Sunday, October 5, 2014

NASBL 2015 Base Draft Order for Non-Playoff Teams

The base draft order for non-playoff teams will be:


1)  Slatington Bulldogs
2)  Troy Haymakers
3)  Georgia Roadkill
4)  Dallas Fort Worth Spurs
5)  Illinois Chow Chows
6)  Outlaw Josey Wales
7)  Pocono Chin Music
8)  Springfield Isotopes
9)  Shawnee Crows
10)  Canyon Country Cannons


Picks 11-16 will be in order of playoff exit.


Usage played a role in the draft order, as TRY narrowly edged out GRK due to 2 overusage points by GRK's Alex Wood.  In addition, SHA fell from 7th to 9th due to 70 points of overusage by various players.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Tastes Great First Round Results LCC/LVI


The Tastes Great #2 seeded Lehigh Valley IronPigs hosted the #3 seeded Lake Champlain Cannibals in the first round of the 2014 NASBL playoffs and the series proved to be an interesting contest.  

The Cannibals earned their ticket to the postseason by pounding out 861 runs in the regular season and led the league in homeruns and stolen bases.  The IronPigs path to the postseason came while riding the arms of their pitching staff.  The Pigs staff led the NASBL with a team ERA of 2.87 for the season.  This would be the classic battle of irresistible force vs the immoveable object.  Which law of physics would succumb to the pressure?  

Game 1 – Clayton Kershaw vs Clay Buchholz:  The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs nipped the Lake Champlain Cannibals 3 to 2 at The Pig Pen in a hard fought contest.  Lehigh Valley came up with 1 run in the 7th inning.  Lake Champlain out-hit Lehigh Valley 7 to 4, but Lehigh Valley ended up with more runs.  Koji Uehara(1-0) was the winner allowing no runs in 2 and 2/3 innings. Clayton Kershaw(0-1) was the losing pitcher.  He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks in 8 innings. 
IronPigs lead series 1-0

Game 2 – Shelby Miller vs Hisashi Iwakuma:  Lake Champlain came through with the game-winning runs in the top of the 8th inning plating 2 runs utilizing 2 base hits.  Troy Tulowitzki led off and he lashed a single.  Ryan Zimmerman came next and he popped a two-run clout over the fence.  Jason Kipnis dug into the batters box next, but he struck out.  Brian McCann got his chance to keep things going, but he went down on strikes.  Drew Stubbs got his turn next, but he was a strikeout victim.  Neither team was able to score until the 6th inning.  Alex Torres(1-0) went 1 inning allowing no runs for the win. Torres got relief help from Bobby Parnell who gained credit for his 1st save.  Hisashi Iwakuma(0-1) suffered the loss.  Although losing the contest, he whiffed 12 batters in 9 innings. 
Series tied 1-1

Game 3 – Steven Strasburg vs Hideki Kuroda: Lake Champlain took the lead for keeps in the bottom of the 6th inning with 2 runs on 2 hits.  After an out was recorded, Ryan Zimmerman started the attack as he doubled.  Brett Gardner came next and he drew a walk.  Carlos Quentin then drew a walk to load the bases.  Christian Yelich followed, but he was set down on strikes.  Freddie Freeman stepped into the box and ripped a base-knock.  Hanley Ramirez got his chance to keep things going, but he went down on strikes.  Lake Champlain had 11 hits for the game and Lehigh Valley had 8.  Tony Watson(1-0) went 2 innings allowing 2 runs for the win. Watson got relief help from Bobby Parnell who gained credit for his 2nd save.  Paco Rodriguez(0-1) suffered the loss in relief.  He gave up 2 hits and 2 walks in 2/3 of an inning. 
Cannibals lead series 2-1

Game 4 – Zach Greinke vs Clayton Kershaw:  Second baseman Robinson Cano blasted a homerun and had 2 RBI at Creutzfeldt-Jakob's where the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs beat the Lake Champlain Cannibals by the score of 7 to 6.  Lehigh Valley took the lead for good in the top of the 2nd inning plating one baserunner utilizing 2 base hits.  Lehigh Valley finished with 12 hits while Lake Champlain ended up with 9.  Zack Greinke(1-0) went 6 innings allowing 3 runs for the win. Greinke got help from Koji Uehara who was credited with his 1st save.  Clayton Kershaw(0-2)suffered the loss.  He was knocked around by Lehigh Valley, allowing 9 hits and 2 walks in 5 and 1/3 innings.  'I just wanted to give my team a chance to win.' said Greinke, 'I got burned on a couple of pitches. But we won the game, and that's all that matters.'
Series tied 2-2

Game 5 – Clay Buchholz vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu:  Catcher Joe Mauer went deep and had 2 RBI as the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs beat the Lake Champlain Cannibals by a score of 10 to 6.  Lehigh Valley jumped out to the early lead in the first inning as they scored 4 runs on 5 base hits.  Overall Lehigh Valley out-hit Lake Champlain 18 to 7.  The winning pitcher was Clay Buchholz(1-0) who allowed 4 runs in 7 innings.  Hyun-Jin Ryu(0-1) absorbed the loss.  He allowed 4 runs and 10 hits in 4 and 1/3 innings. 
IronPigs lead series 3-2

Game 6 – Shelby Miller vs Hisashi Iwakuma:  Second baseman Robinson Cano connected with a 'big fly' as the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs bested the Lake Champlain Cannibals in 12 innings 5 to 4 at The Pig Pen.  Both teams had scored 4 runs after nine full innings.  Finally, Lehigh Valley prevailed in the 12th inning.  Jayson Werth laced a single.  Two outs later Nick Markakis stepped up to the plate and he stroked a base-hit resulting in an exciting win for Lehigh Valley and a raucous post-game celebration by the home town fans.  Lehigh Valley out-hit Lake Champlain for the game, 17 hits to 14.  The winning pitcher was Koji Uehara(2-0) who allowed no runs in 2/3 of an inning. Hiroki Kuroda(0-1) suffered the loss in relief.  He pitched 2/3 of an inning and surrendered 2 hits and no walks.
IornPigs win series 4-2

Interesting series facts:
  • IronPigs scored 33 runs and Cannibals scored 30 runs
  • Cannibals had some bad luck with fielding, committing 7 errors in 6 games
  • Both pitching staffs pitched to a 4.5 ERA
  • IronPig batters Mesoraco and Mercer destroyed the Cannibal pitching going a combined 13 for 26 with 13 rbi and 4 runs scored
  • Cannibal batters Jason Kipnis and Brett Gardner contributed a combined 16 for 40 with 6 rbi and 4 runs scored
  • Cannibal Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw was not treated very well by the IronPig bats, sporting a line of 0-2, 5.40, with 13k in 13 ip
  • IronPig closer Koji Uehara was the MVP of the series sporting a line of 2-0, 1 sv, 5k in 4.2 ip 

Congratulations to Steve and the Cannibals on a fine young season and an extremely enjoyable, netplay series!  Next up for the IronPigs is the mighty New Potatoes. 

Friday, October 3, 2014

Pre-Playoff Doldrums

In an unexpected move, LVI GM Burns is considering joining the sellers market for the upcoming season.  He was overheard saying "In-season trades have somewhat crippled our possibilities for success for the upcoming season".

Please consider the following trade pieces for your 2015 playoff aspirations.......

Catcher Devin Mesoraco, the pride of Punxutawney PA hit .272 with 50 xbh in 440 at bats
OF Jayson Werth, 629 at bats with a solid .292 average and better than 1 xbh per 10 at bats
1B Adam Lind, half season card with nifty 354/409/533 split vsR
S Hisashi Iwakuma, 28 starts of very low WHIP
CL Koji Uehara, ho hum, another season of fantastic stats over 64 innings

Most of the other players on my roster could be had if the price was right.  Inquire within....