7/01/10: Midseason Reort

    ASTROS - The Astros have had plenty of time to rest, having not played since May 30th, a span that included four rainouts. The 'Stros have 11 games until the All-Star break, including a pair of divisional showdowns with the Sox which could ultimately determine the divisional lead at the All-Star Standings lock date. But the Astros have recently lost veterans Gregg Foster and Evan Tennery for the time being, so a lot of the leadership will need to come from All-Star hopefuls PJ Dobbins and Tony Duncan. Reigning Cy Young winner Shawn Haffner has had plenty of time to rest his arm, and the combination of Haffner, Mike Dunfee, and Jared Whited on the mound could make for one of the league's best starting rotation.
    CARDINALS - The expansion team Cards have fallen on hard times of late, showing how difficult it is for a new team to gel right out of the gates. But coach Nate King has gathered enough talent to work his way out of the MVABL cellar. The pitching staff has showed promise, but defensive woes continue to be the Cards' downfall. The offense is holding up its end of the bargain batting .307 as a team, third best in the MVABL.
    DRAGONS - The Dragons season started out well with wins over the Royals and Shockers, but are now riding an 8-game losing streak. David Novotney was a nice waiver wire pickup for the Dragons and looks to help out with the pitching staff. All-Star Chris Flaherty and his bat will be missed until after the All-Star break. If several other players emerge offensively in the second half, the Dragons will look to shake up the standings on their way to the playoffs.
    INDIANS - The Tribe finds themselves in the middle of the playoff pack after jumping back from a 1-3 start. RHP Matt Spradlin is his usual fireballing self, leading the league in strikeouts, but an increase in walks and hits have seen his record fall to 3-4. Matt Coleman continues to baffle MVABL hitters, as shown by his 3.52 ERA, fourth-highest among players with 20 or more innings pitched. Super sub Aaron Lawson has launched three home runs in two games this season, and newcomers Jason Moore and MVP-candidate Reston Wilson have eached launched two HRs. Outfielder Donnie Black leads the league in runs scored and is on pace to break the Indians all-time mark of 30.
    RANGERS - The defending champs started off slow with a 1-3 record, but have reeled off 7 straight victories into a crucial DH tilt with the Thunder. Cy Young candidate Jonathan Silverman bolsters a solid pitching staff with a 5-1 record, 55 K's and a league-leading 1.13 ERA. Clint Wolf and Robert Riley have each connected on four long balls; five others have gone deep as well. Clint has reached base 82% of the time this year, and his 16 extra-base hits are already one more than what he had all of last year. Jonmarc Lippincott is 5 RBIs shy of becoming the league's first 300 hits/300 runs/300 RBIs player. Big tests remain against the Thunder, Sox, and Indians to see if the Rangers are capable of returning to the league's championship series in 2010.
    REDLEGS - The Redlegs look to be this year's version of the 2009 expansion Thunder. Several veteran players mixed with some good rookies have kept this team in the divisional hunt. Already with big wins over MVABL powerhouses like the Rangers and Astros, the Redlegs are not about the back down from anyone. If it wasn't for losing four games by three runs or fewer, this team would be looking down at the rest of the Buckeye Division. Cy Young and ROY candidate Taylor Guntle has started the season 3-0 on the mound and is near the top of the team in batting average as well. Coach Jacob Robinson's right arm, which has caused him to take a year's hiatus off the mound, may give his pitching staff a boost if his other four starters need late season help.
    ROYALS - The Boys in Blue started out hot with a 5-2 record, and after losing three in a row, picked up a big divisional win against the Thunder. Lefty Bryan Braswell has looked sharp in both mound starts and veteran shortstop Brian Duffy continues to be an on-base threat. Rookie lefthander Drew Dobbins has pitched well in two starts and leads the team with two home runs. Chris Jergens continues to be an MVP-caliber player. If Coach Franklin can solidify an everyday lineup that has been hampered by injuries, the Royals should have a strong run into the postseason once again.
    SHOCKERS - The biggest 'shock' so far this season has been the Warren County Shockers. Coming off a 13-win season, the 3-win Shockers have yet to heat up in 2010. Josh Allen has returned from college and is already among the league leaders in home runs and batting average. One of the players making a bid at Comeback Player of the Year is second baseman Chad Paden. Paden's .201 batting average was one of the lowest in the league in 2009. What a difference a year makes, as Paden's .467 average this year is turning him into a potential All-Star.
    SLAMMERS - Coach Anderson may have the pieces this year to put his team over the top after last year's runner-up finish. Sean Casey started off the season with a 17-K performance on Opening Day, and looks to be a Cy Young and ROY candidate as he has posted a 3-1 record with 53 strikeouts and a 2.12 ERA. Justin Dunlap returned from college with a vengeance with a grand slam and 8 RBIs in his season debut. If Dunlap continues to dominate MVABL pitching, look for his name to be mentioned alongside the MVP candidates at the end of the season.
    SOX - The Sox look to rebound from a second place regular season finish in '09. A lot of fresh young faces return to this college-laden roster. Coach Jeff Fruhwirth is getting help from younger son Tyler who is 2-0 on the mound and son Jeremey who was batting close to .400. The Sox have already lost pitcher Jon Venters to the NY independent league, but are still pretty deep in the bullpen with a 13-man pitching roster. Circle July 15th on your calendar, as the Sox/Astros matchup on All-Star Standings Lock day will have All-Star player distribution resting on the game's outcome.
    THUNDER - John Ramsey has turned this expansion team in 2009 into a legitimate contender in 2010. Sluggers David Moss, Drew York, and Andrew Verrett lead a very potent offense. Draft day selections Matt Walters and Greg Moss have been great on the mound and at the plate. Five of the Thunder's next 6 games are against league stalwarts (Sox-2, Rangers-2, Royals). If they survive this stretch, a Miami Divisional crown might be in their future.