Amazing Frustrations in Maine

The Maine Loggers had gotten off to a fantastic 10-2 start to the season, when it all came crashing down in a series of swings and misses that this manager has never seen in 40 plus years playing this game.  After losing 2 of 3 in Mount Pleasant, the Loggers came home to host the TrainWreck for three more games.  Fans in Maine sold out the concession stand of coffee over the course of three nights.  In Game 1, the Loggers suffered FOUR injuries in the first seven innings, completely depleting the already thin Maine bench.  Mount Pleasant suffered two injuries as well, and there were three HBP (no brawl anymore, but both managers commented that this was definitely the most "brutal" game of the year).   The teams went to extra innings tied at 3-3.  It stayed that way until nearly 2 AM Eastern when Eddie Rosario launched a 3-run homer, sending Maine fans home cursing after a 6-3 loss in the 15th inning.  The teams combined for an unbelievable 30 men left on base, and what has to be a league record, combined 38 strikeouts.

Things would get worse.  In the next game, the Loggers were shutout, losing feebly 2-0.  Things would only continue to get worse for the Maine offense, which was already looking downright offensive.  In the series finale, the Loggers managed to push across a single run in 17 innings.  In the top of the 17th, with the game stalled at 1-1 for the 12th straight inning, that man, Eddie Rosario (Mount Pleasant's leadoff hitter, mind you) launched another game winner.  The Loggers had lost 5 of 6 games to MTP, despite oddly outscoring them 25-23 over those six games (thanks to a 13-2 win).

The Loggers then prepared to host Pittsburgh, coming in having scored a grand total of 1 run over the previous 36 innings.  Somehow, someway, the drought continued.  Pittsburgh won the first game 5-2.  That would be the peak of the Maine offense.  Pittsburgh then won 1-0, and 4-0 in the next two games.  Maine had scored an astounding 3 runs over 63 innings!!  (That's the equivalent of 7 full games, for those keeping score at home).

Manager Steve Willnus was ready to down an entire bottle of rum at this point.  Sensing nothing to lose, he went with the old "pull the lineup out of a hat strategy".  And what did the Loggers do, against James Paxton, who had shut them out in the 1-0 game?   They went out and scored 19 runs.   Of course, they did.   Pittsburgh finally eaked out a run in the bottom of the ninth to cut the final margin to 19-1.  The Loggers had outscored Pittsburgh 21-11 over four games, and lost three of them.  During the course of the 2-8 slide, Maine outscored it's opponents 46-34.  And won 2 of 10 games.  I have never seen anything like it.  This crazy year goes on...…….

Gonna leave you with this one, from Geoffrey Fieger's bro....and the Knack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LjsOoO0VdM

First Impressions

Outta my mind on an Opening Weekend moanin'

(I may be the only one who gets the Bob Talbert Free Press column reference but that's what you get from the oldest person in the league!)


-Early impressions are that Pittsburgh and Lake Erie are legit!  They whomped my Butchers and Mammoths in early action.  Pittsburgh's young core has matured and is ready to rule this year.  Lake Erie's doubles aces (Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole) are lights out and the other starters are tough as well.  Probably not my best choice to start the season against these two :-)

-Doug suffered the worst Opening Day 1st inning ever, as Verlander gave up two HRs in the top of the inning, and two of his first three batters were injured and left the game!

-Michigan pulled off a triple play against Pittsburgh!

-The juiced ball has arrived!  Last season, we averaged 2.4 home runs a game.  Through 19 games so far this season, we are at 3.4!  Settle in for some longer games this year

-Starting to think Steve Willnus drafted Shed Long only for the pun possibilities for next year's Protection List

-If we continue to have horrible weather and quarantine conditions, I will complete the season by Friday  :-)

All lineups and rotations sent to me so far are in the latest league file, so please download that before you play.

Play Ball!!!!

Yes, it is finally Opening Day (at least as far as the Friendship League goes)!  Got the file ready a little earlier than I thought so the season is now open to all.  Still feel free to send me any default lineups or rotations, I can add those any time.

The first game of the new season had Kansas City hosting the defending champion Michigan Mammoth.  Michigan starter Mike Minor was outdueling his counterpart, KC's Eduardo Rodriguez, staking his team to a 2-1 before the wheels came off in the bottom of the 8th.   KC newcomer Jordan Luplow blasted a three-run homer to give the Butchers the lead and eventually the victory, 4-2.    The Butchers and Mammoth split the next two games and we are suddenly three full games into the new season.  483 more to go!

Good luck to everyone, hoping for another great season!!!!

Time to PLAY BALL!!!!!

KC fans wrap up their day's work 

to make it to the big game!

Opening Day Giveaway!  Honoring

the home team and apparently

our two farm teams, the Bakers and the

Craft Beer Makers!  Go KC CBMs!!!

Jordan Luplow makes a great first impression

on the KC faithful with a game-winning HR

2020 Virtual Draft Results

Big thanks to you all!!!  We did it, a fully virtual Draft bringing us together over 1200 miles and 3 states!!!  Was not the same as getting together in person, but was certainly the next best thing.  I sent out the first LZP file, please check it right away and make sure that your roster is 100% correct.  Send me any rotations and/or lineups and I will enter them into the game.   Look for a PlayBall file later this week!!!

Preseason Simulation

Web Builder

Standings

League Leaders

Team Totals (Primary)

Team Totals (Secondary)

Newspaper Recap

Awards Voting

Record Book

Regular and Waiver Draft Results

Virtual Draft Eve 2020!

PRE-DRAFT STRAT 365 SALARY RANKINGS

Not my rankings, strat 365 salaries.....

Wichita Protected List

On roster:

Danny Duffy (SP)

Domingo German (SP,RP)

Ian Kennedy (RP)

Jose Leclerc (RP)

Matt Body(SP)

Mike Clevingler(SP)

Tim Hill (RP)

Will Harris (RP)

Danny Jansen (C)

Alex Gordon (LF)

CJ Cron (1B)

David Fletcher (2B)

Greg Allen(CF)

Kole Calhoun (RF)

Matt Chapman (3B)

Tim Anderson (SS)

Salvador Perez ( Yu Darvish)

Cut

Kelvin Herrera

Ryan Stanek

Yonder Alonso

Jose Alvarez(NC)

Zack Duke (NC)

Brian Dozier(NC)

Kevin Pillar(NC)

Matt Davidson(NC)

PITTSBURGH PHANTOMS 

PROTECTION LIST UPDATED

HITTERS

Brandon Lowe

Willy Adames

Elvis Andrus

Rafael Devers

Miguel Sano

Andrew Benintendi

Joey Gallo

Byron Buxton

Kyle Tucker

PITCHERS

Charlie Morton

James Paxton

Jose Berrios

Shane Bieber

Reynaldo Lopez
Ken Giles

Brad Hand 

CUTS

Chance Sisco

JaCoby Jones

Ronald Guzman

John Hicks 

Grayson Greiner

Logan Forsythe

Greg Bird NC

Devon Travis NC

Tony Barnette NC

Jason Hammel NC

Matt Moore NC

Yovani Gallardo NC

Yu Darvish Player

Taijuan Walker

Loggers Announce Protection List

  Loggers Announce 2020 Protection List

2020 Protections

Mitch "Find me some" More Land

Christian "Bale" Vasquez
J.D. "Salinger" Martinez
Adalberto "Not my Brother or Dad Raul" Mondesi
Avisail "Well Hello, Mrs. Cabrera" Garcia

A-Aron Hicks "From French Lick"

Luke "I am your father" Voit

Tommy "Tony" Pham "tom of the Opera"

Michael "Pinata" Pineda

Yusmeiro "Taco Bell" Petit

Felix "The Cat" Pena
Carlos "Rodan - CAW!" Rodon

Tyler "HE GONE!" Skaggs

Tyler "Toenail" Clippard "Ship"

Tyler Glasnow "Slipper"

Diego "Rivera Mural" Castillo

DARVISH/NL Protected:

Sonny, Sonny, Sonny Gray

Man up and vanished, like a fart in the wind:
Nick "Catch A Falling Star" Castellanos

Steve "Ear" Pearce

Roenis Elias "Brothers Big Boy"

Jace "Fish" Fry

Aaron "Chopped" Sanchez

Jed "Clampett" Lowrie (NL)

"Green" Jean Segura (NL)

Russell "Industrial Center" Martin (NL)

Jake "The Snake" Faria (no card)

Ryan "15 pieces of Flair" Flaherty?  Tradition!

Stan, Chotchkie's Manager: We need to talk about your flair.

MAINE LOGGERS, 1907 Team Photo

Year Of The Mammoth

Year Of The Mammoth

            The Michigan skies are lighting up tonight with celebrations after the Michigan Mammoth defeated the Maine Loggers by a score of 8 to 5 in win the 2018 Friendship League World Series, four games to one.  By the looks of the box scores, it may appear that the Mammoth easily dispatched the Loggers, but the games were close, keeping Michigan’s GM, Fred Schmidt, eating ice the entire series.   It was Michigan’s first World Series crown since 1995.   Michigan had entered the playoffs the last 3 seasons as the number 1 seed, but was beat in the divisional series by the eventual champion in the last 2 seasons.  You could see some signs of relief by the team leaders that they were able to complete their season in a victorious fashion.   This series will be remembered as the first Fanless World Series.   Due to concern over the Coronavirus, none of the games were able to have fans in attendance.  This didn’t seem to slow down Michigan in their quest to be champions.

           In Game 1, Michigan’s Michael Fulmer faced off against Maine’s James Shields.   This game was not the matchup believed at the outset of the Series as Michigan coasted to victory.  Fulmer (1-0) tossed 7 shutout innings en route to a 9-0 win.  Shields (0-1) was not on target and it seemed that every other batter in the Michigan lineup was walked. Manny Machado hit a 3-run bomb in the 4th inning to give the Mammoth a 7-0 lead and put the game out of reach for the Loggers. The Mammoth added 2 more in the 8th.  
 
            Game 2 saw the Loggers notch their only victory of the Series in a matchup of lefties.   Carlos Rodon (1-0) went 6 2/3 innings for the win shutting down the Mammoth and only allowing 2 hits.   Mike Minor (0-1) took the loss while allowing 2 runs over 5 1/3 innings.     The Loggers struck first on an RBI single by Castellanos in the first, scoring Alberto Mondesi.    They added runs in the 6th and 7th innings and Diego Castillo went 4 outs for the save.

            The World Series travelled to Maine for Game 3 and Daniel Mengden started for the Mammoth, taking on the Loggers’ Sonny Gray.    Michigan erupted for 3 runs in the top of the first after hits by Merrifield and Wendle.   A sacrifice fly from Haniger brought Merrifield home and a long HR by Machado brought home the other 2 runs.   Nick Castellanos double home JD Martinez in the bottom of the 4th inning and Juan Segura single home Aaron Hicks and Russell Martin in the 5th.    Segura added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th to give Maine a 4-3 lead.   After a single in the top of the 8th by Mitch Garver, for his 4th hit of the game, off of Yusmeiro Petit (0-1), the Mammoth sent Jake Marisnick to pinch run.   Marisnick promptly stole second and after consecutive RBI doubles by Francisco Lindor, Kevin Kiermaier, and Whit Merrifield the Mammoth now led by a score of 7-4.   Dylan Covey (1-0) went 1 1/3 for the victory and 2018 Friendship League saves leader Blake Treinen went 5 outs to earn his first save of the Series.

            Maine started James Shields (0-2) in Game 4 opposite Nathan Eovaldi (1-0).   In this game, Michigan scored early and often, giving the Mammoth a 3-1 Series lead with a 23 hit effort in an 18-4 victory.   After Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the first off of a Dee Gordon single, JD Martinez was injured in the bottom half of the inning for the Loggers.  He was pulled after being hit by an inside pitch from Eovaldi.   The Mammoths took over the game in the second inning.    After loading the bases, Mitch Haniger gave Michigan the big lead they wanted when he launched a grand slam and Manny Machado followed up with a solo shot to setup a seven-run inning.    The Mammoth added three more in the 3rd from RBI’s by Garver, Lindor, and Kiermaier.  Michigan tallied 2 more in the 5th and 4 more in the 7th.   The Loggers broke the shutout in the 7^th with a Jed Lowrie HR.   The Loggers hit 2 more HR’s in the 8th by Steve Pearce and Avasail Garcia to bring their run total to 4.  With their pitching staff exhausted, the Loggers turned to Christian Vasquez in the top of the 9th inning and Michigan concluded the scoring with their 18th run.   
   
             In Game 5, Michigan returned to Michael Fulmer to start the game against Maine’s Tyler Glasnow (0-1).  Michigan led off the scoring with a Whit Merrifield single.  Merrifield stole second and was brought home on a Joey Wendle double.    Maine countered with a run in the bottom of the 2nd to tie the game at 1 after an Aaron Hicks double plated Luke Voit.    Manny Machado launched a 3-run home run in the top of the 3rd to give Michigan a 4-1 lead.   Michigan added another run in the 4^th with a Francisco Lindor solo shot.   Maine added 2 runs in the bottom of the inning to close the gap to 5-3, but Michigan promptly added 3 more in the top of the 5th to give the Mammoth an 8-3 lead after hits by Merrifield, Wendle, and Garver.    Maine closed the gap to 8-5 after a home run by Aaron Hicks, but strong pitching by Ryan Tepera brought the Mammoth to the brink of victory.   The Loggers made things interesting a hit by Segura and a walk by Lowrie brought up JD Martinez with a shot to tie the game, but regular season Cy Young and Rolaids Relief award winner Blake Treinen (1-0) got him on strikes and was able to get Nick Castellanos to ground out into a series ending double play.   

           Another team effort was put forth in The World Series for Michigan, but the voting was not as difficult as the Division Series, as Manny Machado went 11 for 20, hitting.550, along with 4 HR’s, 10 Runs, and 11 RBI’s in the 5 games.    Manny will not be missed by this Maine team and he will likely be in the nightmares of Loggers’ GM, Steve Willnus’, for many years ahead.   Willnus can only ponder how the Loggers’ season would have changed if he hadn’t made the fateful trade with the Thunder to open the season.   It is believed that the Maine GM and 2018 Friendship League Manager of the Year would have drafted Garrit Cole and he would have drastically bolstered the Loggers rotation.  Bingo ball 31 will likely be remembered far beyond Willnus’ tenure in Maine.   The World Series victory was a fitting sendoff for Michigan GM/manager Fred Schmidt, who had announced prior to the season that he was stepping down in order to have some additional family time.  He had missed substantial time during the season, but was able to come back and coach the team to victory in the World Series.   Schmidt guided the Mammoths to a 360-288 record with a .556 winning percentage.   The clubhouse was an emotional scene after the game as the team opted to celebrate rather than ponder their future.

M. Betts

J. Soler

A. Simmons

E. Encarnacion

M.Olson

R. Laureano

Y. Diaz

I. Kiner-Falefa

J. Candelario

L. Severino

M. Givens

M. Barnes

F. Montas

M. Gonzales

L. Lynn

M. Stroman

-----------

Yu D.--D. Keuchel

-------cut with card----

J. Bauers

D. Deshields

H. Hembree

J. Jay

Michigan Mammoth Protected List

KEEPERS
Kevin Kiermaier

Francisco Lindor
Roberto Perez
Whit Merrifield
Mitch Garver
Justin Upton
Mitch Haniger
Joey Wendle
Dee Gordon
Willans Astudillo
Jake Cave
Mike Minor
Jalen Beeks
Miguel Castro
Nathan Eovaldi
Dylan Covey

CUTS  

Blake Treinen
Jake Marisnick
Thomas Pannone

Daniel Mengden
Manny Machado (NC)

MIke Moustakas (NC)

Seung Hwan Oh (NC)

Vidal Nuno (NC)

Ryan Tepera (NC)

Chris Archer (NC)

Cole Hamels (NC)

YU DARVISH

Michael Fulmer