Monday, July 25, 2011

Head-to-head update

Week 17 head-to-head scores

Triple-A's 222, Holliday Road 151
Gladstone Goatwhisperers 172, Pitch You Blockhead 137
Misfits 210, Chico's Chuggers 96
Arbitration Losers 205, VC Appraisers 163
Ubaldo Spots 189, Pickle Bugs 126

Last week's results have clinched head-to-head playoff spots for seven of the eight teams. And the Ubaldo Spots (8-9) have all but clinched the final playoff spot. The Spot could still be tied by the Pickle Bugs (7-10), but the tiebreaker is overall points so the Bugs would need to tie the Spot AND outscore them by 150 point this week. Unlikely.

The Gladstone Goatwhisperers (11-6) have clinched one of the top two seeds and the advantages that go with that. Holliday Road (10-7) need a win this week to clinch the second top-two seed. Five other teams are tied at 9-8 (Pitch You Blockhead, VC Appraisers, Arbitration Losers, Triple-A's and Misfits) are hoping to maybe claim a top-two spot, but also trying to avoid qualifying as a No. 7 or 8 seed.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Week 17 roster changes

Players acquired

SS Zach Cozart, by Misfits (July #2)

SP Joe Saunders, by Chico's Chuggers (July #1)

SP Jason Marquis, by Ubaldo Spots (July #1)

SP Corey Luebke, by Triple-A's (July #3)

Players released

IF Darwin Barney, by Chico's Chuggers

OF Dexter Fowler, by Gladstone Goatwhisperers

SP Brett Myers, by Misfits

SP Carlos Zambrano, by Triple-A's

RP Ryan Madson, by Arbitration Losers

IF Juan Uribe, by Arbitration Losers


Week 17 active roster changes

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: Benched SP Edinson Volquez; activated SP Joe Saunders

TRIPLE-A'S: Released SP Carlos Zambrano; benched SP Wandy Rodriguez; activated SP Corey Luebke and SP Ryan Vogelsong

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Benched SP Jake Westbrook and SP Matt Garza; activated SP Jordan Zimmermann and SP Tim Stauffer

VC APPRAISERS: No changes

UBALDO SPOTS: Benched SP Hiroki Kuroda; activated SP Jason Marquis

MISFITS: Benched SS Miguel Tejada, SP Homer Bailey; released SP Brett Myers; activated SS Zack Cozart, SP Jonathan Niese and SP Roy Halladay

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: Benched SP Johnny Cueto; activated SP James McDonald

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Released RP Ryan Madson; benched SP Mat Latos; activated SP Jaime Garcia and RP Francisco Cordero

HOLLIDAY ROAD: Benched OF Ryan Ludwick; activated OF Drew Stubbs

PICKLE BUGS: No changes

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Week 16 roster moves

Week 15 midweek replacements

MISFITS: On Friday, placed OF Shane Victorino; activated OF Andres Torres

ARBITRATION LOSERS: On Friday, benched SS Troy Tulowitzki (missed 3 games); activated SS Juan Uribe.

VC APPRAISERS: On Friday, placed SS Jose Reyes on disabled list; activated SS Alex Gonzalez

Players acquired

SS Alex Gonzalez, by VC Appraisers (July #1)

C Wilson Ramos, by Pitch You Blockhead (July #1)

SP Jeff Karstens, by Misfits (July #1)

RP Fernando Salas, by Pitch You Blockhead (July #2)

SP Kevin Correia, by VC Appraisers (July #2)


OF Nate Schierholtz, by Triple-A's (July #1)


2B Mark Ellis, by Triple-A's (July #2)

Players released

RP Francisco Rodriguez, by Pitch You Blockhead

OF Jon Jay, by Chico's Chuggers

OF Kosuke Fukudome, by Arbitration Losers

Week 6 active roster changes

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: Benched 3B Casey McGehee; activated 3B Albert Pujols from disabled list

TRIPLE-A'S: Released 2B Jamey Carroll; benched SP Bronson Arroyo and OF Laynce Nix; activated SP Carlos Zambrano for disabled list; activated 2B Mark Ellis and OF Nate Schierholtz.

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Benched C Chris Iannetta, SP Tim Stauffer and SP Jordan Zimmermann; activated C Wilson Ramos, SP Matt Garza and SP Clayton Kershaw

VC APPRAISERS: Benched SP Randy Wolf; activated SP Kevin Correia; moved 3B Pedro Alvarez from DL to bench.

UBALDO SPOTS: Placed 3B Chipper Jones on disabled list; benched SP Rubby De La Rosa; activated SP Hiroki Kuroda

MISFITS: Benched SP Roy Halladay; activated SP Jeff Karstens

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: Benched SP Jhoulys Chacin; activated SP Anibal Sanchez

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Benched SS Juan Uribe, OF Garrett Jones and SP Jaime Garcia; activated SP Aaron Harang from disabled list; activated SS Troy Tulowitzki and OF Raul Ibanez.

HOLLIDAY ROAD: No changes

PICKLE BUGS: Benched SS Clint Barmes; activated SS Rafael Furcal

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Midseason report

Overall standings

1. VC Appraisers (Dave-Kevin) 2632
2. Holliday Road (Bill-Cliff) 2542
3. Ubaldo Spots (Rich) 2530
4. Triple-A's (Ken) 2524
4. Arbitration Losers (Tim) 2524
6. Pickle Bugs (Jon) 2478
7. Gladstone Goatwhisperers (Arik) 2460
8. Pitch You Blockhead (Scott) 2287
9. Misfits (Reid) 2279
10. Chico's Chuggers (Shawn) 2157

The VC Appraisers continue to nurse a comfortable lead, thanks to three 200+ point weeks in four from Weeks 3 to 6. They have five 200+ weeks in total, but none since Week 11. Yet they still hold a 90-point lead because none of the challengers have been able to sustain enough constant pressure.

Yet from places No. 2 to No. 7, things are very competitive. The Ubaldo Spots are 102 point back. The Triple-A's and Arbitration Losers are 108 points off the pace. Buoyed by a huge 240-point week last week, the Pickle Bugs moved within 154 points of the top spot, while the Goatwhisperers are still reeling from a 93-point week in Week 14. They're 172 points back.

Pitch You Blockhead and Misfits are still looking for a second-half spark, while Chico's Chuggers are trying to avoid finished dead last for a second consecutive season.

Head to Head

While the overall standings hasn't seen a lead change in weeks, the head-to-head battle is going right down to the wire.

Three weeks left in the head-to-head regular season, and no one has clinched anything.

The three teams with 9-6 records (VC Appraisers, Goatwhisperers and Holliday Road) are in good position to advance to the playoffs. It's not impossible, but very hard to imagine a 9-9 team not moving on to the postseason.

The Arbitration Losers and Pitch You Blockhead (8-7) can seriously improve their chances with a win this week, especially PYB because their overall standing is not so hot (overall points is a head-to-head tiebreaker).

The four 7-8 teams (Triple-A's, Pickle Bugs, Misfits and Ubaldo Spots) won't be eliminated with one more loss, but it doesn't help. It's especially true for the Misfits because their low overall standings. The Misfits meet Ubaldo Spots in Week 16, so (barring a tie) one team will be 7-9 after Week 16.

And then there's Chico's Chuggers, who need three wins and a whole lot of help. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Week 15 roster changes

Trades

On Wednesday, Arbitration Losers traded SP Ryan Dempster to Chico's Chuggers for OF Garrett Jones

Week 14 midweek replacements

CHICO's CHUGGERS: Benched SP Travis Wood; activated SP Ryan Dempster (acquired in trade)

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Benched 3B Juan Uribe; moved OF Emilio Bonafacio to 3B; activated OF Garrett Jones (acquired in trade).


Players acquired

SP Vance Worley, by VC Appraisers (June #1)

IF Daniel Murphy, by Goatwhisperers (June #2)

OF Kosuke Fukudome, by Arbitration Losers (June #3)

SP Rubby De La Rosa, by Ubaldo Spots (June #3)

SP Chris Narveson, by Holliday Road (June #3)

Players released

SP Charlie Morton, by Ubaldo Spots

2B Justin Turner, by Goatwhisperers

1B Anthony Rizzo, by Misfits

SP J.A. Happ, by Pickle Bugs

SP Chris Volstad, by Pickle Bugs

Week 15 roster changes

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: No changes

TRIPLE-A'S: Placed SP Carlos Zambrano on disabled list; bench SP Ryan Vogelsong; activated SP Dillon Gee and SP Bronson Arroyo.

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Placed 3B Casey Blake on disabled list; Benched SP Clayton Kerhsaw and SP Matt Garza; activated SP Ricky Nolasco and SP Jake Westbrook.

VC APPRAISERS: Placed SP Jonathan Sanchez on disabled list; activated SP Vance Worley

UBALDO SPOTS: Benched SP Mike Leake; activated SP Rubby De La Rosa

MISFITS: Placed SS Ronnie Cedeno on disabled list; benched 3B Ryan Zimmerman, OF Andres Torres and SP Jonathan Niese; activated 3B David Freese and OF Marlon Byrd from disabled list; activated SP Homer Bailey.

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: Released 3B Justin Turner; benched OF Jayson Werth and SP Anibal Sanchez; activated 3B Daniel Murphy, OF Domonic Brown and SP Daniel Hudson

ARBITRATION LOSERS: No changes

HOLLIDAY ROAD: Benched OF Drew Stubbs and SP Kyle Lohse; activated OF Ryan Ludwick and SP Chris Narveson

PICKLE BUGS: Released SP J.A. Happ; activated SP Tommy Hanson from disabled list

Monday, June 27, 2011

Week 14 roster changes

Players acquired

1B James Loney, by Chico's Chuggers (June #3)

Released

SP Randy Wells, by Misfits

2B Orlando Hudson, by Arbitration Losers

Trade

Chico's Chuggers traded SP Chris Carpenter to Holliday Road for 1B Carlos Pena

Week 13 midweek replacements

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: On Tuesday, placed 1B Albert Pujols on disabled list; activated 1B James Loney

Week 14 active roster changes

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: Benched 1B James Loney; traded SP Chris Carpenter; activated 1B Carlos Pena; activated SP Brandon Beachy from disabled list.

TRIPLE-A'S: Benched SP Dylan Gee; activated SP Chris Capuano

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Benched 3B Casey Blake; moved 1B Ty Wigginton to 3B; activated 1B Brett Wallace

VC APPRAISERS: No changes.

UBALDO SPOTS: Benched SP Charlie Morton and SP Hiroki Kuroda; activated SP Mike Leake and SP Ubaldo Jimenez

MISFITS: Moved SP Homer Bailey from DL to bench; benched SS Ronnie Cedeno; activated SS Miguel Tejada

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: No changes

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Benched OF Raul Ibanez and RP Ryan Madson; moved 3B Emilio Bonafacio to OF; activated 3B Juan Uribe and RP Francisco Cordero

HOLLIDAY ROAD: Placed SP Roy Oswalt on disabled list; activated SP Chris Carpenter

PICKLE BUGS: No changes

Week 13 roster changes

Players acquired

2B Jeff Keppinger, by Chico's Chuggers (June #2)

3B Scott Rolen, by Ubaldo Spots (June #3)

C Dioner Navarro, by Pickle Bugs (June #1)

SP Chris Volstad, by Pickle Bugs (June #2)

3B Emilio Bonafacio, by Arbitration Losers (June #2)

SP J.A. Happ, by Pickle Bugs (June #3)


Released

OF Nate McLouth, by Misfits

SP Josh Collmenter, by Ubaldo Spots

SP Kyle McClellan, by Ubaldo Spots

1B Lyle Overbay, by Holliday Road

SP Rubby De La Rosa, by Holliday Road

SP Tom Gorzelanny, by Holliday Road

SS Jason Bartlett, by Pitch You Blockhead

Week 12 midweek replacements

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: On Friday, placed 2B Darwin Barney on disabled list; activated 2B Jeff Keppinger

PICKLE BUGS: On Sunday, placed C Rod Barajas and SP Tommy Hanson on disabled list; activated C Dioner Navarro and Chris Volstad

HOLLIDAY ROAD: On Friday, benched 1B Carlos Pena; moved OF Mike Morse to 1B; activated OF Matt Holliday from disabled list

Week 13 active roster changes

CHICO'S CHUGGERS: Benched SS Alex Gonzalez, OF Garrett Jones and SP Travis Wood; activated OF Alfonso Soriano from disabled list; activated SP Edison Volquez and SS Ryan Theriot

TRIPLE-A'S: Benched OF Laynce Nix; activated OF Jose Tabata

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Released SS Jason Bartlett; placed OF Chris Coghlan on disabled list; benched 1B Brett Wallace and SP Ricky Nolasco; moved OF Ty Wigginton to 1B; activated SS Hanley Ramirez and OF Cameron Maybin from disabled list; activated OF Jason Bay and SP Matt Garza

VC APPRAISERS: No changes:

UBALDO SPOTS: Released SP Josh Collmenter; benched 3B Chipper Jones; activated SP Tim Hudson and 3B Scott Rolen

MISFITS: Benched 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Miguel Tejada and SP Randy Wells; activated 1B Freddie Freeman, SS Ronnie Cedeno and SP Brett Myers

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: No changes

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Benched 3B Juan Uribe and SP Ryan Dempster; activated 3B Emilio Bonafacio and SP Mat Latos

HOLLIDAY ROAD: Benched OF Ryan Ludwick; activated OF Jason Heyward from disabled list

PICKLE BUGS: Benched 2B Omar Infante and SP Chris Volstad; moved 3B Ryan Roberts to 2B; activated 3B Pablo Sandoval from disabled list; activated SP J.A. Happ

Monday, June 13, 2011

Week 12 roster changes

Players acquired

SP Rubby De La Rosa, by Holliday Road (June #1)

SP Jon Niese, by Misfits (June #2)

1B Anthony Rizzo, by Misfits (June #3)

SP Josh Collmenter, by Ubaldo Spots (June #2)

SP Dylan Gee, by Triple-A’s (June #1)

RP Ryan Madson, by Arbitration Losers (June #1)

Players released

OF Eric Hinske, by Misfits

3B Greg Dobbs, by Misfits

1B James Loney, by Misfits

3B Scott Rolen, by Ubaldo Spots

OF Jerry Sands, by Holliday Road

SP Jason Marquis, by Triple-A’s

Midweek replacements from Week 11

TRIPLE-A’S: On Saturday, placed 2B Freddy Sanchez on disabled list; activated 2B Jamey Carroll.

ARBITRATION LOSERS: On Friday, placed 3B Martin Prado on disabled list; activated 3B Juan Uribe

Week 12 active roster changes

CHICO’S CHUGGERS: No changes

TRIPLE-A’S: Benched OF Laynce Nix, SP Bronson Arroyo and SP Chris Capuano; activated SP Wandy Rodriguez from disabled list; activated OF Jose Tabata and SP Dylan Gee.

PITCH YOU BLOCKHEAD: Benched SP Jake Westbrook and SP Matt Garza; activated SP Ricky Nolasco and SP Tim Stauffer

VC APPRAISERS: No changes

UBALDO SPOTS: Benched SP Ubaldo Jimenez and SP Mike Leake; activated SP Josh Collmenter and SP Hiroki Kuroda

MISFITS:  Released 3B Greg Dobbs; benched 1B Freddie Freeman, SS Roger Cedeno and SP Brett Myers; activated 3B Ryan Zimmerman from disabled list; activated 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Miguel Tejada and SP Jon Niese

GLADSTONE GOATWHISPERERS: Benched SP Daniel Hudson; activated SP Jhoulys Chacin

ARBITRATION LOSERS: Benched SP Mat Latos and RP Francisco Cordero; placed SP Aaron Harang on disabled list; activated SP Ryan Dempster and RP Ryan Madson

HOLLIDAY ROAD: Benched 3B Placido Polanco; activated 3B Chase Headley

PICKLE BUGS: No changes

Leading scorers

Batters

1. Matt Kemp (TA) 220

2. Ryan Braun (US) 215

3. Jose Reyes (VCA) 211

4. Prince Fielder (PB) 203

5. Joey Votto (TA) 193

6. Hunter Pence (PB) 191

6. Jay Bruce (PB) 191

8. Drew Stubbs (HR) 188

9. Michael Bourn (GG) 184

10. Chris Young (AL) 177

Pitchers

1. Roy Halladay (Mis) 224

2. Cole Hamles (VCA) 198

3. Cliff Lee (HR) 191

4. Clayton Kershaw (PYB) 185

5. Tommy Hanson (PB) 176

Relievers

1. John Axford (US) 122

2. Brian Wilson (HR) 110

3. Craig Kimbrel (Mis) 109

Sunday's report

Overall standings

1. VC Appraisers (Dave-Kevin) 1983
    Uh-oh, CarGo is heating up

2. Gladstone Goatwhisperers (Arik) 1884
    GGs get six pitching starts of 15 points or better

3. Arbitration Losers (Tim) 1856
    Going to need a hot Tulo with Prado on the DL

4. Ubaldo Spots (Rich) 1821
    Acquisition of Leake is proving to be quite a steal

5. Pickle Bugs (Jon) 1812
   Bugs get 223-point week despite 1 total point in two Lincecum starts

6. Triple-A's (Ken) 1803
    Jamey Carroll's weekend makes loss of Freddy Sanchez easier to bear

7. Holliday Road (Bill-Cliff) 1786
    Nothing more aggravating than a 200-point week and a loss

8. Misfits (Reid) 1636
    Can't wait to get Zimmerman back

9. Pitch You Blockhead (Scott) 1588
    Zimmerman scored 17 Sunday, but team only had 18

10. Chico's Chuggers (Shawn) 1551
    A rough week for Heath Bell (-3 in three appearances)

Week 11 head-to-head

VC Appraisers 221, Chico's Chuggers 122

Ubaldo Spots 229 Holliday Road 214

Triple-A's 185, Misfits 141

Pickle Bugs 223, Goatwhisperers 214

Arbitration Losers 161 Pitch You Blockhead 151