2007 Season

Edition No. 11

July 31 2007

Standings as of July 30, 2007

Rank		Team	Points
1.		West Des Moines Cubs*	8084.75
2.		Omaha Highlanders	8076.00
3.		Lincoln Chiefs	7525.50
4.		Millard Monarchs	7453.00
5.		Bears	7420.50
6.		Omaha Skipjacks	7215.50
7.		Omaha Redbirds	7191.50
8.		Detroit Tigers	7175.50
9.		Wahoos	7138.00
10.		Kansas City Blues	6697.00
11.		Omaha Bronx Bombers	6604.50
12.		Lincoln Tribe	6595.75
13.		Omaha Senators	5599.75

There’s a new, stocky, red-haired, mesh-wearing sheriff in town. It’s a two-team race to see whether the Cubs can hold on after they splatter against the 100 save cap. (Is there any chance of a players’ strike ending the season?) Cubs’ manager Charles “the Grinning Boy” Sinclair has been unloading flotsam and jetsam from his reliever corps in an attempt to reconfigure the Cubs for the stretch run. Mitch “Magpie” Pirnie will be looking for assistance from volunteer statistician Ted “Possum” Bridges for up-to-the-minute real time standings (promised on a daily basis) after saves limit adjustments have to be made. Good luck to both teams, and maybe this will be the year that the asterisk gets moved by the baseball gods from the Cubs to Barry Bonds.

TOP 25 Hitters

Player	Owner	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	IBB	HBP	A	E	Fan Pts
Álex Rodríguez	Millard Monarchs	384	97	116	25	0	35	103	11	2	63	5	13	177	7	585.25
Chase Utley	Omaha Highlanders	399	79	134	41	3	17	82	7	1	40	0	17	274	8	538.00
Jimmy Rollins	Omaha Redbirds	465	90	138	25	14	20	64	19	5	28	3	6	299	9	527.25
Miguel Cabrera	Bears	386	64	130	28	2	25	77	0	1	46	13	3	187	17	484.75
Hanley Ramírez	Omaha Skipjacks	407	78	139	31	5	17	50	28	9	30	3	5	241	16	484.25
Mag. Ordóñez	Cubs	385	77	135	38	0	16	88	2	1	52	5	2	3	1	466.75
Matt Holliday	Bronx Bombers	413	68	137	33	4	20	84	7	2	37	3	4	5	2	458.25
José Reyes	Kansas City Blues	434	75	131	24	10	7	41	49	14	52	11	0	278	8	457.00
Dan Uggla	Detroit Tigers	424	78	108	40	2	21	65	2	0	44	0	7	289	6	450.25
Brian Roberts	Millard Monarchs	405	69	128	26	4	8	38	31	6	60	5	0	302	5	450.00
Justin Morneau	Millard Monarchs	383	64	115	19	2	28	89	1	0	39	9	4	75	3	445.75
Albert Pujols	Bears	373	65	119	23	0	23	71	2	5	63	15	5	90	7	442.50
Prince Fielder	Kansas City Blues	389	70	110	28	1	30	75	0	2	48	9	10	75	10	441.25
David Wright	Omaha Highlanders	393	63	117	25	1	18	65	23	2	52	5	3	204	12	439.00
Gary Sheffield	Omaha Highlanders	372	89	109	17	1	23	67	17	4	62	2	8	1	0	437.75
Édgar Rentería	Bronx Bombers	411	68	137	29	1	10	52	11	1	36	0	1	271	9	434.75
Bran. Phillips	Lincoln Chiefs	429	68	119	16	4	20	63	19	7	21	2	9	296	5	433.00
Derek Jeter	Omaha Senators	428	67	142	27	3	7	50	11	8	41	3	9	282	13	432.50
C. Granderson	Bears	410	84	125	29	17	16	53	13	0	32	2	1	8	4	432.50
Álex Ríos	Lincoln Tribe	423	77	129	29	5	20	62	9	2	35	3	3	6	5	415.50
Ryan Howard	Cubs	316	59	86	17	0	29	86	0	0	69	23	2	60	6	415.00
Grady Sizemore	Omaha Senators	414	81	114	22	2	18	55	27	6	64	5	11	1	2	408.25
Eric Byrnes	Detroit Tigers	421	65	130	21	7	16	60	27	6	39	3	4	8	4	407.50
Carlos Guillén	Wahoos	348	57	108	21	5	14	71	9	6	39	6	1	267	19	406.75
Carlos Lee	Millard Monarchs	406	57	121	28	1	22	86	7	5	38	8	4	8	2	405.50

TOP 25 Pitchers

Player	Owner	IP	APP	GS	W	L	SV	H	R	ER	BB	K	HLD	Fan Pts
Erik Bedard	Redbirds	141.2	22	22	10	4	0	111	50	48	43	175	0	479.75
J. Santana	Wahoos	148.0	22	22	11	8	0	115	52	48	35	156	0	467.00
Dan Haren	Bears	149.0	22	22	12	3	0	118	48	40	39	118	0	453.50
Jake Peavy	Wahoos	138.0	21	21	10	5	0	111	39	37	40	144	0	449.00
C.C. Sabathia	Cubs	161.0	23	23	13	6	0	169	72	64	21	145	0	438.25
Cole Hamels	Bears	146.2	22	22	12	5	0	134	60	57	35	143	0	428.75
A. Harang	Highlanders	152.1	23	23	10	3	0	141	64	60	40	138	0	418.50
J.J. Putz	Lincoln Chiefs	50.1	47	0	1	1	31	21	5	5	8	56	0	417.00
Chris Young	Lincoln Chiefs	118.2	20	20	9	3	0	78	30	24	39	114	0	409.50
C. Zambrano	Monarchs	150.1	23	23	14	7	0	120	62	58	65	128	0	408.00
Brad Penny	Redbirds	136.0	21	21	13	1	0	120	40	38	42	98	0	406.50
John Maine	Lincoln Chiefs	132.1	21	21	12	5	0	104	47	43	46	113	0	392.25
Josh Beckett	Wahoos	124.0	19	19	13	4	0	110	47	45	25	117	0	391.25
Matsuzaka	Cubs	144.0	22	22	12	8	0	133	60	60	50	142	0	390.50
J. Vázquez	Monarchs	143.2	21	21	8	6	0	122	60	58	34	132	0	388.00
Tim Hudson	Highlanders	151.2	23	23	11	5	0	138	53	52	35	91	0	382.75
K. Escobar	Cubs	138.0	20	20	11	5	0	125	48	44	38	109	0	381.25
Ted Lilly	Bronx Bombers	137.2	22	22	11	5	0	119	58	55	35	111	0	374.75
J. Verlander	Redbirds	128.2	20	20	11	3	0	104	54	49	45	115	0	371.75
Bran. Webb	Detroit Tigers	150.2	22	22	9	8	0	142	66	54	53	134	0	370.50
John Smoltz	Lincoln Chiefs	126.2	20	20	10	5	0	127	43	40	26	117	0	370.25
John Lackey	K. C. Blues	137.2	21	21	12	6	0	131	60	50	38	113	0	365.25
J. Shields	Lincoln Chiefs	151.0	22	22	8	6	0	146	78	75	26	128	0	356.00
Roy Oswalt	Skipjacks	153.2	24	23	10	6	0	162	65	62	47	114	1	355.50
Billy Wagner	Senators	45.1	43	0	1	0	24	26	8	7	12	56	0	346.00

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP BUDDY?

Bud Selig smiling

Although he is making around $14 Million per year to make decisions, MLB Commissioner Buddy Selig seems completely flummoxed about how to handle the Barry Bonds situation. It is clear that Selig wants to take some action to distinguish Bonds’ records because of the taint of steroids, but he just can’t seem to do anything about it. First, he sits back and waits on a federal grand jury to indict Bonds on perjury charges so he doesn’t have to do anything. Nothing has happened. Then, he completely avoids the topic of him attending the games when Bonds breaks the home run record, again hoping that something would happen (Bonds gets arrested, Bonds gets injured, Henry Aaron shoots Bonds, etc.). Nothing has happened. Now that Bonds is only one HR short of the record, it is too late.

Perhaps Buddy should have taken a lesson from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (or prior Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis) and suspended Bonds for the damage his tainted achievements will bring to the history of the game. Does anyone know if Bonds has any interest in Virginia dog kennels?

HSL TRIP

Comerica Park

Thank you to Itchie for securing top-drawer hotel accommodations. See attached message:

Itchie has confirmed hotel reservations for Detroit. We have reserved 4 rooms (2 double beds each) for 2 nights, August 24 and August 25. Rate is $149 per night plus tax. Location is the Marriott at the Renaissance Center, downtown Detroit.

Within 1 mile are Casinos, Greek town, and Comerica Park, all accessible via the Detroit People Mover (DPM). Also accessible is the Windsor tunnel.

As far as game tickets for the NY Yankees vs. Tigers games, (and pending an update on tickets from Scott through his connection to the Detroit medical community), things are looking like we may have to dig into the wallets to get in the games. I mentioned to a few people that there are usually tickets available in the outfield in Sheff’s Kitchen, where you get a chef’s hat with your ticket. However, the games are apparently sold out, so nothing is available in Sheff’s Kitchen, although Blongo may still be able to purchase and wear a Sheff’s hat during the games.

I have looked on-line, and the following options are available (as of July 30, 2007) for 8 tickets together for the Friday August 24^th night game:

Sec. 331, Row 13 or 14	$50/each	Sec. 344, Row 15 or 16	$50-54
Sec. 333, Row 14	$55	Sec. 336, Row 4	$57
Sec. 217, Row 9	$64	Sec. 337, Row 12	$65
Sec. 113, Row 38 or 39	$68	Sec. 143, Row 26 or 27	$69
Sec. 114, Row 18 & 22	$74	Sec. 322, Row 9	$74
Sec. 324, Row 8	$80	Sec. 139, Row 15	$117
Sec. 121, Row 23	$177/each

Attached above is a seating chart of Comerica Park. My suggestion is that we secure tickets in the $64 - $74 range for Friday, and then see what we can do on our own with the scalpers for Saturday night. Take a look and post your opinion or vote on the message board. We will need to take some action on game tickets in the near future.

SKIPJACKS’ GM PLEASED WITH TRADE

John Thielen

Skipjacks’ General Manager John Thielen expressed his pleasure with the recent trade of starting pitcher Miguel Batista to the W. Des Moines Cubs for closer Bobby Jenks. “We are delighted to have a pitcher with the skills and personal attributes of Bobby Jenks,” said Thielen. “Oh, sure, he’s been known to eat too much and get a little crazy after drinking too much, but we think he will fit right into the Skipjacks’ clubhouse as we make a run for a money position. And it doesn’t hurt that we banked the points from Batista’s last outing before we shipped him out.” Cubs’ manager, Charles “the Grinning Boy” Sinclair was unavailable for comment.

BILL JAMES HISTORICAL

BASEBALL ABSTRACT EXCERPT

I like to include an excerpt from the Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract in each of my editions of the Bullpen. This is a segment of the comments on Charlie Keller, rated as No. 17 on the list of Left Fielders:

Charlie Keller, had he not been injured, would have been one of the greatest power hitters in the history of baseball; he would rank, if not with Williams and Ruth and Aaron, certainly with Ott and Schmidt and Reggie and Willie McCovey and Al Simmons.

Keller was a 5-foot-11 farm boy with huge muscles and dark black hair growing all over his body like kudzu vines. They called him “King Kong,” a nickname which he detested, but it stuck because it worked. “He wasn’t scouted,” said Lefty Gomez. “He was trapped.” When Yogi Berra joined the Yankees in 1946 he was introduced to Spud Chandler, who reportedly remarked afterward, “My God, they found one uglier than Keller.”

. . .

The highest park-adjusted offensive winning percentages among outfielders:

1.	Babe Ruth	.865
2.	Ted Williams	.851
3.	Mickey Mantle	.833
4.	Ty Cobb	.805
5.	Joe Jackson	.802
6.	Barry Bonds	.795
7.	Charlie Keller	.782
8.	Stan Musial	.779
9.	Joe DiMaggio	.778
10.	Mel Ott	.776

. . .

The second ten are Tris Speaker, Willie Mays, Benny Kauff, Billy Hamilton, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Elmer Flick, Gavy Cravath, Pete Browning, and Ed Delahanty.

(Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, pp. 662-663)

* * * * *

This really didn’t take me that long to cut and paste a few things on a page and e-mail it to Linda. Here’s hoping that we will have weekly From the Bullpen editions during the remainder of the season. Check the home page to see when you are scheduled.