Out of the Shadows: The Eclipse League

[luckymann]

Managerial Culls

Talk about unmerciful, as the MoStars fire Manager AJ Schaffer, despite making the playoffs and after two titles in two years, and the Champions don't renew Skipper Hisanori Takahachi's contract, opting instead to let him walk and promote Marty Munhall from AAA Akron. He is joined in the unemployment queue by Sam Gilbert (Dodgers), Gabe Garcia (Athletics), John Payne (ABCs - Cool Papa Bell inherits the job) and Lennie Pearson (Red Sox) and Leonys Martin (Royal Giants), with those last two simply not renewed rather than fired.


Roster News

Key Extensions: P Kelvim Escobar (Liberty Stars) 4/2778; 1B George Scott (Dodgers) 2/1500.

Opt-Outs: OF Mike Easler (ABCs); OF Ken Singleton (American Giants); 1B Miguel Cabrera (Lincoln Giants); C Roy Campanella (Grays); SS John Henry Lloyd (Elite Giants); SS Mookie Betts (Red Sox); C Carlos Delgado (Crawfords); 2B Roberto Alomar (Black Yankees).

Voided Contracts: P Ugueth Urbina (Motown Stars); P Ricky Nolasco (Crawfords); 2B Luis Arraez (Monarchs); P Johnny Markham (West); P Jose Alvarado (Black Barons); P Ramon Ramirez (Dodgers).


Prospect Pipeline

[luckymann]

A fairly low-key exiting class and I doubt there's a HoFer among them.

NB Fergie Jenkins is an odd one, no idea (after an 18-7 season and at just 32) why the game has retired him but I decide not to override it.

[luckymann]

GRANT MEDAL (MOST VALUABLE PLAYER)

STOVEY MEDAL (PITCHER OF THE YEAR)

WHITE PLATE (RELIEVER OF THE YEAR)




FOWLER MEDAL (ROOKIE OF THE YEAR)




GARRETT BUTTON (MANAGER OF THE YEAR)

FC: Alberto Chavira, Monarchs
WC: Hisanori Takahashi, Grays


KINDLING AWARD (SILVER SLUGGER)
FC / WC




SLICK AWARD (GOLD GLOVE)
FC / WC

[luckymann]

Category A NeLers coming into the EL via the 1982 Draft are Andy Cooper, Bill "Money" Monroe and Grant "Home Run" Johnson, along with NeL-MLB hybrid Elston Howard, while big names among the new MLB entrants include George Foster, Ken Griffey sr (meaning him and Junior will be floating around at the same time, perhaps even on the same team like they did for a bit IRL!), Keith Hernandez, Joe Morgan, Stretch McCovey, Sammy Sosa and the mighty Ichiro Suzuki. Quite the class indeed!

New FAs are led by the incomparable Oscar Charleston, Carlos Beltran and Mario Soto.


The prized first overall pick is in the hands of the Cuban Stars East this year, and they spend it on Joe Morgan. Carlos Carrasco is a bit of a surprise second pick, taken by the Giants, with the ABCs picking Mex Hernandez third. Willie McCovey at 10th overall is a fantastic get for the MeSox.

Here are the first two rounds in their entirety.

[luckymann]

While no players were inducted in the first ballot, we are 15 seasons in and counting now, so it won't be long until Walker House gets its first enshrinees.

Only two were on the inaugural ballot, with Masahiro Tanaka getting 16% of the vote and Jae-weong Seo just 3.1% which means this will be his only one.

For this league, 80% of the vote is needed to get your plaque and players stay on the ballot for 15 years unless they receive less than 5%, in which case they drop off.

[Makonnen]

I don't remember what you're using for stats/projections here, but another view of HR Johnson:

https://i9s.org/wp/?player=johnso003gra

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

I don't remember what you're using for stats/projections here, but another view of HR Johnson:

https://i9s.org/wp/?player=johnso003gra

Thanks bud - I use a combination of raw and MLE, along with some of my own judgement on the peripherals. Here's my profile for GJ:

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Cleveland's Barney Morris opens the no-no account for the 1983 EL season with this nugget against a fairly stacked Giants lineup.

[luckymann]

Well they certainly made them work for it, but the West continues its dominance of the East in the annual Cuban Stars matchup, winning all three games to stretch their overall series lead to 12-4.

[luckymann]

Eclipse League

With the exception of the struggling 7-18 Black Yankees, the 1983 Eclipse League season sees things pretty close heading into May.

The Elite Giants start red-hot, winning their first 7 games before cooling off but they still lead narrowly in the FC American. Terrible news for the Monarchs as they lose superstar Fernando Tatis jr for the year to a PCL tear, and his absence is already telling with them sitting mid-standings and barely above 500.

The WC National once again looks anyone's race, while in the WC National the American Giants take advantage of the MoStars stumbling out of the blocks to sit in first place. After a brief stay in the WCN cellar, Detroit has found some form and now sit at 14-12 and just two off the pace.

Monthly Award Winners

• FC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Danny Tartabull (Giants) 419 / 5 HR / 20 RBI.
• FC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Taijuan Walker (West) 5-1 / 2.60 / 45 K / 45 IP.
• FC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Jose Fernandez (West) 5-1 / 3.66 / 35 K / 46.2 IP.
• WC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Pedro Guerrero (Elite Giants) 327 / 6 HR / 28 RBI.
• WC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Carlos Zambrano (Grays) 6-0 / 1.54 / 51 K / 52.2 IP.
• WC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Edgar Chatman (Liberty Stars) 4-1 / 3.21 / 6 SV / 9 K / 14 IP.

Points of Interest

• Giants rookie Ichiro Suzuki goes 10 for his first 20 Eclipse League AB.
• Pittsburgh’s Leon Durham hits for the cycle against the BGs.
• Key Extensions: 3B Eric Chavez (Grays, 1/750); SS Adam Jones (Grays, 2/3500); P Rube Chambers (Black Barons, 3/1530).
• It's fascinating to see the transition ShoTime has made in the twilight of his career; while he's still being used as a pitcher and doing OK, he has clearly lost a bit of zip and seems more focused now on his offensive output, which so far this year has been outstanding - a 356/411/552 slash line with 4 homers and 15 RBI.

Transit League

Look at those Habaneros! Is it a false start or are the perennial cellar-dwellers finally going to have a year in the sun?

Monthly Award Winners

• CAC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Gleyber Torres (Blue Birds) 424 / 7 HR / 26 RBI.
• CAC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Andy Cooper (Browns) 5-0 / 2.08 / 18 K / 43.1 IP.
• FRC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Stan Javier (Bears) 388 / 6 HR / 16 RBI.
• FRC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Bill Powell (Black Senators) 4-1 / 1.42 / 27 K / 38 IP.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

We've left our run a bit late on the subject of this feature, pitcher Johnny Markham. I don't mind that so much, I mean his historical stats aren't going anywhere and it affords us more perspective on what he has achieved as an EL player in this timeline.

Born 1908 in Shreveport LA, Johnny actually proved something of a lucky charm in his early NeL career despite never really attaining great individual heights as a player. According to Jim Riley, he played in five of the first eight Negro American League pennant winners when he was in the league.

A fair stretch among lesser teams is wedged in between his rather unimpressive 3-7 rookie 1930 season with the Monarchs and his far better 7-0 1937 season. That year saw the first of the aforementioned pennants, with two more coming in quick succession in 1939 and 1940. I'm not 100% sure on this however, as despite Jim Riley's assertions, Seamheads shows no stats for him in either of these seasons.

Johnny then - via a brief stint with the Chicago indy Palmer House All-Stars club - signed with the Black Barons in 1941, where he would play out the remainder of his NeL career and where he would again be part of pennant-winning outfits in both 1943 and '44, losing on each occasion to the Grays in the World Series. In the first of those, he went 6-2 with a league low 1.72 ERA but he lost form quickly and was out of the league for good after the 1945 season, finishing with a career record of 27-20 and 105 ERA+.

He died in 1975.

The EL version of Johnny was drafted 201st overall in the inaugural 1968 Draft by the American Giants, with whom he has ended up doing three tours of duty, winning 94 games all told. His 16 Eclipse League seasons have also seen him play for the ABCs (1972), Royal Giants (1973-76), Liberty Stars (1977-78), Black Barons (late '78), Black Yankees (1979-80), Cuban Stars West (1981) and his current club the Crawfords, which he joined this season on a one-year deal.

Now in his age-36 season, Johnny has amassed 238 Wins (tied for 6th on the all-time list) vs 227 losses, with his career 3.69 ERA almost mirroring his IRL career ERA+ at 104. He is yet to win a title, but took home the 1973 Stovey Medal for best pitcher after going 20-12 with a league-low 2.56 ERA and has made four All-Star appearances. At the time of posting, his WAR total sits at a healthy 69.8. A nice little career indeed!

Let's hope he's a few years left in the game ahead of him.

[luckymann]

Eclipse League

The status quo holds throughout May, with only the Black Yankees still out of contention and all races nice and tight.

A disappointing regression for the Liberty Stars and what odds the MoStars holding up the rear in the WCN at this or any point?

Monthly Award Winners

• FC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Leon Durham (Crawfords) 326 / 6 HR / 20 RBI.
• FC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Johnny Markham (Crawfords) 6-0 / 2.22 / 25 K / 48.2 IP.
• FC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Jose Fernandez (West) 4-0 / 2.44 / 49 K / 44.1 IP.
• WC BATTER OF THE MONTH: John Beckwith (Buckeyes) 359 / 7 HR / 31 RBI.
• WC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Harold Morris (Elite Giants) 5-1 / 2.12 / 25 K / 46.2 IP.
• WC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Reggie Jefferson (Lincoln Giants) 340 / 3 HR / 14 RBI.

Points of Interest

• Veteran RGs pitcher Don Newcombe will miss a full year after suffering a torn RC.
• Ozzie Albies of the Liberty Stars goes down with a back injury and will end up missing 5 weeks after suffering a rehab setback.
• Birmingham's Felix Hernandez pitches 10 scoreless innings giving up just 1 hit against the Dodgers in a game the BBs eventually win 1-0 in 15 on a walkoff solo shot by Keston Hiura, with Webster McDonald and Darltie Cooper also throwing 1-hitters during the month.
• The Black Yankees claim Terris McDuffie off waivers from the Red Sox and Memphis then acquires Ed Stroud from Homestead via the same means.
  
• Juan Marichal becomes the third player to reach 250 career EL Wins and then Shohei Ohtani becomes the fourth just a few days later in fine style, 3-hitting the Liberty Stars. They trail only Carlos Zambrano (279) and CC Sabathia (276) on the all-time list.
• Hilldale loses Garry Templeton for 6 weeks to an oblique strain.
• P Bill Drake (Royal Giants, 4/6220); P Ted Trent (Monarchs) 2/1650.

Transit League

Yes, it was too good to be true as the traditional House of David capitulation finally arrives in the form of a 9-game losing streak to tighten the FRN right back up again, pulling it back into line with the other three.

Monthly Award Winners

• CAC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Al Robinson (White Sox) 286 / 15 HR / 26 RBI.
• CAC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Bun Hayes (Browns) 3-1 / 2.14 / 33 K / 42 IP.
• FRC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Ken Griffey (Grays) 409 / 1 HR / 24 RBI.
• FRC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Yoslan Herrera (Hornets) 4-0 / 2.55 / 25 K / 42.1 IP.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Rod Carew becomes the first EL player with 3000 career Hits and has a fair break on his nearest rivals.

[luckymann]

Eclipse League

The Crawfs and Grays break away from the pack, while things tighten right up in the WCN with the MoStars making a nice move back into contention.

Monthly Award Winners

• FC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Dave Parker (Giants) 352 / 9 HR / 28 RBI.
• FC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Dizzy Dismukes (Red Sox) 5-0 / 1.27 / 31 K / 49.2 IP.
• FC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Jose Fernandez (West) 2-2 / 1.96 / 50 K / 46 IP.
• WC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Kal Daniels (Lincoln Giants) 337 / 7 HR / 20 RBI.
• WC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Barney Morris (Buckeyes) 4-0 / 2.37 / 37 K / 49.1 IP.
• WC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Pedro Astacio (Buckeyes) 4-1 / 1.46 / 23 K / 37 IP.

Points of Interest

• Devon White of the American Giants drives in 11 runs over both legs of a DH against the Lincoln Giants.
• That move by the Grays includes a 12-game win streak.
• Carlos Zambrano wins his first 13 decisions of the season.
• Key Extensions: 2B Cesar Hernandez (Crawfords, 2/2400).
• The Cuban Stars East pick up reliever William Nash from the Dodgers off the Waiver Wire.

Top 20s - overall




Top 20s - NeLers




Transit League

Only the Cubans with a clear break to this point and even they aren't home free just yet. Dayton’s Alexei Casilla hits in 32 consecutive games, tied for second-best in the league’s history behind Bob Oliver’s 36 in 1975.

Monthly Award Winners

CAC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Bobby Marshall (Black Crackers) 271 / 17 HR / 30 RBI.
CAC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Alex Colome (White Sox) 5-0 / 3.05 / 34 K / 41.1 IP.
FRC BATTER OF THE MONTH: Glenallen Hill (Hornets) 379 / 9 HR / 28 RBI.
FRC PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Carlos Eduardo Hernandez (Clowns) 4-1 / 2.20 / 40 K / 45 IP.

[luckymann]

Down at AAA, two famous clubs give us one of the games of the season, if not all time.