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05/28/2063
It's already the end of May as the season is almost over...okay maybe not, well unless you are Phoenix that is. To be fair the Roadrunners did go 2-5 this past week to move their record up to 12-34, but the selloff has already started. They shipped off superstar Jakob Hilliard to Montreal and it appears several more key players could be on the move. Like we said last time though, it was a heck of run. Back on track though for the 6-1 Windy City Blues. This team is young, stacked, and ready to take the next step. When the OSA ranks out it's top players and it's half your roster then you're in good shape. Another hats off to the 5-1 Syracuse Snappers. At 21-25 they are now only 4.5 games back in the 'Awful' Ale. Our last shout out goes to New York, Washington, Indy, and Cali who all went 5-2. Those pesky Kodiaks stay in the Power Ranking top spot as their 33-12 record is the best in the land.
Power Rankings
1) California Kodiaks (138.0, o)
2) Washington Bats (128.0, +)
3) Windy City Blues (120.5, ++)
4) Wilmington Wildcats (120.0, -)
5) New York Cyclones (111.0, o)
6) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (106.6, +)
7) New Orleans Voodoo (100.8, o)
8) Indianapolis Clowns (99.6, +)
9) Denver Bulls (93.0, --)
10) Los Angeles Dinos (92.0, -)
11) Baltimore Bulldogs (88.0, o)
12) Syracuse Snappers (86.2, ++)
13) Montreal Exports (86.0, o)
14) Carolina Tobs (85.0, +)
15) Maine Guides (83.1, --)
16) Dallas Drillers (82.3, ++)
17) Seattle Pilots (79.6, ++)
18) Pawtucket Patriots (74.0, --)
19) Toronto Canadians (74.0, -)
20) Pittsburgh Millers (73.0, -)
21) Hartford Whalers (70.0, --)
22) Batavia Muckdogs (68.8, --)
23) Philadelphia Freedom (61.4, --)
24) Phoenix Roadrunners (42.0, o)
Performance of the Week
LF Trent West - Goodness he absolutely destroyed the poor Drillers this past week. On May 26th he turned in the fourth best performance of the season when he had two home runs, five runs driven in, and three runs scored. This was one day after he had the 16th best performance when he had one home run, drove in five, and scored twice. Believe it or not Dallas actually won one of those games 7-6, but lost the other one 13-2. On the season he's hitting .353/.447/.660 with 14 HR, 37 RBI and a 194 OPS+.
Prospect of the Week
P Andy Phillips Jr. - The 16 year old comes from a Hall of Fame father who was selected to 16 All-Star games and won the Last call five times. This Phillips though looks like a starter as scouts believe he has the potential to "be an ace" thanks to a fastball and knee buckling changeup. Born in Baltimore in 2046, the 6'5 hurler can hit 99 mph on the gun and also throws a sinker and cutter. He will be eligible for the 2064 BLB draft and could be a top ten pick.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. We talked about Wade 'Bulldozer' Cummins last year a few times, and it appears the 24 year old might finally be figuring things out. After signing a huge $137,000,000 contract this past off-season, the Muckdogs showed faith that many around the league questioned. So far this season he's rewarded them by hitting .318/.360/.543 with 9 HR, 26 RBI and is one pace for a 4.3 WAR. What's either great, or worrisome, is that he smacked seven of those nine home runs this past week, and won his first ever Player of the Week award. He's now homered in five straight games, and knocked in a run in eight straight games. Go Wade Go!
2. Kodiak legend Greg Thomas went cycling this past week, the first of 2063, and only 7th time this decade. Okay it's only 2063 but still. Drafted 5th overall in 2061 the 22 year old is on pace for a 40 HR/130 RBI season while hitting .313/.387/.613. With plus plus power, the kid can play first base at an extremely high level, but can also play both corner outfield positions in a pinch. In a draft that featured some already house hold names (Evan Olson, Brian Van Hook, Blake Bateman, Jay Sharpe) he should be able to out smash them all.
3. If you think the stolen base all-time record between Rick Anderson and Julian 'Skeeter' Ludin is crazy (Anderson leads by six), wait until you see the all-time strikeout race. Currently 37 year old Cayden Wittmeyer is the all-time leader with 3,667 K's. Right behind him and catching up is 35 year old Jannero Peter at 3,644. Behind both of them, and really catching up, is 33 year old California legend Charlie Spence with 3,590. As of right now Spence is on pace to have an utterly ridiculous 392 strikeouts this season, Peter 306, and Wittmeyer 159. Apparently everything is coming up Kodiaks these days.
4. Congrats to the Falmouth Commodores who captured their sixth CCBL title, the Florida State Seminoles who won their 7th NCAA College World Series, and Chandler High Wolverines who took home just their second High School Championship. Falmouth went 30-19 in the regular season and went 6-3 in the playoffs, FSU went 30-18 and won the ACC while going 8-3 in the playoffs, while Chandler went a leagues best 31-9 and also went 8-3 in the postseason.
5. What's on tap? How about California heading east to face the defending champion Bulls, then heading further east to face New York. Those aforementioned Bulls have lost five straight and now are eight games behind the Kodiaks. Championship hangover? We also get to see Washington head west to face the Dinos of LA. The Bats have won four straight after starting the month off 11-9. When you go 15-6 in April, being just barely above .500 was just plain unacceptable for the fans. It's good to see they've turned it around.
Weekly Milestones
LF Allan Jett (PIT), 27 yo, reached 100 extra base hits
3B Kyle Bruns (DEN), 24 yo, reached 500 hits
CF Brian Van Hook (PAW), 22 yo, reached 250 hits
2B Dalton Banks (PHO), 27 yo, reached 250 hits
C Jayson Hart (MAI), 25 yo, reached 250 hits
CF Devon Cundiff (PHO), 26 yo, reached 100 home runs
RF Josh Plautz (DAL), 26 yo, reached 100 home runs
3B Will Spero (BAL), 20 yo, hit his first home run
LF Winston Ballard (IND), 20 yo, hit his first home run
SS Logan Laughlin (WAS), 24 yo, hit his first home run
2B Douglas Morrison (SEA), 31 yo, reached 500 RBIs
2B Julian Ludin (CAR), 37 yo, reached 900 extra base hits (65 players have reached this milestone)
3B Neall Rabah (NYC), 37 yo, reached 800 extra base hits
P Riley Hein (WAS), 34 yo, reached 75 wins
P Jessy Dillon (DAL), 37 yo, reached 1000 strikeouts
P Ian Park (CAL), 30 yo, reached 750 strikeouts
P Payton Cooke (IND), 29 yo, reached 750 strikeouts
P Al Williams (MAI), 25 yo, reached 500 strikeouts
P Edgar Kozlowski (DAL), 28 yo, reached 250 strikeouts
P Jovan Burrow (WIL), 28 yo, reached 250 strikeouts
Stat of the Week
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