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08/02/2060
In the unlikely 'Unicorn', the Maine Guides swept Hartford and New Orelans to go from 51-51 to 58-51, and only three games back in the Ale. For a team that started out 9-16 in April, they haven't had a losing month since and they finished July with an 18-7 record. Meanwhile Montreal, Dallas, and Batavia all went 5-2. The Muckdogs season is long over (maybe it's time for a rebrand), but the Exports have put a strangle hold on the Lager, and Dallas has gone from seven games under .500 on July 1st to being four games over .500 now. On the other side of life Hartford went 0-6 while California went 1-6. The Whalers have lost 11 straight, have seven players on the 'Who's Not' list, and they were 13 games under .500 just last month alone. Sometimes it's just not your day, week, month, or year. Who will be there for them?
Power Rankings
1) Baltimore Bulldogs (121.4, o)
2) Seattle Pilots (119.6, +)
3) New York Cyclones (113.3, ++)
4) Montreal Exports (111.3, -)
5) Phoenix Roadrunners (108.0, -)
6) Maine Guides (106.8, ++)
7) Los Angeles Dinos (101.9, -)
8) Dallas Drillers (100.3, o)
9) Syracuse Snappers (99.9, -)
10) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (92.2, ++)
11) Washington Bats (91.5, o)
12) Wilmington Wildcats (91.0, --)
13) Toronto Canadians (90.1, -)
14) New Orleans Voodoo (86.2, --)
15) Denver Bulls (85.3, +)
16) Pittsburgh Millers (80.7, -)
17) Pawtucket Patriots (79.3, -)
18) Indianapolis Clowns (77.7, +)
19) Windy City Blues (76.3, -)
20) Batavia Muckdogs (70.6, ++)
21) Carolina Tobs (69.4, +)
22) Philadelphia Freedom (63.7, +)
23) Hartford Whalers (60.5, --)
24) California Kodiaks (58.0, --)
Performance of the Week
P Rick 'Barracuda' Robertson - On July 29th against Pawtucket, Robertson dropped the #1 pitching performance of the season during a nine inning masterpiece. He allowed just one run (unearned), one hit, one walk, and struck out 13 as Wilmington won 5-1. The former 2050 fourth round pick by the then Indy Racers has turned into a 5x All-Star, has never posted a losing season, and helped the Wildcats win the 2057 Brewmasters Cup. This season he's 12-7 with a 3.58 ERA and 106 ERA+. That is actually his lowest ERA+ of his career, but it's getting better as he's gone 7-3 his last two months.
Prospect of the Week
CF Toby Foster - The 19 year old absolutely dominated the 2060 CCBL season. In 49 games he hit .397/.500/.870 with 22 HR, 57 RBI, 12 SB and a 237 OPS+. He was named the Outstanding Hitter, won the Platinum Stick in center field, and was named the CCBL Cape Cup MVP, even after New Orleans was swept by Yarmouth in the final. Coaches love his work ethic and scouts think he can be an elite center fielder someday.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. It's not often you pitch a no-hitter, and get one-upped in the same week. Such is life for Windy City hurler Mardy Owens. The 22 year old was a second round pick in 2055, but after getting called up at the end of June has shown the potential to be an ace. On July 27th he added to his lore by throwing the first no-hitter of the season, and first since 2058 when Jannero Peter no-hit who else but the Kodiaks. So far this season Owens is 3-2 with a 2.89 ERA in seven starts. He throws a devastating fastball, knee-buckling changeup, and can hit 99 mph on the radar gun. If he can stay healthy, which he's shown issues with, the league better watch out.
2. Montreal and Maine were the winners of July as the Exports and Guides went 18-7. At the beginning of the month Montreal was 4.5 games back from New Orleans, while Maine was 40-44 and seven games out of first. Now Montreal has a six game division lead and Maine is only three back. The other two top teams were once dead and buried, but they have risen. Dallas went 18-8, while Washington went 17-8. They are both above .500 now after spending the rest of the year underwater. On the other side of life the aforementioned Whalers went 6-19, California went 7-18, and Carolina went 8-16. Stat wise Montreal scored 139 runs (CAR 62), Maine hit 35 home runs (PAW 13), Toronto swiped 58 bases (HAR 5), Denver allowed just 86 runs (NO 149), and opponents hit just .224 off of Wilmington (NO .315).
3. The Bats are being led back from the dead by hurler Justin Casey, who looks like another late round gem. Drafted in the seventh round of the 2056 draft, this is his third year playing in the majors. He was 8-2 his rookie year after starting the year in AAA where he was 5-1. Last season he went 12-3 as a full-time starter, and this season he's 13-5 with a 3.09 ERA and 123 ERA+. In the month of July though he was a ridiculous 5-0 with a 2.35 ERA and 35 K's in just 31.1 innings. The Bats allowed just 95 runs in July, sixth best, and had a +23 run differential for the month. It's nice to see things finally going the Bats way!
4. The Bulldogs spent $147.1m this past week as they resigned 27 year old Kelvin Ellis and 32 year old Jannero Peter to four-year extensions. Peter will make a cool $96,000,000 while Ellis will haul in $51,100,000. Considering they have 30 year old Stephen Gibbs under contract for two more seasons and this means the Bulldogs will continue to be the Brewmasters favorite for the next few years. Has there ever been a staff assembled with a more dominant 1-2-3? This season Gibbs is 14-2 with a 2.42 ERA, Peter is 16-3 with a 2.83 ERA, and Ellis is 6-11 with a 3.63 ERA. Ellis actually has a higher ERA+ than last season when he was 17-12. What will be interesting is how Baltimore deals with a $160m payroll in 2062. Considering their GM has has the most wins in league history and we think they'll be okay.
5. What's on tap? It's interleague magic this week as we get a possible Brew preview as Montreal travels to Baltimore. We also get to see the 'from the grave' teams as Dallas heads to Washington. Finally we have some teams just trying to hold on as Wilmington heads to Denver. Streak wise Maine has won seven straight, Hartford has lost 11 in a row, and Jim 'Barber' Mjima (NYC) has homered in three straight and scored in nine straight.
Stat of the Week
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| Most Consecutive 25 HR Seasons To Start A Career (Top 25 Players) |
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