Maple Year III - Month #4 Review

Maple continued their improvement with a solid 18-8 W/L record in July!  Their final 4 games of the month saw them put up 48 runs in 4 games including 10-0, 10-0, 16-1, 12-6 victories over Georgia and a 3 game sweep of Jersey!  We haven't seen that much offense from this team since the ABL started and we are excited!  Also the ball is flying out of all ABL parks as the Marauders continue to rank #1 in bombs at 141!  Anthony Shelton, LF - 25, Vic Jennings, 1B - 23, Eric McSwan, DH - 22, Anthony Lewis, CF - 18 and Dan Smith, SS - 16 lead the team.  Vic Jennings set a team and tied a TML record with 3 homers in a game in July!  Vic Jennings and Anthony Lewis both tied team records scoring 4 runs in a game in July.

Brandon Wilson has been stellar in the CL role.  6-2 W/L, 20 saves, 0.82 WHIP!  Who is Millard Marshall?  That is the CL that is out for the year and most likely his ABL career is done (95-97 fastball MPH down to 84-86 yikes!)

The team did get some bad news this month as starting catcher James Baker is out for 4 months/season with a broken kneecap (ouch!).  Defensive specialist Jorge Rodriguez will take over the duties behind the plate meanwhile Alfredo Valdez C (AAA) received the call-up.  Maple was rumoured in numerous trade talks for a catcher but, nothing really significantly improved our team over what we alread had imho.

Roberto "Styx" Martinez SP has also turned his game around.  He is still under .500 at 6-7 W/L but, his WHIP is 1.18 and has taken over the ACE role again for the Marauders.  Pat Sellers SP after his beating in the ALLSTAR game has taken the 2nd spot in the rotation and has dropped off a bit (WHIP 1.22).

Meanwhile down in the farm;  Astoria (AAA) is competing for a division title for the first time sitting 1.5 games back in the B.J. Birdie Division behind Minneapolis.  The Argonauts are also #1 in HRs hit and the bats are dangerous on this squad led by:  Billy Greer OF, Kevin McConnell DH and Juan Juarez 1B.  If they are going to make the playoffs they will have to continue to out score their opponents as the pitching staff is horrible ranking in double digits in almost every category including a team ERA over 5.00+.  Sandy Springs Spartans (AA) is in 2nd place in the Junction Jack Division 8 games back of Carson City.  Christian Taylor RF received a AAA call up at the start of August based on his torrid play;  .338 bavg., 16 hrs and 80 rbi.  The Starting Rotation is in big trouble so far and most likely will be the reason the Spartans will miss the post season this year (4.61 ERA).  The Kingwood Knights (A) were the laughing stock of the ABL in Year 1 but, the team has come a long way to at least be competitive.  This year after July the Knights sit at 46-56 and feel they are still within reach of their goal of hitting .500 for the season.  This team has some speed (2nd in SB - 113) which is a desparate need for Maple in the ABL.  Hopefully some of these speedsters make to the big team soon.  Ariel Goldberg is having a great rookie season at CL with 17 saves.  Joshua Goldberg who struggled in AA ball returned to A ball and pitched like an ACE in his only start.

Maple Year III - Month #3 Review

Maple improved again in June going 16-12 to finally end up in the lead in the Billy Martin Division in the TML.  Maple's power continues to carry the team (#1 in the TML).  The Marauders lineup is very dangerous featuring Vic Jennings 1B, Frank Powers RF, Eric McSwan DH and Anthony Lewis CF.  Unlike past years where Pitching was the name of the game;  this year the Marauders are doing it with hitting.  The usual Cy Young candidate Roberto Martinez SP has been very human this year.  He is probably our 3rd or 4th best starter so far this year.  If we are going to make a run at a title this year he will need to be the ACE he once was.  A surprise in the rotation is Pat Sellers, ERA under 2.00 and a WHIP just above 1.00.  Sellers has been our best hurler so far this year.  Ray Lester SP is rumored to be leaving town before the trading deadline.  He has pitched effectively the past 2 months and is one of the big reasons the Marauders are back in 1st place in the division.  There is an indication that he hasn't fit in the club house.  There is a list of 4 teams who have inquired about his services.  Maple is looking for prospect(s) and a MR for his services.  Lester leads the team in K/BB at 3.14.  The pen has also been up and down all year.  One of the bright spots is Brandon Wilson with is 19 saves and 2 ERA with a WHIP below 1.

The fans are starting to come back out to support the team.  Attendance did gain ground this past month, however;  still stands at -7.5% behind last years pace.

On the DL still is Millard Marshall CL and Derek Beimer SS.  Beimer should return to the lineup in July while, Marshall is a big question mark to return by the end of the regular season.

Maple fans cheered about the news of a couple of Marauders making the TML Allstar game:  Eric McSwan DH, Pat Sellers SP & Vic Jennings 1B were all named to the team.

Maple Year III - Month #2 Review

Maple had a better 2nd month of the season managing to play .500 ball at 13-13.  This is a far cry from the previous two playoff seasons but, nevertheless a step in the right direction.

Maple continues to struggle vs. LHP (1-8) so far this season.  Also away from Maple the team is not gelling (8-16) and close games the Marauders are blowing them (9-13).

The team is not hitting and not pitching to their abilities.  The only bright spot from the bats is the power department (3rd).  Meanwhile, the pitching staff is 3rd in Opponents Avg and BABIP so hopefully they will get a few breaks the rest of the way to improve.  The SPs rank 10th in the league in ERA which is a surprise considering the amount of money, time and focus spent on the starting rotation from day 1 in the ABL.

If things dont' turn around a few interesting pieces maybe available to a contender:  CL/MR Millard Marshall and SP Ray Lester.

Down on the farm, player development has been slow.  We do feature a top ranked 3B in Dave Guenette who is AA ball is batting .249 in 44 games.  Neither Minor team affliliate is leading their division but there has been a noticeable improvement in A ball with Kingwood.  The Knights have been the laughing stock of A ball the past 2 years but, this year we are trying to reach .500 for the season (Currently 23-28, 7 back).

The fans are worried and it shows in the seats.  Attendance is down -7.3% over last year and Maple ranks 11th so far in the ABL in total tickets sold.

Maple - Year III - Opening Month Review

The Maple Marauders coming off back to back playoff appearances in the ABL get off to a real slow start in Year III posting a 8-14 record in April.  The good news is the TML Billy Martin division features 4 teams all under .500 so Maple is near the top of the division despite playing 6 games under .500.

The biggest disappointment so far this season is with our Starting Rotation.  Maple ranks 12th (last) in the TML at 5.66 ERA.  This is also our biggest surprise since most of the past success with Maple has been on the mound and in the pitching staff the past couple of seasons.  When your ace (Roberto "Styx" Martinez) opens the season at 0-4, 4.99 ERA you know you are heading for problems real quick.

Offensively, the Marauders are beginning to show the power expected of them.  Anthony Shelton and Eric McSwan have combined for 19 dingers so far this year.  Meanwhile Vic Jennings acquired last year from Las Vegas leads the team with 20 rbi.  Part time utility players Tom Hunter has swiped 5 bases already this season.

The minor league system is playing much better baseball compared to the past two seasons.  Astoria, Sandy Springs and Kingwood all are around .500 are above and are looking like contenders this season in their respective leagues.  Dave Guenette 3B and David Picot OF are the two top prospects in the Maple organization according to BA writers.  Both players are seeing regular play time in Single A Kingwood this year.

Season II - September Report - Maple heading to the Post Season again...

Maple is heading to the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive season.  Maple also clinched the Billy Martin division in the TML for the 2nd consecutive season.  We felt Jersey was the up and coming team this year especially after their strong finish last year but, we are proud of our team on how they battled and got better each and every month.  Currently we 14-8 in the month and have 3 home games vs. Jersey and one road game vs. SF left in the regular season.

Whos Hot entering the playoffs?  Robert Martinez is 13-2 with a 1.62 ERA in his past 19 GS.  He also is the only other 20 Game winner in the TML behind some guy named Gould for Vegas.  Vic Jennings acquired from Las Vegas at the trade deadline is on fire batting .500 with 2 homers in his last six games.  Then we have our powerful DH Eric McSwan who had one of the greatest individual sim performances in ABL history by hitting 5 homers in his last 5 games.  Cale Hines 3B also has been steady all season long and is hitting .500 over the past 8 games.  RP Villa, Wilson, Wilder, Costello and Coleman are all on fire entering the playoffs.

From a team perspective Maple is #1 in HRs in the TML and #1 in Runs allowed.  Power and Pitching will have to carry this team if they are to have a shot at the ABL World Series in Year II.

Down on the farm;  Astoria collapsed with an 0-7 sim to fall 4.5 games back and all but eliminate them frmo AAA playoff contention.  Sandy Springs sits at 110 wins and is one of the most dominant AA teams in the league.  In Single A we are hoping for Kingwood to hit .500 or better in the final sim.  Currently 79-80 with 3 games left.  Knights need a 3-0 or 2-1 sim to do it!  A great turn around by the Knights after a miserable Year 1.

Baseball America has improved Maple up to 14th overall in the Top Minor League Systems Standings.  3B Dave Guenette in Single A is starting to hit the ball well for Kingwood, Dave Picot has some some flashes of brilliance in Single for Kingwood and finally our R1 pick last year Joshua Goldberg continues to climb up the charts now sitting at 86th overall.  Two sims ago he entered the top 100 at 98th overall.  When I asked my son what he thought about this he just "shaked his head"....

Season II - August Report - Maple playing their best baseball now...

The Maple Mauraders continued their great July result (15-11) by doing even better in August (17-9) with two games remaining vs. Las Vegas.  Maple has extended their lead in the TML Billy Martin Division by 13 games and unless they completely collapse they are a shoe in to win their 2nd consecutive division title.  Maple is winning the close games this year going an impressive 11-5 in extra inning frames and 24-19 in one run games.  Maple has to be one of the surprises so far this season especially considering Ray Lester SP, Dave Kruse SP and Millard Marshall CL haven't seen the field.

Maple has used the long ball to help their turn around (Ranked 3rd in the TML).  The strength of the team reamins in the pitching staff (Ranking 1st in ERA, Runs Allowed, Strikeouts in the TML).  Maple also has 12 more home games down the stretch than road games.  The trade deadline acquisition of Vic Jennings is also serving benefits. 

Vic Jennings is hitting .296, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 13 Runs and 10 Base on Balls in 98 ABs so far since joining the Mauraders.

I'm glad to be back in the World Series hunt!

Down on the farm, Maple's organization has made strides at each level this year.  Astoria is battling for a division title in AAA ball (75-58, 2.5 games back).  In AA ball, Sandy Springs has been dominant this season (88-45).  The nicest surprise has been Kingwood in A ball;  despite being under .500 at 64-69 and 27.5 games back in the division they are showing signs of life and the player morale is improving!

The prospect watch has a new entry.  The son of the owner Joshua Goldberg has made the top 100 in Baseball America's top prospects.  Drafted in Round 1 last year, Joshua started off pretty hot in A ball but, did not fare so well in his brief promotion to AA ball.  Recently demoted Joshua Goldberg is now pitching his best baseball with Kingwood.  Right now the experts have him penciled in as the #98 ranked prospect.  We expect his stock to rise in the coming sims!

11-9, 2.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 167 Ks in 151 IP

Season II - Month 4 - Maple turns it around in July!

Maple got hot before the trade deadline going 15-11 to open up a 6.0 game lead over Jersey in the TML - Billy Martin Division.  In order to send a message to their fans, the Marauders made a trade with Las Vegas acquiring a bat in 1B Vic Jennings (Allstar) and a relief pitcher in Michael Coleman.  Both are expected to be in the lineup for the sim opener in August.  So far Maple has over achieved on the mound as they continue to lead the TML in ERA and RA.  So management decided to get the team a boost in the lineup by adding the power hitting 1B Jennings.

Roberto Martinez was one of the reasons the Marauders turn things around in July.  He was named TML pitcher of the month for July.  He posted a 4-1 record with a 1.02 ERA.

Meanwhile on the farm, Triple A OF Chris Stephens won batter of the month honours.  He batted .319 with 9 homers, 22 rbi and 27 runs scored.  The OF has been a back and forth call up due to injuries on the Maple team.  The OF is loaded in Maple so it will be interesting to see if Stephens stays or goes next season.  Another hot player who won player of the week honours was called up to Maple during the last sim of the month - Anastasio Rincon 1B/3B.  Rincon had been batting .347 with 21 homers and 69 RBI for Astoria.  It will be interesting to see how much play time he gets at 1B now since the arrival of Vic Jennings.

In Double A, OF Hidekazu Matsuura won the player of the week honours the last week in July.  he hit .450 with 3 homers and 13 RBI.  Matsuura wasn't the starting OF when the season began but, he has solidified himself as the starter the past few weeks.

In Single A, SP Joshua Goldberg; son of the commish received a promotion to AA ball in the last sim of the month.  In his very first start in Double A, he got the victory pitching 5.2 innings giving up 9 hits and 7 runs in a 12-8 victory over CIN.  Not a great start to his Double A career but, as he said after the game all that counts are team wins!