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#221 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1977 Manager of the Year awards
SJL:
Definitely a bit of a surprise pick in the SJL this year, with Pittsburgh's previously unheralded and decidedly not flashy Steve Hanley earned the honor for the first time. Perhaps the voters thought that Columbus skipper Harry Rabelais, who has won the award three times, didn't need the accolades and has a built in advantage managing the powerhouse Whalers. (I do like the change of pace here, but will admit that Rabelais is my very favorite WPK manager.) MGL: Much less of a surprise that the Denver manager should win the award in the MGL.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#222 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1977 SJL Pitcher of the Year
And now we get to the big ones:
As expected the SJL Pitcher of the Year award voting came down to Columbus teammates Jim Norris and Luis Ramirez, and for the second year in a row Norris is the winner. No pitcher other than these two got any first place votes, though their other teammate Cody Barnhart also received votes.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#223 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1977 MGL Pitcher of the Year
For the 3rd time in 4 seasons, Brooklyn's 26-year old ace Aaron McNally is the MGL Pitcher of the Year. With his durability and great stamina many expect that this is just the beginning of what will likely be a Hall of Fame career. Denver's Sadahige Kawasaki was the only other MGL pitcher to get any first place votes this year. The Brewers Sekien Hamasaki also got some votes.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#224 |
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1977 sjl mvp
The San Antonio Keys' 26 year old shortstop Bud Lindsay is not only one of the most talented- if not the most talented- players in the game but is also the team captain and a young man of exceptional character. He is the rare player who has almost no weakness on and off the field. Except he has one big weakness that has plagued his young career- he is injury prone. After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1972, Lindsay had injury shortened and therefore disappointing seasons in 1973 and 1974. Although he came back strong in 1975, missing only a bit of the season and putting up 6.2 WAR, it was last season when we finally saw again his true potential as a player when he can get a full season in. With an 8.6 WAR he was named the SJL MVP for the first time. And in 1977 he once again put together a full season, this time finishing with an even more impressive 10.5 WAR, the best in the WPK this season. If this trend continues, and Lindsay can somehow manage to avoid major injuries going forward, he is almost a shoe-in for the WPK Hall of Fame. But that is a big if still. For now though it can at least be said that he is a two-time league MVP.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 Last edited by BirdWatcher; 08-10-2020 at 02:14 PM. |
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#225 |
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1977 mgl mvp
While members of the Denver front office and Brewers players did their best to be respectful and congratulatory towards Baltimore's Chris Tobin, who was named the MGL MVP yesterday, they couldn't completely hide the fact that they felt that Brewer second baseman Bobby Erbakan had been robbed a bit. Bobby may have been hurt a bit by a somewhat cold stretch run (the theory is that the oft-injured veteran may have run out of steam a bit towards the end of the long season) and also by the fact that in a season in which the home run was the big story, particularly in the MGL, Erbakan's 27 trailed Tobin's 44 by a good margin. Still, Bobby was the only other player to receive any first place votes and he made it pretty close. This is Tobin's second time winning the MGL MVP award as he also won it in 1973 as a member of the Portland Wild Things. Other Brewers who got votes: Brett Taranto, who finished 5th, under-rated right fielder Josh Schaeffer, who finished 8th, and center fielder Joe McPhillips, who won the award in 1974 and in spite of an injury shortened season still got a handful of votes.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#226 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Brooklyn extends speedster Brigatti through 1982!
When left fielder, and Brooklyn fan favorite, Jeremy Brigatti was lost for the rest of the season in late August it certainly didn't help the Aces already slim chances of winning the MGL pennant.
The talented defender and lightening fast runner is a huge spark for the Brooklyn offense and is absolutely adored by the fans. Therefore it was a no brainer for the Aces front office to reach some agreement with the 28-year old to keep him in a Brooklyn uniform for many years to come. And at just a bit over 400K per season, Brigatti is a considered a steal for the remainder of his prime playing years.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#227 |
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Free agent Luis Gonzalez headed back to Washington
Luis Gonzalez, the 1970 SJL Rookie of the Year and a two-time All Star, is headed back to his original club, the Washington Night Train, after spending one season playing for the Philadelphia Mud Hens.
The Night Train lured the slugging first baseman back into the fold with a lucrative 5-year deal. Gonzalez slugged a career best 32 homers last season with a slash line of .317/.379/.554. Although he is a sub-par fielder and very slow runner, and although there have been some rumors of him displaying a selfish attitude, there can be no doubt that he is a gifted hitter. First base was an unsettled position for Washington last season as four players saw more than 50 innings there during the season and their primary first baseman- Steve Farnum- is slated to start at third base this year, which was another unsettled spot in the Washington infield. Washington was also 9th in run scoring in the SJL in 1977 and they hope to be more productive with Gonzales back in the middle of the lineup.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#228 |
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Surprise Saguaros win AFL Championship!
The Arizona Fall League season has ended with the Surprise Saguaros, for the 4th time in their history, winning the championship.
Their league best offense was powered in particular by a pair of Brewers prospects, catcher Erik Bettencourt, who was with the Brewers this past September, and third baseman Jose Figueroa, who will be playing for AAA Chester this next Spring and is still thought of as the potential future starter at the position in Denver.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#229 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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L.A. inks starting pitcher Kyle Bidwell to 3-year deal
Perhaps the biggest factor at the end of the 1977 season that led to the downfall of the Los Angeles Spinners was a lack of depth in starting pitching. And that becomes even more acute with their veteran 21-game winning Jason Wilson on the free agency market. So it probably shouldn't be a surprise that L.A.'s first big free agent signing of the off-season is former Portland starting pitcher, Kyle Bidwell, who finished second in the league last season in ERA and third in Pitcher of the Year voting.
Some suggest that Bidwell's 1977 season was a bit of an anomaly, but in spite of the fact that he is essentially a 2-pitch pitcher, Bidwell has been consistently at least moderately valuable and isn't likely to hurt you in a middle-to-back-end of the rotation slot. And certainly L.A. needs all the help it can get in this area. (Their top prospect is a starting pitcher, but he is still pretty far from being big league ready.)
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#230 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Brewers trade Lovett to Philadelphia
It was no secret that the Denver Brewers intended to send slugging first base prospect Mike Lovett, #72 on the top 100 prospects list, away this off-season. Not because they don't believe he can be a very valuable big league hitter- he certainly showed some of that potential in a 2-homer game after he returned from the IL this past September- but simply because he is completely blocked from a big league role by emerging star Brett Taranto and he wouldn't be served by any more time in the minor leagues. So partly to give Lovett the opportunity to make his mark in the WPK but also to free up a 40-man roster spot, the Brewers worked out a trade with the Philadelphia Mud Hens that brought to the Denver organization a right field prospect who, while being less heralded than Lovett, profiles as a very similar hitter. This trade also has the advantage of sending Lovett to the SJL, where any damage he does won't affect the Brewers at this time, short of meeting up in the KCS. Those close to the organization say that the original intent was for the Brewers to try to leverage Lovett to get at least one quality left-handed pitcher, whether a starter or reliever, both of which the team could use. But reportedly they just couldn't find a good fit on that front and instead got the best prospect they could get to boost the minor league system and also got the Mud Hens to throw in a left-handed reliever who, while not profiling as a legitimate prospect, is young enough to grow and looks to be a pretty good fit with the Brewers organizational pitching philosophy. The infielder the Brewers had to throw into the mix to seal the deal was not someone the team had any hopes for and while they wish him well they had no qualms about parting with him.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#231 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Brewers targeting free agent reliever Javy Bermudez?
Rumors are circling that the Denver Brewers, who lately have been largely not disposed to signing free agents, are in talks with the agent of veteran right-handed reliever Javy Bermudez.
Some WPK experts question the logic of this, given that the Brewers could really use a left-handed reliever and Bermudez, in spite of his many good qualities, appears to be trending in the wrong direction with his career. He also is known to struggle against left-handed hitting, so in spite of having the stamina to be a multi-inning pitcher, he might be more well suited as a guy who faces one tough right-handed hitter at key moments (in other words, that rarest of animals, the ROOGY). Sources close to the front office suggest that there might be a few reasons that Bermudez is attractive to the front office. First of all, he is an extreme groundball pitcher, which is a trait highly prized by Denver and their legendary pitching coach, Blake Martin. Secondly, Bermudez has great makeup and is a real fan favorite. But even beyond fan impact, the indication is that the Denver front office has long admired Bermudez and would love to see if he can get his career headed back in a better direction in the Mile High City. The fact that he has never had a single injury in his entire professional career also makes him an attractive potential signing. They also point out that the Brewers have several young relievers with potential who also still have options left this coming season and you can never have too many relievers at the highest levels of your system. It is also hinted that the negotiations are going quite well so stay tuned for an announcement in the near future.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#232 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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San Antonio Keys sign veteran starting pitcher Jason Wilson
Jason Wilson, the 38-year old right handed starter who won 21 games for the L.A. Spinners last season, his fourth 20+ win season of his career, signed a 1-year 352K contract with the San Antonio Keys yesterday. The Keys are only the third team Wilson will have pitched for in his 12+ years of pitching and many wonder how he will fare away from the pitcher friendly Avalon Park where the L.A. Spinners play their home games. But while the Keys' River Walk Park is a better hitters' park it isn't an extreme difference and given that the SJL has been the much less offense minded league the difference may balance out.
Yes, Wilson is turning 39 mid-season 1978 and none of his pitches are particularly unhittable anymore, but a one-year deal for a starter with his track record, durability, and great stamina is probably not the worst risk to take.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#233 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Brewers get Bermudez!
Inside sources say that the signing of free agent reliever Javy Bermudez ended up being a bit more involved than the Denver front office anticipated and ended up being a bidding war between several clubs (among them, reportedly, Columbus, San Antonio, and Brooklyn) but in the end he did sign with the Brewers.
Admittedly, at probably a higher cost than he should have (a bit over 309K a year for 2 years). But with the retirement of 600K man Cheol-han Lee, and having drawn a WPK-best 3,311,347 fans last season, the Brewers have plenty of money to spend and really nobody to spend it on at this time. So the front office decided to go all in. And they got their man!
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#234 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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L.A. signs starting pitcher Devin Washburn
The Los Angeles Spinners continue to spend the off-season working to bolster their starting rotation and with the recent news that their start veteran Jason Wilson did indeed sign elsewhere, they have now added another unheralded (though admittedly, not quite as talented) veteran right-hander in Devin Washburn.
Washburn has pitched the last several years for the San Francisco Velocity, in a home park even more pitcher friendly than L.A.'s Avalon Park but he remains a solid, middle-of-the-rotation arm and has proven himself to be something of an Iron Man when it comes to durability. It looks like he'll be slotted into the #4 spot in the rotation and with his addition the Spinners do appear to once again have a pretty deep rotation, though much still depends upon staff #1 Eduardo Obando's ability to stay healthy for a full season.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#235 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1978 Hall of Fame voting results
Only 3 players were on the WPK Hall of Fame ballot this year and for the first time in WPK history a candidate got enough votes- just barely enough- to stay on the ballot for a second year.
Not that Art McMartin, who was a fine pitcher and led the league in wins in 1968, is ever going to be enshrined in the hallowed museum in Dubuque, Iowa, but his inclusion on 6% of the ballots at least keeps his hopes alive, just a little. Former Brewer Daniel Torres, who led the league in ERA two seasons in a row (1970-1971), was a 2-time All-Star and earned a KCS Championship ring with the club in 1970, earned a spot on only 3.6% of ballots and has been dropped from future ballots. The same can be said of catcher Rey Zacarias, who played the bulk of his career with the Philadelphia Mud Hens, and in spite of being 6-time All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger winner, and having helped one club (Washington, in 1971) to a championship, didn't even get his name on 1% of the ballots.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#236 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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L.A. re-signs veteran superstar Jamel McNeil
As happens most every off-season, the greatest relief pitcher in the WPK- Jamel McNeil- was a free agent. Unlike the past six off-seasons, the much hated even if begrudgingly respected, McNeil, ended up re-signing with the team he most recently pitched for.
McNeil started his career as a member of the Los Angeles Spinners and while there is not guarantee that at the age of 37 he will finish it with L.A., the fact that they signed him to a 2-year deal indicates that might be the intention.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#237 |
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Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Jamar Clay in the news- for all the right reasons!
Although he is only 24 years old (he'll turn 25 early in the 1978 season), Jamar Clay is wise beyond his years and is emerging as one of the greatest role models and leaders in the game of baseball.
The Columbus closer combines great talent with intangibles that make him nearly peerless (Bud Lindsay might be the only WPK player who might be his equal in these regards), and stories like this one illustrate just how special this kid is and why he is so beloved.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#238 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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Cody Kane to join Boston Berserkers
Veteran outfielder Cody Kane, a potential future Hall of Fame inductee and one of the more well-respected leaders in the game, had signed an 8-year deal with the Portland Wild Things in November of 1973. But if he thought he could help bring a championship to stumptown, he was wrong. Fortunately for him his agent negotiated an opt out for him after the 4th year and earlier this off-season he took it.
Yesterday it was announced that he had signed a 3-year deal to play for the Boston Berserkers, a team much more likely to contend, having finished 2nd in the SJL this past season and with 3 straight years of over 90 wins. With Cody Kane slotted into the lineup between lead off hitter Chase DiMascio, a 3-time All-Star who last year hit .320/.385/.533, and 2-time league MVP Justin Vargas, who was .349/.402/.615 and led the league in home runs with 35, Boston's lineup looks nearly unstoppable. Granted, Boston's starting pitching might hold them back a bit, but adding the talented, who joins shortstop Matt Bell as team co-captain, looks like a good move for both the team and Kane's chances of getting back to the KCS (he has 1 championship ring from 1972 when he helped lead the unlikely Charlotte Sting to the promised land.)
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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#239 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 4,263
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1978 Denver Brewers pre-season preview
We have now reached the beginning of the 1978 pre-season exhibition season and it is a good time to look forward to the upcoming season a bit as well as wrap up a few things from the 1977 Championship campaign.
Let's start with: The Starting Rotation: With the surprise announcement at the end of the '77 season that Cheol-han Lee had decided to retire, stepping away from several more years under contract as the highest paid player in the WPK, a difficult decision was taken off the front office's hands. The 1978 starting rotation will of course once again be led by staff ace Sadahige Kawasaki. Kawasaki went 17-8 with a 2.62 ERA last season and led the league in WHIP at 1.16, FIP- at 61, and WAR with 8.6. He finished 2nd in the MGL Pitcher of the Year award voting. There are no indications that he should be anything but spectacular again in 1978. He is expected to once again compete for the title of best starter in the league. Sekien Hamasaki (17-5, 3.47 in 1977) is the presumptive #2 man in the rotation after his second straight season of consistent solid performance. Hamasaki has the best stuff in the rotation (though rookie Jim Atwell should have something to say about that soon) but has had a propensity to allow home runs at a fairly high rate. Like Kawasaki, Hamasaki will turn 30 this season and the scouting staff seems to believe that his control may be improving some with age. He also possesses what might be the best slider in the game. He should be a fine #2 or #3 this season. Veteran Steve Green (13-7, 4.56 in '77), who will turn 32 mid-season, will compete with Hamasaki for the second slot in the rotation. Although by traditional metrics Green seemed to have a difficult '77 season, most advanced metrics indicate that he remained quite valuable and likely suffered from some bad luck. Green led the league in groundball out percentage, K/BB, had a FIP of 3.65 and a FIP- of 76 and his .312 BABIP was quite a bit higher than his career average of .281. Brewers scouts see no reason to worry about Green who has an elite cutter and rates above average in every way. After the top 3 things become a bit more unpredictable for the Brewers rotation. Likely John Weaver, who at the tender age of 25 has spent a few years bouncing back and forth between AAA Chester and Denver and also between the Brewers bullpen and the rotation, is #4. In that time he has put together a fine 15-8 record with a 3.52 ERA in a Brewers uniform. He also delivered a start in this past year's KCS that will likely be remembered for a very long time and has made him a real hero among the Brewers players and fans. He is one of the hardest workers on the team and has a strong fastball/change up combination to anchor his 4-pitch repertoire. On the other hand, his stamina is average at best and the scouting staff is, if anything, a bit less sold on both his stuff and his movement then they were in the past and his control remains an issue. Weaver has likely earned the #4 slot for now, but his future is probably at the bottom of the rotation or in a swing-man role. Then we come to rookie Jim Atwell, who will likely start the season in the #5 spot in the rotation but is expected to rise to the level of staff ace before too long. Atwell didn't exactly dominate in his first taste of the big leagues last September but he showed signs on his great promise in his last start of the year, on the final day of the regular season. Atwell will turn 25 mid-season and it is hoped that he has arrived for good and will stick in the rotation. He has an elite curveball to go with a sinking fastball that is expected to develop a bit more and which he throws upwards of 100 mph. The Brewers scouting staff believes that he has made recent strides in his control and when you factor in his stuff which is headed towards elite status, good movement, high stamina, and durability, Atwell should be a future superstar in this league. But all 5 of these pitchers throw from the right-hand side. The team's best left-handed starter, 34-year old Erik Sloan isn't expected to be ready to go until mid-season at the earliest, as he recovers from surgery on a partially torn UCL. Whether the screwball specialist will return with his skills still mostly intact and how quickly he can get up to speed only time will tell. Then there is team captain, Matt Helm. After having suffered two serious injuries which shortened his 1977 season, the Brewers scouting staff see the writing on the wall that with his 30th birthday coming up at the end of March, Matty's career is pretty much reaching a conclusion. (He went from Fragile, for years, to Wrecked now.) The front office felt for years that Matty's health was probably living on borrowed time as he suffered a series of injuries but somehow escaped anything serious until this past season. And even at his best, Helm was a pitcher who seemed to exceed his skills. Now those skills look like they are degrading fast while his body falls apart. Likely he will pitch out of the bullpen this year, assuming he is healthy enough to pitch at all, and with the team having a buyout option at the end of the season, as respected and important as he has been to the club, this might be the swan song for Matty in Brewers purple. In case of multiple injuries the team did also sign a few veteran starters to minor league contracts who will be waiting in the wings down at AAA Chester, in particular journeyman (31 year old) left-hander Nick Baldwin, who was in the Houston rotation last year after having a tremendous 1976 pitching for Chester, and 33-year old Owen Carson, who returns to Chester where he pitched quite well in '77 after having tested out the free agency market. Chester will also feature prospect Bryant Cox in their rotation and it appears that Cox has a good chance for a late-season call-up to the Brewers and profiles, according to our scouting staff, as a future mid-rotation arm. The Bullpen: Veteran closer Tim Shore is on the last year of his contract with the Brewers and at age 32 is coming off a fine season in 1977, when he saved 28 games, had a 2.66 ERA, and put up 2.7 WAR. Our scouting staff sees no reason he won't be much the same in '78. He has a great fastball/slider combination and great movement, even if his stuff is good, not great, and his control is just above average. As a hard-throwing (96-98 mph) groundball pitcher he fits in well with the Brewers pitching philosophy. Ben Flynn broke through in 1977 and the expectation is that the fan favorite is the closer in waiting. He went 10-3 with 10 saves and a 3.17 ERA last year and has a great fastball/curve ball combination, multi-inning stamina (perhaps more a stopper than a closer, actually), stuff with some potential for growth to elite still, and well above average movement and control. Oh, and he's also just probably the best power hitter on the team and one of the best hitters period. (His 1977 slash line: .400/.416/.813.) The lone free agent signing for the Brewers this off-season, Javy Bermudez, is our primary set-up man. Bermudez is another fan favorite, has an elite slider and great movement. His stuff is pedestrian, but he gets ground ball outs and has good stamina. Perhaps the key to the bullpen this season is how Jason Gottula, our best left-handed reliever, returns after having missed the entire 1977 season with a torn back muscle. At this point our scouting staff is optimistic and expect him to pick up where he left off in 1976, when he had 15 saves and a 2.70 ERA. The other left-hander in the 'pen is Victor Colon, who was acquired mid-season 1977. Colon was spectacular early in the season while pitching for El Paso, but his numbers with Denver were good but not great (3-1, 3 saves, 3.22 ERA, 1.57 WHIP). But Colon has good stamina, gets ground ball outs, and is basically as effective against right-handed hitters as left-handers. Along with Colon the Brewers also got 25-year old right-hander Evan Perez from El Paso. If Perez could just develop his slider a bit more he has starter potential, with a great change up, a decent fastball, and good stamina. At this stage he is a solid member of the 'pen as a middle reliever who has a bit of reverse split and is tough on left-handed batters. In a deep bullpen, one wonders how side-arming, power-pitching righty Walter Hackler will fit in. Hackler was good in 1977- 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. He does have 1 option year left and so he could find himself bouncing back and forth between Chester and Denver but given that injuries are inevitable it is good to have depth. And the Brewers will have plenty of depth, with several relievers who had at least a bit of experience in the Denver bullpen last season and will likely be at AAA to start the season and still have options. The most promising of them is probably 22-year old right-handed slider specialist Brandon Veach, who has elite stamina but unfortunately his third pitch is a poor change-up that isn't expected to ever get better. Still, the hard-working and durable Veach will be one of the first men called on in case of injuries and should have a career ahead of him as Brewer reliever counted on in high-leverage situations. Catchers: Denver enters 1978 with the same catching tandem they have had for the past 3+ seasons. Zacarias Martell remains the starter and one of the more well respected players on the club but there are indications that his skills might be diminishing a bit. His 2.3 WAR in 1977 was the worst for him in a full-season as a WPK player and his 93 OPS+ was his lowest ever at the big league level. He is only 27 years old and he had one of his better defensive seasons last year (if not his best) and remains a valuable player. He is signed through 1982 and is no danger of losing his job at this point. But his bat might eventually move him to a backup role. The current backup is defensive specialist Kirk Patnode. Patnode's 1977 season was a bit confounding as he hit pretty well again (better than his skills would seem to indicate he should) but while his defense was good, it was arguably the least impressive of his career. Patnode is a team leader and is durable but his bat isn't likely to carry him and his defense must be at the highest end of the spectrum if he want's to keep his job. His 0.4 WAR in 1977- by far the lowest of his career- doesn't bode well for him. And he will be pushed by 25-year old Erik Bettencourt, who has the best bat of these three catchers. Bettencourt is a hard-worker and profiles as durable and has the overall catching skills to be a starter but a bit of a weak arm that means some of the speedy teams in the MGL- Brooklyn comes to mind- might run at will when he is behind the plate. He has 2 option years left but isn't going to be content to stay at AAA much longer and could earn the starting catcher job in the next few season, particularly if Martell's bat continues to devolve. Infield: The good news: the Brewers have a great infield, both offensively and (mostly) defensively. The bad news: Three of the four starters on the infield have serious injury issues (Fragile.) First baseman Brett Taranto is the one durable starter on the infield. And having won the MGL Rookie of the Year award in 1976 only to follow it up with a batting title, Gold Glove, MVP-contender season in 1977 has solidified Taranto's key role on the club. Just as Bobby Erbakan had for years before him, Taranto owns the first base job. And likely will for years to come. Speaking of Bobby Erbakan, well all he did in 1977 was hit .353/.389/.580, finish 2nd to Taranto for the batting title and 2nd in the MGL MVP voting to Baltimore's Chris Tobin. Most importantly, other than two small day-to-day injuries, he stayed healthy all season, for the first time since 1974. Can he do it again in 1978? We hope so. Third baseman Rodrigo "RodRod" Rodriguez was not so lucky. A knee injury suffered in late April kept him out for most of two months, but when he did play he showed his usual offensive brilliance (.325/.363/.491) and defensive weaknesses (-3.6 ZR). To give him credit though, his 15 errors, even given his fewer inning played, was still an improvement. He has a strong arm and can turn a double play but he is only an adequate defender overall . Shortstop Rich White is the opposite- a great fielder whose bat is suspect. But like RodRod he has a hard time staying healthy and missed more than a month of play with a back injury in 1977. Still, he played enough to win his 2nd consecutive Gold Glove award and although his +13.1 ZR was down a bit from his incredible 1976 mark of +17.8, he was still an elite defender in 1977. As has been his trend, he hit very well early in the season but struggled down the stretch for an 87 OPS+ (slash line: .282/.340/.411). The other good news (with some caution) is that the Brewers are deep in the infield and with the injuries suffered by RodRod and White they received a good deal of quality playing time from backups like primary utility-man Joe Willemse, defensive specialist Nick Ward, and back up third baseman Jake DiCesare. The note of caution is that Ward (.318/.387/.467) and DiCesare (.326/.383/.494) both probably hit above their heads in 1977 and some reversion to the mean should be expected. But it should be noted that DiCesare shows potential to take over from RodRod as the starting third baseman, if needed, at least up until the time that top position player prospect Jose Figueroa is ready to seize it. (Figueroa, who had another great Arizona Fall League performance, will start the season at AAA but the scouts think he's pretty much ready for the big leagues and while he's not likely a future superstar he has an elite contact bat with above average gap power and should be an above average defender.) And while Ward will probably never repeat his offensive numbers from last year, if needed to fill in for White at shortstop the team loses very little defensively and he is basically a Gold Glove caliber second baseman and third baseman. Outfield: Center fielder Joe McPhillips is always the biggest question mark as well as the biggest key. McPhillips, who won the MGL MVP award back in 1974 is a gifted defender and a fine hitter while also being one of the best base runners on the team. But although the scouts aren't ready to concede yet that he is injury prone (Normal, still), he does seem to have a hard time getting through a season unscathed. This past season he suffered from no less than 6 injuries, and although most of them were minor day-to-day ailments, he started the season on the IL with an oblique strain and then missed more than a month when a sore elbow again put him on the IL in late July. When healthy he was his usual self, hitting .320/.398/.533, putting up 4 WAR, and throwing out 9 runners on the base paths. Though it should be noted that this was down from 20 the season before and his ZR dropped from +4.7 to -0.4, a bit alarming though the scouts still see him as being a plus defender. Rookie Val Guzman took over in left field after the Brewers traded away veteran Andrew Kennedy in mid-July and he did a fine job, finishing 3rd in the league for the Rookie of the Year award. Guzman is a speedster with a good glove who can fill in for McPhillips in center when needed, but is far better in left, where he could eventually earn a Gold Glove. He shows a good power/speed combination as he hit 17 homers in 549 plate appearances while leading the team in stolen bases with 31. And while his contact skills aren't great, he shows an advanced eye which gave him a slash line of .268/.375/.444. The hard working young man has earned the starting job in left field, at least for now. Right fielder Josh Schaeffer is probably one of the most under-rated players in the game and maybe even one of the most mis-understood. Schaeffer has always had a reputation for having a poor work ethic, but the evidence on the field doesn't back that up and he is consistently valuable. Schaeffer has one of the best batting eyes- if not the very best- in the game, and led the league with 123 bases on balls this past season (after having done the same in 1976 with 122). Schaeffer hit .322/.477/.484, scored 113 runs, stole 17 bases, consistently breaks up double plays with his aggressive base running, threw out 14 runners and had a solid +3.1 ZR. His 5.6 WAR was the second best on the team after Bobby Erbakan in 1977. The Brewers never lack good outfielders. And in addition to these 3 starters, they have solid backups in 29-year old John Flores (.323/.398/.583) (who may essentially platoon with Guzman this season in left field), Jon Williams (.340/.383/.481), who was the 1977 KCS MVP and is an even better defensive right fielder than Schaeffer, and 25-year old left-handed hitter Casey Bromwell (.275/.325/.444), who in spite of having worse offensive numbers than Flores and Williams actually profiles as the best hitter of the bunch though just a slightly above average defensive player. Likely Bromwell will start the season at AAA while Flores and Williams stay in Denver as the 4th and 5th outfielders. So, overall, not that many changes from 1977 with the biggest additions being free agent reliever Javy Bermudez and rookie starting pitcher Jim Atwell, who was with the club and started 5 games this past September. The only significant deletion is future Hall of Fame starting pitcher Cheol-han Lee, who was atrocious in 1977. The biggest question, as always, is whether significant members of the team like Bobby Erbakan, Rich White, RodRod, and Joe McPhillips can stay healthy all, or at least most of the, season. But with a good deal of depth and some fine young players at the highest level of the minor league system (starting pitcher Bryant Cox, third baseman Jose Figueroa, reliever Brandon Veach), it looks like the Brewer should be able to remain competitive, for this year and likely well into the future.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 Last edited by BirdWatcher; 08-14-2020 at 11:00 PM. |
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#240 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Wolf Pack veteran starter Pablo Bernal suffers torn labrum
In the very final day of exhibition games in the 1978 WPK pre-season, the Jacksonville Wolf Pack found out that they will be without the services of their veteran right-handed starting pitcher and team leader Pablo Bernal for much, if not all of, the upcoming season.
Bernal was acquired mid-season 1977 by the Wolf Pack and helped keep them in contention for the SJL pennant until late in the season. Whether he will be ready in time for the stretch run this season though is a big question and while Bernal is far from a premium starter at this stage of his career, his steady leadership and innings-eating abilities will be sorely missed by Jacksonville. It was a pre-season that otherwise resulted in very few significant injuries and the few that did occur were restricted largely to non-frontline players.
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The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717 |
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