|
13. |
Jeff Kent |
304 |
|
|
14. |
Carlos Lee |
302 |
|
|
(T) |
Miguel Cabrera |
302 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PITCHERS |
|
1. |
Roy Halladay |
331 |
|
|
2. |
Pedro Martinez |
317 |
|
|
3. |
Dontrelle Willis |
316 |
|
|
4. |
Roger Clemens |
300 |
|
|
5. |
Mark Buehrle |
299 |
|
|
6. |
Chris Carpenter |
298 |
|
|
7. |
Chad Cordero |
297 |
|
|
8. |
Johan Santana |
271 |
|
|
9. |
Roy Oswalt |
268 |
|
|
(T) |
Jake Peavey |
268 |
|
|
(T) |
John Smoltz |
268 |
|
|
12. |
John Garland |
262 |
|
|
13. |
Scott Shields |
257 |
|
|
14. |
Livan Hernandez |
254 |
|
|
15. |
B.J. Ryan |
243 |
|
BULLPEN FODDER
|
** |
The leading pitching team through twelve weeks is the Skipjacks
with 1846.5, followed by the Senators with 1778.0, followed by
the Redbirds with 1745 points. Is it any coincidence that
these are the three top teams in the overall standings through twelve
weeks? I think not. The Cubs* are at the bottom of the pack
in pitching with 1201.0 points, just behind the Pirates with
1209.0 points.
|
|
** |
The leading hitting team through twelve weeks is the Irates
with 2770.5 points, followed by the Cubs* with 2638.5 points,
followed by the Redbirds with 2627.5 points. Bringing up the
rear in the hitting department would be the Tribe, with 2194.0
points.
|
|
** |
Just when I thought that I had the best relief corps and overall
pitching staff in the league, Gagne goes on the shelf for the year,
and Madson, Shields and Lidge all decide to take a prolonged All Star
break to rest up for the second half of the season. I know we all
have injury woes and I’m really not whining about my personal
misfortune, but to lose Gagne just when he seemed to be hitting his
stride puts a real crimp on my plans for a repeat title.
|
|
** |
Now that U-Bob has both Prior and Wood healthy and throwing smoke, I
look for the Tribe to stay hot and move up out of the cellar.
Call me madcap if you want, but it is my prediction that the Tribe
will avoid back-to-back finishes in the league bowels. Bully for
Bob.
|
|
** |
It was as predictable as the sun coming up in the east this morning
that Andruw Jones would have a career year as a beneficiary of the
Itchie Magic. Andruw hit his 25th home run last night, is currently
on pace for about 60 home runs, and is living proof that getting off
steroids is not bad for everyone’s power production.
|
|
** |
Is there a tougher manager to please than Mouse? Itchie and I watch
his new Oriental stud Chien-Ming Wang twirl a gem against the Cubs at
Yankee Stadium, and then Mouse immediately demotes him. Mouse must
have known something that the rest of us didn’t, however, as Wang was
all wong (weak, I know) in his next outing. Insider information,
perhaps?
|
|
** |
I have finally diagnosed the problem that is currently plaguing the
Irates. Their pitching staff includes Brad Halsey, Brandon
McCarthy, Eric Bedard, Brandon Backe, Brett
Myers, Brian Fuentes and Brian Moehler on it. The
killer B’s are killing SloPay. With Roberts and Giles also on this
team, the Irates have set a new Hot Stove League record with
four guys named Brian on their roster at the same time. So at least
they have that going for them.
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COOPERSTOWN REVISITED
As much as I hate agreeing with the guy, I am forced to concur
with my colleague Itchie on the awesomeness of our recent journey to
Cooperstown with our boys. Other than fearing for my life during Itchie’s
100-mph road race through the Catskills, getting screwed out of my visit
to the State Capitol in Albany, and having to put up with the general
discombobulation of the Son of Itchie, it was a great trip. I highly
recommend a visit to the Hall of Fame by each of you if you are ever in
the neighborhood, and a future Hot Stove League Trip to Cooperstown and
Yankee Stadium or Shea before they are visited by the wrecking ball is
definitely on the radar screen.
THE TRIP
Speaking of the Trip, so far the response to the invitation to
Philadelphia for August 20-21 has been underwhelming, to say the least.
Is there anyone else besides Shamu, Big Guy, Itchie and myself who might
be able to swing this junket? Not that I mind spending a weekend with
this foursome, mind you, but it would be nice to have at least a couple
more participants to help shield the rest of us from Itchie’s annual
Spanish Inquisition once he gets a snootful.
One other thought: If we were to move the Trip to the weekend
of September 10-11, when the Phillies play the Marlins, how many might be
able to make it on this weekend? Let me know.
DID YOU KNOW
With his recent kerplunking on Tuesday night, Craig Biggio has
now tied Don Baylor for the all-time lead in getting hit by pitches with
267. Although it probably won’t get him in the Hall of Fame, at least
Biggio will have this distinction to brag to his grandkids about. And
steroids had nothing to do with it.
Until we meet again.
Skipper
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