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Around the Bases: Week 15
The battle for 6th place comes down to four teams
By Listen DePleyohs / Baseball Tri-Weekly
With second half shaping up to be one of the best in EHCC History, we will look at one race that has gotten little press. With all the hype surrounding the top teams, four teams are going to war.
They have been involved in over 80 percent of the trades over the last month, and few have been geared toward the future. These teams, most in their first or second years, believe they can win a championship if they can grab the final playoff spot. While their ambitions may be high, their chances for success are anything but.
Who will be the team to put it all together, and will they be a threat to win it at?
Looking at the current standings:
| Golden Gryphons | |
| -3 | Tijuana Hispanics |
| -6.5 | Winston-Salem Green Monsters |
| -7.5 | Bizton Markies |
I have come to find that, mathematically, teams in pursuit of a higher position can ideally earn only three games per week over an extended period of time. While that number may vary in any given week, it would be extremely hard for a team to decrease a large deficit by more than that average.
That said, with eight weeks left all four teams have an excellent chance of earning a playoff spot. It will come down to the moves made before the trade deadline and strength of schedule.
I will break down each team as I did in the preseason, with grades based on the group contrasts and not the league.
Golden (currently 6th)
Infield: B- A capable group, but far from the top. They are currently well-balanced with quality production from each position. Utility man Pedro Feliz is one of the best multi-position players in the league and gives a huge boost to the Gryphons lineup. If oft-injured Nick Johnson can get healthy and return to form, along with Chipper Jones and Javy Lopez, their rank could easily jump to an A, but during this critical playoff push, the lack of those players may mean doom.
Outfield: A- They are old, but productive. As with their infield, injuries are a big concern. Ken Griffey has played far too many games this season without a visit to the disabled list, and Garrett Anderson has been surprisingly durable. Put them together with Scott Podsednik and the Gryphons have an excellent outfield.
Pitching: C They don't blow you away with big names, but the Golden staff is deep with mid-level starters that always put them in contention for wins and Ks.
Bullpen: B+ The grade should be higher with fantasy stud Chad Cordero and Brad Lidge, but with no other relief options it leaves them in a precarious position.
Schedule: B Schedule alternates between contenders and patsies. A good draw for the stretch run.
Tijuana Hispanics (currently 7th, 3 games back)
Infield: D Unless Mike Lowell reverts to the 2004 version, the Hispanics infield is weak. All-star Mike Piazza is still a solid catcher, but he can't carry the lack of production from 3rd and short. If Hall can continue putting up good numbers, hope may not be lost.
Outfield: B This grade is only applicable if Kelly Johnson continues producing at a high level. The trade for Burrell will be a huge boost and Torii Hunter brings a diverse group of abilities that could keep them in the playoff hunt.
Pitching: B- Like Golden, the Hispanics are deep with mid-level pitching, but the quality is a bit of an upgrade. Pitchers like Carlos Silva, Victor Zambrano and Derek Lowe bring a mature and consistent presence to a young staff.
Bullpen: B Wagner is a stud, but Jones has been a surprise. With no one else, the Hispanics are relying heavily on him to consistently deliver.
Schedule: D This week is the only week the Hispanics can breathe easy. They will face all the top teams along with Golden and Winston-Salem.
Winston-Salem Green Monsters (currently 8th, 6.5 games back)
Infield B Cantu is still a question, despite his excellent performance and Uribe is far from desirable at short. Other than that, Konerko, Chavez and Rodriguez are quality players anchoring this team.
Outfield B They get a big boost with the return of Ordonez. He, Edmonds and a slew of young outfielders make the Green Monsters a strong offensive team.
Pitching: A They don't have as many arms as some of the other teams, but top pitchers like Rogers, Myers, Lee and Radke make them the best staff in the hunt.
Bullpen: C- Baez is an All-star.
Schedule: A They have the easiest schedule down the home stretch, but their inability to win games will certainly hurt them.
Bizton Markies (currently 9th, 7.5 games back)
Infield: A Easily the top infield. They are a catcher away from being one of the best infields in the league. The acquisition of Alfonso Soriano could propel this castaway into a playoff spot.
Outfield: C- Carlos Lee is the saving grace of this team, and pulls them up from an F. The Great Canadian hope, Jason Bay, is never a good sign.
Pitching: B+ They up the ante on the Green Monsters, with Sabathia, Zito, Millwood and Pavano on the DL. While they don't have as many arms as all the others, they make up for it with studs.
Bullpen: C Wickman and Percival are not Lidge and Cordero.
Schedule: B- Starts off tough, then eases out during the stretch run. They need to stay patient and make a run in the final weeks.
Of all the teams, I like Bizton's chances the best. Recent trades have made them an incredible force among the chasing teams, and 7.5 games shouldn't be hard to recover with one of the easier schedules. They have their hands full, with a surging Golden and a dormant Winston-Salem.
Short week ball means some skewed scores. We'll see how it pans out.
Listen Depleyoh's Lock of the Week (3-2): Bizton over Golden, 8-2
| 1. | Rakeville | (+1) |
| 2. | Bridgewater | (-1) |
| 3. | Weymouth | ( - ) |
| 4. | Quebec City | ( - ) |
| 5. | Golden | ( - ) |
| 6. | Las Vegas | ( - ) |
| 7. | Bizton | (+1) |
| 8. | Tijuana | (-1) |
| 9. | Winston-Salem | ( - ) |
| 10. | Tokyo | ( - ) |
| 11. | Plymouth | ( - ) |
| 12. | Haverhill | ( - ) |
League Notes
-- For the first time in years, Vermont's tourism sector has been overloaded. Apparently, with six minor league picks from Tokyo heading to the Militiamen, hotels are full.
-- During the minor league draft, Bizton's General Manager, Biz Markie, was absent. Said later, he was "banging some ho's."
-- As a result of all the trading, a survey asked fans which GM was most likely to trade their soul to the Devil. Las Vegas's Howe Dogg won, earning 67 percent of the vote.
Listen DePleyohs writes a column for Baseball Tri-Weekly. During his recent visit to Stackerville, the recently-drafted Rockets prospect Chad Billingsly beat him in 10 straight games of darts. Apparently, he's got a good arm.
