Trade & Hitters Anonymous.

The Bruins are doing what they have the first three years, and are treating the BSA Trade Market as a free agent market, wheeling and dealing –this year, trying to overcome a semi-slow start, the division leading Mentalists and Wild Card leaders (Baffin Island and Orlando) all the while Boston and the Empire seem already impossible to catch.

News came out of Los Angeles that the team had traded for Tyler Law (who posted a career best 3.00 ERA last season, while heading the top of the rotation for the Liberals who finished 3 games behind the Bruins). Law will be slated as the #5 starter in Los Angeles, who is trying to shore up the teams rotation.

While the Bruins dealt for Earl Harper (Jekyl/Hyde) in the off-season, the team has added #4 SP, Jesus Moran who has tons of upside and has pitched decent enough since coming over from Reno a few weeks back.

The real question again, is the Bruins offense. With injuries to the middle infield (star SS Jong-Min Kim out 3 weeks, and 2B Matt Roberts out a month-possibly more) the team has turned to August Pena to step in at short and fill in for the time being.

While Pena was a star last year for the Bruins, finishing with 65 steals the Bruins leadoff man hasn’t been able to get on base at a good clip and has really been one of the major problems with the Bruins offense this season, as Pena posts a .222 average currently.

Rest would be fantastic, some time to try and catch his breath but Augusto knows that’s not an option at the moment ,” We have injuries. But who doesn’t, “ said Augusto while talking to reporters before the game, “ I need to go back to doing what I did last year, and do the best I can to get back on track. Coop Troop has been killing it lately, and Coach has indicated to me that I will be batting ninth versus LHP for the time being. I’m okay with that. “

A team player atleast, as morale is still great.

If the team doesn’t start hitting, and soon –GM Brouillette has indicated changes may need to be made, “ Juan Marroquin knows the reality of the situation, “ he pushed, “ We may not have the most profilic lineup in the league, but we have a superstars at a few positions and the truth of the matter is they just aren’t producing. Augusto, Woody, Coop, Enrique, and now Sammy –coupled with great OBP guys like Jong-min, Matty… they know how to get on base and score runs. No more excuses will be made. “

Rumor has it Marroquin has until the end of the month.

A Triiiip 2 Jersaeh

While my blogs may not be classy enough and well enough written to satisfy the hunger of some, the thought process has always been for me to tell everyone what I was thinking at that time, rather than stats.

That being said, the Bruins trip to Jersey should be interesting.

The D'Bags are the other leagues top team in our opinion, and the D'Bags are 11-1 at home. Uphill battle this sim for sure (Maui next, is no joke and will be a good test).

The Bruins toss out Bolden & Parsons (the teams co-aces) followed by Harper whose off to his usual hot start.

Manager Brad Anderson has released the Bruins lineup for the series.

Cf, Pena 19D
3b, Garner 17D
Rf, Newell 13D, 20Arm
Lf, Sagar 8D
Dh, Jarmillo
C, Maestas 17D
Ss, Kim 15D
1b, Kelly 18D
2b, Roberts 15D

The Bruins playing Sagar in left may be short lived, but the OFs huge bat is why he was acquired and GM Brouillette was willing to give/to get.

All in all, this will be a great test early on for the Bruins as they chase their 4th division title in as many years.

Wheel'n & Deal'n

The Bruins have landed OF Sam(meh) Sagar to slide into the lineup but rumors are circulating that the Bruins acquired Sagar to move him in another deal that would net the Bruins a legit first baseman.

Other reports and saying that isn't the case, and the Bruins are excited to start Sagar for the season in left field.

We'll see.

The Bruins have been the most active team in BSA history (in regards to trades) but also admittingly started to panic when the Squids jumped out to a 5 game lead in the first month. The Bruins haven't been hitting the ball at all, causing Bruins fans to throw their hands up in outrage.

They were 12th last year. 14th now.

The Bruins don't lack for offensive weapons.

Augusto Pena, Cooper Newell, Enrique Jarmillo, Woody Garner, and Jong-Min Kim (as well as former Bruin, and #2 pick Julian Harle) are having career worst years, all of which are 28 or under (save, EJ just at 29) and are all just hitting their prime.

" Must be the home park." suggest fans, and rival GM's alike but that can't be the only case. Up until the last sim the Bruins had played more games on the road, and are heading to Jersey this week which is a hitters paradise.

If the Bruins don't hit, more changes are likely to come.

FU Blogspot Post,... the backdated greatness.

The Los Angeles Bruins currently trail Sacramento by three games, and sit at 11-6. While the Bruins have been playing pretty good baseball, the Mentalists have been crushing people.

CRUSHING.

Manager Brad Anderson knows the game however, after the Bruins jumped out to an early divisional lead last year only to  play a game of cat and mouse with Sacramento through-out the entire season until the Bruins went all Jennifer Lawerence as Mystique (hot fellas, hot) and finished up the final month going 21-6… I think.

“ The new GM in town is shaking things up, “ said Bruins leader Brad Anderson, “ I mean. He’s got all the players you’d like with a strong staff. His bullpen is pitching lights out! “ exclaimed Brad Anderson, a jab at his own teams bullpen.

The Bruins as reported by another GM, had given up 26 runs in the previous sixth games in innings 7-9.  Before the last sim, the Bruins went 2-3 blowing all three games in late innings.

“ That just isn’t us, “ said Brad Anderson to his point, “ Our bullpen was #2 in 2012, #2 in 2011, and #2 in 2010. 12th is not where we intend to be. “

“ Of we will be active, “ said Bruins GM Mike Brouillette with a smile, “ When aren’t we active? Win or go home. “

The Bruins have been active the previous three years, and were rumored to have been working on a deal to acquire a new #4 starting pitcher, but the price of CF Pena, SS Kim, SP Ramos (whose having a great start himself, ERA under 1) and star pitching prospect Michael Hoffmeyer was a godfather like offer that the Bruins could never see themselves making.

GM Brouillete always likes the arms, but his focus really should be on the bats.

The teams two leaders in the spring, the A-Lister Cooper Newell and the man who went balls deep 41x last season and 8 in the Spring (coupled with Newell’s 9 in spring) have really been playing horribly.

Newell found himself listed #2 on OSA’s top player list only to go up and down like a pogo stick this month. It happens with all the fluxuation in the league’s play but he must step it up if the Bruins are to have a legit shot at catching up/holding off Sacramento and making any noise in the postseason this year.

Outfielder Alexander Head came off the disabled list last sim and tore it up to a .365 average finding himself amongst the Bruins top 3 from the lastest sim in regardles to performers.

CF Pena’s off to a slot start, huge acqusition in Carl Crow is off to a slower star, and former #1 and #2 overall picks in the innagural draft C Julian Harle and SS Jong-min Kim are off to even worse starts.

“ That’s the beauty about baseball, “ remarked manager Brad Anderson, “ these guys aren’t going to hit sub-.200 the entire season. Things will even themselves out. “

Brad Anderson has his team focused on their trip to the slums of the BSA this sim anyways, as the team travels to Hendersonville.

Little do the Hitmen know, MLDS star Lee Brouthers has been resigned to a contract by the club, and Brouthers himself (who was acquired for OF Adrien Lewis whose actually leading the league in RBIs at the moment) will be in the starting lineup for all three games versus the Hitmen after not playing a single game since the last out of game six versus the eventual champion Rebels.

Hill, Bamber, and Ellis. The three headed monster will take on Harper, Bolden and Parsons which is sure to be the most highly anticipated games of the early season, pitching-wise atleast.

And what a match-up in game one.

There is no discussion whose the better pitcher. The 3x-KING OF THE HILL/Cy Young award winner, Scott ‘The Franchise’ Hill is already on pace to compete for his fourth straight trophy and in a contract year no less.

Earl ‘Knucklehead’ Harper

G-3, GS-3, REC-1-0, SV-0, ERA-0.82, IP-22, HA17, HR1, BB5, K30, WHIP-1.00

Scott Hill

4G, 4GS, REC-3-0, SV-0, ERA-0.87, IP-31.0, HA-19, HR-1, BB-3, K-31, WHIP-0.83

The match-up should be interesting, and while Scott Hill has only pitched at home against (and away vs) New Orleans twice, Jacksonville, and Orlando,… the Bruins starter Earl Harper has seen Quebec, as as well as offensive powerhours in El Paso and Boston.

So while Mr. Hill will have a start versus the team with the 14th worst offense in the league, Mr. Harper will hopefully do what he’s done for most of the early parts of the season. Come up big versus good teams.

The game if all signs are really indicators of the season thus far, should be a tremendous pitching match-up with Bolden/Bamber and Parsons/Ellis being fantastic as well.

But that of course, is a jinx.

The Bruins finish off a 3-game series with the Frenzy, before taking on the Hitmen (and try to avoid losing their second series) of the season.

Humpf, 11-6 isn’t bad but could be better, or much worse the way the Bruins bullpen has been playing.

The fear of the reverse jinx will keep us right here.

GM Brouillette's son, Cohen Michael ready for the season,...

Bruins. Beast. Mode.

(red, no blue marker).

A meh, 2-1 start...

The Los Angeles Bruins start the season 2-1, while the elite teams within the league the team is sure to be chasing went 4-1 and 5-0. That would be the defending champs and the Hitmen.

The Bruins offense ranks only ahead of Quebec in hitting, and finds itself with the #2 team ERA,... #1 in bullpen and #5 amongst the starters which would have been higher if not for Bolden's shit he layed at home on opening day versus the Diablos.

The Bruins finish off with Quebec and head down south to face the Diablos whom the team took 17 of 19 from last season, and while the Diablos have improved much since last season the feeling GM Mike Brouillette has about the teams ability to beat the Diablos during the 2013 theses bleak at best.

" Just a bad feeling. That's all. " he was quoted in the Times.

Regardless, it's 3 of 162, and I'm doing what super fans do... blow shit way out of proportions. When push comes to shove however, the team expects to find itself in many games.

Harper who got lit up during the spring, went 8.1ip, 2h, 1bb, and 16k's... a new record.

That's all for now.

2013 Season Preview

2013.

A new year, a new hope.

The Los Angeles Bruins start the season at home for the first time in four years hosting the El Paso where the team is sure to face ex-Bruin ace Ethan Pickup and Quebec which will probally see Reginald Krause, an ex-Mentalist who owned the Bruins last season.

Talk about your opening week storylines.

Much like a Hollywood film, the Bruins 2012 season started strong then the team came into injuries/hit a spur, sending the Sacramento Mentalists towards the top of the division from May-August. The Bruins with the help of mid-season acqusition Harvey Phillips (who the Bruins resigned to a 3yr 6m per contract before the season ended) and 3B Woody Garner (who was signed by GM Mike Brouillettes crush Bosma of the 84’s – Garner, also hit .355 for LA in two months), found their stride and ended up winning the division after losing only six games in the month.

The Bruins have some new faces this year as well, with former 2010 champion Hitmen UTL Matt Roberts and the long coveted 1B Carl Crow as well as 2011 champions Auriello Ramos, Arturo Ruiz and Alexander Head (with Ruiz/Head both coming over from Niagra Falls).

“ The Bruins love talent, but we value winners. We value players who know how to win and have been there before. “ commented GM Brouillette, “ So, we got winners. We got guys who know how to win. We got guys who have been there before. “

Matt Roberts had a career year in New Yorks super friendly hitting park, though posted a third straight season with a above average OBP and is a wiz with the glove 3-6. He should will in nicely off the bench.

Crow had a career year at 28 (which is something to be said as the 1B/DH has averaged around 290/27/95 rbis) for his career. Slated to hit clean-up.

Auriello Ramos had a career worst year, however performed very well in the spring starting three games – pitching two shutouts and getting shalacked by Boston (but let’s face it, the Rebels shalack everyone).

Ruiz had an average season out of the pen, but is only going to be asked to be the Bruins 7th option out of the bullpen so no worries here. His high velocity/gbp-fb ratio and the Bruins park should improve his stats some.

Alexander Head is a career .315+hitter, though is only average on defense and is on the DL. OF Hamilton the Bruins signed as the 25th man has performed well in the spring hitting just below .300 with 4 homers.

The Bruins will slide into the seasons are more than likely the favorites to repeat in the Western Division, and we have just gotten the list from Brad Anderson as to the rundown of his squad.

PITCHING STAFF

-------------------------

Starting Rotation

SP1. Ricky Bolden, The Bruins $85M man, paid off last year. 28 years old

SP2. Declan Parsons, Mr. Consistency on the mound, 25 years old

SP3. Earl Harper, Jekyl/Hyde-Can’t get out of the 4th faces 12 and K’s 8, 27 years old

SP4. Harvey Phillips, Fantsatic down the stretch, big plus for the rotation 29 years old

SP5. Auriello Ramos, Was good in spring, Hoffmeyer appears ready if he slips, 30 years old
(It’s also worth noting, SP Michael Hoffmeyer dominanted while not utilizing LA’s spacious park during ST. Maybe all the fallen through deals is a good thing. Looks to be a piece for LA now. 23 years old, 4 ½*P)

Bullpen

MR1. Jose Murillo, Huge arm could close-wants too, 29 years old

MR2. Evan Brown, Huge arm could close-wants too, 27 years old

MR3. Floyd Faulkner The lefty is poised for a huge season, also huge arm, 26 years old

MR4. Arturo Ruiz, Solid/not a closer pitched well for NFF pitchers park should help, 31 years old

SU1. Domingo Ruiz, Huge arm could close-wants too; new heir-apparently to Morales 25 years old

SU2. Joe Brooks, Low 3era first two years in LA as starter-under 1.80as a SU/spot starter last year, 35 years old

CL. Juan ‘Better than that Martin Griffin guy’ Morales, 2nd best closer since league creation behind that dude from HEN-#1/2 in saves first three, 33 years old

EVERYDAY LINEUP when HEALTHY
------------------------
cf, Augusto Pena – 65 steals, the go-go-go in the Bruins offense, A+++ defense at every single position besides catcher, 27 years old

3b, Woody Garner – Hit .355 for LA after the mid-season trade, 24 years old

rf, Cooper Newell – Star in the making, hit 9hrs in Spring. 2011 TL MVP, 25 years old

1b, Carl Crow – Mr. Consistantcy with the bat, 29 years old

dh, Enrique Jarmillo – Balls deep 41hrs last year, 29 years old

c, Julian Harle – Best ‘hitting’ catcher in the league not named Danny Kelly/2009 MVP,… before start , 28 years old(Junchi Choi vs LHP sparringly, high OBP guy. Only 25, improved every single year)

lf, Alexander Head – Avg/OBP super underrated, 27years old

ss, Jong-min Kim - #1 SS in the league according to OSA with great OBP, 25 years old

2b, Matt Roberts (Jose Nunez vs LHP) – suprisingly great OBP wiz with glove, 25years old/A great veteran bat, the best #9 hitter in the league if he plays to form

Who am I kidding though really.

Again, I’m being super optomistic as nobody in my park EVER hits, I’m sure to be bottom 5 again in the leagues offense, but new season = new form of optomisim! Thus, the Bruins are again in World Series or Bust mode.

Reverse Jinx, fear not.