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ZapMast · 02-15-2026, 12:12 AM

It's Wednesday, July 1, 1981… June is in the books!

As we enter July here’s where we stand…

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Ernie Bewell — June in the ABL (1981)

As of July 1 — the league hits summer, and the truth starts sticking
June is the month where a season stops being a collection of early impressions and starts becoming a set of obligations. By July 1, you’re no longer “getting right.” You either are right, or you’re explaining why you aren’t.
And this league—top to bottom—has begun to show its character.
________________________________________
The Two Loudest Messages in June

1) Charlotte is the class of the NBC right now.
The Charlotte Colonels (49–30, .620) didn’t just hold serve—they widened the gap and did it with authority: +72 run differential (351–279) and a W4 streak rolling into July. That’s the profile of a club that wins in multiple ways: enough offense to pressure you, enough prevention to keep you from breathing.
The only nit you can pick is that they’ve been merely ordinary away from home (21–20). But at this stage, that’s nitpicking. Charlotte is in control of their division and, more importantly, in control of themselves.

2) The NBC Central is a knife fight.
Dallas (43–36) and Detroit (43–36) are dead even at the top, and they got there by different roads.
• Dallas has the louder run profile: +56 (406–350)—that’s real scoring muscle.
• Detroit is steadier in the margins: 9–4 in extras, 14–8 in one-run games, and a division-best feel for how to win nights that don’t come easy.

But here’s the June truth: Dallas is bringing a L3 into Charlotte, and Detroit is trending the other way (W1, 6–4 last 10). When you’re tied on July 1, the club with better traction usually wins the next chapter.
________________________________________
NBC: Division Notes That Matter

NBC East: The chase pack is unstable.
Miami sits second at 41–38—eight back—with a negative run picture (-17). Tampa is right behind at 39–40 and also negative (-13), but Tampa’s last ten (8–2) is the loudest “don’t forget us” statement in that division.
And Atlanta? The Kings are 31–48, but they’ve at least stopped the freefall enough to show signs of life (W2). Still, they’re 18 back; June didn’t rescue them—it just prevented drowning.

NBC West: San Francisco leads, but it’s not comfortable.
The Warriors are 43–36 with +30, and that’s good enough for first. But Phoenix is only two back at 41–38—despite a -18 run differential—which tells you that the Firebirds have been living on timing and tight edges.
Los Angeles at 38–41 looks like a club fighting its record every night: -46 run differential. And San Diego at 33–46 (-50) is in the same hard lane. Those are not small holes in July.
________________________________________
ABC: Houston is strong; the West is stacked; the East is still unresolved

ABC Central: Houston has earned the lead.
Houston (46–33, .582) sits atop the division with a solid +31 run differential, and they’ve been consistent enough to survive the month’s grind. Nashville is five back at 41–38, and their +39 run differential is a real contender’s footprint—just not a contender’s record yet.
Cincinnati and St. Louis are both 40–39, both six back, both hovering around “good enough to be dangerous, not good enough to be trusted.” Cincinnati’s record split is the eyebrow-raiser: 26–12 at home, 14–27 away. That kind of travel weakness doesn’t go away by magic.

ABC West: The best division race in the league.
This is where June felt alive.
• Las Vegas (45–34, .570) leads.
• Seattle (44–35, .557) is one back and playing like a team that just found its identity: W5, 9–1 last 10.
• Denver (42–37, .532) is three back and still very much in the picture.
That’s not a race; that’s a three-team argument. And Seattle’s June—if you want to name one club that made the month feel like a turning point—starts with that 9–1 stretch. That’s how you take a season and start bending it your way.
Portland is buried at 28–51 (-107). Nothing poetic there. That’s a long, hard year.

ABC East: Boston leads, but nobody owns it.
Boston sits first at 42–37, and it’s a respectable position, but it’s not domination. Their road record is poor (22–26 away), and the division behind them is a tangle of teams stuck between “still alive” and “not good enough.”
Philadelphia is three back at 39–40, and New York is seven back at 35–44. Pittsburgh is already ten back at 32–47 (-84) and carrying damage that doesn’t heal overnight.
If June proved anything in the ABC East, it’s this: the division is still waiting for someone to take it personally.
________________________________________
Wildcard Picture: The middle class is thick, and July will thin it
On the NBC side, Dallas and Detroit are tied atop the Central and also sitting at the top of the wildcard list at .544, with Phoenix and Miami clustered at .519.

On the ABC side, the wildcard is where the real tension lives:
• Seattle (.557) leads that chase group right now, with
• Denver (.532) and Nashville (.519) in the next tier,
• and a crowd behind them that can still rewrite the board with one strong run.

July is where the “just hanging around” clubs either sharpen up or fade out.
________________________________________
EB’s June Bottom Line

June didn’t crown champions. But it did draw lines.

• Charlotte looks like a first-class club and is acting like it.
• Dallas and Detroit are in a dead sprint, and one of them is about to blink.
• Houston is the steadiest force in the ABC Central.
• Seattle is the team that made June feel dangerous—one game back, red hot, and not asking permission.

Now it’s July. And July doesn’t care what you were “building toward.” It only cares what you are.

So, who is the leader in the Action Baseball League in career extra base hits?

Scott Reis, CIN, 593
Antonio Serrano, PIT, 579
Mike Rabel, LV, 558
Brett Petrillo, NAS, 556
Victor Campos, STL, 542

Welcome to the Action Baseball League
presented by Sim Baseball Vision (See it for yourself)

Real. Fictional. ⚾.

================================================== ================================================== =======
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| ABL Real Time Sim | Major Sim Baseball | The Players League, 1946 | DEFENDING THE SHIELD | The Baseball Observer

02-15-2026, 12:12 AM	#130
ZapMast Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 470	It's Wednesday, July 1, 1981… June is in the books! As we enter July here’s where we stand… Ernie Bewell — June in the ABL (1981) As of July 1 — the league hits summer, and the truth starts sticking June is the month where a season stops being a collection of early impressions and starts becoming a set of obligations. By July 1, you’re no longer “getting right.” You either are right, or you’re explaining why you aren’t. And this league—top to bottom—has begun to show its character. ________________________________________ The Two Loudest Messages in June 1) Charlotte is the class of the NBC right now. The Charlotte Colonels (49–30, .620) didn’t just hold serve—they widened the gap and did it with authority: +72 run differential (351–279) and a W4 streak rolling into July. That’s the profile of a club that wins in multiple ways: enough offense to pressure you, enough prevention to keep you from breathing. The only nit you can pick is that they’ve been merely ordinary away from home (21–20). But at this stage, that’s nitpicking. Charlotte is in control of their division and, more importantly, in control of themselves. 2) The NBC Central is a knife fight. Dallas (43–36) and Detroit (43–36) are dead even at the top, and they got there by different roads. • Dallas has the louder run profile: +56 (406–350)—that’s real scoring muscle. • Detroit is steadier in the margins: 9–4 in extras, 14–8 in one-run games, and a division-best feel for how to win nights that don’t come easy. But here’s the June truth: Dallas is bringing a L3 into Charlotte, and Detroit is trending the other way (W1, 6–4 last 10). When you’re tied on July 1, the club with better traction usually wins the next chapter. ________________________________________ NBC: Division Notes That Matter NBC East: The chase pack is unstable. Miami sits second at 41–38—eight back—with a negative run picture (-17). Tampa is right behind at 39–40 and also negative (-13), but Tampa’s last ten (8–2) is the loudest “don’t forget us” statement in that division. And Atlanta? The Kings are 31–48, but they’ve at least stopped the freefall enough to show signs of life (W2). Still, they’re 18 back; June didn’t rescue them—it just prevented drowning. NBC West: San Francisco leads, but it’s not comfortable. The Warriors are 43–36 with +30, and that’s good enough for first. But Phoenix is only two back at 41–38—despite a -18 run differential—which tells you that the Firebirds have been living on timing and tight edges. Los Angeles at 38–41 looks like a club fighting its record every night: -46 run differential. And San Diego at 33–46 (-50) is in the same hard lane. Those are not small holes in July. ________________________________________ ABC: Houston is strong; the West is stacked; the East is still unresolved ABC Central: Houston has earned the lead. Houston (46–33, .582) sits atop the division with a solid +31 run differential, and they’ve been consistent enough to survive the month’s grind. Nashville is five back at 41–38, and their +39 run differential is a real contender’s footprint—just not a contender’s record yet. Cincinnati and St. Louis are both 40–39, both six back, both hovering around “good enough to be dangerous, not good enough to be trusted.” Cincinnati’s record split is the eyebrow-raiser: 26–12 at home, 14–27 away. That kind of travel weakness doesn’t go away by magic. ABC West: The best division race in the league. This is where June felt alive. • Las Vegas (45–34, .570) leads. • Seattle (44–35, .557) is one back and playing like a team that just found its identity: W5, 9–1 last 10. • Denver (42–37, .532) is three back and still very much in the picture. That’s not a race; that’s a three-team argument. And Seattle’s June—if you want to name one club that made the month feel like a turning point—starts with that 9–1 stretch. That’s how you take a season and start bending it your way. Portland is buried at 28–51 (-107). Nothing poetic there. That’s a long, hard year. ABC East: Boston leads, but nobody owns it. Boston sits first at 42–37, and it’s a respectable position, but it’s not domination. Their road record is poor (22–26 away), and the division behind them is a tangle of teams stuck between “still alive” and “not good enough.” Philadelphia is three back at 39–40, and New York is seven back at 35–44. Pittsburgh is already ten back at 32–47 (-84) and carrying damage that doesn’t heal overnight. If June proved anything in the ABC East, it’s this: the division is still waiting for someone to take it personally. ________________________________________ Wildcard Picture: The middle class is thick, and July will thin it On the NBC side, Dallas and Detroit are tied atop the Central and also sitting at the top of the wildcard list at .544, with Phoenix and Miami clustered at .519. On the ABC side, the wildcard is where the real tension lives: • Seattle (.557) leads that chase group right now, with • Denver (.532) and Nashville (.519) in the next tier, • and a crowd behind them that can still rewrite the board with one strong run. July is where the “just hanging around” clubs either sharpen up or fade out. ________________________________________ EB’s June Bottom Line June didn’t crown champions. But it did draw lines. • Charlotte looks like a first-class club and is acting like it. • Dallas and Detroit are in a dead sprint, and one of them is about to blink. • Houston is the steadiest force in the ABC Central. • Seattle is the team that made June feel dangerous—one game back, red hot, and not asking permission. Now it’s July. And July doesn’t care what you were “building toward.” It only cares what you are. So, who is the leader in the Action Baseball League in career extra base hits? Scott Reis, CIN, 593 Antonio Serrano, PIT, 579 Mike Rabel, LV, 558 Brett Petrillo, NAS, 556 Victor Campos, STL, 542 Welcome to the Action Baseball League presented by Sim Baseball Vision (See it for yourself) Real. Fictional. ⚾. ================================================== ================================================== ======= ABL on StatsPlus \| ABL on OOTP \| ABL History \| ABL (prime) the old thread \| ABL Stat of the day \| Sim Baseball Vision \| ABL Real Time Sim \| Major Sim Baseball \| The Players League, 1946 \| DEFENDING THE SHIELD \| The Baseball Observer Last edited by ZapMast; 02-15-2026 at 07:21 AM.