S1 Best Players

Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

S1 Top Players

Since we often reference a player's fantasy points on the blog, let's take a quick second to explain them. It's simple really, 1 point for every base, run batted in, run, walk, and each stolen base. A player gets minus 1 point for every strike out and minus a half point for each caught stealing. On the pitching side, we use a point for every inning pitched, plus 2 points for every strike out, plus 3 points for a win, and plus 4.5 for every save. The goal was to put points into things that are more controllable to the pitcher - how long they last in a game and how many strike outs they achieve but still wanted to award the W/L/SV categories as well. The pitchers have a lot more chances to lose points, but again tried to keep them based on things that are more directly tied to the pitcher's control, minus 0.4 for each walk or earned run, minus 0.75 for each home run given up and every walk. They also get minus 2 for every Loss and blown save. This system was tweaked from Yahoo's Fantasy Baseball settings. 

We'll group players by position with their Fantasy Points, perhaps one year we'll add back in the stats like extra base hits (xBH), Weighted Runs Above Average (wRAA), weighted On-Base Average (wOBA), weighted runs created plus (wRC+), weighted stolen bases (wSB). For pitchers we could do Adjusted ERA (100 is league average), etc. But for now it's just the Fantasy Points. Bold names indicate Silver Slugger. Underlined names indicate Gold Glove Winners.  

Top 20 Position Players

1. 1B Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 689
2. 2B Vin Nunez (Syracuse) - 681
3. LF Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 680
4. 1B Len Priest (St Louis) - 658
5. DH Benito Gonzales (Montgomery) - 637
6. 1B Dustan Nevin (Durham) - 628
7. 1B Matt Roberts (Baltimore) - 627
8. LF Mickey Villegas (Los Angeles) - 620
9. 3B Jim Smith (Boston) - 612
10. 1B Jason Bako (Trenton) - 609
11. 1B Rajai Johnstone (Scottsdale) - 601
12. CF Juan Mota (Tacoma) - 588
13. LF Edgar Nunez (Tacoma) - 581
14. 1B Wayne Pennginton (New Orleans) - 568
15. 3B Joe Winston(Baltimore) - 562
16. LF Anthony Luke (Arizona) - 545
17. CF Harry Ugueto (Durham) - 544
18. RF Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 544
19. SS Arquimedes Villanueva (Chicago) - 528
20. LF Walt Swindell (Cleveland) - 527

Bottom 10 Position Payers

Requires a minimum of 300 At-Bats; this is generally full of Shortstops. 

1. SS Terry Baxter (Fresno) - 31
2. SS Ross Holt (Cincinnati) - 64
3. SS Bosco Frazier (Fresno) - 86
4. C Alan Damon (Los Angeles) - 113
5. CF Marshall Gilkey (New York) - 118
6. 2B Larry Keyes (Nashville) - 118
7. 3B Lyle Grove (Tacoma) - 127
8. LF Tony DeRosa (Colorado Springs) - 133
9. SS Bruce LaPorta (Philadelphia) - 135
10. LF JA Grieve (Colorado Springs) - 137

Top 10 Catchers

1. Shin-Soo Ishii (Texas) - 527
2. Tyler Stull (Scottsdale) - 496
3. Julio Rodriguez (Indianapolis) - 450
4. Sammy Kelly (Trenton) - 438
5. Dan Key (New Orleans) - 432
6. Ellis Curtis (Colorado Springs) - 399
7. Benny Lee (Tucson) - 397
8. Darryl Sadler (Helena) - 382
9. Will James (Tacoma) - 381
1. Sadler was a Rule 5 pick from Tacoma)
10. Jose Silverio (Boston) - 358

Top 10 First Basemen

1. Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 689
2. Len Priest (St Louis) - 658
3. Dustan Nevin (Durham) - 628
4. Matt Roberts (Baltimore) - 627
5. Jason Bako (Trenton) - 609
6. Rajai Johnstone (Scottsdale) - 601
7. Wayne Pennington (New Orleans) - 568
8. Dixon Perez (Arizona) - 483
9. Curt Dunn (Cleveland) - 452
10. John Lansing (Chicago) - 441

Top 10 Second Basemen

1. Vin Nunez (Syracuse) - 681
2. Christy Winston (Fresno) - 481
3. Mark Harper (Scottsdale) - 460
4. Pascual Pescado (Boston) - 454
5. Santiago Tapies (Cleveland) - 447
6. Tim Olsen (Fargo) - 441
7. Beau McDade (Texas) - 439
1. That's one of the most Texas sounding names I've heard
8. Davey Dawkins (Charlotte) - 420
9. Glenn Green (St Louis) - 400
10. Skip Cooper (Mexico City) - 379

Top 10 Shortstop

1. SS Arquimedes Villanueva (Chicago) - 528
2. Vern Ashley (Arizona) - 473
3. Chris Gutierrez (Durham) - 458
4. David Horton (Tacoma) - 403
5. Oswaldo Candelaria (Scranton) - 372
6. Felipe Tabata (Cleveland) - 361
7. David Feldman (Scottsdale) - 340
8. Tony Slowey (Fargo) - 338
9. Douglas Altherr (Vancouver) - 328
10. Omar Rodriguez (Texas) - 304

Top 10 Third Basemen

1. Jim Smith (Boston) - 612
2. Joe Winston(Baltimore) - 562
3. Alex Martin (Trenton) - 473
4. Tyreace Moore (Syracuse) - 464
5. Taijuan Fick (Scottsdale) - 446
6. JP Cabellero (Fargo) - 436
7. Lewis Glanville (Montgomery) - 430
8. Alex Gonzales (Charlotte) - 421
9. Alex Ortiz (New York) - 414
10. Dingo Roberts (Indianapolis) - 394

Top 10 Left Fielders

1. Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 680
2. Mickey Villegas (Los Angeles) - 620
3. Edgar Nunez (Tacoma) - 581
4. Anthony Luke (Arizona) - 545
5. Walt Swindell (Cleveland) - 527
6. Edgmer Pena (New Orleans) - 515
7. RA Trahan (Trenton) - 514
8. Harry Feliz (San Antonio) - 491
9. Vincete DeSoto (Charlotte) - 471
10. Nap McAnaney (Durham) - 471

Top 10 Center Fielders

1. Juan Mota (Tacoma) - 588
2. Harry Ugueto (Durham) - 544
3. Wilfredo Melendez (Texas) - 477
4. Eugene Dirks (Chicago) - 445
5. Adrian Sexson (Charlotte) - 433
6. Zephyr Daly (Scranton) - 414
7. Bill Gonzales (New Orleans) - 408
8. Midre Baez (Fresno) - 397
9. Allie Walls (Mexico City) - 396
10. Norberto Reynoso (Scottsdale) - 386

Top 10 Right Fielders

1. Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 544
2. Luis Padilla (Boston) - 505
3. Timothy Adams (Texas) - 495
4. Bono Betancourt (Arizona) - 474
5. Benji Richardson (Charlotte) - 464
6. Koji Katou (St Louis) - 449
7. Radley Frazier (San Antonio) - 437
8. Timothy Larkin (Tucson) - 420
9. Rey Cookson (Colorado Springs) - 417
10. Phil Wallace (Scottsdale) - 394

Top 15 Starting Pitchers

1. Harry DaSilva (Buffalo) - 801
2. Franchy Rolison (Trenton) - 762
3. Glenallen Cepicky (Boston) - 752
4. Derrek Cone (St Louis) - 755
5. Magglio Mieses (Trenton) - 744
6. Donte Person (Carlotte) - 695
7. Ned Gaillard (Syracuse) - 694
8. Marcus Carpenter (Buffalo) - 693
9. Hideki Lim (Tacoma) - 690
10. Cristobal Rojas (Buffalo) - 688
11. Kiki Rodriguez (Mexico City) - 657
12. Polin Aceves (Trenton) - 653
13. Alen Baldwin (St Louis) - 652
14. Dillon Rupp (Scottsdale) - 648
15. Rando Rincon (Salt Lake City) - 631

Top 10 Relief Pitchers
Requires less than 5 starts

1. Laynce Johnson (Boston) - 637.3
2. Bono Grant (Chicago) - 550
3. Lyle Merrick (Indianapolis) - 481
4. Raimel Rodriguez (Fresno) - 475
5. Braulio Sanchez (Trenton) - 461
6. Josias Tatis (Helena) - 447
7. Ryan McPherson (Indianapolis) - 445
8. JJ Palmer (Syracuse) - 434
9. Willie Blanco (Scottsdale) - 416
10. David Gonzales (Salt Lake City) - 382

Bottom 10 Pitchers

Requires a minimum of 50 IP

1. Keenyn Murray (Scranton) - 26
2. Charlie Foster (Los Angeles) - 69
3. Robinzon Profar (Scranon) - 70
4. Sherry Pribanic (Vancouver) - 91
5. Mac Griffin (Boston) - 91
6. Michael Lawrence (Los Angeles) - 113
7. Heinie Grissom (Arizona) - 114
8. Melvin Ricarrdi (Arizona) - 116
9. Welington Segui (Nashville) - 119
10. Rube Robertson (Nashville) - 120

S1 Record Books

Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

Record Books

• 20 2B - 20 HR -20 SB Club
• This is typically 20 doubles, 20 triples, and 20 home runs but that's so rare in HBD that we'll change it slightly.
• Eugene Dirks (Chicago) - 41-28-23
• Darron Keller (Cleveland) - 41-22-21
• Walt Swindell (Cleveland) - 50-22-22
• Midre Baez (Fresno) - 28-24-21
• Ildemaro Robles (Indianapolis) - 27-20-28
• Mickey Vilegas (Los Angeles) - 60-27-30
• Allie Walls (Mexico City) - 35-26-36
• Harry Feliz (San Antonio) - 48-21-35
• Taijuan Fick (Scottsdale) - 26-27-41
• Andy Barker (Syracuse) - 25-28-22
• Tyreace Moore (Syracuse) - 27-20-32
• Vin Nunez (Syracuse) - 44-33-28
• David Horton (Tacoma) - 30-26-27
• Juan Mota (Tacoma)  -26-42-27
• Edgar Nunez (Tacoma) - 24-39-28
• Timothy Adams (Texas) - 36-23-23
• Alex Martin (Trenton) - 33-27-20
• 30 HR - 30 SB Club
• Jim Smith (Boston) - 38-30
• Harry Ugueto (Durham) - 34-31
• Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 51-31
• Jason Bako (Trenton) - 37-42
• 50 HR Club
• Benito Gonzales (Montgomery) - 59
• Dustan Nevin (Durham) - 52
• Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 51
• Luis Padilla (Boston) - 51
• Nap McAnaney (Durahm) - 50
• Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 50
• Rookie
• 20 W Club
• Polin Aceves (Trenton) - 26
• Laynce Johnson (Boston) - 22
• Franchy Rolison (Trenton) - 21
• Magglio Mieses (Trenton) - 20
• Glenallen Cepicky (Boston) - 20
• 200 K Club
• Harry DaSilva (Buffalo) - 239
• Marcus Carpenter (Buffalo) - 219
• Franchy Rolison (Trenton) - 219
• Derrek Cone (St Louis) - 218
• Magglio Mieses (Trenton) - 209
• Hideki Lim (Tacoma) - 208
• Donte Person (Charlotte) - 206
• Glenallen Cepicky (Boston) - 204
• 40 SV Club
• Roger Willaims (Buffalo) - 46
• Steve Knecht (Chicago) - 46
• Armando Ceda (Durahm) - 42
• 25 Plus Plays Club
• Omar Rodriguez (Texas) - 30
• Richie Beltran (Tucson) - 29
• Wilfredo Polanco (Montgomery) - 28
• Ben Jones (Tucson) - 25

Looking at the single season records, here is anybody who placed within the top 5 of a category. 

• Every category saw new records - it's Year 1 Baby! Going forward we'll follow this format for new top 5 records being set.. 
• HITTING
• Stat - Player - Team - ## - Rank NEW RECORD
• PITCHING
• Stat - Player - Team - ## - Rank NEW RECORD
• FIELDING
• Stat - Player - Team - ## - Rank NEW RECORD

Moving on to team records. Going forward next year, underlined and bold teams are records from this season. This year is like Oprah handing out records to everyone. 

• Most Hitting Stats
• Hits - 1687 - S1 New Orleans
• Fewest: 1352 - S1 San Antonio
• Doubles - 295 - S1 Boston
• Fewest: 162 - S1 Cincinnati
• Triples - 45 - S1 Arizona
• Fewest: 12 - S1 New York
• Home Runs - 309 - S1 Texas
• Fewest: 136 - S1 Nashville / Cincinnati
• Runs - 993 - S1 Boston
• Fewest: 593 - S1 Nashville
• RBI - 970 - S1 Boston
• Fewest: 575 - S1 Nashville
• BB - 686 - S1 Syracuse
• Fewest: 421 - S1 Mexico City
• K (least) - 981 - S1 Tacoma
• K (most) - 1308 - S1 Helena
• SB - 381 - S1 St Louis
• Fewest: 18 - S1 New Orleans
• CS (least) - 20 - S1 New Orleans
• CS (most) - 98 - S St Louis
• AVG - .290 - S1 New Orleans
• Lowest: .243 - S1 Helena / Nashville / San Antonio
• OBP - .359 - S1 New Orleans
• Lowest: .306 - S1 Helena / Nashville
•  SLG - .497 - S1 Texas
• Lowest: .355 - S1 Nashville
• OPS - .853 - S1 Texas
• Lowest: 661 - S1 Nashville
• Most Pitching Stats
• Complete Games - 12 - S1 Philadelphia
• Shutouts - 3 - S1 Helena / Syracuse / Tucson
• Wins - 113 - S1 Trenton
• Fewest: 56 - S1 Los Angeles
• Saves - 59 - S1 Trenton
• Fewest: 28 - S1 Boston / Los Angeles
• Innings Pitched - 1474 - S1 Boston
• Hits - 1206 - S1 St Louis
• Highest: 1783 - S1 Durham
• Runs - 505 - S1 Trenton
• Highest: 1000 - S1 Durham
• Home Runs - 145 - S1 Buffalo
• Highest: 273 - S1 Los Angeles
• Walks - 391 - S1 Trenton
• Highest - 711 - S1 Nashville
• Strikeouts - 1240 - S1 Buffalo
• Fewest: 1007 - S1 Los Angeles
• OAV - .224 - S1 St Louis
• Highest: .296 - S1 Durham
• WHIP - 1.11 - S1 Trenton
• Highest: 1.62 - S1 Arizona / Scranton
• ERA - 2.85 - S1 Trenton
• Highest: 5.68 - S1 Scranton
• Fielding Stats
• Assists - 1845 - S1 Tucson
• Fewest: 1455 - S1 Boston
• Errors - 65 - S1 St Louis
• Most: 138 - S1 Arizona
• Double Plays: 485 - S1 New York
• Fewest: 294 - S1 St Louis
• Fantasy Points
• Hitting - 4438 - S1 Boston
• Fewest: 2553 - Nashville
• Pitching - 3176 - S1 Trenton
• Fewest: 1746 - Los Angeles
• Combined - 6941 - S1 St Louis
• Fewest: 4557 - Nashville

S1 Franchise Wins

 Jack Torrance - contributing reporter

Ah, wins—a simple little word, yet the lifeblood of every franchise from the bright lights of the big leagues to the forgotten outposts of the minors, where dreams flicker like a candle in the wind. Some organizations stack victories like firewood, methodically building a legacy that stretches across generations. Others scrape and claw, forever chasing a glory that always seems just beyond their reach. But when you step back—zoom out to see the full picture—every win, every loss, every last grinding inning tells a story. So, let’s take a long, hard look at the tally marks etched into the history of each club, from their crown jewel to the depths of their farm system, and see just who’s been building an empire… and who’s been trapped in the cold, bitter cycle of futility.

1. Boston - 471-343
2. Tucson - 470-344
3. Tacoma - 462-352
4. Scottsdale & Buffalo - 456-458
5. Charlotte - 452-362
1. Low A and above all finish top of their division
6. Syracuse - 447-367
7. Chicago - 443-371
8. Texas - 441-373
9. Trenton - 432-382
10. New York - 421-393
11. New Orleans & Cincinnati - 415-399
1. Cincy - Low A and above all finish top of their division
12. Nashville - 405-409
13. Fargo - 402-412
14. Vancouver - 401-413
15. Mexico City - 399-415
16. Baltimore - 397-417
17. Salt Lake City - 392-422
18. Cleveland - 388-426
19. Montgomery & Philadelphia - 387-427
20. Durham & Colorado Springs - 383-431
21. San Antonio & Indianapolis - 382-432
22. St Louis - 377-437
23. Los Angeles - 373-441
24. Helena - 358-456
25. Fresno - 355- 459
26. Scranton - 348-466
27. Arizona - 344-470

S1 - Final 4 Series - Playoff Implicatins

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Ten Series. That's all that's left between now and the postseason, and for some teams, that means a chance to cement their legacy. For others? A chance to crash and burn spectacularly. That's all that separates teams from glory, heartbreak, or the cold, unforgiving void of elimination. Some are clinging to postseason hopes by their fingernails, while others are fighting for seeding, home-field advantage, or just the satisfaction of crushing someone else's dream.

But not all roads to the playoffs are paved equally. Some teams have a smooth ride, coasting into October with a schedule softer than a pitcher throwing 80 mph fastballs. Others? Their path looks more like an uphill battle in a hurricane, against teams that want nothing more than to send them packing. 

Today, we break down the final 4 series, analyzing who's got the toughest road ahead, who might sneak in with a favorable schedule, and who's about to run straight into a buzzsaw. Will the favorites hold the line, or are we about to witness some last-minute, edge-of-your-seat chaos? 

Buckle up - it's going to be a wild finish. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE

• NORTH
• Syracuse - With 34 games to play, they hold a 17 game lead on the division and should be coasting at this point not only for the division but the #1 seed in the AL. Unless their owner pushes the team to set a Wins record, I fully expect players to rest up and rotations to be adjusted. But resting players now and having a first round bye, will they hit a cold streak in the Divisional Round? 
• @Arizon, @Salt Lake City, @Fargo, Tacoma
• Combined record: 258-254
• Tacoma - Looking at the Wildcard but might be an uphill battle with SLC and Syracuse games. If Syracuse is resting players, I'm a little less worried for the last series. But as it stands, they are a single game up on Boston/Baltimore for Wildcard 2 and trail New Orleans by 2 games for Wildcard 1. The difference could be when you have to go through Syracuse to make the World Series. 
• @Salt Lake City, @Philadelphia, New York, @Syracuse
• Combined record: 269-243
• EAST
• Boston - Second to last series of the year is against Baltimore, that could change EVERYTHING for both teams. Winner could take the division with the loser missing the playoffs. Right now they are tied for the division so the last 34 games will determine it all! Luckily it appears Boston has the easiest final four series of the playoff hopeful. But plenty can change in the six series before then. 
• Vancouver, @Montgomery, @Baltimore, Cleveland
• Combined record: 240-272
• Baltimore - Before the Boston series even matters, Baltimore has to get through New Orleans first. LA shouldn't give them any issues and while you hope to sweep against Philly, they might surprise you late in the season too. 
• Los Angeles, @New Orleans, Boston, Philadelphia
• Combined record: 248-264
• SOUTH
• Texas - Texas holds a 2 game lead over NO Voodoo and lines up similar to Boston in the comparison, with the tougher schedule; but still needs to pull out the Ws for the division crown. Loser likely takes Wildcard 1. 
• @Cleveland, Fargo, @New Orleans, @Durham
• Combined record: 250-262
• New Orleans - Similar setup to Baltimore's schedule, they face off against each other right before the true division battle happens with Texas. 
• Philadelphia, Baltimore, Texas, @Montgomery
• Combined record: 264-248
• WEST
• Salt Lake City - No issues with the division, where they own a 12 game lead over Arizona; but some tough series against playoff hopefuls in Tacoma and Syracuse. They trail Texas by 2 games for the #2 seed and first round bye. Do they push the team for it in hopes to rest the players later? Though they need to be careful, as they lead Boston/Baltimore by only a game for the #3 seed. 
• Tacoma, Syracuse, @Arizona, Vancouver
• Combined record: 271-241
• Current Playoff Seeding
• 1 Syracuse
• 4 Boston/Baltimore v 5 New Orleans
• 3 Salt Lake City v 6 Tacoma
• 2 Texas

NATIONAL LEAGUE

• NORTH
• Trenton - Sights are set on the #1 slot, but looks guaranteed for a first round bye. The team was looking like a sure bet for the top seed but they went just 3-7 combined in the series against Fresno (x2) and Scottsdale. Thankfully the competition weakens for the two of the final three series. 
• San Antonio, @Nashville, Chicago, Helena
• Combined record: 236-276
• Buffalo - Clear favorite for Wildcard 1 as they are 12 games behind Trenton even with their recent slip ups, which leans up for a Divisional round against the #1 seed. And they have a 5 game cushion on the Wildcard 1 spot. That likely creates a tougher path to the World Series. Change out SA and Nashville for Fresno and Scranton in their schedule comparison to Trenton. I fully expect them to have the wildcard secured and rest players for their first round matchup in their series against Chicago. 
• @Fresno, @Scranton, Helena, @Chicago
• Combined record: 238-274
• Chicago - Might be 3rd in their division, which they trail by 19; but fighting for Wildcard 2 and trail Fresno by just 2 games. Due to their final two series, it's going to be a tough one. Their window might hinge on Trenton and Buffalo resting players to set playoff rosters, allowing the Northsiders a chance to squeak out some victories. Their first two series could not only shape the NL West but also the Wildcard 2 race. Every series will have playoff implications! So far they have the hardest path of any playoff hopeful team, having to face potential playoff teams in their final three series. 
• @Tucscon, @Fresno, @Trenton, Buffalo
• Combined record: 293-219
• EAST
• St. Louis - Fighting Trenton for the #1 slot, and what looks like the tougher schedule, though they've had more recent success than the Thunderbolts. 34 games remain and they have a commanding 24 game lead on the division. It's gravy from here. Do they rest players or go all in? How much jockeying for position happens, knowing Buffalo is almost a sure fire Wildcard 1 (#5 team). 
• Scottsdale, @Mexico City, @Cincinnati, @Indianapolis
• Combined record: 243-269
• SOUTH
• Charlotte - By far the easiest schedule in all of Hardball Stitches, with three of the easiest teams. With a small lead on the division, 5 games, it wouldn't take much to secure while being able to adjust the rotation for the First Round. Though knowing Buffalo is Wildcard 1, a few wins with the NL West having tough schedules - they could take over the #3 slot and match up with Wildcard 2 instead. 
• Scranton, Cincinnati, Nashville, @Mexico City
• Combined record: 193-319
• San Antonio - Will they be able to pick up the 5 games on the current division champ, Charlotte or 4 games on the current Wildcard 2 Fresno team? The schedule likely helps but that's still six series away, and Trenton isn't going to be an easy one either. Definitely feels like an uphill better and considering the schedule of Charlotte I think their better chance is the Wildcard. 
• @Trenton, @Tucson, @Mexico City, Nashville
• Combined record: 257-55
• WEST
• Scottsdale - Holds a 5 games lead on the division. For any other team, 4 road games to end the season would be nerve wrecking but the team has played better on the road than at home this season. The St Louis matchup could be a look ahead to a possible playoff matchup, and ending the season with Fresno means any 3 game lead could vanish like a fart in the wind. Keep an eye on the West. 
• @St. Louis, @Indianapolis, @Colorado Springs, @Fresno
• Combined record: 273-239
• Fresno - Likely have the hardest schedule of the three NL West teams, but they hold a 2 game lead on Wildcard 2 and have an easier schedule than Chicago. That final series against Scottsdale is looking pretty HUGE!
• Buffalo, Chicago, @Tucson, Scottsdale
• Combined record: 279-233
• Tucson - They have the easiest schedule of the NL West teams, considering Fresno plays Scottsdale in the final series of the year, I could see a situation where the two teams beat up on each other enough that Tucson sweeps Colorado Springs and claims the division. But will that be enough to make up the current 10 games they are behind the division or 5 games they are behind the Wildcard? Might be too little too late for them to catch up. 
• Chicago, San Antonio, Fresno, Colorado Springs
• Combined record: 253-259
• Current Playoff Seeding
• 1 St Louis
• 4 Charlotte v 5 Buffalo
• 3 Scottsdale v 6 Fresno
• 2 Trenton
• Redeem time after falling to those two teams in recent series?

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

• AMERICAN LEAGUE
• First round
• #5 New Orleans over #4 Boston
• #3 Salt Lake City over #6 Tacoma
• Division Series
• #1 Syracuse over #5 New Orleans
• #2 Texas over #3 Salt Lake City
• League Championship
• #1 Syracuse over #2 Texas
• NATIONAL LEAGUE
• First Round
• #5 Buffalo over #4 Charlotte
• #3 Scottsdale over #6 Fresno (biased much? yeah)
• Division Series
• #1 St Louis over #5 Buffalo
• #3 Scottsdale over #2 Trenton
• League Championship
• #1 St Louis over #3 Scottsdale
• WORLD SERIES
• AL #1 Syracuse over NL #1 St Louis in an exciting 7 game series. 

S1 Rule 4 Draft By The Numbers

 Amy Amanda 'Triple A' Allen - contributing reporter

EDITOR NOTE - For those of you that were in Cobbfather with me, I'm doing the draft recaps a little different. Instead of giving away free scouting with projections or comps, I'm just going to cover a recap of the draft with some facts. A bit more boring I know, apologize. I still plan to run the On The Clock series that looks back at drafts from 10 seasons prior to see how teams did and who they should have selected in a perfect world. 

The dust has settled, the picks are in, and our first Rule 4 Draft is officially in the books. While the debate over who should have gone where will rage on, let's take a step back and focus on what we do know - cold, hard facts. 

• 831 players drafted
• 519 player signed with their team
• 120 High School players
• First 3 players drafted were from High School.
• 399 College
• 201 Junior College players
• 198 College players
• 30 players included a spring invite
• 1 player included an ML deal. 
• #47 pick - Chili Underwood (Colorado Springs)
• 2 top 16 picks didn't sign - both will receive Type D picks we assume
• Type D picks are not part of the lottery.
• #5 3B Carlos Mercado (Baltimore)
• Becomes pick #6. 
• #7 SS Dion Wihelmsen (Indianapolis)
• Becomes pick #9
• 312 did not sign
• 82 High School players
• 230 College players
• 114 Junior College players
• 116 College players
• First Round (Including Comp = 63 picks)
• 27 of 29 HS signed
• 31 of 34 College signed
• Total bonuses: $106.7M
• 7 players became Diamonds In The Rough
• #445 - P Tommy Stites (St Louis)
• #512 - P Angel Knight (Helena)
• #558 - C Gonzalez Nieves (Salt Lake City)
• #567 - SS Jhonny Gongora (Los Angeles)
• #569 - P Jose Gallardo (Syracause)
• #681 - P Skip Lewis (Montgomery)
• #767 - P Herman Cummings (Tacoma)
• Position Breakdown of those signed
• P
• 250 signed of 392 drafted
• 90 high school, 302 college
• Highest bonus: $3.8M - Timothy Lewis (Arizona) - #3 pick
• C
• 43 signed of 65 drafted 
• 16 high school, 49 college
• Highest bonus: 4 players w/ $550k all in 2nd round
• 1B
• 15 signed of 28 drafted
• 9 high school, 19 college
• Highest bonus: $2.1M - Billy Brown $2.1M (Nashville) - #587 pick
• 2B
• 36 signed of 54 drafted
• 13 high school, 41 college
• Highest bonus: Marshall Hayes - $5.4M (Durham) - #13
• SS
• 49 signed of 68 drafted
• 22 high school, 46 college
• Highest bonus: Peter Burns - $6.4M (Helena) - #1 pick
• 3B
• 30 signed of 53 drafted
• 9 high school, 44 college
• Highest bonus: Esmailyn Rodriguez - $1.1M (Tacoma) - #32 pick
• Not to be mistaken for Pitcher Esmailyn Rodriguez (Montgomery) - #777 pick
• LF
• 25 signed of 44 drafted
• 11 high school, 33 college
• Highest bonus: Trent Brocail - $2.5M (Philadelphia) - #17 pick
• CF
• 45 signed of 76 drafted
• 15 high school, 61 college
• Highest bonus: Domingo Vega - $2.2M (Tucson) - #20 pick
• RF
• 26 signed of 51 drafted
• 17 high school, 34 college
• Highest bonus: Antone Pacheco - $8.9M (New York)
• Top 4 bonus money
• #2 pick - RF Antone Pacheco - $8.9M (New York)
• #1 pick - SS Peter Burns - $6.4M (Helena)
• #13 pick - 2B Marshall Hayes - $5.4M (Durham)
• #8 pick - SS Adam Dietrich - $4.7M (Scottsdale)
• Best deal (% under slot) - 80% slot - #87 pick LF William Montgomery (LA) & #166 P Larry Montgomery (Indianapolis)
• No relation!
• Worst deal (% above slot) - 298% slot - #44 pick CF Norberto Plata (Tacoma)
• Richest none 1st Round Pick - $2.6M - #287 pick (8th round) (Tacoma)
• First Position Player Drafted - #1 pick - SS Peter Burns (Helena)
• First Pitcher Drafted - #3 pick - SP Timothy Lewis (Arizona)
• Mr Irrelevant who also signed - #831 pick - JD West (Tacoma)
• But sadly is no longer is employed
• How did teams draft in the early rounds
• High Schools
• Boston 
• Charlotte
• Cincinnati
• Fargo 
• Indianapolis 
• Mexico City  
• Scottsdale 
• Mix
• Arizona
• Baltimore 
• Colorado Springs
• Durham
• Los Angeles  
• Montgomery 
• Nashville 
• New York 
• Philadelphia 
• St Louis
• Tacoma
• Trenton 
• Tucson 
• Vancouver 
• College
• Chicago
• Buffalo
• Cleveland 
• Fresno 
• Helena 
• New Orleans 
• Salt Lake City 
• San Antonio 
• Scranton 
• Syracuse
• Texas 
• For those curious here's how that relates to the reverse waiver order. Obviously with our draft lottery things can (and will likely) change. 
1. Cincinnati - HS
2. Scranton - College
3. Nashville - Mix
4. Los Angeles - Mix
5. New York - Mix
6. Colorado Springs - Mix
7. Cleveland - College
8. Vancouver - Mix
9. Fargo - HS
10. Helena - College
11. Philadelphia - Mix
12. Arizona - Mix
13. Mexico City - HS
14. Montgomery - Mix
15. San Antonio - College
16. Indianapolis - HS
• Will be interesting to see how this one plays out after the lottery and which kind of prospects might slip in the draft. Or if these preferred prospect types even holds true for next season. 

S1 Free Agent look back

Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

Greetings, dear readers! As the season continues to unfold and the race for the pennant heats up, I find myself reflecting on the flurry of the free-agent signings that took place earlier this year. Much like the twists in a well-spun mystery, some acquisitions have proven to be brilliant masterstrokes, while others have left fans questioning the motives behind them. Were these front-office decisions strokes of genius, or have a few teams been led astray by red herrings? Join me as we sift through the evidence, analyze the performances, and determine which signings have paid off - and which may have destined for the cold case files of Hardball Stitches history. 

• Arizona Canyon Kings
• Melvin Ricarrdi - 2/$3.4M - Not a good start, the WHIP and ERA are horrendous for the set up man who has appeared in 1/3 of the CKs games. 
• Kazuo Shibata - 1/$1.7M - See Melvin with a worse WHIP but better ERA. 
• Hal Finley - 1/$1.15M - Holding his own defensively in CF but on the offensive front, he's well...offensive to hitting coaches everywhere. Only average slightly above his weight, with only a 60% success rate at stealing bases and limited power. 
• Baltimore IronBirds
• Sparky Perez - 2/$4.0M - His WHIP is right there around Arizona's two pitchers, but the ERA is slightly better. He's also a .500 starting pitcher at the time of this review. For under $2M I'm calling this a win for a team that filled gaps elsewhere. .
• Boston "Ace As If" Afflects
• Jose Silverio - 3/$4M - His glove plays at 1B/COF but for some reason he's behind the plate even with that sub pitch calling ability. Sorry Afflects fans, Silverio is signed up for another 2 years. Similar to Finley, he's barely hitting above his weight but he's bringing some power and will finish the season above 25 HR without a doubt. 
• Glenallen Cepickky - 5/$37.5M - He's been about league average in WHIP and ERA, has a winning record through 25 starts and doesn't give up many free bases. Not sure about the 5 years but it's a solid signing for Boston given the lack of pitching avaialble. 
• John DeRosa - 1/$86k - Be thankful it's only a 1 year deal, that WHIP is above 2.00 and the ERA well above 10.00 - though he's only made 3 appearances. Guess there's not much to mop up in Boston these days. 
• Buffalo Bomb Squad
• Clarence Byrne - 1/$5.1M - Sometimes I have to remind myself that the league average is 1.40 WHIP with a 4.50 ERA. That said, Clarence hasn't been too far below average and filled a bullpen need for the Bomb Squad. At least he's hasn't blown up too much this season. 
• Charlotte Intimidators
• Erv Bermudez - 3/$13.2M - Solid add as he's been roughly league average for the Intimidators. He doesn't give up many homers and strikes out a decent amount of bats. 
• Moises Arruebarrena - 2/$9.6M - He isn't just stealing money - he's got a higher WHIP than a bank robber. I'm curious how many of Bermudez's games he's blown late in the game. 
• Santiago Merced - 2/$7.2M - At least he's been better than Arruebarrena, but that's not saying much. 
• Bob Kelly - 1/$2.6M - of course the cheap short contract is the player who works out. Kelly has a 1.01 WHIP and 2.60 ERA has a SuB through 27 games. 
• Dee Washington - League Min - He was released by Helena two days before the above guys signed, but Charlotte snatched him up - though the numbers still haven't been great. 
• Chicago Northsiders 
• Sandy Caruso - 2/$9.2M - A very respectable 1.30 WHIP, 4.24 ERA out of the pen for the Nortsiders, pitching in 43 games so far and 74 innings. He limits home runs and walks, with a K per inning pitched. 
• Ehire Arruebarrena - 1/$795k - Serving as a backup and hitting well for the small sample size. 
• Cincinnati Redlegs
• Marty Ruth - 1/$445k & Junior Ryu - 1/$360k - These guys are very similar, 1.60 WHIP, 5.50 ERA. Both strike out a batter roughly ever inning pitched but also give up a lot of hits and walks while limiting home runs. If the goal is to save money to spend elsewhere, mission accomplished. 
• Cleveland Guardians 
• Paul Fukudome - 5/$24.5M w/ mutual - Just 25 years old so age shouldn't be a problem but the control is another thing. Better control and he would have gotten A LOT more money this off season. 1.58 WHIP, 5.13 ERA in 20 starts. 
• Curt Dunn - 5/$30M w/ mutual - a plus RF defender, hitting near .280. Not great on the base paths but continues to steal and hits in the 2 hole. 
• Wes Adams - 5/$25M w/ mutual - serving as a LRB but one of the more productive members of the pitching staff with a 1.38 WHIP, 4.07 ERA. 
• Kevin Bulger - 5/$21M - Better pitch calling catcher than many have behind the plate, hitting .245+ with double digits HR, though he also has more K than Hits. 
• Marvin Craddock - 3/$3.3M w/ mutual - A roster filler for $1.1M isn't awful even if he has a 1.67 WHIP and 5.00 ERA. Though wait another day or two and he probably would have signed a 1 year deal for until $800k. 
• Trent Cressend - 3/$8.2M w/ mutual - You'd think his mutual option would almost be guaranteed to be declined with that 2.12 WHIP and 7.62 ERA but...okay yeah, it will be declined unless he goes for a sub 1.0 whip and sub 3.50 era next year. 
• Javier Nieves - 5/$77M w/ mutual - Even with his best pitch being a 70 grade, I expected better numbers from him through 20 starts - 1.37 WHIP, 4.44 ERA. 
• Edward Westbrook - 2/$4.8M - It's Season 1 Baby seems the appropriate comment here. 1.79 WHIP, 6.75 ERA as a SuB. On the bright side has a K per inning pitched.
• Colorado Springs Ranchers
• Dennis Chang - 1/$3.2M - One of the best things about this guy is his 1 year contract. He'll be forget about next year and his 1.60+ WHIP / 6.60+ ERA
• Santos Beltran - 2/$9.6M - Gotta regret this one, 1.83 WHIP, 6.67 ERA through 25 starts with a 3-9 record. 
• Ronnier Gilliam - 1/$480k - One of the servicable pitchers on the staff with a 1.47 WHIP, 4.35 ERA but like some older men he has an issue lasting an entire inning. 
• Roger Cowart - 1/$375k - You get what you pay for? 2.08 WHIP, 5.91 ERA through 45 innings out of the bullpen. Every inning he pitches you get 1 K, 1 BB, and 1 Hit on average. 
• Tony DeRosa - 1/$820k - signed late to save some money but not hitting well weighing in at 200 lbs and hitting below .215 with almost as many K as he has Hits + Runs. 
• Durham Corgis
• Charlie Miller - 1/$4M - Roster filler because arms were limited this season. 1.60+ WHIP, 6.00 ERA as a back of the rotation arm. 
• Armando Ceda - 5/$63M - Has successfully closed out 33 of 40 games this season with a 1.35 WHIP and 4.14 ERA. Thankfully his contract drops for seasons 3, 4, & 5 but still remains above $10M. That's a lot for a closer with control issues. 
• Shae Grossman - 5/$79.9M - Similar to Ceda's contract it drops as the seasons go on. But at nearly $16M per season, you'd expect better than an 8-10 record through 25 starts. I think next season he'll hit a groove and really turns this out for the Corgis. 
• Fargo Mud Dogs
• Jim Rhodes - 1/$365k - Hard to argue with the cost but that 7.00+ ERA has to hurt deep in the Mud but he's only pitched in barely 31 innings so this season so he really hasn't hurt the team much if you think about it. 
• Fresno Romans 
• None - Quite a bit was filled from within. Seeing them fight for the division title shows they were set up quite well entering the season. 
• Helena Highlanders
• Steve Garneau - 1/$2.8M - Hasn't logged many innings but they've been productive as the rest of the freshly inked pitchers have. 
• Dylan Wagner - 2/$9.2M - Solid league average production on a good cost. 1.35 WHIP, 4.30 ERA. 
• Clayton Ryal - 2/$5.8M - Not sure how the guy continues to do it but this contract is fantastic for the 1.22 WIP and 3.73 ERA he's produced over 25 starts. Might be the best value contract for this Free Agency period. 
• Earl Brinkley - 4/$26.6M - Middle of the rotation arm producing about league average results on a pretty decent $6.7M per contract. I'll call that a win for the Highlanders.
• Wil Little - 3/$14.5M - Similar to Brinkley he's been about league average at the back of the rotation. If the team would have spent a little on bats, they likely would be in a better spot on the season. 
• Indianapolis Speedsters
• None - filled their roster in other moves
• Los Angeles Labradors 
• Danny Beverlin - 1/$1.6M - The team started red hot, shown by their initial #9 Power Ranking but the teams has slide all the way down to #27 in the recent updates. As the only signing this offseason, this was definitely isn't helping the cause - near 2.00 WHIP and a 7.00+ ERA over 55 innings in 57 games. 
• Mexico City Luchadors
• Xander Aceves - 2/111.2M pesos w/ mutual - another SuB putting up decently productive numbers. 
• Ernie Borchard - 2/119.2M pesos w/ mutual - can't imagine this option gets picked up. The guy weighs 183 and is hitting .200 on the season. Sure the team can find another player for LF - one of the easier positions to fill. 
• Leon McLaughlin - 3/357.5M pesos w/ mutual - Solid add on a pretty decent contract, but he's already showing some wear and tear, with that control dropping 4 points. That mutual option is no longer a sure thing. By the end of it he might be a 100% flyball pitcher. 
• Alex Nunez - 2/111.2M pesos - Part time bench filler = cerveza server to the starters. 
• Johnny Sauer - 1/19.9M pesos - SuB whose been league average and has even saved 7 of 11 games. 
• Montgomery Fightins 
• Ignacio Arendao - 2/$750k - one of the cheapest contracts you'll find given out this season, but you get what you pay for. Or don't get what you pay for in this case, he's only managed 16 innings so far this season. 
• Paul Luetge - 2/$2.4M - Everybody paid for pitching this year, pitching is awful in Year 1. $1.2M is a lot for a guy whose thrown 158 pitches in 10 innings of work this season. 
• Nashville Hot
• Brandon Holmes - 1/$685k - Looking at league average outside of his record, 5-10.
• Lloyd Lewis - 1/$845k - surprisingly productive for a team having a worst season ever.
• Chaz Kendrick - 1/$425k - 1.49 WHIP, 5.22 ERA - in any other season I'd say demote him back to the minors, but Season 1? Keep it in rotation!
• Ronnie Aldridge - 1/$815k - spared no expense this season on their FA signings, but overall they weren't decent. 
• New Orleans Voodoo 
• Anthony Crow - 3/$24M w/ team - The injury hurt a bit this season but he recovered a small amount; still a very usable starter for the team. 
• Kiki Ozuna - 4/$58M w/ mutual - Great add for the Voodoo and one of the reasons the team is in the position they are. 
• Nick Sefcik - 4/$16.4M w/ mutual - good costs for a reliever and great production out of the 28 yr old. 
• Gerald Simmons - 2/$5M w/ team - in hopes he repeats his .325+ avg performance this season, his option should be excepted. 
• New York Pizza Rats
• Larry Wright - 5/$32M w/ mutual and no trade - traded to Syracuse. This isn't a trade review post, but as it stands now - NY lost this trade. 
• Angel Flande - 1/$780k - The WHIP is nice (never thought I'd type those words together before) but the ERA hurts as he's near 5.75. 
• Bob Woodward - 2/$7M - Currently at 12 HR, 17 SB on a .252 average so I guess he's getting the job done for a rebuilding team. 
• Sandy Pedroia - 1/$3.1M - solid add, hitting above .300 with 16 HR.
• Howie Coleman - 1/$2.6M - Solid, he's looking to finish the season with 20 HR and a .275-.280 average. 
• Francisco Sardinas - 1/$1.5M - Belongs in the minors. 
• Ross Arnold - 1/$2.6M - Fills a great season 1 hole without damaging the team too much. 
• Yamid Rosado - Signed for league minimum but spent all of 7 mins on the team before being released. Are we sure this owner isn't a Sewer Rat himself? 
• Philadelphia Jawns
• Marco Priddy - 1/$750k - I know it's only 3/4 million but ouch! 1.79 WHIP, 7.36 ERA over 33 innings in 41 games. 
• Jim Schofield - 1/$860k - doesn't offer a ton at the plate  and not really a plus defender either. Oh and he offers next to nothing on the mound too. 
• Wei-Chung Ming - 1/$725k - only has 188 ABs this season but hitting above .285 when he does. 
• Salt Lake City Trappers
• Tayron York - 3/$15M - Is this a SLC Trapper or Game of Thrones character? Slightly better than league average and has closed out 12 or 13 games. Solid piece to the Trappers bullpen. 
• Yoervis Salas - 2/$4M - Had 12 HR and 10 SB on a .240 average through 44 games but now on the shelf since with a hamstring tear that sucked that speed right out of him. 
• Louie Vizquel - 5/$70M - Big add for the Trappers and even though he's 9-10 through 24 games, that 1.05 WHIP and 3.66 ERA are top notch in the league. Solid move with the $10M bonus this year to save on costs over the next 4. 
• San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo
• Don Nishioka - 1/$1M - The team was looking like a contender up until the most recent power rankings. This starter has been slightly sub average, but he's a back of the rotation type that rests your frontline starters and likely is on the playoff roster just to keep the seat warm. 
• Scottsdale Sazeracs 
• Nate Gabriel - 2/$4.8M - Just a SuB but his numbers have been great. You have to question what happens if he's moved to a SuA role, does he drop off or continue the success? 1.10 WHIP, 2.82 ERA.
• Scranton Paper Weights
• *indicated signed by original owner - Jordan
• *Delino Fernandez - 1/$1.8M - somehow found himself a starting gig. 
• *Alex Reinheimer - 1/$4.4M - You'd think he'd be getting a few more ABs at this cost, but only 183 of them with little to show for production. 
• St. Louis Archers 
• Grayson Ryan - 3/$17 w/ mutual - at the plate the numbers aren't great, but he's doing more than holding his own at Shortstop compared to many other at the same position in the majors. 
• Koji Katou - 5/$110 w/ player & no trade - Also known as a Super Max contract, he was chased by many but has the production been there? The time on the DL surely didn't help but for now through 57 games (missed 64 games) he has 22 HR with 10 SB on a .275 average. 
• Syracuse Firebirds 
• None - Let that soak in for a minute. Not a single FA add and the team is one of the top in the majors right now. Very similar team to Fresno in terms of quality at start of season. 
• Tacoma Armada
• Bernie Julio - 1/$495k - Considering the cost and quality of pitching these days, this is a solid add. 1.57 WHIP / 4.28 ERA through 20 starts. 
• Dillon Rivera - 1/$327k - This one brings an aroma nobody can deny. Moving on. 
• Colt Fiore - 1/$505k - Is this one worse? Let's ignore but not forget these numbers are in a pitcher's park too. 
• York Baker - 1/$327k - league minimum contract warrants minimum production. In 60 innings he has a 1.80+ WHIP and a 6.35+ ERA.
• Texas Toast
• Sawyer Parker - 3/$21M w/ mutual - The only add this offseason for the playoff hopeful team though he's back of the rotation and might not see any innings come playoff time. 
• Trenton Thunderbolts
• Chick Wood - 2/$8.9M - Doesn't offer much power, speed or high average but he's serviceable in a Year 1. 
• Malcom Colin - 4/$17.1M w/ mutual - These are the bullpen pieces that builds championships. Not too pricey and tons of production. 
• Alex Martin - 5/$57.5M w/ mutual & no trade - Don't imagine this guy moving anywhere, he's got 21 HR and 17 SB on a .286 AVG. I'll take it and even better than he's a plus defender at 3B. 
• Willie Brock - 1/$865k - The plate performance is awful, and while he's not a plus defender he's not a bad one either. 
• Jesus Alvarez - 2/$5.2M w/ mutual - A near .300 average with 10+ HR. Smart spending for one of the best teams in baseball. 
• Tucson Road Runners
• Louie Gonzalez - 4/$20M - League average production this season, he's 6-9 with 6/10 saves. 
• Victor Holt - 1/$5M - Solid add, surprised he wasn't moved at the deadline since it's an expiring contract. Perhaps people think the numbers aren't true and he's due for a decline upon changing teams. 
• Rafael Ruiz - 2/$9.8M - Was traded and is currently on the DL for Helena. Great add for speed on the basepaths. 
• Gaby McKenry - 1/$5M - Limited production but it's just a one year contract. No harm done. 
• Vancouver Blue Heron
• Darren Berge - 1/Monopoly money - Similar to a bunch of other similar bullpen pieces signed this offseason. OUCH. 
• Richard Woo - 5/Monopoly money - The real signing from Vancouver this season and he's been more than productive. Too bad he's wasting away in a wasted land, playing for people drunk on maple syrup. 
• Phil Wallace - 2/Monopoly money - Traded to back to the States to play in Scottsdale. You can't imagine the letters the team owner received from his family thanking for getting him out of that third world country and back home where he belongs. 
• Wallace was flipped with RP Jacque Miyakazi for prospects. 
• Dustan LaMarre - 2/Monopoly money - He's pitched in A+, AAA, and currently in the majors. Not great results but could be worse like Woo. 
• Robinson Wigginton - 2/Monopoly money - Above league average numbers paired with that 3-10 record. 
• Jose Moreno - 1/Monopoly money - He's really a Mountie disguised as a ball player. 
• Mark Ogawa - 1/Monopoly money - On a one year contract I'll take the .285+ average with 8 HR, 11 SB - though the 7 CS prove he really shouldn't be running much. 

All these signings has me interested in what happen next season. Season 2 motto might just be: "No Idea: Let's Ride"