The Around the Horn League (AtHoL)

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Awards

Top 20s / Leaders

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Sometimes you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.

With injuries bumped up a notch this season this may leave us a bit short-handed on the mound at some stage. If so, I'll cross that bridge then. I just felt we needed a guy who could hit for both average and power, and who also has a better-than-average glove as we are a weak fielding side, especially our infield. Schmidt was out of our reach, so I settled on Rafa.

Freddie's lack of glove was just intolerable going forward, despite his decent bat. Livan has had his chances and failed them miserably.

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... and just 5th in AtHoL history.

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... things have not started at all well for us. Only 6-6 but playing terribly. Mize hitting 200 (although with 5 of our 8 HR so far), Moon 136, means we are struggling for runs. Starter ERA 4.23, BP 4.15 means we are giving too many up. Only early doors and I know we've made some changes that can take time to get used to and for the squad to gel, but my finger is already itchy.

It gets even more so as the World Champs hand us a 3-game beatdown at home including this Suttles-led rout in the final game.




Watch this space.

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This time from Montgomery's Ray Corbin against Lewiston.

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He is certainly continuing on from his RoY-winning 1949 season, slashing 330/353/598 with 8 HR, 29 RBI and a 169 OPS+, and shows some fine form in this one against Columbus.

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... is more often than not wafer-thin.




I'm usually pretty decisive about trades. I do lots of work behind the scenes beforehand, but once talks begin they normally proceed apace.

This was not the case here, as one would expect when you're considering trading away one of your best players, your club's all-time hits leader and a career 314 hitter who has averaged over 100 RBI per season.

In the end, my decision to make this move came down to the fact that I firmly believe we need one more solid arm in the rotation to get us over the hump. Contract negotiations with Ben that didn't go well were another factor. Plus I just felt that we still lacked pop and wanted to get more out of Sammy Sosa, whom I am committed to keeping at the club. Ben's presence meant Sammy was only playing a bit part. Now, that role will return to last season's prominence. Well, nearly. He's still not hitting for much average, so I'll pop him down at the bottom of the order and see how he comes along there. If he can hit 240ish and bang out 20-odd HR over the next couple seasons then I'll be happy. I'll play him in the DH role, with Edgardo Alfonzo moving back to 2B. Figgins has been great this season, and we'll play him at LF for now. But I see that as Finley's position longer term.

It was line ball all the way and I get the feeling this is either going to prove a masterstroke or a complete disaster, with almost no chance of it landing somewhere in between.

So Robin will head into the rotation at Harvey Haddix's expense. He'll move into the BP to float between middle- and long relief, with Yorkis Perez - who we picked up in the Rule 5 Draft - returning to his original club. For now, Neftali will join our AAA squad, as will Hank Aguirre. Steve Finley, whom we picked up on waivers early in the season, will head up to the parent club. His presence also made the thought of offloading Chapman (and Moon) much more palatable.

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Lou already making his mark in the AtHoL.

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Curt Blefary and the Red Birds put a serious hurtin' on the Royals.

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The 1950 3BL season is in full swing and I'll once again be providing updates along the way. Salem rookie Angel Chavez starts his career off in style with this fine game.

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Our Cairo Egyptians have started the season well, and look set for another competitive year. This'll keep the wind in their sails.

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The special performances continue down in the 3BL, with Goldsboro's Guy Curtright having a game to remember against Portland, although his Goldbugs take the loss 11-12.

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... for Donny Baseball.

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A full recap in the next Podcast, but we are having a dreadful month and I feel the lack of strong leadership among the position player group is a major factor. So I pull the strings to acquire Carlos from struggling Minneapolis. He should help no end in this regard. Harvey, after a strong rookie year, has - along with almost our entire staff, mind you - been terrible this season and I think his being traded sends a strong message to the others that I'm not one to sit on my hands. Yorvit has done little for the past two years and had already been sent down to AAA. We are strong at catcher and he had become expendable.




Vinny Castilla, who isn't hitting his weight, makes way but we'll need to demote another player when Rafa returns from the IL next week. That will be a tough choice. Mike McGeary has to stay for his defensive prowess at catcher and short, even though he's not seeing much game time. Greg Gagne has only just been called up and I hate the idea of wasting an option year. In the end it'll almost certainly be Jerry Hairston who goes back down - while he offers plenty of flexibility around the park and especially at 1B, he isn't giving us much with the bat. Recent callup Bill Krieg plays 1B OK, as do Carlos and starting catcher Paul LoDuca. So I think we'll be covered.

Mike Caldwell gets another chance and will work as a LH long relief option.