[BirdWatcher]

the Moonlight Graham League, West Division

the Denver Brewers: 89-40, 1st place, +1, RS: 1st, RA: 1st.

Best position player: Antonio Acuna, RF, 27- .345/.379/.599, 6.7 WAR.

Best pitcher: Jim Atwell, RHP, 27- 12-9, 2.69, 1.14 WHIP, 6.8 WAR.

On the rise: Bryant Cox, RHP, 26- 16-5, 3.61, 1.32 WHIP, 3.8 WAR.

In decline: Rich White, SS, 30- .259/.334/.360, 1.2 WAR
and Bobby Erbakan, 2B, 33- .269/.307/.426, 1.5 WAR.

Key September call-up: Eric Maisch, RHP, 20- 4.7 WAR at AAA, #6 overall prospect in the WPK, all indications are that he continues to develop into a future ace, potential future MGL Pitcher of the Year.

Out of commission: None! The Brewers have had plenty of injured players this year, but enter September with everyone healthy finally. Maisch is serving out the last few days of a suspension from a recent brawl down at AAA Chester, but other than that everyone is available.

Pennant race summary: After finding themselves looking up at San Francisco the first half of the season, the reigning WPK champs moved into first place just a few days after the All-Star break and haven't left that spot since. At this point they are given just under a 99% chance of winning the division and have won 7 straight games. The farm system ranks just above the middle of the pack, but at this point we have very few good position player prospects and with an aging infield where 3 of the 4 starters are fragile (first baseman Brett Taranto is considered an Iron Man), this could become a problem before too long. But pitching is a strength and, as has been well documented, the Brewers have a veritable plethora of likely future big league arms. The starting rotation, in particular, and the outfield look like they will remain the strongest elements of a very strong and deep team.

the San Francisco Velocity: 81-50, 2nd place, -1, RS: 3rd, RA: 2nd.

Best position player: Cameron Olsen, CF, 25- .286/.355/.478, 6.0 WAR.

Best pitcher: Jon Harrington, RHP, 26- 13-10, 3.30, 1.25 WHIP, 4.9 WAR

On the rise: Brian Paul, RF, 24- .330/.389/.441, 3.2 WAR in 414 PA, a sparkplug!

In decline: Howard Turnbull, 3B, 31- .244/.289/.341, 0.9 WAR.

Key September call-up: None

Out of commission: Andrew Litteral, C, 27- .343/.371/.435, 3.8 WAR- sprained knee, out 4 more weeks.

Pennant race summary: First off, it needs to be noted that the Velocity play in the most extreme pitcher's park in the MGL, so their hitters are probably even a bit better than they look and the pitchers perhaps not quite as good. But all-in-all, this a talented team, with a mix of proven and durable veteran arms in the rotation supporting 26-year old top starter Jon Harrington, 26-year old 2-time Reliver of the Year Joe Hall anchoring a strong bullpen, some of the most talented young outfielders in the game, and arguably the game's best catcher in Andrew Litteral. And if there is any reason to completely give up on this team's ability to catch the Brewers with a bit more than a month left in the season it is that Litteral won't be playing during that time due to his badly sprained knee. San Francisco is exactly in the middle of the pack as far as farm system rankings (just below Denver) but they have enough young stars, a strong enough core, that they should remain competitive for the foreseeable future.

the Los Angeles Spinners: 73-56, 3rd place, +3, RS: 4th, RA: 3rd.

Best position player: Jason Ott, C, 27- .339/.393/.513, 5.5 WAR.

Best pitcher: Kyle Bidwell, RHP, 33- 18-4, 3.04, 1.23 WHIP, 4.8 WAR.

On the rise: Mike Sudbrink, 3B, 27- .297/.324/.453, 3.4 WAR, in his first season as the starter following the departure of future HOF'er Jesus Hernandez, this solid defender with a plus power tool and strong work ethic has helped ease the pain of the loss of an L.A. legend.

In decline: Bill Winchester, RF, 30- .279/.354/.397, 0.8 WAR. Winchester was the big free agency signing for the Spinners in the off-season and they were probably hoping a change of scenery might help him return to his earlier form as a potential future Hall of Famer. It hasn't. The big, slow, fragile outfielder with limited range isn't aging well and likely his glory years are behind him. He's a good guy, reportedly, and he still has a mostly strong approach at the plate even if just average contact abilities. But that lucrative 5-year contract he signed in the off-season is looking like it might end up being an albatross deal for the team. Then again, this is the richest club in the MGL with a huge fan base, extreme fan loyalty, and a generous owner. So while this looks like a team headed in the wrong direction, don't underestimate their ability and inclination to throw money at the problem. (Okay, admittedly, some of that was meant for the summary below.)

Key September call-up: Yoo-hyun Yon, RHP, 24- this uber-talented side-arming reliever returned not long ago from a torn UCL which sidelined him for a year and pitched in 14 AAA games. He is fragile so it remains to be seen if he can ever live up to his tremendous potential.

Out of commission: Heath Zweig, CF, 29- out all season with post-concussion syndrome, needs 2 more months of recovery, and Riichi Nemoto, SS, 25- .221/.351/.322- suffered torn PCL, needs 6-7 months of recovery- one of the top prospects for the Spinners- a great defender with promising offensive potential.

Pennant race summary: As discussed above in the in decline section, L.A. looks to be a team heading in the wrong direction and in addition to having an aging starting rotation (granted, some of these veterans are durable and still quite talented), an under-powered offense, and a mediocre defense, their farm system is ranked #19. They do have one of the best bullpens in the game, made even better if young Mr. Yon can stay healthy. And, also as discussed above, they are made of money and don't mind throwing it around profusely. Now, if they just spend it a bit more wisely, they certainly have a chance to remain a competitive team going forward. But if not, they could just be a very expensive also-ran.

the Portland Wild Things: 64-67, 4th place, -5, RS: 7th, RA: 4th.

Best position player: Justin Ficklin, 2B, 28- .336/.427/.492, 7.4 WAR.

Best pitcher: Brad Evans, LHP, 32- 11-4, 2.64, 1.32 WHIP, 3.4 WAR.

On the rise: Willie Romero, SS, 22- .252/.289/.426, 6.1 WAR- almost surely the best defensive player, at any position, in the game today- as his easily best WPK ZR of +31.7 will attest. Not a great hit tool, but plus power. Oddly, for an infielder with elite range (well, elite everything when it comes to defense- 10's all around on the 1-10 scale), he is one of the slowest players in the game. Apparently he makes up for a lack of raw foot speed with good instincts and quickness (elite fast-twitch?) as he is a decent base-stealer and base-runner with a UBR of 4.2 and BsR of 4.7 and 4 stolen bases while being caught once. But he is also just 22 so one wonders if this lack of speed might catch up with him as he ages.

In decline: Ruben "Streak" Souffront, RF, 35- .217/.258/.285, -0.8 WAR in 250 PA. Now our old friend Ruben, on the other hand, remains quite fast and is an Iron Man with plus defense. But boy he can't hit a lick anymore. Pretty much done, it would seem. And he's a free agent at the end of this season.

Key September call-up: None

Out of commission: Jamil Morales, RHP, 27- 7-11, 3.60, 1.26 WHIP, 1.9 WAR, fractured elbow, out 3 more months.

Pennant race summary: The Wild Things have been under-achievers this year and you have to wonder if some of that might be that their best player- Justin Ficklin- is also one of the bigger jerks in the game and makes for a toxic clubhouse. They also have another disruptive force in starting pitcher Matt Toone and it is likely hard for their young captain, Joe Barbour, to keep peace when the team is losing and far out of first place. They have a fast offense, leading the league in stolen bases and 3rd in base running, but lack punch and also struggle to get on base. With Romero leading the way, their defense is strong. Their farm system, however, is not. They have a few young players who should keep the team from collapsing entirely but overall this looks like a team that will remain middle of the pack, at best.

the St. Louis Redbirds: 60-70, 5th place, -1, RS: 2nd, RA: 11th.

Best position player: Steve Whitehead, 3B, 26- .332/.401/.549, 5.7 WAR (but fragile).

Best pitcher: Jean Auge, RHP, 25- 12-9, 4.09, 1.46 WHIP, 3.0 WAR- Auge is a 2-way player ho also plays second base for the team and has put up 2.5 WAR in that capacity.

On the rise: J. J. Hebert, LF, 27- .337/412/.631, 3.8 WAR- the former Jacksonville 1st round pick (1972) is finally getting his chance to be a starter. He's slow, he's fragile, he can't field his position (though he has a strong arm). On the other hand, the kid just rakes at the plate and has a chance to lead the league in home runs if he can stay healthy and on the field. Oh- and I haven't even mentioned the most interesting thing about Hebert. He came into professional baseball as a 2-way player and primarily was a pitcher early on, putting up some good numbers but suffering a series of injuries until he finally was converted full-time to the outfield. He hasn't pitched an inning since the 1975 season.

In decline: Travis Johnson, 1B, 41- .237/.335/.313, -0.5 WAR. Like Ryan Rodgers, who was discussed above in the Philadelphia section of the SJL East post, Johnson is going into the Hall of Fame as one of the premiere outfielders of his generation. Unlike Rodgers, Johnson not only cannot play the outfield any longer but he can't field any position on a baseball diamond without being a severe liability to his team. And what's worse, apparently he can't really hit much anymore either. It's time to step away Travis and wait on your induction into the Hall.

Key September call-up: None.

Out of commission: Alvaro Hernandez, RHP, 32- 5 games in relief, 8 1/3rd innings, and then suffered torn labrum, out 6 months.

Pennant race summary: The expansion Redbirds got off to a decent start this year but have been fading as we head into the stretch run. They play in a good hitter's park so their offensive numbers may be a bit inflated, but they do have some talented and mostly young hitters. Their starting rotation isn't so much bad as it is shallow so they will need to add some quality arms if they are to compete next season. The good news is that they have some very fine and durable young pitchers currently down at AA Topeka so help is coming. True contention for a divisional crown is likely still years off, but they should be respectable for an expansion team the next few seasons.

the Phoenix Speed Devils: 47-83, 6th place, +1, RS: 6th, RA: 12th.

Best prospect: Larry Carnell, 1B, 29- .290/.366/.521, 4.1 WAR.

Best pitcher: Kevin Azevedo, RHP, 24- 9-10, 4.54, 1.46 WHIP, 1.3 WAR (and fragile).

On the rise: Chris Addison, CF, 27- .268/.342/.435, 3.3 WAR, great speed, good power, poor work ethic but smart.

In decline: Ruben Torres, LHP, 34- 8-18, 5.68, 1.58 WHIP, 1.0 WAR. Iron Man but average, at best, stuff, movement, and control and would need to get out of Phoenix to be anything but horrible.

Key September call-up: Chris Becker, C, 26- good defensive backstop, humble, likeable guy, has a good eye at the plate but otherwise not much of a hit tool package. But hey, maybe he could help the Phoenix pitchers from going absolutely crazy with his calming influence and strong catching ability. Every little bit helps when you pitch in Phoenix.

Out of commission: Ricardo Becerra, LHP, 22- 4-3, 4.86, 1.39 WHIP, 0.4 WAR, herniated disc (back), 4 weeks. Young lefty with great potential but fragile. And, well, he pitches for the Speed Devils. So this will not end well.

Pennant race summary: I've made several oblique references to this above, but in case you are new to the WPK or just have forgotten this fact, the Phoenix Speed Devils play their home games in by far the most extreme hitter's park in the WPK. Or to put it another way, this is where pitching careers go to die. And the fact that the Speed Devils are middle of the pack in runs scored this year tells you pretty much everything you need to know. Playing in this park, there is no way this team will ever win without being at, or at least very near, the top in every offensive category. Phoenix was the first team eliminated from post-season contention in 1980. And that is pretty much how this goes down every season. With the top ranked farm system in the WPK perhaps it doesn't always have to be this way in the future. On the other hand, their 10 prospects who are in the top 100 in the WPK are all pitchers. Every single one of them. So we'll see how that goes.