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Season Summary
- First Half: 38-32 (.543), 1st place, 2.5 ahead
- Second Half: 35-35 (.500), 4th place, 6.5 behind
- Pitching: 73-67, 4.73, 32 saves, 893 strikeouts
- Hitting: .274, 822 runs, 147 HR, 133 steals (69% success)
- Errors: 193 (1.38 per game)
- April: 10-13 (.435)
- May: 18-10 (.643)
- June: 12-13 (.480)
- July: 15-13 (.536)
- August: 16-15 (.516)
- September: 2-3 (.400)
- Best Player on the Team: First Baseman Hee Seop Choi
- Best Starting Pitcher: Ricardo Palma (7-7, 2.94, 79 strikeouts) or Carlos Zambrano (13-7, 4.17, 98 strikeouts)
- Bullpen Stopper: Larry Dant (3-1, 12 saves, 4.97, 52 strikeouts)
- Strikeout Pitchers: none notable
- Control Pitchers: none notable
- Best Hitter: Hee Seop Choi (.321, 18 HR, 70 RBI [these are half-season numbers!])
- Home Run Leader: Corey Patterson (20)
- High Batting Average: Tydus Meadows (.301), Hee Seop Choi (.321), Corey Patterson (.320), Pete Fukuhara (.311)
- High On Base Percentage: Hee Seop Choi (.422), Tony Schrager (.421), Tydus Meadows (.400)
- High Slugging Percentage: Hee Seop Choi (.610), Tydus Meadows (.512), Tony Schrager (.492), Jeff Goldbach (.489), Corey Patterson (.592), Pete Fukuhara (.549)
- Notable Baserunners: Corey Patterson, Tony Schrager, Nate Frese, Dave Kelton
- Notable Batting Eye: Tony Schrager, Chris Dorsett
July Profile
The Lugnuts have scored 631 runs while permitting 577. They feature two of the league's best prospects in an explosive offense. The pitching could be fairly described as adequate.
First baseman Hee Seop Choi is the MWL's best hitter; Choi should be considered a Double-A player assigned to the wrong league. Center fielder Corey Patterson is the best prospect, judged by raw talent, in our league. Add second baseman Tony Schrager and outfielder Tydus Meadows into the mix, and you've got a lineup that can destroy the league's best pitchers.
The rotation features two pitchers who are throwing well (Ricardo Palma and Carlos Zambrano) and a potential star (Mike Wuertz). The bullpen's an odd mix of fine arms and poor execution.
June Profile
The Lugnuts finished the half-season with a rush to clinch the title, then slumped to end the month. The hitting is reasonably strong, but they're helped by the ballpark; the pitchers are not strong, but the ballpark magnifies their weaknesses. Lansing's team has very poor baserunners; the defense is around the league's norm.
Left fielder Tydus Meadows, a ballplayer with many strengths, is among the league's most dangerous hitters. Second baseman Tony Schrager and catcher Jeff Goldbach are surprisingly similar hitters, with power and patience at the plate among their virtues. Center fielder Corey Patterson may be our league's best raw talent, though his youth and inexperience often show; he's this team's only serious basepath threat.
Starter Ricardo Palma shows some promise, but the rest of the starters are, at best, adequate. The bullpen's a mixed and interesting bag: Mike Delano and Matt Murphy look promising after a few appearances apiece, and Leo Torres has been fairly effective. The rest of the bullpen's pretty scary.
Notable mid-season losses: None.
Also worth watching: If Korean first baseman Hee Seop Choi spoke English, the Cubs would likely move him to a higher league.
May Profile
Lansing's pitching's improved since April; though it's still sub-par it's been reasonably effective. The Lugnut offense features a pair of very good hitters and a bunch of fairly effective supporters.
Outfielder Tydus Meadows is a strong and talented hitter, and second baseman Tony Schrager's this league's best leadoff hitter, though he's not always used in that role. Shortstop Franklin German, first baseman Derrick Bly, catcher Jeff Goldbach, and third baseman Dave Kelton are all respectable hitters.
Starters Ricardo Palma and Aaron Sams are decent pitchers, and Mike Delano promises to be excellent. Only Leo Torres has pitched well from the bullpen.
April Profile
This April's Luggies featured a fairly powerful offense, unbelievably poor pitching, and so-so defense. Some of the apparent offensive prowess is a park effect, but this is a good-hitting team. The pitchers are legitimately awful, though; both wild and ineffective.
Pre-Season Profile
Manager
Oscar Acosta will be managing a professional team for the first time this summer.
Where they played last season
These comments and table are based on opening day rosters.
The Luggies received a piece of the Rockford club, about half of the Williamsport squad, and a healthy chunk of the Arizona League Cubs. We'll have to see what this adds up to.
Team League W/L Place Hitters Pitchers
(Teams)
Daytona Florida State (A+) 67-73 9(14) 0 0
Rockford Midwest (A) 71-68 7(14) 3 4
Williamsport New York-Penn (A-) 39-36 6(14) 5 6
Cubs Arizona (R) 29-26 3(8) 6 2
The Cubs don't move their players much during the season, so only a couple players are counted twice in this table. None of these players appeared above Class A last season.
First Round Draft Selection
- Corey Patterson (1998, 3rd pick)
Returning to the Midwest League
Members of last summer's Rockford team.
- Derrick Bly (135 games)
- Michael Delano (P, 5 games)
- Andrew Mallory (P, 33 games)
- Tydus Meadows (35 games)
- Elvis Polanco (P, 26 games)
- Tony Schrager (50 games)
- Tom Waligora (P, 35 games)
Oldest & Youngest Lugnuts
On opening day, the average age of the Lugnuts was 21.3 years. Follow this link for more information about MWL team ages.
- Oldest player on the team: Derrick Bly (born September 19, 1974)
- Youngest player on the team: Jeff Goldbach (born December 20, 1979)
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