Tweet
09/07/2037
(AP)
With everyone playing six interleague games the Kodiaks from California move back on top the PR with a 5-1 week after sweeping Miami and taking two of three from Montreal. The interleague champs though were the Santo Domingo Rum Runners and the Baltimore Bulldogs who each went 6-0. The Rum Runners swept LAD and Phoenix while the Bulldogs got their brooms out against Syracuse and Maine. Other big weeks were Pittsburgh, Hartford, and Carolina who all went 5-1. In counter to those who swept we also have those who wept as Phoenix, Syracuse, LAD, Indy, Maine, Miami and Wilmington all went 1-5 against the other league. Some team leaders: Baltimore hit .356, Carolina and Pittsburgh hit 14 home runs, SDR only gave up nine total runs, and Washington swiped eight bases.
Power Rankings
1) California Kodiaks (120.4, +)
2) Carolina Tobs (118.3, o)
3) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (117.3, ++)
4) Washington Bats (114.9, +)
5) Seattle Pilots (114.3, --)
6) Pittsburgh Millers (111.1, -)
7) Hartford Whalers (109.2, o)
8) Batavia Red Jackets (104.7, o)
9) Windy City Blues (102.7, +)
10) Toronto Canadians (101.0, --)
11) New York Knights (100.0, o)
12) New Orleans Voodoo (98.2, ++)
13) Indianapolis Racers (96.1, -)
14) Pawtucket Patriots (92.4, -)
15) Wilmington Clowns (90.8, --)
16) Los Angeles Dinos (88.9, o)
17) Baltimore Bulldogs (79.9, ++)
18) Montreal Exports (71.5, o)
19) Philadelphia Freedom (62.8, +)
20) Phoenix Roadrunners (60.2, --)
21) Miami Sharks (58.9, -)
22) Maine Guides (56.1, +)
23) Denver BC (55.6, --)
24) Syracuse Snappers (33.4, o)
Performance of the Week
P Kevin Alston - On September 1st against LAD he went 8.2 innings, gave up two hits, no runs, and struck out three during a 9-0 SDR victory. After coming over from California via trade in early July he is now 6-1 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.03 WHIP for the Rum Runners in 10 starts. He helped win California a ring last season, can he do the same in Santo Domingo this year?
Injury of the Week
2B Yu-Hsiang 'Skull' Xiang - The Whalers lost Xiang for at least a month on September 6th when he fractured his foot sliding into second base on an 8th inning double. The 30 year old came to the BLB from Taiwan and signed a 6 year/$87.5 million contract last December. In his 'rookie' season he is hitting .278/.426/.365 with 4 HR's, 41 RBI's and a 3.4 WAR while playing 124 games at second base. A big loss for a team fighting for the Ale crown and home field playoff match-ups.
Prospect of the Week
P DeAndra 'Pistol' Feliciano - One of six, yes six, Montreal pitching prospects in the Top 100 he was the 8th overall pick of last years draft. At only 18 years old he's currently 5-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 12 rookie league starts. He throws four pitches, reaches close to 100 mph on the radar gun, and can throw effectively late into games.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. Baltimore's J.D. 'Hurricane' Rice led the league with five home runs last week as he's hitting .304/.369/.605 with 45 HR's and 114 RBI's on the year. He's now one home run behind the Bulldogs all-time season record of 46...set by J.D. Rice last season. The 12th overall pick of the 2029 draft has become another elite first basemen in the Bulldogs illustrious history. Started by Pete Kellum in 1978 it has also featured Don Castor, Terumoto Chiba, DJ Gosser, and Bruno Damours.
2. Wilmington put up a 17 spot on Seattle to start the week as Archie Thorington hit for the cycle and four other Clowns hit home runs. They then scored a combined 15 runs and lost five in a row the rest of the week. They are now 6.5 games back from Hartford for the Ale lead and 1.5 games back from Pittsburgh for second place. They have a big three game series at Pittsburgh to start this week though and if past history repeats they should sweep with J.J. Plumley throwing a no-hitter the final game of the series.
3. The top match-up this week though has to be between California and Carolina as the Tobs travel to the west coast for a four game series. Carolina has the best record in the league at 89-50 and leads the Stout while California is 86-53 and leads the Bock. The Tobs are first in OBP, SLG, runs scored, home runs, walks and second in starters ERA and strikeouts. The Kodiaks are second or third in nearly every offensive category and lead the league in striking out opposing batters, Carolina's one weakness on offense. So far in seven games this season the Tobs have taken four of them and outscored California 38-32.
4. It was a rough August for Los Angeles to say the least. Their league worst 7-21 record dropped them out of playoff contention as they are now six games behind Windy City for the final wildcard spot. They can look no further than pitching as the Dinos 6.44 ERA during the month was dead last and their opponents average of .305 was only ahead of Baltimore and Syracuse. The dog days of summer can be so unkind to playoff dreams and hopes.
5. With the Dinos out of contention the last playoff battle in the IL comes down to Windy City who is 77-62 and New York who is 77-63. The Knights have the tougher schedule down the road as they face Batavia, Seattle, California and Washington among others and their opponents winning percentage is .512 to the Blues .493. With only a half game separating them unfortunately they don't meet again as New York took the season series seven games to four.
Stat of the Week
.
| Most .300 Hitting Seasons By Franchise |
| |
Comment