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Welcome to the Season 17 of the USMLB.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Manager of the Year Award (Phase II)

Arizona Sting – texanboiler
Team records
ML: 77-68 (Wildcard Chase)
AAA: 43-101
AA: 67-77
HiA: 65-79
LowA: 75-69
Rookie: 44-32 (Wildcard Team)

GRADES

ML team: B+ The beginning of the season was hard on the team but they have really played well during the second half and have pushed themselves into the wildcard chase and trying to take away the American League West from the Beefpound.

Minors: C- The Triple-A team has been really bad this season with the rest of the teams being average with the lower minors slightly better then what was expected from them.

Draft: C+ DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Dummy Palmer signed a two year contract for the Sting. Palmer has mostly just served as the backup catcher this season.

Team MVP: Diego Campos Campos is one of the best pure hitters in the league this season with a great average and some pop in the bat.

Team Best Pitcher: Shane Haad Haad has really become an elite closer this season and probably the best in the American League.

Team Report: I don’t know if the Sting knew there offensive was going to be this good and the pitching would struggle at times during the season but they seem to really have it working out of late and are really making the Beefpound sweat. It should be an interesting race to the very end for the team.

Coach hot seat ranking: Blue


Durham Bulls – hacker7
Team records
ML: 71-74
AAA: 76-78
AA: 76-78 (Wildcard Team)
HiA: 83-61 (Division Winner)
LowA: 86-58 (Division Winner)
Rookie: 37-39

GRADES

ML team: C The Bulls have been making a great run as of late but the early struggles put this team too far behind to think about the playoffs this year. This will be the first season for this franchise that they will not make the playoffs but six straight seasons of winning records can still be made.

Minors: B+ The minor league teams really played well and have brought a lot of excitement to the team about the future.

Draft: D+ DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Adrian Duncan signed a four year contract for the Bulls. Duncan has been a good DH this season and has hit more then 30 homeruns once again.
Theo Harvey signed a one year contract for the Bulls. Harvey’s first full season as a starter has really done well crushing the ball all around the park.
Norm Long signed a three year contract for the Bulls. An injury during the middle of the season slowed Long down a little but he is still having a good year.

Team MVP: Glenn Matheson Scary thing about Matheson is that he’s only 24 years old and only getting better.

Team Best Pitcher: Yamil Guzman Guzman has been steady most of the year and leads the team in strikeouts.

Team Report: Looking back at the beginning of the season the team should have gone after some pitching instead of offensive players as the pitching staff has really struggled. The offense is one of the best in the league this season and could get over a thousand runs by the end of the season. Mistakes where made at the beginning of the season for the team as new management had taken over but it seems like the team has gotten back on track as the season as gone on.

Coach hot seat ranking: Green


Boston Braves – warswics
Team records
ML: 67-78
AAA: 45-99
AA: 67-77
HiA: 46-98
LowA: 65-79
Rookie: 40-36

GRADES

ML team: C overall this really hasn’t been a bad year for the Braves, with Atlanta and Cincinnati in the same division you really have to look towards the future if you want to compete.

Minors: C- The minors have really struggled this season for the team. The young players though have really learned how to play together as a team.

Draft: A- DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Mandy Adams signed a four year contract for the Braves. Adams has really been a great lead-off hitter for the team and setting a career high in stolen bases this season.
Cesar Delgado signed a two year contract for the Braves. Delgado has struggled somewhat coming out of the bullpen this season.
Rigo Lopez signed a three year contract for the Braves. Lopez has really been knocked around in the bullpen this season.
Ray Greenwood signed a 2 year contract for the Braves. Greenwood has done a very nice job for the Braves this season and is looking forward to another season with them next season.
Brad Campbell signed a 2 year contract for the Braves. Campbell has really been one of the best bullpen pitchers for the team this season.

Team MVP: Ben Donahue Donahue leads the team with 100 RBI’s and just always seems to bring someone in when the team really needs it.

Team Best Pitcher: Pablo Alfonzo Alfonzo has really made a great jump from the bullpen to the starting rotation this season.

Team Report: The Braves I really think has taken a good step in the direction of getting a winning team in Boston this season. The young players are playing better then excepted and the offensive has improved. The pitching staff still need some work but being the middle of the pack in the American League isn’t a bad thing overall.

Coach hot seat ranking: Green


Ottawa Crawdaddies – davisbrian
Team records
ML: 78-67 (Division Leader)
AAA: 78-66 (Division Winner)
AA: 69-75
HiA: 74-70
LowA: 76-68 (Wildcard Team)
Rookie: 52-24 (Division Winner)

GRADES

ML team: A The team has really played well and has surprised a lot of people this season.

Minors: A- The minor league system has done really well with three out of the five team making the playoffs and just having one team with a losing record.

Draft: C+ DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Ira Walsh signed a four year contract for the Crawdaddies. A big injury ruined his season for him.
Olmedo Ayala signed a four year contract for the Crawdaddies. The team signed him to be there closer but he has really struggled.
Ricardo Martinez signed a two year contract for the Crawdaddies. Traded to the Charleston Gullah's.

Team MVP: Al Vazquez Vazquez has really become a elite shortstop this season with his bat and glove.

Team Best Pitcher: Herman Blair Blair has really become the staff ace this season.

Team Report: To be honest I didn’t think the Crawdaddies would have a winning record and really surprised that there winning there division and will probably make the playoffs. It really goes to the management of the team for putting together a team that is all about the team and winning the right way. The defense has been so good that the pitchers are just relaxed out there and really shutting the teams down because of this.

Coach hot seat ranking: Blue


New Britain Fisher Cats – jayw11
Team records
ML: 83-62 (Wildcard Chase)
AAA: 85-59 (Wildcard Team)
AA: 107-37 (Division Winner)
HiA: 96-48 (Division Winner)
LowA: 85-59 (Wildcard Team)
Rookie: 44-32

GRADES

ML team: B- The Fisher Cats thought they would be winning the National League North but the team struggled a little at the beginning of the season to get themselves too far out of the lead.

Minors: A Every team in the minors has a winning record and made the playoffs expect for the Rookie team who just missed out.

Draft: A- DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Reid Ward signed a four year contract for the Fisher Cats. I don’t think the Fisher Cats management though that Ward would struggle like he has this season.
Darryl Schmidt signed a two year contract for the Fisher Cats. Was traded to the Cheyenne Xpress during the season.
Pedro Flores signed a one year contract for the Fisher Cats. Flores has been nothing but a back-up catcher this season.

Team MVP: Erik West Can a third MVP award be handed to West this season?

Team Best Pitcher: Raymond Pavlov Pavlov has a great chance of breaking the all time win record and another Cy Young award for him this season.

Team Report: The main goal for the team is to make it to the World Series after coming so close after last season, which they may not win the division but they have a good chance of making it as a wildcard team. This could become a very dangerous team if they make the playoff where I think no team will what to face them. I think if they had a steady closer this team would see a much better record and a chance at the National League North crown.

Coach hot seat ranking: Blue


Pittsburgh Pirates – moneyflow
Team records
ML: 69-76
AAA: 42-102
AA: 70-74
HiA: 73-71
LowA: 79-65
Rookie: 6-70

GRADES

ML team: C The team had a good first half of the season with going 47-44 but the second half the team has really struggled going only 22-32 with the pitching staff struggling.

Minors: C Expect for the teams Triple-A team and Rookie team the minor league teams have played really well and where in a lot of races for most of the year.

Draft: D DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: None

Team MVP: Chief Martin Martin is really the only big power threat in the lineup this season for the Pirates.

Team Best Pitcher: Walt Cortes Cortes was having a great season until he found himself on the DL.

Team report: The Pirates have really had a up and down season with the pitching staff being the main reason for that. The offense has been good this year and really has pulled out some games for them. I believe if this team had made a couple for moves to the pitching staff this team would be close to the division leader and have a chance at the playoffs this year.

Coach hot seat ranking: Green


Charleston Gullah’s – jtvols16
Team records
ML: 51-94
AAA: 70-74
AA: 58-86
HiA: 48-96
LowA: 70-74
Rookie: 3-73

GRADES

ML team: D+ I don’t think anyone thought the Gullah’s would struggle this much this year.

Minors: D+ The minor league teams for the Gullah’s has really not play that well especially the Rookie team that was just awful. This could be a sign that there will be struggles for this team to win games in the future.

Draft: C- DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: Santos Alvarez signed a two year contract for the Gullah’s. Alvarez has done a good job in the backup role this season.

Team MVP: Andy Diaz Diaz is having his best season ever for the Gullah’s this season.

Team Best Pitcher: Harry Martinez Martinez has struggled this season but has shown flashes that he could become a good pitcher in this league.

Team report: The honeymoon in Charleston has really worn off already with the team struggling for most of the year. I know the National League South is a tough division to win in but I think many people though the Gullah’s could compete a little bit more. It’s been a really bad combination of bad hitting and worse pitching this season. This could be the start of a rebuilding project in Charleston.

Coach hot seat ranking: Yellow


Tucson Chupacabras – gerld
Team records
ML: 78-67 (Division Race)
AAA: 70-74
AA: 96-48 (Division Winner)
HiA: 84-60 (Division Winner)
LowA: 98-46 (Division Winner)
Rookie: 54-22 (Division Winner)

GRADES

ML team: A They have been hanging right with the Pioneers all season and could see the division champion during the team’s final three games.

Minors: A+ Every minor league team won there division but one and they also where the only team with a losing record.

Draft: B- DRAFT GRADE REVIEW

Player acquisitions: None

Team MVP: Victor Cruz In his first full season as a starter Cruz has proven he was ready.

Team Best Pitcher: Ryan Bando The Chupacabras would not be in contention for the National League West if Bando wasn’t closing the door down in the ninth this season.

Team report: I don’t think any one thought the Chupacabras where going to be this good this fast but they have been and are sitting in the middle of a pennant race to show for it. The offensive as been as good as everyone though but the pitching staff has really surprised a lot of people and the bullpen has really held the leads so far. The future is very bright for this team as the players are now getting use the hitter’s park in Tucson, which could make this team very dangerous in the next couple years.

Coach hot seat ranking: Blue