Johnson League Nebraska Chase Heats Up

[RonCo]

WHILE BATTLE OF FLAME-THROWER AND JUNK-BALLER RAGES, OTHERS LURK IN THE WINGS

Every season, fans of the BBA argue heatedly about players who may or may not win individual awards, chief among them the coveted Sawyer Silk for hitters, and Steve Nebraska for pitchers. These awards can make a difference, too, especially for “fringe guys” on their way to the Hall of Fame. Win a Nebraska, and the profile changes, after all. Win a Nebraska and you never again need to pay for dinner in that town.

This year, the race in the Johnson League is a tough one—which makes it fun to watch.

At the top of most lists are San Antonio’s Yyrigs “The Mad” Carpenter and Rockville’s Dan Cannon.

Carpenter probably has the inside track, barely. The brilliant 22-year-old is mowing hitters down at a prodigious rate while gathering a solid 11-3 record and a 2.29 ERA, which leads baseball—or, if you kike the fancy schmantzy numbers, his 2.71 FIP does the same. Since debuting with a Gillstrom Award worthy season last-year, the youthful whippet of a pitcher has arguably become a primary pillar of an Outlaw team that has been hanging with the leaders of what might be the most competitive division in baseball this year. At 6’2”, and a wiry 180 pounds, he generates enough power to top out at 101 MPH, and pairs that with a hard-dropping slider and a better-than good change-up that scouts suggest is only half-baked right now. Over-powering, they say. Light’s out. At 22, the sky is the limit.

And yet, there are no locks for this kind of thing.

Cannon is one of those guys who’s always been good, always almost elite. A classic #1A. Like many of Rockville’s stable, he wears a couple rings already, and at age 29 could well be settling into a career that hints of the Hall. And, yet, he’s never won a Nebraska. Never even really been in a position to make a superior argument for it over others. Until now. At 29, the left-handed junk-baller suddenly finds himself the owner of a 2.31 ERA, and an 11-3 record that matches Carpenters. He’s cut both his walk rate and HR allowed rates almost in half. “When he’s on, he’s unhittable,” said ESPN analyst Gayle Combs. It’s tis that has him in that conversation with Carpenter.

If the season were to end now, it would be a nearly impossible choice. While Carpenter leads most categories, Cannon has him 5.3-4.9 in WAR—perhaps partially due to having thrown a few more innings.

Luckily, there’s more baseball to play, so voters will have a little more fodder to chew on. Or is that cud to…er, well, never mind.

And, since there is more baseball to play, we could see a few others who might currently be in that next tier step up. Guys like Carpenter’s teammate Aki Kondo (904, 3.56, 4.0 WAR), or Mexico City’s Pedro Rocha, who some would say is living a little too much on a .236 BABIP that may not be sustainable, but who currently sits at 11-1, 2.48 (3.37 FIP). Then there’s essentially the rest of the Rockville pitching staff: Dave Martin (who, at 15-4, 3.13, has been nothing but brilliant in all three of his seasons with the Pikemen), and, of course, 3-time Nebraska winner Arthur Dempster (11-5, 3.64). Any of these guys could step up that last two months of the season and change the game.

And, finally, there’s a dark horse in Phoenix knuckleballer Charlie Iron-knife. With injuries to several key starters, the 24-year-old rookie is now the glue holding the Talons’ staff together. He’s tossed a remarkable 3.05 ERA to go with the 10-4 record. While he may be deserving of consideration, though, we’re guessing he may be a bit over-looked just due to the star power of the rest of the field. You could also add Mexico City’s Scotty Pendleton into the mix if you were so inclined.

Still, I think this is either Carpenter or Cannon, when it comes down to it. It seems, at least, to be theirs to lose.

Of course, maybe I’m wrong.

Who do you got?