2024 Quarter Pole - Elite League Stats Update
Lots of new blood in the stats races with 50 of 190 games played (so, just past the 1/4 point of the season). Let's see who the surprise hitters and pitchers are:
Batting race:
CF Topeshe Tsaruo - .375
CF Yaropatso Kesia - .363
1B Fomo Tirma - .363
Tsaruo is a budding star as a rookie - I touted him as a potential future home run king in the offseason, but he might be a more complete player than I was anticipating. Tirma is probably the betting favorite to win the batting crown, given that he's done it twice before. Defending batting champ Peku Karwo of Westline is 6th with a .355.
Home runs:
1B Fimshi Piso - 24
2B Lesafe Tsewayo - 18
1B Ilye Nofetso - 17
3B Misote Teshelo - 17
Piso, 25, has been on a five-week heater - he's hit at least one home run in every series Nokir has played, and multiple in most. Not someone I was familiar with before this season at all - he had previously played only one season in the EL, with the Eagles in 2017 as they were relegated.
RBI:
1B Ilye Nofetso - 61
1B Fimshi Piso - 50
1B Wia Merefife - 48
At this (very early) point in the season, Nofetso is my choice for league MVP, leading the surprise first-place team and just as surprising top-ranked offense.
Position player WAR:
LF Faruo Ayekrea - 3.4
1B Ilye Nofetso - 3.2
2B Oma Feputso - 3.1
Ayekrea is in his 7th EL season (3rd with Kepmem), and only once has he accrued more strikeouts than walks. He leads the EL in OBP, in addition to his usual stellar defense in the outfield. Oma Feputso hasn't been mentioned much - he's another "great defense + walks" type like Ayekrea, and also leads Mithazni with 15 homers.
Stolen bases:
LF Tukefa Atswue - 20
SS Ketso Kofmi - 18
2B Oma Kohopa - 16
Same story as last year, Cheshek is absolutely running wild on everybody. Atswue and Kofmi share the league lead in stolen base attempts, but Kofmi has been caught two more times.
ERA:
Notsimi Feshasu - 2.03
Kimyu Nele - 2.07
Epencho Latsychano - 2.32
Nele, in his 2nd EL season (5th pro season) has taken a huge leap forward. He's about 3/4 of the way to surpassing last season's WAR total, and this ERA is less than half of what he recorded in 2023 (4.43).
Last year's unanimous PoY, Tula Mitonone, is nowhere to be found on the leaderboards - he's been struggling mightily to repeat that standout performance.
Wins:
Wucha Tekake - 7-1
Kimyu Nele - 6-1
Notsimi Feshasu - 6-2
Sefti Merefife - 6-2
Kiposo Simuofe - 6-3
At National, the offense has been more of a reason for the slow start than pitching. Still, it's odd that the league's wins leader is on a below-.500 team - Tekake, a rookie, is the only National starter who has recorded more than 2 wins.
Saves:
Cheshore Matsef - 17
Leset Kakosuta - 16
Sosuo Lotechosa - 15
Matsef's ERA is no longer literally zero - he allowed a three-run homer two weeks ago against Kepmem. That's all, though, and Nokir still won that game. Nokir is 19-3 when he pitches, and 8-20 when he does not.
Strikeouts:
Iraite Nisushi - 72
Sefti Merefife - 71
Pecho Tsytemoi - 70
Nisushi's closer pedigree is serving him well in this department. This is his first year starting, and he's not had too much trouble with the workload... so far... averaging an even 6 innings per start.
Pitcher WAR:
Sefti Merefife - 2.5
Tosolefi Loap - 2.5
Iraite Nisushi - 2.0
Loap hasn't been seen here yet - he's 4th on the ERA leaderboard. Due to some tough luck with run support but especially with his bullpen blowing games, he has just a 2-1 win-loss record in 11 starts.
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Lower Leagues Update
Second League
Standings.....W..L
....Otahel City.. 34 16
......A.Spirits.. 34 16
.Nokelto Scouts.. 32 18
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..........Fachi.. 30 20
.....A.Canaries.. 30 20
........Takanse.. 29 21
..Swans Menmapa.. 27 23
.Ransu Shockers.. 27 23
..Killi.Bayside.. 26 24
.....Yoho Bears.. 25 25
...........Fese.. 24 26
........Tishmin.. 24 26
........Penhara.. 23 27
.....Nipte City.. 23 27
........Fampalo.. 22 28
....Nokelto Utd.. 21 29
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.........Wichku.. 20 30
..Tenshe.Rubies.. 18 32
..Sowichark Utd.. 16 34
Killitash Stars.. 15 35
The three leaders in the 2L are all teams that have been relegated recently (Otahel City and Aroketsil Spirits last year, Nokelto Scouts the year before), but there are still a few surprises. Fachi is a total enigma to me: often afterthoughts in Hokrof behind the city's flagship team, they have achieved 5 promotions in the last 12 years to get to this level. But what's more confusing is how they're in 4th place at all - the team doesn't actually seem to be good at anything. Their run differential is a measly +1 (209 scored, 208 allowed), and even that seems to be a bit lucky with most of their underlying numbers being pretty crappy.
At the bottom, the other three of last year's promoted teams (Wichku, Sowichark, K-Stars) are struggling, but Fampalo has to be the biggest disappointment given they came into the year with the same blank slate as the top two.
Northern Premier League
Standings.....W..L
............Pale.. 38 12
..........Yasral.. 37 13
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...........Linir.. 31 19
...Sunoki Hearts.. 31 19
Pelpitimochu Utd.. 30 20
..........Onesti.. 29 21
.....Ransu Ports.. 29 21
........Moonside.. 29 21
....Tsutonsu Utd.. 26 24
........Lisa Utd.. 25 25
Enihaka Cyclones.. 24 26
.......Atafe Utd.. 23 27
.........Shalish.. 23 27
.......Moshelosi.. 23 27
......Y.Warriors.. 22 28
.Alilia Captains.. 21 29
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..........Oyefit.. 17 33
...........Losap.. 17 33
............Kine.. 14 36
............Lulo.. 11 39
All four relegated teams from last year's 2L are in this division, which creates some interesting dynamics. All four are in the top 6 currently, but Pale, a town roughly the same size as Meka and not too far away, is the current leader.
Southern Premier League
Standings.....W..L
.........Sokroch.. 41 9
......Hiolye Utd.. 33 17
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.........Wikyats.. 32 18
......Feshuyalya.. 31 19
.........Rasenok.. 31 19
........Sachlihe.. 27 23
Killitash Giants.. 27 23
...........Hilas.. 27 23
.........Himespo.. 24 26
....Tinshenikosh.. 24 26
South Shore Aksa.. 23 27
...Mamtul Wolves.. 22 28
.........Shepero.. 21 29
....Aksa Hornets.. 21 29
.....Hechemi Utd.. 20 30
.........Mewofes.. 20 30
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.........Loshtsi.. 20 30
.........Neshori.. 20 30
......Tokos City.. 18 32
.........Amkutan.. 18 32
Sokroch (Pasataki) was a fringe EL team in the alt-universe original version of the pyramid. A single-digit number of losses at this point in the season is absurd - they've won every series they've played, with more sweeps than 3-2s.
Lower League Leaders
Tier 4:
Northern Super League - Mimo United (Mimo, CA): 29-15
Southern Super League - Hefem Rangers (Hefem, EM): 33-11
Tier 5:
Mideast League One - Ehosh Blues (Ehosh, EM): 22-8
Northeast League One - Shosha Rangers (Shosha, CA): 22-8
Southern League One - Wulu BC (Aksa, ZA): 19-11
Western League One - Kepits City (Kepits, SE): 22-8
Tier 6:
Mideast League Two - Rulakyu BC (Rulakyu, SE): 20-10
Northeast League Two - Sirshofyesh BC (Yukos, LS): 20-10
Southern League Two - Netserat BC (Netserat, ZA): 20-10
Western League Two - Yahofel Thunderbolts (Yahofel, PE): 25-5
The eight Tier 7 Regional Championships are just underway, having played a pair of 4-game series this week. Congratulations to the Ransu Bears for being the lone undefeated team left at 8-0.