Week 4 - April 16, 2007

Sugar Bears Roar Back

It's still early in the season, but not that early -- every team in baseball is now in double-digits when it comes to wins and losses. In fact, by the end of next week, most teams will be closing in on 40 games -- the end of the "first quarter" of the 2007 season.

And as we approach that first turn, it appeared that the Honolulu Sharks were going to pass the Newark Sugar Bears and take over the Hanover Division lead.  Instead, it was the Sugar Bears winning a league-high 4 out of 5 this week -- not only holding off the upstart Sharks, but claiming the best record in baseball! The Sharks had reeled off 10 straight wins -- the longest streak this year to date -- before dropping 2 out of their last 3 to finish the week at 5-2 to hold onto 2nd place in the division (and 4th place overall). But the Sharks are still within striking distance of the division lead, as they play the Sugar Bears four times next week... Holding onto 3rd and 4th place in the division, respectively, are Matthew's Mighty Men of Marietta (3-3) and the Hoboken Cutters (2-3)... Jumping up from 7th in division, and 13th overall, are the Las Vegas Rat Pack, who went 4-3 to move into a tie for 5th in the division and a tie for 9th overall. Sharing those spots with the Rats are the Sardine City Straphangers, who went 2-4... Falling to last in the division, and third-worst overall, is New Jersey Team Buddah, which went 3-4.

After three weeks of slugging it out like a couple of heavyweight prizefighters, the teams at the top of the Morris Division are finally taking a breather. The Philadelphia Endzone Animals and Arkansas Golden Falcons each posted losing records this week, with Philly going 2-3 and Arkansas going 3-4, to maintain the half-game difference between them... The Vancouver Ironfist took advantage,  going 4-2 to move within 2 games of Arkansas and 2-1/2 games of the division lead... The Hillsborough Hired Hitmen bounced back to go 4-3 and move a game over .500... The Carolina Mudcats only went 3-3, but that was enough to move up one rung in the standings to 5th in the division, 11th overall... The South Boston Gang posted the league's worst record at 2-6 and are now tied with the D.C. Bushslappers, who went 3-3, for the worst record in baseball.

The Rookie From Verlander

With the crazy weather hammering the East Coast this week, most teams played a relatively light schedule, and only two pitchers won two starts -- Honolulu's Jeff Francis, who did it despite giving up 10 runs (8 earned) and 15 hits for a 6.55 ERA, 15.5 R/9 -- and Hillsborough rookie Justin Verlander, who looked like a seasoned pro as he threw two quality starts against two quality opponents. First, he allowed just 4 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) in 7 innings against a resurgent D.C. squad for a 4-3 win, ending his team's three-game losing streak; then, on Sunday, he wiggled his way through six innings of scoreless baseball, despite giving up 6 hits and 3 walks, against the powerful Ironfist lineup for an 8-1 win. Overall, the right-hander gave up just 2 earned runs, with 5 walks against 9 Ks, in 13.2 IP (1.32 ERA, 9.9 R/9) -- not bad considering he's just 24 years old. That means he was born in 1983, or the same year Return of the Jedi came out. Wow, don't you feel old now?! Fittingly, the man-boy's two great starts earned him the Guess the 1980s Theme Song Pitcher of the Week. Hillsborough drafted Verlander as an ineligible prospect in the 4th round (#45 overall) of the 2006 draft, then stashed him away on their protected list. So far he's repaid their patience, going 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA and .667 QS%, though he will have to improve his control (16 BB, 23 K in 38.2 IP).

Verlander had the best week, but he wasn't the only rookie having a nice first trip around the league. Also impressive were Carolina's Clay Hensley (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8.2 R/9, 3 BB, 3 K in 7.2 IP); D.C.'s John Maine (1-0, 1.35 ERA, 9.4 R/9, 3 BB, 10 K in 6.2 IP); Hoboken's Boof Bonser (0-0, 3.68 ERA, 6.1 R/9, 0 BB, 9 K in 7.1 IP); Honolulu's Jered Weaver (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.7 R/9, 3 BB, 10 K in 7.0 IP); Sardine City's Cole Hamels (0-1, 2.57 ERA, 6.4 R/9, 1 BB, 10 K in 7.0 IP) and Vancouver's Rich Hill (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 12.0 R/9, 4 BB, 8 K in 6.0 IP).

Philly's bullpen -- the entire bullpen -- gave up 0 R this week. The five relievers combined for a 0.00 ERA and 9.2 R/9 in 13.2 IP. Leading the way were closer Francisco Rodriguez (2 SV, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K in 2.2 IP) and setup man Scott Proctor (1 W, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K in 4.0 IP)... Also turning in strong relief performances: Carolina's Brian Fuentes (1 W, 1 SV, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K); D.C.'s Jon Papelbon (2 SV, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K in 2.1 IP); Las Vegas's Wil Ohman (1 W, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K in 4.1 IP); and New Jersey's Michael Wuertz (0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K in 4.1 IP).

Wes is More

The Mighty Men continue living up to their team name, pounding out 45 runs in just 6 games this week (a league-best 7.5 rpg). Once again, it was feast-or-famine with the Marietta lineup, as exactly half the batters hit under .300, and the other half hit over .300; and half the batters had an OPS over .900, and half had an OPS under .900. This week's leading run producer was a man the Mites hope will be a consistent force all season long -- Wes Helms. The 31-year-old journeyman corner infielder was the subject of some second-guessing among Marietta fans when he was selected in the second round (#26 overall), especially with Rich Hill still on the board. But this week Helms silenced his detractors by leading the team in batting average (.481), OBP (.517), SLG (.852), OPS (1.369), runs created (11.2), RC/27 (18.9) and just about everything else, for 5 runs scored and 6 runs batted in. It was another strong week in what's been a solid season for Helms, who is hitting .306 (1.013 OPS) with 12 2B, 7 HR, 21 R and 26 RBI in Marietta's first 30 games. Oddly enough, Helms also has a league-leading 7 triples this season -- including 4 this week, and 2 in Saturday's 14-5 win over Hillsborough. It's an extraordinary feat considering Helms has never been known for his speed -- he had 0 3B (and 0 SB, for that matter) in his DMBL career. Albeit, his previous DMBL career is just 46 games with Philly and Arkansas in 2004, but still -- even in 1633 minor league at-bats, he had just 10 triples (and 2 stolen bases). But for whatever reason, Helms has become a triples machine this season and is on pace to hit 37 triples -- which would easily best the modern record of 24, set last year by Jose Reyes. (He'd also be more than halfway to the all-time record of 62, set by Deion Sanders in 1993.)  We'll see if Helms can keep up his three-bagger spree, but in the meantime, he can enjoy some smooth-tasting cigars courtesy of our friends at JRCigars.Com as our Smokin' Batter of the Week. "JRCigars.com is the ONLY address you need for buying cigars on the web." And remember, cigar fans, there's now just a $1 starting bid on select items on the JR Auction.

This week's other top batters: Arkansas's Barry Bonds (.286, 1.141 OPS, 4 HR, 9 RBI); Carolina's Juan Rivera (.381, 1.214 OPS, 2 HR, 5 R); Hoboken's Miguel Cabrera (.524, 1.307 OPS, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 21-game hitting streak); Honolulu's Jermaine Dye (.367, 1.208 OPS, 3 HR, 7 RBI); New Jersey's Ichiro Suzuki (.469, 1.063 OPS, 9 R, 5 SB); Newark's Manny Ramirez (.474, 1.565 OPS, 3 HR, 4 RBI); and South Boston's Garrett Atkins (.296, 1.165 OPS, 4 HR, 7 RBI).

Starters are Finished

It was a tough week for starting pitchers, as three of this year's top hurlers went down with serious injuries. The biggest blow came to Marietta, which last week lost Derek Jeter and earlier this year had lost Jim Thome. But perhaps this latest loss is the most painful of all -- rookie sensation Francisco Liriano, who will be out until early next month after stepping on a manhole cover in New York City. Con Ed was not sympathetic, however. "What kind of idiot steps on a manhole cover?" a spokesman asked, rhetorically we presume. "Doesn't he realize the electrical current running through the streets is the reason this city never sleeps?" The Mighty Men paid a high price to get Liriano from Las Vegas -- closer Chris Ray, a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft (the Rats used it to get OF Corey Hart) and their first and fourth round picks in next year's draft -- but so far the investment has paid off (3-0, 1.89 ERA, 10.0 R/9, 9 BB, 45 K in 33.1 IP). He'll be gone for five starts, but the team expects to have him back and at full strength for the rest of the season and beyond... Also out, but not for as long: South Boston's Chris Carpenter, who is hoping to dance with the stars, and New Jersey's Jake Westbrook, who was inconsolable after hearing about the death of Don Ho. Each is expected to miss about two weeks.

Speaking of New Jersey, Nomar Garciaparra suffered this year's longest injury to date -- 36 games. After hearing about Carpenter's bid to get on ABC's Dancing With The Stars, Garciaparra became obsessed with getting on the show also, if only to meet the ex-Mrs. Paul McCartney. "Actually, I always wanted to meet Yoko Ono, but I guess this is the next best thing," Garciaparra said. Unfortunately, Nomar thought in order to get on the show, you had to have only one leg, so... "Hey, what do you want from me -- I was pretty drunk, I'd just watched Saw, and the nail clipper was right there." Uh... nail clipper? "Yeah, it took about seven hours. I sobered up enough to realize it was a stupid idea about halfway through, but hey -- I'm no quitter!" Fortunately, doctors were able to reattach the leg, but have advised Nomar not to play for at least a month -- it will take that long for the Krazy Glue to set.

Comings and Goings

The Mighty Men used Liriano's injury as an opportunity to shake up the back end of their starting rotation. The Mites had been experimenting with a "home/away" platoon with starters Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson, to disastrous results (a combined 1-4, 8.88 ERA, 21.0 R/9 in 24.1 IP). The team cut both of them the same day they put Liriano on the D.L., and brought in three new starters: Brad Hennessey, Gil Meche and Jeff Suppan. For the time being, it appears that Meche and Suppan will be in the rotation, with Hennessey as the long man in the 'pen -- but maybe not for long, as Suppan was pounded in his first start (6 ER, 6 H in 1.0 IP).

Speaking of injury-related moves, New Jersey put Westbrook on the 15-day D.L. and replaced him with Livan Hernandez. If that sounds familiar, it's because just five days earlier, they'd released Hernandez after activating Westbrook from the 15-day D.L. They'd originally signed Hernandez on March 21, when Westbrook got hurt the first time. In fact, so far this season, Westbrook and Hernandez each have three starts. (Westbrook is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA, 18.0 R/9; Hernandez is 0-2 with an 11.20 ERA, 23.7 R/9)... This week's other moves: Hoboken activated Geoff Jenkins and released Damian Miller; Las Vegas cut Ricky Nolasco and signed Matt Belisle; and, from the "how the mighty have fallen" department, Philadelphia cut Jason Varitek and replaced him with Rod Barajas.