September in Review
Well, we managed to pull it off. By the skin of our teeth with a 13-15 September (and a 1-0 October) we finished first in the AL West, securing a playoff spot.
Player Statistics )AL Ranks in parentheses)
SP - Brendan Bikowski This month: 1-0, 2.35 ERA, 34.1 IP, 20 K This year: 11-4, 2.61 ERA (3rd), 186.1 IP (14th), 188 K (16th) Although he struck out just 20 batters and won one game this month, Bikowski bounced back from a poor August, lowering his ERA to a stellar 2.61. Worth noting are his 1.2 BB/9 and 0.6 HR/9.
SP - Charlie Huff This month: 0-2, 4.20 ERA, 30.0 IP, 17 K This year: 11-6, 3.52 ERA (t-12th), 181.1 IP (22nd), 123 K A mediocre September saw Huff's ERA climb from 3.39, but his 1.05 WHIP is impressive.
SP - Akinori Otsuka This month: 2-2, 4.75 ERA, 30.1 IP, 19 K This year: 13-8 (15th), 3.62 ERA (15th), 191.2 IP (8th), 140 K Otsuka wasn't great in September, but he led the team in innings pitched and would be a #2 on most teams.
SP - Johnny Rivera This month: 1-2, 1.95 ERA, 27.2 IP, 16 K This year: 5-9, 3.14 ERA, 152.0 IP, 93 K One of the most pleasantly surprising players on the team, Rivera had an amazing September and capped off the season by nailing down the win in game 163.
SP - Michael Davis This month: 0-1, 0.93 ERA, 19.1 IP, 8 K This year: 11-6, 3.53 ERA, 155.2 IP, 89 K Despite his low K rate, Davis was phenomenal in his three September starts after a bad August. He'll be the emergency starter in the playoffs.
SP - Cesario Castillo This month: 2-2, 3.48 ERA, 33.2 IP, 19 K This year: 9-10, 3.42 ERA (11th), 165.2 IP, 108 K Castillo was originally supposed to be a reliever, but he became the sixth starter after I decided that was our best option. He filled in quite well, finishing second on the team in ERA. He's going to be placed in a high leverage relief role for the postseason.
RP - Justin Hampson This year: 37 G, 1-1, 4.00 ERA, 36.0 IP, 33 K A lefty specialist. Not much to say.
RP - Evan Lorrier This month: 9 G, 2-1, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, 12 K This year: 44 G, 6-2, 1.74 ERA, 57.0 IP, 43 K After getting hit hard in August, Lorrier returned to form with a great September. He may pitch his way into the closer's role for 2016.
RP - Viet Trieu This month: 9 G, 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 8.0 IP, 6 K This year: 47 G, 3-3, 2.57 ERA, 56.0 IP, 35 K Trieu is a bit unconventional with his low K rate as a reliever, and he wasn't very good in September. Still, his ERA is much lower than I expected coming into the season.
RP - Devin Edwards This month: 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 1 K This year: 37 G, 3-3, 2.83 ERA, 54.0 IP, 27 K 26-year old Devin Edwards didn't get many opportunities this month, but he didn't allow a run when he did pitch. His 4.5 K/9 is actually lower than Trieu's.
RP - Adam Wilson This month: 14 G, 2-1, 1.37 ERA, 19.2 IP, 16 K This year: 64 G, 6-2, 2.57 ERA, 80.2 IP, 64 K Wilson was one of our most important pitchers this month, securing two wins out of the bullpen in 19.2 sparkling innings.
RP - Mike Colyer This month: 16 G, 2-1, 1.77 ERA, 20.1 IP, 16 K This year: 61 G, 7-7, 2.55 ERA, 81.1 IP, 67 K Colyer edged Wilson for the most innings pitched out of the bullpen this year at 81.1, and also edged him in ERA and strikeouts. Both were great in September.
CP - Rick Allen This month: 6 G, 1-1, 1.29 ERA, 7.0 IP, 6 K, 2/2 SV This year: 65 G, 6-8, 3.71 ERA, 63.0 IP, 35 K, 41/45 SV (1st) Allen didn't pitch much this month, but he converted both of his save opportunities. He's only 20 years old, so he has time to improve his paltry strikeout numbers and his 1.4 HR/9.
C - Matt McCarthy This month: .310, 8 HR, 6 2B, 25 RBI, 16 R This year: .297(191-644)/.324/.654(1st), 29 2B (17th), 64 HR (1st), 154 RBI (1st), 106 R (8th) A batting title short of the triple crown, McCarthy is a shoo-in for rookie of the year and will certainly cause some noise in the MVP debate.
1B - Juan Hernandez This month: .227, 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R This year: .272(173-636)/.297/.445, 30 2B(t-14th), 26 HR(t-20th), 79 RBI, 83 R With just two home runs over his last two months, Hernandez fell off significantly from the hitter he was early in the year.
2B - Steve Bernard This month: .221, 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 10 R This year: .269(139-516)/.288/.382, 9 2B, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 52 R After hitting .357 in August, Bernard scuffled hard in September, losing 11 points on his batting average in this process.
3B - Donnie Wilde This month: .179, 2 2B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R This year: .266(148-557)/.296/.381, 27 2B(19th), 11 HR, 48 RBI, 46 R Donnie's OPS fell from .707 to a paltry .677 thanks to his terrible month.
SS - Jose Medrano This month: .322, 4 2B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R, 6 SB, 0 CS This year: .298(205-687)/.321/.410, 36 2B(10th), 7 3B, 9 HR, 65 RBI, 78 R, 30 SB(t-5th), 6 CS Medrano's slugging percentage took a dip this month, but I would much rather have him getting on base for the middle of the order. He's a top Gold Glove candidate at shortstop.
LF - Marcus McElroy This month: .218, 2B, 0 HR, RBI, 8 R, 3 SB, 0 CS This year: .260(156-600)/.291/.338, 17 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 52 RBI, 65 R, 13 SB, 3 CS After a promising start, McElroy has turned into one of the worst players in baseball. He's all but ousted from his starting role by Danny Millwood.
CF - Colin Raines This month: .176, 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R, 5 SB, CS This year: .224(111-495)/.250/.281, 14 2B, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 47 R, 27 SB(t-7th), 3 CS Raines' .531 OPS is one of the worst all time. If he's starting for us next year, I'll resign.
RF - Derek Wayne This month: .240, 4 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 7 R This year: .314(189-601)/.334/.471, 31 2B (13th), 21 HR, 67 RBI, 60 R Even our second best hitter wasn't immune to the team-wide September slump. Still, a solid rookie campaign for the right fielder.
DH - Patrick Warr This month: .137, 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R This year: .244(127-521)/.272/.432, 20 2B, 26 HR, 56 RBI, 54 R Oof.
2B/3B - Matt MacKenzie This month: .250(3-12), 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, R, CS This year: .279(36-129)/.295/.326, 4 2B, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 2 SB, CS MacKenzie barely played this month, seeing only 13 PAs.
OF - Danny Millwood This month: .364(12-33), 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R This Year: .294(52-177)/.309/.548, 5 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 28 RBI, 29 R Millwood was greeat coming off the bench all year, and now he's earned a starting role for the postseason. He'll play LF over McElroy.
OF - Tommy Weaver This month: .167(2-12), 3 R, 5 SB This year: .231(6-26)/.286/.231 8 R, 11 SB, CS As much as I like his name, Weaver is just a pinch runner for now. If he develops a bit more power, however, he has the contact abilities to be an everyday player.
Team Statistics
ERA: 3.17 (1st | Prev: 1st) RA: 557 (1st | Prev: 2nd) HR: 134 (2nd | Prev: t-2nd) K: 1082 (28th | Prev: 25th) BB: 236 (1st | Prev: 1st)
BA: .273 (9th | Prev: 6th) R: 663 (30th | Prev: 27rd) HR: 205 (7th | Prev: t-5th) SB: 103 (24th | Prev: 26th)
AL West Standings 1. X - Honolulu Gunmen - 93-70 2. Sacramento Dolphins - 92-71 3. Los Angeles Angels - 83-79 4. Seattle Mariners - 80-82 5. Oakland Athletics - 75-87 6. Texas Rangers - 63-99
AL Wild Card Standings 1. Y - Boston Red Sox - 93-69 2. Sacramento Dolphins - 92-71 3. Los Angeles Angels - 83-79 3. Detroit Tigers - 83-79
American League Players of the Month
Player of the Month: DET CF Curtis Granderson (.404, 6 HR, 22 RBI) Rookie of the Month: HON C Matt McCarthy (.310, 8 HR, 25 RBI) Pitcher of the Month: LAA CP Francisco Rodriguez (11 SV, 0.87 ERA, 9 K) Reliever of the Month: LAA CP Francisco Rodriguez (11 SV, 0.87 ERA, 9 K)
National League Players of the Month
Player of the Month: NYM CF Carlos Beltran (.347, 12 HR, 40 RBI) Rookie of the Month: PIT SP Ryan Andrew (4-0, 3.52 ERA, 6 K) Pitcher of the Month: STL SP Ricky Caceres (4-0, 1.23 ERA, 24 K) Reliever of the Month: Not Awarded
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