Slug This...The Hopkins Era 2007 2.19 Season Review Bad Ugly

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felipe
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Slug This...The Hopkins Era 2007 2.19 Season Review Bad Ugly

Post by felipe » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:05 pm

The Sluggers 2008 season ended with a win over divisional rival Washington Bobwhites. It was only their fifty-eighth victory of the season, two less than in 2007. For some strange reason, over half a million more fans came out to watch them than had the previous season.

The Good

Third baseman Devin Clark finally fulfilled his potential, socking in 27 homers, 126 RBI's, with a .345 OBP and .495 SLG for a 3.5 WAR.

Team Fielding; the Sluggers held opponents to the third lowest BABIP in the league, as well as having the third best defensive efficiency, and keeping opponents to the fourth lowest OBP. To reflect the dominanting year the defence enjoyed, nearly every pitcher's ERA ( 4.81; 9th worst in the JL) on the Slugger staff, was a full run lower (or more) than their FIP suggested. Imagine how bad the pitching would have been with an average defence, or conversely how good defensively the team could have been with an average pitching staff.

Starting pitcher Allen Izzat's ERA was a full 1.75 runs lower than the nearest other Sluggers starter, and .4 of a run lower than the lowest reliever! He had double the wins (13) of the next winningest Slugger pitcher (6), despite missing the last 6 weeks of the season.

The Bad

Losing Ocala manager and MBBA legend Sawyer Silk when his contract expired was a bad bit of business. Apparently, he's insulted, and won't re-sign in Ocala.

Rookie outfielder, the Wyandotte Wheels, Chris Thomas, sudden and dramatic dip in talent has been attributed to a heavy cocaine problem. Whether he'll straighten out remains to be seen.

Center-fielder Joe Ellis, inexplicable drop in form in 2008, a seemingly result of plain bad luck, resulted in the worst totals of his career.

Louisville had the third worst team offense in the JL in 2008, and the second least amount of home-runs...unforgivable for a team called 'Sluggers'

The Ugly

Outside of Izzat, the Sluggers pitching staff was brutal. Only fourth worst on paper, but if you take away the efforts of its fielders...the worst by far in the JL. Louisville had a +18.1 team ZR, the three teams that gave up more runs had an average of -45 ZR, with a high of -35.1 and a low of -55.9.

The catchers were brutal...neither Martinez, Gallegos, or Grady stepped up with replacement level stats on defence or at the plate...which probably shouldn't be too surprising...

Reginald Harnois and Orlando Martinez continue to hold Louisville hostage; we'll see if the AA players do the honourable thing come arbitration time. Will Martinez turn down his $6 million player option for 2009? and will thirty-four year-old Harnois retire with four years and $43 million still owing on his contract?


Fugly for sure. What a brutal year. Next year promises to be more of the same.

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Re: Slug This...The Hopkins Era 2007 2.19 Season Review Bad

Post by trmmilwwi » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:09 pm

It's always darkest before the dawn my friend. Hope Ellis rebounds... he was a Sun back in the day. See how I connected the thoughts there...
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Re: Slug This...The Hopkins Era 2007 2.19 Season Review Bad

Post by felipe » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:26 pm

I always said you were clever!

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Re: Slug This...The Hopkins Era 2007 2.19 Season Review Bad

Post by Manny » Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:17 pm

Yeah it was a rough year for Louisville for sure but to be honest I REALLY enjoyed following the Sluggers, I love your write-ups.

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