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07/05/2049
The Bats are back baby with a 6-1 week and a 11 game lead over Batavia in the Stout. After missing the playoffs last season for only the second time since 2016, they are now 56-31 and have the second best record in the league. Other good weeks were had by Pittsburgh, Pawtucket, and Indy who all went 5-2. Not so good weeks were had by California who went 0-7, while Santo Domingo went 1-5. Sometimes you're the forest, sometimes you're the street.
Power Rankings
1) Pawtucket Patriots (130.9, o)
2) Washington Bats (123.9, o)
3) Phoenix Roadrunners (107.7, o)
4) Wilmington Clowns (102.4, ++)
5) Hartford Whalers (101.7, -)
6) Los Angeles Dinos (98.4, o)
7) New Orleans Voodoo (98.3, ++)
8) Toronto Canadians (94.4, -)
9) Montreal Exports (94.3, -)
10) Denver Bulls (93.9, ++)
11) Batavia Red Jackets (92.3, --)
12) Maine Guides (90.0, -)
13) Dallas Drillers (89.4, --)
14) Pittsburgh Millers (87.9, ++)
15) Seattle Pilots (85.6, ++)
16) Indianapolis Racers (81.5, ++)
17) Philadelphia Freedom (79.5, -)
18) New York Cyclones (77.2, ++)
19) Carolina Tobs (76.1, --)
20) Syracuse Snappers (74.2, --)
21) California Kodiaks (74.1, --)
22) Baltimore Bulldogs (73.1, +)
23) Windy City Blues (71.0, -)
24) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (56.5, --)
Performance of the Week
LF Tyree Lugovov - The 25 year old out of Kazakhstan is in his second season with the Blues after winning the IL New Brew last season. This year he's struggled but he turned in the #2 hitting performance of the season on July 2nd against New York. In four at bats he hit three home runs, drove in four, and scored four times in an 8-6 Blues victory.
Prospect of the Week
RF Marco 'Monster' Husted - 'Monster' was the 4th overall pick of the 2045 draft and is now the 74th overall prospect in the league. Unfortunately last year he only played 50 games before tearing his PCL in June. He's back though, appears healthy, and is now in AAA for the Dinos. This season he's hitting .251 with 2 HR, 15 RBI and 16 SB.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. What happened to the Kodiaks. Since June 11th they are an abysmal 5-17, presently have lost nine straight, and are now 43-42 on the season. The crazy thing is (besides their GM throwing his computer out of his box after getting swept by Washington on July 4th) is they are middle of the pack in hitting and pitching during the stretch, but they've been outscored by 36 runs. Rumors are that they are thinking of a rebuild and that Colby 'Mirror' Hullinger, who was recently acquired from Dallas, is going to be shipped out of town. Since coming over in late May he has hit a paltry .228 with 6 HR and 14 RBI. The one thing we've learned in California is that when the GM is on a rampage no one is safe.
2. It was a good week for Maine slugger Louie Dano Dasmarinas, who recorded his 2000th career hit on June 30th against Wilmington during a 15-2 beat down of the Clowns. The 35 year old is an 8x All-Star, 2x Stout Slugger, and "won" a 2042 title with Pittsburgh even though he was traded before the playoffs to Seattle. Lifetime he's a .293/.370/.540 hitter with 390 HR, 1223 RBI and a 138 OBS+. His career total of 2005 hits also puts him 166th all-time and 21st among active players.
3. Clay Watson continues to slay opposing hitters to the tune of a 1.63 ERA, the best in the league. He's having an even more dominant season than last year, when he took home the Last Call award. This past week he appeared in four games, pitched 9.2 innings, allowed one hit, no runs, walked one, and struck out an amazing 20 opposing hitters. At 6'4 with a 100 mph fastball, and the stamina of a starter, he's by far the most dominant late inning pitcher in the league.
4. The All-Star game is right around the corner and the leading vote getters so far are Toronto's Dane Jennings and Phoenix's Neel 'Tracer' Benarrivo. Jennings has been to the All-Star game three times before, while 'Tracer' has gone twice. We do have a lot of potential first time All-Star appearances though as C Zane Bowden (SEA), 2B Zion Hilker (LAD), SS Tevin Hawkins (CAR), 1B Beaumont Sanchez (BAL), P Treshawn Cooks (DEN), C Jaumar Maldonado (PAW), and CF Gregory Anderson (HAR) all lead their respective positions in votes. That's a lot of bonus money that might have to get paid out!
5. What's on tap? We have the dream interleague match-ups this week as first place Toronto travels to first place Washington, and first place Phoenix travels to first place Pawtucket. Washington has the best home record in the league, followed by Pawtucket...so how will their opponents fare? Well Toronto is sub .500 on the road this season, so maybe not too well for them. The Roadrunners meanwhile are 21-16 away from The Birdnest so that should help. Streakwise Cali has lost nine in a row, SDR has lost five in a row, and Washington has won four straight. Individual wise Pawtucket reliever Grayson Modi has won nine straight games dating back to last season, while their closer Charlie Guevin hasn't blown a save in 44 chances.
Stat of the Week
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