Tiger's Tale

Hot Stove League Standings thru Monday, June 14, 2010

Rank	Team	Points
1.	Wahoos	5115.20
2.	Lincoln Chiefs	5006.30
3.	West Des Moines Cubs	4991.60
4.	Omaha Highlanders	4952.40
5.	Millard Monarchs	4670.30
6.	Omaha Skipjacks	4651.70
7.	Omaha Bronx Bombers	4610.20
8.	Lincoln Tribe	4446.00
9.	Redbirds	4435.40
10.	Lincoln Bears	4247.90
11.	Detroit HS Missiles	4206.10
12.	Kansas City Blues	4116.40
13.	Omaha Senators	4114.10

It looks like the teams are sorting themselves into three conferences:

Big Ten: Wahoos, Chiefs, Cubs, Highlanders

Big Twelve: Monarchs, Skipjacks, Bombers, Tribe, Redbirds

MAC: Bears, HS Missiles, Blues, Senators

There are rumors that the Bears have been considering switching to the Big Twelve Conference for greater prestige and TV revenues, which would leave the Missiles, Blues and Senators without a full conference, and stripped of their BCS status. Don’t do it, Bears. Think of all the history and tradition of slugging it out in the league bowels. Rumor also has it that the MAC has been courting the Tribe and Redbirds, who could be in the MAC by the All-Star break.

TOP 20 Hitters thru Monday, June 14, 2010

Rank	Player Team	Points
1.	R. Cano Redbirds	327.3
2.	Youkilis Tribe	315.5
3.	Cabrera Highlanders	306.5
4.	Morneau HS Missiles	306.1
5.	Pujols Cubs	289.6
6.	Longoria Senators	286.5
7.	Votto Wahoos	270.5
8.	K. Johnson Wahoos	266.3
9.	Bautista HS Missiles	266.1
10.	A. Gonzalez Chiefs	264.0
11.	V. Guerrero Senators	264.0
12.	J. Hamilton Wahoos	262.9
13.	Braun Tribe	262.3
14.	Wright Chiefs	260.7
15.	Konerko Bears	260.5
16.	A. Dunn Senators	254.4
17.	Prado Monarchs	253.2
18.	Rolen Bombers	252.3
19.	B. Phillips Chiefs	252.3
20.	Willingham Wahoos	251.8

MIA: ARod, Fielder, Teixeira, Utley, Howard. Presumably, these players will start warming up with the weather.

Breakdown of Top 20 hitters by team:

Wahoos 4; Chiefs 3; Cubs 1; Highlanders 1; Monarchs 1; Skipjacks 0; Bombers 1; Tribe 2; Redbirds 1; Bears 1; HS Missiles 2; Blues 0; Senators 3.

TOP 20 Pitchers thru Monday, June 14, 2010

Rank	Player Team	Points
1.	U. Jimenez Redbirds	408
2.	Wainwright Senators	368
3.	Halladay Bombers	350
4.	J. Johnson Cubs	327
5.	Carpenter Bears	321
6.	Cain Chiefs	305
7.	Pelfry Bombers	299
8.	Lincecum Cubs	298
9.	J. Weaver Wahoos	294
10.	Gallardo Chiefs	284
11.	Price Skipjacks	280
12.	Lester Chiefs	279
13.	Liriano Highlanders	278
14.	Pettitte Senators	275
15.	Romero Bears	275
16.	Niemann Skipjacks	274
17.	Marcum Monarchs	274
18.	Hughes Tribe	272
19.	Lewis Highlanders	265
20.	Zito Cubs	261

Breakdown of Top 20 pitchers by team:

Wahoos 1; Chiefs 3; Cubs 3; Highlanders 2; Monarchs 1; Skipjacks 2; Bombers 2; Tribe 1; Redbirds 1; Bears 2; HS Missiles 0; Blues 0; Senators 2.

I have never heard of some of these guys. Apparently Blongo hasn’t either.

TOP 3 PLAYERS BY POSITION

C	1.	V. Martinez	HS Missiles	195.1
	2.	Mauer	Skipjacks	189.8
	3.	Olivo	Tribe	179.4

1B	1.	Youkilis	Tribe	315.5
	2.	Cabrera	Highlanders	306.5
	3.	Morneau	HS Missiles	306.1

2B	1.	Cano	Redbirds	327.3
	2.	K. Johnson	Wahoos	266.3
	3.	Prado	Monarchs	253.2

3B	1.	Longoria	Senators	285.5
	2.	Bautista	HS Missiles	266.1
	3.	Wright	Chiefs	260.7

SS	1.	Tulowitzki	Bears	241.3
	2.	Jeter	Monarchs	241.0
	3.	H. Ramirez	Chiefs	233.8

LF	1.	J. Hamilton	Wahoos	262.9
	2.	Braun	Tribe	262.3
	3.	A. Dunn	Senators	254.4

CF	1.	A. Rios	Bombers	251.1
	2.	Wells	Cubs	249.8
	3.	Byrd	Chiefs	234.7

RF	1.	V. Guerrero	Senators	264.0
	2.	Willingham	Wahoos	251.8
	3.	Swisher	Wahoos	239.2

RP	1.	Clippard	Bears	228.0
	2.	Broxton	Cubs	223.0
	3.	B. Wilson	Cubs	196.0

SP	1.	U. Jimenez	Redbirds	408.0
	2.	Wainwright	Senators	368.0
	3.	Halladay	Bombers	350.0
	4.	J. Johnson	Cubs	327.0
	5.	Carpenter	Bears	321.0
	6.	Cain	Chiefs	299.0
	7.	Pelfrey	Bombers	298.0
	8.	Lincecum	Cubs	298.0
	9.	J. Weaver	Wahoos	294.0
	10.	Gallardo	Chiefs	284.0

You would have to go to page 2 to find a pitcher from the HS Missiles. Them are nice.

I am looking forward to the HSL Trip to Minnesota in the mobile sewage unit. I will bring plastic-coated cards for the trip. Anyone have a line on tickets, or should we be looking at StubHub?

Every time I go to the HSL web page, it is a little eerie looking at the picture of the Cubs players, because the guy on the left is a spitting image of my college friend, Wags, who died a couple of years ago. BT will remember him as our driver and ticket provider for opening day at the Astrodome, and the one who wouldn’t let him drive. I also think of Magpie’s suggestion that this is a picture of a young, shirtless Possum just prior to his initiation in the “wooden bat” club.

I will leave you with a picture of the next generation of baseball fans: Charlie Nelson and his dog, Bauer.