The fifth and final installment of our series of interviews with Plumpy's remaining original owners!

1.) What do you do in real life?

I am an administrative hearing officer (attorney) at a state agency.

2.) How did you learn about HBD?

WIS advertising and a forum post entitled HBD for HDers.

3.) Who is your all time favorite ballplayer in Plumpy?

Miguel Rojas. Don't get me started on why he hasn't gotten more HOF run.

4.) What is your proudest moment in Plumpy?

Winning over 100 games in season one followed by losing twice in the World Series.

5.) Which player is your proudest draft pick?

Joey Niese

6.) What is the most devastating injury one of your players incurred?

Cyrus Castillo in season 25. Started 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA through 12 starts and then hurt his elbow. Was never the same after the surgery.

7.) What is the most overrated rating on a player card?

In terms of offense I think contact can be overrated especially if the player has a lot of power or good splits. For pitching I think it is groundball/flyball ratio.

8.) What is the most underrated rating on a player card? 

Durability

9.) Do you have a nemesis in the league (either another owner or a particular player?)

In terms of an owner it is Jerico since he is an original owner who has been in the same division since the start. Plus he is Canadian.

No particular player since Todd Ford retired. I always had to remember to change my intentional walk settings when playing Montgomery,

10.) As one of five owners who was here on day 1 of the league, how do you think Plumpy could improve going forward?

I think the minimum win rules were a step in the right direction. Perhaps some of the more experienced owners can help mentor some of the new owners as the game is deep and can be frustrating.

The fourth in the series of interviews with the original Plumpy owners!

The third installment!

TTJackson- General Manager: Montgomery Burns

1.) What do you do in real life?

I'm a community organizer working on getting congregations & faith communities to work for economic and racial justice.

2.) How did you learn about HBD?

Learned about HBD through Hoops Dynasty. the original members of this league all played HD first.

3.) Who is your all time favorite ballplayer in Plumpy? 

Without a doubt, Todd Ford.

4.) What is your proudest moment in Plumpy?

Finally breaking through for a World Series title, and having a consistent top team the first 15 or so seasons before my team went off the rails.

5.) Which player is your proudest draft pick?

Proudest draft pick is probably Roger Conroy. I've never gotten any great later round picks. I've swung and missed a lot in the draft.

6.) What is the most devastating injury one of your players incurred?

I continue to believe Sandy Mieske was the best pitcher I ever had after Lofton, but he got devastated by multiple injuries despite a great health score.

7.) What is the most overrated rating on a player card?


The ratings I think I've put too much stock in are contact rate and pitch calling. I still have trouble having players who don't do well in those categories. but I'm not sure if they matter as much as I think they do.

8.) What is the most underrated rating on a player card?

I've learned the hard way that overlooking health is a big mistake. I try to avoid guys with health scores under 70, and avoid under 60 at all costs.

9.) Do you have a nemesis in the league (either another owner or a particular player?)

No real nemesis at this point. I enjoy the league and the personalities.

10.) As one of five owners who was here on day 1 of the league, how do you think Plumpy could improve going forward?

I do think the new rules are helpful over the past few years around minimum wins, etc. The thing that has almost led me to quit a few times is that some people take this game way more seriously than others. The assignment of motive to bad seasons has bugged me a lot. My deal is that my life is twice as busy now as it was when I first started playing this game. For instance, I didn't even prep for the draft that just happened (that is a first). This is a diversion and we pay money to play it, so I would like to do away with the vitriol and name calling and simply abide by the rules that we all agree to.

Written by William Blythe III, Editor Emeritus, North Little Rock Times

HOPE, ARKANSAS The only way to get to Indianapolis is through Nashville or is it the only way to get to Little Rock is through Nashville?  I guess it’s a matter of perspective which is something clearly missing from the ownership of the three baseball franchises in these fine cities.  A planned three-team press conference had been planned to announce the creation of an annual challenge series, tentatively called the Triangle Cup, but the ultra-competitive owner from Little Rock jumped the gun by releasing a statement to the press well before nearly all the details were finalized.  “What’s the big deal?  Once it was clear the other guys wouldn’t go for hookers and blow it was obvious we’d be playing for the usual: beer, money and pride.” said N Roll’s surly owner, RoundFrog.  

The Triangle Cup itself debuted on ABC’s new hit sitcom the Goldbergs.  Modeled after the Ball Ball trophy, it is a Styrofoam soup bowl taped to a plastic Champaign glass.  Cost played a factor.  “We can simply write the winners name each year in pen on the Styrofoam , saving engraving costs.  Plus, the thing ways next to nothing so shipping it will be very cheap.  Its small size will allow young children to hold it while having their pictures taken as it tours the winner’s city.  And if it gets dropped, no big deal, it’s pretty hard to break Styrofoam and plastic.” said pragmatic owner JQuick1.  JQuick2 was unavailable for comment.  

Should they ever win the Triangle Cup, both Nashville and Indianapolis plan to display the Cup in their respective namesake restaurant.  Yes, their teams are named for restaurants.  No definitive word on where N Roll would display.  “I figure it’ll mainly be located in Little Rock, like all the time, so we’ll probably move it around.  After all, there are a lot of restaurants in Little Rock.” said the burly RoundFrog.  

At the time of writing, the series stood at Little Rock 3 wins 4 losses, Indianapolis 4 wins 3 losses and Nashville 3 wins and 3 losses.  “One thing is certain, this thing is gonna be a bitch to tabulate each year.  We’re thinking all-powerful commissioner, Zeus, should take this on.” said Slippery Noodles owner, equick.

WIS has expressed concern over the Challenge Cup because winning the Cup and its associated rewards may actual become more appealing than winning the WIS World Series.  “There’s certainly more gold at the end of that rainbow” said Merchant’s owner JQuick1, who’s never met a trade he’d accept.  RoundFrog added, “If I was WIS, I’d be more concerned about improving the game or maybe a release now and then, what’s it been, like January since the last one?”  This reporter asked WIS for comment and is waiting to hear back from Customer Service.

The third installment!

jerico18- General Manager: Vancouver Mounties

1.) What do you do in real life?
I support adults and children with developmental disabilities throughout their days. I work in both schools and homes. I really enjoy it. I just wish it paid better.

2.) How did you learn about HBD?
Back in the day I was pretty big into HD and I spent a lot of my day on the HD and WIS message boards. I think that is how I found out about HBD and also Plumpy. A group of people that were playing HD thought it would be fun to have an HBD league filled with guys that were playing HD as well. I beieve Plumpy was the person who started the original league thread in the forum. It turned out that Plumpy decided not to join the league and be part of the original owners unfortunatly but we all respected so much that we decided to name the league after him.

3.) Who is your all time favorite ballplayer in Plumpy?
Carlos Alonso, he is the only Mountie in the Hall. Also I still remember how excited I was when I was looking through my original roster and saw him.

4.) What is your proudest moment in Plumpy?
As commish I was able to recruit The Plumpy to join the league. Unfortunatly he only stayed for one season.

5.) Which player is your proudest draft pick?
I think it was more of a draft class then one pick. Season 7 I had 8 picks in the first two rounds. My third round pick turned out to be a good one with a great name too. Mac Mack

6.) What is the most devastating injury one of your players incurred?
I try not to remember all of my injuries so I would have to say my most recent one which was to SP Dallas Hendrickson. I am hopeful to win my division this season and without him to got a lot tougher.

7.) What is the most overrated rating on a player card?
bunting, I don't bunt that often. I don't think there is much of a concern of me giving up any competitive advantage. I think given my record it is pretty clear that I don't have one.

8.) What is the most underrated rating on a player card? 
Maybe makeup. I think looking at makeup gives an indication of how likely a player is to reach his potential

9.) Do you have a nemesis in the league (either another owner or a particular player?)
Grecianfox. I wonder if he knows that. He is in my division is an original owner as well. Also he has pretty well dominated the division since the start of the league. That being said I would be very disapointed if he left the league.

10.) As one of five owners who was here on day 1 of the league, how do you think Plumpy could improve going forward?
I think one of the most important things to remember is that we are all here to have fun and we all of lives outside of WIS that are more important. I think trying to keep the arguing out of the league chat and getting along makes the league more enjoyable.

The second of five interviews with the remaining original owners of Plumpy.

Goodtymes, General Manager of the Pittsburgh Wannabes.

1.) What do you do in real life?

I am a district manager for an import car manufacturer. Living in Pittsburgh right now.

2.) How did you learn about HBD?

Was an early Hoops Dynasty addict, but baseball has been my passion. Jumped at the chance to join an HBD world with veteran HD coaches.

3.) Who is your all time favorite ballplayer in Plumpy?

Not sure why, but I have an attachment to my early players. I'll go with Brett Stewart, he was the anchor in hype lineup of my early teams.

4.) What is your proudest moment in Plumpy?

Making WS in season 6 (haven't been able to bring the title home yet). Was busy wheeling and dealing early trying to figure game out, and managed to put together a pretty good squad.

5.) Which player is your proudest draft pick?

Either Stewart, or my 1st draft pick ever, Rob Pote. Even though at the time,we had very little influence in who we drafted.

6.) What is the most devastating injury one of your players incurred?

I've been pretty fortunate, but probably the knee injury Tike Burks suffered. Great bat, but was a SS with no range preinjury, and became a 1B/DH after.

7.) What is the most overrated rating on a player card?

I don't know that any are overrated. You definitely have to be aware of how certain ratings play off each other, and don't think you can really ignore any of them.

8.) What is the most underrated rating on a player card?

To me, it's makeup. The ability to have players that maximize their potential, and extend their careers is big.

9.) Do you have a nemesis in the league (either another owner or a particular player?)

I don't, though with 3 of the other original owners in the NL (Jerico, grecianfox, and ttjackson), I'm always more interested in results when I play those guys.

10.) As one of five owners who was here on day 1 of the league, how do you think Plumpy could improve going forward?

It is my favorite league right now. It seems most owners in the league see it as the game it is, and doesn't take it too seriously, and is just what I think a good league needs.

Keep your eyes open for tomorrow's interview featuring the original Plumpy Commish, Jeri

The owners of Plumpy have become very consistent over the past few seasons, which is great.  Throughout the past 29 seasons, we have seen a lot of turnover, but five owners who are with us today were also here for Plumpy's inception 29 seasons ago. I thought it would be fun to do a little Q & A with these five owners, all of whom have graciously agreed to answer my questions.  I'll be releasing the posts one at a time over the next 7-10 days.  Thank you to the five owners who agreed to answer questions for this post!

Bob Squad, General Manager of the Boise Basturds.

1.) What do you do in real life?
The exciting fast paced life of a Project Manager (basically a goofy nerd)

2.) How did you learn about HBD?
I saw a forum post for HD coaches starting an HBD league.

3.) Who is your all time favorite ballplayer in Plumpy?
Randy Edwards

4.) What is your proudest moment in Plumpy?
Getting to the World Series in the first season, it was mostly luck (we really did not know what we were doing those first few seasons).

5.) Which player is your proudest draft pick?
I do not have one that I can remember. I am not your typical owner, I tend to depend on Free Agency as opposed to building thru the draft.

6.) What is the most devastating injury one of your players incurred?
Al Linebrink, Free-Agent Pitcher, just signed him, all sorts of potential, he goes down for the season during his first game.

7.) What is the most overrated rating on a player card?
The last 3 ratings on the top right. Has anyone really noticed a benefit to high numbers?

8.) What is the most underrated rating on a player card?
Not really sure

9.) Do you have a nemesis in the league (either another owner or a particular player?)
Not really, I am glad Edge Yount is in the AL.

10.) As one of five owners who was here on day 1 of the league, how do you think Plumpy could improve going forward?
I think we are on the right track, as long as you have good owners, things should be ok. In the end it is just a game.

For months, 32 teams have battled it out for the right to be called the champ.  After three grueling rounds of play-offs, the Burns of Montgomery and the Elephant Seals of San Juan have won the pennant, and are set to square off in the best of seven show down known only as the World Series.  For Burns, this marks a long awaited return to glory.  After making the play-offs 14 out of 16 seasons and winning two World Championships, Monty underwent a long period of rebuilding centered around uber star, Roger Conroy.  Now in it's fourth consecutive play off appearance, Alabama's finest look to take home Plumpy gold for a third time.  In San Juan, the eight time was finally the charm, as the E-Seals finally got over the LCS hump and are in the World Series for the first time in 27 seasons.  Both squads feature potent offenses and homer friendly home ballparks, so the pitchers will have their work cut out for them come first pitch at 11:07am (EST) Wednesday morning.  Let's see how these two squads measure up head to head.

Lineups

San Juan Elephant Seals (vs. RHP, no DH)

1.)  Einar Rivera-CF .319/.392/427
2.)  James Rooney-LF .319/.413/.639
3.)  Bret Moore-RF  .283/.377/.579
4.)  Giomar Estrada-1B  .324/.427/.568
5.)  Fred Piper-2B  .233/.310/.447
6.)  Anibal Franco-3B  .253/.328/.418
7.)  Bo Cerda-C   .253/.303/.449
8.)  William Park-SS  .248/.273/.515

Keep your on Pedro Flores.  Manager bcpbcp7 did not start him against RHP in interleague play, but his bat may be too strong to keep out of the lineup in the World Series.

Montgomery Burns (vs. RHP, no DH)

1.)  Roger Conroy-LF .311/.409/.613
2.)  Giomar Bonilla-SS .288/.341/.508
3.)  Esteban Diaz-1B  .304/.360/.528
4.)  Ricardo Bravo-RF  .331/.378/.547
5.)  Dock Mercedes-3B  .339/.396/.534
6.)  Jack Hammonds-C  .316/.386/.428
7.)  Victor Padilla-2B  .295/.360/.541
8.)  Tito Baldwin-CF  .262/.329/.427

As you can see, these are two offensive powerhouses.  Let's look at the SP rotations.

San Juan Pitching Rotation  (ERA/WHIP/K:BB)

1.)  Rondell Wise  .365/1.26/119:48
2.)  Miguel Gonzalez  3.73/1.22/162:66
3.)  Lloyd Brock  4.67/1.39/116:61

At this point it appears San Juan will be going with a three man rotation, though Alex Romo would likely get the nod if they choose to use four starting pitchers.

Montgomery Burns Pitching Rotation

1.)  Ezdra Nunez  3.34/1.28/147:52
2.)  Shelley Olson  3.10/1.21/176:66
3.)  Ismael Park  4.30/1.41/158:55

It also appears Burns will be running a three man rotation, though Pasqual Perez would likely get the call should an extra arm be needed for a start.

Prediction:
These teams are very evenly matched.   Burns has the slight edge on offense, while the E-Seals have the slight edge of pitching.  In the end, I expect the veteran bat of James Rooney to come through for San Juan, giving the Elephant Seal their first championship in franchise history

Elephant Seals in 7.

Season 28 culminates this week with the beginning of the Plumpyville play-offs!  Here’s a look at the twelve teams in the dance, the reasons why they will each win the World Series, the reasons why they each won’t, and what you need to keep your on as the first round unfolds..

National League (In order of seeding)

1.)  Syracuse Magma (116-46)

Round 1 opponent:  BYE, plays winner of Boise vs. Pittsburgh

Why they’ll win it:  The defending NL Champs look stronger than ever.  Frank Leonard will be back from injury in time for the second round, when the Magma will be fresh off a first round bye.  The trio of Julio Rijo-Leonard and Tim Corino is as lights out as they come.  The offense is lead by MVP candidates Lariel Cubillian and Pedro Martin, while the defense is solid across the board.

Why the won’t:  Rijo struggled in the play-offs last season, perhaps due in part to his young age.  Underperformance and small sample size bad luck are the main factors concerning the Magma.  They remain the favorites by a substantial margin.

Keep your eye on:  Patrick Gehrig.  His awful durability doesn’t make him much of a factor in the regular season, but in the play-offs, he’s an incredibly valuable commodity.


2.)  Montgomery Burns (95-67)

Round 1 opponent:  BYE, plays winner of Hartford vs. Scranton

Why they’ll win it:  “Seeeee myyyyy best, see my best, all around player who stomps the rest.”  4 time MVP Roger Conroy is as good as the come in Plumpy, and he’s still in his prime at the tender age of 27.  His left handed bat and Monty’s homer friendly park make him an incredibly dangerous weapon, especially in a hypothetical best of seven match up against Syracuse’s right handed trio of doom.  The pitching staff, lead by Shelley Olson, is solid, and the lineup lead the NL in AVG/OBP/SLG.   This team is dangerous.

Why they won’t:  Montgomery Burns version 2.0 has been filled with upside, but also disappointing play-off results, having failed to make it past the Wild Card round in each of the past three seasons.  This season Burns has a first round bye, and will meet the winner of the Hartford-Scranton series.

Keep your eye on:  Who Burns tabs as its third starter for October (the play-offs really are in October this year.  Neat!)  Ezdra Nunez has had the best season, Carmine Lucas has the strongest track record, while Ismael Park has struggled the past two post-seasons.

3.)  Hartford Submarines (92-70)

Round 1 opponent:  Scranton Boll Weevils

Why they’ll win it:  Offense.  Offense.  Offense.  This team was designed to rip the cover off the ball.  At home, they boast the highest team OPS in the NL at .819.  On the road however, they drop by more than 100 points to just .711.  That said, does anyone want to see Ramon Lin in their opponents’ lineup come play-off time?

Why they won’t:  Pitching.  The team lacks a true Ace who they can rely on in the post-season.  The bullpen is improved, but if the offense gets contained by a strong arm, it’s going to be a short stay in the “Dance.”

Keep your eye on:  Which position Andrew Frasor plays.  He’s logged at least two starts at every spot except Catcher and Pitcher this season.

4.)  Boise Basturds (77-85)

Round 1 opponent:  Pittsburgh Wannabes

Why they’ll win it:  Um... well, here goes.  Craig Winston keeps things close enough to eek out a 2-1 win against Midre Tarrasco in game 1, game 2 goes to Pitt, game 3 the bats get going and they eek out another W, game 4 Winston come back on short rest and shuts the door.  In the NLDS, Frank Leonard has an injury relapse, Tim Corino has drug relapse, and Julio Rijo gets deported.  In the NLCS, well... just you wait and see.  Then in the World Series Winston goes all Sandy Koufax, wins three of the seven games and brings the title home to Boise.  There, that doesn’t sound so ridiculous.

Why they won’t:  Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh.  Despite this team’s losing record, it boasts a good starting staff, a solid lineup, and a great defense.  It’s just tough to imagine anyone getting through the Tarrasco-Louie Sanchez duo and THEN the Magma Trio of Doom.

Keep your eye on:  Mitch Mercedes.  That guy is just plain good at fake baseball.

5.)  Pittsburgh Wannabes (94-68)

Round 1 opponent:  Boise Basturds

Why they’ll win it:  They boast the second strongest rotation in the NL.  After a very disappointing Season 27, this team is right back where we all expected them to be, in the thick of the post-season race.  The offense is also littered with run creators.

Why they won’t:  Boise also boasts enough big bats that they’re twin Aces might struggle more than usual, especially in the long ball friendly air at the Basturds Memorial Stadium.  While they have one of the only SP rotations that can hang with Syracuse, the offense has a couple more holes than the Magma.  Still, this team has as good a chance as any of dethroning the NL Champs.

Keep your eye on:  Geraldo Rosado.  The dude has had an awesome rookie season that few predicted him to have.  Will his lower control become a factor in the play-offs?

6.)  Scranton Boll Weevils (90-72)

Round 1 opponent:  Hartford Submarines 2.0

Why they’ll win it:  Luck, folks.  Good old fashioned luck.

Why they won’t:  This team has a bright future, but there are too many missing pieces for the B-Weevs to make a deep run this post-season.

Keep your eye on:  Mack Wells versus the potent Hartford lineup.  Will his elite control be enough to fool the creatine ridden Submarines 2.0 bats?


American League (In order of seeding)

1.)  Durham Dirt Dogs (117-45)

Round 1 opponent:  BYE, plays winner of Ottawa vs. San Juan

Why they’ll win it:  A regime change did not alter the M.O. of the four time champs:  winning.  They finish with the best record in the A.L.... by a lot.  Their core remains intact for this season (Brian Lewis contract negotiations have reportedly stalled out) and they stand as good a chance as any team of taking home Plumpy gold.  The pitching staff has struggled, somewhat this season, with the exception of Bubbles Franco who has run his record to an astonishing 28-4, and is the clear anchor of the Dirt Dogs rotation.

Why they won’t:  The A.L. is loaded and ready for action.  While Durham remains the favorite, San Juan or Ottawa stands in the way in the ALDS, both of whom are formidable opponents.  Last season San Juan defeated Durham, and Ottawa is having the best season in franchise history. 

Keep your eye on:  Brian Lewis.  He’s slugged 22 post-season bombs in his career, but will he be able to fend of the distraction of his impending free agency?

2.)  Omaha Settlers (101-61)

Round 1 opponent:  BYE, plays the winner of Chicago vs. Oakland

Why they’ll win it:  The Settlers boast an impressive 1-2-3 SP punch in Vic Pena, Del Moya, and Roger Jameson, all free agent acquisitions that have paid off tremendously.  They have a lineup that boasts Silver Sluggers at SS and 3B.  The sheep traders also have a strong combination of veteran leadership and young up and comers just entering their prime.  Omaha is very well rounded, boasting the A.L’s 4th best team ERA, 3rd best team OPS, while accumulating the third most plus plays on defense.

Why they won’t:  Relief pitching remains a question mark.  The SPs will give the Settlers a chance to win every game, but will the bullpen be able to firmly close the door when the best bats in the league come to town?

Keep your eye on:  Desi Pena.  The young slugger has been cold lately, but he has the potential to lead the wagon train to the A.L. pennant.

3.)  Chicago Fatties (98-64)

Round 1 opponent:  Oakland Hammers

Why they’ll win it:  The defending champs retain perhaps the most dangerous weapon in Plumpy, back to back Cy Young award winner Shigetoshi Jang.  Though we have seen the first chinks in his thus far impenetrable armor against regression, he remains the SP to beat in post-season play.  Jang leads a pitching staff that boasts the second best team ERA in the Junior Circuit.

Why they won’t:  The offense has struggled at times this season, and has just the 11th best OPS in the A.L.  The team is vulnerable against right handed pitching, but it’s good enough to put at least a few runs across in every game, which might be all the Fatties pitching staff needs to keep the hardware in the Second City.

Keep your eye on:  Cristobal Guzman.  The guy went 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and nearly a 3:1 K:BB ratio in last season’s post-season run to glory.

4.)  Ottawa Eh’s (92-70)

Round 1 opponent:  San Juan Elephant Seals

Why they’ll win it:  The Eh’s go into post-season play riding their greatest strength: run prevention.  Did you know... the boys now turned men from Ottawa lead the A.L. in team ERA AND in fielding percentage?  If you’re going to Ottawa, make sure to bring a shut down ACE because your team is going to have a hard time scoring many runs.

Why they won’t:  The Eh’s have power, but they have struggled to get on base, ranking 12th in OBP in the A.L., but 7th in SLG.  The home runs are going to come, but who will be on base for them?  They also got a very difficult draw, getting the Elephant Seals and round one, with Durham waiting to take on the winner.

Keep your eye on:  Esteban Ferrer.  The reigning Silver Slugger in CF has missed most of the season with a torn hamstring, but should be recovered in time for some if not all of the ALDS, should the Eh’s make it past San Juan.

5.)  San Juan Elephant Seals (100-62)

Round 1 opponent:  Ottawa Eh’s

Why they’ll win it:  This team is due.  James Rooney had the best season of his career (at an astonishing age 34!) and harpooned the greatest show on pixles to the Major League lead in Homeruns and OPS.  The starting pitching staff is solid, top to bottom, but lacks the true Ace that left with the disintegration of Einar Pena.  Still, the Elephant Seals can put up 8 runs on anyone, and have the pitching to keep opponents bats quiet.

Why they won’t:  The E-Seals have lost a devastating SEVEN American League Championship Series over the past thirteen seasons, a number that seems almost impossible to believe.  One of these seasons, Hiram Bithorn’s finest will crack through and take home the A.L. crown, but they’ll have to get through three very good teams, including arch rival Durham, in order to do it.

Keep your eye on:  James Rooney, because he’s boldly going where no fake baseball player has gone before.

6.)  Oakland Hammers (96-66)

Round 1 opponent:  Chicago Fatties

Why they’ll win it:  Brian Clinton has been outstanding, holding opponents to an AVG of .245 while limiting hitters to just 19 dingers.  His durability makes him a weapon that can be used frequently.  Harry Bautista and Omar Franco are capable of multiple HR games off of even the league’s best pitchers.  This team is well rounded.

Why they won’t:  The A.L., as previously documented, is stacked.  While the pitching staff is strong, the Hammers will likely face Shigetoshi Jang twice in the opening round.  Will the big bats be enough to carry the three time champs to victory once more?

Keep an eye on:  Jerome Hayes.  The Oakland closer doesn’t strike a lot of guys out, but his nasty repertoire held opposing batters below .200 on the season.

-Written by zeustis01

Some time has passed since my last review of this outstanding pitching class, specifically the 10 pitchers selected in the first 11 picks. As we enter season 20, all of these guys have now had 7 seasons to mature and have enterred their prime, or in the case of the collegiate seniors like Glenn Breat are approaching the ripe age of 30 and the other side of the rainbow.

Several seasons back I made some predictions on the futre of this class, so lets see how I did:

GlennBrett, taking at the top of the draft by Tampa has continued to reward that franchise well. The reigning Cy Young award winner is 74 up to 38 down at he enters his age 29 season with a 1.20 WHIP and 3.08 ERA.


My original projections were: 86-86-80-95-86-79-80-68-64-24-65
In his prime: 85-80-75-94-84-76-76-66-58-27-61

Looks like my back of the napkin projections were pretty accurate, considering he lost a few points here and there a couple of seasons back due to injury. Glenn has established himself as the Ace everyone knew him to be when drafted. Now the key question with a good 6-10 seasons left, can he cross over the 200 win threshold and gain access to the Hall? He'd need to average 16 wins a season over the next 8 years to get there, something that seems highly likely baring a couple of major injuries.


Sam Bowie was once drafted b/w Olajuwon and Jordan in 1984. Season 13's draft had WalterPote. A draft setting mix up, led to Montreal taking Pote b/w two certain aces, not to mention before all the other top level arms in this draft. However, unlike Bowe's Pote's suckiness may have been well over states as a trade to Chicago has turned Pote into a very solid middle of the rotation pitcher, and occasional ace over stretches. Pote made the all star game in season 18, briefly was mention amongst the Cy Young nominees that same season before falling off the nominatin list, and has quietly put together 2+ solid seasons in the show. Over those 2+ seasons, he's 27-13 with a 1.38 WHIP and 4.06 era. Toss out his season 17 season spent mostly in the pen with less than ideal results, and his numbers look even better as a starter.

My original projections were: 65-63-54-46-36-36-71-67-56-57-40
In his prime: 74-81-63-56-39-39-77-72-67-62-44

An early career injury made this one a bit tougher to project, outside of his initial draft scouting projections. Needless to say, he's exceeded most everyone's projections, outside of Chicago who was smart enough to acquire Pote and his outstanding set of pitches.

With the 3rd pick, $11 mil bonus baby, CraigWinston was selected by the bad logos. Now 25 and nearly 3 full season in the who, Winston has lived up to expectations. Two all star selections and a rookie of the year, Winston has been nominated for the Cy Young each of the last two seasons, coming up short in both votes. Having won 19 games each of the last 2 seasons, Craig hopes to push that total over 20 this year in hopes of claiming the so far elusive Cy Young award. Totals to date include a 55-22 win/loss mark, a 1.08 WHIP and a 2.58 era.

My original projections were: 72-88-89-91-30-99-95-86-75-76-0
In his prime: 71-79-81-86-28-96-90-82-67-63-0

A mid season injury last year knocked off a point here and there, but perhaps there's time to recover a bit. None the less, he's going to end up a shade shy of my original projections, but certainly on the level of staff ace. With at least 10+ good season in the tank, he'll need to average 14.5 wins over the next 10 years to top the 200 win mark by the age of 35 and perhaps a good luck at joining the short list of 250+ game winners in this world.

With the 5th pick, Fresno (formerly Arizona) selected LyleHines. Lyle has established himself as a solid front line starter over his two seasons. Despite a sub .500 career record (25-29), Lyle's rate stats would suggest he's due for an all star appearance or 4 down the line. An era around 3.4, and a career WHIP of 1.27 suggests someone that should shot north of .500 on his career record by season's end.

My original projections were: 79-94-61-73-82-83-79-80-52-42-0
In his prime: 71-94-62-74-80-79-80-81-50-38-0

Lyle's outstanding 99 makeup have allowed him to exceed my initials projections in several areas. Lyle has proven his worth above the traditional 5th slot in the draft, and highlights the depth of the pitching class in this draft as he may be only the 4th or 5th best starter drafted in the top 10.

At 6, Boston draft high school lefty BoomerConroy. Now 25, and in his 4th full season in the show, Boomer has been one of the lone bright spots during Boston's recent downturn. Now that the Boston franchise looks to be turning the corner, the brass is expecting Boomer to lead the charge from the front of their rotation. At first glance, Boomer's career 4.94 era looks rather unimpressive, however after examing the team around him, and noticing as his defenders have gotten better, his rate stats have increased each season, it doesn't take long to realize Boomer's still on track for an all star appearance or two in the next decade.

My original projections were: 97-79-65-61-34-70-78-73-52-44-0
In his prime: 95-84-69-66-34-68-86-76-55-46-0

Similar to Lyle Hines, Boomer's outstanding 99 makeup has allowed him to exceed my initial projections in several areas. Both his control and quality of pitches are significantly higher than my initial projections. Boomer will neer be a strike out artist, but its easy to see that he blongs at the top of most rotations and will help Boston back to the top of their division in due time.

Memphis (formerly Texas) selected ChadPride with the 7th selection. Despite being the 6th pitcher taken in this draft, Chad has arguably been the most productive. In his first 3 seasons, Chad has won a gold glove, two all star selections and a Cy Young award in season 18 for the dominate Memphis franchise. 42 career wins to 17 losses, a career 1.11 WHIP and holding opponents to a sub .250 average, its hard to find anything not to like about Pride's start.

My original projections were: 74-86-76-86-99-80-78-71-60-16-0
In his Prime: 68-86-74-86-95-75-77-69-61-16-0

Seems like my projections fell right in line, unfortunately a little short in his less than ideal stamina, but who's going to complain about 6-7 dominate innings every 5th night?

At 8, Minnesota (formerly Portland) irock pulled out HS righty VicPena. It was thought by this scribe that Pena could challenge anyone else in this class as the top arm at the end of the day. Pena started out like a ball of fire, claiming the rookie of the year award during season 16. However, irock's dedication to our country, and lack of full attention to his team helped in the setback's that were Pena's season 17 & 18. A season 19 labrum tear set him back even further and finally, in season 20, he's begining to live up to the expectations he headed upon himself during his rookie of the year campaign 4 seasons ago. A career 4.82 era, 1.40 WHIP and 35-34 record are far worse than were initially expected, however expect a bounce back over the next couple of seasons and a solid #2 type starer.

My original projections were: 87-83-59-78-35-80-84-79-69-32-0
In his Prime: 84-83-59-81-34-83-82-78-69-30-0

I originally wrote that I thought his lack of development by the owner running things while irock was in basic would set my intial projections a little shy of where his peak actually was. throw in the labrum tear, and I think that holds true, but despite it all, he ended up remarkably close to what I originally thought he'd be.

The 8th starter, BootsGonzales was selected by Cleveland with the 9th pick in season 13. Similar to the Browns, Boots was eventually traded to Balitmore to find more fertile soil. Boots has bounced back and forth b/w AAA and the majors the last couple of seasons, before finally settling for good in the show last year with a 3.09 era over 28 starts. To date, Boots is 14-17 with a 1.21 WHIP and 3.23 era while holding opponents to a stellar .231 average.

My original projections were: 70-87-61-66-91-69-82-63-43-37-0
In his prime: 69-87-67-71-88-67-83-62-42-33-0

Boots has exceeded my orginally less than ideal splits to end up with splits more acceptable to go with his outstanding velocity & changeup. Baltimore is starting to show signs of life, and Boots is at the forefront. Could another all star be added to this class?

Boots was the last of my projection projects, and have proven to be fairly accurate, though definently not perfect. However, beyond those 8 starters drafted in the top 10, there have several other pitchers of note in this class, who are providing value to their current teams:

HaroldAspromonte has won the firerman of the year award once, as well as 2 all star selctions.
JeffAusmus has been stellar for Omaha (now Syracuse) made the all star team in season 17 while continually posting stellar starts for the former #14 selection.
DennyYoshii, the 17th pick, made the all star team in Pittsburgh last year, as well as help Pittsburgh to the World Seriers and an NL pennant.

And that doesn't even include a handful of stellar bats from this draft. The pitching class of season 13 has certainly lived up to its billing. Time will tell how many of these starters will eventually land in the hall of fame. Looks like 3-4 strong possibilities, and perhaps some time for a couple more to jump into the conversation.

W/ the all star break having come and gone, and watching several pitchers in this class leave their mark on the game, its time to catch up w/ what this elite draft class is up to.

Glen_Brett was selected at the top of the draft, and as a college senior, Brett was made the biggest mark to date in the show. Already in his 4th season and in his prime at 27, Brett has racked up 55 wins with a 1.25 WHIP.

The selection of Walter_Pote was widely lauded in these circles. Following an injury plagued season 14, Pote was quitely shipped off the Chicago in a deal meet by many shrugs. However, despite a rocky debut in the majors last season, it would appear that Chicago may be getting the last laugh as Pote was announced to the all star team following an 11-1 start, a 3.07 era, 1.23 WHIP and a near 2:1 K:BB ratio. As others wait for him to fall back to earth, Pote's gathering steam for a Cy Young nomination.

With the 3rd selection, Atlanta grabbed the to HS arm, $11 mil bonus baby Craig_Winston. Season 17 saw Winston walk away with Rookie of the Year honors, gathering 15 wins vs 6 losses, a sporty Omaha Stylee era, a 1.10 WHIP and 2.4 strikeouts for every 1 walk. So far in season 18, Winston has been even more dominate with 11 wins vs 3 losses, a sub 1.00 WHIP, sub 2.00 ERA and nearly 3 Ks for every walk leading to his first all star game appearance (a rather forgetable 1st inning on short rest). At this pace, the #2 pick and #3 pick from season 13 may be going head to head for the Cy Young award.

At #4, KC took the lone non-pitcher of the top 10, second baseman Zeke_Evans. Zeke displays great range at 2nd, though the glove is shaky at times. However, for the 4th pick KC passed on a lot of solid arms for a guy that does nothing spectacular at the plate. Though he's solid on the base paths, he's OPS'd to the tune of .750 over roughly 3 major league seasons. At 27, Zeke isn't likely to see much improvement, and poor makeup means he'll start his decline in another season or two.

Arizona (now Fresno) got us back on the pitching track w/ Lyle_Hines at #5. At the age of 23, Lyle made his major league debut this season, later than the rest, but he's thrown gems from the get go. Despite the 5-13 record, Lyle sports a 3.05 era, 1.17 WHIP, and a near 3:1 k:bb ratio. Once Fresno acquires some talent around him, expect Lyle's win rate to improve, as his slash rates lead him to multiple all star appearances.

At #6, Boston selected HS lefty Boomer_Conroy. Boomer has struggle do date as opponents have been driving balls into and over the Green Monster at an alarming rate. In 2 seasons, Boomer is 14 up, and 31 down, with a 1.5 WHIP & near 5.00 era. Boston's director of player personal still believes that Boomer will eventually put things together and projects as a middle rotation starter in the bigs. Hopefully Boomer realizes that potential in Boston, rather than his next stop.

With the 7th pick, Texas selected HS fireballer Chad_Pride. When the franchise relocated to Memphis, Pride quickly became the problem for AL hitters. Pride had a shakey start to the bigs, lossing 11 times to 5 wins, with a 4.35 era. However, his 1.31 WHIP last year indicated that there was some greatness lurking behind his losses. Season 18 has seen Pride develop into the face of the organization, his first all star bid, and a challenge for the Cy Young. 16-6, 0.98 WHIP, 1.98 era, 143Ks to 38 BBs. Memphis may fall short of the playoffs this season, but expect them to be a contender for a long time w/ Pride leading the charge.

Portland early jumped to the podium to take HS righty Vic_Pena at 8. Working in the glow of the Rookie of the year award in season 16, Pena has struggled the last 2 years. This season, Pena has dropped 10 decision to 7 victories, but more alarming is his 1.82 WHIP & 7.00+ ERA. The "B" word is starting to creep into conversation of Pena, despite scouts suggesting he has 3 top level pitches. Phone calls to Victor Zambrano remain unreturned as Portland attempts to fix the demons in his head and realize the promise that Pena once displayed.

Cleveland choose Boots_Gonzales with the 9th pick. Despite solid middle of the rotation stuff, Boots has already been the center piece of 2 seperate trades, finding his way to Baltimore in season 17. A successful cup of coffee last year left Baltimore fans with great hope this year, however an early season injury set him back several months. Boots has bounced back from his injuries and thru 11 starts he has a 0.80 era, sub 2.5 era, 5 wins, 2 losses and an amazing 52k:12bb ratio. At 23, Boots has a chance to further recover some of his skills that were lost to injury, expect a long solid career in Baltimore.

Harold_Aspromonte, the premier closer of the draft was choosen at #10 by Trenton (Balitmore). However, fears of injury lead Baltimore to trade Aspromonte to Portland in season 16. The fear of injury has yet to rear its ugly head, and Portland has reaped the rewards, watching Aspromonte 69 wins in 2+ seasons. His career 2.53 era should hold up strong as long as he remains healthy, and at 25, he has many seasons left to contender for the Rolaids Fireman award.

Tacoma put an end to the run on pitchers, using the 11th pick to take Rene_Richardon. Rene was later traded to jacksonville, before finding his way to Seattle half way thru season 17. Rene finally made his debut w/ Seattle this year, thought the sledding has been rougher than expected. A 1.52 WHIP & 5.22 era have led to a 5-7 mark on the hill. Scouts tell us that Rene still displays his dominate fastball and pinpoint control, believing he'll remain a fixture in the Seattle rotation as the team is built around him.

And so it is written, 5 years after their draft this amazing class has all reached the show. Hard to believe the college seniors are nearing the middle of their careers already. Pote has easily been the most suprising (in a good way), while Pena's the most suprising in a bad way. Brett, Winston & Pride all remain on track for the HoF careers several predicted. Hines & Gonzalez have been nothing short of spectacular in their short careers, while Boomer & Rene leave a little to be desired, though clearly on the rebuilding teams. Aspromonte will remain filthy in the 9th, as long as his elbow holds up, and fans in KC will always wonder what could have been. Until the next update, this class remains one of the better classes on paper. There are several more later in the draft who could be highlighted as well, but the Season 13 - 10 will always have time seperating their names from each other in the annuals of plumpyville!!!!1111