TRADE - Utility Man Hocking On The Move

Another day, another deal in the Millennium Baseball League.  Oakland Osprey skipper Steve Kornmuller remains busy, completing his second deal within the week.  Here are the particulars:

CINCINNATI sends OF Matt Stairs and the their 2001 3rd round pick
to OAKLAND in exchange for IF/OF Denny Hocking.

Not a blockbuster by any means, but worth taking a look at nonetheless.

As discussed in the last edition of the TRADE ANALYZER, Oakland is currently in last place in the Expansion League's Pacific Division.  And while their record of 20-22 is only a couple of games below .500, they sit a full nine games out of first place.  Manager Kornmuller obviously has his eye on the future, making another deal to acquire a draft pick in next year's draft.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, is in the midst of a battle atop the Classic League's Rust Belt Division.  With a record of 24-18, manager Corey Robeson has his Red Stockings just a game-and-a-half out of first place.  And while they currently sit six games over .500 on the season, they are only 7-8 in their last 15 games.  The team they trail, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, are the hottest team in the MBL right now, winners of six in a row and 18 of their last 23 games.

 The acquisition of Hocking gives the Red Stockings a guy who can fill in at any position on the field, literally.  In the year 2000, Hocking played at least ten games at every single position on the field except pitcher and catcher.  And while he'll never be confused with Ozzie Smith or Roberto Clemente in the field, he's actually rated quite good at every position he played.  Hocking also enjoyed the finest offensive year of his 13 year major league career in the year 2000.  His triple slash line of .298/.373/.416 is quite respectable.  The BA, OBP and SLG percentage numbers are all season career highs.  A switch-hitter, he's equally adept at getting on base from both sides of the plate, compiling the same .373 OBP against both right-handed and left-handed pitching.

Hocking goes to a Cincinnati squad in need of a good utility type player.  With the brittle Nomar Garciaparra at SS, Hocking provides a quality option if/when Nomar misses any action due to injury.  He can also spell 2B Luis Alicea from time-to-time, especially against RHP.  His more likely role will be in one of the outfield spots, in place of either Brian Hunter or Steve Finley.  Regardless of where he lands on the field, he will provide good defense and a quality bat for the lineup.

His future though isn't so bright.  As noted, 2000 was his best offensive year of his career.  He plays three more season where he ranges between 83-112 games.  His triple slash of .248/.308/.339 for those years combined is a far cry from his 2000 numbers.  Theoretically, he could be the starting shortstop for the Red Stockings in 2001 when Nomar misses all but 20 games due to injury.  But it's more likely Corey will be trying to fill those games with somebody a bit better offensively than Hocking.

For the 2000 MBL year, Hocking is currently flashing a .289/.365/.423 triple slash line.
Hocking's career statistics:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hockide01.shtml
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Going to Oakland is 32 year old outfielder Matt Stairs.  He entered the year 2000 coming off a season in which he blasted 38 home runs and knocked in 102.  As a matter of fact, in the three previous seasons combined, Stairs had a triple slash line of .282/.373/.537 for an OPS of .910.  He averaged 30 homers per year and nearly 100 RBI.  The year 2000, his final year in Oakland, saw his numbers take a bit of a tumble.  He only managed to hit .227 and knock 21 homers in 143 games.  His .747 OPS is the worst of any season in which he was a regular contributor.

The acquisition of Stairs is one with an eye on the future.  While he never again reached the production heights from his 1997-1999 seasons, he is fairly productive over the next few years.  From 2001-2007, Stairs .267/.359/.478 triple slash equates out to a respectable .836 OPS.  He has a couple of season's in which he eclipses the .900 mark in OPS, with a high mark of .950 in 2003.

Stairs is a platoon player.  He's virtually unplayable against LHP, with batting averages below the Mendoza line in each of the next three seasons.  As a matter of fact, he rarely played against lefties in real life for the next few seasons.  But while some might see this as a mark against him, it actually can make him more valuable.  He's very good against RHP.  In 2003, he hit them at a .304/.402/.984 clip in 115 games.

Where Stairs fits in for the Osprey remains to be seen.  For the current season, he could conceivably platoon with Ron Gant in left field against RHP.  He could also spell Lee Stevens at first base from time-to-time.  Regardless, he provides a power bat off the bench.

Stairs currently has a .254/.343/.559 triple slash line in the MBL.  He's belted five homers in only 59 ABs.
Stair's career statistics:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stairma01.shtml
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This is another deal made by Steve where he gets a draft pick back in return.  A very good strategy, especially considering none of us really know what to expect or who will be available off of the current rosters come draft time.  With each team being able to protect 20 players, you can somewhat project that a 3rd round pick in the 2001 draft will be the equivalent of a 23rd round selection in the inaugural draft.  Looking at who was selected in those rounds, it's likely that the 3rd round selection will equate to a decent middle relief option or a quality bench player.  Steve actually drafted his starting first baseman in Lee Stevens in the 23rd round.  Other selections of note in the 22nd/23rd rounds include a one-year Mo Vaughn card, starters Brett Tomko and Jeff Fassero, backup catchers Tom Prince, Todd Pratt and Tony Eusebio, and some decent relief pitchers in Antonio Osuna, Felix Heredia and Guillermo Mota.


SUMMARY
Oakland manager Steve Kornmuller has made another deal with a draft pick involved, which is something I like.  He now owns two picks in the first round and two in the third.  While the third round selection may not produce a significant lineup producer, it will allow him to improve his depth more rapidly than the other teams in the league.  This is another instance where I like both sides of this deal though.  I love what Hocking brings to the lineup this season.  Every team can use a guy like Hocking on their roster.  He's definitely the best player in the deal for the current season as Stairs had a bit of a down year in 2000.  But where Hocking is over and done for the most part after this year, Stairs has some productive seasons left in his tank.  I especially like his 2003 season when he's a killer against RHP.  Stairs conceivably could be protected by a team for the next seven years.  Hocking is likely draft fodder, if not next season then the year after.  At best, he plays two more seasons.

So for the purposes of selecting a winner in this deal, I am looking at the staying power of Stairs compared to Hocking.  Add in the draft pick and I believe Steve has come out slightly ahead overall in this exchange.  But that's not to say I don't like what Corey has done here.  I actually love it.  He's trying to improve his team this season, and the acquisition of Hocking does just that.  And he gave up a guy in Stairs who had only started in 15 of his team's 42 games.  So while down the road Oakland comes out on top, this is a definite winning move by Corey and the Red Stockings in MBL 2000.

I understand that people make trades for different reasons, and that no trade will be completely equal in value exchanged.  The opinions expressed on this site are my opinions only.  Please do not take offense to anything written.  I promise I will analyze the deals as fair as possible.  It is not my intention to offend anyone involved.  This is for purely entertainment purposes only.

TRADE - Cleveland and Oakland Swap Second Basemen

With a deal going down today involving the Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers and the Oakland Osprey, let's break out the inaugural edition of the TRADE ANALYZER.  In this spot, I will try to analyze, as fairly as possible, any trades that take place in the MBL.  With that being said, let me offer up this disclaimer.

I understand that people make trades for different reasons, and that no trade will be completely equal in value exchanged.  The opinions expressed here forth are my opinions only.  Please to not take offense to anything written.  I promise I will analyze the deals as fair as possible.  It is not my intention to offend anyone involved.  This is for purely entertainment purposes only.

So having said that, let's start dissecting the deal at hand.


CLEVELAND sends IF/OF Mark McLemore and the their 2001 1st round pick to OAKLAND in exchange for 2B Edgardo Alfonzo.

This is an interesting deal between two teams who currently both sit in the basement of their respective divisions.  Cleveland manager Brian Feig is obviously looking to improve this season with the acquisition of Alfonzo while trading away his 1st round pick next season.  And although the Rock 'N Rollers are currently in last place, their record of 18-23 puts them only five games back in the Classic League's Rust Belt Division.  With a home record of only 8-10, a +29 run differential, and a record of 4-8 in one-run games and 0-3 in extra innings, it's not hard to imagine this team improving in the standings even without this deal being made.  Alfonzo should only improve their lineup for the current season.

Oakland, on the other hand, actually has a better record than Cleveland at this point in the year, sitting at only one game under .500 with a 19-20 mark.  But Oakland manager Steve Kornmuller finds himself in a different spot than Cleveland manager Feig.  His Osprey are currently nine games out of the Expansion League's Pacific Division lead, trailing the 29-13 San Francisco Quakers for the top spot.  Not to say that it's time to panic, with the season not yet a quarter of the way completed and a wildcard birth easily within reach, but building for the future by acquiring a 1st round pick is never a bad idea.  And it's not like McLemore is chopped liver.  He has some value as well as we will see.


Of course, the prize of this deal for the current season is obviously Alfonzo.  An All-Star for the only time in his 12 year career in the year 2000, Alfonzo was coming off a 1999 campaign which saw him finish 8th in the NL MVP voting.  But 2000 was unquestionably the best year of his career, a season which saw him hit .324 with 40 doubles and 25 home runs.  His on-base percentage was a robust .425, and his .967 OBP was nearly 100 percentage points higher than any other time in his career.

Alfonzo drops off quite precipitously in 2001, only hitting .243 with a meager .322 OBP.  He's almost unplayable against LHP, hitting only .211 with a .277 OBP against southpaws that year.  He switches positions in 2002 to third base and bounces back with a solid season slash line of .308/.391/.459, earning a Clutch rating to boot.  That equates to a very solid .851 OPS.  He also figured out the lefties in 2002 as he checked in with .364/.477/.545 slash against them.  He was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2003 and finished his career there with three solid yet unspectacular seasons.

For the 2000 MBL year, Alfonzo has a triple slash of .321/.405/.537 with eight homers.
Alfonzo's career statistics:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alfoned01.shtml

Mark McLemore was 35 years old and entering his 15th season in the majors in the year 2000.  But that's not to say he was done.  As a matter of fact, his two best offensive years were yet to come.  So for the purposes of our deal here, he has plenty left to offer.

In 2000, he is more than serviceable.  His slash of .245/.353/.316 is nothing to write home about, but he's actually very good against LHP, getting on-base at a .393 clip.  He's excellent in the field at second base and in left field.  And to boot, he's also an excellent bunter and baserunner.  He actually stole 30 bases in the year 2000.  So even though he is nowhere near as good as Alfonzo for the current season, he can easily provide decent production as a replacement at second base.

Where McLemore really shines is in the next two seasons, years 2001 and 2002.  Those two years were arguably the two best of his long, 19-year career.  His OBP surpassed .380 in both, and he stole 39 bases in 2001.  He's also super versatile, playing the utility role as good as anyone, getting ratings at seven different positions.  Great baserunner as well.  He played a limited role in both 2003 and 2004 before retiring.

The odd thing when it comes to McLemore is his splits between left and right handed pitching.  In 2000, he excels against LHP, but he's virtually unplayable against them in both 2001 and 2002, hitting only .169 and .152 in those two seasons respectively.  Of course, that means that he is a terror against RHP in both of those years.  If Steve can find somebody to play against the southpaws, McLemore can provide a platoon player in the lineup on a regular basis.  If not, he's great off the bench as a fill in against RHP.

McLemore is currently sitting on a .208/.317/.272 triple slash line with three stolen bases.
McLemore's career statistics:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mclemma01.shtml

This deal in the end will likely depend on how the Cleveland 1st round selection pans out.  There are some good players that will be available in the 2001 draft, including names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Roy Oswalt, Adam Dunn, Josh Beckett, Brian Roberts and Ben Sheets just to name a few.  That's eight names right there.  There are currently four teams in the MBL with a worse record than Cleveland, with four other teams tied with them with the identical 19-23 record.  If the Rock 'N Rollers fail to improve and finish in the bottom half of the standings, then Oakland is going to get a very good player in this deal.

SUMMARY
In the end, this is a deal that helps out both teams.  I love the fact that Brian is making a push to improve his team for the current season.  Alfonzo is a dynamic bat in 2000 at a position that few big bats exist.  It's hard to pick a winner or loser in this deal until we find out how the 2001 draft plays out.  If Cleveland isn't able to improve in the standings and one of the above mentioned players is available for Steve to draft, then I think the Osprey come out ahead in the end.  My thinking though is that the Rock 'N Rollers will use Alfonzo to make a move in their division, one that is easily winnable for them.  If that happens, their pick will be in the bottom half of the round, meaning most of the prime selections will most certainly be gone.  Of course, by trading Alonzo, Oakland may dip in the standings, landing them in one of the prime spots for the aforementioned players.

This is about as even as a trade can be in my estimation.  In the end, I'm gonna use the theory that whoever gets the best player in the deal is the winner.  With that thinking in mind, I'm giving the slight edge to Brian and the Rock 'N Rollers for the sole reason that Alfonzo's card is so good in 2000.  If Steve's gamble pays off and Cleveland does not improve, then Oakland is in prime position for two top picks in the 2001 draft.  If that happens, then the Osprey clearly come out on top.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

In this spot, I will try to highlight some of the game performances that stand out, any types of streaks I come across, or anything else for that matter that I notice from the box scores that is of interest.  I'm sure I won't notice all of the quirky plays or standout performances, so if anyone wants to add to the list or send me updates when something of note happens during a game, feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email or message on the Dynasty website.  I just made a cursory glance at all of the boxes listed on our league page.  From here forward, I will try to follow along as the games are played and make this a weekly feature.  So again, if anything of note happens that you want to make sure is included here, please just drop me a line.  Here is what I've come up with for the first installment of Inside the Box Score.

While the May 10th game between the San Diego Vipers and Detroit Buckeyes was featured in the Game-of-the-Week blog, three other games played on that date were very interesting as well.

Seattle traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Crawfords.  The Lightning led in the game 8-0 after just four innings, and 9-2 after six.  But Pittsburgh stormed back, scoring six in the bottom of the 6th to pull within one, then plating four more in the 7th to go up 12-9.  That would be the final as relievers Mike Fetters and Bob Howry didn't allow Seattle to score in their final two innings.

In Tampa Bay, Houston starter Robert Person took a no-hitter into the 7th inning.  He had to leave the game with an injury after getting two outs in the inning and the Buffaloes up 1-0.  He failed to allow a hit.  His line for the game:

Houston Buffaloes

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
R. Person	6.2	0	0	0	2	7	0	21	7.13

Unfortunately for him and the Buffaloes, Arthur Rhodes blew the game in the 9th and Houston lost the game 2-1.  And on a side not, check out Person's leg kick.  He really got that back leg up there on his follow through.  Maybe that's how he got hurt?

And on May 10th in Miami, the league leading Panthers took a 4-3 lead into the top of the 9th against the visiting St. Louis Sliders, only to see an error by sure-handed SS Omar Vizquel lead to three unearned runs off reliever Esteban Loaiza.  The Sliders won the game 6-4.  The next night, Loaiza failed to get the job done again, giving up a run in the 10th for his second consecutive loss.  In that game, two players from the Sliders had games to forget.

St. Louis Sliders

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
K. Caminiti 3B	4	0	0	0	1	4	.234
S. Spencer LF	4	0	0	0	0	4	.270

The Miami starting pitchers had only nine strikeouts in the game combined, and eight of them were by these two free-swingers.

Andres Gallaraga also wore the Golden Sombrero in a May 7th game between his Washington Senators and the St. Louis Sliders.  Two days later, his teammate achieved the feat in the same series.

Washington Senators

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
A. Galarraga 1B	4	0	0	0	0	4	.236

Washington Senators

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
T. Shumpert SS-2B	4	0	0	0	0	4	.207

John Vander Wal did those four players one better in his game on May 11 as he struck out FIVE times.  His bat must have had a hole in it.

San Francisco Quakers

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
J. Vander Wal 1B	5	0	0	0	0	5	.331

In that same game, his teammate from the Quakers, Mike Bordick, had basically the opposite game of Vander Wals.  Bordick's line from that game was as follows:

San Francisco Quakers

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
M. Bordick SS	4	2	4	4	0	0	.340

Among Bordick's four hits were a double and two home runs.  Unfortunately, despite his monster performance, the Quakers still lost to the Cincinnati Red Stockings 8-7.

The day prior in the series saw Nomar Garciaparra of the Red Stockings lead his team to a 12-2 route of San Francisco with a five hit game, including a pair of doubles.

Cincinnati Red Stockings

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
N. Garciaparra SS	5	4	5	3	0	0	.392

Here are some other HITTING PERFORMANCES of note from the past couple weeks of action:

Cincinnati RF Jay Buhner's only hit in four plate appearances from the May 7th game against the San Diego Vipers was a homer.  He walked his other three trips to the plate.  The Red Stockings won the game 7-5.

Cincinnati Red Stockings

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
J. Buhner RF	1	2	1	1	3	0	.208

Houston's Bobby Higginson, in only his fourth game with the Buffaloes, collects four hits in his May 7th contest, including a double and a homer in Houston's 9-7 victory over Atlanta.

Houston Buffaloes

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
B. Higginson LF	5	3	4	3	0	0	.375

A pair of Vipers had big days in their May 9th tilt against Cincinnati.  Hitting 2nd and 3rd in the lineup, both Ray Durham and Bobby Abreu scorched Red Stocking pitching, combining to go 9-12 with five runs and four RBI.  Abreu knocked three doubles in the contest, while Durham had a single, two triples and a homer.  He threw in a stolen base for good measure.

San Diego Vipers

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
R. Durham 2B	6	3	4	2	0	0	.261
B. Abreu RF	6	2	5	2	0	1	.282

In the same game, Cincinnati second-baseman Luis Alicea had an outstanding game in his own right, reaching base five time with a homer.  San Diego won the affair 10-6 as the teams combined for 32 hits in the game.

Cincinnati Red Stockings

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
L. Alicea 2B	2	2	2	2	3	0	.316

On May 14th, Jim Edmonds of the Washington Senators had a game almost identical to Alicea's in their contest with Arizona with one of his two hits a homer as well.  The Apaches ended up winning the game 8-7 despite Edmonds performance.

Washington Senators

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
J. Edmonds CF	2	2	2	3	3	0	.275

In the second game of the series between Baltimore and Boston, the Beaneaters Mitch Melusky was on fire, leading his team to a 12-4 triumph.  All three of his hits were doubles.

Boston Beaneaters

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
M. Meluskey C	3	2	3	5	1	0	.431

In the next game of the series, won by Baltimore 5-4, Beaneater right-fielder Jason McDonald reached base five times, all via base-on-balls.

Boston Beaneaters

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
J. McDonald RF	0	2	0	0	5	0	.355

Finally, on May 16, the Red Coats Will Clark had an interesting line, reaching base all five times he went to the plate.  Four times he drew walks.  The other AB he blasted a solo homer.  It wasn't enough though for Toronto as they dropped the game to the New York Rippers 4-3.

Toronto Redcoats

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
W. Clark 1B	1	1	1	1	4	0	.341

Turning our attention to PITCHING PERFORMANCES, we find a couple good ones as well as our fair share of outings to forget.  First the good.  A couple of complete game shutouts were tossed.

On May 11, Toronto's Perdro Martinez went the distance against the New York Bombers, allowing only four hits while striking out 10.  He lowered his league leading ERA in the game to a remarkable 1.29

Toronto Redcoats

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
P. Martinez (W, 6-1)	9.0	4	0	0	1	10	0	31	1.29

Colorado's Pat Hentgen also hurled a shutout.  His came against the Miami Panthers on May 9th in a 4-0 victory.

Colorado Briar Jumpers

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
P. Hentgen (W, 2-2)	9.0	4	0	0	2	7	0	31	5.01

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there was the May 6th starting performance from Jon Lieber for the Atlanta Stonecutters.  The big right-hander had nothing for the St. Louis Sliders that day, getting bombarded for ten runs in only two innings of work.

Atlanta Stonecutters

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
J. Lieber (L, 0-5)	2.0	6	10	9	4	0	2	17	7.58

Out of the bullpen, Cincinnati reliever Juan Acevedo had an outing he would like to forget.  He entered a 3-3 tied ballgame.  He left having put his team in a 9-3 hole, surrendering six runs, seven hits and two walks.  Ugly.

Cincinnati Red Stockings

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
J. Acevedo (L, 2-3)	1.1	7	6	6	0	2	1	11	11.15

In the series between the Seattle Lightning and Pittsburgh Crawfords, a couple of relievers had less than stellar performances.  In the first game of the set, Lightning righty Marc Wilkins faced six batters, walked two of them and gave up hits to three others.  He blew the save for Seattle and was hung with the loss in their 12-9 defeat..

Seattle Lightning

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
M. Wilkins (L, 1-2; B, 2)	0.1	3	3	3	2	0	0	6	12.51

Two days later, Pittsburgh releiver Rob Ramsey returned the favor.  He faced eight batters, didn't allow a hit, but walked four Lightning hitters, allowing a run in the process.  The Crawfords lost the game 7-5

Pittsburgh Crawfords

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
R. Ramsay	1.0	0	1	1	4	1	0	8	5.00

The NY Bomber's Danny Graves had a nail-biting outing on May 16 against Milwaukee.  He entered the game in the 9th with a two run lead.  He waked three and gave up a triple in his inning of work, but somehow still managed to pickup the save.

New York Bombers

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
D. Graves (S, 6)	1.0	1	1	1	3	0	0	7	3.81

A couple of TEAM PERFORMANCES worth mentioning.

The May 8th contest between the Oakland Osprey and the Pittsburgh Crawfords was one to remember.  The game lasted 15 innings, with the Crawfords eventually winning it 2-1.  The teams combined to go 1-17 with runners in scoring position.  Not good.  In the game, Pittsburgh first-baseman David Segui collected three hits, all doubles, and all off of Oakland starter Brad Radke.

On May 9th, Washington grounded into five double plays as a team, but still defeated the St. Louis Sliders 6-5.

And the New York Rippers have currently played in five straight one-run games, winning four in a row.  In all four victories, reliever Dan Miceli has picked up the save.  Not too shabby.

And finally, on the INJURY front, as has been documented on the league's facebook page, Boston starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn suffered a season-ending setback in his first inning of work on May 10th against the Minnesota Millers.  Tough break for the Beaneaters.  Thankfully for Matt, Washburn is expected to make a full recovery and be ready to roll in 2001.

Boston Beaneaters

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF	ERA
J. Washburn	0.2	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3.65

Injuries/Suspensions J. Washburn injured. Out for 235 days