2003 CDBL MID-SEASON PLAYOFF REVIEW If the playoffs were held today: AP Conference Bracket: (1) Manhatten Beach Mashers (Aaron Division Pennant) vs. (4) BYE (2) Springfield Isotopes (Paige Division Pennant) vs. (3) California Kamados (AP Conf. Wildcard) GT Conference Bracket: (1) Alphaville Cautions (Tiant Division Pennant) vs. (4) Round 0 Winner (2) Hong Kong Cavaliers (Gehrig Division Pennant) vs. (3) Milwaukee Pilots (GT Conf. Wildcard) Round 0: (1) Dedham Destroyers (#1 League Wildcard) vs. (2) Albuquerque Maul (#2 League Wildcard) Other teams in the playoff hunt: Topeka Stingers (1 game behind) Boston Bulldogs (1 1/2 games behind) Arkham Investigators (4 1/2 games behind for league WC, 2 games behind for AP Conf. Wildcard) Bangor Blue Lobsters (5 games behind) Avila Dragons (5 1/2 games behind) Point Lomas Friars (6 games behind) ************************************************ AARON DIVISION: The Mashers look to secure an easy path to the conference finals, while three other teams duke it out for the AP conference wildcard. Manhatten Beach Mashers (53-32, Division Lead) - The Mashers finished with the conference's best record at the break and look to secure home field advantage throughout the conference playoffs. David Ortiz is having a monster year, hitting 20 home runs with 43 runs scored and 59 RBI at the break. Bret Boone has 14 home runs with 60 runs scored. Greg Myers is hitting .338 with 8 home runs and 34 runs scored at the catcher position. Darrell May is 11-2 with a 2.59 ERA, and CC Sabathia has won 9 games. Closer John Smoltz has saved 20 games, won another 4 and sports a 1.37 ERA. Manhatten Beach also expects big things out of mid-season acquisition Mark Prior. The Mashers could be looking at a favorable path to the CDBL World Series, as they currently would be issued a 1st round Bye. California Kamados (44-38, 7 1/2 games behind) - The division pennant might be out of reach, but the Kamados are currently sitting on the conference wildcard. Derek Jeter is hitting .322 with 59 runs scored, and Travis Lee is slugging .495 with 53 RBI. Scott Rolen has 14 home runs, 47 runs scored and 47 RBI, and Moises Alou has 47 RBI. Roy Halladay is having another solid year, going 10-4 with a 2.43 ERA. Cory Lidle is 6-4 with a 3.93 ERA. Closer Wilson Alvarez has saved 20 games with a 1.99 ERA. Woody Williams was 3-5 with a 3.98 ERA before being dealt, so questions will arise whether the Kamados have enough starting pitching to keep their playoff spot. Arkham Investigators (43-41, 9 1/2 games behind) - The Investigators are within spitting distance of the Kamados for the AP Conference Wildcard. Reggie Sanders has smashed 27 home runs with 56 runs scored and 54 RBI. Aramis Ramirez is hitting .304 with 18 home runs and 48 RBI, and Derrek Lee has 14 home runs, 46 runs scored and 48 RBI. Mark Buehrle is having an ace year, going 8-5 with a 2.32 ERA at the break. Scott Sullivan has saved 14 games, won another 6 with a 3.12 ERA. Arkham could likely use another starter to edge ahead of the Kamados, as all non Buehrle starters are a combined 19-23. Point Lomas Friars (41-42, 11 games behind) - The Friars will need a strong second half to make the playoffs. Jason Giambi has 16 home runs and 59 RBI at the mid-point, and Luis Castillo has 63 runs scored and a .365 on base average. Luis Gonzalez is hitting .326 with 47 RBI. Andy Pettitte is 10-4 with a 3.66 ERA, but the rest of the starters have ERA's north of 4.50 and losing records. Their main closer John Parrish saved 12 games with a 5.40 ERA before burning out, and Julio Mateo has saved 7 games with a 5.92 ERA, so a better closer would be key to a 2nd half recovery. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Elk Grove Trout, Montreal Voltigeurs ************************************************ PAIGE DIVISION: The Isotopes see the post-season in easy reach once again, while the other teams in the division continue to rebuild. Springfield Isotopes (48-36, Division Lead) - The team of Bonds looks to have the division once again sewn up. MVP contender Barry Bonds is hitting .367 with 26 home runs, 80 runs scored and 73 RBI, and Gary Sheffield is hitting .364 with 23 home runs, 80 runs scored and 54 RBI. Mark Kotsay is hitting .300 with 52 RBI, and Miguel Tejada is hitting .278 with 55 runs scored and 52 RBI. Travis Hafner has just 187 at bats but has 13 home runs and 47 RBI to his credit. Tim Redding is 10-2 with a 4.11 ERA - the team ERA of 4.75 shows this is an offense-oriented team. LaTroy Hawkins has been strong in the closer spot, saving 20 games, winning another 4 with a 1.15 ERA. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Tualatin Thunder, Seattle Decaf, Chicago Black Sox, Madison Muckrakers, DBL Fishbiscuits ************************************************ GEHRIG DIVISION: Three teams battling it out for the division lead and a conference wildcard spot. Hong Kong Cavaliers (49-33, Division Lead) - The Cavaliers are well positioned for a pennant win this year. Carlos Delgado is hitting .332 with 15 home runs, 55 runs scored and 57 RBI, and Carlos Beltran has 12 home runs, 54 runs scored, 55 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Larry Walker has a .383 on base average and 47 runs scored, and mid-season acquisition Ivan Rodriguez is slugging .514 with 20 RBI in 27 games with the team. Pedro Martinez is 11-4 with a 2.40 ERA, and acquisition Mike Mussina is 6-1 in 7 starts with a 2.42 ERA. Closer Joe Nathan has saved 13 games with a 2.76 ERA, and Scott Schoeneweis has saved 8 games with a 2.21 ERA. Albuquerque Maul (47-36, 2 1/2 games behind) - The Maul are keeping pressure on the Cavaliers and currently sit on the #2 league wildcard. Mike Lowell is hitting .304 with 23 home runs, 52 runs scored and 57 RBI, and Michael Young is hitting .296 with 57 runs scored. Juan Pierre has a .372 on base average, 47 runs stolen and 60 runs scored. Rafael Palmeiro has smacked 19 home runs with 74 RBI, and Raul Mondesi has 14 home runs, 47 runs scored and 47 RBI. Rookie Brandon Webb is 10-5 with a 3.43 ERA, and Matt Clement is 8-3. Closer Matt Mantei has saved 12 games with a 2.48 ERA. Topeka Stingers (46-37, 3 1/2 games behind) - Topeka has led the division at one point in the season, but currently sit a game out of the playoffs. Matt Stairs is hitting .331 with 28 home runs and 53 runs scored. Javy Lopez has 23 home runs with 64 RBI, and Richie Sexson has 27 home runs with 62 RBI. Jeff Kent is hitting .303 with 13 home runs, 43 runs scored and 43 RBI, and Carlos Guillen his hitting .293 with 52 runs scored. Jason Schmidt is 9-3 with a 3.89 ERA, and Javier Vazquez is 9-5, but an overall team ERA of 4.82 shows this is an offense-oriented team. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR: Concord Minutemen, Anchorage Gold Diggers, Carlsbad Surfers ************************************************ TIANT DIVISION: The teams with the 2 best records reside in this conference, and every team is a threat to make the playoffs. Alphaville Cautions (54-29, Division lead) - Alphaville simply finished the first half with the league's best record. Trot Nixon is hitting .345 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI, and Corey Koskie is hitting .335 with 59 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. Geoff Jenkins has 18 home runs, 50 runs scored and 62 RBI. JT Snow has a .358 on base average and 42 runs scored. Jae Weong Seo is 10-4 with a 3.24 ERA, and Kerry Wood is 7-3 with a 3.58 ERA. Travis Harper has saved 13 games with a 3.38 ERA. The relievers have been a big key to their strong start, as they are a combined 17-10 in the win/loss column. Milwaukee Pilots (55-30, percentage points behind) - The Pilots have finally put it all together and seek to become a force in the playoffs. Jose Guillen has hit 18 home runs with 58 RBI, Vernon Wells has hit 19 home runs with 79 RBI, and Jorge Posada has a .393 on base average, 15 home runs, 56 runs scored and 52 RBI. Doug Mientkiewicz is hitting .320 with 68 runs scored, and Milton Bradley is hitting .359 with 41 runs scored. Livan Hernandez is a Cy Young contender, going 14-3 with a 1.80 ERA at the break. Kelvim Escobar is 8-3, and Sidney Ponson is 8-6. Despite a 4.42 ERA, Terry Adams has saved 21 games. Dedham Destroyers (52-30, 1 1/2 games behind) - The Destroyers look to be the 3rd team in the division to finish with 100 wins and a playoff spot. Todd Helton is hitting .328 with 17 home runs, 68 runs scored and 74 RBI, and Bill Mueller is hitting .341 with 15 home runs, 74 runs scored and 53 RBI. Richard Hidalgo is hitting .313 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI. Brian Giles has a .402 on base average and 76 runs scored, and Brad Wilkerson has a .388 on base average and 53 runs scored. Hideo Nomo is 8-3 with a 3.72 ERA, and Brad Radke was 7-4 before being dealt for Greg Maddux and Elmer Dessens. Closer Eric Gagne is a leading Fireman of the Year candidate, saving 21 games, going 4-0 and sporting a 0.77 ERA. Boston Bulldogs (45-37, 8 1/2 games behind) - They may be out of pennant contention, but the Bulldogs are still very much in the league wildcard chase. Carl Everett is hitting .319 with 68 RBI, and Edgar Martinez has a .413 on base average and 59 runs scored. Marcus Giles is hitting .310 with 52 runs scored, and Bobby Abreu is hitting .309 with 67 runs scored. Carlos Zambrano is 11-4 with a 3.93 ERA, and Tim Wakefield has won 8 games with a 3.27 ERA. Kazuhiro Sasaki has saved 16 games with a 2.14 ERA, and the Bulldogs look to count on recent acquisition Keith Foulke to pick up any closing duties slack. Bangor Blue Lobsters (42-41, 12 games behind) - With a new city and new name this year, the Blue Lobsters are still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Dmitri Young is hitting .313 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI, and Frank Thomas has a .404 on base average, 18 home runs and 50 runs scored. Sammy Sosa has hit 15 home runs with 53 RBI, and Nomar Garciaparra has 52 runs scored. Scott Podseknik has swiped 20 bases, hit .318 and scored 52 runs. Tim Hudson is 9-1 with a 2.10 ERA, and Vicente Padilla is 6-3 with a 2.38 ERA. Closer Eddie Guardado has saved 13 games with a 3.31 ERA. Avila Dragons (41-41, 12 1/2 games behind) - Someone has to come in last in this division, and currently that is the Dragons, who could still rise in the standings and nab a league wildcard spot. Alex Rodriguez is his usually stellar self, hitting .312 with 23 home runs, 75 runs scored and 57 RBI. Jim Edmonds has hit 23 home runs with 65 runs scored and 58 RBI, and Johnny Damon has 21 stolen bases, a .317 batting average and 50 runs scored. Mike Sweeney has smacked 20 home runs with 53 runs scored. Roger Clemens is 8-4 with a 3.42 ERA, and Pat Hentgen is 8-5. Closer Keith Foulke struggled, going 3-7 with 12 saves and a 5.34 ERA before being dealt. Kyle Farnsworth has 8 saves with a 3.12 ERA.