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05/31/2066
The Indy Clowns were one of the better teams last week as they went 5-2. What made them particularly impressive was their offense - they scored 50 runs in just 7 games, which was the highest run total in the entire league. Their .315 batting average (82 hits in 260 at-bats) and 16 home runs show they're crushing the ball. However, their pitching is a concern with a 5.98 ERA, suggesting they're winning through pure offensive firepower. Hartford also went 5-2, but they're winning in a completely different way. They had the best pitching in the league with a stellar 2.29 ERA, allowing only 19 runs in 7 games. Their offense is more modest (31 runs scored), making them the classic "pitching and defense" team. The Wilmington Wildcats posted the best winning percentage at 5-1. They're a well-balanced team with solid pitching (2.89 ERA) and good power hitting (12 home runs in just 6 games). This balance makes them perhaps the most dangerous team overall.
Toronto struggled mightily at 1-6 after a flurry of trades. Despite having the most hits in the league (85), they couldn't convert those into runs, scoring only 36 times. Their pitching was catastrophic with a 7.00 ERA - the worst in both leagues. They allowed 15 home runs in 7 games, suggesting their pitchers are serving up too many hittable pitches. The Denver Bulls went 1-5 and had severe offensive problems. They scored only 13 runs in 6 games - by far the lowest in the league. With a .202 batting average and just four home runs, they simply couldn't generate enough offense to compete. Maine also finished 1-5, scoring an anemic 10 runs in 6 games. Their .197 batting average was the worst among all teams, and they managed only 3 home runs. While their pitching was decent (3.67 ERA), you simply can't win games when you're averaging less than 2 runs per game.
The Clowns are winning with overwhelming offense despite poor pitching, while the Whalers are doing the opposite. Meanwhile, the struggling teams show that you need at least one strong aspect of your game - the Canadians couldn't overcome terrible pitching even with good hitting, while the Bulls and Guides couldn't score enough runs even with respectable pitching.
1) Wilmington Wildcats (149.4, o)
2) California Kodiaks (142.3, o)
3) Dallas Drillers (123.8, o)
4) Hartford Whalers (121.7, +)
5) Pittsburgh Millers (113.7, -)
6) Washington Bats (103.4, o)
7) Seattle Pilots (99.8, +)
8) Carolina Tobs (96.0, -)
9) Pawtucket Patriots (91.2, +)
10) Los Angeles Sharks (91.0, +)
11) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (90.4, --)
12) Indianapolis Clowns (90.0, ++)
13) Baltimore Bulldogs (85.2, ++)
14) New Orleans Voodoo (84.6, -)
15) Batavia Muckdogs (84.2, -)
16) Windy City Blues (83.6, --)
17) Philadelphia Freedom (82.2, -)
18) Montreal Exports (74.6, o)
19) Syracuse Snappers (71.2, +)
20) Phoenix Roadrunners (69.7, +)
21) New York Cyclones (69.7, o)
22) Denver Bulls (62.6, --)
23) Toronto Canadians (44.9, o)
24) Maine Guides (29.4, o)
Performance of the Week
LF Jeremy Britt - Last week Toronto gave up the #1 performance of the season to Stephen Caskey, this week it was Britt who pummeled them. In six at bats he had four hits, three home runs, drove in eight, and scored three times as Indy won 14-11. The 22 year old rookie is hitting .282/.352/.537 with 11 HR and 28 RBI on the season. Picked 13th overall in 2064 from the Hyannis Harbor Hawks he was a 3x CCBL All-Star.
Prospect of the Week
LF Dave Johns - The lefty slugger came to Phoenix via the Jake Stewart trade and is now the 45th prospect in the league. At just 21 years old scouts think he's a corner outfielder who will "release his talent on both the field and at the plate" someday. This season he's hitting .293 with 10 HR and 22 RBI in just 37 games for the Eureka Springs Energy (AA).
Five Things We Think We Think
1. We've seen our share of fights in the BLB, but nothing like what happened two days ago between Phoenix and New York. In the 8th inning Cooper Welsh was pitching when Devon Cundiff went yard to give the Roadrunners a 7-3 lead. Words were said between the two, then between Welsh and the Phoenix dugout. Then the next batter Uriah Kringen was absolutely drilled up near his head with the second pitch of the at-bat and all hell broke loose. At one point during the fisticuffs after Kringen gave Welsh an uppercut, Welsh sprinted to his own dugout and came out swinging a bat. In his entire career Welsh has never been at bat, so we won't judge his swing, but let’s just say it wasn't pretty. Finally, after the bat was removed from Welsh, and Welsh and Kringen were removed from the field, the game continued. The following day the office of the commissioner announced Welsh was suspended for an unheard of 11 games, while Kringen got five.
2. Could Dominick 'Shock' Booth be the greatest FA the league has seen in decades? The #1 ranked player in the league by the OSA is just 24 years old and set to walk if Carolina doesn't resign him. With the Tobs short on money they need to make either a trade or release someone who's due arbitration to get the funds needs to sign Booth. 'Shock' is on pace for an 8.8 WAR year, the highest of his career, and won't be cheap. Team sources say his agent is asking in the range of $28-$30m a season for the max six years. Is he worth it? You darn right he is. Not only can he give you a +15 ZR at shortstop, he could also do it in center field, or second base, or wherever. Combined with his ability to hit .280 with 25 to 30 HR a season that is unheard of anywhere else in the league. If Carolina doesn't sign him, we can't wait to see what this kid is going to get paid.
3. Speaking of getting paid…Brian Wheat is on the move. The most expensive man in the BLB ($35,200,000/yr) had been traded to Denver for four Bulls. Drafted 1st overall in 2056, Wheat has turned into a 5x All-Star and 2x Stout Slugger who's just 27 years old. We asked our new assistant to crunch some numbers on the trade.
Trade Winner: Denver
Key Factors:
- Quality over Quantity: While the four-player package has a slightly higher total WAR (48.5 vs 43.1), this is misleading because:
- Brian Wheat is an elite player with a .939 OPS (exceptional for any era)
- He's only 27, in his prime years
- He plays a premium position (CF)
- The Package's Issues:
- Brad Pendolino (29.6 WAR): Already 35 years old and likely declining. His best years are behind him.
- Kyle Bruns (15.9 WAR): Solid but unspectacular 3B with a .778 OPS
- Cordell Fortunato (1.6 WAR): Poor plate discipline (.261 OBP) despite some power
- Kyle Harleman (1.4 WAR): Minimal impact player with little power
- Elite Production: Wheat's .314/.371/.568 slash line with 232 HRs is superstar-level production. None of the four players received come close to his offensive impact.
- Age/Timeline: Getting a 27-year-old star for a 35-year-old and three underwhelming younger players is a clear win. Fortunato and Harleman haven't shown they can be impact players despite their youth.
"This is a classic case of trading quantity for quality, and Denver getting the superstar center fielder in his prime years clearly won. Toronto essentially traded away their best player for aging depth and lottery tickets that haven't panned out."
Obviously money and some other factors weren't taken into consideration, and all trade evaluations are for entertainment only.
4. Zone rating is back on our mind as the Wildcats continue to pounce on those balls with a league leading +25.69 ZR for the season. Baltimore is second at +16.84, while Windy City is third at +15.84. The season is young though, which is why only six of the top ten teams in ZR have a winning record. To be fair Baltimore, WC, Montreal and Denver are just a week or two away from getting there. Last season nine teams finished in the positive for ZR, and seven of them made the playoffs (sorry Denver and Baltimore). Unless you have a true offensive star that you can't hide at DH, 1B, or LF...play defense! On the other side of life Philly is -16.78, New York is -13.52, and Toronto is -13.34. Philly has brought up 21 year old prospect Ryley 'Mailman' Luciano to play second base though. That should help immensely. Unfortunately it looks like Keegan Jewett is at short stop for the foreseeable future. So far in just 31 games he's already recorded a -3.9 ZR there. Could the Freedom pull off a trade for 'Shock'? Talk about instant playoff team.
5. What's on tap?
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Streaking
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| Skyler Gervais (MON) has a 17 game hitting streak |
| Ty Dempsey (DAL) has a 14 game hitting streak |
| Colton Corbett (MON) scored in 7 straight games |
| Seth McNeill (NYC) scored in 7 straight games |
| Sean Hayward (IND) hit a HR in 3 straight games |
| Jarrett Shaneyfelt (PIT) hit a HR in 3 straight games |
| Milton Hastings (CAL) has converted 22 straight save opportunities |
| Joe Hodo (DAL) has won 8 straight decisions |
| Wyatt Laginess (CAL) hasn't lost in 11 straight starts |
Stat of the Week
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| Oldest Players To Win The Stout Slugger Award or Pale Ale Pitcher Award (Top 25 Players) |
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