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06/08/2048
After a week long hiatus the Keg is back, and we find Montreal still on top. The Exports appear to be the class of a very tightly packed BLB so far this young season. Another Canadian team was the big winner this week though as Toronto was the only 6-1 team. Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and Los Angeles all went 5-2 to round out the big gainers. On the other end of the spectrum we had Denver with a regrettable 0-7 week, and Indianapolis, slightly better at 1-6. Seattle blasted 14 home runs (Maine only 2), while Pittsburgh and Philadelphia only allowed 21 runs (Indy a whopping 52) to highlight some team stats for the week.
Power Rankings
1) Montreal Exports (116.9, o)
2) Toronto Canadians (111.7, ++)
3) Los Angeles Dinos (103.7, +)
4) Wilmington Clowns (102.4, -)
5) New Orleans Voodoo (99.6, ++)
6) Carolina Tobs (99.1, ++)
7) Dallas Drillers (98.7, -)
8) Pawtucket Patriots (96.6, ++)
9) Maine Guides (96.0, --)
10) Phoenix Roadrunners (94.5, ++)
11) Windy City Blues (94.5, -)
12) New York Cyclones (93.6, -)
13) California Kodiaks (93.5, --)
14) Syracuse Snappers (90.6, -)
15) Baltimore Bulldogs (89.6, --)
16) Washington Bats (89.0, +)
17) Philadelphia Freedom (85.4, +)
18) Pittsburgh Millers (85.4, +)
19) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (83.0, +)
20) Seattle Pilots (81.9, o)
21) Batavia Red Jackets (74.7, +)
22) Denver Bulls (73.0, --)
23) Indianapolis Racers (59.1, -)
24) Hartford Whalers (45.8, o)
Performance of the Week
RF Julian Englund had the #4 hitting performance on the year this past week. England was a one man wrecking crew in a wild affair that saw him go double and score in the second, then belt a three run home run in the third. Not finished yet, he also blasted a two run home run in the seventh. Unfortunately for the home crowd of 28 974, the Indy pitchers did not do their part, and the Racers lost a wild 12-11 affair to the visiting Clowns of Wilmington.
Injury of the Week
SP Miles McIntyre - Although we are a week late on this injury, the Kodiak ace has had a few injuries the last few years, and perhaps 9 straight seasons of at least 28 starts and at least one more in the Kodiak long post season run are finally starting to take their toll. In a game against Los Angeles on May 25th, McIntyre was nursing a 3-2 when he heard he started getting some serious shoulder discomfort while pitching to Zion Hilker. Leaving the game as a precaution, it was later diagnosed as shoulder inflammation and he'll be out of action for at least 4 months.
Prospect of the Week
1B Cory 'Boy Scout' Petit - Signed as International amateur free agent out of France in 2044 for the cool sum of $6.5M, the Voodoo prospect seems to be finally hitting his stride. After finishing last season in A-ball with a solid 0.266 average, the 21 year old is absolutely raking this year with a 0.354 average and whopping 27 RBI. He has a hard time picking up instruction, but coaches absolutely love his work ethic. He could be joining New Orleans in the next year or two at the latest.
Five Things We Think We Think...
1. Apparently Christian Vines likes pitching in front of gold glove fielders. Thanks to the injury to Miles McIntyre, the Kodiaks made a blockbuster move to acquire the Syracuse ace, in a deal that saw McIntyre, 3 prospects, and two firsts head to Syracuse. How did Vines do in his first two starts? Start #1 against Phoenix he picked up the win with 6.1 IP, 2 hits, 4 BBs, 10 Ks, and 0 earned runs. Building on the strong performance, he followed it up with another 6 innings of shutout pitching Batavia, that included only 2 hits against, 3 walks, and 9 more strikeouts.
2. In a year of outstanding achievements, we had yet another all time milestone reached. Taken, to the surprise of some, with the #1 pick in the 2031 draft, Robert 'Stretch' Jessee has been proving the doubters wrong for the last 15 seasons. On June 2 against SDR, Jesse had an incredible batting day, as he ripped a single and a three run home run. The latter knocking in his 1 500th BLB RBI. In the long history of the BLB, he becomes only the 20th player to reach that lofty milestone.
3. Another major milestone was picked up this week by Andy Phillips as he recorded his 1 000th strikeout. At first blush this doesn't seem that exciting for a pitcher in their 7th full season until you realize that he has spent 90% of his career as a reliever. The former 1st overall pick in the 2040 draft rocketed straight to the BLB in two years, and has been mowing down the BLB's best ever since. On the season, he has already struck out 67 in 41.1 IP and has a top five WAR of 1.7.
4. The Dallas Drillers and the Syracuse Snappers are both in the thick of the DL Wild Card. Why does this matter? Both teams are in the process of rebuilding and have dealt away some of the game's great players. Yet in the case of Dallas, who traded away Reid Cole, and Syracuse who recently traded away Vines and Dominique Graham, they continue to battle away and may actually reach the playoffs and utilize their bevy of picks and prospects in the coming seasons. A scary thought for the future of the other teams in the DL.
5. With interleague action this week we have a couple of great series to start the week. Stout leading Baltimore travels to Toronto to take on the red hot Canadians. Bock leading Los Angeles travels to Maine to face a strong, but struggling, Maine Guides team, that is looking to get back on track after a difficult last week.
Stat of the Day - As Many Shutouts as losses
| Player | Team | Year | W | L | IP | H | BB | K | CG | SHO | Diff |
| Teagan Corrigan+ | MAI | 1981 | 26 | 2 | 252.3 | 201 | 49 | 174 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Pancho Herrera | VIR | 1991 | 21 | 1 | 195.7 | 113 | 15 | 227 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Kristoffer Ball | BAT | 2027 | 8 | 2 | 140.0 | 129 | 36 | 109 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Wes Perry | LAD | 2029 | 28 | 1 | 244.0 | 212 | 39 | 151 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Seth Cobb | WIL | 2048 | 7 | 1 | 82.7 | 73 | 14 | 83 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| J.D. Spencer | WIL | 2034 | 3 | 0 | 33.0 | 20 | 7 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pat Kimmick | SEA | 2025 | 6 | 0 | 71.0 | 59 | 22 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jonathon Arnholt | DVS | 2012 | 1 | 0 | 26.3 | 22 | 12 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Scooter Nackers | NYK | 2032 | 4 | 0 | 46.3 | 37 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tino Suárez+ | MAI | 2001 | 1 | 0 | 10.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Zack Scott | LAD | 2030 | 3 | 0 | 37.7 | 30 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Archibaldo Garcia | IND | 1986 | 7 | 3 | 90.3 | 68 | 38 | 68 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Teagan Corrigan+ | MAI | 1980 | 25 | 3 | 254.0 | 242 | 33 | 210 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Danny Gonzalez | BAT | 2007 | 23 | 2 | 221.3 | 167 | 33 | 177 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Dave Teel+ | SEA | 2029 | 17 | 2 | 188.0 | 170 | 30 | 167 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Pancho Herrera | VIR | 1996 | 14 | 2 | 176.7 | 130 | 15 | 193 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Pancho Herrera | VIR | 1994 | 17 | 2 | 204.3 | 125 | 13 | 221 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Raúl Carrillo+ | PIT | 1993 | 10 | 2 | 105.7 | 87 | 27 | 115 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Enrique Andujar | AFR | 2017 | 3 | 1 | 24.7 | 21 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cordarius Gomez | PIT | 2048 | 7 | 1 | 70.3 | 44 | 7 | 95 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Pancho Herrera | VIR | 1995 | 19 | 1 | 188.7 | 148 | 8 | 202 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Aurillo+ | PHI | 1983 | 22 | 1 | 204.0 | 131 | 29 | 219 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jerome Middlebrooks | LOS | 1990 | 2 | 1 | 39.0 | 27 | 17 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jamie Allen | WIL | 2043 | 2 | 1 | 25.3 | 24 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Manabu Hamada | DEN | 2031 | 19 | 1 | 219.3 | 166 | 31 | 195 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
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