Monday, October 26, 2009

NKOTB Part 1: Los Angeles Dream Killers

Los Angeles
Los Angeles Dream Killers (NL)
powball
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History: The Los Angeles franchise has remarkably only had two owners in its history. After starting out as the LA Banditos, the team stayed in LA but took on the Outlaws moniker. PirateFan would later move the team to Fresno in a deal that would make Al Davis proud.

Despite the consistent ownership, the franchise has never prospered. Nine 4th place finishes in thirteen seasons and just 1 playoff appearance have led to a jaded fanbase. Last year's free swinging lineup featured 7 players with 100+ strikeouts and another that managed 98 in just 487 ABs. While only 6 pitchers started games, none would sport a record over .500.

What Happened: With the city of Fresno renegging on its sweetheart tax incentives, PirateFan put the team up for sale in a distressed market. Who better to snap up the franchise than recent winner of the Power Ball, Powball. After winning a $400 million jackpot, the formerly quiet, shy actuary became a flashy, media darling. He moved to LA and set up his own studio - Dream Killers, which plans to make its mark by giving unknown actors and actresses their shot in big-budget films and TV series.

The Name: The Dream Killers are, of course, named for Powball's LA-based studio. In fact, the first season of the Dream Killers will be the topic of the studio's first reality series, Hard Balls, the story of the LA Dream Killers. The show will follow the team and it's players from spring training and through the season. HBO has agreed to pilot the show and promoters are promising at least brief nudity in each episode. "It's really a tribute to our favorite fictional sports TV show, First and Ten. We'll find a way to get some boobs in pretty much every show, whether it makes sense or not." Hold on NL West, this division just got a little more glamorous. Producers can't wait for the Dream Killers first trip to Las Vegas just after the All-Star Break.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Dandy Dozen: Del Gil

Del Gil
none
none
Age: 37B/T: L/R
Born: Boca Chica, DO
Position(s): RF/CIF/LF
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The Resume: Del Gil won the NL Rookie of the Year award in Season 2, hitting .300 with a then record 70 HRs and 165 RBI for the Norfolk Admirals. Del would move with the team to Charlotte and Harrisburg before being dealt to the Mexico City Bandejos prior to season 7. In return, the franchise got SS Pablo Guerrero who would play just one season of excellent defense in Washington before departing via free agency, RP Bobby Joe Tollberg who struggled in 2 seasons as the closer before being traded again, and P Pete O'Brien who would put in just one season for DC.

Gil, however, would go on to hit 273 HR's for Mexico City before wrapping up his career in Arizona and Sioux Falls. His career major league totals include 598 HRs (3rd all-time)and 1468 RBI (top 10 all-time). Gil won MVPs in Season 7 (.323, 73 HR, 204 RBI) and Season 10 (.304, 50 HR, 138 RBI), both with Mexico City. He was named silver slugger 3 times at 3B and twice in RF, but made the all-star team just 4 times. He also won the HR Derby in Season 10.

Gil holds the Tampa Bay franchise record for HR (273) and is 3rd in team history with 661 RBI. He's also 3rd in Mexico City history with 271 HR and 677 RBI. He owns single season records for HR (Mexico City 73 and Tampa Bay 70) and RBI (Mexico City 204 and Tampa Bay 2nd with 165).

The Rest of the Story:
Gil desperately wants another chance this season to get his 600th HR which would tie him with long-time rival, Dick Caruso, who retired. Only Banjo White has more HR in 2nd City history (613).

However, Gil hasn't always left on good terms (http://hbd2ndcity.blogspot.com/2009/04/legends-on-move.htm) and he may not get the opportunity to hit # 600. He and Caruso, a former teammate in Charlotte, often spar in the press. In fact, agents for both men refuse to sign autograph deals with any collectors show without getting assurances that the other will not also be appearing. Caruso remains upset that Gil's name is the only one besides his on the
Tampa Bay single season HR listing. And, neither man will concede that other's 70 HR season was better, or even as good as, his own.

So, the two remain Grumpy old men, and Gil begs for a chance to play somewhere, anywhere in the major leagues to get #600, or even better, #601. (picture to the right reflects artist rendition of Caruso and Gil in 20 years)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Dandy Dozen: Bart Carlyle

Bart Carlyle
Cheyenne
Seminoles
Age: 38B/T: R/R
Born: East Grand Rapids, MI
Position(s): C/DH
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The Resume:
Bart Carlyle has spent his entire career with the Cheyenne Seminoles. The 38-year old continues to be the everyday catcher, playing in 139 games this season. He has been an All-star 8 times, trailing only 3 players. He's won the silver slugger at catcher 3 times; and he's won the gold glove 3 times. He actually won both silver and gold in seasons 6 and 7.

Carlyle holds Seminoles team records for games played (1556), hits (1782), batting average (.327), home runs (348), RBI (1189), triples (69), and walks (661). He's gunned down a league record 417 attempted base stealers (33.5%).

In 9 post season appearances, Carlyle has hit .310 in 216 ABs, with 9 HR and 32 RBI. He's done his finest post season work over the past 4 years, where he's hitting a combined .458. The face of the Seminole franchise is reportedly contemplating retirement as he finishes his 15th major league season at age 38.

The Rest of the Story: Bart Carlyle hails from East Grand Rapids, MI, home to former President, Gerald Ford. Carlyle shares something with Ford, a penchant for clumsiness. He's best known in baseball circles for falling into the stands trying to catch an Alex Shibata foul ball in the Season 9 NLCS (pictured to the left). Carlyle became so entangled in the decorative bunting, that the game had to be delayed 15 minutes while he was unfurled.

But, to his teammates, his best stories of clumsiness have occurred on the golf course. Carlyle, a 4-handicapper, plays regularly with fellow East Grand Rapidser, Tom Lehman. Lehman describes Carlyle as an excellent driver of the golf ball, but not of the golf cart. While playing with Carlyle in the annual Cheyenne team scramble, Bart actually fell out of the cart WHILE DRIVING IT. Lehman, the passenger, was laughing so hard that he jumped out of the cart and was rolling on the ground himself. That is, until he realized that the cart was traveling uphill. While Carlyle wallowed on the ground in a re-make of the bunting incident, the cart stopped, and then started to roll back right at him. Only Lehman's quick action to stop the cart kept Carlyle from being run down by his own cart. Team officials have since forbidden Carlyle from driving the cart during team outings.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

One for the Ages

Three of the four opening games went to extra innings, but one certainly stood out.

The Monterrey Conquistadors and Kansas City Blues staged one for the ages in game 1 of their AL Division Series. Among the stunning totals from the game are: 14 innings, 32 runs, 46 hits, 15 walks, 7 home runs, and 517 pitches.

The instant classic started with a twist as the Conquistadors starter, Rich Harris faced only two hitters before leaving in a planned move. An Andruw Leach HR gave the host Blues a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd. The 'Quistas answered with a run of their own in the 4th to make it 2-1. William Miyakazi sparked a 'Quista rally in the 5th knocking in 2 with an RBI triple and later scoring; Monterrey leads 4-2 in the middle of the 5th.

The bats for both sides got going with a 2-run HR for KC (Blake) in the 5th. Monterrey answered with 2 more runs in the top of the 6th to make it 6-4. All was quiet until the bottom of the 7th when KC tied the game up on a bases loaded walk to Rivera. Monterrey stormed back with 6 runs in the top of the 8th, effectively icing the game and sending thousands of Kansas City schoolchildren to bed angry. But the Blues didn't fold, getting back 2 in the 8th on Tony Baez double, one of his 5 hits on the day. Baez wouldn't stay a hero for long though. Kansas City's furious 9th inning rally, saw them tie the game on an RBI double, leaving the winning run on 3rd with nobody. But Andruw Leach fanned and Baez weak grounder could score the run. Another strike out and we were on to extra innings, tied at 12.

After 3 scoreless frames, William Miyakazi hitting a 3-run HR. Livan Pascual couldn't make it stand though as HR's by Ewell Corey and Al Matthews knotted the game at 15. After Monterrey failed to capitalize on a Baez error in the top of the 14th, KC came to bat again. Justin Blake reached on a single but was gunned down by D. Cheng, the 'Quistas backup catcher. Max Molina relieved Pascual after the 2nd out, but he walked Rivera, bringing the dangerous Corey back to the plate. For the 2nd time in as many innings, the game hung in the balance with Corey at the plate. The 33-year old who had never hit a playoff HR prior to the 13th inning, lit into a 2-1 fastball and sent it soaring into CF. CF Miyakazi thought he had a bead on the ball but his leap came up just short and Corey had a walk-off HR to go with his game-saving 3-run shot an inning earlier.