Power Pros Forum

In more ways than one this really is a last chance log. Life has been busy and, judging from the dramatic drop in activity here, I'd conclude that everyone is in the same boat as me. Working full time, going back to school full time and being a parent hasn't left me with much downtime. However I have made a deal with myself. One night a week in my house officially been dubbed "Everyone leaves me alone and I get to chill night." So I decided to start this last chance log to give me something to do on those nights off.
Will I get to it once a week like I'd like to? I don't know. I'm really not putting any emphasis on time commitments, but I'd like to put up a game log every week or two. Here's hoping I can maybe, actually make it through a season. Tough it's going to be a long marathon to the finish.
With that said, I used an expansion team, but wanted to keep all MLB players alive. So, when I exported the team I only kept a few, select greybars and moved the entire Marlins roster to my expansion team before doing a dream draft (Why I never thought of doing this before I'll never know). When I drafted I did my best not to stack my lineup. And I think I did so by having just two B power guys in my lineup and my best hitter being Morneau (I ruined with Morneau in '07). Though I didn't place those restrictions on my pitching staff. Only 1 success player, my #1 starter, who is fitting since he has carried over from '07. I'm playing out of the AL West.
Here's the roster I drafted. The number in parentheses indicates the players draft position.
*= Success

Lineup
D.Dejesus- CF (3)
R.Baldelli- RF (12)
Morneau- 1B (2)
Reynolds- DH (8)
C.Snyder- C (11)
Blaylock- 3B (15)
Iwamura- 2B (9)
Bartlett- SS (6)
E.Chazez- LF (7)

Bench
G.Soria- OF (17)
R.Santiago- SS/2B(20)
Towels- C (21)
D.Ward- 1B/RF(23)

Rotation
Carbone (1)
Lincecum (4)
J.Weaver (13)
F.Morales (14)
Hughes (18)

Bullpen
Pelfrey- SW/LR (22)
Nippert- MR (16)
O'Flaherty- MR (19)
Mosley- MR (24)
B.Logan- LH (25)
Neshek- Set(10)
Chamberlain- CL (5)

Minors
Jurrjens- P (26)
B.Fahey-LF (27)
Pettyjohn- P (28)
Holm- C (29)
A.Marte-3B (30)
B.McCarthy-P (31)
Cannizaro-IF (32)
Tolar-P (33)

I’m still here, and I’m always excited for a season log!:)

oh worm the forums are alive

Pioneers (Carbone 0-0) @ Angels (Cain 0-0) 4/2

Turning Point
Down to their final out in the ninth, Alaska rallied for five runs highlighted by Morneau's 3R HR

Player of the Game
Morneau 2-5, HR, 2RBI, R, K

Box Score
ALK:7
LAA:3
-------------------------------
WP: Mosley(1-0)
LP: Hendrickson (0-1)
HR: Morneau (1), Reynolds (1)
Pioneers: Chavez 3-4, 2B, RBI, 2R, SB; Carbone 6.2IP, 7H, 6K, 2ER
Angels: Cain 7IP, 8H, 3K, 1ER; Wilson 2-4, RBI

Pioneers (Pelfrey 0-0) @ Rangers (Marquis 0-0) 4/6

Turning Point
With the score tied in the top of the seventh, Morneau and Reynolds go back to back, Iwamura added an RBI single.

Player of the Game
Reynolds 2-4, RH, RBI, 2R

Box Score
ALK:5
TEX:4
-------------------------------
WP: Pettyjohn (1-0)
LP: Marquis (0-1)
SV: Chamberlain (3)
HR: Dye (4); Morneau (3), Reynolds (3)
Pioneers: Pettyjohn 2IP, 0H, 2K, W; Snyder 3-4, 2B, R
Rangers: Dye 1-4, HR, 2RBI, R; Sexon 2-4, 2B, 2R

4/5 Transactions
Logan and Mosley were both sent to AAA after getting shelled vs. Texas. Pettyjohn and Jurrjens were recalled.


Week 1 MVP
Morneau .522/3/8
Reynolds .591/3/5

Angels (Vasquez 0-1) VS. Pioneers (Lincecum 0-0)

Game Summary
Pioneer pitching gave up just four hits and didn't allow solid contact throughout. Alaska did have ten hits in the game, but never broke through in the clutch to protect the lead.

Turning Point
DeJesus singled to open the game, stole a base and score the game's only run.

Player of the Game
Lincecum: 6.2IP, 4H, 0ER, 3K, 0BB

Box Score
LAA:0
ALK:1
-----------------------------
WP: Lincecum (1-0)
LP: Vazguez (0-2)
SV: Neshek (1)
Angels: Vasquez 8IP, 10H, 2K, 1ER; J. Wilson 2-4
Pioneers: DeJesus 2-4, R, SB; Reynolds 2-4, RBI

Transactions 4/11
Hughes has been sent to AAA (Blue condition for 2 weeks) and will rehab. Mike Pelfrey will serve as the teams 5th starter while Hughes is in AAA. Dustin Mosley was recalled to the Alaska pen.

Rangers (Contreras 0-1) VS. Pioneers (F. Morales 0-0)

Game Summary
Alaska was in control from the start and pulled away late, getting six consecutive hits to open the home seventh and plating four runs

Turning Point
Morales wriggled out of trouble in the 4th when he allowed just one run to score after facing 2nd and 3rd and none out.

Player of the Game
Justin Morneau: 5-5, HR, 2RBI, 2R

Box Score
TEX:2
ALK:7
-----------------------------
WP: Morales (1-0)
LP: Contreres (0-2)
HR: Dye (5); Morneau (7)
Rangers: Dye 1-4, HR, RBI, R; Gonzalez 2-3
Pioneers: Morales 7IP, 7H, 6K, 0BB, 1ER; E. Chavez 3-4, RBI, 2SB

Roster Moves 4/17
Rocco Baldelli bruised his shoulder trying to make a leaping catch up against the right field wall last night. He is going to miss a few days and will report to AAA for rest and rehab. Brandon Fahey has been called up and will serve as the team's fourth outfielder.

Role changes 4/19
Manager Scott0530 has announced that closer Joba Chamberlain (6.30 ERA, 5SV, 1 BS) will move to a middle relief role, since he has struggled keeping opponents from scoring runs late in the game, despite his one blown save. Pat Neshek (1.29 ERA) will assume the closer role while Dustin Nippert, (2.45 ERA) will move into the setup role.

Roster Moves 4/21
Rocco Baldelli has fully recovered from his bruised shoulder and was recalled from AAA. Brandon Fayhey was reassigned to AAA. The Pioneers also recalled Phil Hughes to the major league roster and have sent down Mike Pelfrey (Purple condition).

Seattle Mariners (Backe 0-2)@ Alaska Pioneers (Weaver 0-1) 4/20
Anchorage – It was an odd night at the stadium – full of odd baserunning mistakes and an unusual number of fielder’s choice plays- but the Pioneers left with a sweep of the Mariners, continue to have possession of first place, improving their MLB leading record to 14-4.
Seattle threatened in the first, getting opening singles from Cocoa Crisp and Orlando Cabrera. David Ortiz then grounded out softly to first, leaving Morneau no other option but to take the easy out. Jared Weaver then intentionally walked Chipper Jones to load the bases and Brandon Phillips obliged the strategy, grounding into a 4-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The oddities then struck the Pioneers in the second and third innings. With Reynolds and Blaylock on third and first respectfully, Iwamura grounded to second. Reynolds, for some reason, tried to score but was thrown out at home. Jason Bartlett would drive in Blaylock with an RBI single the next at bat. In the third, with the bases loaded, the Pioneers added to their lead on a Chris Snyder sac fly that score DeJesus.
More head scratching moments, this time from Seattle, as Mariners skipper John McLaren decided to leave a visibly tiring Backe in to start the bottom of the sixth. Backe, predictably, hung back-to-back breaking balls to Bartlett and Endy Chavez, who promptly turned those mistakes into back-to-back solo homeruns, ending Backe’s night.
The only runs for Seattle came in the seventh. RBI singles from Aaron Myles and Jerry Harriston Jr pulled the Mariners within two. But Alaska got the runs back in the bottom of the inning. A second sac fly from Chris Snyder and RBI double from Blaylock put the game away as Pat Neshek, after allowing a single to Cliff Floyd – he was caught stealing- closed the door and sealed the three game sweep.

Box Score
SEA:2
ALK:6

WP: Weaver (1-1)
LP: Backe (0-3)

HR: Bartlett (1), Chavez (1)

SEA- D.Ortiz 2-4, 2B; C. Floyd 3-4, R
ALK- Weaver 6IP, 7H, 3K, 1BB, 0ER; DeJesus 3-5, 2 2B; Blaylock 2-4, 2B, RBI, R

Hey, we’re back!

Player of the week award ending 4/27
Justin Morneau was named player of the week, for play ending on 4/27, by MLB. Morneau stat line for the week, .552/5/12, is a big reason why Alaska is currently enjoying a ten game winning streak.

Roster Moves 4/30
Dustin Mosley, who is off to a terrible start, 7.84ERA in 10.1 IP, has been sent down to AAA to try and straighten himself out. Mike Pelfrey has been recalled, likely for just tonight, and will make a spot start.

Player Awards for the month of April
Player of the month: Morneau, .512/14/37
Pitcher/ Rookie of the month: Carbone, 1.50, 43K, 4W

Baltimore Orioles (Meche 0-1)@ Alaska Pioneers (Weaver 1-1) 4/25
Anchorage – The Pioneers are red hot. And they stayed that way last night, beating the Baltimore Orioles and winning their eight straight, getting outstanding performances from Jared Weaver and Justin Morneau.
Weaver only really got into trouble once in the entire game, surrendering a leadoff double to Bobby Abreau to open the third. He immediately got tough, striking out Burrell and Adam Jones back to back before getting Bobby Crosby to ground out to second.
The Pioneers got the offence going in the bottom of the third. A leadoff single and stolen base from Endy Chavez, a single from David DeJesus, set up Justin Morneau two batters later. Morneau blasted a hanging curveball from Meche into the upper deck in right field to give Alaska a 3-0 lead. Akanori Iwamura would add to the lead in the fourth with an opposite field, solo homerun. Weaver’s night would end after six and two-thirds of shutout ball.
The Pioneers would get a scare in the seventh when Jason Bartlett, trying to steal second, jammed his ankle and had to come out of the game for Ramon Santiago. According to Manager Scott0530, Bartlett was fine and only came out of the game for precautions.
The only blemish on the scoresheet against Alaska for the night was a Bobby Abreau solo homerun in the eight off Dustin Mosley. No drama needed in the ninth as Pat Neshek retired the O’s in order for sixth save of the year.

Box Score
BAL:1
ALK:4

WP: J. Weaver (2-1)
LP: Meche (0-2)
S: Neshek (6)

HR: Morneau (12), Iwamura (2); Abreau (3)

BAL- Abreau 2-4, 2B, HR, RBI, R; Olivo 0-4, 3K
ALK- Weaver 6.2IP, 6H, 3K, 0ER; Morneau 3-4, HR, 3RBI, R; Baldelli 1-4, R, SB

Team statistics for the end of April

Position Players
DeJesus- AVR: .301, H 37, 2B 7, 3B 0, HR 1, RBI 13, R 16, SB 7
Baldelli-AVR: .340, H 35, 2B 2, 3B 0, HR 1, RBI 8, R 15, SB 6
Morneau- AVR: .512, H 62, 2B 13, 3B 1, HR 14, RBI 37, R 33, SB 0
Reynolds- AVR: .415, H 49, 2B 6, 3B 1, HR 10, RBI 25, R 20, SB 0
Snyder- AVR: .352, H 32, 2B 5, 3B 0, HR 4, RBI 14, R 10, SB 0
Blaylock- AVR: .336, H 36, 2B 11, 3B 0, HR 2, RBI 12, R 14, SB 0
Iwamura- AVR: .356, H 36, 2B 14, 3B 1, HR 3, RBI 15, R 15 SB1
Bartlett- AVR: .316, H 30, 2B 2, 3B 0, HR 1, RBI 8, R 5, SB 0
Chavez- AVR: .409, H 38, 2B 4, 3B 0, HR 1, RBI 9, R 12, SB 9

Soria- AVR: .444, H 16, 2B 1, 3B 1, HR 0, RBI 3, R 8, SB 3
Santiago- AVR: .375, H 9, 2B 1, 3B 0, HR 0, RBI 3, R 1, SB 0
Towels -AVR: .235, H 4, 2B 0, 3B 0, HR 0, RBI 0, R 1, SB 0
Ward- AVR: .500, H 1, 2B 0, 3B 0, HR 0, RBI 0, R 0, SB 0


Pitching
Carbone- ERA 1.50, IP 42.0, W 4, L 0, S 0, SO 43
Lincecum- ERA 2.83, IP 35.0, W 2, L 1, S 0, SO 29
Weaver- ERA 2.35, IP 30.2, W 2, L 1, S 0, SO 13
Morales- ERA 2.60, IP 27.2, W 2, L 0, S 0, SO 34
Pelfrey- ERA 3.38, IP 21.1, W 1, L 0, S 0, SO 10
Chamberlain- ERA 3.57, IP 17.2, W 1, L 1, S 7, SO 15
Neshek- ERA 1.20, IP 15.0, W #1, L 0, S 7, SO 8
Mosley- ERA 7.84, IP 10.1, W 1, L 1, S 0, SO 12
Nippert- ERA 3.68, IP 7.1, W 1, L 0, S 0, SO 2
Jurrjens- ERA 2.70, IP 10.0, W 1, L 0, S 0, SO 11
O'Flaherty- ERA 1.23, IP 7.1, W 0, L 0, S 0, SO 4

Athletics (Lowrey 2-0)@ Alaska Pioneers (Carbone 4-0) 5/3
Anchorage – Another night. Another win. The Pioneers are on a ridiculous winning streak – they haven’t lost in over two weeks- that ran to sixteen games last night at the stadium. Jimmy Carbone was his normal, dominant self, as he went 6.2 innings of one run ball. The Pioneers offence, while not as explosive as they have been, pushed across four runs, scoring without the aid of the long ball.
One of the biggest stories of the night is Justin Morneau extending his hitting streak to thirty games. While this isn’t uncharted territory in MLB history – surely DiMaggio's record is still feeling comfortable- it’s worth keeping an eye on to see how much further Morneau pushes his streak.
The Athletics found the plate first in the fourth. A leadoff double from Konerko turned into the only A’s run of the night when Iguchi delivered an RBI single.
Chris Snyder opened the home fifth with an opposite field double and Hank Blaylock singled. Iwamura drove Snyder in with a sac fly to left, which just missed being a homerun. Blaylock scored two batters later on a David DeJesus RBI single. Alaska score twice more in the sixth. Blaylock would single home Reynolds, who doubled two batters in front of him, and would score on a Jason Bartlett RBI single.
Jair Jurrjens, Joba Chamberlain and Pat Nesheek pitched a perfect 2.1 to secure the win for Alaska.

Box Score
OAK: 1
ALK: 4

WP: Carbone (5-0)
LP: Lowrey (2-1)

OAK- Konerko 3-4, 2B, R; Iguchi 0-4, 3K
ALK- Carbone 6.2IP, 5H, 8K, 1ER; Blaylock 2-4, RBI, R; Bartlett 2-3, RBI