2016 Season Edition No. 16 June 23, 2016
 
 

 

WAHOOS RECLAIM LEAD, POSSUM’S

LUCK RESURFACES; TIGERS EDGE OUT

BUMS FOR THIRD SPOT; TRIBE

REMAINS IN CELLAR

 

Brethren:

 

Kudos to Itchie for providing us with a most excellent and entertaining Jiggernaut last week (more later on that), but since in his usual egocentric and self-absorbed fashion he completely failed to provide us with any information about the standings or the players, we will begin this issue of From the Bullpen with the standings through 11 weeks of play, followed by team point totals for Weeks 10 and 11, followed by the Top 25 Hitters and Pitchers, followed by the Who’s Hot and Who’s Not information you all so desperately desire:

 

 

 

 

 

Points

Behind

Position

Change

1

Wahoos

   5779.7   

-

0

2

Cubs

5647.4

132.3

0

3

Tigers

5348.5

431.2

0

4

Bums

5321.4

458.3

+1

5

Blues

5300.8

478.9

-1

6

Skipjacks

5279.6

500.1

0

7

Bombers

5220.3

559.4

+2

8

Senators

5009.9

769.8

-1

9

Chiefs

4957.4

822.3

+1

10

Monarchs    

4911.5

868.2

-3

11

Bears

4798.9

980.8

0

12

Redbirds

4728.5

  1051.2  

0

13   

Tribe

4351.6

1428.1

0

 

POINT TOTALS FOR WEEKS 10-11

 

WEEK 10

1

Wahoos

   562.5   

2

Monarchs         

514.3

3

Bombers

512.4

4

Blues

476.8

5

Senators

465.7

6

Skipjacks

462.9

7

Chiefs

456.5

8

Bums

453.4

9

Redbirds

424.7

10

Tigers

412.5

11

Cubs

403.3

12

Tribe

400.2

13  

Bears

399.4

 

 

WEEK 11

1

Bombers

   624.3   

2

Wahoos

563.4

3

Skipjacks

552.0

4

Redbirds

537.9

5

Bums

526.4

6

Tigers

516.6

7

Cubs

490.2

8

Blues

487.6

9

Bears

459.4

10

Chiefs

459.2

11

Senators

402.1

12

Tribe

379.7

13  

Monarchs       

303.7

 

Commentary:  The en fuego Wahoos--back to their luck-filled ways—collected a score of 1125.9 points for their combined Weeks 10-11 total, boosting them back into the lead over the Cubs by the healthy margin of 132.3 points.  Even hotter for this time period, however, were the Bombers, who notched a not-to-be-sneezed-at score of 512.4 points for Week 10 and a jaw-dropping tally of 624.3 points for Week 11, amounting to a mastodonic two-week total of 1136.7 points.  This allowed Mouse’s Mighty Meece to move up two spots in the standings, past the moribund Senators and the schizophrenic Monarchs, the latter bunch having scored the laudable sum of 514 points for Week 10 (second best), followed by the anemic total of 303.7 points for Week 11. 

 

Meanwhile, the catatonic Tribe 9 continue to bore themselves deeper and deeper into the subterranean confines of the league bowels, even as they continue to stockpile innings for an anticipated second half run. 

 

TOP 25 HITTERS

 

1

José Altuve

Redbirds

   340.0   

2

Josh Donaldson

Bombers

333.8

3

David Ortiz

Cubs

325.0

4

Robinson Canó

Bums

322.2

5

Nolan Arenado

Skipjacks

321.6

6

Xander Bogaerts

Tribe

321.5

7

Manny Machado

Bears

315.7

8

Mookie Betts

Bums

314.0

9

Paul Goldschmidt

Cubs

312.1

10

Ian Kinsler

Tigers

307.0

11

Mike Trout

Chiefs

304.9

12

Daniel Murphy

Monarchs

300.7

13

Anthony Rizzo

Bums

299.5

14

Matt Carpenter

Cubs

291.7

15

Edwin Encarnación      

Bombers

288.2

16

Kris Bryant

Tribe

283.1

17

Ben Zobrist

Blues

280.4

18

Wil Myers

Wahoos

277.0

19

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Redbirds

273.6

20

Miguel Cabrera

Tigers

273.6

21

Ian Desmond

Bums

273.0

22

Nelson Cruz

Tigers

270.7

23

Trevor Story

Skipjacks

269.8

24

George Springer

Blues

266.2

25

Mark Trumbo

Monarchs   

265.7

 

 

TOP 25 PITCHERS

 

1

Clayton Kershaw

Blues

   496.0   

2

Jake Arrieta

Senators

395.0

3

Johnny Cueto

Senators

389.0

4

Max Scherzer

Monarchs

376.0

4

Stephen Strasburg

Senators

376.0

6

Madison Bumgarner    

Bums

375.0

7

Jon Lester

Wahoos

362.0

8

Chris Sale

Tigers

359.0

9

Noah Syndergaard

Tribe

358.5

10

José Fernández

Tribe

338.0

11

John Lackey

Blues

335.0

12

Zack Greinke

Skipjacks

324.0

13

Chris Tillman

Redbirds

321.0

14

David Price

Wahoos

318.0

15

Danny Salazar

Bears

310.0

16

Colby Lewis

Senators

308.0

17

Steven Wright

Tribe

303.0

18

Julio Teherán

Skipjacks

301.0

19

Cole Hamels

Monarchs    

301.0

20

Aarón Sánchez

Chiefs

300.0

21

Marco Estrada

Cubs

298.0

22

Justin Verlander

Chiefs

296.0

23

José Quintana

Wahoos

294.0

24

Jeff Samardzija

Bombers

292.0

25  

Rick Porcello

Wahoos

283.0

 

WHO’S HOT – HITTERS

 

1

Freddie Freeman

Redbirds

   66.4   

2

Josh Donaldson

Bombers

65.7

3

Justin Turner

Bums

53.4

4

Salvador Pérez

Tigers

51.1

5

Edwin Encarnación    

Bombers

50.3

6

Whit Merrifield

Blues

45.5

7

Devon Travis

Chiefs

45.1

8

Wil Myers

Wahoos

45.0

9

Miguel Cabrera

Tigers

42.9

10

Rougned Odor

Tribe

42.4

11

Justin Upton

Chiefs

42.0

12

Anthony Rizzo

Bums

41.8

13

Adam Eaton

Cubs

40.6

14

Melvin Upton Jr.

Tribe

40.1

15

Johnny Giavotella

Cubs

39.7

16

Didi Gregorius

Tigers

39.7

17

Jonathan Schoop

Wahoos

39.3

18

Kendrys Morales

Redbirds

39.0

19

Jake Lamb

Wahoos

38.9

20

Joe Panik

Redbirds

38.9

21

Buster Posey

Skipjacks    

38.1

22

Michael Saunders

Bums

38.1

23

Paul Goldschmidt

Cubs

37.3

24

Adam Duvall

Bears

34.5

25

Brian Dozier

Tribe

33.0

 

WHO’S NOT – HITTERS

 

1

Maikel Franco

Bears

   -7.3   

2

Tommy Joseph

Tribe

-6.5

3

Ketel Marte

Chiefs

-2.2

4

Randal Grichuk   

Tribe

-2.0

5

Aledmys Diaz

Monarchs   

-1.2

6

Gerardo Parra

Tribe

-0.5

7

Matt Adams

Wahoos

-0.2

 

WHO’S HOT – PITCHERS

 

1

Max Scherzer

Monarchs       

   70.0   

2

Julio Teherán

Skipjacks

68.0

3

Zack Greinke

Skipjacks

64.0

4

David Price

Wahoos

61.0

5

Tom Koehler

Bombers

57.0

6

Chris Tillman

Redbirds

46.0

7

Edinson Vólquez

Cubs

46.0

8

Jordan Zimmermann     

Cubs

43.0

9

Ricky Nolasco

Bombers

43.0

10

Noah Syndergaard

Tribe

41.0

11

Kenta Maeda

Chiefs

41.0

12

Kenley Jansen

Blues

39.0

13

Tyler Wilson

Tribe

39.0

14

Colby Lewis

Senators

39.0

15

Jeff Samardzija

Bombers

38.0

16

Jake Arrieta

Senators

37.0

17

Jameson Taillon

Bears

37.0

18

Archie Bradley

Bears

37.0

19

Carlos Carrasco

Bombers

36.0

20

Cole Hamels

Monarchs

36.0

21

Clayton Kershaw

Blues

36.0

22

Madison Bumgarner

Bums

36.0

23

Kyle Hendricks

Skipjacks

35.0

24

Jerad Eickhoff

Cubs

34.0

25

Jacob deGrom

Cubs

34.0

 

 

WHO’S NOT – PITCHERS

 

1

James Shields

Monarchs

   -29.0   

2

Jimmy Nelson

Cubs

-14.0

3

Trevor Rosenthal

Cubs

-14.0

4

Aaron Nola

Skipjacks

-13.0

5

Kevin Gausman

Bombers

-11.0

6

Jeff Locke

Senators

-11.0

7

Fernando Abad

Bombers

-10.0

8

Nathan Eovaldi

Bombers

-10.0

9

Dan Straily

Senators

-6.0

10

Corey Kluber

Tigers

-6.0

11

Blake Snell

Tribe

-6.0

12

Eduardo Rodríguez

Tribe

-4.0

13

Christian Friedrich

Blues

-4.0

14

Iván Nova

Skipjacks   

-4.0

15

Francisco Rodríguez   

Tigers

-4.0

16

Tyler Chatwood

Redbirds

-4.0

17

Anthony DeSclafani

Blues

-2.0

 

 

 

IN PRAISE OF THE JIGGERNAUT

 

Let’s face it, Big Johnny’s macabre “HSL Dead Pool” was one of the funniest guest article features in many years, even if a little bit scary, and way too close to home.  I have to admit that I laughed out loud multiple times while reading it, and had to clear the tears from my eyes in order to finish getting through it.  Priceless, as the folks at American Express might say. 

 

I also loved the Message Board chatter generated by the Dead Pool, although it was noteworthy that the top picks have been conspicuously silent about it--let's hope they haven’t cashed in their chips. 

 

Two additional Dead Pool thoughts worth sharing: 

 

*  

Itchie’s belly-busting comment about Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt (in relation to Underbelly’s chemical makeup) is proof positive that Bender hired a ghostwriter to pen this issue of The Jiggernaut for him.  Big Johnny hasn’t even seen an open bible since he used one to level up his poker playing table in college. 

 

*  

J.T.’s prognostications of the likely order of HSL departures should serve as nothing but good cheer for Magpie (No. 1) and U-Belly (No. 2), given Big Johnny’s lifelong track record in all things gambling.  Why else would this back-slapping baby-kisser need to keep peddling those infernal call center services at his condition-adjusted age of 87 years, other than the reality that he has blown all of his millions of loot from his three (that we know of--platinum, golden and silver) parachutes by continuing to think he can outsmart the oddsmakers in Vegas and the crafty dealers over at the Horseshoe Casino?  On the other hand, Jim Ed (No. 13) and Big Guy (No. 12) would be prudent to remain inside their homes and hire personal physicians and bodyguards to care for them 24/7.  Big Johnny has effectively put giant targets on their backs. 

 

FIELD OF BROKEN DREAMS

 

Week before last, my blushing bride and her daughter Molly and I all ventured over to Dyersville, Iowa, to pay a visit and homage to the Field of Dreams.  It was an awesome journey, and I can cheerfully report that the field has been preserved in pristine condition, thanks to the vision of the owners and the generosity of visitors. 

 

 

 

Dyersville:  Is this Heaven?

 

 If you build it, they will come.

 

 And we did. 

 

I learned on this trip that Molly has a rocket for an arm and a pretty good glove to boot, as we tossed the old horsehide around the diamond and broke out the timber from my high school playing days (Jackie Robinson model, 35 oz., 35” long) for a few at-bats on the field.  I also learned for the first time that my lovely wife--nothing derogatory meant by this statement--throws like a girl!  Well, as she should, I guess. 

 

Anyway, after reveling in our time on the iconic Field of Dreams and knocking this item off of my bucket list, we ventured toward Jim Ed’s bustling hometown of Cedar Rapids to catch a Midwestern League baseball game between the Rapids of Cedar Kernels and the King County Cougars at the Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.  However, as we neared the outskirts of Cedar Rapids, on schedule to catch the opening pitch, my Ford Explorer conked out and we had to call a tow truck to drive us into the Ford dealership.  Since the service department was closed, we finagled a loaner car from the dealership so that we could still drive to the game, and arrived in the 7th inning in time for not only the 7th inning stretch, but also for last call for a tall frosty. 

 

 

Although I only was able to spend a couple of innings there, I liked the feel of the Kernels’ home ballpark, Veterans Memorial Stadium, which opened in 2002 and has seating for 5300 fans.  While the team is currently a Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, for twenty years (1993-2012) they were a farm club of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  In fact, I learned while touring their modest Hall of Fame room adjacent to the team store that Mike Trout made his professional baseball debut with the Kernels in the summer of 2009 at the tender age of 18, after being picked by the Angels as the 25th overall selection in the first round of the MLB draft.  After starting in five games for the Kernels in 2009, he played in the Arizona Fall League for rookies, then began the 2010 season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California A League.  After fifty games with the Quakes, he returned to Cedar Rapids and played in 81 games for the Kernels in 2010, batting .362 and stealing 45 bases and the hearts of the Kernels’ fans, while also becoming the youngest recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Tops Minor League Player of the Year. 

 

From our brief tour of the Hall of Fame room, we learned that Cedar Rapids has a long and proud history of minor league baseball affiliation at various levels, and that some of the former Cedar Rapids players who have made it to the Major Leagues as either players or coaches include:

 

Allie Reynolds

Rocky Colavito

John Roseboro

Denis Menke

Tony Cloninger

Tommy Aaron

Ron Hunt

Nate Colbert

Pedro Bourbon

Jerry Reuss

Ted Simmons

Bob Brenly

Chili Davis

Rob Deer

Eric Davis

Paul O’Neill

Rob Dibble

Trevor Hoffman

Ervin Santana

Howie Kendrick

Joe Saunders

Mark Trumbo

 

Impressive.

 

Veterans Memorial Stadium

 

 

 

 Just in time for beers at Perfect Game Field.

 

Unfortunately, what was meant to be a quick and inexpensive junket to Eastern Iowa became more expensive and lengthier-than-planned when we found out that the Ford dealership (Zimmerman Motors) in Cedar Rapids could not get my Explorer in for analysis until mid-day the following day, so I ended up renting a vehicle and driving it back to Omaha for a meeting with an expert witness, while Michele and Molly remained behind to await the repair bill and then drive the Explorer back to Omaha.  Hence, our retitling of the trip name to Field of Broken Dreams. 

 

BOOK REPORT:

Out of My League

By Dirk Hayhurst

(Citadel Press, Copyright 2012)

 

I recently finished reading an outstanding baseball book authored by former Major League and Minor League (but mostly minor league) pitcher Dirk Hayhurst, entitled Out of My League.  The book chronicles Hayhurst’s 2009 season with the Portland Beavers, who at the time were the Triple A farm team for the San Diego Padres.  The thrust of the book is to relate to the reader what a Triple A ballplayer goes through as he waits and hopes and prays for the call-up to the big leagues, and the stark differences between Triple A and the Bigs. 

 

I previously read The Bullpen Gospels, an earlier book by Hayhurst (copyright 2010) which described his toils through the low minors, primarily with the Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League.  While The Bullpen Gospels was entertaining and a worthy first effort from a new sports author, Hayhurst’s second book is extremely well written, funnier than his first book, and covers a much more interesting subject matter, the struggle to go from the highest rung of the minor league ladder to a place in The Show, and then the heartbreak associated with trying to remain in the big leagues. 

 

I previously reported on the excellent book by John Feinstein, Where Nobody Knows Your Name, which dealt with the same essential subject matter.  However, because Out of My League is written out of Hayhurst’s first-hand experience as a mediocre talent trying to live his major league dream, it is somehow more poignant and more compelling than Feinstein’s fine piece. 

 

I always know I am into a great book when I try to slow down my reading of it so that I can savor it for as long as possible, and that is precisely what I found myself doing with Out of My League.  On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it a 9.8, and wholeheartedly recommend that you pick up your own copy and savor away. 

 

* * * * * * *

 

  

* * * * * * *

 

 

Looking forward to hearing from Magpie in next week’s guest edition of the Curbside Chronicles

 

 

Skipper