Tweet
08/11/2059
The 'dead cat bounce' is alive in well in the BLB as New Orleans starts to trade pieces, and then goes 6-0. The Voodoo as of today are the final Wildcard in the wild and wacky Domestic. Throw in Maine and Indy who each went 5-1, and it could be one of the better races we've had in quite some time. Now toss in a 5-1 week by New York combined with a 1-5 week by Baltimore, and well the Stout isn't the forgone conclusion we all though. It's the middle of August and the DK already has playoff fever!
Power Rankings
1) Seattle Pilots (116.1, +)
2) Wilmington Wildcats (109.7, +)
3) New York Cyclones (109.6, ++)
4) California Kodiaks (108.5, ++)
5) Pittsburgh Millers (107.7, o)
6) Baltimore Bulldogs (106.7, --)
7) Toronto Canadians (102.9, -)
8) Montreal Exports (100.5, --)
9) Washington Bats (98.2, -)
10) New Orleans Voodoo (95.3, ++)
11) Los Angeles Dinos (90.6, ++)
12) Phoenix Roadrunners (90.6, +)
13) Carolina Tobs (86.6, --)
14) Maine Guides (85.1, ++)
15) Indianapolis Clowns (85.0, +)
16) Dallas Drillers (83.1, --)
17) Windy City Blues (80.5, ++)
18) Hartford Whalers (80.2, --)
19) Pawtucket Patriots (79.5, --)
20) Batavia Muckdogs (75.8, --)
21) Syracuse Snappers (73.7, --)
22) Philadelphia Freedom (66.1, o)
23) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (64.7, o)
24) Denver Bulls (62.2, o)
Performance of the Week
P Max 'Cats' Sivak - The 30 year old didn't even get enough time to get a photo in his new uniform before starting for New Orleans against Batavia. Then he went out and proceeded to toss an eight inning one-hitter in his first ever BLB start. The Voodoo won 3-0 and 'Cats' turned in the 20th best pitching performance of the season. Drafted 1st overall in 2050 out of the University of Miami, it's safe to say his career hasn't gone as planned after badly tearing his triceps in 2052. He was never the same after, but he never gave up. We for one are happy to see Sivak get a chance to play in the majors and wish him continued success.
Prospect of the Week
1B Ozzie Huang - We're not sure how this kid is the 79th overall prospect in the league, because he looks like a future star and OSA scouts think he has the "potential to be one of the best." Drafted in the 2nd round last year the 21 year old just moved up to AAA after dominating AA earlier this season. Contact and power for days, a solid teammate...looks like a second round steal to us.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. Lon Leseberg has been rumored to be on the trading block, but after New Orleans went 6-0 and he won the Domestic POTW that might change. The 25 year old second basemen hit .500 last week with 4 HR, 4 RBI and even added a stolen base to help the Voodoo in their playoff push. He entered the league in 2050 as an IAFA and was signed by California for a cool $6.25m. After having a solid 2056, he started out 2057 slow and quickly fell out of favor with the Kodiaks front office (very uncharacteristic). He was sent packing to New Orleans, where he put up a 4.0 WAR last season, and is on pace to put up a 4.5 WAR this year. He is one of the few players in the league who can play both the infield and outfield at a high quality, and is considered a 'joy' to coach by management.
2. The Domestic still has seven teams within 3.5 games of each other for the final two Wildcard spots. Maine and New Orleans sit in the third and fourth spot, with Syracuse, Dallas, Indy, Hartford, and Pawtucket right behind them. The Whalers have the easiest remaining schedule, with Maine having the hardest. Syracuse though has a -5 PYT, while Dallas is the only team in the positive at +2. Basically all these means we have no idea what will happen, and neither does anyone else.
3. Eight teams are on pace to win an average of 90+ games, but no more than 100 games this season. Baltimore is tops at 99.0, while Montreal is last at 90.7 wins. To be fair we wouldn't really call 90.7 wins 'last', but for this stat they are. In the max wins spot is still the Bulldogs (go figure) at 110 wins. In the history of the BLB only 14 teams (sorry Virginia we're not counting you) have finished with 110 wins or more. How many of them have won the Brewmasters...four.
4. The Cyclones signed 35 year old Parker Lord to a two year extension this past week, that will pay him $5m a season. Drafted in the second round of the 2041 draft, by the then New York Knights, he played in New York from 2047 to 2054 before being traded to Syracuse in the middle of the season. He then played for the Snappers from 2054 to 2058, before being put on waivers and getting scooped back up by New York. This year he's now 11-6 with a 3.49 ERA. Lifetime he is 93-101 with a 4.29 ERA and 108 ERA+. Even though he's not a star by any stretch of the imagination, it's always good to see someone come home.
5. What's on tap? How about some Wildcard seeding series as Maine travels to New Orleans, and Indy travels to Syracuse. New York also has a 'fun' week as they host Washington, then travel across the country to take on the Kodiaks. Streak wise Ian Schreiber (HAR) has a 17 game hitting streak, LaVar Abrudan (PAW) hasn't lost in 12 straight starts, the Voodoo have won six straight, and the Bulldogs have lost four straight.
Stat of the Week
.
Top Seasonal Wins Leaders From 1978 to 2058
| Rnk | Team | Year | G | GS | W | L | SV | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | K | HLD | CG | SHO | WHIP |
| 1 | Pittsburgh Millers | 1985 | 162 | 162 | 114 | 48 | 58 | 3.31 | 1472.0 | 1252 | 592 | 542 | 123 | 590 | 1283 | 53 | 10 | 13 | 1.25 |
| 1 | Maine Guides | 1986 | 162 | 162 | 114 | 48 | 59 | 3.32 | 1463.3 | 1311 | 603 | 540 | 115 | 503 | 1241 | 61 | 12 | 10 | 1.24 |
| 1 | Pawtucket Patriots* | 2016 | 162 | 162 | 114 | 48 | 66 | 2.67 | 1468.0 | 1198 | 459 | 435 | 121 | 367 | 1330 | 94 | 1 | 18 | 1.07 |
| 1 | Death Valley Scorpions | 2027 | 162 | 162 | 114 | 48 | 65 | 3.06 | 1500.0 | 1357 | 547 | 510 | 146 | 367 | 1292 | 42 | 5 | 22 | 1.15 |
| 5 | California Kodiaks | 1999 | 162 | 162 | 113 | 49 | 60 | 3.41 | 1447.0 | 1339 | 615 | 548 | 105 | 535 | 1096 | 80 | 4 | 14 | 1.30 |
| 5 | Death Valley Scorpions | 2005 | 162 | 162 | 113 | 49 | 51 | 2.99 | 1468.0 | 1175 | 518 | 488 | 94 | 522 | 1450 | 57 | 5 | 19 | 1.16 |
| 5 | Washington Bats | 2038 | 162 | 162 | 113 | 49 | 67 | 3.46 | 1466.7 | 1371 | 610 | 564 | 168 | 382 | 1267 | 43 | 1 | 11 | 1.20 |
| 8 | Carolina Tobs* | 2011 | 162 | 162 | 112 | 50 | 60 | 3.27 | 1462.3 | 1288 | 570 | 532 | 128 | 362 | 1380 | 72 | 3 | 15 | 1.13 |
| 8 | Pawtucket Patriots* | 2013 | 162 | 162 | 112 | 50 | 64 | 2.97 | 1471.0 | 1291 | 519 | 485 | 116 | 364 | 1474 | 98 | 2 | 15 | 1.13 |
| 8 | Seattle Pilots | 2029 | 162 | 162 | 112 | 50 | 49 | 3.39 | 1481.7 | 1384 | 597 | 558 | 165 | 339 | 1141 | 52 | 2 | 10 | 1.16 |
| 8 | Seattle Pilots | 2030 | 162 | 162 | 112 | 50 | 66 | 3.51 | 1475.7 | 1396 | 614 | 576 | 184 | 414 | 1323 | 68 | 8 | 16 | 1.23 |
| 8 | Batavia Red Jackets | 2036 | 162 | 162 | 112 | 50 | 66 | 3.70 | 1443.7 | 1357 | 626 | 593 | 181 | 449 | 1180 | 39 | 2 | 18 | 1.25 |
| 13 | Wilmington Wildcats* | 1982 | 162 | 162 | 110 | 52 | 57 | 3.06 | 1482.7 | 1290 | 555 | 504 | 115 | 416 | 1249 | 74 | 7 | 15 | 1.15 |
| 13 | Washington Bats | 2000 | 162 | 162 | 110 | 52 | 67 | 2.80 | 1481.3 | 1179 | 512 | 461 | 119 | 462 | 943 | 75 | 7 | 21 | 1.11 |
| * denotes champion | |||||||||||||||||||