Scottish Scoops: 29.022 "Flashback Aug. 13-26"

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Scottish Scoops: 29.022 "Flashback Aug. 13-26"

#1 Post by Vic »

By Hamish Campbell
The Edinburgh News

August has been kind to the Scottish Claymores.

The Scottish have gone 18-6 this month to go 26 games over .500 and climb to within 2 games of Havana and the Trans Atlantic Division lead.

In fact, the Claymores have been on such a roll that the Vegas odds makers now consider them a narrow favorite to take the division crown: 51.2 percent to Havana’s 48.8 percent. Vegas considers both teams a lock for the post season, though, ranking their chances of taking a playoff spot at 100 percent.

They also like San Juan’s odds, giving them a 67.7 percent chance of taking a wild card slot, with New Orleans rated at 22.8 and Kentucky at 7.4 percent.

What’s propelled Scotland since the All-Star Break?

While there’s no question the acquisition of relievers Sadakuno Nakagawa and Bob O’Higgins from Bakersfield shortly before the trade deadline helped steady the bullpen, offense is still the name of the game in Edinburgh.

Scotland leads all of the PEBA in scoring, with 654 runs scored as of Aug. 27. Shin Seiki with 636 and Crystal Lake are the only other teams with at least 600 runs. Scotland is scoring 5.0 runs per game, Shin Seiki 4.9, and Crystal Lake 4.6

As for pitching, the Claymores are strictly middle of the pack, ranking 7th in the Imperial League for runs allowed per game, at 3.9.

Still, it doesn’t take a math major to see that Scotland is outscoring its opposition by more than a run per game – which, so far, has translated into a healthy (.600) winning percentage.

It won’t pay for Claymores fans to get too full of themselves, though: the boys in powder blue have four games against the Leones in Cuba this coming week. And while Scotland took 2 of 3 from Havana last week, its head-to-head record is still a less-than-sterling 3-6.

Whether Scotland can prove the odds makers right and wrest the division crown from Havana this season may well come down to how they do this coming week.

Don’t touch that dial!


Top Hitter
Image

Vincent Powell, RF: .382/.410/.673, 21 H, 4 2B, 4 HRs, 13 RBIs, 1.083 OPS

Top Pitcher
Image

Clark Snow, SP: 2 GS, 2-0, 12.0 IP, 2 R, 14 Ks, 2 BBs, 1.50 ERA

News and Notes

OF José Guillén lasted all of 10 games in his rehab stint in AAA Aberdeen before tearing the meniscus in his knee and going down for the rest of the season. Doctors estimate he’ll be out 3-4 months, which likely means he’s played his last game in the Claymores’ organization. His contract is up at the end of the season, and sources say he’s asking for $20 million annually over 6 years. Given Guillén’s inability to stay healthy, the team is reluctant to commit that kind of money to him … SP Roger Keller, meanwhile, has started his own Aberdeen rehab stint, and looked good his first 2 times out: throwing 11.1 innings and allowing 0 runs and 3 hits across the two starts. He also notched 12 Ks and just 1 BB. Claymores brass are hopeful he can return for at least part of the September stretch run and, likely, work out of the bullpen.

IL Trans Atlantic Division Standings
As of the morning of Aug. 27, 2029

|Team...........|W | L | W % |GB |RD |
|Havana|.......|81|51|.614| -- |+122|
|Scotland|.....|78|52|.600| 2.0 |+145|
|San Juan......|71|61|.538| 10.0|+20|
|Amsterdam..|65|67|.492|16.0|-23|
|London........|62|68|.477|18.0|-20|

IL Wild Card Standings
As of the morning of Aug. 27, 2029

|Team...........|W | L | W % |GB |
|Scotland|.....|78|52|.600|+8.0|
|San Juan|.....|71|61|.581| ---|
|New Orleans|68|64|.515| 3.0|
|Kentucky......|65|65|.500| 5.0|
|Amsterdam..|65|67|.492| 6.0|
|Hartford.......|63|68|.481 |7.5|
|London........|62|68|.477| 8.0|
|Arlington.....|62|68|.477| 8.0|
|Charleston...|60|70|.462|10.0|

Fresh From the Farm

AAA Aberdeen went 8-5 over the last two weeks to raise its record to 67-67, good for 2nd place in the AML Europe and Islands Division. The Golden Sands are in a three-way tie with Santo Domingo and Camaguey, just 2 games behind division leading Eindhoven with 6 games left to play … CF Orlando Rúbio was hot last week, going 10-21 in his last 5 games. He hit .476 with 1 HR and 4 RBIs … AA Inverness went 6-7 in the past two weeks, bringing its record to 75-58 on the year. The Highlanders are in 3rd Place in the ATAL Euro-Caribbean Division, 5.5 games behind division leading Port-au-Prince. Inverness, however, has a 1.5 game lead over Beaufort in the race for the 2nd wild card spot, with just 6 games left in the AA season … Single-A affiliate Govan went 7-7 over the last two weeks, brining its record to 55-66 in the AWL Intercontinental Division. The Shipbuilders are 25 games behind Kingston and have been eliminated from the post-season … RP Julián Cabrera has been pitching well as the season winds down, with a 0.53 ERA and 17 IP over his last 10 appearances … Short-Season A affiliate Maui was a scorching 10-2 over the last two weeks, raising its record to 37-29 in the HL Arhipelago Division. The Mahi-Mahi are 16 games behind division leading Kauai with 4 weeks left in the season … CF Tony Barrón has been playing well of late, going 11-27 in his last 7 games. That translates to a .407 BA with 1 HR and 5 RBIs.
Last edited by Vic on Sun Oct 27, 2019 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Vic Caleca
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Re: Scottish Scoops: 29.022 "Flashback Aug. 13-26"

#2 Post by Lions »

No comment on Guillen's historic 4 home run game during his rehab stint? I guess the injury makes it a relatively uninteresting event from the major league perspective.

Snow's really turned it on since a lousy start on July 4th. Since then, he's got a 1.53 ERA and a record of 7-1.
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Re: Scottish Scoops: 29.022 "Flashback Aug. 13-26"

#3 Post by Vic »

Working on a separate Guillen piece ... the triumph and tragedy, so to speak ...
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