Lp2 Baseball

Mock Draft, 5-10

2008-02-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

Today we will take a look at picks 6-10. On my last revision we noticed how power house teams such as the Accies and Soldiers are controlling this draft. We will start with again with the Accies who have the 6th overall pick of this draft.
p.s-Morgan, I think we need to update the picks file. =)

6) Bristol Accies, Mark Reynolds, 3B/2B-The Accies are loaded as far as the rotation is concerned. They are thin at 2B with all-star Chase Utley missing some time last year. Utley is expected to be healthy this year but could miss most of spring training and a few weeks after the season starts. Aside from that history tells us that the Accies love having depth up the middle. Reynolds is coming off a solid campaign in the minors and is expected to be a solid addition to this team who can contribute on his first year. Reynolds is a full time 3rd bagger who belted 17 dingers in only 366 at bats of minor league ball. But being that he played a few games at 2nd last year he'll be able to come in and log some games at 2b for the Accies. It is safe to say that he will eventually be moved back to 2nd base as he has played all four infield positions in the minor leagues.

7)South Side Soldiers, Yovani Gallardo, PThe Soldiers are up and they eventually are going to take the youngest and most successful arm available in this draft. They will think about taking Dice-K but the age difference won't be enough for them to even think about going with him. Yovani can come in and produce great dividends for an already loaded rotation. He's a top prospect but most importantly he is ready now as we learned from his season last year in the minors (9-5 110 innings, 101k's, hitters just .245 against him). History tells us the Soldiers will take him use him and then bait him in order to get more picks for next year's draft. It is a method that like the Acciess, replenishes it's farm consistently. Unlike the Acciess, the Soldiers are always willing to move their super prospects for the right price.

8)Bristol Academicals-Jacoby Ellsbury, OFThe Academicals are up once again. Being that they picked someone who will actually contribute on his first year, the Acciess will go back to their old ways here and pick a hot prospect who will actually blossom a couple of years from now. Jacob Ellsbury is fancied by many GM's around the LP2. "Jacob is a baseball prodigy" said one scout. Jacob appeared in a few games last year for his minor league team but actually had a great season. "He's a guy that does the little things, things that go unnoticed only for so long!" said a source within the league. Bristol loves stacking up prospects and this is one guy that they are completely enamored with.

9)New York Knights, Daisuke Matsuzaka, PThe New York Knights are coming off a very successful campaign. They are stacked up the middle and have great corners rounding up the infield. K-Dice drops right into the Knights arms and it's a match made in heaven.. K-Dice had a good season in the minors last year. He's a foreign import who is followed around by all of Japan. K-dice doesn't only bring stability to this rotation but it also buys the Knights about a 1 million new fans in the far east! "This is the perfect city for K-Dice to come and excel his long awaited professional debut!" said an LP2 scout. K-dice is known for his ferocious ability to pile up K's. He struck out 201 hitters in 204 innings of work last year. "K-dice is capable of having days were his nasty stuff is just ridiculous but is also known for having bad games. He once gave up 7 runs in only 5.1 innings of work and allowed 10 hits!" Said a GM who has been following K-dice since his days in Japan. The Knights and K-Dice are perfect for each other.

10)Boston Bombers, Yunel Escobar-SS/2BThe Bombers had an off season last year and they have turned toward rebuilding their team. They have a solid foundation with the likes of Ian Snell, Delmon Young, Adrian Gonzalez, J.J. Hardy, etc. Yunel Escobar fits in perfectly. Yunel is highly touted around the league. "He's a guy that can play any infield position but catcher, and even then we might never know!" said a league source. It's true Escobar's got a quick nifty swing and is very pesky around the bases. Like Ellsbury and Pence he's a player that gives it his all. His potential is not huge as far as power numbers are concerned but we can definitely see him leading off a very promising Bombers lineup in the not so distant future.
Stay tune for part 3...

2008 Mock Draft

2008-02-02T12:06:00.000-05:00

It is that time of the year again fellas. I'd like to share with everyone who I feel will be chosen this year in LP2's 8th Annual Rookie/Free Agent draft. Today I will be mocking the top 5 picks in the draft. Two of them belonging to the powerhouse South Side Soldiers. This year what we have is a mixed of young players and veterans who are ready to lend a helping hand to all LP2 Teams. Probably one of the deepest draft in LP2 History but never the less risky as usual! "It's all about getting lucky, you don't know what you get despite each player's track history at the amateur level!" said John Colangelo, an LP2 consultant. With the first pick of the 2008 LP2 Professional Draft the Sun City Devils select....

1)Sun City Devils, Tim Linecum, PThere has been little rumors here and there about this organization moving the pick. Truth to be told is there is a lot of turmoil upstairs. Bobby Natural is definitely on the hot seat according to various inside sources within the organization. "It's all a matter of timing, the Devils would love to bring in a new GM but they are just unsure about whether they should do it before or after!" There's also rumors that the Devils might try to run a GM by committee kinda thing. One LP2 scout said "The Devils have been at the bottom of the cellar for many years, but they have the chance to pick a savior this year. Someone who can help David Ortiz as far as the marketing of this team goes. Rumors have it that Natural is enamored with Tim Linecum's nasty stuff. But at the same time they are not sure if they are ready to make the 22 year old their grand prize draft acquisition. "They are going to have to pay big bucks regardless of who they pick, I always say this is the best and worst spot to be in the LP2. I think Tim Linecum is a can't miss prospect who could very well shine in the LP2 in just his first year!" Will the Devils move the pick, pick a prized arm and break the bank or will they go with offense? "They will determine the rest of the draft, the Devils can go various routes as there are teams willing to meet the price to move up and pick first overall.

2)South Side Soldiers, Ryan Braun, 3BThis team is a pitching powerhouse! They are just solid everywhere but at 3rd base. Here comes the million dollar question? Should the Soldiers invest so high in 3rd baseman Ryan Braun? "It seems like a no-brainer to me!" said Braun's agent. "Ryan Braun is 24 years old, hits for huge power and played collegiate ball at one of the best universities in the Nation. He showed huge power potential by banging 34 dingers at UM last year and those numbers can very well carry over in his rookie year." It all seems nothing but a no-brainer. Many scouts around the league are terrified of the monster Braun can become defensively. "His defense is just disgusting! If it wasn't for his age I'd have to say he'd made a great DH!" It's been said before that Braun might be moved to the outfield by whomever selects him in this draft. But if the Soldiers come knocking on draft day I cannot see them moving Braun at all. "It's a risk they will have to take. Braun is an excellent hitter but when it all comes down he's pretty much a one dimensional player. I can see him being picked as high as 2 or as low as 9th. I am going to stay safe here and say that the Soldiers will go with Ryan Braun. "This move will definitely make them the favorites if they aren't already!"

3) Finger Lake Flashes, Phil Hughes-PIt is no secret the Flashes are hungry for arms. After their amazing season the Flashes are coming off their first ever World Series appearance. "Pitching is very thin for them this year and I assume they will be looking at a few arms. " The question is will they go for a veteran arm such as Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12 4.40 ERA 201K) or will they go for the potential in Phil Hughes. I am going with Hughes simply because the potential in this kid is untapped. He's not a flamethrower like Time Linecum but that might be to his best advantage as we have seen what has become of guys like Kerry Wood and Mark Prior in the past. "Phil Hughes is an artist!" said one scout. I tend to agree, his slider is beautiful not to mention the command and control he poises on the mound. The Flashes are a smart organization and in my opinion they will not let Hughes slide down past 3rd.

4)South Side Soldiers, Hunter Pence, OFBeing that the Soldiers have so much pitching depth I think it will come down to them picking the best offensive player available. Barry Bonds is nearing retirement and Andruw Jones had miserable season. So it's safe to say that Matt will definitely go with Hunter Pence. Hunter is the type of player Matt likes, a 5-tool player. He can hit, he can run, he can hit for power and he can definitely play D. There is no going wrong with him this high in this draft. The only questions surrounding Hunter is his ability to stay healthy. He was hurt plenty of times throughout his collegiate career. It might be a result of his own blessing as he's a player that likes to give it all he has. "There is not a player that works harder then Hunter, he's just a student of the game. His father a disciplinarian has definitely rubbed off on him. This adds to the already stacked Soldiers offense. "They will be as dangerous as any other team I've ever seen in LP2 History, another 100 win season is not out of the reach!

5)Bristol Acciess- Joba Chamberlain, PSpeaking of powerhouses, we now have the Acciess on the clock. It is not a surprise that they are picking so high despite winning their division last year. The Acciess are known to be enamored with young talent. Otherwise known as the New England Patriots of the LP2, Geoff has been instrumental in building this franchise from scratch. "Everyone knows that Bristol will in the mix of things year in and out. They are an organization filled with great scouts and a great Owner/GM in Geoff." said an league source . I definitely see the Acciess picking the best talent available at this position. I just don't see many holes within this team and in fact knowing what I know about Geoff they will probably go with the best prospect available since they have no need for immediate impact. Joba Chamberlain fits right in and is a Geoff type of player. Geoff loves young arms and Joba is probably the most touted closer prospect ever in LP2 history. Some scouts are not convinced though. "He played little ball in a big market, he had an amazing outing but not enough for me to be convinced he can repeat year in and out. It does help him though that his college manager is one of Geoff's closest associates in the business.

I will cover the rest of the first round in our next edition of the official 2008 LP2 Mock Draft.

Magicians Announce Their 20...

2007-12-20T19:35:00.001-05:00

The Herkimer Magicians have submitted their list of 20 players protected. In addition to 3B/Hitting Coach Paul Molitor, the Magicians have decided to keep catchers Mike Napoli, Javier Valentin, and Jason Kendall, first baseman Justin Morneau, second baseman Jeff Kent, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, outfielders Aaron Rowand, Eric Byrnes, Manny Ramirez, and Gary Sheffield, starting pitchers Jason Bergmann, C.C. Sabathia, John Lackey, Carlos Zambrano, Jon Lester, Mike Pelfrey, Chris Sampson, and Boof Bonser, and relievers Jon Rauch and Zach Miner. Notable players not protected include CF Mike Cameron and DH Frank Thomas. "We tried in earnest to trade Mike someplace where he could have value next season, but we were unable to come to an agreement in time with anyone. As far as the Big Hurt, the fact that he is strictly a DH significantly lowers his value in this league, so while we could have used his 25 HR power, he would have been severely limited as a pinch hitter and only a pinch hitter, and it doesn't make sense to protect a pinch hitter," GM/Owner Tim Farmer stated.

Magicians Add Yet Another Big Bat

2007-12-20T19:34:00.000-05:00

The Herkimer Magicians added another big bat in what has become a strong offseason, acquiring All-Star right fielder Gary Sheffield from Bristol. The two teams end up swapping draft picks in the 2009 draft. "After acquiring Manny Ramirez earlier in the offseason, we needed another corner outfielder to complement Manny for when he goes down for the season to pair up with Eric Byrnes. Who better to add than another all-star in Gary Sheffield?" Owner/GM Tim Farmer remarked in a press release. "We now believe we have the depth in our offense, getting another 25 plus home run bat, not to mention a little more speed (22 steals) to compete with just about any other team in the league this year, and with the three aces we believe we can contend to win the title this season." There are still players to be had, and the team would like to acquire one or two more starting pitchers before the draft.

Magicians Add Third Ace; All-Star Left Fielder

2007-12-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

The Herkimer Magicians have pulled off a blockbuster trade, dealing SP Joe Blanton, RF Brad Hawpe and a bunch of draft picks including the #3 overall pick to minor league partner Finger Lakes for All-Star starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano, All-Star left fielder Manny Ramirez, and top setup man Jon Rauch. "Along with the acquisition of Jeff Kent earlier this winter, we believe that gaining a couple more stars in Zambrano and Manny will deepen our lineup and rotation and give us arguably one of the two best one-two-three starters in the league, and putting Manny's bat in the middle of this lineup with Jeff will make it difficult to pitch around the middle of our lineup," Owner/GM Tim Farmer said in a press release. "With CC (Sabathia), John (Lackey), and Carlos anchoring our rotation, this gives us three extremely talented young starting pitchers to build around."

Magicians Acquire All-Star Second Baseman

2007-11-20T19:27:00.000-05:00

The Herkimer Magicians have quickly entered the trading fray, acquiring All-star second baseman Jeff Kent from the defending champion Ybor City Rollers for OF prospect Adam "Don't Call me Pac-Man" Jones.

"We have a lot of depth in the outfield and decided that we could part with a good young prospect in Jones. We had the ability to acquire a star player at a position of need in Jeff and we are continuing to try to improve our roster for next season," Owner/GM Tim Farmer said in a press statement.

The fact that the Magicians were able to add to their roster without having to cut into their 20 man protected list should not go unnoticed, and allows them to drop one of their outfielders or relievers.

Seattle Sold, Relocating...

2007-11-18T19:11:00.001-05:00

For the second consecutive year, the Seattle Rainiers, formerly known as the Santa Clarita Saints, have re-located due to attendance problems in the Seattle area. It seems the new ownership group hates the rain and cold, which makes no sense as to why they are moving the team just outside of Cooperstown, New York, in the tiny hamlet of Herkimer. New Owner and General Manager Tim Farmer, who used to be an owner in LP2, has returned to prominence in the financial market and has purchased the Seattle Rainiers franchise for the cold sum of 5 magic beans and a bag of Starbucks coffee. "We figured that the beans might be coffee, and since Seattle was home of Starbucks, we could easily entice the old ownership with some coffee. Who knew they were so gullible to take such a soft offer as that?" Mr. Farmer laughed as he spoke to an audience of 1500 people near the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. "Seriously though, after taking some time off from the game to clear my head, and gain some experience in the minor leagues, I've decided that the timing is right to come back to the big leagues of the LP2, and make an immediate impact on the league. We are changing the team name from the Seattle Rainiers to the Herkimer Magicians. I believe that within two years the Magicians franchise will be ready to contend for a playoff spot, and bring Central New York some excitement in the baseball community. Our first order of business is to find a partner to collaborate with the minors that is worthy of the magic of the Magicians." The Magicians have some solid pieces in place with reigning MLB American League Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia, MLB AL Cy third place finisher John Lackey, and the should have been National League rookie of the year in Troy Tulowitzki. "With CC, John and Troy anchoring this franchise for the next ten years, there's no reason we can't build a winning atmosphere and franchise for a very long time." Mr. Farmer said.The Magicians have added hitting coach to Paul Molitor's duties, Rickey Henderson as first base coach and speed consultant, Dennis Eckersley as pitching coach, and Marty Barrett as third base coach.

Florida Christians Unveil New Uniforms

2007-11-10T13:22:00.000-05:00

Following the unveiling of the LP2's new logo last week, the Florida Christians became the first team to show off their new look today. The Christians maintained their blue and silver color scheme while gaining a new logo. Carlos Beltran and Jimmy Rollins will look sharp as they look to return to the promised land next season.

New LP2 Logo Unveiled

2007-11-02T23:22:00.000-04:00

Following another exciting World Series, the league offices unveiled a new league logo. The logo is part of an exciting rebranding, helping to give the league an identity of its own. As part of the project, each team will receive its own original logos and uniforms designed by the LP2 Design office with assistance from the owners of the respective teams. Over the course of the offseason and leading up to the next draft, the team's new looks will be unveiled here. Additionally, the league office will be opening up new merchandising venues for all the die-hard LP2 fans out there. Stay tuned for an exciting new LP2!

Webb, Ichiro lead Rollers to their 3rd Lp2 Title!

2007-10-23T23:12:00.001-04:00

The Ybor City Rollers counted on co-ace Brandon Webb throughout the regular season, getting 23 wins in the process. So it seemed only fitting that with a chance to finish off the Lp2 World Series they would hand the ball to their 28 year old ace.
Webb was masterful against the Finger Lakes Flashes, holding them to just a Maicer Izturis homerun in seven innings, handing the bullpen a 3-1 lead. B.J. Ryan and Joe Nathan, both acquired during the regular season, were up to the task, allowing just a Rich Aurilia homerun to seal a 5-2 victory and clinch the Rollers 3rd Lp2 title.
Mike Mussina was also brilliant in defeat, allowing just one run in six innings, striking out five. The bullpen couldn't stop the Rollers potent offense as Joel Zumaya and Brian Fuentes surrendered two runs each in the seventh and eighth innings.

Ichiro Suzuki was the catalyst the team needed, picking up four singles, stealing two bases, and driving in two runners. Joe Mauer (.458), Carlos Guillen (.478), Miguel Cabrera (.391) and World Series MVP Stan Musial (.478) all hit over .390 for the series, and were a big reason for the Rollers .318 team average and 40 runs in the six games.
"The Flashes are a fantastic organization who had an excellent season. They were playoff contenders from the outset of the season, battled 'til the very end to win the Wild Card and really turned some heads in the postseason," GM Morgan DeMarco commented. "The hard work that general manager and owner Harry Fanelli has put into that squad shows up in their team's effort, and they are a shining example of what happens when a bright GM sticks to a plan in the Lp2. We wish them all the best in the future and know that they will be a constant threat both for the Bambino Conference title as well as the Lp2 title."

2006 Postseason

Rollers Jump all over Verlander, Flashes; Move within a Game of Championship

2007-10-22T07:39:00.000-04:00

In game one the Rollers used the longball to beat Justin Verlander, in game five they decided to use the same strategy, homering five times and chasing Verlander after three innings as they cruised to a 16-1 victory and a 3-2 series lead.

Carlos Guillen led the charge, as his three-run homer in the first put the Ybor City Rollers on the board first, he finished the game with three hits (two homers) and 6 RBI's. Stan Musial was a perfect 4-for-4 with five runs scored, and just needed a homerun to hit for the cycle. Joe Mauer and Miguel Cabrera added three hits and three runs apiece.

Verlander lasted just 3 2/3 in game one, allowing seven runs, and tonight he gave up eight runs in his three innings, walking one and striking out four. Rollers starter Chris Carpenter was very sharp, allowing just 3 hits in 7 innings, and registering 7 strikeouts.

The teams travel back to Ybor City for Game 6, where Brandon Webb will be looking to lead the Rollers to their 3rd Lp2 Championship, while Mike Mussina will be looking to force a game seven for the Finger Lakes Flashes.

Flashes use Longballs late to tie Series at 2

2007-10-21T00:28:00.000-04:00

The Finger Lakes Flashes used four homeruns, including two from Manny Ramirez, to first erase a 5-2 Rollers lead, and finally earn a 9-6 victory in Game 4.

Ramirez, who homered in the bottom of the first to put the the Flashes ahead, had three hits on the night, to go with his four RBI's. His second homer, a 3-run shot off of Ruddy Lugo in the eighth, gave the Flashes some breathing room after they had taken a one run lead.
Bronson Arroyo wasn't as sharp as he would have liked, allowing five runs in 6 innings, including a solo homer to Raul Ibanez and a 3-run shot to Stan Musial.
His opponent, Ervin Santana, was better, allowing just 2 runs in 6 innings and departed with a 5-2 lead, but the normally stingy Ybor City Rollers bullpen allowed the Flashes back into the game. B.J. Ryan allowed 3 runs in the seventh on a Rich Aurilia homerun to tie the game, and Lugo allowed homers to Michael Barrett and Ramirez to take the loss.

Led by Manny, the Flashes win first Lp2 World Series Game

2007-10-20T13:17:00.001-04:00

Back with the comforts of their home stadium, the Finger Lakes Flashes had the bats going, and used their 12 hit attack to pull the series to 2 games to 1.

Manny Ramirez set the tone with his solo homer in the bottom of the first, and his second homer of the game in the fifth gave the Flashes some breathing room. Alex Rodriguez added three hits, while Jason Giambi and Maicer Izturis contributed 2 hits each.

Carlos Zambrano, starting the biggest game of his Lp2 career, settled down after surrendering the lead in the second, finishing the game with seven strikeouts in his six innings, earning the victory. The Flashes bullpen shutdown the Rollers offense, as Joel Zumaya, Jason Isringhausen and Takashi Saito fired three scoreless innings to preserve the win.

Ybor City Rollers starter Javier Vazquez wasn't as sharp as Zambrano, but he was able to induce double play balls in the second and fifth innings to lessen the damage. Carlos Guillen led the Roller offense with two hits, but his error in fourth led to the winning run, and he was also picked off firstbase to end the top of the fourth.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow night in Yankee Stadium when Bronson Arroyo and Ervin Santana face off.

Musial allows Rollers to "Walk" Away from Pither's Duel up 2-0

2007-10-20T13:15:00.000-04:00

Game 2 was dominated by the starters Mike Mussina for the Flashes, and Brandon Webb for the Rollers, but Stan Musial again provided Ybor City with the margin of victory.

Just like Game 1, Grady Sizemore drove in the Finger Lakes Flashes first run in the first inning, this time with a solo homerun to right. The Flashes stretched the lead to 2-0 in the third when Sizemore tripled and was driven home by Wily Mo Pena. Webb settled down from that moment on, scattering just two hits over the rest of his seven innings, finishing the game with seven strikeouts. His offense got him back in the game in the bottom of the third, on RBI hits from Joe Mauer and Miguel Cabrera.

Mussina matched Webb scoreless frame for scoreless frame, exiting after six solid innings, allowing just the two runs on seven hits. Flame throwing righthander Joel Zumaya shut down the Rollers offense for two innings, fanning three, before giving way to Brian Fuentes in the ninth.

Pinch hitter Josh Bard got Ybor going with a one out single, before Fuentes got Josh Willingham to strike out for the second out. Mauer and Musial struck again for the Rollers, as they followed with back-to-back singles off the lefty, the second single driving in Bard for a 3-2 Rollers victory.
In the celebration that followed, Musial had to be helped from the field, the injury did not seem serious and he should be able to start Game 3, when the series travels to Yankee Stadium for a pitching matchup of Carlos Zambrano for the Flashes against Javier Vazquez for the Rollers.

High Powered Offenses Square Off, Rollers use Longball to Take Game 1

2007-10-20T13:09:00.001-04:00

The only two teams to score over 1000 runs during the regular season, the Finger Lakes Flashes and Ybor City Rollers, figure to have a lot of high scoring affairs this Lp2 World Series.
The Flashes struck first, as they have all postseason, scoring two runs in the top of the first off of Rollers starter Chris Carpenter. Grady Sizemore's triple drove in Arky Vaughan, and Manny Ramirez's sac fly scored Grady, putting the Flashes up 2-0. The Rollers would respond in the bottom of the inning, as Joe Mauer and Stan Musial hit back-to-back homers to right to tie the game at 2.

Finger Lakes starter Justin Verlander couldn't contain the Rollers bats, even after his team had staked him to a 5-2 lead courtesy of a two-run double by Michael Barrett, his own RBI groundout and a Vaughan RBI single. He promptly walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, before surrendering a sac fly to Mauer and 3-run blast to Musial to put the Rollers in front 6-5.

Mark Teixeira added Ybor's fourth homer of the game in the 8th, and Jon Papelbon was able to finish off the 9-6 win with a scoreless 9th.

The two teams square off again tomorrow, with the Flashes sending Mike Mussina to the mound against Ybor's Brandon Webb.

Griffey Traded!

2006-06-08T23:02:00.000-04:00

The rumors wouldn't cease, and finally the trade of Ken Griffey Jr. became a reality.

"Tonight is a sad night, as we announce the departure of one of the faces of this franchise, but we will always be able to look back on all of Grif's accomplishment's and times with this organization."

Griffey was an original draftee of the franchise, when they were born as the Evansville Pimps. He hit 33 homers his first year, driving in 108. His second season he hit .297 with 20 HR and 104 RBI. Unfortunately, injuries started pilling up for Junior, as he never appeared in more than 116 games in a season after that.

Through it all he has amassed a cumulative line of .255/.337/.481, with 143 homeruns, 408 runs and 446 driven in, in 2472 at bats (Through games of 06/08).

He was a part of the back-to-back LP2 Champion Roller's teams and slugged .765 with 16 HR in just 136 at bats during the 2004 "B" season. He leaves the Roller's just three homers short of Gary Sheffield for 5th in Roller's history, while his 446 RBI's place him 7th.

On the other side of the deal, the Roller's are excited to have acquired Adam Dunn.

Dunn is a mountain of a man, 6'6", 275 lbs, and the ball just makes a different sound when he connects.

So far during the "A" season, he's hit .227/.385/.513, with 12 homeruns, 30 runs, 31 driven in and 37 walks. He also adds versatility as he's capable of playing both 1B and OF.

During his first two years in the LP2, Dunn has hit 73 homeruns, drove in 202 runs, walked 201 times, and struck out an amazing 383 times!

Also involved in the deal were 1B Conor Jackson and OF Scott Hairston. Jackson was a 2nd rd pick by the Roller's in the past Rookie Draft, while Hairston was selected in the 3rd round of the 2004 Rookie Draft.

Checking in with the Roller's...

2006-05-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

The Roller's stand a half game behind the Florida Christians so far this season with a record of 17-14, 5th best in the LP2. They've played decently at times, but have struggled in front of the home crowd with a 5-9 record.

The offense has been led by the 3-4 hitters Mickey Mantle and Miguel Cabrera.Mantle has shaken off a slow start to post a .309/.463/.670 line with 9 homers, 26 runs and 28 walks. Cabrera has given him plenty of protection, he's at .320/.343/.586, also with 9 homers to go with his 29 RBI's.

The Roller's are just 6th in the LP2 in runs and the struggles of Raffy Furcal (.181/.267/.286), Eric Chavez (.248/.297/.410), Jeff Kent (.261/.317/.405) and Todd Helton (.278/.340/.495) are a big reason why.

On the mound, Tim Hudson has gotten off to a strong start posting a 3.28 ERA in 6 starts (3-2). Ace Chris Carpenter (3-2, 3.61) and Brandon Webb (4-2, 3.79) have also been very good. In the bullpen, Scot Shields and Brad Lidge have struggled (combined 6.53 ERA, although with 44 k's in 30 1/3 innings), but they have been picked up be tremendous work from Chad Qualls (1.62 ERA), Brad Thompson (2.20), Cliff Politte (3.12) and Juan Rincon (3.86).The Roller's have two more games with the Sun City Devils, before facing the NY Knights and South Side Soldiers. Management continues to try and work a deal to help solidify the team before division play begins on the 31st of May...

An Accord for Cordero...

2006-04-22T19:39:00.000-04:00

The Christians, who were said to be in the rebuilding phase, have pulled off a trade in an attempt to put (or keep) themselves in contention. "It's a big deal for us," stated the GM, "but, it cost us a lot of future talent. That said, we felt it was definitely worth the move." In the blockbuster, the Christians acquired three bagger Aramis Ramirez and stud closer Chad Cordero, along with B.Y. Kim and Angel Berroa in exchange for a seven-pack of players, Adrian Beltre, Rocco Baldelli, B.J. Upton, Clint Barmes, Octavio Dotel and Hee Sop Choi. "Aramis gives them a solid hitter at third base," stated a league scout, "and Cordero may be exactly what the doctor ordered for their depleted bullpen. I believe they'll most likely move Ryan to set-up and insert Chad as their closer."

Gone now are a number of Florida future hopefuls, as well as one of Florida's winningest pitchers in Octavio Dotel (60-21; 5th all-time in team history). "Octavio gave us a lot of wins," he continued, "he's our all-time winningest pitcher percentage-wise (74.1% of his decisions). We're extremely thankful for what he has done for our organization and we wish him and the rest of the players the best of luck in Boston." Dotel is also second on the Florida career saves list, behind Keith Foulke, with 27 career saves.

Pictured: Aramis, currently on the DL, warming up with his new team. Currently, Ramirez has been on the DL for the past two weeks and is expected to spend at least another week in rehab before joining his new team.

"Jae" It Ain't "Seo"!

2006-03-16T17:50:00.000-05:00

Jae Seo followed up Mark Prior's no hitter with a gem of his own. Seo went out and only allowed one more hit than Prior in 9 innings, one hitting the Tottenham Blue Jays. "I know it's just spring training, but I feel great," Seo said through a translator, "not as good as Mark did, but it is nice to go out there and try to earn a job on this team." In the last 18 innings, opponents have a grand total of zero runs on one hit against Christian pitchers Prior and Seo.

In other ST news, Joey Gathright of the Pythons went 5-5, as Jenkins hits a PH grandslam. The Gloves play another long one, this time against the Flashes in an 18 inning affair. Miggy Cabrera hits a walk-off for the Rollers, Nixson hits one for Batons. Carrasco wins again for Flashes with another strong outing.

Prior to the Season, Mark No-Hits Accies in ST

2006-03-14T21:27:00.000-05:00

It may be Spring Training, but Mark Prior didn't get the memo. Prior went out and no-hit the Bristol spring squad, allowing just 2 walks. "I couldn't pull him," stated Cal Ripken Jr., "the guy was just on fire. Ideally, he would have thrown about 6 innings, but once he had the no-no, I wasn't about to take him out." Prior threw a total of 111 pitches, 69 for strikes. Helping out the cause was Kenny Lofton, who had 5 hits and Coco Crisp who had 4 hits. "We all know the kid can pitch," said Ted Williams who went 0-3, "today he went out and proved it once again." The Christians won 14-0.

Spring Training Begins!

2006-03-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

The Lp2 Spring Training has begun! Each team plays every team one time in their 13 game schedule. On the first day, Joe Blanton of the Knights threw a complete game 3 hitter versus the Devils. "Most leagues normally don't like pitchers to go that long in the spring," stated the manager, "but we play year round so their arms are always ready and in shape." In other news, the Batons and Gloves went 17 innings in their first game of the spring, as Johnny Damon finally ended it with an RBI single for the Batons. It was the first time that both teams had suited up for a game in the Lp2. All results and stats can be found on the DMB Web section of the webpage.

Beantown Purchased, Moved North.

2006-02-20T13:13:00.000-05:00

The Beantown franchise has been acquired and moved north of the border, leaving the Boston Bombers as the only hot baseball ticket in town. “It’s gonna be great for revenue,” stated a Bomber’s team executive, “but, we would have loved to have a cross town rival.”

As for Beantown, they have been purchased (in principle) by real estate tycoon Howard Trager. Trager, who has owned a few independent teams in other leagues, was ready for the big show. “I think he wanted to get into a league with longevity,” stated one Lp2 member, “it’s nice to be in a league that’s structured and built for the long haul. Especially, when you see so many leagues try to copy us and fail.”

The Beantown franchise is now located in Brossard and will be known as the Batons. Chris Taylor, who sold the franchise, leaves the league with a respectable 250-236 record. “He just got so caught up in work that he just didn’t have the time to commit to running a competitive franchise,” stated a family friend.

Beantown Sold To Front Office...

2006-02-03T07:20:00.000-05:00

Today, the Lp2 Front Office announced that they have acquired the Beantown franchise and will be taking over until the team is sold to a new owner.

In a press conference, Taylor, Beantown's former owner, announced the news. "This league has such a feverish attitude towards it, that I'm not doing it justice because I'm unable to give it the time and dedication that it and it's owners deserve. I'm at a time in my professional career that I need to be dedicated to my work, and I don't think I can put any sort of spin on that to make it not so. I was really excited about the direction and outlook of the Beantown franchise, and wish that I could be right there watching as the team is finally turned around, but I know that it's not possible. I'd like to thank you Joe for the opportunity to be a part of the league, and hopefully one day I might have the time that this league deserves. I will continue to follow the LP2 from afar, and maybe I'll get Morgan to let me tag along for one of the LP2 Weekends... but for now I think it's best for me, my team and the league if we part ways."

The league office is in search of a new owner.

Huddy looking ahead to better times

2005-12-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

Tim Hudson's return to Ybor City didn't turn out as well as expected. Acquired near the trade deadline in hopes of bolstering the Roller's postseason rotation, Hudson pitched poorly down the stretch, recalling moments from his first failed stretch with the franchise.

Hudson made 57 starts for the Roller's during the 1999 "B" and 2000 "A" seasons, combining for a 16-20 record and ugly 5.23 ERA. He bounced around the next 3 seasons, pitching for Sante Fe, Bristol and Florida before landing with the West Baden Sprudels and enjoying a run of 5 seasons with double-digit wins and sub-4.50 ERA's.

He had another good season going last year for the Gamblers, before the trade he was 7-6 with a 4.79 ERA. But in a Roller uniform he imploded to the tune of 2-6 with a 6.07 ERA. He surrendered 71 hits in just 59 1/3 innings pitched. He did help in the postseason, winning Game 2 versus Bristol by throwing seven solid innings.

"It was a rough stretch, especially after the elation of returning to this franchise and hoping to bring home a championship. Luckily we get to start from scratch. Going into this season my ERA is 0.00, and I hope to go out and do my job. We've got some pretty high expectations here, and I'm looking forward to helping the team meet them." Hudson commented.

If Hudson's ERA is residing in the 5's come July it might be the end of his second honeymoon in Ybor and perhaps the end of the Roller's streak of playoff appearances.

In a Huff...

2005-12-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

Late last night, the Florida Christians reacquired Aubrey Huff in exchange for catcher Johnny Estrada and a 1st round rookie pick. "We've tried to acquire Huff a number of times since we let him go," stated GM Matt Williams, "but we never could pull it off. This time, it cost us Johnny and a high draft pick, but we just couldn't pass it up." Also coming to Florida in the deal is a 3rd round free agent draft pick. "Draft scouting is the most important aspect to this game," Williams continued, "we have to make these selections count."

Huff will most likely see time at 3rd base, as well as in the outfield. "I'm just happy to be here," the cyber Huff stated.