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Imperialism32 · 05-28-2020, 06:15 PM

The Wheelhouse is a joint production of the World Baseball Alliance and media outlets around the world. It is published every other Friday during the regular season.

Relegation Report

With the season three-quarters over, the race to avoid the bottom is on. Any team that finishes in last place in their division is relegated to the Silver League for next season. These eight teams (nine, actually: there's a tie in one division) are currently on the chopping block so we'll take a look at their situations heading into the final quarter of the season:

So Long!
Seoul Wyverns (29-70, 14 GB)

The Wyverns haven't merely been bad, they've practically been irredemable. A full six games worse than the next closest team in any division, their fate has been all but sealed for weeks. It's not that there have been no bright spots: Henry Welsh has a 136 ERA+, for example. But as a team they've been hapless in nearly facet except, weirdly, hitting home runs. They're hitting .237 as a team including two regulars below the .200 mark. They haven't supplemented that with on-base skills (just a .310 mark). Seven players in the Australasian League have stolen more bases than the 14 they've swiped all year.

Their pitching staff, even despite Welsh's quality starts most times, has hardly been better. They've allowed 523 runs, 7th in their division. They haven't even been able to have luck shine on them: They're 3-8 in extra inning games, 5-19 in one-run games, and seven games worse than their Pythagorean expected record, which would still have them in last place by daylight. They're not a particular young team (three of their five SPs are 30 or older). Five teams in the Australasian Silver League outspend them, so it's not even as if they can count on a quick ticket back once they're demoted. It's not good, is what I'm saying.

Trending Down
Santo Domingo Panthers (35-64, 4 GB)
Berlin Knights (38-61, 5 GB)
San Jose Hawks (40-59, 7 GB)

The poor, poor Berlin Knights. The injury to star shortstop Oliver Roosmalen completely derailed their season and it's looking less and less like they'll be able to recover. They're 1-9 in their past 10 games while the Rome Regiment have done enough to escape the cellar (they're closer to 6th-place Copenhagen than 8th-place Berlin). The Knights may be able to climb back for the 1962 season but not unless they acquire some pitching. Their best starting pitcher has a 4.76 ERA. That won't get it done even when adjusting for Silver League competition.

The Panthers and Hawks occupy the last-place slots in the Caribbean League. The Hawks have the tougher road to clumb but they're the better team. Above them, the Bogota Bolts are spiraling, losers of eight straight. Santo Domingo is within shouting distance of the La Romana Rascals, but they've shown little to spark optimism in their ability to avoid relegation. Their expected Pythagorean record is actually worse than Seoul's, making them arguably the worst team in the WBA. Unlike Seoul, the Panthers are actually spending money (8th in the CL) for these disastrous results. If they fall out, it's going to take an organizational makeover to climb back up.

Still Fighting
Chicago Crusaders (45-54, 1 GB)
Wellington Whistlers (46-53, 2 GB)
Seattle Bluejackets (38-61, 3 GB)
Vienna Wolf Pack/Istanbul Griffins (38-61, 6 GB)

Things are still very much unsettled in four of the eight divisions. In the NAL East Division, there are four teams within two games of last place! The Detroit Chargers, New York Empire, and Montreal Paragons all have reason to worry along with Chicago. In the opposite division, Seattle is in the midst of a 1-9 stretch to fall three games behind Denver.

Wellington remains in the mix in the AL South Division, helped out by the Brisbane Blackbirds' current six-game losing streak. And lastly, Vienna and Istanbul have been the smallest speed bumps on the Kiev Comets road to the division crown in the EPL East Division. They play a September series against each other that could prove pivotal in who gets to remain and who is sent down to the Silver League.

Kiev Comets Crusing

For an ever-so-brief moment, they looked vulnerable. Coming out of the All Star break, they won their first game 11-4 but then dropped the next four by a combined margin of 27-7. A crack in the armor? Were the Kiev Comets falling to Earth? Nope. They've since reeled off 13 wins in a row, extending their division lead to 19 games. There's a decent chance that they'll have the EPL East sewed up by the time the next edition of The Wheelhouse goes to print. Henry Jones has been on a particular tear, 7-0 in his last eight starts with an ERA below 2.00. Gusmano Galetti is hitting .526/.548/.895 in nine games in August. If you didn't believe it before, it's apparent now: The Kiev Comets have to be considered the favorites to win the first WBA championship.

05-28-2020, 06:15 PM	#47
Imperialism32 Major Leagues Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 341	The Wheelhouse is a joint production of the World Baseball Alliance and media outlets around the world. It is published every other Friday during the regular season. Relegation Report With the season three-quarters over, the race to avoid the bottom is on. Any team that finishes in last place in their division is relegated to the Silver League for next season. These eight teams (nine, actually: there's a tie in one division) are currently on the chopping block so we'll take a look at their situations heading into the final quarter of the season: So Long! Seoul Wyverns (29-70, 14 GB) The Wyverns haven't merely been bad, they've practically been irredemable. A full six games worse than the next closest team in any division, their fate has been all but sealed for weeks. It's not that there have been no bright spots: Henry Welsh has a 136 ERA+, for example. But as a team they've been hapless in nearly facet except, weirdly, hitting home runs. They're hitting .237 as a team including two regulars below the .200 mark. They haven't supplemented that with on-base skills (just a .310 mark). Seven players in the Australasian League have stolen more bases than the 14 they've swiped all year. Their pitching staff, even despite Welsh's quality starts most times, has hardly been better. They've allowed 523 runs, 7th in their division. They haven't even been able to have luck shine on them: They're 3-8 in extra inning games, 5-19 in one-run games, and seven games worse than their Pythagorean expected record, which would still have them in last place by daylight. They're not a particular young team (three of their five SPs are 30 or older). Five teams in the Australasian Silver League outspend them, so it's not even as if they can count on a quick ticket back once they're demoted. It's not good, is what I'm saying. Trending Down Santo Domingo Panthers (35-64, 4 GB) Berlin Knights (38-61, 5 GB) San Jose Hawks (40-59, 7 GB) The poor, poor Berlin Knights. The injury to star shortstop Oliver Roosmalen completely derailed their season and it's looking less and less like they'll be able to recover. They're 1-9 in their past 10 games while the Rome Regiment have done enough to escape the cellar (they're closer to 6th-place Copenhagen than 8th-place Berlin). The Knights may be able to climb back for the 1962 season but not unless they acquire some pitching. Their best starting pitcher has a 4.76 ERA. That won't get it done even when adjusting for Silver League competition. The Panthers and Hawks occupy the last-place slots in the Caribbean League. The Hawks have the tougher road to clumb but they're the better team. Above them, the Bogota Bolts are spiraling, losers of eight straight. Santo Domingo is within shouting distance of the La Romana Rascals, but they've shown little to spark optimism in their ability to avoid relegation. Their expected Pythagorean record is actually worse than Seoul's, making them arguably the worst team in the WBA. Unlike Seoul, the Panthers are actually spending money (8th in the CL) for these disastrous results. If they fall out, it's going to take an organizational makeover to climb back up. Still Fighting Chicago Crusaders (45-54, 1 GB) Wellington Whistlers (46-53, 2 GB) Seattle Bluejackets (38-61, 3 GB) Vienna Wolf Pack/Istanbul Griffins (38-61, 6 GB) Things are still very much unsettled in four of the eight divisions. In the NAL East Division, there are four teams within two games of last place! The Detroit Chargers, New York Empire, and Montreal Paragons all have reason to worry along with Chicago. In the opposite division, Seattle is in the midst of a 1-9 stretch to fall three games behind Denver. Wellington remains in the mix in the AL South Division, helped out by the Brisbane Blackbirds' current six-game losing streak. And lastly, Vienna and Istanbul have been the smallest speed bumps on the Kiev Comets road to the division crown in the EPL East Division. They play a September series against each other that could prove pivotal in who gets to remain and who is sent down to the Silver League. Kiev Comets Crusing For an ever-so-brief moment, they looked vulnerable. Coming out of the All Star break, they won their first game 11-4 but then dropped the next four by a combined margin of 27-7. A crack in the armor? Were the Kiev Comets falling to Earth? Nope. They've since reeled off 13 wins in a row, extending their division lead to 19 games. There's a decent chance that they'll have the EPL East sewed up by the time the next edition of The Wheelhouse goes to print. Henry Jones has been on a particular tear, 7-0 in his last eight starts with an ERA below 2.00. Gusmano Galetti is hitting .526/.548/.895 in nine games in August. If you didn't believe it before, it's apparent now: The Kiev Comets have to be considered the favorites to win the first WBA championship. Last edited by Imperialism32; 05-28-2020 at 08:49 PM.