2024 Final Stretch - Elite League Stats Update
There are just 40 games remaining in the 2024 season, so let's see how the statistical races are shaping up in the Elite League as we wind things down.
Batting race:
1B Fomo Tirma - .383
CF Topeshe Tsaruo - .351
2B Nukacholo Riseki - .338
Tirma now seems very, very likely to win his third batting title in his six seasons. Aside from the 2022 season, in which he missed the first half of the season due to injury, he has never finished lower than 3rd in the batting race. He will probably be a free agent prize this offseason, with Sitache quite likely to be relegated.
Home runs:
LF Saruruso Rishisite - 52
1B Ilye Nofetso - 46
1B Fimshi Piso - 43
CF Tila Pohape - 43
There are no big home run chases this year (the single-season record of 81 is safe), but it wouldn't be that surprising if Rishisite got to 70 homers on the season with how hot he's been since basically the beginning of May.
Nofetso has already blown past all the statistical milestones from his disappointing age-18 season last year. This looks to be his best overall season yet. Pohape is a new name to this leaderboard - he is not that good at anything else, and he's not a good defender in center field, but he does hit bombs.
RBI:
1B Ilye Nofetso - 145
RF Pumona Kakosuta - 140
LF Saruruso Rishisite - 132
The usual suspects, though the guy you might most expect to lead the league in RBI, Pasataki 1B Wia Merefife, sits in 4th on this leaderboard 2 back of Rishisite.
Position player WAR:
CF Solo Sipet - 10.2
1B Fomo Tirma - 9.5
2B Peche Iyikio - 8.6
Barring serious injury history, I feel that Sipet will definitely win an MVP at some point in his career, even though it hasn't happened yet. He does everything well - gets on base, hits for both average and power, and is one of the league's best outfield defenders.
The WAR leader at the halfway point, Kepmem RF Rosana Pishot, fell off a bit in the third quarter of the season but still sits 5th.
Stolen bases:
LF Tukefa Atswue - 69
3B Anesa Mikesash - 50
1B Fomo Tirma - 50
Atswue went ballistic with steals in this period, swiping 31 bags. His teammate, SS Ketso Kofmi, has fallen off at the plate this season & hasn't had many chances to steal. That's a big part of Cheshek's step back competitively this year as well.
ERA:
Notsimi Feshasu - 2.29
Fekiu Wefo - 2.58
Tula Mitonone - 2.62
What a great gallery of aces this is. Feshasu, at 26, is the old guard by now, and feels like the PoY favorite for sure, but Mitonone (21) was last year's winner, and Wefo (16) symbolizes the next up-and-coming generation.
Wins:
Notsimi Feshasu - 19-5
Chasolo Latemohi - 16-7
Rani Kireo - 15-5
Misote Tsumeratsi - 15-10
Latemohi is picking the perfect time for a career-best season - age 22, he will be a free agent in just a few months. Just 3 years ago, he was replacement-level for a Semyof team that was relegated from the EL, and now he's the unquestioned ace.
Saves:
Ferufi Shonoro - 43
Teyumpu Riali - 41
Sosuo Lotechosa - 40
As the league leaders and a pitching-focused team that plays generally low-scoring games, it makes perfect sense that their closer would rack up a ton of saves. Shonoro was a bit unproven, going into the year with only 3 saves at the EL level (though he had 45 for Hokrof in the 2L last year).
Strikeouts:
Pecho Tsytemoi - 214
Tula Mitonone - 208
Notsimi Feshasu - 202
The Galaxy's transition from the league's best hitting team to its best pitching team has been interesting to watch, and Tsytemoi is leading that effort. He doesn't have the wins for some reason, at just 8-8, but this is an indication that the process is good.
Pitcher WAR:
Tosolefi Loap - 5.9
Tula Mitonone - 5.8
Sefti Merefife - 5.6
A crowded leaderboard, with Tsytemoi, Feshasu, and Wefo all also being at 5+. No clear leader here means that Feshasu, as the leader in the traditional stats, probably has the awards edge.
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Lower Leagues Update
Second League
Standings.......W..L
-- 
......A.Spirits.. .102 48
-- 
....Otahel City.. ..94 56
-- 
.Nokelto Scouts.. ..93 57
-----------------------------
-- 
..Killi.Bayside.. ..90 60
-- 
........Takanse.. ..84 66
+1 
..Swans Menmapa.. ..82 68
+2 
........Fampalo.. ..81 69
+2 
.....A.Canaries.. ..80 70
-3 
..........Fachi.. ..78 72
-2 
.Ransu Shockers.. ..77 73
-- 
...........Fese.. ..71 79
+3 
........Penhara.. ..70 80
+1 
.....Yoho Bears.. ..70 80
-2 
.....Nipte City.. ..69 81
+1 
........Tishmin.. ..68 82
+1 
....Nokelto Utd.. ..68 82
-----------------------------
-4 
.........Wichku.. ..64 86
-- 
..Sowichark Utd.. ..62 88
+1 
Killitash Stars.. ..51 99
-1 
..Tenshe.Rubies.. ..46 104
The top of the 2L has remained pretty consistent over the course of the year, and I feel pretty confident in saying that we'll be seeing the Aroketsil Spirits again in 2025. The remainder will come down to whether Bayside can get hot and make a push for their first ever Elite League promotion. They do have a series remaining against Otahel, and already took 4 of 5 from them this season, so that could be a start.
At the bottom, it was a tough stretch for Wichku (Aksa) to fall into the relegation zone, with a 4-game gap to overcome. I always root for teams from Aksa to do well, so that's a bit sad for me personally.
Northern Premier League
Standings.......W..L
-- 
............Pale.. .112 38
+2 
...........Linir.. ..94 56
-----------------------------
-1 
Pelpitimochu Utd.. ..93 57
+2 
.....Ransu Ports.. ..87 63
+2 
..........Onesti.. ..87 63
-1 
...Sunoki Hearts.. ..84 66
-4 
..........Yasral.. ..83 67
-- 
........Moonside.. ..82 68
+1 
.........Shalish.. ..81 69
+2 
.......Atafe Utd.. ..79 71
-2 
....Tsutonsu Utd.. ..77 73
-1 
Enihaka Cyclones.. ..73 77
-- 
......Y.Warriors.. ..72 78
-- 
........Lisa Utd.. ..61 89
-- 
.......Moshelosi.. ..61 89
-- 
..........Oyefit.. ..60 90
-----------------------------
+2 
............Kine.. ..57 93
-1 
.Alilia Captains.. ..55 95
-1 
...........Losap.. ..52 98
-- 
............Lulo.. ..50 100
Pale totally underachieved in this quarter of the season - by which I mean, they only won 71% of their games. An absolutely ridiculous season they're having. No big former EL stars on this roster either, apart from former batting champion Leset Sekao (but that batting title was 15 years ago, and he's 37 now).
The four relegated teams from last year's Second League are all in this league, but sit 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th. Any of those teams could catch Linir (who were relegated from the 2L the year before), particularly Pelpitimochu United, but nobody's catching Pale.
Southern Premier League
Standings.......W..L
-- 
.........Sokroch.. .112 38
+4 
......Hiolye Utd.. ..93 57
-----------------------------
-1 
Killitash Giants.. ..89 61
-1 
.........Wikyats.. ..87 63
-1 
......Feshuyalya.. ..83 67
-1 
.........Rasenok.. ..78 72
+4 
...Mamtul Wolves.. ..77 73
+2 
South Shore Aksa.. ..76 74
-- 
...........Hilas.. ..76 74
-3 
........Sachlihe.. ..75 75
+1 
......Tokos City.. ..74 76
+1 
.........Mewofes.. ..70 80
+3 
.....Hechemi Utd.. ..69 81
+1 
....Tinshenikosh.. ..69 81
+2 
.........Himespo.. ..67 83
-2 
.........Neshori.. ..67 83
-----------------------------
-9 
.........Shepero.. ..66 84
+1 
....Aksa Hornets.. ..63 87
-1 
.........Amkutan.. ..59 91
-- 
.........Loshtsi.. ..50 100
Sokroch (Pasataki) somehow has an even bigger lead than Pale does, with an oppressive lineup that leads the PL level in almost everything. Hiolye United's position seems fairly safe, though definitely not locked in - this would be their first time ascending to the 2L, having previously mostly shuffled between tiers 3, 4, and 5.