2007 Fecal League standings!

[TruffleShuffle]

Time to bring 'em back! Kudos to iceblink for his idea last year... this year I'll update the standings weekly, then more frequently toward the end of the season as the chase really heats up!

 

Team         L-W      L%   GB    L10    Exp L-W
--------------------------------------------------
Cincinnati  31-18   .633   ---   7-3     27-22
Texas       30-18   .625   0.5   7-3     27-21
Kansas City 30-19   .612   1.0   4-6     30-19
Tampa Bay   28-19   .596   2.0   6-4     30-17
Washington  29-20   .592   2.0   3-7     31-18
St. Louis   26-19   .578   3.0   6-4     29-16
Pittsburgh  27-20   .574   3.0   7-3     27-20
Colorado    27-21   .562   3.5   5-5     30-18
Houston     27-21   .562   3.5   8-2     28-20
Baltimore   27-21   .562   3.5   7-3     26-21
NY Yankees  26-21   .553   4.0   6-4     21-26
Toronto     26-21   .553   4.0   4-6     24-23
Chi. Cubs   25-22   .532   5.0   6-4     20-27

 

 

So far, the chase for the #1 pick (a.k.a. Pedro Alvarez) is hotly contested. Cincinnati does not have a huge RS-RA deficit, but they've shown that they know how to lose the close ones. With some pretty good starters, a deep (though average) bullpen and a solid offense, I'd expect them to start to fall in the standings as we head on through the summer.

 

Texas is another team that has managed to lose the close ones, outperforming their expected L-W by a solid three games. Their pitching -- not exactly an organizational strength -- has been horrid again this year, with a league-low 17 quality starts in 48 games, and the second-worst ERA in baseball. Still, the offense is potent enough that this team may struggle to stay near the top of the rankings.

 

Next up are three teams that really know how to compete in the Fecal League - Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Washington. On paper, Washington may have the "best" team in baseball, but their recent play (only three losses in their last ten games) is a bit concerning. Still, they're my pick to capture the FL crown. Meanwhile, KC and TB have a good deal of young talent, but overall their teams are probably too green behind the ears. They should be big factors in the race this summer.

 

Pittsburgh and Colorado are certainly no strangers to the Fecal League. The Pirates started out fairly poorly, but are on a solid 7-3 run in their last ten. The talent on their roster might be a little much to expect a higher finish than last year's 4th place. Colorado has also proven to be inept from the mound, though with hitters like Holliday, Hawpe, Helton and others with last names not beginning with "H", their great pitching may not be able to overcome their mediocre hitting.

 

It's a delight to see the Cardinals in the FL chase throught the first 50 games of the season. In typical Cardinal fashion, they've lost fewer games than their expected loss total. It's not hard to see why this aging roster is struggling, but chances are that the Cardinals will simply be too lucky to lose enough to stay in the thick of the race.

 

Houston is showing potential, as their 8-2 record in the last ten games has sent them shooting up the FL standings. The roster certainly does not have the talent that it had in past years, with Clemens, Pettitte and Beltran having moved on. If the young talent like Hunter Pence, Luke Scott, Wandy Rodriguez, Chris Sampson and Matt Albers prove that they aren't ready for the bigs, this team could certainly be a contender.

 

Baltimore and Toronto - who really cares. They'll probably be middling teams that finish around 10th. In fact, I'd expect clubs like the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners to make a better run at the top 5.

 

Then we get to our two most overachieving teams, the Cubs and Yankees. Each squad has an impressive five losses over the expected amount, suggesting bullpen incompetence and a know-how to lose. Given the amount of talent on the Yanks and their obscene $190M payroll, as well as the knee-jerk ownership of Big Stein, it would be a shock if the Yankees even a top 15 finisher in the FL standings. The Cubs, on the other hand, are no stranger to losing, but this year's roster has a deeper starting rotation and upgrades at some of the offensive positions. Unless the Cubs are ravaged by injuries, I wouldn't expect them to finish too highly in the FL standings.

 

Stay tuned throughout the summer as the contenders are separated from the pretenders! It should be another race down to the wire.

[Derwood]

i'm glad you got on this, because I started it and the headache of making the code line up ruined my plans

[Iceblink]

You are the wind beneath my wings. :)

 

My early money is on the Rangers. I want to give the Pirates and Reds some love, but the rest of the NL Central needs too cool off their sub-.500 dominance and give those guys a shot at the first pick.

[Lockes Eye Scar]

My money's still on KC

[Ding Dong Johnson]

i'm glad you got on this, because I started it and the headache of making the code line up ruined my plans

 

ha, I thought you said "pants" the first time I read this

[seanimal]

Sweet thread.

 

Why is it in June Amateur Draft?

[Sarcastic]

Sweet thread.

 

Why is it in June Amateur Draft?

 

Because the prize that goes to the winner of the Fecal League is the number one pick in next year's draft.

[seanimal]

Sweet thread.

 

Why is it in June Amateur Draft?

 

Because the prize that goes to the winner of the Fecal League is the number one pick in next year's draft.

 

I see. That's sort of what I figured after I posted, but thanks.

 

Edit: and here I was thinking it was for the pure enjoyment of seeing just how bad the 'bad' are. :oops: :lol:

[jersey cubs fan]

I would love to see the Cubs win the division and still manage a top 10 pick. I think they could do it.

[Iceblink]

The Pirates clearly don't have their heart in the race yet. They took 3 of 4 from co-competitor Cincy this weekend. Shameful display by the Bucs.

[Guest]

The Cubs are in 3rd place, only 6 games out...and have the 9th pick as of now.

[Iceblink]

The Pirates don't know who they're dealing with. We blew right past them. We aren't human. We don't feel pain. We can't be reasoned with. These beeches are going down.

 

Er, I mean "going up".

[Mephistopheles]

someone needs to tell sean marshall about the plan. he needs to stop being a strikeout god.

[TruffleShuffle]

Updated through Monday, 6/4:

 

Team         L-W      L%   GB    L10    Exp L-W
--------------------------------------------------
Texas       37-20   .649   ---   8-2     33-24
Kansas City 37-21   .638   0.5   8-2     37-21
Cincinnati  36-22   .621   1.5   6-4     33-25
Washington  34-23   .592   3.0   5-5     36-21
Houston     33-23   .589   3.5   8-2     32-24
Pittsburgh  33-24   .579   4.0   6-4     33-24
Chi. Cubs   31-24   .564   5.0   7-3     25-30
Tampa Bay   31-24   .564   5.0   4-6     35-20
NY Yankees  31-24   .564   5.0   6-4     25-30
St. Louis   30-24   .556   5.5   5-5     33-21
Baltimore   31-27   .534   6.5   4-6     28-30
Colorado    30-27   .526   7.0   3-7     33-24

 

 

Texas and KC continue to impress, with 8 good results in their last ten. Houston has also been on fire, aided by a recent ten game hot streak. Washington is slumping and has dropped in the standings, while the Cubs have made up ground. Amazingly, the Cubs and Yankees are tied with the Devil Rays, even though the expected W-L records suggest that the D-Rays should be 10 games higher up in the standings.

 

The eternally lucky Cardinals continue to outperform their expected L-W, while Baltimore has reversed its recent 6 game slump by losing their last four. Colorado is performing poorly, and is in danger of falling out of the race altogether.

[TruffleShuffle]

Kudos to the NL Central for taking up 5 of the top 10 spots in the FL standings... that certainly is some fine work

[Iceblink]

Tampa Bay is in full surge and has taken the lead at 56-35. Cincy still right on their heels, playing inspired ball in dropping 3 of 4 to the Mets.

 

The ChiSox were a potential dark horse if they'd have traded away Buererhlehele, but trading Dye and a couple others might not be enough to keep them in this race. I hope (for Hawk's sake) that they make a run at the fecal title.

 

Texas, Washington, KC, and the Giants are all still in the running. Barry Zito is doing his best to show that a big free agent signing might've been just what SF needed to get in this race.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

At least the good news of it all is that we are no longer in contention.

[TruffleShuffle]

Team         L-W      L%   GB    L10    Exp L-W
--------------------------------------------------
Tampa Bay   66-40   .623   ---   8-2     68-38
Pittsburgh  62-42   .596   3.0   8-2     63-41
Cincinnati  62-45   .579   4.5   6-4     60-47
Washington  60-46   .566   6.0   6-4     65-41
Houston     60-46   .566   6.0   5-5     60-46

 

 

Looks like Pedro Alvarez might be joining his former teammate David Price next year.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

when do all of these super high draft picks finally pay off for the D-Rays?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

when do all of these super high draft picks finally pay off for the D-Rays?

 

About the same time they can't afford them?

[Guest]

when do all of these super high draft picks finally pay off for the D-Rays?

 

About the same time they can't afford them?

 

The DRays are going to turn into this decade's Expos...loaded with talented players and too poor to keep them.

[TruffleShuffle]

when do all of these super high draft picks finally pay off for the D-Rays?

 

About the same time they can't afford them?

 

The DRays are going to turn into this decade's Expos...loaded with talented players and too poor to keep them.

 

or in the case of grady sizemore, cliff lee and brandon phillips, trade them away because you think your team isn't going to exist next year