Bandit Post: End Of Season - The Good (Vol 6.20)

[aaronweiner]

Sure, the Bandits didn't make the playoffs this year. However, there were a number of team and individual accomplishments that are deserving of note.

Let's start with the ace: Sammy Bodeen. The righty had a spectacular season by any metric. Bodeen ranked first on the leaderboards in no less than nine categories, including the key categories of VORP, Ks, K/9, Runs Allowed/9 IP, WHIP, quality starts and QS%, and ranked in seven other categories. Enjoying easily his best season, Bodeen should be considered at worst a chief candidate for the Frick's Steve Nebraska in what was a two-pitcher race between Bodeen and Michael Shellenbarger. For our money, it's the Bandit, Bodeen, as Shellenbarger led in only one category, wins, and with only four more than Bodeen, and we think that Sammy should have taken home the prize this year.

Then, there's the cleanup hitter, Brett Favre. Before the season, questions abound as to how Favre would do after a season where the powerhitting outfielder hit 37 homers and finished second in the league in RBI. Well, he answered the critics in a big way: Favre finished third in the Frick in batting average, OPS and runs created, fourth in VORP, first in doubles, second in hits, and fourth in total bases. In the counting categories, Favre hit 31 homers and again finished second - behind teammate Medric Wood - in RBI. Favre didn't win the Sawyer Silk, but he's definitely on the short list.

Speaking of Medric, the left fielder had his best season to date, hitting 38 HR and driving in a league-leading 131 RBI. Medric set his own full-season highs in slugging and OPS and made the All-Star game. Jack Dark also had a career year. The shortstop more than lived up to his $7 million salary, posting career highs in homers, OPS and slugging while fielding his position capably.

Other positives: Jimmy Dugan proved to be worth his contract; despite missing a month in the middle of the season, Dugan posted a .880 OPS and will be the starter at first base again - and possibly in line for a contract extension. Pat Larkin broke into the bigs with a monstrous .438-.481-.685 performance in September that all but makes him the starter next year. Jack May, a midseason signing, was outstanding for Birmingham, while Ronald Darling, a AAA callup, pitched extremely well in 1997.

While a number of things may not go the same way in 1998: Jack Dark, for example, is unlikely to hit 38 homers - a number of these players are capable of producing these kinds of numbers yet again. Birmingham's third consecutive 85-win season is hardly out of the question, and if some players who struggled play better, Birmingham could be back in the playoffs.

[recte44]

Larkin- beast!

[lynchy34]

Man, I wish I had been able to pry Larking away from you last season. The FLM looks tough for a long time.

[aaronweiner]

I'd have rather had Picou than Donnie Rotten - I just didn't want to give up a .400-hitting catcher for him.

He already got popular status. Yowsa.

[recte44]

I was close to getting Picou a couple years ago. Now glad I didn't.