It's time for an end-of-May, Mid-season, Magus-style Mega update.
Cincinnati Redlegs (OL) - P407 23-31, 5th place NCE: At the start of the season, I shared my hope that our pitchers, who had a stinky season last year, would regress to the mean. That hasn't happen, so either (a) we're unlucky, or (b) there's a new mean being established. At least we're not in a relegation spot, and we're clumped in amongst several other teams so if we can go on a run, we can get some separation. Still, hard to swallow that this time last week, we were in 1st place. Le sigh.
When Elmer Riddle is your best starter in Perfect, you know you just might have a problem. Johnny Vander Meer (yeah, I know, he sucks in Perfect) had a 15-K "Rocket Game." That was good for a nice stash of points. Actually, he's been blowing them away and is on pace for 267 strikeouts.
South Side Lumber Company (White Sox) - S275 25-29, 4th NCW: I cannot figure this team out. I would love to be able to, but I just can't. I'm sure it's nothing that 100 OVR Ed Walsh can't fix. A total wheel-spin of a season.
Amarillo Gold Sox (OL) - S313 27-25, 2nd NCC: Two games out of the wild card, 5 1/2 out of the division. We are on the half of the bracket that is stacked with OL teams. I'm a bit disappointed by almost everyone's performance - even Van Mungo isn't up to his usual standards. Drysdale has been an outright disaster and Alex Rodriguez has turned third base into a Superfund site. The six-game losing streak didn't help but that's over now.
We're also
thisclose to completing the Knuckballers mission. Ten pitchers I won't use (unless I enter a Bronze-only tournament) but a Gold pack. Maybe it'll be useful. The last Gold Pack I got from a collection had a 100 deGrom in it.
Rottnest Island Quokkas (FTP) - G338 30-26, 1st ACC: Bless the Quokks, they are my special team. They are definitely looking to bounce right back to Diamond and I think they can do it! Vida Blue is finally doing the Vida Blue things I've expected from him. It had gotten so bad that I had to send him to the bullpen two seasons ago. Now, he's 7-1.
Everett Aquasox (Mariners) - B241 32-25, 2nd ACC: Okay, I won't lie to you. I was really hoping for a double promotion. But we're three games back in the loss column and even farther away in the WC so I'm not sure it's going to happen. Just like I'm not sure that J.J. Putz is ever going to show back up in the AH.
Dave Fleming, though - an 81-pitch Maddux. Just three hits. WTG!
Charlotte Monarchs (Pack only) - S266 20-37, 5th NCC: I'm not surprised. This team, as currently constructed, is a monument to horrible pack luck. If my son was in charge of this team, with all his pack luck, then they would probably be the Quokkas. But I paid (metaphorically, all my teams are FTP) for the Quokkas, dammit.
At least I didn't pay for this team. This team is crap.
We got a triple play. That was good for 2,000 points and two packs. Which will probably end up disappointments.
Baltimore Orioles (Orioles/Browns/IL Orioles) - G322 27-28, 4th NCC: It wasn't the price I was looking for, but it was close enough. Babe Ruth has (re)joined his hometown club. This Bambino is of the pitching variety, which is fine because Diamond pitchers are in short supply. But he's also down to DH and pinch hit for me as well, because, why not.
The team itself is doing okay. I'm happy enough with one game under .500 because I'm going to need more points to make this team competitive in Gold.
Clinton Lumber Kings (Points) - B263 32-28, 3rd ACW: I should have just left well enough alone because the way I had set things up last week worked. But how was I to know that, instead of bumping up the stolen base tendencies and making Kirk Gibson a 30/30 player, instead he couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag and I'll be lucky if he ends up a 10/10 player? Or that our biggest point driver so far this season is our defense?
After everything, it turns out we're in one of those weird-sized leagues. 18 teams, four divisions. One conference has ten teams, the other 8. Because of that, one conference actually gets three WC teams. Guess who's in 3rd place in the WC?
Thetford Mines Mineurs (Canada) - B209 36-21, 2nd NCC: The Mineurs are the little team that could, perpetually in the shadow of their twin team the Aquasox. But they were leading their division until they got passed by a team on a six-game winning streak, and they're still only behind by percentage points. Yesterday, it was Mark Langston's Maddux that got the headlines. Today, it was Tim Raines's 4 SB. I'd say the move back to LF suits him. Strangely, my two worst SP are the ones with the lowest stuff ratings and highest control ratings.
