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06/08/2065
We missed a month and came back the angry whales are still the top team in the land. This past week though it was the LA Dinos who got back on track with a 6-1 week thanks to a sweep of Phoenix and taking three of four from Baltimore. After a 13-15 May, no one is more excited to start the month out hot than LAD. Two other top weeks were Seattle and Wilmington who each went 5-1. We can't talk about the Pilots enough, but we're going to try later. As for the Wildcats the defending champs put together a winning May and are now just six back in the Lager. Finally Toronto, Indy, and Hartford all went 5-2. On the other side of life (where the lovers and fighters are) Syracuse went 0-6 while Maine went 1-6. After a promising 12-11 April, the Guides are 9-27 since.
Power Rankings
1) Hartford Whalers (129.2, o)
2) Seattle Pilots (128.1, ++)
3) Santo Domingo Rum Runners (118.9, o)
4) Windy City Blues (112.9, -)
5) Dallas Drillers (109.7, -)
6) Wilmington Wildcats (108.9, +)
7) Los Angeles Dinos (107.6, ++)
8) Carolina Tobs (106.5, -)
9) Montreal Exports (100.0, +)
10) Toronto Canadians (94.6, ++)
11) California Kodiaks (94.4, --)
12) Denver Bulls (90.4, --)
13) Batavia Muckdogs (89.9, ++)
14) New Orleans Voodoo (87.6, -)
15) Philadelphia Freedom (87.6, -)
16) New York Cyclones (84.4, --)
17) Indianapolis Clowns (83.6, +)
18) Washington Bats (78.9, -)
19) Pittsburgh Millers (69.0, ++)
20) Pawtucket Patriots (62.2, o)
21) Baltimore Bulldogs (60.1, o)
22) Maine Guides (57.1, o)
23) Syracuse Snappers (52.1, --)
24) Phoenix Roadrunners (51.9, o)
Performance of the Week
RF Efren 'Legacy' Zamora - The 30 year old has battled injuries his entire career, and unfortunately has never really recovered from fracturing his knee in May of 2060. Last season though he put up a 2.6 WAR, the highest since 2059, and this season he's on pace to rack up a 3.8 WAR. On June 2nd he also turned in the ninth best performance of the season when he hit two home runs, drove in six, and scored three times as LAD won 11-1.
Prospect of the Week
LF Christian Hokanson - Drafted in the second round of last years draft, the 21 year old is now in A ball hitting .371/.450/.777 with 19 HR and 43 RBI in just 45 games. Scouts love his ability at either corner outfield position, and think "he's an above average hitter on a contending team." Just what the Blues need, another big bat in the lineup.
Five Things We Think We Think
1. Looking back over the Month of May and it was the Blues from Windy City who dominated the show. Over the month they went 22-7 while posting a league low 2.83 ERA, the only team in the league with a sub 3.00. Next up we had Santo Domingo and Hartford who each went 20-8. Last, but not least, in our winner category the Pilots went 16-11. On the other side of the fence Maine went 8-21. Some team leaders: Windy City scored 158 runs (BAT 95), SDR pounded 55 home runs (BAT 26), Cali swiped 48 bases (WIL 10), Windy City allowed just 86 runs (PHO 183), and opponents hit just .211 off the Blues and Bulls (PHO .303).
2. Onto those Pilots. Seattle went to the playoffs from 2049 to 2061 as the machine kept rolling. Only one team had more wins during that time, the Washington Bats. Then the wheels fell off as they won 61, 73, and 64 games over the next three seasons. Reports out of Seattle then surfaced that the GM had married a former Las Vegas showgirl. She intended to move the team to Miami by exploiting an escape clause in their contract with the city of Seattle: if their season attendance fell below a certain number, she could have terminated the lease and moved the team. In an act of sabotage, she planned to create the worst team in the BLB, instructing the team executives to cut current players from the roster and have them replaced with inexperienced rookies and washed up veterans long past their prime. When the plot was uncovered the GM and his wife were sent packing, and the Pilots and now under new management. At 38-19, the second best record in the league, it appears things are back on track.
3. Hartford has a ridiculous 14 game lead in the Ale, and it's June 8th. When the DK picked only two teams coming out of the Ale for postseason play, it appears our tongue in cheek jest was actually one too many. The Clowns are in second place at 26-32 and 2.5 games back in the Wild Card, while Pittsburgh is behind them at 24-36. The Ale used to be synonymous with majesty and power as Pawtucket won it all in 2061, Indy in 2056, and Pawtucket again in 2054 and 2051. Well maybe it was just Pawtucket that was synonymous with majesty and power...but still. Now it appears the Ale is the light beer of the league. In the other Domestic division though everyone has a chance. Currently the 29-30 Canadians and Voodoo are both tied for the final playoff spot. In 2058 the Millers won the division by going 81-81, and five Lager teams went to the postseason. Here we go again on that road.
4. What's ironic is the Stout doesn't look much better. Currently only the 34-24 Tobs would be playoff bound, as New York, Philly, Batavia and Washington all have between 26 and 30 wins. Meanwhile in the Import four team have 30 or more wins, and they all have Phoenix (18-41) to beat up on. The Roadrunners will rise again, but it will be at least a few more seasons. Did we mention Washington is 26-34? Well we will now. The last time this team posted a losing record was 1999, one of three times in their entire existence. We don't know what's more shocking, that insane fact or the fact that they are 26-34. They are still hitting the ball, as they are first in the Import in hits. The problem is they are seventh in runs scored, and 10th in runs allowed. With a -17 run differential we've even heard a few boo birds at home games. What crazy times we live in.
5. What's on tap? We're back to interleague as the Domestic and Import do battle. The series of the week has to be Carolina at Hartford as the top of the Stout battles the top of the Ale. After our last two blurbs though we're not actually sure this is what the BLB league office wants as top billing.
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Streaking
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| Wilmington hosts Seattle on a 5-game win streak |
| Toronto hosts Batavia on a 4-game win streak |
| Seattle visits Wilmington on a 4-game win streak |
| Pawtucket hosts Phoenix on a 4-game losing streak |
| Syracuse hosts Los Angeles on a 6-game losing streak |
| Blake Bateman (HAR) has a 22 game hitting streak |
| Skyler Gervais (MON) has a 15 game hitting streak |
| Nathan Stiso (NO) scored in 9 straight games |
| Andy Bernard (NO) has an RBI in 6 straight games |
| Shane Hellman (TOR) has won 8 straight decisions |
Who's Hot
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| Most .300 Hitting Seasons By Franchise |
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