South Division First Half Review

Part two of the first half recap. I think these are turning out pretty well.

High Desert Mavericks
37-33, 3rd place, 9 GB
14-21 home, 23-12 away

All Stars
Kenn Kasparek
Rich Poythress

Key players lost to promotion
Scott Savastano
Nate Tenbrink

Turning point- In the first week of May, High Desert had a small lead on Lake Elsinore. The Mavericks started off a road trip up north on a high note, sweeping San Jose in a four game series. The Giants weren't playing like the Giants yet, but a four game sweep is impressive nonetheless. After that, High Desert went to Bakersfield, and the North Division returned the favor, a Bakersfield sweep. All games were decided by just one run, and High Desert held the lead late in two of them. Bakersfield scored three late runs to win the first game 5-4, clubbed a couple home runs to win the second game 2-1 and got a walkoff win to complete the sweep. Lake Elsinore then took off, and High Desert couldn't keep up.

Memorable moment- High Desert is certainly known for offense, and there were certainly some performances worthy of being mentioned here, such as the last game of the first half when the Mavericks erased an 8-0 deficit with 16 unanswered runs. However, it was Kenn Kasparek pitching a shutout at homer-happy Stater Bros. Stadium that stood out the most. The Quakes' lineup has some tough hitters too, so it wasn't an easy feat at all. Kasparek held Rancho Cucamonga to just two hits and also struck out eight in this 9-0 High Desert win.

Batting leaders
BA (min. 100 AB)- Nate Tenbrink, .377
R- Kyle Seager, 58
HR- Rich Poythress, 14
RBI- Rich Poythress, 65
SB- Nate Tenbrink, 14
OPS (min. 100 AB)- Nate Tenbrink, 1.095

Team batting league ranks (out of 10)
BA- .298, 1st
R- 420, 1st
HR- 79, 1st
SB- 54, 6th
OPS- .823, 1st

It's no surprise that High Desert ranks first in many offensive categories. At Stater Bros. Stadium, most players can look like superstars, but I don't want to discredit what they're doing. Rich Poythress has been on a home run tear and could be the league's most productive hitter now that Kyle Russell of Inland Empire is in AA. Johermyn Chavez and Denny Almonte also provide some power but have an all or nothing approach at the plate. Nate Tenbrink was the team's best hitter for the first 2/3 of the half and earned a promotion to AA. Later in the half, former Mariners second round pick Dennis Raben was promoted to High Desert after missing a year due to a knee injury. In his first game as a Maverick, he hit two home runs and hasn't stopped slugging since.

Pitching leaders
W- Kenn Kasparek and Bobby LaFromboise, 6
ERA (min. 25 IP)- Anthony Vasquez, 1.98
IP- Kenn Kasparek, 86.1
K- Bobby LaFromboise, 64
WHIP (min. 25 IP)- Anthony Vasquez, 1.07
S- Steven Richard, 6

Team pitching league ranks (out of 10)
ERA- 4.60, 8th
WHIP- 1.41, T-3rd
K- 472, 9th

Usually, High Desert pitchers rank near the bottom of the league whether they're good or not due to the stadium. This year, the ERA might not look good, but the WHIP indicates this staff is fighting through that and having a good season. Kenn Kasparek made the All Star team as one of the league's most dominant pitchers, even if he doesn't strike out a lot of batters. Andrew Carraway and Jake Wild both have an ERA over 5, but their WHIP is right around the league average. Carraway's last two starts have been bad, but before that he had a stretch of very good starts. Anthony Vasquez, recently promoted from A Clinton, has had a great season and is stepping up while some other pitchers are struggling. Stephen Penney has been the team's best reliever, but the bullpen has generally had a tough time recording outs and finishing games this year.

Inland Empire 66ers
26-44, 4th place, 20 GB
9-26 home, 17-18 away

All Stars
Nate Eovaldi

Key players lost to promotion
Kenley Jansen
Kyle Russell

Turning point- It's been a bad half in general, so finding one point where things went wrong is difficult, but at the end of April, the 66ers went through a particularly bad stretch. Over the course of 14 games from the 16th to the 29th, Inland Empire was 3-11. They averaged fewer than four runs a game, and the pitching had some rough games too. Seven of those games were at home, and they were all losses. Inland Empire still hasn't won a series at home this season, and it took a remarkably long time for a starter to be credited for a win at home.

Memorable moment- Due to the proximity to Los Angeles, the 66ers frequently host rehabbing major leaguers. Rafael Furcal, Charlie Haeger, Jeff Weaver, Hong-Chih Kuo, George Sherrill, and Vicente Padilla have all had rehab stints in the Cal League this year, but the biggest one for the second year in a row is future Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez. He only played in two games, but he once again entertained fans and allowed Lake Elsinore to sell a few more tickets than they usually might on a weeknight.

Batting leaders
BA (min. 100 AB)- Kyle Russell, .354
R- Kyle Russell, 42
HR- Kyle Russell, 16
RBI- Kyle Russell, 53
SB- Kyle Russell, 8
OPS (min. 100 AB)- Kyle Russell, 1.140

Team batting league ranks (out of 10)
BA- .267, T-7th
R- 313, 9th
HR- 42, 8th
SB- 49, 7th
OPS- .718, 9th

For most of the first half, Inland Empire's offense was a one man wrecking crew. Even though he was in AA for the final two weeks of the first half, Kyle Russell could still be the league's hypothetical first half MVP. He's still the league leader in home runs and still top five in RBI and BA. His OPS is just a few points behind Brandon Belt's, and he stole 15 bases too. Russell has more than twice as many RBI as the next closest player on Inland Empire, and no other 66er has more than five home runs. Travis Denker, who has some major league at bats, has come closest to supporting Russell, and only one other player has an OPS over league average, Tony Delmonico. After Russell's promotion to AA Chattanooga, Inland Empire averaged just over three runs per game, which is going to result in a lot of losses in this league.

Pitching leaders
W- Ethan Martin, 7
ERA (min. 25 IP)- Brandon Mann, 2.03
IP- Aaron Miller, 74.2
K- Aaron Miller, 75
WHIP (min. 25 IP)- Aaron Miller, 1.18
S- Kyle Smit, 4

Team pitching league ranks (out of 10)
ERA- 4.55, 7th
WHIP- 1.52, 9th
K- 541, 5th

Inland Empire has one of the youngest rotations in the league with a lot of promise. So far, the results have been mixed. The command of the staff has been the biggest problem, and the team leads the league in walks. Aaron Miller, a 2009 first round pick, might be the most consistent starter on the team, and even he struggles with walking too many batters at time. However, he's still having a great season and should've been named to the All Star team. Ethan Martin, another first round pick, has had a roller coaster of a season. After throwing a CGSHO one start, Martin allowed six runs in just 1.1 IP in his next appearance. Nate Eovaldi was named to the All Star team, and he's starting to get better results, striking out more and walking fewer. The bullpen has been a huge problem, especially after the hard throwing Kenley Jansen was promoted to AA. The 66ers have blown a number of leads late and have problems closing games.

Lake Elsinore Storm
46-24, 1st place
20-15 home, 26-9 away

All Stars
Anthony Bass
Brad Brach
Drew Cumberland
Cole Figueroa
Dan Robertson
Blake Tekotte

Key players lost to promotion
None

Turning point- On April 25th, Lake Elsinore was swept in a doubleheader by High Desert. It seems odd that this would be the turning point for a team that won 46 games, but this moment stands out because it was the last time Lake Elsinore lost consecutive games. In the 52 games after that, the Storm went 38-14, and the rest is history. They say great teams bounce back from losses quickly and don't let bad habits set in, and based on that, it appears that Lake Elsinore has a great team.

Memorable moment- Juan Oramas didn't have much hype coming into the season because he hadn't yet pitched in the United States. He pitched 15 innings out of Fort Wayne's bullpen before earning a promotion to Lake Elsinore, where he joined the rotation. Prior to his 4th start with the Storm, his season long in innings pitched was five, but on 5/17 against Lancaster, he went much longer. Oramas finished that start just two outs shy of a perfect game. He struck out a season high nine batters, but a Brandon Barnes single with one out in the 9th ended the perfect game. Closer Brad Brach came in to earn the save and preserve the 1-0 game.

Batting leaders
BA (min. 100 AB)- Drew Cumberland, .365
R- Drew Cumberland, 63
HR- Cody Decker, 14
RBI- Vince Belnome, 50
SB- Blake Tekotte, 21
OPS (min. 100 AB)- Michael Collins, .982

Team batting league ranks (out of 10)
BA- .280, 3rd
R- 391, 2nd
HR- 62, 2nd
SB- 83, 4th
OPS- .796, 2nd

High Desert may lead the league in most offensive categories, but Lake Elsinore has what could be the deepest lineup in the league. Drew Cumberland is finally healthy, and he's hitting for power, making great contact and stealing bases too. His partner in the middle infield, Cole Figueroa, got on base for 47 straight games during the first half and does a great job setting the table for power hitters like Cody Decker. Blake Tekotte and Dan Robertson also made the All Star team, both adding high averages and stolen bases to the lineup. Two catchers split playing time behind the plate, and both have an OPS over .900. Only two regular players don't have an OPS above the league average, Allan Dykstra and Jaff Decker, both former first round picks. Decker joined the team late due to a hamstring injury and never really found any consistency.

Pitching leaders
W- Erik Davis and Jorge Reyes, 7
ERA (min. 25 IP)- Juan Oramas, 1.96
IP- Anthony Bass, 75.2
K- Erik Davis, 65
WHIP (min. 25 IP)- Brad Brach, .88
S- Brad Brach, 25

Team pitching league ranks (out of 10)
ERA- 3.62, 1st
WHIP- 1.31, 1st
K- 531, 7th

About halfway through the first half, Lake Elsinore's pitching got hot and never looked back. Anthony Bass is the only starter that made the All Star team, but Nick Schmidt has had a very good season too, and Juan Oramas has dominated the league, albeit in fewer innings than a lot of other starters. Jorge Reyes has run hot and cold during this half, and Erik Davis has had a solid season himself. They don't strike many batters out, but the staff does a great job limiting baserunners and scoring opportunities. The bullpen has been dominant, led by All Star closer Brad Brach. Five other relievers have an ERA under 3, so the opposition never seems to get a break no matter who comes in. If the starter can pitch five or six good innings, the middle relief can get the game to Brach, one of the minors' best closers.

Lancaster JetHawks
23-47, 5th place, 23 GB
13-22 home, 10-25 away

All Stars
Jay Austin

Key players lot to promotion
None

Turning point- It's not right to write off a team as soon as the season begins, but the first week and a half of the season was a sign of things to come; The JetHawks started the season on a six game losing streak, including a suspended game completed later in the half, and lost nine of their first 10. They were swept by Bakersfield and lost their next two to Lake Elsinore before getting their first win. They were outscored by 25 runs in the first 10 games, and Lancaster struggled for the duration of the half.

Memorable moment- Hitting for the cycle isn't the rarest occurrence for an individual in baseball, but it certainly isn't common either. Teams can go years without having a player hit for one, so when Freddy Parejo did it for the JetHawks on 6/8, it was a nice lift for the team and fans who have had a tough half. Then a funny thing happened. Brandon Barnes hit for the cycle the next day. It's obviously a safe bet that a team hasn't had a player hit for the cycle in consecutive games very often, if ever, so this was a neat bit of history from the first half.

Batting leaders
BA (min. 100 AB)- Albert Cartwright, .302
R- Albert Cartwright, 47
HR- Brandon Barnes, 14
RBI- Brandon Barnes, 33
SB- Jay Austin, 28
OPS (min. 100 AB)- Albert Cartwright, .888

Team batting league ranks (out of 10)
BA- .277, 5th
R- 316, 8th
HR- 51, 5th
SB- 67, 5th
OPS- .734, 7th

Besides High Desert, Lancaster's home stadium might be one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. This season, it doesn't seem to be helping the JetHawks much. Their batting average and home runs have been average, but they're not scoring many runs due to a bad approach at the plate. Jay Austin made the All Star team, but after a solid month to start the season, has really cooled off and has a below average league OPS. His speed is an asset at the top of the lineup, but his poor average and OBP isn't ideal for the leadoff spot. Albert Cartwright has great numbers and could've been named to the All Star team, and Brandon Barnes is riding a nice hot streak to finish the half.

Pitching leaders
W- Shane Wolf, 4
ERA (min. 25 IP)- David Berner, 2.72
IP- Dallas Keuchel, 84
K- Dallas Keuchel, 73
WHIP (min. 25 IP)- David Berner, .99
S- David Berner, 9

Team pitching league ranks (out of 10)
ERA- 5.10, 10th
WHIP- 1.53, 10th
K- 456, 10th

Lancaster's pitching has struggled, but somehow the team ERA is much better than last year's. Dallas Keuchel has had a very good season and is by far the team's most reliable starter, but everyone else has struggled. It's easy to say that their struggles are because of Clear Channel Stadium, but Shane Wolf is the only starter who is performing well on the road and not at home. Brad Dydalewicz pitched like he didn't belong in the league at home or on the road, and Ross Seaton and Kyle Greenwalt have been hit equally hard no matter the park. The bright spot of the pitching staff has been David Berner who has been one of the league's best relievers. Unfortunately for Berner, the team doesn't give him many save opportunities.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
39-31, 2nd place, 7 GB
16-19 home, 23-12 away

All Stars
Alexi Amarista
Tyson Auer

Key players lost to promotion
Tyler Chatwood
Robert Fish
Roberto Lopez
Will Smith
Drew Taylor

Turning point- Rancho Cucamonga had a very good first half as the team with the third best record in the league. For the most part, they hung with Lake Elsinore for most of the season and held their own against them head to head. However, in a seven game stretch near the end of the month, the Quakes went 2-5 against Lancaster and Inland Empire and lost both series. This happens over the course of the long season, but with how good Lake Elsinore is, Rancho Cucamonga couldn't afford to drop consecutive series against the two worse teams in the league so far.

Memorable moment- One of the oddest moments this season came in the first week when the Quakes turned a double play in which seven players touched the ball, but later in the season Rancho Cucamonga had an offensive performance that really stood out. Gabe Jacobo leads the team in home runs, but his game isn't really hitting for power. However, on 6/10 against High Desert, Jacobo hit three home runs, the only time a player has hit three home runs in one game this year. Prior to that, he only had four home runs on the season.

Batting leaders
BA (min. 100 AB)- Roberto Lopez, .346
R- Tyson Auer, 57
HR- Gabe Jacobo, 8
RBI- Gabe Jacobo, 56
SB- Tyson Auer, 40
OPS (min. 100 AB)- Roberto Lopez, .952

Team batting league ranks (out of 10)
BA- .278, 4th
R- 354, 4th
HR- 46, 7th
SB- 120, T-1st
OPS- .754, 6th

The Quakes don't hit many home runs, but they're still one of the league's most productive offenses. They do it with team speed, led by All Star Tyson Auer. Auer's 40 steals lead the league by far, but he's not the only aggressive baserunner. Rian Kiniry and Alexi Amarista have 17 and 16 steals respectively, and five other players have five or more steals. In addition to Gabe Jacobo, Adam Younger and Dillon Baird were providing some power for the Quakes, and Roberto Lopez was the team's most productive hitter before being promoted to AA. Since being called up from A Cedar Rapids, Luis Jimenez has added another productive bat to the lineup.

Pitching leaders
W- Tyler Chatwood, 8
ERA (min. 25 IP)- Tyler Chatwood, 1.77
IP- Matt Shoemaker, 86.1
K- Matt Shoemaker, 89
WHIP (min. 25 IP)- Drew Taylor, 1.09
S- Eddie McKiernan, 12

Team pitching league ranks (out of 10)
ERA- 4.32, 5th
WHIP- 1.31, 3rd
K- 551, 3rd

It's amazing that Rancho Cucamonga's pitching has been as good as it is, since their staff has been affected by promotions more than maybe everyone else's. Ace Tyler Chatwood was named to the All Star team but got promoted to AA soon after. Will Smith made a few solid starts for the Quakes, but due to some injuries higher in the Angels' organization, got called up to AAA and has been there since. Robert Fish and Drew Taylor were each having good seasons out of the bullpen before getting the call to AA. As for the pitchers still in the Cal League, Matt Shoemaker is having a very good season, pitching a lot of innings and striking quite a few batters out. The Quakes have had trouble filling out the rotation due to injuries, promotions and inffectiveness, but they may have found a solution in prospect Pat Corbin, added from A Cedar Rapids at the end of May.