The final part of our three-part look at the All-Star candidates is focused on the mound, where voters will select 5 starters and 5 relievers from each division. Part One checked out the infielders, and Part Two looked at catchers, outfielders and designated hitters.

Hanover Starters: Randy's Return?
Nolan Ryan
It could be a repeat performance for last year's All-Star game starter, Newark's Randy Johnson. The reigning McDonald Award winner leads the division in ERA (2.48) and is tied for the lead in wins (10). He also leads the DMBL in strikeouts (144) and quality starts (12), and has allowed just 9.3 runners per 9 IP, third-best in baseball. But Johnson may not be the only Sugar Bear on the roster: Eric Milton is second in the division in ERA (2.62), and John Thomson is third (2.78), both are 10-game winners, they're #1 and #2 in innings pitched, rank in the Top 6 in runners per 9 (9.7 and 9.8, respectively) and each has 5 complete games (tied for the division lead). The second-place Hoboken Cutters also have three starters for consideration, led by staff ace Kelvim Escobar (10-2, 3.10 ERA, 9.5 BR/9), who leads the league in lowest batting average allowed (.190). Teammate Brandon Duckworth (8-1, 3.27 ERA, 13.2 BR/9) leads the league in winning percentage (.889), while all rookie Joel Pineiro (9-3, 3.97, 12.5 BR/9) did was help throw the first half's only no-hitter.

Other Hanover starters worthy of consideration are Brooklyn's Dave Williams (2-6, 3.08, 12.6 BR/9) and Joe Mays (6-8, 3.40, 9.1 BR/9), who are pitching much better than their records would indicate due to poor run support; Honolulu's Freddy Garcia (7-3, 3.60, 12.0 BR/9) and Roy Oswalt (6-5, 3.79, 12.2 BR/9); Newark's John Burkett (8-2, 3.82, 10.6 BR/9); and Phoenix's Jamie Moyer (5-7, 3.94, 11.3 BR/9).

It hasn't been a very good first half for Harrison's Tom Glavine (4-6, 5.38) and Wade Miller (3-8, 5.15); Honolulu's Russ Ortiz (7-5, 5.29) and Mark Mulder (6-5, 5.70); Phoenix's Hideo Nomo (3-4, 4.88); or Stanhope's Andy Pettitte (4-8, 4.26). Pettitte's teammate, Erik Hiljus, is 8-2 despite a 5.30 ERA and 13.8 BR/9; the Mighty Men average 7.4 runs per start for Hiljus, 2.5 runs more than they do for any other Stanhope starter.

Nolan Ryan was 33-11 with a 2.66 ERA in three DMBL seasons. A two-time All-Star, Ryan won the 1992 McDonald Award after going 19-4 with a 1.94 ERA, striking out 301 in 227 IP. He's still "pitching" -- as a celebrity spokesman, endorsing Advil, Southwest Airlines, Wrangler Jeans and, of course, OmahaSteaks.com

Morris Starters: Arkansas's Aces
Jimmy Key
Should the voters just send a flock of Golden Falcons to Newark on May 26? Pedro Martinez (7-1, 3.35 ERA, 10.6 BR/9), Roger Clemens (11-2, 2.77 ERA, 11.9 BR/9), Kevin Brown (10-2, 2.34 ERA, 11.0 BR/9), Curt Schilling (8-3, 3.76 ERA, 10.5 BR/9) and Brad Penny (7-2, 2.57 ERA, 10.8 BR/9) are among the league leaders in just about every category. Brown, Penny and Clemens rank #2, #4 and #6 in ERA; Martinez, Schilling, Clemens and Brown occupy four of the top seven spots in strikeouts; Clemens leads the league in wins, with Brown tied for second; and Schilling and Martinez are both in the top 10 in baserunners per 9. But the voters will have to leave one of the Arkansas aces off the ballot to make room for Columbia rookie Mark Buehrle, who leads the league in ERA (2.00), lowest OPS (.545) and baserunners per 9 (8.1) and shutouts (2). The league's lowest-scoring team has scored just 3.2 runs per game for Buehrle, sticking the southpaw with a rather ordinary 5-3 record in 12 starts. Another young hurler who shouldn't have to pay his own way into the Cereal Bowl is Jeff Weaver, who has an 8-3 record despite pitching for the fifth-place Wolverines. Weaver has allowed a 3.61 ERA and 10.8 runners per 9, and leads the league with 8 complete games.

Is there anyone else in the Morris Division worthy of consideration? How about: Carolina's Mike Mussina (5-7, 3.53, 11.2 BR/9), Cory Lidle (6-5, 3.61, 11.5 BR/9) and Tim Hudson (6-6, 3.72, 11.6 BR/9); Philadelphia's A.J. Burnett (7-3, 3.54, 11.5 BR/9) and Jon Lieber (7-5, 3.81, 11.8 BR/9); Tijuana's Randy Wolf (6-4, 3.32, 12.0 BR/9) and Ramon Ortiz (4-3, 3.54, 12.8 BR/9); or Wanaque's Bartolo Colon (4-5, 3.68, 10.7 BR/9).

On the ballot, but not on this level: Carolina's Roy Halladay (5-5, 3.93); Columbia's Frank Castillo (4-6, 4.32) and Aaron Sele (5-7, 4.59); Philly's Shawn Estes (6-4, 4.98); Tijuana's Bud Smith (6-4, 4.10), Steve Sparks (7-7, 4.54) and Javier Vazquez (7-8, 4.80); Vancouver's Greg Maddux (6-5, 4.43), Al Leiter (7-7, 4.12), Brad Radke (5-6, 4.82), Brian Lawrence (3-5, 4.20) or Brandon Lyon (5-4, 4.15); and Wanaque's Matt Morris (3-5, 4.44).

Jimmy Key pitched for five Morris Division teams over his six-year career, compiling a 55-37 record and 4.00 ERA. His best years were in Cheyenne, where he recorded back-to-back 18-6 seasons and represented the Warhawks in the 1994 All-Star game. He’s now the pitching coach for the Vancouver Iron Fist.

Hanover Relievers: Closing It Out
John Wetteland
Phoenix's Troy Percival has risen from the ashes of a disasterous 2001 campaign (7-10, 7.74 ERA) to re-establish himself as one of the Hanover Division's top closers. Percival has 15 saves with just two blown saves, tying for the league lead in save percentage (.882), and leading all relievers with a 1.11 ERA and 8.6 runners per 9 IP... Hoboken's Jason Isringhausen leads the Hanover Division in relief points (33) and saves (18), though his 2-3 record, 4 blown saves, 3.25 ERA and 13.0 baserunners per 9 aren't as impressive... Brooklyn's Felix Rodriguez is 1-4 with 4 blown saves and a 3.24 ERA, but his other numbers -- 17 saves, 9.2 BR/9, 37 K in 33 IP -- tell another story. His most notable stat: Just 2 of 19 inherited runners (.105 percent) have scored, best among DMBL relievers with at least 10 runners.

The reigning Eckersley Award winner, Stanhope's Mariano Rivera, is in the midst of another great season (4-5, 2.06 ERA, 15 SV, 8.9 BR/9), while Honolulu's Ugueth Urbina -- after missing all of 2001 due to a green card problem -- is back to his old self (2-2, 2.87, 15 SV, 9.6 BR/9)... Newark's Keith Foulke, after a brutal March (0-2, 10.80 ERA), appears to have righted the ship (4-2, 3.79, 13 SV), having converted eight straight save opportunities.

Although it's tempting to take the top five closers to the All-Star Game, real bullpens aren't built that way. Middle relievers deserving consideration include Brooklyn's Vladimir Nunez, tied for the league lead in relief wins (6), with a 3.19 ERA, 2 saves, 6 holds and allowing only 4 of 22 inherited runners to score (.182 IR%); Phoenix's Jeff Nelson, the division leader in holds (10), with a 1-3 record, 1 save, 3.05 ERA, 11.3 BR/9 and a .130 IR%; Hoboken's Danys Baez (2.98, 9.8 BR/9, 2-1, 3 SV, 9 holds), Kerry Ligtenberg (2.87, 9.6 BR/9, 2-2, 7 holds) and Steve Kline (3.26, 9.8 BR/9, 2-1, 3 SV, 7 holds); or Newark's John Smoltz (1.97, 9.3 BR/9, 3 saves, 6 holds).

A five-time All-Star, John Wetteland retired in 2000 with 101 saves and a 3.27 career ERA. He won the Dennis Eckersley Award as the league's top reliever in 1998 and 1999, combining to go 7-4 with a 1.35 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 62 saves and a .873 save percentage for the Newark Sugar Bears. He's now the pitching coach for the Double-A Golden State Golden Grahams.

Morris Relievers: They’re Baaaack…
Rob Dibble
Three of this year’s top closers were nearly out of baseball a year ago: Arkansas’s Octavio Dotel went 1-2 with a 6.62 ERA in four games before being demoted all the way down to Double-A Birmingham; Tijuana’s Jeff Fassero retired after just three appearances after winning the $150 million PowerBall jackpot; and Vancouver’s Billy Wagner couldn’t even pick up a ball last year after tearing his rotator cuff while shoveling snow during the off-season. This year, Dotel (5-2, 2.91 ERA, 11.3 BR/9) is tied for the league-lead in saves with 18 (4 blown saves) and leads all relievers in relief points (40), games (43) and strikeouts (78). Fassero, who had to return to baseball because he invested all his winnings in Enron stock, is 3-0 with 11 saves (1 blown save) and 4 holds, with a 3.38 ERA, 12.6 BR/9 and 52 K in 48 IP. Wagner has the best ERA of any Morris Division closer (1.55), posting a 1-3 record with 11 saves (3 blown saves), 11.5 BR/9 and 37 K in 29 IP.

Carolina’s Bob Wickman (2-3, 3.65 ERA, 14 SV, 10.6 BR/9) is having another solid season, but Philly’s Jose Mesa (3-2, 6.33, 9 SV) and Wanaque’s Kazuhiro Sasaki (2-5, 5.01, 12 SV) have struggled. In Columbia, co-closers Jeff Shaw (5-5, 2.41 ERA, 9 SV, 11.2 BR/9) and Mike Williams (0-1, 2.53, 6 SV, 14.3 BR/9) have been a terrific one-two punch; only 4 of 22 baserunners (.154 IR%) have scored against the pair, better than any other Morris Division closer.

But don’t forget the men in the middle! Wanaque’s Antonio Alfonseca is tied for the league lead in relief wins (6) and ranks third in baseball in winning percentage (.857), with 8 holds, a 1.75 ERA and 10.3 BR/9; his teammate, Cory Bailey (1-0, 2 holds), leads all Morris Division relievers in ERA (1.54) and BR/9 (8.7), with a .133 IR% and 35 Ks in 35 IP. Arkansas’s Byung-Hyun Kim (3-1, 2.60 ERA, 1 SV) is tied for the league lead with 10 holds, has fanned 45 in 34.2 IP and hasn’t given up a home run all season. Other notable performances from setup guys: Carolina’s Tom Gordon (4-3, 3.50, 13.0 BR/9, 2 saves, 4 holds, .286 IR%); Columbia’s Josias Manzanillo (2-0, 2.63, 9.0 BR/9, 6 holds, .345 IR%); Philly’s David Weathers (2.18, 1 save, 5 holds, 10.5 BR/9, .111 IR%), Vancouver’s Victor Zambrano (3-0, 2.50, 2 holds, 9.3 BR/9, .214 IR%) and Wanaque’s Jack Cressend (1-1, 2.39, 1 SV, 10.7 R/9, .233 IR%). Arkansas’s Travis Phelps (1-2, 3.07 ERA in 14.2 IP) and Philly’s Paul Quantrill (1.72 ERA, 10.9 BR/9 in 15.2 IP) have great numbers, but maybe not enough work, to warrant serious consideration.

The second reliever taken in the inaugural DMBL draft – 13th overall, two places after Dennis Eckersley -- Rob Dibble played for three years in the DMBL, all with the Arkansas Golden Falcons. The two-time All-Star retired in 1993 with a 3.07 lifetime ERA and struck out 392 in 275 IP. The "Nasty Boy" can be heard daily on ESPN Radio with co-host Dan Patrick.