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Old 10-26-2019, 04:01 AM   #21
Dukie98
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2044 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Willie Mays, CF, LON (48): .368/ .434/ .667, 246 hits, 39 doubles, 10 triples, 47 HR, 112 RBI, 159 runs, 80 BB, 43 SB, +23.7 Zone Rating, 178 OPS+, 13.7 WAR
Second place- Jimmie Foxx, 1B, CHI: .355/ .474/ .699, 202 hits, 41 doubles, 4 triples, 49 HR, 131 RBI, 134 runs, 126 BB, 3 SB, 201 OPS+, 10.7 WAR
Third place- Harry Heilmann, RF, LON: .364/ .438/ .687, 224 hits, 46 doubles, 9 triples, 45 HR, 131 RBI, 144 runs, 74 BB, 4 SB, 184 OPS+, 8.7 WAR
Fourth place- Rico Petrocelli, SS, BUF: .301/ .375/ .599, 182 hits, 33 doubles, 49 HR, 146 RBI, 108 runs, 73 BB, +23.6 Zone Rating, 156 OPS+, 9.9 WAR
Fifth place- Mike Trout, CF, MIN: .370/ .457/ .635, 221 hits, 49 doubles, 8 triples, 31 HR, 113 RBI, 131 runs, 88 BB, 27 SB, +14.9 Zone Rating,177 OPS+, 11.8 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award: Walter Johnson, CAL (24): 18-5, 1.86 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 246 IP, 317 K, 34 BB, 5 CG, 3 shutouts, 243 ERA+, 11.1 WAR
First place (tie)- Nolan Ryan, DET (24): 22-4, 1.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 223 IP, 311 K, 116 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 254 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Third place- Jose Rijo, LON: 15-2, 1.75 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 180 IP, 217 K, 31 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 262 ERA+, 7.2 WAR
Fourth place- Gene Conley, LON: 22-4, 3.18 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 226 IP, 214 K, 53 BB, 4 CG, 1 shutout, 144 ER+, 6.4 WAR
Fourth place (tie) - Bob Moose, CIN: 16-11, 2.78 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 233 IP, 214 K, 28 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 163 ERA+, 9.9 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Tony Conigliaro, LF/RF, VAN (32): .301/ .372/ .549, 129 hits, 31 doubles, 3 triples, 23 HR, 78 RBI, 83 runs, 46 BB, 4 SB, 137 OPS+, 3.5 WAR
Second place- Alex Bregman, 3B, CLE (9): .315/ .401/ .547, 126 hits, 38 doubles, 5 triples, 15 HR, 58 RBI, 62 runs, 57 BB, 15 SB, 140 OPS+, 4.3 WAR
Third place- Odell Hale, 2B, PIT: .305/ .350/ .517, 127 hits, 30 doubles, 5 triples, 16 HR, 71 RBI, 70 runs, 29 BB, 3 SB, 124 OPS+, 3.9 WAR

Continental League MVP- George Sisler, 1B, OKC (43): .363/ .419/ .674, 225 hits, 48 doubles, 6 triples, 44 HR, 133 RBI, 139 runs, 58 BB, 56 SB, 173 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Second place- Reggie Jackson, RF/CF, VB (2): .310/ .395/ .647, 178 hits, 32 doubles, 3 triples, 52 HR, 131 RBI, 124 runs, 79 BB, 14 SB, 163 OPS+, 7.0 WAR
Third place- Joe DiMaggio, CF, ELP: .284/ .365/ .947, 170 hits, 24 doubles, 5 triples, 48 HR, 149 RBI, 113 runs scored, 57 BB, 1 SB, 153 OPA+, 6.5 WAR
Fourth place- Matt Kemp, CF, MEM: .342/ .394/ .565, 198 hits, 27 doubles, 6 triples, 30 HR, 119 RBI, 115 runs, 49 BB, 26 SB, +10.7 Zone Rating, 147 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Fifth place- Robin Yount, SS, JAX: .337/ .416/ .558, 206 hits, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 32 HR, 106 RBI, 121 runs, 76 BB, 12 SB, 146 OPS+, 5.0 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Greg Maddux, SA (48): 17-6, 1.67 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 248 IP, 235 K, 53 BB, 4 CG, 1 shutout, 284 ERA+, 8.7 WAR
Second place- Jon Lester, ABQ: 16-10, 2.89 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 212 IP, 251 K, 63 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 176 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Third place- Woodie Fryman, MEM: 18-4, 2.55 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 198 IP, 172 K, 42 BB, 4 CG, 1 shutout, 195 ERA+, 5.8 WAR
Fourth place- Ron Guidry, NAS: 15-12, 2.81 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 224 IP, 230 K, 45 BB, 2 CG, 165 ERA+, 5.5 WAR
Fourth place (tie)- Bob Rush, VB: 15-7, 2.73 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 191 IP, 178 K, 36 BB, 184 ERA+, 6.1 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: Matt Kemp, CF, MEM (48): .342/ .394/ .565, 198 hits, 27 doubles, 6 triples, 30 HR, 119 RBI, 115 runs, 49 BB, 26 SB, +10.7 Zone Rating, 147 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Second place- Jeff Kent, 3B/2B, HAR: .304/ .361/ .571, 157 hits, 40 doubles, 1 triple, 32 HR, 97 RBI, 95 runs, 35 BB, 3 SB, 140 OPS+, 4.4 WAR
Third place- Claude Hendrix, RHP, NOR: 6-3, 2.17 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 125 IP, 117 K, 31 BB, 1 CG, 233 ERA+, 4.4 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Addie Joss, RHP, Philadelphia Hawks
2. Chris Hoiles, C, Kansas City Mad Hatters
3. Mark McGwire, 3B/1B, Portland Skunks
4. Birdie Cree, LF/RF, Milwaukee Raccoons
5. Bob Meusel, LF/ RF, Ottawa Parliamentarians
6. John Stearns, C, San Diego Zookeepers
7. Dave Winfield, RF, Montreal Knights
8. Elmer Smith, CF, Atlanta Ducks
9. Woody English, SS, Hartford Huskies
10. Alvin Davis, 1B, Washington Ambassadors
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Old 11-01-2019, 03:35 AM   #22
Dukie98
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2044 Hall of Fame Voting

In one of the deepest Hall of Fame classes in league history, five players -- including three newcomers -- were inducted. The class saw both the first unanimous selection in league history (5-time MVP Frank Baker) as well as the narrowest margin in history, as Yasiel Puig hit 75.0% on the nose on his third try on the ballot. In addition, 293-game winner Smoky Joe Wood earned 98.8% of the vote, slugging shortstop Francisco Lindor drew 93.6%, and power-hitting catcher Tex Erwin drew 82.0% in his second time on the ballot.

Baker was selected first overall by the Albuquerque Conquistadors following the 2025 season. Baker broke in with a bang, hitting .297 with 28 homers, 119 RBI's, 110 runs scored, and 28 steals as a 21-year-old rookie in 2026, finishing runner-up in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Baker blossomed into superstardom the following year, finishing second in the MVP voting while leading the Conquistadors to their first playoff spot in league history. Baker led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored, and WAR, posting a .359/ .448/ .599 slash line with 35 homers, 120 runs scored, and 135 RBI's -- the first of five straight batting titles and four consecutive years leading the league in runs scored. In 2028, Baker won his first MVP, winning the Triple Crown as he hit .346 with 38 homers and 125 RBI's, along with a league-high 125 runs scored. He repeated as MVP the following season, hitting a league-best .389 with a .656 slugging percentage, smacking 233 hits, including 40 doubles, 36 homers, 130 RBI's, and scoring 157 runs. In 2030, Baker had the single most impressive offensive season in HRDL history, posting an incredible 15.1 WAR and a .421/ .501/ .834 slash line. Setting single-season records with 262 hits, 64 doubles, and 61 RBI's, Baker scored 188 runs and knocked in 173. He won his fourth straight MVP and third Triple Crown in 2031, hitting "just" .383 and slugging .759, mashing 54 homers and plating 164 runs. After an off-season in 2032, where Baker merely hit .329 with 77 extra-base hits and 133 RBI's, he won yet another MVP award the following season, after hitting .344 and slugging .646 with 46 round-trippers and 154 RBI's. In 2034, Baker slipped to fourth in the MVP voting after winning his sixth batting title, hitting .351 with 35 homers, 113 RBI's, and 136 runs scored. Baker also led the Conquistadors to their first World Series title that season, hitting .318 with a .434 on-base percentage, and scoring 21 runs in 23 postseason games. Following the season, Baker decamped to Los Angeles in free agency. Baker hit over .320 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBI's in each of his first three seasons in Los Angeles. In 2037, Baker finished 5th in the MVP voting after hitting .335 with 38 longballs, 123 RBI's, and 125 runs scored, and he won the World Series MVP, hitting .500 with 5 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBI's as he led the Kangaroos to the title. Baker had two more star-level seasons in Los Angeles, hitting .347 and .336 while slugging over .600 each season, before suffering a substantial decline in 2040. Baker spent one ineffective season in Seattle before retiring. Over his career, the eight-time All-Star won five MVP awards, posted three more top-five finishes, and notched eight Silver Slugger Awards. A career .338 hitter, Baker finished with 3,061 hits, 556 homers, 1925 RBI's, 1964 runs scored, 295 steals, and 124.5 WAR. At the time of his induction, Baker ranked 7th all-time in batting average, 6th in slugging percentage (behind five active players), 16th in homers, 12th in RBI's, 6th in runs scored, and 6th in WAR. A postseason fixture, Baker made the postseason ten times, hitting .324 and slugging .526 with 17 homers and 69 RBI's in 123 postseason games.

Wood was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas following the 2022 season. Wood finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year balloting in 2023, after going 17-8 with a 2.95 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts. The following year, Wood posted the first of his five 20-win seasons, going 20-11 with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 240 strikeouts. In 2025, Wood won both the Cy Young Award and the MVP, posting a league-leading 23-9 mark with a 2.40 ERA, whiffing 290 batters in the first of his seven league-leading campaigns. Wood repeated as Cy Young Award winner the following season, while finishing runner-up in the MVP balloting, as he went 18-11 with a 2.29 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a league-best 280 strikeouts. In 2027, Wood won his third straight Cy Young Award, going 17-9 with a 2.02 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts, as he again finished second in the MVP balloting. The following year, Wood slipped to third in the Cy Young voting, but still finished 5th in the MVP voting, after posting an 18-10 mark with a 2.26 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 253 strikeouts, while hitting an incredible .378 with 11 doubles and 8 homers in just 90 at bats. 2029 was Wood's finest campaign, as he won his second MVP and fourth Cy Young Award, winning the pitching Triple Crown as he went 24-6 with a 1.76 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 293 strikeouts. Wood remained a workhorse for several more seasons, finishing 5th in the Cy Young voting in both 2030 and 2031, while finishing second in 2032 after going 14-11 with a 2.51 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, 264 strikeouts, and allowing just 5 homers in 254 innings. He finished runner-up once again in 2033, as he posted a 20-8 mark with a 2.82 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and a league-best 291 strikeouts. Wood finished third in the Cy Young voting in 2034, as he went 14-8 with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. He finished fourth in the Cy Young balloting the following year, going 15-4 with a 2.90 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and a league-high 263 whiffs. After going 14-4 in an injury-riddled 2036 campaign, Wood jumped to Los Angeles in free agency before the 2037 season. Wood posted an 18-6 mark with a 3.36 ERA and 237 strikeouts, leading the Kangaroos to a world championship, as he won 4 postseason games with a 3.10 ERA, including a 2.45 ERA in the World Series. After a second solid, if injury-shortened, season with Los Angeles, Wood signed with the Austin Mustangs in free agency, where he suffered through an ineffective initial season, then blew his elbow out at the start of the 2040 season as he chased 300 wins. Wood retired after the following season with a career 293-147 record, a 2.83 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 4040 strikeouts, and 138.8 WAR; he also hit .259 and smacked 83 doubles and 34 homers. He ranked 5th all-time in victories, 6th in winning percentage, 3rd in strikeouts, and 4th in WAR among pitchers. A ten-time All-Star, Wood won 2 MVP's, 4 Cy Young Awards, and 6 Silver Sluggers. He posted a solid 2.70 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP with an 8-6 record in 15 postseason starts.

Lindor, a six-time All-Star, was tabbed thirdby the St. Louis Pilots following the 2020 season. As a 20-year-old, he finished as the runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .280 with 20 homers, 74 RBI's, 107 runs scored, and 36 steals. In his sophomore campaign, he finished as the runner-up in the MVP voting, hitting .334 and slugging .557, with 35 homers, 106 RBI's, 108 runs scored, 49 steals, and won the first of his six Gold Gloves on defense. Remarkably, Lindor took a giant step forward the following season, hitting .347 and slugging .671, with 44 doubles, 41 steals, and he led the league with 50 homers, 150 RBI's, and 138 runs scored while posting 13.2 WAR and winning the MVP. After a season-ending concussion in 2024, Lindor never quite scaled the same heights, but he remained highly effective. In 2026, Lindor finished fourth in the MVP voting, hitting .295 and slugging .483, ripping 25 homers, plating 112 runs, scoring 108 times, and leading the league with 8.7 WAR while winning his sixth straight Gold Glove. Lindor topped 20 homers for each of the following 12 seasons - including a streak of 8 straight years over 30 longballs. In 2030, Lindor ripped 31 homers and knocked in 94 runs, and in the offseason, left St. Louis for the Detroit Purple Game. In five years in Detroit, Lindor topped 30 homers each year, blasting 41 homers and knocking in 123 runs in 2033 and smacking 44 homers and driving in 134 runs the following year. After a 30-homer, 114 RBI season in 2035, Lindor signed with Calgary as a free agent, where he hit 99 homers in 3 seasons. In his final three seasons, Lindor bounced around as a power-hitting journeyman. He retired after the 2041 season with a career .264/ .330/ .475 slash line, including 2931 hits, 487 doubles, 584 homers (10th all-time), 1827 RBI's (15th all-time), 1675 runs scored, 237 steals, and 109.1 WAR. A 6-time All-Star, Lindor won 6 Gold Gloves and 4 Silver Sluggers. The lone blemish on his record was his subpar postseason record, as he hit just .204 with 8 homers in 60 games, and never made it out of the second round in eight postseasons.

Erwin was selected 4th overall by the Albuquerque Conquistadors following the 2022 season. Unlike most Hall of Famers, he struggled for several years. After a cup of coffee in 2023, he hit .184 and slugged .289 in 2024, with just 10 homers and 55 RBI's in 127 games, and he hit just 21 homers and drove in 88 runs over the next two seasons combined. Although he started to develop a power stroke in 2027, smacking 26 homers, he hit just .219. But in 2029, Erwin took the leap into stardom, making the first of eight straight All-Star teams, as he hit .292 with a .404 on-base percentage, with 34 homers, 102 RBI's, and 90 walks. The following year, he drilled 38 homers, while knocking in 105 runs and scoring 119 times. In 2031, Erwin finished 5th in the MVP voting, posting a .296/ .402/ .623 slash line, with 43 homers, 121 RBI's, and 116 runs scored while stealing 11 bases without getting caught -- his first of seven straight 40-homer seasons. Erwin set career highs in 2034, ripping 48 homers and knocking in 134 runs. Erwin led the Conquistadors to the only World Series title in franchise history that year, winning MVP of the Wild Card, League Championship Series, and World Series, setting records with 12 homers and 35 RBI's in that postseason. In 2036, Erwin smacked 42 homers and plated 107 runs -- in just 108 games. In 2038, he signed with the Houston Pythons in free agency, and he spent the last three years of his career there, drilling 74 homers. Over his career, Erwin won 10 Silver Slugger awards and made 8 All-Star teams. He retired with a .251/ .362/ .507 slash line, including 1936 hits, 534 homers, 1542 RBI's, 1502 runs scored, and 74.7 WAR. He retired as the all-time leader among catchers in homers, RBI's, runs scored, and walks, and fourth among catchers in WAR. Erwin smacked 25 postseason homers and drove in 70 runs in 79 games, slugging .505.

Puig was drafted 8th overall by the Albuquerque Conquistadors after the 2020 season -- and remarkably, became the third Conquistador inducted as part of the 2044 Hall of Fame Class. Puig broke in with a bang, winning the 2021 Rookie of the Year award, as he hit .332 and slugged .569, ripping 73 extra-base hits, including 31 homers, plating 113 runs, and scoring 126 times. After a 34-homer, 99 RBI sophomore campaign, Puig exploded in 2023, hitting .330 and slugging .627, with 40 doubles, 38 homers, and 142 RBI's. Puig took a step back, but still topped 20 homers and 100 RBI's in two of the next three seasons, before signing with the Minneapolis Penguins before the 2027 season. After three solid, if unspectacular seasons, Puig had another monster year in 2030, hitting .310 and slugging .625, with 98 extra-base hits, including 47 homers, 138 RBI's, and 129 runs scored. He averaged 27 homers and 86 RBI's over the next two years before signing with New Orleans in free agency. In 2033, Puig belted 31 homers and knocked in 93 runs in his Big Easy debut. Two years later, he hit .310 with 40 homers and 129 RBI's, and he followed that up by hitting .320 and slugging .615, with 42 longballs and 132 RBI's. He remained productive the following year, hitting .276 and slugging .500, drilling 27 longballs and knocking in 78 runs. Puig then spent three years as a part-time player before retiring with a career .290/ .372/ .510 slash line, including 2950 hits, 533 doubles, 491 homers, 1719 runs scored, 1748 RBI's, 211 steals, and 85.5 WAR. A four-time All-Star, Puig also won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger. He smacked 17 extra-base hits in 51 postseason games, including 6 homers and 32 RBI's.

The leading vote recipients include:
Frank Baker, 3B, ALB/ LA/ SEA: 100.0%
Smoky Joe Wood, RHP, PIT/ LA/ AUS: 98.8%
Francisco Lindor, SS/2B, STL/ DET/ CAL/ OMA/ NAS/ OTT/ ALB: 93.6%
Tex Erwin, C, ALB/ HOU: 82.0%
Yasiel Puig, RF, ALB/ MIN/ NOR: 75.0%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 60.4%
Jerry Mumphrey, RF, ANA/ NAS/ PHI/ MEM: 56.7%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 55.2%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 54.9%
Ralph Garr, RF, MIL/ WAS/ HOU/ OKC: 54.0%
High Pockets Kelly, RF/1B, TOR/ JAX/ AUS/ DAL/ CHI: 48.2%
Bernie Friberg, 2B, OKC/ DEN/ WAS, 47.3%

Among the top players who were removed from the ballot after failing to hit the 10% threshold were 500-homer slugger George Bell, three-time hit leader and career .338 hitter Gene Clines, and Erubiel Durazo, who topped 100 RBI's eight times.

Here's a look at the newest inductees:
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Old 11-08-2019, 04:03 AM   #23
Dukie98
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2045 Mid-Year Review

Here are some of the leading storylines across the league at the 2045 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Baltimore Robins entered the break with a 43-30 record, a mere half-game out of first place in the Northeast Division. Baltimore won just 79 games last year, and they looked to snap an eight-year postseason drought. Centerfielder Cesar Cedeno had a brilliant first half, hitting .344 and slugging .663, with 21 homers, 26 steals, 73 RBI's, and 72 runs scored. Left fielder Monte Irvin hit .375 with 15 round-trippers and 53 RBI's. Although ace Jim Maloney was just 4-5, he sported a solid 2.73 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and fanned 143 hitters in just 105 innings. Swingman Bob Forsch went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Seattle Whales looked to build on last year's 86-win season, as they took a 44-30 record into the break, as the Whales looked to return to the postseason for the first time since 2039. Rookie right fielder Nick Markakis set the table, hitting .350 and slugging .520 with 19 doubles, 5 homers, and 40 runs scored. Left fielder Matt Holliday had a breakout season, hitting .344 and slugging .543, drilling 9 homers and knocking in 42 runs. Southpaw Herb Pennock led an otherwise mediocre pitching staff, going 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA before being sidelined with a torn meniscus. Closer Andrew Miller posted 20 saves and a 1.71 ERA, fanning 62 hitters in just 32 innings.

In the Continental League, the Oklahoma City Otters had not topped .500 since their last playoff spot four years earler, but they posted a 43-31 record, taking a two-game lead into the break. Defending MVP George Sisler hit .304 and slugged .540, smacking 18 doubles, 15 homers, and plating 58 runs while swiping 16 bags. Right fielder Dan Ford hit .303 and slugged .557, pounding 25 doubles, 14 homers, and knocking in 51 runs. Righthander Dock Ellis led a solid, if unspectacular, pitching staff, going 6-2 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP, with 111 strikeouts. The Miami Flamingos won just 73 games last season, but they ended the first half with a 40-34 record, just 4 games out of the lead in the Southeast Division. Slugging left fielder Bob Cerv led the way with 20 doubles, 18 homers, and 54 RBI's. Center fielder Edd Roush hit .313 with a .384 on-base percentage, smacking 8 homers and scoring 43 runs. Reliable righthander Carl Druhot posted an 8-5 record with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. John Thomson blossomed, posting a 5-1 mark with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

Disappointments: The Minneapolis Penguins threatened to finish below .500 for the first time since 2037, going just 35-39. While Mike Trout was still an elite on-base machine, he entered the break with a career-low slugging percentage of .536, smacking just 7 round-trippers and driving in just 27 runs in 54 games. Third baseman Luis Salazar missed nearly the entire first half with a broken finger, and second sacker Johnny Berardino hit just .198 with a .238 slugging percentage, driving in just 17 runs in 70 games. The Penguins' starters posted a subpar 4.45 team ERA, as southpaw Danny Duffy, a 14-game winner last year, saw his ERA rise by nearly a run to 4.72. The San Francisco Longshoremen won 95 games last year with a terrific pitching staff and an adequate offense. While the pitching remained nearly as good, the Longshoremen's offense bottomed out, as they entered the break with a team batting average of .224 and dead last in baseball with just 43 homers. Vladimir Guerrero took a step back from his MVP-caliber season last year, hitting just .252 with 11 homers and 35 RBI's. Free agent signee Jim Leyritz hit just .201 with 8 homers and 32 RBI's. Left fielder Zack Wheat played in just 23 games, driving in just 8 runs. Righthander Art Ditmar stumbled to a 3-9 mark, seeing his ERA rise by half a run to 4.76.

In the Continental League, the Houston Pythons were in danger of missing the playoffs after squeaking by with 88 wins last year. Houston took a 38-36 record into the break, and significantly outperformed their Pythagorean expectation. Houston's offense, long a strength, vanished, as they ended the half 18th in the league in runs scored and dead last in the Continental League with just 45 homers. Catcher Todd Hundley was the lone hitter in double digits in round-trippers. DH Earl Torgeson, a .277 hitter with 19 homers last year, brought a meager .197 average with 7 homers into the break. Right fielder Jason Heyward collapsed offensively, losing nearly 100 points of batting average and 200 slugging percentage points, as he hit just 2 homers and drove in just 28 runs while hitting .242. The Memphis River Pirates, after winning 98 games last year on their way to the Continental League pennant, started the season in an 0-9 hole, slowly digging themselves out for a 38-36 record at midseason. While Memphis finished second in the league in runs last season, they entered the half ranked just 16th in the league. Shortstop Jonathan Villar, an MVP candidate last year, hit just .245 with 4 homers and 27 RBI's. First baseman Matt LaPorta, who hit .288 with 16 homers last season, declined to hit just .180 and slug .301, with 6 homers and 24 RBI's. Catcher Pat Collins struggled even more, hitting just .172. While Memphis's pitching remained strong, southpaw Woodie Fryman regressed, dropping off from 18-4 to a 6-6 mark with a 3.31 ERA -- nearly a run higher than last season.

No Relief in Sight: Elite closers became an endangered species. Only two closers -- Seattle's Andrew Miller in the Frontier League, and New Orleans's Hal Kleine in the Continental League - made the All-Star game, and Kleine posted a 5.10 ERA and notched just 12 saves. Only two pitchers in the Continental League saved even 15 games in the first half.

Desert Arms Race: The Albuquerque Conquistadors appeared primed to return to the postseason for the first time in 11 years, racing to a 48-26 start. While the team's record hearkened back to their glory years of the early 2030's, their style was a polar opposite. While the Albuquerque squad that made the playoffs 7 times in 8 years were led by multiple Hall of Fame sluggers, including Frank Baker, Ryne Sandberg, Tex Erwin, and future inductee George Brett, those teams had just enough pitching to get by. This year's Albuquerque squad featured a slightly-below average offense, but the best pitching staff in baseball. Albuquerque's starters posted a best-in-baseball 2.79 team ERA. Kevin Appier posted a 7-3 mark with a 2.10 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and 131 strikeouts, allowing just 4 homers in 103 innings. Southpaw Jon Lester notched a 9-2 record, along with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts. Rookie Warren Spahn -- a third-round steal- posted a 5-0 record in 7 starts with a scintillating 1.34 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. Chan Ho Park enjoyed an 8-2 half, with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. In addition to leading the league in strikeouts, Albuquerque also sported the best defensive metrics in the league, leading in both defensive efficiency and teamwide Zone Rating.

The Biggest Train: Four-time Cy Young Award winner Walter Johnson signed with St. Louis in free agency, and managed to take another step forward in his illustrious career. Johnson took an 11-1 record into the break, along with a microscopic 0.84 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP, with a ridiculous 159-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He allowed just 2 homers in 128 innings. Johnson's May was perhaps the best month ever enjoyed by a pitcher in HRDL history: he went 4-0 in 6 starts, with a 0.17 ERA, allowing just 17 hits and one earned run in 54 innings. In one no-decision, he hurled 8 innings of 3-hit ball, allowing his lone run of the month, and in the other no-decision, he surrendered one hit in 10.1 innings, fanning 16 hitters without a walk-- an incredible game score of 107. Johnson closed out May by fanning 18 Portland hitters in 8.1 innings without a walk.

Major Injuries: London slugger Harry Heilmann broke his elbow in spring training and missed the entire first half; he was expected to return in mid-July. Teammate Cliff Johnson wasn't so lucky - he tore his ACL a day later and would miss the season. Buffalo righthander Stephen Strasburg struggled to recover from elbow surgery and was sidelined for the season. Houston righthander Matt Chico, a surprise 20-game winner last season, tore his rotator cuff and would be sidelined until August. Rookie Montreal rightfielder Dave Winfield was sidelined with tendinitis shortly before the break, and would miss six weeks. Nashville slugger Hank Sauer broke his elbow in mid-June and would miss the balance of the season. New York second sacker Ozzie Albies saw his debut delayed by a broken ankle, sidelining him for the first half. Pittsburgh catcher Brian Downing saw his season end in mid-April after tearing an elbow tendon. Portland hurler Adam Wainwright suffered a season-ending labrum tear. San Francisco left fielder Zach Wheat missed most of the first half with a torn hamstring.

Major milestones: Milwaukee right fielder Larry Walker walloped his 500th career homer. Jacksonville DH Robin Yount and Charlotte right fielder Cliff Floyd each joined the 400-homer club. London third baseman Garrett Atkins smacked his 2500th career hit. Phoenix left fielder Clyde Milan swiped his 700th career base. New York southpaw Bob Moose set a new career record for victories practically every time out, as he won 11 first-half games, bringing his career total to 342. Looking ahead to the second half, New Orleans first baseman George Brett was likely to join the elusive 4000-hit club in August, while teammate Tommy Davis was expected to drill his 3500th hit a few weeks later. Baltimore shortstop Corey Seager was one hit shy of 3000. By the end of July, Montreal first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and Buffalo first baseman Don Hurst were expected to hit their 600th and 500th career homers, respectively. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado and Buffalo second sacker John Knight were just days away from scoring their 2000th runs of their careers.
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Old 11-11-2019, 04:30 AM   #24
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2045 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Boston Minutemen relied on the most potent offense in baseball to win the Northeast Division for the first time in ten years, winning 94 games while scoring 961 runs while popping a league-high 240 homers. Six hitters topped 20 homers, and five cleared 100 RBI's, led by Chipper Jones, who posted a .321/ .427/ .564 slash line, with 35 homers and 137 RBI's. Right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .319 with 34 longballs and 118 RBI's. First baseman Ryan Klesko had a breakout season, hitting .319 and slugging .613, with 33 homers and 112 RBI's in just 126 games. Left fielder Alex Johnson hit .354, ripping 241 hits, 47 doubles, 29 homers, 101 RBI's, scoring 145 runs, and swiping 35 bases. Righthander Red Ruffing posted a 20-4 mark with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts. The Buffalo Fighting Elk saw their streak of eight straight division titles snapped, but they closed the year on a 19-6 run to make the playoffs with 91 wins. Veteran first baseman Don Hurst hit .275 with 38 homers and 116 RBI's, topping the 500-homer mark along the way. Third baseman Eric Chavez smacked 32 round-trippers and plated 105 runs. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit .285 with 23 homers, 89 RBI's, and 31 steals. Free agent signee Mark Prior burnished his Hall of Fame credentials, posting a career-best 22-4 mark with a 2.08 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 342 strikeouts. Closer Taijuan Walker saved 39 games with a 2.64 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The 88-win Baltimore Robins remained in contention until the final day of the season, but their playoff drought extended to eight seasons. Center fielder Cesar Cedeno led Baltimore by hitting .324 and slugging .575, with 46 doubles, 35 homers, 123 RBI's, 132 runs scored, and 51 steals. Left fielder Monte Irvin hit .353 and slugged .584, blasting 29 homers and knocking in 107 runs. Hard-luck Jim Maloney led a deep pitching staff, going just 11-15 despite a 3.18 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 327 strikeouts.

The London Werewolves won the Great Lakes Division with 107 victories, led by a historic season by Willie Mays. Mays managed to take a step forward from last year's MVP campaign, setting single-season records with 16.1 WAR and 269 hits, while winning the Triple Crown with a .396/ .446/ .750 slash line, while smashing 44 doubles, 62 homers, driving in 160 runs, scoring 161, and stealing 33 bases -- while posting a +29.0 Zone Rating in center field. First baseman Jim Bottomley was a strong second banana, hitting .340 and slugging .665, drilling 42 homers among his 90 extra-base hits while knocking in 114 runs. Right fielder Harry Heilmann hit .370 and slugged .689, smacking 24 homers and knocking in 77 runs in just half a season, as he missed the first 3 months of the season with a broken elbow. Left fielder Jay Buhner hit .292 with 34 longballs and 98 RBI's, while third baseman Garrett Atkins hit .322 with 21 homers and 71 RBI's. The Werewolves featured the stingiest pitching staff in the league, allowing just 538 runs. Five starters won at least 13 games apiece, led by Jack Sanford, who went 17-6 with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Gene Conley posted a 13-10 mark with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Jose Rijo sported a 15-9 record with a 3.20 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and fanned 239 hitters. London edged the defending champion Detroit Purple Gang, who won 102 games. Third baseman Nolan Arenado hit .295 with a .413 on-base percentage, drilling 40 doubles, 28 homers, and knocking in 102 runs. Center fielder Jose Cardenal hit .315, with 40 doubles, 8 triples, 24 homers, 89 RBI's, 120 runs scored, and 28 steals. Left fielder Bernard Gilkey ripped 41 doubles with 36 homers and knocked in 103 runs. Right fielder Ken Hunt hit. 301 and slugged .609, bashing 31 homers and knocking in 96 runs in just 129 games. On the mound, fireballer Nolan Ryan went 12-6 with a 4.00 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 278 strikeouts. Bob Welch posted a 14-11 mark with a middling 4.43 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Closer Jack Hallett notched 31 saves with a 1.83 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

The St. Louis Pilots won their first Great Plains division title in fifteen years, winning 93 games as they went 19-8 in September. St. Louis relied on a balanced offense, as eight players posted double-digits in homers, but no one topped 23 homers or 88 RBI's. Second sacker Charlie Gehringer led the way, hitting .302 with 51 doubles, 9 triples, 11 homers, 79 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 30 steals. Veteran right fielder George Hendrick hit .284 with 38 doubles, 21 homers, and 88 RBI's. Third baseman/ first baseman Marwin Gonzalez hit .278 with 23 round-trippers and drove in 78 runs. But the real story of the Pilots's season was free agent signee Walter Johnson, who simply won the Triple Crown and posted 15.0 WAR- narrowly missing the leading single-season total in league history. Johnson went 23-3 with a microscopic 1.34 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP, posting an incredible 370-28 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Johnson set the all-time single season records for ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. Righthander George Kahler sported a 16-7 mark with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, with 191 strikeouts. The Pilots edged out the 92-win Chicago Mules, who returned to the postseason for the fifth time in six years. Slugging first baseman Jimmie Foxx led Chicago's potent offense, which ranked fourth in the Frontier League in runs scored, as he hit .346 with 41 homers and 128 RBI's and a league-best 134 walks. Steady second baseman Carlos Baerga hit .304 with 17 homers and 103 RBI's. Shortstop Bucky Dent provided unexpected pop, hitting .279 with 14 homers and 67 RBI's. Southpaw Bill Lee posted a 20-6 record with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Rookie righthander Jimmy Ring went 13-3 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP before suffering a season-ending labrum tear. Fireballing closer Julio Machado saved 30 games with a 2.90 ERA, whiffing 101 hitters in just 59 innings. The Milwaukee Raccoons won 89 games, an increase of 25 victories from last year, and snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season. Star right fielder Larry Walker led the way, hitting .333 and slugging .581, with 38 doubles, 8 triples, 29 homers, 96 RBI's, and 103 runs scored. Catcher Mike Zunino slugged 34 round-trippers and drove in 97 runs. Rookie left fielder Birdie Cree hit .282 with 15 homers, 49 RBI's, and 78 runs scored in just 113 games. Groundballer Bill Singer went 15-8 with a 2.03 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, 257 strikeouts, and yielded just 9 homers in 230 innings. Righthander Howie Pollet bounced back from an injury-riddled 2044 to go 14-9 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Closer Sergio Romo notched 29 saves to go with a 1.85 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP.

The Denver Spikes used a 16-2 start and closed the season with a blistering 36-20 record over the last two months to take the Northwest Division with 89 wins. Left fielder Willie Stargell carried Denver offensively, hitting .322 and slugging .663, with 56 jacks, 125 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. First baseman Ryon Healy hit .277 with 32 longballs and 101 RBI's. Right fielder George Harper hit .290 and slugged .527, drilling 27 homers, 11 triples, and plating 95 runs. Southpaw Greg Swindell went 15-6 with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 208 strikeouts. Lefty Tyler notched a 14-11 mark with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP, while Hyun-Jin Ryu matched Tyler with a 15-10 record, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Seattle Whales led the division for most of the season, but finished below .500 in the second half, and they missed the playoffs with 86 wins. Left fielder Matt Holliday led Seattle, hitting .353 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's. First baseman Pedro Alvarez slammed 28 homers and knocked in 99 runs. Closer Andrew Miller was the lone brights spot on an otherwise subpar pitching staff, saving a league-best 40 games with a 2.31 ERA, and fanning 115 hitters in 66 innings.

Continental League: The Jacksonville Gulls once again featured the league's most potent offense, but they combined it with the league's deepest bullpen, allowing them to win 101 games and make the playoffs for the third straight season. Veteran first baseman Jim Thome hit .294 with a .421 on-base percentage, drilling 35 homers and knocking in 123 runs while drawing 130 walks. Left fielder Beals Becker hit .287 and slugged .525, bashing 37 homers and driving in 126 runs while swiping 22 bags. DH Robin Yount hit .320 with 19 homers, 98 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and stole a career-high 35 bags at age 35. Catcher AJ Pierzynski hit .333 and slugged .517, ripping 32 doubles, 11 homers, and 58 RBI's in just 101 games. Righthander Jason Bere went 12-10 with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Odalis Perez sported an 11-7 record with a 4.26 ERA while Dave Goltz went 11-6 with a 4.52 ERA. Relievers Seung-Hwan Oh, Joe Boever, and Timothy Jones combined for a 22-5 record, and each posted an ERA below 3.00. The Virginia Beach Admirals won 98 games, extending their postseason streak to five straight years, and they led the HRDL with 241 homers. Reggie Jackson starred, hitting a career-high .326 and slugged a franchise-record .650, blasting 50 homers, with 128 RBI's and 120 runs scored. Third baseman Mike Schmidt hit .296 with 44 round-trippers, 99 RBI's, and 118 runs scored. Left fielder Carmelo Martinez drilled 35 longballs with 107 RBI's, while catcher Tyler Houston hit .270 with 21 jacks and 78 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Joe Magrane went 18-6 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Bob Rush notched a 13-7 record with a 2.58 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and fanned 214 hitters. Scott Kazmir posted a 16-8 record, despite a bloated 4.33 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators won 97 games, making the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years after a one-season hiatus. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .286 with 38 longballs and 123 RBI's. Right fielder Kevin McReynolds hit .280, blasting 33 longballs and knocking in 108 runs. Third baseman Carlos Guillen, a free agent signee, hit .313 with 19 homers, 11 triples, 96 RBI's, and 102 runs scored. The Aviators finished second in the Continental League with just 625 runs allowed, led by Len Barker, who went 17-2 with 2.35 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a league-best and franchise record 268 strikeouts. Southpaws Bob Ojeda and Chris Hammond went 13-7 and 13-10, respectively, with ERA's of 3.39 and 3.32. The New York Emperors won 94 games, as right fielder Darryl Motley set a franchise record with 43 homers and knocked in 142 runs. Star third baseman David Wright hit .313 with 40 doubles, 25 homers, 110 RBI's, 109 runs scored, and 26 steals. Shortstop Manuel Lee hit .315 with 7 homers and 59 RBI's. Rookie second baseman Ozzie Albies hit .292 and slugged .470, with 21 doubles, 10 homers, and 51 RBI's in just 82 games. Ageless Bob Moose, a free agent signee, went 19-9 with a 2.70 ERA, a an 0.90 WHIP, and 203 strikeouts. Steve Avery posted a 13-3 mark with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish won 102 games, taking the Southeast Division for the eighth straight year and making the playoffs for an incredible 22nd time in 25 years. Third baseman Scott Rolen starred, hitting .312 with 31 homers, 103 RBI's, 110 runs scored, and stealing 18-of-20 bases. Right fielder Domingo Santana hit .296 and slugged .554, bashing 30 homers and plating 94 runs in just 116 games. Center fielder Austin Kearns hit .277 with 25 homers, 85 RBI's, and 103 runs scored. Righthander Rosy Ryan went 12-5 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Veteran Stan Coveleski posted a 15-11 mark with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

Th El Paso Armadillos took the Texas Division title for the sixth time in seven years, winning 97 games. Right fielder Benny Kauff had a breakout season, hitting .276 with 35 homers, 115 RBI's, 123 runs scored, and 31 steals. Catcher Victor Martinez hit .284 with 18 homers and 93 RBI's. Center fielder Tris Speaker, a free agency acquisition, hit .319 with 37 doubles, 11 homers, and 74 runs scored in just 116 games -- and more surprisingly, he made two-time MVP Joe DiMaggio expendable. In a controversial midseason deal, DiMaggio was traded to Anaheim for southpaw Frank Tanana and backup outfielder George Myatt. Knuckleballer Charlie Hough led a deep pitching staff, going 19-6 with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 207 strikeouts. Righthander Javier Vazquez notched a 12-9 record with a 3.40 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP, while fanning 260 opposing hitters. The Oklahoma City Otters returned to the postseason after a three-year absence, winning a franchise-best 95 games while finishing third in the league in runs scored. First baseman George Sisler provided a carbon copy of last year's MVP campaign, winning his third straight batting title by hitting .367 and slugging .649, and leading the league with 233 hits, 54 doubles, and 129 runs scored, while smacking 39 homers, driving in 133 runs, and stealing 56 bases. Center fielder Lenny Dykstra had a career season, hitting .322 and slugging .574, while smacking 38 doubles, 24 homers, 103 RBI's, scoring 106 runs, and stealing 41 bases in just 129 games. Rightfielder Dan Ford hit .302 with 28 homers and 111 RBI's. Southpaw Tom Glavine paced the pitching staff, going 18-7 with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 197 strikeouts. Junkballer Dave Fleming went 15-8 with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Dock Ellis sported a 12-5 record while yielding a 3.79 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, while fanning 219 batters.

The Albuquerque Conquistadors ended an 11-year postseason drought, winning the Southwest Division with 96 victories. First baseman Butch Huskey hit .305 with 41 round-trippers and knocked in 107 runs. Outfielders Ken Harrelson and Enrique Hernandez combined for 65 homers and 192 RBI's. But the real story for Albuquerque was its league-best pitching staff. Kevin Appier posted a 17-6 mark with a 2.33 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 246 strikeouts. Southpaw Jon Lester went 18-7 with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and fanned 235 hitters. Chan Ho Park went 15-9 with a 3.40 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and struck out 207 hitters. The team's 3.36 ERA was the best in franchise history by nearly half a run per game. The Phoenix Lizards won 92 games, but it was not enough to make the postseason, as they would stay home in October for the first time in seven years. Third baseman Butch Hobson led Phoenix by hitting .299 with 47 jacks and 143 RBIs, while left fielder Ben Oglivie hit .320 with 41 longballs and knocked in 101 runs. Don Wilson rebounded from an off-season to post a 20-6 record, leading the league in wins, while yielding a 3.32 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts.

Best season in team history: Oklahoma City Otters (95 wins)

Worst season in team history: Cleveland Rocks (49 wins), San Antonio Marksmen (50 wins), Harftord Huskies (52 wins), Atlanta Ducks (54 wins), Kansas City Mad Hatters (61 wins)
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Old 11-23-2019, 12:28 AM   #25
Dukie98
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2045 Playoff Report

Frontier League: The 107-win London Werewolved dominated the Milwaukee Raccoons in a four-game sweep, outscoring the overmatched Raccoons 23-8. London left fielder Jay Buhner earned MVP honors after hitting .471 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Right fielder Harry Heilmann hit .333 and slugged .933, smacking 3 homers and plating 7 runs. Righthander Gene Conley yielded one run on four hits in 7.1 innings, earning the win in Game 2, while Jose Rijo yielded one run on 3 hits in 7 innings in Game 1. Catcher Mike Zunino led Milwaukee, hitting .400 with a round-tripper and 2 RBI's in a losing effort. The Detroit Purple Gang erased a 3-2 deficit to the Denver Spikes with blowout wins in Games 6 and 7, with first baseman Dee Fondy leading the way, hitting .500 with 17 hits, including 4 doubles, 2 homers and 13 RBI's. Center fielder Jose Cardenal hit .429, including three four-hit games, scoring 10 runs and driving in 5. Righthander Nolan Ryan went 2-1, including a Game 7 victory, with a 3.14 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 14 innings. Right fielder George Harper led Denver by hitting .455 with a homer and 5 RBI's, while left fielder Willie Stargell and Terry Moore bashed 3 homers apiece. The Chicago Mules dominated the punchless St. Louis Pilots, yielding just 8 runs in 5 games. Chicago first baseman Jimmie Foxx took home MVP honors after hitting .389 and slugging .833, with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. Second sacker Carlos Baerga hit .316 and drove in a series-high 5 runs. Southpaw Bill Lee threw a four-hit shutout in Game 3, while Lary Sorensen was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA, allowing just 6 hits in 14 innings. Second baseman Charlie Gehringer led St. Louis offensively, hitting a modest .250 with a homer and 3 RBI's. In a Northeast Division showdown, the Buffalo Fighting Elk ousted the Boston Minutemen in 7 games, despite losing ace Mark Prior one inning into Game 1. Third baseman Eric Chavez led Buffalo, hitting .360 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Shortstop Dave Anderson hit .357 with 6 runs scored, 5 RBI's, and 4 steals. First baseman Don Hurst slugged 2 homers and drove in 12 runs. Righthander Hiroki Kuroda earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 8.1 innings. Boston's Chipper Jones earned MVP honors in defeat, hitting .400 with 5 homers and 10 RBI's, while utilityman Rob Mackowiak hit .345 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's.

In a Division Series rematch from last year, the London Werewolves edged the rival Detroit Fighting Elk in 7 games. London center fielder Willie Mays earned MVP honors, hitting .500 and slugging .962, with 3 homers, 8 RBI's, and 13 runs scored. Left fielder Jay Buhner hit .333 with 3 longballs and 10 RBI's. Harry Heilmann popped 3 homers and drove in 9 runs. Ace Jose Rijo was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, catcher Ryan Doumit, and right fielder Ken Hunt smacked 2 homers apiece for Detroit. The Chicago Mules nearly erased a 3-1 deficit to Buffalo, but the Fighting Elk pulled out a Game 7 victory. Buffalo right fielder Geoff Jenkins took home the hardware, hitting .458 and slugging .917, with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. First baseman Don Hurst and shortstop Dave Anderson blasted 2 homers and drove in 5 runs apiece. Crafty veteran Roger Wolff went 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings. For Chicago, first baseman Jimmie Foxx hit .310 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, while right fielder Chris Young drilled 3 round-trippers and plated 6 runs. Buffalo's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, as London triumphed in 5 games. London's Willie Mays earned another MVP trophy, hitting .524 with 11 hits, including 3 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI's, and 9 runs scored. Mays overshadowed a brilliant performance by Harry Heilmann, who hit .524 as well, with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. First baseman Jim Bottomley hit .417 with a longball and 5 RBI's. Righthander Red Lucas hurled a no-hitter in Game 4, while knocking in two runs to boot. Buffalo was led by right fielder Geoff Jenkins and second baseman John Knight, who each hit .412 with a homer and 4 RBI's.

Continental League: The New Orleans Crawfish outlasted the New York Emperors in a high-scoring five-game series. Crawfish center fielder Austin Kearns was tabbed MVP after hitting .391 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's. First baseman Dave Hollins hit .455 with 1 homer and 8 RBI's. Left fielder Tommie Davis hit .421 and knocked in 8 runs while scoring 5 times. Rosy Ryan earned a Game 1 win, while yielding a 0.87 ERA, while closer Hal Kleine surrendered just 2 hits in 6 shutout innings. New York shortstop Manuel Lee hit .346 with a homer and 7 RBI's. The Albuquerque Conquistadors rallied to sink the Virginia Beach Admirals in 7 games, erasing a 3-2 deficit. In a controversial decision, Albuquerque second baseman Art Butler earned MVP honors after hitting .367 with a series-high 11 hits. Butch Huskey popped the lone homer for the Conquistadors in the series, knocking in 4 runs. Kevin Appier hurled 13 shutout innings, fanning 18. Rookie southpaw Warren Spahn was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in 15 innings, including a 2-hit shutout in Game 3 and a Game 7 victory. Left fielder Carmelo Martinez led an otherwise punchless Virginia Beach offense, hitting 3 homers -- all in Game 2 -- and driving in 6 runs. The Charlotte Aviators dominated the El Paso Armadillos, winning easily in 5 games. Charlotte catcher Tony Pena earned MVP honors after hitting .412 with 4 homers and 7 RBI's. Center fielder Kevin McReynolds matched Pena, also smacking 4 longballs and driving in 7 runs. Righthander Len Barker went 1-0, allowing just one run and six hits in 14 innings, as he posted a stellar 0.64 ERA. First baseman Casey Blake led El Paso with 2 longballs and 3 RBI's. The Oklahoma City Otters outlasted the Jacksonville Gulls in 7 games, with Otters first baseman George Sisler earning MVP honors after hitting .516 with 16 hits, a homer, 6 RBI's, 9 runs scored, and 7 steals. Third baseman Jim Fregosi and left fielder Lee Maye each drilled 2 homers and knocked in 7 runs. Dock Ellis went 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 13 innings. Catcher AJ Pierzynski led Jacksonville, hitting .387 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's.

In the Division Series, the New Orleans Crawfish edged the Albuquerque Conquistadors in seven games. Left fielder Tommie Davis was named MVP after hitting .481, including 3 hits in Game 7, along with 4 doubles and 5 runs scored. First baseman George Brett hit .407 and knocked in 7 runs. New Orleans's bullpen dominated, as Hal Kleine, Nick Neugebauer, and Gerry Hannahs combined to go 2-0, allowing just 9 hits and 1 run in 20 innings. Second baseman Art Butler led Albuquerque, hitting .387 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs, and right fielder Matt Diaz hit .375 with a homer and 9 RBI's. The Oklahoma City Otters upset the Charlotte Aviators in five games. Otters left fielder Lee Maye took home MVP honors after hitting .529 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Second baseman George Hausmann hit .400 and drove in 4 runs. Southpaw Tom Glavine earned a win in the decisive Game 5, and posted a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings. Shortstop Dick Groat led Charlotte in defeat, hitting .333 with 4 RBI's. In the League Championship Series, the Otters took the final three games to oust the Crawfish in seven games. George Sisler added another trophy to his mantle, hitting .469 with 3 homers, 9 RBI's, 10 runs scored, and 5 doubles. DH Hanley Ramirez hit .333 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while right fielder Dan Ford drove in 10 runs.after hitting .300 with a homer. Glavine went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. First baseman Dave Hollins led New Orleans, hitting .370 with 2 solo homers. Crawfish third baseman Scott Rolen hit .310 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's.

World Series: The London Werewolves were heavily favored over the upstart Oklahoma City Otters. London featured tremendous star power, led by presumptive MVP Willie Mays and slugger Harry Heilmann, along with the stingiest pitching staff in baseball, and the Werewolves led baseball with 107 wins. Led by three-time batting champ George Sisler, Oklahoma City won 95 games. The Werewolves jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before the Otters won two elimination games, with the Werewolves prevailing in six games

The Werewolves took Game 1 6-4, as Jose Rijo outdueled Tom Glavine. London shortstop Rico Petrocelli ripped a three-run homer off Glavine in the first inning, and first baseman Jim Bottomley smacked a solo shot in the third. Right fielder Dan Ford led the Otters with 3 hits, including a 2-run homer in the 8th inning. London took Game 2 by a 3-1 tally, as southpaw Gene Conley hurled 6 innings, allowing 1 run. David Wells took the loss for the Otters, allowing three runs in 7 innings. Petrocelli tied the game with a seventh-inning solo homer, and the Werewolves took the lead on a pinch-hit single by 42-year-old Jose Altuve later that inning. Center fielder Lenny Dykstra and third baseman Jim Fregosi had two hits apiece for Oklahoma City. London erased a two-run deficit in Game 3, pulling out a 6-5 win. Darren Holmes earned the win with 1.2 hitless innings of relief, and Bill Landrum earned a two-inning save. Dock Ellis fanned seven for the Otters. The Werewolves took the lead win a seventh-inning rally, as Willie Mays tied the game with a triple, and scored the tiebreaking run on a Jay Buhner single. Mays also had an RBI double earlier in the game, while Jim Bottomley hit a solo smash. DH Hanley Ramirez led the Otters with 3 hits and 2 runs scored, while George Sisler and Jim Fregosi hit back-to-back blasts in the first inning.

Staring down a 3-0 deficit, the Otters escaped elimination with a 12-inning 4-3 victory in Game 4 as Fregosi ripped a walk-off triple. Bob Muncrief earned the win with three shutout innings, allowing just one hit, while Vern Olsen took the loss in relief for London. Fregosi smacked three hits, including two extra-base hits for the Otters, while Harry Heilmann homered, doubled, and drove in two runs. The Otters survived elimination once again in Game 5, winning 5-4 as George Sisler ripped a two-run walk-off double -- one of his four doubles on the game. Wes Obermueller earned the win in relief of Tom Glavine, hurling two shutout innings. Jose Rijo yielded just two runs in 7 innings, but earned a no-decision as Dale Willis blew the save in the ninth inning. Heilmann ripped two doubles for the Werewolves in defeat. The Otters' magic ran out in Game 6, however, as the Werewolves clinched the series with a 5-2 victory. Gene Conley earned the win, allowing one run in 5.2 innings, fanning six, while ripping an RBI double and Bill Landrum hurled two shutout innings for the save. David Wells took the loss for the Otters, surrendering 4 runs in 4 innings. Bottomley hit a solo homer for the Werewolves, while Petrocelli drove in two runs with two singles. Dan Ford singled, doubled, and drove in a run for the Otters.

Petrocelli earned MVP honors after hitting .381 with 2 homers and a series-high 7 RBI's. Heilmann hit .348 with 5 doubles and a triple, plating 3 runs. Bottomley smacked 3 solo homers for the Werewolves, but only had two other hits throughout the series. Sisler led the Otters, hitting .458 with a homer, 5 doubles, 3 RBI's, and 4 steals. Over the course of the postseason, Sisler smacked 13 doubles (second-most all-time) and swiped 13 bags (tied for third most all-time).
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Old 11-24-2019, 12:16 AM   #26
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2045 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Willie Mays, CF, LON (43): .396/ .446/ .750, 269 hits, 44 doubles, 5 triples, 62 HR, 160 RBI, 161 runs, 65 BB, 33 SB, +29.0 Zone Rating, 16.1 WAR
Second place- Walter Johnson, RHP, STL (5): 23-3, 1.34 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 275 IP, 370 K, 28 BB, 10 CG, 8 shutouts, 326 ERA+, HR, 13 RBI, .240/ .269/ .430 (as hitter), 15.0 WAR
Third place- Jimmie Foxx, 1B, CHI: .346/ .467/ .623, 202 hits, 32 doubles, 3 triples, 41 HR, 129 RBI, 118 runs, 134 BB, 7 SB, 186 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Fourth place- Bob Horner, 1B, OTT: .341/ .413/ .661, 205 hits, 26 doubles, 1 triple, 55 HR, 151 RBI, 115 runs, 69 BB, 176 OPS+, 9.3 WAR
Fifth place- Bob Meusel, 3B, OTT: .342/ .396/ .658, 210 hits, 49 doubles, 2 triples, 47 HR, 128 RBI, 135 runs, 56 BB, 16 SB, 170 OPS+, 8.7 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, STL (48): 23-3, 1.34 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 275 IP, 370 K, 28 BB, 10 CG, 8 shutouts, 326 ERA+, 15.0 WAR
Second place- Mark Prior, BUF: 22-4, 2.08 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 233 IP, 342 K, 48 BB, 1 CG, 205 ERA+, 10.3 WAR
Third place- Bill Singer, MIL: 15-8, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 IP, 257 K, 52 BB, 2 CG, 216 ERA+, 10.1 WAR
Fourth place- Greg Swindell, DEN: 15-6, 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 213 IP, 208 K, 38 BB, 4 CG, 3 shutouts, 164 ERA+, 7.4 WAR
Fifth place- Jose DeLeon, CLE: 10-10, 2.47 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 208 IP, 262 K, 59 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 180 ERA+, 7.0 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Bob Meusel, 3B, OTT (48): .342/ .396/ .658, 210 hits, 49 doubles, 2 triples, 47 HR, 128 RBI, 135 runs, 56 BB, 16 SB, 170 OPS+, 8.7 WAR
Second place- Mark McGwire, 1B, POR: .302/ .361/ .576, 149 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples, 33 HR, 104 RBI, 87 runs, 34 BB, 1 SB, 144 OPS+, 4.9 WAR
Third place- Nick Markakis, RF, SEA: .308/ .386/ .448, 143 hits, 36 doubles, 1 triple, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 80 runs, 59 BB, 10 SB, 123 OPS+, 4.3 WAR

Continental League MVP- George Sisler, 1B, OKC (29): .367/ .424/ .649, 233 hits, 54 doubles, 4 triples, 39 HR, 133 RBI, 129 runs, 69 BB, 56 SB, 174 OPS+, 8.3 WAR
Second place- Jeff Kent, 2B, HAR (19): .324/ .392/ .652, 192 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 52 HR, 140 RBI, 115 runs, 53 BB, 2 SB, +9.1 Zone Rating, 172 OPS+, 9.7 WAR
Third place- Reggie Jackson, RF, VB: .326/ .390/ .650, 189 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 50 HR, 128 RBI, 120 runs, 55 BB, 17 SB, 167 OPS+, 7.1 WAR
Fourth place- Ted Kluszewski, 1B, NAS: .329/ .397/ .593, 203 hits, 35 doubles, 1 triple, 42 HR, 108 RBI, 103 runs, 65 BB, 1 SB, 179 OPS+, 7.4 WAR
Fifth place- Mike Schmidt, 3B, VB: .296/ .390/ .589, 157 hits, 21 doubles, 1 triple, 44 HR, 99 RBI, 118 runs, 75 BB, 23 SB, 152 OPS+, 7.2 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Len Barker, CHA (16): 17-2, 2.35 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 222 IP, 268 K, 66 BB, 1 CG. 1 shutout, 209 ERA+, 8.6 WAR
Second place- Greg Maddux, SA (18): 14-11, 2.12 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 242 IP, 242 K, 42 BB, 7 CG, 3 shutouts, 216 ERA+, 8.8 WAR
Third place- Kevin Appier, ALB (14): 17-6, 2.33 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 212 IP, 246 K, 66 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 210 ERA+, 7.7 WAR
Fourth place- Bob Moose, NY: 19-9, 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 240 IP, 203 K, 22 BB, 5 CG, 178 ERA+, 9.0 WAR
Fifth place- Jon Lester, ALB: 18-7, 2.53 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 224 IP, 235 K, 69 BB, 1 CG, 194 ERA+, 6.5 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year: John Kruk, 1B, ANA (48): .352/ .456/ .595, 192 hits, 35 doubles, 1 triple, 32 HR, 95 RBI, 107 runs, 102 BB, 16 SB, 176 OPS+, 8.0 WAR
Second place- Alvin Davis, 1B, WAS: .288/ .394/ .497, 170 hits, 34 doubles, 30 HR, 98 RBI, 107 runs, 101 BB, 135 OPS+, 4.6 WAR
Third place- Tadahito Iguchi, 2B, ELP: .281/ .351/ .430, 154 hits, 18 doubles, 2 triples, 20 HR, 81 RBI, 86 runs, 59 BB, 16 SB, 115 OPS+, 3.6 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Duke Snider, CF, Cleveland Rocks
2. Ed Karger, LHP, San Antonio Marksmen
3. Ray Lankford, CF, Hartford Huskies
4. Hack Wilson, CF, Atlanta Ducks
5. Evan Longoria, 3B, Cincinnati Spiders
6. Tim Hudson, RHP, Kansas City Mad Hatters
7. Corey Koskie, 3B, San Diego Zookeepers
8. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Anaheim Antelopes
9. Spud Davis, C, Las Vegas Aces
10. Hank Kornicki, RHP, Montreal Knights

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Old 11-26-2019, 02:24 AM   #27
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2045 Hall of Fame Voting

A deep field of ballot newcomers made the 2045 Hall of Fame Ballot one of the most crowded in years, with four first-time candidates earning induction -- each earning over 90% of the vote. Starting pitchers Steve Barber and Ed Walsh narrowly missed a unanimous induction, garnering 98.6% and 97.4%, respectively. All-time saves leader Chris Short earned 96.8% of the vote, while left fielder Larry Hisle drew 91.4% of the vote. Overall, the ballot was tremendously deep, as 17 candidates received at least one-third of the votes, and six more topped 20%.

Barber, a hard-throwing southpaw, was drafted 8th overall by the Chicago Mules following the 2023 season. As a 21-year old rookie, he notched a 13-13 record with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and 184 strikeouts. The following year, Barber took the next step toward stardom, going 19-10 with a 2.34 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts, allowing just 7 homers in 238 innings. In 2026, Barber posted just a 13-12 record, but sported a 2.42 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, with 230 strikeouts and allowed just 5 homers in 253 innings - a league-best rate -- while finishing third in the Cy Young voting. Barber was even better in the postseason, leading the Mules to the title while going 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP, including a three-hit shutout in Game 1 of the World Series. Over the next three seasons, Barber averaged 15 wins a year, while posting ERA's below 3.00 and averaged over 200 whiffs per season. Following the 2029 season, Barber left Chicago for the Denver Spikes in free agency. In his first season in blue and orange, Barber posted a 17-11 record with a 3.09 ERA, fanning 242 hitters, as he finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. The following season, Barber won the Cy Young Award, going 21-8 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 228 strikeouts. Barber opted out of his contract, and signed with the Hartford Huskies as a free agent. After a hard-luck 2032 season, where he went just 11-12 despite a solid 3.23 ERA, Barber notched a 20-7 mark the following year, with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, as he led the league in innings pitched for the third time in four seasons and finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. He improved to a second-place finish in 2034, going 17-7 with a 2.73 ERA and 218 strikeouts. Barber led the league in victories in 2035, going 21-8 with a 2.99 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. The following year, Barber suffered the first significant injury of his career, missing half the year with bone chips in his elbow- but came back for a brilliant postseason run, leading Hartford to a World Series title as he went 7-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in the postseason. Barber notched another 20-win season the following year, going 20-6 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. After seeing his ERA rise by over half a run the following year, he left Hartford for the Vancouver Viceroys in free agency, going 15-9 with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 2039. Barber struggled with injuries for the rest of his career, pitching fractions of three seasons with Vancouver, Cleveland, and Baltimore at a high level. Barber retired with a career record of 266-160, ranking 12th all-time in victories, as well as a career ERA of 2.95, a 1.18 WHIP, and 3474 strikeouts (13th all-time). He made 7 All-Star teams, and ranked 9th all-time with 117.9 WAR. Barber was even better in the postseason, notching a career 23-12 record with a 2.73 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 235 strikeouts, including two dominant runs resulting in the 2026 and 2036 World Series titles.

Walsh, a seemingly ageless workhorse, was tabbed second overall by the Omaha Falcons following the 2018 season. As a 22-year-old rookie, he notched an 8-11 record with a middling 3.93 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 2019. He took the next step toward stardom the following season, posting a 2.16 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP despite an ordinary 10-8 record the following year. In 2021, Walsh went just 10-9 despite a 2.68 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The following year, despite missing a month with a sprained ankle, Walsh posted a 1.92 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 29 starts-- yet posted just an 8-8 record. After earning 16 wins in 2023, Walsh posted an 18-8 mark in 2024 with a 2.26 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP with 232 strikeouts, finishing second in the Cy Young voting. Over the next four years, Walsh was remarkably consistent, posting ERA's between 2.55 and 3.05, with WHIPs ranging from 0.99 through 1.07 and between 191 and 196 strikeouts per year, but never earning more than 15 wins per year. Following the 2028 season, Walsh signed with the Detroit Purple Gang as a free agent. He posted a 12-5 mark with a 2.93 ERA during an injury-riddled first season with Detroit. He posted a 15-8 mark with a 2.85 ERA the following year, fanning a career-best 255 hitters. After a hard-luck 2031, Walsh went 19-5 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 2032, finishing fourth in the Cy Young voting. Walsh then signed with the Atlanta Ducks in the off-season, where he went 15-9 with a 3.15 and a 1.06 WHIP in his debut season. Walsh had his finest season in 2034, winning the Cy Young Award and finishing third in the MVP voting, as he posted a 22-3 mark with a 2.34 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 223 strikeouts, leading the league in victories, ERA, and WHIP. He posted a 17-8 mark the following year before signing with the New Orleans Crawfish, and in 2036, at age 39, he went 16-5 with a league-best 2.29 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. Over the following two years, Walsh posted a 26-13 mark with ERA's below 3.50 each season. At age 42, Walsh finally showed signs of slowing down, as his ERA spiked by nearly a run and a half- but he won 8 games for a world championship team, posting a 2.08 ERA in 4 postseason starts. Walsh also was a part of the Crawfish's championship squad two years later. He signed with the Philadelphia Hawks for the final season of his career, where he won his 300th game and retired shortly thereafter. Over his career, Walsh made 9 All-Star teams, as he posted a career record of 301-204 with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, 4023 strikeouts in 4672 innings, and an incredible 149.6 WAR. He ranked 4th all-time in victories, innings pitched and strikeouts, and 3rd in WAR. Walsh also sported a solid 3.21 ERA in 26 postseason starts, despite a modest 7-10 record.

Short was drafted 24th overall by the Washington Ambassadors after the 2020 season and immediately was sent to the bullpen. After a cup of coffee in 2021, Short had an unassuming rookie season, going 4-4 with a 4.09 ERA in 66 innings in 2022. The following year, he was tabbed as Washington's closer, saving 22 games with an underwhelming 3.58 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. But in 2024, Short turned into a lights-out closer, going 6-6 with 36 saves, a 2.24 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP with 93 strikeouts. The following year, he won the first of his six Reliever of the Year awards, going 5-4 with 35 saves, a 2.11 ERA, and 102 strikeouts in 81 innings. In 2026, Short dipped to 26 saves, but he posted a 1.31 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and fanned 105 hitters. After spending part of 2027 in the rotation, Short had a brilliant 2028 out of the pen, going 7-3 with 32 saves, a 1.11 ERA, and 0.96 WHIP, allowing just 1 homer in 73 innings, as he earned his second Reliever of the Year Award. Inexplicably, Washington management moved him out of the closer's role over the next two years, as he started 30 games, winning 10 games each season with a sub-3.00 ERA. Short returned to full-time closing duty in 2031, winning his third Reliever of the Year award, going 8-4 with 39 saves, a 2.44 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 74 innings. He took home the hardware yet again the following season, saving 36 games with a 1.88 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts. After a 10-win, 34-save win season in 2034, Short had an off-season in 2035, posting a 3.48 ERA -- but carried the Ambassadors to the World Series title. Short returned to form with a vengeance the following year, going 5-4 with 31 saves, a 1.26 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts the following year. In 2037, Short had arguably the finest season of his career, saving a league-best 41 games, posting a microscopic 0.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, and allowing just 1 homer in 72 innings. The following year, he posted a 0.86 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, without allowing a single homer in 52 innings. After the season, he signed with Denver in free agency, and after a 35-save season, he hopped to Minnesota. At age 39, he set an HRDL record with 49 saves, while notching a 2.04 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, winning the sixth Reliever of the Year award of his storied career. After two more moderately effective seasons, he retired with a career record of 122-84, 524 saves (most all-time), a 2.42 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 1850 strikeouts in 1694 innings. Short made 11 All-Star teams and earned six Reliever of the Year awards. Short was surprisingly mortal in postseason play, posting a 7-8 record, 17 saves, and a 3.94 ERA in 89 innings over 11 postseasons.

Hisle, a power-hitting left fielder, was drafted third overall by the Houston Pythons after the 2026 season. Hisle broke in with a bang in 2027, hitting .332 with 27 homers, 87 RBI's, and 37 steals as a 20-year-old rookie, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting. The following season, he hit .305 with 46 doubles, 27 homers, 100 RBI's, and 19 steals. Over the following two seasons, Hisle topped .310 each season, averaging 35 homers and 105 RBI's. In 2031, Hisle hit .362 and slugged .634, bashing 39 doubles, 40 homers, knocking in 112 runs, scoring 126, and finishing fourth in the MVP voting. The following year, he hit .339 and slugged .667, bashing a league-leading 52 homers, knocking in 139 runs, and scoring 132 times, as he finished second in the MVP voting. In 2033, Hisle hit .303 with 44 round-trippers and 143 RBI's, while swiping 20-of-22 bags, finishing fifth in the MVP voting. The next year, he hit .332 with 87 extra-base hits, including 37 homers and 130 RBI's. In 2035, Hisle hit .346 and slugged .682, setting career highs with 53 homers and 146 RBI's, finishing second once again in the MVP balloting. He smacked 46 and 49 homers each of the next two seasons, plating a combined 258 runs. Following the 2037 season, Hisle signed with the St. Louis Pilots as a free agent. After a disappointing first season, he rebounded with 32 homers and 105 RBI's in 2039, while hitting .321 and slugging .592. In 2040, Hisle led the Frontier League with 50 homers, while hitting .292 and knocking in 141 runs. That proved to be his last hurrah, however, as Hisle suffered from injuries and ineffectiveness in his final two seasons in St. Louis. Nonetheless, he retired with a career slash line of .317/ .400/ .589, smacking 2637 hits, 510 doubles, 554 homers, with 1680 RBI's, 1551 runs scored, 248 steals, and 102.5 WAR. He retired ranking 10th all-time in slugging percentage, 19th in homers, and 22nd in WAR. Hisle made eight All-Star teams, won seven Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove. He hit .301 and slugged .540, with 11 homers and 37 RBI's in 47 postseason games, and won a title with St. Louis in 2042.

Leading vote recipients include:

Steve Barber, LHP, CHI/ DEN/HAR/ VAN/ BAL: 98.6%
Ed Walsh, RHP, OMA/ DET/ ATL/ NOR/ PHI: 97.4%
Chris Short, RHP, WAS/ DEN/ MIN/ ELP/ VB: 96.8%
Larry Hisle, LF, HOU/ STL: 91.4%
Jordan Zimmermann, LHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 66.0%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 53.9%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 52.7%
Brian McCann, C, SEA/ ELP/ ATL: 48.4%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 47.6%
Ralph Garr, RF, MIL/ WAS/ HOU/ OKC: 47.3%
Frank Robinson, RF, MIA: 44.4%
Jerry Mumphrey, RF, ANA/ NAS/ PHI/ MEM: 41.5%

Notable players who fell off the ballot include five-time All-Star High Pockets Kelly, who topped 3500 hits and 450 homers, fellow five-time All-Star Gil Hodges, two-time MVP Harry Lumley, two-time Reliever of the Year Gregg Olson, and righthander Bob Gibson, who won 181 games and made four All-Star teams.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 11-28-2019, 01:44 AM   #28
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2045 Hall of Fame: Veteran's Committee

To commemorate the HRDL's 35th season, the Commissioner declared that the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee would reconvene. As with the prior Veterans' Committee class of 2040, the Committee could induct up to three players, provided that their eligibility expired at least five years earlier. The Committee would reconvene every five years. As the Hall was relatively short on middle infielders, this Veterans' Committee class consisted of second baseman Paul Molitor, shortstop Donie Bush, as well as righthander Steve Hargan.

Molitor was selected 58th overall by the Houston Pythons in the inaugural dispersion draft. Molitor broke in with a bang during the league's inaugural season of 2011, hitting .373 and slugging .521, ripping 222 hits, 16 homers, 83 RBI's, scoring 121 runs, and swiping 31 bags. He followed it up with a .311 sophomore campaign, ripping 17 homers and knocking in 65 runs while stealing 39 bases. In 2013, Molitor hit .337 and slugged .544, rapping a career-best 27 homers, driving in 99 runs, scoring 116 runs, and stealing 40 bases. Molitor remained a beacon of consistency over the next five years in Houston, hitting between .294 and .318 every year, while drilling between 12 and 18 homers each season. Following the 2018 season, Molitor signed with the Miami Flamingos as a free agent, and he had a brilliant debut season, hitting .337 with 42 doubles, 12 homers, 105 RBI's, and 42 steals. After hitting .317 with 14 homers and 90 RBI's the following year, he starred again in 2021, hitting .344 with 24 homers, 80 RBI's, and 100 runs scored. Molitor then signed with the Philadelphia Hawks as a free agent, where he hit .283 with 16 homers, 77 RBI's, 91 runs scored, and 29 steals. Molitor then jumped to the Vancouver Viceroys, where he started for two seasons, and played sparingly in a third season, smacking 31 homers and swiping 63 bags. He retired with a career .310/ .386/ .463 slash line, with 2581 hits, 498 doubles, 232 homers, 1052 RBI's, 1386 runs scored, 431 steals, and 75.2 WAR. Molitor made six All-Star teams, and won five Silver Slugger awards. He hit a steady .292 and slugged .466 in 68 postseason games, drilling 18 doubles, 9 homers, knocking in 43 runs, and stealing 18 bases.

Bush was drafted 37th overall by the San Antonio Marksmen in the inaugural dispersion draft. As a 21-year-old rookie, he hit .316 with a .444 on-base percentage, drawing 132 walks, scoring 112 runs, and stealing 86 bases. In his sophomore 2012 campaign, he hit .293 with a .416 on-base percentage, scoring 105 runs and setting a league record which remains intact decades later with 115 steals. In 2013, he hit a career-best .319 with a .442 on-base percentage, drawing 124 walks while scoring 102 runs and scoring 65 bases. Over the next four seasons, Bush hit between .272 and .299, drawing over 120 walks three times, scoring over 100 runs each year, and leading the league in steals with at least 90 steals all four seasons, topping the century mark once again with 107 steals in 2014. In 2018, Bush's average dipped to .257, but he led the league with 120 walks, scoring over 100 runs for the eighth straight season. Bush topped 50 steals in two of the next three seasons, despite missing over half the season with injuries in both 2019 and 2020. He signed with the Calgary Cattle Rustlers prior to the 2022 season, when he hit .279 with a career-high 7 homers, 47 RBI's, 108 runs scored, 46 steals, and led Calgary to the World Series title. The Cattle Rustlers repeated the following year, as Bush hit .266 with a .382 on-base percentage, 95 runs scored, and 46 steals. He spent the remaining three years of his career as a reserve. A two-time All-Star, Bush posted a career slash line of .279/ .402/ .345. He smacked 1948 hits, including 306 doubles and 41 homers, drew 1425 walks, scored 1291 runs, stole 947 bases (fifth all-time), and posted a career WAR of 72.4. In 103 postseason games, he posted a .364 on-base percentage, scored 52 runs, and stole 32 bases.

Hargan, a crafty sinkerballer, was drafted 23rd overall by the Charlotte Aviators following the 2011 season. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2012, Hargan went just 14-14 despite a strong 2.58 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, allowing just 9 homers in 262 innings. The following year, he posted a 17-8 mark along with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. In 2014, Hargan went 20-8 with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. After posting a 13-11 mark with a 2.99 ERA in 2015, Hargan rebounded with an 18-6 mark, a 2.39 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP, drawing a fourth place finish in the Cy Young voting. Over the next three seasons, Hargan averaged 16 wins per year, posting a sub-3.00 ERA each season, including an 18-10 mark in 2019. Hargan signed with the Detroit Purple Gang in the offseason. After an off-year in 2020, he rebounded with a 15-8 mark and a 3.02 ERA in 2021. He sported an 18-11 mark in 2022, with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, allowing just 9 homers in 245 innings. He won 13 games in each of the following two years, posting ERA's of 2.83 and 3.04, respectively. After posting a 2.73 in 14 starts in 2025, Hargan was traded by Detroit to the Buffalo Fighting Elk for second baseman Jerry Remy, where he posted a 3.03 ERA over the rest of the season. Hargan signed with the Hartford Huskies in the offseason, posting a 14-9 mark with a 3.74 ERA in 2026 before retiring after an ineffective 2027 season. A four-time All-Star, Hargan posted a career mark of 229-169 with a 3.03 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, 2043 strikeouts, and 91.9 WAR. In 33 postseason starts, Hargan posted an 11-12 mark with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

Here are the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 12-02-2019, 12:22 AM   #29
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2046 Mid-Year Review

Here are the leading stories from across the league at the 2046 All-Star break:

Exceeding expectations: The Baltimore Robins faded after a hot start last year, missing the playoffs with 88 wins, but they were on track to return to the playoffs after a nine-year absence, taking a league-best 49-25 record and 6 game Northeast Division lead into the break. Center fielder Cesar Cedeno was an MVP candidate, hitting .321 and slugging .571, with 19 homers, 59 RBI's, 67 runs scored, and 32 steals. Left fielder Monte Irvin hit .306 with 16 homers and 50 RBI's. Veteran catcher Rick Ferrell hit .297 with a .392 on-base percentage. On the mound, Jim Maloney posted a 9-2 mark with a 2.55 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 150 strikeouts, and yielded just 5 homers in 109 innings. Kelly Downs registered a 10-1 mark with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Although the Ottawa Parliamentarians were trapped in a division with the dominant Detroit Purple Gang and London Werewolves, Ottawa threatened to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2038, posting a 40-33 first-half mark. Ottawa featured the second-ranked offense in the Frontier League, led by first baseman Bob Horner, who took a gaudy .340 average and .646 slugging percentage into the break, blasting 25 longballs and plating 68 runs. Third baseman Bob Meusel hit at a .325 clip and drilled 26 doubles, 16 homers, and knocked in 49 runs. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .316 and slugged .616, ripping 18 homers and knocking in 40 runs. Southpaw Slim Sallee anchored a middling staff, going 6-7 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Birmingham Steelers took an unexpected lead in the Southeast Division into the break, posting a 44-29 record. Left fielder Bob Skinner led Birmingham offensively, hitting .354 with 21 doubles, 13 homers, 52 RBI's, and 14 steals. First baseman Paul Sorrento brought the lumber, hitting .309 with 16 homers and 64 RBI's. The Steelers allowed the second-fewest runs in the league, as Jack McDowell took a 10-4 record into the break with a 2.31 ERA and a sparkling 0.94 WHIP. Southpaw Mark Langston went 8-3 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Closer Dan Plesac notched 14 saves with a 1.46 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. The Dallas Wildcatters threatened to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2042, going 43-31. Third baseman Doug DeCinces led a balanced offense, hitting .297 and slugging .556, ripping 16 homers, and knocking in 59 runs. Center fielder Marquis Grissom hit .299 with 10 homers, 39 RBI's, 47 runs scored, and 22 steals in just 63 games before suffering a hamstring injury that would sideline him until late July. The Wildcatters' starting pitching was the strength of the squad, as Chris Carpenter went 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts. Rookie Lefty Stewart posted an 8-3 record with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, while hard-luck Tex Hughson yielded a 2.98 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, but sported only a 7-7 record.

Disappointments: The Chicago Mules narrowly missed winning the Great Plains Division last year, falling a single game shy with 92 wins, but they notched a mediocre 37-37 record at the All-Star Break. Offseason trade acquisition Dale Murphy tore his PCL five games into the season, and would likely miss the rest of the year. First baseman Jimmie Foxx, a perennial MVP candidate, saw his OPS drop by nearly 150 points from last year, hitting a solid but hardly spectacular .300 with 18 homers. Third baseman Pie Traynor became punchless, hitting just .279 and slugging an anemic .312, with just 9 extra-base hits -- all doubles -- in 73 games. Southpaw Bill Lee, a 20-game winner last year, went just 2-8, and his ERA soared by over a run to 4.42. The Toronto Predators were just two years removed from a 94-win season, but they took a 22-52 mark into the break, a distant 26 games out of first place. An anemic offense was the primary culprit-- the Predators lost 40 points in team batting average, hitting a collective .214 and ranking dead last in baseball in batting, on-base percentage, OPS, and runs scored. First baseman Jim Dyck, who slugged .493 and bashed 32 homers and 117 RBI's last year, entered the break with a pitiful .190/ .269/ .300 slash line, and just 7 homers and 21 RBI's. Right fielder Walt Moryn, who hit .304 with 30 round-trippers last year, tailed off to .252 with 6 homers and 24 RBI's. Catcher Barry Foote posted a miserable .160/ .218/ .267 slash line, with just 3 homers and 12 RBI's in 202 plate appearances. Free agent signee Dave Fleming posted a solid 3.53 ERA -- but was 0-11, as the Predators provided an embarrassing 0.93 runs per game in offensive support. Fellow starters Steve Trachsel and Matt Chico saw their ERA's rise by over a run per game apiece.

In the Continental League, the New York Emperors won 94 games last year, and had made the playoffs in 5 of the prior 7 years, but they stumbled to a 31-41 start, including an 11-game losing streak in June. Catcher Mike Sweeney, who hit a disappointing .253 with 12 homers and 72 RBI's last year as a free agent, stumbled to a .211 start, with just 5 homers and 14 RBI's. Third baseman David Wright, a perennial all-star, started showing his age, hitting just .267 with 9 homers, and losing 100 points of slugging percentage. The Emperors' pitching ranked among the worst in the league, and their rotation was dead last in ERA: ace Bob Moose pitched just four games due to injuries. Steve Avery, who posted a 2.65 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP last year, collapsed, going just 3-7 with a 6.17 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP, while his strikeout rate fell nearly in half. Veteran Corey Kluber appeared to hit the end of the line, going 2-8 with a 5.42 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Houston Pythons' streak of four straight seasons over .500 was in grave danger, as the Pythons bumbled to a 28-46 record. Right fielder Jason Heyward, two years removed from his seventh-straight season of at least 20 homers, hit just .268 with 4 homers and 27 RBI's in 74 games. Third baseman Buck Weaver, a career .296 hitter, took a .237 average and .273 on-base percentage into the break, scoring just 20 runs in 73 games. Righthander Edwin Correa, who saved 31 games as an 18-year-old rookie, moved into the rotation and saw his ERA more than double to 4.65. New closer Chad Bradford posted a 5.40 ERA and a bloated 1.49 WHIP.

Every Day is a Holliday: Seattle left fielder Matt Holliday ran off a 24-game hitting streak in April and a 25-game streak several weeks later, marking the two longest streaks in the Frontier League. Holliday enjoyed a breakout season, taking a league-leading .387 average into the break with 16 homers and 53 RBI's. Despite Holliday's heroics, Seattle ended the first half in last place in the Northwest Division with a 28-44 record.

Howie Do That?: Milwaukee southpaw Howie Pollet had been a decent third starter over the course of his unremarkable career, posting a 75-73 mark in eight prior seasons with the Raccons. Pollet flipped a switch, going 10-2 with a microscopic 1.02 ERA and 0.73 WHIP, allowing just 4 homers in 114 innings. Thanks to his heroics, Milwaukee was tied for first place at the break with Omaha, going 41-32, despite the Frontier League's 20th ranked offense.

Trout Swim South: Star centerfielder Mike Trout departed the Minneapolis Penguins in free agency, signing an 8-year contract with El Paso. The Armadillos posted the best record in baseball in the first half -- despite rather pedestrian numbers by Trout, who hit just .258 and slugged .439 in the first half. Trout's presence forced future Hall of Fame center fielder Tris Speaker, whom El Paso signed a year earlier, to the DH spot, as the Armadillos enjoyed an embarrassment of riches in the outfield.

End of the Line: Two leading sluggers, Ernie Banks and Johnny Mize, engaged in a painful chase for 600 homers, as each player ranked among the worst players in baseball. Banks signed with the San Diego Zookeepers in spring training, needing 24 homers for 600. He hit just .174 with 9 homers and 31 RBI's, posting a dreadful 67:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Mize returned for his second season with the El Paso Armadillos, needing 15 homers for 600; he hit just .182 with 10 homers and 23 RBI's in the first half.

Major injuries: New York ace Bob Moose, the winningest pitcher in HRDL history, missed nearly the entire first half with a sprained ankle, and then forearm inflammation; he was expected to return by early August. Albuquerque southpaw Warren Spahn was expected to miss the entire season with a torn UCL. Birmingham third baseman Chone Figgins saw his breakout season interrupted by a season-ending fractured kneecap. Calgary southpaw Chris Sale tore an elbow ligament in spring training, knocking him out for the season. Chicago right fielder Dale Murphy suffered a season-ending PCL tear a week into the season. Jacksonville DH Robin Yount broke his thumb in late May, sidelining him until mid-July. London shortstop Rico Petrocelli missed nearly the entire first half with a strained ACL, and he injured his elbow in his first game back; a mid-July return was anticipated. Memphis shortstop Jonathan Villar strained his hip on Memorial Day, and he was not expected to return before mid-September. Nashville right fielder Hank Sauer broke his elbow in spring training, and he missed the entire first half. Phoenix right fielder Charlie Blackmon broke his kneecap in mid-April, and he was not expected to return until the playoffs, if at all. Vancouver closer Garland Braxton saw his season end prematurely after twelve scoreless appearances after tearing his UCL.

Major milestones: Miami shortstop Dick Groat and Kansas City first baseman Don Mattingly each stroked their 3,000th career hit, while Denver third baseman Bill Madlock and Anaheim DH Joe DiMaggio joined the 2500-hit club. Buffalo righthander Mark Prior and Phoenix righthander Red Ames each won their 200th career game. Looking ahead, Baltimore second sacker John Knight was likely to smack his 3500th hit by the end of August. Detroit's Nolan Arenado was expected to hit his 650th homer by the end of July. El Paso first baseman Johnny Mize was likely to hit his 600th homer by August, and San Diego DH and Albuquerque DH Joe Adcock each had a chance to join the 600-homer club by year's end. Prior was also expected to notch his 4000th strikeout by September.
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Old 12-06-2019, 04:06 AM   #30
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2046 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk rallied from a 9-14 April to cruise to their ninth Northeast Division title in ten years, winning 101 games. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero led an otherwise middling offense, hitting .307 with 27 homers and 114 RBI's. Right fielder Geoff Jenkins chipped in, hitting .274 with 38 doubles, 26 homers, and 87 RBI's. Buffalo had the stingiest pitching staff in the league, allowing just 525 runs and leading the league in strikeouts. Mark Prior had a brilliant season, going 21-5 with a 2.18 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and 298 strikeouts. Hiroki Kuroda posted an 18-6 mark with a 2.34 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 205 strikeouts. Swingman Lefty Mills went 12-4 with a 1.93 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 191 strikeouts in 168 innings. The Baltimore Robins returned to the postseason after a 9-year absence, winning 97 games. Center fielder Cesar Cedeno starred, hitting .329 and slugging .588, ripping a league-high 52 doubles, 37 homers, 123 RBI's, 129 runs scored and 59 steals. First baseman Monte Irvin hit .286 with a .400 on-base percentage, drilling 35 round-trippers with 126 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 103 walks. Third baseman Matt Dominguez slugged 27 longballs and knocked in 109 runs. Jim Maloney had a career year, going 18-6 with a 2.22 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and a franchise-record 341 strikeouts. Righthander Kelly Downs went 19-7 with a 2.80 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and fanned 201 hitters. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2038, winning 95 games. Right fielder Richie Zisk hit .307 and slugged .555, bopping 37 homers and plating 138 runs. First baseman John Olerud posted a .306/ .396/ .567 slash line, smacking 43 doubles, 30 homers, and knocking in 96 runs. Leadoff hitter Alan Trammell set the table, hitting .274 with 16 homers, 57 RBI's, 101 runs scored, 34 steals, and provided Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop. Righthander Moe Drabowsky posted a 15-9 mark in his first season as a starter, along with a 3.37 ERA and 221 strikeouts. Free agent signee Danny Duffy went 16-3 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

The defending champion London Werewolves continued their reign of dominance, winning 109 games for the second time in three seasons. Willie Mays followed up on his record-setting MVP campaign by hitting .341, leading the league with 227 hits and 150 runs scored, while smacking 37 homers, swiping 37 bases, and knocking in 100 runs from the leadoff slot. Right fielder Harry Heilmann flirted with the batting title, hitting .365 with a league-high .443 on-base percentage, along with 38 round-trippers and 113 RBI's. First baseman Jim Bottomley and left fielder Jay Buhner drilled 30 homers apiece, with Bottomley plating 117 runs. On the mound, Jose Rijo posted a 20-6 record with a 2.30 ERA, while Gene Conley went 19-8 with a 2.53 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP, and fanned 210. Jack Sanford notched an 18-9 record with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang won 101 games - their fourth straight season topping 101 victories, as they led the Frontier League in runs scored and batting average. 39-year-old Nolan Arenado returned to his MVP form, hitting .346 and slugging .645, belting 45 doubles, 30 homers, and knocking in 106 runs in just 133 games. Rookie right fielder Jorge Orta won the batting title, hitting .368 and slugging .560, popping 14 homers and knocking in 79 runs. Center fielder Jose Cardenal hit .307 with 46 doubles, 18 homers, 77 RBI's, 135 runs scored, and 44 steals. Rookie catcher Shanty Hogan hit .336 and slugged .596, ripping 50 extra-base hits, including 18 homers and 83 games in 92 games before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. On the mound, fireballer Nolan Ryan won the Triple Crown, posting a 21-4 mark with a 1.72 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and setting an HRDL record with 393 strikeouts -- an incredible 15.4 per 9 innings. Mel Harder went 11-5 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, while closer Brad Lesley posted 32 saves and a 2.29 ERA.

The Great Plains Division featured the tightest division race in the HRDL, as the 92-win Milwaukee Raccoons held off the St. Louis Pilots by a single game. Right fielder Larry Walker hit .332 and slugged .595, smacking 78 extra-base hits, including 31 homers, 103 RBI's, and scored 115 runs. Left fielder Birdie Cree hit .287 with 21 homers, 66 RBI's, 93 runs scored, and swiped 19 bags. Catcher Mike Zunino smacked 27 round-trippers and knocked in 86 runs. Southpaw Howie Pollet was brilliant, going 19-6 with a franchise-record 1.93 ERA, a league-leading 0.82 WHIP and 254 strikeouts. Hard-luck Jack Kramer was just 9-13 despite a 2.66 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 276 strikeouts. Steady Bill Singer went 12-7 with a 3.27 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and fanned 237 enemy batters. The St. Louis Pilots won 91 games despite finishing dead last in the HRDL with just 91 team homers, thanks to a dominant pitching staff which allowed just 547 runs. Left fielder Andre Ethier led the squad with just 16 homers and 95 RBI's. Center fielder Gary Pettis hit .289 with a .415 on-base percentage and 46 steals despite missing half the season with a broken foot. Ace Walter Johnson dominated once again, going 21-6 with a 1.90 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and 323 strikeouts. Sidekick George Kahler was nearly as sharp, going 17-8 with a 2.10 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts, allowing just 5 homers in 215 innings. Righthander Jack Morris went 15-13 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

The Vancouver Viceroys returned to the postseason after a four-year absence, taking the Northwest Division by 8 games with 90 victories. Left fielder Tony Conigliaro starred, hitting .335 and slugging .618 with 42 homers, 124 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. Third baseman Brooks Robinson hit .315 with 16 homers, 73 RBI's, and 99 runs scored. Right fielder Claudell Washington hit .336 and slugged .572, drilling 27 jacks with 80 RBI's, 91 runs scored, and 20 steals. Free agent signee Vern Kennedy went 13-3 with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Bill Swift posted a 10-7 mark with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

Continental League: The Jacksonville Gulls combined an elite offense with a solid pitching staff, leading the league in nearly every offenseive category except steals, as they bashed their way to a franchise-record 111 victories. First baseman Jim Thome hit .290 with a .404 on-base percentage, drilling 42 homers, knocking in 130 runs, and scoring a league-high 123 runs. Right fielder Dan Ford hit .291, drilling 32 longballs and knocking in 127 runs. Left fielder Mark Whiten smacked 33 homers, plated 94 runs, and scored 112 times. Second-year shortstop Buddy Kerr hit .333 with 40 doubles, 6 homers, and 84 runs scored. Southpaw Odalis Perez sported an 18-8 mark with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Dave Goltz posted a 12-3 mark with a 2.96 ERA. Closer Michael Wuertz notched 10 wins and 32 saves, along with a 1.63 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts in 77 innings. Jacksonville narrowly held off the 108-win Virginia Beach Admirals. Right fielder Reggie Jackson hit .312 with a league-best .599 slugging percentage, drilling 41 doubles, 42 homers, a league-high 140 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Third baseman Mike Schmidt clubbed 43 homers, while knocking in 118 runs and swiping 16 bases. Versatile center fielder Al Oliver hit .346 and slugged .508, drilling 15 longballs, knocking in 87 runs, while scoring 106 times. Righthander Bob Rush notched a 16-9 mark, with a 2.45 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 258 strikeouts. Southpaw Scott Kazmir went 17-4 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Crafty Joe Magrane sported an 18-7 mark with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season, winning a three-way dogfight for the final spot as DH Cliff Floyd hit 3 homers to carry the Aviators to their 92nd victory of the year. First baseman Mark Teixeira led Charlotte, hitting .293 with 38 homers and 119 RBI's. Right fielder Kevin McReynolds matched Teixeira, hitting .276 with 38 homers and 127 RBI's. Second sacker Carlos Guillen hit .314 with 70 extra-base hits, including 15 homers, 94 RBI's, and 101 runs scored. Righthander Len Barker went 16-11 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 254 strikeouts. Southpaw David Price went 14-12 with a 3.56 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and fanned 194 hitters. Closer Dave Schmidt notched 40 saves along with a 2.32 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish rallied from a slow start, going 58-26 after July 1 to win their ninth straight division title with 99 wins. Right fielder Domingo Santana starred, posting a .303/ .410/ .510 slash line, with 32 homers, 116 RBI's, 113 runs, and 13 steals. Third baseman Scott Rolen hit .285 with 28 homers, 96 RBI's, 98 runs scored, while providing elite defense at the hot corner. DH Beals Becker smacked 18 homers and plated 63 runs in 72 games after a midseason trade with Jacksonville. Southpaw Herb Pennock led a deep pitching staff, going 19-7 with a 2.64 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 204 strikeouts. Righthander Claude Hendrix, finally healthy after two injury-ravaged seasons, went 17-6 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Veteran swingman Hal Kleine went 12-4 with 9 saves, posting a 2.26 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 135 innings. The 94-win Birmingham Steelers made the playoffs for just the second time in 19 seasons. Left fielder Bob Skinner hit .340 and slugged .538, smacking 50 doubles, 22 homers, 104 RBI's, scoring 110 runs, and stealing 22 bases. First baseman Paul Sorrento hit .304 and slugged .530, drilling 43 doubles, 31 homers, and knocking in 122 runs. Righthander Jack McDowell led one of the league's deepest pitching staffs, going 17-10 with a 3.31 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. Southpaw John Smiley went 14-11 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, while Mark Langston went 16-10 with a 3.59 ERA and fanned 203 hitters. Closer Dan Plesac won 6 games and saved 29 with a 2.10 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 56 innings.

The star-laden El Paso Armadillos won their fourth straight Texas Division title, winning 103 games. Right fielder Benny Kauff hit .290 with 27 homers, 81 RBI's, 112 runs scored, and 61 steals. Veteran DH Tris Speaker hit .288 with a .407 on-base percentage, including 52 doubles, 22 homers, 102 RBI's, 104 runs scored, and a league-high 116 walks. Free agent signee Mike Trout had a disappointing season, hitting just .248 but popping 20 homers, knocking in 76 runs, drawing 100 walks, and swiping 24 bags. El Paso finished second in the league in runs allowed, led by Javier Vazquez, who went 15-9 with a 2.99 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts. Charlie Hough and Collin McHugh won 15 games apiece, while Emilio Pagan notched 37 saves with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. El Paso held off the explosive Oklahoma City Otters, who won 99 games, led by MVP candidate Lenny Dykstra, who won the batting title by a hair over teammate George Sisler. Dykstra posted a .358/ .443/ .554 slash line, belting 49 doubles, 20 homers, 110 RBI's, 117 runs scored, and swiping 55 bags. Sisler hit .358 and slugged .587, drilling 26 homers and knocking in 96 runs despite missing 40 games. Infielder Jim Fregosi hit .316 with 20 homers and 105 RBI's while splitting time between shortstop and third base. Southpaw Tom Glavine went 19-9 with a 2.68 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. Dock Ellis matched Glavine, going 19-8 with a 2.71 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. Portly southpaw David Wells posted a 16-9 record with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Dallas Wildcatters remained in contention until the final day of the year, winning 91 games. Center fielder Marquis Grissom led Dallas, hitting .329 with 16 homers, 71 RBI's, 82 runs, and 37 steals in just 118 games. Third baseman Doug DeCinces drilled 29 jacks and knocked in 97 runs. Veteran ace Chris Carpenter sported an 18-5 mark with a 2.35 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP.

The Albuquerque Conquistadors repeated as Southwest Division champs, winning 97 games. Right fielder Butch Huskey hit .300 and slugged .528, smacking 37 longballs with 93 RBI's. Left fielder Lew Ford set the table, hitting .287 with 19 homers, 68 RBI's, 91 runs scored, and 15 steals. Albuquerque had the best pitching in the league, yielding just 541 runs. Chan Ho Park posted a 20-9 record with a 2.54 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and a league-high 271 strikeouts. Second-year hurler Glenn Liebhardt went 13-4 with a 2.36 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Kevin Appier posted a 12-6 mark with a 2.44 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts. Closer Charlie Kerfeld notched a league-high 42 saves along with a 2.26 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. The Phoenix Lizards remained in playoff contention until the final day of the season, winning 91 games. Catcher Ted Simmons starred, hitting .312 with 25 homers and 99 RBI's. Second sacker Jim Viox hit .345 with a league-high .455 on-base percentage, drilling 49 doubles, 8 homers, 78 RBI's, and scoring 97 runs. Left fielder Clyde Milan hit .333, leading the league with 220 hits, while stealing 73 bases and scoring 109 runs. Southpaw Cliff Lee went 18-10 with a 3.30 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and fanned 259 hitters.

Best season in team history: London Werewolves (109 wins), Jacksonville Gulls (111 wins), Virginia Beach Admirals (108 wins), Oklahoma City Otters (99 wins)

Worst season in team history: Montreal Knights (59 wins), Toronto Predators (55 wins), Kansas City Mad Hatters (55 wins)
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Old 12-12-2019, 02:04 AM   #31
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2046 Playoff Report

Frontier League: The defending champion London Werewolves, winners of 109 games, dominated the punchless St. Louis Pilots in a four-game sweep, holding St. Louis to just 8 runs in the series. London first baseman Jim Bottomley earned MVP honors, hitting .538 and slugging 1.000, with a homer and 5 RBI's. Right fielder Harry Heilmann hit .417 with a homer and 5 runs scored. Gene Conley hurled 7.2 innings of 3-hit shutout ball in a 1-0 Game 1 victory. London's bullpen hurled 7 shutout innings in the series, allowing just 2 hits, led by Vern Olsen, who pitched 3.2 hitless innings and notched 2 saves. Third baseman Billy Grabarkawitz was the lone bright spot for St. Louis, hitting .417 with a solo homer. After dropping Game 1 to the Vancouver Viceroys, the Detroit Purple Gang rattled off 4 straight victories, as Detroit held Vancouver to just 7 runs in 5 games. Shortstop Red Schoendienst led Detroit, hitting .389 and scoring 4 runs while knocking in 2, including a tenth-inning walk-off hit in Game 5. Third baseman Nolan Arenado hit .300 and smacked a solo homer while scoring 4 runs. Righthander Lew Burdette earnes series MVP honors - believed to be the first pitcher in over fifteen years to take home the trophy -- after hurling a four-hit shutout in Game 3. Ace Nolan Ryan notched a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings, whiffing 18 but getting two no-decisions. Vancouver shortstop Ruben Tejada was the lone Viceroy to hit above .211, hitting .400 with 3 RBI's, while Bill Swift matched Ryan, notching a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings while fanning 16. The Milwaukee Raccoons upended the Baltimore Robins in six games. Star rightfielder Larry Walker was named MVP despite hitting just .261, as he homered and knocked in 6 runs. Catcher Mike Zunino had just 3 hits, but two of them were longballs, and he knocked in six runs. Southpaw Howie Pollet was brilliant, going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings, including 8 shutout innings of 4-hit ball in Game 5. Jack Kramer also went 2-0, with a 2.30 ERA. Catcher Rick Ferrell led Baltimore, which hit only one homer in the six-game series, as he hit .381 with 3 RBI's. The Buffalo Fighting Elk outlasted division rival Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas in six games. Center fielder Pedro Guerrero, playing out of position due to regular center fielder Mallex Smith's ankle injury, earned MVP honors, hitting .360 with 2 homers, 2 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Third baseman Eric Chavez and catcher Sherm Lollar smacked 2 homers and plated 5 runs apiece. Hiroki Kuroda went 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings, while Mark Prior went 1-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. First baseman John Olerud led Pittsburgh, hitting .455 with a homer, 4 doubles, 4 runs, and 2 RBI's.

For the third straight year, the London Werewolves squared off against their division rival Detroit Purple Gang in the Division Series, and once again, they did not disappoint, with the 109-win Werewolves outlasting the 101-win Purple Gang in seven games. London won Game 7 3-2, scoring three runs in the seventh inning, as pinch-hitter Tom Long hit a two-run triple before scoring the winning run on a Willie Mays double. Right fielder Harry Heilmann took home the hardware, hitting .519 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Catcher Cliff Johnson hit .375 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's, while Mays hit .333 with 3 homers, 7 RBI's, 7 runs scored, and 2 steals. Gene Conley was brilliant, going 2-0 without allowing an earned run in 16 innings, including a four-hit shutout in Game 5. Third baseman Nolan Arenado led Detroit, hitting .429 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. The Milwaukee Raccoons upset the Buffalo Fighting Elk, allowing just 10 runs in six games. Milwaukee first baseman Hubie Brooks was tabbed MVP after hitting .346 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Shortstop Bruce Christensen hit .444 with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's. On the mound, Bill Singer went 2-0, yielding a 1.42 ERA in 12.2 innings while fanning 10. Jack Kramer went 1-0, hurling a 2-hit, 10-K shutout in Game 3. Buffalo first baseman Don Hurst was the lone Fighting Elk batsman to top .200, hitting .333 with 3 doubles and an RBI. In the League Championship Series, London erased a 3-1 deficit, taking the last three games to oust Milwaukee in seven games. Heilmann again led London, hitting .346 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Third baseman Garrett Atkins hit .320 and drove in 6 runs. First baseman Jim Bottomley and third baseman Yangervis Solarte ripped 2 homers apiece, with Bottomley plating 6 runs and Solarte knocking in 5. Gene Conley continued his terrific postseason, going 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings. Dan Petry went 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings, including 6 shutout innings in game 7. Milwaukee was led by first baseman Hubie Brooks, who earned the MVP trophy in a losing effort, hitting .464 with 2 homers, 5 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Hard-luck Howie Pollet allowed just 2 earned runs in 10.2 innings, yet went 0-2.

Continental League: The 92-win Charlotte Aviators nearly upset the 111-win Jacksonville Gulls, but Jacksonville erased a 3-1 series deficit, winning in 7 games. DH Robin Yount led the Gulls, hitting .429 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Shortstop Buddy Kerr hit .391 with 2 solo homers, and fellow infielders Chris Owings and Lyn Lary drilled a pair of homers apiece. Reliever Michael Wuertz hurled 5 shutout innings, while Taylor Jungman earned a win and two saves with a 4.15 ERA. Right fielder Kevin McReynolds led Charlotte, hitting .308 with 5 homers and 11 RBI's, while Mark Teixeira hit .308 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's. The Albuquerque Conquistadors upset the 108-win Virginia Beach Admirals in six games. Left fielder Lew Ford hit .481 with a homer, 6 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Shortstop Billy Rogell hit .429 with 5 doubles, 8 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Third baseman Luis Salazar hit .360 with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. But there was no better story than Chan Ho Park, who hurled a perfect game in Game 4, with 17 strikeouts- just the second postseason perfect game in league history. Righthander Bob Rush led Albuquerque, going 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings, with 13 strikeouts. In a matchup of 99-win squads, the Oklahoma City Otters dominated the New Orleans Crawfish, winning handily in five games despite the absence of star first baseman George Sisler, who suffered a late-season concussion. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins earned MVP honors, hitting .455 with a homer, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Center fielder Lenny Dykstra hit .438 and posted a .609 on-base percentage, with 7 hits and 7 walks, scoring 4 runs and knocking in 2. Second sacker Hector Lopez hit .300 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Southpaw Tom Glavine dominated, going 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA and 11 strikeouts. Bob Shawkey hurled 7 shutout innings in a Game 4 no-decision. New Orleans second baseman Omar Infante hit .364 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 4 runs scored. The El Paso Armadillos dominated the Birmingham Steelers in a 4-game sweep, holding the Steelers to just 10 runs in the series. Second sacker Tadahito Iguchi was an easy MVP choice after hitting .471 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Mike Trout hit .278 with 3 round-trippers and 5 RBI's. Southpaw Denny Lemaster hurled 6.1 shutout innings in a Game 2 win, while Collin McHugh allowed just one run in earning the victory in Game 4. Left fielder Bob Skinner led Birmingham, hitting .571 with two longballs and 7 RBI's.

In the Division Series, the elite pitching of the Albuquerque Conquistadors locked down the league-leading offense of the Jacksonville Gulls in six games. Albuquerque right fielder Butch Huskey took home MVP honors after hitting .292 with 2 homers and 9 RBI's. DH Johnny Barrett hit .500, with 4 doubles, a triple, and 5 RBI's. Righthander Glenn Leibhardt went 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings. Chan Ho Park and Kevin Appier each went 1-0 with identical 2.70 ERA's, with Park fanning 11 in 6.2 innings. Closer Charlie Kerfeld hurled 5 shutout innings. First baseman Jim Thome led the Gulls, hitting .375 and rapping 2 homers with 9 RBI's, while left fielder Mark Whiten hit .375 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals. The El Paso Armadillos dominated the shorthanded Oklahoma City Otters, holding the Otters to just 8 runs in five games, as George Sisler remained sidelined with a concussion, and Jimmy Rollins missed the last three games with a back injury. El Paso second baseman Tadahito Iguchi hit .294 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Mike Trout hit just .250, but popped a homer, swiped 2 bags, and scored 3 runs. Righthander Javier Vazquez earned MVP honors after going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, including 13 strikeouts in 16 innings. Knuckleballer Charlie Hough earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 7 innings. Oklahoma City third baseman Hanley Ramirez hit .421 with a homer and 2 RBI's in a losing effort. In the League Championship Series, the Conquistadors erased a 3-1 deficit, outscoring El Paso 31-6 in the last three games to advance to the World Series. Veteran Albuquerque slugger Joe Adcock hit .333 with 6 homers and 11 RBI's. Left fielder Ken Harrelson hit just .267, but he blasted 4 round-trippers and plated 5 runs. Catcher Dave Valle hit .407 with a homer and 7 RBI's. Southpaw Jon Lester went 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA, fanning 14 in 14.2 innings. First baseman Casey Blake led El Paso, hitting .333 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's, while right fielder Benny Kauff popped 3 homers, knocked in 6 runs and stole two bases.

World Series: The defending champion London Werewolves were substantially favored over the Albuquerque Conquistadors, as London combined a powerful offense with a deep pitching staff. But London proved to be no match for the Conquistadors, who unexpectedly averaged nearly six runs a game in toppling the Werewolves in six games, as Conquistadors catcher Dave Valle earned MVP honors. The victory is the second World Series title in Albuquerque franchise history.

London jumped out to an early series lead, winning Game 1 4-3 as Willie Mays hit a walk-off tiebreaking homer off Dave Boswell. London third baseman Garrett Atkins had two hits, including a two-run homer off Albuquerque ace Kevin Appier, while Valle sparked the Conquistadors with a solo shot off Gene Conley. Albuquerque battered the Werewolves in Game 2, with Jon Lester earning the win in a 11-7 victory, as Kevin Correia took the loss. Albuquerque DH Joe Adcock drilled two solo homers, while second baseman Wilmer Difo and center fielder Enrique Hernandez had three hits apiece. Mays, Atkins, and Rico Petrocelli homered for London, with Petrocelli driving in three runs. Albuquerque blasted London 9-4 in Game 3, with Glenn Leibhardt earning the win over Dan Petry. Enrique Hernandez starred, rapping three hits, including a homer and a double, and knocking in 5 runs for Albuquerque. Adcock ripped 3 hits, including a double, and drove in 2 runs. Petrocelli and catcher Arlo Brunsberg drove in 2 runs apiece for London.

Albuquerque jumped out to a 3-1 lead, taking Game 4 4-0, as Chan Ho Park narrowly missed his second no-hitter of the postseason. Park allowed one hit in 8 innings, fanning 8. Adcock homered again for Albuquerque, and third baseman Luis Salazar ripped two hits and drove in two runs. Jim Bottomley singled and walked for London, while Jack Sanford hurled a complete game in the loss. London avoided elimination, taking Game 5 5-1 as Gene Conley dominated, allowing two hits and one run in 7 innings. Kevin Appier took the loss for the Conquistadors. Second sacker Yangervis Solarte led London with 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Shortstop Billy Rogell had an RBI double for Albuquerque. Albuquerque clinched the title in Game 6, erasing a 4-0 deficit in winning 6-4. Joe Oliver hit a three-run pinch-hit homer for Albuquerque, while Valle smacked a tiebreaking 2-run homer in the eighth inning. Rookie Luis DeLeon earned the win in relief, and Charlie Kerfeld hurled two perfect innings for the save. Bottomley and right fielder Harry Heilmann each homered and drove in two runs apiece.

Valle earned MVP honors, hitting .333 with 2 homers, 2 doubles, 7 runs scored and 4 RBI's. Adcock smacked 3 homers and knocked in 6 runs. Enrique Hernandez hit .273 with a homer and 7 RBI's. Kerfeld hurled 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, fanning 6. Heilmann led London, hitting .350 with two homers and 4 RBI's, and Mays and Atkins also homered twice. Gene Conley led the London staff, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA for the series, bringing his postseason record to 5-1 with an overall 1.03 ERA.
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Old 12-16-2019, 03:35 AM   #32
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2046 Hall of Fame Voting

Despite the most crowded Hall of Fame ballot in over a decade, three first-time nominees secured the necessary 75% to achieve induction in the Hall of Fame. First baseman Frank Thomas, the third-leading home run hitter in HRDL history, was an overwhelming selection with 98.9% of the vote. Four-time strikeout champ Randy Johnson was easily tabbed, drawing 94.9% of the vote. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who saw his career end prematurely due to a ravaged rotator cuff, squeaked over the threshold by a single vote, earning 75.2% of the vote.

Thomas was selected second overall by the Ottawa Parliamentarians after the 2022 season. He enjoyed a dominant rookie season, running away with the Rookie of the Year Award in 2023, hitting .326 and slugging .624 with 47 homers, 100 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. The following year, he led the Frontier League with 37 homers and a .431 on-base percentage, hitting .329 and slugging .582, as he finished fourth in the MVP voting. In 2025, Thomas posted league-leading slash lines of .348/ .467/ .553, smacking 30 round-trippers, knocking in 90 runs, and drawing a league-high 127 walks, finishing fifth in the MVP voting. After three more incredible consistent years, he took a step forward in 2029, hitting .353 with a .440 on-base percentage, drilling 36 round-trippers and plating 110 runs. The following year, he hit .332, drilling 35 jacks and knocking in 123 runs. In both 2031 and 2032, Thomas hit .308 and smacked 47 homers, leading the league in the latter season. After hitting "just" 39 homers the next season, Thomas rebounded to hit .323 with 45 homers in 2034. The next year, he earned another fourth place MVP finish after hitting .341 and slugging .671 with 52 homers and a league-best 155 RBI's. In 2036, Thomas was tabbed MVP after hitting .359 with an incredible .480 on-base percentage, including 211 hits, 52 homers, 152 RBI's, and a league-high 138 walks. He earned another fifth-place MVP finish in 2037, hitting .322 with 47 round-trippers and 141 RBI's. Thomas hit 44 homers the next year at age 38 - his sixteenth straight season with at least 30 homers. Thomas was enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career in 2039, drilling 24 homers in 75 games, before a torn calf muscle prematurely ended his season. After the 2040 season, Thomas signed with Los Angeles as a free agent, but he was unexpectedly traded to San Antonio after hitting 20 homers in half a season -- including his 700th homer. He retired after spending two ineffective partial seasons with Portland and Philadelphia. A ten-time All-Star and ten-time Silver Slugger, Thomas retired with a slash line of .317/ .428/ .576, including 3397 hits (15th all-time), 739 homers (third all-time), 2022 RBIs (8th all-time), 2088 walks (3rd all-time), and 118.2 WAR (11th all-time). Despite playing in only one playoff series before age 33, Thomas hit .312 in five postseasons with a career .608 slugging percentage, including 16 homers, 40 RBI's, and 41 walks in 54 games -- including 7 homers and 16 RBI's in Ottawa's surprise run to the World Series in 2036.

Johnson was selected second overall by the Baltimore Robins after the 2026 season. As a rookie, Johnson went 8-10 with a 3.62 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts. He followed that up with a hard-luck 11-19 campaign the following year despite a 3.00 ERA and 230 strikeouts. Johnson led the league with 281 strikeouts in 2030, posting a 16-11 mark despite a mediocre 4.10 ERA. But he rebounded the following year to go 17-4 with a league-best 1.83 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 2031, fanning 239 in 207 innings, as he finished second in the Cy Young voting. Johnson sported an 18-9 mark with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a league-best 315 strikeouts the following season, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. After winning 18 games again in 2033, Johnson led the league with 269 strikeouts the following season, going 13-9 with a 3.52 ERA. A torn meniscus prematurely ended his 2034 season after 14 starts, but Johnson rebounded strongly the next season, going 14-4 with a 3.21 ERA and 249 strikeouts, finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting. In 2037, Johnson posted a 17-2 mark with a 2.98 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and 245 whiffs, and he went 17-8 with an identical 2.98 ERA the next season, finishing with identical fourth place Cy Young finishes each season. After hamstring and back injuries shortened Johnson's 2039, he left Baltimore for El Paso in free agency and rebounded with a Cy Young-winning campaign in 2040, going 20-7 with a 2.60 ERA, and he led the league with a 0.92 WHIP and 312 strikeouts. Johnson went 31-16 over the next two seasons for El Paso, and in 2043, he went 6-5 in 19 starts for the Armadillos, retiring after they won the World Series. A four-time All-Star, Johnson posted a career mark of 227-145 with a 3.30 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, 3875 strikeouts (6th all-time), and 82.3 WAR. Johnson was a strong postseason pitcher, going 13-8 with a 2.87 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 213 strikeouts in 191 October innings, including a 3-0 performance with a 1.50 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 42 innings in 2040 following his Cy Young campaign.

Kershaw was the first overall pick by the Memphis River Pirates following the 2030 season. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2031, Kershaw went just 6-17 with a 4.48 ERA, but a solid 1.29 WHIP and 237 strikeouts. Kershaw blossomed into stardom the following year, going 17-11 for a mediocre Memphis squad, with a 2.76 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and a league-best 281 strikeouts, as he finished third in the Cy Young voting. Kershaw missed nearly all of the first half of 2033 with rotator cuff inflammation, but he returned to go 11-5 with a 2.80 ERA. He earned another third place Cy Young finish in 2034, going 17-6 with a 2.34 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 294 strikeouts. Kershaw narrowly won the 2035 Cy Young Award, going 16-5 with a 2.57 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and an incredible 316-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He repeated as Cy Young winner in 2036, going 18-8 with a 2.35 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and fanned 326 hitters. A brilliant 2037, where Kershaw posted an incredible 91-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in nine starts, was interrupted by another shoulder injury which sidelined him for most of the season. He returned better than ever, wining a unanimous Cy Young Award in 2038 and finishing third in the MVP voting after going 23-8 with a 1.94 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 342 strikeouts. Kershaw led the league again in both ERA (1.94) and WHIP (0.88) in 2039, but was limited to 20 starts due to a hamstring injury; he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting despite missing over a third of the season. He suffered through two more injury shortened seasons in 2040-41, going 11-23 in 44 starts. Kershaw unexpectedly signed with the Omaha Falcons in free agency after the 2041 season, and he went 14-11 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in his first season in green and gold. But Kershaw ruptured his rotator cuff in early June 2043 and retired immediately. A three-time Cy Young winner and seven-time All-Star, Kershaw posted a career record of 157-104 with a 2.86 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 2820 strikeouts in just 2342 innings - a rate of 10.8 per 9 innings which ranked fifth all-time among starting pitchers. Remarkably, Kershaw never made the postseason in his career- although ironically, the Falcons made a brief postseason appearance after his career-ending injury.

Leading vote recipients include:

Frank Thomas, 1B, OTT/ LA/ SA/ PHI: 98.9%
Randy Johnson, LHP, BAL/ ELP: 94.9%
Clayton Kershaw, MEM/ OMA: 75.2%
Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 69.5%
Lee Mazzilli, CF, SEA/ POR: 66.4%
Jerry Mumphrey, RF, ANA/ NAS/ PHI/ MEM: 54.4%
Yoan Moncada, SS, ALB/ DEN/ PHI/ MIN/ DAL/ BIR/ SA: 52.4%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 51.6%
Larry Parrish, 3B, ANA/ CHA: 50.1%
Mike Naymick, RP, VAN/ LON/ BUF/ NY: 49.0%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 49.0%
Ralph Garr, RF, MIL/ WAS/ HOU/ OKC: 47.9%

Leading candidates who failed to qualify for next year's ballot due to the failure to top 10% of the vote include six-time All-Star Doc Miller, who hit .339 and slugged .558 over his brief career, third baseman Buddy Lewis, who topped 3000 hits, six-time All-Star shortstop and career .303 hitter Red Rolfe, and four-time All-Star center fielder Dave Henderson, who blasted 422 career homers. Also, third baseman Larry Parrish, who slugged 496 homers and drove in 1959 runs and four-time Reliever of the Year Aroldis Chapman were each removed from the ballot after ten years.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 12-18-2019, 01:33 AM   #33
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2046 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Bob Meusel, 3B, OTT (20): .338/ .386/ .675, 211 hits, 51 doubles, 3 triples, 51 HR, 143 RBI, 132 runs, 49 BB, 18 SB, 180 OPS+, 9.7 WAR
Second place- Cesar Cedeno, CF, BAL (15): .329/ .375/ .588, 215 hits, 52 doubles, 3 triples, 37 HR, 123 RBI, 129 runs, 46 BB, 59 SB, +13.5 Zone Rating, 14 assists, 160 OPS+, 11.5 WAR
Third place- Tony Conigliaro, LF, VAN (7): .335/ .404/ .618, 205 hits, 35 doubles, 6 triples, 42 HR, 124 RBI, 117 runs, 56 BB, +11.7 Zone Rating, 175 OPS+, 10.0 WAR
Fourth place- Willie Mays, CF, LON (3): .341/ .403/ .562, 227 hits, 30 doubles, 3 triples, 37 HR, 100 RBI, 150 runs, 70 BB, 37 SB, +18.5 Zone Rating, 157 OPS+, 11.4 WAR
Fifth place- Harry Heilmann, RF, LON: .365/ .443/ .625, 218 hits, 29 doubles, 6 triples, 38 HR, 113 RBI, 122 runs, 84 BB, 6 SB, 185 OPS+, 9.0 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Nolan Ryan, DET (43): 21-4, 1.72 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 230 IP, 393 K, 97 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 243 ERA+, 10.4 WAR
Second place- Walter Johnson, STL (5): 21-6, 1.90 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 241 IP, 323 K, 30 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 215 ERA+, 11.7 WAR
Third place- Mark Prior, BUF: 21-5, 2.18 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 219 IP, 298 K, 42 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 184 ERA+, 9.2 WAR
Fourth place- Howie Pollet, MIL: 19-6, 1.93 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 243 IP, 254 K, 36 BB, 4 CG, 2 shutouts, 214 ERA+, 8.8 WAR
Fifth place- Jim Maloney, BAL: 18-6, 2.22 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 247 IP, 341 K, 77 BB, 5 CG, 2 shutouts, 184 ERA+, 10.0 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Evan Longoria, CIN (43): .310/ .394/ .545, 173 hits, 33 doubles, 1 triple, 32 HR, 116 RBI, 103 runs, 75 BB, 7 SB, +7.9 Zone Rating, 154 OPS+, 8.4 WAR
Second place- Jorge Orta, RF, DET: .368/ .435/ .560, 165 hits, 30 doubles, 7 triples, 14 HR, 79 RBI, 82 runs, 52 BB, 14 SB, 165 OPS+, 6.3 WAR
Third place- Shanty Hogan, C, DET: .336/ .399/ .596, 114 hits, 30 doubles, 2 triples, 18 HR, 83 RBI, 61 runs, 31 BB, 162 OPS+, 5.5 WAR

Continental League MVP- Lenny Dykstra, CF, OKC (42): .358/ .443/ .554, 214 hits, 49 doubles, 4 triples, 20 HR, 110 RBI, 117 runs, 85 BB, 55 SB, +18.6 Zone Rating, 165 OPS+, 11.9 WAR
Second place- Reggie Jackson, RF, VB (2): .312/ .389/ .599, 188 hits, 41 doubles, 3 triples, 42 HR, 140 RBI, 70 BB, 18 SB, 163 OPS+, 8.2 WAR
Third place- Mike Schmidt, 3B, VB: .282/ .384/ .557, 165 hits, 26 doubles, 3 triples, 43 HR, 118 RBI, 107 runs, 87 BB, 16 SB, 151 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Fourth place- Greg Maddux, RHP, SA (4): 21-4, 1.61 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 252 IP, 268 K, 21 BB, 7 CG, 3 shutouts, 267 ERA+, 11.0 WAR
Fifth place- Jim Thome, 1B, JAX: .290/ .404/ .544, 174 hits, 24 doubles, 1 triple, 42 HR, 130 RBI, 123 runs, 113 BB, +7.8 Zone Rating, 151 OPS+, 7.6 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Greg Maddux, SA (47): 21-4, 1.61 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 252 IP, 268 K, 21 BB, 7 CG, 3 shutouts, 267 ERA+, 11.0 WAR
Second place- Bob Rush, VB (1): 16-9, 2.45 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 243 IP, 258 K, 34 BB, 5 CG, 3 shutouts, 186 ERA+, 10.4 WAR
Third place- Chan Ho Park, ABQ: 20-9, 2.54 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 220 IP, 271 K, 58 BB, 181 ERA+, 6.3 WAR
Fourth place- Tom Glavine, OKC: 19-9, 2.68 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 232 IP, 218 K, 65 BB, 4 CG, 2 shutouts, 172 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Fifth place- Dock Ellis, OKC: 19-8, 2.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 236 IP, 218 K, 49 BB, 170 ERA+, 7.8 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Ed Karger, LHP, SA (35): 13-6, 2.07 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 169 IP, 153 K, 38 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 207 ERA+, 6.0 WAR
Second place- Sam Jethroe, CF, LA (12): .232/ .313/ .459, 98 hits, 20 doubles, 5 triples, 22 HR, 52 RBI, 74 runs, 37 BB, 29 SB, 114 OPS+, 2.8 WAR
Third place- Corey Koskie, 3B, SD (1): .250/ .334/ .400, 133 hits, 27 doubles, 4 triples, 15 HR, 57 RBI, 54 runs, 65 BB, 5 SB, 104 OPS+, 3.3 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Pat Malone, RHP, Kansas City Mad Hatters
2. Jackie Robinson, 1B/ 2B/ 3B, Toronto Predators
3. Ed Konetchy, 1B, Montreal Knights
4. Fred Lynn, CF, Anaheim Antelopes
5. Gene Tenace, C, Austin Mustangs
6. Cecil Cooper, 1B, San Diego Zookeepers
7. JD Martinez. RF, New York Emperors
8. Andy Pettitte, LHP, Atlanta Ducks
9. Corey Dickerson, LF, Hartford Huskies
10. Jake Stahl, LF/ 1B, Seattle Whales
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Old 12-27-2019, 04:29 AM   #34
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2047 Mid-Year Report

Here are the major stories around the league at the 2047 All-Star Break:

Exceeding expectations: The Cleveland Rocks had not topped .500 in eight seasons, and were just two years removed from a 49-win season, but they entered the All-Star break with a 45-30 record, tied with Detroit for the Great Lakes Division lead, and threatened to make their first playoff appearance in 13 years. Cleveland entered the break ranked 5th in the league in runs scored and 4th in homers, led by second baseman Gene Freese, who hit .301 and slugged .598, smacking 17 homers and knocking in 46 runs. Third baseman Alex Bregman hit .291 and slugged .504, with 13 homers and 51 RBI's. Catcher Ernie Lombardi hit .281 and slugged .491, blasting 13 round-trippers and knocking in 37 runs. On the mound, ace Jose DeLeon took a 7-3 mark into the break, with a 3.04 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts. Righthander Ben McDonald went 6-0 with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. The Portland Skunks, coming off a 72-win season, had not topped .500 since their last playoff appearance in 2040, but they entered the break with a narrow lead in the Northwest Division, with a 47-27 record. Portland led the Frontier League in homers, led by first baseman Mark McGwire, who took a .312/ .409/ .599 slash line into the break, including 24 homers and 52 RBI's. Catcher Ramon Hernandez took a .310 average and .471 slugging percentage into the break, including 8 homers and 35 RBI's. Southpaw Casey Fossum starred, going 8-5 with a 2.07 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. Rookie closer Terry Forster notched 18 saves while yielding just 1 run and an incredible 8 hits in 27 innings, posting a 0.33 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the San Antonio Marksmen looked to snap a 15-year postseason drought. Just two years removed from a 50-112 nightmare season, the Marksmen posted a 43-31 first-half mark. First baseman Justin Morneau starred, hitting .311 with 14 longballs and 50 RBI's. Left fielder Dusty Baker had a breakout season, hitting .310 and slugging .510, with 23 doubles, 8 homers, and 30 RBI's before being sidelined with a broken rib. Four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux paced the league's third-ranked pitching staff, going 10-1 with a 2.26 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, allowing just 5 homers in 111 innings. Swingman George Suggs went 6-1, posting a 1.64 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. Although the Birmingham Steelers were a surprise playoff team last year with 94 wins, they took the next step, going 50-25, including a 17-4 start. Third baseman Chone Figgins hit .332 with 18 doubles, 32 steals, and scored 56 runs in 70 games. First baseman Joe Pepitone hit .305 and slugged .506, ripping 22 doubles and 12 homers while knocking in 66 runs. DH Paul Sorrento slugged 16 homers and knocked in 55 runs. Veteran southpaw Mark Langston posted a 7-4 mark with a 2.96 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts. John Smiley notched an 8-3 mark with a 3.19 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP.

Disappointments: The Vancouver Viceroys, an unexpected 90-win division champion last season, stumbled to a 34-41 start, entering the break in fourth place, 13 1/2 games out of first. Right fielder Claudell Washington, who hit .336 and slugged .572 last season, stumbled to hit .239 while getting on base at a .272 clip, with just 10 homers and 27 RBI's in 74 games. Third baseman Brooks Robinson, a .315 hitter last year, entered the break hitting just .265 with a modest 7 homers and 31 RBI's. On the mound, veteran righthander Dick Weik posted an abysmal 2-9 mark with a 8.02 ERA and a 2.22 WHIP. Closer Garland Braxton struggled in his return from a season-ending injury last year, posting a 5.02 ERA and blowing 5 saves in 29 innings. The San Francisco Longshoremen collapsed from an 82-win season to a dreadful 22-53 mark, ranking next-to-last in the league in both runs scored and runs allowed. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, who hit .323 and slugged .566 last year, declined to hit just .254 with a .475 slugging percentage. Catcher Tommy Heath hit just .180 and slugged .273, smacking a lone homer in 194 at bats, and center fielder Charlie Gilbert hit just .194 with a .222 on-base percentage. On the mound, the team's ERA rose by two full runs from last season. Johnny Cooney, who went 45-28 over the past three years with a sub-3.00 ERA each season, had a disastrous half, going 0-5 with a 6.22 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. George Mullin missed nearly the entire first half with an injury, starting only three games, and his replacement, reliever Jim Owens, went 1-4 with a 4.85 ERA.

In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals tumbled from a 108-win season in 2046 to a 36-38 mark at the All-Star break. MVP runner-up Reggie Jackson struggled, hitting just .234 and slugging .410, with just 14 homers and 37 RBI's. 39-year-old second baseman Jerry Priddy appeared to hit the end of the line, hitting just .216 with 3 homers and 27 RBI's. The Admirals' pitching staff suffered from both injuries and ineffectiveness: Bob Rush, the runner-up for the Cy Young Award last season, injured his labrum two starts into the season and missed the rest of the first half, while teammate George Cunningham missed a month. Joe Magrane, an 18-game winner last season, saw his ERA double to 7.17 as he went 1-8. Although the Dallas Wildcatters won 91 games last season, they collapsed to a 28-46 start, as their punchless offense ranked 22nd in the league in runs scored. Right fielder Walt Moryn, who hit .325 and slugged .536 after a midseason trade with Toronto last year, hit just .226 and slugged .414, with 12 homers and 40 RBI's. Left fielder Brett Gardner, who hit .300 with a .383 on-base percentage last year, struggled to set the table, hitting .244 with a .295 on-base percentage. DH Hub Northern, a .299 hitter last year, collapsed to post a .192/ .269/ .273 slash line at midseason. On the mound, righthander Wally Bunker went just 2-9 with a 4.94 ERA. Hal Carlson sported a 3-6 mark and a bloated 5.42 ERA, allowing 17 homers in just 85 innings.

Monsters of the Midway: The Chicago Mules, traditionally a pitching-oriented franchise, beefed up their offense, adding two-time MVP Willie Mays and five-time All-Star Jimmy Wynn in free agency to an 86-win squad. Already sporting 2042-43 MVP Jimmie Foxx, Chicago posted the most dangerous lineup in the league. But the whole proved to be less than the sum of its parts. Although the Mules led the Frontier League in runs scored in the first half, Wynn got off to a slow start, hitting just .259 with 8 homers and 34 RBI's -- a far cry from the last five years, where he hit at least 33 homers and knocked in at least 100 runs each season. Mays hit .340 with 13 homers in 61 games, but broke his hand, knocking him out of commission until early September. Chicago's pitching was below average, as veteran Earl Kunz went 1-6 with a 7.31 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP, and the Mules cycled through three fifth starters who combined for an 0-6 mark, each posting an ERA over 5.60.

Leaping Lefty Lizards: The Phoenix Lizards missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons despite winning 92 and 91 games, but they appeared primed to coast into the playoffs this season, going 49-25 and taking a 13-game winning streak into the break. While Phoenix's traditionally strong offense did not disappoint, led by All-Star catcher Ted Simmons, the true surprise was the Lizards' pitching staff, led by a troika of southpaws. Cliff Lee dominated, going 11-2 with a 1.91 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP, including a ridiculous 112:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Jerry Koosman posted a 10-2 mark, with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Jimmy Key sported a 9-1 mark with a 2.54 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.

Widespread Collapses: Perhaps more so than any season in league history, the HRDL featured several utterly hopeless teams who struggled to clear .300. In the Frontier League, the Toronto Predators took a league-worst 19-54 mark (.260) into the break, while the San Francisco Longshoremen posted a .293 mark. The Montreal Knights weren't much better, going 23-50, for a .315 winning percentage. In the Continental League, the Atlanta Ducks and New York Emperors sported matching 22-53 marks (.293).

Major Injuries: No injury shook the HRDL more than the loss of Baltimore center fielder Cesar Cedeno, last year's MVP runner-up, in spring training to a season-ending PCL tear. Chicago center fielder Willie Mays broke his hand in late June, knocking him out until early September. Atlanta second sacker Brian Roberts missed a month with knee tendinitis. Austin lefthander Odalis Perez, an 18-game winner last season with Jacksonville, tore his UCL in spring training and would miss the season. Buffalo third baseman Eric Chavez tore his rotator cuff on opening day, and would likely miss the season. Denver righthander Matt Cain missed the first half with a ruptured UCL; he was expected to return in early August. Memphis shortstop Jonathan Villar saw his season shortened for the second straight year, breaking his hip shortly before the all-star break. Oklahoma City third baseman Hanley Ramirez ruptured his Achilles tendon in early June, ending his season prematurely. San Antonio southpaw Ed Karger, last year's Rookie of the Year, tore an elbow tendon in late May. San Diego right fielder Charlie Blackmon, a free agent signee, lasted four games before suffering a season-ending torn rotator cuff. Virginia Beach ace Bob Rush injured his labrum in his second start of the season, knocking him out of commission until July.

Major milestones: Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado smacked his 3500th career hit. Hartford first baseman Ernie Banks solidified his Hall of Fame credentials, smacking both his 3000th hit and 600th homer. Vancouver first baseman Justin Bour drilled his 500th career homer. Jacksonville righthander Paul Derringer notched his 200th career win. Looking ahead to the second half, Milwaukee right fielder Larry Walker and El Paso DH Tris Speaker were likely to join the 3000 hit club in July, and Jacksonville DH Robin Yount had a chance of meeting that milestone by year's end. Montreal first baseman Rafael Palmeiro expected to hit his 650th homer by July, and Anaheim DH Joe DiMaggio was projected to hit his 600th round-tripper by August. Baltimore right fielder Dale Murphy was expected to smack his 500th homer by August. DiMaggio and Hartford's Ernie Banks were weeks away from knocking in their 2,000th run apiece.
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Old 12-30-2019, 04:30 AM   #35
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2047 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas won 95 games for the second straight season, taking the Northeast Division title by a single game. The Golden Gorillas finished second in the Frontier League in batting average (.274) and first in on-base percentage (.346), led by first baseman John Olerud, who hit .336 with 47 doubles, 32 homers, 123 RBIs, and 105 walks. Right fielder Richie Zisk hit .301 and pounded 26 homers while knocking in 114 runs. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .288 with 15 homers, 78 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 29 steals. Moe Drabowsky led a balanced pitching staff, going 15-8 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 247 strikeouts. Southpaw Danny Duffy posted a 14-9 mark with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Pittsburgh narrowly held off the 94-win Boston Minutemen, who were led by slugging first baseman Ryan Klesko, who hit .342 with 101 extra-base hits, including 47 homers, 146 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. Right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .304 and ripped 26 homers with 101 RBI's, but missed the last six weeks of the season after tearing his meniscus. Veteran third baseman Luis Salazar showed some unexpected pop, hitting .285 with 26 round-trippers and 95 RBI's. Righthander Red Ruffing went 14-9 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Chad Kuhl notched a 15-7 record with a 3.39 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and fanned 199 hitters. Journeyman Paul Gregory posted a career-best 17-4 mark with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Buffalo Fighting Elk won 90 games, but missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons. Buffalo's offense unexpectedly ranked third-from-last in the league in runs scored. First baseman Ted Kluszewski was the lone bright spot, hitting .302 and slugging .553 with 41 homers and 99 RBI's. Mark Prior led the league's best pitching staff, going 14-8 with a 2.04 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts. Stephen Strasburg went just 12-10 despite a 2.27 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 260 strikeouts.

The Cleveland Rocks were perhaps the most unexpected division champion in HRDL history, taking the Great Lakes Division with 101 wins, after winning 49 games and 75 games in the prior two seasons. Third baseman Alex Bregman led a balanced Rocks squad, hitting .295 with 40 doubles, 25 homers, 105 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 23 steals. Second-year centerfielder Duke Snider had a breakout season, hitting .268 and slugging .514 while smacking 33 longballs, knocking in 92 runs while scoring 113, and swiping 32 bags. Catcher Ernie Lombardi hit .296 with 21 round-trippers and 75 RBI's. Righthander Jimmy Dygert starred, going 15-11 with a 2.98 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and whiffed 288 hitters. Jose DeLeon posted a 13-9 mark with a 3.13 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and struck out 201 batters. Swingman Ben McDonald went 13-0 -- believed to be an HRDL record for the most wins without a loss- and a 2.00 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang made their eighth straight appearance, winning 96 games. Perennial MVP candidate Nolan Arenado showed no signs of slowing down at age 40, posting a .319/ .409/ .616 slash line with 45 doubles, 41 homers, 131 RBI's, and 124 runs scored. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .288 with 46 round-trippers, 144 RBI's, and 99 runs scored. Right fielder Jorge Orta hit .326 with 51 doubles, 10 triples, 16 homers, 95 RBIs, and 132 runs scored while stealing 27 bases. Catcher Shanty Hogan hit .333 with 13 round-trippers and 73 RBI's. Ace Nolan Ryan posted a 19-5 record with a 2.13 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 326 strikeouts. Steady Lew Burdette went 16-8 with a 3.36 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

The Milwaukee Raccoons repeated as Great Plains Divisions champions, winning 100 games. Left fielder Birdie Cree starred, hitting .317 and slugging .568, ripping 33 homers, knocking in 97 runs, scoring 122 runs, and swiping 47 bases. Right fielder Larry Walker hit .328 with 22 homers and drove in 103 runs. Catcher Mike Zunino slugged 36 homers and knocked in 105 runs. First baseman Wilson Betemit hit .318 and slugged .557, drilling 26 jacks and plating 98 runs in just 127 games. Bill Singer led a deep pitching staff, going 21-6 with a 2.88 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 237 strikeouts. Southpaw Howie Pollet went 18-9 with a 2.43 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and fanned 224 hitters. Jack Kramer notched an 18-6 mark with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, fanning 251 hitters. Milwaukee narrowly held off the 98-win St. Louis Pilots, who led baseball with 250 steals. Second sacker Charlie Gehringer had a terrific all-around season, hitting .321 with 45 doubles, 16 homers, 100 RBI's, 101 runs scored, and 33 steals. Right fielder Lou Brock hit .306 with 45 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, and scored 104 runs while leading baseball with 75 steals. Left fielder Andre Ethier hit .288 with 21 round-trippers and 110 RBI's. But the real story in St. Louis was ace Walter Johnson, who went 25-3 with a 1.37 ERA, a 0.70 WHIP, and 336 strikeouts. Johnson allowed just 10 homers in 250 innings - while smacking seven of his own in 88 at bats. Johnson got off to a 21-1 start and carried a sub-1.00 ERA into August. George Kahler was a solid second banana, going 14-8 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

The Portland Skunks, who won just 72 games last year, jumped to a league-best 106 wins and ran away with the Northwest Division. First baseman Mark McGwire hit .306 and slugged .572, booming 42 round-trippers and knocking in 105 runs. Right fielder Hunter Pence hit .298 with 42 doubles, 29 homers, 118 RBI's, and 99 runs scored. Catcher Ramon Hernandez hit .294 with 21 homers and 83 RBI's. Unexpectedly, Portland allowed the second-fewest runs in the Frontier League. Southpaw Casey Fossum went 15-8 with a 2.43 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 217 strikeouts. Rookie closer Terry Forster anchored the league's top bullpen, saving 36 games with a 1.19 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. Adam Wainwright posted an 11-1 mark with 9 saves, a 1.50 ERA, and a 0.97 WHIP. The Calgary Cattle Rustlers rebounded from a 70-win season in 2046 to win 95 games and earn a wild-card spot. Left fielder Josh Willingham slugged .544 while bashing 37 longballs and knocking in 118 runs. First baseman Carlos Lee drilled 32 homers with 115 RBI's and 101 runs scored. Third baseman Pinky Whitney hit .314 with 14 homers and 64 RBI's. Burt Hooton, who led the Frontier League with 18 losses last season, sported a sparkling 17-3 record with a 2.19 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP while fanning 220 batters, allowing just 11 homers in 222 innings. Chris Sale didn't miss a beat after missing last season with elbow surgery, going 14-5 with a 2.29 ERA, a microscopic 0.78 WHIP, and 278 strikeouts with just 26 walks allowed.

Continental League: The Jacksonville Gulls repeated as Atlantic Division champions, winning 107 games. First baseman Jim Thome smacked 33 homers and drove in 120 runs. Catcher AJ Pierzynski hit .328 and slugged .508, pounding 18 homers and knocking in 84 runs. Second sacker Chris Owings hit .300 with 42 doubles, 12 triples, 9 homers, and 87 RBI's in just 131 games before being sidelined with a strained hip. Crafty veteran Paul Derringer sported an 18-5 mark with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Jason Bere posted a 17-7 mark with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Rookie reliever Don Kaiser saved 33 games while sporting a 1.81 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators used the league's most potent offense to win 93 games and make the playoffs for the third straight season and the ninth in ten years. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero, an offseason free agent signing, hit a career-high .341 and slugged .591, drilling 37 homers, knocking in 98 runs, and scoring 122 runs. First baseman Ike Davis belted 31 homers and knocked in 121 runs. Second baseman Carlos Guillen hit .298 with 38 doubles, 22 homers, 100 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and 21 steals. Center fielder Garry Maddox, acquired in a trade-deadline deal with Houston, hit .365 and slugged .601, with 32 extra-base hits including 10 homers, 10 steals, 43 runs, and 45 runs scored in 52 games, including a 29-game hitting streak. Righthander Len Barker was the lone bright spot for an otherwise middling pitching staff, going 15-8 with a 2.68 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and a franchise-record 300 strikeouts. Jarrod Parker went 15-11 despite a mediocre 4.23 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.

The Birmingham Steelers won their first Southeast Division title since the HRDL's inaugural season in 2011, winning 102 games. DH Paul Sorrento hit .277 and slugged .547, mashing 46 homers and knocking in 134 runs. First baseman Joe Pepitone hit .304 with 30 round-trippers and 124 RBI's. Third baseman Chone Figgins set the table, hitting .308 with a .387 on-base percentage, as he scored 117 runs due in part to his league-high 64 steals. Southpaw Mark Langston led a deep pitching staff, going 12-6 with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. James Shields notched an 18-5 record with a 3.54 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts. John Smiley and Jack McDowell won 15 games apiece, with Smiley sporting a 3.21 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. The New Orleans Crawfish survived a slow start to win 97 games, making the playoffs for the 13th straight season, even though they failed to win the division for the first time in nine seasons. Third baseman Scott Rolen starred, hitting .363 and slugging .602, with 54 doubles, 26 homers, 104 RBI's, 111 runs scored, and ending the season with a 32-game hitting streak. Right fielder Domingo Santana hit .332 with 34 homers, 113 RBI's, and 123 runs scored. DH Beals Becker smacked 29 homers and knocked in 91 runs. The Crawfish's lefty-dominated staff allowed the third-fewest runs in the Continental League, led by Herb Pennock, who went 15-8 with a 2.51 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 197 strikeouts. Frank Tanana had a career renaissance, going 17-6 with a 2.72 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 244 strikeouts. Chris Hammond sported a 12-6 mark with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Closer Hal Kleine went 8-4 with 29 saves, a 2.24 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts in 100 innings.

The El Paso Armadillos dominated the Texas Division, winning 113 games. DH Tris Speaker celebrated his membership in the 3000 hit club, hitting .313 and slugging .521, with 56 doubles, 20 homers, 104 RBI's, and 102 runs scored. Center fielder Mike Trout provided elite defense along with 28 homers, 80 RBI's, 110 runs scored, and 29 steals. 39-year-old free agent signee Garrett Atkins hit .324 and slugged .575 with 23 homers and 84 RBI's in 92 games before suffering a season-ending back injury. The Armadillos featured the best pitching staff in baseball, led by Javier Vazquez, who went 14-4 with a 2.23 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP, but he tore his UCL in early September. Knuckleballer Charlie Hough posted a 19-6 mark with a 2.45 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 223 strikeouts. Veteran Hal Brown bounced back from an elbow injury which wiped out his 2046 season by going 17-6 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Matt Thornton anchored the league's deepest bullpen, saving 37 games with a 2.59 ERA. The Oklahoma City Otters overcame a rash of injuries to win 96 games and make the playoffs for the third straight season. First baseman George Sisler won his fourth batting title in five years, hitting .381 and slugging .548, rapping 14 homers, stealing 46 bases, and scoring 126 runs in just 133 games. DH Lee Maye hit .336 and slugged .539, smacking 17 homers and knocking in 96 runs in 121 games. Third baseman Jim Fregosi hit .340 with 9 homers and 89 RBI's in 98 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Defending MVP Lenny Dykstra hit .300 with a .382 on-base percentage, with 11 homers, 80 RBI's, 98 runs scored, and 46 steals. The Otters featured five 15-game winners, led by Dock Ellis, who went 16-9 with a 2.63 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts and Tom Glavine who went 18-9 with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.

The defending champion Albuquerque Conquistadors used a red-hot second half to come from behind to seize the Southwest Division with 102 wins, as Albuquerque went 58-25 after July 1, winning 11 of their last 14 games. Ken Harrelson hit .273 with 42 homers and 132 RBI's. Third baseman Chipper Jones had a somewhat disappointing debut season, hitting. 272 with 20 homers and 60 RBI's before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in August. Right fielder Jason Heyward hit .303 with 17 homers, 70 RBI's, and 21 steals. The Conquistadors featured the stingiest pitching staff in baseball, allowing just 502 runs, as four starters (Jon Lester, Warren Spahn, Kevin Appier, and Glenn Liebhardt) each featured ERA's below 3.00, and the fifth starter, Chan Ho Park, finished third in the league in strikeouts. Liebhardt posted a 21-7 mark with a 2.78 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 233 strikeouts. Lester went 19-7 with a 2.37 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 213 whiffs. Spahn had a breakout season, going 17-9 with a 2.53 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP, and an incredible 244:28 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Appier posted a 15-2 mark with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts. Charlie Kerfeld led the league with 42 saves. The Phoenix Lizards rode a dominant first half into the postseason, winning 96 games despite finishing below .500 after August 1. Phoenix led baseball with a team average of .288, led by right fielder Billy Conigliaro, who hit .329 with 44 doubles, 19 homers, and 86 RBI's. Third baseman Pepper Martin had a breakout season, hitting .317 and slugging .498, with 44 doubles, 17 homers, 80 RBI's, 106 runs scored, and 33 steals. Catcher Ted Simmons hit .299 with 21 homers and 102 RBI's. Three more regulars (center fielder Curt Flood, left fielder Lee Magee, and second baseman Jim Viox) each topped .300. Southpaw Cliff Lee had a dominant season, going 20-4 and setting franchise records with his 2.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, while posting an incredible 228:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Jerry Koosman notched a 21-7 record with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 207 strikeouts. Fellow southpaw Jimmy Key went 16-8 with a 3.32 ERA.

Best season in team history: El Paso Armadillos (113 wins), Portland Skunks (106 wins), Birmingham Steelers (102 wins), Cleveland Rocks (101 wins)

Worst season in team history: Toronto Predators (46 wins), New York Emperors (49 wins), Atlanta Ducks (54 wins), San Francisco Longshoremen (55 wins), Los Angeles Kangaroos (56 wins), Montreal Knights (59 wins)
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Old 01-05-2020, 03:38 AM   #36
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2047 Playoff Report

Frontier League: The injury-riddled Boston Minutemen were no match for the 106-win Portland Skunks, as Portland prevailed in a four-game sweep. Portland shortstop Frankie Crosetti earned MVP honors, hitting .533 with a homer, 4 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Portland rightfielder Hunter Pence hit .375 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Relievers Adam Wainwright and Terry Forster combined for 3 saves in 7 shutout innings, fanning 13. First baseman Ryan Klesko led Boston, hitting .429 with a pair of longballs and 3 RBI's. In the most dramatic series of the Wild Card round, the St. Louis Pilots edged the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas in seven games, with the last six games being decided by either 1 or 2 runs. St, Louis scored in the eighth and ninth inning of Game 7 to force extra innings, and they won after third baseman Billy Grabarkewitz and first baseman Eric Hosmer hit back-to-back jacks in the tenth inning. Second sacker Charlie Gehringer earned MVP honors after hitting .320 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Hosmer hit .296 with a pair of homers and drove in 8 runs. Ace Walter Johnson split two decisions with a 1.84 ERA in 15 innings, fanning 12 without a walk. Reliever Scott Sanders went 2-0 with 2 saves in 6.1 shutout innings. Pittsburgh was led by right fielder Richie Zisk, who popped 3 homers and knocked in 8 runs, and by shortstop Alan Trammell, who hit .393 with 2 homers and drove in 4 runs while scoring 6 and swiping 3 bags. The Detroit Purple Gang swept the 100-win Milwaukee Raccoons in four games, with right fielder Jorge Orta earning MVP honors after hitting .500 with a homer, 2 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Detroit catcher Shanty Hogan hit .333 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while first baseman Mark Teixeira hit .286 with 2 homers and plated 6 runs. Detroit righthander Mel Harder earned a win, allowing just one run and 3 hits in 7.1 innings, fanning 11. Milwaukee second baseman Lourdes Gurriel hit .417 with a pair of doubles. The Cleveland Rocks, making their first playoff appearance in 13 years, ousted the Calgary Cattle Rustlers in 5 games. Cleveland third baseman Alex Bregman took home the hardware after hitting .375 with 3 homers, 7 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Shortstop Nick Ahmed hit .353 with 4 doubles and 3 runs scored. Righthander Jimmy Dygert went 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 15 innings, while Ben McDonald was one out shy of a complete game victory in Game 4, allowing just one run. Catcher Gene Green led Calgary, hitting .350 with a homer, 2 RBI's, and 3 runs scored.

Although the Portland Skunks shut out the St. Louis Pilots in Game 1, Portland's dream season came to a sudden end, as St. Louis swept the next four games. Right fielder Lou Brock led the Pilots, hitting .316 with a homer, 5 RBI's, 4 runs scored, and 3 steals. Charlie Gehringer hit .333 with a .455 on-base percentage and 2 doubles. Hurlers Walter Johnson and Tyler Chatwood each earned a win with 6 shutout innings, and Johnson whiffed 11 Skunks. Portland's Mark McGwire earned the MVP in a losing effort, hitting .375 with 4 homers and 7 RBI's. The Cleveland Rocks knocked off their division rival Detroit Purple Gang in 5 games, as first baseman JT Snow took MVP honors after hitting .381 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. Cleveland center fielder Duke Snider hit .333, blasting a homer, knocking in 6 runs, scoring 6 runs, and stealing 2 bases. Cleveland relievers Mike Scott and Roy Mitchell combined for 3 wins and a save in 10.1 shutout innings, yielding just 5 hits combined. Detroit right fielder Jorge Orta hit .409 with a solo homer in a losing effort, while catcher Shanty Hogan hit .333 with 2 longballs and 4 RBI's. The Cleveland Rocks' dream season continued, as they edged the St. Louis Pilots in 7 games, including a 1-0 victory in 11 innings in Game 6, and a 3-2 victory in Game 7, with Chris Dickerson ripping a walk-off pinch-hit single in the bottom of the 10th inning. Catcher Ernie Lombardi provided the defensive heroics, throwing out 4 basestealers in Game 7. Cleveland's Alex Bregman added another trophy to his mantle, taking MVP honors after hitting .333 with a home and 7 RBI's. JT Snow hit .385, popping a homer and knocing in 3 runs, while Duke Snider hit .290 with a pair of homers, 3 RBI's, 8 runs scored, and 4 steals. Hard-luck Jimmy Dygert had two no-decisions despite posting a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings, fanning 18. Eric Hosmer led St. Louis, hitting .321 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's, while shortstop Alex Cintron popped 3 homers and drove in 7 runs.

Continental League: Although the 113-win El Paso Armadillos suffered late-season injuries to ace Javier Vazquez and third baseman Garrett Atkins, the Armadillos were still favored over the Charlotte Aviators, who won just 93 games but underachieved throughout the season. But Charlotte dominated the favored Armadillos, winning the first three games on their way to a five-game victory, outscoring El Paso 44-18. Charlotte first baseman Ike Davis earned MVP honors, hitting .412 and blasting 5 homers and driving in 9 runs. Charlotte center fielder Garry Maddox hit .480 with 12 hits, including a homer, 2 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Second baseman Carlos Guillen hit .391 with 2 homers and 9 RBI's, including a game-winning 12th inning blast in Game 1. Charlotte ace Mel Parnell went 1-0, allowing just 8 hits and one earned run in 14.1 innings. The Armadillos were led by right fielder Benny Kauff, who hit .333 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. The defending champion Albuquerque Conquistadors swept the New Orleans Crawfish, as their league-best pitching staff held the Crawfish to just one run in three of the four games. Albuquerque left fielder Ken Harrelson was selected as MVP after hitting .385 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. Center fielder Enrique Hernandez hit .333 with 2 round-trippers and knocked in 4 runs. Starters Jon Lester, Kevin Appier, and Glenn Liebhardt each earned a victory, allowing one run in seven innings apiece. Relievers Chan Ho Park and Charlie Kerfeld combined for a win and four saves in 8 shutout innings, fanning 11. The Phoenix Lizards upended the 102-win Birmingham Steelers, alternating victories in a seven-game series. Phoenix left fielder Lee Magee earned MVP honors after hitting .429 with 6 runs scored, 5 RBI's, and 6 steals. Right fielder Billy Conigliaro ripped 2 homers and drove in 7 runs. Ace Cliff Lee went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA, whiffing 17 while walking just 1 batter in 14 innings. First baseman Joe Pepitone led Birmingham, hitting .500 with 15 hits, including a homer, and plated 5 runs. In a matchup of two of the three most potent offenses in baseball, the 96-win Oklahoma City Otters ousted the 107-win Jacksonville Gulls in 6 games. Otters right fielder Alan Bannister hit .550 with 11 hits and 3 RBI's. Left fielder Jonny Gomes hit .455 with a round-tripper and 3 RBI's, while Jimmy Rollins drilled two jacks, drove in 9 runs, scored 6, and swiped 4 bags. Bob Shawkey hurled 7.2 innings without allowing an earned run in earning a Game 4 victory. First baseman Jim Thome led Jacksonville with a .435 on-base percentage and a pair of homers.

After dropping the first two games in the Divisional Series to the Albuquerque Conquistadors, the Charlotte Aviators stormed back to win four straight. Center fielder Garry Maddox hit .464 with a homer, 2 triples, 2 RBI's, and 8 runs scored. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero and catcher Greg Goossen each hit .400 with 2 homers apiece, with Goossen knocking in 9 runs and Guerrero plating 6. Hurlers Bob Ojeda and Kent Mercker each yielded a 1.29 ERA in 7 innings apiece, with Ojeda allowing 4 hits and Mercker surrendering 3. Albuquerque DH Joe Adcock hit .400 and smacked 4 homers, while driving in 7 runs in a losing effort. The Phoenix Lizards outlasted the Oklahoma City Otters in six games in a matchup of 96-win squads. Phoenix third baseman Butch Hobson led the way, taking home MVP honors after hitting .280 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's Catcher Ted Simmons hit .350 and knocked in 2 runs. Hard-luck Jimmy Key had two no-decisions despite yielding a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings, while Cliff Lee split two decisions, allowing a 1.80 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings. Right fielder Alan Bannister led the Otters, hitting .417 with 3 runs scored, while George Sisler popped a homer with 5 RBI's and 3 steals. In the League Championship Series, the Charlotte Aviators erased a 2-1 deficit to the Phoenix Lizards, winning the final three games to advance to the World Series. Charlotte second sacker Carlos Guillen took home the hardware, hitting .346 with a homer, 3 doubles, 6 runs scored, and 7 RBI's. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit .360 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Righthander Len Barker went 1-0, allowing no earned runs in 13 innings, including 8 shutout innings allowing just 2 hits in the clinching Game 6. Center fielder Curt Flood led Phoenix, hitting .440 with 4 doubles, 6 runs scored, and 3 RBI's.

World Series: The upstart Cleveland Rocks, who came out of nowhere to win 101 games, squared off against the 93-win Charlotte Aviators. Despite the disparity in victories, Charlotte was a mild favorite, as the Aviators featured the leading offense in baseball and sported a markedly stronger run differential than the overachieving Rocks. The Aviators won their third World Series title in franchise history, taking the first three games on their way to a five-game romp.

Charlotte took Game 1 in a 13-9 slugfest, as Pedro Guerrero knocked in 4 runs, including a game-breaking homer in the 8th inning. Charlotte center fielder Garry Maddox smacked 4 hits and scored 4 runs, while Kevin McReynolds homered, doubled, and knocked in 3 runs. Cleveland first baseman JT Snow homered and knocked in 2 runs. Reliever Ed Kleiman earned the win for Charlotte, as Mel Parnell couldn't make it out of the fifth inning, while Cleveland starter Jose DeLeon surrendered 6 runs in 3.2 innings. Charlotte took Game 2 5-4 in 11 innings, with Eddie Yost, a mid-game injury replacement for Carlos Guillen, singling in the winning run. Shortstop Bucky F. Dent drilled 3 hits, including a 3-run eighth inning homer to erase a 3-0 deficit. Ed Kleiman earned another win - his fifth of the postseason, as Jarrod Parker yielded just one earned run in six innings for Charlotte, while Cleveland's Jimmy Dygert allowed just two hits in 5 shutout innings. Charlotte took a commanding lead in the series after a 3-2 Game 3 victory, as Len Barker outdueled Scott Baker, allowing just 4 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings. Bucky Dent went 2 for 3, including a double, while Carlos Guillen tripled and singled, scoring two runs. Cleveland third baseman Alex Bregman and DH Joe Gallagher each smacked a solo homer.

Cleveland staved off elimination in Game 4, romping to an 11-2 victory. Ben McDonald earned the win, yielding 4 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings. Second baseman Juniel Querecuto homered, doubled, and knocked in 4 runs, while Bregman and JT Snow had 2 hits and 2 RBI's apiece. Kevin McReynolds hit a solo smash, and Dent rapped 3 of Charlotte's 5 hits. Charlotte clinched the title with a 10-4 victory in Game 5, as Mel Parnell earned the win, while Jose DeLeon yielded 6 runs in 3.1 innings. Dent opened the scoring with a two-run second inning homer, as he smacked 3 hits and knocked in 5 runs. Ike Davis and Kevin McReynolds also homered for Charlotte, while catcher Greg Goossen drilled 3 hits. Gallagher homered for Cleveland, after the game was already out of reach.

Charlotte shortstop Bucky F. Dent was an easy choice for MVP, hitting an incredible .611 with 11 hits in 5 games, including 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Right fielder Kevin McReynolds hit .368 with 3 homers of his own and knocked in 6 runs. Jarrod Parker allowed a 1.50 ERA, allowing one run in 6 innings. Cleveland was led by DH Joe Gallagher, who hit .455 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's and Alex Bregman, who hit .364 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBI's.
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Old 01-07-2020, 05:08 AM   #37
Dukie98
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2047 Awards Winners

Frontier League MVP- Ryan Klesko, 1B, BOS (35): .342/ .412/ .678, 207 hits, 45 doubles, 9 triples, 47 HR, 146 RBI, 117 runs, 79 BB, 12 SB, 191 OPS+, 9.6 WAR
Second place- Walter Johnson, RHP, STL (13): 25-3, 1.37 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 250 IP, 336 K, 26 BB, 8 CG, 6 shutouts, 7 HR (as hitter), 303 ERA+, 12.9 WAR
Third place- Nolan Arenado, 3B, DET: .319/ .409/ .616, 185 hits, 45 doubles, 2 triples, 41 HR, 131 RBI, 124 runs, 92 BB, 8 SB, +9.4 Zone Rating, 169 OPS+, 10.3 WAR
Fourth place- Jimmie Foxx, 1B, CHI: .318/ .440/ .639, 184 hits, 30 doubles, 52 HR, 135 RBI, 148 runs, 130 BB, 190 OPS+, 9.8 WAR
Fifth place- John Olerud, 1B, PIT: .336/ .435/ .575, 203 hits, 47 doubles, 1 triple, 32 HR, 123 RBI, 108 runs, 105 BB, 1 SB, +9.3 Zone Rating, 175 OPS+, 9.0 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, STL (48): 25-3, 1.37 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 250 IP, 336 K, 26 BB, 8 CG, 6 shutouts, 303 ERA+, 12.9 WAR
Second place- Nolan Ryan, DET: 19-5, 2.13 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 220 IP, 326 K, 102 BB, 1 CG, 199 ERA+, 8.6 WAR
Third place- Burt Hooton, CAL: 17-3, 2.19 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 222 IP, 220 K, 41 BB, 2 CG, 190 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Fourth place- Mark Prior, BUF: 14-8, 2.04 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 225 IP, 234K, 40 BB, 3 CG, 3 shutouts, 199 ERA+, 8.0 WAR
Fifth place- Howie Pollet, MIL: 18-9, 2.43 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 229 IP, 224 K, 39 BB, 4 CG, 3 shutouts, 171 ERA+, 7.4 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Ed Konetchy, 1B, MON (32): .295/ .363/ .542, 173 hits, 31 doubles, 9 triples, 32 HR, 88 RBI, 113 runs, 54 BB, 32 SB, +8.8 Zone Rating, 143 OPS+, 6.9 WAR
Second place- Jackie Robinson, 2B/ 3B/ CF, TOR (9): .285/ .390/ .468, 158 hits, 43 doubles, 4 triples, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 80 runs, 74 BB, 16 SB, +10.4 Zone Rating, 131 OPS+, 7.0 WAR
Third place- Jacoby Ellsbury, LF, CLE (4): .313/ .373/ .470, 160 hits, 32 doubles, 6 triples, 12 HR, 59 RBI, 96 runs, 42 BB, 70 SB, +16.6 Zone Rating, 124 OPS+, 6.9 WAR

Continental League MVP- Scott Rolen, 3B, NOR (26): .363/ .418/ .602, 207 hits, 54 doubles, 2 triples, 26 HR, 104 RBI, 111 runs, 47 BB, 4 SB, +11.5 Zone Rating, 171 OPS+, 10.0 WAR
Second place - Mike Schmidt, 3B, VB (17): .297/ .391/ .638, 173 hits, 21 doubles, 2 triples, 58 HR, 145 RBI, 121 runs, 79 BB, 8 SB, 172 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Third place- Domingo Santana, RF, NOR: .332/ .449/ .586, 182 hits, 37 doubles, 34 HR, 113 RBI, 123 runs, 112 BB, 16 SB, 177 OPS+, 8.6 WAR
Fourth place- Pedro Guerrero, LF, CHA: .341/ .404/ .591, 196 hits, 33 doubles, 37 HR, 98 RBI, 122 runs, 53 BB, 7 SB, +8.3 Zone Rating, 161 OPS+, 8.7 WAR
Fifth place- Cliff Lee, LHP, PHO (5): 20-4, 2.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 243 IP, 228 K, 16 BB, 12 CG, 2 shutouts, 239 ERA+, 9.5 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Cliff Lee, PHO (46): 20-4, 2.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 243 IP, 228 K, 16 BB, 12 CG, 2 shutouts, 239 ERA+, 9.5 WAR
Second place- Glenn Liebhardt, ALB (2): 21-7, 2.78 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 233 IP, 233 K, 64 BB, 6 CG, 4 shutouts, 168 ERA+, 8.2 WAR
Third place- Warren Spahn, ALB: 17-9, 2.53 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 220 IP, 244 K, 28 BB, 2 CG, 2 shutouts, 184 ERA+, 8.3 WAR
Fourth place- Charlie Hough, ELP: 19-6, 2.45 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 246 IP, 223 K, 77 BB, 12 CG, 4 shutouts, 179 ERA+, 3.9 WAR
Fifth place- Len Barker, CHA: 15-8, 2.68 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 248 IP, 300 K, 66 BB, 5 CG, 2 shutouts, 175 ERA+, 7.4 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Corey Dickerson, LF, HAR (48): .328/ .374/ .552, 203 hits, 42 doubles, 12 triples, 24 HR, 125 RBI, 90 runs, 46 BB, 24 SB, +13.0 Zone Rating, 150 OPS+, 8.0 WAR
Second place- Dale Sveum, 2B, SA: .257/ .329/ .449, 130 hits, 26 doubles, 1 triple, 23 HR, 76 RBI, 62 runs, 53 BB, 6 SB, 122 OPS+, 3.8 WAR
Third place- Laynce Nix, RF/ CF/ LF, HOU: .260/ .302/ .456, 153 hits, 26 doubles, 4 triples, 27 HR, 91 RBI, 70 runs, 33 BB, 4 SB, 100 OPS+, 2.9 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Chuck Smith, RHP, Toronto Predators
2. Eddie Mathews, 3B, New York Emperors
3. Mike Mussina, RHP, Nashville Blues
4. Buck O'Brien, RHP, Atlanta Ducks
5. David Justice, RF San Francisco Longshoremen
6. Roy Sherid, RHP Los Angeles Kangaroos
7 Al Simmons, LF, Montreal Knights
8. Frankie Hayes, C, Anaheim Antelopes
9. Will Clark, 1B, Minneapolis Penguins
10. Jose Valentin, SS, Omaha Falcons

Last edited by Dukie98; 01-09-2020 at 05:40 AM.
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Old 01-13-2020, 01:38 AM   #38
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2047 Hall of Fame Voting

A crowded Hall of Fame ballot resulted in eighteen players getting at least 30% of the vote -- including 8 above 50% -- but only two players cleared the magical 75% barrier. Left fielder Sherry Magee -- the all-time leader in games played, hits, homers, and RBI's -- coasted into the Hall of Fame with 99.3% of the vote. Third baseman Manny Machado, a 7-time All-Star and 7-time Gold Glover, earned 81.5% of the vote. Both Magee and Machado were elected on the first ballot. This election was only the second time since 2032 that fewer than three players were elected.

Magee was drafted second overall by the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas following the 2020 season. Magee was a near-unanimous choice as Rookie of the Year in 2021, hitting .332 and slugging .529 with 40 doubles, 21 homers, 81 RBI's, and a league-leading 68 steals. After posting comparable numbers in his sophomore campaign, Magee earned fifth place in the Frontier League MVP voting in 2023, hitting .348 and slugging .633, with 38 homers, 128 RBI's, 111 runs scored, and 77 steals. He posted a 4th place MVP finish in 2025, hitting .315 with a league-best 121 runs scored, 27 homers, 90 RBI's, and 80 steals. Over the next two seasons, Magee averaged 27 homers, 112 RBI's, and 70 steals. In 2028, he won the Frontier League MVP, hitting .338 and slugging .581, with 54 doubles, 27 homers, 111 RBI's, and he led the league with 114 runs scored and 89 steals. The following season, he won the batting title, hitting .367 and slugging .698, smacking 38 homers, knocking in 129 RBI's, and swiping 65 bags while finishing 4th in the MVP voting. Magee posted another 4th place MVP finish in 2030, as he hit .325 with 42 doubles, 43 homers, 131 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and 75 steals. Following the season, he decamped to Seattle in free agency. After an off-year in 2031, he drilled 40 homers, scored 125 runs, knocked in 114, and led the league with 71 steals in 2032, leading the Whales to the World Series title. The following season, he posted a .301/ .420/ .587 slash line, leading the league with 123 walks while drilling 89 extra-base hits, including 36 homers and 135 RBI's. After hitting .306 with 26 homers and 95 RBI's in just 115 games in 2034 due to a hamstring injury, Magee jumped to the Detroit Purple Gang in free agency. He hit .321 and slugged .572 in his first season in Detroit, belting 35 homers and driving in 125 runs. In 2038, at age 35, Magee smashed 46 homers and drove in 129 runs, while scoring 122 times. After an off season, Magee signed with the Austin Mustangs, but after three mildly unproductive months, he was traded to the Charlotte Aviators for reliever BJ Ryan and shortstop Amed Rosario. A rejuvenated Magee hist 19 homers and drove in 51 runs in 66 games, slugging .549, and the following year, The following year, a 38-year-old Magee finished 3rd in the Continental League MVP voting, hitting .323 with 45 doubles, 49 homers, 125 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. He remained productive in his advanced age, hitting 31 homers and knocking in 99 runs in 113 games in 2042, while smacking 40 homers and knocking in a career-high 141 runs while playing every day at age 40. In a major surprise, he was traded in the off-season to the Albuquerque Conquistadors for all-star Garrett Atkins before for his final season, and he responded by drilling 42 doubles, 24 longballs, and knocking in 81 runs. Over his storied career, Magee posted a slash line of .304/ .383/ .559. A 7-time All-Star and 3-time Silver Slugger winner, Magee was the all-time leader in games played (3613), hits (4138), total bases (7602), homers (771), runs scored (2567), and RBI's (2636). He ranked second all-time with 905 doubles, third all-time with 1049 steals, and fourth among position players with 134.7 WAR. Magee was a terrific postseason player, hitting .294 and slugging .547 with 35 homers, 113 RBI's, 118 runs scored, and 42 steals in 155 October games, and he won five series MVP awards. Magee hit 5 homers and knocked in 14 runs in leading the Seattle Whales to the 2032 World Series title.

Machado was drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Marksmen following the 2024 season. He was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award in 2025, hitting .274 with 20 homers and 84 RBI's. After a sophomore slump, he proved to be remarkably consistent, hitting between 25 and 27 homers and driving in between 79 and 94 runs over the next three seasons, winning the first of his seven Gold Gloves in 2029. In 2030, Machado took the leap into stardom, hitting .317 with 35 homers and 94 RBI's, and after the season, he signed with the New Orleans Crawfish as a free agent. In 2031, Machado hit .339 with 38 homers, 135 RBI's, and 97 runs scored. The following season, he hit .341 with 38 doubles, 38 homers, 133 RBI's, and 119 runs scored. In 2033, Machado hit .318 and blasted 43 round-trippers, plating 107 runs. He provided a carbon copy the following year, hitting .317 with 41 homers and 103 RBI's, before signing with Albuquerque as a free agent. In his first year in the desert, Machado finished fifth in the MVP voting, as he hit .344 and led the league with a .709 slugging percentage, smoking a career-high 55 homers, and 129 RBIs, despite missing 25 games. The next season, he smashed 55 homers once again and drove in a career-high 151 runs. Following an off-year in 2038, Machado signed with the Kansas City Mad Hatters, where he drilled 172 homers in five seasons, topping 40 homers and 125 RBI's twice apiece. He signed with the El Paso Armadillos before the 2044 season, and retired after hitting 33 homers with 96 RBI's. For his career, Machado posted a .290/ .341/ .518 slash line. His 3440 hits rank 12th all-time, while his 687 homers ranked fifth all-time. Machado ranked 7th all-time with 2079 RBI's, and he scored 1817 runs, while posting 101.8 WAR. He made 7 All-Star teams and won 7 Gold Gloves as well as a Silver Slugger award. Machado hit .295 and slugged .497 in the postseason, with 8 homers and 20 RBI's in 40 games.

Leading vote recipients include:

Sherry Magee, LF, PIT/ SEA/ DET/ AUS/ CHA/ ALB: 99.3%
Manny Machado, SS, SA/ NOR/ ALB/ KC/ ELP: 81.5%
Mark Grace, 1B, MIL/ ELP/ STL/ CHI/ MIN/ NY: 73.7%
Lee Mazzilli, CF, SEA/ POR: 64.8%
Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 63.7%
Jack Clark, RF, STL/ TOR/ ELP/ LON/ LA: 57.4%
Yoan Moncada, SS, ALB/ DEN/ PHI/ MIN/ BIR/ SA: 51.9%
Mike Naymick, RHP, VAN/ LON/ BUF/ NY: 50.7%
Gary Sanchez, C, BAL: 48.1%
Chuck Klein, RF, TOR/ NOR: 47.0%
Ralph Garr, RF, MIL/ WAS/ HOU/ OKC: 47.0%
Roberto Alomar, 2B, ATL/ HAR/ TOR/ NY: 46.7%

Noteworthy players who fell off the ballot included eight-time All-Star Elston Howard, who had 309 career homers, and six-time All-Star Bernie Friberg, who had 3142 career hits, each of whom saw their ten years of eligibility exhausted, as well as 3000 hit club member Goose Goslin, 441-homer hitter Willie Horton, and 221-game winner Brett Oberholtzer.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:
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Old 01-18-2020, 01:00 AM   #39
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2048 Mid-Year Review

Here are the major stories across the league at the All-Star Break:

Exceeding expectations: The Ottawa Parliamentarians looked to turn around last season's 90-loss campaign, entering the break with a 41-31 record, leading the league in both homers and steals. First baseman Bob Horner led five players in double digits in homers, hitting .326 with 22 homers and 52 RBI's. Right fielder Dwight Evans took a .310 average, 17 homers, and 51 RBI's into the break. Rookie Kyle Davies was one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise underwhelming pitching staff, going 8-6 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. The San Francisco Longshoremen rebounded from a disastrous 55-107 season, posting a 36-38 first-half mark. Although San Francisco was tied for fifth place in the Northwest Division, they were just 7 1/2 games out of first, and just 3 1/2 games out of second place. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero starred, hitting .292 with 17 round-trippers and 55 RBI's. Shortstop Marty Marion hit .318 with 21 doubles and 37 runs scored in 71 games. Southpaw Ferdie Schupp took a 9-3 mark into the break with a 2.86 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts in 91 innings. Rookie hurler Silvio Martinez went 5-1 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Hartford Huskies looked to end a 10-year postseason drought, including 6 straight seasons with 70 or fewer wins. Hartford ranked second in the league in runs scored and third in homers, led by center fielder Ray Lankford, who hit .333 with 21 doubles, 13 homers, 42 RBI's, 28 steals, and 53 runs scored. First baseman Ryon Healy hit .324, hammering 15 homers and knocking in 56 runs, as six Huskies hit between 13 and 15 homers in the first half. Rookie John Candelaria posted a 7-1 mark with a 2.95 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. The San Antonio Marksmen looked to snap a 16-year postseason drought, going 48-26. Center fielder Dusty Baker was one of the few bright spots offensively, hitting .318 and slugging .521, with 8 homers and 31 RBI's The Marksmen featured the best pitching staff in baseball, however, with all five starters posting ERA's below 3.20. Ace Greg Maddux went 8-5 with a 2.33 ERA, an 0.94 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts. Rookie Pat Zachry went 7-0 with a 2.11 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

Disappointments: Ravaged by free agency losses, the London Werewolves, dropped off from 85 wins last season to a 30-44 first half. London's offense ranked a meager 18th in the Frontier League, as slugger Rico Petrocelli hit just .243 with 11 homers and 27 RBI's. Jim Bottomley, who hit .326 with 40 homers and 132 RBI's last year, slumped to hit an empty .287, with just 4 homers and 22 RBI's. Veteran Chris Carpenter collapsed, going just 2-5 with a ghastly 9.47 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. Jack Sanford, a 17-game winner last season, saw his ERA spike by nearly 3 runs per game, going 5-5 despite a 6.40 ERA. The Boston Minutemen, who won 94 games last year and finished just a game out of first place, limped into the break with a 36-37 record. Free agent signee Carlos Baerga disappointed, hitting just .244 with a .272 on-base percentage. Defending MVP Ryan Klesko, while still having a strong season, regressed to the mean, losing over 100 points of slugging percentage. Veteran righthander Red Nelson, a 14-game winner last year, saw his ERA soar by over two and a half runs to 6.72.

In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals tailed off from an 80-82 season last year to go 25-49 in the first half. Their offense ranked 20th in the league in runs scored. Perennial All-Star Reggie Jackson posted a subpar .241/ .288/ .453 slash line, driving in just 35 runs despite 15 homers. Left fielder Al Oliver, who hit .343 with 31 homers last year, dropped off to hit .308 with just 8 round-trippers. The Admirals' pitching staff, traditionally a strength, ranked dead last in the league in runs allowed. Bob Rush posted a disappointing 4-7 record with a middling 4.35 ERA. The bullpen was the worst in baseball, posting a collective 7.28 ERA, as "closer" Ron Taylor sported an execrable 6.96 ERA. The Birmingham Steelers, coming off a franchise-best 102 wins and their third playoff season in four seasons, sported a mediocre 34-40 record at the break. DH Paul Sorrento, who mashed 46 homers and knocked in 134 runs last year, had a pedestrian 16 homers and 51 RBIs at the break, while hitting just .249. Third baseman Chone Figgins saw his batting average decline from .308 to .254, falling from 50 extra-base hits last year to just 15 at the break. Southpaw John Smiley highlighted an underachieving pitching staff, as his ERA jumped by nearly a run to 4.09. Crafty veteran Paul Splittorff struggled to replace the departed Mark Langston, going just 2-7 with a 6.57 ERA, fanning just 7 hitters in 51 innings.

Six Flags over Texas: All six teams in the Texas Division took a .500-plus record into the break, including the upstart Austin Mustangs, who had won just 61 and 71 games the past two years. The El Paso Armadillos took a 43-31 record into the break - but were almost certain to see their streak of five straight division titles snapped, as they were twelve games behind the red-hot Oklahoma City Otters, who led the Continental League in nearly every offensive category except homers, where they ranked fourth, while Tom Glavine and Dock Ellis combined for a 21-3 record. The San Antonio Marksmen appeared poised to allow ace Greg Maddux to make his postseason debut, as they took a 48-26 record into the break. The Dallas Wildcatters and Houston Pythons each remained firmly in the wild card hunt.

Birdie Takes Flight: The Milwaukee Raccoons saw a passing of the torch from 3-time MVP Larry Walker, who finally showed signs of slowing down, to left fielder Birdie Cree. Despite standing just five-foot six, Cree took a best-in-baseball .399 average into the break, along with 20 homers, 60 RBIs, and 23 steals. Along with St. Louis ace Walter Johnson, Cree was the midseason favorite for the MVP award.

Major injuries: Few seasons in recent memory saw as many stars sidelined by major injuries. Baltimore center fielder Cesar Cedeno, after missing all of last season with a torn PCL, tore his meniscus in early May, sidelining him until September. Anaheim signed southpaw Frank Tanana, last season's fifth-place finisher in the Cy Young voting, but he lasted just 3 innings before tearing an elbow tendon. Second-year Anaheim center fielder Fred Lynn lasted just 11 games before tearing a calf muscle, sidelining him until Labor Day. Austin rookie first baseman Fred McGriff tore a knee ligament in mid-May, ending his season. Buffalo righhander Stephen Strasburg tore a back muscle in spring training, knocking him out through August. Cleveland righthanders Jimmy Dygert, Mike Scott, and Ben McDonald, who won a combined 41 games last year, won just 4 games combined before each suffered a season-ending injury. Houston closer Jonathan Broxton missed the entire first half with a torn labrum, although he was expected to return by mid-July. Jacksonville first baseman Jim Thome suffered a concussion three games into the season and missed the rest of the first half. New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen, the defending Continental League MVP, capped a dreadful first half by tearing ankle ligaments, sidelining him until late July, and teammate Herb Pennock tore an elbow tendon, potentially jeopardizing his career. San Diego third baseman Corey Koskie suffered a season-ending broken ankle in late May. Toronto infielder Jackie Robinson, after missing the start of the season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered late last year, added insult to injury by straining a hamstring in late May, knocking him out through mid-July.

Major milestones: Minneapolis first baseman and Omaha right fielder Tony Gwynn, each reduced to a part-time role at this stage of their seasoned careers, each joined the 3,000 hit club. Center fielders Edd Roush of Albuquerque and Juan Beniquez of Minneapolis each smacked their 2,500th career hit. Ageless Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado drilled his 700th career homer. Calgary left fielder Willie Stargell and London left fielder Jay Buhner each blasted their 400th career homers. Looking ahead to the second half, Vancouver righthander Bob Moose was expected to notch his 5,000th strikeout by August, while Detroit ace Nolan Ryan would join the 3,000-whiff club by mid-July. El Paso third baseman Garrett Adkins was a week away from rapping his 3,000th career hit, while Albuquerque DH Joe Adcock was expected to join that exclusive club by Labor Day. Virginia Beach outfielder Reggie Jackson, despite having an off year, was expected to blast his 500th career homer by the end of July. Portland center fielder Tris Speaker was about a month away from hitting the elusive 2,000 run milestone, while Arenado was likely to knock in his 2,500th career run by year's end.
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Old 01-22-2020, 12:20 AM   #40
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2048 Year in Review

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas repeated as the Northeast Division champions, once again posting a 95-67 mark and finishing one game ahead of the Buffalo Fighting Elk for the second season in a row. A balanced Pittsburgh attack was led by first baseman John Olerud, who sported a .322/ .423/ .554 slash line, with 34 homers and 109 RBI's. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .323 with 23 homers, 89 RBI's, 94 runs scored, and 26 steals. Right fielder Richie Zisk pounded 29 homers and knocked in 96 runs. Righthander Moe Drabowsky went 16-6 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and 270 strikeouts. Journeyman Paul Gregory went 16-4 with a 2.55 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Rookie closer Josh Hader dominated, posting 37 saves with a 1.43 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP, allowing just 26 hits in 69 innings while fanning 120 hitters. The Buffalo Fighting Elk overcame a punchless offense to win 94 games, thanks to the league's stingiest pitching staff. Buffalo ranked dead last in the league with 101 homers and 21st in runs scored. First baseman Dee Fondy led the squad with 22 homers and 93 RBI's. Right fielder Frank Demaree hit .308 with 16 round-trippers and knocked in 67 runs. Left fielder Zack Wheat hit .284 with 18 homers and 73 RBI's in just 114 games. Southpaw Scott McGregor led a balanced pitching staff, going 15-10 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Closer Moses Yellow Horse earned 30 saves and posted a 7-2 mark with a 2.05 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

The Detroit Purple Gang jumped out to a 23-5 start and coasted to their ninth straight playoff appearance, winning 107 games. Detroit finished second in the Frontier League in runs scored. First baseman Mark Teixeira led the way, hitting .282 with 45 homers, 129 RBI's, and 118 runs scored. Perennial MVP candidate Nolan Arenado hit .292 with 37 homers, 105 RBI's and 125 runs scored -- at age 41. Right fielder Jorge Orta hit .349 and slugged .559, ripping 17 homers and knocking in 73 runs in just 108 games. Catcher Shanty Hogan hit .325 and slugged .523, smacking 23 jacks and knocking in 89 runs. Ace Nolan Ryan went 20-5 with a 2.25 ERA, an 0.96 WHIP, and whiffed 330 batters in just 212 innings. Southpaw James Paxton posted a 16-5 mark with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. The explosive Ottawa Parliamentarians outslugged their opponents, leading the league in homers and runs scored while finishing 22nd in runs allowed, as they won 87 games to take the final wild card slot on the last day of the year. Third baseman Bob Horner led five players with at least 30 homers, as he hit .316 and slugged .610, with 50 homers, 139 RBI's, and a league-high 134 runs scored. Left fielder Tillie Walker hit .319 and slugged .595, smacking 83 extra-base hits, including 43 homers, 114 RBI's, 132 runs scored, and 80 steals. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .312 with 37 longballs and 115 RBI's, while third baseman Bob Meusel hit .311 and slugged .648, ripping 33 homers and knocking in 88 runs in just 126 games. Rookie righthander Kyle Davies was one of the few bright spots for a subpar pitching staff, going 15-12 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Ron Guidry posted a 12-9 mark, with a 3.80 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 258 strikeouts.

The St. Louis Pilots won 96 games to take the Great Plains Division title, earning their fourth straight playoff slot. First baseman Eric Hosmer starred, hitting .333 with 24 homers, 110 RBI's, 100 runs scored, and 38 steals. Second baseman Charlie Gehringer hit .292 and slugged .533, ripping 54 doubles, 29 homers, 123 RBI's, and scored 101 runs. Shortstop Alex Cintron hit .293 with 18 longballs and 103 RBI's. Ace Walter Johnson was the prohibitive favorite to win his 7th Cy Young Award, going 18-2 with a league-best 1.52 ERA, a record-setting 0.66 WHIP, and 346 strikeouts. Hard-luck George Kahler went just 6-11 despite a 3.52 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. The Milwaukee Raccoons collapsed down the stretch, losing five of their last six games, ending the year with 85 wins and missing the playoffs by two games. Left fielder Birdie Cree had a breakout season, winning the batting title by hitting .381 and slugging .661, ripping 47 doubles, 31 homers, 111 RBI's, 109 runs scored, and swiping 37 bags. First baseman Wilson Betemit drilled 30 longballs and plated 101 runs. Howie Pollet led the league's deepest pitching staff, going 16-6 with a 1.83 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. Jack Kramer notched a 16-8 record with a 2.28 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 246 strikeouts. Steady Bill Singer posted a 15-8 record with a 2.58 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and fanned 203 hitters.

The Portland Skunks took the Northwest Division title with 94 wins, as their offense ranked third in the Frontier League. First baseman Mark McGwire starred, hitting .321 with 52 homers and a league-best (and franchise record) 149 RBI's. Center fielder Tris Speaker returned to form, hitting .341 and slugging .552, with a league-best 58 doubles, 20 homers, and 106 RBI's. Second baseman Delino DeShields hit .320 with a .419 on-base percentage, swiping 44 bases as he hit 12 homers, knocked in 58 runs, and scored 121 runs. Southpaws Casey Fossum and Bill Wight posted matching 2.95 ERA's, with Fossum going 13-3 and Wight going 11-6. The Vancouver Viceroys won 91 games. Left fielder Tony Conigliaro starred, hitting .313 and slugging .596, ripping 39 doubles and 43 homers, with 129 RBI's. Center fielder Curtis Granderson hit .281 with 23 homers, 80 RBI's, and 97 runs scored. Third baseman Brooks Robinson hit .276 with 20 homers, 77 RBI's, and dazzling defense. On the mound, ageless Bob Moose went 12-9 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, reaching 375 career wins and 5000 career strikeouts. The Viceroys' bullpen ranked second in the league, led by closer Garland Braxton who saved a league-leading 37 games with a 2.85 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 76 innings. The Denver Spikes won 89 games -- a twenty-game jump from last season -- as they returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence. Right fielder George Harper supplied the lumber, hitting .285 with 31 homers and 112 RBI's. Denver relied on a speed-fueled youth movement, as rookie center fielder Al Bumbry hit .321 with 39 doubles, a league-high 17 triples, 86 runs scored, and 43 steals. Rookie second sacker Dee Gordon hit .298 and swiped a franchise record 100 bases while scoring 93 runs. Righthander Matt Cain had a breakout season, going 15-6 with a 2.40 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP, and 229 strikeouts. Southpaw Greg Swindell notched a 12-4 mark with a 2.88 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP.

Continental League: The defending champion Charlotte Aviators won 96 games to take the Atlantic Division crown, making their 10th playoff appearance in 11 years. Center fielder Garry Maddox had a terrific all-around season, hitting .318 and slugging .580, with 42 doubles, 36 homers, 107 RBI's, 109 runs scored, and 28 steals. Right fielder Kevin McReynolds hit .324 with 32 round-trippers and 86 RBI's. Second sacker Carlos Guillen hit .295 and slugged .524, belting 31 homers and knocking in 98 runs while scoring 119 runs. Righthander Len Barker notched a 19-4 mark with a 2.22 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, and a league-best 319 strikeouts -- including a 14-strikeout complete game victory on the final day of the season to clinch the division title. Southpaw Jon Lester went 13-8 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The Jacksonville Gulls ended the season on a furious 16-3 run, nearly seizing a division title after being left for dead. The Gulls ended the season with 95 wins. Catcher AJ Pierzynski hit .315 with 29 homers and 98 RBI's. DH Robin Yount hit .285 with 17 round-trippers, 68 RBI's, and 94 runs scored. Midseason trade acquisition Harry Heilmann hit .357 with 24 doubles, 14 homers, and 60 RBI's in 73 games. Righthander Dave Goltz posted a 12-8 mark with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Closer Don Kaiser dominated, notching 6 wins and 34 saves with a 1.01 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP.

After sleepwalking through the first half, the offensively-challenged New Orleans Crawfish coasted to the Southeast Division title, winning 88 games to take the crown by 13 games and earn their 14th straight playoff spot. Right fielder Domingo Santana led the way offensively, hitting .277 with 32 homers, 88 RBI's, and a league-high 107 walks. Center fielder Austin Kearns hit .275 with 18 homers, 56 RBI's, and 81 runs scored. Righthander Rip Collins went just 8-12 despite a stellar 2.95 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, including a perfect game against San Diego. Southpaw Chris Hammond posted a 14-11 mark with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Closer Hal Kleine notched 35 saves with a 2.09 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.

The Oklahoma City Otters dominated from day one, winning 121 games -the second-highest win total in HRDL history. The Otters scored 1,019 runs, leading the league in runs, batting average (.296), OPS, and steals. Five-time batting champ George Sisler threatened to win his third MVP award, hitting .353 with 32 homers and 41 steals, while leading the league in doubles (50), runs (147), and RBI's (161). Rookie right fielder Junior Felix starred, hitting .322 and slugging .561, with 37 doubles, 10 triples, 26 homers, 136 RBI's, 96 runs scored, and 34 steals. Shortstop Jim Fregosi hit .311 with 47 doubles, a league-high 11 triples, 22 homers, 124 RBI's, and 108 runs scored. Southpaw Tom Glavine posted a 25-3 record, with a 2.47 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 208 strikeouts. Dock Ellis matched Glavine, going 24-4 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Closer Bubba Harris saved 38 games with a 1.57 ERA. The San Antonio Marksmen won 98 games, making the playoffs for the first time since 2032. Center fielder Dusty Baker had a breakout season, hitting .323 and slugging .564, blasting 24 homers, knocking in 85 runs, and scoring 83. Third baseman Doug DeCinces hit .279 with 30 round-trippers and 96 RBI's. Right fielder Dante Bichette popped 31 homers and drove in 79 runs. The Marksmen's pitching staff was second in the league in runs allowed, led by ace Greg Maddux, who went 17-8 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, and 232 strikeouts. Righthander Homer Bailey went 15-7 with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The El Paso Armadillos notched 92 wins, earning their tenth straight playoff spot. Catcher Jim Leyritz led the way, hitting .299 with 20 homers and 63 RBI's, while DH Kal Daniels hit .272 with 21 homers, 70 RBI's, and 81 runs scored in just 115 games. But star outfielders Mike Trout and Benny Kauff each had off years, hitting .226 and .223 respectively, with 26 and 20 homers apiece. Southpaw David Price went 17-5 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Knuckleballer Charlie Hough went 13-10 with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts.

The Albuquerque Conquistadors dominated, winning 108 games to take the Southwest Division crowd by 15 games. The Conquistadors ranked fourth in the Continental League in runs scored, and allowed just 485 runs - less than any other team in baseball. Chipper Jones starred offensively, hitting .300 and blasting 40 homers, 115 RBI's, and scoring 102 runs. Left fielder Ken Harrelson hit .294 and slugged .546, drilling 39 longballs and knocking in 130 runs. Right fielder Jason Heyward posted a sparkling .310/ .392/ .524 slash line, with 30 homers, 104 RBI's, 122 runs scored, and 21 steals. First baseman Joe Pepitone cranked 42 jacks and knocked in 130 runs. The Conquistadors' staff featured four starters with sub-3.00 ERAs and over 200 strikeouts apiece. Glenn Liebhardt led the way, posting a 20-5 mark with a 2.33 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 254 strikeouts. Warren Spahn notched a 16-10 mark with a 2.84 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, while fanning 257 hitters. Chan Ho Park posted an incredible 18-2 mark along with a 2.96 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts in just 179 innings. Kevin Appier sported a 15-7 mark along with a 2.78 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 230 strikeouts. The Las Vegas Aces snapped a sixteen-season postseason skid, including ten straight sub-.500 seasons, by winning 93 games. First baseman Randy Johnson popped 39 homers and plated 99 runs. Center fielder Hi Myers hit .292 while knocking 20 homers and driving in 81 runs. Right fielder Brian McRae hit .294, including a league-high 11 triples, 15 homers, 79 RBI's, 101 runs scored, and 35 steals. Righthander Russ Meyer led the league's fourth-stingiest pitching staff, going 14-9 with a 2.44 ERA, a league-best 0.80 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. Russ Kemmerer posted a 12-5 mark with a 2.71 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Southpaw Brent Strom went 16-6 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Phoenix Lizards won 91 games, but fell just short of the final wild card slot, due to a teamwide power outage, as they ranked 22nd in the Continental League in homers. First baseman Ted Kluszewski was the lone Lizard to top 17 round-trippers, as he hit .297 with 40 homers and 118 RBI's. Catcher Ted Simmons hit .282 with 13 jacks and 66 RBI's. Defending Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee went 13-7 with a 2.39 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 196 strikeouts despite missing a month, while Jerry Koosman notched a 17-10 record with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 214 strikeouts.

Best season in team history: Oklahoma City Otters (121 wins), San Antonio Marksmen (98 wins)

Worst season in team history: Virginia Beach Admirals (54 wins)
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