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(AP) -
The Bats go 4-2 to take over the top spot as Indy, Seattle, and Pawtuket all go 5-1 to shoot up the rankings as well. On the flip side Syracuse and Carolina go 1-5 to bring up the caboose. Carolina is now 5-19 and several GM's have been whispering 'tank' ever so quietly.
Power Rankings
1) Washington Bats (123.0, +)
2) Seattle Pilots (121.0, ++)
3) Maine Guides (116.5, o)
4) Baltimore Bulldogs (116.2, --)
5) Indianapolis Racers (111.0, ++)
6) Pawtucket Patriots (99.0, ++)
7) Denver BC (94.6, +)
8) Hartford Whalers (93.6, -)
9) Wilmington Wildcats (93.5, --)
10) New York Knights (92.5, --)
11) Philadelphia Freedom (92.4, ++)
12) Los Angeles Dinos (92.0, -)
13) Montreal Exports (91.0, ++)
14) Pittsburgh Millers (91.0, --)
15) California Kodiaks (89.4, -)
16) New Orleans Dukes (83.4, -)
17) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (81.5, o)
18) Batavia Red Jackets (79.5, o)
19) Windy City Blues (77.2, o)
20) Miami Sharks (76.2, --)
21) Toronto Canadians (74.2, --)
22) Phoenix Roadrunners (71.0, -)
23) Syracuse Snappers (69.0, --)
24) Carolina Tobs (32.5, o)
Performance of the Week
2B Hideki Nakayama, SEA - The 31 year old from Kobe, Japan is part of the IFA pipeline the Pilots have benefited from the last few season. On May 4th he had the biggest offensive day of the BLB this season in an 11-2 victory over the Roadrunners when he hit two home runs, scored four times, and drove in three runs.
Injury of the Week
P Toshitsugu Hirasawa, CAL - With most fans still holding a midnight vigil outside the hospital where Mike Morla was nursing a sprained ankle they didn't even realize the team was back in town and playing Denver. In the 4th inning though Hirasawa felt pain in his right shoulder and had to come out. He was diagnosed with a partially torn labrum and is going to be out of action several months.
Prospect of the Week
CF Norm Hughes - The Florida kid was a huge signing for UNLV two years ago and he's rewarded them with two straight All-Star appearances. Last season he hit .407 with 11 HR's 43 RBI's and this year he's hitting .366 with 13 HR's and 34 RBI's. He's also one of the fastest kids in college and has a +6.8 ZR in centerfield this year.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. The April 29th game between Denver and Washington was something else. Washington had nine hits, left 11 on base, had six in scoring position with two outs, and scored zero runs. Denver meanwhile had one hit, a Dave Grubel RBI double in the 6th and the Denver BC won the game 1-0.
2. A tale of two stats. Millers slugger Ron Snider this past week...19 at bats, 5 hits, 5 home runs. Meanwhile his teammate Oscar D'Addona, who is considered the best young shortstop in the game, has 7 errors this season and is tops in the BLB.
3. The streak is over. On May 3rd Wes Perry allowed two runs on six hits while striking out seven but LAD could only muster one run and Perry got the loss. The 23 game win streak and 27 game undefeated streak is no more. The longest active undefeated streak now is Erik Parham of Montreal who sits at 12.
4. And then there was one. Robby Brooksher is the only player hitting over .400 as he sits at .402. This is huge for the organization after he went down last August with torn ligaments in his left ankle and missed the playoffs. Most believe that if he would have been healthy the DLCS might have turned out differently.
5. What is up with California base running? Pundits around the league constantly just shake their head at the strange situations the Kodiaks get themselves into. Reports say manager Pat Trehy is near the end of his patience with the constant meddling by the GM and a split could be coming soon.
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