Week Twenty-Three (August 15, 2002)  

Onto the Playoffs!

The regular season came to an anti-climatic end Tuesday with two meaningless day games, as all the intrigue was wrapped up Monday night when the Tijuana Banditos won their final game of the season to claim the sixth and final 2002 post-season berth. The Wanaque Wolverines and Hoboken Cutters nailed down spots earlier in the week, joining the Arkansas Golden Falcons, Newark Sugar Bears and Vancouver Iron Fist in the promised land. The playoffs begin Monday, Aug. 19, with third-seeded Vancouver hosting the Banditos; the following day, the fifth-place Wolverines take on the Cutters in Hoboken. Division winners Arkansas and Newark have first-round byes. Read all about the post-season in our special DMBL Playoffs 2002 section.

The Magic 8-Ball correctly predicted two weeks ago that the Banditos would go 6-8 in their final 14 games to finish at .500, missing the playoffs by a single game. But the 8-Ball didn't foresee the collapse of the Honolulu Sharks, who dropped a heart-breaking 0-1 loss to the lowly Brooklyn Bean Counters Friday night. That loss was followed by two more in Wanaque, sending the Sharks into the worst place in the DMBL -- seventh place. The Banditos are in for the second time in three years despite finishing the season on a 2-5 skid. The other playoff teams all appear tuned up for the post-season. Top seeds Arkansas and Newark each capped their impressive seasons by going 7-2 in the season's final week, while first-round opponents Hoboken and Wanaque each went 6-3 and Vancouver won 5 out of 7.

No other team managed a winning record in the final week of the season. The eighth-place Columbia Rattlesnakes and ninth-place Carolina Mudcats each went 3-6. It was a disappointing season for the Mudcats, who rebounded from a 103-loss season two years ago to reach the playoffs last year, but the Rattlesnakes -- known as the Crusaders from 1991 to 2001 -- actually tied their franchise record for most wins, with 76... The Phoenix Dragons, in the playoff mix up until the final two weeks of the season, went 4-5 to settle for 10th place... The Stanhope Mighty Men finished a bitterly disappointing year by going 3-5 and finishing at 70-92, their worst effort since their inaugural 1996 season and the first time in five years they haven't reached the playoffs... The Philadelphia Endzone Animals went 4-5 to tie the Mighty Men at the 70-win mark, but finish in 12th place because Stanhope won 7 of their 12 matchups this season. (The third tie-breaker would have been in-division performance, which also tilted toward the Mighty Men.) It's the third straight year Philadelphia gets a top-3 draft pick... Brooklyn went 2-6 to finish in 12th place, 24 games under .500 -- a big step back from a solid 78-win debut season last year... The Harrison Rats finished the season by dropping 3 of their final 8, but they had clinched the worst record in baseball and the top overall pick weeks ago. Their 109 losses was the worst performance by a team in two years, dating back to the '00 Hillsborough Destroyers (51-111). If there's a silver lining to that black cloud, it's that that Destroyers would rebound and reach the next two post-seasons -- as the Vatican City Cardinals last year, and as the Wolverines this year.

Bear Attack!

The Sugar Bears pounded out a league-best 76 runs this week, smacking 15 home runs and 23 doubles. Mark McLemore (.400, 1.140 OPS, 1 HR, 8 R), Desi Relaford (.440, 1.100 OPS, 4 2B, 7 R), Manny Ramirez (.324, 9 R, 5 RBI) and Paul Lo Duca (.324, 11 RBI) all had excellent weeks, but it was the often-overlooked Cliff Floyd who did the most damage, hitting .344 (1.150 OPS) and tying for the league lead in HRs (4), runs (9) and RBIs (12) to win the final OmahaSteaks.com Batter of the Week Award for 2002... Brooklyn's Ruben Sierra came very close to winning the award for himself, ending the season on a 9-game hitting streak. He hit .433 (1.271 OPS) with 3 doubles and 3 homers, collecting 7 R and 8 RBI -- producing half of the runs Brooklyn scored this week!... Opposing pitchers just stopped trying to pitch to Barry Bonds. This week he was walked 11 times, posting a .425 OBP -- despite hitting just .214 (6-for-28). Nevertheless, five of those hits were for extra bases (3 doubles, 1 triple and 1 homer), good for 8 runs and 6 RBIs. The top Golden Falcons this week were Lance Berkman (.389, 1.130 OPS, 2 HR, 9 R, 6 RBI), Juan Gonzalez (.359, 5 R, 8 RBI) and Phil Nevin (.306, 5 2B, 2 HR, 7 R, 9 RBI)... Vancouver's Edgar Martinez had just 4 hits last week (.160), but 3 were long balls, for 6 R and 8 RBI. Jeff Bagwell (.387, 1.086 OPS, 2 HR, 5 R), Eric Chavez (.316, 1.300 OPS, 3 HR, 7 R) and Sammy Sosa (.276, 3 HR, 6 RBI) were even more productive.

Hoboken's offense is firing on all cylinders, with Roberto Alomar (.281, 9 BB, 6 R, 2 SB) and Juan Pierre (.382, 4 R, 6 BB, 2 SB) setting the table, and Mike Piazza (.314, 1.032 OPS, 4 HR, 6 R, 10 RBI), Ryan Klesko (.304, 1.146 OPS, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 R, 4 RBI) and Kevin Millar (.263, 3 HR, 7 RBI) driving them home... Wanaque's Alex Rodriguez (.250, 4 HR, 6 R, 5 RBI) and Carlos Delgado (.300, 5 2B, 2 HR, 6 R, 7 RBI) are going to hit no matter what, but it bodes ill for Hoboken if Jeff Cirillo (.421, 1.031 OPS, 5 R, 12 RBI) and Ray Durham (.478, 1.275 OPS, 7 R, 5 RBI) stay this hot in the first round... Bret Boone drilled a home run in the 8th to break a 6-6 tie, clinching a playoff spot for the Banditos. It was a nice capper for a great week, as Boone hit .313 and slugged. 719 (1 2B, 4 HR), for 8 R and 7 RBI. Vladimir Guerrero also had a good week (3 HR, 7 RBI)... Honolulu came up a game short of the playoffs, but Jason Giambi did all he could (.361, 1.132 OPS, 5 2B, 2 HR, 8 R, 8 RBI). David Segui (.381, 1.054 OPS, 5 R, 6 RBI) and Gabe Kapler (.323, .981 OPS, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI) also had good weeks.

Too Little Too Late: Carolina's Jim Edmonds (.333, 1.190 OPS, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 R, 6 RBI, 8 BB) and Aramis Ramirez (.294, 3 HR, 6 R, 6 RBI); Columbia's Luis Castillo (.364, 1 HR, 4 R, 8 RBI); Harrison's Javy Lopez (.476, 1.240 OPS, 5 RBI), Mike Sweeney (.375, 1.193 OPS, 3 HR, 7 R, 7 RBI) and Reggie Sanders (.303, 1.040 OPS, 3 HR, 7 R, 5 RBI, 2 SB); Philadelphia's Carlos Beltran (.410, 1.221 OPS, 2 HR, 8 R, 9 RBI), J.D. Drew (.368, 1.163 OPS, 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 R, 8 RBI) and Rafael Furcal (.361, 8 R); Phoenix's Corey Koskie (.455, 1.342 OPS, 3 2B, 7 R) and Garret Anderson (.359, 2 HR, 6 RBI); Stanhope's Derek Jeter (.303, 2 3B, 5 R).

Pedro Is Feeling Better

Pedro Martinez thought his career was coming to an end two weeks ago, when he developed painful blisters on the palm of his pitching hand that he thought were an allergic reaction to the baseball. But he's switched to a hypoallergenic "bachelor's aide" and talk about a difference! Martinez wrapped up the season by winning eight straight starts, and this week went 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 13 K in 13 IP to win his first -- believe it or not -- Pitcher of the Week Award of 2002. Martinez's brilliant 2002 season ended with him ranking first in winning percentage (.913), tied for first in wins (21) and shutouts (2), second in strikeouts (259) and quality start percentage (.719) and third in runners per 9 IP (10.5)... His strongest competition for the Ben McDonald Award could come from Hoboken's Joel Pineiro, who completed his amazing rookie campaign with -- what else? -- seven shutout innings in a 4-0 win over Stanhope, to clinch Hoboken's No. 4 seed in the playoffs. Pineiro gave up 3 hits and 3 walks against 8 Ks, picking up his 21st win and lowering his ERA to 2.76. Teammate Mike Mussina also had a good week, going 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 10 K in 14 IP.

This week's other two-start winners: Arkansas's Brad Penny (1.98 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 9 K in 13.2 IP); Harrison's Steve Trachsel (3.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 11 K in 15 IP); Honolulu's Mark Mulder (2.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 11 K in 15.1 IP); Vancouver's Al Leiter (1.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 9 K in 13.1 IP) and Joe Mays (2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 8 K in 15.2 IP); Wanaque's Matt Morris (2.35 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 16 K in 15.1 IP)... Carolina's Tim Hudson pitched a beauty on the final day of the season, shutting out Stanhope with 8 innings of 3-hit ball before the bullpen came in to preserve the 2-0 win. The victory gave Hudson a winning season (13-12), and was sweet revenge after the Mudcats were shutout 0-3 in Hudson's other start this week.

Phoenix's Troy Percival went 3-for-3 in saves to claim the Dennis Eckersley Reliever of the Year Award, with 4 wins and 34 saves against 2 losses and 5 blown saves for 69 relief points. Stanhope's Mariano Rivera, last year's winner, was second with 66 RP; Vancouver's Billy Wagner, who set the single-season record with 86 RP two years ago, was third with 63. Rivera kept pace with Percival this week, picking up 3 saves with a 0.00 ERA and 0.64 WHIP in 4 appearances, but couldn't close the gap, while Wagner had one save and one ugly outing, posting a 6.75 ERA and 3.00 WHIP... Carolina's Bob Wickman went 3-for-3 in saves, giving up no runs, no hits and one walk without allowing an inherited runner to score... Felix Rodriguez, picked up mid-season to shore up Newark's bullpen, finally had the kind of week the Sugar Bears were expecting, going 2-0 with 1 H, 1 BB, no runs and 10 Ks in 8.1 IP. Closer Keith Foulke also had a great week, giving up 2 hits, no runs and no walks, also with 10 K in 8.1 innings... This week's other top relievers: Arkansas's Octavio Dotel (2 SV, 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 7 K in 6 IP); Hoboken's Danys Baez (1-0, 6 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10 K in 6 IP); Wanaque's Antonio Alfonseca (1 SV, 1.42 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 4 K in 6.1 IP).

Darryl Kile: RIP, Finally

There was a flurry of activity at the end of the regular season as the contenders tuned up their playoff rosters. The biggest news of the week came with the release of several veterans, beginning Monday when Newark finally laid Darryl Kile to rest. The 33-year-old righthander had passed away six weeks ago, but remained in the rotation as the team's fifth starter. Pitching coach Mike Grace finally gave up on the late hurler after he posted a 7.79 ERA over his last four starts. Kile's release prompted Dr. Friedrich von Frankenstein to resign as Newark's trainer to become Kile's agent. "A little more work on his mechanics and a few more jolts of electricity between starts we'll see a vast improvement," Frankenstein said, who guarantees his client will be ready to pitch in time for spring training.

On Sunday, Carolina declined to pick up a two-year, $15 million option on 1B Tony Clark. A member of the Mudcats from 1997 to 2000, Clark is the team's all-time leader in several categories, including hits, runs, RBIs and doubles, and had a pretty solid season (.307, .949 OPS, 26 doubles, 19 HR, 61 R, 50 RBI in 102 G). But this year's disappointing 9th-place finish sent attendance spiraling to a four-year low. "We were faced with some economic realities," said team accountant Arthur Andersen.

Also Monday, Hoboken sent Andres Galarraga packing. The seven-year DMBL veteran missed the entire 2000 season after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He came back in a big way last year with the Cutters, hitting .315 with 24 HRs and 77 RBIs, but the cancer resurfaced this winter and Galarraga missed the entire first half. The Big Cat returned in late July, but could only manage a disappointing 2-for-17 (.118) in six games, and was left off the playoff roster in favor of Benny Agbayani (.258, 3 HR, 15 RBI in 182 AB). But Galarraga said he'll still be pulling for the Cutters in the Round 1 match up against Wanaque. "I have no hard feelings. Going with Benny was the right call," Galarraga said. "I suck right now." But the 41-year-old isn't ready to hang up his spikes just yet -- he's already begun on a strenuous off-season conditioning program to be better prepared for the 2003 season.

TWIB may have Ozzie Smith, but we have the better Smith! Zane Smith, former pitcher for the San Antonio Slingers and Sacramento Seahawks, now writes this column exclusively for the Diamond Mind Baseball League. Click Here for past articles.