48-team Random Debut League - Page 4

Dukie98 · 04-05-2020, 05:08 PM

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk rebounded with a vengeance from missing the playoffs last season, dominating the last four months of the season on their way to win 107 games. After a middling 24-26 start, Buffalo close out the season by going 83-29. 20-year-old left fielder Juan Soto was one of the front runner for MVP, posting a .328/ .451/ .615 slash line, with 43 homers, 136 RBI's, and a league-best 136 walks. Shortstop Jonathan Villar hit .277 with 24 homers, 101 RBI's, 101 runs scored, and 26 steals. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .283 with a league-high 16 triples, 6 homers, 85 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 53 steals. Buffalo's lefty-heavy staff allowed the fewest runs in the league, led by Scott McGregor, who went 19-6 with a 2.08 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP. Mark Mulder posted a 19-7 mark with a 2.43 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts. Veteran Sterling Hitchcock went 13-8 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The Philadelphia Hawks won 93 games, returning to the postseason for the third time in four seasons. First baseman Kevin Young hit .275 and slugged .572, mashing 36 doubles and 42 homers, while knocking in 117 runs. Left fielder Josh Willingham slugged .486, bopping 30 homers and plating 82 runs. Ace Addie Joss led the league's second-ranked pitching staff, going 18-3 with a 2.11 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Carl Erskine went just 8-6 in 27 starts, but posted a stellar 2.62 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, fanning 241. Closer Bobo Newsom notched 8 wins and 30 saves, along with a 1.50 ERA, an 0.79 WHIP, and 123 whiffs in 72 innings. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas won 90 games, returning to the postseason for the second straight season. First baseman John Olerud hit .312 and slugged .554, smacking 45 doubles, along with 32 homers, 99 RBI's, 103 runs, and 104 walks. Steady shortstop Alan Trammell hti .301 and slugged .487, ripping 18 homers, knocking in 82 runs, and scoring 94. Righthander Henry Thielman went 12-6 with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Crafty Doyle Alexander notched 14-11 mark, along with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Southpaw closer Josh Hader led the league with 41 saves, while posting a 2.05 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and fanning 113 hitters in 70 innings. The Boston Minutemen remained in contention until the final day of the season, being eliminated only after an 11-inning loss as they finished with 84 wins. Catcher Wally Schang starred, hitting .326 and slugging .511, with 37 doubles, 14 homers, 59 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. First baseman Ryan Klesko hit .287 and slugged .530, slugging 30 homers and knocking in 96 runs. Rookie southpaw Randy Tomlin was the lone bright spot on a subpar pitching staff, going 14-9 with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

The Detroit Purple Gang won the Great Lakes Division, posting 97 wins. Center Whit Merrifield had a brilliant all-around season, hitting .333 with a league-high 219 hits, including 49 doubles, 23 homers, 102 RBI's, 102 runs scored, and 30 steals. Left fielder Jorge Orta hit .289, drilling 36 doubles, 22 homers, and driving in 89 runs. Third baseman Marcus Semien slugged. 485, drilling 32 homers and knocking in 104 runs. Ace Nolan Ryan sported an 11-6 record with a 2.53 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP, and fanned 337 hitters, allowing an incredible 108 hits in 213 innings. Free agent signee Ken Holtzman went 15-3 with a 2.24 ERA, and an 0.86 WHIP. The Toronto Predators were one of the feel-good stories of the season, rebounding from a 58-win season to win 91 games, snapping a seven-year streak of sub-.500 finishes. Toronto overcame one of the weakest offenses in the league, finishing third-from-last in the Frontier League in runs scored. Right fielder Claudell Washington led the way, hitting .270 with 20 homers and 85 RBI's. Second sacker Jackie Robinson hit .288 with a .401 on-base percentage, smacking 10 homers and knocking in 49 runs, but missed 63 games with injuries. Second-year righthander Bill Monbouquette starred, going 17-5 , with a 1.85 ERA, an 0.82 WHIP, and 281 strikeouts. Righthander Monty Stratton sported an 11-4 mark, with a 2.55 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Fireballing closer Craig Kimbrel went 9-2 with 32 saves, a 1.26 ERA, and an 0.95 WHIP. The London Werewolves returned to the postseason after a five-season absence, winning 85 games. Third baseman Tony Batista led the way, hitting .303 and slugging .534, with 37 homers and 126 RBI's. Right fielder Jack Tobin hit .337 with a league-high 68 doubles, 17 homers, 109 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. Catcher Caleb Joseph hit .270 and slugged .491, blasting 23 longballs and knocking in 68 runs in just 119 games. Second-year southpaw Leo Kiely went 15-5 with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, while fanning 196 batters. Veteran Jose DeLeon posted a 10-8 mark with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.

The Kansas City Mad Hatters coasted to the Great Plains Division title, winning 96 games and making the playoffs for the third straight season. Right fielder Mitch Haniger starred, posting a .319/ .399/ .584 slash line, with 45 doubles, 33 homers, 111 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. Center fielder Carl Everett hit .311 and slugged .542, ripping 39 doubles, 29 round-tripperss, 116 RBI's, 117 runs scored, and swiping 39 bags. Third baseman Doug DeCinces launched 33 jacks and knocked in 114 runs. Southpaw John Smiley went 13-6 with a 2.29 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Righthander Moose Haas went 17-7 with a 2.70 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and whiffed 186 hitters. Ace Tim Hudson missed the first half with shoulder inflammation, but rebounded to go 10-3 with a 2.97 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP after the break.

The Portland Skunks won their fifth division title in six seasons, taking the Northwest Division by 20 games with 103 victories. Portland finished second in the Frontier League in runs and first in homers, led by first baseman Mark McGwire, who hit .275 with 54 homers, 131 RBI's, 135 runs scored, and drew 123 walks. Right fielder Tom Brunansky hit just .245, but blasted 49 homers and drove in a league-high 148 runs. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .295 and slugged .492, drilling 31 homers, knocking in 96 runs, scoring 125, and stealing 29 bases. Left fielder Al Oliver hit .292 and slugged .499, drilling 39 doubles, 27 longballs, and knocking in 103 runs while smacking his 3,000th career hit . Walter Johnson appeared to be a shoo-in for his ninth Cy Young Award, going 21-3 with a league-leaging 1.75 ERA and an 0.76 WHIP, while fanning 285 hitters. Southpaw Casey Fossum was a solid second banana, going 11-5 with a 3.22 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP. The Denver Spikes finished a distant second with 83 wins, stumbling down the stretch with a 22-33 record after August 1, and dropping 11 of their final 16 games. First baseman Dan Driessen had a breakout season, hitting .289 and slugging .513, ripping 25 homers and knocking in 96 runs while stealing 16 of 18 bases. Righthander Jack McDowell went 17-7 with a 2.54 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and fanned 234 enemy batters.

Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators hit a franchise-record 295 homers, on their way to a 102-win season, despite losing southpaw Jon Lester and third baseman Corey Koskie for the season in spring training. DH Chuck Essegian mashed, hitting .305 and slugging .592, along with 45 homers, 128 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Dwight Evans, a prized free agency signing, posted a .392 on-base percentage while ripping 42 homers, knocking in 106 runs, and scoring 121. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .315 and slugged .658, drilling 44 homers and knocking in 97 runs in just 117 games. Shortstop JJ Hardy chipped in with 33 homers and 92 RBI's. Charlotte's pitching staff allowed the fewest runs in the league, as Len Barker posted an 11-2 record with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, while Woodie Fryman went 13-11 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. The New York Emperors returned to the playoffs after six straight years below .500, winning 99 games due to an explosive offense which led baseball with a .291 average, set an all-time record with a team .383 on-base percentage, and scored 1129 runs. DH Adam Dunn posted a .293/ .448/ .565 slash line, blasting 41 longballs, knocking in 125 runs, scoring a league-high 159 runs, and drawing 155 walks. Second sacker Ozzie Albies hit .334 and slugged .582, ripping 85 extra-base hits, including 31 homers, driving in 146 runs, and swiping 27 bags. Despite three stints on the disabled list, including a season-ending broken kneecap, defending MVP Eddie Mathews hit .327 and slugged .722, launching 32 homers and plating 85 runs in just 78 games. Left fielder Tim Raines set the table, hitting .287 and drawing 98 walks, as he scored 138 runs and stole 69 bases - while hitting 17 homers to boot. Veteran southpaw David Price stabilized an otherwise subpar staff, going 16-6 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Joe Johnson posted a 9-7 mark with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Hartford Huskies qualified for their fourth straight playoff berth, winning 95 games. Third baseman Ian Stewart popped 39 longballs and drove in 107 runs. Outfielders Corey Dickerson and Tony Oliva, along with first baseman Jim Hickman, launched 31 homers apiece, with Oliva hitting .295, rapping 45 doubles, and knocking in 126 runs. John Candelaria anchored a deep pitching staff, going 15-9 with a 2.89 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts. Fellow southpaw Greg Swindell went 10-8 with a 3.04 ERA and an 0.91 WHIP. The Virginia Beach Admirals won 89 games, returning to the playoffs for the third time in four years. Right fielder Reggie Jackson rejuvenated his career after a pair of off-years, hitting .293 and slugging .551, with 45 homers (including the 600th of his career), 98 RBI's, and 115 runs scored. Third baseman Mike Schmidt joined Jackson in the 600-homer club, blasting 40 longballs, knocking in 96 runs, and scoring 116. Left fielder Jerry Turner and first baseman Mike Laga drilled 29 homers apiece. Righthander Van Mungo went just 12-10 despite a 2.79 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 309 strikeouts -- leading the league for the fourth straight year. Biff Schlitzer went 12-9 with a modest 4.21 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

The Miami Flamingos were the surprise winners of the Southeast Division, taking the title with 92 wins to earn just their second playoff berth in the last thirteen seasons. Left fielder Billy Williams led the way offensively, hitting .320 and slugging .575, with 37 jacks, 119 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. First baseman Derrek Lee hit .273 with 37 homers, 85 RBI's, and scored 116 runs. Second sacker Dick Green hit .294 with 16 homers, plated 84 runs, and provided Gold Glove-caliber defense at the keystone. Rookie Scott Karl led a surprisingly effective pitching staff, going 14-3 with a 2.82 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. Shane Bieber posted a 10-10 mark with an unsightly 4.42 ERA but a solid 1.18 WHIP. The Nashville Blues were the biggest surprise of the season, snapping a 22-year playoff drought - the longest in the HRDL, and jumping from 64 wins to 88 (despite a -33 run differential). The Blues closed the year on an 8-game losing streak, however, and nearly missed the playoffs. Rookie first baseman/ left fielder Babe Herman provided a much-needed offensive spark, hitting .326 and slugging .621, ripping 40 homers and knocking in 119 runs in just 135 games. Second-year shortstop Trea Turner hit .305 and slugged .507, popping 36 doubles, 13 triples, 24 homers, knocking in 79 runs, scoring 110, and stealing 62 bases. Catcher Gary Carter hit .302 with 29 homers, 96 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. On the mound, Mike Mussina went 15-6, but saw his ERA spike to 3.98, although his WHIP remained strong at 1.02. Vern Law notched a 10-8 mark, with a solid 3.09 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.

In the Texas Division, the El Paso Armadillos dropped off heavily from last year's 116-win campaign, but they still cruised to the division title with 92 wins, earning their 13th playoff bid in 14 years. El Paso ranked third in the Continental League in offense. DH/ first baseman Harry Heilmann hit .300 and slugged .530, smacking 44 doubles and 34 homers, driving in 121 runs and scoring 114. First baseman Troy Neel hit .289 and slugged .567, launching 46 round-trippers, knocking in 115 runs, and scoring 131. Alex Bregman hit .295 with 31 homers, 91 RBI's, and drove in 112 runs. Stephen Strasburg led the league in victories, going 18-6 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, fanning 192. The rest of the staff, however, was quite pedestrian, with Lefty Tyler dropping off from 24 wins to a 10-11 record, and saw his ERA rise by nearly two runs to 4.31. The Dallas Wildcatters made a push for their first playoff spot in a decade, but they fell just short, winning 86 games. Left fielder Marv Rackley won the batting title, hitting .366, while first baseman Ted Kluszewski slammed 38 homers and drove in 94 runs.

The San Diego Zookeepers won their first division title since the league's inaugural season 41 years ago, cruising to the Southwest Division title with 100 wins. First baseman Cecil Cooper had a breakout season -- after hitting 4 homers over the last two seasons combined, he hit .345 and slugged .627, ripping 29 homers and driving in 118 runs in just 122 games. Second sacker Johnny Evers hit .299 with a .433 on-base percentage, scoring 112 runs and swiping 67 bags. Lance Parrish bopped 27 homers and drove in 92 runs. San Diego tied for the league lead in runs allowed, led by second-year righthander Ruben Gomez, who went 15-6 with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 221 strikeouts. Buzz Capra posted a 13-7 mark with a 3.38 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Closer Randy Niemann notched a league-high 34 saves along with a 1.93 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP.

Best season in team history: None
Worst season in team history: Phoenix Lizards (64 wins)

Dukie98 · 04-09-2020, 02:44 AM

Frontier League: What appeared to be the biggest mismatch on paper proved to be the tighest-fought series of the Wild Card round. The 107-win Buffalo Fighting Elk edged the 85-win London Werewolves in a matchup between the winningest team in baseball and the last team in the playoff field which had a meager +11 run differential on the season. London took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth of Game 7, but Buffalo scratched out one run on a Jonathan Villar single, and scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, including a two-out walk-off series-ending walk by Juan Soto on a 3-2 pitch. Buffalo second sacker Darwin Barney earned MVP honors after hitting .458 with a series-high 11 hits, including 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBI's. Soto hit just .258, but drilled a homer, drove in six runs, and scored five. Southpaw Sterling Hitchcock hurled 10.1 shutout innings, earning the win in Game 3, and threw five shutout innings in Game 7. Scott McGregor split two decisions, yielding a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. Center fielder Chip Ambres led London, hitting .408 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's, while third baseman Tony Batista smacked two longballs and knocked in 7 runs. After dropping Game 1, the Philadelphia Hawks won four straight to oust the Kansas City Mad Hatters. Philadelphia first baseman Kevin Young was tabbed MVP after hitting .500 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Third baseman Chase Headley hit .278, smacking 3 round-trippers and knocking in 8 runs. Larry McWilliams allowed just one run in 7 innings in a Game 3 win, surrendering just 4 hits. Closer Bobo Newsom anchored a terrific bullpen, as he allowed one hit in 3.2 shutout innings, fanning 9 of the 12 batters he faced. The Hawks' bullpen allowed just one run in 15.1 innings -- and that was by Cory Lidle, who notched two victories out of the pen. Catcher Gene Green led Kansas City, hitting .438 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while center fielder Carl Everett hit .389 with 2 jacks and knocked in 3 runs. In a divisional showdown, the Detroit Purple Gang edged the Toronto Predators in six games, five of which were decided by either one or two runs, and one of which went 17 innings. Detroit right fielder Jose Cardenal was honored as MVP, hitting .320 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, and 4 RBI's. Catcher Shanty Hogan hit .333 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Southpaw Ken Holtzman posted a 2-0 mark with a 2.08 ERA, fanning 18 in 13 innings, while hard-luck Nolan Ryan went 0-2 despite a 2.31 ERA and 20 whiffs in 11.2 innings. Toronto ace Bill Monbouquette put together a valiant effort, going 2-0 in 13.1 shutout innings, allowing just 6 hits and fanning 15. Toronto right fielder Claudell Washington smashed two homers and knocked in 4 runs. The Portland Skunks ousted the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas in six games, outscoring Pittsburgh by just five runs in their four victories. Remarkably, Portland had just 33 hits in 6 games - an average of just 5.5 hits per game -- and no position player hit above .231. First baseman Mark McGwire hit just .190 but popped a homer, drove in 3 runs, and scored 5. Veteran left fielder Al Oliver drove in six runs despite going 2-for-19. Ace Walter Johnson allowed just one run in 12 innings, fanning 16, but earned two no-decisions for his efforts. Pittsburgh third baseman Harry Lord took MVP honors in a losing effort, hitting .385 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Moe Drabowsky allowed just two runs and six hits in 12.1 innings, but like Johnson, also had two no-decisions.

In a matchup of the top two pitching staffs in the Frontier League, the Philadelphia Hawks upended their division rival Buffalo Fighting Elk in five games, as Buffalo scored just 11 runs in 5 games. Philadelphia left fielder Kevin McReynolds took home MVP honors, hitting .375 with 4 doubles, driving in 2 runs. First baseman Kevin Young bopped 2 round-trippers, driving in 3 runs. Crafty southpaw Larry McWilliams went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings. Bobo Newsom continued his dominant postseason, earning 2 saves over 4 shutout innings, fanning 8. Buffalo shortstop Jonathan Villar hit .300 with 2 doubles and a homer. The Portland Skunks dominated the Detroit Purple Gang, outscoring Detroit 23-5 in a four-game sweep. Center fielder Matt Kemp was tabbed MVP, hitting .500 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's. First baseman Mark McGwire and second baseman Mark Lemke drilled two homers apiece, driving in a combined seven runs. Southpaw Casey Fossum hurled 7 shutout innings in Game 3, yielding just 2 hits. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit's punchless attack, hitting a modest .267. Portland's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, however, as Philadelphia prevailed in five games, making the World Series for the first time in 37 years. Philadelphia first baseman Kevin Young took home the hardware, hitting .294 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Jack Lapp hit .267 with a pair of homers. Ace Addie Joss went 1-0 with a 1.64 in 11 innings, while teammate Mack Allison hurled a three-hit shutout in Game 4. Second baseman Mark Lemke hit .389 and scored 2 runs for Portland in a losing effort.

Continental League: The Nashville Blues somehow won 88 games with a negative 33 run differential, yet they dominated the Charlotte Aviators, who won 102 games with the stingiest pitching staff in the league, winning in five games. Rookie right fielder Babe Herman led Nashville, winning MVP honors after hitting .381 with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's, including a walk-off series-clinching single in the 10th inning of Game 5. Left fielder Rick Reichardt hit .350 with 2 longballs and 5 RBI's. Mike Mussina earned the win in Game 2, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings, fanning 10. Righthander Len Barker led Charlotte, earning the win in Game 1, and posting a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings. The New York Emperors had not won a playoff series in their last four tries, dating back to 2039, but they ousted the El Paso Armadillos in 5 games. Second baseman Ozzie Albies took home MVP honors after hitting .412 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Catcher Joe Garagiola hit .375, plating four runs. Righthander Joe Johnson went 1-0 with an 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings. Right fielder Roberto Clemente led El Paso, hitting .381 with 2 RBI's. The Hartford Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Miami Flamingos before hanging on to prevail in six games. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva was named MVP after hitting .348 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Ray Lankford popped 2 homers and knocked in 4 runs, scoring 5 runs. Southpaw Joe Shaute posted a 1-0 mark with a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings. Remarkably, Miami hit 9 homers in the series, but scored just 15 runs. Derrek Lee led Miami, hitting .261 with 3 solo shots, while Mike Scioscia hit .450 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The Virginia Beach Admirals upset the 100-win San Diego Zookeepers in five games. Admirals DH Rico Carty was tabbed MVP after hitting .368 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Jerry Turner hit .364 with 2 homers, 3 RBI's, 5 runs scored, and 3 steals, while third baseman Mike Schmidt hit .316 with 3 round-trippers and 8 RBI's. Virginia Beach's bullpen dominated, led by closer Derrick Turnbow, who notched 2 saves and allowed one run in 6 innings. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero led San Diego, hitting .471 with a solo homer and 4 runs scored.

In the Division Series, New York swept Nashville, as DH Adam Dunn earned MVP honors after hitting .429 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, including a walk-off homer in Game 2 and a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth of Game 4. New York came from behind in the ninth inning of three of the four games. Third baseman Travis Shaw hit .545 with 3 doubles, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals before breaking his wrist. Left fielder Tim Raines hit .350 with 2 RBI's, including a walk-off single in Game 1, and he stole 4 bases. Remarkably, no New York starter made it past the fifth inning. Reliever Mark Davis earned 2 wins in relief. Left fielder Lance Berkman led Nashville, hitting .286 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. In an Atlantic Division showdown, the Hartford Huskies outlasted the Virginia Beach Admirals in seven games. Hartford left fielder Corey Dickerson took home the hardware after hitting .370 with 2 homers and knocked in 6 runs. Second sacker Eddie Stanky hit .360 with 5 runs scored. Catcher Sammy White hit just .269, but smacked 3 doubled, 2 homers, and drove in 5 runs. Juan Marichal split two decisions, but posted a solid 2.31 ERA in 11.2 innings. Second baseman Casey Candaele hit .476 with 4 doubles, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Ace Van Mungo went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. Star sluggers Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson struggled, going a combined 7-for-55, with just two homers between them. In the League Championship Series, Hartford nearly blew a 3-1 series lead before ousting New York in seven games. Right fielder Tony Oliva took home his second trophy of the postseason after hitting .310 with 3 homers and 11 RBI's. Center fielder Ray Lankford hit .273 with 3 longballs, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. First baseman Jim Hickman hit .333 with 2 triples, a homer, and knocked in 5 runs. Southpaw John Candelaria earned a Game 7 win, allowing one hit in 6.2 shutout innings; for the series, he posted 11.1 shutout innings, fanning 14 while yielding just 4 hits. Right fielder JD Martinez led New York, hitting .320 with 4 solo jacks.

World Series: The 95-win Hartford Huskies were slight favorites over the pitching-heavy Philadelphia Hawks due to Hartford's balanced offense. By the end of the series, however, Hartford looked more like a MASH unit than an elite squad, losing their entire starting outfield as well as ace John Candelaria. But Hartford's depth proved to be the difference, as they took the series in six games for the third title in franchise history.

Philadelphia took an early lead in the series, winning Game 1 2-1, as Addie Joss and Bobo Newsom combined for a two-hitter. Center fielder Brandon Barnes paced the Hawks with 2 hits, including a double, along with a run and an RBI. Joss yielded two hits and one run in 7 innings, fanning 8, while Newsom whiffed 4 more in two shutout innings. Hartford center fielder Ray Lankford led Hartford with a solo homer. Southpaw Joe Shaute allowed two runs in five innings, taking his first loss of the postseason. Hartford evened the score 4-0 in Game 2, as Juan Marichal hurled a one-hit shutout, fanning 7. Second sacker Eddie Stanky had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, and scored 2 runs, while catcher Sammy White had 2 doubles and 2 RBI's. Larry McWilliams took the loss for the Hawks, allowing 3 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Hartford took control of the series with an 8-3 win in Game 3, but lost Oliva to a torn ACL. Shortstop Woody English drilled 3 hits and knocked in 3 runs. White smacked 3 hits, including 2 more doubles, and scored 2 runs. Greg Swindell allowed one earned run in five innings, outdueling Jim Brewer. Philadelphia third baseman Chase Headley popped two hits, including a solo homer, while Jack Lapp knocked in 2 runs.

Philadelphia evened the series in Game 4, winning 4-3 on a walk-off single by first baseman Kevin Young. Bobo Newsom earned the win with two perfect innings in relief, fanning 4, while Hartford closer Bob Lee took the loss. Philadelphia shortstop Ozzie Guillen had three hits, including a double and a triple, and knocked in a run, while Young had three singles. Hartford backup centerfielder Vin Campbell hit a solo shot, while Corey Dickerson popped a two-run double in the first inning, but went down with an abdominal strain, sidelining him for the series. A shorthanded Hartford squad won a critical Game 5 2-0, as Joe Shaute hurled 7 shutout innings of 3-hit ball, outdueling Addie Joss, while Chad Qualls earned the save with two shutout innings. Young and Barnes each doubled for Philadelphia. Hartford clinched the series with a 3-1 come-from-behind win, as Hartford scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth, while first baseman Jim Hickman drilled a series-clinching walk-off homer in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Marichal hurled 7 innings of four-hit ball, allowing one run. Larry McWilliams threw 5.1 shutout innings, fanning 10 while allowing just 3 huts. Stanky doubled and scored two runs, while Hickman drove in all three runs for Hartford. Guillen had three hits, including a double, for Philadelphia.

Marichal was named MVP after going 1-0 and allowing just one run on five hits in 16 innings, while whiffing 14 Hawks. Campbell hit .278 and slugged .667, popping 2 homers and driving in 3 runs. Stanky hit .304 with 3 doubles, 6 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. Sammy White hit just .250, but drilled 5 doubles -- bringing his total to 13 for the postseason, tied for second all-time. Joe Shaute split two decisions, posting a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. Guillen led Philadelphia, hitting .333 with 2 RBI's. Addie Joss went 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA, fanning 16 without a walk. Bobo Newsom hurled 5 hitless innings, whiffing 11. For the postseason, Newsom allowed just 5 hits and 2 runs in 15.1 innings, striking out 32 enemy batters while earning 6 saves.

Dukie98 · 04-10-2020, 07:19 PM

Frontier League MVP- Sam Mele, LF, MIL (21): .346/ .454/ .695, 193 hits, 24 doubles, 3 triples, 55 HR, 127 RBI, 136 runs, 110 BB, 1 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Second place- Juan Soto, LF, BUF (13): .328/ .451/ .615, 188 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 136 RBI, 124 runs, 136 BB, 6 SB, 185 OPS+, 8.2 WAR
Third place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (14): 21-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 226 IP, 285 K, 25 BB, 3 CG, 265 ERA+, 10.7 WAR
Fourth place- Larry Doyle, 2B/SS, CIN: .350/ .438/ .618, 213 hits, 47 doubles, 4 triples, 36 HR, 130 RBI, 116 runs, 94 BB, 33 SB, 175 OPS+, 7.3 WAR
Fifth place- John Wilson, RF, MIN: .336/ .392/ .662, 193 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 51 HR, 148 RBI, 116 runs, 46 BB, 10 SB, 167 OPS+, 7.4 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award winner- Walter Johnson, POR (47): 21-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 226 IP, 285 K, 25 BB, 3 CG, 265 ERA+, 10.7 WAR
Second place- Bill Monbouquette, TOR (1): 17-5, 1.85 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 218 IP, 281 K, 49 BB, 253 ERA+, 8.6 WAR
Third place- Addie Joss, PHI: 18-3, 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 196 IP, 214 K, 18 BB, 218 ERA+, 8.3 WAR
Fourth place- Rich Harden, OMA: 14-13, 2.14 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 210 IP, 355 K, 57 BB, 1 CG, 214 ERA+, 9.5 WAR
Fifth place- Nolan Ryan, DET: 11-6, 2.53 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 213 IP, 337 K, 70 BB, 1 CG, 187 ERA+, 8.5 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Willie McCovey, 1B/ LF, VAN (48): .304/ .429/ .600, 159 hits, 20 doubles, 3 triples, 43 HR, 105 RBI, 113 runs, 101 BB, 3 SB, 168 OPS+, 7.7 WAR
Second place- Wandy Rodriguez, LHP, MON: 10-8, 2.51 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 179 IP, 209 K, 51 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 185 ERA+, 5.3 WAR
Third place- Randy Tomlin, LHP, BOS: 14-9, 2.99 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 193 IP, 158 K, 28 BB, 1 CG, 155 ERA+, 6.5 WAR

Continental League MVP- Andre Thornton, 1B, ANA (30): .312/ .428/ .711, 174 hits, 37 doubles, 6 triples, 58 HR, 162 RBI, 150 runs, 105 BB, 5 SB, 194 OPS+, 8.6 WAR
Second place- Ozzie Albies, 2B, NY (15): .334/ .381/ .582, 215 hits, 41 doubles, 13 triples, 31 HR, 146 RBI,123 runs, 27 SB, 150 OPS+, 8.4 WAR
Third place- Adam Dunn, DH/ RF (2): .293/ .448/ .565, 170 hits, 31 doubles, 2 triples, 41 HR, 125 RBI, 159 runs, 155 BB, 33 SB, 165 OPS+, 8.0 WAR
Fourth place- Bill Schroeder, C/ 1B, CHA: .315/ .369/ .658, 138 hits, 18 doubles, 44 HR, 97 RBI, 93 runs, 21 BB, 2 SB, 156 OPS+, 5.5 WAR
Fifth place- Hal Trosky, DH, BIR: .324/ .399/ .599, 203 hits, 41 doubles, 4 triples, 41 HR, 141 RBI, 108 runs, 79 BB, 154 OPS+, 6.0 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Van Mungo, VB (33): 12-10, 2.79 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 184 IP, 309 K, 76 BB, 185 ERA+, 7.4 WAR
Second place- Ruben Gomez, SD (7): 15-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 221 K, 40 BB, 188 ERA+, 5.7 WAR
Third place- Warren Spahn, NOR (4): 14-6, 2.85 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 224 IP, 285 K, 28 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 181 ERA+, 6.7 WAR
Fourth place- John Candelaria, HAR (1): 15-9, 2.89 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 205 IP, 255 K, 27 BB, 1 CG, 175 ERA+, 6.4 WAR
Fifth place- Hugh Bedient, LA (3): 11-3, 1.73 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 172 IP, 201 K, 14 BB, 288 ERA+, 7.1 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Babe Herman, 1B/ LF, NAS (44): .326/ .396/ .621, 170 hits, 26 doubles, 4 triples, 40 HR, 119 RBI, 96 runs, 57 BB, 7 SB, 183 OPS+, 5.5 WAR
Second place- Hee Seop Choi, 1B/ DH, NY: .305/ .407/ .593, 131 hits, 29 doubles, 1 triple, 31 HR, 97 RBI, 91 runs, 69 BB, 1 SB, 160 OPS+, 5.3 WAR
Third place- Sid Fernandez, LHP, PHO (4): 11-10, 2.91 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 183 IP, 291 K, 69 BB, 183 ERA+, 7.3 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Josh Johnson, RHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians
2. Russ Bauers, RHP, Birmingham Steelers
3. Kris Bryant, 3B/ LF, Cleveland Rocks
4. George Burns, 1B, Atlanta Ducks
5. Bob Robertson, 1B, Milwaukee Raccoons
6. Kevin Millwood, RHP, Phoenix Lizards
7. John Tudor, LHP, Vancouver Viceroys
8. Whitey Kurowski, 3B, Washington Ambassadors
9. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Jacksonville Ducks
10. Ivan Nova, RHP, Memphis River Pirates

Dukie98 · 04-12-2020, 06:51 PM

The 2052 ballot proved to be the most top-heavy of all, as five first-time Hall of Famers plus multiple other legitimate candidates joined a ballot that had six returning candidates who drew over half the vote last year. When the dust settled, five newcomers were selected -- four by overwhelming margins -- and the average ballot featured a record 13.91 votes. The ballot clogging proved to be such a problem that some voters deliberately withheld votes from the most meritorious candidates, correctly believing that they were shoo-ins for induction, in order to vote for other qualified candidates. Ultimately, 11-time All-Star Mark Prior, who finished in the top three of Cy Young Voting nine times, was inducted with 98.7% of the vote. Two-time MVP Joe DiMaggio, who finished his illustrious career with 3,043 hits and 630 homers, drew 98.3% of the vote. 389-game winner Bob Moose, owner of 4 Cy Young Awards, garnered 94.4% of the vote. Three-time MVP Larry Walker, a career .348 hitter with 586 homers, earned 93.4% of the vote. First baseman Jim Thome, who mashed 469 homers while posting a career .409 on-base percentage, earned induction with 80.5% of the vote. An incredible 14 players drew at least 49% of the vote, with eight more topping 20%.

Prior was tabbed first overall by the Nashville Blues following the 2032 season. He was tabbed Rookie of the Year as a 20-year-old the following season, posting a 2.68 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and a league-leading 275 strikeouts despite a middling 8-13 record for the offensively-challenged Blues. The following year, Prior finished fourth in the Cy Young voting despite another sub-.500 record, going 11-13 with a 2.75 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a league-best 320 strikeouts. In 2035, he notched a third-place Cy Young finish, posting a 14-11 mark with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, while fanning 297 hitters. Prior earned another fourth-place Cy Young finish in 2036 after going 14-12 with a 2.93 ERA, a league-best 0.91 WHIP, and 289 strikeouts. The next year, he finished as runner-up to fellow inductee Bob Moose, after going 19-5 with a 2.66 ERA, and leading the Continental League with a 0.90 WHIP and 330 strikeouts - the first of four straight runner-up finishes. In 2038, Prior led the league both in ERA (1.91) and WHIP (0.82), while going 17-8 with an even 300 strikeouts. In 2039, he improved his record to 20-9 while posting a 2.84 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and fanning a league-best 297 hitters. He posted an identical 20-9 mark the following season, while leading the league with a 2.59 ERA, and posting a 0.97 WHIP while whiffing 275 batters. Prior slipped to a third-place Cy Young finish the following year after missing a month with a wrist injury, posting a 14-8 mark with a 2.41 ERA, while leading the league with an 0.82 WHIP and 235 strikeouts. In 2042, Prior finally broke through to win the Cy Young Award, winning the Triple Crown by posting a 21-5 mark with a 2.28 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 322 strikeouts. Prior notched a fifth-place finish in 2043, going 14-9 with a 2.88 ERA, while leading the league with a career-best 0.78 WHIP and 289 strikeouts. Prior had been remarkably durable throughout his career, never suffering a substantial injury until a torn triceps in 2044 ended his season after 14 starts. Following the season, he left Nashville as a free agent for the bright lights of Buffalo. In his inaugural season with the Fighting Elk, Prior finished second yet again in the Cy Young voting, going 22-4 with a 2.08 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and a career-high 342 strikeouts. He posted a third-place finish in the Cy Young voting in 2046, going 21-5 with a 2.18 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and 298 strikeouts. He notched a fourth place finish the following year, going 14-8 with a 2.04 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts. Prior finally showed signs of slowing down the following year, slipping to an 8-6 mark with a 3.47 ERA in 22 starts after suffering a knee injury. After a slow start to 2049, Prior was moved to the bullpen and retired after the season. For his career, he posted a 245-130 record with a 2.57 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, 4390 strikeouts, and 113.5 WAR. He ranked 22nd all-time in wins, 3rd in WHIP, 3rd in strikeouts, and 11th all-time in WAR. An 11-time All-Star, he led the league in victories twice, in ERA three times, in innings 3 times, in strikeouts seven times, and in WHIP six times. Between 2034 and 2047, Prior finished in the top five of the Cy Young voting 13 out of a possible 14 times, including 9 top-3 finishes. Remarkably, Prior had virtually no postseason exposure due to Nashville's seemingly perpetual inability to score runs. He did not make the playoffs until 2045 -- and he suffered a back injury in the first inning of his first start. He posted a 2-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA in 4 starts the following year, in the only other postseason experience of his illustrious career.

DiMaggio was selected third overall by the Boston Minutemen after the 2030 season. He won the Frontier League Rookie of the Year award in 2031 after hitting .311 and slugging .550, with 35 homers, 99 runs scored, and a league-high 144 RBI's. The following season, DiMaggio finished in third place in the MVP voting after hitting .315 and slugging .617, with a league-leading 47 homers and 153 RBI's. In 2033, DiMaggio led Boston to a World Series title, hitting .324 and slugging .608, drilling 44 homers and knocking in 133 runs while scoring 124 runs, and driving in 14 runs in 19 postseason games. The following season, he hit .312 with 40 doubles, 41 homers, 125 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. 2035 was shaping up to be the best season of his career, as he hit .321 with 18 homers and 57 RBI's in 49 games before suffering a season-ending PCL tear. He rebounded over the next two seasons to hit 36 and 37 homers, averaging 128 RBI's before season. After another injury-shortened 2038 season, DiMaggio hit .293 with 32 round-trippers and 107 RBI's in 2039. His 2040 campaign was interrupted by a series of nagging injuries, including a season-ending broken hand, but not before he popped 22 longballs and plated 78 runs in 92 games. Following the season, he signed with El Paso as a free agent. After a mildly disappointing 2041 campaign, he rebounded with a stellar 2042, winning the MVP award after hitting .338 and slugging .638, with 48 homers and 143 RBI's. The following season, he repeated as MVP, hitting .331 and slugging .624, blasting 48 homers again and knocking in a league-leading and franchise-record 151 runs, as El Paso won the world title. He followed that up by finishing third in the MVP voting for 2044, as he hit .284 with 48 homers yet again, and led the league with 149 RBI's . After knocking in 79 runs in 81 games, DiMaggio was the subject of the biggest in-season trade in HRDL history, as El Paso shipped him to Anaheim for Frank Tanana and a backup outfielder. Combined, he hit 37 longballs and drove in 130 runs in 2045. The following season, he hit .280 with 30 dingers and 129 RBI's. In 2047, playing primarily as a DH, he hit .303 with 53 doubles, 38 homers, 135 RBI's, and 105 runs scored. DiMaggio slipped to hit just .265 with 18 homers the following year, and he retired after an ineffective 2049 campaign. For his career, DiMaggio posted a .298/ .371/ .552 slash line, with 3043 hits, 542 doubles, 76 triples, 630 homers, 2204 RBI's, 1784 runs scored, 1082 walks, a 146 OPS+, and 103.6 WAR. For his career, he ranked 11th all-time in homers and 5th in RBI's. He made 8 All-Star teams, won 2 MVP's, and 5 Silver Slugger awards. In 102 career postseason games, he hit .312 and slugged .542, with 24 homers and 66 RBI's, including an 8-homer, 16-RBI showing in 2034, and he hit .357 with 4 homers and 16 runs scored in 18 games in El Paso's 2043 championship run.

Moose was selected third overall by the Chicago Mules in the 2024 draft. As an 18-year-old rookie, he posted a 13-10 mark in 2025 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. The following year, he finished second in the Cy Young voting, going 18-7 with a league-leading 1.85 ERA, along with a 1.01 WHIP and 188 strikeouts, and led Chicago to a World Series title. In 2027, he finished a hard-luck 9-9 despite a 2.55 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 239 strikeouts, finishing fifth in the Cy Young Voting. He won the Cy Young and finished second in the MVP voting in 2028, winning the first Triple Crown by a pitcher in HRDL history, going 21-5 with a 1.63 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 256 strikeouts. The following year, he finished third in the Cy Young voting, posting a 16-8 mark with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts. He finished third once again in 2030, going 20-9 with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 235 strikeouts. In 2031, Moose went 18-7 with a 2.97 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 250 strikeouts finishing fourth in the Cy Young Voting. He won his second Cy Young in 2032, narrowly missing another Triple Crown, as his 25-8 record and 2.13 ERA led the league, and he finished second in the league with 276 strikeouts, remarkably allowing just 7 homers in 257 innings. He repeated the following season, taking home the hardware after going 13-11 with a 2.57 ERA, a league-leading 1.05 WHIP, and 251 strikeouts. Moose was Cy Young runner-up in both 2034 and 2035, going 17-12 with a 2.79 ERA and 257 strikeouts in 2034, and following that up with a 15-10 mark, a 2.77 ERA, a league-leading 1.03 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. Following the 2035 season, Moose left Chicago to sign with the Atlanta Ducks as a free agent. Moose finished second in the Cy Young voting yet again in 2036, posting a 21-10 record with a 3.30 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. In 2037, Moose won his fourth Cy Young Award and finished second in the MVP voting, sporting a league-leading 23-6 record, a 2.37 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 263 strikeouts. After an off-year in 2038, he rebounded to go 13-13 with a 3.30 ERA in 2039, and the signed with Cincinnati in the offseason. Moose finished third in the Cy Young voting upon his return to the Frontier League, going 14-9 with a 2.20 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. In 2041, he notched an 18-8 mark, along with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, with 200 strikeouts. The next year, he led the league in victories, going 21-8 with a 2.98 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts, finishing third in the Cy Young voting once again. After winning 26 games over the next two seasons with identical 2.78 ERA's, Moose signed with New York in 2045, and at age 38, posted a 19-9 mark with a 2.70 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and fanned 203 - good for fourth in the Cy Young voting. Moose went on the disabled list for the first time in his career in 2046, suffering a series of arm injuries. He signed with the Vancouver Viceroys in the offseason, and over two seasons, he went 23-18 with ERA's of 3.29 and 3.58. In his last hurrah, at age 42, he posted a 14-9 mark for the Miami Flamingos with a 3.70 ERA, but with his fastball in rapid decline, he retired after the season. Over his star-studded career, Moose made a record 16 All-Star teams, won four Cy Young Awards, and retired as the all-time leader in victories (389), innings (5689), strikeouts (5076), and WAR (190.9). His career record was 389-231, with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.08. Between 2027 and 2045, Moose posted at least 200 strikeouts every season but one - missing by a single whiff. In postseason play, Moose went 14-10 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts -- including a 5-0 mark with a 1.83 ERA as he led Chicago to the World Series title in 2026.

Walker was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Raccoons following the 2031 season. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2032, Walker finished as runner-up in the MVP voting, hitting .303 and slugging .568, drilling 41 homers, driving in 108 runs, scoring 111, and swiping 47 bases. The next year, he hit .323 and slugged .584, popping 32 doubles and 21 homers while stealing 41 bases in just 104 games. In 2034, Walker finished third in the Frontier League MVP voting, posting a .352/ .448/ .637 slash line, ripping 44 doubles, 32 homers, driving in 109 runs and scoring 122 while stealing 50 bases. Walker was a runaway MVP the following season, winning the first of four batting titles, as he posted a ridiculous .396/ .494/ .753 slash line, with 51 doubles, 49 homers, 134 RBI's, 144 runs scored, and 50 steals. He finished second in the 2036 MVP voting, after hitting .358 and slugging .696, with 99 extra-base hits, including 47 homers, 145 RBI's, a league-high 147 runs scored, and 33 steals. Walker won his second MVP award in 2037, hitting .348 with a league-best .677 slugging percentage, including 38 doubles, 49 homers, a league-leading 146 RBI's, 137 runs scored, and 36 steals. He had his finest season in 2038, yet finished second to Tris Speaker in the MVP voting, as he posted a .407/ .504/ .814 slash line - leading the Frontier League in all three categories, and boasting the second-highest single season on-base percentage and slugging percentage of all-time. Walker won his third MVP award the following year, after hitting .359 and leading the league again with a .463 on-base percentage and .701 slugging percentage, as he rapped 41 doubles, 48 dingers, and drove in 118 runs while scoring 131. In 2040, he missed 35 games, but still hit .360 with 82 extra-base hits, including 35 homers and 106 RBIs. Walker won his third batting title as he hit .372 with a .460 on-base percentage and .694 slugging percentage, as he drilled 45 doubles and 33 homers in 138 games. He finished second again in the MVP voting in 2042, hitting a league-leading .380 with 227 hits, including 55 doubles, 31 longballs, 111 RBI's, 115 runs scored, and 22 steals. In 2043, Walker hit "just" .321 - the lowest mark since his rookie season, but smacked 32 homers and plated 110 runs. He hit .361 the following year, drilling 32 homers again and knocking in 97 runs. He remained productive over the next three seasons, hitting near .330 each season while averaging 27 homers and 101 RBI's. Walker finally showed signs of slowing down in 2048 at age 37, when he became a part-time player, and he retired after an ineffective 2049 campaign after spending his entire career in Milwaukee. For his career, he posted a slash line of .348/ .440/ .637, with 3177 hits, 691 doubles, 96 triples, 586 homers, 1813 RBI's, 1881 runs scored, 1362 walks, 422 steals, an OPS+ of 184, and 132.4 WAR. Walker won four batting titles, and he led the Frontier League four times in on-base percentage, and in slugging eight times in a nine-year period. At the time of induction, he ranked second all-time in batting average and on-base percentage, and posted the highest career slugging percentage by a mammoth 33 points - more than the gap between the second and fifteenth-ranked players. He also ranked 19th in homers, 18th in runs scored, 25th in RBI's, and 8th in WAR. Walker made 12 All-Star teams and won 8 Silver Slugger awards along with a Gold Glove. In 74 career postseason games, he hit .290 and slugged .527, with 14 homers and 45 RBI's.

Thome was tabbed second overall by the Jacksonville Gulls after the 2033 season. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2034, he hit a solid .286 and slugged .449, drilling 12 homers and knocking in 61 runs. He showed modest increases in power over the next two years, then drilled 28 homers and knocked in 74 runs while scoring 100 in 2037. After hitting 31 homers and posting a .417 on-base percentage the next year, Thome took the leap into stardom the next year, winning the batting title and leading the league in on-base percentage as he posted a .351/ .461/ .644 slash line, smacking 42 homers and driving in 137 runs, as he finished second in the MVP voting. He came in third place in 2040, hitting .339 and slugging .626, as he drilled 42 doubles, 43 homers, knocked in 154 runs and scored 147. In 2041, he hit .332 and slugged .620, launching 35 homers, plating 106 runs, and scoring 117 in just 129 games. The next year, Thome hit .307 with 45 homers, 119 RBI's, 145 runs scored, and led the league with 140 walks. In 2043 and 2044, he topped .300 each season, hitting 29 homers each year while averaging 125 RBI's. He hit .294 in 2045, drilling 35 homers while driving in 123 runs. He finished fifth in the 2046 MVP voting after hitting .290 with a .404 on-base percentage, blasting 42 homers, knocking in 103 runs, and scoring a league-high 123 runs. He remained productive the following year, drilling 33 longballs and knocking in 120 runs. Thome suffered a concussion at the start of the 2048 campaign, knocking him out of commission for three months, and his bat was never the same, and he retired at age 34 after a poor 2049 season. Thome posted a career .291/ .406/ .523 slash line, including 2371 hits, 377 doubles, 522 triples, 469 homers, 1616 RBI's, 1582 runs, 1515 walks, an OPS+ of 138, and 75.3 WAR. He made six All-Star teams and won four Silver Slugger awards, winning a batting title, an OBP crown, and leading the league in walks twice and runs scored once. In 73 postseason games spanning nine postseasons, he hit .264 with 12 homers and 34 RBI's.

Top vote recipients include:

Mark Prior, RHP, NAS/ BUF: 98.7%
Joe DiMaggio, CF, BOS/ ELP/ ANA: 98.3%
Bob Moose, RHP, CHI/ ATL/ CIN/ NY/ VAN/ MIA: 94.4%
Larry Walker, RF, MIL: 93.4%
Jim Thome, 1B, JAX: 80.5%
Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ ELP: 67.7%
David Wright, 3B, NY: 67.3%
Bill Madlock, 3B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL: 64.0%
Joe Adcock, 1B, SF/ BIR/ DEN/ MIA/ STL/ BOS/ ALB: 63.4%
Tommy Davis, LF, NOR: 60.7%
Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN: 53.5%
Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS: 50.2%
Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 50.2%

Due to the long-running backlog of candidates, prior to the voting, the writers increased the threshold to remain on the ballot from 10% to 15%, resulting in only 17 players carrying over to next year's ballot. Notable players who dropped off the ballot included 10-time Gold Glover Jerry Mumphrey and three-time hit leader Ralph Garr, each of whom saw their ten-year term period on the ballot expire. Other noteworthy players who failed to gain enough support to stay on the ballot include 3,000-hit club members Don Mattingly, Tony Gwynn, and Roberto Alomar, 542-homer hitter Eddie Murray, and career .318 hitter Julio Franco.

Here is a look at the newest Hall of Famers:

Dukie98 · 04-16-2020, 11:59 PM

Here are the major storylines across the league at the 2053 All-Star Break:

Exceeding expectations: The Minneapolis Penguins, who won 84 games last season after seven straight seasons at or below .500, entered the break with a sizzling 53-22 record. Minneapolis led the Frontier League in every major offensive category other than steals, scoring 518 runs in 75 games, and taking a .302 team average into the break. Right fielder John "Chief" Wilson was an MVP candidate, hitting .343 and slugging .663, drilling 27 homers and knocking in 86 runs. First baseman Will Clark hit .351 in the first half, smacking 18 homers and knocking in 70 runs. Left fielder Justin Upton took a .310 mark into the break, along with 15 homers and 63 RBI's. Southpaw Greg Swindell paced an otherwise ordinary pitching staff, going 9-3 with a 2.46 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts. Closer Shawn Hill earned 17 saves, along with a 2.32 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Hot on their tails were the equally-surprising Omaha Falcons, who won just 71 games last year, but took a 50-25 mark into the break. Shortstop Jose Valentin led the Falcons offensively, hitting .312 and slugging .681, with a league-high 28 homers and 68 RBI's. Catcher Butch Henline hit .303 with a .389 on-base percentage. Omaha's pitching led the league, as Rich Harden posted a 10-2 mark with a 2.66 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and 157 strikeouts in just 105 innings. Rookie Brandon Cumpton exploded, going 8-3 with a 1.54 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Rick Reuschel took a 10-3 mark into the break, sporting a 2.67 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls rebounded from a 69-win season -- their fourth straight sub-.500 campaign -- to post a 42-32 first half record. Catcher Paul Ratliff came out of nowhere to take a .318 average and .496 slugging percentage, with 13 homers and 45 RBI's, into the break. DH Tom Lampkin hit .312 and slugged .524, with 12 dingers and 42 RBI's. First baseman Tyler Colvin batted .279 with 16 longballs and 64 RBI's. Veteran righthander Dave Goltz led a largely anonymous staff, posting a 2.98 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, despite a 3-6 mark. Second-year hurler Hod Lisenbee posted an 8-4 record with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. The Birmingham Steelers were the biggest surprise in baseball, taking a 41-34 record into the break after five straight seasons of 90+ losses, including a 56-106 mark last year. First baseman Hal Trosky carried the offense, hitting .344 and slugging .635, with 21 doubles, 20 homers, and 51 RBI's. DH Homer Smoot starred, hitting .340 with 18 round-trippers, 47 RBI's, and 53 runs scored. Rookie righthander Russ Bauers starred, going 10-1 with a 2.32 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts in just 85 innings. Fireballer Virgil Trucks went 7-2 with a 2.61 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and fanned 139 hitters in 97 innings.

Disappointments: No team took a bigger tumble than the Buffalo Fighting Elk, who won a league-best 107 games last year, but went just 33-37 in the first half. Buffalo ranked just 20th in the league in runs scored. Shortstop Jonathan Villar, who launched 24 homers and knocked in 101 runs last year, hit just 8 homers and drove in 26 runs in the first half. Catcher Spud Davis, who hit .284 with 13 homers last year, collapsed, hitting just .205 with 2 homers and 17 RBI's. Burt Hooton went just 2-9 with a 6.11 ERA before mercifully seeing his season end with a torn elbow tendon. Southpaws Scott McGregor, Mark Mulder, and Lefty Mills saw their ERA's rise by nearly a run apiece. The Denver Spikes remained in playoff contention until the final days of the season last year, winning 83 games, but they stumbled to a 32-43 start. Denver ranked second-to-last in the Frontier League in homers with just 63 longballs. Left fielder Al Bumbry, who hit .291 with 54 extra-base hits and 77 RBI's last year, slipped to .266 with just 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI's. Third baseman Red Smith, who hit .291 and slugged .475 last year, collapsed to hit just .208 and slug .337, with just 5 homers and 23 RBI's. On the mound, Andy Hawkins, who went 12-7 with a 3.01 ERA last year, slumped to a 3-8 mark with a 4.52 ERA. Denver's bullpen also ranked among the worst in the league, posting a 5.38 ERA as a unit.

In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals slipped from 89 wins last year to a meager 32-43 first-half record. The Admirals collapsed offensively, hitting just .217 after posting a teamwide .262 average last year, and they ranked 21st in the league in runs scored. DH Ralph Kiner, who hit .282 and slugged .568 last year, with 36 homers and 109 RBI's, stumbled to a .214 average, a .417 slugging percentage, just 14 homers, and 36 RBI's. First baseman Mike Laga, who hit .260 with 29 homers last season, hit just .192 and slugged .350, with 9 longballs and 36 RBI's. Shortstop Forrest Crawford was completely overmatched, hitting .154 with 7 extra-base hits and 11 RBI's in 227 at bats. On the mound, defending Cy Young winner Van Mungo took a step back, going 6-5 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Biff Schlitzer, a 12-game winner last year, declined to a 3-7 record and a 4.62 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, winning 100 games last year, but they struggled to a 31-43 mark. First baseman Cecil Cooper, coming off a breakout season last year, broke his ankle in spring training, causing him to miss the entire first half. Catcher Lance Parrish was limited to just 23 games, hitting a meager .198 with 4 homers, as he struggled to recover from a sprained ankle. Center fielder Lenny Dykstra showed signs of slowing down, hitting just .236 with a .316 on-base percentage - both career lows - with just 2 homers, 35 RBI's, and 30 runs scored. Righthander Ruben Gomez, last year's runner-up in the Cy Young voting, went just 2-5 with a bloated 5.75 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP, allowing 9 homers in just 52 innings. Vicente Padilla, a 14-game winner last year, tore a tendon in his finger in his first start of the year, sidelining him until August.

LA Story: The Los Angeles Kangaroos were the most dominant team in the HRDL for the first twenty-five years of its existence, but they had fallen on hard times lately, finishing below .500 in each of the last fourteen seasons. Los Angeles was a trendy preseason pick to win the Southwest Division, and they did not disappoint, taking a 41-34 record into the break despite the second-lowest scoring offense in the Continental League. The Kangaroos led the league in pitching, taking a 2.94 teamwide ERA into the break. Righthander Hugh Bedient looked to build on last season's ERA title, taking an 8-4 record and a microscopic 1.25 ERA and an 0.67 WHIP into the break. Second-year hurler Yovanni Gallardo sported a 7-3 record and a 1.99 ERA, while Whitey Ford notched a 2.12 ERA in nine starts.

Offensive Surge: The home run rate soared to one of the highest in history. Eleven players had 25 homers at midseason, and twenty-four more players pounded at least 20 round-trippers. Thirteen of the twenty-four Continental League teams had at least 100 homers at the All-Star break. Conversely, only four teams averaged at least one stolen base per game, and no teams topped 100 steals at the break.

Major injuries: The El Paso Armadillos suffered an unfortunate double whammy: center fielder Mike Trout broke his kneecap in late April, ending his season, while righthander Stephen Strasburg suffered a herniated disc just days later, sidelining him until the end of August. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva missed the entire first half with a torn ACL suffered in last year's World Series. Houston left fielder Matt Holliday was expected to miss the season after suffering setbacks from a torn PCL suffered last season. Albuquerque righthander Glenn Liebhardt tore an elbow ligament in early June, ending his season. Oft-injured Anaheim center fielder Fred Lynn suffered an inflamed shoulder in early April, sidelining him until mid-July. San Diego first baseman Cecil Cooper broke his ankle in spring training, knocking him out until mid-July. Atlanta left fielder Hack Wilson suffered a series of nagging back and knee injuries, limiting him to just 26 first-half games. Detroit left fielder Jorge Orta tore his PCL three games into the season, likely ending his season. Baltimore catcher Bill Dickey broke his elbow in late April, ending his season prematurely. Kansas City first baseman Freddie Freeman missed most of the first half with a series of nagging injuries. Las Vegas righthander Jose Rijo injured his back in early June, sidelining him until the end of July. Montreal first baseman Ed Konetchy went down with a strained abdominal muscle on Opening Day, and he was not expected to return until August.

Major milestones: Houston center fielder Garry Maddox drilled his 2500th career hit. Chicago center fielder and Phoenix first baseman Mark Teixeira each joined the 500-homer club. The 400 home run club saw several right fielders join, including San Antonio's Vladimir Guerrero, Nashville's Geoff Jenkins, Charlotte's Dwight Evans, and Chicago's Jimmy Wynn, as well as New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen. Baltimore righthander Jim Maloney fanned his 3,000th batter, as did Las Vegas's Jose Rijo. Looking ahead to the second half, Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler had a chance for 3,000 hits with a strong second half, and Detroit center fielder Jose Cardenal was about a month away from his 2500th hit. El Paso shortstop Rico Petrocelli was expected to hit his 400th home run by August. New York southpaw David Price was likely to notch his 200th career win by August.

Dukie98 · 04-20-2020, 03:11 AM

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas coasted to the Northeast Division title, winning 94 games to finish 10 games ahead of the second-place Montreal Knights, as Pittsburgh earned their third straight playoff spot. First baseman John Olerud led Pittsburgh, posting a .311/ .429/ .569 slash line, along with 44 doubles, 34 homers, 84 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .307 and slugged .492, with 20 homers and 86 RBI's despite missing 29 games. Pittsburgh's pitching staff finished second in the Frontier League in runs allowed, led by righthander Henry Thielman, who went 15-8 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, as he allowed just 6 homers in 195 innings. Moe Drabowsky posted a 16-8 mark along with a 2.72 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 217 strikeouts. Fireballer Josh Hader earned 36 saves along with a 2.79 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP, fanning 113 hitters in just 68 innings.

The London Werewolves cruised to the Great Lakes Division title, winning 92 games. Right fielder Jack Tobin led a balanced offense which finished third in the league in runs scored, as he hit .324 and slugged .518, with 49 doubles, 23 homers, 120 RBI's, and 111 runs scored. Third baseman Tony Batista hit .288 and drilled 28 homers and knocked in 94 runs in just 110 games. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .333 with 10 homers, 78 RBI's, 105 runs scored and 39 steals. Shortstop Enzo Hernandez hit .301, scoring 108 runs while swiping 69 bags. Southpaw Leo Kiely went 18-10 with a 3.01 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and struck out 208 enemy hitters. Second-year hurler Eric Plunk posted a 14-3 mark with a 2.57 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, while fanning 215 hitters. The Cincinnati Spiders overcame a slow start, as they were eight games under .500 on July 4, but they ended the season on a blistering 16-2 run to finish with 89 wins. Cincinnati rode a powerful offense led by presumptive MVP Larry Doyle, as the Spiders led the league with 238 homers and finished second in runs scored, batting average, OPS, and steals. Doyle flirted with a Triple Crown, winning the batting title by hitting .349 and slugging .697, with 42 doubles, 55 homers, 149 RBI's, and a league-best 147 runs scored while stealing 60 bases, setting several franchise records along the way. Left fielder Joe Medwick hit .348 and slugged .622, blasting 36 homers and knocking in 110 runs while going a perfect 13-for-13 on the basepaths. First baseman Walter Holke hit .323 and slugged .611, booming 44 homers and knocking in 135 runs, while third baseman Evan Longoria hit .288, while launching 47 dingers and driving in 124 runs. Barney Wolfe paced an otherwise shaky staff, going 14-10 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Veteran Collin McHugh went 14-6 with a solid 3.65 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang could not overcome a slow start (5-13) and a September slump, where they lost 14 of 22, and they were eliminated by the San Francisco Longshoremen in a one-game 11-inning playoff. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit offensively, hitting .288 with a league-high 59 doubles, 17 homers, and 85 RBI's. Fireballer Nolan Ryan went 14-10, but posted his highest ERA in eight years (3.17), along with an 0.96 WHIP and 327 strikeouts.

The Minneapolis Penguins led the Frontier League with 104 wins - an increase of 20 victories from last year - and they made the playoffs for the first time in ten years. Minneapolis scored a league-high 951 runs, leading the Frontier League in batting average and OPS and finishing second in homers. Right fielder John Wilson dominated, hitting .343 and slugging .634 with a league-high 222 hits, with 90 extra-base hits including 45 homers, 145 RBI's, and 135 runs scored. First baseman Will Clark hit .325 and slugged .573, launching 34 round-trippers while knocking in 144 runs and scoring 130. Left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Matt Nokes combined for 66 homers and 209 RBI's between them. Second sacker Chuck Knoblauch set the table, hitting .320 with a .402 on-base percentage, along with 13 homers, 58 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Crafty southpaw Chris Welch posted a 16-6 mark along with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Shawn Boskie went 15-10 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Southpaw Greg Swindell sported a 10-4 mark with a brilliant 2.24 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 17 starts before being sidelined with a ruptured tendon in his finger. The Omaha Falcons rode the league's leading pitching staff to a 100-win season and their first playoff spot in nine years. Shortstop Jose Valentin led an overachieving offense, hitting .269 with 51 jacks, 113 RBI's, and 123 runs scored. Left fielder Oscar Gamble drilled 29 longballs and knocked in 103 runs. Righthander Rich Harden led a deep pitching staff, going 16-3 with a 2.37 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 348 strikeouts, leading four Omaha hurlers with sub-3.00 ERA's. Rick Reuschel led the league in victories, going 23-6 with a 2.37 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, while fanning 230 hitters. Rookie Brandon Cumpton posted a 14-7 mark with a 2.50 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Kansas City Mad Hatters won 91 games, making the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Center fielder Carl Everett starred, hitting .316 and slugging .595 with 30 homers, 90 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 24 steals in 129 games before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. Right fielder Mitch Haniger hit .300 with 36 jacks, 114 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. Ace Tim Hudson led a deep pitching staff, sporting a 14-7 mark with a 2.02 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP, and 215 strikeouts. Southpaw Gary Ryerson went 15-6 with a 2.18 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP. Control ace Moose Haas went 12-6 with a 2.84 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP. Closer Paul Foytack saved 37 games with a 2.87 ERA, whiffing 111 hitters in 78 innings.

The Portland Skunks relied on their star power to win 97 games, earning their sixth Northwest Division title in the last seven years. First baseman Mark McGwire hit .273 with 58 homers, 135 RBI's, and 114 runs scored, but set a Frontier League record with 242 whiffs. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit .280 with 29 homers and knocked in 97 runs. Center fielder Matt Kemp smacked 24 longballs and knocked in 83 runs, while stealing 21 bases. On the mound, Walter Johnson appeared to be a lock to win his tenth Cy Young Award, winning the Triple Crown by posting a 23-4 record with a 1.45 ERA, an 0.70 WHIP, and 352 strikeouts. Soft-tossing southpaw Joe Saunders went 15-11 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The San Francisco Longshoremen overcame a sluggish 25-35 start, rallying to force a tie for the final wild card spot, ousting Detroit 4-3 in a one-game playoff. Second baseman Scooter Gennett carried a balanced offense, hitting .315 and slugging .572, with 36 jacks, 107 RBI's and 108 runs scored. Left fielder David Justice hit .265, blasting 35 homers, knocking in 88 runs, scoring 108 runs, and stealing 21 bases. Righthander Jim Owens was brilliant, going 16-0 with a 1.91 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP, before being sidelined with an elbow injury that jeopardized his postseason. Owens earned the most wins without a loss in HRDL history. Rookie Kent Greenfield posted a 12-7 mark with a 2.80 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 229 strikeouts.

Continental League: The powerful New York Emperors won 108 games, taking just their third Atlantic Division title in franchise history. New York led baseball with 1057 runs scored, smashing an incredible 302 homers, narrowly missing the all-time record. Two-time MVP Eddie Mathews had his finest all-around campaign, hitting .331 with a league-high .689 slugging percentage, with 55 round-trippers, 150 RBI's, and 122 runs scored. Outfielder Adam Dunn posted a .314/ .437/ .639 slash line, with 52 dingers and 126 RBI's, while stealing 23 bases. Second sacker Travis Shaw and DH Manny Ramirez averaged 37 homers and 125 RBI's between them. Left fielder Tim Raines set the table, hitting .329 with a .416 on-base percentage, with 31 doubles, 15 triples, 23 homers, 87 RBI's, 140 runs scored and a league-high 83 steals. Southpaw David Price went 20-4, leading the league in victories, while posting a 2.90 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. Joe Johnson notched a 14-5 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators used a record-setting 323 homers to win 106 games, missing the division title by 2 games. First baseman Fernando Tatis, a spring training trade acquisition, exploded, hitting .316 and slugging .624, with 53 homers, 116 RBI's, a league-high 141 runs, and 47 steals. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .287, launching 39 longballs while driving in 115 runs in just 132 games. Shortstop JJ Hardy hit .280 with 35 jacks and 98 RBI's. Right fielder Dwight Evans was on his way to a career season, hitting .287 with 25 homers and 64 RBI's in just 77 games before shattering his kneecap. Veteran Len Barker posted a 14-2 mark in 27 starts, along with a 3.23 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts in just 159 innings. Southpaw Jon Lester enjoyed a 16-5 campaign, along with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Closer Lon Warneke notched a league-high 37 saves along with a 2.94 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. The Jacksonville Gulls made an unexpected return to the postseason for the first time in five years, winning 87 games despite finishing below .500 in the second half. Catcher Paul Ratliff led the Gulls, hitting .306 and slugging .572, with 41 homers and 107 RBI's. First baseman Tyler Colvin hit .277, launching 38 round-trippers, 10 triples, and plating 127 runs. Center fielder Lloyd Waner hit .317 with a league-high 212 hits, including 14 homers, 95 RBI's, and 89 runs scored. Second-year righthander Hod Lisenbee led a middle-of-the-pack staff, going 15-10 with a 3.89 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 213 strikeouts. Ray Corbin sported a 10-7 mark, along with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish rebounded from a 6-12 start to win the Southeast Division easily, winning 96 games. First basman Don Mincher clubbed 38 homers and knocked in 117 games. Southpaw Warren Spahn went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts. Tex Hughson rebounded from an injury-interrupted debut season, going 14-9 with a 3.08 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts. Veteran Jose DeLeon posted an 11-10 mark with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Birmingham Steelers won 85 games but struggled in September, losing to Phpenix in a one-game playoff. First baseman Hal Trosky starred, winning the batting title by hitting .360 with 40 doubles, 50 homers, 123 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. Second-year fireballer Virgil Trucks went 17-5 with a 2.32 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and 311 strikeouts. Rookie Russ Bauers posted a 19-3 mark with a 2.48 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and 288 strikeouts. The Nashville Blues missed the playoffs after a late-season collapse, winning 83 games but losing eight of their final nine games of the year to narrowly miss the playoffs. Left fielder Lance Berkman hit .285 with 36 dingers and 100 RBI's, while catcher Gary Carter hit .284 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's of his own. Mike Mussina carried an atypically weak Nashville staff, going 16-9 with a 2.84 ER, an 0.89 WHIP, and 293 strikeouts against just 26 walks.

The El Paso Armadillos survived a series of major injuries to key personnel, winning 100 games to take the Texas Division by 17 games over second-place Austin. DH Harry Heilmann raked, hitting .347 and slugging .615, with 48 doubles, 36 homers, 125 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Right fielder Roberto Clemente had a career season, hitting .297 and slugging .526, with 39 doubles, 33 homers, and 116 RBI's. Steady third baseman Alex Bregman hit .273 with 45 doubles, 24 longballs, 77 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. On the mound, veteran southpaw Woodie Fryman notched a 17-7 record, with a career-best 2.16 ERA, an 0.86 WHIP, while fanning 202 hitters. Robert Person sported an 11-6 mark, along with a 2.52 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and whiffed 228 batters. Lefty Tyler went 11-9, including a no-hitter, with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.

Despite having the third-worst offense in the Continental League, the Los Angeles Kangaroos rode a league-best pitching staff to win 96 games, taking the Southwest Division and returning to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Right fielder Wayne Comer hit just .251, but drew 102 walks and ripped 34 homers while knocking in 83 runs and scoring 107. Third baseman Kelly Gruber went deep 28 times while knocking in 87 runs before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. Los Angeles featured all five starters with double-digit victories, none of whom yielded an ERA over 3.35. Hugh Bedient was the runaway favorite for the Cy Young Award before suffering a season-ending back injury in July, going 10-7 with a microscopic 1.37 ERA and an 0.73 WHIP in 138 glorious innings. Second-year righthander Yovani Gallardo went 16-9 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts. Southpaw Whitey Ford went 10-4, sporting a 2.42 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP, whiffing 233 hitters in just 156 innings. Closer Oscar Harstad earned 8 wins and 36 saves, with a 2.19 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. The Anaheim Antelopes returned to the postseason after a three-year absence, winning 87 games behind a star-studded offense that ranked third in the league Second-year left fielder Harry Anderson exploded, hitting .307 and slugging .610, with 40 doubles, 49 homers, 132 RBI's, and 132 runs scored. Outfielder Dave Winfield hit .287 with a career-high 48 homers, while driving in 142 runs and scoring 126. Defending MVP Andre Thornton hit .305 and slugged .601, smacking 44 homers, driving in 120 runs, and scoring 126. Catcher Yogi Berra hit .300 and slugged .581, bopping 38 homers and knocking in 108 runs in just 133 games. But the Antelopes' pitching remained among the worst in baseball. Ariel Prieto led the squad with a modest 12-10 record, along with a mediocre 4.47 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Closer Tim Crews was brilling, winning 6 games and saving 24, to go with a 1.14 ERA and 0.78 WHIP, with an incredible 101-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Despite winning just 64 games last year, the Phoenix Lizards snuck into the playoffs despite a -55 run differential, winning 13 of their final 15 games to steal the final wild card slot. Phoenix needed 163 games, ousting Birmingham in the elimination game, with Jeff King hitting a 10th inning homer to push Phoenix into the playoffs. King was one of six Lizards to top 20 homers, as he popped 34 dingers and drove in 124 runs. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .276 with 27 longballs and 84 RBI's. Second baseman Aaron Ward hit .279, drilling 23 homers, knocking in 91 runs and scoring 90. Southpaw Sid Fernandez had a fine sophomore campaign, going 13-5 with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 242 strikeouts. Rookie Kevin Millwood went just 7-7 due to a lack of offensive support, but he yielded a 3.81 ERA, a 1.12 ERA, and fanned 228 hitters.

Best season in team history: None
Worst season in team history: Calgary Cattle Rustlers (53 wins)

Dukie98 · 04-24-2020, 11:17 PM

Frontier League: The 104-win Minneapolis Penguins dominated the overmatched San Francisco Longshoremen, outscoring San Francisco 35-8 in a four-game sweep. Minneapolis first baseman Will Clark earned MVP honors after hitting .571 and slugging .929, with a homer and 4 RBI's. Catcher Matt Nokes hit .455 with a pair of homers and 5 RBI's, while left fielder Justin Upton hit .389 with six extra-base hits, including a homer, 6 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Chris Welsh yielded just 3 hits and one run in 7 innings in earning a Game 4 victory. Center fielder Dino Restelli led the Longshoremen, hitting .313 with 3 longballs and 4 RBI's. The London Werewolves spoiled the Omaha Falcons long-awaited return to postseason play, ousting the league's top-ranked pitching staff in five games. Right fielder Jack Tobin was tabbed MVP after hitting .474 with a homer, 7 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .409 with 4 extra-base hits and 8 runs scored. Southpaw Leo Kiely went 1-0, posting a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 innings Eric Plunk earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 6.1 innings. Right fielder Claudell Washington provided the lone bright spot for Omaha, hitting .286 with 4 homers and 5 RBI's in a losing effort. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas crushed the Kansas City Mad Hatters, outscoring them 33-11 on their way to a five-game victory. Pittsburgh shortstop Alan Trammell was an easy MVP selection after hitting .550 and slugging .900, with a homer, 4 doubles, 4 RBI's, and 9 runs scored. Right fielder Pablo Reyes hit .368 with a pair of homers, 6 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Catcher Brian Downing hit .350, knocking in 5 runs. Righthander Henry Thielman went 2-0, allowing just six hits and one run in 16 innings. Kansas City right fielder Mitch Haniger hit just .200, but homered and drove in 5 of the team's 11 runs in the series. The Cincinnati Spiders beat Portland ace Walter Johnson in Game 1 and took a 3-run lead into the ninth inning of Game 2, but collapsed and lost the next three games, ending their season. Portland third baseman Delino DeShields hit .364 with 4 runs scored and 3 steals. Second sacker Mark Lemke hit .316 with 6 RBI's, including a walk-off single in Game 2. Bill Wight earned a Game 3 win, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run in 8.1 innings. Portland's bullpen was brilliant, allowing 1 run in 14 innings while fanning 14 Spiders. Cincinnati star second baseman capped off a brilliant 2053 campaign by earning MVP honors in a losing effort, hitting .450 with a homer and 5 RBI's.

In the Division Series, Minneapolis ousted London in six games, led by series MVP Chuck Knoblauch, who hit .500 with 4 runs scored and 4 RBI's. Third baseman Harry Lord hit .360 with 2 longballs and 3 RBI's. Justin Upton launched 2 homers and knocked in 5 runs. Southpaw Fritz Ostermueller split two decisions, posting a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings, allowing just six hits, including allowing just one hit in 8.2 innings in Game 1. The Penguins' bullpen was brilliant, allowing just one run on 11 hits in 17 innings, led by Shawn Hill, who allowed one hit in 4.2 shutout innings. Second baseman Tony Batista led London, hitting .250 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's, while Leo Kiely yielded a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, splitting two decisions. Portland dominated Pittsburgh in a four-game sweep, outscoring the Golden Gorillas 26-7. Portland second sacker Mark Lemke hit .353 with a homer and 8 RBI's. Mark McGwire hit .417 with an incredible .632 on-base percentage, with a homer and 3 RBI's. Joe Saunders hurled 6.1 shutout innings in a Game 4 victory, while Walter Johnson yielded just 3 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, earning the win in Game 1 while fanning 10. Portland ousted Minneapolis in six games in the League Championship Series, with catcher John Stearns leading the way, hitting .391 with 4 homers and 9 RBI's. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .407 with a dinger, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Walter Johnson went 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings, while Casey Fossum earned two wins, allowing just one run in 12.1 innings. Catcher Matt Nokes led Minneapolis, hitting .348 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's in defeat, while Chris Welsh earned a victory, allowing just one run in 7 innings.

Continental League: In what appeared to be a giant mismatch on paper, the 108-win New York Emperors edged the 86-win Phoenix Lizards in seven games. New York right fielder Manny Ramirez had one of the most dominant series in league history, hitting .368 with 7 homers and 11 RBI's. Third baseman Eddie Mathews hit .346, and he, along with catcher Joe Garagiola and first baseman Hee-Seop Choi, blasted 3 homers apiece. Southpaw David Price posted a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings, earning the win in Game 7 with five shutout innings. Phoenix second baseman Aaron Ward hit .516 and slugged .871, with 2 homers and 8 RBI's, while third baseman Jeff King hit .429 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's. The Charlotte Aviators swept the New Orleans Crawfish, allowing just 8 runs in the series. Charlotte right fielder Ozzie Timmons earned MVP honors after hitting .400 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .400 with a round-tripper and 5 RBI's, while DH Dick Stuart hit .353 with a pair of solo homers. Jon Lester earned the win in Game 2, allowing just 2 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, while closer Lon Warneke earned 2 saves with 4 perfect innings. New Orleans southpaw Warren Spahn allowed two runs in 8 innings, fanning 11. In a divisional matchup, the Los Angeles Kangaroos celebrated their first postseason visit in 15 years by ousting the Anaheim Antelopes in six games. Los Angeles first baseman Bucky F. Dent took home the hardware, hitting .400 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Mark Whiten hit .333 with a pair of homers and 6 RBI's, while DH Dick Kokos smacked 3 solo shots. Whitey Ford posted a 2-0 mark, allowing a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, fanning 18. Yovani Gallardo went 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 innings, with 20 strikeouts. Catcher Yogi Berra led Anaheim, hitting .318 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The 87-win Jacksonville Gulls stormed out to a 3-0 lead over the heavily-favored 100-win El Paso Armadillos, but El Paso stormed back to win the next four games, taking the series in seven games. El Paso first baseman Troy Neel was tabbed MVP after hitting .364 with 3 homers and 3 RBI's. Second baseman Carlos Sanchez hit .273, drilling a homer and knocking in 5 runs. Southpaw Woodie Fryman went 1-0, yielding a 1.83 ERA in 14 innings. Reliever Eduardo Rodriguez hurled 8.2 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits. Catcher Paul Ratliff led the Gulls, hitting .323 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's, while DH Ron Kittle hit .314 with 3 dingers and 6 RBI's.

In a divisional matchup featuring the two winningest teams in baseball, the Charlotte Aviators upended the New York Emperors in six games. Charlotte first baseman Fernando Tatis was chosen as MVP, hitting .476 with 2 homers, 4 doubles, and 4 RBI's. Shortstop JJ Hardy hit .474 while knocking in 3 runs. Jon Lester hurled 6.2 shutout innings, earning the win in Game 2 while allowing just 2 hits. Ace Len Barker went 2-0, posting a 2.25 ERA while fanning 17 hitters in just 12 innings. Left fielder Tim Raines led New York, drilling 3 homers, scoring 4 runs, and knocking in 7 runs. The El Paso Armadillos continued to be the comeback kings, erasing 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to the Los Angeles Kangaroos, as El Paso won in seven games. In a controversial decision, El Paso second baseman Carlos Sanchez was named MVP after hitting .276 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. El Paso first baseman Troy Neel smacked 2 homers and knocked in 4 runs of his own. But the true star of the series was Woodie Fryman who went 1-0 in 17.1 shutout innings, whiffing 18 while only allowing 4 hits - including hurling 9.1 no-hit innings in Game 2 while striking out 11. Hard-luck Whitey Ford went 0-1 despite allowing just one run in 12.1 innings. Charlotte continued their dominant run throughout the League Championship Series, sweeping El Paso, although three of the games were decided by a single run. Charlotte catcher Bill Schroeder earned MVP honors after hitting .375 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Nick Delmonico hit .429 with a longball and 5 RBI's. Jon Lester won his lone start, allowing just 1 run and 3 hits in 7 innings. Len Barker earned the win in Game 1 after allowing one run and 3 hits in 6.1 innings. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli led El Paso, as he hit .333 with a homer and 2 RBI's.

World Series: In one of the most anticipated World Series matchups in years, the star power of the Portland Skunks squared off against the explosive offense of the red-hot Charlotte Aviators. The lone blemish on Portland ace Walter Johnson's resume was the lack of a World Series ring, and he led Portland to 97 wins. Charlotte won 106 games in the regular season, ended the regular season by winning 27 of their final 31 games, and won 12 of 13 games in the postseason. Charlotte continued its dominant run, sweeping Portland to win the fifth World Series title in franchise history.

Although Portland jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1, Charlotte stormed back with 5 runs in the bottom of the inning, as the Aviators prevailed 9-6. Charlotte DH Dick Stuart went 5-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored, and first baseman Fernando Tatis hit a two-run homer. Charlotte ace Len Barker fanned 12 in 5.1 innings, and Lon Warneke earned the win with two shutout innings in relief. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero led Portland with a 3-run homer. Although Portland starter Ray Scarborough did not make it out of the first inning, reliever Ed Head took the loss, surrendering three runs in the eighth inning, including a tiebreaking double by Stuart. Charlotte took Game 2 2-1, as Jon Lester outdueled Walter Johnson. Johnson's lone mistake was a two-run homer by right fielder Ozzie Timmons - one of four hits on the day for the Aviators, as Johnson fanned 11 in 7 innings. Lester allowed one run in 5.1 innings, and Warneke hurled two perfect innings for the save. Guerrero had two hits for Portland, including a solo smash.

Charlotte romped in Game 3, jumping out to a 10-1 lead before Portland tightened the score to 10-5 with a meaningless eighth inning rally. Charlotte blasted five homers, including a grand slam by left fielder Nick Delmonico. Second baseman Ozzie Albies added two hits and two RBI's, including a homer and a stolen base. Southpaw Paul Maholm earned the win, allowing just two hits and one run in 7.1 innings. Mark McGwire led Portland with two hits and 3 RBI's. Southpaw Casey Fossum took the loss, yielding five runs in just 2.2 innings. Charlotte finished the sweep in Game 4, coming from behind to win 4-2, as Delmonico ripped a bases-loaded triple in the eighth inning off Ed Head. Fernando Tatis chipped in with an RBI double for Charlotte. Larry French allowed two runs in 5.2 innings. Adam Wainwright and Jim Buchanan combined for 3.1 innings of one-hit relief. Matt Kemp provided all of Portland's offense with a two-run homer. Joe Saunders yielded just four hits and one run in six innings.

Remarkably, Stuart was named MVP after starting just two of the four games, as he went 7-for-10 with 2 doubles, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. Charlotte catcher Bill Schroeder hit .353 and knocked in 2 runs. Left fielder Nick Delmonico hit .286 with a homer and a series-high 8 RBI's. First baseman Fernando Tatis hit just .250, but slugged .833, drilling 2 homers and knocking in 5 runs. Paul Maholm allowed just two hits and one run in 7.1 innings, posting a 1.23 ERA, while relievers Lon Warneke and Adam Wainwright combined for a win and two saves in 7.1 shutout innings, allowing just two hits. Portland was led by left fielder Pedro Guerrero, who hit .313 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Walter Johnson, making hist first World Series appearance, posted an 0-1 mark with a 2.57 ERA in 7 innings with 11 strikeouts.

Charlotte concluded the most incredible postseason run in HRDL history, losing just one game in four rounds. The prior record of two losses was held by the 2032 Seattle Whales and the 2043 El Paso Armadillos. Along the way, Charlotte swept a 96-win New Orleans Crawfish squad, the 97-win Skunks, and the 100-win El Paso Armadillos, and their division rival New York Emperors, whose 108 wins topped the entire HRDL.

Dukie98 · 04-27-2020, 01:56 AM

Frontier League MVP- Larry Doyle, 2B/SS, CIN (45): .349/ .431/ .697, 213 hits, 42 doubles, 3 triples, 55 HR, 149 RBI, 147 runs, 84 BB, 60 SB, 197 OPS+, 11.8 WAR
Second place- Al Simmons, LF/CF, MON: .337/ .394/ .729, 209 hits, 41 doubles, 5 triples, 64 HR, 153 RBI, 122 runs, 56 BB, 19 SB, 193 OPS+, 9.9 WAR
Third place- John Wilson, RF, MIN: .343/ .392/ .634, 222 hits, 37 doubles, 8 triples, 45 HR, 145 RBI, 135 runs, 50 BB, 13 SB, 166 OPS+, 8.4 WAR
Fourth place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (3): 23-4, 1.45 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 255 IP, 352 K, 36 BB, 6 CG, 5 shutouts, 299 ERA+, 12.5 WAR, .236, 3 HR, 11 RBI (as hitter)
Fifth place- Jose Valentin, SS, OMA: .269/ .344/ .583, 163 hits, 36 doubles, 1 triple, 51 HR, 113 RBI, 123 runs, 70 BB, 12 SB, +13.3 Zone Rating, 146 OPS+, 9.1 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, POR (48): 23-4, 1.45 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 255 IP, 352 K, 36 BB, 6 CG, 5 shutouts, 299 ERA+, 12.5 WAR
Second place- Rich Harden, OMA: 16-3, 2.37 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 221 IP, 348 K, 56 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 181 ERA+, 10.9 WAR
Third place- Rick Reuschel, OMA: 23-6, 2.37 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 216 IP, 230 K, 28 BB, 181 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Fourth place- Tim Hudson, KC: 14-7, 2.02 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 201 IP, 215 K, 34 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 217 ERA+, 7.7 WAR
Fifth place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE: 18-10, 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 227 IP, 313 K, 74 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 191 ERA+, 7.9 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Brandon Cumpton, RHP, OMA (20): 14-7, 2.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 202 IP, 165 K, 48 BB, 1 CG, 171 ERA+, 4.8 WAR
Second place- Kent Greenfield, RHP, SF (9): 12-7, 2.80 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 187 IP, 229 K, 43 BB, 152 ERA+, 5.1 WAR
Third place- Josh Johnson, RHP, OTT (8): 11-10, 2.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 196 IP, 266 K, 57 BB, 1 CG, 147 ERA+, 7.0 WAR

Continental League MVP- Eddie Mathews, 3B, NY (32): .331/ .421/ .689, 182 hits, 22 doubles, 5 triples, 55 HR, 150 RBI, 122 runs, 83 BB, 2 SB, 192 OPS+, 10.1 WAR
Second place- Fernando Tatis, 1B/CF, CHA (9): .316/ .402/ .624, 202 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 53 HR, 116 RBI, 141 runs, 88 BB, 47 SB, 164 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Third place- Hal Trosky, 1B/DH, BIR (6): .360/ .423/ .688, 211 hits, 40 doubles, 1 triple, 50 HR, 123 RBI, 114 runs, 63 BB, 188 OPS+, 7.6 WAR
Fourth place- Adam Dunn, LF/RF, NY: .314/ .437/ .639, 181 hits, 31 doubles, 52 HR, 126 RBI, 129 runs, 115 BB, 23 SB, 185 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Fifth place- Chick Hafey, LF, HOU: .330/ .382/ .670, 206 hits, 40 doubles, 1 triple, 57 HR, 151 RBI, 119 runs, 52 BB, 16 SB, 171 OPS+, 7.9 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Virgil Trucks, BIR (34): 17-5, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 217 IP, 311 K, 49 BB, 209 ERA+, 8.7 WAR
Second place- Warren Spahn, NOR (7): 19-8, 2.63 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 236 IP, 255 K, 31 BB, 7 CG, 1 shutout, 183 ERA+, 6.2 WAR
Third place- Woodie Fryman, ELP (7): 17-7, 2.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 225 IP, 202 K, 40 BB, 2 CG, 211 ERA+, 5.4 WAR
Fourth place- Russ Bauers, BIR: 19-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 196 IP, 288 K, 50 BB, 195 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Fifth place- Greg Maddux, SA: 11-8, 1.88 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 215 IP, 197 K, 18 BB, 241 ERA+, 7.9 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Russ Bauers, BIR (43): 19-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 196 IP, 288 K, 50 BB, 195 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Second place- Whitey Kurowski, 3B, WAS (5): .274/ .342/ .486, 160 hits, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 100 runs, 44 BB, 10 SB, 120 OPS+, 4.7 WAR
Third place- Dwight Lowry, C, ATL: .270/ .362/ .436, 126 hits, 26 doubles, 17 HR, 60 RBI, 66 runs, 45 BB, 115 OPS+, 4.2 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Ira Flagstead, CF, Calgary Cattle Rustlers
2. Happy Felsch, CF, Washington Ambassadors,
3. Mickey Cochrane, C, Milwaukee Raccoons
4. Travis Hafner, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors
5. Noah Lowry, LHP, Boston Minutemen
6. Lou Whitaker, 2B, Houston Pythons
7. Lonny Frey, 2B, Las Vegas Aces
8. Bill Weir, LHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians
9. Ryan Dempster, RHP, Chicago Mules
10. Rudy York, C/1B, Atlanta Ducks

Dukie98 · 04-29-2020, 02:59 AM

After several years of bloated Hall of Fame ballots, the 2053 ballot was one of the smallest in recent history, with just forty candidates. Four players were elected: left fielder/ first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who launched 711 career homers in a 21-year career, drew 93.4% of the vote. Six-time all-star and 2036 MVP Robin Yount, who ripped 3379 career hits, received 91.6% of the vote. First baseman Don Hurst, who ripped 628 career homers and knocked in 2040 runs, was listed on 81.1% of ballots. Five-time all-star third baseman David Wright was the lone returnee to achieve induction, squeaking over the threshold with 75.9% of the vote.

Palmeiro was selected fifth overall by the Cleveland Rocks following the 2029 season. He started his career with a bang, winning the 2030 Frontier League Rookie of the Year, hitting .314 and slugging .602 with a league-leading 49 homers and 125 RBI's. The following year, Palmeiro hit .301 and slugged .637, pounding 52 round-trippers, knocking in 137 runs, and scoring 111 rune. He hit .322 with 32 homers and 95 RBI's in just 121 games in 2032, and followed that up by hitting .327 with 39 dingers and 122 RBI's, garnering a .422 on-base percentage each season. After hitting .309 with 30 longballs and 118 RBI's in 2034, he hit .327 with 46 doubles, 37 homers, and knocked in 133 runs the following year. Following the 2035 season, Palmeiro jumped to the division rival Detroit Purple Gang in free agency, and in his first season in purple and gold, he hit .317 with 47 homers and drove in 121 runs. After hitting "just" 28 homers in 112 games in 2037, he rebounded with a bang, hitting 45 and 46 homers in the next two seasons, topping .300 each time. Palmeiro hit .323 in 2040, drilling 34 longballs and knocking in 104 runs. Signing with the El Paso Armadillos in 2041, Palmeiro hit .293 - his first season under .300 -- and drilled 36 homers and plated 109 runs. He was remarkably consistent in El Paso, hitting between .289 and .297 over the next three seasons, hitting at least 33 longballs and knocking in at least 100 runs each season, including a 42-homer, 106-RBI campaign in 2043 as El Paso won the World Series. Palmeiro signed with Montreal as a free agent, and over the next two years, he averaged 26 homers and 95 RBI's per season. After being reduced to part-time play, he was traded to Minneapolis. where he spent a year and a half and notched his 3000th hit. He then played one-season stints in Omaha and Atlanta, where he averaged 25 homers and 77 RBI's, before retiring at age 40. For his career, Palmeiro posted a .295/ .382/ .544 slash line, with 3266 hits, 575 doubles, 26 triples, 711 homers, 2125 RBI's, 1973 runs scored, 1523 walks, and 73.8 WAR. At the time of his induction, he ranked fifth all-time in homers, eighth in RBI's, and tenth in homers. He made four All-Star teams and won two Silver Sluggers. Palmeiro was a career .265 postseason hitter with 22 homers and 77 RBI's in 95 games. In 2043, he won the World Series MVP after hitting .381 with a homer and 7 RBI's, and for that postseason, he hit .369 with 4 homers and 22 RBI's in 22 games.

Yount was drafted second overall by the Memphis River Pirates following the 2031 season. He held his own as a 22-year-old rookie shortstop in 2032, hitting .306 with 48 doubles, 13 homers, 90 RBI's, and 97 runs scored. He steadily progressed, hitting .321 and slugging .504 the following season, ripping 42 doubles, 19 homers, driving in 93 runs, while stealing 26 bases the next season. In 2034, Yount hit .311 with 57 doubles, 28 longballs, 111 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 22 steals. He burst into superstardom in 2036, finishing fourth in the MVP voting after hitting .335 and slugging .665, with 55 doubles, 10 triples, 44 dingers, 132 RBI's, 127 runs scored, and 27 steals. Yount won the Continental League MVP in 2036, hitting .359 with 48 homers, 142 RBI's, and 141 runs scored. He hit 309 the next year, blasting 46 homers and driving in 119 RBI's. Following the season, Yount left Memphis for the Jacksonville Gulls in free agency, where he spent the rest of his career. He hit .299 with 34 homers and 100 RBI's in his first season in Jacksonville. He followed that up by hitting .316 with 31 longballs and 127 RBI's in 2039. He hit .344 the following season, smashing 36 homers, knocking in 118 runs and scoring 137 runs. Although his 2042 campaign was spoiled by a labrum injury, he hit .345 with 20 homers and 76 RBI's in just 100 games - snapping a string of seven straight 100 RBI seasons. He rebounded to hit a career-high .365 in 2043, finishing fifth in the MVP voting as he ripped a league-high 245 hits, including 56 doubles, 8 triples, 26 homers, 135 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. He doubled up on his fifth-place showing the following season, hitting .337 with 32 longballs, 106 RBI's, and 121 runs scored. Yount hit .320 in 2045, smacking 19 homers, driving in 98 runs, scoring 113, and swiping a career-high 35 bases. He hit .314 the following year, but saw his power slip, as he hit just 10 homers and knocked in 70 runs. Yount spent three more years as a moderately productive regular, and retired after losing his starting role midway through the 2050 season. For his career, Yount posted a slash line of .319/ .380/ .536, with 3379 hits, including 735 doubles, 85 triples, 465 homers, 1877 RBI's, 1933 runs scored, 1039 walks, 328 steals, an OPS+ of 135, and 85.5 WAR. A six-time all-star, Yount won seven Silver Slugger awards, and ranked 18th all-time in hits and 16th in runs scored. In eight postseasons spanning 73 games, Yount hit .319 and slugged .488, with 24 doubles, 8 homers, and 55 RBI's.

Hurst was tabbed 28th overall by the Buffalo Fighting Elk following the 2031 season. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2032, Hurst hit .265 and slugged .496, ripping 34 homers, knocking in 89 runs and scoring 108. He hit .269 the following year, launching 41 longballs and knocking in 122 runs while drawing 117 walks. After slipping back to 27 homers the following year, while still knocking in 100 runs, he hit .295 with 42 dingers in 2035 and .292 with 47 homers the following year, knocking in 116 runs each year. In 2037, Hurst hit a career-high .333, drilling 45 doubles and 36 homers while driving in 131 runs. In both 2038 and 2039, Hurst led the Frontier League in RBI's, blasting 45 homers and knocking in 153 runs in 2038 while hitting 35 longballs and plating 146 runs the following year, hitting .277 each season. In 2039, Hurst hit .298 with 45 round-trippers and 147 RBI's. Over the next six seasons with Buffalo, Hurst fell shy of hitting 30 homers each season by just three homers, and he fell 2 RBI's short of driving in 100 runs every season - a streak dating back to 2033. Hurst left Buffalo for the Dallas Wildcatters following the 2046 season, where he hit 51 homers in two part-seasons. Hurst spent his 2049 season with the Atlanta Ducks, where he hit 14 homers in part-time play. He hit 19 homers in 2050 for the Las Vegas Aces and went out on top, winning the World Series MVP after hitting .400 with 2 homers, and retired following the season. Over his career, Hurst posted a slash line of .274/ .369/ .518, with 2924 hits, 627 doubles, 43 triples, 628 homers, 2040 RBI's, 1860 runs scored, 1550 walks, and OPS+ of 141, and 54.8 WAR. At the time of his induction, Hurst ranked 13th all-time in homers and 10th in RBI's. Hurst hit 38 homers and drove in 123 runs in 170 postseason games, winning titles with Buffalo in 2038 and Las Vegas in 2050, including 6 homers and 13 RBI's in the 2050 postseason.

Wright was drafted eighth overall by New York after the 2033 season, where he spent all sixteen seasons of his career. He came in third in the 2034 Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .328 with 29 homers, 112 RBI's, 91 runs scored, and 19 steals as a 20-year-old. The following year, Wright hit .336 with 43 doubles, 34 homers, 127 RBIs, 118 runs scored, and stole 34 out of 40 bases. In 2036, he hit .336 again, smacking 48 doubles, 29 dingers, and knocked in 141 runs while scoring 118 runs once again. He homered 29 times once again the following year, although he slipped to .289, but stole a career-high 43 bases. He hit .290 in 2037, launching 33 homers and driving in 133 runs while scoring 106 times. The following year, he hit .332 and slugged .594, with 45 doubles, 37 homers, and led the league with 145 RBI's. In 2050, Wright finished fifth in the MVP voting, hitting a career-high .350 with 50 doubles, 36 homers, 127 RBI's, 135 runs scored, and 29 steals. The following year, he hit .307 with 32 homers and 108 RBI's, topping 100 RBI's for the eighth straight years. Over the next four seasons, Wright was remarkably consistent, hitting between .313 and .321 each season, and ranged from 19 to 25 homers, topping 100 RBI's three more times. Wright hit 26 homers and knocked in 79 runs in 2046. He slowed down considerably over the final three seasons of his career, failing to top .240 or 8 homers in any single season. He retired with a career slash line of .305/ .383/ .512, with 2682 hits, 580 doubles, 392 homers, 1621 RBI's, 1475 runs, 354 steals, a 133 OPS+, and 79.5 WAR. Wright made five All-Star teams over his career. In 44 career postseason games, he hit .313 and drove in 31 runs, but smacked just 4 homers. In 44 career postseason games, Wright ihit .313 with 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 31 steals.

Top voting recipients include:
Rafael Palmeiro, LF/1B, CLE/ DET/ ELP/ MTL/ MIN/ OMA/ ATL, 93.4%
Robin Yount, SS, MEM/ JAX: 91.6%
Don Hurst, 1B, BUF/ DAL/ LV: 81.1%
David Wright, 3B, 75.9%
Kal Daniels, LF, KC/ ELP: 67.8%
Bill Madlock, 3B/2B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL, 64.0%
Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN, 64.0%
Tommy Davis, LF, NOR, 61.2%
Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN, 61.2%
Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ SA, 54.5%
Cliff Floyd, RF, POR/ BOS/ NY/ CHA/ HAR, 51.0%
Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS, 51.0%

Noteworthy players who fell off the ballot include Bob Ojeda, who won 166 games and two world titles and 330-homer hitter JT Snow.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:

Dukie98 · 05-08-2020, 10:58 PM

Here are some of the leading stories across the league at the 2054 All-Star break:

Exceeding expectations: The Boston Minutemen won just 63 games last year, but they jumped out to a 36-12 start. Despite stumbling through June, they still entered the break in first place in the Northeast Division with a 45-30 record, thanks to a league-leading 104 homers. Left fielder Kyle Schwarber, who hit 25 homers and drove in 55 runs last year, blasted 28 round-trippers and knocked in 59 runs in the first half. First baseman Ryan Klesko hit .274, smacking 12 homers and knocking in 55 runs. Rookie southpaw Noah Lowry dominated, going 8-3 with a microscopic 1.05 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts, allowing just 3 homers in 95 innings. The Cleveland Rocks looked to return to the playoffs after three years on the outside, going 43-32 after winning just 75 games last year. Second-year third baseman Kris Bryant blossomed into stardom, hitting .330 with a .422 on-base percentage, drilling 13 dingers and knocking in 54 runs. Center fielder Duke Snider hit .357 and slugged .669, with 10 homers and 34 RBI's in just 42 games. Rookie lefthander Lou Brissie starred, going 8-2 with a 2.04 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts. Ace Jimmy Dygert took a 6-3 mark into the break, along with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts in just 94 innings.

In the Continental League, the Oklahoma City Otters took a 43-30 record into the break, leading Austin by 4 games. The Otters looked to reverse a six-season streak of declining victory totals, as they missed the playoffs in the last four seasons, bottoming out last year with 75 wins. Star first baseman George Sisler hit .366 and slugged .639, with 19 doubles, 11 homers, and 32 RBI's in just 47 games. Catcher Joe Nolan was a surprise All-Star, hitting .345 and slugging .583, with 19 doubles, 10 homers, and 39 RBI's before the break. DH Junior Felix hit .301 with 13 homers, 39 RBI's, and 19 steals. Southpaw Ariel Miranda went 7-1 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Righthander Jeff Niemann had just a 4-5 record despite a 2.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The San Diego Zookeepers stumbled to just 74 wins last year, but they reversed course, going 46-28, and entered the break within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Los Angeles Kangaroos. Star second baseman Johnny Evers hit .308 with a .424 on-base percentage and flashed unexpected power, hammering a career-high 9 homers and knocking in 43 runs while swiping 20 bases. Catcher Lance Parrish hit .299, blasting 13 dingers and knocking in 45 runs. Righthander Ruben Gomez rebounded from a dismal 2053 campaign, going 9-4 in the first half with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Veteran Buzz Capra went just 5-5 despite a solid 3.27 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.

Disappointments: After three straight playoff appearances, including a 94-win division title last year, the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas crashed to a 26-48 record, ending the half in last place, 18 1/2 games out of first place. In addition to losing star shortstop Alan Trammell and closer Josh Hader in free agency and 15-game winner Henry Thielman to a season-ending shoulder injury, first baseman John Olerud had a disastrous half. After seven straight seasons of posting a .300/ .400/ .500 slash line, Olerud hit just .221 and slugged .374, with just 8 homers and 27 RBIs. Catcher Brian Downing, who hit .253 with 21 homers and 65 RBI's last year, hit just .195 with 7 round-trippers and 27 RBI's. Third-year hurler Fred Toney, who posted a 3.11 ERA in 84 solid innings last year, saw his ERA more than double to 6.50 with a 2.08 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons were the surprise of baseball last year, winning 100 games, but they stumbled to a 6-21 start on their way to a 34-41 half. Shortstop Jose Valentin, who came in fourth place in the MVP voting last year after smashing 51 homers, hit just .228 with 17 round trippers and 47 RBI's. Right fielder Nick Markakis hit just .239 and slugged a punchless .371, with 6 homers and 23 RBI's. First baseman Ed Konetchy, a free agent signee, missed 45 games, and hit just 3 homers and knocked in 12 runs in 30 games. Rick Reuschel, a 23-game winner last year, lasted just 3 starts before suffering a severe shoulder injury that threatened his season. Four-time All-Star Josh Hader had a disastrous half, posting just 4 saves along with a 5.82 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

The Nashville Blues expected to contend for the postseason again after falling just short with 83 wins last season, but they had an abysmal first half, going just 22-53, narrowly missing the worst record in baseball. Nashville's offense ranked near the bottom of the league, as the Blues ranked 23rd in batting average (.241) and dead last in on-base percentage (.300). Right fielder Claudell Washington, a free agent signee, was tremendously disappointing, hitting .193 with just 13 extra-base hits, including 5 homers and 25 RBI's. Catcher Gary Carter, who hit .284 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's last year, slipped to hit just .256 with 11 dingers and 33 RBI's. Second sacker Ryan Goins, who hit .271 and slugged .420 last year, collapsed to just .206 with a .320 slugging percentage, with just 5 longballs and 30 RBI's. Nashville's pitching ranked among the worst in baseball as the staff ERA soared by a run. Veteran Gene Conley was ineffective, going 2-6 with a 7.23 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. Tanner Anderson and Willie Prall combined for an 0-13 record in 30 starts, as Prall allowed 16 homers in just 55 innings. Although the El Paso Armadillos won three straight Texas Division titles, and made the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons, they were in danger of missing the postseason, going just 37-38, ending the half 7 games behind Oklahoma City. Third baseman Alex Bregman had a disappointing half, hitting just .245 with 16 homers and 41 RBI's. But El Paso's offense wasn't the problem - its pitching staff, which ranked 19th in the league in runs allowed, was a major concern. Woodie Fryman, a Cy Young candidate last year, went 5-5 with a 3.86 ERA. Robert Person saw his ERA more than double, as he went 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA. Veteran righthander Erskine Mayer was a disaster, going 2-6 with a 9.41 ERA and a 2.01 WHIP. El Paso's bullpen posted a combined ERA of 7.04, and the team's defense posted the worst zone rating in baseball.

Greatest Lakes: Although the Great Lakes Division has traditionally been one of the weakest divisions in the HRDL, it proved to be the deepest division in baseball throughout the first half of the season, with five teams squarely in the playoff chase. The Detroit Purple Gang were tied for the second best record in the Frontier League, going 46-28. The second-place Cincinnati Spiders led the wild card chase, taking a 44-30 record into the break. The Cleveland Rocks were on track to make the playoffs, with a 43-32 record, while the London Werewolves and Toronto Predators were tied for the final playoff spot. While the Ottawa Parliamentarians were eight games out of the last wild card spot, their 34-41 record was markedly better than all other sixth place teams in the HRDL.

Bringing up the Rear: Recent seasons saw a dearth of truly dreadful teams. In each of the last two years, only two teams had lost more than 100 games, and no team had lost more than 110 games since 2050. But several teams were on track to meet that marker of futility. The Milwaukee Raccoons, just three years removed from a 90-win playoff appearance, went just 22-52. In the Southeast Division, the Nashville Blues' 22-53 record edged the Atlanta Ducks 21-53 mark. Four more teams (the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas, Denver Spikes, San Antonio Marksmen, and Albuquerque Conquistadors) entered the break with a winning percentage at or below .360.

Chasing .400: Sixteen years passed since the last player topped .400 -- Larry Walker in 2038. But at the 2054 All-Star break, several players were poised to make a run at this mythical mark. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva played just 52 games, but hit .420 -- nearly double his average from his disappointing 2053 campaign (.237). El Paso DH/ 1B Harry Heilmann, a two-time batting champ, took a .398 average into the break. Anaheim catcher Yogi Berra took the leap into superstardom, hitting .396 and slugging .796 in the first half. Although New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen had not topped .275 in six years, and hit .243 last year, he entered the break hitting a sizzling .382.

Major milestones: Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler ripped his 3,000th hit two games into the season, and Virginia Beach right fielder Reggie Jackson joined him three weeks later. New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen joined the 2,500-hit club. Virginia Beach third baseman Mike Schmidt became the fifth player in league history to hit 700 homers. Toronto first baseman Willie Stargell bopped his 600th career homer. El Paso DH/1B Harry Heilmann and Ottawa first baseman Bob Horner each smacked their 500th career longball. El Paso shortstop Rico Petrocelli and New York right fielder Manny Ramirez each joined the 400-homer club. On the mound, Detroit ace Nolan Ryan won his 250th career game, while Phoenix righthander Javier Vazquez notched his 200th career victory. Looking ahead to the second half, Heilmann was expected to notch his 3,000th hit by mid-August. Jackson was about two months away from hitting his 700th career homer, and Phoenix DH Ralph Kiner was expected to joint the 600-homer club by the end of August. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was two solid months away from his 500th homer. Portland ace Walter Johnson was 12 wins away from 300 -- which he could reach with a strong second-half surge. Detroit fireballer Nolan Ryan was just weeks away from his 5,000th career strikeout. Albuquerque righthander Kevin Appier would presumably notch his 3000th strikeout in his next start, while teammate Jose Deleon and New York's David Price would likely hit the 3,000 strikeout milestone in August.

Major injuries: Birmingham ace Virgil Trucks, last year's Cy Young winner, underwent elbow surgery at the end of spring training, sidelining him through August. Omaha righthander Rick Reuschel, a 23-game winner who finished third in the Cy Young voting last year, injured his shoulder in his third start of the season, sidelining him for the year. Atlanta left fielder Hack Wilson missed 30 games with a series of nagging injuries, the most series of which was a sprained ankle. Chicago southpaw Robbie Ray missed the entire first half while recovering from elbow surgery, but would return in July. Calgary left fielder Johnny Mokan went down with plantar fascitis in April, knocking him out of service until mid-July. Anaheim closer Tim Crews went down with shoulder inflammation in April, likely ending his season. Detroit left fielder Jorge Orta pulled his hamstring in early May, knocking him out until early July. Kansas City ace Tim Hudson missed most of the first half due to shoulder inflammation, then pulled his hamstring upon his return. Jacksonville right fielder Tom Brunansky tore his Achilles tendon in May, ending his season. Memphis right fielder Trot Nixon was limited to just 8 games after suffering a series of back, wrist, and shoulder injuries, but was expected to return around July 4. Bone spurs sidelined Philadelphia closer Bobo Newsom in early April, knocking him out until July. Teammate Jackie Robinson was limited to just 20 games thanks to a series of muscle injuries, most notable a hamstring strain that would sideline him through mid-July. Pittsburgh righthander Henry Thielmann went down with shoulder inflammation in late April, likely ending his season. San Diego third baseman Billy Grabarkewitz missed most of the first half with a back injury, but was expected to return in July.

Dukie98 · 05-11-2020, 12:59 AM

Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk returned to the postseason after a one-year absence, taking the Northeast Division with 93 wins. First baseman John Kruk popped a team-high 30 homers and drove in 93 runs, but hit just .267. Left fielder Juan Soto hit .282 with 21 homers, 85 RBI's, and a league-high 115 walks. Southpaw Mark Mulder anchored a deep pitching staff, going 14-7 with a career-best 2.19 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Scott McGregor posted a 16-9 mark with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Fireballer Ed Correa went 11-9 with a sparkling 2.25 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, allowing just 7 homers in 168 innings. Buffalo held off the 91-win Baltimore Robins, who rebounded from two straight sub-.500 seasons. Baltimore stumbled down the stretch, winning just 2 of their final 13 games. Right fielder Cesar Cedeno led the Robins, hitting .283 and slugging .516, with 30 homers, 94 RBI's, 100 runs scored and 19 steals. Three other Robins cleared 20 homers, led by rookie third baseman Charlie Hayes, who hit .267 with 25 round-trippers and 86 RBI's. Baltimore led the league in runs allowed, led by Bob Rush, who went 20-7 with a 1.79 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and 240 strikeouts. Fireballer Jim Maloney posted an 18-8 mark with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts, but he came down with shoulder inflammation after his final start of the season, and would miss the playoffs. Denny Galehouse sported a 15-8 record with a 2.95 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP.

After a one-year absence, the Detroit Purple Gang returned to the postseason for the twelfth time in fourteen years, sailing to the Great Lakes Division title with 103 wins. Detroit featured an elite offense, leading the Frontier League in runs scored (907) and batting average (.286), led by second baseman Howie Shanks, who hit .307 and slugged .524, with 35 longballs, 124 RBI's, 122 runs scored, and 33 steals. Left fielder Jorge Orta came back with a vengeance after missing nearly all of the 2053 campaign with a torn PCL, hitting .337 and slugging .556, with 21 homers and 76 RBI's in just 115 games. Shortstop Dave Bancroft had a strong all-around campaign, hitting .325 with 38 doubles, 13 homers, and 74 RBI's. Detroit's pitching ranked among the best in the league, as Matt Cain, Nolan Ryan, Allen Watson and Ken Holtzman combined for a 50-14 record, with each pitcher sporting an ERA below 2.75. Cain supplanted Ryan as the staff ace, going an incredible 18-1 with a 2.03 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP. Ryan posted a 12-4 mark with a 2.66 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP, along with 246 strikeouts - snapping a streak of eight straight seasons over 300 strikeouts. The London Werewolves improved their victory total for the fifth straight season, making the playoffs for the third year in a row after winning 95 games. London ranked second in the league in runs scored, with a balanced attack led by right fielder Jack Tobin, who hit .333 and slugged .583 with 41 doubles, 37 homers, 133 RBI's, and 118 runs scored. Infielder Tony Batista hit .289 with 38 longballs, 127 RBI's, and 95 runs scored. On the mound, southpaw Leo Kiely went 13-7, including a no-hitter over Pittsburgh, along with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Righthander Eric Plunk went 11-7 with a 3.36 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts. Roy Smith had a breakout season in his first full campaign, going 17-9 with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, but yielded a league-high 34 homers. The Cleveland Rocks returned to the postseason after a three-year absence, winning 94 games, including a 12-game winning streak down the stretch. Cleveland narrowly missed having a quarter of 30-homer hitters. Center fielder Duke Snider narrowly missed, as he hit .341 and slugged .651 with 29 homers and 97 RBI's despite missing 51 games. First baseman Gaby Sanchez blossomed, hitting .293 with 31 dingers and 101 RBI's. Second-year third baseman Kris Bryant hit .289 and slugged .517, ripping 73 extra-base hits, including 30 homers, 114 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Catcher Todd Pratt hit .280, launching 31 homers and plating 94 runs. Ace Jimmy Dygert posted an 18-5 mark with a 2.36 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and fanned 308 hitters. Rookie Lou Brissie sported a 17-5 record with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and whiffed 250 enemy hitters. Although the Cincinnati Spiders stumbled down the stretch to a 21-32 record in August and September, they took the final wild card spot after ousting the San Francisco Longshoremen 5-0, after Oscar Horstmann hurled 6 shutout innings. Defending MVP Larry Doyle returned to earth after his otherworldly 2053 campaign, hitting .325 with 50 doubles, 36 homers, 117 RBI's, a league-leading 138 runs scored, and 36 steals. Left fielder Joe Medwick took a step back as well, hitting .295 with 20 homers and 108 RBI's. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .280, popping 29 dingers and driving home 94 runs. Right fielder Luis Olmo hit .333, leading the league with 211 hits while ripping 49 doubles, 13 homers, and driving in 99 runs while scoring 115, but a late-season abdominal injury threatened his availability for the postseason. Righthander Barney Wolfe went 10-6 with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.02 ERA, while Tommy Hanson sported a 14-7 mark with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

The Minneapolis Penguins ran away with the Great Plains Division title, winning a franchise-record 106 games to take the division by a 21-game margin. Led by the most explosive barrage of bats in the Frontier League, the Penguins pounded a league-high 248 homers. Right fielder John "Chief" Wilson led the way, hitting .332 and slugging .628, as he blasted 48 homers, knocked in 134 runs, scored 125, and swiped 20 bases. First baseman Will Clark hit .292 - the first time in his career he hit below .310 -- but he launched a career-high 43 homers and plated 116 runs. Left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Matt Nokes combined for 75 homers, with each knocking in over 100 runs. Southpaw Greg Swindell had a career year, going 21-7 with a 2.15 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP, while fanning 191 hitters. Fritz Obermueller dominated in his first full season, going 17-5 with a 2.17 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts. Closer Shawn Hill notched 36 saves along with a 2.55 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons could not dig themselves out of a 6-20 hole to start the season, falling just short of the playoffs with 85 wins despite losing Rick Reuschel three starts into the season. Shortstop Jose Valentin hit just .246, but launched 48 homers and 123 RBI's. Ace Rich Harden posted an 18-5 record with a microscopic 1.67 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP, fanning a league-high 322 hitters.

The Portland Skunks cruised to their seventh Northwest Division title in the last eight seasons, winning 99 games. First baseman Mark McGwire hit a career-low .261, but bashed 59 homers and plated 138 runs while scoring 115. Rookie Max Kepler hit .281 with 60 extra-base hits, including 23 homers, 97 RBI's, and 91 runs scored. Steady second sacker Mark Lemke hit .300 with 11 homers and 68 RBI's while scoring 104 runs. Ace Walter Johnson rode a 13-2 second half to become the prohibitive favorite to win his 11th Cy Young Award, leading the league in every major category other than strikeouts, as he went 21-7 with a 1.58 ERA, an 0.73 WHIP, and 268 strikeouts, allowing just 8 homers in 217 innings. Southpaw Casey Fossum posted a 10-6 mark with a 2.99 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 201 enemy batsmen. Despite an ordinary 3.19 ERA, closer Ed Head paced the league with 37 saves. For the second straight season, the San Francisco Longshoremen found themselves in a one-game playoff for the final wild card slot after winning seven of their final nine games of the year. The Longshoremen lost 5-0 to Cincinnati in the play-in game. Left fielder David Justice paced a middle-of-the-pack offense, hitting .268 with 25 homers, 83 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 21 steals. Second-year hurler Kent Greenfield notched a 13-10 mark with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, while fanning 215 batters.

Continental League: The New York Emperors repeated as the Atlantic Division champions, winning 107 games in large part due to the most explosive offense in baseball. The Emperors scored 1076 runs, thanks to a teamwide on-base percentage of .382 and 264 homers, third most in the HRDL. Third baseman Eddie Mathews starred, hitting .311 and slugging .646, with 51 homers, 138 RBI's, and 130 runs scored in just 139 games. Corner outfielder Adam Dunn hit .283 with 39 homers, 119 RBI's, and 118 walks, while swiping 25 of 30 bases. Left fielder Tim Raines posted a .328/ .437/ .520 slash line, with 37 doubles, 13 triples, 13 homers, 76 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and a league-high 74 steals in just 134 games. Right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .280 with 40 homers and 126 RBI's, but an ankle injury threatened to sideline him for the postseason. Southpaw David Price went 20-3 with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Righthander Joe Johnson sported a 22-5 mark with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators won 97 games, thanks to their record-setting offense which launched an incredible 341 round-trippers. Nine players topped 20 homers, and six hit at least 32 longballs, led by DH Dick Stuart, who hit .303 and slugged .613, with 55 homers and 135 RBI's. Left fielder Ozzie Timmons hit .301 and slugged .591, with 42 homers, 115 RBI's, and 100 runs scored. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .289 and slugged .574, drilling 41 doubles, 41 homers, and knocking in 124 runs. Shortstop JJ Hardy blasted 35 longballs and plated 91 runs. Catchers Bill Schroeder and Greg Goosen combined for 52 homers and 149 RBI's. On the mound, Glenn Liebhardt sported a 14-6 record with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and struck out 202 hitters. Southpaw Paul Maholm posted a 12-7 mark with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The Hartford Huskies relied on a strong pitching staff to win 91 games despite an offense that ranked just 21st in the league in runs scored. Newcomer Willie Mays, who arrived in an offseason blockbuster deal with Chicago, hit .285 with 38 homers, 114 RBI's, and 93 runs scored. First baseman Jim Hickman hit just .254, but launched 43 longballs and drove in 103 runs. But no star shone as brightly as rightfielder Tony Oliva, who hit an incredible .394 and slugged .748, with 26 homers and 81 RBI's in 80 games- only to be traded to San Diego in a deadline deal, and suffer a season-ending Achilles tendon tear after six games. On the mound, southpaw Joe Shaute went 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. John Candelaria posted a 12-7 mark with a 3.02 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and 280 strikeouts - despite yielding 42 homers in 200 innings. Righthander Juan Marichal sported a 13-6 record with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish held off the Miami Flamingos in one of the only close divisional races of the 2054 season, winning 106 games thanks to a league-best pitching staff. New Orleans was led offensively by shortstop Alan Trammell, a free agency signee, who hit .291 and slugged .502, with 25 homers, 106 RBI's, and 91 runs scored. Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen had an MVP-caliber first half, but barely hit .200 over the final two months, ending the season at .297 with 38 doubles, 23 homers, and 92 RBI's. First baseman Don Mincher smacked 33 homers and knocked in 94 runs. Ace Warren Spahn led the league's stingiest pitching staff, going 22-4 with a 2.38 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP, and 251 strikeouts, yielding just 23 walks in 223 innings. Righthander Syl Johnson went 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA, an 0.87 WHIP, and fanned 234 batters. The Miami Flamingos won a franchise-record 103 games, as their offense boasted a league-best .282 average. Left fielder Billy Williams hit .355 and slugged .689, ripping a league-high 219 hits, with 40 doubles, 11 triples, 48 homers, a league-high 161 RBI's, and scored 137 runs, setting several team records along the way. Left fielder Mark Carreon hit .323 and slugged .597, blasting 43 doubles and 43 homers, while knocking in 127 runs and scoring 134. First baseman Miguel Sano sported a .315/.411/.577 slash line, with 43 homers, 99 RBI's, and 137 runs scored. Southpaw Scott Karl went 17-7 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Righthander Shane Bieber notched a 13-9 mark with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts.

The Oklahoma City Otters returned to the postseason after a four-year absence, winning the Texas Division with 93 wins. DH George Sisler had a monster second half, hitting over .400 from July 1 on, as he won his sixth batting title, hitting .390, with 46 doubles, 26 longballs, 111 RBI's and 113 runs scored. Rookie first baseman Ham Hyatt hit .320 and slugged .578, ripping 42 doubles, 11 homers, 27 homers, and knocking in 136 runs. Catcher Joe Nolan hit .304 and slugged .493, ripping 39 doubles, 16 homers, and knocking in 82 runs. Hefty righthander Jeff Niemann went 10-5 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, fanning 184 batters. Southpaw Angel Miranda went 13-7, sporting a 3.21 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and fanned 217 batters. The 87-win El Paso Armadillos missed the playoffs for just the second time in sixteen seasons. First baseman/ DH Harry Heilmann posted a .348/ .448/ .651 slash line, with 39 doubles and 46 homers, with 134 RBI's and 123 runs scored. Southpaw Woodie Fryman was the lone bright spot as the staff's ERA soared by nearly two runs, as he went 13-8 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.

The Los Angeles Kangaroos relied on a subpar offense but an elite pitching staff to win 98 games, taking the Southwest Division. First baseman Justin Smoak provided a necessary spark, hitting .290 and slugging .609, with 50 homers and 142 RBI's. DH Fred McGriff hit .275 with 32 longballs and 101 RBI's in just 127 games. Whitey Ford was exceptional in his first injury-free season, going 18-4 with a 1.87 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and a league-best 315 strikeouts. Roy Sherid posted a 19-4 mark with a 2.37 ERA and an 0.92 WHIP. Hugh Bedient notched an 18-7 mark along with a 2.69 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 255 batters. Closer Oscar Harstad notched a league-best 41 saves along with a 3.27 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers returned to the postseason for the fourth time in five years, winning 92 games. Second baseman Johnny Evers had his finest all-around season, hitting .301 with a .437 on-base percentage thanks to a league-best 137 walks, along with 39 doubles, 15 homers, 79 RBI's, 59 steals, and a league-leading 152 runs scored. Catcher Lance Parrish had a career year, hitting .307 and slugging .537, with 28 homers and 96 RBI's in just 128 games. DH Phil Bradley hit .314 and slugged .529, with 64 extra-base hits, including 20 homers, 100 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. Veteran righthander Buzz Capra went 11-9 with a 3.05 ERA, and an 0.99 WHIP. Ruben Gomez notched an 11-10 mark with a mediocre 4.12 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

Best season in team history: Minneapolis Penguins (106 wins), Miami Flamingos (103 wins)
Worst season in team history: Denver Spikes (43 wins)

Dukie98 · 05-14-2020, 01:58 AM

Frontier League: In one of the largest upsets in HRDL history, the 87-win Cincinnati Spiders ousted the 106-win Minneapolis Penguins in six games. Although the Penguins featured the second-stingiest pitching staff in the league, the Spiders rattled them for 39 runs in six games. Left fielder Joe Medwick earned MVP honors, hitting .391 and slugging .913, with 3 homers, 7 runs scored, and 7 RBI's. Second baseman Larry Doyle hit .435, including four hits in both Game 5 and Game 6, with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Righthander Tommy Hanson yielded a 1.59 ERA in 11.1 innings, fanning 10, but had two no-decisions. First baseman Will Clark led Cincinnati, hitting .400 with a homer and 6 RBI's. The Buffalo Fighting Elk knocked off the London Werewolves in six games. Left fielder Juan Soto led Buffalo, hitting .333 with a homer and 5 RBI's, while first baseman John Kruk hit .273 with 2 longballs and 5 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Scott McGregor went 2-0, allowing a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. London right fielder Jack Tobin was tabbed MVP in a losing effort, hitting .440 with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. In a back-and-forth series where the two squads alternated victories, the Portland Skunks outlasted the Cleveland Rocks in seven games. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was selected MVP after hitting .357 with 6 doubles, and 4 RBI's. Center fielder Matt Kemp, rightfielder Max Kepler, and catcher John Stearns hit two homers apiece, combining for 18 RBI's, with each hitting .250. Southpaw Casey Fossum hurdled 12.2 innings without allowing an earned run, allowing 6 hits and fanning 16. Cleveland shortstop hit .370 with a homer and 5 RBI's, while second baseman Bret Boone drilled 3 homers and knocked in 4 runs. The Baltimore Robins upset the 103-win Detroit Purple Gang. Baltimore shortstop Dick Schofield took home the hardware after hitting .370 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Center fielder JaCoby Jones popped 2 longballs and knocked in 6 runs. Denny Galehouse went 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA, while Bob Rush earned 2 victories, including Game 7, despite a bloated 5.21 ERA. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit, hitting .333 with a dinger and 6 RBI's, while right fielder Brian McRae hit .290 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's.

Cincinnati's unlikely postseason run continued, knocking off Buffalo in the Division Series in six games. Third baseman Evan Longoria starred for Cincinnati, taking MVP honors after hitting .421 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Center fielder Terry Puhl hit .333 with 2 RBI's. Bill Schardt yielded a 2.00 ERA in 9 innings, earning the win in the clinching Game 6. Cincinnati's bullpen had an uncharacteristically strong performance, led by Geoff Zahn's 4.2 shutout innings. Juan Soto starred in defeat for Buffalo, hitting .474 with 3 homers, 6 runs scored, 7 RBI's, and 2 steals. Portland edged Baltimore in a dramatic seven-game series. Baltimore led 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7, thanks to a Cesar Cedeno homer. Portland tied the game on a John Stearns solo smash, and scored the winning run after Matt Kemp doubled and Delino DeShields singled in the series-winning run. Second sacker Mark Lemke was a surprise MVP winner for Portland, hitting .367 with 4 doubles and 2 RBI's. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero blasted 3 longballs and knocked in 8 runs, while Stearns belted 2 homers and plated 4 runs. Southpaw Joe Saunders went 1-0, yielding a 2.51 ERA in 14.1 innings. Ace Bob Rush starred for Baltimore, allowing one run in 12 innings, but receiving two no-decisions for his efforts. Cincinnati's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, as Portland squashed the Spiders in five games. Guerrero had a monster series, earning MVP after hitting .450 with 3 longballs and 12 RBI's. Stearns hit .368 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Walter Johnson won both his starts, posting a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings while fanning 14 and launching a 3-run homer.

Continental League: Although the New York Emperors enjoyed the highest scoring offense in baseball, they dominated the Hartford Huskies with their pitching, allowing just 5 runs in a four-game sweep. Center fielder Bill Cunningham earned MVP honors after hitting .467 with 3 doubles and 4 RBI's. DH Bob Jones hit .412 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Scott Sanders set the tone in Game 1, allowing just 1 hit in 7.1 shutout innings, while Joe Johnson earned the win in Game 3 with 5 shutout innings. Outfielders Corey Dickerson and Frank Gilhooley each hit .357 for Hartford, but only drove in one run combined. After falling behind 2-0, the Miami Flamingos stormed back to oust the Oklahoma City Otters in seven games. Miami left fielder Mark Carreon was selected MVP after hitting .333 with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Third baseman Dick Williams hit .308 with a pair of dingers and 9 RBI's. Second baseman Dick Green and first baseman Miguel Sano smacked three homers apiece. Rookie righthander Randy Heflin earned the Game 7 win, yielding a 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings. Southpaw Chuck Smith led the Otters, earning a Game 2 win, while posting a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings, fanning 18. Third baseman Ruben Tejada hit .391 with 4 RBI's. In a matchup of conflicting styles, the pitching-oriented Los Angeles Kangaroos swept the record-setting offense of the Charlotte Aviators, holding Charlotte to seven runs in the series. Los Angeles DH Fred McGriff earned MVP honors after hitting .500 with 4 extra-base hits, including a homer, and 2 RBI's. First baseman Justin Smoak hit .391 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Hugh Bedient hurled 7.1 shutout innings in Game 2, allowing just 2 hits while fanning 12. Whitey Ford earned the Game 1 victory, allowing 1 run in 7 innings. The New Orleans Crawfish outlasted the San Diego Zookeepers in 6 games, with right fielder Junior Felix being selected MVP after hitting .364 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Second sacker Starlin Castro hit .320 with a team-high 5 RBI's, and smacked a crucial ninth-inning triple in Game 6. Dustin Hermanson was brilliant in relief, earning two wins while allowing one hit in 5 innings. By Speece earned a save with 6 shutout innings of relief, allowing just one hit as well. First baseman Eric Hosmer led San Diego, hitting .333 with 2 jacks and 3 RBI's, while left fielder Bill Wilson ripped 2 homers and knocked in 8 runs.

Miami dominated the Emperors' elite offense in the Division Series, allowing just 5 runs in a four-game sweep - winning three of the games by identical 2-1 scores. Left fielder Mark Carreon added another trophy to his case, hitting .429 with two doubles and an RBI. Infielders Miguel Sano and Dick Green slapped two homers apiece. Miami survived an 0-for-26 combined performance from MVP candidate Billy Williams and shortstop Marty Marion. Miami's four starters lasted exactly five innings apiece, without allowing more than three hits or one run apiece. No Emperor hitter batted above .250. Scott Sanders hurled six shutout innings, allowing three hits, but the bullpen blew a lead for him in Game 1. New Orleans edged Los Angeles in seven games, taking Game 7 by a narrow 3-2 margin. Although New Orleans first baseman Don Mincher hit just .241, he was named MVP after hitting 2 homers and knocking in 4 runs. Second sacker Starlin Castro hit just .161, but ripped 2 homers and plated 5 runs. Righthander Syl Johnson was brilliant, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run in 13 innings, fanning 21 without a walk, but split two decisions. Reliever By Speece allowed just 2 hits in 7 shutout innings. Los Angeles catcher Darren Daulton and DH Fred McGriff drilled two dingers and knocked in 3 runs apiece. Hugh Bedient split two decisions, but did not allow an earned run in 12.1 innings. In yet another low-scoring series, where neither team topped five runs in a single game, Miami ousted Southeast Division rival New Orleans in five games. First baseman Miguel Sano was selected MVP after hitting .474 with a homer and 6 runs scored. Left fielder Billy Williams hit .353 with 2 round-trippers and 3 RBI's. Scott Karl went 1-0, allowing just one run in 10.1 innings. Left fielder Carson Bigbee led New Orleans in defeat, hitting a series-high .478 with 3 doubles, 2 steals, and an RBI.

World Series: The World Series featured an evenly-balanced matchup between the Miami Flamingos, making their first series appearance since 2018, and the Portland Skunks, who were making their second straight series appearance. Although Miami won 103 games, the 99-win Skunks had more star power, led by 10-time Cy Young Award winner Walter Johnson and 3-time MVP Mark McGwire.

Portland took Game 1 by a 5-2 score, coming from behind to score 3 runs in the 8th inning and one more in the ninth. Right fielder Max Kepler ripped three hits, including a double, and gave the Skunks the lead for good with a 2-run eighth-inning single. Shortstop Frankie Crosetti ripped two singles and scored two runs. Southpaw John Smiley allowed just one run in six innings, and Dave Boswell earned the win in relief. Miguel Sano hit a solo shot for Miami, and Shane Bieber allowed just three hits and one unearned run in 6 innings. Closer Tom Bradley took the loss for Miami. Portland erased an early 3-0 deficit to take Game 2 by a 6-3 tally. Kepler doubled and tripled, while Pedro Guerrero had 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Catcher Mike Scioscia had a two-run double for Miami. Casey Fossum earned the win, allowing three unearned runs in 5 innings, and Jerry Don Gleaton pitched two perfect innings for the save. Randy Heflin gave Miami 5 solid innings, allowing 1 run, but getting a no-decision. Down 2-0 and facing Walter Johnson, Miami got a much-needed 6-3 victory in Game 3, as Scott Karl outdueled Johnson. Second baseman Dick Green had 4 hits, including a homer and 2 RBI's, and outfielders Billy Williams and Elian Herrera each homered. Kepler and Crosetti smacked solo shots for the Skunks. Johnson yielded 4 runs in 6.1 innings, fanning 8.

Bronson Arroyo was brilliant for Miami in a 2-1 Game 4 victory, hurling 6.1 no-hit innings before leaving with a blister. Portland managed just two hits on the day- none before the eighth inning. Sano and shortstop Marty Marion each smacked solo homers for the Flamingos, while Billy Williams had two hits. Mark McGwire provided a ninth-inning homer off closer Tom Bradley to provide the lone run for Portland. Portland came from behind to take Game 5, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2 on a walk-off walk from Mark Lemke. McGwire had an RBI double in the first inning for Portland. Williams and Mark Carreon each drilled solo homers for Miami in a losing effort. Portland's John Smiley gave a solid effort, allowing 2 runs in five innings, as Ed Head earned the win in relief. Shane Bieber allowed one unearned run in five innings for Miami. Reliever Clay Condrey took the loss, surrendering two hits and two walks without retiring a batter. The Skunks clinched the series with a 5-3 win in Game 6, as Kepler and DH Paul Meloan each homered. Bill Fischer earned the win with 1.2 innings of perfect relief, and Jerry Don Gleaton notched the save. Mark Carreon belted two homers for Miami, driving in all three of their runs. Randy Heflin was ineffective, allowing 5 walks and 3 runs in 4 innings, but middle reliever Buddy Groom was charged with the loss for Miami.

Kepler, a rookie right fielder, was named MVP after hitting .308 with 5 extra-base hits, including 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Meloan hit .400 with a homer and 2 RBI's, while Crosetti hit .300 with a solo homer. Although Smiley did not receive a decision, he hurled 11 solid innings, allowing a 2.45 ER while fanning 11. Dick Green led Miami. hitting .353 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Carreon ripped 3 homers and drove in a team-high 5 runs. Bieber allowed no earned runs, but had two no-decisiosn, fanning 12 in 11 innings.

Dukie98 · 05-16-2020, 12:05 AM

Frontier League MVP- John "Chief" Wilson, RF, MIN (29): .332/ .378/ .628, 209 hits, 28 doubles, 7 triples, 48 HR, 134 RBI, 125 runs, 44 BB, 20 SB, 155 OPS+, 7.1 WAR
Second place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (16): 21-7, 1.58 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 217 IP, 268 K, 23 BB, 295 ERA+,10.8 WAR; 3 HR, 12 RBI (as hitter)
Third place- Al Simmons, LF/CF, MON (3): .342/ .383/ .645, 211 hits, 42 doubles, 2 triples, 47 HR, 120 RBI, 117 runs, 42 BB, 19 SB, 164 OPS+, 6.9 WAR
Fourth place- Larry Doyle, 2B, CIN: .325/ .412/ .603, 192 hits, 50 doubles, 3 triples, 36 HR, 117 RBI, 138 runs, 88 BB, 36 SB, 164 OPS+, 7.5 WAR
Fifth place- Mark McGwire, 1B, POR: .261/ .384/ .585, 155 hits, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 59 HR, 138 RBI, 115 runs, 111 BB, +14.4 Zone Rating, 151 OPS+, 7.4 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, POR (48): 21-7, 1.58 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 217 IP, 268 K, 23 BB, 295 ERA+,10.8 WAR
Second place- Bob Rush, BAL: 20-7, 1.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 217 IP, 240 K, 48 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 258 ERA+, 8.0 WAR
Third place- Rich Harden, OMA: 18-5, 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 204 IP, 322 K, 56 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 9.3 WAR
Fourth place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE: 18-5, 2.36 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 217 IP, 308 K, 64 BB, 200 ERA+, 7.6 WAR
Fifth place- Ed Brandt, SEA: 19-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 221 IP, 276 K, 45 BB, 262 ERA+, 7.7 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Ira Flagstead, CF, CAL (45): .327/ .419/ .661, 168 hits, 52 doubles, 1 triple, 39 HR, 109 RBI, 95 runs, 57 BB, 4 SB, 15.1 Zone Rating, 179 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Second place- Lou Brissie, LHP, CLE (2): 17-5, 2.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 188 IP, 250 K, 50 BB, 206 ERA+, 5.9 WAR
Third place- Noah Lowry, LHP, BOS (1): 11-6, 1.21 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 148 IP, 196 K, 30 BB, 383 ERA+, 6.5 WAR

Continental League MVP- Billy Williams, RF, MIA (46): .355/ .421/ .689, 219 hits, 40 doubles, 11 triples, 48 HR, 161 RBI, 137 runs, 69 BB, 2 SB, +9.8 Zone Rating, 187 OPS+, 10.3 WAR
Second place- Hal Trosky, 1B, BIR (1): .357/ .444/ .742, 201 hits, 50 doubles, 1 triple, 55 HR, 142 RBI, 125 runs, 80 BB, 201 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Third place- Eddie Mathews, 3B, NY: .311/ .403/ .646, 174 hits, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 51 HR, 138 RBI, 130 runs, 86 BB, 3 SB, 171 OPS+, 8.7 WAR
Fourth place- Yogi Berra, C, ANA: .368/ .415/ .705, 191 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 47 HR, 133 RBI, 107 runs, 42 BB, 189 OPS+, 8.5 WAR
Fifth place- Mark Carreon, LF, MIA: .323/ .398/ .597, 202 hits, 43 doubles, 43 HR, 127 RBI, 134 runs, 77 BB, 158 OPS+, 8.1 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Warren Spahn, NOR (25): 22-4, 2.38 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 223 IP, 251 K, 23 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 217 ERA+, 6.6 WAR
Second place- Whitey Ford, LA (23): 18-4, 1.87 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 198 IP, 315 K, 50 BB, 267 ERA+, 9.5 WAR
Third place- Hugh Bedient, LA: 18-7, 2.69 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 204 IP, 255 K, 30 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 186 ERA+, 7.3 WAR
Fourth place- Van Mungo, VB: 11-6, 2.52 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 182 IP, 281 K, 76 BB, 205 ERA+, 6.2 WAR
Fifth place- Russ Bauers, BIR: 12-3, 1.61 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 162 IP, 249 K, 37 BB, 322 ERA+, 8.2 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Ham Hyatt, 1B/LF, OKC (48): .320/ .379/ .578, 180 hits, 42 doubles, 11 triples, 27 HR, 136 RBI, 85 runs, 51 BB, 3 SB, 143 OPS+, 4.9 WAR
Second place- Travis Hafner, DH/1B, ALB: .299/ .383/ .537, 151 hits, 26 doubles, 5 triples, 28 HR, 90 RBI, 87 runs, 64 BB, 1 SB, 134 OPS+, 3.7 WAR
Third place- Happy Felsch, CF, WAS: .298/ .348/ .556, 114 hits, 22 doubles, 4 triples, 23 HR, 78 RBI, 72 runs, 28 BB, 11 SB, 133 OPS+, 4.0 WAR

Top draft picks- 1. Vinegar Bend Mizell, LHP, Denver Spikes
2. Ripper Collins, 1B, San Antonio Marksmen
3. Charlie Grimm, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors
4. Pedro Martinez, RHP, Milwaukee Raccoons
5. Ismael Valdez, RHP, Atlanta Ducks
6. Mike Lowell, 3B, Washington Ambassadors
7. Ian Kennedy, RHP, Nashville Blues
8. Aaron Heilman, RHP, Philadelphia Hawks
9. Ambrose Puttmann, LHP, Las Vegas Aces
10. Mike Leake, RHP, St. Louis Pilots

Dukie98 · 05-16-2020, 11:35 PM

The 2054 Hall of Fame ballot saw two overwhelmingly qualified newcomers gain near-unanimous induction, while a bevy of other candidates canceled each other's votes out, as eleven other candidates cleared 50% while falling short of the magical 75% threshold. Third baseman Nolan Arenado- a 20-time All-Star who is the all-time leader in homers, runs scored, and RBI's -- drew 99.3% of the vote. Three-time MVP Tris Speaker drew 98.2% of the vote.

Arenado was drafted third overall by the Boston Minutemen following the 2027 season. As a 21-year-old third baseman, he finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2028, hitting .294 with 15 homers and 115 RBI's. In his sophomore campaign, he hit .330 and slugged .548, popping 25 homers, knocking in 94 runs, and scoring 93. The following season, Arenado hit .315 with 57 doubles, 33 homers, 139 RBI's, and 116 runs scored. In 2031, he hit .342 and slugged .609, ripping 38 homers and knocking in 135 runs. Arenado won his first MVP award in 2032, posting a .348/ .442/ .628 slash line, bashing 40 doubles, 43 homers, driving in 143 runs and scoring 149 runs. He finished second in the MVP voting the following year, hitting .317 and slugging .639, with a league-high 48 dingers, 128 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. Arenado took home his second MVP trophy in 2034, as he hit .334 and slugged .633, ripping 39 doubles, 46 longballs, plated 135 runs and scored 147 runs. Arenado posted a third-place MVP finish in 2035, hitting a career-high .358 with a .469 on-base percentage, with 46 doubles, 9 triples, 33 homers, 114 RBI's, and 139 runs scored, while winning his first of six Gold Gloves. He slowed down slightly over the next two years, averaging 32 homers and 113 RBI's per year. Following the 2037 season, Arenado signed with the Detroit Purple Gang in free agency. In his first two seasons in Detroit, Arenado slugged .584 and .594, but missed nearly 80 games combined with injuries, failing to hit 30 homers in either season. He returned to elite status in 2040, finishing runner-up in the MVP voting after hitting .344 and slugging .669 with 46 homers, 133 RBI's and 115 runs scored. Arenado topped that performance in 2041, winning his third MVP award unanimously, posting a .354/ .447/ .680 slash line with 38 doubles, 8 triples, 44 homers, and led the league with 162 RBI's and 140 runs scored. He posted another third-place MVP finish in 2042, hitting .338 with 40 homers and 119 RBI's. His 2043 campaign was interrupted by a season-ending groin tear in August, but he hit .347 and slugged .618 with 26 homers and 90 RBI's in just 113 games. Arenado rebounded to hit .334 with 42 longballs, 117 runs, and 128 runs scored the following year. After slipping to hit "just" .295 with 28 homers and 102 RBI's in 2045, he rebounded to hit .346 and slug .645, with 30 dingers and 106 RBI's in just 133 games. He finished third in the MVP voting in 2047 at age 40, hitting .319 and slugging .616 with 45 doubles, 41 jacks, 131 RBI's, and 124 runs scored. Arenado pounded 37 homers and 105 RBI's the following year, scoring 125 runs. He finally showed signs of slowing down at age 42, playing three more years with declining effectiveness before retiring at age 44. Arenado retired with a career slash line of .320/ .413/ .582, with an incredible 4107 hits, 868 doubles, 781 homers, 2666 RBI's, 2575 runs scored, 2076 walks, 88 steals, a 164 OPS+, and 193.2 WAR. At the time of induction, he ranked first all-time in homers, RBI's, runs scored, and WAR, second in hits, fourth in walks, and fifth in doubles. A 20-time All-Star, Arenado also won 11 Silver Sluggers, 6 Gold Gloves, and seven postseason MVP awards. In 205 career postseason games, he posted a career batting average of .300 with 233 hits, 55 homers, 148 RBI's, and 155 runs scored- leading all players in each of those counting stats by wide margins, including 17 more postseason dingers than the current second-place finisher. Arenado led Boston to the 2033 World Series championship with one of the most dominant runs in postseason history, hitting .441 and slugging .868 with 6 homers and 20 RBI's. He also hit 6 homers and 15 RBI's as Detroit won the 2044 title. Perhaps his most memorable postseason was the 2048 season, as he led Detroit to the World Series, hitting .346 with 10 dingers and 19 RBI's.

Speaker was drafted first overall by the Hartford Huskies following the 2029 season. He had an inauspicious cup of coffee in 2030 at age 18, hitting .263 with a homer and 4 RBI's in 25 games. The following year, he struggled, hitting .255 and slugging just .355, with 3 homers, 36 RBI's, and 35 steals. Speaker had a breakout season in 2032, hitting .323 with 51 doubles, a league-high 15 triples, 9 homers, 63 RBI's, 128 runs scored, and 61 steals. The following year, he hit .346 with a league-high .448 on-base percentage, with 51 doubles, 9 triples, 12 homers, 91 RBI's, 95 runs score, and 58 steals. After hitting .337 with 64 steals in 2034, Speaker took the leap into superstardom in 2035, winning the Continental League MVP award, posting a .376/ .475/ .630 slash line, leading the league in batting average, hits (221), doubles (60), triples (16), while smacking 19 homers, driving in 125 runs, scoring 135 runs, and stealing 75 bases. He won another batting title in 2036, hitting .366 with a .462 on-base percentage, with 40 doubles, 10 triples, 9 homers, 74 RBI's, 105 runs scored, and 51 steals, leading Hartford to its first world title in franchise history. Speaker won his second MVP in 2037, with a .359/ .445/ .640 slash line, ripping 52 doubles, a league-high 14 triples, 30 homers, 117 RBI's, 141 runs scored, and 61 steals. Following the season, he jumped to Buffalo in free agency, where he led the Fighting Elk to the 2038 championship. Speaker won the 2038 MVP award, posting a .374/ .471/ .712 slash line, with 57 doubles, 8 triples, 44 homers, 137 RBI's, a career-high 166 runs scored, and 64 steals. He finished fourth in the 2039 MVP voting, after hitting .325 with 52 doubles, 10 triples, 26 homers, 117 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and 44 steals. Over the next five years, Speaker was remarkably consistent, hitting between .336 and .346 each season, but his power vanished as quickly as it appeared, as he topped ten homers only once in that stretch, although he cleared 100 runs four times in five years. Following the 2044 season, he signed with the El Paso Armadillos in free agency. In his first season in El Paso, he hit .319 with 37 doubles, 11 homers, 74 RBI's, and 82 runs scored in just 116 games. The following year, after showing signs of losing his speed, he became a full-time DH, hitting .288 with a league-high 116 walks, along with 52 doubles, 22 homers, and 102 RBI's. The following season, he hit .313 with a league-high 56 doubles, 20 homers, and 104 RBI's. He joined the Portland Skunks as a free agent before the 2048 season, where he hit .341, leading the league with 58 doubles (at age 36), along with 20 homers, 106 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Over the next two years, Speaker straddled .300, averaging 45 doubles and 10 homers per season, but proved to be a defensive liability. He signed with the Los Angeles Kangaroos before the 2051 season, where he played 86 ineffective games before retiring. For his career, Speaker posted a slash line of .327/ .421/ .523, with 3667 hits, 985 doubles, 144 triples, 307 homers, 1668 RBI's, 2197 runs, 1765 walks, 707 steals, 157 OPS+, and 142.3 WAR. At the time of his induction, he ranked first all-time in doubles, fifth in runs scored, seventh in hits, tenth in triples, 20th in steals, and fourth in WAR. A ten-time All-Star, Speaker won four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and two world championships. In 155 postseason games, he hit .323 and slugged .547, with 54 doubles, 22 homers, 100 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 35 steals. In Hartford's 2036 championship run, he hit. 407 with 16 extra-base hits, including 5 homers, 23 RBI's, and 25 runs scored in 23 games. Two years later, he led Buffalo to the title, hitting .325 with 5 homers, 20 RBI's, and 19 runs scored in 19 games.

Top vote recipients include:

Nolan Arenado, 3B, BOS/ DET: 98.9%
Tris Speaker, CF, HAR/ BUF/ ELP/ POR/ LA: 98.2%
Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ SA: 72.8%
Kal Daniels, LF/DH, KC/ ELP: 70.7%
Joe Adcock, 1B/DH, SF/ BIR/ DEN/ DET/ MIA/ STL/ BOS/ ALB: 69.2%
Tommy Davis, LF, NOR: 65.2%
Bill Madlock, 3B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL: 64.9%
Paul Derringer, RHP, STL/ DET/ KC/ MIN/ AUS/ JAX/ SD: 55.8%
Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS: 54.7%
Clyde Milan, LF, PHO/ BUF/ DET/ CHI: 51.4%
Jordan Zimmeramnn, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 50.7%
Taijuan Walker, RP, ELP/ LV/ NY/ PHO/ BUF/ NOR/ KC: 50.0%
Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN: 50.0%

Leading players who fell off the ballot include Zimmermann, a 234-game winner and the 2027 Cy Young Award winner, who fell off the ballot after ten tries; first baseman Lee Stevens, who slugged 569 homers and drove in 1799 runs; six-time All-Star left fielder Bob Johnson who hit .299 and slugged .553 with 427 homers; shortstop Dick Groat, who rapped 3448 hits; and right fielder Jay Buhner, who slugged 480 career homers.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:

Dukie98 · 06-07-2020, 02:01 AM

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

Exceeding Expectations: Although the Baltimore Robins won 91 games last season, no one expected them to enter the break with a league-best 49-23 record. Remarkably, the overachieving Robins sported a mediocre offense which ranked just 16th in the Frontier League, and which ranked just 22nd in homers. Second sacker Bip Roberts hit .323 with a .411 on-base percentage, scoring 38 runs in 59 games. Shortstop Dick Schofield led the squad with 11 homers and 42 RBI's, but went down with a groin tear shortly before the break. Ace Jim Maloney dominated, going 8-3 with a 1.29 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 111 strikeouts. Righthander Silvio Martinez went 8-2 with a 1.98 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP. Bob Rush posted a 6-4 mark with a 2.57 ERA, an 0.87 WHIP, with 101 strikeouts. The Milwaukee Raccoons were primed for the biggest turnaround in league history, rebounding from three straight seasons of 99+ losses, including a 57-105 mark last year, to post a 44-26 mark at the break. Right fielder Birdie Cree hit .346 and slugged .642, ripping 17 homers and knocking in 51 runs. Second-year catcher Mickey Cochrane hit .320 and slugged .536, drilling 9 homers and plating 39 runs. Southpaw Bruce Robbins led an unexpectedly strong pitching staff, going 5-3 with a 1.95 ERA, an 0.82 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts. Phil Douglas moved out of the bullpen, going 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Nashville Blues engineered a remarkable turnaround from last season's 61-win campaign, going 40-32, enteringthe break just 4 1/2 games out of first place. Remarkably, Nashville sported a team batting average of just .234 at the break, just 21st in the league. Although Babe Herman popped 13 homers and knocked in 38 runs, he hit just .238, and stars Lance Berkman and Gary Carter hit just .212 and .208, respectively. Righthander John Ely went 7-4 with a 2.08 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP. Mike Mussina posted a 6-5 record with a 2.26 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP and 110 strikeouts. The Phoenix Lizards rebounded from a 78-win season to post a 42-29 record in the first half, just 2 1/2 games out of first place. First baseman Frank Thomas led the way, hitting .297 with 22 homers and 75 RBI's. Second sacker Aaron Ward hit .284, ripping 9 homers and knocking in 39 runs. Southpaw Dave Roberts led one of the deepest starting rotations in the league, notching an 8-3 mark with a 2.03 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. Larry French and Kevin Millwood won 7 games apiece, sporting ERA's of 2.93 and 2.98, respectively.

Disappointments: The Minneapolis Penguins won 104 and 106 games the last two years, but they stumbled to a 35-36 mark at the break. Defending MVP John "Chief" Wilson stumbled to a pedestrian .265 average, with just 13 longballs and 38 RBI's. The Penguins' bigger struggles were on the mound. Southpaw Greg Swindell, a 21-game winner last year, went just 5-4 and saw his ERA nearly double to 4.06, and his WHIP swelled to a bloated 1.50. Shawn Boskie, a 13-game winner last year, sported a 3-4 mark with a 4.92 ERA and a middling 1.25 WHIP. Shawn Hill, who saved 36 games last year with a 2.55 ERA, lost his closer role and saw his ERA soar to 6.67, and his WHIP nearly doubled to 1.87. The Calgary Cattle Rustlers, who unexpectedly won 81 games last year and made a late run for a wild card bid, collapsed to a 23-49 first-half record. Center fielder Ira Flagstead, last year's Rookie of the Year who finished sixth in the MVP voting, collapsed, hitting just .238 and losing nearly 300 points in slugging percentage, popping just 3 longballs and plating just 13 runs in 57 games. Third baseman Manny Alexander, who showed promise last season, hit an anemic .166 with a .224 slugging percentage, with just a lone homer and 13 RBI's in full-time play. Calgary struggled on the mound, as all five starters from last year's rotation departed in free agency. Doug Bochtler, who posted a 1.43 ERA and saved 27 games last year, struggled after moving into the rotation, going 2-4 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. Johnny Rutherford also struggled after being moved from the bullpen into the rotation, going 1-5 with a bloated 6.59 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP, allowing 15 homers in just 55 innings.

In the Continental League, the Hartford Huskies tumbled after winning 91 games last year, falling to a 33-38 first-half record. DH Willie Mays lost his power stroke, slipping from 38 homers and 114 RBI's last season to just 10 round-trippers and 34 RBI's, despite a slight uptick in batting average. Right fielder Baby Doll Jacobson hit 25 homers and drove in 88 runs last year for Dallas, but slipped to hit just .255 with 2 homers and 15 RBI's in 67 games. Southpaw Joe Shaute, a 16-game winner last year, posted a 2-8 mark and saw his ERA soar by over two runs per game to 5.17. Juan Marichal struggled as well, sporting a 3-8 mark with a 4.38 ERA - an increase of nearly a run and a half per game. The San Diego Zookeepers won 92 games, earning their fourth playoff spot in five years, but they stumbled to a 34-38 mark at the break. San Diego collapsed offensively, as their team batting average declined by 43 points, and they entered the break ranked third-from-last in the league in runs scored. Star second baseman Johnny Evers saw his on-base percentage decline from a career-best .437 to a more modest .365, and he scored just 34 runs and knocked in 29 in 70 games. Shortstop Cliff Pennington was an offensive disaster, hitting .163 and slugging .213, with just 14 runs scored and 14 RBI's in 69 games. Rookie center fielder Nyjer Morgan struggled, hitting .180 and slugging .293, with 15 RBI's in 52 games. San Diego's pitching remained strong, ranking seventh in the league in runs allowed, and none of its pitchers had disappointing seasons. But due to a lack of offensive support, Ruben Gomez went just 4-8 despite a 3.00 ERA.

Continental Drift: Offense was down substantially throughout the HRDL, especially in the Continental League, where the leaguewide ERA declined by nearly three-quarters of a run, from 5.06 to 4.33. The league batting average in the Continental League declined by 15 points, and the leaguewide slugging percentage slipped from .442 to .414. While nine Continental League teams topped 5.5 runs per game last year- including five teams with at least 950 runs -- only one team in 2055 topped 5.5 runs per game at the break. Conversely, while only two Continental League teams scored less than 4.8 runs per game last year, at the break, a whopping 14 teams were below that threshold. Curiously, there was no discernible difference in the year-to-year offensive levels in the Frontier League.

MASH: Omaha: The Omaha Falcons made a furious run for a wild-card bid last season after an awful start, falling just short. This year, however, their expectations were crushed by a ridiculous run of injuries, as they entered the break with an 18-54 mark, including a 3-28 stretch starting in late April. At one point in May, ten Omaha pitchers were on the disabled list, including their top three starters, Rich Harden, Rick Reuschel, and Brandon Cumpton. Harden, after five brilliant seasons, was ordinary upon his return, going 4-4 with a 3.64 ERA. Reuschel missed the entire first half, and Cumpton was useless, going 0-3 with an 8.89 ERA in 27 relief innings before suffering a rotator cuff strain. Reliever Josh Hader was healthy but ineffective, going 2-3 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP, walking 33 hitters in 40 innings. Omaha hit .214 as a squad and ranked 23rd in the league in runs scored. Jose Valentin, who was an MVP candidate 2 years ago and hit 48 homers last year, hit just .199 with 5 longballs and 19 RBI's in 38 disappointing games. Catcher Butch Henline, a 3-time All-Star, hit an embarrassing .150 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's in 37 games. Only one regular -- third baseman Charlie Deal -- hit over .238. Even though Reuschel was expected to return after the All-Star break, Omaha would be lucky to avoid 110 losses.

Major injuries: Detroit first baseman Mark McGwire was expected to miss two months with a hamstring strain, sidelining him until August. Teammate Matt Cain tore an elbow tendon, ending his season and jeopardizing his 2056 campaign. Birmingham ace Russ Bauers tore a finger tendon in May, and he was not expected to return until mid-August. Los Angeles ace Whitey Ford injured his labrum in late May, knocking him out until September. Austin catcher Hank Gowdy broke his elbow in the second game of the season, sidelining him until August. Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler suffered a back injury in mid-May, causing him to miss about 25 games. Albuquerque DH Travis Hafner was sidelined with back spasms around Memorial Day, knocking him out of commission until mid-July. Cleveland righthander Lynn McGlothen tore his meniscus in April, sidelining him until mid-August. Anaheim center fielder Fred Lynn tore his hamstring in early May, sidelining him until mid-July. Memphis southpaw Jon Lester tore his rotator cuff in spring training, likely ending his season before it started. Portland right fielder Max Kepler broke his shoulder blade in mid-May, likely sidelining him through early July. St. Louis closer Vida Blue missed most of the first half with a back injury. Washington outfielders Happy Felsch and David Peralta missed nearly the entire season, each suffering broken kneecaps - while Felsch could return in September, Peralta's season was almost certainly over after four games.

Major milestones: Dallas right fielder Jason Heyward slapped his 2,500th career hit. Anaheim third baseman Bob Meusel tagged his 400th career homer. Houston hurler Kevin Appier notched his 200th career win. Baltimore righthander Jim Maloney fanned his 3,500th enemy batter. Looking ahead to the second half, Hartford DH Willie Mats was expected to smack his 3,000th hit by mid-July. Portland outfielder Pedro Guerrero and Philadelphia outfielder Mike Trout would each join the 3,000 hit club by the end of August. Virginia Beach teammates Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson each had a chance to drill their 750th career homer by year's end. Dallas first baseman Ted Kluszewski had a chance to hit both his 3,000th hit and his 600th homer by the end of the season. Trout was likely to score his 2000th career run by the end of August. Portland ace Walter Johnson was going to join the 5000 strikeout club by early August, and Albuquerque's Jose DeLeon would likely notch his 3000th strikeout in his next start.

majormet · 06-09-2020, 10:35 PM

This is a cool setup, i just got OOTP21, and was wondering how you can create a 48 team league and still use the random debut of real players vs the fictional players

Dukie98 · 06-11-2020, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majormet

This is a cool setup, i just got OOTP21, and was wondering how you can create a 48 team league and still use the random debut of real players vs the fictional players

Thanks. Click here for the link to the thread where I got some guidance on the setup a few years ago.

Dukie98 · 06-13-2020, 02:50 AM

Frontier League: The Baltimore Robins used an elite pitching staff to overcome a mediocre offense to take the Northeast Division with 98 victories. Baltimore ranked 17th in the Frontier League in runs scored and 20th in homers. First baseman Frank Torre led the way, hitting .306 with 55 doubles, 13 homers, and a team-high 91 RBI's. Right fielder Cesar Cedeno hit .294 with 17 homers and 51 RBI's in just 101 games, but sprained his ankle late in the season and would likely miss most of the postseason. Remarkably, not a single Robin topped 20 homers on the season. Ace Jim Maloney went 19-8 with a 1.86 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts. Crafty veteran Denny Galehouse posted a 12-9 mark with a 2.36 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and a tremendous 222:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Bob Rush sported a 12-9 record with a 3.03 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. The Buffalo Fighting Elk were primed to take the division before a 9-20 late season swoon, but they still earned a wild card spot with 95 wins. Left fielder Juan Soto had an MVP-caliber season, posting a .341/ .449/ .647 slash line with 40 doubles, 44 homers, 126 RBI's, 118 runs, and 115 walks. Catcher Brian Downing had a career season, hitting .266 with 33 homers and 92 RBI's, easily setting career highs in both categories. Third baseman Jack Lohrke hit just .248, but bashed 32 longballs and plated 106 runs. Veteran righthander Bill Singer sported a 14-7 record with a 2.72 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP, but tore an elbow ligament late in the season, sidelining him until next summer. Hard-luck southpaw Mark Mulder went just 7-8 despite a 2.59 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Closer Walker Cress notched 39 saves with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas rebounded from a disastrous 73-win campaign, winning 91 games and returning to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. First baseman John Olerud returned to form, hitting .335 with 43 doubles, 26 homers, 94 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Center fielder Chris Taylor hit .274 and slugged .483, ripping 40 doubles, 26 homers, and knocking in 117 runs. Second-year southpaw Greg Mathews led an overachieving staff, going 14-9 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Closer Mark Littell had a breakout year, saving 32 games with a 1.83 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts in 74 innings.

The Cleveland Rocks closed the season on a 15-3 run, going 19-5 in September to take the Great Lakes division title after spending much of the season in third place. Center fielder Duke Snider topped 130 games for the first time in seven years, and he hit .328 and slugged .645, blasting 44 doubles, 37 dingers, and knocking in 128 runs. Third baseman Kris Bryant hit .300 and slugged .546, ripping 31 round-trippers and knocking in 118 runs. Like Snider, left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was finally healthy for the first time since 2048, and he hit .313 with 25 homers, 71 RBI's, 45 steals, and 127 runs scored. Ace Jimmy Dygert won his first 15 decisions, on his way to posting a 19-2 record, a league-leading 1.44 ERA, an 0.75 WHIP, and 250 strikeouts. Southpaw Lou Brissie went 10-6 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The Toronto Predators led the division for most of the season, but stumbled to a 2-5 finish, as Cleveland edged Toronto out for the division title despite a franchise-record 96 wins. Left fielder JD Martinez hit .311 and slugged .564, bashing 33 homers and knocking in 111 runs in just 134 games. Rookie centerfielder Earle Combs hit .316 with 50 doubles, 5 homers, 60 RBI's, and 81 runs scored. Righthander Bobo Newsom successfully transitioned from the bullpen to the rotation, going 19-4 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 274 strikeouts. Fireballer Bill Monbouquette went just 10-10 despite a 2.72 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts, but he tore his UCL in mid-September, effectively sidelining him until 2057. The Cincinnati Spiders used a 19-4 September, and closed the season by winning 14 of their final 15 games, to earn a wild card spot with 93 wins. Five regulars topped .300, led by second sacker Larry Doyle, who hit .300 and slugged .545, ripping 38 longballs, knocking in 105 runs, and swiping 35 bases. Left fielder Joe Medwick hit .335, ripping 50 doubles, 28 homers, knocking in 110 runs while scoring 105. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .301 with 41 doubles, 28 homers, 99 RBI's, and 92 runs scored. Center fielder Terry Puhl hit .327 with 22 homers, 78 RBI's, 112 runs scored, and 39 steals. Righthander Tommy Hanson led a deep pitching staff, going 14-4 with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Geoff Zahn had a breakout season, going 14-8 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang underachieved, winning just 90 games despite the second-stingiest pitching staff in baseball, and they underachieved their Pythagorean projection by an incredible 15 games. Detroit was eliminated on a 10th inning walk-off homer by Minneapolis's Will Clark on the final day of the season. Left fielder Carl Crawford led Detroit offensively, hitting .312 with 29 homers, 111 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and stealing 55 of 62 bases. Southpaw Allen Watson went 15-7 with a 2.25 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. Veteran Mel Harder notched a 16-7 mark with a 2.47 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP.

The Milwaukee Raccoons, who won just 57 games last year, were the most pleasant surprise of the season, as they won the Great Plains Division with 90 victories to take the title by three games over Kansas City. Milwaukee jumped out to a large lead at midseason, then played below .500 for the second half, capped off by losing 13 of their final 17 games of the year. Right fielder Birdie Cree led a balanced lineup, hitting .313 and slugging .584, ripping 33 homers, driving in 96 runs, and scoring 108 runs. Second-year catcher Mickey Cochrane hit .320 and slugged .531, drilling 19 dingers and knocking in 82 runs. Southpaw Bruce Robbins posted a modest 10-9 mark despite a 2.60 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 198 strikeouts. Phil Douglas and Chris Sale sported identical 9-6 records, with Douglas notching a 2.48 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP and Sale yielding a 3.20 ERA along with a 1.05 WHIP.

Despite losing star first baseman Mark McGwire to free agency, the Portland Skunks cruised to their fifth straight division title and their eighth in nine years, winning 107 games. Portland led the league in on-base percentage and finished second in runs scored. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .276 and slugged .510, launching 38 longballs and plating 111 runs. Right fielder Max Kepler hit .272 and slugged .536, pounding 30 homers and knocking in 89 runs. Second sacker Mark Lemke hit .306 with 40 doubles, 13 homers, and 90 RBI's. On the mound, Walter Johnson had another monster season, going 21-3 with a 1.58 ERA, a league-leading 0.77 WHIP, and 302 strikeouts. Southpaw John Smiley was a perfect 15-0 in 32 starts, matching Johnson with a 1.58 ERA and sporting an 0.79 WHIP. Bill Fischer saved 40 games with a 2.59 ERA, but was removed from the closer role in the final week of the season. The Vancouver Viceroys nearly made the playoffs for the first time since 2048, but they fell just short after a subpar September, winning 89 games and missing the final wild card spot by two games. Willie McCovey had a monster season for Vancouver, posting a .312/ .414/ .618 slash line with 50 homers, 125 RBI's, and 122 runs scored. Southpaw John Tudor went 13-3 with a 2.19 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP.

Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators jumped out to a 17-2 start on their way to a 109-win season, making the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Charlotte led the HRDL with 293 homers, led by DH Cecil Cooper, who hit .286 with 47 doubles, 45 homers, 120 RBI's, and 111 runs scored. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .337 and slugged .630, blasting 41 round-trippers with 104 RBI's and 119 runs scored. First baseman Fernando Tatis hit .291 with 34 longballs and 105 RBI's. Charlotte's pitching staff led the league, allowing just 546 runs. Lon Warneke made a successful transition from the bullpen to the rotation, going 17-6 with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 247 strikeouts. Veteran Len Barker posted a 13-3 mark with a 3.15 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts. Veteran Glenn Liebhardt went 11-6 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP before being sidelined for the season in August after undergoing elbow surgery. Charlotte held off the 105-win New York Emperors. DH Adam Dunn led the Emperors, hitting .257 and slugging .600, ripping 57 homers, plating 140 runs and scoring 129 times. Third baseman Eddie Mathews hit .301, drilling 38 dingers with 133 RBI's and 123 runs scored. Second sacker Travis Shaw popped 35 homers and drove home 104 runs. Center fielder Tim Raines hit .302 with 43 doubles, 14 homers, 66 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and a franchise-record 92 steals. New York featured a balanced pitching staff lacking in star power, as 11 pitchers won at least 5 games with no one tallying more than 11 victories. Swingman Ray Benge went 11-4 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Fred Klages notched an 11-7 mark with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

The New Orleans Crawfish relied on a dominant pitching staff to win 105 games, taking the Southeast Division title for the fifth time in six years. New Orleans pulled away with a 19-game winning streak starting in late August. Shortstop Alan Trammell starred, hitting .298 and slugging .530, with 32 longballs, 114 RBI's, 96 runs scored, and 22 steals. First baseman Don Mincher hit .276, popping 33 homers and plating 87 runs. New Orleans finished second in the league in runs allowed, led by Warren Spahn, who went 13-7 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts, but was sidelined with a season-ending triceps injury. Syl Johnson posted a 12-2 mark with a 2.86 ERA, an 0.80 WHIP, and 227 strikeouts. Southpaw Rick Krivda sported a 14-5 record with a 2.99 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. The Nashville Blues improved by 30 games on last year's disaster, earning the final wild card slot with 91 wins despite finishing 18th in the league in runs scored. Right fielder Babe Herman hit just .262 but drilled 32 homers, drove in 99 runs, and scored 90 runs. Catcher Gary Carter ripped 27 homers and knocked in 93 runs, but hit a dreadful .229. Shortstop Trea Turner hit just .262, but scored 101 runs and stole 63 of 74 bases. Nashville shaved more than two runs per game off their team ERA from last season, led by Mike Mussina, who went 16-8 with a 2.73 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. John Ely sported a 13-6 record with a 2.30 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP, allowing just 10 homers in 192 innings. Closer Octavio Dotel notched 40 saves with a 2.51 ERA, an 0.75 WHIP, and 102 strikeouts in just 72 innings. The Memphis River Pirates were in playoff contention for most of the season, but fell just short of the wild card with 89 wins. Center fielder Carlos Beltran had a breakout season, ripping 49 homers, driving in 112 runs, scoring 127 runs, and swiping 39 bags. First baseman Jorge Cantu hit .287 with 41 round-trippers and 120 RBI's. The Birmingham Steelers used a late-season push to tie Memphis with 89 wins, missing the playoffs by two games. First baseman Hal Trosky hit .335 and slugged .638, launching 35 homers and knocking in 93 runs in just 123 games. Virgil Trucks rebounded from an injury-riddled 2054 campaign to go 14-11 with a 2.60 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 231 strikeouts.

The El Paso Armadillos returned to form, winning 101 games to return to the playoffs after missing the playoffs last year for the first time in five seasons. El Paso cruised to the Texas Division title, posting an 18-game lead over the second-place Austin Mustangs. Veteran DH Harry Heilmann hit .309 and slugged .530, drilling 40 doubles, 33 homers, and knocking in 102 runs while scoring 123 times. Left fielder Troy Neel hit .279 with 40 longballs and knocking in 124 runs. Right fielder Roberto Clemente hit .320 for the second straight season, ripping 15 round-trippers and knocking in 83 runs. Crafty veteran Lefty Tyler posted a 17-8 mark with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Stephen Strasburg sported a 10-8 record despite a sparkling 2.79 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, fanning 192. Closer Monty Stratton posted 6 wins and 34 saves, with a 1.23 ERA and an 0.76 WHIP.

The Los Angeles Kangaroos won their third straight Southwest Division title, winning a league-high 110 games, and they closed the season by winning 15 out of their final 18 games. The Kangaroos led the league with 931 runs scored, and finished third with 256 homers. DH Fred McGriff hit .288 with 45 doubles, 44 longballs, 132 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. Catcher Kyle Schwarber hit .266 and slugged .585, blasting 42 homers and knocking in 114 runs in just 133 games. Third baseman Kelly Gruber hit .295 and slugged .551, drilling 36 dingers and knocking in 120 runs. Center fielder Ray Lankford pounded 38 homers and knocked in 122 runs while scoring 118 runs. Adam Wainwright led the league's deepest pitching staff, going 22-4 with a 1.91 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP. Hugh Bedient posted an 18-8 mark with a 2.83 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and fanned 217 hitters. Closer Oscar Harstad tied Chris Short's single-season record with 49 saves, as he sported a 2.23 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP. The Phoenix Lizards improved by 22 games from last year, winning 100 games to make the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Phoenix finished third-from-last in the league in homers, as only three players topped 12 longballs. First baseman Frank Thomas (not the Hall of Famer of the same name) hit .296 with 40 round-trippers and 140 RBI's. DH Matt Holliday hit .282 with 31 longballs and 113 RBI's. Second sacker Aaron Ward hit .291 with 23 homers, 98 RBI's, and 95 runs scored. Phoenix's pitching staff ranked third in the league in runs allowed, and four pitchers- Dave Roberts, Sid Fernandez, Kevin Millwood, and Larry French -- won at least 14 games apiece. Roberts had a breakout season, going 17-4 with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, allowing just 8 homers in 167 innings. Fernandez posted a 16-6 mark with a 2.82 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 278 batters. Millwood sported a 14-8 mark with a 2.49 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts.

Best season in team history: Toronto Predators (96 wins), Portland Skunks (107 wins), Miami Flamingos (103 wins)
Worst season in team history: Calgary Cattle Rustlers (50 wins), Atlanta Ducks (52 wins), San Antonio Marksmen (39 wins), Las Vegas Aces (53 wins)

Dukie98 · 06-21-2020, 11:26 PM

Frontier League: The underdog Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead against the defending champion Portland Skunks, but Portland stormed back to take the series in seven games. Third baseman Delino DeShields led Portland with a .357 average, including 5 runs scored and an RBI. Second sacker Mark Lenke hit .321 with a homer and a series-high 9 RBI's. Jesse Haines dominated, going 2-0 (including a Game 7 win) with a 1.46 ERA, fanning 17 in 12.1 innings. Walter Johnson had two no-decisions, despite posting a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, fanning 16. Pittsburgh shortstop Buddy Kerr earned MVP honors in defeat, hitting .484 with 15 hits in 7 games, including 3 doubles, 5 runs scored, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals. Southpaw Greg Mathews hurled 13 shutout innings, allowing just 7 hits and going 1-0. The Toronto Predators dominated the overmatched and overachieving Milwaukee Raccoons, holding Milwaukee to just four runs in a four-game sweep. Toronto left fielder JD Martinez was tabbed MVP after hitting .462 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Kevan Smith hit .375 with a longball and 6 RBI's. Eddie Rommel earned a Game 3 win, allowing just one hit in seven shutout innings. Catcher Mickey Cochrane provided the lone bright spot for Milwaukee, hitting .400 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The Buffalo Fighting Elk dominated their division rival Baltimore Robins, shutting them out in the first two games on their way to a four-game sweep. Star left fielder Juan Soto was an easy MVP pick, hitting .389 and slugging .889, with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 5 RBI's. and 4 runs scored. Right fielder Bruce Aven hit .400 with 4 runs scored and an RBI. Second baseman Sam Bohne hit .250 with a round-tripper and 5 RBI's. Righthander Russ Ortiz hurled 7 shutout innings in a Game 2 win, allowing just 2 hits, while southpaw Mark Mulder yielded just 2 hits in 5 shutout innings in a Game 1 victory. Fireballer Jim Maloney led Baltimore, taking a tough loss in Game 2, yielding just 1 run in 6 innings while fanning 8. In the tightest series of the first round, the Cleveland Rocks erased a 3-1 deficit to their division-rival Cincinnati Spiders, winning the last three games by one run apiece. Cleveland center fielder Duke Snider starred, earning MVP honors after hitting .387 with 5 homers and 8 RBI's, including a series-clinching walk-off homer in Game 7. First baseman Gaby Sanchez hit .345 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury hit .344 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, and 4 RBI's. Cleveland's bullpen was terrific, led by Vladimir Nunez, who hurled 5.1 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts. Cincinnati featured several superlative performances in defeat. Second baseman Larry Doyle hit .500 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .313 with 3 longballs and 11 RBI's, while Terry Puhl hit .278 with 5 doubles, 4 dingers, 7 RBI's, and 9 runs scored.

In the Division Series, the Portland Skunks dispatched the Toronto Predators in six games. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was tabbed MVP after hitting .350 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .304 with a round-tripper and 7 RBI's. Walter Johnson went 2-0, posting a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, allowing just 6 hits while fanning 17. Jesse Haines hurled seven innings, allowing no earned runs and just 3 hits. Right fielder Claudell Washington led Toronto, hitting .360 with 2 homers, 7 RBI's, and 2 steals. The red-hot Buffalo Fighting Elk earned their second straight series sweep, eliminating the Cleveland Rocks in four games. Buffalo catcher Brian Downing was named MVP after hitting .313 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Third baseman Jack Lohrke hit .333 with 3 doubles, a homer and 5 RBI's. Center fielder Stan Javier hit .400 with 3 extra-base hits, 5 runs scored, and an RBI. Righthanders Russ Ortiz and Dick Donovan each allowed one run in six innings, with Donovan notching a victory. Center fielder Duke Snider led Cleveland, hitting .313 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's in defeat. Buffalo's luck ran out in the League Championship Series, as Portland eliminated Buffalo in six games, allowing the Skunks to make the World Series for the third straight season. Right fielder Max Kepler took home the hardware, hitting .263 with 2 homers, 6 RBI's, and 3 runs scored. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit just .238, but he slugged .476, with 2 doubles, a homers, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Jesse Haines continued his brilliant postseason, going 2-0 with a 3.60, and southpaw John Smiley allowed just one run on four hits in 9 innings. Right fielder Bruce Aven led Buffalo, hitting .304 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Mark Mulder yielded a 1.59 ERA, allowing just 5 hits in 11.1 innings.

Continental League: In a major upset, the 91-win Nashville Blues, making just their second playoff appearance in 25 years, upended the 110-win Los Angeles Kangaroos in six games. Nashville center fielder Mark Kotsay earned MVP honors after hitting .417 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 10 RBI's. Left fielder Lance Berkman hit .375 with 2 round-trippers, 7 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Righthander John Ely earned a win in a crucial Game 5, allowing 2 hits in 7 shutout innings, and he posted an 0.69 ERA in 13 innings. Mike Mussina split two decisions despite a 1.46 ERA, fanning 18 in 12.1 innings. DH Fred McGriff led Los Angeles in defeat, hitting .350 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Hugh Bedient split two decisions, posting a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. In a matchup of two teams with over 100 wins, the New York Emperors swept the El Paso Armadillos. New York right fielder Ron Fairly was tabbed MVP after hitting .353 with a homer and 6 RBI's. DH Adam Dunn hit .308 and slugged .846, ripping 2 homers, scoring 6 runs, and driving in 3. Righthander Kevin Foster earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 6 innings. Veteran reliever Dalier Hinojosa threw 4.1 shutout innings, earning a win and two saves. In a matchup of division rivals, the New Orleans Crawfish overcame a 2-0 deficit to oust the 103-win Miami Flamingos in 6 games. Left fielder Carson Bigbee was named MVP after hitting .385 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, 4 RBI's, and 3 steals. Star shortstop Alan Trammell hit .292 with a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBI's. Southpaw Rick Krivda earned a win in Game 3 winth 5.1 shutout innings. Carlos Martinez, who moved out of the bullpen into the rotation, went 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA, fanning 13. Center fielder Jimmie Hall led Miami, hitting .417 with a homer and 2 RBI's, while right fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis popped 3 dingers and knocked in 4 runs. The Phoenix Lizards easily dispatched the 109-win Charlotte Aviators in 5 games. Second baseman Aaron Ward took home the hardware after hitting .450 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Left fielder Matt Holliday hit .400 with 2 round-trippers and 4 RBI's. Righthander Eddie Cicotte was brilliant, earning the Game 3 win as he allowed just one hit in 7 shutout innings, fanning 10. Tom Morgan earned two wins out of the bullpen, hurling 3.2 shutout innings. Righthander Lon Warneke posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings, but received two no-decisions for his efforts.

The underdog Nashville Blues slayed their second giant of the playoffs, upending the New York Emperors in six games. Nashville shortstop Trea Turner earned MVP honors, hitting .308 with six extra-base hits, including a homer, 2 RBI's, 5 runs scored, and 2 steals. Right fielder Babe Herman hit .375 with 3 doubles. Center fielder Mark Kotsay hit a modest .261, but ripped a homer and knocked in a team-high 6 runs. Veteran southpaw David Price was terrific, going 2-0 with an 0.73 ERA, allowing just 1 run and 7 hits in 12.1 innings. Octavio Dotel hurled 4 shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner and notching two saves. Right fielder Ron Fairly led New York, hitting .368 with a .520 on-base percentage. But star third baseman Eddie Mathews was abysmal, going 1-for-26 without driving in a run. The New Orleans Crawfish erased a 2-1 deficit, taking the final three games to eliminate the Phoenix Lizards in six games, holding Phoenix to just 15 runs for the series. Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen added another trophy for his mantle, hitting .318 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 6 RBI's. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .300 and slugged .650, drilling 2 homers, knocking in 4 runs, scoring 5 runs, and swiping 2 bags. First baseman Don Mincher bopped 3 longballs and knocked in 6 runs. Righthander Syl Johnson went 2-0 with an 0.84 ERA. Veteran southpaw Lee Grissom allowed just one run in five innings in a crucial Game 4 win. Third baseman Mike Mowrey led Phoenix, hitting .550 with a series-high 11 hits, scoring 3 runs and swiping 2 bases. Nashville's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, as New Orleans advanced in six games, holding the Blues to just 19 runs for the series. Crawfish shortstop Alan Trammell was tabbed MVP after hitting .273 with 3 homers, 5 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Catcher Mitch Garver hit .375 with 3 runs scored. First baseman Don Mincher hit .318 with a dinger and 4 RBI's. Reliever Doug Bird starred, earning a win and two saves with 5 shutout innings. Even though closer Carlos Martinez moved into the rotation, filling the void created by the late-season loss of ace Warren Spahn, his largely anonymous bullpen compatriots allowed just 4 runs in 23 innings.

World Series: In some seasons, an underachieving squad manages to squeak through the playoffs following a series of upsets over stronger competition. This was not one of those seasons, as the defending champion 107-win Portland Skunks squared off against the 105-win New Orleans Crawfish. Although Portland was making its third straight series appearance, New Orleans had not made the Fall Classic for fourteen years. Portland was a slight favorite, as New Orleans was forced to do without Warren Spahn and Dave Goltz, who combined for 28 wins, and left fielder Corey Dickerson, who slugged .594 in 104 games.

Portland ace Walter Johnson won Game 1 singlehandedly, allowing just one hit in 6.1 shutout innings and driving in both runs with a fifth-inning homer in a 2-0 victory. Slugging left fielder Pedro Guerrero had two of Portland's five hits, but was sidelined with a series-ending intercostal strain, leaving a sizeable gap in the middle of the Skunks' lineup. The Crawfish were held to three singles on the game. Southpaw Rich Krivda yielded two runs on four hits in six innings to take the loss. New Orleans returned the favor in Game 2, winning 2-1 as Lee Grissom allowed just one run on three hits in 6.1 innings to earn the victory. New Orleans left fielder Carson Bigbee and second sacker Starlin Castro each went 2-for-4 with a double. Portland southpaw John Smiley, after a perfect 15-0 season, fell to 0-2 in the postseason, allowing one run in 5.1 innings. Right fielder Max Kepler hit a solo shot for the Skunks' lone run. New Orleans's pitching continued to dominate, as the Crawfish took Game 3 2-0, with Syl Johnson hurling 5 shutout innings, yielding just 2 hits and fanning 7. Doug Bird hurled 2 shutout innings for the save. Bigbee led New Orleans offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Portland had just three singles on the game. George Suggs, who missed nearly the entire regular season after recovering from a torn UCL, took the loss despite yielding just one run in 5 innings.

New Orleans seized firm control of the series in Game 4, winning 4-3 as right fielder Junior Felix hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning. Carlos Martinez gave New Orleans 5 solid innings, allowing just one run and fanning six. Reliever Jared Burton earned his third win of the postseason, and Eric Moody notched the save. Felix went 3-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI's, while center fielder Rudy Law had three singles, a steal, and a run scored. Portland finally showed a rare spark offensively, ripping four doubles among their eight hits, with second baseman Mark Lemke popping two hits and scoring a run. In a must-win Game 5, Portland held on for a 3-2 victory, but at a substantial cost. Although Walter Johnson allowed just one hit in 4.2 shutout innings, he left the game after tearing his rotator cuff - the first significant injury of his illustrious career. Kepler hit a 2-run homer to give Portland the lead for good, while Lemke had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI. Reliever Joe Fontenot notched the win in relief, and Bill Fischer earned a save, but not before yielding two ninth-inning runs and allowing the tying run to reach third base with one out. Don Mincher popped an RBI double for New Orleans, while Trammell drove in another run with a base hit. Rich Krivda took the loss, yielding 3 runs in 5 innings. Although neither team scored more than 4 runs in any of the first five games, New Orleans clinched the title with an explosive performance in Game 6, winning 11-1 behind four homers. Gene Tenace opened the scoring with a three-run blast off John Smiley in the first inning. Trammell, Felix, and Castro each smacked three hits on the day, and all three homered in the third inning. Castro and Trammell each scored and drove in two runs apiece. Southpaw Lee Grissom cruised to victory, allowing just one run in six innings. Smiley took the loss, allowing 6 runs (3 unearned) in 2 innings. Lemke hit an otherwise meaningless solo homer to prevent the shutout.

New Orleans right fielder Junior Felix was tabbed MVP after hitting .348 and slugging .696, with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Trammell hit .318 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Left fielder Carson Bigbee hit .348 with 3 doubles, 5 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Rudy Law hit .292 and stole 3 bases, bringing his postseason total to 13 -- tied for third-most all-time for a single season. But New Orleans won the series with their pitching, holding the second-highest scoring offense in the Frontier League to just 10 runs in six games. Grissom went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA, fanning 14 in 12.2 innings. The Crawfish's bullpen was brilliant, led by Joe Smith, who retired all 11 batters he faced in the series, fanning 7. Overall, the New Orleans bullpen allowed just 1 run in 21.1 innings, fanning 22. Lemke led Portland, hitting .333 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Kepler hit just .227, but popped two of Portland's three homers, and drove in 3 runs. Walter Johnson was brilliant for Portland, allowing just 2 hits in 11 shutout innings, fanning 12. Reliever Joe Saunders allowed just one hit in 5.1 innings, whiffing 7 batters.

Dukie98 · 06-23-2020, 03:50 AM

Frontier League MVP- Juan Soto, LF, BUF (21): .341/ .449/ .647, 196 hits, 40 doubles, 2 triples, 44 HR, 126 RBI, 118 runs, 115 BB, 8 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.2 WAR
Second place- Tony Batista, 2B, LON (21): .327/ .378/ .649, 206 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 55 HR, 196 RBI, 101 runs, 46 BB, 164 OPS+, 8.9 WAR
Third place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (6): 21-3, 1.58 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 210 IP, 302 K, 50 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 8.9 WAR
Fourth place- Duke Snider, CF, CLE: .328/ .429/ .645, 169 hits, 44 doubles, 4 triples, 37 HR, 128 RBI, 99 runs, 86 BB, 2 SB, 176 OPS+, 8.4 WAR
Fifth place- Willie McCovey, LF, VAN: .312/ .414/ .618, 183 hits, 28 doubles, 1 triple, 50 HR, 125 RBI, 122 runs, 91 BB, 1 SB, 171 OPS+, 7.8 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award: Walter Johnson, POR (46): 21-3, 1.58 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 210 IP, 302 K, 50 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 8.9 WAR
Second place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE (2): 19-2, 1.44 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 193 IP, 250 K, 39 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 307 ERA+, 8.3 WAR
Third place- Jim Maloney, BAL: 19-8, 1.86 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 208 IP, 248 K, 52 BB, 1 CG, 233 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Fourth place- Bobo Newsom, TOR: 19-4, 1 save, 2.45 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 213 IP, 274 K, 71 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 180 ERA+, 6.8 WAR
Fifth place- Denny Galehouse, BAL: 12-9, 2.36 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 190 IP, 222 K, 22 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 184 ERA+, 8.5 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Earle Combs, CF, TOR (27): .316/ .384/ .440, 185 hits, 50 doubles, 4 triples, 5 HR, 60 RBI, 81 runs, 63 BB, 7 SB, 118 OPS+, 4.7 WAR
Second place- Vinegar Bend Mizell, LHP, DEN (18): 11-6, 1 save, 2.22 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 158 IP, 203 K, 46 BB, 198 ERA+, 6.0 WAR
Third place- Sam Chapman, CF, SF (3): .243/ .353/ .414, 132 hits, 16 doubles, 4 triples, 23 HR, 73 RBI, 69 runs, 84 BB, 5 SB, 108 OPS+, 3.3 WAR

Continental League MVP- Ruben Sierra, RF, HOU (44): .366/ .411/ .719, 233 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 59 HR, 156 RBI, 139 runs, 50 BB, 24 SB, 189 OPS+, 9.1 WAR
Second place- Chick Hafey, LF, HOU (1): .339/ .388/ .703, 211 hits, 47 doubles, 3 triples, 58 HR, 165 RBI, 127 runs, 45 BB, 14 SB, 179 OPS+, 9.0 WAR
Third place- Billy Williams, RF/LF, MIA (3): .336/ .398/ .623, 214 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 45 HR, 133 RBI, 123 runs, 65 BB, 3 SB, +11.3 Zone Rating, 168 OPS+, 8.7 WAR
Fourth place- Mike Schmidt, 1B/ 3B, VB: .335/ .409/ .635, 201 hits, 36 doubles, 48 HR, 132 RBI, 114 runs, 71 BB, 1 SB, 170 OPS+, 7.8 WAR
Fifth place- Dwight Evans, RF, CHA: .337/ .433/ .630, 182 hits, 33 doubles, 1 triple, 41 HR, 104 RBI, 119 runs, 88 BB, 1 SB, 172 OPS+, 7.4 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- Van Mungo, VB (28): 18-9, 2.44 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 225 IP, 360 K, 62 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 198 ERA+, 10.0 WAR
Second place- Lon Warneke, CHA (19): 17-6, 2.30 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 195 IP, 247 K, 40 BB, 213 ERA+, 8.4 WAR
Third place- Fred Glade, JAX: 16-12, 2.65 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 234 IP, 270 K, 53 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 184 ERA+, 8.9 WAR
Fourth place- Tom Bradley, MIA: 10-6, 2.57 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 192 IP, 242 K, 33 BB, 186 ERA+, 7.2 WAR
Fifth place- Kevin Millwood, PHO: 14-8, 2.49 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 191 IP, 228 K, 33 BB, 201 ERA+, 7.2 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Jerry Browne, 2B, MEM (47): .281/ .364/ .415, 159 hits, 35 doubles, 4 triples, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 91 runs, 72 BB, 22 SB, 108 ERA+, 3.9 WAR
Second place- Rey Quinones, SS, SA: .239/ .299/ .383, 125 hits, 27 doubles, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 50 runs, 32 BB, 2 SB, 90 OPS+, 0.5 WAR
Third place- Al Holland, LHP, OKC (1): 2-3, 21 saves, 0.94 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 58 IP, 95 K, 11 BB, 522 ERA+, 2.7 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Mike Piazza, C, San Antonio Marksmen
2. Ivan Rodriguez, Washington Ambassadors
3. Juan Guzman, RHP, Calgary Cattle Rustlers
4. Tony Solaita, 1B, Atlanta Ducks
5. Joe Horlen, RHP, Las Vegas Aces
6. Charlie Keller, RF, Omaha Falcons
7. Paul LoDuca, C, Ottawa Parliamentarians
8. Billy Hoeft, LHP, Montreal Knights
9. Dick Kryhoski, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors
10. Matt Duffy, 2B, Boston Minutemen

04-05-2020, 05:08 PM	#61
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2052 Year in Review Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk rebounded with a vengeance from missing the playoffs last season, dominating the last four months of the season on their way to win 107 games. After a middling 24-26 start, Buffalo close out the season by going 83-29. 20-year-old left fielder Juan Soto was one of the front runner for MVP, posting a .328/ .451/ .615 slash line, with 43 homers, 136 RBI's, and a league-best 136 walks. Shortstop Jonathan Villar hit .277 with 24 homers, 101 RBI's, 101 runs scored, and 26 steals. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .283 with a league-high 16 triples, 6 homers, 85 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 53 steals. Buffalo's lefty-heavy staff allowed the fewest runs in the league, led by Scott McGregor, who went 19-6 with a 2.08 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP. Mark Mulder posted a 19-7 mark with a 2.43 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts. Veteran Sterling Hitchcock went 13-8 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The Philadelphia Hawks won 93 games, returning to the postseason for the third time in four seasons. First baseman Kevin Young hit .275 and slugged .572, mashing 36 doubles and 42 homers, while knocking in 117 runs. Left fielder Josh Willingham slugged .486, bopping 30 homers and plating 82 runs. Ace Addie Joss led the league's second-ranked pitching staff, going 18-3 with a 2.11 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Carl Erskine went just 8-6 in 27 starts, but posted a stellar 2.62 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, fanning 241. Closer Bobo Newsom notched 8 wins and 30 saves, along with a 1.50 ERA, an 0.79 WHIP, and 123 whiffs in 72 innings. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas won 90 games, returning to the postseason for the second straight season. First baseman John Olerud hit .312 and slugged .554, smacking 45 doubles, along with 32 homers, 99 RBI's, 103 runs, and 104 walks. Steady shortstop Alan Trammell hti .301 and slugged .487, ripping 18 homers, knocking in 82 runs, and scoring 94. Righthander Henry Thielman went 12-6 with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Crafty Doyle Alexander notched 14-11 mark, along with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Southpaw closer Josh Hader led the league with 41 saves, while posting a 2.05 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and fanning 113 hitters in 70 innings. The Boston Minutemen remained in contention until the final day of the season, being eliminated only after an 11-inning loss as they finished with 84 wins. Catcher Wally Schang starred, hitting .326 and slugging .511, with 37 doubles, 14 homers, 59 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. First baseman Ryan Klesko hit .287 and slugged .530, slugging 30 homers and knocking in 96 runs. Rookie southpaw Randy Tomlin was the lone bright spot on a subpar pitching staff, going 14-9 with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang won the Great Lakes Division, posting 97 wins. Center Whit Merrifield had a brilliant all-around season, hitting .333 with a league-high 219 hits, including 49 doubles, 23 homers, 102 RBI's, 102 runs scored, and 30 steals. Left fielder Jorge Orta hit .289, drilling 36 doubles, 22 homers, and driving in 89 runs. Third baseman Marcus Semien slugged. 485, drilling 32 homers and knocking in 104 runs. Ace Nolan Ryan sported an 11-6 record with a 2.53 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP, and fanned 337 hitters, allowing an incredible 108 hits in 213 innings. Free agent signee Ken Holtzman went 15-3 with a 2.24 ERA, and an 0.86 WHIP. The Toronto Predators were one of the feel-good stories of the season, rebounding from a 58-win season to win 91 games, snapping a seven-year streak of sub-.500 finishes. Toronto overcame one of the weakest offenses in the league, finishing third-from-last in the Frontier League in runs scored. Right fielder Claudell Washington led the way, hitting .270 with 20 homers and 85 RBI's. Second sacker Jackie Robinson hit .288 with a .401 on-base percentage, smacking 10 homers and knocking in 49 runs, but missed 63 games with injuries. Second-year righthander Bill Monbouquette starred, going 17-5 , with a 1.85 ERA, an 0.82 WHIP, and 281 strikeouts. Righthander Monty Stratton sported an 11-4 mark, with a 2.55 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Fireballing closer Craig Kimbrel went 9-2 with 32 saves, a 1.26 ERA, and an 0.95 WHIP. The London Werewolves returned to the postseason after a five-season absence, winning 85 games. Third baseman Tony Batista led the way, hitting .303 and slugging .534, with 37 homers and 126 RBI's. Right fielder Jack Tobin hit .337 with a league-high 68 doubles, 17 homers, 109 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. Catcher Caleb Joseph hit .270 and slugged .491, blasting 23 longballs and knocking in 68 runs in just 119 games. Second-year southpaw Leo Kiely went 15-5 with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, while fanning 196 batters. Veteran Jose DeLeon posted a 10-8 mark with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Kansas City Mad Hatters coasted to the Great Plains Division title, winning 96 games and making the playoffs for the third straight season. Right fielder Mitch Haniger starred, posting a .319/ .399/ .584 slash line, with 45 doubles, 33 homers, 111 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. Center fielder Carl Everett hit .311 and slugged .542, ripping 39 doubles, 29 round-tripperss, 116 RBI's, 117 runs scored, and swiping 39 bags. Third baseman Doug DeCinces launched 33 jacks and knocked in 114 runs. Southpaw John Smiley went 13-6 with a 2.29 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Righthander Moose Haas went 17-7 with a 2.70 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and whiffed 186 hitters. Ace Tim Hudson missed the first half with shoulder inflammation, but rebounded to go 10-3 with a 2.97 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP after the break. The Portland Skunks won their fifth division title in six seasons, taking the Northwest Division by 20 games with 103 victories. Portland finished second in the Frontier League in runs and first in homers, led by first baseman Mark McGwire, who hit .275 with 54 homers, 131 RBI's, 135 runs scored, and drew 123 walks. Right fielder Tom Brunansky hit just .245, but blasted 49 homers and drove in a league-high 148 runs. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .295 and slugged .492, drilling 31 homers, knocking in 96 runs, scoring 125, and stealing 29 bases. Left fielder Al Oliver hit .292 and slugged .499, drilling 39 doubles, 27 longballs, and knocking in 103 runs while smacking his 3,000th career hit . Walter Johnson appeared to be a shoo-in for his ninth Cy Young Award, going 21-3 with a league-leaging 1.75 ERA and an 0.76 WHIP, while fanning 285 hitters. Southpaw Casey Fossum was a solid second banana, going 11-5 with a 3.22 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP. The Denver Spikes finished a distant second with 83 wins, stumbling down the stretch with a 22-33 record after August 1, and dropping 11 of their final 16 games. First baseman Dan Driessen had a breakout season, hitting .289 and slugging .513, ripping 25 homers and knocking in 96 runs while stealing 16 of 18 bases. Righthander Jack McDowell went 17-7 with a 2.54 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and fanned 234 enemy batters. Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators hit a franchise-record 295 homers, on their way to a 102-win season, despite losing southpaw Jon Lester and third baseman Corey Koskie for the season in spring training. DH Chuck Essegian mashed, hitting .305 and slugging .592, along with 45 homers, 128 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Dwight Evans, a prized free agency signing, posted a .392 on-base percentage while ripping 42 homers, knocking in 106 runs, and scoring 121. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .315 and slugged .658, drilling 44 homers and knocking in 97 runs in just 117 games. Shortstop JJ Hardy chipped in with 33 homers and 92 RBI's. Charlotte's pitching staff allowed the fewest runs in the league, as Len Barker posted an 11-2 record with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, while Woodie Fryman went 13-11 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. The New York Emperors returned to the playoffs after six straight years below .500, winning 99 games due to an explosive offense which led baseball with a .291 average, set an all-time record with a team .383 on-base percentage, and scored 1129 runs. DH Adam Dunn posted a .293/ .448/ .565 slash line, blasting 41 longballs, knocking in 125 runs, scoring a league-high 159 runs, and drawing 155 walks. Second sacker Ozzie Albies hit .334 and slugged .582, ripping 85 extra-base hits, including 31 homers, driving in 146 runs, and swiping 27 bags. Despite three stints on the disabled list, including a season-ending broken kneecap, defending MVP Eddie Mathews hit .327 and slugged .722, launching 32 homers and plating 85 runs in just 78 games. Left fielder Tim Raines set the table, hitting .287 and drawing 98 walks, as he scored 138 runs and stole 69 bases - while hitting 17 homers to boot. Veteran southpaw David Price stabilized an otherwise subpar staff, going 16-6 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Joe Johnson posted a 9-7 mark with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Hartford Huskies qualified for their fourth straight playoff berth, winning 95 games. Third baseman Ian Stewart popped 39 longballs and drove in 107 runs. Outfielders Corey Dickerson and Tony Oliva, along with first baseman Jim Hickman, launched 31 homers apiece, with Oliva hitting .295, rapping 45 doubles, and knocking in 126 runs. John Candelaria anchored a deep pitching staff, going 15-9 with a 2.89 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts. Fellow southpaw Greg Swindell went 10-8 with a 3.04 ERA and an 0.91 WHIP. The Virginia Beach Admirals won 89 games, returning to the playoffs for the third time in four years. Right fielder Reggie Jackson rejuvenated his career after a pair of off-years, hitting .293 and slugging .551, with 45 homers (including the 600th of his career), 98 RBI's, and 115 runs scored. Third baseman Mike Schmidt joined Jackson in the 600-homer club, blasting 40 longballs, knocking in 96 runs, and scoring 116. Left fielder Jerry Turner and first baseman Mike Laga drilled 29 homers apiece. Righthander Van Mungo went just 12-10 despite a 2.79 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 309 strikeouts -- leading the league for the fourth straight year. Biff Schlitzer went 12-9 with a modest 4.21 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The Miami Flamingos were the surprise winners of the Southeast Division, taking the title with 92 wins to earn just their second playoff berth in the last thirteen seasons. Left fielder Billy Williams led the way offensively, hitting .320 and slugging .575, with 37 jacks, 119 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. First baseman Derrek Lee hit .273 with 37 homers, 85 RBI's, and scored 116 runs. Second sacker Dick Green hit .294 with 16 homers, plated 84 runs, and provided Gold Glove-caliber defense at the keystone. Rookie Scott Karl led a surprisingly effective pitching staff, going 14-3 with a 2.82 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. Shane Bieber posted a 10-10 mark with an unsightly 4.42 ERA but a solid 1.18 WHIP. The Nashville Blues were the biggest surprise of the season, snapping a 22-year playoff drought - the longest in the HRDL, and jumping from 64 wins to 88 (despite a -33 run differential). The Blues closed the year on an 8-game losing streak, however, and nearly missed the playoffs. Rookie first baseman/ left fielder Babe Herman provided a much-needed offensive spark, hitting .326 and slugging .621, ripping 40 homers and knocking in 119 runs in just 135 games. Second-year shortstop Trea Turner hit .305 and slugged .507, popping 36 doubles, 13 triples, 24 homers, knocking in 79 runs, scoring 110, and stealing 62 bases. Catcher Gary Carter hit .302 with 29 homers, 96 RBI's, and 87 runs scored. On the mound, Mike Mussina went 15-6, but saw his ERA spike to 3.98, although his WHIP remained strong at 1.02. Vern Law notched a 10-8 mark, with a solid 3.09 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. In the Texas Division, the El Paso Armadillos dropped off heavily from last year's 116-win campaign, but they still cruised to the division title with 92 wins, earning their 13th playoff bid in 14 years. El Paso ranked third in the Continental League in offense. DH/ first baseman Harry Heilmann hit .300 and slugged .530, smacking 44 doubles and 34 homers, driving in 121 runs and scoring 114. First baseman Troy Neel hit .289 and slugged .567, launching 46 round-trippers, knocking in 115 runs, and scoring 131. Alex Bregman hit .295 with 31 homers, 91 RBI's, and drove in 112 runs. Stephen Strasburg led the league in victories, going 18-6 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, fanning 192. The rest of the staff, however, was quite pedestrian, with Lefty Tyler dropping off from 24 wins to a 10-11 record, and saw his ERA rise by nearly two runs to 4.31. The Dallas Wildcatters made a push for their first playoff spot in a decade, but they fell just short, winning 86 games. Left fielder Marv Rackley won the batting title, hitting .366, while first baseman Ted Kluszewski slammed 38 homers and drove in 94 runs. The San Diego Zookeepers won their first division title since the league's inaugural season 41 years ago, cruising to the Southwest Division title with 100 wins. First baseman Cecil Cooper had a breakout season -- after hitting 4 homers over the last two seasons combined, he hit .345 and slugged .627, ripping 29 homers and driving in 118 runs in just 122 games. Second sacker Johnny Evers hit .299 with a .433 on-base percentage, scoring 112 runs and swiping 67 bags. Lance Parrish bopped 27 homers and drove in 92 runs. San Diego tied for the league lead in runs allowed, led by second-year righthander Ruben Gomez, who went 15-6 with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 221 strikeouts. Buzz Capra posted a 13-7 mark with a 3.38 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Closer Randy Niemann notched a league-high 34 saves along with a 1.93 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Best season in team history: None Worst season in team history: Phoenix Lizards (64 wins) Attached Images

04-09-2020, 02:44 AM	#62
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2052 Playoff Report Frontier League: What appeared to be the biggest mismatch on paper proved to be the tighest-fought series of the Wild Card round. The 107-win Buffalo Fighting Elk edged the 85-win London Werewolves in a matchup between the winningest team in baseball and the last team in the playoff field which had a meager +11 run differential on the season. London took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth of Game 7, but Buffalo scratched out one run on a Jonathan Villar single, and scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, including a two-out walk-off series-ending walk by Juan Soto on a 3-2 pitch. Buffalo second sacker Darwin Barney earned MVP honors after hitting .458 with a series-high 11 hits, including 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBI's. Soto hit just .258, but drilled a homer, drove in six runs, and scored five. Southpaw Sterling Hitchcock hurled 10.1 shutout innings, earning the win in Game 3, and threw five shutout innings in Game 7. Scott McGregor split two decisions, yielding a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. Center fielder Chip Ambres led London, hitting .408 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's, while third baseman Tony Batista smacked two longballs and knocked in 7 runs. After dropping Game 1, the Philadelphia Hawks won four straight to oust the Kansas City Mad Hatters. Philadelphia first baseman Kevin Young was tabbed MVP after hitting .500 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Third baseman Chase Headley hit .278, smacking 3 round-trippers and knocking in 8 runs. Larry McWilliams allowed just one run in 7 innings in a Game 3 win, surrendering just 4 hits. Closer Bobo Newsom anchored a terrific bullpen, as he allowed one hit in 3.2 shutout innings, fanning 9 of the 12 batters he faced. The Hawks' bullpen allowed just one run in 15.1 innings -- and that was by Cory Lidle, who notched two victories out of the pen. Catcher Gene Green led Kansas City, hitting .438 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while center fielder Carl Everett hit .389 with 2 jacks and knocked in 3 runs. In a divisional showdown, the Detroit Purple Gang edged the Toronto Predators in six games, five of which were decided by either one or two runs, and one of which went 17 innings. Detroit right fielder Jose Cardenal was honored as MVP, hitting .320 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, and 4 RBI's. Catcher Shanty Hogan hit .333 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Southpaw Ken Holtzman posted a 2-0 mark with a 2.08 ERA, fanning 18 in 13 innings, while hard-luck Nolan Ryan went 0-2 despite a 2.31 ERA and 20 whiffs in 11.2 innings. Toronto ace Bill Monbouquette put together a valiant effort, going 2-0 in 13.1 shutout innings, allowing just 6 hits and fanning 15. Toronto right fielder Claudell Washington smashed two homers and knocked in 4 runs. The Portland Skunks ousted the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas in six games, outscoring Pittsburgh by just five runs in their four victories. Remarkably, Portland had just 33 hits in 6 games - an average of just 5.5 hits per game -- and no position player hit above .231. First baseman Mark McGwire hit just .190 but popped a homer, drove in 3 runs, and scored 5. Veteran left fielder Al Oliver drove in six runs despite going 2-for-19. Ace Walter Johnson allowed just one run in 12 innings, fanning 16, but earned two no-decisions for his efforts. Pittsburgh third baseman Harry Lord took MVP honors in a losing effort, hitting .385 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Moe Drabowsky allowed just two runs and six hits in 12.1 innings, but like Johnson, also had two no-decisions. In a matchup of the top two pitching staffs in the Frontier League, the Philadelphia Hawks upended their division rival Buffalo Fighting Elk in five games, as Buffalo scored just 11 runs in 5 games. Philadelphia left fielder Kevin McReynolds took home MVP honors, hitting .375 with 4 doubles, driving in 2 runs. First baseman Kevin Young bopped 2 round-trippers, driving in 3 runs. Crafty southpaw Larry McWilliams went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings. Bobo Newsom continued his dominant postseason, earning 2 saves over 4 shutout innings, fanning 8. Buffalo shortstop Jonathan Villar hit .300 with 2 doubles and a homer. The Portland Skunks dominated the Detroit Purple Gang, outscoring Detroit 23-5 in a four-game sweep. Center fielder Matt Kemp was tabbed MVP, hitting .500 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's. First baseman Mark McGwire and second baseman Mark Lemke drilled two homers apiece, driving in a combined seven runs. Southpaw Casey Fossum hurled 7 shutout innings in Game 3, yielding just 2 hits. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit's punchless attack, hitting a modest .267. Portland's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, however, as Philadelphia prevailed in five games, making the World Series for the first time in 37 years. Philadelphia first baseman Kevin Young took home the hardware, hitting .294 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Jack Lapp hit .267 with a pair of homers. Ace Addie Joss went 1-0 with a 1.64 in 11 innings, while teammate Mack Allison hurled a three-hit shutout in Game 4. Second baseman Mark Lemke hit .389 and scored 2 runs for Portland in a losing effort. Continental League: The Nashville Blues somehow won 88 games with a negative 33 run differential, yet they dominated the Charlotte Aviators, who won 102 games with the stingiest pitching staff in the league, winning in five games. Rookie right fielder Babe Herman led Nashville, winning MVP honors after hitting .381 with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's, including a walk-off series-clinching single in the 10th inning of Game 5. Left fielder Rick Reichardt hit .350 with 2 longballs and 5 RBI's. Mike Mussina earned the win in Game 2, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings, fanning 10. Righthander Len Barker led Charlotte, earning the win in Game 1, and posting a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings. The New York Emperors had not won a playoff series in their last four tries, dating back to 2039, but they ousted the El Paso Armadillos in 5 games. Second baseman Ozzie Albies took home MVP honors after hitting .412 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Catcher Joe Garagiola hit .375, plating four runs. Righthander Joe Johnson went 1-0 with an 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings. Right fielder Roberto Clemente led El Paso, hitting .381 with 2 RBI's. The Hartford Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Miami Flamingos before hanging on to prevail in six games. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva was named MVP after hitting .348 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Ray Lankford popped 2 homers and knocked in 4 runs, scoring 5 runs. Southpaw Joe Shaute posted a 1-0 mark with a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings. Remarkably, Miami hit 9 homers in the series, but scored just 15 runs. Derrek Lee led Miami, hitting .261 with 3 solo shots, while Mike Scioscia hit .450 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The Virginia Beach Admirals upset the 100-win San Diego Zookeepers in five games. Admirals DH Rico Carty was tabbed MVP after hitting .368 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Jerry Turner hit .364 with 2 homers, 3 RBI's, 5 runs scored, and 3 steals, while third baseman Mike Schmidt hit .316 with 3 round-trippers and 8 RBI's. Virginia Beach's bullpen dominated, led by closer Derrick Turnbow, who notched 2 saves and allowed one run in 6 innings. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero led San Diego, hitting .471 with a solo homer and 4 runs scored. In the Division Series, New York swept Nashville, as DH Adam Dunn earned MVP honors after hitting .429 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, including a walk-off homer in Game 2 and a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth of Game 4. New York came from behind in the ninth inning of three of the four games. Third baseman Travis Shaw hit .545 with 3 doubles, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals before breaking his wrist. Left fielder Tim Raines hit .350 with 2 RBI's, including a walk-off single in Game 1, and he stole 4 bases. Remarkably, no New York starter made it past the fifth inning. Reliever Mark Davis earned 2 wins in relief. Left fielder Lance Berkman led Nashville, hitting .286 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. In an Atlantic Division showdown, the Hartford Huskies outlasted the Virginia Beach Admirals in seven games. Hartford left fielder Corey Dickerson took home the hardware after hitting .370 with 2 homers and knocked in 6 runs. Second sacker Eddie Stanky hit .360 with 5 runs scored. Catcher Sammy White hit just .269, but smacked 3 doubled, 2 homers, and drove in 5 runs. Juan Marichal split two decisions, but posted a solid 2.31 ERA in 11.2 innings. Second baseman Casey Candaele hit .476 with 4 doubles, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Ace Van Mungo went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. Star sluggers Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson struggled, going a combined 7-for-55, with just two homers between them. In the League Championship Series, Hartford nearly blew a 3-1 series lead before ousting New York in seven games. Right fielder Tony Oliva took home his second trophy of the postseason after hitting .310 with 3 homers and 11 RBI's. Center fielder Ray Lankford hit .273 with 3 longballs, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. First baseman Jim Hickman hit .333 with 2 triples, a homer, and knocked in 5 runs. Southpaw John Candelaria earned a Game 7 win, allowing one hit in 6.2 shutout innings; for the series, he posted 11.1 shutout innings, fanning 14 while yielding just 4 hits. Right fielder JD Martinez led New York, hitting .320 with 4 solo jacks. World Series: The 95-win Hartford Huskies were slight favorites over the pitching-heavy Philadelphia Hawks due to Hartford's balanced offense. By the end of the series, however, Hartford looked more like a MASH unit than an elite squad, losing their entire starting outfield as well as ace John Candelaria. But Hartford's depth proved to be the difference, as they took the series in six games for the third title in franchise history. Philadelphia took an early lead in the series, winning Game 1 2-1, as Addie Joss and Bobo Newsom combined for a two-hitter. Center fielder Brandon Barnes paced the Hawks with 2 hits, including a double, along with a run and an RBI. Joss yielded two hits and one run in 7 innings, fanning 8, while Newsom whiffed 4 more in two shutout innings. Hartford center fielder Ray Lankford led Hartford with a solo homer. Southpaw Joe Shaute allowed two runs in five innings, taking his first loss of the postseason. Hartford evened the score 4-0 in Game 2, as Juan Marichal hurled a one-hit shutout, fanning 7. Second sacker Eddie Stanky had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, and scored 2 runs, while catcher Sammy White had 2 doubles and 2 RBI's. Larry McWilliams took the loss for the Hawks, allowing 3 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Hartford took control of the series with an 8-3 win in Game 3, but lost Oliva to a torn ACL. Shortstop Woody English drilled 3 hits and knocked in 3 runs. White smacked 3 hits, including 2 more doubles, and scored 2 runs. Greg Swindell allowed one earned run in five innings, outdueling Jim Brewer. Philadelphia third baseman Chase Headley popped two hits, including a solo homer, while Jack Lapp knocked in 2 runs. Philadelphia evened the series in Game 4, winning 4-3 on a walk-off single by first baseman Kevin Young. Bobo Newsom earned the win with two perfect innings in relief, fanning 4, while Hartford closer Bob Lee took the loss. Philadelphia shortstop Ozzie Guillen had three hits, including a double and a triple, and knocked in a run, while Young had three singles. Hartford backup centerfielder Vin Campbell hit a solo shot, while Corey Dickerson popped a two-run double in the first inning, but went down with an abdominal strain, sidelining him for the series. A shorthanded Hartford squad won a critical Game 5 2-0, as Joe Shaute hurled 7 shutout innings of 3-hit ball, outdueling Addie Joss, while Chad Qualls earned the save with two shutout innings. Young and Barnes each doubled for Philadelphia. Hartford clinched the series with a 3-1 come-from-behind win, as Hartford scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth, while first baseman Jim Hickman drilled a series-clinching walk-off homer in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Marichal hurled 7 innings of four-hit ball, allowing one run. Larry McWilliams threw 5.1 shutout innings, fanning 10 while allowing just 3 huts. Stanky doubled and scored two runs, while Hickman drove in all three runs for Hartford. Guillen had three hits, including a double, for Philadelphia. Marichal was named MVP after going 1-0 and allowing just one run on five hits in 16 innings, while whiffing 14 Hawks. Campbell hit .278 and slugged .667, popping 2 homers and driving in 3 runs. Stanky hit .304 with 3 doubles, 6 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. Sammy White hit just .250, but drilled 5 doubles -- bringing his total to 13 for the postseason, tied for second all-time. Joe Shaute split two decisions, posting a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. Guillen led Philadelphia, hitting .333 with 2 RBI's. Addie Joss went 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA, fanning 16 without a walk. Bobo Newsom hurled 5 hitless innings, whiffing 11. For the postseason, Newsom allowed just 5 hits and 2 runs in 15.1 innings, striking out 32 enemy batters while earning 6 saves. Attached Images

04-10-2020, 07:19 PM	#63
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2052 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- Sam Mele, LF, MIL (21): .346/ .454/ .695, 193 hits, 24 doubles, 3 triples, 55 HR, 127 RBI, 136 runs, 110 BB, 1 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.2 WAR Second place- Juan Soto, LF, BUF (13): .328/ .451/ .615, 188 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples, 43 HR, 136 RBI, 124 runs, 136 BB, 6 SB, 185 OPS+, 8.2 WAR Third place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (14): 21-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 226 IP, 285 K, 25 BB, 3 CG, 265 ERA+, 10.7 WAR Fourth place- Larry Doyle, 2B/SS, CIN: .350/ .438/ .618, 213 hits, 47 doubles, 4 triples, 36 HR, 130 RBI, 116 runs, 94 BB, 33 SB, 175 OPS+, 7.3 WAR Fifth place- John Wilson, RF, MIN: .336/ .392/ .662, 193 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 51 HR, 148 RBI, 116 runs, 46 BB, 10 SB, 167 OPS+, 7.4 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award winner- Walter Johnson, POR (47): 21-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 226 IP, 285 K, 25 BB, 3 CG, 265 ERA+, 10.7 WAR Second place- Bill Monbouquette, TOR (1): 17-5, 1.85 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 218 IP, 281 K, 49 BB, 253 ERA+, 8.6 WAR Third place- Addie Joss, PHI: 18-3, 2.11 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 196 IP, 214 K, 18 BB, 218 ERA+, 8.3 WAR Fourth place- Rich Harden, OMA: 14-13, 2.14 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 210 IP, 355 K, 57 BB, 1 CG, 214 ERA+, 9.5 WAR Fifth place- Nolan Ryan, DET: 11-6, 2.53 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 213 IP, 337 K, 70 BB, 1 CG, 187 ERA+, 8.5 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Willie McCovey, 1B/ LF, VAN (48): .304/ .429/ .600, 159 hits, 20 doubles, 3 triples, 43 HR, 105 RBI, 113 runs, 101 BB, 3 SB, 168 OPS+, 7.7 WAR Second place- Wandy Rodriguez, LHP, MON: 10-8, 2.51 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 179 IP, 209 K, 51 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 185 ERA+, 5.3 WAR Third place- Randy Tomlin, LHP, BOS: 14-9, 2.99 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 193 IP, 158 K, 28 BB, 1 CG, 155 ERA+, 6.5 WAR Continental League MVP- Andre Thornton, 1B, ANA (30): .312/ .428/ .711, 174 hits, 37 doubles, 6 triples, 58 HR, 162 RBI, 150 runs, 105 BB, 5 SB, 194 OPS+, 8.6 WAR Second place- Ozzie Albies, 2B, NY (15): .334/ .381/ .582, 215 hits, 41 doubles, 13 triples, 31 HR, 146 RBI,123 runs, 27 SB, 150 OPS+, 8.4 WAR Third place- Adam Dunn, DH/ RF (2): .293/ .448/ .565, 170 hits, 31 doubles, 2 triples, 41 HR, 125 RBI, 159 runs, 155 BB, 33 SB, 165 OPS+, 8.0 WAR Fourth place- Bill Schroeder, C/ 1B, CHA: .315/ .369/ .658, 138 hits, 18 doubles, 44 HR, 97 RBI, 93 runs, 21 BB, 2 SB, 156 OPS+, 5.5 WAR Fifth place- Hal Trosky, DH, BIR: .324/ .399/ .599, 203 hits, 41 doubles, 4 triples, 41 HR, 141 RBI, 108 runs, 79 BB, 154 OPS+, 6.0 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Van Mungo, VB (33): 12-10, 2.79 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 184 IP, 309 K, 76 BB, 185 ERA+, 7.4 WAR Second place- Ruben Gomez, SD (7): 15-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 221 K, 40 BB, 188 ERA+, 5.7 WAR Third place- Warren Spahn, NOR (4): 14-6, 2.85 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 224 IP, 285 K, 28 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 181 ERA+, 6.7 WAR Fourth place- John Candelaria, HAR (1): 15-9, 2.89 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 205 IP, 255 K, 27 BB, 1 CG, 175 ERA+, 6.4 WAR Fifth place- Hugh Bedient, LA (3): 11-3, 1.73 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 172 IP, 201 K, 14 BB, 288 ERA+, 7.1 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year- Babe Herman, 1B/ LF, NAS (44): .326/ .396/ .621, 170 hits, 26 doubles, 4 triples, 40 HR, 119 RBI, 96 runs, 57 BB, 7 SB, 183 OPS+, 5.5 WAR Second place- Hee Seop Choi, 1B/ DH, NY: .305/ .407/ .593, 131 hits, 29 doubles, 1 triple, 31 HR, 97 RBI, 91 runs, 69 BB, 1 SB, 160 OPS+, 5.3 WAR Third place- Sid Fernandez, LHP, PHO (4): 11-10, 2.91 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 183 IP, 291 K, 69 BB, 183 ERA+, 7.3 WAR Top draft picks: 1. Josh Johnson, RHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians 2. Russ Bauers, RHP, Birmingham Steelers 3. Kris Bryant, 3B/ LF, Cleveland Rocks 4. George Burns, 1B, Atlanta Ducks 5. Bob Robertson, 1B, Milwaukee Raccoons 6. Kevin Millwood, RHP, Phoenix Lizards 7. John Tudor, LHP, Vancouver Viceroys 8. Whitey Kurowski, 3B, Washington Ambassadors 9. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Jacksonville Ducks 10. Ivan Nova, RHP, Memphis River Pirates Last edited by Dukie98; 04-12-2020 at 11:18 AM.

04-12-2020, 06:51 PM	#64
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2052 Hall of Fame Voting The 2052 ballot proved to be the most top-heavy of all, as five first-time Hall of Famers plus multiple other legitimate candidates joined a ballot that had six returning candidates who drew over half the vote last year. When the dust settled, five newcomers were selected -- four by overwhelming margins -- and the average ballot featured a record 13.91 votes. The ballot clogging proved to be such a problem that some voters deliberately withheld votes from the most meritorious candidates, correctly believing that they were shoo-ins for induction, in order to vote for other qualified candidates. Ultimately, 11-time All-Star Mark Prior, who finished in the top three of Cy Young Voting nine times, was inducted with 98.7% of the vote. Two-time MVP Joe DiMaggio, who finished his illustrious career with 3,043 hits and 630 homers, drew 98.3% of the vote. 389-game winner Bob Moose, owner of 4 Cy Young Awards, garnered 94.4% of the vote. Three-time MVP Larry Walker, a career .348 hitter with 586 homers, earned 93.4% of the vote. First baseman Jim Thome, who mashed 469 homers while posting a career .409 on-base percentage, earned induction with 80.5% of the vote. An incredible 14 players drew at least 49% of the vote, with eight more topping 20%. Prior was tabbed first overall by the Nashville Blues following the 2032 season. He was tabbed Rookie of the Year as a 20-year-old the following season, posting a 2.68 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and a league-leading 275 strikeouts despite a middling 8-13 record for the offensively-challenged Blues. The following year, Prior finished fourth in the Cy Young voting despite another sub-.500 record, going 11-13 with a 2.75 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a league-best 320 strikeouts. In 2035, he notched a third-place Cy Young finish, posting a 14-11 mark with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, while fanning 297 hitters. Prior earned another fourth-place Cy Young finish in 2036 after going 14-12 with a 2.93 ERA, a league-best 0.91 WHIP, and 289 strikeouts. The next year, he finished as runner-up to fellow inductee Bob Moose, after going 19-5 with a 2.66 ERA, and leading the Continental League with a 0.90 WHIP and 330 strikeouts - the first of four straight runner-up finishes. In 2038, Prior led the league both in ERA (1.91) and WHIP (0.82), while going 17-8 with an even 300 strikeouts. In 2039, he improved his record to 20-9 while posting a 2.84 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and fanning a league-best 297 hitters. He posted an identical 20-9 mark the following season, while leading the league with a 2.59 ERA, and posting a 0.97 WHIP while whiffing 275 batters. Prior slipped to a third-place Cy Young finish the following year after missing a month with a wrist injury, posting a 14-8 mark with a 2.41 ERA, while leading the league with an 0.82 WHIP and 235 strikeouts. In 2042, Prior finally broke through to win the Cy Young Award, winning the Triple Crown by posting a 21-5 mark with a 2.28 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 322 strikeouts. Prior notched a fifth-place finish in 2043, going 14-9 with a 2.88 ERA, while leading the league with a career-best 0.78 WHIP and 289 strikeouts. Prior had been remarkably durable throughout his career, never suffering a substantial injury until a torn triceps in 2044 ended his season after 14 starts. Following the season, he left Nashville as a free agent for the bright lights of Buffalo. In his inaugural season with the Fighting Elk, Prior finished second yet again in the Cy Young voting, going 22-4 with a 2.08 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and a career-high 342 strikeouts. He posted a third-place finish in the Cy Young voting in 2046, going 21-5 with a 2.18 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and 298 strikeouts. He notched a fourth place finish the following year, going 14-8 with a 2.04 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts. Prior finally showed signs of slowing down the following year, slipping to an 8-6 mark with a 3.47 ERA in 22 starts after suffering a knee injury. After a slow start to 2049, Prior was moved to the bullpen and retired after the season. For his career, he posted a 245-130 record with a 2.57 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, 4390 strikeouts, and 113.5 WAR. He ranked 22nd all-time in wins, 3rd in WHIP, 3rd in strikeouts, and 11th all-time in WAR. An 11-time All-Star, he led the league in victories twice, in ERA three times, in innings 3 times, in strikeouts seven times, and in WHIP six times. Between 2034 and 2047, Prior finished in the top five of the Cy Young voting 13 out of a possible 14 times, including 9 top-3 finishes. Remarkably, Prior had virtually no postseason exposure due to Nashville's seemingly perpetual inability to score runs. He did not make the playoffs until 2045 -- and he suffered a back injury in the first inning of his first start. He posted a 2-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA in 4 starts the following year, in the only other postseason experience of his illustrious career. DiMaggio was selected third overall by the Boston Minutemen after the 2030 season. He won the Frontier League Rookie of the Year award in 2031 after hitting .311 and slugging .550, with 35 homers, 99 runs scored, and a league-high 144 RBI's. The following season, DiMaggio finished in third place in the MVP voting after hitting .315 and slugging .617, with a league-leading 47 homers and 153 RBI's. In 2033, DiMaggio led Boston to a World Series title, hitting .324 and slugging .608, drilling 44 homers and knocking in 133 runs while scoring 124 runs, and driving in 14 runs in 19 postseason games. The following season, he hit .312 with 40 doubles, 41 homers, 125 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. 2035 was shaping up to be the best season of his career, as he hit .321 with 18 homers and 57 RBI's in 49 games before suffering a season-ending PCL tear. He rebounded over the next two seasons to hit 36 and 37 homers, averaging 128 RBI's before season. After another injury-shortened 2038 season, DiMaggio hit .293 with 32 round-trippers and 107 RBI's in 2039. His 2040 campaign was interrupted by a series of nagging injuries, including a season-ending broken hand, but not before he popped 22 longballs and plated 78 runs in 92 games. Following the season, he signed with El Paso as a free agent. After a mildly disappointing 2041 campaign, he rebounded with a stellar 2042, winning the MVP award after hitting .338 and slugging .638, with 48 homers and 143 RBI's. The following season, he repeated as MVP, hitting .331 and slugging .624, blasting 48 homers again and knocking in a league-leading and franchise-record 151 runs, as El Paso won the world title. He followed that up by finishing third in the MVP voting for 2044, as he hit .284 with 48 homers yet again, and led the league with 149 RBI's . After knocking in 79 runs in 81 games, DiMaggio was the subject of the biggest in-season trade in HRDL history, as El Paso shipped him to Anaheim for Frank Tanana and a backup outfielder. Combined, he hit 37 longballs and drove in 130 runs in 2045. The following season, he hit .280 with 30 dingers and 129 RBI's. In 2047, playing primarily as a DH, he hit .303 with 53 doubles, 38 homers, 135 RBI's, and 105 runs scored. DiMaggio slipped to hit just .265 with 18 homers the following year, and he retired after an ineffective 2049 campaign. For his career, DiMaggio posted a .298/ .371/ .552 slash line, with 3043 hits, 542 doubles, 76 triples, 630 homers, 2204 RBI's, 1784 runs scored, 1082 walks, a 146 OPS+, and 103.6 WAR. For his career, he ranked 11th all-time in homers and 5th in RBI's. He made 8 All-Star teams, won 2 MVP's, and 5 Silver Slugger awards. In 102 career postseason games, he hit .312 and slugged .542, with 24 homers and 66 RBI's, including an 8-homer, 16-RBI showing in 2034, and he hit .357 with 4 homers and 16 runs scored in 18 games in El Paso's 2043 championship run. Moose was selected third overall by the Chicago Mules in the 2024 draft. As an 18-year-old rookie, he posted a 13-10 mark in 2025 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. The following year, he finished second in the Cy Young voting, going 18-7 with a league-leading 1.85 ERA, along with a 1.01 WHIP and 188 strikeouts, and led Chicago to a World Series title. In 2027, he finished a hard-luck 9-9 despite a 2.55 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 239 strikeouts, finishing fifth in the Cy Young Voting. He won the Cy Young and finished second in the MVP voting in 2028, winning the first Triple Crown by a pitcher in HRDL history, going 21-5 with a 1.63 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 256 strikeouts. The following year, he finished third in the Cy Young voting, posting a 16-8 mark with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts. He finished third once again in 2030, going 20-9 with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 235 strikeouts. In 2031, Moose went 18-7 with a 2.97 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 250 strikeouts finishing fourth in the Cy Young Voting. He won his second Cy Young in 2032, narrowly missing another Triple Crown, as his 25-8 record and 2.13 ERA led the league, and he finished second in the league with 276 strikeouts, remarkably allowing just 7 homers in 257 innings. He repeated the following season, taking home the hardware after going 13-11 with a 2.57 ERA, a league-leading 1.05 WHIP, and 251 strikeouts. Moose was Cy Young runner-up in both 2034 and 2035, going 17-12 with a 2.79 ERA and 257 strikeouts in 2034, and following that up with a 15-10 mark, a 2.77 ERA, a league-leading 1.03 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. Following the 2035 season, Moose left Chicago to sign with the Atlanta Ducks as a free agent. Moose finished second in the Cy Young voting yet again in 2036, posting a 21-10 record with a 3.30 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. In 2037, Moose won his fourth Cy Young Award and finished second in the MVP voting, sporting a league-leading 23-6 record, a 2.37 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 263 strikeouts. After an off-year in 2038, he rebounded to go 13-13 with a 3.30 ERA in 2039, and the signed with Cincinnati in the offseason. Moose finished third in the Cy Young voting upon his return to the Frontier League, going 14-9 with a 2.20 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts. In 2041, he notched an 18-8 mark, along with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, with 200 strikeouts. The next year, he led the league in victories, going 21-8 with a 2.98 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts, finishing third in the Cy Young voting once again. After winning 26 games over the next two seasons with identical 2.78 ERA's, Moose signed with New York in 2045, and at age 38, posted a 19-9 mark with a 2.70 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and fanned 203 - good for fourth in the Cy Young voting. Moose went on the disabled list for the first time in his career in 2046, suffering a series of arm injuries. He signed with the Vancouver Viceroys in the offseason, and over two seasons, he went 23-18 with ERA's of 3.29 and 3.58. In his last hurrah, at age 42, he posted a 14-9 mark for the Miami Flamingos with a 3.70 ERA, but with his fastball in rapid decline, he retired after the season. Over his star-studded career, Moose made a record 16 All-Star teams, won four Cy Young Awards, and retired as the all-time leader in victories (389), innings (5689), strikeouts (5076), and WAR (190.9). His career record was 389-231, with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.08. Between 2027 and 2045, Moose posted at least 200 strikeouts every season but one - missing by a single whiff. In postseason play, Moose went 14-10 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts -- including a 5-0 mark with a 1.83 ERA as he led Chicago to the World Series title in 2026. Walker was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Raccoons following the 2031 season. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2032, Walker finished as runner-up in the MVP voting, hitting .303 and slugging .568, drilling 41 homers, driving in 108 runs, scoring 111, and swiping 47 bases. The next year, he hit .323 and slugged .584, popping 32 doubles and 21 homers while stealing 41 bases in just 104 games. In 2034, Walker finished third in the Frontier League MVP voting, posting a .352/ .448/ .637 slash line, ripping 44 doubles, 32 homers, driving in 109 runs and scoring 122 while stealing 50 bases. Walker was a runaway MVP the following season, winning the first of four batting titles, as he posted a ridiculous .396/ .494/ .753 slash line, with 51 doubles, 49 homers, 134 RBI's, 144 runs scored, and 50 steals. He finished second in the 2036 MVP voting, after hitting .358 and slugging .696, with 99 extra-base hits, including 47 homers, 145 RBI's, a league-high 147 runs scored, and 33 steals. Walker won his second MVP award in 2037, hitting .348 with a league-best .677 slugging percentage, including 38 doubles, 49 homers, a league-leading 146 RBI's, 137 runs scored, and 36 steals. He had his finest season in 2038, yet finished second to Tris Speaker in the MVP voting, as he posted a .407/ .504/ .814 slash line - leading the Frontier League in all three categories, and boasting the second-highest single season on-base percentage and slugging percentage of all-time. Walker won his third MVP award the following year, after hitting .359 and leading the league again with a .463 on-base percentage and .701 slugging percentage, as he rapped 41 doubles, 48 dingers, and drove in 118 runs while scoring 131. In 2040, he missed 35 games, but still hit .360 with 82 extra-base hits, including 35 homers and 106 RBIs. Walker won his third batting title as he hit .372 with a .460 on-base percentage and .694 slugging percentage, as he drilled 45 doubles and 33 homers in 138 games. He finished second again in the MVP voting in 2042, hitting a league-leading .380 with 227 hits, including 55 doubles, 31 longballs, 111 RBI's, 115 runs scored, and 22 steals. In 2043, Walker hit "just" .321 - the lowest mark since his rookie season, but smacked 32 homers and plated 110 runs. He hit .361 the following year, drilling 32 homers again and knocking in 97 runs. He remained productive over the next three seasons, hitting near .330 each season while averaging 27 homers and 101 RBI's. Walker finally showed signs of slowing down in 2048 at age 37, when he became a part-time player, and he retired after an ineffective 2049 campaign after spending his entire career in Milwaukee. For his career, he posted a slash line of .348/ .440/ .637, with 3177 hits, 691 doubles, 96 triples, 586 homers, 1813 RBI's, 1881 runs scored, 1362 walks, 422 steals, an OPS+ of 184, and 132.4 WAR. Walker won four batting titles, and he led the Frontier League four times in on-base percentage, and in slugging eight times in a nine-year period. At the time of induction, he ranked second all-time in batting average and on-base percentage, and posted the highest career slugging percentage by a mammoth 33 points - more than the gap between the second and fifteenth-ranked players. He also ranked 19th in homers, 18th in runs scored, 25th in RBI's, and 8th in WAR. Walker made 12 All-Star teams and won 8 Silver Slugger awards along with a Gold Glove. In 74 career postseason games, he hit .290 and slugged .527, with 14 homers and 45 RBI's. Thome was tabbed second overall by the Jacksonville Gulls after the 2033 season. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2034, he hit a solid .286 and slugged .449, drilling 12 homers and knocking in 61 runs. He showed modest increases in power over the next two years, then drilled 28 homers and knocked in 74 runs while scoring 100 in 2037. After hitting 31 homers and posting a .417 on-base percentage the next year, Thome took the leap into stardom the next year, winning the batting title and leading the league in on-base percentage as he posted a .351/ .461/ .644 slash line, smacking 42 homers and driving in 137 runs, as he finished second in the MVP voting. He came in third place in 2040, hitting .339 and slugging .626, as he drilled 42 doubles, 43 homers, knocked in 154 runs and scored 147. In 2041, he hit .332 and slugged .620, launching 35 homers, plating 106 runs, and scoring 117 in just 129 games. The next year, Thome hit .307 with 45 homers, 119 RBI's, 145 runs scored, and led the league with 140 walks. In 2043 and 2044, he topped .300 each season, hitting 29 homers each year while averaging 125 RBI's. He hit .294 in 2045, drilling 35 homers while driving in 123 runs. He finished fifth in the 2046 MVP voting after hitting .290 with a .404 on-base percentage, blasting 42 homers, knocking in 103 runs, and scoring a league-high 123 runs. He remained productive the following year, drilling 33 longballs and knocking in 120 runs. Thome suffered a concussion at the start of the 2048 campaign, knocking him out of commission for three months, and his bat was never the same, and he retired at age 34 after a poor 2049 season. Thome posted a career .291/ .406/ .523 slash line, including 2371 hits, 377 doubles, 522 triples, 469 homers, 1616 RBI's, 1582 runs, 1515 walks, an OPS+ of 138, and 75.3 WAR. He made six All-Star teams and won four Silver Slugger awards, winning a batting title, an OBP crown, and leading the league in walks twice and runs scored once. In 73 postseason games spanning nine postseasons, he hit .264 with 12 homers and 34 RBI's. Top vote recipients include: Mark Prior, RHP, NAS/ BUF: 98.7% Joe DiMaggio, CF, BOS/ ELP/ ANA: 98.3% Bob Moose, RHP, CHI/ ATL/ CIN/ NY/ VAN/ MIA: 94.4% Larry Walker, RF, MIL: 93.4% Jim Thome, 1B, JAX: 80.5% Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ ELP: 67.7% David Wright, 3B, NY: 67.3% Bill Madlock, 3B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL: 64.0% Joe Adcock, 1B, SF/ BIR/ DEN/ MIA/ STL/ BOS/ ALB: 63.4% Tommy Davis, LF, NOR: 60.7% Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN: 53.5% Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS: 50.2% Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 50.2% Due to the long-running backlog of candidates, prior to the voting, the writers increased the threshold to remain on the ballot from 10% to 15%, resulting in only 17 players carrying over to next year's ballot. Notable players who dropped off the ballot included 10-time Gold Glover Jerry Mumphrey and three-time hit leader Ralph Garr, each of whom saw their ten-year term period on the ballot expire. Other noteworthy players who failed to gain enough support to stay on the ballot include 3,000-hit club members Don Mattingly, Tony Gwynn, and Roberto Alomar, 542-homer hitter Eddie Murray, and career .318 hitter Julio Franco. Here is a look at the newest Hall of Famers: Attached Images

04-16-2020, 11:59 PM	#65
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2053 Mid-Year Review Here are the major storylines across the league at the 2053 All-Star Break: Exceeding expectations: The Minneapolis Penguins, who won 84 games last season after seven straight seasons at or below .500, entered the break with a sizzling 53-22 record. Minneapolis led the Frontier League in every major offensive category other than steals, scoring 518 runs in 75 games, and taking a .302 team average into the break. Right fielder John "Chief" Wilson was an MVP candidate, hitting .343 and slugging .663, drilling 27 homers and knocking in 86 runs. First baseman Will Clark hit .351 in the first half, smacking 18 homers and knocking in 70 runs. Left fielder Justin Upton took a .310 mark into the break, along with 15 homers and 63 RBI's. Southpaw Greg Swindell paced an otherwise ordinary pitching staff, going 9-3 with a 2.46 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts. Closer Shawn Hill earned 17 saves, along with a 2.32 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Hot on their tails were the equally-surprising Omaha Falcons, who won just 71 games last year, but took a 50-25 mark into the break. Shortstop Jose Valentin led the Falcons offensively, hitting .312 and slugging .681, with a league-high 28 homers and 68 RBI's. Catcher Butch Henline hit .303 with a .389 on-base percentage. Omaha's pitching led the league, as Rich Harden posted a 10-2 mark with a 2.66 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and 157 strikeouts in just 105 innings. Rookie Brandon Cumpton exploded, going 8-3 with a 1.54 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. Rick Reuschel took a 10-3 mark into the break, sporting a 2.67 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP. In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls rebounded from a 69-win season -- their fourth straight sub-.500 campaign -- to post a 42-32 first half record. Catcher Paul Ratliff came out of nowhere to take a .318 average and .496 slugging percentage, with 13 homers and 45 RBI's, into the break. DH Tom Lampkin hit .312 and slugged .524, with 12 dingers and 42 RBI's. First baseman Tyler Colvin batted .279 with 16 longballs and 64 RBI's. Veteran righthander Dave Goltz led a largely anonymous staff, posting a 2.98 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, despite a 3-6 mark. Second-year hurler Hod Lisenbee posted an 8-4 record with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. The Birmingham Steelers were the biggest surprise in baseball, taking a 41-34 record into the break after five straight seasons of 90+ losses, including a 56-106 mark last year. First baseman Hal Trosky carried the offense, hitting .344 and slugging .635, with 21 doubles, 20 homers, and 51 RBI's. DH Homer Smoot starred, hitting .340 with 18 round-trippers, 47 RBI's, and 53 runs scored. Rookie righthander Russ Bauers starred, going 10-1 with a 2.32 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts in just 85 innings. Fireballer Virgil Trucks went 7-2 with a 2.61 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and fanned 139 hitters in 97 innings. Disappointments: No team took a bigger tumble than the Buffalo Fighting Elk, who won a league-best 107 games last year, but went just 33-37 in the first half. Buffalo ranked just 20th in the league in runs scored. Shortstop Jonathan Villar, who launched 24 homers and knocked in 101 runs last year, hit just 8 homers and drove in 26 runs in the first half. Catcher Spud Davis, who hit .284 with 13 homers last year, collapsed, hitting just .205 with 2 homers and 17 RBI's. Burt Hooton went just 2-9 with a 6.11 ERA before mercifully seeing his season end with a torn elbow tendon. Southpaws Scott McGregor, Mark Mulder, and Lefty Mills saw their ERA's rise by nearly a run apiece. The Denver Spikes remained in playoff contention until the final days of the season last year, winning 83 games, but they stumbled to a 32-43 start. Denver ranked second-to-last in the Frontier League in homers with just 63 longballs. Left fielder Al Bumbry, who hit .291 with 54 extra-base hits and 77 RBI's last year, slipped to .266 with just 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI's. Third baseman Red Smith, who hit .291 and slugged .475 last year, collapsed to hit just .208 and slug .337, with just 5 homers and 23 RBI's. On the mound, Andy Hawkins, who went 12-7 with a 3.01 ERA last year, slumped to a 3-8 mark with a 4.52 ERA. Denver's bullpen also ranked among the worst in the league, posting a 5.38 ERA as a unit. In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals slipped from 89 wins last year to a meager 32-43 first-half record. The Admirals collapsed offensively, hitting just .217 after posting a teamwide .262 average last year, and they ranked 21st in the league in runs scored. DH Ralph Kiner, who hit .282 and slugged .568 last year, with 36 homers and 109 RBI's, stumbled to a .214 average, a .417 slugging percentage, just 14 homers, and 36 RBI's. First baseman Mike Laga, who hit .260 with 29 homers last season, hit just .192 and slugged .350, with 9 longballs and 36 RBI's. Shortstop Forrest Crawford was completely overmatched, hitting .154 with 7 extra-base hits and 11 RBI's in 227 at bats. On the mound, defending Cy Young winner Van Mungo took a step back, going 6-5 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Biff Schlitzer, a 12-game winner last year, declined to a 3-7 record and a 4.62 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, winning 100 games last year, but they struggled to a 31-43 mark. First baseman Cecil Cooper, coming off a breakout season last year, broke his ankle in spring training, causing him to miss the entire first half. Catcher Lance Parrish was limited to just 23 games, hitting a meager .198 with 4 homers, as he struggled to recover from a sprained ankle. Center fielder Lenny Dykstra showed signs of slowing down, hitting just .236 with a .316 on-base percentage - both career lows - with just 2 homers, 35 RBI's, and 30 runs scored. Righthander Ruben Gomez, last year's runner-up in the Cy Young voting, went just 2-5 with a bloated 5.75 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP, allowing 9 homers in just 52 innings. Vicente Padilla, a 14-game winner last year, tore a tendon in his finger in his first start of the year, sidelining him until August. LA Story: The Los Angeles Kangaroos were the most dominant team in the HRDL for the first twenty-five years of its existence, but they had fallen on hard times lately, finishing below .500 in each of the last fourteen seasons. Los Angeles was a trendy preseason pick to win the Southwest Division, and they did not disappoint, taking a 41-34 record into the break despite the second-lowest scoring offense in the Continental League. The Kangaroos led the league in pitching, taking a 2.94 teamwide ERA into the break. Righthander Hugh Bedient looked to build on last season's ERA title, taking an 8-4 record and a microscopic 1.25 ERA and an 0.67 WHIP into the break. Second-year hurler Yovanni Gallardo sported a 7-3 record and a 1.99 ERA, while Whitey Ford notched a 2.12 ERA in nine starts. Offensive Surge: The home run rate soared to one of the highest in history. Eleven players had 25 homers at midseason, and twenty-four more players pounded at least 20 round-trippers. Thirteen of the twenty-four Continental League teams had at least 100 homers at the All-Star break. Conversely, only four teams averaged at least one stolen base per game, and no teams topped 100 steals at the break. Major injuries: The El Paso Armadillos suffered an unfortunate double whammy: center fielder Mike Trout broke his kneecap in late April, ending his season, while righthander Stephen Strasburg suffered a herniated disc just days later, sidelining him until the end of August. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva missed the entire first half with a torn ACL suffered in last year's World Series. Houston left fielder Matt Holliday was expected to miss the season after suffering setbacks from a torn PCL suffered last season. Albuquerque righthander Glenn Liebhardt tore an elbow ligament in early June, ending his season. Oft-injured Anaheim center fielder Fred Lynn suffered an inflamed shoulder in early April, sidelining him until mid-July. San Diego first baseman Cecil Cooper broke his ankle in spring training, knocking him out until mid-July. Atlanta left fielder Hack Wilson suffered a series of nagging back and knee injuries, limiting him to just 26 first-half games. Detroit left fielder Jorge Orta tore his PCL three games into the season, likely ending his season. Baltimore catcher Bill Dickey broke his elbow in late April, ending his season prematurely. Kansas City first baseman Freddie Freeman missed most of the first half with a series of nagging injuries. Las Vegas righthander Jose Rijo injured his back in early June, sidelining him until the end of July. Montreal first baseman Ed Konetchy went down with a strained abdominal muscle on Opening Day, and he was not expected to return until August. Major milestones: Houston center fielder Garry Maddox drilled his 2500th career hit. Chicago center fielder and Phoenix first baseman Mark Teixeira each joined the 500-homer club. The 400 home run club saw several right fielders join, including San Antonio's Vladimir Guerrero, Nashville's Geoff Jenkins, Charlotte's Dwight Evans, and Chicago's Jimmy Wynn, as well as New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen. Baltimore righthander Jim Maloney fanned his 3,000th batter, as did Las Vegas's Jose Rijo. Looking ahead to the second half, Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler had a chance for 3,000 hits with a strong second half, and Detroit center fielder Jose Cardenal was about a month away from his 2500th hit. El Paso shortstop Rico Petrocelli was expected to hit his 400th home run by August. New York southpaw David Price was likely to notch his 200th career win by August.

04-20-2020, 03:11 AM	#66
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2053 Year in Review Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas coasted to the Northeast Division title, winning 94 games to finish 10 games ahead of the second-place Montreal Knights, as Pittsburgh earned their third straight playoff spot. First baseman John Olerud led Pittsburgh, posting a .311/ .429/ .569 slash line, along with 44 doubles, 34 homers, 84 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .307 and slugged .492, with 20 homers and 86 RBI's despite missing 29 games. Pittsburgh's pitching staff finished second in the Frontier League in runs allowed, led by righthander Henry Thielman, who went 15-8 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, as he allowed just 6 homers in 195 innings. Moe Drabowsky posted a 16-8 mark along with a 2.72 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 217 strikeouts. Fireballer Josh Hader earned 36 saves along with a 2.79 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP, fanning 113 hitters in just 68 innings. The London Werewolves cruised to the Great Lakes Division title, winning 92 games. Right fielder Jack Tobin led a balanced offense which finished third in the league in runs scored, as he hit .324 and slugged .518, with 49 doubles, 23 homers, 120 RBI's, and 111 runs scored. Third baseman Tony Batista hit .288 and drilled 28 homers and knocked in 94 runs in just 110 games. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .333 with 10 homers, 78 RBI's, 105 runs scored and 39 steals. Shortstop Enzo Hernandez hit .301, scoring 108 runs while swiping 69 bags. Southpaw Leo Kiely went 18-10 with a 3.01 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and struck out 208 enemy hitters. Second-year hurler Eric Plunk posted a 14-3 mark with a 2.57 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, while fanning 215 hitters. The Cincinnati Spiders overcame a slow start, as they were eight games under .500 on July 4, but they ended the season on a blistering 16-2 run to finish with 89 wins. Cincinnati rode a powerful offense led by presumptive MVP Larry Doyle, as the Spiders led the league with 238 homers and finished second in runs scored, batting average, OPS, and steals. Doyle flirted with a Triple Crown, winning the batting title by hitting .349 and slugging .697, with 42 doubles, 55 homers, 149 RBI's, and a league-best 147 runs scored while stealing 60 bases, setting several franchise records along the way. Left fielder Joe Medwick hit .348 and slugged .622, blasting 36 homers and knocking in 110 runs while going a perfect 13-for-13 on the basepaths. First baseman Walter Holke hit .323 and slugged .611, booming 44 homers and knocking in 135 runs, while third baseman Evan Longoria hit .288, while launching 47 dingers and driving in 124 runs. Barney Wolfe paced an otherwise shaky staff, going 14-10 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Veteran Collin McHugh went 14-6 with a solid 3.65 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang could not overcome a slow start (5-13) and a September slump, where they lost 14 of 22, and they were eliminated by the San Francisco Longshoremen in a one-game 11-inning playoff. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit offensively, hitting .288 with a league-high 59 doubles, 17 homers, and 85 RBI's. Fireballer Nolan Ryan went 14-10, but posted his highest ERA in eight years (3.17), along with an 0.96 WHIP and 327 strikeouts. The Minneapolis Penguins led the Frontier League with 104 wins - an increase of 20 victories from last year - and they made the playoffs for the first time in ten years. Minneapolis scored a league-high 951 runs, leading the Frontier League in batting average and OPS and finishing second in homers. Right fielder John Wilson dominated, hitting .343 and slugging .634 with a league-high 222 hits, with 90 extra-base hits including 45 homers, 145 RBI's, and 135 runs scored. First baseman Will Clark hit .325 and slugged .573, launching 34 round-trippers while knocking in 144 runs and scoring 130. Left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Matt Nokes combined for 66 homers and 209 RBI's between them. Second sacker Chuck Knoblauch set the table, hitting .320 with a .402 on-base percentage, along with 13 homers, 58 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Crafty southpaw Chris Welch posted a 16-6 mark along with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Shawn Boskie went 15-10 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Southpaw Greg Swindell sported a 10-4 mark with a brilliant 2.24 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 17 starts before being sidelined with a ruptured tendon in his finger. The Omaha Falcons rode the league's leading pitching staff to a 100-win season and their first playoff spot in nine years. Shortstop Jose Valentin led an overachieving offense, hitting .269 with 51 jacks, 113 RBI's, and 123 runs scored. Left fielder Oscar Gamble drilled 29 longballs and knocked in 103 runs. Righthander Rich Harden led a deep pitching staff, going 16-3 with a 2.37 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 348 strikeouts, leading four Omaha hurlers with sub-3.00 ERA's. Rick Reuschel led the league in victories, going 23-6 with a 2.37 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, while fanning 230 hitters. Rookie Brandon Cumpton posted a 14-7 mark with a 2.50 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The Kansas City Mad Hatters won 91 games, making the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Center fielder Carl Everett starred, hitting .316 and slugging .595 with 30 homers, 90 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 24 steals in 129 games before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. Right fielder Mitch Haniger hit .300 with 36 jacks, 114 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. Ace Tim Hudson led a deep pitching staff, sporting a 14-7 mark with a 2.02 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP, and 215 strikeouts. Southpaw Gary Ryerson went 15-6 with a 2.18 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP. Control ace Moose Haas went 12-6 with a 2.84 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP. Closer Paul Foytack saved 37 games with a 2.87 ERA, whiffing 111 hitters in 78 innings. The Portland Skunks relied on their star power to win 97 games, earning their sixth Northwest Division title in the last seven years. First baseman Mark McGwire hit .273 with 58 homers, 135 RBI's, and 114 runs scored, but set a Frontier League record with 242 whiffs. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit .280 with 29 homers and knocked in 97 runs. Center fielder Matt Kemp smacked 24 longballs and knocked in 83 runs, while stealing 21 bases. On the mound, Walter Johnson appeared to be a lock to win his tenth Cy Young Award, winning the Triple Crown by posting a 23-4 record with a 1.45 ERA, an 0.70 WHIP, and 352 strikeouts. Soft-tossing southpaw Joe Saunders went 15-11 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The San Francisco Longshoremen overcame a sluggish 25-35 start, rallying to force a tie for the final wild card spot, ousting Detroit 4-3 in a one-game playoff. Second baseman Scooter Gennett carried a balanced offense, hitting .315 and slugging .572, with 36 jacks, 107 RBI's and 108 runs scored. Left fielder David Justice hit .265, blasting 35 homers, knocking in 88 runs, scoring 108 runs, and stealing 21 bases. Righthander Jim Owens was brilliant, going 16-0 with a 1.91 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP, before being sidelined with an elbow injury that jeopardized his postseason. Owens earned the most wins without a loss in HRDL history. Rookie Kent Greenfield posted a 12-7 mark with a 2.80 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 229 strikeouts. Continental League: The powerful New York Emperors won 108 games, taking just their third Atlantic Division title in franchise history. New York led baseball with 1057 runs scored, smashing an incredible 302 homers, narrowly missing the all-time record. Two-time MVP Eddie Mathews had his finest all-around campaign, hitting .331 with a league-high .689 slugging percentage, with 55 round-trippers, 150 RBI's, and 122 runs scored. Outfielder Adam Dunn posted a .314/ .437/ .639 slash line, with 52 dingers and 126 RBI's, while stealing 23 bases. Second sacker Travis Shaw and DH Manny Ramirez averaged 37 homers and 125 RBI's between them. Left fielder Tim Raines set the table, hitting .329 with a .416 on-base percentage, with 31 doubles, 15 triples, 23 homers, 87 RBI's, 140 runs scored and a league-high 83 steals. Southpaw David Price went 20-4, leading the league in victories, while posting a 2.90 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. Joe Johnson notched a 14-5 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators used a record-setting 323 homers to win 106 games, missing the division title by 2 games. First baseman Fernando Tatis, a spring training trade acquisition, exploded, hitting .316 and slugging .624, with 53 homers, 116 RBI's, a league-high 141 runs, and 47 steals. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .287, launching 39 longballs while driving in 115 runs in just 132 games. Shortstop JJ Hardy hit .280 with 35 jacks and 98 RBI's. Right fielder Dwight Evans was on his way to a career season, hitting .287 with 25 homers and 64 RBI's in just 77 games before shattering his kneecap. Veteran Len Barker posted a 14-2 mark in 27 starts, along with a 3.23 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts in just 159 innings. Southpaw Jon Lester enjoyed a 16-5 campaign, along with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Closer Lon Warneke notched a league-high 37 saves along with a 2.94 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. The Jacksonville Gulls made an unexpected return to the postseason for the first time in five years, winning 87 games despite finishing below .500 in the second half. Catcher Paul Ratliff led the Gulls, hitting .306 and slugging .572, with 41 homers and 107 RBI's. First baseman Tyler Colvin hit .277, launching 38 round-trippers, 10 triples, and plating 127 runs. Center fielder Lloyd Waner hit .317 with a league-high 212 hits, including 14 homers, 95 RBI's, and 89 runs scored. Second-year righthander Hod Lisenbee led a middle-of-the-pack staff, going 15-10 with a 3.89 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 213 strikeouts. Ray Corbin sported a 10-7 mark, along with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The New Orleans Crawfish rebounded from a 6-12 start to win the Southeast Division easily, winning 96 games. First basman Don Mincher clubbed 38 homers and knocked in 117 games. Southpaw Warren Spahn went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts. Tex Hughson rebounded from an injury-interrupted debut season, going 14-9 with a 3.08 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts. Veteran Jose DeLeon posted an 11-10 mark with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Birmingham Steelers won 85 games but struggled in September, losing to Phpenix in a one-game playoff. First baseman Hal Trosky starred, winning the batting title by hitting .360 with 40 doubles, 50 homers, 123 RBI's, and 114 runs scored. Second-year fireballer Virgil Trucks went 17-5 with a 2.32 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and 311 strikeouts. Rookie Russ Bauers posted a 19-3 mark with a 2.48 ERA, an 0.90 WHIP, and 288 strikeouts. The Nashville Blues missed the playoffs after a late-season collapse, winning 83 games but losing eight of their final nine games of the year to narrowly miss the playoffs. Left fielder Lance Berkman hit .285 with 36 dingers and 100 RBI's, while catcher Gary Carter hit .284 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's of his own. Mike Mussina carried an atypically weak Nashville staff, going 16-9 with a 2.84 ER, an 0.89 WHIP, and 293 strikeouts against just 26 walks. The El Paso Armadillos survived a series of major injuries to key personnel, winning 100 games to take the Texas Division by 17 games over second-place Austin. DH Harry Heilmann raked, hitting .347 and slugging .615, with 48 doubles, 36 homers, 125 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Right fielder Roberto Clemente had a career season, hitting .297 and slugging .526, with 39 doubles, 33 homers, and 116 RBI's. Steady third baseman Alex Bregman hit .273 with 45 doubles, 24 longballs, 77 RBI's, and 110 runs scored. On the mound, veteran southpaw Woodie Fryman notched a 17-7 record, with a career-best 2.16 ERA, an 0.86 WHIP, while fanning 202 hitters. Robert Person sported an 11-6 mark, along with a 2.52 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and whiffed 228 batters. Lefty Tyler went 11-9, including a no-hitter, with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Despite having the third-worst offense in the Continental League, the Los Angeles Kangaroos rode a league-best pitching staff to win 96 games, taking the Southwest Division and returning to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Right fielder Wayne Comer hit just .251, but drew 102 walks and ripped 34 homers while knocking in 83 runs and scoring 107. Third baseman Kelly Gruber went deep 28 times while knocking in 87 runs before suffering a season-ending broken elbow. Los Angeles featured all five starters with double-digit victories, none of whom yielded an ERA over 3.35. Hugh Bedient was the runaway favorite for the Cy Young Award before suffering a season-ending back injury in July, going 10-7 with a microscopic 1.37 ERA and an 0.73 WHIP in 138 glorious innings. Second-year righthander Yovani Gallardo went 16-9 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts. Southpaw Whitey Ford went 10-4, sporting a 2.42 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP, whiffing 233 hitters in just 156 innings. Closer Oscar Harstad earned 8 wins and 36 saves, with a 2.19 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. The Anaheim Antelopes returned to the postseason after a three-year absence, winning 87 games behind a star-studded offense that ranked third in the league Second-year left fielder Harry Anderson exploded, hitting .307 and slugging .610, with 40 doubles, 49 homers, 132 RBI's, and 132 runs scored. Outfielder Dave Winfield hit .287 with a career-high 48 homers, while driving in 142 runs and scoring 126. Defending MVP Andre Thornton hit .305 and slugged .601, smacking 44 homers, driving in 120 runs, and scoring 126. Catcher Yogi Berra hit .300 and slugged .581, bopping 38 homers and knocking in 108 runs in just 133 games. But the Antelopes' pitching remained among the worst in baseball. Ariel Prieto led the squad with a modest 12-10 record, along with a mediocre 4.47 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Closer Tim Crews was brilling, winning 6 games and saving 24, to go with a 1.14 ERA and 0.78 WHIP, with an incredible 101-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Despite winning just 64 games last year, the Phoenix Lizards snuck into the playoffs despite a -55 run differential, winning 13 of their final 15 games to steal the final wild card slot. Phoenix needed 163 games, ousting Birmingham in the elimination game, with Jeff King hitting a 10th inning homer to push Phoenix into the playoffs. King was one of six Lizards to top 20 homers, as he popped 34 dingers and drove in 124 runs. First baseman Mark Teixeira hit .276 with 27 longballs and 84 RBI's. Second baseman Aaron Ward hit .279, drilling 23 homers, knocking in 91 runs and scoring 90. Southpaw Sid Fernandez had a fine sophomore campaign, going 13-5 with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 242 strikeouts. Rookie Kevin Millwood went just 7-7 due to a lack of offensive support, but he yielded a 3.81 ERA, a 1.12 ERA, and fanned 228 hitters. Best season in team history: None Worst season in team history: Calgary Cattle Rustlers (53 wins) Attached Images Last edited by Dukie98; 04-20-2020 at 11:12 AM.

04-24-2020, 11:17 PM	#67
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2053 Playoff Report Frontier League: The 104-win Minneapolis Penguins dominated the overmatched San Francisco Longshoremen, outscoring San Francisco 35-8 in a four-game sweep. Minneapolis first baseman Will Clark earned MVP honors after hitting .571 and slugging .929, with a homer and 4 RBI's. Catcher Matt Nokes hit .455 with a pair of homers and 5 RBI's, while left fielder Justin Upton hit .389 with six extra-base hits, including a homer, 6 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Chris Welsh yielded just 3 hits and one run in 7 innings in earning a Game 4 victory. Center fielder Dino Restelli led the Longshoremen, hitting .313 with 3 longballs and 4 RBI's. The London Werewolves spoiled the Omaha Falcons long-awaited return to postseason play, ousting the league's top-ranked pitching staff in five games. Right fielder Jack Tobin was tabbed MVP after hitting .474 with a homer, 7 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. First baseman Dave Nelson hit .409 with 4 extra-base hits and 8 runs scored. Southpaw Leo Kiely went 1-0, posting a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 innings Eric Plunk earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 6.1 innings. Right fielder Claudell Washington provided the lone bright spot for Omaha, hitting .286 with 4 homers and 5 RBI's in a losing effort. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas crushed the Kansas City Mad Hatters, outscoring them 33-11 on their way to a five-game victory. Pittsburgh shortstop Alan Trammell was an easy MVP selection after hitting .550 and slugging .900, with a homer, 4 doubles, 4 RBI's, and 9 runs scored. Right fielder Pablo Reyes hit .368 with a pair of homers, 6 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Catcher Brian Downing hit .350, knocking in 5 runs. Righthander Henry Thielman went 2-0, allowing just six hits and one run in 16 innings. Kansas City right fielder Mitch Haniger hit just .200, but homered and drove in 5 of the team's 11 runs in the series. The Cincinnati Spiders beat Portland ace Walter Johnson in Game 1 and took a 3-run lead into the ninth inning of Game 2, but collapsed and lost the next three games, ending their season. Portland third baseman Delino DeShields hit .364 with 4 runs scored and 3 steals. Second sacker Mark Lemke hit .316 with 6 RBI's, including a walk-off single in Game 2. Bill Wight earned a Game 3 win, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run in 8.1 innings. Portland's bullpen was brilliant, allowing 1 run in 14 innings while fanning 14 Spiders. Cincinnati star second baseman capped off a brilliant 2053 campaign by earning MVP honors in a losing effort, hitting .450 with a homer and 5 RBI's. In the Division Series, Minneapolis ousted London in six games, led by series MVP Chuck Knoblauch, who hit .500 with 4 runs scored and 4 RBI's. Third baseman Harry Lord hit .360 with 2 longballs and 3 RBI's. Justin Upton launched 2 homers and knocked in 5 runs. Southpaw Fritz Ostermueller split two decisions, posting a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings, allowing just six hits, including allowing just one hit in 8.2 innings in Game 1. The Penguins' bullpen was brilliant, allowing just one run on 11 hits in 17 innings, led by Shawn Hill, who allowed one hit in 4.2 shutout innings. Second baseman Tony Batista led London, hitting .250 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's, while Leo Kiely yielded a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, splitting two decisions. Portland dominated Pittsburgh in a four-game sweep, outscoring the Golden Gorillas 26-7. Portland second sacker Mark Lemke hit .353 with a homer and 8 RBI's. Mark McGwire hit .417 with an incredible .632 on-base percentage, with a homer and 3 RBI's. Joe Saunders hurled 6.1 shutout innings in a Game 4 victory, while Walter Johnson yielded just 3 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, earning the win in Game 1 while fanning 10. Portland ousted Minneapolis in six games in the League Championship Series, with catcher John Stearns leading the way, hitting .391 with 4 homers and 9 RBI's. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .407 with a dinger, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Walter Johnson went 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings, while Casey Fossum earned two wins, allowing just one run in 12.1 innings. Catcher Matt Nokes led Minneapolis, hitting .348 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's in defeat, while Chris Welsh earned a victory, allowing just one run in 7 innings. Continental League: In what appeared to be a giant mismatch on paper, the 108-win New York Emperors edged the 86-win Phoenix Lizards in seven games. New York right fielder Manny Ramirez had one of the most dominant series in league history, hitting .368 with 7 homers and 11 RBI's. Third baseman Eddie Mathews hit .346, and he, along with catcher Joe Garagiola and first baseman Hee-Seop Choi, blasted 3 homers apiece. Southpaw David Price posted a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings, earning the win in Game 7 with five shutout innings. Phoenix second baseman Aaron Ward hit .516 and slugged .871, with 2 homers and 8 RBI's, while third baseman Jeff King hit .429 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's. The Charlotte Aviators swept the New Orleans Crawfish, allowing just 8 runs in the series. Charlotte right fielder Ozzie Timmons earned MVP honors after hitting .400 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Bill Schroeder hit .400 with a round-tripper and 5 RBI's, while DH Dick Stuart hit .353 with a pair of solo homers. Jon Lester earned the win in Game 2, allowing just 2 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, while closer Lon Warneke earned 2 saves with 4 perfect innings. New Orleans southpaw Warren Spahn allowed two runs in 8 innings, fanning 11. In a divisional matchup, the Los Angeles Kangaroos celebrated their first postseason visit in 15 years by ousting the Anaheim Antelopes in six games. Los Angeles first baseman Bucky F. Dent took home the hardware, hitting .400 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Mark Whiten hit .333 with a pair of homers and 6 RBI's, while DH Dick Kokos smacked 3 solo shots. Whitey Ford posted a 2-0 mark, allowing a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, fanning 18. Yovani Gallardo went 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 innings, with 20 strikeouts. Catcher Yogi Berra led Anaheim, hitting .318 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The 87-win Jacksonville Gulls stormed out to a 3-0 lead over the heavily-favored 100-win El Paso Armadillos, but El Paso stormed back to win the next four games, taking the series in seven games. El Paso first baseman Troy Neel was tabbed MVP after hitting .364 with 3 homers and 3 RBI's. Second baseman Carlos Sanchez hit .273, drilling a homer and knocking in 5 runs. Southpaw Woodie Fryman went 1-0, yielding a 1.83 ERA in 14 innings. Reliever Eduardo Rodriguez hurled 8.2 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits. Catcher Paul Ratliff led the Gulls, hitting .323 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's, while DH Ron Kittle hit .314 with 3 dingers and 6 RBI's. In a divisional matchup featuring the two winningest teams in baseball, the Charlotte Aviators upended the New York Emperors in six games. Charlotte first baseman Fernando Tatis was chosen as MVP, hitting .476 with 2 homers, 4 doubles, and 4 RBI's. Shortstop JJ Hardy hit .474 while knocking in 3 runs. Jon Lester hurled 6.2 shutout innings, earning the win in Game 2 while allowing just 2 hits. Ace Len Barker went 2-0, posting a 2.25 ERA while fanning 17 hitters in just 12 innings. Left fielder Tim Raines led New York, drilling 3 homers, scoring 4 runs, and knocking in 7 runs. The El Paso Armadillos continued to be the comeback kings, erasing 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to the Los Angeles Kangaroos, as El Paso won in seven games. In a controversial decision, El Paso second baseman Carlos Sanchez was named MVP after hitting .276 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. El Paso first baseman Troy Neel smacked 2 homers and knocked in 4 runs of his own. But the true star of the series was Woodie Fryman who went 1-0 in 17.1 shutout innings, whiffing 18 while only allowing 4 hits - including hurling 9.1 no-hit innings in Game 2 while striking out 11. Hard-luck Whitey Ford went 0-1 despite allowing just one run in 12.1 innings. Charlotte continued their dominant run throughout the League Championship Series, sweeping El Paso, although three of the games were decided by a single run. Charlotte catcher Bill Schroeder earned MVP honors after hitting .375 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Nick Delmonico hit .429 with a longball and 5 RBI's. Jon Lester won his lone start, allowing just 1 run and 3 hits in 7 innings. Len Barker earned the win in Game 1 after allowing one run and 3 hits in 6.1 innings. Shortstop Rico Petrocelli led El Paso, as he hit .333 with a homer and 2 RBI's. World Series: In one of the most anticipated World Series matchups in years, the star power of the Portland Skunks squared off against the explosive offense of the red-hot Charlotte Aviators. The lone blemish on Portland ace Walter Johnson's resume was the lack of a World Series ring, and he led Portland to 97 wins. Charlotte won 106 games in the regular season, ended the regular season by winning 27 of their final 31 games, and won 12 of 13 games in the postseason. Charlotte continued its dominant run, sweeping Portland to win the fifth World Series title in franchise history. Although Portland jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1, Charlotte stormed back with 5 runs in the bottom of the inning, as the Aviators prevailed 9-6. Charlotte DH Dick Stuart went 5-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored, and first baseman Fernando Tatis hit a two-run homer. Charlotte ace Len Barker fanned 12 in 5.1 innings, and Lon Warneke earned the win with two shutout innings in relief. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero led Portland with a 3-run homer. Although Portland starter Ray Scarborough did not make it out of the first inning, reliever Ed Head took the loss, surrendering three runs in the eighth inning, including a tiebreaking double by Stuart. Charlotte took Game 2 2-1, as Jon Lester outdueled Walter Johnson. Johnson's lone mistake was a two-run homer by right fielder Ozzie Timmons - one of four hits on the day for the Aviators, as Johnson fanned 11 in 7 innings. Lester allowed one run in 5.1 innings, and Warneke hurled two perfect innings for the save. Guerrero had two hits for Portland, including a solo smash. Charlotte romped in Game 3, jumping out to a 10-1 lead before Portland tightened the score to 10-5 with a meaningless eighth inning rally. Charlotte blasted five homers, including a grand slam by left fielder Nick Delmonico. Second baseman Ozzie Albies added two hits and two RBI's, including a homer and a stolen base. Southpaw Paul Maholm earned the win, allowing just two hits and one run in 7.1 innings. Mark McGwire led Portland with two hits and 3 RBI's. Southpaw Casey Fossum took the loss, yielding five runs in just 2.2 innings. Charlotte finished the sweep in Game 4, coming from behind to win 4-2, as Delmonico ripped a bases-loaded triple in the eighth inning off Ed Head. Fernando Tatis chipped in with an RBI double for Charlotte. Larry French allowed two runs in 5.2 innings. Adam Wainwright and Jim Buchanan combined for 3.1 innings of one-hit relief. Matt Kemp provided all of Portland's offense with a two-run homer. Joe Saunders yielded just four hits and one run in six innings. Remarkably, Stuart was named MVP after starting just two of the four games, as he went 7-for-10 with 2 doubles, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. Charlotte catcher Bill Schroeder hit .353 and knocked in 2 runs. Left fielder Nick Delmonico hit .286 with a homer and a series-high 8 RBI's. First baseman Fernando Tatis hit just .250, but slugged .833, drilling 2 homers and knocking in 5 runs. Paul Maholm allowed just two hits and one run in 7.1 innings, posting a 1.23 ERA, while relievers Lon Warneke and Adam Wainwright combined for a win and two saves in 7.1 shutout innings, allowing just two hits. Portland was led by left fielder Pedro Guerrero, who hit .313 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Walter Johnson, making hist first World Series appearance, posted an 0-1 mark with a 2.57 ERA in 7 innings with 11 strikeouts. Charlotte concluded the most incredible postseason run in HRDL history, losing just one game in four rounds. The prior record of two losses was held by the 2032 Seattle Whales and the 2043 El Paso Armadillos. Along the way, Charlotte swept a 96-win New Orleans Crawfish squad, the 97-win Skunks, and the 100-win El Paso Armadillos, and their division rival New York Emperors, whose 108 wins topped the entire HRDL.

04-27-2020, 01:56 AM	#68
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2053 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- Larry Doyle, 2B/SS, CIN (45): .349/ .431/ .697, 213 hits, 42 doubles, 3 triples, 55 HR, 149 RBI, 147 runs, 84 BB, 60 SB, 197 OPS+, 11.8 WAR Second place- Al Simmons, LF/CF, MON: .337/ .394/ .729, 209 hits, 41 doubles, 5 triples, 64 HR, 153 RBI, 122 runs, 56 BB, 19 SB, 193 OPS+, 9.9 WAR Third place- John Wilson, RF, MIN: .343/ .392/ .634, 222 hits, 37 doubles, 8 triples, 45 HR, 145 RBI, 135 runs, 50 BB, 13 SB, 166 OPS+, 8.4 WAR Fourth place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (3): 23-4, 1.45 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 255 IP, 352 K, 36 BB, 6 CG, 5 shutouts, 299 ERA+, 12.5 WAR, .236, 3 HR, 11 RBI (as hitter) Fifth place- Jose Valentin, SS, OMA: .269/ .344/ .583, 163 hits, 36 doubles, 1 triple, 51 HR, 113 RBI, 123 runs, 70 BB, 12 SB, +13.3 Zone Rating, 146 OPS+, 9.1 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, POR (48): 23-4, 1.45 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 255 IP, 352 K, 36 BB, 6 CG, 5 shutouts, 299 ERA+, 12.5 WAR Second place- Rich Harden, OMA: 16-3, 2.37 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 221 IP, 348 K, 56 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 181 ERA+, 10.9 WAR Third place- Rick Reuschel, OMA: 23-6, 2.37 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 216 IP, 230 K, 28 BB, 181 ERA+, 7.0 WAR Fourth place- Tim Hudson, KC: 14-7, 2.02 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 201 IP, 215 K, 34 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 217 ERA+, 7.7 WAR Fifth place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE: 18-10, 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 227 IP, 313 K, 74 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 191 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Brandon Cumpton, RHP, OMA (20): 14-7, 2.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 202 IP, 165 K, 48 BB, 1 CG, 171 ERA+, 4.8 WAR Second place- Kent Greenfield, RHP, SF (9): 12-7, 2.80 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 187 IP, 229 K, 43 BB, 152 ERA+, 5.1 WAR Third place- Josh Johnson, RHP, OTT (8): 11-10, 2.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 196 IP, 266 K, 57 BB, 1 CG, 147 ERA+, 7.0 WAR Continental League MVP- Eddie Mathews, 3B, NY (32): .331/ .421/ .689, 182 hits, 22 doubles, 5 triples, 55 HR, 150 RBI, 122 runs, 83 BB, 2 SB, 192 OPS+, 10.1 WAR Second place- Fernando Tatis, 1B/CF, CHA (9): .316/ .402/ .624, 202 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 53 HR, 116 RBI, 141 runs, 88 BB, 47 SB, 164 OPS+, 9.2 WAR Third place- Hal Trosky, 1B/DH, BIR (6): .360/ .423/ .688, 211 hits, 40 doubles, 1 triple, 50 HR, 123 RBI, 114 runs, 63 BB, 188 OPS+, 7.6 WAR Fourth place- Adam Dunn, LF/RF, NY: .314/ .437/ .639, 181 hits, 31 doubles, 52 HR, 126 RBI, 129 runs, 115 BB, 23 SB, 185 OPS+, 9.4 WAR Fifth place- Chick Hafey, LF, HOU: .330/ .382/ .670, 206 hits, 40 doubles, 1 triple, 57 HR, 151 RBI, 119 runs, 52 BB, 16 SB, 171 OPS+, 7.9 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Virgil Trucks, BIR (34): 17-5, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 217 IP, 311 K, 49 BB, 209 ERA+, 8.7 WAR Second place- Warren Spahn, NOR (7): 19-8, 2.63 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 236 IP, 255 K, 31 BB, 7 CG, 1 shutout, 183 ERA+, 6.2 WAR Third place- Woodie Fryman, ELP (7): 17-7, 2.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 225 IP, 202 K, 40 BB, 2 CG, 211 ERA+, 5.4 WAR Fourth place- Russ Bauers, BIR: 19-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 196 IP, 288 K, 50 BB, 195 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Fifth place- Greg Maddux, SA: 11-8, 1.88 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 215 IP, 197 K, 18 BB, 241 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year- Russ Bauers, BIR (43): 19-3, 2.48 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 196 IP, 288 K, 50 BB, 195 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Second place- Whitey Kurowski, 3B, WAS (5): .274/ .342/ .486, 160 hits, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 100 runs, 44 BB, 10 SB, 120 OPS+, 4.7 WAR Third place- Dwight Lowry, C, ATL: .270/ .362/ .436, 126 hits, 26 doubles, 17 HR, 60 RBI, 66 runs, 45 BB, 115 OPS+, 4.2 WAR Top draft picks: 1. Ira Flagstead, CF, Calgary Cattle Rustlers 2. Happy Felsch, CF, Washington Ambassadors, 3. Mickey Cochrane, C, Milwaukee Raccoons 4. Travis Hafner, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors 5. Noah Lowry, LHP, Boston Minutemen 6. Lou Whitaker, 2B, Houston Pythons 7. Lonny Frey, 2B, Las Vegas Aces 8. Bill Weir, LHP, Ottawa Parliamentarians 9. Ryan Dempster, RHP, Chicago Mules 10. Rudy York, C/1B, Atlanta Ducks Last edited by Dukie98; 04-29-2020 at 10:06 PM.

04-29-2020, 02:59 AM	#69
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2053 Hall of Fame Voting After several years of bloated Hall of Fame ballots, the 2053 ballot was one of the smallest in recent history, with just forty candidates. Four players were elected: left fielder/ first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who launched 711 career homers in a 21-year career, drew 93.4% of the vote. Six-time all-star and 2036 MVP Robin Yount, who ripped 3379 career hits, received 91.6% of the vote. First baseman Don Hurst, who ripped 628 career homers and knocked in 2040 runs, was listed on 81.1% of ballots. Five-time all-star third baseman David Wright was the lone returnee to achieve induction, squeaking over the threshold with 75.9% of the vote. Palmeiro was selected fifth overall by the Cleveland Rocks following the 2029 season. He started his career with a bang, winning the 2030 Frontier League Rookie of the Year, hitting .314 and slugging .602 with a league-leading 49 homers and 125 RBI's. The following year, Palmeiro hit .301 and slugged .637, pounding 52 round-trippers, knocking in 137 runs, and scoring 111 rune. He hit .322 with 32 homers and 95 RBI's in just 121 games in 2032, and followed that up by hitting .327 with 39 dingers and 122 RBI's, garnering a .422 on-base percentage each season. After hitting .309 with 30 longballs and 118 RBI's in 2034, he hit .327 with 46 doubles, 37 homers, and knocked in 133 runs the following year. Following the 2035 season, Palmeiro jumped to the division rival Detroit Purple Gang in free agency, and in his first season in purple and gold, he hit .317 with 47 homers and drove in 121 runs. After hitting "just" 28 homers in 112 games in 2037, he rebounded with a bang, hitting 45 and 46 homers in the next two seasons, topping .300 each time. Palmeiro hit .323 in 2040, drilling 34 longballs and knocking in 104 runs. Signing with the El Paso Armadillos in 2041, Palmeiro hit .293 - his first season under .300 -- and drilled 36 homers and plated 109 runs. He was remarkably consistent in El Paso, hitting between .289 and .297 over the next three seasons, hitting at least 33 longballs and knocking in at least 100 runs each season, including a 42-homer, 106-RBI campaign in 2043 as El Paso won the World Series. Palmeiro signed with Montreal as a free agent, and over the next two years, he averaged 26 homers and 95 RBI's per season. After being reduced to part-time play, he was traded to Minneapolis. where he spent a year and a half and notched his 3000th hit. He then played one-season stints in Omaha and Atlanta, where he averaged 25 homers and 77 RBI's, before retiring at age 40. For his career, Palmeiro posted a .295/ .382/ .544 slash line, with 3266 hits, 575 doubles, 26 triples, 711 homers, 2125 RBI's, 1973 runs scored, 1523 walks, and 73.8 WAR. At the time of his induction, he ranked fifth all-time in homers, eighth in RBI's, and tenth in homers. He made four All-Star teams and won two Silver Sluggers. Palmeiro was a career .265 postseason hitter with 22 homers and 77 RBI's in 95 games. In 2043, he won the World Series MVP after hitting .381 with a homer and 7 RBI's, and for that postseason, he hit .369 with 4 homers and 22 RBI's in 22 games. Yount was drafted second overall by the Memphis River Pirates following the 2031 season. He held his own as a 22-year-old rookie shortstop in 2032, hitting .306 with 48 doubles, 13 homers, 90 RBI's, and 97 runs scored. He steadily progressed, hitting .321 and slugging .504 the following season, ripping 42 doubles, 19 homers, driving in 93 runs, while stealing 26 bases the next season. In 2034, Yount hit .311 with 57 doubles, 28 longballs, 111 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and 22 steals. He burst into superstardom in 2036, finishing fourth in the MVP voting after hitting .335 and slugging .665, with 55 doubles, 10 triples, 44 dingers, 132 RBI's, 127 runs scored, and 27 steals. Yount won the Continental League MVP in 2036, hitting .359 with 48 homers, 142 RBI's, and 141 runs scored. He hit 309 the next year, blasting 46 homers and driving in 119 RBI's. Following the season, Yount left Memphis for the Jacksonville Gulls in free agency, where he spent the rest of his career. He hit .299 with 34 homers and 100 RBI's in his first season in Jacksonville. He followed that up by hitting .316 with 31 longballs and 127 RBI's in 2039. He hit .344 the following season, smashing 36 homers, knocking in 118 runs and scoring 137 runs. Although his 2042 campaign was spoiled by a labrum injury, he hit .345 with 20 homers and 76 RBI's in just 100 games - snapping a string of seven straight 100 RBI seasons. He rebounded to hit a career-high .365 in 2043, finishing fifth in the MVP voting as he ripped a league-high 245 hits, including 56 doubles, 8 triples, 26 homers, 135 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. He doubled up on his fifth-place showing the following season, hitting .337 with 32 longballs, 106 RBI's, and 121 runs scored. Yount hit .320 in 2045, smacking 19 homers, driving in 98 runs, scoring 113, and swiping a career-high 35 bases. He hit .314 the following year, but saw his power slip, as he hit just 10 homers and knocked in 70 runs. Yount spent three more years as a moderately productive regular, and retired after losing his starting role midway through the 2050 season. For his career, Yount posted a slash line of .319/ .380/ .536, with 3379 hits, including 735 doubles, 85 triples, 465 homers, 1877 RBI's, 1933 runs scored, 1039 walks, 328 steals, an OPS+ of 135, and 85.5 WAR. A six-time all-star, Yount won seven Silver Slugger awards, and ranked 18th all-time in hits and 16th in runs scored. In eight postseasons spanning 73 games, Yount hit .319 and slugged .488, with 24 doubles, 8 homers, and 55 RBI's. Hurst was tabbed 28th overall by the Buffalo Fighting Elk following the 2031 season. As a 21-year-old rookie in 2032, Hurst hit .265 and slugged .496, ripping 34 homers, knocking in 89 runs and scoring 108. He hit .269 the following year, launching 41 longballs and knocking in 122 runs while drawing 117 walks. After slipping back to 27 homers the following year, while still knocking in 100 runs, he hit .295 with 42 dingers in 2035 and .292 with 47 homers the following year, knocking in 116 runs each year. In 2037, Hurst hit a career-high .333, drilling 45 doubles and 36 homers while driving in 131 runs. In both 2038 and 2039, Hurst led the Frontier League in RBI's, blasting 45 homers and knocking in 153 runs in 2038 while hitting 35 longballs and plating 146 runs the following year, hitting .277 each season. In 2039, Hurst hit .298 with 45 round-trippers and 147 RBI's. Over the next six seasons with Buffalo, Hurst fell shy of hitting 30 homers each season by just three homers, and he fell 2 RBI's short of driving in 100 runs every season - a streak dating back to 2033. Hurst left Buffalo for the Dallas Wildcatters following the 2046 season, where he hit 51 homers in two part-seasons. Hurst spent his 2049 season with the Atlanta Ducks, where he hit 14 homers in part-time play. He hit 19 homers in 2050 for the Las Vegas Aces and went out on top, winning the World Series MVP after hitting .400 with 2 homers, and retired following the season. Over his career, Hurst posted a slash line of .274/ .369/ .518, with 2924 hits, 627 doubles, 43 triples, 628 homers, 2040 RBI's, 1860 runs scored, 1550 walks, and OPS+ of 141, and 54.8 WAR. At the time of his induction, Hurst ranked 13th all-time in homers and 10th in RBI's. Hurst hit 38 homers and drove in 123 runs in 170 postseason games, winning titles with Buffalo in 2038 and Las Vegas in 2050, including 6 homers and 13 RBI's in the 2050 postseason. Wright was drafted eighth overall by New York after the 2033 season, where he spent all sixteen seasons of his career. He came in third in the 2034 Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .328 with 29 homers, 112 RBI's, 91 runs scored, and 19 steals as a 20-year-old. The following year, Wright hit .336 with 43 doubles, 34 homers, 127 RBIs, 118 runs scored, and stole 34 out of 40 bases. In 2036, he hit .336 again, smacking 48 doubles, 29 dingers, and knocked in 141 runs while scoring 118 runs once again. He homered 29 times once again the following year, although he slipped to .289, but stole a career-high 43 bases. He hit .290 in 2037, launching 33 homers and driving in 133 runs while scoring 106 times. The following year, he hit .332 and slugged .594, with 45 doubles, 37 homers, and led the league with 145 RBI's. In 2050, Wright finished fifth in the MVP voting, hitting a career-high .350 with 50 doubles, 36 homers, 127 RBI's, 135 runs scored, and 29 steals. The following year, he hit .307 with 32 homers and 108 RBI's, topping 100 RBI's for the eighth straight years. Over the next four seasons, Wright was remarkably consistent, hitting between .313 and .321 each season, and ranged from 19 to 25 homers, topping 100 RBI's three more times. Wright hit 26 homers and knocked in 79 runs in 2046. He slowed down considerably over the final three seasons of his career, failing to top .240 or 8 homers in any single season. He retired with a career slash line of .305/ .383/ .512, with 2682 hits, 580 doubles, 392 homers, 1621 RBI's, 1475 runs, 354 steals, a 133 OPS+, and 79.5 WAR. Wright made five All-Star teams over his career. In 44 career postseason games, he hit .313 and drove in 31 runs, but smacked just 4 homers. In 44 career postseason games, Wright ihit .313 with 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 31 steals. Top voting recipients include: Rafael Palmeiro, LF/1B, CLE/ DET/ ELP/ MTL/ MIN/ OMA/ ATL, 93.4% Robin Yount, SS, MEM/ JAX: 91.6% Don Hurst, 1B, BUF/ DAL/ LV: 81.1% David Wright, 3B, 75.9% Kal Daniels, LF, KC/ ELP: 67.8% Bill Madlock, 3B/2B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL, 64.0% Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN, 64.0% Tommy Davis, LF, NOR, 61.2% Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN, 61.2% Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ SA, 54.5% Cliff Floyd, RF, POR/ BOS/ NY/ CHA/ HAR, 51.0% Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS, 51.0% Noteworthy players who fell off the ballot include Bob Ojeda, who won 166 games and two world titles and 330-homer hitter JT Snow. Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers: Attached Images

05-08-2020, 10:58 PM	#70
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2054 Mid-Year Review Here are some of the leading stories across the league at the 2054 All-Star break: Exceeding expectations: The Boston Minutemen won just 63 games last year, but they jumped out to a 36-12 start. Despite stumbling through June, they still entered the break in first place in the Northeast Division with a 45-30 record, thanks to a league-leading 104 homers. Left fielder Kyle Schwarber, who hit 25 homers and drove in 55 runs last year, blasted 28 round-trippers and knocked in 59 runs in the first half. First baseman Ryan Klesko hit .274, smacking 12 homers and knocking in 55 runs. Rookie southpaw Noah Lowry dominated, going 8-3 with a microscopic 1.05 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts, allowing just 3 homers in 95 innings. The Cleveland Rocks looked to return to the playoffs after three years on the outside, going 43-32 after winning just 75 games last year. Second-year third baseman Kris Bryant blossomed into stardom, hitting .330 with a .422 on-base percentage, drilling 13 dingers and knocking in 54 runs. Center fielder Duke Snider hit .357 and slugged .669, with 10 homers and 34 RBI's in just 42 games. Rookie lefthander Lou Brissie starred, going 8-2 with a 2.04 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts. Ace Jimmy Dygert took a 6-3 mark into the break, along with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts in just 94 innings. In the Continental League, the Oklahoma City Otters took a 43-30 record into the break, leading Austin by 4 games. The Otters looked to reverse a six-season streak of declining victory totals, as they missed the playoffs in the last four seasons, bottoming out last year with 75 wins. Star first baseman George Sisler hit .366 and slugged .639, with 19 doubles, 11 homers, and 32 RBI's in just 47 games. Catcher Joe Nolan was a surprise All-Star, hitting .345 and slugging .583, with 19 doubles, 10 homers, and 39 RBI's before the break. DH Junior Felix hit .301 with 13 homers, 39 RBI's, and 19 steals. Southpaw Ariel Miranda went 7-1 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Righthander Jeff Niemann had just a 4-5 record despite a 2.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The San Diego Zookeepers stumbled to just 74 wins last year, but they reversed course, going 46-28, and entered the break within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Los Angeles Kangaroos. Star second baseman Johnny Evers hit .308 with a .424 on-base percentage and flashed unexpected power, hammering a career-high 9 homers and knocking in 43 runs while swiping 20 bases. Catcher Lance Parrish hit .299, blasting 13 dingers and knocking in 45 runs. Righthander Ruben Gomez rebounded from a dismal 2053 campaign, going 9-4 in the first half with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Veteran Buzz Capra went just 5-5 despite a solid 3.27 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Disappointments: After three straight playoff appearances, including a 94-win division title last year, the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas crashed to a 26-48 record, ending the half in last place, 18 1/2 games out of first place. In addition to losing star shortstop Alan Trammell and closer Josh Hader in free agency and 15-game winner Henry Thielman to a season-ending shoulder injury, first baseman John Olerud had a disastrous half. After seven straight seasons of posting a .300/ .400/ .500 slash line, Olerud hit just .221 and slugged .374, with just 8 homers and 27 RBIs. Catcher Brian Downing, who hit .253 with 21 homers and 65 RBI's last year, hit just .195 with 7 round-trippers and 27 RBI's. Third-year hurler Fred Toney, who posted a 3.11 ERA in 84 solid innings last year, saw his ERA more than double to 6.50 with a 2.08 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons were the surprise of baseball last year, winning 100 games, but they stumbled to a 6-21 start on their way to a 34-41 half. Shortstop Jose Valentin, who came in fourth place in the MVP voting last year after smashing 51 homers, hit just .228 with 17 round trippers and 47 RBI's. Right fielder Nick Markakis hit just .239 and slugged a punchless .371, with 6 homers and 23 RBI's. First baseman Ed Konetchy, a free agent signee, missed 45 games, and hit just 3 homers and knocked in 12 runs in 30 games. Rick Reuschel, a 23-game winner last year, lasted just 3 starts before suffering a severe shoulder injury that threatened his season. Four-time All-Star Josh Hader had a disastrous half, posting just 4 saves along with a 5.82 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Nashville Blues expected to contend for the postseason again after falling just short with 83 wins last season, but they had an abysmal first half, going just 22-53, narrowly missing the worst record in baseball. Nashville's offense ranked near the bottom of the league, as the Blues ranked 23rd in batting average (.241) and dead last in on-base percentage (.300). Right fielder Claudell Washington, a free agent signee, was tremendously disappointing, hitting .193 with just 13 extra-base hits, including 5 homers and 25 RBI's. Catcher Gary Carter, who hit .284 with 30 homers and 100 RBI's last year, slipped to hit just .256 with 11 dingers and 33 RBI's. Second sacker Ryan Goins, who hit .271 and slugged .420 last year, collapsed to just .206 with a .320 slugging percentage, with just 5 longballs and 30 RBI's. Nashville's pitching ranked among the worst in baseball as the staff ERA soared by a run. Veteran Gene Conley was ineffective, going 2-6 with a 7.23 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. Tanner Anderson and Willie Prall combined for an 0-13 record in 30 starts, as Prall allowed 16 homers in just 55 innings. Although the El Paso Armadillos won three straight Texas Division titles, and made the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons, they were in danger of missing the postseason, going just 37-38, ending the half 7 games behind Oklahoma City. Third baseman Alex Bregman had a disappointing half, hitting just .245 with 16 homers and 41 RBI's. But El Paso's offense wasn't the problem - its pitching staff, which ranked 19th in the league in runs allowed, was a major concern. Woodie Fryman, a Cy Young candidate last year, went 5-5 with a 3.86 ERA. Robert Person saw his ERA more than double, as he went 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA. Veteran righthander Erskine Mayer was a disaster, going 2-6 with a 9.41 ERA and a 2.01 WHIP. El Paso's bullpen posted a combined ERA of 7.04, and the team's defense posted the worst zone rating in baseball. Greatest Lakes: Although the Great Lakes Division has traditionally been one of the weakest divisions in the HRDL, it proved to be the deepest division in baseball throughout the first half of the season, with five teams squarely in the playoff chase. The Detroit Purple Gang were tied for the second best record in the Frontier League, going 46-28. The second-place Cincinnati Spiders led the wild card chase, taking a 44-30 record into the break. The Cleveland Rocks were on track to make the playoffs, with a 43-32 record, while the London Werewolves and Toronto Predators were tied for the final playoff spot. While the Ottawa Parliamentarians were eight games out of the last wild card spot, their 34-41 record was markedly better than all other sixth place teams in the HRDL. Bringing up the Rear: Recent seasons saw a dearth of truly dreadful teams. In each of the last two years, only two teams had lost more than 100 games, and no team had lost more than 110 games since 2050. But several teams were on track to meet that marker of futility. The Milwaukee Raccoons, just three years removed from a 90-win playoff appearance, went just 22-52. In the Southeast Division, the Nashville Blues' 22-53 record edged the Atlanta Ducks 21-53 mark. Four more teams (the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas, Denver Spikes, San Antonio Marksmen, and Albuquerque Conquistadors) entered the break with a winning percentage at or below .360. Chasing .400: Sixteen years passed since the last player topped .400 -- Larry Walker in 2038. But at the 2054 All-Star break, several players were poised to make a run at this mythical mark. Hartford right fielder Tony Oliva played just 52 games, but hit .420 -- nearly double his average from his disappointing 2053 campaign (.237). El Paso DH/ 1B Harry Heilmann, a two-time batting champ, took a .398 average into the break. Anaheim catcher Yogi Berra took the leap into superstardom, hitting .396 and slugging .796 in the first half. Although New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen had not topped .275 in six years, and hit .243 last year, he entered the break hitting a sizzling .382. Major milestones: Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler ripped his 3,000th hit two games into the season, and Virginia Beach right fielder Reggie Jackson joined him three weeks later. New Orleans third baseman Scott Rolen joined the 2,500-hit club. Virginia Beach third baseman Mike Schmidt became the fifth player in league history to hit 700 homers. Toronto first baseman Willie Stargell bopped his 600th career homer. El Paso DH/1B Harry Heilmann and Ottawa first baseman Bob Horner each smacked their 500th career longball. El Paso shortstop Rico Petrocelli and New York right fielder Manny Ramirez each joined the 400-homer club. On the mound, Detroit ace Nolan Ryan won his 250th career game, while Phoenix righthander Javier Vazquez notched his 200th career victory. Looking ahead to the second half, Heilmann was expected to notch his 3,000th hit by mid-August. Jackson was about two months away from hitting his 700th career homer, and Phoenix DH Ralph Kiner was expected to joint the 600-homer club by the end of August. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was two solid months away from his 500th homer. Portland ace Walter Johnson was 12 wins away from 300 -- which he could reach with a strong second-half surge. Detroit fireballer Nolan Ryan was just weeks away from his 5,000th career strikeout. Albuquerque righthander Kevin Appier would presumably notch his 3000th strikeout in his next start, while teammate Jose Deleon and New York's David Price would likely hit the 3,000 strikeout milestone in August. Major injuries: Birmingham ace Virgil Trucks, last year's Cy Young winner, underwent elbow surgery at the end of spring training, sidelining him through August. Omaha righthander Rick Reuschel, a 23-game winner who finished third in the Cy Young voting last year, injured his shoulder in his third start of the season, sidelining him for the year. Atlanta left fielder Hack Wilson missed 30 games with a series of nagging injuries, the most series of which was a sprained ankle. Chicago southpaw Robbie Ray missed the entire first half while recovering from elbow surgery, but would return in July. Calgary left fielder Johnny Mokan went down with plantar fascitis in April, knocking him out of service until mid-July. Anaheim closer Tim Crews went down with shoulder inflammation in April, likely ending his season. Detroit left fielder Jorge Orta pulled his hamstring in early May, knocking him out until early July. Kansas City ace Tim Hudson missed most of the first half due to shoulder inflammation, then pulled his hamstring upon his return. Jacksonville right fielder Tom Brunansky tore his Achilles tendon in May, ending his season. Memphis right fielder Trot Nixon was limited to just 8 games after suffering a series of back, wrist, and shoulder injuries, but was expected to return around July 4. Bone spurs sidelined Philadelphia closer Bobo Newsom in early April, knocking him out until July. Teammate Jackie Robinson was limited to just 20 games thanks to a series of muscle injuries, most notable a hamstring strain that would sideline him through mid-July. Pittsburgh righthander Henry Thielmann went down with shoulder inflammation in late April, likely ending his season. San Diego third baseman Billy Grabarkewitz missed most of the first half with a back injury, but was expected to return in July. Last edited by Dukie98; 05-08-2020 at 11:20 PM.

05-11-2020, 12:59 AM	#71
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2054 Year in Review Frontier League: The Buffalo Fighting Elk returned to the postseason after a one-year absence, taking the Northeast Division with 93 wins. First baseman John Kruk popped a team-high 30 homers and drove in 93 runs, but hit just .267. Left fielder Juan Soto hit .282 with 21 homers, 85 RBI's, and a league-high 115 walks. Southpaw Mark Mulder anchored a deep pitching staff, going 14-7 with a career-best 2.19 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Scott McGregor posted a 16-9 mark with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Fireballer Ed Correa went 11-9 with a sparkling 2.25 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, allowing just 7 homers in 168 innings. Buffalo held off the 91-win Baltimore Robins, who rebounded from two straight sub-.500 seasons. Baltimore stumbled down the stretch, winning just 2 of their final 13 games. Right fielder Cesar Cedeno led the Robins, hitting .283 and slugging .516, with 30 homers, 94 RBI's, 100 runs scored and 19 steals. Three other Robins cleared 20 homers, led by rookie third baseman Charlie Hayes, who hit .267 with 25 round-trippers and 86 RBI's. Baltimore led the league in runs allowed, led by Bob Rush, who went 20-7 with a 1.79 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and 240 strikeouts. Fireballer Jim Maloney posted an 18-8 mark with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts, but he came down with shoulder inflammation after his final start of the season, and would miss the playoffs. Denny Galehouse sported a 15-8 record with a 2.95 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. After a one-year absence, the Detroit Purple Gang returned to the postseason for the twelfth time in fourteen years, sailing to the Great Lakes Division title with 103 wins. Detroit featured an elite offense, leading the Frontier League in runs scored (907) and batting average (.286), led by second baseman Howie Shanks, who hit .307 and slugged .524, with 35 longballs, 124 RBI's, 122 runs scored, and 33 steals. Left fielder Jorge Orta came back with a vengeance after missing nearly all of the 2053 campaign with a torn PCL, hitting .337 and slugging .556, with 21 homers and 76 RBI's in just 115 games. Shortstop Dave Bancroft had a strong all-around campaign, hitting .325 with 38 doubles, 13 homers, and 74 RBI's. Detroit's pitching ranked among the best in the league, as Matt Cain, Nolan Ryan, Allen Watson and Ken Holtzman combined for a 50-14 record, with each pitcher sporting an ERA below 2.75. Cain supplanted Ryan as the staff ace, going an incredible 18-1 with a 2.03 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP. Ryan posted a 12-4 mark with a 2.66 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP, along with 246 strikeouts - snapping a streak of eight straight seasons over 300 strikeouts. The London Werewolves improved their victory total for the fifth straight season, making the playoffs for the third year in a row after winning 95 games. London ranked second in the league in runs scored, with a balanced attack led by right fielder Jack Tobin, who hit .333 and slugged .583 with 41 doubles, 37 homers, 133 RBI's, and 118 runs scored. Infielder Tony Batista hit .289 with 38 longballs, 127 RBI's, and 95 runs scored. On the mound, southpaw Leo Kiely went 13-7, including a no-hitter over Pittsburgh, along with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Righthander Eric Plunk went 11-7 with a 3.36 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts. Roy Smith had a breakout season in his first full campaign, going 17-9 with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, but yielded a league-high 34 homers. The Cleveland Rocks returned to the postseason after a three-year absence, winning 94 games, including a 12-game winning streak down the stretch. Cleveland narrowly missed having a quarter of 30-homer hitters. Center fielder Duke Snider narrowly missed, as he hit .341 and slugged .651 with 29 homers and 97 RBI's despite missing 51 games. First baseman Gaby Sanchez blossomed, hitting .293 with 31 dingers and 101 RBI's. Second-year third baseman Kris Bryant hit .289 and slugged .517, ripping 73 extra-base hits, including 30 homers, 114 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Catcher Todd Pratt hit .280, launching 31 homers and plating 94 runs. Ace Jimmy Dygert posted an 18-5 mark with a 2.36 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and fanned 308 hitters. Rookie Lou Brissie sported a 17-5 record with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.91 WHIP, and whiffed 250 enemy hitters. Although the Cincinnati Spiders stumbled down the stretch to a 21-32 record in August and September, they took the final wild card spot after ousting the San Francisco Longshoremen 5-0, after Oscar Horstmann hurled 6 shutout innings. Defending MVP Larry Doyle returned to earth after his otherworldly 2053 campaign, hitting .325 with 50 doubles, 36 homers, 117 RBI's, a league-leading 138 runs scored, and 36 steals. Left fielder Joe Medwick took a step back as well, hitting .295 with 20 homers and 108 RBI's. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .280, popping 29 dingers and driving home 94 runs. Right fielder Luis Olmo hit .333, leading the league with 211 hits while ripping 49 doubles, 13 homers, and driving in 99 runs while scoring 115, but a late-season abdominal injury threatened his availability for the postseason. Righthander Barney Wolfe went 10-6 with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.02 ERA, while Tommy Hanson sported a 14-7 mark with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Minneapolis Penguins ran away with the Great Plains Division title, winning a franchise-record 106 games to take the division by a 21-game margin. Led by the most explosive barrage of bats in the Frontier League, the Penguins pounded a league-high 248 homers. Right fielder John "Chief" Wilson led the way, hitting .332 and slugging .628, as he blasted 48 homers, knocked in 134 runs, scored 125, and swiped 20 bases. First baseman Will Clark hit .292 - the first time in his career he hit below .310 -- but he launched a career-high 43 homers and plated 116 runs. Left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Matt Nokes combined for 75 homers, with each knocking in over 100 runs. Southpaw Greg Swindell had a career year, going 21-7 with a 2.15 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP, while fanning 191 hitters. Fritz Obermueller dominated in his first full season, going 17-5 with a 2.17 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts. Closer Shawn Hill notched 36 saves along with a 2.55 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons could not dig themselves out of a 6-20 hole to start the season, falling just short of the playoffs with 85 wins despite losing Rick Reuschel three starts into the season. Shortstop Jose Valentin hit just .246, but launched 48 homers and 123 RBI's. Ace Rich Harden posted an 18-5 record with a microscopic 1.67 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP, fanning a league-high 322 hitters. The Portland Skunks cruised to their seventh Northwest Division title in the last eight seasons, winning 99 games. First baseman Mark McGwire hit a career-low .261, but bashed 59 homers and plated 138 runs while scoring 115. Rookie Max Kepler hit .281 with 60 extra-base hits, including 23 homers, 97 RBI's, and 91 runs scored. Steady second sacker Mark Lemke hit .300 with 11 homers and 68 RBI's while scoring 104 runs. Ace Walter Johnson rode a 13-2 second half to become the prohibitive favorite to win his 11th Cy Young Award, leading the league in every major category other than strikeouts, as he went 21-7 with a 1.58 ERA, an 0.73 WHIP, and 268 strikeouts, allowing just 8 homers in 217 innings. Southpaw Casey Fossum posted a 10-6 mark with a 2.99 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 201 enemy batsmen. Despite an ordinary 3.19 ERA, closer Ed Head paced the league with 37 saves. For the second straight season, the San Francisco Longshoremen found themselves in a one-game playoff for the final wild card slot after winning seven of their final nine games of the year. The Longshoremen lost 5-0 to Cincinnati in the play-in game. Left fielder David Justice paced a middle-of-the-pack offense, hitting .268 with 25 homers, 83 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 21 steals. Second-year hurler Kent Greenfield notched a 13-10 mark with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, while fanning 215 batters. Continental League: The New York Emperors repeated as the Atlantic Division champions, winning 107 games in large part due to the most explosive offense in baseball. The Emperors scored 1076 runs, thanks to a teamwide on-base percentage of .382 and 264 homers, third most in the HRDL. Third baseman Eddie Mathews starred, hitting .311 and slugging .646, with 51 homers, 138 RBI's, and 130 runs scored in just 139 games. Corner outfielder Adam Dunn hit .283 with 39 homers, 119 RBI's, and 118 walks, while swiping 25 of 30 bases. Left fielder Tim Raines posted a .328/ .437/ .520 slash line, with 37 doubles, 13 triples, 13 homers, 76 RBI's, 130 runs scored, and a league-high 74 steals in just 134 games. Right fielder Manny Ramirez hit .280 with 40 homers and 126 RBI's, but an ankle injury threatened to sideline him for the postseason. Southpaw David Price went 20-3 with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Righthander Joe Johnson sported a 22-5 mark with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators won 97 games, thanks to their record-setting offense which launched an incredible 341 round-trippers. Nine players topped 20 homers, and six hit at least 32 longballs, led by DH Dick Stuart, who hit .303 and slugged .613, with 55 homers and 135 RBI's. Left fielder Ozzie Timmons hit .301 and slugged .591, with 42 homers, 115 RBI's, and 100 runs scored. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .289 and slugged .574, drilling 41 doubles, 41 homers, and knocking in 124 runs. Shortstop JJ Hardy blasted 35 longballs and plated 91 runs. Catchers Bill Schroeder and Greg Goosen combined for 52 homers and 149 RBI's. On the mound, Glenn Liebhardt sported a 14-6 record with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and struck out 202 hitters. Southpaw Paul Maholm posted a 12-7 mark with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The Hartford Huskies relied on a strong pitching staff to win 91 games despite an offense that ranked just 21st in the league in runs scored. Newcomer Willie Mays, who arrived in an offseason blockbuster deal with Chicago, hit .285 with 38 homers, 114 RBI's, and 93 runs scored. First baseman Jim Hickman hit just .254, but launched 43 longballs and drove in 103 runs. But no star shone as brightly as rightfielder Tony Oliva, who hit an incredible .394 and slugged .748, with 26 homers and 81 RBI's in 80 games- only to be traded to San Diego in a deadline deal, and suffer a season-ending Achilles tendon tear after six games. On the mound, southpaw Joe Shaute went 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. John Candelaria posted a 12-7 mark with a 3.02 ERA, an 0.81 WHIP, and 280 strikeouts - despite yielding 42 homers in 200 innings. Righthander Juan Marichal sported a 13-6 record with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The New Orleans Crawfish held off the Miami Flamingos in one of the only close divisional races of the 2054 season, winning 106 games thanks to a league-best pitching staff. New Orleans was led offensively by shortstop Alan Trammell, a free agency signee, who hit .291 and slugged .502, with 25 homers, 106 RBI's, and 91 runs scored. Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen had an MVP-caliber first half, but barely hit .200 over the final two months, ending the season at .297 with 38 doubles, 23 homers, and 92 RBI's. First baseman Don Mincher smacked 33 homers and knocked in 94 runs. Ace Warren Spahn led the league's stingiest pitching staff, going 22-4 with a 2.38 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP, and 251 strikeouts, yielding just 23 walks in 223 innings. Righthander Syl Johnson went 13-3 with a 2.55 ERA, an 0.87 WHIP, and fanned 234 batters. The Miami Flamingos won a franchise-record 103 games, as their offense boasted a league-best .282 average. Left fielder Billy Williams hit .355 and slugged .689, ripping a league-high 219 hits, with 40 doubles, 11 triples, 48 homers, a league-high 161 RBI's, and scored 137 runs, setting several team records along the way. Left fielder Mark Carreon hit .323 and slugged .597, blasting 43 doubles and 43 homers, while knocking in 127 runs and scoring 134. First baseman Miguel Sano sported a .315/.411/.577 slash line, with 43 homers, 99 RBI's, and 137 runs scored. Southpaw Scott Karl went 17-7 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Righthander Shane Bieber notched a 13-9 mark with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts. The Oklahoma City Otters returned to the postseason after a four-year absence, winning the Texas Division with 93 wins. DH George Sisler had a monster second half, hitting over .400 from July 1 on, as he won his sixth batting title, hitting .390, with 46 doubles, 26 longballs, 111 RBI's and 113 runs scored. Rookie first baseman Ham Hyatt hit .320 and slugged .578, ripping 42 doubles, 11 homers, 27 homers, and knocking in 136 runs. Catcher Joe Nolan hit .304 and slugged .493, ripping 39 doubles, 16 homers, and knocking in 82 runs. Hefty righthander Jeff Niemann went 10-5 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, fanning 184 batters. Southpaw Angel Miranda went 13-7, sporting a 3.21 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and fanned 217 batters. The 87-win El Paso Armadillos missed the playoffs for just the second time in sixteen seasons. First baseman/ DH Harry Heilmann posted a .348/ .448/ .651 slash line, with 39 doubles and 46 homers, with 134 RBI's and 123 runs scored. Southpaw Woodie Fryman was the lone bright spot as the staff's ERA soared by nearly two runs, as he went 13-8 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Los Angeles Kangaroos relied on a subpar offense but an elite pitching staff to win 98 games, taking the Southwest Division. First baseman Justin Smoak provided a necessary spark, hitting .290 and slugging .609, with 50 homers and 142 RBI's. DH Fred McGriff hit .275 with 32 longballs and 101 RBI's in just 127 games. Whitey Ford was exceptional in his first injury-free season, going 18-4 with a 1.87 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP, and a league-best 315 strikeouts. Roy Sherid posted a 19-4 mark with a 2.37 ERA and an 0.92 WHIP. Hugh Bedient notched an 18-7 mark along with a 2.69 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 255 batters. Closer Oscar Harstad notched a league-best 41 saves along with a 3.27 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers returned to the postseason for the fourth time in five years, winning 92 games. Second baseman Johnny Evers had his finest all-around season, hitting .301 with a .437 on-base percentage thanks to a league-best 137 walks, along with 39 doubles, 15 homers, 79 RBI's, 59 steals, and a league-leading 152 runs scored. Catcher Lance Parrish had a career year, hitting .307 and slugging .537, with 28 homers and 96 RBI's in just 128 games. DH Phil Bradley hit .314 and slugged .529, with 64 extra-base hits, including 20 homers, 100 RBI's, and 104 runs scored. Veteran righthander Buzz Capra went 11-9 with a 3.05 ERA, and an 0.99 WHIP. Ruben Gomez notched an 11-10 mark with a mediocre 4.12 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Best season in team history: Minneapolis Penguins (106 wins), Miami Flamingos (103 wins) Worst season in team history: Denver Spikes (43 wins) Attached Images Last edited by Dukie98; 05-13-2020 at 11:18 PM.

05-14-2020, 01:58 AM	#72
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2054 Playoff Report Frontier League: In one of the largest upsets in HRDL history, the 87-win Cincinnati Spiders ousted the 106-win Minneapolis Penguins in six games. Although the Penguins featured the second-stingiest pitching staff in the league, the Spiders rattled them for 39 runs in six games. Left fielder Joe Medwick earned MVP honors, hitting .391 and slugging .913, with 3 homers, 7 runs scored, and 7 RBI's. Second baseman Larry Doyle hit .435, including four hits in both Game 5 and Game 6, with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Righthander Tommy Hanson yielded a 1.59 ERA in 11.1 innings, fanning 10, but had two no-decisions. First baseman Will Clark led Cincinnati, hitting .400 with a homer and 6 RBI's. The Buffalo Fighting Elk knocked off the London Werewolves in six games. Left fielder Juan Soto led Buffalo, hitting .333 with a homer and 5 RBI's, while first baseman John Kruk hit .273 with 2 longballs and 5 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Scott McGregor went 2-0, allowing a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. London right fielder Jack Tobin was tabbed MVP in a losing effort, hitting .440 with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 7 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. In a back-and-forth series where the two squads alternated victories, the Portland Skunks outlasted the Cleveland Rocks in seven games. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was selected MVP after hitting .357 with 6 doubles, and 4 RBI's. Center fielder Matt Kemp, rightfielder Max Kepler, and catcher John Stearns hit two homers apiece, combining for 18 RBI's, with each hitting .250. Southpaw Casey Fossum hurdled 12.2 innings without allowing an earned run, allowing 6 hits and fanning 16. Cleveland shortstop hit .370 with a homer and 5 RBI's, while second baseman Bret Boone drilled 3 homers and knocked in 4 runs. The Baltimore Robins upset the 103-win Detroit Purple Gang. Baltimore shortstop Dick Schofield took home the hardware after hitting .370 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Center fielder JaCoby Jones popped 2 longballs and knocked in 6 runs. Denny Galehouse went 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA, while Bob Rush earned 2 victories, including Game 7, despite a bloated 5.21 ERA. Shortstop Dave Bancroft led Detroit, hitting .333 with a dinger and 6 RBI's, while right fielder Brian McRae hit .290 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's. Cincinnati's unlikely postseason run continued, knocking off Buffalo in the Division Series in six games. Third baseman Evan Longoria starred for Cincinnati, taking MVP honors after hitting .421 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Center fielder Terry Puhl hit .333 with 2 RBI's. Bill Schardt yielded a 2.00 ERA in 9 innings, earning the win in the clinching Game 6. Cincinnati's bullpen had an uncharacteristically strong performance, led by Geoff Zahn's 4.2 shutout innings. Juan Soto starred in defeat for Buffalo, hitting .474 with 3 homers, 6 runs scored, 7 RBI's, and 2 steals. Portland edged Baltimore in a dramatic seven-game series. Baltimore led 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7, thanks to a Cesar Cedeno homer. Portland tied the game on a John Stearns solo smash, and scored the winning run after Matt Kemp doubled and Delino DeShields singled in the series-winning run. Second sacker Mark Lemke was a surprise MVP winner for Portland, hitting .367 with 4 doubles and 2 RBI's. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero blasted 3 longballs and knocked in 8 runs, while Stearns belted 2 homers and plated 4 runs. Southpaw Joe Saunders went 1-0, yielding a 2.51 ERA in 14.1 innings. Ace Bob Rush starred for Baltimore, allowing one run in 12 innings, but receiving two no-decisions for his efforts. Cincinnati's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, as Portland squashed the Spiders in five games. Guerrero had a monster series, earning MVP after hitting .450 with 3 longballs and 12 RBI's. Stearns hit .368 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Walter Johnson won both his starts, posting a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings while fanning 14 and launching a 3-run homer. Continental League: Although the New York Emperors enjoyed the highest scoring offense in baseball, they dominated the Hartford Huskies with their pitching, allowing just 5 runs in a four-game sweep. Center fielder Bill Cunningham earned MVP honors after hitting .467 with 3 doubles and 4 RBI's. DH Bob Jones hit .412 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI's. Scott Sanders set the tone in Game 1, allowing just 1 hit in 7.1 shutout innings, while Joe Johnson earned the win in Game 3 with 5 shutout innings. Outfielders Corey Dickerson and Frank Gilhooley each hit .357 for Hartford, but only drove in one run combined. After falling behind 2-0, the Miami Flamingos stormed back to oust the Oklahoma City Otters in seven games. Miami left fielder Mark Carreon was selected MVP after hitting .333 with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Third baseman Dick Williams hit .308 with a pair of dingers and 9 RBI's. Second baseman Dick Green and first baseman Miguel Sano smacked three homers apiece. Rookie righthander Randy Heflin earned the Game 7 win, yielding a 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings. Southpaw Chuck Smith led the Otters, earning a Game 2 win, while posting a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings, fanning 18. Third baseman Ruben Tejada hit .391 with 4 RBI's. In a matchup of conflicting styles, the pitching-oriented Los Angeles Kangaroos swept the record-setting offense of the Charlotte Aviators, holding Charlotte to seven runs in the series. Los Angeles DH Fred McGriff earned MVP honors after hitting .500 with 4 extra-base hits, including a homer, and 2 RBI's. First baseman Justin Smoak hit .391 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Hugh Bedient hurled 7.1 shutout innings in Game 2, allowing just 2 hits while fanning 12. Whitey Ford earned the Game 1 victory, allowing 1 run in 7 innings. The New Orleans Crawfish outlasted the San Diego Zookeepers in 6 games, with right fielder Junior Felix being selected MVP after hitting .364 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Second sacker Starlin Castro hit .320 with a team-high 5 RBI's, and smacked a crucial ninth-inning triple in Game 6. Dustin Hermanson was brilliant in relief, earning two wins while allowing one hit in 5 innings. By Speece earned a save with 6 shutout innings of relief, allowing just one hit as well. First baseman Eric Hosmer led San Diego, hitting .333 with 2 jacks and 3 RBI's, while left fielder Bill Wilson ripped 2 homers and knocked in 8 runs. Miami dominated the Emperors' elite offense in the Division Series, allowing just 5 runs in a four-game sweep - winning three of the games by identical 2-1 scores. Left fielder Mark Carreon added another trophy to his case, hitting .429 with two doubles and an RBI. Infielders Miguel Sano and Dick Green slapped two homers apiece. Miami survived an 0-for-26 combined performance from MVP candidate Billy Williams and shortstop Marty Marion. Miami's four starters lasted exactly five innings apiece, without allowing more than three hits or one run apiece. No Emperor hitter batted above .250. Scott Sanders hurled six shutout innings, allowing three hits, but the bullpen blew a lead for him in Game 1. New Orleans edged Los Angeles in seven games, taking Game 7 by a narrow 3-2 margin. Although New Orleans first baseman Don Mincher hit just .241, he was named MVP after hitting 2 homers and knocking in 4 runs. Second sacker Starlin Castro hit just .161, but ripped 2 homers and plated 5 runs. Righthander Syl Johnson was brilliant, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run in 13 innings, fanning 21 without a walk, but split two decisions. Reliever By Speece allowed just 2 hits in 7 shutout innings. Los Angeles catcher Darren Daulton and DH Fred McGriff drilled two dingers and knocked in 3 runs apiece. Hugh Bedient split two decisions, but did not allow an earned run in 12.1 innings. In yet another low-scoring series, where neither team topped five runs in a single game, Miami ousted Southeast Division rival New Orleans in five games. First baseman Miguel Sano was selected MVP after hitting .474 with a homer and 6 runs scored. Left fielder Billy Williams hit .353 with 2 round-trippers and 3 RBI's. Scott Karl went 1-0, allowing just one run in 10.1 innings. Left fielder Carson Bigbee led New Orleans in defeat, hitting a series-high .478 with 3 doubles, 2 steals, and an RBI. World Series: The World Series featured an evenly-balanced matchup between the Miami Flamingos, making their first series appearance since 2018, and the Portland Skunks, who were making their second straight series appearance. Although Miami won 103 games, the 99-win Skunks had more star power, led by 10-time Cy Young Award winner Walter Johnson and 3-time MVP Mark McGwire. Portland took Game 1 by a 5-2 score, coming from behind to score 3 runs in the 8th inning and one more in the ninth. Right fielder Max Kepler ripped three hits, including a double, and gave the Skunks the lead for good with a 2-run eighth-inning single. Shortstop Frankie Crosetti ripped two singles and scored two runs. Southpaw John Smiley allowed just one run in six innings, and Dave Boswell earned the win in relief. Miguel Sano hit a solo shot for Miami, and Shane Bieber allowed just three hits and one unearned run in 6 innings. Closer Tom Bradley took the loss for Miami. Portland erased an early 3-0 deficit to take Game 2 by a 6-3 tally. Kepler doubled and tripled, while Pedro Guerrero had 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Catcher Mike Scioscia had a two-run double for Miami. Casey Fossum earned the win, allowing three unearned runs in 5 innings, and Jerry Don Gleaton pitched two perfect innings for the save. Randy Heflin gave Miami 5 solid innings, allowing 1 run, but getting a no-decision. Down 2-0 and facing Walter Johnson, Miami got a much-needed 6-3 victory in Game 3, as Scott Karl outdueled Johnson. Second baseman Dick Green had 4 hits, including a homer and 2 RBI's, and outfielders Billy Williams and Elian Herrera each homered. Kepler and Crosetti smacked solo shots for the Skunks. Johnson yielded 4 runs in 6.1 innings, fanning 8. Bronson Arroyo was brilliant for Miami in a 2-1 Game 4 victory, hurling 6.1 no-hit innings before leaving with a blister. Portland managed just two hits on the day- none before the eighth inning. Sano and shortstop Marty Marion each smacked solo homers for the Flamingos, while Billy Williams had two hits. Mark McGwire provided a ninth-inning homer off closer Tom Bradley to provide the lone run for Portland. Portland came from behind to take Game 5, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2 on a walk-off walk from Mark Lemke. McGwire had an RBI double in the first inning for Portland. Williams and Mark Carreon each drilled solo homers for Miami in a losing effort. Portland's John Smiley gave a solid effort, allowing 2 runs in five innings, as Ed Head earned the win in relief. Shane Bieber allowed one unearned run in five innings for Miami. Reliever Clay Condrey took the loss, surrendering two hits and two walks without retiring a batter. The Skunks clinched the series with a 5-3 win in Game 6, as Kepler and DH Paul Meloan each homered. Bill Fischer earned the win with 1.2 innings of perfect relief, and Jerry Don Gleaton notched the save. Mark Carreon belted two homers for Miami, driving in all three of their runs. Randy Heflin was ineffective, allowing 5 walks and 3 runs in 4 innings, but middle reliever Buddy Groom was charged with the loss for Miami. Kepler, a rookie right fielder, was named MVP after hitting .308 with 5 extra-base hits, including 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Meloan hit .400 with a homer and 2 RBI's, while Crosetti hit .300 with a solo homer. Although Smiley did not receive a decision, he hurled 11 solid innings, allowing a 2.45 ER while fanning 11. Dick Green led Miami. hitting .353 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Carreon ripped 3 homers and drove in a team-high 5 runs. Bieber allowed no earned runs, but had two no-decisiosn, fanning 12 in 11 innings. Attached Images

05-16-2020, 12:05 AM	#73
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2054 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- John "Chief" Wilson, RF, MIN (29): .332/ .378/ .628, 209 hits, 28 doubles, 7 triples, 48 HR, 134 RBI, 125 runs, 44 BB, 20 SB, 155 OPS+, 7.1 WAR Second place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (16): 21-7, 1.58 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 217 IP, 268 K, 23 BB, 295 ERA+,10.8 WAR; 3 HR, 12 RBI (as hitter) Third place- Al Simmons, LF/CF, MON (3): .342/ .383/ .645, 211 hits, 42 doubles, 2 triples, 47 HR, 120 RBI, 117 runs, 42 BB, 19 SB, 164 OPS+, 6.9 WAR Fourth place- Larry Doyle, 2B, CIN: .325/ .412/ .603, 192 hits, 50 doubles, 3 triples, 36 HR, 117 RBI, 138 runs, 88 BB, 36 SB, 164 OPS+, 7.5 WAR Fifth place- Mark McGwire, 1B, POR: .261/ .384/ .585, 155 hits, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 59 HR, 138 RBI, 115 runs, 111 BB, +14.4 Zone Rating, 151 OPS+, 7.4 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award- Walter Johnson, POR (48): 21-7, 1.58 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 217 IP, 268 K, 23 BB, 295 ERA+,10.8 WAR Second place- Bob Rush, BAL: 20-7, 1.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 217 IP, 240 K, 48 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 258 ERA+, 8.0 WAR Third place- Rich Harden, OMA: 18-5, 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 204 IP, 322 K, 56 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 9.3 WAR Fourth place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE: 18-5, 2.36 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 217 IP, 308 K, 64 BB, 200 ERA+, 7.6 WAR Fifth place- Ed Brandt, SEA: 19-3, 1.75 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 221 IP, 276 K, 45 BB, 262 ERA+, 7.7 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Ira Flagstead, CF, CAL (45): .327/ .419/ .661, 168 hits, 52 doubles, 1 triple, 39 HR, 109 RBI, 95 runs, 57 BB, 4 SB, 15.1 Zone Rating, 179 OPS+, 9.4 WAR Second place- Lou Brissie, LHP, CLE (2): 17-5, 2.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 188 IP, 250 K, 50 BB, 206 ERA+, 5.9 WAR Third place- Noah Lowry, LHP, BOS (1): 11-6, 1.21 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 148 IP, 196 K, 30 BB, 383 ERA+, 6.5 WAR Continental League MVP- Billy Williams, RF, MIA (46): .355/ .421/ .689, 219 hits, 40 doubles, 11 triples, 48 HR, 161 RBI, 137 runs, 69 BB, 2 SB, +9.8 Zone Rating, 187 OPS+, 10.3 WAR Second place- Hal Trosky, 1B, BIR (1): .357/ .444/ .742, 201 hits, 50 doubles, 1 triple, 55 HR, 142 RBI, 125 runs, 80 BB, 201 OPS+, 7.9 WAR Third place- Eddie Mathews, 3B, NY: .311/ .403/ .646, 174 hits, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 51 HR, 138 RBI, 130 runs, 86 BB, 3 SB, 171 OPS+, 8.7 WAR Fourth place- Yogi Berra, C, ANA: .368/ .415/ .705, 191 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 47 HR, 133 RBI, 107 runs, 42 BB, 189 OPS+, 8.5 WAR Fifth place- Mark Carreon, LF, MIA: .323/ .398/ .597, 202 hits, 43 doubles, 43 HR, 127 RBI, 134 runs, 77 BB, 158 OPS+, 8.1 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Warren Spahn, NOR (25): 22-4, 2.38 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 223 IP, 251 K, 23 BB, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 217 ERA+, 6.6 WAR Second place- Whitey Ford, LA (23): 18-4, 1.87 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 198 IP, 315 K, 50 BB, 267 ERA+, 9.5 WAR Third place- Hugh Bedient, LA: 18-7, 2.69 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 204 IP, 255 K, 30 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 186 ERA+, 7.3 WAR Fourth place- Van Mungo, VB: 11-6, 2.52 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 182 IP, 281 K, 76 BB, 205 ERA+, 6.2 WAR Fifth place- Russ Bauers, BIR: 12-3, 1.61 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 162 IP, 249 K, 37 BB, 322 ERA+, 8.2 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year- Ham Hyatt, 1B/LF, OKC (48): .320/ .379/ .578, 180 hits, 42 doubles, 11 triples, 27 HR, 136 RBI, 85 runs, 51 BB, 3 SB, 143 OPS+, 4.9 WAR Second place- Travis Hafner, DH/1B, ALB: .299/ .383/ .537, 151 hits, 26 doubles, 5 triples, 28 HR, 90 RBI, 87 runs, 64 BB, 1 SB, 134 OPS+, 3.7 WAR Third place- Happy Felsch, CF, WAS: .298/ .348/ .556, 114 hits, 22 doubles, 4 triples, 23 HR, 78 RBI, 72 runs, 28 BB, 11 SB, 133 OPS+, 4.0 WAR Top draft picks- 1. Vinegar Bend Mizell, LHP, Denver Spikes 2. Ripper Collins, 1B, San Antonio Marksmen 3. Charlie Grimm, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors 4. Pedro Martinez, RHP, Milwaukee Raccoons 5. Ismael Valdez, RHP, Atlanta Ducks 6. Mike Lowell, 3B, Washington Ambassadors 7. Ian Kennedy, RHP, Nashville Blues 8. Aaron Heilman, RHP, Philadelphia Hawks 9. Ambrose Puttmann, LHP, Las Vegas Aces 10. Mike Leake, RHP, St. Louis Pilots Last edited by Dukie98; 05-17-2020 at 12:20 AM.

05-16-2020, 11:35 PM	#74
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2054 Hall of Fame Voting The 2054 Hall of Fame ballot saw two overwhelmingly qualified newcomers gain near-unanimous induction, while a bevy of other candidates canceled each other's votes out, as eleven other candidates cleared 50% while falling short of the magical 75% threshold. Third baseman Nolan Arenado- a 20-time All-Star who is the all-time leader in homers, runs scored, and RBI's -- drew 99.3% of the vote. Three-time MVP Tris Speaker drew 98.2% of the vote. Arenado was drafted third overall by the Boston Minutemen following the 2027 season. As a 21-year-old third baseman, he finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2028, hitting .294 with 15 homers and 115 RBI's. In his sophomore campaign, he hit .330 and slugged .548, popping 25 homers, knocking in 94 runs, and scoring 93. The following season, Arenado hit .315 with 57 doubles, 33 homers, 139 RBI's, and 116 runs scored. In 2031, he hit .342 and slugged .609, ripping 38 homers and knocking in 135 runs. Arenado won his first MVP award in 2032, posting a .348/ .442/ .628 slash line, bashing 40 doubles, 43 homers, driving in 143 runs and scoring 149 runs. He finished second in the MVP voting the following year, hitting .317 and slugging .639, with a league-high 48 dingers, 128 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. Arenado took home his second MVP trophy in 2034, as he hit .334 and slugged .633, ripping 39 doubles, 46 longballs, plated 135 runs and scored 147 runs. Arenado posted a third-place MVP finish in 2035, hitting a career-high .358 with a .469 on-base percentage, with 46 doubles, 9 triples, 33 homers, 114 RBI's, and 139 runs scored, while winning his first of six Gold Gloves. He slowed down slightly over the next two years, averaging 32 homers and 113 RBI's per year. Following the 2037 season, Arenado signed with the Detroit Purple Gang in free agency. In his first two seasons in Detroit, Arenado slugged .584 and .594, but missed nearly 80 games combined with injuries, failing to hit 30 homers in either season. He returned to elite status in 2040, finishing runner-up in the MVP voting after hitting .344 and slugging .669 with 46 homers, 133 RBI's and 115 runs scored. Arenado topped that performance in 2041, winning his third MVP award unanimously, posting a .354/ .447/ .680 slash line with 38 doubles, 8 triples, 44 homers, and led the league with 162 RBI's and 140 runs scored. He posted another third-place MVP finish in 2042, hitting .338 with 40 homers and 119 RBI's. His 2043 campaign was interrupted by a season-ending groin tear in August, but he hit .347 and slugged .618 with 26 homers and 90 RBI's in just 113 games. Arenado rebounded to hit .334 with 42 longballs, 117 runs, and 128 runs scored the following year. After slipping to hit "just" .295 with 28 homers and 102 RBI's in 2045, he rebounded to hit .346 and slug .645, with 30 dingers and 106 RBI's in just 133 games. He finished third in the MVP voting in 2047 at age 40, hitting .319 and slugging .616 with 45 doubles, 41 jacks, 131 RBI's, and 124 runs scored. Arenado pounded 37 homers and 105 RBI's the following year, scoring 125 runs. He finally showed signs of slowing down at age 42, playing three more years with declining effectiveness before retiring at age 44. Arenado retired with a career slash line of .320/ .413/ .582, with an incredible 4107 hits, 868 doubles, 781 homers, 2666 RBI's, 2575 runs scored, 2076 walks, 88 steals, a 164 OPS+, and 193.2 WAR. At the time of induction, he ranked first all-time in homers, RBI's, runs scored, and WAR, second in hits, fourth in walks, and fifth in doubles. A 20-time All-Star, Arenado also won 11 Silver Sluggers, 6 Gold Gloves, and seven postseason MVP awards. In 205 career postseason games, he posted a career batting average of .300 with 233 hits, 55 homers, 148 RBI's, and 155 runs scored- leading all players in each of those counting stats by wide margins, including 17 more postseason dingers than the current second-place finisher. Arenado led Boston to the 2033 World Series championship with one of the most dominant runs in postseason history, hitting .441 and slugging .868 with 6 homers and 20 RBI's. He also hit 6 homers and 15 RBI's as Detroit won the 2044 title. Perhaps his most memorable postseason was the 2048 season, as he led Detroit to the World Series, hitting .346 with 10 dingers and 19 RBI's. Speaker was drafted first overall by the Hartford Huskies following the 2029 season. He had an inauspicious cup of coffee in 2030 at age 18, hitting .263 with a homer and 4 RBI's in 25 games. The following year, he struggled, hitting .255 and slugging just .355, with 3 homers, 36 RBI's, and 35 steals. Speaker had a breakout season in 2032, hitting .323 with 51 doubles, a league-high 15 triples, 9 homers, 63 RBI's, 128 runs scored, and 61 steals. The following year, he hit .346 with a league-high .448 on-base percentage, with 51 doubles, 9 triples, 12 homers, 91 RBI's, 95 runs score, and 58 steals. After hitting .337 with 64 steals in 2034, Speaker took the leap into superstardom in 2035, winning the Continental League MVP award, posting a .376/ .475/ .630 slash line, leading the league in batting average, hits (221), doubles (60), triples (16), while smacking 19 homers, driving in 125 runs, scoring 135 runs, and stealing 75 bases. He won another batting title in 2036, hitting .366 with a .462 on-base percentage, with 40 doubles, 10 triples, 9 homers, 74 RBI's, 105 runs scored, and 51 steals, leading Hartford to its first world title in franchise history. Speaker won his second MVP in 2037, with a .359/ .445/ .640 slash line, ripping 52 doubles, a league-high 14 triples, 30 homers, 117 RBI's, 141 runs scored, and 61 steals. Following the season, he jumped to Buffalo in free agency, where he led the Fighting Elk to the 2038 championship. Speaker won the 2038 MVP award, posting a .374/ .471/ .712 slash line, with 57 doubles, 8 triples, 44 homers, 137 RBI's, a career-high 166 runs scored, and 64 steals. He finished fourth in the 2039 MVP voting, after hitting .325 with 52 doubles, 10 triples, 26 homers, 117 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and 44 steals. Over the next five years, Speaker was remarkably consistent, hitting between .336 and .346 each season, but his power vanished as quickly as it appeared, as he topped ten homers only once in that stretch, although he cleared 100 runs four times in five years. Following the 2044 season, he signed with the El Paso Armadillos in free agency. In his first season in El Paso, he hit .319 with 37 doubles, 11 homers, 74 RBI's, and 82 runs scored in just 116 games. The following year, after showing signs of losing his speed, he became a full-time DH, hitting .288 with a league-high 116 walks, along with 52 doubles, 22 homers, and 102 RBI's. The following season, he hit .313 with a league-high 56 doubles, 20 homers, and 104 RBI's. He joined the Portland Skunks as a free agent before the 2048 season, where he hit .341, leading the league with 58 doubles (at age 36), along with 20 homers, 106 RBI's, and 107 runs scored. Over the next two years, Speaker straddled .300, averaging 45 doubles and 10 homers per season, but proved to be a defensive liability. He signed with the Los Angeles Kangaroos before the 2051 season, where he played 86 ineffective games before retiring. For his career, Speaker posted a slash line of .327/ .421/ .523, with 3667 hits, 985 doubles, 144 triples, 307 homers, 1668 RBI's, 2197 runs, 1765 walks, 707 steals, 157 OPS+, and 142.3 WAR. At the time of his induction, he ranked first all-time in doubles, fifth in runs scored, seventh in hits, tenth in triples, 20th in steals, and fourth in WAR. A ten-time All-Star, Speaker won four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and two world championships. In 155 postseason games, he hit .323 and slugged .547, with 54 doubles, 22 homers, 100 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and 35 steals. In Hartford's 2036 championship run, he hit. 407 with 16 extra-base hits, including 5 homers, 23 RBI's, and 25 runs scored in 23 games. Two years later, he led Buffalo to the title, hitting .325 with 5 homers, 20 RBI's, and 19 runs scored in 19 games. Top vote recipients include: Nolan Arenado, 3B, BOS/ DET: 98.9% Tris Speaker, CF, HAR/ BUF/ ELP/ POR/ LA: 98.2% Javy Lopez, C, MIN/ SA: 72.8% Kal Daniels, LF/DH, KC/ ELP: 70.7% Joe Adcock, 1B/DH, SF/ BIR/ DEN/ DET/ MIA/ STL/ BOS/ ALB: 69.2% Tommy Davis, LF, NOR: 65.2% Bill Madlock, 3B, PIT/ LON/ DEN/ BAL: 64.9% Paul Derringer, RHP, STL/ DET/ KC/ MIN/ AUS/ JAX/ SD: 55.8% Bob Bescher, LF, OKC/ OMA/ ANA/ NAS: 54.7% Clyde Milan, LF, PHO/ BUF/ DET/ CHI: 51.4% Jordan Zimmeramnn, RHP, ELP/ BUF/ MIN: 50.7% Taijuan Walker, RP, ELP/ LV/ NY/ PHO/ BUF/ NOR/ KC: 50.0% Darryl Strawberry, RF, BIR/ MIN: 50.0% Leading players who fell off the ballot include Zimmermann, a 234-game winner and the 2027 Cy Young Award winner, who fell off the ballot after ten tries; first baseman Lee Stevens, who slugged 569 homers and drove in 1799 runs; six-time All-Star left fielder Bob Johnson who hit .299 and slugged .553 with 427 homers; shortstop Dick Groat, who rapped 3448 hits; and right fielder Jay Buhner, who slugged 480 career homers. Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers: Attached Images

06-07-2020, 02:01 AM	#75
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2055 Mid-Year Review Here are the major storylines across the league at the All-Star Break: Exceeding Expectations: Although the Baltimore Robins won 91 games last season, no one expected them to enter the break with a league-best 49-23 record. Remarkably, the overachieving Robins sported a mediocre offense which ranked just 16th in the Frontier League, and which ranked just 22nd in homers. Second sacker Bip Roberts hit .323 with a .411 on-base percentage, scoring 38 runs in 59 games. Shortstop Dick Schofield led the squad with 11 homers and 42 RBI's, but went down with a groin tear shortly before the break. Ace Jim Maloney dominated, going 8-3 with a 1.29 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 111 strikeouts. Righthander Silvio Martinez went 8-2 with a 1.98 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP. Bob Rush posted a 6-4 mark with a 2.57 ERA, an 0.87 WHIP, with 101 strikeouts. The Milwaukee Raccoons were primed for the biggest turnaround in league history, rebounding from three straight seasons of 99+ losses, including a 57-105 mark last year, to post a 44-26 mark at the break. Right fielder Birdie Cree hit .346 and slugged .642, ripping 17 homers and knocking in 51 runs. Second-year catcher Mickey Cochrane hit .320 and slugged .536, drilling 9 homers and plating 39 runs. Southpaw Bruce Robbins led an unexpectedly strong pitching staff, going 5-3 with a 1.95 ERA, an 0.82 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts. Phil Douglas moved out of the bullpen, going 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP. In the Continental League, the Nashville Blues engineered a remarkable turnaround from last season's 61-win campaign, going 40-32, enteringthe break just 4 1/2 games out of first place. Remarkably, Nashville sported a team batting average of just .234 at the break, just 21st in the league. Although Babe Herman popped 13 homers and knocked in 38 runs, he hit just .238, and stars Lance Berkman and Gary Carter hit just .212 and .208, respectively. Righthander John Ely went 7-4 with a 2.08 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP. Mike Mussina posted a 6-5 record with a 2.26 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP and 110 strikeouts. The Phoenix Lizards rebounded from a 78-win season to post a 42-29 record in the first half, just 2 1/2 games out of first place. First baseman Frank Thomas led the way, hitting .297 with 22 homers and 75 RBI's. Second sacker Aaron Ward hit .284, ripping 9 homers and knocking in 39 runs. Southpaw Dave Roberts led one of the deepest starting rotations in the league, notching an 8-3 mark with a 2.03 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. Larry French and Kevin Millwood won 7 games apiece, sporting ERA's of 2.93 and 2.98, respectively. Disappointments: The Minneapolis Penguins won 104 and 106 games the last two years, but they stumbled to a 35-36 mark at the break. Defending MVP John "Chief" Wilson stumbled to a pedestrian .265 average, with just 13 longballs and 38 RBI's. The Penguins' bigger struggles were on the mound. Southpaw Greg Swindell, a 21-game winner last year, went just 5-4 and saw his ERA nearly double to 4.06, and his WHIP swelled to a bloated 1.50. Shawn Boskie, a 13-game winner last year, sported a 3-4 mark with a 4.92 ERA and a middling 1.25 WHIP. Shawn Hill, who saved 36 games last year with a 2.55 ERA, lost his closer role and saw his ERA soar to 6.67, and his WHIP nearly doubled to 1.87. The Calgary Cattle Rustlers, who unexpectedly won 81 games last year and made a late run for a wild card bid, collapsed to a 23-49 first-half record. Center fielder Ira Flagstead, last year's Rookie of the Year who finished sixth in the MVP voting, collapsed, hitting just .238 and losing nearly 300 points in slugging percentage, popping just 3 longballs and plating just 13 runs in 57 games. Third baseman Manny Alexander, who showed promise last season, hit an anemic .166 with a .224 slugging percentage, with just a lone homer and 13 RBI's in full-time play. Calgary struggled on the mound, as all five starters from last year's rotation departed in free agency. Doug Bochtler, who posted a 1.43 ERA and saved 27 games last year, struggled after moving into the rotation, going 2-4 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. Johnny Rutherford also struggled after being moved from the bullpen into the rotation, going 1-5 with a bloated 6.59 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP, allowing 15 homers in just 55 innings. In the Continental League, the Hartford Huskies tumbled after winning 91 games last year, falling to a 33-38 first-half record. DH Willie Mays lost his power stroke, slipping from 38 homers and 114 RBI's last season to just 10 round-trippers and 34 RBI's, despite a slight uptick in batting average. Right fielder Baby Doll Jacobson hit 25 homers and drove in 88 runs last year for Dallas, but slipped to hit just .255 with 2 homers and 15 RBI's in 67 games. Southpaw Joe Shaute, a 16-game winner last year, posted a 2-8 mark and saw his ERA soar by over two runs per game to 5.17. Juan Marichal struggled as well, sporting a 3-8 mark with a 4.38 ERA - an increase of nearly a run and a half per game. The San Diego Zookeepers won 92 games, earning their fourth playoff spot in five years, but they stumbled to a 34-38 mark at the break. San Diego collapsed offensively, as their team batting average declined by 43 points, and they entered the break ranked third-from-last in the league in runs scored. Star second baseman Johnny Evers saw his on-base percentage decline from a career-best .437 to a more modest .365, and he scored just 34 runs and knocked in 29 in 70 games. Shortstop Cliff Pennington was an offensive disaster, hitting .163 and slugging .213, with just 14 runs scored and 14 RBI's in 69 games. Rookie center fielder Nyjer Morgan struggled, hitting .180 and slugging .293, with 15 RBI's in 52 games. San Diego's pitching remained strong, ranking seventh in the league in runs allowed, and none of its pitchers had disappointing seasons. But due to a lack of offensive support, Ruben Gomez went just 4-8 despite a 3.00 ERA. *Continental Drift: Offense was down substantially throughout the HRDL, especially in the Continental League, where the leaguewide ERA declined by nearly three-quarters of a run, from 5.06 to 4.33. The league batting average in the Continental League declined by 15 points, and the leaguewide slugging percentage slipped from .442 to .414. While nine Continental League teams topped 5.5 runs per game last year- including five teams with at least 950 runs -- only one team in 2055 topped 5.5 runs per game at the break. Conversely, while only two Continental League teams scored less than 4.8 runs per game last year, at the break, a whopping 14 teams were below that threshold. Curiously, there was no discernible difference in the year-to-year offensive levels in the Frontier League. MASH: Omaha: The Omaha Falcons made a furious run for a wild-card bid last season after an awful start, falling just short. This year, however, their expectations were crushed by a ridiculous run of injuries, as they entered the break with an 18-54 mark, including a 3-28 stretch starting in late April. At one point in May, ten Omaha pitchers were on the disabled list, including their top three starters, Rich Harden, Rick Reuschel, and Brandon Cumpton. Harden, after five brilliant seasons, was ordinary upon his return, going 4-4 with a 3.64 ERA. Reuschel missed the entire first half, and Cumpton was useless, going 0-3 with an 8.89 ERA in 27 relief innings before suffering a rotator cuff strain. Reliever Josh Hader was healthy but ineffective, going 2-3 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP, walking 33 hitters in 40 innings. Omaha hit .214 as a squad and ranked 23rd in the league in runs scored. Jose Valentin, who was an MVP candidate 2 years ago and hit 48 homers last year, hit just .199 with 5 longballs and 19 RBI's in 38 disappointing games. Catcher Butch Henline, a 3-time All-Star, hit an embarrassing .150 with 2 homers and 10 RBI's in 37 games. Only one regular -- third baseman Charlie Deal -- hit over .238. Even though Reuschel was expected to return after the All-Star break, Omaha would be lucky to avoid 110 losses. Major injuries: Detroit first baseman Mark McGwire was expected to miss two months with a hamstring strain, sidelining him until August. Teammate Matt Cain tore an elbow tendon, ending his season and jeopardizing his 2056 campaign. Birmingham ace Russ Bauers tore a finger tendon in May, and he was not expected to return until mid-August. Los Angeles ace Whitey Ford injured his labrum in late May, knocking him out until September. Austin catcher Hank Gowdy broke his elbow in the second game of the season, sidelining him until August. Oklahoma City first baseman George Sisler suffered a back injury in mid-May, causing him to miss about 25 games. Albuquerque DH Travis Hafner was sidelined with back spasms around Memorial Day, knocking him out of commission until mid-July. Cleveland righthander Lynn McGlothen tore his meniscus in April, sidelining him until mid-August. Anaheim center fielder Fred Lynn tore his hamstring in early May, sidelining him until mid-July. Memphis southpaw Jon Lester tore his rotator cuff in spring training, likely ending his season before it started. Portland right fielder Max Kepler broke his shoulder blade in mid-May, likely sidelining him through early July. St. Louis closer Vida Blue missed most of the first half with a back injury. Washington outfielders Happy Felsch and David Peralta missed nearly the entire season, each suffering broken kneecaps - while Felsch could return in September, Peralta's season was almost certainly over after four games. Major milestones*: Dallas right fielder Jason Heyward slapped his 2,500th career hit. Anaheim third baseman Bob Meusel tagged his 400th career homer. Houston hurler Kevin Appier notched his 200th career win. Baltimore righthander Jim Maloney fanned his 3,500th enemy batter. Looking ahead to the second half, Hartford DH Willie Mats was expected to smack his 3,000th hit by mid-July. Portland outfielder Pedro Guerrero and Philadelphia outfielder Mike Trout would each join the 3,000 hit club by the end of August. Virginia Beach teammates Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson each had a chance to drill their 750th career homer by year's end. Dallas first baseman Ted Kluszewski had a chance to hit both his 3,000th hit and his 600th homer by the end of the season. Trout was likely to score his 2000th career run by the end of August. Portland ace Walter Johnson was going to join the 5000 strikeout club by early August, and Albuquerque's Jose DeLeon would likely notch his 3000th strikeout in his next start.

06-09-2020, 10:35 PM	#76
majormet Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,536	This is a cool setup, i just got OOTP21, and was wondering how you can create a 48 team league and still use the random debut of real players vs the fictional players

06-13-2020, 02:50 AM	#78
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2055 Year in Review Frontier League: The Baltimore Robins used an elite pitching staff to overcome a mediocre offense to take the Northeast Division with 98 victories. Baltimore ranked 17th in the Frontier League in runs scored and 20th in homers. First baseman Frank Torre led the way, hitting .306 with 55 doubles, 13 homers, and a team-high 91 RBI's. Right fielder Cesar Cedeno hit .294 with 17 homers and 51 RBI's in just 101 games, but sprained his ankle late in the season and would likely miss most of the postseason. Remarkably, not a single Robin topped 20 homers on the season. Ace Jim Maloney went 19-8 with a 1.86 ERA, an 0.89 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts. Crafty veteran Denny Galehouse posted a 12-9 mark with a 2.36 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and a tremendous 222:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Bob Rush sported a 12-9 record with a 3.03 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts. The Buffalo Fighting Elk were primed to take the division before a 9-20 late season swoon, but they still earned a wild card spot with 95 wins. Left fielder Juan Soto had an MVP-caliber season, posting a .341/ .449/ .647 slash line with 40 doubles, 44 homers, 126 RBI's, 118 runs, and 115 walks. Catcher Brian Downing had a career season, hitting .266 with 33 homers and 92 RBI's, easily setting career highs in both categories. Third baseman Jack Lohrke hit just .248, but bashed 32 longballs and plated 106 runs. Veteran righthander Bill Singer sported a 14-7 record with a 2.72 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP, but tore an elbow ligament late in the season, sidelining him until next summer. Hard-luck southpaw Mark Mulder went just 7-8 despite a 2.59 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Closer Walker Cress notched 39 saves with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas rebounded from a disastrous 73-win campaign, winning 91 games and returning to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. First baseman John Olerud returned to form, hitting .335 with 43 doubles, 26 homers, 94 RBI's, and 112 runs scored. Center fielder Chris Taylor hit .274 and slugged .483, ripping 40 doubles, 26 homers, and knocking in 117 runs. Second-year southpaw Greg Mathews led an overachieving staff, going 14-9 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Closer Mark Littell had a breakout year, saving 32 games with a 1.83 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts in 74 innings. The Cleveland Rocks closed the season on a 15-3 run, going 19-5 in September to take the Great Lakes division title after spending much of the season in third place. Center fielder Duke Snider topped 130 games for the first time in seven years, and he hit .328 and slugged .645, blasting 44 doubles, 37 dingers, and knocking in 128 runs. Third baseman Kris Bryant hit .300 and slugged .546, ripping 31 round-trippers and knocking in 118 runs. Like Snider, left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was finally healthy for the first time since 2048, and he hit .313 with 25 homers, 71 RBI's, 45 steals, and 127 runs scored. Ace Jimmy Dygert won his first 15 decisions, on his way to posting a 19-2 record, a league-leading 1.44 ERA, an 0.75 WHIP, and 250 strikeouts. Southpaw Lou Brissie went 10-6 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The Toronto Predators led the division for most of the season, but stumbled to a 2-5 finish, as Cleveland edged Toronto out for the division title despite a franchise-record 96 wins. Left fielder JD Martinez hit .311 and slugged .564, bashing 33 homers and knocking in 111 runs in just 134 games. Rookie centerfielder Earle Combs hit .316 with 50 doubles, 5 homers, 60 RBI's, and 81 runs scored. Righthander Bobo Newsom successfully transitioned from the bullpen to the rotation, going 19-4 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 274 strikeouts. Fireballer Bill Monbouquette went just 10-10 despite a 2.72 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts, but he tore his UCL in mid-September, effectively sidelining him until 2057. The Cincinnati Spiders used a 19-4 September, and closed the season by winning 14 of their final 15 games, to earn a wild card spot with 93 wins. Five regulars topped .300, led by second sacker Larry Doyle, who hit .300 and slugged .545, ripping 38 longballs, knocking in 105 runs, and swiping 35 bases. Left fielder Joe Medwick hit .335, ripping 50 doubles, 28 homers, knocking in 110 runs while scoring 105. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .301 with 41 doubles, 28 homers, 99 RBI's, and 92 runs scored. Center fielder Terry Puhl hit .327 with 22 homers, 78 RBI's, 112 runs scored, and 39 steals. Righthander Tommy Hanson led a deep pitching staff, going 14-4 with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Geoff Zahn had a breakout season, going 14-8 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Detroit Purple Gang underachieved, winning just 90 games despite the second-stingiest pitching staff in baseball, and they underachieved their Pythagorean projection by an incredible 15 games. Detroit was eliminated on a 10th inning walk-off homer by Minneapolis's Will Clark on the final day of the season. Left fielder Carl Crawford led Detroit offensively, hitting .312 with 29 homers, 111 RBI's, 113 runs scored, and stealing 55 of 62 bases. Southpaw Allen Watson went 15-7 with a 2.25 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP. Veteran Mel Harder notched a 16-7 mark with a 2.47 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP. The Milwaukee Raccoons, who won just 57 games last year, were the most pleasant surprise of the season, as they won the Great Plains Division with 90 victories to take the title by three games over Kansas City. Milwaukee jumped out to a large lead at midseason, then played below .500 for the second half, capped off by losing 13 of their final 17 games of the year. Right fielder Birdie Cree led a balanced lineup, hitting .313 and slugging .584, ripping 33 homers, driving in 96 runs, and scoring 108 runs. Second-year catcher Mickey Cochrane hit .320 and slugged .531, drilling 19 dingers and knocking in 82 runs. Southpaw Bruce Robbins posted a modest 10-9 mark despite a 2.60 ERA, an 0.85 WHIP, and 198 strikeouts. Phil Douglas and Chris Sale sported identical 9-6 records, with Douglas notching a 2.48 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP and Sale yielding a 3.20 ERA along with a 1.05 WHIP. Despite losing star first baseman Mark McGwire to free agency, the Portland Skunks cruised to their fifth straight division title and their eighth in nine years, winning 107 games. Portland led the league in on-base percentage and finished second in runs scored. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .276 and slugged .510, launching 38 longballs and plating 111 runs. Right fielder Max Kepler hit .272 and slugged .536, pounding 30 homers and knocking in 89 runs. Second sacker Mark Lemke hit .306 with 40 doubles, 13 homers, and 90 RBI's. On the mound, Walter Johnson had another monster season, going 21-3 with a 1.58 ERA, a league-leading 0.77 WHIP, and 302 strikeouts. Southpaw John Smiley was a perfect 15-0 in 32 starts, matching Johnson with a 1.58 ERA and sporting an 0.79 WHIP. Bill Fischer saved 40 games with a 2.59 ERA, but was removed from the closer role in the final week of the season. The Vancouver Viceroys nearly made the playoffs for the first time since 2048, but they fell just short after a subpar September, winning 89 games and missing the final wild card spot by two games. Willie McCovey had a monster season for Vancouver, posting a .312/ .414/ .618 slash line with 50 homers, 125 RBI's, and 122 runs scored. Southpaw John Tudor went 13-3 with a 2.19 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP. Continental League: The Charlotte Aviators jumped out to a 17-2 start on their way to a 109-win season, making the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Charlotte led the HRDL with 293 homers, led by DH Cecil Cooper, who hit .286 with 47 doubles, 45 homers, 120 RBI's, and 111 runs scored. Right fielder Dwight Evans hit .337 and slugged .630, blasting 41 round-trippers with 104 RBI's and 119 runs scored. First baseman Fernando Tatis hit .291 with 34 longballs and 105 RBI's. Charlotte's pitching staff led the league, allowing just 546 runs. Lon Warneke made a successful transition from the bullpen to the rotation, going 17-6 with a 2.30 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and 247 strikeouts. Veteran Len Barker posted a 13-3 mark with a 3.15 ERA, an 0.99 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts. Veteran Glenn Liebhardt went 11-6 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP before being sidelined for the season in August after undergoing elbow surgery. Charlotte held off the 105-win New York Emperors. DH Adam Dunn led the Emperors, hitting .257 and slugging .600, ripping 57 homers, plating 140 runs and scoring 129 times. Third baseman Eddie Mathews hit .301, drilling 38 dingers with 133 RBI's and 123 runs scored. Second sacker Travis Shaw popped 35 homers and drove home 104 runs. Center fielder Tim Raines hit .302 with 43 doubles, 14 homers, 66 RBI's, 124 runs scored, and a franchise-record 92 steals. New York featured a balanced pitching staff lacking in star power, as 11 pitchers won at least 5 games with no one tallying more than 11 victories. Swingman Ray Benge went 11-4 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Fred Klages notched an 11-7 mark with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. The New Orleans Crawfish relied on a dominant pitching staff to win 105 games, taking the Southeast Division title for the fifth time in six years. New Orleans pulled away with a 19-game winning streak starting in late August. Shortstop Alan Trammell starred, hitting .298 and slugging .530, with 32 longballs, 114 RBI's, 96 runs scored, and 22 steals. First baseman Don Mincher hit .276, popping 33 homers and plating 87 runs. New Orleans finished second in the league in runs allowed, led by Warren Spahn, who went 13-7 with a 2.50 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts, but was sidelined with a season-ending triceps injury. Syl Johnson posted a 12-2 mark with a 2.86 ERA, an 0.80 WHIP, and 227 strikeouts. Southpaw Rick Krivda sported a 14-5 record with a 2.99 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. The Nashville Blues improved by 30 games on last year's disaster, earning the final wild card slot with 91 wins despite finishing 18th in the league in runs scored. Right fielder Babe Herman hit just .262 but drilled 32 homers, drove in 99 runs, and scored 90 runs. Catcher Gary Carter ripped 27 homers and knocked in 93 runs, but hit a dreadful .229. Shortstop Trea Turner hit just .262, but scored 101 runs and stole 63 of 74 bases. Nashville shaved more than two runs per game off their team ERA from last season, led by Mike Mussina, who went 16-8 with a 2.73 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and 218 strikeouts. John Ely sported a 13-6 record with a 2.30 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP, allowing just 10 homers in 192 innings. Closer Octavio Dotel notched 40 saves with a 2.51 ERA, an 0.75 WHIP, and 102 strikeouts in just 72 innings. The Memphis River Pirates were in playoff contention for most of the season, but fell just short of the wild card with 89 wins. Center fielder Carlos Beltran had a breakout season, ripping 49 homers, driving in 112 runs, scoring 127 runs, and swiping 39 bags. First baseman Jorge Cantu hit .287 with 41 round-trippers and 120 RBI's. The Birmingham Steelers used a late-season push to tie Memphis with 89 wins, missing the playoffs by two games. First baseman Hal Trosky hit .335 and slugged .638, launching 35 homers and knocking in 93 runs in just 123 games. Virgil Trucks rebounded from an injury-riddled 2054 campaign to go 14-11 with a 2.60 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 231 strikeouts. The El Paso Armadillos returned to form, winning 101 games to return to the playoffs after missing the playoffs last year for the first time in five seasons. El Paso cruised to the Texas Division title, posting an 18-game lead over the second-place Austin Mustangs. Veteran DH Harry Heilmann hit .309 and slugged .530, drilling 40 doubles, 33 homers, and knocking in 102 runs while scoring 123 times. Left fielder Troy Neel hit .279 with 40 longballs and knocking in 124 runs. Right fielder Roberto Clemente hit .320 for the second straight season, ripping 15 round-trippers and knocking in 83 runs. Crafty veteran Lefty Tyler posted a 17-8 mark with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Stephen Strasburg sported a 10-8 record despite a sparkling 2.79 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, fanning 192. Closer Monty Stratton posted 6 wins and 34 saves, with a 1.23 ERA and an 0.76 WHIP. The Los Angeles Kangaroos won their third straight Southwest Division title, winning a league-high 110 games, and they closed the season by winning 15 out of their final 18 games. The Kangaroos led the league with 931 runs scored, and finished third with 256 homers. DH Fred McGriff hit .288 with 45 doubles, 44 longballs, 132 RBI's, and 133 runs scored. Catcher Kyle Schwarber hit .266 and slugged .585, blasting 42 homers and knocking in 114 runs in just 133 games. Third baseman Kelly Gruber hit .295 and slugged .551, drilling 36 dingers and knocking in 120 runs. Center fielder Ray Lankford pounded 38 homers and knocked in 122 runs while scoring 118 runs. Adam Wainwright led the league's deepest pitching staff, going 22-4 with a 1.91 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP. Hugh Bedient posted an 18-8 mark with a 2.83 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and fanned 217 hitters. Closer Oscar Harstad tied Chris Short's single-season record with 49 saves, as he sported a 2.23 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP. The Phoenix Lizards improved by 22 games from last year, winning 100 games to make the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Phoenix finished third-from-last in the league in homers, as only three players topped 12 longballs. First baseman Frank Thomas (not the Hall of Famer of the same name) hit .296 with 40 round-trippers and 140 RBI's. DH Matt Holliday hit .282 with 31 longballs and 113 RBI's. Second sacker Aaron Ward hit .291 with 23 homers, 98 RBI's, and 95 runs scored. Phoenix's pitching staff ranked third in the league in runs allowed, and four pitchers- Dave Roberts, Sid Fernandez, Kevin Millwood, and Larry French -- won at least 14 games apiece. Roberts had a breakout season, going 17-4 with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, allowing just 8 homers in 167 innings. Fernandez posted a 16-6 mark with a 2.82 ERA, an 0.93 WHIP, and fanned 278 batters. Millwood sported a 14-8 mark with a 2.49 ERA, an 0.98 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts. Best season in team history: Toronto Predators (96 wins), Portland Skunks (107 wins), Miami Flamingos (103 wins) Worst season in team history: Calgary Cattle Rustlers (50 wins), Atlanta Ducks (52 wins), San Antonio Marksmen (39 wins), Las Vegas Aces (53 wins) Attached Images

06-21-2020, 11:26 PM	#79
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2055 Playoff Report Frontier League: The underdog Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead against the defending champion Portland Skunks, but Portland stormed back to take the series in seven games. Third baseman Delino DeShields led Portland with a .357 average, including 5 runs scored and an RBI. Second sacker Mark Lenke hit .321 with a homer and a series-high 9 RBI's. Jesse Haines dominated, going 2-0 (including a Game 7 win) with a 1.46 ERA, fanning 17 in 12.1 innings. Walter Johnson had two no-decisions, despite posting a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, fanning 16. Pittsburgh shortstop Buddy Kerr earned MVP honors in defeat, hitting .484 with 15 hits in 7 games, including 3 doubles, 5 runs scored, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals. Southpaw Greg Mathews hurled 13 shutout innings, allowing just 7 hits and going 1-0. The Toronto Predators dominated the overmatched and overachieving Milwaukee Raccoons, holding Milwaukee to just four runs in a four-game sweep. Toronto left fielder JD Martinez was tabbed MVP after hitting .462 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Catcher Kevan Smith hit .375 with a longball and 6 RBI's. Eddie Rommel earned a Game 3 win, allowing just one hit in seven shutout innings. Catcher Mickey Cochrane provided the lone bright spot for Milwaukee, hitting .400 with a homer and 2 RBI's. The Buffalo Fighting Elk dominated their division rival Baltimore Robins, shutting them out in the first two games on their way to a four-game sweep. Star left fielder Juan Soto was an easy MVP pick, hitting .389 and slugging .889, with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 5 RBI's. and 4 runs scored. Right fielder Bruce Aven hit .400 with 4 runs scored and an RBI. Second baseman Sam Bohne hit .250 with a round-tripper and 5 RBI's. Righthander Russ Ortiz hurled 7 shutout innings in a Game 2 win, allowing just 2 hits, while southpaw Mark Mulder yielded just 2 hits in 5 shutout innings in a Game 1 victory. Fireballer Jim Maloney led Baltimore, taking a tough loss in Game 2, yielding just 1 run in 6 innings while fanning 8. In the tightest series of the first round, the Cleveland Rocks erased a 3-1 deficit to their division-rival Cincinnati Spiders, winning the last three games by one run apiece. Cleveland center fielder Duke Snider starred, earning MVP honors after hitting .387 with 5 homers and 8 RBI's, including a series-clinching walk-off homer in Game 7. First baseman Gaby Sanchez hit .345 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's, while left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury hit .344 with 2 homers, 4 runs scored, and 4 RBI's. Cleveland's bullpen was terrific, led by Vladimir Nunez, who hurled 5.1 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts. Cincinnati featured several superlative performances in defeat. Second baseman Larry Doyle hit .500 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Third baseman Evan Longoria hit .313 with 3 longballs and 11 RBI's, while Terry Puhl hit .278 with 5 doubles, 4 dingers, 7 RBI's, and 9 runs scored. In the Division Series, the Portland Skunks dispatched the Toronto Predators in six games. Portland left fielder Pedro Guerrero was tabbed MVP after hitting .350 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit .304 with a round-tripper and 7 RBI's. Walter Johnson went 2-0, posting a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, allowing just 6 hits while fanning 17. Jesse Haines hurled seven innings, allowing no earned runs and just 3 hits. Right fielder Claudell Washington led Toronto, hitting .360 with 2 homers, 7 RBI's, and 2 steals. The red-hot Buffalo Fighting Elk earned their second straight series sweep, eliminating the Cleveland Rocks in four games. Buffalo catcher Brian Downing was named MVP after hitting .313 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Third baseman Jack Lohrke hit .333 with 3 doubles, a homer and 5 RBI's. Center fielder Stan Javier hit .400 with 3 extra-base hits, 5 runs scored, and an RBI. Righthanders Russ Ortiz and Dick Donovan each allowed one run in six innings, with Donovan notching a victory. Center fielder Duke Snider led Cleveland, hitting .313 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's in defeat. Buffalo's luck ran out in the League Championship Series, as Portland eliminated Buffalo in six games, allowing the Skunks to make the World Series for the third straight season. Right fielder Max Kepler took home the hardware, hitting .263 with 2 homers, 6 RBI's, and 3 runs scored. Left fielder Pedro Guerrero hit just .238, but he slugged .476, with 2 doubles, a homers, 2 RBI's, and 5 runs scored. Jesse Haines continued his brilliant postseason, going 2-0 with a 3.60, and southpaw John Smiley allowed just one run on four hits in 9 innings. Right fielder Bruce Aven led Buffalo, hitting .304 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Mark Mulder yielded a 1.59 ERA, allowing just 5 hits in 11.1 innings. Continental League: In a major upset, the 91-win Nashville Blues, making just their second playoff appearance in 25 years, upended the 110-win Los Angeles Kangaroos in six games. Nashville center fielder Mark Kotsay earned MVP honors after hitting .417 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 10 RBI's. Left fielder Lance Berkman hit .375 with 2 round-trippers, 7 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Righthander John Ely earned a win in a crucial Game 5, allowing 2 hits in 7 shutout innings, and he posted an 0.69 ERA in 13 innings. Mike Mussina split two decisions despite a 1.46 ERA, fanning 18 in 12.1 innings. DH Fred McGriff led Los Angeles in defeat, hitting .350 with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. Hugh Bedient split two decisions, posting a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. In a matchup of two teams with over 100 wins, the New York Emperors swept the El Paso Armadillos. New York right fielder Ron Fairly was tabbed MVP after hitting .353 with a homer and 6 RBI's. DH Adam Dunn hit .308 and slugged .846, ripping 2 homers, scoring 6 runs, and driving in 3. Righthander Kevin Foster earned a Game 2 win, allowing just one run in 6 innings. Veteran reliever Dalier Hinojosa threw 4.1 shutout innings, earning a win and two saves. In a matchup of division rivals, the New Orleans Crawfish overcame a 2-0 deficit to oust the 103-win Miami Flamingos in 6 games. Left fielder Carson Bigbee was named MVP after hitting .385 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, 4 RBI's, and 3 steals. Star shortstop Alan Trammell hit .292 with a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBI's. Southpaw Rick Krivda earned a win in Game 3 winth 5.1 shutout innings. Carlos Martinez, who moved out of the bullpen into the rotation, went 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA, fanning 13. Center fielder Jimmie Hall led Miami, hitting .417 with a homer and 2 RBI's, while right fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis popped 3 dingers and knocked in 4 runs. The Phoenix Lizards easily dispatched the 109-win Charlotte Aviators in 5 games. Second baseman Aaron Ward took home the hardware after hitting .450 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Left fielder Matt Holliday hit .400 with 2 round-trippers and 4 RBI's. Righthander Eddie Cicotte was brilliant, earning the Game 3 win as he allowed just one hit in 7 shutout innings, fanning 10. Tom Morgan earned two wins out of the bullpen, hurling 3.2 shutout innings. Righthander Lon Warneke posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings, but received two no-decisions for his efforts. The underdog Nashville Blues slayed their second giant of the playoffs, upending the New York Emperors in six games. Nashville shortstop Trea Turner earned MVP honors, hitting .308 with six extra-base hits, including a homer, 2 RBI's, 5 runs scored, and 2 steals. Right fielder Babe Herman hit .375 with 3 doubles. Center fielder Mark Kotsay hit a modest .261, but ripped a homer and knocked in a team-high 6 runs. Veteran southpaw David Price was terrific, going 2-0 with an 0.73 ERA, allowing just 1 run and 7 hits in 12.1 innings. Octavio Dotel hurled 4 shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner and notching two saves. Right fielder Ron Fairly led New York, hitting .368 with a .520 on-base percentage. But star third baseman Eddie Mathews was abysmal, going 1-for-26 without driving in a run. The New Orleans Crawfish erased a 2-1 deficit, taking the final three games to eliminate the Phoenix Lizards in six games, holding Phoenix to just 15 runs for the series. Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen added another trophy for his mantle, hitting .318 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 6 RBI's. Shortstop Alan Trammell hit .300 and slugged .650, drilling 2 homers, knocking in 4 runs, scoring 5 runs, and swiping 2 bags. First baseman Don Mincher bopped 3 longballs and knocked in 6 runs. Righthander Syl Johnson went 2-0 with an 0.84 ERA. Veteran southpaw Lee Grissom allowed just one run in five innings in a crucial Game 4 win. Third baseman Mike Mowrey led Phoenix, hitting .550 with a series-high 11 hits, scoring 3 runs and swiping 2 bases. Nashville's good fortune ran out in the League Championship Series, as New Orleans advanced in six games, holding the Blues to just 19 runs for the series. Crawfish shortstop Alan Trammell was tabbed MVP after hitting .273 with 3 homers, 5 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Catcher Mitch Garver hit .375 with 3 runs scored. First baseman Don Mincher hit .318 with a dinger and 4 RBI's. Reliever Doug Bird starred, earning a win and two saves with 5 shutout innings. Even though closer Carlos Martinez moved into the rotation, filling the void created by the late-season loss of ace Warren Spahn, his largely anonymous bullpen compatriots allowed just 4 runs in 23 innings. World Series: In some seasons, an underachieving squad manages to squeak through the playoffs following a series of upsets over stronger competition. This was not one of those seasons, as the defending champion 107-win Portland Skunks squared off against the 105-win New Orleans Crawfish. Although Portland was making its third straight series appearance, New Orleans had not made the Fall Classic for fourteen years. Portland was a slight favorite, as New Orleans was forced to do without Warren Spahn and Dave Goltz, who combined for 28 wins, and left fielder Corey Dickerson, who slugged .594 in 104 games. Portland ace Walter Johnson won Game 1 singlehandedly, allowing just one hit in 6.1 shutout innings and driving in both runs with a fifth-inning homer in a 2-0 victory. Slugging left fielder Pedro Guerrero had two of Portland's five hits, but was sidelined with a series-ending intercostal strain, leaving a sizeable gap in the middle of the Skunks' lineup. The Crawfish were held to three singles on the game. Southpaw Rich Krivda yielded two runs on four hits in six innings to take the loss. New Orleans returned the favor in Game 2, winning 2-1 as Lee Grissom allowed just one run on three hits in 6.1 innings to earn the victory. New Orleans left fielder Carson Bigbee and second sacker Starlin Castro each went 2-for-4 with a double. Portland southpaw John Smiley, after a perfect 15-0 season, fell to 0-2 in the postseason, allowing one run in 5.1 innings. Right fielder Max Kepler hit a solo shot for the Skunks' lone run. New Orleans's pitching continued to dominate, as the Crawfish took Game 3 2-0, with Syl Johnson hurling 5 shutout innings, yielding just 2 hits and fanning 7. Doug Bird hurled 2 shutout innings for the save. Bigbee led New Orleans offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Portland had just three singles on the game. George Suggs, who missed nearly the entire regular season after recovering from a torn UCL, took the loss despite yielding just one run in 5 innings. New Orleans seized firm control of the series in Game 4, winning 4-3 as right fielder Junior Felix hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning. Carlos Martinez gave New Orleans 5 solid innings, allowing just one run and fanning six. Reliever Jared Burton earned his third win of the postseason, and Eric Moody notched the save. Felix went 3-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI's, while center fielder Rudy Law had three singles, a steal, and a run scored. Portland finally showed a rare spark offensively, ripping four doubles among their eight hits, with second baseman Mark Lemke popping two hits and scoring a run. In a must-win Game 5, Portland held on for a 3-2 victory, but at a substantial cost. Although Walter Johnson allowed just one hit in 4.2 shutout innings, he left the game after tearing his rotator cuff - the first significant injury of his illustrious career. Kepler hit a 2-run homer to give Portland the lead for good, while Lemke had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI. Reliever Joe Fontenot notched the win in relief, and Bill Fischer earned a save, but not before yielding two ninth-inning runs and allowing the tying run to reach third base with one out. Don Mincher popped an RBI double for New Orleans, while Trammell drove in another run with a base hit. Rich Krivda took the loss, yielding 3 runs in 5 innings. Although neither team scored more than 4 runs in any of the first five games, New Orleans clinched the title with an explosive performance in Game 6, winning 11-1 behind four homers. Gene Tenace opened the scoring with a three-run blast off John Smiley in the first inning. Trammell, Felix, and Castro each smacked three hits on the day, and all three homered in the third inning. Castro and Trammell each scored and drove in two runs apiece. Southpaw Lee Grissom cruised to victory, allowing just one run in six innings. Smiley took the loss, allowing 6 runs (3 unearned) in 2 innings. Lemke hit an otherwise meaningless solo homer to prevent the shutout. New Orleans right fielder Junior Felix was tabbed MVP after hitting .348 and slugging .696, with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Trammell hit .318 with a longball and 4 RBI's. Left fielder Carson Bigbee hit .348 with 3 doubles, 5 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Rudy Law hit .292 and stole 3 bases, bringing his postseason total to 13 -- tied for third-most all-time for a single season. But New Orleans won the series with their pitching, holding the second-highest scoring offense in the Frontier League to just 10 runs in six games. Grissom went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA, fanning 14 in 12.2 innings. The Crawfish's bullpen was brilliant, led by Joe Smith, who retired all 11 batters he faced in the series, fanning 7. Overall, the New Orleans bullpen allowed just 1 run in 21.1 innings, fanning 22. Lemke led Portland, hitting .333 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Kepler hit just .227, but popped two of Portland's three homers, and drove in 3 runs. Walter Johnson was brilliant for Portland, allowing just 2 hits in 11 shutout innings, fanning 12. Reliever Joe Saunders allowed just one hit in 5.1 innings, whiffing 7 batters. Attached Images

06-23-2020, 03:50 AM	#80
Dukie98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 902	2055 Awards Winners Frontier League MVP- Juan Soto, LF, BUF (21): .341/ .449/ .647, 196 hits, 40 doubles, 2 triples, 44 HR, 126 RBI, 118 runs, 115 BB, 8 SB, 196 OPS+, 9.2 WAR Second place- Tony Batista, 2B, LON (21): .327/ .378/ .649, 206 hits, 34 doubles, 2 triples, 55 HR, 196 RBI, 101 runs, 46 BB, 164 OPS+, 8.9 WAR Third place- Walter Johnson, RHP, POR (6): 21-3, 1.58 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 210 IP, 302 K, 50 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 8.9 WAR Fourth place- Duke Snider, CF, CLE: .328/ .429/ .645, 169 hits, 44 doubles, 4 triples, 37 HR, 128 RBI, 99 runs, 86 BB, 2 SB, 176 OPS+, 8.4 WAR Fifth place- Willie McCovey, LF, VAN: .312/ .414/ .618, 183 hits, 28 doubles, 1 triple, 50 HR, 125 RBI, 122 runs, 91 BB, 1 SB, 171 OPS+, 7.8 WAR Frontier League Cy Young Award: Walter Johnson, POR (46): 21-3, 1.58 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 210 IP, 302 K, 50 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 275 ERA+, 8.9 WAR Second place- Jimmy Dygert, CLE (2): 19-2, 1.44 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 193 IP, 250 K, 39 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 307 ERA+, 8.3 WAR Third place- Jim Maloney, BAL: 19-8, 1.86 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 208 IP, 248 K, 52 BB, 1 CG, 233 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Fourth place- Bobo Newsom, TOR: 19-4, 1 save, 2.45 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 213 IP, 274 K, 71 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 180 ERA+, 6.8 WAR Fifth place- Denny Galehouse, BAL: 12-9, 2.36 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 190 IP, 222 K, 22 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 184 ERA+, 8.5 WAR Frontier League Rookie of the Year- Earle Combs, CF, TOR (27): .316/ .384/ .440, 185 hits, 50 doubles, 4 triples, 5 HR, 60 RBI, 81 runs, 63 BB, 7 SB, 118 OPS+, 4.7 WAR Second place- Vinegar Bend Mizell, LHP, DEN (18): 11-6, 1 save, 2.22 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 158 IP, 203 K, 46 BB, 198 ERA+, 6.0 WAR Third place- Sam Chapman, CF, SF (3): .243/ .353/ .414, 132 hits, 16 doubles, 4 triples, 23 HR, 73 RBI, 69 runs, 84 BB, 5 SB, 108 OPS+, 3.3 WAR Continental League MVP- Ruben Sierra, RF, HOU (44): .366/ .411/ .719, 233 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 59 HR, 156 RBI, 139 runs, 50 BB, 24 SB, 189 OPS+, 9.1 WAR Second place- Chick Hafey, LF, HOU (1): .339/ .388/ .703, 211 hits, 47 doubles, 3 triples, 58 HR, 165 RBI, 127 runs, 45 BB, 14 SB, 179 OPS+, 9.0 WAR Third place- Billy Williams, RF/LF, MIA (3): .336/ .398/ .623, 214 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 45 HR, 133 RBI, 123 runs, 65 BB, 3 SB, +11.3 Zone Rating, 168 OPS+, 8.7 WAR Fourth place- Mike Schmidt, 1B/ 3B, VB: .335/ .409/ .635, 201 hits, 36 doubles, 48 HR, 132 RBI, 114 runs, 71 BB, 1 SB, 170 OPS+, 7.8 WAR Fifth place- Dwight Evans, RF, CHA: .337/ .433/ .630, 182 hits, 33 doubles, 1 triple, 41 HR, 104 RBI, 119 runs, 88 BB, 1 SB, 172 OPS+, 7.4 WAR Continental League Cy Young Award- Van Mungo, VB (28): 18-9, 2.44 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 225 IP, 360 K, 62 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 198 ERA+, 10.0 WAR Second place- Lon Warneke, CHA (19): 17-6, 2.30 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 195 IP, 247 K, 40 BB, 213 ERA+, 8.4 WAR Third place- Fred Glade, JAX: 16-12, 2.65 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 234 IP, 270 K, 53 BB, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 184 ERA+, 8.9 WAR Fourth place- Tom Bradley, MIA: 10-6, 2.57 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 192 IP, 242 K, 33 BB, 186 ERA+, 7.2 WAR Fifth place- Kevin Millwood, PHO: 14-8, 2.49 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 191 IP, 228 K, 33 BB, 201 ERA+, 7.2 WAR Continental League Rookie of the Year- Jerry Browne, 2B, MEM (47): .281/ .364/ .415, 159 hits, 35 doubles, 4 triples, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 91 runs, 72 BB, 22 SB, 108 ERA+, 3.9 WAR Second place- Rey Quinones, SS, SA: .239/ .299/ .383, 125 hits, 27 doubles, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 50 runs, 32 BB, 2 SB, 90 OPS+, 0.5 WAR Third place- Al Holland, LHP, OKC (1): 2-3, 21 saves, 0.94 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 58 IP, 95 K, 11 BB, 522 ERA+, 2.7 WAR Top draft picks: 1. Mike Piazza, C, San Antonio Marksmen 2. Ivan Rodriguez, Washington Ambassadors 3. Juan Guzman, RHP, Calgary Cattle Rustlers 4. Tony Solaita, 1B, Atlanta Ducks 5. Joe Horlen, RHP, Las Vegas Aces 6. Charlie Keller, RF, Omaha Falcons 7. Paul LoDuca, C, Ottawa Parliamentarians 8. Billy Hoeft, LHP, Montreal Knights 9. Dick Kryhoski, 1B, Albuquerque Conquistadors 10. Matt Duffy, 2B, Boston Minutemen Last edited by Dukie98; 06-23-2020 at 01:19 PM.