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The BLB turns 58 and the race for the 2036 Brewmaster's Cup is on. With everyone starting out with six games the winners of the week were Batavia, Toronto, Syracuse, and California who all went 5-1. Lets just give them the division titles and call it a year. On the flip side Maine went 1-5 so they aren't behind that idea at all.
Power Rankings
1) Batavia Red Jackets (158.0, +)
2) California Kodiaks (155.0, +)
3) Syracuse Snappers (153.0, ++)
4) Toronto Canadians (153.0, ++)
5) Wilmington Clowns (123.0, ++)
6) Washington Bats (121.0, ++)
7) Phoenix Roadrunners (93.0, ++)
8) Baltimore Bulldogs (92.0, --)
9) Miami Sharks (92.0, +)
10) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (91.0, ++)
11) Seattle Pilots (91.0, ++)
12) Pittsburgh Millers (89.0, ++)
13) Windy City Blues (89.0, ++)
14) Hartford Whalers (88.0, --)
15) New Orleans Dukes (88.0, --)
16) Montreal Exports (60.0, --)
17) Pawtucket Patriots (60.0, --)
18) Philadelphia Freedom (59.0, --)
19) Los Angeles Dinos (57.0, --)
20) Carolina Tobs (56.0, --)
21) Indianapolis Racers (56.0, --)
22) Denver BC (55.0, --)
23) New York Knights (55.0, --)
24) Maine Guides (27.0, --)
Performance of the Week
LF Milt Shankman - Batavia has the #1, #2, and #3 top hitting performance of the season after one week and Shankman holds the top spot after crushing New York on April 12th. In four at bats he had three hits, two home runs, scored four times and drove in seven during a 30-4 victory...yes 30-4 victory. More on that below.
Injury of the Week
P Eiichi Nagao - The free agent from Japan lasted two games before straining his hamstring on April 12th after allowing a three run walk off homerun by Edwin Meck. In a fit of anger he kicked the mound, threw his glove and then sprinted to the dugout before coming up hobbling. He was diagnosed with a strained hamstring and will be out for 6-7 weeks.
Prospect of the Week
RF Kimberly Hacini - The 19 year old from Zambia enrolled at Arizona State last season and has turned into one of the top prospects in years. This season in 25 games he's hitting .322/.444/.598 with 5 HR's, 20 RBI's and a 115 wRC+. Coaches say he's extremely intelligent and "always focuses and concentrates on the right things."
Five Things We Think We Think
1. A lot of talk this week after Batavia beat New York 30-4 on April 12th. In the 7th inning with Batavia holding a 13-2 lead Knights manager Ian Waddell put in LF Crosby Yamashiro to pitch and he got a fly out to end the inning. So far so good. In the bottom of the 8th he trotted back out and went single, walk, triple, walk and walk before being replaced by 3B Dave Finlay. Finlay then went single, ground out, walk, single (error), walk, single, home run (grand slam) before being replaced by LF Josh 'Cosmos' Sanders. Cosmo then beaned Marco Taylor and went walk, fly out, beaned Hyun-seung Bark and then allowed another grand slam to Jimmy Brabec. Then out came RF Jamie Hendon to pitch who went walk, walk, single, and finally ground out to end the inning! In case you got confused reading that after we got confused writing it that's 17 runs on eight hits with one error.
2. In order to balance the universe the above game was after an April 8th game between New York and Baltimore where the score was still 0-0 with two outs in the bottom of the 15th inning. New York's first basemen Dave Schaefer singled though on a 3-2 pitch which drove in Ijsbert Roche and won the game for the Knights. Little did they know what was in store.
3. After the Kodiaks had a power outage this spring training which brought the ire of their GM they now lead the league in home runs with 14 after the first week. It was a pretty even affair too as Josh Wright, Norm Cupp, Johnny Swope and Dusty Schmidl all knocked three a piece. Throw in starter Kevin Alston who went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts and this team is trending upwards.
4. Zachary Karp made the most of his opportunities this week. Twenty-one at bats, five hits, four home runs. Not often you sport a .238/.261/.810 line. With the signing of RF Zheng-xin Yang this week though it looks like his at bats will dwindle and that Robby Lee's days in a Millers uniform are numbered.
5. The NCAA and Cape Cod All-Star rosters have been announced. Check out below for some potential future BLB stars!
NCAA
Cape Cod
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Last year the Wilmington Clowns defeated the Seattle Pilots and captured their first Brewmasters Cup since 2019 and their GM's first BC ever. Can they repeat or will the off-season shuffle of free agents tilt the balance? Turn in below for the Daily Keg's quick and dirty predictions of how the upcoming season will play out.
(once again the DK takes no responsibility for trades/injuries/OOTPR and should be used for entertainment value only)
Season Standings
Ale
x Wilmington
z Hartford
z Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Maine
Pawtucket
Lager
x New Orleans
z Miami
z Indianapolis
Santo Domingo
Toronto
Montreal
Stout
x Batavia
z Washington
Carolina
Baltimore
Philadelphia
New York
Bock
x Seattle
z California
z Windy City
z Los Angeles
Phoenix
Denver
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Wildcard
Miami over Pittsburgh
Indy over Hartford
WC over LAD
California over Washington
Division
New Orleans over Miami
Wilmington over Indy
California over Seattle
Batavia over WC
LCS
Wilmington over New Orleans
Batavia over California
Brewmasters
Batavia over Wilmington 4 games to 3
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Awards
Stout Slugger
Ron Hutchison, HAR - .320, 51 HR's, 151 RBI's
JD Rice, BAL - .330, 50 HR's, 130 RBI's
Pale Ale
JJ Plumley, WIL - 18-5, 2.30 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 275 K's
Barton Mejia, CHI - 19-6, 2.40 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 250 K's
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Up and Comers
Rory Elia, CAR - .310, 55 HR's, 145 RBI's
Yuri Baldwin, PHO - 15-8, 3.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
Robert Jessee, TOR - .320, 40 HR's, 130 RBI's
Porter Snyder, BAT - 15-5, 3.75 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
Marco Taylor, BAT - .330, 40 HR's, 110 RBI's
Brenden Sontaro, CAL - .310, 15 HR's 75 RBI's
Dawson Davis, WC - .285, 20 HR's, 90 RBI's
Jayson Buenaventura, MIA - .280, 30 HR's, 95 RBI's
Time to Say Goodbye
SP Dave Teel - 600 games, 259-154, 3.07 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 9x All-Star, 9x Silver Slugger
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