[Dukie98]

Frontier League: After a disappointing first half, the Baltimore Robins clinched their third straight playoff spot, narrowly winning the Northeast Division in a one-game playoff over the Buffalo Fighting Elk. The Robins were led by star rookie catcher Willson Contreras, who hit .342 with 27 homers and 86 RBIs, and their versatile outfield of John Hummel, Rick Monday, and Leon Durham, who missed by one home run from having all three members join the 30-30 club. Durham led the way with 34 homers, 41 steals, and scored 113 runs. Buffalo appeared to have the division title comfortably in hand, but lost 7 of their final 11 games. They were led once again by catcher Dave Nilsson, who hit .331 and slugged .501, and pitcher Jair Jurrjens, who went 17-9 with a 2.58 ERA.

The London Werewolves seized control of the Great Lakes division in mid-April, and cruised to the division title with 95 wins, led by right fielder Trevor Plouffe, who hit .316 with 34 homers and 104 RBI's, and rookie righthander Cy Blanton, who went 21-8 with a 2.49 ERA. The Cleveland Rocks returned to the postseason with a well-balanced attack, led by right fielder Aaron Judge, who hit .318 with 41 homers and 111 RBI's, shortstop Jose Reyes, who hit .300 with 16 homers, 75 steals, and 112 runs scored, and perennial Cy Young award candidate Jack Chesbro, who went 19-9 with a sparkling 1.77 ERA, an 0.94 WHIP, and led all pitchers with 10.9 WAR.

The Kansas City Mad Hatters won a league-best 101 games, led by an elite pitching staff which surrendered just 506 runs on the season. Billy Pierce and Joe Hesketh won 20 games and topped 200 strikeouts apiece, and four members of their rotation (Pierce, Hesketh, Rube Foster, and Manny Parra) sported sub-2.50 ERA's. Second baseman George Grantham hit .341 with 78 steals and scored 107 runs, while left fielder Lonnie Smith hit .322 with 21 homers, 72 steals, and scored 101 runs. Yet, for much of the season, Kansas City trailed the Minneapolis Penguins, who finished with 95 wins thanks to a similarly deep pitching staff. But staff ace Madison Bumgarner, who had a hard-luck 11-9 record despite a stellar 2.47 ERA, would miss the first round, and potentially part of the second round of the playoffs with a shoulder injury. Andy Van Slyke had another strong all-around season, hitting .332 with 25 homers, 88 RBI's, and 62 steals for the Penguins.

Mickey Mantle led the 98-win Denver Spikes back into the postseason by winning the Frontier League triple crown, hitting .359 with 44 homers and 136 RBI's. Slugging first baseman Kent Hrbek ripped 36 homers and drove in 123 runs as well, while southpaw Rube Bressler went 18-8 with a strong 3.04 ERA despite the thin mountain air. The San Francisco Longshoremen made their maiden entry into the postseason, as a deep pitching staff led by 19-game winner Michael Wacha and a bullpen anchored by Brad Lidge, who saved 32 games with a 1.67 ERA.

Continental League: In a virtual repeat from last year, the hard-hitting Charlotte Aviators returned to the postseason, winning the Atlantic Division with 93 wins, thanks to strong seasons from right fielder Richard Hidalgo, who hit .349 with 38 homers and 131 RBI's, and catcher Bill Freehan, who hit .292 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's. Steve Hargan went 20-8 with a 2.15 ERA. The Washington Ambassadors seized the wild card once again with a balanced performance, led by third baseman Rafael Devers, who hit .320 with 24 homers and 107 RBI's, and crafty southpaw Ray Collins, who went 16-7 with a 2.15 ERA.

The Miami Flamingos won the Southeast Division with 93 wins, as rookie center fielder Bobby Thomson hit .340 with 32 homers and 127 RBI's, and the pitching staff featured three 18-game winners in Matt Clement, Jesse Tannehill, and Brian Bannister. After a slow start, the New Orleans Crawfish returned to the postseason, clinching the wild card on the last day of the season with a 22-run eruption against New York. Right fielder Pete Rose led the Crawfish with a .361 average, while defending Cy Young Award winner Gary Nolan won his last five starts to go 20-12 with a 2.74 ERA. The Atlanta Ducks benefited from a late-season collapse by the Phoenix Lizards to seize the final wild card spot, which they clinched with a tie-breaking homer by Larry Whisenton in the ninth inning of the season finale. The Ducks were led once again by Joey Votto, who hit .324 with 28 homers, 107 RBI's, and a league-best 146 walks, and Troy Tulowitzki, who ripped 21 homers, drove in 96 runs, and provided Gold Glove caliber defense at shortstop.

The San Antonio Marksmen won a tough Texas Division with 93 wins, led by rookie outfielder J.D. Drew, who hit .298 with 28 homers and 125 RBI's, and shortstop Donie Bush, who had a .421 on-base percentage and led baseball with 107 steals. Ted Blankenship anchored a deep pitching staff with a 21-7 record and 2.13 ERA. The defending champion El Paso Armadillos won 89 games, led once again by their league-best pitching staff. Free agent signee Jeff Fassero dazzled with a 14-6 record and 1.54 ERA despite missing eight weeks, while first baseman Frank Chance led a scrappy, slap-hitting offense by hitting .344 and scoring 113 runs.

The Los Angeles Kangaroos ran away with the Southwest Division with a 110-52 record, as first baseman Dick Allen hit .318 with 42 homers and 120 RBI's, and right fielder Gary Sheffield blasted 31 homers, stole 32 bases, and drove in 100 runs. Southpaw Brett Anderson had a strong sophomore campaign with a 19-10 record and a 2.68 ERA, and closer Dick Radatz had a league-high 39 saves and a 1.95 ERA. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the Phoenix Lizards, who fell out of the postseason on the final day of the season after losing seven of their final eight games, on their way to a dreadful 9-16 September record.