Another night drinking with the scouts at the Barleymoe

            Tonight Elijah is joined by Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo and Jack Daniels

Elijah: Well fellas if you read the  email you know that tonight I want to discuss the 2 American League teams and 3 National League teams doing much better than last year.

Jack: I didn't read the email. What teams are we talking about.

Elijah: In the American League it's Colorado and Burlington. In the American League its San Juan, Augusta and Albuquerque.

Jim: Can we start with Burlington?

Elijah: Sure, why not. Did you think I wanted you to do in alphabetical order?

Jim: Burlington's improvement has all been with the bats. The pitching is getting the same good results. In season 52 they allowed 3.56 per game. That hasn't changed much; it's 3.41 runs this season. The Blue hens are scoring 1.31 more runs per game this year.

Jose: They have a new catcher, third baseman and right fielder this year and they are making a difference.

Jack: I disagree Jose, returning players Emilio Jose and Emil Vazquez are leading that offense. Both these players have seen their OPS rise by about 100 points this season.

Jose: So your point is that the star players in Burlington are shining bright this season?

Jack: Thanks Jose, I couldn't have said it any better.

Jim: Jose and Vazquez are both under 25. That shining may last a long time.

Elijah: Can we cover the improvement in Colorado? Looks to me like the Stickman has rebuilt this pretty quick.

Jack: We should be used to that by now.

Jim: Colorado has improved both on the rubber and at the plate, though the hitting has been better than the  pitching; what you would expect in that ballpark.

Jose: Who would have thought at age 34 Bill Sullivan would be having a career year.

Jack: That guy is amazing. For his career he is .260 hitter with a .400 on base percentage.

Jose: He's third all time in Colorado for walks. He has 1045 walks in his career.

Jack: James Kwon is all time League leader in walks with 1595.

Jim: I guess if he plays until he's 40 we can all forget about James Kwon because Sullivan will have the record.

Jose: Another guy having a career year is Irving Astacio. He has raise this OPS 100 points this season.

Jack: The Stickman also brought back Stolmy Castro. Castro has been in the majors since season 39 and this is his second tour in Colorado.

Elijah: It is getting late. Can we start on the National league.

Jim: Two of the teams were really bad last season. Augusta and Albuquerque have a long way to go if they want to make the playoffs. 

Jack: Foreigner82 took over that mess in Augusta and he's already turning things around. Shortstop AJ Morris is 27 and is having a fine season. Tony Funaki and Albert James have also turned it around this season.

Jose: The problem in Augusta is the pitching. At least it's old pitching.

Jack: What is good about having old pitching?

Jose: The team knows that they need to replace these guys. What is frustrating is a team that counts on young pitching and they never fully develop. Foreigner82 sees what is in front of him, what needs to change.

Jim: Albuquerque is another story. they are the second youngest team in the National league. Rule 5 draftee, Otto Gibbons, has settled in as the centerfielder of the future.

Elijah: And that leaves you fellas to talk about San Juan.

Jose: mike1184 is in tough division. His run production is up about a run per game. Hitting coach Johnny Vasquez is really getting good at bats from every player.

Jack: Arthur McPherson and Miguel Gomez, both in their second year in the majors, seemed to have blossomed into major league hitters.

Jim: The two of them and catcher Watty Quackenbush with veteran Jamie Wang gives the Expos a potent offense.

Elijah: Call the uber. It is time to call it a night.