[Dukie98]

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk dominated from day one, winning a Frontier League-record 119 games after adding two-time MVP Tris Speaker to last season's 108-win juggernaut. Speaker did not disappoint, hitting .374 with a .471 on-base percentage and a .712 slugging percentage, with 57 doubles, 44 homers, 137 RBI's, 166 runs scored, and 64 steals, setting franchise records in nearly every one of these categories. First baseman Don Hurst hit .277 with 45 homers and a league-high 153 RBI's. Third baseman Eric Chavez hit .315 with 40 round-trippers and 132 RBI's. Buffalo led the Frontier League with 919 runs -- and also by allowing just 519 runs, creating an incredible +400 run differential. Don Wilson appeared a virtual lock to win his fifth straight Cy Young Award, winning the pitching Triple Crown by going 22-5 with a 1.79 ERA and 283 strikeouts, as well as a a league-best 0.88 WHIP. Jordan Zimmermann posted a 17-5 mark with a 3.11 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and fanned 186 hitters. Kip Wells posted a 16-4 mark with a 3.70 ERA, while Jose Lima and Chad Kuhl posted matching 14-5 records, with ERAs of 3.20 and 3.36, respectively. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas dominated down the stretch, ending the season on a 33-16 run, to finish with a 94-68 mark. Third baseman Bill Madlock hit a solid .305 and slugged .500, popping 21 homers and swiping 22 bags while scoring 102 runs. Right fielder Chet Laabs led the squad with 27 homers and 98 RBI's, while 40-year-old shortstop Scott Brosius popped 25 homers and drove in 88 runs. Southpaw Pete Falcone posted a 13-8 mark with a 4.80 ERA, while Marty Bystrom went 12-10 with a 4.52 ERA. Mark Clear led a deep bullpen with a 5-3 record, 40 saves, and a 2.48 ERA, while rookie setup man Steve Cishek went 7-3 with 6 saves and a 1.72 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

The Detroit Purple Gang added third baseman Nolan Arenado and righhander Hank Borowy in free agency, and they were not disappointed, as they pulled out the Great Lakes Division title with 95 wins. Arenado led the league's second-highest scoring offense, as he hit .315 and slugged .584, popped 43 doubles, 29 homers, and drove in 108 runs in just 132 games. Left fielder Rafael Palmeiro hit .312 and slugged .600, pounding 45 longballs, driving in 114 runs, and scoring 118. Right fielder Sherry Magee hit .279 with a career-high 46 homers, 129 RBI's, 122 runs scored, and 17 steals. Center fielder Cameron Maybin hit .269 with 21 homers, 84 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and a league-leading 67 steals. Borowy went 15-7 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Southpaw Scott Olsen went 12-10 with a 3.92 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts. The Ottawa Parliamentarians sandwiched a dreadful start and epic collapse around a brilliant middle five months of the season. Ottawa started the year 2-10, rallied to take a sizeable lead into September, then won just four of their final eighteen games to finish with 91 wins. Ottawa finished second in the league with 209 homers, as Frank Thomas hit .305 with 44 homers and 98 RBI's. Charlie Blackmon hit .282 and slugged .497 with 30 round-trippers and 83 RBI's. Left fielder Andy Kosco came out of nowhere to hit .271 with 32 homers and 90 RBI's. Shortstop Tim Anderson hit .301 with 19 homers, 84 runs scored, and 27 steals. Righthander Gary Serum went 12-10 with a solid 3.53 ERA, while Dick Tidrow went 13-11 with a 4.26 ERA.

The Milwaukee Raccoons took their second straight Great Plains Division title with 98 wins. Right fielder Larry Walker flirted with another MVP award, hitting .407 and set a Frontier League record with a .814 slugging percentage, pounding 51 doubles and 46 homers, while driving in 121 runs and stealing 37 bases despite missing the final month of the season with a sprained ankle. Left fielder Don Baylor had a breakout season, hitting .281 with 45 doubles, 30 homers, 112 runs scored, and 86 RBI's. Center fielder Eric Davis popped 28 longballs and plated 114 runs while stealing 30 bases. Milwaukee finished second in the league in pitching, allowing just 590 runs, as starters Howie Pollet, Dave Fleming, Danny Duffy and Josh Fogg each posted ERA's below 3.50. Duffy led the way, going 18-6 with a 3.25 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts, while Pollet went 13-10 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Closer Brad Lesley notched 44 saves with a 2.82 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 80 innings. The Kansas City Mad Hatters ended a ten-year playoff drought, winning 95 games. Left fielder Kirk Gibson starred, hitting .346 with a .608 slugging percentage, drilling 33 homers and 103 RBI's while swiping 27 bags. Right fielder Bernie Carbo hit .299 with 41 doubles, 32 homers, 112 RBI's, 115 runs scored and drew 101 walks. Veteran shortstop Glenn Wright had a late-career renaissance, hitting .310, slugging .616, while bopping 36 homers and driving in 96 runs in just 131 games. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt scored 135 runs while ripping 41 doubles, 33 homers, driving in 107 runs, and stealing 27 bases. Jim Shaw notched a 21-5 record with a 3.89 ERA. John Fulgham posted a 12-10 mark with a 3.84 ERA , allowing just 8 homers in 185 innings. Closer Earl Henry saved 39 games while posting a 2.10 ERA. The Minneapolis Penguins snapped a nine-year postseason drought -- with every season ending under .500 -- as they won 93 games, including the final 8 games of the season to seize the final wild card slot. 20-year-old center fielder Mike Trout hit .320 and slugged .580, with 84 extra-base hits including 34 homers, 95 RBI's, a franchise-record 149 runs scored, and 62 steals. Catcher Javy Lopez hit .308 with 30 homers and drove in 107 runs. Right fielder Darryl Strawberry hit .290 while drilling 38 homers, scoring 114 runs, driving in 95, and stealing 45 bases in his maiden season with the Penguins. The Penguins pitching staff dominated division rival Chicago in the season-ending series with a wild-card slot on the line, surrendering just four runs in three games. Jose Rijo dominated, going 15-12 with a 2.44 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, while fanning 224 hitters. Workhorse Frank Smith went 14-8 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. The Penguins came from behind to leapfrog the 90-win Chicago Mules, who were led by first baseman Eddie Murray, who hit .311 with 36 homers and 112 RBIs. Third baseman Pie Traynor chipped in with a .317 average, a league-leading 64 doubles, 11 homers, and 114 runs scored. Chris Tillman led Chicago's traditionally strong pitching staff, going 13-10 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

The Seattle Whales won the Northwest Division with 87 victories, clinching their eighth straight playoff appearance. Center fielder Lee Mazzilli starred, hitting .326 and slugging .509, including 51 doubles, 20 homers, 112 runs scored, 109 RBI's, and 16 steals. Third baseman Leo Gomez hit .275 with 38 homers, 119 RBI's, and 105 runs scored. Shortstop Mickey Stanley hit .300 and slugged .500, popping 27 homers and driving in 111 runs. Junkballer Zane Smith went 15-5 with a 2.39 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Fellow southpaw Mickey Mahler went 14-8 despite a bloated 4.66 ERA.

Continental League: The Washington Ambassadors returned to the postseason after a two-year absence, taking the extraordinarily competitive Atlantic Division with 103 wins. All six teams in the Atlantic Division won at least 86 games - a first in HRDL history. Right fielder George Hendrick starred, hitting .304 and slugging .556, blasting 42 longballs, driving in 126 runs and scoring 118 runs. First baseman Lee Stevens hit .285 with 41 homers and drove in 102 runs. Third baseman Willie Jones popped 39 homers and plated 124 runs. Second-year catcher Ryan Doumit had a breakout season, hitting .339 and slugging .590, as he drilled 42 doubles, 24 longballs, and drove in 94 runs. Righthander Andy Benes posted a 15-10 mark with a 4.22 ERA. Franklin Morales went 13-15 despite a 4.02 ERA. Washington featured one of the most dominant bullpens in league history. Closer Guy Cantrell supplanted Chris Short after an early-season injury, and he notched 31 saves with a 1.61 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP. Short was even more dominant, saving 10 games with a 0.86 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 52 innings - his second straight season with an ERA below 1.00. Cecil Upshaw notched an 11-2 record out of the pen with a 3.75 ERA. The Jacksonville Gulls snapped a six-season postseason drought, wining 96 games, as they scored a best-in-baseball 1012 runs, including a teamwide .298 average and blasting 242 homers. Center fielder Edd Roush won the batting title, hitting .367 with a league-high 247 hits, including 52 doubles, 27 homers, 102 RBI's, 127 runs scored, and 48 steals. Left fielder Beals Becker hit .339 and slugged .640, with 39 doubles, 35 homers, 110 runs scored, and 94 RBI's in just 124 games. Jim Thome and JT Snow blasted 31 round-trippers apiece, with Snow hitting .306 and driving in 122 runs. Lance Davis was the lone bright spot on an otherwise-dreadful pitching staff, which ranked third-from-last in the Continental League, as he went 18-2 with a 3.33 ERA. The Charlotte Aviators returned to the postseason for the first time since 2030, winning 93 games. Shortstop Corey Seager hit .301 with 20 homers and 87 RBI's. Catcher Michael Barrett hit .313 and slugged .497 with 18 round-trippers and drove in 68 runs. Third baseman Wayne Garrett hit .313 with 22 homers and plated 90 runs. On the mound, southpaw Mickey Haefner went 20-6 despite a middling 4.43 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Bob Ojeda posted a 15-8 mark with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Fireballer Red Ames went just 12-13 despite a 4.05 ERA and 211 strikeouts. The Hartford Huskies won ten of their final fourteen games to sneak into the playoffs with 88 wins. Despite losing two-time MVP Tris Speaker to free agency, the Huskies still finished in the top five in the Continental League in runs scored. First baseman Justin Bour hit .304 with 36 homers and 131 RBI's. DH Irish Meusel pounded 41 homers and plated 112 runs. Right fielder Ron Northey drilled 35 homers and drove in 96 runs. Southpaw Steve Barber notched a 14-11 record with a 3.76 ERA and fanned 190 hitters. Journeyman Frank LaCorte was surprisingly effective, going 10-3 with a 3.31 ERA. The Huskies lapped the New York Emperors, who were in prime position to earn just their third playoff post in franchise history before being eliminated after a 2-8 stretch in the final two weeks. The Emperors set an all-time HRDL record with 300 stolen bases. They were led by right fielder Cliff Floyd, who hit .298 and slugged .548, with 33 homers, 136 RBI's, and 51 steals, and by third baseman David Wright, who hit .290 with 33 homers, 133 RBI's, and 28 steals. Center fielder Johnny Mostil hit .307 with a .419 on-base percentage, including 117 runs scored, 45 doubles, 23 homers, 120 RBI's, and 43 steals. Righthander Corey Kluber led the Emperors with a 17-6 record and a 4.34 ERA.

The Southeast Division was as anemic as the Atlantic was strong. The New Orleans Crawfish won the division title with just 83 wins, the second-worst total for a division champ in HRDL history, and no other team topped 74 wins. Second sacker Jose Altuve hit .344 with 19 homers, 70 RBI's, and 83 runs scored in just 120 games. Left fielder Tommy Davis hit .311, popping 21 longballs, stealing 26 bags, and driving in 75 runs. Catcher Pat Donahue drilled 30 homers and drove in 86 runs. On the mound, ageless Ed Walsh went 14-9 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood went 14-12 with a 3.48 WHIP.

The powerful Austin Mustangs won the Texas Division, leading baseball with 249 homers while winning 88 games. Left fielder Bob Johnson hit .345, with a .448 on-base percentage and .670 slugging percentage, with 45 doubles, 44 homers and 129 RBI's. Right fielder Wally Post hit .323 with 46 jacks and 136 RBI's. First baseman Ernie Banks drilled 34 homers and drove in 84 runs. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .279 with 26 homers, 102 runs scored, and 84 RBI's. Righthander Ed Reulbach led a subpar staff, going 13-5 with a 4.19 ERA.

In the Southwest Division, the Anaheim Antelopes prevailed with 96 wins to make the playoffs for the third straight year. Center fielder Dale Murphy was a short-list MVP candidate, hitting .345 and slugging .651, with 51 doubles, 45 homers and a league-high 165 RBI's. Catcher Ray Fosse hit .311 with 16 homers and 94 RBI's. First baseman Julio Franco hit .292 and scored 125 runs, as he drilled 21 homers and stole 31 bases. Righthander Randy Wells led the Continental League's third-ranked pitching staff, going 18-4 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Rookie righthander Dave Rozema went 13-11 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Southpaw Frank Tanana went just 11-16 with a 4.46 ERA, despite a 1.25 WHIP and 250 strikeouts. The defending champion Los Angeles Kangaroos returned to the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons, winning 93 games. DH Johnny Mize hit .287 with a .405 on-base percentage with 40 homers, 132 RBI's, and 114 walks. Third baseman Frank Baker hit .347 and slugged .629, drilling 28 homers and driving in 89 RBI's before rupturing his MCL and missing the final eight weeks of the year. Left fielder Matt Stairs pounded 28 homers and drove in 97 runs. Shortstop Danny Espinosa hit .288 and slugged .477, scoring 118 runs while ripping 45 doubles and 22 homers. Smoky Joe Wood went 10-8 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, but tore his labrum in mid-July. Righthander Steve Woodard posted a 14-11 mark with a 4.40 ERA. Closer Greg McMichael was dominant, saving a league-leading 46 games with a 1.41 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.