Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Play-off picture

Well Baltimore has been in since about the All Star break. Minnesota clinched a spot about 6 games ago. Omaha Clinch with their last win. Houston is in and has pretty much put a bow on the top spot in the NL. Philly can clinch a spot with one more win. The only Division that can really be called a race is the NL North and that lead is 3 games. That is not all that easy to overcome at this point in the game but things happen. Vancouver sits 5 games back and and Sacramento does have a hard schedule ahead but up 5 with 14 to go might just be too much to overcome. The NL wild card is going to be a photo finish again this season and there are plenty of teams playing heads up that I am not going to look at all the angles yet. The AL is pretty much set other than seeding. Still waiting on Pawtown or Honolulu to decide who takes the 5 and six spot.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lets Race

A quick run down of the races around the league and my best guess on who will be there and who will be golfing.
In the AL Baltimore clinched about a month ago. They have a comfortable 43 game lead. They have an 18 game lead for the top spot so good luck with that.
All the rest of the division have 5 games between first and second place. Minnesota leads the North by 5 over a rolling Pawtucket. Minnesota has given up a cozy lead as Pawtown has played 43-17 for a .716% over their last 60 to gain ground. They still have 7 games to play against Baltimore where Minnesota is done with them for the season. They also play the team they are tied with in the Wild card, Honolulu four times plus a three game set against the Millers.
In the AL South Memphis has regained the top spot. The five game lead might be too much to over take with 9 straight games against playoff teams. If they can gain ground over the next nine games there might be a race. Memphis though does not have it any easier of harder. I would like to to go down to the wire and have that last three game set against each other matter.
In the AL West Omaha has the lead with Honolulu in trail. These two teams play each other on also the last 3 games of the season so I hope it comes down to that. Omaha is playing a hard schedule down the stretch who's opponents winning percent is about .560 while Honolulu is around .500. A difference of about 76 wins over the next 10 series.
the Wild Cards look to be about set unless Detroit can find one more run this season. Honolulu and Pawtucket share the same record and they will be playing for seating if they don't over take their divisions.
This AL shakedown leave Durham, Detroit and Scottsdale out.

If you want races you will have to look at the NL.
In the NL North Fargo holds a slim one game lead over Montreal. Five of Fargos last ten series are against teams holding a winning record. Montreal has series still to play against Houston, Philly, and the team they trail Fargo. This one could come down to the wire and it will be something to watch as the season runs low.
Philadelphia is comfy cozy up by 11 in the East. And Houston holds a strong 16 game lead in the South.
The NL west has Sacramento up by the familiar five games over Vancouver. This race really comes down to how well Vancouver plays Washington. They play The Senators seven straight times.
The real race in Kaline this season is the NL wild card. Montreal has the fifth spot there for now while they battle Fargo for the North. They lead by a passable four games. For the final spot four teams are within two games and they all play each other a few times here and there. If Washington can beat the Whitcaps in their seven straight or vice verse one team is done. El Paso seems to have a tough series on ever Horizon but if they win they will be in... maybe. LA seems to have a hard go of it the rest of the way but they do have some talented player. Oh this is going to be a great race again this season.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Player Options

With from what I can tell the upcoming Free Agent Class is looking weak at starting pitching. There are some players that might use that to decline their options.
  • Floyd Mullen has a player option and may try to cash in one more time with another max deal before he hangs them up.
  • Dennis Priest will in all likely hood accept his Option but Charleston will surely take the buy-out.
  • Mateo Granados will be old and on the streets I bet with Fargo taking the buy-out. He might find a DH job in the AL or this might be it for him.
  • Charlie Kline also has a mutual option than might not be picked up by Houston.
  • Desi Uribe might think he can do better in a starting pitcher weak free agent see and might decline his 5.6 million option from Indianapolis.
  • Ruben Saenz might think he can cash before he gets too old and too hurt to play. Omaha may also just take the buy out depending on how his ratings hold.
  • Miguel Nieves should decline his options as well because he will get a huge raise this off-season. Pawtucket will for sure accept the mutual option if he does.

So I guess I will budget for starting pitcher after all with Mullen and my Moby Dick Nieves possibly hitting the open market.