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Breakout Hartford star Darryl Dellinger gets snubbed for the AS game and a 21-5 June has TJ Dunn led Pawtucket surging up the standings. Can BDub and the Whalers hold off the hard charging Patriots and rookie GM Rokiu? With the Patriots virtually injury free and the funhouse that funclown built still bursting at the seams with talent, it looks like Pawtucket may maintain their strangle hold on the division.
The pick:
Pawtucket wins the Ale.
Hartford in as the first wildcard.
Dallas has surprised many, tying New Orleans for the division lead heading into Allstar Weekend. The Sharks have relied on the best pitching staff in the DL and timely hitting from rookies Ian Moore, Willie Salazar and Jamie Williams. The acquisition of slugger Jamie Monson for a king's ransom, could be the key to current and future success in Dallas.
Meanwhile, New Orleans has struggled in July, with the big bat Dukes going just 3-8 over the last two weeks. The Dukes will need Pat Verba and Xavier Milledge to continue blasting clean-up homers and the bullpen to steady itself outside of Sheriff Rodriguez.
Lurking in the shadows and within striking distance sits Los Angeles. The Dinos seem poised to make a big move and vault themselves into the playoff conversation at .500. Boasting some of the league's most recognizable stars holding on in their twilight years, one would be foolish to think Jimmy isn't considering a big move before the non-waiver deadline.
The Pick:
Dallas holds on to the Lager.
LA surges and ties NO for the second wildcard.
NO falls to LA and just misses the playoffs.
Ryan's Clowns are the best team in the DL over the first half of the season. Anchored by a veteran savvy rotation and bullpen, Indianapolis has burst out to a 13.5 game lead. A line-up that boasts talent both young and old, look for the Clowns to cruise to the Pilsner finish.
The interest in this division lies in Pittsburgh, where Pat has facilitated a 17-11 June that has saved the season and gotten the Millers to .500. Expect the Millers to continue to play above sea level, but a pitching staff ranked at the bottom of the DL will make it difficult (but not impossible) to catch the wildcard pack. A deal for another starting pitcher isn't out of the question, especially for one of the better GMs in the history of the league. Expect Travis Gerlach's return to boost the moribund bullpen around August.
Syracuse is in full sell mode, and it looks like Jake's season went down with superstar Ethan Stuart. Barring a minor miracle, the Slammers could be well into a rebuild by September first.
The Pick:
Indy wins the division by 15 games.
Pittsburgh falls several games short of the wildcard.
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