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08/17/2054
The Bats are back on top with a 6-1 week. They are now a red hot 13-1 in August, and 1st in the Import in OBP, SLG, OPS, runs scored, XBH, and home runs. They have built a 7.5 game lead in the Stout and at this rate could be the first back to back to back champions since...well the Bats! Washington did the three-peat back in 2002-2004 and what's old is new again. Another top week was Indy who also went 6-1. They have the third best record in the Domestic and are only 1.5 game back from the Patriots. With some key additions at the trading deadline are they the new favorites in the DL? The final 'winners' were Denver, SDR, and Windy City who all went 5-2. SDR is trying to keep up in the crazy Domestic wildcard race, while Denver and Windy City are trying to keep up in the crazy Bock race.
ELO Rankings
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| 1 | Washington | IL | 79-40 | 7.0 | 1610.3 | |||||
| 2 | Dallas | DL | 74-46 | 1.7 | 1562.2 | |||||
| 3 | Carolina | IL | 72-48 | -9.7 | 1547.1 | |||||
| 4 | Seattle | IL | 70-51 | -2.1 | 1545.7 | |||||
| 5 | Pawtucket | DL | 69-51 | -2.3 | 1546.8 | |||||
| 6 | Indianapolis | DL | 67-52 | 6.2 | 1522.2 | |||||
| 7 | California | IL | 66-52 | -9.7 | 1526.3 | |||||
| 8 | Denver | IL | 67-53 | 7.6 | 1517.8 | |||||
| 9 | Los Angeles | IL | 67-53 | -3.6 | 1537.5 | |||||
| 10 | Wilmington | DL | 66-54 | -4.2 | 1516.0 | |||||
| 11 | Syracuse | DL | 65-55 | 3.5 | 1523.2 | |||||
| 12 | Windy City | IL | 64-56 | 8.1 | 1507.3 | |||||
| 13 | Pittsburgh | DL | 64-57 | -5.3 | 1530.4 | |||||
| 14 | Hartford | DL | 62-56 | -1.8 | 1515.1 | |||||
| 15 | Santo Domingo | DL | 63-57 | 7.0 | 1508.0 | |||||
| 16 | Baltimore | IL | 60-60 | -2.6 | 1499.2 | |||||
| 17 | New Orleans | DL | 54-66 | -1.2 | 1488.9 | |||||
| 18 | New York | IL | 54-67 | 2.8 | 1469.8 | |||||
| 19 | Montreal | DL | 50-68 | -0.3 | 1461.0 | |||||
| 20 | Maine | DL | 48-73 | 7.7 | 1473.4 | |||||
| 21 | Batavia | IL | 45-76 | -8.9 | 1419.5 | |||||
| 22 | Phoenix | IL | 40-80 | 11.0 | 1399.5 | |||||
| 23 | Philadelphia | IL | 36-82 | 0.1 | 1382.8 | |||||
| 24 | Toronto | DL | 36-85 | -11.0 | 1388.8 |
Performance of the Week
Cayden Wittmeyer - Is he good? Is he not good? No one teases the talent and performs/under performs more than Wittmeyer. This past week on August 16th against the aforementioned offensive juggernaut Bats he goes 7.2 innings, allows two hits, no runs, walks one, and strikes out an amazing 15 batters. On the season though he's 12-10 with a 3.94 ERA and 103 ERA+. Flashes of brilliance and droughts of struggles are what he's known for. We picked him for the Import Pale Ale this season after he went 17-5 with a 2.55 ERA last year. Instead we should have picked his teammate Paycen Bemis who is 15-2 with a 1.88 ERA, after going 9-11 with a 4.06 ERA last year.
Prospect of the Week
RF Ian Schreiber - The 10th overall pick from this years draft is only 17 years old and is playing for the Mallards, Hartford's Rookie League team. Scouts believe he is a pull-hitter with plus-plus power potential while being adequate in the field. Coaches already love his work ethic and so far in 39 Rookie League games he's hitting .311 with 14 HR and 38 RBI while posting a 180 OPS+.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. We missed it two weeks ago but Preston Capps and Julian Irwin both smacked their 300th career home run just one day apart. Irwin did it August 4th against Indy, while Capps did it August 5th against Dallas. Irwin was drafted in 2040 as the 181st overall pick by Batavia. He turned into a 6x All-Star, 2046 Stout Slugger, and won titles in 2050 (Bat) and 2052 (Was). Capps meanwhile was the second overall pick of the 2035 draft. He turned into a 7x All-Star, 2047 Stout Slugger, and won titles in 2044 (Mon) and 2048 (LAD)...even though in '48 he was shipped off to Denver late in the season. There were 144 players in the history of the league that have hit 300 or more home runs, now there are 146. Congrats to them both.
2. Wildcard wise in the Domestic there are six teams within 4.5 games of each other. Indy, Wilmington, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Hartford, and Santo Domingo. The Whalers and Rum Runners are only a half game back from the final spot, while Indy has a four game lead. Syracuse then SDR has the easiest remaining schedule, while Indy has the hardest. In the Import, Windy City is three games out of the wildcard but has the easiest schedule by far to close out the year. Even Baltimore at 60-60 has a chance, albeit a small one. With LAD throwing in the towel (trade wise), never say never Baltimore fans.
3. Philly is no longer the doormat of the league as they have moved over for their northeast friends the Toronto Canadians. Poor Toronto (and their fans) have lost 13 straight, and are now 36-85. Their winning percentage of .298 is the worst in the league and they are 38.5 games out of first in the Lager, but only 28 games out of the wildcard! After going to the playoffs from 2048 to 2051 the Canadians have fallen on hard times even after going 81-81 last season. They are last in the Domestic in nearly every pitching category, but most importantly they are last in runs scored and runs allowed. They do have a leg up on Philly though as their RD is only -196, compared to the Freedom's -256.
4. Theodore Blume has finally come alive for Pittsburgh as he's 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA in his last four starts. The 3-time Pale Ale winner was 6-5 with a 3.56 ERA in late July, and is now 10-5 with a 3.27 ERA. He won't be winning the Pale Ale this year, but the Millers playoffs hopes will more than likely rely on his arm. The main story in Pittsburgh though is 39 year old Cordarius Gomez, who announced his upcoming retirement at the beginning of the season. The 7x All-Star, and 2049 Pale Ale winner is 199-121 for his career. He's got absolutely shelled in his last two starts though, both losses, as he tries to get to the 200 win mark. He's the Millers all-time leader in wins and strikeouts, and if he hits #200 he'd be the 37th pitcher in the history of the league to do so.
5. What's on tap? This week we get some fun ones at California travels to Seattle, and Dallas travels to Wilmington for three. The season series for the always fun Kodiaks-Pilots match-up is tied at three, while the Wildcats have taken four of six against the Drillers. Wilmington currently has an 86.2% chance of making the playoffs, which would be their first appearance since 2038. After going 10 games under .500 in June and July combined, they are now 9-5 in August. Can they keep it going? Another series we have our eye on is Denver-LAD. The Dinos have been trading away stars due to money issues, even while sitting at an 81.6% chance of making the postseason. The Bulls are tied with them record wise, but are down to them 4-2 in the season series. Can they capitalize on the 'new' Dinos and use their high flying offense (1st in hits) to surpass them?
Stat of the Week
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| Lowest Batting Average While Hitting X Home Runs (First Occurrence) |
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