Batter of the Sim
1B Vicente Vasquez
Vicente takes home another player of the sim award after yet another fantastic sim. Not only did he win the JL Player of the Week award a sim ago, but he now has been awarded the JL Batter of the Month Award. For this sim he went .382/.475/.941 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. On the season he is hitting .373/.462/.794 with 11 HR and 28 RBI. If not for the great Charles Puckett, Vasquez would be leading 9 major hitting categories. Vicente has had many very good seasons in his short career, but this could be the year that he puts together something special.
Runner Up: Lindsey Jacinto .400/.441/.700 3 HR 8 RBI (.276/.333/.439 5 HR 12 RBI on the season)
Pitcher of the Sim
SP Tim Buchanan
Tim, like the rest of the rotation, has struggled early on this season. Maybe this is when he turns the corner and pitches to his potential. This sim he went 1-1 in two starts with 2 CG. he managed a 2.21 ERA with 10 K's and 6 BB's in 17 IP. On the season he is 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA. Buchanan was a big pickup a season ago from Montreal with the hope that he would pitch like he did this time around. Hopefully he keeps it up.
Runner Up: Robert 'The Cure' Smith 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA (3-0 1.88 ERA on the season) in two starts since replacing the injured Lorenzo Morales in the rotation.
Jackhole of the Sim
LF Corey Warr
Corey Warr is making it too easy to pick the Jackhole every sim. Brought on to provide leadership and a big bat at the deadline last season, he flourished in PHX to close out the year. For whatever reason he hasn't been able to put it together yet. For the sim, .156/.250/.312 1 HR 2 RBI (.152/.239/.273 3 HR 7 RBI on the season). If the Talons are to stake any claim to the JL Midwest Division, Warr is going to need to get it going.
Runner Up: Sam Brewington .129/.206/.226 1 HR 2 RBI (.277/.340/.479 6 HR 18 RBI on the season)
News and Notes
The injury bug has bit yet again, as the already thin IF suffered another loss. Jim Oneill has a torn meniscus that will require surgery and sideline him for about three months. Now word yet on what the club will do, as they don't have many options........Tory McLaughlin will return to his role of starting second baseman after missing most of the spring with shoulder bursitis.......In the amateur draft, the Talons have selected P Manuel Guerra with the 18th pick in the first round. The 17 yr old out of Amarillo Texas projects to be a mid level starter once he make sit to the bigs........C Tim Bennett was a need pick in the second round. At 22 yrs of age, the Waterville Ohio native figures to be a backup once he matures......SP Tim Buchanan has signed a 6 yr $38.9m deal to remain in Phoenix.......3B Lindsey Jacinto has agreed to a 3 yr $11m extension.......hopefully May is a better month in every aspect for the hometown 9. Go Talons!
. He's coming off of a career tying high of 39 HR and a near career high AVG. all without a drop in his ratings. I wouldn't really call that a decline. Starting slow is more like it. I'm patient.