Mid-season trade update

Beefers

With the second half just around the corner, the trade market has been active. Here’s a summary of two deals that were announced June 23:

Eric Hosmer has returned to the Beefers for the second time in two seasons.


The Beefers send LF Alex Gordon to the Devils in exchange for 1b Eric Hosmer.

For both Gordon and Hosmer, it’s the second time in two seasons that they have been shuttled between the Devils and Beefs. On Nov. 19, 2016, The Beefs traded C James McCann to the Devils for Gordon. In 2016, the Beefs obtained Hosmer in a mid-season swap (and then cut him at the end of the season).

The Road Warriors deal P Rich Hill and OF Joc Pederson to the Taz Devils for P Noah Syndergaard and OF Lorenzo Cain.

Lorenzo Cain has been traded three times this year. Cain is now back with the Road Warriors.

For Lorenzo Cain, obtained by the Roadies earlier in the, it’s the third time than Cain has been involved in a trade in over a year. On January 3, Cain was traded by the Devils to the Beefers for reliever Mike Montgomery. The Beefers then turned around and, three days later, traded Cain, along with P Jason Hammel, back to the Devils for CF Curtis Granderson and reliever Jerry Blevins.

Otters pound Taz Devils 15-2 to win first half title: Furry Ones belt seven HRs in lopsided playoff tilt

Beefers

With the first half pennant on the line, the Otters offense made quick work of the Devils in a one-game playoff.  Both teams ended the first half tied at 25-15, with the Devils playing at home by virtue of the better record in head-to-head competition.

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Manny Machado (L) and Daniel Murphy (right) both hit a pair of home runs as the Otters buried the Taz Devils 15-2 to capture the first half crown in OAPBA.

Chris Sale started for the Taz Devils and Jose Fernandez, the only starter on the Otters roster for the playoff game, took the ball for the Otters

As playoff games went, this one was over early. The Otters started with a hit from  Stephen Piscotty and a home run from Daniel Murphy. After Trout and Brian Dozier singled Freddie Freeman launched a three run blast to give the Otters a 5-0 lead before the Tazzies had a chance to come to the plate. (The Devils had scored 6 runs in the first two innings of the first game in their recent series.)
The Devils got a walk from lead off hitter Paul Goldschmidt and a single from Mookie Betts. Josh Donaldson then lifted a deep fly allowing the runner to score. But Fernandez limited the damage to one run.
Daniel Murphy followed up his first inning HR with a double to lead off the 2nd inning. After a single and a HBP to Freeman loading the bases, Manny Machado cleared the bases with a grand slam. With the Otters up 9-1, the game was turned over the the Devil’s bullpen.
Jose Fernandez managed to stay out of too much trouble, taking the game through 8 innings. Ryan Braun launched a homer in the seventh.  The Otter batters zeroed in on Dylan Betances and Andrew Miller with Brian Dozier, Mike Trout, Murphy and Machado all going deep against the Devils relievers..
Otters     15-16-0
Devils      2-5-2
WP – Jose Fernandez. LP – Chris Sale
HR – Taz Devils: Ryan Braun; Otters: Manny Machado 2, Daniel Murphy 2, Freddie Freeman, Mike Trout, Brian Dozier.
The victory gives the first half title to the Otters. The 2nd half is ready to commence after a three day break when trades are allowed.

Sun., June 18 Otters fall game short of clinching; first half race headed to one-game playoff

Beefers
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Jonathan Stilwell’s Otters scored in double figures in their three wins against the Whats, but fell a game short of clinching the first half. The Otters will travel to the Devil Dome for a one-game playoff that will decide the first half champ in OAPBA.

With the first half pennant on the line, the first-place Otters traveled to Whoville to take on the Whatevers in a crucial series for the visitors. Needing four wins to clinch the first half, the Otters fell a game short of clinching the pennant, losing two games to send the first half pennant race into a one-game playoff between the Otters and Taz Devils, both tied with identical 25-15 records. The Whatevers finished the first half in third place with an 18-22 record.

Game 1

Brian Dozier goes deep twice including a grand slam to give the Otters a 10-1 win. Mike Trout added a two run shot as well and Stephen Strasburg went six strong innings for the victory.
Otters  10-14-0 W-Strasburg  HR: Trout, Dozier 2 (GS)
Whats 1-7-0 L-Salazar

Game 2

Nori Aoki’s walk off single in their 13th gives the Whatever’s a 2-1 win. Frankie Lindor smacks a solo homer off Jake Odorizzi in the third for a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 7th Christian Yelich goes long off Carlos Carrasco to tie it at one. Both bullpens would be very stingy after that until the 13th. A one out double to Joey Votto followed by walks to Miguel Cabrera and Kyle Seager set the game winner for Aoki.
Otters 1-9-3 L-Treinin  HR: Yelich
Whats 2-8-0 W-Baez HR: Lindor

Game 3

The Otters pound out 20 hits and cruise to a 14-2 win. Trout was 4-6 with a double, homer, and four rbi’s. Manny Machado added a three run blast to add some fun to the score. Jacob deGrom was the beneficiary going 7 in the win. Wilson Ramos broke up the shutout in the seventh with a two run shot.
Otters 14-20-0 W-deGrom  HR: Trout, Machado
Whats 2-5-3 L-Lester  HR: Ramos

Game 4

Giancarlo Stanton knocked in a couple with a home run and a single and Carlos Martinez was able to quiet the Otters in a 5-2 win. Stanton drove in a run in third and later added a solo homer and Wilson Ramos added a RBI single and double. The Otters runs came on solo homers by Sal Perez and Danny Murphy.
Otters 2-6-0 L-Roark  HR: Perez, Murphy
Whats 5-6-1 W-Carlos Martinez  HR: Stanton

Game 5

The Otters needed to win this one to force a one game playoff with the Devils. The visitors were relentless scoring two runs in each of the first four innings and cruised to a 12-5 win. Every starter except Eric Estrada had a hit with the only homer by Freddie Freeman. Adam Wainwright was shellacked for those first eight runs but scored the first What’s run after a lead off double.
Otters  12-15-2 W-Estrada  HR: Freeman
Whats 5-10-2 L-Wainwright