[G-Force]

ABL Around the Horn April 2023

• In 2022, the St. Louis Steamers stepped up as the first of the four expansion clubs to make an impact, managing to break .500 (81-79) in their inaugural season. One month into 2023, it looks like the Seattle Grinders are next in line. Seattle went 15-11 in April, led by a staff sporting the league's best ERA (3.48) and strong starts from free agent pickup Roy Campanella (.311-7-18) and their latest first-round pick Mike Trout (.270-8-16).
  

• Prognosticators thought the four-time division winning Denver Pilots would be in for a rough season after free agency took P Chief Bender (second in the Outstanding Pitcher voting), C Gary Carter (Silver Slugger) and 1B Jason Thompson and ABL alltime wins leader Cole Hamels was traded to Charlotte. Then came word P Billy Pierce would miss the 2023 season to undergo elbow surgery. But the Pilots have soared out of the gate, particularly offensively where Gabby Hartnett, acquired in the Hamels deal, has replaced Carter by batting .361 in the season's opening month, and the league batting leader is a Pilot outfielder NOT named Ty Cobb, as Joe Medwick is batting .377.
  

• St. Louis achieved its surprising first season despite a poor effort from the No. 1 pick in the draft, Bryce Harper. The lefty slugger batted only .225 despite 20 homers, and had long droughts during the season. But he's started 2023 by showing he was worth the pick, posting a .964 OPS with 8 homers and 26 RBI in the season's opening month.
  

• The free agent signing period was two days old when the first chip fell, and it was a huge one. The biggest contract of the offseason went to the player whose team wouldn't let him get away, as the Chicago Hitmen locked up MVP Mickey Mantle with a 7-year, $209.6 million deal. And Mantle has come out swinging to open 2023 for the first-place Hitmen, blasting an ABL-leading 13 homers in the season's opening month.