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08/08/2039
(AP) Interleague play as every team faced their IL or DL counterparts this week in two three-game series. It was the IL who came out on top (again) as they spanked the DL 41-31. Let's take a look at the winning teams of the week in the IL...Batavia (5-1), LAD (5-1), Cali (4-2), Windy City (4-2), Baltimore (4-2), and New York (4-2). Now let's look at the DL...New Orleans (5-1) and Syracuse (4-2). Ouch. At least the DL can say they have won six of the last ten Brewmasters!
Power Rankings
1) Batavia Red Jackets (123.3, ++)
2) Seattle Pilots (121.5, -)
3) New Orleans Voodoo (121.3, o)
4) Windy City Blues (118.3, o)
5) Washington Bats (112.1, +)
6) California Kodiaks (110.7, ++)
7) Toronto Canadians (107.1, --)
8) Los Angeles Dinos (104.8, ++)
9) Denver Bulls (103.5, -)
10) Montreal Exports (98.1, o)
11) Baltimore Bulldogs (98.0, +)
12) Pittsburgh Millers (96.9, --)
13) Indianapolis Racers (93.6, o)
14) Miami Sharks (87.4, o)
15) Wilmington Clowns (84.4, +)
16) Hartford Whalers (77.6, -)
17) New York Knights (72.1, ++)
18) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (71.6, o)
19) Pawtucket Patriots (68.4, -)
20) Carolina Tobs (64.7, -)
21) Maine Guides (60.9, o)
22) Syracuse Snappers (60.2, +)
23) Phoenix Roadrunners (57.5, -)
24) Philadelphia Freedom (47.8, o)
Performance of the Week
Jimmy Brabec and Marco Taylor - The Red Jackets unleashed their stingers this week on poor Maine during a 17-5 beat down on August 3rd. Brabec turned in the #4 hitting performance of the season by tallying up four hits, two home runs, six RBI's and scoring four times. Meanwhile Taylor turned in the #5 hitting performance of the season by recording four hits, two home runs, six RBI's and scoring five times.
Injury of the Week
RF Zheng-xin Yang - The 32 year old had the worst season of his career last year with Pittsburgh, and wanted out of town so badly he refused to even negotiate with the Millers. He was scooped up in free agency by New Orleans and this year he's hitting .331/.373/.560 with 20 HR's and 74 RBI's while posting a 3.2 WAR. Unfortunately on August 2nd against Carolina he went down in the sixth inning when he went from second to home on a Parker Wood single and had a huge collusion at the plate. He was called safe, pushed the Voodoo lead to 12-2, but sadly hobbled off the field into the locker room. He was diagnosed with a fractured rib and will miss at least six weeks.
Prospect of the Week
LF Reid 'Ramrod' Cole - Goodness do the Blues have another minor league ringer who's going to dominate the BLB in a few seasons? Last year Sidney 'Doofus' Ishibashi hit 48 home runs in AAA and this year he's tied for the BLB lead with JD Rice and Elmer Caceres at 34 home runs. This season 'Ramrod' is tied for 3rd in A ball with 20 HR's and he is hitting .288/.390/.511 to go along with it. The former 9th overall pick of the 2037 draft was a two-time NCAA All-Star with Rice and led them to a 2036 College World Series victory over Oregon State.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. Seattle has two players flirting with the magic number of hitting .400, which would be the first time in BLB history. Richie 'Powder' van Luik is currently hitting .390 and has to hit .422 over the rest of the season in order to reach it. The 24 year old was a scouting find back in 2031 and is currently rated by the OSA as the 2nd best hitter in the BLB. Meanwhile Johnny Thompson is hitting an amazing .427 and needs to hit .338 down the stretch in order to achieve history. The 24 year old was a 3rd round pick back in 2032 and is playing in only his second BLB season. Last year he hit .329 in 98 games but no one, and I mean no one, predicted these types of numbers. It's season 61...we're cheering for you Johnny.
2. We talked about Barton Mejia last time and we'll talk about him next time. The 26 year old Windy City hurler is now 17-2 with a 1.88 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 7.1 WAR. The next closest pitcher in terms of WAR is Plumley in the DL at a 'meager' 5.0. The best part is he's on pace for a 9.6 WAR, which would fall below 2038 when he put up 9.95 (rounded to 10.0). And to think he's only making $13.75 million this year and the next.
3. Syracuse took it to Philly this past week and swept them 9-5, 7-1, and 4-3. Great news for the Snappers who at 34-79 have now tied their 2038 win total and are two wins short of their 2037 win total. The 34 win mark was the lowest in BLB history and with 49 games to go shows Syracuse is on the up and up. Unfortunately for the Snappers they have now propelled the Freedom closer to getting the #1 pick of the 2040 draft. Philadelphia is now 36-78 and has an opponent win percentage of .503 remaining. Syracuse has the easier schedule at .486 but can they overcome to lead the BLB in losses and go back to back to back in #1 picks?
4. When 42 year old Dylan Owens signed an 8 year contract worth $7.8 million before the season started, many including the DK thought it was a goodbye gift for all he has done for the organization. With seven All-Star appearances, six Designated Drivers, and a 2022 BLB championship he was more than deserving of a little walking around money once he retired. Instead he's not only still on the team but he's actually on the 26 man roster. He has played in only three games in the last month (the last on August 5th vs Cali), and is hitting .300 in only 13 games and 11 plate appearances. Toronto meanwhile is 66-47, in second place in the Lager, and also in the #1 wildcard spot. That is a valuable roster spot when you are battling to get back to the playoffs for the third straight season. When you talk about loyalty this team has it in spades.
5. Shocking rumors out of Miami that their GM is possibly stepping down. Cesar Shark took over the then Dallas Snappers in 2012 and has been in charge of the now Miami Sharks ever since then. Over that time he has won 2382 games, been to the playoffs 16 times, and won two BLB titles. A tragic loss for the organization on the cusp of their 10th playoffs birth in the last 11 years, and the BLB as an entirety. We are eagerly awaiting a press conference to either confirm these unfortunate rumors or hopefully put them to rest.
Stat of the Week
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Single Season Pitching WAR
| J. Ponte | CAR | 1979 | 11.81 |
| J. Aurillo | PHI | 1984 | 11.29 |
| P. Herrera | SDR | 1994 | 10.69 |
| D. Rumsey | LAD | 1978 | 10.63 |
| J. Chavarraga | WAS | 1984 | 10.35 |
| M. Kuramochi | SYR | 1978 | 10.13 |
| P. Herrera | SDR | 1997 | 10.06 |
| J. Chavarraga | WAS | 1983 | 10.04 |
| P. Herrera | SDR | 1999 | 10.01 |
| D. Guardamagni | TOR | 1986 | 9.99 |
| B. Mejia | CHI | 2038 | 9.95 |
| D. Theodore | CHI | 1984 | 9.89 |
| J. Dean | DEN | 1979 | 9.78 |
| P. Herrera | SDR | 1992 | 9.76 |
| T. Corrigan | MAI | 1978 | 9.69 |
| E. Carroll | WAS | 2022 | 9.54 |
| T. Corrigan | MAI | 1982 | 9.47 |
| D. Guardamagni | TOR | 1983 | 9.39 |
| E. Carroll | WAS | 2020 | 9.35 |
| E. Carroll | WAS | 2021 | 9.28 |
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