Tweet
07/13/2048
Interleague is here and gone once again as California, Syracuse, and Philly tore up the opposing league with 5-1 weeks. Cali now has a two-game lead in the Bock, while Philly is only a game back from New York in the Stout. On the other side of interleague joy Indy and LAD each went 1-5. Some team leaders with everyone playing six: Syracuse scored 41 runs (Indy 15), Pawtucket only gave up 14 runs (Baltimore 42), Seattle hit 13 HRs (NO 1), and Toronto K'd 64 opposing batters (Baltimore 27).
Power Rankings
1) Toronto Canadians (107.8, o)
2) Philadelphia Freedom (104.9, ++)
3) California Kodiaks (103.9, ++)
4) Pawtucket Patriots (103.9, -)
5) Pittsburgh Millers (103.0, -)
6) New York Cyclones (99.9, ++)
7) Montreal Exports (97.9, ++)
8) Maine Guides (97.7, --)
9) Washington Bats (94.0, ++)
10) Los Angeles Dinos (93.9, --)
11) Wilmington Clowns (93.1, +)
12) New Orleans Voodoo (93.0, --)
13) Windy City Blues (92.0, --)
14) Dallas Drillers (91.1, --)
15) Syracuse Snappers (89.1, ++)
16) Phoenix Roadrunners (89.0, o)
17) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (86.1, +)
18) Baltimore Bulldogs (86.0, -)
19) Denver Bulls (85.1, --)
20) Carolina Tobs (79.0, o)
21) Seattle Pilots (77.9, +)
22) Batavia Red Jackets (75.9, --)
23) Indianapolis Racers (66.2, -)
24) Hartford Whalers (49.0, o)
Performance of the Week
CF Tavin Kang - The slugging outfielder for the Pilots turned in the 6th best hitting performance of the season on July 10th against Hartford. In five at bats he tallied up four hits, one home run, four RBI, and scored four times in a 17-1 harpooning of the Whalers. Alas it only made his trade value grow as he been sent to Import rival Phoenix. The former 6th overall pick of the 2039 draft is hitting .231/.301/.419 with 13 HR and 39 RBI.
Prospect of the Week
1B Cory 'Boy Scout' Petit - When the French 'Boy Scout' is a Dirtbag you know all is right in the league. Coming into the league in 2044 from France he signed a $6.5m contract with the Voodoo and was the 97th overall rated prospect in the league. He's now the 64th prospect and is hitting .330/.401/.427 in 74 A ball games. Scouts think his ability to put the bat on the ball and not strike out could turn into multiple BLB All-Star appearances down the road for the 21 year old.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. Seattle has been a model BLB franchise since its inception during the 2017 league expansion that saw two expansion teams enter the BLB. In 31 seasons they've made the playoffs an impressive 26 times, including a title run in 2026. Why do we bring this up? For the first time in their storied history they are embarking on a full rebuild. Coming off of a season with a -8 PYT, and sitting at the bottom of the IL was enough to force the hand of the Pilots general manager. Three of the league's best players (Cole and Encinia to Dallas and Tavin Kang to Phoenix) were moved for a bevy of picks and prospects. If all goes well, Seattle could be back in the hunt by the early 2050s.
2. One name popped up on the Top Performance list that we did a double take on this week...Belle River Bombers (Pho) centerfielder Adley Hauolilahanau. The 19 year old hit a two-run shot in a 4-3 victory on July 12th, giving him four on the season, but the biggest joy was watching the announcers try and pronounce his name. Hauolilahanau was discovered by scouts in 2045 out of Tuvalu, and was born in Vaiaku, Funafuti. For those that aren't experienced world travelers, Funafuti is an atoll and the capital of Tuvalu. The total area of the country is 0.9 square miles with a population just under 5,000 residents. Believe it or not there are 18 players though in the BLB 'universe' from Tuvalu, including Carolina centerfielder Percival Worosun.
3. As we approach the All Star game, Tyson Velez is still hitting a ridiculous .400 on the season. Only two players in BLB history (RVL and Johnny Thompson in 2039) have ever cracked that barrier. The 26 year old entered the BLB as an International Free Agent out of Guatemala in 2038 and was signed to a whopping $8.75M bonus. He was plucked from Seattle in a shrewd under the radar deal and has been raking for the Snappers ever since. With high contact and the ability to almost never strike out against both RHP and LHP, it's a solid bet that Velez will take his chase to hit .400 right down to the final weekend of the season.
4. Do saves matter is a question that Dallas fans have been asking all season. Although not one of the most exciting closers in the league, Mason 'Ringo' Graham has managed to tally a whopping 30 saves in 34 chances. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that Graham seems to be doing this without the normal overpowering stiff that most closers posses. He strikes out less than a batter per inning, carries a WHIP over one, and has a mind boggling -0.2 WAR on the season. Maybe saves don't matter, but Graham sure makes Drillers management feel secure when he strolls in and shuts down opponents.
5. What's on tap? How about the 2048 BLB All-Star game! This year Philadelphia will host the game as we have a one first time potential All-Star. In the Domestic catcher Evan James (Mon) leads in votes and looks to be the only newbie that is certain to get selected. Some old faces though will be making an appearance. Dominique Graham will be marking his 7th trip, Robert Jessee his 10th, Sean Sayers his 8th, and Preston Capps his 7th.
Stat of the Week
.
| Highest Percentage of Wins Saved (Top 25 Teams) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Comment