A to Z League Labor Day Update: Coast Division

It's Labor Day in the A to Z League and the 22 clubs all have just 35 games remaining on their regular-season schedules. Clear leaders have emerged in two of the divisions with a month left to play. Two others remain close. This week we'll look at each. Today: the Coast Division.

A week ago the Coast was a tight, three-team race with Aberdeen and Hoquiam tied at the top and Jefferson County hanging in there at four games out. Aberdeen made a huge jump this week. The A's swept a four-game series at Goldendale, went 5-2 for the week and have won seven of their last 10. Meanwhile Hoquiam has lost six in a row, including a four-game sweep at the hands of Pasco, and dropped four games behind the division leaders. Jefferson County also stumbled to a 1-6 record for the week and has lost six of its last seven, dropping to eight games behind the pace being set by Aberdeen.

ABERDEEN: 73-60, leading the division

Pete Alexander leads
the league with 16 wins.

Aberdeen has a solid enough offense, with their 617 runs scored ranking seventh in the A to Z League. But it's the pitching that has really carried them; their 3.54 club ERA is second in the league. And the guy who  has carried the pitching staff is Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander. Old Pete is 16-1 on the season and boasts a 2.82 ERA, fourth best in the league. Ted Abernathy is 13-3 out of the bullpen, so between them Abernathy and Alexander are 25 games above .500. With a lock-down bullpen the A's might be running off with the division. Rick Aguilera leads the league in saves with 38, but he's blown eight save opportunities and his record is 3-11.

Manager Sparky Anderson is considering calling up Jake Arrieta to bolster the rotation for the stretch run. Arrieta made eight solid starts because of early-season injuries and went 2-2 and 2.45. Most likely to go would be Doyle Alexander, who is 5-7 and 4.63.

Aberdeen will play three games at home against Pasco to open the week followed by four games on the road at Kelso.

HOQUIAM: 69-64, second in the division, 4 games back

Tim Hudson

Roy Halladay was nearly unbeatable in his first 13 starts, racing out to a record of 8-2. But he's 3-8 in his last 13 outings and his record has fallen to 12-11, and his ERA is 3.55.

Tim Hudson has pitched well for the H's--when he's been healthy. When he's been able to go he's notched an 8-5 record and his ERA is 2.83, but he's on the injured list for the second time this season, though he may be ready to re-join the rotation by the end of the week. Carl Hubbell, Catfish Hunter, and Felix Hernandez have all pitched to ERAs above 4.00. One to four of them need to get hot to keep Hoquiam in the race.

Rogers Hornsby has been the driving force for the Hoquiam offense, leading the club in batting, OBP, slugging, doubles, triples, home runs, and RBI out of the two-hole. Rickey Henderson has had some struggles out of the leadoff spot. He's batting only .228, but he's drawn 88 walks and leads the club with 87 runs scored.

Hoquiam opens the week with four games and home against Vancouver, then travels to Yakima for four against the Z's.

JEFFERSON COUNTY: 65-68, third place, 8 games back

Fergie Jenkins

Pre-season pundits had some raves about Jefferson County's chances, noting that the 1-2 punch of Walter Johnson and Randy Johnson could be formidable. It hasn't worked out that way for Johnson & Johnson. The Big Unit has pitched OK, though he has a losing record at 9-10, but has a 3.14 ERA and has stuck out 211 batters--second in the league--in 183.2 innings. The Big Train is 9-9 and 3.92. Fergie Jenkins has been the staff stalwart, going 14-10 and 3.70.

The Jays offense hasn't been great, either. They're 14th in the loop in runs scored, though the table is set well. Derek Jeter is fifth in the league in batting at .324, and tenth in OBP at .378, and he has 16 homers, 10 triples, and 20 stolen bases. Despite slugging from Chipper, Reggie, and Andruw, the runs just aren't there. Manager Hughie Jennings is considering a new mix at first base. Dave Justice has been getting most of the work there and has 19 home runs and 57 RBI but is hitting just .202.

Jefferson County opens the week with three games at home against Yakima, then travels to Bainbridge Island for four against the Puget Division-leading Bees.

FORKS: 64-69, fourth place, 9 games back

Chuck Finley

Forks is hanging in there, having won six of its last nine, but a nine-game deficit with just 35 left to play is a mighty big hill to climb.

On a pitching staff with Whitey Ford and Bob Feller, the staff ace has been Willie Foster, who is 11-4, 3.20 in 21 starts. Ford has a .500 record, 11-11, and a decent enough ERA at 3.62. Feller, just off the injured list, is 7-11 and 4.30. Chuck Finley has been a bit of a bright spot  of late. Called up when Feller was hurt, he went 1-1 in three starts but impressed with a 1.96 ERA. Manager Rube Foster farmed out Wes Ferrell (7-11, 3.77) when Feller was activated, opting to give Finley more turns in the rotation.

Forks opens the week with three games at home against Pasco and then plays four at Vancouver.

OCEAN SHORES: 55-78, fifth place, 18 games back

David Ortiz. Outfielder?

Ocean Shores snapped a seven-game losing streak with a win Sunday at home against North Bend, but they've lost 10 of their last 12 and are mired in fifth place. They're 16th in the league in scoring and are 19th in runs allowed, and that's not a good combination.

Player/manager Steve O'Neill has tried to get a little more offense by putting David Ortiz in left field and playing Sadaharu Oh at first. He figures neither can really play outfield, but Oh is a solid glove man at first. So far it hasn't been a disaster, and the hecklers out in the bleachers are enjoying the spectacle of Ortiz chasing fly balls immensely.

O'Neill especially needs better production from his middle infielders, but the best players on his reserve roster are outfielders and corner men such as John Olerud, Buck O'Neil, and Amos Otis. Some of those guys may get the call with the O's so for out of the race.

The O's open their week with three against North Bend at home, then head to Renton for four against the R's.

LONG BEACH: 54-79, sixth place, 19 games back

Mickey Lolich

Long Beach has lost nine of its last 12 games. They're in the middle of the pack in the league in runs scored, but their pitching is the worst in the league, with a team ERA of 4.42.

Think where they'd be without Mickey Lolich. The southpaw was called up for a spot start against Aberdeen August 3 and beat the division leaders 7-3. One good start gets you another from Tony LaRussa, and Lolich has been solid, 5-1 and 2.82 in seven starts, including one shutout, a three-hitter against Quincy, and three complete games. LaRussa burned 20 starts on Dutch Leonard (4-10, 5.10).

It also stings a little when a pitcher might be the best hitter on your team. Bob Lemon is hitting .296 and has four doubles and three homers in 71 at-bats. His OPS is .786. Greg Luzinski (.930) and Buck Leonard (.876) are the top OPS guys on the club.

Long Beach has three games to open the week at home against Bainbridge Island, then four at North Bend.