1997 CFCL News Flash Archive
Copperfields 1997 CFCL Champs! 9/28/97
The Copperfields scored the first "Perfect 40" in CFCL history and set a new CFCL record for total points (74) en route to their 8th CFCL Championship. The team finished first in each of the pitching categories and combined that with 34 points in the offensive categories to end the season 8 points ahead of the 2nd place Ruffins.
The race was tighter than the point spread would indicate, with the Coppers only pulling away in the season’s final weeks. Da Paul Meisters were able to hang on to third place, finishing just 2 points ahead of Dem Rebels, while the Six Packs beat the Lambchops, ForGoetz Me Nots, and DoorMatts to 5th place and the 1st Round Rotation Draft Pick in 1998. Last place was a battle between Welsch’s FlatFeet and the expansion Big Dogs, with the Dogs finishing just ahead of the Feet –this despite the fact that the Dogs did not make a roster move after the All-Star Break and played much of the season with two retired players (Terry Pendleton and Danny Jackson) on their Active Roster.
The Copperfields will find it tough to repeat in 1998, having lost Ellis Burks, Delino Deshields, Denny Neagle, Tom Glavine, and Mark Wohlers to free agency at the end of the season.
Click here to see the final 1997 standings at TQS.
Coppers Trade Greene to Rebels 11/27/97
Blessed with Willie Greene, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Vinnie Castilla, who all play 3B, plus minor leaguer Paul Konerko, who’s knocking at the door, the Copperfields had to do something. Rather than exposing one of the above to the expansion draft, the Coppers dealt Greene to Dem Rebels for pitchers Rick Reed and Dustin Hermanson. Also swapped in the deal were six Rotation Draft picks, with the Copperfields essentially moving up in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th rounds.
The Copperfield pitching staff, reeling from the off-season losses of Pedro Martinez and Roberto Hernandez, used the deal to restock with a couple inexpensive starters; while the Rebels are glad to have Greene to replace the productive Ken Caminiti, who became a free agent after the ’97 season.
Ball Busters and Slackers Join CFCL 12/13/97
The CFCL added the 24th and 25th franchises in their history when Steve's Slackers and Brian's Ball Busters met to select their initial rosters.
The Ball Busters had the first pick and surprised everyone by selecting Brant Brown from Dem Rebels. The Slackers picked next and went with second baseman Craig Biggio from the roster of the former Big Dogs. Biggio was easily the best player available in the expansion draft, but he came with a high salary (.35) and a contract that expires at the end of the 1998 season. If nothing else, the Slackers picked up some potential trade bait that could bring them a nice little package around the All-Star break.
See the Draft Histories section for more information about the 1998 Expansion Draft.
Slackers Make Big Splash With First Deal 12/15/97
Steve Donaldson jumped headfirst into the CFCL, trading Mark McGwire to Dem Rebels just days after selecting him off the Lambchops' roster in the Expansion Draft. The ink was barely dry on the roster for Donaldson's team, Steve's Slackers, before McGwire was shipped out and Barry Bonds came sailing in. Insiders report that the one-for-one deal had been planned in advance, and it came as no surprise to many in the CFCL.
It's well known that Head Rebel Bentel is a big McGwire fan, as evidenced by his .38 bid for the slugger when he became available in the Free Agent Pool mid-season. The Lambchops outbid the Rebels by a mere .02, but were forced to leave McGwire exposed in the Expansion Draft -- no doubt hoping that McGwire's salary and asterisk status would scare away the first-year owners. Once the names of the unprotected players were made known, however, it was not difficult to imagine a scenario in which McGwire would be sporting Rebel red and black in 1998. This was especially the case given Bentel's ties to the new owners, as well as his habit of being the first to raid the rosters of new teams, having previously scored Mike Piazza, Mark Grace, and Barry Bonds himself from rookie owners.
With McGwire now in the fold, he should team with Ryan Klesko and Willie Greene to give the Rebels one of the most powerful outside infields in the CFCL.
On the Slackers' part, Bonds is a major pickup, as they came out of the expansion draft with FP Santangelo as their only OF. Bonds' weighty .52 salary, combined with that of Craig Biggio (.35) and Shane Reynolds (.19), will be felt by the Slackers on Draft Day, however they're bound to get excellent production from the trio.