A to Z League update: East Division

We're about a third of the way through the A to Z League season and our quest to determine which letter is best. We'll be taking a quick look this week at all of the teams. Today: the East Division.

MOSES LAKE: 32-23, leading the division

Pedro Martinez

Moses Lake is fourth in the A to Z League in scoring, plating 278 runs while some key players have yet to hit their strides. Second baseman Joe Morgan, counted on as an on-base spark plug at the top of the order, is hitting just .210 and has an anemic OBP of .284. Third sacker Eddie Mathews has nine homers but is hitting just .220. Johnny Mize is batting .240 with five round-trippers. Manager Connie Mack is pondering increased playing time for Edgar Martinez, Paul Molitor, and Eddie Murray. Martinez has been particularly effective, batting .359 with two homers in 39 at-bats.

Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays lead the club with 11 home runs each.

Pedro Martinez has been the ace of the staff to date. He's 7-1 and has a sparkling ERA of 2.14.

CASHMERE: 32-24, second place, 1/2 game back

Oscar Charleston

Cashmere is second in the league in team batting at .277, and are sixth in runs scored despite a lack of power. They've knocked 51 homers, and only three clubs in the league have hit fewer. Oscar Charleston has not generated the power expected so far. He has just six home runs, but is hitting .312 with an OPS of .883 and leads the club with 41 RBI. Eddie Collins is  batting .359 and Rod Carew is at .342. Ty Cobb is hitting .316 and leads the club with 41 runs scored. Manager Bobby Cox isn't planning any big changes--he's started Cobb, Charleston, and Roberto Clemente in the outfield in every game so far--though he is pondering ways to get more at-bats for Rocky Colavito, Miguel Cabrera, and Orlando Cepeda to beef up the offense a bit.

Roger Clemens has been effective on the mound; he's 5-2 with a nice 2.66 ERA. He has been out of action for a few weeks but is expected back soon. Steve Carlton is 4-5, 4.44. Aroldis Chapman has gone 7-2 with eight saves out of the bullpen.

WENATCHEE: 31-24, third place, 1 game back

Ted Williams

The W's are second in the league in runs scored with 291 and lead in batting average at .284. Ted Williams is driving those stats. The Thumper is hitting .349 and has an OPS of 1.211. He's third in average, second in slugging, first in OBP, third in homers (21), and third in RBI with 50. Honus Wagner, Bernie Williams, Lou Whitaker, Paul Waner, and Larry Walker are all having fine seasons as well.

David Wells leads the Wenatchee mound corps at 6-0, 1.75, and Early Wynn is at 4-1, 3.13. In the bullpen closer John Wetteland has saved eight games but is 1-4 with a high ERA at 5.21. Billy Wagner is 3-0 with five saves and a 1.14 ERA.

Manager Dick Williams hopes to find more playing time for speedy outfielder Willie Wilson, who is batting .344 over 900 at-bats so far.

EPHRATA: 27-28, fourth place, 5 games back

Jim Edmonds

Jim Edmonds is fifth in batting in the A to Z League at .320, and he has seven home runs and 28 RBI. Dwight Evans is tied for second in runs scored in the loop with 44 and has hit 12 homers. Darrell Evans is batting just .208, but he has 14 homers and his 41 RBI lead the club.

Lee Elia's rotation is anchored by Dock Ellis (6-3, 3.45) and Yutaka Enatsu (5-2, 3.33). Dennis Eckersley has been a stalwart out of the bullpen; his 15 saves are tied for third in the league, and his ERA is a solid 2.25.

DAVENPORT: 25-31, fifth place, 7 1/2 games back

Martin Dihigo

The D's are second in the league in homers, having swatted 76 of them, but are only tenth in scoring. Joe DiMaggio leads the way with 16 homers (sixth in the league) and has 36 RBI.

Two way player Martin Dihigo has hit 13 home runs, playing third base against right handed pitching and first against lefties. Manager Leo Durocher is reconsidering having Dihigo in the starting rotation, as he's amassed a record of just 3-7 and and ERA of 4.97.

Don Drysdale has been the club's most effective pitcher; his 2.59 ERA is sixth in the league, and he's 6-3. Closer Edwin Diaz has 13 saves but he's had his problems, with a record of 2-5 and a 6.56 ERA.

QUINCY: 19-36, sixth place, games back

Ichiro

Quincy is a three-letter team, having players whose names begin in Q, U, and I, but it hasn't helped. They're on an eight-game losing streak and have dropped 12 of their last 15 contests.

Chase Utley (.307-6-37), Ichiro (.306-0-5 and 40 runs scored), and Monte Irvin (.282-5-22) have been the club's top offensive players.

Kazuhisa Inao has been Quincy's most dependable starter. He's 5-4 with an ERA of 3.83. Dan Quisenberry has had a tough time out of the bullpen. He has five saves, but is 2-4 and his ERA is a whopping 7.50.

Quincy may have done better in another time line, before a hard drive crash caused us to lose all data and re-start the season. In that universe Hisashi Iwakuma had a perfect game and was at 3-0 and 0.54. In the present he's been battered, 1-6 and 5.02. Manager Frank Quilici hopes Kuma finds his former self.