Moonshiners Monitor, Vol. 1.17: Sim 2 Recap

[lchronister]

Early in the season, things can change rapidly.

When you're 4-6 after the first 10 games of the season, change can be a beautiful thing.

Greenville bounced back from a poor performance to win 6 of its next 9 games and move just a game behind Atlantic Division leader Baltimore.

"That's more like it," general manager Levi Chronister said. "There still are improvements to be made, but we're heading in the right direction, and that's what we like to see."

The Moonshiners split a four-game series with the Washington Bobwhites, won two out of three against the Valencia Stars and won the first two games of a three-game series against the California Crusaders (with Game Three still to come).

Three of the first four wins were one-run affairs, but both wins against California were of the blowout variety, helping the Moonshiners' offense improve a bit to about 8th in most major categories.

The team's pitching staff is doing even better, standing in 4th place in the Johnson League in ERA (3.98), runs allowed (82) and strikeouts (147). Greenville is first in starters' ERA (3.50), but 8th in bullpen ERA (5.40) and 11th in BABIP (.348). The team's hopes of an improved defense this season haven't come true yet, but it's still early.

While the Greenville is happy to have moved within just a game of first place, there's still plenty of room for improvement:

-- Slugger Dan Manville is hitting just .236/.296/.389 and can be expected to improve quite a bit over the coming months.

-- New first baseman Earl Alleyne is failing to live up to his continuing-to-improve ratings, hitting just .240/.337/.360

-- Closer Garlands P. Gumdrop has saved three games, but has an ERA of 11.25 and a WHIP of 2.25

-- After battling for the No. 5 starter role, Kenneth Logan and Ray Weighill look like neither one wants it. Logan is 1-0 but has a 9.35 ERA and 1.96 WHIP, while Weighill is 1-1 with a 7.63 ERA and 2.02 WHIP.

Another positive for the Moonshiners is that no one seems to be performing over their heads. Jim Weaver has a 1.239 OPS, but that's just 19 at-bats and he's a backup. Shorstop Jake Urban has a team-high .910 OPS in 70 at-bats, but that's not at all out of line for his talents.

No pitcher is posting unexpectedly amazing numbers. Corey Haim has an ERA of 1.72 and WHIP of 1.02, but those aren't too far off from what should be expected.

[ronzonie7]

You need a new closer. What happened to Fagg?

[lchronister]

You need a new closer. What happened to Fagg?

He and Gumdrop both want to be closers, and Gumdrop has better ratings and better pitches. Fagg is pitching better, and I was hoping those improved stats would help him finally develop the last bit of stuff he has before moving him to closer ( Markus and his coding). If Gumdrop keeps screwing around and screwing up, there will be a setup/closer swap in the future, I promise.

[aaronweiner]

Seriously: how do you put up with this?

[lchronister]

Seriously: how do you put up with this?

It's Ron, he's harmless. I've known him for years and know how long he ran this team, so his interest is appreciated and I take his questions like this as good-natured ones, rather than "WTF are you doing?! You're killing my baby!" ones. Besides, it's not like I didn't already know I had problems in the ninth inning

[aaronweiner]

Oh, OK. I didn't realize you knew one another.

This would drive ME insane.

[ronzonie7]

Wth? I've gone easy on Pants, because he's actually doing some good things, rather than torpedoing things (like a lot of new owners would do, just to put 'their stamp' on things, and make it feel like they were doing something).

Also, Pants has the LOOGY slider set one notch too low, and I'm pretty sure he's exporting with his left hand, which is a huge no-no.

[lchronister]

Also, Pants has the LOOGY slider set one notch too low, and I'm pretty sure he's exporting with his left hand, which is a huge no-no.

It's the closest I can come to pulling a Stranger, Ron.

[ronzonie7]

Also, Pants has the LOOGY slider set one notch too low, and I'm pretty sure he's exporting with his left hand, which is a huge no-no.

It's the closest I can come to pulling a Stranger, Ron.

I go with a rubber band, real tight, and closed eyes.

[recte44]

In regards to Gumdrop, I'd try him as a starter. He has the endurance for it, the ratings for it, and four plus pitches. He seems a prototypical starter to me.

[lchronister]

In regards to Gumdrop, I'd try him as a starter. He has the endurance for it, the ratings for it, and four plus pitches. He seems a prototypical starter to me.

Wait, I'm getting Wilkinson'd by another owner?! j/k, Recte

Gumdrop wanted to be a closer, even when he was marked assigned as an SP. I considered using him as a starter (he actually was in a rotation spot when I became Greenville GM), but I needed someone in the back end of the bullpen, so he seemed like the obvious choice. Also, he didn't do a ton better as a starter two seasons ago (though I'm not sure how he has developed since then), and he's really seemed to come around since April (which I'm going to consider a settling-in period)