Fleetwood Walkers

Sunday, September 30, 2007

NL Wild Card Series Preview: Springfield vs. Fleetwood

Springfield Isotopes - NL East Runner Up
96-66 (.593)

Offense: 5.80 runs per game (5th of 12)
Defense: 4.62 runs per game (5th of 12)
Pythagorean Record: 99-63 (.612)

Team Summary:
The 2007 NL Wild Card series pits brother against brother, as Jon Kjarsgaard's Springfield Isotopes face older brother Joal's Fleetwood Walkers. The long-standing rift between these once-close brothers is well-documented, but the story of each of these 2007 teams is not.

Springfield left the starting gate fast, posting an 18-10 record in April. The team never looked back, posting a winning record in every month except for a brief June swoon (13-15). The Isotopes proved equally strong both at home (47-34) and on the road (49-32), and excelled in extra inning contests (9-3).

The 2007 edition of the Springfield Isotopes will be best remembered for their strong, homer-heavy offense. The Isotopes scored 940 runs, good for 5th in the league despite playing most of its games in a sometimes-less-than-hitter-friendly ballpark. Springfield hit 234 home runs (2nd in NL) versus only 162 allowed (best in NL), and further proved its lack of "small-ball" ethos by collecting just 5 sacrifice hits during the season (fewest in NL).

Top performers at the plate were Mike Cameron (.292, 47 2B, 10 3B, 24 HR, 84 BB), Justin Morneau (.297, 33 2B, 36 HR, 126 RBI), and Josh Willingham (.295, 82 2B, 31 HR, 88 RBI).

On the mound, the team was led by left-handed ace Cliff Lee (17-6, 3.04 ERA). RHP Vicente Padilla (17-8, 4.35 ERA) was also a key member of the pitching rotation, while RHP Chris Ray (3.30 ERA, 27 SV) and Jamie Walker (5-3, 2.01 ERA) anchored the bullpen.

One of the team's key weaknesses throughout the season was its defense. The Isotopes converted just 65.8% of its x-chart chances into outs (2nd worst in NL). Its outfield corners in particular were suspect, as both Raul Ibanez (17 for 40 x-chart %) and Moises Alou (10 for 35 x-chart %) struggled to turn chances into outs.

To advance to the World Series, Springfield will rely on its long-ball offense, its ace Cliff Lee, and its versatile bullpen. At the same time, the team will need to cover its short-comings in the rotation and in the field in order to give its bats and its bullpen a chance.

Springfield Lineup:
1-Ray Durham (2B) .276/.346/.485, 21 HR, 80 RBI
2-Mike Cameron (CF) .292/.384/.540, 24 HR, 92 RBI
3-Raul Ibanez (LF) .296/.347/.516, 30 HR, 94 RBI
4-Moises Alou (RF) .269/.333/.487, 15 HR, 57 RBI
5-Justin Morneau (1B) .297/.352/.535, 36 HR, 126 RBI
6-Josh Willingham (DH) .295/.371/.548, 31 HR, 88 RBI
7-Hank Blalock (3B) .283/.348/.446, 20 HR, 67 RBI
8-David Ross (C) .223/.345/.574, 26 HR, 60 RBI
9-Orlando Cabrera (SS) .286/.357/.387, 6 HR, 72 RBI

Springfield Bench:
Shin-Soo Choo (OF) .351/.418/.527, 1 HR, 20 RBI
Ryan Garko (1B) .291/.377/.476, 7 HR, 31 RBI
Tony Graffanino (IF) .249/.319/.343, 2 HR, 39 RBI
Ben Johnson (OF) .331/.386/.534, 5 HR, 29 RBI
Mike Lieberthal (C) .260/.294/.404, 4 HR, 27 RBI
Daryle Ward (1B/OF) .355/.410/.682, 8 HR, 26 RBI

Springfield Rotation:
LHP Cliff Lee (17-6, 3.04 ERA, 204 IP, 123 K)
RHP Vicente Padilla (17-8, 4.35 ERA, 201 IP, 140K)
RHP Clay Hensley (12-8, 4.51 ERA, 190 IP, 122 K)
RHP Joe Blanton (12-10, 4.44 ERA, 187 IP, 89 K)

Springfield Bullpen:
RHP Chris Ray (3-5, 3.30 ERA, 57 IP, 27 SV)
RHP David Weathers (7-1, 4.33 ERA, 73 IP, 3 SV)
LHP Jamie Walker (5-3, 2.01 ERA, 49 IP, 0 SV)
RHP Pat Neshek (1-3, 2.12 ERA, 30 IP, 0 SV)
RHP Justin Speier (3-1, 2.42 ERA, 52 IP, 1 SV)
LHP Bill Bray (1-1, 4.20 ERA, 45 IP, 0 SV)

_______________________________________

Fleetwood Walkers - NL Central Runner Up
98-64 (.605)

Offense: 6.17 runs per game (6th of 12)
Defense: 3.66 runs per game (1st of 12)
Pythagorean Record: 102-60 (.631)

Team Summary:
While not as formidable as its 117-win team the year before, Fleetwood still fielded a strong team in 2007. It posted 98 wins on the season, including a dazzling 20 wins in its last 23 games. Fleetwood was a powerhouse at home in John Locke Field (55-26), but struggled at times on the road (43-38). The Walkers also showed a strong tendency to win the close games, posting a 9-2 record in extra innings and a 24-14 record in one-run contests.

Fleetwood's offense was a step behind the best in the league (including Springfield's), but still boasted intimidating weapons in DH Miguel Cabrera (.348, 46 2B, 28 HR, 102 RBI) and CF Carlos Beltran (.278, 47 2B, 38 HR, 110 RBI). The Walkers also held true to their nickname, collecting 636 bases-on-balls (2nd in NL).

On the other side of the ball, the Fleetwood Walkers really shined. Its pitching and defense allowed just 669, best in the NL. Starters Ervin Santana (19-6, 3.58 ERA) and Dave Bush (14-12, 3.28 ERA) led the staff, while relievers Trevor Hoffman (8-3, 3.48 ERA, 25 SV) and Juan Rincon (4-1, 2.82 ERA, 3 SV) anchored the bullpen. The team's defense also played a strong role in preventing runs, converting 74.4% of its x-chart chances into outs (T-3rd in NL).

For Fleetwood to win, it will need to its starting pitchers to keep the team in the game until its bullpen can match up in the late innings. The Walkers will also need to find offensive production from not just the top of its lineup, but from the bottom as well.

Fleetwood Lineup:
1-Jason Bartlett (SS) .308/.381/.366, 13 SB
2-David Wright (3B) .274/.336/.498, 31 HR, 112 RBI
3-Barry Bonds (LF) .256/.376/.517, 26 HR, 78 RBI
4-Miguel Cabrera (DH) .348/.426/.568, 28 HR, 102 RBI
5-Carlos Beltran (CF) .278/.389/.577, 38 HR, 110 RBI
6-Conor Jackson (1B) .272/.364/.410, 13 HR, 67 RBI
7-Nick Markakis (RF) .242/.304/.382, 14 HR, 56 RBI
8-Marcus Giles (2B) .249/.333/.331, 4 HR, 50 RBI
9-Javier Valentin (C) .253/.290/.402, 6 HR, 32 RBI

Fleetwood Bench:
Willy Aybar (2B) .288/.362/.342, 0 HR, 27 RBI
Melky Cabrera (OF) .280/.353/.373, 3 HR, 41 RBI
Bobby Crosby (SS) .227/.285/.322, 3 HR, 22 RBI
Ryan Doumit (C) .181/.282/.302, 1 HR, 19 RBI
Derrek Lee (1B) .249/.348/.463, 10 HR, 36 RBI
Mike Redmond (C) .337/.372/.411, 0 HR, 20 RBI

Fleetwood Rotation:
RHP Ervin Santana (19-6, 3.58 ERA, 214 IP, 145 K)
RHP Dave Bush (14-12, 3.28 ERA, 219 IP, 158 K)
RHP Kelvim Escobar (12-11, 4.26 ERA, 197 IP, 149 K)
RHP A.J. Burnett (10-7, 3.92 ERA, 142 IP, 119 K)

Fleetwood Bullpen:
RHP Trevor Hoffman (8-3, 3.48 ERA, 25 SV)
RHP Juan Rincon (4-1, 2.82 ERA, 3 SV)
LHP Scott Downs (4-3, 3.17 ERA, 77 IP, 3 SV)
RHP Keith Foulke (4-1, 1.74 ERA, 47 IP, 0 SV)
LHP Mike Stanton (4-2, 3.41 ERA, 63 IP, 2 SV)
RHP Justin Duchscherer (5-5, 4.72 ERA, 55 IP, 0 SV)

Primary Player Statistics For 2007 Springfield Isotopes Totals After 162 Games
 
 
NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E
V.Rottino         .500   2   2   1   1  1  0  0   0   1   0  0  0  0   0  0  0
S.Choo            .351  74 148  26  52 11  6  1  20  16  39  1  0  0   7  4  2
B.Johnson         .331  74 118  24  39  5  2  5  29  12  29  0  0  3   3  0  0
D.Ward            .316  30  76  13  24  9  0  4  18   6  13  2  0  0   0  0  1
J.Morneau         .297 153 607 100 180 33  2 36 126  49  99  6  0 14   1  2 12
R.Ibanez          .296 147 568  89 168 23  6 30  94  46  90  0  0 21   2  2  1
J.Willingham      .295 143 518  85 153 32  3 31  88  44 108 22  0 15   2  0  5
M.Cameron         .292 152 561 129 164 47 10 24  92  84 123  4  0 12  17  9  4
R.Garko           .291  63 189  25  55 10  2  7  31  16  29 10  0  7   0  0  0
O.Cabrera         .286 162 594  85 170 38  2  6  72  66  70  3  2 21  23 10 15
H.Blalock         .283 141 502  77 142 10  6 20  67  51  92  2  0 18   0  2  8
R.Durham          .276 135 497  90 137 31  5 21  80  55  63  1  0 13   5  2  7
M.Alou            .269 103 353  64  95 30  1 15  57  33  38  3  0 10   1  0  6
M.Lieberthal      .260  70 208  20  54 16  1  4  27   7  21  4  1  5   0  0  3
T.Ishikawa        .250  10  20   2   5  2  0  0   0   3   6  0  0  1   0  0  2
T.Graffanino      .249 126 385  50  96 22  4  2  39  37  59  4  0  6   1  4 10
D.Ross            .223  99 256  48  57 10  1 26  60  42  76  7  2  5   0  0  7
A.Melhuse         .182  31  88  11  16  3  0  2   9   3  21  0  0  3   0  0  0
M.Maier           .125   8   8   1   1  0  0  0   0   2   6  0  0  0   0  0  0
ALL PITCHERS      ---- 162   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0 13
----------------- ---- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- -- --
TEAM TOTALS       .282    5698    1609    51    909     982     5     62    96
                       162     940    333   234     573     69   154     35
 
 
NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO
J.Garcia          0.00  0  0  ----   6  0  0  0  0  10.0   6   2   0  0   3   9
J.Kinney          1.84  1  0 1.000  11  0  0  0  0  14.2  10   5   3  1   6  14
J.Walker          2.01  5  3  .625  50  0  0  0  0  49.1  33  13  11  2   6  33
P.Neshek          2.12  1  3  .250  41  0  0  0  0  29.2  20  10   7  3   7  36
J.Speier          2.16  2  0 1.000  19  0  0  0  1  16.2  10   4   4  2   4  11
R.Helling         2.55  1  0 1.000  21  0  0  0  0  35.1  24  11  10  5  18  30
C.Lee             3.04 17  6  .739  31 31  4  2  0 204.1 204  74  69 25  56 123
C.Ray             3.30  3  5  .375  52  0  0  0 27  57.1  60  23  21  8  22  48
B.Bray            4.20  1  1  .500  33  0  0  0  1  45.0  60  21  21  5  18  34
D.Weathers        4.33  7  1  .875  56  0  0  0  3  72.2  54  36  35 12  41  48
V.Padilla         4.35 17  8  .680  33 33  3  0  0 200.2 198 102  97 21  82 140
J.Blanton         4.44 12 10  .545  32 32  1  0  0 186.2 237 103  92 17  56  89
C.Hensley         4.51 12  8  .600  36 27  1  0  1 189.2 185 100  95 18  75 122
L.Kensing         4.84  2  2  .500  14  0  0  0  0  22.1  18  16  12  4  14  26
R.Seanez          5.40  1  0 1.000  27  0  0  0  3  48.1  53  30  29  7  30  55
J.Hirsh           5.40  3  1  .750   6  6  0  0  0  33.1  31  20  20  9  12  26
M.Batista         5.55  9 17  .346  33 33  2  1  0 193.0 230 127 119 17  81  97
M.Delcarmen       9.59  2  1  .667  22  0  0  0  0  35.2  60  40  38  6  18  29
M.Albers         16.87  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   5.1  10  11  10  0   7   8
ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
Team                                          3                   -1
----------------- ---- -- -- ----- --- -- -- -- -- ----- --- --- --- -- --- ---
TEAM TOTALS       4.30    66       162    11    36      1503     692    556
                       96     .593    162     6   1450.0     748    162     978

Primary Player Statistics For 2007 Fleetwood Walkers Totals After 162 Games
 
 
NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E
C.Pena            .387   8  31   9  12  4  0  4  18   6   8  0  0  1   0  0  0
M.Cabrera         .348 162 618 117 215 46  3 28 102  73 128 12  3 22   2  1  1
M.Redmond         .337 112 175  18  59 13  0  0  20   7  20  4  2  4   0  0  1
J.Bartlett        .308 116 344  49 106 13  2  1  31  22  50 19  0  3  13  0 14
W.Aybar           .288  78 243  36  70 13  0  0  27  28  33  2  1  4   0  0  2
M.Cabrera         .280 136 397  67 111 24  2  3  41  44  49  1  3  8   4  3  1
C.Beltran         .278 160 539 113 150 47  0 38 110  94 112  7  6 11   9  0  0
D.Wright          .274 155 620  95 170 38  4 31 112  49 137 10  0 30  14  1 17
C.Jackson         .272 134 434  56 118 19  1 13  67  56  59 10  2 18   0  0  7
C.Iannetta        .262  19  61  16  16  4  0  3  13  13  12  1  0  2   0  0  1
B.Bonds           .256 141 429  62 110 28  3 26  78  75  71 10  1 19   2  0  2
J.Valentin        .253  76 194  21  49  7  2  6  32  11  24  0  0 10   0  0  6
M.Giles           .249 140 438  73 109 22  1  4  50  56  82  1  7  8   8  2  6
D.Lee             .249  81 177  29  44  6  1 10  36  28  47  0  0  2   5  1  7
N.Markakis        .242 155 500  60 121 18  5 14  56  43  82  5  2 16   1  1  2
B.Crosby          .227 115 255  36  58 13  1  3  22  21  63  0  4  5   0  1  9
R.Doumit          .181  61 149  15  27 11  2  1  19   9  43 12  0  2   0  0  3
J.Kubel           .000   3   1   0   0  0  0  0   0   1   1  0  0  0   0  0  0
ALL PITCHERS      ---- 162   0   3   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  3
----------------- ---- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- --- --- -- -- -- --- -- --
TEAM TOTALS       .276    5605    1545    27    834    1021    31     58    82
                       162     875    326   185     636     94   165     10
 
 
NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO
K.Foulke          1.74  4  1  .800  45  0  0  0  0  46.2  26  10   9  3   9  41
M.Corpas          2.63  1  0 1.000   9  0  0  0  1  13.2  13   4   4  1   3  10
J.Rincon          2.82  4  1  .800  71  0  0  0  3  70.1  71  24  22  3  24  63
C.Haeger          3.07  1  0 1.000   9  0  0  0  0  14.2  12   5   5  1  11  14
S.Downs           3.17  4  3  .571  62  0  0  0  3  76.2  59  29  27 11  19  62
D.Bush            3.28 14 12  .538  35 35  2  1  0 219.1 193  84  80 28  48 158
M.Stanton         3.41  4  2  .667  59  0  0  0  2  63.1  63  25  24  7  20  45
T.Hoffman         3.48  8  3  .727  54  0  0  0 25  62.0  57  26  24  6  13  55
E.Santana         3.58 19  6  .760  34 34  0  0  0 213.2 193  90  85 26  73 145
A.Burnett         3.92 10  7  .588  24 24  1  0  0 142.1 140  66  62 18  37 119
K.Escobar         4.26 12 11  .522  35 35  2  1  0 196.2 205 105  93 22  67 149
G.Maddux          4.55 15 10  .600  34 34  3  0  0 207.2 215 111 105 22  46  94
A.Rhodes          4.81  0  3  .000  29  0  0  0  2  33.2  35  19  18  2  20  32
J.Duchscherer     6.52  1  2  .333  15  0  0  0  0  19.1  25  14  14  7   1  14
C.Billingsley     6.85  1  3  .250  48  0  0  0  0  65.2  79  57  50  8  44  44
ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0
Team                                         11                   +0
----------------- ---- -- -- ----- --- -- -- -- -- ----- --- --- --- -- --- ---
TEAM TOTALS       3.87    64       162     8    36      1386     622    435
                       98     .605    162    13   1445.2     669    165    1045

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Dusting Off the Cobwebs Part I: Trades & Free Agency

Well, it's now late March. The long off-season is over, and baseball -- specifically, Fleetwood Walker baseball -- is ready to begin again!

Although this site was dormant through the winter months, the NL Central Champion Fleetwood Walkers were not. As such, it's time to explore the team's "hot stove" action in anticipation of its 2007 season.

This post -- Part One of a two-part series -- will cover Fleetwood's off-season trades and free agent signings. In the coming days, Part Two will review the team's 2007 draft results and its projected roster for the 2007 campaign.

Without further ado, let's explore Fleetwood's off-season trades and free agent signings...

October 2006:
Fleetwood extends the contract of Kelvim Escobar (1 year, $5 million).

Analysis: Escobar was a key member of Fleetwood's bullpen down the stretch and in the playoffs, but this is a high price to pay for a reliever. As such, it looks like Fleetwood plans on inserting Escobar into its 2007 rotation. That makes things crowded, as the team still has all of its 2006 rotation under contract (A.J. Burnett, Esteban Loazia, Mark Buehrle, Greg Maddux, Dave Bush) plus has Curt Schilling ready to go after missing the 2006 season due to injury. A trade or two looks likely, perhaps for a closer or help in the outfield.

Fleetwood trades Curt Schilling, Kenji Johjima, and Fleetwood's 2007 5th Round draft pick to Plaza for Ervin Santana, Chris Iannetta, and Plaza's 2007 2nd Round draft pick.

Analysis: Wow. Fleetwood trades away a 2006 first-round pick in Johjima. Also sent packing was Schilling, who the Walkers signed to a $3.15 million "Y1" contract last spring. Both Johjima and Schilling look to be ready to contribute in a big way in 2007, so it is somewhat surprising to see a potential pennant-contender trade them away. On the other hand, Santana could rival Schilling's numbers in 2007 while being much younger. Iannetta, a top catching prospect, also figures to be a solid (or better) backstop for many years to come...but probably not in 2007. This trade could be a potential win for Fleetwood long-term (especially given the favorable swap in draft picks), but it leaves the team without a potential ace in its rotation and without a solid catcher behind the plate. Risky, but bold.

Fleetwood trades Ryan Zimmerman to Metropolis for Nick Markakis and Metropolis' 2007 2nd Round draft pick.

Analysis: Double Wow. On the downside, Fleetwood trades away its OTHER first-rounder from the 2006 draft, this time the 4th overall pick...a player likely to be a star-caliber third baseman for years to come. On the bright side, third base is a clogged position for Fleetwood (what with Miguel Cabrera and David Wright both in tow) and the young Nick Markakis is no slouch prospect either. This trade might haunt the Walkers if Zimmerman is the second-coming of Brooks Robinson, but it does give Fleetwood the young major-league-ready outfielder it has been looking for.

Fleetwood trades Jim Edmonds to Box City for Jason Bartlett.

Analysis: Following its trend from the last few years, Fleetwood trades a proven (expensive) veteran for a younger (cheaper) player. The loss of Edmonds saps Fleetwood's lineup of much-needed power and also costs it a Gold-Glove caliber defender. Ouch. In return, though, the team picks up a major-league ready middle-infield prospect. Should either Bobby Crosby or Marcus Giles falter for Fleetwood in 2007, Bartlett should be ready to fill in adequately. The Walkers also save a ton of money, as the sometimes gimpy Edmonds is slated to earn $6 million in 2007 and again in 2008.

Fleetwood trades Esteban Loaiza to Metropolis for Willy Aybar.

Analysis: A pattern is emerging. Again, Fleetwood trades a proven veteran (Loazia) for a promising youngster (Aybar). Loazia was a key member of Fleetwood's rotation in 2006, but his departure clears some much-needed room in the crowded rotation mix. Also, Aybar should be ready to help the Walkers right away by adding depth to its infield.

November 2006:
Fleetwood signs Mike Stanton (1 year, $655K), Odalis Perez (3 years, $2.265 million), Cliff Floyd (3 years, $2.775 million) and Mike Redmond (1 year, $800K) to free agent contracts.

Analysis: On the plus side, Stanton provides depth to the team's bullpen. Meanwhile, Perez, Floyd, and Redmond could all fill important secondary roles in 2007 and beyond. On the other hand, the team did not sign any impact players. Especially troubling is its inability to add more quality to a bullpen that many feel is lacking for 2007. A cushy bank account is a nice thing to have, but at some point you need to spend some dough.

December 2006:
Fleetwood trades Derrick Turnbow, Fernando Cabrera, J.D. Closser and Fleetwood's 2007 2nd Round draft pick to Superior for Trevor Hoffman and Juan Rincon.

Analysis: In a move that finally looks fitting for a potential contender, the Walkers pick up some much needed bullpen help...including the proven closer it needs in Hoffman. The cost was not small, though, as the team parts with two of its best young relievers in Turnbow and Cabrera. Closser is a former first-round pick that has not panned out, so a change of scenery could be best for him. The 2nd Round draft pick sweetens the deal for Superior.

Fleetwood trades Mark Buehrle and Cliff Floyd to Windy City for Carlos Gonzalez and Windy City's 2008 2nd Round draft pick.

Analysis: Cliff Floyd, we hardly new you. Add in the trade of Buehrle, and Fleetwood's 2007 rotation finally looks clear (Burnett, Maddux, Escobar, Santana, Bush). Meanwhile, Gonzalez is a top outfield prospect who could make his way to the majors in a couple of years. Nice trade all the way around.

Fleetwood trades David DeJesus, Carlos Gonzalez, and Fleetwood's 2007 1st Round draft pick to Maine for Carlos Beltran.

Analysis: Beltran was a top free agent signing this past off-season, inking a seven-year $50 million contract with division rival Maine. As such, this trade makes up for some of Fleetwood penny-pinching in free agency. The cost was high, though, as the team parts with a solid (but now expendable) center fielder in David DeJesus, a top prospect in Carlos Gonzalez, and a valuable 1st Round draft pick. That said, the Walkers now have an all-star talent in center field who should solidify both the team's rotation and its outfield defense.

January 2007:
No trades. The team catches its breath.

February 2007:
Fleetwood trades Ramon Castro to Windy City for Windy City's 2007 5th Round draft pick.

Analysis: A fine trade for both teams. Fleetwood was set behind the plate with Javier Valentin, Mike Redmond, Ryan Doumit, and the young Chris Iannetta. Meanwhile, Windy City picks up one of baseball's best backup catchers to caddy for the aging (and sometimes offense-challenged) Brad Ausmus. A win-win deal.

March 2007:
No trades.

That does it for Fleetwood's off-season trades and free agent signings. In general, it appears the Walkers are well-positioned to compete in 2007 despite trading away such talented players as Ryan Zimmerman, Curt Schilling, Kenji Johjima, and Jim Edmonds.

Specifically, the team successfully leveraged its surplus of starting pitching and third basemen to plug its holes in the outfield, middle infield, and bullpen. It also opened up its pocket book to help land Carlos Beltran via trade.

Potential weakness remains in the bullpen and behind the plate, but the team seems nicely positioned to focus on the best-available talent in the annual February draft without having to worry about filling holes.

We'll review the results of that draft as well as the team's projected 2007 roster in Part Two. Stay tuned!

Monday, December 04, 2006

Giving Thanks

Looking back...

Fleetwood's 2006 season came to a heart-breaking conclusion with its loss to Metropolis in the 2006 NLCS. In retrospect, though, there is still much to be thankful for.

First, Fleetwood ended its rebuilding phase and established itself as a legitimate contender in BRASSball's National League going forward.

Second, the team saw two of its young players (Miguel Cabrera, David Wright) establish themselves as up-and-coming BRASSball stars...stars to build around long-term.

Third, the team's thrilling 21-game winning streak to end the regular season.

And finally, the team also has a brighter future in store...complete with another wave of promising prospects (Ryan Zimmerman, Conor Jackson, Kenji Johjima, Jason Kubel, Chad Billingsley, Daisuke Matsuzaka), a robust bank account (the highest in BRASSball), and more than its fair share of picks in the upcoming annual draft.

Add it all up, and Fleetwood's legion of fans has every reason to view 2006 as not a disappointing ending, but rather a prelude to even better times to come.

Turning the page...

The first step in moving ahead will be assessing the team's strengths and weaknesses, and begin planning and acting accordingly. Fleetwood's depth in young talent, cash, and draft picks should provide ample "hot stove" ammunition to reload for another pennant run in 2007.

Coming soon...

Fleetwood Hot Stove Report, including trade updates, free agency results, and draft picks!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

October 28, 2006: NLCS Game 7

Pedro Martinez dominated in Game 7, striking out 11 Fleetwood batters as the Metropolis Avengers toppled the Fleetwood Walkers by a score of 3 to 2 at John Locke Field. With the win, Metropolis completed its comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and advanced to the BRASSball World Series.

Metropolis won the game with a run in the 9th inning. Rafael Furcal drew a lead-off walk versus Fleetwood's Arthur Rhodes. After an out was recorded, Fleetwood brought in Scott Downs to face Bobby Abreu. Abreu promptly lashed a single into right field, advancing Furcal to third base.

Needing a strikeout or (even better) a double play, Fleetwood called on relief ace Derrick Turnbow. Turnbow did his job, getting Richie Sexon to hit an easy groundball to Fleetwood shortstop Bobby Crosby. Alas, Crosby could not field the ball cleanly. His error allowed Furcal to score the go-ahead run which eventually gave Metropolis the win.

The victory was credited to Martinez (1-3) who went 8 and 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs. Chris Hammond recorded the save, his 1st of the post-season. Arthur Rhodes (0-1) ended up with the loss in relief.

Martinez didn't realize how many strikeouts he was racking up. When told he had 11 he was obviously surprised, 'No kidding? Man, I knew that I had a decent total, but I didn't think I had K'd that many. Say, that's pretty good, isn't it?'

Not only was it pretty good, it was good enough for the National League Championship.

The NLCS MVP award went to Martinez's teammate Roger Clemens. Clemens was 2-0 in his 2 starts, posting a 0.00 ERA in 17.2 innings. He allowed just 9 hits and 6 walks while racking up 18 strikeouts.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Metropolis Avengers At 2006 Fleetwood Walkers       10/28/2006
 
  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  B.Roberts 2B        4  0  0  0 .345     D.Dejesus LF        3  0  0  0 .302  
  R.Furcal SS         3  1  0  0 .170     D.Wright DH         4  0  0  0 .189  
  V.Guerrero RF       4  0  2  0 .210     D.Lee 1B            4  0  1  0 .260  
  B.Abreu LF          4  0  1  0 .298     M.Cabrera 3B        3  0  0  0 .314  
  R.Sexson 1B         4  0  0  1 .173     J.Valentin C        4  0  0  0 .229  
  E.Chavez 3B         4  0  0  0 .315     J.Edmonds CF        4  1  2  1 .238  
  M.Mora DH           3  1  0  0 .324   A-L.Matos PR          0  0  0  0 .273  
  J.Posada C          3  1  1  2 .167     J.Guillen RF        4  1  1  1 .226  
  V.Wells CF          3  0  0  0 .204     B.Crosby SS         3  0  0  0 .103  
                                        B-B.Bonds PH          0  0  0  0 .000  
                                        C-R.Castro PH         1  0  0  0 .278  
                                          M.Giles 2B          3  0  2  0 .340  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      32  3  4  3                 Totals      33  2  6  2
 
A-Pinch Ran For Edmonds In 9th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Crosby In 9th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Bonds In 9th Inning
 
Avengers........ 0 0 2  0 0 0  0 0 1  -  3  4  0
Walkers......... 0 0 0  0 1 0  1 0 0  -  2  6  1
 
Avengers (8-6)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
P.Martinez WIN(1-3)       8 2/3   6   2   2   2  11   2   3.27  A1 D7
C.Hammond SAVE(1st)       0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D8
Totals                    9       6   2   2   2  11   2
 
Walkers (7-6)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Burnett                 7 2/3   3   2   2   1   9   1   2.91  A1 C9
A.Rhodes LOSS(0-1)        0 2/3   0   1   0   1   0   0   3.38  D1 D3
S.Downs                   0       1   0   0   0   0   0   1.80  D4 D4
D.Turnbow                 0 2/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   0.57  D5
Totals                    9       4   3   2   2  10   1
 
ATTENDANCE- 38,896 DATE- Saturday, October 28th 2006 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
T- 2:25
LEFT ON BASE- Avengers: 4  Walkers: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 0  Walkers: 0
ERRORS- B.Crosby
DOUBLES- J.Edmonds(7th)
HOME RUNS- J.Posada(2nd), J.Edmonds(2nd), J.Guillen(1st)
STOLEN BASES- M.Giles(1st)
WALKS- R.Furcal, M.Mora, D.Dejesus, M.Cabrera
STRIKE OUTS- R.Furcal, V.Guerrero, B.Abreu-2, R.Sexson-2, E.Chavez, M.Mora-3,
             D.Dejesus, D.Wright-2, D.Lee-2, M.Cabrera-2, J.Edmonds, J.Guillen,
             B.Crosby, M.Giles

Saturday, November 18, 2006

October 27, 2006: NLCS Game 6

Eric Chavez connected with a 'big fly' at John Locke Field where the Metropolis Avengers beat the Fleetwood Walkers by the score of 6 to 5. In doing so, the Avengers tied the National League Championship series at 3 games apiece.

Jason Isringhausen (1-0) won the game with in relief. He performed flawlessly in 2/3 of an inning. Metropolis banged out 11 hits on the night.

Mike Wuertz earned his 1st save. The losing pitcher was Derrick Turnbow (2-1) in relief. He pitched 3 innings and surrendered just 1 hit and no walks.

A sure-to-be-thrilling Game 7 will feature Pedro Martinez for Metropolis and A.J. Burnett for Fleetwood. This will be the third matchup of these two pitchers during the series, with Burnett's Fleetwood Walkers narrowly winning both previous matchups in Game 1 and Game 4.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Metropolis Avengers At 2006 Fleetwood Walkers       10/27/2006
 
  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  J.Michaels DH       4  2  3  0 .316     B.Crosby SS         3  0  0  0 .111  
  B.Roberts 2B        5  1  1  1 .373   A-B.Bonds PH          1  0  0  0 .000  
  R.Sexson 1B         4  1  1  2 .188   C-C.Counsell SS       1  0  0  0 .000  
  B.Abreu LF          5  0  2  1 .302     D.Wright DH         4  0  0  0 .204  
  V.Guerrero RF       4  0  1  0 .190     D.Lee 1B            3  1  1  1 .261  
  J.Posada C          4  0  0  0 .154     M.Cabrera 3B        4  0  1  1 .333  
  V.Wells CF          4  0  0  0 .217     J.Edmonds CF        3  1  1  0 .211  
  E.Chavez 3B         4  2  3  1 .340   B-J.Guillen PH,RF     1  0  0  0 .222  
  R.Furcal SS         3  0  0  1 .180     M.Giles 2B          4  1  2  0 .318  
                                          R.Castro C          3  0  1  1 .294  
                                        D-J.Valentin PH,C     1  0  0  0 .258  
                                          D.Dejesus LF,CF     4  1  2  1 .325  
                                          L.Matos RF,LF       2  1  1  1 .273  
                                        E-J.Phelps PH         1  0  0  0 .000  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      37  6 11  6                 Totals      35  5  9  5
 
A-Pinch Hit For Crosby In 7th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Edmonds In 7th Inning
C-Subbed Defensively (SS) For Bonds In 8th Inning
D-Pinch Hit For Castro In 8th Inning
E-Pinch Hit For Matos In 9th Inning
 
Avengers........ 2 3 0  0 0 0  0 1 0  -  6 11  0
Walkers......... 0 1 0  2 0 0  2 0 0  -  5  9  0
 
Avengers (7-6)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Pettitte                6       8   5   5   1   4   1   5.70  A1 C9
C.Politte BS(2nd)         0 1/3   1   0   0   2   0   0   2.45  D1 D4
J.Isringhaus WIN(1-0)     0 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D5 D5
J.Benoit HOLD(1st)        0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   6.75  D6 D6
C.Hammond HOLD(1st)       0 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D7 D8
M.Wuertz SAVE(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D9
Totals                    9       9   5   5   3   5   1
 
Walkers (7-5)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
M.Buehrle                 3       8   5   5   3   0   2   3.68  A1 C2
K.Escobar                 1 1/3   1   0   0   0   3   0   2.70  C3 C7
F.Cabrera                 0 2/3   1   0   0   0   0   0   3.60  C8 D1
A.Rhodes                  0 2/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   3.68  D2 D3
S.Downs                   0 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   1.80  D4 D4
D.Turnbow LOSS(2-1)       3       1   1   1   0   3   0   0.60  D5
Totals                    9      11   6   6   3   8   2
 
ATTENDANCE- 38,638 DATE- Friday, October 27th 2006 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average
T- 3:25
LEFT ON BASE- Avengers: 8  Walkers: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 1  Walkers: 0
DOUBLES- J.Michaels(1st), B.Abreu-2(4th), E.Chavez-2(7th), R.Castro(1st),
         D.Dejesus(3rd)
TRIPLES- B.Roberts(1st), M.Giles(1st)
HOME RUNS- R.Sexson(3rd), E.Chavez(2nd), D.Lee(5th)
SACRIFICE FLIES- R.Furcal
WALKS- J.Michaels, R.Sexson, V.Guerrero, D.Wright, D.Lee, L.Matos
STRIKE OUTS- R.Sexson-3, B.Abreu-2, V.Guerrero, V.Wells-2, D.Wright, D.Lee,
             M.Cabrera, R.Castro, L.Matos
GIDP- J.Guillen
WILD PITCHES- D.Turnbow

Thursday, November 16, 2006

October 25, 2006: NLCS Game 5

Roger Clemens whitewashed Fleetwood as the Metropolis Avengers defeated the Fleetwood Walkers by the score of 8 to 0 at Hall of Justice. With the win, Metropolis cut Fleetwood's series lead to 3 games to 2.

Clemens (4-0) was virtually untouchable. He didn't give up much, just 4 hits and 3 walks in 9 innings seeing his ERA drop from 2.05 to 1.59. The Metropolis offense was great, scoring in 7 of the 9 innings.

Esteban Loaiza (0-3) absorbed the loss. He struggled with his control issuing 7 walks in 3 and 1/3 innings.

Both teams will now travel to Fleetwood for Game 6. The pitching matchup will be a rematch of Game 3 in which Fleetwood's Mark Buehrle outdueled Metropolis' Andy Pettitte for the win.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Fleetwood Walkers At 2006 Metropolis Avengers       10/25/2006
 
  Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG
  M.Giles 2B          3  0  1  0 .300     B.Roberts 2B        4  2  2  2 .391  
  B.Bonds DH          4  0  0  0 .000     R.Furcal SS         4  2  1  0 .191  
  D.Lee 1B            4  0  0  0 .256     V.Guerrero RF       5  0  1  0 .185  
  M.Cabrera LF        3  0  0  0 .341     B.Abreu LF          4  0  2  3 .292  
  D.Wright 3B         4  0  0  0 .222     R.Sexson 1B         2  1  0  0 .182  
  J.Valentin C        4  0  0  0 .267     E.Chavez 3B         4  1  2  1 .304  
  J.Edmonds CF        2  0  1  0 .200     M.Mora DH           2  1  0  0 .355  
  J.Guillen RF        3  0  1  0 .231     J.Posada C          2  0  0  1 .171  
  B.Crosby SS         2  0  1  0 .121     V.Wells CF          4  1  1  1 .238  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      29  0  4  0                 Totals      31  8  9  8
 
 
Walkers......... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  0  4  0
Avengers........ 2 1 1  1 1 0  1 1    -  8  9  1
 
Walkers (7-4)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
E.Loaiza LOSS(0-3)        3 1/3   5   5   5   7   2   0   5.85  A1 C3
S.Downs                   2 1/3   2   1   1   1   2   1   1.93  C4 D4
K.Escobar                 1 1/3   1   1   1   0   0   1   3.37  D5 D9
A.Rhodes                  1       1   1   1   0   3   1   4.05  E1
Totals                    8       9   8   8   8   7   3
 
Avengers (6-6)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
R.Clemens WIN(4-0)        9       4   0   0   3   9   0   1.59  A1
Totals                    9       4   0   0   3   9   0
 
ATTENDANCE- 38,740 DATE- Wednesday, October 25th 2006 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
T- 2:41
LEFT ON BASE- Walkers: 6  Avengers: 8
DOUBLE PLAYS- Walkers: 2  Avengers: 2
ERRORS- J.Posada
DOUBLES- J.Edmonds(6th), V.Guerrero(3rd), B.Abreu(2nd)
HOME RUNS- B.Roberts(3rd), E.Chavez(1st), V.Wells(1st)
STOLEN BASES- B.Roberts(5th)
WALKS- M.Cabrera, J.Edmonds, B.Crosby, B.Roberts, R.Furcal, B.Abreu, R.Sexson-2,
       M.Mora, J.Posada-2
HIT BY PITCH- M.Giles, M.Mora
STRIKE OUTS- M.Giles, B.Bonds-2, D.Lee, M.Cabrera-2, D.Wright, J.Valentin,
             J.Guillen, R.Furcal, V.Guerrero-3, B.Abreu-2, E.Chavez
GIDP- D.Lee, B.Crosby, E.Chavez, V.Wells
WILD PITCHES- R.Clemens

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

October 24, 2006: NLCS Game 4

Derrick Turnbow delivered 4 solid innings and Derrek Lee blasted a homerun at the Hall of Justice where the Fleetwood Walkers beat the Metropolis Avengers in 12 innings by the score of 4 to 3.

The score was knotted at 3 after nine innings. Fleetwood won it in the 12th inning. After an out was recorded, David Wright ripped a solo home run (his 2nd of the season). Fleetwood ended up with 9 hits for the game while Metropolis had 5.

The win went to Turnbow (2-0) who allowed no runs in 4 innings. Joaquin Benoit (0-1) was tagged with the loss in relief. He pitched 2/3 of an inning allowing 2 hits and 1 walk.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Fleetwood Walkers At 2006 Metropolis Avengers       10/24/2006
 
  Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG
  D.Dejesus LF        5  0  1  0 .306     B.Roberts 2B        4  0  0  0 .381  
  D.Wright DH         6  1  2  1 .244     R.Furcal SS         5  0  1  0 .186  
  D.Lee 1B            5  2  2  1 .282     V.Guerrero RF       5  0  0  0 .184  
  M.Cabrera 3B        6  1  3  1 .366     B.Abreu LF          5  0  0  0 .273  
  J.Valentin C        5  0  1  0 .308     R.Sexson 1B         4  1  0  0 .190  
D-R.Castro PH,C       1  0  0  0 .286     E.Chavez 3B         4  1  0  0 .286  
  J.Edmonds CF        4  0  0  0 .182     M.Mora DH           5  1  3  2 .379  
  J.Guillen RF        3  0  0  0 .217     J.Posada C          4  0  1  1 .182  
B-B.Bonds PH          0  0  0  0 .000     V.Wells CF          4  0  0  0 .237  
C-L.Matos RF          1  0  0  0 .222                                          
  B.Crosby SS         0  0  0  0 .097                                          
A-C.Counsell PH,SS    3  0  0  0 .000                                          
  M.Giles 2B          4  0  0  0 .297                                          
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      43  4  9  3                 Totals      40  3  5  3
 
A-Pinch Hit For Crosby In 5th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Guillen In 8th Inning
C-Subbed Defensively (RF) For Bonds In 8th Inning
D-Pinch Hit For Valentin In 12th Inning
 
Walkers......... 0 0 0  1 0 1  0 1 0  0 0 1  -  4  9  1
Avengers........ 0 2 0  1 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  3  5  0
 
Walkers (7-3)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Burnett                 6       4   3   3   3   3   1   3.08  A1 C6
E.Gagne                   0 2/3   1   0   0   0   2   0   2.25  C7 C9
A.Rhodes                  1       0   0   0   0   0   0   3.18  D1 D3
S.Downs                   0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D4 D4
D.Turnbow WIN(2-0)        4       0   0   0   0   5   0   0.00  D5
Totals                   12       5   3   3   3  10   1
 
Avengers (5-6)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
P.Martinez                7 2/3   6   3   3   6   8   1   3.58  A1 D6
C.Politte                 3       1   0   0   1   3   0   2.57  D7 E8
J.Benoit LOSS(0-1)        0 2/3   2   1   1   1   1   1   9.00  E9 F4
J.Isringhaus              0 2/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  F5
Totals                   12       9   4   4   8  13   2
 
ATTENDANCE- 38,243 DATE- Tuesday, October 24th 2006 TIME- Day WEATHER- Bad
T- 4:04
LEFT ON BASE- Walkers:11  Avengers: 4
DOUBLE PLAYS- Walkers: 0  Avengers: 2
ERRORS- J.Valentin
DOUBLES- M.Cabrera(2nd)
TRIPLES- R.Furcal(1st)
HOME RUNS- D.Wright(2nd), D.Lee(4th), M.Mora(1st)
STOLEN BASES- D.Lee(1st), J.Edmonds(1st), B.Roberts(4th)
WALKS- D.Dejesus, D.Lee, J.Edmonds-2, B.Bonds, B.Crosby, C.Counsell, M.Giles,
       B.Roberts, R.Sexson, E.Chavez
STRIKE OUTS- D.Dejesus, D.Wright-2, D.Lee, M.Cabrera, R.Castro, J.Edmonds-2,
             J.Guillen, L.Matos, C.Counsell, M.Giles-2, R.Furcal, V.Guerrero-2,
             B.Abreu, R.Sexson, E.Chavez, J.Posada-2, V.Wells-2
GIDP- D.Wright, J.Edmonds
WILD PITCHES- A.Burnett
WEB GEMS- Bot 12th: Craig Counsell robbed Eric Chavez of a base hit.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

October 23, 2006: NLCS Game 3

Second baseman Marcus Giles had 3 base hits and 2 RBI at the Hall of Justice as the Fleetwood Walkers beat the Metropolis Avengers 8 to 4. With the victory, the Walkers took the series lead 2 games to 1.

Fleetwood wasted no time, grabbing the lead in the first inning with 2 runs on 1 hit. The key offensive moment was provided by Jim Edmonds. He disappointed the partisan crowd when he doubled, bringing in two baserunners. Fleetwood managed 9 hits in their victory.

Mark Buehrle (2-0) got the win, allowing 4 runs in 5 and 1/3 innings. Buehrle was helped out by Derrick Turnbow who recorded his 3rd save. Andy Pettitte (1-1) was the loser.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Fleetwood Walkers At 2006 Metropolis Avengers       10/23/2006
 
  Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG
  B.Crosby SS         4  0  0  0 .097     J.Michaels DH       4  0  1  0 .200  
  D.Wright DH         4  2  1  0 .229     B.Roberts 2B        4  0  0  0 .421  
  D.Lee 1B            2  3  1  0 .265     R.Sexson 1B         4  1  0  0 .211  
  M.Cabrera 3B        4  1  0  0 .343     V.Guerrero RF       4  2  2  0 .205  
  J.Edmonds CF        3  0  1  4 .207     B.Abreu LF,CF       4  1  1  1 .308  
  M.Giles 2B          4  1  3  2 .333     V.Wells CF          3  0  2  2 .265  
A-C.Counsell PR,2B    1  0  0  0 .000   D-M.Mora PH           0  0  0  0 .333  
  R.Castro C          3  0  2  1 .308   F-T.Pratt C           0  0  0  0 .286  
B-B.Bonds PH          0  0  0  0 .000     E.Chavez 3B         4  0  2  1 .316  
C-J.Valentin C        0  0  0  0 .333     J.Posada C          3  0  0  0 .172  
  D.Dejesus LF        3  0  0  0 .323   E-R.Branyan PH,LF     1  0  0  0 .500  
  L.Matos RF          3  0  0  0 .250     R.Furcal SS         4  0  0  0 .184  
G-J.Guillen PH,RF     1  1  1  0 .250                                          
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      32  8  9  7                 Totals      35  4  8  4
 
A-Pinch Ran For Giles In 8th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Castro In 8th Inning
C-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Bonds In 8th Inning
D-Pinch Hit For Wells In 8th Inning
E-Pinch Hit For Posada In 8th Inning
F-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Mora In 9th Inning
G-Pinch Hit For Matos In 9th Inning
 
Walkers......... 2 0 3  0 0 0  0 1 2  -  8  9  0
Avengers........ 0 0 0  3 0 1  0 0 0  -  4  8  0
 
Walkers (6-3)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
M.Buehrle WIN(2-0)        5 1/3   6   4   4   1   6   0   1.89  A1 C5
K.Escobar                 0       1   0   0   0   0   0   2.25  C6 C6
F.Cabrera HOLD(1st)       1       0   0   0   0   1   0   4.15  C7 C9
D.Turnbow SAVE(3rd)       2 2/3   1   0   0   2   3   0   0.00  D1
Totals                    9       8   4   4   3  10   0
 
Avengers (5-5)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Pettitte LOSS(1-1)      7 2/3   8   6   6   2   6   0   5.25  A1 D6
C.Politte                 1       1   2   1   3   1   0   4.50  D7 E5
T.Mulholland              0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   3.00  E6
Totals                    9       9   8   7   5   7   0
 
ATTENDANCE- 37,931 DATE- Monday, October 23rd 2006 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
T- 3:23
LEFT ON BASE- Walkers: 7  Avengers: 8
DOUBLE PLAYS- Walkers: 0  Avengers: 0
DOUBLES- D.Lee(2nd), J.Edmonds(5th), M.Giles(2nd), V.Guerrero(2nd),
         V.Wells(3rd)
CAUGHT STEALING- M.Giles
SACRIFICE HITS- B.Crosby, D.Dejesus
SACRIFICE FLIES- J.Edmonds
WALKS- D.Wright, D.Lee-2, J.Edmonds, B.Bonds, J.Michaels, B.Roberts, R.Sexson
HIT BY PITCH- D.Lee, M.Cabrera, M.Mora
STRIKE OUTS- B.Crosby, D.Wright, M.Cabrera-2, J.Edmonds-2, L.Matos,
             J.Michaels-2, B.Roberts-2, R.Sexson-3, J.Posada, R.Branyan,
             R.Furcal
PASSED BALLS- T.Pratt
WEB GEMS- Top 3rd: Andy Pettitte robbed Miguel Cabrera of a base hit.
          Top 4th: Rafael Furcal robbed David Wright of a base hit.

Monday, November 13, 2006

October 21, 2006: NLCS Game 2

Roger Clemens turned in a dominant post-season performance for Metropolis, and the Avengers defeated the Fleetwood Walkers by a score of 5 to 1 at John Locke Field.

Fleetwood fell behind quickly as the Metropolis offense came through with 3 runs on 3 hits in the first inning. That early run support was more than enough for Roger Clemens (3-0), as he held Fleetwood to zero earned runs in 8 and 2/3 innings while striking out 9. Metropolis rapped out 7 hits for the afternoon versus 5 hits for Fleetwood.

Esteban Loaiza (0-2) took the loss for Fleetwood. He surrendered 5 hits and 2 walks in 6 and 2/3 innings.

Both teams will travel to Metropolis for Game 3. Mark Buehrle will pitch for Fleetwood, while Andy Pettitte will take the mound for Metropolis.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Metropolis Avengers At 2006 Fleetwood Walkers       10/21/2006
 
  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  B.Roberts 2B        2  1  0  0 .471     M.Giles 2B          3  0  1  0 .276  
  R.Furcal SS         4  0  1  0 .206     D.Wright DH         4  0  0  0 .226  
  V.Guerrero RF       5  2  1  0 .175     D.Lee 1B            3  0  1  0 .250  
  B.Abreu LF          4  1  1  1 .314     M.Cabrera 3B        3  1  1  0 .387  
  R.Sexson 1B         3  1  1  1 .235     J.Valentin C        4  0  2  0 .333  
  E.Chavez 3B         4  0  2  2 .294     J.Edmonds CF        4  0  0  0 .192  
  M.Mora DH           4  0  0  0 .333     J.Guillen RF        3  0  0  1 .211  
  J.Posada C          3  0  1  0 .192     B.Crosby SS         3  0  0  0 .111  
A-J.Michaels PH       1  0  0  0 .182   C-B.Bonds PH          0  0  0  0 .000  
B-T.Pratt C           0  0  0  0 .286   D-R.Castro PH         1  0  0  0 .200  
  V.Wells CF          4  0  0  0 .226     D.Dejesus LF        1  0  0  0 .357  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      34  5  7  4                 Totals      29  1  5  1
 
A-Pinch Hit For Posada In 8th Inning
B-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Michaels In 8th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Crosby In 9th Inning
D-Pinch Hit For Bonds In 9th Inning
 
Avengers........ 3 0 1  0 0 0  0 1 0  -  5  7  0
Walkers......... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 1  -  1  5  0
 
Avengers (5-4)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
R.Clemens WIN(3-0)        8 2/3   5   1   0   3   9   0   2.05  A1 D7
C.Hammond                 0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D8
Totals                    9       5   1   0   3   9   0
 
Walkers (5-3)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
E.Loaiza LOSS(0-2)        6 2/3   5   4   4   2   6   1   4.32  A1 C9
F.Cabrera                 1       2   1   1   2   0   0   5.40  D1 D7
A.Rhodes                  1       0   0   0   0   0   0   3.86  D8 E1
C.Eldred                  0       0   0   0   1   0   0   ----  E2 E2
K.Escobar                 0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   2.25  E3
Totals                    9       7   5   5   5   6   1
 
ATTENDANCE- 39,098 DATE- Saturday, October 21st 2006 TIME- Day WEATHER- Average
T- 2:58
LEFT ON BASE- Avengers: 7  Walkers: 7
DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 2  Walkers: 0
DOUBLES- B.Abreu(1st), E.Chavez-2(5th), J.Posada(1st)
HOME RUNS- R.Sexson(2nd)
STOLEN BASES- B.Roberts(3rd)
SACRIFICE FLIES- J.Guillen
WALKS- B.Roberts-3, R.Furcal, R.Sexson, D.Lee, M.Cabrera, D.Dejesus
HIT BY PITCH- M.Giles, D.Dejesus
STRIKE OUTS- B.Abreu-2, R.Sexson, M.Mora, V.Wells-2, M.Giles, D.Wright, D.Lee-2,
             M.Cabrera, J.Valentin, J.Edmonds-2, B.Crosby
GIDP- D.Wright, J.Valentin
BALKS- F.Cabrera
WILD PITCHES- F.Cabrera-2
PASSED BALLS- T.Pratt

Sunday, November 12, 2006

October 20, 2006: NLCS Game 1

Derrek Lee jacked one out of the ballyard and had 2 RBI as the Fleetwood Walkers defeated the Metropolis Avengers by a score of 3 to 2 at John Locke Field.

A.J. Burnett (2-0) pitched a fine game for Fleetwood. He went 6 and 2/3 innings, surrendering 9 hits and 4 walks while recording 9 strikeouts. Fleetwood won despite being out-hit by Metropolis 10 hits to 4.

Derrick Turnbow earned his 2nd save of the post-season. The losing pitcher was Pedro Martinez (0-3). He pitched 8 innings and surrendered just 4 hits and 2 walks.

"I had a little blister on my index finger before the game, but I thought it was nothing," Burnett said. "I was lucky I got a win because I couldn't put the ball where I wanted it."

Game 2 of the NLCS will feature starting pitchers Roger Clemens for Metropolis and Esteban Loaiza for Fleetwood.

BOXSCORE: 2006 Metropolis Avengers At 2006 Fleetwood Walkers       10/20/2006
 
  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  B.Roberts 2B        4  0  1  0 .500     D.Dejesus LF        4  1  1  0 .370  
  R.Furcal SS         3  0  1  0 .200     D.Wright DH         4  0  0  0 .259  
A-J.Michaels PH       1  0  0  0 .200     D.Lee 1B            3  2  2  2 .241  
  V.Guerrero RF       5  0  1  0 .171     M.Cabrera 3B        3  0  1  0 .393  
  B.Abreu LF          5  1  1  0 .323     J.Valentin C        3  0  0  0 .294  
  R.Sexson 1B         4  1  1  0 .226     J.Edmonds CF        1  0  0  1 .227  
  E.Chavez 3B         4  0  2  1 .267     J.Guillen RF        2  0  0  0 .250  
  M.Mora DH           3  0  1  0 .400     B.Crosby SS         3  0  0  0 .125  
  J.Posada C          4  0  0  0 .174     M.Giles 2B          3  0  0  0 .269  
  V.Wells CF          4  0  2  0 .259                                          
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      37  2 10  1                 Totals      26  3  4  3
 
A-Pinch Hit For Furcal In 9th Inning
 
Avengers........ 0 0 0  0 2 0  0 0 0  -  2 10  0
Walkers......... 2 0 0  1 0 0  0 0    -  3  4  2
 
Avengers (4-4)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
P.Martinez LOSS(0-3)      8       4   3   3   2   6   1   3.60  A1
Totals                    8       4   3   3   2   6   1
 
Walkers (5-2)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Burnett WIN(2-0)        6 2/3   9   2   2   4   9   0   2.66  A1 D6
E.Gagne HOLD(1st)         0 2/3   1   0   0   0   1   0   2.70  D7 D9
A.Rhodes HOLD(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   0   0   4.91  E1 E2
D.Turnbow SAVE(2nd)       0 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  E3
Totals                    9      10   2   2   4  10   0
 
ATTENDANCE- 39,298 DATE- Friday, October 20th 2006 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
T- 2:55
LEFT ON BASE- Avengers:12  Walkers: 2
DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 1  Walkers: 2
ERRORS- D.Lee, M.Giles
DOUBLES- D.Dejesus(2nd), M.Cabrera(1st)
HOME RUNS- D.Lee(3rd)
STOLEN BASES- B.Roberts(2nd), V.Guerrero(1st)
SACRIFICE FLIES- J.Edmonds
WALKS- B.Roberts, R.Furcal, R.Sexson, M.Mora, J.Edmonds, J.Guillen
STRIKE OUTS- B.Roberts, V.Guerrero, B.Abreu, R.Sexson-2, E.Chavez, M.Mora-2,
             J.Posada, V.Wells, D.Wright, M.Cabrera-2, J.Edmonds, B.Crosby,
             M.Giles
GIDP- B.Roberts, J.Posada, J.Guillen
WEB GEMS- Top 8th: Miguel Cabrera robbed Brian Roberts of a base hit.