60 Team League History and story of Tate Redinger

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Will Sawyer threw the 2nd no hitter in Atlantic City Sharks history today as the Sharks beat the Winnipeg Wolf Pack at Dale Hawerchuk Field in Manitoba 3-0. Sawyer fanned 11 batters on his way to his first career no hitter. Atlantic City offense was carried by Carlos Marin who went 4 for 4 with 2 RBI's. The previous no-hitter was thrown by Bob Gilks against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022.

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The 3rd no hitter of the young season has been tossed and it was a perfect game by Brownie Foreman. Foreman fanned 16 batters as the Tulsa Rattlers defeated the Van Nuys Arrows 2-0. Foreman the former first pick overall in the 2021 draft has been blossoming for the Rattlers. Tulsa has won 18 games in a row and are on top in the NL Midwest. This was the 2nd no hitter in Tulsa history as Gene Krapp tossed one in 2022 against the Albuquerque Blackbirds.

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The Houston Astros are trying to complete in the AL Midwest and today they bashed the Nassau Stingrays at home with a 9-3 win. The win was highlighted by Dan Meyer slamming 4 homers in the game and driving in 6 runs over the new team from the Bahamas.

Meyer was asked after the game how he felt "Well I must say that stitched up ball seemed like a dodgeball today, not sure how that is, but I was locked in and glad we can win a game"

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As we head to the close of the first month of the 2024 season, we have a few stories of interest.

The Pittsburgh Pirates decided to give consistent starting pitcher Pete Dowling a huge 7 year extension on his contract. Dowling has won 79 games over the last 4 years and has been the stalwart ace of the Pirates staff, however the Pirates have not had any postseason success. Dowling was quoted as saying "I could have tested the market, but the Pirates are going to make me a rich man for me and my offspring for many generations so why ruin a good thing"

Meanwhile, Anthony Recker was promoted by the world champion Utah Saints from the minors to be the backup catcher for Bill Dickey and he won AL player of the week in just 2 starts as he hit 4 homers and drove in 9 runs in those 2 contests. Andy Cohen of Bravo was excited about all this as he always considered Recker his favorite player. Recker was stunned to win player of the week.

"I was shocked that they sent Bob Wood down and I got the call, I did not see myself ever being in the show. So just getting to put on the uniform was winning, but to get the AL player of the week award has me over the Moon"

Utah acquired Recker in the 2023 offseason as apart of a package in the deal that sent Micah Hoffapauir to the Oklahoma City Colts.

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The Des Moines Jaguars defeated the Columbus Barracudas at Meredith Stadium today and it was special as Larry French hurled a perfect game, the first no hitter in franchise history. French fanned 11 batters and almost did not get the win as the Jaguars had to have a walk off sac fly by Dave Foutz in the 9th inning off of Brian Snyder to secure the victory. Des Moines has been rolling of late and and are tied for 4th in the AL Midwest division but just 2 games behind the Omaha Eagles.

French felt relieved after the sac fly "I thought I was perfect and it was not going to be enough we couldn't Dwight Schrute brought his A game and we could not get score on him"

Schurte was in his usual maniacal mode after the game "I left Anchorage because they could not score for me, now I am in Columbus and they can't even muster up a walk, needless to say I am not happy and will take it out on the farm tonight"

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News of the day in MLB 2024 land

Mickey Mantle of the Honolulu Riptides will retire at the end of the year. The hard partying outfielder has had one too many Mai Tai's on the sands of Waikiki. Mantle was quoted as saying "I may be retiring from the diamond but I ain't going to be leaving Hawaii any time soon". Mantle won a World Series with the 2019 Washington Nationals. Because he was already in his 30's at league inception, he did not register big stats and his hall of fame chances are no different than Billy Ripken's in real MLB

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs were dealt a heavy blow as Gio Gonzalez was looking great at 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA in a breakout season alas is now sidelined for 4 months. Gonzalez went don't in a home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks which was a 5 pitcher no hitter for the Cubs in which Jason Hammel got the job done in long relief with the help of 3 other guys. It was a torn tricep muscle that did it for Gio. Joe Maddon who still manages the Cubs in 2024, was beside himself "Just when we were turning the corner this happens" , Art Johnson has been promoted out of the bullpen to take Gonzalez spot in the rotation

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The AL player of the Week award was given to David Ortiz of the Des Moines Jaguars who drove in 14 runs this week, he is batting .425 nearly a quarter into the season. Des Moines is now 2 games out of first in the AL Midwest. Ortiz said this "we got off to a slow start, last year man. This year we are even better. We expect to be in first at the all star Break.

Jack Smith hit 5 homers and drove in 12 runs to cap the week in the NL for the dominant Tulsa Rattlers as he won player of the week.

News out of Birmingham is that Marty Byrde will call it a career at the end of the season. The Birmingham Hillcats are struggling in their initial season and Byrde has never regained the success he had back in 2019 with the Utah Saints. Prior to joining Birmingham, Byrde was signed to a big contract by the drug cartel and played for the Mexico City Salukis (organically happened). Byrde a notorious money launderer was happy he could do both jobs. Byrde commented on this retirement "after all the excitement south of the border and the such, being a 4th outfielder on a bad Birmingham team just is not cutting it, the year could not end fast enough"

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Currently in the MLB in 2024 there are 9 former players that were famous fictional players who retired and got jobs in the league. I always find the graduation of players to leadership jobs fascination.

The first 5 people are featured here

Josh Gad - Hitting Coach/Buffalo Bisons - You may not think of this portly and nerdy actor being a hitting guru but the Bisons are in first place in 2024 and star players like Casey Stengel had this to say about him "I dunno, when I saw they made him hitting coach.. I wanted to give my GM a drug test, but after a day in the cage with this guy... he broke down hitting as if it was Boyle's Law, I approve of him"


Alex Trebek - Pitching Coach/Tucson Tomahawks - the only way fictional famous players can get in if they are deceased is if they played a character in a show or movie and that character ended up in the game, or they were in the league before they died. Alex was a pitcher in the league before he died. That being said, the Tomahawks have made major strides in 2024 in their second season at 20-17. Closer Billy Koch was quoted as saying this about Trebek "He is a smart guy, he speaks well, I get what he is saying and he makes corrections without insulting you, he is helping us for sure


Kevin Durant - Pitching Coach/Ottawa Argonauts - The hoopster is a tall presence on the hill when he comes to advise his staff when he visits the mound. Ottawa is also a very improved 2nd year team at 18-19 and their pitching has improved a lot. Doug Drabek had all praise for his pitching coach "I reckon that you have to listen to a chap that tall, but he really knows the mechanics and has helped me a great deal since I got here from Atlanta


Sam Rockwell - Bench Coach/Oklahoma City Colts - the actor who played briefly in the league is now the bench coach for this decent 2nd year team. Small in stature he has taken to sabermetrics. Star pitcher Tom Seaver was quoted as saying "You look at him and you don't think genius, but he has a photographic memory for detail and we make defensive shifts all the time based on his knee jerk reactions


Mel Gibson - GM/Wichita Hawkeyes - It was a controversial move to bring in Mel to run the Hawkeyes, but in Wichita there was not as much opposition and despite his harsh and often racist remarks, some can look the other way because of his mind of detail. Fritz Peterson had banged heads with Gibson earlier on, as Gibson took more exception to Fritz for swapping wives with Mike Kekich, but later has said "Despite the flaws and ironies, Gibson is building us into something, don't give up on him, hopefully he will be nice in his hot mic comments going forward"

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These are the other 4 guys who have gotten coach/manager/gm type jobs since retiring and are also fictional famous. There are some other guys that have good jobs since retiring... Diego Segui is pitching coach of the Detroit Tigers... Tom Browning is pitching coach of the Riverhead Racers... Larry Andersen is manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers

These are the other 4

Alec Baldwin - Hitting Coach/Las Vegas Snake Eyes - Baldwin returns to the place where he filmed the movie The Cooler. This hot tempered guy has a rough approach to hitting and can get violent, but Larry Parrish did not seem to mind. Parrish said "I am tired of passive guy that don't correct the mistakes, I strikeout a lot, he complains every single time I strike out, I get paid to hit, I take it like a man"


Jimmy O Yang - Pitching Coach/Philadelphia Phillies - this offbeat and quiet guy pitched briefly before calling it quits. The Phillies after a few years of underachieving added a few odd coaches and now they are a first place team in the NL Atlantic. Phillies closer Andrew Miller had an odd take on Yang "He watches me warm up, says a few things under his breath, stares at me with an odd grin. Never actually speaks to me or any of the players. But if you look at our numbers we are all better for it"


Steven Stifler - Hitting Coach/Philadelphia Phillies - Like I said the Phillies revamped and they have this guy as their hitting coach. Possibly the least serious person in the game, he is bordering on immature. Despite the inanity, a player like Brian Daubach is hitting .361 with power for Philly. Daubach commented "Usually it is a player that is the practical joker, but in our case it is our hitting coach, I think we are very relaxed with him around, I mean you have to watch your back, I have no idea what he put in Eric Soderholm's powerade last week, but Soderholm was in the bathroom all night"


Zack LaVine - Pitching Coach/Sacramento Bees - Another hoopster that played briefly retired and has another job. LaVine has a lot of credibility with the Sacramento pitchers as he is athletic and personable. Josh Beckett said this about Zack "Not the most technical guy on the planet, but he has focused on fitness and getting us to be optimal when we are on the hill"

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April has ended in the 2024 season and there is a shift of talent in the league.

Batters of the Month

American League - Adam LaRoche (San Antonio River Kings) 18 HR 38 RBI .369

National League - Jack Smith (Tulsa Rattlers) 11 HR 35 RBI .380


Pitchers of the Month

American League - Jose Rosado (Indianapolis Bulldogs) 5-0 1.36 ERA

National League - Brownie Foreman (Tulsa Rattlers) 5-0 0.25 ERA


Rookies of the Month

American League - Hack Wilson (Jacksonville Beach Bums) 13 HR 39 RBI .358

National League - Roy Foster (Savannah Thunder) 9 HR 27 RBI .358


League Leaders

American League

Batting Average
1 David Ortiz (Des Moines Jaguars) .415
2. Alex Johnson (Kansas City Royals) .380
3. George Sisler (San Antonio River Kings) .378

Homers
1. Adam LaRoche (San Antonio River Kings) 22
2. Jimmie Hall (Texas Rangers) 19
2. Harvey Hendrick (Richmond Gamecocks) 19

RBI's
1. Francisco Cabrera (Buffalo Bisons) 50
1. Morgan Murphy (San Juan Storm) 50
3. Adam LaRoche (San Antonio River Kings) 49

Stolen Bases
1. Mallix Smith (Buffalo Bisons) 20
2. Mike Lanning (Indianapolis Bulldogs) 16
3. Bob Dernier (Tucson Tomahawks) 15

WAR
1. David Ortiz (Des Moines Jaguars) 3.1
2. Trea Turner (Chicago White Sox) 3.0
3. Morgan Murphy (San Juan Storm) 2.9

Wins
1. Jose Rosado (Indianapolis Bulldogs) 7
1. Carl Weilman (Richmond Gamecocks) 7
3. Nelson Figueroa (Jacksonville Beach Bums) 6

Strikeouts
1. Christy Mathewson (Toronto Blue Jays) 85
2. Cy Blanton (New York Yankees) 84
3. Bill George (Cabo San Lucas Black Gold) 81

ERA
1. Bill George (Cabo San Lucas Black Gold) 0.18
2. Walter Johnson (Fresno Bashers) 0.72
3. Dean Chance (Spokane Gangsters) 1.11

Saves
1. Bunny Hearn (Jacksonville Beach Bums) 17
2. Alex Malloy (Detroit Tigers) 15
3. Steve Foster (Foxwoods Colonials) 14


National League

Batting Average
1. Bryce Harper (Memphis Cougars) .389
2. Paul Molitor (Atlanta Braves) .386
3. Bernie Williams (Riverhead Racers) .381

Homers
1. Frank Welch (Brooklyn Brawlers) 16
1. Ty Wigginton (Boise Parrots) 16
3. Nolan Arenado (St Louis Cardinals) 15

RBI's
1. Jack Smith (Tulsa Rattlers) 48
2. Frank Thomas (Milwaukee Brewers) 43
3. Ivan Calderon (Milwaukee Brewers) 42

Stolen Bases
1. Curtis Goodwin (Montreal Anchors) 15
1. Jack Smith (Tulsa Rattlers) 15
3. Donell Nixon (Duluth Champions) 12

WAR
1. Bill Joyce (New York Mets) 3.1
2. Paul Molitor (Atlanta Braves) 3.0
3. Bernie Williams (Riverhead Racers) 3.0

Wins
1. Brownie Foreman (Tulsa Rattlers) 7
1. Jack Harshman (Los Angeles Dodgers) 7
3. Bob Feller (Chicago Cubs) 6

Strikeouts
1. Brownie Foreman (Tulsa Rattlers) 91
2. Noodles Hahn (Colorado Rockies) 88
3. Lady Baldwin (Milwaukee Brewers) 85

ERA
1. Brownie Foreman (Tulsa Rattlers) 0;16
2. Bob Feller (Chicago Cubs) 0.61
3. Pat Darcy (New Orleans Zebras) 1.12

Saves
1. Paul Masterson (Tulsa Rattlers) 15
2. Andrew Bailey (New Orleans Zebras) 14
2. Camilio Pascual (San Diego Padres) 14

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This is how the races appear after April has ended in 2024

AL East
Buffalo Bisons - 26-13
Foxwoods Colonials - 24-15
New York Yankees - 24-15
Boston Red Sox - 23-16
Toronto Blue Jays - 23-16

***Bisons usually are good starters, only a matter of time before Toronto makes their move with their starting pitching

AL Atlantic
Jacksonville Beach Bums - 29-10
San Juan Storm - 26-13
Delaware Big Train - 24-15
Richmond Gamecocks - 24-15
Baltimore Orioles - 2415

*** Delaware is in a big turnound this season, and Jacksonville has gotten major overachievements early on


AL Central
Detroit Tigers - 30-9
Indianapolis Bulldogs - 29-10
Chicago White Sox - 25-14
Caracas Toros - 20-19
Nashville Judges - 18-21

*** Teams are fading fast in this pretty weak division, how long can Indy keep pace with Detroit?


AL Midwest
Minnesota Twins - 24-15
Kansas City Royals - 24-15
Omaha Eagles - 23-16
Guadalajara Bighorns - 22-17
Des Moines Jaguars - 22-17

*** tight race early on with Guadalajara surprising. No standout team in this division


AL West
Utah Saints 29-10
Calgary Fusion - 26-13
Houston Astros - 26-13
Tucson Tomahawks - 22-17
Texas/San Antonio - 19-20

*** defending world champions have looked good, Tucson has improved a lot


AL Pacific
Seattle Mariners 25-14
Portland Lions 25-14
Oakland Athletics - 25-14
Anchorage Bears - 24-15
Fresno Bashers - 24-15
Los Angeles Angels - 24-15

** 6 teams separated by one game, only a matter of time before Seattle separates themselves


NL East
New York Mets - 31-8
Riverhead Racers - 25-14
Montreal Anchors - 24-15
Brooklyn Brawlers - 24-15
Atlantic City Sharks - 22-17

** Mets are not going to fold this year it seems, Montreal has improved a lot


NL Atlantic
Philadelphia Phillies - 29-10
Atlanta Braves - 26-13
Miami Marlins - 26-13
Key West Condors - 24-15
Orlando Alliance - 23-16

*** Phillies look better this year, Key West has improved a lot


NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers - 29-10
Cincinnati Reds - 26-13
Louisville Bats - 25-14
Chicago Cubs - 24-15
Mobile Swordfish - 22-17

*** Cincy always finds a way to win, Louisville has impressed


NL Midwest
Tulsa Rattlers - 34-5
New Orleans Zebras - 26-13
Memphis Cougars - 23-16
St Louis Cardinals - 21-18
Oklahoma City Colts - 21-18

*** Tulsa's great drafting has put them way ahead of schedule, St Louis is already 13 games back


NL West
Colorado Rockies - 29-10
Las Vegas Snake Eyes - 26-13
Arizona Diamondbacks - 26-13
Boise Parrots - 24-15
Austin Donkeys - 21-18

*** seems to be the same 3 teams battling in this division, Austin has become decent in their 3rd season


NL Pacific
Los Angeles Dodgers - 28-11
Sacramento Bees - 27-12
San Diego Padres - 25-14
San Bernardino Butchers - 24-15
San Francisco/Honolulu - 20/19

*** Dodgers are finally playing to their potential, no one saw San Bernardino competing this year

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Mel Ott became the first player in MLB history to get to 300 homers as he knocked 2 out of the yard for the Utah Saints against the Cheyenne Black Aces. Ott had this to say "milestones are great, but we are losing 5-2 to a team full of beer leaguers, I had to take matters into my own hands"

The Mobile Swordfish are trying to make noise in in the NL Central and won their 10th straight game today. The Swordfish are lead by Hughie Jennings 34 RBI's and Al Pilarcik's .302 average.

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The Oakland Athletics beat the Indianapolis Bulldogs 6-0 today at home at the Coliseum as Steve Busby hurled his 2nd career no hitter. Busby had pitched a perfect game against the Foxwoods Colonials back in 2022. Busby had 7 k's in the game as we was helped hitting wise by Michael Brantley's 3 RBIs and a homer and Willie Davis added 2 more RBI's. The Bulldogs were tied for first with the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central but this loss slips them into 2nd place The Oakland win puts them in 2nd place 1/2 game behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL Pacific.

This was the 5th no hitter of the 2024 season. This was the first time that Indianapolis was ever no hit. including their dismal 2019 season. For Oakland this was their 3 career no hitter, back in 2019 Earl Whitehill fired a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins.

Busby in real life was a great pitcher with a myriad of injury problems, he has had them here too but has been more steadfast.

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The Arizona Diamonbacks defeated the Aruba Jackrabbits at home today 3-0 as Don Drysdale fanned 12 in getting a no hitter. This was the first no hitter in Arizona history and the first time Aruba has been no hit. Drysdale got help from Danny Espinosa who hit a 2 run shot for the Diamondbacks who slipped into 4th place recently in the AL West. Aruba shortstop Andrew Cuomo said this after the game "not sure if I was looking at all the desert 20 something chicks in the stand, but I could not see Drysdale's heat"

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The 2024 season is barely 25% complete and the 7th no hitter of the season was tossed by Russ Bauers. Bauers and the Texas Rangers toppled the Delaware Big Train 4-0 at home in Arlington. Bauers fanned 12 batters and got help from Leo Gomez who drilled a 2 run homer for the victors. This was the first no hitter ever for Texas Rangers and first time ever that Delaware has been held spotless. Delaware remains 3 back in the AL Atlantic behind the Jacksonville Beach Bums. Texas needed the win as they have been underwhelming at 22-24.

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The Houston Astros and Albany Warcats are teams that have been heading in opposite directions for the last 10 games. Houston defeated Albany 11-10 today in 11 innings after Mike Menosky hit a walk off sacrifice fly. Houston has now won 10 games in a row while Albany has dropped 10 in a row. The highlight of the game was Zack Wheat who hit 4 longballs in the game. Astros remain 2 games back in 2nd place in the AL Midwest behind the Utah Saints, while first year Albany is tied for 7th in the AL East.

Albany starting pitcher Bill Sweeney was quotes as saying this after the game "He hit 3 homers off me in 5 innings, I tried to pitch the ball to the backstop and he would still take me deep, not easy to face this guy"

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The Des Moines Jaguars blanked the Raleigh Spitfires 4-0 on the road today in Carolina. Larry French fires his 2nd no hitter of the season and the 8th one already in 2024. French fanned 11 batters on the day and was in complete control as Des Moines stays 3 back in 2nd place in the AL Midwest behind the Minnesota Twins. French had fired the first no hitter in Des Moines History 3 weeks ago against the Columbus Barracudas. Raleigh remains in 8th place far out in the AL Atlantic. Dave Foutz had 2 hits and an RBI to lead the Des Moines offense.

Veteran first baseman for Raleigh, John Isner spoke to the media after the game "I know I have a big strike zone but French was painting the corners all game It was the first time Raleigh has been no hit in their young history.

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The 9th no hitter of the 2024 season has been registered as rookie pitcher Cherokee Fisher of the Houston Astros won 3-0 on the road against the Richmond Gamecocks and allowed no hits. Fisher fanned 7 batters and improved to 6-0 on the season as the Astros pulled to within 2 games of first place in the AL West behind the Utah Saints.

Houston got it's offense on solo homers by Lorenzo Cain and Tony Soprano. Paul Blair of Richmond had this to say about Fisher's performance "I have never seen him before and with the amount of teams in the league, you don't get that familiarity with pitchers, but not taking anything away from the kid"

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The Columbus Barracudas thrashed the Tokyo Alligators today 9-0 as all the offense practically came off the bat of Wally Moses. Moses slugger 4 homers and drove in 8 runs for Columbus as the destroyed Tokyo. To add insult to injury Tokyo was only able to muster one hit again Columbus pitching. Buck O'Brien pitched 7 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit to Craig Creech. Moses has been having a super rookie year with 16 homers and 45 RBI's for Columbus. The Barracudas have worked their way into 7th place in the AL Central division.

Moses spoke to reporters after the game "I never thought I would be a major leaguer and I never had 4 homers in a game even playing wiffle ball in my garage. I have to give the Columbus hitting coach Ken Vetter a lot of credit for my success"

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Damon Albarn the 42 year old mainstay of the Miami Marlins and also lead singer of Blur and Gorillaz will retired at the end of the year. Marlins acquired Albarn in 2020 and won a world title with him on the roster. Albarn hit for some power but always had a low batting average. He said "I surprised myself in that I was able to play baseball into my 40's and even got a world series ring. Now it will be on the road again with the band, grateful to the Miami faithful over the years.