[waittilnextyear]

As the season grinds on in Silver .324, things are looking less likely that Coulee will snatch a wild card in the National Conference. Although, even thinking on a wild card is a massive leap forward after a 6-18 April that portended certain relegation.

Coulee posted a 3rd consecutive winning month in July, albeit barely, going 13-12. At 1-2 so far in August, Coulee owns a 50-57 overall mark (57-50 pythag). The team currently in pole position for the 2nd WC is 61-45; so you're saying there's a chance?

Coulee added J.D. Martinez (whom I had an eye on for about a week IRL and lost out on bids twice before caving to a buy now at 1750 PP) for his right-handed thunder. The team has also evolved into more of a speed/defense look. Matt Duffy was subbed in at 3B (sold my gold Bob Elliott) and, being found unsatisfactory, Mark Belanger was shifted over from SS to 3B with Luis Aparicio being obtained to split time at SS with Andrelton Simmons (Simmons continues to wander all over the diamond). Yordan Alvarez shifted from LF to 1B and Bryce Harper (gold) from RF to LF to make room for Carlos Beltran (silver) and the return of Ichiro (bronze) into the outfield mix.

With Simmons, Aparicio, Belanger, Ichiro, Beltran, and Brett Butler in the lineup on any given day this team will struggle mightily to touch diamond-grade pitchers. But it will be a terror on the basepaths and very strong on defense. Because the squad had been hovering between 13th and 15th in the NC in runs scored (but 1st in runs allowed) as a slower "mashing" unit anyway, might as well accentuate the positives and try to win every game 1-0.

Just in case any of that explanation was too convoluted, here's the current configuration:

1 - CF - Brett Butler/Ichiro
2 - 2B - Jose Altuve
3 - 1B - Yordan Alvarez/Cecil Fielder
4 - DH - J.D. Martinez
5 - LF - Bryce Harper/Ichiro
6 - C - John Wockenfuss
7 - RF - Carlos Beltran/Ichiro
8 - 3B - Mark Belanger/Andrelton Simmons
9 - SS - Luis Aparacio/Andrelton Simmons