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09/15/2059
Do the Cyclones have the champs on the ropes!? After a 5-2 week New York has closed the gap in the Stout to 3.5 games. The double digit lead the Bulldogs enjoyed in the summer is no more. Other top weeks were had by Toronto, Phoenix, Dallas, and New Orleans, who all went 5-2 as well. For Dallas and Phoenix it was a season extending week, for Toronto it's still a chance to win the Lager, and for New Orleans it's a good rebound after a dreadful August.
Power Rankings
1) New York Cyclones (109.3, +)
2) Wilmington Wildcats (107.0, -)
3) Seattle Pilots (105.0, ++)
4) Baltimore Bulldogs (103.7, o)
5) California Kodiaks (103.6, --)
6) Toronto Canadians (103.3, ++)
7) Phoenix Roadrunners (100.5, ++)
8) Pittsburgh Millers (99.6, +)
9) Maine Guides (98.2, +)
10) Dallas Drillers (95.8, +)
11) Washington Bats (95.1, --)
12) Montreal Exports (92.9, --)
13) New Orleans Voodoo (88.4, ++)
14) Carolina Tobs (87.9, --)
15) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (84.0, o)
16) Syracuse Snappers (83.9, --)
17) Los Angeles Dinos (81.8, +)
18) Windy City Blues (80.4, o)
19) Indianapolis Clowns (80.4, -)
20) Hartford Whalers (80.2, --)
21) Batavia Muckdogs (79.1, -)
22) Pawtucket Patriots (72.1, o)
23) Denver Bulls (65.6, o)
24) Philadelphia Freedom (62.1, o)
Performance of the Week
LF Cade McCormick - The 15th overall pick of the 2051 draft has put up some great numbers the past few seasons. None were greater than this past week against Batavia when he turned in the #1 hitting performance of the season. In an absolute ridiculous 28-3 victory he only hit one home run, but drove in eight runs! On the season he's now hitting .259 with 28 HR, 89 RBI (15 alone this week) and a 129 OPS+.
Prospect of the Week
1B Isaac Rampone - At just 19 years old the soon to be junior has scouts raving. Not only about his physical skills with putting the bat on the ball, but on his mental where it's been stated, he "has the mental skills to effectively handle big game pressure." This past season in 48 games he hit .423 with 23 HR, 61 RBI with a 228 OPS+. No surprise he was named the 2059 NCAA Outstanding Hitter.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. We don't quite remember a game in the history of the BLB where a team won 28-3, but as talked about above the Pilots beat down the Muckdogs on September 11th. This game was so lopsided, so quick, that not even the fans knew what to do. In the bottom of the 3rd, with two outs, it was already 17-1 Seattle. The Pilots tallied up 28 hits, five doubles, a triple, and just a single home run. They also left 12 men on base, with five of them in scoring position. McCormick drove in eight, Beau Pruett drove in five, and Joseph Brandon and Karviar Smallwood each drove in four. Meanwhile pitcher Joel Greer gave the bullpen a rest as he tossed a complete game, giving up just five hits and three runs. On the flip side Batavia starter Heath Day gave up seven runs before getting yanked in the middle of the second.
2. In a bit of sunshine for the Muckdogs they still have the #1 overall ranked system in the league. With 178 points, they hold a 12 point lead on second place California, and 16 point lead on third place Windy City. They are led by six pitchers and two hitters in the Top 100, with only 23 year old Giovanni Ivers being at the AAA level. That means it will take a few seasons for them to mature and reach the bigs, and there might be some hard times in the future, but Batavia is on the rise. Meanwhile our question is how is California second? Even though during games you can hear the screaming from behind the GM's new soundproof windows in his suite, they are 22 games above .500 this year. They also went to the playoffs every season from 2035 to 2055, where they won two Brewmasters Cups. They then went two seasons without making the postseason, 'bottoming out' at 68 wins in 2057, before winning 83 games and heading back to the postseason last season. Sounds like a blessed franchise to us.
3. The playoff races for the final Wildcard spot seem to be down to two teams in each league. In the Domestic it's Dallas against Syracuse. The Drillers have six at home out of the last 16, an opponent winning percentage of .486 down the stretch, and a 66% chance of making the postseason. Syracuse is a game and a half behind Dallas, plays seven out of 17 at home, and their opponents come in at .503. In the Import it's Phoenix against Carolina. The Roadrunners have a half game lead with 16 left to play (3 at home), while Carolina has 17 to go (7 at home). The Tobs though have the second easiest remaining schedule (only behind Cali), while Phoenix has the fourth toughest at .518. Our friends at Stats+ give the Roadrunners a 52/48 edge. Sounds like a lot of fun for the fans.
4. Brian Wheat of Toronto is the first to reach the 30/30 club this season, as he currently has 31 home runs and 36 stolen bases. The 2059 Stout Slugger (our best guess) also still leads the league with a .344 average and 111 runs batted in. Not bad for being just 20 years old. Other potential 30/30 club members...Dwight Bell of Phoenix (26/28), Jerry Coleman of Seattle (26/28), Rayshaun Stuart of Phoenix (26/28), Beau Pruitt of Seattle (26/42), and Byron Carlton of Pittsburgh (23/40).
5. What's on tap? This week Seattle gets to play spoiler as they take on both Carolina on the road, then host Phoenix at home. Considering the Pilots only hold a two game lead over California in the Bock though I'm sure they could care less about the Tobs and Roadrunners Wildcard race. It's just all about winning. We also get a fun match-up as New York heads down to Washington. New York is 9-4 in September, while the Bats are 5-8 and now only have a 4.5 game lead for the third Wildcard spot.
Stat of the Week
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| Most Consecutive 100 RBI Seasons (Top 25 Players) |
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