Arena Baseball League

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Arena Baseball World Series

Montreal Maroons @ Dover Dukes

Montreal on their 2nd World Series appearance in 3 years, would come out on top to shock the Dukes in Dover, 3-1. In another low scoring affair, the Maroons again benefitted from errors as the Dukes fell apart at the key moment.

The Maroons will look to the pitching efforts of Mike Jones (H2) and Vinny Zepeda (SV2) this post season as they managed to again shut down the opposition. But Dover will possibly never have a better chance to win it all and will rue the outcome here.

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Statistics

*Apologies again, how often will I do this!

Kevin Gomes came back to prominence this year, winning the batting title as the league still comes to terms with its new found pitching look.

Dover saw its staff of Olea, Cantu and Nunez put up league best numbers, whilst Sotomayor of Richmond led the league in Ks as they remain fairly low with most of the outs coming in the field of play.

Ryan Gill may well end his career with a league leading 79RBI that pushed him over 1000 for a well earned career statistic.

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The Off-Season

Retirements

Its the end of a long and fruitful road for 43 year old Outfielder Steve Healey. Healey began life in the ABL with Hartford and would prove to be a solid piece in a team that would win 2 Championships. His success would translate into a move to Richmond where he would join the 6-figure salary club.

At the Liberty he proved to be a key component of the leagues most dominant era. Healey collected 7 rings, whilst hitting over .500 for 3 straight years 2025 thru 2027. Eventually he would wind his career down as he journeyed through Iowa, Ottawa and then a final year at Hartford, as he drove in 49 runs to break the 1000 plateau.

Healey will also be remembered for his 0.2IP effort in relief for Iowa, giving up 2H, 1BB whilst collecting a save! Healey will be missed by the league but never forgotten.

Awards

Arena MVP - Kevin Gomes (Richmond Liberty)

Back on form at 34, Gomes will regret not collecting yet another Championship with the Liberty. However he would put together a strong season in which he won the Batting title, whilst driving in 72RBIs.

Arena Pitcher of the Year - Ramon Olea (Dover Dukes)

24 year old Olea has endured a mixed time in the league with Dover, but the 6'4 Lefty, came up smiling this term with 12 wins and a 2.05ERA. Olea is not known for any one dominant pitch, but held his opponents to just 121 hits across his 22 starts.

Arena Skipper of the Year - Keon Henderson (Dover Dukes)

Henderson came up shy of winning it all, ironically against the team he managed in the 2 years prior. But his 65 win season with Dover ensured he collected Skip honours as Jo-Go forego his annual trip to the award ceremony.

Trades / FA Agency

Ryan Gill continues to get a gig in the ABL as at 42 he takes on a new challenge in Hartford, picking up $210,000 for the privilege and the hope that the DBs can finally turn the corner after years of misery.

Casey Gerber also takes his talent to a new club, however he has been on the decline for a couple of injury ravaged years at the end of his career at Richmond. Gerber will pitch for Buffalo as he hopes to get back to the form that saw him put together just under 800Ks over his career.

Finally Danny Solano heads back to Richmond as he continues to flit between Buffalo and the Liberty. Solano is probably on his last legs, but will give Richmond yet more valuable experience as they look to get back on top after last years slump to miss out on playoff baseball.

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The Season that was 2037/38:

Baseball is Back!

And its back with a bang, in Fayetteville at least as the Freedom again have a great opening to a season winning 16 games and topping their division ahead of Richmond and Dover. Detroit on the other hand, are way off what they achieved last time out, winning just 6 and needing one of those December miracles!

Defending Champs' Montreal (who'd have thought id be saying that!) are tucked in nicely behind Buffalo in the Stars Division after the opening exchanges. But all teams here are within 3 games of each other and hopeful heading into the meat and potatoes of the season.

December...

Detroit are toast, we can get that out of the way. But the rest of the Stripes Division are sat on winning records and all have a hand to play in the remainder of the season. Richmond have a slight lead at 30-22, but its just a game with plenty to play.

Ottawa in turn have got themselves back on track and have a healthy lead with 31 wins. Montreal have bottomed out and are unlikely to repeat, whilst Buffalo and Hamilton at .500 hope to compete for 2nd place.

The Shake Up...

We will start with the 48-42 Richmond Liberty failing for a 2nd straight year to make the playoffs. The once dominant factor in the ABL are in a flux and a 4-12 skid to end the season ended their hopes early.

That allowed Iowa and Dover to take control, both winning 50+ as the Hogmen topped the standings as the leagues best team for the 1st time.

In the Stars Division we saw the regular faces of Ottawa and Buffalo come through. The Black Caps mirrored Richmond with 48 wins, but that was enough to win the banner, whilst Buffalo at .500 snuck past the 44-46 Crazies to claim the 2nd spot and another shot at winning it all.

Miscellaneous

League meetings are due to take place this off-season as once more run numbers are continuing to drop and the league is concerned. Rumours are that the league will reduce the size of the outfield wall in order to allow for more home runs, its a change that could drastically shake up how the league plays.

This also saw a drop in league attendance across the board, as half of the teams reported a drop in figures. However fiscally things remain comfortable as owners have maintained a stranglehold on budgets following the loss of 2 teams in recent times.

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Statistics

Big' Kevin Gomes again lights up the batters box, leading the league on AVG whilst also driving in 80 runs. However once more he would be on a Liberty team that failed to make the playoffs.

The most notable effort saw 20 year old Willy Lopez of Dover, debut with the first ever sub 2.00ERA in league history. Sotomayor will probably claim the pitchers award as he led the league in wins and Ks, but it truly is becoming the era of pitchers in the ABL.

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One Game Shootout:

Dover Dukes @ Ottawa Black Caps

Dover finally reach a World Series, doing the hard way by going to Ottawa and defeating the Black Caps on the back of Allen Nunez having a solid 5.1IP appearance in relief.

The Dukes started out with 3 runs in the 1st frame, whilst Santiago opened the game with 5 key outs giving up just the 1 run. Ottawa on the other hand barely scrounged together 5 hits and limped their way out of the season.

Buffalo Blast @ Iowa Hogmen

Alex Rivera proved to be the hero in Iowa as he drove in the walkoff run to seal a clutch win. Buffalo kept in touch albeit on the back of just 6 hits, however their day started off with Starter Roger Figueroa getting injured after just 1 out , as Rafael Vasquez struggled giving up 5H and 3R in the eventual loss.

Iowa will now hope to win their first ever Championship, as the ABL will have a new Champion for the 2nd year in a row!

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Arena Baseball World Series

Dover Dukes @ Iowa Hogmen

Its all come up smelling of Hogs' as Iowa finally win a Championship, consigning the Dukes to back to back World Series defeats.

In a high scoring encounter, the Dukes relied on the young Willy Lopez to bring his regular season form into the World Series. Unfortunately the pressure got to the debutant as his 5 innings saw him give up 7H, 5R and 3BB to set the Hogs on their way.

Dover rallied and stayed in touch but the Hogs would see Closer Mike Yebra, who at just 17 would blow the save but then collect the win as his team scooped him out of a jam with 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th to seal an Iowa Championship celebration.

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The Off-Season

Hirings/Firings

Gary Bush who made his name with Ottawa, bounced back to prominence last year by leading the Maroons to their first ever Championship. Alas that effort wasnt enough to by him time as this year the Maroons collapsed to the foot of their division and in turn gave Bush the heave-ho.

Awards

Arena MVP - Kevin Gomes (Richmond Liberty)

Kevin Gomes once more mops up the individual honours but had to watch as the Liberty are 2 years without post-season play. Gomes hit for .483 and drove in 80RBIs as experience still tops youth at the plate in the ABL.

Arena Pitcher of the Year - Willy Lopez (Dover Dukes)

He may be remembered for that disastrous performance in the World Series, but we shouldnt forget that 20 year old Lopez pitched for the leagues first ever sub 2.00ERA as he won 9 games in his debut season. Dominican Lopez is one of a gaggle of young studs in the Dukes pitching staff and will hope to put his post-season woes behind him.

Arena Skipper of the Year - Keon Henderson (Dover Dukes)

Another Skip of the Year award for Henderson but its another disappointment as the Dukes fall in the World Series for a 2nd straight season. Henderson has put together over 100 wins in 2 years with the Dukes and has some of the best young pitching talent in the league to build on.

Trades / FA Agency

43 year old Ryan Gill is back in Richmond after 3 years out of town. Gill is hoping to finish his career on a high, whilst Richmond are struggling to adjust in the new look ABL.

Outside of that, there were very few moves made as teams held firm on a poor free agency market.