Friday, June 15, 2012

McCabe Magazine All Pro Team


It's that time of year when we here at McCabe Magazine publish our mid-season All-Pro Team. This years team consist of eight America League players, and seven National League players. The Arizona Diamondbacks top the list with three players making the team and the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays both have two players making the squab.

The winner of the Robert E. McCabe Magazine Mid-Season MVP award is Kansas City Royals Outfielder Tony Cortes. He leads the league in every offensive statistic in baseball. But the most amazing stat for my money is his .411 batting average. The McCabe League signal-season record for batting average is .372 held by two players, Arizona Diamondback's Parker Roberts (accomplish in season 13) and Placido Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox (season 8). Can Cortes be the Ted Williams of the McCabe League and bat 400 for an entire season? Only time will tell. We will be watching.     

Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox 1941 batted .406 for the season.    


Catcher Yamid Wilfredo Chicago Cubs

Wilfredo is our choice for catcher on the  McCabe Magazine All-Pro team. He leads all catchers with 29 home runs and has played 97 of his 97 games at catcher, unlike many catchers that split time at DH. Wilfredo is a 25 year-old former first round (24 overall) selection with excellent power. He is deadly against left-hand pitching, leading all catchers with 12 HR against southpaws. His potential power from the right side of the plate will make him a rich man in the free agent market. Wilfredo is a five year pro with 3 years of major league experience and is a season 15 arbitration signing. In his three previous seasons as a Cub he hit (season 12) 40 HR, 102 RBI, (season 13 playing only 108 games) 24 HR, 50 RBI , and (season 14) 45 HR, 127 RBI. With 65 games left in the regular season McCabe Magazine is predicting a career high 50 home runs for this Trenton, Michigan native.    

Yamid Wilfredo Chicago Cubs

G AB R H 2B HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS
97 396 52 101 14 29 78 0.255 0.300 0.510 0.810


First Basemen Sergei Fleming Pittsburgh Pirates

Sergei Fleming is a part-time first-basemen with 31 home runs and a batting average of 331. He has spent time at second-base and left-field however, the scouts we talk to say he has average range, an average glove, and a very weak arm. He should be at first-base and stay at first-base. Fleming only spent two seasons in the minor leagues winning the Sliver Slugger (2B) award in his final season in High-A. This 27 year-old is a 9 year pro from Jacksonville, Florida winning a world series ring in his rookie season with the Pirates.  


First Basemen Sergei Fleming

G AB R H 2B HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS
103 387 68 128 14 31 76 0.331 0.394 0.612 1.006











Second Basemen Mark Pence Arizona Diamondbacks 

Now this was our toughness selection. It came down to Pence and Homer Henry of the Oakland Atheltics. Pence has 31 home runs and 88 RBI while Henry has 30 home runs and 83 RBI. Pence 112 hits, Henry 132, Pence 20 doubles and 8 triples, Henry 23 doubles and 4 triples. Pence 88 BB, Henry 60 BB. Pence has a batting average of 323 and Henry 344. Pence has a better OBP, SLG, and OPS. Those last three statistics were our deciding factors.    


Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB
Mark Pence  97 347 104 112 20 8 31 88 80
Homer Henry 103 384 96 132 23 4 30 83 66
SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
Mark Pence  22 5 0.323 0.459 0.695 1.153
Homer Henry 20 6 0.344 0.444 0.659 1.103


Third Basemen Alejandro Segui Minnesota Twins


Segui leads all third basemen with 30 home runs, 90 RBI, 135 hits, and a 573 Slugging percentage. He is second to Boston's Andre Rivera (939) with an OPS of 930. Segui can hit for average and power, and at age 32 shows no signs of slowing down. He is a former MVP and three time All-Star with Sliver Slugger awards at 3rd and 2nd base. A Los Angles Dodger International signee from Cumana, Venezuela in season 2 and traded to Minnesota in season 3, Segui has 3 years left on a 5 year deal he signed in season 14 worth 8.7M per season. With career totals of 293 home runs, 955 RBI and a 290 batting average Segui should be a Hall of Fame candidate at the end of his career. He will be 35 at the end of the current contract and has let it be known he would like to play until  age 40.

Third Basemen Alejandro Segui 

G AB R H 2B HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS
104 443 72 135 27 30 90 0.305 0.357 0.573 0.930

Shortstop Roberto Ontiveros Toronto Blue Jays


Ontiveros made his first National League All-Star Team this season, his first full season in the major leagues. His glove work is rated the best among the four selected shortstops that made the All-Star Team according to the fielding instructors we spoke to. He leads all shortstops with 34 stolen bases.

Shortstop Roberto Ontiveros 

G AB R H 2B HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG OPS
105 386 62 109 25 12 50 34 0.282 0.331 0.451 0.782



Utility Infielder Homer Henry Oakland Atheltics 

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS
107 402 99 139 24 4 31 85 20 6
AVG OBP SLG OPS
0.346 0.442 0.657 1.099



Outfielder Tony Cortes Kansas City Royals


Cortes is the best ball player in baseball and is McCabe Magazine's mid-season MVP. Snubbed by the broken ALL-Star selection engine for reasons only the folks that write computer code understand. Cortes leads the league in every offensive statistic. Cortes is the league leader in batting average 413, OBP 534, SLG 685, OPS 1219, Runs 106 and Hits 144. He also has 51 stolen bases which is 2 behind Washington Nationals Centerfielder Omar Paniagua the league leader.

Outfielder Tony Cortes

G AB R H 2B HR RBI BB SB CS
103 349 106 144 29 18 86 84 51 3
AVG OBP SLG OPS
0.413 0.534 0.685 1.219


Outfielder Clarence Finley Arizona Diamondbacks



Finley is our All-Pro selection in Centerfield. This All-Star Centerfielder has 31 home runs with a 306 batting average, and he leads all outfielders with 116 RBI. Finley is also in his first full season in the big leagues. In High-A Finley had 50 home runs and a whopping 174 RBI. In AA he had 43 home runs and 134 RBI. In season 14 he played only 2 games in AA before being promoted to the majors. After the call up Finley played in 96 games and banged out 20 home runs with 73 RBI. 


Outfielder Clarence Finley 
G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI
107 408 125 26 3 31 116
R SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
81 16 3 0.306 0.380 0.613 0.993


Outfielder Steven Starr Boston Red Sox

This was another tough choice. We decided to go with Star over Cincinnati Reds Outfielder Scooter Chamberlain. Star is playing for the best team in baseball ( Boston Red Sox 78-28) with 31 home runs, 76 RBI, and a 308 batting average. He has excellent range in centerfield, can hit righties and lefties with power, an outstanding eye at the plate, and what he lacks in speed he makes up with base running ability.


Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Steven Starr (BOS) 96 357 90 110 18 1 31 76 15
Scooter Chamberlain (CIN) 97 400 78 133 19 1 30 71 16
AVG OBP SLG OPS
Steven Starr (BOS) 0.308 0.422 0.625 1.047
Scooter Chamberlain (CIN) 0.333 0.390 0.610 1.000



Utility Outfielder Daniel Creek Toronto Blue Jays

G AB H 2B HR RBI R BB AVG OBP SLG OPS
96 364 122 21 35 104 65 39 0.335 0.409 0.692 1.101


Designated Hitter Jesus Vizcaino Baltimore Orioles

Vizcaino is the finest power hitter in baseball today. With 51 dingers Vizcaino has an outside shot of breaking the single-season record of 71 held by Branch Cambridge and Glen Cornelius. His 51 bombs leads the major leagues and is 12 better than Minnesota's Willie Tomlinson (39 HR) second on the home run list. Drafted in the first round by the Colorado Rockies and traded the following year (Season 8) to the Orioles where he won America League Rookie of the Year. If Vizcaino had stayed in Denver we undoubtedly would have a new single-season home run record by now.    


Jesus "The Beast of the East" Vizcaino 

Season G AB R H HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS
12 139 551 100 169 61 148 0.307 0.363 0.677 1.040
13 148 581 96 190 48 135 0.327 0.390 0.630 1.020
14 159 594 92 171 40 108 0.288 0.346 0.535 0.881
15 106 390 79 116 51 106 0.297 0.374 0.718 1.092
    

Starting Pitcher Vince Garcia Arizona Diamondbacks 



Garcia is the most dominating pitcher this reporter has ever laid eyes on. He has 15 wins which leads the major leagues and an amazing 10 complete games. The number two man on that list is Wandy Duran Seattle Mariner (SP) with 4 complete games. In addition to the 10 complete games Garcia also has 3 shutouts which also leads the league. He has been elected to the All-Star squab every year since his promotion to the bigs and is last seasons Cy Young award winner. Look for this 25 year-old righter to get a max deal in season 18 if he is allowed to hit the open market. We here at McCabe Magazine believe players of this statue should never make it to that free agent year. Garcia must be offered a long-term deal going into his final arbitration year to avoid the max deal and/or losing the player to free agency.

Starting Pitcher Vince Garcia

CG SHO W L IP BB SO OAV WHIP ERA
10 3 15 5 192.1 35 145 0.216 0.99 2.25


Middle Relief Pitcher Al Segui Boston Red Sox

What can we say about this shut down setup man that you haven't seen or heard? He's very durable, pitching in 105 games last year with the Florida Marlins and is currently the Robert E. McCabe League record holder for games pitched in a career with 1072. He has astonishing numbers, 10 wins, WHIP 1.15, OVA 224, and an ERA of 1.82. The broken All-Star selection committee finally got one right, selecting 34 year-old Segui to his first All-Star game since season 4 and third overall. Segui is with his 5th team in 15 years and looks to have found a home signing a 2 year free agent deal with Boston at the beginning of season 15. 


Middle Relieve Pitcher Al Segui 

G W L SV SVO IP ER BB SO OAV WHIP ERA
60 10 1 3 3 84 17 27 64 0.224 1.15 1.82








Closer Brett Upshaw Cleveland Indians 

Upshaw is our All-Pro selection for Closer. He has converted 26 of 28 opportunities using a nasty  4-seam fast ball rated by some scouts as the best in baseball. Upshaw has excellent control and is a four time All-Star selection. Upshaw also leads all relievers with 20 or more saves in the following pitching categories ; OAV 139, OBP 191, SLG 197, WHIP 0.68, and ERA 1.53.  

Closer Brett Upshaw 

G W L SV IP ER BB SO OAV OBP SLG WHIP ERA
33 1 1 26 35.1 6 7 29 0.139 0.191 0.197 0.68 1.53


Bullpen Pitcher Whitey Clark Cincinnati Reds

G GS W L SV SVO IP OAV OBP SLG WHIP ERA
36 0 2 3 14 14 38.1 0.162 0.248 0.215 0.89 1.88



Thursday, June 14, 2012

THE NEW McCABE MAGAZINE


Note from the Editor
Sam “no spell check” Willie, Senior Editor

Welcome to the new Robert E. McCabe magazine. Turmoil in the front office among senior editors and ownership has resulted in the reorganization of the magazine. At this time I would like to invite league members to submit articles, stories, previews, and stats, to be posted on the blog by sitemailing me the information you would like posted. One of the reasons I feel this is the very best Hard Ball Dynasty (HBD) world is our blog and member participation in all elements of the league. So please feel free to offer any materials and/or suggestions that will help McCabe magazine continue to be the finest blog on the HBD site.  
     
As you can see we have a new look here at McCabe magazine. Across the top you’ll find an introduction and overview of the league from the commissioner Pat007ohmss. Along the side bar you will find all past World Series Champions, current career stat leaders, and my profile.


Finally, I would like to thank the commissioner for his support of the blog and a very special thanks to the king of the blog and the person who helps make this league what it is today, madmuldoon. Mad, your humor and dedication to the blog will be truly missed. For those of you who are wondering about the where of bouts of madmuldoon, he was last seen on surveillance video outside a liquor store in the Afghanistan city Jalalabad. Rumor has it that the commissioner arranged a meeting for mad to interview a power hitting shortstop playing for a middle-eastern minor league club called the Taliban. The interview was to air on MLB network during the All-Star break. According to the film crew, mad never showed for a production meeting and has been missing since that time. The state department will not confirm or deny knowledge of the missing person incident. We here at McCabe magazine pray for his safe return. Mad, if you are reading this note from the editor please come back, season 16 will not be the same without you. 

Thanks everyone for all you do and enjoy. 


        

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

McCABE MAGAZINE POWER RANKINGS


Power rankings are an average of the following team statistics; Winning percentage, OPS, ERA, and Fielding percentage.

Rank LW Team Owner W-L Aveage
1 1 Boston Red Sox pat007ohmss * 68-23 2.25
2 2 Arizona Diamondbacks yoker70 60-31 3.5
3 3 Cincinnati Reds bonefish 54-37 7.25
4 4 Oakland Athletics jefepwnzer 55-36 8
5 9 Florida Marlins AZNJ70 55-36 9
6 5 Richmond Virginians sylemark 52-39 9.25
7 7 Minnesota Twins winmyron 55-36 9.75
8 5 Baltimore Orioles bourboncask 50-41 11
9 15 San Diego Padres jgarron * 49-42 11.25
10 NR Kansas City Royals TenaciousTYT 52-39 12.25
11 10 Detroit Tigers patrickkm 53-38 12.5
12 10 Pittsburgh Pirates lefty32 47-44 13.25
13 13 Toronto Blue Jays dimestoregin 47-44 13.5
14 NR Texas Rangers madmuldoon 49-42 13.75
15 7 Rochester Broncos coinguy 47-44 14.25
Best of the Rest
16 NR San Francisco Giants wylie715 42-49 14.75
17 NR New York Yankees ARomano 42-49 15.25
18 14 Cleveland Indians rooskie 41-50 16.25
19 12 Washington D.C. Nationals ardthomp 47-44 16.75
20 NR St. Louis Cardinals 421werd 42-49 17
The Rest
Anaheim Angels captain10a 37-54 20.25
Atlanta Braves Sandleaguer 41-50 21.25
Seattle Mariners toothdoc7 42-49 21.5
Houston Astros ajaxx88 39-52 21.75
Colorado Rockies axtell * 36-55 22
Milwaukee Brewers brentcnb * 35-56 23
Los Angeles Dodgers Arte 41-50 23.25
Philadelphia Phillies dennisdee 35-56 23.25
New York Mets pete775 40-51 25
Chicago White Sox kgrffth 34-57 25.5
Chicago Cubs optistrat 41-50 26
Tampa Bay Rays rsskfs23 28-63 28