MONTREAL(AP) – The Montreal Crows made an unfortunate announcement yesterday at a press conference held at the Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal. Right-handed starter Koji Uehara will miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury. Uehara was among the league leaders in several pitching categories, and leaves a huge hole in the Crows’ rotation. In 12 starts, he compiled a 7-1 record and 2.44 ERA, and was the stingiest hurler for issuing free passes, having allowed a miniscule 6 walks in the 66 innings he pitched. The injury occurred in the 4th inning of the Crows’ last game in San Diego, a 6-2 win over the Surf.

             “Koji will surely be missed,” said manager Robert Brunet. “The way he went about his business has been a very positive influence on the staff and the team as a whole. We had just lost Armando (Galarraga, ankle) for the next few weeks after getting Brian (Bannister, thumb) back. This is a tough one. There’s no denying it.”

            Uehara will be treated in Montreal by team doctors, but intends to return to Japan until a decision is made as to when and where his rehabilitation is to take place. With Galarraga expected to be out for most of June or more, Montreal GM Doug Brunet (Robert’s son) has called up 26 year old right-hander Brandon McCarthy from AAA Saint-Louis-de-Ha! Ha! The injuries are piling up.

            Catcher Wil Nieves will join McCarthy on his trip up after Crows’ catcher Yorvit Torrealba was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to tenderness in his right shoulder.

 

 

 

 Passed Balls
C.Coste    KWR      7
R.Chavez    KWR    6
V.Martinez    PPS    6
J.Mauer    OOS       6
I.Rodriguez  BSP     5
M.Olivo    NBC      5
J.Mathis    HHC      4
O.Santos    CWS    4

Assists by First baseman
D.Lee           2009    JJC     41
K.Morales    2009    ANR   40
N.Johnson    2009    SSP     40
A.Gonzalez   2009   MER    38
T.Helton      2009    MCD    35
D.Ortiz        2009    OOS    34
A.Huff         2009    BBD    34
J.Loney       2009    LLM    32
J.Votto        2009    CCP    29

Catcher Assists
Y.Torrealba  2009    MCD  22
V.Martinez   2009    PPS     18
M.Olivo       2009    NBC    17
A.Pierzynski 2009    JJC      17
Y.Molina     2009    SLM    17
J.Kendall     2009    KBM   16
B.McCann  2009    CIP      16
R.Martin     2009    ANR    16
R.Paulino    2009    LWD    15

Pitcher Errors
J.Jurrjens    2009    SRS   4
T.Miller    2009      LLM   4
K.Davies    2009    BBD  3
M.Owings    2009  JJC    3
J.Burton    2009     JJC    3
A.Cook    2009     OOS  3
E.Jackson  2009    BSP   3
J.Beckett    2009   LLM  3
J.De La Rosa  2009  KWR 3
J.Chamberlain  2009 SSP 3

Longest Hit streaks
Span, Denard    Heaters            27
Wells, Vernon    Superbas         17
Lee, Derrek    Jackhammers      16
Phillips, Brandon    Loggers       16
Holliday, Matt    Lizard Kings    14
Aybar, Erick    Thundercats       14
Ryan, Brendan    Woodsmen     14
Gardner, Brett    ***                 13
Pierre, Juan    Jackhammers      12
Izturis, Maicer    Otters             12
Martinez, Victor    Phantastics   12
Sandoval, Pablo    Jackhammers 12
Pagan, Angel    Wendigo            12

Pinch Hits
Montreal Crows (MCD)    R.Davis  6
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)  A.Ramirez  5   2 PH HR
New Jersey Beatles (NBC) M.Bradley  5
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)    A.Escobar  5
Maine Express (MER)        A.Rowand  4
High Bridge Heaters (HHC)A.Ojeda     4
Ohio Thundercats (OTR)    A.Gordon    4

RF Assists
Montreal Crows (MCD)             J.Francoeur    7    2DPs
Brooklyn Superbas (BSP)          N.Markakis    6
Southwest Lizard Kings (SLM)   A.Ethier         4
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)           C.Hart            4     3 DPs
Bryan Bashers (KBM)               N.Swisher      3
Maine Express (MER)               A.Rowand      3
Indiana Redbirds (IRM)             H.Pence         3
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)    I.Suzuki         3
Lake County Leopards (LLM)  K.Fukudome   3
Columbus Wildcats (CWS)  W.Balentien         3
Sunville Sunjewels (SSP)    J.Gomes                3
Belfast Brawlers (BBD)      A.Rios                   3
Sunville Sunjewels (SSP)    J.Willingham          3

  CF Assists Double Plays  Triple PLays
Stirling Redsox (SRS)            J.Ellsbury             8    0    0
New Jersey Beatles (NBC)    D.Dejesus           8    0    0
Belfast Brawlers (BBD)         N.McLouth          7    2    0
Maine Express (MER)           A.Jones               6    1    0
Southwest Lizard Kings (SLM)  M.Kemp         6    1    0
Bryan Bashers (KBM)              M.Byrd            5    1    0
Carolina Copperheads (CCP)    J.Werth           5    0    0
Cooperstown Iron Horses (CIP) F.Gutierrez     4    0    0
High Bridge Heaters (HHC)        T.Gwynn Jr     4    0    0
Lake County Leopards (LLM)    C.Ross           4    0    0
Ottawa Otters (OOS)                 A.McCutchen  4    0    0
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)     T.Hunter         3    0    0
Brooklyn Superbas (BSP)          V.Wells           3    0    0
Sunville Sunjewels (SSP)            C.Gonzalez      3    0    0
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)           M.Bourn           3    1    0
Kennesaw Mtn Woodsmen (KWR)  J.Borbon    3    0    0
Limoilou Wendigo (LWD)         A.Pagan                3    0    0
KennesawWoodsmen (KWR)   M.Cameron   3    1    0
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)    N.Morgan    3    0    0

LF Assists
High Bridge Heaters (HHC)        D.Span         5
Stirling Redsox (SRS)                 C.Crawford  4
Bryan Bashers (KBM)                J.Bay           3
Cooperstown Iron Horses (CIP) R.Ibanez      3
Ottawa Otters (OOS)                L.Nix            3
Maine Express (MER)               B.Upton        3

Leadoff Hitters  Hits leaders with their OPS
High Bridge Heaters (HHC)        D.Span     70    .908
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)     I.Suzuki    51    .764
San Diego Surf (SSC)                D.Wright    48    .857
Belfast Brawlers (BBD)             C.Figgins    48    .699
Carolina Copperheads (CCP)    M.Scutaro  47   .652
Brooklyn Superbas (BSP)          V.Wells      46    .813
Ohio Thundercats (OTR)           B.Roberts   45    .756
Maine Express (MER)               B.Upton     43    .669
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)          M.Bourn     41    .702
Limoilou Wendigo (LWD)         J.Bartlett     41    .929
Montreal Crows (MCD)           R.Davis       40    .973
Indiana Redbirds (IRM)            A.Cabrera   39    .559
Southwest Lizard Kings (SLM)  J.Damon    38    .810
Ottawa Otters (OOS)               M.Izturis     37    .738
Bryan Bashers (KBM)              L.Overbay  36    .910
Stirling Redsox (SRS)               J.Ellsbury    36    .602
Lake County Leopards (LLM)  K.Fukudome 34    .823
Sunville Sunjewels (SSP)          A.Kennedy  34  .699
Philly Phantastics (PPS)             B.Abreu      30  .905
Philly Phantastics (PPS)             D.Jeter        26    .976
Allentown Senators (ANR)        A.Gonzalez 25    .971
Kennesaw Mtn Woodsmen (KWR)  J.Borbon  25    .704

#2 Hitters, Hits
Ohio Thundercats (OTR)                       E.Aybar       47
Limoilou Wendigo (LWD)                     F.Lopez       45
High Bridge Heaters (HHC)                   L.Castillo     41
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)                      A.Pierzynski  40
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)               R.Theriot      40
San Diego Surf (SSC)                           S.Victorino   39
Kennesaw Mtn Woodsmen (KWR)      B.Ryan         38
Brooklyn Superbas (BSP)                    N.Markakis   34
Carolina Copperheads (CCP)              J.Hermida      34
Stirling Redsox (SRS)                          D.Pedroia      33
Ottawa Otters (OOS)                          J.Upton         31
Allentown Senators (ANR)                  M.Prado       31
Philly Phantastics (PPS)                       D.Jeter          31
Southwest Lizard Kings (SLM)            M.Kemp       31

HR's #8 in batting order
Carolina Copperheads (CCP)           I.Kinsler    .844    7
Philly Phantastics (PPS)                    R.Branyan    .671    6
Ohio Thundercats (OTR)                  J.Buck    1.327    6
New Jersey Beatles (NBC)               M.Fontenot    .866    5
Indiana Redbirds (IRM)                    H.Pence    .716    4
Joliet Jackhammers (JJC)                   L.Valbuena    .728    4
Montreal Crows (MCD)                    R.Castro    1.257    4
San Diego Surf (SSC)                       C.Pennington    .898    3
Maine Express (MER)                       J.Saltalamacchia    .840    3
Limoilou Wendigo (LWD)                 J.Bartlett    1.303    3
Bryan Bashers (KBM)                      M.Ellis    .801    3
Ottawa Otters (OOS)                       S.Drew    .794    3
Longue Pointe Loggers (LLD)           J.Varitek    .666    3

Quality Starts
C.Carpenter  CCP    R    8
R.Porcello     HHC    R    8
J.Shields        ANR    R    7
T.Lincecum    LLD    R    7
K.Correia      SSP    R    7
J.Beckett       LLM    R    7
C.Sabathia     LLD    L    7
J.Jurrjens        SRS    R    7
J.Lester          CIP     L    6
J.Danks           KWR L    6
J.Vazquez        CIP    R    6
M.Buehrle       SRS    L    6
R.Ohlendorf    CWS   R    6
J.Santana         CCP   L    6
J.Washburn      LWD  L    6
J.Johnson         CCP   R    6
M.Cain            SLM    R   6
J.Blanton         KBM    R   6
T.Lilly             SLM    L    6
B.Arroyo        SRS     R    6
C.Kershaw     LWD    L    6
F.Hernandez    SSC    R    6

 

 

 

 

First month, put it in the books.  Version 15.0-19 or whatever its up to now. Patch 15.02A, and still Netplay , cant get it right.  Mike Koepp and I have a running joke preseason about how many patches they'll need each year.  We're up to 3 now.

You must exit the game completely after playing a full game, else you stay logged into the chat lobby and your 'port' stays open (tech talk) soooo. Shutdown the game, relaunch into the lobby AND change the Room name you use.  Many times the game won't connect
Important, Do not alter the game files in any way for any reason for CM or netplay, else you will get structure errors upon import. 
 
Surprised we havent seen more trades since opening day.  Generally the wires are buzzing as GM's prep[are for the fight, and to arm their team for the season.  Usually its hard to tell in April how a season will go, but GM's start to have a feel for what their teams can do. Patterns emerge, and dont ever forget the hot hand.  It seems in Strat that as much as a probabilty based system it seems, the odd players outform the stars often.  Good CM technique comes into play all the time.  How many times have we seen the Jay Johnstone Award go to those less than stellar performers?  Platooners win games in CBA.   So does bench management which Longue Pt proves again and again in the stretch.
So how do we figure
Montreal? 9 over .500?  Uerhara  5-1 0.85 ?  How do we pronounce his name?  Better learn fast that card is a good one.  Scott Feldman is at 2.02, Bannister is pitching well, Galarraga too.  The bullpen aside from Rodney is shaky.  But look at Will Venable.  Nice numbers.  Montreal could slip back as their players usage is a main reason why they are bangin now.  Enjoy while they can, because Limoilou and LP do have the depth.  The Crows will need some offense INF Ab's to come in if they are to stay around.  Dont expect Longue POint to stay down long.  This team is well balanced, and primed to be consistant all year.  They dont have that 1 slugger that year after year can put them over.  Could Matsui be out at 1B in the Quebec Amusement Park of the Trees?
San Diego is doing some damage.  The quiet Surf may not be as strong as 2009, but they have good offense, and good pitching.  Losing Manny half the year will hurt.  Dye is not what he was, and Young well not bad.  SD should be there in the end, but they may be vunerable as usage takes away the big bat. 
Allentown 16-15.  Playing well. Shileds carrying the staff 5-0 already.  Was Cy Young in 2008.  Wilson, Farnsworth, Mk Lowe and Thurston Howell make an impressive pen.....Great core with H Ramirez, R Martin, Prado, Kendry, C Gomez.  Allentown is on the verge of being a very solid good team....Brooklyn has seen Markakis on fire andon base.  He's among league leaders and is hitting atop their order.  With Howard, Braun, and Cabrera slugging, Brooklyn will score runs.  So will their opponents...Philly has a team.  Hite again proves his mettle with another winner...Jeter, Utley, Vic Martinez, Abreu, all hitting. Verlander and Greinke both winning 5 games.  Lirianao a hard luck guy 1-1.  Rest of the staff, shaky....Bryan, just when you thought this franchise could turn the corner, bad performances befall the MLB players and bad cards too.  The lovable Bashers seem to be an odd year even year team.  They have yet to break into the first round of playoffs...This team should start to hit.  Too good not to.  Jason Bay at .217?  Wont last long. The pitching should get better too....Light must be ready to fire his field manager....Lake County on hard times block 6.  Those bats havent woke yet.  No doubt they should.  Its a long season.....Cooperstown hitting with power.  49 HR's .  The .466 slug is misleading, should be higher.  Where are the hits, doubles? 51 is  low, and 3 triples.  Could be a pattern...Longue Pt losing, but 2nd in the league in hitting?  Where is it wrong? 8th in pitching after many seasons at #1 or 2.  Missing Zambrano? Probably not as Brandon Phillips is off fast   2 HR 20 RBI 7sb .289.  B Wilson, M Stetter, and R Ortiz have been a total disaster destroying LP's chances of wins.  Rest of staff appears OK......Nellum and McGee team is having a playoff type year.  What a job Nellum has done with McGee's team to get some life injected.  Mike Young is splendid.  Just wanted to say that word.  8 HR 21 RBI.  Lastings Milledge looks like Bake McBride, but his clutch hits have helped.  Butler is looking more like a Middle order hitter. Shin Choo again is very strong.  Could he be the most under rated player in Schmidt?  Pedroia should come on soon....
Despite the garbage offense, the
New Hampshire pitching staff is among the best in CBA right now.  Good bullpen...High Bridges Denard Span, last years Rookie of year runner up is leading all CBA in batting.  Witha 24 game hitting streak, Span is the Heaters all star....Could Carolina be the beast in Clemente?  Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?  I guess.  I see balance, power, some OBA, and good pitching.  Brooklyn, Indy, SWest, Philly, Striling watch out for this sleeper...Limoilou's Prince Fielder 9 HR 31 RBI, an MVP candidate? Or Josh Bartlett   7  20 .366 with speed.. Watch out for him in that lineup...Nick Johnson hitting .333 for Sunville.  Gomes has 7 HR, but is at .217.  Keving Correia has 1-3  3.01 ERA...Derosa and Aybar helping out Ohio another Staub contender.....Kenan wants revenge on Longue Pt after their 1st rd exit.  Go to the archives or 2009 playoff page to see the news photos of their huge first rd series from rd 1.

 

The Staub division is known for great pennant races.  Last year’s race for the wildcard between Skokie and Belfast resulted in a game 163 won by the Brawlers leading to their first playoff appearance in a couple of seasons.  For The Wolfman Shapiro it was his final CBA hurrah retiring from CBA in what could be a hall of fame career of winning tradition.   Of course the Brawlers, Longue Pointe, and Limoilou fought toth and nail for the Dawson crown.  The races have been legendary.  Now in 2009, Ohio Thundercats led by Glenn Kenan became players.  They took the Rogers division by 1 game making it to the round 1 playoffs the first time. It was there they face eventual Staub champions Longue Pointe.  San Diego took another big step becoming a dominant team and winning the most in CBA with 109 wins within CBA’s top 5 all time.  Brooklyn won 108 as well.  SD could well be developing the dynasty in Carter. 

 

The Rogers was an intringuind division. They all finished Ohio 86-76  Maine 85-77  Allentown 79-83, Kennesaw Mtn 78-84.  Each team having a good year despite what appears to be decent records.  A few wins within the division either way and the whole scenario would have been upside down.  Ohio turned out the class of the division with good pitching, offensive balance  and some good performances.  Their numbers don’t stand out in comparison to CBA, but remember Staub is a pitching and defense conference.  Ohio hit a very respectable 163 HR’s. 717 RBI.  Stole only 52 bases and defense was shaky with 127 errors.  So how did they win?  Solid pitching.  A team 4.07 ERA despite the .703 X rating for the team which is well below league best.  ERA could have been better so the team WHIP was slightly higher than could have been.  The pen combined for a .285 IRSC which is very good. Limiting the runs scored helped greatly. The batting was average with a ,335 team OBA and .423 slug.  Not up there with the Clemente powerhouses, but it helped. Kubel had a big bat really boosting the offense as teams ‘pitched around’ Texeira who hit only 26 HR 88 RBI’s.  Not a lot of people on in front of him.  Role players like Boggs, and Fernando Tatis had strong years off the bench to supply punch. It all counts.  A great front rotation of Edinson Volquez and Rick3 Nolasco dominated the opposition E.Volquez  3.08 17-7  R.Nolasco 2.51 14-8, both with great numbers to go along. A pen by committee featuring Craig Breslow, Trever Miller, Chris Perez, Steve Shields, Circus Vargas and others were solid.  A great year for Ohio and 2010 could be even better.

 

Maine just barely missed.  They ran into some usage issues and folded at season end. .268   144 HR 722 RBI’s.  That .268 was a pretty good average in the Staub Conference.  Remember you can’t compare the two leagues as they have different goals and personalities.The power was adequate.  Low cost high yield players for Maine.  Adrian Gonzlaez is approaching his prime had a  32HR  101 RBI  .301 year. Uggla paced the way and had a tremendous MVP like .295 34 HR 103 RBI year.  His value was about as much as any team player though the stats less gaudy.  Uggla kept the Express in the race. Just as Aubrey Huff led the Brawlers despite the lesser stats than others.  Its comparative.  Uggla and Huff were absolutely MVP contenders maybe even more.  Jorge Cantu had a good year 19 HR 91 RBI  .279 in a pitchers conference.Barmes stepped into oplatoon to hit 9 HR 44 RBI  .308.  BJ Upton led CBA with 71 SB with only a .258 BA. 

Excellent pitching from K. Lohse 3.13 13-6, and J. Bergmann 3.96 11-6.  Bobby Jenks was outstanding saving 25 with a 2.05 ERA.  Just as bad were Z. Duke  5.24  11-11, J. Saunders   4.06  5-14.  and  I.Snell 6.16  7-12.  Iwamura has 12 PH’s and hit .309 part time.  Perhaps Maine’s success vs R .276, helped them rise above some others.  A team .276 BA vs R and overall .340 OBA helped somewhat.  Though .409 slg was bad.  The defense killed them   .676 X rating was too much for the good pitching and great hitting to overcome in the end.  Errors killed them in big game spots and in big series like Next to last week getting swept by Ohio.  The final 2 or 3 of the season went into extra innings and it may have been the difference in playoffs and pretenders.

 

 

Allentown had another average year showing signs of breaking through then slumping just as they reached playoff contention. As late as August 18th-19th they were just 2 games back of first place only to drop a series to Montreal the spoiler.  Again they came within 3 as late as Sept 2nd after the Joliet series, but along came the LP Loggers who swept them out of the picture.  Perhaps it was usage concerns, but the Dawsons did in the Senators.  For a good stretch early on, they held first place until 1st week in May.

Weak hitting hurt against the tougher pitching.  Little power hurt but they had still some Staubesque good all around play at times.  Chris Gomez had a good year hitting  .258 10 HR  62 RBI, 58 SB, 35/42 sac’s from leadoff.  Jeff Kent upon retirement closed out his CBA HOF career with 13 more HR and 72 RBI.  Will he wear Senators uniform on his page?  Russ Martin was as more than solid a backstop as in CBA  10 HR  73 RBI  34 SB!  He was the teams MVP.   Hanley Ramirez hit .249 with his unbalanced card and 21 HR.  2010 will be different.  Delgado was added midway, and in only 370 AB hit a big 22 HR to bring A Town back to contention, till LP pitching stopped the Senator bats completely.  Martin Prado was CBA’s best PH 19 hits in 54 PH AB.   The offense aside from Delgado failed miserably.  A .321 OBA with .376 slug detracted from a team that had the necessary variables to win CBA games. 118 Iso Power really low.  They stole 204 bases, including 3rd 33 times & they bunted well79% success on bunts. PH hit .291,   71 for 244. 

 

Kennesaw Mountain had a powerful year clobbering 185 round trippers.  They did only hit .239 vs Righties which ultimately doomed them. They only hit .233 in the clutch. Teams loaded righties on them, because lefties hit a more respectable .258.  They didn’t steal too much, just average 75 sb 25 cs.  Mike Cameron was the typical.  He hit 22 HRs, but batted .239.  A microcosm of the offense.  Ian Kinsler did damage 18 HR  65 RBI  .324 He was clearly affected by being pitched around.  He was issued a CBA high 25 Int Walks.  No lineup protection.  Edwin Encarnacion  .254 25 HR, 86 RBI .254 most damage vs Lefty.  Ryan Braun was so 1 sided that he hit only .242 26 HR 65 RBI..  It was this goofus performance that crippled the James Blake who did all he could to build a winner.  How could Braun hit so poorly?  He was dealt away to Brooklyn after season after receiving a 5 in LF.  He was so terrible in the filed in ’09 that his X rating .327  showed that in only 49 chances he got 16 outs.  So he hurt at the glove too. Pitching was better.  The starting staff was solid despite the lack of team defense .688 X rating.  

Card Billingsley, 3.56 10-10and Scott Olsen 3.37 11-8 led the way with respectable numbers keeping them in many games.  John Danks and Hirsohi Kuroda threw well despite their records. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Monday division is looking to create it’s own legacy.  The new division started in 1997 but was retired after only 1 CBA season.  The intial teams were.

Monday Division

Cory Light’s Kilgore Bashers upgraded their facilities in Bryan Texas, Southwest is back in So Cal and better than ever under General Lindner.  Though Indiana can trace its roots back to the old Sunville Sunjewels, they are here and made it to the Championship on the wildcard. Lake County, Dave Jones team can be traced back to the Vancouver Storm, who later became HOF’er Dino Barnabe’s powerhouse St Foy Frenchies. Well any talk of Monday starts with the division winner Southwest Lizard kings. A fanatastic regular season punctuated by a bitter playoff loss.  Again the same fate befell almost all our division winners, lone exception the Staub Champion LP Loggers.  The team takes on the personality, and the winning positive attitude of CBA’s true legend Eric Lindner.  No question when he came back to us, CBA took a step apart from others.  His spirit and trading has put the Lizard Kings atop the CBA’s elite.  96-66 record winning Monday for the first time.  Matt Cain was a gain.  He went 20-8  3.74  179 K’s.  The other Matt, Holliday was a pain 32 HR 111 RBI .304 BA.  The team played better .642 on the road than at home which is surprising playing at Morrison Memorial. A .359 OBA and .472 slug is good.  But in Clemente noted for slugging teams, like Indy, Philly, Brooklyn, this team used some good balance and good pitching to win.  Keep in mind a 4.39 ERA in Clemente’s DH league is very good.  Soria proved worth the expense compiling 32 saves.  The rotation was solid.  Cliff Lee 16-7  3.66 ERA, Dave Bush 14-11, Jeremy Arlo Guthrie 12-6.  Perhaps The best of all relievers was the Cory Wade with CBA leading 19 holds and superb job keeping Southwest in the game. Good defense .76% X rating.  Southwest had its share of stars in the lineup.  Adam Laroche hit 35 HR’s 88 RBI, Melving Mora  .304 21 HR, Johnstone candidate Nomar Garciaparra slugged 15 HR 46 RBI’s .299 in  only 157 AB’s, not PH. Team had speed too.  122 SB on the season.  Southwest had a season, a darn good one.

Indiana’s story is well documented.  Bob Fidler’s team had nailed their 3rd crown. They won in an improbable 1 game playoff vs Jon Stamets and Cooperstown.  The lineup the team, it was strong on paper, it was balanced.  It was losing.  What to do.  Some GM knows how to pick its team up and get ‘em going, and Fidler is proven one of them. With a flick of his wrist, he throws in the towel and achieves another milestone.  A toss here and there and with cunning and skill Fidler has taken all CBA to task.  He’s taken on some of the best and beaten them. Not only CM’s but Netplay too.  Often behind in the series he’s played at some point.  He pulls out a Redsox story and sweeps away to another win….After some linen hurling.  The season started slowly and then momentum gained. The Redbirds were in 4th place in April, but still 3rd place in mid May, then the wins started to come in as the lineups changed and threats were made to personnel and employee. Maybe it was Pujols putting the team on his back carrying a final .394 66 Hr 151 RBI season .  He couldn’t so it alone. Josh Hamilton hit 47 HR 137 RBI .315, and A Roid hit 45 HR 117 RBI .312 with 13 SB.  Reyes had 705 At bats .275 21 HR 70 RBI 12 threebagers from leadoff spot, and stole 66 bases CS 9 times.  Sizemore hit 34 HR 104 RBI.  The team batted .284 and hit a whopping 287 HR to go with 945 runs.  A .354 OBA and .498 Slug were excellent and good to win in an impressive 95-68 season.  The only offense negative could be the abnormally high 1013 K’s.  That’s way too high to be completely efficient and produce even more runs. 

The pitching was adequate despite the seemingly high ERA 4.76.  For Clemente that’s decentThey gave up a lot of hits, but Indiana managed to out hit most of ‘em. Oswalt slipped some to 14-6 3.56 off his previous Cy Young CBA season. Lucious Hochevar surprised going 11-4 3.77 and winning a big playoff game vs Brooklyn.  Jon Garland, failed miserably with a 6.04 ERA last year despite 11-10 record.  Indy will need better P than that next season.  A team .303 IRSC is ok, though not top shelf,  Its average. Sheets was a disappointment going 7-11 5+ ERA.  The staff was plagued with blown saves. B Wags saved 23 also more was expected.  2010 will be a dogfight for Fidler and Indiana as the others in Monday have stepped up too.  No reason to expect Indiana to slip too much in 2010.  Fidler will find a way.

Lake County is another elite CBA franchise. Dae has taken this franchise and made them a consistent contender. Always ready to compete.  93-69 a superior record in this expansion year.  They beat up on the putrid Westminster Kernals and the building Sunville SunJewels.  A total of 22-2 against the newbies meant a shot at playoffs.  That’s the game though beating who your supposed to. In Monday, they had a winning record against all the teams including the Lizard kings. Lakers had trouble with everyone else though.  They did beat Cooperstown and Ottawa, but the struggles elsewhere held them back. As though they were designed to play in Monday alone. This team was led by the X man, oft injured Xavier Nady and his pet’s. 31 HR 108 RBI .338 should merit some MVP votes. Catcher Giovanni Soto had a 31 95 .286 year, and Carlos Delgado was sensational in his brief time in Lake County.  A  team not blessed with great power need contributions from everyone.  Mike Jacobs hit 28 Hr’s, and Garrett Atkins added another 21 at 3B.  The other role players like Fucudome, Fontenot, Spillborghs, Church, Blum , L Castillo all contributed in the effective platoon.  A team .346 OBA with a .458 slug isn’t enough to be at the top in Clemente, but the pitching is what made the Leopards run..

5 starters over 11 wins.  Led by ace Junior Vasquez 17-6 3.50 ERA with 199 K’s

the others Derek Lowe was 13-12, Beckett 13-6 3.81, Cueto 11-10, and Parra 11-8.  J Papelbon only saved 15, and was shaky in the little time he was used. Funny how he stunk in other leagues Ive seen him too.  What gives there?  If you can’t count on him then who can you count one?  Perhaps LC would have had a few more wins and a playoff without Pimplebun’s break down. A .794 X rating % was very very good and contributed to the excellent 4.01 ERA.  A .280 IRSC was also pretty good. If you can keep you’re opponents to only 4.46 runs per game in Clemente, you will win more than your share which the Leopards did. Perhaps a key reason Lake did score more was the low BA and OBA of the top 2 linep table setters who hit only in the .260’s for 2009 season.

 

Bryan took a step back in 2009 after a great season in 2008.  The pitching just wasn’t there. The offense wasn’t there.  So what does veteran GM go and do about it?  He goes and gets slugger Jason Bay in a huge off season acquisition with Kennesaw Mountain.  Jason Kendall also comes with his bat and arm to the Bashers.  Burrell’s tail off to .226 26 HR 92 RBI’s cost this team.  Inge dived down to .216 and 5 HR’s after a spectacular 2008.  Although they hit 194 HR’s and spread power throughout the lineup, the on base and hits weren’t there to compete.  The pitching well, a disaster 4.94 ERA.  Good seasons for Ty Wigginton who .278 28 HR 68 RBI.  Not enough runners to take home with homers.  Luke Scott gone in Bay deal, added 25 dingers. The team MVP may have been Lyle Overbays’ .316 17 HR 86 RBI’s.  A lack of speed clogged the basepaths, only 42 SB’s and 20 CS.  Runners couldn’t roll home. 772 runs is average, but 885 allowed is deadly unless you have top gun offense. Bryan is no doubt looking ahead after a very strong draft and good off season. 4 solid starters are among Clemente’s best with Wolf, Blanton, Wanda Rodriguez, and Gaving Floyd.  A decent lineup with some good cards and maybe another puzzle piece in the pen and lineup, and playoffs could be in reach once again.

 

There aces were hot. 

Parkers beast is the 2003-2004 Clemente champions Brooklyn Syuperbas.  Year after year they are the team to beat.  Teams gear up for them when they come to Brooklyn’s Prospect park grounds called The “House Of Pain”.  The hits are more frequent, and the Brooklyn air contributes to power.  The team is built to specification for that field.  The players come and go.  This year Hall of Fame 1B Todd Helton was dispatch starting a myriad of Brooklyn trades as the Superbas began to build for tomorrow.  Players in and out.  Along with Helton, Long time 2B Brandon Phillips, last years RF Magliulo Ordonez, HOF candidates Omar Vizquel, Mike Timlin, RP set up Dan Wheeler, Andy Laroche.  In their place. Nickt Markakis, Ryan Braun, Carlos Zambrano, David Price. The future mortgaged.  Brooklyn had to make moves to compete with the powerful teams in Cooperstown, Indiana, Philly, Carolina, Lake County, and Ottawa. No one can stand idle in Clemente, the competition is that fierce.  Brooklyn is no lock for a division title in 2010.  But in 2009, they were.  In fact they may have been Brooklyn’s best team ever. Year after year of 95+ wins, but 2009 was special 108-54 record their best.  Only SD had 109 wins.  Both are among the CBA’s all time wins per season leaders. 

Start with the slugging.  The new dynamic duo rests the crown from Papi-Vlad. Howard Cabrera.  Destruction and total avg.  For Cabrera 44 HR (5th overall), 136 RBI’s (5th overall), .308 .953 tot.  Howard 8.87 rc/27, 1.021 prod  60 HR (2nd overall), 155 RBI (1st overall), .292 BA.  Maglioulo Ordonez chipped in 21 HR 104RBI, 4th in CBA with a .339 BA.  Vermon Wells 24 HR 68 RBI, .354.  Punto stole 35 .322 BA in 336 AB’s.  B Phillip[s 24 HR 80RBI 24sb.  Blake 27HR, 85 RBI .278.  Doumit hit 24 HR .316 average, Giles 13 HR 77 RBI .316.  The bench was awesome with Furcal playing vs L only, platooned 9 HR 38 RBI 15sb .432ba as a sub.  The offense was legendary in CBA. Finishing with a near record .307 ba with 275 HR 1048 runs.  .369 OBA  .525 slugging for the Superbas. the latter a CBA record. It should be noted that Brooklyn hit 44 triples, and stole 114 bases.  Speed helped.

There wasn’t much other teams could do except hope the bats didn’t hit.  The lineup stacked with no easy outs.The defense wasn’t  good .708 X rating. League average is .712.  League Leader Indiana had .802 league low Ottawa .591.

So did Brooklyn defense help the pitching?  Not at all  The offense couldn’t keep the opposition from scoring runs, likely a defensive glitch, but the pitching did a respectable job with a 4.30 era in a bandbox park. With better defense maybe 112 wins could have been reached.  Came back to haunt them in the playoffs when defense crushed them in late innings...A .302 IRSC the pen was fair. Brooklyn stayed strong all year but couldn’t defeat Indiana in the playoffs. Their dice luck ran out, and they shockingly stopped hitting.  Another disapperntment for the lovable Superba nuts in Americas 4th largest city.

Cooperstown had a great year in 2009.  They won 94 times. 14 ½ behind Brooklyn. They made it to a game 163 playoff vs eventual champion Indiana, another longball team.  First time in many years. This team typical of Parker and Clemente big power. 215 HR. Nine double digit HR guys led by Morneau 35 HR 128 RBI .318  He was so valuable to his team carrying the team to that 163.  Johnny Peralta hit 27 HR 107 RBI .290, Ibanez his standard 28 HR 108 RBI .299 season.  Jose Lopez had a great year hitting .324 18 HR 79 RBI.  Burrrisss stole 19 bases. Jack Kemp hit 24 HR 90 .280 33sb and only 1 CS.  A CBA single season SB % record with .971.  He did however K 141 times.  A team .351 OBA was their best in years along with a great .484 slug. .835 production is also very strong. They threw base stealers ot 75%, Stole 81 bases  So why not more wins?  Pitching…It all went wrong.

Well almost. Cy Young candidate Carlos Marmol was dominant and necessary.  He save 43 games from a poor pitching staff.  That he figured in 45% of his teams wins was no accident.  He was good. No one else was.  The pen allowed 40% of their inherited runners score.  Compared with league leading Carolina’s 22%. Staff ace was 14-8 but a 4.94 ERA.  Lot more losses could be avoided.  Jon Stamets has went to work right away with flurries of trades to get all the pieces together for  a Parker run.  He has traded a lot of picks, players, and gotten different players and picks returned.  Wild off season for this franchise. They should be an Iron Horse in 2010.

In most years Carolina’s 88 wins would compete more closely for a wildcard which they did, until swept away vs Cooperstown and Brooklyn in the last week and a half of the season.  They finished with 5 more wins, but it wasn’t enough,  Carolina and their signature bullpen couldn’t hold out.  In fact Carolina may had taken a WC had Brooklyn not dominated them in September sweeping two series.  A good team home and away, the pen was the story.  The Cardiac Copperheads won 10 games of 13 in extras. The team largely did better than actual performances save Tejada who hit only .265, and Zimmerman who at 3B hit .276.  But you know what that will be in 2010 with Zimm becoming elite.  A good .351 OBA with .478 slug is enough to win, but in Clemente? Parker? Carolina is looking to build some trading Brian Roberts to the powerful Ohio team in Staub.  239 HR,  892 runs, .282 BA, 121 SB.

Both Ludwick and Werth had good seasons.  Ludwick 40 HR 107 RBI, .290 BA 1.018 Tot.  A great season. Several over 20 HR’s including Jason Werth 26 HR 77 RBI .314, 21sb, 1.033 tot.

A Dunn had a low 28 HR .251, Votto 23 HR 75 RBI .299 BA, B Roberts 10 HR 49 RBI 63sb, Benjamin Molina .296 23 HR 90 RBI, DeRosa 22 HR 83 RBI .288,   overall 12 guys double digit HR’s.  Parker = Power.

The Carolina pitching was good 4.39 ERA led by Johann Santana who was 20-9 3.86  222 K’s. Harang won 13 more but a 5.49 ERA.  Ollie Perez was tossed.  11-11, 6.39 ERA.  Marcum acquired the previous winter from Brooklyn went 11-9  3.60 ERA.  The pen was strong.  Great pen management  Ohman was in 92 games only 43 innings.  How’s that for super HAL efficiency?  Ohman, Valverde, Bray, Gregg, Nelson, Street, Scott Kenan knew what he was talking about when he tried to install a world class pen last winter.  It almost won a playoff spot for him.

Woeful expansion team or shining ray of light.  What and where is Sunville?  Keith Jones’ team the SunJewels.  Is it the Jimmy Buffett they play at night games and Margaritas they serve liberally at games to keep ‘em at the park?  Is it the Buffet table spread before gametime? Is it Warren Buffet’s attendance at home weekend games dancing “Bootay Meat” with the SunJewel cheerleaders.  What will bring fans to Sunville?  Is the team playing in Phlorida or New Mexico…The mystery of the SunJewels…They now own the top pick in CBA’s draft.  Anyone they want is theirs.  It took ‘em a loaded trawler of candidates to meet usage and get to the finish line.  Which they absolutely did unlike Harley Bryan (Bryan Harley?) Don Leo Kernal’s  Westminster Albatrosses.  Jones guaranteed, and delivered. In the meantime the offense was futile.  The pitching worse  6.36 team ERA.  Perhaps CBA’s worst team ever? 36-126, close the Harley Davidson Kernal’s finished barely 29-133.  Worse.  1426 Inn pitched 1870 hits allowed.  Only 145 HR’s.  No one more than Marcust Thames 18. No players stood out.  No one particularly good.  Note Rod Barajas 10 HR 36 RBI .273. Jose Bautista 18 HR 40 RBI .218BA.  Nick Blackburn 10-15 4.35 for a team that won 36 games.  Troye Percival saved 8 big games.  Greg Maddux was acquired for usage, and closed out his illustrious CBA HOF career with a 4-13 record unbefitting a diamond king.   A .724 X rating was actually better than some teams in contention, kudos. A first year team, Sunville is looking for sunnier days.  Jones has just started rest assured.  He is ready to land some big fish in the draft pool.  Better times are coming for the SunJewels franchise…Feb 28th could be Sunville’s biggest day ever.

Schmidt Division has more big power teams.  The perennial Philly Phantastics are one.  They won 105 games. Now the league win totals have inflated some because of the expansion.  But Philly was good enough anyway.  Rob Hite just knows Strat-o-matic baseball.  He knows the draft, he knows how to just win.  They mauled the division with a 27 game edge over Ottawa in 2nd.  The offense deadly .294 269 HR scoring a CBA high 1,026 runs. Good defense, some speed 81 sb comparatively Belfast swiped 240.  This year Philly had excellent pitching.  In their HR laden ballpark, the PPS tossed a 4.05 era salad at opponents.  They only sacrificed 20 times.  .704 def X rating is not too good, but it didn’t hurt them too much.  Funny how it goes, but it may have stopped Philly from being THE dominant CBA team.  Philly used the H & R just enough and stay out of double plays.   Extremely clutch, PPS took advantage of opportunities with the infield in. When pitchers were tired a few more hits to win games later innings.  9 20+ HR hitters.  Key hitters Carlos Lee hit .340 29 HR 98 RBI, Evan Longoria 33 105 .335. Abreu 22 110 .275  24SB.  Utley 28 118 .317.  Hard to say who the team MVP was when it was all such a total team effort.  This may have been PPS best chance to win.  Cy Young candidate Cole Hamels was as good as it gets 22-7  3.09 227 K’s.  For a team in a HR hitters paradise, these are awesome numbers.  Verlander and Greinke chipped in with 15 wins each.  Randy Johnson in his Swan song added 14 more wins to his CBA leading total.  He now has 231.  The staff will be very strong again in 2010 as Health Bell will likely close and the Greinke express hits South st for some Jimmy’s Steaks before game time, then down Oregon to Tony Luke’s after the game.  As fate would have it, the biggest CBA teams took the hardest falls.  Hite’s Phantastics will like Skokie, Brooklyn, Southwest, and San Diego be forgotten like Tennessee Tazmanians were back in late 90’s.

The Ottawa Otters season started off promisingly as they were in first place as late as May 21st before dropping back some.  The turning point came when Stirling swept 4 games from them.  Two series later the CBA’s worst ever Westminster Pidgeons took a pair in a3 game. From there it was all inconsistent with win streaks not sustaining, and Phlly getting adjusted and hot.  At that point usage may have contributed to the slide as well.  A disappointing season after a playoff appearance, the Otters got a subpar performance from the injured ace who went 11-13  3.20.  Not Cy Young numbers.  Aaron Cook was better at 15-12  3.84 ERA.  Two more stats on the rosters decline was more hurtful  that of CBA HOF candidates Vlad G and Papi Ortiz.  The CBA’s prolific duo slumped at the plate.  Guerrero slid down to 27 HR 94 RBI .272.  Papi Ortiz 26 HR 57RBI .252.  Not enough to drive the offense who managed only a .253 team BA despite 206 dingers.  Joe Mauer was basically an all star with 15 83 .310.   Jack Cust did what he usually does 33 HR 103 RBI .233 .371 OBA  109 BB’s.  But he struck out 211 times a CBA record.  Ottawa hit .252 vs L .253 vs R. Team had a .770 OPS.  They also did hit 52 triples. But only 26 Sb, likely by accident.  A large number.  A classic Clemente power team.  Make no mistake that Ottawa is on the rise.  A solid young team, with dynamic young players.  Jack Jung the honred veteran championship manager has drafted some valuable players and groomed good talent.  In 2009 the defense let down the pitching an all time low X rating as mentioned before .591.  The OF made flyball a total adventure.  The Otter fans complained of neck injuries from watching the ball being shot back through the alleys.  The bench was a minus PH hit .227 They hit 111 homers at home but  fewer, 95 on the road.  The pitchers allowed a very high .286 batting average, while the relievers allowed the unners to score upon their entering the game at a .366 clip.  36% of which how much was defense?  Had the defense been better the staff likely would have produced more wins.

Stirling is a franchise with an owner and a GM tandem.  There is the franchise owner the semi retired Wayne McGee.  He is an original member and friend of ours. The Stirling franchise is without question a historic one. Dealer Wayne (or is it Trader, or is that Rob H?) One of CBA colorful GM’s.  His press releases, quips, trade bulletins, friendship, sense of humor, sense of whats best for CBA, makes him a surefire CBA hall of famer.

Wayne stays active, but defers to the man who has rebuilt the talent base of this franchise. Malachi Nellum.  Malachi is a CBA veteran who was the original owner of the Alamo City franchise.  He returned to us a GM two seasons ago content to be Stirling’s GM, even turning down opportunities to own a franchise.  He has built up some players of there. Another below 77-85  a .500 record Stirling has only been in 1 playoff in their existence. A team with .274 176 HR 768 Runs struggles in Clemente, unless the pitching is outstanding or they have speed and defense. Stirling had some very playoff worthy offensive stars.  Carlos Pena had a sensational year 39 HR 101 RBI .296.  Pedroia was great again  19HR  89RBI .321 10sb.  Ellsbury stole 65 hittin .290 and should get even better.  Crawford was well Crawford…Of note Jerry Mather hit 14 HR 36 RBI in 134 AB’s. Shin Soo Choo hit 19 86 .348 in 264 AB’s.  Stilring could glove. .786 X rating was very good.  But they will need to improve on the .339 team OBA & .437 slug.  The 4.98 staff ERA could have been a lot worse without the defense.

Westminster? Forget about it. 

 

 

 

The draft will be held in the CBA chat room.  I expect we will do 3 rounds beginning 12 noon eastern 9am Pacific Sunday Feb 28th.   Those unable to attend will be required to submit a list to a responsible GM to proxy.  I will not be able to draft for you, nor is it advisable to let HAL do yer pickin'.  Your list should be comprehensive.
The Chat room requires Java which almost everyone has by now, so upgrade your browsers and test the room.  We will allow up to 2 minutes before league allows next draftee to make selection.  It is important all be prepared ahead of time.  Trades should never stall the draft clock.  Complete them before selecting, no quarter. 
If the draft board is incorrect it must be corrected predraft.  Once the clock starts, that board is official win, lose, or draw. 

Should a player be re selected or ineligible for drafting, it is solely that GM's responsibilty.  They may reselect, when they can.  We will not back up the draft.
Should you be knocked off line, call your pal and have them select, its on you.  We do encourage direct chat between GM's either on the chatroom or by phone with each other.  CBA is a family.


The list of FA's is online, but there could be omissions and errors. Be forewarned.  Some players may or may not be there, its a guideline only not official. 

Check your trades and draft charts.  With the passing of my father, I may have missed an item or two.

Stadium changes are in and no more stadiums can be selected.  Those who are on Committee mail list with stadium choices are official now.  I must have stadium choices from NJ and Atlanta ASAP.
This must be selected immediately before the LaManna comes out Thursday.

Reminders: No 2011 picks can be traded until the first selection of the draft is officially announced by league.  You may announce at that time...certainly you can agree in principal before then. 

Atlanta and NJ may not trade their 1,2,3 picks this year only.  Both are probationary franchises. 

The draft is always a blast.  One of my favorite parts of the season.  The banter is great and as long as we get guys in their and not bitching about each other.  We never had it, and I wont tolerate it publically on chat or list.  You can kiss the league goodbye if you make it a habit.  Just keep it all in fun and good judgement and we'll be lovin every minute of this draft.  It promises to be very interesting this year.  Alot of deals went down. Lots of different players will have increased value this year.  If you look at the economics of it, teams will need to be very usage conscious.  This will have an effect on the drafting habits of many teams to get usage controlled, not relying on 2 RFA's or trades that may never happen to get thru the 100% usage and roster limits.  The draft will therefore be stronger than you may think.  Smaller players will have impact now, and teams with good reserves may fare better than superstar type teams. (LP anyone?)

You may draft a minor league. Un carded players may be retained year to year so plan ahead. 
Remember that first and foremost in CBA is that you make every attempt to win your games.  Its given in our league.  Its encouraged and some feel we owe it to each other to put our best teams out there on the field.  Its been said that respect among GM's is earned when you are a competitive GM who fights and plays to win.  Certainly last year, I commend a few guys who did their best even sacrificing there high pick (highest) to give you their best.  We salute John Miller, We salute Doug Brunet our two expansioneers who sacrificed their future, to put rostered players usage into the games despite dropping their draft positions.  They drafted for usage slowing their building.  CBA couldnt ask for better character.   Keith Jones despite the record also did his best to manage his usage, though had to rely on allotted RFA's heavily.  We commend his efforts.  We unfortunately must mention the legend of the Westminster Pelicans franchise who flew the coop and crashed down to the sea like Icarus in a typhoon.   They were unprepared and had a proxy drafter.  Trades werent made and usage was a mighty issue, with little talent to trade, CBA had to take over the franchise and set extended RFA's in a 1 time league directive.  The termination was swift, and the franchise became a walk over which inflated some teams winning percetages.  It also made for our best pennant chase ever......
 Lets mention a few other GM's who refused to tank and gave us all good competition (name of the game here) There were Jack Frost and Jack Jung.  Frost fought it till the end.  Jack Jung put 'em forward as best he could too.  We salute you Blake-O. You dint quit.  We salute Rich Schneider and Wayne McGee/Malachi Nellum.  You fellas are what its all about.  We saw how you did your best.  Jeff Boutet, came back in the 2nd half to be a factor and never tanked. I cant make out this one though.  We actually had a guy publically throw in the towel only to win his 3rd championship in 4 years.  So quittin never pays right Fid?  Heck Bob knows.  He never really quit and he won.  CBA doesn't quit.  With Fidler's championship belts, its been suggested that we all publically throw in towel each year at mid season in a ritual to bring good luck to those who do...........nah.

Wass

 

 


It's stunning....Staub has not had a winner in the Finals since well, 2005 and Dennis Concepcion's Longue Pointe team won it all.  The reigning champ Fidler is back.  He is CBA's best, back for 3rd time in 4 years.  Concepcion, a playoff perrenial, didn't make it last year to the playoffs, but sure has the year in grand style.  He swept the extraordinary San Diego Surf team.  Both Indiana and LP were underdogs to two of CBA's greatest teams of all time.  Both Conference teams beat the giant teams to help advance.  Now they meet.  Indiana just plain outslugs you, Longue Pointe just keeps you off the bases and runners from moving....Two contrasting Strat philosophies will square off.  The games should be well attended just to see what the next CBA STrategy trend will be....Will it be good pitching with lots of K's and defense.  A team that hit and runs you to death and steals at will? or will it be the ARoid, Pujols, Hamilton, Pence, Sizemore, reyes show?

For LP it was all pitching and unlikely heros.  For Indy Pence, Sizemore and ARod. Lets look and see who they are...

Indiana was originally the expansion Houston Aeros, a last place team that was extremely fortunate to have won the 1st over expansion pick when 4 teams were broken up.  ARod was originally on the Chris Boutin led Quebec Capitales.  He was the first expoansion pick in 2003 by Chris Thomas' Houston club.  He then drafted Albert Pujols with the first regular draft pick that year.  There was the nucleus.  Jose Reyes came over in a trade 3 seasons ago from San Diego, while OSwalt was an orinal draftee.  Last year, Indiana acquired B. Wagner, C. Ruiz, K. Griffey, Jr in a major trade with Southwest for A. Ethier, Indiana's #1(09), #4(09), #5(09), #6(09).   They got Loney from Kennesaw as well at about the same time for a #2 and Mientkiewicz.  They got J Garland from Kennesaw as well in 2008.  Posada came in July of 2007 for D Riske, Kaz Matsui and a 2,6 pick. Polanco came in from Philly for Brad Hawpe.  Many good trades and some not as good.  But always looking to improve. Indy traded picks, acquired, shuffled, drafted and built.  Looking out of the picture in themid season they staged one of CBA's remarkable comebacks winning 41-17 to gain a last day wildcard, and now back in the finals after Fidler threw in the "Towel".

Longue POinte has made a few trades mostly has built through drafting.  The team, unlike 2005 is mostly of Concepcion's design.  He drafts for bench reserve and defense.  He drafts for talent, he drafts for good cards, he drafts to win with balance.  He drafts strikeout artists, he drafts well.  He acquired great draft pieces starting when he took guys like Richie Sexson at the end of rd 1 in 2005. Jason Varitek came in 2006 for Jason Kendall.  05 WS hero Torii Hunter came in 2005 for AJ Burnett and a #1.  Dennis moved guys like Nomar Garciaparra a longue time favorite in Quebec, bringing in players like Aramis Ramirez, drafted some like pen guys CJ Wilson, Balfour, Marte, Seanez, Kiko Calero, Brain Fuentes, and even drafted more guys for the staff and who got outs, K's and stopped runners from moving.  But Concepcion has thrived in the draft.  After raising some eyebrows, whose wondering now? He drafted a minor league pick like Tim Lincecum in rd 1.  He took Hideki Matsui in rd 1 too.  Ryan Dempster another.  He took Ryan Theriot in a later round. LP is well known for super sub scrubs.  Each year he has his overachieving mutant cards. In 2005, it was Brian Jordan hitting .400.  This year its Cliff Floyd, and Lou Montanez, otherwise guys like Gabe Gross, Kotchmann, Iguchi, new heros with small names.  Remember Miracle Mirabelli?

Its gonna be a Jailbreak...Who will attend?

  Parker Divison recap..

 

Parkers beast is the 2003-2004 Clemente champions Brooklyn Superbas.  Year after year they are the team to beat.  Teams gear up for them when they come to Brooklyn's Prospect park grounds called The "House Of Pain".  The hits are more frequent, and the Brooklyn air contributes to power.  The team is built to specification for that field.  The playerscome and go.  This year Hall of Fame 1B Todd Helton was dispatch starting a myriad of Brooklyn trades as the Superbas began to build for tomorrow.  Players in and out. Along with Helton, Long time 2B Brandon Phillips, last years RF Magliulo Ordonez, HOF candidates Omar Vizquel, Mike Timlin, RP set up Dan Wheeler,Andy Laroche.  In their place. Nickt Markakis, Ryan Braun, Carlos Zambrano, David Price. The future mortgaged.  Brooklyn had to make moves to compete with the powerful teams in Cooperstown, Indiana, Philly, Carolina, Lake County, and Ottawa. No one can stand idle in Clemente, the competition is that fierce.  Brooklyn is no lock for a division title in 2010.  But in 2009, they were.  In fact they may have been Brooklyn's best team ever. Year after year of 95+ wins, but 2009 was special 108-54 record their best.  Only SD had 109 wins.  Both are among the CBA's all time wins per season leaders. 

Start with the slugging.  The new dynamic duo rests the crown from Papi-Vlad. Howard Cabrera.  Destruction and total avg.  For Cabrera 44 HR (5th overall), 136 RBI's (5th overall), .308 .953 tot.  Howard 8.87 rc/27, 1.021 prod  60 HR (2nd overall), 155 RBI (1st overall), .292 BA.  Maglioulo Ordonez chipped in 21 HR 104RBI, 4th in CBA with a .339 BA.  Vermon Wells 24 HR 68 RBI, .354.  Punto stole 35 .322 BA in 336 AB's.  B Phillip[s 24 HR 80RBI 24sb.  Blake 27HR, 85 RBI .278.  Doumit hit 24 HR .316 average, Giles 13 HR 77 RBI .316.  The bench was awesome with Furcal playing vs L only, platooned 9 HR 38 RBI 15sb .432ba as a sub.  The offense was legendary in CBA. Finishing with a near record .307 ba with 275 HR 1048 runs.  .369 OBA  .525 slugging for the Superbas. the latter a CBA record. It should be noted that Brooklyn hit 44 triples, and stole 114 bases.  Speed helped.

 

 There wasn't much other teams could do except hope the bats didn't hit.  The lineup stacked with no easy outs.The defense wasn't  good .708 X rating. League average is .712.  League Leader Indiana had .802 league low Ottawa .591.

So did Brooklyn defense help the pitching?  Not at all  The offense couldn't keep the opposition from scoring runs, likely a defensive glitch, but the pitching did a respectable job with a 4.30 era in a bandbox park. With better defense maybe 112 wins could have been reached.  Came back to haunt them in the playoffs when defense crushed them in late innings...A .302 IRSC the pen was fair. Brooklyn stayed strong all year but couldn't defeat Indiana in the playoffs. Their dice luck ran out, and they shockingly stopped hitting.  Another disapperntment for the lovable Superba nuts in Americas 4th largest city.

 

Cooperstown had a great year in 2009.  They won 94 times. 14 ½ behind Brooklyn. They made it to a game 163 playoff vs eventual champion Indiana, another longball team.  First time in many years. This team typical of Parker and Clemente big power. 215 HR. Nine double digit HR guys led by Morneau 35 HR 128 RBI .318  He was so valuable to his team carrying the team to that 163.  Johnny Peralta hit 27 HR 107 RBI .290, Ibanez his standard 28 HR 108 RBI .299 season.  Jose Lopez had a great year hitting .324 18 HR 79 RBI.  Burrrisss stole 19 bases. Jack Kemp hit 24 HR 90 .280 33sb and only 1 CS.  A CBA single season SB % record with .971.  He did however K 141 times.  A team .351 OBA was their best in years along with a great .484 slug. .835 production is also very strong. They threw base stealers ot 75%, Stole 81 bases  So why not more wins?  Pitching…It all went wrong.

 

Well almost. Cy Young candidate Carlos Marmol was dominant and necessary.  He save 43 games from a poor pitching staff.  That he figured in 45% of his teams wins was no accident.  He was good. No one else was.  The pen allowed 40% of their inherited runners score.  Compared with league leading Carolina’s 22%. Staff ace was 14-8 but a 4.94 ERA.  Lot more losses could be avoided.  Jon Stamets has went to work right away with flurries of trades to get all the pieces together for  a Parker run.  He has traded a lot of picks, players, and gotten different players and picks returned.  Wild off season for this franchise. They should be an Iron Horse in 2010.

 

In most years Carolina’s 88 wins would compete more closely for a wildcard which they did, until swept away vs Cooperstown and Brooklyn in the last week and a half of the season.  They finished with 5 more wins, but it wasn’t enough,  Carolina and their signature bullpen couldn’t hold out.  In fact Carolina may had taken a WC had Brooklyn not dominated them in September sweeping two series.  A good team home and away, the pen was the story.  The Cardiac Copperheads won 10 games of 13 in extras. The team largely did better than actual performances save Tejada who hit only .265, and Zimmerman who at 3B hit .276.  But you know what that will be in 2010 with Zimm becoming elite.  A good .351 OBA with .478 slug is enough to win, but in Clemente? Parker? Carolina is looking to build some trading Brian Roberts to the powerful Ohio team in Staub.  239 HR,  892 runs, .282 BA, 121 SB.

Both Ludwick and Werth had good seasons.  Ludwick 40 HR 107 RBI, .290 BA 1.018 Tot.  A great season. Several over 20 HR’s including Jason Werth 26 HR 77 RBI .314, 21sb, 1.033 tot.

A Dunn had a low 28 HR .251, Votto 23 HR 75 RBI .299 BA, B Roberts 10 HR 49 RBI 63sb, Benjamin Molina .296 23 HR 90 RBI, DeRosa 22 HR 83 RBI .288,   overall 12 guys double digit HR’s.  Parker = Power.

The Carolina pitching was good 4.39 ERA led by Johann Santana who was 20-9 3.86  222 K’s. Harang won 13 more but a 5.49 ERA.  Ollie Perez was tossed.  11-11, 6.39 ERA.  Marcum acquired the previous winter from Brooklyn went 11-9  3.60 ERA.  The pen was strong.  Great pen management  Ohman was in 92 games only 43 innings.  How’s that for super HAL efficiency?  Ohman, Valverde, Bray, Gregg, Nelson, Street, Scott Kenan knew what he was talking about when he tried to install a world class pen last winter.  It almost won a playoff spot for him.

 

Woeful expansion team or shining ray of light.  What and where is Sunville?  Keith Jones’ team the SunJewels.  Is it the Jimmy Buffett they play at night games and Margaritas they serve liberally at games to keep ‘em at the park?  Is it the Buffet table spread before gametime? Is it Warren Buffet’s attendance at home weekend games dancing “Bootay Meat” with the SunJewel cheerleaders.  What will bring fans to Sunville?  Is the team playing in Phlorida or New Mexico…The mystery of the SunJewels…They now own the top pick in CBA’s draft.  Anyone they want is theirs.  It took ‘em a loaded trawler of candidiates to meet usage and get to the finish line.  Which they absolutely did unlike Harley Bryan (Bryan Harley?) Don Leo Kernal’s  Westminter Albatrosses.  Jones guaranteed, and delivered. In the meantime the offense was futile.  The pitching worse  6.36 team ERA.  Perhaps CBA’s worst team ever? 36-126, close the Harley Davidson Kernal’s finished barely 29-133.  Worse.  1426 Inn pitched 1870 hits allowed.  Only 145 HR’s.  No one more than Marcust Thames 18. No players stood out.  No one particularly good.  Note Rod Barajas 10 HR 36 RBI .273. Jose Bautista 18 HR 40 RBI .218BA.  Nick Blackburn 10-15 4.35 for a team that won 36 games.  Troye Percival saved 8 big games.  Greg Maddux was acquired for usage, and closed out his illustrious CBA HOF career with a 4-13 record unbefitting a diamond king.   A .724 X rating was actually better than some teams in contention, kudos. A first year team, Sunville is looking for sunnier days.  Jones has just started rest assured.  He is ready to land some big fish in the draft pool.  Better times are coming for the Leisure King franchise…Feb 28th could be Sunville’s biggest day ever.

 


From Southwest Sun Lizard's Home territory came this release

@AP Newswire Date: Oct. 14, 2009 

LOCAL INVESTIGATORS SEEK ANSWERS!   

Arcane wording discovered scrawled upon a napkin in local steak house outside
Indiana's Ballpark has raised concerns that a killer may be on the loose.  It reads:

In the mighty halls of the CBA
there are only two things of certainty,
The future's uncertain, and THE END is always near!

Wow, I'm sick of doubt
Live in the light of certain
South side
Cruel bindings.

The Redbirds have the power
Dog-men and their mean women
Pulling poor
blankets

over
Our players

I'm sick of dour faces
Staring at me from the executive
Suites, i want roses in
My
bullpen bower; dig?

Royal doubles, hard hit singles
Must now replace aborted
Strangers in the mud
These mutants, blood-meal
For the pitcher that's plowed.

They are waiting to take us into
The severed garden
Do you know how pale and wanton thrillful
Comes death on a strange hour
Unannounced, unplanned for
Like a scaring over-friendly guest you've
Brought to bed

Defeat makes angels of us all
And gives us wings
Where we had shoulders
Smooth as raven's
Claws

No more
money, no more fancy uniforms
This other kingdom seems by far the best
Until it's other jaw reveals incest
And loose obedience to a REDBIRD law.

I will not go
Prefer a feast of
friends
A lie she cried
Spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a marble slab

 

To the giant REDBIRD she spoke

I will not go, I will not go
Have I not wandered your streets of yellow haze?
And pitchers come and go
Speaking of Joe DiMaggio

I have measured out my life
In balls, strikes and cheap hot dogs
Am I not Lazarus raised from the dead?
Come back to tell you
To tell you all

THE END


Local officials and police detectives are puzzled by the cryptic verbiage and its meaning.  Rumors that the much awaited contest between the Lizard Kings and the Rebirds will be tomorrow night at
5pm Pacific/8pm EST may be related to the arcane scriblings.  Rob Fidler is reportedly suffering from massive migranes in anticipation of the bloody series and has been cleared of any ill-doings.  However, maverick owner, Eric Lindner, has been heavily sedated and locked securely in a local sanitarium after being found in a darken alley with steak sauce smeared all over his vomit covered t-shirt.

The end is most certainly near for one of these vaunted warriors of the CBA.

Report filed by Bernard Shakey
Minister of Propaganda and Ticket Sales

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Fantastic week...All we could have asked.  Heading into the final block the races have clarified.  The losers are heading home and the strongest and best survive.  This week, Allentown, Kennesaw, Limoilou, have all been practically eliminated though not mathematically.  In Staub That leaves the Dawson decided in an epic 4 game series that all will be watching between Longue Pointe and Belfast.  It has been them all season long, as Limoilou held on till the end.  Dennis Concepcion and JD Adams will play with LP just a gmae back of the Brawlers.  The LP's have been throwing shutouts with a great staff and 1's all over the field.  Great defense has masked a suspect offense led by 10 man Johnstone award candidate Cliff "pink" Floyd of all cards...

Skokie is in the wildcard basically 4 games over LP.  Glen Kenan's Ohio has never made the lpayoffs.  Not even as Bodega Bay.  Could this year be the franchises first ever?   The Thundercats are only 2 back of Mike Koepp's Maine Express.  Maine's Adrian Gonzalez and The Uggla at 2B, lead the offense.  SanDiego is having the best year in their history.  Wallace will be formidable in the playoffs.  They have last years 7 game playoff loss to avenge.

Clemente has Philly slugging 3,  20 runs games this week.  Brooklyn had the seasons first no hitter.  Its the franchises first as well.  John Lannan Brooklyn's 1st rd draft pick throws one vs Sunville.  Box below.  Howard and Cabrera each have over 40 HR.  Howard 56 of 'em, chasing Sammy Sosa's team record of 63.  He just passed Todd Helton's 55 of 2001.  The race is for wildcard which Dave Jones (got it right) Lake County Leopards is 1 game behind both Cooperstown with GM Jon Stamets, and Indiana and last years champion Bob Fidler.  What a race.....Netplay could be the thing this week!


 

Sept 20th 2009

The season end is at hand.  Its destiny or skill.  Its luck or probability.  Its torturous or strategous.  Usage conservation or damn the torpedoes...  Who will win?  Who are the players?

 

The 2009 CBA elite are....

Marc Wass.  Yours truly is having a renaissance season with 104 wins so far.  The 2003 WS finalist and 2004 champion Superbas have been in the playoffs each year since 2003.  They were in a few more before that.  Big games elude Superbas who are driving to become two time champs ala Rob Hite, Jeff Boutet, Bob Fidler.  Been playing Strat since 1977, Superbas are always a team known for offense and power.  Brooklyn signature is perrenial leadership in major offensive categories. Lots of stealing and Power, teams are tailored for Coors field dimensions. 

 

Joe Wallace:  Plays hard in playoffs.  Knows the game and numbers well.  Is out to beat the Staub Division and nothing less than a World Series Appearance will due for the CBA's 7 year veteran.  Wallace has built his team from the ground up and is contending the past 3 seasons.  Could this be the year he breaks through?

 

JD Adams: The usage czar knows his role, and his team.  With the luck of the Irish, and the use of excellent strategies in lineup making, the Belfast Brawlers again play to maximum potential.  They dont have Limoilou's star power, Longue Tongue's pitching and defense, nor the power of  Clemente's brooklyn or Philly, but they do all the little things, like steal, pitch, clutch.  Huff has been a blessing and though others have better numbers he may be the true MVP based on his value to a team thats contending.  52 doubles 23 HR  113 RBI on a non slugging team that steals tons.  Adams has suffered CBA heart break a few times in the past.  1 game playoff losses. Early rd 1 exits, just barely not making the cut.  JD is hungry and ferocious.  Every swing counts for this competititor.

 

"Wolfman" Shapiro.   The Skokie, Holland, Atlanta, crystal master.  Moved right in and rebuilt the Wolfmen into powerhouse.  This team is becoming a CBA legend having been there in the thick of the playoffs each season since 2006 I believe.  The Wolfman is known around the world for his skill.  Its on display here in CBA and again he's primed for another shot at the coveted CBA World Series title.  The Strat community watches our website and posts and our playoffs are watched by the veteran league watchers online.  SOM players always look for the advantages, sometimes from other leagues that they can apply to their own methods.  Wolfman's web pages get quite a few hits.  He wants them to read about a Wolfmen World Championship.  Thats his goal solely.  He nows the rules and how to work within them.  he is reliable and efficient.  Most of all, he knows the game and the cards.  To beat him in the Netplayoffs is to beat a legend.  Bob Fidler did so.  Wolfman may not be done with him...

Dennis Concepcion: The man behind the CBA graphics.  Staub President, and creator of the Loggers team.  DC is one GM that can't be ruled out because he finds a way to beat you.  He has a knack for finding variables other than slugging.  He relies heavily on platoon system and defense.  He has sported teams with 4+ ones on offense.  He is known for his small ball game like the one he used to ride such cards as "Miracle Mirabelli", Brian Jordan, and Todd Jones into big moments.  He also studies his opponents and plays for the long run.  The LP signature is their strong bench, and fantastic pitching staff.  He prefers strikeout pitchers, and good hit and run men. Concepcion is unconventional but effective year in and year out.  He is also an avid baseball uniform and stadium historical enthusiast. 

Rob Hite:  CBA legend. Multi year champion.  Just like Brooklyn in leading CBA in offense and power categories.  Owns several CBA records.  Hite is on executive committee, and is an original member.  Perhaps one of CBA most prolific traders, Hite is one of the sharpest draft and Stratball minds you'll ever meet.  Has keen sense of talent and is ever tough in head to head competition.  Rob Hite is a future CBA Hall of famer.  He has the championships to back it.

Glenn Kenan:  First year for playoffs? A CBA 4 year man.  The Ohio team has improved each year.  Kenan has traded and drafted himself into a winning team.  In a tough conference where teams knock each other around, Ohio is on the cusp of team history should they overcome Maine.  Kenan has forged a team that could be the underdog surprise of the CBA season.  The little engine who could?

Mike Koepp: Mr Mike to you.  Maine is in the 2nd year of playoff hunt.  His last playoff was marred by some questionable circumstances, but experience was gained.  Koepp is fighting hard.  The competitor in Koepp has worked very hard to get this franchise atop Rogers division.  He wont relent now, & is ready to beat you.

Dave Jones:  Jones has been around the block in CBA. The Leopards are his team.  He built them and is likely to make noise this year if they get into the playoffs.  Dave always has his team playing tough.  Never an easy win, The Leopards gives all Clemente fits.  They play well against Philly, SW, and Brooklyn.   Jones seems to make trades that keep him in the thick of things.

Eric Lindner:  1 game shy of Southwest's 1998 best franchise win total.  Lindner also knows the cards and the game.  Loves to compete.  Loves to win.  Plays well and plays fair.  Lindner is fun to play against...Its all fun and sht until you realize he's beating you.  Knows how to shoot down his oponents with Strat skill.  He is the Lizard King and wants to do anything.  Plays in Morrison Stadium.  Doors fan obviously, and true artist painter.

Jon Stamets: Has made a seamless transition into CBA to take over Cooperstown.  His GM skills will be on display as he takes a good team and has been making them play with efficiency.  This weeks series vs Carolina was classic.  Knows how to manage, and could be this years X factor as Allentown's Rich Schneider was back in 2004.

 


 

Usage Post:

Batters may only start games during a block if they have 12 or more PA left for the season, but they can be on your roster (available as bench players) as long as they have at least 1 PA left for the season.  If the batter meets these requirements, then you are not access a penalty if the player get overused during that block, but you must deactivate him for the next block to avoid penalties.

 

Starting Pitchers can start one game during a block if they have at least 4IP left for the season.  It has been noted that we need to specify how many IP a pitcher must have to start two games during a block, but that is unclear at this time.  If the starting pitcher meets this requirement before the block, no penalty will be accessed for over usage obtained during that block. However, if overused, you must deactivate the pitcher before the next block

 

Relief pitchers must have at least 3IP left before the block.  If they meet this requirement and get overused during the block, no penalty will be accessed, but the pitcher must be deactivated before the next block if they have less than 3ip left for the season (or are overused) to avoid penalties.

 

Starters/Relievers are evaluated as if the are a starter (may only start if 4ip or more) and a reliever (may only be activated if they have 3ip or more).

 

So, as long as you check out the Usage Display (from Statistics->Team Statistics), after every block, you should be able to quickly determine who can must be deactivated now, who is getting close and who must be bench players only.  If you do this and still go over a few PA/IP, then you are not penalized at all.

 

For example, Mark Ellis from my team has been used 1 PA more than his card allows.  However, once he got under 12PA, I took him off all of my starting lineups, and then once he went over, I deactivated him for the rest of the season, so no infraction/warning was issued.  I can also tell that Burrell can't be in a starting line up, since he only has 2PA left, so he's on the bench now.

 

for my pitchers, I can see that Randy Wolf has 4IP left, so can start one game this last block, while Gavin Floyd has only 3ip left and can only relieve (he can't start, and has a 0 relief rating, but I kept him on the roster just in case he was the last option left in a long game...)

 

(there are others on my roster that either must be bench players


August 21st 2009

The races come alive.  Theres separation at the top.  Philly is having a season for the ages 24 games up in Schmidt.  Amazing! Phantastic.  It's time to recognize Rob Hite for his accomplishments in CBA.  We could also celebrate Jeff Boutet who has brough Limoilou back into the Dawson race once again, a 3 way dance.  Limoilou has won 3 titles and was perhaps CBA's most dominant team from Staub....  Rob Hite is among the top elite in CBA history with his championships and dominance of his division nearly every season.  This year may be his best since winning a CBA record 120 in 2000.  Your teams career stats are now in the team notebooks in your game itself.  Each year's won lost is recorded.... Marc Wasserman, yours truly has asserted control in the Parker division with perhaps more title wins than any other franchise in CBA history.  BSP has been to the finals in 2003 losing to Limoilou and Boutet, winning it all in 2004, and nearly three peating being stopped short in 2005. Bob Fidler joins, Boutet and Hite as multiple World Champions.....  The Skokie Wolfman has been dominant since emerging in 2005 with Montreal as a contender, and eventual World Championship contender.  Could he finally win the elusive big one?  He will have to fend off perhaps CBA best team in San Diego....  Veteran Joe Wallaces team is perhaps less known, but feared. This team is the favorite to win. Wallace has bowed in very tough playoff series in 07, 08, but 09 could be his year.  The Wolfman is arming against his rival by acquiring Ben Sheets for the playoffs.....  The other race is intriguing in Staub.....  Its the battle for the Rogers.  Not yet a high profile league like Dawson whose races are legendary, but this is the year Rogers look like the black and blue great south & midwest division.  Maine is now battling Glen Kenan's Ohio Thundercats.  We don't hear much about them, but they're making news in 2009. At or near the top, they have a great shot at securing a division title, which would be their first.  Their team legacy, Minnesota, then  AJ Cusimano's Wantagh Woods started the ball rolling for the Ohio franchise. And now Glen's Strat building plan has them in contention.  Mike Koepp's Maine has slowed somewhat but remain dangerous.  Kennesaw is just lurking 2 games out.  Blake will no doubt pull out all the stops to steal a title.  His prediction for his teams rise in 2009, may yet come true.  Westminster now has Tom Stephens taking over its economy with new measures and new hope.  He will see this franchise on to batter days.  With talent being cut away to maintain usage and statisticakl integrity, Tom will be allowed to trim to 20 this year.  He may add the extra 5 in the Supplemental.  He will be allowed 2 minor league picks this season.  If you recall, Kernal missed the draft so this year his top picks concerned with usage more than prospect development. His RFA allotment is fufilled so Tom will do his best to manage the lineup usage , and hopefully some competition for perhaps CBA's sorriest ever franchise.  Westminster (WPS) will no doubt finish with the least amount of wins of all time. Lets see if Stephens toughest ever Strat challenge could take him from the beginning to a championship.....  Eric Lindner has been too quiet. Seems when he loses, then the creative and intriguing world of the Lizard kings come out.  The resident CBA poet, personality, and original CBA member has led this years Morrison's to a shing lead in the renewed Monday division.  He may have to fend off an on rushing Bod Fidler who has Indy on the rise or David Dean whose Lake County is steadily a playoff contender.  Will Dean & Fidler knock the Lindner off his Sun rock in Moreno Valley California? The stats dont tell the story here.  The best management does. As we all know, anything could happen in the playoffs, just look at the WC 2005 Longue Pointe team who beat the mighty Wendigo and then Philly who were dominant teams.  Davey slew Goliath so to speak...Belfast and LP are dogfighting in Dawson with Boutet's Limoilou team.  The Quebec dominated division is being made complicated by good performances from the better than expected crows. Just as High Bridge is spoiling the party, Montreal has been too. They took a series from contenders Allentown last week, and Ohio this week....Allentown is only 3 back.  Rich Schneider's club is hovering at .500 and thus the Rogers lead. Whoever gets hot now, could take that spot because Skokie looks like they will take the one wild card.  Its winner take all in Dawson and Rogers...Indy's Pujols is challenging for a triple crown.  His BA up to .391, he leads Ryan Howard of Brooklyn in HR's by 54 to 50, but trails Howard in RBI's 127 to 121. The Prince of Fielder is sandwiched between them, er, statistically. By the way what country designated Fielder a Prince?  And please someone tell me what is a Boof?....Magglio Ordonez, Howard, Casey Blake and Miguel Cabrera lighting up Parker for Brooklyn.  They lead CBA with a .310 BA in Coors with 230 HR's...Brooklyn's bats are legendary in CBA.

Look at the CBA' s all time franchise leaders by winning pct


Team                      Wins Loss    Runs Runs against
Brooklyn         1203 876 13053 11378
Limoilou          1168 912 10817 9603
Longue Pointe 1156 924 10075 9093
Philly              1144 938 12408 11048


August 10th 2009

Out of Montreal:

Jay Payton announces his retirement: “It was a great ride. As I was already considering retirement after the season, I let the folks here in Montreal have the opportunity to have a look at another player before the end of the season. It’s unfortunate that the injury will prevent me from helping this new franchise for the remainder of the season. On a positive note, I’ve been offered the chance to stay on in a coaching capacity. I’m really going to consider it. My best years were spent in Brooklyn and I have very fond memories playing there, but I was glad to have the chance to help a young franchise. I think things here in Montreal are pretty solid.”

August 19th 2009
Skokie acquires RFA(1) B Duckworth release Saroman Torres
SD acquires M Redmond RFA(1)
High Bridge Releases G Jenkins, Acquires RFA(3)
E Bonifacio

August 16th 2009
Acquired Travis Metcalf as RFA(1), released Bill Bray.

Aug 12th 2009
Released- Chacon, Gonzalez, Isringhausen, W. Wright, Mendoza
Acquired RFAs- Bartolo Colon, TJ Beam, Scott Eyre, Matt Tolbert, Alex


 

 

Belfast has trimmed LP's lead to 2 in Dawson as LP bench couldn't hold off their opposition this time. Looks like they must win their division with SD and Skokie with better records in Staub. Westminster finally won a game, but Joliet now has a CBA record 21 game losing streak as the Jacks prepare for 2010. Limoilou is red hot and only 4 out now in Dawson.  Could it be another 3 way dance?  Boutet's team could be a player.  Maine and Ohio are dogfighting in Rogers.  That division is all bunched up.  It could be anyones to win. Could Ohio be worst to first?  Montreal has a good lineup this year.  The addition of Todd Helton CBA future HOFer, Joe Crede, Jody Gerut, Keppinger are quite a tough opponent not to be taken for the Montreal Uehara's.  SD 's lead has been trimmed all the way down by the Skokie Skunk'ems who are redhot.    Again the Wolfman proves to bequite a CBA manager.  Could the future hold HOF enshrinement?  A championship or two may help the cause.

In Clem, Brooklyn is having a terrific season loaded with offense.  Ryan Howard is on an MVP tear and  is now 2nd (by 1) in HR and RBI.  HIS BA is up over .285.  Both Brian Giles, Ryan Doumit, and Miguel Cabrera have been on fire.  Cabrera zipping right up into the leaders categories.  Both Carolina and Cooperstown are neck and neck in the wildcard.  Its been a great year for both teams.  Cooperstown could finish with their best season ever.  Both are tough as nails.  Speaking of nails, It looks like Super GM Rob Hite's Philly team is all but ran away with the Schmidt.  18 games, that division is nearly wrapped up.  Another classic powerhouse team loaded with offense.  As their pitching improved so did their winning pct.

High Bridge is just so tough for an expansion team. They are a spoiler.  Miller is a good GM who can squeeze blood from rocks.  What has happened to Ottawa and Stirling?  IS it too late for them?  Lake County making a run along with Carolina.  They too are right in the wild card playoff hunt...