League Updates

Time to Trade?

July 26, 2021
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The second trade of note in MLB happened yesterday, with the Padres receiving Adam Frazier in exchange for three minor league players. After Nelson Cruz’s departure to Tampa Bay, Frazier’s departure to San Diego will certainly aid in getting the stove hot for the next 5 days – or so it seems. Will the Cubs trade their big name players? Will Trevor Story stay in Colorado? Will the Mariners make a splash and for the Wild Card this year?

What about in the EFL? Will the Wolverines make any moves to shore up some of their weaknesses? The Tornadoes are never shy about trading, and could certainly look to spice things up. The Kangaroos seem to be sitting on some hot commodities but are not responding to emails, which makes the OD visit to their Canberra headquarters even more suspicious. Are their clandestine meetings happening in which a blockbuster will emerge to secure the title for OD? Or will OD just hope Eloy Jimenez’s return is enough to act as a mid-season trade? 

What about the Pears? They need pitching, with many of their pitchers on the IL. being now just a but over 4 games back with two months left to play is certainly within striking distance. Can they find some valuable innings to aid them in their quest for their first EFL title? 

 

EFL Standings for 2021

EFL
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB RS RA
Old Detroit Wolverines 69 31 .687 — 562.6 377.9
Flint Hill Tornadoes 67 33 .671 1.6 517.7 359.0
Peshastin Pears 64 35 .646 4.3 497.0 371.0
D.C. Balk 60 36 .628 6.4 525.0 403.3
Kaline Drive 62 38 .620 6.8 528.3 413.8
Haviland Dragons 59 41 .592 9.6 508.1 433.7
Canberra Kangaroos 56 40 .579 11.1 489.0 424.1
Cottage Cheese 54 46 .539 14.8 566.5 537.4
Pittsburgh Alleghenys 51 48 .510 17.7 497.7 485.5
Bellingham Cascades 50 49 .503 18.4 415.8 414.4
Portland Rosebuds 42 57 .428 25.9 499.4 584.5
 
Old Detroit: “W,” 8-8; 38PA, 5.3IP
AVG: 0.314 OBP: 0.368 SLG: 0.629 OPS: 0.997
ERA: 8.49 WHIP: 1.698
The Wolverines took a page out of Joey Chestnut’s (the world hot dog eating champion) and were saved by a great day at the plate. The score was an actual tie, 8.3-8.3, but it could have been much worse considering their pitching was, to put it nicely, bad. Perhaps it’s not entirely fair to call of the pitching bad – Ross Stripling tossed 5 innings and gave up one run. The problem, though, is he is only allocated 50%. An even bigger problem is that Jonathan Loaisiga is allocated 100%, and he gave up 4 runs without recording an out. The Red Sox and the EFL have sent thank you packages to him, which should serve as a minor consolation. The hitters really did save the day, though. One day after being publicly chastised, JP Crawford and Carlos Correa both recorded a single (which is progress), but it was Austin Riley (3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a home run) and Will Smith (1 for 3 with a home run and walk) who came through Chestnut style. Oh, and they got three walks.
 
Flint Hill: L, 0-5; 49PA, 7.7IP
AVG: 0.156 OBP: 0.224 SLG: 0.200 OPS: 0.424
ERA: 4.68 WHIP: 0.909
There isn’t much to write about here, sadly. On a day when they could have moved substantially closer to the top, the Tornadoes fizzled out. Yu Darvish was pedestrian, giving up 4 runs to the Marlins, and the team collected 6 hits – only one a double by Enrique Hernandez – to go along with 13 Ks. The good news is we only lost .1 games off the Wolverines – it could have been much worse! The bad news is, the Pears climbed .3 games closer.
 
Peshastin: W, 1-(-1); 32PA, 8.7IP
AVG: 0.143 OBP: 0.250 SLG: 0.179 OPS: 0.429
ERA: 1.03 WHIP: 1.264
It’s as though the weak Tornado in between the Wolverines and Pears inverted their days – for the Pears had an excellent day on the mound, shedding 1 run in the Runs Allowed column, but an awful day at the plate (though they did score a run). The sum total was a .3 game climb closer to the top, which is good news for Peshastin fans. Only three players collected a hit, with Tom Murphy collecting 2 of the team’s 4. Yoan Moncada, who had one of the other hits, also had three strikeouts. But the pitching was superb, with Alex Wood tossing 5.3 innings and allowing only one run, while three relievers combined to toss 3 and a third scoreless innings. 
 
DC: L, 1-5; 33PA, 13.3IP
AVG: 0.103 OBP: 0.182 SLG: 0.207 OPS: 0.389
ERA: 4.74 WHIP: 1.278
The Balk continued the string of terrible offense that the Tornadoes and Pears began. Their hitters went 3 for 29 with 12 strikeouts. Pete Alonso hit a homerun, and that is about all there is to note from yesterday (unless you also want to note that every batter but Santiago Espinal struck out at least once). However, the Balk did not get good enough pitching to counterbalance the hitting. Two starters tossed 6 innings (Triston McKenzie and Martin Perez), but combined they allowed 5 runs. Matt Wisler was the real problem, though, giving up 2 runs in .3 innings. The Balk slid .3 games further back in the standings.
 
Kaline: W, 7-4; 49PA, 11IP
AVG: 0.300 OBP: 0.429 SLG: 0.450 OPS: 0.879
ERA: 4.91 WHIP: 0.909
Finally a break from the bad offense! The Drive showed up ready to hit, getting production from every player except their catchers, who both went hitless. The rest of the lineup got at least one hit apiece, with Jesse Winker being the lone player to collect 2. Wilmer Flores hit a home run, and the team collected 9 walks compared to 3 strikeouts. Pretty awesome! The pitching was a little rougher. Johne Means continued to struggle in his return to MLB games, giving up 4 runs in 6.7 innings. JT Brubaker was a bit better, allowing 2 runs in 4 innings. The Drive climbed .4 games closer to the top and are now 6.8 games back.
 
Haviland: W, 6-0; 50PA, 14.3IP
AVG: 0.289 OBP: 0.360 SLG: 0.489 OPS: 0.849
ERA: 3.78 WHIP: 0.699
Here is the first complete performance from an EFL team today. The Dragons were very good from the plate and very good from the mound, and in doing so, climbed .6 games in the standings. In what are perhaps his final days as a Dragon, Nelson Cruz went 1 for 3 with a home run and a walk. Harrison Bader went 3 for 4 with his own home run, while Maikel Franco went 1 for 3 with another home run. The Dragons only collected 3 walks, but they did enough hitting to cruise to an easy win. Domingo German took a no-hitter into the 7th, and finished with a line of 7 innings and 1 run allowed. However, Tarik Skubal erased the goodness of that line, giving up 5 runs in 5 innings, including 3 home runs (does he know he doesn’t have to match the offensive output of the team?). 
 
Canberra: “W,” 4-4; 37PA, 13IP
AVG: 0.235 OBP: 0.297 SLG: 0.353 OPS: 0.650
ERA: 5.54 WHIP: 1.077
Canberra is graciously hosting Old Detroit in his home, and thus spending more time with real people, good people, than with a fantasy baseball league, which is absolutely the right choice to make. Perhaps he hasn’t seen, then, his team’s mediocre performance, nor will he. He won’t notice Caleb Smith gave up 5 runs (including 3 home runs) in 6 innings. He won’t notice Rich Hill’s Mets debut, in which he gave up 3 runs in 5 innings. But hopefully he’ll notice that half of his team’s 8 hits were doubles, including 2 by Jackie Bradley, Jr. But if not, at least he has good company, since we know what misery likes.
 
Cottage: L, 7-8; 47 PA, no pitching
AVG: 0.311 OBP: 0.340 SLG: 0.556 OPS: 0.896
Just one day after accusing Flint Hill of not liking one of his best pitchers, the Cheese decided to test fate and send no pitchers to the mound. Perhaps in a show of obstinance? Or to try and make the Tornadoes feel pity? Either way, it didn’t work. The hitting was good, and even with a little but of pitching they would have most likely won, but alas, they lost by one measly run. Shohei Ohtani (can you imagine if Trout were healthy how lethal that Angels lineup would be?) went 2 for 3 with a home run, a stolen base and a walk. Marcus Semien went 2 for 4 with two doubles. Even Abraham Toro, a Rule 5 pick for the Cheese, is tearing things up this month, notching a home run in 3 at bats yesterday. 
 
Pittsburgh: L, 5-13; 20PA, 6.3IP
AVG: 0.250 OBP: 0.250 SLG: 0.600 OPS: 0.850
ERA: 14.29 WHIP: 2.063
Yikes! The Alleghenys did send some pitchers to the mound, but it would have been better to go the Cheese route, in hindsight. Sonny Gray, who has really struggled this season, gave up 8 runs in 3.3 innings pitched. It made Derek Holland (9.00 ERA) and Anthony Bender (4.50 ERA) look good yesterday, even though their lines were not that great. There wasn’t enough firepower in Pittsburgh to recover 13 runs, though Jorge Soler did his best, going 3 for 4 with 2 home runs.  
 
Bellingham: “W,” 2-2; 30PA, 3IP
AVG: 0.185 OBP: 0.241 SLG: 0.222 OPS: 0.464
ERA: 0.00 WHIP: 0.000
Good pitching from Brusdar Graterol (2 innings, 0 hits and 0 runs) and Jake McGee (1 inning and 0 hits and 0 runs) was not enough to earn a solid win. Mostly because the hitting was non-existent. DJ Lemahieu did hit a double, but the other 4 hits were singles and the team only earned 2 walks.
 
Portland: W, 9-4; 34PA, 6.7IP
AVG: 0.300 OBP: 0.382 SLG: 0.733 OPS: 1.116
ERA: 2.69 WHIP: 1.194
The last place team may have had the best day in the EFL. Max Kepler, Tyrone Taylor and Tyler O’Neill all collected two hits apiece, with home runs coming from Kepler and O’Neill and a triple from Taylor. The fleet(?)-footed Gary Sanchez also hit a triple. Jon Gray went 5 innings, giving up 2 runs, and the Rosebuds gained .6 games in the standings, which if they do enough, might spell doom for their pick next spring. 
 
 
Combined MLB + EFL Standings for 2021
AL East
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
Old Detroit Wolverines 69 31 .687 —
Flint Hill Tornadoes 67 33 .671 1.6
Boston Red Sox 61 39 .610 7.7
Tampa Bay Rays 60 40 .600 8.7
New York Yankees 51 47 .520 16.7
Toronto Blue Jays 49 46 .516 17.2
Baltimore Orioles 34 64 .347 33.7
NL East
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
D.C. Balk 60 36 .628 —
Canberra Kangaroos 56 40 .579 4.7
New York Mets 52 44 .542 8.3
Philadelphia Phillies 49 49 .500 12.3
Atlanta Braves 48 50 .490 13.3
Washington Nationals 45 53 .459 16.3
Miami Marlins 43 57 .430 19.3
 
AL Central
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
Chicago White Sox 59 40 .596 —
Pittsburgh Alleghenys 51 48 .510 8.5
Cleveland Indians 49 48 .505 9
Bellingham Cascades 50 49 .503 9.2
Detroit Tigers 47 54 .465 13
Kansas City Royals 42 55 .433 16
Minnesota Twins 42 58 .420 17.5
NL Central
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
Milwaukee Brewers 58 42 .580 —
Cottage Cheese 54 46 .539 4.1
Cincinnati Reds 51 48 .515 6.5
St. Louis Cardinals 50 50 .500 8
Chicago Cubs 49 51 .490 9
Pittsburgh Pirates 38 61 .384 19.5
 
AL West
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
Kaline Drive 62 38 .620 —
Houston Astros 61 39 .610 1
Haviland Dragons 59 41 .592 2.8
Oakland A’s 56 45 .554 6.5
Seattle Mariners 54 46 .540 8
Los Angeles Angels 49 49 .500 12
Texas Rangers 35 65 .350 27
NL West
TEAM WINS LOSSES PCT. GB
Peshastin Pears 64 35 .646 —
San Francisco Giants 62 37 .626 2
Los Angeles Dodgers 61 40 .604 4
San Diego Padres 58 44 .569 7.5
Colorado Rockies 43 56 .434 21
Portland Rosebuds 42 57 .428 21.6
Arizona Diamondbacks 31 70 .307 34