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04/16/2040
And the race for the 2040 Brewmasters Cup is off and woah look at those Snappers...6-1...and atop the BLB power rankings for the first time since 2036! We knew with all those draft picks the resurgence was coming but we didn't think it would be in 2040. Sorry though Snappers fans we just don't think it will last, but with another #1 pick this year the next decade is looking pretty good. Other big opening weeks were Washington and California who each went 5-2 and lead their respective divisions. On the other side of life Denver, New Orleans and Dallas all went 2-5 while Windy City went 2-4. Not to worry though friends, three of those four teams the DK has predicted reaching the postseason.
Power Rankings
1) Syracuse Snappers (160.3, ++)
2) California Kodiaks (132.6, +)
3) Washington Bats (130.6, ++)
4) Carolina Tobs (124.0, o)
5) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (123.0, ++)
6) Batavia Red Jackets (106.9, --)
7) Hartford Whalers (105.9, o)
8) Toronto Canadians (104.9, ++)
9) Philadelphia Freedom (102.9, ++)
10) Indianapolis Racers (101.9, -)
11) Pawtucket Patriots (89.0, ++)
12) Wilmington Clowns (79.1, ++)
13) Maine Guides (78.1, --)
14) New York Knights (77.1, -)
15) Seattle Pilots (77.1, ++)
16) Baltimore Bulldogs (75.1, --)
17) Los Angeles Dinos (75.1, --)
18) Pittsburgh Millers (75.1, -)
19) Montreal Exports (74.1, --)
20) Phoenix Roadrunners (73.1, --)
21) Windy City Blues (56.0, ++)
22) Denver Bulls (49.4, --)
23) Dallas Drillers (47.4, --)
24) New Orleans Voodoo (45.4, --)
Performance of the Week
RF Xzavier 'Blockhead' Medellin - The 11th overall pick of the 2034 draft is going to be a big part of Phoenix rising from the ashes. Last season he won the IL New Brew and was the Designated Driver at RF while being named to the All-Star team. This season he started out hot and against Batavia on April 12th tallied four hits, one home run, four runs batted in and scored three times in a 13-6 Roadrunners victory.
Injury of the Week
P Reggie Chao - It's not often surgeons from around the nation can't repair an injury but this week they had to throw in the towel. Against Seattle on April 12th the Bats sent in Chao in the bottom of the fourth where he got Johnny Thompson to ground out. He started the 5th but after allowing two walks and two hits he suddenly grabbed his shoulder and went to his knees. He was helped off the field and an MRI later showed he had torn his rotator cuff. After consulting with several doctors and surgeons it was determined that surgery could never fully repair his shoulder and Chao announced his retirement at 28 years old. Originally a free agent from Taiwan who entered the league in 2033 he played in 197 games for the Bats, won a title with them last season, and was selected to play in the 2040 WBC for Asia.
Prospect of the Week
P Troy Hill - Santo Domingo has six...yes six...pitchers in the Top 100. Hill is currently ranked #19, the highest of them all, and looks pretty solid for second round pick last season. He throws upper 90's, has five pitches, and has the stamina to go all night long. After playing for their Rookie League team last season it looks like the 21 year old will start the season today in A ball.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. First off congrats to Dylan Owens who retired last November and never received a proper send off. Drafted 1.1 in 2014 out of high school by Toronto he played 23 season for the Canadians, won the New Brew in 2018, went to the All-Star game seven times, won six Designated Drivers, and helped Toronto win the 2022 Brewmasters Cup. He is 7th all-time in hits, 8th in home runs, 12th in doubles, and 22nd in runs. He will be a first ballot Hall of Fame selection and can now relax at home with his career earnings of $402,359,000.
2. We also had two career milestones this week as Seth Blankenship hit his 300th home run and Javy 'Blur' Gudino got his 2500th hit. At 29 years old Blankenship is the first player who debuted in the 2030's (2032) to reach the milestone and is 22nd among active players. Gudino is an old 36 who has bounced around the league the last few seasons but is 2nd among active players in hits. He, like Dylans, is also another first ballot HoF inductee who has been to nine All-Star games, won eight Designated Drivers, and won the 2027 Brewmasters with Montreal where he was named the series MVP.
Trivia: Who is the BLB active leader in hits? See after #5.
3. The April 12th game between Seattle and Washington went 12 innings and had a combined 19 runs, 38 hits, two errors and one career ending injury. It also featured a cycle by .400 hitter Richie 'Powder' van Luik who hit .419 for the week. He also swiped four bases and is on pace to hit .420 with 69 doubles and 93 stolen bases.
4. As the BLB season kicked off last week the four minor leagues start this week. GM's around the country are scrambling to trim rosters down to the active limit, as well as follow the age limit restrictions in place for the Rookie League and A ball. As that is happening the so called 'feeder' leagues are in full swing. In High School the 2040 All-Star game was played last week while in the NCAA and CCBL the All-Star games will be played this week. They were all moved back this year towards the end of the season in order to give voters a better picture. The HS season now only has two weeks to go while the NCAA/CCBL has three. With recent schedule changes that means that BLB scouts around the league should have prospects entire 2040 campaign to help judge talent for the upcoming draft.
5. Speaking of the draft we mentioned earlier that Syracuse has the #1 pick...again. Will they go offense like last season and select someone like Pacific's shortstop Vin Edwards or Cretin-Derham Hall's Stephen Lee? Or will they go pitching and add to an already talented farm system with Ryan 'Danger Man' Anderson out of American Heritage High School or Andy Phillips who plays for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the CCBL? Only time will tell but we're excited to see where some of these future BLB All-Stars end up.
Triva: Geoff Dail with 2758
Stat of the Week
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| Number of .300+ Batters Per Season Over the Last 20 Seaons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2040 DK Season Predictions
(once again the DK takes no responsibility for trades/injuries/OOTPR and should be used for entertainment value only)
Ale
x Pittsburgh
z Pawtucket
z Wilmington
Hartford
Maine
Syracuse
The Millers continue to hold down the division but Pawtucket rises from the ashes to make the playoffs for the first time since 2033. They throw Zander Wyatt and Trevon Olvera into the lineups and even though they struggle as rookies they are good enough to secure second in the division. Wilmington superstar JJ Plumley also gets back on track with his fourth Pale Ale as the Clowns fend off Hartford down the stretch to sneak in. Maine hits the most home runs in the DL but has no pitching as they almost get to .500 for the first time since 2034. Meanwhile Syracuse adds another potential ace with the 1st draft pick but doesn't pull the trigger yet on bringing up their other young prospects and comes in last again, but not last enough to secure their fourth straight #1 pick.
Lager
x Montreal
z New Orleans
z Toronto
Santo Domingo
Indianapolis
Dallas
The young Exports were bolstered by some great FA additions and take advantage of a bridge year in New Orleans to steal the Lager crown with a season ending sweep over Dallas. The Voodoo though aren't far behind with the #3 farm system and New Brew winner Colby Hullinger. Throw in Toronto, where their pitchers struggle on the mound (much to Stout Slugger Robert Jessee's chagrin) who still gets into the playoffs quite easily, and Santo Domingo who struggles scoring runs and barely misses out, and this has turned into a much tougher division overnight. Indianapolis continues to unload talent as their rebuild begins while Dallas completely blows it up in order for their new GM to put his stamp on the team.
Stout
x Washington
z Baltimore
Batavia
Philadelphia
New York
Carolina
The champion Bats repeat for the first time since the Patriots did it in 2013 and 2014. This time the Stout though isn't so easy as Baltimore uses Stout Slugger JD Rice and New Brew winner Dominique Graham to pound opposing pitchers into submission and make a triumphant return to the postseason. Batavia gets the honor this season of being the team with the winning record that misses the postseason while Philadelphia starts their return to glory and climbs out the basement. New York continues to build the farm as their veteran off-season acquisitions find new homes down the stretch while Carolina takes the title for most losses in the BLB this season.
Bock
x Windy City
z Seattle
z California
z Denver
Los Angeles
Phoenix
The brutal Bock pulls no punches as Windy City and Seattle win over 100 games and no team finishes under .500. The Blues post the best record in the league as Barton Mejia wins his 3rd straight Triple Crown and Pale Ale and their offense leads the IL in runs scored. The Pilots don't have any .400 hitters this year as 'Powder' hits a measly .370 and only steals 80 bases, but they do finish with the second most wins in the IL. Young starter Dontavious Barreras wins 15 games and challenges Graham for the New Brew while simultaneously making Wilmington fans weep at what might have been. California's Joey Robertson is the best player in the league and plays like it as he leads the Kodiaks to 95 wins. Tony Ramos bounces between closer and starter and goes 10-5 in 20 starts while also posting 20 saves. The Bulls won 91 last year and missed the playoffs and win 88 this year and make them as 25 year old Cy Rocha and 21 year old Saul Wang put aside their WBC war of words and play nicely together. Los Angeles finds themselves on the outside looking in with 82 wins while Phoenix goes 81-81 as the best future staff in the league starts to bloom.
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Wild Card
New Orleans over Wilmington
Pawtucket over Toronto
California over Baltimore
Seattle over Denver
Divisional Series
Pittsburgh over New Orleans
Montreal over Pawtucket
California over Windy City
Washington over Seattle
League Championship
Montreal over Pittsburgh
Washington over California
Brewmasters
Washington over Montreal 4-2
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Stout Slugger
Robert Jessee - Toronto
JD Rice - Baltimore
Pale Ale
JJ Plumley - Wilmington
Barton Mejia - Windy City
Refreshing New Brew
Colby Hullinger - New Orleans
Dominique Graham - Baltimore