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ZapMast · Yesterday, 12:20 AM

It's Wednesday, July 15, 1981… At the All-Star Break

As we enter traditional "second half" of the season here’s where we stand…

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Ernie Bewell — ABL at the All-Star Break (1981)

As of July 15 (day after the All-Star Game) — the standings are real now
The All-Star break is where the league stops telling you what it could be and starts telling you what it is. You’ve got enough games in the book now that luck doesn’t get to hide. You can still change your story, sure—but you can’t pretend you don’t have a story.

And as we come out of the midsummer pause, the ABL has given us three truths:

1. Charlotte has been the steadiest club in the NBC.

2. The ABC has two heavyweights (Houston and Las Vegas) and one real pursuer (Seattle).

3. The “middle class” is thick—but not comfortable. A couple teams are going to fall out of it fast.
________________________________________
NBC: Charlotte leads the conference, but the Central is still the headline

NBC East: Charlotte owns the room
Charlotte (54–35, .607) leads the division by eight games and does it like a club with posture: +85 run differential (400–315) and a strong home foundation (30–12). They’re not sprinting; they’re controlling pace.

The warning sign is subtle but present: 24–23 on the road and they carry a L2 into the second half. That’s not panic—just a reminder that even the top club has a lever opponents can pull.

Behind them:
• Miami (46–43, .517) is playing better baseball lately (W4), but the season-long numbers don’t flatter: -23 run differential. That’s a team winning stretches, not dominating weeks.
• Tampa Bay (41–48, .461) is living in a tougher truth: -26 differential, and their recent ten (2–8) reads like a club that limped into the break.
• Atlanta (37–52, .416) is still too far back to speak seriously about the division, even if they’ve got enough offense to be annoying on a given night (358 RS).

NBC Central: Dallas, Detroit, Chicago — a three-team tension
This is the best race in the NBC, and it has three distinct personalities.

• Dallas (49–40, .551) leads. They’ve scored 453 runs with a +64 differential—that’s muscle, plain and simple.
• Detroit (48–41, .539) is one game back and built for grind: 17–9 in one-run games and 9–4 in extras. Detroit wins the kind of games that make managers look older.
• Chicago (46–43, .517) is three back, and they’ve made their living at home (29–18) while fighting their travel (17–25 away). They’re still very much in this, but the second half is going to demand road victories they haven’t been comfortable claiming yet.

Minneapolis (39–50) has played enough respectable baseball to spoil a week (W2) but not enough to threaten the top.

NBC West: San Francisco leads, but no one’s safe

San Francisco (48–41, .539) leads the division, but it’s not a crown—it’s a helmet. They’re only two up on Phoenix and three up on Los Angeles. That’s not control; that’s survival.

• Phoenix (46–43, .517) is two back despite a negative run profile (-19). They’ve been excellent in tight games (16–8 one-run), and that’s both a weapon and a gamble.
• Los Angeles (45–44, .506) is just three back, and their last ten (7–3) says they’ve been closing. The catch is the season-long damage: -34 differential. That’s a club that has had to win against the current.
• San Diego (35–54, .393) is in trouble, and the numbers don’t argue: -75 differential and a L3 heading out of the break.
________________________________________
ABC: Houston and Las Vegas lead like contenders… and Seattle won’t go away

ABC Central: Houston is the cleanest contender in the conference

Houston (52–37, .584) has the look of a first-place club that earned it: +41 differential (377–336) and a balanced record split (29–16 home, 23–21 away). They didn’t trick their way here.

What’s behind them is chaos with teeth:

• Cincinnati (46–43, .517) is six back and one of the strangest profiles in the league: 32–15 at home and 14–28 away. That isn’t a quirk anymore—that’s identity. If they don’t travel in the second half, they don’t catch Houston.
• Nashville (45–44, .506) is seven back but trending right (W3). They’ve scored 420 runs, which is real, but they’ve also allowed 396.
• St. Louis (43–46, .483) has slipped into the break on a L3.

ABC West: Las Vegas leads, but Seattle has made this a war

Las Vegas (52–37, .584) is first with the kind of numbers you trust: +49 differential and a strong home base (31–14). They look like a club that expects October.

But the most important thing about the ABC West is that it’s not a Vegas parade.

• Seattle (49–40, .551) is three back, and they’ve been good enough to make this feel like a race instead of a chase. The run differential is modest (+2), which means Seattle’s path has been a lot of close work—and close work has a cost.
• Denver (47–42, .528) is five back and steady. No fireworks, no collapse. They’re in that dangerous zone where one big run can put them right back in the camera frame.
Portland (35–54, -79) has been buried, but note the last ten (7–3). That’s not salvation—it’s nuisance. And nuisance matters.

ABC East: Boston leads, but the division is still soft

Boston is in first at 45–44, which should tell you everything: the ABC East has not produced a true boss yet.

• Boston (45–44, .506) is stumbling into the break (L3, 3–7 last ten) and still can’t buy a clean road identity (24–30 away).
• Philadelphia (42–47) is three back, also cold (L2, 3–7 last ten).
• New York (41–48) is four back and has finally shown some life (W3).
• Pittsburgh (37–52) remains the division’s cautionary tale (-69).
This division is waiting for somebody to take it personally.
________________________________________
Wildcard Pressure: the second half is going to be ruthless

On the NBC side, the wildcard line is crowded with Detroit (.539) and a pile of teams at .517 (Phoenix, Chicago, Miami) with Los Angeles (.506) right behind them. That’s not a cushion—that’s a handshake line.

On the ABC side, Seattle (.551) and Denver (.528) sit atop the chase, with Cincinnati (.517) next. Nobody’s safe there either.
________________________________________
EB’s All-Star Break Bottom Line

If you want the cleanest read of the league right now:

• Most complete NBC club: Charlotte (54–35, +85)
• Most volatile NBC race: Central (Dallas/Detroit/Chicago)
• Best ABC contender profile: Houston (52–37, +41)
• Best ABC division drama: West (Vegas vs Seattle vs Denver)
• Division still waiting for a king: ABC East (Boston leads at .506)

The All-Star Game is behind us. Now comes the part of the season where the standings stop being a snapshot and start being a verdict.

Here is a list of the tallest players in the Action Baseball League...

Ernesto Marroquin, HOU, 6' 7"
Tristan Davis, MIN, 6' 7"
Victor Martinez, BOS, 6' 7"
Luis Carrera, TB, 6' 7"
Victor Alvarez, ALG, 6' 6"

End of Act II

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

Yesterday, 12:20 AM	#132
ZapMast Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 466	It's Wednesday, July 15, 1981… At the All-Star Break As we enter traditional "second half" of the season here’s where we stand… Ernie Bewell — ABL at the All-Star Break (1981) As of July 15 (day after the All-Star Game) — the standings are real now The All-Star break is where the league stops telling you what it could be and starts telling you what it is. You’ve got enough games in the book now that luck doesn’t get to hide. You can still change your story, sure—but you can’t pretend you don’t have a story. And as we come out of the midsummer pause, the ABL has given us three truths: 1. Charlotte has been the steadiest club in the NBC. 2. The ABC has two heavyweights (Houston and Las Vegas) and one real pursuer (Seattle). 3. The “middle class” is thick—but not comfortable. A couple teams are going to fall out of it fast. ________________________________________ NBC: Charlotte leads the conference, but the Central is still the headline NBC East: Charlotte owns the room Charlotte (54–35, .607) leads the division by eight games and does it like a club with posture: +85 run differential (400–315) and a strong home foundation (30–12). They’re not sprinting; they’re controlling pace. The warning sign is subtle but present: 24–23 on the road and they carry a L2 into the second half. That’s not panic—just a reminder that even the top club has a lever opponents can pull. Behind them: • Miami (46–43, .517) is playing better baseball lately (W4), but the season-long numbers don’t flatter: -23 run differential. That’s a team winning stretches, not dominating weeks. • Tampa Bay (41–48, .461) is living in a tougher truth: -26 differential, and their recent ten (2–8) reads like a club that limped into the break. • Atlanta (37–52, .416) is still too far back to speak seriously about the division, even if they’ve got enough offense to be annoying on a given night (358 RS). NBC Central: Dallas, Detroit, Chicago — a three-team tension This is the best race in the NBC, and it has three distinct personalities. • Dallas (49–40, .551) leads. They’ve scored 453 runs with a +64 differential—that’s muscle, plain and simple. • Detroit (48–41, .539) is one game back and built for grind: 17–9 in one-run games and 9–4 in extras. Detroit wins the kind of games that make managers look older. • Chicago (46–43, .517) is three back, and they’ve made their living at home (29–18) while fighting their travel (17–25 away). They’re still very much in this, but the second half is going to demand road victories they haven’t been comfortable claiming yet. Minneapolis (39–50) has played enough respectable baseball to spoil a week (W2) but not enough to threaten the top. NBC West: San Francisco leads, but no one’s safe San Francisco (48–41, .539) leads the division, but it’s not a crown—it’s a helmet. They’re only two up on Phoenix and three up on Los Angeles. That’s not control; that’s survival. • Phoenix (46–43, .517) is two back despite a negative run profile (-19). They’ve been excellent in tight games (16–8 one-run), and that’s both a weapon and a gamble. • Los Angeles (45–44, .506) is just three back, and their last ten (7–3) says they’ve been closing. The catch is the season-long damage: -34 differential. That’s a club that has had to win against the current. • San Diego (35–54, .393) is in trouble, and the numbers don’t argue: -75 differential and a L3 heading out of the break. ________________________________________ ABC: Houston and Las Vegas lead like contenders… and Seattle won’t go away ABC Central: Houston is the cleanest contender in the conference Houston (52–37, .584) has the look of a first-place club that earned it: +41 differential (377–336) and a balanced record split (29–16 home, 23–21 away). They didn’t trick their way here. What’s behind them is chaos with teeth: • Cincinnati (46–43, .517) is six back and one of the strangest profiles in the league: 32–15 at home and 14–28 away. That isn’t a quirk anymore—that’s identity. If they don’t travel in the second half, they don’t catch Houston. • Nashville (45–44, .506) is seven back but trending right (W3). They’ve scored 420 runs, which is real, but they’ve also allowed 396. • St. Louis (43–46, .483) has slipped into the break on a L3. ABC West: Las Vegas leads, but Seattle has made this a war Las Vegas (52–37, .584) is first with the kind of numbers you trust: +49 differential and a strong home base (31–14). They look like a club that expects October. But the most important thing about the ABC West is that it’s not a Vegas parade. • Seattle (49–40, .551) is three back, and they’ve been good enough to make this feel like a race instead of a chase. The run differential is modest (+2), which means Seattle’s path has been a lot of close work—and close work has a cost. • Denver (47–42, .528) is five back and steady. No fireworks, no collapse. They’re in that dangerous zone where one big run can put them right back in the camera frame. Portland (35–54, -79) has been buried, but note the last ten (7–3). That’s not salvation—it’s nuisance. And nuisance matters. ABC East: Boston leads, but the division is still soft Boston is in first at 45–44, which should tell you everything: the ABC East has not produced a true boss yet. • Boston (45–44, .506) is stumbling into the break (L3, 3–7 last ten) and still can’t buy a clean road identity (24–30 away). • Philadelphia (42–47) is three back, also cold (L2, 3–7 last ten). • New York (41–48) is four back and has finally shown some life (W3). • Pittsburgh (37–52) remains the division’s cautionary tale (-69). This division is waiting for somebody to take it personally. ________________________________________ Wildcard Pressure: the second half is going to be ruthless On the NBC side, the wildcard line is crowded with Detroit (.539) and a pile of teams at .517 (Phoenix, Chicago, Miami) with Los Angeles (.506) right behind them. That’s not a cushion—that’s a handshake line. On the ABC side, Seattle (.551) and Denver (.528) sit atop the chase, with Cincinnati (.517) next. Nobody’s safe there either. ________________________________________ EB’s All-Star Break Bottom Line If you want the cleanest read of the league right now: • Most complete NBC club: Charlotte (54–35, +85) • Most volatile NBC race: Central (Dallas/Detroit/Chicago) • Best ABC contender profile: Houston (52–37, +41) • Best ABC division drama: West (Vegas vs Seattle vs Denver) • Division still waiting for a king: ABC East (Boston leads at .506) The All-Star Game is behind us. Now comes the part of the season where the standings stop being a snapshot and start being a verdict. Here is a list of the tallest players in the Action Baseball League... Ernesto Marroquin, HOU, 6' 7" Tristan Davis, MIN, 6' 7" Victor Martinez, BOS, 6' 7" Luis Carrera, TB, 6' 7" Victor Alvarez, ALG, 6' 6" End of Act II 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; Yesterday at 12:26 AM.