2013 Pre-Draft

As a favor to my former league-mates, I will be helping my former team to draft a few new players. Since I have a starter at every fielding position, six starting pitchers, and six relief pitchers, I can draft anyone I want and they should be able to help the team in the coming season (and hopefully beyond).

I Quit, Soon

The big news this week, which should also be an interesting test to see if anyone reads my posts (I doubt that anyone does), is that I am resigning my position as coach and general manager of the Havana Habaneros effective the end of the IBL season. The team was in a sorry state when I was coaxed out of retirement, and I have now built it back through a few decent trade and a huge amount of free agent signings into an above .500 ballclub. Someone, I would think, would be happy to take over this team next year (or sooner), as not only is it positioned to win now, but it also still has its full complement of draft choices going forward (plus a few added from other teams).

Now for my fun show of how much turnover there has been on the team, I will list my players and how I obtained them.

LF Willingham - already on team (2nd round, 2007)
LF Gomes - trade PHI 2011, for two 6th rounders
LF Lewis - free agent 2012
CF Revere - trade PAD 2011, for PIT Doumit C
CF Sizemore - already on team (1st round 2005)
CF Dyson - free agent 2011
RF Hunter - trade CAN 2011, draft pick exchange [low 1st traded for 2nd and 4th rounders]
RF Bogusevic - free agent 2011

3B Lawrie - 1st round 2012, pick received for NYA Rodriguez 3B
3B McGehee - trade SDQ for MIN Perkins LHRP
3B Figgins - trade KAT for KC Francoeur RF, then dropped and resigned as free agent
SS Escobar - already on team (1st round, 2008)
SS McCoy - free agent 2011
SS Field - free agent 2012
2B Ellis - trade SEA 2012, for 4th rounder and some low throw in picks
2B Hughes - free agent 2012
1B Pena - trade SEA 2011, for LAA Morales DH and ARI Overbay 1B
1B Ka'aihue - trade GTY 2012, for SEA Vargas LHSP and a 5th rounder

C Yadier Molina - trade CAN 2010, for low 1st rounder
C Jose Molina - already with team since 2009, no record of how he was obtained

SP Beachy - drafted 2012, 1st round
SP McCarthy - drafted 2012, 2nd round; this pick, COL Ellis 2B, and LAA Hunter RF obtained for STL Wainwright RHSP in separate trades
SP Marcum - already on team (8th round 2007)
SP Karstens - free agent 2011
SP Norris - trade MCM 2011, for OAK Bailey RHRP
SP Godfrey - free agent 2012

SP/RP Feldman - free agent 2011
SP/RP Swarzak - free agent 2012
SP/RP Lincoln - free agent 2012

RP Putz - trade WCW 2010, for CHN Baker 2B and something else - probably a pick
RP Russell -free agent 2012
RP Hawkins - free agent 2012
RP Coffey - free agent 2011
RP Melancon - drafted 2011, 5th round

IBL Week Two

Other than the frustration of losing a starting pitcher, HOU Norris, to injury before even facing a single batter, week two went swimmingly. With another 4-2 week recorded, the Habaneros are in first place in the division and without significant injury leading into the first divisional matchups of the year.

With no significant deviation from my plan in the IBL, it seemed like time to focus on how the team stacks up for next season. So far, the only real concern is center field, where CLE Sizemore is shelved until after the All-Star break and MIN Revere has ceded the position to a no longer concussed  MIN Span. With the dread of having to negotiate from a position of weakness looming in the distance, I was pleasantly surprised to find KC Dyson not just recalled from the minors to replace an injured KC Cain, but thrust into the starting lineup ahead of center field backup KC Bourgeois. Even perpetual disappointment (and recent free agent re-signing) SEA Figgins has started a few games in center for Seattle.

With most team in MLB having completed ten games, it feels like time to post the [very, very] tentative lineup and rotation for next season. Small sample size acknowledged in advance.

C- Y. Molina   .353 avg, 3 HR
1B- Pena   .351 avg, 3 HR
2B- Ellis   .333 obp
3B- Lawrie   .306 avg, 1 HR
SS- Escobar   .227 avg (it's early, I have no worries about him)
LF- Willingham   .389 avg, 4 HR
CF- Figgins?, Dyson?, Sizemore?
RF- Hunter   .278 avg

SP- Beachy  1.00 whip
SP- Godfrey  1.27 whip
SP- Karstens  1.27 whip
SP- Marcum  0.77 whip
SP- McCarthy  1.36 whip
SP- Norris  1.08 whip
SP- Swarzak  1.25 whip

Week 1 Away Results

The games against the Minnesota Snow Bears have been reported, and they closely mirror the home results. Two wins out of three, all three games very low scoring, and extra innings included. The extra inning game was decided by an extra frames grand slam by Mark Ellis, my defense first second baseman, which is unlikely. On the other hand, if someone is going to load the bases in extra innings, then anything is in play. Needless to say, despite the minutely small sample size, these opening six games accurately reflect the style of play expected (and results) from drafting two above average starting pitchers in the draft and trading for the best defensive center fielder and second baseman in the league. Now the only things that I have to fear are the same things that every manager fears: injuries and the evil, untamable rollbot.

Week 1 Home Results

The Habaneros now stand at 2-1, which is about what I hoped. The Morin Heights Blues had a much better pitching staff than I was hoping to face, but their infield defense (H at both shortstop and second base) will make it hard for them to win a lot of close games. Two extra-inning games in the first three means lots of extra usage for my players, which is always nice, but the real gem was the third game. In the third game, rookie Brandon Beachy did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, and only four total including a two-out home run to TOR Thames in the ninth. With seventeen strikeouts, Beachy has given me much hope for the rest of the season.

Welcome to the Team -- Free Agent Edition

It is that time of year again. While everyone else is mowing their grass for the first time this year, airing out their houses, or otherwise making themselves productive, I'm checking out the statistics and potential of the entire free agent list for the Internet Baseball League. From among the chaff, I have hopefully found a few kernels worth saving.

MIN Anthony Swarzak - A Twins pitcher with low strikeout rates is shocking, I know, but he's rated as a long reliever, gives up relatively few deep flies, and can spot start when needed. Much better card than Rauch had in relief or McDonald had starting, so this choice was easy.

ATL Brooks Conrad - will fill in nicely against left-handed pitching when TOR Lowrie is being saved for division play. Has a couple of homers for Milwaukee this spring, but I expect nothing from him in the future.

LAA Russell Branyan - a good fill-in at first base if Pena gets injured, and otherwise can pinch hit or DH when some power is needed. Hasn't even received a single plate appearance for the Yankees yet this spring as a non-roster invitee, so also no expectations going forward.

KC Kila Ka'aihue - received as compensation in trade for SEA Vargas. He has already hit a couple of long balls this spring for Oakland, so he may get some playing time. Even if he starts the year in the mnors, he only needs about 75 plate appearances for my team this year with a card no worse than that of Kotsay's card last year -- who I was able to get about 300 pa's without trouble.

OAK Eric Sogard - I needed a warm body that had shortstop eligibility, and Sogard at least has a chance of breaking camp with Oakland to help fill the Scott Sizemore sized hole in their lineup. He has always had little power but a very respectable walk rate in the minors, but if that doesn't translate into MLB production then I can always toss him back into the free agent pool.

BAL Jake Fox - tons of power and can play catcher, first base, and the outfield corners. Who knows, maybe the Pirates will remember that they are the Pirates and give a slugger a chance to play. With the Molina brothers having missed a total of zero games to the disabled list combined last season, his +4 arm should never see the light of day on the Habaneros.

CHN James Russell - he's a left-handed reliever that doesn't completely suck, which is exactly what this team needed after trading it's only other left-hander (SEA Vargas) away this week. Immediately makes the opening day roster just due to his handedness.

After drafting two full-time starting pitchers, there was simply no way that the Habaneros had enough starts to give to get McDonald, McClellan, and Vargas to the magical 75% that they would need to be retained. Although Vargas had a good enough card to be the 5th starter over HOU Norris, Ka'aihue and a draft choice fit better on this team.

The rebuilding process is hopefully nearing completion, as I'm tired of looking through the free agent pile for something moderately useful. The Habanero roster now consists of seven free agent hitters and seven free agent pitchers, which seems like a relatively high percentage. There are only five players still on the roster from when I took over the team a year-and-a-half ago, four players that I have personally chosen over the last two drafts, with the remaining twelve players arriving via trade.

Depth Chart Update