OEL ignores Leveemen

CAIRO, Ill. -- While fans and management alike agree Cairo's inaugural season has been nothing to celebrate thus far, both also believe the total snubbing of the Leveemen from the OEL Platonic League All-Star roster is undeserved.

"I realize I'm in last place in the league, but this is ridiculous," General Manager Jones said. "Not only did every other team send a player to the yet-to-be-determined-if-there-actually-is-an-All Star Game, every other team -- including Helena with one more loss than me -- sends TWO!"

Jones admits he had few opportunities to crack the possibly-of-no-consequece-roster, but he was surprised by the committee's failure to select either starter Chad Gomez or leftfielder Osvaldo Acevedo.

Acevedo, a 15th round pick and Cairo's leadoff man, has had a standout year so far. Over 70 games he has amassed 83 hits, including seven triples to lead the league. His .314 average is good enough for ninth in the Platonic league, and he's in the top ten for Runs Created and RC/27 Outs. Acevedo's speed on the basepaths, while not enough to bring the Leveemen up out of the cellar, has been good enough to earn him tops on the purloined base list, with 30.

What likely kept Acevedo from heading to wherever it is that the All-Star game will be played, if indeed it is ever played, were his eight errors in left field. The six outfielders selected for the Platonic team in the perhaps-phantom game have combined for six errors so far.

Gomez, the first Leveeman selected in the 2001 draft, has demonstrated his worth as well. In 16 games, the starter has earned seven decisions, four wins and three losses, and is tied for first in the league with 11 quality starts. Over those 16 games, he has pitched 105 innings (tied for second in the Platonic League), an average of nearly six and two-thirds. Fourth in the league with 88 strikeouts, Gomez also displays his efficiency with top standing in the league in both runners per nine innings pitched, with 9.86, and WHIP, with 1.08.

Gomez' low decision rate is possibly what kept him out of the game that may or may not be played. Each of the other Platonic League starters amassed at least six wins, though two of them had a .500 record -- below Gomez' .571 rate.