09.01: Northstars' Midseason Recap

[agrudez]

With an emphasis on small ball (3rd in OBP with .367 and last in HRs with a mere 37) the Northstars have not produced well enough offensively to eclipse the rival Eagles for the Eastern division lead (currently 7 games back), but their pitching has been consistently good throughout the season (3rd in both starter and bullpen ERA – 4.36 and 4.02 respectively) and could continue to keep them in the playoff hunt.

Though the only have one batter with a > .850 OPS (former MBBA vet Tony Cuellar) they do sport multiple (as in more than one) > .400 OBPs in their lineup: 36 year old Michael Robinson (.43) and Orazio Casale (.41). As of yet; however, they have been unable to consistently drive these base runners in, ranking 7th in the league in runs scored (362) thanks to only one batter currently sitting, halfway through the season, with >40 RBIs (Thibauld Lecocq (51)).

From the mound they have been lucky, thus far this season, to sport one of the best 8+9th inning combo in the EBA with Sotaro Kato (3.68 FIP) and Roberto Hurtado (3.11 FIP). In the rotation, they have been led by 26 year old Ricardo Martinez (3.79 FIP) and MBBA cast-off Lawrence Ryman, whom spent 5 seasons in Las Vegas’ AAA purgatory before making the trip overseas after the ’02 season.