The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League

[Palaaemon]

Originally Posted by BirdWatcher

Jim Atwell came into this season listed as the #2 overall prospect in the WPK, after having been at the very top of that list the two previous years.
And thus far in 1978, his first as a big league starting pitcher from day 1 of the season, he has been quite solid, if not exactly spectacular.
Yesterday he gave us all a taste of the spectacular.

Attachment 723103

In a dominating performance, Atwell allowed just 1 hit, amazingly enough a 6th inning double off the bat of the opposing pitcher Kantaro Yasui, as he shutout the Detroit Falcons. In addition, he struck out 14 batters, to put him 2nd all-time in Brewers history in K's in a single game, behind the great Cheol-han Lee, who recorded 15 K's against the Portland Wild Things in a game in April of 1972. Atwell shares 2nd place in this category with Harry Lyerly, who admittedly struck out 14 batters in four different games in his Brewer career.
Atwell did walk 3 batters and lack of control continues to be his biggest weakness. But his 96 game score in this one is the best so far in all of the WPK in 1978, with Luis Ramirez of Columbus next best with his 4-hit, 12 K, shutout of Chicago on April 20th.

Oh, and Atwell hit the 1-out single that started the 5-run rally in the 5th inning which broke what up to then was a scoreless tie!

Brewers fans and the front office alike hope that this was just a first tantalizing glimpse into the very bright future of the young future Ace.

Jim Atwell is moving fast, what with his increasing improvement each month. He will soon be bypassing Weaver and Green, (perhaps by the end of the end of the season if not sooner) not only due to his own merit, but also because of Green's seemingly confusing downfall and Weaver's inconsistency. Look for more good outings from him but don't be surprised to find some growing pains along the way while he grows, but no doubt about it, he belongs in the WPK.

Have a good night!

Palaaemon

[BirdWatcher]

Originally Posted by Palaaemon

Jim Atwell is moving fast, what with his increasing improvement each month. He will soon be bypassing Weaver and Green, (perhaps by the end of the end of the season if not sooner) not only due to his own merit, but also because of Green's seemingly confusing downfall and Weaver's inconsistency. Look for more good outings from him but don't be surprised to find some growing pains along the way while he grows, but no doubt about it, he belongs in the WPK.

Have a good night!

Palaaemon

Indeed.
And his most current ratings, according to our scouting department, if anything are more optimistic then they were before, with his stuff up to near elite with some growth still possible and his movement heading towards near elite as well. Control will never be his strong suit but it still looks like he might reach an above average rating in that category. He's durable, he has good stamina, and it appears he might have just the right amount of cockiness that you don't mind seeing in a true ace.
I don't want to over-react to one dominant performance (and like you said, there will be rough patches ahead) but I really am starting to feel like the sky's the limit with this one.
With Kawasaki's continued brilliance, Hamasaki's rise to the top of the leader-boards this year, and Atwell's budding potential, the Brewers rotation should have a wonderful top three, perhaps all of whom could be #1's on a lot a teams, in the rotation for at least several years to come. After that it gets a bit more murky, but at last check Bryant Cox continues to dazzle down at AAA.

[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 6-1 (week), 31-14, 1st place, MGL (season)

May 21, versus Phoenix: 4-3.

May 23-24, at Charlotte: 4-3, 6-2, 6-2.

May 25-27, versus Detroit: 9-8, 7-0, 3-10.

The Brewers start week 7 by winning the rubber match of the 3-game series against Phoenix in walk-off fashion. Young Jim Atwell pitched a strong game but did not get the decision, having lasted 7 innings while giving up 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out 7 batters and walking 3. Jason Gottula (2-1, 1.46) picked up the win with 2 nearly flawless innings. The Brewers broke the 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 9th when Rich White hit a 2-out double to drive in Josh Schaeffer all the way from first base, after Schaeffer had worked a walk. It was White's 2nd hit of the game and his 4th double of the season.

The Brewers then traveled to Charlotte to take on the Sting but game 1 was postponed due to inclement weather.
In the makeup game, now the first game of a Tuesday doubleheader, they again got a 1-run win by scoring in the 9th inning, this time plating 3 runs to come from behind. The visitors overcame a great start by former Brewer Justin Peacock, who is off to a great start for the Sting this season. John Weaver started for Denver, lasted 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and not earning a decision. Javy Bermudez (4-0, 3.60) got the win and Tim Shore earned his 7th save in 8 tries. Reliever Ben Flynn did not pitch in this one but did deliver one of the big hits in the pivotal 9th inning when he drove in 2 runs with a pinch-hit single. Josh Schaeffer drove in the game winner when he followed with a single and the Brewers got the gift of a throwing error from the Sting left-fielder.

In the nightcap, Sadahige Kawasaki (5-2, 2.66) was strong, lasting 8 1/3rd innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, with the runs not coming until the 8th inning when he was starting to tire a bit. John Flores went 2 for 4 in the game and drove in 2 runs, hitting his 1st double of 1978.

The Brewers get the series sweep thanks in large part to another great Sekien Hamasaki (8-0, 1.91) start. Hamasaki worked 8 innings, giving up 1 run on just 5 hits. Ben Flynn came in to clean up a mess created by Victor Colon in the 9th and got a key double play ground out and another easy groundball out to earn his 3rd save of the season. Brett Taranto went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 driven in. And Rich White's one hit was his 5th double of the season and he drove in 2 runs as well.

As previously reported, game 1 of the home series against the Detroit Falcons was the Jim Atwell show. Atwell (6-2, 2.97) was pitching a no-hitter into the 6th inning when he allowed the opposing pitcher, Kantaro Yasui, to hit a lead-off double. It was the only hit Atwell would allow in the game, in which his fanned 14 batters and walked 3. He also hit a single and scored a run in the Brewers big 5-run 5th inning, when they broke a scoreless tie. Joe McPhillips, slumping a bit of late, provided a 2 for 3, 1 run scored and 3 RBI game, drawing a pair of walks, swiping his 5th bag of the season, and hitting his 7th double. Brett Taranto went 2 for 4 and hit his 7th double as well.

The Brewers suffered their only loss of the week the next day when veteran team captain Matt Helm was given his first start of the season. In fairness, Helm actually was pretty good in this one, lasting 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. But the bullpen, which has mostly been solid in 1978, completely imploded. Javy Bermudez (4-1, 6.30), who took the loss, gave up 3 runs on 3 hits without recording an out, and Evan Perez was then charged with 4 earned runs on 4 hits (including 2 home runs) in his 2/3rds of an inning pitched. The Joe's, McPhillips and Willlemse, each went 2 for 4 in the loss and each hit a double, McPhillips' 8th and Willemse's 4th.

With the good week and with the primary contenders up until now- Oklahoma City and Phoenix- both slumping, the Brewers find themselves with a 5 game lead at week's end, over the suddenly hot Brooklyn Aces and Oklahoma City, while Los Angeles is now in 4th place, 7 games back and Phoenix falls to 5th, trailing Denver by 8 games.

[BirdWatcher]

SJL:



It shouldn't come as any surprise that the Columbus Whalers find themselves once again atop the SJL standings or that the Seattle Alligators, who had gotten off to such a strong start, should be starting to head down the standings towards the middle of the pack. It is always nice to see the former league doormats, the El Paso Dawgs, right up there in contention.

MGL:



And the Denver Brewers remain the class of the MGL, having expanded their lead to 5 games over Oklahoma City. While the Brewers may be over-achieving a bit, they do fairly easily have the best run differential in all of the WPK. The Brooklyn Aces have been on the rise and have now taken over 3rd place while L.A. continues to be pretty mediocre but is sitting in 4th place, a couple of games over .500. But look at how those Phoenix Speed Devils have fallen. I guess that early good start was a bit too good to be true for the team that lost 110 games last season.

[BirdWatcher]

SJL:



Luis Gonzales, who returned to his original club- the Washington Night Train- as a free agent signing in the off-season, doesn't have a sterling reputation. Many consider him a selfish player, though there is no doubt of his high intelligence as a person and a ballplayer. But he is also very slow and a poor fielder. But boy can the man rake at the plate! And he did just that this past month to earn the batter of the month honors in the SJL.


MGL:



Having fallen into a short slump following the ending of his 24-game hitting streak (stretching back to the 1977 season), Brett Taranto has gone on a tear again and it not only helped the Brewers to a 20-8 record in May but it also earned him the MGL Batter of the Month honors, the 3rd time in his still young career he has been so honored. Taranto is just leading the MGL in batting average, RBI's, WAR, hits, runs scored, total bases, and WPA, while being high on the leader boards in wOBA, OBP, SLG, OPS, triples, etc.

[BirdWatcher]

SJL:




As you may already be aware if you follow the WPK at all, Jamar Clay, the 25-year old closer for the Columbus Whalers, is one of the most respected, revered, and, it must be said, beloved, players in baseball. He is the player all parents hope their children grow up to be like, if not on the field, then certainly off of it. You would have to be a pretty cold-hearted and perverse person not to root for Jamar Clay. And while he has the reputation of being the anti-Jamel McNeil in terms of character and reputation, this past month he put together McNeil-like numbers and is on pace to have the kind of season as a reliever that approaches some of the finest seasons by the future Hall of Famer and gold standard reliever with the surly disposition.

MGL:



Denver hurler Sekien Hamasaki, in his 5th WPK season since coming to the league from Japan as free agent, is off to easily the best start of his career. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find too many better in the history of the WPK. The durable righty is on pace for a 30-0 season with 10.4 WAR. Obviously he won't keep up that pace, but he's the clear early favorite in the MGL for Pitcher of the Year honors.

[BirdWatcher]

SJL:



Michael Noland, the 8th overall pick in the 1976 draft, has had quite the meteoric rise through the minors to find himself not only a member of the San Antonio Keys rotation but the May Rookie of the Month in the SJL. Noland, a lefty out of Gloucester, Massachusetts, who starred at Chandler College before being drafted by the Keys, profiles as a durable hurler with a plus fastball that is expected to improve with experience, a fine curveball, and a decent changeup, along with an average splitter to keep batters honest. He has good stamina and good movement to go along with stuff and control that rate as pretty much average at this point but both have the potential to be decently above average as he matures.

MGL:



The Brewers did not rush Jim Atwell through the minors but with his 25th birthday approaching in less than a week, Atwell is certainly making his presence felt now that he has finally been installed into the Denver rotation. The feeling is that much more greatness is ahead for the young man who was the top prospect in the WPK two year's running and entered this season as #2 on that list.

And, while I can't be absolutely certain, I feel fairly confident that this is the first time the Brewers have pulled off the trifecta with MGL Batter of the Month, Pitcher of the Month, and Rookie of the Month. And certainly these three players have been key in the early good start for the team.

[stevem810]

Awesome 5th round pick. He looks good.

[BirdWatcher]

Originally Posted by stevem810

Awesome 5th round pick. He looks good.

Yeah, he's the real deal. Admittedly he was one of those bargain picks who should have gone much higher due to him showing up primarily as a first baseman in the draft even though he had much more potential as a pitcher.

[BirdWatcher]

Who's Hot:

The obvious answer here is the three monthly award winners- Brett Taranto, Sekien Hamasaki, and Jim Atwell.

But let's also look at a couple of veteran relievers who are having fine seasons and have anchored a bullpen that up until recently was near the top of the league in group ERA. The bullpen has suffered some tough outings lately, but both right-handed closer Tim Shore and left-handed set-up man Jason Gottula continue to be very good. Shore has 8 saves in 9 opportunities, a 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a FIP- of 76, over the course of 10 relief appearances. Gottula, who is coming back from a major injury- a torn back muscle- that kept him from pitching even a single inning during the 1977 season. In his 13 appearances thus far he has won 3 games, lost 1, and saved 1 (in his only opportunity), while putting up a 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a FIP- of 87.

Who's Not:

While there continue to be reasons to believe that he has been unlucky- his FIP- is 84, his BABIP is .365- for whatever reasons Steve Green's tough 1978 continues. He currently has a 1-5 record with 5.93 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Even in the few better starts he has pitched lately he hasn't been able to get a win, his last victory coming on April 23rd in a slug-fest against Charlotte.

Second year fifth outfielder Jon Williams was the biggest hero of the 1977 Kinsella Classic Series and was awarded the series MVP. He is a terrific defensive player with elite level speed and base running abilities and by all reports just an all-around good guy and teammate. While there is little doubt that his offensive numbers last year were not sustainable, he has headed in the exact opposite direction this year and currently has a slash line of .203/.277/.390. He already has been demoted to AAA Chester once this season to clear his head and with the deep pool of outfield talent in the Brewers' organization, another demotion might not be far away.

Dollars and sense (and some nonesense):

The Brewers recently reached agreement with right fielder Josh Schaeffer on a one-year extension of his contract to avoid an arbitration hearing in his last year of arbitration eligibility. Schaeffer will make approx. 290K next season and he will then be eligible for free agency at the conclusion of the 1979 season unless he and the team reach an agreement to extend him beyond next season before then.

Rumor has it that the team is close to reaching an agreement on a one-year extension for the also arbitration-eligible utility infielder Joe Willemse, who continues to prove his versatility and value to the team this season.

This still leaves the following players arbitration eligible at the end of the season: left fielder John Flores (likely to be traded soon), reliever Evan Perez, starting pitcher Sekien Hamasaki, reliever Victor Colon, reliever Ben Flynn, backup catcher Kirk Patnode, third baseman Rodrigo "RodRod" Rodriguez (expected to be traded soon), and shortstop Rich White.

Down on the Farm:

AAA, Chester Big Stick: 33-15, 1st place.
Starting pitcher Bryant Cox just keeps rolling along, with a 6-2 record and a fine 1.71 ERA. He also has a 1.09 WHIP. Granted his BABIP against is low at .250 and his FIP of 4.09 gives him a FIP- of 91, so it seems he's over-performing a bit. But his growth remains good and he should have a future somewhere in the Brewers rotation.
Switch-hitting Andre Wilkes is having a good season at the plate with a slash line of .303/.373/.569 and a team-leading 12 home runs. At age 24, the corner outfielder may get a chance to show his stuff at the big league level soon, especially with the continued struggles for Jon Williams.

AA, Nashville Red Wings: 18-30, 9th place, 19 gb.
Oscar Medrano continues to lead the starting rotation, with a 5-2 record and an easily team best 2.33 ERA.
Left fielder Billy Ferguson, the Brewers 2nd round pick in the 1975 draft, leads position players in WAR at 1.0. His slash line is .298/.351/.567 and he is on pace for a 20 homer/20 double season. Ferguson has a big league bat but questionable makeup, sub-par defense, and very little foot speed. He may eventually get a chance to play at the WPK level but is is questionable whether it will ever be in a Brewers uniform.

A, Bainbridge Brawlers: 20-28, 8th place, 14 gb.
20-year old starting pitcher Brad Ward has been pitching much better for the last month or so and now has a 4-4 record with a 4.19 ERA.
The sense at this point is that Ward is still a long-shot to have a big league future but he is young, has a very good cutter and a splitter that has room for growth, decent makeup, and may eventually shift to the bullpen and provide some value.
Things continue to develop fine for the Brewers top position player prospect, the 22-year old center fielder Matt Catlett. Catlett has a slash line of .307/.365/.444, has elite-level speed and developing strong defensive skills, works hard and profiles as durable, and is second on the team in WAR at 1.5 (behind lesser right field prospect Bobby Bernstein, whose defensive skills alone might eventually give him a chance of being a 5th outfielder in the WPK.)

Injury Report:

Jake DiCesare, expected to contend with rookie Jose Figueroa for the starting third base job in the next few seasons, is still about 3 weeks away from being able to return to action as he recovers from a sprained knee.

Both Erik Sloan and Bobby Erbakan are currently in the midst of rehab assignments at AAA Chester and should be back in Brewers uniforms in the next few weeks, if not sooner. (Actually, Erbakan has only 6 days maximum left that he can remain with Chester.)
A few minor league pitchers have been lost for the season- veteran left-hander Nick Baldwin with a torn rotator cuff and 22-year old righty Josh Roberts, a very marginal prospect, with a torn labrum.
Sidearming relief pitcher Ryan Muilenberg is expected to be ready to return to the mound in less than a week as he recovers from shoulder bursitis.

Ulrik's Update (scouting director development report):



The most recent report from the Brewers scouting team, delivered by head scout Ulrik Berthelsen, unsurprisingly indicates that Jim Atwell is rapidly progressing towards ace starter status.



Minor league outfielders Andre Wilkes and Eric Hammock continue to see their stock go up with our scouting staff, with the offensively gifted power-hitting Hammock looking like a worthy successor to Josh Schaeffer as our right field starter should Schaeffer leave as a free agent at the end of next season.



Catching prospect Casey Davis doesn't look like much more than a potential big league backup as he is eventually expected to be an above-average defender with a good eye at the plate but it has to be said that he has certainly provided offense above what is expected of him since joining the Brewers system after having been drafted in the 7th round last year, and in 36 games at class A Bainbridge this year his slash line is .390/.444/.598.

First baseman Chris Mosakowski is a fascinating study in extremes. He is slow as molasses, an average defender at best, and there are serious questions about his ability to put the bat on the ball with enough regularity to ever be a big league ballplayer. On the other hand, he has elite gap power, the potential to become a better home run hitter than any player the Brewers currently have on the active roster (with the possible exception of Ben Flynn), and already has an advanced eye at the plate in terms of drawing walks (oh, he'll strike out plenty also, make no mistake.) He profiles as durable and few work harder than him, but there are also some doubts about his baseball smarts. Where this guy will end up is anybody's guess.

[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 4-2 (week), 35-16, 1st place, MGL (season)

May 28-30, versus Portland: 17-3, 7-6, 5-1.

June 1-3, at San Francisco: 4-0, 4-5, 1-3.

In the first of three games against the Wild Things in Denver the Brewers scored early and scored often. Meanwhile, starter John Weaver (3-1, 4.98) pitched pretty well, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 7 and walking over his 5 innings pitched. Among the many hitting heroes was Brett Taranto, who was 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. RodRod went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 4 driven in, hitting his 5th double of the season. Joe McPhillips chipped in with a 2 for 5, 3 RBI game, hitting his 9th double.

Denver had to come from behind in game 2 as Sadahige Kawasaki was touched for 5 runs (though only 2 earned) on 8 hits over his 6 innings pitched in a no-decision for him. Jason Gottula (3-1, 2.02) got the win in relief and Tim Shore picked up save number 8. Brett Taranto was once again the hitting hero, going 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI, and hit his 7th home run of the season. Prior to Taranto's 3 run homer which capped the 5-run 5th inning, normally light-hitting Nick Ward hit his 1st bomb of the year in the same inning, a 2-run shot.

The Brewers get the series sweep behind another strong start from Sekien Hamasaki (9-0, 1.82). Hamasaki works 8 innings, giving up 1 run on 5 hits. Brett Taranto, big surprise, provided the bulk of the offense, going 3 for 4 with 1 run scored and 2 RBI, hitting his 8th double and picking up his 6th stolen base.

After a day off, the Brewers got June started by traveling to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco Velocity. And in game 1 veteran starting pitcher Steve Green (2-5, 5.13) had the best start of his often disappointing season. Green went the distance for the shutout, allowing 6 hits while striking out 5 and not walking a single batter. Val Guzman went 2 for 3 with a run scored and 1 driven in and hit his 11th double. Nick Ward homered for the second time in 3 games.



The Velocity struck back in game 2, in spite of Jim Atwell carrying a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th inning. Atwell then got into a bit of trouble and the bullpen came on and threw gasoline on the small fire, turning into a conflagration that resulted in a walk-off win by the home club. At least partly due to the bullpens failure, Atwell gave up 4 runs on 6 hits over 8 2/3rds innings pitched. Jason Gottula (3-2, 2.70) blew the save and took the loss and Evan Perez came on to allow the game-winning hit. Ben Flynn got a rare start at first base and went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI, hitting his 2nd home run of 1978. Rich White his his 3rd homer of the season.

And in the rubber match the Velocity held the Brewers offense to just 1 run and took the series. Sadahige Kawasaki (5-3, 2.71) takes a tough loss, giving up just 2 runs on 7 hits over his 6 innings pitched. Brett Taranto went 2 for 4 in the loss but also committed his 3rd error of the season.

[BirdWatcher]

Relief pitcher Jason Bowman has been around a long time, and he's been around, period.
The thing is, he's very talented on the mound and very damaging in the clubhouse.






So at the age of 39 he finds himself pitching for his 9th different team, including multiple separate stints with teams. And at this point of the season, as a multi-inning closer, he leads the SJL in wins at 8. (His career single-season high in this category is 11.) The 1969 MGL Reliever of the Year is on pace for 25 wins to go along with 19 saves and 3.0 WAR. He turns 40 at the end of the season and if this is a swan song (he will be a free agent again at the end of the season) it is looking like a sweet one.
And in spite of his bad attitude the El Paso Dawgs have to be pretty happy that they signed him for this season as he has helped them stay in serious early contention with the mighty Columbus Whalers.

[BirdWatcher]

It was announced yesterday that the Denver Brewers had sent third baseman Rodrigo "RodRod" Rodriguez and left fielder John Flores to the Portland Wild Things in exchange for 25-year old outfielder Antonio Acuna and minor league starting pitcher Jesus Rodriguez.



The timing of the deal seemed to mostly have to do with Bobby Erbakan's return to the active roster from his rehab stint at AAA Chester. With Bobby returning space needed to be cleared on the roster and the feeling is that rookie third baseman Jose Figueroa has earned a spot on the big league roster and with veteran utility infielders Joe Willemse and Nick Ward both being able to provide him with quality back-up at the position, the unloading of the fragile and increasingly defensively challenged RodRod, the 1975 MGL Rookie of the Year, made the most sense. (And, of course, eventually Jake DiCesare will return from the IL.) In packaging 29-year old John Flores in the mix the Brewers were able to get a younger, more defensively gifted and versatile, and more affordable, outfielder in Acuna to replace him. Acuna is a right-handed batter who will complement the three left-handed outfield starters on the team, all of whom he is quite capable of providing breathers to. While he is a capable center fielder, he is tremendous defensively on the corners, gives them team another speedy runner, and although he will rarely walk he has an advanced approach at the plate and potentially as good or better over-the-fence power than anyone on the team.



Jesus Rodriguez at best projects as a possible swing-man/spot starter with poor stamina, but the reality is that the organization needed some pitching help at the AA level and the durable control specialist should help stabilize the Nashville rotation a bit.

[BirdWatcher]

The big day has arrived and the 1978 amateur draft is well under way in the WPK, with the first round now in the rear view mirror.

Although no draft should be evaluated on the initial round alone, with many first round busts and middle round surprises to be expected, the first round does go a long ways towards indicating the trends of the draft. And what this first round indicated is that this might go down as the year of the prep pitcher, as an abnormal number of young hurlers were chosen early.

The Phoenix Speed Devils had the honor of picking first. The team that plays in an extreme hitters park and experienced the worst staff ERA at the WPK level in league history in 1977 does have a number of young pitchers at the top of their prospects list. With an aging lineup it was a bit of surprise to most that the Speed Devils didn't grab collegiate (JuCo) third baseman George Brown, with his massive power potential with the first pick. Instead they went with Connecticut high school pitcher Kyle Elkins. While Elkins is somewhat advanced for his age the feeling is that he will always be a two-pitch pitcher and is unlikely to make it into a big league starting rotation. Many around the WPK consider this a lost opportunity for Phoenix and a bad pick at 1-1.



The expansion Chicago Fire were up next and they naturally quickly grabbed up Brown, the consensus top position player in the draft. Brown might have some bat to ball issues but when he does make contact he will do so with authority and he is also expected to grow into very fine on base skills. He's no speedster but he's quick enough for a third baseman and has a cannon for an arm. While it's hard to imagine him turning into a Hall of Fame player, he should be ready to provide impact to the Fire sooner rather than later and most think this was a no-brainer pick.



Next up were the Seattle Alligators and they selected a left-handed starting pitcher out of Lansing Community College (it was also the year of the JuCo player) that the Brewers scouting staff was very high on in Steve Rosales. Rosales profiles as an innings-eater with potential elite stuff and a splitter that could be a real out getter. He will need to work on his changeup a bit still but it is a bit developed and has great potential. Control may be an issue but a decent big league career in the middle of a rotation doesn't seem like a reach.



The Houston Cavaliers then chose another left-handed starting pitcher with the 4th pick of the draft, prep sidearmer Jacob Whittemore. Whittemore dominated in the competitive Florida prep scene and if he can develop his changeup anywhere near his potential he will have three effective pitches to go with elite level stamina. While he doesn't project as having anything more than above average stuff, movement, or control, the belief is that he can develop all three to become a very balanced, if not really dominant, starter in the bigs. As is to be expected of such a young pitcher, it is control which he will need to work hardest to harness.




And with the 5th pick the Charlotte Sting continued the trend of picking prep starting pitchers when they chose the slender Kansan right-hander Roman Palmer (although he was born in Texas, the Palmer family relocated to Osawatomie, Kansas when Roman was 8 years old.) Palmer was another pitcher the Brewers staff was impressed with. He profiles with very good stamina and should induce ground ball outs. His best pitch is expected to be an elite circle change but he will keep hitters honest with an above average fastball. The real question will be how well he develops his slider, which is sub-par currently but is thought to have good potential. Although he is likely to take a more low-key approach in the clubhouse, his makeup is mostly considered excellent and few work harder than he does.



When the first round ended (not counting the supplemental round) ten pitchers had been chosen, six of them from the high school ranks (including the Brewers pick, but more about him in the next post). Other positions represented: shortstop, with three chosen, center field, with three chosen, third base, with two chosen, catcher, with two chosen (very late in the round), second base, with one player chosen, and left field, also with one chosen.

[BirdWatcher]

So let's look at the Denver Brewers picks in the first 5 rounds of the 1978 amateur draft.

With the last pick of the first round the Brewers took high school right-handed starting pitcher Eric Maisch. Maisch has three pretty well developed pitches for such a young man but still needs to work hard to harness his control. He's not a hard thrower but he will likely fill out a bit with age and might add some velocity to his already average fastball. But mostly Maisch is expected to keep batters off-balance with his off-speed pitches, an already above average curveball with room for growth and a solid changeup. His ceiling is probably somewhere in the middle of a big league rotation but for such a young pitcher he is already fairly polished.



The Brewers second round pick was collegiate outfielder Russell Fleming. Although Fleming is listed as a center fielder he profiles as most likely a future right fielder with decent range but also a spectacular arm. Fleming has decent raw speed but poor technique on the base paths. The feeling is that he can develop into an above average contact hitter, with his line drive approach and the projection that he will be a hard guy to strikeout. He is not expected, however, to develop the power bat usually sought after in a corner outfielder. The Brewers management does like his hard working reputation and the feeling is that while he might not be a future starter he could be a useful big league role player at some point in the future.



In the third round the Brewers got another starting pitcher, this time a native of Canada who played his college ball all the way down in New Orleans. Matt Danton is a right-handed ground ball specialist who will need his subpar changeup to develop at least close to it's potential projection in order to be a big league starter. Even if that happens his lack of stamina might hold him back and his projected skills indicate that a spot in the back end of a rotation, or as a swingman, is perhaps his ceiling. But he does profile as a durable and has a strong work ethic and the feeling is that he has a chance to surprise. (He's a pretty decent hitter, too.)



Denver took a control-challenged relief pitcher in the fourth round, a kid out of New York College named Wally Kordich. The tall, lean Kordich is a left-handed thrower who will induce an inordinate amount of ground balls (which fits well in the Denver philosophy of pitching) and will likely not give up many home runs. He projects to have both an excellent cutter and curveball but a changeup with little hope of ever being useful will keep him from ever joining a starting rotation. Still, he could be a multi-inning reliever and with his over the top delivery he isn't expected to be particularly vulnerable to opposite-handed hitters. He's a hard worker and should control the running game very well.



In the fifth round, the Brewers decided to take a chance on a prep third baseman out of Tempe Prep in Arizona named Brad Griffin. There was much debate in the Brewers front office about this pick. Most Brewers scouts were not in favor of it due to Griffin's limited defensive upside and questionable makeup (he's likely to rub some people the wrong way) but other members of the front office were attracted to his hit tool, which was better than any other players still available at that point in the draft. He may be destined for first base (he could also possibly be an adequate left fielder) but he might develop into a pretty good contact hitter with a bit of pop in his bat. He has good raw foot speed but needs to improve his technique on the base paths.



The draft hasn't been completed yet (we are in the 10th round) and certainly the club hopes to find a few hidden gems in the late rounds, but if history is our guide most likely any future Brewers will be among the five players shown above.

[BirdWatcher]

My apologies for the long delay, but here at long last is the second in a series of WPK tools reports (thanks Palaaemon, for the reminder.)

So, to remind us all, here is what I wrote to preface the first volume in this series:

"A feature I have been meaning to roll out for some time is periodic tools reports for the WPK. Today I am publishing the first of these, which looks at which players in the WPK have the best batting eye.
Just to explain the methodology a bit:
1) This is not a reporting of scouting ratings...
2) Nor is it just a stats based ranking.
3) The idea is to identify a subjective, but evidence-based, top 10 list for a specific baseball tool.
4) Some weight will be given to career stats but even more weight will be given to current stats and scouting perceptions. In other words, what have you done for me lately?"


This time we will be looking at pitchers and determining which pitchers possess the best curveballs in the game.
There are of course complications in making these types of distinctions, and in this case a big one is that there are different types of curves. For the purpose of this report it should first be noted that we are not discussing knuckle curves at all- they will likely eventually get their own report.
But the list does include both the over the top, 12 to 6 curve, as well as the more roundhouse variety, thrown generally from a 3/4 arm angle (or sidearm, but as it turns out none of these were in the discussion.)
While both general types can be strikeout pitches the overhand, 12 to 6 curve, which breaks more or less straight down, is far more likely to lead to ground ball outs as well and thus a pitcher who throws this variety should be judged on his ability to get ground ball outs.
And of course, pretty much no big league pitcher throws only a single pitch. So how do you measure the importance of one pitch in the repertoire, particularly when there are other's of equal quality?
Well, you just do your best to isolate the facts from the noise.

And for us, it leads to this top 10 list of WPK curveballs:

10- Tony Reyes, Boston Berskerers, 29 year old left-handed relief pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9.
Reyes is on the list primarily because while he has a fine curveball he possesses no other quality pitch, with a changeup rated just a 5 (all ratings on the 1-10 scale) and a fastball rated a 4. And yet here he is in his 6th year as a big league pitcher who has twice as many wins as losses (he went 16-10 in his only year as a starting pitcher) and a respectable enough 3.73 career ERA. Without his (as our head scout calls it) wicked curve, he would almost surely have been forced to find an alternative career long ago.

9- Jim Murphy, Boston Berserkers, 30 year old right-handed relief pitcher.
Curveball rating: 10
Veteran reliever Jim Murphy pairs a well above average 94 to 96 mph fastball with a devastating curveball from the over the top angle. While he doesn't necessarily carry the label of groundball pitcher, his ground out percentage last year was .53 and this year is up to a fantastic .61. Although never considered one of the best relievers in the game, Murphy has used this two-pitch combination to fashion a fine six year career thus far. And, as you can see, he gives the Berserkers a fine left-right combination, with #10 on this list, of curveball specialists in their bullpen.

8- Dan Knauff, Oklahoma City Diamond Kings, 27 year old right-handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9

Dan Knauff pairs his excellent roundhouse curve with an almost equally good sinker to keep hitters off balance, getting a good number of ground ball outs (.57 GO% this season) as well as getting a good number of strikeouts. His third pitch is an average changeup which might eventually push him to the bullpen but at this point he rests comfortably in the middle of an increasingly talented Oklahoma City rotation.

7- Joe Hall, San Francisco Velocity, 24 year old right-handed closer.
Curveball rating: 9.

Young Joe Hall, a native of Golden, Colorado (Dan Knauff, above, is also a native Coloradan, from Ft. Collins- a bit odd that curveball specialists should come from a part of the nation where the thin air limits the pitch's effectiveness) combines his "wipeout curveball" (our head scout's description) with a moving fastball that seems to travel much faster than the low-90's mph range that is usually sits in. He is rapidly becoming one of the more dominant closers in the game.

6- Jason Gottula, Denver Brewers, 31 year old left-handed reliever.
Curveball rating: 10

After having missed the entire 1977 season with a torn back muscle, Gottula has returned this season to help lead the Brewers bullpen. With his off the charts roundhouse curve and a strong sinker he gets plenty of ground ball outs and a high number of strikeouts. He has elite-level stuff and excellent movement.

5- Jose Casillas, Washington Night Train, 31 year old right handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9

Casillas place on the list is maybe more of a career acknowledgment. After having been one of the most consistently valuable starters in the game for many years (and being adored by the fans for this and his overall approach to the game), Casillas is struggling thus far in the 1978 season. Still, his curveball is considered a plus-plus offering and while he combines it with three other strong pitches (particularly an excellent slider) it certainly has played a large role in his years of success.



4- Joe Shetler, Oklahoma City Diamond Kings, 24 year old left-handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9

Shetler, along with the next man on the list, represents the future. Although Shetler's changeup is his real out pitch, his curveball, in the words of the Brewers head scout, "falls off the table" and the two combined with a good, but not particularly hard, fastball help make Shetler one of the more promising young starters in the MGL.



3- Jim Atwell, Denver Brewers, 24 year old right-handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9

But many around the WPK consider this man, the Brewers rookie phenom, to be the true heir to the title of best pitcher in the MGL. With his overhead curve already considered elite the thought is that it may even develop a bit more and that combined with a still improving sinker that can reach triple digits on the radar gun, Atwell's pure stuff has a chance to be the best in the game. The young man who turns 25 tomorrow looks to have a bright future in the WPK.



2- Brad Evans, Portland Wild Things, 30 year old left-handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 10

Brad Evans is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. Okay, maybe not. But he is an interesting case. Last season he set a new WPK record by walking 161 batters. He had led the league the previous year with a mere 140 bases on balls issued. And yet in both seasons he had winning records- on a less than stellar team- and ERA's in the low 3's. And while his tremendous sinker which he uses to great effect to induce ground ball outs is a big reason for his success, there can be little doubt that he has one of the finest roundhouse curves in the game. Now if he only he could catch the strike zone a bit more consistently.



1- Joel Travino, Brooklyn Aces, 29 year old left-handed starting pitcher.
Curveball rating: 9

Veteran Venezuelan lefty Joel Travino pairs maybe the best changeup in the game with one of the best curves to have almost surely the best stuff in the game, in spite of rarely even hitting 90 mph with any of his pitches. And it's a darn good thing since he has poor control and struggles with command issues, being prone to giving up home runs. He set a new single-season strikeout record in the WPK last season with 285 K's. It could be argued that this is the wrong list for him to top- and let's face it, if this was a list of the best changeups in the game he would probably also be at #1. But for his performance last year he gets this top spot. For now. Likely before long either Atwell or Shetler will replace him here.

[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 6-1 (week), 41-17, 1st place, MGL (season)

June 4-6, versus Baltimore: 5-4, 7-5, 13-4.

June 7-9, at Oklahoma City: 1-0, 4-3, 1-3.

June 10, versus Brooklyn: 1-0.

If there is one thing that is coming most to define the success for the Brewers thus far in 1978 it is the come-from-behind win.
And in game 1 of the Brewers three-game series against the slugging Baltimore Lords, it took a 5 run 7th inning for Denver to erase a 3-0 deficit. Sekien Hamasaki (10-0, 2.00) stuck around long enough to get his 10th win, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits over 7 innings pitched. Tim Shore pitched the final inning for his 9th save. The Brewers didn't get much offense in this one but they bunched it well. Joe Willemse hit his 3rd triple of the season in the 5-run 7th and Rich White's 8th double came in that same inning.

In game 2 it was much the same with the Brewers needing to come back from an early 5-0 deficit. Joe Willemse helped lead the attack, going 2 for 3 with 3 RBI and Val Guzman only collected 1 hit, but it was his 4th home run and he got on base twice by virtue of being hit by a pitch, scoring 3 times. John Weaver got the start and his uneven 1978 season continues, as he gave up 5 runs on 9 hits over just 4 and 1/3rd innings pitched and didn't get a decision. Jason Gottula (4-2, 2.35) picked up the win in relief and Tim Shore got his 10th save.

While the Brewers got a rather easy looking victory in game 3 for the sweep, even in this one they trailed 3-0 early. Steve Green (3-5, 5.18) wasn't at his best, allowing 4 runs, though on just 4 hits, over 6 1/3rd innings pitched but he was good enough to get the win. The big hitting star in this one was the recently acquired Antonio Acuna. After center fielder Joe McPhillips had to leave the game early with some forearm stiffness, Acuna came in to play center and ended up going 4 for 5 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI in the clean-up spot. Josh Schaeffer's 8th inning Grand Slam, his 5th homer of the season, put the game away. The Brewers are still waiting for Bobby Erbakan to get going, but there were some good signs in this one as he collected a pair of doubles (to get to 5 on the season) and drove in 3 runs.

Next up for Denver was the primary threat to their top of the league status in the Oklahoma City Diamond Kings.
And in game 1 it took another tremendous start by rookie Jim Atwell (7-2, 2.81) in order to overcome an almost equally great start by veteran left-hander Edgar Lira, who has an impressive 2.13 ERA this season. Atwell threw 114 pitches over 8 scoreless innings, giving up just 4 hits while striking out 4 and walking only 1 batter. Tim Shore pitched the 9th for his 11th save. The lone run came in the top of the 9th inning when Val Guzman hit a 2-out single to plate Bobby Erbakan, who had himself singled earlier in the inning.

It took 10 innings in game 2, but the Brewers again prevailed and it was a Bobby Erbakan single (his lone hit of the game) that drove in what would prove to be the winning run. Team captain Matt Helm got a rare start and pitched well, giving up 3 runs on just 4 hits over 7 innings in the no-decision. Ben Flynn (2-1, 5.08) blew the save but was awarded the win. It was pointed out by the Brewers stats guys that this ended a streak of 20 saves in as many opportunities for Flynn. Jason Gottula got the final 2 outs in this one for his 2nd save of 1978. Little Joe Willemse had another fine game, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI and hitting his 5th double of the season.

Behind the great pitching of the Diamond Kings own rookie phenom hurler, Joe Shetler, the home team was able to avoid being swept by Denver by taking game 3. Another tough loss for Sadahige Kawasaki (5-4, 2.78) who the team so often fails to provide run support. Kawasaki lasted 7 2/3rds, giving up 3 runs on 12 hits. Antonio Acuna, getting the starts in center for a few days while Joe McPhillips nurses his hurting forearm, continues to impress and had a 2 for 4 game in the loss.

The Brewers then returned home to take on the Brooklyn Aces and in the first game of the series they got their second 1-0 win of the week. Yet another gem from Sekien Hamasaki, who went 7 2/3rds scoreless innings, giving up just 3 hits while striking out 6 and walking 3. While he remains undefeated on the season he was not around when the Brewers finally got the lone run of the game. The win went to reliever Javy Bermudez (5-1, 4.97) and Tim Shore's terrific season continued as he picked up his 12th save (with a 1.29 ERA.) Both Rich White and Josh Schaeffer picked up a pair of hits in this one, but the winning run came courtesy of an 8th inning pinch-hit RBI single off the bat of the recently promoted Casey Bromwell (Jon Williams, the 1977 KCS MVP, who continues to struggle at the plate, was once again demoted to AAA Chester). Bromwell also picked up his 1st stolen base as a Brewer this season, though he also followed that up by being thrown out at third base trying to advance on a Josh Schaeffer fly out to left field to end the inning.

After another successful week the Brewers now hold a 6 game lead over the nearest competitors, the Oklahoma City Diamond Kings. Brooklyn is in 3rd place, 8 games out, and L.A. is 11 games back in 4th place.

[BirdWatcher]

Brewers record: 3-3 (week), 44-20, 1st place, MGL (season)

June 11-12, versus Brooklyn: 4-9, 2-3.

June 14-16, versus Los Angeles: 2-1, 5-6, 5-4.

June 17, at Phoenix: 8-0.

The visiting Brooklyn Aces win the final two games after having lost on Saturday to take the series against the Brewers.
In game 2, Steve Green's (3-6, 5.84) slide into mediocrity continues, as he gave up 9 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits in just 4 innings pitched. The bullpen was very good (4 innings from Ben Flynn and 1 from Victor Colon) but the damage had already been done. Brett Taranto went 3 for 5 against Brooklyn ace Aaron McNally, who went the distance for his 8th win. And Val Guzman was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and hit his 5th home run of the season.

Game 3 was much closer, with Jim Atwell deserving a better outcome. Atwell went 7 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 7 and walking 3 batters and left the game with a lead which the bullpen could not preserve. Jason Gottula (4-3, 2.60) blew the save and took the loss. Josh Schaeffer went 2 for 4 and hit his 6th home run in the loss.

After a much needed day off, the Brewers took on the L.A. Spinners in the first of three at Centennial Stadium.
In game 1, team captain Matt Helm (1-0, 2.45) pitched a gem to win a low-scoring affair. Matty lasted 7 2/3rds innings, giving up just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking 4. Tim Shore worked the 9th for his 13th save. Bobby Erbakan went 2 for 3 and Joe McPhillips hit his team-leading 8th home run in the victory.

The Spinners got the win in game 2, when they scored 4 runs in the 9th inning to break extend what had been just a 2-1 lead, then held off the Brewers rallly in the bottom of the 9th that fell a run short. Sadahige Kawasaki (5-5, 2.74) was saddled with the loss, having given up just 2 runs on 10 hits over his 8 innings pitched. Brett Taranto went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base (his 7th) and Bobby Erbakan was also 3 for 5 with 2 RBI in the loss.

The Brewers rallied for 3 runs in the 8th inning in game 3 to overcome a deficit and then won in extra innings on a Rich White fielder choice ground ball on which Bobby Erbakan slid in under the tag for the walk off win. Sekien Hamasaki remains undefeated in spite of giving up 4 runs on 8 hits in his 7 innings pitched and Ben Flynn (3-1, 4.65) got the win in relief. The heart of the order led the way for the Brewers offense with Brett Taranto gathering 2 hits in 5 at-bats and scoring twice, also hitting his team-best 7th triple, Joe McPhillips going 2 for 4 with a run scored and another driven in, and Bobby Erbakan also going 2 for 4 with 1 run scored, 1 RBI, and hitting his 6th double of the season.

On Saturday afternoon's game in Phoenix, left-handed veteran starter Erik Sloan returned to the mound in a Brewers uniform for the first time since suffering a season ending torn UCL on September 11th of last year. In spite of lowered expectations from recent scouting reports, Sloan (1-0, 0.00) was masterful in his first outing back, getting the shutout on just hits allowed while striking out 5 and not walking a batter. He also got plenty of run support with Bobby Erbakan leading a way with a 3 for 5 game in which he scored 2 runs and drove in 2 others. Val Guzman hit a pair of doubles to get to add to his team-lead total, which now sits at 13. Zacarias Martell had been one of the coldest hitters on the team for the past few weeks but he broke out when he slashed an opposite field single in the 6th inning and then followed that up with a 2-run double in the 7th. And Joe McPhillips is also getting hot after a period of tepid batting, and went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and his 7th stolen base in this one.

[BirdWatcher]

A few days past the mid-way point of June, let's take a look at the current standings in the WPK.

We'll start with the SJL:



For the past week or two the mighty Columbus Whalers and the former doormat of the SJL, the El Paso Dawgs, have been battling it out for first place and at this moment they are tied. The two teams are just coming off a competitive 3-game series in which the Whalers drew first blood with a 4-0 shutout courtesy of their often over-looked number 3 starter, Cody Barnhart. El Paso then won game 2, 2-1, with a strong performance by second-year starting pitcher Kyle Newsome (the 1st overall pick in the 1972 draft). Columbus took the series, at home, just barely with a 3-1 win the rubber match, Luis Ramirez, who looks like the early favorite for SJL Pitcher of the Year, improving to 8-2 with a 1.67 ERA.
The Philadelphia Mud Hens, with their Captain and #3 starter in the rotation Bobby Martinez off to a strong (7-3, 2.35) start and 28-year old center fielder Ryan Showalter on pace for a 9 WAR season and 3rd in the league in batting average at .350, are hanging in there right behind the leaders in 3rd place.
And the early season surprises, the Seattle Alligators, after a period of heading in the wrong direction, have stabilized in 4th place and remain very much in contention.
Probably unsurprising is that the two expansion clubs (who entered the league in 1975)- the Chicago Fire and the Houston Cavaliers-are battling it out for last place. though the fact that the very talented Pittsburgh Roadrunners are right there with them, having lost 8 in a row, is surprising.

In the MGL:



Your Denver Brewers remain the best team in the WPK, by both winning percentage and run differential. The Brooklyn Aces have climbed up into a tie now with Oklahoma City for 2nd place in the MGL, 6 games behind the Brewers. While the Los Angeles Spinners are holding on to 4th place, they are at .500 and 12 games off the pace and the loss of veteran third baseman Jesus Hernandez, who continues to lead the MGL in home runs at 14, to an oblique strain suffered on the 7th of June hasn't helped. Hernandez is expected to be back in about a week.
The Baltimore Lords, who remain a dangerous hitting club but have the MGL's worst pitching (yes, even worse than Phoenix this year) are languishing at the bottom of the pile.

[BirdWatcher]

We've said it before and we'll say it again, if only the San Antonio Keys had some pitching, what a dangerous team they would be.

On a team that already has one of the best players in the game, 2-time league MVP shortstop Bud Lindsay (on pace to be a contender for the trophy again this season), talented young speedy centerfielder Zach McClelland, 25-year old slugging left-fielder John Freeman, rapidly emerging as one of the best power hitters in the game, if not just one of the best pure hitters period (okay, his defense is sub-par), and veteran 7-time Gold Glove catcher and 6-time All-Star Erik Buonopane behind the plate- no longer considered the best catcher in the WPK but still a force, we now see another superstar emerging in second baseman John Mussaw.



Mussaw was the 4th overall pick in the 1972 draft and put up fine numbers in his partial rookie season last year, but having now staked a full claim on the starting job at second this year, Mussaw is on pace for a nearly 8 WAR season. While he doesn't quite rise to the all-world makeup of team captain Lindsay, like his keystone mate he has great character traits, especially with his advanced baseball smarts. He is a plus hitter with room for growth that may lead to his being one of the best contact hitters in the game and almost surely there are Gold Glove awards in his future. He also has elite-level speed and base-stealing skills.
Now if only he could pitch!

Although it should be noted that the Keys two top prospects- durable 23-year AAA starter Michael Noland and 21-year old team leader Steven Wells, also at AAA (but with possible injury issues ahead of him)- are starting pitchers, so with their young, talented lineup perhaps better times are just around the corner for the club.