Upper Deck Power Ranks #2

 

Commentary:

NL East - By far the strongest division, London continues to surge forward, winning 8 of 10 on the backs of Jose Baez (.306/.377/.527) and Albert Candelaria (.353/.407/.728) for the division lead. After a strong start, Trenton has played .500 ball, but ultimately relinquishing the top spot. Scranton and Buffalo are keeping pace, with Scranton putting together a good 7-3 record over 10. All four teams have strong lineups and above average pitching, this division will go down to the wire once more. 

Cincinnati Boom Sticks - After a disappointing second place season last year, the Boom sticks have regained there former hitting glory and name sake. The team is slashing .269/.331/.421 and leads the AL in home runs (73) and RBI (220). With a clean sweep @ Indy and a potential split @ Tampa, we will see if the Boom Sticks can replicate or exceed past performances in front of their home field crowd against said teams. 

Jackson Generals - IT...IS....ALIVEEEEE, yes the Generals have exited their early season slump and rumor has it commissioner cshake  has order drug tests to be conducted by all players. Exited the last ten with a 9-1 record, the Generals have reached .500 and are only 5 games back of New Orleans. The road ahead looks tough. Matchups against Montreal, Milwaukee, London and Buffalo are going to test whether the generals are back and read to reclaim the division lead. 

Las Vegas Desert Dogs - Those Las Vegas Deserts not only help cool the nights, but also cools their baseball team. Las Vegas has went in the opposite direction as the Generals. The Dogs dropped 9 of 10 earlier in the week, and as of late are playing .500. Hopefully in the coming weeks JT can see increase production out of Peters (.239/.294./.422) to help jump start that lineup game in and game out. 

Upper Deck Power Rankings #1

 

Highlights: 

Las Vegas Desert Dogs - After a disappointing 7 year run, Las Vegas is off to a hot start. Strong starting pitching and a heavy use of the long ball propelled them to first place. It remains to be seen how long JT can rely on Dutch Gagne and Bobby Allen to anchor the middle of his lineup, and an injury prone Lloyd Forbes to head his rotation. 

Jackson Generals - After being one of the most consistent teams in the league, Jackson finds themselves in a 7 game slump and second to last in the power rankings. Barry oversaw the departure of his top pitchers Felipe Gomez and Miles Matthews in favor of younger, more controllable players. So far the Generals have posted a team ERA of 5.45, A number his newly acquired bats just can't make up for. 

Anaheim Anteaters - A .500 record is a sight to behold for the 3 time World Series winner. MJD traded long tenured CF Oswaldo Cruz and others who are on the wrong side of 30 for cheaper, more controllable players. A bit of karma? we will see, but I'd put my money on Anaheim reclaiming the first ranked mantel sooner, rather then later. 

Upper Deck Season 45 Hall Of Fame Inductees

Slim McGowan (RP)  23 Votes,  Slim had been on the ballot for several seasons and finally got the respect that so many of us thought he deserved.  While his awards cupboard is very modest (4 X All-Star and nothing else) he was one of the most consistent and dominate relievers our world has ever seen.  Drafted 15^th overall as an 18 year old out of high School in season ‘15 he reached the majors in season ’18 and saved 16 games.  He would never save under 10 games in his 20 year career until his final season when he saved 7.  With 481 career saves (3 times saving over 40 games, twice with a career high of 44) he was a model of a consistent bullpen arm.  Didn’t get much chance to pitch in the post season (15 games with 8 Saves) but did manage to hit 1 homerun with only 4 career hits in 55 AB’s.

 

Howard Rolls (RF) 20 Votes, First time up for vote and he went straight into the Hall. A 6 time All-Star and 1X Silver Slugger while playing 3^rd base. Spent most of his career in RF where he was less then average with the leather.  Was a solid fielding 1^st baseman and a adequate Left Fielder in about 400 games at each of those positions. With the bat is where he really shined, 3230 career hits including 632 Doubles and 429 Homers. He also stole 272 bases and hit an even 300 for his career. Was the perfect #3 hitter blending power/speed/and the ability to draw a walk.  Was drafted 1^st overall in ’23 and reached the majors just two years later hitting .314 in 48 games and never looked back on his way to Cooperstown.

 

Yonder Lopez (SP) 22 Votes, ROY, Gold Glover, 2 X CY, 3 X AS.  Yonder has the hardware our other two nominees don’t. Signed as an International Free Agent for 9.8 Million in ’21 he took his time reaching the bigs.   But in ’25 burst onto the scene going 15-5 with a 2.81 ERA and won the Rookie of the Year. Would make his first All-Star team in ’27 when he went 20-5 with a 2.75 ERA but wouldn’t win his 2 Cy Youngs until ’36 –’37 when he went a combined 35-11 with a 2.69 ERA.  In 24 post season starts how ever he was a disappointing 4-10 with a 4.68 ERA.

Upperdeck Season 25 Rule Five Draft Recap

 

Upperdeck Season 25 Rule 5 Draft Recap

10. Yamil Alvarez-SS-Salem  Auggieward selected three times in this draft and all three made the top 10. Yamil was the last player he took, 25^th overall and was a solid defender. He won 5 Gold Gloves in the Minors and if not for a torn ACL in season 34 might have won one in the majors. Hit a career hit 15 homers in season 32 while also making 8 + plays at SS.

9. Miguel Martin-C-Indianoplois   Probably better suited to DH Martin did play almost 2000 innings behind the plate. Threw out 27% of base stealers but had a high CERA of 4.54.  Part time player for 4 seasons, would have hit 32 homers and 85 RBI with a .269 AVG over a full season. Once it was time to sign a Free Agent contract he was out of the league. Currently coaches LoA  ball in his home town with the Swift Current River Monsters.

8. Luis Tapies-SS-Montreal    The 2^nd player taken in the draft, Tapies spent most of his time at SS where he made 19 Negative plays or about 1 every 100 Innings, and about 1000 innings at 2^nd where he made 4 Plus plays.  Was a pretty solid power hitter with 37 career homers in 1200 AB’s including a career high 18 in his last season.

7. Yoenis Fernandez-3^rd-Chicago (NL)   Was by no means a good 3^rd baseman (32 Negative plays)  but was a fairly solid hitter. In his last season had a career year with 25 doubles and 15 homers while driving in 77 Runs and batting 282. Didn’t play another game in majors after that season and now teaches baseball at a Youth Camp in the Dominican

6. Peter Williams-C-Salem  The 2^nd player taken by Auggie, Williams had a much longer career spending equal times at Catcher and at DH.  Mostly played against Lefties and hit 91 homers in just under 1800 AB’s with a very solid 800 OPS. Threw out 36% of runners and had a very good 3.72 ERA for his career in 1700 Innings.

5.  Sergei Mohler-CF/2^nd-Las Vegas   A strong defender, the first generation American of a famous German Hockey player made 25 Plus plays at CF and 2^nd and another 15 in limited time at LF/1^st and 3^rd. Not much of a batter (252AVG with 8 career) but could run, and stole 134 bases in his career against just 24 times caught. For his career was claimed off waivers 4 times as well as his rule 5 selection.

4. Eliezer Gonzalez-SS-Anaheim  Won 2 gold gloves for his play at 2^nd but was equally good at SS and 3^rd that saw him make 66 Plus plays. Less of a an offensive threat then Mohler or Tapies he none the less was pretty good at getting on base with a .318 OBP

3. Tony Tateyama-LF/RF-Salem  The highest ranked player taken by Auggie, Tony was a pretty solid hitter winning a SS in ’34 when he hit 342 with 20 steals. With just over 1000 hits for his career, Tony is one of the few Rule 5 players to play for a long time and rack up solid career numbers.

2.  Evan Vick-3^rd/2^nd-Sacramento   Better at 3^rd then he was 2^nd base, but mostly stuck around for being a solid hitter with 117 career homers and 232 steals. Made 1 AS team and for his career was pretty solid table setter and spark plug.

1.  Edward Phillips-C-Anaheim  The biggest bopper selected, Phillips was mostly a platoon player he did manage to hit 208 career homers as he topped 20 homers 7 times.  Was a top flight defender as well throwing 34% of runners and catching pitchers to a 3.47 ERA. Does color commentary for the Dixieland Jayhawks of the Carolina League